The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

today, for some unknown reason, they showed no respect.

On the other side of town, not long after the village chief had departed, he stumbled upon a pack of grey wolves in the woods. Even though Ashen King was dead, there were still many wolf packs in these woods. Usually, they obeyed the village chief's commands, but They growled and started to approach. The village chief, realizing the danger, shouted, "Watch out for their sneak attacks!"

Unfortunately, his warning came too late. Many were already overpowered and struggling against the wolves, creating utter chaos.

Just as the standoff seemed to go nowhere, numerous snakes also emerged from the trees.

In the darkness, they flicked their bright red tongues, eager to taste blood.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

The snake closest to the village chief opened its gaping maw to strike, but the village chief, with a squint, threw one of his men towards it. "Ahh!"

A scream echoed through the woods, disturbing many birds and instantly changing the atmosphere.

"Useless! What are you staring at? Finish them off, or you'll regret it!"

Despite the village chief's words, everyone seemed dispirited, facing defeat against these wild beasts.

Connor, from the control room, noticed a small disc left in the lab and, with a smile, called the village chief.

That very call attracted the attention of the grey wolves. The ones that were mauling their prey instantly abandoned them and started approaching the village chief.

"Damn it!" the village chief cursed, seeing the caller ID and reluctantly answered the call.

"What's going on over there?" Connor asked casually.

Before the village chief could reply, he shoved a branch into a wolf's mouth, dropping the phone in the process.

Connor heard nothing but animal roars and human screams, causing his face to turn serious. "What's happening?"

Defending against the wolves, the village chief managed to say, "Vivienne, that damn girl, and Percival might have breached the place. Sebastian's gone - he is Percival!" Connor's forehead vein throbbed. "I told you something was off with him, and you're just realizing this now? What have you been doing?!"

The village chief, ashamed, couldn't retort to Connor's reprimands.

"Now, pull the crooked tree to your left, and don't upset me further," Connor ordered before hanging up to continue monitoring the screens, now devoid of any movement. Vivienne, having noticed the hidden cameras in the darkness, had covered the screens the moment she entered.

When Vivienne and Percival met at the lowest level, they hadn't even had time to speak before hearing a scream from inside.

The brief cry, though short, was clear to both of them. "Let's see what's happening."

Vivienne led the way, but all they saw were cold walls, with no more sounds.

"Could we be in the wrong place? This is the last level," Percival said, his face darkening.

"No, it has to be here. They must be behind these walls," Vivienne insisted.

As soon as she placed a disc on the wall, it rose, revealing the situation behind it.

Surrounded by railings were women.

Seeing Vivienne and Percival, fear showed in their eyes. "What do you want with us? When will you let us go?"

Ignoring their questions, Vivienne counted the heads, finding only 49. She frowned at the speaker, "Why only 49? Where's the other one?" The women, initially defiant, held back upon seeing Vivienne's dark mood.

"Aren't you with them?"

"Clearly not, Where's the missing person?" Vivienne's impatience grew. She had come all this way to find a person missing. Was the village chief hiding someone or had something happened?

A weak voice from a corner finally spoke, "She's here."

Vivienne's gaze shifted to a girl with glasses, "She just fainted suddenly and hasn't woken up. I hid her to prevent her from being taken away."

Vivienne carefully examined the pale woman on the ground, handing a small vial to the girl with glasses, "Give her this."

With no other option, the girl complied, and to her astonishment, the woman's color swiftly returned.

"You saved her!" she exclaimed.

Vivienne nodded, "Don't worry, we're here to get you out."

"Get out? Wishful thinking!" A familiar voice echoed down the hallway, and soon, the village chief's face appeared before them.

The locals, wide awake, saw a

fleeting moment of joy in Mayor Thompson's eyes before it was quickly eclipsed by fear. Everyone retreated into the shadows of their homes, daring not to peek out.

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"I've really underestimated you two, Vivienne, Percival," Mayor Thompson called out their names with pinpoint accuracy.

Yet, neither Vivienne nor Percival showed the slightest hint of surprise.

"Now that you've conveniently

shown up, I might as well take care of both of you in one go. That'll fulfill the task given to me by the boss! Greed and a near-madness flickered in Mayor Thompson's eyes, eliciting nothing but a sneer from Vivienne.

She showed no signs of worry or fear, facing the overconfident village leader with a mocking smile. "Even your boss couldn't stand against me, and you think you can?"

"You!" Mayor Thompson bellowed in rage. "Everyone, grab them! We'll offer them all in a sacrifice to the heavens!"

Gregg lunged at them with ferocity, but Vivienne and Percival remained unfazed, standing their ground.

"Be careful!" a girl's voice called out from within the room, her concern for Vivienne palpable.

Just as Gregg was about to close in, a massive explosion thundered from above, knocking him off his feet and to the ground in a heap.

A series of explosions followed, quickly throwing the scene into complete chaos.