By the end of the day, Kael leaned back in his leather chair, running a hand through his hair. Across the office, Sara was lounging on the sofa, smiling at her phone with her earphones in.
Kael pushed his remaining work to the side. "After that cultivation session, I've been working way too much," he muttered to himself. He pulled over one last file—a thin folder—and spent the next half-hour reviewing it.
Finally, he slid the folder aside and let his head drop onto the desk.
Within minutes, he drifted off. When his eyes flicked open again, the office was dim and quiet. He glanced around and saw Sara fast asleep on the sofa, her phone slipping from her fingers.
Kael stood up from his chair and walked over to her. He reached down and gently shook her arm. "Sara..."
She just murmured softly in her sleep and turned onto her side.
Kael paused, turning to look out the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The city skyline at night looked stunning under the starlight. Smiling faintly, he turned back to Sara and carefully scooped her up into his arms.
Sara stirred slightly, resting her head against his chest. "Mmm... nice smell..." she whispered. She subconsciously raised her arms, looping them softly around his neck.
For a second, her eyes fluttered open. Realizing Kael was carrying her, a cute, faint smile touched her lips before she closed her eyes again, pretending to stay asleep.
A few late-shift employees still working in the building glanced up in surprise as Kael walked past. They could clearly see Sara's peaceful face resting against him, but Kael's identity remained hidden behind his sleek metallic mask.
Carrying her, Kael reached the elevator bay. Unable to press the button, he stood waiting. Seeing his situation, a passing employee quickly stepped forward and pressed the call button for him.
"Thank you," Kael nodded faintly behind his mask.
The elevator doors opened with a soft ting, and Kael stepped inside.
When the lift reached the ground floor, the doors slid open. The night-shift receptionists and security guards stared in open shock as the masked Chairman casually carried a sleeping girl through the lobby. Kael completely ignored their gazes and pushed through the glass entrance doors toward the waiting car.
The driver was standing outside, a bright smile on his face. But when he saw Kael carrying Sara in his arms, his smile froze in pure surprise. He quickly composed himself, rushing to open the rear door.
Kael set Sara down gently on the back seat before sliding in beside her and pulling the door shut.
Right at that moment, Sara sneezed. "Achoo!"
She blinked her dark eyes, tilting her head as if completely confused. "Wait... how did I end up here?"
She already knew Kael had carried her, but she secretly wanted to hear him admit it out loud.
Kael looked straight ahead, his face perfectly calm behind the mask. "You walked out of the building half-asleep and got into the car yourself."
He glanced up at the rearview mirror, silently telling the driver to back him up.
Feeling the heavy gaze from the mirror, the driver cleared his throat nervously. "Ah... yes, ma'am. That's exactly what happened."
Sara smirked, her long ears twitching slightly. "Alright then."
The luxury car pulled away from the headquarters and navigated through the quiet night streets toward the Redgrave estate. Passing through the heavy front gates, the vehicle came to a smooth stop in front of the main entrance.
Kael looked over and gently shook Sara's shoulder again. "We're home."
Sara didn't budge, keeping her eyes closed tight.
Kael let out a long sigh. He opened his door and stepped out into the night air. Opening Sara's door, he shook his head with a small smile. "Fine. But I'm not doing this every day. This is the last time I'm carrying you."
He gently lifted her up once more and carried her inside.
In the main hallway, Rexon stepped out of the kitchen holding a bottle of water. Seeing Kael carrying Sara, a knowing, amused smile broke across his face. He quickly walked ahead, opening the door to Sara's bedroom.
Kael offered a subtle nod of thanks, walked inside, and carefully laid Sara down on her bed, pulling the soft blanket over her shoulders.
Stepping back out into the quiet hallway, Kael let out a heavy breath. He walked into the living room and collapsed onto the sofa. The dim golden light cast long shadows across the room. Pulling out his phone, he checked the time: 1:50 A.M.
Rexon walked into the living room, setting a hot bowl of soup on the table in front of him. "Drink up. You used a lot of energy today."
