The high-speed collision left both vehicles in tatters. Spilled fuel, pungent as it seeped out, flowed like yellow water around the wreckage. It was a perilous situation; such flammables often need but a spark to set off extreme outcomes.

As fire met fuel, the flames spread rapidly. To the panicking crowd and to Merlin, racing towards the crash, the flames leapt with increasing ferocity, driven by a violent chemical reaction that soon burst forth in an explosive display of power.

"Boom"

Twin fireballs, black with smoke, rose from the ruins. The intense heat of the explosion consumed everything in its vicinity, the force dispersing like shockwaves, invisible fists pounding everything nearby.

Merlin, rushing to the crash site, felt an unseen force hurl him into the air. He heard the escalating screams, the shattering of glass along the streets, the blaring alarms of parked cars. Time seemed to stretch indefinitely.

He could see the terror-stricken faces, the expressions, the disaster flames inching higher in the air.

And that unbearable smell, tinged with panic.

"Bang"

He was slammed to the ground. The impact was so severe Merlin felt asphyxiated.

But he quickly scrambled to his feet. Behind him, a petrified Phil stood frozen, unsure whether to help his brother up or rush into the flames to check on their father.

He was terrified.

"What are you waiting for?"

Merlin, massaging his aching chest and gasping for breath, shouted to Phil:

"Come on, follow me!"

"Okay."

Phil replied, trailing Merlin as they pushed through the fleeing crowd towards the fiery aftermath of the explosion.

It was a scene of utter devastation.

As they ran past the smaller flames at the scene, the first sight that met them was a woman's body, flung to the ground, ablaze. The acrid mix of fuel and charred flesh made the scene resemble hell itself. Phil, pale as a ghost, turned away and began to retch.

Merlin's face was equally pale as he tried not to look at the contorted bodies. He shed his jacket and began beating out the flames on James's mangled pickup, attempting to smother the fire.

He kicked away debris, searching the bloodied ground for his kin.

Like a true madman.

The nightmare had become reality.

Yet inside, Merlin felt an odd sense of relief.

All this was real, which meant the pact he'd made with the demon was real too... The demon had promised James would be "redeemed."

At the very least, he wouldn't die!

"It promised me."

The words echoed in Merlin's mind. Only a madman would trust a demon, but in this death-filled hell, he had no choice but to believe.

"Clang"

The pickup, already battered by the explosion, began to come apart as it cooled. As Merlin frantically searched, he heard the sound of breaking metal behind him. Turning, he saw James lying in a pool of blood, his condition unknown, behind the twisted wreckage of the truck hood.

His father was there.

He was still alive!

Against all odds, James had been shielded by the overturned vehicle during the blast, which absorbed most of the explosion's force. However, James was still affected; his clothes were on fire, and he was bleeding profusely.

"Phil! Phil, come here!"

Merlin rushed to James's side, calling out for his brother. Phil, weakened by the sight of raw death, looked back to see Merlin and their father below. Overcome by familial bonds, Phil's fear was suppressed.

He raced to Merlin's side, and together, they lifted their fortunate father from the blood-soaked ground.

Flames chased them, but the crowd, seeing Merlin and Phil's rescue attempt, sprang into action. Men from the crowd turned on fire hydrants and fetched buckets from nearby stores.

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They helped Merlin and Phil extinguish the flames, allowing them to carry their lucky father away from the damned disaster.

"Call an ambulance!"

Merlin laid the unconscious James on the ground. Checking his neck, he found a weak pulse. Kneeling, he prepared to perform CPR to sustain his father's precarious life.

Phil, unsure what to do, shouted to someone nearby, who dashed into a coffee shop to make the call.

But there was no need for more calls for help. Within five minutes of rescuing James and the other fortunate few, the shrill of sirens approached from all directions.

Police cars, fire engines, and ambulances arrived at the scene. Paramedics rushed to Merlin and Phil, taking over the life-saving efforts and placing the burned, blasted, and scorched James Coulson onto a stretcher.

"Father's alive, that's good."

Phil was on the verge of tears from relief, but Merlin felt no joy. Watching James being loaded into the ambulance, he saw his foster father spared from death but with terrible injuries, his future uncertain.

As a prospective medical student with three years of experience in a private clinic, Merlin had seen too many such cases.

Perhaps for James, such a life after the accident would be more painful than death itself.

Covered in soot, Merlin turned to Phil, a strange anger in his dark eyes. He pulled Phil back a few steps, hissing:

"Why didn't you accept that pact! If you had, James would have been safe from this disaster! He only received half the 'redemption' because you refused!"

"What demon? What are you talking about?"

Phil, bewildered by Merlin's sudden rage, exclaimed:

"It was just a dream, Merlin! There's no such thing as demons in this world! Be rational."

