The More I Invest in My Wives, the Stronger I Become

Chapter 31: Into the Depths

Daemon lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Sleep would not come.

Lucien’s words kept circling in his mind, refusing to leave.

You can’t save others without power. Hell, you can’t even save yourself.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Victoria’s face. The quiet way she smiled through the pain. The curse that was slowly eating away at her life.

And then Kassia’s face would appear right after — still missing, still unanswered.

He was still too weak.

Daemon sat up slowly. The decision had already formed in his chest.

I have to go back into the Solitary Trial.

Deeper this time.

He already had enough monster cores stored away. If he left them with Victoria, the Emberalm Jade would stay active for months.

She would be protected while he was gone. She would understand. She always did.

Daemon packed only the essentials — a few changes of clothes, basic supplies, and the pouch of cores he planned to leave behind.

When he was finished, he slung the bag over his shoulder and stepped out of the room.

Downstairs, the house was silent.

Victoria stood in the kitchen near the window.

Moonlight poured across her face, soft and silver, making her look almost unreal.

For a moment Daemon simply watched her. A small smile tugged at his lips before he could stop it.

She turned at the sound of his footsteps. Her eyes widened the moment she saw the bag on his shoulder.

"Daemon?"

She crossed the room quickly and placed both hands on his face, her palms warm against his skin.

"Where are you going at this hour? What happened?"

He covered her hands with his own, holding them gently against his cheeks.

"I have to leave for a while," he said quietly. "A few days... maybe longer.

I’ll tell you everything about myself when I come back.

Just don’t ask me right now. You know I can’t lie to you."

Victoria searched his eyes for a long moment. Then her expression softened into a small, sad smile.

"I won’t ask where you’re going," she said. "But promise me you’ll come back safe."

"I will. Always."

He hesitated, the unfinished answer from the Fate Tower still sitting on his tongue.

"About the question from the game..."

Victoria gently pressed a finger against his lips.

"You don’t have to say it now."

Daemon pulled her into a hug. He kissed each of her fingers one by one, then rested his forehead against hers.

"I left a letter on the bedside table. If you want to know my answer... you can open it."

She nodded quietly.

"I won’t be able to join the WHA mentor programme," he added with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head. "Can you cover for me?"

Victoria let out a soft laugh. "I’ll take care of it."

He reached into his bag and placed a small pouch in her hands.

"These are monster cores. Enough to keep the necklace working until I return. Please... don’t do anything that triggers the curse while I’m gone."

Victoria closed her fingers around the pouch.

Then she leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Come back as soon as you can," she whispered.

Daemon gave her one last look, committing the sight of her to memory, before he turned and left the house.

He walked until the streets grew empty and the lights of the city faded behind him. Only when he found a quiet, abandoned passage did he finally stop.

Ding!

[Rewards have been generated.]

[Target: Victoria Hale]

[Reason: Genuine happiness and emotional fulfillment during the evening]

[Target: Roxanna Sterling]

[Affection has reached 75%]

[Combined Reward Unlocked]

A new window unfolded in front of his eyes.

[Soulfire Resonance]

A rare technique granted by the System.

This ability can only activate between Daemon and a woman who has become his official wife, completed the Soul Oath, and established a genuine soul bond with him.

When bonded partners share deep physical and emotional intimacy, their souls begin to resonate.

Their combined life energy circulates between them, allowing both to recover energy faster and gradually increase their cultivation and power.

The greater their trust, affection, and soul compatibility, the stronger the resonance becomes.

Intimacy is the catalyst — not the source.

The technique cannot be activated through forced or purely physical contact.

The System recognizes only genuine mutual connection.

Requirements: Official Wife + Soul Oath + Soul Bond

Catalyst: Mutual Intimacy

Effect: Energy Synchronization & Power Growth

Additional Effect: Greatly increased energy recovery

Warning: Cannot activate without genuine mutual consent.

Daemon stared at the screen for a long time.

This skill is dangerous... and powerful.

If I ever use it, it has to be real.

His thoughts drifted to Roxanna. Seventy-five percent. The number sat uncomfortably in his chest. He liked her — that much he could no longer deny.

But liking someone and choosing them were two different things.

He would talk to her properly when he returned. He owed her that much.

"System," he said quietly. "Open the Solitary Trial gate."

The air in front of him split open with a soft hum, revealing the familiar blue-white rift.

[Time Dilation Notice]

One year inside the Solitary Trial equals ninety days in the outside world.

Daemon tightened his grip on the bag and stepped through.

Just before the gate sealed shut, a thin shadow slipped in after him — so fast and silent that he never noticed.

Inside the dungeon, the strange violet-and-gold sky stretched endlessly above him.

Daemon exhaled and looked around.

This place still doesn’t feel like a normal dungeon.

It feels connected to me somehow.

"System. Can you explain that?"

As expected, there was no answer.

He adjusted the bag on his shoulder and muttered, "Floor 26... entrance.

This time I’m not leaving until there’s a real difference in my strength."

___________________________________________

Far away, in a hidden laboratory lit by cold green light, a woman hung unconscious from metal restraints.

Thick chains bound her wrists and ankles. Her head drooped forward, breathing shallow.

Glass tubes lined the walls, each filled with strange liquid and insects of every size — some no larger than a fingernail, others nearly the size of a human hand.

A man in dark goggles stood over a workbench, weaving threads of green mana into the body of a twitching insect.

After a moment he clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Failed again."

He glanced toward the chained woman.

"I need more test subjects if I want a perfect formula."

A second voice drifted from the shadows.

"Kael. If you’re thinking of freeing her, you’ll never achieve what we want.

Sacrifices are necessary. Unless you’d rather end up like that nameless beggar who stole Victoria from you."

Kael’s head snapped up, eyes burning with anger.

"Don’t talk about Victoria. She’s mine."

The other man raised one hand.

A cloud of thick green mist shot forward and struck Kael directly in the face.

Kael collapsed, clawing at his throat. His eyes turned bloodshot.

His face rapidly shifted from red to blue as he choked and gasped, body convulsing violently.

No real sound came out — only broken, desperate coughing.

The man walked closer, his voice calm and cold.

"Don’t ever speak to me like that again.

I know exactly how to make you suffer. When I give an order, you listen. Or you won’t live long enough to see Victoria again."

The mist slowly faded. Kael collapsed onto his hands and knees, dragging air into his lungs like a man who had nearly drowned.

The superior continued as if nothing had happened.

"Use that woman. Complete the mission. We don’t have time for more failures.

If she isn’t compatible... bring another. Or we can simply take Victoria.

The wasp is already inside her nervous system. It’s slow... but eventually it will finish the job.

Then she’ll be under our control."

At the mention of Victoria’s name, Kael’s entire body went rigid.

His hands trembled against the cold laboratory floor.