Ch: 201-207
201. Gwen: Dad, You're So Cruel
Bang! A gunshot rang out.
By the time Locke and Gwen were the last to arrive at their hunting range, George was already laughing heartily. He stepped forward a few paces, lifting a wild rabbit whose head had been completely blown off, and said to Hank, "Haha, a good start!"
As he spoke...
George glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Locke, who had just turned off his motorcycle and was getting off.
Look!
This time, I'm definitely not going home empty-handed.
Locke smiled. "Impressive, Mr. Stacy."
At home, he called him George; outside, he called him 'Mr.'
Locke had always been very polite.
Gwen took off her helmet, smoothed her hair, and looked at the bloody, headless rabbit in George's hand. "Dad, rabbits are so pitiful. We came here to hunt wild boars. Besides, you definitely ambushed this poor rabbit. I don't think that's right."
George opened his mouth to speak but stopped.
Hank lowered his head, trying to suppress a laugh.
Aileen was loading bullets into her handgun, seemingly trying to distract herself.
"Nice job!"
Locke thought to himself. He then smiled at George. "Mr. Stacy, I think you did a wonderful job. Yes."
George looked at Locke and fell silent.
A second later.
Splat.
George dropped the bloody rabbit onto the ground. With a click, he chambered a round in his Remington 870 and turned around. "Where are the boars?"
He wanted to kill every single wild boar he saw!
Looking at George's murderous-looking back, Hank couldn't help but chuckle. This was a stage every father with a daughter had to go through.
Fortunately.
I have a son.
Even though that son was unlearned and even had some drug addiction issues, he was still a boy. Boys could be killed at most; they weren't like daughters—once they found a boyfriend, they belonged to the boyfriend's family.
Wait, that's not right.
Hank glanced at Aileen. An adopted daughter was still a daughter.
Aileen looked up at Hank with a slightly confused expression, then gave him an inquiring look. "Aren't we going to hunt?"
Hank snapped out of it and followed George.
"Let's go!"
Locke picked up the backpack from the bike, gripped the remington 770 in one hand, and took Gwen's hand with the other, following the three people ahead.
George and Hank led the way.
Aileen followed.
Locke and Gwen brought up the rear.
In this situation, Locke didn't need to lead. Although he could hear the breathing of a wild boar in a deep pit about a hundred meters to the left, he didn't mention it.
This was his first time hunting. It wasn't that showing off was bad, but it wouldn't fit his'scientific setting.'
Besides.
Maintaining a low profile had always been Locke's motto.
However... when it came to choosing whether to continue up the mountain or keep moving forward, Locke and Gwen parted ways with George and the others.
After all, being low-profile didn't mean playing the pig to eat the tiger. Locke never liked that trope. There was another sentence after his motto of 'maintaining a low profile.'
Do things in a high-profile manner!
Maintain a low profile as a person, but do things in a high-profile manner—that was Locke's behavioral principle.
He was holding a remington 770, a sniper rifle, not a shotgun. Why would he follow two people with shotguns and one with a Desert Eagle to fight wild boars at close range?
He estimated that by the time he aimed, the three of them would already be firing away in a heated battle.
Especially George, an elite marksman from the NYPD. That guy could probably fire one shot per second even with a shotgun.
However... Hank looked up at Locke and Gwen on their right, who were starting to climb up to a small platform to set up their position. He said to George with some concern, "Your future son-in..."
With a swish, George turned his gaze toward his old friend.
Hank was slightly stunned and changed his words. "How is Locke's marksmanship?"
He didn't want the boy to miss the boar and hit something else instead.
"Don't worry."
George said directly, "His marksmanship is probably about the same as yours or mine. If he hadn't shown off his sniper skills last time, would I have let him take a sniper rifle?"
And setting up a position right above their heads.
What if this guy got some crazy idea and wanted to give Gwen a father-in-law who treated him better?
Wait!
George suddenly froze.
It seemed that Gwen coming into the mountains this time was actually a good thing. If Gwen hadn't come and they had left that 'wild boar' alone up there to set up his gun...?
George quickly shook his head.
No, that 'wild boar'—he had to admit—was quite handsome, polite, and well-mannered. He wasn't like the Peerless Assassin, who was cruel, lacked any humanity, and was simply an outlaw.
Dammit.
I'll bring you to justice sooner or later.
Over the past few months, the Peerless Assassin seemed to have vanished even more, which truly made George feel uneasy. It was as if he had lost his target; he sat in his office every day, repeatedly looking through the few files they had on the Peerless Assassin.
Just then.
Sizzle...
The walkie-talkies of George, Hank, and Aileen crackled.
It was Gwen.
Gwen held the walkie-talkie in one hand and binoculars in the other. "Dad, at your ten o'clock position, about three hundred meters away, there's a wild boar digging in the dirt."
George snapped out of his thoughts and showed a slight smile.
As expected, his daughter still cared for her father. If Locke had come alone, he probably wouldn't have said a word and would have just fired.
But... Gwen said the next second, "Dad, don't move. Let Locke take the shot."
George: "..."
Gwen took out her headphones, put them on, and looked at Locke. "Go for it, Locke!"
Even though Locke was some distance from George, at this moment, he could feel a sharp gaze shooting from George's eyes that was enough to turn him into a pincushion.
However.
Locke looked at Gwen, who was full of anticipation and hoped he would show off his prowess for a good start, and shrugged.
He set up the gun.
Aimed.
Bang!
Thud!
Boom!
Locke's shoulder moved slightly as he stabilized the recoil. The moment he pulled the trigger, a burst of flame appeared at the muzzle. Then, it streaked through the air at incredible speed and slammed directly into the head of the wild boar that was digging.
The boar seemed to sense something.
It looked up.
The next second.
A Winchester bullet whistled through, piercing the right side of the boar's head like it was tofu, exiting through the left side, and finally slamming into the ground.
The wild boar, naturally, collapsed with a loud thud.
"Ah, that's amazing!"
Gwen watched through the binoculars as the boar fell instantly with the gunshot. She cheered and grabbed the walkie-talkie. "Dad, he's down! Dad, he's down!"
Hank and Aileen looked at each other.
George was silent for a moment. "Your dad hasn't fallen down yet."
Gwen was taken aback, then laughed sheepishly. "Dad, I meant the boar is down. Locke hit it."
After a while.
The trio of George, Hank, and Aileen walked over to the poor wild boar.
Hank crouched down, looking at the entry wound, and then at George. "This is what you call 'exquisite marksmanship'?"
The entire head of the boar hadn't suffered any severe damage.
Even the bullet head embedded in the mud was relatively intact.
Clean entry, clean exit.
This was no longer a matter of whether the marksmanship was exquisite or not.
This was a sharpshooter.
A natural-born sniper.
Hank looked at George curiously. "The reason you haven't made him disappear yet... you're not thinking of recruiting him into the NYPD's SWAT team, are you?"
The reason I haven't made him disappear is because Helen won't let me.
George answered Hank's question in his mind, then looked at him. "A few days ago, Yale called my house to ask if Gwen was interested in attending."
Hank frowned. "Are you trying to say your daughter can go to Yale?"
George shook his head. "No, I'm saying that with Locke's grades, he could go to Yale too if he wanted."
Hank understood.
Then... he felt envious!
"You're so damn lucky."
"Lucky?"
George's mouth twitched. He actually wished Locke was unlearned and even had a drug addiction; at least if that were the case, Helen would have directly kicked Locke out.
But... this 'wild boar' was too damn polite. Although he seemed to have a drinking habit, a drinking habit was always better than a drug addiction. Besides, how much could drinking cost?
