Following the report call from the undercover agent at the boarding house, the atmosphere at the Bình Chánh Grand Citadel remained lively yet tinged with contemplation. Demon King Satan leisurely savored a slice of black pepper wagyu steak, his eyes sharp yet composed. He set his fork and knife down on the table:

  – “Our agent just reported from the lodging district. Those wealthy bastards sent someone to search for my daughter... and for ?ng Nhan.”

  The Grand Chancellor Lady, calmly cutting a slice of garlic butter toast topped with caviar, kept her eyes on the Velkhanis Mirror, which was currently displaying surveillance footage:

  – “They came to apologize, didn’t they? Let’s see how sincere they truly are.”

  Trang turned to her father, her eyes shimmering yet steely:

  – “Father... should I reveal myself? When would be the right time to meet them?”

  Trúc Di?n rested his chin on one hand, voice cool and composed:

  – “Don’t rush. Let them stew in their guilt a bit longer. The deeper the wound, the longer it burns.”

  Yin nodded, taking a sip of red wine:

  – “Exactly. Let’s see if their so-called remorse lasts, or if it’s just a one-time performance.”

  Erion, still visibly annoyed over the whole “future son-in-law” issue, lightly slammed his hand on the table:

  – “But the main problem is D?ng’s family. Has anyone figured out how to make them confess?”

  Din picked up another slice of grilled beef, smirking as he added it to his plate:

  – “That guy won’t talk easily. If we want him to open his mouth, we’ll need the right pressure point…”

  Trang smiled faintly, her eyes glinting with cleverness:

  – “I’ve got a plan. But I’ll need help from the Grand Chancellor and Master V?nh. Since the Grand Chancellor can enter dreams—and bring others in with her.”

  She turned to them and continued calmly:

  – “You two will pose as my adoptive parents and appear in M? Linh and C?u D?ng’s dreams. Once they’re asleep, haunt their minds so deeply that they’ll be forced to confess everything.”

  Satan nodded in approval, his eyes flaring like fire:

  – “Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. If it were me, I’d be scared out of my mind too.”

  Crown Prince Arian, seated before his encrypted magical laptop, was tuning into a satellite feed powered by the organization’s spatial surveillance system:

  – “Then Yin and I will monitor and record everything from orbit. There’ll be no escape from judgment this time.”

  The demonlings chimed in enthusiastically:

  – “We’ll take the form of bats and hover nearby to help document everything more precisely!”

  Everyone nodded in unison. The ancient mirrors glowed, signaling the beginning of a grand spectacle soon to unfold…

  After hearing the plan, Master V?nh nodded in agreement:

  – “I’m willing to work with the Grand Chancellor. But I’ll need to head back to District 3 to grab a few necessary tools. My junior and I will return shortly.”

  Satan burst into laughter, folding his arms behind his back:

  – “You really are... something else. Have you forgotten we have spatial portals? One step, and you’ll be right at your front door.”

  Master V?nh chuckled:

  – “Ah, right, I totally forgot about that.”

  Satan glanced at Erion’s group, who were still enjoying their meal:

  – “You all will be staying here tonight. What about you, Erion? Interested in watching a movie with us?”

  Yin, Din, and the demonlings enthusiastically clapped in unison:

  Demonlings: “Stay! Stay with us, General! Let’s finish this drama together!”

  But Erion, his face wrinkled like a bitter melon, growled:

  – “I’m not staying! I’d rather go back to the ?à L?t Citadel!”

  Satan laughed even louder, then turned to Trúc Di?n:

  – “Let him go, then. That way… Trúc Di?n can have some private time with my daughter without a certain someone interrupting.”

  The entire table burst into laughter. General Erion had just walked into his own trap and was now sulking. He shot to his feet:

  – “You’re crossing the line! The universe created her for me — only I am her destined one!”

  The Grand Chancellor calmly sipped her tea, glancing at him with a hint of disdain:

  – “You’re the one choosing to leave. No one’s kicking you out. Better get going—tonight, the princess and the Serpent King will be strolling around Saigon. Should be quite romantic.”

  Crown Prince Arian added, throwing some side-eye:

  – “Your brash and violent nature doesn’t suit my royal sister at all. Go home. Don’t cause more chaos here.”

  Erion’s face turned red with anger, his fists clenched tightly. No one had even physically touched him, yet he felt as if his pride had been stomped on. The humiliation was maddening.

  As everyone continued laughing so hard their stomachs hurt, Master V?nh’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen and answered:

  – “Hello? Thi?n?”

  On the other end, his disciple Thi?n replied respectfully:

  – “Master, my assistant and I are planning to visit the boarding house area again to look for more clues about Miss Trang. Do you have any new instructions?”

  Master V?nh chuckled, his tone gentle:

  – “No need, my child. Trúc Di?n and I have already gathered everything we need.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Thi?n hesitated:

  – “I see… then may I invite you and Uncle to lunch? I know a vegetarian place — very delicious!”

