Chapter 1

After I die, I save Hades' pet. To thank me, he plans to bring me back to life.

However, I refuse with a smile.

He is stunned for a moment, then asks in confusion, "So many people want to live, so why do you refuse instead?"

I give him a bitter smile. "Maybe it's because being alive is a fate worse than death."

He doesn't believe it, and his tone turns unfriendly. "Don't think I don't know that your parents are famously known for loving their daughter. They even make the news because of how much they love you."

I crouch there without speaking.

It's indeed true that they've made the news for loving their daughter, but that is all an act. The truth is, the only one they've ever really loved is their non-biological daughter, Kayla Newman.

When Hades sees that I'm not speaking, he becomes angry.

"I'll go back with you. If it's really as you say—if being alive is worse than being dead—then I'll make them pay the price!"

Chapter 1

As Hades dragged me straight toward the mortal world, he kept muttering, "If I find out you're lying, I'll throw you into the deepest pit of hell."

I shrugged, indicating I didn't care.

After all, in my parents' eyes, I was nothing more than a tool for making money. In fact, there wasn't a shred of love for me in their hearts. Otherwise, they wouldn't have failed to notice my death for three whole days.

I would rather they had never taken me back in the first place.

After Hades sent me back to the mortal world, he remained invisible and followed me.

When I pushed open the door, my parents were livestreaming.

Seeing me return, my mother, Flora Baxter, immediately pulled me into her arms.

"My precious daughter, Elsie Newman, is back. Hurry and say hello to everyone," she said, her eyes reddening.

My father, Dave Newman, took the opportunity to wrap his arm around us and gently told the thousands of viewers over and over about the hardships of finding his lost flesh and blood.

The comments section was densely packed with sympathy, and gifts flooded the screen nonstop.

Hades stood behind me and let out a cold snort.

"This is what you meant when you said living is worse than dying?"

Faced with his skepticism, I didn't explain. Instead, I just stood there numbly, going along with it.

Two hours later, my parents ended the live stream and the smiles on their faces vanished.

Mom slapped me across the face, her eyes filled with disgust and loathing.

"You piece of trash! How many times have I taught you to smile, wrap your arms around us when you talk, and interact with the fans?"

I fell to the floor with a thud, and a red hand mark slowly appeared on my face.

Dad soothed Mom, but he didn't stop talking either.

"What are you still standing there for? Kayla will be back soon—get cooking! She likes grapes. Remember to remove the seeds!"

Hades froze for a moment before muttering, "This is nothing in the mortal world. How is it more terrifying than death?"

I merely glanced at him and obediently went to the kitchen to make dinner.

What Hades didn't know was that getting slapped and deseeding grapes were just part of the daily routine.

After I finished making dinner, my parents' adopted daughter, Kayla Newman, came back. The moment she saw me, a flicker of surprise flashed through her eyes.

Mom pulled Kayla down to sit and kept piling food onto her plate.

I carried the freshly cooked soup over, carefully preparing to set it down. Kayla stood up and reached out with both hands.

"Elsie, let me help you," she said softly and sweetly.

I was about to say there was no need, but she had already touched the soup bowl. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, and with a gentle push of her hand, the entire bowl instantly tipped toward me.

Scalding hot soup poured over me. Instantly, large red blisters burned across my forearm and neck. The piercing pain burrowed through my skin and flesh.

Kayla, on the other hand, fell backward with the momentum.

"I'm sorry, Elsie," she said, her eyes red. "I just wanted to lend a hand. I didn't expect you couldn't hold the bowl steady."

Seeing this, Mom rushed over and pulled Kayla into her arms. She tenderly soothed her, while Dad violently grabbed me by the hair and slammed me into the ground.

"What are you trying to pull? Kayla was only trying to help, yet you tried to scald her with the soup!"

I clutched my head, blood seeping through my fingers.

Standing nearby, Hades couldn't help but say, "Quick, explain yourself! It was obviously Kayla who did it on purpose!"

