Chapter 25: Arson

"Little girl, come out. I know you're in there," Alexander's voice echoed outside the cave with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. In addition to the stench of wolves in the air, there was a strong scent of poppies and osmanthus, indicating that there were quite a few people outside.

Sophia let out a howl, and all the wolves poured out of the cave. Soon, sounds of biting, fighting, and the unmistakable smell of blood filled the air.

Emily rushed out as well, with Benjamin and Olivia close behind. Olivia wielded her silver sword like a well-trained warrior, her movements precise and swift. Heads rolled off under her silver blade one by one, leaving Emily in awe. It was like watching a spy in an action movie, every move calculated and deadly.

Compared to Olivia, Emily seemed somewhat clumsy. Armed with a dagger Olivia had given her, she charged recklessly, preferring to decapitate their opponents rather than stab them in the heart.

Alexander stood aside, observing from a distance. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Olivia, his thoughts inscrutable. This woman was ruthless and deadly, every move capable of taking a life. She was fast, fierce, and precise—a trained fighter from a young age. Such a girl should not be by Emily's side, yet here she was. It was a pity.

He made a gesture, and more vampires instantly swarmed around Olivia, surrounding her layer by layer.

"Little bun! Let Tiger go and save Olivia!" Emily saw Olivia being surrounded and wanted to rush over to help, but she was tightly entangled with the enemies in front of her, unable to break free.

Sophia barked a few times, and the wolf king led a dozen or so wolves to pounce on the encirclement around Olivia, breaking through from the outside. The vampires that were bitten by the wolves had wounds that couldn't heal, some even had their throats bitten clean through.

It was only then that Alexander noticed Sophia's presence. His eyes narrowed to slits, a mixture of curiosity and contemplation. Finally, his gaze burst with killing intent. This look startled Sophia, and before she could react, Alexander charged towards her. He was too fast, and before she could respond, he passed right through her, leaving her with nothing but empty air.

Alexander turned around and looked at Sophia, his eyes filled with even more killing intent. It wasn't Olivia's strength that truly frightened him, but the overwhelming number of wolves she could control. If they could restrain her, they could control the entire pack of wolves.

Sophia finally reacted and, frightened, quickly hid among the trees. Alexander's lips curled into a wicked smile as he waved his hand. "Set it on fire!"

Immediately, several vampires came forward and set the trees ablaze. The fire spread rapidly, devouring the roots in an instant.

Emily heard Sophia's cries of pain and looked towards the tree. It was already engulfed in flames. She cried out, "Water Mist!" But all she received in response was more screams of agony. Sophia was enduring excruciating pain.

Olivia also glanced at the tree, her brows furrowing. There was no water nearby, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It was impossible for it to rain. What could they do now? If they waited passively, Sophia would be burned to ashes. They had to resort to a risky move.

"Emily! Protect me!" Olivia shouted at Emily and swiftly dealt with the vampires in front of her. She moved closer to Emily, with Benjamin following suit, positioning himself in front of Olivia.

Olivia sheathed her sword and closed her eyes. Frowning, she focused her energy. In the next moment, a fierce gust of wind swept through the forest, blowing from Sophia's side towards the vampires. Olivia knew that vampires were also afraid of fire. In less than a moment, a large group of vampires had caught fire, their bodies consumed by the flames, which in turn ignited the surrounding trees.

Alexander was taken aback. He hadn't expected Olivia to possess the power of controlling wind. The Lestranges' formation had been completely disrupted. Alexander didn't want to shoot himself in the foot, so he shouted, "Retreat!" Everyone scattered like the wind, leaving behind the vampires whose bodies were ablaze, setting fire to numerous trees as they fled.

In an instant, this corner of the Miao Mountain was enveloped in a raging fire. Soon, the sound of fire engines could be heard. Olivia ceased the wind, grabbed Emily, and said, "Let's go! People will be here soon!"

Emily looked at Sophia, the screams growing fainter. Thinking of the adorable face of the little bun, always pouting, Emily felt as if her feet were weighed down by lead. She couldn't move a step. The wolf king also stood on the side without fire, his gaze holding a glimmer of moisture, while the other wolves whimpered softly, their restless paws scratching the ground.

"Emily! Run!" Olivia continued pulling her. "She might survive!"

"If it weren't for me, she would have been fine!" Emily sobbed uncontrollably, standing in place, her voice choked. She eventually collapsed to the ground, her legs giving way.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. The previously clear sky was instantly covered in dark clouds, and torrential rain poured down, gradually extinguishing the forest fire. However, the air remained scorching, as if the rain hadn't quenched the fire's heat. The trees stood unscathed, as if they hadn't experienced the catastrophe at all.

Sophia emerged from the trees and looked at them, saying, "You should go now. They probably won't come back, and I'm fine."

Emily's face was still stained with tears as she rushed over to Sophia. She thoroughly checked her from head to toe and confirmed that she was indeed unharmed, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"Sis, you have to take care of yourself! Help will arrive soon!" Sophia urged them.

