Chapter 1551: The End of the Party II

Zhao Li Xin stepped out of the villa and back into the garden, the soft glow of lanterns and the low hum of conversation washing over him once more. His gaze moved instinctively through the crowd until it stopped.

Lory emerged from the direction of the restroom, pausing just beyond the trellis. She glanced left, then right, her expression alert, obviously she was searching for someone.

The moment their eyes met, her guarded focus melted away. Her eyes lit up, bright and unmistakable. At the same time, the tension Zhao Li Xin hadn’t realized he was carrying finally loosened, relief softening his features as he confirmed with his own eyes that she was unharmed.

He crossed the distance in long strides and reached for her without hesitation, hands settling on her shoulders as his gaze swept over her, sharp and thorough. "You’re not hurt?" he asked, while her eyes checked her up and down, though with Lory’s ability that was actually a needless question; nevertheless, he needed to hear it.

Lory shook her head lightly. "I’m fine." Then she tilted her head, studying him in return, a faint curve to her lips. "You look fine too." Zhao Li Xin understood immediately what she meant.

A small smile spread across his face, pride edging into it. "What could happen to me?" he said, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance, utterly unapologetic.

Lory let out a soft chuckle, the sound warm and relieved. She knew her worry had been unnecessary, but she couldn’t help it—and neither could he.

Suddenly, flames erupted from the villa.

"FIRE— There’s a FIRE!"

"Call firefighter, HURRY!"

"GET OUT, get all the guests out!"

Shouts tore through the garden as smoke billowed into the night sky. Guests screamed and scattered in panic, gowns and suits rustling as people fled in every direction. Servants rushed forward in frantic disarray, shouting orders and hauling buckets, desperately trying to contain the spreading fire.

Zhao Li Xin turned calmly toward the blaze, watching the orange light dance against the villa walls. Then he looked back at Lory.

"...Is that yours?" he asked mildly.

Lory grinned, utterly unrepentant. "They needed to fix the bathroom anyway." She shrugged, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.

"Well, the villa does need some renovation." A low chuckle escaped him. "Then let’s go home," Zhao Li Xin said.

He slipped an arm around Lory’s waist, drawing her effortlessly against his side. Without a backward glance, they turned away from the garden, their pace unhurried, almost leisurely, as chaos bloomed behind them.

Flames licked the villa’s walls, servants shouted orders, and guests fled in panicked clusters, but none of it reached them. To Zhao Li Xin and Lory, the noise was little more than distant static.

They crossed the grounds and reached the parking area, the night air cooler here, heavy with the scent of grass and smoke. Zhao Li Xin guided her toward their car, fingers resting lightly but securely at her waist.

Just as they were about to get in—

A car horn blared. Sharp, it feel deliberate. Lory paused. Slowly, she turned.

A sleek silver car idled a short distance away. Behind the wheel sat a handsome man with short, wavy black hair, dark brown eyes gleaming beneath the parking lights, olive skin catching a faint golden sheen. He smiled at her with easy, confident, almost playful, as if they were old acquaintances meeting by chance.

Lory’s eyes narrowed briefly. Behind the man, standing just outside the car, were three very familiar figures, the same three idiots she had dealt with a few days ago. Her gaze flicked over them with cool indifference before she turned away entirely and reached for the car door.

Zhao Li Xin was an apathetic man by nature, indifferent to most of the world around him. People passed through his life without leaving an impression, their faces and names discarded as soon as they ceased to be useful. Remembering others required attention, and attention was something he rarely gave.

However, there are some people who are able to catch Zhao Li Xin’s attention: those he can use and benefit him and those who irk and provoke him. Of course, Enzo falls into the latter category. Who told him to flirt with his wife?!

Enzo chuckled when Lory ignored him outright. "Hey," he called lightly, "you don’t remember me?" He glanced at Zhao Li Xin but pretended not to notice him, deliberately hoping to provoke a reaction.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get the chance. Lory slammed the door shut without saying a word, as if Enzo were nothing more than air. Zhao Li Xin’s expression remained impassive as well, fully aware of what Enzo had been trying to do.

With Lory’s cold rejection, there was no reason for Zhao Li Xin to be provoked. He entered the car, and not long after, the engine hummed to life. The vehicle reversed smoothly before turning and pulling away from the parking lot.

Enzo stood there, watching the taillights disappear into the night, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and embarrassment.

"I think she hates you," Boby said dryly.

"Really?" Enzo’s brows shot up. "I couldn’t tell," he replied, feigning innocence.

Boby rolled his eyes before breaking into laughter. The others followed, their voices lingering in the air as the sunset slowly swallowed the departing car. Enzo let out a sigh, then turned his gaze to the gray smoke rising from the villa.

"What a great party," he smirked.

