One turn, another turn, and then a third—we've lost our pursuers. Now, Ethan's most pressing task was to floor the accelerator and get us to that remote location as quickly as possible. We had been driving for such a long time that I feel a bit dizzy. I even suspect my constitution has weakened; I never used to get car sick.I glanced back at Harry, who was leaning against the window, struggling with nausea. Even Neil, who had been sleeping on my lap, woke up and complained of an upset stomach. Harry and I were too proud to admit our discomfort, but as soon as Neil voiced his unease, he immediately drew the attention of both Ethan and Lisa."Here, take this," Lisa said, handing us something that looked like pills. We swallowed them without asking any questions, and miraculously, the discomfort vanished instantly. "I didn't expect it to start this soon," Lisa remarked to Ethan."I suppose it's because many unruly magicians have been pestering her over the years," Ethan replied."Perhap
"Ryan, this bug tastes really good!" Despite not quite understanding Neil's taste for bugs, I indulgently ruffled his hair."In that case, how about these..." Harry took the opportunity to push more bugs towards Neil."Try this one, it's quite nutritious." Maria's expression was somewhat complex, unsure if she was testing Neil's tolerance for bugs or genuinely trying to introduce him to beneficial food. Neil didn't hesitate and picked up a piece to taste."This one is delicious too!""How long did it take you guys to get used to this?" Harry teased Lisa and Ethan playfully, prompting Lisa to immediately give him a thigh-pinch attack."Are they really that tasty?" I wiped Neil's mouth, still somewhat skeptical of his assessment."Mm." Neil nodded, continuing to eat the bugs."Weren't you scared just now?""Scared of live bugs, not these. They're really good!""So as long as it's turned into food, you won't be scared of even the scariest things? Should I turn Roy into food then?""Hey, d
"Neil, is that you? I can hear your voice,"Roy's words were enough to make Neil tense up again. To facilitate communication between us without Roy hearing, Maria conjured an invisible writing board using magic. When Neil, Harry, and I needed to converse, we had to resort to writing by hand. However, for them, with just a wave of hand, the words appeared in full view, creating a rather impressive scene."What do you want?" After unanimous agreement, we let the phone's owner speak."I don't want to talk to you, let Neil talk to me!""You call my phone, and I have to listen to you?""I know Neil must be listening, let Neil come!""I won't, what are you going to do about it?""Fine, then I'll say it straight: Neil, don't trust Ryan. He's not a good person, he's been doing a lot of bad things behind your back. Do you remember the orphanage director from when you were a child?" As soon as my name was mentioned, everyone looked at me. Neil's tightened grip showed he remembered. "Ryan collud
I had a dream. In the dream, I saw Ethan, Lisa, and Harry all lying on the ground, unconscious. I wanted to stand up and continue fighting, but I found myself unable to move. My body was covered with fresh claw marks from a wolf, bleeding profusely. With the last bit of strength and consciousness I had, I looked around for Neil. I saw him sitting in a corner, hugging his legs and crying. He was convulsing, trembling.I wanted to reach out and hold him, but I was powerless. I also saw Roy approaching Neil. Unlike me, he was unscathed, perfectly fine. He knelt down and gently stroked the back of Neil's head, seemingly to comfort him. But the next moment, he grabbed Neil's hair and yanked it upward, forcing Neil to lift his head and look at him, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes.That wasn't the end of Roy's violence. He pulled Neil up entirely by his hair, forcing him to stand, and then yanked him forward, throwing him down next to me. Neil and I were now side by side, but un
"It's nothing, just a tree fell over," Harry said as he returned."You know, that one tree that looked like it was about to fall any moment? It finally did," Lisa explained to Ethan which tree she was referring to."Maybe I should go and keep watch," Ethan suggested."Shall I come with you?" Lisa asked."How about we all go and take a look? Four people, four corners," I proposed."Alright," Harry agreed with my suggestion."But I still have something to say..." The three who were about to leave stopped in their tracks upon hearing Neil's words. They looked at each other, uncertain whether to stay or go."Can we talk about it next time? Now isn't the right moment," I waved my hand, signaling them to leave first. "Why don't you go back to your room and rest for a bit? Try to sleep on your own, okay?" I didn't wait for his response and went to check the situation.The night watch was divided into two shifts. The first shift was handled by Ethan, while the second one was Lisa's responsibi
"Because," Neil explained, "I drank that delicious light blue beverage.""Why did you have that drink? Why did you drink it?" I was puzzled."I wanted to protect myself, to keep you from worrying.""That makes sense now. My sleeping spell didn't work at all," Lisa muttered to herself."Neil, why would you do something so silly? Do you realize how dangerous this is for you, as a human?" Harry frowned disapprovingly at Neil's actions."I don't want you guys getting hurt. I can take it, but you can't...""It's alright, Neil. I'll take you away now. With me, you'll be safe," Harry assured him."You can't take him. Put Neil down!" Afraid he would take Neil away; I immediately blocked his path."Neil is mine. If you know what's good for you, get lost, and maybe I'll spare you."I stood my ground, refusing to budge. The vampires beside him took a step forward, seeming torn between handling me and merely driving me away, knowing Roy wouldn't allow them to harm me. But Harry and the others had
Neil had been discarded by Roy. At this moment, Roy stood alone as the others lay injured on the ground. The four of us attempted to rise, only to be swiftly kicked back down upon discovery."Neil Caster, I... I am being extremely generous here. Let's pretend none of this ever happened. Come with me, stay by my side, love me wholeheartedly, and I promise you'll be happy.""Roy, I don't want to go.""What did you say?""I don't want to go.""You want to be with this son of a bitch?""I like to be with him.""You like him?""Yes.""What?""I like Ryan. Ryan is good to me, as are Harry, Lisa, and Ethan.""Being good to you is all it takes for you to like them? I've been good to you too. Don't you like me?""I'm scared, Roy.""Fine, maybe I've been too harsh before? From now on, I'll be humble for you. Stop liking them and give everything to me, okay?""I...""I’m asking you!" Neil didn't respond. Roy, feigning gentleness again, turned irate. "It's fine, it's fine. Liking doesn't matter.
