Michael's eyes widened as he witnessed Elder Zhang extracting the token from his own robe. He stood dumbfounded, gazing at the item held in the elder's hand, unable to recognize its intricate patterns at first. His eyes shifted to Elder White, who happened to be staring directly at him. A deep voice resonated in his mind, brimming with gloating satisfaction. "Checkmate, kid."
It took a moment for Michael to grasp the gravity of the situation, connecting the dots of information. He took another careful look at the token. Its surface bore intricate carvings of fearsome demons, their monstrous forms contorted in wickedness, adorned with razor-sharp fangs and clawed appendages. The metal exuded a malevolent energy, its lustrous sheen resembling the flickering flames of hell.