Wait, that's not right.
With that guy's financial resources, for now, it seemed that even if he had a drug addiction, his wealth could support it for a long time.
Wealthy.
Polite.
Good academic performance—he would probably attend school and graduate together with Gwen.
This was very frustrating.
In fact, George felt that if it were truly as the Department of Homeland Security said—even if Locke had the slightest connection to the Peerless Assassin—George would not let him get close to Gwen.
But this was clearly not the case; it was pure speculation.
George stood up, pinpointed the coordinates of this boar, then turned around, took off his walkie-talkie, and spoke in a flat tone, "Nice job."
Gwen gave a bright smile and looked at Locke. "You're amazing."
Locke also smiled.
He could tell.
Gwen was very happy for him.
In that case... Locke stood up, ejected the magazine, folded the bipod, and pointed ahead. "Let's go. We'll head over there."
The scent of wild boars seemed quite strong over there.
It should be a small flat area, a gathering spot.
"Be careful."
"Okay."
Locke supported Gwen as they walked on the upper path, while George, Hank, and Aileen were below them.
Walking and stopping, Locke and Gwen set up their gun again on a platform, having helped provide cover fire as they hunted a few stray wild boars.
After making a large circle, a family of wild boars—seven or eight of them of various sizes—appeared in their sight by a small lake, drinking water and enjoying a mud bath.
A light breeze blew, carrying the scent from over there.
Locke, who had just finished setting up and was lying down, raised his eyebrows...
202. Escaped Vampires?
A scent?
It wasn't the scent of a wild boar.
But rather... a strange, unfamiliar scent.
In Locke's memory palace, the partition storing various scent data was opened, and the data he had just received was quickly compared one by one.
Demon?
PASS.
Witch?
PASS.
Goblin?
PASS.
Banshee?
PASS... Locke slightly opened his eyes and looked through the 8x scope of his remington 770 toward Lake Kali, into the mountain forest where the breeze had brought the scent from.
A new scent, a new species!
What kind is it?
"Locke?"
"I'm here."
"Don't fire yet. There's open ground over there; don't let us get ambushed."
"Okay."
Locke temporarily snapped back to reality. Through the 8x scope, he looked at George and Hank, who were holding two shotguns and preparing to face off against the wild boar family. He gave an affirmative response, switched off the safety, and placed his finger on the trigger.
Business first.
Unlocking a new species could be put aside for now. The scent carried by the wind was at least three kilometers away from them; it might just be some species passing by on the other side of the mountain.
Locke thought to himself.
After all, this World was chaotic. Taking things steady, being cautious at every step, and doing what's appropriate for one's age was the best choice.
*Swish, swish, swish!*
"Hurry up."
"shit!"
"They're catching up."
On the other side of the mountain, five fugitives moved through the forest like ghosts. They wore prison uniforms that were originally orange but were now blackened with mud, and some even had broken chains still attached to their ankles.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Woof!"
Two large, energetic police dogs followed closely behind, tongues lolling, pressing them hard. Behind the police dogs was a search party formed from the neighboring county to capture the fugitives.
But... when the Captain of the search party arrived at the scene, he froze at the sight of the bodies on the ground, eyes wide open in death.
"Jack?"
"Martin?"
"Oh holy shit!"
"fuck!"
Several team members recognized these two colleagues who were supposed to be blocking the road to Malan County but had now met with a tragic end.
"fuck!"
The Captain of the search party, who was also the Sheriff of the neighboring county, had a grim expression as he cocked his shotgun with a *clack*: "Pursue!"
If he let the people who killed his men get away, how could he keep his reputation?
"Captain."
"What!"
"Look."
The Captain originally thought someone was reminding him that crossing over would lead into Malan County Police Department territory. Just as he was about to get angry, he looked in the direction the team member was pointing.
At the bodies of Jack and Martin from his station.
The Captain gasped: "They're not bleeding."
The Captain's brow furrowed. Just as he was about to lose his temper, he suddenly froze as well, looking again at the two pale corpses with wide-eyed stares.
One team member plucked up his courage and stepped forward to examine the two bodies.
He flipped them over.
On their necks, two things resembling tooth holes were clearly visible.
"Captain!"
The team member crouching there examining the bodies suddenly seemed to discover something. He lifted the right hand of one corpse: "Look..."
In view was a deep gash on the right arm, with the bone clearly visible inside. Logically, it should have been bleeding incessantly, but the wound was clean and pale, without a single drop of blood flowing out.
It seemed as if the blood had been sucked dry!
Instantly.
With those two tooth holes, the name of a species appeared in everyone's mind.
Vampire!
Vampire.
But... several team members and the Captain who thought of this couldn't help but look up. Although the forest was dense, they could still see the Sun hanging in the sky, growing brighter and hotter.
Vampires?
Can they fucking walk in the sunlight?
Could it be some kind of mutated species?
"Gulp!" One Police Officer swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly: "Captain, maybe we should notify the Malan County Police Department and request their assistance."
They had already sent people over anyway; it was just that their Captain, out of pride, had sent those people to stake out the road leading to the other side of the county.
The Captain frowned.
Just then.
*Bang!*
A gunshot echoed through the entire mountain forest.
Several team members were instantly startled and raised their weapons, looking around warily.
But the gunshot echoed for a long time and only disappeared after a while.
"It seems..."
"The gunshot came from the other side of the mountain?"
"..."
Not just the team members, but even George, Hank, and the supporting Irene were startled by the sudden sound behind them.
Not to mention, seeing a wild boar not far away suddenly go berserk and charge at them, only for its entire head to explode right in front of them.
That was quite a sight.
The walkie-talkie crackled with static.
"Sorry, the silencer came loose while I was moving just now." Locke's apologetic voice came through the walkie-talkie, causing George and the other two to look at each other.
But the three didn't have time to say much, raising their silenced hunting rifles again to kill several other boars that were running toward them and into their trap.
Locke returned the walkie-talkie to Gwen, who was beside him. She had put down her binoculars and loosened her earmuffs. "Are you okay?"
Gwen shook her head: "I'm wearing earmuffs. Are you okay?"
Locke smiled: "You should go to the firing range and listen sometime. Last time, some guy was there hitting steel plates with a Barrett; that sound was truly loud."
As he spoke...
After Locke reattached the silencer, he slightly adjusted his muzzle. Then, five figures standing still and gnawing on a police dog—the new species—appeared in his 8x scope in the forest across Lake Kali.
Oh, Vampires.
Truly a new species.
Locke had originally thought he would encounter Vampires in New York City.
But... maybe the Vampires in New York City were all in Queens or the slums, or perhaps in establishments that only those over twenty-one could enter.
Locke wouldn't go to the former at all, and while the Peerless Assassin could go to the latter, doing so would diminish the Peerless Assassin's sense of mystery.
So, Locke was certain there were Vampires in New York City.
After all, Blade seemed to be a member of the Marvel Universe as well. But Locke hadn't expected that he wouldn't unlock this new species in New York City, but rather while hunting here.
It was quite magical.
If it weren't so inconvenient, frankly speaking, Locke would have liked to go up and observe them closely, and perhaps study what kind of species they were.
After all, except for one group of Vampires with 'romance-brains,' it seemed other Vampires were unlikely to walk in the sunlight.
How did these few bats manage to walk so boldly in the Sun?
A pity.
The time and place were both inconvenient.
Gwen was still beside him.
And his father-in-law was down below.
But if he did nothing and those five bats swarmed down the mountain and bit his father-in-law to death, Locke felt it would put him in a difficult position.
So Locke fired a shot.
