Chapter 14
1281 Words
Qin Lie did not look back.
His figure vanished around the corner.
Leaving behind only a scene of wreckage.
And the lingering scent of gunpowder.
The city remained as clamorous as ever.
Yet no one knew...
That the roles of hunter and prey...
Had just been reversed.
Over toward the industrial district...
A bolt of lightning slashed across the sky. The sign illuminating the abandoned factory.
Rusted and corroded.
[Ark Heavy Industries]
Four words.
Flickering on and off amidst the lightning flashes.
Like a warning of some kind.
Qin Lie came to a halt.
Standing in the shadows.
Gazing toward the site.
His hand pressed against his chest.
His heartbeat pounded like a drum.
Not out of fear.
But for the kill.
He tore open his collar.
Exposing the wound at his clavicle.
The coarse hairs growing there were pitch black.
Like iron barbs.
Deep within the wound,
Golden patterns were faintly visible.
Flashing into existence, then vanishing instantly.
The telltale signs of the Eclipse Form.
He pulled his collar back up,
Concealing his secret.
Then, he took a step.
Walking toward that patch of darkness.
The rain began to fall again.
Fine and dense.
Pelting against his face.
It wasn't cold.
It felt scalding hot.
Like blood.
At the end of the street,
A patrol car rounded the corner.
Its headlights swept across the scene.
It was deserted.
Nothing remained but claw marks on the wall—
Scratches so deep they exposed the bare bone beneath.
The driver rubbed his eyes.
"Am I seeing things?"
The passenger shook his head.
"Keep driving. The Captain said there are high-energy signatures in this sector."
The car drove away.
Its red taillights—
Vanished.
Qin Lie stepped out from behind a utility pole.
In his hand, he now held a steel pipe.
He had picked it up from an alleyway just moments before.
He hefted it in his hand.
It felt just right.
He no longer needed to hide.
Since they wanted a "specimen"...
Then let them see—
Just how a specimen goes about tearing down the laboratory.
The steel pipe struck the pavement.
*Clang.*
A crisp, clear note.
Echoing through the rainy night.
Like the tolling of a bell signaling the start of war.
At the intersection ahead,
Two more off-road vehicles came into view.
Their headlights glared blindingly.
Qin Lie stood in the middle of the road.
He didn't move to dodge.
The rain soaked his hair,
Plastering it against his forehead.
Droplets of water slid down the bridge of his nose,
Falling onto the steel pipe—
And rolling right off.
The people inside the vehicles finally made out his silhouette.
"Stop the car!"
A blaring horn shattered the silence.
Qin Lie raised his hand.
Pointing the steel pipe directly at the lead vehicle.
A simple gesture.
With an unmistakable meaning. Come on.
The headlights wavered.
Seemingly hesitating.
The next second...
The car door swung open.
Six figures leaped out.
Guns drawn.
Forming a pincer movement.
"Drop your weapons!"
Qin Lie smiled.
He made no sound.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
Revealing his teeth.
White.
Sharp.
Not human.
He tossed aside the steel pipe.
*Clang.*
His arms hung limp at his sides.
His fingertips elongated.
His fingernails turned pitch black.
Like razor-sharp blades.
The captain facing him swallowed hard.
"Open fire!"
Muzzle flashes lit up the night.
Qin Lie's figure blurred.
A mere afterimage.
The bullets flew wide.
Embedding themselves in the wall behind him.
Shards of masonry flew.
He charged into the crowd.
Like a tiger among sheep.
The first man's g*n was kicked away.
The second man's arm was snapped.
The third man's throat was seized.
Lifted high.
Off the ground.
His feet dangled in mid-air.
Struggling.
Qin Lie leaned in close.
Catching the scent of perfume on his victim.
Demon hunters used perfume, too.
To mask the smell of blood.
How laughable.
He let go.
The corpse hit the ground.
The remaining three men fell back.
Standing back-to-back.
"Monster..."
Qin Lie didn't stop.
He pressed forward.
His footsteps shattered the puddles.
Water splashed up.
Like blooming flowers.
Crimson flowers.
That night...
Gunshots rang out across the city.
Over the Silver Cross Society's comms channel...
Distress calls rose and fell in succession.
"Target sighted!"
"Requesting backup!"
"Damn it—why are there two of him?"
"No, it's just one! He's just too fast!"
In the Archbishop's office...
The monitors lit up.
Multiple red dots flickered.
Then vanished—the signals of lost squads.
An assistant stood nearby.
His face pale.
"Your Grace, our losses are heavy."
The Archbishop stood with his back to the room.
Gazing out the window.
Turning a string of prayer beads in his hands.
"He is enraged."
"And rage makes one vulnerable."
"Notify Facility B-7."
"Initiate defensive protocols."
"Since he has come..."
"He won't be leaving."
The assistant nodded. "Step down."
The Archbishop turned.
He walked over to the table.
He picked up a file.
On the cover, it read:
[The Swordsmith Revival Project]
He opened it.
The first page...
It held a photograph.
Old K.
A younger version of him.
A hammer in his hand.
The Archbishop's fingers traced over the image.
"Old friend..."
"It is time for you to wake up, too."
Outside the window, thunder rumbled.
Rain poured down in sheets.
Washing away the city's sins.
And washing away the bloodstains.
Qin Lie stood at the intersection.
Six corpses lay scattered around him.
The rain lashed against his body.
His wounds no longer hurt.
Instead, he felt a surge of exhilaration.
His bloodline was cheering.
He looked up.
Gazing at the sky.
The clouds hung heavy and dark.
The moon was nowhere to be seen.
Yet, he could feel it.
The power of the lunar eclipse was gathering.
Like a volcano.
Like a tsunami.
He turned.
And headed toward the industrial district.
His retreating figure stood stark and solitary.
Like a blade drawn from its sheath.
Never to return.
Not until it had tasted blood.
Not until it had broken.
By the roadside, a surveillance camera...
Its red light blinked.
Recording everything.
The data was transmitted back to headquarters.
To the Silver Cross Society's database.
A new entry was added to the archives:
[Target Threat Level: Upgraded to S-Class]
[Recommendation: Deploy Heavy Ordnance]
[Note: At Any Cost]
Qin Lie knew nothing of this.
Nor did he care.
He cared only about one place.
B-7.
The bones of his brethren.
The souls that had been tormented there.
His pace quickened.
Within the curtain of rain...
His figure blurred.
Leaving visible only a pair of eyes.
Bright.
Like a wolf's.
Like fire.
Like a vengeful wraith.
He passed through the streets.
Through the blockade lines.
Through this hypocritical dawn.
Ahead...
The gates of the industrial district loomed just within reach.
Barbed wire.
High-voltage cables.
Warning signs.
[Military Restricted Zone: Trespassers Will Be Shot]
Qin Lie reached out.
And grasped the barbed wire.
Electricity crackled and hissed.
The scent of burning flesh filled the air.
His skin began to char.
Yet, he did not let go.
He pulled—with all his might. He tore it open.
A rift appeared.
He slipped inside.
His figure vanished.
Leaving behind only charred traces on his hands.
Soon,
they healed.
New flesh grew forth—
pink and tender.
Then, it turned black.
It hardened.
Like armor.
He stepped into the depths of the darkness.
In search of that codename:
Ark.
In search of the truth.
In search of the end.
The rain continued to fall,
drowning out every sound—
save for the beating of a heart.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Like war drums,
pounding within the hearts of every demon hunter.
Tonight,
no one sleeps.
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