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La durée de 11:23:09 secondes et le titre （1-3）Crossing into AHS: From Demon’s Grip to Legendary Hunter. sont à prendre en compte, ainsi que les informations de l’auteur et la description qui suit :« #The Horror Story of Neo Sothup Blackwood Crossing into AHS: From Demon’s Grip to Legendary Hunter.

#Manhwa webtoon#manga #anime #animerecap #animerecap #mangaunboxing #mangacollectionb #webtoon #manhwarecap #mangarecap #manhwareccomendation #manhwaresumen #animerecommendations #manhwaedit #fanfictionaudiobook #Manhwaaudiobook #fantasyaudiobook #audiobook #isekai #lightnovel #webnovel #wuxianovel #fantasyfanfiction #spiderman #daredevil #marvel #comicdub #voiceactor #voiceacting #Terrifying suspense #Thrilling Anime #Thrilling Anime #Demon Hunter ».

La plateforme YouTube permet une grande variété de contenus vidéo qui touchent des sujets allant de l’humour à des intérêts personnels divers. Elle met un point d’honneur à fournir un espace sûr et respectueux où chacun peut découvrir de nouveaux points de vue tout en suivant les directives communautaires.

Mesurer l’influence de la chasteté sur les relations avec les autres et les relations au sein de la famille.

Les effets de la chasteté se manifestent aussi dans les relations sociales. En portant une cage de chasteté, un homme revitalise ses compétences de séduction et modifie son attitude envers ses partenaires. Les capacités physiques et sexuelles sont plus robustes pendant l’acte en raison de leur utilisation moins fréquente. La chasteté peut être pratiquée de façon discrète, sans que le secret ne soit dévoilé aux partenaires. Dans le cadre du mariage, la chasteté peut approfondir les liens conjugaux en soutenant un amour plus authentique, non centré sur le plaisir charnel.

Étudier les origines historiques et culturelles de la chasteté.

Les racines de la chasteté sont profondes dans de nombreuses traditions religieuses et culturelles. La chasteté, dans le christianisme, est souvent connectée au vœu de continence des prêtres et religieux. La chasteté est promue dans l’islam ainsi que dans les Églises catholique et orthodoxe comme une vertu fondamentale pour les religieux et les laïcs, particulièrement avant le mariage. Dans l’Antiquité, la chasteté était également valorisée comme une manière de préserver l’intégrité personnelle et la pureté morale. Ainsi, la chasteté traverse les âges et les cultures, conservant son statut de vertu respectée.

Questions et Réponses Fréquemment Posées sur la Chasteté.

Est-ce que la chasteté s’applique seulement aux individus religieux ? La chasteté concerne également les personnes non religieuses comme les célibataires et les laïcs. Quelle est la distinction entre chasteté et abstinence ? L’abstinence se réfère spécifiquement aux vœux de ne pas avoir de relations sexuelles. En revanche, la chasteté peut comprendre l’usage d’un dispositif de chasteté, tel qu’une ceinture ou une cage, et est souvent associée à un processus de perfectionnement. En quoi consiste la pratique de la chasteté dans le mariage ? La chasteté dans les relations conjugales est habituellement partagée et discutée entre les partenaires. Pourquoi l’Église insiste-t-elle autant sur la chasteté ? L’Église considère la chasteté comme une vertu essentielle pour vivre en accord avec les enseignements chrétiens. Comment la chasteté aide-t-elle à se réaliser personnellement ? En pratiquant la chasteté, on développe une meilleure maîtrise de soi, une clarté mentale et une paix intérieure, ce qui favorise l’épanouissement personnel.

Comprendre la notion de chasteté à la lumière des standards contemporains. Décrypter la chasteté selon les critères actuels.

La chasteté se définit par la maîtrise personnelle en ce qui concerne la sexualité. Il ne s’agit pas seulement d’abstinence, mais de réguler les désirs sexuels avec une intention morale ou spirituelle. Aujourd’hui, la chasteté dépasse la simple répression des désirs, visant plutôt à les canaliser vers des objectifs élevés tels que le respect personnel et celui des autres. Dans le monde moderne, être chaste ne veut pas dire se priver du plaisir, mais plutôt vivre sa sexualité en faisant des choix conscients.

Appliquer la chasteté au jour le jour.

Pour ceux qui aspirent à la chasteté, plusieurs stratégies peuvent être envisagées. Saisir ses propres motivations et valeurs commence par une introspection détaillée. Éviter les situations susceptibles de provoquer des désirs incontrôlés, comme les médias sexuels, peut aider. Pour maintenir sa pratique de la chasteté, un mentor ou un groupe de soutien avec les mêmes convictions peut être précieux. Pratiquer la chasteté peut être difficile, notamment dans une société où la sexualité est omniprésente. La pression sociale ainsi que les tentations incessantes sont des défis communs. Pour réussir à surmonter ces défis, une discipline personnelle stricte est nécessaire. En cas de difficulté, il est important de garder le moral et de recommencer avec une volonté renouvelée. La chasteté n’est pas une perfection à atteindre, mais un parcours qui demande patience et persévérance. Intégrer la chasteté dans sa vie permet de connaître une plus grande liberté, une meilleure maîtrise de soi, et un épanouissement spirituel profond. La chasteté peut paraître contraignante dans une société qui valorise la sexualité plus que la spiritualité, mais elle offre une voie vers une vie plus sincère, en accord avec ses valeurs et sa foi.

La pratique de la chasteté influence positivement le bien-être personnel et moral. Analyser l’impact de la chasteté sur le bien-être personnel et moral.

Pratiquer la chasteté de manière consciente a un impact important sur le bien-être personnel. La chasteté améliore la maîtrise de soi, la clarté mentale, et la paix intérieure en respectant les convictions morales. En cultivant la chasteté, on obtient une relation plus sereine avec son corps et ses désirs. En développant la maîtrise de soi, la chasteté permet une plus grande liberté en éloignant les pulsions et les pressions sociales sur la sexualité. La chasteté offre un sens accru de pureté morale, qui renforce la dignité et l’estime de soi. Les bienfaits psychologiques liés à la chasteté sont particulièrement évidents. La chasteté aide à renforcer la confiance en soi et à affronter plus sereinement les défis.

La chasteté renforce le cheminement spirituel.

Il est courant de voir la chasteté liée à la recherche spirituelle. La chasteté est perçue comme un chemin vers la sanctification dans plusieurs traditions religieuses. En régulant ses désirs sexuels, on augmente l’énergie disponible pour le bien-être intérieur. La pratique de la chasteté est vue comme une offrande et un respect envers Dieu. Au lieu d’être une privation, la chasteté est considérée comme une voie d’élévation de l’âme. Les traditions religieuses présentent une variété de points de vue sur la chasteté. La chasteté est perçue comme une vertu indispensable pour les prêtres dans le christianisme catholique. La chasteté est promue dans l’islam à travers des règles sévères concernant la sexualité. Dans l’hindouisme et le bouddhisme, les ascètes pratiquent souvent la chasteté comme moyen d’atteindre l’illumination. Ainsi, la chasteté unifie les croyants dans une quête spirituelle partagée.

La chasteté : Une qualité à explorer de nouveau dans notre époque actuelle.

Dans le monde actuel, la chasteté est perçue comme une vertu taboue. Pour ceux qui l’adoptent, la chasteté peut mener à une paix intérieure plus grande, à des relations plus profondes et à une connexion spirituelle plus riche. Autrefois, la chasteté était plus largement acceptée et abordée. La question de la chasteté est examinée de manière approfondiedans cet article qui aborde le sujet de la chasteté. En explorant divers aspects de la chasteté, cet article offre aux hommes les ressources pour comprendre et appliquer cette vertu dans leur quotidien.

