"The Three Palaces look down on the Seven Lords of Hell. It believes that it is a weak group composed of cowards and conspirators, trying to rule Hell in a political game, trying to truly unify the dark world. But the Seven Lords of Hell have their own ideas for each other, and the constraints of heaven and other forces. The so-called unification is an impossible grand situation."

The Phantom Sticker's fingers lightly on Merlin's forehead. He was like chatting about family matters, saying to Merlin about these strange things that mortals could not know and probably could not understand.

It's like a madman who falls into self-delusion.

But at least his power is real.

Under the constraints of the dark blue light, Merlin could not move a finger, and could not even blink. He watched as wisps of things like dark red smoke were "pulled" out of his body by Judas, like some strange poison removal ceremony.

"But the arrogant San Palace is eager to become the real king of hell. Although it has several hell dimensions, the three palaces are still a little worse than the authority of the real king of hell. Since many years ago, it has used a very cruel way to improve its own strength."

"You know, the stronger the strength, the harder it is to improve."

The Phantom Stranger's fingers buckled on Merlin's heart and thrust out hard. A ball of struggling dark red power was pulled out, struggling in his palm like a bug, but it was easily crushed by Judas and allowed it to dissipate into the air.

"Trust me, Merlin, you won't want to know what the future will mean to be the 'son' of the Three Kingdoms."

Judas let out a low laugh, and he turned to Merlin and knocked him hard three times behind him. Merlin's bondage was also lifted at this moment.

Merlin, who was free, suddenly felt a strong desire to vomit. He covered his mouth and rushed into the bathroom of the cafe.

After a moment, Meilin, who was pale-faced, walked back. While taking the tissue handed over by Phantom Moke and wiping his mouth, he turned around and looked at the bathroom in fear.

He said in surprise:

"Those bugs"

"The soul-submitting insect is not allowed to go to the table."

Judas explained to Merlin with a relaxed look:

"Mortals always think that demons or devils are omnipotent. In fact, their limitations on their activities in the human world are greater than you think. The farther away from hell, the weaker their power will be."

"So they like to play this trick, keeping the parasites or something in your body, and then manipulating the parasites to make you feel wrong, as if they can dominate everything."

"But in fact, you can live in the world with peace of mind. As long as you don't seek death by yourself, it will be difficult for those demons, including powerful kings like the San Palace, to truly hurt you. Unless you are crushed by your inner fear, that is also the result that the demons want to see."

"It is always much easier to manipulate the walking dead who has collapsed in his heart."

Phantom Mock took a puppet pose, but this explanation was difficult to make Merlin feel at ease.

Merlin's concern was noticed by Judas, and the mysterious man stopped, changed the topic and said to Merlin:

"I have just removed the magic mark left by the Three Palaces on you. It can no longer see you, don't worry."

"But that contract!"

Merlin couldn't help but touch his neck, and he said:

"Is it true that that contract can take my soul away?"

“Well, in a sense, it does.”

Phantom Mock took out a pocket watch from his pocket. He looked at the time on the pocket watch, and then explained to Merlin:

"The Sannoha acts roughly, like a barbarian. It rarely collects potential souls in contract. This time your encounter is purely because of the competition between the Sannoha and Mephist. Both of those two guys are ambitious and compete in every aspect."

"Mephister is very good at using contracts to make powerful warriors for himself, but in this regard, Sangus is a real layman. Let's put it this way, that contract is actually not complete, at least not as rigorous as the devil's contract. It has room to take advantage of it."

Judas reached out and pushed his hat, he took a sip of coffee and said:

"But now I can't tell you how to take advantage of the loopholes, because even if you know, you can't."

"As for your soul, you don't need to worry about this. Sanguchi said that your soul is strange. This is true. You will survive this disaster safely. But if you want to cross the door of death, how can you not leave something behind?"

The Phantom Sticker stretched out his hand and patted Meilin on the shoulder, as if saying goodbye, he said to Meilin:

"I'm going to tell you in advance that you'll lose something."

"Be ready. Don't ask more. You already know what you should know now. It will be difficult for you to see me in the future, but I will not be late when necessary."

Judas stood up and tidied up his hat and clothes. He told Merlin:

"Go and see your father, get along well with your family, Merlin, cherish them, and leave you with little time."