Locke's shot just now was a warning to those five Vampires. Otherwise, he wouldn't have intentionally detached his silencer to make such a big commotion.
Don't you fucking come down here to cause trouble.
Otherwise, the fate of that wild boar just now will be your fate.
If I fire a shot, your head will end up like a scattering of celestial flowers. Even if you're a Vampire, if your head explodes, I doubt you'll be able to resurrect.
Zombies can't survive if their heads are gone, let alone Vampires.
Across the way, up the mountain.
These five bats indeed heard the gunshot and also saw the wild boar right under their noses whose head had been blown apart in a gruesome display.
These five bats had been converted not long ago.
They were rescued together by the mastermind of the prison break—that serial killer. Then, while the five of them were about to express some gratitude and discuss how to escape...
Goodfellas.
That serial killer directly opened his bloody mouth and sucked the blood of two other fugitives dry right before their eyes.
That scene was incredibly intense.
Fortunately, after the serial killer and his two accomplices who came to rescue him sucked the two people dry, they seemed full. After licking their lips, they set their sights on them.
Then, with a few words, they just came up and bit them.
In their daze, they seemed to hear some nonsense about 'bestowing a blessing' upon them, along with various whispers.
For example, leaving them alive so they could delay the stinking cops here.
In short.
By the time the five of them woke up in a muddle, before they could even figure out what was going on, they heard the sounds of a search nearby. They hurriedly hit the road to flee for their lives.
And then... they discovered that suddenly, they not only ran faster, but their faces didn't flush, and their hearts didn't even beat anymore.
Originally, the five of them wanted to study exactly what had happened to them, but they were too busy running for their lives and maneuvering through the forest. Aside from the fact that they seemed to have become Vampires who didn't fear the Sun, they were basically ignorant of everything else.
Therefore.
Upon seeing that not far away there might be a hunter acting as a sniper, and down by the lake, those three who were firing shotguns like they were handguns, one of the bats couldn't help but lick his lips and toss aside the dried-up police dog in his hand: "Let's go, don't go down there."
A single shot could blow a wild boar's head apart.
They had no interest in going down to test whether their skulls were hard or not.
The other four Vampires nodded in agreement.
They had just turned into legendary creatures, and they seemed to be mutants who didn't fear the Sun—at most, they sparkled under the sunlight. They hadn't even enjoyed the good life yet. If they rushed down and, by some ill luck, were targeted by that hunter-sniper who blew the boar's head off, who would they cry to?
So.
After glancing at each other, the five of them prepared to find another way out of there.
Just then.
*Bang!*
203. George, danger!!
Just as the five vampires, who had just transformed into extraordinary beings, were about to turn around and leave in unison, a gunshot instantly rang out.
The next second, one of the vampires, who had just turned halfway, suddenly stumbled backward, then involuntarily lowered his head, looking at his stomach that had been riddled with holes by a shotgun.
He looked up, revealing a cruel, characteristic vampire smile, his two fangs gleaming with a faint, cold light.
But... "Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The other four vampires, seeing this, zipped to the side like afterimages, leaving only the unlucky vampire, standing rooted to the spot, consumed by his rage, to bear the brunt of the angry damage from the neighboring county captain and his team.
This unlucky vampire, under the impact of the shotgun, stumbled backward, then, with a thud, tripped over a stone, and instantly, like a rolling gourd, tumbled down the mountain, falling towards Lake Cali.
"WTF?"
Locke clearly heard the gunshots from the mountain across Lake Cali, his 8x scope fixed on the vampire, who was tumbling down like a rolling gourd, his life uncertain. He grabbed the walkie-talkie beside him and said to George, Hank, and Eileen, who also seemed to have heard the intense gunfire on the mountain, "It seems there are police officers on the opposite mountain. Let's retreat."
This was quite speechless.
Locke had a strange feeling that every time he tried to keep a low profile, things would always inexplicably come knocking.
And those five bats were also foolish.
Why the heck would you stand there like an idiot? If you had left earlier, would this have happened?
And most importantly...
It seemed like the neighboring county... No.
It seemed like all known law enforcement agencies across the federation always thought they were incredibly awesome, completely disregarding the opponent's attributes. It was always one word:
Fight!
Compared to these reckless law enforcement agents, Locke felt he was truly unworthy of the title "player."
If the other party didn't know these five bats were bats, that would be one thing. But Locke saw it clearly: those guys had even drained police dogs, so it was impossible they hadn't drained police officers.
Wasn't this clearly asking for trouble?
And sure enough.
Locke raised an eyebrow. Without even needing his powerful sixth sense, he could hear the screams suddenly erupting from the other side of the mountain, and the captains tumbling over the ridge like rolling gourds, stumbling down, spreading the battle to this originally peaceful hunting ground.
Sigh.
Locke sighed.
Trouble had arrived.
George and Hank, who had been somewhat startled by the gunshots and then, hearing Locke's words, were preparing to retreat, watched the figures stumbling down in the distance.
Although they couldn't clearly see what they were, the uniforms were almost instantly recognized by George and Hank.
"Locke!" George immediately grabbed the walkie-talkie, afraid that Locke might mistake them for fugitives and open fire, which would lead to big trouble. "Don't shoot, they're police officers."
Locke snapped back to attention, replied with a sound, then looked at Gwen, who was holding binoculars beside him. He was trying to figure out an excuse to make Gwen put down her binoculars.
However, before Locke could come up with a good reason, George, Hank, and Eileen, the three off-duty police officers, had already quickly checked their equipment. Without needing any instructions, they instinctively formed a triangular formation and rapidly moved towards the police officers who had tumbled down the mountain.
Not far away, a body in a prison uniform, riddled with holes like a rag doll, lay lifeless on the ground.
Two police officers who had rolled down the mountain were covered in scrapes and blood.
Hank and George aimed their shotguns at the mountain. "Eileen!"
Hank didn't even need to say anything. As George and Hank took their positions on either side, Eileen had already quickly holstered her pistol, then shrugged her right shoulder, directly removing the backpack from her back. An emergency kit was immediately pulled out.
The most severely injured was the police chief from the neighboring county. He seemed to have hit his head during the fall, and his head was covered in blood.
After checking both of them, Eileen first began emergency treatment on the police chief.
Just then, Gwen also put down her satellite phone and said into the walkie-talkie, "Dad, I've already contacted Rebecca. The chief will be here soon."
Gwen had asked Rebecca for this satellite phone when they entered the mountain.
After all, after the Poseidon incident, Gwen felt it was better to carry a satellite phone with her. In fact, Gwen's small backpack even contained a top-of-the-line underwater breathing apparatus.
It was a gift Pepper Potts had given everyone at the Poseidon survivor gathering.
This underwater breathing apparatus wasn't just top-of-the-line; it was custom-made, with a battery that could provide an hour of breathing time.
Gwen carried it with her everywhere, even on land.
Locke, meanwhile, had his Remington 770 aimed, his 8x scope focused on a particular spot.
The bat's body, which had rolled down, looked battered and torn, seemingly impossible to survive.
But... it wasn't human, nor was it a bat. Its name was vampire, and it was a mutated vampire that wasn't afraid of sunlight, likely not even garlic or mercury.
Just then, the vampire, whose eyes were open as if it had died with a grievance, suddenly twitched.
Locke's muzzle shifted slightly, aiming at the vampire's head.
Eileen also noticed it.
"What?"
"What's wrong?"
"Just now..."
After bandaging the police chief's head, Eileen took out her service pistol from her waist, looking suspiciously at the vampire's corpse lying not far away.
The police chief, whose head was bandaged and seemed to have regained consciousness, said in a weak voice, "They are vampir—"
Before he could finish, a roar!
