Time passed in quiet silence. The sky slowly shifted from the pale blue of noon to a warm amber as afternoon descended, thin bands of clouds stretching across the horizon as if dyed by the last rays of sunlight. The sun slid unhurriedly toward the edge of the world, its light fading, giving way to deep purples and dark blues as night spread over the city.

  At the Gothic villa, everything had been packed — luggage, equipment, and all essential devices. The atmosphere was hurried yet orderly; everyone understood that this journey would be anything but simple.

  At Mr. Tài’s villa, Charles was also preparing to leave. He double-checked his laptop, neatly placing several thick books into his suitcase. Standing beside him, Mr. Tài asked with concern:

  – “When will you be back, Professor?”

  Charles smiled calmly:

  – “Just a few days. There’s an urgent meeting with the faculty. I’ll be back in time for Mr. D?ng’s daughter’s wedding.”

  Mrs. Nga carefully wrapped some tea and sweets into a paper bag and handed it to him:

  – “Please take this, Professor. It’s premium Shan Tuy?t tea with a bit of traditional sweets.”

  Charles accepted it, his gaze sincere:

  – “Thank you both very much. I’ll take my leave now.”

  As he pulled his suitcase toward the gate, Hi?u hurried after him, slightly out of breath:

  – “Professor! I got you a notebook. I noticed your old one was finished, and you haven’t replaced it yet.”

  Charles was visibly moved. He gently patted Hi?u’s head:

  – “Thank you. I’ll bring gifts for everyone when I return. Now I really must go, or I’ll be late.”

  ***

  In front of the Gothic villa, Yin’s red Ferrari was already parked. Din stepped out, little imps trailing behind him with armfuls of luggage:

  – “We’re heading to a secluded place. The Grand General will open the spatial gate.”

  A few minutes later, two sleek black Bentley Bentaygas slowly rolled out from the underground garage.

  Erion, seated behind the wheel, lowered the window and glanced out:

  – “Din, get in the car. Where’s the professor?”

  From the second Bentley, a little imp chewing gum shouted:

  – “There he is!”

  Din quickly stepped forward to help Charles with his bags:

  – “Please get in quickly. Let’s avoid being seen by D?ng’s household.”

  The trunk closed. The villa gate locked tightly. Three luxury cars left the District 2 residential area in a line, merging into the sparse evening traffic.

  Ten minutes later, the convoy stopped in the middle of an empty, desolate lot —silent on all sides, eerily so.

  Inside the car, Erion raised his hand into the air. His palm rotated slightly, and the structure of his skin instantly transformed — dark veins spread outward as silent black flames ignited. A wave of cold flooded the cabin, as if the temperature had been drained in a single breath.

  The light around them began to distort, violently pulled toward his palm. The air in front of him fractured layer by layer, producing dry cracking sounds—crack… crack… crack—like reinforced glass breaking from within.

  A spatial gate slowly took shape.

  Black light mixed with violet spiraled inward, layers of space folding endlessly into the core. The rim of the gate trembled violently, devouring all surrounding light, leaving behind a dense darkness like a bottomless abyss.

  Erion’s voice rang out, low and cold:

  – “Let’s go.”

  The first car plunged straight into the gate, its body instantly swallowed by darkness. The second followed without hesitation. Then the last — within a heartbeat, all of them vanished.

  The moment the final car disappeared, the gate violently collapsed inward, snapping shut with a compressed, muted boom. Space instantly restored itself, light flooding back as if nothing had ever been distorted.

  The empty lot lay still, utterly deserted — bare and silent, as though nothing had ever appeared there at all.

  ***

  Elsewhere.

  Within the grounds of a vast estate, the outer garden was under absolute control. Lesser demons armed with stun guns patrolled in disciplined formations, their footsteps firm, eyes scanning every shadowed corner. Embedded ground lights lined the paths, casting cold white light onto tree trunks, creating sharp contrasts of light and shadow like blades, enveloping the area in a chilling sense of danger.

  Inside the villa, the living room revealed a completely different world. Entire walls were constructed of floor-to-ceiling reinforced glass, exposing the surrounding forest and courtyard like a living painting — beautiful, yet oppressive. Interior lights reflected off the glass, blurring the boundary between inside and outside.

