Darkness. The unseen depths.
A sound echoed.
Shadows flickered within the alley.
A middle-aged man in a suit shrugged off his gray jacket and casually tossed it onto the trash bin inside the alley.
He grinned, staring at the woman not far away.
The woman looked to be in her twenties, delicate and beautiful. She wore a red dress and lay sideways on the ground, looking pitiful and vulnerable.
"Don't come any closer!"
The woman called out to the man in a soft voice.
If Evan Lin were here, he'd probably recognize this woman as Lena Chu—the one who escaped last time, after he wounded her essence and she seized a chance to flee.
But now, Lena Chu's eyes gleamed blood-red, her whole body radiating a savage aura—completely different from before.
Sensing something, Lena Chu lifted her head and looked toward the mouth of the alley.
As he spoke, a look of excitement flashed across the middle-aged man's face.
"Stop it!"
The woman let out a soft laugh.
But in the next instant, her delicate expression vanished, replaced by a blood-red gleam in her eyes—like a wild beast.
Her gaze turned icy cold. With a swift motion, her slender hand seized the man's head, and she suddenly sank her teeth into his neck.
When Lena Chu looked his way, a chill ran down Gavin's spine. His hands and feet started to tremble.
"Hey, cutie, wanna come play?" Lena Chu stood up, giggling, and tugged her dress down to show off her figure.
He barely managed to cry out before his voice was abruptly cut off—gone without a trace.
His once-robust body shriveled up like a withering flower, flesh and blood draining away until he was nothing but skin and bones—a dried-up skeleton, utterly lifeless.
After a while, the woman stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and looked utterly disdainful.
"Eighth man. At least I've recovered a tiny bit of my strength."
"But at this rate, who knows how long it'll take to fully recover? I'm way too weak right now!"
She glanced at the skeletal remains on the ground, her eyes full of contempt as she clenched her fist.
"If that damned brat hadn't shown up out of nowhere and destroyed my divine corpse, stolen my divine medicine, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
"Damn you! When I find you, I'll tear you to pieces—and devour every last bit!"
Her voice was vicious, icy cold.
Thinking of how her corpse had been crushed by that brat, the woman's eyes burned with fury, wild and beast-like.
If Evan Lin were here, he'd probably recognize this woman as Lena Chu—the one who escaped last time, after he wounded her essence and she seized a chance to flee.
But now, Lena Chu's eyes gleamed blood-red, her whole body radiating a savage aura—completely different from before.
Sensing something, Lena Chu lifted her head and looked toward the mouth of the alley.
There, under the dim streetlight, Gavin Duan stood frozen in shock.
The darkness seemed to thicken even further at that moment.
Gavin Duan's solitary figure stood there, looking like a lost kid. He'd only wandered closer after hearing a noise—never expecting to witness this scene.
The woman before him was definitely not a normal human!
He was still holding Jill Jing's pink lunch box, with a half-eaten bite of food in his mouth.
When Lena Chu looked his way, a chill ran down Gavin's spine. His hands and feet started to tremble.
"Hey, cutie, wanna come play?" Lena Chu stood up, giggling, and tugged her dress down to show off her figure.
She walked toward Gavin, slow and deliberate.
"Holy crap!"
Seeing Lena Chu coming his way, Gavin cursed and spun around, ready to bolt.
"Hmm?"
Lena Chu arched an eyebrow and darted forward with inhuman speed—her long legs covering the distance in a few strides before she leapt, flipping through the air, and landed right in front of Gavin.
Instinctively, Gavin hurled the lunch box at Lena Chu and tried to run down a different path.
But Lena Chu simply raised her foot and, with a crisp motion, kicked Gavin straight into the alley.
"You—"
Gavin landed face-first, trembling all over as he stared at Lena Chu, eyes wide with terror.
"Don't be so scared, cutie. Let's have a little fun, okay?"
Lena Chu giggled: "I promise you'll feel real good."
As she spoke, Lena Chu kept walking closer.
"Stay away from me!"
Gavin swallowed hard, feeling almost out of his body.
"Relax. I told you, I'll be very gentle."
"What, you don't trust big sis?" Lena Chu gave a sultry smile, licked her fingers, then stepped forward and stomped on Gavin's chest.
"Tsk, you're a bit young, but judging by your build, you must be pretty well-nourished."
Lena Chu laughed softly, licking her lips, eyes flashing with greed as she eyed Gavin like a lamb waiting for slaughter.
......
Upstairs.
After delivering food, Jill Jing headed upstairs, hugging her giant bottle of cola. She was about to return to her table when she spotted Evan Lin at a nearby table, her eyes lighting up.
Jill Jing hurried over, stood behind Evan Lin, and tugged at his clothes.
"Hm?" Evan Lin turned, surprised to see Jill Jing behind him. He gave a helpless smile: "Want to check answers again?"
Jill Jing shook her head and pointed at her big bottle of cola: "For you."
Before Evan Lin could refuse, Jill Jing poured a small splash of cola into his glass.
It was about a quarter of a cup. As soon as she finished, Jill Jing hugged the bottle protectively, looking heartbroken over the loss.
everyone in the hall turned to stare at Evan Lin.
Everyone in the hall turned to stare at Evan Lin.
After pouring the cola, Jill Jing looked at Evan Lin, dead serious: "Say thank you."
After pouring the cola, Jill Jing looked at Evan Lin, dead serious: "Say thank you."
"Thank you." Evan Lin couldn't help but smile, thinking this little troublemaker reminded him of the mischievous young spirit beasts he'd met before.
"No need."
Jill Jing nodded, hugging her cola. She was about to head back to her seat, but suddenly, her eyes reddened and she froze mid-step.