At the exit, the station police straightened as they checked the IDs.

  "Mom, look! Are they celebrities?"

  "Damn, they’re gorgeous!"

  At the head of the group was a tall woman dressed in a sleek black-and-purple gown. Her long hair cascaded down like a dark waterfall. She moved with an effortless grace, though her expression held the faintest trace of impatience.

  “Still no response?” she asked, irritation seeping into her voice.

  The older, sharp-dressed man beside her scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Uh… maybe he’s training?”

  She scoffed. “Send someone to check his location. I want to see for myself if this so-called ‘genius’ is worth the hype.”

  Pulling out her phone, she dialed. “Whisper Syndicate, Rosaline. I need a trace.”

  Inside the black government-issued SUV waiting for them, the handsome man settled into his seat, still holding onto the crumpled train ticket in his hand.

  The name on it was barely legible, but it was there. "Vince."

  .......

  Lucas studied Axel’s calm expression, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “They locked you in here, yet you don’t seem afraid.”

  Axel took a slow breath, then countered with a question of his own. “Why should I be?”

  Lucas paused, reassessing the young man in front of him. That composure—it wasn’t an act. But what the hell gave him such confidence? “So, you really aren’t afraid of dying.”

  Lucas stood up, and Axel followed suit, his Force subtly stirring around him. His voice was steady. “You’re welcome to try.”

  He wasn’t afraid to escalate things. If a fight broke out, it would force the Whisper Syndicate to take notice even faster. Besides, no matter how dangerous a first-tier middle-grade fighter was, they weren’t stronger than Orion.

  Lucas felt the weight of Axel’s words, the faint ripple of Force around him. After a moment of consideration, he smirked and sat back down instead of making a move. “Kids these days are something else. But don’t get cocky—if we really fought, you wouldn’t walk out of here alive.”

  Axel just shrugged, unimpressed.

  Lucas watched him for another moment, then leaned back on his bed. Axel’s display had made him rethink his initial plan.

  “They put you in here because they want you dead. If I don’t do it, someone else will. Keep your guard up.” Then, without another word, he turned on his side, staring at the wall.

  Axel frowned slightly. From the way the other prisoners had reacted, it was clear this man was dangerous. Lachlan had thrown him in here expecting Lucas to do the dirty work. But the way Lucas was acting… this wasn’t what Axel had anticipated. Not only did he refuse to attack, but he even offered a warning.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Axel didn’t buy that his Force presence alone had been enough to intimidate him. Lucas was holding back for a reason.

  Not that it mattered—for now, avoiding a fight was in his favor. He had no intention of wasting his remaining life crystals in some pointless battle. He hadn’t even collected what was left from Griffin and Orion yet. Right now, he was so broke he could barely afford raw stones, and without more resources, his Force progression would start slowing down fast.

  Lucas lay on his bed, his grip tightening around a sharpened iron rod. His eyes flickered across the dim cell, deep in thought.

  Outside, the other inmates waited. Expected screams. The sound of a body hitting the floor. Anything. But nothing came.

  Curiosity grew, whispers filling the prison halls. Then, the guards arrived—armed and carrying cleaning supplies, clearly expecting to deal with a bloodbath.

  When they unlocked the door, what they saw stopped them cold.

  Axel and Lucas. Each lying on their own beds. Completely unscathed.

  “…The hell?” Their expressions stiffened. No fight. No mess. Nothing to report.

  They hurried off, but it didn’t matter. The reactivated surveillance cameras had already relayed the scene straight to the warden’s office.

  Lachlan’s gaze stayed fixed on the monitor, his expression unreadable. He turned toward Warden Maxwell, his skepticism clear.

  “…What the fuck is wrong with Lucas today?”

  Before, when Lucas had covered the camera with a bedsheet, Maxwell had been grinning ear to ear. He knew Lucas had a violent streak—every other inmate who had pissed him off had ended up dead.

  He had been sure this would be no different. But now? Now Lucas had done nothing. Like this was some kind of joke.

  Maxwell cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. “Well… maybe there was a slight mishap. I’ll arrange for—”

  Lachlan cut him off with a wave of his hand, his cold gaze shifting toward Cassia. She sat there, her face pale, eyes filled with despair.

  This was supposed to teach her a lesson. To plant the seed of fear. To remind her that the Moncrief family controlled her future.

  Instead, it had turned into a complete disappointment.

  Lachlan exhaled sharply, then waved Maxwell off. “No. This time, we do things my way.”

  ...............

  At the same time, back at Axel’s house, silence hung in the air as Vince and the others stood in the dimly lit room.

  Rosaline’s irritation was clear as she glanced at the darkness around them.

  “I already set up a meeting with Axel. He’s careful—there’s no way he just forgot.” Vince’s explanation didn’t do much to ease her displeasure.

  Next to him, a handsome blond man stretched his arms lazily behind his head, a smirk tugging at his lips.

  “Maybe on a little date? Young love makes people forget everything else.”

  “Vincent, not everyone is like you!” The retort came from Kaia, a petite girl with striking white legs, delicate makeup, and a baby face that contrasted sharply with the sharpness in her tone.

  But the moment Kaia’s words faded, the lighthearted banter in the room disappeared.

  Vincent’s smirk dropped, and Kaia’s playful demeanor vanished. They exchanged a glance, their instincts sharpening.

  “If that’s the case… this guy might be in trouble.”

  The room tensed as the realization sank in.

  Rosaline didn’t hesitate. She pulled out her phone. “Find him. You’ve got thirty minutes.”

  ............

  “Lunch time! Line up—no pushing!” At the sharp command, cell doors clanked open one by one. Prisoners shuffled out, heading toward the cafeteria.

  Axel and Lucas stepped out together, both unreadable. But while Axel looked calm, the other inmates weren’t.

  Whispers and murmurs spread like wildfire.

  “The hell? He’s still alive?”

  “Guess Lucas was in a good mood.”

  Those who had been eyeing Axel as an easy target hesitated. “Let’s wait and see… if Lucas isn’t interested, that means it’s our turn.”

  Inside the cafeteria, Axel and Lucas deliberately sat apart. Axel could feel it—an undercurrent of malice, the weight of dozens of eyes on him, lingering longer with each passing second.

  Lucas, too, was watching. Then, from the far side of the cafeteria, two figures slipped in. They wore standard prison uniforms, blending in. But Lucas had never seen them before.

  And the way they moved—their posture, their eyes locked onto Axel—meant one thing. They weren’t just prisoners.

  Lucas’s pulse quickened. His moment had arrived. He stood, grabbed his empty tray, and casually walked past Axel. His voice was low, meant only for him.

  “Danger’s coming. Get ready.”