Playboy Cultivator in the Apocalypse

"This [was] the most glorious moment of your life—past tense." Kiera scoffed, replying to the Asian man begging for one more role, "It'll be the worst moment if you roll again."

"N-No, that's the thing!" Steve cried, "It could also be the double best!"

Kiera's eyes glazed over and turned to the equally exasperated Rein, whose emotions weren't faked. "Should we let this pity farm reap the fruit of his patheticness?"

After studying the woman's expression, she sighed. "One."

Everyone cheered once the drama unfolded.

"That's okay because if I win, everyone will be damn near broke, and it will be impossible for me to lose everything!" Steve announced, madness swirling in his eyes, "Ultimate victory—it's statistically unheard of!"

Kaze closed her eyes, feeling Sage, a redheaded stat junkie, turn all her attention to them. It was a disaster, but Rein did a surprisingly good job of keeping it together in Kiera's body. "Fine."

"Let's goooooooooooo!" A man yelled.

"Game on!" The brunette gambler screamed.

Lively chatter and excitement exploded in the area. Everyone was drawn in by the energy playing out.

"Let's get started!" The dice roller said, "Odd or even, place your bet!?"

Steve closed his eyes and reached out to the gods, entering a state of enlightenment as he thought through his options.

Kiera watched him in fascination. She had never seen someone dedicate their full concentration to anything off a battlefield—and rarely on it!

When Steve opened his eyes and saw Kiera's gaze, he instantly turned to Rein with a dead serious expression, cupping her hands before her. "Rein, please give me your luck."

Rein took a deep breath with her eyes closed, trying not to scream [Pray tell, Steve. How might one go about giving you [luck], you vice-ridden cretin?].

However, she didn't fail to notice the man's intention, so she let it slide and spat in his hands. It was playful yet savage, making people burst into laughter.

Contrary to expectations, Steve wasn't put off by the gesture. He turned to the roller with a crazed look in his eyes. "ALL IN ON ODDS!"

An explosion of cheers rocked the room the next moment, giving the room a pulse. Everyone developed synesthesia, breathing the emotions in the room.

While Kiera was exasperated, he had the audacity to go all in after their conversation, she was lost, watching everyone's crazed faces in wonderment.

She felt an overwhelming thrill and energy waving through the room and getting carried away with it. "This is like one of Kaze's speeches…."

The heated passion in the room could melt steel. She felt like she was standing in the crowd of Kaze's war speeches, but the energy was twice as positive and four times more insane.

There was nothing else like it in the world.

Kiera watched in hyper-slow motion as the dice rolled, hitting a wooden rolling table and popping in the air multiple times. Her heart beat rapidly, awaiting the results like everyone else.

Six, one. Odd.

Two, two. Even.

Two, five. Odd.

One, one. Even.

She could see combinations flying around as the dice made the third bounce, getting closer and closer to the ground.

It hypnotized her.

Three, four. Odd.

One, six. Odd.

Four, six. Even.

One, two. Odd.

Three, three. Even….

Four, four. Even….

One, three. Even…

Kiera's heart beat rapidly, feeling the pulse in the room. The screaming was overbearing, creating a unified noise drowned out by her rapid heartbeat.

A loud scoff woke her from her trance. Not a moment later—

"AhhHHhhHHhHHhHhhHhhHhHHHHHh!"

—explosive screaming crashed into her eardrums.

She looked at the table and saw it.

Five, six. Odd.

"24,000!" Steve roared at the top of his lungs. He got his all-in because everyone pitched into one bet hoping to bleed him dry.

Kiera's heart thumped. She had to restrain herself from smiling at his antics, seeing Rein standing beside her with an unenthused expression.

"Are you done now?" Rein asked dryly, "The Emperor awaits you."

Kiera reflexively tried to ask for [one more roll], carried away by passion. However, she felt invisible Qi pinching her eye, forcing it to twitch, and a force heating her skin. Combined with her panicked expression, everyone was convinced she was pissed.

As a result, everyone immediately calmed down, especially the Asian man. Seeing that, she snapped back to attention.

"Okay, luck nugget." Kiera scoffed, putting her hands on her hips, "You got your moment; now cash out before I offer your testicles to your exalted leader as an apology for prioritizing degeneracy instead of his summons."

Steve developed a shit-eating grin, having an official reason to bounce with everyone's money without an awkward confrontation. "It's been a plea~sure, everyone."

Sage watched the scene with a complex expression, simultaneously fascinated, terrified, and thrilled. The possibility it could've been an act sent shivers of fear and ecstasy crawling down her spine.

═─┈─═

Kiera led Rein and Steve through the Underground Bizarre under the speculative gazes of the Scavengers, whistling and calling out.

Everyone was smitten with the unlikely [couple] springing up out of the blue.

It was a twisted justice fairy tale.

When Kiera got to the door, she turned to the other two. "Wait out here for a moment Steve."

Steve nodded hesitantly, his heart pounding after being told to wait officially, still buzzing with adrenaline and dopamine. "You got it."

The minute Kiera and Rein walked in, [Kaze's] eyes lit up with a truly apologetic expression, hearing Steve with them. She averted her gaze in shame, "I'm…."

