Lâo Fēng POV IV

Raymond casually slipped a hand into his pocket and retrieved an oval-shaped item, its surface a mix of cold metal and an unknown, pulsating material.

Yohanna was closest to him, and she had clearly sensed danger—the kind you don't hesitate to flee from. She sprang back, retreating toward us, her movements sharp and precise.

But even as she moved—

"Yohanna…" My voice came low, my eyes fixed on the thigh of her dress. "Don't move."

Somehow, the device was already on her.

There had been no throw, no gesture from Raymond, and yet… it was there. Attached.

The device bore six glowing bars of blue light—and already, three of them had gone dark.

I had never seen anything like it in my long life—and I doubted Yohanna had either. But one thing was certain:

It was dangerous.

It came from their hands, after all. The Monitors. The Lucians.

Terror gripped her, her trembling hands hovering over the device, fingers itching to pull it off.