  Glancing around the banquet table, surrounded by powerful and high-ranking figures — people he had only dreamed of meeting in his decades-long career — Master V?nh didn’t want to waste the moment. He replied softly:

  – “Thank you, but your uncle and I are currently dining with... some very special individuals. Let’s do lunch another time.”

  Just then, a few undercover agents stepped in to report on the status of various outposts. One of them began with, “Lord Satan...,” a line that Thi?n accidentally overheard through the phone.

  Master V?nh quickly hung up before his disciple could ask any questions. The whole table chuckled at the legendary mage’s slightly embarrassed yet delightfully human reaction.

  At the law office in District 8, after ending the call with his master, Thi?n put his phone down on the desk. His eyes widened, and his face turned pale, as if all the blood had drained from it.

  His assistant, Trung, walked over in concern:

  – “So... we don’t need to go to the boarding house anymore? And... did Master and Uncle agree to have lunch with us?”

  Thi?n stood frozen, his throat dry, lips barely moving:

  – “Master... he’s having a banquet... with Lord Satan…”

  Trung’s eyes bulged, his face twisted in disbelief:

  – “What?! Having a banquet with... Lord Satan?! Are you sure you didn’t call the wrong number?”

  Thi?n shook his head, still in shock:

  – “How could I have? It was definitely the Master's voice... and they were really dining together. I even heard someone say, ‘My Lord Satan’ through the phone.”

  The room suddenly grew cold. Trung was still confused, while Thi?n whispered to himself:

  – “All this time, I thought Master and Uncle were just spiritual exorcists and feng shui practitioners... Who knew... they were also in the film industry?”

  Trung’s mouth gaped:

  – “Wait, are you saying... Master and Uncle are secretly actors and we didn’t know? Actually, that makes sense. Maybe you called right in the middle of them filming a scene. That’s why you heard, ‘My Lord Satan.’ I mean... no one talks like that in real life.”

  ---

  Meanwhile, at the villa in District 2, after Deep reported that Trang had been kicked out of the boarding house and that ?ng Nhan had returned to the countryside to retire, the atmosphere in the living room grew tense and uneasy.

  Mrs. Lan cried out in panic:

  – “Oh heavens! Then how are we going to find her now? We have to apologize — it’s our daughter’s only chance at... divine forgiveness...!”

  Ti?n frowned:

  – “But where do we even start? Saigon is enormous!”

  As for C?u D?ng, a flicker of relief passed through his eyes, though he kept a concerned tone:

  – “I... I had no idea. Things have been hectic at home lately, I haven’t had time to check on her. I was even planning to bring her some money... but now she’s gone…”

  But deep inside, his thoughts were cold and cruel:

  – “Finally, that thorn has been removed… Honestly, my sister never should’ve adopted you. I wasted money and effort on you for 20 years. Thank god I cut you out of my family five years ago.”

  Suddenly, a scream rang out from the kitchen—it was M? Linh:

  – “Sister T?! Why are there maggots wriggling all over the rice pot?!”

  To her eyes, the freshly cooked, fragrant rice pot looked like it was full of squirming white maggots — fat and wriggling.

  Dì T? and Anh Th? rushed in. Looking at the pot, they were confused:

  – “Madam, I just finished cooking this to serve our guests. The rice is fresh and perfectly done. I rinsed it carefully, I swear. If I’d seen anything strange, I wouldn’t have cooked it.”

  Anh Th? gently tried to calm her mother:

  – “Mom, it’s a fresh, hot pot of rice. Please look again.”

  But M? Linh clutched her head and shrieked:

  – “You’re lying to me! I can see them! They're crawling... wriggling up the sides of the pot... one by one... aaahh!”

  Chaos erupted once more inside the villa. Mr. Quy and Mrs. Lan stared at My, Anh ?ào, and Aunt Linh in growing horror. All three women were suffering disturbing hallucinations — was this truly just a coincidence?

  – “No one in the villa realized… this was only the opening act — of a haunting plan unfolding quietly within the realm of dreams.”

  At the District 2 villa, lunch was carefully prepared by Dì T? and Anh Th?. The gentle aroma of freshly cooked rice, the steaming malabar spinach soup, and the flavorful savory dishes began to soothe the chaotic tension lingering in the air.

  Dì T? called out politely:

  – “Everyone, please come and enjoy the hot lunch.”

  Anh ?ào, completely drained and mentally unstable after her earlier breakdowns, remained asleep in her room. Her husband, Tú, stayed with her to care for her.

  At the dining table, Deep eagerly served bowls of rice to everyone. The atmosphere seemed to ease a little.

  Steaming bowls of white rice were laid out—each grain fluffy and fragrant. But for M? Linh, what she saw was something else entirely. In her eyes, those warm, inviting bowls of rice were full of writhing live maggots, squirming up the sides of the bowls.

  Dì T? placed the soup on the table — a freshly made malabar spinach broth with dried shrimp, garnished with fragrant fried shallots.

  – “Here’s the soup, just finished cooking. Please enjoy your meal!”

