At noon, inside the library of Lichtenstein Castle, eleven people gathered quietly around a large writing desk, their focus absolute.
The faint sounds in the room seemed swallowed by the endless shelves of books. From the challengers’ solemn faces, one could tell—the matter at hand was of utmost importance.
Their gazes were sharp. Everyone was lost in thought.
After a long silence—
“Does anyone understand demon script?”
The young merchant from the Canberra Kingdom glanced around after seeing the imperial mage girl close her book.
The three clerics from the northern continent were the first to shake their heads. They were strictly forbidden to study the magic texts of foreign races, let alone the taboo demon script.
The merchant’s twin bodyguards, though clever and strong, knew nothing of it either.
As for the three challengers from the Krei Empire—the noble mage girl was the most learned in magic, yet even she did not know. The knight and the junior cleric were out of the question.
That left only the black-haired, green-eyed lawyer, and the silver-haired girl always at his side.The missing detective… even if he could read it, he wouldn’t return in time.
The worst-case scenario: they would have to rely on reference works in the library to slowly decipher the demon script, attempting to interpret the sealed magic book.
But how long would it take? How much could they uncover? And if the traitors struck at night, would their painstaking effort be stolen away?
“I… I only know a little bit of demon script,” Huperion whispered, glancing guiltily at Lan Qi, ashamed that she couldn’t contribute more.
Logically, the one who should be able to read two languages was her—born of half-demon blood. But since childhood, her mother had left the Hedon Kingdom. She had never been taught demon magic.
If they were stalled here because of her lack of ability, it would feel like she was holding everyone back again.
But then she remembered—Lan Qi had once said he had studied demon script. There was still hope.
“It’s fine. I know a little as well.”
As expected, Lan Qi smiled and nodded—steady and calm, just like back in the Demon Academy’s hardest art class.
That familiar reassurance washed over her. With Lan Qi here, even this Shadow World felt safe.
He really could do anything.
“Good.”
Relieved, Huperion quickly stepped forward, took the book from the imperial mage girl, and placed it in Lan Qi’s hands.
She knew Lan Qi shouldn’t risk approaching others too closely. Dangerous tasks had to be carried out by someone like her, with plenty of survival skills.
Lan Qi accepted the book with the same casual politeness as when they shared a class. Then, without another word, he began flipping through it.
Unlike the merchant or the mage girl before, Lan Qi’s brow stayed relaxed, as if reading a leisurely storybook on a quiet afternoon.
Ordinarily, such obscure grimoires couldn’t possibly be read so lightly. More likely, he was flipping through quickly because he understood nothing.
Everyone’s hearts tightened again—the faint glimmer of hope felt blocked by a heavy stone.
Even if the detective returned and unmasked the two traitors to complete Mission Objective 1: Identify the Betrayers (0/2), the true challenge of this Shadow World was always Mission Objective 2.
Large-scale Shadow Worlds always ran a main storyline and multiple hidden ones in parallel. While challengers advanced along the visible thread, hidden plots advanced unseen.
Mission Objective 2 was always tied to those hidden stories.
If they failed to detect and seize control of the hidden progression in time, then by the moment they completed Objective 1, the Shadow World could already be spiraling into unstoppable chaos.
“The power of the Sun… the book doesn’t explain it directly. But the meaning is clear enough: the sealing must be done under daylight, while the sun still shines.”
Lan Qi’s sudden words startled everyone.
He could really read it?
Or was he just bluffing, making things up to calm them?
That was everyone’s first reaction.
“The power of the Moon refers to werewolves. But the wolf race, already rare, has been nearly wiped out in this era.”
Lan Qi’s voice was calm, measured.
“Werewolves aren’t weakened by daylight. At night, under moonlight, they’re enhanced. Combined with powerful regeneration, they could fight vampires all night without losing.
But regeneration can’t match true immortality. In the end, werewolves were slaughtered until none remained, leaving vampires as the sole kings of the night.”
The “wolf race” he spoke of was one extinct in the present day, scarcely even recorded in ancient Shadow Worlds thousands of years old. Everyone listened in astonishment.
So it was the vampires who had driven them extinct.
Then this Shadow World—still retaining records of werewolves—must be unimaginably ancient.
