Mr. Quy slowly stepped toward C?u D?ng, his eyes dazed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

  He paused, his voice hoarse—as if he himself couldn’t believe the words he was about to say:

  “What I just witnessed... is beyond my comprehension. A man's voice... coming from a girl's mouth…”

  No one responded. All eyes were focused on Anh ?ào, who remained unconscious.

  Standing beside Master V?nh, Trúc Di?n narrowed his gaze like an ancient celestial beast scanning through time. He whispered low enough for only the elder to hear:

  “D?ng’s son-in-law... is a forest spirit disguised as a human. But he’s only trained for a hundred years. Still inexperienced.”

  Master V?nh nodded slightly. His eyes now gleamed with the chilling aura of a lifelong cultivator.

  He stepped forward and spoke loudly—his voice ringing out like a bell in the tense silence:

  “Anh ?ào’s condition is severe. My disciple and I will set up a protective barrier around this mansion… to limit Satan’s dimensional intrusion.”

  “But… what she just said earlier—those weren’t just meaningless words. That was a pronouncement. Does anyone in this family understand its true meaning?”

  C?u D?ng was still holding his wife Linh, who hadn’t regained consciousness after the shock.

  He looked up, his gaze visibly shaken. Beside him, Anh Th?—his second daughter—cast a tense glance at him.

  Anh Tú, standing quietly nearby, carefully watched the subtle shifts in C?u D?ng’s and Anh Th?’s expressions. He didn’t say a word... but his heart was stirred:

  “That look... They’re hiding something.”

  Finally, C?u D?ng broke the silence, his voice trembling:

  “I... I don’t understand what she said.

  My daughter speaking in a man’s voice… maybe... she really is possessed…”

  Anh Th? quickly jumped in, her eyes avoiding contact:

  “My sister must be unstable from the possession. That’s why she said those strange things.

  Please don’t overthink it.”

  Master V?nh’s voice dropped, firm and cold:

  “The Devil King never speaks nonsense. Every word from his mouth is either a truth... or a curse.”

  He turned to Trúc Di?n and gave a silent nod.

  “Disciple, let’s begin the protective circle. Let’s inspect the grounds outside for a proper position.”

  Trúc Di?n pulled a small silk pouch from his crossbody satchel, filled with dimly glowing spiritual stones.

  Master V?nh then took out his Bagua compass and began calculating the layout for the protective array.

  Together, they started forming the Tam Tài Barrier—an ancient formation specifically designed to dampen the dark magical frequency of demon lords, limiting their influence across dimensions.

  Back inside the mansion, no one said a word.

  But deep inside, each was calculating… wondering what Anh ?ào’s chilling words might be pointing to in this business family’s hidden past.

  Something terrifying… was beginning to surface.

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters—disguised behind the illusion of an abandoned moss-covered mansion—

  Beyond the dimensional gate lay an underground empire: a royal mafia organization feared not only in the demon realm but also revered as a mirror of truth in the human world.

  In the grand central hall, Satan sat with one leg crossed over the other upon a throne carved from a thousand-year-old solid limwood.

  The intricate blend of Western gothic motifs and ancient Eastern sigils exuded both majesty and menace.

  In his hand was the Velkhanis Mirror—a supreme magical relic capable of seeing through space, time, and all forms of enchantment.

  Reflected in it was the living room of C?u D?ng’s mansion, where he had just delivered a message from the underworld using Anh ?ào’s body as a vessel.

  His voice was low and cold—like ice drawn from the abyss:

  “A century-old forest spirit as the son-in-law... and the ancient divine beast Trúc Di?n... sworn brother of Master V?nh... a white serpent cultivated for a thousand years. How entertaining.”

  Opposite the throne, bathed in the flickering light of wrought-iron sconces, sat the Grand Dowager Tha?i S?, her aged features still commanding.

  She rested on a rosewood chair adorned with raven motifs, holding a black phoenix-feather fan and a steaming cup of rare Shan Tuy?t tea, its aroma steeped in wild mountain herbs.

  She sipped quietly, eyes glinting with amused contempt

  “The more, the merrier—it only makes the game more thrilling.

  His Majesty gave them warning, and yet D?ng and his second daughter still shamelessly deny their crimes.

  To betray the ancestral pact… I fear this family’s roots are about to be torn from the soil.”

  Just then, the grand doors on the west corridor creaked open.

  Crown Prince Arian entered, clad in a knee-length cloak, shoulders draped with a jet-black fur mantle.

  His ice-blue gaze carried a hint of worry, his expression noble yet burdened.

  He bowed respectfully before his father:

  “Your Majesty, the Princess has begun to burn with fever. H?ng Nhung is tending to her. Her temperature is rising unnaturally.

  Her eyes are starting to change. It is projected… the transformation will begin tonight.”

  Satan nodded slowly, his eyes as deep as the spiral of time:

  “Good.

  Tonight is the full moon… the peak of magical transmutation.

  Prepare everything.

  We shall not merely have a princess… but a warrior. A hybrid heir of man and demon.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  A queen for a new age.”

