---
Suddenly, Su Meilin's head began to spin.
The glittering lights above her shimmered like stars underwater.
Her fingers twitched as the glass dropped on the floor breaki.
She reached for the edge of the table to steady herself, but her limbs felt sluggish, like she was floating inside someone else's body.
She turned her gaze toward William, who walked and sat on the sofa casually sipped from his whiskey glass, a satisfied smirk painted on his face.
"W-What… did you put in the drink?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the lounge music.
Eric leaned forward, his eyes gleaming like a predator who had finally cornered its prey. "Just something mild," he said sweetly, too sweetly. "To make you… more exciting."
Her stomach clenched in panic.
What?!
They laced the alcohol?
No. No.
She tried to back away, her knees wobbling, her breath catching in her throat.
But Eric caught her easily, gripping her arms as her vision blurred.
His face was close now — far too close — and she could smell the sharp scent of cologne and deceit.
"No... no, let go of me!" She tried to push him away, but her limbs had turned sluggish, her strength draining like water from a cracked glass.
However, he held her tighter, dragging her toward the velvet sofa like she weighed nothing.
She stumbled, fighting him off, but her body betrayed her.
He then slipped her trench coat from her shoulders, revealing the short red dress William had asked her to wear.
The fabric clung to her body, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.
Now, it felt like a weapon turned against her.
William let out a low whistle. "Damn… the old man's granddaughter's got curves."
She spun toward him, or tried to. "Please… please, I'll do anything—just give me the antidote."
Eric chuckled darkly, pushing her down gently onto the cushions, then stepping back just as she tried to rise again.
Her vision doubled.
"That's the point," he said. "You'll do anything. That's exactly what we want."
She struggled to sit up, to move, but her body wasn't listening. "Please," she whispered desperately. "Please... please..."
Eric crouched in front of her, brushing a strand of hair from her face almost gently. "No, no, princess. That's not what we want. We want you to feel pain. Pain. You understand?"
Su Meilin's tears flowed freely now, hot against her cheeks.
What exactly was going on?
What had she done to deserve this?
Why was this happening?
She tried to bite her lip to stay conscious, to focus. But even her thoughts were slipping away.
Eric climbed on the sofa, holding her wrists above her head as he leaned in but she tried to push him but couldn't.
She turned her face away, sobbing, her voice raw. "Stop! Stop it!"
She tried to push him off again, but he held her pinned hands tightly.
He leaned down, lips crashing against hers.
"No!" she sobbed, twisting, thrashing.
Eric was unmoved. "Cry louder. It'll make the video more dramatic."
William, meanwhile, had already set up a camera on a stand, angling it to capture the scene perfectly.
"You know," he said, adjusting the lens, "the boss will be very satisfied with this."
Su Meilin's mind drifted in and out of focus.
The heat from the drug twisted her senses, making her stomach churn and heart ache.
She could feel her own body betraying her, reacting involuntarily to his touch.
She cried harder.
---
Meanwhile, in a dark room lined with old books and thick cigar smoke, an older man sat behind a wide mahogany desk.
His features were stern, eyes heavy with authority.
He was nursing a glass of expensive scotch, lost in thought, when the door slammed open.
"Who dares!" he growled without looking up.
A young subordinate rushed in, out of breath, sweat dripping from his temples. "S-Sir... forgive me... but something urgent has happened!"
The older man's brows knitted in annoyance."Speak. If it's not about Liang Yexuan, it better be your final words."
The subordinate hesitated, his eyes flickering with fear. "It's... it's not about him, sir. It's something else... worse."
"What could be worse than him? Spit it out!"
The younger man took a deep breath. "It's the... the Obsidian Fangs. They've resurfaced."
The glass slipped from the older man's hand, shattering on the floor.
His face turned pale.
"No... that's not possible," he whispered. "They were wiped out. We saw their bodies... I saw the flames..."
"Perhaps... Perhaps they didn't all die, sir. And now... they're back. And they're not hiding anymore."
The older man coughed violently, clutching his chest as pain spread across his face.
He stumbled to stand but collapsed backward in his chair.
"Master!" the subordinate shouted, rushing to his side catching him just in time just as two guards burst in.
"MASTER!!"
"Call the doctor!"
"NOW!"
---
Back at Club Black Mist, Su Meilin was fading.
Her blurred vision could barely register the flickering camera light, Eric's looming figure, or William sipping another drink.
But then—
Boom.
The entire top floor shook.
Eric froze, looking toward the door.
"What the hell—?"
Another explosion. This time, the ceiling lights flickered.
William cursed. "Security breach?"
Before either of them could move, the door was blown open with a loud crash.
Black smoke filled the room, and from within the haze, three tall figures emerged.
Dressed in sleek tactical gear, faces half-masked, they moved with practiced precision.
Eric reached for his gun, but a flash of silver whipped across the room, knocking the weapon from his hand.
A sharp female voice rang out. "Step away from her."
William reached for his gun too, but the men were faster.
CRACK.
A man grabbed William by the collar and slammed him against the wall, the weapon clattering to the floor.
Eric lunged, but another figure caught him midair, landing a punch that sent him sprawling across the table.
Su Meilin could barely see through her tears and haze.
Who... who are they?
More figures poured in, silent and deadly.
Their movements were clean, precise.
They weren't ordinary gangsters — these were assassins.
One of them threw a small black device onto the floor.
It emitted a sharp hiss, and the air filled with a numbing gas.
"Get the girl," the leader ordered.
---