The academic value of clearing such a primordial Shadow World would shake scholarly circles. The copyright value of the intelligence stored in their Shadow World Recording System was beyond measure.
“The Stars… describe witches—the origin of human magic. The text wavers between calling them demons and humans. After a skim, I suspect the author of this book was herself a witch.”
At that, Lan Qi closed the tome.
For someone versed in both demon and human script, this hybrid text, written in a transitional stage, was unexpectedly readable.
He hadn’t yet delved into the spells themselves—just the intelligence.
The others exchanged doubtful glances. His explanation sounded too… neat. Could it be real?
Then, the system’s prompt appeared:
Mission Objective 2: Unearth the Castle’s Hidden Secrets and Crisis — Hidden intelligence revealed. Protect the Werewolf and the Witch.
…
At Ikerite Academy, on Jella Memorial Square—
The great clocktower had just struck twelve. The twelve chimes still echoed faintly as the massive outdoor screen, encircled by distant school buildings, broadcast the current Shadow World challenge.
The plaza was many times livelier than usual. Students filled the steps and even clogged the surrounding streets.
“He wasn’t bluffing?”
“Check his registration!!”
Many students had assumed Lan Qi was just spinning tales.
But no—the mission update proved it.
He could really read it.
Everyone knew Lan Qi specialized in Sealing Arts. During the cardmaster registration exam, every card he created was of the sealing type.
But demon script too?
Too suspiciously demonic!
…
Inside the library, the air itself seemed to freeze.
All eyes locked on the book in Lan Qi’s hands. Their expressions shifted—from doubt, to understanding, to shock. They could almost hear each other’s racing hearts.
At last, someone spoke:
“Sir… you’re not half-demon, are you?”
The merchant youth, more excited than wary, blurted it out. His male bodyguard coughed quickly in alarm.
In the southern continent, suggesting someone had demon blood was a grave insult.
Huperion flushed with embarrassment.
She was the real half-demon here.
But ever since staying by Lan Qi’s side, no one had questioned her heritage even once.
It was a feeling she had never known—like Lan Qi’s brilliance as a “suspected demon” completely shielded her, letting her be seen as fully human.
“My human bloodline is unquestionable. The clerics may verify me, if they wish.”
Lan Qi answered with a light smile, unconcerned.
The innocent need no defense.
He believed in that firmly—and offered no more explanation.
“…”
That only made him seem like a man who knew a little of everything—without needing reasons.
Combined with his natural air of authority, it felt completely believable.
“We believe you,” one cleric said solemnly, bowing slightly.
No one pressed further. Besides the absent detective, it seemed the lawyer was also a formidable asset.
Not only could he soothe and coordinate, but his knowledge was vast. His breakthrough had also tightened the psychological noose on the traitors.
“But what’s the connection between the werewolves and the witches? Why must we protect them?” the merchant pressed.
“They are clearly allies,” Lan Qi explained patiently. “They are key to sealing—or unsealing—the vampires. The traitors’ true purpose in trapping us here is surely to identify the werewolf and witch among us. As for why their vampire master hasn’t come personally… there must be another reason.”
He held the book like a headmaster lecturing students.
“As expected of the Lawyer!” the merchant gushed, deeply impressed.
By now, the challengers all understood.
If Objective 2 was to protect werewolf and witch, then the traitors’ hidden goal was clear:
The challengers had to unmask the vampire’s retainers.
The traitors had to unmask the hidden Werewolf and Witch.
The mind game had escalated for both sides.
As they prepared to return to the main hall of the sanctuary on the first floor, Lan Qi glanced at Huperion.
She was uneasy.
“Lan Qi…”
She met his steady gaze, ready to confess something.
He only gave a slight nod.
Telling her—he already knew. And not to worry.
Even without seeing her status screen, he had guessed.
She was the Witch. The most endangered person in this Shadow World.
There was a passage in the book he had deliberately not read aloud—
“I am neither demon nor human. But I will help and protect the good-hearted. So please… do not fear me.”
In that era of the Blood Moon Calamity, witches referred to the innate half-demons, who could wield imperfect human script without backlash.
This Shadow World wouldn’t take days to unravel.
Principal Lan Qi would soon begin the arrests.