In the bedroom of the District 2 villa, everything suddenly flattened into two-dimensional drawings as if printed onto the walls. The desperate, hoarse cries of C?u D?ng and M? Linh rang out but could not escape the room.

  On the wall before them, black streaks smeared like half-finished ink strokes. In an instant the images of Mrs. H?nh and Mr. Qu?c — the younger sister and brother-in-law — slowly took shape.

  Mrs. H?nh wore a white áo Dài plastered with mud and blood; her black hair hung down to hide half her face, while the other half was horribly mangled. Beside her stood Mr. Qu?c, disheveled in a torn shirt, equally caked in mud and blood; a long gash ran across his brow and blood dripped onto the illusory floor — a sound that gouged deep into the guilty pair’s minds.

  – “A… a… a…” — C?u D?ng and M? Linh screamed together, their legs trembling before they collapsed, eyes wide as if the dead had come back to life.

  C?u D?ng’s face went pale and he stammered, on the verge of fainting:

  – “Please spare us… it wasn’t… it wasn’t intentional…”

  The man pointed shakily toward his wife:

  – “It was her! She urged me to ruin your car… then forced us to borrow hers… she made me cut the brake line…!”

  – “Shut up!” — M? Linh howled, her eyes bloodshot, her voice cracking.

  – “So now you pin everything on me? You told me that H?nh and her husband had too many assets, that they had no children and were raising an illegitimate child. You told me to find a way to kill them so we could take it all! And now you wash your hands of it?” — she spat, the accusation bitter and loud.

  The quarrel escalated, voices sharp and relentless; neither would confess. Every detail unfolded on the Black Crystal Mirror — images razor-sharp, sounds painfully real down to each word.

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, the demonic council of high lords and lesser imps watched like an audience at a dark play.

  Satan, the Demon King, propped his chin on his hand and gave a delighted chuckle:

  – “My, my… couples share blessings and sufferings together, do they not?”

  The old Grand Thái S? leisurely nibbled a mooncake and sighed:

  – “We’ve gone this far and they still lie through their teeth. No one will own up… hopeless.”

  Erion leaned back comfortably and sipped his milk tea, a half-smile flickering across his face:

  – “We must be harsher.”

  Din tilted his head and glanced at him:

  – “So, Commander, do you mean to strike both waking and dreaming?”

  – “Yes.” — Erion nodded once, his eyes cold. — “Only that will make them submit.”

  Trang sat beside him, her gaze icy as she watched the trembling couple on the mirror:

  – “Make them confess themselves. The only way is to haunt and drain their minds until they willingly confess.”

  Yin leisurely sipped her peach tea and offered a thin smile:

  – “Then continue the assault with illusions. Like before… make Linh so terrified she cannot eat or sleep.”

  Erion set his cup down, the half-smile clearer than before:

  – “Agreed. This time the illusions will be far more severe.”

  He glanced briefly at Trang, his voice low and resonant:

  – “Last time you were too soft. With people who flout morality, we must be merciless.”

  Trang breathed out softly, the corner of her mouth lifting faintly; she did not answer, but her stare grew even colder.

  In the dim room, the furious quarrel of C?u D?ng and M? Linh echoed on, each desperately trying to throw blame onto the other. The painted figures of Mrs. H?nh and Mr. Qu?c remained on the wall, their glaring eyes piercing straight into the culprits’ souls.

  Suddenly, the walls, floor, and ceiling trembled; the furniture that had turned into flat sketches dissolved like smoke. In their place, the scene before them shifted violently.

  A massive mural spread across the room, recreating the winding Cù M?ng Pass from twenty-five years ago. At the center lay a wrecked car with ??ng Nai plates, 60Z-XXXXX — M? Linh’s car — its body crushed, its hood smashed in, lying at the foot of the pass with flames leaping from the front.

  The roar of fire, the shriek of twisting metal, the acrid stench of gasoline smoke — all so real that C?u D?ng and M? Linh felt as if they had been dragged back into that very moment.

  Inside the car, Mr. Qu?c slumped over the wheel, the wound on his forehead split wide, blood soaking half his face. He was motionless save for faint, fading breaths.

