Chapter 59

(Narration)

In the dimly lit confines of what resembled a blacksmith's workshop, a man hunched over a workbench, methodically sharpening a gleaming knife. The rhythmic scrape of metal against metal filled the air, creating an eerie harmony with the occasional sparks that danced from the blade.

As the knife's edge honed to a dangerous precision, the man paused, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The workshop was a labyrinth of tools and machinery, shadows playing across the rugged surfaces like specters of the past.

Suddenly, the distant rumble of an engine cut through the heavy atmosphere. The man's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he squinted toward the source of the sound. A car had pulled up in front of the shop, its headlights piercing the gloom, casting long shadows that stretched toward the workshop door.

The man's fingers tightened around the knife's hilt, his heart racing as he warily observed the scene outside. His breath caught in his throat as the c