Shin fell to his knees, a chill creeping down his spine as his stomach twisted. His fingers trembled, and his heart pounded so loudly that it drowned out all other sounds. His face was expressionless, hollow.

“No... no... why? This isn’t possible. They’ve never done anything on this scale before.”

Despair threatened to consume him. He had failed again—another person he loved was gone. Why hadn’t he done more? Why hadn’t he investigated more thoroughly? But there had been no signs, no warnings. The last five years had been peaceful, just minor issues that he had handled. Nothing like this.

A voice echoed in his mind, mocking him. **Ke ke ke ke... I told you, one day you’d pay for your sins. How many more people will you fail, Shin? Look at you—everyone you’ve ever cared for is gone, but you, a monster, still walk this earth. How many more lives will you destroy, Shin?**

“Stop it,” Shin whispered, his voice barely audible. “I never wanted them to die…”

Suddenly, the room around him shifted. Darkness swallowed the space, transforming it into a shadowy forest. Rain poured down, soaking the ground. Through the haze, he saw a familiar figure.

Black hair. Pale skin. Grey eyes.

Evelyn.

She was gravely injured, blood pouring from a gaping wound in her chest, her body covered in cuts and bruises. Coughing up blood, she used the last of her strength to speak.

“You have a humane heart, Shin... please... look after Talia for me.”

Shin clutched her hands as the warmth faded from them, and with it, his resolve to protect Talia burned brighter. The promise he made that day resurfaced in his mind, pushing through the fog of despair. He couldn’t lose himself now.

“I-I promised her... I can’t fall apart now. But how did they even get close to Talia? I placed a high-grade protection spell on her. Could it be... him? No, I would’ve sensed his presence if he had returned. There’s only one explanation...”

Shin shivered as the realization hit him.

“It’s another high-grade demon.”

There was no time to waste. Shin hurried to the site of the accident.

The accident had occurred near the Malcovich Hills, on the outskirts of Morville, an isolated area devoid of shops or houses. When Shin arrived, he could hear the police officers on-site. He hid in the shadows, listening intently.

“What do you think, Ava?” one officer asked. “This case doesn’t make sense. Why would the kidnappers risk so much just to snatch some kids? What kind of psychos are we dealing with?”

*The worst kind*, Shin thought bitterly.

“They went to extreme lengths,” Officer Ava replied, “but the rewards are high. Two of the children, Benjamin and Hannah, have parents who are well-established business owners. And Talia, she’s the daughter of the famous author Shin Wu. The other kids might’ve just been taken to make it look like a mass kidnapping... probably for some ritual.”

Shin’s heart sank. He wished it was just a ransom scheme, but no. It was something far darker.

“Whatever the case, follow the trail of that vehicle. Check for any nearby cameras to identify it,” the officer commanded.

“Yes, Officer James,” Ava responded, then went off to investigate.

Shin let out a quiet sigh of relief once the police finally left. He approached the site, his heightened senses alert. A faint, nearly imperceptible scent lingered in the air—sulfur. He was right. Demons were involved.

Stolen story; please report.

As he was about to continue investigating, he caught a whiff of something else. A familiar scent, one that startled him.

"Fiona?" Shin muttered under his breath. **What is she doing here? She should be at her office right now. Did she hear about the crash and come to check it out? But the scent... it came and went so fast, like she was here for only a moment.**

Shin shook his head. **Focus**, he reminded himself. **Finding clues is what matters right now.**

He enchanted an ancient spell, and his hands began to glow red. After a moment, a small amount of black, fiery substance floated into his palm and clung to it.

“Hell dust,” he whispered. “I knew it.”

Hell dust was the residue left when a high-grade or supreme demon used magic. This confirmed his worst fears. He wasn’t just up against any demon. This was serious.

Suddenly, a burst of energy shot through the air, followed by the sharp sound of a sword slicing toward him. Without flinching, Shin caught the blade inches from his neck.

“So it was really you, Ms. Fiona,” Shin said calmly, pushing the sword away. “I had no idea you were a demon hunter.”

