No… no way…
Honestly, I was trembling all over.
If this girl in front of me wearing the duckbill cap was really Selina, the one they had been searching for all along…
Then I’d truly be a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat—couldn’t be luckier!
Calm down… must stay calm!
After learning of this terrifying reality, I was so nervous I thought that if this girl who looked so much like Selina noticed anything, she’d kill me on the spot!
So all I could do was keep calm and prepare their meal.
At the same time, I suppressed my Demon Realm aura, fearing she would detect anything unusual.
Whether it was really her or not, the key was to be able to call for backup!
That was my top priority.
“This… this is your meal, please take it.”
I handed the food over with trembling hands, even though I told myself to stay calm, my heart just wouldn’t settle.
Thankfully, after taking the fried chicken, they left the place. Only after they walked away did I dare to pull out my phone and send a message…
***
“How is it? The fried chicken here is pretty good; my sister and I discovered this place not long ago.”
We found a relatively secluded spot with fewer people to sit and eat. Seeing Dai Lina enjoying her own portion of fried chicken, I asked her.
“…This fried chicken place really makes good fried chicken.”
Dai Lina praised the deliciousness of the fried chicken, and hearing that, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Glad you like it. I trust my taste—it’s never wrong.”
Luna said proudly; her skill at scouting places wasn’t for nothing.
However, while I was enjoying my meal, Eliza in front of me pouted as if she was upset. Probably because I forgot to buy her a portion.
So before we head back, I’ll make sure to get some fried chicken for Eliza.
Please don’t be mad.
“Hey, I say…” Dai Lina suddenly spoke after a bite, “How about we call it a day today?”
Her sudden suggestion to leave puzzled us.
“What’s wrong, Lina? Not having fun?”
“Yeah, yeah, why do you want to go back all of a sudden?”
My sister and I both asked her curiously. Could it be that she wanted to leave because she wasn’t enjoying herself?
It was only 9:30, not even past 10, and Dai Lina was already calling it quits.
Seeing the two of us with puzzled and worried expressions, she continued:
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. I’m just a bit tired today, so I want to head back and rest.”
“I see…” Hearing that, my sister and I finally relaxed. So it was just tiredness…
But was that really the truth!?
Rewinding to when we were still at the fried chicken stand…
Dai Lina had been alert the whole time, watching the surroundings carefully, especially the girl in front of the fried chicken stand.
She, like me, carried a Demon Realm aura, but it was so well disguised that no one could detect it. If it weren’t for Xiao Meng warning me to watch her, I wouldn’t have noticed a single clue.
At that time, I thought maybe she was another traitor like me, living in the human world, until she suddenly began deliberately suppressing her residual Demon Realm aura, which set off alarm bells in my mind.
From my experience in Liulicheng, there were only two possibilities when someone suddenly withdrew their Demon Realm aura:
One, like me, a traitor recognizing a fellow traitor and shrinking their aura.
Two, a Demon Realm intelligence agent, probably trying not to get detected so they could report back.
I was more inclined to the second possibility—suspecting she was a Demon Realm intelligence operative.
If that was true… then things were really bad!
Honestly, I wanted to pull out my gun and shoot her right then, but the place was too crowded, so I had to give up the idea and just leave.
“Yeah, so let’s call it a day. I’m already tired.”
The best plan I could think of now was to go straight home. I couldn’t believe they’d managed to sneak into the Magic Academy.
“…Luna, what do you say?”
Xiao Xi asked Luna if we should leave.
“Well… since Dai Lina says she’s tired, let’s go back then. But before that, let’s stop by and buy some fried chicken for Su Luoluo and Qingyan.”
Luna agreed to head back since both of them had decided, so we prepared to leave.
“Okay, then let’s buy a few more portions of fried chicken and go.”
We wrapped up the leftover fried chicken and headed back to the stand.
