Chapter 54 His Name Is Ludwig

bJean /bbhit /bthe ground bhard/b, face–first into the dirt..

Finished

The earthy smell filled her nose as pain exploded across her body. It was like every bone and nerve had been yanked the wrong way at once.

She barely noticed the ache, though. Her only thought was getting up.

She tried

But her limbs had no strength left.

Her arms were like wet noodles. Her legs wouldn’t respond.

She couldn’t get up. She couldn’t run anymore.

Clint

Something metallic slipped from her jacket andnded right on the back of her hand.

The cold touch snapped her out of the daze.

Jean fumbled, fingers closing around it.

It was that metal badge–the one shaped like a six–pointed star with an iris in the center, the symbol of Abyssal Choir.

It had belonged to the host. Jean sometimes kept it with her.

Leaving it at home felt risky. If anyone in the Ginger family saw it, she wouldn’t be able to exin.

So, sometimes she stashed it away. Sometimes she carried it.

Jean turned the badge over, about to tuck it back into her pocket–when she noticed something odd on the back.

A tiny switch. Like ba /bbutton or trigger.

What the hell is this?

She ran her thumb across it, curious.

It moved.

It actually moved.

“Whoa_ weird,” she murmured, her voice hoarse from thirst and exhaustion.

“What’s weird?”

Jean’s heart jumped.

The voice came out of nowhere–smooth, low, and crystal clear.

“Wait you

b“/bYou what?” the voice repeated.

Jean looked around, her pulse suddenly racing

She checked left Right. Up. Down

4:25 PM c bc /b

Chapter 54 His Name is Ludwig

This thing wasn’t just a metal decoration–it bwas /ba piece of techb. /b

Like, spy movie–level bhigh/b–tech.

A hiddenmunicator, maybe even with a GPS tracker built in.

And that voice….

Jean recognized it instantly.

It was the guy from the art building.

The weird, spooky kid from the shadows.

The one who bhad /bsome kind of connection to Abyssal Choir.

Finished

“You really freak out easily, don’t you?” he mutteredzily through the badge. “Didn’t I tell you beforeb? /bIf you ever need me, just say my name. bLoud /band clearb. /bI’lle find

you

Jean blinked.

That was kind of romantic?

Wait, hold up–name!

He just gave her his name.

Ludwig.

His name was Ludwig.

Why did that sound so familiar?

Jean’s brain flipped through every plotline she could remember from the novel. And then-

Oh my God

She remembered.

bLudwig /bwasn’t some random throwaway character.

He was that Ludwig.

The prodigy

The freak–of–bnature /bgenius bwho’d /bmade headlines before he even hit puberty. He was a bwalking /bbmyth/b, a legend who people whispered about.

They said he bcould /bleap over rooftops, tear people apart with his bare bhands/b, take on an army alone. A monster in human

form

They called him the bWild /bDog of the Underworld.

In the book, he was one of the strongest viins. Practically unbeatable.

At first, he was a pure antagonist..

But then he met the bheroine/b–Sarah–and after a few run–ins with her, he actually switched sides. He defected. Joined her

team

From then on, he became her right–hand man.

425 PM c

Chapter 54 His Name is Luding

So one day, he’d betray Abyssal Choir

And throw in with the bheroine/b.

Jean’s head was spinning.

“bJean/bb. /bYou still bthere/b?” his voice floated through the badge again–smooth as ever, with a hint of teasing.

Jean was still staring down bat /bthe metal in her palm

Ludwig had been a force of destruction as a bchild/b. Now that he was older, stronger?

He must be a total nightmare.

“Ludwig Jean whispered, breath bragged/b. “Help me.”

She heard ba /bfaint shift on the other end.

Finished

Jean… are you crying?” His voice dipped. There was a flicker of panic there–subtle but breal/b. “Hold onto the badge. Don’t let bgo/bb. /bI’ming

The connection cut off.

He didn’t even ask where she bwas/b.

Which meant the badge had a built–in blocator/b.

Ludwig could track her.

Jean curled tighter into the bushes, the badge pressed to her chest.

She had nothing left in the tank. Her limbs were done. Her skin throbbed. She couldn’t even bcrawl/b.

If she could’ve moved, she wouldn’t have wasted time fiddling with ba /bweird badge.

She sat against a tree, holding her breath, praying.

Act dead. Don’t move.

He’sing. He has to being.

bBut /bacting dead only fooled herself,

The enemy? Not so much.

A beam of harsh white light sliced through the dark andnded square on her face..

Jean winced

God, that’s bright!

“There she bis /b

Men crashed through the trees, their boots snapping twigs, trampling underbrush.

bJean /blooked bup /bband /bsaw a bgroup /bof bck/bb–/bbd /bbguards/b.

Great. More of them.

And

of course–the bboss /bwasn’t with them.

Chapter 54 His Name is Ludwig

She’d wanted to see the man bwho’d /bspent thest few days breaking her down piece by piece..

bJust /bto know the face of the bastard who thought this was all some game.

bBut /bshe didn’t

that

Finished

She only got muscle.

Jean said nothing. She didn’t scream. Didn’t flinch. She just sat there, bsilent/b.

Two of bthe /bguards moved to grab her.

Jean suddenly jerked upright, like a porcupine with its quills up.

“Don’t touch me!” she barked.

Her voice was raw band /bbsharp/b. “My whole body hurts. If you’re trying to finish me off, just say it.”

“Ms. Ginger, one of the guards said coolly, “byou /bbrought this on yourself.”

His eyes were cold. Empty. Like ba /bknife without a handle.

“If you hadn’t run, you wouldn’t be hurting right now.”

He signaled the others.

Two men stepped forward, each grabbing one of Jean’s arms.

Pain exploded again. bThis /bbtime/b, it was sharp and immediate.

Jean’s lips trembled.

Cold sweat gathered at her temples.

She hadn’t been exaggerating. She really was in agony.

But she clenched her teeth and bred /bat the nearest guard.

“If you’re going to manhandle me, at least give bme /bsomething she growled, “Tell me who your boss is. Does he bhave /bba /bpersonal grudge bagainst /bbme/b? Or is this about the Ginger family?”

The guard didn’t answer right away.

He froze bfor /bbhalf /bba /bsecond.

Then he gave her a t look.

“That’s not something you need to know.”

Figures.

bJean /bdidn’t really expect ban /banswer.

She just needed to keep them talking. Keep them busy.

Dy:

Her wrists were locked tight. She couldn’t move. Could barely stand

But in her palm-

Chapter 54 His Name Is Ludwig

Can I trust you?