Kael didn't hesitate, picking up the bowl and drinking it down in one go.
Meanwhile, far away in the city, Mantra was drifting lazily through the quiet streets.
As she floated down a dim, empty alleyway, she spotted a group of men surrounding a terrified child, forcing her toward a dark van.
Mantra paused on a rooftop, letting out a dark, mocking laugh. "Look at that... Humans kidnapping another human, while the child screams for help, hoping other humans will come save her. What a tragic joke."
She floated down toward the alley, her eyes narrowing. I guess a demon will be your savior tonight. This Earth really is worse than Hell.
Mantra stepped into the dim alleyway, her cold voice cutting through the dark. "Do all of you really think you're going to live to see tomorrow?"
The men snapped their heads toward her. One of them growled, turning to a colleague. "Forget her! We'll get plenty of ransom money anyway. Just kill the kid!"
Mantra's gaze turned absolute ice.
She thrust her hand forward. A massive beam of crimson fire erupted from her palm, engulfing the man who raised his blade toward the child.
"AAAAHHH! NO! WHAT IS THIS?! MOM! MOM!" the man screamed in agony as the hellfire consumed him in seconds.
Mantra took a slow step forward, her voice dripping with cold disdain. "When that child screamed for help, did any of you show mercy? Now... all of you die."
Panicking, the remaining kidnappers scrambled inside their van.
"Drive! Drive!" the leader yelled frantically.
The driver slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, but the tires just spun uselessly. "I'm pressing it! But the van isn't moving!"
"How?! Is something holding us?!"
Behind the vehicle, Mantra was casually lifting the rear of the heavy van off the ground with a single hand, keeping the drive tires suspended in mid-air.
Inside the alley, the little girl looked up, her tear-stained eyes widening as she watched the kidnappers scream in absolute terror inside the floating car.
Mantra offered the child a tiny, dark smile before looking back at the van. "Goodbye."
She tossed the van back onto the pavement. The moment the tires touched the road, the vehicle rocketed forward at full speed. Unable to control the sudden momentum, the driver slammed straight into a thick concrete wall!
BOOM!
The explosive crash echoed through the street, lighting up windows as nearby residents woke up in panic.
Seeing the neighborhood waking up, Mantra quickly grabbed the little girl and vanished in a flash of spatial mana.
They reappeared a few streets away near a brightly lit building.
Mantra looked down at the child. "Where is your house, little one?"
The girl looked down, her tiny hands nervously gripping her skirt. "I... I don't know."
Mantra sighed softly, patting the girl's head. "Look over there. That's a police station. They'll find your parents."
Mantra walked the little girl inside the station. An officer sitting behind an old wooden desk looked up in surprise.
"She was lost," Mantra said plainly, pushing the girl forward slightly.
The officer stood up, walking over to kneel in front of the child. "Are you lost, sweetheart?"
The girl nodded shyly. "Y-Yes, uncle..."
A female officer walked over, kneeling down beside her with a gentle smile. "Hey there. What's your name?"
Mantra watched from the side, her eyes cold as she observed the scene. Humans are truly bizarre creatures. Some kidnap children for money, while others spend their lives protecting them.
The little girl pulled a small plastic card from her pocket. "My parents gave me this card."
The female officer took the card, reading the emergency contact info. "Good girl. This will help us call your home right away."
The officer dialed the number on the desk phone, speaking quietly for a few moments. "Yes... I see... Understood."
When she hung up, her face had turned pale and angry. She turned to Mantra, her voice heavy with disgust. "Her parents didn't lose her... They sold her to those traffickers for money."
Mantra's eyes turned completely dark, a bitter smile touching her lips. "Pathetic. Humans really are the most disgusting creatures in existence."
Far beyond the mortal realm, deep within the dark halls of the underworld...
The God of Death sat upon his bone throne, watching Mantra's reflection in a pool of dark water. A faint, mocking smirk appeared on his face.
"You speak as if you're any different, Mantra..." the Death God whispered into the dark. "In the end... you did the exact same thing."