Chapter 3

The wolf was dealt with, but the danger wasn't over.

The metal net above the arena opened, and dense swarms of venomous snakes rained down.

"Oh my God! Snakes!"

"They're done for, aren't they? With three liabilities."

"Mr. Hayes sure knows how to entertain! I'm getting excited! Yay! I bet 10 million that woman will throw her kids away first!"

On the big screen, the excited chatter of the wealthy elite was relentless.

I immediately shielded my daughters in a corner, forming a barrier with my body.

Mixed among the snakes were several massive, slimy carrion-eating monitor lizards. Their target wasn't us, but the still-warm wolf carcass nearby.

The giant lizards opened their gaping jaws, tearing and swallowing the rotting flesh, nauseating fluids splattering everywhere.

This primal, barbaric scene intensified one of my daughter’s fevers, causing her to hallucinate.

She mistook a slowly slithering snake for my hand and actually laughed, reaching out to grab it.

"Baby, don't move!"

I was terrified, clutching my daughter's crying, struggling body with my uninjured hand.

This tearing sensation, where I had to hurt her to protect her, felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

*Ding! Host's clever survival tactics have been recognized, rewarding new permission: Public Opinion Control (Basic). You can edit videos under 30 seconds and anonymously upload them to any online platform.*

My chance had arrived.

I deliberately allowed a colorful, non-venomous snake to bite my ankle.

The illusion of being "poisoned" and the sharp pain were immediately synchronized to Dominic.

"Help… I've been poisoned… there are snakes…"

In Dominic Hayes's corporate office, he writhed on the floor in agony, disrupting everyone trying to help him.

At the same time, I activated [Public Opinion Control].

I didn't spread videos of my own suffering; that would only satisfy the spectators' morbid curiosity.

I carefully edited a 30-second video:

The background was the hellish scene of snakes encircling us and giant lizards devouring a corpse.

The foreground was me, enduring the agonizing pain in my ankle, gently wiping away my daughter's tears with the blood-stained hem of my clothing.

I made no sound, only silently mouthed to them: "Mommy's here."

The video ended with my feverish, hallucinating daughter placing her small hand on my face, innocently asking: "Mommy, are we playing a game?"

I titled the video: *Mother of the Year: Hell-Level Parenting in Action.*

Then, I anonymously uploaded it everywhere online.

In less than ten minutes, the video exploded.

#HellLevelParenting gained viral traction, rocketing to the top of the trending topics on Ins.

"Holy crap! Is this a movie? It looks so real!"

"That's not special effects! Look at the mother's arm wound, it's real! And those snakes and monitor lizards!"

"Investigate! Find out! Where is this? This is murder!"

"That mother's eyes… I'm crying. For her children, she truly fears nothing."

Soon, resourceful netizens, through a fleeting logo in the live stream background, identified the owner of this underground fighting arena—Dominic Hayes, CEO of Hayes Group, a man known nationwide for his "loving husband and devoted family man" public persona.

Public opinion utterly erupted.

"What 'loving husband' persona? His wife and kids are being fed to snakes in a fighting pit! That bastard!"

"Boycott Hayes Group! This scum's company must go bankrupt!"

Hayes Group's PR department's phones were ringing off the hook, and their stock began a precipitous freefall.

Dominic received countless calls from shareholders and partners demanding answers.

But his mind was filled with the slimy sensation of snakes and the innocent cries of his daughters, making him roar incoherently: "Get away! Don't touch me! There are snakes!"

On the cold floor of the arena, I watched the Hayes Group's market value evaporate on the system panel, and for the first time, a chilling smile touched my lips.

Dominic, it seems that only by hurting myself, did I truly, for the first time, hurt you.