Chapter 571

They didn't notice someone standing outside the door. Edie stood there, clutching her Louis Vuitton bag tightly, her eyes fixed on Oliver and Brandon through the gap. Seeing the scene, she turned and left.

Oliver and Brandon burst into laughter. However, the blood suddenly vanished from the crystal ball, and their faces froze. The energy was still being collected, but the blond seemed to have disappeared. The energy in their trap was draining, as if their magic power had been leached away.

"It's gone? How could it be gone?" Oliver muttered. "How is that possible?" Brandon whispered.

As they leaned closer, the crystal ball emitted a bright, powerful light that intensified. "Oh no, watch out!" Oliver shouted.

It was too late. The crystal ball exploded with a loud bang, knocking them back. They screamed. Shards of glass pierced their faces, and blood oozed out.

Brandon covered his left eye, his hand sticky. "My eye! My eye!" he cried, his voice trembling.

Oliver grunted and turned. He saw Brandon's eye pierced, blood pouring out. Leaning closer, he felt a faint pain in his face; the bite mark he'd suppressed reappeared. Before he could react, the bite mark surged forward.

Brandon covered his eye, noticing the bite mark on Oliver's face. The next second, Oliver's face was pressed against his. He smelled a strange odor from Oliver's mouth, and then felt his eyeball being ripped out. He heard a "pop," and kicked Oliver away. He saw an eyeball imprinted on the bite mark, then forcibly swallowed.

"My eye!" Brandon was shocked. His eyeball was gone. The bite mark, apparently the spirit of an unborn child, had been roused by the blood, its bloodthirsty nature awakened. Oliver had awakened its indignation and resentment, instilling hatred for humans, making it crave humanity.

Oliver's plan had been to give this spirit to Zachery, manipulating his wife, then using his power to make the spirit seize Zachery's wealth. Unexpectedly, Odalys intervened, restoring the baby spirit to its original form and trapping it on his face. Oliver knew the spirit was ferocious and couldn't remove it. Now, it had scented blood and attacked.

"Give me back my eyeball!" Brandon rushed over. As he touched the bite mark, it latched onto his finger. With a snap, it bit off his finger, consuming it like Oliver's index finger the previous night. Brandon fell to the ground in pain.

Chapter 31

Oliver spat out a mournful blandishment, muttering, "Impossible. How could they destroy my trap?" Miner was stricken. "Even Percival's blush... how could it be destroyed?" He was filled with scalding hatred. All his efforts, all in vain. Odalys had risen. It was sealed. His reputation in Crownridge was ruined by Odalys. He was once a renowned energy field master, sought after for his skills. Now, wealthy families were turning against him.

"Who on earth is Odalys? Why does she always ruin everything for me?" Oliver muttered loudly, questioning his life. Brandon rolled on the ground in pain, too preoccupied to notice.

"Odalys has left the Bennett family, yet her energy field is still intact, preventing wicked energy from spreading. Who is she, and why is her energy so terrifyingly powerful?" Oliver finally confronted this question. Previously, he hadn't taken Odalys seriously. He was fixated on her necklace, knowing its immense energy could make one invincible. "Is it the person who gave her the necklace who is helping her?" he wondered, but found no answer.

Brandon fainted. A knock. Sophia Kim entered, coldly surveying the scene. "Let's cooperate," she said.

Oliver saw her determined gaze. His contempt remained unchanged. He knew her methods; she had no qualms about working with a fake magician. "Will you believe me?" Sophia smiled faintly.

She strode to Brandon, tore open his jacket, and glanced charmingly at Oliver. A grunt. Brandon fainted. Blood oozed from his chest, Oliver’s expression shifting. Dark mist seeped from her fingertips like ghastly hands; her hands were no longer delicate.

"Think it over and contact me," Sophia’s smile lingered. Instead of forcing Oliver, she wiped the blood from her fingertips and left. She needed to control the situation. She knew Oliver's plan to kill Odalys—they had a common enemy. She felt restrained by something unknown, a need to rely on a force to break free and return to her original form. This urge intensified. Sophia descended the stairs.