A shadowy figure darted silently from the Laurens estate, vanishing into the dense northern forest under the cover of night.

The forest at night was an oppressive void, cloaked in inky darkness. Sparse moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting fragmented shadows that danced with the wind. A chilling breeze wove through the trees, its mournful whistle carrying an ominous warning. The underbrush rustled faintly—perhaps stirred by the wind, or perhaps by predators lying in wait.

Luo Wenkai moved like a phantom through the dense foliage, his footsteps silent as a cat's. He deliberately avoided stepping on dry branches or leaves, his movements a calculated effort to leave no trace. Behind him, the occasional shouts of his pursuers broke the quiet, their heavy boots crunching against the forest floor.

A sudden flutter of wings startled him. An owl burst from the treetops, scattering brittle leaves as it soared away. Luo Wenkai froze, pressing his back against a massive tree trunk. His sharp eyes scanned the darkness, his breathing shallow, as faint metallic clinks reached his ears. He frowned. The pursuers are closer than I thought.

He silently adjusted his position, blending further into the shadows. No mistakes, he reminded himself, and continued deeper into the woods, erasing his tracks with every step.

As he paused under a towering tree to check for any sign of pursuit, the water pouch at his waist began to tremble.

"Alright, alright, I hear you!" Luo Wenkai grumbled, yanking the pouch off and pulling out the stopper. A wisp of purple smoke swirled out, coalescing into the tiny figure of the recently subdued demon, Lilith.

She perched indignantly on his shoulders, tugging furiously at his hair and ears. "You ironclad jerk! Do you know how much that hurt?"

"And how many times do I have to tell you," Luo Wenkai retorted, flicking her forehead, "to appear the moment holy water splashes on the target? Do you even understand what timing is?"

"Well, maybe if your dumb rituals didn’t take forever, I wouldn’t fall asleep waiting!" Lilith shot back, crossing her arms.

"Fell asleep? Really? You’re a demon. What kind of self-respecting demon falls asleep at night? Shame on you. You’re a disgrace to demons everywhere."

Her face turned beet red with anger. "You have no right to criticize me! You’re the most despicable Holy Knight in history! And don’t think I didn’t hear you during that ritual, chanting ‘Blessed by the Radiance of the Holy Goddess’ like you actually believe it. Hypocrite!"

Luo Wenkai rolled his eyes. "You wouldn’t understand, but think of the Holy Goddess as the company’s CEO. I’m an employee on a business trip. Of course, I have to invoke her name—it’s marketing! I take the profits, and she takes the blame. That’s just good delegation."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"You’re insufferable!" Lilith growled, lunging to bite his head.

"Ow, watch it! And get your foot out of my mouth before I—"

The sharp hiss of an arrow cut through the air, forcing Luo Wenkai to shove Lilith aside as he caught the projectile mid-flight with his bare hand. His expression darkened as he gazed at the treeline.

"Looks like we’ve got company," he muttered, lowering his hand and letting the arrow drop.

Before Lilith could respond, a squad of armed soldiers emerged from the shadows, surrounding him. At the front of the group stood Vera and Havel, the old mage, both wearing expressions of triumph.

"Teacher, you were right! He really tried to flee tonight," Vera exclaimed.

Luo Wenkai cradled Lilith under one arm like a reluctant pet, grinning lazily. "Miss Vera, such harsh words. Fleeing? No, no, this is merely the poetic conclusion of a job well done. You see, I freed your estate from evil and now, like the wind, I must move on to save others in need."

"Save others? More like finding your next victim!" Vera sneered. Her eyes narrowed. "Or should I say, Saint Luo Wenkai?"

At that, Luo Wenkai’s smile faltered, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp edge. "Oh? You’ve been digging into my past?"

Vera stepped forward, her tone icy. "You’re more than just a scammer, aren’t you? Saint Luo Wenkai, one of the five chosen candidates for the Holy Son. Renowned for your unparalleled affinity with the purest light, a prodigy handpicked by the Pope himself.

"But your legacy is far from honorable. The ‘Shame of the Holy Knights,’ ‘Blighted Light,’ ‘The Unforgivable,’ ‘The Heretic’—need I go on? Three years ago, you committed the ultimate blasphemy during the Sacred Descent Ceremony, leading to your exile. Now, you’re the Holy Church’s most wanted criminal, a walking disaster-level threat."

Luo Wenkai smirked, though a trace of bitterness flickered in his eyes. "So, you’ve heard of me. Tell me, Miss Vera, do you plan to turn me in for the bounty?"

"Not just that," Vera snapped, brandishing her staff. "You’ve conned innocent people, colluded with demons, and defiled the reputation of the Holy Church. You will pay for your crimes, and every coin you stole will be returned to its rightful owners!"

"Ah, come on," Luo Wenkai said with a mock pout. "My holy water was genuine. Just because you don’t know quality when you see it doesn’t mean you get to slander me."

"Enough of your lies!" Vera shouted. "Take him down!"

At her command, a soldier lunged forward, his axe raised high. Luo Wenkai sighed, his fingers glowing with a faint light. "What a bother."

He cast a healing spell—but instead of mending wounds, the soldier stumbled, losing balance and crashing into a tree.

"What just happened?" Vera asked, stunned.

Havel’s eyes gleamed with understanding. "He manipulated the healing spell to overload a single muscle group, throwing the man off balance. This level of precision... terrifying."

As the soldiers hesitated, Lilith smirked. "You poor fools. Did you really think you were dealing with an ordinary fraud? His infamy doesn’t come from his crimes alone—it’s his power you should fear."

The tension in the air thickened. But before anyone could act, Havel pulled out an ancient scroll. He whispered an incantation, and radiant chains of light erupted, binding Luo Wenkai in an unbreakable hold.

Luo Wenkai’s smirk faded as the chains seared his skin, carving divine marks into his flesh. "The Holy Shackles, huh? You’re really pulling out all the stops."

Havel smiled coldly. "Your tricks end here."

As the chains tightened, extinguishing the last traces of light around him, Luo Wenkai’s eyes narrowed. For once, his voice lacked its usual playfulness.

"Careful, mage. You’ve opened a door you might regret."