The vampire, which had been lying on the ground seemingly lifeless, upon smelling the strong scent of blood around it, its eyes instantly turned blood red. In the blink of an eye, it scrambled to its feet, then bared its blood-stained fangs at George, Hank, and Eileen.
"Whoosh!" The vampire instantly moved!
But! Within a thousand meters, the gun was faster!
"Bang!"
Locke's shoulder moved slightly. Almost the instant the vampire moved, he pulled the trigger. A Winchester bullet whistled through the air, spinning, and with a thud, it slammed into the vampire's head almost the moment it was about to reach Eileen.
Boom! Fireworks bloomed.
Eileen instantly closed her eyes, protecting them.
Locke reloaded a Winchester round into the chamber with a click, completing the loading.
"Are you okay?"
"..."
Eileen opened her eyes, listening to Locke's voice from the walkie-talkie. She quickly took the towel Hank handed her and wiped her face, feeling a sense of relief after a narrow escape. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Locke said, glancing at Gwen, who was staring at him with her mouth agape, and smiled, "I'm a cowboy, Gwen, the youngest cowboy in the Lone Star Republic!"
If it had been before, when the Lone Star State hadn't merged with America, someone like him would have been destined to become a general.
However... Locke had expected Gwen to throw up at the bloody scene, but he had underestimated her.
It made sense, though.
When the Poseidon capsized, there were all sorts of corpses everywhere. Gwen hadn't been afraid then; at most, after returning to New York, Helen said she had thrown up three times in the restroom.
After that, Gwen spent several days interning at the New York Police Department's morgue. Although she only worked for a few days before returning, it was probably to train her little heart at the morgue.
Just then, the gunshots on the mountain also seemed to cease.
Locke refocused his gaze through the 8x scope, and then, the four bats, also covered in blood but seemingly moving freely, reappeared on the ridge, their mouths dripping with blood, hissing towards Locke's direction.
Their eyes were blood-red, clearly their beastly nature completely awakened by the scent of blood.
George, Hank, and the other three also saw them.
"Roar!"
"Fire!"
George and Hank, seeing the four clearly non-human creatures, whose speed was like ghosts after their roar, diving down from above like fighter jets, also roared.
Instantly, gunshots erupted.
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
One vampire was directly hit by the powerful impact of a shotgun, and with a thud, slammed hard against the mountain wall, instantly sending rocks tumbling down.
"You cover!"
"Okay!"
George responded, his shotgun like a pistol, firing bullet after bullet, accurately hitting the four diving vampires while constantly retreating.
Hank and Eileen, meanwhile, each dragged a police officer, moving swiftly, regardless of whether it would cause secondary injuries, and retreated backward.
At this point, staying alive was the most important thing.
Locke narrowed his eyes.
The trigger was pulled!
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
Another vampire diving down was instantly headshotted, but its body still maintained its momentum, and with a thud, it slammed into the mountain wall, causing countless more loose rocks.
Locke, to conceal his shooting skills, also deliberately missed several times.
But... basically, he ensured that out of ten bullets, three didn't miss the target and were direct bullseyes.
However, there was still one vampire, moving left and right, who, taking advantage of Locke's firing interval, whistled down, directly landing on the ground and appearing in front of George...
204. Missed Opportunity, Luo's Son-in-law
"Roar!"
"Bang!"
"WTF?!"
George stared blankly at the vampire, who, despite being hit head-on by a shotgun, tearing his flesh, didn't retreat a single step and was still advancing towards him.
The next second.
George immediately abandoned the shotgun, his right hand sweeping to his back, an M4 assault rifle directly chambered. Listening to Gwen's urgent shout in the walkie-talkie, he directly fired at the ghostly vampire in front of him.
"Tat…"
"Bang!"
"Roar!"
The vampire tilted its head, its entire body splitting into afterimages. Then, with a smack, it knocked the M4 assault rifle out of George's hand. Subsequently, it grabbed George, using him as a hostage, and shielded itself in front of Hank and Eileen.
"Come on!"
The vampire roared, facing Hank and Eileen. Then, it turned George towards Locke's direction, its body almost overlapping with George's: "Go ahead, shoot if you dare."
Hank and Eileen exchanged glances.
Gwen was stunned: "Dad."
Locke narrowed his eyes, watching George in the crosshairs of his scope.
The last guy who dared to play the hostage card with him already had a grave full of flowers. Forget hostages, even if he hid inside a vault, once his Gun-Fu skill activated, even a shot fired into the sky would hit its target like a cruise missile with automatic aiming and tracking.
But that was Wushuang, not Locke.
If Locke, wearing sunglasses, were here, those five vampires wouldn't even have had a chance to descend the mountain.
What a shame.
Locke couldn't help but sigh, his finger resting on the trigger.
Gwen beside him was dumbfounded: "Locke?"
What did he mean?
Was it really a love-hate relationship? Dad wanted Locke to disappear, and Locke wanted to use this perfect opportunity to make Dad disappear in a physical sense?
No, this wouldn't do.
Gwen shook her head like a rattle drum: "Locke…"
The vampire's voice came through at this moment.
Sharp and piercing.
"Come out, if you don't, I'll kill him!"
"…Locke?"
"Hmm."
Locke watched the vampire hiding behind George, roaring loudly, not even showing a shoulder. Hearing Gwen's somewhat concerned and anxious voice beside him, he responded and opened the walkie-talkie channel: "Don't be impulsive."
The vampire, hiding behind George and using him as a human shield, looked at the walkie-talkie on the ground in front of George, hearing the rustling, intermittent sounds.
"You…"
The vampire was stimulated by the surrounding blood and felt somewhat thirsty, but its sanity remained. It knew George was its only hope of escaping alive, and its sharp finger gestured at George: "Pick it up, slowly."
George looked at the walkie-talkie not far in front of him, and then at Hank and Eileen, who had lowered their weapons and raised their hands, signaling they were harmless and not to be agitated.
"Hurry."
"Okay, don't be impulsive."
George was pushed by the vampire, feeling the strong smell of blood behind him. He quickly said, then, led by the vampire, he slowly squatted down with the vampire behind him, preparing to pick up the walkie-talkie.
Just then.
George slightly raised his head, his gaze flashing towards Locke's direction, then shook his head, and his head instantly shifted to the right.
"You're asking for death!"
The vampire noticed, its eyes gleaming with ferocity, its sharp fangs instantly exposed.
But… Locke was faster.
Almost at the moment George's head was about to shift to the right, Locke had already pulled the trigger. With a thud, a Winchester bullet instantly roared out of the barrel.
The moment George completed his evasive movement.
"Bang!"
"Thud!"
A watermelon burst, juice splattering everywhere.
"Bang bang bang!"
"Tat tat tat!"
Hank and Eileen also pushed off with their right feet, quickly grabbing their weapons that they had just put down. Then, while George was rolling like a tumbleweed, bullets rained down on the vampire, which, although its head was gone, was still standing.
The vampire was repeatedly desecrated.
Three seconds later.
Almost at the moment two dry clicks sounded, the vampire finally spewed black blood, then, with a thud, fell backward.
"Dad…"
Gwen was so excited that her adrenaline level needed to be maintained. After seeing George safe and sound, she quickly ran down the path beside her.
Locke also put away his Remington 770 in two seconds and followed.
If Gwen, in her excitement, also rolled down and got injured, that would be bad.
Soon.
By Lake Cali, which looked like it had just experienced a brutal slaughter, covered in blood.
"Dad."
Gwen rushed over and hugged George, who had just gotten up from the ground, her voice filled with surprise and fear: "That's great, are you okay?"