"Neil is so pitiful. he's never lived for myself, not even once.""Master, if given another chance, Mr. Neil's life would be even more difficult. You know that.""I know...""Then do you truly believe you can protect Mr. Neil? That increasingly innocent Mr. Neil?""I can." I hesitated for a moment, but decided to try once more."And what about your werewolf strength, Master?""Training, I can do it."Honestly, I wasn't confident, and Ethan knew it too. But I was well aware that Ethan also wanted Neil to come back, so I took a gamble. As it turned out, I won. Ethan was willing to help me. We knew the conditions for the resurrection ritual, and we had all the necessary items. We proceeded with the ritual right there in Ethan's old house.Of course, my sole focus was on bringing Neil back, without considering any new problems that might arise. I also failed to notice the secret that Ethan had concealed from me from the very beginning.The final step was to properly handle Neil's body. Fo
Three days later, on a bright and sunny day, the warm light bathed the earth, as if even the sun was adding a touch of radiance to our wedding. The venue was set up like a dream—white flowers adorned every corner, and the air was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance, as though each petal had been carefully chosen just for us. The guests had all arrived, their faces lit with brilliant smiles, their eyes brimming with blessings and hope. In that moment, all the exhaustion and pain seemed to be forgotten, replaced by nothing but boundless joy and warmth.This day belonged to us three couples, the happiest day of our lives. Neil and I, Peter and Nick, Harry and Nelson—standing together, it felt as if fate had already woven an invisible thread, tying us all together. Each of our faces radiated joy, our eyes filled with love and devotion for one another. Just before the ceremony began, I stole a glance at Neil standing beside me. His eyes sparkled softly, filled with warmth and unwavering d
Ethan continued to describe that miraculous moment: "When Neil's blood entered your body, everything changed dramatically. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but soon, the operating room was filled with dazzling light. Countless beams of light intertwined in the air, and the entire hospital was suddenly powered down, as if a mysterious force had illuminated it. Everyone was startled, and you, it seemed, experienced some kind of extraordinary transformation in that instant." There was a calmness in Ethan’s eyes. "Then, the situation settled. Power was restored, the readings on the instruments returned to normal, and your arm miraculously reconnected, fully healed. The symptoms of blood loss vanished in an instant, as though nothing had ever happened."I murmured, "If this is true, then what the Black Wolf said in the virtual world must also be correct. It claimed the calamity has been averted, the curse is broken." The Black Wolf had told me that these changes signified that the crisis
Everything went black, and I was suddenly jolted back to reality. The chaotic scene of battle unfolded around me—Kim and Peter had been knocked to the ground by the vengeful spirits, and Maria was visibly struggling, her strength fading. I looked around in shock, my heart heavy with realization. All of this suffering, all of this fighting—it was because of the decision I had made. I had refused to let go of Neil, going to any lengths to bring him back to life. But in doing so, I had led us into an endless cycle of calamity, and even Neil had been forced to endure so much pain. Perhaps the root of all this, the key to ending it, lay within myself.Slowly, I rose to my feet, a sense of clarity settling over me as I began to understand the true meaning of goodness. It was selfless letting go—it was the willingness to forsake oneself for the sake of others.I took a deep breath, releasing all my obsessions, letting go of the desire to fight for selfish reasons or love. I would fight now,
Ken Yimo raised his hand high, summoning the fragile thread of magic he could barely muster, and hurled it toward the demon with all the strength he had left. Though his magical abilities were far from impressive, his gaze was resolute, unwavering in the face of death. The demon, however, merely smiled faintly, effortlessly neutralizing Ken's attack. The vast disparity in power sent Ken crashing to the ground, his body feeling as fragile as an ant under the weight of the demon’s overwhelming force.But just as Ken fell, something in Fred's heart shifted. He could no longer bear to watch this crumbling scene unfold. Tears welled in his eyes as he screamed in desperate anguish, his voice cracking with raw emotion, “Ken, no! Don’t sacrifice yourself for me! I’m not worth it!” His words were soaked in sorrow and despair, filled with regret—as if all his anger and jealousy had now melted away into nothing but remorse.Ken Yimo struggled painfully to rise from the ground, blood and bruises
