The living room returned to a state of calm. Chen Jing's bedroom door remained closed, with faint keyboard clicks echoing from within. Lucifer sat on the sofa, gazing down at the metallic shard in his hand, his expression dark and thoughtful.
The shard felt icy against his fingers, its surface etched with chaotic symbols that emitted a faint yet ominously familiar energy. His brow furrowed, and his gaze turned cold.
"These symbols… they resemble the remnants of the Abyssus cult's forbidden rituals, but there's also a trace of mortal inscriptions," he muttered under his breath. "Could someone in this world be attempting to resurrect ancient summoning rituals? Or is this part of a deeper conspiracy?"
As he turned the shard in his fingers, his mind replayed the image of the creature from the previous night—the writhing tendrils, the stench of decay, and its piercing death wail. The scenes overlapped with fragments of his past memories, stirring unease.
"The mortal world isn't as simple as it once was…" he murmured, his gaze drifting toward Chen Jing's closed bedroom door.
Inside her room, Chen Jing was focused on her computer screen, editing the livestream footage from the previous night. As she typed, she mulled over how to explain the "unusual" scenes to her audience.
"Alright, everyone! Last night, I had an absolutely thrilling adventure at the abandoned XX Textile Factory!" she announced to the camera with a confident smile. "However, some of the footage had… uh… technical glitches. I'll re-edit the highlights and upload them soon."
The livestream chat immediately erupted:
"Don't hold out on us,Miss Chen! Show the real stuff!"
"That shadow from last night wasn't a glitch, was it?"
"You're fooling us, but we can't prove it."
Chen Jing glanced at the scrolling comments, her lips twitching in frustration before plastering on a professional smile. "Relax, everyone. Those so-called shadows? They were just lighting issues. I brought a lot of high-tech gear, so minor glitches were bound to happen."
She quickly cut out the genuinely "paranormal" segments, stitching together a safe and uneventful exploration sequence.
"Alright, this version is much less terrifying," she muttered to herself while editing. Her thoughts inevitably wandered back to the events of the previous night—the creature's terrifying screams and Lucifer's fiery intervention left a deep impression on her.
"That self-proclaimed King of Hell…" she mused, pausing her work momentarily. "As unbelievable as he is, I have to admit, he came through in the end."
Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought.
"Focus, Chen Jing. He's just trouble. All you need to do is make sure he doesn't cause more problems."
Meanwhile, in the living room, Lucifer lifted his gaze toward the bedroom door. The faint "thump-thump" sound from within—likely Chen Jing smacking her own face—hadn't escaped his notice.
"Mortal minds are so preoccupied with trivialities," he murmured, leaning back on the sofa. A faint, amused smile played on his lips. "But compared to me, her little concerns are insignificant."
He set the shard down and closed his eyes, attempting to summon the remnants of his power. But the seal on his abilities remained unyielding, leaving him with a profound sense of frustration.
"Curse this…" he growled under his breath. "I must recover my strength soon. Without it, even survival will be a struggle amidst the chaos to come."
Inside her room, Chen Jing was wrapping up her livestream. Leaning back in her chair, she massaged her sore shoulders while scrolling through viewer comments:
"Chen Jie's explorations feel faker each time.""Something feels off… like there's editing involved.""Still fun to watch. Can you explore scarier places next time?"
Chen Jing sighed and typed a quick reply: "Don't worry. Next time, I'll be even better prepared to show you the real deal!"
After closing the livestream, she sat in silence for a moment before standing and opening her door.
Lucifer was still on the sofa, his eyes closed as though asleep. Sunlight streaming through the window highlighted his sharp features, making his expression appear both serene and strikingly cold.
"This guy… he really is good-looking," she muttered before shaking her head and walking over to the sofa. Nudging his foot, she said, "Hey, stop pretending. You're not asleep, are you?"
Lucifer opened his eyes slowly, his gaze calm as it met hers. "Mortal, do you need something?"
"Not really." Chen Jing crossed her arms, her tone laced with challenge. "I just wanted to remind you not to act so high and mighty. I don't care what kind of 'king' you think you are—right now, you answer to me."
Lucifer studied her for a moment before a faint smile tugged at his lips. "You're amusing, mortal."
"Spare me the flattery," Chen Jing retorted, turning toward the kitchen. "Dinner's your own problem. I'm not your cook."
