Subjugating Her on Broadcast (18)
Dong-hyun looked down at Min-ju — still trembling in the aftershocks of the orgasm Yu-min's fingers had wrung from her — and let a mocking laugh curl across his face.
"Whoa. You held out pretty damn well... turns out you're a real firecracker, huh?"
"You bastard... humiliating people like this — that's your method?"
Jeong Min-ju spat the words as though she'd had him completely wrong.
"Pfft. And what does that make you, the one who just lost to that method? You were working so hard to win Won-seon over."
"Are you saying I found you attractive? That I'd actually be loyal to a bastard like you?!"
Min-ju's voice cracked sharp with fury. In her mind, the idea that she could have fallen for Ahn Jin-woo in a matter of days was simply incomprehensible.
"Heh heh. You just came, so you already know, don't you? A few more times and you'll be worshipping me too."
"That's insane..."
Dong-hyun's taunt was, to her, utterly absurd — and she had every reason to think so. Min-ju had lived her entire life by her convictions, a woman of unbending, bamboo-rigid principle. Her years as a special forces officer had only hardened that spine further.
"You need a little education first. Everyone, step back."
Dong-hyun waved off the people pinning Min-ju down. He could have skipped every tedious preliminary and simply driven himself into her then and there — but breaking her will came first.
The moment her captors released her, Min-ju rose to her feet and dropped into a combat stance. Most women would have scrambled to cover their breasts or the cleft between their legs. Jeong Min-ju was clearly cut from different cloth.
"You know... if you and I just go one-on-one, aren't you at a huge disadvantage?"
"Is that your pathetic male pride talking? I don't care. Come at me."
Even that didn't shake her.
"How about a wager, then? Loser grants the winner one wish. Still going to talk about fighting fair under those terms?"
"What...? So if I win, you'll let me go?"
"No reason I couldn't."
"And I'm supposed to take your word for that?"
"Hmm. Do I have to do something to earn your trust? That's a pretty steep ask."
"Then I won't fight you."
"And if I just pin you down like before and torture you instead? What then?"
"Hmph! You can take my body. You'll never make me submit."
Her voice was iron.
"Hahaha! All I need is your body anyway."
Dong-hyun laughed, and he felt the flicker of panic that crossed her face. The real goal was to shatter her mind and force her surrender — but she didn't need to know that. When she failed to answer, he pressed on.
"Well... if you really need a show of good faith, I suppose I can manage that. If I give you one, you'll commit to the wager for real?"
"Of course. I keep my word."
"Then I'll free one person of your choosing. How's that?"
"Are you... serious?"
The offer was large enough that Min-ju actually looked startled.
"I said I was serious. Who should I let go?"
Min-ju hesitated, her eyes drifting to the two women who had been on her team. Both of them dropped their heads in shame — they were the ones who, unable to endure the pain, had held Min-ju's legs apart.
"Free Chu So-yeon, and I'll fight you. That's a promise."
After a long moment of thought, she chose Chu So-yeon — the one who had been her teammate from the very beginning.
"Fine. I'll do that. Liberate Slave Number Four."
He spoke the liberation code exactly as the production staff had taught him. A mechanical chime answered from the collar locked around Chu So-yeon's throat.
Liberate this slave?
Awaiting voice confirmation...
"Yes. Liberate."
At Dong-hyun's word, the collar around Chu So-yeon's neck unlatched and dropped to the floor with a dull clack.
"Well? Satisfied?"
"Good enough. Come at me."
"Ah, ah. I told you at the start. The match isn't fair, so I'll give you a handicap. One arm. That work for you?"
"One arm...? Why go that far?"
"On one condition. If I win, you submit to me. Completely. That's all I want."
"Fine. I accept."
Judging by Jeong Min-ju's personality, she wasn't the type to fold easily — so he needed this locked down. If he didn't break her quickly, it would complicate the conversation he still needed to have with Yoon Jin-ju.
"Alright then. You first."
