Chapter 82: The Iron Corpse's Nocturnal Assault

The sun had long since dipped below the western mountains, painting the sky in bruised shades of purple and orange before surrendering to the profound black of a moonless night. A cool breeze rustled through the cornfields, a welcome respite from the day's lingering heat. In Damon's courtyard, a single electric bulb cast a warm, yellow glow over the small stone table where he, Ailee, and Lucia Santee were finalizing the last details of their contract. Lucia, ever the professional, had her laptop...