Captured by the Desert Tyrant (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
As Latifa slowly walked toward the center of the vast stadium, every eye in the stands fixed upon her.
“Look over there! Someone’s there!”
Her fingertips trembled slightly—she had never drawn so many stares, not even back in the Empire. Despite the suffocating desert heat, her hands and feet turned cold, and dizziness washed over her from the weight of countless gazes, making her feel as if the slightest nudge would send her toppling over.
But she couldn’t let them see her fear. All she was allowed to show them was confidence and strength.
‘It’s okay. I can do this.’
Step by step, Latifa endlessly soothed herself as she walked forward.
-Grrrrr!
Right before her stood a massive golden lion that had escaped its pen, roaring freely without even a chain to bind it.
“Hey, run away! It’ll eat you!”
Horrified by what seemed like a death wish, the crowd began shouting at her.
Yet she moved forward with unwavering composure, as if deaf to their clamor. With each step she took, the lion flashed its yellow eyes, let out an eerie growl, and scraped the ground with sharp claws dripping crimson blood.
What frightened her most wasn’t the lion. She feared the desert people watching her even more.
She dreaded the way their worried glances might instantly shift to scornful, condescending stares toward an Imperial prisoner.
‘If that happens, Hades’s plan will be ruined because of me…’
What if the plan fails? Will he cast me out for being useless? Or maybe the angry desert folk will beat me to death for sacrilege. Then my life would end right here.
Just as her resolute determination wavered, a cascade of anxious thoughts began chasing one another through her mind, dragging her toward the abyss of despair—
“Latifa!”
At that moment, the loudest voice of all echoed through the stadium. Turning her blue eyes toward that familiar, ringing tone, Latifa looked up.
At the edge of her vision stood Hades, rushing toward her in a desperate attempt to save her.
“…Hades.”
It was strange. She had only whispered his name, yet something inside her chest flared up as if a small fire had been kindled.
Every time she called his name, she felt an odd sensation. Ever since she’d met him, whenever she murmured “Hades,” she saw blazing flames accompanied by the rich scent of desert sand enveloping her whole body.
Not just any flames—but black flames that consumed everything, roaring fiercely.
She bit down hard on her lower lip and steadied herself once more.
Right. Hades—he was Ignite, the Flame of Flames, Grand Bazaar’s supreme general, and the mad dog feared by every desert dweller.
With him standing firmly behind me, what is there to fear?
As long as he protected her, no one in Grand Bazaar could ever harm her.
Not a soul.
Having cast aside all hesitation and fear, Latifa stretched out her white hand toward the charging Hades.
Understanding clearly that her gesture meant “Don’t come closer now,” he halted abruptly in his tracks.
“My lady, what are you doing…?!”
Instead of answering, Latifa merely curved the corners of her lips into a gentle smile. That should be enough for him to grasp her intent. Though the days they’d spent together hadn’t been long, they certainly hadn’t been wasted.
“…!”
For just a moment, his dark pupils wavered upon seeing her smile. Then his thick eyebrows arched gracefully, and a playful grin appeared on his masculine mouth.
His eyes now spoke to her without the slightest tremor:
‘Go ahead. Show them what you’ve got.’
Reassured by his bold, unmistakable gaze—even visible from afar—she let out a hot sigh through her clenched teeth. The jumble of doubts that had clouded her mind had vanished, leaving only his face in her thoughts.
‘Even if Hades can dress me up like a goddess on the outside, only I can prove it from within.’
The success or failure of his meticulously crafted plan rested entirely on her.
Seeing the stark whiteness of Latifa’s outstretched hand, the spectators grew even more excited and surged forward toward the stadium’s edge.
“She has white skin! That must be an Imperial!”
“Is she the prisoner General Hades brought back from the Empire?!”
By now, she had climbed onto the altar at the stadium’s center. Without a trace of hesitation, she faced the wildly agitated lion head-on and cried out:
“O Sovereign of Beasts who has entered this unfamiliar desert!”
-Grrrrr!
The lion, its yellow eyes flashing and tawny mane fluffed out to enormous size, advanced toward her with bared claws, radiating murderous intent.
Though it crouched low as if ready to pounce ferociously at any moment, she paid it no mind. Raising the small dagger in her hand, she pointed it at the beast and declared:
“As a noble guardian of the desert night, I command you: show me your reverence!”
-Roooaaar!
The lion opened its enormous jaws wide toward Latifa, let out a thunderous roar, and lifted its heavy forequarters high into the air.
“Aaaahhh!”
The spectators screamed and shut their eyes tight.
But when they opened them again, there was no gruesome sight as they’d expected.
“Grrr… mrrow…”
What everyone saw instead was the fearsome golden lion—rumored to be vicious—purring softly like a tame house cat, humbly bowing its head beneath the woman’s outstretched hand.
At that moment, bathed in Grand Bazaar’s sunset glow, the lion’s golden mane fluttered gently—and the hood of her robe, which had covered her face, slipped away.
The last rays of sunlight, dividing darkness from light, shimmered atop her beautiful silver hair, and the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers.
“It’s Calende, the Moon Goddess! She’s tamed the golden lion!”
“The untamable golden lion has knelt before a mere woman! It’s a miracle!”
“General Hades is truly remarkable for bringing such a woman here… Look at that moonlit skin and hair!”
‘I did it…!’
No one now saw her as an Imperial prisoner or a mere spoil of war.
“The guardian of the desert night and the Sovereign of Beasts have personally descended upon your kingdom of Grand Bazaar to greet you! Who among you is the rightful heir of Sultan, worthy to receive their salutation?!”
