Chris used his soul power to control the black mist. When the mist came into contact with his soul power, it was quickly subdued. Suddenly, an idea flashed through Chris’s mind. He directed the black mist toward the stump of his severed arm.
“Ah!”
Moments later, a scream escaped Chris’s lips, loud enough to wake Esther. She opened her eyes and asked, “Darling, what happened?”
Chris shook his head and replied, “It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.”
Esther didn’t press further, turning over and falling back asleep.
Chris took a deep breath as the pain started to subside. “Could this actually work?”
Looking down at his arm, his face filled with disbelief. Two black arms had grown out from the stump. He clenched his fists, feeling their solidity. Initially, he had intended to expel the black mist from his body, but instead, it had fused with his arm stump.
Now, his new arms were entirely formed of black energy. With just a thought, they disappeared, leaving no trace. At the same time, a black pill appeared in Chris’s dantian, radiating a powerful, malevolent aura.
Delighted, Chris realized that with these black arms, he was no longer a cripple. What surprised him even more was how completely the mist had integrated into his body.
After several cautious examinations, Chris found no adverse effects. Accepting that the mist couldn’t be expelled, he decided to let it be. He also kept the existence of his new arms a secret, as he couldn’t explain their origin.
The next morning, Chris came downstairs and found Mara Wainwright cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
“Mara, aren’t you going out today?” he asked curiously.
Mara shook her head. “No. Esther told me to stay home and take care of you.”
Just as Chris was about to respond, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen-it was Bull Parker.
This surprised Chris since Harold had earlier informed him that Bull and the entire East Coast Guards had disappeared. Could Bull have returned?
Chris quickly answered the call.
“Mr. Shelby, I’ve brought the East Coast Guards back to the East Coast!” Bull reported eagerly.
A wave of relief washed over Chris. “Where are you? Come here immediately,” he instructed.
Half an hour later, Bull Parker arrived at the villa.
“What’s going on?” Chris asked as soon as he saw him.
Bull hesitated before replying, “Mr. Shelby, after you went missing, I led the East Coast Guards to search for you. Along the way, we encountered people from the Radiant Faith Chapel…”
Bull explained in detail how, upon hearing rumors of Chris heading west, he had taken the Guards to search there. During this time, Bull had met representatives from the Radiant Faith Chapel and eventually allied with them.
Hearing this, Chris frowned. “Are you here with the Radiant Faith Chapel? Is this about the vampires?” he asked.
Bull was visibly shocked. “Mr. Shelby, how did you know?”
Chris had already guessed. The Radiant Faith Chapel had always been at odds with the Dark World. Whenever the Dark World made a move, the Chapel would respond to suppress them.
This time, the chaos caused by the vampires on the East Coast had undoubtedly drawn the Chapel’s attention.
Chris looked at Bull. “Since when have you been working with the Radiant Faith Chapel?”
Bull hesitated, opening his mouth but failing to form a response.
Chris’s expression turned serious. “If you don’t want to tell me, I won’t ask. But remember, no matter what happens, protect your life above all else.”
Chris considered Bull more than just a subordinate and hoped he would remain safe.
He surmised that Bull’s alliance with the Radiant Faith Chapel was likely to combat the Dark World-an effort undoubtedly tied to Peter Gordon. The question of whether Peter Gordon would descend into the human world loomed heavily in Chris’s mind.
Though Chris wasn’t omnipotent, as the Primus of Amerosia, he bore the responsibility of protecting the nation’s safety.
Dark World’s vampires alone had left him struggling. Behind them was the entire Blood Clan, which was rumored to have Sovereign-level beings-power comparable to Elysium-level practitioners.
Despite his strength, Chris felt uncertain, especially now that he’d lost his original arms.
Bull stood and said, “Mr. Shelby, I’ll take my leave.”
Chris nodded. “Let me know if you face any trouble.”
After Bull left, Chris sighed deeply. The Radiant Faith Chapel’s urgency confirmed his suspicion that Peter Gordon’s descent might be imminent.
His phone rang again. It was Esther.
“Darling, my mom is missing in Oxwoods,” Esther sobbed on the other end.
“What?” Chris was stunned.
“Darling, here’s what happened…”
Esther explained that Susan had spent the past couple of years traveling around the world. Recently, she’d gone to Oxwoods, only to vanish during her trip. As soon as Esther learned of Susan’s disappearance, she called Chris in desperation.
“Darling, you must save my mom!” she pleaded.
Chris nodded firmly. “Esther, don’t worry. Your mom is my mom. I’ll definitely bring her back safely.”