George smiled faintly and shook his head: "I'm fine."
Eileen, who had reloaded and changed magazines, looked at Locke, who was walking over with his Remington 770, and nodded with appreciation and approval.
Hank patted Locke's shoulder, praising him with kindness: "What courage."
If it were him, Hank felt he wouldn't have had the nerve to shoot.
Locke smiled and said: "I closed my eyes, I was too nervous, it was an accidental shot."
Hank: "…"
George, who had just comforted his daughter and told her he wasn't hurt, heard this and his mouth started twitching.
Gwen also heard it and quickly glared at Locke, then said to George: "Dad, don't listen to Locke, he's joking."
George, of course, knew it was a joke.
But.
He had just escaped death, and his brain system couldn't process this cold joke yet, making him almost take Locke's words seriously.
This wild boar really wanted to get Gwen a better stepfather.
George almost felt that way, shocked and angry.
But… after escaping death, and as the adrenaline gradually subsided, he was able to process the cold joke.
"Not bad."
"Thank you."
Locke held the Remington 770 in his arms, listening to George's lukewarm, clearly suppressed, not-quite-a-thank-you thank you, and smiled.
In his heart, he sighed.
Actually, what a great opportunity that was.
Even if it was one shot, two lives, it would have been a profit.
What a pity.
After all, having missed such a good opportunity, waiting for the same opportunity to come again might take an unknown amount of time.
Just then.
A low groan and hiss came from the side.
They all looked closely.
The injured surviving police officer from the next county was lying there, and suddenly, his whole body began to tremble and shiver. Something seemed to be wriggling in his mouth, trying to burst out.
The bite mark on his neck was very clear.
"Oh, for sh*t's sake!"
"Eileen, ropes."
"Okay."
Locke, on the other hand, grabbed Gwen and retreated a few steps, his positioning very clear: if he didn't have to act, he wouldn't. Just protect Gwen.
Accompanied by a series of angry-sounding hisses, when George and the other two looked again, they saw that the police officer had been hog-tied, like a cooked shrimp, arching his body, his hands and feet tied together with the ropes originally used to bind wild boars.
The police officer had also completed his mutation at this moment.
Baring his teeth, his eyes blood-red, filled only with a craving for blood, seemingly without any consciousness, struggling, looking at George and Hank in front of him, drooling with envy and desire.
"This is…"
"A vampire?"
"But it's daytime!"
They all looked up at the scorching sun above their heads, then looked at the vampire, which seemed to shimmer with a diamond-like glow in the sunlight, and fell silent.
George was also a bit confused.
Are there vampires that aren't afraid of sunlight?
That's not right.
George had been secretly investigating a case, which, like the Wushuang Assassin, was a knot in his heart. The nightclub he suspected might be a vampire base seemed to never open during the day, only opening at night after darkness had completely fallen. And the guests who seemed to stay there would also leave the nightclub at that time.
But.
Are there two types of vampires, some afraid of sunlight and some not?
Gwen also looked at the police officer, who had completely transformed into a vampire, sparkling with diamond-like luster in the sun, and with two sharp fangs. Her eyes widened: "A vampire, Locke, look."
Locke hummed.
Little bats, huh?
What's so strange about that?
He could also turn into a bat now.
This was something he suddenly discovered after killing three bats.
Gwen seemed to think of something, her eyes flickering: "There really are vampires, Locke. Do you think if he bites me, I can also become an immortal, eternally youthful vampire like him?"
Locke turned to look at Gwen, feeling a bit amazed.
Speaking of which, he had basically never seen Gwen wear much makeup, and even when she did, it was always light makeup.
Gwen blinked: "If Dr. Connors were here, he would be very excited and would want to send the vampire to his lab for dissection and research overnight."
No, he wouldn't.
Dr. Connors was destined to become a lizard, and this was a bat.
One is a reptile.
And bats are chiropterans.
They are different species, so they definitely wouldn't have any common language.
Gwen seemed to think of something, her eyes lit up. She took off her backpack, then pulled out a small glass bottle and handed it to her dad, George: "Dad, help me pull out his fangs, and it would be best if you could get some blood."
Locke's body stiffened.
He had almost forgotten that Gwen's major was biology.
George also looked at the glass bottle Gwen handed him, and her expectant little eyes, then stared blankly at the living vampire, arched like a big shrimp: "…"
205. S.H.I.E.L.D. Arrives Late, as Always
Setting aside the fact that Gwen's idea was a bit off-kilter.
And setting aside how Gwen didn't show the slightest bit of curiosity or shock upon seeing a Vampire—a species from legend.
George simply did not agree to this request.
Pulling teeth and slicing samples for research was a job for scientists; their mission was already over.
"Dad, I am a scientist too."
"A future one."
"..."
George irritably snatched the bottle from Gwen's hand and corrected her grammar: "When you graduate with your PhD, if you still want a Vampire for research, I'll catch another one for you."
But not now.
In case of a mishap or some accidental exposure, he didn't want his precious daughter—his 'beautiful cabbage'—to suddenly undergo a genetic mutation and turn into a cabbage with legs.
Locke watched George calmly.
It seemed... George's words had a hidden meaning.
Seeing that George hadn't agreed to her request, Gwen let out a disappointed sigh.
"Dad, you've changed."
"I... You could let Locke go pull the teeth."
"No way."
Before Locke could even feel like he was being caught in the crossfire, Gwen was already shaking her head vigorously like a rattle. She said, "What if it breaks free? Locke would get hurt."
George's eyelid twitched. "So, I won't get hurt?"
Good daughter.
Truly his 'little padded jacket.' This wasn't even a matter of the jacket being drafty anymore; it was as if she were stuffed with black-hearted cotton.
Gwen smiled, put her arm around Locke's shoulder, and said to George, "Dad, Locke will protect you from behind. Just like how he saved your life just now—his marksmanship is very precise, he won't miss."
George's mouth twisted severely.
Locke's eyes, however, lit up.
Just moments ago, he had been lamenting the lost opportunity, thinking that once the chance passed, it was gone forever. Suddenly, he realized the opportunity had returned.
Don't worry.
This time, I promise I'll 'miss' my shot.
Mhm.
Locke looked at George with a smile and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Stacy, I will protect you well."
I definitely won't let you feel a bit of pain.
One shot... severing the central nervous system, sending you happily to report to Mephisto. Then, after suffering for a few years, once my strength is sufficient, I'll ensure you and those succubi in Hell can play together joyfully, forgetting all about home.
However, this idea ultimately failed to materialize.
Because the main force had arrived.
The group looked up toward the mountain path they had just come from. There, with a rumbling sound, one off-road motorcycle appeared after another.
Locke watched the arriving Malan County Police Officers and let out a disappointed sigh.
George looked up, frowned, and turned to look at Locke, who he had clearly heard sighing. "Were you just sighing?"
Sighing about what?
Sighing that I didn't go pull the teeth, so you didn't get to fire your gun again?
Locke's eyes were clear as he looked at George, appearing somewhat innocent. "No, Mr. Stacy. I was just sighing with relief, thankful that we survived our ordeal."
I don't believe you for a second.
George stared at him warily.
His suspicion toward Locke shot up, directly breaking past the red line.
Over an hour later.
The Sheriff from the neighboring county was escorted and rushed to the Malan County hospital, while Locke and the others returned to the hunting lodge empty-handed.
Lake Kali was cordoned off.
As for their prey.
They didn't bring back a single one.
It wasn't that they couldn't, but rather, they felt a sense of revulsion.
After all... what if they ate it and caught some kind of bat virus? They didn't want to end up on a laboratory dissection table just because they ate a meal of wild boar.
