Chapter 95: The Shelter of the Morris Family

The shift in attitude happened too quickly. Was he truly afraid of the cross?

Before Anran could process why Johnson's demeanor had changed so drastically, she heard him shout towards Dennis:

"Dennis, retreat—now!"

His voice was laced with unmistakable fear and panic. Dennis, who had already been considering retreating, needed no further convincing. This panther was far too bizarre, and though he didn't understand Johnson's sudden terror, he didn't hesitate to follow the command. The two vampires vanished into the darkness as quickly as they had appeared, their figures dissipating like shadows.

Adam let out a triumphant roar before trotting back to Anran.

"Adam, are you alright?" Anran bent down, embracing the panther as she spoke.

The panther let out a soft, almost whining growl, nuzzling her face with its head. Its emerald eyes, though still glowing, no longer seemed menacing.

This had been Adam's first real fight, and it was far from pleased that the vampires had escaped. If it ever encountered them again, it vowed to finish what it had started.

Seeing Adam so spirited, Anran finally allowed herself to relax. Perhaps she had just imagined the worst earlier.

After a moment of quiet embrace beneath the night sky, Anran softly said, "Adam, let's go home."

The panther seemed to understand her words, nodding its head before nuzzling her cheek again in agreement.

Anran mounted her motorcycle and headed home, with Adam keeping pace alongside her, a shadow running beside the silver machine.

As she arrived at her doorstep, before she could even turn off the engine, Adam suddenly darted into the shadows beside the house.

A moment later, there was a dull thud followed by a muffled groan.

Anran quickly turned her bike towards the source of the noise. Under the headlight's beam, she saw Adam pinning a man to the ground, its sharp teeth resting menacingly on his throat.

"Yelang? What are you doing here?" Anran exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the man beneath the panther.

Yelang was frozen in place, not daring to speak a word for fear that the slightest movement would provoke the beast into tearing out his throat.

"Adam, he's a friend," Anran said quickly.

At her words, Adam released its hold and retreated to Anran's side, though its eyes remained locked on the stranger, watchful and protective.

Yelang stood up, still shaken and unwilling to move from his spot. His face bore traces of unease, as anyone's would after being pinned by a wild predator.

"It's okay, Yelang. Adam is very gentle," Anran reassured him.

Yelang felt a lingering chill on his neck, but the panther indeed obeyed the girl, sitting calmly beside her with no sign of aggression.

"Liuguang, what happened to your helmet?" Yelang asked, though his expression suggested he wasn't surprised to see her face.

Anran didn't notice the subtlety in his demeanor. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered the abandoned helmet. "I… I lost it. Why are you here, at my doorstep?"

"It's not hard to track someone who's new to Rose Town. Liuguang isn't your real name, is it?" Yelang said. "I just wanted to make sure you got home safely. I'm glad you're unharmed—I wouldn't have forgiven myself otherwise."

Since her identity was already exposed, Anran decided to come clean. "Liuguang is my bike's name. My real name is Anran."

Yelang nodded, smiling. "Well, Yelang isn't my real name either. I'm He Lanfeng. Anran, I thought you left with Night Emperor? How did you end up with a panther?"

At the mention of the panther, Adam let out a low growl, causing Yelang's heart to skip a beat.

Anran reached out to stroke Adam's head, the soft fur a comforting sensation. After a moment of thought, she replied:

"Night Emperor took me to a safe place, and then we parted ways. This panther is Adam. It's from the Morris family. It's been protecting me tonight."

The Morris family?

Yelang's eyes were drawn to the red glow on Anran's chest. He focused on the emblem and froze.

The crest of the Morris family!

Why was she wearing their sigil around her neck? If she had revealed it earlier, tonight's events might never have happened. Yet the girl looked completely unaware of the cross's significance in Rose Town. And now, with the panther by her side, it was clear she had gained the Morris family's protection.

When had this girl, the one he'd brought to the castle, become so closely tied to the Morris family?