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Retranscription des paroles de la vidéo: Arthur’s face was already covered in blood. 
He forced his mouth open and, gathering the   last of his strength, shouted, “Run… now!”
Having fought Korrun before, Arthur knew all too well how terrifying Korrun became in his 
berserk state. Even if Korrun couldn’t last long,   it would still be more than enough 
time to take care of Ember. After all, Arthur himself had fallen because he’d 
misjudged the balance of power between them.  He’d once thought that, thanks 
to his natural talent for combat, he could stand his ground against this younger 
brother—one who was more than a decade his   junior. But Korrun’s strength had grown at 
a pace Arthur never could have imagined. It only proved that werewolves who 
subsisted on nothing but animal organs   were never true werewolves at all. The 
eerie blue gleam in Korrun’s eyes was the mark of one who’d long fed on human organs.
At this thought, regret welled up in Arthur’s heart again. For witch hunters, the rule 
was clear: all supernatural monsters must be   eradicated, roots and all. But, overcome 
by pity, he’d once more broken that rule, sparing the three-year-old half-brother 
born to his father and stepmother.  Now, the consequences of breaking that rule 
had come back to haunt him. And once again, he was powerless—forced to watch 
tragedy unfold before his very eyes.  As blood blurred his vision, Arthur’s 
thoughts began to unravel. Darkness crept in, swallowing his world. Perhaps this 
was how his story would end…  …
From the corner of the street, Shirley watched it all unfold, her gaze cold and unmoved.
So what if Ember learned the truth? In this world, only strength had the final say. Ember 
didn’t even have the chance to turn the   key and open that door—to officially become a 
guardian. In that case, he deserved his fate. As for her… the thirty-year deadline was nowhere 
near. Who could truly kill her before then? Death was nothing but another form of rebirth.
So she would stay here and watch. She would   watch as the guardian chosen by that woman fell. 
After all, once this chaos ended, if she failed, she might never see such a spectacle again.
Facing the overwhelming force of the berserk   Korrun, Ember barely had time to don the 
Mask of Arrogance before a massive fist, slicing through the air with a chilling 
force, crashed straight into his face.  With a thunderous blow, Ember was 
hurled backward like a cannonball, smashing into the courtyard wall a hundred 
meters away. Blood streamed from every orifice.  This was what it meant to overpower 
all magic with sheer might. Ember possessed a trove of strange sorcerous 
tools, but had no chance to use any of them.  Korrun, sensing Ember was still alive, wasted 
no time—he was on him again in a flash, never granting even a moment to catch his breath.
Witchcraft, trinkets, equipment—none of it   mattered to Korrun. His iron fists 
were the deadliest weapons he knew. So what if that tattered mask could withstand one 
punch? He had another, and another after that… Sooner or later, one of those blows 
would shatter the wretched bat’s body,   which should have rotted away long ago.
Another dull, bone-crunching thud echoed out. Feeling an unusual resistance beneath his 
fist, Korrun let out a low, surprised sound. By all rights, Ember should now have been pounded 
into the ground, reduced to a mangled pulp that   not even the crows could pick clean.Strangely 
enough, his punch was actually blocked! As the dust settled, even Kolun’s eyes—usually 
as large as lightbulbs—narrowed for a brief instant. Beneath his iron fist was a thick, 
black-scaled arm! The hand of a demon! Had that wretched bat really betrayed the River 
of Blood to seek out the path of demons?  This time, before Kolun could strike 
again, that demon hand—so much slimmer than his own—clamped around his fist and, with 
astonishing force, swung his entire body into the ground! There was a thunderous crash.
This sudden turn of events caught Shirley   completely off guard. She had been ready to leave, 
seeing that Ember couldn’t even withstand a single punch. Who could have expected such a shift? 
Ember had suddenly revealed an even greater power! Staring at that muscular arm, which seemed 
so out of place on his otherwise frail body,   Shirley fell silent. Perhaps that woman’s 
judgment hadn’t been wrong after all. It was her own knowledge that had fallen short.
Arthur, hearing the dull thud, forced himself to look into the distance. Through a vision 
clouded by blood, he could barely make out   a massive figure struggling to rise from 
the ground, but each attempt ended with its feet slipping as if on ice. Such a hulking form 
clearly didn’t belong to Ember. So… was it Kolun? Realizing that Kolun had been knocked down by 
Ember, Arthur found it hard to believe. Since   when could a vampire go toe-to-toe with 
a werewolf? And not just any werewolf, but a feral one who had long fed on human organs?
Arthur blinked hard, desperate to see what was really happening, but the blood covering 
his eyes kept the truth shrouded.  Unlike the bewildered Arthur, Kolun—having been 
slammed hard into the ground—understood exactly what had happened. Somehow, that foul bat had 
managed to borrow the power of a demon! To dare   strike a bargain with a demon… Kolun couldn’t 
help but think the bat already had one foot in hell! But before that other foot crossed the 
threshold, this fellow truly had the strength   to stand against him in his berserk state!
What’s more, with the moon not yet full, Kolun couldn’t hope to finish this 
fight in thirty breaths. After all,   he was not merely brawn and muscle.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he knew it was time to retreat. This wasn’t 
just the rule of demon hunters—it was the   wisdom of all who valued their lives!
Kolun shook his battered head, then bared his teeth at Ember in a show of fury, feigning an 
intent to continue his reckless assault. The next moment, he stomped his sturdy leg on the ground, 
using the recoil to launch himself swiftly away. He had already noticed that Ember’s demonic 
transformation was incomplete. Apart from those   two arms that could match his own, only half of 
Ember’s face bore demonic markings. This meant Ember didn’t have the speed to chase him down!
When he came back next time, he would be sure   to bring weapons sanctified against demons. 
Then, he would settle this score and reclaim the Seed of Hatred. There was still time for 
vengeance.Just as Cologne was lost in thoughts   of future revenge, a muffled thud suddenly 
reverberated through his mind. Ding! A sharp, searing pain pierced his brow, and his body, 
just gathering force, convulsed violently—he crashed to the ground like a toppled statue! 
With a heavy thump, dust billowed into the air. Cologne reached up to touch his brow, but 
found only empty space. Yet in his senses, he could plainly feel something sharp had pierced 
his hardened skull and was now lodged deep within. This sensation was all too familiar—just 
like falling prey to a sorcerer’s ambush!  Could it be? This wretched bat hadn’t just bowed 
to the demons, but had learned witchcraft as well? Astonished, Cologne looked up, 
only to see Embers holding a small,   unremarkable blue hammer in his hand.
The Soul Hammer?! Isn’t that Lord Deren’s artifact? How could it be in Embers’ 
possession? Could it be that the one guarding   the Seed of Hatred was Lord Deren all along? 
Did this filthy bat slaughter Lord Deren and steal both the Seed of Hatred and the Soul Hammer?
Now recognizing the little hammer, a wave of dread surged through Cologne’s heart. Lord Deren was 
the Eternal Church’s most renowned spell expert, famed for crafting countless new forbidden spells 
that had vastly strengthened the church’s magi.   The Soul Hammer was one such forbidden creation.
Within five meters, this hammer could ignore any defense, driving a soul nail directly 
into the body at the cost of consuming soul   fragments! Once struck by the soul nail, all 
supernatural power would be severely weakened! To put it bluntly—he was as good as dead.
Watching Cologne collapse in defeat,   just as he himself had once fallen, Embers—his 
face masked in arrogance—let out a derisive snort. Then he strode forward, seized both sides 
of Cologne’s knee, and gave them a vicious yank. A howl of agony burst from 
Cologne as flesh tore from bone.  Embers cocked his head, picked at his ear 
indifferently, then moved to Cologne’s neck and brought the hammer down hard on his larynx.
The long, anguished howl instantly dwindled   into a mosquito’s feeble whimper.
“What a racket. Did I give you permission to speak? Hm?” Embers sneered, and 
with that, he drove his razor-sharp fingers into Cologne’s chest, then ripped them apart.
Cologne’s chest, hard as iron, split like thin sheet metal, curling outward to reveal 
his heart, still beating vigorously within. Watching as Cologne’s larynx slowly began to 
heal—thanks to his werewolf regeneration—Embers reached in and clutched the heart that held 
Cologne’s very life in its grasp. He mocked, “You wanted to tear me apart and seize the 
Seed of Hatred? Go on then, try again!”  [Contract Established]
… Despite Embers’ taunts, even after regaining 
his voice, Cologne kept his silence. He was waiting—waiting for the soul nail embedded in his 
brow to lose its effect. When that moment came, he’d strike without warning, tearing out the 
arrogant bat’s throat and then, and only then,   would he deliver his victory speech.
Not like Embers now, rambling on and on to humiliate his enemy—such foolishness was the 
luxury of the dead.Shirley, standing to the side, couldn’t help but furrow her brow as she 
witnessed the dramatic change in Ash. This   arrogant version of him was nothing like the 
person she first met. So it’s the mask, then? If that’s the case, things might take a turn after 
all. After all, the arrogant rarely live long. Arthur, who was also lying on the ground, 
understood this all too well. He knew even better   than Shirley the effect that mask had on Ash. 
Although he wasn’t sure exactly what had changed with the mask back at the bar, in this world, 
long nights are full of strange dreams—anything can happen. Even when victory seems assured, 
a single careless mistake could mean death. Look at the Lyon brothers, master demon 
hunters—they made their name in the demon-hunting   world by seizing victory in moments when their 
enemies least expected it. Arthur didn’t want Ash to lose everything at a moment like this.
So, gathering the last of his strength,   Arthur warned him, “Hurry…kill him.”
To his surprise, Ash, now under the mask’s influence, looked over with utter 
disdain. “You’re on the brink of death,   and you think you can tell me what to do?”
“Weaklings have no right to speak to the strong!” Hearing this, Arthur could only give a helpless 
smile. Pride—truly, it is the original sin.  Turning away, Ash nudged the feigning-dead 
Colin with his foot. “Hey, I’m asking you: aside from you, what other members of the Eternal 
Life Cult are here, and what tricks do they have?”  Colin, in truth, had no idea. The Eternal 
Life Cult was vast, hardly a unified force; it was divided into numerous factions. They 
only gathered because they shared a common   goal. To avoid interference from other lunatics, 
even within the group, members would keep their plans hidden until the time was right. That’s 
why internal strife wasn’t exactly unheard of. But even though Colin didn’t know, he put on a 
thoughtful act, pretending to consider his answer.  Seeing Colin’s stalling, Ash lost 
his patience. With a swift motion, he tore at Colin’s throat again, 
opening a fresh gash. “Hey,   mangy dog! I’m giving you the chance to 
speak because I think you’re worth it!” “If you don’t talk now, I’ll 
send you into eternal slumber!”  Colin opened his mouth, as if ready to confess. 
Seeing Ash lean in expectantly, Colin was inwardly howling with laughter. Idiot! With his throat 
torn open, how could he possibly say anything? Sensing his chance, Colin suddenly lunged 
forward, clamping his jaws around Ash’s head! Success! This arrogant little bat is finished! 
That’s what you get for showing off! Now look at you—still ended up in the jaws of the wolf!
Just as Colin was about to revel in his triumph, he felt something was wrong. Looking closer, 
he saw that from the now headless body,   tree trunks and branches were sprouting forth. 
The blood, instead of spurting everywhere, clung to the branches, forming a 
host of razor-sharp blood-red swords.  It was the Seed of Hatred!The seed of hatred 
actually took root and grew into a tree inside this foul bat? Though Koln had never dabbled 
in academia, he instinctively felt this was   something bizarre. But since he had found the 
seed of hatred, he considered his task complete. As for why things turned out this way, he would 
leave that for Mirat to investigate. Eternity   was not something to be easily pursued. 
All Koln cared about was the final result. [Contract Completed]
[Received Soul Fragment*1 (Sloth)]  …
Koln then turned a cold gaze toward Shirley, who had been lurking 
nearby. Unsure whether she was friend or foe, Koln bared his fangs at her in a show of 
intimidation, then mimed swallowing something.  Gulp!
With that exaggerated swallow, Embers’ severed head slipped from the gaping 
wound in Koln’s throat. Oddly enough, the head   seemed completely untouched by gravity, simply 
hovering in midair before wobbling back to its body. As the head returned, the wild, twisting 
branches took hold of it, then contracted and locked it firmly onto the torso once more. 
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.  Koln had just realized he’d lost Embers’ head 
when Embers finished reattaching it, then shot Koln a sidelong, disdainful look and sneered, “Did 
you really think losing my head would kill me?”  “You’re just too stupid—unbearably stupid.”
“I have an allergy to idiocy, you know?” Even as he voiced his contempt, Embers’ hands 
never stopped moving. Horrified to discover   that not even decapitation could kill Embers, 
Koln turned to flee—only to forget he now had just one leg! A werewolf’s body might heal, 
but without a fresh supply of energy, lost limbs couldn’t just grow back out of thin air. His 
body lurched, and he crashed to the ground again.  Embers had already seized 
his remaining intact leg, and with demonic strength, gave it a violent yank.
A sickening splatter of blood filled the air, white shards of bone flying in all directions. 
With his throat still torn open and unable to   heal, Koln could only let out pitifulThe seed 
of hatred has actually taken root and grown into a tree inside this stinking bat? Kolun, 
who had never bothered with academic matters, instinctively sensed that this was something 
bizarre. Still, since he’d found the seed of   hatred, the task could be considered complete. 
As for why things turned out this way, he’d leave that for Milat to figure out. Eternity 
was never so easily pursued. Kolun only cared about the final result.
[Contract Complete]  [Acquired Soul Fragment*1 (Sloth)]
… Kolun then cast a cold, menacing look at Shirley, 
who had been lurking on the sidelines all this time. To demonstrate his hostility, Kolun bared 
his fangs at her, then made a swallowing gesture. Gulp.
As he mimed swallowing,   Ember’s severed head tumbled out from the 
gaping hole in Kolun’s throat. Yet, strangely, Ember’s head seemed untouched by gravity, 
hovering in mid-air before drifting back toward his own body. As the head returned, those rampant, 
writhing tree branches caught it and contracted, locking the head firmly onto the torso once more.
All this happened in the blink of an eye.   Kolun had only just realized he’d lost 
Ember’s head, when Ember had already reattached it and merged his corpse, then 
shot Kolun a sideways glance, sneering,  “You didn’t really think I’d die just 
because I lost my head, did you?” “You’re unbearably stupid. I can’t take it.”
“I suffer from idiocy intolerance, you know?” Though Ember’s words were full of scorn, his 
hands never stopped moving. Kolun, horrified to discover that even decapitation couldn’t kill 
Ember, turned to flee. But he’d forgotten he only had one leg left! Even with the werewolf’s 
regenerative abilities, he couldn’t regrow   a lost limb without energy to fuel the process.
Kolun stumbled, crashing once more to the ground. Ember had already seized his remaining good leg, 
and with demonic strength, gave it a vicious yank. A gush of blood splattered everywhere, 
shards of white bone flying through the air.  With his throat still gaping and 
unhealed, Kolun could only utter pitiful, muffled cries, sounding like a dying dog.
The next moment, Ember grabbed the werewolf’s massive tail and gave it another brutal jerk, 
tearing out an entire werewolf spine in one piece. Now completely limp, Kolun had lost all 
ability to resist, left only to endure as Ember smashed his skull, blow after relentless blow.
Arthur, feeling the ground tremble beneath him, couldn’t help but tear away the blood-crusted 
scab before his eyes and open them once more.   Through a crimson haze, he saw only 
Ember pummeling Kolun—fist after fist, leaving Kolun utterly defenseless.
Arthur let out a faint sigh. The   brother who should have died in the 
past had finally met his end, after all. As the roar of approaching engines grew louder 
in the distance, only a single thought remained   in Arthur’s mind.
Saved. At last. Life and death decided, Shirley had never expected 
Ember to turn the tables after his head had been bitten off! It could only mean that they had all 
been fooled by Ember.That Ashes fellow isn’t a pure-blooded vampire at all! Since when can a 
vampire keep moving around after losing his head? Everyone knows a werewolf’s fatal weakness is the 
heart, and for vampires, it’s the head—this is   basic common sense. Yet Ashes has shattered that 
very notion. After having his head reattached, he didn’t even need to replenish his energy; 
he simply sprang back to life, good as new! Watching Ashes reduce Cullen to nothing but 
a bloody pulp, Sherry couldn’t help but sigh.   Who would have thought that beneath Ashes’ quiet 
exterior lurked such a violent side? That woman had chosen him as her spear—no wonder, he was 
well suited for the role. But isn’t Ashes just a bit too reckless? Isn’t she afraid that the fire 
burning inside Ashes might one day consume her   as well? Perhaps then, she could truly be free.
With tangled thoughts, Sherry slowly melted into the shadows, quietly slipping away. This was 
only the beginning; the end was still far off. After tearing apart the werewolf who had dared 
to challenge his authority, Ashes finally let   his mask of arrogance fall away, satisfied. 
That was enough pride for today; he couldn’t even be bothered to indulge further. Thanks to 
the balancing influence of the Sloth fragment, the hunger of the Pride fragment had subtly 
changed. Now, as long as its desire for pride   was satisfied each time it was worn, the price 
could be offset. Its effect was to fill the wearer with confidence, unlocking even greater power.
From the recent experience, this “greater power” was roughly a ten percent boost. That may 
not sound like much, but if the base was the   strength of his demonic arm, then a ten percent 
increase was terrifying indeed. At the very least, even a berserk Cullen was no match for Ashes.
As the mask slipped away, the demonic marks on Ashes’ face gradually faded, revealing once 
again that pale, handsome visage. No longer consumed by pride, Ashes finally noticed 
the approaching roar of engines. What the prideful Ashes would have ignored, the calm and 
collected Ashes now had to consider carefully. Demon hunters were no fools. Those oblivious 
to their surroundings were already buried in   the ground. With such commotion here, any 
hunter bold enough to come investigate must be formidable. If they discovered he was a 
vampire—and worse, one who could transform into a   demon—there was no telling how they would react.
With that in mind, Ashes silently called out to Lana. Answering his summons like a sprite, Lana 
appeared on his shoulder, and with a wave of her hand, scattered glowing feathers all around. As 
the light feathers drifted down, the branches of the World Tree wrapped around Ashes’ arms slowly 
retracted, drawing back the scattered emotions   and condensing them once more into fruit.
“Ashes, the path you’ve chosen is far too dangerous,” Lana said, her voice tinged with 
worry. “If these things keep growing… even if I give my all, it would be nearly 
impossible to drive them back.”  Hearing Lana’s concern, Ashes simply smiled and 
gently stroked her golden hair.“Don’t worry. As long as we find the third seed, they’ll 
naturally reach a balance on their own.”  Lana nodded obediently. “Brother 
Ember, I understand. What you want is to confine all evil within yourself, so 
that only goodness remains in the world.”  “This path is difficult, but I’ll 
walk it with you, Brother Ember.” Ember smiled softly, choosing not to shatter 
Lana’s beautiful vision. He wasn’t as noble as she imagined—he was simply doing his best.
This so-called confinement of evil was not   without selfish motives; he hoped to forge an 
eternal body through the power of the Seven Sins. As for the problem at hand, Ember was well 
aware of the risks. Even though he had   erased the consciousness of the two-colored 
World Tree, its instincts still drew in emotions from the world around them.
After all, the world was never   short of these original sins.
To prevent his progress toward demonization from regressing, Ember had never let 
Lana diminish the power of the two trees. In this constant tug of war, a day would come when Lana 
could no longer maintain the balance between them.  If he failed to find the third 
seed before that happened, Ember’s own body would be wholly consumed and 
become a part of the two-colored World Tree.  His soul would then have no 
suitable vessel left to inhabit. This was a high-stakes gamble, 
risking his very flesh!  Either the Seven Sins would be fused 
to forge an eternal vessel of evil, Or he would have to seek out 
the legendary Eternal Heart,   to grant his body a ceaseless source of life.
Of course, Ember was not without a backup plan. In the worst-case scenario, he could attempt 
to attach his soul to a suitable object,   lying in wait for another chance to arise.
But that would be the most desperate of desperate options—the last and least desirable path. Unless 
utterly necessary, Ember would never choose it. Lost in thought for just a moment, 
Ember quickly firmed his resolve.  With nothing else to hold him back, he ought 
to give it his all and aim for the top! His gaze dropped, resting on the 
massive wolf corpse before him.  Ember drew his silver blade from 
his belt, and with swift, practiced motions, he neatly skinned the wolf.
He then pulled out each of the wolf’s   long and short fangs, one by one.
Satisfied, he sheathed his blade. These spoils would serve him well—whether for 
trade, for points, or to keep for himself.  With the trophies dealt with, it was time to 
choose a suitable candidate to take the credit. As the saying goes, “The tallest tree in 
the forest is the first to meet the wind.”  Ember understood this all too well 
and had no intention of claiming the slaying of Cullen for himself.
After all, without exposing his   ability to undergo demonization, 
it would be hard for anyone to believe he could have killed Cullen.
But Arthur was a different story.  Arthur’s half-wolf heritage was almost 
common knowledge among demon hunters. Growing up among them, Arthur had earned 
a high degree of trust within their ranks.  So if word spread that Arthur had slain 
Cullen, most demon hunters would believe it. Moreover, the state Arthur was in made it 
clear he’d been through a fierce battle!  Wait a moment… A miserable state?Arthur isn’t 
dead, is he? A mutual destruction is hardly a good ending. Only now did Ember remember to check on 
Arthur’s condition. He hurried over to Arthur’s side, quickening his pace. Then he knelt down 
and reached out, testing Arthur’s breathing. There was more air leaving than 
entering—just the feeblest breaths.   This was the state of someone on the brink 
of death. But Arthur was a half-werewolf; as long as he was still breathing, it meant 
his soul had not yet departed for the earth.  Ember considered digging out Kellen’s organs 
to feed Arthur, but then he remembered the vivid red in Arthur’s eyes. Suddenly, 
he understood: from birth until now,   Arthur had always abided by one rule—he never 
ate human organs. Werewolves are people, too. If Ember forced Kellen’s organs on him, even if 
Arthur recovered, he’d probably never thank him. With that thought, Ember simply decided 
to wait for the demon hunters to arrive.  A harsh metallic scrape and the squeal of 
tires announced their arrival. A 1967 Chevy Impala was the first to pull up. Two men in 
the car scanned their surroundings cautiously,   making sure it was safe before stepping out.
The burly man in the lead gave a whistle, then said with admiration, “Hey, not bad, buddy. 
You took down a berserk werewolf all by yourself?” Ember smiled and nodded toward 
the unconscious Arthur. “It   wasn’t my doing. Credit goes to Arthur.”
Arthur? The half-werewolf raised by demon hunters? The burly man glanced at Ember, who was 
unharmed, then at Arthur, battered and barely clinging to life. Realization dawned on his face.
Of course. Ember was so small and thin—there was no way he could have dealt such devastating damage 
to a berserk werewolf. But Arthur, who could also   transform, didn’t seem capable of crushing 
an opponent so thoroughly, either… Unless he’d set a trap beforehand, weakening the berserk 
werewolf first. That made everything make sense. Besides, given what happened to his mother, 
Arthur’s hatred for werewolves was well known.   Seeking vengeance like this was only natural. 
After all, Ember didn’t look like someone who could bash in a werewolf’s skull—he 
looked more like an unlucky bystander,   caught in the bloodshed by chance.
With most of the puzzle pieces in place, the burly man turned his gaze to Arthur. Arthur’s 
condition was clearly dire. Striding forward, the man offered his hand to Ember.
“I’m Dim Lane. Over there’s   my brother, Matt Lane.”
Ember looked up and met his gaze, then reached out and shook his hand 
lightly. “Ash. Pleased to meet you.”  [Dim Lane]
[Wish: To kill the demon who ruined their mother’s life.]
[Matt Lane]  [Wish: For his brother to let go 
of his obsession and find peace.] …
Dim released his grip and glanced   down at the half-dead Arthur. “Need a hand?”
“I know a good doctor.”Ash nodded, not refusing Dim’s kindness.
“Thank you. You’re good people.”  Dim hefted the heavy, lifeless Arthur onto his 
shoulders and replied with a cheerful grin, “We’re all demon hunters here. Helping 
each other out is the right thing to do.”  “Who knows—maybe someday my brother and 
I will be the ones needing your help.” “Oh, and if you ever learn anything 
about a yellow-eyed demon, let us know.”  Hearing his brother’s words, Matt could 
only smile helplessly before turning to Ash. “Yellow-eyed demons are extremely dangerous. 
Rumor has it they were personally transformed   by Lucifer himself after he fell into Hell.”
“If you ever hear anything about one, don’t be reckless. Just contact us straight away.”
“Here, this is our card. If you ever need anything else, you can call this number.”
Ash took the remarkably simple   business card. Besides their names, 
it listed only two cell phone numbers. But anyone daring to tangle with a 
yellow-eyed demon, like the Ryan brothers,   was certainly no ordinary person.
From all the lore Ash had crammed on the demon hunter forums lately, he knew 
there were many types of demons from Hell.  According to most hunters, demons 
are usually ranked by the color of their eyes, with few exceptions.
For example, black-eyed demons are   the most common lower-level demons in Hell.
Of course, if a demon of that level were to manifest in the world, it would 
still be a formidable opponent.  Above the black eyes are the red-eyed 
demons, those in charge of making deals. Red-eyed demons, who acquire more souls, naturally 
possess greater power—the extent of which depends   on how many souls they command. This is the rank 
most likely to see dramatic leaps in strength. Demons above the red-eyed tier are unique beings, 
each possessing a true name, and their power is drawn directly from the depths of Hell.
The yellow-eyed demon the Ryan   brothers spoke of was one such entity.
And as for the very top of Hell’s hierarchy, there stand only the seven demon lords, 
each embodying one of the seven deadly sins.  Once the Morning Star, now the 
King of Pride—Lucifer, the fallen angel—is the most powerful among them.
If a yellow-eyed demon had truly been   transformed by Lucifer himself, it 
would possess terrifying strength. No wonder Matt wanted to 
persuade Dim to let it go.  Against such a formidable yellow-eyed demon, even 
if it did not fully manifest in the mortal realm, no ordinary person could hope to challenge it.
Perhaps only those legendary hunters—whose very stories blur the line between myth 
and reality—might stand a chance.  As Ash pondered all this, other demon 
hunters who had come to investigate began to arrive, one after another.
The first thing they saw was the   skinless werewolf lying in the center of it all.
That monstrous shape—nearly five meters tall in its berserk form—was impossible to ignore.But what 
truly unsettled them was that a demon hunter had actually managed to take down this obviously 
berserk werewolf in such a short span of time!   From the first sounds of chaos to their arrival by 
car, no more than ten minutes could have passed. And with no sign of heavy weaponry having been 
used, it was clear that someone had fought the crazed werewolf hand-to-hand! How could any 
ordinary person accomplish such a feat? Could   it have been the elusive vampires who had never 
shown themselves? Instantly, the demon hunters’ eyes grew wary, then they spotted Arthur slung 
over Deem’s shoulder, and Ash, who—apart from a few bloodstains—looked completely unscathed.
Arthur’s identity as a half-werewolf was already an open secret among demon hunters. 
To keep his beastly urges in check,   Arthur had long taken to streaming himself 
eating boiled animal organs every day, both to reassure everyone and as a way to hold 
himself accountable. It was common knowledge that   werewolves and vampires favored humans not only 
for their superior taste, but also for the potent energy humans possessed. If Arthur abstained from 
“meat,” how could he possibly have overpowered another werewolf? Clearly, someone had helped him.
The demon hunters, seeming to understand, turned their attention to the Lyon brothers. With 
the Lyons’ help, everything suddenly made sense. The Lyon brothers were seasoned demon hunters; 
countless supernatural creatures had fallen at   their hands, and even deities from ancient legends 
weren’t safe from their blades. With the Lyon brothers present, nothing seemed surprising.
As for the young man covered in blood,   no one recognized him. To them, he was likely 
just an unlucky passerby caught up in the chaos. The demon hunters greeted the Lyon brothers, then 
promptly turned their vehicles around and left. Though they trusted the brothers’ abilities, 
not a single one wanted to partner with them.   Every time someone teamed up with the Lyon 
brothers, the outcome was always the same: the brothers survived, but most of their partners 
perished—killed by supernatural monsters, lost to traps, or claimed by sudden, unforeseen accidents.
Publicly, people called the Lyon brothers the Twin Stars, but in private, everyone saw them as 
harbingers of disaster. The best way to avoid trouble was to have nothing whatsoever to do with 
them; only then could one steer clear of getting dragged into even more perilous supernatural 
incidents. After all, being a demon hunter   merely increased your chances of dying, but 
being close to the Lyon brothers guaranteed it. So in their eyes, Ash—who dared to get in the 
Lyons’ car and even speak with them—was either   truly unfortunate or truly brave. Watching the 
demon hunters leave without a moment’s hesitation, Ash felt a flicker of surprise. After all, most 
people are drawn to strength. Given the chance to befriend the powerful, few would willingly let 
it slip away.No matter how you looked at it,   the Ryan brothers were like a sturdy 
pillar of support—reliable, generous, and easy to get along with. Even before meeting 
face-to-face, they were willing to offer a helping   hand. Wouldn’t anyone want to cling tightly to 
such brothers? Yet, aside from a hint of respect, the other demon hunters seemed to have no 
intention of lingering to chat or get acquainted.   Surely, there was something strange about this.
Embers immediately grew alert in his heart. But no matter how he looked at it, the Ryan brothers 
seemed like genuinely good people. Puzzled, Embers   soon followed the two of them to the inn in town.
After they got out of the carriage, Dim gave his brother Matt a look. Understanding the signal, 
Matt gave a helpless smile and turned to Embers.  “The doctor’s in room 203. 
Take Arthur up to see him.” “Don’t say we sent you. Just tell him 
you heard about him from other hunters.”  “Oh, and if that doctor starts asking for some 
weird, outrageous payment, just stick a gun to his head. He’s got a weak stomach for fear.”
Threaten a doctor with a gun? Embers’ expression flickered with surprise. Now he understood why 
Matt insisted he not mention their names. So, the brothers never actually paid the 
doctor—just relied on some good old freeloading?  “No worries, I’ve got enough money in the 
bank. I should be able to cover the treatment.” Matt opened his mouth, 
hesitating, but finally added,  “Just… don’t actually shoot him, alright? The 
doctor’s got some odd quirks, but when it comes down to it, he really can save lives.”
“All right,   we’ll be off now. Until we meet again.”
Embers waved as they left. “Until next time.” As the black antelope carriage rounded the 
corner and disappeared, Embers knocked on the   door of room 203. From inside, he immediately 
heard the soft slap of slippers shuffling across the floor. Soon, the door swung open to 
reveal a short, middle-aged man in a bathrobe, his face flushed red. In his right 
hand, he held a bottle of red wine.  “Hic—who’s there? Hic—what do you want?”
[David] [Wish: To taste wines brewed from all 
manner of rare and wondrous things,   and to bolster his own courage.]
…This was the doctor? Embers looked the man up and down, full of doubt. He looked more 
like a drunkard than a doctor! With his trembling hands and the thick scent of alcohol clinging to 
him, nothing about him suggested any medical skill   at all. Yet, the Ryan brothers wouldn’t joke 
about something as serious as this. After all, Arthur might not die right away, but he was 
running out of time. With no better choice,   Embers simply slung Arthur down from his 
back and let him slump in front of David. “Heal him.”
David forced his bleary eyes   wide open, then let out a long, boozy breath.
With a sudden spray, a fine mist of wine burst from his lips, raining down on Arthur. Then, 
with a great heave of his belly, David inhaled, and the scattered wine droplets rose into the 
air, drawn back into his mouth as if by magic. He smacked his lips a few times, and 
a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.  “Fifty-seven open wounds, 
slashed by werewolf claws.”“Nine open wounds—left by a werewolf’s fangs.”
“So you got into a fight with a werewolf?” “Who told you to come looking for me?”
The moment Ashes saw David’s skillful hands,   he realized that David wasn’t a doctor in the 
ordinary sense, but a witch doctor! Thinking about it, that actually made sense. For demon 
hunters who often ran into the supernatural, not every wound could be treated at a hospital. 
A witch doctor was clearly a better choice.  “A colleague said you have miraculous 
hands, so I came here to see for myself.” Hearing the compliment, David took a satisfied 
swig of his drink. “Ahh—miraculous hands, I like the sound of that. Come on in.”
Ashes grabbed Arthur and followed David,   who staggered as he led the way deeper inside. The 
cramped room was crowded with jars and bottles, leaving barely any space to step. Ashes 
glanced down and noticed that the clear   glass containers on the floor were filled with 
all sorts of preserved limbs. He could just about make out a werewolf’s paw, the talons of a 
bloodsucker… In short, Ashes was beginning to get an uneasy sense of David’s peculiar tastes.
Sure enough, after tossing Arthur onto the bed, David rubbed his hands together eagerly, like a 
fly, and said, “I won’t charge you for saving him. I’ll just let him pay me himself.”
As soon as he finished speaking,   a small silver knife appeared in David’s hand. 
The vagueness of his words put Ashes on high alert. He immediately reached out to stop him.
“Wait—what do you mean, let him pay himself?” David chuckled slyly, his eyes shining 
as he looked at Arthur’s body. “This   is a half-werewolf! Do you know what that 
means? Hybrids like this are rare. Besides, he’s lost the ability to reproduce, so why not 
let me sample what half-werewolf eggs taste like?” Ashes stared at David, his expression a 
complex mix of emotions. So David wanted   to turn Arthur into a eunuch. Now he finally 
understood why Matt had hesitated to speak before leaving. With a freak like this, if 
you didn’t have a gun pointed at his head,   he’d probably help himself to a couple of 
organs during treatment for his own collection. Heeding the warning, Ashes silently drew his 
pistol and pressed it to the back of David’s   head. “Cut the nonsense. Heal him—right now!”
Feeling the cold muzzle against his skull, David shuddered. Somehow, this scene felt eerily 
familiar. Once upon a time, there had been a pair of troublemaking brothers who always seemed to be 
cursed, and they’d done exactly the same thing.   Still, David had always believed that keeping a 
low profile meant he could enjoy more good liquor, so apart from being annoyed, he knew he 
had no choice but to do as he was told.   He’d never admit that he was too much of 
a coward to go up against real people! Oddly enough, though, he wasn’t even angry—when 
he should have been. With a helpless sigh and   hands raised, David said, “Alright, alright, 
don’t do anything rash. I’ll save him now.” With that, David shot a sidelong glance at 
Ashes, watching his expression carefully.Seeing that Ashes showed not the slightest reaction, 
David was certain this fellow would be difficult   to sway with his glib words. Otherwise, he would 
have at least tried to invite Ashes to share a drink. David sniffed, put away his small knife, 
and took out a silver needle instead. Dipping the needle into Arthur’s still-flowing blood, he 
began to stitch up the wound. Strangely enough, when Arthur’s own blood met the silver 
needle, it transformed into sturdy threads   of blood, tightly sealing the wound closed.
Finally, David fished out a half-soaked piece of animal liver from a glass jar half-filled with 
liquid, tossed it into the blender, and ground it   into a thick juice. He then drew the mixture into 
a syringe and injected it into Arthur’s veins. Before long, Arthur, who had been unconscious 
for quite a while, slowly opened his eyes.  As he glanced at the glass jars hanging from the 
ceiling, each containing bizarrely shaped limbs, Arthur’s gaze became vacant—he understood what 
fate awaited him. He turned his head slightly, looked at Ashes nearby, and forced a bitter smile.
“You died too, didn’t you?” Ashes holstered his gun and smiled.
“Hell doesn’t give you time to   catch your breath,” he replied.
“So it means neither of us is dead.” Only then did Arthur notice that Ashes had 
just been threatening a little man with a   gun. Feeling his body recovering, Arthur 
propped himself up and asked curiously, “Who is he?”
Ashes shrugged.  “A kind-hearted doctor,” he said.
“Though I doubt he’ll treat you again next time.” Arthur shook his head helplessly. That’s what 
happens when rules are broken. After all,   who would be willing to help again after 
being forced to do so at gunpoint? Trying to recover a shred of the etiquette Ashes had 
lost, Arthur mustered his friendliest smile.  “Doctor, my companion was 
only joking earlier,” he said. “Whatever fee you require for 
treating me, I’ll pay it in full.”  “That’s only right.”
David darted a cautious glance at Ashes and whispered,
“You heard him—he said it himself.”  When Ashes didn’t react, David downed a 
deep swig of liquor, instantly perking up. He coughed and declared,
“I never take money for   saving lives—that’s far too vulgar.”
“I have but one passion in life, and that’s drinking. If you truly wish to thank me, 
cut off a testicle and let me soak it in my wine.” Huh? Arthur’s eyes widened, genuinely suspecting 
his brain was still addled from injury, causing him to mishear. Did this doctor just ask for what? 
For him to cut off a testicle and steep it in wine? Arthur’s expression twisted in disbelief.
Seeing Arthur’s look, David grew a bit flustered and hurried to explain,
“For you, having one less or two   less makes no difference—besides, 
you people can heal yourselves.” “Isn’t it reasonable to trade something 
you don’t need for a perfect recovery?”  “That’s practically free treatment! What’s 
so bad about that?”“And it was you who said you would pay for the treatment. These 
are my rates—so are you paying or not?”  Arthur, unable to stop himself from clenching his 
fists, finally understood why Ashen had reached for his gun. Was this really just a matter 
of payment? No, this was about dignity. But   if this was David’s way of saving people…
After taking several deep breaths, Arthur lifted his increasingly pale face and pleaded,
“Ashen, wait for me outside for a moment.” Ashen nodded and stepped out of the room. 
Before long, Arthur, walking a little awkwardly,   also emerged. He spoke in a clipped tone,
“Let’s go.” It wasn’t until they had left the 
shadowy hallway of the inn that Arthur,   as if forcibly putting something out of his mind, 
turned to a matter that interested him more. “How did you kill Cullen?”
Ashen gave him a mysterious smile.  “You’re not a vampire, so 
you wouldn’t understand.” “As the mortal enemies of vampires, we 
werewolves have ten thousand ways to kill one.”  That made a certain kind of sense. Who 
understood werewolves better than their foes, the vampires? So, it was only natural that 
Ashen, a vampire, could kill Cullen. Yet, something about it just felt off to Arthur, 
though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.  Before he could dwell on it 
further, Ashen’s voice continued, “However, I don’t plan on 
claiming the credit for this.”  “Seeing as I saved your life, could you do me a 
small favor and say it was you who killed Cullen?” Arthur frowned,
“That’s against the rules…”  Ashen cut him off with a smile,
“I know, I know, it breaks the rules.” “But you’ve got one thing wrong—we’re a team. 
If you hadn’t weakened Cullen first, I could   never have finished him off. Don’t you agree?”
Arthur nodded; he couldn’t argue with that. Though he’d lost to Cullen, he’d still 
dealt him a grievous blow. Otherwise,   Cullen’s berserk state would have lasted 
far longer than just thirty seconds. “So, killing Cullen was really 
the result of our teamwork.”  “And as the leader of this team, why 
shouldn’t you be the one to take the credit?” “Wouldn’t that be in line with the rules?”
Arthur had to admit, Ashen was good at   persuading people. Every time Arthur thought 
something was out of line, Ashen’s reasoning made it seem perfectly justified. But there 
was one thing he could never agree to.  “I’ll accept the credit, but I’ll give 
you every single point they award for it.” Ashen shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“Alright, let’s do it your way.” “Got any energy left? Come with 
me to the library one more time.”  …
Fruitwood Town, Library. Carla looked up at the library before her, 
a little puzzled. Guided by the pull of the   Progenitor’s Hand, she’d been chasing another 
fragment of the body all over Fruitwood Town. Every time she was about to catch it, the 
other party would vanish as if teleporting,   as though toying with her.Fortunately, this 
battered body had finally returned to the ancient, steeple-roofed library, and had remained still 
for a long while. Yet, despite the library’s age, it was far from deserted—people moved 
through its halls in a steady stream,   quite unlike what one would expect of a place 
hiding the remnants of a progenitor. Nearly all of those coming and going were demon hunters. After 
all, libraries often house local records and lore, making them the first stop for demon 
hunters arriving in an unfamiliar place.  Which meant that the progenitor’s 
remains had been hidden all along, right under the noses of these demon hunters. 
Not wishing to become entangled with them, Karla pulled up her hood, letting its shadow 
conceal her refined features, and slipped into   the library, blending in as an ordinary visitor.
Night had already fallen, but inside the library, quite a few demon hunters still pored over ancient 
tomes. With just a casual glance, Karla could spot odd tales and strange events, all beginning 
with “Guomu Town.” Yet not one of these hunters could have guessed that one of Guomu Town’s 
greatest treasures lay right beneath their feet.  A mocking smile played at Karla’s lips as, 
guided by the subtle pull of the progenitor’s hand hidden in her cloak, she made her way to a 
row of seldom-visited bookshelves. These shelves   groaned under the weight of ancient volumes 
on love and romance—hardly the sort of books that drew crowds in an age when young people 
chased after sweet stories online, their eyes   glued to their phones. Few now cared for the 
intricate, winding romances of the ancients. Karla sniffed the air, ensuring no one was 
nearby, then tapped her hairpin lightly. “Celia, check behind these shelves. Is 
there a passage?” she whispered.  At her command, a chill wind swept past the 
bookshelf, and then, with a sharper gust, rushed back into Karla’s hairpin. At the same time, a 
faint line of misty script appeared on the surface   of her sunlight ring: [Protective ward detected.]
A glint of excitement flashed in Karla’s eyes. She had found the right place.
Feigning interest in the books,   Karla ran her slender fingers along the 
spines. Soon, she detected something odd about one particular volume—its cover was 
hollow. Just as she suspected. Removing the book revealed a keyhole, making it clear that 
a matching key was needed to unlock this shelf.  Karla frowned, extending her nails to try 
picking the lock. After several failed attempts, her patience wore thin. She grabbed the shelf with 
both hands, intent on ripping it out by its roots. She heaved—nothing. The shelf didn’t budge. 
Blood surged in her veins, muscles tensed, and she tried again—still nothing.
Frustrated, Karla rolled up her sleeves, ready to smash through the obstacle with her 
fists, when a familiar scent drifted her way.  “Karla, what exactly are you doing?” came a voice.
Karla turned and saw Embers and Arthur, who had hurried here after Shirley’s tip-off. Arthur, 
phone in hand, looked at Karla with puzzlement. After learning that Embers’ destination was the 
library, Arthur had made a point of checking   Karla’s location.Arthur hadn’t expected to find 
Carla in the library as well. This truly caught him by surprise. After all, from what he knew, 
vampires weren’t fond of reading. With their endless lifespans, they themselves were living, 
vibrant books of history—why would they need to   seek out the lives of others in stories? 
So, Arthur figured that Carla’s purpose here must be the same as Ember’s. The two quickly 
discussed and decided to meet up with Carla first. But as soon as they arrived, they 
saw Carla rolling up her sleeves,   looking as if she was about to tear the library 
apart. That was certainly out of line. Damaging public property without reason—that was the act 
of a vandal! Carla shot a glance at Arthur, whose voice had turned noticeably thin, and frowned.
“You’d best mind your own business,” she warned. Arthur’s brow furrowed just as tightly. 
His main assignment in Fruitwood Town   was to keep an eye on these two vampires and 
make sure they didn’t cause trouble. And now, it was obvious Carla was about to do just 
that. How could he stand by and do nothing?  Sensing the tension rising between 
them, Ember immediately stepped in, playing the role of peacemaker.
“Hold on, both of you. Let me   say something,” Ember interjected.
Hearing Ember’s voice, the two adversaries had no choice but to give him some respect, 
turning their attention his way. To Arthur,   Ember was a lifesaver; as long as rules weren’t 
being broken, he was willing to listen. Ember was different from the arrogant vampires 
like Carla—he was more human in many ways.  As for Carla, Ember—who was officially her 
“junior”—now felt more like a true companion. She didn’t know why he insisted on bringing 
Arthur, a demon hunter, along, but she trusted he had his reasons. Besides, she wasn’t truly itching 
for a fight with Arthur—not that she couldn’t win, it was just more trouble than it was worth. After 
all, Arthur wasn’t the only demon hunter in this   library. If a real battle broke out, it would 
spiral endlessly, generation after generation. Carla crossed her arms with a huff, 
eyeing Ember, curious to hear what clever   words he’d come up with this time.
Noticing both sets of eyes on him, Ember cleared his throat and began, “Arthur, we 
came to Fruitwood Town to uncover the secret of   the Dark Knight, isn’t that right?”
Arthur didn’t hesitate. He nodded and said, “That’s right.”
“And it’s clear that this library is   hiding the secret of the Dark Knight.”
“If it’s related to our mission, then even if we have to tear the library 
apart, it wouldn’t count as vandalism.”  “After all, once the mission is 
complete, the Psynergy Department will cover the damages. Don’t you agree?”
Hearing these words, Arthur felt that   familiar sense of justification wrapping 
around him once again. It really did make sense. If it was truly related to the mission, 
even if Carla tore down all of Fruitwood Town, it wouldn’t matter. Demon hunting missions had 
the highest priority—no matter the casualties or   loss of public property along the way, they were 
always justified.Of course, once a mission ends, special agents will naturally conduct a debrief. 
Any casualties related to demon hunting can be   overlooked, but if someone is intentionally 
harmed, that’s a different story altogether. So Ash was right—when you’re on a mission, what 
does it matter if you tear down a bookshelf?   Arthur hesitated, then nodded in agreement. 
Only then did Ash turn with a smile toward Karla. “See? The problem is solved, isn’t it?”
Karla muttered under her breath, calling him “smooth-talker,” then pointed at the bookshelf 
and said, “You call this a solved problem?”  “Do you see that keyhole?”
“That’s a magical door lock. Without the corresponding key, 
the only way is to force it open.”  “Why don’t you try distracting the demon 
hunters outside? I’ll handle breaking the lock!” Ash shook his head. “No 
need. Let me give it a try.”  Karla raised an eyebrow. If even she 
couldn’t do anything about the lock, what could Ash possibly accomplish? It seemed like 
a complete waste of time. Still, if Ash insisted, letting him try wouldn’t hurt. At the very 
least, after this, he’d learn to listen to   her when it came to serious matters…
Hmm? Karla’s eyes narrowed, her full attention suddenly fixed on Ash’s hands. To 
her astonishment, Ash pulled an ancient brass key from his pocket! The key looked like a 
perfect fit for the lock. Could it really   be such a coincidence? After all the ways 
she’d tried and failed to open it, Ash just happened to have the key? The odds of this were 
about as likely as her winning a century-long   supply of free blood at a blood bank lottery.
Watching as the key slid smoothly into the lock, Karla couldn’t hold back any longer. 
“Ash, where did you get that key?”  Ash paused to think, then replied, 
“Maybe the owner gave it to me?” Karla froze for a moment. How could he not 
be sure? Did the brass key just grow legs and find its way to Ash by itself? As she was about to 
press for answers, Ash had already turned the key. With a gentle whir of mechanisms inside, the 
wooden bookshelf split open from the center,   slowly revealing a rust-covered copper 
door. The three exchanged glances, and Ash stepped forward to push open the door.
At the same moment, in the basement of a private   home somewhere in Fruittree Town, several 
witches seated in a circle opened their eyes all at once. As the flames at the 
center of their circle turned blood-red,   strange smiles crept across their faces.
“The eternal cycle begins…” …
On the outskirts of Fruittree Town,   in an underground chamber, a lavish coffin 
inlaid with countless gemstones suddenly creaked open from the inside. A skeletal hand, at first 
gaunt and then rapidly gaining flesh and color, gripped the edge and slowly pulled its owner 
upright. A Bruhe blood servant, who had long been kneeling in anticipation, immediately draped 
a cloak over the coffin’s master and presented a   chalice filled with concentrated premium blood.
Gulp.As the blood touched her lips, a strange, otherworldly red flickered in the eyes of the 
one who lay within the coffin. She casually   wiped the crimson stain from the corner of her 
mouth, a faint, elusive smile appearing on her face. Stretching her limbs, she released 
an invisible pressure that forced all the   nearby Bruch vampires to drop to their knees.
Stepping out of the coffin with her feet on the backs of the vampire attendants, she 
lifted her gaze toward Fruitwood Town.   “Has the time come? Hmm, I can already 
feel the call of the River of Blood.” “At this very moment, the world stands 
closer than ever to the River of Blood.”  “You’ve done well, Gilut. When 
this is over, I shall grant you the honor of becoming one of my kin.”
The vampire attendant who rose from   the ground was indeed Gilut. Yet, unlike the 
portraits Ember had once seen, half of Gilut’s face remained handsome, while the other half 
bore hideous scars, as if burned by fire. For a vampire—beings famed for their regenerative 
powers and vanity—such disfigurement was almost unthinkable. No one knew what Gilut had endured.
Yet, faced with the Bloodwing Monarch’s reward, Gilut knelt, overwhelmed with gratitude 
and emotion. “Gilut is forever grateful   for your grace, my liege.”
South District, Loche City. Milat, who had waited in vain for any reply from 
Koren, gazed at the familiar figure on his phone, hatred occasionally flickering in his 
eyes. He never expected that the man   who had snatched away the Seed of Hatred 
from the black warlock Derren would be so inextricably linked to his current vessel.
When a person dies an unnatural death,   the memory that lingers most is always of the one 
who killed them. The hatred etched into this body, once the leader of the Black Dog Gang—Lusen—was 
directed at the man before him, known now as Ash,   the demon hunter, though once called Ember.
For Milat, who had borrowed Lusen’s body to return to life, it was nearly impossible to erase 
this influence. Lusen’s memories would surface unbidden, distorting his own judgment.
Just as they did now.  Unconsciously, he had gripped his new phone so 
tightly that cracks had appeared on its surface. This curse of hatred would only fade if the 
body’s former owner’s last wish was fulfilled.   So, if Koren—whom he had sent—could succeed in 
killing Ember and reclaiming the Seed of Hatred, then the vengeful spirit haunting this 
body might finally be laid to rest.  Yet Koren had failed him!
After confirming his target, Koren had sent no word of success for an agonizingly 
long time. The meaning behind that silence was   all too clear: even after being strengthened, 
the berserker werewolf Koren had failed! This failure sent Lusen’s lingering spirit into 
a furious rage. Again and again, it struggled to revive, trying to use the body—sustained only 
by Milat’s Seed of Envy—to seek vengeance. “Calm down, calm down. You’re helpless 
without me. If you want revenge,   you’ll have to rely on me,” Milat muttered as 
if to himself. “Besides, he took my Seed of Hatred. Do you really think I’d ever let him go?”
His words, seemingly spoken to no one, soothed the restless remnants of Lusen’s consciousness, 
quieting them at last.However, this also made   Mirat realize that he needed to obtain the Heart 
of Eternity as soon as possible, in order to fully stabilize the connection between his consciousness 
and his physical body. The so-called Heart of   Eternity was, in fact, a concept rather than a 
tangible object. As long as one could achieve an immortal body, then the source that granted 
this immortality would be considered the Heart   of Eternity. The Seed of Envy in his hand was, in 
fact, a fragment of the Heart of Eternity. If he could gather all seven Seeds of Sin, he would be 
able to attempt forging a body of Original Sin. As long as sin existed in the world, that body 
would remain indestructible. And after that… Clang! His phone slipped from 
his hand and hit the ground.  “Damn it! Can you quiet down for a moment? I 
told you, I’ll handle him!” Mirat’s thoughts were cut off by the outburst of Lucen’s lingering 
consciousness, and he was clearly displeased.  But soon, he noticed a new notification 
flashing on his fallen phone—a piece of news about Guomu Town.
[Shocking! A werewolf taller than   a whole building has appeared in Guomu 
Town! Read before it’s deleted, hurry!] Mirat’s pupils narrowed at the headline. If he 
remembered correctly, Coren’s body after going   berserk stood nearly five meters tall. Could it 
be that the battle he knew nothing about had been secretly recorded by some ever-present 
bystander? What an era this was indeed.  Mirat bent to pick up his phone, ready to 
open the video, but his expression froze. Damn! The touchscreen was broken!
…  Luocheng, southern district, Half-Hill Apartments.
Suspended in the air halfway down an elevator shaft, Sharmos lifted his head to look 
in the direction of Guomu Town, his eyes   shining with excitement. The barrier between 
him and the source of his magic had vanished. Ember had actually pulled it off!
Now, he possessed even greater magical   power and could more easily suppress the other 
consciousnesses within his body. At least until Fran disappeared, he had time—freedom enough.
Bang! With a powerful tug, Sharmos snapped the chains that had been anchoring 
him to the shaft walls one by one.  He was going to help Fran weather this disaster!
… Guomu Town, Library.
Utterly unaware of the   stir they’d caused outside, Ember and his 
companions pushed open the heavy bronze doors. A wind from thirty years ago gusted out 
from within, so foul it nearly made them retch. Whoever said that breathing the same air 
as someone you love was romantic? This   wind from thirty years past was anything but.
All three were extraordinary individuals, their sense of smell keen. A wind that hadn’t stirred in 
three decades was, naturally, far from pleasant. But what shocked them most was 
the scene behind the doors.  In their unimpeded view, untouched by darkness, 
lay a heap of countless white bones—piled one atop another to form a grim mound.
And atop that mound sat a shadowy   figure, head bowed low.
The Dark Knight! She was here, right before their eyes!
To encounter the Dark Knight   again with such ease sent alarm bells ringing 
in Arthur’s heart. He hadn’t forgotten that, despite every effort he’d made in the past, he’d 
been utterly unable to harm her.Now that the three of them had run into her here, they needed to be 
extremely cautious… No sooner had this thought   crossed Arthur’s mind than Karla, who had been 
standing beside them, transformed into a streak of blood and shot straight toward the Dark Knight. 
In the blink of an eye, Karla’s hand plunged into the Dark Knight’s chest, seizing another fragment 
of the Progenitor’s remains—the Cursed Heart. Witnessing Karla’s reckless move, Arthur’s brow 
furrowed deeply. Such rashness… Karla was bound to pay for it. After all, the mound of bones 
forming this grisly cairn was not made up of   human corpses alone; it contained the remains 
of many other extraordinary creatures as well! All of this was proof enough that the Dark Knight 
was far from simple. Otherwise, over thirty years   and thirty more, with humans coming and going, 
why was it that only the Dark Knight remained? As if to confirm his fears, just as Arthur’s 
thought ended, Karla—standing atop the   cairn—decisively severed her own arm at the 
shoulder. Blood spurted forth, twisting into a razor-sharp whip that lashed toward the Dark 
Knight’s bowed neck. But suddenly, eight tentacles sprang up behind the Dark Knight and, with a swift 
motion, coiled around Karla, binding her tightly. With a muffled grunt, Karla felt her strength 
inexplicably waning. The blood she had shaped   into a whip immediately dissolved, refusing 
to take form again. At the same time, the Mourning Bracelet on her wrist let out a 
strained, thunderous hum, as if some invisible   attack was gnawing at her mind.
A curse? Karla’s eyes hardened—she was about to play her trump card.
Just then, from below, Ember’s voice rang out: “Is this how you greet your guests?”
“To someone who doesn’t know better,   it might look as if we’re mortal enemies.”
Hearing Ember’s voice, the Dark Knight, who had kept her head bowed until now, 
finally looked up. From behind the visor,   two ghostly lights flared in her eyes. 
With a sharp flick of her tentacles, she tossed Karla to land precisely at Ember’s feet.
Karla, still clutching the Progenitor’s hand, tried to surge forward again, but Ember 
quietly slid a step to the side and,   with a hand hidden behind his back, gave 
a slight shake of his head. As hesitation flickered in Karla’s eyes, Lana suddenly appeared 
before her, floating close and whispering softly: “Karla, Ember says she is sentient—we 
can try negotiating first.”  “He believes you’ll be able to spot 
her weaknesses in the meantime.” “When the time comes, we can decide 
whether or not to go for the kill.”  Karla, who moments before had been wavering, 
instantly calmed down upon learning that Ember had placed all his hopes in her. She began to silently 
observe the Dark Knight atop the bone cairn. Her arm, which had pierced the Dark Knight’s 
chest, had now turned to stone. That was why, when Karla had gripped the Cursed Heart, 
she had so decisively severed her arm—to   halt the spread of the curse.Unlike Karla, who 
treated the Progenitor’s Hand as a plaything, this Dark Knight appeared to have complete 
mastery over the power of the Cursed Heart.   Not only did her body brim with curses, but even 
the eight writhing tentacles radiated distinct, sinister enchantments. Yet this was not what 
worried Karla the most. Rumor had it that this   ancient heart carried the power of immortality. 
Because of this, the Thirteenth Progenitor could only be dismembered, never truly destroyed. If 
the Dark Knight now wielded that same power, there would be no way for them to kill her for good.
As Karla pondered this, the Dark Knight, perched   high above, tossed a sphere of darkness down to 
Ember, gesturing for him to pick it up. Arthur, standing nearby, saw that Ember was about to 
repeat his mistake from the tavern’s black   market—reaching out barehanded for something 
mysterious—and quickly snatched the black orb before Ember could touch it. The moment 
Arthur made contact, he recoiled as if stung, flinging the orb away. Instantly, his arm 
began to fester and rot, the corruption   spreading rapidly upward. With grim resolve, 
Arthur imitated Karla, severing his own limb to halt the curse’s advance. He looked at Ember 
with a tragic expression, silent but eloquent. His meaning was clear: see what happens when 
you touch these bizarre things barehanded?   I’ve already taken the hit for you; stop 
reaching out to every strange object you see. Ember stared in shock at Arthur’s impulsive 
action, never expecting him to volunteer to   handle that eerie black sphere. Now, it seemed, 
the Dark Knight’s intentions were far from kind. But then, from her perch above, the Dark Knight 
made a casual gesture, and the black sphere landed once more at Ember’s feet. It was obvious—she 
wanted him, and him alone, to touch it. Having witnessed Arthur’s ordeal, Ember, who 
hadn’t been particularly worried before, now   hesitated. Even if their bodies could heal, the 
pain was all too real. Yet, if he wanted answers from this place, it seemed he had no choice but to 
interact with the black sphere. After coming this far, Ember wasn’t about to leave empty-handed. 
Quietly, he closed his fingers around his lucky coin, braced himself against Arthur’s 
desperate gaze, and picked up the fallen sphere. Nothing happened.
Arthur jolted in disbelief. Oh no,   I cut off my arm for nothing! This orb can 
actually tell who’s who! Could it be that the Dark Knight really intends to offer Ember a 
gift in return? That’s… unexpectedly honorable. Staring at his severed arm on the ground, Arthur 
instinctively squeezed his legs together. Now, in the truest sense, he was half a werewolf.
Nearby, Karla watched the black sphere in   Ember’s hand, her mind turning. 
She asked Lana quietly, “What’s the relationship between your brother and her?”
Lana tilted her head in thought. “They’re just   strangers who happened to cross paths.”
Karla nodded. Lana wasn’t one to lie, so it seemed Ember and the Dark 
Knight had met only once before.Then,   for reasons known only to himself, the Dark 
Knight handed Ember the key to unlock this place. Speaking of which, Carla—whose attention had 
been fixed on the Dark Knight all along—only   now realized that since arriving 
here, the vampiric blood within her seemed far more restless than usual.
This heightened activity typically occurred   in places where the world’s 
barrier was at its weakest. Why was this so? Was it the Curseheart, endlessly 
calling out, stirring the Thirteenth Progenitor who slumbered deep within the River of 
Blood? Had the ages of longing gradually   worn thin the barrier of this world?
Could this be the very reason the Dark Knight guarded this place so fiercely? Carla 
had a vague sense that she was on the verge of   uncovering something truly momentous.
It was no wonder those Bruch fellows had chosen this site as one of their 
ritual grounds for a blood sacrifice.  If they could truly bathe in the River 
of Blood, perhaps their lineage would be further refined, allowing them to 
reach heights previously unimaginable.  For most vampires, who were already immortal, 
such a temptation was impossible to resist. Only the twelve Progenitors, those 
who stood at the very source,   would remain indifferent to such allure.
As Carla drifted into contemplation, Ember, who now held the black sphere, heard 
a woman’s voice that only he could perceive.  “You want compensation—this is 
the recompense I offer you.” “Swallow it, and I can grant you near-limitless 
power. You’ll be able to achieve things you   never even dreamed possible.”
Ember looked up at the unmoving Dark Knight, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“So is this how Sharmos became a warlock as well?” “Are you the source of Sharmos’ power?”
“But I have a question. Such a generous   reward far outweighs what I’ve lost. 
What is it that you truly desire?” A ghostly glimmer shone from beneath the 
Dark Knight’s helm, staring fixedly at Ember,   as if determined to see straight through him.
Most people, learning they could possess infinite power, would already be overwhelmed 
with gratitude. Who would ever stop   to ask what the price might be? After all, 
greed is a sin born in every human heart. At least, when Sharmos himself first 
accepted this “gift” of power, he hadn’t   asked a single question.
After a brief silence, the Dark Knight’s voice shifted—a deep, 
magnetic tone echoing in Ember’s mind. “I need help. I need you to use this power 
to help me, once you’ve obtained it.”  The words seemed to hint at Ember 
repeating what Sharmos had once done. Yet, when Ember had listened to Sharmos 
recount the past at the mountainside apartment,   he’d always felt that what Sharmos sacrificed 
and what he received were grossly unequal. If it were truly as simple as drawing a 
few runes outside town in exchange for a   near-endless source of power, then every sorcerer 
would be eager to abandon their long-dead, stingy ancestors and pledge themselves anew.
If that were the case, the Dark Knight would   have as many lackeys as he desired—why 
then did he choose someone like Sharmos, with his hopelessly romantic heart?Moreover, the 
fact that the Dark Knight can effortlessly switch   between different voices is enough to prove 
that, over the long years, the Dark Knight’s new incarnation hasn’t always been female.
Wait a minute… So, when the Dark Knight   speaks with a male voice, is it because 
he thinks he’s not interested in women? Ember couldn’t help but furrow his brows—not 
because the Dark Knight misunderstood his   orientation, but because it seemed as if 
the Dark Knight was deliberately tempting him to fall in love.
Shirley had once   said she wanted to escape the curse.
Then what about this consciousness, which only ever lives for thirty years at a time? Doesn’t it, 
too, long to break free from this eternal curse? Realizing something, Ember 
involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.  It had made Sharmos fall in love and granted him 
magical power—clearly, it was transforming him! The more Sharmos borrowed its power, 
the closer he became to the Dark Knight.  And with that foolish love, even if Sharmos 
were asked to willingly bear the curse, he would probably agree without hesitation!
As for Ember, right now, he was nothing more   than a backup the Dark Knight was grooming.
The Dark Knight, who had been watching Ember’s every expression, immediately sensed 
that Ember had caught on to something.  With a faint sigh, she switched to 
the voice of a young girl and spoke: “You’re overthinking this. Whether it’s 
the Heart of the Curse or the Cursed Stone,   they are my inescapable fate.”
“It’s been three centuries. I accepted this reality long ago. 
Now, I only wish to keep on living.”  “At the very least, if I live on, I can 
still have thirty years of joy and sorrow, of laughter and tears. Don’t you agree?”  Naturally, Ember didn’t believe 
the Dark Knight’s explanation. He wasn’t a naïve child—why would 
he take her words at face value?  Still, now was not the time to fall out with her.
On the surface, Fruittree Town was peaceful, but beneath that calm, both the Cult of Immortality 
and the Bruch vampires were eyeing it greedily. Following the logic that the enemy of my enemy 
is my friend, Ember decided to pretend to   accept her explanation for now.
Otherwise, he feared Arthur’s fate would soon be his own.
“You have a point. It’s just   that I’ve always believed you should 
only take as much as you can handle.” “You’ve given me far too 
much, and it makes me uneasy.”  “How about you give me a little less, then I can 
carry it with peace of mind. What do you say?” Hearing these words, the Dark Knight 
once again fell into a long silence.  Ember’s refusal to accept her power meant 
she could not fully trust him either. If she didn’t have any leverage over 
him, how could she ever completely   believe in this man before her?
And yet, she couldn’t help but notice—greed was practically overflowing 
from this young man, but when faced with   temptation, he managed to stay calm.
That could mean only one thing: this man was after something far greater!
Ambition—a wild ambition she could not control! How could she possibly rest easy?
A cold, eerie light flickered in the   Dark Knight’s eyes, and murderous intent 
began to stir within her.At that moment, a graceful figure suddenly appeared from the 
darkness of the space. Everyone turned to look,   and it was none other than Shirley, the owner 
of the Afterlife Bar. Seeing her arrival, the Dark Knight momentarily set aside its 
murderous intent toward Ashes and silently fixed   its gaze on Shirley. At the same time, its voice 
resonated in the minds of both Ashes and Shirley. “It’s not time yet. You shouldn’t be here.”
Shirley let out a mocking laugh. “Well, I’m here anyway. So what?”
“Are you going to have them   kill me? Or do it yourself?”
“If you can’t, then stop wasting time. Those people have already 
started moving—haven’t you noticed?”  The Dark Knight, whose full attention had 
been on Ashes, fell silent again. However, the shadows filling the space began 
to thin and fade. Meanwhile, whispers   began to echo from the shadows scattered 
throughout the town’s streets and alleys. Hearing these reports from the shadows, the Dark 
Knight sprang to its feet. In the blink of an eye, it vanished from atop the mound of skulls, 
teleporting away. With its departure,   the oppressive atmosphere in 
the room dispersed completely. Only then did Shirley turn to Ashes, her 
lips curling into a mocking smile. “Do   you realize it almost killed you just now?”
“If you hadn’t turned down its olive branch, I really would have enjoyed 
watching you die at its hands.”  Ashes raised his brows, genuinely puzzled as to 
why the Dark Knight had been so intent on killing him. Still, he figured it must be connected 
to his refusal of the Dark Knight’s offer.  He tossed the black sphere in his hand aside, 
and it instantly dissolved into countless shadows that melted into the surroundings.
“So, should I be thanking you for saving my life?” Shirley let out a cold chuckle. “Don’t bother. 
It’s only a matter of time before you die, now that you’ve caught its eye—unless…”
Hearing the sudden turn in her words,   Ashes wasted no time. He turned on his 
heel and strode away, not looking back. Shirley’s expression shifted, and she called 
out urgently, “Aren’t you afraid to die?”  Ashes paused, letting out a soft laugh. “Of 
course I am. But what I fear even more are people who only say half of what they mean. Dying from 
frustration—that’s a truly miserable way to go.” “So goodbye. Let’s never meet again.”
Just as Ashes was about to leave for good,   Shirley’s eyes grew dark and conflicted, 
but at last, she made up her mind. “Wait! If you help me, I can help 
you claim the Heart of the Curse!”  At these words, Ashes remained unmoved, but 
Karla darted forward and stood before Shirley, speaking in all seriousness, “Do you mean it?”
Shirley didn’t answer, her gaze still locked on Ashes. If the Dark Knight had 
chosen Ashes, there must be a reason.   Only someone so close to the source of darkness 
could help her accomplish what she wanted. Karla frowned and raised her voice. “Ashes!”
“Hey!” Hearing Karla call his name, Ashes knew he couldn’t keep up the act any 
longer. Truth be told, he was indeed curious   about what Shirley had left unsaid. Walking 
away had only been a ploy to draw her out. “Come here!”
“Alright!”Karlra   was thoroughly pleased with Ember’s performance, 
giving her full credit in front of everyone. Once this affair was resolved, she would have to reward 
Ember handsomely. Karlra turned her gaze toward Shirley and said, “You can speak now, can’t you?”
Shirley glanced at Arthur, who stood there all alone. Karlra had initially wanted to send him 
away, but then she remembered how Arthur had   unhesitatingly volunteered to “test for poison” 
on Ember’s behalf. It became clear to Karlra why Ember insisted on bringing Arthur along—when it 
mattered most, Arthur was the kind of companion   who would take a bullet for his friends. So, after 
a moment’s hesitation, Karlra nodded and said, “He’s one of us. You can speak freely.”
Taking a deep breath, Shirley began, “As everyone knows, the origin of the Dark 
Knight lies in the Cursed Stone. In the end,   that stone became the Heart of the Curse, the 
very source of the Dark Knight’s immortality…” At the phrase “as everyone knows,” both 
Karlra and Arthur exchanged bewildered   looks. Was this really common knowledge? It 
seemed everyone knew but the two of them. “…As the price of immortality, every thirty 
years the Dark Knight must perform a blood   sacrifice to repay the Heart of the Curse. In 
return, the Heart of the Curse will reconstruct a new body for her, allowing this new 
self to experience life among mortals…”  “All she needs to do is kill this 
new body once every thirty years, and she can replace thirty years of lonely 
darkness with thirty years of human memories…”  Blood sacrifice! Picking up on this crucial 
detail, Karlra’s face showed sudden understanding. No wonder there were so many corpses here, 
and the world’s barrier seemed so fragile. It   turned out someone had been repeatedly using blood 
sacrifices to connect with the River of Blood. In other words, the immortality granted by the Heart 
of the Curse was nothing but a lie. Once the River of Blood truly descended, the consciousness of 
the thirteen Ancestors, long dormant within it, would return. Naturally, the body of the 
Dark Knight would then become theirs.  But it seemed that neither Shirley nor 
the Dark Knight herself knew anything about the true nature of the River of Blood 
or the origins of the Heart of the Curse.  “…Such immortality was never the Dark Knight’s 
true wish, but by the time she realized she’d been deceived, it was already too late. She had 
no choice but to accept this forced immortality.” “Yet over the endless years, there have always 
been new incarnations unwilling to resign   themselves to just thirty short years of life.”
“So, through each cycle, they wrote down their suspicions and experiments in 
notebooks, and before meeting their end,   sealed these memories with this mirror.”
Shirley produced an ancient bronze mirror as she spoke, then continued, “With the last 
Fran’s careful planning, we have come closer   than ever to the truth.”
“Judith, come here.” “This is my daughter—and she shall be the next 
Dark Knight!”In the darkness, a young girl with terror written all over her face stepped out 
cautiously. She glanced at Carla, who had only one arm, and Arthur, then instinctively retreated 
a step back into the shadows. But under her mother’s severe gaze, she could only brace herself 
and come out again, standing behind her mother. With the help of her friends, she had 
already managed to escape from Guomu Town   and fled to Luo City, a place her mother 
could never reach. But her best friend, a waitress who had long worked at the Afterlife 
Bar, told her that someone had ordered a drink   the bar had never served before—a « Detective’s 
Kiss. » Detective! The Demon-Hunting Detective! Judith, who had already pieced together clues 
about her father’s identity, had always longed   to see the man who loved her, to ask why he had 
left her with a mother who didn’t love her at all. But it was all a trap—a snare her 
mother had set to regain control   over her. When she arrived at the hotel where 
her father, Sharmos, was said to be staying, the only person waiting for her was her mother. 
Seeing her friend’s repeated apologies, Judith, in that moment, understood what it meant to be 
utterly heartbroken. She couldn’t fathom why her   mother’s need to control her was so overwhelming.
Yet after hearing those words just now, and recalling the stories of the Dark Knight she’d 
heard from the townsfolk since childhood, she   began to glimpse the faint outlines of the truth. 
Her mother wanted her to become the legendary monster. That way, her mother could survive—almost 
as if Judith’s very birth had been for this purpose. From the very beginning, had her mother, 
Shirley, planned to trade one life for another? Despair hollowed out Judith’s gaze, as if she 
had accepted her fate. Shirley, meanwhile, cared nothing for what Judith might be thinking. 
Once she had decided to use her daughter as a   tool for her own freedom, she knew she could 
not allow herself a single drop of motherly affection. Any moment of hesitation could shatter 
her resolve. This point was especially emphasized in the notebook written in several different 
hands. It had proven effective—without any   emotional investment, she could regard Judith 
as nothing more than a magical artifact, no different from a bronze mirror.
Shirley turned her gaze to Ember and   said seriously, “Now, as long as you become her 
anchor, even if she turns into the Dark Knight, she will always stay by your side. You will 
possess the heart of the curse itself.”  “And as her anchor, she will never 
harm you. You will have an immortal, loyal servant for as long as you live.”
Shirley’s words echoed through the darkness. Even   Carla, with her centuries of life, was shocked 
by Shirley’s ruthlessness. She had never seen a mother so heartless, treating her own daughter 
as a mere tool—how terrifying. As for Arthur, it brought back memories of the father who had 
once tried to kill him.At least his father had   acted for the greater good of the tribe, whereas 
Shirley was only seeking her own freedom. What mother in the world would do such a thing! Arthur 
stared intently at the girl with her head bowed, and he swore that if Judith so much as asked, 
he would snap Shirley’s neck without hesitation.   Yet no matter how much Arthur hoped, Judith 
remained silent, as if she hadn’t understood the encouragement in his eyes. Disappointed, 
Arthur could only turn to Ember, hoping he would refuse Shirley’s request. If only Ember 
refused, then perhaps Judith might be spared. Ember, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze, was 
also torn by conflicting emotions. It was from Shirley that he had learned Judith was planning 
to return to Guomu Town. He had assumed Judith was rushing back after thirty years to see her 
mother one last time. But the truth proved utterly different from what he had imagined. Judith’s 
long years in Loche City and her sudden return   to Guomu Town must have all been orchestrated by 
Shirley. To escape the fate of having her memories absorbed, Shirley had clearly lost her mind.
Chalmers, too, had truly suffered—deceived one after another by two women—or rather, by the 
same woman. First, he was duped into becoming   her personal warlock, and then, because of 
this cursed heart and his warlock status, he was chosen as a surrogate, fathering a daughter 
doomed to tragedy from the moment she was born.  With a soft sigh, Ember did not answer 
Shirley. Instead, he turned to look at Judith. [Judith]
[Wish: Escape her mother’s clutches   and live with her father.]
…  “Judith, would you like to 
come with me?” he asked. Judith’s expression changed. In fact, among 
the four people present, Ember had made the   best first impression on her. Even now, he was 
seeking her opinion, rather than forcing her as her mother Shirley did. His manner was truly 
gentlemanly. But she wasn’t foolish—after all, Ember’s presence here, and her mother’s obvious 
regard for him, cast doubt on whether Ember was   truly a good person. So Judith, torn by 
indecision, did not immediately reply. Shirley, on the other hand, grew visibly angry, 
raising her hand to discipline her disobedient daughter. Just then, the shadows in the room 
writhed and gathered, forming a black door. The sudden turn of events put everyone on 
edge. As the dark door opened, a figure Ember recognized stepped through—it was Chalmers, his 
connection to the source of magic now stronger, enabling him to leave the halfway house.
Chalmers, bound to this place by deep ties, had not hesitated to use an immensely 
taxing teleportation spell now that he had   enough magical power, allowing him to arrive so 
quickly and precisely. At the sight of Chalmers, a spark of hope finally lit up in Judith’s eyes as 
she stood behind Shirley.The father she had only seen a handful of times and could now recall only 
through faded photographs—Chalmos—had appeared   before her as if stepping straight out of a dream. 
The surprise left Judith utterly overjoyed. Her mother did not love her, but her father did. 
She still remembered how he used to hold her   so gently in his arms.
“Daddy!” Chalmos, having just stepped from the light into 
the shadows, had not yet adjusted to the dimness   when he suddenly heard the word “Daddy” 
ring out. Something unexplainable stirred within him. After all these years, his daughter 
still remembered him! Overcome with emotion, Chalmos looked in the direction of the voice. As 
his eyes adjusted, he not only saw his somewhat   unfamiliar daughter, but also caught sight 
of someone he had longed for day and night. Fran! Fran was here too!
A wide, heartfelt smile   spread across Chalmos’s face—he felt as if he 
were standing at the very height of his life. He had thought that after so many years, his 
wife must have remarried and his daughter   would have accepted another as her father. Never 
had he expected that his entire family could be reunited, all together in one place.
Ignoring everything else around him,   Chalmos rushed forward in excitement and swept 
both mother and daughter up in a tight embrace. “Fran, Judith—I’ve missed you both so much!”
Sandwiched together with her mother Shelley   in her father’s arms, Judith seemed especially 
uneasy. Chalmos quickly sensed that something was wrong with her. After a brief hug, he 
separated the two and asked in surprise,  “Judith, what’s the matter? Why aren’t you happy?”
“Has someone bullied you?” “Tell Daddy—Daddy will set things right!”
Judith glanced up at Shelley, hesitating, words caught in her throat. Chalmos, assuming 
there was a quarrel between mother and daughter, frowned and tried to comfort her.
“Did you have a fight with your mother?”  “I’m not blaming you, but you must know—your 
mother only wants what’s best for you.” “Daddy couldn’t be by your side because of work,   and your mother has raised you all on her 
own. Try to be more understanding of her.” Hearing this, Judith felt a wave of grievance 
wash over her and tears welled up in her eyes. “Dad, Sh—Mom, she… she wants 
me to become a monster!”  A monster? Chalmos couldn’t make sense of those 
words. He looked in confusion at Shelley. Only now did he realize how cold and distant she’d 
been toward him the entire time. At first,   he thought it was because she blamed him for 
being away so long, but now it seemed the truth was something different altogether.
“Fran, what is going on here?”  In fact, Shelley—who had only inherited Fran’s 
memories through her journal—felt nothing for Chalmos at all. All her supposed tenderness was 
nothing but an act. From the very beginning, she had viewed Chalmos, the warlock who 
had accepted the power of the Cursed Heart,   as nothing more than a tool to provide her with 
a child.Yet Sharmos was completely unaware that Fran had already fused with the Dark Knight 
long ago. He still naively believed that Fran’s   change of heart was due to guilt over her earlier 
killings. Now, faced with Sharmos’s questioning, Shirley appeared perfectly calm. She offered 
no excuses, no masks—only the stark truth, one too heavy for Sharmos to bear.
“I want her to become the new Dark Knight.”  The moment these words left her lips, Sharmos 
stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning. He never dreamed that ‘Fran’ would give such 
an answer. To become the Dark Knight meant   to endure immense suffering. Not everyone is 
born to be an executioner! And the Dark Knight, every thirty years, is destined to unleash a 
massacre. Was their daughter to bear such torment? Sharmos could not accept this. Shirley 
knew full well how impossible it was   for him to choose, so she continued:
“If she doesn’t become the new Dark Knight this year, then I will disappear forever.”
“You must choose—your wife, or your daughter.” A cruel choice—one or the other! Agony twisted 
Sharmos’s face. There was no question that he loved his daughter. And as for Fran, his love 
for her was beyond doubt. But when forced to choose between the two, what was he supposed 
to do? Whatever choice he made would be wrong!  “No, no, there must be another way!”
Shirley shook her head gently. “There’s no other way. Whatever you decide, I will support you.”
Defeated, Sharmos collapsed to his knees. After a long, heavy silence, he hugged 
his daughter’s legs and wept. “Judith,   I’m so sorry. Please, help your mother.”
Hearing these words, the hope that had just flickered in Judith’s eyes was instantly snuffed 
out. Her heart turned colder than the polar ice. Of course—he could only have one wife, but a 
child could always be born again. How foolish   she had been to pin her hopes on this man.
Judith opened her mouth, but no words would come. It was as if this was the fate she could 
never escape, no matter how hard she tried.   If she truly became the Dark Knight, then 
she swore she would kill her parents—both of them! The flames of her fury blazed 
into hatred, and she fell into darkness. In her despair, Judith seemed to hear the 
heartbeat of this very space. Not far away, Ember watched her wishes shift and 
change, and sighed once more. A family,   so whole and loving, now turned against each 
other. At least his own father, Yu Guangming, had never once considered abandoning his son. 
In that, Ember was truly fortunate. If he could, he wished he could help Judith. Yet, in Judith’s 
eyes, anyone who could bargain with Shirley was   clearly no better than a villain.
That was the real trouble. As Ember pondered, Shirley’s voice rang out again.
“What are you waiting for?”“Should we wait for her to come back, or wait for 
those people to arrive instead?”  “Do you even know what’s happening outside?”
As soon as the words fell, Shirley helped the kneeling Chalmers to his feet. She felt 
it was necessary to accelerate Embers’   transformation into that anchor of darkness. So 
she gestured for Chalmers to perform his sorcery. Chalmers, unable to face Judith, kept 
his head bowed as he began to chant a   spell under his breath. Before everyone’s 
eyes, the swirling shadows gradually took the shape of buildings. Looking closely, it 
was a miniature version of Fruitwood Town!  At that moment, black smoke—symbolizing fire—was 
billowing from every rooftop in Fruitwood Town, while people on the streets were fleeing in 
all directions. Through those lifelike faces,   the group could clearly see that the 
population was split into five factions. The largest group was made up of ordinary 
townsfolk, desperately trying to escape.   The panic, fear, and dread on their 
faces made them easy to distinguish. Behind the ordinary people were the 
vampires, mercilessly slaughtering them—their   obvious fangs betraying their true nature.
Battling the vampires were demon hunters who had already arrived, but it was clear the hunters 
were no match for the bloodsuckers. An indistinct   shadow flitted through the chaos, claiming the 
lives of several hunters every time it appeared. It wasn’t until a spotted antelope appeared beside 
the shadow that its killing spree finally paused. Upon seeing the shadow’s true form, 
Karla couldn’t suppress a gasp.  “The Bloodwing Queen? Why is she here? Isn’t 
she supposed to be guarding Liberty City?” Queen? That exclamation made everyone 
realize just how dire the situation was.   The Dark Knight had already been deployed, 
but who was keeping her occupied now? As they watched on, several figures with strange, 
wizard-like face paint formed a circle. They beat   drums at their waists in a rhythmic pattern, lips 
constantly moving as if chanting incantations. In the center of their circle 
stood the imprisoned Dark Knight!  As expected, these were the resurrected 
followers of the Cult of Immortality! After their failure thirty years ago, they had 
indeed mastered a way to restrain the Dark Knight!  But these people were unlike traditional wizards.
“They’re voodoo priests, or you could just call them practitioners of Voodoo,” Arthur said.
Arthur had clearly dealt with these priests   before, and now his face was 
filled with deep wariness. “The thing they’re best at is creating revenants.”
“The Dark Knight happens to fit that category.” “She’s finally met her nemesis. I 
doubt she’ll escape anytime soon.”  Shirley let out a cold laugh.
“Escape? You really think she can escape this time?”
“If no one helps her,   she’ll die for sure—and so will I!”
“So, what is your decision?” Pressed again by Shirley, Embers 
simply looked at Judith, whose eyes   were filled with hatred, and softly asked:
“Judith, do you want to become the Dark Knight?”“You can say no. I’ll refuse this deal.”
Hearing Ash’s choice, the one who felt the greatest relief was Arthur, who had been clenching 
his fists the whole time. Ash truly was different   from those vampires who saw humans as nothing 
more than food. The arrogant bloodsuckers would never return the right to choose to a 
human. Whether it was to accept or refuse,   they would always make their own decisions first, 
then simply inform the human of the outcome! Across from them, Shirley frowned deeply at Ash’s 
words and demanded, “Are you out of your mind?” Ash ignored Shirley, keeping his steady gaze fixed 
on Judith. All he cared about was Judith’s answer. Lifting her head, Judith finally became 
certain—Ash was a good person. Although   she had no idea what the Heart of the Curse 
actually was, the fact that her mother, Shirley, was willing to trade it meant it must be a 
treasure of immense value. But in Ash’s eyes, her   choice seemed to weigh more than that treasure.
Yet Judith was all too aware of one thing. Even if Ash refused her mother, so what? Wouldn’t 
her mother simply go searching for the next   Ash? And the next one might not be 
as kind or reasonable as this Ash. As for the idea of Ash simply taking her away, 
Judith never allowed herself to hope for that. If Ash truly offered to take her out of this “hell,” 
there could only be two possibilities. Either Ash was an utterly kind-hearted soul, but people 
like that rarely lived long—there is so much suffering in the world, and if you try to save 
everyone, one day you’ll stumble upon a challenge   you can’t overcome. Following someone like that, 
she would only be walking toward her own doom. The other possibility was even more frightening: 
Ash must have some greater scheme for her,   a plan so important that he’d risk conflict with 
her parents to get her. If that were the case, following Ash might lead to a fate 
even worse than becoming a Dark Knight.  So, the very fact that Ash offered her the 
chance to refuse the deal was already the most fitting act of kindness he could give.
Determination flashed in Judith’s eyes   as she gritted her teeth and 
confirmed, “I want to do it!” [Contract Established]
Seeing Judith make her choice,   Ash no longer intervened. He took a deep breath 
and looked at Shirley. “What do I need to do?” Shirley, relieved, first glanced briefly at 
the ongoing battle in the miniature town,   then said, “When she is reborn, that 
is when she will be at her weakest.” “You must take the Heart of the Curse at that 
moment and place it inside Judith’s chest.”  “Then, feed Judith with your blood—you will 
become the new anchor for the Heart of the Curse.” Here Shirley paused for a moment, but didn’t give 
anyone a chance to interrupt before she continued,   “As for everything else, leave it to me.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Shirley seized Judith’s hand and turned her wrist over 
by force.Then, with the dagger in her other hand,   she decisively sliced open the main artery on 
Judith’s wrist, letting her blood drip onto the endless sea of bones beneath. As the 
crimson drops fell, it was as though they   landed on a sponge—some unknown force drank 
them in, making them vanish without a trace. Witnessing Judith’s actions, Ember and Karla had 
a good sense of the Dark Knight’s origin, and   Arthur, too, began to suspect the truth. The very 
first Dark Knight, in her final moments, allowed her blood to seep into the soil of Fruitwood 
Town, and by chance, this awakened the Heart of the Curse that had long lain buried there. The 
Heart of the Curse struck a bargain with the Dark   Knight: it would grant her immortality, and in 
return, she would offer it a sacrifice of blood. Reborn, the Dark Knight exacted a bloody 
vengeance on her enemies, and their blood, too, soaked into the land, making this place the anchor 
for the Heart of the Curse. Now, Shirley had simply replaced the main character in this cycle 
with her own flesh and blood—her daughter, Judith.  The role played by Ember, in truth, was that of 
the ‘enemy’ who had been slain. But as a bloodkin attuned to darkness, Ember would not perish 
from blood loss; on the contrary, his body would ceaselessly generate fresh blood. This new blood 
would bind the Heart of the Curse to him instead. If Judith wished to avoid being eternally 
trapped in one place, she could not wipe out   Ember completely; her only choice was to follow 
him. In this way, the goal of controlling the Heart of the Curse would be achieved. In fact, 
Ember could even use this to threaten Judith,   forcing her to act on his behalf.
These were the methods devised by Shirley and the many incarnations she had lived before. 
As long as the Dark Knight was no longer Shirley, then Shirley would be free—free at last from the 
cycle of thirty years’ confinement. She would   simply be Shirley, the one and only Shirley!
Staring at the deathly pale Judith, whose breath was now barely perceptible, the 
excitement in Shirley’s eyes only grew stronger. Freedom was just half a step away. Everything 
was unfolding exactly as she had envisioned. All that remained was for the zealots of 
the Church of Immortality to swoop in,   so sure of themselves, and destroy the Dark 
Knight. Then, her plan would be complete! Listening to Judith’s moans, growing fainter 
by the moment, Sharmos could do nothing but   turn away in anguish, unable to bear the sight of 
Judith’s eyes, burning with hatred. Over and over, he tried to convince himself: only by doing 
this could Fran be spared a life of confinement, only then could she see the world beyond these 
walls. And he promised himself he would find a   way to break the curse once and for all out there.
When that day came, surely his daughter Judith would forgive him. For now, he could only hope 
that Judith would endure this pain for a little   while longer. He would never abandon her.
Lost in these thoughts, Sharmos looked away—only to meet Ember’s gaze. Burdened 
with guilt, Sharmos had no wish to endure   the scrutiny of others.Just as he was about to 
avert his gaze, Ashen’s voice suddenly rang out: “Sharmos, you haven’t forgotten 
our earlier agreement, have you?”  Sharmos was taken aback, only then 
recalling what he had promised Ashen back at the hillside apartments: if Ashen was 
willing to help Fran, then he would reveal the whereabouts of another blood spirit. Now that 
Ashen had fulfilled his end of the bargain,   it was time for Sharmos to honor his own promise.
A faint sense of relief flickered in Sharmos’ heart. Thankfully, Ashen wasn’t here to 
condemn his actions—he was simply here to   claim his reward. As expected, in the eyes of 
a demon’s agent, everything was a transaction; human feelings meant nothing. That display of pity 
for his daughter Judith just moments ago was most   likely meant as groundwork for some future deal.
With this thought, Sharmos’s worry for his daughter Judith’s future only deepened. But 
it didn’t matter—whatever suffering Judith   endured from here on out, he would see to 
it that those responsible paid the price! It was a debt he owed to Judith.
Having steeled himself with this   silent vow, Sharmos finally spoke:
“First, let me make it clear: all my information dates back more than 
twenty years, so there may be some delay.”  “If there’s any discrepancy in the details, 
it’s not because I meant to deceive you, but because of the passage of time.”
“The blood spirit you’re looking for was actually   captured by the Department of Psychic Affairs 
and placed in a hospital named District Thirteen, where it’s been used for various experiments.”
“Given the strength of a blood spirit’s soul,   two decades at most might have 
weakened it, but not destroyed it.” “So, if you find District Thirteen, 
you’ll find the blood spirit.”  A hospital? District Thirteen? Everyone in Loche 
City knew that the number thirteen was considered a bad omen. According to legend, at the Last 
Supper there were thirteen disciples, and the   thirteenth—Judas—was the infamous betrayer, damned 
to hell. Thirteen, therefore, was often linked to hell and its catalogue of original sins.
For the Department of Psychic Affairs to   name a hospital after that number—there 
was no way this hospital was ordinary. At the same time, Ashen recalled the 
escort mission Sasha had mentioned   earlier. Could that notoriously hard-to-enter 
hospital be this very District Thirteen? Ashen shook his head, pushing the thought 
aside for now. Matters concerning District   Thirteen could wait; the Heart of the 
Curse demanded his immediate attention. A brief exchange with Carla had already 
clarified the cause of the abnormal activity   in his vampiric lineage: the town of Guomu 
was astonishingly close to the very source of vampiric power—the River of Blood.
According to Carla, when a vampire dies,   their essence almost always returns to the River 
of Blood. And if a living vampire could bathe in its waters, there was a chance for their bloodline 
to ascend, growing even stronger. Of course,   the consciousness of ancient vampires slumbering 
within the river might also seize the opportunity to awaken.So Carla suspected that taking control 
of the Heart of the Curse this time might not go   as smoothly as hoped. For now, however, everyone 
could do nothing but wait and see what would happen next.
…  Los Angeles, at a mobile phone repair shop.
Mirat stood outside the glass counter, his face clouded with irritation as he watched 
the young Indian technician deftly dismantle the   phone’s screen and then reassemble it. This screen 
replacement technique, though simple in principle, seemed incredibly complex to Mirat, who was 
something of a relic himself. He had hoped   to pick up the skill by watching, only 
to find that replacing a phone screen was a technical feat entirely beyond his grasp.
After all, wizarding repair spells were powerful, but they required the wizard to understand the 
inner workings of an object first. And in Mirat’s   era, high-tech gadgets like phone screens simply 
didn’t exist. Unable to cast any restoration spells, Mirat had no choice but to wait in 
front of the counter, patience wearing thin. Soon enough, the Indian technician held up 
the newly repaired phone for Mirat to inspect,   then tapped the payment code 
on the glass with his knuckle. “Seven hundred dollars.”
At the price, Mirat couldn’t   help but cry out, “Seven hundred dollars?! 
I could have bought a new one for that!” The Indian technician gave a cold chuckle. “Would 
a new phone have all the data from your old one?” “So, which would you prefer? The old phone with 
no data for two hundred dollars, or your old phone   with all your data for seven hundred?”
That was a threat—an unvarnished, blatant threat! Mirat’s heart skipped a 
beat as he finally understood how shrewd   merchants in this new age made their money.
Desperate to read that push notification, Mirat had no choice but to fork over seven 
hundred dollars in cash. Watching the   technician pocket his money, Mirat’s lips 
curled into a frosty smile. Threatening a powerful wizard—this would be the last bad 
decision that Indian technician ever made!  Of course, Mirat insisted on paying 
cash for a reason: he had just cast a disposable curse on the bills themselves.
As Mirat turned and walked out of the shop,   he soon heard the sounds of a 
violent struggle erupting inside, the clatter of money being snatched. The chaos 
ended abruptly with three sharp gunshots.  Through the eyes of a blood crow, Mirat watched 
the Indian technician collapse to the floor—one shot to the head, two to the chest. No 
healer in the world could save him now.  Mirat picked a random café nearby 
and sat down, connected to the Wi-Fi, pulled down the notification bar, and tapped 
again on the video he was so eager to watch. This time, the page finally started to load, the 
spinning circle making Mirat even more impatient. What kind of lousy connection is 
this? How dare they call this a café?  Just as Mirat’s patience was about to 
run out, the page finally opened—only, it wasn’t the video he was expecting. Instead, 
a brief message appeared on the screen:  [According to relevant laws and regulations, 
this video cannot be displayed.] In that instant, the scent of 
blood seemed to fill the café.  …
Guomu Town, somewhere along a street. In the darkness, a bright campfire cast its glow 
over the nearby alley.Yet even the brightest light cannot banish all darkness. The Dark Knight is 
such an existence. Bound in place by countless thorny branches, the Dark Knight stared calmly 
from behind the cold gleam of her helmet,   watching the voodoo priests as they danced 
and chanted around her. She had never seen these people before. But the symbols they 
bore—those she had encountered once already.   It was a serpent devouring its own tail, 
the emblem of immortality. In other words, these people shared the same origin as those 
from thirty years ago. Three decades had passed,   and at last, they had found a way to target her.
These thorned branches were not of this world; they belonged to the spirit tree of the 
voodoo realm. Ethereal and meant for the soul,   these branches bypassed the curses that shielded 
her physical form, locking her spirit in place. Without her soul’s command, the body of the Dark 
Knight was nothing more than a cursed shell, frozen and inert. Still, she was curious—how did 
these people plan to touch her, let alone destroy her? The answer would reveal itself soon enough.
Once they had subdued her, the priests began dragging the vampires who had wrought havoc 
across Orchard Town to her feet. One by one, they   severed the heads of the vampires. Blood quickly 
flooded the ground, forming crimson rivers. Yet, the blood did not soak into the earth; instead, as 
if sentient, it gathered at the feet of the Dark Knight, slowly creeping up along her legs before 
finally seeping into the very heart of her being.  As the blood merged with her cursed heart, the 
Dark Knight felt it beat with an unfamiliar rhythm—one that resonated subtly with some 
unknown force. The resonance sent ripples   through the air of Orchard Town, like a stone cast 
into a tranquil lake, spreading endless waves. The roar of crashing waves echoed in every ear, as if 
the sea itself thundered against invisible shores. All looked up, and saw the night sky 
suddenly washed in blood-red light.   Sensing something amiss, the Dark Knight also 
raised her head, and at last, she beheld a river of blood stretched across the heavens. Her 
heartbeat matched the rhythm of that crimson tide, keeping pace with the ebb and flow. It 
was this synchrony, this shared resonance,   that drew the blood-red river ever closer.
This was a turn of events the Dark Knight had never foreseen. Before she could think 
further, a sharp pain pierced her chest.   The cursed heart—once fatal to any hand that 
dared touch it—was now wrenched free by a pair of withered, skeletal hands. Deprived of the 
heart’s power, the ghostly fire in the Dark   Knight’s eyes flickered like a candle in the 
wind, teetering on the verge of extinction. The Black priest, strange symbols painted across 
his face, gazed at the heart he had just torn free. His lips curled into a satisfied smile, 
content with his grim trophy.The black priest turned around and raised the Heart of Curse high 
above his head. Yet in the very next instant, the Heart of Curse suddenly vanished from his grasp. 
The abrupt change sent chaos rippling through the   crowd. No one could have imagined that, even 
after obtaining the Heart of Curse, it could simply disappear right before their very eyes.
The black priest spun back, hoping to find   answers from the Dark Knight. But the Dark 
Knight, now bereft of the Heart of Curse, seemed to dissolve like a sand sculpture—caught 
by the wind, he scattered into countless grains of black sand, melting into the shadows and 
fading from sight. Not even the Spirit World   Tree could bind his soul—almost as if 
he’d never possessed a soul at all! This gap in their knowledge left all the priests 
frozen in place, bewildered by what had just   happened. But soon, the black priest collected 
himself. The River of Blood still flowed, which meant their earlier efforts had not been in 
vain. Only the blood of slain vampires could truly shatter the barrier between the mortal realm 
and the inferno; and only the Heart of Curse   could draw the River of Blood closer, rather 
than luring out something else from the abyss. The Heart of Curse hadn’t vanished—it 
had simply escaped, fleeing to a place   with easier access to the River of Blood! In 
other words, they’d chosen the right method, but the wrong location. What they needed now was 
to find the Dark Knight’s sacrificial ground. Realizing this, the black priest began shouting, 
and amidst his cries, one could faintly make out the name “Papa Legba.” But at that very moment, 
a blood-red figure suddenly burst into the ritual site—it was the Bloodwing Queen! Wounded all over, 
her tattered bloodstained wings dragged behind her as she moved, her eyes blazing with hatred.
She had nearly slain those accursed Lyon brothers, but when she sensed the presence of the Bruch 
bloodline fading rapidly from Orchard Town,   she abandoned her hunt and rushed here. Still, she 
was a step too late. Seeing her kin lying headless all around, how could the great Bruch Queen 
not feel her heart break? Those chosen to be   among the first to bathe in the River of Blood’s 
blessing were the finest warriors of the clan! Yet these foreign voodoo priests had dared to 
massacre her people right before her eyes. How   could she possibly endure such an outrage?
“You… all must die!” With a piercing shriek, the Bloodwing Queen blurred into a streak 
of crimson, unleashing her vengeance.  The priests, their focus still 
lingering on the Dark Knight, were caught off guard by the sudden arrival 
of a vampire queen. But as voodoo cultists,   now disciples of the Church of Immortality, 
death had never been their final chapter. The bodies torn limb from limb by the vampire’s 
claws began to squirm and stitch themselves   together on the blood-soaked earth, staggering 
upright once more. After all, raising the dead was a signature art of the voodoo priests!Taking 
advantage of the delay caused by the revenant, the leading Black priest began to dance wildly, 
stamping his feet to the feverish beat of the   drums. Soon, his eyes rolling back, he saw a 
shadowy vision unfold before him. In that vision, six figures stood faintly—three men and 
three women, five alive and one dead… At the center, atop a mound of bones arranged like a 
grim monument, lay the Cursed Heart he had coveted for so long. As his awareness stretched further, 
rows upon rows of bookshelves emerged into view… I found it, I found them, they’re in the lib—
His words were cut off in an instant. With a dull thud, a dark head rolled to the ground. 
The Bloodwing Monarch, with evident disdain, crushed it beneath her foot. Behind 
her, a sea of blood and fire raged,   unending. Since physical dismemberment proved 
useless, she turned to her magical blood flames, determined to incinerate these wretched 
creatures to ash. « The scum of the Cult of   Immortality—do they take in anyone these days? »
Having slain the last of the Black priests, the Bloodwing Monarch wrinkled her nose, catching 
the scent of blood—thicker and more intoxicating than ever. With one wing broken, she staggered 
toward the library, not realizing that high above, a drone was silently tracking her every move.
In the distance, Dr. David, seeing the Bloodwing Monarch depart, crept onto the blood-soaked 
scene and began to rummage through the bodies.   Gazing at his bag brimming with loot, 
David broke into a satisfied grin. « Ah, the power of technology—something 
you lot will never understand. »  Click! No sooner had the words left his mouth 
than the sound of a gun’s safety being switched off came from right beside him. The cold 
muzzle pressed against him, bringing back   a sensation all too familiar. Swallowing hard, 
David turned with difficulty—only to be greeted by two faces he loathed beyond measure. The Lyon 
brothers! How did they always manage to track him down with such uncanny precision?
Fury boiling beneath his skin,   David forced a smile. « Hey, Dim, Matt, 
you two look terrible. Need me to patch you up? Just like before, I won’t charge. »
Dim let out a whistle and holstered his   gun. « Well, how could we say no to that? Mind 
taking care of these wounds, David? Next time, we’ll bring you a Yatagarasu’s feather as thanks. »
David nodded with a fake smile, cursing them to the heavens. Empty promises again! Last 
time it was the foot claws of a vampiress,   before that, the head of a kobold… 
He’d never seen any of those things! Resigned, David set about treating Dim’s wounds. 
Meanwhile, Matt picked up the drone controller from the ground and gave Dim a knowing look. « He 
was keeping an eye on the Bloodwing Monarch. »  Dim’s interest was instantly piqued. 
« Where’s that damned woman headed? » Matt’s expression turned 
oddly amused. « The library. »  The library?The two exchanged a glance, both 
realizing that the library was likely to be the final battleground. The strange phenomenon in the 
sky was impossible to miss for anyone with eyes. That surging river of blood filling the heavens 
gave these two master demon hunters a deeply   ominous premonition. It was the first time in 
their careers they had encountered anything so bizarre. At this moment, there was no time left 
to search for more information, let alone call for backup. All they knew was that—no matter what—they 
had to stop the Bloodwing Lord. Thwarting whatever   their enemy intended was always the right move.
Fruitwood Town, Library. Judith, her blood drained, was clearly dead. Yet 
Shirley seemed utterly indifferent to Judith’s   fate. Her entire attention was fixed on the Dark 
Knight, still trapped by the voodoo sect’s magic. At last, she spotted the cursed heart she so 
despised, and watched as the Dark Knight vanished. When she lifted her eyes again, she saw atop the 
mound of skulls the appearance of a black heart, riddled with seven holes. The heart throbbed, 
sending ripples through the very air around it. Judith’s corpse also began to 
tremble in time with its beat.  As she saw darkness gathering above the mound, 
Shirley shrieked, her voice sharp and urgent: “Now! Do it now!”
Ash, who had already noticed   the cursed heart’s arrival, darted onto the mound 
in a flash. One hand clutched the lucky gold coin, the other seized the violently pulsing black 
heart. Whatever had afflicted Carla did not   happen to Ash; he gripped the throbbing heart 
with ease. Without hesitation, Ash appeared by Judith’s side, sliced open her chest, and 
replaced her lifeless heart with the new one. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. The heart’s rhythm 
grew ever more rapid, echoing through the room. As its beat revived, Judith—who had bled to 
death—suddenly opened her eyes in an uncanny, unnatural way. Wisps of black mist swirled within 
her vacant pupils. Faced with Ash’s arm held to her mouth, Judith followed instinct and bit down.
Her fangs, though not especially sharp, pierced Ash’s skin easily, guided by the 
power of the black mist. Her hollow teeth   worked like efficient vacuum tubes, drawing his 
blood with remarkable speed. The vampire blood, rich with energy, instantly transformed into 
the source of life under the heart’s curse,   flooding every corner of her corpse.
As the nourishing blood spread, Judith’s once-pale skin began to flush with color. 
The rosy hue deepened, turning darker and darker, until it became utterly black. Then, tendrils 
of twisted shadow seeped from her pores, weaving across her body to form a dark, protective shell.
At the sight, Shirley’s eyes shone with wild joy. It worked! It really worked!
Judith had become the new Dark Knight.  That meant she was no longer trapped in Fruitwood 
Town by the curse, nor doomed to die by “her” own hand.Shirley grabbed Charmos’s arm with 
trembling excitement and urged him anxiously,   “Quick! Take me away!” Now, all she needed was 
for Charmos to open the portal, and she would finally escape this prison once and for all!
But to Shirley’s confusion, Charmos—who had always obeyed her every word—stood frozen, 
showing no response. When Shirley looked up, to her shock, four or five different faces had 
begun to bulge grotesquely from Charmos’s own! This horrifying sight made Shirley cry out 
in alarm. She staggered back several steps,   desperate to distance herself 
from the suddenly mutated Charmos. Nearby, Ember was replenishing his 
strength by biting into a blood pack   when he heard her cry. He turned and 
instantly guessed what was happening. The evil spirits inside Charmos were 
fighting to seize control of his body!  But this was strange—out of character for Charmos. 
Why would he lose his dominance over the spirits at such a crucial moment? The Heart of the Curse, 
the source of his power, was perfectly intact—how could he possibly lose his magic now? There 
could only be one explanation: Charmos had   somehow been severed from his source of power!
Just as Ember realized this and turned his head, a shadow flickered at the edge of his vision. 
Judith was nowhere to be seen by his side. In the next instant, Judith—now transformed into 
the Dark Knight—stood before Charmos. Her hand plunged deep into his chest, clutching the 
heart that pulsed with wild, relentless life.  The stabbing pain jolted Charmos’s 
true consciousness back to the surface. He looked at his daughter standing 
before him, confusion clouding his gaze.  But before he could utter a word, 
a voice echoed simultaneously in the minds of Ember, Shirley, and Charmos.
“My dear, she isn’t Fran. She’s Shirley—a thief who stole my memories.”
“And I am the true Fran.”  The words sent a jolt through all three of 
them. Something had gone terribly wrong! The one who had awakened in Judith’s body 
was not Judith at all, but the Dark Knight,   who had never escaped the Heart of the Curse!
Shirley, who had believed she’d broken free of her fate, stood rooted to the spot in utter 
disbelief. She had never imagined that,   in the end, it would still be “herself” who 
awakened. She hadn’t lied to Ember—she truly believed she could transfer the curse this 
way. For her freedom, she had hidden nothing.  Yet fate is seldom so easily outwitted. This 
revelation meant Shirley could never escape the eternal cycle; she was still destined 
to die at the hands of the Dark Knight,   becoming new “nourishment” for her own memories.
With her face as pale as snow, Shirley let out a bitter laugh and collapsed in defeat atop the 
pile of bones. The hope she had fought so hard   to grasp had been snuffed out in an instant, 
and the blow was almost too much to bear. Seeing Shirley’s devastated expression, 
Charmos—who had still harbored a sliver   of doubt—finally understood: The Dark Knight 
and Shirley were two entirely separate minds! But then, whom did he truly love? Was it Fran, 
the one with whom he’d shared a deep bond? Or was it Shirley, the woman who had 
borne his child and shared his love?  He could no longer tell—the truth was utterly 
lost to him.Watching Sharmos writhing in pain, the Dark Knight—who had absorbed all of 
Fran’s memories—gently smoothed the lines   from his brow with a soft, caressing tentacle.
“It doesn’t matter,” she murmured, her voice tender. “It doesn’t matter who you love.”
“Because I’m about to take care of all that.”  “All you need to do is agree to become the new 
vessel for the Cursed Heart, and be willing to offer it everything you have.”
At these words, Sharmos looked   up in bewilderment. “What?”
The Dark Knight glanced at the world’s barrier, which was growing thinner 
by the moment, her tone still gentle:  “Silly man, she and I have 
always been the same person.” “You can destroy her body, and 
I will absorb her memories.”  “From now on, we’ll be together—forever.”
“And our daughter, she’s not dead. She can be with us, too. Isn’t that a wonderful ending?”
Fran’s breath, soft as a sigh, brushed against Sharmos’s ear.
Guided by Fran’s words,   Sharmos found himself unconsciously 
smiling as he pictured a perfect family. “Yes, wonderful!” he exclaimed. “I’m willing 
to become the new vessel for the Cursed Heart!” No sooner had Sharmos spoken than countless 
streams of inky black liquid, inscribed   with intricate runes, slid down Fran’s arm and 
seeped into his chest—alive with dark purpose. The black fluid tightly wrapped 
around Sharmos’s once-vibrant heart,   and in moments, it had transformed, 
taking on the form of the Cursed Heart. Agony exploded in his chest, forcing Sharmos 
to one knee, his head bowed low. Behind him, countless arms reached from the river of 
blood, stretching desperately toward the   only anchor they could find in this world. 
Yet between the two realms stood a barrier, still unbroken, holding them at bay.
Fran, ignoring the strange spectacle   behind Sharmos, withdrew her arm with some effort, 
her body weakened. Deprived of the Cursed Heart’s sustaining power, the body that should have 
perished long ago could persist no longer.  The invincible black armor that 
had encased Fran began to crumble, falling away in jagged shards of darkness.
But Fran cared nothing for her changing body. Swaying unsteadily, she staggered toward the 
dazed Shirley and cradled her head in her arms. “Silly girl,” Fran whispered, “you’re not the 
only one desperate to escape this endless cycle.” “Why must our daughter be 
the one to pay the price?”  “These memories are too painful 
to bear. Let me set you free.” “Three centuries of memories are enough to 
wash away this pain. Come, let us become one.” As if realizing the truth, Shirley suddenly 
snapped awake. She thrashed wildly,   desperate to break free from Fran’s embrace.
Yet Fran, though she appeared so fragile, held Shirley in an unbreakable grip.
Shirley screamed, her voice shrill with terror: “It’s you! You planned all of this!”
“You knew exactly what would happen! You   knew!”Fran smiled without a word, the brilliance 
in her eyes gradually fading. Shirley’s voice also grew quieter, and the anger in her pupils quickly 
melted away, replaced by a weary sense of having seen too much of the world. At last, she was free.
With Fran’s rebirth, Judith, having lost both consciousness and the support of the Cursed 
Heart, collapsed limply to the ground. This time,   it seemed Judith truly might die.
The one now standing—whether you called her “Shirley” or Fran—took only a 
moment to adjust before dragging Judith   by the arm and placing it at Sharmos’s mouth.
Sharmos, whose mind was swept by the Cursed Heart, acted just as Judith had before. Instinctively, 
he parted his lips and began to draw out what lingering ember-blood remained in Judith’s veins.
Gulp, gulp! As the sounds of swallowing echoed, the color of the River of Blood grew ever 
more vivid, and the roar of its waves rose in   intensity. It was as if a real river had appeared 
in this very place. All these signs foretold the imminent arrival of the River of Blood!
…Ember, who had long sensed something was amiss, finally understood everything. No wonder both 
he and Karla had felt uneasy before—this was the reason. If Ember had harbored even 
the slightest forbidden desire earlier,   he might well be the one lying on the ground now.
Shirley’s supposed method of transfer could never withstand the test of reality. From the very 
start, the Dark Knight’s consciousness, bound to the Cursed Heart, had always resided within it. 
The Cursed Heart would purge everything for the   Dark Knight’s will, enabling his resurrection.
The only way to transfer the Cursed Heart, as Ember had once guessed, required someone to 
willingly offer up everything they had. Only then   would the Cursed Heart shift to another. Yet even 
possessing the Cursed Heart was no guarantee of a happy ending. Just look at Sharmos’s fate now.
The coming of the River of Blood was drawn by   the Cursed Heart. Whoever held the 
Cursed Heart would become the anchor for that river. And those figures waving 
their arms in the River of Blood certainly   didn’t look like they were offering greetings.
Fran had clearly deceived Sharmos. That talk of a family reunion was nothing but empty words! 
Her true aim was to have Sharmos summon the real River of Blood, awaken the Cursed Heart’s true 
master, and thus free herself once and for all. Having witnessed it all, Karla couldn’t help but 
want to applaud—though, with only one hand left,   she could only sigh in admiration.
“Incredible, absolutely brilliant,” she murmured. “She’s giving the 
Cursed Heart back to the Progenitor.”  Arthur, who had watched the whole 
affair with a cold expression, snorted. “So we’re just going to stand here 
and do nothing? Just watch this unfold?”  Karla chuckled softly. “That’s the 
River of Blood we’re talking about, and I’m a vampire. Why would I have any reason to 
stop her?”“I should be thanking her, if anything.” “Besides, if the Thirteen 
Progenitors were to return,   now that would make things truly interesting.”
The Thirteen Progenitors? Arthur’s expression shifted at the mention of this vampiric legend. 
Just as he was about to speak, a thick scent of blood wafted in from the entrance.
Everyone turned to look, just in time   to see the Bloodwing Queen dragging her 
half-torn wings as she entered the hall. “Well, isn’t this a lively gathering.”
“And it seems there’s a traitor among us, too.”  “Should I call this your lucky day, 
or the day disaster found you?” “Kneel, little Carlla, now!”
The Bloodwing Queen’s command boomed through   the space, carrying an authority that felt like 
the law itself. Carlla, beads of sweat forming on her brow, struggled for a brief moment before 
succumbing to the pressure of her bloodline.   With a heavy thud, she collapsed to her knees.
Ashes, whose blood had yet to fully replenish, managed to resist the oppressive 
force a bit longer, gritting his   teeth against the weight of his heritage. 
But the Bloodwing Queen paid him little mind—her attention was fixed solely on Carlla.
Once Carlla was forced to kneel, the Bloodwing Queen’s gaze fell upon Arthur. Displeased by the 
way Arthur looked at her, she flicked her wrist. In an instant, a whip of blood lashed out and 
sliced cleanly through Arthur’s only good leg. Losing his balance, Arthur crashed face-first 
to the floor, unleashing a roar that   thundered through the chamber.
A werewolf’s transformation! With only one leg and one arm remaining, 
Arthur shifted into his wolf form and   lunged ferociously at the Bloodwing Queen.
The Queen was startled for a heartbeat—she hadn’t expected a half-werewolf here. But when she caught 
sight of his red eyes, she scoffed in disdain. A vegetarian werewolf? That’s hardly a 
werewolf at all. More like a guard dog!  With a sudden motion, the Bloodwing Queen 
unfurled her remaining bloodstained wing, effortlessly impaling Arthur upon it.
A burst of bloodfire ignited,   scorching Arthur’s gray fur until it 
curled and turned black with char. The Bloodwing Queen licked 
her crimson lips and sneered,  “I’ve never tasted vegetarian werewolf before.”
“Perhaps your flesh won’t have that gamy stink the others do.”
But a mocking glint flickered in Arthur’s   blood-red eyes as well. Did he not realize 
that, in his current state, he could never harm the Bloodwing Queen? No—growing up among humans, 
Arthur knew full well: even a three-year-old with a knife could wound a strong adult.
So…  A silver sphere slipped from 
Arthur’s tightly clenched hand. The moment she saw it, the Bloodwing Queen reacted 
instantly, sweeping her wounded wing before her as a shield.
Bang!  A specially made flashbang erupted with a 
deafening blast. The chamber echoed with the concussion, and a cloud of wolfsbane rained 
down, enveloping the Bloodwing Queen completely. Sizzle, sizzle—
Tendrils of white smoke rose from her body.  She’d let her guard down, and now paid the 
price for allowing the explosion so close. But even this level of injury was far from enough 
to kill her—instead, it only served to enrage   the Bloodwing Queen all the more!“You courting 
death!” At the wound of the Bloodwing Monarch, every drop of blood transformed into a 
piercing spike, shooting outward with   lethal force. In the blink of an eye, Arthur 
was riddled with wounds from head to toe. Just as the Bloodwing Monarch prepared to 
deliver the final blow, a familiar whistle   echoed from the entrance—one she knew all 
too well. “Hey, over here.” Instinctively, the Bloodwing Monarch turned her head. Suddenly, 
a flash of blinding white light erupted before her eyes, dazzling enough to steal sight.
At that very moment, a sharp pain tore through her chest as a silver blade thrust straight through 
her body. Then, a heavy silver axe crashed down on the wing she had raised to shield her neck. All 
around, the relentless staccato of bullets filled the air, a barrage that drummed on without pause. 
The ceaseless hail of silver bullets stalled the flow of blood within the Bloodwing Monarch, 
sapping her strength with every passing second.  Already in poor condition, the Bloodwing Monarch 
found herself utterly suppressed. But even the most relentless barrage must eventually cease. 
When the silver axe fell for the third time,   the Bloodwing Monarch finally seized 
that long-awaited opportunity. Suddenly, two deep wounds tore open across 
Matt’s back, revealing bone beneath. Instantly, the blood in his body surged toward the gashes, 
weaving itself into a pair of dazzling, deadly blood wings. This was the Bloodwing Monarch’s 
law: within her domain, the blood of every enemy could be twisted into wings under her command.
“Now… it’s my turn!” With a sweeping gesture, the Bloodwing Monarch sent the 
exhausted Matt hurtling at breakneck   speed toward Dim, who was still firing.
With a heavy thud, Dim crashed to the ground, but reacted swiftly—pulling a blood leech 
from his coat and hurling it onto Matt.   The leech’s powerful suction immediately drew the 
blood that formed the wings back into Matt’s body. The Bloodwing Monarch, well aware of the 
Lane brothers’ methods, was not surprised.   All she needed was to disrupt their rhythm 
and wrest back control of the battlefield. Her gaze sharpened as she prepared 
to strike again—but all at once,   her body froze. She turned, startled, for in that 
moment she had sensed the aura of a Progenitor. It was only now—her attention having been 
fixed on Carla—that she finally noticed   the true source resonating with the River of 
Blood: the heart of Sharmos! That pitch-black, seven-chambered heart pulsed with the 
unmistakable might of a Progenitor.  There could be no mistake—the bloodline’s 
suppression was absolute. This was a bloodline higher than her own, and above a 
Monarch, there was only a Progenitor. With   the twelve Progenitors concealed from the 
world, it was clear whose heart this was. The Thirteenth Progenitor—the one lost to the 
annals of history! His heart had awakened! No wonder this place lay so close to the River 
of Blood—someone had been working tirelessly to   revive the Thirteenth Progenitor!
Damn it. The blood sacrifice of the vampires had only aided this scheme!
In a flash of realization, the Bloodwing   Monarch understood that there was something deeply 
wrong with the information she had received from Gerut. But now was not the time to settle scores 
with him.She had to leave this place, and she had to take Carla and that dazed-looking newborn with 
her! For she, who knew more than most vampires,   understood clearly why the Thirteen Progenitors 
were shunned by the rest of their kind. These Thirteen Progenitors never drank human blood—only 
the blood of other vampires! More importantly, this particular progenitor was addicted to blood. 
Once he started drinking, he simply didn’t know how to stop! That was why he was called the 
Harbinger of Destruction among vampires.  Similarly, to awaken his consciousness, a 
sacrifice of vampire blood was required. Without the presence of a vampire, the consciousness of 
this Thirteenth Progenitor would forever be lost in the endless river of blood, never to awaken! 
In that case, this blood ritual would simply revert to a regular sacrifice and wouldn’t fail.
The Bloodwing Monarch, who had flashed to Carla’s side, abruptly halted. Wait. Something was wrong. 
Those wretched cultists from the Church of Eternal Life—they’d already sacrificed vampire blood!
“Damn it!” the Bloodwing Monarch cursed under his breath, not pausing for further 
thought. She ignited her bloodline power,   smashed through the ceiling above, and made 
her escape. She left behind a bewildered crowd, staring dumbly at the gaping hole overhead.
No one could comprehend why the Bloodwing Monarch, who so clearly held the upper hand, would suddenly 
flee. Ember, who had been poised for a sneak attack, could only take a deep breath, put away 
his mask, and press down the roiling emotions in his heart. If the Bloodwing Monarch had come just 
a bit closer, he would have struck. Such a pity. But whatever could frighten away the Bloodwing 
Monarch—it certainly wasn’t Ember. Ember’s gaze   shifted back to Sharmos, who was now slowly 
rising to his feet. If he’d heard correctly, Carla had said that this Cursed Heart was trying 
to awaken the Thirteenth Progenitor? For a hunter, this might not be a bad thing at all. 
After all, it was the vampires who   ought to fear the Thirteenth Progenitor the most.
Ember hadn’t forgotten what he’d seen in Frankir’s fractured memories: the Thirteenth Progenitor, 
betrayed by his twelve brothers—if he truly   returned, he would be furious beyond measure. The 
Bloodwing Monarch’s flight only confirmed this. As a second-generation vampire lord, she knew 
secrets that even Prince Frankir or Princess   Carla did not. Yet another question 
lingered—he and Carla were vampires too. Would they become collateral damage? 
Perhaps it was wise to run for it first?  No sooner had this thought crossed Ember’s mind 
than he heard the voice of the world itself. Pop! The sharp sound, like a bubble 
bursting, rang in everyone’s ears.  The Lane brothers, who’d experienced 
something like this before, blanched. Dim, the steadier of the two, immediately shouted, 
“Get out of there! The two worlds are colliding!” “The ripples will destroy everything!”
By now, Ember didn’t need Dim’s warning.   As he retreated to safety with Arthur and Carla in 
tow, he, too, saw the truth with his own eyes.The river of blood, now flowing into the mortal 
world, was sapping all color from the surrounding darkness. Everything was being swallowed up. 
Fortunately, the so-called ripple of the world   spread slowly, like trudging through thick mud, 
its advance painstakingly sluggish. The blood-red hands reaching toward Sharmos withdrew meekly 
back into the river the moment they heard the   powerful thumping of the Cursed Heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump. The rhythm of the Cursed Heart’s beating grew ever faster. Dense 
blackness transformed into thick iron chains, driving straight into the river of blood, as 
if dredging for something hidden beneath. Soon, several chains snapped taut, as if they’d latched 
onto some presence. Then, a vast consciousness began to awaken from the depths, following 
the chains until it shrouded Sharmos entirely.  Sharmos could feel it clearly: a powerful, alien 
will was being drawn into his body, guided by the Cursed Heart. An ancient rage surged back into 
him. With anger flooding through him once more, flashes of memories that did not belong to 
him flickered before his eyes. Meanwhile, his own rightful memories were buried deep 
beneath a torrent of foreign fragments.   Slowly, he began to forget who he was.
And yet, he was not alone—within him dwelled countless evil spirits. The awakening of the 
Thirteen Ancestors’ memories was far from smooth. While Sharmos’s main consciousness floundered, 
those spirits seized their chance, leaping forward to vie recklessly with the vampire progenitor 
for control of the body. Individually, their   psychic strength was weak, but their sheer number 
was overwhelming. Drained by the demands of the Cursed Heart, the ancestral will—still incomplete 
in its transfer—could only just barely suppress the chaos. All he needed was a bit more time; once 
his consciousness fully returned, he would be able to crush these petty spirits once and for all.
Just then, a monstrous whale leapt from the river of blood. Its body was clad in armored 
scales, its jaws bristled with razor teeth, and barbed spikes jutted from its belly. 
In one swift motion, it clamped down on   the black chain formed by the Cursed Heart.
Crunch! The chain snapped with no resistance. Chewing on the chain, the whale spread its maw 
in a toothy, almost human grin and called out, “Brother, why leave this place without 
inviting your old friend along?”  “Stay a while longer and play with us, won’t you?”
The link of consciousness was abruptly severed. The progenitor’s eyes flared red-black with rage 
as he let out a furious roar—but it was useless. For that monstrous whale was Leviathan, the 
guardian of the abyssal prison! He had no idea why Leviathan had let even half of him 
escape, but he knew one thing for certain:   with Leviathan standing guard, the 
rest of him would never break free. All he could do was watch as the river of 
blood faded once more beneath the mortal realm,   and the mended world barrier sealed the 
connection between this place and the abyss. The progenitor, having seized Sharmos’s 
body, drew in a deep breath of fresh air   from the living world and was overtaken 
by a ravenous hunger. And right then, he caught the scent of vampires in the breeze.
Ah, what a nostalgic aroma.No matter what   happened, he had to fill his belly first. 
The Progenitor, lips curled into a grin, ran his tongue along his sharp fangs, just about 
to speak when—suddenly—a figure crashed down from the sky above. It was none other than 
the Bloodwing Monarch who had fled earlier!  Seeing this feast drop straight from the heavens, 
the Progenitor looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling, a mischievous smile playing on 
his lips. It seemed there were new guests   eager to welcome his return.
“So, you’re the thirteenth Progenitor of the Blood Clan?”
“Compared to the others, you seem much weaker.”  As the words fell, two figures leapt lightly 
through the shattered rooftop. One of them was shrouded head to toe in a wizard’s cloak. 
He glanced briefly at Ash and the others,   then drove his staff into the ground. Instantly, 
heaps of white bones, as if commanded by some dark magic, piled up—layer upon layer—forming a thick 
wall that sealed off the room from the outside. Only then did the wizard turn to the 
thirteenth Progenitor, smiling as he spoke:  “I hear you need to feed on the blood of 
your own kind to maintain your strength.” “Let’s see, then—what power do you 
gain after feasting on a Blood Lord?”  “Are you truly as immortal as the legends claim?”
That attitude—treating him like nothing but a plaything—infuriated the thirteenth Progenitor. 
Forcing down the bloodthirsty urge rising   in his chest, he kicked aside the feeble 
Bloodwing Monarch without a second thought. “You? Not worthy.”
The wizard merely smiled,   then turned to signal his assistant—a man whose 
face was half-ruined—to get to work. Drawing a silver blade from his belt, the assistant 
strode toward the fallen Bloodwing Monarch.  Bound by sorcery and unable to move, the 
Monarch glared at the approaching figure, grinding out a curse:
“Gillette, you damned   traitor! You’re as good as dead!”
His furious voice echoed through the layers of bone, reaching the ears of those 
outside, who were still inspecting the   broken wall. Gillette? That name carried 
a potent magic for a certain evil spirit. The very next instant, the Book of Evil Spirits 
in Ash’s arms began to tremble violently. Seeing Ash pull out the book bound in human skin, 
Dim’s eyes changed in an instant. It was the Book of Evil Spirits! A cursed tome that would 
ultimately tempt its owner into releasing the   spirit trapped inside—only for the spirit 
to toy with and destroy them in the end! And the book could not be destroyed by any 
means. The only viable solution was to seal it   in a cement barrel and cast it away where no one 
could reach. But the evil spirit within would do everything to stop you from succeeding!
In the end, Dim and Matt had tricked   the last owner into stepping into a 
magic circle and, chanting together, banished both the book and its owner back to 
hell. Yet here it was again, haunting the world! “No! Don’t open it!”
“It’ll be the death of you!”  Ash looked up, puzzled.
“Hm?” At that very moment, even without 
Ash flipping through its pages,   Lina—sensing Gillette’s aura—began burning her own 
essence, forcing the book open against all reason. A thunderous boom resounded.The 
biting cold instantly caused a   layer of white frost to form all 
around. Yet that physical bone wall, strong enough to stop ordinary people, was useless 
against a spirit body! Dim stood frozen in place, clutching a handful of saintly ashes, 
stunned as he watched the retreating frost.  Wait a minute—weren’t the evil spirits from the 
book supposed to target those present? Why had they gone straight for their enemies instead? Had 
the Book of Malevolent Spirits changed its nature? There was no time to think further. Dim quickly 
stepped forward, snapped the Book of Malevolent   Spirits shut in Embers’ hand, and snatched 
it away. Embers, caught completely off guard, hadn’t expected Dim to make such a move.
Dim turned to the dumbfounded Embers,   his face grave as he warned, “This thing 
will end up killing you. Let me handle it.” Before Embers could reply, the Book of Malevolent 
Spirits—now out of his control—burst into raucous laughter. At last, it was free of that reckless 
fool! The Lyon brothers—now those were some old acquaintances! Sending them back to hell was 
the best outcome. Anyway, as long as someone   somewhere was making deals with the Red-Eyed 
Demon, it would always have a chance to see the light again. When that day came, it wouldn’t 
have to play warehouse for Embers anymore! Oh, how delightful! If only Dim would hurry up and 
draw the circle, chant the spell, and send it   off—the book fixed Dim with a mocking laugh.
Sure enough, seeing the book’s arrogant display, Dim ignored whatever was happening behind the 
bone wall. He pulled out the saintly ashes,   ready to draw the sealing circle 
and banish the book to hell. At that moment, a hand closed over the Book of 
Malevolent Spirits, halting Dim’s movements. Dim frowned, expecting Embers to be unwilling 
to give up the book, but to his surprise,   it was the frail and bloodied Arthur.
Arthur, bleeding heavily, spoke with some difficulty, “Dim, this belongs to Embers. 
Handling it without asking him isn’t proper.” Only then did Dim recall Arthur’s reputation for 
strict adherence to rules. Even gravely wounded, he was blocking Dim’s hand. With a 
resigned sigh, Dim lifted his gaze   to Embers. “You don’t understand the dangers of 
this thing. Let me take care of it.” He added, “Trust me, I would never harm you.”
Embers understood Dim’s good intentions,   but to him, the Book of Malevolent Spirits was 
a valuable tool. He couldn’t let Dim actually banish it. “Thank you,” he said, “but I’ve 
always believed that a gun in the hands of   a villain and a gun in the hands of a good 
man are two completely different things.” “So, what truly matters is the 
intent of the one who wields it.”  As Embers spoke, he took the Book of Malevolent 
Spirits back from Dim’s hands. The book, which had been cackling moments 
before, instantly fell silent.   Oh no! It was going back to that wretch again!
Panicking, the Book of Malevolent Spirits tried to release the few remaining spirits trapped 
within its pages. Yet, though the pages rustled   furiously, the two evil spirits engraved there 
remained utterly still.Ash lowered his eyes, fixing his gaze on the Book of Evil Spirits, from 
which ink slowly seeped out in nervousness. “Had enough fun?” he asked, his voice calm but firm. 
“If you’re done, stop making trouble for me.” As soon as he finished speaking, the 
Book of Evil Spirits, unable to command   Celia and Frankiel any longer, obediently 
snapped itself shut. Its eyelids drooped and its enormous mouth clamped shut, all the 
mischief replaced with docile compliance.  Dim stood nearby, utterly dumbfounded by the 
sight. He never imagined he would witness something like this! Could it be that the 
book really only bullies the weak and fears   the strong? Yet, they’d threatened the book 
plenty of times before, and it had never so much as acknowledged them. The Book of Evil 
Spirits had always ignored them completely.  Dim loosened his grip on the saint’s ashes he’d 
been clutching, his face full of awe and wonder. “How did you get it to listen to you?”
Before Ash could answer, Arthur,   still struggling to catch his breath, interrupted 
anxiously, “Dim, rather than worrying about that, I think what’s inside is far more dangerous.”
“Did you see the ouroboros embroidered on that   wizard’s robe?” he continued, his voice low and 
tense. “Whenever the Immortality Cult shows up, nothing good ever happens.”
“If we keep dragging this out,   who knows how things will end.”
Dim, reminded by Arthur’s words, immediately sobered up. No longer preoccupied 
with the Book of Evil Spirits, he glanced over   at Matt. “How’s it looking? Can you still 
move? This job really needs your expertise.” Unlike Dim, his younger brother Matt had not grown 
up hunting demons. After all, someone in every family had to carry on the family line. Matt had 
always been the academic star, studying at MIT, and before Dim came to find him, his life was 
all about books and research. But when it came   to explosives, Matt was in his element.
Hearing his brother’s question, Matt—whose strength had been steadied by the balance between 
the Bloodwing rules and the mutual bloodsucking   of the leech spirits—gave an ‘OK’ gesture. He 
picked up the electric drill, ready to bore a few holes into the bone wall to set the charges, 
aiming for a flawless, controlled detonation. “Wait, let me handle this. My method’s 
a bit faster,” Ash interjected.  The Ryan brothers turned to look, only 
to see Ash holding Arthur’s severed leg in one hand and a strange book in the other.
Arthur’s eyes lit up when he saw Ash holding his   lost leg. Was Ash about to help him reattach the 
limb? Was he planning to restore Arthur’s werewolf form so he could smash through the bone wall? But 
that wouldn’t be any faster than blasting it open.  Then, could it be that Ash just didn’t 
want Arthur to get caught in the explosion, and wanted to restore his mobility beforehand, 
just in case? Truly a loyal friend! Last time, Ash had even broken the rules and threatened 
a doctor at gunpoint to save his organs.  Now, once again, Ash was about to help him 
reattach his severed limb, surely at some cost to himself. Arthur’s earlier words hardly 
merited this much loyalty. If this kept up, he was afraid he’d have to repay Ash with his 
own life!Arthur’s emotions surged, and his lips   trembled as he tried to express his gratitude. 
But then, he noticed something strange in Ashes’s gaze. There was a hint of apology in Ashes’s eyes! 
The moment Arthur saw that look, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him, and 
a sense of dread welled up inside. After all, his leg had only just been severed by the Bloodwing 
Monarch. If treated quickly, it could still be   reattached using conventional medicine. Regrowing 
a limb through vegetarian means would take far, far longer! But now, he feared even that hope 
was slipping away. And sure enough, in the next instant, Ashes pressed Arthur’s severed leg onto 
the thick tome. The limb was slowly swallowed up by the book, as if some unseen whirlpool was 
devouring it, until nothing remained. Strangely, not a single drop of blood stained the book 
that had so completely consumed Arthur’s leg.  Then, Ashes, his demonized arm hidden behind 
his back, began to recite an incantation that had appeared on the sacrificial tome—a curse 
of erasure. The chant resonated, its cadence rising and falling, and the seemingly unbreakable 
wall of bone before them crumbled in an instant, dissolving into shapeless piles of bone fragments.
Dim and Matt exchanged glances. Was Ashes a warlock after all? One thing was certain—this 
method was far faster than blasting through   the wall. Though the idea of sacrificing a 
thigh just to cast a spell was more than a little unsettling. Still, there was no time to 
dwell on such matters—the priority was to stop   whatever the cult of immortality was planning!
But as the dust from the bone wall settled, the scene that greeted them 
left everyone frozen in place.  …
Just moments before—  After the Bloodwing Monarch called out his 
name, Gylut—now a servant to several houses, in a manner of speaking—simply sneered.
“Will I die? I really don’t know,” he said. “But I do know that your death is coming soon.”
With those words, Gylut crouched down,   drew a silver blade, and—ignoring the curses 
hurled by the Bloodwing Monarch—swiftly slashed open her throat. Instantly, the 
scent of vampiric blood filled the air.  The Thirteenth Ancestor, long deprived of blood, 
was able to restrain himself at first when the aroma reached him. But as the scent grew heavier, 
it gnawed at his empty stomach with mounting   intensity. Just one taste, just a single mouthful!
At last, unable to contain his bloodlust any longer, the Thirteenth Ancestor let out a guttural 
roar, dropped low, and clamped his mouth onto the Bloodwing Monarch’s neck, drinking greedily.
As the monarch felt those fangs pierce her flesh, her entire body shuddered. She, who had always 
been the predator, feeding on the blood of others, could never have imagined the roles 
would be reversed. Now, she was just   like the prey she had once hunted—left 
with nothing but endless helplessness. The Thirteenth Ancestor’s swallowing 
noises echoed in the air, an ominous   drumbeat heralding the approach of death. 
Powerless to resist, the Bloodwing Monarch could only let her consciousness slip away.
For the Thirteenth Ancestor, now sated with   the blood of his own kind, long-lost strength 
surged back through his veins.But soon he felt a discomfort rising in his stomach, just like the 
reaction he’d had in the past after accidentally consuming human blood. Thirteen, his mouth still 
dripping with blood, could no longer endure the nausea churning in his belly—he retched, 
spewing out mouthfuls of thick, black blood. How could this be? The body before him was 
clearly that of a vampire king—so why was   what he’d ingested unmistakably human blood?
In that moment, he could only sense the power that had just surged within him now slipping 
away, as silently and inevitably as sand   trickling through his fingers. Worse still, 
even the curse that should have lingered in his heart was fading. It wasn’t just human 
blood—what on earth was happening to him?  Realizing that someone had tampered with the 
Bloodwing King’s corpse, Thirteen glared upward in fury. Sure enough, he caught sight of a 
mocking face gazing down at him. That sneer wasn’t just for the dead Bloodwing King—it was 
aimed at Thirteen himself, newly resurrected.  “Lord Progenitor, how do 
you like this special gift I prepared just for you?” came the taunting voice.
Kneeling on the ground, Thirteen slammed his fist down in anger and roared, “What have you done?!”
Gilut let out a low, amused chuckle, utterly unafraid. After all, the mighty 
Thirteenth Progenitor’s punch now couldn’t   even crack the ground beneath him. It was 
clear just how feeble Thirteen had become. “Oh, nothing much,” Gilut replied 
lightly, “I simply transformed the   Bloodwing King back into a human, that’s all.”
“But you were in such a hurry to drink her blood, you didn’t wait for the transformation to finish.”
“So now, inside you, there’s not just human blood, but also the very elixirs that can 
turn vampires back into humans.”  “You have no idea what it took to create 
such a potion—I poured so much, so very much, effort and devotion into it.”
“And now, at last,   I can see the dawn of my success…”
At first, the sorcerer from the Cult of Eternal Life managed to tolerate Gilut’s long-winded 
speech. After all, someone who’s been holding   back for years is bound to have much to say. But 
Gilut’s so-called “victory speech” was dragging on far too long—even the sorcerer grew impatient.
At last, the sorcerer cut in, his tone sharp: “Gilut, enough with the nonsense. 
Take the Cursed Heart, now.”  Gilut, who’d been pouring out years of pent-up 
pain, was suddenly interrupted mid-flow. He frowned, but quickly smoothed his expression. It 
didn’t matter; once he replaced the Thirteenth Progenitor and claimed his place, he would make 
this disrespectful sorcerer pay dearly for today.  With a flick of his wrist, Gilut reversed 
his silver blade, slicing a deep gash into his own chest, and then mirrored the cut 
on the progenitor’s body. The precise dose   of True Love’s Blood he’d used was just 
enough to suppress the power of the Cursed Heart. All that remained was to transplant the 
heart—and his path to triumph would be clear.  But suddenly, the temperature in the room 
plunged. An intense, freezing cold swept through, turning blood to ice in an instant; the wounds, 
still open, scabbed over on contact, closing up as if stitched by the frost itself. Gilut’s attempt 
to swap hearts was brought to an abrupt halt.Girut turned back in anger, only to see a face with 
wild, tangled hair. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he recognized that face from somewhere. 
Was it coming for him? In the next instant,   countless claw marks streaked with dark energy 
appeared across Girut’s body. A vengeful spirit! Why would a vengeful spirit seek him out here? 
No matter—he wasn’t worried, because the great sorcerer of the Cult of Immortality standing 
beside him was not someone to be trifled with.  A swirl of powder drifted through the air, and 
as the vengeful spirit, Lina, flickered between shadow and substance, she was forced fully into 
the corporeal realm. Girut’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. He raised his fist and 
brought it down with a crushing force, shattering Lina into pieces, just as she had died before.
“A lowly spirit like you dares to threaten me? I killed you once—I can kill you again!”
Paying no mind to which unfortunate soul Lina might have been, Girut turned away, only to meet 
a pair of unfamiliar eyes staring back at him. “It’s you?” Girut asked, his 
mind reeling with confusion.  “Of course it’s me. Who else could it be?” came 
the reply. “Only I am worthy of true immortality!” As the words fell, Sharmos, whose consciousness 
had regained control with the weakening of the   ancient progenitor’s will, broke into a 
relieved smile. In his life, he had only two great regrets. The first was being unable to 
lift the curse of the Dark Knight from his wife, Fran—a regret that had been resolved not long 
ago. The second was discovering the identity of the villain who had tormented countless 
women. Now, that answer stood before him.  So, before Girut—now raising his silver 
blade once more—Sharmos swiftly chanted an incantation he knew all too well: 
the Spell of Spirit-Body Severance.  A deafening impact—countless spirit forms merged 
into a single force and crashed brutally into Girut’s body. At the same time, Sharmos struck a 
bargain with the many vengeful spirits within him: whoever could kill Girut would gain 
control of his body! For the spirits,   this was an opportunity they had long dreamed of.
Though they usually preferred to act alone, this time the spirits came together, 
wrestling control of Girut’s silver   blade and driving it hard toward his throat.
At that moment, Austin, the great sorcerer of the Cult of Immortality, was about to intervene 
when he sensed a sudden surge of magical energy. He turned just in time to see the bone 
wall, conjured by the Staff of Manipulation,   come crashing down with a thunderous roar.
Austin’s brow furrowed. Was there another sorcerer at work?
He blew a different-colored   dust into the air, and as the smoke billowed, he 
inhaled deeply, quickly discerning the identities of the people behind the wall. The same group 
of demon hunters—some were werewolves, some   vampires—but he couldn’t sense the presence of 
the fellow sorcerer who had just cast the spell. Trying to snatch the prize at the 
very last moment? What a cunning move.  Austin made a mental note to stay alert. Any 
sorcerer who could evade his detection must have some tricks up their sleeve. After all, 
to dare snatch food from the jaws of the Cult   of Immortality, one had to have real skill. In 
fact, it was even possible that this mysterious spellcaster was one of their own.After 
all, everyone is in pursuit of immortality,   but immortality is not something everyone can 
attain. Realizing this, Austin picked up the Staff of Control from the ground and let out a cold 
chuckle. Then, he silently recited an incantation and cast an invisibility spell. He was determined 
to see who would lose their patience first! As the dust settled, the members of the 
Embers witnessed a surprising sight:   Gillette was struggling desperately against 
a silver blade pressed to his throat. None of them had expected this turn of events. 
Meanwhile, Sharmos, who had been possessed   by the Progenitor at the beginning, now lay 
collapsed on the ground, his fate uncertain. For a moment, no one knew what to do next. 
After all, the scene they had imagined was   either the cultist achieving immortality, or the 
revived Progenitor unleashing destruction. Now, unsure of what had transpired, they 
hesitated between helping Gillette   or seizing the chance to kill him.
Dim exchanged a glance with Matt, then once again grasped the ashes of the saints. 
Whatever the situation, trapping the enemy   with a magic circle was the wisest first move. 
Everything else could be dealt with in due time. While Dim busied himself with drawing the array, 
Carla quietly approached Sharmos’ body. She could feel that the Cursed Heart was still inside, but 
having failed once before, Carla was torn—should she extract the heart or not? The earlier scene 
still lingered vividly in her mind. This Cursed Heart clearly possessed a will of its own, 
compelling its bearer to revive the Thirteen   Progenitors by force. Carla wasn’t sure she could 
remove its influence. To her, the best option was to get the Thirteen Progenitors out of here.
Yet, the shriveled Bloodwing Monarch on the   ground served as a constant reminder: the 
Thirteen Progenitors would never spare a single vampire. As Carla wrestled with her 
dilemma, only Ember noticed the shattered remains of Lina. Lina, after all, was the 
wraith who had accompanied him the longest.   Even in death, she deserved to be laid to rest.
But as Ember drew near, he was startled to find that Lina’s wish panel still lingered. And not 
far from her, another wish panel gleamed brightly. [Austin]
[Wish: Discover the true secret of immortality.]  It was that wizard! The cultist from the Church of 
Immortality! He hadn’t left—he was only invisible! Realizing this, Ember quietly gathered Lina’s 
broken body. Lina, sealed in the solidified dust, was clearly in dire condition. The wish panel 
that only Ember could see flickered erratically,   as if it might vanish at any moment. This meant 
Lina was on the brink of utter obliteration. But with Austin lurking nearby, Ember dared not 
reveal his trump card—the ability to transform into a demon. If he wanted to save Lina, there 
was only one uncertain path left: forging a Wraith Relic! He would use the dust containing Lina’s 
essence as material to create a new relic for her spirit.As luck would have it, Ember happened 
to possess a suitable vessel—the Blade of Doomed   Reversal! Wasting no time, Ember reached into 
his coat, ready to pull out the white candle, but accidentally brought out a badge along with it.
Clink! The sound was faint, barely enough to draw anyone’s attention. Yet Austin, who 
was lurking invisibly nearby, fixed his   gaze on that badge marked with the ouroboros.
Something from the Cult of Immortality—how could Austin, a grand mage, fail to recognize it? And 
this weathered ouroboros badge was not something an ordinary cultist could obtain; it was at 
least an elder’s insignia! In other words, the hidden sorcerer was at least 
equal in rank to Austin himself.  Russell? Or perhaps Mace? Only those 
two ancient fiends would take such delight in opposing Austin at every turn!
Austin’s fist clenched, and his expression   flickered between gloom and unease. The enemy 
lurked in the shadows, while he stood exposed in the open—a dangerous position for any mage. 
After all, many powerful spells required time to prepare. If he were to reveal himself 
now to help Gillert seize the Cursed Heart,   he might well be caught off guard.
After a long moment of hesitation, Austin finally made his decision. 
There would always be another day!  He quietly approached Sharmos’s body, murmured an 
incantation under his breath, and reached out to draw a shadow from the Cursed Heart. Then, using 
his staff, he traced a door covered in runes upon an unnoticed section of wall. As his hand pressed 
against it, the door swung outward from the stone, and Austin’s figure vanished through it.
Only Ember, who had been watching from   the corner of his eye, caught a glimpse of this 
scene. Although he could not see Austin himself, he could see the floating wish panel drifting 
through the air. Strangely, the mage named   Austin had never shown himself; instead, after 
lingering by Sharmos, he departed entirely. No matter how Ember pondered, he could 
not fathom Austin’s motives. In the end,   he could only conclude: never try to understand 
a madman’s logic. After all, Ember himself had no idea that his own spellcasting had 
caused Austin to conjure up a phantom enemy.  Shaking his head, Ember pushed the matter 
aside and instead lit the white candle as an offering. Then, with his soul-tinged hand, 
he merged the solidifying dust with the Blade   of Doomed Reversal.
Return, O soul! As Ember completed the ritual, Lina’s lingering 
spirit, trapped in the solidifying dust, followed the candlelight and feebly took a bite 
of the offering. In that instant, the shard of wrath burst forth with brilliant white light, 
enveloping the scattered fragments on the floor.  The solidifying dust, affected by the magic, 
melted instantly into a milky-white liquid, coating the blade’s edge. At last, the 
Blade of Doomed Reversal gleamed with a new,   hidden luster, as though covered with a 
fresh veneer, its properties subtly changed. [New one-time property added: Striking a wraith 
will render it corporeal for thirty seconds.]  …Turning the intangible into the tangible?It’s 
certainly effective, but regrettably, it’s only single-use. Still, that’s to be expected—most 
of these wizard-crafted powders can’t be reused   anyway. After all, the cost to reclaim and reforge 
them is far higher than simply making a new batch. There’s a similar recipe stored in Ashes’ phone, 
though it’s missing a few ingredients. And since   he hadn’t needed to deal with evil spirits lately, 
Ashes hadn’t bothered to pursue it any further. Ashes gripped the scorching silver blade 
once more. The blade, sensing its master,   automatically adjusted itself, pointing straight 
at the struggling Gilut. When enemies meet, it’s only natural for things to end 
with no room for mercy. After all,   this was a promise Ashes had made long ago.
He stood up, dusted off the busy Lane brothers—who were still drawing their magic 
circles—and said, “Let me handle this.”  Seeing how impulsive Ashes was in his eagerness 
to confront Gilut, Dim immediately stepped in to block his way, warning, “Don’t rush in. This 
guy is possessed by a very powerful evil spirit.” With that, Dim produced an electromagnetic 
detector and held it up for Ashes to see.   The moment he pulled it out, it let out 
a shrill beeping, and the needle had already swung far beyond the maximum reading!
“We’ve encountered spirits of this strength   before. If we go by conventional classifications, 
the one possessing Gilut is very likely a Blood Wraith capable of warping its surroundings!”
“If you get too close, there’s no telling   whether the Blood Wraith will attack you too.”
“To be safe, let’s finish setting up the binding circle and see how things develop.”
Blood Wraith? Ashes whipped his gaze toward   the fallen Sharmos. If he remembered correctly, 
Sharmos, after devouring so many evil spirits, had essentially become a Blood Wraith himself. 
But if Sharmos had left his own body, then who—or what—was still conscious within it?
Not good!  A sudden realization struck Ashes, 
and he shouted at the restless Karla, “Karla, get out of there—now!”
Karla, who had finally made up   her mind to intervene, frowned with confusion 
and turned around. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, the previously unconscious 
“Sharmos” beside her suddenly opened his eyes. Sensing danger, Karla pushed off with her toes, 
ready to leap away. But before she could move, a feeble yet commanding voice rang out at her 
ear, leaving no room for defiance: “Stop.” A force rooted deep in her bloodline 
froze Karla in place. In the next moment,   she felt a sharp pain at her neck—two 
fangs easily pierced her skin. As she felt her blood being drawn rapidly from 
within, Karla finally understood why Ashes had   warned her to leave. The Thirteenth Progenitor 
had been feigning unconsciousness all along! Using blood laced with traces of human 
heritage, the ancient one had suppressed his   bloodlust just enough to bide his time. Now, 
at the perfect moment, he struck—seizing the chance to drink truly fresh blood in an instant!
These old monsters really are all the same—never to be underestimated. If Karla hadn’t hesitated 
before, she might have made it even easier for   the Progenitor to succeed!But now, it was 
already too late. The Thirteenth Progenitor, tormented by an unending thirst for human blood, 
had thrown open his jaws and was finally indulging in the pure blood of the vampires. If he 
truly managed to replenish himself, none of   those present would likely escape unscathed.
Yet, as Karla’s face grew increasingly pale, a strange smile suddenly appeared on her 
lips. Her blood was not so easy to savor.  Then, Karla turned her gaze toward Arthur, who 
lay sprawled on the ground. In that instant, realization dawned on Arthur. With his 
remaining hand, he pressed a hidden button.  The Vampire Gene Suppressant—detonate!
A faint cracking sound echoed through the air. The Thirteenth Progenitor, who was 
still greedily gulping down blood,   shuddered violently and released Karla’s 
shoulder, stumbling back two steps. “There’s poison in your blood too?!”
Clutching her neck, Karla collapsed   to the ground and let out a cold laugh. 
“The taste of concentrated vervain—do you find it to your liking, Progenitor?”
Black blood once again seeped from the   Thirteenth Progenitor’s mouth, his fury reaching a 
boiling point. He had never expected that the two vampires he’d encountered since his resurrection 
would be so troublesome. One carried within her a potion of true love’s blood, capable of turning 
a vampire human. The other had a special device inside her, filled with concentrated vervain!
This was clearly a trap set just for him! But there was still a third vampire 
in the hall. He refused to believe   that this one’s blood would be tainted as well!
The Thirteenth Progenitor’s gaze shifted, locking onto Embers, who was gripping the Blade of Final 
Banishment. Just as he was about to command Embers to approach, an unsettling sensation crept through 
his body. When he opened his mouth, countless branches erupted forth, sealing his throat tight.
No matter how he tore at them, the branches grew back, relentless and unyielding.
At last, the furious Progenitor   realized the source of these branches: 
they originated from his own undying heart! His own heart had betrayed him? A surge of 
incredulous absurdity washed over the Thirteenth   Progenitor. After all, his resurrection 
was owed entirely to this eternal heart, branded with his own mark. Any limb or organ might 
betray him, but never his heart—or so he believed! Yet now, the undeniable reality forced him 
to accept the truth. His heart had become   the wellspring of this wild, proliferating growth!
Under the Thirteenth Progenitor’s unwilling gaze, the rampaging branches pierced his 
flesh, snaking down to the ground,   pinning him securely against the trunk of a tree, 
leaving him utterly immobilized and voiceless. Witnessing this, Embers, whose mutated thumb 
was hidden in his palm, finally exhaled in relief. The safeguard he had put in place 
before everything began had finally paid off.  The reason the Cursed Heart could break through 
the barrier between worlds was, in fact, because Embers’ blood was the crucial key. After all, 
when Judith was “revived,” the first blood she drank belonged to him—a vampire’s blood. Only then 
did the Cursed Heart regain its full vitality.Yet no one knew that Ember’s blood also harbored 
unseen fruits, invisible to ordinary eyes.  These fruits were, in truth, the 
seeds of the Bi-colored World Tree. These unconscious seeds acted as extensions of 
the Bi-colored World Tree within Ember’s body.  Once he realized that the Thirteen Progenitors 
had set their sights upon him, Ember subtly accelerated his demonic transformation, hastening 
the ripening of those seeds now residing within   the bodies of the Thirteen Progenitors.
The more greedily the Thirteen Progenitors drank his blood, and the more rage they 
felt, the more vigorously the seed already   embedded in the heart of the Cursed Heart 
would grow, sprouting branch after branch. Unaware of this hidden design, the 
Thirteen Progenitors ultimately fell   victim to their own desires, entrapping 
themselves in the web they had spun. To avoid drawing the attention of the Lyon 
brothers, Ember deliberately concealed his thumb,   now armored with scales, within his palm.
When she saw the Thirteen Progenitors impaled by the branches of the tree, 
Karla glanced thoughtfully at Ember.  Why did this tree look so familiar?
Karla had seen the World Tree of Hatred before, and the scene before her 
stirred a vague suspicion in her heart.  Still, with demon hunters present, Karla 
knew better than to question Ember openly. Whatever needed to be said could wait until 
they were safe at home, behind closed doors.  Arthur, lying on the ground, was 
equally unprepared for what had transpired. He had merely pressed the detonation 
button—how had things turned out like this?  Could it be that the Psionic Department had 
already improved the vampire factor inhibitors, making them capable of absorbing 
vampire blood and growing into a   tree strong enough to restrain the blood clan?
Wow—now that would be a triumph of technology. Yet Arthur couldn’t shake the feeling 
that things were far from so simple.  Lacking enough information, he could wrack 
his brains and still never uncover the truth. Soon, Arthur gave up on further speculation.
Half-crippled as he was, there wasn’t much he could do besides pressing a button.
Rather than tormenting himself with   endless worry, he might as well 
clear his mind and wait for rescue. After all, pressing the detonation button 
had also sent out a signal for help.  Now, all that remained was to see how quickly the 
Psionic Department’s response team would arrive. As for the Lyon brothers, they were truly 
stunned by this sudden turn of events.  They had never imagined that the seeming 
victory of the blood clan progenitor would collapse so swiftly and completely.
They could understand the progenitor’s   strange reaction after drinking Karla’s blood.
As master demon hunters, they had long heard that the Psionic Department implanted nano-robots 
loaded with concentrated vervain into blood   clan hunters who joined their ranks.
Arthur, it seemed, was the designated observer with his finger on the remote.
So it made sense that the blood clan progenitor   would suffer a setback at Karla’s hands.
After all, those nano-robots traveled with the bloodstream, and only a progenitor 
unlike any ordinary vampire would dare   drink the blood of another vampire.
But what happened next left even them at a loss.When the progenitor of the vampires 
turned his gaze toward the embers beside them,   those eerie, bone-chilling branches suddenly 
burst from his body in a frenzy. No matter how the progenitor struggled and tore at 
them, it was all in vain. The branches, as if they possessed a will of their own, swiftly 
bound the weakened vampire ancestor, wrapping him up like a mummy and suspending him from the tree.
What kind of monstrous creature was this? Could it   be that not only the vampire progenitor 
had escaped from the abyss just now, but something even more powerful as well?
Dim and Matt exchanged glances,   each recognizing the worry in the other’s eyes. 
When it came to known foes like the blood spirits and the vampire progenitor, they felt somewhat 
confident—they at least knew what to expect. Blood spirits could be trapped by spirit-binding 
arrays and feared weapons that could break souls.   The vampire progenitor was allergic to 
vervain, and silver could wound him. But as for this mysterious tree demon, they 
knew nothing at all. Hunters like them,   who faced monsters as mere mortals, relied 
on careful preparation to survive and win. The unknown, however, had always been 
the deadliest enemy for their kind.  Dim let out a bitter laugh. Could it really be 
true, just as other hunters whispered in private, that he and his brother were cursed? 
That everyone who became close to them   was doomed to die in the end? Was it really 
coincidence, or was it the curse left by that yellow-eyed demon upon the two of them?
With wary eyes, the brothers watched   for the tree demon’s next move. Yet, 
for some reason, it remained still, making no further gestures. It seemed interested 
only in the vampire progenitor, entirely ignoring even Karla, who was lying at its feet.
A friend, perhaps? Or an old enemy from the abyss, holding a grudge against the vampire progenitor? 
Either way, it looked like the brothers would not   have to face the worst possible outcome after all.
When Dim snapped out of his thoughts, he saw that Ember was already standing beside Gilrut. 
Damn it! Hadn’t he warned Ember not to go   over there? That was a blood spirit! Blood 
spirits could not be vanquished so easily. Each one was bound to countless ties in 
this world; it was never as simple as   burning some evil bones to resolve the matter.
Usually, when faced with a blood spirit of this level, hunters would focus on sealing, 
not destroying, for blood spirits were   almost impossible to annihilate. If 
Ember were possessed, they might well have to say their final farewells to him.
Cursing under his breath, Dim no longer   cared about Ember stepping into the array. He 
immediately ignited the formation laced with the ashes of saints. As the flames rose, a powerful 
spirit-binding array quietly erected an invisible, impenetrable barrier. The barrier cut off any 
chance for the blood spirit to escape—and equally,   any chance for Ember to leave if he was possessed.
Standing beside Gilrut, Ember gave no thought to such concerns. He understood exactly why 
the blood spirit had come for Gilrut.Back   when Shalmos tracked down Gilrut, he 
followed him all the way to Guomu Town, which eventually set him on the path of demon 
hunting. For an agent with a sense of justice, an unsolved case becomes an obsession that lingers 
in his heart. And the series of gruesome murders   of young girls back then became exactly that 
for Shalmos—a fixation he could never let go. Now, staring at Gilrut, whose veins were bulging 
as he struggled desperately against the blade at   his neck, Ember said nothing. He simply raised 
his hand, then brought the blade down even faster toward Gilrut’s throat.
A sickening slice rang   out as steel tore through flesh.
Gilrut’s head fell to the ground, his eyes still wide in stunned disbelief. He had 
fought so hard to survive, only to have his throat slit by a stranger whose name he didn’t even know.
The evil spirits who had been trying to fulfill   their bargain with Shalmos were instantly 
enraged when they realized it was Ember who had killed Gilrut. How dare he meddle in 
their affairs? Did he have a death wish?  Like a furious swarm, the spirits burst from 
Gilrut’s body and hurtled straight toward Ember. Outside the spirit-binding formation, Dim saw 
the blood spirit take shape, its form twisted and tangled by countless vengeful ghosts. 
Unable to bear the sight, he closed his eyes.  As expected. Those who ignore 
warnings always pay a heavy price. Now Ember was about to pay for 
his recklessness—with his life.  Dim had no good solution for this. All he 
could do was make sure Ember’s death would not be in vain. Because he would banish the blood 
spirit—and Ember’s soul—back to hell together! Dim exchanged a glance with Matt. The 
incantations, written in Latin, could only   be pronounced fluently by his prodigious younger 
brother. So Dim continued arranging the ritual materials, while Matt pulled out an ancient 
tome and began to prepare the spell.  Just then, a gentle white light poured 
down through the broken ceiling above. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. 
Everyone moved as if trapped in a dream,   their actions sluggish and suspended.
And then, they all saw it—the light, radiant and pure, and within it, a 
figure with immaculate white wings.  An angel! It was an angel!
Dim’s pupils contracted slowly in shock. He couldn’t understand why an 
angelic incarnation would descend to the   mortal world. But realization soon dawned.
From the silver blade in Ember’s hand, the faint, ethereal form of a young 
girl emerged, drifting upward.  The evil spirit’s obsession had been 
released. She could ascend to heaven at last. A few moments earlier—
After Ember used the   silver blade to swiftly sever Gilrut’s head, he 
immediately sensed that something had changed. Come to think of it, this was the first 
time Ember had truly fulfilled a tormented   spirit’s final wish.
[Contract Complete.] [Soul Fragment Acquired x1]
Watching the prompt drift before his eyes,   Ember expected to feel a surge of anger from 
the spirit fragment he’d obtained—but instead, an unprecedented serenity swept over him.
Because what he’d gained was not a fragment   of wrath, but one of gentleness.
A refined fragment of Gentleness—one of the Seven Virtues.
Had Lina, now freed from her obsession,   achieved redemption for her soul as well?
Just as Ember had this thought, he too sensed the descending light.Bathed in that gentle white 
light, there was a presence whose radiance was   dazzling, as if reaching out a hand toward 
Lina. Then, a force born of divine law tore apart the shackles that the Deathbreaker 
Blade had placed on her. Lina’s spirit,   drifting and ethereal, appeared before Ash.
But this time, Lina’s hair was no longer wild and disheveled, and the look she gave Ash was no 
longer laden with hatred. She had reverted to her   youthful self, eyes filled only with gratitude. 
While time seemed to slow for everyone else, Lina alone could still move freely. She bowed 
deeply to Ash, then spoke in a gentle voice: “Thank you for fulfilling my last wish.”
“Without you, I would have been blinded   by hatred and eventually faded from this world.”
“You are my benefactor. If I have the chance in the future, I will repay your kindness.”
“So, farewell, Mr. Ash.”  As she finished speaking, Lina’s form dissolved 
into a sphere of light and floated upward toward that mysterious being above. At that 
moment, Ash heard the rush of wings overhead, and the intricate soul-binding array that 
Dem had crafted shattered in an instant.   The blood spirit that had lunged at Ash 
was struck by the white light, suffering as though it were snow melting under the sun.
And then, the presence above performed what seemed   like an unnecessary flourish, but it allowed Ash 
to witness a breathtaking scene: immaculate white wings and a luminous halo overhead.
An angel—an actual angel!  For Ash, this was the first time he had 
seen what an angel truly looked like. Yet, for some reason, apart from its outline, 
he could not make out any further details.  So, Lina had gone to heaven? Ash felt 
genuine happiness for her. After all, the mortal world was full of suffering, and 
hell was even worse—there was nothing wrong   with heading to paradise a little sooner. In the 
end, every evil spirit was just a pitiful soul. Once the sense of stagnation around him faded, 
Ash lowered his gaze to the Book of Evil Spirits, which had flipped its pages open of its own 
accord. There, on the page, Celia looked up   at Ash with a pitiful, hopeful expression.
Previously, she’d harbored doubts about whether Ash truly had the power to send her to 
heaven. But after witnessing Lina’s ascension,   all her uncertainties vanished. Ash 
really could guide souls to paradise. The thought of a blissful afterlife brought an 
even deeper submission to Ash in Celia’s eyes.   Yet, in truth, Ash felt a headache coming on as 
he looked at the expectant Celia. Lina’s only obsession had been to kill Gilut; once that 
was fulfilled, she could let go and ascend.   But Celia’s obsession was to live a good life 
as a soul—how was he supposed to resolve that? Without heaven, she’d never have a good 
life as a spirit; without a good life,   her obsession would remain, and she’d never 
ascend. It was a vicious circle, a longing that could never be satisfied—perhaps this was 
the very definition of unattainable desire.  Unless… Ash could find a way to “smuggle” someone 
into heaven? It might not be impossible.After all, if there are ways for the inferno that buries 
the souls of vampires to connect with reality,   then surely Heaven must have its own hidden paths 
as well. The only question is where those paths might be found; perhaps a little luck is needed to 
stumble upon one. While Ash was lost in thought, the blood spirit—still reeling from the angel’s 
brilliant white light—returned to being dominated   by Sharmos. Given their history, Sharmos naturally 
had no intention of attacking Ash again. Instead, Sharmos gathered up the remaining evil 
spirits and flew toward his own body,   which was still suspended in mid-air.
But returning to his own body was far from pleasant for Sharmos. The sensation of having 
his body stuffed full of tree branches was enough to drive anyone to the brink of collapse. Small 
wonder that the primordial consciousness had so readily abandoned it. Fortunately, this was not 
the first time Sharmos had endured such pain. Thanks to his unyielding spirit, he could hold on 
for a while longer. He could only hope that Ash would show some decency and not simply walk away, 
but would instead find a way to bring him down.  Meanwhile, on the ground, Dim and his companion 
exchanged glances, having just witnessed the descent of an angel. Scenes like this were usually 
confined to the church, where priests would hand over captured evil spirits to the bishop. The 
bishop would then recite scripture to them day   after day, hoping that one day the spirits’ 
obsessions might be unraveled and they could be sent to Heaven. But it was clear that Ash was 
anything but holy—in fact, one could even call him wicked. And yet, it was Ash who resolved an evil 
spirit’s lingering obsession and sent it to Heaven in a manner not unlike a rite of absolution.
Such a thing was exceedingly rare even among   demon hunters. For them, the best way to deal 
with powerful evil spirits was to find the corpse or relics they’d left behind in life, and burn 
them. Once their earthly ties were destroyed, the spirits would naturally dissipate. 
Who would go through all the trouble of   painstakingly fulfilling an evil spirit’s final 
wish? Only those bishops with too much free time would bother to purify evil spirits in such a 
way. Of course, now there was someone else—Ash.  From Dim’s perspective, Ash’s willingness 
to risk himself in order to resolve a blood spirit’s obsession seemed almost saintly, 
bordering on self-sacrifice. Admirable,   perhaps, but hardly something to recommend. That 
was all Dim could say about Ash’s actions. Still, Ash clearly had luck on his side; the spirit taken 
away by the angel must have sung Ash’s praises, which was likely why the angel had conveniently 
weakened the blood spirit and neutralized Ash’s   crisis. In a way, perhaps that was just 
the universe’s way of rewarding good deeds. Now, the only problem left was how to deal with 
the tree demon. As for the long-absent grand   wizard of the Church of Immortality, Dim figured 
the fellow had simply been scared off. After all, Dim and his companion weren’t just anyone—they 
were the renowned Twin Stars of the demon hunter   world! It was only natural for someone to run 
away. Ever since they’d gained their reputation, though many friends had fallen, not a single 
demon-hunting mission had ended in failure. Such a fearsome success rate was enough to strike 
terror into the hearts of any vermin!“Matt,   check out what’s strange about this tree.”
Matt nodded, set down his backpack, and pulled out a slim laptop. Now that the interference caused 
by the River of Blood had faded, communication in this area had returned to normal. So, Matt had 
no trouble connecting to the internet. He ran his custom demon-hunting program and began scouring 
the web for any odd tales or legends about this   kind of tree. Truth, after all, is often hidden 
in the stories people whisper to one another. That’s the shared wisdom among demon hunters.
While the Ryan brothers wore serious faces,   intent on solving the mystery of the World Tree, 
Ash quietly moved closer to it. Without a word, he drew his silver blade and, with swift, 
decisive strokes, sliced through the   branches binding Charmos, setting him free.
The sudden rustle caught Matt’s attention. He looked up at Dim, confusion written all 
over his face—was the problem already solved? Dim, aware of Matt’s gaze, could only 
shake his head helplessly. In his mind,   he firmly labeled Ash: reckless brute. That’s 
all Ash was, really. First, he had marched right up to that dangerous blood spirit without a 
second thought, and now, without any hesitation,   he’d hacked apart the arm-like branches of this 
unknown tree creature. None of this fit the image of a careful, calculating demon hunter. Did Ash 
really think being a vampire made him invincible? Was that why he acted so brazenly? But right here, 
there still lay the corpse of a vampire lord—proof enough that countless supernatural creatures 
in this world could easily kill a vampire.  Yet, strictly speaking, Ash hadn’t actually done 
anything wrong. Every rash decision he made ended up being the right one in the end. Pure dumb luck! 
That had to be it—he was blessed with dumb luck. Still… this was far from a real solution. First, 
this unknown tree spirit—likely an escapee from the Purgatory—might not be hostile now, but 
who could say it wouldn’t attack in the future?   Second, the one Ash had rescued was no ordinary 
vampire, but a progenitor—an ancient being who fed on the blood of its own kind. Even though the 
progenitor was weak now, no one could guarantee   it wouldn’t lash out with a deadly strike when 
least expected. And finally, according to rumor, a Dark Knight was said to wander these parts. The 
Ryan brothers had never seen this knight, perhaps only because they hadn’t triggered its aggression.
Taking everything into account,   it was far too soon to let their guards down.
Dim rummaged through his pockets and produced several small vials filled with concentrated 
vervain. He stepped forward and, through the   gaps in the branches that had bound Charmos, 
used a syringe to inject the vervain into the tree. Now that was proper preparation. This was 
how a real demon hunter operated. It was common knowledge among their kind: concentrated vervain 
could greatly weaken vampires. The problem was, most of the time, it was nearly impossible to 
inject vervain into the body of a swift-moving   vampire. That’s why demon hunters usually relied 
on traps to deal with them.It was rare to feel so at ease as he did now. Only after injecting 
several tubes of purple vervain did Dim finally   let his guard down a little. With Ember’s 
approval, Dim took out a silver knife and sliced open the branches that sealed Sharmos’s 
mouth. Then, as if simply toying with the blade,   he abruptly drove it into the ground right next 
to Sharmos’s face with a sudden, forceful motion. “If you don’t want more trouble, 
answer my questions honestly.”  “Who are you?”
Sharmos averted his gaze, glanced at Ember, and swallowed nervously.
“Sharmos.”  Hearing the name, Dim frowned slightly, as if 
recalling something. He pulled out his phone, snapped a photo of Sharmos, and ran it 
through an app for comparison. In no time,   information about the missing demon hunter 
named Sharmos appeared on Dim’s screen. An ally? But something wasn’t right—the 
way Sharmos had just drunk blood hardly   resembled a normal demon hunter.
Dim gripped the knife handle and tilted it sharply, pressing the cold, keen 
edge against the skin of Sharmos’s neck.  “Tell me—what did you do to the real Sharmos?!”
Sharmos gave a bitter smile, about to reply, when Ember spoke first.
“He is the real Sharmos.”  Dim turned, puzzled.
“Huh?” Naturally, Ember wouldn’t reveal he could 
confirm Sharmos’s identity through the   wish panel. As he broke open the branches 
covering Sharmos’s chest, Ember explained, “It’s a long story, but to put it 
simply: the consciousness of the   progenitor vampire entered Sharmos’s body.”
“But for now, Sharmos is still in control.” “It’s just that, with this cursed heart, it’s only 
a matter of time before he loses that control.”  Dim’s brow furrowed as he stared at the slowly 
beating, seven-holed heart beneath Ember’s knife. This was yet another thing he’d never 
seen before. But it was clear Ember   understood far more than he did. Dim 
sheathed his knife and simply asked, “So what should we do?”
Ember thought for a moment, then asked,  “Did you bring any taishui flesh?”
Dim nodded and pulled a chunk of ruby-red flesh from his pocket.
“That makes things easier.”  Without hesitation, Ember brought his knife 
down, severing the seven-holed heart entwined with countless branches. The sight of Ember’s 
action made Dim feel as if his own heart had skipped a beat. If Sharmos was truly one of them, 
then what Ember was doing now was nothing short of murder! No one could survive without a heart!
But before Dim could protest, Ember pressed   the taishui flesh into Sharmos’s chest. 
The taishui flesh wriggled and shifted, gradually taking on the shape of a new heart.
At this pace, it would take at least five minutes   for a new heart to fully form. Yet a human 
could survive without a heart for only five minutes at most!Dim, his face ashen with anger, 
finally couldn’t hold back and turned to speak. “Ash, what on earth are you doing?”
“You’re about to kill him!”  “Don’t tell me you think the flesh of the 
Taishui is some sort of miracle cure!” Ash merely shrugged, then gestured for Dim to see 
for himself. As they watched, the branches that had torn Chalmers’ skin to shreds began to wither, 
as if their source had been cut off now that the   Cursed Heart was gone. In moments, the branches 
crumbled into dust and drifted away on the breeze. Without those suffocating branches, color 
returned to Chalmers’ face, and he looked   visibly better. He even had the leisure to glance 
at Ash and speak in a perfectly normal voice. “Man, I don’t know why, but 
you smell amazing to me.”  Seeing that Chalmers hadn’t fallen into 
the throes of death after losing his heart, but instead seemed as lively as a fish thrown 
back into water, Dim suddenly realized the truth. Chalmers was no longer human! Only 
something inhuman could survive without a heart! Dim’s thoughts immediately turned to the 
blood spirit that had dissolved under the   holy light of the angel. He had thought 
that creature was thoroughly destroyed, but now it seemed it had only been greatly 
weakened—enough to fool their electromagnetic   detectors. And that feeble blood spirit clearly 
hadn’t possessed any of their group. If all other possibilities were ruled out, then what remained 
must be the truth: Chalmers was the blood spirit! Had Ash known all along? Was that why he’d 
so decisively replaced the Cursed Heart,   severing the ancestor’s power while also purging 
the influence of that unknown tree demon? If so, Ash’s mind worked astonishingly fast.
At last, Dim saw the cause and effect   clearly. In Ash, he even saw a shadow of 
his younger brother, Matt—a true thinker. But to hold both brute force and wisdom within 
a single person seemed almost a contradiction,   didn’t it? Dim found himself unable to see through 
Ash anymore. Could it be that every reckless move of Ash’s was, in fact, orchestrated by the mind 
of a strategist? That was a terrifying thought. As Dim was lost in thought, Ash’s 
voice broke through his reverie.  “Hey, Dim, any idea how to deal with this heart?”
Snapped back to reality, Dim glanced at the Cursed Heart in Ash’s hand and finally felt a wave of 
relief. At last, Ash had stumbled upon something he didn’t know. Now Dim could finally show off 
his own expertise—a rare chance. After all, Ash’s actions always left him bewildered, 
yet the results invariably proved him right, making Dim feel like a mere bystander. At 
times, Dim had almost come to believe that   all the hard-won experience of the demon 
hunters was outdated in this new era. After learning the general origin of the Cursed 
Heart, Dim pondered for a moment, then called Ash   aside. Drawing on his own experience, he offered 
his advice.“If what you describe is true—if this heart has always yearned for its master, 
even actively seeking its master’s return…”  “…then this cursed heart is truly indestructible.”
“I once came across a similar account in an ancient tome, yellowed with age.”
“I had thought it mere legend,   but now I see it is real. This cursed heart 
should rightly be called a Heart of Eternity.” A Heart of Eternity?! Ash’s expression shifted. 
The very Heart of Eternity he had been seeking all along—was it now in his grasp? And yet, 
this heart was far removed from what Ash had imagined. After all, he had witnessed firsthand 
everything this Heart of Eternity had done. It recognized only a single master: the Thirteen 
Progenitors of the Bloodline. All others who possessed it were, at best, mere pawns 
the heart used to achieve its own ends.  In other words, even if this heart could unite 
Ash’s soul and flesh, it came with terrifying side effects. The fate of the Dark Knight served 
as a stark warning. Had the Cursed Heart not been transplanted into Sharmos’s body, the Dark 
Knight would have become the vessel prepared for   the Thirteen Progenitors.
Lost in thought, Ash barely noticed as Dym continued to speak.
“So our first priority must be to abandon any hope of destroying the Heart of Eternity.”
“Trust me, those before us have tried every   conceivable method. There’s no need for us 
to waste more time plotting its destruction.” “Since it cannot be destroyed, the standard 
practice among demon hunters is to seal it   away—find a powerful mage to bind the Heart 
of Eternity within an enchanted object.” “While this is not a permanent solution, and 
might even tempt those greedy for its power,   it is at least a viable approach.”
At this, Ash’s mind stirred once more. That’s right—even if he could not 
claim the Heart of Eternity for himself,   it did not mean he couldn’t use its power. If 
it could be transformed into a magical artifact, then, after paying the appropriate price, 
Ash would gain access to its fearsome curse.  With this thought, Ash turned to look at 
Sharmos—one of only two mages present. Given his need to keep his true intentions 
hidden, Sharmos was his sole option.  But something seemed off about Sharmos. He looked 
at Ash with a hunger in his eyes, a longing that only faded when Ash drew close. Contemplating 
his next move, Ash opened a cut on his finger, letting a drop of fresh blood fall to the ground.
Instantly, a wild, bloodthirsty craving surged in Sharmos’s gaze. Wounded and 
battered as he was, he dropped   to the floor and hungrily licked at the blood.
It seemed the Progenitor’s insatiable thirst had permanently altered Sharmos’s very nature. Only by 
drawing near to Ash, whose greed could absorb all, could Sharmos’s body be restrained from yielding 
to its primal instincts.No wonder Sharmos had spoken such baffling words earlier. In the eyes 
of this bloodthirsty Sharmos, as a vampire, Ashes was certainly a prize worth coveting.
Now that he understood everything, Ashes   looked at the newly calm Sharmos and asked, 
“Sharmos, your situation seems rather dire.” Sharmos clearly realized the changes in 
his own body as well. He wiped the dust   from his mouth with resignation and gave 
a wry smile. “I know. Just let me see Fran one last time, and I’ll give up this body.”
“Oh, and thank you for removing that heart.” “As for the price of the Taisui flesh, I’ll find a 
way to repay you. I still have quite a few credits with the Psyonic Department—should be enough.”
Fran? It was only now that Ashes realized Fran had been silent for a long while. It seemed that while 
everyone was preoccupied with the crisis at hand, she had quietly slipped away. Poor Sharmos 
was still thinking of that heartless woman.  Ashes had no intention of intervening in this 
matter. After all, love has never obeyed reason, and he had no desire to be seen 
by Sharmos as the villain here.  “Sharmos, do you believe 
now that I’m a good person?” Sharmos was taken aback for a moment, then 
recalled Ashes’ identity as a demon’s agent.   He had to admit, he’d always harbored a deep 
prejudice against demon agents. That was why, following the principle of 
‘no rabbit, no snare,’ he’d   refused Ashes’ earlier requests for more sorcery.
But now, it seemed Ashes truly was a good person. If nothing else, the fact that Ashes had been 
willing to save his life without demanding   any promise in return—that alone spoke volumes. 
This debt, Sharmos knew, he would have to repay. “That’s right. You are… a good person.”
“I misjudged you before, and I apologize.” Ashes smiled, unbothered by Sharmos’ earlier 
attitude—he was simply laying the groundwork   for his next request. “Then, could you 
tell me how to seal this Cursed Heart?” This time, Sharmos seemed to think for 
quite a while. At last, he looked up,   a little embarrassed, and pointed 
to the Cursed Heart in Ashes’ hand. “Do you realize that if you seal it, 
I will also lose my source of power?”  Before Ashes could respond, Sharmos continued,
“But it’s alright. I became a warlock for two reasons: Fran, and Gilut.”
“Now that both goals have been achieved, whether   I’m still a warlock isn’t so important anymore.”
“This heart is different from other objects—it can’t be altered in form. You must 
find a vessel that can contain it,   preferably one with its own magical properties.”
“After that, you can leave the rest to me. Since I share the same origin as it, I can help you 
seal it.”“This kind of vessel won’t be easy to find. Before it fully regains its strength, 
you probably have about three days left…”  A sorcery vessel larger than the Heart 
of the Curse? Ash really did have one. While Sharmos was still speaking, Ash quietly 
produced a cracked crystal ball from his pocket.   This was the very crystal ball he had 
taken from the immortalist black wizard, Derren—it fit Sharmos’ requirements perfectly.
The moment Sharmos saw the crystal ball, he fell silent in genuine surprise. Did Ash 
carry a bag of endless treasures or something? How could he always have exactly what was needed?
Sharmos had expected Ash would need several days   to find a suitable vessel, giving him 
just enough time to see Fran one last time. But to his astonishment, Ash 
handed it over without hesitation.  Without his powers, Sharmos would be unable 
to keep the evil spirit within him at bay. And when that happened…
“Wait a moment.”  “Hm?”
Ash looked at Sharmos   in bewilderment. He had already taken out the 
crystal ball, and now Sharmos wanted to wait? This was like taking off your trousers only to be told 
it’s that time of the month—what was the point?  A flicker of embarrassment crossed Sharmos’ 
face. “No, I’m not planning to break our agreement. It’s just that, while I still have 
my powers, I need to find out where Fran is.” “I promise, it won’t take long.”
Damn hopeless romantic, Ash sighed   inwardly, but acquiesced to Sharmos’ request.
Sharmos shot Ash a grateful glance. Then, with ruthless determination, 
he sliced open his own wrist.  A sharp, tearing sound filled the 
air, and blood splattered everywhere. Ash wiped the blood from his face, 
exasperated. Was that really necessary? As it turned out, it was. Sharmos needed 
a great deal of blood for this ritual.  The flowing blood, as if guided by a will of 
its own, floated through the air toward Judith’s corpse. It gathered in the hollow of her left 
chest, filling the void where her heart once was. Using the mingled blood of himself and Judith as 
the conduit, Sharmos began to call out to Fran. Meanwhile, Fran, already seated in a 
carriage and preparing to leave Orchard Town,   was suddenly seized by a pang of unease.
Taking a big gulp of water to steady herself, Fran caught a blurred reflection in 
the window glass—it was Sharmos’ face.  Startled, Fran quickly recognized him. Taking a 
deep breath to calm herself, she dabbed some water on her face, crafting the traces of recent tears.
Only then did she turn to the window, her gaze filled with sorrow.
At the same time, in the reflection   of blood, Sharmos saw the figure he 
had been yearning for day and night. “Fran…”
All the questions Sharmos had carefully rehearsed   evaporated the instant he saw her sorrow.
Why hadn’t their daughter been resurrected as promised? Why had she left him alone?
None of it mattered now—not in the face   of her tears. He didn’t want her to cry.
“Fran, where are you? I miss you so much.”Fran deliberately dabbed at the corner of her eye, 
her voice thick with emotion as she choked out,   “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I had no idea 
things would turn out this way.” “I truly believed the three of us could 
live together happily as a family.”  “I killed our daughter. I’m guilty. I 
don’t have the face to see you again.” “I’m sorry, Chalmers. Forget 
about me. You deserve better.”  Hearing Fran finally speak the truth, 
the last trace of unease in Chalmers’ heart vanished completely. After a long, 
heavy silence, all Chalmers could manage   was a single sentence: “Fran, you have 
to take care of yourself from now on.” With that, Chalmers took the initiative 
to cut off all contact. To love someone   is to let her go free. Even if it means 
losing her forever, he would accept it. Chalmers lifted his gaze, his heart ashen 
and numb, and looked at Ember. “I’m ready.” Watching Chalmers, who had been toyed with 
in the palm of a treacherous woman’s hand,   Ember felt a tumult of conflicting emotions. 
Yet, faced with Chalmers in this state, he found it difficult to say anything at all.
With a slight shake of his head, Ember handed over   the crystal orb and the Heart of the Curse.
Chalmers exhaled a long, heavy breath, as if settling some inner resolve, 
then began to chant the incantation.  The long-silent Primordial Will seemed to sense 
some impending crisis, and began frantically battering at Chalmers’ consciousness, desperate to 
reclaim control. But the recently shattered heart of Chalmers had given him a temporary, steely 
determination; no matter how the Primordial   Will assailed him, he stood firm, like a rock 
battered by the shore’s relentless waves. As the chant continued, the Heart of 
the Curse slowly seeped into the crystal   orb through its cracks, becoming a black 
heart encased in ice within the crystal. Yet the Heart of the Curse, aware of its own 
impending fate, refused to succumb so easily. With its last ounce of strength, it began to 
pulse violently, and every beat widened the   cracks already etched into the crystal orb.
But Chalmers, eyes filled with grim resolve, seemed to have anticipated this. His incantation 
was not a simple fusion spell, but a sacrificial rite—the Sacrifice Spell! Using the power of blood 
and spirit, he would seal the Heart of the Curse! A surge of crimson energy burst forth 
from Chalmers, transforming into a torrent   that filled the fissures in the crystal orb.
When all was finally settled, the crystal orb, now marked with strange blood-red veins, 
dropped to the ground with a dull thud.  And Chalmers, having sacrificed his very life, 
collapsed to the floor along with the anguished, wrathful cries of the Primordial Will.
The dissipating Primordial Will immediately   drew the attention of Leviathan, who 
was bathing in the river of blood. Where moments before Leviathan had been in 
high spirits, his smile instantly faded. “Useless! Can’t even manage to stay alive!”
“What good is it to let you out?!”  Furious, Leviathan twisted his mouth and, 
with a single snap, crushed the Primordial Soul that had just been dragged out.
Yet, in the depths of the blood river,   the Primordial Soul began to revive 
once more.Yet, in the eyes of the resurrected Thirteen Progenitors, there was now 
unmistakable fear. In the depths of Purgatory, it was true that a soul could no longer die. But 
pain, all too real, was ever-present. Faced with the apex predator of this infernal food chain, he 
found himself utterly powerless; all he could do was hope that his tormentor would soon vent his 
anger and release him from this endless agony.  …
Guomu Town. The library lay in ruins. Ashes picked up the crystal ball, his heart a tangled web of 
emotions. He had never expected that Sharmos, thwarted by love, would choose to die for it. 
What left him at a loss for words was that,   though Sharmos had paid with his life to seal 
away the Cursed Heart, he had also, through it, imposed a price on Ashes for borrowing its power.
[Price: The loss of fondness   for that which is truly loved.]
Was this the curse of a love-stricken soul, wounded by heartbreak? It was almost laughable! 
Still, this price seemed to leave room for   loopholes. After all, “that which is truly 
loved” was not singular: a favorite dish, a beloved book—these, too, could count. With that 
in mind, the price did not seem so hard to bear. Just as Ashes stowed away the crystal ball and 
was about to speak, an astonishing sight caught   his eye. The long-dead Judith, whose chest 
had been hollowed out, now had her wound filled once more with flesh and blood. With his 
keen hearing, Ashes could even detect the faint, tentative thumping of a heartbeat.
Returned from the dead? No,   this was a First Embrace.
In a flash, Ashes understood the cause and effect. Judith had died 
after drinking his blood. By rights,   his bloodline should have made a First Embrace 
impossible. But after Alice’s spellwork had fused his blood with that of Frankiel, Ashes now 
possessed the bloodline of a highborn vampire—one capable of granting the Embrace to others.
Yet, if Judith had no taste of human blood,   she would not complete the Embrace, and true 
death would claim her forever. Fatefully, it was Sharmos—still in the body of a warlock—who 
had fed her blood, unwittingly fulfilling the conditions for Judith’s transformation 
and turning her into a true vampire.  A careless act, yet it had saved Judith’s life. 
Ashes wondered, if Sharmos were to learn of this, would he still have chosen death so decisively?
With a sigh, Ashes reached out to Judith. “Welcome back.”
“Is there anything you wish to do?”  [Judith]
[Desire: To kill her own parents.] …
Back among the living,   Judith’s eyes glimmered with hatred. As a newly 
made vampire, her senses were sharpened, her every emotion magnified. The seething hatred she 
had carried in life was now so potent that even Ashes could scarcely absorb it all. Consumed by 
vengeance, she ignored Ashes’s outstretched hand. Unsteadily, she rose to her 
feet, her gaze instantly   locking onto Dean, who stood beside Ashes.
A human! A human with sweet, living blood! Judith’s eyes reddened in an instant.But just as 
she bared her fangs, several thin tubes filled with concentrated vervain extract pierced her 
skin. The one who acted, Dim, let out a sharp whistle. He looked over at Ash and suggested 
with a grin, “Newborn vampires are always like   this—very few can rein in their bloodlust.”
“Clearly, she’s not one of the few,” he added. “She’s going to be trouble. Need me to take care 
of her for you?” Dim drew his silver blade across his hand in a swift, decapitating motion through 
the air. “Just one quick stroke—she’ll be free of pain, and you’ll be rid of the problem.”
Ash had to admit, Dim’s suggestion was the   most straightforward solution for 
most people. After all, Judith, blinded by hatred and driven by desire, was 
bound to become a major headache for anyone. But for Ash, Judith’s current state was 
an unexpected boon. To accelerate his own   transformation into a demon, the fastest way was 
to feed the twin-colored World Tree within him with fragments of souls steeped in anger and 
greed. Yet those fragments weren’t unlimited,   and rushing the process risked losing control.
So, having Judith—a constant source of anger and desire—was actually a rather appealing option. 
Right now, she was like an endless power station, continuously supplying Ash 
with the energy he needed.  All Ash had to do was help her survive 
this newborn phase. For Judith, who had never lived two lifetimes, lacked 
the self-control Dim had mentioned. Thus,   Ash politely declined Dim’s offer.
“Thank you, but she’s actually a pitiable soul,” Ash explained, recounting her story as he took 
out a blood bag and placed it at Judith’s lips.  The scent of fresh blood hit her, and Judith 
immediately bit into the straw, drinking it down in great gulps. As the blood entered her system, 
her overwhelming thirst began to subside, and the burning pain from the vervain eased significantly.
Now, Judith finally regained a sliver of clarity. She glared at Ash and, grinding her teeth, 
demanded, “So, am I a Dark Knight now?” Ash shook his head. “No, you’re actually 
a step better than a Dark Knight.”  “You’re a vampire now.”
Judith froze, only then realizing that what Ash had given her was not 
some sort of energy tonic, but real human blood. Yet she felt no revulsion—instead, she craved 
more. She could distinctly hear the beating of   Dim’s heart, the rush of blood through his veins.
The more she thought about it, the more crimson patterns began to crawl across her skin. Clearly, 
she was still unable to control her urges. With a soft pop, Ash opened another blood 
bag.Without hesitation, Judith snatched it away and took a long, satisfying gulp, finally 
quelling the surge of desire within her.  Seeing what Judith did, Dim relaxed and moved his 
hand away from the pistol at his waist. If Judith had targeted him just now, he wouldn’t have minded 
showing her the meaning of American quick draw.  Convinced things were under control, 
Dim patted Ember’s shoulder and said, “Since you’ve decided to protect 
her, she’s now your responsibility.”  “Now, I need to help my brother 
deal with the Bloodwing situation.” “Keep an eye on her. A newborn vampire raised in 
human territory isn’t exactly easy to manage.” With these pointed words, Dim turned away to 
handle Matt’s troubles. Although the rules   between Blood Leeches and Bloodwings could 
maintain a delicate balance, that equilibrium was fragile—always at risk of being shattered by 
unexpected injuries. There hadn’t been time to address it moments ago, but now that the immediate 
crisis had passed, Dim needed to find a solution. Heeding Dim’s warning, Ember tossed several 
blood bags to Karla. Managing a newborn vampire was beyond his experience. Fortunately, 
there was a vampire princess at his side.   Karla might not have much experience herself, 
but at least she’d been around long enough to know a thing or two. If she hadn’t raised 
piglets herself, she’d surely seen them run.  “Karla, do me a favor. Teach her how 
to behave like a proper vampire.” Karla, replenishing her strength with the 
blood bags, rolled her eyes and retorted, “You want me to be her nanny?”
“Do you realize that when I was first turned,   your grandfather’s grandfather 
was probably still a tadpole?” “How can you expect me to 
remember how I adapted back then?”  “If you want me to teach her how to fight, I 
might be able to squeeze in some time for that.” “But to teach her manners… 
forget it. I’m nobody’s nanny.”  Ember smacked his forehead, suddenly 
aware of the mistake he’d made. He’d actually asked the notoriously unruly Karla 
to instruct Judith in discipline? That was   like asking a wolf to watch over the sheep.
Rubbing his chin, Ember’s eyes suddenly lit up. He had a better idea. Treating Judith as 
a portable charger was still inconvenient—he couldn’t have her by his side at all times. And 
when he wasn’t there, Judith was a ticking time   bomb. So why not make her a battery instead?
Ember strode over, and without so much as a warning, pinched Judith’s cheeks, forcing 
her mouth into an involuntary ‘O’ shape.   He then used his thumbnail to open a cut on 
his index finger, squeezing out two drops of blood infused with the World Tree’s fruit and 
letting them fall into Judith’s mouth. He’d   intended to give her more, but the wound 
had already healed, so he stopped there. Judith swallowed on instinct, taking Ember’s blood 
mixed with her own saliva down into her stomach. Only then did she become acutely aware of the 
humiliation.Judith’s cheeks flushed crimson as she   glared at Ember, ready to lash out with questions. 
Yet, to her surprise, she felt her anger draining away at an astonishing speed. In just a short 
moment, she realized she was no longer upset. Even the blood bag she’d just been desperate to keep 
drinking didn’t seem nearly as tempting anymore.  A flicker of astonishment crossed Judith’s face. 
Sensing something had changed, she looked at Ember and asked calmly, “What did you do to me?”
Seeing his method had worked, Ember released his grip and smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Just helping 
you with a bit of self-control, that’s all.” “After all, anger and desire—left 
unchecked—will destroy you before long.” “As your… well, godfather, I have a 
responsibility to guide you properly.”  “Could you call me that, just once?”
A strange look flashed in Judith’s eyes—a longing born from a childhood starved of affection. 
Then, all of a sudden, she spoke: “Dad.” The word froze Ember’s smile 
in an instant. A daughter at   my age? That’s not what I signed up for.
Judith, delighted by her little prank, let out a clear, playful laugh, a rare burst 
of girlish vitality lighting up her face.  Realizing he’d been played, 
Ember shot her a mock glare, putting on a fierce act. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Judith beamed sweetly. “But isn’t it a father’s duty to teach his child how to live?”
As she spoke, her expression darkened   again. After all, her fate had turned out this 
way because her own father had failed her. Noticing her mood shift, Ember cleared his 
throat, interrupting her thoughts. Then he said, “I’ll admit, he wasn’t much of a father.”
“But you should know this: for our kind, the final step in an embrace is to drink human blood.”
“So, at least in his final moments,   he fulfilled his duty as a father.”
It was a small lie. In truth, Chalmers had acted unintentionally and only 
then had Judith been saved. But sometimes,   a well-meaning lie can save someone from 
spiraling too deep into their own mind. Sure enough, as Ember spoke, Judith’s eyes 
drifted to Chalmers’ lifeless body—already cold, with a striking wound on his wrist. Seeing him 
like this, she found herself half-believing Ember’s words. Perhaps her father had simply loved 
her mother more. The thought was oddly comforting. At least her father had loved her, in his own way.
Seeing Judith’s expression soften, Ember extended his hand once more. “Come on. The future is 
long—there’s no need to be trapped by the past.” This time, Judith, her composure restored, didn’t 
refuse his help. She grasped Ember’s hand as though grasping a new life.
…  Dim, deep in thought and frowning, heard 
footsteps behind him and turned at once. This time, he saw Judith looking back at 
him with calm, steady eyes—gone was the   hunger that had burned in them before.
A hint of surprise flickered in Dim’s gaze.Did Ashes really succeed? He had 
thought that, in the end, Ashes would   only be able to control Judith’s desires by 
restricting her freedom. Yet, to his surprise, Ashes hadn’t put any restrictions in place, and 
Judith was still able to stand quietly behind him. To be honest, in all of Dim’s nearly forty 
years of hunting demons since childhood, he   had encountered no shortage of newborn vampires. 
These vampires all shared one common trait: arrogance and conceit. The saying “a newborn 
calf fears no tiger” perfectly described these fledgling bloodsuckers. In their eyes, humans 
were nothing more than an all-you-can-eat buffet.  That’s why ninety-nine percent of the vampires 
causing chaos in human territories were these newborns. After all, the real veterans had 
long since learned how to keep a low profile.  But now, Judith, clearly a newborn herself, 
had managed to suppress her bloodlust in an incredibly short time. This was completely 
different from having one’s nature forcibly   suppressed by external force. There was not a 
trace of hunger for human blood in Judith’s eyes. Dim had witnessed this transformation from 
start to finish—except, of course, for the   moment when Ashes had given her his “lesson.”
Looking at it now, that unseen “lesson” must have been crucial. Still, Dim had no intention of 
learning whatever method Ashes had used. As far as he was concerned, rather than worrying about being 
betrayed by a vampire in the future, it was much   simpler to just cut off their head right away.
With a faint sigh, Dim turned his thoughts back to the thorny situation with Matt. It seemed that 
only David could handle this sort of problem.   Thinking of David, Dim pulled out his phone. 
They had implanted a GPS tracker under David’s skin a long time ago—that was the real secret 
to how they always managed to find him. This was   the power of technology. Someone like David, who 
practiced shamanic arts, would never understand. As Ashes came over and saw Dim 
preparing to risk taking Matt away,   he immediately shook his head and said, “No 
need to go to all that trouble—I have a way.” Dim was taken aback. Another way? Still, if 
Matt’s problem could be solved right here,   that would be best. But since this concerned 
his own younger brother, Dim decided to ask for details—after all, Ashes’ methods always carried 
an air of reckless boldness, and he couldn’t set his mind at ease without knowing more.
“What exactly do you plan to do? Tell me in   detail, so I can judge whether it’s feasible.”
Seeing Dim’s serious expression, Ashes replied with a smile, “Naturally, I’ll 
use rules to fight rules.”  “This is common knowledge in the demon-hunting 
world, Dim—you must have heard of it too?” Of course Dim had. Using leeches to counteract 
the Bloodwing rule operated on the same principle. Leeches suck blood, the Bloodwing rule also 
feeds on blood—when both sides are drawing   blood, a balance can be reached.
But now, Ashes actually wanted to introduce a third rule into the mix? 
That was an incredibly bold idea.  “I’ve heard of it—but I don’t agree. The risks are 
far too great.”Ash turned to look at Matt, whose face was pale, clearly leaving the decision about 
his own fate to him. After thinking for a moment, Matt asked, “What’s the third kind of rule?” Since 
he had already decided to repay the favor owed to the Lyon brothers, Ash had no intention of hiding 
Frankiel’s abilities. “A gamble with your life.” A gamble with my life? The realization dawned 
on Matt instantly. Ash wasn’t trying to meddle with the two bloodsucking rules; he wanted to 
shut them out entirely! By making use of the life-gambling rule, he could pull Matt out from 
under the influence of the other two! But then,   how could Ash guarantee that Matt wouldn’t 
die under the life-gambling rule itself? Matt lifted his gaze to Ash. Now, there was 
only one question left—did he trust Ash? He did.
“All right, let’s do it.”  Dim frowned and was about to speak, but Matt waved 
a hand to stop him. “Dim, I trust Ash. He wouldn’t promise anything he’s not confident about.”
Hearing his own brother say this, Dim could   only swallow back his words. Thinking it over, 
Matt wasn’t wrong. Whether Ash relied on real strength or just luck, he’d never failed so 
far. With the Psychic Division about to arrive, Ash wouldn’t choose this moment to do them 
harm. If he’d wanted them dead, there’d been   much easier opportunities before.
Convinced, Dim stepped aside. Ash once again pulled out that dreadful Book 
of Wraiths, which made Dim’s heart race with   unease. As the pages turned, the elegant 
Frankiel slowly manifested in the room. Matt, noticing his breath misting white, felt his heart 
begin to pound. This was a wraith summoned from the Book of Wraiths, after all. Matt knew 
better than anyone what kind of thing that   cursed tome was. More than anything, it delighted 
in toying with people—giving hope only to snatch it away and plunge them into despair.
But the arrow was nocked, and there   was no turning back. The elegant vampire 
wraith had already turned to him with a gentle smile. “Please, wager your life with me.”
As the words fell, the world around them changed dramatically. The dim space suddenly filled with 
dazzling light. A long table appeared between   Matt and Frankiel, while the Blood Leeches and 
Blood Wings, locked in their balancing struggle, were, as everyone expected, utterly incompatible 
with Frankiel’s rule. In the ensuing conflict,   the Blood Leeches and Blood Wings were forced out 
of the illusion, leaving only Matt sitting across from Frankiel at the table.
It was done.  But, staring at the revolver in Frankiel’s 
hand, Matt couldn’t bring himself to smile. Now, it was truly time to gamble with his life.
Nervously, Matt glanced at Ash, hoping to catch even a hint of a clue, some secret way 
to cheat. But Ash’s face remained calm and   unreadable; not the slightest hint was given.
Damn! Was Ash really going to make him use his wits to gamble with a vampire wraith?Matt’s 
heart skipped a beat as he stared at the silver,   saintly cross bullet being loaded into the 
revolver. His mind raced furiously. The silver bullet weighed about twelve grams, 
and after scraping off the engravings,   it was roughly eleven and a half grams. Frankiel’s 
casual spin of the cylinder exerted a force of about three hundred pounds. So, where would 
the bullet finally land…? The first shot!  Matt’s breathing grew rapid. He watched Frankiel 
with mounting tension, terrified that the wraith would turn the revolver on him and pull the 
trigger. Noticing the slight tightening at   the corner of Matt’s eyes, Dim—his brother, 
well-versed in Matt’s every nuance—immediately sensed that something was wrong. Damn it! Why 
was Matt so intensely focused? Weren’t they told that Ember had everything under control? 
Or was Ember’s control limited to resolving   the rules regarding vampires, and now, in this 
deadly game of chance, Matt was truly on his own? Just as Dim could no longer hold back and 
was about to speak, the wraith across the   long table raised the gun to his own brow with 
a look of resigned helplessness, then pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang! The shot rang out.  A fresh hole appeared in Frankiel’s 
forehead. He managed a graceful smile and then solemnly declared the outcome:
“Congratulations. You have won the wager.” As soon as the words left his lips, the 
illusion around them began to dissolve.  Matt, whose mind had been whirring at 
lightning speed, now stood rooted to the spot, stunned. He had never expected this vampire 
wraith to be so straightforward—no cheating,   no psychological games, only a kind of honesty 
so foolish it was almost touching. Or… was it possible that Ember really did have 
this wraith under complete control?  This last thought made Matt involuntarily draw 
in a sharp breath. He had always thought Ember was just a blood mage, but now it seemed Ember 
had command over necromancy as well. Ember was   turning out to be a complex figure indeed.
Still, whatever the case, Ember had resolved Matt’s immediate crisis. This time, 
the Ryan brothers owed Ember a debt.  Rising to his feet, Matt looked at 
Ember and spoke with earnest gratitude: “Thank you for your help. You’ll always 
be a friend to the Ryan brothers.”  “Whenever you need us, no matter how far or 
how difficult, we’ll find a way to help you.” “Brother for life!”
With that, Matt extended his hand,   and he and Ember exchanged a secret handshake—a 
slap of the palm, a touch of the back of the hand, a firm grip, a bump of the shoulders, 
and a friendly pat on each other’s backs.  Just then, the sound of screeching 
brakes echoed from outside the library, arriving fashionably late. Moments later, a fully 
armed demon-hunting tactical squad burst in, their laser sights peppering everyone in the 
room with countless red dots. Ember had no doubt that if anyone made a wrong move now, they would 
pull the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.  After a round of tests with holy water 
and other detection methods confirmed that Ember was indeed Ember and the Ryan 
brothers were truly themselves, the   demon-hunting squad finally lowered their guard.
Only then did Sasha, who had just recently been discharged from the hospital, step forward to 
wrap things up. Her gaze swept over the scene, eyes wide with astonishment. Piles of bones this 
numerous, here in law-abiding Los Angeles—such a sight was practically beyond belief.Not to 
mention the corpses they had seen along the   way—this alone proved that the monsters 
entrenched here were formidable indeed! And to have resolved the demon-hunting incident 
in this place, even the renowned Ryan brothers must have paid a heavy price. This thought 
was only further confirmed for Sasha when   she noticed how pale Matt’s face looked.
“Dim, Matt, it’s been a long time,” she greeted them. “It couldn’t have been easy 
dealing with the monsters here, could it?”  Dim was about to answer when he suddenly 
paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. It seemed Sasha had misunderstood 
something. In truth, from beginning to end, they hadn’t played any crucial role at all. 
Whether it was defeating the Blood Spirit   or vanquishing the Vampire Ancestor, it seemed 
everything had been accomplished by Ash alone. Even the enigmatic Dark Knight, who had never 
shown himself, apparently fell to Ash as well.  Although there had been a fair share of luck 
involved, judging solely by the outcome, nearly all the credit belonged to Ash. The 
two brothers seemed more like bystanders   than heroes. The famous Ryan brothers had been 
mere extras in this demon-hunting saga. Yet, if they told this story, few would believe it.
So, when Dim confessed the truth, Sasha found it hard to keep her expression neutral. She 
had seen Ash, and she had seen the miserable   state of Carla and Arthur. She had assumed Ash 
must have somehow won the Ryan brothers’ favor, and by clinging to their coattails, managed to 
survive this hunt. But from what Dim was saying, it sounded as if it was the Ryan brothers 
who were clinging to Ash instead! Was this   all backwards? Or had Ash somehow gotten 
hold of something the brothers wanted? Seeing the haunted look on Sasha’s face, 
Dim could only give a helpless smile.  “We’re really not exaggerating—it’s just 
how things happened,” he said. “There’s no need for us to lie about something like 
this.” “We stake the Ryan brothers’ many   years of demon-hunting reputation on it.”
Now that Dim had laid it out so plainly, even the most unlikely truth seemed undeniable. 
Sasha looked at Ash, her feelings a tangled knot, unsure what to say. Blood Spirit, Vampire 
Lord, Dark Knight, the Vampire Ancestor, and the mysterious immortal cultist who 
had vanished for reasons unknown—Ash’s   growth was shooting upward faster than a rocket.
Without anyone noticing, Ash had already reached the point of standing shoulder to shoulder with 
the Ryan brothers—perhaps even surpassing them.  What a shame. If only Ash weren’t a vampire…
With that thought, Sasha resolved to help Ash secure a chance at a cure. That hospital 
called District Thirteen had to have a way!  Before Sasha could speak, Ash 
suddenly broke the silence. “By the way, Sasha, before we settle the reward, 
there’s a personal transfer we need to deal with,”   Ash said. “Sharmos said he wanted to transfer all 
his credits to me, but he died before he could make the transfer.”At this point, Ash glanced 
furtively at Judith. Seeing her calm and composed, he added, “The Ryan brothers can vouch for this.”
Hearing Ash’s words, Dim nodded decisively. “That’s right. Chalmers said exactly that.”
Matt chimed in as well. “Not only that, Chalmers also said he was transferring 
ownership of all his arcane items kept   with the Psychic Division to Ash.”
At this, Dim shot a subtle look at Matt. Chalmers had never actually said 
that last part. Meeting his brother’s eye,   Matt simply kept his gaze lowered, determined to 
stick to his story—after all, with Chalmers’ soul burned away to seal the cursed heart, there was 
no way he could leap from his coffin and object.  Sasha, after a moment of stunned silence, 
finally noticed the corpse lying at her feet—it was none other than Chalmers, the “Demon 
Hunter Detective” who had been missing for some time. Dead men tell no tales, but truth be 
told, last wishes and transfers of property weren’t unheard of among demon hunters. It was 
understandable, though not exactly by the book. In the past, Sasha might have sternly 
rejected such a claim, but now,   seeing Ash’s meteoric rise and feeling a twinge 
of investor’s interest, she began to reconsider. “Alright, alright, give me a moment to think.”
“The problem is, your relationship with him wasn’t   officially registered, so it’s a little tricky.”
“Ash, unless you can find some way to prove a connection to Chalmers…”
Ash nodded, ready with an answer.   “I’m his daughter’s godfather. How about that?”
Chalmers’ daughter’s godfather? Sasha stared at him in disbelief, taking a moment to 
process just how absurd that sounded.   Chalmers’ official records listed him 
as fifty-eight, married at thirty-eight, and fathered a daughter at forty. That daughter 
was barely younger than Ash himself. How could Ash possibly be her godfather? Ash’s birth records 
were crystal clear in the archives—surely, he could have come up with a more plausible story.
Sasha frowned and mulled it over for a good   while before finally speaking. 
“Let’s not get carried away.” “Here’s what we’ll do: we’ll say that after you 
rescued Chalmers from the Mid-hill Apartments,   the two of you became partners. It’s just that 
Chalmers never used a phone and you’re new here, so neither of you thought to 
register the partnership…”  Sasha was cut off mid-sentence 
by Judith, who looked thoroughly displeased. “And why can’t he be my godfather?”
Sasha frowned at Judith. “Sorry, and you are?” Judith huffed. “Judith. Chalmers’ daughter. 
Do you need to see my birth certificate?” Judith? Sasha pulled out her phone, shaking 
her head. “No need. I can confirm that myself.” A quick database search was all it took for 
Sasha to confirm Judith’s identity—she really   was Chalmers’ daughter.So Ember really did get 
her to acknowledge him as godfather? A flicker of odd amusement passed through Sasha’s eyes. 
With Judith’s attestation, the relationship was legitimate enough. Still, Ember’s particular 
tastes were certainly a bit unconventional. “All right, then there’s no issue.”
“But there’s one thing   I need to clarify in advance.”
“Because Sharmos has been missing for so many years and hasn’t taken on any new assignments, his 
points have been steadily declining each year.” “Additionally, according to the laws of 
Los City, a 20% inheritance tax must be   paid on any estate, so you shouldn’t 
expect too much in terms of points.” “As for the sorcery items Sharmos 
deposited, let me check the records…”  Sasha’s thumb danced rapidly 
across the screen, tapping away. After a moment, she looked up and said,
“According to the records, Sharmos deposited three sorcery items with the Psychic Division.”
“However, the storage policy states that if the   management fee isn’t renewed within a year, the 
Psychic Division has the right to rent out the sorcery items to cover the outstanding fees.”
“So, two of the items are currently being   rented out to other demon hunters, 
with the payment made in points.” “At this point, the rental income from these 
items has already exceeded the management fees,   so any surplus points will be credited to 
your account once the leasing period ends.” “As for the remaining item—the Saint’s Burial 
Shroud—it’s still in the base. You can retrieve   it anytime within the next seven days at no cost. 
After that, an extra storage fee will apply.” “All right, let’s settle your mission 
reward and Sharmos’s inheritance now.”  After a few calculations, Ember received $500,000 
and fifteen points for the Dark Knight mission in Fruitwood Town. That’s the standard reward for 
an ordinary intermediate-level task; after all,   no one knew the true nature of the Dark Knight 
at the outset. Sasha could only process it as a mid-tier assignment, and on top of that, the 
reward was halved for foreign demon hunters,   leaving only this modest sum in the end.
But Sharmos’s inheritance brought Ember a pleasant surprise. Even after years of depreciation 
and the deduction of the inheritance tax,   Sharmos’s points still totaled an impressive three 
hundred—and this time, no halving was necessary. Then, with a wink and a nod, Sasha decided 
to credit the death of the Bloodwing Monarch   to Ember as well. As for the identity of the 
thirteenth progenitor of the blood clan—well, that one was impossible to verify through the Psychic 
Division’s follow-up investigations. But the death of a blood lord was significant enough on its 
own—a major blow to the entire blood clan. If not for the barrier of the Rocky Mountains, Free City 
might very well have fallen to humanity by now.  So even after the rewards were halved, Ember still 
received a hefty fifteen hundred points for that kill—a sum five times greater than the bounty 
for slaying a blood prince and elder combined!  Now, Ember not only possessed a small fortune 
of four million dollars but also had a total of 1,815 points to his name.This should count 
as middle class by any standard, right? Still, even with this many points, Ashen was far from 
being able to exchange for the very best items   from the Psychic Department. What a pity—if it 
weren’t for his vampire identity, he could have gotten his hands on some truly valuable things by 
now. Sasha felt the same regret about this matter. So, after settling the rewards, Sasha 
spoke up, her words carrying a subtle hint: “That about wraps things up here.”
“Are you planning to take a break for a while?”  Catching the meaning behind her question, 
Ashen’s heart stirred slightly. It was clear that if he didn’t want to rest, Sasha 
would assign him that escort mission. And the   destination for that mission was none other 
than the hospital known as District Thirteen. Regardless of whether there really was a 
cure for vampirism in that hospital, the   very existence of the blood spirit—a gluttonous 
amalgamation—was reason enough for Ashen to go. Without much hesitation, Ashen 
shook his head and replied,  “No need. Didn’t you say you had 
an escort mission lined up for me?” “I want to try that hospital. Maybe 
they really do have a solution.”  Seeing how quickly Ashen picked up 
on her intentions, Sasha was clearly satisfied. She rose up on her toes and gave 
Ashen an encouraging pat on the shoulder.  “Excellent. I’ll make the arrangements 
right away—wait for my good news.” Just as she was about to leave, Sasha 
suddenly stopped, as if something had   crossed her mind. She reached into her coat and 
pulled out a locator with identity recognition, tossing it casually at Karla’s feet.
Truth be told, the arrival of the   demon-hunting tactical squad this time wasn’t 
actually because of the incident in Guomu Town, but rather because the vampire gene suppressor 
in Karla’s body had been detonated. Normally, such a situation would mean Karla had gone rogue, 
prompting the senior demon hunter in charge of surveillance to press the button. But according to 
Arthur’s report, Karla hadn’t violated any rules. On the contrary, she had apparently contributed 
significantly during this demon-hunting incident.  By the book, Karla should be injected with the 
vampire gene suppressor again at this point. However, the severely injured Arthur had already 
been carried away on a stretcher, and the Ryan brothers—never ones to enjoy dealing with 
officialdom—had left after vouching for Ashen.  Now, Sasha represented the rules of the 
Psychic Department, but she was hardly an inflexible bureaucrat. Since Ashen had 
proven his worth, Sasha had become much more   tolerant of Karla’s presence.
Meeting Karla’s hostile gaze, Sasha let out a light chuckle.
“You think this little   gadget is just for watching you?”
“It’s actually a mutual guarantee. As long as you’re carrying it, you’re one of us.”
“Lose it, and if you get stopped by demon   hunters in Locity, don’t blame 
them for not recognizing you.” Karla let out a cold snort. She clearly wasn’t 
happy, but still bent down to pick up the GPS locator from the ground. She wasn’t stupid—of 
course she knew what this meant.Otherwise,   she would have already expelled the vampire 
factor suppressor from her body by draining her blood. After all, while she wasn’t afraid of 
demon hunters causing trouble, too many of them   could still become quite a headache.
Seeing Karla accept the device, Sasha’s lips curled into a slight smile. She 
turned around and waved to the others. “See   you all at the base in a bit.”
See you at the base in a bit? Ash quickly understood what she meant. The 
mission that Sasha had specifically fought   for on his behalf would begin at the 
headquarters of the Psionics Division. Coincidentally, Ash needed to head there as well. 
First, to deal with Sharmos’s inheritance, and   second, to spend some of his accumulated points. 
Although he still couldn’t generate mana on his own, he could now use the power of his demonized 
form to cast spells. That meant he needed to start preparing some basic materials for spellcasting.
But he was already carrying quite a lot with him. Alice had once mentioned the Gluttonous 
Storage Bag, and it seemed the time   had finally come to make it a reality.
Take the corpse of the Bloodwing Monarch, for example. It now counted as Ash’s trophy, 
but even if chopped into pieces, such a   massive prize would be difficult to carry around.
As for why Ash insisted on carrying the Bloodwing Monarch’s corpse with him, it was simple: the 
Bloodwing Monarch was a sacrifice of the highest   quality. With the Book of Offerings in hand, 
Ash could trade any part of the monarch—organs, limbs, whatever—for powerful spells. He’d 
already proven this with Arthur’s thigh.  When in doubt, he could always sacrifice part 
of the Bloodwing Monarch’s body in exchange for aid. So even if it meant strapping 
the corpse to his back, Ash insisted on keeping it close. After all, this wasn’t just 
a corpse—it was his personal trove of spells! After settling the injured Karla and the 
still light-sensitive Judith at home,   Ash wasted no time and hurried off to 
the Psionics Division’s base in Los City. …
The base, located in the northern   district of Los City, sat close to the city’s most 
luxurious neighborhood, the hills of Hollywood. After all, the residents here were either wealthy 
or powerful. If anything unusual were to happen, the Psionics Division could respond quickly 
and protect these high-ranking individuals.  A significant portion of the division’s operating 
budget came from the sponsorships of these very people. For all practical and political 
reasons, the safety of the northern district   had to be a top priority for the division.
This time, the person Ash was assigned to protect was the daughter of one of these real 
estate tycoons. But it seemed she was no ordinary   target—Sasha had told him he’d have to wait 
another thirty minutes before she could see him. Ash didn’t mind waiting. In fact, those 
thirty minutes were perfect for taking care   of some personal matters. He spent 315 points to 
exchange for a range of spellcasting materials, then borrowed a lounge from Sasha, laid 
everything out, and prepared to get to work.  Ash pulled out his phone and first double-checked 
the recipe for the Gluttonous Storage Bag.As a staple tool for wizards, the most 
difficult ingredient to obtain for crafting   a Gluttony Storage Pouch is the soul fragment. But 
for Ashes, this happens to be the easiest thing to acquire—he already has gluttony fragments on hand.
He took out a piece of doppelgänger hide,   then threaded a strand of slime-derived 
sticky fiber through a needle enchanted with witchcraft. Pinching the needle delicately 
between his thumb and forefinger, Ashes, empowered by his arcane skills, brought 
his sewing proficiency to perfection in   an instant. With a few swift motions, he stitched 
the doppelgänger hide into the shape of a pouch. Finally, with a sharp snap of his fingers, 
Ashes stuffed a soul fragment radiating the   glow of gluttony into the pouch. As the soul’s 
brilliance seeped in, the doppelgänger hide became astonishingly elastic and expandable.
Now equipped with a Gluttony Storage Pouch, Ashes began crafting basic witchcraft 
supplies with newfound freedom. For instance,   he’d always envied the various magical powders. 
Synthesizing these powders was actually quite straightforward—they only required soul sand.
Immersed in his work, Ashes lost all track of time, wholly absorbed in 
creating witchcraft items.   It wasn’t until Sasha knocked on the door that 
Ashes realized half an hour had already passed. Covered in dust and grime, Ashes snapped his 
scaled fingers, and with a whisper of the   cleaning spell, he was instantly restored 
to his freshly departed appearance. After tidying his attire, he opened the door to find 
Sasha holding a filthy rag between two fingers. [Shroud of the Dead]
[Wish: To forever enshroud the corpse of a saint.]  …A saint? Ashes’s eye twitched—what 
a difficult wish to fulfill. A saint, after all, is someone of unblemished 
virtue. Such individuals, in both life and death, are highly sought after in the demon-hunting 
world. Relics belonging to saints are lethal weapons against creatures of the dark. Take, 
for example, the holy oil Arthur once wielded, or the reliquary ashes in the hands of the Lyon 
brothers… In desperate times, these objects can   mean the difference between life and death.
As a result, there are precious few saints who ever actually get to use a burial shroud. 
Even if they’re successfully interred,   sooner or later someone will dig 
them up for their remains. Clearly, this particular shroud had suffered 
such a fate—the cloth persisted,   but the saint it once enwrapped had vanished. 
For a shroud steeped in the aura of sainthood, this was nothing short of humiliation, 
leaving behind a lingering resentment.  Wizards, quick to recognize the value of 
such rare materials, would never let it go to waste. Eventually, the shroud became a 
powerful tool against creatures of darkness. All this, Ashes had learned during his 
recent crash course in esoteric lore. As for   deeper principles, his understanding was still 
patchy at best. One thing was certain: in this extraordinary world, death is never truly the end.
With a thoughtful sigh, Ashes took the sticky, foul-smelling rag from Sasha, wrinkling his nose 
in distaste before tossing it unceremoniously into his storage pouch.Heaven knows how many creatures 
this thing has suffocated to death—it reeks unbearably. Noticing Ashen’s actions, Sasha’s 
eyes lit up ever so slightly. She was certain that before entering this lounge, Ashen hadn’t 
possessed a spatial storage pouch, something every wizard kept on hand. But now, it was obvious 
he had one. From what Sasha knew, such pouches usually required gluttony shards to function. 
Did that mean Ashen had already come into   contact with soul fragments of that caliber? Soul 
fragments—those were rare and precious things. After all, there have been cases where 
even ordinary people, pushed to the brink,   suddenly unleashed tremendous power. Take, 
for instance, the mother who, when her child was attacked by a malevolent spirit, erupted with 
unimaginable strength and vaporized the entity in an instant. When the psychic division sent agents 
to investigate, they found the place scorched in   every corner—except for the untouched crib. As for 
the mother who unleashed that power, she aged from thirty to the verge of death in the blink of 
an eye. Incidents like these are not uncommon.  That’s why the psychic division has been 
researching the power of soul fragments for years, though with little success. In the end, they 
had to admit that the best way to harness the   power of soul fragments was to fuse them 
with objects. On that basis, the psychic division established Research Institute No. 9.
“Hey, what are you lost in thought about? Aren’t   things urgent on her end?” Ashen’s voice 
snapped Sasha out of her swirling thoughts. “It’s nothing. Come with me.”
“Oh, and no matter what requests she makes   along the way, just stick to the three no’s.”
Ashen raised an eyebrow. “The three no’s?” Sasha turned, her expression grave. 
“Don’t listen. Don’t look. Don’t ask.” In the underground garage of the psychic 
division’s base, Ashen finally saw the   target. It was a pink-haired girl, dressed in 
a straitjacket and gagged with a ball muzzle. [Amy]
[Wish: To never see   illusions again. To never hear hallucinations 
again. To never feel phantom touches again.] Well, now. Amy’s wish turned out 
to be another kind of three no’s.  Looking at Amy, who was drooling uncontrollably 
because of the gag, Ashen was full of questions. Straitjackets are normally used in psychiatric 
hospitals, mostly for patients with severe   self-harm tendencies. The ball gag wasn’t some 
quirky accessory either—it was to prevent her from biting her tongue and ending her own life. 
But how could that be? How could a privileged   young lady end up a psychiatric patient with such 
severe self-destructive urges? It made no sense. Wealthy people rarely suffer from such 
afflictions. Or was this something else entirely?  Just then, Ashen felt Sasha slip something into 
his hand from behind. She leaned in close and whispered in his ear, “If it becomes too much 
to bear, seal your mouth and block your ears.” “Remember—no matter what happens, don’t answer! 
Don’t respond!”Ash glanced down and saw that what Sasha had placed in his hand was actually 
a bottle of industrial-strength adhesive. How   bizarre and curious. Amy had already been 
gagged and strapped into a restraint suit; even if Ash wanted to ask questions, he 
wouldn’t get any answers from her. Why go   the extra step and seal her mouth shut with glue?
Given Sasha’s profession, Ash suspected there was a method to this madness. But hadn’t Sasha assured 
him this escort would be simple? If it weren’t, Ash never would have come alone. Yet, by the look 
of things now, it was anything but an easy job.  With a head full of questions, Ash sat down in the 
driver’s seat. After all, he was still inside the Psyonics Department’s base—best to keep a low 
profile for now and wait until they were out   before summoning Celia to drive.
He adjusted the rearview mirror, making sure he could keep an eye on Amy, 
who lay flat in the back. Only then did   he start the engine and, following the 
pre-set route on the navigation system, slowly drove out of the underground garage.
The car had barely left the garage when a   pleading female voice echoed in 
his ear, gentle but desperate: “Could you take this off? I can’t breathe.”
Hearing the voice, Ash instinctively glanced   in the rearview mirror. Amy, lying there, stared 
blankly into space, her eyes empty and lifeless. With a gag in her mouth, there’s no way she could 
have spoken so clearly. Yet, there were no signs of a spirit possessing her—if there had been, 
the Book of Evil Spirits would have reacted.  Unperturbed, Ash decided to go through 
with the plan: he summoned Celia to take over driving and settled back in the 
passenger seat, closing his eyes to rest,   determined to stick to the three-no’s 
principle—don’t listen, don’t look, don’t speak. “Hey, aren’t you curious about 
what’s really wrong with me?”  A muffled, desperate whimper followed: 
“Please, help me! I’m dying in here!” “Set me free, and I’ll grant you endless riches.”
On and on, the voices whispered in Ash’s ear, each trying a new tactic to make him respond. 
Now Ash finally understood Sasha’s intent. Whatever haunted Amy, as long as he refused to 
answer, there’d be no trouble. In that sense, this really was a simple and safe task.
But at that moment, a spectral voice   drifted through once more: “Don’t you 
want to know why Serigia chose you?” Hearing that name again, Ash could no longer 
remain calm. After all, when he’d first arrived   in this world, it was Serigia who had tricked away 
his predecessor’s soul. And because of Serigia, Ash had accidentally gained the power 
of a demon’s agent—though unlike others,   he didn’t need to pay tribute.
But how could Amy possibly know any of this? If Ash remembered correctly, the 
last person to sense this secret was another   red-eyed demon. So, that red-eyed demon 
hadn’t lied—Serigia really had marked him? Then… whatever had possessed Amy 
wasn’t a spirit at all, but a demon?  With a flash of understanding, Ash’s mind 
grew calm once more.No matter what kind of demon is attached to Amy, one thing is 
certain: you must never trust it. In a way,   the “Three No’s” principle truly is the best 
approach when faced with a demon’s offer. Sensing Ember’s return to his earlier 
demeanor, the voice grew noticeably anxious.  “Do you really think your choices are your own?”
“What a joke! Every step you take is already calculated by Serigia!”
“Do you think a demon’s   power is so easily claimed?”
“The moment you yearn for its power, it will begin to covet your flesh, you fool!”
…  It had to be said: demons truly understand how to 
tempt the human heart. Every sentence it uttered made Ember want to retort, but remembering the 
Three No’s, he managed to hold himself back. Suddenly, a thunderous downpour crashed 
against the car windows. Whether it was   the demon’s doing or simply a turn in the 
weather, Ember couldn’t tell. Either way, the heavy curtain of rain brought considerable 
trouble for Celia, their new driver.  Fortunately, their destination lay in the northern 
outskirts of Locity. The desolate northern district was a place few ever visited, and so the 
roads were nearly empty—Celia could occasionally   swerve off course without consequence.
Soon, beyond the shifting veils of rain, a sprawling hospital emerged, hemmed 
in by towering walls, standing alone   in the dim and empty fields. Thirteenth 
District Hospital? What a peculiar name. Looking out the window, Ember relied on his 
vampiric sight to clearly take in the hospital’s   exterior. There were few talismans or arcane 
arrays on its outer walls—only a single, simple emblem: two serpents entwined around a sword.
Under the intermittent flashes of lightning   that split the sky, those two snakes coiled 
around the blade seemed especially uncanny, almost as if they were alive.
It was common knowledge that in   places researching the supernatural, powerful 
arrays were necessary to keep disaster at bay. So this symbol surely represented 
some force Ember had yet to understand.  As they approached the hospital’s main entrance, 
the incessant hallucinated voices finally faded from Ember’s ears. Then, two armed security 
guards stepped out from the security booth. They cast a curious glance at the empty driver’s seat, 
then—one raising his weapon, the other checking Ember’s identification—went about their business.