If Gwen, a future scientist, was so fanatical upon seeing a Vampire, present-day scientists would likely be even more so.
In fact, it wasn't just Lake Kali that was sealed off.
With such a major incident occurring—especially the appearance of a Vampire emitting a diamond-like luster—and more importantly, with so many fellow officers killed or injured, the entire hunting ground was being rapidly cordoned off.
The West Virginia State Police arrived in Malan County with maximum speed, took over the scene, and began sealing off the entire mountain range.
By the time noon approached, the last hunting party also returned to the lodge on their off-road motorcycles, carrying their trophy—a large wild boar.
Locke and the others sat on the sofas in the lobby's reception area, staring out the large floor-to-ceiling windows at the scene outside, which looked like a wild game trade fair, and then looked at each other.
This time, they weren't actually empty-handed; in fact, their haul should have been the largest of any hunting party that entered the mountains. However, they were forced to return with nothing.
"Wait, that's not right."
Irene suddenly snapped out of it and spoke up. "The first wild boar Locke shot was fine, right? It should have been brought back."
Although they didn't bring back the boars from Lake Kali because their blood had mixed with the Vampire's blood, the first boar Locke shot while it was digging a hole was in the forest, not at Lake Kali.
"Don't worry."
The proprietress, Rebecca, walked over carrying a tray. Hearing Irene's words, she smiled and said to Locke, "After you sent your coordinates, the logistics team already hauled that boar back. Your marksmanship is quite impressive."
Locke said thank you and accepted Rebecca's praise.
Gwen sat beside him, leaning against Locke's shoulder. "Locke saved all of us today, especially Dad."
George, who was looking down and trying hard to tell himself that this was an accident and didn't count as returning empty-handed, fell silent upon hearing Gwen say this for the tenth time.
He had an impulse.
He would rather turn back time and let that damned Vampire take a bite out of him than accept Locke's rescue.
Now he was truly screwed.
Completely finished.
George already had a premonition that in the future, whenever he tried to say anything, this phrase would become a recurring mantra.
shit!
I was careless!
I knew I should have taken my gear sea fishing instead.
Helen, on the other hand, watched Locke—who looked so well-matched with her daughter—with a smile. The more she looked, the more she felt that Locke was truly the best choice for a son-in-law for the stacy family.
He could protect her daughter and even protect his father-in-law.
A son-in-law like this was probably impossible to find even if you searched with a lantern!
Locke felt the increasingly approving gaze from his future mother-in-law but remained calm and ignored it, acting exactly like a superb actor.
Whatever.
This development was actually quite good.
After all, 'one's mouth is short after eating from others, and one's hands are short after taking from others.'
In the future, if the truth ever came out and George discovered that the Peerless Assassin was actually Locke, things would likely be much easier to handle.
"You tried to kill me."
"But I saved you."
"You're an outlaw."
"My name isn't Zhang, and besides, I saved you."
"..."
When the time came, George couldn't possibly roar in anger, "I'll give you your life back!" and then shoot himself, right?
George was just a man of principle, but his bottom line was actually quite flexible, just like Locke's.
Furthermore, George wasn't an idiot; how could he do something like shooting himself? Moreover, Locke estimated that by the day his identity was exposed, George would likely already be a grandfather.
By then, the wood would already be turned into a boat—the deed would be done—and Locke felt George would figure it out for himself.
Mhm.
Thinking this way, Locke's perspective suddenly broadened.
Then... the thrumming sound of helicopter rotors began to echo from the distance, getting closer and closer. Soon, a helicopter bearing the logo of the Department of Homeland Security slowly descended.
Locke, like the others, looked out through the large windows. Seeing the two people who emerged from the helicopter, he gave a silent chuckle, his heart remaining unruffled.
Gwen was somewhat surprised. "Locke, look. Isn't that the person we saw on the poseidon..."
"Mhm."
Locke nodded. The two people getting off the helicopter were indeed Natasha Romanoff and Barbara Morse.
One was from S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
The other was from the S.H.I.E.L.D. New York Operations Center.
Wait.
Could it be that because Nick Fury and Phil Coulson went to Hell, S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't have a single usable man left?
Last time, it seemed to be mostly female Agents as well.
And this time?
That's not right.
Where was Hawkeye?
Where was Crossbones?
Could it be that Crossbones was busy bribing Hawkeye, or were Maria Hill and Ms. Victoria Hand both 'feminist boxers' who intentionally kept male Agents out of the field?
Locke mused on this as he watched Black Widow and Mockingbird get off the aircraft. They didn't head toward the lobby but toward some nearby State Police. After a moment, they hopped onto off-road motorcycles and headed into the mountains.
They must have received news about the Vampires and come to handle it.
By the shore of Lake Kali.
The ground was strewn with corpses!
Wild boars.
Headless bodies.
On the hills surrounding Lake Kali, State Police and local officers had been mobilized.
"Beep!"
After getting off the motorcycles, Black Widow and Mockingbird put on glasses newly developed by S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists. The lenses looked like yellow mirrors, but they could transmit audio over long distances and provide real-time video feeds.
The feed went live simultaneously at S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters and the New York Operations Center, allowing the people there to see exactly what Black Widow and Mockingbird saw.
The boar carcasses and headless bodies had been gathered together.
They knelt down.
Mockingbird took out an instant reagent kit from her pocket. After pulling out a cotton swab, she dabbed it against the blood of one of the headless Vampire corpses.
Quickly.
The transparent liquid in the reagent turned black.
Mockingbird looked at Black Widow and nodded.
Confirmed.
They were indeed Vampires.
Black Widow stared at the five headless prisoner corpses on the ground and summoned the local liaison Agent. "Who killed these?"
"Two Police Officers on vacation here from New York and Chicago killed them."
"Names?"
"Police Superintendent George Stacy of the NYPD and Detective Hank Voight of the Chicago PD's 21st District."
Chapter 206: The 3rd Class is Online
"Mr. Broughton, long time no see. I didn't expect to see you in a place like this."
"Yeah, what a coincidence. I didn't expect it either."
Locke shook hands with Mockingbird Barbara Morse in front of him with a gentlemanly air, his expression full of elegance and amiability.
He quite liked S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attitude toward him since the poseidon incident.
Forgetting each other in the world and not bothering one another—it was for the best.
Look.
To be honest, since Nick Fury kicked the bucket, Locke found that S.H.I.E.L.D. actually wasn't that annoying; they were quite sensible.
If Nick Fury were still around, heh, that old slave probably wouldn't have learned his lesson even if he were beaten senseless; he would've just kept coming back to harass him over and over again.
Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. had new leadership—whether it was Hydra or the feminists—at least both groups knew exactly what they could and couldn't provoke.
So... taking out Nick Fury had been extremely cost-effective.
Thinking this, Locke let go of her hand and said with a smile, "So, it's the Department of Homeland Security again, huh?"
Barbara Morse had a formulaic smile on her face. "We didn't necessarily have to come, but since you were all involved, you should be able to understand."
Aside from Helen and Rebecca, George and Hank, Gwen and Erin, and Locke naturally knew what Barbara Morse meant.
Barbara smiled slightly and then looked at George and Hank. "Police Superintendent Stacy, DetectiveVoight, can we talk privately? Rest assured, we have no ill intent and won't delay your summer trip."
Actually... S.H.I.E.L.D. had originally thought about just bringing over a memory wipe machine.
If they hadn't heard George Stacy's name, the memory wipe machine would already be on its way by now. But what could they do since George Stacy's name had come up?
So, upon seeing Locke here as well, honestly, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mood was much like Locke's—they felt they should be surprised, yet it didn't feel surprising at all.
