CA - Chapter 196
Chapter 196
When Erin found Tang Qiu and Lucille, they were in the middle of capturing a vampire. She hid in a safe place, waiting until the vampire was subdued before ordering her skeleton to take her over.
“Why is there a vampire nearby?” Erin asked as she reached Tang Qiu’s side, hopping down from the skeleton and looking at the vampire on the ground.
This was a barren, mountainous wilderness teeming with demonic creatures. It was hardly a place one would choose for hunting.
Tang Qiu shook her head slightly. Before she could answer Erin, Lucille bent down, flipped open the vampire’s hood, and after a quick glance, said in a low voice, “It’s the Tzimisce clan.”
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow at that. She walked over, grabbed the vampire by the collar, and lifted him up. Her sharp nails pressed against his chest as she said with a smile, “Let me guess, who are you here to protect?”
“The Holy Son?”
The vampire was suppressed by Tang Qiu’s aura, his arms feeling as heavy as lead. He showed no reaction to the words “Holy Son,” struggling instead to reach for the bone staff that had fallen to the ground.
Lucille glanced down and stomped on the bone staff, snapping it in two.
“You…” The vampire was enraged. He glared up at Lucille, his blood-red eyes looking as if they were about to drip blood.
Lucille looked at him coldly, reached out to take the Space Gem from his body, and glanced at it. Seeing nothing useful inside, she casually crushed it.
“…Gangrel?” Getting closer, the vampire smelled Lucille’s scent. He froze for a moment, as if he’d thought of something, and muttered to himself, “Fourth-generation Gangrel… red hair…”
Hearing his whisper, Tang Qiu’s eyes flickered. The hand on his chest pressed down hard, her sharp nails piercing through the vampire’s sternum to grab his beating heart and crush it.
The vampire spat out a mouthful of black blood, his eyes fixed on Lucille. His lips moved, but he no longer had the chance to utter a spell.
Tang Qiu casually tossed the vampire’s corpse to the ground and said flatly, “You’ve been exposed, as expected.”
Lucille hummed in agreement. “It’s Delia,” she said softly. They had long suspected Delia wouldn’t stay quiet, so they had been on guard against being tracked by the Tzimisce clan. This came as no surprise.
Wiping the blood from her hands, Tang Qiu softly chanted a spell. A white light enveloped the vampire’s body, turning it to ash. “Just a fifth-generation vampire. He probably wasn’t sent to track you.”
Lurking around Zakariya, he was likely connected to the Holy Son or Gabriel.
After dealing with the body, Tang Qiu was worried about Monica’s injuries. Instead of continuing to search for other vampires in the area, she chose to return to the Gosse Empire.
Back in the Gosse Empire, Kama was all alone in the manor, sitting on a swing and staring blankly at the moon. Her small hands gripped and released the ropes as she tried hard to use her innate ability to foresee something. But the more deliberate and anxious she became, the less she could see, her mind a complete blank.
Kama lowered her head in disappointment. Her shadow covered her feet, making it seem as if her entire body was shrouded in darkness.
“Kama.” A somewhat cool voice sounded from behind her. Kama froze for a second, then turned in surprise. When she saw who it was, her previously dim eyes instantly brightened. She stood up from the swing and ran to hug the person’s leg.
The newcomer took off her hood and gently stroked Kama’s hair, her golden eyes softening slightly. Phoenix gently pulled Kama away, then knelt to meet her gaze. “I thought something had happened to you,” she said softly.
Kama stood obediently beside her, grinning. She shook her head and offered her hand to Phoenix.
Phoenix took Kama’s hand and lowered her gaze. After a moment, she frowned. “…You’ve been with Bishop Grace this whole time?”
She had come after receiving a letter from Reese, but the letter hadn’t mentioned Kama. She was quite surprised to find Kama when she arrived at the address.
“Why are you with her?”
Kama blinked and grabbed Phoenix’s hand again, this time with a hint of nervousness, her eyes wide as she carefully watched Phoenix’s expression.
A few images flashed through Phoenix’s mind, but they were unclear. Phoenix knew, of course, that these were visions from Kama, but they were too chaotic for her to decipher. However, the figure of the blonde bishop was exceptionally clear among them.
Phoenix was silent for a moment before asking, “…Where is Grace?”
Kama pursed her lips worriedly, communicating with Phoenix through their clasped hands.
“…You’re saying she went to save Monica?” Phoenix was startled, her expression changing. She frowned and asked, “What happened to Monica?”
Kama shook her head in confusion. Tang Qiu and the others had left in a hurry. Kama only knew where they were going, not the specific details of the situation.
Knowing that Monica was in trouble, Phoenix no longer had the mind to ponder why Kama was so fond of following the blonde bishop. Monica was Reese’s one untouchable weakness; she knew this very well.
Phoenix pondered for a moment. She released Kama’s hand and stood up, about to investigate the situation, when a wave of energy suddenly fluctuated from an empty space within the manor.
Phoenix paused and turned to look. Three figures flickered into view within a white light.
When Tang Qiu, Lucille, and Erin returned using a teleportation scroll, they were all stunned to see Phoenix standing beside Kama. Erin didn’t know who this person was and subconsciously turned to look at Tang Qiu.
Tang Qiu, however, wasn’t particularly surprised to see Phoenix. She knew Reese had sent a message to her. She took two steps forward, a natural smile already on her face. “Your Highness the Saintess, are you here to see little Kama?”
