“Bang!“

Spray of concrete blocks smashed into the wall not far from him， creating a huge hole.

John Booth hurriedly continued to run and finally arrived at the blacksmith's shop， which was not closed， with steam emanating from inside.

“Boss!“

John Booth rushed into the blacksmith's shop， the bell at the door rang lightly， but there was no response.

The air was filled with the smell of rust and charcoal， the furnace fire flickered weakly， and the room was dead silent.

John Booth frowned， a sense of unease rising in his heart， and he quickly walked towards the back room.

However， the scene before him made him stop in his tracks.

The blacksmith was lying on the ground， his limbs stiff， his face twisted， as if he had suffered great pain.

The ground was covered with splashed molten iron， the hot metal dripping onto the ground， making a series of 'sizzling' sounds.

John Booth immediately rushed forward， reaching out to help the boss， trying to pull him up from the ground.

But to his astonishment， his hand passed right through the boss's body， unable to touch any substance.

“What's going on?“ John Booth murmured in a low voice， his mind constantly guessing what might have happened.

He quickly squatted down， reached out to touch the scattered ironware on the ground， feeling the cold touch of the metal， able to clearly hold them， but the boss's body， still like a void， no matter how he touched， there was no response.

“Boss?“ John Booth called out again in a low voice， looking down at the boss on the ground， a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

He reached out to touch the twisted body again， wanting to confirm if it was just an illusion.

Suddenly， a soft voice with a strange intonation came from behind， the voice was alluring yet chilling:

“You don't need to shake him anymore， you're already dead.“

John Booth spun around abruptly， quietly clenching a piece of iron in his hand. There was no one else in the room， only he and the already stiff body in the empty blacksmith's shop.

The voice had no source， yet it echoed in the silent room. John Booth clenched a forging hammer in his right hand.

“Don't be so nervous， I won't harm you. You are now a soul; you died in that taxi just now， hit by the red stone.“

“Show yourself and talk?“ John Booth looked around warily， tightly gripping the iron piece.

“Hehe， I'm right in front of you~“

John Booth's gaze was calm， and there was no panic in his heart.

For him， such sudden abnormalities， although bizarre， were not enough to plunge him into panic.

He had experienced countless life and deaths， and after being reborn， he had long been fearless of the unknown horrors.

Shaking his head gently， John Booth let out a disdainful sneer.

Death， souls， visions - in his eyes， these were nothing more than unpredictable changes on another level.

“I'm telling you， there's no need to keep making these futile attempts，“ the voice sounded again， this time with a hint of provocation and disdain in its tone，“You are no longer alive， and you do not belong to this world anymore.“

John Booth's face remained calm as he scanned the surroundings; the room was empty， and the air around him was stagnant.

“Dead?“ John Booth murmured to himself， his voice showing no panic at all， as if it was a matter of little consequence，“I've died once before， so dying again is no big deal.“ With that， he swung his hammer towards the spot in front of him， creating a howling gust of wind.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The imagined sound of impact did not come.

“Don't be so angry， John brother~“ the coquettish voice still came from all around.

At this moment， John Booth's usual expressionless face finally showed a crack.

[This person knows me and is clearly capable of using supernatural abilities， specifically of the soul variety. It's not the right time for users of supernatural abilities to appear， but since the end of the world has come earlier， it's normal for users of supernatural abilities to show up early as well.]

At that moment， a figure slowly materialized at the doorway.

John Booth's gaze fell on her， wearing a pair of small leather shoes， leaning against the door frame and leisurely swinging her white silk-clad feet， her dark red eyes fixated on John Booth.

“It's you， the one from the mall entrance!“ John Booth's voice was deep， and his right hand holding the hammer did not relax.

Gwen seemed to care nothing for John Booth's cold response， instead raising her hand to cover her face and sorrowfully saying，“Brother John Booth doesn't recognize me anymore; it seems I am but a passer-by in brother's life.“ She even wiped the corner of her eye， though there were no tears.

John Booth tried to move， but his body seemed to be firmly bound by an invisible force， unable to budge， suppressed into a half-kneeling position.

His limbs felt as if locked by an invisible shackle， and even the strength to move his fingers had vanished.

The pressure was immense， coming from every inch of his muscles， leaving him no chance to resist.

