**Thailand, 9 AM**
In the shimmering heat of a Thai morning, Noon approached quietly, her footsteps almost soundless on the worn earth. She held a delicate string of jasmine flowers, their sweet scent mingling with the faint smell of incense drifting from nearby temples. She placed the flowers gently on Bell's grave, their vibrant white contrasting sharply with the darkened stone.
Pacey, standing beside the grave, watched her with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. To Pacey, Noon's mother was more than just a friend—she was like a mother, a savior who had pulled her from the brink. This was the least she could do for Bell, a gesture of respect and remembrance.
Elsewhere, the scene was less serene.
A phone rang shrilly in a dimly lit room, its sound piercing the heavy silence. The man seated behind a cluttered desk, cigarette dangling from his lips and a gun resting within easy reach, grunted in irritation.
"Eyyyy, answer the damned phone," he muttered through a haze of smoke.
His subordinate, Tee, scrambled to pick up the receiver, his voice trembling as he reported, "Boss, it's them."
The man, his expression darkening, threw his cigarette onto the floor and crushed it under his heel. He then approached the phone, his movements deliberate and calculated. "Yes, sir?" he answered, his voice cold and menacing.
"Prepare for tonight. I've sent someone to meet you. You'll know what to do," came the voice on the other end before the line went dead.
The man, clad in a gray suit that bore palm prints and a shirt with an unsettling pattern, had short, almost bald hair and a disturbingly wide smile that revealed golden teeth. Known as Black Tiger, his real name was Dome Wongpanich. At 35, with a rugged face and a wiry build, he was an imposing figure.
He turned back to the man tied to a chair in the corner of the room. The captive's face was a ghastly mess of bruises, and his legs were twisted in unnatural angles. Blood pooled beneath him, a knife hanging precariously from his chest.
Dome pressed down on the knife, eliciting a guttural groan from the injured man. "You're quite resilient," Dome mused, his voice laced with sadistic pleasure. He removed the knife from the man's chest and plunged it into his thigh, twisting it slowly. The man's muffled cries filled the room as Dome drew the knife along the man's knee, creating shallow, excruciating cuts.
Dome chuckled, a dark, unsettling sound. "Put him back, and make sure he doesn't die just yet," he said, his smile widening. He walked out of the room, leaving the scene of brutal torment behind.
"Boss, should we prepare for something?" Tee asked, glancing nervously at Dome's retreating back.
Dome gave Tee a condescending look, as if the question itself was beneath him. "The higher-ups will handle everything. We…"—he grinned wickedly—"just follow their orders."
---
**Eve-Ten Mall, 3 PM**
The mall was abuzz with activity, reporters and cameras flashing in every direction. Pacey, in the midst of the chaos, made her way toward the stage, her presence drawing admiring glances from the crowd. Noon, ever by her side, smiled with a blend of pride and nervousness.
"You know, Pacey, you didn't have to come all the way here," Noon said as she handed Pacey a bouquet of flowers. The gesture was small, but it held a depth of meaning.
Pacey placed the flowers on the stage with a nod. "It's the least I could do," she replied, her tone soft but resolute.
As Pacey took her seat, the host of the event began the interview. "Miss Pacey, I understand this is your second time visiting Thailand. What made you decide to open a branch here, and why launch the ACE collection with such a focus on affordability?"
Pacey smiled, her gaze steady. "ACE is designed for comfort and everyday wear. It makes sense for it to be more affordable. As for the materials, I assure you, the quality is the same as our other products."
The interview continued for another twenty minutes, filled with questions about Pacey's vision and the brand's future. Thai ambassadors and celebrities later joined Pacey on stage for photographs, their smiles a stark contrast to the tension that simmered beneath the surface.
---
As the event drew to a close, Pacey and Noon retreated to their van. Pacey looked exhausted but content, her mind already shifting to the comfort of the hotel.
"You hungry, or should we just head back?" Noon asked as she settled into the seat next to Pacey.
Pacey shook her head. "Let's go back to the hotel. We can eat there and catch up on some sleep."
Noon sighed, "It's going to take two hours to get back. I told you we didn't have to do this event."
"It's fine. We'll use the time to rest," Pacey reassured her.
Noon instructed the driver to head back to the hotel, and they settled in for the long drive.
---
**Halfway through the drive**
The van was jolted awake by a sudden screech. Noon and Pacey exchanged worried glances as the vehicle came to a stop.
