The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 69: First Attempt at Summoning

Lumian, overwhelmed by Mrs. Alice's obsession, found it increasingly difficult to breathe, and his body grew more and more painful, as if he were once again encountering the ghost of Monsoul and entering a near-death state.

This was a real experience of death.

Worried that he might be driven to lose control, Lumian decided not to push further. Instead, he commanded the lingering spirit of Mrs. Alice to leave his body.

He took a deep breath and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, reverting back to the slightly arrogant novice lawyer.

Accompanied by the police, Lumian returned to the interview room.

Charlie immediately stood up, leaning forward, his hands on the table, his face full of tension and anticipation.

He didn't need to speak; Lumian could almost hear him asking, "What was the result?"

Lumian nodded and made a calming gesture.

His gesture indicated that the autopsy results were as expected.

The tension on Charlie's face instantly dissipated, and it seemed as though he had exhausted all his energy in that moment, slumping weakly back into his chair.

"You don't need to worry about the other matters. I'll handle them. All you need to do is, during the next interrogation, tell the gentlemen here the whole story, not leaving out a single detail, no matter how absurd or unbelievable it might seem.

"Of course, up until the point you were arrested, you don't need to mention anything about our conversations."

Conversations between a lawyer and their client might involve defense strategies and courtroom tactics, which others had no right to know. Therefore, the two police officers at the door didn't find Lumian's last statement suspicious at all. After all, Charlie Courant was a poor kid, facing a serious criminal case that required a lawyer for the first time, and might not know the rules, so he needed special instructions.

Charlie, however, understood what Lumian truly meant: "Don't tell the police that I was the one who discovered the problem with that painting!"

"Alright." Compared to when he was first dragged into the police station, Charlie was no longer as angry, fearful, or panicked, though he still wasn't as talkative as usual.

After leaving the Market District Police Headquarters, Lumian took a few detours, found a secluded alley blocked by barricades, changed his clothes, put on glasses, and altered his makeup style.

At the same time, he seriously considered buying a book on *Men's Aesthetics*.

He couldn't master makeup by self-study alone, so his previous disguise had mainly relied on hairstyle, glasses, and clothing.

On his way back to the Golden Rooster Hotel, Lumian pondered how to help Charlie out of his predicament. "Why did she help Charlie before, and why did she do those things with him in the dream?

"Should I write a letter to ask Ms. Magician what kind of creature this really is, and what's special about it? Only by truly understanding Susanna Mattis can I think of a way to deal with her. Otherwise, she's clearly stronger than I am..."

As he thought about writing a letter to Ms. Magician, Lumian hesitated.

"Don't bother me with anything that's not particularly important!"

If Lumian had encountered a problem related to Susanna Mattis himself, writing to ask about it wouldn't be an issue. But this matter didn't directly involve him—it only affected his neighbor.