“And I had no idea you were a demonic sorcerer,” Fiona replied, her voice cold and sharp. “Was raising Talia just a cover? Tell me where the other children are. Tell me where Talia is.”

“You’re mistaken,” Shin said, his voice firm. “Talia is my daughter.”

“Lies!” Fiona snapped, anger lacing her words. “Talia radiates pure energy—so much that it’s almost divine. The day you took her to the hospital, I saw the aura surrounding her. That kind of power can only come from a select few. You were raising her to sacrifice her to your demon lords, weren’t you?”

Shin’s entire body trembled with rage. A red aura of murderous intent surrounded him. “Sacrifice her? Those who wanted to sacrifice her are already rotting in hell.”

Fiona hesitated, but her resolve didn’t waver. “Do you really care about her? Devils are known for their deception. How can I trust anything you say?”

“I don’t care whether you trust me or not,” Shin growled. “I’m going to find my daughter. And if you get in my way, I’ll kill you.”

Fiona felt a chill run down her spine. She had faced powerful beings before, but this... this was different. The man standing before her didn’t feel like a demon—there was no sulfuric stench, no aura of malice. Yet he wasn’t entirely human either. What was he?

After a moment of silence, Fiona finally sheathed her sword. “Fine. You should go to the police station. It’ll look suspicious if you don’t.”

Shin nodded. “I’ll go, but the police won’t be of much help. I might be able to gather some information, though. What will you do?”

“I have my own leads to follow. If I find anything, I’ll let you know,” Fiona said, a note of concern creeping into her voice. “I hate demonic sorcerers, but you don’t seem all that bad. Your care for Talia is genuine. Just... be careful. Those powers you’re using—they’ll consume you if you’re not careful.”

“I know,” Shin replied, his voice hard. “I’ll only use them until I find Talia.”

“Good luck,” Fiona said, vanishing, moving as swiftly as the wind.

Shin sighed. “To think a demon hunter lived so close, and I never noticed. She must be professional. If I hadn’t used my heightened senses, she might’ve injured me.”

Shin stepped into a secluded area, muttering an incantation in an ancient tongue. Black smoke surrounded him, teleporting him to the police station.

As Shin walked into the station, Officer James, one of the officers from the accident site, noticed him.

“Hello, sir. I’m Officer James. How can I help you?”

“I’m Shin Wu, Talia Wu’s father. I’m here to report my daughter missing.”

James’s eyes widened slightly in recognition. “Oh, I see. Please, come to my desk, and I’ll take down your report.”

James began writing as he questioned Shin. “Have you received any ransom calls?”

“No, I haven’t,” Shin replied.

“That complicates things,” James said, frowning. “We haven’t received any complaint of ransom demands from any of the parents. I’ve logged your report, Mr. Wu. The authorities are doing everything they can. Please cooperate with us so we can find the culprit.”

“I’m telling the truth, officer,” Shin said, his voice tense. “There haven’t been any ransom calls.”

James sighed. “You’re not the only parent to say that. It’s looking more and more like a cult might be behind this. But don’t worry, we’ll do everything we can to find the children.”

“Please, officer. She’s my only daughter. I beg you—find her,” Shin pleaded.

“We’ll do our best,” James replied, determination in his voice.

As Shin stood to leave, a faint scent hit his nose—sulfur. It was subtle but unmistakable.

**Where is it coming from?**

The scent grew stronger, and a moment later, he heard a voice behind him.

“Officer James, any updates on the accident?” The voice was cold and commanding.

Shin turned, recognizing the source of the sulfuric stench immediately.

Chief Officer Wenton.

James stiffened, fear flashing across his face. “Good evening, Chief Wenton. No ransom demands so far, sir. We’re still investigating.”

Wenton turned his gaze to Shin. “Ah, you must be Mr. Wu. One of the kidnapped children is your daughter, correct?”

Shin’s blood ran cold. **A demon... disguised as a chief officer? And he knows me? What’s going on? Who is this demon?**