Heiress Unmasked: Shaking the World With Geomancy novel Chapter 2396

As Morvahn, Mordecai would never make such an amateur mistake. But…

It was the truth that he had never gotten involved in the soul-chaining field. As Zidane said, it wouldn't be surprising if he made a careless mistake.

The dazed and restless Emma felt a wave of instinctive fear the moment she sensed the presence of the "grim reaper" standing before her. His energy was brimming with authority and danger.

But when the man easily removed the nails binding her soul, her first reaction was to struggle, then bolt.

She was reluctant to be taken to the underworld just like this. She also knew she was far too weak to be able to escape from a grim reaper and…

Wait—she escaped?

Emma visibly froze mid-drift, stunned. She glanced back, only to find the two men standing where they were, completely still. They had let her go.

For a moment, she wasn't sure whether to keep running or stay put.

Seeing her frozen in place, Zidane let out a soft sigh and stated plainly, "You died with deep resentment. I can give you a chance to seek revenge, but on one condition. You are not to stain your hands with blood."

Emma opened her mouth, ready to argue how meaningless revenge felt if it didn't involve death, but he added, "Death is the easy way out. Living in suffering, however, is far more cruel."

A flicker of understanding appeared on her face.

Realizing that the two before her had no intention of dragging her away just yet, she turned abruptly and drifted toward the village.

Even in death, even after a year, she remembered that iron-barred window.

How many times had she stared through it at the patch of sky beyond, longing to escape? How many times had she tried, only to fail?

But now… She was back.

…

The night was as dark as ink.

After Zidane and Mordecai left, Gus hesitated for a long time but ultimately didn't take Maureen and leave the house.

She was simply too injured, and he couldn't help her make it far.

Deep down, Gus wondered whether Zidane had lied to him. Was there really a future for him and his mother?

He had tied Jack up with rope and stuffed a rag into his mouth to keep him quiet. It had taken Gus a long time to bind him tightly enough so that, even if he woke up, he wouldn't be able to hurt them again.

Only after checking everything did Gus finally allow himself to breathe, staying close by Maureen's side in the quiet house.

Outside, cloaked in the pitch-black night, stood a figure.

The moment their eyes met through the sliver of space, he let out a sharp cry and fell backward, landing hard on the ground. His face twisted in sheer terror.

The person he saw outside the door was none other than Emma, who had been supposed to be dead for a year.

So, who—no, what—was standing outside now?

At the sound of his cry, silence fell outside the door briefly. Then, it came again.

Slow, rhythmic, and deliberate knocks echoed into the house. This time, it was followed by a woman's voice.

"Gus… Open the door."

It sent a shiver down his spine. The tone was too calm, hollow, and eerie.

Gus instinctively tried to run, but a thought held him back. He glanced toward the door once again and found Emma still knocking and asking him to open up.

For some reason, Zidane's words resurfaced in his mind. He had been offered another option, hadn't he?