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The light of the rising moon shone through the iron bars, illuminating a small room. The straw on the ground looked like autumn frost in the moonlight, creating a cold and eerie atmosphere.

Sobs echoed through the quiet space like those of a ghostly spirit. Despite the warm weather, the chilling sensation was almost unbearable, as if it could make one’s blood freeze.

Lilith, who was separated from the ghost by only a wall, could no longer bear its unsettling cries. She slapped the wall a few times and impatiently called out, “Hey Kieran, can you stop crying?! As a man, aren’t you ashamed of your tears?”

“Mind your own business!” Kieran sobbed, then spat, “You’ve already hurt me enough. Tomorrow morning, the whole city will probably know me as Kieran The Crossdressing Pervert. I’m too embarrassed to face anyone, whether I’m alive or dead. Why would I even care about feeling ashamed or not? I don’t even want to live anymore…”

Seeing Kieran’s distress, Lilith, who was aware of her wrongdoing, softened the tone. “I have no better options. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good, don’t you agree?”

“Then why did you not sacrifice yourself?”

“Well, think about it, since there’s a sacrifice involved, it’s crucial to minimize the loss, no? Therefore, we must choose the lesser of the two options, don’t you think so?” Lilith deliberately spoke in a gentle manner, trying to convince her listener.

“It sounds like a logical explanation, but how does it relate to the situation where you readily betrayed me?”

“You still don’t get it? We’re as different as a pearl and a pebble. Is it not obvious which one of us should be sacrificed?”

BOOM!

A loud noise came from the other side of the wall. Kieran had probably kicked it out of frustration.

“Lilith, karma will get you one day!”

“Chill, relax. Don’t be so angry,” Lilith soothed him while smiling. “It was just a joke. I’m here to suffer with you anyway. Do you have to be that angry?”

“Heh.” Kieran sneered coldly. “Although there’s a wall between us, I know there’s a world of difference between the treatments given to us. You’re a witness in the reception room that is equipped with an air conditioner. You’re given food, water, a bed, and a couch. I’m a suspect being held in the detention cell with nothing but a bed of straw infested with vermin like cockroaches and rats!”

“It’s not so bad. At least you can still see the moon outside and reminisce about home. Just gaze upon its glow and imagine your cozy bed back at home, perhaps the straw beneath you will feel more comfortable.”

“GET OUT!!!”

“Okay, fine. I’ll stop cheering you up.” Recognizing that Kieran was teetering on the brink of insanity, Lilith rubbed her cheeks and composed herself. “Don’t worry, I’ll figure a way out. I won’t let you die socially.”

“Hmph.” Kieran coldly snorted and stopped talking, clearly not believing Lilith.

Lilith remained unfazed and started to carefully survey her surroundings, pondering her options and searching for any possible breakthroughs.

The temporary garrison of the Security Enforcement Team appeared to have been created from a residential house. The so-called reception and detention rooms were merely two adjacent rooms that had been slightly modified.

This highlighted the lack of resources and manpower that the Security Enforcement Team was currently experiencing.

After the armored man brought Lilith and Kieran here, he and his men actually left to deal with other emergencies, after giving them a few warnings. They did not even leave a watchman behind.

Nevertheless, upon entering the room, Lilith sensed an array that had been crafted by someone highly skilled in this practice.

One of the armored man’s subordinates explained that the array served as an alarm system. If Lilith and Kieran were to leave their rooms, the array would trigger and alert all members of the Security Enforcement Team about their escape. This would result in a full pursuit by all the Security Enforcement Teams in the Jeorgetown City, and possibly even the elite army of 100,000 soldiers stationed at the south gate of the Holy Dragon Empire to maintain order during the Great Celestial Rite.

So the first option of jailbreak was immediately dismissed by Lilith. She had obediently submitted herself to avoid creating trouble in the first place. Choosing jailbreak now would render all her previous efforts futile.

Lilith scanned the entire room, noting the flickering blue light in the corner of the ceiling. It was a spectrum stone, part of a special surveillance system that seemed to be monitoring any unusual activity in the room. She could not help but wonder if someone was truly watching through the spectrum stone at all times.

“This is a pickle.”

Lilith sighed. She could not simply escape. Waiting for the armored man to return was not an option either. It was a truly challenging predicament.

Lilith turned her head to the side and glanced at Cornelia, who had once again fallen asleep with Lacey playing dead in her arms. After a moment of thought, she shook her head.

It was ironic that powerful weapons were often ineffective in smaller-scale situations.

She rubbed her temples, feeling a bit tired. At times like this, she felt like her brain was not working.

“You seem distressed, young lady.” Lilith’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sudden voice.

Lilith looked around and asked in alarm, “Who’s there? Enough with the hocus-pocus and show yourself!”

“Hocus-pocus? I would never. I’m just a listener who happens to be here,” the voice responded in a friendly tone.

“A listener?”

Lilith’s tone suddenly grew harsh, “You were eavesdropping?”

“No, no, no. Please don’t misunderstand me. I simply overheard. Come on, open the door and you shall see me.”

“The door?” Lilith skeptically approached the door and placed her hand on its handle.

Those people from the Security Enforcement Team would surely install an incredibly sturdy door for the room designated to keep important witnesses, right…?

With a hard pull…

Creak…

The door opened.
Lilith was at a loss for words.

“Those men from the Security Enforcement Team strongly believe in their ability to deter, huh,” the voice said.

Across from Lilith, there was an open doorway where an unkempt uncle with overgrown hair and beard sat. His appearance was so disheveled that it was difficult to determine his true age, but Lilith noticed a deep weariness in his voice as he spoke.

In a quick moment, Lilith was certain that this scruffy uncle standing before her had a story to tell.

As she assessed the scruffy uncle, he was also assessing her. Surprise flickered in his murky and dull eyes as he exclaimed, “I haven’t seen such an adorable child in a while. Among the many people I’ve encountered, you’re definitely the second cutest, young lady.”

“And who is the first?”

“My daughter.” Scruffy uncle’s face lit up with a fond and nostalgic smile. “I have a daughter who is around the same age as you. She is my treasure and the cutest little angel in the world.”

“I would really love to meet your daughter and witness it in person,” Lilith concluded that the man had a daughter complex.

People like him tend to view their own daughters as the most adorable girl in the world. If he was not one of those people, Lilith refused to accept that someone with his appearance could have a daughter who was more beautiful than herself, unless the man’s wife had an affair.

“What is your name, uncle?”
“Skarst, you can just call me Skar.”
“Okay, Uncle Skar.”
“What is your name, young lady?”
“Lilith.”
“Lilith… That’s a fine name. I can say that it’s the second-best name I’ve heard in my life.”
“So the best name goes to your daughter?”
“Of course.”

What a hopeless man with a daughter complex.

“Why did you try to talk to me, uncle?” Lilith suppressed the twitch tugging at the corner of her mouth and changed the subject.

“No reason in particular. I’m just feeling lonely and I feel like talking to someone.”

Uncle Skar lifted his head and gazed up at the empty ceiling. His weary gaze seemed to penetrate beyond it, reaching for something higher and farther away.

“I’ve been alone for a very, very long time. It’s only natural that I’d love to have a chat with someone who bears a resemblance to my cutest daughter in the world.”