It was clear that both Elise and Alice were shocked. The two of them stepped back, keeping a certain distance from the cross. In their eyes, one could see caution and a trace of fear.
Elise asked, "Where did you get this thing?"
"I took it off Mary." Mo Yu answered honestly. "This thing can protect its wearer. I took advantage of her not paying attention to sneak-attack her hand."
Elise warned, "Don't talk nonsense." She shot Alice a meaningful look.
Mo Yu waved his hand. "Young Miss, she's not human, she's a Spirit Rabbit."
Elise's pupils shook with shock.
Alice's expression tensed, but her gaze fell on Elise.
Mo Yu caught this detail.
This reaction was subtle.
If her disguise had been exposed, she should have been looking at herself instead, but she was looking at Elise. Clearly, she cared about Elise's reaction.
Mo Yu immediately added, "And, she's known your identity all along, she just never told you outright."
This was something he made up on the spot.
He was just bluffing the two of them.
Elise's face turned pale. Mo Yu's performance was enough to prove his ability, so his words carried real weight. She turned a questioning gaze toward Alice.
Alice put on a bewildered expression. "What on earth are you talking about? I can't understand a word of it."
Mo Yu chuckled and directly picked up the cross. "Come, let me help you understand instantly." With that, he walked around the table, trying to approach Alice.
"Don't come near me!"
Alice instantly deflated.
She knew very well that if she touched the cross, she'd be exposed, and there'd be no hiding her identity. At the same time, she now believed in Mo Yu's ability, that he could see other people's secrets.
Alice looked at Elise, her face turning serious.
"I did hide some things, and I do know some things. But, babe, my love for you is real!"
Elise's expression went blank.
Everything had happened too fast for her to process.
Her good best friend wasn't even human, had been lurking beside her all this while, and had been craving her body too.
The atmosphere on the scene sank into a bizarre awkwardness.
Mo Yu cleared his throat and pulled the topic back. "So what is this cross? Just tell me, there's nothing to worry about. Once you tell me, I'll leave, and you two can talk it out properly. Don't worry, Young Miss, this Spirit Rabbit really does love you. Isn't it better for both of you if things are out in the open?"
When Alice looked at Mo Yu, there was a touch more friendliness in her eyes.
Elise seemed to want to avoid the matter. She couldn't accept this reality in such a short time, so after Mo Yu's question, she instinctively answered in a way that let her dodge the issue and find somewhere to retreat to.
"This is a Sacred Artifact of the Ancient Saint Cult, called 'Repentance,' made specifically to suppress evil spirits — the bane of all evil things. As for its damaged state, it was destroyed during the Dusk Battle, and lost afterward."
"How is it used?"
"It needs to be activated with Magic Power."
"You two can't touch it, can you?"
"Right, we'd get burned by it."
This was a magic tool exclusive to Demon Hunters; ordinary people couldn't use it.
"Ah, what a shame. I'll head back first. You two talk."
Having confirmed the information about the cross, he saw no reason to linger. He put the box away and left, then walked around the corner and hid to eavesdrop.
Elise spoke first. "Sorry, I'm not feeling well. I'll head back first."
"Babe..." Alice wanted to say something, but held back.
Running away, huh?
That way, he wouldn't get to see the outcome.
Mo Yu felt a deep pang of regret.
Rewind.
Back in the changing room once again.
Mo Yu checked the Panel.
The kill task on Alice was still there, only its description had changed slightly — Alice was now wary of him, rather than hating him.
Mo Yu also confirmed one thing.
Ability Points could only be obtained from legendary units, and that was extremely difficult.
Next was Hunting Time.
His plan was to get Repentance, then go ambush Elise's subordinates. Although he had no Magic Power and couldn't activate the magic tool, he could still use the cross as brass knuckles.
……
2 p.m.
The sky was clear and vast, the sun blazing fiercely. On a highway on the outskirts of Black City, a white van sped along, followed by two small cars trailing at varying distances.
