Chapter 352

Nathaniel Blackwood watched as Oliver Prescott dashed away in the same dramatic fashion as before.

"Such juvenile behavior!"

Rubbing his temples, Nathaniel exhaled sharply. Still, concern gnawed at him—what if something happened to Isabella? He pushed back his chair, ready to leave.

The elderly shopkeeper blocked his path.

"Young man, that is your friend's destiny. No need to interfere. Stay awhile. Browse my treasures. Perhaps one will lead you to your soulmate."

Oddly enough, Nathaniel believed him.

While others might dismiss the old man as a fraud, Nathaniel stayed. His gaze swept over the displayed items until a silk artifact caught his eye—or rather, the intricate embroidery on it.

"How much?"

"Fate brought us together. A single dor will suffice. Consider it payment for your bamboo drawing."

The shopkeeper carefully placed the silk in an ornate box and handed it to Nathaniel.

"You have excellent taste. This piece is fortunate to have found you."

"Thank you."

Nathaniel accepted it, though questions swirled in his mind. But Isabella's situation couldn't wait. He hurried toward the underground casino beneath Harbor Market.

That place was lawless.

A den of violence where only strength ruled.

Dark. Bloody. Brutal.

Countless lives had been lost there.

Why would Isabella go to such a hellhole? She was always courting danger.

The casino reeked of tobacco and desperation.

Anything could be bought or sold in that lawless pit.

Gamblers crowded around tables, eyes burning with greed.

Fortunes were made and lost in seconds.

Nathaniel's nose wrinkled at the stench as he entered.

His stomach churned when he spotted a still-beating heart on a nearby table.

A dealer in a tight leather outfit and bunny ears gestured at it.

"Fresh cow's heart! Eat it raw for stamina and longevity! Place your bets!"

The crowd erupted as a sweaty man won and bit into the dripping organ.

Nathaniel looked away, nauseated.

That could've been human.

Everywhere he turned, depravity unfolded.

This wasn't the human world—it was hell.

He'd heard rumors about Harbor Market's underground casino, but nothing prepared him for this.

His claustrophobia flared. Breathing grew difficult. His head pounded.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself forward. Isabella was here somewhere. He had to find her.