Dancing with the Devil

The Trap

A trip to the black market for a quick cure was delayed, and Kalista, who was supposed to leave for the forest today, had to stay an extra day in a hotel, and then she could leave the next morning.

Early in the evening, Kalista skipped dinner and rushed to the drugstore, partly in fear of a potential killer and partly so she could get back to the hotel and plan her entrance into the forest before daylight left.

The black market was as lively as ever. Evelyn made it clear to Kalista that the killer had arrived and that danger could strike at any moment. The invisible sense of oppression was like a silent giant beast, holding its breath between a series of strange faces, waiting for an opportunity to give her a fatal blow, but at the same time, the cage composed of ordinary people was also the best weapon to bind the giant beast.

She carefully watched the flow of people around her and noticed that a suspicious man had been following her not far behind. Men wore gray robes that fell to their knees, long enough to cover their swords.

With alarm bells ringing in her mind, Kalista decided to rush to the pharmacy and ask the boss to cover for her. But no matter how she detoured, the other side could happen to follow her at the next intersection, as if he had a firm grasp of her whereabouts, could not shake off.

Did he use some kind of tracking magic? If so, the stalker could not have been a random burglar or robber.

Or maybe... He knew where she was going.

If that was the case, the tailgaters could only be killers targeting her.

Kalista rubbed the carving of the dagger sheath around her waist, her fingers tingling faintly.

The only conversation she ever had with Evelyn at the drugstore was about "killers." Evelyn didn't have to tip her off and tell the killer where she was. So the lack of quick-acting drugs was probably a cover. Maybe the boss heard someone was after her, and sold her information to keep it from getting burned.

There could have been more killers outside or even inside the pharmacy.

Kalista made a quick decision, gave up her quick-acting medicine and her deposit, and pushed her way back into the crowd. She took several long walks around under natural cover, making the killer think she was still trying to get rid of him in order to get to the drugstore. In fact, she secretly calculated the distance and the angle of sight, while the man was not paying attention, copied a path back.

Sure enough, the man in gray didn't come after him again.

Kalista knew this trick would only fool him for a while. After losing the target, the killer will eventually wonder where she went. There's still enough distance between the black market and the hotel for Kalista to be killed ten times.

As night fell and dusk closed in, the streets were a little less crowded than before. With her hands and feet cold, Kalista walked as fast as she could through crowded areas, then ran as fast as she could on less crowded paths.

But Kalista wasn't lucky enough.

A cold wind came quietly. In the street, a block away from the hotel, an arm wrapped in gray cloth slipped onto her shoulder, and the strength of her fingers was so strong that she could not break free.

"Miss," said the man in the gray suit in a low voice, with pleasure in his voice, "you'd better keep quiet and not try to pull out your little toy from your waist. You know the gap between us. You can't beat me."

The path was quiet, but there were still a few passers-by. The man may be afraid of causing unnecessary trouble in the street, so he insists on hooping Kalista and taking her to a more remote location.

"Well, Miss, one of my companions tried to say hello to you the day before yesterday, but he hasn't come back yet. Do you perhaps know his whereabouts?"

The man in the gray suit was quietly leading her down the alley where the last killer had been killed.

Kalista's teeth ground together in frustration as she remained silent. Her only weapons were a dagger and a small pouch of powder, which meant she could only fight at close range. But her captor's iron grip on her wrist made it impossible for her to reach either the knife's handle or the powder in her pocket. Her adversary, however, wielded a slender sword, ready to strike at any moment. Even if she managed to break free, his blade could easily reach her throat.

How could she escape this dire situation?

As they drew near to the last person on the street, Kalista's resolve hardened. She balled her fists and, with all her might, screamed out for help: "Help! Please, someone help me! This man has kidnapped me and is trying to kill me!"

The man in the gray suit was taken aback, clearly not expecting her to cry out for assistance.

The passers-by, hearing Kalista's plea, hesitated and looked at the man in the gray suit with suspicion. Kalista seized the moment of confusion to act. She lunged for the man's sword, but the blade was so long that she could only pull out half of it before he reacted, grabbing the sword with his bare hands.

Without hesitation, Kalista tossed the sword to the ground, drew her dagger, and took a step back, shouting, "Don't come near me!"

Two bystanders, now alert, watched the scene unfold. The man in the gray suit sheathed his sword and tried to explain with a forced smile, "Recently, my brother has been acting out, stealing money from the family and wasting it in the gambling house. As his brother, it's my duty to bring him home."

Kalista's mind raced as she continued to back away, "You're lying! You're the one who's been gambling away the family fortune! Your father is ill, and you don't care about his life. You're trying to sell me as a slave to Avaloria Castle to pay off your debts!"

The two passers-by looked confused, so Kalista took advantage of their distraction. She hid behind them, wiped a few tears from her eyes, and added, "Sir, ma'am, you see, I'm actually a girl. He tried to sell me to a brothel, so I had to cut off my long hair and dress like a boy to escape."

The bystanders believed Kalista's story and stood firmly behind her, offering their protection. One of the gentlemen stepped forward, confrontationally asking the man in the gray suit, "Don't you feel a bit guilty of what you've done to your sister?"

The man in the gray suit burst into laughter, "Ha... Ha ha ha..." He touched his forehead, looking distressed, and sighed with narrowed eyes. Ignoring the questions from the man, his gaze was like a hook, aimed directly at Kalista. "Miss, you are quite the storyteller, I must say... So, what should I do now?"

Kalista detected a hint of malice in his smooth, rhythmic voice. This was bad! The man in gray looked strange, his impatience tinged with curiosity, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Kalista quickly pulled the bystanders back. "Run away! He's going to draw his sword!"

But her warning was too late. With a swift motion, the man drew his sword, the cold metal catching the white moonlight in a brief, powerful arc through the air. The two bystanders beside her had no time to react, and they were struck down by the gushing blood, rendered silent.

The two bodies fell to the ground.

Kalista's eyes widened in horror as she screamed and hurled a small cloth bag at the man. The man, quick and agile, deflected his head, easily dodging the attack as the cloth bag brushed past his face and landed on the ground, spilling its contents.

Glancing at the powder on the ground, the man stepped over the two lifeless bodies with a calm demeanor, a smile playing on his lips. He spoke leisurely, "Since you are involved with them, these two lives should be on your conscience, Miss."

Kalista's chest was torn with grief and rage, and the fire was blazing within her. She glared at the man in front of her, her ears ringing with a loud noise. She shook her hands, holding the dagger tightly as she faced him. "I will kill you," she vowed.

The man lunged at her with his sword, and Kalista cried out. She used all her strength to block the first sword with the dagger, but the tremendous recoil sent her tumbling to the ground.

However, the next sword came swiftly, and the dagger was immediately knocked away.