"Please take care!" Emily said earnestly because she knew she wouldn't be coming back. She wouldn't burden Sophia any longer.

Sophia nodded and gently pushed her. Emily then followed Olivia and Benjamin, walking briskly away.

Olivia glanced back and saw that the fire was still burning. The sky was sprinkled with stars as if nothing had happened. What was that rain just now? She quickly turned her head, not wanting Emily to notice anything out of the ordinary...

A figure appeared in the forest, gazing in the direction Emily had left, their expression complex and completely different from their usual carefree demeanor. Why would the sight of that girl looking sad make their heart tighten? It wasn't logical! Shaking his head, the man turned around and swiftly disappeared into the depths of the forest, heading towards the direction where the Lestranges were retreating.

Those who covet my prey shall be mercilessly slaughtered!

...

The three of them didn't stop until dawn in a small town near Cyberville. They found a small inn to stay in, but the curtains couldn't completely block out the sunlight. Benjamin took refuge inside the wardrobe.

Emily used her own blood to heal Olivia's injuries, and then both of them collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. Olivia removed the sword she had been carrying on her back and set it aside. Emily looked at the sword, its craftsmanship exquisite, but it showed signs of age, indicating it was no ordinary weapon.

"Is this sword specifically for dealing with vampires?" Emily asked, looking at the silver sword.

Olivia nodded and said, "This sword is an heirloom. It is said to have been crafted by a master over ten years, using ancient cold iron mixed with silver. It contains the poison from werewolf fangs and is infused with vampire blood. It can cut through hair and bones effortlessly. It's the weapon my ancestors used to fight against vampires."

Emily couldn't help but examine the sword more closely. No wonder it was made of silver but not fragile, with a sharp blade that gleamed with a cold light. She took out the dagger Olivia had given her for self-defense earlier and noticed the striking similarity to the silver sword.

"This is a fragment that broke off when our ancestors fought against that mysterious vampire. They transformed it into a dagger," Olivia explained. That mysterious vampire had saved their ancestor, but the ancestor didn't acknowledge the debt until he was subdued and became their slave for generations.

"What about the other sword?" Emily asked, looking at the other sword.

"This one is a more ordinary sword, used against regular enemies. It's sufficient without having to resort to the silver sword," Olivia said, her eyes showing a hint of amusement as she looked at the sword, as if she had a deeper connection with it.

"You're really skilled," Emily remarked, thinking back to Olivia's combat skills. She couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. She had always been a typical girly girl, relying on her beauty to bully others. Even now, with her newfound strength, she would just be like a headless fly, crashing around without a plan.

"I've been training in various combat tactics ever since I can remember. Our entire family has been secretly training the next generation, perhaps waiting for you," Olivia said, looking at the ordinary sword. "This sword has been with me as I grew up."

Emily was even more amazed. She never expected that her family in Cyberville was considered an influential family, yet Olivia showed no signs of being a spoiled rich kid. Emily could even imagine Olivia diligently training with a sword at home while other kids from wealthy families were still playing make-believe in their diapers. And all of this was for the sake of self-protection.

Who could that vampire be, the one who formed a blood pact with her family? What connection did she have with him?

"Did the vampire not tell you why he wants to protect me?" Emily asked.

Olivia shook her head. "Even our ancestors didn't know, so we have no way of knowing either."

"But doesn't he need to appear and give you orders? What does he look like?" Emily didn't want to miss any clues.

Olivia shook her head again. "He doesn't need to appear to give us orders. Because our blood is already connected to him in some way, when he gives orders, our blood reacts, and we know what he wants us to do."

Emily widened her eyes. "That's incredible!"

"Forget it, let's get some sleep. When it's dark, there might be another fierce battle waiting for us," Olivia said, rolling over and closing her eyes.

After contemplating for a while, Emily followed suit and fell asleep.

When night fell, everything seemed normal. The three of them sat nervously, staring at each other all night, but the pursuit from Lesambra didn't come. This puzzled them. Several days passed, and still, no one came after them. This unexpected calmness made them uneasy.

"No matter what, Cyberville is Lesambra's stronghold. The farther we go, the less likely he will catch up with us. Perhaps in a new city, we can start a new life," Benjamin suggested.

Emily and Olivia nodded. It seemed like a good plan. Alexander wouldn't chase them that far every night to attack and then run back. Maybe over time, the hatred would fade.

Olivia bought a car in Yunqing City, and the three of them headed south, arriving in Shuncheng. They didn't encounter any pursuit from Alexander along the way, and their mood gradually relaxed. The blow they dealt to Lesambra that night was indeed significant. Perhaps he was severely weakened and needed time to recover and consolidate his strength.

Shuncheng was a city twice the size of Cyberville, filled with modernity and a bustling urban atmosphere. The more vibrant the metropolis, the better it was for hiding because the scent of humans was strong, and the city never slept. Even if Alexander did manage to track them down here, it would be challenging for him to find them.