Dinner at Mr. Tài’s mansion had just ended. Everyone was tidying up, and once the dishes were clean, Deep stood up and said,

  – “We’ll head back now. Tomorrow morning we’ll drop by again. Thank you, Mr. Tài, for letting my professor friend stay here.”

  Mr. Tài shook Deep’s hand warmly, smiling:

  – “Don’t mention it. It’s an honor to have an international university professor visit my home. I couldn’t be happier.”

  Professor Charles checked his wristwatch and nodded:

  – “It’s getting late. Drive safely, everyone. I’ll return to the hotel tomorrow morning to grab my things, then come straight here.”

  The Huy family also stood up to leave. Mr. Tín politely said to C?u D?ng:

  – “We’ll be heading home now. If anything happens, just let us know — we’ll come right away.”

  C?u D?ng nodded courteously:

  – “Thank you both. Take care on your way.”

  But behind his calm exterior, a sneer rose in his thoughts:

  – “As if your family is any better. You had your son get my daughter pregnant just to squeeze into my construction empire, didn’t you? Let’s see how long that boy can last.”

  Suddenly, Anh ?ào spoke up loudly, her expression tense:

  – “Dad, Mom — Anh Ph??ng just emailed me. She said the student council president, who also studies the supernatural, confirmed that what’s happening to our mansion is caused by a demon. Her roommate studies the same field — and they both say it’s a lord-class demon with ancient royal bloodline. They’re both coming back with her this time.”

  The entire room fell silent. Everyone froze, as if their brains were still “loading” the data. Huy stammered in shock:

  – “Did you just say... a lord-class demon with royal bloodline? Oh my god, how can we possibly fight that?”

  Mr. Tín and Mrs. Nguy?t, who had heard old family legends about such demons, turned pale as ghosts but tried to suppress their fear. The air in the room grew heavy, thick with dread.

  Professor Charles nodded slowly, his tone grave:

  – “The situation is extremely serious. Tonight, I’ll do everything I can to gather information about this demon.”

  C?u D?ng, trembling but trying to keep calm, asked:

  – “If you find out who it is, what do we do next?”

  The professor fell silent for a few seconds before replying:

  – “Usually, beings of that level don’t attack humans without reason. Something — or someone — must have provoked them... maybe even unintentionally.”

  Tu?n widened his eyes, glancing at C?u D?ng in alarm:

  – “What could my friend possibly have done to offend a demon — and a lord-class one at that?”

  M? Linh turned pale, her voice shaking but soft:

  – “I don’t know. Our family has always done business honestly and lived decently. And demons… just hearing the word is terrifying — how could we ever dare anger one?”

  C?u D?ng nodded repeatedly, quickly agreeing:

  – “My wife’s right. Just hearing about demons makes us weak in the knees. We’d never have the courage to cross one.”

  After a brief pause, Ti?n turned to Professor Charles, his tone firm:

  – “We need to find out who this demon is — and why he targeted Mr. D?ng’s family.”

  It was past midnight. Trang, Erion, and Chen had just returned from a stroll along the seaside streets of V?ng Tàu, their hands full of bags packed with freshly caught seafood — fish, crabs, and clams, still glistening with ocean dew. As they stepped into the villa, Erion chuckled and said to Chen:

  – “Let’s prepare a midnight meal. And by the way… let’s make Mr. D?ng’s villa the brightest one in the whole neighborhood — literally.”

  Meanwhile, at Mr. Tài’s mansion, the Huy family and the three old friends had already gone home. Inside C?u D?ng’s house, everyone was asleep in the two ground-floor bedrooms. Only one small room upstairs glowed faintly with warm yellow light — Professor Charles was still awake, poring over a massive ancient book at his desk. His sharp eyes moved carefully over every word, lips murmuring softly as he turned each fragile page of the old manuscript on ancient demonic entities.

  Upstairs, in a superhero-themed room, Hi?u, Mr. Tài’s son had just stepped out of the bathroom when a blinding flash of light pierced through the window. He frowned, glancing at the wall clock:

  – “Almost 1 a.m…? Where’s that light coming from?”