Latifa boldly signaled to the handsome dark-haired man in the stands who was staring intently at her.
‘Now it’s your turn, Hades. Finish this performance well—for your liege.’
They were now perfect accomplices in deceiving all of Grand Bazaar.
“My Frau. Our goddess calls us.”
Hades let out a delighted laugh at seeing her—once merely a wretched refugee from a fallen nation—now transformed into a true goddess. He pulled the shoulder of Prince Luhan, the Sultan’s firstborn who stood beside him.
“Everything is mine. From that silver hair down to those white toes—every bit of her.”
Yet his gaze remained fixed solely on her, burning with the same intense heat as when they’d first met.
**
What had once surely been a grand salon for Imperial noblewomen had now crumbled into ruins, serving as a hiding place where Imperial refugees gathered.
“Shh.”
Latifa pressed herself tightly into a corner of the salon’s wall.
“Ugh.”
Even the slightest movement of her ankle sent waves of sharp pain crashing over her, and a groan nearly escaped through her clenched teeth—but she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.
It was an injury from a recent foraging trip. Weak from hunger, she’d stumbled, twisted her ankle, and been pierced by something sharp. Since then, her ankle had swollen steadily larger.
“Mamaa…”
At that moment, the little girl beside Latifa began trembling and whimpering in fear. Worried the child might burst into loud sobs, Latifa gently covered her mouth with her free hand.
The girl quieted her sniffles under Latifa’s soft, reassuring touch and stood still beside her, as if hearing, ‘It’s okay. We’ll be alright.’
It was the desert tribes—those with dark skin and deep-colored hair—who had brought down the Tania Empire.
“What a useless nation. After all the taxes we paid…”
At one woman’s bitter curse, the others nodded in agreement.
Truthfully, though, it wasn’t the desert tribes who had stolen everything from the once-glorious Empire. The real culprits were Emperor Tania and the nobles—their extravagance, indulgence, and constant civil wars.
Wasn’t it said that a common enemy unites people? To quell internal strife, Emperor Tania foolishly declared war on the desert, claiming the Empire’s true enemy lay beyond its borders. The result was a predictable, crushing defeat. Enraged by the invasion of their lands, the desert folk struck back—and the rotting Empire collapsed in an instant.
“There’s another group over here! Round them up!”
“Don’t kill them—just herd them into one spot! You know if even one escapes, that slave’s worth nothing!”
-Woof! Woof!
Outside, terrified people scrambled in chaos, kicking up clouds of dust as they fled from the barking of fearsome hunting dogs. Beside them, bandits herded the Imperial refugees like livestock, encircling them.
‘The horses sound exhausted. They’ll withdraw soon…!’
Now that the Empire had fallen, all they could do was quietly hide from the lawless raiders.
“Mamaa!”
A small cry suddenly rang out. Latifa pulled Erin—the little girl she’d met in the group—close and comforted her.
“Shh. It’s alright. They won’t search this thoroughly. From the animals’ cries, the horses and camels sound quite tired. The raid will end soon.”
“How do you know that, Latifa-ssi…? Hic…”
“Because I’m grown up, I know everything.”
Latifa gave a faint smile and gently pinched the girl’s cheek.
Yet even her own hand trembled slightly. She was just as frightened as the child—but afraid the girl would panic further, she could do nothing but stroke her thin cheek.
-Yap! Yap!
Suddenly, through a hole in the broken wall, a hunting dog with a long snout and sparse fur poked its head in.
“Ahh…! Latifa-ssi! We’re done for!”
Erin squeezed Latifa’s skirt tightly and shut her eyes. Latifa’s heart sank like a stone.
The dog, having spotted people hiding in the ruins, immediately turned its head, ready to signal its master.
‘What should I do…?!’
“Sis!”
Latifa exhaled sharply and whipped her head around.
‘Right! If I’m lucky, maybe I can…!’
-Swiff!
She quickly whistled to draw the dog’s attention, then pushed Erin behind her.
“Are you insane?!”
The one who snapped at Latifa was Brenda, a middle-aged woman who’d long acted as the group’s leader. She was especially harsh toward those who contributed little—those weak in body and skill.
Timid Latifa was exactly that kind of person. Thus, Brenda often scolded her for failing to gather enough food or firewood, and had even halved her rations, claiming she did nothing useful.
Unfair as it was, Latifa had no choice. She was merely grateful to have been accepted into the refugee group at all.
“Brenda, let me try sending it away quietly…!”
She had no guarantee her plan would work—but caught either way, she might as well try something.
Cold sweat dripped from Latifa’s tense brow, and her vision blurred, but she frantically fumbled in her front pocket and pulled out half a dried-up piece of bread. She whispered to the dog:
“Good boy. We’re not bad people. We won’t hurt you at all… Will you please just pass by quietly?”
“She’s lost her mind! Gone mad! Do you really think that dog will listen to you?”
Brenda sobbed, claiming such foolishness came from the girl’s youth and empty head. Leaving behind Brenda’s whining that they were all doomed, Latifa focused entirely on the hunting dog.
‘O God, please… let a spirit appear…!’
Desperately praying to the Empire’s sole deity—whose very existence she now doubted—she watched the dog’s reaction.
Seconds passed as she struggled to keep her fading vision fixed on the hound.
“…Please.”
As if an eternity had elapsed, beyond that long, distant haze, a faint, silvery mist-like vapor began rising from the hunting dog.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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