"You're fine." [Rein] said, waving her hand. When she did, the illusions on each broke instantly, returning their bodies together, "Now do something to delay Steve; I'm in the middle of something."

They blinked in confusion, seeing him lean his head against a wall uncharacteristically, ignoring them.

═─┈─═

A spatial rift underneath the bar opened up, the third in the last five minutes.

"Yes, I'll follow your advice." Mandy said hesitantly, "What should I do?"

"Close down blackjack and make the booths three RP without alternative." Sage replied, "I'll give you a 5,000 Skye rebate. You will survive this week, and I want nothing in exchange."

"So… you want to cover up your tracks if someone accuses you of pressuring me?" Mandy asked seriously, wearing a wry smile.

"While I like the way you think—no." Sage smiled, taking the last drink of her whiskey slowly, "We can't talk about me helping to fill your [desires] if you are chained by your [needs]."

Kat Casino's owner cocked her head to the side in confusion. "You [want] to make my desires a reality? Why would you want that?"

"I'm a consultant and wish maker." Sage smiled, narrowing her eyes, "You can come to me with requests, and I'll name a price. However, people pay me by fulfilling my desires instead of money."

Mandy churned through the woman's statements over and over again. "So it's quid pro quo?"

"I'm not doing you favors in exchange for implied returns, Mandy." The redhead scoffed, "I legally fulfill requests, and my terms are transparent, legal, and voluntary.

It's a business transaction—there's nothing [quid pro quo] about it."

"I see…." Mandy gulped nervously, taking a sharp breath, "So you would help me set up my business and make it successful?"

"That's a rather large request." Sage smiled, "However, if you wish for a three-month 25% discount on scavenging services, help from my non-political connections, advice on training employees, financing advice, or consulting—I'll do any of those things for a price. Naturally, I can bundle them."

Kat's Casino's owner gulped, taking heavy breaths. The redhead offered her so many things that she could use to make her dreams a reality.

"Ideally, I'd like all those things in a bundle." Mandy swallowed, "What do you ask in return?"

When the businesswoman made her offer, the blonde's eyes widened in astonishment, trembling. She looked away and bit her lip, feeling sharp pains shoot through her.

"I've removed your needs, so only accept if my price is worth your desire." Sage smiled, "Now that you know my value, you may seek my services in the future. It doesn't have to be tonight."

"I know." Mandy said, closing her eyes, "I appreciate you and don't think you're being unreasonable. I just need a moment to think."

After Sage nodded, she closed her eyes and thought about the value of RP, Skye, the harsh realities of the apocalypse, the potential of cultivation, and her future.

After a while, she released her teeth from her lip and smiled naturally. She thought about power, the Underground Bizarre, and what Kaze had said that night.

Before long, she thought about Sage's asks and found them comically dismal in comparison. It seemed ridiculous that she was even questioning it!

Sage watched the woman give in to her desires with a feral glint in her eye. It filled her with so much thrill.

"I accept your price, Ms. Harrington." Mandy smiled nervously, "Just give me the details on the when and where and your expectations and I'll do my best to fulfill your conditions."

"Let's discuss this in private." The redhead smiled mysteriously, "It would still be embarrassing if someone were listening."

"Yes... give me a moment to give my employees instructions." Mandy blushed, leaving to contact them.

"I~wonder…." Sage mused, pouring herself another drink and putting her lips on the glass seductively, "When I whored myself to the Emperor for influence, I got an impassioned speech on women having a right to make decisions for themselves.

Tonight he exposed the virtues of doing unsavory things for power.

I'm curious if he will take the same stance when it's inconvenient to his image."

The redhead exhaled in satisfaction with rosy cheeks, rubbing her legs together.

"Consent, legality, desires, transparency, and no betrayal—everything he demands and I desire." She whispered with an enraptured expression, feeling her nipples become sensitive, "Yet it's oh, so very twisted.

It's exciting knowing he might murder me for my twisted desires alone. Such raw power, unrestrained by laws… he doesn't need recourse for action, only a desire.

How thrilling. It almost makes me hope he'll punish me."

Sage wasn't betraying Kaze, breaking his rules, or misleading anyone. She also wasn't trying to get under his skin with her actions—she was just a twisted person twisting her life.

So if he killed her, it would be devoid of logic, lest he claims hypocrisy. However, he didn't need a reason other than her being evil, something she acknowledged.

Kaze had true power, unrestrained by petty logic. For someone obsessed with power over others, she found him thrilling and almost wished he'd take her life just to prove he could.

"Are… you ready?" Mandy asked nervously, averting her gaze shyly.

"I am." Sage replied hypnotically, standing and pulling her skirt down, "Let's talk about your strategy. Don't worry; I won't ask for things I don't think you can handle."

-

[A/N: Spoilers notwithstanding—this novel will never have a sex scene involving malevolent intent, and Sage won't ever betray Kaze. Assault makes me uncomfortable, and this isn't Game of Thrones.

I hope you enjoy seeing her character develop and wondering whether she'll do something non-betrayal or assault-related worth killing her over—despite following his rules. Thanks for reading!]