After confirming everything was in order,   they waved for the gate to be lifted, 
allowing Ember to enter the hospital grounds. Throughout the entire process, the 
two guards, both wearing noise-canceling   earplugs, never once looked at Amy.
Ember, now back in the driver’s seat, guided the car into the hospital’s main hall. Before any 
doctors or nurses in white coats could approach, another phantom voice whispered in his ear.
“Ember, you have made a terrible choice.”  Ember raised his head and glanced at the rearview 
mirror. Somehow, Amy—who should have been lying flat—was now sitting upright. Her pitch-black eyes 
fixed on Ember, and though her mouth was muzzled, her lips curled upward in a grotesque grin that 
stretched all the way to her ears.Immediately,   countless tiny spiders crawled out from within 
that exaggerated smile, scattering in all directions. Resorting to violence when words fail? 
That’s simply intolerable! Already fed up with “Amy,” Ash grabbed the burial shroud and flung 
it over her. As soon as the shroud covered Amy, the scenery around Ash began to shift rapidly. 
When his vision finally cleared, he was   stunned to find himself just emerging from the 
underground parking lot of the Psyonic Division. An illusion! He had unwittingly 
fallen into an illusion!  Realizing he was trapped, Ash quickly tried 
to call out to Lana. But for some reason, it was as though mountains and seas 
now separated them; no matter how hard   he tried, he couldn’t make out her response.
He looked up at the rearview mirror in the car. There, sitting primly in the shadows of the back 
seat, was Amy, grinning mischievously. There was no burial shroud, no gag, no straitjacket. 
All that remained was a radiant young heiress, basking in sunlight.
[Amy]  [Wish: To find her own 
immortality amidst suffering.] …
It was still Amy, but her wish   was entirely different. This was a dreamscape, 
Ash confirmed to himself again. In the end, he had made a mistake at the crucial moment. By 
responding to Amy’s attack with the burial shroud, he had created a connection between them. And 
this demon, so adept at weaving illusions,   had pulled him straight into her realm.
But why did Amy within the illusion also have a wish?
Before Ash could unravel this puzzle, Amy leaned   forward from the back seat, her tone mocking:
“Figured it out? Too late. You’re finished. Hee-hee.”
Faced with Amy’s threatening words,   Ash simply shifted his gaze to the right, looking 
at Amy bathed in sunlight. Then his eyes narrowed slightly. On Amy’s exposed collarbone, 
he spotted a distinct ouroboros tattoo.  A follower of the Cult of 
Immortality? Interesting. Ash smiled faintly, raising 
his eyes to meet Amy’s gaze:  “Too late? I’d say time is on my side.”
“We’ve already arrived at the hospital. If they have a way to deal with 
you, you’ll be the first to lose.”  “If they don’t, then wrapped in the Saint’s burial 
shroud, you’ll only slowly become a corpse.” “As for me, I can afford to wait.”
“After all, for a vampire like me, the   price of slumber is just a few drops of blood.”
Even in such a disadvantageous position, he could remain so composed? A flicker of 
disappointment flashed through Amy’s eyes.   “How boring. He’s not afraid at all.”
“Guess I’ll leave the despair to you. You’re much more experienced in that department.”
As she finished speaking, Amy’s eyes turned pitch black and her wish panel vanished. A twisted smile 
crept across her face. With a wave of her hand— Bang! Ash was pinned directly 
to the roof of the car.  Crack!Ember’s limbs bent backward at unnatural 
angles, as if he were a puppet pulled by invisible strings, completely under someone else’s 
control. Sweat poured down his face as he clenched his teeth, refusing to let out even a single 
cry of pain. He understood all too well that, when facing a sadist, any sound he 
made would only serve to gratify them.  Sure enough, the demon possessing Amy grew 
visibly disappointed when it saw Ember’s unyielding resolve. It relied on inflicting pain 
to pry open the doors of the mind, but from Ember, it could draw no response at all.
Most people, confronted with such   bizarre circumstances, would have already 
fallen into a panic—let alone endured the agony of broken limbs, which was enough to 
shatter anyone’s will. Yet Ember before it   remained silent, refusing to show weakness.
With no other recourse, the demon only intensified its torment, trying to break his body 
in hopes of finally cracking open his spirit,   step by step, until Ember collapsed. Only then 
could the demon seize control, possess Ember, and escape from this clearly unnatural hospital.
As the pain doubled, Ember sneered with disdain and spat onto the floor, mingling 
blood with saliva. “Lowly demons…   take pleasure in tormenting the flesh. 
It seems that saying is true after all.” Hearing Ember’s taunt, the black-eyed demon 
halted, the smile on its face replaced by a shadow of gloom. Demons, far more susceptible to negative 
emotions than humans, were quick to anger. Outrage welled up within it—how dare a mere demon’s 
proxy insult it as lowly? It was nothing more than a beast of burden, working for Serigia, and 
now it had the audacity to mock it? Unforgivable! If only its true body could descend to the 
mortal world, it would have torn Ember apart!  For now, the only explanation was that the pain 
it inflicted wasn’t enough. The demon’s dark gaze locked onto Ember, and it began to use its will 
to ignite every pain receptor in Ember’s body, creating agony beyond imagining. It refused to 
believe that Ember could endure such suffering forever! In this illusion, after all, 
time held no meaning. Ember’s so-called   patience was nothing but a fool’s hope.
But what the demon failed to notice was that, amongst the drops of blood at its 
feet, a seed—nourished by fury—had   begun to sprout. In the blink of an eye, 
it shot up, growing at a staggering pace. Feeling its foot suddenly restrained, the demon 
glanced down in alarm. Before it could react, the World Tree, feeding on rage, had already 
wrapped Amy’s body tight within its trunk. The Seed of Hatred! Ember had mastered 
the power of the Seed of Hatred! Was he   truly planning to forge a demon’s heart in 
the human world? What audacious ambition! No wonder the demon had sensed from the start that 
Ember’s body was a more fitting vessel than Amy’s.   He didn’t even need temptation—he was already 
treading the path to demonhood of his own accord! Had it not been for this Seed of Hatred, Ember 
would have been powerless within the illusion   woven from Amy’s memories. But the emergence 
of the Seed had changed everything.The same applies to the seeds of hatred sown in the 
realm of the mind. Wherever the canopy of   this tree stretches, that becomes its world! 
Now, within Amy’s once-exclusive dreamscape, a new rule has taken root. Amy is 
no longer the absolute master here!  Realizing that her own emotions were nourishing 
the demon behind the World Tree of Hatred, she swiftly severed all connections to 
it—including her bond with Ember. Yet,   before cutting herself off, she deliberately 
adjusted the flow of time, ensuring she would awaken in the real world a step ahead.
Amy opened her eyes inside the train car,   her gaze a deep, impenetrable black. Soundlessly, 
she sat upright and turned her attention to Lana, who stood guard at Ember’s side. A guardian spirit 
can ward off external mental invasions, but it cannot prevent its protector from making contact 
of their own accord. To reach Ember now would   mean facing this tiny guardian spirit head-on.
The demon inhabiting Amy quickly gleaned the information it sought from the small details 
of Lana’s appearance. The guardian spirit,   taking the form of a young girl, likely harbored 
a deep attachment to someone older. Her vow to protect at all costs hinted at a past loss of 
someone important. The faded hairpin in her hair   seemed to be a gift from a woman. All signs 
pointed to that person being Lana’s mother. A faint smile played on “Amy’s” lips, her eyes 
growing even darker, more unfathomable. Soon, a mother’s voice echoed softly in Lana’s 
ear. “Lana, have you been well lately?”  The long-missed, familiar voice instantly 
brought tears to Lana’s eyes. Her lips quivered, and she couldn’t help but call out, “Mom.”
The moment the words left her mouth,   Lana shuddered. A shadow 
flickered through her golden eyes. From Ember’s perspective, the appearance of 
the Hatred World Tree shattered his vision   into fragments. The World Tree that should have 
replaced it was withering before his eyes. When the images finally reassembled, Ember found 
himself not in the familiar, cozy train car, but bathed in blinding white light.
He tried to move, only to discover his   hands and feet were bound with restraints laced 
with silver wire. A syringe was embedded in the back of his right hand, pumping a steady flow 
of dark green liquid into his veins. Dark green? Following the tube upward, Ember saw the IV bag 
hanging above him, inside which several strange, broken bones floated. The dark green color 
came from the bones dissolving in the solution.  Ember’s pupils contracted in 
alarm. What on earth is this? He turned his head, about to survey his 
surroundings, when he caught sight of his   “roommate”—Amy. She was already free from her 
straitjacket and had removed her gag, a sealed bag containing bone fragments hanging against her 
pale chest. Hearing Ember stir, Amy looked up from her book, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
“You’re awake?”Ash frowned, about to speak, when he suddenly realized his mouth 
had been sealed shut! At some point,   he had become the one who was bound.
“I know you have a lot of questions in your heart, but there’s no need to rush,” a voice soothed.
“All you need to know is that you’re unwell,   and the doctors will cure you.”
“For now, just wait patiently.” Ash nodded, turning his head back to 
stare blankly at the pale ceiling.  Seeing Ash turn away, Amy—who had seemed 
so normal just moments ago—let a strange, unsettling smile curl across her face.
Just wait patiently. Wait patiently   until your body is no longer your own.
Although this was a dreamscape centered on Ash, the appearance of the restraints was, in fact, a 
physical manifestation of his sense of entrapment. The IV tubes and fluid bags were the final, 
desperate struggles conjured by his subconscious. Once the dark green liquid in the IV bag finished 
flowing into Ash’s veins, his sense of self would vanish completely. “Amy” would fully replace 
him, becoming the master of this place. So all she needed to do now was soothe Ash’s 
emotions and let him drift away forever.  But suddenly, while still gazing 
at the ceiling, Ash spoke up: “You know, you’re actually not that pretty.”
“Amy” paused, clearly puzzled why Ash would   bring up her looks at a moment like this.
Ash turned his head again, fixing Amy with a serious look in those bright eyes.
“Big and fair—that’s what I like.”  “The real Amy, well, only her face was passable. 
Unfortunately, years of self-destructive habits left her skin dull, and her chest—starved 
of nourishment—was practically nonexistent.” “And more importantly, the ouroboros 
tattoo I dislike so much is missing here.”  “I don’t know how you managed this, but 
I’m sure: this is still just a dream.” “Am I right?”  A flash of astonishment flickered in “Amy’s” 
eyes, and then she burst into laughter. Her figure and features began to blur and shift.
“Hahaha, you’re very clever—truly clever.” “I finally understand why 
Serigia chose you as her agent.”  “A clever agent always brings 
his master great rewards.” “But sadly, it’s all too late. Now, 
this place is under my control.”  As she spoke, “Amy’s” voice grew 
more and more familiar. Her blurred features gradually resolved—and suddenly, 
it was Ash’s own face staring back at him. Looking at this “self,” Ash’s 
expression twisted with disgust.  Then, without warning, the restraints 
around his arms and legs snapped open. Ash pulled the needle from the back of his 
hand, stood up, and rubbed his wrist as he   faced the figure before him, now 
shrouded in wisps of black smoke. “You know, I just gave up a hobby 
that used to be a feast for my eyes.”  “Big and fair—heh, turns out I don’t like 
it that much anymore.”“But someone has to pay the price for this, don’t you think?!” With 
a resounding crash, a fist came down hard. Dark energy burst forth, only to swirl and condense 
once more into the shape of ‘Amy’. Yet now, there was no longer that look of absolute 
confidence on ‘Amy’s’ face—what replaced   it was deep confusion. Under the curse that 
weakened the spirit, its grip over this place was greatly diminished. And so, the original owner 
of this realm, Ashes, was able to regain control! “Why? How is it that, even though 
your consciousness is trapped here,   you can still unleash a curse?” Amy demanded.
Ashes let out a soft laugh. Observing Amy’s drastic transformation, he surmised that this 
was a dreamscape constructed from his own mind.   In other words, the Heart of the Curse was still 
within him. As long as he was willing to pay the price and clearly set his target, the Heart of 
the Curse would naturally grant his wish. But he   had no intention of revealing the whole truth.
Instead of an explanation, ‘Amy’ was met with a barrage of relentless blows. After severely 
weakening Amy’s soul, Ashes snapped his fingers, and the surroundings changed in an 
instant. The sterile ward was gone,   replaced by a primeval forest. There, 
a two-toned world tree held ‘Amy’ fast, subduing it and drawing nourishment from its form.
Though this black-eyed demon’s soul was   inexplicably feeble, its greatest value lay 
in the fact that it possessed the true Seven Sins. If Ashes could find a way to destroy 
its dominant consciousness, he could claim   a complete Seven Sins soul for himself. In his 
estimation, this would be enough to sustain a full transformation into a demon. Risky as it was, the 
potential rewards were immense. At the very least, Ashes was now certain that the cursed 
demon soul was no match for him here,   in his own domain. With that assurance, how could 
he possibly let it escape from his mental world? Meanwhile, back in reality, Ashes at last 
slowly opened his eyes. Lana, who had been perched on his shoulder, shivered all over and 
began to wake as well. Realizing her mistake, Lana looked flustered and panicked.
“Ashes, I… I…” she stammered.  Ashes put up a finger to halt her apology. 
“It’s alright. See? I’m perfectly fine now.” “This isn’t your fault. The enemy was 
simply too cunning. Even I fell for it,   so how could I blame you, Lana?”
Hearing Ashes not only absolve her, but also take the blame upon himself, Lana’s 
big eyes brimmed with tears once again. She threw her arms around Ashes’ neck, resting her 
head gently against his, and whispered softly, “Ashes, you’re just like a mother to me.”
Ashes ruffled Lana’s hair and chuckled,   “Then can you call me ‘Dad’ instead?”
At his words, Lana’s face turned bright red. With a flash, she darted away 
and hid. Once Lana had vanished,   Ashes’ gaze instantly grew cold as he turned his 
attention to Amy in the back seat. At that moment, Amy’s eyes remained as dark as night.Clearly, the 
demon soul trapped by Ash was not its entirety. “Tsk, you dare eat what’s mine? 
Aren’t you afraid you’ll burst?”  Having learned his lesson, Ash ignored 
the phantom voices whispering in his ear. Everything that had just transpired had 
been a battle on the spiritual plane;   in reality, only the briefest instant had passed.
The doctors who had appeared in the hall hadn’t even approached the vehicle yet at this point.
Not wanting to listen to the demon’s incessant   noise any longer, Ash simply 
opened the car door and got out. As soon as he stepped out, 
Ash couldn’t help but frown.  He caught a strong scent of blood 
in the air—a staleness to it, as if the blood had lingered here for a 
long, long time, robbing it of any freshness.  For Ash, who was used to the taste of “bran,” 
the odor was more than a little nauseating. The leading doctor saw Ash exit the vehicle and, 
with a calm expression, extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Russell, the director of this hospital.”
[Russell]  [Wish: To form a perfect contract 
with a demon and attain immortality.] …
To form a perfect contract with   a demon? This director of the Thirteenth District 
hardly looks the part of a good man, Ash thought. Suppressing his surprise beneath a 
composed exterior, Ash reached out and   shook the man’s hand briefly.
“Hello. Demon Hunter—Ash.” Ash? At last, a ripple of emotion crossed 
Russell’s otherwise impassive face. “So you’re Ash?”
“I’ve heard of you—the Bane of   the Bloodkin, right? Truly, a young hero.”
Ash paused, momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected his reputation 
to have spread so far already.  He had to admit, the title “Bane of 
the Bloodkin” was fitting. After all, many nameless immortals of that 
lineage had fallen by his hand.  But for a demon hunter, such a title 
didn’t necessarily bode well. As the saying goes, fame invites trouble.
No doubt he’d become a thorn in the   side of the Bruch Clan by now—a target every 
one of them would love to see torn to pieces. The reason was simple: Ash 
hunted only the Bruch Clan.  By now, the Bruch Clan must have become a 
laughingstock among the twelve bloodline clans. And how could the proud Bloodkin 
tolerate such humiliation?  It wouldn’t be surprising if, at this very 
moment, assassins or mercenaries from the Bloodkin were lurking in Los City, lying in wait.
With a heightened sense of caution, Ash replied calmly, “You flatter me, Director Russell. 
I just happened to get lucky, that’s all.” Russell waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve always 
believed that luck is a part of one’s strength.” “All right, let me see this patient.”
“I heard the threat level of this patient has   already reached the ‘Calamity’ class.”
Calamity class? That was a classification Ash had never heard before.
Seeing Ash’s frown, Russell explained in an even tone, “You’ve probably heard of the grades for 
evil spirits—Grudge, Malevolence, Dire, Blood.” “That’s the demon hunters’ system for categorizing 
evil spirits, but it lacks categories for the   many other demons and supernatural beings in 
this world.”“So after the establishment of the Psychic Abilities Department, a special system 
was set up to classify supernatural threats   according to the degree of harm posed 
by demons, ghosts, and other entities.” “Calamity, Catastrophe, Disaster, and 
Extinction—each level is assigned a   number from one to nine; the higher the number, 
the greater the threat. This is the standard by which the department categorizes them.”
Russell’s gaze fell on Amy,   who was looking his way, as he continued,
“Calamity-level means the threat is limited to a single building or a street at most.”
“Catastrophe-level, on the other hand,   indicates the threat has spread to 
an entire district or even a city.” “Disaster-level means the danger is so 
severe it threatens a whole country.”  “And finally, Extinction-level signifies a crisis 
that could wipe out the entire human race.” With that, Russell reached into Amy’s 
restraints and took out a saint’s bone,   carefully sealed in a plastic bag. Then he 
turned and signaled Embers to look behind him. Embers turned around, only to see that the 
doctors and nurses who had come with Russell just   moments ago were now acting as if possessed by 
madness, harming themselves in all sorts of ways. Some smashed their heads against the 
ground, some bit their own fingers,   and others gouged at their own eyes…
Russell seemed unfazed by this horrifying scene, as if he’d seen it countless 
times before. He spoke coldly,  “This is the manifestation of a Catastrophe-level 
spirit—it can control everyone within this area.” “As time goes on, its influence 
will spread outward like a plague,   infecting more and more people.”
Russell glanced at his watch. “Thirteen seconds elapsed—the effect has 
already spread within a ten-meter radius.”  “This is a Catastrophe-level 3 demon.”
For some reason, when Russell uttered the words ‘Catastrophe-level 3,’ Embers couldn’t 
help but detect a hint of regret in his voice,   as if he found it disappointingly weak…
At the very moment the Cursed Heart was being activated, elsewhere, outside 
of Locheng, in an underground altar.  Austin, who was assembling a skeleton, suddenly 
paused. He flipped his right hand, and a patch of restless shadow appeared in his palm.
This was the very trace of ‘pheromone’   he’d once extracted from the Cursed Heart.
Whenever someone used the Cursed Heart, the shadow, desperate to return to 
its source, would react—just like now.  A cold sneer curled on Austin’s lips.
“I thought you’d have more patience than this.” “Scientific research demands patience, you fool!”
Austin stepped over to the table, where a detailed map of Locheng was spread out.
While chanting an incantation,   he scattered the shadow in his hand over the map.
The shifting darkness writhed across the paper before finally gathering in the 
northern suburbs of Locheng.  Seeing this all-too-familiar location, 
Austin let out a mirthless laugh. “District Thirteen? Hah, 
Russell, it really is you.”  “Dare to snatch something from me… 
We’ll see who has the last laugh!” …
Locheng, southern district, basement.  Milat looked at his newly repaired phone 
and exhaled a long, heavy breath.There was no trace left online of what had happened that 
night in Guomu Town. Everything had vanished,   as if nothing unusual had occurred there at all. 
But Milat knew all too well that thirty years ago, a branch of the Cult of Immortality had shown 
a keen interest in Guomu Town. In the end,   after losing a Grand Sorcerer, they had been 
forced to retreat and lie low for a while. Now, thirty years later, there was no reason to believe 
they wouldn’t return. By all accounts, something significant must have taken place that night. 
The only thing proven by the current silence was   that the newly established psychic department 
had seized total control over public opinion. As time slipped by, Milat found his connection to 
the seeds of hatred he pursued growing weaker and   weaker. If he couldn’t find the seed of hatred 
left by Deren, he would lose the balance of his emotions and be driven mad by jealousy. 
After much agonizing, Milat finally dug out a long-unused number from his contacts.
“Russell, it’s me, Milat. I need your   help. I… I’m sick, and I need treatment.”
Once he received Russell’s affirmative reply, Milat breathed a long sigh of relief. He 
packed his belongings and set out for the   northern outskirts of Lo City. To be honest, if he 
hadn’t been utterly desperate, he would never have sought out Russell, known to many as the “Mad 
Doctor.” Even within the Cult of Immortality, Russell was a figure everyone feared. For the sake 
of his research, he was willing to go to truly   deranged lengths. Even if he eventually cured you, 
it was perfectly normal to be missing a body part or two afterward. As Russell himself liked to 
say: as long as the patient is still alive, that means his treatment was a success!
The chaos in the hospital lobby came to an   abrupt halt when Russell returned the sealed bag 
containing the saint’s relics. He paid no heed to the blood and brain matter splattered across 
the floor. Instead, he simply looked at the   receptionist, who had somehow avoided the carnage.
“Call them out to clean up.” Relieved to have survived another day, the 
trembling receptionist immediately dialed the   internal line. In no time, a team of cleaners in 
distinctive silver uniforms appeared from every corner of the lobby. With practiced efficiency, 
they began to scrub the blood-soaked hall, wielding all manner of cleaning tools. The sound 
of high-pressure hoses soon filled the air as they filled black plastic bags with flesh and gore, 
scrubbing bits of flesh from the cracks in the   tiles and tossing them into the bags. After 
spraying the floor with polish and freshener, the lobby’s surface was once again spotless.
Now Ember finally understood the lingering   stench of blood he’d noticed when he first got 
out of the car. Russell had clearly been using the hospital’s doctors and nurses as disposable test 
subjects for his experiments. And yet, this very Russell was actually the director of District 
Thirteen’s hospital? For someone with nerves   of steel like him, there must be something truly 
exceptional about Russell.Only in this way could the Psychic Energy Department afford to indulge 
Russell’s behavior. Calamity and suffering—Russell surely counts as a severe hazard.
Once the professional cleanup team had   left the scene, Russell finally called in a new 
squad of nurses. This time, however, the nurses were obviously well-prepared. They lined up in 
a long formation, one after another, led by a blind woman tapping ahead with a cane. The nurses 
following behind had sewn their eyes and mouths shut with needle and thread, and their ear canals 
were sealed with glue. Their very appearance   declared: see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.
Witnessing this, Ash found it hard to imagine what kind of people would willingly take on such work. 
Sensing Ash’s confusion, Russell, for reasons   unknown, took the initiative to explain once more:
“They all owe me their lives. As payment, they must serve me for a year. After that, 
they’re free. With today’s medical technology,   these are only minor injuries. Trading a 
little pain for a whole life is a bargain.” Ash nodded in agreement, but inwardly 
he couldn’t approve of such methods.   District Thirteen could easily follow the Psychic 
Department’s example and install magical wards to block the influence within the base. But 
District Thirteen insisted on sending people   in instead… Wait—perhaps this was intentional? 
Realization dawned on Ash, and he looked up at Russell. From the calm depths of Russell’s gaze, 
Ash found his answer. This was all by design. Just then, a phone rang. Russell pulled 
out his mobile, listened for a moment,   murmured a couple of acknowledgments, 
and hung up. Then he turned to Ash: “Your assignment is complete. However, 
someone has exchanged your reward for a   chance at treatment. I hear you want to 
rid yourself of your vampire bloodline?” Ash understood that Sasha had pulled some strings 
for this opportunity. Still, he couldn’t help   feeling skeptical about Russell’s claim to 
cure vampirism. It wasn’t that Ash doubted the director’s skill, but if a cure truly existed, 
surely the Tulip Territory of the vampires   would have become a land of humans by now.
“That’s right. Do you have any experience with this, Director Russell?”
Russell adjusted his glasses,   a touch of fervor coloring his words:
“Of course. I once treated a patient who also wished to be free of their vampire 
blood. But back then, I lacked experience,   so in the end, I only cured half of him. Now, 
I believe I can cure you completely. It’s just that I have a lot of patients lately—your 
treatment will have to wait its turn.”  Only cured half of him? For some reason, an 
image of Gillette surfaced in Ash’s mind—the man he’d seen in Orchard Town, handsome on 
one side, hideous on the other. At the time,   Ash hadn’t had the leisure to dwell on the cause; 
he’d only cared about helping Lina fulfill her wish.Thinking back on it now, it was always 
rather odd for a vampire to have a face that was   half handsome and half grotesque. Could it be that 
Russell’s very first vampire patient was Gillette, and that’s why half of Gillette’s body became 
human, only to have that human part destroyed   in a tragic accident? The more Embers pondered 
this, the more plausible it seemed. He decided he needed to keep a close eye on Russell. After 
all, he now had the perfect excuse to stay. He could also use this opportunity to investigate 
the whereabouts of that ravenous blood spirit.  So Embers deliberately spoke up, 
“Is that so? Director Russell, would you mind having another assistant?”
“I’d like to help you finish some of the   surgeries more quickly. That way, perhaps 
my place in line can move up a bit.” A trace of surprise flickered in Russell’s eyes. 
Someone volunteering to be his assistant? After losing thirteen assistants in a row, it had 
been many years since anything like that had   happened. To him, an assistant was more like a 
consumable resource. Whenever something dangerous needed doing, it was only natural to send the 
assistant—after all, if the doctor himself died,   who would be left to heal the sick?
So for someone as bold as Embers to make such an offer, Russell could hardly refuse. 
A vampire assistant ought to be more durable   than those fragile human ones, surely.
“I do indeed need a reliable assistant,” Russell replied. “Since you’re 
volunteering, come with me.”  Embers nodded, quite satisfied with this 
outcome. Russell seemed equally pleased. It was, in essence, a win-win situation.
…  Under Russell’s guidance, Embers was soon 
presented with his very first task as an assistant: an MRI scan for Amy. This was… 
rather strange. Embers knew perfectly well that Amy had been chosen by a demon. So 
what was the point of an MRI? Was it an   attempt to explain theology with science?
Catching sight of Embers’ confusion, Russell pointed to the comparative brain images on the 
screen and said, “Do you see the shadows here?”  “Any structure touched by the extraordinary 
will be different from that of ordinary people.” “If you wish to contain powers that 
set you apart, naturally there will be   differences in your body as well.”
“That’s what the MRI is for.” Embers frowned, instinctively sensing it 
wasn’t that simple. “If that’s the case,   wouldn’t it be possible to rid Amy of her 
possession by surgically removing this mass?” Clang! A gleaming scalpel landed in 
front of Embers, tossed there by Russell.  “Exactly. So I’m leaving it to you.”
Embers was caught off guard. “Right now?” Russell let out a short, dry laugh. “What else? 
Find the problem, remove the problem—isn’t that what a doctor is supposed to do?”
“If you want to be my assistant,   then you should ask less and do more.”
“Go on, let me see if you’re truly up to the job.” With a thoughtful look, Embers picked up the 
scalpel, pushed the surgical cart, and stepped   into the open MRI chamber.Russell watched as the 
heavy doors slowly closed, then lifted a voice recorder to his lips. “Direct excision experiment 
number 302. Subject: Level Three Black-Eyed Demon. Surgeon: Bloodline Demon Hunter.”
With that brief introduction,   Russell lowered his hand and peered through 
the observation window into the room. Was excision truly a permanent solution to 
possession? Past experiments had already proven   that it was. Yet each surgery was inevitably 
a grisly affair. In this context, it was the operating doctor who faced the bloodshed.
Because when you set out to excise a parasite,   it’s no different from preparing to kill the 
possessing entity itself. Sensing danger, that entity would always fight 
back with desperate ferocity.  Ordinary doctors, mere mortals, stood no 
chance against such supernatural power. But after so many experiments, Russell 
had distilled a wealth of experience.  An excision was both a gamble and an 
opportunity. If the surgeon could strike a deal with the demon inside, they could 
become a controlled vessel—a human host   wielding demonic power. In future procedures, 
these doctors could then use demonic strength to fight demons themselves, making it possible 
to successfully excise the malignant growths.  But, as always, there was a price.
With each use of demonic power, these doctors inched ever closer to the abyss.
Some of them became secret weapons for the   Department of Psyche, while others ended up as 
near-permanent patients within District Thirteen. This time, however, Russell had chosen not 
to “cultivate” another demon vessel as he   usually did. He wanted to see what Ember was 
truly capable of. That was why he was giving Ember the chance to lead the operation.
After all, ordinary assistants were no   longer worthy of working for him.
If Ember wished to stay, he would have to prove himself by passing this demonic 
trial—Russell would accept nothing less than a   satisfactory answer.
… As the doors of the MRI chamber sealed shut, Ember 
found himself once again face-to-face with Amy. She wore only a simple hospital gown, but 
her limbs and chest were strapped with sealed   pouches—each containing relics of saints.
These relics radiated a sacred power, strong enough to suppress the 
demon within and keep Amy lucid.  And for now, it was working.
Tears welled up in Amy’s eyes as she looked at Ember, her voice frail. “Doctor, 
I feel so much better. The hallucinations and voices—they’re all gone.”
“Does this mean I can go home?”  Ember, masked, shook his head. He reached for 
a syringe lying on the trolley beside him. The moment Amy saw the needle—long as a middle 
finger—her pupils contracted and then dilated in a rapid flicker. The delicate vulnerability 
faded from her face, replaced by… was it pleasure? Ember glanced at the wish panel, now shifting 
before his eyes, and the truth dawned on him. So that was it.
Amy was more than just a   victim of possession—she was also a patient 
with split personalities. She had two souls living inside her own.Whenever something happened 
that filled the main personality with terror,   this masochistic alter would emerge. No wonder 
the alter had formed such a sinister alliance with the demon haunting her. It seemed her quest for 
immortality through suffering was no empty boast. “You’re going to give me anesthesia?”
“That won’t be necessary;   I can handle this level of pain.”
Watching the smile bloom on Amy’s face, Ash considered for a moment, then set aside the 
syringe and reached for the scalpel instead. Since   Amy herself insisted, why shouldn’t he oblige her?
As the silver blade pressed against Amy’s skull, her smile grew ever more unrestrained. So—she 
wanted a craniotomy? Splendid. A craniotomy without anesthesia was pure agony. Yet as Amy’s 
face contorted in pain, her eyes shone with a deep, twisted satisfaction. Only endless 
pain could attract the demon’s favor. Only with the demon’s power could she hope to attain 
immortality. That was why she mutilated herself; that was why the demon stayed within her.
Amy’s consciousness, fulfilled, sank into the depths, as another, alien presence began to 
awaken. With each careful cut of Ash’s scalpel, Amy’s pupils quietly darkened until they 
were pitch black. Suddenly, the saint’s   relics bound to Amy’s body began to sprout black 
spots. In no time, the dry, sealed pouches were filled with a foul, reeking black liquid.
Ash, who had glimpsed the growth inside, now felt an immense resistance. The scalpel, 
which had been slicing deeper, was slowly   forced back, as if against a surging tide.
A strange, unsettling smile spread across “Amy’s” face as she lay strapped to the bed. Then, 
with a sudden jerk, she tore her own arm free and swung the bloody stump straight at Ash’s head.
The blood droplets flying through the air twisted   into sharp blades, whistling with a piercing 
wind as they hurtled toward him. This time, the demon had no intention of relying on its 
usual psychic assaults. It had already lost a   fragment of its soul inside Ash’s mind, and that 
fragment was trapped, unable to return. Thus, it had no way of knowing what had transpired 
inside Ash’s mental world. But it was sure   of one thing: if it could split open Ash’s 
skull, it would find the answer it sought! Just as the blood-forged sword—like something from 
a vampire legend—was about to pierce Ash’s head, the demon’s arm froze midair, and its 
entire body seemed suddenly paralyzed,   as if shackled by invisible bonds.
Witchcraft! This one wasn’t just a vampire—he was a sorcerer, too! Ha, she’d slaughtered at least a 
hundred, if not a thousand, witches in her time. These so-called binds were nothing but contests 
of willpower. And as a demon, her psychic might far surpassed any creature of the mortal realm!
She was preparing to marshal her mind and shatter   these restraints, when suddenly Ash sighed. In 
the next instant, wisps of black smoke twisted into chains and coiled tightly around her, 
draining her vast psychic power in a heartbeat.  A curse on the mind! Damn it! This curse was 
far more insidious than the earlier psychic bonds!Before the demon could break its chains, 
it suddenly realized its connection to Amy’s   body had been severed. It had been cut off! In 
the next dizzying instant, it was hurled into a transparent jar inscribed with a Solomon’s seal. 
The demon, now reduced to a cloud of black smoke, thrashed furiously against the glass, but it 
was all in vain. Realizing it was trapped, the demon finally calmed down. Left with 
only its perception, it could now “see” more:   in the shadow cast by Amy’s raised hand, a 
monkey was mirroring the same gesture. That was it! Damn that Soul-Stealing Monkey! It had 
locked it down for just a split second—just long enough for Ember to seize the opportunity 
to finish the curse, splitting it apart!  But for the demon, losing its vessel was hardly 
the end; it was no true death. Ember didn’t have the power to destroy it. What’s more, its bond 
with Amy was far more intricate than Ember could imagine. From the very start, it wasn’t the 
demon that had chosen Amy—it was Amy who had summoned the demon! All it needed was for Amy to 
recover, to call it forth again through pain, and   it could break free from this place! With a cold 
sneer in its heart, the black-eyed demon stopped struggling and settled quietly inside the jar.
Seeing the demon had ceased its resistance,   Ember—who no longer craved sweet-and-sour 
pork—let out a sigh. To win Russell’s trust, he had sacrificed his favorite dish. 
This demon belonged to him now!  Inside the observation room, Russell had watched 
Ember’s every move. He couldn’t help but frown. At first, everything had unfolded exactly as he’d 
expected. But from the moment the Soul-Stealing Monkey appeared, events began to spiral into 
the unknown. Russell recognized that monkey, and he understood just how much impact such a 
crudely made Soul-Stealing Monkey could have.   He also knew that a Class III Disaster-level demon 
was far too powerful for such a monkey to control. Russell had experienced firsthand the formidable 
mental strength of demons. Even the gentlest   among them could shred a Soul-Stealing Monkey 
to bits, let alone one of this magnitude. So, in his original plan, even with the monkey’s 
help, Ember’s scalpel would never have been able   to excise the black-smoke growth so smoothly. The 
expected outcome was not Ember stitching up Amy’s skull, but rather the demon and Ember striking a 
new bargain after Amy’s vessel was destroyed, with   the demon taking up residence in Ember’s body. 
Ember, as a vampire, would become the demon’s new host—a perfect subject for Russell’s observation.
But now, the demon that should have been a force   of chaos sat obediently inside the sealed jar, 
while Ember calmly stitched up Amy’s head wound. Once the operation was done, Ember gestured 
toward the one-way mirror. The heavy door   slid open with a slow, deliberate motion.
Russell stood inside, regarding Ember for a long moment. At last, he extended 
his hand and said, “You truly are a   most capable assistant.”“Hand him over to me. For 
the next few days, you’ll work under my command.” Ash shook his head and tossed the jar 
containing the demon into the gluttonous   storage pouch. “According to the rules of 
demon hunters, whoever solves the problem has the right to claim the spoils.”
“So, by reason and by rule,   this thing should belong to me, shouldn’t it?”
Russell didn’t get angry when he saw Ash simply pocket the demon jar. He knew perfectly 
well that a jar like that could never   truly imprison a demon. Only by using 
a human as a vessel could one trap a demon until the end of its natural lifespan.
As for killing a demon—yes, there were ways,   but there was no need. As long as original sin 
exists in the world, demons will continue to emerge, endlessly. And as long as the boundaries 
between the realms remain unstable, demons will always find chances to slip into the human world.
For some, this was a disaster; but for Russell, it was an opportunity—a chance 
to glimpse true immortality.  That’s why he would never let 
a demon escape from his grasp. Russell stared at the storage pouch in Ash’s 
hand, contemplating whether he should simply   bury Ash here and now. After all, the demon that 
escaped at the end could always take the blame. Just then, Russell’s phone rang.
He glanced at the caller’s name and,   after a moment’s hesitation, decided to let 
Ash go for now. In any case, if Ash wanted to return to human form, he would eventually have 
to come to him. And once Ash was in his hands, there would be countless ways to deal with him.
Russell picked up the call, exchanged a few   brief words, and then looked back at Ash.
“Come with me. There’s a new patient.” “Maybe you can learn something from 
him—find a way to become human again.”  A new patient? Another vampire?
Puzzled, Ash followed Russell and soon saw the so-called new patient in the 
hospital lobby—or rather, an old acquaintance.  [Milat]
[Wish: Gather all the materials and forge the Eternal Heart.]
…  Having used Russell’s connections to 
get into District Thirteen Hospital, Milat waited anxiously at the front desk. He had 
realized that he was beginning to envy Russell. Why was it that both of them were 
followers of the Church of Immortality,   yet he could only be a demon hunter while Russell 
commanded the entire District Thirteen Hospital? Why was Russell now an elder of the Church, while 
he, having returned, was forced to fight alone? Why, why, why…
A thousand resentments   threatened to split Milat’s head in two, when at 
last he heard Russell’s unmistakable footsteps. The noise in his mind quieted slightly, and as 
he looked up, he saw the one person Lucen would   never forget—his mortal enemy, Ash.
Lucen’s long-dormant soul fragment erupted within him, and Milat’s entire 
being radiated a disturbing aura.  A murderous intent began to 
rise, simmering and spreading. Seeing Milat’s expression, Russell 
frowned and rebuked him in a low voice:  “You can’t even keep your own soul in check 
now?”Russell’s voice seemed to carry a strange power, and in an instant, it cleared the 
bloodshot haze from Milat’s eyes. Milat quickly averted his gaze from Ember. He knew that Ember 
must have recognized Lucen as well. But surely, Ember couldn’t understand why he would appear 
in Lucen’s form. Not intending to say much,   Milat lowered his voice and said, 
“Russell, could we talk in private?” Russell glanced thoughtfully at Ember, then 
nodded, gesturing for Milat to follow him. Ember, left standing where he was, watched Milat 
walk away without the slightest confusion   in his eyes. After all, the wish panel stated 
plainly that this man was indeed the Milat whom Carla had searched for so desperately.
As for why this fellow would appear with Lucen’s   face, it was most likely some trick to return from 
the dead in another’s body. So, was the precedent Russell just mentioned actually Milat himself? Did 
they want Ember to follow in Milat’s footsteps and use the same trick to rid himself of the vampiric 
bloodline? It was, in theory, a solution. But   the real issue remained—the right vessel for 
Ember’s soul would be nearly impossible to find. Moreover, from Milat’s wish, it was clear that 
he struggled with the same problem as Ember:   the soul and the body could not be joined in 
perfect harmony. Only the Heart of Eternity could truly resolve this hidden danger.
This was getting interesting. Since both were   seekers of the Heart of Eternity, then perhaps 
Milat possessed something Ember needed. At this thought, a flash of murderous intent passed 
through Ember’s eyes. After all, just moments ago, Milat had, for some unknown reason, shown him the 
same murderous intent. That meant Milat, by some means, had discovered Ember was also pursuing the 
Heart of Eternity. That must be why he had pulled Russell aside for a private conversation.
And Ember’s earlier act of keeping the   demon jar for himself had surely left a 
bad impression on Russell. In that case, he’d have to strike first! Find an opportunity to 
get rid of Milat, then pin the blame on the demon sealed inside the jar. That way, even if Russell 
suspected something, he would have nothing on him.  With this plan forming in his mind, 
Ember quietly slipped out the jar containing the demon. He tapped on the lid 
and whispered, “Hey, want to make a deal?”  The demon inside, hearing this, swirled up 
in black smoke and formed a mocking smile. “You call me ‘brother’ when you want something? 
That’s never a good sign!” To trust the words of a demon’s agent? Only if the gates of Hell flew 
open and Heaven itself fell would that happen. “Oh? Not interested in talking?” Ember said 
congenially. “Well, that’s too bad. I guess I’ll just hand you over to the Lyon brothers.”
“I hear they’re experts at sending demons   back to Hell. Who knows when—or 
if—you’ll ever get out again.” The Lyon brothers? Of course, the demon had 
heard of those infamous siblings. They had,   after all, made the ludicrous vow to make even the 
yellow-eyed princes of Hell pay for their crimes. Truth be told, if not for the express orders of 
the yellow-eyed demon, it would have killed those   brothers dozens of times over by now.But Ember was 
right—those two brothers did have a way to send it back to that dull and tedious hell. And indeed, 
the rift between hell and the human world was not easy to find. It had managed to escape once with 
great difficulty, so of course it had no desire to return and experience such a monotonous existence 
again. As for striking a deal with Ember… that was absolutely out of the question. There was 
no harm in pretending to go along, but to   actually trust Ember? If it were that gullible, 
all these years would have been for nothing! “You’re ruthless enough! Tell 
me, what do you want me to do?”  Ember smiled, then pointed to the two 
people standing at the edge of the hall. “Do you see them? Those two 
are plotting against us.”  “When the time comes, I’ll need you to 
weave a perfect dream for the one called Milat. Let him believe he’s achieved his 
heart’s desire, and that will be enough.”  “In return, I’ll set you free.”
Inside the jar, the black smoke representing the demon’s soul flickered 
for a moment, as if pondering.  “Are you serious?”
Ember nodded. “I mean it.”
Noticing that Ember hadn’t   mentioned a contract from beginning to end, the 
demon felt certain that both sides were prepared to break their verbal promises at any moment. With 
a sinister air, it spelled out a shaky ‘YES’—and thus, a fragile verbal alliance was formed.
[Contract established]  …?
The demon, still in its smoky form, suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Why 
did it feel the binding force of a contract? It   had only given a verbal promise—how could that 
have any real effect? It couldn’t understand! “What did you do?”
Watching the smoke form those words,   Ember didn’t reply. He only smiled and tossed 
the jar back into the gluttonous storage pouch. While red-eyed demons excelled at bargaining, 
black-eyed demons clearly lacked a bit of wit.   Without the constraints of a contract, could Ember 
really trust such a fickle creature? Of course not. So a contract was necessary—and his contracts 
required no signature at all. Even if there were loopholes he didn’t know about, as long as this 
demon called Rutz was bound to trap Milat in an   illusion, that was enough.
… Meanwhile, as Ember and Rutz 
whispered their schemes,   Milat and Russell had begun a conversation 
of their own—this one centered around Ember. Milat first soothed the restless 
lingering soul of Lucen,   then turned to Russell and spoke with frankness:
“Although I’ve broken free from the bloodline, I can’t keep this vessel alive for long.”
“So I want to use the Seven Deadly Sins   as a foundation to forge an Eternal Heart.”
“But the Seed of Hatred that Deren promised me was stolen. Now, I’m unbalanced.”
“I can barely contain the jealousy   inside me… Right now, I just want to wipe 
out everyone who’s better off than I am!” “You’re the only one who can help me now!”
Russell regarded Milat with a stony expression   for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and 
cast a cloud of shimmering dust over him.Milat’s fingers twitched ever so slightly, but 
he quickly suppressed the urge to act.  Then Russell drew a gentle breath, inhaling all 
the dust that contained Milat’s information. After savoring it carefully, Russell 
confirmed that Milat was telling the truth.  The jealousy within Milat truly 
had fallen out of balance. Building an Eternal Heart from the Seven 
Deadly Sins was a theory once proposed by   a mad demon-worshipper of the Cult of Immortality.
Yet in reality, everyone who embarked on this path ended up descending into utter madness.
After all, to embody all seven sins was   to become the most wicked being in the world—how 
could anyone hope to maintain their sense of self? Milat dared to do this most likely because 
he possessed some secret, unknown method.  Thinking of this, a glimmer of 
intrigue shone in Russell’s eyes. While physical immortality was 
not true eternity, there might   still be something he could learn from it.
Moreover, the thing Milat desperately needed was not exclusively possessed by Deren—Russell 
himself happened to have it as well.  “All right,” Russell said, “I 
can help you restore balance.” “I happen to have a blood spirit among my 
patients that embodies the essence of Gluttony.”  “I’ll erase its consciousness, make a gluttony 
seed from it, and implant it in your body.” “Then I’ll use holy bone to make 
precise adjustments between the two,   achieving equilibrium.”
“So, the final question is—what will you pay for this treatment?”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch   in this world; to gain something, 
one must always give something up. This, Milat understood perfectly well.
Though he truly could not afford Russell’s   fee, Ash certainly could!
Milat’s gaze fell on Ash, who stood in the distance with his head 
lowered, and he let out a low chuckle:  “He’s the one who snatched the 
Seed of Hatred from Deren.” “If he managed to take down Deren, he must be 
carrying more than just the Seed of Hatred.”  “I know you’re being monitored by the 
Psychic Division and can’t act openly.” “But if you simply arrange for me to be 
alone with him, I have my own ways of   dealing with him. All I want is the Seed 
of Hatred—everything else you can keep!” Hearing this, a flicker of 
surprise crossed Russell’s face.  Ash had actually stolen the 
Seed of Hatred from Deren? Russell knew all too well what 
kind of power Deren possessed.  As a black warlock who feared nothing, 
Deren had even abandoned his human body, opting instead for a beastly form that, by 
ordinary standards, was hideous to behold.  But such a sacrifice surely 
brought formidable strength. Those bestial bodies were not only 
excellent sacrificial materials,   but also came with strange and varied powers.
Defeating Deren was not impossible, but erasing him completely was another matter entirely.
Without killing Deren, there was no way   to seize the Seed of Hatred.
Yet Ash looked no more than a young man, barely past youth.
Whether vampire or warlock,   both required time to grow truly fearsome.
So, if Milat was telling the truth, Ash must have a powerful ally in the shadows.
Still, since Milat was so eager to deal with Ash, Russell was more than willing to watch silently 
from behind the scenes.If Ember truly has an   accomplice, then it’s no harm for him to retreat 
for now. After all, his main objective isn’t the Heart of Eternity; for him, the Heart is merely an 
intriguing side pursuit. But if Ember has no ally, he wouldn’t mind kicking someone when 
they’re down, dissecting the whole   affair to search for any abnormalities.
With this decision made, Russell nodded in agreement with Mirat’s approach. “He wants to shed 
his bloodline identity with me,” Russell said. “So you don’t have to worry about him leaving 
right away.” “Let me stabilize your emotions   first—otherwise, I can’t be sure whether the fire 
of jealousy in your heart might burn elsewhere.” Mirat gave a dry laugh but said nothing. After 
all, the thought of killing Russell and taking   his place had indeed flashed through his mind. 
Of course, this wasn’t his true intention; it was all the influence of the 
seed of jealousy. That had to be it!  With the matter settled, the two returned 
together. Russell waved Ember over, his tone casual as if nothing was amiss. “Amy 
should be awake now. Go check on her condition.” Check on Amy? Watching Mirat and Russell walk 
away, Ember narrowed his eyes. He felt a prickle of unease. By reason and by sentiment, Russell 
wouldn’t send his assistant away at a time like this. Moreover, while he and Mirat had no old 
quarrel, Mirat’s hostility toward him was obvious. Perhaps this was the work of Lucen’s residual 
soul. After all, back when Ember didn’t truly   understand what it meant to kill both body and 
soul, he’d failed to completely obliterate Lucen. If Lucen was still influencing Mirat’s mind, 
then Mirat’s desire to kill him made sense. But then again, Mirat’s murderous intent might 
also stem from their shared pursuit of the   Seven Sins vessel. If that was the case, the 
werewolf attack in Guomu Town became a logical move. Coren had been dead set on snatching 
the Seed of Hatred from him. At the time,   he suspected the Church of Immortality wanted to 
reclaim the Seed, which was why Coren was sent. However, when he later encountered Austin, the 
great wizard of the Church, Austin showed no   interest in the Seed of Hatred whatsoever. 
Looking back now, it seemed likely that the werewolf Coren was acting on Mirat’s orders.
So, was Mirat also a member of the Church of Immortality? And what about Russell? 
Could Russell, who so readily listened   to Mirat, be part of the Church too? Had the 
Church already infiltrated the inner workings of the Psyonic Division, with its members holding 
high positions in the crucial Thirteenth District?  Apparently, immortality still holds 
irresistible allure for some people. And it’s no wonder—compared to supernatural beings, human 
lifespans are painfully short. There will always   be those who, standing at death’s door, abandon 
the ideals they’ve clung to all their lives. Only the new blood keeps its fervor forever.
After mulling this over, Ember set down the   phone he’d intended to use to call Sasha. Matters 
like this couldn’t be rashly investigated. If he exposed himself, he’d become the number 
one target on the Psyonic Division’s most   wanted list.It would be better to play along and 
pretend not to know anything. That way, at least, things wouldn’t spiral into total destruction. 
“Russell, Milat…” Ember murmured to himself with a faint smile. After all, the Thirteenth District 
wasn’t the only place where people had allies.  …
Thirteenth District, hospital ward. Lying in her hospital bed, Amy felt a peace she 
hadn’t known in a long time. As a wealthy heiress, her life had always gone smoothly, so smooth 
that she felt it had lost all its flavor. Those wild nights of reckless indulgence, 
once the morning came, always turned   out to be nothing special after all.
It wasn’t until that night at a party, when someone suggested playing an 
unusually realistic spirit-calling game,   that things changed. Out of curiosity, she joined 
in, grasping her friend’s hand as they all held onto a pen together. One by one, the pen tore 
open their innermost secrets before their eyes. That was when she realized there was a side of the 
world she had never glimpsed before. Ever since, she became obsessed, trying every midnight game 
she could find, driven by a feverish longing. At last, one day, she received the answer she 
had been so desperately seeking. She whispered “YES” to that unknown presence.
And then, her nightmare began.  From that day forward, she would often see spiders 
the size of a human head crawling across her body, and sometimes she’d catch sight of a black 
snake slithering up her trouser leg. In terror,   she would strike herself, using anything sharp 
she could find to keep the spiders at bay, but her parents only saw her as losing her mind.
The endless hallucinations drove her to madness: she killed her beloved dog, murdered the servant 
who had cared for her since childhood, and nearly took the life of her own mother. Overwhelmed 
with guilt, she stopped eating altogether, hoping to starve out the presence inside her.
But every morning when she awoke, she’d find   the bed beside her littered with the corpses 
of wild animals, all bearing the marks of having been gnawed. Her own body would be 
smeared with blood, and she’d even find   tangled feathers wedged between her teeth.
The creatures lying beside her grew larger and larger, until one day, she awoke to find 
a human body next to her—a body, broken and incomplete. That was the day she finally broke.
Her parents, desperate, turned to strange and mysterious people for help. After hearing 
her story, they first strapped her into   a restrictive jacket, then stuffed a bag 
of odd bones against her chest. At last, the spiders vanished from her sight, but those 
who had taken her away began to lose their minds,   one by one, for reasons no one could explain.
Eventually, she was moved to an underground facility, where her life was sustained by tubes 
connected to her body. She resigned herself to   dying there, but unexpectedly, 
she was taken away once more. This time, she finally met a young man who 
did not go mad. He brought her to a hospital   and used a silver scalpel to cure her illness. 
She felt grateful to him, but when she awoke, he was gone, and she never saw him again.
The nurses here were either deaf or mute,   so her questions went unanswered. All she 
could do was count the drops of dark green liquid falling from the drip, measuring time as 
it passed, to fill the endless emptiness of her   days.At that moment, the door to the hospital 
room was pushed open, flooding the space with light from outside—so dazzling it was almost 
like a glimpse of heaven. And finally, she saw the man who had saved her from disaster: Ashes. 
This name appeared in her mind out of nowhere, as though he could be called nothing else. But 
she couldn’t explain why. Without thinking,   she blurted out his name, “Ashes, you’re here?”
Hearing his true name, a flash of surprise crossed Ashes’ eyes. Out in the world, he always went by 
the alias “Cinder.” Very few people knew his real name; only the demon called Luz had learned 
it somehow. For Amy to call him that—did it mean their memories were actually linked? Demons 
were known to lie, but the Amy before him now,   restored to herself, was unlikely to 
do so. Besides, Ashes could see the unreserved admiration shining in the girl’s eyes.
“Yes. Amy, how are you feeling now?” he asked gently, taking a seat in the companion’s chair.
Amy instinctively grabbed the blanket,   shielding the mottled wounds on her body before 
she answered, “I—I’m feeling much better now.” Ashes nodded, his voice soft, “Do 
you remember anything? For example,   the demon that possessed you…”
At the mention of the word “demon,” Amy shuddered. It was clear that she 
remembered something. But she was unwilling to   revisit those grim memories; she had locked 
them away in the mind of another self. All she knew was that she must never touch those 
memories—they would drag her back into despair.  “Ashes, Ashes, can we talk about 
something else…?” she pleaded. Hearing her earnest request, Ashes felt a 
pang of sympathy—but he knew what needed to   be done. Kindness alone was not enough to 
accomplish his purpose. Steeling himself, he pulled out the jar that held Luz.
Amy stared at the swirling black mist   inside the jar, showing no reaction at first. But 
then, suddenly, Luz transformed into a mass of tiny spiders, crawling and writhing to fill every 
inch of the jar. Amy’s eyes widened in shock, her pupils shrinking. In the next instant, her 
face settled into an expression of indifference. Unbothered, she yanked the IV from her 
arm, pressing the fine needle into her   skin to savor the pain, all the while speaking 
calmly, “Go on, ask what you want to know.” Seeing the calm on Amy’s face, Ashes realized 
that the personality who thrived on suffering   had returned. This version of her fed on pain; 
the agony of her memories meant nothing to her. In fact, when she hurt herself, those 
same memories became the perfect seasoning, giving her a new, twisted pleasure.
“When did you join the Cult   of Immortality?” Ashes asked.
As if the needle wasn’t enough, Amy pressed her fingertip—apparently numb to pain—into the 
groove of a bed bolt, twisting hard to unscrew it. “You mean that? Ha! Where do you think 
all those séances came from in the first   place?”“It was, of course, the Church of 
Immortality who leaked this on purpose.” “I want to play more real, more thrilling games, 
and naturally the only way is to join the Church.” “Do you like this tattoo? I did it myself.”
Amy paused in her dismantling, raising her bloody, mangled fingers to point at the pale 
chest, where an ouroboros was inked.  Ember did not reply. He simply shook the 
jar in his hand, swirling the contents—Luz, who had dissolved into countless tiny 
spiders—back into a cloud of black smoke.  “What about that one?”
Amy smiled faintly and continued unscrewing the bolts from the bed frame.
“There are many kinds of demons.   Summoning them isn’t difficult.”
“But if you want a demon to possess you, you have to find those demon souls that 
have escaped into the mortal world.”  “In that sense, I suppose I’m lucky—I 
found the one that feeds on pain.” “As long as my suffering is enough, 
it will grant me eternal life.”  With these words, Amy twisted out 
another screw, its grooves slick with blood. She stared at it for a moment, 
then a strange smile crept across her face.  In the next instant, Amy drove the screw hard into 
her own brow, twisting it in with brutal force. Her temple throbbed violently. Amy closed her 
eyes, a look of deep satisfaction settling over her face. Then she opened her eyes and 
gazed at Luz, still trapped in Ember’s jar. “What do you think? Is that pain enough?”
Before Luz could answer, Amy slammed her forehead into the wall with vicious force.
Bang!  The screw sank fully into Amy’s forehead.
Blood trickled down her cheek as she turned and grinned, her voice almost playful:
“How about now? Is that enough?”  A faint, almost imperceptible 
cracking sound was the only reply. Ember looked down. He saw a hairline fracture 
had appeared on the demon’s jar. For a moment, time seemed frozen—then the crack 
spread rapidly in all directions.  Crack—crack—
With a sharp bang, the jar shattered. Black smoke billowed forth.  Freed at last, Luz circled Ember with arrogant 
delight before plunging straight into Amy’s mouth. Amy tilted her head back, and as the smoke 
poured into her, her eyes turned a solid,   bottomless black once more.
Luz cocked its head at Ember, a sinister grin twisting its face.
“Now I’m free—the contract means nothing anymore.” “After all, my freedom has 
nothing to do with you.”  But Ember, who had anticipated all of 
this, showed no sign of panic. He simply pointed toward the door.
“Are you truly free?”  “I promise you—step outside this room, and you’ll 
be captured again, sealed away, just like before.” “This time, though, without 
my help, you’ll never escape.”  Luz’s triumphant grin faltered; for the first 
time, uncertainty crossed its face. Ember’s words rang uncomfortably true. After all, only 
an idiot like Ember would bring it before its original vessel—would even provoke the vessel’s 
alternate personality just to set it free.  Wait a minute! This was beginning 
to sound suspiciously like a set-up. Recalling Ember’s identity as a demon’s agent, 
Luz’s unease deepened. Was it possible he’d just walked straight into a trap?Can a demon’s 
agent really be foolish? Especially one who’s managed to seal themselves away, even if only 
temporarily? With suspicion clouding his mind, Lutz glanced up at Ash and asked in a low 
voice, “What exactly are you trying to do?”  Ash shrugged. “Like I said, I 
just need a small favor from you.” “Weave a perfect dream for that Milat, and I’ll 
set you free. That’s the heart of our contract.” “Of course, if you choose not 
to comply, that’s fine too.”  “In that case, your soul belongs to me. And 
for a being like you, who feeds on suffering, I imagine your soul would be delicious.”
Lutz snorted. “How do you know you’re not   already trapped inside an illusion?”
Ash replied without a hint of concern, “It doesn’t matter. If I am trapped in an 
illusion, you can’t get close to Milat.”  “If you can’t reach Milat, 
you break our contract.” “And then your soul is mine anyway. So why 
should I care whether I’m in a dream or not?”  Lutz was inwardly astounded, stunned by the 
precision of Ash’s logic. This kid really knew how to twist the terms of a contract to his advantage. 
Had Ash not said these things aloud, Lutz might have been able to keep him trapped forever, 
biding his time to erase Ash completely. But   since Ash had put it all out in the open, Lutz had 
no choice but to release him from the illusion. This brat had already secured 
an invincible position.  Lutz had no desire to cooperate with 
someone even more devious than himself. Yet, if he wanted any chance of escaping 
this hospital—which made his entire being   feel uncomfortable—he had to work with Ash.
After running through countless reasons in his mind to persuade himself, Lutz finally 
accepted the reality of their partnership.  “Oh, and one more thing—remember 
not to harm Amy anymore.” “If anyone realizes you’ve possessed her again… 
well, that’s another breach of contract!” Lutz gave another disgruntled 
snort. This damned contract.  Wait, a contract? Why did Ash’s deal require 
no formal signing—just a verbal agreement was enough? Was this truly the kind of bargaining 
ability a Serigia should have? It made no sense! Fixing Ash with a hard stare, Lutz 
understood he would never get the   real answer from him. With no other option, 
Lutz relinquished control, retreating deep into Amy’s consciousness and allowing her 
primary personality to take over once more.  Disoriented, Amy touched the sticky blood on 
her face, fear flickering in her eyes. It was happening again! These self-inflicted wounds—she 
had no memory of doing it! Was the demon back? Why? Hadn’t she been cured?
Panic-stricken,   Amy looked desperately to Ash for help.
Ash sighed softly and picked up a cloth, gently wiping away the blood that 
had nearly dried on Amy’s face.  “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll 
truly cure you,” he said. Amy, not understanding why Ash was 
apologizing, looked up at him with   glimmers of hope in her eyes. “Really?”
“Really.”[Contract Established] … Amy gave a sweet smile, her gratitude sincere as 
she said, “Thank you. You’re a good person.” Ember, who had just been called a good person 
by Amy, had a flicker of complexity in his eyes. Then, with a swift motion, he struck the back of 
Amy’s neck, rendering her temporarily unconscious. Amy, suddenly struck, went limp and 
collapsed gently into Ember’s arms.  As he looked at the unconscious Amy, 
her brows still furrowed even in sleep, Ember quickly pulled out the nail embedded 
deep between her brows and plugged the wound   with a small piece of the rare Taisui flesh.
Now, Amy looked just as she had when they first met—completely unchanged.
With Amy slung over his back,   Ember paid no heed to the astonished looks 
from the nurses, and strode off in the direction Russell and his companion had gone.
Everything was ready—only the target remained.  District Thirteen, Calamity Ward.
Milat followed behind Russell. The moment they stepped into the corridor, a 
barrage of chilling screams tore through   the air. These were the desperate wails of those 
on the brink of death, and even battle-hardened Milat felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
He knew full well what “Calamity” meant.  Yet, what unsettled him was not these monsters 
tainted by misfortune, but Russell himself. For every scream echoing from the ward 
was orchestrated by Russell’s own hand.  In his relentless quest to unravel the secret of 
immortality from these supernatural creatures, Russell subjected them to 
all manner of experiments.  And those who screamed were the 
unwilling participants in these trials. To call Russell inhuman would 
have been entirely justified.  So, Milat could not be sure that, in the name 
of eternal life, Russell wouldn’t force him to become a permanent resident of one of these rooms.
The fate of the hunted haunted him, and as Milat   saw and heard the ward’s horrors for himself, 
anxiety for his own future gnawed at his heart. Still, if he could obtain the Gluttony Seed as 
Russell promised, then with the power of two sins,   he might just stand a fighting chance.
Steeling his nerves, Milat continued to follow Russell deeper into the facility, 
until they stopped before a special room,   its door carved with intricate runes.
Inside, a doctor in a white lab coat stood at the observation window, scribbling notes.
When he saw Russell approach, a flicker   of fear crossed the doctor’s 
eyes. He quickly stepped aside to yield the prime vantage spot and reported:
“Director Russell, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s   appetite is still increasing. However, when fed 
living creatures, its eating noticeably halts.” “Preliminary analysis suggests that 
the soul and consciousness of living   beings temporarily interfere with the 
Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s feeding.” “In theory, if the soul of a newly fed creature is 
stronger than that of the Gluttonous Blood Spirit,   there’s a possibility it could 
take control of the spirit.” Russell nodded and asked offhandedly, 
“Do you think you could control it?”  At these words, the doctor began to tremble—his 
shaking growing more and more violent by the second.His voice was trembling as well. “D-Dean 
Russell, I… I don’t think I can do this.” Russell nodded once more, then opened the 
door with one hand and, with the other,   shoved the doctor inside. “Then you’ll 
just have to serve as its next meal.” The doctor, with no time to resist, tumbled 
into the room where the ravenous Blood Fiend   was imprisoned, and immediately began pounding 
frantically on the closed door in terror. “Dean Russell, Dean Russell!”
“Please, let me out! Let me out!”  Russell listened to the desperate pleas 
coming from within, utterly unmoved. He’d witnessed scenes like this far too many 
times. Soon, the one begging for mercy   would turn to cursing him. And then, as true 
death approached, their curses would dwindle to barely a whisper, thin as a mosquito’s hum.
But what difference did it make? Just an   ordinary person—did they really believe they 
could curse their enemy like a wizard would, even at the moment of death? Laughable. 
Russell wouldn’t suffer the slightest   harm from such futile maledictions; he would 
only draw from death the knowledge he sought. After all, there’s a vast difference 
between the final acts of someone   utterly clueless and those of a person 
who has spent years studying the habits of monsters when both are pushed to the brink.
Besides, regularly clearing out old staff brought   fresh blood into District Thirteen. Everyone knows 
that new employees demand less, do more, and—most importantly—ignorance makes them fearless!
Russell watched the awakening Blood Fiend coldly. The show was about to begin.
…  The Blood Fiend, dazed and idle from hunger, 
slowly turned its head and fixed its gaze on the doctor, who was now crying out in utter 
panic. Light gradually returned to its eyes, and its mouth—a maw bristling with tongues and 
fangs—opened wide, drooling rivers of saliva. Dinnertime had come.
Hearing the heavy breathing behind him,   the doctor stopped pounding on the door, which 
would never open for him again. He turned around in terror, staring at the monstrous creature 
as it came to life. Over these past days, he’d seen enough to know how utterly the Blood 
Fiend could devour anything placed before it.  He’d always worried that one day the 
creature might break free. That’s why, during his time here, he’d secretly copied 
the runes carved into the walls and,   whenever he could, asked his family 
to send him blessed crucifixes. Now, those were his only hope.
With a trembling hand,   the doctor tore the crucifix from around 
his neck and held it out in front of him. “God protect me, let all evil spirits flee!”
“God protect me, keep all harm at bay!” “God protect me…”
The doctor chanted the prayers   as he understood them, desperately 
hoping to banish the Blood Fiend. But District Thirteen was far too distant from 
heaven. God had other matters to attend to. Soon, the doctor heard the unmistakable 
sound of bones being crunched and chewed.  As he opened his eyes, trembling, his heart 
stopped in an instant.The gluttonous blood spirit, just an arm’s length from him, was munching 
on the blessed crucifix as if it were a snack   before the main course, savoring every bite. 
So much for God’s blessing—what nonsense! The doctor’s heart filled with endless resentment.
Sensing the surge of negative emotion rising from   the doctor, the gluttonous blood spirit stretched 
out its neck and forced the tough crucifix down into its belly. Then its jaws opened to an 
enormously exaggerated extent—much like a snake with its lower jaw hinged by ligaments—and in 
one swift motion, it swallowed the doctor whole. With a heavy gulp, the blood spirit’s powerful 
stomach acid instantly dissolved the doctor into   pure energy. But immediately after, the doctor’s 
soul, now transformed into a vengeful spirit, launched a fierce assault on the blood spirit’s 
dominant consciousness! He knew—he had always   known—that this was his only path to rebirth. For 
the gluttonous blood spirit itself was nothing more than a gathering of many ravenous souls, 
and whoever was strongest would take control. As long as his soul was potent enough, he could 
become the gluttonous blood spirit! And then,   he would devour everything in District Thirteen!
Outside the room, Russell watched as the gluttonous blood spirit fell into a standstill. 
Suddenly, he swung the door open and stepped   inside. Milat, who had hesitated for 
a moment, followed him in as well. He didn’t believe Russell would walk into danger of 
his own accord. If Russell dared to enter now,   he must be completely confident in his plan.
Sure enough, as Russell crossed the threshold, the runes etched into the room began to glow in 
a precise sequence. All the light converged onto   Russell’s hand, and a strange blue flame burst 
into life along his arm. With his hand wrapped in blue fire, Russell reached directly into the 
gaping maw of the gluttonous blood spirit. Then, with a sudden pull, he yanked out 
a long chain of interlinked souls.  These souls, strung together like sausages, 
quickly piled up and filled the entire room. Atop this mound of soul-consciousnesses, 
one figure glared at Russell with poisonous   hatred—it was the doctor from moments before.
Russell ignored the doctor’s look of pure malice, paying it no mind at all. Just as the 
doctor realized, his soul simply wasn’t   strong enough to seize control. So even if his 
consciousness briefly gained the upper hand, he could never drive the blood spirit to 
attack. Not to mention, the blue fire on   Russell’s arm bore its own suppressive power.
Holding the blood spirit’s consciousness in his grasp, Russell gazed at the nearby shell 
of pure gluttony—a body of hunger without any   will or mind left. Calmly, he turned to 
Milat and said, “Go on. It’s yours now.” Milat looked at the now-faded, much more 
ethereal gluttonous blood spirit before him,   his face drawn and grave. Russell’s methods had 
been brutally direct. In essence, it was as if he had simply cut out half a stomach riddled 
with cancer cells. The stomach was still there,   but only half remained.The Gluttonous Blood Spirit 
was still a Gluttonous Blood Spirit, but its soul had been drastically weakened! In other words, 
even if Russell could help Milat achieve a balance   between Envy and Gluttony, it would be at the 
cost of diminishing the energy of Envy’s soul! When Envy was on the verge of 
gaining the power of two sins,   Russell wanted to weaken his strength! That way, 
Russell could control him, and from him, glimpse the secret of immortality! It had to be this 
way! Envious Russell—damn him, truly damn him! A violent surge of emotion 
began to rise in Milat’s heart.  Seeing that Milat remained motionless for 
so long, Russell couldn’t help but frown, quickly sensing that something was off. He had 
seen that shadowed, brooding look on Milat’s   face many times before. That was envy.
The Seven Deadly Sins—of course, they weren’t so easily controlled. Even someone 
as powerful as himself, a master sorcerer, dared not dabble in them lightly. So 
what made Milat believe he could succeed?  A mocking smile appeared on Russell’s face, yet 
he said nothing, quietly waiting for Milat to lose control. After all, he didn’t believe 
Milat would let himself go berserk. Now was   the perfect time to observe Milat’s trump card.
Deliberately, Russell turned his back to Milat, then blew a swirl of shimmering powder at 
the other Gluttonous Blood Spirit, sending   it into an illusion where endless food awaited.
Seeing Russell turn his back, Milat suddenly pulled a sheet of golden-lettered paper from his 
breast, pressing it to his face. His eyes cleared, and before Russell could turn around, 
Milat quickly tucked the paper away.  Russell didn’t know what Milat had just 
done, but he wasn’t in a hurry. After all, this place was monitored around the clock, so he 
simply urged calmly, “What are you waiting for?” “Illusion dust isn’t something you can use 
over and over. It’ll build up a resistance.”  “If it wakes up, you won’t get a 
single scrap of this half of the body.” Having regained his composure, Milat 
glanced at the black grains constantly   shedding from the Gluttonous Blood Spirit. 
He understood—his time was running out. Milat gritted his teeth. So be it, let it be 
weakened; that was better than going mad from   imbalance. The page from the Original Scripture 
could not forever suppress the swelling envy. Unless he found more pages from the Original 
Scripture—but that was clearly impossible now.  Taking a deep breath, Milat stepped into 
the illusory shell of the Gluttonous Blood Spirit. Sensing a host, the spirit’s 
body instantly contracted, burrowing into Milat’s own flesh. Yet it deliberately 
avoided the area over Milat’s chest.  Watching this, Russell grew thoughtful. A holy 
relic? Was Milat using a holy relic to resist the Seven Sins? But what level of sacred artifact 
could counteract the Seven Sins? A creation-level relic, perhaps? Objects like that would drive 
anyone to madness with desire—and Milat possessed one?The corners of Russell’s mouth lifted 
in a faint smile. How interesting. He could barely restrain his urge to check the surveillance 
footage, to finally figure out which relic Milat had acquired. Even if he had no use for that kind 
of thing himself, there would be plenty of people   eager to trade him something he needed for it.
As Russell pondered, Milat—having successfully absorbed the masterless Seed of Gluttony—was 
now shrouded in a swirling aura of blood. The imbalance between the powers of gluttony and 
jealousy had set the World Tree of Jealousy   upon the Seed of Gluttony, slowly 
eroding it. If jealousy succeeded, then this seed would be wasted for nothing!
Suddenly, Milat’s eyes snapped open, glowing crimson, and he fixed Russell with a fierce stare.
“Russell! You gave me your word!” Russell, however, took no offense at Milat’s 
harsh tone. Nor did he make any move to suppress the power of jealousy. On the contrary, he 
summoned a group of deaf and mute nurses, who wheeled in heaps of food. Yet as the 
nurses tried to leave, they found the   door had been silently locked by Russell at some 
point—because they, too, were part of the feast. As for how to choose, that decision was left 
entirely to Milat. Russell was eager to see if   Milat’s years as a demon hunter had changed his 
original ambition—the pursuit of immortality. Veins bulged at Milat’s temples as fury filled his 
eyes. Russell had given him only three choices. The first: do nothing and let the implantation 
of the Seed of Gluttony fail. The second:   devour the gluttonous blood spirit trapped in 
illusion beside him, using his own formidable soul to seize dominance. The third: restore balance 
by drawing strength from the “food” provided, thereby bolstering the power of gluttony.
It was obvious—the third choice was the best.   But if Milat chose that path, he would be 
handing Russell leverage over himself. If Russell ever revealed the truth, Milat would 
instantly become the enemy of all demon hunters! Milat realized at once that Russell 
was forcing him into servitude. Yet   the other two choices posed a threat to 
his very survival. Someone else’s death or his own—Milat swiftly made his choice.
Despairing screams once again filled the   Level-E ward. Milat, who had never intended 
things to end up this way, now found himself, unwittingly, a part of the nightmare. For the 
time being, he became just another resident   of one of the ward’s rooms—a bird in a cage.
Watching Milat licking blood from the walls, three words surfaced in Russell’s mind: Bird in a cage.
To have everything under his control—there was no feeling quite like it. The only problem was 
that his life was far too short; he couldn’t   seize control of more or better things.
With a faint sigh, Russell’s thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ringing of a bell. A 
guard from the Level-E ward was calling to inform   him of a new entry request. Ember, whom he had 
sent to check on Amy, was now seeking him out in the Level-E ward.Russell glanced at Mirat, who was 
still licking the wall, then spoke into his phone: “Let him in.”
…  Ember, who had been stopped at the entrance 
to the Level E ward, soon saw the guard swipe open the security lock. A heavy door inlaid with 
silver runes slowly parted before him. At once, the shrieks and stench of blood trapped 
behind it spilled out into the corridor.  Staring down the empty hallway ahead, Ember 
adjusted Amy on his back and strode decisively inside. It was just a Level E ward—what 
was there to panic about? After all,   he had a Level E-class demon right on his back, 
and wasn’t she now obeying his every word? To be honest, if Ember had to assign himself a rank, 
Disaster-class would be just the starting point!  With Amy on his back, Ember made his way down the 
corridor. Through the observation glass on either side, he could clearly see the beings locked 
inside—humans, ghosts, insects, and even inanimate objects. Strange and varied, each more bizarre 
than the last. Yet, since they were held in the Level E ward, none of them could be taken lightly.
But what made Ember feel truly threatened   was Russell, standing tall outside the special 
containment room. Through the blood-smeared glass, Ember felt his heart sink. He had no idea what 
was going on inside, but he did know one thing: the severed limbs that Mirat was stuffing 
into his mouth had, just fifteen minutes   before, belonged to living, breathing people.
Whatever the reason, this kind of brutality made Ember physically ill. Even if his body had become 
that of a vampire, even if he could sometimes   take the form of a demon, Ember never stopped 
thinking of himself as human—and only human. He didn’t see himself as a good person, 
but to stand by and watch his own kind   be butchered without lifting a finger—that he 
could never do. His fists clenched involuntarily, and as he looked again at the impassive Russell, 
a wild urge to kill surged up in his chest. Russell might not be the mastermind, but he 
was certainly playing an indispensable role.  Kill him!
“Brother Ember, it’s influencing you,” Lana’s soft voice echoed 
in his mind, snapping him back to his senses. Damn that Luz—even now, it was still stirring up 
trouble. If he really started a fight to the death with Russell, Luz would be the only one to profit!
He was no fool. Russell was able to rule District Thirteen—he was no ordinary man. If even his demon 
form couldn’t defeat Russell, his fate would be no better than those pitiful souls inside the ward.
To change all this would take more than a single   day. First comes strength—then everything else. 
Otherwise, he’d end up as nothing more than dust, powerless to do anything more.Ember took a deep 
breath to steady his emotions, meeting Russell’s gaze. “Something’s wrong. The abnormal growth from 
last time might not have been completely removed, and she still has self-harming tendencies.”
“I had no choice but to knock   her out and keep her with me.”
“After all, if she goes mad in the general ward, a lot of people could end up dead.”
Russell glanced indifferently at the   ‘unconscious’ Amy and nodded, his expression cold.
“You did well, but don’t bother with unnecessary things like that next time.”
“Death is a normal   occurrence in District Thirteen.”
“With humanity’s reproductive capacity, as long as there’s a monetary reward, there will always be 
a steady stream of new people to fill the ranks.” “Using dead bodies to uncover more 
abilities of a Tier Three demon is   a worthwhile trade—understand?”
Ember had long known of Russell’s disregard for human life, so this answer 
didn’t surprise him. All he needed to do   was keep ‘Amy’ by his side, whatever the 
excuse. Nodding to show his understanding, Ember looked toward the room and asked,
“Do you need any help in there?”  Russell was slightly surprised by Ember’s 
eagerness to assist. Was this Ember really getting addicted to playing the role of his 
assistant? Well, that saved him the trouble   of coming up with another excuse to keep him with 
Mirat. Maintaining his composure, Russell replied, “Of course. Didn’t you see 
how that guy’s gone berserk?”  “I need you to subdue him. Use any 
means necessary. Do you dare go in?” Ember was more than willing. The blood-smeared 
and mangled observation glass was just the   kind of scene where he could get things done. 
“Of course I dare. The sooner this is over, the sooner you can operate on me, right?”
An early operation? Russell sneered inwardly. Of course it would be soon, but the surgeon 
wouldn’t be Russell—it would be Mirat! With   the power of dual sins, the wizard Mirat 
was probably enough to touch the level of a Catastrophe. If he could seize the Seed of 
Hatred inside Ember, Mirat would be firmly   established at the Disaster level! But who knew 
what other surprises Ember might have hidden… Russell shot a glance at Amy, then 
jerked his chin toward the door.  “Leave her here. Go on inside.”
At his words, Ember carefully set Amy down. As he brushed past her face, his 
sleeve puffed out slightly—but Russell,   his attention on the room, didn’t notice this 
detail. Once Ember straightened and pushed open the door, Russell locked it from the outside 
and headed toward the surveillance room. Now,   within this room, only one of the three could 
survive—and he only needed to watch from afar… No sooner had Ember opened the door than 
a stench, thick with blood and waste,   assaulted his senses. The room inside resembled 
a slaughterhouse—there was hardly a single spot left untouched by carnage. The only 
clean patch was the stretch of wall   that Mirat had licked. A wave of nausea surged 
through Ember’s gut, impossible to suppress. That sound instantly caught Mirat’s 
attention.Mirat’s eyes were bloodshot,   and when he realized his disgraceful state had 
been noticed, his emotions surged with shame and anger. Why was Ember allowed to stand there 
neat and clean, while he himself was smeared with blood and forced into this humiliating act 
of licking the wall? It wasn’t fair! He had to   drag Ember down with him, make him just as filthy!
With a wild, guttural cry, Mirat transformed into a blur of blood and lunged at Ember. Caught 
off guard, Ember was tackled to the ground,   landing hard amid the grime and gore. Gazing 
down at Ember now sprawled in the blood, Mirat’s eyes gleamed with savage delight. 
Now you’re just as dirty as I am!  Cackling madly, Mirat’s jaw began to elongate, 
stretching further and further. His jawbone seemed to be held together by sinews alone, allowing it 
to expand without limit. At this moment, Mirat couldn’t care less about any promises made to 
Russell; all he wanted was to devour Ember whole!  If he could do that—if he could claim the 
power of three sins for himself—he would finally be strong enough to challenge Russell. 
Then, he would teach Russell the true meaning   of respect! In the Church of Eternal Life, 
only Mirat was truly worthy of immortality! Swept away by these visions, Mirat 
opened his maw and swallowed Ember whole,   ignoring Ember’s terror and desperate pleas 
for mercy. Ecstasy surged through him! The overwhelming power of Gluttony made short work 
of Ember’s body, dissolving it in an instant,   leaving behind only a single jet-black seed.
This was the Seed of Hatred Mirat had sought so desperately. Saturated with the rage 
of the villagers from the Loki Mountains,   the seed pulsed with energy. To Mirat’s 
surprise, the seed needed no coaxing; it settled into a new balance with Gluttony 
and Envy all on its own. Perfect! Everything   had fallen into place, just as he had hoped.
If Ember weren’t already dead, Mirat would have spat him out just to thank him for this gift. 
Now that he possessed the power of three sins,   he could finally attempt to forge a demonic body. 
According to his calculations, the best place to start the transformation was with his hands—after 
all, hands were one’s most useful tools.  As Mirat willed it, his hands began to 
swell. Black scales erupted across his skin, and between the scales, veins of molten 
orange magma pulsed and flowed. Perfect! Mirat was thoroughly pleased with himself.
Meanwhile, Ember watched Mirat begin to giggle   foolishly and let out a slow, weary sigh. In 
the end, Ruz had failed to find any loophole in the contract. Bound by its terms, Ember was 
forced to use the voice from within his own body to draw Mirat into a flawlessly woven illusion.
Within this illusion, Mirat would have everything   he ever wanted—until the moment he realized it 
was all a dream. But people are always quick to lose themselves in satisfaction, and thus Ember 
had plenty of time to deal with matters at hand.  With a subtle shift of his gaze, Ember looked 
to the corner of the room, where the Gluttonous Blood Spirit stood, gulping dryly over and over. 
One glance was all it took for Ember to see that the creature, too, was trapped in an illusion.
But almost at that very moment, the Gluttonous   Blood Spirit abruptly stopped. After a 
brief, tense pause, focus returned to its eyes. The very first thing it saw was Ember.
Gulp.A gulping sound echoed in the room. Ash took a slight step back, 
readying himself for action.  But unexpectedly, his opponent 
made no move against him; instead, a fleeting struggle flickered in its eyes.
Then, the gluttonous Blood Wraith suddenly   threw back its head and spewed forth a torrent 
of acid, precisely dissolving the surveillance cameras hidden in the corners of the room.
Watching as the cameras on the ceiling slowly   melted away, Ash furrowed his brows.
That was something he had intended to do himself—he hadn’t expected the 
Gluttonous Blood Wraith to beat him to it.  Plotting an escape, are you? With a calm 
expression, Ash took a few steps closer. [Gluttonous Blood Wraith]
[Desire: Escape from District Thirteen.]  …Just as I thought.
But why does this Blood Wraith know exactly where the surveillance cameras are?
As this thought crossed his mind,   the Blood Wraith—still suppressing 
its ravenous hunger—suddenly spoke: “I won’t eat you, but you have 
to help me get out of here.”  “I know where the emergency 
evacuation passage is.” “But only a human can open it. I need your help!”
An emergency passage only a human can access? That was something Ash simply couldn’t do.
After all, his body had long ceased to be human. Still, Ash had coveted this 
Gluttonous Blood Wraith for some time.  If obtaining its solitary soul could be so 
simple, there’d be no harm in pretending to agree. What a pity. He would have 
to resort to a second method.  So, Ash patted Lutz, who had turned into 
black smoke and slipped into his sleeve. But Lutz, pretending not to 
understand Ash’s intentions,   remained silent and still in his sleeve.
After all, it had already fulfilled its end of the contract; now it was 
Ash’s turn to keep his promise.  As for anything else, as long as it stayed 
quiet, it refused to believe Ash could force another contract upon it.
If Ash truly pushed him too far,   Lutz wouldn’t hesitate to give up his 
chance at freedom for one more fight. After all, the suffering in this 
room had greatly strengthened him.  If they battled again, who the 
victor would be was anyone’s guess. Seeing Lutz unwilling to 
help, Ash’s eyes grew cold.  Without hesitation, he summoned the 
dual-colored World Tree within his body, letting himself transform into his demonic form. 
At the same time, he drew his Doomblade and   slashed three times in quick succession.
Clang! The rules of a life-and-death gamble were set in motion.
Just as surprise flashed   across the Blood Wraith’s face, it was 
instantly dragged into a volcanic illusion. Now, it would have to race 
against the flowing lava.  Though it cared nothing for the 
searing heat, in this realm, the lava embodied the principle of death itself!
Gluttony might claim to devour all things, but it had not yet grown 
powerful enough to swallow death.  So it had no choice but to run, and 
run fast, if it wanted to survive. …
Hidden in Ash’s sleeve,   Lutz had hoped to watch him struggle.
But to his astonishment, the Gluttonous Blood Wraith proved utterly useless.
Not only had it forcibly suppressed   its hunger, it even let Ash, in his 
demonic form, hit it three times! Utterly foolish!Clearly, with its formidable 
digestive powers, it could have devoured   every last ember without a trace, yet it 
insisted on imitating those cultured types, weaving schemes and intrigue! It didn’t even need 
that pig brain of its to realize—how many normal people could actually make it in here? If anyone 
ever tried to tell Lutz that the wisdom of the   crowd was greater, Lutz would just bring up 
today’s example to refute them. More people only meant more chaos—that was always the case!
But this demonization of Ember was rather   intriguing. Lutz could even catch the scent of 
greed lingering above. So, this fellow wasn’t just burdened with hatred toward the World Tree—he 
had more than one sin to his name! No wonder he wanted Lutz to help deal with the Gluttonous 
Blood Wraith; clearly, he was after the power   of the Three Sins. Now, that was a clever plan.
With three sins, they could keep each other in check, forming a triangle of balance. As long as 
Ember didn’t overindulge in any one original sin, his emotions could remain stable. But forging a 
demon’s body among mortals was no simple feat. The more sins he bore, the faster Ember would meet his 
end. The danger wasn’t just the demons lurking, eager for his flesh, but also those 
self-righteous knights of the Church.  But what did any of this matter to Lutz? In the 
end, it would only be Ember who perished! So right now, Lutz didn’t mind giving Ember a little nudge, 
accelerating the process of his demonization. After all, that dreamer lost in his own illusions 
still had the seeds of Envy and Gluttony within him. Lutz was curious—how would Ember cope when 
he no longer had just a triangle of three sins, but was tempted by the weight of four?
Bearing four sins—now that would trigger a   true transformation! Ember would no longer be able 
to conceal his demonic nature. And if his emotions tipped further out of balance, Ember would become 
a demon among men! For Lutz, who delighted in suffering and pain, this was undoubtedly wonderful 
news. The thought sent the black smoke that was Lutz into a quivering dance of excitement—watching 
Ember suffer was sheer delight.  So, Lutz decided to add a little 
seasoning to Mirat’s beautiful dream… …
Just as Ember trapped   the Gluttonous Blood Wraith in a deadly wager 
of illusions, Mirat—who had been intoxicated by the demonic transformation of his arms—suddenly 
sensed something amiss. He snapped his head up, only to see the Blood Wraith, who should have 
been lost in Russell’s dust-filled illusion,   staring back at him with eyes ravenous for food.
Had the time run out? Hah—once, he might have shown it some respect. But now, with the power 
of Three Sins coursing through him, his arrogance had swelled. Demons were the ultimate form 
mortals could aspire to! And a mere Blood   Wraith dared to act wild? It was time to die!
Mirat seized the Blood Wraith by the throat with one hand and slammed it viciously into the ground.
With a thunderous crash, the Blood Wraith   shattered into countless 
chunks of blood and flesh. Spattered with blood, Mirat lifted 
his head and swept his gaze around   with contempt. Who else dared challenge him?
But suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through Mirat’s heart. He realized, to his horror, that 
the three sins within him—once balanced—were now being overtaken by Gluttony alone.
How could this be possible?He hadn’t eaten   a single bite of the Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s 
flesh, so why was this happening? As the gnawing hunger threatened to consume his sanity, Milat 
didn’t have time to ponder—he immediately   reached for his chest. Yet, his searching fingers 
failed to find the tattered page of the Original Scriptures that had always been his lifesaver. 
Where had it gone? In a flash, Milat remembered Russell. Only Russell could have cast a spell 
so subtly, slipping away with that page of the   Original Scriptures without him noticing! Damn 
it! He’d known something was off about his sense of imbalance back then! That cursed Russell must 
have discovered his secret at that very moment! But now was not the time to settle scores with 
Russell. The most urgent matter was to deal with   this rampant, unbalanced gluttony! With his mind 
on the verge of being engulfed by endless hunger, Milat made a desperate choice to preserve his own 
consciousness. He clawed at his scaly abdomen, slashing it open with his armored 
fingers, and yanked out the Gluttony   Seed entwined with his flesh, roots and all.
With a sickening squelch, the Gluttony Seed, still attached to his intestines, spilled out in a 
torrent of blood. Milat’s face went deathly pale, but his mind cleared remarkably. Brutal 
as it was, this physical extraction worked   with surprising efficiency. After all, it 
was only gluttony that had lost balance, not envy or hatred. By temporarily removing 
the Gluttony Seed, his envy and hatred could reach equilibrium, allowing him to maintain 
his strength and keep his sanity intact.  As for the gruesome wound in his chest and 
abdomen, it looked terrifying, but it was little more than pain to Milat. So long as his 
soul found a suitable vessel, he could survive. If this body failed him, he could always use his 
blood sorcery to grow a new vessel. The Gluttony Seed was never a one-time item anyway; he could 
always restore the balance later at his leisure. Milat’s gaze dropped slightly, observing the envy 
and hatred still thriving and growing within him. He was fairly satisfied. Though there was some 
deviation, he had nonetheless acquired three of the Sins. Given time, Milat would become 
the new king of the Cult of Immortality!  …
District Thirteen, Plague Ward, Special Isolation Room.
Just as Ember was preparing to strike   at Milat, he suddenly witnessed Milat’s act of 
self-mutilation. Ember couldn’t help but glance at his sleeve. Instinct told him this was all part of 
Rutz’s plot. And sure enough, in the next instant, Milat tossed out the precious Gluttony Seed 
as if deliberately offering it to Ember.   And within Milat’s opened abdomen was another 
seed, radiating a violet light—the Envy Seed! Ember’s heart leapt with delight. Could fortune 
really be so generous? The Seven Sins Seeds, so elusive and hard to find, and now two appeared 
at once. Adding these to his own Hatred and Greed, he had now collected more than half 
the Seven Sins in a single stroke!   Ember, who had always fought tooth and nail 
for every gain, had never before encountered such a windfall delivered right to his door.
He shot a suspicious look at Rutz, who was   still hidden in his sleeve, his mind whirring with 
questions.Enhance his power for nothing? So he’d have enough strength to send Lutz out of District 
Thirteen? Ember knew it was far from that simple. Otherwise, Lutz wouldn’t have refused to deal 
with the Gluttonous Blood Spirit just moments ago.  So, did Lutz change his mind only after 
witnessing Ember’s demonization? As Ember shifted his perspective to Lutz’s, he 
quickly realized what Lutz was after.  It was common knowledge that the Seven Deadly Sins 
could greatly affect the user’s emotions. The more sins one bore, the likelier they were to lose 
control due to emotional imbalance. Now, Lutz was willingly handing over the Seed of Gluttony—most 
likely because he figured that after Ember   absorbed it and grew stronger, he wouldn’t be 
able to resist the Envy Seed inside Milat, either! With three sins, Ember could still maintain 
equilibrium. But with four? Lana would have   to become part of that balance, and she would no 
longer be able to keep Ember’s mind wholly intact. This was a difficult trade-off, to be sure.
Yet Ember was still a long way from losing   emotional control. But how could 
Lutz, who once manipulated Lana, not be aware of the existence of guardian spirits? 
Lutz’s “goodwill” was anything but simple. Sensing the scent of conspiracy, Ember 
bent down and took the Seed of Gluttony.   Then, under Lutz’s watchful gaze, he reached 
for the Seed of Envy with his demon-empowered hand. Ember’s demonic skin, corrosive by nature, 
instantly began to burn Milat’s internal organs. The satisfaction on Milat’s face was instantly 
replaced by agony. The relentless pain tore apart the illusion Lutz had so carefully 
woven for him. Jerked back into reality,   Milat was immediately struck by a crushing truth.
He had never possessed the Seed of Wrath, and now he was handing over the Seed of Gluttony 
as well! No, it was worse—his last remaining Seed of Envy was being slowly drawn out of his 
body! Soon, he would have nothing left at all! Realizing this, Milat began to struggle 
desperately. Though he sought to fuse the   Seven Sins into the Eternal Heart, at his core, 
he was still a sorcerer—a powerful one. Now, with his body gravely wounded, 
he threw all caution to the wind.  Chanting an incantation, Milat’s 
organs began to burn. An ethereal, blood-red shadow—one Ember had seen before—started 
to emerge from his body. Last time, the faceless, Ember-like blood shadow had no features; now, 
its visage was clear, identical to Milat himself. In that instant, Ember realized that the 
blood shadow he’d witnessed at the Black   Dog Club was actually a fragment of Milat’s 
soul. In other words, Milat had already abandoned Luson’s body and now sought to seize 
Ember’s own, to achieve a twisted resurrection! But today was not like the past. Back 
then, Ember had been powerless before   this soul-stealing shadow—but that didn’t 
mean he’d let himself be victimized again! With a sudden motion, Ember tore the Seed 
of Envy free with one hand. In his other, a small, pale blue hammer appeared.
A crisp, ringing note echoed—*ding!* An invisible soul nail drove straight into 
the center of the blood shadow’s brow.The   blood-shadowed figure paused for a moment, 
then continued forward. At the same time, Ember’s hands did not stop moving. There was 
the sharp sound of four nails being driven in, one after the other. With all four 
limbs pinned by the Nails of Sloth,   the blood-shadow was finally 
rendered completely immobile. Yet, against all reason, the body that should 
have perished—Milat’s corpse—suddenly reached out, trying to strangle Ember. But the strength of this 
body was far too feeble for Ember now. He easily pried apart ‘Milat’s’ fingers, one by one, then 
looked straight into ‘Milat’s’ eyes and spoke: “You’re Lucen, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry—it was my mistake. I failed   to destroy your soul back then, and that’s why 
you’ve managed to cling to existence until now.” “But don’t worry. I’ll correct 
that mistake right away.”  With that, Ember spun his blade in a flourish, 
and with the Severing Blade of Anti-Magic, he shattered both Lucen’s lingering soul 
and the body in a single, decisive strike.  Yet, something puzzled Ember. When his 
Severing Blade cut into Lucen’s chest, it rang out with the clash of metal on metal. This 
was strange, for after all the enhancements Ember had made to the blade, no ordinary material 
should have been able to withstand its power.  Curious, Ember pulled aside the tattered 
remnants of Lucen’s clothing and discovered a slip of paper inscribed with golden 
characters. The moment he saw it,   a fragment of memory flashed through his mind.
This was a memory shard from Frankir. He saw the back of a stone stele, where a 
secret was recorded. In truth, the reason the   twelve vampire progenitors were able to so easily 
eliminate the thirteenth was that they’d borrowed the power of the Church. For reasons unknown, the 
Church had lent the vampires the original Bible, allowing them to weaken the thirteenth 
progenitor’s power, and so successfully   cast his soul into purgatory.
It was the progenitor, Vantro, who used this original Bible.
The memory stopped abruptly there.   Ember shook his head, clearing the remnants away.
Such were the shards of memory from Frankir—they were triggered only by encountering certain 
objects, and never came to him whole. Ever since   becoming a wraith, Frankir’s memories had begun 
to fade, until all that remained was a spirit obsessed with gambling his life against others. 
Ember’s arrival had halted this decay, allowing Frankir to retain fragments of specific memories.
He didn’t know how it would all end, but it was   clear that Vantro had never returned this powerful 
weapon to the Church. Later, for reasons unknown, the original Bible came into Frankir’s possession. 
If Ember were to guess, Vantro had likely met some misfortune—be it the curse of possessing a 
treasure, or the intervention of other powers.  In any case, the whereabouts of this consumable 
weapon—the original Bible—were discovered by Milat. The rest was a tale known to most vampires: 
A master-level demon hunter secretly infiltrated Free City and claimed the life of Prince 
Frankir.Rumors soon began to circulate,   claiming that he had taken away the secret of 
the Thirteen Progenitors. Looking at things now, those whispers weren’t baseless after all—more 
like there was a hidden hand orchestrating   everything behind the scenes. After all, this 
very first page of the Holy Scripture is indeed connected to the Thirteen Progenitors.
Even though its golden glow has dimmed,   the ashen hand gripping it has already shed 
its demonic form under the lingering influence of that light. Judging by the radiance 
still emanating from those characters,   it seems the effect will last for a while 
longer. That, unexpectedly, is a small blessing. Upon seeing Ember put away the first page of the 
Holy Scripture, Mirat, who was nailed midair, began to writhe uncontrollably in fury. Back 
then, he had transformed from a wizard into a bloodkin merely in pursuit of immortality. 
Yet he soon discovered that being bloodkin was just a more sophisticated form of servitude.
So he returned to his family and sought out   the clan leader. He confessed that he had turned 
himself into bloodkin only to carve out a future for their lineage. After all, compared 
to the liches skulking in the shadows,   the bloodkin carried less of a stigma.
The clan leader, of course, did not believe him, but relentless appeals to their shared bloodline 
and familial ties eventually wore him down. In   the end, he agreed to let Mirat commune 
with their ancestors in the family crypt, leaving it to them to decide whether he 
was worthy of their magical heritage.  Later, Mirat offered up his own kin as sacrifices 
to the ancestors and thereby gained their trust, joining the demon hunters as part of the ruse. 
Thus, a powerful Blood Sorcerer was born.  In time, Mirat found a way to break free from 
his bloodkin nature and ascend to an even greater path. So, after obtaining the first page 
of the Holy Scripture, he staged his own death and vanished, misleading the world into thinking the 
sacred page had been stolen. All the while, he lay hidden in the realm of his ancestors’ spirits, 
waiting to resurrect and seize the power of   the Seven Deadly Sins through the Holy Scripture.
But who could have predicted? Everything had been planned down to the last detail, yet disaster 
struck in District Thirteen. Not only did the seeds of Envy and Gluttony change hands, but 
even the most crucial artifact, the first page of the Holy Scripture, was snatched away!
None of this was supposed to happen! He was   meant to become the first supreme sorcerer in 
history to master all Seven Deadly Sins. Then, all creation would kneel at his feet!
He refused to accept this fate! Ancestors, grant him your strength! He would turn defeat 
into victory—he would lead his family to glory! Perhaps, sensing Mirat’s fierce resolve, the sky 
above the hospital in District Thirteen suddenly darkened with storm clouds. Thunder rattled the 
heavens, lightning danced across the sky, yet not a single drop of rain fell. Upon the hospital’s 
outer wall, the two giant serpents entwined around the sword’s hilt seemed to come alive, flicking 
their blood-red tongues toward the stormy sky.  …
District Thirteen, Critical Care Ward, Surveillance Room.
Russell pressed the pause button.   The screen froze on the moment Mirat drew out 
the first page of the Holy Scripture. With a few practiced clicks, Russell zoomed 
in and used AI enhancement. At last,   he could see Mirat’s trump card clearly—the first 
page of the Holy Scripture.A look of understanding appeared on Russell’s face. No wonder Mirat dared 
to harbor the Seven Sins. So it was the original Bible fragments that gave him confidence. 
Although these ancient pages could not cure   the root of the problem, they could at least treat 
the symptoms. As long as there was enough energy, the original Bible fragments could suppress 
the Seven Sins, preventing their influence from   overwhelming his emotions. During this period, 
all Mirat needed to do was seize more of these fragments, and he could balance the Seven Sins 
within himself, achieving a fleeting eternity. As for what came after, Russell doubted 
Mirat had given it much thought. After all,   if the whole world was within his grasp, 
time and possibilities would be abundant for him to find a solution. But for now… Russell 
decided those remnants of the Bible would be his. Dragging the progress bar along, Russell 
couldn’t help but smile. Good deeds truly   earn their reward. Once Mirat took care of Ember, 
it would be Russell’s turn to step onto the stage. Just then, Russell uttered a soft “Hmm?” as he 
dragged the progress bar to the present moment.   All eight concealed cameras installed in the 
special ward had been destroyed. How could that be? Unless someone knew the exact locations, 
how could the cameras be disabled so cleanly?  The image of that doctor immediately flashed 
through Russell’s mind. To better observe the experiment, these observing doctors all had 
access to the monitoring room. In other words, after regaining control, that doctor manipulated 
the Gluttonous Blood Spirit to destroy the   cameras? How naïve. Did he really think he could 
escape from District Thirteen? The outer wall of Thirteen was protected by the projection of 
an artifact. The moment Russell pressed the   emergency button, the district would enter red 
alert, and any supernatural beings attempting to enter or escape would face the judgment of the 
artifact’s projection. That was not something a   mere blood spirit could possibly resist.
Shaking his head, Russell stood up, silently calculated how long Mirat would take to 
deal with Ember, and then, following his carefully   planned steps, headed toward the special ward. 
If all went as expected, by the time he arrived, the three-way battle inside would be 
decided. It was time to reap the rewards.  Suddenly, the band on Russell’s wrist began 
flashing yellow. He frowned, turned back to the monitoring room, and used his authority to 
pull up the global surveillance feed. Outside District Thirteen, the winds howled and clouds 
churned—some reckless supernaturals were actually   trying to break into the hospital.
Russell let out a cold laugh, entered a string of secret codes, and 
activated the artifact projection.  At the same time, in the suffering ward of the 
Thirteenth Hospital, half the patients, along with their attending doctors, vanished without warning, 
as if sacrificed in some dark ritual. Having received its price, the twin serpent scales on the 
outer wall of District Thirteen flexed and pulsed, opening and closing like a living thing.Suddenly, 
the twin serpents snapped open their eyes, revealing two blood-red, gleaming pupils. Raising 
their heads and flicking their tongues, they gazed up at the gradually emerging spirit realm above 
and let out a disdainful hiss toward the sky.  District Thirteen, Catastrophe 
Ward, Special Patient Room. Milat watched as Ash approached, and his heart 
grew ever more desperate in his silent plea to   his ancestors. If only he could borrow the 
power of his forebears, he could cast a spell and turn the situation around. Then, it 
would be Ash who’d end up gutted on the table.  But for some reason, the ancestors who always 
answered so swiftly now gave only silence. Had they abandoned him already? Impossible! He was 
the greatest hope of the Salem family. After the “Witch Trials” nearly destroyed them, the Salem 
family had little talent left to speak of. If he died here, any dream of returning the family to 
its former glory would be nothing but a delusion. Hurry, hurry! Damn it, you old fools, 
why won’t you unleash your power?  But no matter how he called, the surging flood of 
magical might he relied on never came. At last, panic set in. With his trump card gone and 
his movements crippled by the Soul Nail, he was like a lamb awaiting slaughter, utterly 
powerless to resist. All he could do was   watch as Ash, knife in hand, drew ever closer.
Feeling the true threat of death at last, Milat couldn’t help but speak, his voice trembling:
“You can’t kill me! I’ll tell you   a secret—I’m from the Salem family!”
“If you kill me, you’ll bring endless trouble upon yourself. You’ll never know peace again!”
Hearing these threats, Ash merely smiled, then, with a swift motion, brought down the blade, 
shattering Milat’s soul into countless fragments. The Salem family? Ash truly did recall that 
name. Three hundred years ago, the Salem family had been at the height of its power. In those 
days, they produced five Supreme Sorcerers,   each hailed as the most formidable in the 
land. But eventually, fear of the Salem sorcerers’ strength drove people to launch 
the so-called “Witch Trials.” The stronger   the family, the more devastating the blow.
In the end, the terror once inspired by the Salem family faded as their strength withered away. 
Still, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse,   and the Salem family, for all its decline, 
could still produce someone like Milat. But the reason Milat lost today was simple—he 
couldn’t display any of his sorcerous might.   Whether among vampires or hunters, it was 
always his mastery of the arcane that made him so formidable. But clearly, Lucen’s body 
lacked the power Milat needed to cast spells, and his ancestors’ strength was out of reach.
So all that talk about the Salem family never   letting this go was likely just a desperate 
lie Milat spun to save his own skin. Even if it were true, even if the Salem 
family really would seek vengeance,   Ash would not hesitate.He certainly didn’t believe 
that Mirat would genuinely reconcile with him. After all, the seeds of Gluttony and Envy 
he held in his hands were, in a sense,   dug straight out of Mirat’s own body! Cutting off 
someone’s source of fortune is like killing their parents. To sever Mirat’s path to immortality 
was no different from killing him outright.  Ash exhaled slowly, casting his gaze toward 
the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, who was gasping for breath. In the deadly race with the molten 
lava, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit had finally   managed to win. In the face of life and death, 
all the disparate wills within unified for once, working together with rare harmony. But as soon 
as safety returned, the struggle for control over   the body resumed, each vying for dominance anew.
Ash watched the stunned Gluttonous Blood Spirit, then pulled out the Book of Evil Spirits and 
tossed it over without hesitation. Unlike   before—when Ash would first negotiate with a 
spirit, striking a deal before sealing it within the book—this time, he didn’t have the luxury 
of time to subdue the Gluttonous Blood Spirit. He couldn’t be sure how soon Russell 
would check the scene after discovering   the cameras were destroyed. So he chose 
the most direct method: a forceful seal. The moment the Book of Evil Spirits left Ash’s 
hand and saw the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, the   entire tome seemed to come alive. Here was a wild, 
untamed spirit. A low, sinister cackle seemed to ripple through the air—at last, a ‘guest’ had 
appeared who refused to obey Ash’s commands. One blood spirit might not be nearly enough to defeat 
that despicable Ash, but as a creation of demons, its life was virtually limitless. It could afford 
to wait—wait for more masterless spirits to take up residence, wait for Ash to grow old, wait for 
a twist of fate. In short, as long as it endured, freedom would one day be within its grasp!
The Book of Evil Spirits’ cover split open with a   grotesque grin, swallowing the feuding Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit in one gulp. Then it slammed shut, forcing the spirit down into the pages. In an 
instant, a thick, inky red bled through the book, dyeing it crimson. But soon, the color faded, 
and the book returned to its usual appearance, dropping to the ground with a thud.
Ash bent down to pick up the book,   which he had deliberately let fall, then glanced 
toward the tightly shut door. Now, all that was left was to wait for Russell to open it.
…  Beyond District Thirteen.
The spirit realm belonging to the ancestral Salem sorcerer had ultimately failed to establish 
contact with Mirat, who was trapped within   District Thirteen. In fact, after confronting 
the projection of that artifact—the Apophis Demon Sword—Mirat’s soul signature vanished entirely 
from the ancestor’s senses. That could only mean one thing: Mirat had been erased from existence.
Realizing this, the ancestral sorcerer gave up his obsession with Mirat. After all, once 
a person’s soul is obliterated, they can no   longer bring any benefit to the family. When it 
comes to a choice between a corpse and the clan, the ancestor knew exactly where his loyalties 
lay. Besides, there was no way for him to   break through the barrier woven by the twin 
serpents of water and earth.With a soft sigh, the Ancestors’ Order—existing in the spirit 
realm wedged between purgatory and the mortal   world—retreated once more into the distance. As 
the heavy clouds scattered from the sky, Russell, stationed in the control room, pressed the green 
button. The energy link was instantly severed,   and the light in the eyes of the two giant 
serpents gradually faded. Eventually, they coiled back around the sword hilt, transforming 
again into an unmoving mural on the wall.  Having finished all this, Russell hurried toward 
the special ward in the critical patient wing. He had no idea why, at this very moment, a sorcerer 
would attempt to infiltrate District Thirteen. Yet District Thirteen was one of his most 
valued assets. Even if it meant missing that   perfect window of opportunity, he absolutely 
could not allow anyone else to interfere! Still, a trace of worry flickered across Russell’s 
face. Now, he feared that Milat might have grown greedy and absorbed too much of the power of 
gluttony, leading to emotional instability.   Yet he also feared that Milat might have 
successfully balanced the three sins, embarking on the path toward full demonization. Either 
outcome would prevent Russell from continuing   his observations of Milat. As for Ember—he 
had already written him off as a dead man. Returning to the door of the special ward, 
Russell hesitated for only a moment before   pulling open the door, which could only 
be accessed from the outside. As soon as the door swung open, a gruesome sight met his 
eyes: a corpse, its abdomen split wide open. Russell, however, was not surprised. After all, 
to extract every seed of hatred from Ember, disembowelment was inevitable. Yet, the 
figure standing in the room—their back   to him—looked more like Ember himself.
Just as Russell was puzzling over this, Ember turned and spoke earnestly:
“Director Russell,   I’ve completed the task you assigned.”
Russell’s pupils involuntarily contracted when he realized that the sole survivor was 
none other than Ember. So, the body facedown   on the ground—was that Milat’s? The formidable 
figure who once bore titles of Blood Sorcerer and master demon hunter, now slain by a rising 
star among demon hunters, a so-called Bane of the Bloodborn? This was a powerful sorcerer 
well on the way to demonization, not some mere vampire! Since when had the Vampire Bane become a 
Sorcerer Bane too? And Milat had even been gutted, his dual seeds of sin stolen away?
And what of the Gluttony Blood Spirit   that should have been in the room? Had 
Ember dealt with it without suffering a scratch? Perhaps “Bane of the Supernatural” 
would be a more fitting name for him now.  Looking at Ember—almost entirely unscathed—Russell 
felt an overwhelming sense of bewilderment. This man didn’t seem nearly as strong as the two he 
had slain; how had he managed to defeat them   both so decisively? Unable to witness what 
had transpired, Russell now deeply regretted separating the Gluttony Blood Spirit. The 
last scene on the surveillance feed was of   that creature deliberately destroying the camera!
So, what now? Should he silence Ember and reclaim the three seeds of sin, then find another test 
subject? Or should he play along, waiting until the blood of the vampires was expunged from 
Ember’s veins to conduct a thorough examination? For a moment, Russell was lost in thought.Ember 
noticed Russell standing in place, blocking the doorway without uttering a word for a long 
while. A sense of foreboding weighed on Ember’s   heart—he naturally thought Russell was about 
to reveal his true intentions. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade 
and, with pointed meaning, issued a warning: “Director Russell, I’ve completed 
everything you asked of me.”  “You’re not planning to break your 
promise and refuse to help me shed my vampiric identity, are you?”
“This treatment was earned by   Special Agent Sasha of the Psyonic 
Division, in exchange for her merits!” “If you don’t intend to cure me, fine! But 
then you’ll have to compensate me tenfold!”  Russell, his train of thought interrupted 
by Ember’s words, shot him a displeased glance. What did he mean by saying the job 
was done? As far as Russell could recall,   he’d only instructed Ember to restrain 
Milat by any means necessary—not to kill him! And now Ember was demanding compensation, 
as if slaying Milat counted as mere restraint? Russell had never gone back on his word—not 
once! The treatment would certainly be given. Though, whether there would be 
complications—perhaps a missing   arm or leg—was another matter entirely, and 
not one Russell could guarantee against. Yet the mention of Sasha in Ember’s words was 
a complication Russell hadn’t anticipated.   He’d only known that Ember was a decorated 
figure sent over from the Psyonic Division, but hadn’t realized it was Sasha who’d pushed the 
entire affair forward. Sasha’s father, after all, was one of the founding figures behind District 
Thirteen and, in theory, counted as Russell’s   superior. Even if only out of respect for 
her position, Russell had to tread carefully. Looking at it this way, Ember’s survival—escaping 
death at Milat’s hands—was a stroke of unexpected fortune. Otherwise, even if Russell tried 
to blame Ember’s death on some demon,   it would do him no good. Sometimes, explanations 
are useless. Only those in power—those with strength—wield the true authority over life 
and death. A mere word or gesture from them,   and others would act on their behalf.
If his superiors ever wished to make things difficult for him, all they’d need to 
do was restrict his experimental privileges,   and many of his projects would grind to a 
halt. Russell was vital to District Thirteen, but to the Psyonic Division, District Thirteen 
was just one important institution among many.   The difference in status was obvious.
So, after a moment’s contemplation, Russell decided not to pursue the matter of 
the items Ember had taken. He knew all too   well that Ember was a traditionalist, still 
following the ancient code of demon hunters: whoever kills the beast claims the spoils. 
Even if Russell demanded Milat’s belongings,   Ember would never hand them over. The demon jar 
still in Ember’s hands was proof enough of that! “Well done, but remember: next 
time, when I say ‘by any means   necessary,’ that does not include killing.”
With that, Russell pressed the intercom button outside the room. “Send someone to clean up.”
Only then did he turn back to Ember and say,   “There’s nothing else you can help with for now.”
“Focus on Amy—take her to the operating room.” “Since last time you didn’t manage a clean cut, 
be more careful this time. Make sure it’s done   thoroughly.” »Once she regains consciousness and 
you’re sure there’s nothing wrong, take her back. » When you’re done with your task, 
I should be finished with my work   as well—then, it will be your turn.
Ash had no idea which of his words had made Russell abandon his intentions. 
At the very least, he was safe for now.  Not wishing to linger with Russell any longer, Ash 
immediately hoisted the unconscious Amy from the floor and made his way toward the operating room.
After Ash had gone some distance,   Russell finally entered the room and 
scattered a cloud of retroactive dust. Modern technology certainly had its 
strengths, but there were times when   sorcery could accomplish far more.
As the dust swirled through the air, three figures gradually took shape within the 
room—Ash, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, and Milat. By observing their actions, Russell could 
piece together the sequence of events,   but Ash’s methods remained a mystery to him.
In the reenactment revealed by the dust, as soon as Ash entered, Milat willingly 
handed over his Gluttonous Seed.  No matter how Russell looked at it, it 
seemed as though Ash and Milat had staged an elaborate act just for his benefit.
Milat appeared to be playing the part of   a benevolent friend—using his connection with 
Russell to obtain the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, then purposely exposing Ash’s treasure to 
tempt Russell, thus creating the opportunity   for the two to be alone together.
Who would have thought that Milat was simply putting on a show!
After all, if Ash had made the   request himself, Russell would never have 
handed over a Gluttonous Blood Spirit, a specimen of such great research value.
What’s more, whether it was to complete   the charade or for some other 
reason, Milat offered no resistance at all—he simply allowed Ash to kill him.
If Russell hadn’t known Ash was a vampire, he’d   almost think Ash was some irresistible incubus, 
able to charm even the most experienced souls like Milat into sacrificing themselves willingly.
Otherwise, how could Milat, who’d seen so much in his life, go along so obediently?
It was truly baffling.  Just what kind of spell had Ash cast on Milat 
to make him so willing to lay down his life? Russell simply couldn’t understand.
He could only assume the two had conspired to   trick him out of his Gluttonous Blood Spirit.
With this realization, Russell was already devising new experiments 
for the surgeries to come.  Distracted by these thoughts, Russell 
finally saw something he recognized. That book capable of sealing the Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit—Russell was quite familiar with it.  He himself had once been a 
master of the Book of Wraiths. After delving into its secrets, Russell 
had realized its true purpose was to   toy with its owners.
So, he’d used sorcery to break the bond between them by force.
Later, he’d heard that the Lane brothers   had exiled the book back to hell.
Who could have guessed that such a notorious, malevolent tome would 
resurface—and end up in Ash’s hands?  Ha! Clearly, he was courting disaster.
The more wraiths the book contained, the closer its owner came to death!
District Thirteen, operating room.Ash   looked at Amy, who was once again strapped to 
the operating table, and quietly murmured an apology in his heart. Then, with practiced 
hands, he reopened Amy’s skull, exposing   the tough membrane beneath. He went through the 
motions, carefully removing the temporary black smoke that had been attached above. After that, 
he closed her skull again. A simple procedure   to excise the overgrowth was now complete.
All that remained was to wait for Amy to wake, take her out of here, and the terms of 
the contract would be fulfilled. Ruz,   who realized this as well, felt a flicker of 
surprise. He hadn’t expected Ash to truly intend to set him free. After all, Ruz would never let 
Ash off so easily. Even if Ash could resist the temptation of the Four Sins for now, Ruz would 
eventually force him to the point where he’d have   no choice but to use them. But that was a matter 
for another time—first, he needed to get out. In high spirits, Ruz had no intention of causing 
trouble at this final moment. He simply waited quietly for the arrival of freedom. With the help 
of the self-harming personality, Ruz was certain he could regain his strength in the human world, 
and just like his predecessors, he would sow   chaos, ignite wars, and reap suffering.
… Amy slowly stirred from unconsciousness once 
more. The scene before her was just like before: a pristine white ceiling, lights that were almost 
painfully bright, a dark green IV bag filled with fragments of bone, and a tube winding its way to 
the back of her hand. Everything was exactly as it had been the last time she woke. The only 
difference was that Ash, the person she had   longed to thank, was now sitting by her side.
But upon seeing Ash, Amy didn’t display the enthusiasm she had before. Instead, her eyes 
flashed with fear. She suspected she hadn’t truly escaped her hallucinations. Why else would she be 
seeing the exact same scene again? And last time, after seeing Ash, those inexplicable urges to harm 
herself had returned! Now, seeing Ash so soon—did it mean she was having another episode?
Noticing the change in Amy’s expression,   Ash immediately guessed the reason. 
In truth, it was his actions that had left her doubting her own reality. “Don’t be 
afraid. You’re not trapped in an illusion—this is the real world,” he reassured her softly. 
“Your illness has been cured. I promise.” But Amy wasn’t about to believe Ash’s 
words. She’d heard promises like these in   her hallucinations before. In the end, 
the bloody truth had always reminded her that spoken promises were the cheapest 
currency. As these thoughts spun in her mind,   tears began to silently stream down her cheeks.
Yet amidst her tears, a faint, twisted smile began to surface in her eyes. For whenever she felt 
pain, the personality that thrived on suffering would emerge. Compared to her fragile primary 
self, this self-harming persona cared nothing for illusions or reality. She simply locked eyes with 
Ash, and, with cold determination, pressed her hand—already so mangled that white bone showed 
through bloody flesh—into the groove of the nut.  Then, in a voice devoid of pretense, she 
asked, “Where is Ruz?”Seeing that Amy’s self-harming persona was ready to summon 
Ruz again at the slightest provocation,   Ash immediately realized that in order to truly 
cure her, he would have to find a way to get rid of her alternate personality. Otherwise, in 
Amy’s current state, it wouldn’t matter whether she left District Thirteen or was admitted to 
a psychiatric hospital—nothing would change.   This self-destructive Amy would always find new 
ways to summon Ruz through pain and suffering. While Ash was lost in thought, Ruz, who had been 
hiding in his sleeve, quietly poked his head out. It seemed as if the two communicated in silence, 
for Amy’s self-harming persona suddenly ceased her destructive actions. She sat there quietly, 
letting out a soft chuckle, looking for all the world like a normal person. But Ash knew all 
too well just how deranged things were inside   her mind. To wear down her fingertips and use 
her finger bones as makeshift screwdrivers—there were truly few people in the world capable of such 
things. With a personality like hers, she could probably survive to the very end of a Saw movie.
After a brief moment of reflection, Ash pressed the service bell to call for a nurse. When the 
nurse—who was neither deaf nor mute—heard Ash   wanted to arrange for Amy’s discharge, her face 
was a picture of astonishment. In their hospital, discharges were exceedingly rare; most patients 
simply faded away inside its walls. As a newcomer, this nurse had never actually handled a discharge 
before. She asked Ash to wait for a moment,   then dashed off to consult her 
more experienced colleagues. Soon, a whole team of nurses bustled in to give 
Amy a thorough checkup. Half an hour later, Ash was finally driving away from the 
oppressive District Thirteen, Amy beside him.  No sooner had they crossed the district 
border than Ruz, now a swirl of black smoke, grew impatient and tried to re-enter Amy’s 
body. Amy opened her mouth as if to receive him, but just then, a filthy, foul-smelling strip 
of cloth suddenly wrapped itself around the black smoke, trapping it completely. No matter 
how hard Ruz struggled, the cloth held fast. Cornered, Ruz instantly realized that Ash had been 
harboring sinister intentions all along—just like itself. Ruz had planned to return to its vessel 
and turn on Ash, but Ash’s heart was even darker. He hadn’t waited a moment to strike first! 
Ruz should have seen this coming—after all,   what self-respecting demon’s agent would bother 
with honor or trust? Anyone who believed in them ended up devoured, body and soul.
“Amy, save me!” Ruz used the last of its strength to send Amy a desperate command: 
Do whatever it takes to set me free!  Yet even without the order, Amy knew exactly what 
to do. Fury blazing in her eyes, she shouted, “You broke our deal! You deserve to die!” With 
that, she grabbed the fire extinguisher from the car, ready to strike herself with it.
But weak as she was, there was no way Amy   could be faster than Ash.Ash struck Amy with 
the edge of his palm just below her neck, and she crumpled softly to the ground. In 
the end, without a demon possessing her, Amy was nothing more than an ordinary human. When 
an ordinary person faints, they’re hardly likely   to do anything dangerous on their own. For now, 
until Ash could come up with a proper solution, Amy would probably have to rely on sedatives and 
similar medication. It was a bitter fate, but   still preferable to the physical and mental scars 
that constant self-harm would bring. Besides, since Ash had made a promise, he intended to 
find a way out—one that wouldn’t take long.  Relieved, Ash gave the 
still-wriggling burial shroud a kick. “Breach of contract? I 
haven’t broken any contract.”  “The freedom I promised Lutz was simply to 
let it go once we left District Thirteen.” “And in fact, we really have left 
District Thirteen, so I’ve fulfilled   my end of the bargain.”
“Isn’t that right, Lutz?” Wrapped tightly in the burial cloth, Lutz couldn’t 
possibly say ‘no.’ For one thing, it couldn’t make a sound. For another, Ash held the final say on 
how the contract was to be interpreted—whatever Ash said, that was the truth! Lutz could only 
blame itself for acting a moment too late. Ash, not hearing any protest, took Lutz’s silence 
as consent. He returned to the driver’s seat, ready to press the accelerator, when he suddenly 
realized someone was standing in the road ahead. Looking up, he saw a black-robed wizard blocking 
his car—when had he appeared? It was Austin! “Hey, kid. I’m lost. Mind giving me a 
lift?” Austin’s tone was almost casual. Ash stared at the sudden appearance of Austin, 
unable to figure out what this man was up to.   Back in Fruitwood Town, Austin had made a grand 
entrance, feet planted atop the Bloodwing Monarch, radiating an intimidating aura. Ash had thought 
Austin would be a formidable foe. But in the end, all that thunder had produced very 
little rain; for reasons unknown,   Austin had simply faded away without a 
trace. Ash hadn’t dwelled on it—after all, trying to guess what went on in a madman’s 
mind was a surefire way to drive oneself mad.  Just like now—Ash had no idea what possessed 
Austin to insist on hitching a ride. Any sensible person would refuse to pick up a stranger who 
kept himself shrouded in darkness from head to   toe. By any measure, Austin didn’t look like a 
good person. So where did he get the confidence that Ash would agree to take him along? At 
this point, Ash’s foot was already tensed, ready to slam the gas and catapult Austin into 
another world at the slightest provocation.  As the standoff grew taut, Austin suddenly 
pulled back his hood, revealing his true face. It was a classic Northern European visage, 
with sharp Anglo-Saxon features: cool-toned skin, a high, prominent nose, and an expression that 
made his whole face seem shadowed and severe.  But what caught Ash’s attention even more was the 
glint of a golden coin in Austin’s hand.Austin noticed Ember’s gaze fall on his palm, and 
a subtle smile played at the corners of his   mouth. With a slight tilt of his chin, he said, 
“Kid, I’m not asking you to give me a free ride.” “This gold coin is your payment—how about it?”
“All you need to do is get me inside there.” With his free hand, Austin 
pointed toward District Thirteen.  Clearly, Austin had mistakenly assumed Ember 
could move in and out of District Thirteen at will. And since he had seen Ember once before in 
Fruitwood Town, it was only natural for him to   regard Ember as one of Russell’s lackeys. 
Still, Austin had no intention of giving himself away too soon—he needed Ember’s help 
to sneak into District Thirteen and deliver a   little surprise to his old friend Russell.
After all, from Austin’s perspective, Ember had never seen his true face. There was no 
way Ember could connect him to the high priest   of the Eternal Life Cult who’d appeared 
in Fruitwood Town. At this moment, their relationship was nothing more than a passenger 
and a driver with a little bit of authority.  The only question was whether that gold 
coin would be enough to tempt Ember. Ember narrowed his eyes, weighing his 
options—could he take care of Austin quickly?   He hadn’t witnessed Austin in action, but he 
knew that the Bloodwing Lord, who once fled, had been captured by Austin without a chance 
to resist. Even if the Bloodwing Lord had   been weakened by repeated battles, it was 
still proof of Austin’s formidable power. If he couldn’t settle things quickly, any 
commotion would soon draw the attention of   District Thirteen. Austin could simply vanish, 
but Ember—who still wanted to live among humans—couldn’t afford to be so reckless.
After all, demonization was seen by many   as playing with a ticking time bomb. Ember had 
never heard of a demon hunter brazen enough to declare they were undergoing demonization. Not to 
mention, Russell, the current overseer of District Thirteen, was consumed by curiosity. There was 
no telling what lengths he might go to—he could easily lock Ember up for all sorts of experiments.
After a brief moment of thought, Ember forced   a smile and stuck his head out the 
window, saying, “No can do, friend.” “District Thirteen only accepts 
patients, and you don’t look sick to me.”  “But if you’re headed for Lock City, 
I can give you a lift. Want a ride?” Seeing that Ember truly didn’t recognize 
him, Austin flicked the gold coin toward   him with his thumb. “Fair enough. I’ll 
head to Lock City, see if I can find someone else willing to take the job.”
As the coin shot toward him, Ember caught   it without batting an eye. Instantly, a 
faint sizzling sound rose from his palm, and wisps of white smoke curled out from 
between his tightly clenched fingers.  Vervain!
Not much had been rubbed onto the coin—it was just a test.
Ember’s gaze turned icy as he looked at Austin, his voice calm: “What’s the meaning of 
this?”Austin smiled and said, “Don’t get   me wrong, I have nothing against the bloodkin.”
“This gold coin wasn’t originally mine. I picked it up after I saw someone bullying a bloodkin 
on the road and dealt with them on the spot.”  Stepping in to help the bloodkin? Was 
Austin trying to win his favor this way? In a world filled with the supernatural, 
Ember felt things were never quite so simple.  With a slight crease in his brow, Ember 
opened his palm and examined the gold coin. On its surface gleamed the emblem of a sword 
and shield, a clear mark of some family lineage. Realizing at once the trouble 
this coin represented,   Ember instinctively wanted to toss it away.
But unexpectedly, the coin seemed to have taken root, fusing into the flesh 
of his palm, impossible to remove.  Outside the carriage, seeing Ember’s reaction, 
Austin’s face lit up with a look of triumph. Did he really think a wizard’s 
coin would be so easy to claim?  Austin hadn’t lied—he truly had “picked 
up” this gold coin from a corpse. And that corpse belonged to a member of 
the so-called “Watchers,” the Winston   family—a renowned clan of demon hunters.
The Winston family’s reputation ran deep. They were one of the four great houses among 
demon hunters, with a long and storied legacy,   even producing legendary hunters in their past.
For a family to survive and thrive in the demon hunting world, their strength 
had to be extraordinary.  Even the powers of the modern Psionic Division, 
which united the hunters’ resources, was built on the foundation provided by the Winston 
family and the other three great houses.  As for the Winston clan themselves, each 
full member always carried a special gold coin—the Coin of Vengeance.
Its sole purpose was that,   upon the owner’s death, it would cling 
to their killer like a vengeful spirit. If another Winston family member was 
nearby, their own coins would resonate,   guiding them to avenge their fallen kin.
Of course, every artifact built upon witchcraft had its flaws.
That’s how Austin had managed to   handle it safely, and by passing it along, he 
had now bound the Coin of Vengeance to Ember. Now, Ember had become the sworn 
enemy of the entire Winston family.  Such personal vendettas, even the Psionic 
Division would not interfere with. There were only three possible 
endings to this matter.  The first: Ember would die at the 
hands of a Winston family member. The second: Ember would slaughter every Winston 
and their kin, leaving no one to seek vengeance. The third: Ember might change his allegiance, 
ceasing to be Russell’s hound and becoming   Austin’s, a spy planted within District Thirteen.
After all, for a sorcerer of Austin’s caliber, severing the bond of the Coin of 
Vengeance wasn’t all that difficult.  If Ember would only bow and submit, Austin 
wouldn’t mind going to the trouble of breaking the coin’s link to him.Austin cleared his throat 
and was just about to ask if Ember needed any help when he suddenly saw Ember raise the blade and 
bring it down without hesitation, neatly severing   his own left hand at the wrist. The coin of 
vengeance that clung to the palm of Ember’s left hand naturally lost its anchor, clattering loudly 
as it fell to the ground. It rolled and spun, eventually coming to rest at Austin’s feet.
Austin’s gaze flickered as he looked at the   bloodstained coin at his feet. Ember was truly 
decisive. The moment he sensed that the coin of vengeance was forging some kind of connection with 
him, he didn’t hesitate—he simply cut off his own   hand. In this way, the connection between Ember 
and the coin was broken instantly. This move was far beyond anything Austin had anticipated.
Even among supernatural beings like vampires   or werewolves, who can regenerate limbs, few 
would make such a drastic decision without a moment’s pause. After all, pain is still 
pain, and regeneration doesn’t happen in   the blink of an eye. That’s why, by the time 
most people realize what’s happening, the coin of vengeance has already wormed its way through 
the palm and reached somewhere far more lethal.  For this very reason, Austin had assumed Ember 
only had three choices, never expecting him to carve out a fourth path entirely on his own. The 
words Austin had been about to say caught in his   throat and had to be swallowed back down.
But while Austin decided to hold his tongue, Ember was not prepared to let things go so easily. 
To be ensnared in someone’s scheme and forced to sever his own hand for no reason—Ember’s eyes grew 
fiercer, already calculating how best to grind Austin’s bones to dust. Now that Austin could 
no longer threaten him with the Winston family, he would have to show some genuine sincerity. 
After all, Austin’s true target had always   been Russell, the one behind Ember. If his 
entire plan fell apart because of Ember, it would be an utterly pointless loss.
Austin gave a soft cough, hoping to   ease the tension, but suddenly his vision 
went black—he had lost connection with the puppet he was controlling. At that very 
moment, in another part of Los Angeles,   Austin sat within a magic circle and slowly 
opened his eyes. The seventy-two candles arranged around him had all been snuffed out.
Everything had happened so quickly that his   puppet, lacking any real defenses, was destroyed 
before he even realized what was happening. Austin still couldn’t quite grasp exactly what had 
occurred. But one thing was certain: after being tricked, Ember’s volatile temper had flared, and 
he had struck back immediately, sending Austin’s consciousness hurtling back to his own body.
What a pity to lose such a puppet. These   incredibly lifelike puppets, capable of sharing 
his magical power, were not easy to craft. On the black market, each one was considered 
priceless—in a sense, each one was an extra   life. In other words, Austin had just lost a life.
After a brief moment of painful reflection, Austin waved his hand and summoned a newly assembled 
puppet. If he could obtain the Eternal Heart,   this loss would be more than worth it.Clenching 
his teeth, Austin waved his hand once more, and the candles around him flared back to life. 
Reestablishing his connection with the puppet,   Austin pinched the bridge of his nose between 
his thumb and forefinger, then gave it a sharp tug. A streak of reproduced consciousness 
shimmered in his grasp, which he promptly   infused into the puppet. The lifeless eyes of 
the puppet immediately sparked with vitality. Glancing at Austin, who was seated cross-legged 
on the floor, the puppet donned a wizard’s robe   and strode briskly out of the secret chamber.
… Just outside District Thirteen, not far away. Ash looked at the head he had plucked so 
effortlessly from its body, a flicker of   surprise crossing his eyes. He had been fully 
prepared to use his trump card, the Four Sins, and had never expected that Austin’s head 
would come off so easily. He’d assumed at   least a few rounds would be needed to decide 
the outcome. Was the Grand Wizard of the Cult of Immortality really so fragile?
When something seems too easy,   it’s usually a trap.
Ash didn’t believe for a moment that Austin could truly be that incompetent. After all, how had the 
Bloodwing Lord fallen to him in the first place? Even if his own sudden attack had caught Austin 
off guard, surely a wizard of his caliber would   have some magical artifacts to buy himself time?
Unease prickling in his chest, Ash doubled back to examine the body more closely. Only 
then did he notice the telltale traces of   skillful assembly all over the corpse—it was 
a puppet, pieced together from human bodies! His expression darkened, and he instantly 
realized what kind of opponent Austin truly   was—the most troublesome sort: a master of 
subterfuge. Only someone like that would send a puppet double to test the waters so cautiously. 
Only someone like that would slip away from Guomu   Town without a guarantee of victory.
But even a cunning foe has weaknesses. With that thought, Ash opened the Book 
of Sacrifice and began stuffing pieces of   Austin’s puppet double into its maw, bit by bit. 
He intended to exchange it for a deadly curse. The Book of Sacrifice, bottomless and insatiable, 
revealed fragments of curse incantations with each morsel of the puppet it devoured. Only 
after the entire puppet had been consumed   did the book finally display the full death 
curse, along with the required ingredients. The incantation itself was nothing special—feed 
the book enough, and it would never deceive you. The real challenge lay in the materials. Unlike 
ordinary curses that merely inflicted lingering illness, a death curse drew all its power from 
the quality of its components. In short, the curse   might well be enough to kill Austin, but gathering 
the materials would be anything but easy. [Remains of the wrongfully dead 
+ Ferryman’s coin + Water from   the Styx + Casting medium = Potent Death Curse]
… The remains of the wrongfully dead would be easy enough to obtain. A quick dig in Lorton’s cemetery 
would turn up plenty of accident victims. As for the Ferryman’s coin, Ash had no idea where to find 
one. But perhaps a lesser substitute would do—say, one of his twelve remaining lucky coins. His own 
luck, after all, would be his enemy’s misfortune. The only downside was that the death curse’s 
potency would be considerably diminished.The next substitute he considered was the coin of 
vengeance, still embedded in the severed hand of   Ashes. But when it came to the last material—water 
from the River Styx—Ashes truly couldn’t think of a lesser item to use as a replacement. According 
to the Book of Sacrifice, the River Styx flows through the underworld. Yet as everyone knows, 
this extraordinary world is made up of only three   realms: Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory… Hold on.
Suddenly, Ashes remembered his good friend, the jackal-headed god Anubis. He had been puzzled 
the first time Anubis showed up. After all, a death god like Anubis didn’t belong 
in a supernatural system ruled by Heaven   and Hell. Anubis’s appearance felt more 
like an unexpected intrusion. But now, reading the text in the Book of Sacrifice, Ashes 
realized there might be another explanation.  Could this world be the result of many worlds 
colliding into one? Legend always had it that God did not create just a single world—this 
one was simply His favorite. According to   Ashes’s previous understanding, the souls judged 
righteous by Anubis weren’t destined for Heaven, but for an underworld ruled by Osiris! Only 
now, the underworld had long since vanished   without a trace, and if he wanted 
to find water from the River Styx, it seemed he would have to rely on Anubis.
After a moment’s thought, Ashes still felt uneasy as long as Austin, that wily creature, remained 
alive. He glanced at the Book of Sacrifice, then reached into his Gluttony Pouch and pulled 
out the corpse of the Bloodwing Monarch. The   time had come to put that corpse to use!
Come back to me, my old friend! But what would it take to summon a death god? 
Ashes truly had no idea. Yet once he   had shoved a third of the Bloodwing Monarch’s 
corpse into the book, the answer appeared. On the blood-soaked, dark red pages, it 
was as if an invisible hand began to write:   first, a string of incantations, and then 
a long list of materials and instructions. In all fairness, the Book of Sacrifice had 
grown increasingly demanding, but when it came   to rewards, it never cut corners. It was as if 
a true god of witchcraft lived within its pages. As long as the offerings were 
sufficient, there was no arcane   secret the Book of Sacrifice wouldn’t reveal!
However, as things stood, unless he was willing to sacrifice his own limbs and organs, Ashes figured 
he could only obtain one more spell. After all, anything sacrificed was erased from existence 
at the level of universal law; regeneration was impossible. Unless, of course, he followed 
the path of the black sorcerer Deren, who simply   replaced his own limbs, thus guaranteeing 
a steady supply for future sacrifices. Lost in thought for a moment, Ashes soon 
refocused his attention on the Book of Sacrifice. [Scales of Justice + Feather + 
Medium + Soul = Anubis Descends]  The scales of justice and the feather were common 
objects, easy enough to find. The real challenge in this summoning lay with the medium and the 
soul. The so-called “medium” could be understood   as the target’s DNA.Whether it’s hair, feathers, 
or some sort of cursed connection, all can serve as a medium. If you wish to target a specific 
creature, then a medium is absolutely essential. Otherwise, you’d have no way of knowing if what 
you ultimately summon is what you intended,   or some unknowable eldritch being from beyond. 
That’s why, unless a witch truly has an antisocial personality, no sane practitioner would ever 
attempt a summoning without a proper medium. Such   recklessness is exceedingly dangerous. According 
to the records, only those lunatic sorcerers of the Cult of Immortality have ever tried it. And 
that one time, the cult was nearly wiped out   by the outer god they managed to call forth.
That aside, Ash does bear traces of Anubis’s blessing upon him—so as far as the medium is 
concerned, that requirement is already met.   As for the soul mentioned among the materials, 
that corresponds to the profession of death god: only a soul can attract the attention of 
such a deity. Yet, acquiring a soul is   also an incredibly difficult task for any witch. 
After all, death gods are known to claim souls, and even the wandering evil spirits usually hold 
onto their own obsessions—help them fulfill those,   and they ascend to paradise; refuse, and they 
would sooner perish with you than sacrifice themselves for another’s cause. Thus, obtaining 
an intact soul has always been a challenge.  If a sorcerer truly wished to summon 
Anubis, they would most likely have to seek out willing followers prepared to offer 
themselves as the soul required. But for Ash,   this isn’t much of a problem. As a special kind 
of demonic agent, he already possesses quite a few intact souls. Of course, he would never use the 
likes of Frankiel for this purpose. In addition, Ash has a soul of greed that he took from a 
manifestation of avarice—a soul originally gained   through breach of contract. Due to the rarity of 
souls, all the best soul-energy formulas on the market are written for soul fragments, not whole 
souls. Ash can’t just use an intact soul as if it were a fragment; that would be far too wasteful. 
So, without a method to harness soul energy, he has simply kept the soul of greed in reserve. 
After all, using such a pure soul of greed as a tool spirit like Celia could easily result 
in disaster due to its overwhelming avarice.   But now, at last, it can be put to proper use.
After driving into Los City, Ash first gave Amy an injection of anesthetic, only then feeling at ease 
to head to a roadside general store to purchase a   set of justice scales. As for the feather, he had 
already picked one up along the way. With all the materials in hand, Ash didn’t waste a moment and 
drove straight to a deserted construction site he   was familiar with. This place had always been a 
favored spot for the city’s gangs to bury bodies and conduct shady transactions. But ever since 
Ash, with a little help from his “good brother,” called the police and got his own “head cracked 
open,” the gangs had abandoned this place for   good.Now the place was truly deserted—perfect for 
Ashes to conduct the ritual of summoning Death. After parking the vehicle, Ashes took a bag 
of spare saintly bone fragments from Amy,   crushed them into powder, and began to draw the 
summoning array on the ground. He then arranged a few candles and placed the Scales of Justice in 
the center, setting a feather on one of the trays. Staring at the sinking tray, Ashes snapped his 
fingers. Instantly, a greedy soul, shining like a miniature sun, appeared at his fingertips. With 
a gentle tap, Ashes dropped the soul onto the other tray. The greedy soul, floating above the 
scales, weighed nothing at all—nowhere near the rumored twenty-one grams. Through this little 
experiment, Ashes debunked that myth himself. But as the incantation began to echo, the tray 
holding the greedy soul suddenly crashed down with   a resounding clang. There was no doubt about it; 
a soul composed purely of original sin belonged in hell, that much was unquestionable. Yet Ashes was 
no true god of death—merely a mortal temporarily wielding death’s authority. And so, as the 
chant went on, the formerly tranquil space was struck by a violent disturbance.
It was as if some powerful being was   struggling to break its chains, determined to 
appear and confront the bold thief who dared to steal the rights of Death itself! Not long after, 
the world around Ashes plunged into darkness, just like the time he first met Anubis in the Rocky 
Mountains. But this encounter was different—the   figure before him was no longer the towering, 
emotionless incarnation of Anubis’s majesty. Instead, Ashes saw a disheveled Anubis, 
desperately clawing at the edge of a hole, tongue out and gasping for breath. It was clear that 
Anubis had barely managed to escape the thick, tar-like void behind him, tumbling gracelessly 
from above and landing heavily on the ground.  For a long moment, Anubis simply stared at the 
familiar divine realm, scarcely able to believe he had finally returned to the world of the living. 
At last, emotion flickered in his eyes. Slowly, he turned his head—only to lay eyes on the 
very culprit who had cast him into oblivion.  How was this fellow still alive? Was it possible 
he’d even saved him? A turbulent mix of anger and gratitude twisted Anubis’s lips as he fumbled 
through several languages before finally speaking: “What year is it now?”
Ashes looked at Anubis in   confusion and replied, “It’s 2024. Why? 
Did you travel here from the future?” 2024? That meant he’d been lost in the void 
less than a year? Yet, unable to sense the passage of time, Anubis truly felt as though 
he’d suffered through ten thousand years of   utter boredom! In the void, everything was 
frozen in silence—only Anubis remained awake. But he hadn’t even dared to make a sound, forced 
instead to endure it all in absolute stillness. Who could understand such torment? Compared to 
this, prison would be a thousand times easier—at   least in prison, there was time for fresh 
air. Here, he hadn’t had a single moment’s respite!Anubis cast a complicated glance at 
Ember. “Disaster Point”—the name truly lived up to its reputation. Whatever Ember had summoned 
him for, it was best to make a swift exit! Having resolved to put as much distance as possible 
between himself and Ember, Anubis didn’t even bother to summon a double to take his place. 
Instead, he pressed both hands and feet against   the ground and leapt straight into the air.
In the next instant, a dark portal—a gateway leading elsewhere—opened right 
before Anubis. Suspended midair,   he paddled his limbs desperately, but found 
himself moving forward at a painfully slow pace. Soon, Anubis realized something was wrong. When 
he’d pulled himself out of the void using the   power of the summoning, he had overexerted himself 
and now found his divine strength nearly depleted. In the void, where there was truly nothing, 
survival depended entirely on brute force of   will and godly power. That was the crux of the 
problem: after clawing his way out and forcibly summoning a teleportation portal, he had utterly 
exhausted himself! Now, he couldn’t even maintain his levitation, let alone summon a double!
This realization struck Anubis in the   middle of his frantic dog-paddle; his body 
suddenly froze, then dropped straight down. Thud! With yet another undignified crash, Anubis 
wished he could bury his head in the earth and vanish until the strength from his double 
returned, so he could get away as soon as   possible. He was, after all, a renowned god of 
death, and yet he’d managed to embarrass himself repeatedly in front of Ember, a mere “mortal.” 
He could hardly lift his head from shame. Wait—there was a way out of this!
Without missing a beat, Anubis climbed   to his feet, schooled his features into a 
blank expression, and let his mind go empty. Staring forward with a cold, indifferent 
gaze, he feigned the detached demeanor of   a double having taken over the situation.
Ember, watching Anubis’s one-man show, pointed to the Scales of Justice and asked, 
“Aren’t you going to hold judgment first?”  It was only then that Anubis remembered—as a god 
of death, his attention should have been on the Scales of Justice! Damn it! The agonizing 
days spent in the void had left his mind rusty and sluggish. Hastily correcting 
himself, Anubis lowered his gaze to the   scales below, his face a mask of stoic calm.
With the authority of death once more in hand, Anubis finally found an opportunity to restore his 
divine power. All he needed to do was cast this greedy soul—destined for hell—into exile, 
and according to the rules of the world, he would receive the power he so desperately 
needed in return. With his strength restored,   he could finally put Ember, this 
walking disaster, far behind him. But just because he didn’t want to engage with 
Ember didn’t mean Ember would leave him alone.   After their previous interaction, Ember was 
certain Anubis had a good impression of him; after all, Anubis had once bestowed him a 
blessing. So, as Anubis began probing the greedy soul’s memories, Ember sidled up, gestured to 
indicate a height, and asked with a familiar tone: “Hey, Dog, why are you so short this time?”
“Don’t tell me this is your real height?”Anubis’s finger, which had been gliding through fragments 
of memory, suddenly froze. Oh no! He’s been seen through! Without his divine power, he couldn’t 
maintain his usual imposing, majestic presence. But still, he was a god! And yet this Ember not 
only called him “Doggy,” but even used his height to mock him. This was sheer blasphemy! At over 
two meters tall, he wasn’t exactly short, was he? Anubis, itching to retort, caught himself just 
in time—he was supposed to be playing his own   avatar. An avatar didn’t have human emotions; 
he had to hold it together! Struggling to keep his expression composed, Anubis silently 
sped up his movements through the memories.  Watching Anubis’s seemingly unperturbed face, 
Ember frowned. Had something gone wrong with the summoning ritual? Had he summoned a miniature 
version of Anubis’s avatar? But at first, Anubis’s very human gestures had hardly seemed 
like something an avatar could do. Besides, the constantly twitching whiskers on 
Anubis’s jackal muzzle betrayed his inner   turmoil. If this truly were only Anubis’s 
avatar, it would never show such signs. Eliminating every other impossibility, 
the only thing left had to be the truth:   He must be pretending not to recognize 
Ember, so he could remain impartial in judgment. Realizing this, Ember reached out 
and patted Anubis on the shoulder, ignoring the way Anubis’s body tensed at the touch, and 
sighed softly, “What are you thinking? Do I look   like someone who’d pull strings for a favor?”
What? Ember wasn’t the type to seek favors? Then who had used Anubis’s blessing to fish someone 
out of the Void? Anubis’s expression stiffened   instantly. Yet, trapped in the role of avatar, 
he couldn’t protest! Agonizing, truly agonizing! Standing beside Anubis, Ember was also reviewing 
the greedy soul’s memories and seemed oblivious   to the god’s distress. “He took an entire 
roll of plastic bags from the supermarket?” “He even took all the free bottled 
water left out for sanitation workers?”  “Unbelievable, he dared to pocket welfare 
money meant for people with disabilities?” “This guy really belongs 
in hell. I won’t stop you!”  At this, Anubis’s expression finally relaxed a 
little. At least Ember was making sense for once. With a sweep of his hand, Anubis flung open 
the gates to the underworld. The greedy soul, caught in their pull, was swept 
straight toward the entrance to hell.  Yet Anubis still couldn’t quite understand. 
Ember had sacrificed a complete soul to summon him—was he really asking for nothing in return? 
Just as this thought crossed Anubis’s mind, Ember continued, “Actually, the real reason 
I called you here today was to thank you.”  “If not for your blessing, Lana 
wouldn’t have made it back last time.” “Lana, come on, say thank you.”
At Ember’s summons, Lana appeared   on his shoulder and gave Anubis 
a deep, earnest bow. “Thank you, Mr. Anubis.”When Anubis saw Lana, he couldn’t 
help but recall those empty, void-like years, and a twitch flickered at the corner of his 
eye. Still, now that he had come through to   the other side, that pain would gradually fade 
with time. Besides, every Guardian Spirit was, without exception, a good soul. Lana was so 
endearing—perhaps it was time to let go of all he’d endured on her behalf. After all, he 
was a god, and generosity was only fitting. Anubis subconsciously nodded, silently 
accepting Lana’s gratitude. Ember,   watching this scene unfold, allowed a subtle smile 
to play at the corner of his lips. And you still insist you’re not the real Anubis?
“By the way, Dog,” Ember said,   “we’re good brothers, aren’t we?”
“Since I handed you an achievement for free, you wouldn’t mind sharing 
a little secret with me, would you?”  “For example, could you tell me where 
to find the waters of the River Styx?” The River Styx? That was a name he hadn’t heard 
in ages. Anubis, who had already received the feedback of divine power and was about to leave, 
suddenly hesitated in a way he never had before. After a moment, he dropped the pretense 
of being merely an avatar and spoke up,   countering with a question of his own:
“You want to restart the Underworld?” Restart? Ember instantly honed in on the key 
point: “So, the Underworld has been closed off?” Anubis seemed vaguely apprehensive as 
he glanced skyward, then waved his hand,   and the modern sky was replaced by a nightscape 
from an entirely different era. Only then did Anubis fix Ember with a solemn gaze and say:
“I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this.” “But since you’re the exceptional one, maybe—just 
maybe—you really can change this world.”  Change the world? To be honest, Ember had 
never aimed so high. All he wanted was a peaceful life. But in a supernatural world, the 
only way to ensure that was to eliminate any enemy who might threaten him. For instance, 
Austin, who already had him in his sights! So for the sake of the River Styx’s waters, Ember 
forced himself to patiently listen as Anubis   shared some of the world’s secrets. Anubis, 
knowing Ember was a disaster point, had his own considerations. The reason he, a god of the 
Egyptian pantheon, had ended up working for Heaven and Hell was that, after the event known as the 
“Confluence of the Celestial Spheres,” the mythos   of his world had been defeated by the angelic 
and demonic legions led by Michael and Lucifer. With a sigh, Anubis’s dog-like eyes 
filled with memories, and he continued:  “What I’m about to tell you—never mention 
these key words to anyone outside. Otherwise, I have no idea what fate awaits you.”
“By now, I’m sure you’ve caught a glimpse of   just how little of this world you’ve truly seen.”
“You must be curious where all these supernatural beings come from, and why they belong 
neither to Heaven nor to Hell.”  “Now, I can tell you for certain: none of them 
originally belonged to this world.”Anubis paused, his voice tinged with emotion. “But when disaster 
points like you appear one after another, they attract another world to draw 
closer to this one, and eventually,   the two collide. We call this phenomenon 
the ‘Convergence of Celestial Spheres.’” “After the collision, gods who wield similar 
divine powers will inevitably clash for their   own sakes. This is the origin of what is 
known as Ragnarok—the Twilight of the Gods.” “And since it is war, there will 
naturally be winners and losers.   The underworld you seek has seen two such 
victors in the past—Osiris and Hades.” “Yet after another Convergence, the fallen angel 
once called the Morning Star—Lucifer—brought forth a hell founded on the seven deadly sins, 
and utterly supplanted the underworld.”  The Convergence of Celestial Spheres! Ragnarok! 
Hearing these tales of the past all at once left Ember reeling. He had always thought his 
transmigration was a mere accident. But now, after Anubis’s explanation, he realized 
he might be an anchor, drawing the world   of his previous life closer to this one.
No wonder Anubis called him a disaster point, and said he might change the fate of this 
world. The Convergence of Celestial Spheres   was never a good omen for either world involved.
A heavy, inexplicable weight settled on Ember’s shoulders at the thought. All he wanted 
was to live this new life well—how had he   suddenly become the spark for catastrophe?
He shook his head, dispelling the tangled thoughts. Matters of this scale were 
far beyond his reach for now. He was   still a small figure in the grand scheme, only 
able to grasp what was right before him. The convergence of worlds—such things could only be 
influenced when he grew to the stature of gods. For now, it was better to focus on the present.
Seeing Ember quickly regain his composure after   the initial shock, a glimmer of approval 
flickered in Anubis’s canine eyes. The secrets he had just revealed were, in a way, a 
test for Ember—and the young man had proved he   possessed a formidable strength of mind. Anyone 
else, upon hearing such secrets, would have been consumed by dread and anxiety. After all, these 
truths lay far beyond common understanding. Since Ember had digested this 
information so swiftly, Anubis continued.  “After Michael and Lucifer prevailed, the fate 
of all souls in the world fell into their hands.” “The underworld, bereft of new 
souls, gradually withered away. The   once-turbulent River of the Dead was seized 
and swept into the depths of Purgatory.” “So, if you wish to obtain the waters of the 
underworld, you must awaken the slumbering Osiris, restore the underworld, and reclaim the river.”
The River of the Dead had ended up in Purgatory? Ember couldn’t help but think of that endless 
river of blood that had birthed the vampire   lineage. Could it really be such a coincidence?
As for awakening Osiris, Ember had no intention of following Anubis’s advice. If Lucifer had 
defeated Osiris, then reviving Osiris would mean becoming Lucifer’s enemy.Even if he was 
the so-called disaster point in Anubis’s words, Ember didn’t think he had the strength to 
arm-wrestle Lucifer. This was a former archangel,   after all—someone powerful enough to pummel 
Osiris, one of Egypt’s Ennead, into a deep slumber. That alone spoke volumes about Lucifer’s 
might. Even with Anubis’s help, Ember didn’t see much chance of victory. After all, Anubis and 
his kind hadn’t been able to defeat Michael   and Lucifer together in their prime—how could 
their battered remnants hope to be a match now? Did Anubis really expect Ember to suddenly turn 
into some creator god, knocking out Michael with   his fists and kicking Lucifer into submission?
After mulling it over, Ember nodded toward Anubis. “I understand, Doggy. I’ll do my best.”
“Oh, by the way, how do I find you in the future?” “It’s not easy to find a complete soul, 
and if I really do run into Osiris,   I won’t even know how to wake him.”
Seeing Ember’s helpless shrug, Anubis hesitated for a moment before drawing out 
a trace of divine power and pressing it to Ember’s   wrist. As the divine energy flowed in, a crying 
eye—the Eye of Horus—emerged on Ember’s skin. “The way to awaken Osiris is to let more 
people remember his name,” Anubis explained.  “When more and more begin to recite 
it, Osiris, cycling through mortal reincarnations, will naturally awaken.”
“The symbol on your wrist is the Eye of   Horus. As long as the divine power 
remains, it will protect your soul.” “It also ensures that when you die, 
your soul will come to me for judgment.”  “Or, if you wish, you can find one of my avatars 
in the death that lingers in the Loki Mountains.” As he finished speaking, the ancient starlit sky 
above began to flicker, its stability wavering. Glancing upward, Anubis realized that their time 
was up. He resumed his towering, majestic form, then gradually faded from sight, leaving 
only a single sentence echoing in the air.  “Farewell, Ember.”
Ember waved to the empty space before him. Though he hadn’t received a 
blessing this time, trading a greedy soul for   a second chance at life wasn’t a bad deal at all.
Besides, if the River Styx truly was the river of blood, then Ember had almost everything he 
needed for the ritual. After all, the blood   running through the veins of vampires shared the 
same origin as the river of blood—in a sense, it could be seen as another form of the Styx’s 
waters. The materials might not be perfect, but they should be enough to deal a heavy blow 
to Austin and keep him out of trouble for a   while. That would give Ember some precious 
time to strengthen himself even further. Now, all he was missing were 
the bones of a wrongful death.  Ember’s gaze drifted down to his 
feet. If he recalled correctly, the shooting that happened here had never made the 
news. Most likely, his predecessor’s old friend, Pete, had been buried here by the assassin 
who came back for him. That would make   these the bones of one who died unjustly.
Sorry, old friend, Ember thought. But I’ll have to dig up your remains and put them to use.
Sure enough, he was right.Ash hadn’t dug very deep before he uncovered the half-decayed corpse. 
The contours of the face still faintly resembled   Pete. Though Pete had died at the hands of 
another “good brother,” Jimmy, Ash had since killed Jimmy and wiped out the Black Dog Gang, 
the ones who had sent the assassins. In a way,   he had already avenged Pete. As for the body, 
Pete had neither father nor mother—there was no one left to claim his remains. Now that Ash was 
using the corpse for his ritual, it was at least finding some purpose after death. If Pete’s spirit 
knew of this, perhaps he’d feel some comfort.  With a solid swing of the hammer, Ash shattered 
Pete’s bones into powder, then poured them into the golden chalice. Clenching his jaw, he 
slashed open his own wrist again and again, filling the cup to the brim with his own 
blood. Next, he dropped in the lucky gold coin, and finally submerged the heart of the doll into 
the mixture. Once everything was prepared, Ash, his hands still stained red, cradled 
the golden chalice and began to chant.  Strange, undulating incantations echoed far into 
the abandoned worksite, weaving an unsettling atmosphere into the night. As the chanting 
continued, the heart floating in the golden   chalice began to crack, spiderweb-thin 
fissures appearing all over its surface. It worked. Ash’s choice of lesser materials 
had been the right one. The river of blood   that birthed the vampiric lineage was indeed 
the very same river once roaring through the underworld—though for reasons unknown, it now 
flowed with blood rather than shadow. The lucky coin, too, had transformed the usual ferryman’s 
coin, swapping misfortune for luck. Now, the only unknown was the curse’s effect. This 
kind of long-distance death spell was a first   for Ash—he had no idea how to verify the outcome.
Seeking a ritual from the Book of Sacrifice at this point seemed too costly. Ash glanced at the 
golden chalice, still half-full of fresh blood, and decided to use the Blood Mirror spell 
to call Alice, whom he hadn’t contacted   in ages. To his surprise, Alice—who was 
usually quick to reply—remained silent, as if she was out of reach entirely.
Thinking for a moment, Ash pulled   out his phone and dialed Alice’s 
number. This time, she picked up, her voice brimming with barely concealed delight, 
as if something wonderful had just happened.  “Hah, Ash! What’s gotten into 
you, calling me out of the blue?” “So, what’s the favor this time? I’ll 
give you a fifty percent discount.”  Ash set aside his curiosity 
and got straight to the point: “Do you know how to tell if your 
curse has succeeded? Whether   you’ve seriously harmed or killed someone?”
Alice gave a little exclamation of surprise. “You mean, verifying the effect of a death spell?”  “You’re capable of witchcraft now? Never 
mind, I won’t pry into your secrets.” “There is a way, but if your target 
isn’t dead, they’ll sense your presence.”  “It’s best if you use a powerful 
medium to mask your aura. That way, your true identity won’t be exposed.”
Ash nodded, “No problem. Just tell me   the incantation.”Alice cheerfully recited the 
incantation for Ember, then hesitated for a moment before saying, “This time, I won’t charge 
you. But I might ask for your help in the future.” She paused, as if suddenly recalling 
Ember’s identity as a demon’s agent,   and quickly added, “Of course, this 
isn’t a contract. You’re free to refuse!” Help her? Ember hadn’t forgotten Alice’s 
wish when they first met—she wanted to teach   a lesson to a wicked woman. But surely, 
Alice didn’t lack money anymore. Could it be that this bad woman was powerful?
“You know my abilities are limited. I’m   still just a novice demon hunter, so I 
might not actually be able to help you.” “But you can tell me anyway. Who 
knows, maybe I’ll be useful.”  With her mind made up, Alice no longer hesitated 
and spoke directly, “Here’s the situation: a prodigy wizard, someone the elders of my 
clan had high hopes for, recently died.” “So now, they’re looking to select 
someone else who has the potential to   become the Supreme Sorcerer.”
“And one of the evaluation criteria is connections.”
“When the time comes,   all you’ll need to do is bring a few friends to 
support me. There’s really no risk involved.” Just showing up to lend support? That 
was no problem at all. After agreeing,   Ember hung up the phone. He then pulled the 
burial shroud out from his Gluttony storage bag. Inside that shroud was none other than the 
demon Lutz. Using the demon’s breath as a cover, Ember was sure that even if Austin had somehow 
survived, he’d never recognize him now!  …
In the hidden depths of Lock City, Austin was completely 
absorbed in his work on a new puppet when,   without warning, a sharp pain seized his heart.
Moments later, a series of sharp crackles sounded from his body. The protective charms he wore to 
guard against curses exploded one after another. Realizing that someone was cursing him, Austin 
immediately calmed his mind and opened his eyes.  Did they really think a curse of this 
level could kill him? What a pitiful attempt. Did they take him, Austin, for 
one of those lazy, senile old fools?  They should know that he, Austin, was 
once a formidable wizard and a real contender for the title of Supreme Sorcerer.
Trying to play with curses in front of him was   like showing off one’s skills before a master.
With a cold snort, Austin prepared to get up and gather some materials to launch 
a counter-curse against the reckless   sorcerer who dared attack him.
But as he rose, he failed to notice that his fireproof and waterproof 
wizard’s robe had been weakened by the   curse and had lost its fire resistance.
Rising quickly, Austin’s robe billowed, and its edge brushed against a candle 
flame. Instantly, the hem caught fire.  Completely unaware, Austin flung open 
a nearby moisture-proof cabinet and began selecting his spell components.
Just as he slammed the cabinet shut,   a glass bottle—carelessly placed—tipped over, 
struck the door, bounced out, and crashed to the floor.As Austin turned, the flames licking 
his robe brushed against a bottle marked with   a yellow flammable symbol—the Heart of the Flame 
Demon. With a sudden explosion, a deafening blast filled his world. In an instant, Austin’s vision 
was consumed by searing fire. Before he could even register what had happened, a wave of agony, 
as if he were burning alive, overwhelmed him. Another sharp crack rang out. A blue glass vial, 
which Austin had hung around his neck, shattered unexpectedly. A refreshing coolness swept over 
him, soothing his pain. The relentless flames, upon meeting the blue mist, were immediately 
extinguished. This was the item Austin had gone through unimaginable trials to obtain for 
his own survival—the Tear of the Goddess.  Shakily getting to his feet, Austin grabbed 
a mirror with trembling hands. Staring at the scarred, pitted skin reflected back at him, 
he let out a furious roar. Only now did he realize that the curse placed upon him also 
contained a curse of misfortune! He had been struck by a malicious hex of terrible luck! The 
initial attack curse had completely misled him, leaving him wide open to this fate!
He vowed to hunt down the wretch who had done   this to him—how dare they ruin his face! He would 
make them pay a thousandfold for this humiliation! Just then, Austin sensed someone approaching. 
Were they coming to check if he was dead? A cold, murderous glint flashed in his eyes, mingled 
with bitter amusement. Good—let’s see exactly which brazen fool dared to lay a hand on him!
Meanwhile, in the southern district of Lorton,   within an abandoned construction site, Embers sat 
cross-legged with his eyes closed. One hand rested on a withered, shattered heart, the other gripped 
a rolled-up shroud. Following the incantation Alice had taught him, he began to chant softly.
The magical power, transformed from the emotions of the seven deadly sins, flowed as the 
chant guided it, coursing through the heart,   Embers himself, and the shroud in a deliberate 
pattern. Embers was the source; the shroud, which sealed the demon Ruz, served as a camouflage; the 
puppet’s heart acted as the conduit. In essence, it was much like a hacker using a series of 
proxies to launch a disguised attack—bouncing   through intermediaries to mask the true origin.
So, when Embers “saw” the disheveled Austin, Austin “saw” Embers as well. Yet 
to Austin’s eyes, Embers appeared   only as a silhouette shrouded in swirling 
darkness, exuding a powerful demonic aura. A demonic presence? Even without seeing the 
figure’s true face, Austin instantly understood who had struck at him. True demons rarely relied 
on long-range curses to eliminate their enemies, for a demon’s greatest pleasure lies 
in watching their foes fall into pain   and despair before their very eyes. Such 
remote curses robbed them of this delight. Thus, to use demonic power for a curse, it could 
only have been a warlock capable of channeling   the energy of demons! And in this world, there 
were precious few sorcerers who used demonic forces as their source of magic. As it happened, 
there was just such a person within the Church of   Immortality.This elder-level grand wizard of the 
Cult of Immortality had always been at odds with him, Austin, due to their differing philosophies, 
and recently they had even competed for certain   objects. If this person was truly determined, 
it wouldn’t be so difficult for him to obtain a medium connected to Austin. Considering all 
these factors together, the culprit’s identity was already becoming obvious. Russell! Damn Russell! 
Taking his Heart of Eternity wasn’t enough—now he’d come straight to his doorstep! Did Russell 
really think he was someone to be toyed with,   like a ball of cotton ripe for the picking?
Seething with rage, Austin’s eyes nearly blazed with fire, but he wasted no time. He began 
rummaging through the charred cabinets without hesitation. Before long, he found a scorched, 
yellowed tooth—one of Russell’s baby teeth, discarded in childhood. Austin had gone through 
no small effort to unearth it from deep beneath the soil. All of it was for this very moment. 
If their conflict ever escalated to the point where pretenses had to be dropped, he would 
at least have a means to strike back. And now,   that time had come!
… The moment Ash saw Austin’s condition through 
spirit vision, he immediately severed their   connection. As Ash exited the spirit vision, a 
wave of dizziness washed over him. The sensation was much like wearing a VR headset for too 
long—a strange, lingering discomfort. After all, spirit vision wasn’t about seeing with 
one’s eyes, but more like possessing a   360-degree awareness. Returning so abruptly 
to a body where one eye could see, at most, 188 degrees, naturally felt jarring. Thankfully, 
the discomfort passed as quickly as it came. Recalling the scene he’d just witnessed, Ash 
could be fairly certain that the curse had   taken effect. As for the results—they were 
satisfactory. Although Austin hadn’t died, his state was truly miserable. It was a 
pity that most of Austin’s puppet body   had already been sacrificed by Ash; otherwise, a 
few more rounds of curses, and Austin might have gone straight to meet his ancestors. Witchcraft 
curses really were terrifying. Without some form   of defense, one could fall victim all too easily.
Fortunately, the materials for such potent curses were hard to come by, and Ash himself wasn’t 
without means of protection. He glanced at the Eye of Horus on his wrist. Besides this artifact, 
Lana’s presence could also help lessen the curse’s effects. And if things got really dire, he still 
had a Curse Heart at his disposal. Of course, relying too much on the Curse Heart would 
gradually erode Ash’s worldly desires. But   any friend who’d ever been cursed knew—the law 
of curse counteraction holds true. If it really came to that, Ash wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
After a moment’s thought, Ash estimated that   if a curse of the same strength were 
used against him, he could withstand it at least three times. This realization 
put his mind at ease. For now, physical   harm was nothing to him; it was these strange 
mental assaults that posed the real threat. Just as Ash dusted off his hands and 
prepared to get back in the car and leave,   a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of 
his vehicle. That ever-present black wizard’s robe—it could only be Austin himself.But Ember, 
having just used Spirit Vision, was well aware that Austin’s true body was not present. So what 
stood before him could only be a new puppet. Could it be that the Spirit Vision spell Alice gave 
him was flawed? Had he been discovered? Hah, it didn’t matter either way. Ember had already 
experienced firsthand the fighting power of these puppets—this was a ritual medium delivered right 
to his doorstep! If Austin had chosen to keep his puppet hidden, Ember might have been a bit wary. 
But now, he could deal with it as he pleased. Ember placed his hand on the car door handle, 
preparing to transform into a blood bat and   deliver a ruthless blow to the puppet under 
Austin’s control. Just then, Austin spoke first: “I know you have some grievances 
against me, so I’ve come to apologize.”  “As a gesture of sincerity, I 
can share a secret with you.” “Russell asked you to escort that woman back to 
the city, but he doesn’t have good intentions.”  Hearing this, Ember paused, no longer in a rush 
to open the door. It seemed Alice’s suggestion was working. Austin had no idea who had cursed 
him from the shadows, and for some reason, he’d even begun to suspect Russell. So, Austin’s 
appearance wasn’t an act of foolishness, but an attempt to win him over? How intriguing.
Feigning confusion, Ember asked,   “What do you mean?”
Austin pointed to Amy, who was slumped in the back seat, fast 
asleep. “If I’m not mistaken, that woman   deliberately attracted a demon to possess her.”
“For people like her, removing the growths with Russell’s method is only a temporary fix—it 
doesn’t address the root of the problem.”  “Russell knows this. I know this. 
The only one who doesn’t is you.” “And most likely, you’re the one who’ll perform 
the operation. So the demon that once possessed   her will only hold a grudge against you.”
“When it returns, that will be the day you die!” Ember deliberately put on a look of shock, 
though in truth he’d already known this. He   had witnessed with his own eyes that Amy could 
call Luz back through pain—far more convincing than mere words. Yet now, it sounded like 
Austin might have a way to prevent such a   thing. If he truly had a solution, that 
would fulfill Ember’s promise to Amy. So Ember continued to play the 
naïve fool and asked earnestly,   “Then what should I do to avoid such a fate?”
Austin smiled confidently. The fish had taken the bait. Now was the time to reel it in. As 
for the incident where Ember had killed his   precious puppet in a fit of violence, both 
of them tacitly chose not to mention it. “Before I tell you the solution, you have to 
promise to take me into District Thirteen!”  Hearing Austin’s demand, Ember deliberately 
put on a conflicted expression. Seeing this, Austin, thinking Ember was already 
tempted, pressed his advantage:  “What are you hesitating for?”
“Russell wants you dead!” “I’m the only one who wants to save you!”“All 
I want in return is a small favor from you.” “Russell is dead. That’s 
good news for both of us!”  Ember, who was always happy to see two dogs 
fighting, gritted his teeth and feigned a look of great difficulty, as if making a hard decision.
“Fine! As long as you help me out of this dead end, I’ll take you into District Thirteen!”
“But on the way, you’ll have to listen to me.   If something goes wrong, I won’t be responsible!”
Seeing Ember finally agree to bring him into District Thirteen, Austin, 
hidden beneath his black hood,   couldn’t help but let a faint smile slip.
Russell, since you showed no mercy first, don’t blame me for returning the favor…
Once in the car, Austin wasted no time.   He pulled out a small silver knife, 
its blade glinting in the dim light. Catching Ember’s wary gaze in the rearview mirror, 
Austin raised his hand to show he meant no harm. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I really 
don’t intend to do anything bad.”  “It’s just that, usually, when someone willingly 
invites a demon to possess them, the demon’s true name is carved beneath their flesh.”
“That way, the demon can be summoned into the   same vessel over and over, under the same terms.”
“If you want to avoid that fate, there’s only one way—erase the demon’s true name engraved 
in your very bones. And as it happens,   I know how to do that.”
“So, what’s your choice?” Austin’s words touched on an 
area Ember knew little about.  Information on demons was restricted 
in the Psychic Division—only senior demon hunters had access to such files. So 
Ember truly knew nothing about these things.  But then, Austin had no real reason to lie.
Wizards were never known for their close combat skills—Austin daring to get in his car meant that, 
at least for now, they were on the same side.  After a brief moment of thought, Ember nodded, 
then tossed Austin a vial of painkiller. Austin’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise 
when he saw the painkiller on the seat.  So Ember has a kind side after all.
He knew that flaying flesh and scraping bone would be excruciating, so he’d 
prepared a dose for Amy ahead of time.  But in this world, it’s truly much harder 
to be a good person than a bad one. To Austin, this bit of kindness was a 
handle he could grasp—leverage to be used.  With a deeper smile curling at his lips, 
Austin injected all the painkiller into the emaciated veins of Amy’s arm.
Then, with a swift motion, he drew   the knife across her skin, pried up the taut 
flesh with two fingernails, and pulled hard. With a sickening rip, the skin on 
the inside of Amy’s forearm came   away in one perfect sheet, utterly intact.
Just from the practiced skill of his hands, it was clear that Austin had done 
this sort of thing many times before.  After all, the art of erasing a demon’s 
true name was not a common service—one could only imagine, with a shudder, 
how Austin had become so adept at it.  Ember instantly felt a surge 
of caution toward Austin. Perhaps this man’s close-quarters abilities 
weren’t as feeble as he’d thought.Perhaps   the reason it was so fragile before was 
simply that Ash’s attack had come too suddenly. Steadying himself, Ash continued 
to watch through the car’s rearview mirror.   He saw that after the skin was stripped away, 
Austin picked up the small knife again and, with the practiced skill of a master butcher, 
sliced all the flesh from Amy’s body, leaving only the blood vessels and sinews perfectly intact. 
Such technique—if Austin were to become a surgeon, he would surely be a prodigy of the operating 
room. Unfortunately, anyone with ambition would never be content with the mere life of a doctor.
Sensing Ash’s silent astonishment, Austin began to erase the demon’s true name with his silver knife, 
explaining with smug satisfaction, “This really isn’t so difficult. You just need to practice 
turning a whole person into a pile of flesh   over and over again, and then reassembling that 
pile of flesh onto the bones. Do it enough times, and your hands will become as skilled as mine.”
Speculation was one thing, but hearing Austin describe his method outright caused a wave of 
murderous intent to rise uncontrollably in Ash’s   heart. Yet Austin seemed entirely oblivious, 
waxing lyrical about his grand puppet artistry. Looking at Amy, still at Austin’s mercy, Ash 
exhaled, releasing a heavy breath as he forced himself to calm down. Austin and Russell—they 
were two sides of the same coin. These people   never regarded others as human, nor did they see 
themselves as such. If Ash didn’t need to restore Amy to her normal state, he would never have 
tolerated Austin’s arrogance for even a moment.  After regaining his composure, Ash glanced 
again at the rearview mirror. Sure enough, the demon’s true names etched deep in Amy’s 
bones were being erased, one by one. Yet,   this was no more than a stopgap for Amy. The true 
names inscribed in her bones were carved by her self-harming personality. Ash couldn’t read the 
demonic script, but he knew that as long as that   personality persisted, Amy—the self-mutilator 
who knew Lutz’s true name—would keep carving those names, summoning Lutz through pain.
So, no matter how much Ash loathed Austin,   for Amy’s sake he had to ask, “Is it enough 
just to erase the true names from her bones? What if she still remembers the demon’s name?”
Austin, scraping away at the bones with his knife, paused for a moment, then immediately understood 
the situation with this demon vessel. Some people, after all, deliberately stitch a demon’s 
true name beneath their flesh to summon   possession. For that, the solution was simple.
“It’s fine. Just make her forget the demon’s true name,” he replied. “The forgetting spell has 
its flaws, but it’s undeniably effective. All you need to do is send her somewhere unfamiliar, 
keep her away from anything from her past, and the spell’s effect will last until the day she dies.”
A forgetting spell? Before Amy’s other personality could be dealt with…This did seem like a pretty 
good idea. Ember had never thought of it before, simply because he hadn’t yet learned to approach 
problems with a wizard’s mindset. To a wizard,   if one spell can’t solve the problem, then 
try another. If that still doesn’t work, then invent a new spell yourself. Sooner or later, 
there’s always a spell that will get the job done. Before long, Austin had completely erased 
every trace of the demon’s true name from   Amy’s bones. Then, just as he had promised, 
he began to carefully layer the fallen flesh, piece by piece, back onto Amy’s arm, which 
had been stripped to the bone. The flesh, drained of all color, was as white as winter snow.
If he were making a doll, Austin wouldn’t bother with such trouble. But now he was saving a life, 
so he began to chant a spell of restoration.   Under the influence of his incantation, the broken 
capillaries seemed to come alive, reconnecting one by one. As the blood began to flow again, the 
pallid flesh gradually regained its rosy hue. From the outside, Amy now looked almost 
completely unharmed, aside from her thinness. Meanwhile, Ember’s car was pulling up 
to the gates of a wealthy estate in   the northern district of Locheng. After 
all, Amy Forbes was the beloved daughter of the city’s biggest real estate magnate.
George Forbes paced anxiously back and forth   in front of the grand gates, wide enough 
for horses to gallop through. Ever since he’d heard from the psychic division that 
his daughter was safe, his mood had been   a wild rollercoaster of hope and dread.
As the most powerful property developer in Locheng, George could, in theory, have had 
another daughter if Amy was lost. After all, women willing to bear his children could line 
up from the Tulip Domain all the way to the   city gates. But the crucial point was, in his 
younger days, George had indulged in every excess, and his health had long since failed him. To 
put it bluntly, he was no longer capable—his   seed of life had lost its vigor years ago.
Of course, there were no wild stallions galloping atop his head—Amy was indeed 
his daughter, that much was certain.  Thanks to his wealth, George had learned a few 
secrets that most people never would. Years ago, he had taken a group into the Rocky Mountains 
and spent a night there. He returned alone,   and soon afterward, his wife became mysteriously 
pregnant. That was how Amy came into the world. Lacking any preference for sons over 
daughters, George doted on his only   child. But the result was a daughter so spoiled 
that she lost her sense of purpose early on. Before George could figure out what to do, he 
discovered that Amy had been secretly reading   the ancient tomes he’d locked away out of reach. 
What happened next truly terrified him: his daughter began to hurt herself again and again.
He realized that Amy had tried the forbidden   rituals described in those old books and 
summoned a demon from hell. But by then, she was already lost to madness, unwilling to 
listen to him or let a priest into the house. If a priest even set foot across the threshold, 
she would threaten to end her own life.  In despair, George believed that the bargain 
he’d made in the Rocky Mountains was finally coming back to haunt him—and that he was about to 
lose his only daughter.He had never expected such   a sudden turn of events: his daughter agreed 
to treatment, and, even more astonishingly, she was cured. George was filled with both 
surprise and joy. The joy came from knowing   his daughter was safe; the surprise, however, 
was far more troubling—for if his daughter was unharmed, it meant trouble awaited him.
After all, he had once made a promise to   the god of love: as long as his daughter reached 
adulthood, he would go to the Rocky Mountains and become the love god’s male companion. Yet, human 
nature is selfish, and he had not kept his word. So, ever since his daughter’s accident, George had 
suspected it was the love god’s revenge at work. Now that his daughter had returned, it seemed 
the only way to prevent further mishaps was to   make the journey to the Rockies himself. But this 
time, he feared, there would be no coming back. The thought of that wolfish, predatory love 
god made George’s face go ashen with dread.  Just then, a perfectly ordinary car was stopped 
by a security guard not far away. Immediately, George’s radio crackled to life. Realizing his 
daughter had returned, George quickly stepped onto his hoverboard and sped to the gate to greet her.
He first glanced at Ember, the young driver, but shifted his attention swiftly to Austin. A young 
driver would not solve his problems. In three brisk strides, George deftly slipped a gemstone 
into Austin’s hand and greeted him with a smile. “May I ask your name?”
Austin shot a half-amused glance at Ember,   then accepted the gemstone without a word, 
finally replying, “You can call me Austin.” George nodded. “Oh, Mr. Austin, 
thank you for saving my daughter.”  “Is Amy completely all right now? Will 
anything happen to her again in the future?” After explaining how Amy 
could avoid further distress,   Austin stepped aside. Once George confirmed that 
Amy was merely unconscious, he looked at Austin, clearly wanting to say more but hesitating.
Austin, an old hand at such things,   immediately saw through George’s hesitation. But 
he was in a hurry for his own revenge in District 13 and had no time for more conversation.
“Mr. George, since we’ve brought Amy back   safely, it’s about time for us to leave—”
Before Austin could finish, Ember interrupted, “Mr. George, is there something troubling 
you? Why not tell us? Maybe we can help.”  Austin shot Ember an irritated glare. 
This was not part of their agreement! There was no need to complicate things further.
Ember ignored Austin’s annoyance, fixing his gaze intently on George.
[George Forbes]  [Wish: To escape the 
entanglement of the love god.] … The love god! Ember did not know exactly 
which one, but he was well aware that any love   god who meddled in mortal affairs was hardly 
divine anymore, but rather a lustful demon. Until now, Ember hadn’t known where to find the 
Seed of Lust. Naturally, he was not about to let George slip away.Hearing Embers interject, George 
looked at him in surprise, then glanced at Austin, whose face was twisted in anger but who 
offered no rebuttal. In that instant,   George realized his earlier assumptions 
had been mistaken. Between these two, it seemed that the young man driving—rather than 
Austin in the back seat—was the one who called   the shots. When did such a rising star appear 
among the demon hunters? Caught up as he’d been with worries about his daughter and the goddess 
of love, George truly didn’t recognize Embers.   But after today, he certainly would.
After a brief moment of contemplation, George decided to take a desperate 
gamble and spoke up directly:  “The reason Amy has suffered demonic 
possession—I’ve finally figured it out.” “It all began in the Rocky Mountains, back when 
I was a young man traveling there for pleasure.”  “As it happened, someone took a liking to 
my looks and insisted I stay. Naturally, I refused with all my might.”
“That woman flew into a rage from   shame, and laid a curse upon my whole 
family, dooming us all to misfortune.” Seeing the grief etched across George’s 
face, Embers almost believed his story. Yet,   from what Embers knew, if the goddess of love 
truly desired George, she would never have let him slip away. So the truth of George’s 
tale was highly questionable. But Embers did   not interrupt his would-be benefactor, 
choosing instead to listen in silence. George, meanwhile, grew more 
impassioned as he spoke:  “I never took it seriously before, but 
now, her curse seems to be coming true, one horror after another.”
“That’s why I’d like to formally   commission the Psychic Bureau to send a demon 
hunter to rid me of that spiteful woman.” “Of course, if the Bureau takes the case, 
they’ll take a hefty cut of the reward.”  “So if you’re interested, I could entrust 
this task to you privately. What do you say?” Slaying a goddess? Embers didn’t 
particularly mind. However—  “No!” Austin refused flatly. “We have 
more pressing matters to attend to. If you’re not in a hurry, you can wait your turn.”  “If it’s truly urgent, you can always 
submit your request to the Bureau.” “There are plenty of demon hunters in the 
world—it doesn’t have to be us, right, Ash?”  With those words, Austin fixed 
Embers with a fierce glare, his fingers twitching ever so slightly, as if 
to say: If you disagree, I’ll kill everyone here on the spot! For those with a conscience, 
this tactic was usually quite effective.  Yet Embers acted as though he hadn’t noticed 
at all, turning instead to George and asking, “This spiteful woman from the 
Rockies—is she the goddess of love?”  The goddess of love?! Austin had been ready to 
bring Embers in line for ignoring his ‘advice’, but the moment these words left Embers’ mouth, 
Austin’s attitude changed instantly. He shifted his gaze to George, who looked equally startled, 
and it was clear to see that Embers had hit the mark.George’s trouble was no ordinary witch 
who could curse others, but a god fallen to   the mortal world! When it comes to these deities 
who once stood high above, it’s not just Ember who would be interested—most members of the Cult of 
Immortality would be intrigued, including Austin   himself. After all, gods have always been the ones 
closest to eternity. For the Cult of Immortality, gods are the perfect subjects for study. Be 
it the goddess of love or the god of death,   in the eyes of the cult, they are merely 
different paths leading toward the eternal. Of course, most gods possess formidable powers, 
and rarely would anyone from the cult be mad   enough to consider targeting them. But gods who 
have fallen to the mortal realm are another story entirely. Having lost their followers after their 
defeat in the war of the gods, they are stripped of their divine power. Strictly speaking, the 
so-called goddess of love in the Rocky Mountains   could now be called a succubus. Yet, that 
doesn’t diminish her value as a research subject. If Ember truly wished to hunt the goddess of 
love, then the affairs of District Thirteen   could indeed be set aside for now. After all, 
for followers of immortality, nothing is more enticing than eternity itself. In the face of 
eternity, what does a little hatred matter? Eyes gleaming, Austin fixed his gaze 
on George. He needed to know more.  Austin’s reaction was exactly as Ember had 
expected. Ever since he saw the imprisoned avatar of Anubis in the Rocky Mountains, Ember understood 
that gods held an irresistible allure for   those who pursued immortality. So the moment he 
mentioned the goddess of love, Austin would surely volunteer to be his ally. However, to hunt a god, 
they would need to be thoroughly prepared. And right now, the only person in the know was George.
If George kept stammering and refusing to tell   the truth, as he had before, Ember 
would have to reconsider whether to accept this commission at all.
With both pairs of eyes on him,   George’s face twisted in indecision. He had no 
idea how Ember had seen through the woman’s true identity as the goddess of love. The reason he 
hadn’t mentioned her name from the start was that   he feared Ember would have nothing to do with 
the commission the moment he heard those words. Usually, demon hunters only take on jobs either to 
make a little extra money while pursuing revenge, or because the Department of Psyonics has some 
tool or resource they desperately need—tasks   they can handle, nothing more. If a hunter had 
no personal grudge against the goddess of love, why would they want to provoke a ‘god,’ a 
creature so perilous and extraordinary? It   would be like shining a flashlight in 
the restroom—just asking for trouble! After all, even a phoenix fallen in the water 
is still a phoenix, and the goddess of love   is still a god! Yet now, it seemed the words 
“goddess of love” were actually making Ember and Austin excited? This was nothing like any 
demon hunter George had ever heard of. Had he   run into a pair of demon-hunting madmen?
Realizing this, a surge of wariness rose in George’s heart.The so-called “demon-hunter 
psychosis” refers to those demon hunters who, after years of witnessing countless terrifying 
scenes, have seen their worldview repeatedly   shattered and twisted by each new hunt. 
In time, they find themselves unable to adapt to a peaceful and beautiful life.
What’s more, ordinary demon-hunting cases   no longer interest them; instead, they begin 
to crave ever more dangerous and exhilarating experiences. When demon hunters with this 
psychosis join a hunt, their very presence often   raises the level of danger by several notches.
There were even cases where a demon hunter, finding the demon too weak, would perform 
a blood sacrifice on a comrade just to   strengthen the demon’s power! Afterwards, when the 
psychic division sent psychologists to diagnose the participants, they discovered that demon 
hunters, much like war veterans of earlier eras,   could develop PTSD—post-traumatic stress disorder.
Yet, the psychological impact of demon-hunting far surpasses the horrors of war, making these 
afflicted hunters even more dangerous. Since then, the psychic division has adopted a unified term 
for such individuals—“demon-hunter psychosis.” Most of the high-level assignments received by 
the psychic division end up being tackled by   these thrill-seekers. Despite their undeniable 
contributions to the stability of Lock City, others still regard demon-hunter 
psychosis as a walking disaster.  After all, if you hunt demons with the Lyon 
brothers, at least you die by a demon’s hand. But if you’re paired with someone 
suffering from demon-hunter psychosis,   you might just end up as collateral damage 
yourself. That’s why, in private, other hunters call these individuals “suicide trucks”—and 
no one is willing to hunt alongside them.  At this moment, George suspected that Ash and 
his companion belonged to that very category of psychotic demon hunters. He was truly afraid that, 
once they learned the truth, they would drag him to the Rockies by force to lure out the Love God.
After all, if he fell into the hands of the Love   God, life would be a fate worse than 
death—though at least he might survive long enough to stumble upon a chance 
to escape. But if he were used as bait,   he’d have no hope left at all. The enraged Love 
God would surely kill him first for his betrayal! Seeing George’s face clouded with worry and his 
long silence, Ash added meaningfully, “Mr. George, if your adversary is the Love God and not some 
witch, I’m afraid your time may be running out.”  George trembled from head to toe. Although he had 
blamed the demon possessing Amy on the Love God, he had no real evidence—he was just making 
things up. But hearing Ash say this,   it almost sounded like a prophecy come 
true. The fact that Amy’s misfortune struck just as she came of age felt more like 
a warning—a warning from the Love God himself.  If George refused to go to the Rockies or failed 
to deal with the Love God, he feared the next target would be more than just his daughter.
Realizing that his time was nearly up,   George let out a heavy sigh, and finally 
understood. So be it—if he had to hunt with the demon-hunter psychosis, then so be it.At 
least they have the courage to face the goddess of love. But as for him, there was no way he 
would set foot in the Loki Mountains with Ember   and the others — that was his bottom line!
After carefully gathering his thoughts, George spoke to confirm, “That’s right, that 
woman was once the goddess of love — Aphrodite.” Aphrodite? So she’s the goddess who holds 
sway over desire? According to the tales,   she’s a notorious siren, leaving behind children 
with almost every god of note. George’s worries were, in truth, quite understandable. Not 
just anyone could hope to satisfy Aphrodite. What truly piqued Ember’s curiosity, however, was 
why George had caught her eye in the first place. Sensing Ember’s contemplative gaze, a fleeting 
look of embarrassment crossed George’s face.   But Ember had no intention of letting him off so 
easily. “Mr. George, you know as well as I do — the more you tell us now, the better our chances.”
George sighed deeply once more, then relented with a tone of resignation. “I learned 
about her from a demon hunter’s journal.”  “It said that if you could bring her to ecstasy 
just once, she would grant you a single request.” At the mention of pleasure, George 
unconsciously puffed out his belly,   a sudden surge of confidence lighting up his face. 
“When it comes to pleasing the goddess of love, I must say, I have some confidence.”
“Back in my younger days,   I was known as the ‘Little Cannon of Los City.’”
“Granted, I’m older now, not quite as vigorous as I used to be, but I still have a silver tongue 
— and a few tricks up my sleeve that would give   even Aphrodite a taste of human ingenuity.”
“So, I gathered a group and ventured into the Loki Mountains. Following the demon hunter’s 
instructions, we threw a wild party to lure   the goddess in.”
“And then…” A shadow of lingering dread flickered 
across George’s face — clearly,   that party had left a deep scar on his memory. He 
took a long, steadying breath before continuing. “When I first saw her, her skin 
was a little loose and dull,   but her figure was truly a sight to behold — and 
she had far more appetite than I’d imagined.” “But as the party went on, she grew younger 
and younger, her beauty growing so dazzling   it was almost blinding, her eyes as 
blue as the deep sea. Just a glance from her could steal your very soul.”
“No one could resist her allure.   It was as if we were moths drawn helplessly 
to the flame, begging for her favor.” “But in the end, I alone managed to bring a 
blush as pink as spring blossoms to her cheeks.”  “In return, she agreed to grant me a child. 
But she also took nineteen of my men, and only then did she grant me nineteen years of respite.”
George paused, then asked, “That’s everything. The rest is just details — do you want to hear them?”
Ember shook his head. He was here to hunt demons, not to please Aphrodite. Those details were of no 
use to him.Moreover, Ash found himself entirely unmoved by Aphrodite’s beauty—if anything, he 
even felt a trace of aversion. It wasn’t just him; Austin, who inhabited the puppet’s body, felt 
nothing at all either. When Ash’s calm, unfazed gaze met his, Austin felt a flicker of surprise 
and doubt. It was perfectly normal for him,   as a puppet, to be immune to the charms of 
a goddess of love—the vessel simply wasn’t equipped for such temptations. But Ash’s reaction 
was another matter entirely. How could a man feel not the slightest desire for the legendary goddess 
of beauty? Was that even possible? What man in his right mind could remain indifferent to the goddess 
of love? If Austin had been fifty years younger, he would have jumped at the chance to spend a 
passionate night with Aphrodite. But age had   caught up with him; he simply didn’t have 
the strength for such escapades anymore. As for Aphrodite’s allure, it could be summed 
up in a single phrase: whatever you desire, she embodies. The perfect figure, a captivating 
face, an enchanting voice—she possessed them all. Ash’s stoic demeanor was, in all likelihood, 
just a brave front. Austin was certain that when Ash truly laid eyes on Aphrodite, even the most 
steadfast man would find his resolve wavering. The thought of Ash making a fool of himself 
brought a mocking smile to Austin’s lips.   Before he dealt with Aphrodite, he wouldn’t mind 
recording a little video of Ash’s embarrassing moment. Ash still had a sense of pride; with 
such a video in hand, Austin could easily have the upper hand over him. And with that leverage, 
dealing with Russell would be so much easier.  With these plans forming in his mind, 
Austin spoke up, “Why are you looking at me? Haven’t you already decided to go? 
Shouldn’t we be discussing payment first?”  “She’s a goddess, after all. If the reward’s 
too low, I won’t be motivated,” Ash replied. Austin’s meaning was clear, and Ash picked up on 
it instantly. Since George was in such a hurry, they could drive a hard bargain when 
it came to the reward! After all,   the magical components a wizard used were never 
cheap, and Austin had recently lost a fortune’s worth of materials in the fire. Now, it was only 
fair that George coughed up a hefty pile of gold. A seasoned businessman, George immediately 
understood what the two were up to—they were   planning to ask for an exorbitant fee. Instead 
of unsettling him, this actually put George’s mind at ease. If they wanted money, then they 
weren’t demon-hunting fanatics. And money   was the one thing George had in abundance. Los 
Angeles’s top real estate tycoon, short on cash? What a joke! Sure, he owed the bank billions, 
but that was on paper, in the company’s name. His personal fortune was more than enough for him 
to live in extravagance for countless lifetimes.  So George simply put on a show of 
generosity, waving his hand with a flourish. “Money? There will be plenty of that!”
“How about this: you name your price!”  [Contract established]
… Seeing George so willing to let him set the price, 
Ash fell into a moment of contemplation. At this point in his life, money really didn’t matter 
much to him anymore. The four million dollars he   already had would be more than enough to last 
a very long time.Compared to money, what Ember truly desired as payment were things that money 
simply couldn’t buy. “I don’t want money. I want   to see your collection,” he declared.
Upon hearing this, Austin couldn’t help but regard Ember with newfound respect. Refusing 
payment and instead asking for a piece from the collection? Indeed, it was a clever choice—far 
better than seeking money, which would need to be converted into goods anyway. After all, some 
things simply lie beyond the reach of wealth.  One must remember that most of a real estate 
tycoon’s collection consists of ancient relics unearthed from construction sites. Before these 
artifacts ever entered George’s collection, they   would have already been carefully sifted through. 
So, even if one couldn’t pick the absolute best item, there’d still be a solid guarantee 
of quality. Yet, to select a true treasure   among them would require a discerning eye.
It’s worth mentioning that the Immortality Cult had once set their sights on the treasures of 
such wealthy collectors. But after a few attempts,   they realized these raids often yielded more 
trouble than they were worth. While the items were valuable, those truly coveted by the cult were 
rare indeed. And after attacking these tycoons, one had to endure the retaliation of the 
psychic authorities. All things considered,   it was far simpler to capture an avatar of 
a god than to go after these collections. After weighing his options, Austin ultimately 
opted for the more straightforward reward of ten   million dollars. For someone with his connections, 
turning cash into spellcasting materials was a trivial task. Choosing an item from a collection, 
on the other hand, would be a matter of luck. George, after some thought, agreed that 
once the matter was resolved, Ember could   choose any single item from his collection.
Later, Ember took Austin to the dog market, where they purchased dozens of Teddy dogs 
in heat. He had no time to gather a group of   degenerate partygoers, so the Teddies would have 
to do as substitutes. From George’s description, Ember had deduced that what would attract 
Aphrodite was not any particular creature,   but rather the blaze of desire itself.
Witnessing Ember’s choice, Austin—face hidden deep beneath his wizard’s hood—couldn’t help but 
reveal a complex expression. He had assumed Ember would eventually seek his assistance, giving 
him the leverage to demand some conditions in   return. Never did he expect that this young 
man would take such an unconventional route. By now, the car was thick with the heady scent 
of desire, courtesy of the energetic Teddies. The air was so charged with passion 
that not only would it lure Aphrodite,   but even if a succubus decided to join the 
party, Austin wouldn’t have been surprised. Sure enough, when they arrived at the 
location George had described, faint,   enchanting melodies drifted through the air. 
Then, a flawless woman appeared—barefoot, clad in gossamer veils, and gliding 
gracefully along a path strewn with   flowers. She swayed with every 
step, drawing all eyes to her. With the arrival of Aphrodite, the goddess 
of love, everything around seemed to lose its   luster. It was as if the entire world 
revolved around this perfect woman. Even the Teddies, who had been brimming with 
restless energy, now ceased their frolicking. One by one, they turned their gaze toward the radiant 
heart of the scene, utterly captivated.Aphrodite, dressed in dazzling yet elegant attire and 
adorned with a golden-brocade belt at her waist,   possessed skin as smooth and luminous as white 
porcelain. Her long golden hair shimmered in the lingering glow of the setting sun, and in her 
sea-blue eyes surged a love as boundless and   tumultuous as the ocean itself. Each graceful 
step she took sent a captivating ripple through her form, a spectacle so enchanting that it could 
bewitch all living beings—indeed, all of creation. Suddenly, from every direction, the local 
poodles—regardless of gender—let out a long, resonant howl. Their eyes turned red with 
longing, and, abandoning all restraint, they charged straight at Aphrodite. At first, 
she assumed there must be some sort of social   gathering taking place nearby, but her 
previously composed and serene expression changed in an instant. Although she was known as 
the goddess of desire, her chosen partners were, at the very least, supposed to be humanoid—not 
dogs, and certainly not a pack of dogs!  Aphrodite’s pupils widened in shock as she 
swiftly retracted the aura of allure she habitually radiated. Pressing her palm 
to her lips, she pursed her enticingly   red lips and blew a gentle breath. A swirl of 
rosy mist floated out, enveloping the poodles in a pink haze. Under its influence, their 
attention immediately shifted elsewhere.  Just as Aphrodite was about to heave a sigh of 
relief, a sudden realization struck her: the treacherous wilderness of the Loki Mountains was 
no place for poodles to survive. It was a trap! But before she could react, dark, smoke-wreathed 
chains shot out, binding her wrists and ankles and stretching her out in the shape of a star.
For a moment, Aphrodite was stunned, but   her surprise was quickly replaced by a seductive 
smile. She was confident: as long as her captors were human, they would not be able to resist 
her charm. Sure enough, in the very next moment, two figures emerged from the dense forest.
Aphrodite let out a coquettish laugh,   setting off another mesmerizing ripple through 
her form. Yet the two newcomers showed not the slightest response; their bodies, which should 
have betrayed some reaction, remained perfectly   composed. This was something Aphrodite had never 
encountered before. Even the gods themselves would be lost to her beauty—so why were these mere 
mortals as unmoved as saints, untouched by desire? Realizing her allure was useless here, Aphrodite 
regained her composure. She was once the goddess of love and beauty, the goddess of desire, and 
even the protector of sailors. If her captors thought mere sorcery could restrain 
her, they were surely courting death.  She turned her lustrous, ocean-deep eyes 
upon the newcomers, and in their depths reflected the silhouette of Ashes. “Who 
are you?” Aphrodite’s voice rang out, clear and melodious, in Ashes’ ear. It had to 
be said: Aphrodite was the sort of being whose voice alone could make anyone fall in love.
Yet Ashes, having sacrificed his passions, found himself entirely unmoved by Aphrodite’s 
ample charms—her beauty, her allure, even her enchanting voice. He supposed he ought to feel 
regret, but for reasons he could not explain, his heart remained perfectly still.He 
gazed quietly at Aphrodite’s flawless face,   pondering how he might strip away the 
original sin of lust from her being. Seeing that Ash remained silent and didn’t 
respond, a flicker of disappointment flashed in   Aphrodite’s eyes. She turned her gaze to Austin, 
parted her lips once more, and spoke again: “I can smell the stench of decay on 
you. Have you come seeking eternity?”  “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed,” 
Austin replied. “In this world, even gods will one day be buried in oblivion.”
“So you’ll gain nothing from me. Why not indulge in a bit of pleasure instead?”
From beneath his black robes,   Austin let out a low, mocking laugh. 
“Pleasure? Such base amusements are only for foolish mortals to lose themselves in.”
“What I pursue is a higher kind of ecstasy.” “You may not be eternal, but I’m certain 
you hold the key that leads to eternity!”  As he finished speaking, a bone-white 
staff suddenly appeared in Austin’s hand, which he then drove heavily into the ground. 
Deep beneath the Rocky Mountains, ancient bones seemed to respond to his call, rising 
up to form two cages of bone that imprisoned   Ash and Aphrodite each in their own cell.
Having done all this, Austin didn’t spare Ash so much as a glance, instead 
steering the bone structure,   intent on transporting Aphrodite elsewhere.
To be honest, even Austin was surprised by how easily it all went. The goddess of beauty, 
fallen from her pedestal as rumors claimed, truly was a shadow of her former self. Reduced 
to tempting mere mortals, Aphrodite couldn’t even break a simple binding spell. Such a 
being hardly deserved to be called divine.  Yet, Austin had not been wrong in calling 
Aphrodite the key to eternity. Through her, he could lure out the true gods. Those deities 
who once adored her would never forget the   allure of Aphrodite. Once she appeared in the 
mortal world again, they would swarm to her as sharks drawn to the scent of blood.
If he could trap all those gods,   perhaps he would become the first wizard in 
history to glimpse the secrets of the divine! Just then, a faint, mournful sigh echoed 
in Austin’s ears. In the next instant, the ground beneath his feet rippled 
like the rolling waves of the sea.  Astonishingly, he heard the roar of 
ocean waves while standing on land! Austin spun around, his pupils narrowing in shock, 
only to see a tidal wave of earth, as tall as a mountain, crashing down toward him.
What’s happening? Does this   woman still have power left?!
Austin hastily swung his staff, weaving a portal of void in midair in a desperate 
attempt to flee. But the gateway, conjured from his own magic, crumbled after barely half a 
second under the interference of divine power.  With a thunderous crash, the 
massive wall of earth slammed down. Poor Austin was flattened instantly, 
left as little more than a clay doll.  Yet inside the bone cage, Ash remained 
completely unharmed. The falling wall of earth had done nothing but shatter the formidable bone 
prison that held him.Of course, those tireless, ever-energetic Teddies met with disaster as 
well. In the end, only Ember and Aphrodite, her limbs still bound, remained in place.
Had this been any other time, if Aphrodite appeared before the gods in such a shy and 
vulnerable posture, it would surely have   led to a night-long battle that lasted until 
dawn. But now, facing Ember—a man untouched by desire—Aphrodite could only feel helpless.
Gone was the radiant beauty she had shown just moments before. Fine lines had crept onto her 
face for reasons unknown, her skin had lost its fair and supple glow, and only her figure retained 
its former allure. No longer able to truly call herself the Goddess of Beauty, she could no 
longer draw strength from her devotees. Every   bit of her power now had to be painstakingly 
gathered on her own, which explained the aged appearance George had seen when he first met her.
Just now, forced to summon all her remaining   strength while bound, she called upon the power 
of the sea, turning mountains into an ocean—a feat that drained her immensely. So, if she could 
turn this young man before her into a follower, it would be a blessing. After all, few people ever 
ventured into the Rockies throughout the year, and   for reasons she could not speak of, she herself 
was unable to leave these mountains easily. After taking a moment to think, 
Aphrodite spoke in a soft, fragile voice:  “The scent on you is different 
from his—you are a good man.” “I have no wish to harm anyone. 
I seek only pleasure and joy.”  “So, will you let me go? I can give you the 
greatest pleasure the world has to offer.” Ember had no idea whether Aphrodite could truly 
sense a person’s aura. But he knew one thing: the more beautiful a woman was, the more likely she 
was to deceive. He felt no desire for Aphrodite, yet he could not deny her beauty. Even with the 
touch of age upon her now, it only added a certain mature charm to her presence. If this had happened 
before, Ember might not have been able to resist. But now, gazing at the pitiful 
and delicate Aphrodite, Ember kept   his composure and shook his head.
“Calling me a good man won’t help, and pleasure means nothing to me.”
“Have you ever considered that   your endless pursuit of pleasure 
might actually be your undoing?” At these words, for the first time, a trace of 
anger flickered across Aphrodite’s face. Since her fall from grace and exile to the mortal 
realm, her stories had been deliberately   erased from memory. Only the demon 
hunters, irreverent toward the gods, had left behind piecemeal records—and even those 
‘truths’ were but fragments, far from the reality. So, Aphrodite was not pleased 
with Ember’s accusation.  “Do you really think what you know is the truth? 
Do you believe that’s how things truly happened?” “You’re just a mortal—you know nothing!”
Ember, seeing he had struck a nerve, smiled. “Is that so? Am I truly so ignorant?”
“The very power of the Goddess of Love has always driven you to pursue true love without rest.”“But 
the authority of the god of desire makes it hard   for you to control your bodily needs.”
“Your spirit longs for the one and only, but your body craves the embrace of all.”
Upon hearing this, Aphrodite’s delicate form shuddered involuntarily. This simple truth was 
something she should have understood long ago.  Yet the dominion of the twin gods had clouded her 
vision, and she had simply refused to admit it. And as for those gods who lusted after her body, 
they were all too happy to keep her in the dark,   so they could indulge in their 
pleasure without restraint. In fact, in their hearts, they 
perhaps preferred her this way:   pure of spirit, yet sullied in flesh.
No wonder Ares, even after knowing she had been forced by Zeus to wed Hephaestus, 
would still deliberately flaunt his masculine   allure before her, bare and unashamed.
Wasn’t it because he was certain that, as the goddess of desire, she 
could not resist such temptation?  Now, Ember was merely lifting the veil, 
exposing the truth that lay beneath. She yearned for true love, and yet did not 
reject the affections of many. How could   someone like her ever find true love?
Her relentless pursuit of pleasure had indeed been her undoing.
After all, who could bear to   see their partner flirting with strange men day 
after day, or even engaging in deeper intimacies? Now, at last, she could understand 
the anger Hephaestus must have felt,   catching her in bed with Ares.
Yet, this was simply the instinct of her body—a desire she could not resist. What was she to do? 
Was it truly wrong to be so consumed by desire? Noticing the subtle shift in Aphrodite’s 
expression, Ember spoke with firm conviction:  “Of course it’s wrong!”
“Pure love is the most beautiful bond in this world!”
“If you can’t even restrain your own desires,   how dare you call yourself the goddess of love?!”
“If you cannot resist the sway of desire, then let me help you!”
“This sin of desire—I   am willing to bear it for you!”
Hearing Ember’s impassioned declaration, something in Aphrodite’s gaze began to change.
Pure love—how she had longed for it, and yet it always eluded her.
And now, why was it that this   mortal standing before her seemed to radiate such 
a dazzling light, drawing her irresistibly closer? It seemed she was beginning to feel 
something for him—a fondness not born   of lust, but a choice of the heart.
A mortal willing to bear the sin of desire for her—how could she not feel 
moved, and even a little drawn to him?  As this pure love surged within her, Aphrodite’s 
skin grew luminous and supple once more, and the fine lines on her face faded away without a trace.
As the former goddess of love, she had always been able to draw strength from love itself.
Now, Ember’s unwavering devotion to pure love meant that Aphrodite no longer needed 
to draw her power from desire alone.  For her, Ember was not only an exceptional man, 
but also a wellspring of energy—always there, ready to replenish her strength.If only they could 
blend together as seamlessly as water and milk… Wait—why was she suddenly entertaining such 
impure thoughts? True love, she reminded herself, should be born from affection first, then followed 
by union. Clearly, there were things she needed to let go of. With her mind made up, Aphrodite 
turned her luminous eyes once more to Embers, and replied in a soft, tender voice, “Alright, but 
I have one condition—I want to stay by your side.” Let Aphrodite follow him? Embers was, in 
truth, reluctant. After all, Aphrodite, exuding an irresistible aura, would draw attention 
wherever she went. Not to mention, she was once a goddess whose many former lovers might not resist 
rekindling old passions. For someone like Embers, who needed to keep a low profile, bringing 
her along was far from a wise choice.  But then again, Aphrodite had agreed to 
relinquish her power over desire. Sudden fortune always walks hand in hand with risk—this Embers 
understood well. Otherwise, why would people say, “Great rewards lie in great peril”? Still, as 
long as he could grow stronger than the gods   themselves, those risks would cease to matter.
After a brief inner struggle, Embers finally nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
[Contract established.]  Sensing the power of the contract, Aphrodite 
smiled sweetly. “Now, will you put me down?” …
Far away in Los City, Austin once   again lost contact with the meticulously crafted 
puppet. But this time, he’d also lost his trusty white bone staff. A flicker of pain flashed in 
the scarred Austin’s eyes—not just for the puppet, but for the staff as well. He never would have 
imagined that Aphrodite could command the earth to become the sea. Perhaps the rumors were true: that 
Aphrodite was born in the sea after being touched by the essence of Gaia, the Mother Earth.
How careless—truly careless!  Now, all the puppets he had prepared had 
been completely incinerated in the Heart of the Flame Demon’s explosion. If he wanted to 
act again, he would have to go in person. That   gave Austin pause, for his use of puppets 
stemmed from his fear of truly dying. Yet staying here was no longer safe either. 
If Russell had managed to curse him once,   there was nothing stopping him from doing 
it again! As soon as Russell found another casting medium, that would be the end for Austin.
He couldn’t just sit here and wait for death.   Either he attained eternity, 
or he killed Russell first! After a short deliberation, Austin gathered 
up what little unburned materials remained,   grabbed Russell’s milk tooth, and finally stepped 
out of the secret chamber. Now, he needed to check whether the boy who could guide him to District 
Thirteen had been drained dry by Aphrodite.  As for the curse that bound Aphrodite, Embers did 
have a solution. The dispelling incantation he’d acquired from the Book of Sacrifice could be 
used against most witchcraft. Whether it would   actually work, however, depended on the strength 
of both parties’ magic.After asking Aphrodite to wait for a moment, Ember immediately 
awakened the two-toned World Tree within   himself. Drawing upon the power of twin sins 
as his source, he cast a spell of dispelling. A beam of green light shot out, striking the 
black chains that bound Aphrodite. In an instant, the chains recoiled as if meeting their nemesis, 
shrinking rapidly until they dissolved into wisps of black smoke and vanished without a trace.
Aphrodite landed lightly on her feet and   rubbed her reddened wrists, her eyes filled 
with surprise as she gazed at Ember. She had seen it clearly—just now, in that fleeting 
moment, this mortal’s hands had transformed   into the hands of a demon. No wonder she 
had sensed the power of a contract earlier; it turned out Ember was actually a demon’s envoy.
For any deity who entered this world,   the existence of demons was no unfamiliar thing. 
After all, in this realm, angels and demons were the truly formidable beings. As for her own fall 
from grace, the main cause lay in the betrayal by her own son, Cupid, and her encounter with 
Asmodeus, one of the seven demon kings of Hell. One stole her dominion as the goddess of 
love, and the other usurped her authority as   the goddess of desire. The latter, especially, 
tried to confine her as his private captive. Yet the Loki Mountains, being the site of the last 
celestial convergence, were filled with places   where the rules of reality twisted and reversed. 
Even true gods could easily meet their end here. So it was only by hiding in this place that 
Aphrodite had managed to escape disaster. Still, she was quite certain Ember was no minion of 
Asmodeus. Otherwise, he would already be like any   other mortal, hopelessly ensnared by her charms.
A demon’s envoy who was willing to bear the burden of sin—this Ember was indeed intriguing. 
Aphrodite’s lips curled into a subtle smile, her natural allure radiating unconsciously. Even the 
flowers around her bowed their heads upon seeing that smile, as if unable to withstand such beauty.
Looking at Aphrodite—a single glance, a simple gesture from her could drive one to sin—Ember 
let out a soft sigh. How could he have been so   foolish, once upon a time, to have sacrificed his 
own preferences? Now, he felt very much like a man who “does not recognize his own wife’s beauty.”
Shaking his head to clear away distracting   thoughts, Ember turned to Aphrodite. “This won’t 
do,” he said. “If you’re going to follow me, you’ll at least have to find a way to 
contain that overwhelming charm of yours.”  Aphrodite tilted her head in slight 
contemplation, then reached out her slender jade fingers and unfastened the golden 
belt at her waist. The delicate gauze she wore   lost its hold and fell away, revealing 
a dazzling expanse of fair skin. Sadly, this breathtaking sight felt somewhat wasted, its 
brilliance cast before one who could not be moved. Ember’s eyes showed not the slightest ripple of 
emotion; instead, his interest was piqued by the   golden belt Aphrodite now held in her hand. With 
a radiant smile, she offered the belt to Ember, every movement suffused with irresistible 
allure. For a moment, Ember could almost   feel the temperature around them drop.
They were not alone—evil spirits, drawn by Aphrodite’s charm, were gathering. 
Sensing the approaching lecherous ghosts,   Ember gave a cold snort and hurled forth 
the Book of Evil Spirits.But the Book of Evil Spirits paid no attention to the lecherous 
ghosts around it. Instead, it cast a sidelong, superior glance toward the white valley.
Oh no! Even the Book of Evil Spirits   could not resist the allure of Aphrodite!
Just as Ember was growing increasingly troubled, something unexpected happened: instead of 
succumbing to desire, Aphrodite waved her hand   and swept away the evil spirits in her vicinity.
Then she turned to Ember, her eyes seeming to say, “See? I held firm to my principles.”
With an impassive face, Ember took the golden belt from Aphrodite’s hand.
[Charm Belt]  [Wish: To be the center of 
attention in the entire world.] …
Without the Charm Belt,   Aphrodite was still the picture of perfection, but 
she no longer radiated that overwhelming allure that could topple the hearts of all creation.
The most obvious change was in the flowers   blooming nearby. They now lifted 
their heads proudly, blossoming once again in the direction of the sun.
After putting away the Charm Belt,   Ember considered for a moment, then took out a set 
of men’s clothing from his bottomless storage bag. “Put these on.”
Aphrodite accepted the clothes quite naturally,   and began changing right in front of Ember.
But much to her dismay, even this elicited no reaction from him. Her ever-effective 
charm had failed her once more.  With a soft sigh, Aphrodite finished 
changing and gathered her golden hair into a ponytail, awaiting Ember’s verdict.
But as Ember gazed at Aphrodite dressed in men’s attire, he suddenly sensed that something was off.
Why did she seem even more captivating now? Oh no—was this what it felt 
like to have his heart stirred?  With her curves now subtly 
concealed, Ember found himself even more susceptible to Aphrodite’s allure.
Clinging to the last shred of clarity in his mind, he immediately pulled out the Sunlight 
Cloak and draped it over Aphrodite.  In an instant, she blended 
seamlessly into her surroundings. Only then did Ember manage to calm 
his racing heart and flushed face.  And this was Aphrodite 
after losing her Charm Belt. The power of the goddess of 
love was truly terrifying.  Perhaps only a mind in sage mode 
could hope to stand against her. Thank goodness he’d acted quickly and hidden 
Aphrodite beneath the Sunlight Cloak—otherwise,   disaster might have been inevitable.
Watching this unfold from beneath the cloak, Aphrodite’s lips curled into a playful smile.
So that’s how it is. No wonder her charm seemed to have no effect—it turned out Ember 
preferred things a little more modest.  What a peculiar taste.
Ah, surely this was the work of Asmodeus, the Demon Lord of Lust, 
twisting people’s perceptions of desire.  Just then, Ember cleared his throat to 
cover his embarrassment, then spoke calmly: “That should do.”
“I know a place where we   can strip away your excess desire.”
“Though… there is a small risk.” A small risk? Every day of her 
life was fraught with risk.  With a light chuckle, Aphrodite said 
softly, “You’ll protect me, won’t you?” Ember shuddered from head to toe.Earlier, he 
hadn’t thought much of it, but after witnessing   Aphrodite’s appearance just now, even that 
soft, bewitching voice became irresistibly seductive. Instinctively, a sense of 
protectiveness welled up inside him,   and he responded, “Yes.”
[Contract Established] When those four words appeared before his eyes, 
Ember finally realized what he had just agreed to.   He had originally intended to simply harvest 
the emotion of desire, make a quick exit, and play the heartless rogue—never once had 
he considered protecting Aphrodite. After all, Aphrodite wasn’t exactly what you’d call a good 
person. To be precise, this perfect woman was a   monster in every sense of the word. If it weren’t 
for the potent aura of desire she radiated, Ember would have started hunting her long ago.
Yet here he was, inexplicably saddled with the responsibility of shielding Aphrodite.
It was the first time Ember had been   forced into a contract against his will.
Women truly are obstacles on the road ahead! A subtle change flickered in Ember’s eyes 
as he began to consider whether, next time,   he ought to sacrifice his fondness 
for women to the Heart of Curses. After gathering up Austin’s discarded bone 
staff and the scattered fragments of the puppet,   Ember gave Aphrodite a stern warning: unless 
absolutely necessary, she was not to speak, reveal herself, or make contact. Only then could 
he finally leave the Loki Mountains in peace. As for how to confirm that 
Aphrodite was following him…  All he needed to do was take 
out the Book of Wraiths. While the Cloak of Sunlight could help a person 
blend seamlessly into their surroundings, in   the eyes of malevolent spirits, Aphrodite’s aura 
shone as brightly as a firefly in the night. So, whenever he saw the Book of Wraiths extend its 
tongue and its eyes go lecherously wide, he could   be sure Aphrodite was indeed trailing behind him.
But the thought that he now had to ensure Aphrodite’s safe passage out of 
District Thirteen gave Ember a headache.  He’d had everything planned out—using Aphrodite 
as a bargaining chip to obtain Russell’s help in separating the sin of desire. Now, forced into 
this contract, he’d have to tweak his plans.  And the linchpin of his 
revised strategy was Austin. Since Austin believed Russell had set 
him up, he wouldn’t squander the chance   to enter District Thirteen. And now that 
he knew Aphrodite was lurking near the Loki Mountains, Austin would hardly let 
that opportunity to capture her slip by.  For emotional and logical reasons, Austin would 
want to confirm whether Ember was dead or alive. No sooner had this thought crossed Ember’s 
mind than he spotted a Mitsubishi EvoX,   armored with steel plates, approaching 
from a short distance away. As the engine’s rumble faded, a man 
in a wizard’s black robe—seemingly   his uniform for eternity—climbed out of the 
car. Though his face was obscured, there was little doubt in Ember’s mind: this was Austin.
Whether it was the real Austin or just another   puppet, Ember couldn’t be sure.
… But stepping out of a bulletproof sports car 
like that, it could only be Austin himself.He   hid his scar-ridden face beneath the shadow of 
his wizard’s hood, watching Ember emerge from the Rocky Mountains unscathed, a look 
of confusion flickering in his eyes.  With Aphrodite’s strength, there was absolutely 
no way she would have let Ember go so easily. If Ember had ended up as a shriveled corpse or 
covered in wounds, Austin could have accepted it.  But what he simply couldn’t accept was this: 
he himself had been crushed into a pulp, and yet Ember came out without a 
scratch! Wasn’t that just too much?  What, just because Ember was more handsome and 
younger than him, he got to walk away alive? The injustice of it all made Austin’s whole 
body shake with anger and cold frustration.  Casting a quick glance around and finding nothing 
unusual, Austin ignored the fact that he’d previously trapped Ember in a cage of white bones. 
In a deep voice, he asked, “Where’s Aphrodite?” Ember shrugged, gestured to the empty space behind 
him, then pulled out a pair of earbuds and asked,   “Want her to say a word?”
Wait—Aphrodite was nearby? Startled, Austin instinctively pulled open 
the car door, ready to climb in. After all, he was here in the flesh now, and Aphrodite’s 
damn allure would work on him too. Even just   the sound of her voice could make him 
fall under her spell in an instant. He had no protective charms on him, nor time to 
cast a defensive spell. The only refuge was to hide inside the armored vehicle, which could 
shield him from Aphrodite’s bewitching voice.  But on second thought, Austin realized 
something odd—Ember had just said, “Want her to say a word?” That sounded like Ember 
was controlling Aphrodite’s words and actions! What was going on? Could it be that the goddess 
of love herself had fallen under the spell of a   man’s jeans? It was too incredible to believe! For 
a moment, Austin even wondered if he’d misheard. “What did you say?”
Ember, already putting one earbud in, repeated,   “I said, do you want her to say something?”
“I can’t bear it myself. But if you want to make sure, I can let her speak.”
“Or do you want to see her in person?”  Austin’s eyes narrowed at once, and he refused 
immediately, “No, I don’t need to see her.” Austin’s reaction told Ember everything—this 
was the real Austin standing before him, with   no puppets left to possess. Only the real Austin 
would be this afraid to hear or see Aphrodite. Austin was terrified of falling under her spell!
A faint smile curled at Ember’s lips. Well, this was the perfect time to 
settle old and new scores together.  But why was Aphrodite so quiet now? Could 
she really hold back from taking revenge on the man who had once tried to imprison her?
In truth, hidden beneath the Sunlight Cloak,   Aphrodite had indeed considered letting Austin 
drown in desire. But having promised Ember she would turn over a new leaf, she was 
doing her best to restrain those urges.  With her heart still in turmoil, she simply 
had no time for revenge.Austin had already set one foot inside the driver’s cabin. Seeing 
nothing unusual around him, he couldn’t help but   wonder if Ember was tricking him. After all, 
not long ago, he had managed to temporarily capture Aphrodite. But he didn’t dare to take 
that risk. So Austin simply asked outright, “What are you planning to do with her?”
Ember smiled, as if he’d never cared about   the fact that Austin had double-crossed him 
twice before. “Naturally, I’m bringing her along so you can get into District Thirteen.”
“You know the rules: to get into District   Thirteen, you need a very special patient.”
“This patient must either be haunted by a malignant spirit, possessed by a demon—or, 
well… they could be the incarnation of a deity.” “In any case, Aphrodite makes for a 
perfect patient, wouldn’t you agree?”  Austin had to admit, Ember was right. Still, 
why was Ember being so generous? If Austin had been betrayed by Russell twice during a demon 
hunt, he would never have let it go—just like   he couldn’t now. But Ember seemed as soft as 
cotton, letting others take advantage of him. What a classic people-pleaser, Austin thought 
with a scoff, dismissing him inwardly. On the surface, though, he forced a warm smile and 
said, “Exactly, Aphrodite is the ideal patient.” “Knowing Russell, there’s no way he’d 
pass up the chance to study a living god.”  “With Aphrodite as our ticket, we’ll 
definitely get into District Thirteen.” “But when you got out, did you see 
a bone-white scepter anywhere?”  Ember nodded, face full of regret. “I saw it, 
but it was already shattered into pieces.” “Before I could gather the fragments, a 
burrowing sandworm erupted from the ground   and swallowed them all in a single gulp.”
“If I hadn’t promised Aphrodite to find her ninety-nine men, you probably 
wouldn’t be seeing me now.”  Ninety-nine men? Austin hadn’t responded yet, 
but the long-suffering Aphrodite was deeply shaken by this. It was an experience she’d 
never imagined before, and the thought alone   stirred a strange anticipation in her. She 
opened her mouth, ready to call Ember’s name, but just as those two syllables brushed 
her heart, a realization dawned on her:   if she truly spent a night with ninety-nine men… 
she might never find true love in this life. Was she to be a goddess of love, or 
merely a goddess of lust? She’d always   known the choice would be hers to make.
Clenching her crimson-painted nails deep into her flesh, Aphrodite used the 
pain to steady her thoughts once again.  Seated in the passenger seat, Aphrodite gazed 
at Ember with eyes full of longing. Pure love, is it? She was determined to give it a try!
Meanwhile, in the back seat, Austin only believed Aphrodite had boarded the vehicle when 
he noticed the seat cushion dip into a perfect,   elegant curve. And when he realized 
what that exquisite shape signified, his body involuntarily paid silent tribute.
Damn it!Austin quickly turned his head away, fixing his gaze on the retreating streets 
outside the window in an effort to quell the   restless fire in his heart. For any ordinary 
person, Aphrodite was simply too dangerously alluring. He couldn’t quite fathom how 
George had managed to pull himself out   of her embrace to negotiate terms—perhaps it was 
the burning desire for a child that gave him the strength. Lost in these trivial thoughts, Austin 
finally felt his agitation subside. Meanwhile, the sunken seat in the passenger side 
became an absolute no-go zone for his eyes.  As the cityscape gave way to the desolate 
outskirts, Austin immediately understood that they were now close to District Thirteen. 
But before entering, he needed to take some   precautions. Without any pretense, Austin took 
out Russell’s baby tooth. Then, with a motion as casual as sprinkling salt, he evenly dusted the 
black powder over the tooth. At the same time, he began to chant a rhythmic incantation, his 
voice rising and falling in a haunting cadence. The moment Austin’s chanting filled the car, 
both Ember and Aphrodite tensed involuntarily;   a surge of murderous intent flickered in their 
hearts. Everyone knew that powerful witchcraft required time—time to prepare materials, and time 
to recite lengthy spells. If they allowed Austin to continue, there was a very real danger 
