Chapter 117: A Dead Dog

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: A Dead Dog

That door was the only way forward, yet it was also a blatant trap, radiating a deadly allure.

"The voice is a distraction. The lock is the key, isn’t it?" Hannah Morgan forced herself to ignore the demonic sound drilling into her ears, her mind racing. "Since the lock can open on its own, it must have some sort of trigger or mechanism. Maybe we don’t have to open the door at all. Maybe we just need to figure out how to operate this lock correctly."

Milo Shaw nodded. "That makes sense! Could it have something to do with those symbols?"

’Something to do with the symbols?’

Seraphina Sinclair stared silently at the hexagram on the door for a moment. ’The System couldn’t have brought us all the way here just to solve some symbolic combination lock, could it?’

’That would be just too realistic.’

But this was only a guess. Aside from the symbol on the great door and the runes on the smaller doors, they knew almost nothing. They had reached an impasse.

The mournful female voice continued its assault, washing over their minds like a cold, incessant tide.

"Save me... Open the door... Everything you could ever want is in here..."

The veins on the back of Magnus Barrett’s hand bulged as he gripped his machete, clearly struggling to resist the temptation.

He whipped his head around, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the others. "So what do you suggest we do?! Just stand here listening to this damn wailing? We have to do something! Why don’t we just open the door? What if that’s really how we pass this stage?"

Seraphina Sinclair impatiently cleaned out her ear. ’Is this guy capable of anything besides yelling and holding us back?’

’Completely useless for getting things done, but an expert at screwing them up. Maybe...’

Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze suddenly turned dangerous. ’...I should just get rid of this problem first?’

Magnus Barrett had been exceptionally agitated, but when he met Seraphina Sinclair’s vicious gaze—a look that promised violence at any second—he fell silent, like a cat held fast by the scruff of its neck.

If the System hadn’t stated that teammates must cooperate and trust one another, and if Seraphina Sinclair hadn’t been worried about a future challenge requiring a certain number of people, she would have made her move right then.

Hannah Morgan simply ignored his outburst, her gaze locked on the giant, open padlock. Its body was ancient, etched with runes similar to those on the door, but the keyhole was a peculiar shape that no ordinary key could match.

"The voice is a distraction. The lock is the key."

She repeated herself, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the bewitching sound. "This lock is already open. Are we supposed to figure out how to lock it again?"

Seraphina Sinclair paused. ’She had a point. Knowing the System’s twisted nature, that was a real possibility.’

’Besides, didn’t Sunflower say there was something foul behind this door?’

’If it’s something foul, reinforcing the seal is never the wrong move.’

With that thought, she walked right up to the great door.

Her movement instantly drew everyone’s attention. Magnus Barrett’s eyes lit up with anticipation as he began spouting his usual nonsense. "See! I told you! If we just open the door, we can probably pass this stage! We don’t have any other clues, so instead of just waiting around, we should just push the door open and take a gamble!"

"A gamble?" Hannah Morgan had finally had enough. She sneered, "You might be willing to gamble with your own life, but we’re not. Just because you don’t value your own life doesn’t mean ours are worthless too."

The words were harsh.

Magnus Barrett, who had been clamoring all along, couldn’t take the insult. He cursed under his breath and looked ready to strike.

Seeing this, Milo Shaw quickly stepped in to hold him back. He didn’t look particularly strong, but he had a surprising amount of force—truly befitting a part-time hunter.

Seraphina Sinclair ignored the commotion behind her, her entire focus on the massive, dangling lock. Its body was cold to the touch, the engravings deep. As her fingertips traced their lines, she could feel the uneven texture of the runes and a subtle, indescribable flow of energy.

"Hannah Morgan might be right," she said suddenly, her cool voice cutting through Magnus Barrett’s impending tirade and Milo Shaw’s attempts to placate him. "This lock is open, which probably means the danger has been *unlocked*. What we need to do isn’t open this door, but lock it again."

"Lock it?" Magnus Barrett gasped, still held back by Milo Shaw, his voice thick with disbelief and agitation. "How are we supposed to get in if we lock it? How do we pass the stage if we don’t go in? What the hell is going through your head, woman!"

Seraphina Sinclair suddenly turned. The focused calm she’d had while examining the lock was instantly replaced by an absolute, glacial cold.

There was no anger in her eyes, yet they were like two bottomless, frozen pools. The sight made Magnus Barrett’s heart lurch. He instinctively tried to take a step back, only to find his retreat blocked by Milo Shaw.

"Are you telling me what to do?"

Her voice was quiet, even softer than the lingering wail of the woman, yet it was like an ice pick, piercing clearly into everyone’s eardrums with an oppressive weight that defied any argument.

Magnus Barrett was momentarily choked by her gaze and tone. All bark and no bite, he stiffened his neck. "I... I’m just stating the facts! If we lock it, what the hell are we supposed to..."

He didn’t even finish his sentence. To the others, it was just a blur of motion!

Seraphina Sinclair moved with unimaginable speed. There was no wind-up, no warning. She was a shadow skimming across the floor, closing the distance to Magnus Barrett in an instant. Then, her left hand swung high.

SMACK!

The immense force sent Magnus Barrett sprawling to the ground. He stared at Seraphina Sinclair in disbelief, his eyes still full of defiance.

But before Magnus could react, Seraphina Sinclair’s right leg shot out like a cannonball, whistling through the air as it slammed viciously into his abdomen.

"URGH—!"

Magnus Barrett’s eyes bulged. The vicious kick drove all his shouts and curses back down his throat, reducing them to a pained, muffled groan.

His burly frame curled up on the ground like a cooked shrimp. The intense pain left him breathless, and drool trickled uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth.

But this wasn’t over.

Seraphina Sinclair crouched in front of him, looking at his already swelling cheek. "It looks a little asymmetrical," she said. "Let me help you with that."

Another SMACK.

Magnus Barrett couldn’t even scream anymore. He lay sprawled on the ground, reduced to pathetic moans, without the strength to even try and get up.

From start to finish, the entire beatdown had taken less than a minute.

The corridor fell deathly silent, the only sounds being the mournful wail from the door and Magnus Barrett’s ragged, pained gasps.

Milo Shaw was dumbfounded. His Adam’s apple bobbed, but no words came out.

Hannah Morgan also held her breath, a flash of astonishment in her eyes that quickly morphed into cool, calm appraisal.

Seraphina Sinclair stood up and slowly shook out her hand as if she were merely dusting it off. She looked down at Magnus Barrett, who lay on the ground like a dead dog, the ice in her eyes not having thawed in the slightest.