I glanced at him and said quietly, "Kayla deliberately knocked over the bowl just now—"

Before I could finish, Dad kicked me hard.

"You still have the nerve to talk back? Kayla is such a sweet girl—there's no way she'd do something like that. If you dare slander her again, I'll beat you to death!"

Mom looked up, her eyes fixed on me.

"Hurry up and apologize to Kayla now! Clean this up, and no dinner for you tonight!"

She then turned to Dad and said anxiously, "Go start the car. We're taking Kayla to the hospital to get checked out. Her fingers look red to me."

The two of them hurried out with Kayla.

I bit the tip of my tongue to suppress the pain and silently braced myself as I began cleaning up the mess on the floor.

Hades, who had watched the entire scene unfold, fell silent for a few seconds.

"Your parents do play favorites, but a miserable life is still better than death. Once you're dead, there's truly nothing left."

I glanced at him expressionlessly. I didn't say anything, because I knew that he would soon come to understand what it truly meant to live a fate worse than death.

Chapter 2

By the time I finished cleaning up the mess on the floor, the sky had already darkened.

The cold wind blew against my burned and blistered skin, and the pain made me tremble uncontrollably. I was just about to get some ointment to apply when my parents came back with Kayla.

Mom grabbed me by the collar and locked me out on the balcony.

"It's all your fault for scaring Kayla! Stay here and think about what you've done!"

I fell hard to the ground. The blisters on my arm burst open, staining the floor red.

Yet, Mom didn't even spare me a glance. Instead, she and Dad were huddled on the couch with Kayla in their arms. She even carefully peeled a clementine for Kayla.

Unable to hold back any longer, Hades said, "If you don't treat those burns, they could get infected. Hurry up and tell them to open the door."

I looked at him indifferently, and my emotionless gaze seemed to unsettle Hades for a moment.

"It's no use," I explained.

After I wiped the blood with the hem of my shirt, I walked over to the corner and squatted down. Then, I wrapped my arms around my legs and kept rubbing my hands together.

Hades couldn't wrap his head around it. "But I seem to remember that you're their biological daughter."

Indeed, I was the true daughter who had been brought back.

I was ten years old that year. I thought that having parents would mean a better life. But instead, it turned into one nightmare after another.

For ten whole years, Mom and Dad packaged themselves as parents who had gone through great hardship to find their lost flesh and blood.

To maximize their online traffic, they even bought a house specifically for me. Dad even donated a kidney to me because of my uremia.

This also got them in the news, earning them a grand reputation as parents who loved their daughter deeply.

They made a fortune off the persona they built around me. But in reality, they treated me like a maid. There was endless housework every day. They didn't even let me go to school, just to give Kayla a better environment.

In fact, it was Kayla who had uremia. And the one who donated the kidney wasn't Dad, but me.

I didn't answer Hades' question. Instead, I just lowered my head and sat there quietly.

The next morning, bone-chillingly cold water was suddenly dumped over my head. I was instantly jolted awake from my half-asleep daze.

Mom looked me over with disgust. There wasn't a trace of pity in her eyes.

"You slept all night and still don't know you were wrong? Look, you've dirtied the floor again. Clean it up right now."

I forced my weak body up. However, no sooner had I steadied myself than a wave of dizziness washed over me. Staggering, I braced myself against the wall.

At that moment, Kayla peeked out from behind Mom. In her hands were a glass of warm milk and a sandwich.

She beamed at me and said gently, "Elsie, just apologize to Mom and Dad, and it'll be over. Why must you put yourself through this?"

Before I could even open my mouth, Mom kicked me in the calf.

"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up! Kayla's going out shopping later, and there's a ton of chores waiting for you."

I stumbled and fell to my knees. Grabbing the rag, I started scrubbing the dried bloodstains on the floor.

I had barely finished cleaning the balcony when Dad dumped a dozen pairs of brand-name sneakers covered in mud in front of me and told me to wash them all by hand.

