Chapter Two-1
1365 Words
BOOM!
A fire broke out on the western side of the castle.
Immediately, a thunderous roar shook the very ground beneath them.
In an instant, bricks and stones flew everywhere, and walls collapsed, glass shattered into shards, and thick smoke mingled with scorching heat, billowing toward the sky.
The blast wave tore a massive gash in the wall. Charred beams and pillars swayed precariously, threatening a secondary collapse at any moment.
The heat-driven smoke choked people into coughing fits.
Many attendants were knocked to the ground by the blast wave. Some clutched bleeding foreheads, wailing in agony, while others struggled to rise but couldn't get back up.
"Get the fire out! Move it!"
Someone yelled as they charged toward the kitchen, grabbing a bucket to douse the flames. But the fire raged too fiercely; the water turned to a cloud of white mist the moment it hit the flames.
On the other side, several attendants carried their injured comrade toward a side hall. Sparks had scorched the victim's clothes to tatters, leaving exposed skin charred black.
Amid the chaos, more people were struck by falling tiles. Their cries of pain mingled with the crackling of flames and the crashing of collapsing structures.
The entire castle courtyard was in utter disarray, total pandemonium.
Yet even as the explosion and fire in the kitchen raged unchecked, another blaze erupted on the opposite side of the castle.
"Quick, someone! The treasure room's on fire too! Put it out!"
"Gather more people! Hurry and salvage the artifacts! Fast..."
"…!"
The already chaotic castle descended into even greater disarray.
Ryan's face darkened as he stepped over shattered tiles and debris, his jaw clenched so hard it creaked at the sight of the ruined walls and rubble before him.
"Who’s responsible for this?" His voice was low, knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists.
A guard captain steeled himself and stepped forward: "Your Highness, preliminary findings indicate a gas pipe in the kitchen..."
"I asked who did it," Ryan cut him off.
It was plain to see he was seething with rage.
The captain was left speechless.
Just then, a steward covered in soot scrambled forward.
He threw himself at Ryan's feet, his voice breaking: "Your Highness! The treasury... the treasury is destroyed! The fire was too fierce. We only managed to salvage a dozen small items. Everything else..."
Ryan's pupils suddenly contracted.
The treasury? That was where the Fantor family had stored tens of thousands of artifacts, accumulated over thousands of years.
And every single artifact was an irreplaceable treasure. Among them were priceless, one-of-a-kind pieces, as well as important manuscripts recording ancient secrets of the dark world.
Only a dozen or so salvaged now?
Ryan bent down, grabbed the steward by the collar, and hoisted him off the ground.
"All destroyed?" Ryan repeated the words.
"Y-yes..."
Ryan swung his arm.
The steward flew like a rag doll, slamming hard into the crumbling wall. The crack of breaking bones rang out clearly.
When the steward slid down the crumbling wall, he lay utterly still.
Ryan shook his arm and surveyed the room. All the servants bowed their heads lower, not daring to breathe.
Ryan's breathing grew heavier, his fingertips trembling slightly.
Not from sorrow, but from fury.
Someone had dared to detonate an explosion within his castle, burning treasures accumulated by the Fantor family over millennia.
This was a provocation against Prince Fantor's authority and a contemptuous affront to the Fantor lineage.
"Investigate," he said, uttering only one word.
The murderous intent in his voice froze the air.
…
Just then, the sound of a car horn echoed from outside the castle.
Soon, a stretched luxury sedan glided slowly into the circular driveway before the castle.
The vehicle came to a stop, and the door opened.
A foot clad in crystal high heels stepped out first. Her ankles were slender, her calves were gracefully sculpted.
Though her face remained hidden, this single leg alone offered ample room for imagination.
Selena Silvermoon stepped out of the car. She casually flicked her silvery-white hair, which swayed gently in the breeze.
She wore a custom-tailored pearl-white gown, her neck adorned with the Moonstone necklace passed down through the werewolf clan.
She looked up, ready to admire the Blood Clan Prince's castle.
But then, she saw the sky-reaching flames. Her steps halted abruptly, her face filled with shock. The elegant smile she had prepared froze on her lips.
Selena’s red lips parted. “What the hell—”
Before she could finish, another explosion erupted from the kitchen
direction.
BOOM!
This blast was even more violent.
A burning oil drum was hurled skyward by the force.
Spinning through the air, trailing a long tail of flame like a meteor, it hurtled straight toward Selena!
"Princess, watch out!"
A werewolf guard roared, lunging forward to shove Selena violently aside.
Selena screamed as she tumbled onto the lawn. Her exquisite ball gown instantly became covered in grass clippings and dirt.
Yet, it was still too late.
The fireball's trajectory was deceptively sharp, skimming just inches above Selena's head.
But her voluminous, silvery-white hair couldn't entirely evade it.
Several strands caught instantly in the surging flames, which swiftly spread upward along her hair.
"Ah—! My hair! It’s on fire!" Selena screamed.
The werewolf guards panicked. Some slapped at the flames, others tore off their coats to smother the fire, and one, in sheer desperation, resorted to stomping on it with his feet—a truly heart-pounding sight.
One young werewolf guard thought quickly.
He crouched down, swiftly digging up clumps of damp earth from beneath the grass. Then he pressed the wet soil firmly onto Selena's burning hair.
With a hiss, the flames were extinguished.
However, while the mud smothered the fire, it also smeared Selena's face, leaving her covered in dirt and grime.
Her once-fluffy long hair was now singed, curled, and charred black, with bits of dark mud and grass roots clinging to her head and face.
Her silver ball gown was beyond recognition—filthy and wrinkled, as if she'd rolled through a mud pit.
Moments ago, she had been an elegant, noble werewolf princess; now she resembled a refugee fleeing disaster.
The transformation was like night and day.
Selena slumped to the ground, running her fingers through the remnants of her hair. Rage made her body tremble.
It wasn't just frustration—it was fury…
The investigation results reached Ryan swiftly.
The old butler bowed his head, his voice steady as ever: "Your Highness, Everyone in the castle is accounted for—except one."
"Speak. Who is it?"
"Miss Ella. She is missing."
Ryan turned, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"Ella?"
"Yes. I verified every person within the castle. Only Miss Ella is missing. But strangely, when we checked her room, all her belongings were still there. Only she was gone."
"Isn't the castle usually heavily guarded? How could a living person vanish into thin air? What were the guards doing? Did they not notice anything at all?"
"Everyone's attention was drawn to the explosion and the fire. Miss Ella must have disappeared during that time."
"Vanished? Kidnapped?"
"That remains unclear. However, guards reported a supply cart carrying provisions leaving the castle just before the explosion. It's highly probable Miss Ella…"
After hearing the old steward's report, Ryan fell briefly silent.
With the information available, it was impossible to determine which faction was responsible, let alone the motive behind Ella's abduction.
"Could the real target be me?" Ryan speculated inwardly.
"But why blow up the kitchen to kidnap Ella? Creating minor chaos would suffice—no need for such a grand spectacle. And if they'd already detonated the kitchen, why set fire to my collection?"
Ryan couldn't fathom it, but he didn't need to.
He turned, his gaze already icy. "Issue the order: Nightfall City is to be completely sealed off, effective immediately. Strict inspections on all land and water routes. Simultaneously, announce to the entire city: a substantial reward is offered for any information concerning Ella."
He paused.
"Remember, I don't care about the others. But Ella—I want her alive."
"Yes, sir."
The order spread swiftly.
- Writer
