Chapter 24 : You!!!

Lumian leaned back in his p chair, a glass of water in hand as the light of his lair cast shadows on the walls. A sly smirk played on his lips as he mused to himself, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." 

He had no intention of appearing before either Michael or Angela for a while. Their little drama was progressing beautifully without his intervention, and he saw no reason to interfere. For now, he would let them simmer in the chaos he had ignited. 

The heavy steel door creaked open, and Boulder stepped inside, his hulking frame almost filled the doorway. Behind him trailed Stone, clutching something tightly in his hands. The man looked nervous but determined, his steps were hesitant but purposeful. 

Lumian tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "This better be good, Stone," he said lazily, swirling his cup. "I trust you don't intend to waste my time again." 

Stone swallowed hard, his throat dry. Despite his best efforts to stay composed, his hands trembled slightly as he stepped forward and placed a small camera on the table in front of Lumian. 

"This time," Stone began, his voice shaky, "I made sure to get everything you wanted. You won't be disappointed." 

Lumian's piercing gaze lingered on Stone for a moment, making the man shift uncomfortably. Finally, Lumian picked up the camera and began scrolling through the footage. 

Stone held his breath, his heart pounding as silence filled the room. Even Boulder, usually unbothered, subtly took a step back, creating a safe distance between himself and the scene unfolding. 

Lumian's expression was unreadable as he watched. The tension in the room grew heavier with each passing second. Then, finally, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. 

"Haha, this is even better than I expected, he's gone off the rails completely"

"Well done, perhaps you could have made a living being a videographer rather than a criminal " Lumian said, his tone devoid of warmth. It was the closest thing to a compliment Stone could hope for. 

Relief washed over Stone, and he exhaled deeply. His shoulders sagged as the tension drained from his body. 

"You're not done," Lumian said sharply, rising from his chair. "You'll continue to watch Michael. Closely." 

Stone froze, his brief moment of relief vanishing. His mouth opened as if to protest, but the words died in his throat. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to comply. Defying Lumian wasn't an option—not unless he wanted to join Dynamite in hell. 

He nodded meekly, picking up his camera and turning to leave. His head hung low, and he looked as if he might burst into tears at any moment. 

Boulder, standing near the door, watched Stone with a mix of pity and resignation. Their eyes met briefly, but Boulder quickly looked away. He had no intention of getting involved. 

As Stone shuffled out, Boulder muttered under his breath, "Sorry stone, you're on your own brother." 

Lumian chuckled softly, amused by the spectacle. His long coat swirled around him as he grabbed it and headed out. Angela and Michael were generating Chaos Tokens for him, but their contributions were dwindling. He needed more CT, and he couldn't rely on them alone.

He had tried opening the system's shop earlier but was slammed with a warning telling him he had to have at least 10000 CT before he could gain access.

Lumian strolled through the city streets, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd for his next victim. The air was crisp, and the glow of streetlights reflected off the wet pavement. 

He was pondering his options when he spotted a familiar face across the road. A girl. She was young, likely in her late teens, with a fiery gaze that seemed out of place for someone her age. 

He squinted, trying to recall where he had seen her before. Nothing came to mind. 

As if sensing his stare, the girl suddenly turned her head and locked eyes with him. Lumian was taken aback, though only slightly. Her expression shifted from confusion to recognition, her brows furrowing as if she were recalling a long-forgotten memory. 

Then, to his surprise, she began shouting at him. 

"Hey! You! Don't you dare run away!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the noise of the bustling street. 

Lumian remained still, intrigued. He watched as she crossed the road, ignoring the pedestrian light. Drivers honked their horns and swerved to avoid her, creating a chaotic scene. 

"Interesting," Lumian muttered, a small smile forming. 

When she finally reached him, she was panting slightly but still furious. Up close, she was shorter than he had expected, her defiance almost comical given her stature. 

"You," she said again, jabbing a finger at his chest. 

"Me?" Lumian replied, his tone light and amused. 

She looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing. "Still wearing that stupid coat, huh?" 

Lumian raised an eyebrow. "And you are?" 

The girl ignored his question, suddenly grabbing the edges of his coat and yanking it open. She stepped back, her face falling into disappointment when she saw that he was fully dressed beneath it. 

"Figures," she muttered. "You're the type of pervert who walks around naked under that thing." 

Lumian smirked. "You're awfully rude to your elders," he said, his voice filled with mock disapproval. "Tell me, where do you know me from?" 

Her face darkened, and her voice took on a sharp edge. "Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what you did to me and my friends!" 

Lumian tilted his head, genuinely curious. "I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific. I've done a lot of things to a lot of people." 

The girl's fists clenched at her sides. "You made my friends turn on each other. You… you did something! I don't know what, but I know it was you!" 

Lumian's expression changed subtly as the memory clicked. "Ah," he said, a hint of recognition in his tone. "The test subjects. I had to test out my skill on someone." 

"Test subjects?!" the girl repeated, her voice rising. 

Lumian nodded, completely unfazed by her outrage. "Of course. You can't perfect a skill without practice." 

Her face contorted with anger. "You're insane." 

Lumian grinned. "Possibly. And you are?" 

"Shirley," she spat, her voice laced with anger 

"Shirley," Lumian repeated, as if tasting the name. "Well, Shirley, it seems you have things to say to me." 

Her glare could have melted steel, but Lumian's grin only widened. He loved nothing more than a spark of chaos, and Shirley was practically a firestorm waiting to ignite.

"I want," he mused, "She would make an amazing pet,"