  Curious, he walked toward the window — and froze.

  The night outside remained pitch-dark, but C?u D?ng’s mansion across the street gleamed as if it stood under the midday sun. Brilliant sunlight flooded the area, white clouds drifted lazily above it, and the frozen villa now radiated an uncanny, almost living glow beneath the artificial daylight.

  Hi?u stumbled back in disbelief, whispering:

  – “During the day, sunlight couldn’t even touch that place — it was all shadows and frost. But now… it shines like daytime at midnight?”

  Unable to contain his shock, he flung the door open, the slam echoing through the hall, and dashed to his parents’ room, pounding on the door:

  – “Mom! Dad! Wake up — look at Uncle D?ng’s villa!”

  Startled, Mr. Tài and Mrs. Nga sat up. Still half-asleep, Mr. Tài scowled as he opened the door:

  – “What’s all this shouting about? Do you know what time it is?”

  Hi?u pointed toward the window, his hand trembling:

  – “Look, Dad — Mom! Uncle D?ng’s villa — it’s shining like daylight! There’s even a sun and clouds above it!”

  Mrs. Nga yanked the thick curtain aside — and gasped:

  – “Good heavens… it really is sunlight — bright as a January noon! But everything else outside is still night…”

  Mr. Tài stood frozen for a moment, then shouted:

  – “We have to tell the professor and Mr. D?ng’s family right now!”

  He and Hi?u rushed downstairs, knocking on doors. Professor Charles, upon hearing the news, hurried out into the garden. His eyes widened, breath quick and uneven:

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  – “My God… this is genuine sorcery. Unbelievable!”

  Moments later, C?u D?ng’s family came running out as well. Rubbing his eyes repeatedly, C?u D?ng froze when he saw his own mansion glowing like a miniature sun in the middle of the night. Clutching his chest, his face turned pale:

  – “What… what is this? This is beyond anything I can imagine!”

  The entire neighborhood lay in total darkness — except for C?u D?ng’s mansion, blazing like a world apart. Amid the boundless night, it shone like a fragment of another sky torn open and stitched into reality — a haunting clash of day and night, beauty and dread.

  Screams erupted from Mr. Tài’s villa, echoing through the still night and jolting the entire neighborhood awake. Balcony doors swung open one after another, and startled residents poked their heads out, eyes wide in disbelief.

  – “Oh my God, look! Mr. D?ng’s villa — it’s daytime over there!”

  One neighbor couldn’t contain himself — he dashed out through his gate, running into the street and shouting:

  – “Everyone! The sunlight only shines within Mr. D?ng’s property — not a single ray escapes outside!”

  C?u D?ng turned pale, fumbling for his phone and dialing Deep. On the other end, Deep’s sleepy voice grumbled:

  – “What the hell, calling me at midnight?”

  C?u D?ng cried out, his voice trembling:

  – “My villa has turned into daytime! The sunlight is trapped inside — it doesn’t spread anywhere else!”

  Deep’s tone changed instantly, shouting into the receiver, fully awake now:

  – “What!? That’s insane! Wait there — I’m calling the others. We can’t miss this!”

  After hanging up, C?u D?ng clenched his teeth, muttering bitterly:

  – “Yeah, like I wanted this to happen… talking as if I’m enjoying the show.”

  Meanwhile, at Erion’s seaside villa, the smell of grilled seafood filled the air, drifting softly through the kitchen. On Erion’s encrypted laptop, crystal-clear images streamed live — C?u D?ng’s glowing mansion blazing like a miniature sun in the darkness. A faint, amused smile curved on Erion’s lips as his right hand hovered over the Black Crystal Mirror, channeling power into the device. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction:

  – “You and Chen can watch through the satellite feed — in full HD. It’s much more entertaining that way.”

  Chen nodded approvingly while cracking open a crab shell:

  – “I’ll admit it — the General’s laptop and the Black Diamond military satellites are insane. It’s like we’re standing right there watching it in person.”

