Chapter 2: Return from the Abyss

Words : 2100 Updated : Jan 8th, 2026

The woman's strength had been spent to the last drop. She sat on a rock with her back against the cliff face, staring coldly at the man in front of her. He looked not yet thirty, wearing a blue climbing jacket. His eyes gleamed with bad intentions as he kept edging closer. "Ivanka Yale, you know I've always liked you. You want Ghost-eye Ganoderma? I can put together an expedition right away. But you still act like ice around me, won't even let me touch your hand!" "Help!" Seeing Seth Good draw nearer, the woman shouted for rescue. "Go ahead, shout. It's useless! I already told the others to hang back on purpose. We're eight hundred meters down in this abyss. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will hear." Ivanka's gaze sharpened. "Seth Good, do you know what you're doing and what it will cost?" He shrugged. "Cost? The Good family and the Yale family will become in-laws, complementing each other's strengths. Isn't that great? Relax. Once you're mine, I'll go to the Yale family to propose." He lunged at her. Ivanka screamed and fought, but exhausted as she was, she was no match for a grown man. He pinned her wrists in moments. "Stop!" A cold shout cracked behind Seth. He jolted and spun around. A figure dropped down in front of them-Salvatore Casson. His clothes were smeared with blood and riddled with holes, like a beggar's rags. Yet his eyes were like cold stars in the night, and something in them made Seth's gut clench. He didn't dare meet that gaze. "Wh-who are you?" Seth looked as if he had seen a ghost. They were more than eight hundred meters below the rim of Returnos Abyss. How could a man just appear here? Salvatore didn't waste breath. His fist crashed into Seth's face. Blood sprayed from Seth's nose. He screamed, clutched his face, and squatted on the ground, groaning. "Who are you?" Ivanka asked, voice trembling. A strange man saving her in the depths of an abyss left her grateful but wary. Salvatore looked at Ivanka and, for a heartbeat, couldn't look away. She was stunning. He had never met a woman of this caliber. In both figure and face, the snake-hearted Ruby Showyer couldn't hold a candle to her. "Don't be afraid. With me here, he won't lay a finger on you," he said quietly. Ivanka glanced at the still-groaning Seth Good, exhaled a shaky breath, and hurried out, "Thank you. I'm Ivanka Yale. What should I call you?" "Salvatore Casson," he said. "This abyss is dangerous. What are you doing down here?" Ivanka fell silent, then let out a soft sigh. "My mother is gravely ill and hasn't responded to treatment. I invited a famous doctor to consult. He said the only way to cure her was to find Ghost-eye Ganoderma. After asking around, I learned it grows beneath Returnos Abyss, so I organized an expedition to look for it." Salvatore recalled the ascent. He had indeed seen several ganoderma-black and red veined, shaped like ghostly eyes. It had to be what she wanted. "I've seen what you're after. I can take you there." "Really? That's wonderful!" Ivanka's eyes lit up. He bent down. "Get on. You're out of strength. I'll carry you." Ivanka froze. On cliffs like these, moving with gear was already a gamble; and he intended to carry her with his bare hands? Before she could respond, Salvatore caught a handful of her jacket and flicked her onto his back. She yelped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. Warmth pressed against his back, and for a moment his heart stirred. Then he sprang for the opposite rock wall. As they sailed through the air, Ivanka screamed and clamped her legs around his waist like an octopus. Salvatore landed steady on the far wall, then kicked off again. After a few agile bounds, the two of them vanished from Seth Good's sight. Seth stared, slack-jawed, his eyes about to pop out. Ivanka lay against Salvatore's back, surprised by the fine smoothness of his skin. He didn't have exaggerated bulk, but every muscle felt tight, packed with explosive strength. So close to him, a raw masculine scent surrounded her. An odd feeling bloomed in her chest. She startled herself. What's wrong with me? Salvatore moved like the wind. Within minutes, they reached a cluster of Ghost-eye Ganoderma. The patch held six pieces, each palm-sized, giving off a faint, clean fragrance. "Miss Yale, is this Ghost-eye Ganoderma?" Salvatore asked over his shoulder. Ivanka examined it closely. It matched the pictures exactly, and the aroma was right. Joy flashed across her face. "Yes, that's it! Salvatore, thank you so much!" "Good. Hold tight. We're going up." After harvesting the ganoderma, Salvatore carried Ivanka and started climbing. He went up almost as fast as he had come down, moving like a nimble ape. In no time, they reached the rocky ledge. Seth Good still sat there, frozen, staring at Salvatore scaling the cliff like it was flat ground. Salvatore didn't pause. He took Ivanka's climbing rope and surged upward. In under two minutes, they reached the cliff top. Weeds crowded the edge. Salvatore found a patch of open ground and finally set Ivanka down. Her cheeks flushed pink. The dangerous, thrilling rush felt like a dream, and her heart pounded. Sweat beaded her hairline, but her mood soared-she had found Ghost-eye Ganoderma. Her mother had hope. She stole a look at Salvatore. "Salvatore, how were you down in the abyss too?" At her question, the memory of being cut open and hollowed out surged back. Salvatore's eyes went razor-sharp and icy. "Harry Hauk. Ruby Showyer. I'll make you wish for death. I'll ruin you beyond redemption." The rage of it twisted his gut. He clenched his fists, murder burning in his eyes. Bang! He drove a fist into a nearby pine. The trunk-thick enough that two people would be needed to encircle it-buckled with a deep fist-shaped dent as dead needles and leaves showered down. Ivanka flinched and let out a startled cry. The killing intent drained away. Salvatore looked at her, apologetic. "Sorry. I remembered some old things." Ivanka's bright eyes roved over him, and she smiled. "Can you carry me down the mountain? Let's find a restaurant. I'm starving." Talk of food reminded him of his own hunger. He had barely eaten for a month. If not for his extraordinary physique, he would have died down there. He nodded at once. "Alright." He hoisted Ivanka again and quickly descended Ghost Ridge. Halfway down, they spotted several parked cars. Ivanka found one, dragged a suitcase from it, and picked out a set of clothes to hand to Salvatore. "Brand new. Get changed." Salvatore didn't stand on ceremony. He thanked her, took the clothes, and stepped to the far side of the car to strip off his bloodstained, tattered rags. When he pulled off his shirt, the chest and abdomen that had been carved open bore not even a scar. He couldn't help marveling at his master's miraculous skill. He felt his heartbeat thundering, and his blood surging like a river through his veins. "My master traded his own life to the King of Hell to buy mine back," he murmured. Dressed in new clothes, with long arms and a lean waist, Salvatore looked sharp, carrying a hard-to-name, compelling aura. Ivanka gave him an appreciative once-over and smiled. "Not bad-pretty handsome." She stepped in to straighten his collar, and her foot landed on a Fivera Snake. It whipped around and sank its fangs into her calf. "Ow!" Salvatore kicked the snake away, tore open her pant leg, and saw two deep bloody punctures blooming on her pale, flawless calf. "Sit. I'll suck the venom out." He lifted her smooth calf and drew in a hard, powerful breath. Heat shot through her, and Ivanka's face flushed bright red.

Chapter 2: Return from the Abyss

Comments (0)