"No, Mr. Phil, there are indeed demons in this world. Although you often confuse them with devils, they are real. And you, Mr. Merlin, I understand how you feel right now, but please calm down. Ranting won't solve any problems."

As the brothers argued, a gentle voice suddenly spoke up from behind them. Merlin and Phil turned to see a man leaning against the coffee shop entrance, holding a steaming cup.

He wore a black suit, an out-of-place blue cloak, and a gentleman's hat obscuring most of his face, black gloves on his fingers, and a white shirt with three unique silver coin clasps, almost like a coin necklace.

The object didn't reflect any light in the sunshine, as if absorbing all the light.

Such an odd outfit was hard to forget, yet amid the bustling disaster scene, no one seemed to notice the mysterious man's arrival.

Not even Merlin and Phil, until he spoke.

"It's you!"

Merlin recognized him—the same mysterious figure he'd seen once as an infant and again yesterday.

"Yes, it's me."

The Shadow Guest snapped his fingers, and Phil's expression became vacant, as if suddenly stripped of thought.

"Mr. Phil, go to the hospital with your father. Mr. James needs you, and your mother needs your support. As for your brother, don't worry about him. He needs to stay here to help others as much as he can."

"Go!"

The Shadow Guest commanded Phil, who turned and swiftly made his way through the crowd toward the departing ambulance.

Watching Phil leave, the mysterious man turned to face a wary Merlin, stood upright, and gestured invitingly, then said:

"It's been a while, Mr. Merlin. Now it's just you and me."

"I know you have many questions, doubts, and even anger with no outlet. But trust me, your father's ordeal has nothing to do with me, at least not directly."

"If you want to know more, including how to evade the imminent pursuit by demons, then please take a few minutes to talk with me."

The Shadow Guest smiled under the shadow of his hat, his voice magnetic:

"Believe me, I'm here to help you."

———————————————

With the street outside in chaos, the coffee shop was deserted. Even the plump and friendly owner had rushed out to assist.

Merlin sat quietly by the window.

Across from him, the Shadow Guest lounged with his coffee, legs crossed. The two appeared as old friends reuniting, but Merlin's face showed no excitement.

Instead, there was undisguised revulsion.

After witnessing James's ordeal, Merlin had become wary and resistant to these strange supernatural forces, despite knowing that perhaps it was his deal with the demon that saved James.

Merlin and the Shadow Guest locked eyes, maintaining their calm until, after a minute, the Shadow Guest leisurely sipped his coffee and said:

"Time means nothing to me, Mr. Merlin, but it is precious to you right now. Moreover, if you want answers, you must ask questions, the right questions for the right answers..."

"Who are you, exactly?"

Merlin's lips were dry, his face smeared with the grime and scars of rescue efforts, looking somewhat pitiful. The Shadow Guest waved his hand, and the coffee machine behind the bar sprang to life on its own.

Seconds later, a cup of sugared coffee floated over, settling steadily on the table in front of Merlin.

Then he answered:

"I am called the Shadow Guest, but you may call me Judas. And I must clarify, I'm not entirely like the 'Judas' you're familiar with."

The Shadow Guest lifted his gaze, the mysterious light in his eyes shining through the shadow cast by his hat brim, and told Merlin:

"The figure you saw as an infant, and again yesterday, was me. I saved you from the flames."

"I didn't mean to scare you... I only wanted to remind you in that way, hoping you'd be prepared. Now, it seems you are indeed ready."

"Ready for what?"

Merlin promptly inquired, and the Shadow Guest shrugged, implying:

"Of course, to face your true destiny. You can't really believe your life will be as simple as becoming a doctor in New York, marrying, and having children, can you? After experiencing such strange events as a child, you should understand..."

"Merlin, you are different from the rest!"

"So why me?"

Merlin's expression hardly changed as he asked:

"How am I 'different' from others? Is it because my soul is pure, as that demon said?"

"Hahaha"

Merlin's question prompted a burst of laughter from the Shadow Guest, as if Merlin had asked something foolish. Sipping his coffee, the mysterious man replied:

"San Gong may be powerful, but he lacks insight. He sees only the purity of your soul but fails to perceive the truth behind it. If he knew the truth, he would flee from you, as far as possible. But alas, he is already ensnared."

"You needn't worry about San Gong, at least not for now. He won't pose a threat until you truly become strong."

"As for where your 'difference' lies, I don't think I need to answer that. You just need to bravely face your fate, and you'll eventually discover the truth."

The enigmatic man sipped his coffee, murmuring softly:

"I'm truly looking forward to seeing what choices you'll make after discovering the truth."

After speaking, the Shadow Guest stretched his shoulders, stood up, and opened his hands, revealing a pale blue glow wrapping around his fingers. He looked at Merlin, still on guard:

"Alright, your questions are done, though you didn't ask the right one, but no matter."

"Let's get down to business!"