  Trang smiled faintly, raising her glass of juice with a trace of mockery in her tone:

  – “You’re being cruel, but… people like him deserve nothing less. Justice needs a firm hand.”

  Erion placed a garlic-roasted sea snail on Trang’s plate, his cold smile widening:

  – “Oh, I have many more tricks. We’ll deal with that family slowly… one layer at a time.”

  At the Black Diamond headquarters in Bình Chánh, the Demon King Satan reclined against his carved wooden bed, the Velkhanis Mirror in his hand glowing with eerie light. The reflection danced across his sharp eyes as a deep, chilling laugh escaped his lips:

  – “Erion is merciless… twisting them like puppets. I like it.”

  In the grand hall below, Din and Yin worked intently on their laptops. Arian was fine-tuning the satellite’s camera angle for a perfect view, while Grand Thái S? and H?ng Nhung tested several jars of dry perfume the old lady had concocted. The massive 180-degree curved screen displayed a live feed of the District 2 villa in brilliant detail.

  Din smirked, revealing two razor-sharp fangs:

  – “The General really has a creative mind. If he weren’t leading armies, he’d make a killing as a film producer.”

  gently opened a jar of ylang-ylang dry perfume, letting the scent spread through the hall:

  – “Erion’s mind is beyond compare. His ideas outshine even the Lord of Darkness himself.”

  H?ng Nhung dabbed a rose-scented balm on her wrist and inhaled deeply:

  – “I once heard the celestial maidens of the Northern Realm whisper about him — that Erion is a demonic being with an eccentric nature and unmatched power. Looks like the rumors were true.”

  Yin grinned wickedly, his dagger-like fangs glinting:

  – “You saw what he did with that cube, didn’t you? Once you’re trapped inside, there’s no way out. You just sit and wait… for death to come.”

  The sound of a car engine echoed through the quiet night, then stopped right in front of Mr. Tài’s mansion. Stepping out of a sleek black Lexus were the three close friends. Instantly, all three turned their heads toward C?u D?ng’s villa. Deep squinted his eyes, his voice rising in disbelief:

  – “What the hell is going on? The blazing sunlight is shining only within the boundaries of D?ng’s mansion!”

  The neighbors quickly poured out into the street. Tu?n stared at C?u D?ng, then suddenly shouted as if he had just realized something:

  – “Ice expands when exposed to heat, which means…”

  A chilling cracking sound spread through the air — the layer of ice around the mansion thickened visibly. A dense frost mist spread outward, dropping the temperature several degrees in an instant.

  Hi?u lifted his gaze toward the sky, his eyes trembling at the surreal sight before him. Outside, it was still the mysterious night, full of twinkling stars and a gentle moonlight. But within the boundaries of C?u D?ng’s villa, the sun blazed with radiant light. Each sunbeam reflected off the ice, making it glitter like a crystal palace.

  He grabbed Professor Charles’s arm, his voice quivering with awe:

  – “Professor, look! The moon and the sun… they’re standing side by side in the sky! And the line dividing day and night—it’s as if someone drew it perfectly straight!”

  Every pair of eyes turned upward, the whole neighborhood falling into stunned silence. Deep unconsciously stepped back, muttering under his breath — yet loud enough for all to hear:

  – “The moon and the sun… day and night existing side by side… How is that even possible? What kind of demon could bend reality like this? What exactly is his power?”

  Whispers rippled through the crowd. From within Mr. Tài’s garden, M? Linh trembled, fear crawling up her spine:

  – “If he can overturn heaven and earth like this… then who on earth is he?”

  C?u D?ng’s face twisted, stammering helplessly:

  – “He still hasn’t shown himself… but whoever he is, his identity must be far more terrifying than his power.”

  Meanwhile, at the seaside villa, the late-night dinner continued cheerfully — yet those same words were echoing faintly in Erion’s ears through the Black Crystal Mirror. A smug smile curled on his lips, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a man who held the entire game in his grasp.