"What happened?" Noon asked, her voice laced with concern.
The driver, his expression tense, said, "Someone ran into the street. I'll go check."
The night had fallen, and the road was eerily deserted. The driver stepped out into the darkness and approached the prone figure lying in front of the van. The person appeared unconscious, but there was no blood or obvious sign of injury.
"Hey, you! Are you okay?" the driver called out, shaking the person gently.
Without warning, the figure's eyes snapped open, revealing a chilling smile. The stranger lunged at the driver, hands transforming into monstrous appendages, their skin rippling with a ghastly sheen. Muscles bulged grotesquely, and the hand morphed into a monstrous claw.
The creature's mouth opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth and a long, sinuous tongue. It tilted its head toward the moon, as if seeking permission for what was to come.
Noon's scream pierced the night. "What is that?!"
Pacey, reacting quickly, drew her bow and notched a glowing arrow, its fire-like aura casting a menacing light. She aimed carefully, her focus locked on the creature's clawed hand that was wrapped around the driver's neck.
The arrow flew true, striking the monster's hand. The creature howled in pain, its eyes turning a stark, eerie white.
Pacey nocked another arrow, her movements swift and precise. The creature's screams echoed through the forest, a chilling sound that seemed to awaken the very night itself.
The driver, panicked and gasping for breath, scrambled back to the van, his eyes wide with terror.
"Pacey, we have to get out of here!" Noon shouted, her voice trembling. "Do you hear me?"
Pacey's eyes scanned the area, her senses on high alert. "If we run now, we'll be dead before we get far."
Noon's face was pale with fear, but she quickly wrapped a bundle of white string around the van, creating a makeshift protective barrier.
The wind picked up violently, causing the trees to creak and groan. Pacey took out another arrow, her gaze fixed on the darkened forest where the source of the noise seemed to emanate.
The driver huddled in the van, praying for salvation, while Noon chanted softly, her voice a steady, rhythmic incantation. The barrier of white string glowed faintly, shimmering with an ethereal light.
Suddenly, the wind howled, and the trees appeared to tremble. Pacey's senses were heightened; she could feel the presence of something malevolent lurking just beyond the edge of the forest.
With a final, determined breath, Pacey released her arrow. It flew through the air, piercing the darkness and striking the creature once again. The demon, now fully revealed in its true form—a grotesque fusion of gorilla and orangutan with snowy white fur and elongated limbs—let out a blood-curdling scream.
As the demon lunged toward them, the barrier exploded in a burst of light and energy. The force of the explosion sent the demon's form disintegrating into mist, disappearing into the night.
The driver slumped to the floor, his face ashen. Noon was thrown back by the force of the blast, panting heavily.
Pacey, exhausted and threw up blood, then looked around. The once menacing wind had calmed, and the trees stood eerily still. The battle was over, but the terror lingered in the air.
---
**In a nearby car**
An old man in black sat, his focus intense. The sharp pain and overflowing blood in his eyes caused him to wince. Dome Wongpanich, covered in the blood blood splattered and fuming with rage, turned to the old man, Master Boonme.
"Master Boonme, are you alright?" Dome asked, his voice a harsh whisper.
Master Boonme, despite the blood trickling from his eyes, managed a weak smile. He looked to the side, where Tee's seat was now empty, replaced by scattered blood and gore.
Dome's anger flared as he gazed at the bloody mess. "I'm going to kill them!" he growled, his fury barely contained.
Master Boonme stopped him with a commanding look. "You don't want to end up like Tee, do you?".
Back at the van where Pacey was, the wind had stopped. The trees stood untouched, as if the nightmare had never happened. But Pacey knew better. She wiped the blood from her mouth, her eyes catching a glint of something on the ground behind Noon—a card, the one belonging to Rayen. It shimmered briefly before dissipating into the air, just like the demon.
Pacey laughed, hollow and exhausted. "She knew."
Later, the driver woke in a hospital bed, his mind racing. "Demon! That thing wasn't human!"
Noon sat beside him, her face calm. "You fainted when we stopped the car. There was no demon. You just hit the brakes too hard."
"But... I swear..."
Pacey smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. The car wasn't in the best shape. You did a good job, and we'll make sure you're compensated."
The driver, confused and unsure, nodded slowly. Was it real? Or had it all been a terrible dream? The driver checks his neck...there was no bruise?