Chapter 14: A Strange Chess Game
How could a desperate man possibly resist such a temptation?
And yet, deep in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a hint of doubt.
He had lived for twenty years and never once seen a god. Never once witnessed a miracle. All those things he had heard about—divine beings, magical wonders—were nothing more than lies and illusions.
But did he have a choice now? No. He was about to die. This was his one and only chance to gamble everything.
'I can't die here. I am Lucien Dreadmour. I wasn't born to be ordinary.'
Like a cornered beast gone mad, he lunged forward and devoured the strange black fruit in a single gulp.
A strange surge of energy ripped through his body, as though something was tearing him apart from the inside. He gritted his teeth in agony, writhing violently in the heart of the flames.
Black smoke began rising from his body, and soon it condensed into a dark cocoon, wrapping around him like a shield.
His body, moments ago on the verge of collapse, suddenly jerked upright with renewed strength. With explosive force, he rammed through the debris and burst out of the burning ruin.
The fire had scorched his body so severely that his face was nearly unrecognizable, burnt beyond recognition—he no longer looked human.
Only after fleeing far beyond the reach of the inferno did the black smoke around him begin to dissipate. And then, as if all the adrenaline had been sucked out of him at once, exhaustion slammed into him like a wave.