“Tomorrow’s the full moon,” Lauren said quietly.

  Dante nodded. “Then it’ll happen tomorrow night. Everyone, prepare your Hidden Spirit Talismans. Nash, you’ll act as bait. We’ll follow them to their nest.”

  Nash blinked. “Wait, why me?”

  Dante smiled faintly. “Would you rather I go, and you stay behind to command?”

  Nash muttered under his breath. “Why not send Westin?”

  Westin stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”

  Dante shook his head. “No. If a large group of Mermaids attack the village, you’ll need to use your Wood Domain to protect the villagers.”

  Ever since Westin had reached Core Formation, several peak masters had verified that his Wood Spirit Technique had evolved into the early prototype of a Domain—even if it couldn’t yet suppress opponents, it was still a phenomenon unheard of in generations.

  “Fine, I’ll do it,” Nash sighed, resigned.

  Dante clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll be watching from the shadows.”

  Nash snorted. “Then you’d better keep a damn close eye on me.”

  Dante ignored him and turned to the others. “Ms. Lauren, you and Westin stay in the village tonight. If they don’t take the bait, they might come straight for the villagers.”

  Lauren nodded. “Got it.”

  He then produced three small jade bottles and handed them out. “These are Pure Heart Pills. I heard the Mermaids are skilled at enchantment — use these to resist their charms.”

  Everything was set.

  The next night, Nash disguised himself as a fisherman, lighting a bonfire on the beach while he mended his nets. Dante hid somewhere out of sight, his spiritual sense stretched taut like a bowstring.

  Lauren and Westin watched from the village, ready to move the moment something went wrong.

  “Westin, you take the east side,” Lauren instructed. “They might try to circle around.”

  “Got it. You be careful too, Ms. Lauren.”

  From Lauren’s position, she could faintly see the flicker of the fire far off on the beach. Nash sat beside it, his silhouette framed by orange light, hands moving over his nets in slow, deliberate rhythm.

  As midnight deepened, a strange movement rippled across the surf.

  Nash froze. They’re here.

  The fog was thick tonight—too thick. Even with his spiritual sense, he could barely make out shapes beyond a few dozen feet. He fanned the flames, trying to pierce the mist with light.

  A salty wind swept over the shore, heavy with the stench of brine and blood.

  And then—he screamed.

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  “Nash, what happened?” Dante’s voice came low through a voice transmission.

  There was a pause before Nash’s shaky voice came back.

  “Dante, don’t worry, I’m fine. Just… damn, they’re ugly. Two of them—third-level demon beasts. Scared the hell out of me.”

  Dante exhaled softly. “Alright. Stay calm. We’re right behind you.”

  Moments later, Nash was dragged into the waves by the two Mermaids, disappearing beneath the surface.

  Lauren and Westin rushed to the shore, where Dante was already waiting.

  “The Mermaids have taken him,” Dante said. “Two third-levels. We’ll follow from a distance. Ms. Lauren, you have a Mermaid Pearl, right?”

  Lauren nodded. “Yes.”

  “Good. Keep it close. It’ll protect you underwater.”

  All of them had prepared Mermaid Pearls before setting out — a necessity for diving into the South Sea. The pearls shielded them from the crushing pressure and allowed them to breathe freely.

  The three slipped silently into the dark water, their spiritual energy suppressed to a whisper.

  They followed the faint trail left by Nash’s captors, swimming for what felt like miles through the dim, ghostly blue depths.

  Then, in the distance, the outline of a small island emerged — jagged cliffs rising from the sea like black fangs.

  Lauren’s mind stirred as Edmund’s voice whispered into her thoughts, cold and dispassionate:

  > “That island reeks of evil spirits.”

  Westin frowned. “There’s a strong smell of blood in the water.”

  Dante’s eyes narrowed. “Stay hidden. We’ll circle from the right and get a closer look.”

  The moonlight shimmered faintly on the waves as the three of them slipped closer, silent as shadows.

  The three of them crept closer to the island, hidden beneath the water’s dark sheen. From their vantage point among the coral and rocks, they could see the shore clearly now — a vast gathering of Mermaids arranged in layered circles.

  The ones on the outer edge were hideous beyond words — skin like rotting scales, sharp teeth jutting from warped jaws, and a stench so foul it could curdle spiritual energy itself.

  But the Mermaids within the inner circle were an entirely different sight. They were breathtaking — pale skin glowing faintly under the moonlight, long, silken hair cascading down their shoulders, their movements graceful and slow, almost divine. Each one looked as though she had been carved from pure moonlight, a beauty born from the ocean’s own spirit.

  Dante pinched his nose. “The ugly ones are male. The pretty ones are female.”

  Westin tilted his head. “That’s odd. For most demon beasts, the males are usually more attractive than the females.”

  Lauren murmured, “That’s true — but that’s mainly in birds. The males have bright feathers to draw predators’ attention, keeping the females safe. In that sense, these male Mermaids being hideous makes perfect sense. They look like they want to die.” She glanced toward the inner circle. “Still… the ones inside are too beautiful. I’m not sure I can bring myself to kill them.”

  Both men nodded almost in unison. “Makes sense.”

  “Those in the center are so pretty, I’ll leave them to you, Ms. Lauren,” Dante said. “We’ll take care of the ugly ones.”

  Lauren blinked. “…” She wanted to protest but couldn’t argue — she didn’t want to kill that one either.

  “We’ll see what happens later,” she said at last.

  Before they could continue, a sharp, high-pitched voice echoed from the center of the gathering.

  “Have you brought the human?”

  “Yes, Auntie,” came the reply. “The man caught tonight is so handsome.”

  The three froze, exchanging glances.

  “Really?” The older Mermaid’s voice dripped with amusement. “Bring him closer. I want to see him.”

  Lauren’s brows knitted. They can talk?

  The Mermaid’s voice carried a strange, grating resonance — shrill and eerie, like a crow trying to sing.

  Dante grimaced. “By the heavens, that voice could wake the dead.”

  Westin added quietly, “The males sound better.”

  One was beautiful, the other had the better voice — not much of a balance.

  But after eavesdropping a while longer, Lauren realized only the females spoke. The males stayed eerily silent, like shadows lurking in the mist.

  “Why aren’t the males saying anything?” she whispered.

  Westin replied, “They can’t speak — they can only sing. That’s how they lure prey… and attract females.”

  Lauren rolled her eyes. “So female Mermaids are basically voice-activated."

  Out on the platform of smooth stone rising from the surf, Nash was laid out by two hulking male Mermaids. His clothes were soaked, and his hair clung to his face — he looked like a fisherman caught in a storm.

  A stunning Mermaid emerged from the inner circle. Her white hair trailed along the rock like spun silk, and the lower half of her body shimmered with pearlescent scales that glowed faintly blue under the moonlight.