  The décor followed a minimalist modern style in dominant tones of black and gray. Matte metal, cold glass, and dark stone surfaces blended seamlessly, clean lines with not a single unnecessary detail. Everything radiated absolute luxury — yet also a suffocating heaviness, as if this space existed for control, not comfort.

  Nicolas sat before his laptop, the screen’s glow illuminating his face. Beside him, Grimm shook his head repeatedly.

  – “It’s all middle-aged women signing up. As for the younger girls… from what I see, there’s nothing special.”

  Kane glanced at the screen, his tone weary:

  – “Where do you even find someone who has presence, charisma — someone you can feel the moment you look at them? Boss, could you lower the standards a bit?”

  Nicolas remained focused on the laptop, his voice firm:

  – “No. If I lower them, what’s the point of finding a model at all?”

  He suddenly looked up, hazel eyes narrowing slightly, the corner of his lips lifting:

  – “It really is difficult… but that’s exactly what makes it interesting.”

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, inside the chemical research laboratory integrated with advanced technology and magic, cold white lights illuminated the entire space. The walls were made of reinforced glass coated with faint sealing runes; beneath them ran a system of magical energy conduits glowing softly like veins.

  The Grand Preceptor, H?ng Nhung, and several secret agents stood in a semicircle. All of them wore specialized protective gear:

  Black-gray full-body suits resistant to chemicals, transparent nano-gloves, air-filter masks integrated with sealing talismans, and on their shoulders, the Royal Satan insignia engraved in matte black metal.

  One agent — also a forensic specialist of the Royal Satan — was examining a foundation cream sample under an optical microscope combined with magical scanning. He adjusted the focus, his voice low and precise:

  – “Grand Preceptor, it is correct. In addition to datura, there are several other plant components. I have conducted solvent extraction. In the foundation alone, there is a plant called Velvet Crave.”

  He looked up, his expression grave:

  – “The active compounds of this flower, when applied to the skin, create a sensation of softness and ideal moisture. However, the side effect is dependency. Users become unable to find any other cosmetic that provides the same feeling. If the proportion of Velvet Crave is too high, the addictive effect is no less severe than datura — it is a form of long-term addiction.”

  H?ng Nhung immediately asked, her tone sharp:

  – “So when it’s applied, the user feels their skin is smooth and hydrated, but in reality, that sensation comes only from the cream itself? And the skin underneath… remains unchanged?”

  The forensic expert nodded:

  – “Exactly, Crown Princess Consort. It’s like wearing an expensive garment to conceal all flaws. Velvet Crave creates an illusion — the user perceives their skin as flawless, smooth to the touch or when looking in the mirror, but to others, it is still ordinary skin with its usual imperfections.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor nodded slowly, her voice calm:

  – “This flower usually grows along stream banks on the Dark Planet. Only the user can perceive that beauty; others see nothing at all.”

  She glanced at the lipstick samples arranged on the lab table:

  – “In the lipsticks, there is indeed datura combined with Velvet Crave. These two together… truly form a perfect pair for addiction.”

  H?ng Nhung understood at once:

  – “Then the mastermind… is someone from the Dark Planet.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor curled her lips into a half-smile:

  – “Quite clever, this one. Creating a cosmetic line where only the users see themselves as beautiful, living in a perfect illusion… becoming rich from it is hardly surprising.”

  ***

  Outside, the sky over ?à L?t had sunk fully into deep night. A thin mist like a gray silk veil silently drifted down over the endless pine forest, gradually swallowing the faint remnants of moonlight. The biting cold seeped into the skin, carrying the resinous scent of pine and the damp, earthy smell characteristic of the highlands.

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  Tall pine trees stood densely packed, their dark trunks rising straight into the sky like towering shadows. The night wind threaded through the canopies, causing the forest to whisper in long, rustling waves — sometimes low, sometimes high — like murmurs of unknown origin.

  Occasionally, a dry branch snapped with a sharp crack in the darkness, the solitary sound sending an involuntary chill down the spine.

  Amid that silent forest, an old, abandoned villa emerged vaguely through the mist. Its faded walls were mottled with the scars of time, moss clinging thickly to the cracks like wounds that would never heal. Rusted iron railings bent and warped, tightly entwined by withered climbing roses and ivy, resembling chains binding the structure to a decaying past.