  The Grand Dowager slowly folded her fan, her pupils glowing with the crimson light of pure infernal spirit:

  “If the transformation succeeds…

  Then the boundary between mankind and the demon realm… will cease to exist.”

  At C?u D?ng’s mansion in District 2, the harsh sunlight streamed through the windows, warming the space inside—

  yet the atmosphere remained chilling, heavy with an eerie, indescribable tension.

  In the living room, Anh ?ào lay unconscious on the sofa, her face pale and drained of life.

  M? Linh had also fainted and was still cradled in her husband’s arms.

  Vú N?m and Dì T?, the housemaids, bent over to clean up the shattered glass from the destroyed doll cabinet.

  On the tiled floor, pieces of broken porcelain dolls lay scattered—cracked eyes seemingly still brimming with a vague resentment…

  My’s family, along with her three closest friends—Tu?n, Ti?n, and Deep—sat in silence, their minds overwhelmed.

  What they had just witnessed was far beyond anything they could comprehend.

  Outside, in the back garden behind the villa—amid rows of radiant pink bougainvillea and prized bonsai trees—a magical stone circle had been completed.

  Within the confines of this protective seal, Master V?nh and Trúc Di?n stood, forming hand seals, chanting ancient incantations.

  A shimmering veil of light gradually materialized around the mansion—both shielding and weakening the encroaching malevolent forces.

  Footsteps approached from behind—Anh Tú stepped into view, his gaze sharp yet composed.

  He walked straight toward the two figures, both far more spiritually advanced than him.

  Master V?nh slowly turned, his voice deep and solemn:

  “I know you're not human. You’re a forest spirit—one who has cultivated for a hundred years. But you've walked the righteous path. You've never harmed the innocent.

  You must also sense it… Your wife's family is hiding something, aren’t they?”

  Anh Tú did not flinch. He simply nodded.

  “That’s right.

  I’ve felt the shadows in their eyes—especially from my in-laws and my sister-in-law, Anh Th?.

  I am not like those who walk the demonic path.

  My clan… has been hunted for centuries by the Royal Mafia of Satan.”

  “All we seek is a peaceful life—coexisting with humankind.”

  Trúc Di?n narrowed his eyes slightly, silver glints in his pupils catching the sunlight.

  “I understand.

  You are not evil—your aura is pure.

  But remember… Satan overlooks no one.

  Even the righteous must prove themselves when under suspicion.

  If you can’t prove your loyalty… your family won’t survive.”

  Anh Tú furrowed his brow, voice low but firm:

  “I’ll help you investigate.

  As the son-in-law, I can move within the family without raising suspicion.

  I believe my in-laws were involved in the mysterious death of Trang’s parents.

  My two sisters-in-law know something, but they’re all hiding it.”

  Trúc Di?n frowned:

  “Two sisters-in-law? I only know of your wife, Anh ?ào, and her younger sister, Anh Th?.”

  Anh Tú explained:

  “My wife’s family actually has three daughters.

  The youngest, Anh Ph??ng, is studying abroad in Canada.

  I heard she’s returning to Vietnam soon.”

  Master V?nh placed a firm hand on Anh Tú’s shoulder, his gaze heavy with meaning:

  “Good. From this moment forward… you’re one of us.

  We will uncover the truth.

  Satan has already issued his warning.

  If your wife’s family insists on hiding the past… no one will be able to save them.”

  Trúc Di?n drew from his sleeve an ancient talisman—crafted from beast hide, etched with yin-yang inscriptions and old runes:

  “This is a Nether Realm Charm—a relic that distinguishes truth from evil.

  Wear it. It will help you sense malice in every word, glance, and gesture.

  You’ll know who speaks with sincerity… and who wears a mask.”

  Anh Tú accepted the talisman, his eyes blazing with newfound resolve:

  “From now on… I stand with Trang.

  She and her parents were the victims.

  She is the only one who still deserves to be called family.”

  Atop the pine-covered hills of ?à L?t, cloaked in mist and echoing with the whisper of mountain winds, stood a crumbling French colonial mansion—

  its moss-laden red-tiled roof, cracked plaster walls, and rotting wooden windows told a tale of abandonment.

  But that was merely the illusion…

  Behind the veil of an illusory barrier, another world existed entirely—

  a grand and majestic castle, with classic French architecture: high arched ceilings, handcrafted crystal chandeliers, polished walnut floors, and deep crimson velvet furnishings.

  In the main hall, Erion—Grand General and overlord of the Royal Black Diamond Organization—sat with one leg crossed over the other on a gold-inlaid ebony sofa.

  One hand rested lightly on a highly encrypted laptop, its screen flickering with high-speed data streams.

  His handsome yet icy face was partially lit by the screen's glow.

  His ruby eyes occasionally flashed like living crimson gemstones.

  Across from him, Count Din—an aristocratic vampire over 800 years old—sat with elegance, tablet in hand as he scanned global financial reports from his underground empire:

  black-market auctions, casino chains, shadow banking systems…

  The automatic door slid open quietly.

  A low-ranking demon soldier in black armor stepped in, bowing deeply, voice urgent:

  – “Reporting to the Grand General and the Count! The Omega-layer satellite system has just detected a surge of extremely high-frequency magical energy.”

