Third person's POV
They were about to enter the perilous area known as the Demon's Abyss.
Wilmot was determined to eliminate the lurking danger.
He believed that the intruder was hiding in the storage room. He wouldn't dare to come out.
The storage room, which only contained some maintenance tools and was seldom visited, was the perfect hiding place.
As Wilmot pushed open the door to the storage room, a pungent and musty odor assaulted his senses.
It was mingled with a faint scent of blood.
With the approaching evening and an overcast day, the entire sea was shrouded in darkness, and the storage room on the lower deck was pitch black.
The only sound was the waves crashing against the ship, making the room eerily quiet.
Wilmot stepped cautiously into the room, his intuition telling him that the person he was looking for was there.
Wilmot knew that that man was like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, waiting for
Third person's POVThe owner of the mask was none other than Lucian. Lucian squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the tall man before him.This man bore some resemblance to Derek, though Derek was more robust and burly than this individual.His gaze lingered on Wilmot's face. That was a face devoid of any distinctive features, a face he had never encountered before.Could it be that he wasn't here to kill him?"Do you know me?" Lucian asked, puzzled.Hearing the voice, Wilmot stepped forward, grabbing Lucian's collar with a cold stare. "Tell me, how did you end up here?"Lucian found this man's attitude quite odd. If he were one of the people pursuing him, he would have seized the opportunity to blow his head off, rather than wasting time with questions.Who could he be?The kick Wilmot had delivered earlier had landed squarely on Lucian's wound, causing it to tear open and bleed, staining his clothes red.Before Wilmot
Third person's POVCaptain had no time to explain in detail and hurriedly left.Ayla looked at Helios with a face full of worry, but Helios ignored her, staring intently at the chess piece Captain had last placed on the board.Knowing the threat of the double "Bishops" ahead, he still moved forward.This game of chess was a dead end, no matter how it was played."Helios..."Helios had heard about pirates from Lucian. In his perception, pirates were inhumane and treacherous individuals who committed all sorts of evil for the sake of seizing resources.They were the bullies of the sea.The cargo ship transporting mineral materials became their target.It seemed that this time, Captain was in big trouble.He was aware of the danger but lacked the ability to prevent it.What he could do now was to find Lucian quickly and have Lucian take them away before things got worse.At just over two years old, Heli
Third person's POVTabitha instinctively glanced at her watch. At this usual hour, Wilmot would punctually bring her some fresh fruit.But today was unusual. Where could Wilmot have gone?Her gaze wandered around the room, finally resting on the window pane illuminated by the dim light.She watched as the raindrops, slanting and relentless, struck the glass, producing a soft ticking sound.It was raining, a weather that always inexplicably made her feel oppressed.Leaning against the bed, she stared at the ceiling, sleepless.With no other choice, she put on her headphones, trying to let her thoughts drift with the music, easing her inner turmoil.She didn't know how much time had passed when the ship suddenly and violently rocked without warning.Tabitha's body swayed with the bed, jolting her from her daze, her eyes snapping open wide.'Something was wrong!'A terrifying thought flashed through her mind.
Third person's POVWitnessing the child fall into the sea, Tabitha felt as if all the blood in her body had solidified in an instant, her heart seemingly gripped by an invisible hand.How could this be?The little girl had been within reach, about to be saved. Why was fate so cruel as to shatter hope at this critical moment?The little boy's heart-wrenching cries pierced Tabitha's ears like a sharp sword, "Ayla!"Tabitha instinctively looked down at the boy.When she saw his face, which bore a striking resemblance to her own, her inner world was shaken as if by a powerful earthquake. She was experiencing an unprecedented impact.A bold and irresistible thought flashed through her mind.She had no time for contemplation or verification.This thought took root and spread like wild grass, driving her to act irrationally and leap over the railing into the sea without a second thought.Her thoughts surged back to three
Third person's POVThe little girl had already choked on several mouthfuls of seawater. In extreme fear, her body trembled uncontrollably."Don't be afraid. Mommy's here to save you," Tabitha tried to soothe the child.She was so young. There was chaos and noise on the ship, with the pirate ship closing in and the captain directing the crew to fire water cannons in retaliation.The child's life hung by a thread. In her madness from fear, she struggled wildly.Tabitha had exhausted all her strength just to keep them afloat. Ayla's constant struggle made it even harder for Tabitha, with her physical strength rapidly dwindling.The waves were rough, and she had swallowed several mouthfuls of seawater. Despite this, Tabitha still desperately held Ayla, fearing Ayla would choke on the water.But she felt her strength being drained. Her body grew weaker and weaker.Tabitha was worried that they would die.Tabitha cursed her la