Since parting ways at the poseidon, and due to the warning from Nameless in Langley, S.H.I.E.L.D. had completely canceled all actions against Locke, including the testing plans that were still only on paper.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had originally thought Langley had started contacting and recruiting Locke, but after half a year, there seemed to be no movement from Langley's side.
However, this didn't change S.H.I.E.L.D.'s strategy toward Locke.
Don't ask.
Don't tell.
Don't get involved.
Provoking Locke once had gotten the Director killed. If they did it again, what if they lost another Director?
Inside a Department of Homeland Security tent set up directly in the open space outside.
"Gentlemen." Barbara Morse took two cups of coffee from a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent who walked into the tent. She nodded, signaling the Agent to leave, then handed the coffee to George and Hank. "It's instant; the taste probably isn't as good as the hotel's."
George and Hank weren't in the mood for coffee either, but Barbara Morse's attitude was good. After taking the coffee, George asked directly, "What do you want to know?"
Barbara Morse sat down and opened the laptop beside her.
The laptop screen lit up.
Maria Hill at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion headquarters and Victoria Hand at the S.H.I.E.L.D. New YorkOperations Center came online on the left and right, respectively.
Maria Hill, with her hands behind her back, looked at George and Hank appearing on the large screen. "Police Superintendent Stacy, why don't you tell us what happened?"
George and Hank: "..."
Outside.
Locke and Gwen stood at their Room door, watching the Department of Homeland Security tent where George and Hank were located not far away.
Locke, whose six senses had always been sharp, was also observing the tent with some curiosity at this moment.
For no other reason.
He could hear the whispers of two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents three hundred meters further than the tent, and while he could also hear the voices inside the tent, they sounded as if they were muffled by a layer of plastic film when they reached his ears.
The material of this tent must be specially made.
As Locke thought this, he looked over at Gwen, who was looking down at her phone, catching a glimpse from the corner of his eye.
Vampire.
Vampire origins.
Do Vampires exist?
Vampires... Locke raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't curious."
Really.
At the very least, back at Lake Kali, Gwen seemed to have no expression other than some shock. Locke had thought Gwen might know something.
For instance, had George ever secretly told Gwen about Vampires?
George definitely knew about Vampires.
Expressions can't be faked.
At the time, aside from a tiny bit of surprise, there was nothing else on George's face.
Gwen looked up at Locke. "It was just the adrenaline suppressing my curiosity back then. But Locke, you don't seem curious at all. Why is that?"
Turning the tables?
Locke thought to himself, then smiled. "Please, I'm from Texas, the famous Lone Star State. We've seen demons. Besides, doesn't the Bible mention Vampires too?"
"You mean Cain?"
"Right."
"Locke."
"Hmm?"
"I believe now that you aren't a believer."
"..."
Locke looked at Gwen curiously. He wasn't a believer to begin with, and he had said so from the start. But why was she so certain?
Gwen said, "The Bible never says Cain was a Vampire. There's no such record in the canon, the apocrypha, or the pseudepigrapha. No one would believe that."
In the Bible, God's punishment for Cain is described without mentioning him turning into a Vampire or any other species; instead, he fathered children as a human, built his own city, and his descendants were wiped out in the Great Flood due to their sins.
Gwen looked up slightly at Locke. "However, Zhao seems to think Cain was a Vampire, just like you."
"Zhao?"
"Zhao Helen from Brooklyn. Didn't you know? Madam Cort recruited her, and she'll be coming to our school for the fall semester in September."
"...I didn't know."
He was only interested in the siblings who were supposed to transfer from Sokovia but hadn't arrived yet; he had no interest in anyone else coming.
As long as it didn't stop him from farming points.
Locke smiled. "Alright, so Cain isn't one. Then, did you find the answer?"
Gwen handed her phone to Locke. "Here."
Locke took it.
The name Count Dracula appeared on the phone screen.
There was even a photo that looked like a concept art.
Neatly combed hair, wearing a dark formal suit, and draped in a large black cloak.
There was a Dracula in his previous life, and there was one here too, which wasn't surprising.
However... it said here that the Dracula of this world was a Vampire, and his wife was a witch.
Because of the witch hunt craze at the time, Dracula exposed himself to save his witch wife. Then, when the angry mob learned that one was a Vampire and the other a witch—double heresy—their rage turned into flames that burned down Dracula's castle.
Fine.
This place had its own unique setting.
But.
Locke looked at the introduction of Dracula on the phone and then at Gwen. "I don't see any hard evidence here that Dracula is a Vampire either."
Gwen said, "Witches have been proven to exist by that Peerless Assassin. Maybe Vampires exist too; perhaps rumors aren't all fictional."
"You just said Cain..."
"The Bible says Cain wasn't a Vampire. Does Dracula have anything like that?"
"No, but regarding the witches, the Peerless Assassin isn't exactly a reliable witness."
"True."
Gwen nodded. "Everyone outside is saying that the Peerless Assassin's livestream was just a magic trick, but my profiling isn't wrong. The Peerless Assassin disdains using schemes and trickery."
Well, thank you.
"Besides..." Gwen chuckled and looked at Locke. "Did you forget? I can go to the NYPD. I've seen that dead rat in the Underground Room."
Locke raised an eyebrow.
Alright.
That was indeed solid evidence. Otherwise, why would the NYPD keep an unlucky, filthy big gray rat for no reason?
Gwen said, "Most importantly, my profile of the Peerless Assassin has been enriched again."
Locke snapped back to attention. "What?"
Gwen looked at Locke and said, "If witchcraft exists, then the age, height, and even the portrait with sunglasses that the Peerless Assassin exposed could all be fake. He might even be a Witch himself, for all we know."
Locke's brow twitched. "The Peerless Assassin is male. Witches... that should be a female thing, right?"
Gwen shrugged. "I don't know what a man who uses witchcraft is called. A Wizard?"
"No."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Locke shook his head with a smile.
It definitely wasn't 'Wizard'.
He had tried to modify his class name before. After all, his former class was Hitman, and Locke had thought about changing it, successfully turning it into Assassin.
So Locke wanted to do the same thing again.
But... after Locke wrote down the new name and clicked confirm, it wouldn't proceed.
The system didn't seem to recognize the title 'Wizard'. It said it overlapped with one of the three million class categories in the system, and upon detection, Locke was not a Wizard.
Later, Locke thought of the origin of 'Wizard'.
The Wu Clan, who only cultivate the physical body and not the soul.
But... that wasn't the point.
Locke looked toward the tent. "Did you tell George about your latest profile?"
Gwen shook her head. "I did, but Dad also said, how could a man be a Witch?"
Locke's brow twitched.
This was why he would rather stick with Assassin than use Witch.
It just didn't fit gender logic.
But fortunately.
Locke now had another supernatural choice.
He could become a Vampire...
Chapter 207: The Abrupt End of Summer Vacation
[Name: Locke Broughton]
[Current Identity: Assassin]
[Switchable: Witch, Vampire (Emperor Class)!]
[...]
However... Locke looked up at the Sun still hanging high in the sky. After a moment's thought, he decided not to switch identities on the spot to see what he would look like as a Vampire.
Besides...
Locke didn't actually have any love for Vampires. They seemed weaker than witches, but at least it was an identity within his range of acceptance.
At the very least, he wouldn't resist becoming a Vampire.
But what did this 'Emperor Class' mean?
Locke wondered to himself.
Beside him, Gwen checked her watch and then stared at the tent. "Why haven't Dad and Hank come out yet?"