Inside the villa, the study screamed wealth in the most suffocating way possible. Gold-trimmed shelves lined the walls, crowded with leather-bound books that looked more decorative than read.

A massive Persian carpet swallowed the marble floor, its intricate patterns almost dizzying, while an oversized leather sofa sat beneath a chandelier dripping with crystal, each facet catching the light like a watchful eye. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and expensive cologne.

Myra Worthington perched on the edge of the sofa, trapped in all that luxury, fidgeting like an ant in scorching heat. She gnawed at her perfectly manicured thumbnail, her gaze darting around the room as if the walls themselves were listening.

Behind a dark oak desk heavy enough to feel permanent, Derek hunched over his phone. His voice trembled, cracking under the weight of each word.

"Yes, I’m sorry... No, it will never happen again."

Silence stretched, thick and punishing.

"Yes... yes. I won’t make that mistake again. Yes—yes—yes..."

His knuckles whitened around the phone. "Yes. I’ll handle this myself."

The call ended. The chandelier hummed softly overhead, its light glaring, and the opulence of the room only made the silence more suffocating.

"What did he say?" Myra bit her lip, her voice tight.

"Upset." Derek’s shoulders slumped as he leaned back weakly in his chair.

"Of course he is." Myra scoffed, pushing herself to her feet. "What do they think—do they think this is easy?"

She paced, irritation spilling over. "We’ve seen how powerful Zhao Li Xin is. And his wife...she’s far stronger than we thought."

"They’re both stronger than we expected," Derek said, releasing a heavy sigh. "But he won’t care. He needs the money."

Myra stopped short, whirling toward him. "You think we don’t want the money? But a target that big needs preparation. If not—look what happened."

Her voice rose, sharp and frantic. "Now they know we’re after them. That couple will be on alert. What if they run? Or worse, report us to the King’s Men?"

She clenched her fists. "Then our job becomes harder!"

"I KNOW!" Derek snapped, infuriated. "You think I don’t know that? But we were competing here. He gave us two more days, or we’ll be pulled out of the commission, and we’ll lose all the money. Not to mention... our reputation."

Myra’s eyes widened. "Reputation?" She scoffed bitterly. "What if we lose our lives? Didn’t you see what he did to our strongest subordinates?"

Her voice trembled despite her anger. "That weak painter, Zhao Li Xin, killed them in less than ten minutes. And the way they died..." She swallowed hard. "I’ve never seen Kathy that terrified before."

"That’s exactly why I said we’ll do it ourselves!" Derek slammed his fist against the table, the wood groaning under the impact. "We just need a solid plan," he hissed.

They stared at each other in heavy silence—

All of a sudden, the door creaked open. "I might have a plan."

Both of them turned sharply as two young girls stepped into the study.

"Calista? Ceila?" Myra gasped. Derek stiffened. "What are you two doing here?"

If Lory had been there, she would have recognized them immediately; the two young girl are the daughters of Derek and Myra Worthington, the same girls she had seen while jogging a few days earlier. Yet whether they were truly their daughters or something else entirely remained uncertain.

Ceila closed the door behind them with deliberate calm. The sisters walked forward at an unhurried pace.

"Facing them head-on is far too dangerous," Calista said softly, tilting her head, her expression gentle, almost innocent. "We need to make them lower their guard."

"How?" Myra frowned.

Calista slowly raised her hands and opened her palms.

A thin, green mist began to coil above her skin, swirling like something alive.

Myra and Derek froze. Before they could react, Calista flicked her wrist. The mist spread rapidly, and from the floor and walls, strange green growths erupted, glowing flowers blooming unnaturally fast.

"Hey, are you out of your mind!" Myra screams.

Panic exploded in the room. In a second, they quickly raised protective barriers around them.

"It’s useless," Calista said calmly. "My poison penetrates all barriers. It absorbs directly through the skin."

"What?" Derek’s eyes widened in fright.

She pulled two light-blue vials from her jacket and handed them to Myra and Derek. "Relax. It’s the antidote. Made from my blood, it’ll keep you immune to my poison for a few hours."

They drank without hesitation. Ceila watched their frantic movements with a quiet sneer before pulling out her own vial and sipping it leisurely.

"This poison drains mana and paralyzes the body," Calista continued, smiling darkly. "Even powerful Gifted won’t stand a chance. Once they’re infected by the pollen..."

Her smile sharpened.

"We can slaughter them like cattle."

Myra stared at her in disbelief. "How did you change your power like this?"

She knew Calista’s Gift well—poisoned bodily fluids: blood, saliva, tears. Deadly, yes, but limited. Never this. Never smoke. Never living weapons.

"Someone helped me," Calista said, her eyes narrowing. "Someone who bears a deep grudge against Zhao Li Xin... and his wife, Raven Jane."

Derek leaned forward. "Who?"

Calista’s smile widened, slow and venomous, "Lucia Viora."