  But what M? Linh saw was a black abyss, filled with live centipedes of all sizes. Hundreds of twitching legs crawled up and over the rim of the bowl.

  Ti?n smiled while taking a piece of crispy fried sea bass:

  – “Sister T?, your fish is amazing today!”

  C?u D?ng nodded:

  – “You’re really the best cook, Sister T?.”

  But to M? Linh, they were chewing on rotten, spoiled fish. Maggots clung to the corners of their mouths, some even dropping into their plates.

  Her eyes widened in terror, voice trembling:

  – “Stop… don’t eat… it’s disgusting… the maggots… the centipedes… aaah!”

  She screamed, flinging the soup bowl from the table. The soup splattered across the floor, and in her vision, the centipedes were now crawling across the tiles beneath the chairs.

  She stumbled backward, whispering in panic:

  – “No… it can’t be… the centipedes… so many...!!!”

  Her hands trembled violently, eyes bulging in disbelief. Then — she collapsed like a tree chopped at its trunk, still murmuring incomprehensible words as she hit the floor.

  C?u D?ng rushed over and lifted her to the living room sofa, panicking as he tried to wake her:

  – “Linh! What’s wrong?! Wake up!”

  Deep stood up and asked anxiously:

  – “What’s going on with Mrs. Linh?!”

  Mr. Quy growled through clenched teeth:

  – “I told you — we need to take them to the hospital. This is serious now!”

  At the mention of hospital, My suddenly clutched her head and screamed like she was losing her mind:

  – “No! I don’t want to go! Don’t take me to the hospital!”

  Tu?n grabbed his head in despair, eyes filled with rage and helplessness:

  – “God… what is happening to us?!”

  Just moments ago, the dining room had been filled with the warmth of home-cooked food—but now, the air turned cold, thick with dread and confusion. A chill swept over the still-steaming dishes, like a silent omen.

  – It was the forewarning of divine punishment—cast from beings of lordly rank. The midnight reckoning was nearing, ready to descend upon this family steeped in guilt, secrets, and deceit.

  At the Bình Chánh command center, the group was enjoying dessert while scenes from the terrifying lunch at C?u D?ng’s home played out clearly across three magical mirrors: The Velkhanis, Tranquil Moon Mirror (T?nh Nguy?t B?ch Kính), and Black Crystal.

  Satan took a sip of Shan Tuy?t black tea, speaking with a relaxed tone:

  – “Earlier, Mr. D?ng secretly rejoiced when he heard my daughter had been kicked out of her boarding house.”

  Yin popped a few fingernail-sized grapes into her mouth:

  – “So… Lord Satan has now escalated the hallucinations to a stronger level.”

  Master V?nh smiled while gently stirring his chilled herbal dessert:

  – “Tonight, the Grand Mistress and I… will make sure none of them sleep peacefully.”

  Trang looked over at her royal father:

  – “What about Anh Tú’s family? Should we let them know? They’ve chosen the path of the righteous.”

  Satan nodded:

  – “Once we return to the Gothic mansion, invite him over—like greeting a new neighbor. Then we can tell him.”

  He swirled his tea, speaking thoughtfully:

  – “The Satanic Royal Mafia has traced his entire family for centuries. His parents were the first to veer toward the path of righteousness. That’s why I’ve left them alone — until now.”

  Trúc Di?n smiled:

  – “I’ll send him a message. I’ll also invite Mr. ??c and Mrs. Tam — so they can see the true face of their future in-laws.”

  The Grand Mistress slowly scooped a bite of flan with her spoon:

  – “Once we’re done eating, let’s head back and prepare… then return to enjoy the drama unfold.”

  Satan cast a meaningful glance at Erion:

  – “As for you… go back to your own stronghold. Don’t linger here getting in the way of my daughter and Trúc Di?n’s romance.”

  Trúc Di?n turned to Trang with warm eyes:

  – “Shall I take you out this evening? Let’s walk the streets and watch Saigon’s night unfold.”

  Trang smiled with quiet amusement:

  – “Sure. Let’s go. I’ve never gone for a walk with anyone before.”

  The little demons stifled their laughter. Din shook his head:

  – “It’s over. It’s all because of the General’s hot-headedness — always rushing into things without thinking.”

  Yin added sarcastically:

  – “That’s why you’re still single, General.”

  Furious, Erion shot up from his seat. He couldn’t let Trúc Di?n outshine him — he had to regain his pride.

  – “Satan! How dare you mess with me like this?! I… I won’t lose to this damn snake!!”

  Satan chuckled deeply, dabbing his mouth with a napkin, his voice calm and cold:

  – “Then prove it. Show me you're worthy of being a prince consort in the Satanic Dynasty.

  But what truly matters now — is tonight’s banquet… prepared especially for his family.”

  The Grand Mistress raised her wine glass, her gaze unfathomable:

  – “A feast… from another realm. Its taste… won’t be easy to swallow.”

  The little demons burst into laughter. The magical mirrors gleamed brightly in the luxurious, mysterious space.

  Inside each powerful mind, individual schemes were already set in motion.