Chapter 65: Torches in the Night, Banishing the Devil

*Devil.* The word flashed through An Ran's mind. 

Those crimson, icy eyes were too terrifying, freezing her in place. She could only watch as the red eyes drew closer, the steel pipe slipping from her hand and clattering to the ground. 

The metallic sound snapped her back to reality. Her mind screamed at her: *Run! Get out of here!* 

But her legs refused to obey, as if they were rooted to the ground. She couldn't move an inch. 

An Ran recognized this feeling—it was fear, pure and paralyzing. The kind of fear that made you feel like the slightest movement would tear you apart. She was certain anyone caught in the gaze of those eyes would feel the same. 

A pale hand reached out toward her slender neck, sharp nails grazing her delicate skin. A drop of blood fell onto the nail. 

"What an unusual scent…" 

The voice hissed like a serpent, and the figure seemed to inhale deeply, savoring the warm, intoxicating aroma of her blood. 

But all An Ran smelled was a foul stench, like the rot of a stagnant sewer. Finally, her legs stopped trembling enough for her to take a small step back. 

Suddenly, her feet left the ground. The pale hand grabbed her by the collar and hoisted her into the air, bringing her face-to-face with the figure. 

The red eyes burned brighter, and two sharp fangs emerged. The figure let out a low growl, ready to sink its teeth into her vulnerable neck. 

In that instant, the screech of tires against pavement filled the air. 

The "devil" turned its head just in time to see a crimson motorcycle speeding toward it like a bolt of lightning. The bike launched into the air, its front wheel slamming into the figure's head with a crushing force. 

"Aaah!" 

Even this devilish creature let out a piercing scream, temporarily blinded by the impact. In its distraction, it loosened its grip on its prey. 

Seizing the moment, the rider on the motorcycle reached out and caught An Ran's small frame, pulling her into his arms. 

The red-eyed "devil" went berserk. It thrashed its hair, slashing with its razor-sharp nails, and lunged toward the rider's back. But the motorcycle landed and immediately accelerated, speeding away in the direction it had come. 

The claws swiped at empty air. 

The "devil" wasn't about to give up. It landed and sprang forward, only to be met with a flaming torch swinging toward its face. 

The figure retreated with an unnatural swiftness, the torch barely grazing its sleeve. 

A dozen roaring motorcycles surrounded the scene, all painted in the same crimson. Each rider held a burning torch, and as they sped past, they hurled their torches at the "devil," chanting in unison: 

"Banish the devil!" 

"Banish the devil!" 

"Banish the devil!" 

With the immediate danger gone, the first motorcycle came to a halt. The rider shook the person in his arms and called out, "Hey, Streamlight! Are you okay?" 

It was Wild Wolf who had struck the "devil" with his bike! 

After discovering the corpse earlier, Wild Wolf had mobilized the elite members of the Night Clan, arming them with torches. They'd been patrolling the streets, searching for the killer. 

So when An Ran screamed, they'd heard her. It had taken them a moment to pinpoint her location, but fortunately, they hadn't arrived too late. 

The trauma An Ran had endured tonight was far beyond what someone her age should have to bear. When she fell into Wild Wolf's arms and felt the warmth of another human, she passed out. 

Seeing that Streamlight wasn't responding, Wild Wolf quickly removed her helmet. For the first time, he saw the face of a young woman staring back at him.