Third person's POVWilmot had barely brought her ashore. Tabitha was wrapped in a large towel and her soaked clothes still clinging to her when she urgently inquired about Ayla's whereabouts.Her lips were purple from the cold, and her pale face looked pitiful."We're safe now. The little one has been taken to the warship where a doctor is examining her. You should change your clothes first to avoid catching a cold," Wilmot advised."No, I want to see her first."Tabitha insisted, hastily stepping down from the bed and running outside barefoot.In the corridor, she saw men dressed in uniform and armed with weapons. An overwhelming sense of pressure enveloped her.It dawned on Tabitha that she was no longer on the ship she had been traveling on but on a formidable warship.The moment she stepped out of the room, all eyes turned to her.Tabitha's movements froze, her face flushed with embarrassment. In the tense and oppres
Third person's POVWilmot replied calmly, "When we were rescued, I told him.""That's correct, it was this... sir who mentioned it. I'll leave now."For some reason, Tabitha felt as if the doctor was fleeing, quickly exiting the room.Wilmot said peacefully, "Change your clothes first, and I'll bring you some hot drinks.""Okay."Now, only Tabitha and Ayla remained in the room. Tabitha carefully undressed Ayla.Ayla's height was comparable to that of her peers, with no signs of being born prematurely.Her skin was fair and tender. Aside from a few small wounds on her hands, it was evident that Lucian had taken good care of them.Tabitha wrapped Ayla in a large men's shirt and then began to change her own clothes.She was given a shirt of the same size, which hung long on her, covering her thighs.Tabitha quickly put on the men's pants as well. Although they were loose, it was better than nothing.A f
Third person's POVHe stood in front of the mirror. His fingers gently pinched the thin edge of the facial prosthetic, slowly peeling it off.As the prosthetic came off, a pair of chiseled features gradually revealed themselves.They were a cold, stern gaze, a high-bridged nose, and sharply defined lips that exuded a unique charm.His skin, already fair, was nearly translucent from lack of sunlight, appearing even paler under the lights.His shirt collar was slightly open, hinting at his collarbones.He stared silently at his reflection, like a vampire emerging from a medieval castle.He was elegant and noble, yet distant and aloof.With a light step, he moved into the steamy, hot shower area.Fine droplets from the showerhead rained down on him.After a moment, black liquid flowed slowly down his skin, snaking across the white floor like a mysterious ink snake.He closed his eyes, allowing the water to was
It wasn't until the bamboo flute's melody faded completely that Misha collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.She felt as though she'd lost half her life force, every ounce of strength drained from her body.Initially planning to leave the next day, Misha fell ill that very night.Delirious and raving, she was swallowed by confusion.Back at their quarters, Rolf returned with a face flushed with excitement, eager to recount yesterday's events to Alvin in vivid detail.Gesturing wildly, he said, "You should've seen it—spectacular! Those snakes came pouring in from every direction, like something out of a horror movie. It gave me the creeps just watching."Alvin listened, his brow furrowing with each passing word.Recalling Alma's parting words— "See that you behave" —a nagging sense of unease settled in his stomach. Misha's illness felt anything but coincidental."What're you thinking?" Rolf asked, noti
Rolf was so focused on escaping that he barely had time to marvel at the spectacle unfolding before him."If this isn't a nightmare, I don't know what is", he thought, sprinting for his life.He knew if he fell, he'd be bitten to death by the venomous snakes.Never in his life had Rolf run so fast. He sprinted in the direction of the sound, desperation lending him strength.Up ahead, perched in a peach tree like a guardian angel, sat Hedwig.Her tiny fingers danced over a bamboo flute, its melody ringing in the charged air.To Rolf and Misha, however, the "ding-dong" notes felt like a death knell tolling ever closer.Snakes swarmed from all directions like a rising tide. Rolf knew if this kept up, they'd both end up as snake fodder.Panic clawed at his throat. Without a word to Misha, he unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground.Misha was still disoriented when she was roughly thrown to the ground. Before she could rea
"Agreed," Alvin replied. The memory of Hedwig's earlier glare at Misha sent a shiver down his spine.He had a foreboding that Misha might already be in Hedwig's crosshairs.Given that this was Hedwig's home turf, Alvin worried their group might not stand a chance in a confrontation.This added a layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.Meanwhile, Tabitha remained fast asleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.After a short play with the fawn, a pigeon flew in from outside the cave and landed on Hedwig's shoulder, cooing softly. Hedwig paused at the sound, glancing at Tabitha still lost in slumber.With a moment of hesitation, she quietly rose and tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb Tabitha's rest.Misha, who had always sailed through life with ease, had encountered her greatest challenge in the form of unrequited love.Ever since Derek had rescued her, she had vowed to marry him when she grew up.Throughout her