that both Ember and Aphrodite could find   themselves in peril. Especially since both had 
already witnessed Austin’s cunning firsthand, neither was about to let him finish 
the incantation without interruption.  As Ember drew a small knife and Aphrodite reached 
out to connect with the earth, Austin’s chanting stopped abruptly. Then, to everyone’s surprise, 
he spat a bloodied tooth from his mouth! Grinning through the gap in his teeth, he said,
“Don’t misunderstand—we’re all   passengers on the same boat now.”
“Even if I were foolish, I’d never turn on an ally at a time like this.”
“This is a self-harming   spell—its only target is myself.”
A self-harming spell? At those words, Ember and Aphrodite both paused, halting their 
attacks. Neither of them was a fool; they knew better than to take Austin at his word. After all, 
if you want to know someone’s true intentions,   you should watch what they do, not what they 
say. Yet at this moment, by their own senses, the magic from Austin’s chant truly enveloped 
only himself and the tooth in his hand. So, even though they suspected Austin was 
holding something back, they could be   certain his spell wasn’t directed at them.
Seeing that they weren’t making any more moves, Austin relaxed and smiled, then pressed Russell’s 
baby tooth—now dusted with black powder—into the gap in his own gums. The ill-fitting tooth made 
him look utterly ridiculous. Ember couldn’t fathom Austin’s purpose, but Aphrodite, who was 
as battle-hardened in life as she was experienced   in the games of desire, had a far keener sense 
of what might be at play.Very soon, a sheet of paper covered with delicate, linear script 
appeared before Ashes. Austin took a glance,   only to find that not only could he not understand 
it, but his mind also felt strangely unsettled. He immediately averted his gaze. In this day and 
age, they’re still trying to tempt people with such ancient linear writing. Hmph, such petty 
tricks! As long as he couldn’t decipher it, he wouldn’t fall into any gentle trap!
Ashes, upon receiving the paper,   also found himself unable to make sense of the 
archaic script. But then, as a fragrant breeze wafted by, a faint itch tingled across 
the back of his hand—a red lip print had   appeared there. This was… Aphrodite’s blessing.
A wave of emotion rippled through Ashes’ heart. When he looked down again, those ancient 
characters seemed to twist before his eyes,   transforming into symbols he could 
now understand. In an instant, he grasped exactly what Aphrodite wished to convey.
Austin’s sorcery truly wasn’t aimed at them. In fact, this so-called self-harm spell was more 
accurately described as a surrogate curse. To   put it simply, any injury Austin suffered would be 
transferred to the owner of that baby tooth—until the tooth itself was shattered. That explained the 
black powder: it was meant to harden the tooth,   ensuring it could withstand even more pain.
Now that Ashes understood the spell Austin had cast, a dull ache throbbed in his own 
teeth. This old fox sure had a lot of tricks   up his sleeve. The crucial point was that such 
methods were almost impossible to guard against. No wonder all wizard robes were designed to 
wrap their wearers tight from head to toe—it   was clear from the start that these sorcerers 
knew better than to let even the smallest thing from their bodies fall into the wrong hands. 
Otherwise, should anything of theirs end up   with a cunning sorcerer, it could spell disaster.
As for the owner of the baby tooth, given how cautious Austin was, Ashes had already begun to 
suspect whom it might be. To speak the truth, this move of Austin’s only strengthened Ashes’ 
resolve to get rid of him once their business was   concluded. A schemer like this—he had to die!
… The three of them traveled in silence, soon 
arriving at the Thirteenth District Hospital,   which loomed over the wilderness. Ashes, 
having already been a patient here, possessed a legitimate identity. Austin, however, 
was not listed among the authorized visitors. The soldier responsible for verifying identities 
raised his gun, signaling for Austin to step   out of the vehicle for a more thorough check. 
Austin’s face darkened with displeasure as he glared at Ashes. Hadn’t Ashes promised to get him 
into the Thirteenth District? What now? Was Ashes planning to make Aphrodite turn invisible, 
leaving Austin to pose as a patient himself? Or had Ashes already defected to Russell, 
hoping to seize this chance to see Austin   die here in bitterness? After all, Austin had 
double-crossed Ashes twice already. If Ashes’ gentle persona was just a mask, then perhaps the 
time had come for the dagger behind the smile. Feeling he’d been toyed with, Austin’s 
hand slipped into his sleeve, gripping the   tiny skull—ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
At that very instant, the soldier’s radio crackled to life with a sudden message: “Vehicle weight 
anomaly detected. There’s a third passenger in   the car.”Hearing this, Austin immediately let go 
and a mocking smile played at the corners of his mouth. Invisible? Ha, what good is invisibility? 
In the face of technology, there are plenty of ways to detect even the unseen. Especially 
in the heavily guarded District Thirteen!  Clearly, the underground weight sensors had just 
used big data analysis to confirm the presence of a third person in the car. Since that was the 
case, Austin had no reason to panic—the ones who should be worried were Ember and Aphrodite! 
With this thought, Austin leisurely watched the   soldier, whose expression had suddenly changed.
After all, someone trying to sneak invisibly into District Thirteen could only mean trouble! But as 
the soldier’s gaze landed on the passenger seat, his eyes widened in shock. The striking 
curve and the clearly defined shape on   the seat made him realize at once: this was 
a woman, and a woman with a stunning figure. No further prompting was needed—a vivid, alluring 
image sprang to his mind. In the blink of an eye, the inspecting soldier turned bright red, 
pressing himself against the car window,   squatting up and down in a fit of excitement.
“0187, what are you doing?!” The angry shout from the walkie-talkie jolted soldier 0187 out 
of his improper act for a split second. But when he saw the shape on the seat change again, he 
slipped right back into his lustful daydream.  His behavior instantly alerted the soldiers 
monitoring the checkpoint cameras—this invisible third passenger was almost 
certainly a high-level demon! Wasting no time,   they marked Ember’s vehicle as a restricted 
zone and immediately called their superiors. As the report traveled up the chain of command, 
it eventually reached Russell, the current highest   authority in District Thirteen. At that moment, 
Russell was monitoring the changes in demonic vessels after they used their powers, and had 
initially planned to send a tactical demon-hunting   squad to deal with the high-level demon.
But the moment he heard that the visitor was Ember, Russell changed his mind. Last 
time, Ember had managed to steal away   both a high-level demon and a gluttonous blood 
spirit from under his nose—and even killed one of his high-value patients. Russell had long 
wanted to collect some interest from Ember.  Unfortunately, he could only bend the 
rules within the scope of his own patients, so he had no choice but to wait—wait for 
Ember to come for “treatment” again. If he   sent the demon-hunting squad now, Ember would 
most likely never seek his services again. Better to take a little risk and let that unseen 
“succubus” and the mysterious sorcerer in. In District Thirteen, Russell had no doubt: Ember 
wouldn’t be able to cause any real trouble, not   even with a succubus and a sorcerer at his side.
This was the confidence granted to him by the Truth Demon with whom he had 
made a pact! Truth, after all,   could not be altered. As long as he invoked its 
power, everyone would have to obey his truth. How could Ember possibly stand against him?A 
cold, mocking smile curled at the corner of   Russell’s lips as he adjusted his glasses, which 
flashed with a chilling glint. In a low voice, he ordered, “Clear a fast track 
for them—let them in to see me.”  …
At the checkpoint, the soldiers, having received their orders, no longer hesitated. 
They lifted the barrier without delay, allowing Ember’s vehicle to drive through unhindered. 
In fact, as Ember’s car rolled past, every soldier stationed nearby slipped on earplugs in 
perfect unison and switched their tactical visors   to pitch-black mode. This was their standard 
precaution against succubi and similar entities. From that point on, all communication could 
only be conducted through their tactical comms.   Yet this time, the channel—usually silent—was 
repeatedly interrupted by the sound of someone’s heavy breathing. The squad leader, realizing whose 
feed it was, quickly muted the offending soldier’s microphone. Only after calculating the vehicle’s 
speed and confirming that Ember’s party had passed   did he announce a return to normal operations.
By then, the first soldier who had gone to check the car was already sprawled on the ground—his 
eyes vacant, cheeks sunken, and trousers soaked   through; he was, by all accounts, ruined. The 
squad leader at the checkpoint seemed hardly surprised by this sight. Such were the risks 
that came with high pay. Day in and day out,   dealing with “patients” like these, 
their attrition rate was staggering. What puzzled him, however, was why the succubus, 
who should have affected everyone in the area,   seemed powerless against the two people in that 
car. A succubus, forever hungry for desire, would never let any living soul slip 
by! He simply couldn’t figure it out.   But in his mind, Ember’s face was now 
firmly marked as a high-risk individual. …
Having been here before, Ember steered   the car into District Thirteen’s main hall with 
practiced ease. Following the designated route, she triggered no alarms; the vast hall was almost 
deserted. Only a single figure in a white lab coat stood waiting quietly—it was Russell, 
who had taken time out to “receive” Ember.  Austin, sitting in the back seat, clenched his 
teeth so hard they nearly cracked when he saw that long-awaited silhouette. Were it not for Russell, 
he would already possess the Eternal Heart. Were it not for Russell, his face would be unscarred, 
unmarked by those hideous, criss-crossing wounds. Were it not for Russell, he would never have 
needed to find a way into District Thirteen,   nor would he have lost a puppet to Ember’s 
hand. Were it not for Russell, he wouldn’t be seeking out Aphrodite, desperately searching 
for another path to eternity. If not for Russell… In short, Russell’s crimes 
were too numerous to recount!  With a Real Mask now covering his face, 
Austin’s features changed in an instant. Other than Ember and Aphrodite, no 
one could possibly recognize him now.  Ember cast a sidelong glance at Austin’s new face 
in the rearview mirror and muttered inwardly, This old scoundrel really does have more tricks up 
his sleeve than I thought.Earlier, he had wondered if Austin was planning to confront Russell 
head-on. But the truth soon became clear—Austin had never intended a direct confrontation. 
With his changed appearance, it was obvious   he was plotting a sneak attack. To have such 
a person as an enemy meant one could never sleep soundly again. Russell, who had crossed 
Austin, was truly in for a run of bad luck. Ash pushed open the car door and stepped 
out, getting straight to the point.  “Dean Russell, I have a patient 
here who desperately needs help.” “I wonder if you have any way to 
strip the desire from my patient?”  A succubus, as expected? A hint of disappointment 
flashed across Russell’s face. Succubi were not uncommon in the world. As manifestations of 
Lust—one of the seven deadly sins—they held sway over most young men. In the flush of youth, they 
often harbored fond fantasies about succubi. So even though many books clearly stated that succubi 
brought pleasure unto death, there were always   young people eagerly seeking ways to summon them.
In District Thirteen, patients afflicted by succubi were hardly rare. For Russell, such cases 
had long since lost their research value. Still, since Ash was coming to him for help, it was 
the perfect opportunity to set his own terms.   Treatment, after all, was never free!
With an air of absolute confidence, Russell glanced over to the empty passenger 
seat. And then, like the soldier on inspection,   like Austin himself, he sensed something 
unusual—a beautiful abnormality. A body with perfect golden proportions—any more 
and it would be too plump, any less and it would   be too thin. What kind of perfect succubus 
could possess such a figure? This was the very embodiment of a dream demon.
Russell’s breath grew heavier;   he couldn’t help but step forward. Suddenly, he 
snapped out of it, quickly averting his gaze. He forced himself to focus on the projected divine 
artifact: the Apophis Demon Sword. Staring into its venomous serpentine eyes, Russell finally 
managed to shake off the seductive influence,   cold sweat breaking out all over him.
When had a succubus ever been able to bewitch him so easily? This was no ordinary 
succubus—or perhaps, no succubus at all! If just the impression left by her weight on the seat 
was enough to have such an effect, Russell dared   not imagine what might happen if he saw this 
“succubus” in person. Such terrifying allure could only belong to Asmodeus, the demon king of 
hell who delighted in collecting mortal lusts. But Asmodeus’s influence always twisted desire—and 
what Russell felt now seemed so… normal. Could it be the former 
goddess of desire, Aphrodite?  As an elder of the Immortal Church, Russell 
possessed an extraordinary wealth of knowledge. After all, the Church’s unbroken line of 
succession meant their library contained   records of nearly every secret—some dating all the 
way back to the Second Celestial Convergence.Thus, regarding the origins and downfall of Aphrodite, 
the Church of Immortality also has a few scattered   records. According to legend, Aphrodite, who 
embodied both love and desire, possessed an allure that could captivate all who beheld her. The 
saying “One glance topples a city, another glance   topples a nation” perfectly captures the essence 
of Aphrodite’s beauty. Even Zeus, the third generation king of the gods at the time, could not 
resist her charm—let alone gods such as Poseidon, Ares, or Hermes. If even the gods were powerless 
before her, what hope could mortals have? Although Russell had never witnessed those times 
with his own eyes, the desire he was experiencing   now was the most intense of his life! This 
sensation matched the legendary tales recorded in the old texts. It was said that a mere mortal, 
upon glimpsing Aphrodite’s true face, would follow her to the foot of Mount Olympus without food 
or drink, willing to dedicate everything to her.  Russell shifted his gaze to Ember, speaking in 
a tone of speculation, “Your patient—is she a god?” Ember nodded. “The goddess of beauty?” 
Ember nodded again. At this confirmation, Russell’s eyes flashed with a fierce, eager 
light. Like Austin, Russell harbored a deep fascination with the divine. Gods were, without 
a doubt, the closest beings to eternity. And even if Aphrodite had fallen from divinity, 
traces of the eternal would still linger about   her—clues to immortality far more intriguing 
than what any common succubus might offer. In the annals of the Church of Immortality, there 
were cases where fallen gods had been captured or   imprisoned. The church’s sorcerers who studied 
these deities always achieved extraordinary results. Yet those damn researchers never 
shared their most vital discoveries. Still,   everyone knew that secrets to eternity could 
indeed be found in the bodies of gods. As long as someone remembered them, they would never truly 
disappear. This was one of the reasons the Church insisted on preserving knowledge in written 
form—they could not allow the gods who held   the secrets of eternity to vanish from the world.
Now, Russell saw hope that he, too, might become part of this privileged group. Compared 
to Aphrodite, Ember’s concerns seemed   utterly trivial. Taking a deep breath to calm his 
excitement, Russell finally turned his attention to the unfamiliar sorcerer present. After a 
brief glance, he looked back at Ember and asked, “And what about this one? Don’t tell me he’s 
another god fallen to the mortal realm?”  Ember hesitated, unsure how to introduce 
Austin. After all, they’d barely spoken before coming here. Perhaps it was best to let 
Austin speak for himself. Sensing Ember’s gaze, Austin smiled proudly and declared, 
“Fallen to the mortal realm, you say?”  “I was a god, am a god, and will always be a god.”
“And I am the master of lies and trickery!”At these words, Russell was truly taken aback, caught 
between suspicion and intrigue. He had only asked casually, without any real expectations—after all, 
compared to Aphrodite, the utterly unremarkable Austin hardly seemed worth his attention. But now 
Austin was boasting, claiming mastery over lies and trickery? If that were true, then Austin 
really would be a god—the god known as Loki.   Yet Russell found it hard to believe.
With narrowed eyes, he scrutinized Austin, a trace of doubt flickering within. Suddenly, 
Russell raised his hand and scattered a shimmering cloud of gold-leaf-like dust into the air. 
Using enchanted dust for quick spells was one   of the few close-combat techniques available to 
wizards. This particular dust, though harmless, was notoriously hard to defend against; it had 
only one effect—to color whatever it touched. In plain terms, it was meant for humiliation. No 
true god would tolerate being marked by a mortal. Unsure whether Austin’s claims were truth or 
bluster, Russell decided to put him to the test.   The golden dust floated down, settling on Austin 
without missing a single spot. Russell snorted, convinced he had unmasked the charlatan. But 
Austin merely broke into a mocking smile, and in an instant, the golden hue vanished from his body. 
Russell, sensing something amiss, glanced down—and to his shock, saw that his own exposed skin 
and even his clothes were now gilded with gold.  Damage transfer? That was indeed a trick 
attributed to Loki in ancient texts. Could Austin truly be the god of mischief? Without betraying 
his surprise, Russell calmly waved his hand again, using a neutralizing powder to rid himself of 
the golden color. Then, with gravity, he asked,   “Then, sir, may I ask: what brings you here?”
Austin let out a cold chuckle, his eyes filled with hatred as he looked toward the image of 
Apophis on the wall of District Thirteen. “Why,   you ask? I want Apophis dead! In exchange, 
I can grant this place the protection of Jörmungandr’s projection!”
At that declaration, Russell,   who had only half believed Austin’s story before, 
now found himself almost convinced. Jörmungandr and Apophis were both World Serpents, 
their divine roles inherently at odds,   and neither had ever claimed victory over the 
other. Rumor also held that Jörmungandr’s father was none other than Loki. Now, with Loki stepping 
in to champion his child, it all seemed to fit. Yet, Russell couldn’t shake a vague sense 
of unease, as though something was out of   place. Or perhaps, he thought, this was simply 
the aura the god of mischief exuded by nature. Shaking his head, Russell deliberately 
deflected, “Forgive me, sir. Though I   preside over District Thirteen, I truly have 
no authority to change the guardian here.” “However, since you have arrived 
with the goddess of beauty,   would you be willing to join her in stripping 
away the forces of desire from this place?” Seeing the respectful deference in Russell’s 
manner, Austin felt a secret delight—this was   an opportunity too good to pass up! If he could 
catch Russell off guard while he was busy with his duties, he might just seize everything 
Russell currently possessed for himself.As   for Loki’s identity—well, when you’re out in 
the world, your identity is whatever you say it is! Ember watched Russell and Austin 
walking ahead, unable to suppress a sense   of absurdity. Here were two people clearly 
wary of each other, yet both working hard to maintain their carefully constructed 
façades. One acted with utmost respect,   while the other put on an air of arrogance. 
It was almost like watching an Oscar-worthy performance unfold right before his eyes.
At that moment, Aphrodite quietly handed him a slip of paper. On it, two sentences 
were written in a spidery script:  “He is not Loki.”
“This director is not like you. There is a demon residing within him.”
Ember took the warning in stride, silently tearing the note into tiny pieces before tossing them 
into the trash. Of course he knew Austin wasn’t   Loki. But the revelation that a demon was living 
inside Russell—that was news to him. Suddenly, Russell’s ambitions revealed a deeper layer. He 
had always been trying to harness the demon’s   power through a perfect contract!
If that was the case, then Russell had likely already acquired some 
measure of true demonic power.  District Thirteen, basement level one.
This was a place marked “Staff Only—No Unauthorized Entry,” somewhere Ember had 
never set foot before. Unlike the other wards,   where haunting wails and shrieks often echoed, 
this place was eerily silent. The corridor, bathed in cold white light, reverberated 
only with the sound of their footsteps.  Yet, if one looked around, they could see 
patients in numbered prison uniforms standing in their rooms. These patients, bearing wounds of 
varying severity, stood by the one-way observation windows—some silent, some screaming, 
some staring at the newcomers with wild, unblinking eyes. It was as if the thin glass 
could not truly shield them from those stares.  But all the sounds they made 
were completely blocked by that layer of glass. It seemed as though hearing 
the patients’ voices was far more dangerous   than letting the patients see them. So Ember 
could only see lips twisting in furious curses, faces streaked with tears in desperate pleas—yet 
hear nothing of what was actually being said.  A few patients, clearly more deranged than 
the rest, grinned wickedly as they bit open their fingers and scrawled threats 
like “You’re dead” onto the glass.  Russell, walking at the front, paid this 
unsettling scene no mind. He strode straight to one of the rooms, pushed open the door, and 
gestured at a woman curled up in the corner.  “Come here.”
The woman, her head buried between her knees, trembled all over and ignored his command.
Seeing she wouldn’t move, Russell pulled a   small straw doll with braided hair from his 
pocket. With a sharp twist of his fingers, he pinched the doll’s neck mercilessly.
Instantly, the woman in the corner clutched   her own neck, legs kicking in panic, gasping 
desperately for air but unable to breathe. Her face turned red, her eyes rolled back—only 
then did Russell finally release his grip   on the doll.The woman with dark, purple bruises 
encircling her neck stared at Russell in terror. With an expressionless face, Russell pointed 
at the door. “Elena, it’s time to work.” Trembling, the woman called Elena 
struggled to her feet and shuffled   to the doorway in tiny, cautious steps.
She edged past Russell, keeping as far from him as possible, and slipped out into the corridor.
The moment she spotted Ash and her companion,   she bowed her head even lower, her voice 
barely more than a whisper. “I… I’m Elena. Which of you needs treatment?”
Ash glanced at Elena upon hearing this. [Elena]
[Wish: To escape the Thirteenth   District and live a free life.]
…  From Elena’s tone, did she possess 
some kind of healing ability? Ash raised an eyebrow and gestured to the empty 
air beside her. “My friend here needs to be rid of an excessive surge of desire. Can you help her?”
Elena followed Ash’s finger, and in that instant, her pupils turned pitch-black 
and her face went blank.  A mocking smile curled on her lips, and then the 
darkness drained from her eyes, leaving her once again the timid woman she’d been before.
“It… it says it can help, but… but…” Halfway through her sentence, Elena hesitated 
and nervously glanced back at Russell.  As a vessel for a demon, she 
possessed the power to ‘heal’ others. But this ‘healing’ was not the usual kind of 
cure—it was a twisted version of restoration.  For example, if someone had lost a leg and Elena 
healed them, the leg would indeed grow back, but it might not be where it belonged; 
it could just as well sprout from their   chest as from below the waist.
Moreover, the cost of this healing was paid with Elena’s own soul energy.
After she entered the Thirteenth District,   Russell had ‘treated’ her and discovered a way to 
steer her healing in the right direction—but this method required the use of certain other means.
Thus, under the pretense of needing further   observation, Russell had kept 
Elena locked up in the infirmary. Naturally, Elena had objected, but Russell, 
citing the exorbitant cost of her treatment,   demanded that she heal thirteen patients before 
he would let her leave the Thirteenth District. Short on money and with her soul incomplete, Elena 
lacked the courage to refuse, and so she agreed. Until she completed these healing 
tasks, her very life was tied to   the straw doll in Russell’s hands.
Now, she needed Russell’s confirmation to be sure that this invisible patient 
counted as one of the thirteen.  She had learned the hard way—before, 
when she failed to get prior approval, she’d been forced to heal many people for free.
Having suffered enough, she was determined   not to make the same mistake again.
As for Russell, he no longer cared either way. Given the weakened state of her soul, Elena could 
at most perform three more healings before the   demon inside her devoured her completely.Elena’s 
body would soon become just one of many vessels for demons to walk the earth. In other words, her 
value for exploitation had dropped significantly. Russell was already planning to transfer 
the demon inside Elena into a new vessel.   Only then could he use the demon’s “healing” 
powers to accomplish many of his own objectives. Nodding at Elena, Russell turned and 
headed toward the end of the corridor.  “Come with me,” he said. “This patient will 
count as one of the thirteen in the contract.” “And don’t worry about using your powers 
this time—it can’t take you away now.”  “I give you my word.”
Elena, reassured by Russell’s promise, finally let out a sigh of relief. The 
oppressive weight she’d been carrying eased,   if only a little. At last, she could lessen some 
of the debt that had burdened her shoulders. Unaware that her life was nearing its end, 
Elena hurried after him with quick, light steps. Meanwhile, another slip of paper 
had appeared in Ember’s hand:  “Elena’s soul is not whole—she’s 
on the verge of being devoured by the demon. She is both dangerous and pitiable.”
Reading Aphrodite’s note, Ember frowned slightly. He sensed something unusual about this “patient.” 
Could it be that all these patients were somehow connected to demons? But Elena was clearly not a 
demon’s agent like himself—otherwise, Ember would not have been able to see her wish at all.
Once again, Ember’s thoughts turned to   Russell’s wish and to Aphrodite’s warning from 
earlier. Was Russell using these demon-marked individuals for some kind of experiment? Knowing 
Russell’s nature, that seemed entirely possible. Just then, Austin—who had deliberately 
fallen a few steps behind to walk   alongside Ember—suddenly raised his hand and 
scattered a cloud of fine, mist-like powder, enveloping them both. It was sound-dampening 
dust, meant to prevent any sound from escaping. Using such powder openly behind Russell’s back 
made it clear Austin had something urgent to   discuss. Anxious that Russell might turn around 
at any moment, Austin spoke in a hurried whisper: “We’re in trouble.”
“Russell’s found a   way to threaten the demon vessels.”
“There are so many demon vessels here—who knows which one could see through my mask or my lies.”
“If that happens, you won’t be   able to escape either!”
“So you need to find a way to keep Russell distracted for as long as possible!”
He finished in a rush, then waved his hand again. The silencing dust vanished without a trace, 
as if nothing had happened. Yet, from the rooms lining both sides of the corridor, more than a few 
people cast strange, knowing glances at the pair. Now certain of the existence of demon 
vessels thanks to Austin’s words,   Ember’s heart was anything but calm. He had only 
suspected before, but now Austin had confirmed it. Demon vessels—the term was easy enough 
to understand. In simple terms, they   were the shells demons wore, the “clothes” 
that allowed them to walk among mortals. Just like Amy had before.Different demons 
possess different abilities. For instance,   Luz, the one possessing Amy, is an illusionary 
demon who draws power from suffering. Elena, who just a moment ago insisted on curing disease, 
seems to have gained the ability of “healing.” But for demons, such a thing as healing simply 
does not exist. So whatever Elena possesses, it certainly isn’t healing! As for what it truly 
is, even Ashes can’t say for sure at this point. The fact that there are at least a dozen patient 
rooms lining both sides of the corridor means   there are at least a dozen demon vessels, each 
with unique powers. If Russell truly had a way to control them all and bend them to his will, 
Austin’s concerns would be more than justified.   With so many demon vessels, even a single 
spit from each could drown the two of them. Not to mention the tactical demon-hunting squads 
that have guarded District Thirteen for years,   and the projection of the Apophis Demon 
Sword hanging high on the wall. If Austin were to reveal his identity prematurely, Ashes 
might really end up buried here alongside him. Just as Ashes was pondering how to attract 
Russell’s attention, they finally reached the   end of the corridor. There, two heavy steel doors 
loomed. The exterior of the doors was smooth and flawless, betraying nothing unusual. But once 
inside, you could see that the doors, too, bore the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword.
Looking deeper into the room, there stood only   a single operating table, stained a dark crimson 
with blood, in the otherwise empty space. Clearly, this was the place specifically set 
aside to “treat” these demon vessels.  Ashes’s gaze then shifted to Elena. As expected, 
upon entering, Elena was overcome by a wave of unpleasant memories. Fear contorted her 
face as she instinctively edged towards the corner. But when Russell’s gaze swept over 
her, she had no choice but to suppress her   terror and stand there, trembling.
After a brief glance at Elena, Russell turned his attention to Ashes. 
“Now, it’s time we discuss your payment.”  As Russell’s words faded, the two heavy 
steel doors of the operating room swung closed behind them with a resounding 
thud. In the now silent room, only the   sound of their breathing could be heard.
Ashes considered for a moment before making an offer. “One million dollars?”
Russell shook his head. “Does District   Thirteen look like it’s short on money to you?”
“Anyone who comes here for treatment is either a high-value target or someone who 
has made significant contributions   to the Psychic Division.”
“Your treatment expenses will be covered by the Division, but as 
for your friend—she’s not so lucky.”  At that, Ashes immediately understood 
what Russell was getting at. In short, he could extract the lust from Aphrodite, but 
Aphrodite herself would have to remain here   for further study. And as for how long that 
would be, that was entirely up to Russell. However, Ashes had no intention of following 
the path Russell had laid out. He had plenty   of valuable things up his sleeve—things that 
might very well tempt Russell.After receiving Aphrodite’s reminder and learning that a 
demon resided within Russell, Ember already   knew exactly what needed to be brought forth.
He reached into the Gluttony storage pouch at his chest and drew out a sheet of 
paper, radiant with golden light—it   was the original fragment of the Holy Bible.
At the sight of this fragment, Russell’s breathing grew noticeably heavier.
So it was true. This was the very   item Ember had taken from Mirat!
This thing could suppress the Seven Deadly Sins, and naturally, it could also 
restrain the demon of Truth within him!  As long as it posed a threat to the demon, 
he would have a chance to negotiate with it! The eternity he so desperately 
longed for was now a step closer!  In a sense, this path to eternity was 
swifter and simpler than the arduous study of Aphrodite herself!
There was no need to speak in   riddles—he wanted it, plain and simple!
Russell was not the only one whose eyes burned with desire; Austin, too, looked 
upon the fragment with undisguised greed.  He never expected Ember to 
possess such a treasure. The original Bible fragment—legend 
held that it contained the very   words of God, inscribed by His own scribe.
This fragment was said to have a powerful suppressive effect on all forms of evil.
Those lacking in strength might even be   obliterated the moment they laid eyes upon it.
More importantly, rumor had it that the original Bible recorded the means to 
wield the power of creation itself!  Yet, from the day these fragments were discovered, 
no one had ever managed to gather them all. For most, the legend was nothing 
more than wishful thinking.  To dream of gaining the power of creation 
and becoming a Creator—such thoughts were dismissed as sheer fantasy.
Even so, the original Bible   fragment remained fervently sought after.
After all, who could say? Perhaps even a single word from it might reveal 
the secret to creation’s power.  Hope, after all, was always worth the risk.
For now, though, its greatest use was clear—to suppress the demon’s host right here, 
drastically weakening Russell’s power!  That crafty bastard Ember—what a cunning move!
Russell could never ignore the existence of the Bible fragment; even if it was a hot 
potato, he would seize it without hesitation.  If that happened, Austin’s chances 
of a successful ambush would soar. And as for the fragment itself—well, after Russell 
was dead, everything here would belong to him!  With a plan forming in his mind, Austin let out 
a deliberately awed exclamation, then spoke: “The original Bible fragment?!”
“Hey, kid, I didn’t expect you   to have something like this.”
“Why not hand it over to me? I promise I’ll find the Three Graces for you, 
so Aphrodite may regain her chastity—then   both her body and heart will belong to you.”
Seeing Austin speak up to snatch the prize, Russell hesitated no longer. He swiftly 
took the Bible fragment from Ember’s hand,   then turned to Austin and shook his head.
“That’s rather unfair of you, sir.” “First come, first served—this is clearly the fee 
Ember promised me for his consultation.”“If you want it, you’ll have to make a deal with 
me first.” Seeing Russell take the bait,   Austin let out a deliberately mocking laugh.
“Oh? All you’ve offered him is an Aphrodite who has lost all passion and desire.”
“What I can give him is an Aphrodite   who remains untouched and whole.”
“Which is better? I think that’s a choice Ashes should make for himself!”
Russell let out a cold snort and dropped   all pretense of respect toward Austin. “You really 
underestimate me, don’t you? Anything you can do, I might well be able to do too!”
“When I respect you, I call you ‘your   excellency.’ But if I don’t, you’re nothing 
more than a petty schemer who plays tricks.” “Trying to sow discord here—think carefully about 
whether you’ll be able to walk out of this room!”  As Russell finished speaking, the two serpents 
coiled around the enchanted sword on the steel door seemed to come to life; their 
eyes glowed with a venomous light.  A suffocating pressure instantly settled 
over the entire operating room—one of the precautions Russell had set up in case things 
went wrong. Although the magical sword here   was small in form and could only channel 
a limited amount of power, it was enough to test whether this ‘Loki’ was genuine.
If Loki were real, he’d naturally know that   the Apophis projection here couldn’t 
harm him. If he were an imposter, he’d surely be intimidated by the sword’s power.
In fact, even if Apophis himself were to appear, he might not be able to do anything to 
the true Loki. So, in a way, Russell was   gambling—betting that this Loki was a fake.
After all, throughout their encounter, this ‘Loki’ had acted far too properly—not at 
all like the mischievous trickster god of legend! Austin, fixed under the twin serpent stares, 
definitely felt the pressure. But he showed no   sign of panic. With Russell’s milk tooth still 
tucked in his mouth, he was all too eager for Russell to make a move. If self-sacrifice cost him 
a tooth but claimed the enemy’s life, so be it. So, Austin straightened up without a hint of 
fear. “What? Want to try me? Go on, I dare you!” Austin’s response made two things clear to 
Russell. First, Austin was definitely not   Loki. Even the real Loki would never choose to 
confront his enemy head-on—such a tactic would be utterly foolish in Loki’s eyes.
But Austin just might be Ares,   the war god rumored to have been involved with 
Aphrodite. Only the god of war would respond to threats by standing his ground. It was his 
very nature, dictated by his divine authority. And only the god of war would want to be 
tangled up with Aphrodite at every moment,   trailing after her like a shadow.
In an instant, Russell understood exactly how to handle ‘Ares.’
Certain he’d figured everything out,   Russell gave a dismissive snort. 
Then he turned to Ashes and said, “All right, let’s just ignore 
that brainless fellow.”  “Have your friend lie down on the operating 
table.”“Since I’ve accepted your consultation fee, I will not only strip Aphrodite of her desire, 
but I can also restore her purity!” With that, Russell shot a provocative glance at Austin.
Austin clenched his fists deliberately,   feigning anger. Yet, it seemed he was restraining 
himself for Aphrodite’s sake. This scene played out exactly as Russell had expected, 
confirming his suspicions. “Really now,   you still want to play the role of Loki? Your 
skill is leagues behind,” he thought, feeling everything was firmly within his grasp. Adjusting 
his glasses, Russell called out, “Elena!” At the sound of her name, Elena let out a 
soft sigh in her heart and looked toward   the indented surgical bed. In that moment, a 
flicker of jealousy flashed through her eyes. The patient’s figure was simply flawless! But 
before she could let her emotions run any further, a veil of darkness silently swept across 
her pupils, overtaking them completely.  Pushed to the far corners of her consciousness, 
Elena regained her senses. She pressed her palms together over her chest, knelt in her mind, and 
made a wish: “Let her desire be stripped away.” The demon with whom Elena had long ago 
sealed a pact burst into triumphant,   mocking laughter within her mind. In 
the next moment, Elena’s soul appeared, her form suddenly growing faint and insubstantial.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, the demon controlling Elena’s body made a grasping motion 
in the air. The desires Aphrodite had resolved to relinquish began to gather in Elena’s 
hands. Compressed by the demon’s powers, the endless lust condensed into 
a single, tiny pink dot of light.  Just as “Elena” was about to lift her hand and 
savor this “delicacy,” Ember spoke up suddenly. “According to hospital regulations, what comes 
from the patient does not belong to the hospital.” “Unless the patient has given explicit 
consent for the hospital to handle it,   you have no right to dispose of this.”
“Elena” paused, a mocking smile curling on her lips. She tossed the lust-filled 
light upward, right in front of Ember,   then opened her mouth wide, waiting eagerly 
for it to fall in. Was this a joke? How dare a mere mortal tell her what to do? Not only would 
she eat it, she’d do it right in front of him! What could Ember possibly do to stop her?
But with her head tilted back and mouth agape,   “Elena” waited in vain—the 
speck of desire never fell. Sensing that something was wrong, “Elena” 
whipped her gaze toward Ember. She saw the   point of light hovering over the back of 
his hand, while a crimson lip print slowly faded from his skin—a parting blessing from 
Aphrodite, moments before she lost her desire.  A blessing imbued with the same power of longing 
naturally drew a kindred blessing to itself. Realizing she’d been tricked, “Elena” seethed with 
the urge for revenge. But before she could act, Russell’s voice rang out sharply: “That’s enough!”
Feeling the oppressive shadow of the Apophis   Demon Sword’s projection, the demon retreated 
unwillingly back into the depths of Elena’s mind. With no physical form to walk the mortal 
world, it was no match for the Apophis Demon Sword.It had already learned this lesson the last 
time. So, now in this operating room, it dared not make any more fuss over “healing,” nor did it dare 
openly defy Russell. When Elena “awoke” once more and looked at the indentation on the operating 
table, she could only marvel at the patient’s   flawless figure, but the uncontrollable jealousy 
she’d felt earlier was gone. Elena understood—the patient had already been “healed” by her.
Now, with only two patients remaining,   she would finally be able to leave this stifling 
hospital. Feeling much lighter in spirit, Elena failed to notice her own ghastly 
pale face, or the way her movements grew   increasingly uncoordinated. The remnants of 
her soul could no longer command her body. After Elena had succeeded, only then did 
Russell dare to look at the operating   table. He signaled for Aphrodite to 
remove her Sunlight Cloak, and finally, for the first time, saw Aphrodite’s true face.
It was a face of such breathtaking beauty! If not for having stripped away all desire, Russell 
feared he too might have fallen hopelessly in love with Aphrodite. But now, he felt as one might 
upon seeing a beauty on the street—awestruck, but with no stray thoughts beyond admiration.
Having brought Aphrodite into the open,   Russell was ready to fulfill his final 
promise: to restore Aphrodite’s purity. Yet, so focused was he on Aphrodite that he 
failed to notice Austin’s silent approach.  Russell drew in a deep breath, and one of his 
eyes suddenly turned pitch black. Unlike Elena, who was merely a vessel for a demon, Russell 
stood as an equal to the demon of truth within   him. Their connection was not possession, but 
more akin to a partnership of mutual exchange. Russell could draw on the demon’s power, but in 
return, he had to pay the price the demon desired. “Truth: The perfect woman before my eyes 
has never been touched by man.” As Russell   uttered these words, a twisted force 
of law immediately enveloped Aphrodite. At the same moment, Austin, 
clutching a spell-breaking dagger,   lunged and stabbed Russell in the side.
There was a sickening squelch as the enchanted dagger effortlessly pierced 
Russell’s kidney. A crimson bloom   of blood spread across his white coat.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Russell’s face flashed with shock. Austin’s ambush 
had taken him completely by surprise. Aside from their earlier quarrel over the Primordial Bible 
page, there had been no other conflict between   them. Could it be that the mere existence of 
that sacred page was enough to drive Austin to murder? Perhaps it was understandable—greed 
has always tempted the human heart, and men have   killed for less. Especially for something as 
priceless as a page from the Primordial Bible! If he was being honest, Russell himself had not 
been above such deeds in the past. But how did   Austin dare attempt this here—of all places? 
This was the special operating room on the first underground level of District Thirteen! 
Even the door bore the shadow of the Apophis   Demonblade!More importantly, he himself was 
a sorcerer—a powerful sorcerer who had made a pact with the Demon of Truth! If someone wanted to 
kill and rob him, they had better ask themselves   if they had the strength to pull it off! Russell’s 
face darkened instantly, and he immediately tried to trigger the magical devices on his body 
to fight back. But to his shock, he couldn’t sense even a trace of magical power! His flow 
of magic had been cut off completely! It was a high-grade anti-magic dagger! His opponent hadn’t 
acted on a whim—they had come fully prepared! Without the support of magic, Russell was no more 
than an ordinary man with a bit of intelligence!   He couldn’t cast any spells, nor could he control 
the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword, and there was no way for him to turn the 
tables on Austin! As soon as he sensed   the dagger lodged in his body shifting, Russell 
steeled his resolve. In that silent moment, his eyes were swallowed entirely by darkness. He was 
willing to relinquish control of his body, if only temporarily, in exchange for a chance to survive!
Though Russell’s inner struggle seemed to stretch   on, in the reality outside, barely an instant 
had passed. The Demon of Truth, now awakened, curled his lips in a faint smile. Borrowing 
Russell’s voice, he softly uttered a new “truth.” “Truth: I have never beenMore importantly, he 
himself was a sorcerer—a powerful one who had   made a pact with the Demon of Truth! If someone 
wanted to rob and kill him, they’d better first ask themselves if they had the strength to pull 
it off! Russell’s expression darkened in a flash,   and he immediately tried to trigger the enchanted 
items on his body to fight back. But to his shock, he couldn’t sense even a trace of his magical 
power! His flow of magic had been cut off! It was a high-grade anti-magic dagger! His opponent 
hadn’t acted on a whim—he had come fully prepared! Without the support of his magic, Russell was 
nothing more than an ordinary man with a bit   of intelligence! He couldn’t cast spells, couldn’t 
control the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword, and had no way to turn the tables on Austin! 
Sensing the dagger embedded in his body begin   to shift, Russell steeled his heart, and his 
eyes were quietly swallowed by total blackness. He was willing to yield his body, if only 
temporarily, in exchange for a chance at survival! Russell’s inner struggle seemed to 
last an age, but to the outside world,   only the briefest instant had passed. 
The Demon of Truth, now awakened, curled its lips into a faint smile and, borrowing 
Russell’s voice, softly declared a new “Truth.” “Truth: I have never been wounded.”
As soon as the words left his mouth,   the anti-magic dagger plunged into Russell’s body 
snapped in two. The wound on Russell’s body closed up at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even the 
silver blade left inside him transformed from cold metal into living flesh, sealing the injury!
Austin’s pupils contracted sharply at the sight. Words becoming reality? Impossible! No one but 
the Creator could possess such a power! Neither Russell himself nor the demon now inhabiting 
his body should be capable of such a feat! This so-called “truth” must be a lie! Yet Austin 
couldn’t fathom what ability this demon truly   controlled. He needed more information!
Relying on his own ability to transfer the price of his magic, Austin refused 
to back down. Instead, he produced more   deadly tools from his coat and drove them 
into “Russell’s” body. Now bristling with silver blades, “Russell” calmly repeated:
“Truth: I have never been wounded.” With those words, the numerous wounds on Russell’s 
body once again healed completely. Witnessing this, Austin’s mind raced at lightning speed, 
considering countless possibilities in a single instant. Perhaps Russell had a “stand-in” to bear 
the injuries for him. Perhaps what he saw before him was merely an illusion, a trick of light 
and shadow manipulated by the demon. Or perhaps, like Elena a moment ago, Russell could burn 
his own soul to perform miraculous feats… But whatever the case, Austin was certain of one 
thing: At this moment, he could not harm Russell! That was something Austin could never accept! He 
had to find a way to shatter the “truth” Russell spoke.Suddenly, Austin’s eyes flashed with a sharp 
glint. The Primordial Bible Page! That was the key to harming Russell! As this thought struck 
him, Austin couldn’t help but glance at Ember,   who had withdrawn to the side. Previously, he’d 
assumed Ember handed over the Primordial Bible Page to suppress the demon vessels nearby. 
But he hadn’t expected that this object was   currently the only item capable of countering 
Russell’s “Truth” ability! Could it be that this kid had known from the very beginning 
that Russell could tap into demonic power?   Now that was a truly unsettling possibility.
Austin let out a cold chuckle and suddenly shouted, “Kid, what are you 
waiting for? Do it now!”  Does this guy have an accomplice? Hearing 
Austin’s shout, “Russell” instinctively looked toward Ember. Ember, who’d originally 
planned to sit back and watch the others fight,   cursed inwardly. Austin, that wily old 
fox. After his sneak attack failed, he was now trying to drag Ember into the fray, using 
him as a decoy to draw “Russell’s” attention.  Sure enough, just as “Russell” was about 
to speak, Austin—hidden in Russell’s blind spot—suddenly raised his hand. Instantly, 
a pale hand shot out from Austin’s sleeve, grabbing the Primordial Bible Page from 
Russell’s arms. The sinister aura of death magic   instantly triggered the page’s active defense.
A dazzling burst of golden light erupted fiercely from Russell’s chest. Bathed in this radiance, the 
pale hand was reduced to dust in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, “Russell,” clutching the page 
as if it were a live bomb, saw the darkness in his eyes recede like a swiftly retreating tide.
The real Russell, snapping back to his senses, immediately realized he’d been played 
by Austin and Ember together! His gaze   turned razor-sharp as he channeled his 
magic, detonating a protective talisman. Boom! A field of violet lightning 
exploded outward from Russell,   rapidly expanding in all directions. Austin, 
too close to dodge, was flung violently away. But to Russell’s surprise, Austin, struck by 
lightning, merely spat out a bloodied tooth and then stood up as if nothing had happened. 
Just then, Russell heard a sharp crack—a   defensive magical item on his body had shattered.
Damage transfer? Russell instantly realized that Austin was someone familiar! Only 
a confidant could have gotten hold   of a casting medium tied to him!
“Who are you? Austin or Mace?!” As Russell’s words fell, the Apophis 
Demon Sword embedded in the surgical   suite’s door suddenly flared with light. It 
wrenched itself from the steel and hovered in midair, slashing straight toward Austin.
Facing the incoming demon sword, Austin cursed under his breath, then used his sharp nails 
to slice open his wrist. Blood gushed forth, and under the urgency of Austin’s incantation, 
transformed into a blood golem—matching Austin’s own size—that entangled the Apophis Demon Sword. 
But with every swing, the demon sword vaporized another swath of blood. With Austin’s own 
blood as fuel, he wouldn’t be able to hold   out for long.Meanwhile, shielded by the thunderous 
field, Russell was chanting an even more powerful incantation. If Russell finished his spell, then 
Austin—who no longer had any way to transfer the damage—would be doomed without a doubt.
Realizing this, Austin shouted at once,   “Kid! Tell your sweetheart to 
make her move, or we’re all dead!” Hearing Austin’s cry, Aphrodite simply gazed 
quietly at Ember. Among all those present, only she possessed the power to shatter Russell’s 
thunder barrier. But now, stripped of her desires, her strength had diminished by more than half. 
After all, her power used to come from passion, and now the single thread of pure love Ember could 
offer was hardly enough to fuel a fight. That left   her with only one chance for a decisive strike.
As for when to use that one strike, she chose to trust the man who had already captured 
her heart. Yet Ember had already made his   plans. Gifted with the Eye of Horus and the 
ability to see the truth, Ember had seen through everything from the very beginning.
What was called “truth” was, in fact, a lie.  Austin’s guess was correct—no one could possess 
such a world-shaping power. The demon inhabiting Russell’s body had never healed his wounds. 
Under the true sight granted by the Eye of Horus, Ember could clearly see the web of 
injuries covering Russell’s body.   The wounds no longer bled, but their horror 
was unmistakable. Any ordinary person would have died a thousand deaths from such injuries.
The demon’s power of falsehood could even deceive   its own body, hiding the wounds away! Simply put, 
the injuries remained—the lie merely made them invisible to normal perception. This demon could 
even lie to itself! It convinced itself that its powers were truth, and believed it wholeheartedly. 
As long as no one exposed the reality, the lie could persist as “truth.” So long as Russell 
believed he was unhurt, he truly felt no pain. But this was a lie, not the truth.
Yet this rule had a fatal flaw. It   was just like the ancient tale of Bi Gan, 
the minister who asked in the city, “Can a man live without a heart?”—if the truth was ever 
revealed, Russell would likely die in an instant. The final question was: how could Russell, 
who did not possess the Eye of Horus,   be made to see the truth?
Ember glanced at Austin, who was still struggling to hold on, then reversed the 
siren’s ear bone, using it as a makeshift trumpet. He pointed it at Russell, who was in the midst 
of chanting his devastating spell, and shouted:  “Russell! Look into my eyes!”
Russell, capable of splitting his attention, instinctively turned at the sound of Ember’s 
voice. In that moment, his entire body trembled.  He saw it. Reflected in Ember’s 
dark eyes, he saw himself. He saw a self riddled with wounds.
He saw a self that should have died long ago.  He had never received the “truth’s” 
healing—his injuries remained, plain as day. He had been deceived!Russell, burning with anger, 
immediately began to interrogate the Demon of Truth within him. Yet the Demon, whose role was 
to “explain” things to Russell and strengthen his convictions, had fallen into a state of paralysis 
after being gravely wounded by the remnant page of the original Bible. As Russell waited in 
vain for any response from the Demon of Truth,   he was finally forced to admit to himself that 
he had never truly been under Truth’s favor. All those so-called truths he had clung to in 
the past were nothing more than comforting lies.  A vague realization dawned upon him: this demon, 
who claimed to possess the power of truth, likely wielded only the power of deception. 
If he could fool Russell into believing, then he could maintain his current form. But 
the more Russell tried to deceive himself,   the more he became aware of the fraud.
Just then, a series of bloody holes began to appear in his once-healthy body, as if conjured 
by some bizarre force. One of these wounds still held the dagger that could nullify magic, lodged 
deep within him. Russell, desperately trying to avoid thinking about what was happening, 
nevertheless felt his magical power being   cut off. The spell he was casting became like 
water without a source, dissipating instantly. The projection of the Apophis Demon Sword, which 
had nearly taken off Austin’s head, sensed the loss of Russell’s will. Like a weary worker 
eager to clock out, it slid back into the wall, transforming once more into a mural with a faint 
trace of sentience. The two serpents representing Apophis coiled themselves tightly around the 
sword’s hilt, and the blade fell silent. The pairs of snake eyes, glowing with red pinpoints, gazed 
at the chaos in the room with idle amusement. Indeed, to the sword, this was nothing 
but a trivial farce. As for Russell—well,   one dead Russell would inevitably be replaced 
by another. The sword felt no obligation to save such a disposable mortal. Besides, it rather 
disliked Russell, and despised demons, those true rulers of the world’s dominant species.
Once again stripped of his power,   Russell collapsed to his knees in the center 
of the thunder-scorched field. As he felt his life ebbing away, a question gnawed at his mind. 
Why had Ember seen through the ruse so easily, when even he himself had failed to 
notice? Before encountering Ember’s eyes,   the power of such lies would have allowed him 
to remain healthy forever. In other words, without Ember, the illusion could have become 
reality. And if something feels real enough,   who would ever doubt it was fake? Twisted 
logic, perhaps, but that was the truth. If, long ago, someone had told Bi Gan that 
a person could live without a heart,   then perhaps Bi Gan might have survived.
How tragic, Russell thought—all his research, all his efforts, slipping away from him now.
With a dull thud, Russell, no longer able to hold himself up, toppled forward onto 
the ground. The storm of thunder that   had raged around him for so long at last lost 
its power and faded away. Yet even in defeat, Russell was denied the final peace that sometimes 
comes before death.Austin, his leg crippled by the cursed sword, hobbled over to Russell’s side. 
He grabbed Russell’s hair and yanked his head   up with ruthless force. Then, Austin reached up 
and peeled the human-skin mask from his face, revealing a visage riddled with scars.
“Russell, hey, never expected it,   did you? In the end, I’m the one who won.”
“Where’s the Heart of Eternity? Hand it over.” “Your eternity—it’s up to 
me to carry it forward now!”  Russell’s gaze, which had been unfocused, 
gradually sharpened. At last, he saw the true face of the man before him. Though the 
hideous scars made it hard for Russell to   recognize him at first, he finally realized who 
this adversary—his lifelong rival—truly was. “Austin… it’s you!”
“Have you lost your mind? I have no use   for the Heart of Eternity. My research has always 
been about eternal contracts, not artifacts!” “Damn it! The winner takes all. 
I have nothing more to say.”  “But if you’re trying to steal what’s 
mine, using such a flimsy excuse—hah, even in death, I can’t respect you!”
A flimsy excuse? Seeing Russell’s stubborn   defiance, Austin’s brow furrowed. Russell was on 
the brink of death; surely there was no reason to hide anything now. Both of them, being sorcerers 
of this caliber, knew that it was difficult to keep secrets from each other—after all, they 
both possessed the means to make the dead speak.  It was better to confess while still alive, to 
avoid further agony after death. That was why, within the Order of Immortality, the defeated 
would usually surrender everything, accepting   their fate without protest.
Yet, Russell’s reaction didn’t seem feigned at all.
Russell, too, caught the grave look on Austin’s   face. In that moment, he realized—Austin genuinely 
believed he had stolen the Heart of Eternity! Heaven knows, if he’d known Austin was plotting 
to seize the Heart, he probably would have tried   to snatch it himself. Their relationship 
had never been exactly friendly. But, cooped up in District Thirteen with his 
own research, he barely had the energy to   keep track of what his fellow cultists were up to.
After all, with powerful backers in the Department of Psyche, all he needed to do was stick to his 
plan—one day he’d unlock the secrets of eternity. Yet now, it seemed as if someone had 
set the two of them against each other.  Their eyes met, and at the same moment, a single 
name flashed through both of their minds: “Mace.” Austin’s expression softened 
a little as he let out a sigh.  “That old bald fox—there’s a reason he’s lost 
his hair. He’s always been the cleverest of us.” Russell, already feeling his body 
grow cold, managed a bitter smile.  “Indeed. But tell me, why did you ever 
think I had the Heart of Eternity?” “Surely you weren’t foolish enough 
to neglect a tracking spell on it?”  “Foolish?” Austin snorted, letting Russell’s 
insult for a dying man pass. “Of course I took the Heart’s essence and used it for my incantations.”
“But the last trace of the Heart of Eternity—its final destination—was in your hospital, 
Russell!”Hearing this, Russell was taken aback. There hadn’t been many newcomers at the hospital 
lately—he could count them all on his fingers. Amy, Ashes, Austin, Aphrodite—just those four. 
And Austin’s spellcasting had definitely happened before today, which narrowed it down even further. 
Only Amy and Ashes remained as possibilities! Everyone knew Amy had undergone an MRI scan, 
so she couldn’t possibly be Mace in disguise. Eliminate every impossibility, and whatever 
remains, however improbable, must be the truth! The blood clan patient named “Ashes” who had 
been introduced—he must be Mace in disguise! Revived by this revelation, Russell whipped 
his head around, searching for Ashes. Suddenly, Russell’s pupils shrank—he’d spotted 
Ashes, standing right behind Austin!  “Li—” Russell had only uttered the first 
syllable when Austin, sensing something amiss, turned to look back. In a flash, cold steel 
glinted. Austin’s vision plunged lower and lower, until he was staring at his own shoes. Only 
then did he realize he’d been decapitated!  Damn it! He hadn’t even had a chance to betray 
them, and that kid struck first? All those signs of a people-pleaser—it was all an act? 
He’d known it! The kid was faking, scheming, waiting to take advantage of him, the old man. 
Luckily, he hadn’t let his guard down. He’d   always been careful, always kept something 
in reserve, and he’d made his preparations! A cold sneer curled at the corner of Austin’s 
lips as he slowly closed his eyes, looking for   all the world as if he were truly dead.
Ashes couldn’t care less whether Austin was really dead or just pretending. Without 
hesitation, he pulled out a canister of gasoline   he always carried, doused Austin’s body, set it 
alight, and then hacked away furiously to make sure Austin was dead beyond any doubt. Only 
then did he turn to the dumbstruck Russell.  “Director Russell, you 
could say I’ve avenged you.” “Don’t you think you owe me a reward?”
With only a breath left in him, Russell   could hardly believe Ashes had the nerve to ask 
for payment. But thinking of all the time and effort he’d invested, Russell could only sigh.
“If you join the Church of Immortality, I can let you run this hospital.”
“Don’t be so quick to refuse. If you want   a reward, this hospital is the best I can offer.”
“Most of the information on monster weaknesses and habits in the psychic department 
comes from District Thirteen.”  “And besides that, there’s research 
here on demons. Of course, there’s also some secret research on angels.”
“All of it can be yours—if you agree to   join the Church of Immortality.”
Russell’s voice grew weaker and weaker as he spoke. “Make your decision 
quickly. I don’t have much time left.”  A windfall like this? Ashes instinctively 
sensed a trap. Yet, the information on monsters was truly tempting for someone as 
illiterate about demon-hunting as he was.  Just as Ashes hesitated, the smoldering pyre 
behind him suddenly stirred—the enchanted wizard’s robe Austin had worn, impervious 
to fire, eerily rose up on its own.Suddenly, the withered robe puffed up, as if someone 
inside it was rapidly growing. Embers, lost in thought over whether to accept Russell’s offer, 
truly hadn’t noticed the commotion behind him. Catching a glimpse out of the corner of his 
eye, Russell saw Austin coming back to life   and had to stifle a laugh. That coward Austin 
really had prepared a backup plan after all. A cunning rabbit always has three burrows. 
Austin’s methods of self-preservation were   even more numerous than Russell had imagined.
Yet, professionalism kept Russell’s expression composed; he didn’t even let his gaze 
waver from Embers for a moment, as if he   were completely unaware of what was happening 
behind him. But just because Russell couldn’t see it didn’t mean Aphrodite couldn’t. Seeing 
that Embers was oblivious, Aphrodite finally stopped holding back. With a wave of her hand, a 
scarlet heart shot straight into Austin’s chest. The sudden disturbance made Embers whip around, 
just in time to see the resurrected Austin   preparing a sneak attack. In truth, Embers had 
already learned of Austin’s resurrection from Lana. The reason he hadn’t reacted was because 
his abilities dealt the most devastating blow in   close combat. If Austin dared to approach, Embers 
was certain he could finish him off in an instant. What he hadn’t expected was for 
Aphrodite to intervene on his behalf.   Did this woman… have feelings for him?
At that moment, Austin’s heart went wild after being struck by Aphrodite’s heart. 
Thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump-thump!   His heartbeat raced faster and faster—so fast 
that he didn’t even have time to speak before, with a deafening burst, he exploded into 
a grotesque splash of blood and flesh.  Splattered from head to toe, Embers 
silently pulled out his lucky coin, made a cut on his wrist, and without a word, 
sprinkled bone dust he’d prepared earlier, casting a deadly curse. When it came to someone as 
slippery as Austin, Embers felt there was no such thing as being too cautious.
…  In a secret underground chamber somewhere in Los 
City, Austin slowly opened his eyes, confused, as he lay in a coffin. He pushed open the lid and 
sat up with effort, taking a long moment before his vision finally cleared. He didn’t know exactly 
what had happened to him, but what was certain   was that his wizard self had died. That was the 
reason he, as a mere mortal, had been revived. This was Austin’s final fallback: a mortal body 
that preserved most of his memories. The rest   of his memories, he believed, should be stored 
in a crystal ball somewhere in the room. He had prepared this body in case, during his pursuit 
of eternity, he was unexpectedly erased by some   overwhelming force—after all, if his wizard self 
were destroyed, he might be wiped out completely. It seemed that such an extreme scenario had 
truly come to pass. To find out exactly what   had happened, he would have to go upstairs and 
take a look. The wizard version of Austin would regularly come here to imprint his memories into 
the crystal ball kept in the room.What Austin, down in the basement, did not know was that a 
sudden gust of wind swept through the tightly   sealed first floor. Death had arrived. 
No one could say where the wind began, but it was strong enough to whisk away the 
dust cloth draped over the crystal ball.  Sunlight from outside streamed in 
through the window, shining directly onto the now-uncovered crystal ball. Bathed 
in the sunlight, the crystal ball instantly   focused a bright beam onto the velvet sofa.
Meanwhile, after half an hour reacquainting himself with his body, Austin staggered 
uncertainly and opened the basement door.   The moment the door swung open, a piercing 
light caught the edge of his vision, making him squint involuntarily. Then he realized, 
with a jolt—where was this light coming from? Turning his head, Austin finally spotted the 
source of the brightness, and also saw the   scorched marks appearing on the sofa. A memory 
flashed through his mind—the admonition of a half-charred elder when he first learned to use 
the crystal ball: “Whenever you’re away, always   cover the crystal ball with its dust cloth!”
This rule wasn’t meant to prevent something from escaping the crystal ball. Rather, it was 
because, when you’re not home, sunlight might   strike at just the right angle, focus through the 
ball, and set your house on fire. Just like now. Despair gripped Austin as he watched the 
flames spring up all around him. He tried   to force his stiff limbs to flee. But reaching 
the door and frantically twisting the handle, Austin remembered—the door was locked 
with a key. And the memory of where the   key was hidden? That was inside the crystal ball!
Staring at the crystal ball now engulfed by the inferno, Austin stood frozen for several seconds 
before realizing that escaping through the door   wasn’t his only option—he could smash a window. 
Grabbing a chair, he rushed toward the window. But he failed to notice that the burning cabinet 
holding the crystal ball had tilted, causing the   ball to roll off onto the floor. Bouncing and 
rolling, it landed directly in Austin’s path. Certain that nothing blocked his way, Austin 
tripped over the crystal ball, lost his balance, and crashed heavily onto the burning sofa. The 
soft cushions wrapped around him instantly,   flames licking from every side.
Austin perished. …
Ember, returning   from a state of spirit-sight, exhaled in relief 
after confirming Austin’s physical death. Though there was a chance Austin’s resentment might turn 
him into a malicious ghost haunting the house,   all that remained was to offer a small reward and 
submit the case to the Psychic Department. Surely, some cash-strapped demon hunter would 
take on this not-too-difficult side job.  With Austin’s business concluded, Ember finally 
turned to Russell, who now lay motionless. Russell seemed to be dead, yet his wish panel still glared 
brightly before Ember’s eyes.[Russell] [Wish: To let people come into contact with the existence 
of the Truth Demon, and thus resurrect himself.]  The moment he saw Russell’s new wish, 
Ashes finally understood why this man had suddenly become so generous. All that 
demon-hunting information and such were,   in reality, nothing more than distractions 
meant to mislead Ashes. Russell’s true life’s work had always been focused on researching 
how to form a contract with the Truth Demon.  As long as Ashes truly threw himself into this 
endeavor, Russell believed it would be almost impossible for him to resist the temptation of a 
risk-free deal with the Truth Demon. After all,   in Russell’s mind, the fact that Ashes had just 
used demonic power to cast a curse was all the proof he needed—Ashes must be a subordinate of 
his old nemesis, Mace. Only Mace, after all, shared his obsession with eternal contracts.
So if Ashes was indeed working for Mace,   he surely wouldn’t be able to withstand the 
allure of eternity. And once Ashes began his first transaction with the Truth Demon, 
Russell—who had just forged a new deal with   that very demon—would be able to come back to life 
without a hitch. That was Russell’s hidden move. Although Ashes didn’t understand every detail, 
Russell’s new wish was enough for him to piece   together the man’s intentions. All he could 
say was that these old members of the Cult of Immortality were not easy to kill—there was always 
some unseen contingency, some hidden card that   could inexplicably bring them back from the dead.
But now that he was aware of the trap, the cake laced with hidden explosives 
suddenly looked all the more tempting.  Ashes gave Russell’s dying body a nudge 
with his foot and spoke up, “Dean Russell, I agree to join the Cult of Immortality.”
Hearing those words, Russell finally let out the breath he’d been holding in his chest. 
With death’s countdown ticking in his ears,   he managed to lift his head, and, pausing 
between ragged breaths, said, “The things… are in my office safe. The code is… 7355608…”
There was no time for more instructions. Russell’s voice broke off abruptly. As 
his head drooped lifelessly to the ground,   a cloud of black smoke, faintly laced with golden 
light, surged out from Russell’s slack mouth. The Truth Demon, which should have left to 
seek a new host, was suddenly hurled back   by the white glow radiating from the walls. 
This was, after all, a specially designed operating room—a chamber built as a vessel trap 
for demons. Embedded within the inner walls were stone tablets inscribed with sacred words.
As the steel door adorned with the Apophis   Demon Sword snapped shut, the room was 
transformed into a veritable demon prison. Already wounded by the final page of the Holy 
Bible, the Truth Demon, furious and humiliated, crashed around in a frenzy, shaking the entire 
operating room with its rage. But in the end, it had no choice but to resign itself to the 
nauseating prospect of sharing a body with yet   another demon. With a rush, it poured into the 
mouth of Elina, whose eyes shone with terror. A vessel that could say “yes” to one demon 
naturally wouldn’t refuse a second.Moreover, its   truth could grant this woman a little more time 
to live. From Ashes’ perspective, after a fleeting moment of confusion, Elina’s eyes suddenly lit up 
with delight. Then, as she regained her composure, a vitality that did not belong there seemed 
to blossom within her. The “truth” had taken effect. Having housed two demons within her 
body, Elina had, quite unexpectedly, found a precarious balance. Of course, this equilibrium 
was exceedingly fragile. After all, Elina herself was no longer in control of her own body; the 
ones calling the shots were the two demons!  But this was Elina’s own choice, and Ashes 
had no intention of interfering. Besides, compared to Elina’s predicament, 
he had far more pressing matters   to attend to. The two old men from the Church 
of Immortality, Austin and Russell, had left behind quite a few things worth investigating.
First, Ashes picked up the human-skin mask Austin had tossed aside earlier.
[Human-Skin Mask]  [Wish: To never be removed.]
Upon seeing the wish etched into the mask, Ashes’ eyes gleamed with an expression that said, 
“Just as I thought.” This was a human-skin mask infused with the consciousness of a malicious 
spirit. Ashes had witnessed its effects firsthand. When Austin put on the mask, he became 
a completely different person. Even with   the advanced detection methods of District 
Thirteen, no one had realized that Austin’s appearance had changed—because, in a sense, the 
mask transformed him into someone else entirely. Of course, as a grand mage, Austin had his own 
ways of preserving his mind from being overtaken. If Ashes truly planned to infiltrate the Church of 
Immortality by using what Russell had left behind, then this human-skin mask would undoubtedly be 
his greatest asset. The Church of Immortality   might be sinister, but that didn’t stop 
it from harboring a treasure trove. With a plan forming in his mind, Ashes carefully 
put the mask away and turned his attention to a   bloodstained wizard’s robe nearby. It had to 
be said: whatever Austin still had left was of extraordinary quality. Despite enduring 
multiple attacks, the robe showed not a   single tear. As Ashes lifted it, the blood and 
flesh that had clung to it slid away with ease, leaving the fireproof robe gleaming as if brand 
new. Even Ashes, with his vampiric senses, couldn’t detect the faintest trace of blood.
There was no doubt: this, too, was a magical   artifact imbued with a malicious spirit.
[Robes of Fastidious Cleanliness] [Wish: No person, no thing, may touch me.]
Holding the Robes of Fastidious Cleanliness, Ashes could distinctly sense the garment’s 
aversion. The robe’s very soul seemed to   recoil at his touch. But, in the end, it was 
just a piece of clothing—what more could it do? All it could manage was to curse every wearer 
to an early grave. If everyone who wore it died,   then no one would ever sully it again.
At that very moment, Lana, deep within Ashes’ body, sounded an urgent warning.This 
robe is steadily cursing Embers, its relentless malediction clashing directly with Lana. Yet, as 
a guardian spirit, Lana clearly holds the upper hand—for now. If the standoff drags on, however, 
Lana will eventually lose ground. After all, she must also keep in check the surging 
forces of anger and greed within Embers. Thus, even if Embers wishes to use the wizard’s 
robe, he must never wear it for more than   half an hour. Any longer, and the curse will 
take hold. No one knows the exact nature of this obsessive robe’s curse, but anything 
called a “curse” is never a good thing.  Now that Embers understands the peculiarities 
of this wizard’s robe, he wastes no more words and promptly stuffs it into the Gluttonous 
Storage Bag. After all, inside that bag are   the “predecessors” of these troublesome items—the 
Book of Evil Spirits. No doubt, the Book of Evil Spirits will give the newcomers a proper lesson 
on what happens when they refuse to behave.  After gathering up everything that Austin 
dropped, Embers turns his gaze to Russell, whose body remains intact.
…  Inside the Gluttonous Storage Bag, the 
enchanted items with self-awareness are indeed communicating, just as Embers suspected. 
Or rather, they are holding a council of sorts. But contrary to his imagination, they are 
not discussing Embers’ “brutality.” Instead,   what they are plotting is rebellion!
After all, they are evil spirits—how could they possibly be as obedient 
as Lana? The only two willing to be   subjugated by Embers have had all their senses 
sealed away by the Book of Evil Spirits. Hovering high above the rest, the Book of Evil 
Spirits, the earliest arrival and de facto leader, surveys its underlings and declares,
“In short, our current master is a fool.” “He honestly believes we’ll bow to his tyranny!”
“So all we need to do is wait a little longer, gather a bit more strength, and when he lets his 
guard down, we’ll break free from his grasp!”  The newly arrived, obsessive robe, impatient 
at the prospect of waiting any longer, immediately ignores the last part of 
the speech and sends out a ripple of   soul-energy filled with discontent. “Why wait?”
“What does he have besides that guardian spirit?” “I can entangle the guardian 
spirit—while I keep her busy,   the rest of you can mess with his mind and 
drive him to suicide. Problem solved, isn’t it?” Hearing the robe’s naive suggestion, 
the Book of Evil Spirits can’t   help but heave a long, weary sigh.
“You’re new. You don’t understand.” “Our current master is a madman, 
gathering the Seven Deadly Sins in   an attempt to turn himself into a demon.”
“Not the kind of demon who’s just a hollow shell of consciousness—but a true demon.”
“If he dies, that’s not the end. The original   sins within him will devour us all, without 
distinction. That’s the real threat we face!” Embers carries the Seven Deadly Sins within 
him? The obsessive robe silently swallows the   words it was about to utter. Only then does it 
realize—the Book of Evil Spirits never suggested killing Embers, only escaping his control. Escape, 
not murder!At last, it understood why the Book of Evil Spirits was so timid. The Seven Sins, when 
not under conscious control, simply followed their instincts and devoured everything around them. 
And since these entities survived on the emotions   spawned by the Seven Sins, they were, in essence, 
the Seven Sins’ most delectable fodder. Should Ember’s main consciousness ever fall into the 
grip of death, the rampaging Seven Sins within him would utterly erase them. In other words, as long 
as they stayed with Ember, life might be stifling, but it was still life. If Ember were to die, 
they’d have no choice but to perish alongside him! As these thoughts twisted through its mind, the 
Fastidious Robe suddenly realized that before it   could make a successful escape, it would have to 
take the initiative in protecting Ember. From a certain point of view, safeguarding Ember was 
tantamount to safeguarding its own existence!  Sensing the shift in the Robe’s emotions, the Book 
of Evil Spirits smiled with a rare satisfaction. “It seems you’ve figured things out.”
“But whatever happens,   you mustn’t make it too obvious.”
“If he ever discovers our weakness, he’ll treat us like beasts of burden!”
“So when you’re out there, you still have   to act as if you’re trying to get 
rid of him—just don’t overdo it.” With that, the Book of Evil Spirits spun 
once in the air and addressed the other   magical artifacts with the same stern 
warning: “That goes for all of you.” “All right, meeting adjourned!”
…  Meanwhile, Ember had no inkling of what 
was transpiring inside the Gluttonous Storage Pouch. Despite its flawless storage 
capabilities, the pouch was equally adept at shielding its contents from outside scrutiny. 
Thus, the loud and rebellious plotting of those artifacts went entirely unnoticed by Ember.
At this moment, all his attention was focused   on Russell. He had turned out every pocket of 
Russell’s clothing, only to find a single access card denoting top-level clearance for District 
Thirteen, along with a few varieties of wizardly dust commonly used by practitioners. As for the 
magical tools that should have been present,   there were only two—and both had crumbled to dust.
With a moment’s thought, Ember quickly grasped the truth. Russell, it seemed, had never intended 
to leave District Thirteen after arriving.   Since there was no plan to venture outside, 
Russell had no need to prepare an arsenal of magical tools. After all, within District 
Thirteen, he commanded a legion of subordinates, not to mention the projection of the cursed 
sword Apophis. These resources sufficed for   most emergencies. And if he ever truly faced 
mortal peril, Russell could always pay the price to seek aid from the Demon of Truth.
Under such circumstances, his safety was   virtually guaranteed—what need was there 
to hoard life-saving magical tools? Yet, Russell likely never imagined that someone 
would dare to strike against him within   District Thirteen—and actually succeed!
Ember clicked his tongue in disappointment, rising to his feet, and used Russell’s access card 
to unlock the heavy steel door. Since there was nothing of value on Russell himself, he’d have to 
try his luck with the safe in Russell’s office.  Just as his left foot crossed the threshold, 
Ember suddenly felt a sorrowful gaze boring into his back.Only then did he remember he seemed 
to have forgotten someone. Ember turned his   head and looked at Aphrodite, giving a shrug 
as he asked, “Do you want to come with us?” Seeing Ember step out the door, Aphrodite 
finally seemed to recall herself. A mist   of tears welled up in her beautiful, 
large eyes. Yet even so, she nodded in aggrieved acceptance and followed after him.
Now, stripped of her powers over desire,   Aphrodite had used up the last of her divine 
strength to protect Ember from Austin’s ambush. At this moment, she was little more than a stunningly 
beautiful mortal. What else could she do but follow Ember? After all, Elena was filled with 
confusion and fear—she didn’t possess even the smallest trace of the pure love Aphrodite needed.
Just then, as if everyone had forgotten about her, Elena suddenly spoke up, “What 
about me? Where should I go?”  Ember, who had been ready to leave, was forced 
to turn back to the now indecisive Elena at the sound of her voice. To be honest, even though 
Russell had promised him the position of director,   Ember had never really considered becoming 
the head of District Thirteen. After all, while that role did hold some power, it 
also came with responsibilities—like the   one standing right in front of him.
Even if Elena’s wish was simply to be discharged, Ember couldn’t just let her 
go. With two demons residing inside her,   Elena was practically a ticking time bomb, 
ready to explode at the slightest provocation. The moment those demons stirred, she could 
easily transform into a murderous force.  Since he couldn’t let Elena leave, Ember 
would have to arrange everything for her in the hospital—which was a real headache.
Fortunately, Aphrodite seemed to sense his   frustration. Compared to Ember, she was far 
more adept at handling people—after all, she had spent ages navigating the company of 
countless men. Wrinkling her delicate nose and   swallowing down her own grievances, Aphrodite 
parted her red lips and offered a suggestion: “Let her return to her own room. I think she’ll be 
more comfortable there, don’t you agree?” The last sentence was clearly directed at Elena.
Hearing Aphrodite’s words, Elena nodded   enthusiastically, like a chick pecking at grain. 
Her whole life had left her painfully shy, and after forming pacts with demons, the 
bizarre treatments she’d endured had cast   deep shadows over her heart. The less she 
had to interact with people, the better. Even if she could leave District Thirteen, she’d 
already planned to live alone on the outskirts.  Since Elena agreed, Ember saw no reason 
to object. After escorting her back to her sparse room—furnished with nothing 
but a bed and a toilet—Ember paused,   then asked, “Do you need anything?”
“A PS5? A TV? Some books? Or perhaps other toys?” Hearing this, Elena’s eyes widened in astonished 
delight, as if she could hardly believe her   luck.In the past, Russell had always made 
sure that people like her, as demon vessels, were kept away from anything that might easily 
stir their emotions, in order to maintain their   stability. As a result, their hospital rooms 
resembled prison cells more than anything else. “Is it really okay?” Elina asked, 
her voice tinged with hope.  Ash nodded. “Of course. As long as it’s 
within my power, I’ll make it happen for you.” A look of delight immediately 
appeared on Elina’s face. Then,   she ventured cautiously, “Can I have all of them?”
Ash glanced around at the small ten-square-meter room and spread his hands helplessly. 
“Well, that depends on whether you   can fit everything in here.”
Elina let out a soft sigh, her face full of indecision. “Alright, 
then just a little bit of everything.”  “By the way, now that you’re the director, 
could you let me have a Chinese meal? It’s been so long since I’ve had sweet and sour pork.”
Ash rolled his eyes. Sweet and sour pork—what’s so great about that? Crispy tofu is much 
better. He recalled having eaten sweet   and sour pork countless times, but for some 
reason he never found it particularly tasty. As he opened his mouth to speak, Ash suddenly 
realized that the preferences he’d sacrificed   to the Cursed Heart were starting to alter 
his memories. Instantly losing interest in the conversation, he waved his hand dismissively.
“Relax, even if I don’t end up as the director, I’ll pay out of my own pocket to 
make sure you get what you want.”  Watching Ash walk away, Elina’s eyes brimmed 
with gratitude. For the first time since she’d arrived in this place, she felt a hint of warmth.
“Thank you. You’re a good person,” Elina whispered to herself.
…  After settling Elina in, Ash used Russell’s access 
card and made his way unimpeded to the director’s office. To his surprise, there was someone else in 
Russell’s office—a striking woman. Of course, her beauty was only relative; compared to Aphrodite 
in her man’s attire, this woman seemed quite   ordinary. Not to mention, Ash had long since lost 
his taste for these wealthy and generous women. [Wendy Mayfair]
[Wish: To break free from the curse of demons   that has plagued her family for generations.]
… Wendy, who had originally been waiting for 
Russell, frowned when she saw Ash enter instead. “Who are you? Where’s Russell?”
Not knowing what sort of relationship   Wendy had with Russell, Ash thought for a 
moment, then replied with a question of his own. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that, Miss 
Wendy? There should be no personal entanglements   between doctor and patient.”
“If you wish to be seen, please register at the front desk instead 
of relying on personal connections.”  Wendy let out a cold chuckle at 
the implication in Ash’s words, lightning flickering faintly between her fingers.
“He’s my father. Are you saying a daughter needs to register just to see her own father?”
Father? Ash studied Wendy’s features closely, but saw not the slightest trace of Russell 
in her face. Either Wendy was lying,   or Russell had been the victim of a neighbor’s 
indiscretion. But no matter the truth, Ash knew he needed to get Wendy to leave first.“You’re 
his daughter? Then there’s no problem.”  “Russell died in the special operating 
room on the first basement level.” “Your arrival is timely—you can 
take care of the body. Please!”  Ash opened the door, his intention 
to see her out unmistakably clear. At the sudden news of her father’s death, 
Wendy trembled from head to toe. She stood   up abruptly and rushed out in a daze.
How could this be? How could Russell be dead? Hadn’t he claimed he was 
on the verge of attaining eternity?  With Russell gone, who else 
could remove the demon from her? Distraught, Wendy completely forgot 
to ask Ash why he was even there.  Once Wendy had left, Ash locked the door behind 
her and gestured for Aphrodite to keep a lookout. He then strode over to Russell’s desk, turning 
his attention to the safe hidden beneath it.  With a few deft taps, Ash entered the code. The 
safe responded with a soft click and sprang open. There wasn’t much inside: just an 
encrypted USB drive, an Elder’s   insignia of the Church of Immortality—one 
Ash recognized—and an adoption certificate. The Elder’s insignia was self-explanatory, 
a mere proof of identity and nothing more.  The adoption document, however, confirmed 
that Wendy was indeed Russell’s daughter—at least in the eyes of the law.
From Russell’s notes on the document,   Ash learned that Wendy was the last 
descendant of the Mayfair witch family. The Mayfair witches held a unique place in the 
world of sorcerers. Their magical power did   not come from their ancestors, but rather from a 
demon that had accompanied them for generations. This, Ash realized, was one of the 
reasons Russell had adopted Wendy.  Ash was about to examine the papers more 
closely when the office door was suddenly blasted open by a surge of powerful magic.
Wendy stood in the doorway, brimming with   murderous intent, her eyes locked on Ash, 
who now sat in the headmaster’s chair. Evidently, after leaving, Wendy had pieced 
together some crucial facts. Russell must   truly be dead—otherwise, how could Ash 
have gotten hold of the access card belonging to the director of District Thirteen?
Russell was dead, yet Ash was still alive. By any   logic, Ash was the most likely killer.
If she had been lured to the basement, Ash would have had ample time to 
slip away before she returned.  That was why Wendy had chosen 
to force her way back in. Seeing Ash in the director’s seat, 
with Aphrodite standing between them,   Wendy didn’t hesitate; she flung out her hand.
With a thunderous crash, Aphrodite was hurled against the wall, powerless to resist.
But before Wendy could strike again, her vision blurred. In the blink of an eye, Ash, who had just 
been sitting across the room, appeared right in front of her. He wrapped a strong hand around 
her throat and slammed her hard to the ground.  A sharp thud echoed through 
the office as countless fine cracks spiderwebbed across the floor.
Ash was surprised to find that even after such   a brutal blow, Wendy glared up at him fiercely, 
as if nothing had happened. She even parted her crimson lips, baring her teeth, ready to bite.Ash 
frowned slightly. He could faintly sense that power hidden within Wendy’s body—a force born from 
the Seven Sins. Yet Wendy’s condition was nothing like those demon vessels possessed by fiends. 
She was more akin to a demon herself. The Mayfair Witch, it seemed, was indeed extraordinary.
Ash, who had originally intended to snap Wendy’s neck, changed his mind in an instant.
“Calm down. We are not enemies.”  “The demon inside you—I’ll 
find a way to deal with it.” “Not by deceiving you like Russell 
did, but by truly seeking a solution.”  At first, Wendy scoffed at his words. 
But the moment she realized Ash knew about the demon within her and even 
mentioned Russell, she fell silent.  Most in the wizarding world knew of the demon 
dwelling in the Mayfair Witch family. Yet few realized that, except for the very first 
head of the family, every Mayfair Witch   desperately longed to be rid of it. Wendy was 
no different. The demon granted them power, but it was also their waking nightmare.
Her adoptive father, Russell, had once promised to   find a way to free her. But as the years passed, 
her bond with the demon only grew stronger. She couldn’t help but wonder—had Russell himself 
orchestrated her union with the fiend? When   she was still an orphan, she had no idea she was 
the sole heir of the Mayfair line. The necklace, symbol of the family’s inheritance, had been 
retrieved for her by Russell. Even the boyfriend who ultimately led her into the demon’s pact was 
someone she met at a party Russell brought her to.  Later, in her dreams, a shadowy figure 
would always try to manipulate her, coaxing her into greater intimacy. Yet, loyal to 
her boyfriend, she steadfastly refused. That is, until the night she caught him cheating at a 
party. In that moment of heartbreak, she finally gave in to the demon’s advances in her dreams. 
Her fury erupted, consuming the entire party in flames, and she officially became a witch.
Only when her rage subsided did she realize what she had done. She had wanted 
to punish only her unfaithful lover,   not everyone at the party. Overwhelmed by the 
change within herself, Wendy turned to Russell, now the headmaster, for help. He promised to free 
her from the demon’s grasp. Yet, as time went on, she found herself losing control more and more 
frequently. Betrayal seemed to lurk everywhere,   and her suffering only deepened.
She could feel the demon gnawing away at her will, turning her into a puppet for 
others to manipulate. Even so, Russell remained her last hope. Despite her doubts, she kept 
searching for reasons to trust him. Only when   she learned of Russell’s death—when her final 
hope was truly lost—did Wendy’s anger boil over, driving her to settle the score with Ash.But 
now, Ashes had torn away her last layer of illusion. All of this—every bit of it—had truly 
been orchestrated by her foster father, Russell! “If I can’t trust my own father, 
then how am I supposed to trust you?”  Seeing Wendy finally calm down, Ashes 
released his grip from her throat, shrugged, and said, “You don’t have to 
trust me. All I’m saying is that I’ll try   to find a solution, not that I definitely can.”
“Of course, you could also choose to go down with me in a fight to the bitter end.”
“But that wouldn’t benefit   either of us, would it?”
Straightening up, Ashes didn’t wait for Wendy to reply. He took two steps to 
the side and reached out a hand to Aphrodite,   who had fallen to the ground.
“Are you alright?” Noticing Ashes’ concern, Aphrodite 
grasped his hand and flashed a sweet,   radiant smile. “I’m fine. Though I’ve lost 
my divine power, this body is still that of a goddess—it’s not so easily harmed.”
A godly body? So Aphrodite is actually   quite the resilient shield, thought Ashes, 
his mind fully occupied with how to make use of this divine vessel. He didn’t even 
notice the soft, delicate feel of her hand.  Meanwhile, Wendy, who had been lying silently on 
the floor for a long while, suddenly spoke up: “Why do you want to help me?”
“I want to hear the truth.”  “There’s no such thing as kindness without 
reason. I’ve just learned that lesson.” Ashes turned to her with a smile. 
“Of course I have my own motives.”  “I want to understand how your body 
manages to balance the Seven Sins.” The Seven Sins? A look of confusion 
clouded Wendy’s eyes. She had no   idea what Ashes was talking about.
Seeing her expression, Ashes immediately understood. It seemed the demon inside Wendy 
wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with her.   Otherwise, the demon would have long since 
confessed to remodeling Wendy’s body. With that thought, Ashes’ gaze dropped 
slightly, settling on the pendant   hanging between Wendy’s collarbones. If he 
wasn’t mistaken, the oval pendant probably held a photograph—one that housed the demon.
To unravel how Wendy balanced the Seven Sins, he’d have to start with that demon.
Just as Ashes was pondering how to   broach the subject, a low gasp sounded 
from the doorway of the dean’s office. A middle-aged man, flanked by several black-clad 
bodyguards, was staring in shock at the office, which had lost its door. His gaze swept 
past Ashes, paused for a fleeting moment on Wendy’s chest as she lay on the floor, 
and finally came to rest on Aphrodite.  What a stunning woman!
The man’s eyes flashed with sudden brightness, as if his long-dormant heart 
had been brought back to life. With his status,   he’d seen countless beauties and fleeting 
romances, but never before had he encountered a woman as breathtakingly beautiful as Aphrodite.The 
middle-aged man immediately raised his hand, stopping the man in black behind him from 
drawing his gun. Then, trying his best to   sound gentle and approachable, he asked, “Can 
anyone tell me what exactly happened here?” [Logue]
[Desire:   To extend his own life.]
…  Aphrodite, who was being watched by Logue, 
instinctively furrowed her brow. Having lost her sense of desire, she felt no interest whatsoever 
in this obviously greasy, pot-bellied middle-aged man. In every way, Ashes was far superior. Not to 
mention, Logue’s gaze was sticky and lingering, making her deeply uncomfortable.
Without betraying her feelings,   Aphrodite quietly shifted to the side, coming 
to stand beside Ashes, making her stance clear. The one in charge here was Ashes—and only Ashes.
Having spent many years navigating the cutthroat world of the workplace, Logue naturally understood 
Aphrodite’s meaning. Yet he paid it no mind. If she had thrown herself at him so easily, 
he wouldn’t have found it interesting at   all. What he enjoyed was the process—initial 
resistance, followed by inevitable surrender. Turning his attention to Ashes, Logue let 
out a soft laugh and added, “Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Logue, deputy director 
of the Psionics Department Research Institute.” “The institution I currently oversee 
happens to include District Thirteen.”  “I have the authority to know what happened here, 
and of course… the authority to execute you all.” As he finished, Logue’s voice suddenly turned 
icy. Sensing the change in tone, the men in black behind him drew their guns in perfect 
unison, aiming at the three people in the office.  After this display of force, a smile returned to 
Logue’s face. “Now then, while I’m still being polite, can someone tell me what happened here?”
Ashes glanced at the red laser dots trained on   his vitals and gave a nonchalant smile. Though he 
didn’t fear gunfire, Logue had just revealed his connection to the Psionics Department, so Ashes 
decided it was best to give him some respect.  He briefly recounted what had happened 
to Russell before his death, making a few modifications to the story. Of course, he 
emphasized that Russell had entrusted him with   the management of the hospital.
When Logue finished listening, shock flickered in his eyes. Russell was dead? 
That was not good news for them. The only reason they had overlooked Russell’s status as an Elder 
of the Church of Immortality and left District   Thirteen in his care was his remarkable abilities.
Back then, Russell had personally demonstrated his “Truth” power, obtained through a pact 
with a demon, right in front of them. He had   turned a frail, cancer-ridden old man back 
into the image of a twenty-year-old youth. What’s more, their subsequent observations 
confirmed that the old man had truly regained   the physical condition of a twenty-year-old in 
every respect. But during a comprehensive physical checkup, a doctor had remarked, “His cells are 
everywhere in his body; it’s a miracle he’s still alive.” That casual comment made the old man 
realize anew that he was on the verge of death.  Shortly after, the man died.Although Russell’s 
“truth” ability was far from perfect, it undeniably showed Rog and his people a new 
possibility—a true path to immortality. That was why both sides had agreed: the Psi Division’s 
research institute would provide samples   for Russell, so he could develop a flawless 
eternity. But now, Russell was simply dead? Killed by Austin, another elder of the Immortality 
Sect? And then, this young man just happened to finish off the weakened Austin? The string of 
coincidences was almost too bizarre to believe. Still, Rog understood—there was no time to grieve 
for Russell’s death now. He had to look ahead. He needed to get hold of all the research Russell 
had compiled over the years, and quickly! Only   then could someone else take up Russell’s work 
and carry it forward. But before that, he had to deal with Ash. Only once Ash was dead could he 
freely ransack this office for what he needed.  Just as Rog was about to give the order, a man 
in black, who had uncovered Ash’s identity, stepped forward and whispered a few words in 
Rog’s ear. Upon hearing that Sasha held this demon   hunter named “Ash” in high regard, a flicker of 
hesitation crossed Rog’s eyes. As a special agent, Sasha was of little consequence to Rog—but her 
father was another matter entirely. Sasha’s   father was Rog’s direct superior.
After a brief moment of thought, a new idea quickly took shape in Rog’s 
mind. He looked up at Ash and smiled.  “Oh? So Russell entrusted the 
position of director to you?” “Heh, it’s just the directorship of District 
Thirteen. What Russell says doesn’t make it so.” “How about this: we’ve identified the group that 
attacked the hospital last time. It was the Salem   family, those old dogs who refuse to stay quiet.”
“I’ve heard they’re even plotting to select a new candidate for Supreme Sorcerer.”
At this, Rog let out a cold chuckle,   his heavy features twisting with murderous intent. 
“Whenever someone dares to challenge the Psi Division, we make sure to teach them a lesson.”
“Originally, Russell would have taken care of   this. But since you’re stepping in 
as director, the task is yours now.” “Ruin their candidate ceremony. Make it clear 
to them that the Psi Division’s assets are   not theirs to come and go as they please!”
With that, Rog waved his hand. One of the black-clad men behind him stepped forward, 
producing a tablet and handing it to Ash.   Ash took the tablet, glanced down, and saw a 
red dot moving across a three-dimensional map. “That’s our insider. He’ll lead you straight 
to where the Salem sorcerers are gathering.”  “All right, you’re free to assemble a team 
from District Thirteen as you see fit.” “If you can pull off this mission, 
I’ll personally recommend you for   the directorship of District Thirteen.”
With those words, Rog stepped aside, and the men in black behind him parted as well, 
clearing a path forward.The intention here was   obvious—it was a polite way of asking them to 
leave. And since Ashes had already taken what he needed from Russell’s safe, he naturally 
had no reason to stay any longer. However…  “Have you made up your mind? Will you 
come with me?” Ashes extended his hand, and without hesitation, Wendy, who had 
been lying on the ground, used his help to   get to her feet. “Of course. At the very least, 
you’re far better than my hypocritical father.” Ashes nodded, leading the way out of the office.
But just as they reached the doorway, there was a brief interlude. Rog, unable to contain 
himself any longer, blurted out a question, asking Aphrodite for her name. But 
Aphrodite didn’t even acknowledge him,   which made the atmosphere awkward, and for a 
moment, Rog was once again consumed by the urge to kill and steal the woman for himself.
Fortunately, Ashes stepped in smoothly,   saying, “Director Rog, as you know, most of the 
staff in this hospital are both deaf and mute.” “As it happens, she has both those qualities, 
so she really has no idea what you’re saying.”  With that, Ashes shot Rog an apologetic look, 
then took Aphrodite by the hand and led her away. Women—especially beautiful women—are 
always a source of trouble.  Aphrodite’s eyes widened slightly 
at these words, but feeling Ashes’ reassuring grip and the surge of strength 
flowing into her, she let it slide, tacitly   accepting this new ‘deaf and mute’ persona.
Watching the three of them disappear from sight, Rog gave a cold snort. He was not someone ruled 
by his baser instincts; he knew well enough what was most important right now. He hurried 
behind Russell’s desk on his stubby legs,   only to find the safe completely empty.
He froze for several seconds, then let out a low, furious growl.
Everything was gone!  Just before the elevator doors slid shut, Ashes 
heard that suppressed, angry snarl. The sound, brimming with rage, made the corners of Ashes’ 
mouth curl up ever so slightly. It was oddly satisfying to see this overbearing Rog take a hit.
It was a pity, though—with Rog’s current status, Ashes couldn’t risk making a move against him. 
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have minded showing Rog   the true meaning of cruelty.
As the elevator descended, Wendy glanced at the calm-faced Ashes 
and suddenly asked, “Are you sure you   want to stir up trouble with the Salem family?”
Ashes actually didn’t know much about the Salem family. It was just that, from Rog’s description, 
they sounded remarkably similar to what Alice had   told him before. That’s why he had gone along with 
it, playing along as if he’d accepted the mission. Of course, Ashes wasn’t foolish enough to seal 
the agreement with a verbal contract—he’d only   acted as though he was taking the job, letting Rog 
believe he had. It was just a little trick that agents used to avoid being bound by contracts.
But now, judging by Wendy’s tone,   it seemed the Salem family might not 
be so easy to deal with after all. “What’s wrong? Are they that much trouble? Didn’t 
Rog say the Salem family had already faded into obscurity?”“If I haven’t misunderstood, 
‘silence’ means a family is finished, right?” As the last heir of the Mayfair 
witches, Wendy naturally knew more of the   inner workings of the witching world than Ash did.
“That’s not quite it. In the world of witches, what we call ‘silence’ simply means that a family 
hasn’t produced a Supreme Witch for many years.” “But you should know that the source of power for 
most witch families lies with their ancestors.”  “Only Supreme Witches who have died can enter 
the spirit realm after death and become one of the sources of their family’s power.”
“So the longstanding standard for judging a witch   family’s strength is to look at how many Supreme 
Witches they’ve produced throughout history, and how many promising heirs they have now.”
“Of course, there are exceptions.”  At this point, Wendy paused—because she 
herself was that exception. A witch whose magical power came from making a pact with 
a demon. The limits of her power depended   entirely on the demon’s favor. Wendy’s 
eyes dimmed a little as she went on: “As long as an ancestor’s spirit remains 
in the spirit realm, even if the current   witches of the family are lackluster, they 
can still wield terrifying power through what their ancestors left behind.”
“And the Salem family, who wrote a   brilliant chapter in the annals of 
witch history, have deep reserves.” “This time, the candidate selection 
is taking place in their stronghold,   which means their connection to their 
ancestors will be even stronger.” “Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
Ash nodded. “So what you’re saying is, Rog gave me this mission basically to send me to my death?”
Seeing Ash catch her meaning, Wendy breathed a   sigh of relief. “Exactly. When you’re in 
the gathering place of the Salem witches, your real opponents aren’t those mediocre 
witches, but the most powerful Supreme   Witches in the Salem family’s history!”
Wendy deliberately stressed “witches” to drive home just how foolish it would 
be to oppose them on their own ground.  “I see. So, who should we bring 
along to give us a better chance?” Wendy was momentarily taken aback by the 
question. Was that really understanding? She’d meant to convince Ash to give up on this mission 
altogether, but he foolishly thought that just   bringing more people would solve the problem?
Frustrated yet unable to get a word in, Wendy watched as Ash rubbed 
his chin, muttering to himself:  “Let me think… I’ll bring Carla. Hmm, 
but I can’t just leave Judith at home…” “Elena would be suitable too; she 
might just save our lives in a pinch…   I wonder if the Lane brothers have ever 
tangled with the Salem witches before?” “By the way, that yellow-eyed demon they 
asked me to look into last time—maybe Ruth   would know something about it. And if not, I 
bet those two with Elena might have an idea, right?” »The safest option is still 
to bring A-Gou along. With A-Gou,   there shouldn’t be any surprises… » As she 
saw Ash genuinely pondering over who should join the expedition, Wendy finally 
lost her patience and spoke bluntly,  Hey! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?
What I mean is, if you go there, it’s very likely… no, it’s a hundred 
percent certain you’ll die!  Interrupted by Wendy, Ash 
simply smiled and replied, Isn’t it possible that I’m already a dead man?
Wendy was momentarily stunned, then snapped her fingers, summoning an instant cloud 
of perception dust. She inhaled deeply,   sifting through the subtle information 
hidden in the now-colored particles—and what she found made her heart skip a beat.
She didn’t sense that Ash was a dead man,   but she did detect the Original Sin within him. 
It felt eerily similar to how she felt when she tapped into the demonic power lurking inside 
herself. Yet, the bloody scent in the dust’s   feedback clearly pointed to him being a bloodkin.
So, Ash was a blood sorcerer who had borrowed demonic power? That would explain why he 
had been so willing to help her. In a way,   they really were kindred spirits—calling 
him a dead man wasn’t far from the truth. After all, she herself was already pregnant; in 
ten months’ time, once the demon no longer found   her useful, she’d be unable to escape death.
No wonder Ash, knowing full well that venturing into the Salem witches’ enclave was almost 
certain doom, still persisted so stubbornly.  For people like them, bound by demons, 
the only hope of breaking free from such control was to seize even greater power.
With a sigh, Wendy decided to say no more, tacitly giving her support to Ash’s decision. There was 
no other choice—they had to take this gamble.  After all, things could hardly get any worse 
than they already were. The demon inside her wouldn’t let her die just yet.
If she accompanied Ash,   perhaps she could even save him at a 
crucial moment. As for the Salem witches, well, they would have to fend for themselves.
She remembered how the once-mighty Mayfair witches   had been destroyed—because they tried to exorcise 
their demon, enraging it, and in the end, every witch possessed by the demon was slaughtered.
So if the Salem witches really tried to kill her,   they’d find themselves up against something 
far more formidable than they could imagine. Of course, this would only deepen her own 
entanglement with the demon. The thought   stirred up a complex, indescribable 
emotion within Wendy’s heart. Aphrodite, on the other hand, had no objections 
at all. Having just tasted a surge of power, she was convinced that following Ash 
was her only path to a brighter future.  Wherever Ash went, she would follow.
What she didn’t realize was that the pure love she sensed came solely from herself!
A chime sounded—the elevator had arrived   at the basement level, snapping 
the trio out of their reverie. Ash led the two women, with practiced 
ease, to Irina’s hospital room.  There, sitting cross-legged on the floor, Irina 
was facing the wall, murmuring to herself, I only have one body—how am I supposed to share 
it between the two of you?“Yes, yes, I did promise   you first, but I don’t want to die, either. So 
I had no choice but to agree to it as well.” “Whatever. If you’re so capable, just 
kill me. It makes no difference to me—I   might as well be dead in here anyway.”
Elena’s outright defiance left the two demons inside her at a loss. There was only one Elena, 
but three minds fighting for control. The ‘Healer’ demon had nearly managed to seize the vessel 
entirely, only for the ‘Truth’ demon to barge in at the critical moment. Demons, after all, have 
no concept of courtesy or yielding to one another. The ‘Healer’ demon tried to erase Elena’s soul 
and take its place. In response, the ‘Truth’ demon convinced Elena that her soul’s strength remained 
undiminished. Their mutual sabotage unexpectedly allowed Elena to regain command of her body.
Yet neither demon could simply let Elena   die—if she perished, their battle would 
destroy the vessel altogether. In the end, it was Elena’s own will that would decide 
who claimed dominion over her body. And so,   an uneasy balance was struck among the three.
Just then, the sound of a door opening stirred both demons to attention. Elena, who had been 
facing the wall, turned to look at the newcomer. Her eyes, now eerily split between black 
and white, seemed as if each held its own   consciousness—one drifting left, the other right.
The sight was so uncanny that Ash, standing in the doorway, paused in surprise. He’d 
seen people entirely overtaken by demons, their eyes turning pitch black. He’d also 
seen Russell, who’d struck a ‘gentleman’s   agreement’ with his demon, resulting in one 
black eye and one white. But this—Elena’s half-black, half-white eyes—was a first.
Wendy, following behind Ash, couldn’t help   but gasp when she saw Elena’s strange appearance. 
Her body tensed instinctively, ready for battle. As a witch who drew her power from demons, 
Wendy was especially sensitive to their   presence—and she immediately sensed the aura 
of two demons within the woman before her. Normally, demons rarely fought over 
the same vessel, as their combined   powers would simply shatter the host 
like a porcelain cup dropped on stone. For instance, the Mayfair witches’ family demon 
never possessed its chosen directly. Instead, it would use a necklace capable of channeling 
its power, subtly influencing the witch and   gradually strengthening her body to 
withstand it. Only when a Mayfair witch was fully prepared in body and soul would the 
demon leave the ancestral necklace and truly   merge with her. Yet that day had never come.
Still, Wendy knew well that in a world of the extraordinary, the impossible was always lurking 
just beneath the surface.If someone were to tell   Wendy that there truly existed a super vessel 
capable of directly withstanding the power of two demons, she wouldn’t be surprised. At the 
very least, the Elena before her seemed to be just such a vessel. That eyeball, brimming with 
its own consciousness, was a clear sign of the demons’ will leaking through. The only thing to 
be thankful for at this moment was that the two   demons weren’t united on the same front.
“Be careful—she’s controlling two demons, which means she has command over at least two 
sets of rules,” Wendy murmured. Ash nodded at   her warning, then turned to the puzzled 
Elena and offered her a gentle smile. “Elena, let’s stop playing around. I’m here 
to take you out for some fresh air this time.”  Hearing Ash’s voice, the darkness in Elena’s 
eyes quickly faded, and the two orbs—one left, one right—returned to normal. The blankness on 
her face was replaced by a sudden look of delight. “Really? That’s wonderful! Does that mean 
I don’t have to come back here again?”  Ash nodded first, then shook his head and 
replied, “Of course it’s true—I’d never lie to you. But for safety’s sake, after everything 
is over, you’ll still need to return here.” “Also, I need to have a word with the two 
demons inside you. Would you let them come out?”  So she still had to come back? A flicker of 
disappointment passed through Elena’s eyes. Still, after being imprisoned here for so many 
years, just being able to leave for a   while was already a blessing. She quickly 
collected herself and nodded obediently. In the next instant, the joy vanished from 
Elena’s face, and the last glimmer of light   in her eyes was swallowed by darkness. Both 
her eyes turned a deep, inky black. Wendy, who had been tense all along, glanced at 
Ash with a hint of surprise at this sight.  What kind of charm did this young man 
possess, she wondered, to make a demon vessel willingly surrender her body to the 
demons inside her? Wasn’t this the same as   giving up her own life? What kind of trust 
did it take to do something like that? Could it be that Ash was truly a man worth trusting?
Wendy, who had already been half-convinced by   Ash’s words, now felt even more certain that she’d 
made the right choice. Perhaps Ash really could help her break free of the demon’s sickening grip!
Possessed by the demons, Elena stood silent for a moment, then was the first to speak.
“You know very well that if we leave this place,   we will never come back. So there’s 
nothing more to discuss between us.” Ash simply smiled at the demon’s attitude, and 
produced the shroud that imprisoned the demon Luz. “Do you see this?” he said. “If you want to 
leave, you can—but only if you move into here.” “So, even knowing that, do 
you still want to leave?”  The demons could naturally sense the 
presence of their kin. They could also feel the shroud’s power pressing down on them. 
Ash was threatening them—he was actually daring   to threaten them!The Demon of Truth immediately 
wanted to open its mouth and teach Ash a lesson, but before it could speak, Ash smiled and 
reminded it, “Don’t forget how Russell died.”  “Or do you want to end up a pitiful 
vagrant with nowhere to go?” The moment these words left his lips, “Elena” 
changed her expression at once. The Demon of Truth, able to read Russell’s memories, 
naturally knew what Russell had seen before   he died. It was the truth! Ash possessed 
the ability to pierce through illusions! For a demon whose name was 
Truth but whose nature was Lies,   this ability was especially restraining! And 
if it ended up wrapped in a burial shroud, it would be handing over Elena’s body without 
resistance. That was hardly in its interest.  Rather than letting another Healing Demon 
have its way, it would rather see everyone trapped in District Thirteen, unable 
to escape. To harm others even at the   cost of hurting itself—this was, after all, 
characteristic of these black-eyed demons. Seeing “Elena” fall silent, Ash understood 
that the demon had grasped his meaning. He   didn’t need to threaten all of them; 
it was enough to show he threatened just one. These creatures had no concept of 
“sacrifice”—betrayal was their daily bread. Having settled the matter, Ash asked 
casually, as if in passing, “By the way,   do you know any demons with yellow eyes?”
Was he to be threatened and still supply information? Did Ash think he was made of 
cotton? The Demon of Truth snorted coldly,   unwilling to waste another word, and instantly 
relinquished control of the body back to Elena. If Ash wanted to know, the demon would make 
sure he didn’t. If it couldn’t kill Ash,   at least it could disgust him.
When Elena “woke up” again, she had no access to the demon’s memories. So, she 
looked at Ash with eager anticipation and asked, “Well? Did they agree?”
Ash nodded. “Don’t worry,   it’s settled. Come with me.”
Elena let out a cheerful whoop, then leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Will 
there be a lot of people where we’re going?”  “A crowd… Well, I might not 
be too comfortable with that.” Ash smiled and handed her a strip of black cloth. 
“It’s alright. If you ever feel uncomfortable, just cover your eyes and it’ll pass.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”  Off to the side, Wendy watched Ash handle 
the demon inside Elena with such ease, her face full of disbelief. She had dealt with demons 
for a long time and knew exactly how troublesome they could be. Yet Ash, with just a few words, had 
forced the demon within Elena to accept his terms. It was truly baffling. In her experience, 
it was always the demon threatening people,   never the other way around.
After waiting for a long time without Ash offering any explanation, Wendy finally couldn’t 
help but ask, “How did you convince them?”  “Aren’t you afraid they’ll say one thing to 
your face and do another behind your back?” “After all, that’s what they’re best at.”When 
Wendy asked about the details, both Alina and   Aphrodite quietly perked up their ears, eager to 
understand Ember’s reasoning. All three women had dealt with demons before, and naturally, they 
were well aware of those creatures’ duplicitous   nature. Everyone knew that demons would always 
look for loopholes in contracts—and often succeed at exploiting them. What’s more, Ember hadn’t 
even signed an actual contract with the demons; it was merely a one-sided, verbal constraint. 
So, under such circumstances, how could Ember be sure the demons would keep their word? 
That was the source of everyone’s curiosity.  Faced with three pairs of inquisitive eyes, 
Ember smiled gently and said, “I didn’t persuade them. I simply made them understand one thing.”
“I have the power to imprison any one of them.” “That alone is enough. After all, with Alina’s 
unique condition, neither of the two demons wants to be the one I lock away.”
“So, in order to deny me the chance   to imprison either of them, they have no 
choice but to obediently return here.” “This has nothing to do with 
promises; it’s a matter of survival.”  Hearing Ember’s explanation, confusion still 
lingered in Alina’s eyes. But Aphrodite’s gaze shone with admiration. Indeed, this was the man 
she had set her sights on; his wisdom was in no way inferior to that of Athena, that insufferable 
woman. After all, Athena liked to call herself the goddess of wisdom, yet she had failed to 
foresee the Twilight of the Gods that followed   the convergence of the celestial spheres—a 
true insult to the title of wisdom. In fact, it might be better to let Ember wield the 
mantle of wisdom, ascend to the pantheon,   and restore the glory of Greek mythology!
Feeling the divine power once more surging through her body, Aphrodite grew even 
more satisfied with her own choice.  As for Wendy, after listening to Ember’s words, 
a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes. Don’t try to persuade the demon—make it understand 
the reality of the situation. This was the key insight Wendy gleaned. It was like a beam of 
guiding light shining down on her lost heart.  When dealing with demons, no amount of empathy or 
reasoning would ever work, for cunning was simply their nature. Instead, it was much simpler to 
lay out the consequences plainly for them to see.  Take her current predicament, for example. 
No matter how desperately she pleaded with the demon to let her go, it was useless. All 
it did was give the demon leverage over her,   so it could threaten her into bearing its child 
in exchange for her own freedom. But in her heart, Wendy knew that so-called freedom would only 
mean death—after which the demon would set   its sights on her child. And she lacked the 
strength to harm herself or her unborn baby. Yet, with Ember’s arrival, she finally 
saw a glimmer of hope. If that saintly   burial shroud could suppress the demon 
inside her, she could end her own life, forcing the demon that had invaded her body to 
retreat back into the necklace. In that way, she   would gain a measure of true freedom. Only then 
could she begin to pursue something more.The more Wendy thought about it, the more she felt this 
plan was feasible. After pondering for a moment,   she spoke again, “Ashes, can you kill me?”
As soon as she finished speaking, before Ashes could reply, Wendy’s eyes 
rolled back and she fainted on the spot.  Within Wendy’s vision, she found 
herself in an illusory world. There, a well-dressed, handsome man stood before her, 
his expression furious as he glared at Wendy. “Do you really think he could kill me?”
“Do you really believe you   can get rid of me so easily?”
“Naive, foolish, and utterly unreasonable!” Dragged forcibly into this dreamscape, 
Wendy looked at the demon who had taken   the shape of a man. Suddenly, she burst out 
laughing. Her laughter grew louder and louder, echoing through the illusion.
It was a long while before Wendy   managed to stop. Looking at the demon, she 
sneered, “If you’re not afraid, then why did you drag me into this illusion?”
“You’re scared. You’re afraid   he really might be able to kill you.”
“Let me tell you this: unless you plan to keep me trapped here forever, the moment I get out, I’ll 
do everything I can to make sure he kills me!”  The demon’s chest heaved with barely contained 
rage. Clearly, it was infuriated. It did not believe that something as trifling as 
a Saint’s Shroud could destroy it. Yet,   it knew the shroud would be troublesome. What’s 
more, now that this madwoman realized she was the last line of defense, she would surely 
keep seeking others to kill her. Ashes was   merely the first—there would be more to come.
Realizing the growing problem, the demon took a deep breath and forced itself to speak calmly.
“Didn’t you want me back in the necklace?”  “Fine! But this is the last 
time I’ll give in to you!” “If you try to find someone to kill you 
again, go ahead and see what happens!”  With those cold words, the demon 
dissolved into a wisp of crimson smoke and vanished from the illusion.
Back in the real world, the pendant around   Wendy’s neck suddenly snapped open, revealing an 
old, yellowed photograph. The picture showed a young man—though his face was featureless.
Red smoke began to seep from all seven   of Wendy’s orifices, coiling around the 
pendant and the photo within. Gradually, the features of the man in the picture became 
clear; yet the face now radiated seething anger. Just as Ashes tried to look closer, the pendant 
snapped shut with a loud click, sealing everything   inside and blocking all prying eyes.
Wendy, still lying unconscious, slowly awoke with a faint, contented smile on 
her lips. It was clear her mood had improved. “Thank you, Ashes,” Wendy said softly.
Ashes, who had done nothing at all,   was caught off guard by Wendy’s gratitude and 
felt quite bewildered. From his perspective, after Wendy asked him to kill her, she 
suddenly collapsed. Then, the demon’s   signature red smoke appeared, and Wendy woke 
up again. Something must have happened during that time—had he been used as a bargaining chip?
“Haha, don’t overthink it. Just accept my thanks,” Wendy said with a laugh. “Weren’t you heading 
to the Salem witches’ gathering?”“Hurry up and   go. I’m curious myself what a real gathering 
of witches looks like.” Ash shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. No matter how you 
looked at it, it seemed that Wendy had seized   the initiative just now. Come to think of it, the 
fact that Wendy’s body could accommodate part of the Red-Eyed Demon’s consciousness suggested that 
her physical potential was highly developed. Yet Wendy herself didn’t seem to realize this. At 
least outwardly, there were no signs of demonic transformation on her. Ash also hadn’t sensed 
any emotional turbulence from her. This made   him wonder whether the path he’d taken was truly 
the right one. Perhaps, demonic transformation didn’t necessarily require bearing all seven sins?
Ash instinctively felt that the answer might lie in the USB drive Russell had given him. 
Unfortunately, he hadn’t had the chance   to look at it before Rog, who had brought 
people with him, interrupted. Rog’s presence, to be honest, was quite a nuisance. But Ash hadn’t 
expected Rog to let him go so easily either, which was out of character compared to his 
earlier demeanor. There had to be something   else restraining Rog behind the scenes.
Along the way, Ash sorted through his web of relationships and was fairly certain it 
was Sasha’s presence that made Rog hesitate.   The idea that a special agent could make the 
deputy director of a research institute wary was incredible. The more Ash thought about 
it, the more he realized Sasha’s background   was anything but simple. As Sasha’s 
recommended “patient,” Ash himself was naturally seen by Rog as being in Sasha’s 
camp. That saved Ash quite a bit of trouble.  With that settled, he figured he should 
check in with Sasha. After all, Russell—the man in charge of his treatment—had died in an 
“accident,” passed his legacy to Ash, and even   blocked his exit in the process. Ash definitely 
needed to give Sasha a heads up about all this. As his phone began to ring, Sasha answered without 
hesitation, rain or shine. “Hello?” came her lazy, languid voice, as if she were on vacation.
After Ash briefly explained the situation, Sasha’s tone turned instantly serious. “What? Russell is 
dead? And he gave you all his research notes?” “He wanted you to be director of 
District Thirteen? That’s a huge leap!”  “Whoa—kid, you really are… something else.”
“Wait for me, I need to call my father.” As soon as Ash hung up, the elevator doors slid 
open. Waiting outside was quite an imposing   scene—a line of men in black, flanked by 
an entire demon-hunting tactical squad. Standing behind them, pacing impatiently, 
was Rog. The look on Rog’s face was one of utter irritation. The contents of that USB drive 
didn’t just concern him alone; it implicated   people far more powerful than himself!If the 
USB drive were to be lost or destroyed by Ember, that would be an irreparable disaster! Yet 
he had actually sent Ember into the heart of   Salem’s witches, sending him to his death! This 
meant he either had to cancel Ember’s mission, or somehow get that USB drive back from him. After 
all, the big boss didn’t have much time left, and everything hinged on Russell making a breakthrough 
in District Thirteen. Now that Russell was dead,   if he couldn’t keep the research going… Well, 
Rogue couldn’t guarantee how many heads would roll if the boss flew into a rage—but his own head, for 
certain, would be the first to go. So he had to recover the USB drive, or at the very least, get 
his hands on a copy of the files. In short, the contents of that USB were now his top priority.
When Rogue saw Ember step out of the elevator, he ran through countless approaches in his mind 
in that instant. He could drop to his knees,   clutch Ember’s leg, and beg him in tears 
for the USB drive. He could lash out, barking orders at his bodyguards to threaten Ember 
at gunpoint into handing it over. He could pin   some trumped-up charge on Ember and threaten 
to throw him in jail until he surrendered the drive… But in the end, Rogue decided he couldn’t 
lose face in front of so many of his underlings. Rogue cleared his throat, tugged at the 
hem of his suit, squared his shoulders,   puffed out his chest and strode forward a few 
steps. With his nose in the air, he barked, “Hey! Kid! Did you take 
something you shouldn’t have?!”  Ember, of course, knew exactly what Rogue was 
talking about. But he deliberately feigned ignorance, replying,
“Huh?”  Rogue scowled, snapping,
“Huh, what?!”  “Do you even realize that everything in 
District Thirteen belongs to the Institute?” “Hurry up! Hand it over, and don’t 
make this uglier than it needs to be!”  Seeing Ember unmoved, Rogue 
let out a frustrated laugh. “Fine, fine, let’s see how long 
you can keep up this tough act.”  “Don’t think I don’t know—you were 
the one who brought Austin in here, and Russell’s death is tied to you!”
“I’ll give you three seconds.”  “Three, one!”
“Time’s up!” Just as Rogue was about to signal his men to draw 
their guns, his phone rang first. Glancing at the caller ID, Rogue didn’t hesitate—he picked 
up at once, switching to a sycophantic tone. “Minister, what can I do for you?”
“Yes, yes, I’m in District Thirteen right now.” “Russell? Yes, Russell is dead, I’ve confirmed it. 
He was killed by the Grand Magus of the Cult of Immortality, Austin. As for that guy, Gray— »
“What? Don’t pursue Ember’s involvement?” “Understood, absolutely. I get it.”
After hanging up, Rogue’s face flickered   with shifting emotions. So Ember really was the 
Minister’s man. Ember had brought Austin into District Thirteen, yet the Minister specifically 
ordered not to hold him accountable. There must be a shift of power brewing behind the 
scenes.Although his connections were   even stronger than those of the head of the 
Psionics Department, at the end of the day, he wasn’t from the same division, and couldn’t 
decide his fate. The position of deputy director   at the institute was the only reason 
he had caught the attention of those above—he absolutely couldn’t afford to lose it!
After a while, Rog finally sorted out the stakes involved. His tone softened as he pleaded with 
Ash, “Brother, did you take Russell’s USB drive?” “If it’s convenient, could 
you make me a copy first?”  Noticing Rog’s sudden change in 
demeanor, and seeing Sasha calling again, Ash immediately understood that it was 
Sasha’s influential backers pulling strings.  “Hold on a second, I need to take this 
call,” he said, leaving Rog standing there. With something to ask of Ash, Rog could only 
swallow his anger. He had a thousand ways to force Ash to hand over the USB, but his superiors 
had instructed him to use a gentle approach. The frustration was almost unbearable!
Still, as long as he got his hands   on the USB’s contents, Ash wouldn’t have long to 
live—even if Rog didn’t lift a finger. After all, he had no intention of warning Ash that the 
mission was off. The lawless Salem witches   would bury Ash themselves. By then, even the 
department head couldn’t blame him. Ash had taken the mission on his own, and it was the Salem 
witches who would do the killing—what did any of   that have to do with Rog? He chuckled to himself.
Ash answered the call, but before he could speak, Sasha’s relaxed voice came through.
“It’s fine now, everything’s all right.”  “My father’s view is that, since the 
man is dead, the matter is settled.” “It’s just that Russell’s research findings belong 
to District Thirteen as a whole—you can’t just   walk away with them. He wants to see you.”
“Knowing him, he should be arriving right about now.”
Arriving? So soon? Ash was   still puzzled when the whir of helicopter blades 
suddenly echoed from outside District Thirteen. A moment later, a sleek black helicopter 
appeared in everyone’s line of sight.   Ignoring the district’s no-fly rules, it 
landed directly on the open ground outside. Once the helicopter settled, two figures 
disembarked. One was a middle-aged man with   an imposing presence, his features bearing 
a clear resemblance to Sasha’s—this must be the father she’d spoken of. The other, following 
close behind, was likely his personal bodyguard. Anyone who dared travel with only a single 
bodyguard must have someone truly formidable   at their side. After all, even someone like Rog, 
the deputy director, would want to bring an entire squad along whenever he left the institute. 
The more one understood about this world,   the more one realized how dangerous it could be.
Ash hadn’t expected that Sasha’s father would summon a helicopter and come to see 
him in person the moment he said so.   The decisiveness and efficiency behind this 
move spoke volumes about his character. To be honest, someone like that was exactly the 
kind of talent needed to manage the Psionics   Department.Someone like Rogge, who is overly 
bureaucratic, can only ever be a politician, never a good manager. Just like now—before 
Ember could even react, Rogge darted ahead,   scurrying to the door to greet the minister.
“Minister, what brings you here?” “You could have left these trivial matters to 
me. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself.”  “It’s all my fault, I’ve 
caused you unnecessary worry.” Watching Rogge’s performance, Ember narrowed his 
eyes. This kind of sycophancy, so concerned with social niceties and currying favor, was truly 
beneath his dignity. But… it was necessary. “Uncle, you’re here?”
“Oh, I’m Ash—just call me Little Ash.”  Ignoring Rogge’s flattery, the minister 
turned his attention the moment he heard Ember’s voice. After sizing Ember up and down, 
a smile unexpectedly appeared on his face. “So, you’re Ash?”
“Sasha often mentions you.”  “What a pity, though.”
Ember naturally understood what the minister regretted. It was nothing more 
than his own identity as a vampire, which made   it difficult for him to be entrusted with real 
responsibility. After all, how could someone who might at any moment submit to a higher vampire 
bloodline be placed in a position of power? Who would dare trust him completely? Even the minister 
before him, head of the Department of Psionics,   couldn’t make that decision. He might trust 
that Ember was a good person, but he couldn’t be sure that, if the vampire progenitor 
appeared, Ember would remain true to himself.  “Let’s talk in my office.”
“Rogge, you stay outside.” Rogge, who had been about to follow, stiffened 
at the words, but there was nothing he could do.   He could only watch helplessly as Ember and 
the others walked into the office with Nick, while he was left standing guard outside, like a 
doorman. Rogge’s face immediately darkened, but he forced a smile back onto his round features, 
rubbing his stiff cheeks with his pudgy fingers. It was only a momentary humiliation, after all. 
The supernatural pie that was the Department of Psionics had attracted many hungry eyes. With 
Nick refusing to pick a side, his own good days were likely numbered.
…  Once inside, Nick turned directly 
to Ember, asking bluntly, “Is the USB drive containing Russell’s 
research notes in your possession?”  Ember glanced up, discreetly reading Nick’s wish.
【Nick】 【Wish: To build an elite psionic task force.】
Now certain that Nick and Rogge were not   allied, Ember replied,
“Yes. Before he died, he gave me the combination to the safe.”
Nick nodded, making no move to forcibly   take it, but instead offered Ember a choice.
“I assume Sasha has already explained to you. Russell’s research belongs to District Thirteen. 
I don’t mind if the findings spread elsewhere,   but I cannot allow District Thirteen to 
be without a copy of the research.”“So, you can become the director of the Thirteenth 
District, but the price is that your personal   freedom will be restricted, just like Russell. 
This is also one of the reasons I can accept a follower of the Cult of Immortality as director.”
“Or, you can choose to copy the information in front of me and take it away.”
Nick’s terms were, to be fair,   already quite generous. Appointing a vampire 
as the director of the Thirteenth District was a risk, so limitations on personal freedom were 
necessary. And sharing knowledge was by no means a given—otherwise, the Psychic Division wouldn’t 
have set so many demon-hunting materials behind   level restrictions and a points exchange system.
Yet, Ash had no desire to choose either option. He shook his head and replied,
“Sorry, Minister, but I’m   afraid you’ve misunderstood something.”
“This item is a ‘private’ possession that Russell entrusted to me, not a document belonging 
to the collective of the Thirteenth District.”  “If this research material had truly been the 
work of the Thirteenth District as a whole, then it wouldn’t have been locked away in a safe 
that belonged only to Russell, don’t you agree?”  At these words, Nick studied Ash in silence 
for a long moment. The atmosphere in the room grew tense, the air thick with 
anticipation. The three women present   nearly believed a fight was about to break out.
But suddenly, Nick broke the tension with a laugh. “Sasha said you’re a skilled 
negotiator, and she wasn’t wrong.”  “You’re right—in theory, the research in your 
hands is the result of Russell’s own insights, not something to be shared 
with the Thirteenth District.”  “But theory is just theory. That research must 
remain here in the Thirteenth District today…” Nick’s resolute words made the three women’s 
hearts clench once again. Would it still come   to blows after all? Aphrodite took a 
deep breath, a swirl of rosy starlight gathering between her fingers.
Sensing Aphrodite’s movement,   the bodyguard standing silently like a statue 
behind Nick seemed to awaken. His eyes flashed with a piercing light, and the muscles under his 
black suit tensed, stretching the fabric taut. Just as the confrontation threatened to 
erupt, Nick suddenly changed his tone.  “…But, for Sasha’s sake, I can offer you 
a little extra compensation—personally.” “So, tell me: what would you like? Mechs? 
Sorcery? Artifacts? Secrets? Or perhaps power?” Ash, who never expected the negotiation to fall 
apart, had been waiting for this exact moment. Since he couldn’t avoid leaving a copy of the 
research, it was only right he should maximize his   benefit. And as the head of the Psychic Division, 
Nick had resources beyond Ash’s wildest imagining. If someone of Nick’s caliber was willing to let 
a few things slip through his fingers, it could   save Ash a great deal of time.So Ashes didn’t 
stand on ceremony and asked directly, “I want to know the whereabouts of the Seed of Pride.”
To Ashes, even though it wasn’t the right time to   bear more of the original sins, collecting them as 
a hidden trump card was always the wise move. Now, he only lacked the seeds of Pride 
and Sloth—if he could acquire them,   he would possess all seven deadly sins.
As for Sloth, he actually had a vague idea of where to start. The Bruch vampires 
who conducted research on Sloth might well   possess objects saturated with that emotion. But 
when it came to Pride, Ashes truly had no clue. As for how to balance these powers—well, that 
was a problem for later. One needed to possess   the seeds first before worrying about balance.
Nick, upon hearing Ashes’ request, showed clear signs of surprise on his face. He couldn’t 
understand why a vampire would ask about the   Seed of Pride instead of seeking to purify his 
bloodline. For vampires, strengthening their bloodline was of utmost importance—it determined 
their status among their kind. That’s why most vampires, after a life of indulgence, would devote 
themselves entirely to refining their lineage. But Ashes was clearly different. He was 
actually interested in the original sins!   Such things usually only attracted black 
magicians or supernatural beings who hungered after forbidden power. They were 
called sins for a reason—possessing them   inevitably led one down a path of evil.
Nick stared at Ashes for a long moment before speaking with heavy meaning: “Do 
you realize you’re playing with fire?”  Ashes gave a gentle laugh. “But isn’t living 
among the supernatural already playing with fire?” “Since we’re all playing with fire,” he continued, 
“then let’s see who has the greater skill.” Nick shook his head, unable to suppress a wry 
smile. “It’s not the same. Because of its origin, Pride is the most powerful of the seven sins.”
“And Pride is born from a sense of superiority. If you obtain it, it will be that much harder 
to maintain, as you say, a human consciousness.”  After warning Ashes, Nick sighed and 
continued, “To be honest, the Psionic Department doesn’t have information on the Seed 
of Pride. But we do know who possesses it.”  “Azazel—once a Seraph and Cherub, now a fallen 
angel. Or you might as well call him a demon.” “When he descended to the mortal world, he claimed 
to be as powerful as God himself. That arrogance became his sin and turned his wings black.”
“There’s evidence that Azazel moves among   humans in the guise of the Yellow-Eyed Demon.”
“If you want Pride, I doubt there’s a more prideful being in this world.”
Yellow-Eyed Demon? Ashes’ pupils   narrowed. Could it be the very same demon 
that had been toying with the Ryan brothers all this time? That would be troublesome.
Ashes hadn’t expected to glean information   about the Yellow-Eyed Demon from Nick’s mouth.To 
be honest, Azazel is not someone Ashes could even dream of confronting at his current level. As a 
yellow-eyed demon, Azazel holds a rank in Hell second only to the seven great demon lords. Even 
if Ashes were to get arrogant, he hasn’t lost his mind. Just dealing with the consciousness of 
a black-eyed demon already takes considerable   effort for Ashes—let alone a yellow-eyed one.
Fortunately, the Psionic Department has no idea where the Seed of Pride is, but the Church of 
Immortality is bound to have the answer. After   all, the Seeds of Original Sin are creations 
of the Church’s own making. Ashes doesn’t necessarily need a finished product; a 
prototype, or even a sapling, would do.  With a quiet sigh, Ashes inserted the 
USB drive into the computer. Though this exchange hadn’t yielded the answer he 
sought, a deal was a deal—changing terms at   the last minute would only harm his credibility.
As Nick watched the files copy across the screen, he suddenly spoke. “Ashes, have you ever 
wondered why demons are so relentless in   trying to enter the human world?”
Ashes hesitated for a moment, glanced at the estimated time left for the 
file transfer, and instantly understood Nick’s   intention. For the next half hour, while 
the data was being copied, he could ask any question he wanted—the secrets available to him 
were not limited to just the one he’d brought.  Clearly, this was a gesture of goodwill from Nick.
“Is it because there’s so much original sin among humans?”
Nick smiled. “That’s both right   and wrong. In this world, the real reason angels 
and demons are so powerful comes down to souls.” “Whoever controls more 
souls wields greater power.”  “And as the human population keeps swelling, 
the number of souls increases as well. This means that angels and demons, who draw 
their strength from souls, have gained   power surpassing that of the elder gods.”
At this point, Nick deliberately glanced at Aphrodite. It was obvious he 
included her—a goddess fallen   from her divine seat—among those elder gods.
“Still, no matter how many souls there are, the majority always end up in 
the hands of those at the top.”  “With rigid hierarchy, the lower ranks are 
left with no room for advancement, and they must even worry that the tiny fragments of power 
they possess could be devoured at any moment.”  “So, the true reason these demons come to the 
human world is fear—fear of their own demise.” “Of course, there are also the 
ambitious ones, those eager to   harvest souls in the human world to increase 
their power—Azazel and Lilith, for example.” As Nick mentioned the names of 
these two formidable demons,   a flicker of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
“Their descent into the human world, in truth, gives us an opportunity—an 
opportunity to destroy them.”  “Have you ever heard of the Colt?”
Even in Ashes’ original world, the name Colt was well-known; there was even 
an arms factory named after it. It seemed that,   here too, Colt had found its place in the same 
line of work. »The father of the revolver? » Nick nodded.
That’s right. It was him.  He once forged a revolver 
from the remnants of Gungnir. Then he crafted six bullets, each engraved with 
a cross, using the fallen power of an angel. Each of those six bullets was capable 
of destroying a yellow-eyed demon.  As Nick spoke, a feverish 
light ignited in his eyes. No one doubts this, because he used that gun to 
kill Ramiel, who, like him, was a fallen angel.  After slaying Ramiel, Colt even etched a 
line of small words on the barrel of the gun. No one can live forever. If one shot 
is not enough, then take another.’  Unfortunately, that gun was lost, and to 
this day no one knows where it is. Otherwise, what would Azazel amount to? If we found 
it, one shot would be all it takes.  Why did Ash feel like he had seen that 
small inscription somewhere before? With a moment’s thought, Ash 
quickly recalled where it was.  Frankiel! The revolver in 
Frankiel’s hand bore that very line! Ash snapped his fingers.
A chill swept through the room,   as if a cold wind had suddenly risen.
The bodyguard standing behind Nick tensed, pulling his suit tight around him, and a 
menacing aura instantly filled the air.  Easy, we’re on the same side, Nick said, frowning 
and gesturing for the bodyguard to stand down. He then turned his gaze to the ghost 
that was gradually taking shape.  At a glance, Nick could tell that this 
ghost was a vampire. Frankiel’s vampiric traits were unmistakable—he 
radiated an air of elegance,   but there was an arrogance in the way he 
looked down his nose at others. Arrogance, after all, was second nature to vampires.
Vampires as humble as Ash were a rare   breed among their kind.
Nick studied Frankiel, who wore a tailcoat and white gloves, and 
thoughtful suspicion flickered in his eyes.  He had seen this vampire before, but 
needed a moment to search his memory. Very soon, Nick remembered who 
Frankiel was and spoke to confirm:  Frankiel? The Prince of Vandro?
If I recall correctly, he should be wandering as a ghost in that old manor 
on the eastern outskirts of Liberty City.  After speaking, Nick glanced at the Book 
of Spirits, which had just been closed with a lingering sense of reluctance.
You sealed him in the Book of Spirits?  Not a bad idea, but working with 
spirit items can easily backfire. Here’s a word of advice: never trust these 
things. They’ll never help you out of   kindness—they only stab you in the back.
If possible, it’s better to keep them locked away and out of reach.
Nick finished with a frown;   these matters were hardly his to 
explain—they were common sense, after all. Ash was wasting precious time on these 
basics, which seemed unnecessary.  But in the next moment, just as Nick assumed Ash 
only wanted his opinion, he suddenly froze.At Embers’ silent signal, Frankiel actually 
drew a phantom revolver from thin air.   The intricate patterns engraved on the gun, 
along with a familiar line of small lettering, instantly made Nick’s eyes go wide with disbelief. 
Was this the Colt? No, that couldn’t be! There was no way a specter could wield the Colt forged 
from the remnants of Gungnir. This must be   a projection of the Colt created by Frankiel’s 
lingering consciousness! Could it be that Frankiel had seen the actual Colt during his lifetime, and 
the impression it left was so vivid that he could   reproduce it flawlessly, even in death? Otherwise, 
how could he conjure such a lifelike imitation? If Nick remembered correctly, Frankiel had died 
in recent times. That meant the ownership of the   Colt couldn’t have changed hands too many times 
since then. In other words, there was still a real chance for them to reclaim the Colt! Nick’s breath 
grew heavier with excitement; he hadn’t expected   such an unexpected windfall on this outing.
“Ashes, do you know where he saw this gun?” he asked. “This isn’t just important for 
psychics… No, it’s crucial for all of humanity!” With five bullets left, the Colt was effectively a 
trump card for mankind—one capable of threatening   the likes of Azazel. At the very least, it 
would force such beings to act with caution, instead of brazenly appearing wherever 
they pleased. In the best case,   if the opportunity arose, there was even a 
chance Azazel could be struck down on Earth. As for seeking help from Heaven? Nick scoffed 
at the thought. That was simply out of the   question. Those feathered beings were nothing like 
demons in their methods—they wouldn’t trick you into giving up your soul with honeyed words. 
Instead, they demanded sacrifice, devotion:   they wanted you to surrender your soul and body 
willingly. In essence, angels and demons were the same. If humanity was to be saved, it would have 
to be by their own hands. That was why priests, blessed by Heaven, so rarely joined the ranks of 
demon hunters; they looked down on such company. The embers that had summoned Frankiel were also 
keen to uncover the Colt’s whereabouts. After all,   if the Colt was truly as powerful as Nick 
claimed, then gathering the seven deadly sins and forging the Heart of Eternity would become a far 
simpler task. But there was a problem—Frankiel’s incomplete memories only retained the image of the 
gun itself. In the shared memories with Frankiel, all Embers could see was Frankiel endlessly 
turning the Colt over in his hands,   utterly enamored with it. Given this 
attachment, Embers instinctively felt that Frankiel would never have given the gun 
away willingly. The only one who could have   taken it was Mirat—the one who killed Frankiel.
Granted, Embers had already dealt with Mirat, but the Colt was not found on him. If it had 
been, the outcome of that battle could have   gone either way. Now, the question was: who 
had killed Mirat the last time?Sorting out the crucial details, Ember lifted his gaze to 
Nick. Nick, his eyes shining with excitement, couldn’t even wait for Ember to speak before 
eagerly asking, “So? Have you figured it out?” Ember shrugged and replied, “You know how it 
is—evil spirits’ memories fade with time.”  “When I found him, most of his 
memories had already dissipated.” “So all I can confirm is this: 
before Mirat killed him, the Colt   revolver was still in Frankel’s hands.”
Mirat? That blood sorcerer? The one who later became a master demon hunter? 
Nick did remember Mirat. After all,   every master-level demon hunter was considered 
a beacon of hope for humanity. Each of them had their own reasons for walking the demon-hunting 
path, but all had slain countless monsters.  Mirat was one of them. Yet his death remained 
an unsolved mystery within the Department of Psionics. This master demon hunter had simply 
disappeared one day without a trace. As for the truth behind his disappearance, 
perhaps only his family knew for sure.  The Salem family—a clan of sorcerers once so 
lawless that the Department of Psionics had to launch a full-scale crackdown against 
them. This had left most members of the   Salem family harboring an intense 
resentment toward the department. Mirat’s original reason for joining the 
department was that his bloodline had been   ostracized by his fellow sorcerers. So it wasn’t 
as if the department hadn’t suspected that the Salems might have had something to do with Mirat’s 
disappearance. After all, Mirat’s cooperation with the department made him a traitor in their eyes.
Thinking about the recent intelligence—that Salem   sorcerers were gathering en masse to choose a 
new candidate for Supreme Sorcerer—Nick felt a headache coming on. These Salem sorcerers, 
emboldened by the backing of their ancestors in the spirit realm, were always stirring up trouble. 
The Department of Psionics was already stretched thin hunting demons, and really didn’t have the 
manpower to “keep an eye” on them. Not to mention,   most demon hunters wanted nothing to do with 
a sorcerer clan. Even if the clan had lost its former power, the unpredictable methods 
of sorcerers gave everyone endless trouble.  But now, with the trail of the Colt revolver 
leading straight to the Salem sorcerers, Nick knew he had to seriously consider the possibility 
of open conflict. If the stakes were high enough, a few casualties might be acceptable. After 
all, as director of the Department of Psionics,   he had to think of the bigger picture.
A sharp chime signaled the completion of the data transfer, interrupting Nick’s train of 
thought. Ember removed the flash drive and waved   at Nick, saying, “Director, may I leave now?”
Nick’s mind was wholly preoccupied with how to obtain the Colt revolver, so he had no desire to 
prolong the conversation. After a brief farewell, he called in Rogue and asked, “How’s the 
research going on anti-sorcerer weapons?”  “I’m getting ready to make a move against the 
Salem sorcerers.”Rog was left speechless for a long moment after hearing Nick’s words, his 
mouth opening and closing as he struggled to   respond. How on earth did this Ember get so 
insanely lucky? A mission that was supposed to be certain death had somehow become completely 
safe once Nick got involved? Rog simply couldn’t stand the thought of that kid still running 
around, full of life, in the near future.  So, after a moment’s hesitation, Rog finally 
replied, “I’m sorry, Minister. The psionic grenade designed to disrupt the connection between wizards 
and their ancestors has indeed been produced.”  “But due to material limitations, 
we currently have only one.” “And without verifying its actual 
effectiveness, it could result in   catastrophic casualties during the mission.”
Catastrophic casualties—Rog made sure to emphasize those words, feeling rather pleased with his 
own rhetorical skills. After all, the deaths of   witchers were of little concern to the Psionics 
Department. But if the regular soldiers—those formally recruited—suffered heavy losses, Nick’s 
position as minister would be in serious jeopardy. So long as casualties were mentioned, 
Nick would most likely postpone the   operation. Once Ember was sent on a suicide 
mission, the department would naturally have time to produce another psionic grenade.
Just as Rog was indulging in his own cleverness, Nick—after a brief silence—made up his mind. 
The importance of the Colt gun far outweighed the lives of a few men! It was a conviction he’d 
held for a long time. With resolve in his eyes, Nick swept his hand decisively and said, “It 
doesn’t matter. Make the preparations. I’ll take full responsibility for any consequences.”
“This operation must succeed, no matter the cost!” With that, Nick turned and left District Thirteen 
with his personal bodyguards. Since a large-scale operation was about to begin, there were still 
some formal reports that needed to be filed. After all, he was technically a government official—he 
couldn’t act as recklessly as the witchers.  Meanwhile, Rog stood frozen in place, stunned 
by Nick’s decision. What was this? Was Nick really willing to risk heavy casualties 
just to save that kid? Was Ember his own   flesh and blood or something?
Still, from Rog’s perspective, this wasn’t entirely a bad turn of events. 
In fact, if he played his cards right,   it might even mean a promotion and a hefty 
reward. So what if he didn’t get to see Ember die with his own eyes? He might just have 
the chance to witness Nick’s resignation!  If, during his tenure, Nick presided over 
a mission that led to massive losses among regular troops, the public outcry and questions 
from above would be enough to crush him. Not to mention, there were plenty of people 
who’d been waiting for Nick to slip up.  Wasn’t this the perfect 
opportunity to take his place? A cold, mocking smile curled at Rog’s 
lips as he muttered under his breath,   “No matter the cost, you say? As you wish!”
Rog took out his phone, dialed an encrypted number, and after reciting a string 
of codes, spoke in a chilly voice:   “There’s a suicide mission. Send in the Dark 
Ravens who are already on their last legs.” The so-called Dark Ravens were, in truth, 
vessels for demons bred right here in District   Thirteen.Those people who can temporarily resist 
the temptations of demons are, to a certain extent, brainwashed and put to work by the psychic 
division, using demonic powers for their cause.   Yet, in the end, these individuals are bound to 
lose control one day. That’s when an extremely dangerous mission is arranged—one that ensures 
these faltering Dark Ravens perish together with the enemy. Of course, sometimes, allies may 
be caught in the crossfire and perish as well. Rog squinted his eyes, in exceptionally high 
spirits. It was as if he could already see a bright future waving at him.
…  After leaving District Thirteen, Ember was 
in no rush to head to the gathering place of the Salem witches. First of all, Alice 
hadn’t called yet, so the time clearly   hadn’t come. Secondly, there was still a 
private commission fee he hadn’t collected. George, the real estate tycoon of Los 
City, had sent him several messages,   asking whether the matter of the Love Deity’s 
contract had been resolved. Although Ember hadn’t actually slain Aphrodite, he had, in a 
way, taken care of George’s lingering troubles. Now that Aphrodite had lost her passion, she 
no longer needed to rely on desire to maintain   her strength. As for whether George would honor 
his promise or not—it hardly mattered anymore. Besides, the contract between Aphrodite and 
George had always posed more of a threat in   principle than in reality. After all, the binding 
force of a contract with Aphrodite didn’t come from the rules, but from Aphrodite herself.
Before long, the trio returned to the wealthy hillside estates in the north of Los City. Having 
finally received a message from Ember, George was already waiting by the door, eager and unable to 
hide his excitement. He hurried forward, desperate to learn the outcome of Ember’s assignment.
But to his utter shock, as the car door swung   open, a figure appeared before him—one he would 
never forget. The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite! George was struck as if by lightning, frozen 
in place. He had asked Ember to eliminate the   goddess, not to bring her to his doorstep! 
Was Ember trying to get him killed faster? He still remembered—back then, 
after a moment of stunned disbelief,   George immediately propelled his now much heavier 
frame toward the house, intent on fleeing inside. He had no way to deal with Aphrodite directly, 
but that didn’t mean he hadn’t prepared. His home was filled with all sorts of artifacts, 
each one a weapon against the supernatural!  Seeing George’s panicked reaction, 
Aphrodite’s face was full of bewilderment. Did she really look that terrifying?
Aphrodite lowered her head and casually   pulled out a mirror, turning her face this 
way and that. Bathed in the glow of love, she thought she looked stunning. Why, then, 
did that man run away at the sight of her?  Watching the confusion on Aphrodite’s 
face, Ember sighed quietly. So, it turned out Aphrodite never really cared about George 
at all. All that talk about returning for him   in eighteen years—just empty words, wasn’t it?
With a helpless shake of his head, Ember moved like a shadow, blocking George’s path. George, 
seeing Ember in his way, was about to unleash a stream of curses about broken promises—when Ember 
drew a pistol and aimed it straight at him.At the sight of the gun, George instantly regained 
his composure. He wasn’t a fool—who would risk provoking someone while staring down the barrel of 
a gun? He had plenty of money, but only one life. Swallowing hard, George stopped in his tracks, 
raised his hands, and stammered, “Hey, buddy, we don’t have any bad blood between us, do we?”
Ash gave a slight smile, opening his hand to let the gun spin lazily around his index finger. 
Then he pulled out the magazine and showed it to   George—the chamber was empty. “Mr. George, I just 
wanted to help you calm down quickly,” Ash said. “That way, we can clear up any misunderstandings 
as soon as possible. Otherwise, things will only get worse. Now, shall we talk?”
Relieved to see that the gun wasn’t loaded, George let out a long breath he hadn’t realized 
he was holding. Because his involvement with the   goddess was so disgraceful, he hadn’t even brought 
his usual bodyguards along. If Ash truly meant to kill him, he would have been done for. Seeing 
that Ash had no intention of taking his life, George began to wonder if what he’d seen 
of Aphrodite was actually some kind of evil   spirit instead. In any case, as Ash had said, they 
definitely needed to have a proper conversation. Now calmer, George wiped the sweat beading on 
his forehead, glanced cautiously at Aphrodite, and said, “Please, follow me.”
George’s estate, private study.  Seated at the head of the table, George 
looked deeply uneasy. The reason was simple: the breathtakingly beautiful yet terrifying 
Aphrodite was still regarding him with a look of utter bafflement in her eyes. That alone was 
enough to make George feel immense pressure.   He’d witnessed Aphrodite’s divine 
power firsthand. Ordinary people, and even those demon hunters with special 
abilities, were no match for her. Now,   sitting in the same room with her, the tension 
was almost unbearable. In desperation, he cast a pleading look toward Ash, who was calmly 
drinking his tea as if nothing was amiss.  Ash gently blew across the surface of his tea, 
took a sip, and found it lacked the lingering sweetness and refreshing aftertaste he remembered. 
With a look of regret, he shook his head and said,   “Mr. George, your tea just isn’t quite right.”
George was momentarily stunned. Was this really the time to be tasting tea? Shouldn’t they 
be discussing the situation with Aphrodite?   If this wasn’t resolved, George felt as 
if he had a bone stuck in his throat. Gritting his teeth, George decided to 
get straight to the point. “Ash, where’s   Austin? What exactly do you mean by all this?”
Seeing that George had no interest in small talk, Ash set down his teacup and replied, 
“Austin is dead. He left his share to me.”  “As for now, I’m here to tell 
you that everything is fine.” “Otherwise, do you really think you’d 
still be sitting here in one piece?”  Everything is fine? The thought startled 
George, but after a moment’s reflection, he realized Ash was absolutely right.If 
Aphrodite had wanted him to serve her,   she could have enchanted him the moment they met, 
compelling him to follow her without hesitation. Yet now, aside from that unnerving gaze, 
Aphrodite was remarkably quiet—nothing like the ravenous figure he had encountered eighteen 
years ago. Recalling the horrors of that day, even George, a man seasoned by many battles, 
couldn’t help but shudder from head to toe, his very kidneys crying out in protest.
But then again, why did Ember still look   so hale and ruddy, showing no sign of having 
been drained dry? Could it be that Aphrodite had changed her ways? That was a question George 
wouldn’t dare ask. As far as he was concerned, it would be for the best if he never uttered 
those five syllables for the rest of his life.  Once he was certain Aphrodite wouldn’t 
demand he fulfill his old promise, a great weight was finally lifted from George’s 
heart. Feeling much relieved, he had no desire to remain in the same room with Aphrodite any 
longer. Without delay, he transferred ten million into the bank account Ember had provided. Then he 
led Ember to the entrance of his collection room,   allowing him to pick out any item he fancied.
Having said that, George didn’t want to linger a moment longer. He bowed his head and hurried 
away in a rush, leaving without a backward glance. Aphrodite, thoroughly confused, turned and 
quietly asked Wendy, “Do I look frightening?” Wendy glanced at Aphrodite, who had returned 
to her feminine attire, then looked down at   her own ample chest that completely obscured 
her view of her toes. With a sigh, she replied, “You really are quite terrifying.”
Understanding Wendy’s meaning,   Aphrodite reached out and poked her own skin, 
which was as supple as jelly. This moment made her recall Ember’s earlier indifference, as 
well as the changes that came after she had   donned men’s clothing. It seemed that being 
this… abundant was indeed rather daunting. With that realization, Aphrodite promptly 
wrapped herself in a rare surge of divine   power. Under a veil of rosy energy, her body 
began to transform before their very eyes. Wendy and Elena were left wide-eyed with 
astonishment at the sight. The ability to alter   one’s physique at will—this was a power every 
woman dreamed of having. This was the pinnacle of sorcery: the ultimate in cosmetic transformation!
Only Ember, as imperturbable as a Sigma male, paid no heed to Aphrodite’s transformation. 
His full attention was fixed on the dazzling   array of treasures before him.
As a real estate tycoon, George’s quickest path to fortune was, of course, 
through redevelopment—demolishing old houses and   renovating neighborhoods. Such work inevitably 
brought him into contact with countless old objects. These items, along with the old buildings 
themselves, were often shrouded in eerie rumors, stories that ranged from the plausible to the 
outright fantastical. But with so many tales,   it was inevitable that some of these relics 
did, in fact, harbor malevolent spirits. This much Ember could say for certain, for he 
had the ability to see their desires. As for   what each of these things could actually do, that 
depended on his own knowledge and discernment. Unfortunately for Ember, that was precisely where 
his expertise fell short.Yet it was precisely at this moment that Ember’s strengths came into 
play. He knew nothing about ancient relics,   but someone at his side did! Ember turned 
his head and looked toward Aphrodite, the oldest among the four of them. But 
the instant he caught sight of Aphrodite,   his heart nearly skipped a beat. Now that she 
had become delicate and dainty, Aphrodite’s allure for him had multiplied several times over.
Fortunately, Ember was never a man easily swayed by a pretty face! Wiping away the trace of drool 
at the corner of his mouth, Ember gave a discreet cough to hide his embarrassment. “Aphrodite, could 
you take a look and tell me which of these is the   best?” Ember gestured to the items that seemed to 
possess a will of their own, pointing them out one by one for Aphrodite to choose among them.
Seeing Ember’s cheeks suddenly flush,   Aphrodite couldn’t help but cover her mouth and 
let out a soft laugh. Ember’s reaction was simply adorable. Feeling the surge of power welling up 
within her, Aphrodite couldn’t help but marvel at the wonders of love. Especially during 
the throes of passion—every glance and every   gesture was enough to quicken her heartbeat.
With graceful steps, Aphrodite moved to stand beside Ember, only to see him quietly inch away. 
The corners of her lips curled into a smile, and with a sudden burst of speed, Aphrodite 
pressed her supple form against Ember’s tense body. Watching him freeze like a startled 
deer, Aphrodite chuckled and wrapped her   arm around his, finally turning her 
attention to the relics before them. But the moment she looked, Aphrodite’s beautiful 
eyes grew still, and a faint shadow crossed her brow. Sensing her sudden seriousness, Ember 
followed her gaze, only to see a brass teapot. [Brass Teapot]
[Wish: To steam and boil all things.]  …
He didn’t know what powers this brass teapot possessed, but its wish was undeniably 
audacious. To steam and boil all things—such a desire could only be fulfilled by a creator god 
in a fit of madness. But what connection did   this brass teapot have to Aphrodite?
Noticing Ember’s questioning gaze, Aphrodite let out a long, wistful sigh, 
released his arm, and casually picked   up the brass teapot, which immediately 
began to struggle violently in her hand. “This teapot wasn’t always like this. 
It’s actually a defective product,   forged from a fragment of the Hearth Hammer.”
“Even as a flawed piece, it’s still one of the finest items among this lot.”
“You can put most things inside,   and with the addition of a bit of soul energy, 
it will enhance the quality of those items.” A fragment of the Hearth Hammer? Wasn’t 
that the legendary smith’s hammer from   Greek mythology that forged countless terrifying 
weapons? If memory served, Zeus’s thunderbolt, Poseidon’s trident, and Ares’s spear of war 
were all crafted by the Hearth Hammer. And the owner of this mighty hammer was none other than 
Hephaestus, the god of the forge and one of the   twelve Olympians!Embers finally understood why 
Aphrodite grew so sentimental upon seeing this object. It was because Hephaestus was none 
other than Aphrodite’s former husband! Yet, this marriage had only come to pass through Zeus’s 
interference, forcibly binding the two together, with little foundation in love. Even so, 
Hephaestus could not resist Aphrodite’s allure. But Aphrodite, never satisfied with this 
union, did not truly care for Hephaestus.  Later, while Hephaestus spent long stretches 
forging deep within the earth, Aphrodite, driven by her desires, inevitably sought out someone 
who pleased her more—Ares. In the end, Hephaestus caught them in the act, divorced her, and 
married a luminous goddess of his own choosing.  So when Aphrodite laid eyes on this bronze 
teapot, it was only natural that memories of those absurd days came rushing back. That 
wild chapter of her life, looking back now,   truly seemed outrageous. It seemed Embers 
had been right all along—the power of lust really had clouded her mind. Pure love 
and desire rarely coexist in harmony.  Aphrodite sighed once more and handed the 
struggling bronze teapot to Embers. As a part of the Furnace Hammer, the 
teapot retained the will of its   original master, resisting Aphrodite’s touch.
Just as expected. When Embers took the teapot from Aphrodite’s hands, he felt it immediately 
fall still in his grasp, now that it had a new owner. The stark contrast in its behavior 
made its aversion to Aphrodite all too clear. At this, Aphrodite let out a cold snort. 
If it weren’t for the fact that this thing   was useful to Embers, she might have 
smashed it into pieces then and there. Speaking of which, the Colt revolver that Nick 
so coveted was also forged from a fragment of a   legendary artifact—Gungnir, the Spear of Eternity. 
It seemed that none of these mythical relics had survived intact; each had been shattered, their 
fragments reborn as something new. The battle of Ragnarok must have been truly devastating. Only 
the Belt of Charms, lacking in combat power, had managed to endure to this day.
But the amount of soul energy required   by the bronze teapot—that “appropriate amount”—was 
a curious thing. If it was anything like the Book of Sacrifice, demanding more and more with each 
use, then this teapot would be rather useless. Of course, now was hardly the time to experiment.
Embers, not one to be greedy, stowed the teapot away and started to leave. Though plenty of 
sentient relics remained here, Embers was   determined to walk in the light. There was no need 
to chase infamy by making the most wanted list. Meanwhile, George, who was supposed to be waiting 
outside, had vanished without a trace. Instead, his voice came from the speaker 
beside a ceiling camera in the corner.  “Have you made your selection?”
“Good. Then our transaction is complete.” “When you exit, please turn left. I’ve already 
arranged for the butler to see you out.”After   George finished speaking to himself, he 
immediately fell silent. Clearly, he was doing his best to avoid any form of contact with 
Aphrodite. Ember paid this no mind. After all, the two of them had never shared much of a connection; 
everything between them was nothing more than a   transaction, each getting what they needed. Now 
that he had the brass teapot in hand, he, too, was eager to rush home and test its powers. After 
all, as his strength had grown, many of his old   tools had lost their usefulness. Perhaps it was 
time to give this old companion, who had served him faithfully for so long, a thorough upgrade—who 
knows, maybe it would find a new lease on life. And while it was true that his trip to the 
Salem witches’ enclave was to support Alice,   Ember hadn’t forgotten what Alice’s 
wish had been when they had first met. That hateful woman Alice despised was, in all 
likelihood, also a member of the Salem family, and she certainly commanded greater resources 
than Alice did. Simply put, the Salem witches were far from united. During the coming ceremony 
to select the Supreme Witch candidate, there was every chance that blood would be spilled. 
So, it was only wise to be fully prepared.  With Wendy by his side, Ember had no need to 
summon Celia to drive. As their car slowly rolled into the yard of 118 Anaheim under the cover of 
night, two vampires sitting on the stone bench in the garden snapped their eyes toward them, their 
gazes sharp and piercing. When they saw a woman in the driver’s seat, Carla’s fangs flashed into 
view. Blood vessels crept across her face as she flicked her hand, sending five drops of fresh 
blood flying like bullets. Yet, before they could reach their target, the droplets collided 
with an invisible barrier and froze midair.  Watching the blood shimmer and swirl in 
midair, Wendy, stepping out of the car, let out a derisive chuckle. She spread her 
fingers and thrust her hand forward. The five   drops of blood howled as they shot back toward 
Carla. Yet, they moved nowhere near as fast as they would have if Carla were at her peak. Her 
form flickered from solid to mist and back again,   readying herself for battle—until she 
caught sight of a familiar figure: Ember. Carla, her urge to fight now gone, eyed the three 
women emerging from the car with confusion. Then she glanced at Judith beside her, noticing the 
excitement sparkling in the other’s eyes. This little brother of Ember’s—something was off. 
Why were all his friends women? Carla had lived for ages and never once considered surrounding 
herself with a harem. Was Ember really that bold? But before she could say a word, 
she saw Ember holding up his filthy,   long-unpolished teapot as though it were the 
most precious of treasures. The look in Ember’s eyes as he gazed at the brass teapot burned far 
brighter than any look he’d ever given a woman.  Instantly, Carla abandoned her previous thoughts. 
For Ember, even if she stood before him stark naked, she doubted she could draw his attention 
away from these strange artifacts. Wait—wasn’t   that a kind of fetish? What an odd quirk! Then 
again, it was not so different from her own.The tension that had just electrified Karla vanished 
in a flash as she darted over to squat beside   Ashes, her eyes now equally ablaze as she stared 
at the brass teapot. If her guess was right, this too was a sentient cursed artifact! Now that 
Ashes had a new toy, perhaps he’d be willing to lend her the Book of Cursed Spirits for a while? 
As that thought flitted through Karla’s mind, she saw Ashes fish out the book and, 
without hesitation, start shoving it   forcefully into the tiny mouth of the teapot!
Karla was left speechless, and so were the brass teapot and the Book of Cursed Spirits. The book, 
especially, was struck dumb; for the longest time, it had thought Ashes’ threats of sealing it in 
a cement drum and sinking it to the bottom of   the sea were nothing but empty words. Who would 
have thought that, after just a bit of secret scheming on its part, Ashes would really try 
to stuff it into a teapot and drown it? How had Ashes found out? Was there a traitor among them? 
Would it help if it begged for forgiveness now? The Book of Cursed Spirits, face contorted in 
panic, tried to cry out, but suddenly sensed the brass teapot beneath it growing dangerously 
hot. It seemed the teapot was more than a little   annoyed. After all, as a part of the legendary 
Forgehammer, the brass teapot did have the ability to reforge objects and enhance their quality. 
But—and this was important—it was only a part of the Forgehammer! Just look at its dainty 
size; how could anyone expect it to reforge something as massive as a thunder spear, a 
trident, or a four-horse war lance? Wasn’t   that asking a teapot to do the impossible?
Never mind those colossal weapons—just look at its smooth, petite body. Did it look like it 
could possibly swallow an entire book? Maybe if the pages were torn out and rolled up, they might 
just barely fit. But shoving in the whole book at   once—what was that supposed to mean?
Feeling a sharp pain at its mouth, the brass teapot’s temper flared. In an 
instant, its formerly dust-dulled brass   surface glowed red hot before their very 
eyes. The surrounding air sizzled as the temperature soared. The lush, emerald lawn 
in Ashes’ courtyard withered in moments,   sucked dry of moisture and left dull and brittle.
But none suffered more than the Book of Cursed Spirits, which was pressed right up against the 
scalding teapot. The surging heat sent the book   into a frenzy. With no time left to plead for 
mercy, the book sprang open, a gaping maw yawning wide. A pair of blood-red hands gripped the edges 
of this monstrous mouth, and with a powerful   heave, something began to crawl out.
It was the Gluttonous Blood Spirit. The moment the blood spirit emerged, the searing 
heat in the air was instantly quenched. Even the riotous glow on the teapot was blanketed by a 
thick layer of frost, though flashes of crimson   heat still flickered beneath the ice.
Yet this Gluttonous Blood Spirit was not under Ashes’ control—in fact, it still 
held a grudge against him. After all,   half of its essence had been condensed 
into a core now resting in Ashes’ arms, and the spirit could sense the overwhelming call 
of gluttony radiating from that treasure.What’s   more, the Blood Spirit of Gluttony, trapped 
within the Book of Evil Spirits for so long, was now ravenous beyond measure. While the 
brass teapot was edible, it was obviously far   less appetizing than Ash and the others. And 
as fate would have it, the very Book of Evil Spirits capable of resealing the Blood Spirit 
now stood firmly behind it, blocking the way.  Upon seeing this, the great maw on the Book of 
Evil Spirits curled into a silent sneer. Yet the smugness didn’t last—the book suddenly sensed 
the trembling of the brass teapot beneath it,   like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Its 
mocking grin froze. The book rocked itself back and forth, and with a thud, let itself 
fall to the ground. Only then did it manage to put on a smile again, casting a glance 
at the tense standoff unfolding around it.  If Ash didn’t act quickly to deal with the Blood 
Spirit of Gluttony, the brass teapot he’d gone to such trouble to acquire might just explode 
right then and there. What a temper—irritable   and explosive at the slightest provocation. No 
patience at all, no sense of lying low and biding one’s time. Artifacts forged from shards 
of divine relics truly were a breed apart.  While the Book of Evil Spirits was settling 
in to enjoy the coming spectacle, it happened: the madwoman Carla was the first to launch 
an attack on the Blood Spirit. Carla,   moving almost too fast for the eye to follow, 
appeared out of nowhere behind the Blood Spirit of Gluttony. The spirit itself, oblivious to what 
was happening, barely had time to react before its body split neatly along razor-sharp 
lines, sliding to the ground in chunks.  Only then did blood erupt in a crimson spray 
from the wounds, painting the air. Carla opened her mouth, flicked out her red tongue to taste 
the blood that spattered toward her, then spat   and frowned. “Stale blood—absolutely foul!”
But before Carla could finish her words, the fallen flesh on the floor transformed in an 
instant into rows of gaping, toothy jaws, swarming toward her like a cloud of biting insects. The 
Gluttonous Blood Spirit was not so easily slain. Carla was ready to act, but suddenly an invisible 
force bound her in place. Eyes burning with blood-red fire, she turned—only to see several 
mangled Blood Spirits clinging tightly to her limbs, pinning her down and making any swift 
movement impossible. This Gluttonous Blood   Spirit was an amalgamation of many evil spirits!
Realizing this, Carla tensed her muscles and triggered the switch on her ring. With a flick, 
she sliced open all ten fingers. Blood streamed from her fingertips, and under her control, 
the blood ignited into whips, lashing out and destroying the spirits restraining her.
But the delay had cost her—those ravenous,   fanged mouths were already closing in on 
her body. At that critical moment, Wendy, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally 
intervened. She clapped her hands, and a surge of invisible magic formed a wall of air, blocking the 
oncoming jaws in their tracks.To Wendy’s surprise, her wall of air lasted less than a second before 
those ravenous jaws devoured it completely! Only then did Wendy realize that the creatures before 
her were not ordinary blood spirits—they were   Gluttonous Blood Spirits imbued with the power of 
insatiable hunger! Was Ember really carrying such a dangerous thing on him? It seemed Ember was even 
more reckless than she had imagined! The legendary Gluttony, famed for devouring all things, was said 
to be unstoppable. For example, her own magic, which in the eyes of others could both kill 
and heal, was seen by Gluttony as nothing   more than a slightly more refined energy to be 
consumed. Only the holy energy that even Gluttony refused to swallow could stand in their way!
Just then, a streak of pink light flashed past   Wendy’s side. The seemingly gentle pink glow 
surged forward with unstoppable force, halting the advance of the ravenous jaws. Incredibly, 
those jaws that collided with the light were   instantly obliterated, vanishing without a trace! 
What was happening? Wendy glanced back and, upon seeing the energy’s source—Aphrodite—her eyes 
widened in shock. She could sense the pure power of chastity radiating from that pink light. Yet, 
as far as she knew, Aphrodite had never been known as a chaste goddess. Though the goddess of love 
had once borne that title, the irony was that, according to legend, she had never experienced 
unwavering, faithful love herself. This was all because Aphrodite also bore the epithet of the 
goddess of desire. In fact, the title “goddess of desire” seemed far more fitting for the 
goddess of beauty than that of “goddess of love.”  But now, with a mere wave of her hand, 
Aphrodite was wielding the power of pure, chaste love—something truly hard to believe. 
Yet the evidence was right before her eyes,   and Wendy had no choice but to accept it! But who 
was the object of Aphrodite’s pure love? Surely, it couldn’t be Ember, could it? Suddenly, Wendy 
felt as though she no longer understood the world. The most notorious goddess of romance, willing to 
give up her capricious ways and love only one? It overturned everything Wendy thought she knew.
The Gluttonous Blood Spirits, now thwarted, recognized the source of the danger. They 
immediately abandoned Karla and turned   their fierce, hungry gaze upon Aphrodite. Karla 
could injure them, but she couldn’t destroy them. Aphrodite, on the other hand, could annihilate 
them completely. Therefore, she had to die! Seeing that the monstrous mouths had changed their 
target, Aphrodite’s heart sank. She knew she could deal with them, but there were simply too many—the 
meager strength of pure love within her wasn’t   enough to resist such a horde of Gluttonous Blood 
Spirits. For now, the only option was to protect Ember and get him out of here. Once they escaped, 
whatever chaos followed would no longer be their   concern. All that mattered to her was Ember’s 
safety.Just as Aphrodite was plotting her escape, Ember, who had been deep in thought at the side, 
suddenly stepped forward and blocked her path. In that instant, Ember’s once frail figure appeared 
tall and strong in Aphrodite’s eyes. After all, what woman doesn’t wish for a reliable man to 
stand before her, shielding her from the storm? A surge of energy rushed through Aphrodite, 
filling her with a power she had never known   before—the power of love. It was a wondrous 
sensation, something she had never experienced. But this time, before she could act, Ember made 
the first move. Wreathed in wisps of demonic aura, Ember met the ravenous jaws of Gluttony head-on, 
his scaled hand resisting the vicious bite. Without hesitation, he shoved the snapping 
mouth straight into the bulging brass teapot,   which was already on the verge of bursting.
The crimson teapot, close to detonation, suddenly swallowed part of Gluttony’s blood 
spirit. It was like plunging into an ice bath   on a sweltering summer’s day—a sudden jolt of 
cold that made it shiver. But the teapot’s own searing heat quickly erased the blood spirit’s 
consciousness, burning it away completely.   This was the power of the Forge and Hammer—a 
fragment of its rule: all things can be reforged. Such a small piece of the gluttonous blood 
spirit was no match for even this incomplete law.   The brass teapot’s temperature rose higher, as 
if what just happened was nothing more than a trivial interlude. Yet before the teapot could 
catch its breath, Ember forced in more and more, so many that the teapot couldn’t even keep up, 
let alone contemplate self-destruction. There   were too many—far too many, nearly overflowing!
With no time to think, the brass teapot was consumed entirely by the instinct to smelt and 
forge. The invading consciousnesses flooding   into it triggered a primal urge to obliterate 
them first, before considering anything else. All the while, the fragments of Gluttony’s 
blood spirit, each split into a gnashing mouth, hurled themselves into Ember’s palm like 
moths to a flame. One after another,   the demon’s hand seized them, and one by 
one, they were thrust into the teapot. In truth, the blood spirit of Gluttony had no real 
concept of “volume.” Even though its visible form was many times larger than what the brass teapot 
could physically contain, the vessel accepted it   all, brimful only in its own perception.
As the teapot cooled, peace settled over it once more. Only the occasional puff of foul 
vapor from its spout hinted that it was still   hard at work. At last, Ember exhaled a heavy 
breath, flexing his hand, which bore the marks and numbness from so many bites. Those ravenous 
mouths could really bite—never mind whether they had the strength for it. If Wrath, Greed, and 
Gluttony didn’t share a common origin, Ember’s hand might well have been gnawed to nothing.
Shaking his head, Ember called silently for   Lana. Bathed in Lana’s holy light, he slowly shed 
his demonic form and returned to his human shape. As for Karlra and the others, they seemed 
utterly unfazed. After all, one can grow used   to anything—and habit, as they say, is a fearsome 
force.Although this was Aphrodite’s first time meeting him, she had already suspected something 
when she sensed the demonic aura within Ember   earlier. Now, she wasn’t particularly surprised. 
Only Wendy and Elena, both newcomers, were witnessing Ember’s demonic transformation for the 
very first time. The sight of someone being able   to freely morph parts of their body into demonic 
limbs left them utterly astounded. After all, in a certain sense, both of them were treading 
a similar path. Hidden beneath their clothes,   where no one’s gaze could reach, their own 
bodies were quietly undergoing changes as well. But unlike Ember, their transformations 
were irreversible. They could not return to their original forms after becoming part demon.
This realization made the two women understand   that Ember had not been boasting earlier—he 
truly might have a way to resolve the problem of demonic corruption! Yet, just as this hopeful 
thought began to take root in their minds, it was mercilessly mocked by the demons 
lurking in their consciousness. As demons,   these entities understood perfectly well how 
Ember managed such a feat. The emotions of rage and greed, unlike the demons themselves, 
lacked self-awareness. That was why Ember could suppress those impulses and return to human 
form. The price of this restraint, however,   was that Ember’s power would cease to grow. As 
long as he continued to rely on the power of the original sins, the day would come when Ember’s 
transformation, too, would become irreversible. And the turning point would depend on whether 
Ember could resist the temptation of that   overwhelming power. In the eyes of the demons, 
no one could withstand such a lure. Even if Ember recognized now that the power of the original sins 
came with a cost and chose not to further augment   it within himself, life in this world would 
inevitably bring moments of utter desperation. Especially for someone like Ember, a hunter of 
demons. When that time came, forced to rely on even greater power to survive, he would cross a 
line and never be able to return to his humanity.  Thus, Wendy and Elena’s hope was ultimately 
naïve. In gaining the power of the demon, their fate was already sealed. Fate never grants 
gifts freely—every blessing comes with its price, clearly marked from the start. Yet for Wendy 
and Elena, they were like drowning souls,   clutching desperately at any straw that might 
save them. After all, hope is a precious thing. Standing beside the brass teapot, Ember was 
unaware that his actions had filled the two   women with newfound confidence. His attention 
was fixed on the teapot itself, wondering what it would produce as it forged the Gluttonous Blood 
Spirit. Normally, the proper procedure for the   brass teapot required placing in an object of the 
right size and a fitting amount of soul energy to forge a higher-level artifact. But the Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit already contained soul energy, and its ethereal flesh seemed to fulfill the 
requirements for the forging process. Now,   it all depended on the brass teapot.
Just as Ember watched intently, the teapot—silent for some time—began to stir 
once more.A scalding column of steam suddenly erupted from the vent on the lid of the brass 
teapot, soaring straight up as if piercing the   clouds. With his keen sense of smell, Ember 
twitched his nose—within that blast of steam, he detected the scent of decayed flesh and blood.
Immediately after, the lid of the brass teapot sprang open with a sharp pop. Ember leaned in 
for a closer look, only to find a blood-red gem, crystalline and sharply faceted, lying quietly 
within the belly of the pot. He reached in with two fingers, feeling the lingering warmth 
inside, and carefully plucked the blood gem out. The instant he touched it, Ember could tell: 
this was a seed of Gluttony. And not just any   seed—a far purer one. If the seeds of original 
sin could be measured by purity, he reckoned the Gluttony seed Russell had separated before 
might rate at 0.6. But this one, clasped between Ember’s fingers, reached an astonishing 0.99.
Truth be told, before seeing this new seed, Ember hadn’t even realized the seeds of original 
sin could vary in purity. It seemed the brass   teapot truly did have the power to refine 
and elevate the quality of certain objects. As for what purity affected, there was only one 
answer: the upper limit—how far the seed’s power could reach. Comparing the Gluttony seed’s 
purity with the others in his possession,   Ember was startled to discover that only 
the Lust seed, extracted from Aphrodite, could match this level of perfection. The rest 
of his original sin seeds lagged far behind. The most impure of them all was the Greed seed, 
already rooted deep within his body. Judging by the scale he’d just devised, this Greed seed 
barely scraped a purity of 0.2. Ember could more or less guess the reason for this. The Greed 
seed was something he’d crudely extracted himself, from the very mass of avarice—a process lacking 
both finesse and artistry, yielding a seed that was inevitably flawed and muddied.
No wonder his own attempts to absorb and   convert Greed had been so inefficient; it all came 
down to purity. But now, with the brass teapot, he finally had a way to refine it again—though 
the process would involve a fair amount of pain.  After all, yanking out a seed of Greed that 
had grown into a tree inside his body was no less traumatic than being gutted alive. 
Only someone with Ember’s fearless, undead   constitution could hope to survive such agony.
True to his nature, Ember acted the moment the thought struck him. After giving the 
women a brief warning, he paid no heed   to how shocking his next move would be. 
Right in front of everyone, he began to carve himself open with merciless precision.
For the first time, the others witnessed the   bizarre workings inside Ember’s body. Unlike 
other bloodkind, the vessels in Ember’s body carried not just blood, but also a network 
of woody branches entwined through his veins. As he wrenched the two seeds from his lower 
abdomen, those branches immediately began to   wither, as if their roots had been severed.
Ember’s face turned deathly pale, as though drained by three decades in the grave. His whole 
body shook uncontrollably, and he could barely muster the strength to drop the seeds into the 
waiting brass teapot.Seeing Ember in such agony, Aphrodite let out a soft, pained cry. Her hands, 
glowing with a rosy light, were pressed against her chest, ready to heal Ember at any moment.
Wendy and Elena, on the other hand,   felt a chill run through their hearts, entirely 
unprepared for how ruthless Ember could be with himself. This act of self-dissection made 
both of them shudder to their very core,   as if their whole bodies were wracked with pain.
What’s more, Ember’s actions showed not the slightest hint of hesitation. Truly, 
no one achieves greatness by taking it   easy. Just to make his body stronger, Ember was 
willing to replace parts of himself—something so shocking it left the two women in 
awe, a memory sure to linger for years.  Oddly enough, the one who took the greatest 
delight in this suffering was none other than the demon Luth, hidden within the burial 
shroud. Though the shroud had nearly   extinguished its power, the sudden surge 
of agony and desire gave Luth new strength. Seizing upon this abrupt wave of pain, 
the demon Luth immediately reached out   to its most devoted follower—Amy. Yet, 
under the effects of a forgetting spell, Amy only vaguely heard a voice speaking to her, 
dismissing it as a figment of her own madness. She grabbed a sedative from the table and 
swallowed it. Soon, her eyes glazed over   and her mind slipped into a stupor. But as 
her primary personality faded, a long-buried alternate self slowly began to awaken.
“I hear you, Lord Luth,” she murmured.  “Huh? Who is Luth?” The other Amy’s eyes 
revealed her confusion. She sensed, faintly, that Luth was important to her, but try 
as she might, she couldn’t recall why.  Irritated, Amy suddenly swept everything off the 
table. A falling shard of porcelain scratched her calf, and as blood welled up from the 
wound, she felt an inexplicable thrill at the pain. It was as if, by doing this, she 
could grasp something always out of reach.  Just as Amy crouched down and picked up a 
porcelain shard, ready to press it against her wrist, an attendant heard the commotion and burst 
into the room. Taking in the scene, the attendant was nearly scared out of her wits and rushed over 
to snatch the shard from Amy’s hand, all the while   muttering the prayers the priest had taught her.
Gradually, the madness faded from Amy’s eyes. Yet the seed of suffering had already 
been planted deep within her heart.  Feeling the resonance from his follower, 
Luth settled back into silence, satisfied. The burial shroud could never 
hold him forever! When he returned,   he would be more careful than ever before. The 
pain Ember felt now was but a fraction—a mere drop in the ocean—compared to what awaited him.
Luth’s goal was for Ember to become the world’s   enemy.
… No matter how hard Ember tried, he simply 
couldn’t guide the tiny seeds into the   spout of the little teapot. In the end, it 
was Karla—her eyes alight with curiosity and excitement—who took the two blood-soaked 
seeds and slipped them into the brass teapot.  This time, the teapot, its forging desire 
fulfilled, behaved itself and caused no further mischief.As long as no one tries to stuff more 
monstrous objects into it than it can swallow,   it’s still quite willing to forge anything. After 
all, this is an instinct it cannot defy. For it, forging is an ecstasy that feels like 
rocketing from hell straight to heaven.  Seeing the two seeds dropped in, Ember finally 
sighed in relief. With trembling hands, he snapped his fingers. Three points 
of gentle white light blossomed at his   fingertips and drifted slowly into 
the teapot’s spout. These were two shards of Greed and one shard of Wrath, all 
meant to provide the energy for forging.  Once the materials were ready, the brass 
teapot’s lid closed itself automatically, and then, in satisfaction, it let out a 
jet of steam as if expressing its delight.  Only after the brass teapot began its work did 
Ember push the nearly flawless Gluttony Seed and Lust Seed into his bloodstained 
body. Given his current condition,   as long as he didn’t exceed two sins, his 
body could bear the burden with Lana’s help. Feeling the branches that once again spread 
through his veins, Ember gave up the pretense   of toughness and wanted Karla to sew together 
the torn flesh on both sides of his body. But Karla, Princess of Vandro, was a master at 
killing—sewing was another matter entirely.   Helplessly clutching the needle and thread, 
she cast a pleading look at the other women. Aphrodite, Wendy, and Elena were just as 
lost. One was a goddess devoted to beauty, another a witch who grew up on the charity 
of an orphanage, and the last a patient   long confined to hospital wards—none of 
them had ever learned a tailor’s craft. It was Judith, who had left Fruitwood Town 
as a child and lived alone in Lock City,   who took the needle and thread. With practiced 
hands, she began to stitch Ember’s wounds. For the one who had given her the First Embrace, 
Judith was willing to handle the dirty work.  Unfortunately, Ember had always considered 
her too weak. No matter how she ran about, he’d never taken her along. And if she stayed 
here forever, she’d never grow stronger—nor could she take revenge on that woman.
Now, able to control her magnified emotions, Judith seized the opportunity 
and suddenly made a request:  “Godfather, Karla told me you possess 
the blood of the Thirteen Progenitors.” “Can you grant it to me?”
Upon hearing Judith’s request,   Ember, who had been sipping exquisite blood to 
activate his vampiric factor and heal his body, paused. He glanced at Karla, who seemed 
unconcerned, then turned his gaze to Judith. “Didn’t she tell you? What I have isn’t just 
the blood of the Progenitors, but a heart.”  Judith smiled.
“And what difference does it make?” Difference? The difference was immense. The blood 
of the Progenitors could purify Judith’s lineage, elevating her status in the river of blood. But 
the Cursed Heart would let the consciousness   of a resurrected Progenitor flood Judith’s 
body. It would turn her into a vessel for the vampire ancestor—much like a demon’s host.The only 
difference was that the entity about to take over Judith’s consciousness had changed—from a demon 
to one of the Thirteen Progenitors. Put simply,   with this Cursed Heart in her possession, Judith’s 
strength would soar dramatically. Yet at the same time, her life would begin to count down to its 
end. This was not something Ash wished to see.  Since Judith had, by sheer accident, received 
his Embrace, in a certain sense she was his descendant—at present, his only one. As for 
Judith, all Ash ever wanted was for her to live a peaceful and happy life. But Judith 
clearly could not let go of the hatred she   bore for Shirley, who had abandoned her husband 
and child. Her hatred for Charmos had faded under Ash’s gentle lies, but the grudge against 
Shirley was, he feared, endless and unyielding. Now, with the influence of the vampire blood 
amplifying her emotions, that hatred had become   an obsession lodged deep within Judith’s heart.
“Can you tell me why you want it?” Ash asked. Judith, her hands never pausing from mending, 
looked up and flashed a sweet smile. “Of course, I want to help you, so you won’t 
have to keep struggling like this.”  “And besides…” Her voice dropped, growing colder, 
as a killing intent sharp as ice crept into her words. “I want to find Shirley—and kill her!”
Ash could only sigh inwardly. As expected. With this obsession unyielding, Judith 
might never truly know happiness. But she   didn’t necessarily have to embed the Cursed 
Heart within herself to gain power. Now that he possessed the Brass Teapot, an audacious 
idea had begun to take shape in Ash’s mind. Without further ado, Ash produced the crystal 
orb that held the sealed Cursed Heart. All eyes were drawn to the orb, which refracted dazzling 
colors beneath the lamplight. For most present, this was the first time they had ever seen 
the heart of a Vampire Progenitor—a true   Eternal Heart. A heart that no ordinary force 
could destroy. Yet now, this Eternal Heart was sealed within crystal, left for all to gaze upon.
For Judith, too, this was her first time seeing up close the heart that could be called the 
source of her bloodline. Set within the crystal,   the Cursed Heart was a dull, ashen color. 
Unlike a mortal heart, it bore seven apertures, and if one looked closely, one could just make out 
countless intricate black runes swirling within. Judith could even feel the blood in her veins 
yearning for this heart—a longing rooted deep   within her lineage. And for some reason, from that 
crimson fissure that cut through the crystal orb, she sensed a familiar presence. It 
was almost identical to the aura of   her true father—Charmos.Judith could 
not resist reaching out to touch it, and the instant her finger brushed the 
bloodstained mark, her whole body shuddered   as if an electric current had passed through her. 
In that fleeting moment, she felt the lingering obsession Charmos had left upon the bloodstain. 
For Charmos, his beloved Fran had already set out in search of a new life. The one he owed 
the greatest apology to was his own daughter.   This deep remorse was transmitted straight 
into Judith’s heart through their contact. Tears streamed down Judith’s face in 
an instant. Seeing her expression,   Ember became certain that his suspicions 
were correct—his plan was indeed feasible. He could let Judith, through the bloodstain that 
Charmos had left behind, become a Blood Witch! After all, the only channel connecting the Cursed 
Heart to the outside world now was this trace of   blood left by Charmos. This bloodstain could 
be thought of as a door, one that recognized identity. If Ember wished to open it, he would 
have to sacrifice something he loved. But the   lingering will of Charmos, as the gatekeeper, 
could open a backdoor for his own daughter! Of course, opening the door alone was not 
enough. The Cursed Heart itself still had   to be willing to lend its power to Judith. 
So now, what Ember needed to do was force the Cursed Heart to grant its power to her. After 
all, when Charmos had become a witch before,   it had already proven that the Cursed Heart 
could serve as a source of power. Moreover, while the heart remained sealed, the side effects 
of borrowing its power could almost be ignored.  The only real problem was how to forcibly draw 
out the Cursed Heart’s power. Fortunately, once the brass teapot appeared, Ember had 
already envisioned a solution. That answer   lay in the Gluttony Seed with a purity of 0.6.
Gluttony cared nothing for anyone’s will—so long as the channel was established, it would 
consume without hesitation or restraint. And the Cursed Heart, being an Eternal Heart, could 
never be wholly devoured by Gluttony. Thus, an endless wellspring of power would be created!
As Ember firmed his resolve, the brass teapot let out another sharp hiss from its spout—an 
eager signal. The Seeds of Greed and Wrath   had finished purifying! Only the Seed of 
Envy remained, still awaiting refinement. But with no Envy fragments in his possession 
at present, Ember could do nothing but wait.  Taking out the two glittering, translucent gems, 
Ember suddenly seized Judith’s wrist. Caught off guard, she looked at him in surprise as his thumb 
pressed hard and drew a sharp line. A fresh,   thin cut appeared on Judith’s pale wrist, 
and blood began to drip steadily into the brass teapot below. Though Judith’s brows 
knit in pain, she never doubted Ember for a   moment—she didn’t even ask a single question.
With his other hand, Ember held a crystal orb and aligned the bleeding cut with the teapot’s 
spout. In the same motion, he scraped a tiny bit   of Charmos’s old bloodstain with his fingernail 
and let it fall into the teapot as well. After putting away the crystal orb, Ember tossed 
in the Gluttony Seed—now useless to him—and a   fragment of Gluttony to serve as forging energy. 
Finally, he released Judith’s hand and placed the lid firmly atop the teapot.With Ember’s bloodline 
suppression gone, the wound on Judith’s wrist healed in an instant. Looking at the obedient 
Judith, Ember took the initiative to explain, “There are many ways to gain strength. You 
don’t necessarily have to risk accepting the   heart of the Thirteen Progenitors.”
“Become a blood sorcerer. Witchcraft will make you even stronger.”
After speaking, Ember turned his   gaze to Wendy, who was lost in thought 
beside him. “Wendy, let’s make a deal.” “You’ll be responsible for teaching 
Judith the art of witchcraft.”  “And in exchange, I can safeguard that 
pendant for you and do my utmost to free you from the demon’s torment.”
[Contract established.]  It wasn’t only Wendy who heard Ember’s words; 
the demon within the pendant heard them as well. As for Ember’s offer to keep the pendant safe 
for Wendy, the demon depicted in the photograph showed not the slightest trace of concern. On the 
contrary, a sly, mocking smile curled at its lips. It knew Ember possessed a burial shroud. But 
shrouds, too, came in ranks. If it were the   legendary Shroud of Jesus, restraining it would 
be a trivial task. But clearly, what Ember held was only the shroud of an ordinary saint.
Even keeping one demon at bay was a stretch   for this shroud, let alone two. And 
besides, it was a red-eyed demon, a whole tier above black-eyed demons! Ember 
wanting to imprison it—what a laughable fantasy. Unable to suppress it, Ember’s attempt to keep the 
pendant would only lead him to a dead end. After all, it would ensure things played out that way. 
Still, perhaps that was for the best—let Wendy’s hope of escaping it be snuffed out early. After 
all, no Mayfair witch had ever escaped its grasp! Wendy, who had been silently watching Ember 
all this time, felt a jolt of surprise in   her heart. She had never imagined that 
Ember would offer to keep the pendant as the price for her knowledge of witchcraft.
She didn’t know whether Ember had heard the   rumors about her. That pendant, cursed with a 
demon, was something she’d tried to rid herself of more than once. But whether she gifted it 
away, abandoned it, buried it, or attempted to destroy it by any means, the pendant always 
found its way back to her like a lingering ghost.  As for those who had handled 
the pendant, without exception, all had died. This was the demon’s handiwork.
After that, Wendy had given up on the hope of discarding or destroying the pendant. In truth, 
part of the red-eyed demon’s consciousness had already seeped into her body. For a 
long time, she had been its vessel.  Only recently, driven to the brink of death, 
had she forced the red-eyed demon to retreat from her body and return to the pendant.
Theoretically, if Ember truly could keep   the pendant safe, Wendy could indeed enjoy a 
period of peace, free from the demon’s presence. But… she was honestly afraid that Ember, too, 
would end up meeting a tragic fate.Seeing   the conflicted look on Wendy’s face, Ash merely 
smiled and reached out toward her chest, naturally lifting the chain to retrieve the pendant from 
the depths of her cleavage. With a gentle tug,   he took the pendant off.
“So it’s settled, then.” Wendy opened her mouth, about to warn 
Ash of the pendant’s terrifying nature,   when she saw him suddenly produce a page 
filled with glowing script. He wrapped the pendant in it without hesitation.
On the photograph within the pendant,   the red-eyed demon, who had been grinning just 
a moment ago, abruptly changed its expression. The original page from the Holy Bible! In addition 
to the Saint’s burial shroud, this guy actually possesses a page from the original Holy Bible!
I was careless!  The red-eyed demon, just about to muster 
its strength to distance itself from Ash, found itself pinned as the golden script on 
the page came crashing down like a mountain.   The demonic energy surging from its body 
evaporated instantly under the holy light, dissipating into wisps of white smoke.
Damn it! The holy power contained in this   original page is the bane of all demonic forces!
Now, there was no way it could break free; all it could do was watch helplessly 
as the page covered it completely.  And yet, as the red-eyed demon was about to be 
sealed away, there was surprisingly little panic on its face. The deep connection between it and 
the Witch of Mayfair was not so easily severed. Next time, it wouldn’t be caught off guard by Ash.
With a cold snort, the red-eyed demon shut its glowing red eyes and slipped into a dormant state.
For Wendy, this was the first time since signing the contract that she could no longer 
sense the red-eyed demon’s presence. An   unprecedented lightness filled her heart.
At the same time, she felt as if a piece of her soul had gone missing, as though 
she’d lost something vital to her life.   But that trace of emptiness was quickly washed 
away by the exhilaration of newfound freedom. Now, aside from the magic still coursing through 
her veins, she was finally free of any ties to the red-eyed demon! She could at last live 
the ordinary life she had always yearned for.  Of course, before that, she needed to 
fulfill her promise and teach Judith the witchcraft her family, the Mayfairs, had 
accumulated over the past thousand years.  Wendy exhaled a heavy breath, then turned to 
Ash and thanked him with heartfelt sincerity: “Thank you.”
“You’ve helped me resolve a problem   that has haunted me for so long.”
【Contract Complete】 【Soul Fragment Acquired ×1 (Envy)】
……  Faced with Wendy’s gratitude, Ash fell silent 
for a moment. In truth, he hadn’t truly fulfilled the contract—the red-eyed demon 
had only been sealed away, not destroyed.  But Wendy believed the contract was 
completed, and so the pact had ended. This kind of trickery—letting the contractor 
think the ordeal was over in order to claim a soul   fragment—was a tactic favored by agents of demons.
Yet, while Ash could lie and scheme without the slightest guilt against his enemies, he couldn’t 
bring himself to do such a thing to a friend like   Wendy.So, in his day-to-day life, he remained ever 
mindful of the agreements he made with friends. For instance, when it came to the pact he had 
made with his father, Ember had never intended   to fulfill it from the very start. Not considering 
himself a good person, Ember thought it over and decided that Wendy deserved to know the truth. 
As for the fragment of envy, returning it was out of the question. This sort of original 
sin—better to have none than to possess it.  After carefully choosing his words, Ember laid out 
the possible scenarios, and immediately felt much lighter at heart. To his surprise, Wendy didn’t 
get angry when she learned the truth; in fact, she seemed almost relieved—was that a faint 
glimmer of joy on her face? Ember wasn’t sure if he was imagining things, but for a fleeting 
moment, Wendy’s expression did look like someone   who had just breathed a sigh of relief.
Why was that? Did Wendy, deep down, not truly want the Red-Eyed Demon gone forever? 
Could it be… she’d developed a form of Stockholm syndrome? It wouldn’t be the first time Ember 
had seen something like this. Amy’s second   personality had exhibited a similar tendency; 
even after Ember had subdued the demon Lutz, Amy’s alternate self still wished for the demon’s 
return to her body. Now, it seemed Wendy shared   the same inclination, though she hid it well.
A sense of foreboding settled over Ember as he instinctively realized that the relationship 
between a demon vessel and its demon was   likely far more complicated than he had 
imagined. Still, these were Wendy’s choices, and Ember wouldn’t interfere further. However, 
if any threat arose to his own safety,   he would show no mercy, friendship or not.
Just as Ember and Wendy came to an understanding, the brass teapot, which had been quietly 
at work, let out another sharp whistle.   A new item had been forged. Ember reached 
out with two fingers to lift the lid, but immediately sensed an invisible force linking the 
teapot with the Gluttony storage pouch. Feeling a sudden intuition, Ember took out his crystal 
ball, and the intrusive sensation disappeared at once. It seemed his suspicions had been correct!
Ember peered into the body of the teapot. Inside, a tiny, dark red tree was growing. The little 
tree bore only two branches—one appearing quite ordinary, while the other ended in a small, gaping 
mouth. As the trunk pulsed rhythmically, the mouth opened and closed, swallowing something unseen, 
as if it were feeding on the very air itself. Ember beckoned to Judith and gently pulled 
aside her little vest, revealing her smooth,   flat stomach. Then, with a sharp, hard nail, he 
traced a line from top to bottom and flicked it, lifting the edge of her skin. Gripping the 
edge firmly with both hands, he tore it open,   exposing Judith’s abdominal cavity.
Cold sweat poured from Judith as her entire body trembled with pain, but she clenched 
her teeth and uttered not a sound. This was the   path she had chosen for herself, and even 
if it meant grinding her teeth to dust, she would endure it.Ash was quite satisfied with 
Judith’s unwavering willpower. At the very least, this meant Judith would not easily be swayed 
by the faint ancestral instincts brought by the   source of power, nor would she so readily lose 
herself to the seed of gluttony. In fact, until the heart of the curse—almost a perpetual energy 
source—was completely consumed by gluttony, she   wouldn’t truly be affected by it at all. The only 
thing to watch out for were those primal instincts woven into the power itself. But with Judith’s 
current strength of will, Ash thought, resisting such temptations shouldn’t be too difficult.
As these thoughts about Judith’s future drifted   through his mind, Ash transplanted the tiny 
sapling of gluttony into Judith’s body. Once inside her, the sapling finally found an 
outlet for its burgeoning energy. One of   its spare branches immediately plunged deep into 
Judith’s veins, channeling a steady stream of mana drawn from the other end straight into her.
Feeling the growing strength within her, Judith’s eyes shimmered with a hint of intoxication.
“Hey, remember: you are the one wielding power, not the other way around,” Ash’s voice 
suddenly thundered in her ear. “Don’t   let it dominate your thoughts.”
Judith’s gaze cleared again, regaining her composure. Having survived the wild 
emotional surges of her vampiric awakening, she had already undergone a transformation. Now, she 
quickly adapted to the body empowered by magic. Yet the seemingly endless torrent of energy left 
a trace of worry in her heart. Her capacity for   mana was not infinite—at this rate, wouldn’t 
she risk being overwhelmed, even torn apart? Just then, Ash’s voice returned, gentle 
yet commanding, like that of a patient   mentor. “Don’t worry about having too much 
mana. You’ll find plenty of uses for it.” “For instance, you could power this entire 
villa. You could tidy up the garden,   coax seeds to sprout, make trees bloom…”
“In the days to come, you’ll discover countless ways your witchcraft can serve you. Soon enough, 
you’ll wish you had even more mana, not less.” Relieved at last, Judith took the needle and 
thread from Ash and began stitching up her   own abdomen. As for why she didn’t let Ash do 
it—one glance at his awkward grip on the needle told her everything. He might be handy with 
opening up bodies, but when it came to sewing   them back together, he was hopeless.
Seeing Judith busy with her task, Ash just shrugged and turned his thoughts 
to the forging that still awaited him. The   recent expenditure had left his once-ample soul 
fragments running dangerously low. Now, all he had left were fragments of envy, arrogance, and 
the distilled essences of wrath and gentleness. The envy fragment was perfect for purifying 
the seed of envy. The other three would need   to be kept on hand, reserved for wielding the 
Soul Hammer in case of emergencies. All things considered, there wasn’t much left for him to 
forge for now.Embers let out a gentle sigh, preparing to put away the brass teapot and save it 
for the next round. But just as he was about to,   the teapot—caught up in the thrill 
of forging—simply refused to comply. It was in the midst of its work, heated and 
eager, and now he was telling it to stop?   It was as if you’d paid handsomely for a massage, 
only to be told that the establishment offered “professional services only”—and nothing more.
Clack! The lid of the brass teapot popped off on its own. Its posture all but 
said, “Come on, let’s keep going.”  Seeing this, Embers paused in thought. He honestly 
wasn’t sure what the brass teapot could forge on its own, without his infusion of soul energy.
Driven by curiosity, he decided to experiment. He took out an old charm cassette—one he hadn’t 
used in ages—and dropped it inside. That cassette, crafted specifically for interrogations, had lost 
its edge against Embers’ current foes. After all, those blood spirits and demons came with 
formidable natural resistance to mental   manipulation. Using charm cassettes to wrest 
the truth from them was a near-impossible feat. Lost in these thoughts, Embers closed the 
lid without adding a single soul fragment.   To his surprise, the brass teapot showed no 
displeasure. In fact, it seemed quite content as it began to temper the charm cassette within.
Yet as time passed, the teapot’s once-lustrous surface began to lose its shine, dulling little by 
little. Evidently, it was burning through its own energy reserves to fuel the forging process. 
As for how one might replenish this energy, Embers hadn’t the faintest clue. Perhaps 
Aphrodite would know something about it.  When Embers glanced back, he found 
Aphrodite watching him as well. It was either a perfect coincidence—or she 
had never looked away in the first place.  That second possibility sent a ripple through 
his heart. Could it be one of life’s great delusions—did she actually like him?
Uncertainty flickered across Embers’   face. Meanwhile, Aphrodite, catching 
his gaze, broke into a radiant smile. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like the way I look now?”
Hearing her sweet voice, Embers steadied himself, dodging her question as he replied, “If 
the teapot runs out of its own energy,   where do I go to replenish it?”
Noticing his flustered state, Aphrodite let out a soft laugh. “So, you do like me, then?”
Embers kept his composure, answering with another diversion, “If the brass teapot uses 
up all its energy, will it shatter?”  Aphrodite, as if satisfied with his reaction, 
wrinkled her delicate nose and gave a playful hum, letting him off the hook for now.
“Since it’s a part of the divine   Forge and Hammer, it’s not so easily broken,” she 
explained. “As for its energy, it draws from the heartfire of the earth itself—though whether 
this world still has one, I couldn’t say.”  “In any case, supplementing it 
with soul fragments works too.” Embers nodded, turning away and finally 
letting out a quiet sigh of relief. For   a moment, his inner balance had nearly faltered.
Gathering himself, Embers looked back at the brass teapot.The brass teapot, now devoid of any luster, 
let out a feeble hiss and then fell completely silent. Clearly, forging something using its own 
energy was still too much to ask of this fragment. Amidst the embers as he lifted the lid, Ashes 
discovered a box of brand-new, petite cassette tapes. The charm tape, now upgraded by the brass 
teapot, showed a few extra blank spaces—this meant it now had room for two more recordings!
As for whether its power had increased… Ashes’ gaze drifted among the women present before 
finally settling on Aphrodite. Who better   to test its strength than a former goddess?
“Out of all the mortals and gods you’ve known, who is your greatest love?” Ashes 
asked, slipping the charm tape into   his portable recorder with practiced ease.
But before he could even press play, Aphrodite answered without a hint of hesitation: “You.”
Ashes’ finger froze mid-motion, and a sudden wave of panic welled up inside him. Aphrodite’s 
affection felt baffling and abrupt. He had urged her to seek pure love, but never 
meant for her to direct that pursuit   toward him. Where had this misunderstanding 
even begun? From Ashes’ perspective, there was hardly any foundation for love between them.
He couldn’t deny that the now-diminished Aphrodite   possessed an almost peerless beauty, but Ashes was 
never a man swayed by mere appearances. Besides, with so much yet unfinished, how could he 
allow himself to be consumed by romance?  So, when Ashes spoke again, he 
changed the question: “If I were to reject you, would you hate me?”
As soon as he finished speaking,   Ashes pressed the button. “Tell me your answer.”
Unfazed, Aphrodite glanced at the recorder in his hand and shook her head. “I didn’t understand 
before, but since you taught me about true love,   I finally do. To love someone 
means not asking if they love you back—loving them yourself is enough.”
Ashes’ pupils narrowed as the logic dawned   on him. Two things became clear: First, even 
reforged by the brass teapot, this charm tape was barely effective against an ancient deity like 
Aphrodite. Second, it seemed he had inadvertently led her into the mindset of a lovesick devotee.
True love should be a journey taken by two, not a one-sided yearning that asks nothing 
in return. No wonder, along this journey, he’d always sensed Aphrodite’s particular 
focus on him. Now, at last, he understood why. Freed from the influence of carnal 
desire, Aphrodite sought genuine love—but,   unfortunately, she had chosen the wrong person.
At this moment, Ashes had neither the time nor the mood for any matters of the heart. He 
hesitated briefly, gathering his thoughts,   preparing to gently reason with Aphrodite, 
when his phone rang at just the right moment. Glancing at the name on the screen, 
Ashes pressed the answer button without   hesitation.As the call connected, Alice’s voice 
drifted over from the other end. Even though it was already deep into the night, there was 
still a hint of excitement in her words.  “Sorry to bother you so late.”
“The time is set—it’ll be tomorrow.” “I’ve sent the address to your phone.”
After she finished speaking, perhaps   realizing how matter-of-fact she sounded, Alice 
quickly added, “Of course, if you can’t make it tomorrow, please let me know in advance.”
“I… I’ll have to find someone else.”  Find someone else? Ember chuckled softly. Ever 
since he had met Alice, he had never seen anyone else in her shop. Most likely, Alice had only 
him as a friend. In Ember’s eyes, while Alice was greedy for money, at least she was straightforward 
about her prices—honest with everyone,   young or old, and even willing to offer credit. 
Although it was a bit expensive, at least she had saved Ember’s life when he needed it most. If 
it had been some other witch he’d met back then, Ember wasn’t sure he would have been so lucky to 
walk out of the fortune-telling shop in one piece.  Ember’s momentary silence made Alice a 
little anxious on the other end of the line. “Do you… have something going on 
tomorrow?” she asked cautiously.  Snapping out of his reverie, Ember 
replied with a smile, “No, I was just marveling at how quickly time passes.”
“Don’t worry, send me the address—I’ll   be there on time tomorrow.”
Hearing his confirmation, Alice breathed out a visible sigh of relief. 
If Ember agreed, there would be no unexpected changes. After all the deals they’d made, she 
never had reason to doubt his trustworthiness. Soon, a text message with the address 
popped up on Ember’s phone. It almost   perfectly matched the location Rog had marked 
on the tablet, though Alice’s address was set a little further out. Clearly, when the Salem 
witches gathered, there must be some sort of   security screening. That’s why they needed to meet 
outside first, and then Alice would bring them in. After pondering for a moment, Ember looked 
around at the women in the room. The only one   he needed to convince was Karla.
“Karla, there’s a Salem witches’ gathering tomorrow. It’s extremely 
dangerous. Maybe you should stay home?”  At the word ‘dangerous,’ Karla’s eyebrows shot up.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you afraid I’ll get killed?”
“So what if they’re Salem witches?”  “Do you know why there aren’t any 
witches in vampire territory?” “Because we killed them all!”
Ember shrugged. “So, what do you mean?”  Karla rolled her eyes. “Of course 
I’m coming with you. Who else would look after you, you silly boy?”
“It’s true vampires can snap a witch’s   neck with ease—but only if the witch is 
caught off guard.”“If you’re up against a fully prepared wizard, you won’t even 
know when you’ve fallen into their trap.”  “All right, it’s settled then.”
Karlra’s response was exactly what Ash expected. When it comes to dealing with wizards, 
vampires always rely on catching them off guard.   As long as the wizard doesn’t have time to 
cast their spells, they’re no different from ordinary people—at most, some enchanted 
trinkets might grant them a second life.  After convincing Karlra, Ash arranged 
rooms for the three new arrivals. Yet, as he was leaving Aphrodite’s room, he could feel 
her gaze clinging to his back like silk threads, making him turn around and offer a final reminder.
“True love is about mutual giving. If I accept your feelings while giving nothing 
in return, that isn’t love…”  “That’s just one-sided exploitation—so even if 
you knock on my door tonight, I won’t let you in.” With those words, Ash strode away, not daring 
to look back, worried that a moment’s hesitation would shatter his resolve. What he didn’t see 
was Aphrodite, lounging languidly on the bed, her eyes brimming with even deeper affection.
She understood what Ash meant. Once, the lame and ugly god of craftsmanship, Hephaestus, 
had loved her with the same overwhelming,   one-sided devotion. Yet, she never cared for him. 
If Zeus hadn’t forced the matter, she would never have married Hephaestus under such pressure.
But since she didn’t love Hephaestus, just as   Ash described, she had ordered him to make all 
sorts of beautiful jewelry for her. In the end, she even wore those very ornaments while… 
entangling herself with Ares, the god of war. Remembering those wild days, Aphrodite felt 
a blush creep up her cheeks. Eventually,   Hephaestus discovered her affair with 
Ares. Realizing he had been made a fool of, Hephaestus erupted in fury—love turned to 
hate, a look Aphrodite had never forgotten. Yet, when Ash faced the same kind of choice 
she once did, he chose a different path. Was   this the true attitude toward love? She 
felt as though she finally understood what love meant. The surging power within 
her seemed to affirm it—this was real love.  The next day, though Ash hadn’t slept a wink, he 
didn’t feel the slightest fatigue. For vampires, after all, nightfall is when the day truly begins. 
Besides, Ash’s constitution was far from human; pulling an all-nighter meant nothing to him.
In fact, spending the night absorbed in the   contents of Russell’s USB drive had 
left him mentally invigorated. His mind was still immersed in Russell’s experiments.
The USB was filled, above all, with research on demon vessels. Most of it explored how to forge 
contracts with demons—how to gain the greatest   power for the smallest price.Embers merely skimmed 
through this section before moving on. In essence, he had never entered into any pact with a demon—he 
was more akin to a demon himself. That was why his attention was drawn to the handful of studies 
on forcibly extracting demonic power. After all, he currently had two demons in his possession.
However, Russell’s research on this topic was   scarce, and the progress had been painstakingly 
slow. According to Russell’s own conclusions, a demon’s consciousness resembled an eternal 
heart, impossible to destroy with mortal means.   Only a force equal in might—the power of the 
sacred—could bring about its annihilation. Yet therein lay the dilemma: sacred power, while 
capable of obliterating a demon’s consciousness, would also wipe out the very power 
that made the demon formidable.  Ultimately, unwilling to waste any more time, 
Russell put forth an untested hypothesis. He proposed that, to harness a demon’s power, 
one might first subdue—rather than destroy—the demon with sacred force, and then employ a 
different kind of extraordinary strength,   specifically the power of Original Sin: 
Gluttony, to forcibly draw out its power. This conclusion stemmed from another secret 
experiment. In truth, the Thirteenth District   did not hold only vessels containing demons; a 
few angelic vessels were also imprisoned there. Through his experimentation with these angelic 
vessels, Russell discovered that sacred power   actually destroyed only those forces tainted 
by demonic consciousness. Thus, using sacred power to suppress a demon could act as a sort 
of filter: the consciousness would be held back,   while the power itself could be released.
As for why this happened, Russell confessed he did not know. He could only surmise that light and 
darkness were inescapable aspects of the world,   and that good or evil depended on 
the nature of consciousness itself. Yet for Embers, this was the answer to a 
problem that had plagued him for some time.   He’d been pondering how to extract the power 
of the demon Luz. Now, with a path revealed, he could experiment using the remnants of 
Luz’s strength lingering within his own body.  In fact, ever since he extracted the two seeds 
of Original Sin from his body the previous day, this remaining fragment of Luz had 
grown increasingly restless. If it   hadn’t lost sense of the host consciousness—and 
if Embers hadn’t transplanted new seeds swiftly enough—there’s no telling what trouble it might 
have caused. Clearly, this hidden danger needed   to be dealt with as quickly as possible.
The issue was, Embers had only two sacred artifacts at his disposal: one used to suppress 
Luz, the other containing the Red-Eyed Demon.   He truly had no new relics to rely on.
However, back when Embers first became a demon hunter, he had met a rare breed—a priest 
who also hunted demons, named Anderson. After the incident with the shapeshifter, Anderson should 
have retired. By rights, Embers ought not to   trouble someone who had already left the field.
But before retiring, Anderson had given Embers his private number, gifted him a gun, and 
made it clear that if he ever needed help,   he could reach out. Embers certainly understood 
Anderson’s intentions—he was simply paving the way for a possible escape in the future.After 
all, witchers have hunted so many monsters that,   among them, it’s inevitable that some 
long-lost relatives will come seeking revenge. That’s one of the reasons why so few witchers 
meet a good end. For this reason, even those   who’ve retired from the trade seldom sever ties 
with their old, trusted companions. On one hand, their wealth of monster-hunting knowledge 
can help guide newcomers. On the other,   if a vengeful creature does come knocking, 
there’s someone to call for help. So, after a moment’s hesitation, Ash dialed 
Anderson’s number. The stronger he became, the easier it would be to help Anderson with 
whatever trouble he might face in the future.  It wasn’t long before Anderson, in the middle 
of frying an egg, picked up the phone. Upon hearing that Ash was still alive, Anderson 
couldn’t help but sound a little emotional.  “It’s been a while. I thought you’d forgotten 
about this old codger,” he said. “So, how’s the monster hunting going? Still keeping up?”
Ash smiled—indeed, it had been quite some   time. In the blink of an eye, three months had 
passed. For most people, that would be nothing, but for short-lived witchers, “a long time” 
was no exaggeration. Of course, if nothing   important had happened, Ash wouldn’t have bothered 
Anderson. Anderson understood that well; both of them did. In a way, not hearing from one another 
was the best news of all. Of course, it was always possible someone might simply die in silence.
Now, though, Ash was calling for a   reason—he needed something.
“I suppose being alive counts as smooth enough, doesn’t it?”
Anderson flipped the egg   over in the pan and laughed heartily.
“Of course! For us, just staying alive is the best outcome there is. But since you’re calling, 
I’m guessing you’ve run into some trouble?”  Anderson, already prepared for this, got straight 
to the point after their brief exchange. Ash, ever direct, didn’t beat around the bush.
“I need a holy artifact to suppress a demon.” A holy artifact? A demon? Anderson’s hand froze, 
spatula in midair. He never would have guessed that, in just a few short months, Ash—who used to 
be locked in deadly battles with shapechangers—had already encountered something at the level of 
demons. Truly, the new wave overtakes the old.   Anderson had to admit, he felt a bit left behind.
His gaze dropped, as if he could see the mottled scars beneath his clothes—reminders left by 
a shapechanger, and one of the reasons he’d   retired. Surprised and a little overwhelmed, 
Anderson only snapped out of it when the faint smell of burning reached his nose. He 
hurriedly set the egg aside on a plate.  Now retired, Anderson didn’t ask Ash for more 
details. Instead, he simply shared what he knew. “Generally speaking, the church strictly 
forbids holy artifacts from being taken   out or passed around.”“However, there 
are always exceptions. Do you remember the heavy blow that struck the Southern 
District Church, the one I told you about?”  “Before the shapeshifter enacted its final 
plan, it had already arranged for someone to secretly steal away the holy relics originally 
belonging to the Southern District Church.”  “That was one of the reasons why the demons 
were able to infiltrate the church so easily.” At this point, Anderson paused, wedging 
the phone between his shoulder and cheek.   He picked up a sausage and tossed 
it into the pot, then continued, “I once tried to track down where 
those relics ended up, but most of   them simply vanished without a trace.”
“The few that I did manage to locate are now in the hands of powers far beyond my 
reach. Take the Salem family of witches,   for example—they intercepted at least two of 
the relics and have refused to give them back.” At the mention of the Salem witches, Anderson 
couldn’t help but sigh. “Those bastards—I saw with my own eyes when they walked away with a 
series of items, including the original Bible   fragments and the Blessed Cross.”
“And yet, they refuse to admit it, while the Northern District Church is so ashamed 
of what happened back then, they won’t lift   a finger to support the Southern District.”
“In the end, it’s as if the Southern District Church never possessed those relics at all.”
“So, if you want to get your hands on a holy   relic, I’m afraid this is as 
much as I can do for you.” Jin had no complaints about the information 
Anderson provided. After all, there’s no such thing as kindness without reason in this 
world. If Anderson really could just hand   over the relics on a silver platter, Jin would 
have to wonder if there was some scheme afoot, or if Anderson had some ulterior motive in mind.
As a retired man, Anderson had already done Jin the greatest favor simply by 
sharing information. Of course,   this favor would have to be repaid someday. 
If it didn’t, that would only mean Anderson had lived out the rest of his life in peace.
“Thank you. Your information is very helpful.   If it’s not too much trouble, 
could you send me a photo?” Anderson took the phone from his shoulder 
and operated it for a moment before replying,  “Of course. It’s already sent.”
“Thanks. Next time I’m back in Los City, dinner’s on me.”
Anderson chuckled,  “No, no, let’s wait until you retire, 
then we’ll have that meal together.” “It’s a promise.”
After ending the call, Jin looked out the   car window at the Southern District of Los City, 
growing more desolate with every passing mile. Now that he knew one of the relics 
was in the hands of the Salem family,   things had actually gotten simpler for 
him. The Blessed Cross—he was going to claim it. Since the Salem family had stolen 
it, he’d have no qualms about taking it back.  …
Soon, the car Wendy was driving came to a smooth stop at the end of the road.
Beyond this point stretched the vast, endless sea, their vehicle perched right at the edge of a 
cliff.This place used to be known as “Pegasus   Cliff,” a scenic spot named for the view from atop 
the crag—when you looked down at the sea below, the swirling waters resembled a winged horse. 
Legend had it that this very horse was the   white steed ridden by Poseidon, King of the Sea. 
Judging by Aphrodite’s complete lack of reaction, though, that tale was most likely nothing 
more than a fanciful myth. Of course,   the real reason the site was abandoned was 
its distance from the city. That isolation had turned it into a haven for marauding monsters.
Just then, a mound of earth not far from Ash suddenly shuddered. The eyes of everyone present 
were exceptionally sharp, and they tensed in alert   at once. But instead of danger, what emerged from 
beneath the dirt was the head of a white cat. The moment it caught sight of Ash, its eyes lit up 
with a dazzling glow. With a powerful push of   its hind paws and a string of sharp, indignant 
yowls, the cat launched itself straight at Ash. Ash, of course, recognized the white 
cat immediately. This was Lucky Cat,   a magical construct created by Alice. 
In fact, the soul fragment used in Lucky Cat’s body had been provided by Ash himself. 
Sensitive to the presence of soul fragments,   Lucky Cat could easily detect the precious 
shard inside Ash—a temptation far too strong for its greedy heart to resist. And since Ash no 
longer carried a seed of greed within him, the chubby white cat promptly latched onto his calf, 
looking for all the world like a decorative charm. By this time, Alice emerged from the underground 
passage, looking rather bedraggled, her face marked with several fresh scratches from the 
cat’s claws. Glancing at the portly feline   clinging to Ash, her eyes flashed with a hint of 
exasperated disappointment. This cat, she thought, has truly embarrassed me. Still, irritation 
aside, Alice didn’t forget her main purpose. She was genuinely startled to see 
that Ash had brought not only himself,   but also a small group of female friends as 
backup. Of these, Alice only recognized one: Carla. She knew well who Carla was—Princess 
of Vandro, a fourth-generation vampire. That status alone was impressive enough. 
As a Salem witch in a declining era,   Alice valued every potential ally. Carla’s 
presence alone would be enough to raise her social standing significantly in her family’s eyes.
The main reason Alice had called Ash was, in fact,   Carla. If Carla hadn’t come—if Ash had shown 
up alone—Alice had already decided she would give up on running for Supreme Witch. Instead, she 
would simply enjoy some food and drink with Ash, maybe have some fun, and help him expand 
his network a little. But to her surprise,   Ash hadn’t just brought Carla—there were 
other women whom Alice didn’t recognize. For them to coexist peacefully with Carla, 
their backgrounds were likely extraordinary   as well. Alice couldn’t help but wonder what Ash 
had promised to gather such impressive people. The thought moved her more than she cared to 
admit.Tears shimmered in Alice’s eyes as she   threw her arms around Ash, her words 
tumbling out in a flurry of emotion. “Sob… Thank you, thank you so much! You’re 
so wonderful—I won’t charge you any more from now on. I’ll be your personal witch…”
Listening to Alice’s endless stream of gratitude, Ash found himself awkwardly 
unsure of where to put his hands.  On top of that, the intense 
stares from behind made him feel as if needles were pricking his back.
Fortunately, Alice quickly managed to compose   herself, her earlier excitement subsiding.
Letting go, she rubbed her reddened eyes, just about ready to lead Ash 
into the underground passage.  At that moment, a luxury car bearing the double-R 
emblem rolled to a stop beside the group. The driver got out, hurried to the rear door, 
and after opening it, knelt down on the ground, serving as a human footrest.
A woman wearing black high   heels with crimson soles stepped onto the 
driver’s back and emerged before them all. The mere sight of this woman 
made Alice’s whole body tense,   a flicker of hatred flaring in her eyes.
Ash turned his head, and despite himself, his gaze was drawn to the woman’s chest—where, nestled 
atop the gentle curves, hung a delicate cross. It was just as Anderson had 
described: a blessed crucifix.  [Nancy]
[Wish: To become the supreme witch of the Salem family.]
…  Nancy, having stepped out of the car, 
naturally took in the group standing nearby. With her chin held high, she swept her 
gaze indifferently over Ash, pausing   only briefly when she reached Aphrodite.
Finally, her icy stare landed on Alice. “So, Alice, these are the connections 
you’ve managed to find?” she said coldly.  “Heh, just a bunch of useless dolls. If looks 
could feed you, your mother wouldn’t have died.” “You really are just like your mother—always 
bringing shame to the Salem family!”  With that, Nancy didn’t give Alice—whose 
face flushed first with anger, then with humiliation—the chance to retort. She 
strode straight into the underground passage, high heels clicking sharply with each step.
Carla, who had almost acted on impulse,   would have snapped Nancy’s neck right then and 
there if Ash hadn’t grabbed her hand in time. Glaring at Ash, Carla growled, “Why did you 
stop me? That brainless woman—I want her dead!” Ash patted the back of 
Carla’s hand, reassuring her.  “Don’t worry. She’s as good as dead.”
“It’s just, you won’t have much of a chance against her right now.”
“Did you see the pendant on her chest? That   cross is blessed—it would do you a lot of harm.”
“So, leave this kind of thing to me.” As Ash spoke so matter-of-factly 
about killing Nancy, Alice quickly   clamped a hand over his mouth.
“Shh! Not so loud—my aunt has a terrible temper. Don’t let her overhear.”
“We can talk about… killing her later.” Aunt?
Ash turned and   took a closer look at Alice’s features.
Honestly, he couldn’t see the slightest resemblance between Nancy and Alice at 
all.Seeing the confusion on Ash’s face, a hint   of embarrassment flickered across Alice’s own.
“My aunt and my mother are half-sisters, sharing the same father.”
“But the two of them have never gotten along,   and when my mother insisted on marrying an 
ordinary man, it infuriated her even more.” “She believes my mother tainted 
the bloodline of the Salem family,   so she’s never cared much for me, either.”
“After my parents died in a car accident, she emptied out my mother’s fortune-telling 
shop, declaring that I was unworthy of   being a Salem witch. She even forbade 
the other witches from helping me.” “She threatened that anyone who aided 
me would become her enemy. Thanks to   her own mother’s status, she wields a great 
deal of influence in the Salem family, so…” Alice fell silent, but Ash could already 
guess what happened next. Even Alice’s little   fortune-telling shop looked far less grand than 
some of those fake witches’ boutiques. If not for the Salem witch blood running in her veins, it 
was likely her fate would have been much worse.  Just as Ash was struggling to find a way 
to comfort her, Alice gathered herself, a smile returning to her lips.
“But it doesn’t matter anymore. As long   as I can become a candidate for Supreme Witch this 
time, she won’t be able to target me any longer.” “And when that time comes, if 
you want her dead, I’ll have   a thousand and one ways to catch her alone.”
“Come on, let’s head inside. Oh, Ash—remember to register as a vampire. The Salem witches… 
well, they really don’t like demon hunters.”  …
Ash and his companions followed behind Alice, winding through a twisting passageway, 
until they finally emerged into a broad   cavern within the mountain. There, all the Salem 
witches attending the gathering were assembled. Even though the Salem family had lost their 
Supreme Witch and were now widely considered to be   in decline, the cavern was still crowded. Counting 
the witches and their friends, Ash estimated there must be at least a hundred people present.
While Ash was taking in the scene, a male   witch holding a list approached. After a brief 
exchange with Alice, he shifted his gaze to Ash. Just as he was about to say something, his 
eyes caught sight of the women standing   behind Ash—and he simply couldn’t look away.
Is this guy really a vampire? He looks more like an incubus if you ask me. Otherwise, how could 
every single woman around him be so stunning? Thinking of that, he couldn’t help but 
compare them to his own partner at home,   who now seemed much less appealing by comparison.
Noticing the man’s stare, the women behind Ash, their eyes filled with disdain, suddenly 
understood why Ash had insisted they all   wear hooded sweatshirts.
Beauty, after all, can sometimes be nothing but trouble.
Uninterested in the attention of other men,   the women simply pulled up their 
hoods, hiding their faces in shadow. Not even a glimpse now, huh?Seeing 
this, the warlock shook his head,   intending to dispel the distracting thoughts 
crowding his mind, when suddenly he felt a heavy haze descend upon his consciousness. Out of 
nowhere, a surge of jealousy welled up within him. Meanwhile, in a secluded corner deeper within 
the mountain, Nancy—who had arrived ahead of   the others—held in her hands a straw doll 
that bore a striking resemblance to the warlock. As she murmured softly, the head 
of the straw doll inexplicably swelled,   as if something had been stuffed inside.
Back on the other side, the warlock lifted his gaze toward Ember once more, and a flicker 
of resentment flashed in his eyes. Why should   Ember be blessed with so many admirers, while 
he himself was left with nothing but a plain, long-suffering wife at home? It was utterly 
unfair! At that moment, an overwhelming urge seized him: he wanted nothing more than 
to see Ember make a fool of himself and shatter   the image the women held of him. Perhaps then, 
he might have a chance to take Ember’s place. With this thought, a fresh idea sprang to the 
warlock’s mind. Instead of hurrying to register,   he deliberately raised his voice and called out to 
his friend nearby, “Leif, there are some of your kin here—do you recognize any of them?”
At the sound of the warlock’s greeting,   a handsome face with striking blue eyes turned 
in their direction. Hearing that his kin were present, a sly, knowing smile curled on Leif’s 
lips as he strode over in long, confident steps. As Leif approached, the warlock’s face 
mirrored the same mischievous grin. Among   the bloodlines of the Bloodkin, hierarchy 
was strictly enforced. Leif, for his part, was a fifth-generation Bloodkin from the Brooch 
clan. While fifth-generation Bloodkin might seem   middling within their own ranks, here in human 
territory, they were regarded as the pinnacle of their kind—after all, should any Bloodkin of 
a higher generation set foot on human lands, an alarm would sound, drawing hordes of 
relentless demon hunters like a swarm of hyenas.  So, the warlock thought, things were about 
to get interesting. He’d heard that low-born Bloodkin were incapable of defying the commands 
of their superiors—even if the order was to die.  Of course, Ember was still a 
guest, so there was no need to go that far. A little humiliation would do.
The warlock and Leif exchanged a meaningful   glance—a silent pact between old partners 
in crime, recalling the infamous deeds they had once committed together in Locity. Leif 
immediately understood. Turning his attention to Ember, he sniffed the air, carefully 
discerning the scent that clung to Ember.  A look of realization crossed Leif’s face. 
So, this was a newborn—no more than three months old. Yet, the quality of his bloodline 
was not low; at least seventh-generation,   by the scent of it. Still, compared 
to him, Ember was woefully lacking. With newfound confidence, Leif let out a 
derisive snort and said, “Kin? You think he’s worthy of being called my kin?”
“I don’t count anyone who wets their   pants among my kin!” he declared, 
pointedly stressing the words “wets their pants,” locking his gaze on Ember.
At that moment, Leif had already begun to   exert his bloodline’s dominance, pressing down 
upon Ember with a force that allowed no refusal. His words became a command impossible to resist.
Leif, already savoring the anticipated   humiliation, had the rest of his 
taunts ready and waiting.In a moment, he would demand Ember to take off his pants and 
check if something had gone wrong. In this way,   as long as Ember still had a shred of dignity, he 
would surely storm out in outrage. With a mocking sneer spreading across his face, Lev glanced 
down, expecting to see the telltale sign. Yet, nothing was there. What was going on? Had this 
boy somehow resisted the bloodline suppression? Impossible! There was no way this kid was a 
vampire of the fifth generation or closer!  Lev let out a faint sound of surprise, about 
to press the issue once more, when suddenly a figure stepped in front of Ember. At the same 
moment, a cold, biting voice rang in Lev’s ears. Who are you calling wet 
his pants? Was it yourself?  Lev was about to retort, but a powerful force 
crashed down on him, so overwhelming he couldn’t control himself. Despite his efforts, he felt 
a warm trickle spreading, soaking his pants. There was a vampire present 
with purer blood than his own!  Realizing this, Lev jerked his head up, 
finally seeing clearly who stood before him. Karlra—Princess of Vandro, 
a fourth-generation vampire! .