Dong-hyun tucked his right hand behind his back and crooked the fingers of his left, beckoning her forward. He'd trained in hand-to-hand combat through Sirian; he doubted he'd lose to just anyone. And if things really went south, he could always use Possession. He hadn't activated it once since arriving in this world, but if it was enough to rattle Serién, it had to be a damn good skill.
Even with the taunt hanging in the air, Min-ju moved with unexpected caution. Dong-hyun's frame was bigger and more powerful than most men she'd faced — she clearly understood she was outmatched in raw physique. So she chose technique over force. Watching her fight Won-seon earlier, Dong-hyun had noted that she boxed well, and the way she handled weapons suggested she'd trained in other martial arts besides.
Min-ju circled him, waiting for an opening. When she refused to close the distance despite his provocation, he started walking toward her instead, one measured step at a time. The room wasn't particularly large, and the bed and furniture further cramped the space — an advantage that tilted slightly in his favor.
The moment the gap narrowed, Dong-hyun's fist snapped out toward her. But Min-ju was faster. She ducked under his left jab and spun to his left, clearly aiming for his unguarded right side — the side he'd promised not to use. She wasn't a small woman, but her footwork was remarkably quick.
Dong-hyun, however, had already predicted she'd target his right. He recovered the thrown punch and spun with it, whipping a back-spin blow toward her. Min-ju hadn't expected him to react that fast; she barely got her guard up in time to absorb the hit.
Dong-hyun caught the wrist of the hand that had blocked him. He yanked her in and drove a knee into her midsection.
"Ghhhk—"
Her left arm was trapped in his grip, so she blocked with her right — but the aftereffects of Won-seon's earlier body shots were still lingering. A deep, resonant shock rolled through her abdomen. She threw an uppercut at his jaw. Dong-hyun saw it coming, twisted his torso, and slipped it. Then he kept driving knees into her gut.
Min-ju thrashed, trying to wrench her arm free, but his grip was brutal and immovable. When her movements finally started to dull, he swung her arm hard and sent her crashing to the floor. She hit the ground, rolled, and scrambled back to her feet — but her legs were trembling, barely answering her after the repeated blows to her stomach.
"What's this? Losing to one hand?"
"Shut up..."
The taunt ignited her fury, but it also forced her to feel her own helplessness. His strength was so overwhelming she could barely keep her body under control.
Dong-hyun closed the distance with quick steps and started firing jabs. She guarded with her hands, weaved her head left and right — but her legs wouldn't move properly, and eventually the punches started landing. Even then she refused to quit, keeping her guard high and her head moving, still defending. Watching from the sidelines, Chu So-yeon and Lee Seul-bi felt tears slide down their cheeks. This was their leader in all but name, and they were watching her get cornered and beaten.
Dong-hyun threw another left jab, then slammed a low kick into her thigh with his right foot.
THWACK!
The heavy kick buried itself in her leg. Her body locked up for a split second — just long enough for a combination to crash into her abdomen and jaw. That was enough to put Min-ju in a groggy state. Dong-hyun didn't stop. Another low kick, and her legs gave out completely. She crumpled to the floor.
Then the beating of the woman on the ground began.
"P-please stop! She's already lost!!"
Chu So-yeon rushed forward, shouting.
"The hell are you talking about? She hasn't said she lost. Won-seon, grab her."
At his word, Won-seon stepped in, twisted Chu So-yeon's arm, and subdued her in a single motion.
Just as Dong-hyun had said, Min-ju still hadn't given up. She was curled in on herself, arms wrapped around her vital points, still blocking — and there was still fight left in her eyes. Dong-hyun wanted that last spark crushed completely.
His foot came down toward her stomach. She threw everything she had into blocking with her arms — but the impact launched her body across the floor.
"Gahhk—"
She clutched her abdomen, coughing, unable to draw a proper breath. Dong-hyun's foot came down on her throat.
"Ghhk—!!"
Air vanished. She grabbed at his leg with both arms, trying to pry it off, but the strength had already drained from her limbs. She couldn't budge him.
"Ghhhk!! Ghk!!"
Her arms grew weaker. The pressure on her throat grew heavier.
At last, the words of surrender tore themselves from Jeong Min-ju's mouth.