There were no other vehicles on the road — this was a very secluded old road. Both sides were bare wilderness, with only a few drought-resistant plants growing.
The atmosphere inside the van was tense.
Number 12 sat in the co-pilot seat, eyes fixed ahead, occasionally glancing at his mobile phone to send messages.
A vampire in the back said, "Lord Number 12, she's awake."
Number 12 answered, "Give her a warning."
Mary had regained consciousness. She tried to struggle, but her hands and feet were restrained, her mouth was gagged, and a hood had been placed over her head — there was nothing she could do. After being threatened by the vampire, she settled down obediently.
The van fell quiet again.
Booom...
Suddenly, the sound of an explosion rang out.
Number 12 startled and looked in the rearview mirror, only to see the two small cars behind them blown apart, turning into fireballs that flew off the road — those cars had carried the Companions responsible for covering them.
Number 12 rolled down the window, poked his head out to look, then cursed furiously, "Damn it! We're under attack! Floor it! Don't stop..."
Before he could finish, he heard the driver's terrified shout.
"Watch out!"
A white Security Team car came speeding in and, at over 200 km/h, struck the van precisely at the front door.
Under the terrifying impact, the van's front end tore apart, the body spun and rolled, flying dozens of meters before finally coming to a forced stop.
Number 12 went flying through the air, slamming head-first into a metal billboard with a deafening clang, before tumbling to the ground. He let out a pained roar, writhing on the ground, his completely twisted body visibly healing before the eye.
Knight-level Vampires were formidably powerful.
If it had been nighttime, an impact of this magnitude would have only left them lightly injured. But it was 2 p.m. now, with the sun blazing fiercely — the weakest time of day for vampires — which was why the crash left him severely wounded.
His whole body was twisted, bones shattered.
Though severely injured, for a vampire it only took some vitality to recover quickly. At night, he'd only need a dozen or so breaths to recover seventy percent. But sitting under sunlight, his healing was drastically reduced.
Sunlight was like deadly poison to vampires.
Number 12 rose to his feet, trembling, and looked toward the van.
The van was already on fire. The vampires inside had escaped, and had carried Mary out with them.
The point of impact was at the front of the van.
The Elite Vampires inside hadn't taken much damage — they'd used their own bodies as cushions to protect Mary.
For Elite-level Vampires, the greatest threat right now was the sun overhead. Their sun-shielding leather coats had been torn, and they needed to find shade.
Confirming Mary was still alive, Number 12 let out a breath of relief.
Mary couldn't be allowed to die here.
This Bait had to die at the hands of the other two Vampire Families.
Rat-tat-tat...
A burst of dense gunfire rang out.
Number 12 was struck in the back by bullets.
Most of the Bullets were deflected off his skin, only a small number piercing into his body. He whirled around in fury, and saw, dozens of meters away, a figure in a Helmet and leather jacket, crouched low, firing controlled bursts from a Rifle.
Number 12's wounds hadn't healed yet. He shielded his chest with both hands, waiting for his body to recover, while the enemy's continuous fire kept most of his attention occupied.
"Look over here."
An abrupt voice came from the side.
Number 12 whipped around in shock, only to see another Helmet-wearing figure standing right beside him, a fist rapidly closing in.
On the front of the fist was a cross.
Bam!
This punch was incredibly heavy.
The force of the swing even produced a Sonic Boom.
Number 12 spun through the air and slammed into the billboard again. After he tumbled to the ground, he let out a heart-wrenching scream, clutching his struck cheek and rolling on the ground.
There was a cross-shaped mark burned onto his face.
His head seemed to have been doused in gasoline, and it began to burn — even under the glaring sunlight, one could clearly see the orange Flames.
A Black Shadow dove down from the sky — it was Number 9, arriving to reinforce them. His sedan had been blown into the air by a grenade, and after he escaped, he found that the van had also been attacked.
Number 9 didn't hesitate, immediately revealing his true form, spreading his wings and flying in to help. He let out a piercing shriek, beating his wings as he lunged straight at the Helmet Person.
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