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After sending everyone home, Slacovich, Diego, Tyler, Ara, and Li returned with different thoughts in their heads. What happened at the party could have turned into a disaster if paparazzi had been around. Their identities would have been exposed if the fight had spiraled out of control. Fortunately, Volton had no intention of blowing their cover.

Back at the mansion, they sat in silence, exchanging glances, knowing that Volton's laboratory had already begun recreating the serum. It might be a failure for now, but an army, even of failures, would still be difficult to handle.

"What a joke. He actually suggested I create an army of my own," Slacovich muttered, leaning his head back on the sofa and staring at the ceiling.

"It might not be a bad idea," Tyler finally broke his silence.

"An army to fight another army. But if we do that, we'd be following Volton's inhumane path," Diego said, heading to the kitchen to grab beers from the fridge. They all needed a break.

"This isn't something we should rush. Lives are at stake. I won't risk meddling with human lives like that."

"What else can we do to stop him and his army of vampires? There's only six of us. Even if we're successful experiments, we still have limits. We can't take on an entire army alone. The lack of pure blood in our bodies makes a difference. When I was fighting Timothy, I felt drained all of a sudden. The pill helps, but we need a source of pure blood," Tyler said, holding Ara in his arms as she rested.

"I get your point. For now, let's just stay out of Volton's sight. We'll discuss this when Sofie and Harry return. We should all agree before we take any action."

"Slacovich, you know we have a higher chance of creating a successful army. We have Harry, for starters," Li said while cleaning her magnum pistol and inspecting the drones.

"I know. But I don't want to force anyone to become like us. I want them to surrender their human lives voluntarily."

"I agree," Diego said, sitting beside Li to help clean the drones.

The night passed slowly. They all stayed in the living room, drinking beer, each keeping busy to distract their minds. By morning, the sun was bright, but their worries remained. Diego may have altered the witnesses' memories, but they had to be careful not to trigger anything. After last night's fight, they all felt drained. The red pill's effectiveness was fading, and taking another didn't seem to help.

Upon arriving at the company, they immediately gathered in Slacovich's office to avoid losing control over their vampire instincts. Diego rushed in first, having caught the scent of blood, one of his subordinates had cut her finger on a broken glass at the refreshment area. He alerted Slacovich, and they decided to stick together for now.

"This is getting tough. I could barely resist the scent," Diego said, trying to calm himself.

"We need pure blood. Let's call Harry and ask him," Li said, patting his back reassuringly.

Slacovich called Harry, and after a few rings, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Harry, we need your help." After Slacovich filled him in on their current situation, Harry realized the serum was beginning to take over their blood.

"Are the others with you, Slacovich? Let's switch to a video call."

Slacovich opened his laptop and placed it in the middle of the coffee table so everyone could join. When the screen lit up, they all waved at Harry and Sofie, who waved back.

"There are only two options I can suggest without harming humans," Harry said.

"What are they?" Slacovich asked.

"One, get blood bags from the hospital. You can set up a blood donation campaign and compensate donors, people will participate. Two, hunt. Animal blood might help. I'm not sure if the taste compares to human blood, but at least it's a pure source to satisfy your thirst."

"Blood bags sound good, but animal blood? Never tried it," Diego replied.

"You can do both. Just don't rely entirely on hospital supplies, patients need it too."

"I know. Right now, we just need to manage our cravings."

"Let me say something," Sofie interjected.

"What is it?" Slacovich asked.

"My family owns a villa in the province. It's in the middle of the forest."

"Why would they own a villa there?" Ara asked, puzzled.

"Long story short, my mother, the queen, bought it to preserve the place for the owner, or the government would've torn it down. Anyway, the point is, you can hunt wild animals there."

"That's helpful, but it's too far to hunt regularly," Slacovich said.

"I'm just suggesting. It's not like you have to fly here just for that."

"Someone's missing someone," Li teased Sofie and Slacovich.

"Why not turn it into a nature trip? Camp out, hunt, it can pass as team building."

"Harry, you're a genius," Diego grinned.

"Let's do that. Thanks, Sofie and Harry. Keep us posted on the chemicals. We've got some hunting to do." They ended the call, and Slacovich shut the laptop.

"So, what's the plan?" Diego asked, already eager for the hunt.

"We're going hunting. But first, tell everyone we're doing a team-building trip. Mountain climbing and camping for three days. All expenses covered by the company."

"I'll contact one of our clients who owns a residence in the province. If he knows you're going, he'll say yes instantly." Li excused herself to make the arrangements.

"Tyler, Ara, go inform your agency and invite them. We can even film a survival game while we're there."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go, Ara," Tyler said. They left hand in hand, having gone public with their relationship on social media.

"What are you still doing here, Diego?" Slacovich asked with a frown.

"Oh----right! I'll go inform everyone now. Sorry, just too excited."

"Hurry, and tell Li to update us on the place. Also, release funds for the expenses. And when we get back, be ready to file the statement of accounts and liquidation. Your department's going to be busy."

Diego felt like the weight of the world was dropped on his shoulders.

"If you think that'll kill my excitement, you're dead wrong," he grinned as he walked out.

Everyone in the company buzzed with excitement over the team building. They looked forward to nature, bonding with their bosses, and finally relaxing after all their hard work. Li soon finalized the schedule and destination: a private island owned by a client. He offered it as a better alternative than the mountains. The island had white sand beaches and a nearby hotel, newly constructed. Slacovich rented the entire island for three days. Wild animals inhabited the far side of the island, fenced off for safety.

Li made the announcement: "The location has changed. We'll be going to a private island owned by one of our clients. President Demonfire has rented the entire island for three days. We leave the day after tomorrow, so wrap up your tasks and clear your desks. Consider this a token of gratitude for your hard work."

One employee asked, "Will the President be joining us too?"

"Of course."

Another chimed in, "How about Manager Harry and Manager Sofie?"

"They're on a business trip and won't be back until the transaction in the UK is completed."

"UK? Are we opening a branch there?"

"Yes. Manager Sofie is already recruiting staff for our UK branch."

"Wow, Manager Sofie is really hands-on."

"She really is. Sadly, they won't be joining us."

"We should work even harder. President Demonfire treats us well. The least we can do is give our best."

"Glad to hear that. Now, back to your desks and finish your work."

"Okay!" they all replied in unison.

Li returned to Slacovich's office and handed him the activity schedule, which included time for hunting. She also informed him that the China branch was ready to hire. After the team building, she'd head there to oversee recruitment. Slacovich approved the plan and entrusted her with the operations in China. Volton's company there had been permanently shut down. He had no influence left, Li had made sure China was purged of his stain.