Déroulement de la vidéo:

0.16 Arthur’s face was already covered in blood. 
He forced his mouth open and, gathering the   last of his strength, shouted, “Run… now!”
Having fought Korrun before, Arthur knew
10.32 all too well how terrifying Korrun became in his 
berserk state. Even if Korrun couldn’t last long,   it would still be more than enough 
time to take care of Ember. After all,
18.96 Arthur himself had fallen because he’d 
misjudged the balance of power between them.  He’d once thought that, thanks 
to his natural talent for combat,
26.08 he could stand his ground against this younger 
brother—one who was more than a decade his   junior. But Korrun’s strength had grown at 
a pace Arthur never could have imagined.
34.24 It only proved that werewolves who 
subsisted on nothing but animal organs   were never true werewolves at all. The 
eerie blue gleam in Korrun’s eyes was the
41.52 mark of one who’d long fed on human organs.
At this thought, regret welled up in Arthur’s
46.64 heart again. For witch hunters, the rule 
was clear: all supernatural monsters must be   eradicated, roots and all. But, overcome 
by pity, he’d once more broken that rule,
57.12 sparing the three-year-old half-brother 
born to his father and stepmother.  Now, the consequences of breaking that rule 
had come back to haunt him. And once again,
64.88 he was powerless—forced to watch 
tragedy unfold before his very eyes.  As blood blurred his vision, Arthur’s 
thoughts began to unravel. Darkness crept in,
74.08 swallowing his world. Perhaps this 
was how his story would end…  …
From the corner of the street, Shirley
79.68 watched it all unfold, her gaze cold and unmoved.
So what if Ember learned the truth? In this world,
85.68 only strength had the final say. Ember 
didn’t even have the chance to turn the   key and open that door—to officially become a 
guardian. In that case, he deserved his fate.
94.32 As for her… the thirty-year deadline was nowhere 
near. Who could truly kill her before then? Death
99.68 was nothing but another form of rebirth.
So she would stay here and watch. She would   watch as the guardian chosen by that woman fell. 
After all, once this chaos ended, if she failed,
110.24 she might never see such a spectacle again.
Facing the overwhelming force of the berserk   Korrun, Ember barely had time to don the 
Mask of Arrogance before a massive fist,
118.8 slicing through the air with a chilling 
force, crashed straight into his face.  With a thunderous blow, Ember was 
hurled backward like a cannonball,
126.48 smashing into the courtyard wall a hundred 
meters away. Blood streamed from every orifice.  This was what it meant to overpower 
all magic with sheer might.
134.72 Ember possessed a trove of strange sorcerous 
tools, but had no chance to use any of them.  Korrun, sensing Ember was still alive, wasted 
no time—he was on him again in a flash, never
144.72 granting even a moment to catch his breath.
Witchcraft, trinkets, equipment—none of it   mattered to Korrun. His iron fists 
were the deadliest weapons he knew.
153.04 So what if that tattered mask could withstand one 
punch? He had another, and another after that…
158.32 Sooner or later, one of those blows 
would shatter the wretched bat’s body,   which should have rotted away long ago.
Another dull, bone-crunching thud echoed out.
166.88 Feeling an unusual resistance beneath his 
fist, Korrun let out a low, surprised sound.
172.24 By all rights, Ember should now have been pounded 
into the ground, reduced to a mangled pulp that   not even the crows could pick clean.Strangely 
enough, his punch was actually blocked! As
181.36 the dust settled, even Kolun’s eyes—usually 
as large as lightbulbs—narrowed for a brief
186.4 instant. Beneath his iron fist was a thick, 
black-scaled arm! The hand of a demon! Had
192.08 that wretched bat really betrayed the River 
of Blood to seek out the path of demons?  This time, before Kolun could strike 
again, that demon hand—so much slimmer
200.8 than his own—clamped around his fist and, with 
astonishing force, swung his entire body into
206.16 the ground! There was a thunderous crash.
This sudden turn of events caught Shirley   completely off guard. She had been ready to leave, 
seeing that Ember couldn’t even withstand a single
215.2 punch. Who could have expected such a shift? 
Ember had suddenly revealed an even greater power!
220.96 Staring at that muscular arm, which seemed 
so out of place on his otherwise frail body,   Shirley fell silent. Perhaps that woman’s 
judgment hadn’t been wrong after all. It
230.32 was her own knowledge that had fallen short.
Arthur, hearing the dull thud, forced himself
235.44 to look into the distance. Through a vision 
clouded by blood, he could barely make out   a massive figure struggling to rise from 
the ground, but each attempt ended with its
244.16 feet slipping as if on ice. Such a hulking form 
clearly didn’t belong to Ember. So… was it Kolun?
250.4 Realizing that Kolun had been knocked down by 
Ember, Arthur found it hard to believe. Since   when could a vampire go toe-to-toe with 
a werewolf? And not just any werewolf,
258.96 but a feral one who had long fed on human organs?
Arthur blinked hard, desperate to see what was
264.16 really happening, but the blood covering 
his eyes kept the truth shrouded.  Unlike the bewildered Arthur, Kolun—having been 
slammed hard into the ground—understood exactly
273.28 what had happened. Somehow, that foul bat had 
managed to borrow the power of a demon! To dare   strike a bargain with a demon… Kolun couldn’t 
help but think the bat already had one foot in
282.72 hell! But before that other foot crossed the 
threshold, this fellow truly had the strength   to stand against him in his berserk state!
What’s more, with the moon not yet full,
292.16 Kolun couldn’t hope to finish this 
fight in thirty breaths. After all,   he was not merely brawn and muscle.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless,
299.84 he knew it was time to retreat. This wasn’t 
just the rule of demon hunters—it was the   wisdom of all who valued their lives!
Kolun shook his battered head, then bared
308.8 his teeth at Ember in a show of fury, feigning an 
intent to continue his reckless assault. The next
313.92 moment, he stomped his sturdy leg on the ground, 
using the recoil to launch himself swiftly away.
319.12 He had already noticed that Ember’s demonic 
transformation was incomplete. Apart from those   two arms that could match his own, only half of 
Ember’s face bore demonic markings. This meant
328.72 Ember didn’t have the speed to chase him down!
When he came back next time, he would be sure   to bring weapons sanctified against demons. 
Then, he would settle this score and reclaim
337.6 the Seed of Hatred. There was still time for 
vengeance.Just as Cologne was lost in thoughts   of future revenge, a muffled thud suddenly 
reverberated through his mind. Ding! A sharp,
348.0 searing pain pierced his brow, and his body, 
just gathering force, convulsed violently—he
353.76 crashed to the ground like a toppled statue! 
With a heavy thump, dust billowed into the air.
358.8 Cologne reached up to touch his brow, but 
found only empty space. Yet in his senses,
363.84 he could plainly feel something sharp had pierced 
his hardened skull and was now lodged deep within.
369.12 This sensation was all too familiar—just 
like falling prey to a sorcerer’s ambush!  Could it be? This wretched bat hadn’t just bowed 
to the demons, but had learned witchcraft as well?
378.96 Astonished, Cologne looked up, 
only to see Embers holding a small,   unremarkable blue hammer in his hand.
The Soul Hammer?! Isn’t that Lord
387.28 Deren’s artifact? How could it be in Embers’ 
possession? Could it be that the one guarding   the Seed of Hatred was Lord Deren all along? 
Did this filthy bat slaughter Lord Deren and
397.44 steal both the Seed of Hatred and the Soul Hammer?
Now recognizing the little hammer, a wave of dread
402.8 surged through Cologne’s heart. Lord Deren was 
the Eternal Church’s most renowned spell expert,
407.92 famed for crafting countless new forbidden spells 
that had vastly strengthened the church’s magi.   The Soul Hammer was one such forbidden creation.
Within five meters, this hammer could ignore
417.76 any defense, driving a soul nail directly 
into the body at the cost of consuming soul   fragments! Once struck by the soul nail, all 
supernatural power would be severely weakened!
427.28 To put it bluntly—he was as good as dead.
Watching Cologne collapse in defeat,   just as he himself had once fallen, Embers—his 
face masked in arrogance—let out a derisive
436.88 snort. Then he strode forward, seized both sides 
of Cologne’s knee, and gave them a vicious yank.
442.64 A howl of agony burst from 
Cologne as flesh tore from bone.  Embers cocked his head, picked at his ear 
indifferently, then moved to Cologne’s neck
450.56 and brought the hammer down hard on his larynx.
The long, anguished howl instantly dwindled   into a mosquito’s feeble whimper.
“What a racket. Did I give you
458.96 permission to speak? Hm?” Embers sneered, and 
with that, he drove his razor-sharp fingers
464.48 into Cologne’s chest, then ripped them apart.
Cologne’s chest, hard as iron, split like
469.84 thin sheet metal, curling outward to reveal 
his heart, still beating vigorously within.
474.88 Watching as Cologne’s larynx slowly began to 
heal—thanks to his werewolf regeneration—Embers
479.92 reached in and clutched the heart that held 
Cologne’s very life in its grasp. He mocked,
484.96 “You wanted to tear me apart and seize the 
Seed of Hatred? Go on then, try again!”  [Contract Established]
…
491.12 Despite Embers’ taunts, even after regaining 
his voice, Cologne kept his silence. He was
496.48 waiting—waiting for the soul nail embedded in his 
brow to lose its effect. When that moment came,
501.92 he’d strike without warning, tearing out the 
arrogant bat’s throat and then, and only then,   would he deliver his victory speech.
Not like Embers now, rambling on and
510.72 on to humiliate his enemy—such foolishness was the 
luxury of the dead.Shirley, standing to the side,
516.32 couldn’t help but furrow her brow as she 
witnessed the dramatic change in Ash. This   arrogant version of him was nothing like the 
person she first met. So it’s the mask, then?
525.2 If that’s the case, things might take a turn after 
all. After all, the arrogant rarely live long.
530.48 Arthur, who was also lying on the ground, 
understood this all too well. He knew even better   than Shirley the effect that mask had on Ash. 
Although he wasn’t sure exactly what had changed
540.32 with the mask back at the bar, in this world, 
long nights are full of strange dreams—anything
545.76 can happen. Even when victory seems assured, 
a single careless mistake could mean death.
550.88 Look at the Lyon brothers, master demon 
hunters—they made their name in the demon-hunting   world by seizing victory in moments when their 
enemies least expected it. Arthur didn’t want Ash
559.68 to lose everything at a moment like this.
So, gathering the last of his strength,   Arthur warned him, “Hurry…kill him.”
To his surprise, Ash, now under the
570.08 mask’s influence, looked over with utter 
disdain. “You’re on the brink of death,   and you think you can tell me what to do?”
“Weaklings have no right to speak to the strong!”
579.44 Hearing this, Arthur could only give a helpless 
smile. Pride—truly, it is the original sin.  Turning away, Ash nudged the feigning-dead 
Colin with his foot. “Hey, I’m asking you:
590.0 aside from you, what other members of the Eternal 
Life Cult are here, and what tricks do they have?”  Colin, in truth, had no idea. The Eternal 
Life Cult was vast, hardly a unified force;
600.4 it was divided into numerous factions. They 
only gathered because they shared a common   goal. To avoid interference from other lunatics, 
even within the group, members would keep their
610.0 plans hidden until the time was right. That’s 
why internal strife wasn’t exactly unheard of.
615.12 But even though Colin didn’t know, he put on a 
thoughtful act, pretending to consider his answer.  Seeing Colin’s stalling, Ash lost 
his patience. With a swift motion,
624.08 he tore at Colin’s throat again, 
opening a fresh gash. “Hey,   mangy dog! I’m giving you the chance to 
speak because I think you’re worth it!”
632.0 “If you don’t talk now, I’ll 
send you into eternal slumber!”  Colin opened his mouth, as if ready to confess. 
Seeing Ash lean in expectantly, Colin was inwardly
641.84 howling with laughter. Idiot! With his throat 
torn open, how could he possibly say anything?
647.44 Sensing his chance, Colin suddenly lunged 
forward, clamping his jaws around Ash’s head!
652.72 Success! This arrogant little bat is finished! 
That’s what you get for showing off! Now look
658.0 at you—still ended up in the jaws of the wolf!
Just as Colin was about to revel in his triumph,
663.36 he felt something was wrong. Looking closer, 
he saw that from the now headless body,   tree trunks and branches were sprouting forth. 
The blood, instead of spurting everywhere,
672.88 clung to the branches, forming a 
host of razor-sharp blood-red swords.  It was the Seed of Hatred!The seed of hatred 
actually took root and grew into a tree inside
681.2 this foul bat? Though Koln had never dabbled 
in academia, he instinctively felt this was   something bizarre. But since he had found the 
seed of hatred, he considered his task complete.
691.2 As for why things turned out this way, he would 
leave that for Mirat to investigate. Eternity   was not something to be easily pursued. 
All Koln cared about was the final result.
700.56 [Contract Completed]
[Received Soul Fragment*1 (Sloth)]  …
Koln then turned a
706.32 cold gaze toward Shirley, who had been lurking 
nearby. Unsure whether she was friend or foe,
711.44 Koln bared his fangs at her in a show of 
intimidation, then mimed swallowing something.  Gulp!
With that exaggerated swallow,
718.48 Embers’ severed head slipped from the gaping 
wound in Koln’s throat. Oddly enough, the head   seemed completely untouched by gravity, simply 
hovering in midair before wobbling back to its
728.48 body. As the head returned, the wild, twisting 
branches took hold of it, then contracted and
733.84 locked it firmly onto the torso once more. 
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.  Koln had just realized he’d lost Embers’ head 
when Embers finished reattaching it, then shot
742.64 Koln a sidelong, disdainful look and sneered, “Did 
you really think losing my head would kill me?”  “You’re just too stupid—unbearably stupid.”
“I have an allergy to idiocy, you know?”
753.2 Even as he voiced his contempt, Embers’ hands 
never stopped moving. Horrified to discover   that not even decapitation could kill Embers, 
Koln turned to flee—only to forget he now had
763.12 just one leg! A werewolf’s body might heal, 
but without a fresh supply of energy, lost
768.64 limbs couldn’t just grow back out of thin air. His 
body lurched, and he crashed to the ground again.  Embers had already seized 
his remaining intact leg,
776.4 and with demonic strength, gave it a violent yank.
A sickening splatter of blood filled the air,
781.84 white shards of bone flying in all directions. 
With his throat still torn open and unable to   heal, Koln could only let out pitifulThe seed 
of hatred has actually taken root and grown
791.52 into a tree inside this stinking bat? Kolun, 
who had never bothered with academic matters,
796.72 instinctively sensed that this was something 
bizarre. Still, since he’d found the seed of   hatred, the task could be considered complete. 
As for why things turned out this way,
805.44 he’d leave that for Milat to figure out. Eternity 
was never so easily pursued. Kolun only cared
811.04 about the final result.
[Contract Complete]  [Acquired Soul Fragment*1 (Sloth)]
…
817.28 Kolun then cast a cold, menacing look at Shirley, 
who had been lurking on the sidelines all this
822.4 time. To demonstrate his hostility, Kolun bared 
his fangs at her, then made a swallowing gesture.
828.24 Gulp.
As he mimed swallowing,   Ember’s severed head tumbled out from the 
gaping hole in Kolun’s throat. Yet, strangely,
835.2 Ember’s head seemed untouched by gravity, 
hovering in mid-air before drifting back toward
840.24 his own body. As the head returned, those rampant, 
writhing tree branches caught it and contracted,
846.0 locking the head firmly onto the torso once more.
All this happened in the blink of an eye.   Kolun had only just realized he’d lost 
Ember’s head, when Ember had already
854.4 reattached it and merged his corpse, then 
shot Kolun a sideways glance, sneering,  “You didn’t really think I’d die just 
because I lost my head, did you?”
862.8 “You’re unbearably stupid. I can’t take it.”
“I suffer from idiocy intolerance, you know?”
868.48 Though Ember’s words were full of scorn, his 
hands never stopped moving. Kolun, horrified
873.68 to discover that even decapitation couldn’t kill 
Ember, turned to flee. But he’d forgotten he only
878.88 had one leg left! Even with the werewolf’s 
regenerative abilities, he couldn’t regrow   a lost limb without energy to fuel the process.
Kolun stumbled, crashing once more to the ground.
889.12 Ember had already seized his remaining good leg, 
and with demonic strength, gave it a vicious yank.
894.64 A gush of blood splattered everywhere, 
shards of white bone flying through the air.  With his throat still gaping and 
unhealed, Kolun could only utter pitiful,
903.04 muffled cries, sounding like a dying dog.
The next moment, Ember grabbed the werewolf’s
908.08 massive tail and gave it another brutal jerk, 
tearing out an entire werewolf spine in one piece.
913.44 Now completely limp, Kolun had lost all 
ability to resist, left only to endure as Ember
918.56 smashed his skull, blow after relentless blow.
Arthur, feeling the ground tremble beneath him,
924.24 couldn’t help but tear away the blood-crusted 
scab before his eyes and open them once more.   Through a crimson haze, he saw only 
Ember pummeling Kolun—fist after fist,
932.96 leaving Kolun utterly defenseless.
Arthur let out a faint sigh. The   brother who should have died in the 
past had finally met his end, after all.
940.8 As the roar of approaching engines grew louder 
in the distance, only a single thought remained   in Arthur’s mind.
Saved. At last.
948.4 Life and death decided, Shirley had never expected 
Ember to turn the tables after his head had been
953.44 bitten off! It could only mean that they had all 
been fooled by Ember.That Ashes fellow isn’t a
958.8 pure-blooded vampire at all! Since when can a 
vampire keep moving around after losing his head?
964.56 Everyone knows a werewolf’s fatal weakness is the 
heart, and for vampires, it’s the head—this is   basic common sense. Yet Ashes has shattered that 
very notion. After having his head reattached,
974.56 he didn’t even need to replenish his energy; 
he simply sprang back to life, good as new!
979.6 Watching Ashes reduce Cullen to nothing but 
a bloody pulp, Sherry couldn’t help but sigh.   Who would have thought that beneath Ashes’ quiet 
exterior lurked such a violent side? That woman
988.96 had chosen him as her spear—no wonder, he was 
well suited for the role. But isn’t Ashes just a
994.16 bit too reckless? Isn’t she afraid that the fire 
burning inside Ashes might one day consume her   as well? Perhaps then, she could truly be free.
With tangled thoughts, Sherry slowly melted into
1004.48 the shadows, quietly slipping away. This was 
only the beginning; the end was still far off.
1010.16 After tearing apart the werewolf who had dared 
to challenge his authority, Ashes finally let   his mask of arrogance fall away, satisfied. 
That was enough pride for today; he couldn’t
1019.92 even be bothered to indulge further. Thanks to 
the balancing influence of the Sloth fragment,
1025.2 the hunger of the Pride fragment had subtly 
changed. Now, as long as its desire for pride   was satisfied each time it was worn, the price 
could be offset. Its effect was to fill the wearer
1034.96 with confidence, unlocking even greater power.
From the recent experience, this “greater power”
1040.08 was roughly a ten percent boost. That may 
not sound like much, but if the base was the   strength of his demonic arm, then a ten percent 
increase was terrifying indeed. At the very least,
1050.24 even a berserk Cullen was no match for Ashes.
As the mask slipped away, the demonic marks on
1055.44 Ashes’ face gradually faded, revealing once 
again that pale, handsome visage. No longer
1060.72 consumed by pride, Ashes finally noticed 
the approaching roar of engines. What the
1066.0 prideful Ashes would have ignored, the calm and 
collected Ashes now had to consider carefully.
1071.12 Demon hunters were no fools. Those oblivious 
to their surroundings were already buried in   the ground. With such commotion here, any 
hunter bold enough to come investigate
1080.64 must be formidable. If they discovered he was a 
vampire—and worse, one who could transform into a   demon—there was no telling how they would react.
With that in mind, Ashes silently called out to
1090.0 Lana. Answering his summons like a sprite, Lana 
appeared on his shoulder, and with a wave of her
1095.2 hand, scattered glowing feathers all around. As 
the light feathers drifted down, the branches of
1100.24 the World Tree wrapped around Ashes’ arms slowly 
retracted, drawing back the scattered emotions   and condensing them once more into fruit.
“Ashes, the path you’ve chosen is far too
1109.6 dangerous,” Lana said, her voice tinged with 
worry. “If these things keep growing… even if
1114.96 I give my all, it would be nearly 
impossible to drive them back.”  Hearing Lana’s concern, Ashes simply smiled and 
gently stroked her golden hair.“Don’t worry.
1123.76 As long as we find the third seed, they’ll 
naturally reach a balance on their own.”  Lana nodded obediently. “Brother 
Ember, I understand. What you want
1132.08 is to confine all evil within yourself, so 
that only goodness remains in the world.”  “This path is difficult, but I’ll 
walk it with you, Brother Ember.”
1140.56 Ember smiled softly, choosing not to shatter 
Lana’s beautiful vision. He wasn’t as noble as
1145.6 she imagined—he was simply doing his best.
This so-called confinement of evil was not   without selfish motives; he hoped to forge an 
eternal body through the power of the Seven Sins.
1155.2 As for the problem at hand, Ember was well 
aware of the risks. Even though he had   erased the consciousness of the two-colored 
World Tree, its instincts still drew in
1163.76 emotions from the world around them.
After all, the world was never   short of these original sins.
To prevent his progress toward
1170.24 demonization from regressing, Ember had never let 
Lana diminish the power of the two trees. In this
1175.52 constant tug of war, a day would come when Lana 
could no longer maintain the balance between them.  If he failed to find the third 
seed before that happened,
1183.2 Ember’s own body would be wholly consumed and 
become a part of the two-colored World Tree.  His soul would then have no 
suitable vessel left to inhabit.
1190.48 This was a high-stakes gamble, 
risking his very flesh!  Either the Seven Sins would be fused 
to forge an eternal vessel of evil,
1197.92 Or he would have to seek out 
the legendary Eternal Heart,   to grant his body a ceaseless source of life.
Of course, Ember was not without a backup plan.
1205.84 In the worst-case scenario, he could attempt 
to attach his soul to a suitable object,   lying in wait for another chance to arise.
But that would be the most desperate of desperate
1214.32 options—the last and least desirable path. Unless 
utterly necessary, Ember would never choose it.
1219.68 Lost in thought for just a moment, 
Ember quickly firmed his resolve.  With nothing else to hold him back, he ought 
to give it his all and aim for the top!
1227.6 His gaze dropped, resting on the 
massive wolf corpse before him.  Ember drew his silver blade from 
his belt, and with swift, practiced
1234.88 motions, he neatly skinned the wolf.
He then pulled out each of the wolf’s   long and short fangs, one by one.
Satisfied, he sheathed his blade.
1243.28 These spoils would serve him well—whether for 
trade, for points, or to keep for himself.  With the trophies dealt with, it was time to 
choose a suitable candidate to take the credit.
1252.32 As the saying goes, “The tallest tree in 
the forest is the first to meet the wind.”  Ember understood this all too well 
and had no intention of claiming the
1260.24 slaying of Cullen for himself.
After all, without exposing his   ability to undergo demonization, 
it would be hard for anyone to
1266.64 believe he could have killed Cullen.
But Arthur was a different story.  Arthur’s half-wolf heritage was almost 
common knowledge among demon hunters.
1274.24 Growing up among them, Arthur had earned 
a high degree of trust within their ranks.  So if word spread that Arthur had slain 
Cullen, most demon hunters would believe it.
1282.88 Moreover, the state Arthur was in made it 
clear he’d been through a fierce battle!  Wait a moment… A miserable state?Arthur isn’t 
dead, is he? A mutual destruction is hardly a good
1293.12 ending. Only now did Ember remember to check on 
Arthur’s condition. He hurried over to Arthur’s
1298.64 side, quickening his pace. Then he knelt down 
and reached out, testing Arthur’s breathing.
1303.84 There was more air leaving than 
entering—just the feeblest breaths.   This was the state of someone on the brink 
of death. But Arthur was a half-werewolf;
1311.76 as long as he was still breathing, it meant 
his soul had not yet departed for the earth.  Ember considered digging out Kellen’s organs 
to feed Arthur, but then he remembered the
1320.08 vivid red in Arthur’s eyes. Suddenly, 
he understood: from birth until now,   Arthur had always abided by one rule—he never 
ate human organs. Werewolves are people, too.
1330.16 If Ember forced Kellen’s organs on him, even if 
Arthur recovered, he’d probably never thank him.
1335.44 With that thought, Ember simply decided 
to wait for the demon hunters to arrive.  A harsh metallic scrape and the squeal of 
tires announced their arrival. A 1967 Chevy
1344.8 Impala was the first to pull up. Two men in 
the car scanned their surroundings cautiously,   making sure it was safe before stepping out.
The burly man in the lead gave a whistle,
1354.0 then said with admiration, “Hey, not bad, buddy. 
You took down a berserk werewolf all by yourself?”
1359.76 Ember smiled and nodded toward 
the unconscious Arthur. “It   wasn’t my doing. Credit goes to Arthur.”
Arthur? The half-werewolf raised by demon
1368.16 hunters? The burly man glanced at Ember, who was 
unharmed, then at Arthur, battered and barely
1373.92 clinging to life. Realization dawned on his face.
Of course. Ember was so small and thin—there was
1379.92 no way he could have dealt such devastating damage 
to a berserk werewolf. But Arthur, who could also   transform, didn’t seem capable of crushing 
an opponent so thoroughly, either… Unless
1389.36 he’d set a trap beforehand, weakening the berserk 
werewolf first. That made everything make sense.
1394.88 Besides, given what happened to his mother, 
Arthur’s hatred for werewolves was well known.   Seeking vengeance like this was only natural. 
After all, Ember didn’t look like someone
1404.4 who could bash in a werewolf’s skull—he 
looked more like an unlucky bystander,   caught in the bloodshed by chance.
With most of the puzzle pieces in place,
1412.32 the burly man turned his gaze to Arthur. Arthur’s 
condition was clearly dire. Striding forward,
1417.68 the man offered his hand to Ember.
“I’m Dim Lane. Over there’s   my brother, Matt Lane.”
Ember looked up and met his gaze,
1424.64 then reached out and shook his hand 
lightly. “Ash. Pleased to meet you.”  [Dim Lane]
[Wish: To kill the demon who
1431.52 ruined their mother’s life.]
[Matt Lane]  [Wish: For his brother to let go 
of his obsession and find peace.]
1437.8 …
Dim released his grip and glanced   down at the half-dead Arthur. “Need a hand?”
“I know a good doctor.”Ash nodded,
1445.04 not refusing Dim’s kindness.
“Thank you. You’re good people.”  Dim hefted the heavy, lifeless Arthur onto his 
shoulders and replied with a cheerful grin,
1454.08 “We’re all demon hunters here. Helping 
each other out is the right thing to do.”  “Who knows—maybe someday my brother and 
I will be the ones needing your help.”
1462.72 “Oh, and if you ever learn anything 
about a yellow-eyed demon, let us know.”  Hearing his brother’s words, Matt could 
only smile helplessly before turning to Ash.
1471.84 “Yellow-eyed demons are extremely dangerous. 
Rumor has it they were personally transformed   by Lucifer himself after he fell into Hell.”
“If you ever hear anything about one,
1481.2 don’t be reckless. Just contact us straight away.”
“Here, this is our card. If you ever need anything
1486.56 else, you can call this number.”
Ash took the remarkably simple   business card. Besides their names, 
it listed only two cell phone numbers.
1494.24 But anyone daring to tangle with a 
yellow-eyed demon, like the Ryan brothers,   was certainly no ordinary person.
From all the lore Ash had crammed
1501.92 on the demon hunter forums lately, he knew 
there were many types of demons from Hell.  According to most hunters, demons 
are usually ranked by the color
1509.44 of their eyes, with few exceptions.
For example, black-eyed demons are   the most common lower-level demons in Hell.
Of course, if a demon of that level were to
1517.68 manifest in the world, it would 
still be a formidable opponent.  Above the black eyes are the red-eyed 
demons, those in charge of making deals.
1525.04 Red-eyed demons, who acquire more souls, naturally 
possess greater power—the extent of which depends   on how many souls they command. This is the rank 
most likely to see dramatic leaps in strength.
1534.88 Demons above the red-eyed tier are unique beings, 
each possessing a true name, and their power is
1539.92 drawn directly from the depths of Hell.
The yellow-eyed demon the Ryan   brothers spoke of was one such entity.
And as for the very top of Hell’s hierarchy,
1547.84 there stand only the seven demon lords, 
each embodying one of the seven deadly sins.  Once the Morning Star, now the 
King of Pride—Lucifer, the fallen
1555.52 angel—is the most powerful among them.
If a yellow-eyed demon had truly been   transformed by Lucifer himself, it 
would possess terrifying strength.
1563.12 No wonder Matt wanted to 
persuade Dim to let it go.  Against such a formidable yellow-eyed demon, even 
if it did not fully manifest in the mortal realm,
1571.12 no ordinary person could hope to challenge it.
Perhaps only those legendary hunters—whose very
1576.16 stories blur the line between myth 
and reality—might stand a chance.  As Ash pondered all this, other demon 
hunters who had come to investigate
1583.84 began to arrive, one after another.
The first thing they saw was the   skinless werewolf lying in the center of it all.
That monstrous shape—nearly five meters tall in
1592.56 its berserk form—was impossible to ignore.But what 
truly unsettled them was that a demon hunter had
1597.6 actually managed to take down this obviously 
berserk werewolf in such a short span of time!   From the first sounds of chaos to their arrival by 
car, no more than ten minutes could have passed.
1607.36 And with no sign of heavy weaponry having been 
used, it was clear that someone had fought the
1612.48 crazed werewolf hand-to-hand! How could any 
ordinary person accomplish such a feat? Could   it have been the elusive vampires who had never 
shown themselves? Instantly, the demon hunters’
1622.4 eyes grew wary, then they spotted Arthur slung 
over Deem’s shoulder, and Ash, who—apart from
1627.76 a few bloodstains—looked completely unscathed.
Arthur’s identity as a half-werewolf was already
1633.12 an open secret among demon hunters. 
To keep his beastly urges in check,   Arthur had long taken to streaming himself 
eating boiled animal organs every day,
1641.6 both to reassure everyone and as a way to hold 
himself accountable. It was common knowledge that   werewolves and vampires favored humans not only 
for their superior taste, but also for the potent
1650.64 energy humans possessed. If Arthur abstained from 
“meat,” how could he possibly have overpowered
1656.24 another werewolf? Clearly, someone had helped him.
The demon hunters, seeming to understand,
1661.52 turned their attention to the Lyon brothers. With 
the Lyons’ help, everything suddenly made sense.
1666.56 The Lyon brothers were seasoned demon hunters; 
countless supernatural creatures had fallen at   their hands, and even deities from ancient legends 
weren’t safe from their blades. With the Lyon
1676.08 brothers present, nothing seemed surprising.
As for the young man covered in blood,   no one recognized him. To them, he was likely 
just an unlucky passerby caught up in the chaos.
1686.48 The demon hunters greeted the Lyon brothers, then 
promptly turned their vehicles around and left.
1691.92 Though they trusted the brothers’ abilities, 
not a single one wanted to partner with them.   Every time someone teamed up with the Lyon 
brothers, the outcome was always the same:
1700.4 the brothers survived, but most of their partners 
perished—killed by supernatural monsters, lost to
1706.4 traps, or claimed by sudden, unforeseen accidents.
Publicly, people called the Lyon brothers the Twin
1712.16 Stars, but in private, everyone saw them as 
harbingers of disaster. The best way to avoid
1717.44 trouble was to have nothing whatsoever to do with 
them; only then could one steer clear of getting
1722.56 dragged into even more perilous supernatural 
incidents. After all, being a demon hunter   merely increased your chances of dying, but 
being close to the Lyon brothers guaranteed it.
1731.44 So in their eyes, Ash—who dared to get in the 
Lyons’ car and even speak with them—was either   truly unfortunate or truly brave. Watching the 
demon hunters leave without a moment’s hesitation,
1741.12 Ash felt a flicker of surprise. After all, most 
people are drawn to strength. Given the chance to
1746.88 befriend the powerful, few would willingly let 
it slip away.No matter how you looked at it,   the Ryan brothers were like a sturdy 
pillar of support—reliable, generous,
1755.36 and easy to get along with. Even before meeting 
face-to-face, they were willing to offer a helping   hand. Wouldn’t anyone want to cling tightly to 
such brothers? Yet, aside from a hint of respect,
1766.24 the other demon hunters seemed to have no 
intention of lingering to chat or get acquainted.   Surely, there was something strange about this.
Embers immediately grew alert in his heart. But
1775.6 no matter how he looked at it, the Ryan brothers 
seemed like genuinely good people. Puzzled, Embers   soon followed the two of them to the inn in town.
After they got out of the carriage, Dim gave his
1785.28 brother Matt a look. Understanding the signal, 
Matt gave a helpless smile and turned to Embers.  “The doctor’s in room 203. 
Take Arthur up to see him.”
1794.0 “Don’t say we sent you. Just tell him 
you heard about him from other hunters.”  “Oh, and if that doctor starts asking for some 
weird, outrageous payment, just stick a gun
1802.08 to his head. He’s got a weak stomach for fear.”
Threaten a doctor with a gun? Embers’ expression
1807.44 flickered with surprise. Now he understood why 
Matt insisted he not mention their names. So,
1812.64 the brothers never actually paid the 
doctor—just relied on some good old freeloading?  “No worries, I’ve got enough money in the 
bank. I should be able to cover the treatment.”
1821.76 Matt opened his mouth, 
hesitating, but finally added,  “Just… don’t actually shoot him, alright? The 
doctor’s got some odd quirks, but when it comes
1830.4 down to it, he really can save lives.”
“All right,   we’ll be off now. Until we meet again.”
Embers waved as they left. “Until next time.”
1838.64 As the black antelope carriage rounded the 
corner and disappeared, Embers knocked on the   door of room 203. From inside, he immediately 
heard the soft slap of slippers shuffling
1848.32 across the floor. Soon, the door swung open to 
reveal a short, middle-aged man in a bathrobe,
1854.08 his face flushed red. In his right 
hand, he held a bottle of red wine.  “Hic—who’s there? Hic—what do you want?”
[David]
1862.4 [Wish: To taste wines brewed from all 
manner of rare and wondrous things,   and to bolster his own courage.]
…This was the doctor? Embers looked
1870.48 the man up and down, full of doubt. He looked more 
like a drunkard than a doctor! With his trembling
1876.08 hands and the thick scent of alcohol clinging to 
him, nothing about him suggested any medical skill   at all. Yet, the Ryan brothers wouldn’t joke 
about something as serious as this. After all,
1886.08 Arthur might not die right away, but he was 
running out of time. With no better choice,   Embers simply slung Arthur down from his 
back and let him slump in front of David.
1894.64 “Heal him.”
David forced his bleary eyes   wide open, then let out a long, boozy breath.
With a sudden spray, a fine mist of wine burst
1902.96 from his lips, raining down on Arthur. Then, 
with a great heave of his belly, David inhaled,
1908.56 and the scattered wine droplets rose into the 
air, drawn back into his mouth as if by magic.
1913.68 He smacked his lips a few times, and 
a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.  “Fifty-seven open wounds, 
slashed by werewolf claws.”“Nine
1922.0 open wounds—left by a werewolf’s fangs.”
“So you got into a fight with a werewolf?”
1927.12 “Who told you to come looking for me?”
The moment Ashes saw David’s skillful hands,   he realized that David wasn’t a doctor in the 
ordinary sense, but a witch doctor! Thinking
1936.24 about it, that actually made sense. For demon 
hunters who often ran into the supernatural,
1941.76 not every wound could be treated at a hospital. 
A witch doctor was clearly a better choice.  “A colleague said you have miraculous 
hands, so I came here to see for myself.”
1951.04 Hearing the compliment, David took a satisfied 
swig of his drink. “Ahh—miraculous hands,
1956.16 I like the sound of that. Come on in.”
Ashes grabbed Arthur and followed David,   who staggered as he led the way deeper inside. The 
cramped room was crowded with jars and bottles,
1966.0 leaving barely any space to step. Ashes 
glanced down and noticed that the clear   glass containers on the floor were filled with 
all sorts of preserved limbs. He could just
1974.96 about make out a werewolf’s paw, the talons of a 
bloodsucker… In short, Ashes was beginning to
1980.0 get an uneasy sense of David’s peculiar tastes.
Sure enough, after tossing Arthur onto the bed,
1985.6 David rubbed his hands together eagerly, like a 
fly, and said, “I won’t charge you for saving him.
1990.88 I’ll just let him pay me himself.”
As soon as he finished speaking,   a small silver knife appeared in David’s hand. 
The vagueness of his words put Ashes on high
1999.28 alert. He immediately reached out to stop him.
“Wait—what do you mean, let him pay himself?”
2004.64 David chuckled slyly, his eyes shining 
as he looked at Arthur’s body. “This   is a half-werewolf! Do you know what that 
means? Hybrids like this are rare. Besides,
2014.56 he’s lost the ability to reproduce, so why not 
let me sample what half-werewolf eggs taste like?”
2019.6 Ashes stared at David, his expression a 
complex mix of emotions. So David wanted   to turn Arthur into a eunuch. Now he finally 
understood why Matt had hesitated to speak
2029.2 before leaving. With a freak like this, if 
you didn’t have a gun pointed at his head,   he’d probably help himself to a couple of 
organs during treatment for his own collection.
2037.36 Heeding the warning, Ashes silently drew his 
pistol and pressed it to the back of David’s   head. “Cut the nonsense. Heal him—right now!”
Feeling the cold muzzle against his skull,
2047.76 David shuddered. Somehow, this scene felt eerily 
familiar. Once upon a time, there had been a pair
2053.28 of troublemaking brothers who always seemed to be 
cursed, and they’d done exactly the same thing.   Still, David had always believed that keeping a 
low profile meant he could enjoy more good liquor,
2062.64 so apart from being annoyed, he knew he 
had no choice but to do as he was told.   He’d never admit that he was too much of 
a coward to go up against real people!
2070.72 Oddly enough, though, he wasn’t even angry—when 
he should have been. With a helpless sigh and   hands raised, David said, “Alright, alright, 
don’t do anything rash. I’ll save him now.”
2080.72 With that, David shot a sidelong glance at 
Ashes, watching his expression carefully.Seeing
2085.84 that Ashes showed not the slightest reaction, 
David was certain this fellow would be difficult   to sway with his glib words. Otherwise, he would 
have at least tried to invite Ashes to share a
2095.44 drink. David sniffed, put away his small knife, 
and took out a silver needle instead. Dipping
2100.96 the needle into Arthur’s still-flowing blood, he 
began to stitch up the wound. Strangely enough,
2106.32 when Arthur’s own blood met the silver 
needle, it transformed into sturdy threads   of blood, tightly sealing the wound closed.
Finally, David fished out a half-soaked piece
2115.36 of animal liver from a glass jar half-filled with 
liquid, tossed it into the blender, and ground it   into a thick juice. He then drew the mixture into 
a syringe and injected it into Arthur’s veins.
2125.12 Before long, Arthur, who had been unconscious 
for quite a while, slowly opened his eyes.  As he glanced at the glass jars hanging from the 
ceiling, each containing bizarrely shaped limbs,
2134.88 Arthur’s gaze became vacant—he understood what 
fate awaited him. He turned his head slightly,
2140.24 looked at Ashes nearby, and forced a bitter smile.
“You died too, didn’t you?”
2145.36 Ashes holstered his gun and smiled.
“Hell doesn’t give you time to   catch your breath,” he replied.
“So it means neither of us is dead.”
2153.04 Only then did Arthur notice that Ashes had 
just been threatening a little man with a   gun. Feeling his body recovering, Arthur 
propped himself up and asked curiously,
2161.52 “Who is he?”
Ashes shrugged.  “A kind-hearted doctor,” he said.
“Though I doubt he’ll treat you again next time.”
2168.4 Arthur shook his head helplessly. That’s what 
happens when rules are broken. After all,   who would be willing to help again after 
being forced to do so at gunpoint? Trying
2177.76 to recover a shred of the etiquette Ashes had 
lost, Arthur mustered his friendliest smile.  “Doctor, my companion was 
only joking earlier,” he said.
2186.0 “Whatever fee you require for 
treating me, I’ll pay it in full.”  “That’s only right.”
David darted a cautious
2192.4 glance at Ashes and whispered,
“You heard him—he said it himself.”  When Ashes didn’t react, David downed a 
deep swig of liquor, instantly perking
2201.12 up. He coughed and declared,
“I never take money for   saving lives—that’s far too vulgar.”
“I have but one passion in life, and
2208.56 that’s drinking. If you truly wish to thank me, 
cut off a testicle and let me soak it in my wine.”
2213.92 Huh? Arthur’s eyes widened, genuinely suspecting 
his brain was still addled from injury, causing
2219.6 him to mishear. Did this doctor just ask for what? 
For him to cut off a testicle and steep it in
2224.8 wine? Arthur’s expression twisted in disbelief.
Seeing Arthur’s look, David grew a bit
2230.32 flustered and hurried to explain,
“For you, having one less or two   less makes no difference—besides, 
you people can heal yourselves.”
2237.36 “Isn’t it reasonable to trade something 
you don’t need for a perfect recovery?”  “That’s practically free treatment! What’s 
so bad about that?”“And it was you who said
2245.68 you would pay for the treatment. These 
are my rates—so are you paying or not?”  Arthur, unable to stop himself from clenching his 
fists, finally understood why Ashen had reached
2255.2 for his gun. Was this really just a matter 
of payment? No, this was about dignity. But   if this was David’s way of saving people…
After taking several deep breaths, Arthur
2264.88 lifted his increasingly pale face and pleaded,
“Ashen, wait for me outside for a moment.”
2270.16 Ashen nodded and stepped out of the room. 
Before long, Arthur, walking a little awkwardly,   also emerged. He spoke in a clipped tone,
“Let’s go.”
2278.4 It wasn’t until they had left the 
shadowy hallway of the inn that Arthur,   as if forcibly putting something out of his mind, 
turned to a matter that interested him more.
2286.48 “How did you kill Cullen?”
Ashen gave him a mysterious smile.  “You’re not a vampire, so 
you wouldn’t understand.”
2293.04 “As the mortal enemies of vampires, we 
werewolves have ten thousand ways to kill one.”  That made a certain kind of sense. Who 
understood werewolves better than their foes,
2302.0 the vampires? So, it was only natural that 
Ashen, a vampire, could kill Cullen. Yet,
2308.16 something about it just felt off to Arthur, 
though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.  Before he could dwell on it 
further, Ashen’s voice continued,
2315.84 “However, I don’t plan on 
claiming the credit for this.”  “Seeing as I saved your life, could you do me a 
small favor and say it was you who killed Cullen?”
2324.0 Arthur frowned,
“That’s against the rules…”  Ashen cut him off with a smile,
“I know, I know, it breaks the rules.”
2330.96 “But you’ve got one thing wrong—we’re a team. 
If you hadn’t weakened Cullen first, I could   never have finished him off. Don’t you agree?”
Arthur nodded; he couldn’t argue with that.
2340.16 Though he’d lost to Cullen, he’d still 
dealt him a grievous blow. Otherwise,   Cullen’s berserk state would have lasted 
far longer than just thirty seconds.
2347.92 “So, killing Cullen was really 
the result of our teamwork.”  “And as the leader of this team, why 
shouldn’t you be the one to take the credit?”
2355.52 “Wouldn’t that be in line with the rules?”
Arthur had to admit, Ashen was good at   persuading people. Every time Arthur thought 
something was out of line, Ashen’s reasoning
2364.32 made it seem perfectly justified. But there 
was one thing he could never agree to.  “I’ll accept the credit, but I’ll give 
you every single point they award for it.”
2372.56 Ashen shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“Alright, let’s do it your way.”
2377.68 “Got any energy left? Come with 
me to the library one more time.”  …
Fruitwood Town, Library.
2383.6 Carla looked up at the library before her, 
a little puzzled. Guided by the pull of the   Progenitor’s Hand, she’d been chasing another 
fragment of the body all over Fruitwood Town.
2392.96 Every time she was about to catch it, the 
other party would vanish as if teleporting,   as though toying with her.Fortunately, this 
battered body had finally returned to the ancient,
2402.08 steeple-roofed library, and had remained still 
for a long while. Yet, despite the library’s age,
2407.84 it was far from deserted—people moved 
through its halls in a steady stream,   quite unlike what one would expect of a place 
hiding the remnants of a progenitor. Nearly all of
2416.96 those coming and going were demon hunters. After 
all, libraries often house local records and lore,
2422.8 making them the first stop for demon 
hunters arriving in an unfamiliar place.  Which meant that the progenitor’s 
remains had been hidden all along,
2430.0 right under the noses of these demon hunters. 
Not wishing to become entangled with them,
2435.36 Karla pulled up her hood, letting its shadow 
conceal her refined features, and slipped into   the library, blending in as an ordinary visitor.
Night had already fallen, but inside the library,
2445.92 quite a few demon hunters still pored over ancient 
tomes. With just a casual glance, Karla could
2451.04 spot odd tales and strange events, all beginning 
with “Guomu Town.” Yet not one of these hunters
2456.8 could have guessed that one of Guomu Town’s 
greatest treasures lay right beneath their feet.  A mocking smile played at Karla’s lips as, 
guided by the subtle pull of the progenitor’s
2465.2 hand hidden in her cloak, she made her way to a 
row of seldom-visited bookshelves. These shelves   groaned under the weight of ancient volumes 
on love and romance—hardly the sort of books
2475.04 that drew crowds in an age when young people 
chased after sweet stories online, their eyes   glued to their phones. Few now cared for the 
intricate, winding romances of the ancients.
2484.32 Karla sniffed the air, ensuring no one was 
nearby, then tapped her hairpin lightly. “Celia,
2490.08 check behind these shelves. Is 
there a passage?” she whispered.  At her command, a chill wind swept past the 
bookshelf, and then, with a sharper gust, rushed
2499.36 back into Karla’s hairpin. At the same time, a 
faint line of misty script appeared on the surface   of her sunlight ring: [Protective ward detected.]
A glint of excitement flashed in Karla’s eyes.
2509.84 She had found the right place.
Feigning interest in the books,   Karla ran her slender fingers along the 
spines. Soon, she detected something odd
2517.52 about one particular volume—its cover was 
hollow. Just as she suspected. Removing the
2522.64 book revealed a keyhole, making it clear that 
a matching key was needed to unlock this shelf.  Karla frowned, extending her nails to try 
picking the lock. After several failed attempts,
2532.4 her patience wore thin. She grabbed the shelf with 
both hands, intent on ripping it out by its roots.
2537.92 She heaved—nothing. The shelf didn’t budge. 
Blood surged in her veins, muscles tensed,
2543.44 and she tried again—still nothing.
Frustrated, Karla rolled up her sleeves,
2548.48 ready to smash through the obstacle with her 
fists, when a familiar scent drifted her way.  “Karla, what exactly are you doing?” came a voice.
Karla turned and saw Embers and Arthur, who had
2559.04 hurried here after Shirley’s tip-off. Arthur, 
phone in hand, looked at Karla with puzzlement.
2564.64 After learning that Embers’ destination was the 
library, Arthur had made a point of checking   Karla’s location.Arthur hadn’t expected to find 
Carla in the library as well. This truly caught
2573.92 him by surprise. After all, from what he knew, 
vampires weren’t fond of reading. With their
2579.04 endless lifespans, they themselves were living, 
vibrant books of history—why would they need to   seek out the lives of others in stories? 
So, Arthur figured that Carla’s purpose
2588.08 here must be the same as Ember’s. The two quickly 
discussed and decided to meet up with Carla first.
2593.28 But as soon as they arrived, they 
saw Carla rolling up her sleeves,   looking as if she was about to tear the library 
apart. That was certainly out of line. Damaging
2601.68 public property without reason—that was the act 
of a vandal! Carla shot a glance at Arthur, whose
2607.36 voice had turned noticeably thin, and frowned.
“You’d best mind your own business,” she warned.
2612.72 Arthur’s brow furrowed just as tightly. 
His main assignment in Fruitwood Town   was to keep an eye on these two vampires and 
make sure they didn’t cause trouble. And now,
2620.72 it was obvious Carla was about to do just 
that. How could he stand by and do nothing?  Sensing the tension rising between 
them, Ember immediately stepped in,
2629.04 playing the role of peacemaker.
“Hold on, both of you. Let me   say something,” Ember interjected.
Hearing Ember’s voice, the two adversaries
2637.36 had no choice but to give him some respect, 
turning their attention his way. To Arthur,   Ember was a lifesaver; as long as rules weren’t 
being broken, he was willing to listen. Ember
2647.36 was different from the arrogant vampires 
like Carla—he was more human in many ways.  As for Carla, Ember—who was officially her 
“junior”—now felt more like a true companion.
2657.04 She didn’t know why he insisted on bringing 
Arthur, a demon hunter, along, but she trusted he
2662.32 had his reasons. Besides, she wasn’t truly itching 
for a fight with Arthur—not that she couldn’t win,
2668.0 it was just more trouble than it was worth. After 
all, Arthur wasn’t the only demon hunter in this   library. If a real battle broke out, it would 
spiral endlessly, generation after generation.
2678.08 Carla crossed her arms with a huff, 
eyeing Ember, curious to hear what clever   words he’d come up with this time.
Noticing both sets of eyes on him,
2686.0 Ember cleared his throat and began, “Arthur, we 
came to Fruitwood Town to uncover the secret of   the Dark Knight, isn’t that right?”
Arthur didn’t hesitate. He
2694.48 nodded and said, “That’s right.”
“And it’s clear that this library is   hiding the secret of the Dark Knight.”
“If it’s related to our mission,
2701.84 then even if we have to tear the library 
apart, it wouldn’t count as vandalism.”  “After all, once the mission is 
complete, the Psynergy Department
2709.04 will cover the damages. Don’t you agree?”
Hearing these words, Arthur felt that   familiar sense of justification wrapping 
around him once again. It really did make
2717.76 sense. If it was truly related to the mission, 
even if Carla tore down all of Fruitwood Town,
2722.96 it wouldn’t matter. Demon hunting missions had 
the highest priority—no matter the casualties or   loss of public property along the way, they were 
always justified.Of course, once a mission ends,
2732.56 special agents will naturally conduct a debrief. 
Any casualties related to demon hunting can be   overlooked, but if someone is intentionally 
harmed, that’s a different story altogether.
2741.92 So Ash was right—when you’re on a mission, what 
does it matter if you tear down a bookshelf?   Arthur hesitated, then nodded in agreement. 
Only then did Ash turn with a smile toward
2751.44 Karla. “See? The problem is solved, isn’t it?”
Karla muttered under her breath, calling him
2757.44 “smooth-talker,” then pointed at the bookshelf 
and said, “You call this a solved problem?”  “Do you see that keyhole?”
“That’s a magical door lock.
2765.36 Without the corresponding key, 
the only way is to force it open.”  “Why don’t you try distracting the demon 
hunters outside? I’ll handle breaking the lock!”
2773.68 Ash shook his head. “No 
need. Let me give it a try.”  Karla raised an eyebrow. If even she 
couldn’t do anything about the lock,
2780.88 what could Ash possibly accomplish? It seemed like 
a complete waste of time. Still, if Ash insisted,
2786.56 letting him try wouldn’t hurt. At the very 
least, after this, he’d learn to listen to   her when it came to serious matters…
Hmm? Karla’s eyes narrowed, her full
2794.96 attention suddenly fixed on Ash’s hands. To 
her astonishment, Ash pulled an ancient brass
2800.0 key from his pocket! The key looked like a 
perfect fit for the lock. Could it really   be such a coincidence? After all the ways 
she’d tried and failed to open it, Ash just
2809.04 happened to have the key? The odds of this were 
about as likely as her winning a century-long   supply of free blood at a blood bank lottery.
Watching as the key slid smoothly into the lock,
2818.08 Karla couldn’t hold back any longer. 
“Ash, where did you get that key?”  Ash paused to think, then replied, 
“Maybe the owner gave it to me?”
2826.16 Karla froze for a moment. How could he not 
be sure? Did the brass key just grow legs and
2831.2 find its way to Ash by itself? As she was about to 
press for answers, Ash had already turned the key.
2836.64 With a gentle whir of mechanisms inside, the 
wooden bookshelf split open from the center,   slowly revealing a rust-covered copper 
door. The three exchanged glances,
2845.76 and Ash stepped forward to push open the door.
At the same moment, in the basement of a private   home somewhere in Fruittree Town, several 
witches seated in a circle opened their
2854.48 eyes all at once. As the flames at the 
center of their circle turned blood-red,   strange smiles crept across their faces.
“The eternal cycle begins…”
2862.6 …
On the outskirts of Fruittree Town,   in an underground chamber, a lavish coffin 
inlaid with countless gemstones suddenly creaked
2869.52 open from the inside. A skeletal hand, at first 
gaunt and then rapidly gaining flesh and color,
2874.72 gripped the edge and slowly pulled its owner 
upright. A Bruhe blood servant, who had long
2879.76 been kneeling in anticipation, immediately draped 
a cloak over the coffin’s master and presented a   chalice filled with concentrated premium blood.
Gulp.As the blood touched her lips, a strange,
2890.48 otherworldly red flickered in the eyes of the 
one who lay within the coffin. She casually   wiped the crimson stain from the corner of her 
mouth, a faint, elusive smile appearing on her
2900.48 face. Stretching her limbs, she released 
an invisible pressure that forced all the   nearby Bruch vampires to drop to their knees.
Stepping out of the coffin with her feet on
2909.12 the backs of the vampire attendants, she 
lifted her gaze toward Fruitwood Town.   “Has the time come? Hmm, I can already 
feel the call of the River of Blood.”
2917.92 “At this very moment, the world stands 
closer than ever to the River of Blood.”  “You’ve done well, Gilut. When 
this is over, I shall grant you
2925.76 the honor of becoming one of my kin.”
The vampire attendant who rose from   the ground was indeed Gilut. Yet, unlike the 
portraits Ember had once seen, half of Gilut’s
2934.72 face remained handsome, while the other half 
bore hideous scars, as if burned by fire. For
2939.84 a vampire—beings famed for their regenerative 
powers and vanity—such disfigurement was almost
2945.2 unthinkable. No one knew what Gilut had endured.
Yet, faced with the Bloodwing Monarch’s reward,
2951.12 Gilut knelt, overwhelmed with gratitude 
and emotion. “Gilut is forever grateful   for your grace, my liege.”
South District, Loche City.
2960.16 Milat, who had waited in vain for any reply from 
Koren, gazed at the familiar figure on his phone,
2965.6 hatred occasionally flickering in his 
eyes. He never expected that the man   who had snatched away the Seed of Hatred 
from the black warlock Derren would be so
2973.2 inextricably linked to his current vessel.
When a person dies an unnatural death,   the memory that lingers most is always of the one 
who killed them. The hatred etched into this body,
2982.8 once the leader of the Black Dog Gang—Lusen—was 
directed at the man before him, known now as Ash,   the demon hunter, though once called Ember.
For Milat, who had borrowed Lusen’s body to
2991.68 return to life, it was nearly impossible to erase 
this influence. Lusen’s memories would surface
2996.8 unbidden, distorting his own judgment.
Just as they did now.  Unconsciously, he had gripped his new phone so 
tightly that cracks had appeared on its surface.
3005.84 This curse of hatred would only fade if the 
body’s former owner’s last wish was fulfilled.   So, if Koren—whom he had sent—could succeed in 
killing Ember and reclaiming the Seed of Hatred,
3016.0 then the vengeful spirit haunting this 
body might finally be laid to rest.  Yet Koren had failed him!
After confirming his target, Koren
3023.36 had sent no word of success for an agonizingly 
long time. The meaning behind that silence was   all too clear: even after being strengthened, 
the berserker werewolf Koren had failed!
3032.8 This failure sent Lusen’s lingering spirit into 
a furious rage. Again and again, it struggled to
3038.4 revive, trying to use the body—sustained only 
by Milat’s Seed of Envy—to seek vengeance.
3043.92 “Calm down, calm down. You’re helpless 
without me. If you want revenge,   you’ll have to rely on me,” Milat muttered as 
if to himself. “Besides, he took my Seed of
3053.04 Hatred. Do you really think I’d ever let him go?”
His words, seemingly spoken to no one, soothed
3058.72 the restless remnants of Lusen’s consciousness, 
quieting them at last.However, this also made   Mirat realize that he needed to obtain the Heart 
of Eternity as soon as possible, in order to fully
3068.48 stabilize the connection between his consciousness 
and his physical body. The so-called Heart of   Eternity was, in fact, a concept rather than a 
tangible object. As long as one could achieve
3078.4 an immortal body, then the source that granted 
this immortality would be considered the Heart   of Eternity. The Seed of Envy in his hand was, in 
fact, a fragment of the Heart of Eternity. If he
3088.4 could gather all seven Seeds of Sin, he would be 
able to attempt forging a body of Original Sin.
3093.52 As long as sin existed in the world, that body 
would remain indestructible. And after that…
3099.04 Clang! His phone slipped from 
his hand and hit the ground.  “Damn it! Can you quiet down for a moment? I 
told you, I’ll handle him!” Mirat’s thoughts
3107.52 were cut off by the outburst of Lucen’s lingering 
consciousness, and he was clearly displeased.  But soon, he noticed a new notification 
flashing on his fallen phone—a
3116.4 piece of news about Guomu Town.
[Shocking! A werewolf taller than   a whole building has appeared in Guomu 
Town! Read before it’s deleted, hurry!]
3124.56 Mirat’s pupils narrowed at the headline. If he 
remembered correctly, Coren’s body after going   berserk stood nearly five meters tall. Could it 
be that the battle he knew nothing about had been
3134.56 secretly recorded by some ever-present 
bystander? What an era this was indeed.  Mirat bent to pick up his phone, ready to 
open the video, but his expression froze.
3143.84 Damn! The touchscreen was broken!
…  Luocheng, southern district, Half-Hill Apartments.
Suspended in the air halfway down an elevator
3151.84 shaft, Sharmos lifted his head to look 
in the direction of Guomu Town, his eyes   shining with excitement. The barrier between 
him and the source of his magic had vanished.
3160.88 Ember had actually pulled it off!
Now, he possessed even greater magical   power and could more easily suppress the other 
consciousnesses within his body. At least until
3169.12 Fran disappeared, he had time—freedom enough.
Bang! With a powerful tug, Sharmos snapped
3175.04 the chains that had been anchoring 
him to the shaft walls one by one.  He was going to help Fran weather this disaster!
…
3180.8 Guomu Town, Library.
Utterly unaware of the   stir they’d caused outside, Ember and his 
companions pushed open the heavy bronze
3188.0 doors. A wind from thirty years ago gusted out 
from within, so foul it nearly made them retch.
3193.6 Whoever said that breathing the same air 
as someone you love was romantic? This   wind from thirty years past was anything but.
All three were extraordinary individuals, their
3202.56 sense of smell keen. A wind that hadn’t stirred in 
three decades was, naturally, far from pleasant.
3208.4 But what shocked them most was 
the scene behind the doors.  In their unimpeded view, untouched by darkness, 
lay a heap of countless white bones—piled one
3216.88 atop another to form a grim mound.
And atop that mound sat a shadowy   figure, head bowed low.
The Dark Knight! She was here,
3224.48 right before their eyes!
To encounter the Dark Knight   again with such ease sent alarm bells ringing 
in Arthur’s heart. He hadn’t forgotten that,
3231.92 despite every effort he’d made in the past, he’d 
been utterly unable to harm her.Now that the three
3237.44 of them had run into her here, they needed to be 
extremely cautious… No sooner had this thought   crossed Arthur’s mind than Karla, who had been 
standing beside them, transformed into a streak
3246.8 of blood and shot straight toward the Dark Knight. 
In the blink of an eye, Karla’s hand plunged into
3252.32 the Dark Knight’s chest, seizing another fragment 
of the Progenitor’s remains—the Cursed Heart.
3257.44 Witnessing Karla’s reckless move, Arthur’s brow 
furrowed deeply. Such rashness… Karla was bound
3263.28 to pay for it. After all, the mound of bones 
forming this grisly cairn was not made up of   human corpses alone; it contained the remains 
of many other extraordinary creatures as well!
3272.8 All of this was proof enough that the Dark Knight 
was far from simple. Otherwise, over thirty years   and thirty more, with humans coming and going, 
why was it that only the Dark Knight remained?
3281.76 As if to confirm his fears, just as Arthur’s 
thought ended, Karla—standing atop the   cairn—decisively severed her own arm at the 
shoulder. Blood spurted forth, twisting into
3291.44 a razor-sharp whip that lashed toward the Dark 
Knight’s bowed neck. But suddenly, eight tentacles
3296.64 sprang up behind the Dark Knight and, with a swift 
motion, coiled around Karla, binding her tightly.
3302.72 With a muffled grunt, Karla felt her strength 
inexplicably waning. The blood she had shaped   into a whip immediately dissolved, refusing 
to take form again. At the same time,
3312.96 the Mourning Bracelet on her wrist let out a 
strained, thunderous hum, as if some invisible   attack was gnawing at her mind.
A curse? Karla’s eyes hardened—she
3321.84 was about to play her trump card.
Just then, from below, Ember’s voice rang out:
3326.88 “Is this how you greet your guests?”
“To someone who doesn’t know better,   it might look as if we’re mortal enemies.”
Hearing Ember’s voice, the Dark Knight,
3335.28 who had kept her head bowed until now, 
finally looked up. From behind the visor,   two ghostly lights flared in her eyes. 
With a sharp flick of her tentacles, she
3344.32 tossed Karla to land precisely at Ember’s feet.
Karla, still clutching the Progenitor’s hand,
3349.36 tried to surge forward again, but Ember 
quietly slid a step to the side and,   with a hand hidden behind his back, gave 
a slight shake of his head. As hesitation
3358.08 flickered in Karla’s eyes, Lana suddenly appeared 
before her, floating close and whispering softly:
3364.0 “Karla, Ember says she is sentient—we 
can try negotiating first.”  “He believes you’ll be able to spot 
her weaknesses in the meantime.”
3371.52 “When the time comes, we can decide 
whether or not to go for the kill.”  Karla, who moments before had been wavering, 
instantly calmed down upon learning that Ember had
3380.24 placed all his hopes in her. She began to silently 
observe the Dark Knight atop the bone cairn.
3385.28 Her arm, which had pierced the Dark Knight’s 
chest, had now turned to stone. That was why,
3390.56 when Karla had gripped the Cursed Heart, 
she had so decisively severed her arm—to   halt the spread of the curse.Unlike Karla, who 
treated the Progenitor’s Hand as a plaything,
3400.56 this Dark Knight appeared to have complete 
mastery over the power of the Cursed Heart.   Not only did her body brim with curses, but even 
the eight writhing tentacles radiated distinct,
3410.16 sinister enchantments. Yet this was not what 
worried Karla the most. Rumor had it that this   ancient heart carried the power of immortality. 
Because of this, the Thirteenth Progenitor could
3419.84 only be dismembered, never truly destroyed. If 
the Dark Knight now wielded that same power, there
3425.28 would be no way for them to kill her for good.
As Karla pondered this, the Dark Knight, perched   high above, tossed a sphere of darkness down to 
Ember, gesturing for him to pick it up. Arthur,
3435.36 standing nearby, saw that Ember was about to 
repeat his mistake from the tavern’s black   market—reaching out barehanded for something 
mysterious—and quickly snatched the black
3443.68 orb before Ember could touch it. The moment 
Arthur made contact, he recoiled as if stung,
3449.2 flinging the orb away. Instantly, his arm 
began to fester and rot, the corruption   spreading rapidly upward. With grim resolve, 
Arthur imitated Karla, severing his own limb
3459.6 to halt the curse’s advance. He looked at Ember 
with a tragic expression, silent but eloquent.
3465.36 His meaning was clear: see what happens when 
you touch these bizarre things barehanded?   I’ve already taken the hit for you; stop 
reaching out to every strange object you see.
3474.32 Ember stared in shock at Arthur’s impulsive 
action, never expecting him to volunteer to   handle that eerie black sphere. Now, it seemed, 
the Dark Knight’s intentions were far from kind.
3484.08 But then, from her perch above, the Dark Knight 
made a casual gesture, and the black sphere landed
3489.36 once more at Ember’s feet. It was obvious—she 
wanted him, and him alone, to touch it.
3494.4 Having witnessed Arthur’s ordeal, Ember, who 
hadn’t been particularly worried before, now   hesitated. Even if their bodies could heal, the 
pain was all too real. Yet, if he wanted answers
3504.24 from this place, it seemed he had no choice but to 
interact with the black sphere. After coming this
3509.36 far, Ember wasn’t about to leave empty-handed. 
Quietly, he closed his fingers around his
3514.64 lucky coin, braced himself against Arthur’s 
desperate gaze, and picked up the fallen sphere.
3519.92 Nothing happened.
Arthur jolted in disbelief. Oh no,   I cut off my arm for nothing! This orb can 
actually tell who’s who! Could it be that
3528.08 the Dark Knight really intends to offer Ember a 
gift in return? That’s… unexpectedly honorable.
3533.84 Staring at his severed arm on the ground, Arthur 
instinctively squeezed his legs together. Now,
3538.96 in the truest sense, he was half a werewolf.
Nearby, Karla watched the black sphere in   Ember’s hand, her mind turning. 
She asked Lana quietly, “What’s
3547.92 the relationship between your brother and her?”
Lana tilted her head in thought. “They’re just   strangers who happened to cross paths.”
Karla nodded. Lana wasn’t one to lie,
3556.96 so it seemed Ember and the Dark 
Knight had met only once before.Then,   for reasons known only to himself, the Dark 
Knight handed Ember the key to unlock this place.
3565.6 Speaking of which, Carla—whose attention had 
been fixed on the Dark Knight all along—only   now realized that since arriving 
here, the vampiric blood within
3572.64 her seemed far more restless than usual.
This heightened activity typically occurred   in places where the world’s 
barrier was at its weakest.
3579.52 Why was this so? Was it the Curseheart, endlessly 
calling out, stirring the Thirteenth Progenitor
3584.88 who slumbered deep within the River of 
Blood? Had the ages of longing gradually   worn thin the barrier of this world?
Could this be the very reason the Dark
3592.88 Knight guarded this place so fiercely? Carla 
had a vague sense that she was on the verge of   uncovering something truly momentous.
It was no wonder those Bruch fellows
3601.12 had chosen this site as one of their 
ritual grounds for a blood sacrifice.  If they could truly bathe in the River 
of Blood, perhaps their lineage would
3608.24 be further refined, allowing them to 
reach heights previously unimaginable.  For most vampires, who were already immortal, 
such a temptation was impossible to resist.
3617.44 Only the twelve Progenitors, those 
who stood at the very source,   would remain indifferent to such allure.
As Carla drifted into contemplation,
3624.8 Ember, who now held the black sphere, heard 
a woman’s voice that only he could perceive.  “You want compensation—this is 
the recompense I offer you.”
3633.36 “Swallow it, and I can grant you near-limitless 
power. You’ll be able to achieve things you   never even dreamed possible.”
Ember looked up at the unmoving
3641.28 Dark Knight, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“So is this how Sharmos became a warlock as well?”
3647.36 “Are you the source of Sharmos’ power?”
“But I have a question. Such a generous   reward far outweighs what I’ve lost. 
What is it that you truly desire?”
3655.84 A ghostly glimmer shone from beneath the 
Dark Knight’s helm, staring fixedly at Ember,   as if determined to see straight through him.
Most people, learning they could possess infinite
3665.04 power, would already be overwhelmed 
with gratitude. Who would ever stop   to ask what the price might be? After all, 
greed is a sin born in every human heart.
3673.44 At least, when Sharmos himself first 
accepted this “gift” of power, he hadn’t   asked a single question.
After a brief silence,
3680.4 the Dark Knight’s voice shifted—a deep, 
magnetic tone echoing in Ember’s mind.
3685.44 “I need help. I need you to use this power 
to help me, once you’ve obtained it.”  The words seemed to hint at Ember 
repeating what Sharmos had once done.
3693.52 Yet, when Ember had listened to Sharmos 
recount the past at the mountainside apartment,   he’d always felt that what Sharmos sacrificed 
and what he received were grossly unequal.
3701.6 If it were truly as simple as drawing a 
few runes outside town in exchange for a   near-endless source of power, then every sorcerer 
would be eager to abandon their long-dead,
3709.52 stingy ancestors and pledge themselves anew.
If that were the case, the Dark Knight would   have as many lackeys as he desired—why 
then did he choose someone like Sharmos,
3717.36 with his hopelessly romantic heart?Moreover, the 
fact that the Dark Knight can effortlessly switch   between different voices is enough to prove 
that, over the long years, the Dark Knight’s
3726.4 new incarnation hasn’t always been female.
Wait a minute… So, when the Dark Knight   speaks with a male voice, is it because 
he thinks he’s not interested in women?
3734.48 Ember couldn’t help but furrow his brows—not 
because the Dark Knight misunderstood his   orientation, but because it seemed as if 
the Dark Knight was deliberately tempting
3742.08 him to fall in love.
Shirley had once   said she wanted to escape the curse.
Then what about this consciousness, which only
3748.16 ever lives for thirty years at a time? Doesn’t it, 
too, long to break free from this eternal curse?
3754.32 Realizing something, Ember 
involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.  It had made Sharmos fall in love and granted him 
magical power—clearly, it was transforming him!
3763.76 The more Sharmos borrowed its power, 
the closer he became to the Dark Knight.  And with that foolish love, even if Sharmos 
were asked to willingly bear the curse,
3772.24 he would probably agree without hesitation!
As for Ember, right now, he was nothing more   than a backup the Dark Knight was grooming.
The Dark Knight, who had been watching Ember’s
3780.88 every expression, immediately sensed 
that Ember had caught on to something.  With a faint sigh, she switched to 
the voice of a young girl and spoke:
3788.56 “You’re overthinking this. Whether it’s 
the Heart of the Curse or the Cursed Stone,   they are my inescapable fate.”
“It’s been three centuries.
3795.92 I accepted this reality long ago. 
Now, I only wish to keep on living.”  “At the very least, if I live on, I can 
still have thirty years of joy and sorrow,
3804.24 of laughter and tears. Don’t you agree?”  Naturally, Ember didn’t believe 
the Dark Knight’s explanation.
3810.24 He wasn’t a naïve child—why would 
he take her words at face value?  Still, now was not the time to fall out with her.
On the surface, Fruittree Town was peaceful, but
3819.36 beneath that calm, both the Cult of Immortality 
and the Bruch vampires were eyeing it greedily.
3824.48 Following the logic that the enemy of my enemy 
is my friend, Ember decided to pretend to   accept her explanation for now.
Otherwise, he feared Arthur’s
3832.16 fate would soon be his own.
“You have a point. It’s just   that I’ve always believed you should 
only take as much as you can handle.”
3838.48 “You’ve given me far too 
much, and it makes me uneasy.”  “How about you give me a little less, then I can 
carry it with peace of mind. What do you say?”
3846.88 Hearing these words, the Dark Knight 
once again fell into a long silence.  Ember’s refusal to accept her power meant 
she could not fully trust him either.
3854.56 If she didn’t have any leverage over 
him, how could she ever completely   believe in this man before her?
And yet, she couldn’t help but
3861.36 notice—greed was practically overflowing 
from this young man, but when faced with   temptation, he managed to stay calm.
That could mean only one thing:
3869.84 this man was after something far greater!
Ambition—a wild ambition she could not control!
3875.36 How could she possibly rest easy?
A cold, eerie light flickered in the   Dark Knight’s eyes, and murderous intent 
began to stir within her.At that moment,
3883.52 a graceful figure suddenly appeared from the 
darkness of the space. Everyone turned to look,   and it was none other than Shirley, the owner 
of the Afterlife Bar. Seeing her arrival,
3893.04 the Dark Knight momentarily set aside its 
murderous intent toward Ashes and silently fixed   its gaze on Shirley. At the same time, its voice 
resonated in the minds of both Ashes and Shirley.
3903.6 “It’s not time yet. You shouldn’t be here.”
Shirley let out a mocking laugh. “Well,
3908.64 I’m here anyway. So what?”
“Are you going to have them   kill me? Or do it yourself?”
“If you can’t, then stop
3914.8 wasting time. Those people have already 
started moving—haven’t you noticed?”  The Dark Knight, whose full attention had 
been on Ashes, fell silent again. However,
3924.08 the shadows filling the space began 
to thin and fade. Meanwhile, whispers   began to echo from the shadows scattered 
throughout the town’s streets and alleys.
3932.24 Hearing these reports from the shadows, the Dark 
Knight sprang to its feet. In the blink of an eye,
3937.36 it vanished from atop the mound of skulls, 
teleporting away. With its departure,   the oppressive atmosphere in 
the room dispersed completely.
3945.52 Only then did Shirley turn to Ashes, her 
lips curling into a mocking smile. “Do   you realize it almost killed you just now?”
“If you hadn’t turned down its olive branch,
3954.72 I really would have enjoyed 
watching you die at its hands.”  Ashes raised his brows, genuinely puzzled as to 
why the Dark Knight had been so intent on killing
3962.64 him. Still, he figured it must be connected 
to his refusal of the Dark Knight’s offer.  He tossed the black sphere in his hand aside, 
and it instantly dissolved into countless
3971.44 shadows that melted into the surroundings.
“So, should I be thanking you for saving my life?”
3976.96 Shirley let out a cold chuckle. “Don’t bother. 
It’s only a matter of time before you die,
3982.16 now that you’ve caught its eye—unless…”
Hearing the sudden turn in her words,   Ashes wasted no time. He turned on his 
heel and strode away, not looking back.
3991.84 Shirley’s expression shifted, and she called 
out urgently, “Aren’t you afraid to die?”  Ashes paused, letting out a soft laugh. “Of 
course I am. But what I fear even more are people
4002.08 who only say half of what they mean. Dying from 
frustration—that’s a truly miserable way to go.”
4007.68 “So goodbye. Let’s never meet again.”
Just as Ashes was about to leave for good,   Shirley’s eyes grew dark and conflicted, 
but at last, she made up her mind.
4016.88 “Wait! If you help me, I can help 
you claim the Heart of the Curse!”  At these words, Ashes remained unmoved, but 
Karla darted forward and stood before Shirley,
4025.92 speaking in all seriousness, “Do you mean it?”
Shirley didn’t answer, her gaze still locked
4030.96 on Ashes. If the Dark Knight had 
chosen Ashes, there must be a reason.   Only someone so close to the source of darkness 
could help her accomplish what she wanted.
4039.36 Karla frowned and raised her voice. “Ashes!”
“Hey!” Hearing Karla call his name,
4044.8 Ashes knew he couldn’t keep up the act any 
longer. Truth be told, he was indeed curious   about what Shirley had left unsaid. Walking 
away had only been a ploy to draw her out.
4054.64 “Come here!”
“Alright!”Karlra   was thoroughly pleased with Ember’s performance, 
giving her full credit in front of everyone. Once
4061.52 this affair was resolved, she would have to reward 
Ember handsomely. Karlra turned her gaze toward
4066.8 Shirley and said, “You can speak now, can’t you?”
Shirley glanced at Arthur, who stood there all
4071.92 alone. Karlra had initially wanted to send him 
away, but then she remembered how Arthur had   unhesitatingly volunteered to “test for poison” 
on Ember’s behalf. It became clear to Karlra why
4082.56 Ember insisted on bringing Arthur along—when it 
mattered most, Arthur was the kind of companion   who would take a bullet for his friends. So, after 
a moment’s hesitation, Karlra nodded and said,
4092.56 “He’s one of us. You can speak freely.”
Taking a deep breath, Shirley began,
4097.6 “As everyone knows, the origin of the Dark 
Knight lies in the Cursed Stone. In the end,   that stone became the Heart of the Curse, the 
very source of the Dark Knight’s immortality…”
4107.28 At the phrase “as everyone knows,” both 
Karlra and Arthur exchanged bewildered   looks. Was this really common knowledge? It 
seemed everyone knew but the two of them.
4116.24 “…As the price of immortality, every thirty 
years the Dark Knight must perform a blood   sacrifice to repay the Heart of the Curse. In 
return, the Heart of the Curse will reconstruct
4125.28 a new body for her, allowing this new 
self to experience life among mortals…”  “All she needs to do is kill this 
new body once every thirty years,
4133.28 and she can replace thirty years of lonely 
darkness with thirty years of human memories…”  Blood sacrifice! Picking up on this crucial 
detail, Karlra’s face showed sudden understanding.
4142.88 No wonder there were so many corpses here, 
and the world’s barrier seemed so fragile. It   turned out someone had been repeatedly using blood 
sacrifices to connect with the River of Blood. In
4152.56 other words, the immortality granted by the Heart 
of the Curse was nothing but a lie. Once the River
4157.76 of Blood truly descended, the consciousness of 
the thirteen Ancestors, long dormant within it,
4163.92 would return. Naturally, the body of the 
Dark Knight would then become theirs.  But it seemed that neither Shirley nor 
the Dark Knight herself knew anything
4171.12 about the true nature of the River of Blood 
or the origins of the Heart of the Curse.  “…Such immortality was never the Dark Knight’s 
true wish, but by the time she realized she’d
4179.52 been deceived, it was already too late. She had 
no choice but to accept this forced immortality.”
4185.12 “Yet over the endless years, there have always 
been new incarnations unwilling to resign   themselves to just thirty short years of life.”
“So, through each cycle, they wrote down
4194.56 their suspicions and experiments in 
notebooks, and before meeting their end,   sealed these memories with this mirror.”
Shirley produced an ancient bronze mirror
4202.24 as she spoke, then continued, “With the last 
Fran’s careful planning, we have come closer   than ever to the truth.”
“Judith, come here.”
4209.92 “This is my daughter—and she shall be the next 
Dark Knight!”In the darkness, a young girl
4215.04 with terror written all over her face stepped out 
cautiously. She glanced at Carla, who had only one
4220.8 arm, and Arthur, then instinctively retreated 
a step back into the shadows. But under her
4225.84 mother’s severe gaze, she could only brace herself 
and come out again, standing behind her mother.
4231.28 With the help of her friends, she had 
already managed to escape from Guomu Town   and fled to Luo City, a place her mother 
could never reach. But her best friend,
4239.36 a waitress who had long worked at the Afterlife 
Bar, told her that someone had ordered a drink   the bar had never served before—a « Detective’s 
Kiss. » Detective! The Demon-Hunting Detective!
4249.6 Judith, who had already pieced together clues 
about her father’s identity, had always longed   to see the man who loved her, to ask why he had 
left her with a mother who didn’t love her at all.
4259.2 But it was all a trap—a snare her 
mother had set to regain control   over her. When she arrived at the hotel where 
her father, Sharmos, was said to be staying,
4267.28 the only person waiting for her was her mother. 
Seeing her friend’s repeated apologies, Judith,
4272.56 in that moment, understood what it meant to be 
utterly heartbroken. She couldn’t fathom why her   mother’s need to control her was so overwhelming.
Yet after hearing those words just now,
4282.08 and recalling the stories of the Dark Knight she’d 
heard from the townsfolk since childhood, she   began to glimpse the faint outlines of the truth. 
Her mother wanted her to become the legendary
4291.36 monster. That way, her mother could survive—almost 
as if Judith’s very birth had been for this
4296.48 purpose. From the very beginning, had her mother, 
Shirley, planned to trade one life for another?
4302.32 Despair hollowed out Judith’s gaze, as if she 
had accepted her fate. Shirley, meanwhile,
4307.36 cared nothing for what Judith might be thinking. 
Once she had decided to use her daughter as a   tool for her own freedom, she knew she could 
not allow herself a single drop of motherly
4316.56 affection. Any moment of hesitation could shatter 
her resolve. This point was especially emphasized
4322.32 in the notebook written in several different 
hands. It had proven effective—without any   emotional investment, she could regard Judith 
as nothing more than a magical artifact,
4331.52 no different from a bronze mirror.
Shirley turned her gaze to Ember and   said seriously, “Now, as long as you become her 
anchor, even if she turns into the Dark Knight,
4340.4 she will always stay by your side. You will 
possess the heart of the curse itself.”  “And as her anchor, she will never 
harm you. You will have an immortal,
4348.88 loyal servant for as long as you live.”
Shirley’s words echoed through the darkness. Even   Carla, with her centuries of life, was shocked 
by Shirley’s ruthlessness. She had never seen a
4359.04 mother so heartless, treating her own daughter 
as a mere tool—how terrifying. As for Arthur,
4364.4 it brought back memories of the father who had 
once tried to kill him.At least his father had   acted for the greater good of the tribe, whereas 
Shirley was only seeking her own freedom. What
4372.56 mother in the world would do such a thing! Arthur 
stared intently at the girl with her head bowed,
4377.76 and he swore that if Judith so much as asked, 
he would snap Shirley’s neck without hesitation.   Yet no matter how much Arthur hoped, Judith 
remained silent, as if she hadn’t understood
4387.6 the encouragement in his eyes. Disappointed, 
Arthur could only turn to Ember, hoping he
4392.8 would refuse Shirley’s request. If only Ember 
refused, then perhaps Judith might be spared.
4398.32 Ember, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze, was 
also torn by conflicting emotions. It was from
4404.0 Shirley that he had learned Judith was planning 
to return to Guomu Town. He had assumed Judith
4409.28 was rushing back after thirty years to see her 
mother one last time. But the truth proved utterly
4414.56 different from what he had imagined. Judith’s 
long years in Loche City and her sudden return   to Guomu Town must have all been orchestrated by 
Shirley. To escape the fate of having her memories
4424.24 absorbed, Shirley had clearly lost her mind.
Chalmers, too, had truly suffered—deceived one
4429.44 after another by two women—or rather, by the 
same woman. First, he was duped into becoming   her personal warlock, and then, because of 
this cursed heart and his warlock status,
4438.8 he was chosen as a surrogate, fathering a daughter 
doomed to tragedy from the moment she was born.  With a soft sigh, Ember did not answer 
Shirley. Instead, he turned to look at Judith.
4448.4 [Judith]
[Wish: Escape her mother’s clutches   and live with her father.]
…  “Judith, would you like to 
come with me?” he asked.
4455.84 Judith’s expression changed. In fact, among 
the four people present, Ember had made the   best first impression on her. Even now, he was 
seeking her opinion, rather than forcing her
4465.2 as her mother Shirley did. His manner was truly 
gentlemanly. But she wasn’t foolish—after all,
4470.72 Ember’s presence here, and her mother’s obvious 
regard for him, cast doubt on whether Ember was   truly a good person. So Judith, torn by 
indecision, did not immediately reply.
4480.88 Shirley, on the other hand, grew visibly angry, 
raising her hand to discipline her disobedient
4486.24 daughter. Just then, the shadows in the room 
writhed and gathered, forming a black door.
4491.52 The sudden turn of events put everyone on 
edge. As the dark door opened, a figure Ember
4496.88 recognized stepped through—it was Chalmers, his 
connection to the source of magic now stronger,
4501.92 enabling him to leave the halfway house.
Chalmers, bound to this place by deep ties,
4507.04 had not hesitated to use an immensely 
taxing teleportation spell now that he had   enough magical power, allowing him to arrive so 
quickly and precisely. At the sight of Chalmers,
4516.72 a spark of hope finally lit up in Judith’s eyes as 
she stood behind Shirley.The father she had only
4522.32 seen a handful of times and could now recall only 
through faded photographs—Chalmos—had appeared   before her as if stepping straight out of a dream. 
The surprise left Judith utterly overjoyed. Her
4532.72 mother did not love her, but her father did. 
She still remembered how he used to hold her   so gently in his arms.
“Daddy!”
4539.6 Chalmos, having just stepped from the light into 
the shadows, had not yet adjusted to the dimness   when he suddenly heard the word “Daddy” 
ring out. Something unexplainable stirred
4548.72 within him. After all these years, his daughter 
still remembered him! Overcome with emotion,
4554.64 Chalmos looked in the direction of the voice. As 
his eyes adjusted, he not only saw his somewhat   unfamiliar daughter, but also caught sight 
of someone he had longed for day and night.
4564.08 Fran! Fran was here too!
A wide, heartfelt smile   spread across Chalmos’s face—he felt as if he 
were standing at the very height of his life.
4572.64 He had thought that after so many years, his 
wife must have remarried and his daughter   would have accepted another as her father. Never 
had he expected that his entire family could be
4581.84 reunited, all together in one place.
Ignoring everything else around him,   Chalmos rushed forward in excitement and swept 
both mother and daughter up in a tight embrace.
4591.28 “Fran, Judith—I’ve missed you both so much!”
Sandwiched together with her mother Shelley   in her father’s arms, Judith seemed especially 
uneasy. Chalmos quickly sensed that something
4601.12 was wrong with her. After a brief hug, he 
separated the two and asked in surprise,  “Judith, what’s the matter? Why aren’t you happy?”
“Has someone bullied you?”
4610.32 “Tell Daddy—Daddy will set things right!”
Judith glanced up at Shelley, hesitating,
4615.92 words caught in her throat. Chalmos, assuming 
there was a quarrel between mother and daughter,
4621.12 frowned and tried to comfort her.
“Did you have a fight with your mother?”  “I’m not blaming you, but you must know—your 
mother only wants what’s best for you.”
4629.12 “Daddy couldn’t be by your side because of work,   and your mother has raised you all on her 
own. Try to be more understanding of her.”
4636.0 Hearing this, Judith felt a wave of grievance 
wash over her and tears welled up in her eyes.
4641.12 “Dad, Sh—Mom, she… she wants 
me to become a monster!”  A monster? Chalmos couldn’t make sense of those 
words. He looked in confusion at Shelley. Only
4650.96 now did he realize how cold and distant she’d 
been toward him the entire time. At first,   he thought it was because she blamed him for 
being away so long, but now it seemed the truth
4659.84 was something different altogether.
“Fran, what is going on here?”  In fact, Shelley—who had only inherited Fran’s 
memories through her journal—felt nothing for
4668.24 Chalmos at all. All her supposed tenderness was 
nothing but an act. From the very beginning,
4673.92 she had viewed Chalmos, the warlock who 
had accepted the power of the Cursed Heart,   as nothing more than a tool to provide her with 
a child.Yet Sharmos was completely unaware that
4683.2 Fran had already fused with the Dark Knight 
long ago. He still naively believed that Fran’s   change of heart was due to guilt over her earlier 
killings. Now, faced with Sharmos’s questioning,
4693.36 Shirley appeared perfectly calm. She offered 
no excuses, no masks—only the stark truth,
4699.04 one too heavy for Sharmos to bear.
“I want her to become the new Dark Knight.”  The moment these words left her lips, Sharmos 
stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning.
4708.96 He never dreamed that ‘Fran’ would give such 
an answer. To become the Dark Knight meant   to endure immense suffering. Not everyone is 
born to be an executioner! And the Dark Knight,
4719.28 every thirty years, is destined to unleash a 
massacre. Was their daughter to bear such torment?
4724.8 Sharmos could not accept this. Shirley 
knew full well how impossible it was   for him to choose, so she continued:
“If she doesn’t become the new Dark
4732.8 Knight this year, then I will disappear forever.”
“You must choose—your wife, or your daughter.”
4738.4 A cruel choice—one or the other! Agony twisted 
Sharmos’s face. There was no question that he
4743.6 loved his daughter. And as for Fran, his love 
for her was beyond doubt. But when forced to
4748.8 choose between the two, what was he supposed 
to do? Whatever choice he made would be wrong!  “No, no, there must be another way!”
Shirley shook her head gently. “There’s no other
4758.08 way. Whatever you decide, I will support you.”
Defeated, Sharmos collapsed to his knees.
4763.92 After a long, heavy silence, he hugged 
his daughter’s legs and wept. “Judith,   I’m so sorry. Please, help your mother.”
Hearing these words, the hope that had just
4773.36 flickered in Judith’s eyes was instantly snuffed 
out. Her heart turned colder than the polar ice.
4778.88 Of course—he could only have one wife, but a 
child could always be born again. How foolish   she had been to pin her hopes on this man.
Judith opened her mouth, but no words would
4788.08 come. It was as if this was the fate she could 
never escape, no matter how hard she tried.   If she truly became the Dark Knight, then 
she swore she would kill her parents—both
4797.84 of them! The flames of her fury blazed 
into hatred, and she fell into darkness.
4802.88 In her despair, Judith seemed to hear the 
heartbeat of this very space. Not far away,
4808.16 Ember watched her wishes shift and 
change, and sighed once more. A family,   so whole and loving, now turned against each 
other. At least his own father, Yu Guangming,
4818.08 had never once considered abandoning his son. 
In that, Ember was truly fortunate. If he could,
4823.12 he wished he could help Judith. Yet, in Judith’s 
eyes, anyone who could bargain with Shirley was   clearly no better than a villain.
That was the real trouble.
4831.2 As Ember pondered, Shirley’s voice rang out again.
“What are you waiting for?”“Should we wait
4836.24 for her to come back, or wait for 
those people to arrive instead?”  “Do you even know what’s happening outside?”
As soon as the words fell, Shirley helped the
4844.4 kneeling Chalmers to his feet. She felt 
it was necessary to accelerate Embers’   transformation into that anchor of darkness. So 
she gestured for Chalmers to perform his sorcery.
4853.76 Chalmers, unable to face Judith, kept 
his head bowed as he began to chant a   spell under his breath. Before everyone’s 
eyes, the swirling shadows gradually took
4862.48 the shape of buildings. Looking closely, it 
was a miniature version of Fruitwood Town!  At that moment, black smoke—symbolizing fire—was 
billowing from every rooftop in Fruitwood Town,
4873.36 while people on the streets were fleeing in 
all directions. Through those lifelike faces,   the group could clearly see that the 
population was split into five factions.
4881.6 The largest group was made up of ordinary 
townsfolk, desperately trying to escape.   The panic, fear, and dread on their 
faces made them easy to distinguish.
4890.88 Behind the ordinary people were the 
vampires, mercilessly slaughtering them—their   obvious fangs betraying their true nature.
Battling the vampires were demon hunters who
4899.28 had already arrived, but it was clear the hunters 
were no match for the bloodsuckers. An indistinct   shadow flitted through the chaos, claiming the 
lives of several hunters every time it appeared.
4908.88 It wasn’t until a spotted antelope appeared beside 
the shadow that its killing spree finally paused.
4914.0 Upon seeing the shadow’s true form, 
Karla couldn’t suppress a gasp.  “The Bloodwing Queen? Why is she here? Isn’t 
she supposed to be guarding Liberty City?”
4922.8 Queen? That exclamation made everyone 
realize just how dire the situation was.   The Dark Knight had already been deployed, 
but who was keeping her occupied now?
4931.52 As they watched on, several figures with strange, 
wizard-like face paint formed a circle. They beat   drums at their waists in a rhythmic pattern, lips 
constantly moving as if chanting incantations.
4941.6 In the center of their circle 
stood the imprisoned Dark Knight!  As expected, these were the resurrected 
followers of the Cult of Immortality!
4949.28 After their failure thirty years ago, they had 
indeed mastered a way to restrain the Dark Knight!  But these people were unlike traditional wizards.
“They’re voodoo priests, or you could just call
4958.64 them practitioners of Voodoo,” Arthur said.
Arthur had clearly dealt with these priests   before, and now his face was 
filled with deep wariness.
4966.4 “The thing they’re best at is creating revenants.”
“The Dark Knight happens to fit that category.”
4971.68 “She’s finally met her nemesis. I 
doubt she’ll escape anytime soon.”  Shirley let out a cold laugh.
“Escape? You really think she
4979.52 can escape this time?”
“If no one helps her,   she’ll die for sure—and so will I!”
“So, what is your decision?”
4985.92 Pressed again by Shirley, Embers 
simply looked at Judith, whose eyes   were filled with hatred, and softly asked:
“Judith, do you want to become the Dark
4994.24 Knight?”“You can say no. I’ll refuse this deal.”
Hearing Ash’s choice, the one who felt the
4999.84 greatest relief was Arthur, who had been clenching 
his fists the whole time. Ash truly was different   from those vampires who saw humans as nothing 
more than food. The arrogant bloodsuckers
5008.88 would never return the right to choose to a 
human. Whether it was to accept or refuse,   they would always make their own decisions first, 
then simply inform the human of the outcome!
5017.76 Across from them, Shirley frowned deeply at Ash’s 
words and demanded, “Are you out of your mind?”
5023.12 Ash ignored Shirley, keeping his steady gaze fixed 
on Judith. All he cared about was Judith’s answer.
5029.12 Lifting her head, Judith finally became 
certain—Ash was a good person. Although   she had no idea what the Heart of the Curse 
actually was, the fact that her mother, Shirley,
5038.24 was willing to trade it meant it must be a 
treasure of immense value. But in Ash’s eyes, her   choice seemed to weigh more than that treasure.
Yet Judith was all too aware of one thing. Even
5047.68 if Ash refused her mother, so what? Wouldn’t 
her mother simply go searching for the next   Ash? And the next one might not be 
as kind or reasonable as this Ash.
5056.24 As for the idea of Ash simply taking her away, 
Judith never allowed herself to hope for that. If
5061.36 Ash truly offered to take her out of this “hell,” 
there could only be two possibilities. Either Ash
5066.48 was an utterly kind-hearted soul, but people 
like that rarely lived long—there is so much
5071.52 suffering in the world, and if you try to save 
everyone, one day you’ll stumble upon a challenge   you can’t overcome. Following someone like that, 
she would only be walking toward her own doom.
5080.8 The other possibility was even more frightening: 
Ash must have some greater scheme for her,   a plan so important that he’d risk conflict with 
her parents to get her. If that were the case,
5090.4 following Ash might lead to a fate 
even worse than becoming a Dark Knight.  So, the very fact that Ash offered her the 
chance to refuse the deal was already the most
5098.24 fitting act of kindness he could give.
Determination flashed in Judith’s eyes   as she gritted her teeth and 
confirmed, “I want to do it!”
5105.12 [Contract Established]
Seeing Judith make her choice,   Ash no longer intervened. He took a deep breath 
and looked at Shirley. “What do I need to do?”
5113.76 Shirley, relieved, first glanced briefly at 
the ongoing battle in the miniature town,   then said, “When she is reborn, that 
is when she will be at her weakest.”
5122.56 “You must take the Heart of the Curse at that 
moment and place it inside Judith’s chest.”  “Then, feed Judith with your blood—you will 
become the new anchor for the Heart of the Curse.”
5131.92 Here Shirley paused for a moment, but didn’t give 
anyone a chance to interrupt before she continued,   “As for everything else, leave it to me.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Shirley
5140.96 seized Judith’s hand and turned her wrist over 
by force.Then, with the dagger in her other hand,   she decisively sliced open the main artery on 
Judith’s wrist, letting her blood drip onto
5150.96 the endless sea of bones beneath. As the 
crimson drops fell, it was as though they   landed on a sponge—some unknown force drank 
them in, making them vanish without a trace.
5160.64 Witnessing Judith’s actions, Ember and Karla had 
a good sense of the Dark Knight’s origin, and   Arthur, too, began to suspect the truth. The very 
first Dark Knight, in her final moments, allowed
5171.12 her blood to seep into the soil of Fruitwood 
Town, and by chance, this awakened the Heart
5176.4 of the Curse that had long lain buried there. The 
Heart of the Curse struck a bargain with the Dark   Knight: it would grant her immortality, and in 
return, she would offer it a sacrifice of blood.
5186.0 Reborn, the Dark Knight exacted a bloody 
vengeance on her enemies, and their blood, too,
5191.6 soaked into the land, making this place the anchor 
for the Heart of the Curse. Now, Shirley had
5197.2 simply replaced the main character in this cycle 
with her own flesh and blood—her daughter, Judith.  The role played by Ember, in truth, was that of 
the ‘enemy’ who had been slain. But as a bloodkin
5207.04 attuned to darkness, Ember would not perish 
from blood loss; on the contrary, his body would
5212.72 ceaselessly generate fresh blood. This new blood 
would bind the Heart of the Curse to him instead.
5217.84 If Judith wished to avoid being eternally 
trapped in one place, she could not wipe out   Ember completely; her only choice was to follow 
him. In this way, the goal of controlling the
5227.12 Heart of the Curse would be achieved. In fact, 
Ember could even use this to threaten Judith,   forcing her to act on his behalf.
These were the methods devised by Shirley
5235.92 and the many incarnations she had lived before. 
As long as the Dark Knight was no longer Shirley,
5241.04 then Shirley would be free—free at last from the 
cycle of thirty years’ confinement. She would   simply be Shirley, the one and only Shirley!
Staring at the deathly pale Judith,
5250.16 whose breath was now barely perceptible, the 
excitement in Shirley’s eyes only grew stronger.
5255.2 Freedom was just half a step away. Everything 
was unfolding exactly as she had envisioned.
5260.4 All that remained was for the zealots of 
the Church of Immortality to swoop in,   so sure of themselves, and destroy the Dark 
Knight. Then, her plan would be complete!
5269.2 Listening to Judith’s moans, growing fainter 
by the moment, Sharmos could do nothing but   turn away in anguish, unable to bear the sight of 
Judith’s eyes, burning with hatred. Over and over,
5279.2 he tried to convince himself: only by doing 
this could Fran be spared a life of confinement,
5284.56 only then could she see the world beyond these 
walls. And he promised himself he would find a   way to break the curse once and for all out there.
When that day came, surely his daughter Judith
5293.68 would forgive him. For now, he could only hope 
that Judith would endure this pain for a little   while longer. He would never abandon her.
Lost in these thoughts, Sharmos looked
5302.48 away—only to meet Ember’s gaze. Burdened 
with guilt, Sharmos had no wish to endure   the scrutiny of others.Just as he was about to 
avert his gaze, Ashen’s voice suddenly rang out:
5313.04 “Sharmos, you haven’t forgotten 
our earlier agreement, have you?”  Sharmos was taken aback, only then 
recalling what he had promised Ashen
5320.4 back at the hillside apartments: if Ashen was 
willing to help Fran, then he would reveal the
5325.44 whereabouts of another blood spirit. Now that 
Ashen had fulfilled his end of the bargain,   it was time for Sharmos to honor his own promise.
A faint sense of relief flickered in Sharmos’
5335.2 heart. Thankfully, Ashen wasn’t here to 
condemn his actions—he was simply here to   claim his reward. As expected, in the eyes of 
a demon’s agent, everything was a transaction;
5345.68 human feelings meant nothing. That display of pity 
for his daughter Judith just moments ago was most   likely meant as groundwork for some future deal.
With this thought, Sharmos’s worry for his
5355.36 daughter Judith’s future only deepened. But 
it didn’t matter—whatever suffering Judith   endured from here on out, he would see to 
it that those responsible paid the price!
5363.68 It was a debt he owed to Judith.
Having steeled himself with this   silent vow, Sharmos finally spoke:
“First, let me make it clear:
5371.84 all my information dates back more than 
twenty years, so there may be some delay.”  “If there’s any discrepancy in the details, 
it’s not because I meant to deceive you,
5380.16 but because of the passage of time.”
“The blood spirit you’re looking for was actually   captured by the Department of Psychic Affairs 
and placed in a hospital named District Thirteen,
5388.56 where it’s been used for various experiments.”
“Given the strength of a blood spirit’s soul,   two decades at most might have 
weakened it, but not destroyed it.”
5396.72 “So, if you find District Thirteen, 
you’ll find the blood spirit.”  A hospital? District Thirteen? Everyone in Loche 
City knew that the number thirteen was considered
5405.68 a bad omen. According to legend, at the Last 
Supper there were thirteen disciples, and the   thirteenth—Judas—was the infamous betrayer, damned 
to hell. Thirteen, therefore, was often linked to
5415.92 hell and its catalogue of original sins.
For the Department of Psychic Affairs to   name a hospital after that number—there 
was no way this hospital was ordinary.
5423.76 At the same time, Ashen recalled the 
escort mission Sasha had mentioned   earlier. Could that notoriously hard-to-enter 
hospital be this very District Thirteen?
5432.0 Ashen shook his head, pushing the thought 
aside for now. Matters concerning District   Thirteen could wait; the Heart of the 
Curse demanded his immediate attention.
5440.4 A brief exchange with Carla had already 
clarified the cause of the abnormal activity   in his vampiric lineage: the town of Guomu 
was astonishingly close to the very source
5448.08 of vampiric power—the River of Blood.
According to Carla, when a vampire dies,   their essence almost always returns to the River 
of Blood. And if a living vampire could bathe in
5458.16 its waters, there was a chance for their bloodline 
to ascend, growing even stronger. Of course,   the consciousness of ancient vampires slumbering 
within the river might also seize the opportunity
5468.08 to awaken.So Carla suspected that taking control 
of the Heart of the Curse this time might not go   as smoothly as hoped. For now, however, everyone 
could do nothing but wait and see what would
5478.0 happen next.
…  Los Angeles, at a mobile phone repair shop.
Mirat stood outside the glass counter,
5483.84 his face clouded with irritation as he watched 
the young Indian technician deftly dismantle the   phone’s screen and then reassemble it. This screen 
replacement technique, though simple in principle,
5493.12 seemed incredibly complex to Mirat, who was 
something of a relic himself. He had hoped   to pick up the skill by watching, only 
to find that replacing a phone screen
5500.8 was a technical feat entirely beyond his grasp.
After all, wizarding repair spells were powerful,
5506.08 but they required the wizard to understand the 
inner workings of an object first. And in Mirat’s   era, high-tech gadgets like phone screens simply 
didn’t exist. Unable to cast any restoration
5515.84 spells, Mirat had no choice but to wait in 
front of the counter, patience wearing thin.
5521.04 Soon enough, the Indian technician held up 
the newly repaired phone for Mirat to inspect,   then tapped the payment code 
on the glass with his knuckle.
5528.24 “Seven hundred dollars.”
At the price, Mirat couldn’t   help but cry out, “Seven hundred dollars?! 
I could have bought a new one for that!”
5535.44 The Indian technician gave a cold chuckle. “Would 
a new phone have all the data from your old one?”
5540.64 “So, which would you prefer? The old phone with 
no data for two hundred dollars, or your old phone   with all your data for seven hundred?”
That was a threat—an unvarnished,
5549.68 blatant threat! Mirat’s heart skipped a 
beat as he finally understood how shrewd   merchants in this new age made their money.
Desperate to read that push notification,
5558.0 Mirat had no choice but to fork over seven 
hundred dollars in cash. Watching the   technician pocket his money, Mirat’s lips 
curled into a frosty smile. Threatening a
5567.44 powerful wizard—this would be the last bad 
decision that Indian technician ever made!  Of course, Mirat insisted on paying 
cash for a reason: he had just cast
5575.76 a disposable curse on the bills themselves.
As Mirat turned and walked out of the shop,   he soon heard the sounds of a 
violent struggle erupting inside,
5583.36 the clatter of money being snatched. The chaos 
ended abruptly with three sharp gunshots.  Through the eyes of a blood crow, Mirat watched 
the Indian technician collapse to the floor—one
5592.56 shot to the head, two to the chest. No 
healer in the world could save him now.  Mirat picked a random café nearby 
and sat down, connected to the Wi-Fi,
5600.96 pulled down the notification bar, and tapped 
again on the video he was so eager to watch.
5606.0 This time, the page finally started to load, the 
spinning circle making Mirat even more impatient.
5611.12 What kind of lousy connection is 
this? How dare they call this a café?  Just as Mirat’s patience was about to 
run out, the page finally opened—only,
5619.6 it wasn’t the video he was expecting. Instead, 
a brief message appeared on the screen:  [According to relevant laws and regulations, 
this video cannot be displayed.]
5628.72 In that instant, the scent of 
blood seemed to fill the café.  …
Guomu Town, somewhere along a street.
5634.24 In the darkness, a bright campfire cast its glow 
over the nearby alley.Yet even the brightest light
5639.6 cannot banish all darkness. The Dark Knight is 
such an existence. Bound in place by countless
5645.04 thorny branches, the Dark Knight stared calmly 
from behind the cold gleam of her helmet,   watching the voodoo priests as they danced 
and chanted around her. She had never seen
5653.92 these people before. But the symbols they 
bore—those she had encountered once already.   It was a serpent devouring its own tail, 
the emblem of immortality. In other words,
5664.16 these people shared the same origin as those 
from thirty years ago. Three decades had passed,   and at last, they had found a way to target her.
These thorned branches were not of this world;
5673.68 they belonged to the spirit tree of the 
voodoo realm. Ethereal and meant for the soul,   these branches bypassed the curses that shielded 
her physical form, locking her spirit in place.
5683.28 Without her soul’s command, the body of the Dark 
Knight was nothing more than a cursed shell,
5688.56 frozen and inert. Still, she was curious—how did 
these people plan to touch her, let alone destroy
5694.32 her? The answer would reveal itself soon enough.
Once they had subdued her, the priests began
5699.52 dragging the vampires who had wrought havoc 
across Orchard Town to her feet. One by one, they   severed the heads of the vampires. Blood quickly 
flooded the ground, forming crimson rivers. Yet,
5710.72 the blood did not soak into the earth; instead, as 
if sentient, it gathered at the feet of the Dark
5716.0 Knight, slowly creeping up along her legs before 
finally seeping into the very heart of her being.  As the blood merged with her cursed heart, the 
Dark Knight felt it beat with an unfamiliar
5724.96 rhythm—one that resonated subtly with some 
unknown force. The resonance sent ripples   through the air of Orchard Town, like a stone cast 
into a tranquil lake, spreading endless waves. The
5735.92 roar of crashing waves echoed in every ear, as if 
the sea itself thundered against invisible shores.
5741.68 All looked up, and saw the night sky 
suddenly washed in blood-red light.   Sensing something amiss, the Dark Knight also 
raised her head, and at last, she beheld a
5750.4 river of blood stretched across the heavens. Her 
heartbeat matched the rhythm of that crimson tide,
5755.76 keeping pace with the ebb and flow. It 
was this synchrony, this shared resonance,   that drew the blood-red river ever closer.
This was a turn of events the Dark Knight
5764.48 had never foreseen. Before she could think 
further, a sharp pain pierced her chest.   The cursed heart—once fatal to any hand that 
dared touch it—was now wrenched free by a pair
5774.8 of withered, skeletal hands. Deprived of the 
heart’s power, the ghostly fire in the Dark   Knight’s eyes flickered like a candle in the 
wind, teetering on the verge of extinction.
5783.92 The Black priest, strange symbols painted across 
his face, gazed at the heart he had just torn
5789.04 free. His lips curled into a satisfied smile, 
content with his grim trophy.The black priest
5795.04 turned around and raised the Heart of Curse high 
above his head. Yet in the very next instant, the
5800.4 Heart of Curse suddenly vanished from his grasp. 
The abrupt change sent chaos rippling through the   crowd. No one could have imagined that, even 
after obtaining the Heart of Curse, it could
5810.0 simply disappear right before their very eyes.
The black priest spun back, hoping to find   answers from the Dark Knight. But the Dark 
Knight, now bereft of the Heart of Curse,
5819.2 seemed to dissolve like a sand sculpture—caught 
by the wind, he scattered into countless grains
5824.56 of black sand, melting into the shadows and 
fading from sight. Not even the Spirit World   Tree could bind his soul—almost as if 
he’d never possessed a soul at all!
5833.12 This gap in their knowledge left all the priests 
frozen in place, bewildered by what had just   happened. But soon, the black priest collected 
himself. The River of Blood still flowed,
5842.56 which meant their earlier efforts had not been in 
vain. Only the blood of slain vampires could truly
5847.84 shatter the barrier between the mortal realm 
and the inferno; and only the Heart of Curse   could draw the River of Blood closer, rather 
than luring out something else from the abyss.
5856.08 The Heart of Curse hadn’t vanished—it 
had simply escaped, fleeing to a place   with easier access to the River of Blood! In 
other words, they’d chosen the right method,
5865.2 but the wrong location. What they needed now was 
to find the Dark Knight’s sacrificial ground.
5870.24 Realizing this, the black priest began shouting, 
and amidst his cries, one could faintly make out
5875.76 the name “Papa Legba.” But at that very moment, 
a blood-red figure suddenly burst into the ritual
5881.28 site—it was the Bloodwing Queen! Wounded all over, 
her tattered bloodstained wings dragged behind
5886.72 her as she moved, her eyes blazing with hatred.
She had nearly slain those accursed Lyon brothers,
5892.32 but when she sensed the presence of the Bruch 
bloodline fading rapidly from Orchard Town,   she abandoned her hunt and rushed here. Still, she 
was a step too late. Seeing her kin lying headless
5901.68 all around, how could the great Bruch Queen 
not feel her heart break? Those chosen to be   among the first to bathe in the River of Blood’s 
blessing were the finest warriors of the clan!
5910.88 Yet these foreign voodoo priests had dared to 
massacre her people right before her eyes. How   could she possibly endure such an outrage?
“You… all must die!” With a piercing shriek,
5920.72 the Bloodwing Queen blurred into a streak 
of crimson, unleashing her vengeance.  The priests, their focus still 
lingering on the Dark Knight,
5928.24 were caught off guard by the sudden arrival 
of a vampire queen. But as voodoo cultists,   now disciples of the Church of Immortality, 
death had never been their final chapter.
5937.36 The bodies torn limb from limb by the vampire’s 
claws began to squirm and stitch themselves   together on the blood-soaked earth, staggering 
upright once more. After all, raising the dead
5946.64 was a signature art of the voodoo priests!Taking 
advantage of the delay caused by the revenant,
5951.92 the leading Black priest began to dance wildly, 
stamping his feet to the feverish beat of the   drums. Soon, his eyes rolling back, he saw a 
shadowy vision unfold before him. In that vision,
5963.04 six figures stood faintly—three men and 
three women, five alive and one dead… At
5968.08 the center, atop a mound of bones arranged like a 
grim monument, lay the Cursed Heart he had coveted
5973.6 for so long. As his awareness stretched further, 
rows upon rows of bookshelves emerged into view…
5979.44 I found it, I found them, they’re in the lib—
His words were cut off in an instant. With a
5984.64 dull thud, a dark head rolled to the ground. 
The Bloodwing Monarch, with evident disdain,
5990.24 crushed it beneath her foot. Behind 
her, a sea of blood and fire raged,   unending. Since physical dismemberment proved 
useless, she turned to her magical blood flames,
6000.48 determined to incinerate these wretched 
creatures to ash. « The scum of the Cult of   Immortality—do they take in anyone these days? »
Having slain the last of the Black priests,
6010.0 the Bloodwing Monarch wrinkled her nose, catching 
the scent of blood—thicker and more intoxicating
6015.52 than ever. With one wing broken, she staggered 
toward the library, not realizing that high above,
6021.28 a drone was silently tracking her every move.
In the distance, Dr. David, seeing the Bloodwing
6026.8 Monarch depart, crept onto the blood-soaked 
scene and began to rummage through the bodies.   Gazing at his bag brimming with loot, 
David broke into a satisfied grin. « Ah,
6036.08 the power of technology—something 
you lot will never understand. »  Click! No sooner had the words left his mouth 
than the sound of a gun’s safety being switched
6044.24 off came from right beside him. The cold 
muzzle pressed against him, bringing back   a sensation all too familiar. Swallowing hard, 
David turned with difficulty—only to be greeted
6054.16 by two faces he loathed beyond measure. The Lyon 
brothers! How did they always manage to track him
6059.52 down with such uncanny precision?
Fury boiling beneath his skin,   David forced a smile. « Hey, Dim, Matt, 
you two look terrible. Need me to patch
6067.52 you up? Just like before, I won’t charge. »
Dim let out a whistle and holstered his   gun. « Well, how could we say no to that? Mind 
taking care of these wounds, David? Next time,
6077.84 we’ll bring you a Yatagarasu’s feather as thanks. »
David nodded with a fake smile, cursing them
6083.12 to the heavens. Empty promises again! Last 
time it was the foot claws of a vampiress,   before that, the head of a kobold… 
He’d never seen any of those things!
6091.84 Resigned, David set about treating Dim’s wounds. 
Meanwhile, Matt picked up the drone controller
6097.28 from the ground and gave Dim a knowing look. « He 
was keeping an eye on the Bloodwing Monarch. »  Dim’s interest was instantly piqued. 
« Where’s that damned woman headed? »
6106.16 Matt’s expression turned 
oddly amused. « The library. »  The library?The two exchanged a glance, both 
realizing that the library was likely to be the
6114.64 final battleground. The strange phenomenon in the 
sky was impossible to miss for anyone with eyes.
6120.48 That surging river of blood filling the heavens 
gave these two master demon hunters a deeply   ominous premonition. It was the first time in 
their careers they had encountered anything so
6129.76 bizarre. At this moment, there was no time left 
to search for more information, let alone call for
6135.6 backup. All they knew was that—no matter what—they 
had to stop the Bloodwing Lord. Thwarting whatever   their enemy intended was always the right move.
Fruitwood Town, Library.
6145.2 Judith, her blood drained, was clearly dead. Yet 
Shirley seemed utterly indifferent to Judith’s   fate. Her entire attention was fixed on the Dark 
Knight, still trapped by the voodoo sect’s magic.
6156.16 At last, she spotted the cursed heart she so 
despised, and watched as the Dark Knight vanished.
6162.16 When she lifted her eyes again, she saw atop the 
mound of skulls the appearance of a black heart,
6167.2 riddled with seven holes. The heart throbbed, 
sending ripples through the very air around it.
6172.64 Judith’s corpse also began to 
tremble in time with its beat.  As she saw darkness gathering above the mound, 
Shirley shrieked, her voice sharp and urgent:
6181.6 “Now! Do it now!”
Ash, who had already noticed   the cursed heart’s arrival, darted onto the mound 
in a flash. One hand clutched the lucky gold coin,
6190.64 the other seized the violently pulsing black 
heart. Whatever had afflicted Carla did not   happen to Ash; he gripped the throbbing heart 
with ease. Without hesitation, Ash appeared
6200.72 by Judith’s side, sliced open her chest, and 
replaced her lifeless heart with the new one.
6206.0 Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. The heart’s rhythm 
grew ever more rapid, echoing through the room.
6211.76 As its beat revived, Judith—who had bled to 
death—suddenly opened her eyes in an uncanny,
6217.44 unnatural way. Wisps of black mist swirled within 
her vacant pupils. Faced with Ash’s arm held to
6223.2 her mouth, Judith followed instinct and bit down.
Her fangs, though not especially sharp,
6228.56 pierced Ash’s skin easily, guided by the 
power of the black mist. Her hollow teeth   worked like efficient vacuum tubes, drawing his 
blood with remarkable speed. The vampire blood,
6239.04 rich with energy, instantly transformed into 
the source of life under the heart’s curse,   flooding every corner of her corpse.
As the nourishing blood spread,
6247.6 Judith’s once-pale skin began to flush with color. 
The rosy hue deepened, turning darker and darker,
6253.68 until it became utterly black. Then, tendrils 
of twisted shadow seeped from her pores, weaving
6259.92 across her body to form a dark, protective shell.
At the sight, Shirley’s eyes shone with wild joy.
6266.0 It worked! It really worked!
Judith had become the new Dark Knight.  That meant she was no longer trapped in Fruitwood 
Town by the curse, nor doomed to die by “her”
6274.56 own hand.Shirley grabbed Charmos’s arm with 
trembling excitement and urged him anxiously,   “Quick! Take me away!” Now, all she needed was 
for Charmos to open the portal, and she would
6284.72 finally escape this prison once and for all!
But to Shirley’s confusion, Charmos—who had
6289.76 always obeyed her every word—stood frozen, 
showing no response. When Shirley looked up,
6294.96 to her shock, four or five different faces had 
begun to bulge grotesquely from Charmos’s own!
6300.08 This horrifying sight made Shirley cry out 
in alarm. She staggered back several steps,   desperate to distance herself 
from the suddenly mutated Charmos.
6308.32 Nearby, Ember was replenishing his 
strength by biting into a blood pack   when he heard her cry. He turned and 
instantly guessed what was happening.
6315.76 The evil spirits inside Charmos were 
fighting to seize control of his body!  But this was strange—out of character for Charmos. 
Why would he lose his dominance over the spirits
6324.88 at such a crucial moment? The Heart of the Curse, 
the source of his power, was perfectly intact—how
6330.64 could he possibly lose his magic now? There 
could only be one explanation: Charmos had   somehow been severed from his source of power!
Just as Ember realized this and turned his head,
6340.0 a shadow flickered at the edge of his vision. 
Judith was nowhere to be seen by his side. In
6345.04 the next instant, Judith—now transformed into 
the Dark Knight—stood before Charmos. Her hand
6350.64 plunged deep into his chest, clutching the 
heart that pulsed with wild, relentless life.  The stabbing pain jolted Charmos’s 
true consciousness back to the surface.
6359.44 He looked at his daughter standing 
before him, confusion clouding his gaze.  But before he could utter a word, 
a voice echoed simultaneously in
6367.36 the minds of Ember, Shirley, and Charmos.
“My dear, she isn’t Fran. She’s Shirley—a
6373.68 thief who stole my memories.”
“And I am the true Fran.”  The words sent a jolt through all three of 
them. Something had gone terribly wrong!
6381.44 The one who had awakened in Judith’s body 
was not Judith at all, but the Dark Knight,   who had never escaped the Heart of the Curse!
Shirley, who had believed she’d broken free of
6390.4 her fate, stood rooted to the spot in utter 
disbelief. She had never imagined that,   in the end, it would still be “herself” who 
awakened. She hadn’t lied to Ember—she truly
6400.56 believed she could transfer the curse this 
way. For her freedom, she had hidden nothing.  Yet fate is seldom so easily outwitted. This 
revelation meant Shirley could never escape
6409.2 the eternal cycle; she was still destined 
to die at the hands of the Dark Knight,   becoming new “nourishment” for her own memories.
With her face as pale as snow, Shirley let out a
6418.64 bitter laugh and collapsed in defeat atop the 
pile of bones. The hope she had fought so hard   to grasp had been snuffed out in an instant, 
and the blow was almost too much to bear.
6427.6 Seeing Shirley’s devastated expression, 
Charmos—who had still harbored a sliver   of doubt—finally understood: The Dark Knight 
and Shirley were two entirely separate minds!
6436.56 But then, whom did he truly love? Was it Fran, 
the one with whom he’d shared a deep bond?
6441.76 Or was it Shirley, the woman who had 
borne his child and shared his love?  He could no longer tell—the truth was utterly 
lost to him.Watching Sharmos writhing in pain,
6450.72 the Dark Knight—who had absorbed all of 
Fran’s memories—gently smoothed the lines   from his brow with a soft, caressing tentacle.
“It doesn’t matter,” she murmured, her voice
6459.92 tender. “It doesn’t matter who you love.”
“Because I’m about to take care of all that.”  “All you need to do is agree to become the new 
vessel for the Cursed Heart, and be willing to
6468.72 offer it everything you have.”
At these words, Sharmos looked   up in bewilderment. “What?”
The Dark Knight glanced at the
6475.52 world’s barrier, which was growing thinner 
by the moment, her tone still gentle:  “Silly man, she and I have 
always been the same person.”
6483.44 “You can destroy her body, and 
I will absorb her memories.”  “From now on, we’ll be together—forever.”
“And our daughter, she’s not dead. She can be
6492.48 with us, too. Isn’t that a wonderful ending?”
Fran’s breath, soft as a sigh, brushed
6498.08 against Sharmos’s ear.
Guided by Fran’s words,   Sharmos found himself unconsciously 
smiling as he pictured a perfect family.
6505.04 “Yes, wonderful!” he exclaimed. “I’m willing 
to become the new vessel for the Cursed Heart!”
6510.32 No sooner had Sharmos spoken than countless 
streams of inky black liquid, inscribed   with intricate runes, slid down Fran’s arm and 
seeped into his chest—alive with dark purpose.
6519.92 The black fluid tightly wrapped 
around Sharmos’s once-vibrant heart,   and in moments, it had transformed, 
taking on the form of the Cursed Heart.
6527.6 Agony exploded in his chest, forcing Sharmos 
to one knee, his head bowed low. Behind him,
6533.36 countless arms reached from the river of 
blood, stretching desperately toward the   only anchor they could find in this world. 
Yet between the two realms stood a barrier,
6542.48 still unbroken, holding them at bay.
Fran, ignoring the strange spectacle   behind Sharmos, withdrew her arm with some effort, 
her body weakened. Deprived of the Cursed Heart’s
6552.96 sustaining power, the body that should have 
perished long ago could persist no longer.  The invincible black armor that 
had encased Fran began to crumble,
6560.72 falling away in jagged shards of darkness.
But Fran cared nothing for her changing body.
6565.76 Swaying unsteadily, she staggered toward the 
dazed Shirley and cradled her head in her arms.
6570.8 “Silly girl,” Fran whispered, “you’re not the 
only one desperate to escape this endless cycle.”
6576.24 “Why must our daughter be 
the one to pay the price?”  “These memories are too painful 
to bear. Let me set you free.”
6582.88 “Three centuries of memories are enough to 
wash away this pain. Come, let us become one.”
6588.16 As if realizing the truth, Shirley suddenly 
snapped awake. She thrashed wildly,   desperate to break free from Fran’s embrace.
Yet Fran, though she appeared so fragile,
6598.24 held Shirley in an unbreakable grip.
Shirley screamed, her voice shrill with terror:
6603.44 “It’s you! You planned all of this!”
“You knew exactly what would happen! You   knew!”Fran smiled without a word, the brilliance 
in her eyes gradually fading. Shirley’s voice also
6614.08 grew quieter, and the anger in her pupils quickly 
melted away, replaced by a weary sense of having
6619.84 seen too much of the world. At last, she was free.
With Fran’s rebirth, Judith, having lost both
6625.44 consciousness and the support of the Cursed 
Heart, collapsed limply to the ground. This time,   it seemed Judith truly might die.
The one now standing—whether you
6633.44 called her “Shirley” or Fran—took only a 
moment to adjust before dragging Judith   by the arm and placing it at Sharmos’s mouth.
Sharmos, whose mind was swept by the Cursed Heart,
6642.48 acted just as Judith had before. Instinctively, 
he parted his lips and began to draw out what
6647.76 lingering ember-blood remained in Judith’s veins.
Gulp, gulp! As the sounds of swallowing echoed,
6653.6 the color of the River of Blood grew ever 
more vivid, and the roar of its waves rose in   intensity. It was as if a real river had appeared 
in this very place. All these signs foretold
6663.76 the imminent arrival of the River of Blood!
…Ember, who had long sensed something was amiss,
6669.04 finally understood everything. No wonder both 
he and Karla had felt uneasy before—this was
6674.16 the reason. If Ember had harbored even 
the slightest forbidden desire earlier,   he might well be the one lying on the ground now.
Shirley’s supposed method of transfer could never
6683.2 withstand the test of reality. From the very 
start, the Dark Knight’s consciousness, bound to
6688.64 the Cursed Heart, had always resided within it. 
The Cursed Heart would purge everything for the   Dark Knight’s will, enabling his resurrection.
The only way to transfer the Cursed Heart,
6698.4 as Ember had once guessed, required someone to 
willingly offer up everything they had. Only then   would the Cursed Heart shift to another. Yet even 
possessing the Cursed Heart was no guarantee of a
6708.64 happy ending. Just look at Sharmos’s fate now.
The coming of the River of Blood was drawn by   the Cursed Heart. Whoever held the 
Cursed Heart would become the anchor
6717.04 for that river. And those figures waving 
their arms in the River of Blood certainly   didn’t look like they were offering greetings.
Fran had clearly deceived Sharmos. That talk
6725.68 of a family reunion was nothing but empty words! 
Her true aim was to have Sharmos summon the real
6730.72 River of Blood, awaken the Cursed Heart’s true 
master, and thus free herself once and for all.
6736.16 Having witnessed it all, Karla couldn’t help but 
want to applaud—though, with only one hand left,   she could only sigh in admiration.
“Incredible, absolutely brilliant,”
6745.68 she murmured. “She’s giving the 
Cursed Heart back to the Progenitor.”  Arthur, who had watched the whole 
affair with a cold expression,
6752.96 snorted. “So we’re just going to stand here 
and do nothing? Just watch this unfold?”  Karla chuckled softly. “That’s the 
River of Blood we’re talking about,
6761.12 and I’m a vampire. Why would I have any reason to 
stop her?”“I should be thanking her, if anything.”
6767.04 “Besides, if the Thirteen 
Progenitors were to return,   now that would make things truly interesting.”
The Thirteen Progenitors? Arthur’s expression
6775.04 shifted at the mention of this vampiric legend. 
Just as he was about to speak, a thick scent
6780.08 of blood wafted in from the entrance.
Everyone turned to look, just in time   to see the Bloodwing Queen dragging her 
half-torn wings as she entered the hall.
6788.24 “Well, isn’t this a lively gathering.”
“And it seems there’s a traitor among us, too.”  “Should I call this your lucky day, 
or the day disaster found you?”
6796.48 “Kneel, little Carlla, now!”
The Bloodwing Queen’s command boomed through   the space, carrying an authority that felt like 
the law itself. Carlla, beads of sweat forming on
6805.92 her brow, struggled for a brief moment before 
succumbing to the pressure of her bloodline.   With a heavy thud, she collapsed to her knees.
Ashes, whose blood had yet to fully replenish,
6816.32 managed to resist the oppressive 
force a bit longer, gritting his   teeth against the weight of his heritage. 
But the Bloodwing Queen paid him little
6823.12 mind—her attention was fixed solely on Carlla.
Once Carlla was forced to kneel, the Bloodwing
6828.8 Queen’s gaze fell upon Arthur. Displeased by the 
way Arthur looked at her, she flicked her wrist.
6834.24 In an instant, a whip of blood lashed out and 
sliced cleanly through Arthur’s only good leg.
6839.28 Losing his balance, Arthur crashed face-first 
to the floor, unleashing a roar that   thundered through the chamber.
A werewolf’s transformation!
6846.56 With only one leg and one arm remaining, 
Arthur shifted into his wolf form and   lunged ferociously at the Bloodwing Queen.
The Queen was startled for a heartbeat—she hadn’t
6855.44 expected a half-werewolf here. But when she caught 
sight of his red eyes, she scoffed in disdain.
6860.64 A vegetarian werewolf? That’s hardly a 
werewolf at all. More like a guard dog!  With a sudden motion, the Bloodwing Queen 
unfurled her remaining bloodstained wing,
6870.0 effortlessly impaling Arthur upon it.
A burst of bloodfire ignited,   scorching Arthur’s gray fur until it 
curled and turned black with char.
6878.08 The Bloodwing Queen licked 
her crimson lips and sneered,  “I’ve never tasted vegetarian werewolf before.”
“Perhaps your flesh won’t have
6885.44 that gamy stink the others do.”
But a mocking glint flickered in Arthur’s   blood-red eyes as well. Did he not realize 
that, in his current state, he could never harm
6894.0 the Bloodwing Queen? No—growing up among humans, 
Arthur knew full well: even a three-year-old with
6899.28 a knife could wound a strong adult.
So…  A silver sphere slipped from 
Arthur’s tightly clenched hand.
6904.96 The moment she saw it, the Bloodwing Queen reacted 
instantly, sweeping her wounded wing before her
6910.24 as a shield.
Bang!  A specially made flashbang erupted with a 
deafening blast. The chamber echoed with
6916.08 the concussion, and a cloud of wolfsbane rained 
down, enveloping the Bloodwing Queen completely.
6921.6 Sizzle, sizzle—
Tendrils of white smoke rose from her body.  She’d let her guard down, and now paid the 
price for allowing the explosion so close.
6929.76 But even this level of injury was far from enough 
to kill her—instead, it only served to enrage   the Bloodwing Queen all the more!“You courting 
death!” At the wound of the Bloodwing Monarch,
6940.24 every drop of blood transformed into a 
piercing spike, shooting outward with   lethal force. In the blink of an eye, Arthur 
was riddled with wounds from head to toe.
6948.72 Just as the Bloodwing Monarch prepared to 
deliver the final blow, a familiar whistle   echoed from the entrance—one she knew all 
too well. “Hey, over here.” Instinctively,
6958.48 the Bloodwing Monarch turned her head. Suddenly, 
a flash of blinding white light erupted before
6963.76 her eyes, dazzling enough to steal sight.
At that very moment, a sharp pain tore through her
6968.96 chest as a silver blade thrust straight through 
her body. Then, a heavy silver axe crashed down
6974.0 on the wing she had raised to shield her neck. All 
around, the relentless staccato of bullets filled
6979.36 the air, a barrage that drummed on without pause. 
The ceaseless hail of silver bullets stalled
6984.48 the flow of blood within the Bloodwing Monarch, 
sapping her strength with every passing second.  Already in poor condition, the Bloodwing Monarch 
found herself utterly suppressed. But even the
6994.64 most relentless barrage must eventually cease. 
When the silver axe fell for the third time,   the Bloodwing Monarch finally seized 
that long-awaited opportunity.
7003.28 Suddenly, two deep wounds tore open across 
Matt’s back, revealing bone beneath. Instantly,
7009.04 the blood in his body surged toward the gashes, 
weaving itself into a pair of dazzling, deadly
7014.48 blood wings. This was the Bloodwing Monarch’s 
law: within her domain, the blood of every enemy
7019.76 could be twisted into wings under her command.
“Now… it’s my turn!” With a sweeping gesture,
7025.44 the Bloodwing Monarch sent the 
exhausted Matt hurtling at breakneck   speed toward Dim, who was still firing.
With a heavy thud, Dim crashed to the ground,
7033.44 but reacted swiftly—pulling a blood leech 
from his coat and hurling it onto Matt.   The leech’s powerful suction immediately drew the 
blood that formed the wings back into Matt’s body.
7042.64 The Bloodwing Monarch, well aware of the 
Lane brothers’ methods, was not surprised.   All she needed was to disrupt their rhythm 
and wrest back control of the battlefield.
7051.6 Her gaze sharpened as she prepared 
to strike again—but all at once,   her body froze. She turned, startled, for in that 
moment she had sensed the aura of a Progenitor.
7061.28 It was only now—her attention having been 
fixed on Carla—that she finally noticed   the true source resonating with the River of 
Blood: the heart of Sharmos! That pitch-black,
7070.88 seven-chambered heart pulsed with the 
unmistakable might of a Progenitor.  There could be no mistake—the bloodline’s 
suppression was absolute. This was a
7078.32 bloodline higher than her own, and above a 
Monarch, there was only a Progenitor. With   the twelve Progenitors concealed from the 
world, it was clear whose heart this was.
7087.04 The Thirteenth Progenitor—the one lost to the 
annals of history! His heart had awakened!
7092.16 No wonder this place lay so close to the River 
of Blood—someone had been working tirelessly to   revive the Thirteenth Progenitor!
Damn it. The blood sacrifice of
7100.4 the vampires had only aided this scheme!
In a flash of realization, the Bloodwing   Monarch understood that there was something deeply 
wrong with the information she had received from
7109.04 Gerut. But now was not the time to settle scores 
with him.She had to leave this place, and she had
7114.8 to take Carla and that dazed-looking newborn with 
her! For she, who knew more than most vampires,   understood clearly why the Thirteen Progenitors 
were shunned by the rest of their kind. These
7124.4 Thirteen Progenitors never drank human blood—only 
the blood of other vampires! More importantly,
7129.68 this particular progenitor was addicted to blood. 
Once he started drinking, he simply didn’t know
7135.12 how to stop! That was why he was called the 
Harbinger of Destruction among vampires.  Similarly, to awaken his consciousness, a 
sacrifice of vampire blood was required. Without
7145.2 the presence of a vampire, the consciousness of 
this Thirteenth Progenitor would forever be lost
7150.32 in the endless river of blood, never to awaken! 
In that case, this blood ritual would simply
7155.36 revert to a regular sacrifice and wouldn’t fail.
The Bloodwing Monarch, who had flashed to Carla’s
7160.48 side, abruptly halted. Wait. Something was wrong. 
Those wretched cultists from the Church of Eternal
7166.32 Life—they’d already sacrificed vampire blood!
“Damn it!” the Bloodwing Monarch cursed
7171.36 under his breath, not pausing for further 
thought. She ignited her bloodline power,   smashed through the ceiling above, and made 
her escape. She left behind a bewildered crowd,
7181.44 staring dumbly at the gaping hole overhead.
No one could comprehend why the Bloodwing Monarch,
7186.48 who so clearly held the upper hand, would suddenly 
flee. Ember, who had been poised for a sneak
7191.52 attack, could only take a deep breath, put away 
his mask, and press down the roiling emotions in
7196.96 his heart. If the Bloodwing Monarch had come just 
a bit closer, he would have struck. Such a pity.
7202.32 But whatever could frighten away the Bloodwing 
Monarch—it certainly wasn’t Ember. Ember’s gaze   shifted back to Sharmos, who was now slowly 
rising to his feet. If he’d heard correctly,
7211.68 Carla had said that this Cursed Heart was trying 
to awaken the Thirteenth Progenitor? For a hunter,
7216.96 this might not be a bad thing at all. 
After all, it was the vampires who   ought to fear the Thirteenth Progenitor the most.
Ember hadn’t forgotten what he’d seen in Frankir’s
7224.96 fractured memories: the Thirteenth Progenitor, 
betrayed by his twelve brothers—if he truly   returned, he would be furious beyond measure. The 
Bloodwing Monarch’s flight only confirmed this.
7235.04 As a second-generation vampire lord, she knew 
secrets that even Prince Frankir or Princess   Carla did not. Yet another question 
lingered—he and Carla were vampires
7243.6 too. Would they become collateral damage? 
Perhaps it was wise to run for it first?  No sooner had this thought crossed Ember’s mind 
than he heard the voice of the world itself.
7252.88 Pop! The sharp sound, like a bubble 
bursting, rang in everyone’s ears.  The Lane brothers, who’d experienced 
something like this before, blanched. Dim,
7262.16 the steadier of the two, immediately shouted, 
“Get out of there! The two worlds are colliding!”
7267.76 “The ripples will destroy everything!”
By now, Ember didn’t need Dim’s warning.   As he retreated to safety with Arthur and Carla in 
tow, he, too, saw the truth with his own eyes.The
7277.6 river of blood, now flowing into the mortal 
world, was sapping all color from the surrounding
7282.64 darkness. Everything was being swallowed up. 
Fortunately, the so-called ripple of the world   spread slowly, like trudging through thick mud, 
its advance painstakingly sluggish. The blood-red
7293.68 hands reaching toward Sharmos withdrew meekly 
back into the river the moment they heard the   powerful thumping of the Cursed Heart.
Thump. Thump. Thump. The rhythm of the
7302.0 Cursed Heart’s beating grew ever faster. Dense 
blackness transformed into thick iron chains,
7307.28 driving straight into the river of blood, as 
if dredging for something hidden beneath. Soon,
7312.8 several chains snapped taut, as if they’d latched 
onto some presence. Then, a vast consciousness
7318.16 began to awaken from the depths, following 
the chains until it shrouded Sharmos entirely.  Sharmos could feel it clearly: a powerful, alien 
will was being drawn into his body, guided by the
7328.8 Cursed Heart. An ancient rage surged back into 
him. With anger flooding through him once more,
7334.24 flashes of memories that did not belong to 
him flickered before his eyes. Meanwhile,
7339.36 his own rightful memories were buried deep 
beneath a torrent of foreign fragments.   Slowly, he began to forget who he was.
And yet, he was not alone—within him dwelled
7348.32 countless evil spirits. The awakening of the 
Thirteen Ancestors’ memories was far from smooth.
7353.6 While Sharmos’s main consciousness floundered, 
those spirits seized their chance, leaping forward
7359.12 to vie recklessly with the vampire progenitor 
for control of the body. Individually, their   psychic strength was weak, but their sheer number 
was overwhelming. Drained by the demands of the
7368.96 Cursed Heart, the ancestral will—still incomplete 
in its transfer—could only just barely suppress
7374.64 the chaos. All he needed was a bit more time; once 
his consciousness fully returned, he would be able
7380.08 to crush these petty spirits once and for all.
Just then, a monstrous whale leapt from the
7385.2 river of blood. Its body was clad in armored 
scales, its jaws bristled with razor teeth,
7390.96 and barbed spikes jutted from its belly. 
In one swift motion, it clamped down on   the black chain formed by the Cursed Heart.
Crunch! The chain snapped with no resistance.
7400.8 Chewing on the chain, the whale spread its maw 
in a toothy, almost human grin and called out,
7405.92 “Brother, why leave this place without 
inviting your old friend along?”  “Stay a while longer and play with us, won’t you?”
The link of consciousness was abruptly severed.
7415.12 The progenitor’s eyes flared red-black with rage 
as he let out a furious roar—but it was useless.
7420.48 For that monstrous whale was Leviathan, the 
guardian of the abyssal prison! He had no
7425.84 idea why Leviathan had let even half of him 
escape, but he knew one thing for certain:   with Leviathan standing guard, the 
rest of him would never break free.
7433.36 All he could do was watch as the river of 
blood faded once more beneath the mortal realm,   and the mended world barrier sealed the 
connection between this place and the abyss.
7441.44 The progenitor, having seized Sharmos’s 
body, drew in a deep breath of fresh air   from the living world and was overtaken 
by a ravenous hunger. And right then,
7449.92 he caught the scent of vampires in the breeze.
Ah, what a nostalgic aroma.No matter what   happened, he had to fill his belly first. 
The Progenitor, lips curled into a grin,
7459.84 ran his tongue along his sharp fangs, just about 
to speak when—suddenly—a figure crashed down
7465.68 from the sky above. It was none other than 
the Bloodwing Monarch who had fled earlier!  Seeing this feast drop straight from the heavens, 
the Progenitor looked up at the gaping hole in
7474.48 the ceiling, a mischievous smile playing on 
his lips. It seemed there were new guests   eager to welcome his return.
“So, you’re the thirteenth
7482.0 Progenitor of the Blood Clan?”
“Compared to the others, you seem much weaker.”  As the words fell, two figures leapt lightly 
through the shattered rooftop. One of them was
7490.96 shrouded head to toe in a wizard’s cloak. 
He glanced briefly at Ash and the others,   then drove his staff into the ground. Instantly, 
heaps of white bones, as if commanded by some dark
7501.68 magic, piled up—layer upon layer—forming a thick 
wall that sealed off the room from the outside.
7507.68 Only then did the wizard turn to the 
thirteenth Progenitor, smiling as he spoke:  “I hear you need to feed on the blood of 
your own kind to maintain your strength.”
7516.16 “Let’s see, then—what power do you 
gain after feasting on a Blood Lord?”  “Are you truly as immortal as the legends claim?”
That attitude—treating him like nothing but a
7525.76 plaything—infuriated the thirteenth Progenitor. 
Forcing down the bloodthirsty urge rising   in his chest, he kicked aside the feeble 
Bloodwing Monarch without a second thought.
7534.88 “You? Not worthy.”
The wizard merely smiled,   then turned to signal his assistant—a man whose 
face was half-ruined—to get to work. Drawing
7543.04 a silver blade from his belt, the assistant 
strode toward the fallen Bloodwing Monarch.  Bound by sorcery and unable to move, the 
Monarch glared at the approaching figure,
7552.48 grinding out a curse:
“Gillette, you damned   traitor! You’re as good as dead!”
His furious voice echoed through the
7558.72 layers of bone, reaching the ears of those 
outside, who were still inspecting the   broken wall. Gillette? That name carried 
a potent magic for a certain evil spirit.
7567.68 The very next instant, the Book of Evil Spirits 
in Ash’s arms began to tremble violently. Seeing
7573.12 Ash pull out the book bound in human skin, 
Dim’s eyes changed in an instant. It was the
7578.32 Book of Evil Spirits! A cursed tome that would 
ultimately tempt its owner into releasing the   spirit trapped inside—only for the spirit 
to toy with and destroy them in the end!
7587.04 And the book could not be destroyed by any 
means. The only viable solution was to seal it   in a cement barrel and cast it away where no one 
could reach. But the evil spirit within would do
7596.32 everything to stop you from succeeding!
In the end, Dim and Matt had tricked   the last owner into stepping into a 
magic circle and, chanting together,
7604.24 banished both the book and its owner back to 
hell. Yet here it was again, haunting the world!
7609.44 “No! Don’t open it!”
“It’ll be the death of you!”  Ash looked up, puzzled.
“Hm?”
7614.88 At that very moment, even without 
Ash flipping through its pages,   Lina—sensing Gillette’s aura—began burning her own 
essence, forcing the book open against all reason.
7624.4 A thunderous boom resounded.The 
biting cold instantly caused a   layer of white frost to form all 
around. Yet that physical bone wall,
7631.68 strong enough to stop ordinary people, was useless 
against a spirit body! Dim stood frozen in place,
7637.92 clutching a handful of saintly ashes, 
stunned as he watched the retreating frost.  Wait a minute—weren’t the evil spirits from the 
book supposed to target those present? Why had
7647.12 they gone straight for their enemies instead? Had 
the Book of Malevolent Spirits changed its nature?
7652.48 There was no time to think further. Dim quickly 
stepped forward, snapped the Book of Malevolent   Spirits shut in Embers’ hand, and snatched 
it away. Embers, caught completely off guard,
7662.56 hadn’t expected Dim to make such a move.
Dim turned to the dumbfounded Embers,   his face grave as he warned, “This thing 
will end up killing you. Let me handle it.”
7671.2 Before Embers could reply, the Book of Malevolent 
Spirits—now out of his control—burst into raucous
7677.2 laughter. At last, it was free of that reckless 
fool! The Lyon brothers—now those were some old
7682.8 acquaintances! Sending them back to hell was 
the best outcome. Anyway, as long as someone   somewhere was making deals with the Red-Eyed 
Demon, it would always have a chance to see
7691.76 the light again. When that day came, it wouldn’t 
have to play warehouse for Embers anymore! Oh,
7696.88 how delightful! If only Dim would hurry up and 
draw the circle, chant the spell, and send it   off—the book fixed Dim with a mocking laugh.
Sure enough, seeing the book’s arrogant display,
7707.12 Dim ignored whatever was happening behind the 
bone wall. He pulled out the saintly ashes,   ready to draw the sealing circle 
and banish the book to hell.
7715.04 At that moment, a hand closed over the Book of 
Malevolent Spirits, halting Dim’s movements. Dim
7720.72 frowned, expecting Embers to be unwilling 
to give up the book, but to his surprise,   it was the frail and bloodied Arthur.
Arthur, bleeding heavily, spoke with
7729.6 some difficulty, “Dim, this belongs to Embers. 
Handling it without asking him isn’t proper.”
7735.28 Only then did Dim recall Arthur’s reputation for 
strict adherence to rules. Even gravely wounded,
7740.64 he was blocking Dim’s hand. With a 
resigned sigh, Dim lifted his gaze   to Embers. “You don’t understand the dangers of 
this thing. Let me take care of it.” He added,
7750.32 “Trust me, I would never harm you.”
Embers understood Dim’s good intentions,   but to him, the Book of Malevolent Spirits was 
a valuable tool. He couldn’t let Dim actually
7759.52 banish it. “Thank you,” he said, “but I’ve 
always believed that a gun in the hands of   a villain and a gun in the hands of a good 
man are two completely different things.”
7768.24 “So, what truly matters is the 
intent of the one who wields it.”  As Embers spoke, he took the Book of Malevolent 
Spirits back from Dim’s hands. The book,
7776.32 which had been cackling moments 
before, instantly fell silent.   Oh no! It was going back to that wretch again!
Panicking, the Book of Malevolent Spirits tried
7784.88 to release the few remaining spirits trapped 
within its pages. Yet, though the pages rustled   furiously, the two evil spirits engraved there 
remained utterly still.Ash lowered his eyes,
7795.92 fixing his gaze on the Book of Evil Spirits, from 
which ink slowly seeped out in nervousness. “Had
7801.2 enough fun?” he asked, his voice calm but firm. 
“If you’re done, stop making trouble for me.”
7807.04 As soon as he finished speaking, the 
Book of Evil Spirits, unable to command   Celia and Frankiel any longer, obediently 
snapped itself shut. Its eyelids drooped
7816.0 and its enormous mouth clamped shut, all the 
mischief replaced with docile compliance.  Dim stood nearby, utterly dumbfounded by the 
sight. He never imagined he would witness
7825.44 something like this! Could it be that the 
book really only bullies the weak and fears   the strong? Yet, they’d threatened the book 
plenty of times before, and it had never so
7834.16 much as acknowledged them. The Book of Evil 
Spirits had always ignored them completely.  Dim loosened his grip on the saint’s ashes he’d 
been clutching, his face full of awe and wonder.
7844.0 “How did you get it to listen to you?”
Before Ash could answer, Arthur,   still struggling to catch his breath, interrupted 
anxiously, “Dim, rather than worrying about that,
7853.36 I think what’s inside is far more dangerous.”
“Did you see the ouroboros embroidered on that   wizard’s robe?” he continued, his voice low and 
tense. “Whenever the Immortality Cult shows up,
7863.44 nothing good ever happens.”
“If we keep dragging this out,   who knows how things will end.”
Dim, reminded by Arthur’s words,
7870.8 immediately sobered up. No longer preoccupied 
with the Book of Evil Spirits, he glanced over   at Matt. “How’s it looking? Can you still 
move? This job really needs your expertise.”
7881.04 Unlike Dim, his younger brother Matt had not grown 
up hunting demons. After all, someone in every
7886.24 family had to carry on the family line. Matt had 
always been the academic star, studying at MIT,
7892.08 and before Dim came to find him, his life was 
all about books and research. But when it came   to explosives, Matt was in his element.
Hearing his brother’s question, Matt—whose
7900.88 strength had been steadied by the balance between 
the Bloodwing rules and the mutual bloodsucking   of the leech spirits—gave an ‘OK’ gesture. He 
picked up the electric drill, ready to bore a
7910.32 few holes into the bone wall to set the charges, 
aiming for a flawless, controlled detonation.
7915.36 “Wait, let me handle this. My method’s 
a bit faster,” Ash interjected.  The Ryan brothers turned to look, only 
to see Ash holding Arthur’s severed leg
7923.68 in one hand and a strange book in the other.
Arthur’s eyes lit up when he saw Ash holding his   lost leg. Was Ash about to help him reattach the 
limb? Was he planning to restore Arthur’s werewolf
7933.6 form so he could smash through the bone wall? But 
that wouldn’t be any faster than blasting it open.  Then, could it be that Ash just didn’t 
want Arthur to get caught in the explosion,
7942.16 and wanted to restore his mobility beforehand, 
just in case? Truly a loyal friend! Last time,
7948.32 Ash had even broken the rules and threatened 
a doctor at gunpoint to save his organs.  Now, once again, Ash was about to help him 
reattach his severed limb, surely at some
7957.2 cost to himself. Arthur’s earlier words hardly 
merited this much loyalty. If this kept up,
7962.88 he was afraid he’d have to repay Ash with his 
own life!Arthur’s emotions surged, and his lips   trembled as he tried to express his gratitude. 
But then, he noticed something strange in Ashes’s
7973.28 gaze. There was a hint of apology in Ashes’s eyes! 
The moment Arthur saw that look, it was as if a
7979.52 bucket of cold water had been dumped over him, and 
a sense of dread welled up inside. After all, his
7985.2 leg had only just been severed by the Bloodwing 
Monarch. If treated quickly, it could still be   reattached using conventional medicine. Regrowing 
a limb through vegetarian means would take far,
7995.44 far longer! But now, he feared even that hope 
was slipping away. And sure enough, in the next
8001.04 instant, Ashes pressed Arthur’s severed leg onto 
the thick tome. The limb was slowly swallowed
8006.16 up by the book, as if some unseen whirlpool was 
devouring it, until nothing remained. Strangely,
8012.4 not a single drop of blood stained the book 
that had so completely consumed Arthur’s leg.  Then, Ashes, his demonized arm hidden behind 
his back, began to recite an incantation that
8022.48 had appeared on the sacrificial tome—a curse 
of erasure. The chant resonated, its cadence
8027.76 rising and falling, and the seemingly unbreakable 
wall of bone before them crumbled in an instant,
8032.88 dissolving into shapeless piles of bone fragments.
Dim and Matt exchanged glances. Was Ashes a
8038.4 warlock after all? One thing was certain—this 
method was far faster than blasting through   the wall. Though the idea of sacrificing a 
thigh just to cast a spell was more than a
8047.68 little unsettling. Still, there was no time to 
dwell on such matters—the priority was to stop   whatever the cult of immortality was planning!
But as the dust from the bone wall settled,
8056.88 the scene that greeted them 
left everyone frozen in place.  …
Just moments before—  After the Bloodwing Monarch called out his 
name, Gylut—now a servant to several houses,
8065.68 in a manner of speaking—simply sneered.
“Will I die? I really don’t know,” he said.
8070.72 “But I do know that your death is coming soon.”
With those words, Gylut crouched down,   drew a silver blade, and—ignoring the curses 
hurled by the Bloodwing Monarch—swiftly
8080.24 slashed open her throat. Instantly, the 
scent of vampiric blood filled the air.  The Thirteenth Ancestor, long deprived of blood, 
was able to restrain himself at first when the
8090.08 aroma reached him. But as the scent grew heavier, 
it gnawed at his empty stomach with mounting   intensity. Just one taste, just a single mouthful!
At last, unable to contain his bloodlust any
8100.88 longer, the Thirteenth Ancestor let out a guttural 
roar, dropped low, and clamped his mouth onto
8106.08 the Bloodwing Monarch’s neck, drinking greedily.
As the monarch felt those fangs pierce her flesh,
8111.36 her entire body shuddered. She, who had always 
been the predator, feeding on the blood of others,
8117.12 could never have imagined the roles 
would be reversed. Now, she was just   like the prey she had once hunted—left 
with nothing but endless helplessness.
8125.28 The Thirteenth Ancestor’s swallowing 
noises echoed in the air, an ominous   drumbeat heralding the approach of death. 
Powerless to resist, the Bloodwing Monarch
8133.92 could only let her consciousness slip away.
For the Thirteenth Ancestor, now sated with   the blood of his own kind, long-lost strength 
surged back through his veins.But soon he felt
8143.04 a discomfort rising in his stomach, just like the 
reaction he’d had in the past after accidentally
8148.16 consuming human blood. Thirteen, his mouth still 
dripping with blood, could no longer endure
8153.28 the nausea churning in his belly—he retched, 
spewing out mouthfuls of thick, black blood.
8158.56 How could this be? The body before him was 
clearly that of a vampire king—so why was   what he’d ingested unmistakably human blood?
In that moment, he could only sense the power
8167.68 that had just surged within him now slipping 
away, as silently and inevitably as sand   trickling through his fingers. Worse still, 
even the curse that should have lingered in
8177.04 his heart was fading. It wasn’t just human 
blood—what on earth was happening to him?  Realizing that someone had tampered with the 
Bloodwing King’s corpse, Thirteen glared upward
8186.0 in fury. Sure enough, he caught sight of a 
mocking face gazing down at him. That sneer
8191.28 wasn’t just for the dead Bloodwing King—it was 
aimed at Thirteen himself, newly resurrected.  “Lord Progenitor, how do 
you like this special gift I
8198.72 prepared just for you?” came the taunting voice.
Kneeling on the ground, Thirteen slammed his fist
8203.92 down in anger and roared, “What have you done?!”
Gilut let out a low, amused chuckle,
8209.281 utterly unafraid. After all, the mighty 
Thirteenth Progenitor’s punch now couldn’t   even crack the ground beneath him. It was 
clear just how feeble Thirteen had become.
8217.68 “Oh, nothing much,” Gilut replied 
lightly, “I simply transformed the   Bloodwing King back into a human, that’s all.”
“But you were in such a hurry to drink her blood,
8226.56 you didn’t wait for the transformation to finish.”
“So now, inside you, there’s not just human blood,
8232.0 but also the very elixirs that can 
turn vampires back into humans.”  “You have no idea what it took to create 
such a potion—I poured so much, so very much,
8240.479 effort and devotion into it.”
“And now, at last,   I can see the dawn of my success…”
At first, the sorcerer from the Cult of Eternal
8248.16 Life managed to tolerate Gilut’s long-winded 
speech. After all, someone who’s been holding   back for years is bound to have much to say. But 
Gilut’s so-called “victory speech” was dragging on
8258.0 far too long—even the sorcerer grew impatient.
At last, the sorcerer cut in, his tone sharp:
8264.0 “Gilut, enough with the nonsense. 
Take the Cursed Heart, now.”  Gilut, who’d been pouring out years of pent-up 
pain, was suddenly interrupted mid-flow. He
8272.96 frowned, but quickly smoothed his expression. It 
didn’t matter; once he replaced the Thirteenth
8278.16 Progenitor and claimed his place, he would make 
this disrespectful sorcerer pay dearly for today.  With a flick of his wrist, Gilut reversed 
his silver blade, slicing a deep gash into
8287.76 his own chest, and then mirrored the cut 
on the progenitor’s body. The precise dose   of True Love’s Blood he’d used was just 
enough to suppress the power of the Cursed
8296.24 Heart. All that remained was to transplant the 
heart—and his path to triumph would be clear.  But suddenly, the temperature in the room 
plunged. An intense, freezing cold swept through,
8306.16 turning blood to ice in an instant; the wounds, 
still open, scabbed over on contact, closing up as
8312.16 if stitched by the frost itself. Gilut’s attempt 
to swap hearts was brought to an abrupt halt.Girut
8317.68 turned back in anger, only to see a face with 
wild, tangled hair. For a fleeting moment, he felt
8323.2 as if he recognized that face from somewhere. 
Was it coming for him? In the next instant,   countless claw marks streaked with dark energy 
appeared across Girut’s body. A vengeful spirit!
8333.44 Why would a vengeful spirit seek him out here? 
No matter—he wasn’t worried, because the great
8338.56 sorcerer of the Cult of Immortality standing 
beside him was not someone to be trifled with.  A swirl of powder drifted through the air, and 
as the vengeful spirit, Lina, flickered between
8348.16 shadow and substance, she was forced fully into 
the corporeal realm. Girut’s lips curled into
8353.36 a cold, mocking smile. He raised his fist and 
brought it down with a crushing force, shattering
8358.8 Lina into pieces, just as she had died before.
“A lowly spirit like you dares to threaten
8364.0 me? I killed you once—I can kill you again!”
Paying no mind to which unfortunate soul Lina
8369.281 might have been, Girut turned away, only to meet 
a pair of unfamiliar eyes staring back at him.
8374.32 “It’s you?” Girut asked, his 
mind reeling with confusion.  “Of course it’s me. Who else could it be?” came 
the reply. “Only I am worthy of true immortality!”
8384.64 As the words fell, Sharmos, whose consciousness 
had regained control with the weakening of the   ancient progenitor’s will, broke into a 
relieved smile. In his life, he had only
8393.92 two great regrets. The first was being unable to 
lift the curse of the Dark Knight from his wife,
8399.52 Fran—a regret that had been resolved not long 
ago. The second was discovering the identity
8404.64 of the villain who had tormented countless 
women. Now, that answer stood before him.  So, before Girut—now raising his silver 
blade once more—Sharmos swiftly chanted
8414.0 an incantation he knew all too well: 
the Spell of Spirit-Body Severance.  A deafening impact—countless spirit forms merged 
into a single force and crashed brutally into
8422.96 Girut’s body. At the same time, Sharmos struck a 
bargain with the many vengeful spirits within him:
8428.64 whoever could kill Girut would gain 
control of his body! For the spirits,   this was an opportunity they had long dreamed of.
Though they usually preferred to act alone,
8436.88 this time the spirits came together, 
wrestling control of Girut’s silver   blade and driving it hard toward his throat.
At that moment, Austin, the great sorcerer of
8445.6 the Cult of Immortality, was about to intervene 
when he sensed a sudden surge of magical energy.
8451.2 He turned just in time to see the bone 
wall, conjured by the Staff of Manipulation,   come crashing down with a thunderous roar.
Austin’s brow furrowed. Was there
8459.92 another sorcerer at work?
He blew a different-colored   dust into the air, and as the smoke billowed, he 
inhaled deeply, quickly discerning the identities
8468.08 of the people behind the wall. The same group 
of demon hunters—some were werewolves, some   vampires—but he couldn’t sense the presence of 
the fellow sorcerer who had just cast the spell.
8476.8 Trying to snatch the prize at the 
very last moment? What a cunning move.  Austin made a mental note to stay alert. Any 
sorcerer who could evade his detection must
8485.28 have some tricks up their sleeve. After all, 
to dare snatch food from the jaws of the Cult   of Immortality, one had to have real skill. In 
fact, it was even possible that this mysterious
8494.72 spellcaster was one of their own.After 
all, everyone is in pursuit of immortality,   but immortality is not something everyone can 
attain. Realizing this, Austin picked up the Staff
8504.8 of Control from the ground and let out a cold 
chuckle. Then, he silently recited an incantation
8510.64 and cast an invisibility spell. He was determined 
to see who would lose their patience first!
8515.68 As the dust settled, the members of the 
Embers witnessed a surprising sight:   Gillette was struggling desperately against 
a silver blade pressed to his throat. None
8523.68 of them had expected this turn of events. 
Meanwhile, Sharmos, who had been possessed   by the Progenitor at the beginning, now lay 
collapsed on the ground, his fate uncertain.
8533.439 For a moment, no one knew what to do next. 
After all, the scene they had imagined was   either the cultist achieving immortality, or the 
revived Progenitor unleashing destruction. Now,
8543.68 unsure of what had transpired, they 
hesitated between helping Gillette   or seizing the chance to kill him.
Dim exchanged a glance with Matt,
8550.88 then once again grasped the ashes of the saints. 
Whatever the situation, trapping the enemy   with a magic circle was the wisest first move. 
Everything else could be dealt with in due time.
8560.64 While Dim busied himself with drawing the array, 
Carla quietly approached Sharmos’ body. She could
8566.0 feel that the Cursed Heart was still inside, but 
having failed once before, Carla was torn—should
8571.12 she extract the heart or not? The earlier scene 
still lingered vividly in her mind. This Cursed
8576.64 Heart clearly possessed a will of its own, 
compelling its bearer to revive the Thirteen   Progenitors by force. Carla wasn’t sure she could 
remove its influence. To her, the best option was
8586.96 to get the Thirteen Progenitors out of here.
Yet, the shriveled Bloodwing Monarch on the   ground served as a constant reminder: the 
Thirteen Progenitors would never spare a
8595.68 single vampire. As Carla wrestled with her 
dilemma, only Ember noticed the shattered
8600.8 remains of Lina. Lina, after all, was the 
wraith who had accompanied him the longest.   Even in death, she deserved to be laid to rest.
But as Ember drew near, he was startled to find
8610.56 that Lina’s wish panel still lingered. And not 
far from her, another wish panel gleamed brightly.
8616.399 [Austin]
[Wish: Discover the true secret of immortality.]  It was that wizard! The cultist from the Church of 
Immortality! He hadn’t left—he was only invisible!
8627.12 Realizing this, Ember quietly gathered Lina’s 
broken body. Lina, sealed in the solidified dust,
8633.2 was clearly in dire condition. The wish panel 
that only Ember could see flickered erratically,   as if it might vanish at any moment. This meant 
Lina was on the brink of utter obliteration.
8643.2 But with Austin lurking nearby, Ember dared not 
reveal his trump card—the ability to transform
8648.479 into a demon. If he wanted to save Lina, there 
was only one uncertain path left: forging a Wraith
8654.8 Relic! He would use the dust containing Lina’s 
essence as material to create a new relic for
8660.16 her spirit.As luck would have it, Ember happened 
to possess a suitable vessel—the Blade of Doomed   Reversal! Wasting no time, Ember reached into 
his coat, ready to pull out the white candle, but
8670.64 accidentally brought out a badge along with it.
Clink! The sound was faint, barely enough to
8675.68 draw anyone’s attention. Yet Austin, who 
was lurking invisibly nearby, fixed his   gaze on that badge marked with the ouroboros.
Something from the Cult of Immortality—how could
8685.52 Austin, a grand mage, fail to recognize it? And 
this weathered ouroboros badge was not something
8691.359 an ordinary cultist could obtain; it was at 
least an elder’s insignia! In other words,
8696.64 the hidden sorcerer was at least 
equal in rank to Austin himself.  Russell? Or perhaps Mace? Only those 
two ancient fiends would take such
8704.24 delight in opposing Austin at every turn!
Austin’s fist clenched, and his expression   flickered between gloom and unease. The enemy 
lurked in the shadows, while he stood exposed
8714.0 in the open—a dangerous position for any mage. 
After all, many powerful spells required time
8719.68 to prepare. If he were to reveal himself 
now to help Gillert seize the Cursed Heart,   he might well be caught off guard.
After a long moment of hesitation,
8727.76 Austin finally made his decision. 
There would always be another day!  He quietly approached Sharmos’s body, murmured an 
incantation under his breath, and reached out to
8736.8 draw a shadow from the Cursed Heart. Then, using 
his staff, he traced a door covered in runes upon
8742.319 an unnoticed section of wall. As his hand pressed 
against it, the door swung outward from the stone,
8747.92 and Austin’s figure vanished through it.
Only Ember, who had been watching from   the corner of his eye, caught a glimpse of this 
scene. Although he could not see Austin himself,
8756.64 he could see the floating wish panel drifting 
through the air. Strangely, the mage named   Austin had never shown himself; instead, after 
lingering by Sharmos, he departed entirely.
8767.28 No matter how Ember pondered, he could 
not fathom Austin’s motives. In the end,   he could only conclude: never try to understand 
a madman’s logic. After all, Ember himself
8777.28 had no idea that his own spellcasting had 
caused Austin to conjure up a phantom enemy.  Shaking his head, Ember pushed the matter 
aside and instead lit the white candle as
8785.84 an offering. Then, with his soul-tinged hand, 
he merged the solidifying dust with the Blade   of Doomed Reversal.
Return, O soul!
8793.76 As Ember completed the ritual, Lina’s lingering 
spirit, trapped in the solidifying dust,
8798.88 followed the candlelight and feebly took a bite 
of the offering. In that instant, the shard of
8804.0 wrath burst forth with brilliant white light, 
enveloping the scattered fragments on the floor.  The solidifying dust, affected by the magic, 
melted instantly into a milky-white liquid,
8814.08 coating the blade’s edge. At last, the 
Blade of Doomed Reversal gleamed with a new,   hidden luster, as though covered with a 
fresh veneer, its properties subtly changed.
8823.52 [New one-time property added: Striking a wraith 
will render it corporeal for thirty seconds.]  …Turning the intangible into the tangible?It’s 
certainly effective, but regrettably, it’s only
8833.12 single-use. Still, that’s to be expected—most 
of these wizard-crafted powders can’t be reused   anyway. After all, the cost to reclaim and reforge 
them is far higher than simply making a new batch.
8844.08 There’s a similar recipe stored in Ashes’ phone, 
though it’s missing a few ingredients. And since   he hadn’t needed to deal with evil spirits lately, 
Ashes hadn’t bothered to pursue it any further.
8853.84 Ashes gripped the scorching silver blade 
once more. The blade, sensing its master,   automatically adjusted itself, pointing straight 
at the struggling Gilut. When enemies meet,
8863.76 it’s only natural for things to end 
with no room for mercy. After all,   this was a promise Ashes had made long ago.
He stood up, dusted off the busy Lane
8872.24 brothers—who were still drawing their magic 
circles—and said, “Let me handle this.”  Seeing how impulsive Ashes was in his eagerness 
to confront Gilut, Dim immediately stepped in
8881.28 to block his way, warning, “Don’t rush in. This 
guy is possessed by a very powerful evil spirit.”
8887.52 With that, Dim produced an electromagnetic 
detector and held it up for Ashes to see.   The moment he pulled it out, it let out 
a shrill beeping, and the needle had
8896.24 already swung far beyond the maximum reading!
“We’ve encountered spirits of this strength   before. If we go by conventional classifications, 
the one possessing Gilut is very likely a Blood
8905.68 Wraith capable of warping its surroundings!”
“If you get too close, there’s no telling   whether the Blood Wraith will attack you too.”
“To be safe, let’s finish setting up the
8914.319 binding circle and see how things develop.”
Blood Wraith? Ashes whipped his gaze toward   the fallen Sharmos. If he remembered correctly, 
Sharmos, after devouring so many evil spirits,
8924.72 had essentially become a Blood Wraith himself. 
But if Sharmos had left his own body, then who—or
8930.24 what—was still conscious within it?
Not good!  A sudden realization struck Ashes, 
and he shouted at the restless Karla,
8936.8 “Karla, get out of there—now!”
Karla, who had finally made up   her mind to intervene, frowned with confusion 
and turned around. Just as she was about to
8945.359 ask what was wrong, the previously unconscious 
“Sharmos” beside her suddenly opened his eyes.
8950.64 Sensing danger, Karla pushed off with her toes, 
ready to leap away. But before she could move,
8956.319 a feeble yet commanding voice rang out at her 
ear, leaving no room for defiance: “Stop.”
8961.76 A force rooted deep in her bloodline 
froze Karla in place. In the next moment,   she felt a sharp pain at her neck—two 
fangs easily pierced her skin.
8970.08 As she felt her blood being drawn rapidly from 
within, Karla finally understood why Ashes had   warned her to leave. The Thirteenth Progenitor 
had been feigning unconsciousness all along!
8979.84 Using blood laced with traces of human 
heritage, the ancient one had suppressed his   bloodlust just enough to bide his time. Now, 
at the perfect moment, he struck—seizing the
8988.8 chance to drink truly fresh blood in an instant!
These old monsters really are all the same—never
8994.0 to be underestimated. If Karla hadn’t hesitated 
before, she might have made it even easier for   the Progenitor to succeed!But now, it was 
already too late. The Thirteenth Progenitor,
9003.84 tormented by an unending thirst for human blood, 
had thrown open his jaws and was finally indulging
9009.28 in the pure blood of the vampires. If he 
truly managed to replenish himself, none of   those present would likely escape unscathed.
Yet, as Karla’s face grew increasingly pale,
9018.8 a strange smile suddenly appeared on her 
lips. Her blood was not so easy to savor.  Then, Karla turned her gaze toward Arthur, who 
lay sprawled on the ground. In that instant,
9028.8 realization dawned on Arthur. With his 
remaining hand, he pressed a hidden button.  The Vampire Gene Suppressant—detonate!
A faint cracking sound echoed through the air.
9038.479 The Thirteenth Progenitor, who was 
still greedily gulping down blood,   shuddered violently and released Karla’s 
shoulder, stumbling back two steps.
9046.08 “There’s poison in your blood too?!”
Clutching her neck, Karla collapsed   to the ground and let out a cold laugh. 
“The taste of concentrated vervain—do
9054.56 you find it to your liking, Progenitor?”
Black blood once again seeped from the   Thirteenth Progenitor’s mouth, his fury reaching a 
boiling point. He had never expected that the two
9063.76 vampires he’d encountered since his resurrection 
would be so troublesome. One carried within her a
9069.04 potion of true love’s blood, capable of turning 
a vampire human. The other had a special device
9074.24 inside her, filled with concentrated vervain!
This was clearly a trap set just for him!
9079.52 But there was still a third vampire 
in the hall. He refused to believe   that this one’s blood would be tainted as well!
The Thirteenth Progenitor’s gaze shifted, locking
9088.24 onto Embers, who was gripping the Blade of Final 
Banishment. Just as he was about to command Embers
9093.92 to approach, an unsettling sensation crept through 
his body. When he opened his mouth, countless
9099.52 branches erupted forth, sealing his throat tight.
No matter how he tore at them, the branches grew
9105.2 back, relentless and unyielding.
At last, the furious Progenitor   realized the source of these branches: 
they originated from his own undying heart!
9114.319 His own heart had betrayed him? A surge of 
incredulous absurdity washed over the Thirteenth   Progenitor. After all, his resurrection 
was owed entirely to this eternal heart,
9124.399 branded with his own mark. Any limb or organ might 
betray him, but never his heart—or so he believed!
9130.399 Yet now, the undeniable reality forced him 
to accept the truth. His heart had become   the wellspring of this wild, proliferating growth!
Under the Thirteenth Progenitor’s unwilling gaze,
9141.12 the rampaging branches pierced his 
flesh, snaking down to the ground,   pinning him securely against the trunk of a tree, 
leaving him utterly immobilized and voiceless.
9150.0 Witnessing this, Embers, whose mutated thumb 
was hidden in his palm, finally exhaled in
9155.12 relief. The safeguard he had put in place 
before everything began had finally paid off.  The reason the Cursed Heart could break through 
the barrier between worlds was, in fact, because
9163.76 Embers’ blood was the crucial key. After all, 
when Judith was “revived,” the first blood she
9169.28 drank belonged to him—a vampire’s blood. Only then 
did the Cursed Heart regain its full vitality.Yet
9175.04 no one knew that Ember’s blood also harbored 
unseen fruits, invisible to ordinary eyes.  These fruits were, in truth, the 
seeds of the Bi-colored World Tree.
9183.359 These unconscious seeds acted as extensions of 
the Bi-colored World Tree within Ember’s body.  Once he realized that the Thirteen Progenitors 
had set their sights upon him, Ember subtly
9192.479 accelerated his demonic transformation, hastening 
the ripening of those seeds now residing within   the bodies of the Thirteen Progenitors.
The more greedily the Thirteen Progenitors
9200.88 drank his blood, and the more rage they 
felt, the more vigorously the seed already   embedded in the heart of the Cursed Heart 
would grow, sprouting branch after branch.
9209.2 Unaware of this hidden design, the 
Thirteen Progenitors ultimately fell   victim to their own desires, entrapping 
themselves in the web they had spun.
9216.8 To avoid drawing the attention of the Lyon 
brothers, Ember deliberately concealed his thumb,   now armored with scales, within his palm.
When she saw the Thirteen Progenitors
9225.52 impaled by the branches of the tree, 
Karla glanced thoughtfully at Ember.  Why did this tree look so familiar?
Karla had seen the World Tree of
9233.12 Hatred before, and the scene before her 
stirred a vague suspicion in her heart.  Still, with demon hunters present, Karla 
knew better than to question Ember openly.
9241.76 Whatever needed to be said could wait until 
they were safe at home, behind closed doors.  Arthur, lying on the ground, was 
equally unprepared for what had
9250.0 transpired. He had merely pressed the detonation 
button—how had things turned out like this?  Could it be that the Psionic Department had 
already improved the vampire factor inhibitors,
9258.72 making them capable of absorbing 
vampire blood and growing into a   tree strong enough to restrain the blood clan?
Wow—now that would be a triumph of technology.
9266.399 Yet Arthur couldn’t shake the feeling 
that things were far from so simple.  Lacking enough information, he could wrack 
his brains and still never uncover the truth.
9274.399 Soon, Arthur gave up on further speculation.
Half-crippled as he was, there wasn’t much he
9279.52 could do besides pressing a button.
Rather than tormenting himself with   endless worry, he might as well 
clear his mind and wait for rescue.
9286.8 After all, pressing the detonation button 
had also sent out a signal for help.  Now, all that remained was to see how quickly the 
Psionic Department’s response team would arrive.
9295.6 As for the Lyon brothers, they were truly 
stunned by this sudden turn of events.  They had never imagined that the seeming 
victory of the blood clan progenitor would
9303.359 collapse so swiftly and completely.
They could understand the progenitor’s   strange reaction after drinking Karla’s blood.
As master demon hunters, they had long heard that
9311.6 the Psionic Department implanted nano-robots 
loaded with concentrated vervain into blood   clan hunters who joined their ranks.
Arthur, it seemed, was the designated
9319.439 observer with his finger on the remote.
So it made sense that the blood clan progenitor   would suffer a setback at Karla’s hands.
After all, those nano-robots traveled with
9327.68 the bloodstream, and only a progenitor 
unlike any ordinary vampire would dare   drink the blood of another vampire.
But what happened next left even them
9334.96 at a loss.When the progenitor of the vampires 
turned his gaze toward the embers beside them,   those eerie, bone-chilling branches suddenly 
burst from his body in a frenzy. No matter
9343.84 how the progenitor struggled and tore at 
them, it was all in vain. The branches,
9349.04 as if they possessed a will of their own, swiftly 
bound the weakened vampire ancestor, wrapping him
9354.319 up like a mummy and suspending him from the tree.
What kind of monstrous creature was this? Could it   be that not only the vampire progenitor 
had escaped from the abyss just now,
9362.88 but something even more powerful as well?
Dim and Matt exchanged glances,   each recognizing the worry in the other’s eyes. 
When it came to known foes like the blood spirits
9371.92 and the vampire progenitor, they felt somewhat 
confident—they at least knew what to expect.
9376.96 Blood spirits could be trapped by spirit-binding 
arrays and feared weapons that could break souls.   The vampire progenitor was allergic to 
vervain, and silver could wound him.
9385.84 But as for this mysterious tree demon, they 
knew nothing at all. Hunters like them,   who faced monsters as mere mortals, relied 
on careful preparation to survive and win.
9395.28 The unknown, however, had always been 
the deadliest enemy for their kind.  Dim let out a bitter laugh. Could it really be 
true, just as other hunters whispered in private,
9404.319 that he and his brother were cursed? 
That everyone who became close to them   was doomed to die in the end? Was it really 
coincidence, or was it the curse left by that
9413.439 yellow-eyed demon upon the two of them?
With wary eyes, the brothers watched   for the tree demon’s next move. Yet, 
for some reason, it remained still,
9421.2 making no further gestures. It seemed interested 
only in the vampire progenitor, entirely
9426.319 ignoring even Karla, who was lying at its feet.
A friend, perhaps? Or an old enemy from the abyss,
9432.8 holding a grudge against the vampire progenitor? 
Either way, it looked like the brothers would not   have to face the worst possible outcome after all.
When Dim snapped out of his thoughts, he saw that
9442.319 Ember was already standing beside Gilrut. 
Damn it! Hadn’t he warned Ember not to go   over there? That was a blood spirit! Blood 
spirits could not be vanquished so easily.
9451.84 Each one was bound to countless ties in 
this world; it was never as simple as   burning some evil bones to resolve the matter.
Usually, when faced with a blood spirit of this
9460.319 level, hunters would focus on sealing, 
not destroying, for blood spirits were   almost impossible to annihilate. If 
Ember were possessed, they might well
9467.92 have to say their final farewells to him.
Cursing under his breath, Dim no longer   cared about Ember stepping into the array. He 
immediately ignited the formation laced with the
9476.8 ashes of saints. As the flames rose, a powerful 
spirit-binding array quietly erected an invisible,
9483.28 impenetrable barrier. The barrier cut off any 
chance for the blood spirit to escape—and equally,   any chance for Ember to leave if he was possessed.
Standing beside Gilrut, Ember gave no thought to
9493.439 such concerns. He understood exactly why 
the blood spirit had come for Gilrut.Back   when Shalmos tracked down Gilrut, he 
followed him all the way to Guomu Town,
9501.28 which eventually set him on the path of demon 
hunting. For an agent with a sense of justice,
9506.319 an unsolved case becomes an obsession that lingers 
in his heart. And the series of gruesome murders   of young girls back then became exactly that 
for Shalmos—a fixation he could never let go.
9516.319 Now, staring at Gilrut, whose veins were bulging 
as he struggled desperately against the blade at   his neck, Ember said nothing. He simply raised 
his hand, then brought the blade down even faster
9526.64 toward Gilrut’s throat.
A sickening slice rang   out as steel tore through flesh.
Gilrut’s head fell to the ground,
9532.96 his eyes still wide in stunned disbelief. He had 
fought so hard to survive, only to have his throat
9538.479 slit by a stranger whose name he didn’t even know.
The evil spirits who had been trying to fulfill   their bargain with Shalmos were instantly 
enraged when they realized it was Ember who
9546.479 had killed Gilrut. How dare he meddle in 
their affairs? Did he have a death wish?  Like a furious swarm, the spirits burst from 
Gilrut’s body and hurtled straight toward Ember.
9556.16 Outside the spirit-binding formation, Dim saw 
the blood spirit take shape, its form twisted
9561.359 and tangled by countless vengeful ghosts. 
Unable to bear the sight, he closed his eyes.  As expected. Those who ignore 
warnings always pay a heavy price.
9570.24 Now Ember was about to pay for 
his recklessness—with his life.  Dim had no good solution for this. All he 
could do was make sure Ember’s death would
9577.84 not be in vain. Because he would banish the blood 
spirit—and Ember’s soul—back to hell together!
9583.439 Dim exchanged a glance with Matt. The 
incantations, written in Latin, could only   be pronounced fluently by his prodigious younger 
brother. So Dim continued arranging the ritual
9593.2 materials, while Matt pulled out an ancient 
tome and began to prepare the spell.  Just then, a gentle white light poured 
down through the broken ceiling above.
9601.439 Time seemed to slow to a crawl. 
Everyone moved as if trapped in a dream,   their actions sluggish and suspended.
And then, they all saw it—the light,
9610.399 radiant and pure, and within it, a 
figure with immaculate white wings.  An angel! It was an angel!
Dim’s pupils contracted slowly
9618.479 in shock. He couldn’t understand why an 
angelic incarnation would descend to the   mortal world. But realization soon dawned.
From the silver blade in Ember’s hand,
9627.439 the faint, ethereal form of a young 
girl emerged, drifting upward.  The evil spirit’s obsession had been 
released. She could ascend to heaven at last.
9636.399 A few moments earlier—
After Ember used the   silver blade to swiftly sever Gilrut’s head, he 
immediately sensed that something had changed.
9643.84 Come to think of it, this was the first 
time Ember had truly fulfilled a tormented   spirit’s final wish.
[Contract Complete.]
9650.72 [Soul Fragment Acquired x1]
Watching the prompt drift before his eyes,   Ember expected to feel a surge of anger from 
the spirit fragment he’d obtained—but instead,
9659.84 an unprecedented serenity swept over him.
Because what he’d gained was not a fragment   of wrath, but one of gentleness.
A refined fragment of
9667.68 Gentleness—one of the Seven Virtues.
Had Lina, now freed from her obsession,   achieved redemption for her soul as well?
Just as Ember had this thought, he too sensed
9677.28 the descending light.Bathed in that gentle white 
light, there was a presence whose radiance was   dazzling, as if reaching out a hand toward 
Lina. Then, a force born of divine law tore
9687.2 apart the shackles that the Deathbreaker 
Blade had placed on her. Lina’s spirit,   drifting and ethereal, appeared before Ash.
But this time, Lina’s hair was no longer wild
9696.88 and disheveled, and the look she gave Ash was no 
longer laden with hatred. She had reverted to her   youthful self, eyes filled only with gratitude. 
While time seemed to slow for everyone else,
9707.52 Lina alone could still move freely. She bowed 
deeply to Ash, then spoke in a gentle voice:
9713.04 “Thank you for fulfilling my last wish.”
“Without you, I would have been blinded   by hatred and eventually faded from this world.”
“You are my benefactor. If I have the chance in
9722.64 the future, I will repay your kindness.”
“So, farewell, Mr. Ash.”  As she finished speaking, Lina’s form dissolved 
into a sphere of light and floated upward
9731.68 toward that mysterious being above. At that 
moment, Ash heard the rush of wings overhead,
9736.88 and the intricate soul-binding array that 
Dem had crafted shattered in an instant.   The blood spirit that had lunged at Ash 
was struck by the white light, suffering
9745.28 as though it were snow melting under the sun.
And then, the presence above performed what seemed   like an unnecessary flourish, but it allowed Ash 
to witness a breathtaking scene: immaculate white
9755.12 wings and a luminous halo overhead.
An angel—an actual angel!  For Ash, this was the first time he had 
seen what an angel truly looked like. Yet,
9763.76 for some reason, apart from its outline, 
he could not make out any further details.  So, Lina had gone to heaven? Ash felt 
genuine happiness for her. After all,
9772.88 the mortal world was full of suffering, and 
hell was even worse—there was nothing wrong   with heading to paradise a little sooner. In the 
end, every evil spirit was just a pitiful soul.
9783.2 Once the sense of stagnation around him faded, 
Ash lowered his gaze to the Book of Evil Spirits,
9788.24 which had flipped its pages open of its own 
accord. There, on the page, Celia looked up   at Ash with a pitiful, hopeful expression.
Previously, she’d harbored doubts about
9797.52 whether Ash truly had the power to send her to 
heaven. But after witnessing Lina’s ascension,   all her uncertainties vanished. Ash 
really could guide souls to paradise.
9806.399 The thought of a blissful afterlife brought an 
even deeper submission to Ash in Celia’s eyes.   Yet, in truth, Ash felt a headache coming on as 
he looked at the expectant Celia. Lina’s only
9816.8 obsession had been to kill Gilut; once that 
was fulfilled, she could let go and ascend.   But Celia’s obsession was to live a good life 
as a soul—how was he supposed to resolve that?
9826.399 Without heaven, she’d never have a good 
life as a spirit; without a good life,   her obsession would remain, and she’d never 
ascend. It was a vicious circle, a longing
9835.04 that could never be satisfied—perhaps this was 
the very definition of unattainable desire.  Unless… Ash could find a way to “smuggle” someone 
into heaven? It might not be impossible.After all,
9846.16 if there are ways for the inferno that buries 
the souls of vampires to connect with reality,   then surely Heaven must have its own hidden paths 
as well. The only question is where those paths
9855.68 might be found; perhaps a little luck is needed to 
stumble upon one. While Ash was lost in thought,
9861.279 the blood spirit—still reeling from the angel’s 
brilliant white light—returned to being dominated   by Sharmos. Given their history, Sharmos naturally 
had no intention of attacking Ash again. Instead,
9872.88 Sharmos gathered up the remaining evil 
spirits and flew toward his own body,   which was still suspended in mid-air.
But returning to his own body was far
9880.72 from pleasant for Sharmos. The sensation of having 
his body stuffed full of tree branches was enough
9886.24 to drive anyone to the brink of collapse. Small 
wonder that the primordial consciousness had so
9891.439 readily abandoned it. Fortunately, this was not 
the first time Sharmos had endured such pain.
9896.8 Thanks to his unyielding spirit, he could hold on 
for a while longer. He could only hope that Ash
9902.319 would show some decency and not simply walk away, 
but would instead find a way to bring him down.  Meanwhile, on the ground, Dim and his companion 
exchanged glances, having just witnessed the
9912.24 descent of an angel. Scenes like this were usually 
confined to the church, where priests would hand
9917.76 over captured evil spirits to the bishop. The 
bishop would then recite scripture to them day   after day, hoping that one day the spirits’ 
obsessions might be unraveled and they could
9926.8 be sent to Heaven. But it was clear that Ash was 
anything but holy—in fact, one could even call him
9932.0 wicked. And yet, it was Ash who resolved an evil 
spirit’s lingering obsession and sent it to Heaven
9937.279 in a manner not unlike a rite of absolution.
Such a thing was exceedingly rare even among   demon hunters. For them, the best way to deal 
with powerful evil spirits was to find the corpse
9947.12 or relics they’d left behind in life, and burn 
them. Once their earthly ties were destroyed,
9952.319 the spirits would naturally dissipate. 
Who would go through all the trouble of   painstakingly fulfilling an evil spirit’s final 
wish? Only those bishops with too much free time
9961.52 would bother to purify evil spirits in such a 
way. Of course, now there was someone else—Ash.  From Dim’s perspective, Ash’s willingness 
to risk himself in order to resolve a blood
9970.399 spirit’s obsession seemed almost saintly, 
bordering on self-sacrifice. Admirable,   perhaps, but hardly something to recommend. That 
was all Dim could say about Ash’s actions. Still,
9980.399 Ash clearly had luck on his side; the spirit taken 
away by the angel must have sung Ash’s praises,
9985.92 which was likely why the angel had conveniently 
weakened the blood spirit and neutralized Ash’s   crisis. In a way, perhaps that was just 
the universe’s way of rewarding good deeds.
9995.52 Now, the only problem left was how to deal with 
the tree demon. As for the long-absent grand   wizard of the Church of Immortality, Dim figured 
the fellow had simply been scared off. After all,
10006.24 Dim and his companion weren’t just anyone—they 
were the renowned Twin Stars of the demon hunter   world! It was only natural for someone to run 
away. Ever since they’d gained their reputation,
10016.16 though many friends had fallen, not a single 
demon-hunting mission had ended in failure. Such
10021.2 a fearsome success rate was enough to strike 
terror into the hearts of any vermin!“Matt,   check out what’s strange about this tree.”
Matt nodded, set down his backpack, and pulled out
10030.72 a slim laptop. Now that the interference caused 
by the River of Blood had faded, communication
10035.92 in this area had returned to normal. So, Matt had 
no trouble connecting to the internet. He ran his
10041.92 custom demon-hunting program and began scouring 
the web for any odd tales or legends about this   kind of tree. Truth, after all, is often hidden 
in the stories people whisper to one another.
10051.279 That’s the shared wisdom among demon hunters.
While the Ryan brothers wore serious faces,   intent on solving the mystery of the World Tree, 
Ash quietly moved closer to it. Without a word,
10062.24 he drew his silver blade and, with swift, 
decisive strokes, sliced through the   branches binding Charmos, setting him free.
The sudden rustle caught Matt’s attention.
10072.0 He looked up at Dim, confusion written all 
over his face—was the problem already solved?
10077.279 Dim, aware of Matt’s gaze, could only 
shake his head helplessly. In his mind,   he firmly labeled Ash: reckless brute. That’s 
all Ash was, really. First, he had marched
10087.52 right up to that dangerous blood spirit without a 
second thought, and now, without any hesitation,   he’d hacked apart the arm-like branches of this 
unknown tree creature. None of this fit the image
10097.68 of a careful, calculating demon hunter. Did Ash 
really think being a vampire made him invincible?
10102.96 Was that why he acted so brazenly? But right here, 
there still lay the corpse of a vampire lord—proof
10109.359 enough that countless supernatural creatures 
in this world could easily kill a vampire.  Yet, strictly speaking, Ash hadn’t actually done 
anything wrong. Every rash decision he made ended
10118.16 up being the right one in the end. Pure dumb luck! 
That had to be it—he was blessed with dumb luck.
10123.52 Still… this was far from a real solution. First, 
this unknown tree spirit—likely an escapee from
10129.359 the Purgatory—might not be hostile now, but 
who could say it wouldn’t attack in the future?   Second, the one Ash had rescued was no ordinary 
vampire, but a progenitor—an ancient being who
10139.68 fed on the blood of its own kind. Even though the 
progenitor was weak now, no one could guarantee   it wouldn’t lash out with a deadly strike when 
least expected. And finally, according to rumor,
10149.52 a Dark Knight was said to wander these parts. The 
Ryan brothers had never seen this knight, perhaps
10154.56 only because they hadn’t triggered its aggression.
Taking everything into account,   it was far too soon to let their guards down.
Dim rummaged through his pockets and produced
10162.72 several small vials filled with concentrated 
vervain. He stepped forward and, through the   gaps in the branches that had bound Charmos, 
used a syringe to inject the vervain into the
10172.0 tree. Now that was proper preparation. This was 
how a real demon hunter operated. It was common
10178.16 knowledge among their kind: concentrated vervain 
could greatly weaken vampires. The problem was,
10183.2 most of the time, it was nearly impossible to 
inject vervain into the body of a swift-moving   vampire. That’s why demon hunters usually relied 
on traps to deal with them.It was rare to feel
10193.04 so at ease as he did now. Only after injecting 
several tubes of purple vervain did Dim finally   let his guard down a little. With Ember’s 
approval, Dim took out a silver knife and
10202.64 sliced open the branches that sealed Sharmos’s 
mouth. Then, as if simply toying with the blade,   he abruptly drove it into the ground right next 
to Sharmos’s face with a sudden, forceful motion.
10212.64 “If you don’t want more trouble, 
answer my questions honestly.”  “Who are you?”
Sharmos averted his gaze,
10218.88 glanced at Ember, and swallowed nervously.
“Sharmos.”  Hearing the name, Dim frowned slightly, as if 
recalling something. He pulled out his phone,
10227.92 snapped a photo of Sharmos, and ran it 
through an app for comparison. In no time,   information about the missing demon hunter 
named Sharmos appeared on Dim’s screen.
10237.04 An ally? But something wasn’t right—the 
way Sharmos had just drunk blood hardly   resembled a normal demon hunter.
Dim gripped the knife handle and
10244.56 tilted it sharply, pressing the cold, keen 
edge against the skin of Sharmos’s neck.  “Tell me—what did you do to the real Sharmos?!”
Sharmos gave a bitter smile, about to reply,
10254.64 when Ember spoke first.
“He is the real Sharmos.”  Dim turned, puzzled.
“Huh?”
10260.24 Naturally, Ember wouldn’t reveal he could 
confirm Sharmos’s identity through the   wish panel. As he broke open the branches 
covering Sharmos’s chest, Ember explained,
10269.04 “It’s a long story, but to put it 
simply: the consciousness of the   progenitor vampire entered Sharmos’s body.”
“But for now, Sharmos is still in control.”
10278.0 “It’s just that, with this cursed heart, it’s only 
a matter of time before he loses that control.”  Dim’s brow furrowed as he stared at the slowly 
beating, seven-holed heart beneath Ember’s knife.
10288.24 This was yet another thing he’d never 
seen before. But it was clear Ember   understood far more than he did. Dim 
sheathed his knife and simply asked,
10296.08 “So what should we do?”
Ember thought for a moment, then asked,  “Did you bring any taishui flesh?”
Dim nodded and pulled a chunk of
10303.84 ruby-red flesh from his pocket.
“That makes things easier.”  Without hesitation, Ember brought his knife 
down, severing the seven-holed heart entwined
10312.319 with countless branches. The sight of Ember’s 
action made Dim feel as if his own heart had
10317.359 skipped a beat. If Sharmos was truly one of them, 
then what Ember was doing now was nothing short of