As she walked away, Lucifer reclined back on the sofa, his gaze returning to the metallic shard. In a low voice, he murmured, "Mortals are amusing, yes… but this is far more complex than she realizes."
That evening, the soft glow of streetlights filtered through the curtains into the living room. Chen Jing sat by the sofa, idly scrolling through a food delivery app while occasionally glancing at Lucifer.
He lounged on the sofa, his clothes visibly worn and dirty. A faint, unpleasant odor lingered in the air.
"Hey," Chen Jing finally spoke up. "Don't you think you smell a bit… ripe?"
Lucifer arched a brow, seemingly puzzled. "The King of Hell maintains an inherent dignity. Such trivial—"
"Dignity?" Chen Jing cut him off with a dramatic eye-roll. "You know what? Forget dignity. With the state you're in, even street beggars might avoid you."
Lucifer glanced down at his dusty, tattered clothing, his expression wavering between irritation and reluctant acknowledgment. After a moment, he asked, "Do you have a cleansing facility here?"
"The bathroom's over there." Chen Jing pointed toward the hallway and tossed him a clean towel. "Take this, and for the love of all things holy, use hot water. Don't come back smelling like that."
Lucifer took the towel and walked toward the bathroom, the sound of running water soon following.
Chen Jing sighed in relief, leaning back on the sofa. "Finally. I can eat in peace tonight without that smell ruining my appetite."
About twenty minutes later, the bathroom door opened, releasing a wave of warm steam.
Lucifer stepped out, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist. Water droplets trickled from his damp hair, sliding over his toned chest and well-defined muscles. His skin, now clean and smooth, gleamed under the soft lighting, exuding an aura of unintentional intimidation.
Chen Jing, scrolling through her phone, looked up and froze.
"You…" Her eyes widened as a blush spread across her face. Unable to stop herself, her gaze swept over his physique before she hastily looked away. "Why are you walking around half-naked?"
"My clothes are beyond use," Lucifer replied matter-of-factly. "And you have yet to provide replacements."
"You—!" Chen Jing stammered, quickly standing and heading to her room. "Wait here. I'll find you something to wear!"
She rummaged through her closet and eventually found an old set of clothes left behind by her ex-boyfriend. The size seemed close enough. Returning to the living room, she handed the clothes to Lucifer, avoiding eye contact. "Here. This should fit."
Lucifer took the clothes and inspected them briefly. "Whose are these?"
"An old friend's," Chen Jing said tersely, deflecting the question. "Just put them on."
Minutes later, Lucifer emerged wearing the borrowed clothes. Though they were casual and unremarkable, they fit him well, accentuating his tall frame and lending him an effortless, polished look.
Chen Jing glanced at him and couldn't help but think, "Does this guy just make everything look good?"
"Not bad," she muttered, then quickly changed the subject. "Now, can I finally enjoy my meal without distractions?"
Settling back on the sofa, she scrolled through the food delivery app, muttering to herself. "Sushi? Skewers? Hot pot?"
"What are you doing?" Lucifer asked, frowning. "Is this how mortals acquire food?"
"Yep. It's called ordering takeout. Did you think I'd cook for you?" Chen Jing replied without looking up as she placed an order for a sushi platter. "Don't worry. I didn't get anything for you."
"I do not require mortal sustenance," Lucifer said loftily, reclining on the sofa with a dismissive air.
A short while later, the food arrived. As Chen Jing opened the bag, the savory aroma of sushi filled the room. She grabbed a piece and popped it into her mouth, sighing with satisfaction.
"This is so good!" she exclaimed.
Lucifer glanced at her, his expression unimpressed—until his stomach growled loudly.
Chen Jing froze, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Didn't you just say you don't need mortal food? Then whose stomach is that?"
Lucifer's expression darkened as he turned away, attempting to save face. "That is merely… an involuntary reaction of this body to its environment."
"Sure it is." Chen Jing wiped away tears of laughter, holding out a piece of sushi to him. "Come on, 'King of Hell.' Try some mortal food and see if it conquers you."
Lucifer hesitated before reluctantly taking the sushi. As he bit into it, the flavors of fresh fish and seasoned rice burst in his mouth. His expression shifted from resistance to mild surprise, and he gave a small, approving nod.
"Not bad," he admitted quietly, trying to mask his satisfaction.
"See? Mortal things aren't so terrible after all," Chen Jing said smugly, enjoying her meal.
Lucifer silently reached into the bag for another piece of sushi.