  In the back seat, Mrs. H?nh’s body was soaked in blood, yet she still struggled, trembling hands clawing at the car door. With the last of her strength she kicked hard against it, forcing her little daughter out.

  The moment the child was pushed clear, a shrill cry tore through the air: “Father!!!... Mother!!!...”

  The sound shredded the minds of the guilty pair. Then, in a flash, the car exploded violently, flames devouring Mrs. H?nh and Mr. Qu?c whole.

  The room quaked. The fire seemed to spill outward, engulfing C?u D?ng and M? Linh, who recoiled in terror, curling up as if seared in hell, their eyes wide at the ghastly scene their own hands had caused.

  M? Linh, eyes bulging, breath ragged, clutched her head and screamed a hoarse denial:

  – “No… it’s nothing to do with me, I’m innocent… I don’t know… I don’t know anything…”

  Then she collapsed, her body convulsing in spasms.

  C?u D?ng fell to his knees, trembling hands clasped together:

  – “Please… please forgive me… I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean to kill you… it wasn’t intentional… it wasn’t…”

  His meaningless pleas, the child’s cries, and the echo of the explosion repeated over and over, like a time loop locking him inside that memory — forcing him to relive the torment of his guilt forever.

  ---

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, the atmosphere was entirely different. The council gathered in the grand hall, bathed in crimson light from a curved 180-degree screen that streamed images directly via the Satanic royal satellite.

  Satan, the Demon King, lounged on a redwood throne, his fingers drumming idly on the armrest. His eyes gleamed with both amusement and disdain:

  – “Stubborn — still won’t confess. His wife seems the weaker one.”

  Trúc Di?n folded his arms, face cold:

  – “Then keep punishing her with illusions. The harsher, the better.”

  Din rested his chin on his hand, casting a sidelong glance:

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  – “But I already said — wait until that centipede spirit joins, then deal with them all at once. Why rush?”

  Crown Prince Arian sat behind them, his icy blue eyes glinting silver as his fingers danced swiftly across a laptop keyboard. A faint smile curved his lips:

  – “Patience. Draw it out, make it entertaining… If we burn through too fast, where’s the fun?”

  Erion, legs crossed, stared into the Black Crystal Mirror. His amber eyes blazed with a ruby glow as his lips curled in a cold smirk:

  – “Then we’ll play cat and mouse.”

  Satan burst into booming laughter, echoing like thunder through the hall:

  – “Just the way I like it!”

  The horrific scene on the Black Crystal Mirror slowly faded, yet inside Trang, the flames of memory flared violently. The child pushed from the burning car all those years ago… was her. She had only just turned five.

  Her eyes shimmered as silent tears streamed down her beautiful face. She did not sob aloud, but her heart trembled with every beat, as if twenty-five years of buried grief had surged back, constricting her chest.

  Erion, seated right beside her, watched closely. His strong arm slipped around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest. His voice, uncharacteristically gentle for the great Commander, murmured:

  – “Cry if you must… You’ll feel lighter after. I’m always here with you.”

  The grand hall fell into silence. The darkness from the earlier vision gave way to a heavy stillness filled with unspoken emotion.

  Lita, who had long nursed a quiet jealousy toward Trang — for being adopted by their father Satan — now trembled as she saw her sister’s tragic past unfold. Her once haughty face and proud gaze softened.

  Her voice came out quiet, carrying rare sincerity:

  – “Sister Trang… I never knew. I always thought you were trying to steal Father’s affection from me… but now I understand.”

  Beside her, Trúc Di?n’s normally cold eyes held a trace of sympathy. He exhaled lightly and said:

  – “She’s endured too much since childhood. As an adult she was scorned by the wealthy, rejected in love because of her poor background.”

  The Master V?nh nodded, adding in a solemn tone:

  – “And worse — her uncle and aunt stole every bit of wealth her parents left behind. A life of comfort and safety should have been hers… but instead, it turned into hell.”

  H?ng Nhung, her dearest friend who had stood beside her for years, spoke with eyes full of sorrow:

  – “Trang suffered so much. People thought she was fortunate to be adopted by her uncle and aunt, to live in a villa — but in truth, she was treated like a servant. At mealtimes she ate with the maids, when guests arrived she was hidden in the kitchen, and when the family went to banquets she was left behind.”

