Captured by the Desert Tyrant (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 4
“Ugh….”
The first thing Latifa saw upon opening her eyes was a pale, hazy light.
“Oh, are you finally coming to?”
“Where…!”
Startled by the sudden sound of a man’s voice, Latifa bolted upright and scrambled backward, her eyes still unfocused.
Before she could even recall what had happened, a man approached her side and handed her a waterskin.
Only then could Latifa clearly see the face of the man standing before her.
And the moment she met his jet-black eyes gazing down at her, all her memories came rushing back.
‘He’s that bandit! I’ve been captured!’
She quickly scanned her surroundings and realized she was inside a dark tent.
The only thing faintly visible in the dim glow of an exotic-looking small lamp was the man who had just approached her.
“Huh…! D-don’t come any closer!”
Latifa recoiled in horror at the sight of the man’s attire glimpsed through the darkness.
He wore only a black robe, and beneath it seemed to be nothing at all—his deep-toned collarbone clearly visible through the open neckline.
Yet the man remained utterly unconcerned by her wariness, his expression calm and relaxed the entire time.
“So you really do speak Desert Tongue.”
“…!”
“Here’s water. Drink.”
A large pouch was abruptly dropped before the bewildered Latifa, causing her to shrink back again.
“You’d best not think about running away. Your leg is injured—you’ll hardly be able to move.”
At those words, Latifa immediately looked down at her ankle. White cloth was tightly wrapped around it—a clear sign someone had treated her wound.
She felt slightly dazed. If he were just an ordinary bandit, why would he bother treating her?
“Why on earth…?”
“Rest some more. I’ll hear your story tomorrow morning.”
The man spoke indifferently and then disappeared back into the darkness beyond the lamp’s reach.
It was as if he had no intention whatsoever of laying a hand on her.
She stared only at the waterskin before her, trying desperately to make sense of her situation—but her foggy mind refused to cooperate.
Just then, a soft sloshing sound came from the darkness—apparently the man was drinking. It was followed by a series of deep, primal swallows echoing through the shadows.
Hearing that made her own thirst painfully acute. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d gulped down cool water freely, having been on the run constantly.
Though fear of the man still lingered, her survival instinct was impossible to ignore.
She swallowed hard and cautiously reached for the waterskin in front of her.
“A-are you a bandit?”
Even in her distress, Latifa kept her guard up and asked in a small voice toward the darkness. From the shadows, the man’s voice answered once more.
“If I told you I wasn’t a bandit in this situation, would you believe me without question?”
“…No.”
His tone was slightly arrogant, but he wasn’t wrong.
“Then there’s no point in explaining needlessly. You’ll learn everything once dawn breaks—so get some more sleep. Nothing dangerous will happen, I assure you.”
Hearing his refined pronunciation and haughty tone, she finally realized this was the kind of speech used only by high-ranking desert nobles.
‘Judging by how he talks, he probably isn’t a bandit…’
Then who was he? A desert caravan merchant? A nobleman traveling for leisure? What was he doing in the ruins of the fallen empire?
‘But no matter who he is, one thing’s certain—he’s a desert dweller.’
As if watching her hesitate to drink, the man’s voice came again from the darkness.
“As a proud desert man, I have no intention of harming someone who speaks Desert Tongue. Rest now.”
After that, the man fell silent—only the faint sound of his breathing remained.
‘Just who is he?’
Holding countless questions in her mind, Latifa carefully opened the leather pouch. At first, she sipped timidly—but soon, overwhelmed by the long-missed taste of cool, clean water, she drank greedily, gulping loudly without restraint.
By the time she’d emptied the entire waterskin, the tiny lamp flame had completely faded, leaving only darkness and silence in the tent.
Her vigilance against him lasted only a moment.
As soon as her thirst was quenched, exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she closed her eyes right then and there.
Though the sudden situation was confusing, sleeping comfortably for the first time in ages didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.
Moreover, a faint sweet fragrance drifting from the tent further soothed her mind.
‘…I wish tomorrow would never come.’
In her drowsy state, she vaguely sensed someone draping something over her. But utterly exhausted, she was already deep in slumber.
**
Latifa jolted awake at the cheerful chirping of birds.
“…!”
She frantically looked around the tent, now clearly visible in the morning sunlight.
Though makeshift—furnished with a cot made from a chest, a small desk, and a few scrolls scattered on the floor—the tent felt elegant and tidy overall.
Just yesterday, she’d been drifting among refugees, barely managing to light a campfire. Finding herself now in such a neat, orderly tent felt unreal, so Latifa pinched her own cheek.