Nick forced himself to put on a defiant expression and coldly said, "Who's afraid?" But I could see a flash of fragile fear in his eyes, and my heart ached even more. Nelson had just recovered, his face pale, his body swaying slightly. Upon hearing Harry's call, he struggled to lift his head, his eyes still filled with trust and dependence on Harry. He parted his lips weakly and whispered, "Harry..." His voice was so faint, it seemed like it could vanish into the air at any moment. Neil, the most sensitive of the three, looked at us with fear in his eyes. But he didn't cry out for help; instead, he anxiously glanced at Nelson, as if silently urging us to take care of the more fragile brother first.Facing the scene before me, a surge of anger filled my chest, and I coldly demanded to know what Fred wanted. Fred stood in the shadows, his gaze as cold as ice. He gave a faint smile, revealing a sickly, cruel satisfaction. "It's simple," he said, his voice low but carrying an undeniable o
Meanwhile, the others had scattered, continuing their search for any trace of Neil, their faces grim with concern. The tension in the air was thick, and every passing second felt like we were hurtling toward something far darker than we had anticipated.As everyone scrambled in panic, Maria suddenly called out, "There's a trace of magic here!" Her voice was tinged with urgency and surprise, clearly indicating that she had discovered something unusual. We hurried over to find her standing at the entrance of Ken Yimo's bedroom, eyes closed in concentration, her hands moving gently through the air as though she were carefully unraveling an invisible barrier. Soon, the tips of her fingers began to glow faintly, as if she had torn through a thin veil. In that instant, the magical barrier dissolved, and everything behind the door came into view, causing me to gasp in shock.Inside the bedroom, Ken Yimo lay on the cold floor, his face ashen, as though he had endured some immense shock. Scatt
"It turns out that Ken's coldness stems from such a painful past," I murmured softly, a deep, indescribable sorrow washing over me. The suffering Ken had endured was far beyond our comprehension. No wonder he kept everyone at arm's length, as if wrapped in a hard shell to shield himself."What's even more tragic is that our 'old-fashioned' people, upon learning about Ken's sexual orientation, grew even more hostile toward him. They have no idea that his sexuality was, for the most part, twisted by that monstrous foster father of his," Maria sighed, her eyes filled with profound sympathy and understanding for Ken. She shook her head, adding, "They ostracized him, yet they have no clue what kind of pain he went through."I couldn't help but ask, "What happened after that? What did Ken go through?"Maria gently shook her head, a shadow of sorrow crossing her face. "He left our place. By the time I found him, that beast of a foster father had gathered thirty or forty people, trying to for
Ken Yimo chuckled gently, the smile on his face tinged with a trace of self-mockery, as if he had already come to terms with his fate. "For me, Neil’s safety is the most important thing. As long as he can get away from here, away from all this conflict, I fear nothing."His words were firm and tender, that kind of selfless, fatherly love stirring something deep within me. I clenched my fists in silent resolve, taking a deep breath. "Alright, Ken. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take Neil away. I won’t let him come to any harm. I swear, I will protect him with everything I have."A flicker of gratitude passed through Ken Yimo's eyes as he nodded slightly. "I know you will, Ryan. Your care for Neil, your dedication to him—it's something even I deeply admire. He’s a child who deserves love and protection... Please continue to show him kindness, and give him the warmth he truly needs."His words struck a chord deep within me. I had planned to turn and leave, to end this
Ken Yimo nodded slightly, his expression laced with a complex mixture of emotions. “Yes. Fred knows he’s nothing more than a replacement. But he... he’s different. Despite everything, he still desperately seeks my attention. He doesn’t mind being my servant, if it means he can be close to me.”"A child with ambition," I murmured to myself, trying to grasp the psychological dynamics at play in such a twisted situation.A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Ken Yimo's lips. "Do you think Fred acts out so recklessly, causing chaos everywhere, even disregarding the reputation of the Yimo family? What do you think he’s trying to achieve?"I furrowed my brows, pondering for a moment, before the realization dawned on me. "Could it be... that he's doing it just to get your attention? He’s deliberately being reckless, making sure everyone knows."Ken Yimo nodded, his tone unnervingly calm. "Exactly. He knows that by antagonizing people, the Yimo family will inevitably be ostracized. But what