The moment my burned arm touched the water, a tearing pain shot straight to the top of my head. The blisters burst open in patches, and dirty water mixed with blood dripped down my arm.

The intense labor, combined with not having eaten anything, made me dizzy and feverish. On the verge of collapse, I quietly begged them to let me rest for a moment.

Mom splashed a basin of cold water onto my burning back.

"Stop pretending to be weak. You didn't die when you donated your kidney, so don't tell me you can't handle washing a few things."

Kayla sat on the living room couch eating imported strawberries and watching with a smile as Mom scolded me.

Hades stood in the shadows, his expression dark and frightening. He could no longer bring himself to say the words he'd uttered earlier—that a miserable life was still better than death.

Chapter 3

After I finally finished all the chores, I saw the three of them sitting together, laughing and chatting happily.

I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

When Dad walked into the kitchen and saw me, his brows furrowed deeply.

"Elsie, can't you speak up if you're not feeling well? What are you standing there looking all pitiful for? Do you want people to see and say we're abusing you?"

I lifted my head with difficulty and replied weakly, "I did say. It's just—"

Before I could finish, Kayla cut me off.

"Dad, Elsie never said anything," she said coyly. "If she had, would Mom have ignored her?"

Dad's expression instantly changed. He raised his hand, and I silently closed my eyes. But the familiar pain never came. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Mom holding his hand back.

"Stop!"

I blinked and looked at her in disbelief. However, what Mom said next sent me crashing back into the abyss.

"A big influencer is coming over later. She loves watching exciting things, and we'll need this wretch to perform for her. If we can get on Cara Morse's good side, our resources might multiply several times over!"

Before I could even process those words, the doorbell rang.

Cara spotted me as soon as she walked in, and her eyes filled with disgust.

"This is the person you said can perform The Three Trials? She looks so frail that a gust of wind could knock her over."

Mom's face was plastered with a fawning smile.

"Cara, don't let her skinny appearance fool you. Forget The Three Trials, she could handle The Four Tribulations just the same."

Mom shot Dad a look.

Without another word, he roughly dragged me toward the backyard.

When I caught sight of the long, narrow passageway in the yard, my face turned deathly pale, and my legs went weak uncontrollably.

The passage was clearly divided into three sections. The first section was covered with shattered beer bottles, the second section was piled with red-hot, burning charcoal, and the third was a shallow trench filled with concentrated salt water.

Fear gripped my heart like a vice, and tears fell uncontrollably. I knelt on the ground and begged, "Mom, Dad, I can't do it. I still have injuries. Please spare me."

Before I could finish, Dad grabbed me by the throat and pulled me close.

"If you obediently finish the walk and win Cara's favor, I'll give you a month off," he said in a low voice. "You can do whatever you want then. But if you can't perform The Three Trials, you're on your own."

My whole body trembled uncontrollably as I looked toward Hades, hoping he would step in and help me. But he just stood there, his expression growing darker and darker.

I lowered my head.

Kayla leaned against the yard gate holding a small cake, her eyes filled with gleeful amusement at the spectacle.

Cara sat in a chair with her arms crossed, watching coldly and urging impatiently, "Hurry up. I don't have all day."

With a wave of Dad's hand, I stumbled onto the first section covered in broken glass.

The sharp shards instantly pierced the soles of my feet, and waves of stinging pain shot straight to the top of my head.

With every step I took, the shattered glass cut a new gash into my soles. Blood kept dripping onto the glass as I gritted my teeth, cold sweat pouring down my face.

I barely made it to the charcoal path. Scorching heat baked my festering feet all over. The moment my soles touched the charcoal, large blisters instantly formed on my skin.

I cried out in agony. My steps faltered, and I nearly collapsed into the burning coals. Dad walked over and shoved me hard from behind, forcing me forward.

The moment I stepped into the saltwater trench, icy saltwater flooded over my soles. It felt like countless needles frantically stabbing into my bones, the dual agony of cold and heat stacking together.

