"This is the last chance."
Lis Murphy thought to herself as she dodged the slowly moving cars on the driveway, starting to jog towards the street next to the church.
Compared to the street across from it, the church was now within sight.
In her eyes, the already magnificent, ancient church exuded a peaceful aura.
And it was this peaceful aura that reminded Lis Murphy of that priest.
"Let's do this!"
Lis Murphy mustered her courage, clutching the documents she had gathered about herself, including her annual report cards, and walked towards the burly man guarding the church's main door, facing his peculiar gaze.
...
Greenway Village, Sector 5, No. 106.
In front of a detached house with front and back yards, a red sports car was parked next to a van.
Four workers were moving a huge mirror covered with a cloth from inside the van, looking towards a lady standing a few meters away, looking guarded, they asked.
"Lady, where should we put this?"
Kelly Russell crossed her arms, staring at the Latham mirror etched in her memory, and said stiffly, "Put it in the main bedroom on the second floor."
The workers, wearing auction house uniforms and lifting the mirror, exchanged glances.
Then, as if knowing their thoughts, Kelly Russell said, "The front door is unlocked, and the door to the main bedroom on the second floor is open too. There's already a nail in the wall; just hang it there and remove the cloth cover, and you can leave."
With these words, the workers felt an indescribable feeling, sensing that the lady of the house seemed to be guarding against something, which puzzled them.
But at this point, they had no choice but to carry the mirror inside and place it where the employer requested.
However, upon entering the house, they found the hallway and the large living room, among other areas, were filled with green potted plants.
This made them exchange glances again, recalling the lady's guarded demeanor, feeling a chill down their spines.
"Do you think the lady of the house is a bit...?"
While carrying the mirror to the staircase, one of the workers whispered, hinting at something.
Without finishing, the other three workers understood the implied meaning.
The team leader glanced at the one who had just spoken, stating a blunt truth:
"Shut up and get to work! If anyone here has a problem, it's her, not you..."
The conversation was very quiet, and Kelly Russell outside didn't hear it. She continued standing in the front yard, arms crossed, watching the second floor.
Before long, she saw shadows of the workers in the window of the main bedroom on the second floor, and clearly saw them hanging the mirror on the pre-arranged wall.
Kelly Russell's eyes revealed hatred as she slowly clenched her arms, her fingers showing clear knuckles.
"Next, just waiting for the priest."
Her words drifted with the wind, and the priest Kelly Russell mentioned was parking a Ford Raptor on a street, then turning off the engine and stepping out.
"It's been a long time."
York looked up at the seemingly understated but actually luxurious building and walked towards it.
This building might not have a conspicuous sign, but it had some reputation outside the ordinary world.
It was an old item shop that collected everything, not limited to supernatural items. Anything valuable, including ancient books and antiques, was accepted.
Importantly, its owner was skilled, undertaking various crafting services with a wide range.
As York walked, memories stirred in his mind, recalling his past efforts for magic, including collecting materials for exorcising spirits or summoning demons, and creating magic circles. So, it wasn't just the church; he actually had some reputation outside.
Unfortunately, what he regretted the most was that this old item shop had many materials but not the magic book he wanted.
Pushing the door open, he entered to the sound of a bell.
Upon entering, it resembled a library layout, with shelves full of books and antiques, some looking very old.
Behind a long counter was an elderly man with white hair, a kindly face, and reading glasses.
"Welcome, York, long time no see."
"Long time no see."
York smiled, stopping: "Ms. Agatha, could you make me a one-to-one scale model of a dollhouse?"
Ms. Agatha raised her eyebrows, removed her reading glasses, and smiled, "Of course, if you can provide photos and relevant data."
...
Just after entering the building, and about half a minute later, York opened the door again, stepping out satisfied.
Given Ms. Agatha's skill, by the time he completed his task and returned, he should receive an exact 1:1 scale model of the dollhouse.
"Enough to fool Bella."
York opened the car door, sat in the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove towards Greenway Village, not far away.
At the same moment.
"Lady, everything is set, we'll be leaving now."
"Okay."
Kelly Russell nodded, standing still as she watched the van leave, then continued staring at the second floor.
Because of her arrangements, she could still see the antique mirror hung on the wall through the window from her position, though only a corner of it.
After thinking it over, Kelly Russell decided to follow the priest's advice and not do anything before he arrived.
Still, she had prepared everything, doing nothing didn't mean she couldn't observe the changes. If possible, she also wanted to inform the priest about the mirror's progress before he arrived.
"This used to be my home, I know you remember everything because it was in that room that I almost sent you to hell. I hate you, and you should hate me too. I can feel it..."
Kelly Russell pulled out a tablet from her bag, swiped, and clicked on an app.
With a click, the screen displayed several surveillance camera feeds.
Living room, bathroom, hallway, bedrooms, all under surveillance.
"Back then, you started by killing the dog that was always in front of you, and the plants in the pots began to wilt. The progress changed three times a day, but when I escaped, I clearly remembered the outdoor plants were still intact.
The priest said you could create illusions in the human brain, out of nothing. So, how far can your influence reach?"
Kelly Russell tapped the surveillance feed of the main bedroom on the second floor, starting her observation from the potted plants around the mirror and the dog locked in a cage...
___________________
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