  Crown Prince Arian added:

  – “They couldn’t risk losing face, afraid someone might discover the dreadful truth. D?ng even claimed to be her caring uncle — using her to polish his reputation, making others praise him for taking in an orphaned niece.”

  From his redwood throne, the Demon King Satan, usually fierce and imposing, now looked down with sadness in his eyes. His voice came slow, almost like a sigh:

  – “That is why… I have always stood by her. From the moment she was formed within that planet’s black core, until now. She should have lived in a home filled with love — but fate turned it into tragedy.”

  Trúc Di?n ground his teeth:

  – “All of it born from their greed and cruelty.”

  Trang lifted her gaze, eyes reddened, while Erion still held her tightly, his other hand clasping hers. His deep voice carried firm resolve:

  – “Now… you have me by your side. I won’t let anyone harm you again.”

  Yin set down her teacup and smiled gently:

  – “Not just the Commander… you have all of us.”

  H?ng Nhung smiled too, her face glowing with affection:

  – “That’s right. We’re… a true family.”

  In that moment, Trang’s tears no longer tasted of bitter sorrow, but of warmth. The pain of the past began to ease, surrounded as she was by a family not of blood — but of choice, of comradeship, kinship, and love.

  Inside the suffocating room, C?u D?ng was still struggling with the illusions of the past manifesting before his eyes. Sweat poured down, soaking his silk pajamas. M? Linh had already fainted, lying motionless on the floor, her face pale as if drained of all spirit.

  Suddenly — knock, knock, knock! — a voice rang out with the sound of knocking:

  – “Master, Madam, are you still awake?”

  C?u D?ng’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest. It was Dì T?’s voice. Like a drowning man clutching at a straw, he lunged toward the door, pounding frantically while shouting:

  – “Help! Help me! Open the door!”

  But it was useless. The door, now nothing more than a 2D drawing, only trembled slightly before freezing still. His cries were swallowed by the distorted space, unable to escape. Yet he could clearly hear Dì T?’s knocks and words from outside.

  That was the cruelty of the Cube: allowing the prisoner to hear every sound from the outside world, but never able to call for help, never able to break free. The torment of knowing someone was right there, yet remaining helpless and trapped, crushed the spirit even further.

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, Erion kept one arm wrapped around Trang’s shoulder, while the other hand hovered over the surface of the Black Crystal Mirror. His eyes gleamed with a malicious glint, tinged with amusement:

  – “Let him stew a few more hours, so he knows what despair tastes like.”

  Crown Prince Arian, scanning the District 2 mansion through magical satellites, furrowed his brows slightly:

  – “That man Tu?n has returned. Do we proceed?”

  Demon King Satan rested his chin on one hand, pondering briefly before curling his lips into a smirk:

  – “Proceed, of course. Another rat joining the cage only makes it more entertaining. Spice it up, make the feast richer with the flavors of hell. Let them wander, never knowing what’s real and what’s illusion.”

  Erion nodded. His fingers brushed lightly over the mirror’s surface. Instantly, all illusions dissolved. C?u D?ng’s room returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.

  C?u D?ng, as though just released from Death’s grip, hastily carried M? Linh back to bed. Panting, legs trembling, he rushed to fling open the door. Dì T? stood there, her face faintly creased with worry:

  – “Master, I’ve been knocking for five minutes without a reply.”

  Struggling to suppress his fear, C?u D?ng scrambled for an excuse:

  – “I… I had my headphones on and must’ve dozed off, didn’t hear you. But… why aren’t you asleep at this hour?”

  Dì T? glanced toward a room only a few steps away, lowering her voice:

  – “Miss Anh Th?’s morning sickness is severe, I need to look after her. Ah, and young master Tu?n is at the gate.”

  – “Tu?n?” C?u D?ng’s eyes widened, his voice cracking. “But he left earlier…”

  – “Perhaps he forgot something. I’ll go open the gate.”

  Dì T? hurried out. A black Mercedes-Benz rolled into the courtyard, and Tu?n stepped out, his face a little weary.

  – “I forgot my USB earlier, so I came back to fetch it.”

  C?u D?ng, rushing down just in time, felt an overwhelming relief upon seeing him. He grabbed Tu?n’s shoulder firmly:

  – “Tu?n! Stay the night, leave in the morning.”