  The roof sagged, several sections collapsed entirely, exposing blackened, rotten wooden beams beneath the dim moonlight. Broken windows gaped into darkness; inside was a dense, lightless void that reflected nothing, as if swallowing everything that looked into it. An old lamp hung limply at the front porch, swaying slightly in the wind, emitting a dry creak that deepened the oppressive gloom.

  The entire villa stood there — cold and solitary — as if abandoned by both time and humanity at once: A silent mass of darkness in the heart of the ?à L?t pine forest, a place where stepping inside felt like walking straight into a secret that should never be awakened.

  Suddenly, space shuddered violently.

  The air before the forest warped as if

  compressed, then tore apart from within. A spatial gate burst open, black light laced with violet spiraling chaotically as layers of energy collided, forming distorted shockwaves that rippled outward. A surge of cold exploded instantly, the forest temperature dropping sharply as the mist was sucked back toward the gate by an unseen force.

  A piercing screech echoed, like colossal metal grinding and twisting, reverberating through the pine canopy and sending nocturnal birds into frantic flight.

  The first vehicle shot out of the gate, its body licked by otherworldly light, leaving fading streaks in the air. Its wheels hit the ground, crunching softly into damp earth as mud and pine needles scattered.

  The second followed close behind, its engine rumbling low, headlights slicing through the thick fog.

  When the final vehicle emerged completely, the gate began to contract. The black-violet light twisted tightly into its core; space trembled one last time, releasing a deep, muffled boom—like the heartbeat of a giant coming to a halt.

  In the blink of an eye, the gate slammed shut.

  Space instantly restored itself. The otherworldly light vanished without a trace, and the mist settled as if it had never been disturbed. Before the rusted iron gate of the abandoned villa, three cars stood in silence. Only the fading hum of cooling engines remained, and the pine forest returned to its original cold stillness — as though everything that had just happened were nothing more than an illusion.

  Erion and the others stepped out of the cars. He draped an extra scarf around Trang’s neck, his movements careful:

  – “It’s quite cold here. You need to keep warm. I don’t want you catching a cold.”

  Trang looked at him, her gaze gentle:

  – “Thank you.”

  She adjusted the collar of Erion’s sweater in return, a faint glow of happiness softening her face.

  Din walked up to the iron gate, took a deep breath, his voice lowering:

  – “The air is really clean. It’s been a long time since we came home.”

  Erion raised his hand and lightly touched the air. Instantly, an illusory barrier unfolded, a transparent layer of energy enveloping everyone.

  He spoke briefly:

  – “Let’s go inside. It’s getting colder.”

  The moment they stepped through the illusory barrier, the space beyond felt as though it had been flipped into an entirely different world.

  Before them stretched a garden so vast it seemed to have no end. Deep emerald lawns spread across thousands of hectares, smooth as velvet, rolling gently along perfectly planned slopes. Under ?à L?t’s cold, pale moonlight, the grass shimmered in dark green hues — silent, imposing, and filled with quiet authority.

  Encircling the entire estate stood rows of towering ancient pine trees, their trunks dark and massive, bark rough like armor forged by time itself. Their dense canopies interwove tightly, forming a natural wall that completely sealed off the inner world from the desolate pine forest outside. The night wind merely brushed the treetops, unable to penetrate deep into this royal garden.

  At the very center of the grounds rose an ancient French-style castle — magnificent, majestic, and breathtaking in its splendor.

  The castle bore the unmistakable imprint of classical French royal architecture. Three stories tall, it was built entirely of pale gray stone polished smooth, its surface layered with the patina of centuries. The fa?ade was perfectly symmetrical, every architectural line precise to the point of cold perfection.

  Wrought-iron balconies adorned with intricate Baroque patterns extended outward, dark and heavy, as though carrying the weight of a bygone dynasty’s history.

  Tall, pointed-arch windows soared upward, their stained-glass panes reflecting the soft golden glow from within, casting warm streaks of light against the somber night. The steeply sloped roof was tiled with deep blue-gray stone, each tile meticulously layered. At the peaks rose slender spires piercing the night sky, crowned with royal banners — the black diamond emblem flanked by twin wings of black flame — silent and gently stirring in the cold wind, like an unspoken declaration of power.

  Before the grand hall lay a plaza paved with ancient stone, at whose center stood a white marble fountain. Classical statues kept watch around it, water flowing slowly over tiered stone, producing a low, steady murmur that echoed through the stillness, further emphasizing the castle’s solemn dignity and nobility.