Locke snapped out of it and smiled. "Maybe they're thinking about how to get George and Hank to keep the secret."
Although the Department of Homeland Security had arrived, it was actually S.H.I.E.L.D.
Locke wasn't familiar with the DHS, but he knew S.H.I.E.L.D. inside out. Even if he couldn't hear what was being said inside, he could guess with his eyes closed.
Inside the tent.
It was just as Locke guessed.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s stance was that regarding things like Vampires, it was better for those who knew to know, and for those who didn't to stay that way.
But... George gave a short laugh. "Sorry, are you using national security to shut me up?"
Last time, the DHS seemed to use national security, and it ended miserably.
In the S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion, Maria Hill smiled. "Of course not, Senior Superintendent Stacy."
George was slightly stunned.
Maria Hill then looked toward Hank. "Mr. Voight, we understand you are being investigated by ChicagoInternal Affairs. You help me, I help you. You will become the deputy Director of the 21st Precinct."
Business is business.
Last time, Nick Fury brought it on himself; someone dug a hole and he jumped right in. S.H.I.E.L.D.wanted to act but had their hands tied.
But this time was different.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mission was to protect the public from things they weren't ready to know, and the Vampires this time fell into that category.
Normally, if it were any other Police Officer, they would offer money and have them sign an agreement.
In fact, S.H.I.E.L.D. was doing exactly that.
As for the civilians who rushed over at the time, no one would believe them even if they spoke out.
But George and Hank were different.
One was a Police Superintendent, the other a Police Chief.
As for why George was a Senior Superintendent and Hank a deputy Director?
Between a Senior Superintendent of the nation's premier local Police Department and a deputy Director of a Chicago precinct, there was no question who held more power.
George and Hank listened to the chips being offered and exchanged a look. "Can the Department of Homeland Security really do that?"
Maria Hill smiled and didn't answer directly, saying instead, "Senior Superintendent Stacy, although there are supernatural things in this World, in the end, it is still a World for us ordinary people. Don't you think it should stay that way?"
George and Hank fell silent.
Fifteen minutes later.
Barbara Morse escorted George and Hank, who had reached an agreement, out of the tent.
After all, the deal was very generous.
Besides, George and Hank hadn't planned on shouting it from the rooftops anyway. They were veteran officers; they knew more than civilians. Now, they were being offered a promotion and a raise just for a guarantee of silence.
Why not?
After watching George and Hank leave, Black Widow Natasha Romanoff looked back at the laptop screen showing the two current giants of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Did you find the bullets?"
"Found them."
While George and Hank were describing what had happened, people had already been sent to conduct a grid search for the Winchester casings Locke had fired.
Even though all five Vampires were shot in the head,
it had taken quite a few bullets.
"He's good sniper material."
"But not suited for S.H.I.E.L.D., and he probably wouldn't come anyway."
"Mhm."
Maria Hill and Victoria Hand exchanged a few words, then told Natasha Romanoff that S.H.I.E.L.D.scientists were already en route before cutting the connection.
If Locke had directly shown that he could take out a Vampire with a single bullet, S.H.I.E.L.D. might have been surprised.
But taking over a dozen bullets?
There was a Cowboy sniper in the Navy SEALs who could do the same.
Furthermore, Locke frequently went to the shooting range with George. George knew Locke was progressing at a rapid pace, and naturally, the range owner knew too. One didn't even need to go through George; asking the range owner would reveal he had a young shooter who had gone from beginner to marksman.
Therefore, even though he had saved the day again, with the precedent of the poseidon incident, neither Maria Hill nor Victoria Hand found it strange.
At most... they just had a feeling of 'why is it him again?'
"Dad!"
Gwen greeted George happily as he walked over. She glanced at Barbara Morse and then said to George, "Dad, they didn't threaten you, did they?"
They tempted me with a promotion.
And I surrendered.
George thought to himself. Why not? With the promotion to Senior Superintendent, he would have more time to spend with his family, and he wouldn't have to be so stingy with little George's tuition.
Most importantly.
As a Senior Superintendent, he would have greater authority to hunt down his nemesis, the Peerless Assassin.
I will definitely catch you.
Hank looked at Helen and Rebecca coming out of the hall. "Where's Erin?"
"In her Room, said she's packing."
"Okay."
After the DHS people came out, they announced the area was locked down. The hunting trip was effectively over early.
Since noon, people who had planned to hunt had already checked out early. Taking advantage of the time, they headed to other hunting grounds. By now, most of the guests had already left.
And they didn't really lose anything.
After all, the DHS had directly compensated them for their losses. They truly were the most well-funded law enforcement agency established after 911.
Everyone marveled at this.
Even the hunting lodge had been completely bought out and rented by the DHS.
Returning to the sofas in the hall.
"When do you plan to leave?" Rebecca looked at Hank and George with an apologetic smile. "This year has been so unlucky."
No, it was very lucky.
George and Hank thought of the promise from Homeland Security and smiled.
Helen looked at Rebecca. "Our flight has been rescheduled for tomorrow noon. By the way, Rebecca, since you're free, you could come to New York for a visit."
Rebecca was slightly stunned. "Won't I be a bother?"
Helen waved her hand. "Not at all, we can go shopping together."
Gwen also helped her mother invite Rebecca.
Locke sat nearby, also rearranging his itinerary. After all, this hunting trip was originally planned to last a week.
But they were heading back after only one day.
It's all because of those damn Vampires. They messed up my whole schedule.
The thought had just crossed his mind.
The next second.
[Ding!]
[Mission generating...]
[Mission: "Interview with the Vampire"]
[Mission Rewards: "1000 achievement points", "1000 achievement points"]
[Mission Description: Your itinerary has been disrupted. You are very angry. Your rage is burning. Go, find that Vampire, burn him, and let him know the magnitude of your anger.]
[Mission Note: Transform, Vampire!]
"..."
Locke looked at the mission that popped up, his mouth twitching.
I just said that in passing, and you took it seriously.
And... I've always been refined and easygoing. Am I the type to fly into a rage every now and then? That's a tyrant, not me.
Besides.
Even though the hunting game ended early, he had gained a new class.
Most importantly, George owed him a massive favor.
Calculating it all.
Locke hadn't just made a profit; he had made an absolute killing.
So.
"Cancel."
Locke was ready to cancel the mission without a second thought, but suddenly, his Sixth Sense stirred. After a moment's hesitation, he put the mission on hold.
What triggered his Sixth Sense was either someone watching him or a crisis approaching.
Where was it coming from?
At that moment, Erin, who had been in her Room, walked in looking a bit pale.
However... George, Helen, and even Rebecca tacitly avoided mentioning it. Rebecca even handed a glass of green juice to Erin.
Erin had a drug addiction.
Locke had heard Gwen whisper this to him yesterday.
However, Erin's addiction wasn't voluntary. As everyone knew, Chicago was a city of crime, and Erinand Hank were in the Organized Crime Unit.
Erin had accidentally become addicted while undercover to gain trust. After taking down that organization, she had been working hard to quit using her own willpower. This was exactly why Hankand Erin had come along after George's invitation.
On one hand, they wanted to get away from the crime-ridden city of Chicago; on the other, they hoped the pleasure of hunting would suppress the increasingly intense cravings.
Gamblers and addicts don't deserve forgiveness!
That was Locke's consistent view.
Dylan was a professional gambler, not a gambling addict; he made money from it. Addicts weren't even fit to carry his shoes.
Drug addicts were even worse.
But that applied to those who chose to get addicted. For an officer who was forced into addiction while fighting crime?
Locke had only respect, not disdain!
It had nothing to do with anything else.
Even... nothing to do with grudges!