Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains as Chen Jing shuffled out of her bedroom, yawning and running a hand through her messy hair. She headed straight to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"Morning," she muttered, glancing at Lucifer, who was seated on the couch with his usual upright posture. He was still toying with the metal fragment, his face as stern and cold as if he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"You didn't sleep again, huh?" Chen Jing sipped her coffee, her voice a mix of mild concern and confusion. "Honestly, you look like a statue—kind of creepy."
Lucifer didn't reply immediately. His eyes shifted from the fragment to her. "We need to act soon. The energy emanating from the amusement park is intensifying—I can sense deeper, more malevolent forces stirring."
Chen Jing sighed and flopped onto the couch with her coffee. "So you're seriously dragging me along to that creepy abandoned park? Let me remind you, surviving the other night was brave enough for one lifetime."
"Daytime reduces the risks significantly," Lucifer said evenly, though his eyes carried an unmistakable, commanding sharpness.
"Oh, really?" Chen Jing raised an eyebrow, unable to resist teasing. "Are you sure you're not just scared of running into ghosts at night?"
Lucifer's face tightened slightly before his usual mask of indifference returned. "This King merely acts on strategic considerations, choosing the most favorable time for action."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Your Highness." Chen Jing rolled her eyes and stood up. "If I'm going on this ridiculous adventure, I need to get ready."
Inside her room, Chen Jing was busy preparing her gear. A backpack lay open on the bed, already stuffed with an assortment of items. As she rummaged through her belongings, she muttered to herself, "Flashlight, spare batteries, power bank… oh, can't forget the camera and tripod!"
Lucifer appeared silently at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic pile of equipment. His brows furrowed. "Mortal, you're going to investigate a summoning ritual, not moving house."
"What do you know?" Chen Jing retorted without looking up. "This is livestreaming 101. I need all this gear to document the site and interact with my audience. Professional streamers know how to go all out."
"Document the site?" Lucifer's voice was laced with disdain. "Supernatural entities won't be deterred by your mortal gadgets. Your so-called 'documentation' will amount to noise and distorted images at best."
"Noise is better than nothing!" Chen Jing turned and jabbed his chest with a selfie stick. "Unlike you, I don't have magic fire or demon-slaying powers. At least these give me some psychological comfort."
Lucifer glanced down at the selfie stick, his mouth twitching in mild exasperation. "And you intend to defend yourself with this… wand?"
"Please, it's a streaming essential!" Chen Jing folded up the selfie stick and packed it into her bag with a triumphant grin. "Who knows, if my viewers send me enough gifts, I might even make this month's rent."
Lucifer shook his head, his tone heavy with disdain. "The folly of mortals never ceases to amaze me."
"Save the lecture." Chen Jing zipped up her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. "All set. Can we leave now, Mr. All-Knowing King of Hell?"
Chen Jing's car rumbled along the road toward the outskirts of the city. Beside her, Lucifer sat silently in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside. The buildings became sparser, giving way to derelict structures and patches of overgrown greenery.
"So, big shot King of Hell," Chen Jing broke the silence, "how does it feel to be riding in a mortal's car for the first time?"
Lucifer didn't bother turning his head. "This mode of transportation is slow and uninspiring."
"Typical," Chen Jing muttered, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, this amusement park used to be pretty famous. I went there a couple of times as a kid—it was always packed. Then that accident happened, and everything went downhill."
"What kind of accident?" Lucifer asked, finally glancing her way.
"A big one," Chen Jing said after a moment of thought. "They say one night, a roller coaster derailed, and the entire car flew off the tracks. A lot of people died. After that, rumors spread about strange noises and shadows at night, and some explorers went missing. It got so bad that no one dared to go there anymore."
Lucifer's gaze darkened. "Such chaos and despair would make this place a breeding ground for forbidden magic."
Chen Jing gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, forcing a casual tone. "Well, it's daytime now… should be fine, right?"
Lucifer didn't answer. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon as the silhouette of the amusement park came into view. Rusted roller coaster tracks twisted like the coils of a massive, dormant serpent. A derelict carousel stood in the distance, its faded, broken horses leaning at odd angles.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Jing parked the car in the empty lot outside the park. "Alright, King of Hell. We're here."
Lucifer stepped out of the car and surveyed the area with a cold, calculating gaze. "The energy here is more chaotic than I anticipated."
Chen Jing slung her backpack over her shoulder, trying to sound upbeat. "Let's hope we make it out alive. And for the record, I'm faster than you if we need to run."
Lucifer glanced at her with faint disdain. "No matter how fast you run, you cannot escape the chains of fate."
"Seriously, do you have to be this gloomy?" Chen Jing groaned, throwing him an annoyed look.
The park gates creaked open, releasing a wave of damp, musty air. Chen Jing hauled her equipment inside, quickly setting up a camera on a tripod. She pulled out her phone, opened her streaming app, and started the livestream. Within moments, comments began flooding the screen.
"Hey, everyone!" Chen Jing waved at the camera, flashing her signature grin. "It's your girl, Chen Jing, bringing you an exclusive tour of this abandoned amusement park. They say it's haunted—creepy carousels spinning by themselves, ghostly cries, and shadowy figures. Let's see if it's true!"
The comments exploded:
"Here we go, another big show from our fearless Miss Chen!"
"Daytime ghost hunt? Low-budget horror, lol!"
"Miss Chen, scared of the dark? Admit it!"
Chen Jing pouted at the screen. "You don't get it! I'm gathering clues during the day—totally not scared of the dark, okay?"
As more comments rolled in, some viewers began noticing Lucifer standing in the background.
"Wait, is that a hot guy?!"
"Miss Chen, is that your boyfriend?!"
"Damn, who's the tall, mysterious dude?!"
Lucifer frowned slightly, glancing at her phone. "Mortal, what are these scrolling texts?"
"Those are comments," Chen Jing explained, scrolling through the feed. "My viewers send them during the livestream. It's how we interact."
"Interact?" Lucifer raised an eyebrow, visibly intrigued. "You mean to say they are watching you now, communicating through this device?"
"Exactly." Chen Jing beamed. "Impressive, huh? Bet your ancient Hell doesn't have this kind of tech."
Lucifer didn't reply. His expression grew more thoughtful as he reached out and snatched her phone.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Chen Jing yelped, scrambling to grab it back.
Lucifer ignored her, his sharp eyes scanning the flood of comments.
"OMG, he's looking at us! So intense!"
"That's boyfriend material, Miss Chen!"
"Bro, you're stealing the show. Keep it up!"
"These mortals…" Lucifer muttered, frowning at the comments. "Why are they fixated on my appearance?"
"Give that back!" Chen Jing lunged, finally snatching the phone from his hands. She glared at the screen, her cheeks turning red as she read the messages. "Guys, he's not my boyfriend! I repeat, not! He's just…"
"Her servant," Lucifer interjected coolly.
"Excuse me?!" Chen Jing nearly screamed. "He's my assistant—newly hired!"
But the comments had a mind of their own:
"Sure, Miss Chen. Whatever you say."
"We ship it! Boss Chen x Cool Assistant!"
"He just said 'servant'? I'm dying of laughter!"
Chen Jing groaned, covering her face. "Fine, think whatever you want. Let's just get on with the stream!"
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her flashlight and smiled at the camera. "Alright, folks, time to dive deeper into the park. Keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual, and let me know in the comments!"