  Erion stood still, his gaze sweeping over the magnificent, classically royal panorama. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, his voice low:

  – “If that snake were to see this place, it wouldn’t dare act arrogantly in front of me.”

  Yin let out a soft laugh:

  – “Trúc Di?n has his own style, but when the General said the Serpent Clan’s headquarters was smaller than this… he wasn’t exaggerating.”

  Charles and Trang stood in silence before the castle. Its ancient grandeur, like something drawn straight from a cinematic epic, left both of them openly awestruck.

  Erion stepped to Trang’s side, his voice softening noticeably:

  – “Do you like it? This is your home. You can come back here whenever you want.”

  Charles’s gaze darkened slightly, carrying a deep, resonant emotion:

  – “It’s been several hundred years… since I last saw this sight. Truly nostalgic.”

  Din rubbed his hands together enthusiastically:

  – “Let’s go inside and rest a bit first. Then we can take a night stroll around ?à L?t. The research can wait until tomorrow morning.”

  The little imps behind them immediately erupted in cheers:

  – “It’s been so long since we last had barbecue!”

  Chen asked, puzzled:

  – “I thought the masters would get straight to work?”

  Din adjusted the cuff of his suit, a calculating glint in his eyes:

  – “Dismantling an interplanetary crime network can’t be done overnight. We still need a lot more evidence.”

  Up ahead, Erion took Trang’s hand and led her along the stone path toward the castle. He lowered his head, whispering by her ear, his voice deep, warm, and sincere:

  – “I want to make it up to you. For more than twenty years, you’ve lived a life of hardship and deprivation. From now on, I won’t let you worry about anything ever again.”

  Moved, Trang tightened her grip on his hand, her voice trembling slightly yet resolute:

  – “What matters most is… that I have you now, that I have a happy family. I’m no longer alone like before.”

  Amid the vast garden and the ancient castle, warm golden lights gradually lit up — like a quiet affirmation that this place was truly the home meant for the one he loved.

  At Huy’s house, the living room and kitchen had been tidied up neatly, and the basic decorations were finally in place. Shimmering tinsel, colorful baubles, and a few small potted flowers made the house feel noticeably livelier.

  In the kitchen, Mrs. Nguy?t and two young women were busy preparing dinner. The aroma of winter melon soup with dried shrimp filled the air. As she seasoned the pot, she asked casually:

  – “So, have you girls signed up for that modeling contest yet?”

  The orange-haired girl, scooping braised meat onto a plate, replied briskly:

  – “Yes, Auntie, we already signed up. Hopefully we’ll get selected.”

  The girl with red-highlighted hair, arranging bowls and chopsticks, chimed in enthusiastically:

  – “The prize money is really high, Auntie. You get money and fame.”

  In the living room, Huy stood on a chair removing some excess tinsel, shaking his head as he worked:

  – “They’re dreaming big. Someone like me might actually stand a chance.”

  The purple-haired boy sweeping the floor pretended to gag, teasing him:

  – “Give me a break. If you were the face of a cosmetics brand, no one would dare buy it. Maybe you could represent a custom motorbike shop.”

  Everyone burst out laughing. Mr. Tín, wiping down the ancestral altar, smiled as well, his voice gentle:

  – “You kids just focus on your studies and help your parents make an honest living. As for these modeling contests, don’t take them too seriously.”

  The buzz-cut boy nodded in agreement:

  – “Uncle’s right. In competitions like these, people with connections always have a higher chance of winning. Folks like us – no matter how good-looking or talented – can’t compete with having the right backing. Better not get carried away.”

  The atmosphere in the house remained cheerful, yet beneath it, a sense of realism and caution had begun to seep in.

  ***

  At C?u D?ng’s villa, everyone was also busy preparing dinner. In the kitchen, Anh Tú helped Dì T? ladle soup, the soft clinking of the spoon against the pot echoing faintly.

  Lowering his voice, Anh Tú said:

  – “The three sisters in this family are all actively preparing for the contest. But I have a feeling this competition isn’t just about finding a brand representative. There’s probably something wrong behind the scenes.”

  Dì T? — played by Bách Di?n — also spoke quietly, her eyes cautious:

  – “From what Phong Túc said, those factions have already started investigating.”

  Anh Tú paused, slightly surprised:

  – “You mean the Demon King Satan, right?”

