After quickly packing, Linda and I left the dormitory to pick up our respective "cousins". By the time the four of us gathered at the barbecue restaurant, an hour had already passed.

My hunch was right. The person Linda brought was indeed the intimidating scarred man who had eyed me last time.

"It's him."

I murmured to Sherwood as we entered, leaning close. "Could the Mother Insect be inside him?"

"Possibly."

Sherwood replied calmly, sensing the tension. "Avoid drinking alcohol or beverages for now. We'll see how things unfold."

"Got it."

As we spoke, we headed straight to our table.

The scarred man glanced at me briefly, then shifted his gaze to Sherwood, a hint of wariness in his eyes.

Sherwood, unfazed by the intimidating stare, casually pulled out a chair and sat directly opposite him.

I took a seat next to Sherwood and smiled across at Linda. "Sorry we're late," I said politely.

Sherwood had explained that to lure out the Mother Insect using the Baby Insect, we needed perfect timing and the certainty that the Mother Insect was within the other person.

It had to be a decisive move, catching them red-handed.

Otherwise, if they were prepared, it would be much harder to catch that creature next time.

Furthermore, without direct evidence, the police wouldn't believe us, allowing these demons to escape justice.

Sherwood and I were determined not to let that happen. They must be brought to justice!

"Not at all, we just arrived."

Bernard Allen, Linda's wealthy boyfriend, replied before Linda or Scarface could speak.

I didn't expect him to come too.

His unexpected presence was an opportunity to see Linda's true nature.

Seeing Sherwood, I noticed his fingers subtly trembling.

I remember very clearly that when he was helping me deal with the Parasitic Insect on the train last night, his fingers made the same subtle movements.

Could it be that...

Before I could dwell on it, Linda handed me a glass of juice with a warm smile.

"The skewers will be here soon. Have a drink!" she said.

"Thanks."

I accepted the juice but recalled Sherwood's warning and left it untouched on the table.

Seeing this, Linda looked obviously a little nervous.

Although Garret remained silent, I felt his eyes fixed on me the entire time.

Not wanting to arouse suspicion, I considered finding a casual topic to divert their attention when my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Sherwood: [Your roommate's boyfriend also has Parasitic Insect.]

I froze.

Linda had pursued Bernard relentlessly since freshman year, and despite his initial indifference, they started dating six months ago.

I had attributed it to Linda's persistence, but now it seemed it was because of the Parasitic Insect.

This woman was so vicious!

Anger surged, but I bit my lip, struggling to contain my shock, and quickly messaged Sherwood back: [Can you fix this?]

Sherwood replied quickly, "Alright, let's see how it unfolds."

With Sherwood's assurance, my anxiety eased, and I waited patiently for the right moment to act with the others.

Linda couldn't contain her impatience and urged, "Yasmine, this orange juice is your favorite. Try it and see if you like it!"

She seemed about to force the cup into my hand.

But before I could react, Sherwood swiftly intercepted it.

Just as I watched Sherwood cautiously, worried about any spills, he unexpectedly tilted the glass, splashing the entire contents directly onto Garret.

Since Sherwood entered the room, Scarface had been on high alert.

But he never expected that Sherwood would attack in such a simple and crude way. He dodged swiftly but couldn't avoid being partially soaked, the juice staining his forehead.

Without hesitation, Garret grabbed a stool, ready to strike Sherwood.

Yet, before he could swing it, the blood drained from his face at a visible rate, leaving him as pale as a ghost.

Linda knew exactly what was in the orange juice. She was completely stunned and shouted angrily, "Who... are you?"

Among us, Bernard was the only one oblivious to the unfolding drama. He was now terrified by Garret's sudden transformation.

Glancing at Linda, Bernard saw her expression was more fearsome than Garret's.

Concerned for Bernard's safety, I grabbed his arm and calmly explained to him.

"Linda has planted Parasitic Insect in you. She's been asking you for money a lot lately, hasn't she?"

The relationship between Linda and Garret wasn't simple. Otherwise, he wouldn't do such a cruel act for her.

Whether it was stealing my luck or being with Bernard, it all boiled down to funding her selfish desires for more money.

Bernard seemed incredulous. Wide-eyed, he stammered, "Wh-what did you say?"

Coming from a wealthy background, Bernard didn't care how much money he spent, but being enchanted was another matter entirely.

"Linda planted Parasitic Insect in both you and Yasmine, and this man here is the mastermind."

Sherwood reiterated, his gaze icy as he stared down Garret. "You've clearly been practicing this for a while, but your execution is lacking."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Linda didn't care about confronting me, but she couldn't afford for Bernard to doubt her. She lunged towards him, trying to grab his hand, but he deftly evaded her.

Bernard might not fully believe me, but he couldn't ignore the evidence before him.

Sherwood, quick on his feet, tossed a prepared powder onto Garret's forehead.

Garret's complexion worsened visibly. Clearly affected by the Baby Insect in the juice, the Mother Insect concealed within him began to stir.

Simultaneously, the Baby Insect that Sherwood had extracted from the jade pendant writhed violently in its container, one of its small eyes glaring malevolently.

Having witnessed such scenes before, I was mentally prepared and managed to maintain my composure. However, for Bernard, this was his first encounter with such a horrifying sight, and he was understandably shaken.