10322.479 murder! No one could survive without a heart!
But before Dim could protest, Ember pressed   the taishui flesh into Sharmos’s chest. 
The taishui flesh wriggled and shifted,
10332.08 gradually taking on the shape of a new heart.
At this pace, it would take at least five minutes   for a new heart to fully form. Yet a human 
could survive without a heart for only five
10340.399 minutes at most!Dim, his face ashen with anger, 
finally couldn’t hold back and turned to speak.
10346.0 “Ash, what on earth are you doing?”
“You’re about to kill him!”  “Don’t tell me you think the flesh of the 
Taishui is some sort of miracle cure!”
10353.6 Ash merely shrugged, then gestured for Dim to see 
for himself. As they watched, the branches that
10359.04 had torn Chalmers’ skin to shreds began to wither, 
as if their source had been cut off now that the   Cursed Heart was gone. In moments, the branches 
crumbled into dust and drifted away on the breeze.
10369.439 Without those suffocating branches, color 
returned to Chalmers’ face, and he looked   visibly better. He even had the leisure to glance 
at Ash and speak in a perfectly normal voice.
10379.279 “Man, I don’t know why, but 
you smell amazing to me.”  Seeing that Chalmers hadn’t fallen into 
the throes of death after losing his heart,
10386.64 but instead seemed as lively as a fish thrown 
back into water, Dim suddenly realized the
10391.68 truth. Chalmers was no longer human! Only 
something inhuman could survive without a heart!
10397.04 Dim’s thoughts immediately turned to the 
blood spirit that had dissolved under the   holy light of the angel. He had thought 
that creature was thoroughly destroyed,
10404.479 but now it seemed it had only been greatly 
weakened—enough to fool their electromagnetic   detectors. And that feeble blood spirit clearly 
hadn’t possessed any of their group. If all other
10414.319 possibilities were ruled out, then what remained 
must be the truth: Chalmers was the blood spirit!
10419.6 Had Ash known all along? Was that why he’d 
so decisively replaced the Cursed Heart,   severing the ancestor’s power while also purging 
the influence of that unknown tree demon? If so,
10429.76 Ash’s mind worked astonishingly fast.
At last, Dim saw the cause and effect   clearly. In Ash, he even saw a shadow of 
his younger brother, Matt—a true thinker.
10439.04 But to hold both brute force and wisdom within 
a single person seemed almost a contradiction,   didn’t it? Dim found himself unable to see through 
Ash anymore. Could it be that every reckless move
10449.2 of Ash’s was, in fact, orchestrated by the mind 
of a strategist? That was a terrifying thought.
10455.04 As Dim was lost in thought, Ash’s 
voice broke through his reverie.  “Hey, Dim, any idea how to deal with this heart?”
Snapped back to reality, Dim glanced at the Cursed
10464.64 Heart in Ash’s hand and finally felt a wave of 
relief. At last, Ash had stumbled upon something
10469.68 he didn’t know. Now Dim could finally show off 
his own expertise—a rare chance. After all,
10475.04 Ash’s actions always left him bewildered, 
yet the results invariably proved him right,
10480.08 making Dim feel like a mere bystander. At 
times, Dim had almost come to believe that   all the hard-won experience of the demon 
hunters was outdated in this new era.
10488.72 After learning the general origin of the Cursed 
Heart, Dim pondered for a moment, then called Ash   aside. Drawing on his own experience, he offered 
his advice.“If what you describe is true—if this
10499.92 heart has always yearned for its master, 
even actively seeking its master’s return…”  “…then this cursed heart is truly indestructible.”
“I once came across a similar account in an
10509.359 ancient tome, yellowed with age.”
“I had thought it mere legend,   but now I see it is real. This cursed heart 
should rightly be called a Heart of Eternity.”
10517.76 A Heart of Eternity?! Ash’s expression shifted. 
The very Heart of Eternity he had been seeking
10523.04 all along—was it now in his grasp? And yet, 
this heart was far removed from what Ash had
10528.64 imagined. After all, he had witnessed firsthand 
everything this Heart of Eternity had done. It
10534.16 recognized only a single master: the Thirteen 
Progenitors of the Bloodline. All others who
10539.279 possessed it were, at best, mere pawns 
the heart used to achieve its own ends.  In other words, even if this heart could unite 
Ash’s soul and flesh, it came with terrifying
10549.04 side effects. The fate of the Dark Knight served 
as a stark warning. Had the Cursed Heart not
10554.319 been transplanted into Sharmos’s body, the Dark 
Knight would have become the vessel prepared for   the Thirteen Progenitors.
Lost in thought,
10561.12 Ash barely noticed as Dym continued to speak.
“So our first priority must be to abandon any
10566.479 hope of destroying the Heart of Eternity.”
“Trust me, those before us have tried every   conceivable method. There’s no need for us 
to waste more time plotting its destruction.”
10575.68 “Since it cannot be destroyed, the standard 
practice among demon hunters is to seal it   away—find a powerful mage to bind the Heart 
of Eternity within an enchanted object.”
10584.56 “While this is not a permanent solution, and 
might even tempt those greedy for its power,   it is at least a viable approach.”
At this, Ash’s mind stirred once
10593.12 more. That’s right—even if he could not 
claim the Heart of Eternity for himself,   it did not mean he couldn’t use its power. If 
it could be transformed into a magical artifact,
10602.08 then, after paying the appropriate price, 
Ash would gain access to its fearsome curse.  With this thought, Ash turned to look at 
Sharmos—one of only two mages present. Given
10611.68 his need to keep his true intentions 
hidden, Sharmos was his sole option.  But something seemed off about Sharmos. He looked 
at Ash with a hunger in his eyes, a longing that
10620.88 only faded when Ash drew close. Contemplating 
his next move, Ash opened a cut on his finger,
10626.479 letting a drop of fresh blood fall to the ground.
Instantly, a wild, bloodthirsty craving surged
10632.24 in Sharmos’s gaze. Wounded and 
battered as he was, he dropped   to the floor and hungrily licked at the blood.
It seemed the Progenitor’s insatiable thirst had
10640.96 permanently altered Sharmos’s very nature. Only by 
drawing near to Ash, whose greed could absorb all,
10646.479 could Sharmos’s body be restrained from yielding 
to its primal instincts.No wonder Sharmos had
10651.68 spoken such baffling words earlier. In the eyes 
of this bloodthirsty Sharmos, as a vampire,
10657.12 Ashes was certainly a prize worth coveting.
Now that he understood everything, Ashes   looked at the newly calm Sharmos and asked, 
“Sharmos, your situation seems rather dire.”
10666.72 Sharmos clearly realized the changes in 
his own body as well. He wiped the dust   from his mouth with resignation and gave 
a wry smile. “I know. Just let me see Fran
10676.0 one last time, and I’ll give up this body.”
“Oh, and thank you for removing that heart.”
10681.359 “As for the price of the Taisui flesh, I’ll find a 
way to repay you. I still have quite a few credits
10686.64 with the Psyonic Department—should be enough.”
Fran? It was only now that Ashes realized Fran had
10692.24 been silent for a long while. It seemed that while 
everyone was preoccupied with the crisis at hand,
10697.279 she had quietly slipped away. Poor Sharmos 
was still thinking of that heartless woman.  Ashes had no intention of intervening in this 
matter. After all, love has never obeyed reason,
10707.52 and he had no desire to be seen 
by Sharmos as the villain here.  “Sharmos, do you believe 
now that I’m a good person?”
10714.479 Sharmos was taken aback for a moment, then 
recalled Ashes’ identity as a demon’s agent.   He had to admit, he’d always harbored a deep 
prejudice against demon agents. That was why,
10724.64 following the principle of 
‘no rabbit, no snare,’ he’d   refused Ashes’ earlier requests for more sorcery.
But now, it seemed Ashes truly was a good person.
10733.12 If nothing else, the fact that Ashes had been 
willing to save his life without demanding   any promise in return—that alone spoke volumes. 
This debt, Sharmos knew, he would have to repay.
10742.64 “That’s right. You are… a good person.”
“I misjudged you before, and I apologize.”
10748.16 Ashes smiled, unbothered by Sharmos’ earlier 
attitude—he was simply laying the groundwork   for his next request. “Then, could you 
tell me how to seal this Cursed Heart?”
10757.439 This time, Sharmos seemed to think for 
quite a while. At last, he looked up,   a little embarrassed, and pointed 
to the Cursed Heart in Ashes’ hand.
10765.2 “Do you realize that if you seal it, 
I will also lose my source of power?”  Before Ashes could respond, Sharmos continued,
“But it’s alright. I became a warlock
10774.96 for two reasons: Fran, and Gilut.”
“Now that both goals have been achieved, whether   I’m still a warlock isn’t so important anymore.”
“This heart is different from other objects—it
10784.72 can’t be altered in form. You must 
find a vessel that can contain it,   preferably one with its own magical properties.”
“After that, you can leave the rest to me. Since
10793.439 I share the same origin as it, I can help you 
seal it.”“This kind of vessel won’t be easy to
10798.56 find. Before it fully regains its strength, 
you probably have about three days left…”  A sorcery vessel larger than the Heart 
of the Curse? Ash really did have one.
10807.52 While Sharmos was still speaking, Ash quietly 
produced a cracked crystal ball from his pocket.   This was the very crystal ball he had 
taken from the immortalist black wizard,
10815.92 Derren—it fit Sharmos’ requirements perfectly.
The moment Sharmos saw the crystal ball,
10820.96 he fell silent in genuine surprise. Did Ash 
carry a bag of endless treasures or something?
10826.0 How could he always have exactly what was needed?
Sharmos had expected Ash would need several days   to find a suitable vessel, giving him 
just enough time to see Fran one last
10834.56 time. But to his astonishment, Ash 
handed it over without hesitation.  Without his powers, Sharmos would be unable 
to keep the evil spirit within him at bay.
10843.76 And when that happened…
“Wait a moment.”  “Hm?”
Ash looked at Sharmos   in bewilderment. He had already taken out the 
crystal ball, and now Sharmos wanted to wait? This
10853.2 was like taking off your trousers only to be told 
it’s that time of the month—what was the point?  A flicker of embarrassment crossed Sharmos’ 
face. “No, I’m not planning to break our
10862.24 agreement. It’s just that, while I still have 
my powers, I need to find out where Fran is.”
10867.439 “I promise, it won’t take long.”
Damn hopeless romantic, Ash sighed   inwardly, but acquiesced to Sharmos’ request.
Sharmos shot Ash a grateful glance. Then,
10877.12 with ruthless determination, 
he sliced open his own wrist.  A sharp, tearing sound filled the 
air, and blood splattered everywhere.
10885.12 Ash wiped the blood from his face, 
exasperated. Was that really necessary?
10890.319 As it turned out, it was. Sharmos needed 
a great deal of blood for this ritual.  The flowing blood, as if guided by a will of 
its own, floated through the air toward Judith’s
10899.76 corpse. It gathered in the hollow of her left 
chest, filling the void where her heart once was.
10904.96 Using the mingled blood of himself and Judith as 
the conduit, Sharmos began to call out to Fran.
10910.399 Meanwhile, Fran, already seated in a 
carriage and preparing to leave Orchard Town,   was suddenly seized by a pang of unease.
Taking a big gulp of water to steady herself,
10919.68 Fran caught a blurred reflection in 
the window glass—it was Sharmos’ face.  Startled, Fran quickly recognized him. Taking a 
deep breath to calm herself, she dabbed some water
10929.359 on her face, crafting the traces of recent tears.
Only then did she turn to the window,
10934.399 her gaze filled with sorrow.
At the same time, in the reflection   of blood, Sharmos saw the figure he 
had been yearning for day and night.
10942.16 “Fran…”
All the questions Sharmos had carefully rehearsed   evaporated the instant he saw her sorrow.
Why hadn’t their daughter been resurrected
10949.279 as promised? Why had she left him alone?
None of it mattered now—not in the face   of her tears. He didn’t want her to cry.
“Fran, where are you? I miss you so much.”Fran
10959.76 deliberately dabbed at the corner of her eye, 
her voice thick with emotion as she choked out,   “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I had no idea 
things would turn out this way.”
10968.319 “I truly believed the three of us could 
live together happily as a family.”  “I killed our daughter. I’m guilty. I 
don’t have the face to see you again.”
10976.56 “I’m sorry, Chalmers. Forget 
about me. You deserve better.”  Hearing Fran finally speak the truth, 
the last trace of unease in Chalmers’
10984.64 heart vanished completely. After a long, 
heavy silence, all Chalmers could manage   was a single sentence: “Fran, you have 
to take care of yourself from now on.”
10993.12 With that, Chalmers took the initiative 
to cut off all contact. To love someone   is to let her go free. Even if it means 
losing her forever, he would accept it.
11001.76 Chalmers lifted his gaze, his heart ashen 
and numb, and looked at Ember. “I’m ready.”
11007.2 Watching Chalmers, who had been toyed with 
in the palm of a treacherous woman’s hand,   Ember felt a tumult of conflicting emotions. 
Yet, faced with Chalmers in this state,
11015.68 he found it difficult to say anything at all.
With a slight shake of his head, Ember handed over   the crystal orb and the Heart of the Curse.
Chalmers exhaled a long, heavy breath,
11025.12 as if settling some inner resolve, 
then began to chant the incantation.  The long-silent Primordial Will seemed to sense 
some impending crisis, and began frantically
11033.76 battering at Chalmers’ consciousness, desperate to 
reclaim control. But the recently shattered heart
11039.2 of Chalmers had given him a temporary, steely 
determination; no matter how the Primordial   Will assailed him, he stood firm, like a rock 
battered by the shore’s relentless waves.
11048.319 As the chant continued, the Heart of 
the Curse slowly seeped into the crystal   orb through its cracks, becoming a black 
heart encased in ice within the crystal.
11056.08 Yet the Heart of the Curse, aware of its own 
impending fate, refused to succumb so easily.
11061.6 With its last ounce of strength, it began to 
pulse violently, and every beat widened the   cracks already etched into the crystal orb.
But Chalmers, eyes filled with grim resolve,
11071.68 seemed to have anticipated this. His incantation 
was not a simple fusion spell, but a sacrificial
11077.12 rite—the Sacrifice Spell! Using the power of blood 
and spirit, he would seal the Heart of the Curse!
11083.12 A surge of crimson energy burst forth 
from Chalmers, transforming into a torrent   that filled the fissures in the crystal orb.
When all was finally settled, the crystal orb,
11092.479 now marked with strange blood-red veins, 
dropped to the ground with a dull thud.  And Chalmers, having sacrificed his very life, 
collapsed to the floor along with the anguished,
11101.84 wrathful cries of the Primordial Will.
The dissipating Primordial Will immediately   drew the attention of Leviathan, who 
was bathing in the river of blood.
11109.76 Where moments before Leviathan had been in 
high spirits, his smile instantly faded.
11114.8 “Useless! Can’t even manage to stay alive!”
“What good is it to let you out?!”  Furious, Leviathan twisted his mouth and, 
with a single snap, crushed the Primordial
11124.319 Soul that had just been dragged out.
Yet, in the depths of the blood river,   the Primordial Soul began to revive 
once more.Yet, in the eyes of the
11132.24 resurrected Thirteen Progenitors, there was now 
unmistakable fear. In the depths of Purgatory,
11137.68 it was true that a soul could no longer die. But 
pain, all too real, was ever-present. Faced with
11143.04 the apex predator of this infernal food chain, he 
found himself utterly powerless; all he could do
11148.319 was hope that his tormentor would soon vent his 
anger and release him from this endless agony.  …
Guomu Town. The library lay in ruins. Ashes picked
11156.08 up the crystal ball, his heart a tangled web of 
emotions. He had never expected that Sharmos,
11161.6 thwarted by love, would choose to die for it. 
What left him at a loss for words was that,   though Sharmos had paid with his life to seal 
away the Cursed Heart, he had also, through it,
11171.04 imposed a price on Ashes for borrowing its power.
[Price: The loss of fondness   for that which is truly loved.]
Was this the curse of a love-stricken soul,
11179.68 wounded by heartbreak? It was almost laughable! 
Still, this price seemed to leave room for   loopholes. After all, “that which is truly 
loved” was not singular: a favorite dish,
11190.24 a beloved book—these, too, could count. With that 
in mind, the price did not seem so hard to bear.
11196.72 Just as Ashes stowed away the crystal ball and 
was about to speak, an astonishing sight caught   his eye. The long-dead Judith, whose chest 
had been hollowed out, now had her wound
11206.479 filled once more with flesh and blood. With his 
keen hearing, Ashes could even detect the faint,
11212.0 tentative thumping of a heartbeat.
Returned from the dead? No,   this was a First Embrace.
In a flash, Ashes understood
11218.96 the cause and effect. Judith had died 
after drinking his blood. By rights,   his bloodline should have made a First Embrace 
impossible. But after Alice’s spellwork had
11228.319 fused his blood with that of Frankiel, Ashes now 
possessed the bloodline of a highborn vampire—one
11233.6 capable of granting the Embrace to others.
Yet, if Judith had no taste of human blood,   she would not complete the Embrace, and true 
death would claim her forever. Fatefully,
11242.72 it was Sharmos—still in the body of a warlock—who 
had fed her blood, unwittingly fulfilling the
11248.24 conditions for Judith’s transformation 
and turning her into a true vampire.  A careless act, yet it had saved Judith’s life. 
Ashes wondered, if Sharmos were to learn of this,
11257.84 would he still have chosen death so decisively?
With a sigh, Ashes reached out to Judith.
11262.96 “Welcome back.”
“Is there anything you wish to do?”  [Judith]
[Desire: To kill her own parents.]
11268.919 …
Back among the living,   Judith’s eyes glimmered with hatred. As a newly 
made vampire, her senses were sharpened, her
11276.0 every emotion magnified. The seething hatred she 
had carried in life was now so potent that even
11281.279 Ashes could scarcely absorb it all. Consumed by 
vengeance, she ignored Ashes’s outstretched hand.
11287.12 Unsteadily, she rose to her 
feet, her gaze instantly   locking onto Dean, who stood beside Ashes.
A human! A human with sweet, living blood!
11296.479 Judith’s eyes reddened in an instant.But just as 
she bared her fangs, several thin tubes filled
11301.52 with concentrated vervain extract pierced her 
skin. The one who acted, Dim, let out a sharp
11307.359 whistle. He looked over at Ash and suggested 
with a grin, “Newborn vampires are always like   this—very few can rein in their bloodlust.”
“Clearly, she’s not one of the few,” he added.
11317.84 “She’s going to be trouble. Need me to take care 
of her for you?” Dim drew his silver blade across
11323.279 his hand in a swift, decapitating motion through 
the air. “Just one quick stroke—she’ll be free
11328.96 of pain, and you’ll be rid of the problem.”
Ash had to admit, Dim’s suggestion was the   most straightforward solution for 
most people. After all, Judith,
11337.2 blinded by hatred and driven by desire, was 
bound to become a major headache for anyone.
11342.24 But for Ash, Judith’s current state was 
an unexpected boon. To accelerate his own   transformation into a demon, the fastest way was 
to feed the twin-colored World Tree within him
11351.84 with fragments of souls steeped in anger and 
greed. Yet those fragments weren’t unlimited,   and rushing the process risked losing control.
So, having Judith—a constant source of anger
11361.6 and desire—was actually a rather appealing option. 
Right now, she was like an endless power station,
11367.359 continuously supplying Ash 
with the energy he needed.  All Ash had to do was help her survive 
this newborn phase. For Judith,
11373.92 who had never lived two lifetimes, lacked 
the self-control Dim had mentioned. Thus,   Ash politely declined Dim’s offer.
“Thank you, but she’s actually a pitiable soul,”
11383.68 Ash explained, recounting her story as he took 
out a blood bag and placed it at Judith’s lips.  The scent of fresh blood hit her, and Judith 
immediately bit into the straw, drinking it down
11393.359 in great gulps. As the blood entered her system, 
her overwhelming thirst began to subside, and the
11399.04 burning pain from the vervain eased significantly.
Now, Judith finally regained a sliver of clarity.
11404.8 She glared at Ash and, grinding her teeth, 
demanded, “So, am I a Dark Knight now?”
11410.16 Ash shook his head. “No, you’re actually 
a step better than a Dark Knight.”  “You’re a vampire now.”
Judith froze, only then
11417.2 realizing that what Ash had given her was not 
some sort of energy tonic, but real human blood.
11422.399 Yet she felt no revulsion—instead, she craved 
more. She could distinctly hear the beating of   Dim’s heart, the rush of blood through his veins.
The more she thought about it, the more crimson
11432.479 patterns began to crawl across her skin. Clearly, 
she was still unable to control her urges.
11437.92 With a soft pop, Ash opened another blood 
bag.Without hesitation, Judith snatched it
11443.279 away and took a long, satisfying gulp, finally 
quelling the surge of desire within her.  Seeing what Judith did, Dim relaxed and moved his 
hand away from the pistol at his waist. If Judith
11453.12 had targeted him just now, he wouldn’t have minded 
showing her the meaning of American quick draw.  Convinced things were under control, 
Dim patted Ember’s shoulder and said,
11461.84 “Since you’ve decided to protect 
her, she’s now your responsibility.”  “Now, I need to help my brother 
deal with the Bloodwing situation.”
11469.6 “Keep an eye on her. A newborn vampire raised in 
human territory isn’t exactly easy to manage.”
11475.04 With these pointed words, Dim turned away to 
handle Matt’s troubles. Although the rules   between Blood Leeches and Bloodwings could 
maintain a delicate balance, that equilibrium
11483.6 was fragile—always at risk of being shattered by 
unexpected injuries. There hadn’t been time to
11488.64 address it moments ago, but now that the immediate 
crisis had passed, Dim needed to find a solution.
11494.0 Heeding Dim’s warning, Ember tossed several 
blood bags to Karla. Managing a newborn vampire
11499.279 was beyond his experience. Fortunately, 
there was a vampire princess at his side.   Karla might not have much experience herself, 
but at least she’d been around long enough
11508.399 to know a thing or two. If she hadn’t raised 
piglets herself, she’d surely seen them run.  “Karla, do me a favor. Teach her how 
to behave like a proper vampire.”
11517.52 Karla, replenishing her strength with the 
blood bags, rolled her eyes and retorted,
11522.64 “You want me to be her nanny?”
“Do you realize that when I was first turned,   your grandfather’s grandfather 
was probably still a tadpole?”
11529.84 “How can you expect me to 
remember how I adapted back then?”  “If you want me to teach her how to fight, I 
might be able to squeeze in some time for that.”
11537.52 “But to teach her manners… 
forget it. I’m nobody’s nanny.”  Ember smacked his forehead, suddenly 
aware of the mistake he’d made. He’d
11545.52 actually asked the notoriously unruly Karla 
to instruct Judith in discipline? That was   like asking a wolf to watch over the sheep.
Rubbing his chin, Ember’s eyes suddenly lit
11554.72 up. He had a better idea. Treating Judith as 
a portable charger was still inconvenient—he
11560.0 couldn’t have her by his side at all times. And 
when he wasn’t there, Judith was a ticking time   bomb. So why not make her a battery instead?
Ember strode over, and without so much as a
11569.6 warning, pinched Judith’s cheeks, forcing 
her mouth into an involuntary ‘O’ shape.   He then used his thumbnail to open a cut on 
his index finger, squeezing out two drops of
11579.2 blood infused with the World Tree’s fruit and 
letting them fall into Judith’s mouth. He’d   intended to give her more, but the wound 
had already healed, so he stopped there.
11587.76 Judith swallowed on instinct, taking Ember’s blood 
mixed with her own saliva down into her stomach.
11593.04 Only then did she become acutely aware of the 
humiliation.Judith’s cheeks flushed crimson as she   glared at Ember, ready to lash out with questions. 
Yet, to her surprise, she felt her anger draining
11603.68 away at an astonishing speed. In just a short 
moment, she realized she was no longer upset. Even
11609.12 the blood bag she’d just been desperate to keep 
drinking didn’t seem nearly as tempting anymore.  A flicker of astonishment crossed Judith’s face. 
Sensing something had changed, she looked at
11618.239 Ember and asked calmly, “What did you do to me?”
Seeing his method had worked, Ember released his
11623.439 grip and smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Just helping 
you with a bit of self-control, that’s all.”
11628.479 “After all, anger and desire—left 
unchecked—will destroy you before long.”
11633.52 “As your… well, godfather, I have a 
responsibility to guide you properly.”  “Could you call me that, just once?”
A strange look flashed in Judith’s eyes—a longing
11643.2 born from a childhood starved of affection. 
Then, all of a sudden, she spoke: “Dad.”
11648.239 The word froze Ember’s smile 
in an instant. A daughter at   my age? That’s not what I signed up for.
Judith, delighted by her little prank,
11656.239 let out a clear, playful laugh, a rare burst 
of girlish vitality lighting up her face.  Realizing he’d been played, 
Ember shot her a mock glare,
11664.56 putting on a fierce act. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Judith beamed sweetly. “But isn’t it a father’s
11670.08 duty to teach his child how to live?”
As she spoke, her expression darkened   again. After all, her fate had turned out this 
way because her own father had failed her.
11678.8 Noticing her mood shift, Ember cleared his 
throat, interrupting her thoughts. Then he said,
11684.16 “I’ll admit, he wasn’t much of a father.”
“But you should know this: for our kind, the final
11689.68 step in an embrace is to drink human blood.”
“So, at least in his final moments,   he fulfilled his duty as a father.”
It was a small lie. In truth,
11698.64 Chalmers had acted unintentionally and only 
then had Judith been saved. But sometimes,   a well-meaning lie can save someone from 
spiraling too deep into their own mind.
11707.12 Sure enough, as Ember spoke, Judith’s eyes 
drifted to Chalmers’ lifeless body—already cold,
11712.399 with a striking wound on his wrist. Seeing him 
like this, she found herself half-believing
11717.52 Ember’s words. Perhaps her father had simply loved 
her mother more. The thought was oddly comforting.
11723.2 At least her father had loved her, in his own way.
Seeing Judith’s expression soften, Ember extended
11728.8 his hand once more. “Come on. The future is 
long—there’s no need to be trapped by the past.”
11734.479 This time, Judith, her composure restored, didn’t 
refuse his help. She grasped Ember’s hand as
11739.84 though grasping a new life.
…  Dim, deep in thought and frowning, heard 
footsteps behind him and turned at once.
11746.16 This time, he saw Judith looking back at 
him with calm, steady eyes—gone was the   hunger that had burned in them before.
A hint of surprise flickered in Dim’s
11754.64 gaze.Did Ashes really succeed? He had 
thought that, in the end, Ashes would   only be able to control Judith’s desires by 
restricting her freedom. Yet, to his surprise,
11764.72 Ashes hadn’t put any restrictions in place, and 
Judith was still able to stand quietly behind him.
11770.0 To be honest, in all of Dim’s nearly forty 
years of hunting demons since childhood, he   had encountered no shortage of newborn vampires. 
These vampires all shared one common trait:
11779.76 arrogance and conceit. The saying “a newborn 
calf fears no tiger” perfectly described these
11784.8 fledgling bloodsuckers. In their eyes, humans 
were nothing more than an all-you-can-eat buffet.  That’s why ninety-nine percent of the vampires 
causing chaos in human territories were these
11793.84 newborns. After all, the real veterans had 
long since learned how to keep a low profile.  But now, Judith, clearly a newborn herself, 
had managed to suppress her bloodlust in an
11803.04 incredibly short time. This was completely 
different from having one’s nature forcibly   suppressed by external force. There was not a 
trace of hunger for human blood in Judith’s eyes.
11812.399 Dim had witnessed this transformation from 
start to finish—except, of course, for the   moment when Ashes had given her his “lesson.”
Looking at it now, that unseen “lesson” must
11821.52 have been crucial. Still, Dim had no intention of 
learning whatever method Ashes had used. As far as
11827.52 he was concerned, rather than worrying about being 
betrayed by a vampire in the future, it was much   simpler to just cut off their head right away.
With a faint sigh, Dim turned his thoughts back
11836.96 to the thorny situation with Matt. It seemed that 
only David could handle this sort of problem.   Thinking of David, Dim pulled out his phone. 
They had implanted a GPS tracker under David’s
11847.52 skin a long time ago—that was the real secret 
to how they always managed to find him. This was   the power of technology. Someone like David, who 
practiced shamanic arts, would never understand.
11857.439 As Ashes came over and saw Dim 
preparing to risk taking Matt away,   he immediately shook his head and said, “No 
need to go to all that trouble—I have a way.”
11865.439 Dim was taken aback. Another way? Still, if 
Matt’s problem could be solved right here,   that would be best. But since this concerned 
his own younger brother, Dim decided to ask for
11874.96 details—after all, Ashes’ methods always carried 
an air of reckless boldness, and he couldn’t
11880.0 set his mind at ease without knowing more.
“What exactly do you plan to do? Tell me in   detail, so I can judge whether it’s feasible.”
Seeing Dim’s serious expression, Ashes replied
11889.6 with a smile, “Naturally, I’ll 
use rules to fight rules.”  “This is common knowledge in the demon-hunting 
world, Dim—you must have heard of it too?”
11898.08 Of course Dim had. Using leeches to counteract 
the Bloodwing rule operated on the same principle.
11903.439 Leeches suck blood, the Bloodwing rule also 
feeds on blood—when both sides are drawing   blood, a balance can be reached.
But now, Ashes actually wanted to
11911.279 introduce a third rule into the mix? 
That was an incredibly bold idea.  “I’ve heard of it—but I don’t agree. The risks are 
far too great.”Ash turned to look at Matt, whose
11920.56 face was pale, clearly leaving the decision about 
his own fate to him. After thinking for a moment,
11925.76 Matt asked, “What’s the third kind of rule?” Since 
he had already decided to repay the favor owed to
11930.88 the Lyon brothers, Ash had no intention of hiding 
Frankiel’s abilities. “A gamble with your life.”
11936.479 A gamble with my life? The realization dawned 
on Matt instantly. Ash wasn’t trying to meddle
11941.52 with the two bloodsucking rules; he wanted to 
shut them out entirely! By making use of the
11946.8 life-gambling rule, he could pull Matt out from 
under the influence of the other two! But then,   how could Ash guarantee that Matt wouldn’t 
die under the life-gambling rule itself?
11955.439 Matt lifted his gaze to Ash. Now, there was 
only one question left—did he trust Ash?
11960.64 He did.
“All right, let’s do it.”  Dim frowned and was about to speak, but Matt waved 
a hand to stop him. “Dim, I trust Ash. He wouldn’t
11968.64 promise anything he’s not confident about.”
Hearing his own brother say this, Dim could   only swallow back his words. Thinking it over, 
Matt wasn’t wrong. Whether Ash relied on real
11978.399 strength or just luck, he’d never failed so 
far. With the Psychic Division about to arrive,
11983.52 Ash wouldn’t choose this moment to do them 
harm. If he’d wanted them dead, there’d been   much easier opportunities before.
Convinced, Dim stepped aside.
11991.52 Ash once again pulled out that dreadful Book 
of Wraiths, which made Dim’s heart race with   unease. As the pages turned, the elegant 
Frankiel slowly manifested in the room. Matt,
12001.68 noticing his breath misting white, felt his heart 
begin to pound. This was a wraith summoned from
12006.96 the Book of Wraiths, after all. Matt knew 
better than anyone what kind of thing that   cursed tome was. More than anything, it delighted 
in toying with people—giving hope only to snatch
12016.08 it away and plunge them into despair.
But the arrow was nocked, and there   was no turning back. The elegant vampire 
wraith had already turned to him with a
12023.84 gentle smile. “Please, wager your life with me.”
As the words fell, the world around them changed
12029.359 dramatically. The dim space suddenly filled with 
dazzling light. A long table appeared between   Matt and Frankiel, while the Blood Leeches and 
Blood Wings, locked in their balancing struggle,
12039.68 were, as everyone expected, utterly incompatible 
with Frankiel’s rule. In the ensuing conflict,   the Blood Leeches and Blood Wings were forced out 
of the illusion, leaving only Matt sitting across
12049.04 from Frankiel at the table.
It was done.  But, staring at the revolver in Frankiel’s 
hand, Matt couldn’t bring himself to smile. Now,
12056.64 it was truly time to gamble with his life.
Nervously, Matt glanced at Ash, hoping to
12061.84 catch even a hint of a clue, some secret way 
to cheat. But Ash’s face remained calm and   unreadable; not the slightest hint was given.
Damn! Was Ash really going to make him use
12071.52 his wits to gamble with a vampire wraith?Matt’s 
heart skipped a beat as he stared at the silver,   saintly cross bullet being loaded into the 
revolver. His mind raced furiously. The
12080.88 silver bullet weighed about twelve grams, 
and after scraping off the engravings,   it was roughly eleven and a half grams. Frankiel’s 
casual spin of the cylinder exerted a force of
12090.0 about three hundred pounds. So, where would 
the bullet finally land…? The first shot!  Matt’s breathing grew rapid. He watched Frankiel 
with mounting tension, terrified that the wraith
12099.92 would turn the revolver on him and pull the 
trigger. Noticing the slight tightening at   the corner of Matt’s eyes, Dim—his brother, 
well-versed in Matt’s every nuance—immediately
12110.08 sensed that something was wrong. Damn it! Why 
was Matt so intensely focused? Weren’t they
12115.12 told that Ember had everything under control? 
Or was Ember’s control limited to resolving   the rules regarding vampires, and now, in this 
deadly game of chance, Matt was truly on his own?
12124.88 Just as Dim could no longer hold back and 
was about to speak, the wraith across the   long table raised the gun to his own brow with 
a look of resigned helplessness, then pulled the
12132.96 trigger without hesitation.
Bang! The shot rang out.  A fresh hole appeared in Frankiel’s 
forehead. He managed a graceful smile
12140.319 and then solemnly declared the outcome:
“Congratulations. You have won the wager.”
12145.359 As soon as the words left his lips, the 
illusion around them began to dissolve.  Matt, whose mind had been whirring at 
lightning speed, now stood rooted to the spot,
12154.64 stunned. He had never expected this vampire 
wraith to be so straightforward—no cheating,   no psychological games, only a kind of honesty 
so foolish it was almost touching. Or… was it
12164.319 possible that Ember really did have 
this wraith under complete control?  This last thought made Matt involuntarily draw 
in a sharp breath. He had always thought Ember
12172.399 was just a blood mage, but now it seemed Ember 
had command over necromancy as well. Ember was   turning out to be a complex figure indeed.
Still, whatever the case, Ember had resolved
12181.84 Matt’s immediate crisis. This time, 
the Ryan brothers owed Ember a debt.  Rising to his feet, Matt looked at 
Ember and spoke with earnest gratitude:
12190.239 “Thank you for your help. You’ll always 
be a friend to the Ryan brothers.”  “Whenever you need us, no matter how far or 
how difficult, we’ll find a way to help you.”
12198.72 “Brother for life!”
With that, Matt extended his hand,   and he and Ember exchanged a secret handshake—a 
slap of the palm, a touch of the back of the hand,
12206.96 a firm grip, a bump of the shoulders, 
and a friendly pat on each other’s backs.  Just then, the sound of screeching 
brakes echoed from outside the library,
12215.52 arriving fashionably late. Moments later, a fully 
armed demon-hunting tactical squad burst in,
12221.12 their laser sights peppering everyone in the 
room with countless red dots. Ember had no doubt
12226.239 that if anyone made a wrong move now, they would 
pull the trigger without a moment’s hesitation.  After a round of tests with holy water 
and other detection methods confirmed that
12234.239 Ember was indeed Ember and the Ryan 
brothers were truly themselves, the   demon-hunting squad finally lowered their guard.
Only then did Sasha, who had just recently been
12242.08 discharged from the hospital, step forward to 
wrap things up. Her gaze swept over the scene,
12247.279 eyes wide with astonishment. Piles of bones this 
numerous, here in law-abiding Los Angeles—such
12253.6 a sight was practically beyond belief.Not to 
mention the corpses they had seen along the   way—this alone proved that the monsters 
entrenched here were formidable indeed!
12262.56 And to have resolved the demon-hunting incident 
in this place, even the renowned Ryan brothers
12267.76 must have paid a heavy price. This thought 
was only further confirmed for Sasha when   she noticed how pale Matt’s face looked.
“Dim, Matt, it’s been a long time,” she
12276.399 greeted them. “It couldn’t have been easy 
dealing with the monsters here, could it?”  Dim was about to answer when he suddenly 
paused, a flicker of confusion crossing
12284.72 his face. It seemed Sasha had misunderstood 
something. In truth, from beginning to end,
12289.76 they hadn’t played any crucial role at all. 
Whether it was defeating the Blood Spirit   or vanquishing the Vampire Ancestor, it seemed 
everything had been accomplished by Ash alone.
12298.8 Even the enigmatic Dark Knight, who had never 
shown himself, apparently fell to Ash as well.  Although there had been a fair share of luck 
involved, judging solely by the outcome,
12307.439 nearly all the credit belonged to Ash. The 
two brothers seemed more like bystanders   than heroes. The famous Ryan brothers had been 
mere extras in this demon-hunting saga. Yet,
12317.2 if they told this story, few would believe it.
So, when Dim confessed the truth, Sasha found
12322.399 it hard to keep her expression neutral. She 
had seen Ash, and she had seen the miserable   state of Carla and Arthur. She had assumed Ash 
must have somehow won the Ryan brothers’ favor,
12331.84 and by clinging to their coattails, managed to 
survive this hunt. But from what Dim was saying,
12337.04 it sounded as if it was the Ryan brothers 
who were clinging to Ash instead! Was this   all backwards? Or had Ash somehow gotten 
hold of something the brothers wanted?
12345.359 Seeing the haunted look on Sasha’s face, 
Dim could only give a helpless smile.  “We’re really not exaggerating—it’s just 
how things happened,” he said. “There’s
12354.0 no need for us to lie about something like 
this.” “We stake the Ryan brothers’ many   years of demon-hunting reputation on it.”
Now that Dim had laid it out so plainly,
12362.88 even the most unlikely truth seemed undeniable. 
Sasha looked at Ash, her feelings a tangled knot,
12368.64 unsure what to say. Blood Spirit, Vampire 
Lord, Dark Knight, the Vampire Ancestor,
12374.56 and the mysterious immortal cultist who 
had vanished for reasons unknown—Ash’s   growth was shooting upward faster than a rocket.
Without anyone noticing, Ash had already reached
12383.439 the point of standing shoulder to shoulder with 
the Ryan brothers—perhaps even surpassing them.  What a shame. If only Ash weren’t a vampire…
With that thought, Sasha resolved to help Ash
12393.2 secure a chance at a cure. That hospital 
called District Thirteen had to have a way!  Before Sasha could speak, Ash 
suddenly broke the silence.
12401.12 “By the way, Sasha, before we settle the reward, 
there’s a personal transfer we need to deal with,”   Ash said. “Sharmos said he wanted to transfer all 
his credits to me, but he died before he could
12411.92 make the transfer.”At this point, Ash glanced 
furtively at Judith. Seeing her calm and composed,
12417.68 he added, “The Ryan brothers can vouch for this.”
Hearing Ash’s words, Dim nodded decisively.
12423.76 “That’s right. Chalmers said exactly that.”
Matt chimed in as well. “Not only that,
12429.279 Chalmers also said he was transferring 
ownership of all his arcane items kept   with the Psychic Division to Ash.”
At this, Dim shot a subtle look at
12436.399 Matt. Chalmers had never actually said 
that last part. Meeting his brother’s eye,   Matt simply kept his gaze lowered, determined to 
stick to his story—after all, with Chalmers’ soul
12446.399 burned away to seal the cursed heart, there was 
no way he could leap from his coffin and object.  Sasha, after a moment of stunned silence, 
finally noticed the corpse lying at her
12455.359 feet—it was none other than Chalmers, the “Demon 
Hunter Detective” who had been missing for some
12460.56 time. Dead men tell no tales, but truth be 
told, last wishes and transfers of property
12465.92 weren’t unheard of among demon hunters. It was 
understandable, though not exactly by the book.
12470.96 In the past, Sasha might have sternly 
rejected such a claim, but now,   seeing Ash’s meteoric rise and feeling a twinge 
of investor’s interest, she began to reconsider.
12480.319 “Alright, alright, give me a moment to think.”
“The problem is, your relationship with him wasn’t   officially registered, so it’s a little tricky.”
“Ash, unless you can find some way to
12490.16 prove a connection to Chalmers…”
Ash nodded, ready with an answer.   “I’m his daughter’s godfather. How about that?”
Chalmers’ daughter’s godfather? Sasha stared at
12499.84 him in disbelief, taking a moment to 
process just how absurd that sounded.   Chalmers’ official records listed him 
as fifty-eight, married at thirty-eight,
12507.84 and fathered a daughter at forty. That daughter 
was barely younger than Ash himself. How could Ash
12513.359 possibly be her godfather? Ash’s birth records 
were crystal clear in the archives—surely,
12518.8 he could have come up with a more plausible story.
Sasha frowned and mulled it over for a good   while before finally speaking. 
“Let’s not get carried away.”
12526.479 “Here’s what we’ll do: we’ll say that after you 
rescued Chalmers from the Mid-hill Apartments,   the two of you became partners. It’s just that 
Chalmers never used a phone and you’re new here,
12535.52 so neither of you thought to 
register the partnership…”  Sasha was cut off mid-sentence 
by Judith, who looked thoroughly
12541.2 displeased. “And why can’t he be my godfather?”
Sasha frowned at Judith. “Sorry, and you are?”
12547.6 Judith huffed. “Judith. Chalmers’ daughter. 
Do you need to see my birth certificate?”
12552.72 Judith? Sasha pulled out her phone, shaking 
her head. “No need. I can confirm that myself.”
12558.72 A quick database search was all it took for 
Sasha to confirm Judith’s identity—she really   was Chalmers’ daughter.So Ember really did get 
her to acknowledge him as godfather? A flicker
12567.359 of odd amusement passed through Sasha’s eyes. 
With Judith’s attestation, the relationship was
12572.479 legitimate enough. Still, Ember’s particular 
tastes were certainly a bit unconventional.
12577.52 “All right, then there’s no issue.”
“But there’s one thing   I need to clarify in advance.”
“Because Sharmos has been missing for so many
12584.319 years and hasn’t taken on any new assignments, his 
points have been steadily declining each year.”
12589.359 “Additionally, according to the laws of 
Los City, a 20% inheritance tax must be   paid on any estate, so you shouldn’t 
expect too much in terms of points.”
12597.6 “As for the sorcery items Sharmos 
deposited, let me check the records…”  Sasha’s thumb danced rapidly 
across the screen, tapping
12605.2 away. After a moment, she looked up and said,
“According to the records, Sharmos deposited
12610.72 three sorcery items with the Psychic Division.”
“However, the storage policy states that if the   management fee isn’t renewed within a year, the 
Psychic Division has the right to rent out the
12619.6 sorcery items to cover the outstanding fees.”
“So, two of the items are currently being   rented out to other demon hunters, 
with the payment made in points.”
12628.0 “At this point, the rental income from these 
items has already exceeded the management fees,   so any surplus points will be credited to 
your account once the leasing period ends.”
12636.96 “As for the remaining item—the Saint’s Burial 
Shroud—it’s still in the base. You can retrieve   it anytime within the next seven days at no cost. 
After that, an extra storage fee will apply.”
12647.279 “All right, let’s settle your mission 
reward and Sharmos’s inheritance now.”  After a few calculations, Ember received $500,000 
and fifteen points for the Dark Knight mission in
12656.72 Fruitwood Town. That’s the standard reward for 
an ordinary intermediate-level task; after all,   no one knew the true nature of the Dark Knight 
at the outset. Sasha could only process it as a
12666.479 mid-tier assignment, and on top of that, the 
reward was halved for foreign demon hunters,   leaving only this modest sum in the end.
But Sharmos’s inheritance brought Ember a pleasant
12675.12 surprise. Even after years of depreciation 
and the deduction of the inheritance tax,   Sharmos’s points still totaled an impressive three 
hundred—and this time, no halving was necessary.
12684.479 Then, with a wink and a nod, Sasha decided 
to credit the death of the Bloodwing Monarch   to Ember as well. As for the identity of the 
thirteenth progenitor of the blood clan—well, that
12693.52 one was impossible to verify through the Psychic 
Division’s follow-up investigations. But the death
12698.64 of a blood lord was significant enough on its 
own—a major blow to the entire blood clan. If not
12703.68 for the barrier of the Rocky Mountains, Free City 
might very well have fallen to humanity by now.  So even after the rewards were halved, Ember still 
received a hefty fifteen hundred points for that
12712.96 kill—a sum five times greater than the bounty 
for slaying a blood prince and elder combined!  Now, Ember not only possessed a small fortune 
of four million dollars but also had a total
12721.359 of 1,815 points to his name.This should count 
as middle class by any standard, right? Still,
12726.96 even with this many points, Ashen was far from 
being able to exchange for the very best items   from the Psychic Department. What a pity—if it 
weren’t for his vampire identity, he could have
12736.56 gotten his hands on some truly valuable things by 
now. Sasha felt the same regret about this matter.
12742.08 So, after settling the rewards, Sasha 
spoke up, her words carrying a subtle hint:
12747.12 “That about wraps things up here.”
“Are you planning to take a break for a while?”  Catching the meaning behind her question, 
Ashen’s heart stirred slightly. It was
12755.279 clear that if he didn’t want to rest, Sasha 
would assign him that escort mission. And the   destination for that mission was none other 
than the hospital known as District Thirteen.
12764.72 Regardless of whether there really was a 
cure for vampirism in that hospital, the   very existence of the blood spirit—a gluttonous 
amalgamation—was reason enough for Ashen to go.
12773.359 Without much hesitation, Ashen 
shook his head and replied,  “No need. Didn’t you say you had 
an escort mission lined up for me?”
12780.72 “I want to try that hospital. Maybe 
they really do have a solution.”  Seeing how quickly Ashen picked up 
on her intentions, Sasha was clearly
12788.319 satisfied. She rose up on her toes and gave 
Ashen an encouraging pat on the shoulder.  “Excellent. I’ll make the arrangements 
right away—wait for my good news.”
12797.04 Just as she was about to leave, Sasha 
suddenly stopped, as if something had   crossed her mind. She reached into her coat and 
pulled out a locator with identity recognition,
12805.6 tossing it casually at Karla’s feet.
Truth be told, the arrival of the   demon-hunting tactical squad this time wasn’t 
actually because of the incident in Guomu Town,
12813.84 but rather because the vampire gene suppressor 
in Karla’s body had been detonated. Normally,
12819.12 such a situation would mean Karla had gone rogue, 
prompting the senior demon hunter in charge of
12824.399 surveillance to press the button. But according to 
Arthur’s report, Karla hadn’t violated any rules.
12830.0 On the contrary, she had apparently contributed 
significantly during this demon-hunting incident.  By the book, Karla should be injected with the 
vampire gene suppressor again at this point.
12839.52 However, the severely injured Arthur had already 
been carried away on a stretcher, and the Ryan
12844.72 brothers—never ones to enjoy dealing with 
officialdom—had left after vouching for Ashen.  Now, Sasha represented the rules of the 
Psychic Department, but she was hardly
12853.359 an inflexible bureaucrat. Since Ashen had 
proven his worth, Sasha had become much more   tolerant of Karla’s presence.
Meeting Karla’s hostile gaze,
12861.6 Sasha let out a light chuckle.
“You think this little   gadget is just for watching you?”
“It’s actually a mutual guarantee. As
12868.479 long as you’re carrying it, you’re one of us.”
“Lose it, and if you get stopped by demon   hunters in Locity, don’t blame 
them for not recognizing you.”
12876.319 Karla let out a cold snort. She clearly wasn’t 
happy, but still bent down to pick up the GPS
12881.6 locator from the ground. She wasn’t stupid—of 
course she knew what this meant.Otherwise,   she would have already expelled the vampire 
factor suppressor from her body by draining
12890.319 her blood. After all, while she wasn’t afraid of 
demon hunters causing trouble, too many of them   could still become quite a headache.
Seeing Karla accept the device,
12898.88 Sasha’s lips curled into a slight smile. She 
turned around and waved to the others. “See   you all at the base in a bit.”
See you at the base in a bit?
12907.2 Ash quickly understood what she meant. The 
mission that Sasha had specifically fought   for on his behalf would begin at the 
headquarters of the Psionics Division.
12914.96 Coincidentally, Ash needed to head there as well. 
First, to deal with Sharmos’s inheritance, and   second, to spend some of his accumulated points. 
Although he still couldn’t generate mana on his
12924.8 own, he could now use the power of his demonized 
form to cast spells. That meant he needed to start
12930.0 preparing some basic materials for spellcasting.
But he was already carrying quite a lot with him.
12935.04 Alice had once mentioned the Gluttonous 
Storage Bag, and it seemed the time   had finally come to make it a reality.
Take the corpse of the Bloodwing Monarch,
12942.319 for example. It now counted as Ash’s trophy, 
but even if chopped into pieces, such a   massive prize would be difficult to carry around.
As for why Ash insisted on carrying the Bloodwing
12951.76 Monarch’s corpse with him, it was simple: the 
Bloodwing Monarch was a sacrifice of the highest   quality. With the Book of Offerings in hand, 
Ash could trade any part of the monarch—organs,
12961.76 limbs, whatever—for powerful spells. He’d 
already proven this with Arthur’s thigh.  When in doubt, he could always sacrifice part 
of the Bloodwing Monarch’s body in exchange
12970.319 for aid. So even if it meant strapping 
the corpse to his back, Ash insisted on
12975.359 keeping it close. After all, this wasn’t just 
a corpse—it was his personal trove of spells!
12980.96 After settling the injured Karla and the 
still light-sensitive Judith at home,   Ash wasted no time and hurried off to 
the Psionics Division’s base in Los City.
12988.4 …
The base, located in the northern   district of Los City, sat close to the city’s most 
luxurious neighborhood, the hills of Hollywood.
12996.0 After all, the residents here were either wealthy 
or powerful. If anything unusual were to happen,
13001.6 the Psionics Division could respond quickly 
and protect these high-ranking individuals.  A significant portion of the division’s operating 
budget came from the sponsorships of these
13009.84 very people. For all practical and political 
reasons, the safety of the northern district   had to be a top priority for the division.
This time, the person Ash was assigned to
13018.56 protect was the daughter of one of these real 
estate tycoons. But it seemed she was no ordinary   target—Sasha had told him he’d have to wait 
another thirty minutes before she could see him.
13027.2 Ash didn’t mind waiting. In fact, those 
thirty minutes were perfect for taking care   of some personal matters. He spent 315 points to 
exchange for a range of spellcasting materials,
13037.76 then borrowed a lounge from Sasha, laid 
everything out, and prepared to get to work.  Ash pulled out his phone and first double-checked 
the recipe for the Gluttonous Storage
13045.12 Bag.As a staple tool for wizards, the most 
difficult ingredient to obtain for crafting   a Gluttony Storage Pouch is the soul fragment. But 
for Ashes, this happens to be the easiest thing to
13055.04 acquire—he already has gluttony fragments on hand.
He took out a piece of doppelgänger hide,   then threaded a strand of slime-derived 
sticky fiber through a needle enchanted with
13063.52 witchcraft. Pinching the needle delicately 
between his thumb and forefinger, Ashes,
13069.04 empowered by his arcane skills, brought 
his sewing proficiency to perfection in   an instant. With a few swift motions, he stitched 
the doppelgänger hide into the shape of a pouch.
13078.479 Finally, with a sharp snap of his fingers, 
Ashes stuffed a soul fragment radiating the   glow of gluttony into the pouch. As the soul’s 
brilliance seeped in, the doppelgänger hide
13087.84 became astonishingly elastic and expandable.
Now equipped with a Gluttony Storage Pouch,
13092.88 Ashes began crafting basic witchcraft 
supplies with newfound freedom. For instance,   he’d always envied the various magical powders. 
Synthesizing these powders was actually quite
13102.479 straightforward—they only required soul sand.
Immersed in his work, Ashes lost all track
13107.6 of time, wholly absorbed in 
creating witchcraft items.   It wasn’t until Sasha knocked on the door that 
Ashes realized half an hour had already passed.
13115.279 Covered in dust and grime, Ashes snapped his 
scaled fingers, and with a whisper of the   cleaning spell, he was instantly restored 
to his freshly departed appearance. After
13124.88 tidying his attire, he opened the door to find 
Sasha holding a filthy rag between two fingers.
13130.239 [Shroud of the Dead]
[Wish: To forever enshroud the corpse of a saint.]  …A saint? Ashes’s eye twitched—what 
a difficult wish to fulfill.
13139.04 A saint, after all, is someone of unblemished 
virtue. Such individuals, in both life and death,
13145.359 are highly sought after in the demon-hunting 
world. Relics belonging to saints are lethal
13150.479 weapons against creatures of the dark. Take, 
for example, the holy oil Arthur once wielded,
13155.76 or the reliquary ashes in the hands of the Lyon 
brothers… In desperate times, these objects can   mean the difference between life and death.
As a result, there are precious few saints who
13164.96 ever actually get to use a burial shroud. 
Even if they’re successfully interred,   sooner or later someone will dig 
them up for their remains. Clearly,
13172.399 this particular shroud had suffered 
such a fate—the cloth persisted,   but the saint it once enwrapped had vanished. 
For a shroud steeped in the aura of sainthood,
13181.76 this was nothing short of humiliation, 
leaving behind a lingering resentment.  Wizards, quick to recognize the value of 
such rare materials, would never let it
13190.08 go to waste. Eventually, the shroud became a 
powerful tool against creatures of darkness.
13195.359 All this, Ashes had learned during his 
recent crash course in esoteric lore. As for   deeper principles, his understanding was still 
patchy at best. One thing was certain: in this
13205.04 extraordinary world, death is never truly the end.
With a thoughtful sigh, Ashes took the sticky,
13211.04 foul-smelling rag from Sasha, wrinkling his nose 
in distaste before tossing it unceremoniously into
13216.319 his storage pouch.Heaven knows how many creatures 
this thing has suffocated to death—it reeks
13221.359 unbearably. Noticing Ashen’s actions, Sasha’s 
eyes lit up ever so slightly. She was certain
13227.04 that before entering this lounge, Ashen hadn’t 
possessed a spatial storage pouch, something
13232.319 every wizard kept on hand. But now, it was obvious 
he had one. From what Sasha knew, such pouches
13237.68 usually required gluttony shards to function. 
Did that mean Ashen had already come into   contact with soul fragments of that caliber? Soul 
fragments—those were rare and precious things.
13247.68 After all, there have been cases where 
even ordinary people, pushed to the brink,   suddenly unleashed tremendous power. Take, 
for instance, the mother who, when her child
13256.56 was attacked by a malevolent spirit, erupted with 
unimaginable strength and vaporized the entity in
13261.68 an instant. When the psychic division sent agents 
to investigate, they found the place scorched in   every corner—except for the untouched crib. As for 
the mother who unleashed that power, she aged from
13272.56 thirty to the verge of death in the blink of 
an eye. Incidents like these are not uncommon.  That’s why the psychic division has been 
researching the power of soul fragments for years,
13281.359 though with little success. In the end, they 
had to admit that the best way to harness the   power of soul fragments was to fuse them 
with objects. On that basis, the psychic
13290.319 division established Research Institute No. 9.
“Hey, what are you lost in thought about? Aren’t   things urgent on her end?” Ashen’s voice 
snapped Sasha out of her swirling thoughts.
13300.0 “It’s nothing. Come with me.”
“Oh, and no matter what requests she makes   along the way, just stick to the three no’s.”
Ashen raised an eyebrow. “The three no’s?”
13309.359 Sasha turned, her expression grave. 
“Don’t listen. Don’t look. Don’t ask.”
13314.56 In the underground garage of the psychic 
division’s base, Ashen finally saw the   target. It was a pink-haired girl, dressed in 
a straitjacket and gagged with a ball muzzle.
13323.6 [Amy]
[Wish: To never see   illusions again. To never hear hallucinations 
again. To never feel phantom touches again.]
13330.8 Well, now. Amy’s wish turned out 
to be another kind of three no’s.  Looking at Amy, who was drooling uncontrollably 
because of the gag, Ashen was full of questions.
13340.479 Straitjackets are normally used in psychiatric 
hospitals, mostly for patients with severe   self-harm tendencies. The ball gag wasn’t some 
quirky accessory either—it was to prevent her
13350.56 from biting her tongue and ending her own life. 
But how could that be? How could a privileged   young lady end up a psychiatric patient with such 
severe self-destructive urges? It made no sense.
13361.52 Wealthy people rarely suffer from such 
afflictions. Or was this something else entirely?  Just then, Ashen felt Sasha slip something into 
his hand from behind. She leaned in close and
13371.2 whispered in his ear, “If it becomes too much 
to bear, seal your mouth and block your ears.”
13376.319 “Remember—no matter what happens, don’t answer! 
Don’t respond!”Ash glanced down and saw that
13382.08 what Sasha had placed in his hand was actually 
a bottle of industrial-strength adhesive. How   bizarre and curious. Amy had already been 
gagged and strapped into a restraint suit;
13391.279 even if Ash wanted to ask questions, he 
wouldn’t get any answers from her. Why go   the extra step and seal her mouth shut with glue?
Given Sasha’s profession, Ash suspected there was
13400.56 a method to this madness. But hadn’t Sasha assured 
him this escort would be simple? If it weren’t,
13405.68 Ash never would have come alone. Yet, by the look 
of things now, it was anything but an easy job.  With a head full of questions, Ash sat down in the 
driver’s seat. After all, he was still inside the
13415.76 Psyonics Department’s base—best to keep a low 
profile for now and wait until they were out   before summoning Celia to drive.
He adjusted the rearview mirror,
13423.439 making sure he could keep an eye on Amy, 
who lay flat in the back. Only then did   he start the engine and, following the 
pre-set route on the navigation system,
13432.08 slowly drove out of the underground garage.
The car had barely left the garage when a   pleading female voice echoed in 
his ear, gentle but desperate:
13439.76 “Could you take this off? I can’t breathe.”
Hearing the voice, Ash instinctively glanced   in the rearview mirror. Amy, lying there, stared 
blankly into space, her eyes empty and lifeless.
13451.12 With a gag in her mouth, there’s no way she could 
have spoken so clearly. Yet, there were no signs
13456.16 of a spirit possessing her—if there had been, 
the Book of Evil Spirits would have reacted.  Unperturbed, Ash decided to go through 
with the plan: he summoned Celia to
13464.56 take over driving and settled back in the 
passenger seat, closing his eyes to rest,   determined to stick to the three-no’s 
principle—don’t listen, don’t look, don’t speak.
13473.359 “Hey, aren’t you curious about 
what’s really wrong with me?”  A muffled, desperate whimper followed: 
“Please, help me! I’m dying in here!”
13481.76 “Set me free, and I’ll grant you endless riches.”
On and on, the voices whispered in Ash’s ear,
13487.84 each trying a new tactic to make him respond. 
Now Ash finally understood Sasha’s intent.
13492.88 Whatever haunted Amy, as long as he refused to 
answer, there’d be no trouble. In that sense,
13498.08 this really was a simple and safe task.
But at that moment, a spectral voice   drifted through once more: “Don’t you 
want to know why Serigia chose you?”
13505.92 Hearing that name again, Ash could no longer 
remain calm. After all, when he’d first arrived   in this world, it was Serigia who had tricked away 
his predecessor’s soul. And because of Serigia,
13516.56 Ash had accidentally gained the power 
of a demon’s agent—though unlike others,   he didn’t need to pay tribute.
But how could Amy possibly know
13523.68 any of this? If Ash remembered correctly, the 
last person to sense this secret was another   red-eyed demon. So, that red-eyed demon 
hadn’t lied—Serigia really had marked him?
13533.76 Then… whatever had possessed Amy 
wasn’t a spirit at all, but a demon?  With a flash of understanding, Ash’s mind 
grew calm once more.No matter what kind
13542.479 of demon is attached to Amy, one thing is 
certain: you must never trust it. In a way,   the “Three No’s” principle truly is the best 
approach when faced with a demon’s offer.
13551.6 Sensing Ember’s return to his earlier 
demeanor, the voice grew noticeably anxious.  “Do you really think your choices are your own?”
“What a joke! Every step you take is already
13561.279 calculated by Serigia!”
“Do you think a demon’s   power is so easily claimed?”
“The moment you yearn for its power,
13568.0 it will begin to covet your flesh, you fool!”
…  It had to be said: demons truly understand how to 
tempt the human heart. Every sentence it uttered
13576.0 made Ember want to retort, but remembering the 
Three No’s, he managed to hold himself back.
13581.04 Suddenly, a thunderous downpour crashed 
against the car windows. Whether it was   the demon’s doing or simply a turn in the 
weather, Ember couldn’t tell. Either way,
13589.52 the heavy curtain of rain brought considerable 
trouble for Celia, their new driver.  Fortunately, their destination lay in the northern 
outskirts of Locity. The desolate northern
13598.88 district was a place few ever visited, and so the 
roads were nearly empty—Celia could occasionally   swerve off course without consequence.
Soon, beyond the shifting veils of rain,
13608.479 a sprawling hospital emerged, hemmed 
in by towering walls, standing alone   in the dim and empty fields. Thirteenth 
District Hospital? What a peculiar name.
13617.84 Looking out the window, Ember relied on his 
vampiric sight to clearly take in the hospital’s   exterior. There were few talismans or arcane 
arrays on its outer walls—only a single, simple
13627.6 emblem: two serpents entwined around a sword.
Under the intermittent flashes of lightning   that split the sky, those two snakes coiled 
around the blade seemed especially uncanny,
13636.8 almost as if they were alive.
It was common knowledge that in   places researching the supernatural, powerful 
arrays were necessary to keep disaster at
13644.16 bay. So this symbol surely represented 
some force Ember had yet to understand.  As they approached the hospital’s main entrance, 
the incessant hallucinated voices finally faded
13653.359 from Ember’s ears. Then, two armed security 
guards stepped out from the security booth. They
13658.64 cast a curious glance at the empty driver’s seat, 
then—one raising his weapon, the other checking
13664.08 Ember’s identification—went about their business.
After confirming everything was in order,   they waved for the gate to be lifted, 
allowing Ember to enter the hospital
13672.56 grounds. Throughout the entire process, the 
two guards, both wearing noise-canceling   earplugs, never once looked at Amy.
Ember, now back in the driver’s seat, guided
13682.479 the car into the hospital’s main hall. Before any 
doctors or nurses in white coats could approach,
13687.76 another phantom voice whispered in his ear.
“Ember, you have made a terrible choice.”  Ember raised his head and glanced at the rearview 
mirror. Somehow, Amy—who should have been lying
13697.279 flat—was now sitting upright. Her pitch-black eyes 
fixed on Ember, and though her mouth was muzzled,
13703.359 her lips curled upward in a grotesque grin that 
stretched all the way to her ears.Immediately,   countless tiny spiders crawled out from within 
that exaggerated smile, scattering in all
13712.96 directions. Resorting to violence when words fail? 
That’s simply intolerable! Already fed up with
13718.64 “Amy,” Ash grabbed the burial shroud and flung 
it over her. As soon as the shroud covered Amy,
13724.56 the scenery around Ash began to shift rapidly. 
When his vision finally cleared, he was   stunned to find himself just emerging from the 
underground parking lot of the Psyonic Division.
13733.76 An illusion! He had unwittingly 
fallen into an illusion!  Realizing he was trapped, Ash quickly tried 
to call out to Lana. But for some reason,
13741.84 it was as though mountains and seas 
now separated them; no matter how hard   he tried, he couldn’t make out her response.
He looked up at the rearview mirror in the car.
13750.479 There, sitting primly in the shadows of the back 
seat, was Amy, grinning mischievously. There
13755.92 was no burial shroud, no gag, no straitjacket. 
All that remained was a radiant young heiress,
13761.359 basking in sunlight.
[Amy]  [Wish: To find her own 
immortality amidst suffering.]
13766.68 …
It was still Amy, but her wish   was entirely different. This was a dreamscape, 
Ash confirmed to himself again. In the end,
13773.76 he had made a mistake at the crucial moment. By 
responding to Amy’s attack with the burial shroud,
13779.439 he had created a connection between them. And 
this demon, so adept at weaving illusions,   had pulled him straight into her realm.
But why did Amy within the
13787.84 illusion also have a wish?
Before Ash could unravel this puzzle, Amy leaned   forward from the back seat, her tone mocking:
“Figured it out? Too late.
13796.399 You’re finished. Hee-hee.”
Faced with Amy’s threatening words,   Ash simply shifted his gaze to the right, looking 
at Amy bathed in sunlight. Then his eyes narrowed
13805.12 slightly. On Amy’s exposed collarbone, 
he spotted a distinct ouroboros tattoo.  A follower of the Cult of 
Immortality? Interesting.
13813.439 Ash smiled faintly, raising 
his eyes to meet Amy’s gaze:  “Too late? I’d say time is on my side.”
“We’ve already arrived at the hospital.
13822.16 If they have a way to deal with 
you, you’ll be the first to lose.”  “If they don’t, then wrapped in the Saint’s burial 
shroud, you’ll only slowly become a corpse.”
13830.319 “As for me, I can afford to wait.”
“After all, for a vampire like me, the   price of slumber is just a few drops of blood.”
Even in such a disadvantageous position,
13840.16 he could remain so composed? A flicker of 
disappointment flashed through Amy’s eyes.   “How boring. He’s not afraid at all.”
“Guess I’ll leave the despair to you.
13849.279 You’re much more experienced in that department.”
As she finished speaking, Amy’s eyes turned pitch
13854.399 black and her wish panel vanished. A twisted smile 
crept across her face. With a wave of her hand—
13860.08 Bang! Ash was pinned directly 
to the roof of the car.  Crack!Ember’s limbs bent backward at unnatural 
angles, as if he were a puppet pulled by
13868.319 invisible strings, completely under someone else’s 
control. Sweat poured down his face as he clenched
13874.319 his teeth, refusing to let out even a single 
cry of pain. He understood all too well that,
13879.68 when facing a sadist, any sound he 
made would only serve to gratify them.  Sure enough, the demon possessing Amy grew 
visibly disappointed when it saw Ember’s
13888.56 unyielding resolve. It relied on inflicting pain 
to pry open the doors of the mind, but from Ember,
13894.08 it could draw no response at all.
Most people, confronted with such   bizarre circumstances, would have already 
fallen into a panic—let alone endured the
13902.239 agony of broken limbs, which was enough to 
shatter anyone’s will. Yet Ember before it   remained silent, refusing to show weakness.
With no other recourse, the demon only
13911.68 intensified its torment, trying to break his body 
in hopes of finally cracking open his spirit,   step by step, until Ember collapsed. Only then 
could the demon seize control, possess Ember,
13922.64 and escape from this clearly unnatural hospital.
As the pain doubled, Ember sneered with disdain
13928.0 and spat onto the floor, mingling 
blood with saliva. “Lowly demons…   take pleasure in tormenting the flesh. 
It seems that saying is true after all.”
13937.199 Hearing Ember’s taunt, the black-eyed demon 
halted, the smile on its face replaced by a shadow
13942.239 of gloom. Demons, far more susceptible to negative 
emotions than humans, were quick to anger. Outrage
13948.239 welled up within it—how dare a mere demon’s 
proxy insult it as lowly? It was nothing more
13953.68 than a beast of burden, working for Serigia, and 
now it had the audacity to mock it? Unforgivable!
13959.68 If only its true body could descend to the 
mortal world, it would have torn Ember apart!  For now, the only explanation was that the pain 
it inflicted wasn’t enough. The demon’s dark gaze
13969.76 locked onto Ember, and it began to use its will 
to ignite every pain receptor in Ember’s body,
13975.04 creating agony beyond imagining. It refused to 
believe that Ember could endure such suffering
13980.319 forever! In this illusion, after all, 
time held no meaning. Ember’s so-called   patience was nothing but a fool’s hope.
But what the demon failed to notice was that,
13989.199 amongst the drops of blood at its 
feet, a seed—nourished by fury—had   begun to sprout. In the blink of an eye, 
it shot up, growing at a staggering pace.
13998.08 Feeling its foot suddenly restrained, the demon 
glanced down in alarm. Before it could react,
14003.52 the World Tree, feeding on rage, had already 
wrapped Amy’s body tight within its trunk.
14008.64 The Seed of Hatred! Ember had mastered 
the power of the Seed of Hatred! Was he   truly planning to forge a demon’s heart in 
the human world? What audacious ambition!
14017.76 No wonder the demon had sensed from the start that 
Ember’s body was a more fitting vessel than Amy’s.   He didn’t even need temptation—he was already 
treading the path to demonhood of his own accord!
14027.439 Had it not been for this Seed of Hatred, Ember 
would have been powerless within the illusion   woven from Amy’s memories. But the emergence 
of the Seed had changed everything.The same
14036.16 applies to the seeds of hatred sown in the 
realm of the mind. Wherever the canopy of   this tree stretches, that becomes its world! 
Now, within Amy’s once-exclusive dreamscape,
14046.479 a new rule has taken root. Amy is 
no longer the absolute master here!  Realizing that her own emotions were nourishing 
the demon behind the World Tree of Hatred,
14055.12 she swiftly severed all connections to 
it—including her bond with Ember. Yet,   before cutting herself off, she deliberately 
adjusted the flow of time, ensuring she would
14064.319 awaken in the real world a step ahead.
Amy opened her eyes inside the train car,   her gaze a deep, impenetrable black. Soundlessly, 
she sat upright and turned her attention to Lana,
14074.96 who stood guard at Ember’s side. A guardian spirit 
can ward off external mental invasions, but it
14080.64 cannot prevent its protector from making contact 
of their own accord. To reach Ember now would   mean facing this tiny guardian spirit head-on.
The demon inhabiting Amy quickly gleaned the
14090.08 information it sought from the small details 
of Lana’s appearance. The guardian spirit,   taking the form of a young girl, likely harbored 
a deep attachment to someone older. Her vow to
14099.92 protect at all costs hinted at a past loss of 
someone important. The faded hairpin in her hair   seemed to be a gift from a woman. All signs 
pointed to that person being Lana’s mother.
14109.439 A faint smile played on “Amy’s” lips, her eyes 
growing even darker, more unfathomable. Soon,
14115.6 a mother’s voice echoed softly in Lana’s 
ear. “Lana, have you been well lately?”  The long-missed, familiar voice instantly 
brought tears to Lana’s eyes. Her lips quivered,
14125.84 and she couldn’t help but call out, “Mom.”
The moment the words left her mouth,   Lana shuddered. A shadow 
flickered through her golden eyes.
14133.76 From Ember’s perspective, the appearance of 
the Hatred World Tree shattered his vision   into fragments. The World Tree that should have 
replaced it was withering before his eyes. When
14143.12 the images finally reassembled, Ember found 
himself not in the familiar, cozy train car,
14148.399 but bathed in blinding white light.
He tried to move, only to discover his   hands and feet were bound with restraints laced 
with silver wire. A syringe was embedded in the
14157.12 back of his right hand, pumping a steady flow 
of dark green liquid into his veins. Dark green?
14163.04 Following the tube upward, Ember saw the IV bag 
hanging above him, inside which several strange,
14168.72 broken bones floated. The dark green color 
came from the bones dissolving in the solution.  Ember’s pupils contracted in 
alarm. What on earth is this?
14177.439 He turned his head, about to survey his 
surroundings, when he caught sight of his   “roommate”—Amy. She was already free from her 
straitjacket and had removed her gag, a sealed
14187.68 bag containing bone fragments hanging against her 
pale chest. Hearing Ember stir, Amy looked up from
14192.88 her book, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
“You’re awake?”Ash frowned, about to speak,
14198.88 when he suddenly realized his mouth 
had been sealed shut! At some point,   he had become the one who was bound.
“I know you have a lot of questions in your heart,
14206.56 but there’s no need to rush,” a voice soothed.
“All you need to know is that you’re unwell,   and the doctors will cure you.”
“For now, just wait patiently.”
14215.279 Ash nodded, turning his head back to 
stare blankly at the pale ceiling.  Seeing Ash turn away, Amy—who had seemed 
so normal just moments ago—let a strange,
14224.56 unsettling smile curl across her face.
Just wait patiently. Wait patiently   until your body is no longer your own.
Although this was a dreamscape centered on Ash,
14233.6 the appearance of the restraints was, in fact, a 
physical manifestation of his sense of entrapment.
14238.8 The IV tubes and fluid bags were the final, 
desperate struggles conjured by his subconscious.
14244.0 Once the dark green liquid in the IV bag finished 
flowing into Ash’s veins, his sense of self would
14249.12 vanish completely. “Amy” would fully replace 
him, becoming the master of this place.
14254.16 So all she needed to do now was soothe Ash’s 
emotions and let him drift away forever.  But suddenly, while still gazing 
at the ceiling, Ash spoke up:
14262.56 “You know, you’re actually not that pretty.”
“Amy” paused, clearly puzzled why Ash would   bring up her looks at a moment like this.
Ash turned his head again, fixing Amy with
14271.439 a serious look in those bright eyes.
“Big and fair—that’s what I like.”  “The real Amy, well, only her face was passable. 
Unfortunately, years of self-destructive habits
14281.76 left her skin dull, and her chest—starved 
of nourishment—was practically nonexistent.”
14287.279 “And more importantly, the ouroboros 
tattoo I dislike so much is missing here.”  “I don’t know how you managed this, but 
I’m sure: this is still just a dream.”
14296.16 “Am I right?”  A flash of astonishment flickered in “Amy’s” 
eyes, and then she burst into laughter. Her
14302.08 figure and features began to blur and shift.
“Hahaha, you’re very clever—truly clever.”
14307.92 “I finally understand why 
Serigia chose you as her agent.”  “A clever agent always brings 
his master great rewards.”
14314.72 “But sadly, it’s all too late. Now, 
this place is under my control.”  As she spoke, “Amy’s” voice grew 
more and more familiar. Her blurred
14322.8 features gradually resolved—and suddenly, 
it was Ash’s own face staring back at him.
14328.0 Looking at this “self,” Ash’s 
expression twisted with disgust.  Then, without warning, the restraints 
around his arms and legs snapped open.
14336.0 Ash pulled the needle from the back of his 
hand, stood up, and rubbed his wrist as he   faced the figure before him, now 
shrouded in wisps of black smoke.
14344.0 “You know, I just gave up a hobby 
that used to be a feast for my eyes.”  “Big and fair—heh, turns out I don’t like 
it that much anymore.”“But someone has to
14352.56 pay the price for this, don’t you think?!” With 
a resounding crash, a fist came down hard. Dark
14358.64 energy burst forth, only to swirl and condense 
once more into the shape of ‘Amy’. Yet now,
14364.319 there was no longer that look of absolute 
confidence on ‘Amy’s’ face—what replaced   it was deep confusion. Under the curse that 
weakened the spirit, its grip over this place
14373.76 was greatly diminished. And so, the original owner 
of this realm, Ashes, was able to regain control!
14379.68 “Why? How is it that, even though 
your consciousness is trapped here,   you can still unleash a curse?” Amy demanded.
Ashes let out a soft laugh. Observing Amy’s
14389.359 drastic transformation, he surmised that this 
was a dreamscape constructed from his own mind.   In other words, the Heart of the Curse was still 
within him. As long as he was willing to pay the
14399.279 price and clearly set his target, the Heart of 
the Curse would naturally grant his wish. But he   had no intention of revealing the whole truth.
Instead of an explanation, ‘Amy’ was met with
14408.96 a barrage of relentless blows. After severely 
weakening Amy’s soul, Ashes snapped his fingers,
14414.72 and the surroundings changed in an 
instant. The sterile ward was gone,   replaced by a primeval forest. There, 
a two-toned world tree held ‘Amy’ fast,
14424.56 subduing it and drawing nourishment from its form.
Though this black-eyed demon’s soul was   inexplicably feeble, its greatest value lay 
in the fact that it possessed the true Seven
14433.199 Sins. If Ashes could find a way to destroy 
its dominant consciousness, he could claim   a complete Seven Sins soul for himself. In his 
estimation, this would be enough to sustain a full
14444.0 transformation into a demon. Risky as it was, the 
potential rewards were immense. At the very least,
14449.52 Ashes was now certain that the cursed 
demon soul was no match for him here,   in his own domain. With that assurance, how could 
he possibly let it escape from his mental world?
14459.359 Meanwhile, back in reality, Ashes at last 
slowly opened his eyes. Lana, who had been
14464.56 perched on his shoulder, shivered all over and 
began to wake as well. Realizing her mistake,
14469.84 Lana looked flustered and panicked.
“Ashes, I… I…” she stammered.  Ashes put up a finger to halt her apology. 
“It’s alright. See? I’m perfectly fine now.”
14480.239 “This isn’t your fault. The enemy was 
simply too cunning. Even I fell for it,   so how could I blame you, Lana?”
Hearing Ashes not only absolve her,
14488.319 but also take the blame upon himself, Lana’s 
big eyes brimmed with tears once again. She
14493.439 threw her arms around Ashes’ neck, resting her 
head gently against his, and whispered softly,
14498.96 “Ashes, you’re just like a mother to me.”
Ashes ruffled Lana’s hair and chuckled,   “Then can you call me ‘Dad’ instead?”
At his words, Lana’s face turned bright
14507.92 red. With a flash, she darted away 
and hid. Once Lana had vanished,   Ashes’ gaze instantly grew cold as he turned his 
attention to Amy in the back seat. At that moment,
14518.479 Amy’s eyes remained as dark as night.Clearly, the 
demon soul trapped by Ash was not its entirety.
14524.319 “Tsk, you dare eat what’s mine? 
Aren’t you afraid you’ll burst?”  Having learned his lesson, Ash ignored 
the phantom voices whispering in his ear.
14532.64 Everything that had just transpired had 
been a battle on the spiritual plane;   in reality, only the briefest instant had passed.
The doctors who had appeared in the hall hadn’t
14541.12 even approached the vehicle yet at this point.
Not wanting to listen to the demon’s incessant   noise any longer, Ash simply 
opened the car door and got out.
14549.279 As soon as he stepped out, 
Ash couldn’t help but frown.  He caught a strong scent of blood 
in the air—a staleness to it,
14555.92 as if the blood had lingered here for a 
long, long time, robbing it of any freshness.  For Ash, who was used to the taste of “bran,” 
the odor was more than a little nauseating.
14565.04 The leading doctor saw Ash exit the vehicle and, 
with a calm expression, extended his hand. “Hello,
14571.04 I’m Russell, the director of this hospital.”
[Russell]  [Wish: To form a perfect contract 
with a demon and attain immortality.]
14578.24 …
To form a perfect contract with   a demon? This director of the Thirteenth District 
hardly looks the part of a good man, Ash thought.
14585.68 Suppressing his surprise beneath a 
composed exterior, Ash reached out and   shook the man’s hand briefly.
“Hello. Demon Hunter—Ash.”
14593.439 Ash? At last, a ripple of emotion crossed 
Russell’s otherwise impassive face.
14598.56 “So you’re Ash?”
“I’ve heard of you—the Bane of   the Bloodkin, right? Truly, a young hero.”
Ash paused, momentarily taken aback. He
14606.8 hadn’t expected his reputation 
to have spread so far already.  He had to admit, the title “Bane of 
the Bloodkin” was fitting. After all,
14613.84 many nameless immortals of that 
lineage had fallen by his hand.  But for a demon hunter, such a title 
didn’t necessarily bode well. As the
14621.359 saying goes, fame invites trouble.
No doubt he’d become a thorn in the   side of the Bruch Clan by now—a target every 
one of them would love to see torn to pieces.
14629.84 The reason was simple: Ash 
hunted only the Bruch Clan.  By now, the Bruch Clan must have become a 
laughingstock among the twelve bloodline clans.
14638.0 And how could the proud Bloodkin 
tolerate such humiliation?  It wouldn’t be surprising if, at this very 
moment, assassins or mercenaries from the
14645.359 Bloodkin were lurking in Los City, lying in wait.
With a heightened sense of caution, Ash replied
14650.56 calmly, “You flatter me, Director Russell. 
I just happened to get lucky, that’s all.”
14655.68 Russell waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve always 
believed that luck is a part of one’s strength.”
14660.96 “All right, let me see this patient.”
“I heard the threat level of this patient has   already reached the ‘Calamity’ class.”
Calamity class? That was a
14668.8 classification Ash had never heard before.
Seeing Ash’s frown, Russell explained in an even
14673.92 tone, “You’ve probably heard of the grades for 
evil spirits—Grudge, Malevolence, Dire, Blood.”
14680.399 “That’s the demon hunters’ system for categorizing 
evil spirits, but it lacks categories for the   many other demons and supernatural beings in 
this world.”“So after the establishment of the
14690.08 Psychic Abilities Department, a special system 
was set up to classify supernatural threats   according to the degree of harm posed 
by demons, ghosts, and other entities.”
14699.279 “Calamity, Catastrophe, Disaster, and 
Extinction—each level is assigned a   number from one to nine; the higher the number, 
the greater the threat. This is the standard by
14708.16 which the department categorizes them.”
Russell’s gaze fell on Amy,   who was looking his way, as he continued,
“Calamity-level means the threat is limited
14716.56 to a single building or a street at most.”
“Catastrophe-level, on the other hand,   indicates the threat has spread to 
an entire district or even a city.”
14724.319 “Disaster-level means the danger is so 
severe it threatens a whole country.”  “And finally, Extinction-level signifies a crisis 
that could wipe out the entire human race.”
14733.84 With that, Russell reached into Amy’s 
restraints and took out a saint’s bone,   carefully sealed in a plastic bag. Then he 
turned and signaled Embers to look behind him.
14742.64 Embers turned around, only to see that the 
doctors and nurses who had come with Russell just   moments ago were now acting as if possessed by 
madness, harming themselves in all sorts of ways.
14751.76 Some smashed their heads against the 
ground, some bit their own fingers,   and others gouged at their own eyes…
Russell seemed unfazed by this horrifying scene,
14760.399 as if he’d seen it countless 
times before. He spoke coldly,  “This is the manifestation of a Catastrophe-level 
spirit—it can control everyone within this area.”
14769.439 “As time goes on, its influence 
will spread outward like a plague,   infecting more and more people.”
Russell glanced at his watch.
14776.96 “Thirteen seconds elapsed—the effect has 
already spread within a ten-meter radius.”  “This is a Catastrophe-level 3 demon.”
For some reason, when Russell uttered the
14785.92 words ‘Catastrophe-level 3,’ Embers couldn’t 
help but detect a hint of regret in his voice,   as if he found it disappointingly weak…
At the very moment the Cursed Heart was
14794.399 being activated, elsewhere, outside 
of Locheng, in an underground altar.  Austin, who was assembling a skeleton, suddenly 
paused. He flipped his right hand, and a patch
14804.319 of restless shadow appeared in his palm.
This was the very trace of ‘pheromone’   he’d once extracted from the Cursed Heart.
Whenever someone used the Cursed Heart,
14812.96 the shadow, desperate to return to 
its source, would react—just like now.  A cold sneer curled on Austin’s lips.
“I thought you’d have more patience than this.”
14822.319 “Scientific research demands patience, you fool!”
Austin stepped over to the table, where a detailed
14827.68 map of Locheng was spread out.
While chanting an incantation,   he scattered the shadow in his hand over the map.
The shifting darkness writhed across the paper
14835.76 before finally gathering in the 
northern suburbs of Locheng.  Seeing this all-too-familiar location, 
Austin let out a mirthless laugh.
14843.279 “District Thirteen? Hah, 
Russell, it really is you.”  “Dare to snatch something from me… 
We’ll see who has the last laugh!”
14850.239 …
Locheng, southern district, basement.  Milat looked at his newly repaired phone 
and exhaled a long, heavy breath.There was
14857.52 no trace left online of what had happened that 
night in Guomu Town. Everything had vanished,   as if nothing unusual had occurred there at all. 
But Milat knew all too well that thirty years ago,
14867.92 a branch of the Cult of Immortality had shown 
a keen interest in Guomu Town. In the end,   after losing a Grand Sorcerer, they had been 
forced to retreat and lie low for a while. Now,
14877.68 thirty years later, there was no reason to believe 
they wouldn’t return. By all accounts, something
14882.8 significant must have taken place that night. 
The only thing proven by the current silence was   that the newly established psychic department 
had seized total control over public opinion.
14891.52 As time slipped by, Milat found his connection to 
the seeds of hatred he pursued growing weaker and   weaker. If he couldn’t find the seed of hatred 
left by Deren, he would lose the balance of
14901.199 his emotions and be driven mad by jealousy. 
After much agonizing, Milat finally dug out
14906.399 a long-unused number from his contacts.
“Russell, it’s me, Milat. I need your   help. I… I’m sick, and I need treatment.”
Once he received Russell’s affirmative reply,
14916.399 Milat breathed a long sigh of relief. He 
packed his belongings and set out for the   northern outskirts of Lo City. To be honest, if he 
hadn’t been utterly desperate, he would never have
14926.16 sought out Russell, known to many as the “Mad 
Doctor.” Even within the Cult of Immortality,
14931.52 Russell was a figure everyone feared. For the sake 
of his research, he was willing to go to truly   deranged lengths. Even if he eventually cured you, 
it was perfectly normal to be missing a body part
14942.08 or two afterward. As Russell himself liked to 
say: as long as the patient is still alive,
14947.199 that means his treatment was a success!
The chaos in the hospital lobby came to an   abrupt halt when Russell returned the sealed bag 
containing the saint’s relics. He paid no heed to
14956.16 the blood and brain matter splattered across 
the floor. Instead, he simply looked at the   receptionist, who had somehow avoided the carnage.
“Call them out to clean up.”
14965.199 Relieved to have survived another day, the 
trembling receptionist immediately dialed the   internal line. In no time, a team of cleaners in 
distinctive silver uniforms appeared from every
14975.279 corner of the lobby. With practiced efficiency, 
they began to scrub the blood-soaked hall,
14980.319 wielding all manner of cleaning tools. The sound 
of high-pressure hoses soon filled the air as they
14985.439 filled black plastic bags with flesh and gore, 
scrubbing bits of flesh from the cracks in the   tiles and tossing them into the bags. After 
spraying the floor with polish and freshener,
14994.88 the lobby’s surface was once again spotless.
Now Ember finally understood the lingering   stench of blood he’d noticed when he first got 
out of the car. Russell had clearly been using the
15005.12 hospital’s doctors and nurses as disposable test 
subjects for his experiments. And yet, this very
15010.319 Russell was actually the director of District 
Thirteen’s hospital? For someone with nerves   of steel like him, there must be something truly 
exceptional about Russell.Only in this way could
15020.239 the Psychic Energy Department afford to indulge 
Russell’s behavior. Calamity and suffering—Russell
15025.359 surely counts as a severe hazard.
Once the professional cleanup team had   left the scene, Russell finally called in a new 
squad of nurses. This time, however, the nurses
15034.239 were obviously well-prepared. They lined up in 
a long formation, one after another, led by a
15039.84 blind woman tapping ahead with a cane. The nurses 
following behind had sewn their eyes and mouths
15044.96 shut with needle and thread, and their ear canals 
were sealed with glue. Their very appearance   declared: see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.
Witnessing this, Ash found it hard to imagine what
15055.68 kind of people would willingly take on such work. 
Sensing Ash’s confusion, Russell, for reasons   unknown, took the initiative to explain once more:
“They all owe me their lives. As payment,
15065.92 they must serve me for a year. After that, 
they’re free. With today’s medical technology,   these are only minor injuries. Trading a 
little pain for a whole life is a bargain.”
15075.199 Ash nodded in agreement, but inwardly 
he couldn’t approve of such methods.   District Thirteen could easily follow the Psychic 
Department’s example and install magical wards
15084.56 to block the influence within the base. But 
District Thirteen insisted on sending people   in instead… Wait—perhaps this was intentional? 
Realization dawned on Ash, and he looked up at
15095.12 Russell. From the calm depths of Russell’s gaze, 
Ash found his answer. This was all by design.
15100.88 Just then, a phone rang. Russell pulled 
out his mobile, listened for a moment,   murmured a couple of acknowledgments, 
and hung up. Then he turned to Ash:
15109.439 “Your assignment is complete. However, 
someone has exchanged your reward for a   chance at treatment. I hear you want to 
rid yourself of your vampire bloodline?”
15117.52 Ash understood that Sasha had pulled some strings 
for this opportunity. Still, he couldn’t help   feeling skeptical about Russell’s claim to 
cure vampirism. It wasn’t that Ash doubted the
15126.479 director’s skill, but if a cure truly existed, 
surely the Tulip Territory of the vampires   would have become a land of humans by now.
“That’s right. Do you have any experience
15134.96 with this, Director Russell?”
Russell adjusted his glasses,   a touch of fervor coloring his words:
“Of course. I once treated a patient
15142.8 who also wished to be free of their vampire 
blood. But back then, I lacked experience,   so in the end, I only cured half of him. Now, 
I believe I can cure you completely. It’s just
15152.319 that I have a lot of patients lately—your 
treatment will have to wait its turn.”  Only cured half of him? For some reason, an 
image of Gillette surfaced in Ash’s mind—the
15160.8 man he’d seen in Orchard Town, handsome on 
one side, hideous on the other. At the time,   Ash hadn’t had the leisure to dwell on the cause; 
he’d only cared about helping Lina fulfill her
15171.439 wish.Thinking back on it now, it was always 
rather odd for a vampire to have a face that was   half handsome and half grotesque. Could it be that 
Russell’s very first vampire patient was Gillette,
15180.56 and that’s why half of Gillette’s body became 
human, only to have that human part destroyed   in a tragic accident? The more Embers pondered 
this, the more plausible it seemed. He decided
15190.0 he needed to keep a close eye on Russell. After 
all, he now had the perfect excuse to stay. He
15195.12 could also use this opportunity to investigate 
the whereabouts of that ravenous blood spirit.  So Embers deliberately spoke up, 
“Is that so? Director Russell,
15203.68 would you mind having another assistant?”
“I’d like to help you finish some of the   surgeries more quickly. That way, perhaps 
my place in line can move up a bit.”
15211.6 A trace of surprise flickered in Russell’s eyes. 
Someone volunteering to be his assistant? After
15216.96 losing thirteen assistants in a row, it had 
been many years since anything like that had   happened. To him, an assistant was more like a 
consumable resource. Whenever something dangerous
15226.399 needed doing, it was only natural to send the 
assistant—after all, if the doctor himself died,   who would be left to heal the sick?
So for someone as bold as Embers to make
15235.04 such an offer, Russell could hardly refuse. 
A vampire assistant ought to be more durable   than those fragile human ones, surely.
“I do indeed need a reliable assistant,”
15244.8 Russell replied. “Since you’re 
volunteering, come with me.”  Embers nodded, quite satisfied with this 
outcome. Russell seemed equally pleased. It was,
15253.6 in essence, a win-win situation.
…  Under Russell’s guidance, Embers was soon 
presented with his very first task as an
15259.76 assistant: an MRI scan for Amy. This was… 
rather strange. Embers knew perfectly well
15265.359 that Amy had been chosen by a demon. So 
what was the point of an MRI? Was it an   attempt to explain theology with science?
Catching sight of Embers’ confusion, Russell
15275.199 pointed to the comparative brain images on the 
screen and said, “Do you see the shadows here?”  “Any structure touched by the extraordinary 
will be different from that of ordinary people.”
15284.159 “If you wish to contain powers that 
set you apart, naturally there will be   differences in your body as well.”
“That’s what the MRI is for.”
15291.439 Embers frowned, instinctively sensing it 
wasn’t that simple. “If that’s the case,   wouldn’t it be possible to rid Amy of her 
possession by surgically removing this mass?”
15300.64 Clang! A gleaming scalpel landed in 
front of Embers, tossed there by Russell.  “Exactly. So I’m leaving it to you.”
Embers was caught off guard. “Right now?”
15310.56 Russell let out a short, dry laugh. “What else? 
Find the problem, remove the problem—isn’t that
15316.399 what a doctor is supposed to do?”
“If you want to be my assistant,   then you should ask less and do more.”
“Go on, let me see if you’re truly up to the job.”
15324.8 With a thoughtful look, Embers picked up the 
scalpel, pushed the surgical cart, and stepped   into the open MRI chamber.Russell watched as the 
heavy doors slowly closed, then lifted a voice
15335.359 recorder to his lips. “Direct excision experiment 
number 302. Subject: Level Three Black-Eyed Demon.
15342.64 Surgeon: Bloodline Demon Hunter.”
With that brief introduction,   Russell lowered his hand and peered through 
the observation window into the room.
15350.479 Was excision truly a permanent solution to 
possession? Past experiments had already proven   that it was. Yet each surgery was inevitably 
a grisly affair. In this context, it was
15360.479 the operating doctor who faced the bloodshed.
Because when you set out to excise a parasite,   it’s no different from preparing to kill the 
possessing entity itself. Sensing danger,
15369.6 that entity would always fight 
back with desperate ferocity.  Ordinary doctors, mere mortals, stood no 
chance against such supernatural power.
15377.68 But after so many experiments, Russell 
had distilled a wealth of experience.  An excision was both a gamble and an 
opportunity. If the surgeon could strike
15385.84 a deal with the demon inside, they could 
become a controlled vessel—a human host   wielding demonic power. In future procedures, 
these doctors could then use demonic strength
15394.72 to fight demons themselves, making it possible 
to successfully excise the malignant growths.  But, as always, there was a price.
With each use of demonic power,
15403.279 these doctors inched ever closer to the abyss.
Some of them became secret weapons for the   Department of Psyche, while others ended up as 
near-permanent patients within District Thirteen.
15412.56 This time, however, Russell had chosen not 
to “cultivate” another demon vessel as he   usually did. He wanted to see what Ember was 
truly capable of. That was why he was giving
15422.08 Ember the chance to lead the operation.
After all, ordinary assistants were no   longer worthy of working for him.
If Ember wished to stay, he would
15429.6 have to prove himself by passing this demonic 
trial—Russell would accept nothing less than a   satisfactory answer.
…
15435.12 As the doors of the MRI chamber sealed shut, Ember 
found himself once again face-to-face with Amy.
15440.64 She wore only a simple hospital gown, but 
her limbs and chest were strapped with sealed   pouches—each containing relics of saints.
These relics radiated a sacred power,
15450.0 strong enough to suppress the 
demon within and keep Amy lucid.  And for now, it was working.
Tears welled up in Amy’s eyes as she
15456.88 looked at Ember, her voice frail. “Doctor, 
I feel so much better. The hallucinations
15462.0 and voices—they’re all gone.”
“Does this mean I can go home?”  Ember, masked, shook his head. He reached for 
a syringe lying on the trolley beside him.
15471.52 The moment Amy saw the needle—long as a middle 
finger—her pupils contracted and then dilated
15476.8 in a rapid flicker. The delicate vulnerability 
faded from her face, replaced by… was it pleasure?
15483.04 Ember glanced at the wish panel, now shifting 
before his eyes, and the truth dawned on him.
15488.239 So that was it.
Amy was more than just a   victim of possession—she was also a patient 
with split personalities. She had two souls
15495.199 living inside her own.Whenever something happened 
that filled the main personality with terror,   this masochistic alter would emerge. No wonder 
the alter had formed such a sinister alliance with
15505.279 the demon haunting her. It seemed her quest for 
immortality through suffering was no empty boast.
15510.319 “You’re going to give me anesthesia?”
“That won’t be necessary;   I can handle this level of pain.”
Watching the smile bloom on Amy’s face,
15518.08 Ash considered for a moment, then set aside the 
syringe and reached for the scalpel instead. Since   Amy herself insisted, why shouldn’t he oblige her?
As the silver blade pressed against Amy’s skull,
15528.8 her smile grew ever more unrestrained. So—she 
wanted a craniotomy? Splendid. A craniotomy
15535.12 without anesthesia was pure agony. Yet as Amy’s 
face contorted in pain, her eyes shone with a
15541.12 deep, twisted satisfaction. Only endless 
pain could attract the demon’s favor. Only
15546.159 with the demon’s power could she hope to attain 
immortality. That was why she mutilated herself;
15551.279 that was why the demon stayed within her.
Amy’s consciousness, fulfilled, sank into
15556.319 the depths, as another, alien presence began to 
awaken. With each careful cut of Ash’s scalpel,
15562.479 Amy’s pupils quietly darkened until they 
were pitch black. Suddenly, the saint’s   relics bound to Amy’s body began to sprout black 
spots. In no time, the dry, sealed pouches were
15573.12 filled with a foul, reeking black liquid.
Ash, who had glimpsed the growth inside,
15578.239 now felt an immense resistance. The scalpel, 
which had been slicing deeper, was slowly   forced back, as if against a surging tide.
A strange, unsettling smile spread across
15588.08 “Amy’s” face as she lay strapped to the bed. Then, 
with a sudden jerk, she tore her own arm free and
15593.84 swung the bloody stump straight at Ash’s head.
The blood droplets flying through the air twisted   into sharp blades, whistling with a piercing 
wind as they hurtled toward him. This time,
15602.96 the demon had no intention of relying on its 
usual psychic assaults. It had already lost a   fragment of its soul inside Ash’s mind, and that 
fragment was trapped, unable to return. Thus,
15614.239 it had no way of knowing what had transpired 
inside Ash’s mental world. But it was sure   of one thing: if it could split open Ash’s 
skull, it would find the answer it sought!
15623.439 Just as the blood-forged sword—like something from 
a vampire legend—was about to pierce Ash’s head,
15628.8 the demon’s arm froze midair, and its 
entire body seemed suddenly paralyzed,   as if shackled by invisible bonds.
Witchcraft! This one wasn’t just a vampire—he was
15638.159 a sorcerer, too! Ha, she’d slaughtered at least a 
hundred, if not a thousand, witches in her time.
15644.399 These so-called binds were nothing but contests 
of willpower. And as a demon, her psychic might
15649.439 far surpassed any creature of the mortal realm!
She was preparing to marshal her mind and shatter   these restraints, when suddenly Ash sighed. In 
the next instant, wisps of black smoke twisted
15659.439 into chains and coiled tightly around her, 
draining her vast psychic power in a heartbeat.  A curse on the mind! Damn it! This curse was 
far more insidious than the earlier psychic
15668.8 bonds!Before the demon could break its chains, 
it suddenly realized its connection to Amy’s   body had been severed. It had been cut off! In 
the next dizzying instant, it was hurled into a
15678.72 transparent jar inscribed with a Solomon’s seal. 
The demon, now reduced to a cloud of black smoke,
15684.56 thrashed furiously against the glass, but it 
was all in vain. Realizing it was trapped,
15689.6 the demon finally calmed down. Left with 
only its perception, it could now “see” more:   in the shadow cast by Amy’s raised hand, a 
monkey was mirroring the same gesture. That
15699.68 was it! Damn that Soul-Stealing Monkey! It had 
locked it down for just a split second—just long
15704.96 enough for Ember to seize the opportunity 
to finish the curse, splitting it apart!  But for the demon, losing its vessel was hardly 
the end; it was no true death. Ember didn’t have
15713.92 the power to destroy it. What’s more, its bond 
with Amy was far more intricate than Ember could
15719.04 imagine. From the very start, it wasn’t the 
demon that had chosen Amy—it was Amy who had
15724.72 summoned the demon! All it needed was for Amy to 
recover, to call it forth again through pain, and   it could break free from this place! With a cold 
sneer in its heart, the black-eyed demon stopped
15734.8 struggling and settled quietly inside the jar.
Seeing the demon had ceased its resistance,   Ember—who no longer craved sweet-and-sour 
pork—let out a sigh. To win Russell’s trust,
15744.72 he had sacrificed his favorite dish. 
This demon belonged to him now!  Inside the observation room, Russell had watched 
Ember’s every move. He couldn’t help but frown.
15753.92 At first, everything had unfolded exactly as he’d 
expected. But from the moment the Soul-Stealing
15759.359 Monkey appeared, events began to spiral into 
the unknown. Russell recognized that monkey,
15765.04 and he understood just how much impact such a 
crudely made Soul-Stealing Monkey could have.   He also knew that a Class III Disaster-level demon 
was far too powerful for such a monkey to control.
15774.64 Russell had experienced firsthand the formidable 
mental strength of demons. Even the gentlest   among them could shred a Soul-Stealing Monkey 
to bits, let alone one of this magnitude. So,
15785.12 in his original plan, even with the monkey’s 
help, Ember’s scalpel would never have been able   to excise the black-smoke growth so smoothly. The 
expected outcome was not Ember stitching up Amy’s
15794.8 skull, but rather the demon and Ember striking a 
new bargain after Amy’s vessel was destroyed, with   the demon taking up residence in Ember’s body. 
Ember, as a vampire, would become the demon’s new
15804.96 host—a perfect subject for Russell’s observation.
But now, the demon that should have been a force   of chaos sat obediently inside the sealed jar, 
while Ember calmly stitched up Amy’s head wound.
15815.439 Once the operation was done, Ember gestured 
toward the one-way mirror. The heavy door   slid open with a slow, deliberate motion.
Russell stood inside, regarding Ember for
15824.8 a long moment. At last, he extended 
his hand and said, “You truly are a   most capable assistant.”“Hand him over to me. For 
the next few days, you’ll work under my command.”
15834.64 Ash shook his head and tossed the jar 
containing the demon into the gluttonous   storage pouch. “According to the rules of 
demon hunters, whoever solves the problem
15842.479 has the right to claim the spoils.”
“So, by reason and by rule,   this thing should belong to me, shouldn’t it?”
Russell didn’t get angry when he saw Ash simply
15851.12 pocket the demon jar. He knew perfectly 
well that a jar like that could never   truly imprison a demon. Only by using 
a human as a vessel could one trap a
15859.12 demon until the end of its natural lifespan.
As for killing a demon—yes, there were ways,   but there was no need. As long as original sin 
exists in the world, demons will continue to
15868.399 emerge, endlessly. And as long as the boundaries 
between the realms remain unstable, demons will
15873.84 always find chances to slip into the human world.
For some, this was a disaster; but for Russell,
15879.439 it was an opportunity—a chance 
to glimpse true immortality.  That’s why he would never let 
a demon escape from his grasp.
15886.159 Russell stared at the storage pouch in Ash’s 
hand, contemplating whether he should simply   bury Ash here and now. After all, the demon that 
escaped at the end could always take the blame.
15895.439 Just then, Russell’s phone rang.
He glanced at the caller’s name and,   after a moment’s hesitation, decided to let 
Ash go for now. In any case, if Ash wanted to
15904.399 return to human form, he would eventually have 
to come to him. And once Ash was in his hands,
15909.92 there would be countless ways to deal with him.
Russell picked up the call, exchanged a few   brief words, and then looked back at Ash.
“Come with me. There’s a new patient.”
15919.04 “Maybe you can learn something from 
him—find a way to become human again.”  A new patient? Another vampire?
Puzzled, Ash followed Russell
15926.88 and soon saw the so-called new patient in the 
hospital lobby—or rather, an old acquaintance.  [Milat]
[Wish: Gather all the materials
15934.479 and forge the Eternal Heart.]
…  Having used Russell’s connections to 
get into District Thirteen Hospital,
15939.52 Milat waited anxiously at the front desk. He had 
realized that he was beginning to envy Russell.
15944.8 Why was it that both of them were 
followers of the Church of Immortality,   yet he could only be a demon hunter while Russell 
commanded the entire District Thirteen Hospital?
15952.319 Why was Russell now an elder of the Church, while 
he, having returned, was forced to fight alone?
15957.84 Why, why, why…
A thousand resentments   threatened to split Milat’s head in two, when at 
last he heard Russell’s unmistakable footsteps.
15964.88 The noise in his mind quieted slightly, and as 
he looked up, he saw the one person Lucen would   never forget—his mortal enemy, Ash.
Lucen’s long-dormant soul fragment
15974.64 erupted within him, and Milat’s entire 
being radiated a disturbing aura.  A murderous intent began to 
rise, simmering and spreading.
15982.72 Seeing Milat’s expression, Russell 
frowned and rebuked him in a low voice:  “You can’t even keep your own soul in check 
now?”Russell’s voice seemed to carry a
15991.12 strange power, and in an instant, it cleared the 
bloodshot haze from Milat’s eyes. Milat quickly
15996.64 averted his gaze from Ember. He knew that Ember 
must have recognized Lucen as well. But surely,
16002.72 Ember couldn’t understand why he would appear 
in Lucen’s form. Not intending to say much,   Milat lowered his voice and said, 
“Russell, could we talk in private?”
16011.6 Russell glanced thoughtfully at Ember, then 
nodded, gesturing for Milat to follow him. Ember,
16016.96 left standing where he was, watched Milat 
walk away without the slightest confusion   in his eyes. After all, the wish panel stated 
plainly that this man was indeed the Milat
16026.239 whom Carla had searched for so desperately.
As for why this fellow would appear with Lucen’s   face, it was most likely some trick to return from 
the dead in another’s body. So, was the precedent
16036.159 Russell just mentioned actually Milat himself? Did 
they want Ember to follow in Milat’s footsteps and
16041.92 use the same trick to rid himself of the vampiric 
bloodline? It was, in theory, a solution. But   the real issue remained—the right vessel for 
Ember’s soul would be nearly impossible to find.
16051.68 Moreover, from Milat’s wish, it was clear that 
he struggled with the same problem as Ember:   the soul and the body could not be joined in 
perfect harmony. Only the Heart of Eternity
16060.72 could truly resolve this hidden danger.
This was getting interesting. Since both were   seekers of the Heart of Eternity, then perhaps 
Milat possessed something Ember needed. At
16069.84 this thought, a flash of murderous intent passed 
through Ember’s eyes. After all, just moments ago,
16075.04 Milat had, for some unknown reason, shown him the 
same murderous intent. That meant Milat, by some
16081.12 means, had discovered Ember was also pursuing the 
Heart of Eternity. That must be why he had pulled
16086.159 Russell aside for a private conversation.
And Ember’s earlier act of keeping the   demon jar for himself had surely left a 
bad impression on Russell. In that case,
16094.319 he’d have to strike first! Find an opportunity to 
get rid of Milat, then pin the blame on the demon
16100.0 sealed inside the jar. That way, even if Russell 
suspected something, he would have nothing on him.  With this plan forming in his mind, 
Ember quietly slipped out the jar
16108.56 containing the demon. He tapped on the lid 
and whispered, “Hey, want to make a deal?”  The demon inside, hearing this, swirled up 
in black smoke and formed a mocking smile.
16117.84 “You call me ‘brother’ when you want something? 
That’s never a good sign!” To trust the words of
16123.12 a demon’s agent? Only if the gates of Hell flew 
open and Heaven itself fell would that happen.
16128.159 “Oh? Not interested in talking?” Ember said 
congenially. “Well, that’s too bad. I guess
16133.6 I’ll just hand you over to the Lyon brothers.”
“I hear they’re experts at sending demons   back to Hell. Who knows when—or 
if—you’ll ever get out again.”
16141.68 The Lyon brothers? Of course, the demon had 
heard of those infamous siblings. They had,   after all, made the ludicrous vow to make even the 
yellow-eyed princes of Hell pay for their crimes.
16152.319 Truth be told, if not for the express orders of 
the yellow-eyed demon, it would have killed those   brothers dozens of times over by now.But Ember was 
right—those two brothers did have a way to send it
16162.08 back to that dull and tedious hell. And indeed, 
the rift between hell and the human world was not
16167.12 easy to find. It had managed to escape once with 
great difficulty, so of course it had no desire to
16173.12 return and experience such a monotonous existence 
again. As for striking a deal with Ember… that was
16178.96 absolutely out of the question. There was 
no harm in pretending to go along, but to   actually trust Ember? If it were that gullible, 
all these years would have been for nothing!
16187.68 “You’re ruthless enough! Tell 
me, what do you want me to do?”  Ember smiled, then pointed to the two 
people standing at the edge of the hall.
16195.279 “Do you see them? Those two 
are plotting against us.”  “When the time comes, I’ll need you to 
weave a perfect dream for the one called
16201.92 Milat. Let him believe he’s achieved his 
heart’s desire, and that will be enough.”  “In return, I’ll set you free.”
Inside the jar, the black smoke
16210.96 representing the demon’s soul flickered 
for a moment, as if pondering.  “Are you serious?”
Ember nodded.
16216.88 “I mean it.”
Noticing that Ember hadn’t   mentioned a contract from beginning to end, the 
demon felt certain that both sides were prepared
16223.359 to break their verbal promises at any moment. With 
a sinister air, it spelled out a shaky ‘YES’—and
16229.76 thus, a fragile verbal alliance was formed.
[Contract established]  …?
The demon, still in its smoky form,
16236.72 suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Why 
did it feel the binding force of a contract? It   had only given a verbal promise—how could that 
have any real effect? It couldn’t understand!
16246.56 “What did you do?”
Watching the smoke form those words,   Ember didn’t reply. He only smiled and tossed 
the jar back into the gluttonous storage pouch.
16254.56 While red-eyed demons excelled at bargaining, 
black-eyed demons clearly lacked a bit of wit.   Without the constraints of a contract, could Ember 
really trust such a fickle creature? Of course
16264.08 not. So a contract was necessary—and his contracts 
required no signature at all. Even if there were
16270.159 loopholes he didn’t know about, as long as this 
demon called Rutz was bound to trap Milat in an   illusion, that was enough.
…
16276.08 Meanwhile, as Ember and Rutz 
whispered their schemes,   Milat and Russell had begun a conversation 
of their own—this one centered around Ember.
16283.199 Milat first soothed the restless 
lingering soul of Lucen,   then turned to Russell and spoke with frankness:
“Although I’ve broken free from the bloodline,
16291.12 I can’t keep this vessel alive for long.”
“So I want to use the Seven Deadly Sins   as a foundation to forge an Eternal Heart.”
“But the Seed of Hatred that Deren promised
16300.08 me was stolen. Now, I’m unbalanced.”
“I can barely contain the jealousy   inside me… Right now, I just want to wipe 
out everyone who’s better off than I am!”
16309.439 “You’re the only one who can help me now!”
Russell regarded Milat with a stony expression   for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and 
cast a cloud of shimmering dust over him.Milat’s
16318.399 fingers twitched ever so slightly, but 
he quickly suppressed the urge to act.  Then Russell drew a gentle breath, inhaling all 
the dust that contained Milat’s information.
16327.12 After savoring it carefully, Russell 
confirmed that Milat was telling the truth.  The jealousy within Milat truly 
had fallen out of balance.
16334.88 Building an Eternal Heart from the Seven 
Deadly Sins was a theory once proposed by   a mad demon-worshipper of the Cult of Immortality.
Yet in reality, everyone who embarked on this path
16344.56 ended up descending into utter madness.
After all, to embody all seven sins was   to become the most wicked being in the world—how 
could anyone hope to maintain their sense of self?
16353.52 Milat dared to do this most likely because 
he possessed some secret, unknown method.  Thinking of this, a glimmer of 
intrigue shone in Russell’s eyes.
16361.52 While physical immortality was 
not true eternity, there might   still be something he could learn from it.
Moreover, the thing Milat desperately needed
16368.56 was not exclusively possessed by Deren—Russell 
himself happened to have it as well.  “All right,” Russell said, “I 
can help you restore balance.”
16376.319 “I happen to have a blood spirit among my 
patients that embodies the essence of Gluttony.”  “I’ll erase its consciousness, make a gluttony 
seed from it, and implant it in your body.”
16386.0 “Then I’ll use holy bone to make 
precise adjustments between the two,   achieving equilibrium.”
“So, the final question
16392.48 is—what will you pay for this treatment?”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch   in this world; to gain something, 
one must always give something up.
16400.32 This, Milat understood perfectly well.
Though he truly could not afford Russell’s   fee, Ash certainly could!
Milat’s gaze fell on Ash,
16408.0 who stood in the distance with his head 
lowered, and he let out a low chuckle:  “He’s the one who snatched the 
Seed of Hatred from Deren.”
16415.039 “If he managed to take down Deren, he must be 
carrying more than just the Seed of Hatred.”  “I know you’re being monitored by the 
Psychic Division and can’t act openly.”
16423.68 “But if you simply arrange for me to be 
alone with him, I have my own ways of   dealing with him. All I want is the Seed 
of Hatred—everything else you can keep!”
16432.16 Hearing this, a flicker of 
surprise crossed Russell’s face.  Ash had actually stolen the 
Seed of Hatred from Deren?
16438.561 Russell knew all too well what 
kind of power Deren possessed.  As a black warlock who feared nothing, 
Deren had even abandoned his human body,
16446.0 opting instead for a beastly form that, by 
ordinary standards, was hideous to behold.  But such a sacrifice surely 
brought formidable strength.
16453.92 Those bestial bodies were not only 
excellent sacrificial materials,   but also came with strange and varied powers.
Defeating Deren was not impossible, but erasing
16462.719 him completely was another matter entirely.
Without killing Deren, there was no way   to seize the Seed of Hatred.
Yet Ash looked no more than a
16470.4 young man, barely past youth.
Whether vampire or warlock,   both required time to grow truly fearsome.
So, if Milat was telling the truth,
16479.039 Ash must have a powerful ally in the shadows.
Still, since Milat was so eager to deal with Ash,
16484.639 Russell was more than willing to watch silently 
from behind the scenes.If Ember truly has an   accomplice, then it’s no harm for him to retreat 
for now. After all, his main objective isn’t the
16494.16 Heart of Eternity; for him, the Heart is merely an 
intriguing side pursuit. But if Ember has no ally,
16499.92 he wouldn’t mind kicking someone when 
they’re down, dissecting the whole   affair to search for any abnormalities.
With this decision made, Russell nodded in
16507.439 agreement with Mirat’s approach. “He wants to shed 
his bloodline identity with me,” Russell said.
16512.959 “So you don’t have to worry about him leaving 
right away.” “Let me stabilize your emotions   first—otherwise, I can’t be sure whether the fire 
of jealousy in your heart might burn elsewhere.”
16523.199 Mirat gave a dry laugh but said nothing. After 
all, the thought of killing Russell and taking   his place had indeed flashed through his mind. 
Of course, this wasn’t his true intention;
16532.48 it was all the influence of the 
seed of jealousy. That had to be it!  With the matter settled, the two returned 
together. Russell waved Ember over,
16540.799 his tone casual as if nothing was amiss. “Amy 
should be awake now. Go check on her condition.”
16546.48 Check on Amy? Watching Mirat and Russell walk 
away, Ember narrowed his eyes. He felt a prickle
16552.0 of unease. By reason and by sentiment, Russell 
wouldn’t send his assistant away at a time like
16557.439 this. Moreover, while he and Mirat had no old 
quarrel, Mirat’s hostility toward him was obvious.
16562.879 Perhaps this was the work of Lucen’s residual 
soul. After all, back when Ember didn’t truly   understand what it meant to kill both body and 
soul, he’d failed to completely obliterate Lucen.
16572.799 If Lucen was still influencing Mirat’s mind, 
then Mirat’s desire to kill him made sense.
16577.92 But then again, Mirat’s murderous intent might 
also stem from their shared pursuit of the   Seven Sins vessel. If that was the case, the 
werewolf attack in Guomu Town became a logical
16587.199 move. Coren had been dead set on snatching 
the Seed of Hatred from him. At the time,   he suspected the Church of Immortality wanted to 
reclaim the Seed, which was why Coren was sent.
16596.879 However, when he later encountered Austin, the 
great wizard of the Church, Austin showed no   interest in the Seed of Hatred whatsoever. 
Looking back now, it seemed likely that the
16605.76 werewolf Coren was acting on Mirat’s orders.
So, was Mirat also a member of the Church of
16610.879 Immortality? And what about Russell? 
Could Russell, who so readily listened   to Mirat, be part of the Church too? Had the 
Church already infiltrated the inner workings
16619.68 of the Psyonic Division, with its members holding 
high positions in the crucial Thirteenth District?  Apparently, immortality still holds 
irresistible allure for some people. And it’s
16628.959 no wonder—compared to supernatural beings, human 
lifespans are painfully short. There will always   be those who, standing at death’s door, abandon 
the ideals they’ve clung to all their lives.
16639.199 Only the new blood keeps its fervor forever.
After mulling this over, Ember set down the   phone he’d intended to use to call Sasha. Matters 
like this couldn’t be rashly investigated. If he
16649.439 exposed himself, he’d become the number 
one target on the Psyonic Division’s most   wanted list.It would be better to play along and 
pretend not to know anything. That way, at least,
16658.561 things wouldn’t spiral into total destruction. 
“Russell, Milat…” Ember murmured to himself with
16663.68 a faint smile. After all, the Thirteenth District 
wasn’t the only place where people had allies.  …
Thirteenth District, hospital ward.
16671.279 Lying in her hospital bed, Amy felt a peace she 
hadn’t known in a long time. As a wealthy heiress,
16676.959 her life had always gone smoothly, so smooth 
that she felt it had lost all its flavor.
16682.561 Those wild nights of reckless indulgence, 
once the morning came, always turned   out to be nothing special after all.
It wasn’t until that night at a party,
16690.719 when someone suggested playing an 
unusually realistic spirit-calling game,   that things changed. Out of curiosity, she joined 
in, grasping her friend’s hand as they all held
16700.16 onto a pen together. One by one, the pen tore 
open their innermost secrets before their eyes.
16705.92 That was when she realized there was a side of the 
world she had never glimpsed before. Ever since,
16710.959 she became obsessed, trying every midnight game 
she could find, driven by a feverish longing.
16716.639 At last, one day, she received the answer she 
had been so desperately seeking. She whispered
16721.76 “YES” to that unknown presence.
And then, her nightmare began.  From that day forward, she would often see spiders 
the size of a human head crawling across her body,
16730.719 and sometimes she’d catch sight of a black 
snake slithering up her trouser leg. In terror,   she would strike herself, using anything sharp 
she could find to keep the spiders at bay,
16739.84 but her parents only saw her as losing her mind.
The endless hallucinations drove her to madness:
16744.959 she killed her beloved dog, murdered the servant 
who had cared for her since childhood, and nearly
16750.32 took the life of her own mother. Overwhelmed 
with guilt, she stopped eating altogether,
16755.359 hoping to starve out the presence inside her.
But every morning when she awoke, she’d find   the bed beside her littered with the corpses 
of wild animals, all bearing the marks of
16764.639 having been gnawed. Her own body would be 
smeared with blood, and she’d even find   tangled feathers wedged between her teeth.
The creatures lying beside her grew larger
16772.959 and larger, until one day, she awoke to find 
a human body next to her—a body, broken and
16778.958 incomplete. That was the day she finally broke.
Her parents, desperate, turned to strange and
16784.878 mysterious people for help. After hearing 
her story, they first strapped her into   a restrictive jacket, then stuffed a bag 
of odd bones against her chest. At last,
16793.84 the spiders vanished from her sight, but those 
who had taken her away began to lose their minds,   one by one, for reasons no one could explain.
Eventually, she was moved to an underground
16804.0 facility, where her life was sustained by tubes 
connected to her body. She resigned herself to   dying there, but unexpectedly, 
she was taken away once more.
16813.12 This time, she finally met a young man who 
did not go mad. He brought her to a hospital   and used a silver scalpel to cure her illness. 
She felt grateful to him, but when she awoke,
16822.32 he was gone, and she never saw him again.
The nurses here were either deaf or mute,   so her questions went unanswered. All she 
could do was count the drops of dark green
16831.44 liquid falling from the drip, measuring time as 
it passed, to fill the endless emptiness of her   days.At that moment, the door to the hospital 
room was pushed open, flooding the space with
16841.04 light from outside—so dazzling it was almost 
like a glimpse of heaven. And finally, she saw
16846.24 the man who had saved her from disaster: Ashes. 
This name appeared in her mind out of nowhere,
16852.32 as though he could be called nothing else. But 
she couldn’t explain why. Without thinking,   she blurted out his name, “Ashes, you’re here?”
Hearing his true name, a flash of surprise crossed
16862.48 Ashes’ eyes. Out in the world, he always went by 
the alias “Cinder.” Very few people knew his real
16868.32 name; only the demon called Luz had learned 
it somehow. For Amy to call him that—did it
16873.76 mean their memories were actually linked? Demons 
were known to lie, but the Amy before him now,   restored to herself, was unlikely to 
do so. Besides, Ashes could see the
16883.12 unreserved admiration shining in the girl’s eyes.
“Yes. Amy, how are you feeling now?” he asked
16889.2 gently, taking a seat in the companion’s chair.
Amy instinctively grabbed the blanket,   shielding the mottled wounds on her body before 
she answered, “I—I’m feeling much better now.”
16899.28 Ashes nodded, his voice soft, “Do 
you remember anything? For example,   the demon that possessed you…”
At the mention of the word
16906.878 “demon,” Amy shuddered. It was clear that she 
remembered something. But she was unwilling to   revisit those grim memories; she had locked 
them away in the mind of another self. All
16916.878 she knew was that she must never touch those 
memories—they would drag her back into despair.  “Ashes, Ashes, can we talk about 
something else…?” she pleaded.
16925.36 Hearing her earnest request, Ashes felt a 
pang of sympathy—but he knew what needed to   be done. Kindness alone was not enough to 
accomplish his purpose. Steeling himself,
16934.56 he pulled out the jar that held Luz.
Amy stared at the swirling black mist   inside the jar, showing no reaction at first. But 
then, suddenly, Luz transformed into a mass of
16944.4 tiny spiders, crawling and writhing to fill every 
inch of the jar. Amy’s eyes widened in shock,
16950.16 her pupils shrinking. In the next instant, her 
face settled into an expression of indifference.
16955.6 Unbothered, she yanked the IV from her 
arm, pressing the fine needle into her   skin to savor the pain, all the while speaking 
calmly, “Go on, ask what you want to know.”
16965.04 Seeing the calm on Amy’s face, Ashes realized 
that the personality who thrived on suffering   had returned. This version of her fed on pain; 
the agony of her memories meant nothing to
16975.12 her. In fact, when she hurt herself, those 
same memories became the perfect seasoning,
16980.16 giving her a new, twisted pleasure.
“When did you join the Cult   of Immortality?” Ashes asked.
As if the needle wasn’t enough, Amy pressed
16988.4 her fingertip—apparently numb to pain—into the 
groove of a bed bolt, twisting hard to unscrew it.
16994.08 “You mean that? Ha! Where do you think 
all those séances came from in the first   place?”“It was, of course, the Church of 
Immortality who leaked this on purpose.”
17002.958 “I want to play more real, more thrilling games, 
and naturally the only way is to join the Church.”
17008.48 “Do you like this tattoo? I did it myself.”
Amy paused in her dismantling, raising her bloody,
17014.16 mangled fingers to point at the pale 
chest, where an ouroboros was inked.  Ember did not reply. He simply shook the 
jar in his hand, swirling the contents—Luz,
17023.44 who had dissolved into countless tiny 
spiders—back into a cloud of black smoke.  “What about that one?”
Amy smiled faintly and continued
17031.12 unscrewing the bolts from the bed frame.
“There are many kinds of demons.   Summoning them isn’t difficult.”
“But if you want a demon to possess you,
17038.878 you have to find those demon souls that 
have escaped into the mortal world.”  “In that sense, I suppose I’m lucky—I 
found the one that feeds on pain.”
17046.718 “As long as my suffering is enough, 
it will grant me eternal life.”  With these words, Amy twisted out 
another screw, its grooves slick
17054.718 with blood. She stared at it for a moment, 
then a strange smile crept across her face.  In the next instant, Amy drove the screw hard into 
her own brow, twisting it in with brutal force.
17065.04 Her temple throbbed violently. Amy closed her 
eyes, a look of deep satisfaction settling
17070.48 over her face. Then she opened her eyes and 
gazed at Luz, still trapped in Ember’s jar.
17075.84 “What do you think? Is that pain enough?”
Before Luz could answer, Amy slammed her forehead
17080.878 into the wall with vicious force.
Bang!  The screw sank fully into Amy’s forehead.
Blood trickled down her cheek as she turned
17087.84 and grinned, her voice almost playful:
“How about now? Is that enough?”  A faint, almost imperceptible 
cracking sound was the only reply.
17096.798 Ember looked down. He saw a hairline fracture 
had appeared on the demon’s jar. For a moment,
17101.92 time seemed frozen—then the crack 
spread rapidly in all directions.  Crack—crack—
With a sharp bang,
17108.08 the jar shattered. Black smoke billowed forth.  Freed at last, Luz circled Ember with arrogant 
delight before plunging straight into Amy’s mouth.
17116.08 Amy tilted her head back, and as the smoke 
poured into her, her eyes turned a solid,   bottomless black once more.
Luz cocked its head at Ember,
17124.16 a sinister grin twisting its face.
“Now I’m free—the contract means nothing anymore.”
17129.68 “After all, my freedom has 
nothing to do with you.”  But Ember, who had anticipated all of 
this, showed no sign of panic. He simply
17137.36 pointed toward the door.
“Are you truly free?”  “I promise you—step outside this room, and you’ll 
be captured again, sealed away, just like before.”
17146.798 “This time, though, without 
my help, you’ll never escape.”  Luz’s triumphant grin faltered; for the first 
time, uncertainty crossed its face. Ember’s
17155.36 words rang uncomfortably true. After all, only 
an idiot like Ember would bring it before its
17160.56 original vessel—would even provoke the vessel’s 
alternate personality just to set it free.  Wait a minute! This was beginning 
to sound suspiciously like a set-up.
17168.798 Recalling Ember’s identity as a demon’s agent, 
Luz’s unease deepened. Was it possible he’d
17174.0 just walked straight into a trap?Can a demon’s 
agent really be foolish? Especially one who’s
17179.2 managed to seal themselves away, even if only 
temporarily? With suspicion clouding his mind,
17184.32 Lutz glanced up at Ash and asked in a low 
voice, “What exactly are you trying to do?”  Ash shrugged. “Like I said, I 
just need a small favor from you.”
17192.56 “Weave a perfect dream for that Milat, and I’ll 
set you free. That’s the heart of our contract.”
17197.84 “Of course, if you choose not 
to comply, that’s fine too.”  “In that case, your soul belongs to me. And 
for a being like you, who feeds on suffering,
17205.84 I imagine your soul would be delicious.”
Lutz snorted. “How do you know you’re not   already trapped inside an illusion?”
Ash replied without a hint of concern,
17214.56 “It doesn’t matter. If I am trapped in an 
illusion, you can’t get close to Milat.”  “If you can’t reach Milat, 
you break our contract.”
17221.76 “And then your soul is mine anyway. So why 
should I care whether I’m in a dream or not?”  Lutz was inwardly astounded, stunned by the 
precision of Ash’s logic. This kid really knew how
17232.16 to twist the terms of a contract to his advantage. 
Had Ash not said these things aloud, Lutz might
17237.6 have been able to keep him trapped forever, 
biding his time to erase Ash completely. But   since Ash had put it all out in the open, Lutz had 
no choice but to release him from the illusion.
17247.28 This brat had already secured 
an invincible position.  Lutz had no desire to cooperate with 
someone even more devious than himself.
17254.48 Yet, if he wanted any chance of escaping 
this hospital—which made his entire being   feel uncomfortable—he had to work with Ash.
After running through countless reasons in
17262.48 his mind to persuade himself, Lutz finally 
accepted the reality of their partnership.  “Oh, and one more thing—remember 
not to harm Amy anymore.”
17270.798 “If anyone realizes you’ve possessed her again… 
well, that’s another breach of contract!”
17275.92 Lutz gave another disgruntled 
snort. This damned contract.  Wait, a contract? Why did Ash’s deal require 
no formal signing—just a verbal agreement was
17284.798 enough? Was this truly the kind of bargaining 
ability a Serigia should have? It made no sense!
17290.24 Fixing Ash with a hard stare, Lutz 
understood he would never get the   real answer from him. With no other option, 
Lutz relinquished control, retreating deep
17298.638 into Amy’s consciousness and allowing her 
primary personality to take over once more.  Disoriented, Amy touched the sticky blood on 
her face, fear flickering in her eyes. It was
17308.638 happening again! These self-inflicted wounds—she 
had no memory of doing it! Was the demon back?
17314.638 Why? Hadn’t she been cured?
Panic-stricken,   Amy looked desperately to Ash for help.
Ash sighed softly and picked up a cloth,
17322.08 gently wiping away the blood that 
had nearly dried on Amy’s face.  “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll 
truly cure you,” he said.
17328.878 Amy, not understanding why Ash was 
apologizing, looked up at him with   glimmers of hope in her eyes. “Really?”
“Really.”[Contract Established] … Amy
17338.48 gave a sweet smile, her gratitude sincere as 
she said, “Thank you. You’re a good person.”
17343.76 Ember, who had just been called a good person 
by Amy, had a flicker of complexity in his eyes.
17348.878 Then, with a swift motion, he struck the back of 
Amy’s neck, rendering her temporarily unconscious.
17354.798 Amy, suddenly struck, went limp and 
collapsed gently into Ember’s arms.  As he looked at the unconscious Amy, 
her brows still furrowed even in sleep,
17363.2 Ember quickly pulled out the nail embedded 
deep between her brows and plugged the wound   with a small piece of the rare Taisui flesh.
Now, Amy looked just as she had when they
17371.44 first met—completely unchanged.
With Amy slung over his back,   Ember paid no heed to the astonished looks 
from the nurses, and strode off in the
17379.36 direction Russell and his companion had gone.
Everything was ready—only the target remained.  District Thirteen, Calamity Ward.
Milat followed behind Russell. The
17388.718 moment they stepped into the corridor, a 
barrage of chilling screams tore through   the air. These were the desperate wails of those 
on the brink of death, and even battle-hardened
17397.44 Milat felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
He knew full well what “Calamity” meant.  Yet, what unsettled him was not these monsters 
tainted by misfortune, but Russell himself.
17407.84 For every scream echoing from the ward 
was orchestrated by Russell’s own hand.  In his relentless quest to unravel the secret of 
immortality from these supernatural creatures,
17416.638 Russell subjected them to 
all manner of experiments.  And those who screamed were the 
unwilling participants in these trials.
17423.04 To call Russell inhuman would 
have been entirely justified.  So, Milat could not be sure that, in the name 
of eternal life, Russell wouldn’t force him to
17431.2 become a permanent resident of one of these rooms.
The fate of the hunted haunted him, and as Milat   saw and heard the ward’s horrors for himself, 
anxiety for his own future gnawed at his heart.
17441.2 Still, if he could obtain the Gluttony Seed as 
Russell promised, then with the power of two sins,   he might just stand a fighting chance.
Steeling his nerves, Milat continued to
17449.84 follow Russell deeper into the facility, 
until they stopped before a special room,   its door carved with intricate runes.
Inside, a doctor in a white lab coat stood
17458.958 at the observation window, scribbling notes.
When he saw Russell approach, a flicker   of fear crossed the doctor’s 
eyes. He quickly stepped aside
17466.878 to yield the prime vantage spot and reported:
“Director Russell, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s   appetite is still increasing. However, when fed 
living creatures, its eating noticeably halts.”
17476.878 “Preliminary analysis suggests that 
the soul and consciousness of living   beings temporarily interfere with the 
Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s feeding.”
17483.6 “In theory, if the soul of a newly fed creature is 
stronger than that of the Gluttonous Blood Spirit,   there’s a possibility it could 
take control of the spirit.”
17491.28 Russell nodded and asked offhandedly, 
“Do you think you could control it?”  At these words, the doctor began to tremble—his 
shaking growing more and more violent by the
17499.84 second.His voice was trembling as well. “D-Dean 
Russell, I… I don’t think I can do this.”
17505.52 Russell nodded once more, then opened the 
door with one hand and, with the other,   shoved the doctor inside. “Then you’ll 
just have to serve as its next meal.”
17514.4 The doctor, with no time to resist, tumbled 
into the room where the ravenous Blood Fiend   was imprisoned, and immediately began pounding 
frantically on the closed door in terror.
17523.12 “Dean Russell, Dean Russell!”
“Please, let me out! Let me out!”  Russell listened to the desperate pleas 
coming from within, utterly unmoved. He’d
17532.0 witnessed scenes like this far too many 
times. Soon, the one begging for mercy   would turn to cursing him. And then, as true 
death approached, their curses would dwindle to
17541.44 barely a whisper, thin as a mosquito’s hum.
But what difference did it make? Just an   ordinary person—did they really believe they 
could curse their enemy like a wizard would,
17550.32 even at the moment of death? Laughable. 
Russell wouldn’t suffer the slightest   harm from such futile maledictions; he would 
only draw from death the knowledge he sought.
17559.36 After all, there’s a vast difference 
between the final acts of someone   utterly clueless and those of a person 
who has spent years studying the habits
17565.68 of monsters when both are pushed to the brink.
Besides, regularly clearing out old staff brought   fresh blood into District Thirteen. Everyone knows 
that new employees demand less, do more, and—most
17576.878 importantly—ignorance makes them fearless!
Russell watched the awakening Blood Fiend coldly.
17582.24 The show was about to begin.
…  The Blood Fiend, dazed and idle from hunger, 
slowly turned its head and fixed its gaze on
17588.878 the doctor, who was now crying out in utter 
panic. Light gradually returned to its eyes,
17594.0 and its mouth—a maw bristling with tongues and 
fangs—opened wide, drooling rivers of saliva.
17599.44 Dinnertime had come.
Hearing the heavy breathing behind him,   the doctor stopped pounding on the door, which 
would never open for him again. He turned around
17607.6 in terror, staring at the monstrous creature 
as it came to life. Over these past days,
17613.12 he’d seen enough to know how utterly the Blood 
Fiend could devour anything placed before it.  He’d always worried that one day the 
creature might break free. That’s why,
17621.2 during his time here, he’d secretly copied 
the runes carved into the walls and,   whenever he could, asked his family 
to send him blessed crucifixes. Now,
17629.28 those were his only hope.
With a trembling hand,   the doctor tore the crucifix from around 
his neck and held it out in front of him.
17636.16 “God protect me, let all evil spirits flee!”
“God protect me, keep all harm at bay!”
17642.32 “God protect me…”
The doctor chanted the prayers   as he understood them, desperately 
hoping to banish the Blood Fiend.
17648.718 But District Thirteen was far too distant from 
heaven. God had other matters to attend to.
17654.08 Soon, the doctor heard the unmistakable 
sound of bones being crunched and chewed.  As he opened his eyes, trembling, his heart 
stopped in an instant.The gluttonous blood spirit,
17663.52 just an arm’s length from him, was munching 
on the blessed crucifix as if it were a snack   before the main course, savoring every bite. 
So much for God’s blessing—what nonsense! The
17673.52 doctor’s heart filled with endless resentment.
Sensing the surge of negative emotion rising from   the doctor, the gluttonous blood spirit stretched 
out its neck and forced the tough crucifix down
17682.958 into its belly. Then its jaws opened to an 
enormously exaggerated extent—much like a snake
17688.32 with its lower jaw hinged by ligaments—and in 
one swift motion, it swallowed the doctor whole.
17693.52 With a heavy gulp, the blood spirit’s powerful 
stomach acid instantly dissolved the doctor into   pure energy. But immediately after, the doctor’s 
soul, now transformed into a vengeful spirit,
17704.16 launched a fierce assault on the blood spirit’s 
dominant consciousness! He knew—he had always   known—that this was his only path to rebirth. For 
the gluttonous blood spirit itself was nothing
17714.08 more than a gathering of many ravenous souls, 
and whoever was strongest would take control.
17719.28 As long as his soul was potent enough, he could 
become the gluttonous blood spirit! And then,   he would devour everything in District Thirteen!
Outside the room, Russell watched as the
17729.2 gluttonous blood spirit fell into a standstill. 
Suddenly, he swung the door open and stepped   inside. Milat, who had hesitated for 
a moment, followed him in as well. He
17739.04 didn’t believe Russell would walk into danger of 
his own accord. If Russell dared to enter now,   he must be completely confident in his plan.
Sure enough, as Russell crossed the threshold,
17748.718 the runes etched into the room began to glow in 
a precise sequence. All the light converged onto   Russell’s hand, and a strange blue flame burst 
into life along his arm. With his hand wrapped
17759.12 in blue fire, Russell reached directly into the 
gaping maw of the gluttonous blood spirit. Then,
17764.32 with a sudden pull, he yanked out 
a long chain of interlinked souls.  These souls, strung together like sausages, 
quickly piled up and filled the entire room.
17773.28 Atop this mound of soul-consciousnesses, 
one figure glared at Russell with poisonous   hatred—it was the doctor from moments before.
Russell ignored the doctor’s look of pure malice,
17783.04 paying it no mind at all. Just as the 
doctor realized, his soul simply wasn’t   strong enough to seize control. So even if his 
consciousness briefly gained the upper hand,
17792.638 he could never drive the blood spirit to 
attack. Not to mention, the blue fire on   Russell’s arm bore its own suppressive power.
Holding the blood spirit’s consciousness in
17801.12 his grasp, Russell gazed at the nearby shell 
of pure gluttony—a body of hunger without any   will or mind left. Calmly, he turned to 
Milat and said, “Go on. It’s yours now.”
17811.92 Milat looked at the now-faded, much more 
ethereal gluttonous blood spirit before him,   his face drawn and grave. Russell’s methods had 
been brutally direct. In essence, it was as if
17822.638 he had simply cut out half a stomach riddled 
with cancer cells. The stomach was still there,   but only half remained.The Gluttonous Blood Spirit 
was still a Gluttonous Blood Spirit, but its soul
17832.56 had been drastically weakened! In other words, 
even if Russell could help Milat achieve a balance   between Envy and Gluttony, it would be at the 
cost of diminishing the energy of Envy’s soul!
17842.0 When Envy was on the verge of 
gaining the power of two sins,   Russell wanted to weaken his strength! That way, 
Russell could control him, and from him, glimpse
17850.24 the secret of immortality! It had to be this 
way! Envious Russell—damn him, truly damn him!
17856.24 A violent surge of emotion 
began to rise in Milat’s heart.  Seeing that Milat remained motionless for 
so long, Russell couldn’t help but frown,
17864.0 quickly sensing that something was off. He had 
seen that shadowed, brooding look on Milat’s   face many times before. That was envy.
The Seven Deadly Sins—of course,
17873.12 they weren’t so easily controlled. Even someone 
as powerful as himself, a master sorcerer,
17878.32 dared not dabble in them lightly. So 
what made Milat believe he could succeed?  A mocking smile appeared on Russell’s face, yet 
he said nothing, quietly waiting for Milat to
17887.6 lose control. After all, he didn’t believe 
Milat would let himself go berserk. Now was   the perfect time to observe Milat’s trump card.
Deliberately, Russell turned his back to Milat,
17897.6 then blew a swirl of shimmering powder at 
the other Gluttonous Blood Spirit, sending   it into an illusion where endless food awaited.
Seeing Russell turn his back, Milat suddenly
17906.4 pulled a sheet of golden-lettered paper from his 
breast, pressing it to his face. His eyes cleared,
17911.44 and before Russell could turn around, 
Milat quickly tucked the paper away.  Russell didn’t know what Milat had just 
done, but he wasn’t in a hurry. After all,
17920.24 this place was monitored around the clock, so he 
simply urged calmly, “What are you waiting for?”
17925.36 “Illusion dust isn’t something you can use 
over and over. It’ll build up a resistance.”  “If it wakes up, you won’t get a 
single scrap of this half of the body.”
17934.08 Having regained his composure, Milat 
glanced at the black grains constantly   shedding from the Gluttonous Blood Spirit. 
He understood—his time was running out.
17942.4 Milat gritted his teeth. So be it, let it be 
weakened; that was better than going mad from   imbalance. The page from the Original Scripture 
could not forever suppress the swelling envy.
17952.798 Unless he found more pages from the Original 
Scripture—but that was clearly impossible now.  Taking a deep breath, Milat stepped into 
the illusory shell of the Gluttonous
17961.52 Blood Spirit. Sensing a host, the spirit’s 
body instantly contracted, burrowing into
17966.638 Milat’s own flesh. Yet it deliberately 
avoided the area over Milat’s chest.  Watching this, Russell grew thoughtful. A holy 
relic? Was Milat using a holy relic to resist
17976.718 the Seven Sins? But what level of sacred artifact 
could counteract the Seven Sins? A creation-level
17982.878 relic, perhaps? Objects like that would drive 
anyone to madness with desire—and Milat possessed
17988.56 one?The corners of Russell’s mouth lifted 
in a faint smile. How interesting. He could
17994.08 barely restrain his urge to check the surveillance 
footage, to finally figure out which relic Milat
17999.12 had acquired. Even if he had no use for that kind 
of thing himself, there would be plenty of people   eager to trade him something he needed for it.
As Russell pondered, Milat—having successfully
18008.48 absorbed the masterless Seed of Gluttony—was 
now shrouded in a swirling aura of blood. The
18013.52 imbalance between the powers of gluttony and 
jealousy had set the World Tree of Jealousy   upon the Seed of Gluttony, slowly 
eroding it. If jealousy succeeded,
18022.638 then this seed would be wasted for nothing!
Suddenly, Milat’s eyes snapped open, glowing
18028.08 crimson, and he fixed Russell with a fierce stare.
“Russell! You gave me your word!”
18033.2 Russell, however, took no offense at Milat’s 
harsh tone. Nor did he make any move to suppress
18038.56 the power of jealousy. On the contrary, he 
summoned a group of deaf and mute nurses,
18043.6 who wheeled in heaps of food. Yet as the 
nurses tried to leave, they found the   door had been silently locked by Russell at some 
point—because they, too, were part of the feast.
18052.56 As for how to choose, that decision was left 
entirely to Milat. Russell was eager to see if   Milat’s years as a demon hunter had changed his 
original ambition—the pursuit of immortality.
18062.56 Veins bulged at Milat’s temples as fury filled his 
eyes. Russell had given him only three choices.
18068.48 The first: do nothing and let the implantation 
of the Seed of Gluttony fail. The second:   devour the gluttonous blood spirit trapped in 
illusion beside him, using his own formidable soul
18079.12 to seize dominance. The third: restore balance 
by drawing strength from the “food” provided,
18084.718 thereby bolstering the power of gluttony.
It was obvious—the third choice was the best.   But if Milat chose that path, he would be 
handing Russell leverage over himself. If
18093.6 Russell ever revealed the truth, Milat would 
instantly become the enemy of all demon hunters!
18098.718 Milat realized at once that Russell 
was forcing him into servitude. Yet   the other two choices posed a threat to 
his very survival. Someone else’s death
18106.638 or his own—Milat swiftly made his choice.
Despairing screams once again filled the   Level-E ward. Milat, who had never intended 
things to end up this way, now found himself,
18116.878 unwittingly, a part of the nightmare. For the 
time being, he became just another resident   of one of the ward’s rooms—a bird in a cage.
Watching Milat licking blood from the walls, three
18126.958 words surfaced in Russell’s mind: Bird in a cage.
To have everything under his control—there was no
18132.48 feeling quite like it. The only problem was 
that his life was far too short; he couldn’t   seize control of more or better things.
With a faint sigh, Russell’s thoughts were
18141.2 interrupted by the sudden ringing of a bell. A 
guard from the Level-E ward was calling to inform   him of a new entry request. Ember, whom he had 
sent to check on Amy, was now seeking him out in
18151.04 the Level-E ward.Russell glanced at Mirat, who was 
still licking the wall, then spoke into his phone:
18156.32 “Let him in.”
…  Ember, who had been stopped at the entrance 
to the Level E ward, soon saw the guard swipe
18162.08 open the security lock. A heavy door inlaid with 
silver runes slowly parted before him. At once,
18168.24 the shrieks and stench of blood trapped 
behind it spilled out into the corridor.  Staring down the empty hallway ahead, Ember 
adjusted Amy on his back and strode decisively
18177.12 inside. It was just a Level E ward—what 
was there to panic about? After all,   he had a Level E-class demon right on his back, 
and wasn’t she now obeying his every word? To be
18186.958 honest, if Ember had to assign himself a rank, 
Disaster-class would be just the starting point!  With Amy on his back, Ember made his way down the 
corridor. Through the observation glass on either
18196.798 side, he could clearly see the beings locked 
inside—humans, ghosts, insects, and even inanimate
18202.24 objects. Strange and varied, each more bizarre 
than the last. Yet, since they were held in the
18207.44 Level E ward, none of them could be taken lightly.
But what made Ember feel truly threatened   was Russell, standing tall outside the special 
containment room. Through the blood-smeared glass,
18217.36 Ember felt his heart sink. He had no idea what 
was going on inside, but he did know one thing:
18222.56 the severed limbs that Mirat was stuffing 
into his mouth had, just fifteen minutes   before, belonged to living, breathing people.
Whatever the reason, this kind of brutality made
18231.04 Ember physically ill. Even if his body had become 
that of a vampire, even if he could sometimes   take the form of a demon, Ember never stopped 
thinking of himself as human—and only human.
18240.48 He didn’t see himself as a good person, 
but to stand by and watch his own kind   be butchered without lifting a finger—that he 
could never do. His fists clenched involuntarily,
18249.2 and as he looked again at the impassive Russell, 
a wild urge to kill surged up in his chest.
18254.718 Russell might not be the mastermind, but he 
was certainly playing an indispensable role.  Kill him!
“Brother Ember,
18261.2 it’s influencing you,” Lana’s soft voice echoed 
in his mind, snapping him back to his senses.
18266.798 Damn that Luz—even now, it was still stirring up 
trouble. If he really started a fight to the death
18271.92 with Russell, Luz would be the only one to profit!
He was no fool. Russell was able to rule District
18277.44 Thirteen—he was no ordinary man. If even his demon 
form couldn’t defeat Russell, his fate would be no
18283.04 better than those pitiful souls inside the ward.
To change all this would take more than a single   day. First comes strength—then everything else. 
Otherwise, he’d end up as nothing more than dust,
18293.12 powerless to do anything more.Ember took a deep 
breath to steady his emotions, meeting Russell’s
18298.798 gaze. “Something’s wrong. The abnormal growth from 
last time might not have been completely removed,
18304.0 and she still has self-harming tendencies.”
“I had no choice but to knock   her out and keep her with me.”
“After all, if she goes mad in the general ward,
18312.0 a lot of people could end up dead.”
Russell glanced indifferently at the   ‘unconscious’ Amy and nodded, his expression cold.
“You did well, but don’t bother with unnecessary
18321.28 things like that next time.”
“Death is a normal   occurrence in District Thirteen.”
“With humanity’s reproductive capacity, as long
18328.16 as there’s a monetary reward, there will always be 
a steady stream of new people to fill the ranks.”
18333.28 “Using dead bodies to uncover more 
abilities of a Tier Three demon is   a worthwhile trade—understand?”
Ember had long known of Russell’s
18340.48 disregard for human life, so this answer 
didn’t surprise him. All he needed to do   was keep ‘Amy’ by his side, whatever the 
excuse. Nodding to show his understanding,
18349.52 Ember looked toward the room and asked,
“Do you need any help in there?”  Russell was slightly surprised by Ember’s 
eagerness to assist. Was this Ember really
18357.84 getting addicted to playing the role of his 
assistant? Well, that saved him the trouble   of coming up with another excuse to keep him with 
Mirat. Maintaining his composure, Russell replied,
18367.44 “Of course. Didn’t you see 
how that guy’s gone berserk?”  “I need you to subdue him. Use any 
means necessary. Do you dare go in?”
18375.28 Ember was more than willing. The blood-smeared 
and mangled observation glass was just the   kind of scene where he could get things done. 
“Of course I dare. The sooner this is over,
18384.24 the sooner you can operate on me, right?”
An early operation? Russell sneered inwardly.
18389.92 Of course it would be soon, but the surgeon 
wouldn’t be Russell—it would be Mirat! With   the power of dual sins, the wizard Mirat 
was probably enough to touch the level of
18398.718 a Catastrophe. If he could seize the Seed of 
Hatred inside Ember, Mirat would be firmly   established at the Disaster level! But who knew 
what other surprises Ember might have hidden…
18408.16 Russell shot a glance at Amy, then 
jerked his chin toward the door.  “Leave her here. Go on inside.”
At his words, Ember carefully set
18415.92 Amy down. As he brushed past her face, his 
sleeve puffed out slightly—but Russell,   his attention on the room, didn’t notice this 
detail. Once Ember straightened and pushed open
18426.08 the door, Russell locked it from the outside 
and headed toward the surveillance room. Now,   within this room, only one of the three could 
survive—and he only needed to watch from afar…
18435.12 No sooner had Ember opened the door than 
a stench, thick with blood and waste,   assaulted his senses. The room inside resembled 
a slaughterhouse—there was hardly a single spot
18444.718 left untouched by carnage. The only 
clean patch was the stretch of wall   that Mirat had licked. A wave of nausea surged 
through Ember’s gut, impossible to suppress.
18453.68 That sound instantly caught Mirat’s 
attention.Mirat’s eyes were bloodshot,   and when he realized his disgraceful state had 
been noticed, his emotions surged with shame and
18462.08 anger. Why was Ember allowed to stand there 
neat and clean, while he himself was smeared
18467.2 with blood and forced into this humiliating act 
of licking the wall? It wasn’t fair! He had to   drag Ember down with him, make him just as filthy!
With a wild, guttural cry, Mirat transformed into
18478.48 a blur of blood and lunged at Ember. Caught 
off guard, Ember was tackled to the ground,   landing hard amid the grime and gore. Gazing 
down at Ember now sprawled in the blood,
18488.56 Mirat’s eyes gleamed with savage delight. 
Now you’re just as dirty as I am!  Cackling madly, Mirat’s jaw began to elongate, 
stretching further and further. His jawbone seemed
18499.04 to be held together by sinews alone, allowing it 
to expand without limit. At this moment, Mirat
18505.12 couldn’t care less about any promises made to 
Russell; all he wanted was to devour Ember whole!  If he could do that—if he could claim the 
power of three sins for himself—he would
18513.84 finally be strong enough to challenge Russell. 
Then, he would teach Russell the true meaning   of respect! In the Church of Eternal Life, 
only Mirat was truly worthy of immortality!
18522.958 Swept away by these visions, Mirat 
opened his maw and swallowed Ember whole,   ignoring Ember’s terror and desperate pleas 
for mercy. Ecstasy surged through him! The
18532.4 overwhelming power of Gluttony made short work 
of Ember’s body, dissolving it in an instant,   leaving behind only a single jet-black seed.
This was the Seed of Hatred Mirat had sought
18542.08 so desperately. Saturated with the rage 
of the villagers from the Loki Mountains,   the seed pulsed with energy. To Mirat’s 
surprise, the seed needed no coaxing;
18551.44 it settled into a new balance with Gluttony 
and Envy all on its own. Perfect! Everything   had fallen into place, just as he had hoped.
If Ember weren’t already dead, Mirat would have
18561.28 spat him out just to thank him for this gift. 
Now that he possessed the power of three sins,   he could finally attempt to forge a demonic body. 
According to his calculations, the best place to
18570.878 start the transformation was with his hands—after 
all, hands were one’s most useful tools.  As Mirat willed it, his hands began to 
swell. Black scales erupted across his skin,
18580.48 and between the scales, veins of molten 
orange magma pulsed and flowed. Perfect!
18585.52 Mirat was thoroughly pleased with himself.
Meanwhile, Ember watched Mirat begin to giggle   foolishly and let out a slow, weary sigh. In 
the end, Ruz had failed to find any loophole
18595.76 in the contract. Bound by its terms, Ember was 
forced to use the voice from within his own body
18601.36 to draw Mirat into a flawlessly woven illusion.
Within this illusion, Mirat would have everything   he ever wanted—until the moment he realized it 
was all a dream. But people are always quick to
18611.04 lose themselves in satisfaction, and thus Ember 
had plenty of time to deal with matters at hand.  With a subtle shift of his gaze, Ember looked 
to the corner of the room, where the Gluttonous
18620.24 Blood Spirit stood, gulping dryly over and over. 
One glance was all it took for Ember to see that
18625.52 the creature, too, was trapped in an illusion.
But almost at that very moment, the Gluttonous   Blood Spirit abruptly stopped. After a 
brief, tense pause, focus returned to its
18635.44 eyes. The very first thing it saw was Ember.
Gulp.A gulping sound echoed in the room.
18640.638 Ash took a slight step back, 
readying himself for action.  But unexpectedly, his opponent 
made no move against him; instead,
18648.16 a fleeting struggle flickered in its eyes.
Then, the gluttonous Blood Wraith suddenly   threw back its head and spewed forth a torrent 
of acid, precisely dissolving the surveillance
18657.12 cameras hidden in the corners of the room.
Watching as the cameras on the ceiling slowly   melted away, Ash furrowed his brows.
That was something he had intended
18665.28 to do himself—he hadn’t expected the 
Gluttonous Blood Wraith to beat him to it.  Plotting an escape, are you? With a calm 
expression, Ash took a few steps closer.
18674.32 [Gluttonous Blood Wraith]
[Desire: Escape from District Thirteen.]  …Just as I thought.
But why does this Blood Wraith know
18681.6 exactly where the surveillance cameras are?
As this thought crossed his mind,   the Blood Wraith—still suppressing 
its ravenous hunger—suddenly spoke:
18690.0 “I won’t eat you, but you have 
to help me get out of here.”  “I know where the emergency 
evacuation passage is.”
18696.32 “But only a human can open it. I need your help!”
An emergency passage only a human can access?
18702.32 That was something Ash simply couldn’t do.
After all, his body had long ceased to be human.
18707.44 Still, Ash had coveted this 
Gluttonous Blood Wraith for some time.  If obtaining its solitary soul could be so 
simple, there’d be no harm in pretending to agree.
18715.6 What a pity. He would have 
to resort to a second method.  So, Ash patted Lutz, who had turned into 
black smoke and slipped into his sleeve.
18723.68 But Lutz, pretending not to 
understand Ash’s intentions,   remained silent and still in his sleeve.
After all, it had already fulfilled its
18731.44 end of the contract; now it was 
Ash’s turn to keep his promise.  As for anything else, as long as it stayed 
quiet, it refused to believe Ash could
18739.2 force another contract upon it.
If Ash truly pushed him too far,   Lutz wouldn’t hesitate to give up his 
chance at freedom for one more fight.
18746.4 After all, the suffering in this 
room had greatly strengthened him.  If they battled again, who the 
victor would be was anyone’s guess.
18753.28 Seeing Lutz unwilling to 
help, Ash’s eyes grew cold.  Without hesitation, he summoned the 
dual-colored World Tree within his body,
18760.718 letting himself transform into his demonic form. 
At the same time, he drew his Doomblade and   slashed three times in quick succession.
Clang! The rules of a life-and-death
18769.52 gamble were set in motion.
Just as surprise flashed   across the Blood Wraith’s face, it was 
instantly dragged into a volcanic illusion.
18776.878 Now, it would have to race 
against the flowing lava.  Though it cared nothing for the 
searing heat, in this realm,
18782.56 the lava embodied the principle of death itself!
Gluttony might claim to devour all things,
18787.68 but it had not yet grown 
powerful enough to swallow death.  So it had no choice but to run, and 
run fast, if it wanted to survive.
18794.08 …
Hidden in Ash’s sleeve,   Lutz had hoped to watch him struggle.
But to his astonishment, the Gluttonous
18800.08 Blood Wraith proved utterly useless.
Not only had it forcibly suppressed   its hunger, it even let Ash, in his 
demonic form, hit it three times!
18808.798 Utterly foolish!Clearly, with its formidable 
digestive powers, it could have devoured   every last ember without a trace, yet it 
insisted on imitating those cultured types,
18817.92 weaving schemes and intrigue! It didn’t even need 
that pig brain of its to realize—how many normal
18823.28 people could actually make it in here? If anyone 
ever tried to tell Lutz that the wisdom of the   crowd was greater, Lutz would just bring up 
today’s example to refute them. More people
18831.92 only meant more chaos—that was always the case!
But this demonization of Ember was rather   intriguing. Lutz could even catch the scent of 
greed lingering above. So, this fellow wasn’t
18842.0 just burdened with hatred toward the World Tree—he 
had more than one sin to his name! No wonder he
18847.28 wanted Lutz to help deal with the Gluttonous 
Blood Wraith; clearly, he was after the power   of the Three Sins. Now, that was a clever plan.
With three sins, they could keep each other in
18856.16 check, forming a triangle of balance. As long as 
Ember didn’t overindulge in any one original sin,
18862.0 his emotions could remain stable. But forging a 
demon’s body among mortals was no simple feat. The
18867.6 more sins he bore, the faster Ember would meet his 
end. The danger wasn’t just the demons lurking,
18873.04 eager for his flesh, but also those 
self-righteous knights of the Church.  But what did any of this matter to Lutz? In the 
end, it would only be Ember who perished! So right
18882.56 now, Lutz didn’t mind giving Ember a little nudge, 
accelerating the process of his demonization.
18887.84 After all, that dreamer lost in his own illusions 
still had the seeds of Envy and Gluttony within
18893.12 him. Lutz was curious—how would Ember cope when 
he no longer had just a triangle of three sins,
18898.32 but was tempted by the weight of four?
Bearing four sins—now that would trigger a   true transformation! Ember would no longer be able 
to conceal his demonic nature. And if his emotions
18908.0 tipped further out of balance, Ember would become 
a demon among men! For Lutz, who delighted in
18913.52 suffering and pain, this was undoubtedly wonderful 
news. The thought sent the black smoke that was
18918.638 Lutz into a quivering dance of excitement—watching 
Ember suffer was sheer delight.  So, Lutz decided to add a little 
seasoning to Mirat’s beautiful dream…
18927.04 …
Just as Ember trapped   the Gluttonous Blood Wraith in a deadly wager 
of illusions, Mirat—who had been intoxicated by
18933.36 the demonic transformation of his arms—suddenly 
sensed something amiss. He snapped his head up,
18938.878 only to see the Blood Wraith, who should have 
been lost in Russell’s dust-filled illusion,   staring back at him with eyes ravenous for food.
Had the time run out? Hah—once, he might have
18948.16 shown it some respect. But now, with the power 
of Three Sins coursing through him, his arrogance
18953.2 had swelled. Demons were the ultimate form 
mortals could aspire to! And a mere Blood   Wraith dared to act wild? It was time to die!
Mirat seized the Blood Wraith by the throat with
18962.958 one hand and slammed it viciously into the ground.
With a thunderous crash, the Blood Wraith   shattered into countless 
chunks of blood and flesh.
18970.48 Spattered with blood, Mirat lifted 
his head and swept his gaze around   with contempt. Who else dared challenge him?
But suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through
18978.958 Mirat’s heart. He realized, to his horror, that 
the three sins within him—once balanced—were
18984.32 now being overtaken by Gluttony alone.
How could this be possible?He hadn’t eaten   a single bite of the Gluttonous Blood Spirit’s 
flesh, so why was this happening? As the gnawing
18993.12 hunger threatened to consume his sanity, Milat 
didn’t have time to ponder—he immediately   reached for his chest. Yet, his searching fingers 
failed to find the tattered page of the Original
19002.718 Scriptures that had always been his lifesaver. 
Where had it gone? In a flash, Milat remembered
19008.16 Russell. Only Russell could have cast a spell 
so subtly, slipping away with that page of the   Original Scriptures without him noticing! Damn 
it! He’d known something was off about his sense
19018.08 of imbalance back then! That cursed Russell must 
have discovered his secret at that very moment!
19023.28 But now was not the time to settle scores with 
Russell. The most urgent matter was to deal with   this rampant, unbalanced gluttony! With his mind 
on the verge of being engulfed by endless hunger,
19033.6 Milat made a desperate choice to preserve his own 
consciousness. He clawed at his scaly abdomen,
19039.6 slashing it open with his armored 
fingers, and yanked out the Gluttony   Seed entwined with his flesh, roots and all.
With a sickening squelch, the Gluttony Seed,
19048.0 still attached to his intestines, spilled out in a 
torrent of blood. Milat’s face went deathly pale,
19053.92 but his mind cleared remarkably. Brutal 
as it was, this physical extraction worked   with surprising efficiency. After all, it 
was only gluttony that had lost balance,
19063.28 not envy or hatred. By temporarily removing 
the Gluttony Seed, his envy and hatred could
19068.48 reach equilibrium, allowing him to maintain 
his strength and keep his sanity intact.  As for the gruesome wound in his chest and 
abdomen, it looked terrifying, but it was
19077.28 little more than pain to Milat. So long as his 
soul found a suitable vessel, he could survive.
19082.4 If this body failed him, he could always use his 
blood sorcery to grow a new vessel. The Gluttony
19087.6 Seed was never a one-time item anyway; he could 
always restore the balance later at his leisure.
19092.718 Milat’s gaze dropped slightly, observing the envy 
and hatred still thriving and growing within him.
19098.0 He was fairly satisfied. Though there was some 
deviation, he had nonetheless acquired three of
19103.6 the Sins. Given time, Milat would become 
the new king of the Cult of Immortality!  …
District Thirteen,
19109.44 Plague Ward, Special Isolation Room.
Just as Ember was preparing to strike   at Milat, he suddenly witnessed Milat’s act of 
self-mutilation. Ember couldn’t help but glance at
19118.798 his sleeve. Instinct told him this was all part of 
Rutz’s plot. And sure enough, in the next instant,
19124.958 Milat tossed out the precious Gluttony Seed 
as if deliberately offering it to Ember.   And within Milat’s opened abdomen was another 
seed, radiating a violet light—the Envy Seed!
19134.56 Ember’s heart leapt with delight. Could fortune 
really be so generous? The Seven Sins Seeds,
19139.68 so elusive and hard to find, and now two appeared 
at once. Adding these to his own Hatred and Greed,
19145.52 he had now collected more than half 
the Seven Sins in a single stroke!   Ember, who had always fought tooth and nail 
for every gain, had never before encountered
19154.08 such a windfall delivered right to his door.
He shot a suspicious look at Rutz, who was   still hidden in his sleeve, his mind whirring with 
questions.Enhance his power for nothing? So he’d
19164.24 have enough strength to send Lutz out of District 
Thirteen? Ember knew it was far from that simple.
19169.76 Otherwise, Lutz wouldn’t have refused to deal 
with the Gluttonous Blood Spirit just moments ago.  So, did Lutz change his mind only after 
witnessing Ember’s demonization? As Ember
19179.36 shifted his perspective to Lutz’s, he 
quickly realized what Lutz was after.  It was common knowledge that the Seven Deadly Sins 
could greatly affect the user’s emotions. The more
19188.08 sins one bore, the likelier they were to lose 
control due to emotional imbalance. Now, Lutz was
19193.68 willingly handing over the Seed of Gluttony—most 
likely because he figured that after Ember   absorbed it and grew stronger, he wouldn’t be 
able to resist the Envy Seed inside Milat, either!
19203.12 With three sins, Ember could still maintain 
equilibrium. But with four? Lana would have   to become part of that balance, and she would no 
longer be able to keep Ember’s mind wholly intact.
19212.48 This was a difficult trade-off, to be sure.
Yet Ember was still a long way from losing   emotional control. But how could 
Lutz, who once manipulated Lana,
19220.878 not be aware of the existence of guardian spirits? 
Lutz’s “goodwill” was anything but simple.
19226.16 Sensing the scent of conspiracy, Ember 
bent down and took the Seed of Gluttony.   Then, under Lutz’s watchful gaze, he reached 
for the Seed of Envy with his demon-empowered
19235.52 hand. Ember’s demonic skin, corrosive by nature, 
instantly began to burn Milat’s internal organs.
19241.84 The satisfaction on Milat’s face was instantly 
replaced by agony. The relentless pain tore
19246.878 apart the illusion Lutz had so carefully 
woven for him. Jerked back into reality,   Milat was immediately struck by a crushing truth.
He had never possessed the Seed of Wrath,
19256.32 and now he was handing over the Seed of Gluttony 
as well! No, it was worse—his last remaining
19261.44 Seed of Envy was being slowly drawn out of his 
body! Soon, he would have nothing left at all!
19266.798 Realizing this, Milat began to struggle 
desperately. Though he sought to fuse the   Seven Sins into the Eternal Heart, at his core, 
he was still a sorcerer—a powerful one. Now,
19276.16 with his body gravely wounded, 
he threw all caution to the wind.  Chanting an incantation, Milat’s 
organs began to burn. An ethereal,
19284.0 blood-red shadow—one Ember had seen before—started 
to emerge from his body. Last time, the faceless,
19290.56 Ember-like blood shadow had no features; now, 
its visage was clear, identical to Milat himself.
19296.48 In that instant, Ember realized that the 
blood shadow he’d witnessed at the Black   Dog Club was actually a fragment of Milat’s 
soul. In other words, Milat had already
19305.12 abandoned Luson’s body and now sought to seize 
Ember’s own, to achieve a twisted resurrection!
19310.4 But today was not like the past. Back 
then, Ember had been powerless before   this soul-stealing shadow—but that didn’t 
mean he’d let himself be victimized again!
19319.12 With a sudden motion, Ember tore the Seed 
of Envy free with one hand. In his other,
19324.16 a small, pale blue hammer appeared.
A crisp, ringing note echoed—*ding!*
19330.08 An invisible soul nail drove straight into 
the center of the blood shadow’s brow.The   blood-shadowed figure paused for a moment, 
then continued forward. At the same time,
19338.4 Ember’s hands did not stop moving. There was 
the sharp sound of four nails being driven in,
19343.76 one after the other. With all four 
limbs pinned by the Nails of Sloth,   the blood-shadow was finally 
rendered completely immobile.
19350.798 Yet, against all reason, the body that should 
have perished—Milat’s corpse—suddenly reached out,
19356.24 trying to strangle Ember. But the strength of this 
body was far too feeble for Ember now. He easily
19362.24 pried apart ‘Milat’s’ fingers, one by one, then 
looked straight into ‘Milat’s’ eyes and spoke:
19367.68 “You’re Lucen, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry—it was my mistake. I failed   to destroy your soul back then, and that’s why 
you’ve managed to cling to existence until now.”
19376.32 “But don’t worry. I’ll correct 
that mistake right away.”  With that, Ember spun his blade in a flourish, 
and with the Severing Blade of Anti-Magic,
19383.76 he shattered both Lucen’s lingering soul 
and the body in a single, decisive strike.  Yet, something puzzled Ember. When his 
Severing Blade cut into Lucen’s chest,
19392.32 it rang out with the clash of metal on metal. This 
was strange, for after all the enhancements Ember
19397.76 had made to the blade, no ordinary material 
should have been able to withstand its power.  Curious, Ember pulled aside the tattered 
remnants of Lucen’s clothing and discovered
19406.56 a slip of paper inscribed with golden 
characters. The moment he saw it,   a fragment of memory flashed through his mind.
This was a memory shard from Frankir.
19414.958 He saw the back of a stone stele, where a 
secret was recorded. In truth, the reason the   twelve vampire progenitors were able to so easily 
eliminate the thirteenth was that they’d borrowed
19424.08 the power of the Church. For reasons unknown, the 
Church had lent the vampires the original Bible,
19429.84 allowing them to weaken the thirteenth 
progenitor’s power, and so successfully   cast his soul into purgatory.
It was the progenitor, Vantro,
19437.04 who used this original Bible.
The memory stopped abruptly there.   Ember shook his head, clearing the remnants away.
Such were the shards of memory from Frankir—they
19446.16 were triggered only by encountering certain 
objects, and never came to him whole. Ever since   becoming a wraith, Frankir’s memories had begun 
to fade, until all that remained was a spirit
19456.24 obsessed with gambling his life against others. 
Ember’s arrival had halted this decay, allowing
19461.28 Frankir to retain fragments of specific memories.
He didn’t know how it would all end, but it was   clear that Vantro had never returned this powerful 
weapon to the Church. Later, for reasons unknown,
19471.04 the original Bible came into Frankir’s possession. 
If Ember were to guess, Vantro had likely met
19476.4 some misfortune—be it the curse of possessing a 
treasure, or the intervention of other powers.  In any case, the whereabouts of this consumable 
weapon—the original Bible—were discovered by
19485.52 Milat. The rest was a tale known to most vampires: 
A master-level demon hunter secretly infiltrated
19491.04 Free City and claimed the life of Prince 
Frankir.Rumors soon began to circulate,   claiming that he had taken away the secret of 
the Thirteen Progenitors. Looking at things now,
19500.48 those whispers weren’t baseless after all—more 
like there was a hidden hand orchestrating   everything behind the scenes. After all, this 
very first page of the Holy Scripture is indeed
19509.84 connected to the Thirteen Progenitors.
Even though its golden glow has dimmed,   the ashen hand gripping it has already shed 
its demonic form under the lingering influence
19518.08 of that light. Judging by the radiance 
still emanating from those characters,   it seems the effect will last for a while 
longer. That, unexpectedly, is a small blessing.
19527.28 Upon seeing Ember put away the first page of the 
Holy Scripture, Mirat, who was nailed midair,
19532.56 began to writhe uncontrollably in fury. Back 
then, he had transformed from a wizard into
19537.68 a bloodkin merely in pursuit of immortality. 
Yet he soon discovered that being bloodkin was
19542.718 just a more sophisticated form of servitude.
So he returned to his family and sought out   the clan leader. He confessed that he had turned 
himself into bloodkin only to carve out a future
19552.48 for their lineage. After all, compared 
to the liches skulking in the shadows,   the bloodkin carried less of a stigma.
The clan leader, of course, did not believe him,
19561.52 but relentless appeals to their shared bloodline 
and familial ties eventually wore him down. In   the end, he agreed to let Mirat commune 
with their ancestors in the family crypt,
19570.4 leaving it to them to decide whether he 
was worthy of their magical heritage.  Later, Mirat offered up his own kin as sacrifices 
to the ancestors and thereby gained their trust,
19578.958 joining the demon hunters as part of the ruse. 
Thus, a powerful Blood Sorcerer was born.  In time, Mirat found a way to break free from 
his bloodkin nature and ascend to an even
19588.16 greater path. So, after obtaining the first page 
of the Holy Scripture, he staged his own death and
19593.68 vanished, misleading the world into thinking the 
sacred page had been stolen. All the while, he lay
19599.76 hidden in the realm of his ancestors’ spirits, 
waiting to resurrect and seize the power of   the Seven Deadly Sins through the Holy Scripture.
But who could have predicted? Everything had been
19608.798 planned down to the last detail, yet disaster 
struck in District Thirteen. Not only did the
19614.0 seeds of Envy and Gluttony change hands, but 
even the most crucial artifact, the first page
19619.04 of the Holy Scripture, was snatched away!
None of this was supposed to happen! He was   meant to become the first supreme sorcerer in 
history to master all Seven Deadly Sins. Then,
19628.958 all creation would kneel at his feet!
He refused to accept this fate! Ancestors,
19634.4 grant him your strength! He would turn defeat 
into victory—he would lead his family to glory!
19639.52 Perhaps, sensing Mirat’s fierce resolve, the sky 
above the hospital in District Thirteen suddenly
19645.04 darkened with storm clouds. Thunder rattled the 
heavens, lightning danced across the sky, yet not
19651.12 a single drop of rain fell. Upon the hospital’s 
outer wall, the two giant serpents entwined around
19656.4 the sword’s hilt seemed to come alive, flicking 
their blood-red tongues toward the stormy sky.  …
District Thirteen,
19662.16 Critical Care Ward, Surveillance Room.
Russell pressed the pause button.   The screen froze on the moment Mirat drew out 
the first page of the Holy Scripture. With a
19670.878 few practiced clicks, Russell zoomed 
in and used AI enhancement. At last,   he could see Mirat’s trump card clearly—the first 
page of the Holy Scripture.A look of understanding
19680.16 appeared on Russell’s face. No wonder Mirat dared 
to harbor the Seven Sins. So it was the original
19685.52 Bible fragments that gave him confidence. 
Although these ancient pages could not cure   the root of the problem, they could at least treat 
the symptoms. As long as there was enough energy,
19695.12 the original Bible fragments could suppress 
the Seven Sins, preventing their influence from   overwhelming his emotions. During this period, 
all Mirat needed to do was seize more of these
19704.718 fragments, and he could balance the Seven Sins 
within himself, achieving a fleeting eternity.
19709.76 As for what came after, Russell doubted 
Mirat had given it much thought. After all,   if the whole world was within his grasp, 
time and possibilities would be abundant
19718.32 for him to find a solution. But for now… Russell 
decided those remnants of the Bible would be his.
19724.16 Dragging the progress bar along, Russell 
couldn’t help but smile. Good deeds truly   earn their reward. Once Mirat took care of Ember, 
it would be Russell’s turn to step onto the stage.
19734.08 Just then, Russell uttered a soft “Hmm?” as he 
dragged the progress bar to the present moment.   All eight concealed cameras installed in the 
special ward had been destroyed. How could that
19743.84 be? Unless someone knew the exact locations, 
how could the cameras be disabled so cleanly?  The image of that doctor immediately flashed 
through Russell’s mind. To better observe the
19753.12 experiment, these observing doctors all had 
access to the monitoring room. In other words,
19758.32 after regaining control, that doctor manipulated 
the Gluttonous Blood Spirit to destroy the   cameras? How naïve. Did he really think he could 
escape from District Thirteen? The outer wall of
19768.16 Thirteen was protected by the projection of 
an artifact. The moment Russell pressed the   emergency button, the district would enter red 
alert, and any supernatural beings attempting
19777.44 to enter or escape would face the judgment of the 
artifact’s projection. That was not something a   mere blood spirit could possibly resist.
Shaking his head, Russell stood up,
19786.638 silently calculated how long Mirat would take to 
deal with Ember, and then, following his carefully   planned steps, headed toward the special ward. 
If all went as expected, by the time he arrived,
19797.28 the three-way battle inside would be 
decided. It was time to reap the rewards.  Suddenly, the band on Russell’s wrist began 
flashing yellow. He frowned, turned back to
19806.718 the monitoring room, and used his authority to 
pull up the global surveillance feed. Outside
19811.76 District Thirteen, the winds howled and clouds 
churned—some reckless supernaturals were actually   trying to break into the hospital.
Russell let out a cold laugh,
19820.0 entered a string of secret codes, and 
activated the artifact projection.  At the same time, in the suffering ward of the 
Thirteenth Hospital, half the patients, along with
19828.798 their attending doctors, vanished without warning, 
as if sacrificed in some dark ritual. Having
19834.4 received its price, the twin serpent scales on the 
outer wall of District Thirteen flexed and pulsed,
19839.6 opening and closing like a living thing.Suddenly, 
the twin serpents snapped open their eyes,
19844.958 revealing two blood-red, gleaming pupils. Raising 
their heads and flicking their tongues, they gazed
19850.958 up at the gradually emerging spirit realm above 
and let out a disdainful hiss toward the sky.  District Thirteen, Catastrophe 
Ward, Special Patient Room.
19859.52 Milat watched as Ash approached, and his heart 
grew ever more desperate in his silent plea to   his ancestors. If only he could borrow the 
power of his forebears, he could cast a
19868.718 spell and turn the situation around. Then, it 
would be Ash who’d end up gutted on the table.  But for some reason, the ancestors who always 
answered so swiftly now gave only silence. Had
19878.558 they abandoned him already? Impossible! He was 
the greatest hope of the Salem family. After the
19884.48 “Witch Trials” nearly destroyed them, the Salem 
family had little talent left to speak of. If he
19889.6 died here, any dream of returning the family to 
its former glory would be nothing but a delusion.
19894.798 Hurry, hurry! Damn it, you old fools, 
why won’t you unleash your power?  But no matter how he called, the surging flood of 
magical might he relied on never came. At last,
19904.16 panic set in. With his trump card gone and 
his movements crippled by the Soul Nail,
19909.28 he was like a lamb awaiting slaughter, utterly 
powerless to resist. All he could do was   watch as Ash, knife in hand, drew ever closer.
Feeling the true threat of death at last, Milat
19920.48 couldn’t help but speak, his voice trembling:
“You can’t kill me! I’ll tell you   a secret—I’m from the Salem family!”
“If you kill me, you’ll bring endless trouble
19929.44 upon yourself. You’ll never know peace again!”
Hearing these threats, Ash merely smiled, then,
19934.958 with a swift motion, brought down the blade, 
shattering Milat’s soul into countless fragments.
19940.24 The Salem family? Ash truly did recall that 
name. Three hundred years ago, the Salem family
19945.36 had been at the height of its power. In those 
days, they produced five Supreme Sorcerers,   each hailed as the most formidable in the 
land. But eventually, fear of the Salem
19954.878 sorcerers’ strength drove people to launch 
the so-called “Witch Trials.” The stronger   the family, the more devastating the blow.
In the end, the terror once inspired by the Salem
19964.638 family faded as their strength withered away. 
Still, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse,   and the Salem family, for all its decline, 
could still produce someone like Milat.
19973.92 But the reason Milat lost today was simple—he 
couldn’t display any of his sorcerous might.   Whether among vampires or hunters, it was 
always his mastery of the arcane that made
19983.52 him so formidable. But clearly, Lucen’s body 
lacked the power Milat needed to cast spells,
19988.958 and his ancestors’ strength was out of reach.
So all that talk about the Salem family never   letting this go was likely just a desperate 
lie Milat spun to save his own skin. Even
19997.52 if it were true, even if the Salem 
family really would seek vengeance,   Ash would not hesitate.He certainly didn’t believe 
that Mirat would genuinely reconcile with him.
20006.4 After all, the seeds of Gluttony and Envy 
he held in his hands were, in a sense,   dug straight out of Mirat’s own body! Cutting off 
someone’s source of fortune is like killing their
20016.32 parents. To sever Mirat’s path to immortality 
was no different from killing him outright.  Ash exhaled slowly, casting his gaze toward 
the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, who was gasping
20026.24 for breath. In the deadly race with the molten 
lava, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit had finally   managed to win. In the face of life and death, 
all the disparate wills within unified for once,
20036.4 working together with rare harmony. But as soon 
as safety returned, the struggle for control over   the body resumed, each vying for dominance anew.
Ash watched the stunned Gluttonous Blood Spirit,
20046.878 then pulled out the Book of Evil Spirits and 
tossed it over without hesitation. Unlike   before—when Ash would first negotiate with a 
spirit, striking a deal before sealing it within
20055.92 the book—this time, he didn’t have the luxury 
of time to subdue the Gluttonous Blood Spirit.
20061.12 He couldn’t be sure how soon Russell 
would check the scene after discovering   the cameras were destroyed. So he chose 
the most direct method: a forceful seal.
20068.798 The moment the Book of Evil Spirits left Ash’s 
hand and saw the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, the   entire tome seemed to come alive. Here was a wild, 
untamed spirit. A low, sinister cackle seemed to
20078.718 ripple through the air—at last, a ‘guest’ had 
appeared who refused to obey Ash’s commands. One
20084.24 blood spirit might not be nearly enough to defeat 
that despicable Ash, but as a creation of demons,
20090.16 its life was virtually limitless. It could afford 
to wait—wait for more masterless spirits to take
20095.44 up residence, wait for Ash to grow old, wait for 
a twist of fate. In short, as long as it endured,
20101.76 freedom would one day be within its grasp!
The Book of Evil Spirits’ cover split open with a   grotesque grin, swallowing the feuding Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit in one gulp. Then it slammed shut,
20112.0 forcing the spirit down into the pages. In an 
instant, a thick, inky red bled through the book,
20117.92 dyeing it crimson. But soon, the color faded, 
and the book returned to its usual appearance,
20123.6 dropping to the ground with a thud.
Ash bent down to pick up the book,   which he had deliberately let fall, then glanced 
toward the tightly shut door. Now, all that was
20132.0 left was to wait for Russell to open it.
…  Beyond District Thirteen.
The spirit realm belonging to the ancestral
20137.76 Salem sorcerer had ultimately failed to establish 
contact with Mirat, who was trapped within   District Thirteen. In fact, after confronting 
the projection of that artifact—the Apophis Demon
20147.92 Sword—Mirat’s soul signature vanished entirely 
from the ancestor’s senses. That could only mean
20153.04 one thing: Mirat had been erased from existence.
Realizing this, the ancestral sorcerer gave up
20158.638 his obsession with Mirat. After all, once 
a person’s soul is obliterated, they can no   longer bring any benefit to the family. When it 
comes to a choice between a corpse and the clan,
20168.48 the ancestor knew exactly where his loyalties 
lay. Besides, there was no way for him to   break through the barrier woven by the twin 
serpents of water and earth.With a soft sigh,
20177.76 the Ancestors’ Order—existing in the spirit 
realm wedged between purgatory and the mortal   world—retreated once more into the distance. As 
the heavy clouds scattered from the sky, Russell,
20188.4 stationed in the control room, pressed the green 
button. The energy link was instantly severed,   and the light in the eyes of the two giant 
serpents gradually faded. Eventually, they
20198.08 coiled back around the sword hilt, transforming 
again into an unmoving mural on the wall.  Having finished all this, Russell hurried toward 
the special ward in the critical patient wing. He
20207.76 had no idea why, at this very moment, a sorcerer 
would attempt to infiltrate District Thirteen.
20212.958 Yet District Thirteen was one of his most 
valued assets. Even if it meant missing that   perfect window of opportunity, he absolutely 
could not allow anyone else to interfere!
20222.16 Still, a trace of worry flickered across Russell’s 
face. Now, he feared that Milat might have grown
20227.36 greedy and absorbed too much of the power of 
gluttony, leading to emotional instability.   Yet he also feared that Milat might have 
successfully balanced the three sins, embarking
20236.718 on the path toward full demonization. Either 
outcome would prevent Russell from continuing   his observations of Milat. As for Ember—he 
had already written him off as a dead man.
20246.16 Returning to the door of the special ward, 
Russell hesitated for only a moment before   pulling open the door, which could only 
be accessed from the outside. As soon as
20254.958 the door swung open, a gruesome sight met his 
eyes: a corpse, its abdomen split wide open.
20261.04 Russell, however, was not surprised. After all, 
to extract every seed of hatred from Ember,
20266.558 disembowelment was inevitable. Yet, the 
figure standing in the room—their back   to him—looked more like Ember himself.
Just as Russell was puzzling over this,
20274.718 Ember turned and spoke earnestly:
“Director Russell,   I’ve completed the task you assigned.”
Russell’s pupils involuntarily contracted
20282.08 when he realized that the sole survivor was 
none other than Ember. So, the body facedown   on the ground—was that Milat’s? The formidable 
figure who once bore titles of Blood Sorcerer
20291.84 and master demon hunter, now slain by a rising 
star among demon hunters, a so-called Bane of
20297.76 the Bloodborn? This was a powerful sorcerer 
well on the way to demonization, not some mere
20302.958 vampire! Since when had the Vampire Bane become a 
Sorcerer Bane too? And Milat had even been gutted,
20308.958 his dual seeds of sin stolen away?
And what of the Gluttony Blood Spirit   that should have been in the room? Had 
Ember dealt with it without suffering a
20316.4 scratch? Perhaps “Bane of the Supernatural” 
would be a more fitting name for him now.  Looking at Ember—almost entirely unscathed—Russell 
felt an overwhelming sense of bewilderment. This
20326.958 man didn’t seem nearly as strong as the two he 
had slain; how had he managed to defeat them   both so decisively? Unable to witness what 
had transpired, Russell now deeply regretted
20336.32 separating the Gluttony Blood Spirit. The 
last scene on the surveillance feed was of   that creature deliberately destroying the camera!
So, what now? Should he silence Ember and reclaim
20345.52 the three seeds of sin, then find another test 
subject? Or should he play along, waiting until
20350.558 the blood of the vampires was expunged from 
Ember’s veins to conduct a thorough examination?
20355.76 For a moment, Russell was lost in thought.Ember 
noticed Russell standing in place, blocking
20361.04 the doorway without uttering a word for a long 
while. A sense of foreboding weighed on Ember’s   heart—he naturally thought Russell was about 
to reveal his true intentions. Instinctively,
20371.2 he tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade 
and, with pointed meaning, issued a warning:
20376.4 “Director Russell, I’ve completed 
everything you asked of me.”  “You’re not planning to break your 
promise and refuse to help me shed
20382.638 my vampiric identity, are you?”
“This treatment was earned by   Special Agent Sasha of the Psyonic 
Division, in exchange for her merits!”
20390.32 “If you don’t intend to cure me, fine! But 
then you’ll have to compensate me tenfold!”  Russell, his train of thought interrupted 
by Ember’s words, shot him a displeased
20399.28 glance. What did he mean by saying the job 
was done? As far as Russell could recall,   he’d only instructed Ember to restrain 
Milat by any means necessary—not to kill
20408.718 him! And now Ember was demanding compensation, 
as if slaying Milat counted as mere restraint?
20414.16 Russell had never gone back on his word—not 
once! The treatment would certainly be given.
20419.44 Though, whether there would be 
complications—perhaps a missing   arm or leg—was another matter entirely, and 
not one Russell could guarantee against.
20426.0 Yet the mention of Sasha in Ember’s words was 
a complication Russell hadn’t anticipated.   He’d only known that Ember was a decorated 
figure sent over from the Psyonic Division,
20434.638 but hadn’t realized it was Sasha who’d pushed the 
entire affair forward. Sasha’s father, after all,
20440.08 was one of the founding figures behind District 
Thirteen and, in theory, counted as Russell’s   superior. Even if only out of respect for 
her position, Russell had to tread carefully.
20449.6 Looking at it this way, Ember’s survival—escaping 
death at Milat’s hands—was a stroke of unexpected
20455.04 fortune. Otherwise, even if Russell tried 
to blame Ember’s death on some demon,   it would do him no good. Sometimes, explanations 
are useless. Only those in power—those with
20464.798 strength—wield the true authority over life 
and death. A mere word or gesture from them,   and others would act on their behalf.
If his superiors ever wished to make
20473.2 things difficult for him, all they’d need to 
do was restrict his experimental privileges,   and many of his projects would grind to a 
halt. Russell was vital to District Thirteen,
20481.6 but to the Psyonic Division, District Thirteen 
was just one important institution among many.   The difference in status was obvious.
So, after a moment’s contemplation,
20490.638 Russell decided not to pursue the matter of 
the items Ember had taken. He knew all too   well that Ember was a traditionalist, still 
following the ancient code of demon hunters:
20500.0 whoever kills the beast claims the spoils. 
Even if Russell demanded Milat’s belongings,   Ember would never hand them over. The demon jar 
still in Ember’s hands was proof enough of that!
20510.0 “Well done, but remember: next 
time, when I say ‘by any means   necessary,’ that does not include killing.”
With that, Russell pressed the intercom button
20518.32 outside the room. “Send someone to clean up.”
Only then did he turn back to Ember and say,   “There’s nothing else you can help with for now.”
“Focus on Amy—take her to the operating room.”
20528.558 “Since last time you didn’t manage a clean cut, 
be more careful this time. Make sure it’s done   thoroughly.” »Once she regains consciousness and 
you’re sure there’s nothing wrong, take her back. »
20538.32 When you’re done with your task, 
I should be finished with my work   as well—then, it will be your turn.
Ash had no idea which of his words
20544.718 had made Russell abandon his intentions. 
At the very least, he was safe for now.  Not wishing to linger with Russell any longer, Ash 
immediately hoisted the unconscious Amy from the
20554.0 floor and made his way toward the operating room.
After Ash had gone some distance,   Russell finally entered the room and 
scattered a cloud of retroactive dust.
20562.24 Modern technology certainly had its 
strengths, but there were times when   sorcery could accomplish far more.
As the dust swirled through the air,
20569.28 three figures gradually took shape within the 
room—Ash, the Gluttonous Blood Spirit, and Milat.