“Stop struggling， my dear John brother，“ Gwen's voice was soft and seductive， yet laden with heavy sarcasm and hunger， as if she was toying with a helpless prey，“You are now dead， and as a soul， you cannot escape my control. Just stay put， wouldn't it be nice to be my pet? I can even nourish you， give you a chance to be reborn.“

Gwen approached slowly， her steps light and each one exuding charm.

As she got closer， John Booth's face remained expressionless， but his heart was far from calm.

[The early apocalypse， the early appearance of superpowered individuals， it's all so chaotic.]

But Gwen's steps grew closer， clearly enjoying his helpless state， the red glow in her eyes becoming brighter.

“You say， if I reshape you into a complete physical body， nothing lost， no mechanical components， just you，“ she lowered her head， gently stroking John Booth's chin， her eyes betraying an undeniable longing，“What do you think? Isn't it tempting?“

John Booth's face remained stern， his heart unmoved by her words， his gaze firmly locked on her eyes， offering no response.

Gwen smiled faintly， extending her index finger to lift John Booth's chin， forcing him to look up and meet her gaze， her eyes seeming to hold an indescribable allure and pleasure， as if she was savoring the despair of her prey.

Gwen leaned even closer， almost feeling every inch of John Booth's body， and whispered，“You don't answer， do you think you still have room to resist? Unfortunately， as a soul， you cannot break free.“

John Booth's pupils flickered slightly， but he remained silent; indeed， he couldn't muster any energy to move.

Then， Gwen leaned down slightly， her warm breath gently brushing across John Booth's face.

In her pupils， John Booth saw an unfathomable desire and a mad possessiveness.

Suddenly， Gwen kissed him directly， her lips soft and intoxicating， yet carrying an overwhelming pressure. Her tongue met John Booth's， as if devouring every inch of his soul.

It was not an ordinary kiss， but an aggressively invasive and insanely stirring one.

Her breathing gradually became rapid， as if she had completely lost self-control. Although John Booth couldn't move， he still maintained a sliver of clarity. He could feel her intense longing and the suffocating possessiveness.

The kiss lasted for a while， until Gwen's breathing became so labored that she could hardly breathe smoothly， and only then did she slowly release， pulling out a silver thread.

Gwen's lips curled up slightly， the red glow in her eyes becoming even more fiery， as if she was savoring the indulgence of that moment. Her smile was wolfish， hungry， with an undeniable fanaticism.

“I really want to devour you right now，“ Gwen whispered， her gaze as ravenous as a wolf's as she stared at John Booth.“But it's not the right time yet. Your soul is too weak， too fragile to withstand much turmoil. Wait a bit longer， until you're completely dead， until you're fully submerged， and then I can bring you back to life， to become a part of me.“

Her voice carried a hint of obsession， yet it clearly revealed her interest. She licked her lips， her gaze fixed on John Booth， as if contemplating when to strike and completely claim him.

John Booth's heart remained unmoved. Although he was now restrained and unable to move， his calm rationality was not lost. In his past life， as a Star Realm War Emperor， he had seen all kinds of women. It was just that now， having been reborn， his power had not yet awakened. Besides， encountering a soul-based superpowered individual， resistance would not be very effective， and he did not sense any malice from her.

“What do you want?“ John Booth finally asked in a low， cold voice.

Gwen's smile froze， as if she had heard an entirely unexpected response. She looked down at him， a flicker of surprise in her eyes， before her lips curved up again into a pleasing arc.

“I want you， John Booth，“ she said softly，“your heart， your soul， and your...“ At this point， Gwen's hand moved downward and grabbed firmly.

John Booth's eyebrows flickered slightly， his eyes showing a hint of confusion， but he didn't react further. No matter how seductive or intimidatory her words were， John Booth maintained a level of calmness and vigilance.

“Once you truly understand the rules of this game， you will know whether your current choice is the right one，“ she chuckled.

“So， am I really dead now?“ John Booth still wanted to confirm this question.

“Mmm-hmm， your physical body has been crushed into a pulp， I saw it with my own eyes. The screams of the passers-by were for you and the driver. Who do you think they were screaming for?“ Gwen squinted her eyes as she looked at John Booth.

Then， she pulled out a finger from a crevice in her chest and held it in her hand:“This is... your finger.“ She put it in her mouth for a moment， then pulled it out，“It's all filled with your scent， and it's the only intact piece of your flesh left.“