Jiang Qianyu knew her actions screamed textbook "villainy"—at least through the Nightwatchers’ eyes. She was the kind of evil Witch destined to become a mission target, hunted down by righteous Hunters.

Right now, her deepest frustration? Watching helplessly as Lu Yunzhi and the powerhouse she’d recruited charged straight toward the apartment building.

Lu Yunzhi shouted while sprinting up, “We’re taking that monster down tonight—no excuses!”

Admittedly, the situation felt surreal.

Her lawful wife, armed and accompanied by another woman, had stormed into this haunted building with one goal: to end *her* life.

Could this even be called “spousal murder”?

Worse still, the two of them genuinely had the power to pull it off.

And the kicker? Jiang Qianyu had *orchestrated* this entire “spousal murder” spectacle herself.

She’d literally directed her own wife to kill her.

No matter the outcome, she’d become Lu Yunzhi’s sworn career enemy—the kind where a fight was guaranteed the second they met.

Karma? Maybe.

Truth be told, she truly hadn’t wanted to kill anyone in front of Lu Yunzhi.

Maybe this body held an innate fondness for her—a primal instinct. Or maybe Lu Yunzhi just felt genuinely warm, and as lawful spouses, closeness came naturally.

That mindset left Jiang Qianyu anxious and hesitant: terrified her identity would surface, that she’d be seen as a true villain, that Lu Yunzhi might walk away for good.

A strange feeling—but undeniably real.

Yet another problem loomed: Lu Yunzhi’s ally was dangerously strong. If Jiang Qianyu didn’t seize this chance to feed, she might actually die.

Dying in front of her wife? Ultimate humiliation.

Eyes lowered, Jiang Qianyu suddenly raised her hand.

The scattered Soul Threads snapped inward, ensnaring the three fleeing Hunters. A gust of wind later—they sliced through flesh like fishing line through tofu.

Against her Soul Threads, their souls were fragile; physical bodies offered negligible protection.

To them, it felt like sudden weightlessness. No sharp pain—just instant loss of control, limbs turning stiff and numb.

As if something vitally important had been ripped away, leaving only eerie “emptiness.”

Seasoned Nightwatchers like them recognized it instantly: soul severance.

Liu Yongkang jerked his head back—his body’s final effort.

Confusion and disbelief flooded his eyes.

*Hadn’t that damned Witch promised to let us go? Why…?*

From despair to hope, then plummeting back into despair.

They’d been *steps* from escaping this hell.

Then, the Witch’s soft, honeyed voice reached his ears.

Calmly, she murmured:

“You actually thought you could just walk away?”

To Jiang Qianyu, these Hunters’ souls were precious. These four alone could stave off her gnawing hunger for a full month.

She sometimes wondered if this hunger would eventually drive her insane.

Liu Yongkang’s body crumpled. Soulless, he was beyond saving—even with faint breath remaining. Worse than a vegetative state.

From the stairwell, Lu Yunzhi watched his expression shift from panic to utter despair before he collapsed. He still breathed, but the light in his eyes was gone.

Medically, soul loss wasn’t death.

To Nightwatchers? It was.

Teeth clenched, Lu Yunzhi strode up the stairs, gripping a straight-bladed longsword. Its 1.2-meter black blade shimmered with intricate golden runes.

“Is anyone else here?!” she called, scanning the rooftop.

Black, semi-transparent threads webbed the space—strung between solar heaters and AC units like a 3D fishing net.

Four figures lay on the ground. The farthest man was clearly dead, blood pooling beneath him.

The other three still breathed, but their eyes were dull, lifeless.

Lu Yunzhi recognized the signs instantly: souls recently consumed.

Yet not a single mark marred their bodies.

Even Grade A soul-specialist monsters couldn’t be this clean.

Pressure mounted. *What kind of monster is this?*

Their expressions suggested they believed the monster had let them go—only to be betrayed at the last second.

Lu Yunzhi’s gaze locked onto the petite figure beyond the Soul Thread web.

She was the only one moving on the rooftop.

At first glance, Lu Yunzhi thought her a victim. But something felt… off.

*Could such an adorable little girl really be the “monster”?*

Jiang Qianyu stood barely ten meters away. Sitting safely at home, she watched her own puppet’s calm face through Lu Yunzhi’s camera feed—every stitch of the dress visible.

She’d even woven black Soul Threads over the clothing, removed the hair accessory.

This puppet belonged to their home. Lu Yunzhi would recognize it instantly.

“Don’t act rashly.”

A hand painted with red nail polish settled on Lu Yunzhi’s shoulder. A woman in heeled boots stood beside her.

Grade A Hunter, Su Qing.

“Don’t be fooled by her looks. She’s extremely dangerous,” Su Qing murmured, eyes critically assessing Jiang Qianyu.

“She consumed Liu Yongkang and four others. Add every tenant’s soul in this building—she’s nearly Grade A now, even if she was only Class B before.”

The words jolted Lu Yunzhi. *Five Hunters devoured. Power had to surge.*

“I’ll handle her. Get Liu Yongkang and the others downstairs.”

Su Qing advanced, utterly ignoring the dense thread web.

Lu Yunzhi didn’t argue. She sheathed her sword, knelt to check the injured, and whispered softly:

“Sigh… I never expected this. Way beyond a mere Class B like me.”

“But it’s okay now. That little Witch won’t stand a chance against Sister Su.”

“Xiao Yu… why aren’t you saying anything?”