  – “In this universe, there’s only one pair capable of manipulating spatial dimensions… And only we can undo what’s been done.”

  Trang smiled softly, placing a perfectly grilled tiger prawn on his plate:

  – “So, how long do you plan to keep that frozen mansion standing?”

  Erion’s gaze turned sharp, his voice cutting through the air like a sentence of judgment:

  – “Until those apprentice sorcerers return. I want them to see with their own eyes that we’re right here beside them — not just names in their textbooks.”

  Beside him, Chen nodded approvingly, a sinister grin spreading across his pale face:

  – “You’re absolutely right, Commander. Letting them live inside their delusions — believing they’re the strongest — will never break their arrogance.”

  The neighbors once again pulled out their phones and cameras, eager to capture the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. But every attempt failed — the screens only showed distorted flashes of light before going completely black. No lens could penetrate the spatial barrier Erion had erected around the mansion.

  Deep frowned, stepping closer to Professor Charles, his voice tight with tension:

  – “Have you identified the demon yet? Who is he, and what kind of power does he possess?”

  Professor Charles kept his gaze fixed on the bizarre sky, where day and night coexisted like two opposing puzzle pieces:

  – “I was just getting to the crucial part… when that kid started screaming, so I ran out here.”

  At that very moment, in C?u D?ng and M? Linh’s eyes, a terrifying sight appeared.

  In the icy courtyard of the frozen mansion, through the thick mist of cold air rising beneath the blazing sunlight, H?nh and Qu?c — the couple who had died tragically in a “planned accident” twenty-five years ago — began to materialize. Their bare feet stood on the frozen ground, their empty eyes void of life, yet their lips curled into eerie smiles.

  Then came Mr. Qu?c’s deep, chilling voice, echoing like a call from the underworld:

  – “Brother… Sister in law… come back. This is your home, isn’t it? We’ve only come to reclaim what you stole from us…”

  Moments later, Mrs. H?nh’s voice followed — trembling, distorted by the frost, as if rising from the abyss:

  – “Return everything to our daughter… and the two lives you took from us.”

  M? Linh’s eyes went wide in horror. She staggered back, screaming before collapsing to the ground. Mrs. Nga and Anh ?ào rushed to her side, panic-stricken.

  – “ Mrs. Linh! Are you alright?!” cried Mrs. Nga.

  M? Linh gasped for breath, her trembling hand pointing toward the frozen mansion exhaling waves of mist:

  – “They’re standing in there! They’re still alive… I have nothing to do with it… I didn’t know anything!”

  Everyone around turned their eyes toward her, confusion and suspicion spreading. Deep narrowed his eyes, his tone sharp:

  – “Who are you talking about? Who’s still alive?”

  Anh Th?, quick to cover, stepped in immediately:

  – “My mom’s not in her right mind right now. Seeing all this must’ve shaken her — she’s just hallucinating, Uncle Deep. That’s all.”

  Tu?n took a few steps closer, peering through the frost-filled courtyard. But all he could see was swirling mist. He shook his head:

  – “I don’t see anyone… The temperature inside must be below minus ten. No one could possibly stand in there.”

  C?u D?ng stood frozen in place, his eyes wide open, his body stiff as stone. Mr. Tài, worried, grabbed his shoulder and shook him:

  – “ Mr D?ng! You alright? Why are you standing like that? I looked too — there’s no one inside!”

  Startled, C?u D?ng blinked as if waking from a trance, his voice trembling:

  – “Maybe… maybe it was just an illusion. The mist — it made me see things that weren’t there…”

  Deep quickly spoke up:

  – “Charles, get back to the ancient book and finish reading it. We need to find out who this demon is.”

  Everyone hurried back inside, while the neighbors stayed clustered outside, still mesmerized by the haunting scene.

  Above them, day and night divided the sky, the sun and moon hanging side by side.

  Below, the frozen crystal mansion glimmered like something out of a fairy tale — dazzling, deadly, and utterly unreal.