Chapter 54 His Name Is Ludwig
<b>Jean </b><b>hit </b>the ground <b>hard</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 <b>a </b>button 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>“</b>You what?” the voice repeated.
Jean looked around, her pulse suddenly racing
She checked left Right. Up. Down
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Chapter 54 His Name is Ludwig
This thing wasn’t just a metal decoration–it <b>was </b>a piece of tech<b>. </b>
Like, spy movie–level <b>high</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 <b>had </b>some 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 before<b>? </b>If you ever need me, just say my name. <b>Loud </b>and clear<b>. </b>I’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.
<b>Ludwig </b>wasn’t some random throwaway character.
He was that Ludwig.
The prodigy
The freak–of–<b>nature </b>genius <b>who’d </b>made headlines before he even hit puberty. He was a <b>walking </b><b>myth</b>, a legend who people whispered about.
They said he <b>could </b>leap over rooftops, tear people apart with his bare <b>hands</b>, take on an army alone. A monster in human
form
They called him the <b>Wild </b>Dog 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 <b>heroine</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.
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Chapter 54 His Name is Luding
So one day, he’d betray Abyssal Choir
And throw in with the <b>heroine</b>.
Jean’s head was spinning.
“<b>Jean</b><b>. </b>You still <b>there</b>?” his voice floated through the badge again–smooth as ever, with a hint of teasing.
Jean was still staring down <b>at </b>the metal in her palm
Ludwig had been a force of destruction as a <b>child</b>. Now that he was older, stronger?
He must be a total nightmare.
“Ludwig Jean whispered, breath <b>ragged</b>. “Help me.”
She heard <b>a </b>faint shift on the other end.
Finished
Jean… are you crying?” His voice dipped. There was a flicker of panic there–subtle but <b>real</b>. “Hold onto the badge. Don’t let <b>go</b><b>. </b>I’ming
The connection cut off.
He didn’t even ask where she <b>was</b>.
Which meant the badge had a built–in <b>locator</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 <b>crawl</b>.
If she could’ve moved, she wouldn’t have wasted time fiddling with <b>a </b>weird badge.
She sat against a tree, holding her breath, praying.
Act dead. Don’t move.
He’sing. He has to being.
<b>But </b>acting 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 <b>is </b>
Men crashed through the trees, their boots snapping twigs, trampling underbrush.
<b>Jean </b>looked <b>up </b><b>and </b>saw a <b>group </b>of <b>ck</b><b>–</b><b>d </b><b>guards</b>.
Great. More of them.
And
of course–the <b>boss </b>wasn’t with them.
Chapter 54 His Name is Ludwig
She’d wanted to see the man <b>who’d </b>spent thest few days breaking her down piece by piece..
<b>Just </b>to know the face of the bastard who thought this was all some game.
<b>But </b>she didn’t
that
Finished
She only got muscle.
Jean said nothing. She didn’t scream. Didn’t flinch. She just sat there, <b>silent</b>.
Two of <b>the </b>guards 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 <b>and </b><b>sharp</b>. “My whole body hurts. If you’re trying to finish me off, just say it.”
“Ms. Ginger, one of the guards said coolly, “<b>you </b>brought this on yourself.”
His eyes were cold. Empty. Like <b>a </b>knife 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. <b>This </b><b>time</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 <b>red </b>at the nearest guard.
“If you’re going to manhandle me, at least give <b>me </b>something she growled, “Tell me who your boss is. Does he <b>have </b><b>a </b>personal grudge <b>against </b><b>me</b>? Or is this about the Ginger family?”
The guard didn’t answer right away.
He froze <b>for </b><b>half </b><b>a </b>second.
Then he gave her a t look.
“That’s not something you need to know.”
Figures.
<b>Jean </b>didn’t really expect <b>an </b>answer.
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?