  Tu?n frowned in confusion:

  – “I only came to pick up the USB. I’ll head back right after.”

  But C?u D?ng clasped his hand tightly, dragging him into the living room, his voice desperate like a man terrified of being abandoned:

  – “It’s late. Just stay. You can leave first thing in the morning.”

  Tu?n hesitated, baffled by his friend’s mix of panic and eagerness. Yet, faced with C?u D?ng’s pleading eyes, he finally gave a reluctant nod.

  Meanwhile, at headquarters, Erion cast a sidelong glance at the Black Crystal Mirror. The corner of his mouth curled into a shadowy smile:

  — “The game… has only just begun.”

  Tu?n entered the guest room on the ground floor, heading straight to the large wooden desk where he remembered leaving his USB. C?u D?ng trailed behind, his voice urgent, as though terrified his old friend might leave:

  – “Stay the night—it’s too dangerous to drive this late.”

  Sensing the unusual insistence, Tu?n frowned slightly but eventually gave a small nod:

  – “Alright… I’ll stay. But I’m leaving early tomorrow morning.”

  Relief washed over C?u D?ng’s face, brightening like a man freed from a heavy burden:

  – “Are you hungry? I’ll have Dì T? cook something for you.”

  Tu?n waved it off firmly:

  – “No need. I can handle it myself. It’s late—let her rest.”

  Rolling up his sleeves, he went straight to the kitchen. Before long, the fragrant scent of scallions and instant noodles filled the air. The clatter of chopsticks against the steel pot echoed through the quiet house, contrasting sharply with the lingering unease flickering in C?u D?ng’s eyes.

  ---

  Meanwhile, at the Bình Chánh headquarters, Erion was drafting the next punishment:

  – “This time it will be an ice-bound mansion—eternal ice that won’t melt in the sun, unless I will it.”

  The lesser demons grumbled, sulking like children whose movie had been cut short.

  – “We prefer the maze scene, like being right there yet impossibly far away.”

  Yin scoffed, lips curling:

  – “Since when did you lot turn poetic? Still… not a bad idea.”

  Trúc Di?n suddenly turned toward Lita, mischief sparkling in his eyes:

  – “Hey, earlier you conjured a storm over all of Saigon, right? Try summoning one focused solely on D?ng’s mansion.”

  Din slapped his thigh with a loud crack, voice brimming with excitement:

  – “That’s brilliant!”

  Demon King Satan burst into laughter, clapping his hands in delight:

  – “Well done, my son-in-law!”

  All at once, the others turned to look at Trúc Di?n, then at Satan, chiming in unison:

  – “Son-in-law…”

  Trúc Di?n looked a bit awkward, while Lita flushed, lowering her gaze shyly. Yet in her eyes, a faint warmth flickered that she could not hide.

  ---

  At that very moment, the night sky above C?u D?ng’s mansion began to distort. Massive anvils of black storm clouds swelled overhead, laced with blinding bolts of lightning flashing without pause. Yet strangely, the storm’s reach was confined to the mansion alone. All around, the night sky remained pristine — stars glittering, moonlight serene, as if nothing were amiss.

  Thunder roared relentlessly, startling the neighbors awake. Lights flicked on, people rushed to their balconies. What they saw left mouths agape:

  The entire mansion was encased in gleaming frost. Walls, roof, bonsai trees, koi pond—every detail was sealed beneath a dazzling layer of ice, shimmering blue like something out of a fairy tale. Above it all, monstrous black clouds churned, cold winds lashing downward in furious gusts.

  Mr. Tài, the neighbor across the street, gaped in disbelief:

  – “Good heavens! What now? Another freak phenomenon — only around D?ng’s house!”

  His teenage son stood frozen beside him:

  – “It’s frozen solid again — like before. But this time there’s a storm above it too!”

  The neighbors erupted in chaos — screams, shouts, pointing fingers. Phones were raised, snapping photo after photo. Yet unlike before, every image came out smeared, distorted, or vanished without a trace.

  Whispers and cries spread through the neighborhood, a mix of fear and morbid curiosity. And while the outside world struggled to make sense of it, inside the mansion, the cat-and-mouse game had only just begun…