My body convulsed violently, and I bit down hard on my tongue just to keep from passing out on the spot.

The short passage felt like it took a lifetime to cross. Every ounce of strength drained from my body. My consciousness teetered on the edge as I collapsed to the ground, barely clinging to life.

My performance of The Three Trials satisfied Cara greatly, only for her to ask when she could see The Four Tribulations.

"Cara, we can do it anytime you want to see it," Mom answered with a smile.

Cara nodded. "Then tomorrow night it is."

That night, Mom and Dad were very satisfied with my performance. For once, they called a doctor to treat me and gave me delicious food.

After they left, Hades appeared before me.

"Why don't you run away? I can help you."

It seemed that in his eyes, what I was going through still didn't count as a fate worse than death.

I gave a self-deprecating smile. "Run away? Fine, I'll do as you say."

Chapter 4

Late into the night, I dragged my battered body out of the house.

Everything went so smoothly that even Hades found it unbelievable. In fact, he had been prepared to step in and help me escape.

"It's okay now. Your life will get better from here on. I can promise you that," he said cheerfully.

Instead of offering a reply, I just walked on in silence.

Hades was somewhat confused. After all, I had gotten out. No one would bully me anymore.

The blinding headlights behind me gave him the answer.

Dad swerved the car to a stop in front of me, and Mom rushed out. She grabbed me tightly by the arm and roared, "Elsie, do you have a death wish or something? We cut you some slack and you dared to run off?"

No sooner had she spoken than she kicked me hard. An intense pain instantly surged through my insides, and all my wounds tore open at once. Blood soaked through my clothes and streamed down my limbs.

Unable to hold on any longer, I collapsed heavily onto the asphalt road.

Dad walked up and grabbed me by the hair. Then, he slammed my head into the car again and again.

My face was covered in blood from the impact. I curled up on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

Kayla slowly stepped out of the car and reached out to stop Mom and Dad.

"Mom, Dad, stop hitting Elsie. She still has to perform The Four Tribulations tomorrow. Let me talk to her."

Kayla walked over and crouched down in front of me.

"Elsie, why did you run away again?" she asked softly. "Did you forget that there's a tracker implanted in your left leg? Last time, I didn't manage to kill you, so why don't you just go quietly on your way this time?"

After saying that, Kayla let out a loud cry and suddenly threw herself backward.

Then, she said tearfully, "Elsie, I came here out of kindness to talk some sense into you. How could you push me?"

It only took one word from Kayla for Mom to shield her protectively, glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.

Dad casually picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it into my head without any mercy.

Gasping for breath, I looked up at my deranged father. Yet, I started to laugh.

I was going to die!

The next second, Hades stepped out from the shadows.

"I believe you now. With parents like these, living really is worse than dying. I'm going to kill these animals today!"

With a casual wave of Hades' hand, Dad was sent flying by the force. At the same time, the wounds on my body also visibly healed.

Hades walked over to me and sighed.

"If only I had understood sooner, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. I always thought that no matter how hard life was, it was still better than death. It seems I was wrong after all."

I shook my head, telling him it was fine.

He turned and kicked Dad again.

"You sorry excuse of a human. I've never seen anyone as rotten as you."

Mom rushed forward to stop him, but Hades backhanded her hard across the face. She spun in the air and crashed to the ground, half her face grossly swollen.

Kayla stood trembling to the side, not daring to say a word.

Dad spat out a mouthful of blood and said viciously, "So it was you who put Elsie up to running away! Where the heck did you even come from? Just you wait! You're dead today!"

He quickly made a phone call and roared, "All of you, get over here!"

Hades looked down at Dad condescendingly as the latter called for backup, a faint smile spreading across his face.

"Are you done?"

Before Dad could react, another heavy kick landed on his stomach. He rolled several times over, clutching his stomach and wailing on the ground.

Mom clutched her cheek and asked, "Who exactly are you? This is a family matter. What right do you have to interfere?"