Ghost Rider

With a gun suddenly pressed to his head, Wes reflexively cast Expelliarmus.

In an instant, powerful magic burst from his wand. The man holding the Shotgun was struck by an invisible force and sent flying.

He slammed heavily into the hard wall with a dull boom, then crumpled miserably to the ground.

The Shotgun happened to land at Wes's feet.

Expressionless, Wes kicked the Shotgun out the door.

"Don't move!"

He pointed his wand straight at the corner.

"What's that stick in your hand? Is it a wand?"

An old, hoarse voice slowly came from the corner, carrying a trace of confusion and wariness.

An elderly cowboy struggled to his feet, brushing the dust from his clothes as soon as he stood.

"Are you a Magus?" The cowboy's melancholy eyes stared fixedly at Wes.

His weathered gray stubble looked especially worn beneath the dim yellow light.

Judging from the old cowboy's attire, he had probably been a handsome, dashing fellow who was popular with women in his younger days.

"Where is the Sanctum Sanctorum Contract?"

"Where did you learn about the Sanctum Sanctorum Contract?"

The old cowboy frowned, becoming even more guarded.

"That's none of your business, old cowboy."

Wes's tone was firm, giving him no chance to ask further.

"I can't let the Sanctum Sanctorum Contract fall into the hands of someone of unknown origin like you."

As they spoke, the old cowboy's right hand quietly drifted toward his waist, the movement so subtle it was almost impossible to notice.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Wes saw through the old cowboy's little move. He could not be bothered to waste more words on this stubborn cowboy.

In an instant, the old cowboy was frozen in place, his body as rigid as a stone statue, unable to move.

Only his eyes could still move. The look in them perfectly embodied terror and disbelief.

"Accio Sanctum Sanctorum Contract."

Wes used the Summoning Charm.

Under the old cowboy's incredulous gaze, a shovel flew straight into Wes's hand as though pulled by an invisible giant hand.

After catching the shovel, Wes carefully felt around it for a while.

He quickly found the answer. Wes cautiously dismantled the shovel's handle, revealing a yellowed piece of parchment.

"Hidden pretty well."

Wes took out a quill and slowly brought it close to inspect the parchment.

The moment the quill approached the parchment, it emitted a gentle glow.

"This is it." A satisfied smile finally appeared on Wes's face as he swiftly tucked the Sanctum Sanctorum Contract away close to his body.

Before leaving, Wes turned to the immobile old cowboy and said, "The spell will wear off automatically in half an hour. At your age, don't be so hot-tempered."

With that, Wes got into the car without looking back. He stepped on the gas, and the car sped away, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.

Half an hour later, the spell finally wore off, and the old cowboy collapsed heavily to the ground with a thud.

He groaned in pain and struggled shakily to his feet.

"I never thought that I, Carter, would one day fall into the hands of a young man."

As he spoke, Carter helplessly adjusted his cowboy hat, then went outside and bent down to pick up the Shotgun.

A loud whistle rang out.

"Neigh, neigh~~"

Rapid hoofbeats came from afar, drawing closer and closer. Before long, a tall, sturdy steed stopped beside Carter.

Carter gently stroked the horse's head as though communicating with a close old friend.

"Letting someone bully you without fighting back isn't the cowboy way."

Rage burned in Carter's heart as he made up his mind. With a swift motion, he mounted the horse and shouted, "Let's go!"

The horse understood his command. It excitedly reared up on its hind legs with a neigh.

Then it charged after Wes in the direction he had gone.

Night fell quickly, like an enormous black curtain slowly descending over the earth.

Wes slowly brought the car to a stop.

The night in the Texas wilderness was like a breathtakingly beautiful painting, mysterious and serene.

The boundless plains looked even more vast and desolate beneath the dim moonlight. The grass and low shrubs were patches of silent shadows. Above, stars glittered like diamonds, densely scattered across the deep blue sky.

The distant mountain range was little more than a vague outline, leaving only massive black silhouettes. Now and then, a rabbit's nimble figure darted across the ground, or the mournful cry of a night owl echoed through the silent night sky.

The night scenery of the Texas wilderness held both the raw ruggedness of nature and a mesmerizing tranquility, making one marvel at nature's miraculous craftsmanship and boundless charm.

"Not bad scenery," Wes murmured appreciatively.

The Sanctum Sanctorum Contract was in hand.

Wes intended to rest here for a while, have something to eat, and properly enjoy this rare view.

Jandi truly was a man of many talents. Not only could he handle housework with ease and serve as a capable laboratory assistant, even setting up camp at night was no challenge for him.

Before long, a warm campfire was blazing, and a delicious dinner was ready.

Wes leisurely enjoyed Jandi's thoughtful service.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop."

Crisp hoofbeats shattered the nighttime silence.

Wes instantly rose to his feet in alarm, keenly sensing intense hostility rapidly approaching.

A skeletal horse engulfed in raging flames charged over with thunderous force, its four hooves leaving trails of burning fire across the ground.

On its back sat a cowboy covered in flames, with a skull for a head.

The moment he saw Wes, Carter unhesitatingly drew his Shotgun, aimed it at him, and roared, "Caught up to you, Wizard brat!"

"I didn't even hit you that hard, you troublesome old man."

However, the urgent situation did not leave Wes time to think further.

After all, the cowboy before him had come to settle the score.

"Apparition!"

Wes reacted swiftly, instantly teleporting behind Carter with magic.

"Expelliarmus!"

A powerful Disarming Charm shot from Wes's wand and instantly knocked the Shotgun from Carter's hand.

Carter reacted just as quickly, drawing a revolver from his waist.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Three shots rang out in rapid succession as the bullets whistled through the air.

"Protego Totalum!"

"Protego Totalum!"

"Protego Totalum!"

Three powerful spells were cast in succession.

The three bullets struck the viscous liquid ahead of them. Their speed instantly slowed, and after struggling through the air for a short distance, they lost all momentum and fell helplessly to the ground.

"Confringo!"

Never returning fire was not Wes's style.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—that was the principle Wes had always believed in.

In the outskirts of Texas, there was no shortage of all kinds of gravel.

As Wes cast his magic, countless pieces of gravel instantly transformed into immensely powerful bullets, raining down densely upon the cowboy and the horse beneath him. The tremendous impact pierced through both horse and rider, knocking them down together.

But Wes did not dare lower his guard in the slightest.

The flames on Carter and Warhorse blazed even more fiercely.

Yet the wounds on their bodies healed at an astonishing speed visible to the naked eye. Within mere seconds, they were back on their feet, full of life once more.

"Damn immortality."

Although everything had been within Wes's expectations, he still found it extremely troublesome.

Opponents with immortal bodies were undoubtedly the most irritating kind.

Carter put his cowboy hat back on, his eyes full of provocation. "Your little tricks won't work on me, Wizard."

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