“Ow… Not a dream, then.”
Pushing aside the silk blanket—clearly reflecting desert tastes—she confirmed the man from last night was gone and let out a slight sigh of relief.
‘He really didn’t do anything to me… Who on earth is that man?’
She absentmindedly took a step off the cot—but collapsed again as sharp pain shot through her ankle.
“Ugh! My leg…!”
Just then, footsteps approached from outside, and two desert men entered the tent.
“When shall we issue the order to move out?”
“Finish preparations so we can depart at noon.”
It was Hades and his right-hand man, Manut, who swept aside the tent flap and entered.
Hades glanced briefly at Latifa, who sat awkwardly on the floor, then passed by indifferently as he spoke to Manut.
“Supplies are running a bit low, but we must conserve what we have and reach the Sort borderlands. We’ll resupply after rejoining the main force—it was the condition for selling their goods, after all.”
“Understood, General.”
“General?!”
Shocked by his true identity, Latifa gasped aloud before she could stop herself—and quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. Both Hades and Manut immediately turned their gaze toward her.
There was only one person known as “General.”
Hades Caleb, supreme commander of the desert kingdom Grand Bazaar—the very man who had played the greatest role in crushing the imperial armies and toppling the empire.
And that very man now stood right before her eyes.
“So there really is an imperial citizen who speaks Desert Tongue.”
“Do I look like I have nothing better to do than lie to you?”
Hades replied irritably to Manut’s astonished remark.
“To be honest, I thought you’d made up some excuse just to take a woman with you. Shall I step out for a moment?”
“It’s none of your concern—don’t worry about it. Now, send these to the messenger.”
“Yes, General.”
Hades turned his head as if nothing mattered, and Manut obediently accepted the order without another word.
But Latifa’s mind was utterly overwhelmed with confusion.
The fear she’d briefly forgotten came rushing back.
‘It’s really General Hades?!’
She’d barely escaped the clutches of bandits, only to run straight into Hades—the very man who had destroyed the empire she belonged to. Could her luck possibly be any worse?
‘I was running away from his soldiers, and of all people, it had to be him…!’
She felt like crying at the sheer misfortune of her life.
“Then I’ll finish preparations for withdrawal and depart at noon.”
Having finished his business, Manut bowed respectfully to Hades and left the tent.
Hades slowly approached Latifa, who sat frozen in shock upon learning her rescuer was the general himself.
Only now could she clearly look into his face.
Beneath his deep desert complexion and thick, curly black hair lay strikingly handsome, masculine features.
His leather-wrapped forearms, firm muscles, and balanced physique clearly marked him as an exceptional warrior.
But Hades was also the man who had swiftly brought down the empire and the Tania imperial family. The thought that he might discover her true identity made her breath catch in her throat.
‘It’s fine. No one knows I’m the imperial princess. There’s no way he could’ve figured it out.’
She kept reassuring herself, yet couldn’t still the frantic pounding of her heart under his overwhelming presence.
“For someone who now knows I’m not a bandit, you’re awfully anxious. Are you really the same woman who clung to my arm and screamed last time?”
He stepped close and pulled a ripe apple from his robes, offering it to her.
“Or are you planning to enchant me again and run away?”
Under his gaze, Latifa’s mind went utterly blank.
“I suppose the empire has no custom of thanking those who save your life.”
His black eyes, burning like dark flames, were fixed solely on Latifa.
Hades seemed to be waiting only for her to speak.
When she remained silent, as if he’d stare at her forever, Latifa finally parted her dry lips and replied.
“Should I call you benefactors—the ones who destroyed our empire?”
Her words made his face twitch slightly.
“I’ve got nothing to say to that. You got me there.”
“And if you hadn’t found us, we could’ve passed by quietly—without being scattered like this.”
She was frightened, but with the man who’d reduced her empire to rubble standing right before her, she couldn’t force out kind words even if she tried.
At Latifa’s reproachful, petulant tone, Hades snorted softly in exasperation.
“Oh, but I have a good excuse for that. Had I not rescued you then, you’d have been caught by the remaining bandits and dragged off as slaves.”
‘Yet you turned the empire into a sea of fire!’
His tone—acting as if he weren’t that brutal at all—made Latifa glare at him furiously. At her angry look, Hades’ eyebrow arched in an oddly amused slant.
“The group you fled with has all been gathered by my men and is safe. I plan to escort you all to a neutral third country.”
Stunned by this unexpected news that all the refugees were safe, Latifa could only blink in disbelief.