Hedwig nodded understandingly, her face lighting up with innocent joy.She carefully lowered herself onto the lawn and gently pressed a sweet kiss to Tabitha's cheek, her movements as delicate as a butterfly's wings.Her movements were incredibly gentle, for fear of disturbing Tabitha.Then, she sat quietly by the pool, watching butterflies dance around them—a scene so serene it could have been plucked from a masterpiece painting.Tabitha's exhaustion overwhelmed her, her eyelids growing heavier by the second until she drifted into a deep sleep by the pool's edge.Her long, silk-like hair cascaded down, and without her mask, her porcelain skin glowed.Compared to before, she seemed even more beautiful now, like a sleeping fairy, radiating an enchanting charm.Hedwig stayed by her side without disturbing Tabitha, quietly gathering herbs nearby with focused and skillful movements.The forest creatures adored her—a faw
Misha watched Tabitha and Alma walk away, her anger flaring up again.She glared at the back of Tabitha's head and instinctively touched her red cheek.Growing up, she had never been treated like this. The humiliation filled her heart with resentment."Once Derek's poison is neutralized, I'll make them pay", she vowed silently.Alban, seeing the hatred in Misha's eyes, felt a chill.He knew Misha's background—her family's influence was no secret. He'd brought her here out of concern for Derek's blood type.Having watched Misha and Derek grow up, he was well aware of their temperaments.Given Misha's current state, he feared she would cause more trouble.So, he tried to persuade her again, "Look, things are under control here. It's not proper for a young lady like you to stay. I'll have someone escort you out.""I'm not leaving, Dr. Weaver. I'm staying to take care of Derek!" Misha said stubbornly, turning her head
Misha's eyes welled up the moment she saw Derek awake. She lunged toward him, crying, "I've been so worried!"Derek sidestepped her embrace instinctively and said coolly, "I'm fine. I've delayed you long enough. I need to stay for treatment; you should head back."Misha's jaw dropped in shock.Misha had traveled so far and gone through so much, only to hear Derek tell her to leave as soon as he woke up."I need to care for you—your eyesight's impaired. I've already taken leave," she pleaded."You'll be fine. Rolf and Alvin are here. It's not convenient for you, a young woman, to stay," Derek insisted.Misha stamped her foot in frustration. "What's inconvenient about it? You're not married, and neither am I. Remember when we were on missions together? We took care of each other then, didn't we?"Alma happened to pass by and overhear the conversation, finally realizing that Misha had been the one making advances all along.
Derek jolted awake after an hour of sleep.In a daze, sensing someone beside him, he instinctively pulled them into his arms, exclaiming, "Tabitha, you came for me."Alvin sighed, "Alpha Derek, it's me."Derek fumbled blindly in the air, urgency lacing his voice, "Where's Tabitha? Where did she go?""You were dreaming again," Alvin explained patiently."A dream?" Derek frowned, confusion washing over him.But why did the dream feel so real? So real that he could almost feel the give of Tabitha's skin, recall the touch of her body, and even remember the warmth of her flesh. Her voice still seemed to linger in his ears."Tabitha's probably miles away. She couldn't be here," Alvin added.Derek's heart sank, the joy from moments ago replaced by emptiness. It felt as though he'd found his most precious treasure, only to realize it was just a dream.He bowed his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Right, how could I rea
At Derek's words, Tabitha was suddenly reminded of his words from years ago, when he had said the person in his dreams was her.She couldn't help but wonder what exactly this scoundrel had done to her in his dreams."Tabitha, hold me," Derek pleaded like a petulant child.Tabitha recalled the early days of their marriage. Back then, Derek was reticent and self-absorbed in bed, rarely showing any emotion or expressing his feelings.She often doubted whether he even liked her, if not for the fact that his actions left her bedridden the next day.Derek had locked all his emotions in an airtight box, allowing no one to peek inside.But over the years, their dynamics had done a complete turnaround.Now, Tabitha buried her feelings deep within, becoming cold and distant, while Derek had transformed into someone unrecognizably vulnerable and open.At this moment, Derek was like an overly affectionate, enthusiastic dog, intimately fami
Tabitha was deeply focused on listening to Derek's heartbeat. Irritated by his question, she simply hushed him with a "Shh" and said, "Don't talk." Her attention was entirely on his heart rate. She had no intention of being distracted by others.After finishing with his heartbeat, Tabitha gently pried open Derek's eyelids for a closer look.His pupils were dull and lifeless, making it impossible to assess the internal damage with the naked eye.It seemed that only after administering the antidote and conducting a professional examination outside could they determine the extent of the eye damage.Tabitha silently resolved that if they could just detoxify him, there would be hope for the gradual recovery of his other organs.At Tabitha's "Shh," Derek obediently fell silent.Despite feeling as though he were in a dream, he cherished this fleeting moment, thinking that even an extra minute with Tabitha would give him more memories to hold onto i