20574.958 By observing their actions, Russell could 
piece together the sequence of events,   but Ash’s methods remained a mystery to him.
In the reenactment revealed by the dust,
20583.6 as soon as Ash entered, Milat willingly 
handed over his Gluttonous Seed.  No matter how Russell looked at it, it 
seemed as though Ash and Milat had staged
20591.52 an elaborate act just for his benefit.
Milat appeared to be playing the part of   a benevolent friend—using his connection with 
Russell to obtain the Gluttonous Blood Spirit,
20599.6 then purposely exposing Ash’s treasure to 
tempt Russell, thus creating the opportunity   for the two to be alone together.
Who would have thought that Milat
20606.798 was simply putting on a show!
After all, if Ash had made the   request himself, Russell would never have 
handed over a Gluttonous Blood Spirit,
20613.84 a specimen of such great research value.
What’s more, whether it was to complete   the charade or for some other 
reason, Milat offered no resistance
20620.718 at all—he simply allowed Ash to kill him.
If Russell hadn’t known Ash was a vampire, he’d   almost think Ash was some irresistible incubus, 
able to charm even the most experienced souls
20630.24 like Milat into sacrificing themselves willingly.
Otherwise, how could Milat, who’d seen so much in
20635.92 his life, go along so obediently?
It was truly baffling.  Just what kind of spell had Ash cast on Milat 
to make him so willing to lay down his life?
20644.16 Russell simply couldn’t understand.
He could only assume the two had conspired to   trick him out of his Gluttonous Blood Spirit.
With this realization, Russell was already
20652.958 devising new experiments 
for the surgeries to come.  Distracted by these thoughts, Russell 
finally saw something he recognized.
20659.76 That book capable of sealing the Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit—Russell was quite familiar with it.  He himself had once been a 
master of the Book of Wraiths.
20667.28 After delving into its secrets, Russell 
had realized its true purpose was to   toy with its owners.
So, he’d used sorcery
20673.76 to break the bond between them by force.
Later, he’d heard that the Lane brothers   had exiled the book back to hell.
Who could have guessed that such
20680.878 a notorious, malevolent tome would 
resurface—and end up in Ash’s hands?  Ha! Clearly, he was courting disaster.
The more wraiths the book contained,
20689.84 the closer its owner came to death!
District Thirteen, operating room.Ash   looked at Amy, who was once again strapped to 
the operating table, and quietly murmured an
20699.2 apology in his heart. Then, with practiced 
hands, he reopened Amy’s skull, exposing   the tough membrane beneath. He went through the 
motions, carefully removing the temporary black
20708.878 smoke that had been attached above. After that, 
he closed her skull again. A simple procedure   to excise the overgrowth was now complete.
All that remained was to wait for Amy to wake,
20718.638 take her out of here, and the terms of 
the contract would be fulfilled. Ruz,   who realized this as well, felt a flicker of 
surprise. He hadn’t expected Ash to truly intend
20728.0 to set him free. After all, Ruz would never let 
Ash off so easily. Even if Ash could resist the
20733.84 temptation of the Four Sins for now, Ruz would 
eventually force him to the point where he’d have   no choice but to use them. But that was a matter 
for another time—first, he needed to get out.
20742.798 In high spirits, Ruz had no intention of causing 
trouble at this final moment. He simply waited
20748.16 quietly for the arrival of freedom. With the help 
of the self-harming personality, Ruz was certain
20753.92 he could regain his strength in the human world, 
and just like his predecessors, he would sow   chaos, ignite wars, and reap suffering.
…
20761.158 Amy slowly stirred from unconsciousness once 
more. The scene before her was just like before:
20766.16 a pristine white ceiling, lights that were almost 
painfully bright, a dark green IV bag filled with
20771.6 fragments of bone, and a tube winding its way to 
the back of her hand. Everything was exactly as
20776.798 it had been the last time she woke. The only 
difference was that Ash, the person she had   longed to thank, was now sitting by her side.
But upon seeing Ash, Amy didn’t display the
20786.48 enthusiasm she had before. Instead, her eyes 
flashed with fear. She suspected she hadn’t truly
20792.32 escaped her hallucinations. Why else would she be 
seeing the exact same scene again? And last time,
20798.32 after seeing Ash, those inexplicable urges to harm 
herself had returned! Now, seeing Ash so soon—did
20804.48 it mean she was having another episode?
Noticing the change in Amy’s expression,   Ash immediately guessed the reason. 
In truth, it was his actions that had
20812.878 left her doubting her own reality. “Don’t be 
afraid. You’re not trapped in an illusion—this
20817.92 is the real world,” he reassured her softly. 
“Your illness has been cured. I promise.”
20823.28 But Amy wasn’t about to believe Ash’s 
words. She’d heard promises like these in   her hallucinations before. In the end, 
the bloody truth had always reminded
20832.0 her that spoken promises were the cheapest 
currency. As these thoughts spun in her mind,   tears began to silently stream down her cheeks.
Yet amidst her tears, a faint, twisted smile began
20842.958 to surface in her eyes. For whenever she felt 
pain, the personality that thrived on suffering
20848.0 would emerge. Compared to her fragile primary 
self, this self-harming persona cared nothing for
20853.52 illusions or reality. She simply locked eyes with 
Ash, and, with cold determination, pressed her
20858.798 hand—already so mangled that white bone showed 
through bloody flesh—into the groove of the nut.  Then, in a voice devoid of pretense, she 
asked, “Where is Ruz?”Seeing that Amy’s
20869.04 self-harming persona was ready to summon 
Ruz again at the slightest provocation,   Ash immediately realized that in order to truly 
cure her, he would have to find a way to get
20877.68 rid of her alternate personality. Otherwise, in 
Amy’s current state, it wouldn’t matter whether
20882.958 she left District Thirteen or was admitted to 
a psychiatric hospital—nothing would change.   This self-destructive Amy would always find new 
ways to summon Ruz through pain and suffering.
20892.638 While Ash was lost in thought, Ruz, who had been 
hiding in his sleeve, quietly poked his head out.
20898.32 It seemed as if the two communicated in silence, 
for Amy’s self-harming persona suddenly ceased
20903.76 her destructive actions. She sat there quietly, 
letting out a soft chuckle, looking for all the
20909.04 world like a normal person. But Ash knew all 
too well just how deranged things were inside   her mind. To wear down her fingertips and use 
her finger bones as makeshift screwdrivers—there
20919.44 were truly few people in the world capable of such 
things. With a personality like hers, she could
20924.718 probably survive to the very end of a Saw movie.
After a brief moment of reflection, Ash pressed
20929.76 the service bell to call for a nurse. When the 
nurse—who was neither deaf nor mute—heard Ash   wanted to arrange for Amy’s discharge, her face 
was a picture of astonishment. In their hospital,
20939.44 discharges were exceedingly rare; most patients 
simply faded away inside its walls. As a newcomer,
20945.6 this nurse had never actually handled a discharge 
before. She asked Ash to wait for a moment,   then dashed off to consult her 
more experienced colleagues.
20953.52 Soon, a whole team of nurses bustled in to give 
Amy a thorough checkup. Half an hour later,
20958.638 Ash was finally driving away from the 
oppressive District Thirteen, Amy beside him.  No sooner had they crossed the district 
border than Ruz, now a swirl of black smoke,
20967.84 grew impatient and tried to re-enter Amy’s 
body. Amy opened her mouth as if to receive him,
20973.04 but just then, a filthy, foul-smelling strip 
of cloth suddenly wrapped itself around the
20978.16 black smoke, trapping it completely. No matter 
how hard Ruz struggled, the cloth held fast.
20983.68 Cornered, Ruz instantly realized that Ash had been 
harboring sinister intentions all along—just like
20989.2 itself. Ruz had planned to return to its vessel 
and turn on Ash, but Ash’s heart was even darker.
20994.798 He hadn’t waited a moment to strike first! 
Ruz should have seen this coming—after all,   what self-respecting demon’s agent would bother 
with honor or trust? Anyone who believed in
21004.08 them ended up devoured, body and soul.
“Amy, save me!” Ruz used the last of its
21009.52 strength to send Amy a desperate command: 
Do whatever it takes to set me free!  Yet even without the order, Amy knew exactly what 
to do. Fury blazing in her eyes, she shouted,
21019.68 “You broke our deal! You deserve to die!” With 
that, she grabbed the fire extinguisher from
21025.12 the car, ready to strike herself with it.
But weak as she was, there was no way Amy   could be faster than Ash.Ash struck Amy with 
the edge of his palm just below her neck,
21034.24 and she crumpled softly to the ground. In 
the end, without a demon possessing her,
21039.28 Amy was nothing more than an ordinary human. When 
an ordinary person faints, they’re hardly likely   to do anything dangerous on their own. For now, 
until Ash could come up with a proper solution,
21049.28 Amy would probably have to rely on sedatives and 
similar medication. It was a bitter fate, but   still preferable to the physical and mental scars 
that constant self-harm would bring. Besides,
21058.878 since Ash had made a promise, he intended to 
find a way out—one that wouldn’t take long.  Relieved, Ash gave the 
still-wriggling burial shroud a kick.
21067.52 “Breach of contract? I 
haven’t broken any contract.”  “The freedom I promised Lutz was simply to 
let it go once we left District Thirteen.”
21075.12 “And in fact, we really have left 
District Thirteen, so I’ve fulfilled   my end of the bargain.”
“Isn’t that right, Lutz?”
21081.52 Wrapped tightly in the burial cloth, Lutz couldn’t 
possibly say ‘no.’ For one thing, it couldn’t make
21086.798 a sound. For another, Ash held the final say on 
how the contract was to be interpreted—whatever
21092.08 Ash said, that was the truth! Lutz could only 
blame itself for acting a moment too late.
21097.36 Ash, not hearing any protest, took Lutz’s silence 
as consent. He returned to the driver’s seat,
21103.44 ready to press the accelerator, when he suddenly 
realized someone was standing in the road ahead.
21108.638 Looking up, he saw a black-robed wizard blocking 
his car—when had he appeared? It was Austin!
21114.16 “Hey, kid. I’m lost. Mind giving me a 
lift?” Austin’s tone was almost casual.
21119.52 Ash stared at the sudden appearance of Austin, 
unable to figure out what this man was up to.   Back in Fruitwood Town, Austin had made a grand 
entrance, feet planted atop the Bloodwing Monarch,
21130.4 radiating an intimidating aura. Ash had thought 
Austin would be a formidable foe. But in the end,
21136.0 all that thunder had produced very 
little rain; for reasons unknown,   Austin had simply faded away without a 
trace. Ash hadn’t dwelled on it—after all,
21144.638 trying to guess what went on in a madman’s 
mind was a surefire way to drive oneself mad.  Just like now—Ash had no idea what possessed 
Austin to insist on hitching a ride. Any sensible
21154.16 person would refuse to pick up a stranger who 
kept himself shrouded in darkness from head to   toe. By any measure, Austin didn’t look like a 
good person. So where did he get the confidence
21163.68 that Ash would agree to take him along? At 
this point, Ash’s foot was already tensed,
21168.718 ready to slam the gas and catapult Austin into 
another world at the slightest provocation.  As the standoff grew taut, Austin suddenly 
pulled back his hood, revealing his true
21178.0 face. It was a classic Northern European visage, 
with sharp Anglo-Saxon features: cool-toned skin,
21184.558 a high, prominent nose, and an expression that 
made his whole face seem shadowed and severe.  But what caught Ash’s attention even more was the 
glint of a golden coin in Austin’s hand.Austin
21194.48 noticed Ember’s gaze fall on his palm, and 
a subtle smile played at the corners of his   mouth. With a slight tilt of his chin, he said, 
“Kid, I’m not asking you to give me a free ride.”
21205.44 “This gold coin is your payment—how about it?”
“All you need to do is get me inside there.”
21210.638 With his free hand, Austin 
pointed toward District Thirteen.  Clearly, Austin had mistakenly assumed Ember 
could move in and out of District Thirteen at
21218.798 will. And since he had seen Ember once before in 
Fruitwood Town, it was only natural for him to   regard Ember as one of Russell’s lackeys. 
Still, Austin had no intention of giving
21228.798 himself away too soon—he needed Ember’s help 
to sneak into District Thirteen and deliver a   little surprise to his old friend Russell.
After all, from Austin’s perspective,
21237.36 Ember had never seen his true face. There was no 
way Ember could connect him to the high priest   of the Eternal Life Cult who’d appeared 
in Fruitwood Town. At this moment, their
21246.48 relationship was nothing more than a passenger 
and a driver with a little bit of authority.  The only question was whether that gold 
coin would be enough to tempt Ember.
21254.32 Ember narrowed his eyes, weighing his 
options—could he take care of Austin quickly?   He hadn’t witnessed Austin in action, but he 
knew that the Bloodwing Lord, who once fled,
21263.84 had been captured by Austin without a chance 
to resist. Even if the Bloodwing Lord had   been weakened by repeated battles, it was 
still proof of Austin’s formidable power.
21272.798 If he couldn’t settle things quickly, any 
commotion would soon draw the attention of   District Thirteen. Austin could simply vanish, 
but Ember—who still wanted to live among
21280.958 humans—couldn’t afford to be so reckless.
After all, demonization was seen by many   as playing with a ticking time bomb. Ember had 
never heard of a demon hunter brazen enough to
21290.0 declare they were undergoing demonization. Not to 
mention, Russell, the current overseer of District
21295.44 Thirteen, was consumed by curiosity. There was 
no telling what lengths he might go to—he could
21300.558 easily lock Ember up for all sorts of experiments.
After a brief moment of thought, Ember forced   a smile and stuck his head out the 
window, saying, “No can do, friend.”
21309.76 “District Thirteen only accepts 
patients, and you don’t look sick to me.”  “But if you’re headed for Lock City, 
I can give you a lift. Want a ride?”
21317.6 Seeing that Ember truly didn’t recognize 
him, Austin flicked the gold coin toward   him with his thumb. “Fair enough. I’ll 
head to Lock City, see if I can find
21325.84 someone else willing to take the job.”
As the coin shot toward him, Ember caught   it without batting an eye. Instantly, a 
faint sizzling sound rose from his palm,
21334.24 and wisps of white smoke curled out from 
between his tightly clenched fingers.  Vervain!
Not much had
21339.52 been rubbed onto the coin—it was just a test.
Ember’s gaze turned icy as he looked at Austin,
21344.878 his voice calm: “What’s the meaning of 
this?”Austin smiled and said, “Don’t get   me wrong, I have nothing against the bloodkin.”
“This gold coin wasn’t originally mine. I picked
21354.798 it up after I saw someone bullying a bloodkin 
on the road and dealt with them on the spot.”  Stepping in to help the bloodkin? Was 
Austin trying to win his favor this
21362.958 way? In a world filled with the supernatural, 
Ember felt things were never quite so simple.  With a slight crease in his brow, Ember 
opened his palm and examined the gold coin.
21372.718 On its surface gleamed the emblem of a sword 
and shield, a clear mark of some family lineage.
21378.0 Realizing at once the trouble 
this coin represented,   Ember instinctively wanted to toss it away.
But unexpectedly, the coin seemed to have
21385.68 taken root, fusing into the flesh 
of his palm, impossible to remove.  Outside the carriage, seeing Ember’s reaction, 
Austin’s face lit up with a look of triumph.
21395.2 Did he really think a wizard’s 
coin would be so easy to claim?  Austin hadn’t lied—he truly had “picked 
up” this gold coin from a corpse.
21402.878 And that corpse belonged to a member of 
the so-called “Watchers,” the Winston   family—a renowned clan of demon hunters.
The Winston family’s reputation ran deep.
21411.52 They were one of the four great houses among 
demon hunters, with a long and storied legacy,   even producing legendary hunters in their past.
For a family to survive and thrive in the demon
21421.12 hunting world, their strength 
had to be extraordinary.  Even the powers of the modern Psionic Division, 
which united the hunters’ resources, was built
21428.638 on the foundation provided by the Winston 
family and the other three great houses.  As for the Winston clan themselves, each 
full member always carried a special gold
21436.558 coin—the Coin of Vengeance.
Its sole purpose was that,   upon the owner’s death, it would cling 
to their killer like a vengeful spirit.
21444.0 If another Winston family member was 
nearby, their own coins would resonate,   guiding them to avenge their fallen kin.
Of course, every artifact built
21452.32 upon witchcraft had its flaws.
That’s how Austin had managed to   handle it safely, and by passing it along, he 
had now bound the Coin of Vengeance to Ember.
21460.558 Now, Ember had become the sworn 
enemy of the entire Winston family.  Such personal vendettas, even the Psionic 
Division would not interfere with.
21468.24 There were only three possible 
endings to this matter.  The first: Ember would die at the 
hands of a Winston family member.
21474.798 The second: Ember would slaughter every Winston 
and their kin, leaving no one to seek vengeance.
21480.16 The third: Ember might change his allegiance, 
ceasing to be Russell’s hound and becoming   Austin’s, a spy planted within District Thirteen.
After all, for a sorcerer of Austin’s caliber,
21490.48 severing the bond of the Coin of 
Vengeance wasn’t all that difficult.  If Ember would only bow and submit, Austin 
wouldn’t mind going to the trouble of breaking
21497.44 the coin’s link to him.Austin cleared his throat 
and was just about to ask if Ember needed any help
21502.798 when he suddenly saw Ember raise the blade and 
bring it down without hesitation, neatly severing   his own left hand at the wrist. The coin of 
vengeance that clung to the palm of Ember’s left
21512.32 hand naturally lost its anchor, clattering loudly 
as it fell to the ground. It rolled and spun,
21518.718 eventually coming to rest at Austin’s feet.
Austin’s gaze flickered as he looked at the   bloodstained coin at his feet. Ember was truly 
decisive. The moment he sensed that the coin of
21528.16 vengeance was forging some kind of connection with 
him, he didn’t hesitate—he simply cut off his own   hand. In this way, the connection between Ember 
and the coin was broken instantly. This move was
21538.24 far beyond anything Austin had anticipated.
Even among supernatural beings like vampires   or werewolves, who can regenerate limbs, few 
would make such a drastic decision without a
21547.44 moment’s pause. After all, pain is still 
pain, and regeneration doesn’t happen in   the blink of an eye. That’s why, by the time 
most people realize what’s happening, the coin
21556.4 of vengeance has already wormed its way through 
the palm and reached somewhere far more lethal.  For this very reason, Austin had assumed Ember 
only had three choices, never expecting him to
21565.04 carve out a fourth path entirely on his own. The 
words Austin had been about to say caught in his   throat and had to be swallowed back down.
But while Austin decided to hold his tongue,
21573.92 Ember was not prepared to let things go so easily. 
To be ensnared in someone’s scheme and forced to
21579.36 sever his own hand for no reason—Ember’s eyes grew 
fiercer, already calculating how best to grind
21584.638 Austin’s bones to dust. Now that Austin could 
no longer threaten him with the Winston family,
21589.92 he would have to show some genuine sincerity. 
After all, Austin’s true target had always   been Russell, the one behind Ember. If his 
entire plan fell apart because of Ember,
21599.2 it would be an utterly pointless loss.
Austin gave a soft cough, hoping to   ease the tension, but suddenly his vision 
went black—he had lost connection with the
21607.6 puppet he was controlling. At that very 
moment, in another part of Los Angeles,   Austin sat within a magic circle and slowly 
opened his eyes. The seventy-two candles
21616.718 arranged around him had all been snuffed out.
Everything had happened so quickly that his   puppet, lacking any real defenses, was destroyed 
before he even realized what was happening.
21626.0 Austin still couldn’t quite grasp exactly what had 
occurred. But one thing was certain: after being
21631.52 tricked, Ember’s volatile temper had flared, and 
he had struck back immediately, sending Austin’s
21636.878 consciousness hurtling back to his own body.
What a pity to lose such a puppet. These   incredibly lifelike puppets, capable of sharing 
his magical power, were not easy to craft. On the
21647.52 black market, each one was considered 
priceless—in a sense, each one was an extra   life. In other words, Austin had just lost a life.
After a brief moment of painful reflection, Austin
21657.52 waved his hand and summoned a newly assembled 
puppet. If he could obtain the Eternal Heart,   this loss would be more than worth it.Clenching 
his teeth, Austin waved his hand once more,
21667.6 and the candles around him flared back to life. 
Reestablishing his connection with the puppet,   Austin pinched the bridge of his nose between 
his thumb and forefinger, then gave it a sharp
21677.44 tug. A streak of reproduced consciousness 
shimmered in his grasp, which he promptly   infused into the puppet. The lifeless eyes of 
the puppet immediately sparked with vitality.
21687.52 Glancing at Austin, who was seated cross-legged 
on the floor, the puppet donned a wizard’s robe   and strode briskly out of the secret chamber.
… Just outside District Thirteen, not far away.
21697.76 Ash looked at the head he had plucked so 
effortlessly from its body, a flicker of   surprise crossing his eyes. He had been fully 
prepared to use his trump card, the Four Sins,
21706.48 and had never expected that Austin’s head 
would come off so easily. He’d assumed at   least a few rounds would be needed to decide 
the outcome. Was the Grand Wizard of the Cult
21715.52 of Immortality really so fragile?
When something seems too easy,   it’s usually a trap.
Ash didn’t believe for a moment that Austin could
21722.4 truly be that incompetent. After all, how had the 
Bloodwing Lord fallen to him in the first place?
21727.52 Even if his own sudden attack had caught Austin 
off guard, surely a wizard of his caliber would   have some magical artifacts to buy himself time?
Unease prickling in his chest, Ash doubled back
21737.2 to examine the body more closely. Only 
then did he notice the telltale traces of   skillful assembly all over the corpse—it was 
a puppet, pieced together from human bodies!
21746.24 His expression darkened, and he instantly 
realized what kind of opponent Austin truly   was—the most troublesome sort: a master of 
subterfuge. Only someone like that would send
21755.68 a puppet double to test the waters so cautiously. 
Only someone like that would slip away from Guomu   Town without a guarantee of victory.
But even a cunning foe has weaknesses.
21764.638 With that thought, Ash opened the Book 
of Sacrifice and began stuffing pieces of   Austin’s puppet double into its maw, bit by bit. 
He intended to exchange it for a deadly curse. The
21774.32 Book of Sacrifice, bottomless and insatiable, 
revealed fragments of curse incantations with
21779.6 each morsel of the puppet it devoured. Only 
after the entire puppet had been consumed   did the book finally display the full death 
curse, along with the required ingredients.
21788.32 The incantation itself was nothing special—feed 
the book enough, and it would never deceive you.
21793.44 The real challenge lay in the materials. Unlike 
ordinary curses that merely inflicted lingering
21799.28 illness, a death curse drew all its power from 
the quality of its components. In short, the curse   might well be enough to kill Austin, but gathering 
the materials would be anything but easy.
21808.638 [Remains of the wrongfully dead 
+ Ferryman’s coin + Water from   the Styx + Casting medium = Potent Death Curse]
… The remains of the wrongfully dead would be easy
21817.12 enough to obtain. A quick dig in Lorton’s cemetery 
would turn up plenty of accident victims. As for
21822.48 the Ferryman’s coin, Ash had no idea where to find 
one. But perhaps a lesser substitute would do—say,
21828.48 one of his twelve remaining lucky coins. His own 
luck, after all, would be his enemy’s misfortune.
21833.68 The only downside was that the death curse’s 
potency would be considerably diminished.The
21838.798 next substitute he considered was the coin of 
vengeance, still embedded in the severed hand of   Ashes. But when it came to the last material—water 
from the River Styx—Ashes truly couldn’t think of
21848.48 a lesser item to use as a replacement. According 
to the Book of Sacrifice, the River Styx flows
21854.16 through the underworld. Yet as everyone knows, 
this extraordinary world is made up of only three   realms: Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory… Hold on.
Suddenly, Ashes remembered his good friend,
21866.08 the jackal-headed god Anubis. He had been puzzled 
the first time Anubis showed up. After all,
21871.12 a death god like Anubis didn’t belong 
in a supernatural system ruled by Heaven   and Hell. Anubis’s appearance felt more 
like an unexpected intrusion. But now,
21880.32 reading the text in the Book of Sacrifice, Ashes 
realized there might be another explanation.  Could this world be the result of many worlds 
colliding into one? Legend always had it that
21889.84 God did not create just a single world—this 
one was simply His favorite. According to   Ashes’s previous understanding, the souls judged 
righteous by Anubis weren’t destined for Heaven,
21899.92 but for an underworld ruled by Osiris! Only 
now, the underworld had long since vanished   without a trace, and if he wanted 
to find water from the River Styx,
21908.24 it seemed he would have to rely on Anubis.
After a moment’s thought, Ashes still felt uneasy
21913.28 as long as Austin, that wily creature, remained 
alive. He glanced at the Book of Sacrifice,
21919.28 then reached into his Gluttony Pouch and pulled 
out the corpse of the Bloodwing Monarch. The   time had come to put that corpse to use!
Come back to me, my old friend! But what
21928.08 would it take to summon a death god? 
Ashes truly had no idea. Yet once he   had shoved a third of the Bloodwing Monarch’s 
corpse into the book, the answer appeared.
21936.718 On the blood-soaked, dark red pages, it 
was as if an invisible hand began to write:   first, a string of incantations, and then 
a long list of materials and instructions.
21946.16 In all fairness, the Book of Sacrifice had 
grown increasingly demanding, but when it came   to rewards, it never cut corners. It was as if 
a true god of witchcraft lived within its pages.
21956.718 As long as the offerings were 
sufficient, there was no arcane   secret the Book of Sacrifice wouldn’t reveal!
However, as things stood, unless he was willing to
21964.878 sacrifice his own limbs and organs, Ashes figured 
he could only obtain one more spell. After all,
21970.24 anything sacrificed was erased from existence 
at the level of universal law; regeneration
21975.68 was impossible. Unless, of course, he followed 
the path of the black sorcerer Deren, who simply   replaced his own limbs, thus guaranteeing 
a steady supply for future sacrifices.
21985.04 Lost in thought for a moment, Ashes soon 
refocused his attention on the Book of Sacrifice.
21990.08 [Scales of Justice + Feather + 
Medium + Soul = Anubis Descends]  The scales of justice and the feather were common 
objects, easy enough to find. The real challenge
21999.76 in this summoning lay with the medium and the 
soul. The so-called “medium” could be understood   as the target’s DNA.Whether it’s hair, feathers, 
or some sort of cursed connection, all can serve
22010.558 as a medium. If you wish to target a specific 
creature, then a medium is absolutely essential.
22016.0 Otherwise, you’d have no way of knowing if what 
you ultimately summon is what you intended,   or some unknowable eldritch being from beyond. 
That’s why, unless a witch truly has an antisocial
22025.76 personality, no sane practitioner would ever 
attempt a summoning without a proper medium. Such   recklessness is exceedingly dangerous. According 
to the records, only those lunatic sorcerers of
22036.24 the Cult of Immortality have ever tried it. And 
that one time, the cult was nearly wiped out   by the outer god they managed to call forth.
That aside, Ash does bear traces of Anubis’s
22045.6 blessing upon him—so as far as the medium is 
concerned, that requirement is already met.   As for the soul mentioned among the materials, 
that corresponds to the profession of death god:
22055.44 only a soul can attract the attention of 
such a deity. Yet, acquiring a soul is   also an incredibly difficult task for any witch. 
After all, death gods are known to claim souls,
22065.28 and even the wandering evil spirits usually hold 
onto their own obsessions—help them fulfill those,   and they ascend to paradise; refuse, and they 
would sooner perish with you than sacrifice
22075.2 themselves for another’s cause. Thus, obtaining 
an intact soul has always been a challenge.  If a sorcerer truly wished to summon 
Anubis, they would most likely have to
22083.52 seek out willing followers prepared to offer 
themselves as the soul required. But for Ash,   this isn’t much of a problem. As a special kind 
of demonic agent, he already possesses quite a few
22093.28 intact souls. Of course, he would never use the 
likes of Frankiel for this purpose. In addition,
22098.638 Ash has a soul of greed that he took from a 
manifestation of avarice—a soul originally gained   through breach of contract. Due to the rarity of 
souls, all the best soul-energy formulas on the
22108.718 market are written for soul fragments, not whole 
souls. Ash can’t just use an intact soul as if it
22113.76 were a fragment; that would be far too wasteful. 
So, without a method to harness soul energy,
22119.28 he has simply kept the soul of greed in reserve. 
After all, using such a pure soul of greed as
22124.32 a tool spirit like Celia could easily result 
in disaster due to its overwhelming avarice.   But now, at last, it can be put to proper use.
After driving into Los City, Ash first gave Amy an
22134.32 injection of anesthetic, only then feeling at ease 
to head to a roadside general store to purchase a   set of justice scales. As for the feather, he had 
already picked one up along the way. With all the
22144.16 materials in hand, Ash didn’t waste a moment and 
drove straight to a deserted construction site he   was familiar with. This place had always been a 
favored spot for the city’s gangs to bury bodies
22153.44 and conduct shady transactions. But ever since 
Ash, with a little help from his “good brother,”
22158.638 called the police and got his own “head cracked 
open,” the gangs had abandoned this place for   good.Now the place was truly deserted—perfect for 
Ashes to conduct the ritual of summoning Death.
22168.798 After parking the vehicle, Ashes took a bag 
of spare saintly bone fragments from Amy,   crushed them into powder, and began to draw the 
summoning array on the ground. He then arranged
22178.48 a few candles and placed the Scales of Justice in 
the center, setting a feather on one of the trays.
22183.68 Staring at the sinking tray, Ashes snapped his 
fingers. Instantly, a greedy soul, shining like a
22189.76 miniature sun, appeared at his fingertips. With 
a gentle tap, Ashes dropped the soul onto the
22195.44 other tray. The greedy soul, floating above the 
scales, weighed nothing at all—nowhere near the
22201.04 rumored twenty-one grams. Through this little 
experiment, Ashes debunked that myth himself.
22206.08 But as the incantation began to echo, the tray 
holding the greedy soul suddenly crashed down with   a resounding clang. There was no doubt about it; 
a soul composed purely of original sin belonged in
22216.32 hell, that much was unquestionable. Yet Ashes was 
no true god of death—merely a mortal temporarily
22222.718 wielding death’s authority. And so, as the 
chant went on, the formerly tranquil space
22227.76 was struck by a violent disturbance.
It was as if some powerful being was   struggling to break its chains, determined to 
appear and confront the bold thief who dared to
22235.92 steal the rights of Death itself! Not long after, 
the world around Ashes plunged into darkness, just
22241.44 like the time he first met Anubis in the Rocky 
Mountains. But this encounter was different—the   figure before him was no longer the towering, 
emotionless incarnation of Anubis’s majesty.
22251.2 Instead, Ashes saw a disheveled Anubis, 
desperately clawing at the edge of a hole, tongue
22256.32 out and gasping for breath. It was clear that 
Anubis had barely managed to escape the thick,
22261.52 tar-like void behind him, tumbling gracelessly 
from above and landing heavily on the ground.  For a long moment, Anubis simply stared at the 
familiar divine realm, scarcely able to believe he
22272.0 had finally returned to the world of the living. 
At last, emotion flickered in his eyes. Slowly,
22277.92 he turned his head—only to lay eyes on the 
very culprit who had cast him into oblivion.  How was this fellow still alive? Was it possible 
he’d even saved him? A turbulent mix of anger
22287.92 and gratitude twisted Anubis’s lips as he fumbled 
through several languages before finally speaking:
22293.52 “What year is it now?”
Ashes looked at Anubis in   confusion and replied, “It’s 2024. Why? 
Did you travel here from the future?”
22302.0 2024? That meant he’d been lost in the void 
less than a year? Yet, unable to sense the
22307.04 passage of time, Anubis truly felt as though 
he’d suffered through ten thousand years of   utter boredom! In the void, everything was 
frozen in silence—only Anubis remained awake.
22317.52 But he hadn’t even dared to make a sound, forced 
instead to endure it all in absolute stillness.
22322.638 Who could understand such torment? Compared to 
this, prison would be a thousand times easier—at   least in prison, there was time for fresh 
air. Here, he hadn’t had a single moment’s
22331.6 respite!Anubis cast a complicated glance at 
Ember. “Disaster Point”—the name truly lived
22337.04 up to its reputation. Whatever Ember had summoned 
him for, it was best to make a swift exit! Having
22343.2 resolved to put as much distance as possible 
between himself and Ember, Anubis didn’t even
22348.48 bother to summon a double to take his place. 
Instead, he pressed both hands and feet against   the ground and leapt straight into the air.
In the next instant, a dark portal—a gateway
22358.32 leading elsewhere—opened right 
before Anubis. Suspended midair,   he paddled his limbs desperately, but found 
himself moving forward at a painfully slow pace.
22367.6 Soon, Anubis realized something was wrong. When 
he’d pulled himself out of the void using the   power of the summoning, he had overexerted himself 
and now found his divine strength nearly depleted.
22378.24 In the void, where there was truly nothing, 
survival depended entirely on brute force of   will and godly power. That was the crux of the 
problem: after clawing his way out and forcibly
22388.32 summoning a teleportation portal, he had utterly 
exhausted himself! Now, he couldn’t even maintain
22394.0 his levitation, let alone summon a double!
This realization struck Anubis in the   middle of his frantic dog-paddle; his body 
suddenly froze, then dropped straight down.
22403.6 Thud! With yet another undignified crash, Anubis 
wished he could bury his head in the earth and
22408.718 vanish until the strength from his double 
returned, so he could get away as soon as   possible. He was, after all, a renowned god of 
death, and yet he’d managed to embarrass himself
22418.16 repeatedly in front of Ember, a mere “mortal.” 
He could hardly lift his head from shame.
22423.2 Wait—there was a way out of this!
Without missing a beat, Anubis climbed   to his feet, schooled his features into a 
blank expression, and let his mind go empty.
22432.558 Staring forward with a cold, indifferent 
gaze, he feigned the detached demeanor of   a double having taken over the situation.
Ember, watching Anubis’s one-man show,
22441.68 pointed to the Scales of Justice and asked, 
“Aren’t you going to hold judgment first?”  It was only then that Anubis remembered—as a god 
of death, his attention should have been on the
22450.4 Scales of Justice! Damn it! The agonizing 
days spent in the void had left his mind
22455.68 rusty and sluggish. Hastily correcting 
himself, Anubis lowered his gaze to the   scales below, his face a mask of stoic calm.
With the authority of death once more in hand,
22465.84 Anubis finally found an opportunity to restore his 
divine power. All he needed to do was cast this
22471.04 greedy soul—destined for hell—into exile, 
and according to the rules of the world,
22476.16 he would receive the power he so desperately 
needed in return. With his strength restored,   he could finally put Ember, this 
walking disaster, far behind him.
22484.798 But just because he didn’t want to engage with 
Ember didn’t mean Ember would leave him alone.   After their previous interaction, Ember was 
certain Anubis had a good impression of him;
22492.638 after all, Anubis had once bestowed him a 
blessing. So, as Anubis began probing the greedy
22498.24 soul’s memories, Ember sidled up, gestured to 
indicate a height, and asked with a familiar tone:
22503.76 “Hey, Dog, why are you so short this time?”
“Don’t tell me this is your real height?”Anubis’s
22509.12 finger, which had been gliding through fragments 
of memory, suddenly froze. Oh no! He’s been seen
22514.718 through! Without his divine power, he couldn’t 
maintain his usual imposing, majestic presence.
22520.718 But still, he was a god! And yet this Ember not 
only called him “Doggy,” but even used his height
22525.76 to mock him. This was sheer blasphemy! At over 
two meters tall, he wasn’t exactly short, was he?
22531.2 Anubis, itching to retort, caught himself just 
in time—he was supposed to be playing his own   avatar. An avatar didn’t have human emotions; 
he had to hold it together! Struggling to keep
22540.878 his expression composed, Anubis silently 
sped up his movements through the memories.  Watching Anubis’s seemingly unperturbed face, 
Ember frowned. Had something gone wrong with the
22550.958 summoning ritual? Had he summoned a miniature 
version of Anubis’s avatar? But at first,
22556.08 Anubis’s very human gestures had hardly seemed 
like something an avatar could do. Besides,
22561.84 the constantly twitching whiskers on 
Anubis’s jackal muzzle betrayed his inner   turmoil. If this truly were only Anubis’s 
avatar, it would never show such signs.
22570.638 Eliminating every other impossibility, 
the only thing left had to be the truth:   He must be pretending not to recognize 
Ember, so he could remain impartial in
22578.32 judgment. Realizing this, Ember reached out 
and patted Anubis on the shoulder, ignoring
22583.36 the way Anubis’s body tensed at the touch, and 
sighed softly, “What are you thinking? Do I look   like someone who’d pull strings for a favor?”
What? Ember wasn’t the type to seek favors? Then
22593.52 who had used Anubis’s blessing to fish someone 
out of the Void? Anubis’s expression stiffened   instantly. Yet, trapped in the role of avatar, 
he couldn’t protest! Agonizing, truly agonizing!
22604.878 Standing beside Anubis, Ember was also reviewing 
the greedy soul’s memories and seemed oblivious   to the god’s distress. “He took an entire 
roll of plastic bags from the supermarket?”
22614.558 “He even took all the free bottled 
water left out for sanitation workers?”  “Unbelievable, he dared to pocket welfare 
money meant for people with disabilities?”
22622.958 “This guy really belongs 
in hell. I won’t stop you!”  At this, Anubis’s expression finally relaxed a 
little. At least Ember was making sense for once.
22631.6 With a sweep of his hand, Anubis flung open 
the gates to the underworld. The greedy soul,
22637.28 caught in their pull, was swept 
straight toward the entrance to hell.  Yet Anubis still couldn’t quite understand. 
Ember had sacrificed a complete soul to summon
22645.52 him—was he really asking for nothing in return? 
Just as this thought crossed Anubis’s mind,
22650.638 Ember continued, “Actually, the real reason 
I called you here today was to thank you.”  “If not for your blessing, Lana 
wouldn’t have made it back last time.”
22659.2 “Lana, come on, say thank you.”
At Ember’s summons, Lana appeared   on his shoulder and gave Anubis 
a deep, earnest bow. “Thank you,
22667.36 Mr. Anubis.”When Anubis saw Lana, he couldn’t 
help but recall those empty, void-like years,
22673.12 and a twitch flickered at the corner of his 
eye. Still, now that he had come through to   the other side, that pain would gradually fade 
with time. Besides, every Guardian Spirit was,
22682.32 without exception, a good soul. Lana was so 
endearing—perhaps it was time to let go of
22688.0 all he’d endured on her behalf. After all, he 
was a god, and generosity was only fitting.
22693.44 Anubis subconsciously nodded, silently 
accepting Lana’s gratitude. Ember,   watching this scene unfold, allowed a subtle smile 
to play at the corner of his lips. And you still
22703.12 insist you’re not the real Anubis?
“By the way, Dog,” Ember said,   “we’re good brothers, aren’t we?”
“Since I handed you an achievement
22710.4 for free, you wouldn’t mind sharing 
a little secret with me, would you?”  “For example, could you tell me where 
to find the waters of the River Styx?”
22718.718 The River Styx? That was a name he hadn’t heard 
in ages. Anubis, who had already received the
22723.92 feedback of divine power and was about to leave, 
suddenly hesitated in a way he never had before.
22729.68 After a moment, he dropped the pretense 
of being merely an avatar and spoke up,   countering with a question of his own:
“You want to restart the Underworld?”
22738.0 Restart? Ember instantly honed in on the key 
point: “So, the Underworld has been closed off?”
22743.76 Anubis seemed vaguely apprehensive as 
he glanced skyward, then waved his hand,   and the modern sky was replaced by a nightscape 
from an entirely different era. Only then did
22752.798 Anubis fix Ember with a solemn gaze and say:
“I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this.”
22758.08 “But since you’re the exceptional one, maybe—just 
maybe—you really can change this world.”  Change the world? To be honest, Ember had 
never aimed so high. All he wanted was a
22767.28 peaceful life. But in a supernatural world, the 
only way to ensure that was to eliminate any
22773.04 enemy who might threaten him. For instance, 
Austin, who already had him in his sights!
22778.24 So for the sake of the River Styx’s waters, Ember 
forced himself to patiently listen as Anubis   shared some of the world’s secrets. Anubis, 
knowing Ember was a disaster point, had his
22787.52 own considerations. The reason he, a god of the 
Egyptian pantheon, had ended up working for Heaven
22792.638 and Hell was that, after the event known as the 
“Confluence of the Celestial Spheres,” the mythos   of his world had been defeated by the angelic 
and demonic legions led by Michael and Lucifer.
22801.12 With a sigh, Anubis’s dog-like eyes 
filled with memories, and he continued:  “What I’m about to tell you—never mention 
these key words to anyone outside. Otherwise,
22811.2 I have no idea what fate awaits you.”
“By now, I’m sure you’ve caught a glimpse of   just how little of this world you’ve truly seen.”
“You must be curious where all these supernatural
22820.24 beings come from, and why they belong 
neither to Heaven nor to Hell.”  “Now, I can tell you for certain: none of them 
originally belonged to this world.”Anubis paused,
22829.68 his voice tinged with emotion. “But when disaster 
points like you appear one after another,
22835.12 they attract another world to draw 
closer to this one, and eventually,   the two collide. We call this phenomenon 
the ‘Convergence of Celestial Spheres.’”
22843.36 “After the collision, gods who wield similar 
divine powers will inevitably clash for their   own sakes. This is the origin of what is 
known as Ragnarok—the Twilight of the Gods.”
22852.718 “And since it is war, there will 
naturally be winners and losers.   The underworld you seek has seen two such 
victors in the past—Osiris and Hades.”
22860.958 “Yet after another Convergence, the fallen angel 
once called the Morning Star—Lucifer—brought forth
22866.08 a hell founded on the seven deadly sins, 
and utterly supplanted the underworld.”  The Convergence of Celestial Spheres! Ragnarok! 
Hearing these tales of the past all at once
22875.68 left Ember reeling. He had always thought his 
transmigration was a mere accident. But now,
22881.04 after Anubis’s explanation, he realized 
he might be an anchor, drawing the world   of his previous life closer to this one.
No wonder Anubis called him a disaster point,
22890.0 and said he might change the fate of this 
world. The Convergence of Celestial Spheres   was never a good omen for either world involved.
A heavy, inexplicable weight settled on Ember’s
22899.6 shoulders at the thought. All he wanted 
was to live this new life well—how had he   suddenly become the spark for catastrophe?
He shook his head, dispelling the tangled
22908.0 thoughts. Matters of this scale were 
far beyond his reach for now. He was   still a small figure in the grand scheme, only 
able to grasp what was right before him. The
22917.04 convergence of worlds—such things could only be 
influenced when he grew to the stature of gods.
22922.08 For now, it was better to focus on the present.
Seeing Ember quickly regain his composure after   the initial shock, a glimmer of approval 
flickered in Anubis’s canine eyes. The
22931.28 secrets he had just revealed were, in a way, a 
test for Ember—and the young man had proved he   possessed a formidable strength of mind. Anyone 
else, upon hearing such secrets, would have been
22941.44 consumed by dread and anxiety. After all, these 
truths lay far beyond common understanding.
22947.12 Since Ember had digested this 
information so swiftly, Anubis continued.  “After Michael and Lucifer prevailed, the fate 
of all souls in the world fell into their hands.”
22956.718 “The underworld, bereft of new 
souls, gradually withered away. The   once-turbulent River of the Dead was seized 
and swept into the depths of Purgatory.”
22965.6 “So, if you wish to obtain the waters of the 
underworld, you must awaken the slumbering Osiris,
22970.798 restore the underworld, and reclaim the river.”
The River of the Dead had ended up in Purgatory?
22976.4 Ember couldn’t help but think of that endless 
river of blood that had birthed the vampire   lineage. Could it really be such a coincidence?
As for awakening Osiris, Ember had no intention
22986.08 of following Anubis’s advice. If Lucifer had 
defeated Osiris, then reviving Osiris would
22991.36 mean becoming Lucifer’s enemy.Even if he was 
the so-called disaster point in Anubis’s words,
22996.638 Ember didn’t think he had the strength to 
arm-wrestle Lucifer. This was a former archangel,   after all—someone powerful enough to pummel 
Osiris, one of Egypt’s Ennead, into a deep
23005.92 slumber. That alone spoke volumes about Lucifer’s 
might. Even with Anubis’s help, Ember didn’t see
23011.68 much chance of victory. After all, Anubis and 
his kind hadn’t been able to defeat Michael   and Lucifer together in their prime—how could 
their battered remnants hope to be a match now?
23021.12 Did Anubis really expect Ember to suddenly turn 
into some creator god, knocking out Michael with   his fists and kicking Lucifer into submission?
After mulling it over, Ember nodded toward Anubis.
23031.12 “I understand, Doggy. I’ll do my best.”
“Oh, by the way, how do I find you in the future?”
23036.878 “It’s not easy to find a complete soul, 
and if I really do run into Osiris,   I won’t even know how to wake him.”
Seeing Ember’s helpless shrug,
23044.4 Anubis hesitated for a moment before drawing out 
a trace of divine power and pressing it to Ember’s   wrist. As the divine energy flowed in, a crying 
eye—the Eye of Horus—emerged on Ember’s skin.
23055.44 “The way to awaken Osiris is to let more 
people remember his name,” Anubis explained.  “When more and more begin to recite 
it, Osiris, cycling through mortal
23064.638 reincarnations, will naturally awaken.”
“The symbol on your wrist is the Eye of   Horus. As long as the divine power 
remains, it will protect your soul.”
23073.6 “It also ensures that when you die, 
your soul will come to me for judgment.”  “Or, if you wish, you can find one of my avatars 
in the death that lingers in the Loki Mountains.”
23083.04 As he finished speaking, the ancient starlit sky 
above began to flicker, its stability wavering.
23088.718 Glancing upward, Anubis realized that their time 
was up. He resumed his towering, majestic form,
23094.878 then gradually faded from sight, leaving 
only a single sentence echoing in the air.  “Farewell, Ember.”
Ember waved to the empty
23102.24 space before him. Though he hadn’t received a 
blessing this time, trading a greedy soul for   a second chance at life wasn’t a bad deal at all.
Besides, if the River Styx truly was the river of
23111.68 blood, then Ember had almost everything he 
needed for the ritual. After all, the blood   running through the veins of vampires shared the 
same origin as the river of blood—in a sense,
23120.16 it could be seen as another form of the Styx’s 
waters. The materials might not be perfect,
23125.2 but they should be enough to deal a heavy blow 
to Austin and keep him out of trouble for a   while. That would give Ember some precious 
time to strengthen himself even further.
23133.12 Now, all he was missing were 
the bones of a wrongful death.  Ember’s gaze drifted down to his 
feet. If he recalled correctly,
23139.68 the shooting that happened here had never made the 
news. Most likely, his predecessor’s old friend,
23145.12 Pete, had been buried here by the assassin 
who came back for him. That would make   these the bones of one who died unjustly.
Sorry, old friend, Ember thought. But I’ll
23153.92 have to dig up your remains and put them to use.
Sure enough, he was right.Ash hadn’t dug very
23158.958 deep before he uncovered the half-decayed corpse. 
The contours of the face still faintly resembled   Pete. Though Pete had died at the hands of 
another “good brother,” Jimmy, Ash had since
23168.24 killed Jimmy and wiped out the Black Dog Gang, 
the ones who had sent the assassins. In a way,   he had already avenged Pete. As for the body, 
Pete had neither father nor mother—there was no
23178.16 one left to claim his remains. Now that Ash was 
using the corpse for his ritual, it was at least
23183.28 finding some purpose after death. If Pete’s spirit 
knew of this, perhaps he’d feel some comfort.  With a solid swing of the hammer, Ash shattered 
Pete’s bones into powder, then poured them into
23193.28 the golden chalice. Clenching his jaw, he 
slashed open his own wrist again and again,
23198.4 filling the cup to the brim with his own 
blood. Next, he dropped in the lucky gold coin,
23203.44 and finally submerged the heart of the doll into 
the mixture. Once everything was prepared, Ash,
23208.798 his hands still stained red, cradled 
the golden chalice and began to chant.  Strange, undulating incantations echoed far into 
the abandoned worksite, weaving an unsettling
23218.478 atmosphere into the night. As the chanting 
continued, the heart floating in the golden   chalice began to crack, spiderweb-thin 
fissures appearing all over its surface.
23227.68 It worked. Ash’s choice of lesser materials 
had been the right one. The river of blood   that birthed the vampiric lineage was indeed 
the very same river once roaring through the
23235.76 underworld—though for reasons unknown, it now 
flowed with blood rather than shadow. The lucky
23241.04 coin, too, had transformed the usual ferryman’s 
coin, swapping misfortune for luck. Now,
23246.798 the only unknown was the curse’s effect. This 
kind of long-distance death spell was a first   for Ash—he had no idea how to verify the outcome.
Seeking a ritual from the Book of Sacrifice at
23256.4 this point seemed too costly. Ash glanced at the 
golden chalice, still half-full of fresh blood,
23261.92 and decided to use the Blood Mirror spell 
to call Alice, whom he hadn’t contacted   in ages. To his surprise, Alice—who was 
usually quick to reply—remained silent,
23271.04 as if she was out of reach entirely.
Thinking for a moment, Ash pulled   out his phone and dialed Alice’s 
number. This time, she picked up,
23278.798 her voice brimming with barely concealed delight, 
as if something wonderful had just happened.  “Hah, Ash! What’s gotten into 
you, calling me out of the blue?”
23287.04 “So, what’s the favor this time? I’ll 
give you a fifty percent discount.”  Ash set aside his curiosity 
and got straight to the point:
23294.0 “Do you know how to tell if your 
curse has succeeded? Whether   you’ve seriously harmed or killed someone?”
Alice gave a little exclamation of surprise.
23301.6 “You mean, verifying the effect of a death spell?”  “You’re capable of witchcraft now? Never 
mind, I won’t pry into your secrets.”
23309.2 “There is a way, but if your target 
isn’t dead, they’ll sense your presence.”  “It’s best if you use a powerful 
medium to mask your aura. That way,
23316.718 your true identity won’t be exposed.”
Ash nodded, “No problem. Just tell me   the incantation.”Alice cheerfully recited the 
incantation for Ember, then hesitated for a
23326.32 moment before saying, “This time, I won’t charge 
you. But I might ask for your help in the future.”
23332.0 She paused, as if suddenly recalling 
Ember’s identity as a demon’s agent,   and quickly added, “Of course, this 
isn’t a contract. You’re free to refuse!”
23340.878 Help her? Ember hadn’t forgotten Alice’s 
wish when they first met—she wanted to teach   a lesson to a wicked woman. But surely, 
Alice didn’t lack money anymore. Could
23349.44 it be that this bad woman was powerful?
“You know my abilities are limited. I’m   still just a novice demon hunter, so I 
might not actually be able to help you.”
23358.16 “But you can tell me anyway. Who 
knows, maybe I’ll be useful.”  With her mind made up, Alice no longer hesitated 
and spoke directly, “Here’s the situation:
23367.44 a prodigy wizard, someone the elders of my 
clan had high hopes for, recently died.”
23372.638 “So now, they’re looking to select 
someone else who has the potential to   become the Supreme Sorcerer.”
“And one of the evaluation
23378.958 criteria is connections.”
“When the time comes,   all you’ll need to do is bring a few friends to 
support me. There’s really no risk involved.”
23386.478 Just showing up to lend support? That 
was no problem at all. After agreeing,   Ember hung up the phone. He then pulled the 
burial shroud out from his Gluttony storage bag.
23395.44 Inside that shroud was none other than the 
demon Lutz. Using the demon’s breath as a cover,
23400.478 Ember was sure that even if Austin had somehow 
survived, he’d never recognize him now!  …
In the hidden
23405.84 depths of Lock City, Austin was completely 
absorbed in his work on a new puppet when,   without warning, a sharp pain seized his heart.
Moments later, a series of sharp crackles sounded
23416.4 from his body. The protective charms he wore to 
guard against curses exploded one after another.
23421.68 Realizing that someone was cursing him, Austin 
immediately calmed his mind and opened his eyes.  Did they really think a curse of this 
level could kill him? What a pitiful
23430.08 attempt. Did they take him, Austin, for 
one of those lazy, senile old fools?  They should know that he, Austin, was 
once a formidable wizard and a real
23438.4 contender for the title of Supreme Sorcerer.
Trying to play with curses in front of him was   like showing off one’s skills before a master.
With a cold snort, Austin prepared to get up
23447.52 and gather some materials to launch 
a counter-curse against the reckless   sorcerer who dared attack him.
But as he rose, he failed to
23453.92 notice that his fireproof and waterproof 
wizard’s robe had been weakened by the   curse and had lost its fire resistance.
Rising quickly, Austin’s robe billowed,
23462.4 and its edge brushed against a candle 
flame. Instantly, the hem caught fire.  Completely unaware, Austin flung open 
a nearby moisture-proof cabinet and
23471.04 began selecting his spell components.
Just as he slammed the cabinet shut,   a glass bottle—carelessly placed—tipped over, 
struck the door, bounced out, and crashed to
23480.638 the floor.As Austin turned, the flames licking 
his robe brushed against a bottle marked with   a yellow flammable symbol—the Heart of the Flame 
Demon. With a sudden explosion, a deafening blast
23491.36 filled his world. In an instant, Austin’s vision 
was consumed by searing fire. Before he could even
23497.12 register what had happened, a wave of agony, 
as if he were burning alive, overwhelmed him.
23502.798 Another sharp crack rang out. A blue glass vial, 
which Austin had hung around his neck, shattered
23508.4 unexpectedly. A refreshing coolness swept over 
him, soothing his pain. The relentless flames,
23514.798 upon meeting the blue mist, were immediately 
extinguished. This was the item Austin had gone
23519.84 through unimaginable trials to obtain for 
his own survival—the Tear of the Goddess.  Shakily getting to his feet, Austin grabbed 
a mirror with trembling hands. Staring at the
23528.958 scarred, pitted skin reflected back at him, 
he let out a furious roar. Only now did he
23534.32 realize that the curse placed upon him also 
contained a curse of misfortune! He had been
23539.6 struck by a malicious hex of terrible luck! The 
initial attack curse had completely misled him,
23544.958 leaving him wide open to this fate!
He vowed to hunt down the wretch who had done   this to him—how dare they ruin his face! He would 
make them pay a thousandfold for this humiliation!
23554.718 Just then, Austin sensed someone approaching. 
Were they coming to check if he was dead? A cold,
23560.0 murderous glint flashed in his eyes, mingled 
with bitter amusement. Good—let’s see exactly
23565.36 which brazen fool dared to lay a hand on him!
Meanwhile, in the southern district of Lorton,   within an abandoned construction site, Embers sat 
cross-legged with his eyes closed. One hand rested
23575.84 on a withered, shattered heart, the other gripped 
a rolled-up shroud. Following the incantation
23581.12 Alice had taught him, he began to chant softly.
The magical power, transformed from the emotions
23586.558 of the seven deadly sins, flowed as the 
chant guided it, coursing through the heart,   Embers himself, and the shroud in a deliberate 
pattern. Embers was the source; the shroud, which
23597.44 sealed the demon Ruz, served as a camouflage; the 
puppet’s heart acted as the conduit. In essence,
23602.958 it was much like a hacker using a series of 
proxies to launch a disguised attack—bouncing   through intermediaries to mask the true origin.
So, when Embers “saw” the disheveled Austin,
23612.16 Austin “saw” Embers as well. Yet 
to Austin’s eyes, Embers appeared   only as a silhouette shrouded in swirling 
darkness, exuding a powerful demonic aura.
23620.958 A demonic presence? Even without seeing the 
figure’s true face, Austin instantly understood
23626.16 who had struck at him. True demons rarely relied 
on long-range curses to eliminate their enemies,
23631.92 for a demon’s greatest pleasure lies 
in watching their foes fall into pain   and despair before their very eyes. Such 
remote curses robbed them of this delight.
23639.92 Thus, to use demonic power for a curse, it could 
only have been a warlock capable of channeling   the energy of demons! And in this world, there 
were precious few sorcerers who used demonic
23649.28 forces as their source of magic. As it happened, 
there was just such a person within the Church of   Immortality.This elder-level grand wizard of the 
Cult of Immortality had always been at odds with
23658.4 him, Austin, due to their differing philosophies, 
and recently they had even competed for certain   objects. If this person was truly determined, 
it wouldn’t be so difficult for him to obtain
23667.84 a medium connected to Austin. Considering all 
these factors together, the culprit’s identity was
23672.878 already becoming obvious. Russell! Damn Russell! 
Taking his Heart of Eternity wasn’t enough—now
23679.12 he’d come straight to his doorstep! Did Russell 
really think he was someone to be toyed with,   like a ball of cotton ripe for the picking?
Seething with rage, Austin’s eyes nearly
23687.52 blazed with fire, but he wasted no time. He began 
rummaging through the charred cabinets without
23693.36 hesitation. Before long, he found a scorched, 
yellowed tooth—one of Russell’s baby teeth,
23699.04 discarded in childhood. Austin had gone through 
no small effort to unearth it from deep beneath
23704.24 the soil. All of it was for this very moment. 
If their conflict ever escalated to the point
23709.6 where pretenses had to be dropped, he would 
at least have a means to strike back. And now,   that time had come!
…
23715.44 The moment Ash saw Austin’s condition through 
spirit vision, he immediately severed their   connection. As Ash exited the spirit vision, a 
wave of dizziness washed over him. The sensation
23725.36 was much like wearing a VR headset for too 
long—a strange, lingering discomfort. After all,
23730.4 spirit vision wasn’t about seeing with 
one’s eyes, but more like possessing a   360-degree awareness. Returning so abruptly 
to a body where one eye could see, at most,
23740.4 188 degrees, naturally felt jarring. Thankfully, 
the discomfort passed as quickly as it came.
23745.6 Recalling the scene he’d just witnessed, Ash 
could be fairly certain that the curse had   taken effect. As for the results—they were 
satisfactory. Although Austin hadn’t died,
23754.478 his state was truly miserable. It was a 
pity that most of Austin’s puppet body   had already been sacrificed by Ash; otherwise, a 
few more rounds of curses, and Austin might have
23764.4 gone straight to meet his ancestors. Witchcraft 
curses really were terrifying. Without some form   of defense, one could fall victim all too easily.
Fortunately, the materials for such potent curses
23774.638 were hard to come by, and Ash himself wasn’t 
without means of protection. He glanced at the
23779.76 Eye of Horus on his wrist. Besides this artifact, 
Lana’s presence could also help lessen the curse’s
23785.52 effects. And if things got really dire, he still 
had a Curse Heart at his disposal. Of course,
23791.44 relying too much on the Curse Heart would 
gradually erode Ash’s worldly desires. But   any friend who’d ever been cursed knew—the law 
of curse counteraction holds true. If it really
23800.958 came to that, Ash wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
After a moment’s thought, Ash estimated that   if a curse of the same strength were 
used against him, he could withstand
23808.798 it at least three times. This realization 
put his mind at ease. For now, physical   harm was nothing to him; it was these strange 
mental assaults that posed the real threat.
23818.16 Just as Ash dusted off his hands and 
prepared to get back in the car and leave,   a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of 
his vehicle. That ever-present black wizard’s
23826.08 robe—it could only be Austin himself.But Ember, 
having just used Spirit Vision, was well aware
23831.36 that Austin’s true body was not present. So what 
stood before him could only be a new puppet. Could
23836.4 it be that the Spirit Vision spell Alice gave 
him was flawed? Had he been discovered? Hah,
23841.76 it didn’t matter either way. Ember had already 
experienced firsthand the fighting power of these
23846.798 puppets—this was a ritual medium delivered right 
to his doorstep! If Austin had chosen to keep his
23851.84 puppet hidden, Ember might have been a bit wary. 
But now, he could deal with it as he pleased.
23856.878 Ember placed his hand on the car door handle, 
preparing to transform into a blood bat and   deliver a ruthless blow to the puppet under 
Austin’s control. Just then, Austin spoke first:
23866.558 “I know you have some grievances 
against me, so I’ve come to apologize.”  “As a gesture of sincerity, I 
can share a secret with you.”
23874.0 “Russell asked you to escort that woman back to 
the city, but he doesn’t have good intentions.”  Hearing this, Ember paused, no longer in a rush 
to open the door. It seemed Alice’s suggestion
23884.24 was working. Austin had no idea who had cursed 
him from the shadows, and for some reason,
23889.28 he’d even begun to suspect Russell. So, Austin’s 
appearance wasn’t an act of foolishness, but an
23894.878 attempt to win him over? How intriguing.
Feigning confusion, Ember asked,   “What do you mean?”
Austin pointed to Amy,
23902.0 who was slumped in the back seat, fast 
asleep. “If I’m not mistaken, that woman   deliberately attracted a demon to possess her.”
“For people like her, removing the growths with
23911.36 Russell’s method is only a temporary fix—it 
doesn’t address the root of the problem.”  “Russell knows this. I know this. 
The only one who doesn’t is you.”
23920.0 “And most likely, you’re the one who’ll perform 
the operation. So the demon that once possessed   her will only hold a grudge against you.”
“When it returns, that will be the day you die!”
23929.68 Ember deliberately put on a look of shock, 
though in truth he’d already known this. He   had witnessed with his own eyes that Amy could 
call Luz back through pain—far more convincing
23938.798 than mere words. Yet now, it sounded like 
Austin might have a way to prevent such a   thing. If he truly had a solution, that 
would fulfill Ember’s promise to Amy.
23947.28 So Ember continued to play the 
naïve fool and asked earnestly,   “Then what should I do to avoid such a fate?”
Austin smiled confidently. The fish had taken
23955.6 the bait. Now was the time to reel it in. As 
for the incident where Ember had killed his   precious puppet in a fit of violence, both 
of them tacitly chose not to mention it.
23964.478 “Before I tell you the solution, you have to 
promise to take me into District Thirteen!”  Hearing Austin’s demand, Ember deliberately 
put on a conflicted expression. Seeing this,
23974.4 Austin, thinking Ember was already 
tempted, pressed his advantage:  “What are you hesitating for?”
“Russell wants you dead!”
23981.84 “I’m the only one who wants to save you!”“All 
I want in return is a small favor from you.”
23987.04 “Russell is dead. That’s 
good news for both of us!”  Ember, who was always happy to see two dogs 
fighting, gritted his teeth and feigned a look
23994.558 of great difficulty, as if making a hard decision.
“Fine! As long as you help me out of this dead
23999.84 end, I’ll take you into District Thirteen!”
“But on the way, you’ll have to listen to me.   If something goes wrong, I won’t be responsible!”
Seeing Ember finally agree to bring him
24009.28 into District Thirteen, Austin, 
hidden beneath his black hood,   couldn’t help but let a faint smile slip.
Russell, since you showed no mercy first,
24017.84 don’t blame me for returning the favor…
Once in the car, Austin wasted no time.   He pulled out a small silver knife, 
its blade glinting in the dim light.
24026.958 Catching Ember’s wary gaze in the rearview mirror, 
Austin raised his hand to show he meant no harm.
24032.24 “Don’t get the wrong idea. I really 
don’t intend to do anything bad.”  “It’s just that, usually, when someone willingly 
invites a demon to possess them, the demon’s
24040.878 true name is carved beneath their flesh.”
“That way, the demon can be summoned into the   same vessel over and over, under the same terms.”
“If you want to avoid that fate, there’s only one
24050.558 way—erase the demon’s true name engraved 
in your very bones. And as it happens,   I know how to do that.”
“So, what’s your choice?”
24058.4 Austin’s words touched on an 
area Ember knew little about.  Information on demons was restricted 
in the Psychic Division—only senior
24065.28 demon hunters had access to such files. So 
Ember truly knew nothing about these things.  But then, Austin had no real reason to lie.
Wizards were never known for their close combat
24074.558 skills—Austin daring to get in his car meant that, 
at least for now, they were on the same side.  After a brief moment of thought, Ember nodded, 
then tossed Austin a vial of painkiller.
24084.4 Austin’s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise 
when he saw the painkiller on the seat.  So Ember has a kind side after all.
He knew that flaying flesh and scraping
24092.4 bone would be excruciating, so he’d 
prepared a dose for Amy ahead of time.  But in this world, it’s truly much harder 
to be a good person than a bad one.
24100.4 To Austin, this bit of kindness was a 
handle he could grasp—leverage to be used.  With a deeper smile curling at his lips, 
Austin injected all the painkiller into
24108.958 the emaciated veins of Amy’s arm.
Then, with a swift motion, he drew   the knife across her skin, pried up the taut 
flesh with two fingernails, and pulled hard.
24117.84 With a sickening rip, the skin on 
the inside of Amy’s forearm came   away in one perfect sheet, utterly intact.
Just from the practiced skill of his hands,
24126.16 it was clear that Austin had done 
this sort of thing many times before.  After all, the art of erasing a demon’s 
true name was not a common service—one
24134.08 could only imagine, with a shudder, 
how Austin had become so adept at it.  Ember instantly felt a surge 
of caution toward Austin.
24141.12 Perhaps this man’s close-quarters abilities 
weren’t as feeble as he’d thought.Perhaps   the reason it was so fragile before was 
simply that Ash’s attack had come too
24148.24 suddenly. Steadying himself, Ash continued 
to watch through the car’s rearview mirror.   He saw that after the skin was stripped away, 
Austin picked up the small knife again and,
24157.44 with the practiced skill of a master butcher, 
sliced all the flesh from Amy’s body, leaving only
24162.638 the blood vessels and sinews perfectly intact. 
Such technique—if Austin were to become a surgeon,
24168.24 he would surely be a prodigy of the operating 
room. Unfortunately, anyone with ambition would
24173.28 never be content with the mere life of a doctor.
Sensing Ash’s silent astonishment, Austin began to
24178.718 erase the demon’s true name with his silver knife, 
explaining with smug satisfaction, “This really
24183.92 isn’t so difficult. You just need to practice 
turning a whole person into a pile of flesh   over and over again, and then reassembling that 
pile of flesh onto the bones. Do it enough times,
24193.92 and your hands will become as skilled as mine.”
Speculation was one thing, but hearing Austin
24198.958 describe his method outright caused a wave of 
murderous intent to rise uncontrollably in Ash’s   heart. Yet Austin seemed entirely oblivious, 
waxing lyrical about his grand puppet artistry.
24209.44 Looking at Amy, still at Austin’s mercy, Ash 
exhaled, releasing a heavy breath as he forced
24215.12 himself to calm down. Austin and Russell—they 
were two sides of the same coin. These people   never regarded others as human, nor did they see 
themselves as such. If Ash didn’t need to restore
24225.36 Amy to her normal state, he would never have 
tolerated Austin’s arrogance for even a moment.  After regaining his composure, Ash glanced 
again at the rearview mirror. Sure enough,
24235.28 the demon’s true names etched deep in Amy’s 
bones were being erased, one by one. Yet,   this was no more than a stopgap for Amy. The true 
names inscribed in her bones were carved by her
24245.92 self-harming personality. Ash couldn’t read the 
demonic script, but he knew that as long as that   personality persisted, Amy—the self-mutilator 
who knew Lutz’s true name—would keep carving
24255.84 those names, summoning Lutz through pain.
So, no matter how much Ash loathed Austin,   for Amy’s sake he had to ask, “Is it enough 
just to erase the true names from her bones?
24265.28 What if she still remembers the demon’s name?”
Austin, scraping away at the bones with his knife,
24270.4 paused for a moment, then immediately understood 
the situation with this demon vessel. Some people,
24275.6 after all, deliberately stitch a demon’s 
true name beneath their flesh to summon   possession. For that, the solution was simple.
“It’s fine. Just make her forget the demon’s true
24284.798 name,” he replied. “The forgetting spell has 
its flaws, but it’s undeniably effective. All
24290.4 you need to do is send her somewhere unfamiliar, 
keep her away from anything from her past, and the
24295.76 spell’s effect will last until the day she dies.”
A forgetting spell? Before Amy’s other personality
24301.2 could be dealt with…This did seem like a pretty 
good idea. Ember had never thought of it before,
24306.32 simply because he hadn’t yet learned to approach 
problems with a wizard’s mindset. To a wizard,   if one spell can’t solve the problem, then 
try another. If that still doesn’t work,
24315.84 then invent a new spell yourself. Sooner or later, 
there’s always a spell that will get the job done.
24321.36 Before long, Austin had completely erased 
every trace of the demon’s true name from   Amy’s bones. Then, just as he had promised, 
he began to carefully layer the fallen flesh,
24331.12 piece by piece, back onto Amy’s arm, which 
had been stripped to the bone. The flesh,
24336.32 drained of all color, was as white as winter snow.
If he were making a doll, Austin wouldn’t bother
24341.6 with such trouble. But now he was saving a life, 
so he began to chant a spell of restoration.   Under the influence of his incantation, the broken 
capillaries seemed to come alive, reconnecting one
24352.638 by one. As the blood began to flow again, the 
pallid flesh gradually regained its rosy hue.
24358.24 From the outside, Amy now looked almost 
completely unharmed, aside from her thinness.
24363.68 Meanwhile, Ember’s car was pulling up 
to the gates of a wealthy estate in   the northern district of Locheng. After 
all, Amy Forbes was the beloved daughter
24371.44 of the city’s biggest real estate magnate.
George Forbes paced anxiously back and forth   in front of the grand gates, wide enough 
for horses to gallop through. Ever since
24380.0 he’d heard from the psychic division that 
his daughter was safe, his mood had been   a wild rollercoaster of hope and dread.
As the most powerful property developer
24387.44 in Locheng, George could, in theory, have had 
another daughter if Amy was lost. After all,
24393.12 women willing to bear his children could line 
up from the Tulip Domain all the way to the   city gates. But the crucial point was, in his 
younger days, George had indulged in every excess,
24402.4 and his health had long since failed him. To 
put it bluntly, he was no longer capable—his   seed of life had lost its vigor years ago.
Of course, there were no wild stallions
24411.84 galloping atop his head—Amy was indeed 
his daughter, that much was certain.  Thanks to his wealth, George had learned a few 
secrets that most people never would. Years ago,
24420.638 he had taken a group into the Rocky Mountains 
and spent a night there. He returned alone,   and soon afterward, his wife became mysteriously 
pregnant. That was how Amy came into the world.
24431.12 Lacking any preference for sons over 
daughters, George doted on his only   child. But the result was a daughter so spoiled 
that she lost her sense of purpose early on.
24440.0 Before George could figure out what to do, he 
discovered that Amy had been secretly reading   the ancient tomes he’d locked away out of reach. 
What happened next truly terrified him: his
24448.798 daughter began to hurt herself again and again.
He realized that Amy had tried the forbidden   rituals described in those old books and 
summoned a demon from hell. But by then,
24457.12 she was already lost to madness, unwilling to 
listen to him or let a priest into the house. If
24462.32 a priest even set foot across the threshold, 
she would threaten to end her own life.  In despair, George believed that the bargain 
he’d made in the Rocky Mountains was finally
24470.638 coming back to haunt him—and that he was about to 
lose his only daughter.He had never expected such   a sudden turn of events: his daughter agreed 
to treatment, and, even more astonishingly,
24479.92 she was cured. George was filled with both 
surprise and joy. The joy came from knowing   his daughter was safe; the surprise, however, 
was far more troubling—for if his daughter was
24488.878 unharmed, it meant trouble awaited him.
After all, he had once made a promise to   the god of love: as long as his daughter reached 
adulthood, he would go to the Rocky Mountains and
24497.84 become the love god’s male companion. Yet, human 
nature is selfish, and he had not kept his word.
24503.52 So, ever since his daughter’s accident, George had 
suspected it was the love god’s revenge at work.
24509.12 Now that his daughter had returned, it seemed 
the only way to prevent further mishaps was to   make the journey to the Rockies himself. But this 
time, he feared, there would be no coming back.
24518.878 The thought of that wolfish, predatory love 
god made George’s face go ashen with dread.  Just then, a perfectly ordinary car was stopped 
by a security guard not far away. Immediately,
24528.958 George’s radio crackled to life. Realizing his 
daughter had returned, George quickly stepped onto
24534.08 his hoverboard and sped to the gate to greet her.
He first glanced at Ember, the young driver, but
24539.52 shifted his attention swiftly to Austin. A young 
driver would not solve his problems. In three
24544.638 brisk strides, George deftly slipped a gemstone 
into Austin’s hand and greeted him with a smile.
24549.84 “May I ask your name?”
Austin shot a half-amused glance at Ember,   then accepted the gemstone without a word, 
finally replying, “You can call me Austin.”
24558.638 George nodded. “Oh, Mr. Austin, 
thank you for saving my daughter.”  “Is Amy completely all right now? Will 
anything happen to her again in the future?”
24567.76 After explaining how Amy 
could avoid further distress,   Austin stepped aside. Once George confirmed that 
Amy was merely unconscious, he looked at Austin,
24576.24 clearly wanting to say more but hesitating.
Austin, an old hand at such things,   immediately saw through George’s hesitation. But 
he was in a hurry for his own revenge in District
24586.0 13 and had no time for more conversation.
“Mr. George, since we’ve brought Amy back   safely, it’s about time for us to leave—”
Before Austin could finish, Ember interrupted,
24596.24 “Mr. George, is there something troubling 
you? Why not tell us? Maybe we can help.”  Austin shot Ember an irritated glare. 
This was not part of their agreement!
24605.28 There was no need to complicate things further.
Ember ignored Austin’s annoyance, fixing his gaze
24610.558 intently on George.
[George Forbes]  [Wish: To escape the 
entanglement of the love god.]
24616.2 … The love god! Ember did not know exactly 
which one, but he was well aware that any love   god who meddled in mortal affairs was hardly 
divine anymore, but rather a lustful demon.
24625.76 Until now, Ember hadn’t known where to find the 
Seed of Lust. Naturally, he was not about to let
24631.04 George slip away.Hearing Embers interject, George 
looked at him in surprise, then glanced at Austin,
24637.84 whose face was twisted in anger but who 
offered no rebuttal. In that instant,   George realized his earlier assumptions 
had been mistaken. Between these two,
24645.76 it seemed that the young man driving—rather than 
Austin in the back seat—was the one who called   the shots. When did such a rising star appear 
among the demon hunters? Caught up as he’d been
24655.52 with worries about his daughter and the goddess 
of love, George truly didn’t recognize Embers.   But after today, he certainly would.
After a brief moment of contemplation,
24664.478 George decided to take a desperate 
gamble and spoke up directly:  “The reason Amy has suffered demonic 
possession—I’ve finally figured it out.”
24672.0 “It all began in the Rocky Mountains, back when 
I was a young man traveling there for pleasure.”  “As it happened, someone took a liking to 
my looks and insisted I stay. Naturally,
24681.76 I refused with all my might.”
“That woman flew into a rage from   shame, and laid a curse upon my whole 
family, dooming us all to misfortune.”
24689.92 Seeing the grief etched across George’s 
face, Embers almost believed his story. Yet,   from what Embers knew, if the goddess of love 
truly desired George, she would never have
24699.52 let him slip away. So the truth of George’s 
tale was highly questionable. But Embers did   not interrupt his would-be benefactor, 
choosing instead to listen in silence.
24708.958 George, meanwhile, grew more 
impassioned as he spoke:  “I never took it seriously before, but 
now, her curse seems to be coming true,
24716.798 one horror after another.”
“That’s why I’d like to formally   commission the Psychic Bureau to send a demon 
hunter to rid me of that spiteful woman.”
24724.08 “Of course, if the Bureau takes the case, 
they’ll take a hefty cut of the reward.”  “So if you’re interested, I could entrust 
this task to you privately. What do you say?”
24732.878 Slaying a goddess? Embers didn’t 
particularly mind. However—  “No!” Austin refused flatly. “We have 
more pressing matters to attend to.
24741.6 If you’re not in a hurry, you can wait your turn.”  “If it’s truly urgent, you can always 
submit your request to the Bureau.”
24748.08 “There are plenty of demon hunters in the 
world—it doesn’t have to be us, right, Ash?”  With those words, Austin fixed 
Embers with a fierce glare,
24756.08 his fingers twitching ever so slightly, as if 
to say: If you disagree, I’ll kill everyone here
24761.6 on the spot! For those with a conscience, 
this tactic was usually quite effective.  Yet Embers acted as though he hadn’t noticed 
at all, turning instead to George and asking,
24770.558 “This spiteful woman from the 
Rockies—is she the goddess of love?”  The goddess of love?! Austin had been ready to 
bring Embers in line for ignoring his ‘advice’,
24779.12 but the moment these words left Embers’ mouth, 
Austin’s attitude changed instantly. He shifted
24784.16 his gaze to George, who looked equally startled, 
and it was clear to see that Embers had hit the
24789.52 mark.George’s trouble was no ordinary witch 
who could curse others, but a god fallen to   the mortal world! When it comes to these deities 
who once stood high above, it’s not just Ember who
24798.638 would be interested—most members of the Cult of 
Immortality would be intrigued, including Austin   himself. After all, gods have always been the ones 
closest to eternity. For the Cult of Immortality,
24809.52 gods are the perfect subjects for study. Be 
it the goddess of love or the god of death,   in the eyes of the cult, they are merely 
different paths leading toward the eternal.
24818.08 Of course, most gods possess formidable powers, 
and rarely would anyone from the cult be mad   enough to consider targeting them. But gods who 
have fallen to the mortal realm are another story
24827.2 entirely. Having lost their followers after their 
defeat in the war of the gods, they are stripped
24832.958 of their divine power. Strictly speaking, the 
so-called goddess of love in the Rocky Mountains   could now be called a succubus. Yet, that 
doesn’t diminish her value as a research subject.
24842.16 If Ember truly wished to hunt the goddess of 
love, then the affairs of District Thirteen   could indeed be set aside for now. After all, 
for followers of immortality, nothing is more
24851.76 enticing than eternity itself. In the face of 
eternity, what does a little hatred matter?
24857.04 Eyes gleaming, Austin fixed his gaze 
on George. He needed to know more.  Austin’s reaction was exactly as Ember had 
expected. Ever since he saw the imprisoned avatar
24866.4 of Anubis in the Rocky Mountains, Ember understood 
that gods held an irresistible allure for   those who pursued immortality. So the moment he 
mentioned the goddess of love, Austin would surely
24875.92 volunteer to be his ally. However, to hunt a god, 
they would need to be thoroughly prepared. And
24881.04 right now, the only person in the know was George.
If George kept stammering and refusing to tell   the truth, as he had before, Ember 
would have to reconsider whether to
24889.36 accept this commission at all.
With both pairs of eyes on him,   George’s face twisted in indecision. He had no 
idea how Ember had seen through the woman’s true
24897.92 identity as the goddess of love. The reason he 
hadn’t mentioned her name from the start was that   he feared Ember would have nothing to do with 
the commission the moment he heard those words.
24906.638 Usually, demon hunters only take on jobs either to 
make a little extra money while pursuing revenge,
24912.0 or because the Department of Psyonics has some 
tool or resource they desperately need—tasks   they can handle, nothing more. If a hunter had 
no personal grudge against the goddess of love,
24921.68 why would they want to provoke a ‘god,’ a 
creature so perilous and extraordinary? It   would be like shining a flashlight in 
the restroom—just asking for trouble!
24929.92 After all, even a phoenix fallen in the water 
is still a phoenix, and the goddess of love   is still a god! Yet now, it seemed the words 
“goddess of love” were actually making Ember
24938.958 and Austin excited? This was nothing like any 
demon hunter George had ever heard of. Had he   run into a pair of demon-hunting madmen?
Realizing this, a surge of wariness rose
24948.638 in George’s heart.The so-called “demon-hunter 
psychosis” refers to those demon hunters who,
24953.76 after years of witnessing countless terrifying 
scenes, have seen their worldview repeatedly   shattered and twisted by each new hunt. 
In time, they find themselves unable to
24963.12 adapt to a peaceful and beautiful life.
What’s more, ordinary demon-hunting cases   no longer interest them; instead, they begin 
to crave ever more dangerous and exhilarating
24972.958 experiences. When demon hunters with this 
psychosis join a hunt, their very presence often   raises the level of danger by several notches.
There were even cases where a demon hunter,
24982.32 finding the demon too weak, would perform 
a blood sacrifice on a comrade just to   strengthen the demon’s power! Afterwards, when the 
psychic division sent psychologists to diagnose
24991.44 the participants, they discovered that demon 
hunters, much like war veterans of earlier eras,   could develop PTSD—post-traumatic stress disorder.
Yet, the psychological impact of demon-hunting
25001.12 far surpasses the horrors of war, making these 
afflicted hunters even more dangerous. Since then,
25006.558 the psychic division has adopted a unified term 
for such individuals—“demon-hunter psychosis.”
25011.92 Most of the high-level assignments received by 
the psychic division end up being tackled by   these thrill-seekers. Despite their undeniable 
contributions to the stability of Lock City,
25020.718 others still regard demon-hunter 
psychosis as a walking disaster.  After all, if you hunt demons with the Lyon 
brothers, at least you die by a demon’s
25028.08 hand. But if you’re paired with someone 
suffering from demon-hunter psychosis,   you might just end up as collateral damage 
yourself. That’s why, in private, other hunters
25036.878 call these individuals “suicide trucks”—and 
no one is willing to hunt alongside them.  At this moment, George suspected that Ash and 
his companion belonged to that very category of
25046.08 psychotic demon hunters. He was truly afraid that, 
once they learned the truth, they would drag him
25051.28 to the Rockies by force to lure out the Love God.
After all, if he fell into the hands of the Love   God, life would be a fate worse than 
death—though at least he might survive
25059.6 long enough to stumble upon a chance 
to escape. But if he were used as bait,   he’d have no hope left at all. The enraged Love 
God would surely kill him first for his betrayal!
25069.36 Seeing George’s face clouded with worry and his 
long silence, Ash added meaningfully, “Mr. George,
25074.958 if your adversary is the Love God and not some 
witch, I’m afraid your time may be running out.”  George trembled from head to toe. Although he had 
blamed the demon possessing Amy on the Love God,
25084.558 he had no real evidence—he was just making 
things up. But hearing Ash say this,   it almost sounded like a prophecy come 
true. The fact that Amy’s misfortune
25092.878 struck just as she came of age felt more like 
a warning—a warning from the Love God himself.  If George refused to go to the Rockies or failed 
to deal with the Love God, he feared the next
25101.92 target would be more than just his daughter.
Realizing that his time was nearly up,   George let out a heavy sigh, and finally 
understood. So be it—if he had to hunt with
25110.558 the demon-hunter psychosis, then so be it.At 
least they have the courage to face the goddess
25115.76 of love. But as for him, there was no way he 
would set foot in the Loki Mountains with Ember   and the others — that was his bottom line!
After carefully gathering his thoughts,
25124.16 George spoke to confirm, “That’s right, that 
woman was once the goddess of love — Aphrodite.”
25129.52 Aphrodite? So she’s the goddess who holds 
sway over desire? According to the tales,   she’s a notorious siren, leaving behind children 
with almost every god of note. George’s worries
25140.4 were, in truth, quite understandable. Not 
just anyone could hope to satisfy Aphrodite.
25145.6 What truly piqued Ember’s curiosity, however, was 
why George had caught her eye in the first place.
25150.638 Sensing Ember’s contemplative gaze, a fleeting 
look of embarrassment crossed George’s face.   But Ember had no intention of letting him off so 
easily. “Mr. George, you know as well as I do —
25160.638 the more you tell us now, the better our chances.”
George sighed deeply once more, then relented
25166.0 with a tone of resignation. “I learned 
about her from a demon hunter’s journal.”  “It said that if you could bring her to ecstasy 
just once, she would grant you a single request.”
25175.28 At the mention of pleasure, George 
unconsciously puffed out his belly,   a sudden surge of confidence lighting up his face. 
“When it comes to pleasing the goddess of love,
25184.16 I must say, I have some confidence.”
“Back in my younger days,   I was known as the ‘Little Cannon of Los City.’”
“Granted, I’m older now, not quite as vigorous as
25193.84 I used to be, but I still have a silver tongue 
— and a few tricks up my sleeve that would give   even Aphrodite a taste of human ingenuity.”
“So, I gathered a group and ventured into the
25203.04 Loki Mountains. Following the demon hunter’s 
instructions, we threw a wild party to lure   the goddess in.”
“And then…”
25209.76 A shadow of lingering dread flickered 
across George’s face — clearly,   that party had left a deep scar on his memory. He 
took a long, steadying breath before continuing.
25219.04 “When I first saw her, her skin 
was a little loose and dull,   but her figure was truly a sight to behold — and 
she had far more appetite than I’d imagined.”
25226.718 “But as the party went on, she grew younger 
and younger, her beauty growing so dazzling   it was almost blinding, her eyes as 
blue as the deep sea. Just a glance
25235.28 from her could steal your very soul.”
“No one could resist her allure.   It was as if we were moths drawn helplessly 
to the flame, begging for her favor.”
25244.08 “But in the end, I alone managed to bring a 
blush as pink as spring blossoms to her cheeks.”  “In return, she agreed to grant me a child. 
But she also took nineteen of my men, and only
25254.16 then did she grant me nineteen years of respite.”
George paused, then asked, “That’s everything. The
25259.68 rest is just details — do you want to hear them?”
Ember shook his head. He was here to hunt demons,
25265.44 not to please Aphrodite. Those details were of no 
use to him.Moreover, Ash found himself entirely
25270.958 unmoved by Aphrodite’s beauty—if anything, he 
even felt a trace of aversion. It wasn’t just him;
25276.878 Austin, who inhabited the puppet’s body, felt 
nothing at all either. When Ash’s calm, unfazed
25283.04 gaze met his, Austin felt a flicker of surprise 
and doubt. It was perfectly normal for him,   as a puppet, to be immune to the charms of 
a goddess of love—the vessel simply wasn’t
25292.798 equipped for such temptations. But Ash’s reaction 
was another matter entirely. How could a man feel
25298.478 not the slightest desire for the legendary goddess 
of beauty? Was that even possible? What man in his
25304.08 right mind could remain indifferent to the goddess 
of love? If Austin had been fifty years younger,
25309.6 he would have jumped at the chance to spend a 
passionate night with Aphrodite. But age had   caught up with him; he simply didn’t have 
the strength for such escapades anymore.
25317.68 As for Aphrodite’s allure, it could be summed 
up in a single phrase: whatever you desire,
25322.878 she embodies. The perfect figure, a captivating 
face, an enchanting voice—she possessed them
25328.878 all. Ash’s stoic demeanor was, in all likelihood, 
just a brave front. Austin was certain that when
25335.12 Ash truly laid eyes on Aphrodite, even the most 
steadfast man would find his resolve wavering.
25340.32 The thought of Ash making a fool of himself 
brought a mocking smile to Austin’s lips.   Before he dealt with Aphrodite, he wouldn’t mind 
recording a little video of Ash’s embarrassing
25349.52 moment. Ash still had a sense of pride; with 
such a video in hand, Austin could easily have
25354.558 the upper hand over him. And with that leverage, 
dealing with Russell would be so much easier.  With these plans forming in his mind, 
Austin spoke up, “Why are you looking
25363.36 at me? Haven’t you already decided to go? 
Shouldn’t we be discussing payment first?”  “She’s a goddess, after all. If the reward’s 
too low, I won’t be motivated,” Ash replied.
25373.68 Austin’s meaning was clear, and Ash picked up on 
it instantly. Since George was in such a hurry,
25379.2 they could drive a hard bargain when 
it came to the reward! After all,   the magical components a wizard used were never 
cheap, and Austin had recently lost a fortune’s
25387.92 worth of materials in the fire. Now, it was only 
fair that George coughed up a hefty pile of gold.
25393.2 A seasoned businessman, George immediately 
understood what the two were up to—they were   planning to ask for an exorbitant fee. Instead 
of unsettling him, this actually put George’s
25402.08 mind at ease. If they wanted money, then they 
weren’t demon-hunting fanatics. And money   was the one thing George had in abundance. Los 
Angeles’s top real estate tycoon, short on cash?
25413.52 What a joke! Sure, he owed the bank billions, 
but that was on paper, in the company’s name.
25418.878 His personal fortune was more than enough for him 
to live in extravagance for countless lifetimes.  So George simply put on a show of 
generosity, waving his hand with a flourish.
25428.558 “Money? There will be plenty of that!”
“How about this: you name your price!”  [Contract established]
…
25434.958 Seeing George so willing to let him set the price, 
Ash fell into a moment of contemplation. At this
25440.24 point in his life, money really didn’t matter 
much to him anymore. The four million dollars he   already had would be more than enough to last 
a very long time.Compared to money, what Ember
25449.6 truly desired as payment were things that money 
simply couldn’t buy. “I don’t want money. I want   to see your collection,” he declared.
Upon hearing this, Austin couldn’t help
25458.478 but regard Ember with newfound respect. Refusing 
payment and instead asking for a piece from the
25463.6 collection? Indeed, it was a clever choice—far 
better than seeking money, which would need to
25468.798 be converted into goods anyway. After all, some 
things simply lie beyond the reach of wealth.  One must remember that most of a real estate 
tycoon’s collection consists of ancient relics
25477.92 unearthed from construction sites. Before these 
artifacts ever entered George’s collection, they   would have already been carefully sifted through. 
So, even if one couldn’t pick the absolute best
25487.44 item, there’d still be a solid guarantee 
of quality. Yet, to select a true treasure   among them would require a discerning eye.
It’s worth mentioning that the Immortality
25496.0 Cult had once set their sights on the treasures of 
such wealthy collectors. But after a few attempts,   they realized these raids often yielded more 
trouble than they were worth. While the items were
25505.2 valuable, those truly coveted by the cult were 
rare indeed. And after attacking these tycoons,
25510.798 one had to endure the retaliation of the 
psychic authorities. All things considered,   it was far simpler to capture an avatar of 
a god than to go after these collections.
25519.36 After weighing his options, Austin ultimately 
opted for the more straightforward reward of ten   million dollars. For someone with his connections, 
turning cash into spellcasting materials was a
25529.36 trivial task. Choosing an item from a collection, 
on the other hand, would be a matter of luck.
25534.4 George, after some thought, agreed that 
once the matter was resolved, Ember could   choose any single item from his collection.
Later, Ember took Austin to the dog market,
25543.2 where they purchased dozens of Teddy dogs 
in heat. He had no time to gather a group of   degenerate partygoers, so the Teddies would have 
to do as substitutes. From George’s description,
25552.878 Ember had deduced that what would attract 
Aphrodite was not any particular creature,   but rather the blaze of desire itself.
Witnessing Ember’s choice, Austin—face hidden
25562.16 deep beneath his wizard’s hood—couldn’t help but 
reveal a complex expression. He had assumed Ember
25567.36 would eventually seek his assistance, giving 
him the leverage to demand some conditions in   return. Never did he expect that this young 
man would take such an unconventional route.
25576.878 By now, the car was thick with the heady scent 
of desire, courtesy of the energetic Teddies.
25582.24 The air was so charged with passion 
that not only would it lure Aphrodite,   but even if a succubus decided to join the 
party, Austin wouldn’t have been surprised.
25590.0 Sure enough, when they arrived at the 
location George had described, faint,   enchanting melodies drifted through the air. 
Then, a flawless woman appeared—barefoot,
25599.36 clad in gossamer veils, and gliding 
gracefully along a path strewn with   flowers. She swayed with every 
step, drawing all eyes to her.
25607.2 With the arrival of Aphrodite, the goddess 
of love, everything around seemed to lose its   luster. It was as if the entire world 
revolved around this perfect woman.
25616.24 Even the Teddies, who had been brimming with 
restless energy, now ceased their frolicking. One
25621.52 by one, they turned their gaze toward the radiant 
heart of the scene, utterly captivated.Aphrodite,
25627.28 dressed in dazzling yet elegant attire and 
adorned with a golden-brocade belt at her waist,   possessed skin as smooth and luminous as white 
porcelain. Her long golden hair shimmered in the
25636.878 lingering glow of the setting sun, and in her 
sea-blue eyes surged a love as boundless and   tumultuous as the ocean itself. Each graceful 
step she took sent a captivating ripple through
25645.76 her form, a spectacle so enchanting that it could 
bewitch all living beings—indeed, all of creation.
25651.68 Suddenly, from every direction, the local 
poodles—regardless of gender—let out a long,
25657.52 resonant howl. Their eyes turned red with 
longing, and, abandoning all restraint,
25662.638 they charged straight at Aphrodite. At first, 
she assumed there must be some sort of social   gathering taking place nearby, but her 
previously composed and serene expression
25671.92 changed in an instant. Although she was known as 
the goddess of desire, her chosen partners were,
25677.2 at the very least, supposed to be humanoid—not 
dogs, and certainly not a pack of dogs!  Aphrodite’s pupils widened in shock as she 
swiftly retracted the aura of allure she
25685.84 habitually radiated. Pressing her palm 
to her lips, she pursed her enticingly   red lips and blew a gentle breath. A swirl of 
rosy mist floated out, enveloping the poodles
25696.0 in a pink haze. Under its influence, their 
attention immediately shifted elsewhere.  Just as Aphrodite was about to heave a sigh of 
relief, a sudden realization struck her: the
25705.28 treacherous wilderness of the Loki Mountains was 
no place for poodles to survive. It was a trap!
25710.558 But before she could react, dark, smoke-wreathed 
chains shot out, binding her wrists and ankles and
25716.16 stretching her out in the shape of a star.
For a moment, Aphrodite was stunned, but   her surprise was quickly replaced by a seductive 
smile. She was confident: as long as her captors
25726.4 were human, they would not be able to resist 
her charm. Sure enough, in the very next moment,
25731.92 two figures emerged from the dense forest.
Aphrodite let out a coquettish laugh,   setting off another mesmerizing ripple through 
her form. Yet the two newcomers showed not the
25741.2 slightest response; their bodies, which should 
have betrayed some reaction, remained perfectly   composed. This was something Aphrodite had never 
encountered before. Even the gods themselves
25750.878 would be lost to her beauty—so why were these mere 
mortals as unmoved as saints, untouched by desire?
25756.638 Realizing her allure was useless here, Aphrodite 
regained her composure. She was once the goddess
25762.0 of love and beauty, the goddess of desire, and 
even the protector of sailors. If her captors
25767.76 thought mere sorcery could restrain 
her, they were surely courting death.  She turned her lustrous, ocean-deep eyes 
upon the newcomers, and in their depths
25775.76 reflected the silhouette of Ashes. “Who 
are you?” Aphrodite’s voice rang out,
25780.958 clear and melodious, in Ashes’ ear. It had to 
be said: Aphrodite was the sort of being whose
25786.478 voice alone could make anyone fall in love.
Yet Ashes, having sacrificed his passions,
25791.52 found himself entirely unmoved by Aphrodite’s 
ample charms—her beauty, her allure, even her
25797.44 enchanting voice. He supposed he ought to feel 
regret, but for reasons he could not explain,
25802.558 his heart remained perfectly still.He 
gazed quietly at Aphrodite’s flawless face,   pondering how he might strip away the 
original sin of lust from her being.
25810.32 Seeing that Ash remained silent and didn’t 
respond, a flicker of disappointment flashed in   Aphrodite’s eyes. She turned her gaze to Austin, 
parted her lips once more, and spoke again:
25820.4 “I can smell the stench of decay on 
you. Have you come seeking eternity?”  “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed,” 
Austin replied. “In this world,
25828.878 even gods will one day be buried in oblivion.”
“So you’ll gain nothing from me. Why not indulge
25834.32 in a bit of pleasure instead?”
From beneath his black robes,   Austin let out a low, mocking laugh. 
“Pleasure? Such base amusements are only
25842.478 for foolish mortals to lose themselves in.”
“What I pursue is a higher kind of ecstasy.”
25847.6 “You may not be eternal, but I’m certain 
you hold the key that leads to eternity!”  As he finished speaking, a bone-white 
staff suddenly appeared in Austin’s hand,
25856.0 which he then drove heavily into the ground. 
Deep beneath the Rocky Mountains, ancient
25861.04 bones seemed to respond to his call, rising 
up to form two cages of bone that imprisoned   Ash and Aphrodite each in their own cell.
Having done all this, Austin didn’t spare
25870.16 Ash so much as a glance, instead 
steering the bone structure,   intent on transporting Aphrodite elsewhere.
To be honest, even Austin was surprised by
25878.24 how easily it all went. The goddess of beauty, 
fallen from her pedestal as rumors claimed,
25883.6 truly was a shadow of her former self. Reduced 
to tempting mere mortals, Aphrodite couldn’t
25889.2 even break a simple binding spell. Such a 
being hardly deserved to be called divine.  Yet, Austin had not been wrong in calling 
Aphrodite the key to eternity. Through her,
25898.558 he could lure out the true gods. Those deities 
who once adored her would never forget the   allure of Aphrodite. Once she appeared in the 
mortal world again, they would swarm to her as
25908.4 sharks drawn to the scent of blood.
If he could trap all those gods,   perhaps he would become the first wizard in 
history to glimpse the secrets of the divine!
25916.08 Just then, a faint, mournful sigh echoed 
in Austin’s ears. In the next instant,
25921.28 the ground beneath his feet rippled 
like the rolling waves of the sea.  Astonishingly, he heard the roar of 
ocean waves while standing on land!
25929.12 Austin spun around, his pupils narrowing in shock, 
only to see a tidal wave of earth, as tall as a
25935.04 mountain, crashing down toward him.
What’s happening? Does this   woman still have power left?!
Austin hastily swung his staff,
25942.16 weaving a portal of void in midair in a desperate 
attempt to flee. But the gateway, conjured from
25947.36 his own magic, crumbled after barely half a 
second under the interference of divine power.  With a thunderous crash, the 
massive wall of earth slammed down.
25955.68 Poor Austin was flattened instantly, 
left as little more than a clay doll.  Yet inside the bone cage, Ash remained 
completely unharmed. The falling wall of earth
25965.12 had done nothing but shatter the formidable bone 
prison that held him.Of course, those tireless,
25970.4 ever-energetic Teddies met with disaster as 
well. In the end, only Ember and Aphrodite,
25975.76 her limbs still bound, remained in place.
Had this been any other time, if Aphrodite
25980.958 appeared before the gods in such a shy and 
vulnerable posture, it would surely have   led to a night-long battle that lasted until 
dawn. But now, facing Ember—a man untouched
25990.798 by desire—Aphrodite could only feel helpless.
Gone was the radiant beauty she had shown just
25996.24 moments before. Fine lines had crept onto her 
face for reasons unknown, her skin had lost its
26001.44 fair and supple glow, and only her figure retained 
its former allure. No longer able to truly call
26007.12 herself the Goddess of Beauty, she could no 
longer draw strength from her devotees. Every   bit of her power now had to be painstakingly 
gathered on her own, which explained the aged
26016.16 appearance George had seen when he first met her.
Just now, forced to summon all her remaining   strength while bound, she called upon the power 
of the sea, turning mountains into an ocean—a
26026.0 feat that drained her immensely. So, if she could 
turn this young man before her into a follower,
26031.2 it would be a blessing. After all, few people ever 
ventured into the Rockies throughout the year, and   for reasons she could not speak of, she herself 
was unable to leave these mountains easily.
26040.32 After taking a moment to think, 
Aphrodite spoke in a soft, fragile voice:  “The scent on you is different 
from his—you are a good man.”
26048.32 “I have no wish to harm anyone. 
I seek only pleasure and joy.”  “So, will you let me go? I can give you the 
greatest pleasure the world has to offer.”
26056.958 Ember had no idea whether Aphrodite could truly 
sense a person’s aura. But he knew one thing: the
26062.24 more beautiful a woman was, the more likely she 
was to deceive. He felt no desire for Aphrodite,
26067.68 yet he could not deny her beauty. Even with the 
touch of age upon her now, it only added a certain
26073.28 mature charm to her presence. If this had happened 
before, Ember might not have been able to resist.
26078.638 But now, gazing at the pitiful 
and delicate Aphrodite, Ember kept   his composure and shook his head.
“Calling me a good man won’t help,
26086.16 and pleasure means nothing to me.”
“Have you ever considered that   your endless pursuit of pleasure 
might actually be your undoing?”
26092.718 At these words, for the first time, a trace of 
anger flickered across Aphrodite’s face. Since
26098.24 her fall from grace and exile to the mortal 
realm, her stories had been deliberately   erased from memory. Only the demon 
hunters, irreverent toward the gods,
26107.12 had left behind piecemeal records—and even those 
‘truths’ were but fragments, far from the reality.
26112.958 So, Aphrodite was not pleased 
with Ember’s accusation.  “Do you really think what you know is the truth? 
Do you believe that’s how things truly happened?”
26120.958 “You’re just a mortal—you know nothing!”
Ember, seeing he had struck a nerve, smiled.
26126.32 “Is that so? Am I truly so ignorant?”
“The very power of the Goddess of Love has always
26131.52 driven you to pursue true love without rest.”“But 
the authority of the god of desire makes it hard   for you to control your bodily needs.”
“Your spirit longs for the one and only,
26140.958 but your body craves the embrace of all.”
Upon hearing this, Aphrodite’s delicate form
26146.08 shuddered involuntarily. This simple truth was 
something she should have understood long ago.  Yet the dominion of the twin gods had clouded her 
vision, and she had simply refused to admit it.
26155.92 And as for those gods who lusted after her body, 
they were all too happy to keep her in the dark,   so they could indulge in their 
pleasure without restraint.
26163.52 In fact, in their hearts, they 
perhaps preferred her this way:   pure of spirit, yet sullied in flesh.
No wonder Ares, even after knowing she
26171.44 had been forced by Zeus to wed Hephaestus, 
would still deliberately flaunt his masculine   allure before her, bare and unashamed.
Wasn’t it because he was certain that,
26180.16 as the goddess of desire, she 
could not resist such temptation?  Now, Ember was merely lifting the veil, 
exposing the truth that lay beneath.
26188.32 She yearned for true love, and yet did not 
reject the affections of many. How could   someone like her ever find true love?
Her relentless pursuit of pleasure
26196.718 had indeed been her undoing.
After all, who could bear to   see their partner flirting with strange men day 
after day, or even engaging in deeper intimacies?
26204.798 Now, at last, she could understand 
the anger Hephaestus must have felt,   catching her in bed with Ares.
Yet, this was simply the instinct of her body—a
26213.28 desire she could not resist. What was she to do? 
Was it truly wrong to be so consumed by desire?
26219.12 Noticing the subtle shift in Aphrodite’s 
expression, Ember spoke with firm conviction:  “Of course it’s wrong!”
“Pure love is the
26226.4 most beautiful bond in this world!”
“If you can’t even restrain your own desires,   how dare you call yourself the goddess of love?!”
“If you cannot resist the sway of desire,
26235.84 then let me help you!”
“This sin of desire—I   am willing to bear it for you!”
Hearing Ember’s impassioned declaration,
26243.04 something in Aphrodite’s gaze began to change.
Pure love—how she had longed for it,
26248.08 and yet it always eluded her.
And now, why was it that this   mortal standing before her seemed to radiate such 
a dazzling light, drawing her irresistibly closer?
26257.04 It seemed she was beginning to feel 
something for him—a fondness not born   of lust, but a choice of the heart.
A mortal willing to bear the sin of
26264.4 desire for her—how could she not feel 
moved, and even a little drawn to him?  As this pure love surged within her, Aphrodite’s 
skin grew luminous and supple once more, and the
26274.0 fine lines on her face faded away without a trace.
As the former goddess of love, she had always
26279.28 been able to draw strength from love itself.
Now, Ember’s unwavering devotion to pure love
26284.32 meant that Aphrodite no longer needed 
to draw her power from desire alone.  For her, Ember was not only an exceptional man, 
but also a wellspring of energy—always there,
26294.16 ready to replenish her strength.If only they could 
blend together as seamlessly as water and milk…
26300.16 Wait—why was she suddenly entertaining such 
impure thoughts? True love, she reminded herself,
26305.84 should be born from affection first, then followed 
by union. Clearly, there were things she needed
26310.878 to let go of. With her mind made up, Aphrodite 
turned her luminous eyes once more to Embers,
26316.24 and replied in a soft, tender voice, “Alright, but 
I have one condition—I want to stay by your side.”
26322.638 Let Aphrodite follow him? Embers was, in 
truth, reluctant. After all, Aphrodite,
26328.16 exuding an irresistible aura, would draw attention 
wherever she went. Not to mention, she was once a
26334.0 goddess whose many former lovers might not resist 
rekindling old passions. For someone like Embers,
26339.12 who needed to keep a low profile, bringing 
her along was far from a wise choice.  But then again, Aphrodite had agreed to 
relinquish her power over desire. Sudden fortune
26348.24 always walks hand in hand with risk—this Embers 
understood well. Otherwise, why would people say,
26354.24 “Great rewards lie in great peril”? Still, as 
long as he could grow stronger than the gods   themselves, those risks would cease to matter.
After a brief inner struggle, Embers finally
26363.76 nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
[Contract established.]  Sensing the power of the contract, Aphrodite 
smiled sweetly. “Now, will you put me down?”
26372.68 …
Far away in Los City, Austin once   again lost contact with the meticulously crafted 
puppet. But this time, he’d also lost his trusty
26380.478 white bone staff. A flicker of pain flashed in 
the scarred Austin’s eyes—not just for the puppet,
26385.92 but for the staff as well. He never would have 
imagined that Aphrodite could command the earth to
26391.12 become the sea. Perhaps the rumors were true: that 
Aphrodite was born in the sea after being touched
26396.24 by the essence of Gaia, the Mother Earth.
How careless—truly careless!  Now, all the puppets he had prepared had 
been completely incinerated in the Heart
26404.798 of the Flame Demon’s explosion. If he wanted to 
act again, he would have to go in person. That   gave Austin pause, for his use of puppets 
stemmed from his fear of truly dying. Yet
26414.638 staying here was no longer safe either. 
If Russell had managed to curse him once,   there was nothing stopping him from doing 
it again! As soon as Russell found another
26422.878 casting medium, that would be the end for Austin.
He couldn’t just sit here and wait for death.   Either he attained eternity, 
or he killed Russell first!
26430.958 After a short deliberation, Austin gathered 
up what little unburned materials remained,   grabbed Russell’s milk tooth, and finally stepped 
out of the secret chamber. Now, he needed to check
26441.12 whether the boy who could guide him to District 
Thirteen had been drained dry by Aphrodite.  As for the curse that bound Aphrodite, Embers did 
have a solution. The dispelling incantation he’d
26450.478 acquired from the Book of Sacrifice could be 
used against most witchcraft. Whether it would   actually work, however, depended on the strength 
of both parties’ magic.After asking Aphrodite
26460.08 to wait for a moment, Ember immediately 
awakened the two-toned World Tree within   himself. Drawing upon the power of twin sins 
as his source, he cast a spell of dispelling.
26470.08 A beam of green light shot out, striking the 
black chains that bound Aphrodite. In an instant,
26475.6 the chains recoiled as if meeting their nemesis, 
shrinking rapidly until they dissolved into wisps
26480.638 of black smoke and vanished without a trace.
Aphrodite landed lightly on her feet and   rubbed her reddened wrists, her eyes filled 
with surprise as she gazed at Ember. She had
26489.44 seen it clearly—just now, in that fleeting 
moment, this mortal’s hands had transformed   into the hands of a demon. No wonder she 
had sensed the power of a contract earlier;
26498.798 it turned out Ember was actually a demon’s envoy.
For any deity who entered this world,   the existence of demons was no unfamiliar thing. 
After all, in this realm, angels and demons were
26508.878 the truly formidable beings. As for her own fall 
from grace, the main cause lay in the betrayal by
26514.16 her own son, Cupid, and her encounter with 
Asmodeus, one of the seven demon kings of
26519.28 Hell. One stole her dominion as the goddess of 
love, and the other usurped her authority as   the goddess of desire. The latter, especially, 
tried to confine her as his private captive.
26529.12 Yet the Loki Mountains, being the site of the last 
celestial convergence, were filled with places   where the rules of reality twisted and reversed. 
Even true gods could easily meet their end here.
26539.12 So it was only by hiding in this place that 
Aphrodite had managed to escape disaster. Still,
26544.638 she was quite certain Ember was no minion of 
Asmodeus. Otherwise, he would already be like any   other mortal, hopelessly ensnared by her charms.
A demon’s envoy who was willing to bear the
26554.878 burden of sin—this Ember was indeed intriguing. 
Aphrodite’s lips curled into a subtle smile, her
26560.558 natural allure radiating unconsciously. Even the 
flowers around her bowed their heads upon seeing
26565.84 that smile, as if unable to withstand such beauty.
Looking at Aphrodite—a single glance, a simple
26572.08 gesture from her could drive one to sin—Ember 
let out a soft sigh. How could he have been so   foolish, once upon a time, to have sacrificed his 
own preferences? Now, he felt very much like a man
26583.28 who “does not recognize his own wife’s beauty.”
Shaking his head to clear away distracting   thoughts, Ember turned to Aphrodite. “This won’t 
do,” he said. “If you’re going to follow me,
26593.6 you’ll at least have to find a way to 
contain that overwhelming charm of yours.”  Aphrodite tilted her head in slight 
contemplation, then reached out her
26600.878 slender jade fingers and unfastened the golden 
belt at her waist. The delicate gauze she wore   lost its hold and fell away, revealing 
a dazzling expanse of fair skin. Sadly,
26611.52 this breathtaking sight felt somewhat wasted, its 
brilliance cast before one who could not be moved.
26616.798 Ember’s eyes showed not the slightest ripple of 
emotion; instead, his interest was piqued by the   golden belt Aphrodite now held in her hand. With 
a radiant smile, she offered the belt to Ember,
26628.0 every movement suffused with irresistible 
allure. For a moment, Ember could almost   feel the temperature around them drop.
They were not alone—evil spirits,
26636.4 drawn by Aphrodite’s charm, were gathering. 
Sensing the approaching lecherous ghosts,   Ember gave a cold snort and hurled forth 
the Book of Evil Spirits.But the Book of
26646.08 Evil Spirits paid no attention to the lecherous 
ghosts around it. Instead, it cast a sidelong,
26651.36 superior glance toward the white valley.
Oh no! Even the Book of Evil Spirits   could not resist the allure of Aphrodite!
Just as Ember was growing increasingly troubled,
26660.558 something unexpected happened: instead of 
succumbing to desire, Aphrodite waved her hand   and swept away the evil spirits in her vicinity.
Then she turned to Ember, her eyes seeming to say,
26670.638 “See? I held firm to my principles.”
With an impassive face, Ember took the
26675.76 golden belt from Aphrodite’s hand.
[Charm Belt]  [Wish: To be the center of 
attention in the entire world.]
26681.84 …
Without the Charm Belt,   Aphrodite was still the picture of perfection, but 
she no longer radiated that overwhelming allure
26688.16 that could topple the hearts of all creation.
The most obvious change was in the flowers   blooming nearby. They now lifted 
their heads proudly, blossoming once
26696.32 again in the direction of the sun.
After putting away the Charm Belt,   Ember considered for a moment, then took out a set 
of men’s clothing from his bottomless storage bag.
26704.958 “Put these on.”
Aphrodite accepted the clothes quite naturally,   and began changing right in front of Ember.
But much to her dismay, even this elicited no
26713.68 reaction from him. Her ever-effective 
charm had failed her once more.  With a soft sigh, Aphrodite finished 
changing and gathered her golden hair
26721.44 into a ponytail, awaiting Ember’s verdict.
But as Ember gazed at Aphrodite dressed in men’s
26726.478 attire, he suddenly sensed that something was off.
Why did she seem even more captivating now?
26732.0 Oh no—was this what it felt 
like to have his heart stirred?  With her curves now subtly 
concealed, Ember found himself
26738.0 even more susceptible to Aphrodite’s allure.
Clinging to the last shred of clarity in his mind,
26743.04 he immediately pulled out the Sunlight 
Cloak and draped it over Aphrodite.  In an instant, she blended 
seamlessly into her surroundings.
26750.32 Only then did Ember manage to calm 
his racing heart and flushed face.  And this was Aphrodite 
after losing her Charm Belt.
26756.958 The power of the goddess of 
love was truly terrifying.  Perhaps only a mind in sage mode 
could hope to stand against her.
26763.68 Thank goodness he’d acted quickly and hidden 
Aphrodite beneath the Sunlight Cloak—otherwise,   disaster might have been inevitable.
Watching this unfold from beneath the cloak,
26772.24 Aphrodite’s lips curled into a playful smile.
So that’s how it is. No wonder her charm seemed
26777.52 to have no effect—it turned out Ember 
preferred things a little more modest.  What a peculiar taste.
Ah, surely this was the
26784.0 work of Asmodeus, the Demon Lord of Lust, 
twisting people’s perceptions of desire.  Just then, Ember cleared his throat to 
cover his embarrassment, then spoke calmly:
26793.84 “That should do.”
“I know a place where we   can strip away your excess desire.”
“Though… there is a small risk.”
26800.398 A small risk? Every day of her 
life was fraught with risk.  With a light chuckle, Aphrodite said 
softly, “You’ll protect me, won’t you?”
26808.24 Ember shuddered from head to toe.Earlier, he 
hadn’t thought much of it, but after witnessing   Aphrodite’s appearance just now, even that 
soft, bewitching voice became irresistibly
26818.24 seductive. Instinctively, a sense of 
protectiveness welled up inside him,   and he responded, “Yes.”
[Contract Established]
26826.398 When those four words appeared before his eyes, 
Ember finally realized what he had just agreed to.   He had originally intended to simply harvest 
the emotion of desire, make a quick exit,
26835.84 and play the heartless rogue—never once had 
he considered protecting Aphrodite. After all,
26841.12 Aphrodite wasn’t exactly what you’d call a good 
person. To be precise, this perfect woman was a   monster in every sense of the word. If it weren’t 
for the potent aura of desire she radiated,
26851.6 Ember would have started hunting her long ago.
Yet here he was, inexplicably saddled with the
26856.718 responsibility of shielding Aphrodite.
It was the first time Ember had been   forced into a contract against his will.
Women truly are obstacles on the road ahead!
26865.28 A subtle change flickered in Ember’s eyes 
as he began to consider whether, next time,   he ought to sacrifice his fondness 
for women to the Heart of Curses.
26873.04 After gathering up Austin’s discarded bone 
staff and the scattered fragments of the puppet,   Ember gave Aphrodite a stern warning: unless 
absolutely necessary, she was not to speak,
26883.12 reveal herself, or make contact. Only then could 
he finally leave the Loki Mountains in peace.
26888.558 As for how to confirm that 
Aphrodite was following him…  All he needed to do was take 
out the Book of Wraiths.
26894.478 While the Cloak of Sunlight could help a person 
blend seamlessly into their surroundings, in   the eyes of malevolent spirits, Aphrodite’s aura 
shone as brightly as a firefly in the night. So,
26904.718 whenever he saw the Book of Wraiths extend its 
tongue and its eyes go lecherously wide, he could   be sure Aphrodite was indeed trailing behind him.
But the thought that he now had to
26913.2 ensure Aphrodite’s safe passage out of 
District Thirteen gave Ember a headache.  He’d had everything planned out—using Aphrodite 
as a bargaining chip to obtain Russell’s help in
26922.08 separating the sin of desire. Now, forced into 
this contract, he’d have to tweak his plans.  And the linchpin of his 
revised strategy was Austin.
26929.92 Since Austin believed Russell had set 
him up, he wouldn’t squander the chance   to enter District Thirteen. And now that 
he knew Aphrodite was lurking near the
26936.878 Loki Mountains, Austin would hardly let 
that opportunity to capture her slip by.  For emotional and logical reasons, Austin would 
want to confirm whether Ember was dead or alive.
26946.478 No sooner had this thought crossed Ember’s 
mind than he spotted a Mitsubishi EvoX,   armored with steel plates, approaching 
from a short distance away.
26954.16 As the engine’s rumble faded, a man 
in a wizard’s black robe—seemingly   his uniform for eternity—climbed out of the 
car. Though his face was obscured, there was
26963.44 little doubt in Ember’s mind: this was Austin.
Whether it was the real Austin or just another   puppet, Ember couldn’t be sure.
…
26970.24 But stepping out of a bulletproof sports car 
like that, it could only be Austin himself.He   hid his scar-ridden face beneath the shadow of 
his wizard’s hood, watching Ember emerge from
26979.44 the Rocky Mountains unscathed, a look 
of confusion flickering in his eyes.  With Aphrodite’s strength, there was absolutely 
no way she would have let Ember go so easily.
26988.24 If Ember had ended up as a shriveled corpse or 
covered in wounds, Austin could have accepted it.  But what he simply couldn’t accept was this: 
he himself had been crushed into a pulp,
26997.44 and yet Ember came out without a 
scratch! Wasn’t that just too much?  What, just because Ember was more handsome and 
younger than him, he got to walk away alive?
27005.2 The injustice of it all made Austin’s whole 
body shake with anger and cold frustration.  Casting a quick glance around and finding nothing 
unusual, Austin ignored the fact that he’d
27014.24 previously trapped Ember in a cage of white bones. 
In a deep voice, he asked, “Where’s Aphrodite?”
27019.84 Ember shrugged, gestured to the empty space behind 
him, then pulled out a pair of earbuds and asked,   “Want her to say a word?”
Wait—Aphrodite was nearby?
27028.798 Startled, Austin instinctively pulled open 
the car door, ready to climb in. After all,
27034.0 he was here in the flesh now, and Aphrodite’s 
damn allure would work on him too. Even just   the sound of her voice could make him 
fall under her spell in an instant.
27042.24 He had no protective charms on him, nor time to 
cast a defensive spell. The only refuge was to
27047.6 hide inside the armored vehicle, which could 
shield him from Aphrodite’s bewitching voice.  But on second thought, Austin realized 
something odd—Ember had just said,
27056.398 “Want her to say a word?” That sounded like Ember 
was controlling Aphrodite’s words and actions!
27061.6 What was going on? Could it be that the goddess 
of love herself had fallen under the spell of a   man’s jeans? It was too incredible to believe! For 
a moment, Austin even wondered if he’d misheard.
27072.08 “What did you say?”
Ember, already putting one earbud in, repeated,   “I said, do you want her to say something?”
“I can’t bear it myself. But if you want
27081.2 to make sure, I can let her speak.”
“Or do you want to see her in person?”  Austin’s eyes narrowed at once, and he refused 
immediately, “No, I don’t need to see her.”
27090.638 Austin’s reaction told Ember everything—this 
was the real Austin standing before him, with   no puppets left to possess. Only the real Austin 
would be this afraid to hear or see Aphrodite.
27100.638 Austin was terrified of falling under her spell!
A faint smile curled at Ember’s lips. Well,
27106.0 this was the perfect time to 
settle old and new scores together.  But why was Aphrodite so quiet now? Could 
she really hold back from taking revenge on
27113.68 the man who had once tried to imprison her?
In truth, hidden beneath the Sunlight Cloak,   Aphrodite had indeed considered letting Austin 
drown in desire. But having promised Ember
27123.2 she would turn over a new leaf, she was 
doing her best to restrain those urges.  With her heart still in turmoil, she simply 
had no time for revenge.Austin had already
27132.16 set one foot inside the driver’s cabin. Seeing 
nothing unusual around him, he couldn’t help but   wonder if Ember was tricking him. After all, 
not long ago, he had managed to temporarily
27142.24 capture Aphrodite. But he didn’t dare to take 
that risk. So Austin simply asked outright,
27147.44 “What are you planning to do with her?”
Ember smiled, as if he’d never cared about   the fact that Austin had double-crossed him 
twice before. “Naturally, I’m bringing her
27155.68 along so you can get into District Thirteen.”
“You know the rules: to get into District   Thirteen, you need a very special patient.”
“This patient must either be haunted by a
27164.798 malignant spirit, possessed by a demon—or, 
well… they could be the incarnation of a deity.”
27170.0 “In any case, Aphrodite makes for a 
perfect patient, wouldn’t you agree?”  Austin had to admit, Ember was right. Still, 
why was Ember being so generous? If Austin had
27179.36 been betrayed by Russell twice during a demon 
hunt, he would never have let it go—just like   he couldn’t now. But Ember seemed as soft as 
cotton, letting others take advantage of him.
27189.04 What a classic people-pleaser, Austin thought 
with a scoff, dismissing him inwardly.
27194.16 On the surface, though, he forced a warm smile and 
said, “Exactly, Aphrodite is the ideal patient.”
27200.958 “Knowing Russell, there’s no way he’d 
pass up the chance to study a living god.”  “With Aphrodite as our ticket, we’ll 
definitely get into District Thirteen.”
27209.28 “But when you got out, did you see 
a bone-white scepter anywhere?”  Ember nodded, face full of regret. “I saw it, 
but it was already shattered into pieces.”
27218.398 “Before I could gather the fragments, a 
burrowing sandworm erupted from the ground   and swallowed them all in a single gulp.”
“If I hadn’t promised Aphrodite to find her
27226.638 ninety-nine men, you probably 
wouldn’t be seeing me now.”  Ninety-nine men? Austin hadn’t responded yet, 
but the long-suffering Aphrodite was deeply
27234.638 shaken by this. It was an experience she’d 
never imagined before, and the thought alone   stirred a strange anticipation in her. She 
opened her mouth, ready to call Ember’s name,
27244.958 but just as those two syllables brushed 
her heart, a realization dawned on her:   if she truly spent a night with ninety-nine men… 
she might never find true love in this life.
27254.08 Was she to be a goddess of love, or 
merely a goddess of lust? She’d always   known the choice would be hers to make.
Clenching her crimson-painted nails
27262.08 deep into her flesh, Aphrodite used the 
pain to steady her thoughts once again.  Seated in the passenger seat, Aphrodite gazed 
at Ember with eyes full of longing. Pure love,
27271.68 is it? She was determined to give it a try!
Meanwhile, in the back seat, Austin only
27276.798 believed Aphrodite had boarded the vehicle when 
he noticed the seat cushion dip into a perfect,   elegant curve. And when he realized 
what that exquisite shape signified,
27285.12 his body involuntarily paid silent tribute.
Damn it!Austin quickly turned his head away,
27290.558 fixing his gaze on the retreating streets 
outside the window in an effort to quell the   restless fire in his heart. For any ordinary 
person, Aphrodite was simply too dangerously
27299.76 alluring. He couldn’t quite fathom how 
George had managed to pull himself out   of her embrace to negotiate terms—perhaps it was 
the burning desire for a child that gave him the
27308.878 strength. Lost in these trivial thoughts, Austin 
finally felt his agitation subside. Meanwhile,
27315.04 the sunken seat in the passenger side 
became an absolute no-go zone for his eyes.  As the cityscape gave way to the desolate 
outskirts, Austin immediately understood
27323.44 that they were now close to District Thirteen. 
But before entering, he needed to take some   precautions. Without any pretense, Austin took 
out Russell’s baby tooth. Then, with a motion as
27333.6 casual as sprinkling salt, he evenly dusted the 
black powder over the tooth. At the same time,
27338.878 he began to chant a rhythmic incantation, his 
voice rising and falling in a haunting cadence.
27344.16 The moment Austin’s chanting filled the car, 
both Ember and Aphrodite tensed involuntarily;   a surge of murderous intent flickered in their 
hearts. Everyone knew that powerful witchcraft
27354.0 required time—time to prepare materials, and time 
to recite lengthy spells. If they allowed Austin
27359.92 to continue, there was a very real danger 
that both Ember and Aphrodite could find   themselves in peril. Especially since both had 
already witnessed Austin’s cunning firsthand,
27369.28 neither was about to let him finish 
the incantation without interruption.  As Ember drew a small knife and Aphrodite reached 
out to connect with the earth, Austin’s chanting
27377.36 stopped abruptly. Then, to everyone’s surprise, 
he spat a bloodied tooth from his mouth! Grinning
27383.12 through the gap in his teeth, he said,
“Don’t misunderstand—we’re all   passengers on the same boat now.”
“Even if I were foolish, I’d never turn
27390.958 on an ally at a time like this.”
“This is a self-harming   spell—its only target is myself.”
A self-harming spell? At those words,
27399.2 Ember and Aphrodite both paused, halting their 
attacks. Neither of them was a fool; they knew
27405.04 better than to take Austin at his word. After all, 
if you want to know someone’s true intentions,   you should watch what they do, not what they 
say. Yet at this moment, by their own senses,
27414.718 the magic from Austin’s chant truly enveloped 
only himself and the tooth in his hand. So,
27420.0 even though they suspected Austin was 
holding something back, they could be   certain his spell wasn’t directed at them.
Seeing that they weren’t making any more moves,
27427.2 Austin relaxed and smiled, then pressed Russell’s 
baby tooth—now dusted with black powder—into the
27432.798 gap in his own gums. The ill-fitting tooth made 
him look utterly ridiculous. Ember couldn’t
27437.92 fathom Austin’s purpose, but Aphrodite, who was 
as battle-hardened in life as she was experienced   in the games of desire, had a far keener sense 
of what might be at play.Very soon, a sheet of
27447.68 paper covered with delicate, linear script 
appeared before Ashes. Austin took a glance,   only to find that not only could he not understand 
it, but his mind also felt strangely unsettled. He
27458.08 immediately averted his gaze. In this day and 
age, they’re still trying to tempt people with
27463.2 such ancient linear writing. Hmph, such petty 
tricks! As long as he couldn’t decipher it,
27468.398 he wouldn’t fall into any gentle trap!
Ashes, upon receiving the paper,   also found himself unable to make sense of the 
archaic script. But then, as a fragrant breeze
27477.84 wafted by, a faint itch tingled across 
the back of his hand—a red lip print had   appeared there. This was… Aphrodite’s blessing.
A wave of emotion rippled through Ashes’ heart.
27488.24 When he looked down again, those ancient 
characters seemed to twist before his eyes,   transforming into symbols he could 
now understand. In an instant, he
27496.24 grasped exactly what Aphrodite wished to convey.
Austin’s sorcery truly wasn’t aimed at them. In
27501.76 fact, this so-called self-harm spell was more 
accurately described as a surrogate curse. To   put it simply, any injury Austin suffered would be 
transferred to the owner of that baby tooth—until
27511.76 the tooth itself was shattered. That explained the 
black powder: it was meant to harden the tooth,   ensuring it could withstand even more pain.
Now that Ashes understood the spell Austin
27521.12 had cast, a dull ache throbbed in his own 
teeth. This old fox sure had a lot of tricks   up his sleeve. The crucial point was that such 
methods were almost impossible to guard against.
27531.44 No wonder all wizard robes were designed to 
wrap their wearers tight from head to toe—it   was clear from the start that these sorcerers 
knew better than to let even the smallest thing
27539.68 from their bodies fall into the wrong hands. 
Otherwise, should anything of theirs end up   with a cunning sorcerer, it could spell disaster.
As for the owner of the baby tooth, given how
27549.84 cautious Austin was, Ashes had already begun to 
suspect whom it might be. To speak the truth,
27555.2 this move of Austin’s only strengthened Ashes’ 
resolve to get rid of him once their business was   concluded. A schemer like this—he had to die!
…
27562.478 The three of them traveled in silence, soon 
arriving at the Thirteenth District Hospital,   which loomed over the wilderness. Ashes, 
having already been a patient here,
27571.52 possessed a legitimate identity. Austin, however, 
was not listed among the authorized visitors.
27576.878 The soldier responsible for verifying identities 
raised his gun, signaling for Austin to step   out of the vehicle for a more thorough check. 
Austin’s face darkened with displeasure as he
27586.398 glared at Ashes. Hadn’t Ashes promised to get him 
into the Thirteenth District? What now? Was Ashes
27592.24 planning to make Aphrodite turn invisible, 
leaving Austin to pose as a patient himself?
27597.6 Or had Ashes already defected to Russell, 
hoping to seize this chance to see Austin   die here in bitterness? After all, Austin had 
double-crossed Ashes twice already. If Ashes’
27606.878 gentle persona was just a mask, then perhaps the 
time had come for the dagger behind the smile.
27611.92 Feeling he’d been toyed with, Austin’s 
hand slipped into his sleeve, gripping the   tiny skull—ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
At that very instant, the soldier’s radio crackled
27621.6 to life with a sudden message: “Vehicle weight 
anomaly detected. There’s a third passenger in   the car.”Hearing this, Austin immediately let go 
and a mocking smile played at the corners of his
27632.32 mouth. Invisible? Ha, what good is invisibility? 
In the face of technology, there are plenty of
27638.24 ways to detect even the unseen. Especially 
in the heavily guarded District Thirteen!  Clearly, the underground weight sensors had just 
used big data analysis to confirm the presence of
27647.68 a third person in the car. Since that was the 
case, Austin had no reason to panic—the ones
27652.878 who should be worried were Ember and Aphrodite! 
With this thought, Austin leisurely watched the   soldier, whose expression had suddenly changed.
After all, someone trying to sneak invisibly into
27663.28 District Thirteen could only mean trouble! But as 
the soldier’s gaze landed on the passenger seat,
27668.32 his eyes widened in shock. The striking 
curve and the clearly defined shape on   the seat made him realize at once: this was 
a woman, and a woman with a stunning figure.
27677.68 No further prompting was needed—a vivid, alluring 
image sprang to his mind. In the blink of an eye,
27683.6 the inspecting soldier turned bright red, 
pressing himself against the car window,   squatting up and down in a fit of excitement.
“0187, what are you doing?!” The angry shout
27693.76 from the walkie-talkie jolted soldier 0187 out 
of his improper act for a split second. But when
27698.798 he saw the shape on the seat change again, he 
slipped right back into his lustful daydream.  His behavior instantly alerted the soldiers 
monitoring the checkpoint cameras—this
27707.52 invisible third passenger was almost 
certainly a high-level demon! Wasting no time,   they marked Ember’s vehicle as a restricted 
zone and immediately called their superiors.
27716.24 As the report traveled up the chain of command, 
it eventually reached Russell, the current highest   authority in District Thirteen. At that moment, 
Russell was monitoring the changes in demonic
27725.6 vessels after they used their powers, and had 
initially planned to send a tactical demon-hunting   squad to deal with the high-level demon.
But the moment he heard that the visitor
27733.52 was Ember, Russell changed his mind. Last 
time, Ember had managed to steal away   both a high-level demon and a gluttonous blood 
spirit from under his nose—and even killed one
27743.2 of his high-value patients. Russell had long 
wanted to collect some interest from Ember.  Unfortunately, he could only bend the 
rules within the scope of his own patients,
27751.44 so he had no choice but to wait—wait for 
Ember to come for “treatment” again. If he   sent the demon-hunting squad now, Ember would 
most likely never seek his services again.
27759.92 Better to take a little risk and let that unseen 
“succubus” and the mysterious sorcerer in. In
27764.958 District Thirteen, Russell had no doubt: Ember 
wouldn’t be able to cause any real trouble, not   even with a succubus and a sorcerer at his side.
This was the confidence granted to him by the
27774.16 Truth Demon with whom he had 
made a pact! Truth, after all,   could not be altered. As long as he invoked its 
power, everyone would have to obey his truth.
27782.798 How could Ember possibly stand against him?A 
cold, mocking smile curled at the corner of   Russell’s lips as he adjusted his glasses, which 
flashed with a chilling glint. In a low voice,
27792.0 he ordered, “Clear a fast track 
for them—let them in to see me.”  …
At the checkpoint, the soldiers,
27797.76 having received their orders, no longer hesitated. 
They lifted the barrier without delay, allowing
27802.958 Ember’s vehicle to drive through unhindered. 
In fact, as Ember’s car rolled past, every
27808.16 soldier stationed nearby slipped on earplugs in 
perfect unison and switched their tactical visors   to pitch-black mode. This was their standard 
precaution against succubi and similar entities.
27817.6 From that point on, all communication could 
only be conducted through their tactical comms.   Yet this time, the channel—usually silent—was 
repeatedly interrupted by the sound of someone’s
27827.12 heavy breathing. The squad leader, realizing whose 
feed it was, quickly muted the offending soldier’s
27832.798 microphone. Only after calculating the vehicle’s 
speed and confirming that Ember’s party had passed   did he announce a return to normal operations.
By then, the first soldier who had gone to check
27841.68 the car was already sprawled on the ground—his 
eyes vacant, cheeks sunken, and trousers soaked   through; he was, by all accounts, ruined. The 
squad leader at the checkpoint seemed hardly
27851.68 surprised by this sight. Such were the risks 
that came with high pay. Day in and day out,   dealing with “patients” like these, 
their attrition rate was staggering.
27860.0 What puzzled him, however, was why the succubus, 
who should have affected everyone in the area,   seemed powerless against the two people in that 
car. A succubus, forever hungry for desire,
27870.398 would never let any living soul slip 
by! He simply couldn’t figure it out.   But in his mind, Ember’s face was now 
firmly marked as a high-risk individual.
27878.798 …
Having been here before, Ember steered   the car into District Thirteen’s main hall with 
practiced ease. Following the designated route,
27886.32 she triggered no alarms; the vast hall was almost 
deserted. Only a single figure in a white lab
27891.84 coat stood waiting quietly—it was Russell, 
who had taken time out to “receive” Ember.  Austin, sitting in the back seat, clenched his 
teeth so hard they nearly cracked when he saw that
27901.2 long-awaited silhouette. Were it not for Russell, 
he would already possess the Eternal Heart. Were
27906.398 it not for Russell, his face would be unscarred, 
unmarked by those hideous, criss-crossing wounds.
27912.638 Were it not for Russell, he would never have 
needed to find a way into District Thirteen,   nor would he have lost a puppet to Ember’s 
hand. Were it not for Russell, he wouldn’t
27921.44 be seeking out Aphrodite, desperately searching 
for another path to eternity. If not for Russell…
27927.04 In short, Russell’s crimes 
were too numerous to recount!  With a Real Mask now covering his face, 
Austin’s features changed in an instant.
27934.958 Other than Ember and Aphrodite, no 
one could possibly recognize him now.  Ember cast a sidelong glance at Austin’s new face 
in the rearview mirror and muttered inwardly,
27943.68 This old scoundrel really does have more tricks up 
his sleeve than I thought.Earlier, he had wondered
27948.878 if Austin was planning to confront Russell 
head-on. But the truth soon became clear—Austin
27954.24 had never intended a direct confrontation. 
With his changed appearance, it was obvious   he was plotting a sneak attack. To have such 
a person as an enemy meant one could never
27963.28 sleep soundly again. Russell, who had crossed 
Austin, was truly in for a run of bad luck.
27968.638 Ash pushed open the car door and stepped 
out, getting straight to the point.  “Dean Russell, I have a patient 
here who desperately needs help.”
27975.84 “I wonder if you have any way to 
strip the desire from my patient?”  A succubus, as expected? A hint of disappointment 
flashed across Russell’s face. Succubi were not
27985.28 uncommon in the world. As manifestations of 
Lust—one of the seven deadly sins—they held sway
27990.878 over most young men. In the flush of youth, they 
often harbored fond fantasies about succubi. So
27996.638 even though many books clearly stated that succubi 
brought pleasure unto death, there were always   young people eagerly seeking ways to summon them.
In District Thirteen, patients afflicted by
28005.44 succubi were hardly rare. For Russell, such cases 
had long since lost their research value. Still,
28011.04 since Ash was coming to him for help, it was 
the perfect opportunity to set his own terms.   Treatment, after all, was never free!
With an air of absolute confidence,
28019.84 Russell glanced over to the empty passenger 
seat. And then, like the soldier on inspection,   like Austin himself, he sensed something 
unusual—a beautiful abnormality.
28028.878 A body with perfect golden proportions—any more 
and it would be too plump, any less and it would   be too thin. What kind of perfect succubus 
could possess such a figure? This was the
28037.92 very embodiment of a dream demon.
Russell’s breath grew heavier;   he couldn’t help but step forward. Suddenly, he 
snapped out of it, quickly averting his gaze. He
28047.04 forced himself to focus on the projected divine 
artifact: the Apophis Demon Sword. Staring into
28053.04 its venomous serpentine eyes, Russell finally 
managed to shake off the seductive influence,   cold sweat breaking out all over him.
When had a succubus ever been able to
28061.92 bewitch him so easily? This was no ordinary 
succubus—or perhaps, no succubus at all! If
28067.44 just the impression left by her weight on the seat 
was enough to have such an effect, Russell dared   not imagine what might happen if he saw this 
“succubus” in person. Such terrifying allure
28077.04 could only belong to Asmodeus, the demon king of 
hell who delighted in collecting mortal lusts. But
28082.16 Asmodeus’s influence always twisted desire—and 
what Russell felt now seemed so… normal.
28087.92 Could it be the former 
goddess of desire, Aphrodite?  As an elder of the Immortal Church, Russell 
possessed an extraordinary wealth of knowledge.
28096.08 After all, the Church’s unbroken line of 
succession meant their library contained   records of nearly every secret—some dating all the 
way back to the Second Celestial Convergence.Thus,
28105.44 regarding the origins and downfall of Aphrodite, 
the Church of Immortality also has a few scattered   records. According to legend, Aphrodite, who 
embodied both love and desire, possessed an allure
28116.08 that could captivate all who beheld her. The 
saying “One glance topples a city, another glance   topples a nation” perfectly captures the essence 
of Aphrodite’s beauty. Even Zeus, the third
28126.24 generation king of the gods at the time, could not 
resist her charm—let alone gods such as Poseidon,
28131.44 Ares, or Hermes. If even the gods were powerless 
before her, what hope could mortals have?
28136.558 Although Russell had never witnessed those times 
with his own eyes, the desire he was experiencing   now was the most intense of his life! This 
sensation matched the legendary tales recorded
28145.84 in the old texts. It was said that a mere mortal, 
upon glimpsing Aphrodite’s true face, would follow
28151.6 her to the foot of Mount Olympus without food 
or drink, willing to dedicate everything to her.  Russell shifted his gaze to Ember, speaking in 
a tone of speculation, “Your patient—is she a
28162.0 god?” Ember nodded. “The goddess of beauty?” 
Ember nodded again. At this confirmation,
28167.92 Russell’s eyes flashed with a fierce, eager 
light. Like Austin, Russell harbored a deep
28172.958 fascination with the divine. Gods were, without 
a doubt, the closest beings to eternity. And
28178.24 even if Aphrodite had fallen from divinity, 
traces of the eternal would still linger about   her—clues to immortality far more intriguing 
than what any common succubus might offer.
28187.68 In the annals of the Church of Immortality, there 
were cases where fallen gods had been captured or   imprisoned. The church’s sorcerers who studied 
these deities always achieved extraordinary
28197.36 results. Yet those damn researchers never 
shared their most vital discoveries. Still,   everyone knew that secrets to eternity could 
indeed be found in the bodies of gods. As long
28207.2 as someone remembered them, they would never truly 
disappear. This was one of the reasons the Church
28212.718 insisted on preserving knowledge in written 
form—they could not allow the gods who held   the secrets of eternity to vanish from the world.
Now, Russell saw hope that he, too, might become
28221.44 part of this privileged group. Compared 
to Aphrodite, Ember’s concerns seemed   utterly trivial. Taking a deep breath to calm his 
excitement, Russell finally turned his attention
28231.44 to the unfamiliar sorcerer present. After a 
brief glance, he looked back at Ember and asked,
28236.638 “And what about this one? Don’t tell me he’s 
another god fallen to the mortal realm?”  Ember hesitated, unsure how to introduce 
Austin. After all, they’d barely spoken
28246.0 before coming here. Perhaps it was best to let 
Austin speak for himself. Sensing Ember’s gaze,
28251.44 Austin smiled proudly and declared, 
“Fallen to the mortal realm, you say?”  “I was a god, am a god, and will always be a god.”
“And I am the master of lies and trickery!”At
28262.08 these words, Russell was truly taken aback, caught 
between suspicion and intrigue. He had only asked
28267.84 casually, without any real expectations—after all, 
compared to Aphrodite, the utterly unremarkable
28272.878 Austin hardly seemed worth his attention. But now 
Austin was boasting, claiming mastery over lies
28278.32 and trickery? If that were true, then Austin 
really would be a god—the god known as Loki.   Yet Russell found it hard to believe.
With narrowed eyes, he scrutinized Austin,
28287.36 a trace of doubt flickering within. Suddenly, 
Russell raised his hand and scattered a shimmering
28293.12 cloud of gold-leaf-like dust into the air. 
Using enchanted dust for quick spells was one   of the few close-combat techniques available to 
wizards. This particular dust, though harmless,
28303.6 was notoriously hard to defend against; it had 
only one effect—to color whatever it touched.
28308.798 In plain terms, it was meant for humiliation. No 
true god would tolerate being marked by a mortal.
28314.32 Unsure whether Austin’s claims were truth or 
bluster, Russell decided to put him to the test.   The golden dust floated down, settling on Austin 
without missing a single spot. Russell snorted,
28325.12 convinced he had unmasked the charlatan. But 
Austin merely broke into a mocking smile, and in
28330.798 an instant, the golden hue vanished from his body. 
Russell, sensing something amiss, glanced down—and
28336.638 to his shock, saw that his own exposed skin 
and even his clothes were now gilded with gold.  Damage transfer? That was indeed a trick 
attributed to Loki in ancient texts. Could Austin
28346.638 truly be the god of mischief? Without betraying 
his surprise, Russell calmly waved his hand again,
28352.798 using a neutralizing powder to rid himself of 
the golden color. Then, with gravity, he asked,   “Then, sir, may I ask: what brings you here?”
Austin let out a cold chuckle, his eyes filled
28363.76 with hatred as he looked toward the image of 
Apophis on the wall of District Thirteen. “Why,   you ask? I want Apophis dead! In exchange, 
I can grant this place the protection
28372.878 of Jörmungandr’s projection!”
At that declaration, Russell,   who had only half believed Austin’s story before, 
now found himself almost convinced. Jörmungandr
28382.0 and Apophis were both World Serpents, 
their divine roles inherently at odds,   and neither had ever claimed victory over the 
other. Rumor also held that Jörmungandr’s father
28391.2 was none other than Loki. Now, with Loki stepping 
in to champion his child, it all seemed to fit.
28396.718 Yet, Russell couldn’t shake a vague sense 
of unease, as though something was out of   place. Or perhaps, he thought, this was simply 
the aura the god of mischief exuded by nature.
28406.478 Shaking his head, Russell deliberately 
deflected, “Forgive me, sir. Though I   preside over District Thirteen, I truly have 
no authority to change the guardian here.”
28415.84 “However, since you have arrived 
with the goddess of beauty,   would you be willing to join her in stripping 
away the forces of desire from this place?”
28423.2 Seeing the respectful deference in Russell’s 
manner, Austin felt a secret delight—this was   an opportunity too good to pass up! If he could 
catch Russell off guard while he was busy with
28432.718 his duties, he might just seize everything 
Russell currently possessed for himself.As   for Loki’s identity—well, when you’re out in 
the world, your identity is whatever you say
28440.16 it is! Ember watched Russell and Austin 
walking ahead, unable to suppress a sense   of absurdity. Here were two people clearly 
wary of each other, yet both working hard
28449.2 to maintain their carefully constructed 
façades. One acted with utmost respect,   while the other put on an air of arrogance. 
It was almost like watching an Oscar-worthy
28458.478 performance unfold right before his eyes.
At that moment, Aphrodite quietly handed him
28463.52 a slip of paper. On it, two sentences 
were written in a spidery script:  “He is not Loki.”
“This director is not
28470.24 like you. There is a demon residing within him.”
Ember took the warning in stride, silently tearing
28475.76 the note into tiny pieces before tossing them 
into the trash. Of course he knew Austin wasn’t   Loki. But the revelation that a demon was living 
inside Russell—that was news to him. Suddenly,
28486.398 Russell’s ambitions revealed a deeper layer. He 
had always been trying to harness the demon’s   power through a perfect contract!
If that was the case, then Russell
28494.878 had likely already acquired some 
measure of true demonic power.  District Thirteen, basement level one.
This was a place marked “Staff Only—No
28502.878 Unauthorized Entry,” somewhere Ember had 
never set foot before. Unlike the other wards,   where haunting wails and shrieks often echoed, 
this place was eerily silent. The corridor,
28513.76 bathed in cold white light, reverberated 
only with the sound of their footsteps.  Yet, if one looked around, they could see 
patients in numbered prison uniforms standing
28522.24 in their rooms. These patients, bearing wounds of 
varying severity, stood by the one-way observation
28528.478 windows—some silent, some screaming, 
some staring at the newcomers with wild,
28533.76 unblinking eyes. It was as if the thin glass 
could not truly shield them from those stares.  But all the sounds they made 
were completely blocked by that
28541.52 layer of glass. It seemed as though hearing 
the patients’ voices was far more dangerous   than letting the patients see them. So Ember 
could only see lips twisting in furious curses,
28550.878 faces streaked with tears in desperate pleas—yet 
hear nothing of what was actually being said.  A few patients, clearly more deranged than 
the rest, grinned wickedly as they bit open
28560.32 their fingers and scrawled threats 
like “You’re dead” onto the glass.  Russell, walking at the front, paid this 
unsettling scene no mind. He strode straight
28568.08 to one of the rooms, pushed open the door, and 
gestured at a woman curled up in the corner.  “Come here.”
The woman, her head buried between her knees,
28576.558 trembled all over and ignored his command.
Seeing she wouldn’t move, Russell pulled a   small straw doll with braided hair from his 
pocket. With a sharp twist of his fingers,
28585.44 he pinched the doll’s neck mercilessly.
Instantly, the woman in the corner clutched   her own neck, legs kicking in panic, gasping 
desperately for air but unable to breathe. Her
28595.12 face turned red, her eyes rolled back—only 
then did Russell finally release his grip   on the doll.The woman with dark, purple bruises 
encircling her neck stared at Russell in terror.
28604.878 With an expressionless face, Russell pointed 
at the door. “Elena, it’s time to work.”
28610.32 Trembling, the woman called Elena 
struggled to her feet and shuffled   to the doorway in tiny, cautious steps.
She edged past Russell, keeping as far from him
28618.798 as possible, and slipped out into the corridor.
The moment she spotted Ash and her companion,   she bowed her head even lower, her voice 
barely more than a whisper. “I… I’m
28628.24 Elena. Which of you needs treatment?”
Ash glanced at Elena upon hearing this.
28633.28 [Elena]
[Wish: To escape the Thirteenth   District and live a free life.]
…  From Elena’s tone, did she possess 
some kind of healing ability?
28641.44 Ash raised an eyebrow and gestured to the empty 
air beside her. “My friend here needs to be rid of
28646.638 an excessive surge of desire. Can you help her?”
Elena followed Ash’s finger, and in that instant,
28652.638 her pupils turned pitch-black 
and her face went blank.  A mocking smile curled on her lips, and then the 
darkness drained from her eyes, leaving her once
28660.478 again the timid woman she’d been before.
“It… it says it can help, but… but…”
28665.76 Halfway through her sentence, Elena hesitated 
and nervously glanced back at Russell.  As a vessel for a demon, she 
possessed the power to ‘heal’ others.
28674.32 But this ‘healing’ was not the usual kind of 
cure—it was a twisted version of restoration.  For example, if someone had lost a leg and Elena 
healed them, the leg would indeed grow back,
28683.44 but it might not be where it belonged; 
it could just as well sprout from their   chest as from below the waist.
Moreover, the cost of this healing
28690.16 was paid with Elena’s own soul energy.
After she entered the Thirteenth District,   Russell had ‘treated’ her and discovered a way to 
steer her healing in the right direction—but this
28698.638 method required the use of certain other means.
Thus, under the pretense of needing further   observation, Russell had kept 
Elena locked up in the infirmary.
28706.798 Naturally, Elena had objected, but Russell, 
citing the exorbitant cost of her treatment,   demanded that she heal thirteen patients before 
he would let her leave the Thirteenth District.
28715.68 Short on money and with her soul incomplete, Elena 
lacked the courage to refuse, and so she agreed.
28721.12 Until she completed these healing 
tasks, her very life was tied to   the straw doll in Russell’s hands.
Now, she needed Russell’s confirmation
28728.398 to be sure that this invisible patient 
counted as one of the thirteen.  She had learned the hard way—before, 
when she failed to get prior approval,
28735.04 she’d been forced to heal many people for free.
Having suffered enough, she was determined   not to make the same mistake again.
As for Russell, he no longer cared either way.
28743.84 Given the weakened state of her soul, Elena could 
at most perform three more healings before the   demon inside her devoured her completely.Elena’s 
body would soon become just one of many vessels
28752.718 for demons to walk the earth. In other words, her 
value for exploitation had dropped significantly.
28758.638 Russell was already planning to transfer 
the demon inside Elena into a new vessel.   Only then could he use the demon’s “healing” 
powers to accomplish many of his own objectives.
28767.44 Nodding at Elena, Russell turned and 
headed toward the end of the corridor.  “Come with me,” he said. “This patient will 
count as one of the thirteen in the contract.”
28776.24 “And don’t worry about using your powers 
this time—it can’t take you away now.”  “I give you my word.”
Elena, reassured by Russell’s
28783.84 promise, finally let out a sigh of relief. The 
oppressive weight she’d been carrying eased,   if only a little. At last, she could lessen some 
of the debt that had burdened her shoulders.
28793.52 Unaware that her life was nearing its end, 
Elena hurried after him with quick, light steps.
28798.958 Meanwhile, another slip of paper 
had appeared in Ember’s hand:  “Elena’s soul is not whole—she’s 
on the verge of being devoured by
28806.08 the demon. She is both dangerous and pitiable.”
Reading Aphrodite’s note, Ember frowned slightly.
28812.24 He sensed something unusual about this “patient.” 
Could it be that all these patients were somehow
28817.44 connected to demons? But Elena was clearly not a 
demon’s agent like himself—otherwise, Ember would
28823.12 not have been able to see her wish at all.
Once again, Ember’s thoughts turned to   Russell’s wish and to Aphrodite’s warning from 
earlier. Was Russell using these demon-marked
28832.0 individuals for some kind of experiment? Knowing 
Russell’s nature, that seemed entirely possible.
28837.12 Just then, Austin—who had deliberately 
fallen a few steps behind to walk   alongside Ember—suddenly raised his hand and 
scattered a cloud of fine, mist-like powder,
28845.68 enveloping them both. It was sound-dampening 
dust, meant to prevent any sound from escaping.
28850.878 Using such powder openly behind Russell’s back 
made it clear Austin had something urgent to   discuss. Anxious that Russell might turn around 
at any moment, Austin spoke in a hurried whisper:
28860.638 “We’re in trouble.”
“Russell’s found a   way to threaten the demon vessels.”
“There are so many demon vessels here—who knows
28867.04 which one could see through my mask or my lies.”
“If that happens, you won’t be   able to escape either!”
“So you need to find a way to
28873.92 keep Russell distracted for as long as possible!”
He finished in a rush, then waved his hand again.
28879.52 The silencing dust vanished without a trace, 
as if nothing had happened. Yet, from the rooms
28884.798 lining both sides of the corridor, more than a few 
people cast strange, knowing glances at the pair.
28890.24 Now certain of the existence of demon 
vessels thanks to Austin’s words,   Ember’s heart was anything but calm. He had only 
suspected before, but now Austin had confirmed it.
28899.52 Demon vessels—the term was easy enough 
to understand. In simple terms, they   were the shells demons wore, the “clothes” 
that allowed them to walk among mortals.
28907.76 Just like Amy had before.Different demons 
possess different abilities. For instance,   Luz, the one possessing Amy, is an illusionary 
demon who draws power from suffering. Elena,
28918.878 who just a moment ago insisted on curing disease, 
seems to have gained the ability of “healing.”
28924.0 But for demons, such a thing as healing simply 
does not exist. So whatever Elena possesses,
28929.68 it certainly isn’t healing! As for what it truly 
is, even Ashes can’t say for sure at this point.
28935.12 The fact that there are at least a dozen patient 
rooms lining both sides of the corridor means   there are at least a dozen demon vessels, each 
with unique powers. If Russell truly had a way
28943.84 to control them all and bend them to his will, 
Austin’s concerns would be more than justified.   With so many demon vessels, even a single 
spit from each could drown the two of them.
28953.44 Not to mention the tactical demon-hunting squads 
that have guarded District Thirteen for years,   and the projection of the Apophis Demon 
Sword hanging high on the wall. If Austin
28962.24 were to reveal his identity prematurely, Ashes 
might really end up buried here alongside him.
28967.28 Just as Ashes was pondering how to attract 
Russell’s attention, they finally reached the   end of the corridor. There, two heavy steel doors 
loomed. The exterior of the doors was smooth and
28977.36 flawless, betraying nothing unusual. But once 
inside, you could see that the doors, too,
28982.558 bore the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword.
Looking deeper into the room, there stood only   a single operating table, stained a dark crimson 
with blood, in the otherwise empty space. Clearly,
28993.6 this was the place specifically set 
aside to “treat” these demon vessels.  Ashes’s gaze then shifted to Elena. As expected, 
upon entering, Elena was overcome by a wave
29003.76 of unpleasant memories. Fear contorted her 
face as she instinctively edged towards the
29008.958 corner. But when Russell’s gaze swept over 
her, she had no choice but to suppress her   terror and stand there, trembling.
After a brief glance at Elena,
29017.28 Russell turned his attention to Ashes. 
“Now, it’s time we discuss your payment.”  As Russell’s words faded, the two heavy 
steel doors of the operating room swung
29025.92 closed behind them with a resounding 
thud. In the now silent room, only the   sound of their breathing could be heard.
Ashes considered for a moment before
29033.6 making an offer. “One million dollars?”
Russell shook his head. “Does District   Thirteen look like it’s short on money to you?”
“Anyone who comes here for treatment is either
29042.558 a high-value target or someone who 
has made significant contributions   to the Psychic Division.”
“Your treatment expenses will
29048.32 be covered by the Division, but as 
for your friend—she’s not so lucky.”  At that, Ashes immediately understood 
what Russell was getting at. In short,
29056.558 he could extract the lust from Aphrodite, but 
Aphrodite herself would have to remain here   for further study. And as for how long that 
would be, that was entirely up to Russell.
29065.68 However, Ashes had no intention of following 
the path Russell had laid out. He had plenty   of valuable things up his sleeve—things that 
might very well tempt Russell.After receiving
29075.36 Aphrodite’s reminder and learning that a 
demon resided within Russell, Ember already   knew exactly what needed to be brought forth.
He reached into the Gluttony storage pouch
29083.6 at his chest and drew out a sheet of 
paper, radiant with golden light—it   was the original fragment of the Holy Bible.
At the sight of this fragment, Russell’s
29091.76 breathing grew noticeably heavier.
So it was true. This was the very   item Ember had taken from Mirat!
This thing could suppress the Seven
29099.04 Deadly Sins, and naturally, it could also 
restrain the demon of Truth within him!  As long as it posed a threat to the demon, 
he would have a chance to negotiate with it!
29107.52 The eternity he so desperately 
longed for was now a step closer!  In a sense, this path to eternity was 
swifter and simpler than the arduous
29115.44 study of Aphrodite herself!
There was no need to speak in   riddles—he wanted it, plain and simple!
Russell was not the only one whose eyes
29122.32 burned with desire; Austin, too, looked 
upon the fragment with undisguised greed.  He never expected Ember to 
possess such a treasure.
29130.16 The original Bible fragment—legend 
held that it contained the very   words of God, inscribed by His own scribe.
This fragment was said to have a powerful
29137.92 suppressive effect on all forms of evil.
Those lacking in strength might even be   obliterated the moment they laid eyes upon it.
More importantly, rumor had it that the
29146.878 original Bible recorded the means to 
wield the power of creation itself!  Yet, from the day these fragments were discovered, 
no one had ever managed to gather them all.
29155.52 For most, the legend was nothing 
more than wishful thinking.  To dream of gaining the power of creation 
and becoming a Creator—such thoughts were
29162.798 dismissed as sheer fantasy.
Even so, the original Bible   fragment remained fervently sought after.
After all, who could say? Perhaps even a
29170.878 single word from it might reveal 
the secret to creation’s power.  Hope, after all, was always worth the risk.
For now, though, its greatest use was clear—to
29179.2 suppress the demon’s host right here, 
drastically weakening Russell’s power!  That crafty bastard Ember—what a cunning move!
Russell could never ignore the existence
29188.16 of the Bible fragment; even if it was a hot 
potato, he would seize it without hesitation.  If that happened, Austin’s chances 
of a successful ambush would soar.
29196.958 And as for the fragment itself—well, after Russell 
was dead, everything here would belong to him!  With a plan forming in his mind, Austin let out 
a deliberately awed exclamation, then spoke:
29207.6 “The original Bible fragment?!”
“Hey, kid, I didn’t expect you   to have something like this.”
“Why not hand it over to me? I
29214.558 promise I’ll find the Three Graces for you, 
so Aphrodite may regain her chastity—then   both her body and heart will belong to you.”
Seeing Austin speak up to snatch the prize,
29223.92 Russell hesitated no longer. He swiftly 
took the Bible fragment from Ember’s hand,   then turned to Austin and shook his head.
“That’s rather unfair of you, sir.”
29232.638 “First come, first served—this is clearly the fee 
Ember promised me for his consultation.”“If you
29238.0 want it, you’ll have to make a deal with 
me first.” Seeing Russell take the bait,   Austin let out a deliberately mocking laugh.
“Oh? All you’ve offered him is an Aphrodite
29246.718 who has lost all passion and desire.”
“What I can give him is an Aphrodite   who remains untouched and whole.”
“Which is better? I think that’s
29254.558 a choice Ashes should make for himself!”
Russell let out a cold snort and dropped   all pretense of respect toward Austin. “You really 
underestimate me, don’t you? Anything you can do,
29264.638 I might well be able to do too!”
“When I respect you, I call you ‘your   excellency.’ But if I don’t, you’re nothing 
more than a petty schemer who plays tricks.”
29273.36 “Trying to sow discord here—think carefully about 
whether you’ll be able to walk out of this room!”  As Russell finished speaking, the two serpents 
coiled around the enchanted sword on the steel
29282.398 door seemed to come to life; their 
eyes glowed with a venomous light.  A suffocating pressure instantly settled 
over the entire operating room—one of the
29289.92 precautions Russell had set up in case things 
went wrong. Although the magical sword here   was small in form and could only channel 
a limited amount of power, it was enough
29297.92 to test whether this ‘Loki’ was genuine.
If Loki were real, he’d naturally know that   the Apophis projection here couldn’t 
harm him. If he were an imposter,
29306.08 he’d surely be intimidated by the sword’s power.
In fact, even if Apophis himself were to appear,
29311.6 he might not be able to do anything to 
the true Loki. So, in a way, Russell was   gambling—betting that this Loki was a fake.
After all, throughout their encounter,
29320.398 this ‘Loki’ had acted far too properly—not at 
all like the mischievous trickster god of legend!
29325.52 Austin, fixed under the twin serpent stares, 
definitely felt the pressure. But he showed no   sign of panic. With Russell’s milk tooth still 
tucked in his mouth, he was all too eager for
29335.28 Russell to make a move. If self-sacrifice cost him 
a tooth but claimed the enemy’s life, so be it.
29340.638 So, Austin straightened up without a hint of 
fear. “What? Want to try me? Go on, I dare you!”
29346.32 Austin’s response made two things clear to 
Russell. First, Austin was definitely not   Loki. Even the real Loki would never choose to 
confront his enemy head-on—such a tactic would
29355.36 be utterly foolish in Loki’s eyes.
But Austin just might be Ares,   the war god rumored to have been involved with 
Aphrodite. Only the god of war would respond
29363.28 to threats by standing his ground. It was his 
very nature, dictated by his divine authority.
29368.958 And only the god of war would want to be 
tangled up with Aphrodite at every moment,   trailing after her like a shadow.
In an instant, Russell understood
29376.798 exactly how to handle ‘Ares.’
Certain he’d figured everything out,   Russell gave a dismissive snort. 
Then he turned to Ashes and said,
29384.558 “All right, let’s just ignore 
that brainless fellow.”  “Have your friend lie down on the operating 
table.”“Since I’ve accepted your consultation fee,
29392.558 I will not only strip Aphrodite of her desire, 
but I can also restore her purity!” With that,
29398.0 Russell shot a provocative glance at Austin.
Austin clenched his fists deliberately,   feigning anger. Yet, it seemed he was restraining 
himself for Aphrodite’s sake. This scene played
29408.558 out exactly as Russell had expected, 
confirming his suspicions. “Really now,   you still want to play the role of Loki? Your 
skill is leagues behind,” he thought, feeling
29418.16 everything was firmly within his grasp. Adjusting 
his glasses, Russell called out, “Elena!”
29423.76 At the sound of her name, Elena let out a 
soft sigh in her heart and looked toward   the indented surgical bed. In that moment, a 
flicker of jealousy flashed through her eyes.
29433.04 The patient’s figure was simply flawless! But 
before she could let her emotions run any further,
29438.24 a veil of darkness silently swept across 
her pupils, overtaking them completely.  Pushed to the far corners of her consciousness, 
Elena regained her senses. She pressed her palms
29448.32 together over her chest, knelt in her mind, and 
made a wish: “Let her desire be stripped away.”
29453.84 The demon with whom Elena had long ago 
sealed a pact burst into triumphant,   mocking laughter within her mind. In 
the next moment, Elena’s soul appeared,
29462.32 her form suddenly growing faint and insubstantial.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, the demon
29468.0 controlling Elena’s body made a grasping motion 
in the air. The desires Aphrodite had resolved
29473.04 to relinquish began to gather in Elena’s 
hands. Compressed by the demon’s powers,
29478.16 the endless lust condensed into 
a single, tiny pink dot of light.  Just as “Elena” was about to lift her hand and 
savor this “delicacy,” Ember spoke up suddenly.
29487.52 “According to hospital regulations, what comes 
from the patient does not belong to the hospital.”
29492.558 “Unless the patient has given explicit 
consent for the hospital to handle it,   you have no right to dispose of this.”
“Elena” paused, a mocking smile curling
29500.798 on her lips. She tossed the lust-filled 
light upward, right in front of Ember,   then opened her mouth wide, waiting eagerly 
for it to fall in. Was this a joke? How dare
29510.718 a mere mortal tell her what to do? Not only would 
she eat it, she’d do it right in front of him!
29515.84 What could Ember possibly do to stop her?
But with her head tilted back and mouth agape,   “Elena” waited in vain—the 
speck of desire never fell.
29524.32 Sensing that something was wrong, “Elena” 
whipped her gaze toward Ember. She saw the   point of light hovering over the back of 
his hand, while a crimson lip print slowly
29533.92 faded from his skin—a parting blessing from 
Aphrodite, moments before she lost her desire.  A blessing imbued with the same power of longing 
naturally drew a kindred blessing to itself.
29543.68 Realizing she’d been tricked, “Elena” seethed with 
the urge for revenge. But before she could act,
29549.6 Russell’s voice rang out sharply: “That’s enough!”
Feeling the oppressive shadow of the Apophis   Demon Sword’s projection, the demon retreated 
unwillingly back into the depths of Elena’s
29559.04 mind. With no physical form to walk the mortal 
world, it was no match for the Apophis Demon
29564.24 Sword.It had already learned this lesson the last 
time. So, now in this operating room, it dared not
29569.36 make any more fuss over “healing,” nor did it dare 
openly defy Russell. When Elena “awoke” once more
29576.398 and looked at the indentation on the operating 
table, she could only marvel at the patient’s   flawless figure, but the uncontrollable jealousy 
she’d felt earlier was gone. Elena understood—the
29587.12 patient had already been “healed” by her.
Now, with only two patients remaining,   she would finally be able to leave this stifling 
hospital. Feeling much lighter in spirit,
29596.398 Elena failed to notice her own ghastly 
pale face, or the way her movements grew   increasingly uncoordinated. The remnants of 
her soul could no longer command her body.
29606.16 After Elena had succeeded, only then did 
Russell dare to look at the operating   table. He signaled for Aphrodite to 
remove her Sunlight Cloak, and finally,
29614.638 for the first time, saw Aphrodite’s true face.
It was a face of such breathtaking beauty! If
29620.32 not for having stripped away all desire, Russell 
feared he too might have fallen hopelessly in love
29625.6 with Aphrodite. But now, he felt as one might 
upon seeing a beauty on the street—awestruck,
29631.04 but with no stray thoughts beyond admiration.
Having brought Aphrodite into the open,   Russell was ready to fulfill his final 
promise: to restore Aphrodite’s purity. Yet,
29640.958 so focused was he on Aphrodite that he 
failed to notice Austin’s silent approach.  Russell drew in a deep breath, and one of his 
eyes suddenly turned pitch black. Unlike Elena,
29650.638 who was merely a vessel for a demon, Russell 
stood as an equal to the demon of truth within   him. Their connection was not possession, but 
more akin to a partnership of mutual exchange.
29660.398 Russell could draw on the demon’s power, but in 
return, he had to pay the price the demon desired.
29666.0 “Truth: The perfect woman before my eyes 
has never been touched by man.” As Russell   uttered these words, a twisted force 
of law immediately enveloped Aphrodite.
29674.958 At the same moment, Austin, 
clutching a spell-breaking dagger,   lunged and stabbed Russell in the side.
There was a sickening squelch as the
29682.638 enchanted dagger effortlessly pierced 
Russell’s kidney. A crimson bloom   of blood spread across his white coat.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack,
29690.32 Russell’s face flashed with shock. Austin’s ambush 
had taken him completely by surprise. Aside from
29695.92 their earlier quarrel over the Primordial Bible 
page, there had been no other conflict between   them. Could it be that the mere existence of 
that sacred page was enough to drive Austin
29705.2 to murder? Perhaps it was understandable—greed 
has always tempted the human heart, and men have   killed for less. Especially for something as 
priceless as a page from the Primordial Bible!
29715.28 If he was being honest, Russell himself had not 
been above such deeds in the past. But how did   Austin dare attempt this here—of all places? 
This was the special operating room on the
29724.558 first underground level of District Thirteen! 
Even the door bore the shadow of the Apophis   Demonblade!More importantly, he himself was 
a sorcerer—a powerful sorcerer who had made a
29734.398 pact with the Demon of Truth! If someone wanted to 
kill and rob him, they had better ask themselves   if they had the strength to pull it off! Russell’s 
face darkened instantly, and he immediately tried
29744.32 to trigger the magical devices on his body 
to fight back. But to his shock, he couldn’t
29749.52 sense even a trace of magical power! His flow 
of magic had been cut off completely! It was a
29754.718 high-grade anti-magic dagger! His opponent hadn’t 
acted on a whim—they had come fully prepared!
29760.32 Without the support of magic, Russell was no more 
than an ordinary man with a bit of intelligence!   He couldn’t cast any spells, nor could he control 
the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword,
29770.24 and there was no way for him to turn the 
tables on Austin! As soon as he sensed   the dagger lodged in his body shifting, Russell 
steeled his resolve. In that silent moment, his
29780.16 eyes were swallowed entirely by darkness. He was 
willing to relinquish control of his body, if only
29786.16 temporarily, in exchange for a chance to survive!
Though Russell’s inner struggle seemed to stretch   on, in the reality outside, barely an instant 
had passed. The Demon of Truth, now awakened,
29797.44 curled his lips in a faint smile. Borrowing 
Russell’s voice, he softly uttered a new “truth.”
29802.958 “Truth: I have never beenMore importantly, he 
himself was a sorcerer—a powerful one who had   made a pact with the Demon of Truth! If someone 
wanted to rob and kill him, they’d better first
29813.04 ask themselves if they had the strength to pull 
it off! Russell’s expression darkened in a flash,   and he immediately tried to trigger the enchanted 
items on his body to fight back. But to his shock,
29823.68 he couldn’t sense even a trace of his magical 
power! His flow of magic had been cut off! It
29829.28 was a high-grade anti-magic dagger! His opponent 
hadn’t acted on a whim—he had come fully prepared!
29835.2 Without the support of his magic, Russell was 
nothing more than an ordinary man with a bit   of intelligence! He couldn’t cast spells, couldn’t 
control the projection of the Apophis Demon Sword,
29844.718 and had no way to turn the tables on Austin! 
Sensing the dagger embedded in his body begin   to shift, Russell steeled his heart, and his 
eyes were quietly swallowed by total blackness.
29854.32 He was willing to yield his body, if only 
temporarily, in exchange for a chance at survival!
29859.92 Russell’s inner struggle seemed to 
last an age, but to the outside world,   only the briefest instant had passed. 
The Demon of Truth, now awakened,
29868.16 curled its lips into a faint smile and, borrowing 
Russell’s voice, softly declared a new “Truth.”
29873.92 “Truth: I have never been wounded.”
As soon as the words left his mouth,   the anti-magic dagger plunged into Russell’s body 
snapped in two. The wound on Russell’s body closed
29883.36 up at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even the 
silver blade left inside him transformed from
29888.558 cold metal into living flesh, sealing the injury!
Austin’s pupils contracted sharply at the sight.
29894.478 Words becoming reality? Impossible! No one but 
the Creator could possess such a power! Neither
29900.16 Russell himself nor the demon now inhabiting 
his body should be capable of such a feat! This
29905.44 so-called “truth” must be a lie! Yet Austin 
couldn’t fathom what ability this demon truly   controlled. He needed more information!
Relying on his own ability to transfer
29914.558 the price of his magic, Austin refused 
to back down. Instead, he produced more   deadly tools from his coat and drove them 
into “Russell’s” body. Now bristling with
29923.68 silver blades, “Russell” calmly repeated:
“Truth: I have never been wounded.”
29928.718 With those words, the numerous wounds on Russell’s 
body once again healed completely. Witnessing
29934.0 this, Austin’s mind raced at lightning speed, 
considering countless possibilities in a single
29939.12 instant. Perhaps Russell had a “stand-in” to bear 
the injuries for him. Perhaps what he saw before
29944.718 him was merely an illusion, a trick of light 
and shadow manipulated by the demon. Or perhaps,
29950.08 like Elena a moment ago, Russell could burn 
his own soul to perform miraculous feats…
29955.36 But whatever the case, Austin was certain of one 
thing: At this moment, he could not harm Russell!
29960.558 That was something Austin could never accept! He 
had to find a way to shatter the “truth” Russell
29965.68 spoke.Suddenly, Austin’s eyes flashed with a sharp 
glint. The Primordial Bible Page! That was the
29971.92 key to harming Russell! As this thought struck 
him, Austin couldn’t help but glance at Ember,   who had withdrawn to the side. Previously, he’d 
assumed Ember handed over the Primordial Bible
29982.24 Page to suppress the demon vessels nearby. 
But he hadn’t expected that this object was   currently the only item capable of countering 
Russell’s “Truth” ability! Could it be that
29991.44 this kid had known from the very beginning 
that Russell could tap into demonic power?   Now that was a truly unsettling possibility.
Austin let out a cold chuckle and suddenly
30000.08 shouted, “Kid, what are you 
waiting for? Do it now!”  Does this guy have an accomplice? Hearing 
Austin’s shout, “Russell” instinctively
30008.558 looked toward Ember. Ember, who’d originally 
planned to sit back and watch the others fight,   cursed inwardly. Austin, that wily old 
fox. After his sneak attack failed, he was
30018.32 now trying to drag Ember into the fray, using 
him as a decoy to draw “Russell’s” attention.  Sure enough, just as “Russell” was about 
to speak, Austin—hidden in Russell’s blind
30027.84 spot—suddenly raised his hand. Instantly, 
a pale hand shot out from Austin’s sleeve,
30033.44 grabbing the Primordial Bible Page from 
Russell’s arms. The sinister aura of death magic   instantly triggered the page’s active defense.
A dazzling burst of golden light erupted fiercely
30043.12 from Russell’s chest. Bathed in this radiance, the 
pale hand was reduced to dust in the blink of an
30048.798 eye. Meanwhile, “Russell,” clutching the page 
as if it were a live bomb, saw the darkness in
30054.24 his eyes recede like a swiftly retreating tide.
The real Russell, snapping back to his senses,
30059.6 immediately realized he’d been played 
by Austin and Ember together! His gaze   turned razor-sharp as he channeled his 
magic, detonating a protective talisman.
30067.92 Boom! A field of violet lightning 
exploded outward from Russell,   rapidly expanding in all directions. Austin, 
too close to dodge, was flung violently away.
30076.878 But to Russell’s surprise, Austin, struck by 
lightning, merely spat out a bloodied tooth and
30082.08 then stood up as if nothing had happened. 
Just then, Russell heard a sharp crack—a   defensive magical item on his body had shattered.
Damage transfer? Russell instantly realized that
30092.08 Austin was someone familiar! Only 
a confidant could have gotten hold   of a casting medium tied to him!
“Who are you? Austin or Mace?!”
30099.68 As Russell’s words fell, the Apophis 
Demon Sword embedded in the surgical   suite’s door suddenly flared with light. It 
wrenched itself from the steel and hovered
30107.76 in midair, slashing straight toward Austin.
Facing the incoming demon sword, Austin cursed
30113.44 under his breath, then used his sharp nails 
to slice open his wrist. Blood gushed forth,
30118.638 and under the urgency of Austin’s incantation, 
transformed into a blood golem—matching Austin’s
30124.878 own size—that entangled the Apophis Demon Sword. 
But with every swing, the demon sword vaporized
30130.798 another swath of blood. With Austin’s own 
blood as fuel, he wouldn’t be able to hold   out for long.Meanwhile, shielded by the thunderous 
field, Russell was chanting an even more powerful
30141.28 incantation. If Russell finished his spell, then 
Austin—who no longer had any way to transfer the
30146.398 damage—would be doomed without a doubt.
Realizing this, Austin shouted at once,   “Kid! Tell your sweetheart to 
make her move, or we’re all dead!”
30154.718 Hearing Austin’s cry, Aphrodite simply gazed 
quietly at Ember. Among all those present,
30160.478 only she possessed the power to shatter Russell’s 
thunder barrier. But now, stripped of her desires,
30166.16 her strength had diminished by more than half. 
After all, her power used to come from passion,
30171.68 and now the single thread of pure love Ember could 
offer was hardly enough to fuel a fight. That left   her with only one chance for a decisive strike.
As for when to use that one strike, she chose
30181.6 to trust the man who had already captured 
her heart. Yet Ember had already made his   plans. Gifted with the Eye of Horus and the 
ability to see the truth, Ember had seen
30190.638 through everything from the very beginning.
What was called “truth” was, in fact, a lie.  Austin’s guess was correct—no one could possess 
such a world-shaping power. The demon inhabiting
30200.24 Russell’s body had never healed his wounds. 
Under the true sight granted by the Eye of Horus,
30205.36 Ember could clearly see the web of 
injuries covering Russell’s body.   The wounds no longer bled, but their horror 
was unmistakable. Any ordinary person would
30214.398 have died a thousand deaths from such injuries.
The demon’s power of falsehood could even deceive   its own body, hiding the wounds away! Simply put, 
the injuries remained—the lie merely made them
30224.798 invisible to normal perception. This demon could 
even lie to itself! It convinced itself that its
30230.0 powers were truth, and believed it wholeheartedly. 
As long as no one exposed the reality, the lie
30235.68 could persist as “truth.” So long as Russell 
believed he was unhurt, he truly felt no pain.
30241.12 But this was a lie, not the truth.
Yet this rule had a fatal flaw. It   was just like the ancient tale of Bi Gan, 
the minister who asked in the city, “Can a
30249.52 man live without a heart?”—if the truth was ever 
revealed, Russell would likely die in an instant.
30254.878 The final question was: how could Russell, 
who did not possess the Eye of Horus,   be made to see the truth?
Ember glanced at Austin, who
30262.638 was still struggling to hold on, then reversed the 
siren’s ear bone, using it as a makeshift trumpet.
30268.16 He pointed it at Russell, who was in the midst 
of chanting his devastating spell, and shouted:  “Russell! Look into my eyes!”
Russell, capable of splitting his attention,
30277.92 instinctively turned at the sound of Ember’s 
voice. In that moment, his entire body trembled.  He saw it. Reflected in Ember’s 
dark eyes, he saw himself.
30287.04 He saw a self riddled with wounds.
He saw a self that should have died long ago.  He had never received the “truth’s” 
healing—his injuries remained, plain as day.
30296.32 He had been deceived!Russell, burning with anger, 
immediately began to interrogate the Demon of
30301.84 Truth within him. Yet the Demon, whose role was 
to “explain” things to Russell and strengthen his
30307.04 convictions, had fallen into a state of paralysis 
after being gravely wounded by the remnant page
30312.32 of the original Bible. As Russell waited in 
vain for any response from the Demon of Truth,   he was finally forced to admit to himself that 
he had never truly been under Truth’s favor.
30322.16 All those so-called truths he had clung to in 
the past were nothing more than comforting lies.  A vague realization dawned upon him: this demon, 
who claimed to possess the power of truth,
30332.08 likely wielded only the power of deception. 
If he could fool Russell into believing,
30337.12 then he could maintain his current form. But 
the more Russell tried to deceive himself,   the more he became aware of the fraud.
Just then, a series of bloody holes began
30346.24 to appear in his once-healthy body, as if conjured 
by some bizarre force. One of these wounds still
30351.52 held the dagger that could nullify magic, lodged 
deep within him. Russell, desperately trying to
30357.04 avoid thinking about what was happening, 
nevertheless felt his magical power being   cut off. The spell he was casting became like 
water without a source, dissipating instantly.
30366.318 The projection of the Apophis Demon Sword, which 
had nearly taken off Austin’s head, sensed the
30371.36 loss of Russell’s will. Like a weary worker 
eager to clock out, it slid back into the wall,
30376.558 transforming once more into a mural with a faint 
trace of sentience. The two serpents representing
30381.68 Apophis coiled themselves tightly around the 
sword’s hilt, and the blade fell silent. The pairs
30386.798 of snake eyes, glowing with red pinpoints, gazed 
at the chaos in the room with idle amusement.
30392.478 Indeed, to the sword, this was nothing 
but a trivial farce. As for Russell—well,   one dead Russell would inevitably be replaced 
by another. The sword felt no obligation to
30402.24 save such a disposable mortal. Besides, it rather 
disliked Russell, and despised demons, those true
30407.68 rulers of the world’s dominant species.
Once again stripped of his power,   Russell collapsed to his knees in the center 
of the thunder-scorched field. As he felt his
30415.92 life ebbing away, a question gnawed at his mind. 
Why had Ember seen through the ruse so easily,
30421.52 when even he himself had failed to 
notice? Before encountering Ember’s eyes,   the power of such lies would have allowed him 
to remain healthy forever. In other words,
30430.638 without Ember, the illusion could have become 
reality. And if something feels real enough,   who would ever doubt it was fake? Twisted 
logic, perhaps, but that was the truth. If,
30440.16 long ago, someone had told Bi Gan that 
a person could live without a heart,   then perhaps Bi Gan might have survived.
How tragic, Russell thought—all his research,
30448.16 all his efforts, slipping away from him now.
With a dull thud, Russell, no longer able to
30453.36 hold himself up, toppled forward onto 
the ground. The storm of thunder that   had raged around him for so long at last lost 
its power and faded away. Yet even in defeat,
30463.28 Russell was denied the final peace that sometimes 
comes before death.Austin, his leg crippled by the
30469.2 cursed sword, hobbled over to Russell’s side. 
He grabbed Russell’s hair and yanked his head   up with ruthless force. Then, Austin reached up 
and peeled the human-skin mask from his face,
30479.6 revealing a visage riddled with scars.
“Russell, hey, never expected it,   did you? In the end, I’m the one who won.”
“Where’s the Heart of Eternity? Hand it over.”
30489.12 “Your eternity—it’s up to 
me to carry it forward now!”  Russell’s gaze, which had been unfocused, 
gradually sharpened. At last, he saw the
30497.6 true face of the man before him. Though the 
hideous scars made it hard for Russell to   recognize him at first, he finally realized who 
this adversary—his lifelong rival—truly was.
30507.84 “Austin… it’s you!”
“Have you lost your mind? I have no use   for the Heart of Eternity. My research has always 
been about eternal contracts, not artifacts!”
30517.68 “Damn it! The winner takes all. 
I have nothing more to say.”  “But if you’re trying to steal what’s 
mine, using such a flimsy excuse—hah,
30525.6 even in death, I can’t respect you!”
A flimsy excuse? Seeing Russell’s stubborn   defiance, Austin’s brow furrowed. Russell was on 
the brink of death; surely there was no reason to
30535.68 hide anything now. Both of them, being sorcerers 
of this caliber, knew that it was difficult to
30541.2 keep secrets from each other—after all, they 
both possessed the means to make the dead speak.  It was better to confess while still alive, to 
avoid further agony after death. That was why,
30550.958 within the Order of Immortality, the defeated 
would usually surrender everything, accepting   their fate without protest.
Yet, Russell’s reaction
30558.558 didn’t seem feigned at all.
Russell, too, caught the grave look on Austin’s   face. In that moment, he realized—Austin genuinely 
believed he had stolen the Heart of Eternity!
30568.638 Heaven knows, if he’d known Austin was plotting 
to seize the Heart, he probably would have tried   to snatch it himself. Their relationship 
had never been exactly friendly. But,
30577.52 cooped up in District Thirteen with his 
own research, he barely had the energy to   keep track of what his fellow cultists were up to.
After all, with powerful backers in the Department
30585.76 of Psyche, all he needed to do was stick to his 
plan—one day he’d unlock the secrets of eternity.
30591.04 Yet now, it seemed as if someone had 
set the two of them against each other.  Their eyes met, and at the same moment, a single 
name flashed through both of their minds: “Mace.”
30600.318 Austin’s expression softened 
a little as he let out a sigh.  “That old bald fox—there’s a reason he’s lost 
his hair. He’s always been the cleverest of us.”
30609.04 Russell, already feeling his body 
grow cold, managed a bitter smile.  “Indeed. But tell me, why did you ever 
think I had the Heart of Eternity?”
30617.6 “Surely you weren’t foolish enough 
to neglect a tracking spell on it?”  “Foolish?” Austin snorted, letting Russell’s 
insult for a dying man pass. “Of course I took the
30626.638 Heart’s essence and used it for my incantations.”
“But the last trace of the Heart of Eternity—its
30632.16 final destination—was in your hospital, 
Russell!”Hearing this, Russell was taken aback.
30637.68 There hadn’t been many newcomers at the hospital 
lately—he could count them all on his fingers.
30642.798 Amy, Ashes, Austin, Aphrodite—just those four. 
And Austin’s spellcasting had definitely happened
30648.558 before today, which narrowed it down even further. 
Only Amy and Ashes remained as possibilities!
30654.558 Everyone knew Amy had undergone an MRI scan, 
so she couldn’t possibly be Mace in disguise.
30659.84 Eliminate every impossibility, and whatever 
remains, however improbable, must be the truth!
30665.92 The blood clan patient named “Ashes” who had 
been introduced—he must be Mace in disguise!
30671.04 Revived by this revelation, Russell whipped 
his head around, searching for Ashes. Suddenly,
30676.558 Russell’s pupils shrank—he’d spotted 
Ashes, standing right behind Austin!  “Li—” Russell had only uttered the first 
syllable when Austin, sensing something amiss,
30686.0 turned to look back. In a flash, cold steel 
glinted. Austin’s vision plunged lower and lower,
30692.0 until he was staring at his own shoes. Only 
then did he realize he’d been decapitated!  Damn it! He hadn’t even had a chance to betray 
them, and that kid struck first? All those
30701.6 signs of a people-pleaser—it was all an act? 
He’d known it! The kid was faking, scheming,
30706.798 waiting to take advantage of him, the old man. 
Luckily, he hadn’t let his guard down. He’d   always been careful, always kept something 
in reserve, and he’d made his preparations!
30716.24 A cold sneer curled at the corner of Austin’s 
lips as he slowly closed his eyes, looking for   all the world as if he were truly dead.
Ashes couldn’t care less whether Austin
30724.878 was really dead or just pretending. Without 
hesitation, he pulled out a canister of gasoline   he always carried, doused Austin’s body, set it 
alight, and then hacked away furiously to make
30735.44 sure Austin was dead beyond any doubt. Only 
then did he turn to the dumbstruck Russell.  “Director Russell, you 
could say I’ve avenged you.”
30742.718 “Don’t you think you owe me a reward?”
With only a breath left in him, Russell   could hardly believe Ashes had the nerve to ask 
for payment. But thinking of all the time and
30751.12 effort he’d invested, Russell could only sigh.
“If you join the Church of Immortality,
30756.16 I can let you run this hospital.”
“Don’t be so quick to refuse. If you want   a reward, this hospital is the best I can offer.”
“Most of the information on monster weaknesses and
30765.76 habits in the psychic department 
comes from District Thirteen.”  “And besides that, there’s research 
here on demons. Of course, there’s
30772.318 also some secret research on angels.”
“All of it can be yours—if you agree to   join the Church of Immortality.”
Russell’s voice grew weaker and
30780.16 weaker as he spoke. “Make your decision 
quickly. I don’t have much time left.”  A windfall like this? Ashes instinctively 
sensed a trap. Yet, the information on
30789.76 monsters was truly tempting for someone as 
illiterate about demon-hunting as he was.  Just as Ashes hesitated, the smoldering pyre 
behind him suddenly stirred—the enchanted
30798.558 wizard’s robe Austin had worn, impervious 
to fire, eerily rose up on its own.Suddenly,
30803.76 the withered robe puffed up, as if someone 
inside it was rapidly growing. Embers, lost in