  – “Based on the wave pattern and magical frequency, we suspect it originates from none other than Satan himself.”

  Erion’s expression didn’t change. He slowly looked up.

  – “Have you pinpointed the exact location?”

  The demon bowed even lower.

  – “We haven’t yet located the Demon King himself, but we have traced the origin of the energy burst.

  It’s an old mansion in District 2, Saigon.”

  Without hesitation, Erion snapped the laptop shut and stood up.

  – “Count Din. Tech room. Now.”

  The two men passed through an enchanted door, leading into a hidden operations chamber built of ancient rune-engraved stone, protected by top-tier magical security wards.

  Before them, a massive 180-degree curved screen covered the ebony-paneled wall.

  Below it was a holographic command table, where arcane symbols danced alongside high-tech interfaces.

  Din sat in the central command chair—crafted with psychic shielding enchantments—and gently stroked the console:

  – “I’ll cloak the satellite trace to avoid detection by Satan, the Neutral Mage Council, or any opposing factions.

  From now on, we observe using layered spatial overlays.”

  Erion crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on the screen zooming in on the District 2 mansion

  —

  each angle enhanced, from the front gate, hallways, to the very living room where Master V?nh’s protective circle had been deployed.

  Another window displayed a milky-white radiance—

  a protective seal cast by Trúc Di?n, bearing the signature of an ancient spiritual beast from a thousand-year lineage.

  Din narrowed his eyes:

  – “A neutral mage… and an earth-aligned spiritual beast—

  if I’m not mistaken, a White Serpent who’s trained for a millennium.

  There’s also a hundred-year-old forest spirit.”

  – “And another presence… very peculiar. Not from Satan… yet not human either.”

  Erion’s voice grew heavier:

  – “It seems someone… someone truly important… is under Satan’s protection.

  But why would he personally intervene for a human family?”

  Din frowned:

  – “It could be tied to a key individual… or a buried secret long hidden.

  But right now, we don’t yet know what it is.”

  Erion’s eyes flashed crimson for a brief moment:

  – “Create an energy field map around that mansion.

  Simultaneously, gather all data on its residents:

  bloodline records, medical files, and property history.”

  Din nodded:

  – “Understood. I’ll have the Arcane AI Division decrypt everything.

  If there’s someone Satan is protecting… we will find out who it is.”

  In the mansion in District 2, the afternoon sunlight slanted gently through the curtains, casting a warm hue across the living room where Anh ?ào and M? Linh still lay unconscious.

  Anh Th? gently wiped the sweat off her mother’s forehead, while C?u D?ng placed a cool towel over his daughter’s brow.

  Mr. Quy checked his watch, then stood up and said gravely:

  – “It’s getting late… we should be heading back. If anything happens, D?ng, call me immediately.”

  C?u D?ng patted his old friend on the shoulder and nodded:

  – “Our family truly appreciates you, and the three friends—Tu?n, Ti?n, and Deep. Thank you all.”

  Suddenly, My, who had been sitting next to Mrs. Lan, shivered. Her face turned pale:

  – “Mom… I… I’ve got chills… It feels freezing, like we’re in ?à L?t… Someone’s watching us…”

  Tu?n immediately turned to her:

  – “Are you okay? Do you feel sick?”

  My shook her head weakly, gripping her mother’s hand, her lips trembling:

  – “No… The sun’s blazing outside, but I feel this icy wind, as if it came from somewhere far… too far…”

  Just then, Master V?nh, Trúc Di?n, and Anh Tú stepped in from the backyard.

  Hearing My’s words, all three of them froze in place.

  Anh Tú frowned:

  – “She said it feels like ?à L?t? I feel that current too… It’s strange.”

  Master V?nh quickly started calculating on his fingers, tracing celestial readings. A few seconds later, his eyes widened, voice sharp as a blade:

  – “Another wave of demonic energy has emerged… as powerful as Satan himself.”

  Anh Tú recoiled in shock:

  – “You mean… there’s another demon lord-level entity?! Who is it?”

  Trúc Di?n stepped forward, his expression serious. He closed his eyes—his thousand-year serpent senses kicked in.

  A trail of black energy slithered through the air, weaving between the warmth of humans. The cold, metallic scent drifted into his nose.

  – “Yes… this isn’t Satan’s aura. It’s a completely different entity… but just as powerful.

  If both appear at once…”

  Deep shot up from the couch, face pale:

  – “Two demon lords?! God, we’re screwed. We’re just humans—we’re doomed, aren’t we?!”

  Tu?n tightened his grip on My’s hand, his eyes filled with confusion and dread as he turned to Master V?nh:

  – “What now? Are we supposed to just sit here and wait to die? Is there no chance?”

  Master V?nh’s voice dropped into a low murmur, his eyes drifting toward the window where the afternoon light had faded into hues of orange:

  – “There’s still a chance… but only if we uncover what caused both demon lords to appear in the human realm at the same time.”

  Trúc Di?n nodded slowly:

  – “And I believe… the reason lies in a destiny yet to be revealed.”