  Bách Di?n glanced around subtly and lowered his voice further:

  – “Not just the Lord’s faction. There’s also the Serpent Clan, Black Diamond, Count Din, and high-ranking vampire agents.”

  Hearing this, a chill crept up Anh Tú’s spine:

  – “If that’s the case, then this is no small matter.”

  Bách Di?n nodded slowly:

  – “It’s quite serious. Count Din believes the mastermind has extremely powerful backing, so no one dares to touch him… except forces on the same level as Lord Satan.”

  After thinking for a moment, Anh Tú asked softly:

  – “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Bách Di?n quickly scanned the surroundings to make sure no one was paying attention, then nodded:

  – “Yes. You, Phong Túc, and I will keep an eye on the people in this family. Ms. My is a distributor for that brand and has close ties with your wife’s family. Pay attention to whether your wife is using cosmetics from that brand.”

  Anh Tú nodded firmly:

  – “Understood. I haven’t seen Ms. My around here for a while, but I’ll keep a close watch.”

  In the warmly lit kitchen, amid conversations that seemed perfectly ordinary, an undercurrent quietly began to spread — signaling that the glamorous contest was merely the surface of something far larger and far more dangerous.

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, inside the grand hall bathed in the cold glow of demonic energy, the Demon King Satan sat upon his ironwood throne. A solemn atmosphere filled the space as the Grand Madam Advisor, H?ng Nhung, and the forensic specialist delivered their report.

  The forensic expert bowed slightly, his voice calm yet clear:

  – “My Lord, in the cosmetics samples, in addition to devil’s trumpet, we have also detected extracts of Velvet Crave. This is a plant species originating from the Dark Planet.”

  Satan gave a slow nod, his gaze deep and unreadable:

  – “Velvet Crave is a wild flower that grows densely along the edges of streams. Its active compounds cause users to perceive themselves as extraordinarily beautiful, gradually eroding their awareness until they can no longer distinguish reality from illusion.”

  Arian continued, his tone cold:

  – “This plant has long been placed on the absolute prohibited list due to its severe consequences. The most dangerous aspect is its rapid growth — it spreads no differently from weeds.”

  A covert agent stepped forward, his eyes heavy with memory:

  – “I have personally witnessed many cases. There were women who were obese, with failing internal organs and declining health. Yet after using Velvet Crave, they saw themselves as fairy-like beauties with supermodel figures. They lived inside that illusion, eating without restraint, their weight spiraling out of control… and ultimately died from cardiovascular disease and diabetic complications.”

  The hall grew heavy with silence. Trúc Di?n frowned slightly, concern evident:

  – “If he were to bring this plant to Earth and cultivate it.”

  Lita cut in immediately, her voice firm:

  – “Impossible. Velvet Crave can only survive under the temperature, soil composition, and atmospheric pressure of the Dark Planet. To bring it to Earth, it can only be freeze-dried or refined into extracts.”

  Master V?nh spoke after a moment, his eyes unfathomably deep:

  – “Physiologically speaking, humans would suffer far more severe effects than other races.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor added slowly:

  – “Velvet Crave only takes effect during use. Once washed off, the hallucinations disappear. But for those who refuse to accept reality and crave the intoxication of illusion, addiction is inevitable.”

  Arian tilted his head slightly, his gaze thoughtful:

  – “Erion’s side is probably already moving. Some cases — even with full evidence — can’t be won immediately. But with Erion, it’s different… He doesn’t talk much. He usually goes straight to the lair and forces the culprit to confess.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor let out a crooked smile, as if recalling the past:

  – “I still remember one time when the Grand General froze an entire region. More than half of the enemy forces died… simply because they couldn’t endure the cold.”

  Satan gave a low chuckle, his laughter echoing through the grand hall:

  – “As for the ringleader in that case, I had leverage on him long ago. But because the power backing him was someone I knew, I couldn’t act immediately. Erion, however… back when he was the Grand General commanding the demon legions, he couldn’t tolerate evil roaming free beyond the law —so he struck first.”

  The Demon King’s eyes sharpened, cold and lethal:

  – “On the Dark Planet, just hearing his name is enough to turn criminals pale.”

  The hall fell into absolute silence. Everyone understood that once Erion had entered this game, the fate of the one hiding behind the glamorous cosmetics… was now only a matter of time.