They continued to kiss for several minutes. At one point, Krystal Lim pushed Magnus back, breaking the lock."Magnus... I literally just stepped out of the shower," Krystal said."And?" Magnus asked with a teasing grin."Go wash up. You’re probably sticky with sweat, aren't you?"Krystal Lim turned away immediately after saying it. Magnus smirked. He knew she was actually starting to heat up again after that kiss."Oh, by the way," Krystal said, suddenly stopping in her tracks and looking back. "About opening that new restaurant for your mother’s cooking... I think we can make it work. I’ve given it some thought, and I think it’ll be profitable."Magnus smiled. "So, you’re agreeing to invest in our new restaurant?""Yeah. I don’t think it’s a bad idea. Besides..."Krystal Lim trailed off, making Magnus raise an eyebrow."Besides what?" he asked.Krystal Lim gave him a look full of meaning. "We might be able to see each other more often... in a more relaxed setting."With that, she tur

Magnus spent the night at Krystal Lim’s mansion.He could have headed home, but Krystal had subtly insisted he stay, her body language making it clear she still wanted him close. Magnus took the hint and was more than happy to oblige the mafia queen. They fell asleep in each other’s arms, Magnus stripped down to nothing but his boxers.In the dead of sleep, Magnus’s eyes suddenly snapped open.His War God instinct was screaming. It was as if a voice were whispering in his ear, warning him of a looming threat.Krystal Lim was still out cold. Her mouth was slightly parted, but she didn’t look a bit less elegant. To Magnus, she looked stunning in her natural, unguarded state. With a faint smile, Magnus carefully untangled himself, slid across the silk sheets, and stepped onto the floor.‘This feeling… it’s all too familiar,’ Magnus thought.During his three-year stint trapped in that hellscape of monsters and sorcery, his War God instincts had saved his skin countless times. He had reach

Of all the shots fired, not a single one hit its mark. Moving with blinding speed, his hand protected by an invisible shield, Magnus swatted the bullets away as if they were annoying flies.And then, he lunged at the loudmouthed Giant Skull mobster. One kick was all it took to leave him sprawling helplessly on the ground. His mouth was overflowing with blood. His internal organs were shattered.Naturally, the other Giant Skull mobsters—the bikers—were stunned by the sight. Some of those who had fallen were pinned under their motorcycles. But even those who weren't pinned suddenly seemed to lack the guts to stand back up.Standing over the spot where the loudmouth had been, Magnus straightened his back and lifted his chin. His eyes glowed a bright, electric blue. Deadly currents of energy crackled around both his hands."I gave you two chances, but this is what you chose," Magnus said. "Now, don't expect to leave this place alive!"The aura radiating from Magnus’s body was terrifying.

The next morning, Magnus returned to The Grand Mersey by taxi. The moment he stepped into the apartment, Jasmine was there to meet him. She stared at him with narrowed, suspicious eyes."Where have you been? You didn't sleep here last night, did you?" Jasmine asked."Yeah, I went out. Had some business. It was sudden," Magnus answered dismissively.Before his sister could dig for more information, he brushed past her and headed for his room.He caught a whiff of the shirt he was wearing—it smelled of sweat. He hadn't had time to shower back at Krystal Lim’s mansion. Before he left, they had indulged in another heated session. Two rounds, to be exact.Magnus stripped off his clothes, preparing for a long-overdue shower. Suddenly, his bedroom door swung open."I was wondering—"Jasmine stood in the doorway, leaning forward to finish her sentence, but the words died in her throat. Her older brother was standing there, stark naked, without a stitch of clothing. She couldn't help but notic

Magnus was cruising in his black Rolls-Royce through a fairly congested stretch of road when he realized he was being shadowed.A black van. It was trailing a few cars behind him.Magnus didn't know who these people were yet, but his instincts told him they were connected to the Giant Skull mobsters he had wiped out in the early hours of the morning.He narrowed his eyes. Whatever they were planning, he was ready.Ring! Ring!His phone suddenly chimed. It was an incoming call from Jasmine."Hello?"[Magnus, where are you right now?]"I’m on my way... to The Grand Mersey. Why?"[Can you stop by a bakery for a minute?]"A bakery?"[Yeah, today is Mom’s birthday. I want the four of us to celebrate together.]Magnus’s pupils dilated. His mother’s birthday? He hadn't remembered at all. It seemed that the years spent trapped in a world of monsters and magic had stripped many precious things from his memory."What kind of cake do you want me to get? Are we celebrating this afternoon or tonig