“A-all of them?”
She’d been certain defeated prisoners would be treated mercilessly.
“Yes. All of them. My men scoured the area and rounded everyone up.”
Hearing Hades boast proudly, Latifa finally snapped out of her daze and urgently asked,
“Even the children?! There were so many children with us!”
“Yes. From what I’ve heard, all were brought in. No one would dare report falsely to me—you can verify it yourself later.”
“Hah… Thank goodness. Thank goodness.”
Relieved that even the children were safe, Latifa murmured in Imperial Tongue, stroking her chest. Watching her splash some water on her face and exhale a rough breath, Hades spoke again.
“Moreover, I’ve treated your leg and am even personally sharing my rations with you. It seems you’re still half-asleep and don’t yet grasp who holds the upper hand.”
His tone was scolding yet teasing, and she instantly regretted her words.
Only now did she realize provoking his anger might lead him to take it out on her or the other imperial captives. Chiding herself for her foolish mistake, Latifa quickly clamped her mouth shut.
“You were chattering away so well—why go silent again? That was entertaining. Say more.”
She couldn’t tell what Hades was aiming for as he chuckled. Come to think of it, it was strange he’d singled her out from the group for special treatment like this.
He didn’t know she was the imperial princess—he likely saw her as just another refugee. So why show her such favor?
There had to be a hidden motive.
As she puzzled over it with her dizzy head, a memory suddenly flashed through her mind.
It was her—standing with arms outstretched before Hades. It was her—desperately trying to divert his gaze. And most of all, it was her—who had clung tightly to him, wrapping her body around his.
“Oh my.”
‘He must intend to punish me as an example for trying to deceive him back then…!’
No other explanation made sense.
Everywhere she’d been, it was customary for nobles to punish those who deceived them—and for General Hades, who’d toppled the empire, there could be no clearer reason. Because—
‘Right. General Hades’ nickname… was “Mad Dog”!’
The moment she recalled that, her face instantly turned pale. Even before fleeing, rumors of him had spread like wildfire through the imperial palace.
—They say his nickname is Mad Dog. He’s crossing the border right now!
—Mad Dog will tear us all apart! Run!
—Mad Dog’s fangs are this big, and he foams at the mouth!
“Ugh….”
Latifa, Mad Dog might bite you.
At the warning voice echoing in her mind, she pressed her lips tightly shut and lowered her gaze. It felt as if he might drop his playful smile at any moment and sink his teeth into her neck.
As reality grew clearer, her body trembled so violently her teeth chattered. She didn’t mind being punished herself—but she worried deeply for the other refugees.
“…”
Seeing her suddenly turn deathly pale and start trembling, Hades sighed softly and forcibly placed the apple he held into her hands.
“Here, eat this. You shrink back at every word—I swear, say one more thing and you’ll faint again.”
The warmth of his touch on her hands made her heart pound anew. His voice pierced her ear.
“We depart at noon. Since your leg hasn’t healed yet, you’ll ride with me. Rest here until then.”
With that, Hades immediately left the tent.
Left alone once more, Latifa clutched her still-dazed head and slowly pieced together what had just happened.
So—they weren’t bandits, and the refugees were still safe.
And she was kept here separately to receive some form of punishment for deceiving him.
That much made sense.
But the real problem came next.
She was to travel with Hades?
“R-ride the same horse…? Why…?”
His words made no sense, and Latifa wondered for a long while if she’d heard a hallucination.
And until Hades himself lifted her onto the saddle and she faced the curious stares of countless desert soldiers, she remained firmly convinced what she’d heard was just a delusion.
When the male lead is punished by carrying the female lead’s child and having periods like a woman
“I’ve given birth to two children for you, yet you still think about him.
Was I nothing but his substitute to you from beginning to end?”
Synopsis:
Meng Huan, a scumbag who has dated countless girlfriends, transmigrates to a female-dominated country.
Day 1: Whether it’s female dominance or not doesn’t matter. The beauties here are passionate and amorous. Isn’t it easier to date them than in modern times?
Day 2: After a night, Meng Huan discovers the differences in the female-dominated world. Men here actually have chastity locks and menstrual cycles. This hinders his ability to perform, damn it!
Day 3: What’s wrong with sleeping around? I don’t want you to marry me. I’m meant to be a playboy. I don’t care about male virtues… What? You want to drown me in a pig cage? Marry, I’ll marry!
Day N: Meng Huan inexplicably vomits and receives the shocking news of his life… He’s pregnant.
_____
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