As she spoke, she winked at Kama, who beamed and ran to Tang Qiu’s side, grabbing her sleeve.
Phoenix glanced at Kama, then raised her eyes to meet Tang Qiu’s. “…Where is Reese?” she asked in a low voice.
Tang Qiu was taken aback. She turned to Lucille and asked, puzzled, “They didn’t come back?”
Lucille closed her eyes to sense their surroundings for a moment, then shook her head. “Lola isn’t here,” she said flatly.
Tang Qiu: “…”
Monica was so badly injured, yet Reese hadn’t brought her back to Gosse… Where had they gone?
A heavy feeling settled in Tang Qiu’s heart, and the smile on her face slowly vanished.
Seeing the change in Tang Qiu’s expression, Phoenix asked in a grave tone, “Did something happen to Monica?”
Tang Qiu looked at her and let out a long sigh. “She’s very badly injured.”
Corroded by the power of darkness to that extent… even the most advanced healing spells would be useless.
Monica’s condition was indeed as critical as Tang Qiu had said. When she was pulled from the bloody swamp, she was already unconscious, her breathing barely perceptible.
The rise and fall of her chest grew weaker with each breath. At first, she would unconsciously cough up some black blood, but eventually, even that reaction ceased.
Every Cardinal cherished their life dearly, and Reese was no exception. Because they never knew how many people were eyeing their position, they would secretly prepare truly safe locations known only to themselves.
Reese hadn’t brought Monica back to the Gosse Empire precisely because, in her heart, it was not a safe place.
She had to save Monica… there could be no more accidents… otherwise, she would truly lose control of her emotions.
After the white light of the teleportation faded, Reese knelt and carefully laid Monica on the ground. Her blood-stained hand trembled as it hovered over Monica’s face. Her skin was so badly corroded that Reese couldn’t find a single spot to touch.
Her eyes were red and dry, yet not a single tear would fall. Reese clenched her jaw tightly, her hand on Monica’s shoulder slowly tightening its grip.
Lola, who had stepped into the white light at the last second, was also teleported over. The dense aura of light in the room put her on alert. She turned and scanned her surroundings, realizing the strong presence of light was due to a light formation in the room.
The light formation made Lola feel a bit repulsed, but it wasn’t unbearable. The thick scent of blood made her swallow involuntarily. Lola looked down and her gaze fell on Reese. Seeing her place a hand on Monica while muttering something, she frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”
Reese’s head was bowed, as if she hadn’t heard. She continued to chant an ancient and difficult spell in a low voice.
Lola walked over and observed for a moment. Although she didn’t know what spell Reese was chanting, she had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. She bent down and pressed a hand on Reese’s shoulder. “What on earth are you doing? She’s already dea—”
Before she could finish, Reese suddenly looked up. Her eyes were crimson. Though her gaze was calm, it sent a chill down Lola’s spine. A golden light erupted, throwing her back several steps.
Lola glanced at her still-numb hand, then at Reese, who was now enveloped in golden light. She shrugged, pursed her lips, and walked outside. The night was dark. She casually found a tree, leaned against its trunk, got her bearings, and sent out a bat.
Since she had promised Tang Qiu she would protect Reese, Lola endured her hunger and didn’t leave. She leaned against the tree, bored, and quietly waited for the person inside to emerge.
She waited until daybreak. Finally growing impatient, Lola jumped down from the tree and pushed the door open. “How much longer are you going to stay in here…” Her words trailed off as she took in the scene inside the room.
The aura of light in the room had faded considerably. Monica, who had been a bloody mess and barely breathing, now lay quietly on the ground. The skin on her face and body was completely healed. The rise and fall of her chest was still faint, but it was steady.
She was on the verge of death last night, yet she was healed in a single night?
Lola was astonished. She had never heard of anyone in the Holy See possessing such a heaven-defying ability. After all, Monica had been so severely corroded by the power of darkness that she wouldn’t have even been able to withstand a vampire’s embrace in that state.
Reese was collapsed beside Monica, either asleep or unconscious. Lola walked over curiously. Seeing the fresh red blood on Reese’s exposed hand, her own desires stirred, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips.
Lola squatted down, dabbed a finger on the back of Reese’s hand, and then put it in her mouth.
The delicious blood was intoxicating, but a glimpse of Reese’s profile brought her back to her senses. She frowned, turned Reese over, and her pupils shrank slightly.
This… Lola looked at Reese, then at Monica. A realization dawned on her, and she immediately fell silent.
A small bat flew in through the door, and Tang Qiu and Lucille appeared in the doorway. They stepped into the room and immediately saw Monica lying unconscious on the floor.
Monica’s injuries were almost completely gone; only her face remained deathly pale.
Tang Qiu had once witnessed Lisa use a forbidden technique to save Karen. Seeing Monica like this, she already knew what had happened.
“Her ending up like this has nothing to do with me,” Lola said, her tone complex. “This woman is too ruthless. I couldn’t have stopped her even if I tried.”
Tang Qiu shook her head at her. She walked over to check on Reese, touched her face, and sighed. “Let’s go. Back to the Gosse Empire first.”
She helped the unconscious Reese to her feet, then glanced at Monica lying on the floor. After a moment of thought, she said to Lucille, “Let’s send Monica to the Elf Race.”
Delphine was there, so Monica’s safety would be guaranteed. Besides… Tang Qiu didn’t think Reese would want to see Monica in her current state.
Comments
Post a Comment