Dark magic.

Wang's Pov.

By 6 p.m., Liu and Meng were ready to see Zhan. I quickly dressed up and followed them, with Jackson trailing behind me. My heart ached as I realized that green-eyes had been right there all along, and yet I had been too blind to notice.

"Wang, you can't come with us?" Meng stared at me with an unreadable expression. "This is something we have to do alone, but don't worry, we'll be back soon."

"I'll stay in the car," I pleaded. "I won't interfere, I promise. But of course, that's a lie. I want to go; I want to be part of this. I just don't know how else to say it."

Liu gave me a knowing look, but I shrugged it off, not wanting to admit I was scared of facing him and being rejected.

As we neared the lounge, a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, causing my heart to pound relentlessly against my chest. The intensity of the moment was so overwhelming that it felt as though my heart might burst free from its bony confines. I desperately tried to steady my breathing and calm my racing heart, but the fear only intensified.

Calm down, Wang. Liu sneered. His words stung, but I knew he was reveling in my discomfort. I tried to ignore his taunting and focus on regaining control of my racing heart. I reminded myself to take deep breaths, taking slow, deliberate inhalations and exhalations.

Despite my efforts, the thumping in my chest persisted, a constant reminder of the nerves that had taken hold of me. The weight of the impending situation bore down upon me, and I couldn't help but wonder if I would be able to overcome my anxiety. I silently prayed for a moment of respite, a chance to find the inner strength needed to face whatever lay ahead.

Liu parked the car, and the three of them walked inside. As they approached the lounge entrance, my legs shook on their own. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and stepped forward, arriving at the entrance. I took another deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and stepped further into the lounge.

I felt like I was in a different world than the bustling and loud environment I was used to. The eerie silence was punctuated only by my own footsteps and conversation murmurs.

A sudden phone ring startled me. I looked up and saw a tall, dark-haired guy picking up his phone. "I'll be with you in a minute," he said, flashing a friendly smile. Liu nodded in response and waited patiently for him to finish his phone call.

I slowly walked over to one of the chairs, feeling out of place. I tried to make myself as small as possible, my hands clasped together, my eyes fixed on the ground. I felt all their eyes on me, weighing me down. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, feeling like a lost poppy in the middle of an unfamiliar field.

After he finished talking, he walked over to Liu and sat down on a nearby chair. He apologized and asked, "Sorry, who are you again?"

"I'm Liu. We are looking for Zhan. Do you know where he is?" Liu replied.

His expression changed, and his eyes widened. "Are you his boyfriend?" He asked cautiously.

"No, our brother is his boyfriend. We just want to talk to him," Meng said.

"Well, I don't know where he is," he replied. "His uncle made our boss fire him this morning. He said he would call when he settled in."

I growled lowly in my throat, anger consuming me. How dare his uncle do such a thing! He had no right to interfere in Zhan's life. I could not believe that this man had the audacity to do this. I was determined to find Zhan and make sure he was safe.

He got up from the chair and turned to us. "I almost forgot. Give me a minute," he said, walking out of the lounge.

"He came in a minute later, handing Liu a small package. Zhan said, I should give this to you." Liu smiled and thanked him before carefully taking the package from his hand.

"Why do you hate Wang?" Jackson asked the guy.

His expression changed upon hearing Jackson's question, and he shook his head before replying. "The bastard broke my friend's heart, and he didn't even tell me. I heard him talking in his sleep, begging Wang not to leave him, and he also wondered why Wang called him a halfling."

It's crazy how people take advantage of nice people. He didn't realize he was a halfling when he was getting between his legs, and it was particularly annoying that he kept ordering dinner for him. It's a shame that Wang didn't even have any decency in him.

Food? I never ordered anything for him. I murmured. I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed by all the unexpected events. It was like I was being thrown into a chaotic maze with no easy way out. Nothing made sense, and I was starting to feel hopeless and frustrated.

Before I knew it, Zhan's friend punched me in the face with a loud thud. I felt a sharp pain in my left cheek. He hissed, "That's for Zhan". I was too shocked to stare at him in disbelief.

I knew I deserved it and more. I had wronged Zhan, and I deserved whatever punishment he saw fit. I felt a wave of guilt and shame wash over me as I realized that I had messed up and was now paying for it. I had no choice but to accept my fate and take whatever punishment was coming my way.

What is your name? Meng asked.

Cheng. He hissed, his voice low and menacing.

Meng whispered something to Liu, and his eyes changed from bright brown to deep, steely red. I knew she had just told him to compel the guy.

Liu walked over to Cheng, curious. He approached Cheng and calmly asked, "Do you have anything belonging to Zhan?"

And it instantly clicked: "Meng wants to do a locator spell to find Zhan."

"No, nothing except his hairbrush and toothbrush." Cheng replied.

"That will do," Liu said. "One more thing. Whenever Zhan calls you, I want you to tell me. Okay?"

Cheng nodded in agreement, understanding the importance of Liu's request.

Liu smiled and thanked Cheng before quickly running off to get the hairbrush and toothbrush.

Meng quickly collected the hairbrush and toothbrush. Liu typed his number into Cheng's phone so Cheng could contact him when Zhan called.

The silence within the car was almost suffocating, with each passing second only serving to intensify my curiosity. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this seemingly innocuous act of dropping off a package. What could be inside? And why was Zhan involved?

As we made our way back to the house, my mind raced with questions. Was it something illegal? Or perhaps it held some secret that Liu needed to keep hidden? The possibilities seemed endless, and the lack of answers only fueled my curiosity further.

The drive seemed never-ending, the silence hanging heavy in the air. I couldn't help but glance at Liu, trying to decipher any hints or clues from his demeanor. But his expression remained stoic, revealing nothing.

Finally, we arrived at the house, and Liu handed the package to Meng without saying a word. Meng accepted it with a nod, her face emotionless. It was as if they were both well-versed in this clandestine exchange, keeping their intentions hidden from prying eyes.

Everyone walked into Meng's room, curious to see what was inside the package. The room was filled with anticipation as Meng carefully unwrapped the package, revealing its contents. The room fell silent as we all looked on, eager to discover what was inside. The package contained toiletries, but the smell got our attention; it smelled like halflings. We all looked at each other in surprise, not expecting it.

Meng chuckled bitterly as she revealed the package contents: "Dark magic."