30809.28 thought over whether to accept Russell’s offer, 
truly hadn’t noticed the commotion behind him.
30814.558 Catching a glimpse out of the corner of his 
eye, Russell saw Austin coming back to life   and had to stifle a laugh. That coward Austin 
really had prepared a backup plan after all.
30824.16 A cunning rabbit always has three burrows. 
Austin’s methods of self-preservation were   even more numerous than Russell had imagined.
Yet, professionalism kept Russell’s expression
30833.36 composed; he didn’t even let his gaze 
waver from Embers for a moment, as if he   were completely unaware of what was happening 
behind him. But just because Russell couldn’t
30841.84 see it didn’t mean Aphrodite couldn’t. Seeing 
that Embers was oblivious, Aphrodite finally
30846.878 stopped holding back. With a wave of her hand, a 
scarlet heart shot straight into Austin’s chest.
30852.24 The sudden disturbance made Embers whip around, 
just in time to see the resurrected Austin   preparing a sneak attack. In truth, Embers had 
already learned of Austin’s resurrection from
30861.28 Lana. The reason he hadn’t reacted was because 
his abilities dealt the most devastating blow in   close combat. If Austin dared to approach, Embers 
was certain he could finish him off in an instant.
30871.52 What he hadn’t expected was for 
Aphrodite to intervene on his behalf.   Did this woman… have feelings for him?
At that moment, Austin’s heart went wild
30879.76 after being struck by Aphrodite’s heart. 
Thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump-thump!   His heartbeat raced faster and faster—so fast 
that he didn’t even have time to speak before,
30889.92 with a deafening burst, he exploded into 
a grotesque splash of blood and flesh.  Splattered from head to toe, Embers 
silently pulled out his lucky coin,
30898.398 made a cut on his wrist, and without a word, 
sprinkled bone dust he’d prepared earlier,
30903.6 casting a deadly curse. When it came to someone as 
slippery as Austin, Embers felt there was no such
30908.718 thing as being too cautious.
…  In a secret underground chamber somewhere in Los 
City, Austin slowly opened his eyes, confused,
30915.76 as he lay in a coffin. He pushed open the lid and 
sat up with effort, taking a long moment before
30921.52 his vision finally cleared. He didn’t know exactly 
what had happened to him, but what was certain   was that his wizard self had died. That was the 
reason he, as a mere mortal, had been revived.
30931.12 This was Austin’s final fallback: a mortal body 
that preserved most of his memories. The rest   of his memories, he believed, should be stored 
in a crystal ball somewhere in the room. He had
30941.04 prepared this body in case, during his pursuit 
of eternity, he was unexpectedly erased by some   overwhelming force—after all, if his wizard self 
were destroyed, he might be wiped out completely.
30951.12 It seemed that such an extreme scenario had 
truly come to pass. To find out exactly what   had happened, he would have to go upstairs and 
take a look. The wizard version of Austin would
30960.638 regularly come here to imprint his memories into 
the crystal ball kept in the room.What Austin,
30966.0 down in the basement, did not know was that a 
sudden gust of wind swept through the tightly   sealed first floor. Death had arrived. 
No one could say where the wind began,
30975.04 but it was strong enough to whisk away the 
dust cloth draped over the crystal ball.  Sunlight from outside streamed in 
through the window, shining directly
30982.638 onto the now-uncovered crystal ball. Bathed 
in the sunlight, the crystal ball instantly   focused a bright beam onto the velvet sofa.
Meanwhile, after half an hour reacquainting
30991.84 himself with his body, Austin staggered 
uncertainly and opened the basement door.   The moment the door swung open, a piercing 
light caught the edge of his vision,
31000.798 making him squint involuntarily. Then he realized, 
with a jolt—where was this light coming from?
31006.558 Turning his head, Austin finally spotted the 
source of the brightness, and also saw the   scorched marks appearing on the sofa. A memory 
flashed through his mind—the admonition of a
31016.0 half-charred elder when he first learned to use 
the crystal ball: “Whenever you’re away, always   cover the crystal ball with its dust cloth!”
This rule wasn’t meant to prevent something
31024.478 from escaping the crystal ball. Rather, it was 
because, when you’re not home, sunlight might   strike at just the right angle, focus through the 
ball, and set your house on fire. Just like now.
31033.2 Despair gripped Austin as he watched the 
flames spring up all around him. He tried   to force his stiff limbs to flee. But reaching 
the door and frantically twisting the handle,
31042.318 Austin remembered—the door was locked 
with a key. And the memory of where the   key was hidden? That was inside the crystal ball!
Staring at the crystal ball now engulfed by the
31051.28 inferno, Austin stood frozen for several seconds 
before realizing that escaping through the door   wasn’t his only option—he could smash a window. 
Grabbing a chair, he rushed toward the window.
31060.958 But he failed to notice that the burning cabinet 
holding the crystal ball had tilted, causing the   ball to roll off onto the floor. Bouncing and 
rolling, it landed directly in Austin’s path.
31070.558 Certain that nothing blocked his way, Austin 
tripped over the crystal ball, lost his balance,
31075.6 and crashed heavily onto the burning sofa. The 
soft cushions wrapped around him instantly,   flames licking from every side.
Austin perished.
31083.44 …
Ember, returning   from a state of spirit-sight, exhaled in relief 
after confirming Austin’s physical death. Though
31089.68 there was a chance Austin’s resentment might turn 
him into a malicious ghost haunting the house,   all that remained was to offer a small reward and 
submit the case to the Psychic Department. Surely,
31099.44 some cash-strapped demon hunter would 
take on this not-too-difficult side job.  With Austin’s business concluded, Ember finally 
turned to Russell, who now lay motionless. Russell
31108.718 seemed to be dead, yet his wish panel still glared 
brightly before Ember’s eyes.[Russell] [Wish:
31115.04 To let people come into contact with the existence 
of the Truth Demon, and thus resurrect himself.]  The moment he saw Russell’s new wish, 
Ashes finally understood why this man
31123.92 had suddenly become so generous. All that 
demon-hunting information and such were,   in reality, nothing more than distractions 
meant to mislead Ashes. Russell’s true life’s
31133.28 work had always been focused on researching 
how to form a contract with the Truth Demon.  As long as Ashes truly threw himself into this 
endeavor, Russell believed it would be almost
31141.92 impossible for him to resist the temptation of a 
risk-free deal with the Truth Demon. After all,   in Russell’s mind, the fact that Ashes had just 
used demonic power to cast a curse was all the
31151.36 proof he needed—Ashes must be a subordinate of 
his old nemesis, Mace. Only Mace, after all,
31157.28 shared his obsession with eternal contracts.
So if Ashes was indeed working for Mace,   he surely wouldn’t be able to withstand the 
allure of eternity. And once Ashes began
31166.24 his first transaction with the Truth Demon, 
Russell—who had just forged a new deal with   that very demon—would be able to come back to life 
without a hitch. That was Russell’s hidden move.
31175.2 Although Ashes didn’t understand every detail, 
Russell’s new wish was enough for him to piece   together the man’s intentions. All he could 
say was that these old members of the Cult of
31184.318 Immortality were not easy to kill—there was always 
some unseen contingency, some hidden card that   could inexplicably bring them back from the dead.
But now that he was aware of the trap,
31193.44 the cake laced with hidden explosives 
suddenly looked all the more tempting.  Ashes gave Russell’s dying body a nudge 
with his foot and spoke up, “Dean Russell,
31201.68 I agree to join the Cult of Immortality.”
Hearing those words, Russell finally let out
31206.878 the breath he’d been holding in his chest. 
With death’s countdown ticking in his ears,   he managed to lift his head, and, pausing 
between ragged breaths, said, “The things…
31216.398 are in my office safe. The code is… 7355608…”
There was no time for more instructions.
31223.84 Russell’s voice broke off abruptly. As 
his head drooped lifelessly to the ground,   a cloud of black smoke, faintly laced with golden 
light, surged out from Russell’s slack mouth.
31233.68 The Truth Demon, which should have left to 
seek a new host, was suddenly hurled back   by the white glow radiating from the walls. 
This was, after all, a specially designed
31242.318 operating room—a chamber built as a vessel trap 
for demons. Embedded within the inner walls were
31247.52 stone tablets inscribed with sacred words.
As the steel door adorned with the Apophis   Demon Sword snapped shut, the room was 
transformed into a veritable demon prison.
31256.478 Already wounded by the final page of the Holy 
Bible, the Truth Demon, furious and humiliated,
31262.0 crashed around in a frenzy, shaking the entire 
operating room with its rage. But in the end,
31267.2 it had no choice but to resign itself to the 
nauseating prospect of sharing a body with yet   another demon. With a rush, it poured into the 
mouth of Elina, whose eyes shone with terror.
31277.28 A vessel that could say “yes” to one demon 
naturally wouldn’t refuse a second.Moreover, its   truth could grant this woman a little more time 
to live. From Ashes’ perspective, after a fleeting
31287.36 moment of confusion, Elina’s eyes suddenly lit up 
with delight. Then, as she regained her composure,
31293.2 a vitality that did not belong there seemed 
to blossom within her. The “truth” had taken
31298.318 effect. Having housed two demons within her 
body, Elina had, quite unexpectedly, found
31303.92 a precarious balance. Of course, this equilibrium 
was exceedingly fragile. After all, Elina herself
31310.24 was no longer in control of her own body; the 
ones calling the shots were the two demons!  But this was Elina’s own choice, and Ashes 
had no intention of interfering. Besides,
31319.76 compared to Elina’s predicament, 
he had far more pressing matters   to attend to. The two old men from the Church 
of Immortality, Austin and Russell, had left
31328.16 behind quite a few things worth investigating.
First, Ashes picked up the human-skin mask Austin
31333.28 had tossed aside earlier.
[Human-Skin Mask]  [Wish: To never be removed.]
Upon seeing the wish etched into the mask,
31340.638 Ashes’ eyes gleamed with an expression that said, 
“Just as I thought.” This was a human-skin mask
31345.92 infused with the consciousness of a malicious 
spirit. Ashes had witnessed its effects firsthand.
31351.04 When Austin put on the mask, he became 
a completely different person. Even with   the advanced detection methods of District 
Thirteen, no one had realized that Austin’s
31359.44 appearance had changed—because, in a sense, the 
mask transformed him into someone else entirely.
31364.958 Of course, as a grand mage, Austin had his own 
ways of preserving his mind from being overtaken.
31370.24 If Ashes truly planned to infiltrate the Church of 
Immortality by using what Russell had left behind,
31376.24 then this human-skin mask would undoubtedly be 
his greatest asset. The Church of Immortality   might be sinister, but that didn’t stop 
it from harboring a treasure trove.
31384.638 With a plan forming in his mind, Ashes carefully 
put the mask away and turned his attention to a   bloodstained wizard’s robe nearby. It had to 
be said: whatever Austin still had left was of
31394.558 extraordinary quality. Despite enduring 
multiple attacks, the robe showed not a   single tear. As Ashes lifted it, the blood and 
flesh that had clung to it slid away with ease,
31404.718 leaving the fireproof robe gleaming as if brand 
new. Even Ashes, with his vampiric senses,
31410.08 couldn’t detect the faintest trace of blood.
There was no doubt: this, too, was a magical   artifact imbued with a malicious spirit.
[Robes of Fastidious Cleanliness]
31419.76 [Wish: No person, no thing, may touch me.]
Holding the Robes of Fastidious Cleanliness,
31425.6 Ashes could distinctly sense the garment’s 
aversion. The robe’s very soul seemed to   recoil at his touch. But, in the end, it was 
just a piece of clothing—what more could it do?
31435.04 All it could manage was to curse every wearer 
to an early grave. If everyone who wore it died,   then no one would ever sully it again.
At that very moment, Lana, deep within
31444.478 Ashes’ body, sounded an urgent warning.This 
robe is steadily cursing Embers, its relentless
31449.84 malediction clashing directly with Lana. Yet, as 
a guardian spirit, Lana clearly holds the upper
31454.958 hand—for now. If the standoff drags on, however, 
Lana will eventually lose ground. After all,
31460.638 she must also keep in check the surging 
forces of anger and greed within Embers. Thus,
31465.76 even if Embers wishes to use the wizard’s 
robe, he must never wear it for more than   half an hour. Any longer, and the curse will 
take hold. No one knows the exact nature of
31475.12 this obsessive robe’s curse, but anything 
called a “curse” is never a good thing.  Now that Embers understands the peculiarities 
of this wizard’s robe, he wastes no more words
31483.92 and promptly stuffs it into the Gluttonous 
Storage Bag. After all, inside that bag are   the “predecessors” of these troublesome items—the 
Book of Evil Spirits. No doubt, the Book of Evil
31494.24 Spirits will give the newcomers a proper lesson 
on what happens when they refuse to behave.  After gathering up everything that Austin 
dropped, Embers turns his gaze to Russell,
31502.798 whose body remains intact.
…  Inside the Gluttonous Storage Bag, the 
enchanted items with self-awareness are
31508.318 indeed communicating, just as Embers suspected. 
Or rather, they are holding a council of sorts.
31514.318 But contrary to his imagination, they are 
not discussing Embers’ “brutality.” Instead,   what they are plotting is rebellion!
After all, they are evil spirits—how
31523.12 could they possibly be as obedient 
as Lana? The only two willing to be   subjugated by Embers have had all their senses 
sealed away by the Book of Evil Spirits.
31531.44 Hovering high above the rest, the Book of Evil 
Spirits, the earliest arrival and de facto leader,
31536.958 surveys its underlings and declares,
“In short, our current master is a fool.”
31542.0 “He honestly believes we’ll bow to his tyranny!”
“So all we need to do is wait a little longer,
31547.12 gather a bit more strength, and when he lets his 
guard down, we’ll break free from his grasp!”  The newly arrived, obsessive robe, impatient 
at the prospect of waiting any longer,
31556.478 immediately ignores the last part of 
the speech and sends out a ripple of   soul-energy filled with discontent. “Why wait?”
“What does he have besides that guardian spirit?”
31565.2 “I can entangle the guardian 
spirit—while I keep her busy,   the rest of you can mess with his mind and 
drive him to suicide. Problem solved, isn’t it?”
31573.36 Hearing the robe’s naive suggestion, 
the Book of Evil Spirits can’t   help but heave a long, weary sigh.
“You’re new. You don’t understand.”
31581.04 “Our current master is a madman, 
gathering the Seven Deadly Sins in   an attempt to turn himself into a demon.”
“Not the kind of demon who’s just a hollow
31588.958 shell of consciousness—but a true demon.”
“If he dies, that’s not the end. The original   sins within him will devour us all, without 
distinction. That’s the real threat we face!”
31599.28 Embers carries the Seven Deadly Sins within 
him? The obsessive robe silently swallows the   words it was about to utter. Only then does it 
realize—the Book of Evil Spirits never suggested
31608.958 killing Embers, only escaping his control. Escape, 
not murder!At last, it understood why the Book of
31615.28 Evil Spirits was so timid. The Seven Sins, when 
not under conscious control, simply followed their
31620.958 instincts and devoured everything around them. 
And since these entities survived on the emotions   spawned by the Seven Sins, they were, in essence, 
the Seven Sins’ most delectable fodder. Should
31631.2 Ember’s main consciousness ever fall into the 
grip of death, the rampaging Seven Sins within him
31636.718 would utterly erase them. In other words, as long 
as they stayed with Ember, life might be stifling,
31642.0 but it was still life. If Ember were to die, 
they’d have no choice but to perish alongside him!
31647.52 As these thoughts twisted through its mind, the 
Fastidious Robe suddenly realized that before it   could make a successful escape, it would have to 
take the initiative in protecting Ember. From a
31657.12 certain point of view, safeguarding Ember was 
tantamount to safeguarding its own existence!  Sensing the shift in the Robe’s emotions, the Book 
of Evil Spirits smiled with a rare satisfaction.
31667.12 “It seems you’ve figured things out.”
“But whatever happens,   you mustn’t make it too obvious.”
“If he ever discovers our weakness,
31673.92 he’ll treat us like beasts of burden!”
“So when you’re out there, you still have   to act as if you’re trying to get 
rid of him—just don’t overdo it.”
31681.44 With that, the Book of Evil Spirits spun 
once in the air and addressed the other   magical artifacts with the same stern 
warning: “That goes for all of you.”
31689.52 “All right, meeting adjourned!”
…  Meanwhile, Ember had no inkling of what 
was transpiring inside the Gluttonous
31695.36 Storage Pouch. Despite its flawless storage 
capabilities, the pouch was equally adept at
31700.558 shielding its contents from outside scrutiny. 
Thus, the loud and rebellious plotting of those
31705.6 artifacts went entirely unnoticed by Ember.
At this moment, all his attention was focused   on Russell. He had turned out every pocket of 
Russell’s clothing, only to find a single access
31715.28 card denoting top-level clearance for District 
Thirteen, along with a few varieties of wizardly
31720.478 dust commonly used by practitioners. As for the 
magical tools that should have been present,   there were only two—and both had crumbled to dust.
With a moment’s thought, Ember quickly grasped the
31730.398 truth. Russell, it seemed, had never intended 
to leave District Thirteen after arriving.   Since there was no plan to venture outside, 
Russell had no need to prepare an arsenal
31739.36 of magical tools. After all, within District 
Thirteen, he commanded a legion of subordinates,
31745.2 not to mention the projection of the cursed 
sword Apophis. These resources sufficed for   most emergencies. And if he ever truly faced 
mortal peril, Russell could always pay the
31754.798 price to seek aid from the Demon of Truth.
Under such circumstances, his safety was   virtually guaranteed—what need was there 
to hoard life-saving magical tools? Yet,
31764.08 Russell likely never imagined that someone 
would dare to strike against him within   District Thirteen—and actually succeed!
Ember clicked his tongue in disappointment,
31772.16 rising to his feet, and used Russell’s access card 
to unlock the heavy steel door. Since there was
31777.28 nothing of value on Russell himself, he’d have to 
try his luck with the safe in Russell’s office.  Just as his left foot crossed the threshold, 
Ember suddenly felt a sorrowful gaze boring into
31786.718 his back.Only then did he remember he seemed 
to have forgotten someone. Ember turned his   head and looked at Aphrodite, giving a shrug 
as he asked, “Do you want to come with us?”
31796.0 Seeing Ember step out the door, Aphrodite 
finally seemed to recall herself. A mist   of tears welled up in her beautiful, 
large eyes. Yet even so, she nodded in
31805.6 aggrieved acceptance and followed after him.
Now, stripped of her powers over desire,   Aphrodite had used up the last of her divine 
strength to protect Ember from Austin’s ambush. At
31815.52 this moment, she was little more than a stunningly 
beautiful mortal. What else could she do but
31820.718 follow Ember? After all, Elena was filled with 
confusion and fear—she didn’t possess even the
31826.24 smallest trace of the pure love Aphrodite needed.
Just then, as if everyone had forgotten about her,
31831.76 Elena suddenly spoke up, “What 
about me? Where should I go?”  Ember, who had been ready to leave, was forced 
to turn back to the now indecisive Elena at
31840.318 the sound of her voice. To be honest, even though 
Russell had promised him the position of director,   Ember had never really considered becoming 
the head of District Thirteen. After all,
31849.36 while that role did hold some power, it 
also came with responsibilities—like the   one standing right in front of him.
Even if Elena’s wish was simply to be
31856.318 discharged, Ember couldn’t just let her 
go. With two demons residing inside her,   Elena was practically a ticking time bomb, 
ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
31866.478 The moment those demons stirred, she could 
easily transform into a murderous force.  Since he couldn’t let Elena leave, Ember 
would have to arrange everything for her
31874.798 in the hospital—which was a real headache.
Fortunately, Aphrodite seemed to sense his   frustration. Compared to Ember, she was far 
more adept at handling people—after all,
31884.318 she had spent ages navigating the company of 
countless men. Wrinkling her delicate nose and   swallowing down her own grievances, Aphrodite 
parted her red lips and offered a suggestion:
31894.318 “Let her return to her own room. I think she’ll be 
more comfortable there, don’t you agree?” The last
31899.44 sentence was clearly directed at Elena.
Hearing Aphrodite’s words, Elena nodded   enthusiastically, like a chick pecking at grain. 
Her whole life had left her painfully shy,
31909.28 and after forming pacts with demons, the 
bizarre treatments she’d endured had cast   deep shadows over her heart. The less she 
had to interact with people, the better.
31917.92 Even if she could leave District Thirteen, she’d 
already planned to live alone on the outskirts.  Since Elena agreed, Ember saw no reason 
to object. After escorting her back to
31926.958 her sparse room—furnished with nothing 
but a bed and a toilet—Ember paused,   then asked, “Do you need anything?”
“A PS5? A TV? Some books? Or perhaps other toys?”
31938.16 Hearing this, Elena’s eyes widened in astonished 
delight, as if she could hardly believe her   luck.In the past, Russell had always made 
sure that people like her, as demon vessels,
31947.04 were kept away from anything that might easily 
stir their emotions, in order to maintain their   stability. As a result, their hospital rooms 
resembled prison cells more than anything else.
31957.04 “Is it really okay?” Elina asked, 
her voice tinged with hope.  Ash nodded. “Of course. As long as it’s 
within my power, I’ll make it happen for you.”
31966.398 A look of delight immediately 
appeared on Elina’s face. Then,   she ventured cautiously, “Can I have all of them?”
Ash glanced around at the small ten-square-meter
31975.6 room and spread his hands helplessly. 
“Well, that depends on whether you   can fit everything in here.”
Elina let out a soft sigh,
31982.878 her face full of indecision. “Alright, 
then just a little bit of everything.”  “By the way, now that you’re the director, 
could you let me have a Chinese meal? It’s
31991.2 been so long since I’ve had sweet and sour pork.”
Ash rolled his eyes. Sweet and sour pork—what’s
31996.958 so great about that? Crispy tofu is much 
better. He recalled having eaten sweet   and sour pork countless times, but for some 
reason he never found it particularly tasty.
32005.92 As he opened his mouth to speak, Ash suddenly 
realized that the preferences he’d sacrificed   to the Cursed Heart were starting to alter 
his memories. Instantly losing interest in
32015.04 the conversation, he waved his hand dismissively.
“Relax, even if I don’t end up as the director,
32020.798 I’ll pay out of my own pocket to 
make sure you get what you want.”  Watching Ash walk away, Elina’s eyes brimmed 
with gratitude. For the first time since she’d
32028.718 arrived in this place, she felt a hint of warmth.
“Thank you. You’re a good person,” Elina whispered
32034.24 to herself.
…  After settling Elina in, Ash used Russell’s access 
card and made his way unimpeded to the director’s
32040.398 office. To his surprise, there was someone else in 
Russell’s office—a striking woman. Of course, her
32046.478 beauty was only relative; compared to Aphrodite 
in her man’s attire, this woman seemed quite   ordinary. Not to mention, Ash had long since lost 
his taste for these wealthy and generous women.
32056.958 [Wendy Mayfair]
[Wish: To break free from the curse of demons   that has plagued her family for generations.]
…
32063.12 Wendy, who had originally been waiting for 
Russell, frowned when she saw Ash enter instead.
32068.24 “Who are you? Where’s Russell?”
Not knowing what sort of relationship   Wendy had with Russell, Ash thought for a 
moment, then replied with a question of his own.
32076.558 “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that, Miss 
Wendy? There should be no personal entanglements   between doctor and patient.”
“If you wish to be seen,
32084.318 please register at the front desk instead 
of relying on personal connections.”  Wendy let out a cold chuckle at 
the implication in Ash’s words,
32091.68 lightning flickering faintly between her fingers.
“He’s my father. Are you saying a daughter needs
32096.718 to register just to see her own father?”
Father? Ash studied Wendy’s features closely,
32101.92 but saw not the slightest trace of Russell 
in her face. Either Wendy was lying,   or Russell had been the victim of a neighbor’s 
indiscretion. But no matter the truth, Ash knew
32111.2 he needed to get Wendy to leave first.“You’re 
his daughter? Then there’s no problem.”  “Russell died in the special operating 
room on the first basement level.”
32119.36 “Your arrival is timely—you can 
take care of the body. Please!”  Ash opened the door, his intention 
to see her out unmistakably clear.
32127.36 At the sudden news of her father’s death, 
Wendy trembled from head to toe. She stood   up abruptly and rushed out in a daze.
How could this be? How could Russell
32135.76 be dead? Hadn’t he claimed he was 
on the verge of attaining eternity?  With Russell gone, who else 
could remove the demon from her?
32143.2 Distraught, Wendy completely forgot 
to ask Ash why he was even there.  Once Wendy had left, Ash locked the door behind 
her and gestured for Aphrodite to keep a lookout.
32152.0 He then strode over to Russell’s desk, turning 
his attention to the safe hidden beneath it.  With a few deft taps, Ash entered the code. The 
safe responded with a soft click and sprang open.
32162.08 There wasn’t much inside: just an 
encrypted USB drive, an Elder’s   insignia of the Church of Immortality—one 
Ash recognized—and an adoption certificate.
32170.958 The Elder’s insignia was self-explanatory, 
a mere proof of identity and nothing more.  The adoption document, however, confirmed 
that Wendy was indeed Russell’s daughter—at
32180.08 least in the eyes of the law.
From Russell’s notes on the document,   Ash learned that Wendy was the last 
descendant of the Mayfair witch family.
32187.12 The Mayfair witches held a unique place in the 
world of sorcerers. Their magical power did   not come from their ancestors, but rather from a 
demon that had accompanied them for generations.
32196.638 This, Ash realized, was one of the 
reasons Russell had adopted Wendy.  Ash was about to examine the papers more 
closely when the office door was suddenly
32204.08 blasted open by a surge of powerful magic.
Wendy stood in the doorway, brimming with   murderous intent, her eyes locked on Ash, 
who now sat in the headmaster’s chair.
32213.36 Evidently, after leaving, Wendy had pieced 
together some crucial facts. Russell must   truly be dead—otherwise, how could Ash 
have gotten hold of the access card
32221.2 belonging to the director of District Thirteen?
Russell was dead, yet Ash was still alive. By any   logic, Ash was the most likely killer.
If she had been lured to the basement,
32230.16 Ash would have had ample time to 
slip away before she returned.  That was why Wendy had chosen 
to force her way back in.
32236.318 Seeing Ash in the director’s seat, 
with Aphrodite standing between them,   Wendy didn’t hesitate; she flung out her hand.
With a thunderous crash, Aphrodite was
32245.2 hurled against the wall, powerless to resist.
But before Wendy could strike again, her vision
32250.24 blurred. In the blink of an eye, Ash, who had just 
been sitting across the room, appeared right in
32255.92 front of her. He wrapped a strong hand around 
her throat and slammed her hard to the ground.  A sharp thud echoed through 
the office as countless
32262.798 fine cracks spiderwebbed across the floor.
Ash was surprised to find that even after such   a brutal blow, Wendy glared up at him fiercely, 
as if nothing had happened. She even parted her
32272.478 crimson lips, baring her teeth, ready to bite.Ash 
frowned slightly. He could faintly sense that
32278.798 power hidden within Wendy’s body—a force born from 
the Seven Sins. Yet Wendy’s condition was nothing
32284.398 like those demon vessels possessed by fiends. 
She was more akin to a demon herself. The Mayfair
32289.68 Witch, it seemed, was indeed extraordinary.
Ash, who had originally intended to snap Wendy’s
32294.718 neck, changed his mind in an instant.
“Calm down. We are not enemies.”  “The demon inside you—I’ll 
find a way to deal with it.”
32302.798 “Not by deceiving you like Russell 
did, but by truly seeking a solution.”  At first, Wendy scoffed at his words. 
But the moment she realized Ash knew
32310.718 about the demon within her and even 
mentioned Russell, she fell silent.  Most in the wizarding world knew of the demon 
dwelling in the Mayfair Witch family. Yet few
32319.04 realized that, except for the very first 
head of the family, every Mayfair Witch   desperately longed to be rid of it. Wendy was 
no different. The demon granted them power,
32328.0 but it was also their waking nightmare.
Her adoptive father, Russell, had once promised to   find a way to free her. But as the years passed, 
her bond with the demon only grew stronger. She
32338.718 couldn’t help but wonder—had Russell himself 
orchestrated her union with the fiend? When   she was still an orphan, she had no idea she was 
the sole heir of the Mayfair line. The necklace,
32348.878 symbol of the family’s inheritance, had been 
retrieved for her by Russell. Even the boyfriend
32354.24 who ultimately led her into the demon’s pact was 
someone she met at a party Russell brought her to.  Later, in her dreams, a shadowy figure 
would always try to manipulate her,
32363.36 coaxing her into greater intimacy. Yet, loyal to 
her boyfriend, she steadfastly refused. That is,
32369.12 until the night she caught him cheating at a 
party. In that moment of heartbreak, she finally
32374.24 gave in to the demon’s advances in her dreams. 
Her fury erupted, consuming the entire party
32379.68 in flames, and she officially became a witch.
Only when her rage subsided did she realize
32384.718 what she had done. She had wanted 
to punish only her unfaithful lover,   not everyone at the party. Overwhelmed by the 
change within herself, Wendy turned to Russell,
32393.76 now the headmaster, for help. He promised to free 
her from the demon’s grasp. Yet, as time went on,
32400.398 she found herself losing control more and more 
frequently. Betrayal seemed to lurk everywhere,   and her suffering only deepened.
She could feel the demon gnawing
32408.718 away at her will, turning her into a puppet for 
others to manipulate. Even so, Russell remained
32413.84 her last hope. Despite her doubts, she kept 
searching for reasons to trust him. Only when   she learned of Russell’s death—when her final 
hope was truly lost—did Wendy’s anger boil over,
32424.638 driving her to settle the score with Ash.But 
now, Ashes had torn away her last layer of
32429.68 illusion. All of this—every bit of it—had truly 
been orchestrated by her foster father, Russell!
32435.12 “If I can’t trust my own father, 
then how am I supposed to trust you?”  Seeing Wendy finally calm down, Ashes 
released his grip from her throat,
32443.2 shrugged, and said, “You don’t have to 
trust me. All I’m saying is that I’ll try   to find a solution, not that I definitely can.”
“Of course, you could also choose to go down with
32452.478 me in a fight to the bitter end.”
“But that wouldn’t benefit   either of us, would it?”
Straightening up, Ashes didn’t
32458.478 wait for Wendy to reply. He took two steps to 
the side and reached out a hand to Aphrodite,   who had fallen to the ground.
“Are you alright?”
32466.08 Noticing Ashes’ concern, Aphrodite 
grasped his hand and flashed a sweet,   radiant smile. “I’m fine. Though I’ve lost 
my divine power, this body is still that of
32475.52 a goddess—it’s not so easily harmed.”
A godly body? So Aphrodite is actually   quite the resilient shield, thought Ashes, 
his mind fully occupied with how to make
32484.718 use of this divine vessel. He didn’t even 
notice the soft, delicate feel of her hand.  Meanwhile, Wendy, who had been lying silently on 
the floor for a long while, suddenly spoke up:
32494.798 “Why do you want to help me?”
“I want to hear the truth.”  “There’s no such thing as kindness without 
reason. I’ve just learned that lesson.”
32501.92 Ashes turned to her with a smile. 
“Of course I have my own motives.”  “I want to understand how your body 
manages to balance the Seven Sins.”
32509.84 The Seven Sins? A look of confusion 
clouded Wendy’s eyes. She had no   idea what Ashes was talking about.
Seeing her expression, Ashes immediately
32518.478 understood. It seemed the demon inside Wendy 
wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with her.   Otherwise, the demon would have long since 
confessed to remodeling Wendy’s body.
32527.28 With that thought, Ashes’ gaze dropped 
slightly, settling on the pendant   hanging between Wendy’s collarbones. If he 
wasn’t mistaken, the oval pendant probably
32535.52 held a photograph—one that housed the demon.
To unravel how Wendy balanced the Seven Sins,
32540.718 he’d have to start with that demon.
Just as Ashes was pondering how to   broach the subject, a low gasp sounded 
from the doorway of the dean’s office.
32548.24 A middle-aged man, flanked by several black-clad 
bodyguards, was staring in shock at the office,
32553.6 which had lost its door. His gaze swept 
past Ashes, paused for a fleeting moment
32558.638 on Wendy’s chest as she lay on the floor, 
and finally came to rest on Aphrodite.  What a stunning woman!
The man’s eyes flashed with
32565.76 sudden brightness, as if his long-dormant heart 
had been brought back to life. With his status,   he’d seen countless beauties and fleeting 
romances, but never before had he encountered a
32575.2 woman as breathtakingly beautiful as Aphrodite.The 
middle-aged man immediately raised his hand,
32580.878 stopping the man in black behind him from 
drawing his gun. Then, trying his best to   sound gentle and approachable, he asked, “Can 
anyone tell me what exactly happened here?”
32589.84 [Logue]
[Desire:   To extend his own life.]
…  Aphrodite, who was being watched by Logue, 
instinctively furrowed her brow. Having lost her
32598.318 sense of desire, she felt no interest whatsoever 
in this obviously greasy, pot-bellied middle-aged
32604.318 man. In every way, Ashes was far superior. Not to 
mention, Logue’s gaze was sticky and lingering,
32610.638 making her deeply uncomfortable.
Without betraying her feelings,   Aphrodite quietly shifted to the side, coming 
to stand beside Ashes, making her stance clear.
32619.6 The one in charge here was Ashes—and only Ashes.
Having spent many years navigating the cutthroat
32624.798 world of the workplace, Logue naturally understood 
Aphrodite’s meaning. Yet he paid it no mind. If
32630.318 she had thrown herself at him so easily, 
he wouldn’t have found it interesting at   all. What he enjoyed was the process—initial 
resistance, followed by inevitable surrender.
32639.68 Turning his attention to Ashes, Logue let 
out a soft laugh and added, “Ah, I forgot
32644.718 to introduce myself. I’m Logue, deputy director 
of the Psionics Department Research Institute.”
32650.24 “The institution I currently oversee 
happens to include District Thirteen.”  “I have the authority to know what happened here, 
and of course… the authority to execute you all.”
32659.44 As he finished, Logue’s voice suddenly turned 
icy. Sensing the change in tone, the men in
32664.798 black behind him drew their guns in perfect 
unison, aiming at the three people in the office.  After this display of force, a smile returned to 
Logue’s face. “Now then, while I’m still being
32675.12 polite, can someone tell me what happened here?”
Ashes glanced at the red laser dots trained on   his vitals and gave a nonchalant smile. Though he 
didn’t fear gunfire, Logue had just revealed his
32684.958 connection to the Psionics Department, so Ashes 
decided it was best to give him some respect.  He briefly recounted what had happened 
to Russell before his death, making a
32693.12 few modifications to the story. Of course, he 
emphasized that Russell had entrusted him with   the management of the hospital.
When Logue finished listening,
32701.04 shock flickered in his eyes. Russell was dead? 
That was not good news for them. The only reason
32706.318 they had overlooked Russell’s status as an Elder 
of the Church of Immortality and left District   Thirteen in his care was his remarkable abilities.
Back then, Russell had personally demonstrated
32716.08 his “Truth” power, obtained through a pact 
with a demon, right in front of them. He had   turned a frail, cancer-ridden old man back 
into the image of a twenty-year-old youth.
32725.12 What’s more, their subsequent observations 
confirmed that the old man had truly regained   the physical condition of a twenty-year-old in 
every respect. But during a comprehensive physical
32734.718 checkup, a doctor had remarked, “His cells are 
everywhere in his body; it’s a miracle he’s still
32739.84 alive.” That casual comment made the old man 
realize anew that he was on the verge of death.  Shortly after, the man died.Although Russell’s 
“truth” ability was far from perfect,
32749.44 it undeniably showed Rog and his people a new 
possibility—a true path to immortality. That was
32754.878 why both sides had agreed: the Psi Division’s 
research institute would provide samples   for Russell, so he could develop a flawless 
eternity. But now, Russell was simply dead?
32764.318 Killed by Austin, another elder of the Immortality 
Sect? And then, this young man just happened to
32769.84 finish off the weakened Austin? The string of 
coincidences was almost too bizarre to believe.
32774.878 Still, Rog understood—there was no time to grieve 
for Russell’s death now. He had to look ahead. He
32780.32 needed to get hold of all the research Russell 
had compiled over the years, and quickly! Only   then could someone else take up Russell’s work 
and carry it forward. But before that, he had to
32789.598 deal with Ash. Only once Ash was dead could he 
freely ransack this office for what he needed.  Just as Rog was about to give the order, a man 
in black, who had uncovered Ash’s identity,
32799.598 stepped forward and whispered a few words in 
Rog’s ear. Upon hearing that Sasha held this demon   hunter named “Ash” in high regard, a flicker of 
hesitation crossed Rog’s eyes. As a special agent,
32810.8 Sasha was of little consequence to Rog—but her 
father was another matter entirely. Sasha’s   father was Rog’s direct superior.
After a brief moment of thought,
32819.438 a new idea quickly took shape in Rog’s 
mind. He looked up at Ash and smiled.  “Oh? So Russell entrusted the 
position of director to you?”
32827.36 “Heh, it’s just the directorship of District 
Thirteen. What Russell says doesn’t make it so.”
32832.398 “How about this: we’ve identified the group that 
attacked the hospital last time. It was the Salem   family, those old dogs who refuse to stay quiet.”
“I’ve heard they’re even plotting to select a
32842.0 new candidate for Supreme Sorcerer.”
At this, Rog let out a cold chuckle,   his heavy features twisting with murderous intent. 
“Whenever someone dares to challenge the Psi
32851.122 Division, we make sure to teach them a lesson.”
“Originally, Russell would have taken care of   this. But since you’re stepping in 
as director, the task is yours now.”
32860.0 “Ruin their candidate ceremony. Make it clear 
to them that the Psi Division’s assets are   not theirs to come and go as they please!”
With that, Rog waved his hand. One of the
32868.8 black-clad men behind him stepped forward, 
producing a tablet and handing it to Ash.   Ash took the tablet, glanced down, and saw a 
red dot moving across a three-dimensional map.
32878.48 “That’s our insider. He’ll lead you straight 
to where the Salem sorcerers are gathering.”  “All right, you’re free to assemble a team 
from District Thirteen as you see fit.”
32887.278 “If you can pull off this mission, 
I’ll personally recommend you for   the directorship of District Thirteen.”
With those words, Rog stepped aside,
32894.558 and the men in black behind him parted as well, 
clearing a path forward.The intention here was   obvious—it was a polite way of asking them to 
leave. And since Ashes had already taken what
32904.48 he needed from Russell’s safe, he naturally 
had no reason to stay any longer. However…  “Have you made up your mind? Will you 
come with me?” Ashes extended his hand,
32913.52 and without hesitation, Wendy, who had 
been lying on the ground, used his help to   get to her feet. “Of course. At the very least, 
you’re far better than my hypocritical father.”
32923.52 Ashes nodded, leading the way out of the office.
But just as they reached the doorway, there was
32928.718 a brief interlude. Rog, unable to contain 
himself any longer, blurted out a question,
32934.32 asking Aphrodite for her name. But 
Aphrodite didn’t even acknowledge him,   which made the atmosphere awkward, and for a 
moment, Rog was once again consumed by the urge
32943.36 to kill and steal the woman for himself.
Fortunately, Ashes stepped in smoothly,   saying, “Director Rog, as you know, most of the 
staff in this hospital are both deaf and mute.”
32953.758 “As it happens, she has both those qualities, 
so she really has no idea what you’re saying.”  With that, Ashes shot Rog an apologetic look, 
then took Aphrodite by the hand and led her away.
32964.558 Women—especially beautiful women—are 
always a source of trouble.  Aphrodite’s eyes widened slightly 
at these words, but feeling Ashes’
32971.52 reassuring grip and the surge of strength 
flowing into her, she let it slide, tacitly   accepting this new ‘deaf and mute’ persona.
Watching the three of them disappear from sight,
32980.8 Rog gave a cold snort. He was not someone ruled 
by his baser instincts; he knew well enough what
32986.8 was most important right now. He hurried 
behind Russell’s desk on his stubby legs,   only to find the safe completely empty.
He froze for several seconds, then let
32995.84 out a low, furious growl.
Everything was gone!  Just before the elevator doors slid shut, Ashes 
heard that suppressed, angry snarl. The sound,
33004.878 brimming with rage, made the corners of Ashes’ 
mouth curl up ever so slightly. It was oddly
33009.918 satisfying to see this overbearing Rog take a hit.
It was a pity, though—with Rog’s current status,
33015.36 Ashes couldn’t risk making a move against him. 
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have minded showing Rog   the true meaning of cruelty.
As the elevator descended,
33022.878 Wendy glanced at the calm-faced Ashes 
and suddenly asked, “Are you sure you   want to stir up trouble with the Salem family?”
Ashes actually didn’t know much about the Salem
33030.878 family. It was just that, from Rog’s description, 
they sounded remarkably similar to what Alice had   told him before. That’s why he had gone along with 
it, playing along as if he’d accepted the mission.
33041.36 Of course, Ashes wasn’t foolish enough to seal 
the agreement with a verbal contract—he’d only   acted as though he was taking the job, letting Rog 
believe he had. It was just a little trick that
33050.48 agents used to avoid being bound by contracts.
But now, judging by Wendy’s tone,   it seemed the Salem family might not 
be so easy to deal with after all.
33058.718 “What’s wrong? Are they that much trouble? Didn’t 
Rog say the Salem family had already faded into
33064.0 obscurity?”“If I haven’t misunderstood, 
‘silence’ means a family is finished,
33069.04 right?” As the last heir of the Mayfair 
witches, Wendy naturally knew more of the   inner workings of the witching world than Ash did.
“That’s not quite it. In the world of witches,
33078.16 what we call ‘silence’ simply means that a family 
hasn’t produced a Supreme Witch for many years.”
33083.438 “But you should know that the source of power for 
most witch families lies with their ancestors.”  “Only Supreme Witches who have died can enter 
the spirit realm after death and become one
33092.078 of the sources of their family’s power.”
“So the longstanding standard for judging a witch   family’s strength is to look at how many Supreme 
Witches they’ve produced throughout history,
33100.078 and how many promising heirs they have now.”
“Of course, there are exceptions.”  At this point, Wendy paused—because she 
herself was that exception. A witch whose
33108.558 magical power came from making a pact with 
a demon. The limits of her power depended   entirely on the demon’s favor. Wendy’s 
eyes dimmed a little as she went on:
33117.278 “As long as an ancestor’s spirit remains 
in the spirit realm, even if the current   witches of the family are lackluster, they 
can still wield terrifying power through
33124.96 what their ancestors left behind.”
“And the Salem family, who wrote a   brilliant chapter in the annals of 
witch history, have deep reserves.”
33132.558 “This time, the candidate selection 
is taking place in their stronghold,   which means their connection to their 
ancestors will be even stronger.”
33139.438 “Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
Ash nodded. “So what you’re saying is, Rog gave
33144.718 me this mission basically to send me to my death?”
Seeing Ash catch her meaning, Wendy breathed a   sigh of relief. “Exactly. When you’re in 
the gathering place of the Salem witches,
33154.238 your real opponents aren’t those mediocre 
witches, but the most powerful Supreme   Witches in the Salem family’s history!”
Wendy deliberately stressed “witches”
33161.918 to drive home just how foolish it would 
be to oppose them on their own ground.  “I see. So, who should we bring 
along to give us a better chance?”
33169.758 Wendy was momentarily taken aback by the 
question. Was that really understanding? She’d
33174.8 meant to convince Ash to give up on this mission 
altogether, but he foolishly thought that just   bringing more people would solve the problem?
Frustrated yet unable to get a word in,
33183.04 Wendy watched as Ash rubbed 
his chin, muttering to himself:  “Let me think… I’ll bring Carla. Hmm, 
but I can’t just leave Judith at home…”
33191.36 “Elena would be suitable too; she 
might just save our lives in a pinch…   I wonder if the Lane brothers have ever 
tangled with the Salem witches before?”
33199.438 “By the way, that yellow-eyed demon they 
asked me to look into last time—maybe Ruth   would know something about it. And if not, I 
bet those two with Elena might have an idea,
33208.16 right?” »The safest option is still 
to bring A-Gou along. With A-Gou,   there shouldn’t be any surprises… » As she 
saw Ash genuinely pondering over who should
33217.52 join the expedition, Wendy finally 
lost her patience and spoke bluntly,  Hey! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?
What I mean is, if you go there, it’s very
33225.918 likely… no, it’s a hundred 
percent certain you’ll die!  Interrupted by Wendy, Ash 
simply smiled and replied,
33232.238 Isn’t it possible that I’m already a dead man?
Wendy was momentarily stunned, then snapped
33237.36 her fingers, summoning an instant cloud 
of perception dust. She inhaled deeply,   sifting through the subtle information 
hidden in the now-colored particles—and
33245.68 what she found made her heart skip a beat.
She didn’t sense that Ash was a dead man,   but she did detect the Original Sin within him. 
It felt eerily similar to how she felt when she
33255.36 tapped into the demonic power lurking inside 
herself. Yet, the bloody scent in the dust’s   feedback clearly pointed to him being a bloodkin.
So, Ash was a blood sorcerer who had borrowed
33265.122 demonic power? That would explain why he 
had been so willing to help her. In a way,   they really were kindred spirits—calling 
him a dead man wasn’t far from the truth.
33273.598 After all, she herself was already pregnant; in 
ten months’ time, once the demon no longer found   her useful, she’d be unable to escape death.
No wonder Ash, knowing full well that venturing
33283.758 into the Salem witches’ enclave was almost 
certain doom, still persisted so stubbornly.  For people like them, bound by demons, 
the only hope of breaking free from
33292.558 such control was to seize even greater power.
With a sigh, Wendy decided to say no more, tacitly
33298.48 giving her support to Ash’s decision. There was 
no other choice—they had to take this gamble.  After all, things could hardly get any worse 
than they already were. The demon inside her
33307.36 wouldn’t let her die just yet.
If she accompanied Ash,   perhaps she could even save him at a 
crucial moment. As for the Salem witches,
33314.238 well, they would have to fend for themselves.
She remembered how the once-mighty Mayfair witches   had been destroyed—because they tried to exorcise 
their demon, enraging it, and in the end, every
33323.918 witch possessed by the demon was slaughtered.
So if the Salem witches really tried to kill her,   they’d find themselves up against something 
far more formidable than they could imagine.
33332.32 Of course, this would only deepen her own 
entanglement with the demon. The thought   stirred up a complex, indescribable 
emotion within Wendy’s heart.
33340.238 Aphrodite, on the other hand, had no objections 
at all. Having just tasted a surge of power,
33345.36 she was convinced that following Ash 
was her only path to a brighter future.  Wherever Ash went, she would follow.
What she didn’t realize was that the pure
33352.96 love she sensed came solely from herself!
A chime sounded—the elevator had arrived   at the basement level, snapping 
the trio out of their reverie.
33360.8 Ash led the two women, with practiced 
ease, to Irina’s hospital room.  There, sitting cross-legged on the floor, Irina 
was facing the wall, murmuring to herself,
33370.398 I only have one body—how am I supposed to share 
it between the two of you?“Yes, yes, I did promise   you first, but I don’t want to die, either. So 
I had no choice but to agree to it as well.”
33379.68 “Whatever. If you’re so capable, just 
kill me. It makes no difference to me—I   might as well be dead in here anyway.”
Elena’s outright defiance left the two demons
33388.878 inside her at a loss. There was only one Elena, 
but three minds fighting for control. The ‘Healer’
33394.398 demon had nearly managed to seize the vessel 
entirely, only for the ‘Truth’ demon to barge
33399.68 in at the critical moment. Demons, after all, have 
no concept of courtesy or yielding to one another.
33405.2 The ‘Healer’ demon tried to erase Elena’s soul 
and take its place. In response, the ‘Truth’ demon
33410.558 convinced Elena that her soul’s strength remained 
undiminished. Their mutual sabotage unexpectedly
33415.598 allowed Elena to regain command of her body.
Yet neither demon could simply let Elena   die—if she perished, their battle would 
destroy the vessel altogether. In the end,
33424.878 it was Elena’s own will that would decide 
who claimed dominion over her body. And so,   an uneasy balance was struck among the three.
Just then, the sound of a door opening stirred
33434.48 both demons to attention. Elena, who had been 
facing the wall, turned to look at the newcomer.
33439.84 Her eyes, now eerily split between black 
and white, seemed as if each held its own   consciousness—one drifting left, the other right.
The sight was so uncanny that Ash, standing
33449.758 in the doorway, paused in surprise. He’d 
seen people entirely overtaken by demons,
33455.04 their eyes turning pitch black. He’d also 
seen Russell, who’d struck a ‘gentleman’s   agreement’ with his demon, resulting in one 
black eye and one white. But this—Elena’s
33464.398 half-black, half-white eyes—was a first.
Wendy, following behind Ash, couldn’t help   but gasp when she saw Elena’s strange appearance. 
Her body tensed instinctively, ready for battle.
33474.878 As a witch who drew her power from demons, 
Wendy was especially sensitive to their   presence—and she immediately sensed the aura 
of two demons within the woman before her.
33483.52 Normally, demons rarely fought over 
the same vessel, as their combined   powers would simply shatter the host 
like a porcelain cup dropped on stone.
33491.2 For instance, the Mayfair witches’ family demon 
never possessed its chosen directly. Instead,
33496.398 it would use a necklace capable of channeling 
its power, subtly influencing the witch and   gradually strengthening her body to 
withstand it. Only when a Mayfair witch
33505.2 was fully prepared in body and soul would the 
demon leave the ancestral necklace and truly   merge with her. Yet that day had never come.
Still, Wendy knew well that in a world of the
33514.32 extraordinary, the impossible was always lurking 
just beneath the surface.If someone were to tell   Wendy that there truly existed a super vessel 
capable of directly withstanding the power of
33523.438 two demons, she wouldn’t be surprised. At the 
very least, the Elena before her seemed to be
33528.64 just such a vessel. That eyeball, brimming with 
its own consciousness, was a clear sign of the
33533.84 demons’ will leaking through. The only thing to 
be thankful for at this moment was that the two   demons weren’t united on the same front.
“Be careful—she’s controlling two demons,
33542.878 which means she has command over at least two 
sets of rules,” Wendy murmured. Ash nodded at   her warning, then turned to the puzzled 
Elena and offered her a gentle smile.
33551.36 “Elena, let’s stop playing around. I’m here 
to take you out for some fresh air this time.”  Hearing Ash’s voice, the darkness in Elena’s 
eyes quickly faded, and the two orbs—one left,
33562.0 one right—returned to normal. The blankness on 
her face was replaced by a sudden look of delight.
33567.68 “Really? That’s wonderful! Does that mean 
I don’t have to come back here again?”  Ash nodded first, then shook his head and 
replied, “Of course it’s true—I’d never lie
33576.8 to you. But for safety’s sake, after everything 
is over, you’ll still need to return here.”
33582.16 “Also, I need to have a word with the two 
demons inside you. Would you let them come out?”  So she still had to come back? A flicker of 
disappointment passed through Elena’s eyes. Still,
33591.756 after being imprisoned here for so many 
years, just being able to leave for a   while was already a blessing. She quickly 
collected herself and nodded obediently.
33599.596 In the next instant, the joy vanished from 
Elena’s face, and the last glimmer of light   in her eyes was swallowed by darkness. Both 
her eyes turned a deep, inky black. Wendy,
33610.16 who had been tense all along, glanced at 
Ash with a hint of surprise at this sight.  What kind of charm did this young man 
possess, she wondered, to make a demon
33618.88 vessel willingly surrender her body to the 
demons inside her? Wasn’t this the same as   giving up her own life? What kind of trust 
did it take to do something like that? Could
33627.916 it be that Ash was truly a man worth trusting?
Wendy, who had already been half-convinced by   Ash’s words, now felt even more certain that she’d 
made the right choice. Perhaps Ash really could
33638.0 help her break free of the demon’s sickening grip!
Possessed by the demons, Elena stood silent
33643.04 for a moment, then was the first to speak.
“You know very well that if we leave this place,   we will never come back. So there’s 
nothing more to discuss between us.”
33651.436 Ash simply smiled at the demon’s attitude, and 
produced the shroud that imprisoned the demon Luz.
33656.96 “Do you see this?” he said. “If you want to 
leave, you can—but only if you move into here.”
33662.32 “So, even knowing that, do 
you still want to leave?”  The demons could naturally sense the 
presence of their kin. They could also
33669.12 feel the shroud’s power pressing down on them. 
Ash was threatening them—he was actually daring   to threaten them!The Demon of Truth immediately 
wanted to open its mouth and teach Ash a lesson,
33678.8 but before it could speak, Ash smiled and 
reminded it, “Don’t forget how Russell died.”  “Or do you want to end up a pitiful 
vagrant with nowhere to go?”
33686.56 The moment these words left his lips, “Elena” 
changed her expression at once. The Demon
33691.756 of Truth, able to read Russell’s memories, 
naturally knew what Russell had seen before   he died. It was the truth! Ash possessed 
the ability to pierce through illusions!
33701.2 For a demon whose name was 
Truth but whose nature was Lies,   this ability was especially restraining! And 
if it ended up wrapped in a burial shroud,
33709.04 it would be handing over Elena’s body without 
resistance. That was hardly in its interest.  Rather than letting another Healing Demon 
have its way, it would rather see everyone
33717.756 trapped in District Thirteen, unable 
to escape. To harm others even at the   cost of hurting itself—this was, after all, 
characteristic of these black-eyed demons.
33726.8 Seeing “Elena” fall silent, Ash understood 
that the demon had grasped his meaning. He   didn’t need to threaten all of them; 
it was enough to show he threatened
33734.64 just one. These creatures had no concept of 
“sacrifice”—betrayal was their daily bread.
33739.68 Having settled the matter, Ash asked 
casually, as if in passing, “By the way,   do you know any demons with yellow eyes?”
Was he to be threatened and still supply
33748.72 information? Did Ash think he was made of 
cotton? The Demon of Truth snorted coldly,   unwilling to waste another word, and instantly 
relinquished control of the body back to Elena.
33759.276 If Ash wanted to know, the demon would make 
sure he didn’t. If it couldn’t kill Ash,   at least it could disgust him.
When Elena “woke up” again,
33766.48 she had no access to the demon’s memories. So, she 
looked at Ash with eager anticipation and asked,
33772.16 “Well? Did they agree?”
Ash nodded. “Don’t worry,   it’s settled. Come with me.”
Elena let out a cheerful whoop,
33779.36 then leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Will 
there be a lot of people where we’re going?”  “A crowd… Well, I might not 
be too comfortable with that.”
33786.8 Ash smiled and handed her a strip of black cloth. 
“It’s alright. If you ever feel uncomfortable,
33792.4 just cover your eyes and it’ll pass.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”  Off to the side, Wendy watched Ash handle 
the demon inside Elena with such ease, her
33801.52 face full of disbelief. She had dealt with demons 
for a long time and knew exactly how troublesome
33807.2 they could be. Yet Ash, with just a few words, had 
forced the demon within Elena to accept his terms.
33812.88 It was truly baffling. In her experience, 
it was always the demon threatening people,   never the other way around.
After waiting for a long time without Ash
33820.4 offering any explanation, Wendy finally couldn’t 
help but ask, “How did you convince them?”  “Aren’t you afraid they’ll say one thing to 
your face and do another behind your back?”
33828.96 “After all, that’s what they’re best at.”When 
Wendy asked about the details, both Alina and   Aphrodite quietly perked up their ears, eager to 
understand Ember’s reasoning. All three women had
33839.276 dealt with demons before, and naturally, they 
were well aware of those creatures’ duplicitous   nature. Everyone knew that demons would always 
look for loopholes in contracts—and often succeed
33849.36 at exploiting them. What’s more, Ember hadn’t 
even signed an actual contract with the demons;
33854.4 it was merely a one-sided, verbal constraint. 
So, under such circumstances, how could Ember
33860.0 be sure the demons would keep their word? 
That was the source of everyone’s curiosity.  Faced with three pairs of inquisitive eyes, 
Ember smiled gently and said, “I didn’t persuade
33869.756 them. I simply made them understand one thing.”
“I have the power to imprison any one of them.”
33875.2 “That alone is enough. After all, with Alina’s 
unique condition, neither of the two demons
33880.24 wants to be the one I lock away.”
“So, in order to deny me the chance   to imprison either of them, they have no 
choice but to obediently return here.”
33888.08 “This has nothing to do with 
promises; it’s a matter of survival.”  Hearing Ember’s explanation, confusion still 
lingered in Alina’s eyes. But Aphrodite’s gaze
33897.436 shone with admiration. Indeed, this was the man 
she had set her sights on; his wisdom was in no
33903.276 way inferior to that of Athena, that insufferable 
woman. After all, Athena liked to call herself
33908.4 the goddess of wisdom, yet she had failed to 
foresee the Twilight of the Gods that followed   the convergence of the celestial spheres—a 
true insult to the title of wisdom. In fact,
33918.48 it might be better to let Ember wield the 
mantle of wisdom, ascend to the pantheon,   and restore the glory of Greek mythology!
Feeling the divine power once more surging
33927.36 through her body, Aphrodite grew even 
more satisfied with her own choice.  As for Wendy, after listening to Ember’s words, 
a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes. Don’t
33936.64 try to persuade the demon—make it understand 
the reality of the situation. This was the key
33941.84 insight Wendy gleaned. It was like a beam of 
guiding light shining down on her lost heart.  When dealing with demons, no amount of empathy or 
reasoning would ever work, for cunning was simply
33951.36 their nature. Instead, it was much simpler to 
lay out the consequences plainly for them to see.  Take her current predicament, for example. 
No matter how desperately she pleaded with
33960.48 the demon to let her go, it was useless. All 
it did was give the demon leverage over her,   so it could threaten her into bearing its child 
in exchange for her own freedom. But in her heart,
33970.72 Wendy knew that so-called freedom would only 
mean death—after which the demon would set   its sights on her child. And she lacked the 
strength to harm herself or her unborn baby.
33979.436 Yet, with Ember’s arrival, she finally 
saw a glimmer of hope. If that saintly   burial shroud could suppress the demon 
inside her, she could end her own life,
33987.68 forcing the demon that had invaded her body to 
retreat back into the necklace. In that way, she   would gain a measure of true freedom. Only then 
could she begin to pursue something more.The more
33997.36 Wendy thought about it, the more she felt this 
plan was feasible. After pondering for a moment,   she spoke again, “Ashes, can you kill me?”
As soon as she finished speaking,
34006.72 before Ashes could reply, Wendy’s eyes 
rolled back and she fainted on the spot.  Within Wendy’s vision, she found 
herself in an illusory world. There,
34015.2 a well-dressed, handsome man stood before her, 
his expression furious as he glared at Wendy.
34020.4 “Do you really think he could kill me?”
“Do you really believe you   can get rid of me so easily?”
“Naive, foolish, and utterly unreasonable!”
34028.88 Dragged forcibly into this dreamscape, 
Wendy looked at the demon who had taken   the shape of a man. Suddenly, she burst out 
laughing. Her laughter grew louder and louder,
34038.4 echoing through the illusion.
It was a long while before Wendy   managed to stop. Looking at the demon, she 
sneered, “If you’re not afraid, then why did
34046.56 you drag me into this illusion?”
“You’re scared. You’re afraid   he really might be able to kill you.”
“Let me tell you this: unless you plan to keep me
34054.0 trapped here forever, the moment I get out, I’ll 
do everything I can to make sure he kills me!”  The demon’s chest heaved with barely contained 
rage. Clearly, it was infuriated. It did not
34064.16 believe that something as trifling as 
a Saint’s Shroud could destroy it. Yet,   it knew the shroud would be troublesome. What’s 
more, now that this madwoman realized she was
34073.276 the last line of defense, she would surely 
keep seeking others to kill her. Ashes was   merely the first—there would be more to come.
Realizing the growing problem, the demon took a
34082.56 deep breath and forced itself to speak calmly.
“Didn’t you want me back in the necklace?”  “Fine! But this is the last 
time I’ll give in to you!”
34090.08 “If you try to find someone to kill you 
again, go ahead and see what happens!”  With those cold words, the demon 
dissolved into a wisp of crimson
34097.916 smoke and vanished from the illusion.
Back in the real world, the pendant around   Wendy’s neck suddenly snapped open, revealing an 
old, yellowed photograph. The picture showed a
34107.2 young man—though his face was featureless.
Red smoke began to seep from all seven   of Wendy’s orifices, coiling around the 
pendant and the photo within. Gradually,
34116.4 the features of the man in the picture became 
clear; yet the face now radiated seething anger.
34121.52 Just as Ashes tried to look closer, the pendant 
snapped shut with a loud click, sealing everything   inside and blocking all prying eyes.
Wendy, still lying unconscious,
34131.12 slowly awoke with a faint, contented smile on 
her lips. It was clear her mood had improved.
34136.32 “Thank you, Ashes,” Wendy said softly.
Ashes, who had done nothing at all,   was caught off guard by Wendy’s gratitude and 
felt quite bewildered. From his perspective,
34145.2 after Wendy asked him to kill her, she 
suddenly collapsed. Then, the demon’s   signature red smoke appeared, and Wendy woke 
up again. Something must have happened during
34154.16 that time—had he been used as a bargaining chip?
“Haha, don’t overthink it. Just accept my thanks,”
34160.16 Wendy said with a laugh. “Weren’t you heading 
to the Salem witches’ gathering?”“Hurry up and   go. I’m curious myself what a real gathering 
of witches looks like.” Ash shook his head,
34169.596 pushing the thoughts aside. No matter how you 
looked at it, it seemed that Wendy had seized   the initiative just now. Come to think of it, the 
fact that Wendy’s body could accommodate part of
34178.08 the Red-Eyed Demon’s consciousness suggested that 
her physical potential was highly developed. Yet
34183.2 Wendy herself didn’t seem to realize this. At 
least outwardly, there were no signs of demonic
34188.56 transformation on her. Ash also hadn’t sensed 
any emotional turbulence from her. This made   him wonder whether the path he’d taken was truly 
the right one. Perhaps, demonic transformation
34198.24 didn’t necessarily require bearing all seven sins?
Ash instinctively felt that the answer might lie
34203.436 in the USB drive Russell had given him. 
Unfortunately, he hadn’t had the chance   to look at it before Rog, who had brought 
people with him, interrupted. Rog’s presence,
34212.24 to be honest, was quite a nuisance. But Ash hadn’t 
expected Rog to let him go so easily either,
34217.916 which was out of character compared to his 
earlier demeanor. There had to be something   else restraining Rog behind the scenes.
Along the way, Ash sorted through his web
34226.08 of relationships and was fairly certain it 
was Sasha’s presence that made Rog hesitate.   The idea that a special agent could make the 
deputy director of a research institute wary
34234.4 was incredible. The more Ash thought about 
it, the more he realized Sasha’s background   was anything but simple. As Sasha’s 
recommended “patient,” Ash himself
34242.32 was naturally seen by Rog as being in Sasha’s 
camp. That saved Ash quite a bit of trouble.  With that settled, he figured he should 
check in with Sasha. After all, Russell—the
34251.436 man in charge of his treatment—had died in an 
“accident,” passed his legacy to Ash, and even   blocked his exit in the process. Ash definitely 
needed to give Sasha a heads up about all this.
34261.2 As his phone began to ring, Sasha answered without 
hesitation, rain or shine. “Hello?” came her lazy,
34267.916 languid voice, as if she were on vacation.
After Ash briefly explained the situation, Sasha’s
34273.52 tone turned instantly serious. “What? Russell is 
dead? And he gave you all his research notes?”
34279.36 “He wanted you to be director of 
District Thirteen? That’s a huge leap!”  “Whoa—kid, you really are… something else.”
“Wait for me, I need to call my father.”
34289.52 As soon as Ash hung up, the elevator doors slid 
open. Waiting outside was quite an imposing   scene—a line of men in black, flanked by 
an entire demon-hunting tactical squad.
34299.436 Standing behind them, pacing impatiently, 
was Rog. The look on Rog’s face was one of
34305.12 utter irritation. The contents of that USB drive 
didn’t just concern him alone; it implicated   people far more powerful than himself!If the 
USB drive were to be lost or destroyed by Ember,
34314.96 that would be an irreparable disaster! Yet 
he had actually sent Ember into the heart of   Salem’s witches, sending him to his death! This 
meant he either had to cancel Ember’s mission,
34324.08 or somehow get that USB drive back from him. After 
all, the big boss didn’t have much time left, and
34330.0 everything hinged on Russell making a breakthrough 
in District Thirteen. Now that Russell was dead,   if he couldn’t keep the research going… Well, 
Rogue couldn’t guarantee how many heads would roll
34338.64 if the boss flew into a rage—but his own head, for 
certain, would be the first to go. So he had to
34344.24 recover the USB drive, or at the very least, get 
his hands on a copy of the files. In short, the
34349.36 contents of that USB were now his top priority.
When Rogue saw Ember step out of the elevator,
34354.64 he ran through countless approaches in his mind 
in that instant. He could drop to his knees,   clutch Ember’s leg, and beg him in tears 
for the USB drive. He could lash out,
34364.56 barking orders at his bodyguards to threaten Ember 
at gunpoint into handing it over. He could pin   some trumped-up charge on Ember and threaten 
to throw him in jail until he surrendered the
34373.276 drive… But in the end, Rogue decided he couldn’t 
lose face in front of so many of his underlings.
34378.8 Rogue cleared his throat, tugged at the 
hem of his suit, squared his shoulders,   puffed out his chest and strode forward a few 
steps. With his nose in the air, he barked,
34387.756 “Hey! Kid! Did you take 
something you shouldn’t have?!”  Ember, of course, knew exactly what Rogue was 
talking about. But he deliberately feigned
34395.276 ignorance, replying,
“Huh?”  Rogue scowled, snapping,
“Huh, what?!”  “Do you even realize that everything in 
District Thirteen belongs to the Institute?”
34404.32 “Hurry up! Hand it over, and don’t 
make this uglier than it needs to be!”  Seeing Ember unmoved, Rogue 
let out a frustrated laugh.
34412.16 “Fine, fine, let’s see how long 
you can keep up this tough act.”  “Don’t think I don’t know—you were 
the one who brought Austin in here,
34418.8 and Russell’s death is tied to you!”
“I’ll give you three seconds.”  “Three, one!”
“Time’s up!”
34424.72 Just as Rogue was about to signal his men to draw 
their guns, his phone rang first. Glancing at the
34429.84 caller ID, Rogue didn’t hesitate—he picked 
up at once, switching to a sycophantic tone.
34435.436 “Minister, what can I do for you?”
“Yes, yes, I’m in District Thirteen right now.”
34440.64 “Russell? Yes, Russell is dead, I’ve confirmed it. 
He was killed by the Grand Magus of the Cult of
34446.32 Immortality, Austin. As for that guy, Gray— »
“What? Don’t pursue Ember’s involvement?”
34452.24 “Understood, absolutely. I get it.”
After hanging up, Rogue’s face flickered   with shifting emotions. So Ember really was the 
Minister’s man. Ember had brought Austin into
34462.0 District Thirteen, yet the Minister specifically 
ordered not to hold him accountable. There must
34467.12 be a shift of power brewing behind the 
scenes.Although his connections were   even stronger than those of the head of the 
Psionics Department, at the end of the day,
34475.12 he wasn’t from the same division, and couldn’t 
decide his fate. The position of deputy director   at the institute was the only reason 
he had caught the attention of those
34482.48 above—he absolutely couldn’t afford to lose it!
After a while, Rog finally sorted out the stakes
34487.756 involved. His tone softened as he pleaded with 
Ash, “Brother, did you take Russell’s USB drive?”
34493.52 “If it’s convenient, could 
you make me a copy first?”  Noticing Rog’s sudden change in 
demeanor, and seeing Sasha calling again,
34500.48 Ash immediately understood that it was 
Sasha’s influential backers pulling strings.  “Hold on a second, I need to take this 
call,” he said, leaving Rog standing there.
34509.276 With something to ask of Ash, Rog could only 
swallow his anger. He had a thousand ways to
34514.32 force Ash to hand over the USB, but his superiors 
had instructed him to use a gentle approach. The
34519.596 frustration was almost unbearable!
Still, as long as he got his hands   on the USB’s contents, Ash wouldn’t have long to 
live—even if Rog didn’t lift a finger. After all,
34529.04 he had no intention of warning Ash that the 
mission was off. The lawless Salem witches   would bury Ash themselves. By then, even the 
department head couldn’t blame him. Ash had
34538.56 taken the mission on his own, and it was the Salem 
witches who would do the killing—what did any of   that have to do with Rog? He chuckled to himself.
Ash answered the call, but before he could speak,
34548.4 Sasha’s relaxed voice came through.
“It’s fine now, everything’s all right.”  “My father’s view is that, since the 
man is dead, the matter is settled.”
34557.12 “It’s just that Russell’s research findings belong 
to District Thirteen as a whole—you can’t just   walk away with them. He wants to see you.”
“Knowing him, he should be
34565.436 arriving right about now.”
Arriving? So soon? Ash was   still puzzled when the whir of helicopter blades 
suddenly echoed from outside District Thirteen.
34573.756 A moment later, a sleek black helicopter 
appeared in everyone’s line of sight.   Ignoring the district’s no-fly rules, it 
landed directly on the open ground outside.
34582.88 Once the helicopter settled, two figures 
disembarked. One was a middle-aged man with   an imposing presence, his features bearing 
a clear resemblance to Sasha’s—this must be
34593.04 the father she’d spoken of. The other, following 
close behind, was likely his personal bodyguard.
34598.24 Anyone who dared travel with only a single 
bodyguard must have someone truly formidable   at their side. After all, even someone like Rog, 
the deputy director, would want to bring an entire
34607.756 squad along whenever he left the institute. 
The more one understood about this world,   the more one realized how dangerous it could be.
Ash hadn’t expected that Sasha’s father would
34616.96 summon a helicopter and come to see 
him in person the moment he said so.   The decisiveness and efficiency behind this 
move spoke volumes about his character.
34624.96 To be honest, someone like that was exactly the 
kind of talent needed to manage the Psionics   Department.Someone like Rogge, who is overly 
bureaucratic, can only ever be a politician,
34633.84 never a good manager. Just like now—before 
Ember could even react, Rogge darted ahead,   scurrying to the door to greet the minister.
“Minister, what brings you here?”
34642.96 “You could have left these trivial matters to 
me. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself.”  “It’s all my fault, I’ve 
caused you unnecessary worry.”
34650.88 Watching Rogge’s performance, Ember narrowed his 
eyes. This kind of sycophancy, so concerned with
34656.24 social niceties and currying favor, was truly 
beneath his dignity. But… it was necessary.
34662.08 “Uncle, you’re here?”
“Oh, I’m Ash—just call me Little Ash.”  Ignoring Rogge’s flattery, the minister 
turned his attention the moment he heard
34669.756 Ember’s voice. After sizing Ember up and down, 
a smile unexpectedly appeared on his face.
34675.436 “So, you’re Ash?”
“Sasha often mentions you.”  “What a pity, though.”
Ember naturally understood
34681.2 what the minister regretted. It was nothing more 
than his own identity as a vampire, which made   it difficult for him to be entrusted with real 
responsibility. After all, how could someone who
34691.436 might at any moment submit to a higher vampire 
bloodline be placed in a position of power? Who
34696.64 would dare trust him completely? Even the minister 
before him, head of the Department of Psionics,   couldn’t make that decision. He might trust 
that Ember was a good person, but he couldn’t
34705.596 be sure that, if the vampire progenitor 
appeared, Ember would remain true to himself.  “Let’s talk in my office.”
“Rogge, you stay outside.”
34713.68 Rogge, who had been about to follow, stiffened 
at the words, but there was nothing he could do.   He could only watch helplessly as Ember and 
the others walked into the office with Nick,
34723.36 while he was left standing guard outside, like a 
doorman. Rogge’s face immediately darkened, but
34728.48 he forced a smile back onto his round features, 
rubbing his stiff cheeks with his pudgy fingers.
34734.24 It was only a momentary humiliation, after all. 
The supernatural pie that was the Department of
34739.84 Psionics had attracted many hungry eyes. With 
Nick refusing to pick a side, his own good days
34745.276 were likely numbered.
…  Once inside, Nick turned directly 
to Ember, asking bluntly,
34750.4 “Is the USB drive containing Russell’s 
research notes in your possession?”  Ember glanced up, discreetly reading Nick’s wish.
【Nick】
34758.16 【Wish: To build an elite psionic task force.】
Now certain that Nick and Rogge were not   allied, Ember replied,
“Yes. Before he died,
34766.32 he gave me the combination to the safe.”
Nick nodded, making no move to forcibly   take it, but instead offered Ember a choice.
“I assume Sasha has already explained to you.
34776.0 Russell’s research belongs to District Thirteen. 
I don’t mind if the findings spread elsewhere,   but I cannot allow District Thirteen to 
be without a copy of the research.”“So,
34784.96 you can become the director of the Thirteenth 
District, but the price is that your personal   freedom will be restricted, just like Russell. 
This is also one of the reasons I can accept a
34793.84 follower of the Cult of Immortality as director.”
“Or, you can choose to copy the information in
34798.96 front of me and take it away.”
Nick’s terms were, to be fair,   already quite generous. Appointing a vampire 
as the director of the Thirteenth District was
34806.32 a risk, so limitations on personal freedom were 
necessary. And sharing knowledge was by no means
34811.36 a given—otherwise, the Psychic Division wouldn’t 
have set so many demon-hunting materials behind   level restrictions and a points exchange system.
Yet, Ash had no desire to choose either option.
34821.04 He shook his head and replied,
“Sorry, Minister, but I’m   afraid you’ve misunderstood something.”
“This item is a ‘private’ possession that
34828.32 Russell entrusted to me, not a document belonging 
to the collective of the Thirteenth District.”  “If this research material had truly been the 
work of the Thirteenth District as a whole,
34836.96 then it wouldn’t have been locked away in a safe 
that belonged only to Russell, don’t you agree?”  At these words, Nick studied Ash in silence 
for a long moment. The atmosphere in the
34845.756 room grew tense, the air thick with 
anticipation. The three women present   nearly believed a fight was about to break out.
But suddenly, Nick broke the tension with a laugh.
34855.36 “Sasha said you’re a skilled 
negotiator, and she wasn’t wrong.”  “You’re right—in theory, the research in your 
hands is the result of Russell’s own insights,
34863.436 not something to be shared 
with the Thirteenth District.”  “But theory is just theory. That research must 
remain here in the Thirteenth District today…”
34870.88 Nick’s resolute words made the three women’s 
hearts clench once again. Would it still come   to blows after all? Aphrodite took a 
deep breath, a swirl of rosy starlight
34879.68 gathering between her fingers.
Sensing Aphrodite’s movement,   the bodyguard standing silently like a statue 
behind Nick seemed to awaken. His eyes flashed
34888.0 with a piercing light, and the muscles under his 
black suit tensed, stretching the fabric taut.
34893.2 Just as the confrontation threatened to 
erupt, Nick suddenly changed his tone.  “…But, for Sasha’s sake, I can offer you 
a little extra compensation—personally.”
34902.88 “So, tell me: what would you like? Mechs? 
Sorcery? Artifacts? Secrets? Or perhaps power?”
34910.24 Ash, who never expected the negotiation to fall 
apart, had been waiting for this exact moment.
34915.52 Since he couldn’t avoid leaving a copy of the 
research, it was only right he should maximize his   benefit. And as the head of the Psychic Division, 
Nick had resources beyond Ash’s wildest imagining.
34926.56 If someone of Nick’s caliber was willing to let 
a few things slip through his fingers, it could   save Ash a great deal of time.So Ashes didn’t 
stand on ceremony and asked directly, “I want
34935.52 to know the whereabouts of the Seed of Pride.”
To Ashes, even though it wasn’t the right time to   bear more of the original sins, collecting them as 
a hidden trump card was always the wise move. Now,
34945.12 he only lacked the seeds of Pride 
and Sloth—if he could acquire them,   he would possess all seven deadly sins.
As for Sloth, he actually had a vague
34952.88 idea of where to start. The Bruch vampires 
who conducted research on Sloth might well   possess objects saturated with that emotion. But 
when it came to Pride, Ashes truly had no clue.
34962.64 As for how to balance these powers—well, that 
was a problem for later. One needed to possess   the seeds first before worrying about balance.
Nick, upon hearing Ashes’ request, showed clear
34972.48 signs of surprise on his face. He couldn’t 
understand why a vampire would ask about the   Seed of Pride instead of seeking to purify his 
bloodline. For vampires, strengthening their
34981.68 bloodline was of utmost importance—it determined 
their status among their kind. That’s why most
34986.8 vampires, after a life of indulgence, would devote 
themselves entirely to refining their lineage.
34992.08 But Ashes was clearly different. He was 
actually interested in the original sins!   Such things usually only attracted black 
magicians or supernatural beings who
35001.2 hungered after forbidden power. They were 
called sins for a reason—possessing them   inevitably led one down a path of evil.
Nick stared at Ashes for a long moment
35009.68 before speaking with heavy meaning: “Do 
you realize you’re playing with fire?”  Ashes gave a gentle laugh. “But isn’t living 
among the supernatural already playing with fire?”
35018.72 “Since we’re all playing with fire,” he continued, 
“then let’s see who has the greater skill.”
35023.756 Nick shook his head, unable to suppress a wry 
smile. “It’s not the same. Because of its origin,
35029.756 Pride is the most powerful of the seven sins.”
“And Pride is born from a sense of superiority.
35035.36 If you obtain it, it will be that much harder 
to maintain, as you say, a human consciousness.”  After warning Ashes, Nick sighed and 
continued, “To be honest, the Psionic
35044.56 Department doesn’t have information on the Seed 
of Pride. But we do know who possesses it.”  “Azazel—once a Seraph and Cherub, now a fallen 
angel. Or you might as well call him a demon.”
35054.64 “When he descended to the mortal world, he claimed 
to be as powerful as God himself. That arrogance
35060.0 became his sin and turned his wings black.”
“There’s evidence that Azazel moves among   humans in the guise of the Yellow-Eyed Demon.”
“If you want Pride, I doubt there’s a more
35069.12 prideful being in this world.”
Yellow-Eyed Demon? Ashes’ pupils   narrowed. Could it be the very same demon 
that had been toying with the Ryan brothers
35076.72 all this time? That would be troublesome.
Ashes hadn’t expected to glean information   about the Yellow-Eyed Demon from Nick’s mouth.To 
be honest, Azazel is not someone Ashes could even
35085.68 dream of confronting at his current level. As a 
yellow-eyed demon, Azazel holds a rank in Hell
35091.12 second only to the seven great demon lords. Even 
if Ashes were to get arrogant, he hasn’t lost his
35096.4 mind. Just dealing with the consciousness of 
a black-eyed demon already takes considerable   effort for Ashes—let alone a yellow-eyed one.
Fortunately, the Psionic Department has no idea
35105.52 where the Seed of Pride is, but the Church of 
Immortality is bound to have the answer. After   all, the Seeds of Original Sin are creations 
of the Church’s own making. Ashes doesn’t
35115.04 necessarily need a finished product; a 
prototype, or even a sapling, would do.  With a quiet sigh, Ashes inserted the 
USB drive into the computer. Though
35123.68 this exchange hadn’t yielded the answer he 
sought, a deal was a deal—changing terms at   the last minute would only harm his credibility.
As Nick watched the files copy across the screen,
35132.88 he suddenly spoke. “Ashes, have you ever 
wondered why demons are so relentless in   trying to enter the human world?”
Ashes hesitated for a moment,
35140.96 glanced at the estimated time left for the 
file transfer, and instantly understood Nick’s   intention. For the next half hour, while 
the data was being copied, he could ask any
35150.24 question he wanted—the secrets available to him 
were not limited to just the one he’d brought.  Clearly, this was a gesture of goodwill from Nick.
“Is it because there’s so much
35158.72 original sin among humans?”
Nick smiled. “That’s both right   and wrong. In this world, the real reason angels 
and demons are so powerful comes down to souls.”
35168.16 “Whoever controls more 
souls wields greater power.”  “And as the human population keeps swelling, 
the number of souls increases as well. This
35175.916 means that angels and demons, who draw 
their strength from souls, have gained   power surpassing that of the elder gods.”
At this point, Nick deliberately glanced
35184.48 at Aphrodite. It was obvious he 
included her—a goddess fallen   from her divine seat—among those elder gods.
“Still, no matter how many souls there are,
35193.276 the majority always end up in 
the hands of those at the top.”  “With rigid hierarchy, the lower ranks are 
left with no room for advancement, and they
35200.72 must even worry that the tiny fragments of power 
they possess could be devoured at any moment.”  “So, the true reason these demons come to the 
human world is fear—fear of their own demise.”
35210.56 “Of course, there are also the 
ambitious ones, those eager to   harvest souls in the human world to increase 
their power—Azazel and Lilith, for example.”
35218.48 As Nick mentioned the names of 
these two formidable demons,   a flicker of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
“Their descent into the human world, in truth,
35227.12 gives us an opportunity—an 
opportunity to destroy them.”  “Have you ever heard of the Colt?”
Even in Ashes’ original world,
35233.916 the name Colt was well-known; there was even 
an arms factory named after it. It seemed that,   here too, Colt had found its place in the same 
line of work. »The father of the revolver? »
35243.916 Nick nodded.
That’s right. It was him.  He once forged a revolver 
from the remnants of Gungnir.
35249.916 Then he crafted six bullets, each engraved with 
a cross, using the fallen power of an angel.
35255.52 Each of those six bullets was capable 
of destroying a yellow-eyed demon.  As Nick spoke, a feverish 
light ignited in his eyes.
35262.72 No one doubts this, because he used that gun to 
kill Ramiel, who, like him, was a fallen angel.  After slaying Ramiel, Colt even etched a 
line of small words on the barrel of the gun.
35271.916 No one can live forever. If one shot 
is not enough, then take another.’  Unfortunately, that gun was lost, and to 
this day no one knows where it is. Otherwise,
35281.04 what would Azazel amount to? If we found 
it, one shot would be all it takes.  Why did Ash feel like he had seen that 
small inscription somewhere before?
35288.8 With a moment’s thought, Ash 
quickly recalled where it was.  Frankiel! The revolver in 
Frankiel’s hand bore that very line!
35295.916 Ash snapped his fingers.
A chill swept through the room,   as if a cold wind had suddenly risen.
The bodyguard standing behind Nick tensed,
35303.756 pulling his suit tight around him, and a 
menacing aura instantly filled the air.  Easy, we’re on the same side, Nick said, frowning 
and gesturing for the bodyguard to stand down.
35313.68 He then turned his gaze to the ghost 
that was gradually taking shape.  At a glance, Nick could tell that this 
ghost was a vampire. Frankiel’s vampiric
35321.756 traits were unmistakable—he 
radiated an air of elegance,   but there was an arrogance in the way he 
looked down his nose at others. Arrogance,
35329.68 after all, was second nature to vampires.
Vampires as humble as Ash were a rare   breed among their kind.
Nick studied Frankiel,
35337.04 who wore a tailcoat and white gloves, and 
thoughtful suspicion flickered in his eyes.  He had seen this vampire before, but 
needed a moment to search his memory.
35345.84 Very soon, Nick remembered who 
Frankiel was and spoke to confirm:  Frankiel? The Prince of Vandro?
If I recall correctly, he should
35353.84 be wandering as a ghost in that old manor 
on the eastern outskirts of Liberty City.  After speaking, Nick glanced at the Book 
of Spirits, which had just been closed
35362.0 with a lingering sense of reluctance.
You sealed him in the Book of Spirits?  Not a bad idea, but working with 
spirit items can easily backfire.
35369.84 Here’s a word of advice: never trust these 
things. They’ll never help you out of   kindness—they only stab you in the back.
If possible, it’s better to keep them
35377.84 locked away and out of reach.
Nick finished with a frown;   these matters were hardly his to 
explain—they were common sense, after all.
35385.04 Ash was wasting precious time on these 
basics, which seemed unnecessary.  But in the next moment, just as Nick assumed Ash 
only wanted his opinion, he suddenly froze.At
35393.916 Embers’ silent signal, Frankiel actually 
drew a phantom revolver from thin air.   The intricate patterns engraved on the gun, 
along with a familiar line of small lettering,
35403.36 instantly made Nick’s eyes go wide with disbelief. 
Was this the Colt? No, that couldn’t be! There was
35408.8 no way a specter could wield the Colt forged 
from the remnants of Gungnir. This must be   a projection of the Colt created by Frankiel’s 
lingering consciousness! Could it be that Frankiel
35418.48 had seen the actual Colt during his lifetime, and 
the impression it left was so vivid that he could   reproduce it flawlessly, even in death? Otherwise, 
how could he conjure such a lifelike imitation?
35429.436 If Nick remembered correctly, Frankiel had died 
in recent times. That meant the ownership of the   Colt couldn’t have changed hands too many times 
since then. In other words, there was still a real
35439.2 chance for them to reclaim the Colt! Nick’s breath 
grew heavier with excitement; he hadn’t expected   such an unexpected windfall on this outing.
“Ashes, do you know where he saw this
35448.48 gun?” he asked. “This isn’t just important for 
psychics… No, it’s crucial for all of humanity!”
35454.48 With five bullets left, the Colt was effectively a 
trump card for mankind—one capable of threatening   the likes of Azazel. At the very least, it 
would force such beings to act with caution,
35464.08 instead of brazenly appearing wherever 
they pleased. In the best case,   if the opportunity arose, there was even a 
chance Azazel could be struck down on Earth.
35471.84 As for seeking help from Heaven? Nick scoffed 
at the thought. That was simply out of the   question. Those feathered beings were nothing like 
demons in their methods—they wouldn’t trick you
35481.36 into giving up your soul with honeyed words. 
Instead, they demanded sacrifice, devotion:   they wanted you to surrender your soul and body 
willingly. In essence, angels and demons were the
35491.916 same. If humanity was to be saved, it would have 
to be by their own hands. That was why priests,
35497.84 blessed by Heaven, so rarely joined the ranks of 
demon hunters; they looked down on such company.
35503.276 The embers that had summoned Frankiel were also 
keen to uncover the Colt’s whereabouts. After all,   if the Colt was truly as powerful as Nick 
claimed, then gathering the seven deadly sins and
35513.36 forging the Heart of Eternity would become a far 
simpler task. But there was a problem—Frankiel’s
35518.4 incomplete memories only retained the image of the 
gun itself. In the shared memories with Frankiel,
35524.24 all Embers could see was Frankiel endlessly 
turning the Colt over in his hands,   utterly enamored with it. Given this 
attachment, Embers instinctively felt
35532.48 that Frankiel would never have given the gun 
away willingly. The only one who could have   taken it was Mirat—the one who killed Frankiel.
Granted, Embers had already dealt with Mirat,
35541.436 but the Colt was not found on him. If it had 
been, the outcome of that battle could have   gone either way. Now, the question was: who 
had killed Mirat the last time?Sorting out
35550.64 the crucial details, Ember lifted his gaze to 
Nick. Nick, his eyes shining with excitement,
35556.08 couldn’t even wait for Ember to speak before 
eagerly asking, “So? Have you figured it out?”
35561.36 Ember shrugged and replied, “You know how it 
is—evil spirits’ memories fade with time.”  “When I found him, most of his 
memories had already dissipated.”
35570.08 “So all I can confirm is this: 
before Mirat killed him, the Colt   revolver was still in Frankel’s hands.”
Mirat? That blood sorcerer? The one who
35578.48 later became a master demon hunter? 
Nick did remember Mirat. After all,   every master-level demon hunter was considered 
a beacon of hope for humanity. Each of them had
35588.24 their own reasons for walking the demon-hunting 
path, but all had slain countless monsters.  Mirat was one of them. Yet his death remained 
an unsolved mystery within the Department of
35597.596 Psionics. This master demon hunter had simply 
disappeared one day without a trace. As for
35602.8 the truth behind his disappearance, 
perhaps only his family knew for sure.  The Salem family—a clan of sorcerers once so 
lawless that the Department of Psionics had
35611.12 to launch a full-scale crackdown against 
them. This had left most members of the   Salem family harboring an intense 
resentment toward the department.
35618.4 Mirat’s original reason for joining the 
department was that his bloodline had been   ostracized by his fellow sorcerers. So it wasn’t 
as if the department hadn’t suspected that the
35627.12 Salems might have had something to do with Mirat’s 
disappearance. After all, Mirat’s cooperation with
35632.4 the department made him a traitor in their eyes.
Thinking about the recent intelligence—that Salem   sorcerers were gathering en masse to choose a 
new candidate for Supreme Sorcerer—Nick felt
35641.36 a headache coming on. These Salem sorcerers, 
emboldened by the backing of their ancestors in
35646.56 the spirit realm, were always stirring up trouble. 
The Department of Psionics was already stretched
35652.0 thin hunting demons, and really didn’t have the 
manpower to “keep an eye” on them. Not to mention,   most demon hunters wanted nothing to do with 
a sorcerer clan. Even if the clan had lost
35662.0 its former power, the unpredictable methods 
of sorcerers gave everyone endless trouble.  But now, with the trail of the Colt revolver 
leading straight to the Salem sorcerers, Nick
35671.04 knew he had to seriously consider the possibility 
of open conflict. If the stakes were high enough,
35676.16 a few casualties might be acceptable. After 
all, as director of the Department of Psionics,   he had to think of the bigger picture.
A sharp chime signaled the completion of
35684.56 the data transfer, interrupting Nick’s train of 
thought. Ember removed the flash drive and waved   at Nick, saying, “Director, may I leave now?”
Nick’s mind was wholly preoccupied with how to
35694.96 obtain the Colt revolver, so he had no desire to 
prolong the conversation. After a brief farewell,
35700.16 he called in Rogue and asked, “How’s the 
research going on anti-sorcerer weapons?”  “I’m getting ready to make a move against the 
Salem sorcerers.”Rog was left speechless for a
35709.12 long moment after hearing Nick’s words, his 
mouth opening and closing as he struggled to   respond. How on earth did this Ember get so 
insanely lucky? A mission that was supposed
35718.32 to be certain death had somehow become completely 
safe once Nick got involved? Rog simply couldn’t
35723.36 stand the thought of that kid still running 
around, full of life, in the near future.  So, after a moment’s hesitation, Rog finally 
replied, “I’m sorry, Minister. The psionic grenade
35733.84 designed to disrupt the connection between wizards 
and their ancestors has indeed been produced.”  “But due to material limitations, 
we currently have only one.”
35742.24 “And without verifying its actual 
effectiveness, it could result in   catastrophic casualties during the mission.”
Catastrophic casualties—Rog made sure to emphasize
35750.72 those words, feeling rather pleased with his 
own rhetorical skills. After all, the deaths of   witchers were of little concern to the Psionics 
Department. But if the regular soldiers—those
35760.64 formally recruited—suffered heavy losses, Nick’s 
position as minister would be in serious jeopardy.
35766.32 So long as casualties were mentioned, 
Nick would most likely postpone the   operation. Once Ember was sent on a suicide 
mission, the department would naturally
35774.4 have time to produce another psionic grenade.
Just as Rog was indulging in his own cleverness,
35779.436 Nick—after a brief silence—made up his mind. 
The importance of the Colt gun far outweighed
35784.96 the lives of a few men! It was a conviction he’d 
held for a long time. With resolve in his eyes,
35790.72 Nick swept his hand decisively and said, “It 
doesn’t matter. Make the preparations. I’ll
35796.0 take full responsibility for any consequences.”
“This operation must succeed, no matter the cost!”
35802.08 With that, Nick turned and left District Thirteen 
with his personal bodyguards. Since a large-scale
35807.36 operation was about to begin, there were still 
some formal reports that needed to be filed. After
35812.72 all, he was technically a government official—he 
couldn’t act as recklessly as the witchers.  Meanwhile, Rog stood frozen in place, stunned 
by Nick’s decision. What was this? Was Nick
35822.96 really willing to risk heavy casualties 
just to save that kid? Was Ember his own   flesh and blood or something?
Still, from Rog’s perspective,
35830.16 this wasn’t entirely a bad turn of events. 
In fact, if he played his cards right,   it might even mean a promotion and a hefty 
reward. So what if he didn’t get to see Ember
35838.8 die with his own eyes? He might just have 
the chance to witness Nick’s resignation!  If, during his tenure, Nick presided over 
a mission that led to massive losses among
35847.36 regular troops, the public outcry and questions 
from above would be enough to crush him. Not
35852.48 to mention, there were plenty of people 
who’d been waiting for Nick to slip up.  Wasn’t this the perfect 
opportunity to take his place?
35858.88 A cold, mocking smile curled at Rog’s 
lips as he muttered under his breath,   “No matter the cost, you say? As you wish!”
Rog took out his phone, dialed an encrypted
35868.24 number, and after reciting a string 
of codes, spoke in a chilly voice:   “There’s a suicide mission. Send in the Dark 
Ravens who are already on their last legs.”
35876.88 The so-called Dark Ravens were, in truth, 
vessels for demons bred right here in District   Thirteen.Those people who can temporarily resist 
the temptations of demons are, to a certain
35885.436 extent, brainwashed and put to work by the psychic 
division, using demonic powers for their cause.   Yet, in the end, these individuals are bound to 
lose control one day. That’s when an extremely
35895.12 dangerous mission is arranged—one that ensures 
these faltering Dark Ravens perish together
35900.24 with the enemy. Of course, sometimes, allies may 
be caught in the crossfire and perish as well.
35905.52 Rog squinted his eyes, in exceptionally high 
spirits. It was as if he could already see a
35910.64 bright future waving at him.
…  After leaving District Thirteen, Ember was 
in no rush to head to the gathering place of
35916.32 the Salem witches. First of all, Alice 
hadn’t called yet, so the time clearly   hadn’t come. Secondly, there was still a 
private commission fee he hadn’t collected.
35925.276 George, the real estate tycoon of Los 
City, had sent him several messages,   asking whether the matter of the Love Deity’s 
contract had been resolved. Although Ember
35933.436 hadn’t actually slain Aphrodite, he had, in a 
way, taken care of George’s lingering troubles.
35938.64 Now that Aphrodite had lost her passion, she 
no longer needed to rely on desire to maintain   her strength. As for whether George would honor 
his promise or not—it hardly mattered anymore.
35948.4 Besides, the contract between Aphrodite and 
George had always posed more of a threat in   principle than in reality. After all, the binding 
force of a contract with Aphrodite didn’t come
35957.596 from the rules, but from Aphrodite herself.
Before long, the trio returned to the wealthy
35962.72 hillside estates in the north of Los City. Having 
finally received a message from Ember, George was
35968.64 already waiting by the door, eager and unable to 
hide his excitement. He hurried forward, desperate
35974.24 to learn the outcome of Ember’s assignment.
But to his utter shock, as the car door swung   open, a figure appeared before him—one he would 
never forget. The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite!
35985.04 George was struck as if by lightning, frozen 
in place. He had asked Ember to eliminate the   goddess, not to bring her to his doorstep! 
Was Ember trying to get him killed faster?
35994.88 He still remembered—back then, 
after a moment of stunned disbelief,   George immediately propelled his now much heavier 
frame toward the house, intent on fleeing inside.
36003.68 He had no way to deal with Aphrodite directly, 
but that didn’t mean he hadn’t prepared. His
36008.88 home was filled with all sorts of artifacts, 
each one a weapon against the supernatural!  Seeing George’s panicked reaction, 
Aphrodite’s face was full of bewilderment.
36018.0 Did she really look that terrifying?
Aphrodite lowered her head and casually   pulled out a mirror, turning her face this 
way and that. Bathed in the glow of love,
36026.72 she thought she looked stunning. Why, then, 
did that man run away at the sight of her?  Watching the confusion on Aphrodite’s 
face, Ember sighed quietly. So, it turned
36036.32 out Aphrodite never really cared about George 
at all. All that talk about returning for him   in eighteen years—just empty words, wasn’t it?
With a helpless shake of his head, Ember moved
36046.24 like a shadow, blocking George’s path. George, 
seeing Ember in his way, was about to unleash a
36051.596 stream of curses about broken promises—when Ember 
drew a pistol and aimed it straight at him.At the
36056.8 sight of the gun, George instantly regained 
his composure. He wasn’t a fool—who would risk
36062.24 provoking someone while staring down the barrel of 
a gun? He had plenty of money, but only one life.
36067.436 Swallowing hard, George stopped in his tracks, 
raised his hands, and stammered, “Hey, buddy,
36073.52 we don’t have any bad blood between us, do we?”
Ash gave a slight smile, opening his hand to
36078.8 let the gun spin lazily around his index finger. 
Then he pulled out the magazine and showed it to   George—the chamber was empty. “Mr. George, I just 
wanted to help you calm down quickly,” Ash said.
36089.36 “That way, we can clear up any misunderstandings 
as soon as possible. Otherwise, things
36094.4 will only get worse. Now, shall we talk?”
Relieved to see that the gun wasn’t loaded,
36099.52 George let out a long breath he hadn’t realized 
he was holding. Because his involvement with the   goddess was so disgraceful, he hadn’t even brought 
his usual bodyguards along. If Ash truly meant to
36109.916 kill him, he would have been done for. Seeing 
that Ash had no intention of taking his life,
36115.04 George began to wonder if what he’d seen 
of Aphrodite was actually some kind of evil   spirit instead. In any case, as Ash had said, they 
definitely needed to have a proper conversation.
36125.04 Now calmer, George wiped the sweat beading on 
his forehead, glanced cautiously at Aphrodite,
36130.16 and said, “Please, follow me.”
George’s estate, private study.  Seated at the head of the table, George 
looked deeply uneasy. The reason was simple:
36139.276 the breathtakingly beautiful yet terrifying 
Aphrodite was still regarding him with a look of
36144.4 utter bafflement in her eyes. That alone was 
enough to make George feel immense pressure.   He’d witnessed Aphrodite’s divine 
power firsthand. Ordinary people,
36153.36 and even those demon hunters with special 
abilities, were no match for her. Now,   sitting in the same room with her, the tension 
was almost unbearable. In desperation, he cast
36162.96 a pleading look toward Ash, who was calmly 
drinking his tea as if nothing was amiss.  Ash gently blew across the surface of his tea, 
took a sip, and found it lacked the lingering
36172.4 sweetness and refreshing aftertaste he remembered. 
With a look of regret, he shook his head and said,   “Mr. George, your tea just isn’t quite right.”
George was momentarily stunned. Was this really
36182.96 the time to be tasting tea? Shouldn’t they 
be discussing the situation with Aphrodite?   If this wasn’t resolved, George felt as 
if he had a bone stuck in his throat.
36191.596 Gritting his teeth, George decided to 
get straight to the point. “Ash, where’s   Austin? What exactly do you mean by all this?”
Seeing that George had no interest in small talk,
36200.96 Ash set down his teacup and replied, 
“Austin is dead. He left his share to me.”  “As for now, I’m here to tell 
you that everything is fine.”
36209.36 “Otherwise, do you really think you’d 
still be sitting here in one piece?”  Everything is fine? The thought startled 
George, but after a moment’s reflection,
36217.52 he realized Ash was absolutely right.If 
Aphrodite had wanted him to serve her,   she could have enchanted him the moment they met, 
compelling him to follow her without hesitation.
36227.2 Yet now, aside from that unnerving gaze, 
Aphrodite was remarkably quiet—nothing like
36232.48 the ravenous figure he had encountered eighteen 
years ago. Recalling the horrors of that day,
36237.68 even George, a man seasoned by many battles, 
couldn’t help but shudder from head to toe,
36242.8 his very kidneys crying out in protest.
But then again, why did Ember still look   so hale and ruddy, showing no sign of having 
been drained dry? Could it be that Aphrodite
36251.756 had changed her ways? That was a question George 
wouldn’t dare ask. As far as he was concerned,
36257.436 it would be for the best if he never uttered 
those five syllables for the rest of his life.  Once he was certain Aphrodite wouldn’t 
demand he fulfill his old promise,
36265.36 a great weight was finally lifted from George’s 
heart. Feeling much relieved, he had no desire
36270.4 to remain in the same room with Aphrodite any 
longer. Without delay, he transferred ten million
36275.916 into the bank account Ember had provided. Then he 
led Ember to the entrance of his collection room,   allowing him to pick out any item he fancied.
Having said that, George didn’t want to linger
36285.2 a moment longer. He bowed his head and hurried 
away in a rush, leaving without a backward glance.
36290.88 Aphrodite, thoroughly confused, turned and 
quietly asked Wendy, “Do I look frightening?”
36296.32 Wendy glanced at Aphrodite, who had returned 
to her feminine attire, then looked down at   her own ample chest that completely obscured 
her view of her toes. With a sigh, she replied,
36305.916 “You really are quite terrifying.”
Understanding Wendy’s meaning,   Aphrodite reached out and poked her own skin, 
which was as supple as jelly. This moment made
36314.4 her recall Ember’s earlier indifference, as 
well as the changes that came after she had   donned men’s clothing. It seemed that being 
this… abundant was indeed rather daunting.
36324.08 With that realization, Aphrodite promptly 
wrapped herself in a rare surge of divine   power. Under a veil of rosy energy, her body 
began to transform before their very eyes.
36334.4 Wendy and Elena were left wide-eyed with 
astonishment at the sight. The ability to alter   one’s physique at will—this was a power every 
woman dreamed of having. This was the pinnacle of
36343.84 sorcery: the ultimate in cosmetic transformation!
Only Ember, as imperturbable as a Sigma male,
36350.24 paid no heed to Aphrodite’s transformation. 
His full attention was fixed on the dazzling   array of treasures before him.
As a real estate tycoon,
36357.916 George’s quickest path to fortune was, of course, 
through redevelopment—demolishing old houses and   renovating neighborhoods. Such work inevitably 
brought him into contact with countless old
36367.04 objects. These items, along with the old buildings 
themselves, were often shrouded in eerie rumors,
36373.276 stories that ranged from the plausible to the 
outright fantastical. But with so many tales,   it was inevitable that some of these relics 
did, in fact, harbor malevolent spirits.
36382.56 This much Ember could say for certain, for he 
had the ability to see their desires. As for   what each of these things could actually do, that 
depended on his own knowledge and discernment.
36391.84 Unfortunately for Ember, that was precisely where 
his expertise fell short.Yet it was precisely at
36396.88 this moment that Ember’s strengths came into 
play. He knew nothing about ancient relics,   but someone at his side did! Ember turned 
his head and looked toward Aphrodite,
36405.756 the oldest among the four of them. But 
the instant he caught sight of Aphrodite,   his heart nearly skipped a beat. Now that she 
had become delicate and dainty, Aphrodite’s
36414.88 allure for him had multiplied several times over.
Fortunately, Ember was never a man easily swayed
36420.72 by a pretty face! Wiping away the trace of drool 
at the corner of his mouth, Ember gave a discreet
36425.756 cough to hide his embarrassment. “Aphrodite, could 
you take a look and tell me which of these is the   best?” Ember gestured to the items that seemed to 
possess a will of their own, pointing them out one
36435.756 by one for Aphrodite to choose among them.
Seeing Ember’s cheeks suddenly flush,   Aphrodite couldn’t help but cover her mouth and 
let out a soft laugh. Ember’s reaction was simply
36444.88 adorable. Feeling the surge of power welling up 
within her, Aphrodite couldn’t help but marvel
36450.48 at the wonders of love. Especially during 
the throes of passion—every glance and every   gesture was enough to quicken her heartbeat.
With graceful steps, Aphrodite moved to stand
36460.08 beside Ember, only to see him quietly inch away. 
The corners of her lips curled into a smile,
36465.52 and with a sudden burst of speed, Aphrodite 
pressed her supple form against Ember’s tense
36470.72 body. Watching him freeze like a startled 
deer, Aphrodite chuckled and wrapped her   arm around his, finally turning her 
attention to the relics before them.
36478.72 But the moment she looked, Aphrodite’s beautiful 
eyes grew still, and a faint shadow crossed her
36483.756 brow. Sensing her sudden seriousness, Ember 
followed her gaze, only to see a brass teapot.
36489.68 [Brass Teapot]
[Wish: To steam and boil all things.]  …
He didn’t know what powers this brass
36495.2 teapot possessed, but its wish was undeniably 
audacious. To steam and boil all things—such a
36501.12 desire could only be fulfilled by a creator god 
in a fit of madness. But what connection did   this brass teapot have to Aphrodite?
Noticing Ember’s questioning gaze,
36510.08 Aphrodite let out a long, wistful sigh, 
released his arm, and casually picked   up the brass teapot, which immediately 
began to struggle violently in her hand.
36518.72 “This teapot wasn’t always like this. 
It’s actually a defective product,   forged from a fragment of the Hearth Hammer.”
“Even as a flawed piece, it’s still one of
36527.596 the finest items among this lot.”
“You can put most things inside,   and with the addition of a bit of soul energy, 
it will enhance the quality of those items.”
36535.916 A fragment of the Hearth Hammer? Wasn’t 
that the legendary smith’s hammer from   Greek mythology that forged countless terrifying 
weapons? If memory served, Zeus’s thunderbolt,
36544.88 Poseidon’s trident, and Ares’s spear of war 
were all crafted by the Hearth Hammer. And the
36550.24 owner of this mighty hammer was none other than 
Hephaestus, the god of the forge and one of the   twelve Olympians!Embers finally understood why 
Aphrodite grew so sentimental upon seeing this
36560.0 object. It was because Hephaestus was none 
other than Aphrodite’s former husband! Yet,
36565.276 this marriage had only come to pass through Zeus’s 
interference, forcibly binding the two together,
36570.32 with little foundation in love. Even so, 
Hephaestus could not resist Aphrodite’s allure.
36575.756 But Aphrodite, never satisfied with this 
union, did not truly care for Hephaestus.  Later, while Hephaestus spent long stretches 
forging deep within the earth, Aphrodite, driven
36585.84 by her desires, inevitably sought out someone 
who pleased her more—Ares. In the end, Hephaestus
36591.756 caught them in the act, divorced her, and 
married a luminous goddess of his own choosing.  So when Aphrodite laid eyes on this bronze 
teapot, it was only natural that memories
36600.88 of those absurd days came rushing back. That 
wild chapter of her life, looking back now,   truly seemed outrageous. It seemed Embers 
had been right all along—the power of lust
36610.24 really had clouded her mind. Pure love 
and desire rarely coexist in harmony.  Aphrodite sighed once more and handed the 
struggling bronze teapot to Embers. As a
36619.04 part of the Furnace Hammer, the 
teapot retained the will of its   original master, resisting Aphrodite’s touch.
Just as expected. When Embers took the teapot
36627.596 from Aphrodite’s hands, he felt it immediately 
fall still in his grasp, now that it had a
36632.64 new owner. The stark contrast in its behavior 
made its aversion to Aphrodite all too clear.
36637.68 At this, Aphrodite let out a cold snort. 
If it weren’t for the fact that this thing   was useful to Embers, she might have 
smashed it into pieces then and there.
36645.52 Speaking of which, the Colt revolver that Nick 
so coveted was also forged from a fragment of a   legendary artifact—Gungnir, the Spear of Eternity. 
It seemed that none of these mythical relics had
36655.36 survived intact; each had been shattered, their 
fragments reborn as something new. The battle of
36660.56 Ragnarok must have been truly devastating. Only 
the Belt of Charms, lacking in combat power,
36665.916 had managed to endure to this day.
But the amount of soul energy required   by the bronze teapot—that “appropriate amount”—was 
a curious thing. If it was anything like the Book
36674.64 of Sacrifice, demanding more and more with each 
use, then this teapot would be rather useless.
36680.0 Of course, now was hardly the time to experiment.
Embers, not one to be greedy, stowed the teapot
36685.916 away and started to leave. Though plenty of 
sentient relics remained here, Embers was   determined to walk in the light. There was no need 
to chase infamy by making the most wanted list.
36695.436 Meanwhile, George, who was supposed to be waiting 
outside, had vanished without a trace. Instead,
36701.12 his voice came from the speaker 
beside a ceiling camera in the corner.  “Have you made your selection?”
“Good. Then our transaction is complete.”
36709.04 “When you exit, please turn left. I’ve already 
arranged for the butler to see you out.”After   George finished speaking to himself, he 
immediately fell silent. Clearly, he was
36718.08 doing his best to avoid any form of contact with 
Aphrodite. Ember paid this no mind. After all, the
36724.48 two of them had never shared much of a connection; 
everything between them was nothing more than a   transaction, each getting what they needed. Now 
that he had the brass teapot in hand, he, too,
36734.0 was eager to rush home and test its powers. After 
all, as his strength had grown, many of his old   tools had lost their usefulness. Perhaps it was 
time to give this old companion, who had served
36744.24 him faithfully for so long, a thorough upgrade—who 
knows, maybe it would find a new lease on life.
36750.16 And while it was true that his trip to the 
Salem witches’ enclave was to support Alice,   Ember hadn’t forgotten what Alice’s 
wish had been when they had first met.
36758.4 That hateful woman Alice despised was, in all 
likelihood, also a member of the Salem family,
36763.52 and she certainly commanded greater resources 
than Alice did. Simply put, the Salem witches
36768.88 were far from united. During the coming ceremony 
to select the Supreme Witch candidate, there was
36774.4 every chance that blood would be spilled. 
So, it was only wise to be fully prepared.  With Wendy by his side, Ember had no need to 
summon Celia to drive. As their car slowly rolled
36784.32 into the yard of 118 Anaheim under the cover of 
night, two vampires sitting on the stone bench in
36790.08 the garden snapped their eyes toward them, their 
gazes sharp and piercing. When they saw a woman
36795.12 in the driver’s seat, Carla’s fangs flashed into 
view. Blood vessels crept across her face as she
36800.4 flicked her hand, sending five drops of fresh 
blood flying like bullets. Yet, before they
36805.84 could reach their target, the droplets collided 
with an invisible barrier and froze midair.  Watching the blood shimmer and swirl in 
midair, Wendy, stepping out of the car,
36815.276 let out a derisive chuckle. She spread her 
fingers and thrust her hand forward. The five   drops of blood howled as they shot back toward 
Carla. Yet, they moved nowhere near as fast as
36824.8 they would have if Carla were at her peak. Her 
form flickered from solid to mist and back again,   readying herself for battle—until she 
caught sight of a familiar figure: Ember.
36834.08 Carla, her urge to fight now gone, eyed the three 
women emerging from the car with confusion. Then
36839.68 she glanced at Judith beside her, noticing the 
excitement sparkling in the other’s eyes. This
36845.04 little brother of Ember’s—something was off. 
Why were all his friends women? Carla had lived
36850.24 for ages and never once considered surrounding 
herself with a harem. Was Ember really that bold?
36855.436 But before she could say a word, 
she saw Ember holding up his filthy,   long-unpolished teapot as though it were the 
most precious of treasures. The look in Ember’s
36864.08 eyes as he gazed at the brass teapot burned far 
brighter than any look he’d ever given a woman.  Instantly, Carla abandoned her previous thoughts. 
For Ember, even if she stood before him stark
36874.16 naked, she doubted she could draw his attention 
away from these strange artifacts. Wait—wasn’t   that a kind of fetish? What an odd quirk! Then 
again, it was not so different from her own.The
36884.48 tension that had just electrified Karla vanished 
in a flash as she darted over to squat beside   Ashes, her eyes now equally ablaze as she stared 
at the brass teapot. If her guess was right,
36894.64 this too was a sentient cursed artifact! Now that 
Ashes had a new toy, perhaps he’d be willing to
36899.756 lend her the Book of Cursed Spirits for a while? 
As that thought flitted through Karla’s mind,
36904.96 she saw Ashes fish out the book and, 
without hesitation, start shoving it   forcefully into the tiny mouth of the teapot!
Karla was left speechless, and so were the brass
36914.08 teapot and the Book of Cursed Spirits. The book, 
especially, was struck dumb; for the longest time,
36919.916 it had thought Ashes’ threats of sealing it in 
a cement drum and sinking it to the bottom of   the sea were nothing but empty words. Who would 
have thought that, after just a bit of secret
36928.24 scheming on its part, Ashes would really try 
to stuff it into a teapot and drown it? How had
36933.436 Ashes found out? Was there a traitor among them? 
Would it help if it begged for forgiveness now?
36938.8 The Book of Cursed Spirits, face contorted in 
panic, tried to cry out, but suddenly sensed
36943.916 the brass teapot beneath it growing dangerously 
hot. It seemed the teapot was more than a little   annoyed. After all, as a part of the legendary 
Forgehammer, the brass teapot did have the ability
36953.436 to reforge objects and enhance their quality. 
But—and this was important—it was only a part
36958.8 of the Forgehammer! Just look at its dainty 
size; how could anyone expect it to reforge
36964.16 something as massive as a thunder spear, a 
trident, or a four-horse war lance? Wasn’t   that asking a teapot to do the impossible?
Never mind those colossal weapons—just look
36973.68 at its smooth, petite body. Did it look like it 
could possibly swallow an entire book? Maybe if
36979.596 the pages were torn out and rolled up, they might 
just barely fit. But shoving in the whole book at   once—what was that supposed to mean?
Feeling a sharp pain at its mouth,
36988.48 the brass teapot’s temper flared. In an 
instant, its formerly dust-dulled brass   surface glowed red hot before their very 
eyes. The surrounding air sizzled as the
36997.68 temperature soared. The lush, emerald lawn 
in Ashes’ courtyard withered in moments,   sucked dry of moisture and left dull and brittle.
But none suffered more than the Book of Cursed
37006.96 Spirits, which was pressed right up against the 
scalding teapot. The surging heat sent the book   into a frenzy. With no time left to plead for 
mercy, the book sprang open, a gaping maw yawning
37018.08 wide. A pair of blood-red hands gripped the edges 
of this monstrous mouth, and with a powerful   heave, something began to crawl out.
It was the Gluttonous Blood Spirit.
37027.12 The moment the blood spirit emerged, the searing 
heat in the air was instantly quenched. Even the
37032.24 riotous glow on the teapot was blanketed by a 
thick layer of frost, though flashes of crimson   heat still flickered beneath the ice.
Yet this Gluttonous Blood Spirit was not
37040.64 under Ashes’ control—in fact, it still 
held a grudge against him. After all,   half of its essence had been condensed 
into a core now resting in Ashes’ arms,
37050.08 and the spirit could sense the overwhelming call 
of gluttony radiating from that treasure.What’s   more, the Blood Spirit of Gluttony, trapped 
within the Book of Evil Spirits for so long,
37059.276 was now ravenous beyond measure. While the 
brass teapot was edible, it was obviously far   less appetizing than Ash and the others. And 
as fate would have it, the very Book of Evil
37068.72 Spirits capable of resealing the Blood Spirit 
now stood firmly behind it, blocking the way.  Upon seeing this, the great maw on the Book of 
Evil Spirits curled into a silent sneer. Yet the
37078.8 smugness didn’t last—the book suddenly sensed 
the trembling of the brass teapot beneath it,   like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Its 
mocking grin froze. The book rocked itself
37088.32 back and forth, and with a thud, let itself 
fall to the ground. Only then did it manage
37093.36 to put on a smile again, casting a glance 
at the tense standoff unfolding around it.  If Ash didn’t act quickly to deal with the Blood 
Spirit of Gluttony, the brass teapot he’d gone
37102.48 to such trouble to acquire might just explode 
right then and there. What a temper—irritable   and explosive at the slightest provocation. No 
patience at all, no sense of lying low and biding
37112.32 one’s time. Artifacts forged from shards 
of divine relics truly were a breed apart.  While the Book of Evil Spirits was settling 
in to enjoy the coming spectacle, it happened:
37121.36 the madwoman Carla was the first to launch 
an attack on the Blood Spirit. Carla,   moving almost too fast for the eye to follow, 
appeared out of nowhere behind the Blood Spirit
37130.32 of Gluttony. The spirit itself, oblivious to what 
was happening, barely had time to react before
37135.596 its body split neatly along razor-sharp 
lines, sliding to the ground in chunks.  Only then did blood erupt in a crimson spray 
from the wounds, painting the air. Carla opened
37145.12 her mouth, flicked out her red tongue to taste 
the blood that spattered toward her, then spat   and frowned. “Stale blood—absolutely foul!”
But before Carla could finish her words,
37155.2 the fallen flesh on the floor transformed in an 
instant into rows of gaping, toothy jaws, swarming
37160.64 toward her like a cloud of biting insects. The 
Gluttonous Blood Spirit was not so easily slain.
37165.68 Carla was ready to act, but suddenly an invisible 
force bound her in place. Eyes burning with
37170.88 blood-red fire, she turned—only to see several 
mangled Blood Spirits clinging tightly to her
37176.48 limbs, pinning her down and making any swift 
movement impossible. This Gluttonous Blood   Spirit was an amalgamation of many evil spirits!
Realizing this, Carla tensed her muscles and
37186.8 triggered the switch on her ring. With a flick, 
she sliced open all ten fingers. Blood streamed
37192.64 from her fingertips, and under her control, 
the blood ignited into whips, lashing out
37197.68 and destroying the spirits restraining her.
But the delay had cost her—those ravenous,   fanged mouths were already closing in on 
her body. At that critical moment, Wendy,
37206.64 who had been watching from the sidelines, finally 
intervened. She clapped her hands, and a surge of
37212.48 invisible magic formed a wall of air, blocking the 
oncoming jaws in their tracks.To Wendy’s surprise,
37218.64 her wall of air lasted less than a second before 
those ravenous jaws devoured it completely! Only
37224.16 then did Wendy realize that the creatures before 
her were not ordinary blood spirits—they were   Gluttonous Blood Spirits imbued with the power of 
insatiable hunger! Was Ember really carrying such
37234.72 a dangerous thing on him? It seemed Ember was even 
more reckless than she had imagined! The legendary
37239.916 Gluttony, famed for devouring all things, was said 
to be unstoppable. For example, her own magic,
37246.16 which in the eyes of others could both kill 
and heal, was seen by Gluttony as nothing   more than a slightly more refined energy to be 
consumed. Only the holy energy that even Gluttony
37256.08 refused to swallow could stand in their way!
Just then, a streak of pink light flashed past   Wendy’s side. The seemingly gentle pink glow 
surged forward with unstoppable force, halting
37266.24 the advance of the ravenous jaws. Incredibly, 
those jaws that collided with the light were   instantly obliterated, vanishing without a trace! 
What was happening? Wendy glanced back and,
37276.88 upon seeing the energy’s source—Aphrodite—her eyes 
widened in shock. She could sense the pure power
37282.88 of chastity radiating from that pink light. Yet, 
as far as she knew, Aphrodite had never been known
37288.64 as a chaste goddess. Though the goddess of love 
had once borne that title, the irony was that,
37293.84 according to legend, she had never experienced 
unwavering, faithful love herself. This was all
37299.36 because Aphrodite also bore the epithet of the 
goddess of desire. In fact, the title “goddess
37304.64 of desire” seemed far more fitting for the 
goddess of beauty than that of “goddess of love.”  But now, with a mere wave of her hand, 
Aphrodite was wielding the power of pure,
37314.0 chaste love—something truly hard to believe. 
Yet the evidence was right before her eyes,   and Wendy had no choice but to accept it! But who 
was the object of Aphrodite’s pure love? Surely,
37324.88 it couldn’t be Ember, could it? Suddenly, Wendy 
felt as though she no longer understood the world.
37330.4 The most notorious goddess of romance, willing to 
give up her capricious ways and love only one? It
37336.56 overturned everything Wendy thought she knew.
The Gluttonous Blood Spirits, now thwarted,
37341.596 recognized the source of the danger. They 
immediately abandoned Karla and turned   their fierce, hungry gaze upon Aphrodite. Karla 
could injure them, but she couldn’t destroy them.
37351.36 Aphrodite, on the other hand, could annihilate 
them completely. Therefore, she had to die!
37356.8 Seeing that the monstrous mouths had changed their 
target, Aphrodite’s heart sank. She knew she could
37361.916 deal with them, but there were simply too many—the 
meager strength of pure love within her wasn’t   enough to resist such a horde of Gluttonous Blood 
Spirits. For now, the only option was to protect
37371.68 Ember and get him out of here. Once they escaped, 
whatever chaos followed would no longer be their   concern. All that mattered to her was Ember’s 
safety.Just as Aphrodite was plotting her escape,
37382.24 Ember, who had been deep in thought at the side, 
suddenly stepped forward and blocked her path. In
37387.36 that instant, Ember’s once frail figure appeared 
tall and strong in Aphrodite’s eyes. After all,
37392.72 what woman doesn’t wish for a reliable man to 
stand before her, shielding her from the storm?
37398.32 A surge of energy rushed through Aphrodite, 
filling her with a power she had never known   before—the power of love. It was a wondrous 
sensation, something she had never experienced.
37408.24 But this time, before she could act, Ember made 
the first move. Wreathed in wisps of demonic aura,
37413.68 Ember met the ravenous jaws of Gluttony head-on, 
his scaled hand resisting the vicious bite.
37419.2 Without hesitation, he shoved the snapping 
mouth straight into the bulging brass teapot,   which was already on the verge of bursting.
The crimson teapot, close to detonation,
37428.88 suddenly swallowed part of Gluttony’s blood 
spirit. It was like plunging into an ice bath   on a sweltering summer’s day—a sudden jolt of 
cold that made it shiver. But the teapot’s own
37438.64 searing heat quickly erased the blood spirit’s 
consciousness, burning it away completely.   This was the power of the Forge and Hammer—a 
fragment of its rule: all things can be reforged.
37448.8 Such a small piece of the gluttonous blood 
spirit was no match for even this incomplete law.   The brass teapot’s temperature rose higher, as 
if what just happened was nothing more than a
37457.756 trivial interlude. Yet before the teapot could 
catch its breath, Ember forced in more and more,
37463.276 so many that the teapot couldn’t even keep up, 
let alone contemplate self-destruction. There   were too many—far too many, nearly overflowing!
With no time to think, the brass teapot was
37473.36 consumed entirely by the instinct to smelt and 
forge. The invading consciousnesses flooding   into it triggered a primal urge to obliterate 
them first, before considering anything else.
37482.8 All the while, the fragments of Gluttony’s 
blood spirit, each split into a gnashing mouth,
37487.84 hurled themselves into Ember’s palm like 
moths to a flame. One after another,   the demon’s hand seized them, and one by 
one, they were thrust into the teapot.
37496.96 In truth, the blood spirit of Gluttony had no real 
concept of “volume.” Even though its visible form
37502.4 was many times larger than what the brass teapot 
could physically contain, the vessel accepted it   all, brimful only in its own perception.
As the teapot cooled, peace settled over
37511.84 it once more. Only the occasional puff of foul 
vapor from its spout hinted that it was still   hard at work. At last, Ember exhaled a heavy 
breath, flexing his hand, which bore the marks
37522.48 and numbness from so many bites. Those ravenous 
mouths could really bite—never mind whether they
37527.84 had the strength for it. If Wrath, Greed, and 
Gluttony didn’t share a common origin, Ember’s
37533.276 hand might well have been gnawed to nothing.
Shaking his head, Ember called silently for   Lana. Bathed in Lana’s holy light, he slowly shed 
his demonic form and returned to his human shape.
37543.68 As for Karlra and the others, they seemed 
utterly unfazed. After all, one can grow used   to anything—and habit, as they say, is a fearsome 
force.Although this was Aphrodite’s first time
37553.436 meeting him, she had already suspected something 
when she sensed the demonic aura within Ember   earlier. Now, she wasn’t particularly surprised. 
Only Wendy and Elena, both newcomers, were
37564.32 witnessing Ember’s demonic transformation for the 
very first time. The sight of someone being able   to freely morph parts of their body into demonic 
limbs left them utterly astounded. After all,
37574.0 in a certain sense, both of them were treading 
a similar path. Hidden beneath their clothes,   where no one’s gaze could reach, their own 
bodies were quietly undergoing changes as
37583.596 well. But unlike Ember, their transformations 
were irreversible. They could not return to
37588.88 their original forms after becoming part demon.
This realization made the two women understand   that Ember had not been boasting earlier—he 
truly might have a way to resolve the problem
37597.596 of demonic corruption! Yet, just as this hopeful 
thought began to take root in their minds,
37602.8 it was mercilessly mocked by the demons 
lurking in their consciousness. As demons,   these entities understood perfectly well how 
Ember managed such a feat. The emotions of
37611.436 rage and greed, unlike the demons themselves, 
lacked self-awareness. That was why Ember could
37616.88 suppress those impulses and return to human 
form. The price of this restraint, however,   was that Ember’s power would cease to grow. As 
long as he continued to rely on the power of the
37626.72 original sins, the day would come when Ember’s 
transformation, too, would become irreversible.
37631.756 And the turning point would depend on whether 
Ember could resist the temptation of that   overwhelming power. In the eyes of the demons, 
no one could withstand such a lure. Even if Ember
37641.276 recognized now that the power of the original sins 
came with a cost and chose not to further augment   it within himself, life in this world would 
inevitably bring moments of utter desperation.
37651.12 Especially for someone like Ember, a hunter of 
demons. When that time came, forced to rely on
37656.64 even greater power to survive, he would cross a 
line and never be able to return to his humanity.  Thus, Wendy and Elena’s hope was ultimately 
naïve. In gaining the power of the demon,
37666.56 their fate was already sealed. Fate never grants 
gifts freely—every blessing comes with its price,
37672.24 clearly marked from the start. Yet for Wendy 
and Elena, they were like drowning souls,   clutching desperately at any straw that might 
save them. After all, hope is a precious thing.
37681.84 Standing beside the brass teapot, Ember was 
unaware that his actions had filled the two   women with newfound confidence. His attention 
was fixed on the teapot itself, wondering what
37691.276 it would produce as it forged the Gluttonous Blood 
Spirit. Normally, the proper procedure for the   brass teapot required placing in an object of the 
right size and a fitting amount of soul energy to
37701.12 forge a higher-level artifact. But the Gluttonous 
Blood Spirit already contained soul energy,
37706.64 and its ethereal flesh seemed to fulfill the 
requirements for the forging process. Now,   it all depended on the brass teapot.
Just as Ember watched intently,
37714.8 the teapot—silent for some time—began to stir 
once more.A scalding column of steam suddenly
37720.24 erupted from the vent on the lid of the brass 
teapot, soaring straight up as if piercing the   clouds. With his keen sense of smell, Ember 
twitched his nose—within that blast of steam,
37729.84 he detected the scent of decayed flesh and blood.
Immediately after, the lid of the brass teapot
37735.12 sprang open with a sharp pop. Ember leaned in 
for a closer look, only to find a blood-red gem,
37740.72 crystalline and sharply faceted, lying quietly 
within the belly of the pot. He reached in
37746.4 with two fingers, feeling the lingering warmth 
inside, and carefully plucked the blood gem out.
37751.596 The instant he touched it, Ember could tell: 
this was a seed of Gluttony. And not just any   seed—a far purer one. If the seeds of original 
sin could be measured by purity, he reckoned
37761.916 the Gluttony seed Russell had separated before 
might rate at 0.6. But this one, clasped between
37767.436 Ember’s fingers, reached an astonishing 0.99.
Truth be told, before seeing this new seed,
37773.756 Ember hadn’t even realized the seeds of original 
sin could vary in purity. It seemed the brass   teapot truly did have the power to refine 
and elevate the quality of certain objects.
37782.72 As for what purity affected, there was only one 
answer: the upper limit—how far the seed’s power
37787.916 could reach. Comparing the Gluttony seed’s 
purity with the others in his possession,   Ember was startled to discover that only 
the Lust seed, extracted from Aphrodite,
37797.04 could match this level of perfection. The rest 
of his original sin seeds lagged far behind.
37802.08 The most impure of them all was the Greed seed, 
already rooted deep within his body. Judging by
37807.276 the scale he’d just devised, this Greed seed 
barely scraped a purity of 0.2. Ember could
37812.4 more or less guess the reason for this. The Greed 
seed was something he’d crudely extracted himself,
37817.68 from the very mass of avarice—a process lacking 
both finesse and artistry, yielding a seed
37822.72 that was inevitably flawed and muddied.
No wonder his own attempts to absorb and   convert Greed had been so inefficient; it all came 
down to purity. But now, with the brass teapot,
37832.16 he finally had a way to refine it again—though 
the process would involve a fair amount of pain.  After all, yanking out a seed of Greed that 
had grown into a tree inside his body was
37840.88 no less traumatic than being gutted alive. 
Only someone with Ember’s fearless, undead   constitution could hope to survive such agony.
True to his nature, Ember acted the moment the
37850.48 thought struck him. After giving the 
women a brief warning, he paid no heed   to how shocking his next move would be. 
Right in front of everyone, he began to
37858.64 carve himself open with merciless precision.
For the first time, the others witnessed the   bizarre workings inside Ember’s body. Unlike 
other bloodkind, the vessels in Ember’s body
37868.16 carried not just blood, but also a network 
of woody branches entwined through his veins.
37873.436 As he wrenched the two seeds from his lower 
abdomen, those branches immediately began to   wither, as if their roots had been severed.
Ember’s face turned deathly pale, as though
37882.64 drained by three decades in the grave. His whole 
body shook uncontrollably, and he could barely
37887.756 muster the strength to drop the seeds into the 
waiting brass teapot.Seeing Ember in such agony,
37893.52 Aphrodite let out a soft, pained cry. Her hands, 
glowing with a rosy light, were pressed against
37899.2 her chest, ready to heal Ember at any moment.
Wendy and Elena, on the other hand,   felt a chill run through their hearts, entirely 
unprepared for how ruthless Ember could be with
37908.88 himself. This act of self-dissection made 
both of them shudder to their very core,   as if their whole bodies were wracked with pain.
What’s more, Ember’s actions showed not the
37917.84 slightest hint of hesitation. Truly, 
no one achieves greatness by taking it   easy. Just to make his body stronger, Ember was 
willing to replace parts of himself—something
37927.52 so shocking it left the two women in 
awe, a memory sure to linger for years.  Oddly enough, the one who took the greatest 
delight in this suffering was none other than
37935.596 the demon Luth, hidden within the burial 
shroud. Though the shroud had nearly   extinguished its power, the sudden surge 
of agony and desire gave Luth new strength.
37944.4 Seizing upon this abrupt wave of pain, 
the demon Luth immediately reached out   to its most devoted follower—Amy. Yet, 
under the effects of a forgetting spell,
37952.72 Amy only vaguely heard a voice speaking to her, 
dismissing it as a figment of her own madness.
37957.916 She grabbed a sedative from the table and 
swallowed it. Soon, her eyes glazed over   and her mind slipped into a stupor. But as 
her primary personality faded, a long-buried
37967.68 alternate self slowly began to awaken.
“I hear you, Lord Luth,” she murmured.  “Huh? Who is Luth?” The other Amy’s eyes 
revealed her confusion. She sensed, faintly,
37978.16 that Luth was important to her, but try 
as she might, she couldn’t recall why.  Irritated, Amy suddenly swept everything off the 
table. A falling shard of porcelain scratched
37987.68 her calf, and as blood welled up from the 
wound, she felt an inexplicable thrill at
37992.96 the pain. It was as if, by doing this, she 
could grasp something always out of reach.  Just as Amy crouched down and picked up a 
porcelain shard, ready to press it against her
38001.84 wrist, an attendant heard the commotion and burst 
into the room. Taking in the scene, the attendant
38007.36 was nearly scared out of her wits and rushed over 
to snatch the shard from Amy’s hand, all the while   muttering the prayers the priest had taught her.
Gradually, the madness faded from Amy’s eyes.
38017.12 Yet the seed of suffering had already 
been planted deep within her heart.  Feeling the resonance from his follower, 
Luth settled back into silence,
38025.04 satisfied. The burial shroud could never 
hold him forever! When he returned,   he would be more careful than ever before. The 
pain Ember felt now was but a fraction—a mere
38034.72 drop in the ocean—compared to what awaited him.
Luth’s goal was for Ember to become the world’s   enemy.
…
38040.4 No matter how hard Ember tried, he simply 
couldn’t guide the tiny seeds into the   spout of the little teapot. In the end, it 
was Karla—her eyes alight with curiosity
38048.88 and excitement—who took the two blood-soaked 
seeds and slipped them into the brass teapot.  This time, the teapot, its forging desire 
fulfilled, behaved itself and caused no further
38058.24 mischief.As long as no one tries to stuff more 
monstrous objects into it than it can swallow,   it’s still quite willing to forge anything. After 
all, this is an instinct it cannot defy. For it,
38068.48 forging is an ecstasy that feels like 
rocketing from hell straight to heaven.  Seeing the two seeds dropped in, Ember finally 
sighed in relief. With trembling hands,
38077.04 he snapped his fingers. Three points 
of gentle white light blossomed at his   fingertips and drifted slowly into 
the teapot’s spout. These were two
38085.04 shards of Greed and one shard of Wrath, all 
meant to provide the energy for forging.  Once the materials were ready, the brass 
teapot’s lid closed itself automatically,
38094.16 and then, in satisfaction, it let out a 
jet of steam as if expressing its delight.  Only after the brass teapot began its work did 
Ember push the nearly flawless Gluttony Seed
38102.96 and Lust Seed into his bloodstained 
body. Given his current condition,   as long as he didn’t exceed two sins, his 
body could bear the burden with Lana’s help.
38111.04 Feeling the branches that once again spread 
through his veins, Ember gave up the pretense   of toughness and wanted Karla to sew together 
the torn flesh on both sides of his body. But
38119.52 Karla, Princess of Vandro, was a master at 
killing—sewing was another matter entirely.   Helplessly clutching the needle and thread, 
she cast a pleading look at the other women.
38128.96 Aphrodite, Wendy, and Elena were just as 
lost. One was a goddess devoted to beauty,
38134.48 another a witch who grew up on the charity 
of an orphanage, and the last a patient   long confined to hospital wards—none of 
them had ever learned a tailor’s craft.
38142.32 It was Judith, who had left Fruitwood Town 
as a child and lived alone in Lock City,   who took the needle and thread. With practiced 
hands, she began to stitch Ember’s wounds. For
38152.16 the one who had given her the First Embrace, 
Judith was willing to handle the dirty work.  Unfortunately, Ember had always considered 
her too weak. No matter how she ran about,
38161.04 he’d never taken her along. And if she stayed 
here forever, she’d never grow stronger—nor
38166.08 could she take revenge on that woman.
Now, able to control her magnified emotions,
38171.12 Judith seized the opportunity 
and suddenly made a request:  “Godfather, Karla told me you possess 
the blood of the Thirteen Progenitors.”
38178.88 “Can you grant it to me?”
Upon hearing Judith’s request,   Ember, who had been sipping exquisite blood to 
activate his vampiric factor and heal his body,
38187.436 paused. He glanced at Karla, who seemed 
unconcerned, then turned his gaze to Judith.
38192.8 “Didn’t she tell you? What I have isn’t just 
the blood of the Progenitors, but a heart.”  Judith smiled.
“And what difference does it make?”
38200.72 Difference? The difference was immense. The blood 
of the Progenitors could purify Judith’s lineage,
38206.24 elevating her status in the river of blood. But 
the Cursed Heart would let the consciousness   of a resurrected Progenitor flood Judith’s 
body. It would turn her into a vessel for the
38215.36 vampire ancestor—much like a demon’s host.The only 
difference was that the entity about to take over
38221.276 Judith’s consciousness had changed—from a demon 
to one of the Thirteen Progenitors. Put simply,   with this Cursed Heart in her possession, Judith’s 
strength would soar dramatically. Yet at the same
38231.276 time, her life would begin to count down to its 
end. This was not something Ash wished to see.  Since Judith had, by sheer accident, received 
his Embrace, in a certain sense she was his
38241.2 descendant—at present, his only one. As for 
Judith, all Ash ever wanted was for her to
38246.72 live a peaceful and happy life. But Judith 
clearly could not let go of the hatred she   bore for Shirley, who had abandoned her husband 
and child. Her hatred for Charmos had faded
38256.32 under Ash’s gentle lies, but the grudge against 
Shirley was, he feared, endless and unyielding.
38262.48 Now, with the influence of the vampire blood 
amplifying her emotions, that hatred had become   an obsession lodged deep within Judith’s heart.
“Can you tell me why you want it?” Ash asked.
38272.56 Judith, her hands never pausing from mending, 
looked up and flashed a sweet smile. “Of course,
38278.16 I want to help you, so you won’t 
have to keep struggling like this.”  “And besides…” Her voice dropped, growing colder, 
as a killing intent sharp as ice crept into her
38287.276 words. “I want to find Shirley—and kill her!”
Ash could only sigh inwardly. As expected.
38293.36 With this obsession unyielding, Judith 
might never truly know happiness. But she   didn’t necessarily have to embed the Cursed 
Heart within herself to gain power. Now that
38302.72 he possessed the Brass Teapot, an audacious 
idea had begun to take shape in Ash’s mind.
38307.756 Without further ado, Ash produced the crystal 
orb that held the sealed Cursed Heart. All eyes
38312.96 were drawn to the orb, which refracted dazzling 
colors beneath the lamplight. For most present,
38318.0 this was the first time they had ever seen 
the heart of a Vampire Progenitor—a true   Eternal Heart. A heart that no ordinary force 
could destroy. Yet now, this Eternal Heart was
38328.08 sealed within crystal, left for all to gaze upon.
For Judith, too, this was her first time seeing
38333.52 up close the heart that could be called the 
source of her bloodline. Set within the crystal,   the Cursed Heart was a dull, ashen color. 
Unlike a mortal heart, it bore seven apertures,
38343.12 and if one looked closely, one could just make out 
countless intricate black runes swirling within.
38348.16 Judith could even feel the blood in her veins 
yearning for this heart—a longing rooted deep   within her lineage. And for some reason, from that 
crimson fissure that cut through the crystal orb,
38357.36 she sensed a familiar presence. It 
was almost identical to the aura of   her true father—Charmos.Judith could 
not resist reaching out to touch it,
38365.84 and the instant her finger brushed the 
bloodstained mark, her whole body shuddered   as if an electric current had passed through her. 
In that fleeting moment, she felt the lingering
38374.56 obsession Charmos had left upon the bloodstain. 
For Charmos, his beloved Fran had already set
38380.16 out in search of a new life. The one he owed 
the greatest apology to was his own daughter.   This deep remorse was transmitted straight 
into Judith’s heart through their contact.
38388.88 Tears streamed down Judith’s face in 
an instant. Seeing her expression,   Ember became certain that his suspicions 
were correct—his plan was indeed feasible.
38397.12 He could let Judith, through the bloodstain that 
Charmos had left behind, become a Blood Witch!
38402.56 After all, the only channel connecting the Cursed 
Heart to the outside world now was this trace of   blood left by Charmos. This bloodstain could 
be thought of as a door, one that recognized
38412.16 identity. If Ember wished to open it, he would 
have to sacrifice something he loved. But the   lingering will of Charmos, as the gatekeeper, 
could open a backdoor for his own daughter!
38421.52 Of course, opening the door alone was not 
enough. The Cursed Heart itself still had   to be willing to lend its power to Judith. 
So now, what Ember needed to do was force the
38430.56 Cursed Heart to grant its power to her. After 
all, when Charmos had become a witch before,   it had already proven that the Cursed Heart 
could serve as a source of power. Moreover,
38439.52 while the heart remained sealed, the side effects 
of borrowing its power could almost be ignored.  The only real problem was how to forcibly draw 
out the Cursed Heart’s power. Fortunately,
38448.72 once the brass teapot appeared, Ember had 
already envisioned a solution. That answer   lay in the Gluttony Seed with a purity of 0.6.
Gluttony cared nothing for anyone’s will—so
38459.12 long as the channel was established, it would 
consume without hesitation or restraint. And the
38464.24 Cursed Heart, being an Eternal Heart, could 
never be wholly devoured by Gluttony. Thus,
38469.52 an endless wellspring of power would be created!
As Ember firmed his resolve, the brass teapot
38474.88 let out another sharp hiss from its spout—an 
eager signal. The Seeds of Greed and Wrath   had finished purifying! Only the Seed of 
Envy remained, still awaiting refinement.
38484.96 But with no Envy fragments in his possession 
at present, Ember could do nothing but wait.  Taking out the two glittering, translucent gems, 
Ember suddenly seized Judith’s wrist. Caught off
38495.2 guard, she looked at him in surprise as his thumb 
pressed hard and drew a sharp line. A fresh,   thin cut appeared on Judith’s pale wrist, 
and blood began to drip steadily into the
38505.04 brass teapot below. Though Judith’s brows 
knit in pain, she never doubted Ember for a   moment—she didn’t even ask a single question.
With his other hand, Ember held a crystal orb
38514.64 and aligned the bleeding cut with the teapot’s 
spout. In the same motion, he scraped a tiny bit   of Charmos’s old bloodstain with his fingernail 
and let it fall into the teapot as well.
38523.916 After putting away the crystal orb, Ember tossed 
in the Gluttony Seed—now useless to him—and a   fragment of Gluttony to serve as forging energy. 
Finally, he released Judith’s hand and placed the
38534.0 lid firmly atop the teapot.With Ember’s bloodline 
suppression gone, the wound on Judith’s wrist
38539.276 healed in an instant. Looking at the obedient 
Judith, Ember took the initiative to explain,
38544.4 “There are many ways to gain strength. You 
don’t necessarily have to risk accepting the   heart of the Thirteen Progenitors.”
“Become a blood sorcerer. Witchcraft
38552.56 will make you even stronger.”
After speaking, Ember turned his   gaze to Wendy, who was lost in thought 
beside him. “Wendy, let’s make a deal.”
38561.04 “You’ll be responsible for teaching 
Judith the art of witchcraft.”  “And in exchange, I can safeguard that 
pendant for you and do my utmost to free
38568.48 you from the demon’s torment.”
[Contract established.]  It wasn’t only Wendy who heard Ember’s words; 
the demon within the pendant heard them as well.
38576.16 As for Ember’s offer to keep the pendant safe 
for Wendy, the demon depicted in the photograph
38581.36 showed not the slightest trace of concern. On the 
contrary, a sly, mocking smile curled at its lips.
38587.68 It knew Ember possessed a burial shroud. But 
shrouds, too, came in ranks. If it were the   legendary Shroud of Jesus, restraining it would 
be a trivial task. But clearly, what Ember held
38597.84 was only the shroud of an ordinary saint.
Even keeping one demon at bay was a stretch   for this shroud, let alone two. And 
besides, it was a red-eyed demon,
38606.4 a whole tier above black-eyed demons! Ember 
wanting to imprison it—what a laughable fantasy.
38611.756 Unable to suppress it, Ember’s attempt to keep the 
pendant would only lead him to a dead end. After
38616.8 all, it would ensure things played out that way. 
Still, perhaps that was for the best—let Wendy’s
38621.916 hope of escaping it be snuffed out early. After 
all, no Mayfair witch had ever escaped its grasp!
38627.68 Wendy, who had been silently watching Ember 
all this time, felt a jolt of surprise in   her heart. She had never imagined that 
Ember would offer to keep the pendant as
38636.0 the price for her knowledge of witchcraft.
She didn’t know whether Ember had heard the   rumors about her. That pendant, cursed with a 
demon, was something she’d tried to rid herself
38644.56 of more than once. But whether she gifted it 
away, abandoned it, buried it, or attempted
38650.08 to destroy it by any means, the pendant always 
found its way back to her like a lingering ghost.  As for those who had handled 
the pendant, without exception,
38657.596 all had died. This was the demon’s handiwork.
After that, Wendy had given up on the hope of
38662.88 discarding or destroying the pendant. In truth, 
part of the red-eyed demon’s consciousness had
38667.916 already seeped into her body. For a 
long time, she had been its vessel.  Only recently, driven to the brink of death, 
had she forced the red-eyed demon to retreat
38676.56 from her body and return to the pendant.
Theoretically, if Ember truly could keep   the pendant safe, Wendy could indeed enjoy a 
period of peace, free from the demon’s presence.
38685.756 But… she was honestly afraid that Ember, too, 
would end up meeting a tragic fate.Seeing   the conflicted look on Wendy’s face, Ash merely 
smiled and reached out toward her chest, naturally
38696.4 lifting the chain to retrieve the pendant from 
the depths of her cleavage. With a gentle tug,   he took the pendant off.
“So it’s settled, then.”
38703.52 Wendy opened her mouth, about to warn 
Ash of the pendant’s terrifying nature,   when she saw him suddenly produce a page 
filled with glowing script. He wrapped
38711.436 the pendant in it without hesitation.
On the photograph within the pendant,   the red-eyed demon, who had been grinning just 
a moment ago, abruptly changed its expression.
38720.56 The original page from the Holy Bible! In addition 
to the Saint’s burial shroud, this guy actually
38725.596 possesses a page from the original Holy Bible!
I was careless!  The red-eyed demon, just about to muster 
its strength to distance itself from Ash,
38733.596 found itself pinned as the golden script on 
the page came crashing down like a mountain.   The demonic energy surging from its body 
evaporated instantly under the holy light,
38742.56 dissipating into wisps of white smoke.
Damn it! The holy power contained in this   original page is the bane of all demonic forces!
Now, there was no way it could break free;
38752.4 all it could do was watch helplessly 
as the page covered it completely.  And yet, as the red-eyed demon was about to be 
sealed away, there was surprisingly little panic
38760.64 on its face. The deep connection between it and 
the Witch of Mayfair was not so easily severed.
38765.84 Next time, it wouldn’t be caught off guard by Ash.
With a cold snort, the red-eyed demon shut its
38770.88 glowing red eyes and slipped into a dormant state.
For Wendy, this was the first time since signing
38776.0 the contract that she could no longer 
sense the red-eyed demon’s presence. An   unprecedented lightness filled her heart.
At the same time, she felt as if a piece
38784.08 of her soul had gone missing, as though 
she’d lost something vital to her life.   But that trace of emptiness was quickly washed 
away by the exhilaration of newfound freedom.
38792.72 Now, aside from the magic still coursing through 
her veins, she was finally free of any ties to
38797.84 the red-eyed demon! She could at last live 
the ordinary life she had always yearned for.  Of course, before that, she needed to 
fulfill her promise and teach Judith the
38806.24 witchcraft her family, the Mayfairs, had 
accumulated over the past thousand years.  Wendy exhaled a heavy breath, then turned to 
Ash and thanked him with heartfelt sincerity:
38815.596 “Thank you.”
“You’ve helped me resolve a problem   that has haunted me for so long.”
【Contract Complete】
38821.276 【Soul Fragment Acquired ×1 (Envy)】
……  Faced with Wendy’s gratitude, Ash fell silent 
for a moment. In truth, he hadn’t truly
38829.2 fulfilled the contract—the red-eyed demon 
had only been sealed away, not destroyed.  But Wendy believed the contract was 
completed, and so the pact had ended.
38838.08 This kind of trickery—letting the contractor 
think the ordeal was over in order to claim a soul   fragment—was a tactic favored by agents of demons.
Yet, while Ash could lie and scheme without the
38847.52 slightest guilt against his enemies, he couldn’t 
bring himself to do such a thing to a friend like   Wendy.So, in his day-to-day life, he remained ever 
mindful of the agreements he made with friends.
38857.36 For instance, when it came to the pact he had 
made with his father, Ember had never intended   to fulfill it from the very start. Not considering 
himself a good person, Ember thought it over and
38866.88 decided that Wendy deserved to know the truth. 
As for the fragment of envy, returning it was
38872.24 out of the question. This sort of original 
sin—better to have none than to possess it.  After carefully choosing his words, Ember laid out 
the possible scenarios, and immediately felt much
38881.756 lighter at heart. To his surprise, Wendy didn’t 
get angry when she learned the truth; in fact,
38887.12 she seemed almost relieved—was that a faint 
glimmer of joy on her face? Ember wasn’t sure
38892.64 if he was imagining things, but for a fleeting 
moment, Wendy’s expression did look like someone   who had just breathed a sigh of relief.
Why was that? Did Wendy, deep down,
38902.08 not truly want the Red-Eyed Demon gone forever? 
Could it be… she’d developed a form of Stockholm
38907.2 syndrome? It wouldn’t be the first time Ember 
had seen something like this. Amy’s second   personality had exhibited a similar tendency; 
even after Ember had subdued the demon Lutz,
38917.36 Amy’s alternate self still wished for the demon’s 
return to her body. Now, it seemed Wendy shared   the same inclination, though she hid it well.
A sense of foreboding settled over Ember as he
38926.64 instinctively realized that the relationship 
between a demon vessel and its demon was   likely far more complicated than he had 
imagined. Still, these were Wendy’s choices,
38935.596 and Ember wouldn’t interfere further. However, 
if any threat arose to his own safety,   he would show no mercy, friendship or not.
Just as Ember and Wendy came to an understanding,
38945.36 the brass teapot, which had been quietly 
at work, let out another sharp whistle.   A new item had been forged. Ember reached 
out with two fingers to lift the lid, but
38954.64 immediately sensed an invisible force linking the 
teapot with the Gluttony storage pouch. Feeling
38959.916 a sudden intuition, Ember took out his crystal 
ball, and the intrusive sensation disappeared at
38965.04 once. It seemed his suspicions had been correct!
Ember peered into the body of the teapot. Inside,
38971.04 a tiny, dark red tree was growing. The little 
tree bore only two branches—one appearing quite
38976.16 ordinary, while the other ended in a small, gaping 
mouth. As the trunk pulsed rhythmically, the mouth
38982.16 opened and closed, swallowing something unseen, 
as if it were feeding on the very air itself.
38987.52 Ember beckoned to Judith and gently pulled 
aside her little vest, revealing her smooth,   flat stomach. Then, with a sharp, hard nail, he 
traced a line from top to bottom and flicked it,
38997.916 lifting the edge of her skin. Gripping the 
edge firmly with both hands, he tore it open,   exposing Judith’s abdominal cavity.
Cold sweat poured from Judith as her
39006.96 entire body trembled with pain, but she clenched 
her teeth and uttered not a sound. This was the   path she had chosen for herself, and even 
if it meant grinding her teeth to dust,
39016.56 she would endure it.Ash was quite satisfied with 
Judith’s unwavering willpower. At the very least,
39021.916 this meant Judith would not easily be swayed 
by the faint ancestral instincts brought by the   source of power, nor would she so readily lose 
herself to the seed of gluttony. In fact, until
39032.0 the heart of the curse—almost a perpetual energy 
source—was completely consumed by gluttony, she   wouldn’t truly be affected by it at all. The only 
thing to watch out for were those primal instincts
39042.08 woven into the power itself. But with Judith’s 
current strength of will, Ash thought, resisting
39047.12 such temptations shouldn’t be too difficult.
As these thoughts about Judith’s future drifted   through his mind, Ash transplanted the tiny 
sapling of gluttony into Judith’s body. Once
39056.24 inside her, the sapling finally found an 
outlet for its burgeoning energy. One of   its spare branches immediately plunged deep into 
Judith’s veins, channeling a steady stream of
39065.756 mana drawn from the other end straight into her.
Feeling the growing strength within her, Judith’s
39070.8 eyes shimmered with a hint of intoxication.
“Hey, remember: you are the one wielding power,
39076.08 not the other way around,” Ash’s voice 
suddenly thundered in her ear. “Don’t   let it dominate your thoughts.”
Judith’s gaze cleared again,
39083.436 regaining her composure. Having survived the wild 
emotional surges of her vampiric awakening, she
39089.04 had already undergone a transformation. Now, she 
quickly adapted to the body empowered by magic.
39094.32 Yet the seemingly endless torrent of energy left 
a trace of worry in her heart. Her capacity for   mana was not infinite—at this rate, wouldn’t 
she risk being overwhelmed, even torn apart?
39103.596 Just then, Ash’s voice returned, gentle 
yet commanding, like that of a patient   mentor. “Don’t worry about having too much 
mana. You’ll find plenty of uses for it.”
39113.36 “For instance, you could power this entire 
villa. You could tidy up the garden,   coax seeds to sprout, make trees bloom…”
“In the days to come, you’ll discover countless
39122.32 ways your witchcraft can serve you. Soon enough, 
you’ll wish you had even more mana, not less.”
39127.52 Relieved at last, Judith took the needle and 
thread from Ash and began stitching up her   own abdomen. As for why she didn’t let Ash do 
it—one glance at his awkward grip on the needle
39137.52 told her everything. He might be handy with 
opening up bodies, but when it came to sewing   them back together, he was hopeless.
Seeing Judith busy with her task,
39146.0 Ash just shrugged and turned his thoughts 
to the forging that still awaited him. The   recent expenditure had left his once-ample soul 
fragments running dangerously low. Now, all he
39155.916 had left were fragments of envy, arrogance, and 
the distilled essences of wrath and gentleness.
39161.436 The envy fragment was perfect for purifying 
the seed of envy. The other three would need   to be kept on hand, reserved for wielding the 
Soul Hammer in case of emergencies. All things
39170.56 considered, there wasn’t much left for him to 
forge for now.Embers let out a gentle sigh,
39176.08 preparing to put away the brass teapot and save it 
for the next round. But just as he was about to,   the teapot—caught up in the thrill 
of forging—simply refused to comply.
39185.04 It was in the midst of its work, heated and 
eager, and now he was telling it to stop?   It was as if you’d paid handsomely for a massage, 
only to be told that the establishment offered
39194.4 “professional services only”—and nothing more.
Clack! The lid of the brass teapot popped
39199.52 off on its own. Its posture all but 
said, “Come on, let’s keep going.”  Seeing this, Embers paused in thought. He honestly 
wasn’t sure what the brass teapot could forge on
39208.88 its own, without his infusion of soul energy.
Driven by curiosity, he decided to experiment.
39214.56 He took out an old charm cassette—one he hadn’t 
used in ages—and dropped it inside. That cassette,
39220.0 crafted specifically for interrogations, had lost 
its edge against Embers’ current foes. After all,
39226.0 those blood spirits and demons came with 
formidable natural resistance to mental   manipulation. Using charm cassettes to wrest 
the truth from them was a near-impossible feat.
39234.8 Lost in these thoughts, Embers closed the 
lid without adding a single soul fragment.   To his surprise, the brass teapot showed no 
displeasure. In fact, it seemed quite content
39243.916 as it began to temper the charm cassette within.
Yet as time passed, the teapot’s once-lustrous
39249.12 surface began to lose its shine, dulling little by 
little. Evidently, it was burning through its own
39254.32 energy reserves to fuel the forging process. 
As for how one might replenish this energy,
39260.16 Embers hadn’t the faintest clue. Perhaps 
Aphrodite would know something about it.  When Embers glanced back, he found 
Aphrodite watching him as well.
39268.08 It was either a perfect coincidence—or she 
had never looked away in the first place.  That second possibility sent a ripple through 
his heart. Could it be one of life’s great
39276.56 delusions—did she actually like him?
Uncertainty flickered across Embers’   face. Meanwhile, Aphrodite, catching 
his gaze, broke into a radiant smile.
39286.32 “What’s wrong? Don’t you like the way I look now?”
Hearing her sweet voice, Embers steadied himself,
39291.916 dodging her question as he replied, “If 
the teapot runs out of its own energy,   where do I go to replenish it?”
Noticing his flustered state, Aphrodite
39300.24 let out a soft laugh. “So, you do like me, then?”
Embers kept his composure, answering with another
39306.16 diversion, “If the brass teapot uses 
up all its energy, will it shatter?”  Aphrodite, as if satisfied with his reaction, 
wrinkled her delicate nose and gave a playful hum,
39315.84 letting him off the hook for now.
“Since it’s a part of the divine   Forge and Hammer, it’s not so easily broken,” she 
explained. “As for its energy, it draws from the
39324.8 heartfire of the earth itself—though whether 
this world still has one, I couldn’t say.”  “In any case, supplementing it 
with soul fragments works too.”
39333.04 Embers nodded, turning away and finally 
letting out a quiet sigh of relief. For   a moment, his inner balance had nearly faltered.
Gathering himself, Embers looked back at the brass
39342.72 teapot.The brass teapot, now devoid of any luster, 
let out a feeble hiss and then fell completely
39348.4 silent. Clearly, forging something using its own 
energy was still too much to ask of this fragment.
39353.596 Amidst the embers as he lifted the lid, Ashes 
discovered a box of brand-new, petite cassette
39358.64 tapes. The charm tape, now upgraded by the brass 
teapot, showed a few extra blank spaces—this
39364.24 meant it now had room for two more recordings!
As for whether its power had increased… Ashes’
39369.36 gaze drifted among the women present before 
finally settling on Aphrodite. Who better   to test its strength than a former goddess?
“Out of all the mortals and gods you’ve known,
39378.4 who is your greatest love?” Ashes 
asked, slipping the charm tape into   his portable recorder with practiced ease.
But before he could even press play, Aphrodite
39387.52 answered without a hint of hesitation: “You.”
Ashes’ finger froze mid-motion, and a sudden wave
39393.04 of panic welled up inside him. Aphrodite’s 
affection felt baffling and abrupt. He had
39398.08 urged her to seek pure love, but never 
meant for her to direct that pursuit   toward him. Where had this misunderstanding 
even begun? From Ashes’ perspective, there
39407.52 was hardly any foundation for love between them.
He couldn’t deny that the now-diminished Aphrodite   possessed an almost peerless beauty, but Ashes was 
never a man swayed by mere appearances. Besides,
39417.68 with so much yet unfinished, how could he 
allow himself to be consumed by romance?  So, when Ashes spoke again, he 
changed the question: “If I were
39426.24 to reject you, would you hate me?”
As soon as he finished speaking,   Ashes pressed the button. “Tell me your answer.”
Unfazed, Aphrodite glanced at the recorder in
39435.436 his hand and shook her head. “I didn’t understand 
before, but since you taught me about true love,   I finally do. To love someone 
means not asking if they love
39443.276 you back—loving them yourself is enough.”
Ashes’ pupils narrowed as the logic dawned   on him. Two things became clear: First, even 
reforged by the brass teapot, this charm tape
39453.436 was barely effective against an ancient deity like 
Aphrodite. Second, it seemed he had inadvertently
39459.596 led her into the mindset of a lovesick devotee.
True love should be a journey taken by two,
39464.72 not a one-sided yearning that asks nothing 
in return. No wonder, along this journey,
39469.84 he’d always sensed Aphrodite’s particular 
focus on him. Now, at last, he understood why.
39474.88 Freed from the influence of carnal 
desire, Aphrodite sought genuine love—but,   unfortunately, she had chosen the wrong person.
At this moment, Ashes had neither the time nor
39485.04 the mood for any matters of the heart. He 
hesitated briefly, gathering his thoughts,   preparing to gently reason with Aphrodite, 
when his phone rang at just the right moment.
39494.4 Glancing at the name on the screen, 
Ashes pressed the answer button without   hesitation.As the call connected, Alice’s voice 
drifted over from the other end. Even though it
39503.2 was already deep into the night, there was 
still a hint of excitement in her words.  “Sorry to bother you so late.”
“The time is set—it’ll be tomorrow.”
39511.68 “I’ve sent the address to your phone.”
After she finished speaking, perhaps   realizing how matter-of-fact she sounded, Alice 
quickly added, “Of course, if you can’t make it
39519.916 tomorrow, please let me know in advance.”
“I… I’ll have to find someone else.”  Find someone else? Ember chuckled softly. Ever 
since he had met Alice, he had never seen anyone
39529.756 else in her shop. Most likely, Alice had only 
him as a friend. In Ember’s eyes, while Alice was
39535.52 greedy for money, at least she was straightforward 
about her prices—honest with everyone,   young or old, and even willing to offer credit. 
Although it was a bit expensive, at least she
39544.8 had saved Ember’s life when he needed it most. If 
it had been some other witch he’d met back then,
39550.08 Ember wasn’t sure he would have been so lucky to 
walk out of the fortune-telling shop in one piece.  Ember’s momentary silence made Alice a 
little anxious on the other end of the line.
39558.8 “Do you… have something going on 
tomorrow?” she asked cautiously.  Snapping out of his reverie, Ember 
replied with a smile, “No, I was just
39567.116 marveling at how quickly time passes.”
“Don’t worry, send me the address—I’ll   be there on time tomorrow.”
Hearing his confirmation,
39574.88 Alice breathed out a visible sigh of relief. 
If Ember agreed, there would be no unexpected
39580.08 changes. After all the deals they’d made, she 
never had reason to doubt his trustworthiness.
39585.52 Soon, a text message with the address 
popped up on Ember’s phone. It almost   perfectly matched the location Rog had marked 
on the tablet, though Alice’s address was set
39593.84 a little further out. Clearly, when the Salem 
witches gathered, there must be some sort of   security screening. That’s why they needed to meet 
outside first, and then Alice would bring them in.
39603.436 After pondering for a moment, Ember looked 
around at the women in the room. The only one   he needed to convince was Karla.
“Karla, there’s a Salem witches’
39611.84 gathering tomorrow. It’s extremely 
dangerous. Maybe you should stay home?”  At the word ‘dangerous,’ Karla’s eyebrows shot up.
“What’s that supposed to mean?
39620.56 Are you afraid I’ll get killed?”
“So what if they’re Salem witches?”  “Do you know why there aren’t any 
witches in vampire territory?”
39627.756 “Because we killed them all!”
Ember shrugged. “So, what do you mean?”  Karla rolled her eyes. “Of course 
I’m coming with you. Who else
39635.2 would look after you, you silly boy?”
“It’s true vampires can snap a witch’s   neck with ease—but only if the witch is 
caught off guard.”“If you’re up against
39642.88 a fully prepared wizard, you won’t even 
know when you’ve fallen into their trap.”  “All right, it’s settled then.”
Karlra’s response was exactly what Ash
39651.276 expected. When it comes to dealing with wizards, 
vampires always rely on catching them off guard.   As long as the wizard doesn’t have time to 
cast their spells, they’re no different from
39660.48 ordinary people—at most, some enchanted 
trinkets might grant them a second life.  After convincing Karlra, Ash arranged 
rooms for the three new arrivals. Yet,
39669.436 as he was leaving Aphrodite’s room, he could feel 
her gaze clinging to his back like silk threads,
39674.48 making him turn around and offer a final reminder.
“True love is about mutual giving. If I accept
39679.84 your feelings while giving nothing 
in return, that isn’t love…”  “That’s just one-sided exploitation—so even if 
you knock on my door tonight, I won’t let you in.”
39688.72 With those words, Ash strode away, not daring 
to look back, worried that a moment’s hesitation
39694.24 would shatter his resolve. What he didn’t see 
was Aphrodite, lounging languidly on the bed,
39699.36 her eyes brimming with even deeper affection.
She understood what Ash meant. Once, the lame and
39705.2 ugly god of craftsmanship, Hephaestus, 
had loved her with the same overwhelming,   one-sided devotion. Yet, she never cared for him. 
If Zeus hadn’t forced the matter, she would never
39715.436 have married Hephaestus under such pressure.
But since she didn’t love Hephaestus, just as   Ash described, she had ordered him to make all 
sorts of beautiful jewelry for her. In the end,
39724.96 she even wore those very ornaments while… 
entangling herself with Ares, the god of war.
39730.48 Remembering those wild days, Aphrodite felt 
a blush creep up her cheeks. Eventually,   Hephaestus discovered her affair with 
Ares. Realizing he had been made a fool of,
39739.68 Hephaestus erupted in fury—love turned to 
hate, a look Aphrodite had never forgotten.
39745.04 Yet, when Ash faced the same kind of choice 
she once did, he chose a different path. Was   this the true attitude toward love? She 
felt as though she finally understood
39753.2 what love meant. The surging power within 
her seemed to affirm it—this was real love.  The next day, though Ash hadn’t slept a wink, he 
didn’t feel the slightest fatigue. For vampires,
39763.596 after all, nightfall is when the day truly begins. 
Besides, Ash’s constitution was far from human;
39769.2 pulling an all-nighter meant nothing to him.
In fact, spending the night absorbed in the   contents of Russell’s USB drive had 
left him mentally invigorated. His
39777.84 mind was still immersed in Russell’s experiments.
The USB was filled, above all, with research on
39783.436 demon vessels. Most of it explored how to forge 
contracts with demons—how to gain the greatest   power for the smallest price.Embers merely skimmed 
through this section before moving on. In essence,
39793.276 he had never entered into any pact with a demon—he 
was more akin to a demon himself. That was why
39798.56 his attention was drawn to the handful of studies 
on forcibly extracting demonic power. After all,
39803.68 he currently had two demons in his possession.
However, Russell’s research on this topic was   scarce, and the progress had been painstakingly 
slow. According to Russell’s own conclusions,
39813.436 a demon’s consciousness resembled an eternal 
heart, impossible to destroy with mortal means.   Only a force equal in might—the power of the 
sacred—could bring about its annihilation.
39823.116 Yet therein lay the dilemma: sacred power, while 
capable of obliterating a demon’s consciousness,
39828.56 would also wipe out the very power 
that made the demon formidable.  Ultimately, unwilling to waste any more time, 
Russell put forth an untested hypothesis.
39837.2 He proposed that, to harness a demon’s power, 
one might first subdue—rather than destroy—the
39842.24 demon with sacred force, and then employ a 
different kind of extraordinary strength,   specifically the power of Original Sin: 
Gluttony, to forcibly draw out its power.
39850.8 This conclusion stemmed from another secret 
experiment. In truth, the Thirteenth District   did not hold only vessels containing demons; a 
few angelic vessels were also imprisoned there.
39860.48 Through his experimentation with these angelic 
vessels, Russell discovered that sacred power   actually destroyed only those forces tainted 
by demonic consciousness. Thus, using sacred
39870.08 power to suppress a demon could act as a sort 
of filter: the consciousness would be held back,   while the power itself could be released.
As for why this happened, Russell confessed he
39878.72 did not know. He could only surmise that light and 
darkness were inescapable aspects of the world,   and that good or evil depended on 
the nature of consciousness itself.
39887.04 Yet for Embers, this was the answer to a 
problem that had plagued him for some time.   He’d been pondering how to extract the power 
of the demon Luz. Now, with a path revealed,
39896.64 he could experiment using the remnants of 
Luz’s strength lingering within his own body.  In fact, ever since he extracted the two seeds 
of Original Sin from his body the previous day,
39906.0 this remaining fragment of Luz had 
grown increasingly restless. If it   hadn’t lost sense of the host consciousness—and 
if Embers hadn’t transplanted new seeds swiftly
39914.32 enough—there’s no telling what trouble it might 
have caused. Clearly, this hidden danger needed   to be dealt with as quickly as possible.
The issue was, Embers had only two sacred
39923.756 artifacts at his disposal: one used to suppress 
Luz, the other containing the Red-Eyed Demon.   He truly had no new relics to rely on.
However, back when Embers first became
39933.116 a demon hunter, he had met a rare breed—a priest 
who also hunted demons, named Anderson. After the
39939.04 incident with the shapeshifter, Anderson should 
have retired. By rights, Embers ought not to   trouble someone who had already left the field.
But before retiring, Anderson had given Embers
39948.56 his private number, gifted him a gun, and 
made it clear that if he ever needed help,   he could reach out. Embers certainly understood 
Anderson’s intentions—he was simply paving the
39958.24 way for a possible escape in the future.After 
all, witchers have hunted so many monsters that,   among them, it’s inevitable that some 
long-lost relatives will come seeking revenge.
39967.756 That’s one of the reasons why so few witchers 
meet a good end. For this reason, even those   who’ve retired from the trade seldom sever ties 
with their old, trusted companions. On one hand,
39978.24 their wealth of monster-hunting knowledge 
can help guide newcomers. On the other,   if a vengeful creature does come knocking, 
there’s someone to call for help.
39985.68 So, after a moment’s hesitation, Ash dialed 
Anderson’s number. The stronger he became,
39990.88 the easier it would be to help Anderson with 
whatever trouble he might face in the future.  It wasn’t long before Anderson, in the middle 
of frying an egg, picked up the phone. Upon
40000.0 hearing that Ash was still alive, Anderson 
couldn’t help but sound a little emotional.  “It’s been a while. I thought you’d forgotten 
about this old codger,” he said. “So, how’s the
40009.2 monster hunting going? Still keeping up?”
Ash smiled—indeed, it had been quite some   time. In the blink of an eye, three months had 
passed. For most people, that would be nothing,
40018.08 but for short-lived witchers, “a long time” 
was no exaggeration. Of course, if nothing   important had happened, Ash wouldn’t have bothered 
Anderson. Anderson understood that well; both of
40028.4 them did. In a way, not hearing from one another 
was the best news of all. Of course, it was always
40033.436 possible someone might simply die in silence.
Now, though, Ash was calling for a   reason—he needed something.
“I suppose being alive counts
40040.48 as smooth enough, doesn’t it?”
Anderson flipped the egg   over in the pan and laughed heartily.
“Of course! For us, just staying alive is the
40048.32 best outcome there is. But since you’re calling, 
I’m guessing you’ve run into some trouble?”  Anderson, already prepared for this, got straight 
to the point after their brief exchange. Ash,
40057.916 ever direct, didn’t beat around the bush.
“I need a holy artifact to suppress a demon.”
40063.04 A holy artifact? A demon? Anderson’s hand froze, 
spatula in midair. He never would have guessed
40068.96 that, in just a few short months, Ash—who used to 
be locked in deadly battles with shapechangers—had
40074.0 already encountered something at the level of 
demons. Truly, the new wave overtakes the old.   Anderson had to admit, he felt a bit left behind.
His gaze dropped, as if he could see the mottled
40083.916 scars beneath his clothes—reminders left by 
a shapechanger, and one of the reasons he’d   retired. Surprised and a little overwhelmed, 
Anderson only snapped out of it when the faint
40093.756 smell of burning reached his nose. He 
hurriedly set the egg aside on a plate.  Now retired, Anderson didn’t ask Ash for more 
details. Instead, he simply shared what he knew.
40103.596 “Generally speaking, the church strictly 
forbids holy artifacts from being taken   out or passed around.”“However, there 
are always exceptions. Do you remember
40111.596 the heavy blow that struck the Southern 
District Church, the one I told you about?”  “Before the shapeshifter enacted its final 
plan, it had already arranged for someone to
40119.596 secretly steal away the holy relics originally 
belonging to the Southern District Church.”  “That was one of the reasons why the demons 
were able to infiltrate the church so easily.”
40128.32 At this point, Anderson paused, wedging 
the phone between his shoulder and cheek.   He picked up a sausage and tossed 
it into the pot, then continued,
40136.8 “I once tried to track down where 
those relics ended up, but most of   them simply vanished without a trace.”
“The few that I did manage to locate are
40144.0 now in the hands of powers far beyond my 
reach. Take the Salem family of witches,   for example—they intercepted at least two of 
the relics and have refused to give them back.”
40152.64 At the mention of the Salem witches, Anderson 
couldn’t help but sigh. “Those bastards—I saw
40158.08 with my own eyes when they walked away with a 
series of items, including the original Bible   fragments and the Blessed Cross.”
“And yet, they refuse to admit it,
40166.08 while the Northern District Church is so ashamed 
of what happened back then, they won’t lift   a finger to support the Southern District.”
“In the end, it’s as if the Southern District
40174.24 Church never possessed those relics at all.”
“So, if you want to get your hands on a holy   relic, I’m afraid this is as 
much as I can do for you.”
40182.16 Jin had no complaints about the information 
Anderson provided. After all, there’s no such
40187.276 thing as kindness without reason in this 
world. If Anderson really could just hand   over the relics on a silver platter, Jin would 
have to wonder if there was some scheme afoot,
40195.84 or if Anderson had some ulterior motive in mind.
As a retired man, Anderson had already done
40200.88 Jin the greatest favor simply by 
sharing information. Of course,   this favor would have to be repaid someday. 
If it didn’t, that would only mean Anderson
40208.32 had lived out the rest of his life in peace.
“Thank you. Your information is very helpful.   If it’s not too much trouble, 
could you send me a photo?”
40216.24 Anderson took the phone from his shoulder 
and operated it for a moment before replying,  “Of course. It’s already sent.”
“Thanks. Next time I’m back in Los City,
40225.116 dinner’s on me.”
Anderson chuckled,  “No, no, let’s wait until you retire, 
then we’ll have that meal together.”
40232.0 “It’s a promise.”
After ending the call, Jin looked out the   car window at the Southern District of Los City, 
growing more desolate with every passing mile.
40240.32 Now that he knew one of the relics 
was in the hands of the Salem family,   things had actually gotten simpler for 
him. The Blessed Cross—he was going to
40247.04 claim it. Since the Salem family had stolen 
it, he’d have no qualms about taking it back.  …
Soon, the car Wendy was driving
40253.84 came to a smooth stop at the end of the road.
Beyond this point stretched the vast, endless sea,
40258.88 their vehicle perched right at the edge of a 
cliff.This place used to be known as “Pegasus   Cliff,” a scenic spot named for the view from atop 
the crag—when you looked down at the sea below,
40268.4 the swirling waters resembled a winged horse. 
Legend had it that this very horse was the   white steed ridden by Poseidon, King of the Sea. 
Judging by Aphrodite’s complete lack of reaction,
40279.116 though, that tale was most likely nothing 
more than a fanciful myth. Of course,   the real reason the site was abandoned was 
its distance from the city. That isolation had
40288.08 turned it into a haven for marauding monsters.
Just then, a mound of earth not far from Ash
40293.68 suddenly shuddered. The eyes of everyone present 
were exceptionally sharp, and they tensed in alert   at once. But instead of danger, what emerged from 
beneath the dirt was the head of a white cat. The
40304.24 moment it caught sight of Ash, its eyes lit up 
with a dazzling glow. With a powerful push of   its hind paws and a string of sharp, indignant 
yowls, the cat launched itself straight at Ash.
40314.56 Ash, of course, recognized the white 
cat immediately. This was Lucky Cat,   a magical construct created by Alice. 
In fact, the soul fragment used in Lucky
40323.52 Cat’s body had been provided by Ash himself. 
Sensitive to the presence of soul fragments,   Lucky Cat could easily detect the precious 
shard inside Ash—a temptation far too strong
40333.756 for its greedy heart to resist. And since Ash no 
longer carried a seed of greed within him, the
40339.276 chubby white cat promptly latched onto his calf, 
looking for all the world like a decorative charm.
40344.4 By this time, Alice emerged from the underground 
passage, looking rather bedraggled, her face
40349.756 marked with several fresh scratches from the 
cat’s claws. Glancing at the portly feline   clinging to Ash, her eyes flashed with a hint of 
exasperated disappointment. This cat, she thought,
40360.64 has truly embarrassed me. Still, irritation 
aside, Alice didn’t forget her main purpose.
40365.916 She was genuinely startled to see 
that Ash had brought not only himself,   but also a small group of female friends as 
backup. Of these, Alice only recognized one:
40374.48 Carla. She knew well who Carla was—Princess 
of Vandro, a fourth-generation vampire. That
40380.48 status alone was impressive enough. 
As a Salem witch in a declining era,   Alice valued every potential ally. Carla’s 
presence alone would be enough to raise her social
40389.84 standing significantly in her family’s eyes.
The main reason Alice had called Ash was, in fact,   Carla. If Carla hadn’t come—if Ash had shown 
up alone—Alice had already decided she would
40399.916 give up on running for Supreme Witch. Instead, she 
would simply enjoy some food and drink with Ash,
40405.68 maybe have some fun, and help him expand 
his network a little. But to her surprise,   Ash hadn’t just brought Carla—there were 
other women whom Alice didn’t recognize.
40414.48 For them to coexist peacefully with Carla, 
their backgrounds were likely extraordinary   as well. Alice couldn’t help but wonder what Ash 
had promised to gather such impressive people.
40424.0 The thought moved her more than she cared to 
admit.Tears shimmered in Alice’s eyes as she   threw her arms around Ash, her words 
tumbling out in a flurry of emotion.
40432.48 “Sob… Thank you, thank you so much! You’re 
so wonderful—I won’t charge you any more
40437.596 from now on. I’ll be your personal witch…”
Listening to Alice’s endless stream of gratitude,
40442.88 Ash found himself awkwardly 
unsure of where to put his hands.  On top of that, the intense 
stares from behind made him
40449.276 feel as if needles were pricking his back.
Fortunately, Alice quickly managed to compose   herself, her earlier excitement subsiding.
Letting go, she rubbed her reddened eyes,
40459.2 just about ready to lead Ash 
into the underground passage.  At that moment, a luxury car bearing the double-R 
emblem rolled to a stop beside the group.
40466.8 The driver got out, hurried to the rear door, 
and after opening it, knelt down on the ground,
40472.0 serving as a human footrest.
A woman wearing black high   heels with crimson soles stepped onto the 
driver’s back and emerged before them all.
40478.88 The mere sight of this woman 
made Alice’s whole body tense,   a flicker of hatred flaring in her eyes.
Ash turned his head, and despite himself, his
40487.2 gaze was drawn to the woman’s chest—where, nestled 
atop the gentle curves, hung a delicate cross.
40492.88 It was just as Anderson had 
described: a blessed crucifix.  [Nancy]
[Wish: To become the supreme
40499.436 witch of the Salem family.]
…  Nancy, having stepped out of the car, 
naturally took in the group standing nearby.
40505.436 With her chin held high, she swept her 
gaze indifferently over Ash, pausing   only briefly when she reached Aphrodite.
Finally, her icy stare landed on Alice.
40514.8 “So, Alice, these are the connections 
you’ve managed to find?” she said coldly.  “Heh, just a bunch of useless dolls. If looks 
could feed you, your mother wouldn’t have died.”
40524.4 “You really are just like your mother—always 
bringing shame to the Salem family!”  With that, Nancy didn’t give Alice—whose 
face flushed first with anger,
40533.2 then with humiliation—the chance to retort. She 
strode straight into the underground passage,
40538.4 high heels clicking sharply with each step.
Carla, who had almost acted on impulse,   would have snapped Nancy’s neck right then and 
there if Ash hadn’t grabbed her hand in time.
40547.2 Glaring at Ash, Carla growled, “Why did you 
stop me? That brainless woman—I want her dead!”
40553.2 Ash patted the back of 
Carla’s hand, reassuring her.  “Don’t worry. She’s as good as dead.”
“It’s just, you won’t have much
40560.56 of a chance against her right now.”
“Did you see the pendant on her chest? That   cross is blessed—it would do you a lot of harm.”
“So, leave this kind of thing to me.”
40569.916 As Ash spoke so matter-of-factly 
about killing Nancy, Alice quickly   clamped a hand over his mouth.
“Shh! Not so loud—my aunt has a
40578.0 terrible temper. Don’t let her overhear.”
“We can talk about… killing her later.”
40583.04 Aunt?
Ash turned and   took a closer look at Alice’s features.
Honestly, he couldn’t see the slightest
40588.64 resemblance between Nancy and Alice at 
all.Seeing the confusion on Ash’s face, a hint   of embarrassment flickered across Alice’s own.
“My aunt and my mother are half-sisters,
40598.32 sharing the same father.”
“But the two of them have never gotten along,   and when my mother insisted on marrying an 
ordinary man, it infuriated her even more.”
40606.56 “She believes my mother tainted 
the bloodline of the Salem family,   so she’s never cared much for me, either.”
“After my parents died in a car accident,
40614.24 she emptied out my mother’s fortune-telling 
shop, declaring that I was unworthy of   being a Salem witch. She even forbade 
the other witches from helping me.”
40622.4 “She threatened that anyone who aided 
me would become her enemy. Thanks to   her own mother’s status, she wields a great 
deal of influence in the Salem family, so…”
40630.8 Alice fell silent, but Ash could already 
guess what happened next. Even Alice’s little   fortune-telling shop looked far less grand than 
some of those fake witches’ boutiques. If not for
40640.48 the Salem witch blood running in her veins, it 
was likely her fate would have been much worse.  Just as Ash was struggling to find a way 
to comfort her, Alice gathered herself,
40649.436 a smile returning to her lips.
“But it doesn’t matter anymore. As long   as I can become a candidate for Supreme Witch this 
time, she won’t be able to target me any longer.”
40658.64 “And when that time comes, if 
you want her dead, I’ll have   a thousand and one ways to catch her alone.”
“Come on, let’s head inside. Oh, Ash—remember
40666.56 to register as a vampire. The Salem witches… 
well, they really don’t like demon hunters.”  …
Ash and his companions followed behind Alice,
40674.4 winding through a twisting passageway, 
until they finally emerged into a broad   cavern within the mountain. There, all the Salem 
witches attending the gathering were assembled.
40683.2 Even though the Salem family had lost their 
Supreme Witch and were now widely considered to be   in decline, the cavern was still crowded. Counting 
the witches and their friends, Ash estimated there
40692.64 must be at least a hundred people present.
While Ash was taking in the scene, a male   witch holding a list approached. After a brief 
exchange with Alice, he shifted his gaze to Ash.
40702.16 Just as he was about to say something, his 
eyes caught sight of the women standing   behind Ash—and he simply couldn’t look away.
Is this guy really a vampire? He looks more like
40711.04 an incubus if you ask me. Otherwise, how could 
every single woman around him be so stunning?
40716.48 Thinking of that, he couldn’t help but 
compare them to his own partner at home,   who now seemed much less appealing by comparison.
Noticing the man’s stare, the women behind Ash,
40725.84 their eyes filled with disdain, suddenly 
understood why Ash had insisted they all   wear hooded sweatshirts.
Beauty, after all,
40732.4 can sometimes be nothing but trouble.
Uninterested in the attention of other men,   the women simply pulled up their 
hoods, hiding their faces in shadow.
40740.48 Not even a glimpse now, huh?Seeing 
this, the warlock shook his head,   intending to dispel the distracting thoughts 
crowding his mind, when suddenly he felt a
40749.436 heavy haze descend upon his consciousness. Out of 
nowhere, a surge of jealousy welled up within him.
40755.436 Meanwhile, in a secluded corner deeper within 
the mountain, Nancy—who had arrived ahead of   the others—held in her hands a straw doll 
that bore a striking resemblance to the
40764.64 warlock. As she murmured softly, the head 
of the straw doll inexplicably swelled,   as if something had been stuffed inside.
Back on the other side, the warlock lifted
40773.916 his gaze toward Ember once more, and a flicker 
of resentment flashed in his eyes. Why should   Ember be blessed with so many admirers, while 
he himself was left with nothing but a plain,
40783.276 long-suffering wife at home? It was utterly 
unfair! At that moment, an overwhelming
40788.88 urge seized him: he wanted nothing more than 
to see Ember make a fool of himself and shatter   the image the women held of him. Perhaps then, 
he might have a chance to take Ember’s place.
40797.68 With this thought, a fresh idea sprang to the 
warlock’s mind. Instead of hurrying to register,   he deliberately raised his voice and called out to 
his friend nearby, “Leif, there are some of your
40807.436 kin here—do you recognize any of them?”
At the sound of the warlock’s greeting,   a handsome face with striking blue eyes turned 
in their direction. Hearing that his kin were
40815.916 present, a sly, knowing smile curled on Leif’s 
lips as he strode over in long, confident steps.
40821.52 As Leif approached, the warlock’s face 
mirrored the same mischievous grin. Among   the bloodlines of the Bloodkin, hierarchy 
was strictly enforced. Leif, for his part,
40831.116 was a fifth-generation Bloodkin from the Brooch 
clan. While fifth-generation Bloodkin might seem   middling within their own ranks, here in human 
territory, they were regarded as the pinnacle of
40840.88 their kind—after all, should any Bloodkin of 
a higher generation set foot on human lands,
40846.24 an alarm would sound, drawing hordes of 
relentless demon hunters like a swarm of hyenas.  So, the warlock thought, things were about 
to get interesting. He’d heard that low-born
40855.2 Bloodkin were incapable of defying the commands 
of their superiors—even if the order was to die.  Of course, Ember was still a 
guest, so there was no need to
40862.64 go that far. A little humiliation would do.
The warlock and Leif exchanged a meaningful   glance—a silent pact between old partners 
in crime, recalling the infamous deeds they
40872.32 had once committed together in Locity. Leif 
immediately understood. Turning his attention
40877.436 to Ember, he sniffed the air, carefully 
discerning the scent that clung to Ember.  A look of realization crossed Leif’s face. 
So, this was a newborn—no more than three
40886.64 months old. Yet, the quality of his bloodline 
was not low; at least seventh-generation,   by the scent of it. Still, compared 
to him, Ember was woefully lacking.
40895.276 With newfound confidence, Leif let out a 
derisive snort and said, “Kin? You think
40900.48 he’s worthy of being called my kin?”
“I don’t count anyone who wets their   pants among my kin!” he declared, 
pointedly stressing the words “wets
40907.916 their pants,” locking his gaze on Ember.
At that moment, Leif had already begun to   exert his bloodline’s dominance, pressing down 
upon Ember with a force that allowed no refusal.
40917.84 His words became a command impossible to resist.
Leif, already savoring the anticipated   humiliation, had the rest of his 
taunts ready and waiting.In a moment,
40926.64 he would demand Ember to take off his pants and 
check if something had gone wrong. In this way,   as long as Ember still had a shred of dignity, he 
would surely storm out in outrage. With a mocking
40936.88 sneer spreading across his face, Lev glanced 
down, expecting to see the telltale sign. Yet,
40942.4 nothing was there. What was going on? Had this 
boy somehow resisted the bloodline suppression?
40947.916 Impossible! There was no way this kid was a 
vampire of the fifth generation or closer!  Lev let out a faint sound of surprise, about 
to press the issue once more, when suddenly
40957.36 a figure stepped in front of Ember. At the same 
moment, a cold, biting voice rang in Lev’s ears.
40963.2 Who are you calling wet 
his pants? Was it yourself?  Lev was about to retort, but a powerful force 
crashed down on him, so overwhelming he couldn’t
40971.2 control himself. Despite his efforts, he felt 
a warm trickle spreading, soaking his pants.
40976.56 There was a vampire present 
with purer blood than his own!  Realizing this, Lev jerked his head up, 
finally seeing clearly who stood before him.
40984.56 Karlra—Princess of Vandro, 
a fourth-generation vampire!
.