Loyalty Act

As Andre walked through the police station doors, the weather outside was far from pleasant—dark clouds hung low, like some ominous portent. As he closed the door, Andre glanced around the station lobby with his peripheral vision—it was orderly and dreary, with people moving back and forth in an organized manner. Andre turned back, focusing his gaze on the floor's patterns skillfully, continuing to use his peripheral vision to observe his surroundings. He walked steadily through the lobby, heading towards the reception desk. He lightly tapped the counter twice. Once he had the staff's attention, Andre politely inquired, "Please contact the chief. I need to understand why he urgently reached out to me." "Who are you?" "Black." "Oh, the chief mentioned you. He told me to inform him immediately when you arrived." Andre stood calmly, patiently waiting for the staff to call the chief. He wasn't particularly anxious: although the chief's previous call had been urgent, it only asked him to come to the station when he had time, without providing specific information. This left him feeling puzzled and somewhat concerned. However, this concern did not turn into anxiety, as he had gradually built up trust in the official organization over the years of working with them. Soon, the chief's footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, steady and powerful, like a hammer striking the ground. His figure appeared at the corner, neatly dressed in his uniform, with an unquestionable serious expression on his face. Seeing Andre, he gave a slight nod, signaling him to follow. “Mr. Black, please follow me.” The chief’s voice carried a familiar, authoritative tone of officialdom. After a nod of greeting, he turned and led Andre towards the conference room. The walls of the hallway were adorned with various announcements and police department honors. Although this was not the first time Andre had walked this corridor, each display still felt particularly weighty to him—humanity, though inherently fragile, had never abandoned its belief in justice and fairness. “We’ve received an unusual request. Someone has requested to meet with the Queen using the name ‘Vampire Hunter Andre Black.’ Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, has agreed to this request, but for safety reasons, she wishes for you to accompany and escort the person to the capital.” Andre’s eyebrows raised slightly, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes. “In my name?” he repeated softly, his gaze probing. “Yes,” the chief nodded, his tone tinged with concern. “Although the Queen has consented to the meeting, she has emphasized the need for necessary security measures. We do not know the true identity of this requester, and your presence will ensure everything is secure.” Andre let out a quiet sigh. Despite a flicker of unease in his heart, he nodded and accepted the task. He knew that ensuring the Queen’s safety was paramount when facing any potential threat. “Understand,” Andre replied, his voice steady and assured. “I will handle the escort.” The chief seemed to relax a bit, clearly confident in Andre’s professionalism. He then pulled a document from his pocket and handed it to Andre. “This is the requester’s basic information, encrypted for your security. Please read it with confidence.” As the chief handed over the document, he deliberately avoided making contact with Andre's fingertips. For vampire hunters, touch is the safest way to transfer information, and they instinctively avoid unnecessary contact, steering clear of any potential interactions with others. “Thank you.” This is why Andre trusts the current queen and the official organization. Compared to previous officials, the current collaborators show greater respect for the customs and traditions of those with special abilities and are more willing to cooperate, which might be due to the queen's own status as someone with special abilities. Andre took the document and carefully unfolded it, his eyes quickly scanning the encrypted text. He skillfully interpreted the content, his brow furrowing slightly as he grew wary of the uncertainties in the information. Despite this, he remained composed and looked up at the chief. “The requester’s background information is quite vague,” Andre said in a low voice, “but from these clues, he might be someone we aren’t very familiar with—yet he knows my full name.” The chief nodded, a hint of concern appearing on his face. “Yes, that’s why the queen specifically requested you for this escort duty. You’re more familiar with the vampire hunter community than we are, so you might be able to uncover more clues.” Andre nodded silently, tucking the document away as he began to contemplate the possible scenarios in his mind. He suspected that this might be a vampire hunter who had not yet come under official management. However, vampire hunters rarely use their full names when referring to each other. If someone knows his full name, it must be a hunter he was once familiar with. Since vampire hunters only share their true names with those they trust implicitly, Andre thought, the fact that this person could accurately state his name meant that he must have trusted this individual at some point, even though they had not met. At the end of the corridor, the chief came to a halt at the door to the conference room and turned to Andre. “It’s right here. I hope everything goes smoothly.” Andre came back to the present and nodded to him. “Don’t worry, I’m here.” He was a gifted child with blood that had special effects, a seasoned apprentice who had undergone years of training, and a hunter who had slain numerous vampires on his own. As a vampire hunter, Black had sworn an oath of loyalty to humanity, pledging his life to preventing vampires from harming humans. The chief opened the door to the conference room for him. The moment the door swung open, a chilling aura greeted him, mingled with the rotting stench of blood—an odor that was the most familiar to Andre in his life. It was a vampire! Andre quickly maneuvered to shield the ordinary human chief behind him while raising his gun loaded with silver bullets. The room was dimly lit, with only a small lamp glowing in the corner. Andre swiftly scanned the entire room, his gaze settling on the figure in the center. It was a tall figure clad in a black cloak, with its head bowed and face concealed in the shadows of the cloak. Andre's heartbeat quickened as he detected the unmistakable scent of decayed blood—there was no trace of fresh human blood. He instantly identified the requester. "Beauty..." he whispered, a tangle of emotions surging within him. The figure lifted its head, revealing a delicate and pale face. The vampire’s crimson eyes locked onto the vampire hunter, who had devoted his life to hunting vampires. "We meet again," said the cunning vampire who had deceived his feelings, his tone almost sorrowful and soft, as if he truly felt regret. "Andre." "...Don't call my name." Andre slowly lowered his gun, which was loaded with silver bullets. He didn't know what this encounter meant or why this "noble" vampire lord would dare to appear before him. But he knew this task had already far exceeded his original expectations.