"Also, midnight tomorrow night"

The figure of the Phantom Stranger faded away little by little in Merlin's eyes. Before he completely disappeared, he blinked at Merlin:

"At the moment the contract is in effect, you'd better stay away from mortals, if you don't want them to be affected."

"Swish"

As soon as Judah Tathagata, he left silently, and Merlin was the only one left in the cafe.

He stood in an empty house, and there was no other evidence that Judas had ever appeared except for the two cups of coffee on the table in front of him.

All this is like a dream, just like the dream last night, so real, but so lacking in reality.

Merlin was in a mess, and he didn't know how to face all this. It seemed that overnight, the peaceful world completely disappeared, and what appeared before him turned into a bizarre world, a world that was difficult for people to like.

Does he have any choice?

No!

Never before.

There is not even an option to escape.

Merlin took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a piece of money and placed it on the counter. He looked back at the table, where there were two cups of coffee. Merlin was stunned for a moment, and took out another piece of money, which was considered to be a payment for the Phantom Moke who escaped the bill.

Well, just treat it as a treat to him for a cup of coffee.

More than ten minutes later, Merlin, who was late, came to Madison's hospital. When she saw Merlin walk into the ward, Mrs. Colson cried and hugged her son. Merlin comforted her sad mother while looking at her father.

James was lying in the emergency room in front of him. After the thick glass, dozens of tubes were inserted into him. These medical instruments were maintaining James' life like a candlelight in the wind.

He survived, but he was just alive.

Phil Colson sat aside, the young man's face was filled with confusion and confusion.

He had not yet been able to accept what was happening in front of him, and there was a trace of self-blame in his gray eyes. When he saw Merlin walking towards him, Phil subconsciously stood up. He looked at his brother nervously, and he said:

"Merlin really, it's because I rejected the demon that I let my father go."

"No!"

Merlin stretched out his hand and hugged his dazed and scared brother in his arms. He patted Phil on the back and said softly:

"It has nothing to do with you, forget it, Phil, that's just a dream."

He looked at the haggard face of his younger brother, Merlin sighed, putting his hands on Phil's shoulders, and he said to the 15-year-old:

"You have to grow up, and at the fastest speed, you have to take good care of your mom and dad. Can you do it?"

Phil gritted his teeth and nodded:

"I can!"

"good!"

Merlin looked around and lowered her voice and said to Phil:

"Help me stabilize my mother, don't let her go home first, and then wait for me to come back, okay?"

"Yeah, OK."

—

Merlin was busy the day after James was in a car accident.

At 9 o'clock in the evening, Meilin, who looked haggard, walked into the hospital with a black handbag.

Phil was still waiting outside James' ward, while Anna, Mrs. Colson, was lying on a chair and was sleeping. She was too sad these two days, which made her very tired.

"Come here, Phil."

Merlin did not disturb his mother's rest, so he called his younger brother over. At the corner of the ward, he handed the handbag in his hand to his younger brother.

Phil took the somewhat heavy handbag, and he opened it and his eyes immediately widened.

The handbag was filled with stacks of green US dollars, which seemed to be as much as tens of thousands.

"Where did you get the money? Merlin!"

Phil lowered his voice and asked his brother:

"Have you gone to borrow?"

Faced with his younger brother's questioning, Merlin, who had never smoked, rarely took out a pack of slightly wrinkled cigarettes from his pocket.

He opened the window and lit the cigarette. He took a sucking breath and coughed a few more times, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"No, I sold the farm."

After Merlin's parents died, Merlin had the right to inherit the Riley family's ancestral house. But the house was demolished, and Merlin's adoptive father James used compensation to buy a farm for Merlin again as a legacy for Merlin in the future.

The ownership of the farm has always been under Merlin's name, who is 18 years old and is fully qualified to handle the property freely.

Although due to the tight time, the sales of the farm were severely suppressed by the agency, a sense of urgency caused by instinct made Meilin no longer have time to take care of these.

He had to arrange everything as quickly as possible. Merlin never forgot the warning when the Phantom Stranger left. Judas told him that he had not had much time. Merlin could easily experience an ominous feeling from it.

He didn't know what he was going to face or what his ending was.
To be continued...