***
Shortly after Luna and the others left…
Nine mysterious figures clad in black emerged from the shadows, their gazes all fixed on the direction Luna and her group had taken.
“…Are you sure it’s her?”
One of the black-clad men asked.
“Yes, no matter how much she hides, I can still smell it,” another replied.
“Princess Viviana Bessa Selina. We’ve finally found her. Let’s arrest her now.”
With that, the nine black-clad men headed towards Luna and the others…
After buying fried chicken for Eliza, Qingyan, and the others, we were about to leave the amusement park.
When we returned to the fried chicken stand, the owner had a look that said, “Why are you here again?”
She seemed surprised we had come back so soon.
I didn’t pay much attention; maybe she was just shocked we returned so quickly.
This time, we planned to exit through the back gate of the amusement park, where there were far fewer people than at the main entrance. Though it was farther, it was worth it.
At least we wouldn’t be squeezed like meat paste…
We headed to the back gate, and as expected, it was almost empty—practically no one around.
I glanced around; there wasn’t a single outsider nearby—only us.
It felt so quiet…
No passersby on the street…
Somehow, this familiar feeling made me recall a line from a show I was watching.
…Please don’t tell me a car’s going to come out and a few people with guns will get out!
While I was quietly relieved to avoid the crowd, an unexpected turn shattered the silence!
The ground beneath my feet suddenly cracked open wide, like a giant beast opening its massive jaws, ready to devour everything.
I gasped and tried to grab my sister, but it was too late.
A powerful force swept us into darkness, as if pulled by an invisible power, helplessly falling.
The surroundings were pitch black, nothing visible—only that cold, eerie aura relentlessly eroding my body.
I don’t know how long passed before I opened my eyes, only to find myself still standing where I was.
However, the surroundings were entirely different now. The air reeked of thick blood, radiating an eerie, malevolent aura that sent chills down my spine.
“This is…!”
I looked around fearfully, my mind blank, completely unsure of what had happened.
“What’s going on!?”
Even my sister looked confused, her eyes filled with puzzlement.
“…A Blood Clan’s special skill: Blood Domain Cage.”
Suddenly, Dai Lina spoke up, her voice carrying certainty, clearly familiar with this skill.
“What does that mean, Dai Lina!?”
I asked urgently, desperate for answers.
“…It seems we’ve fallen into a Blood Clan trap,” Dai Lina said again, her expression grim.
“A trap…” I repeated softly, heart pounding, nervously scanning the area for any chance of escape.
But everything around us felt so strange and terrifying; we were like playthings in the hands of the Blood Clan, unsure what fate awaited.
“Why… are there demons here!?”
For some reason, the song the captain always sang popped into my head…
No! Don’t stop!
“…” Dai Lina understood better than anyone what was going on; she was faster than us and had already drawn her rifle, watching vigilantly ahead.
Soon, the nine mysterious black-clad men appeared before us.
“Selina, we meet again.”
“Empire Secret Guard…”
Hearing these unfamiliar words, my sister and I exchanged confused looks, completely at a loss for what was happening.
All of us turned to Dai Lina.
“…Sorry, I’m not the person you’re looking for.”
“Hmph, dying soon but still talking back!”
“If you won’t admit it, we’ll make you when we catch you!”
With that, the nine Empire Secret Guards drew their weapons, clearly intent on capturing her.
“Don’t think you can take her away!”
My sister and I also pulled out our weapons.
“Roar, not begging for mercy but ready to fight, huh? Humans, your courage is commendable.”
The black-clad men sneered at us when they saw our weapons.
“Then let’s have some fun!”
Suddenly, the leader snapped his fingers, and my vision went dark again.
When I came to, I was horrified to find my sister and Dai Lina both gone!
“Sister! Eliza!”
I frantically searched the surroundings for any sign of them but saw nothing.
“Stop calling out, human! They won’t hear you!”
A loud voice snapped me back to reality. Three black-clad figures removed their suits, revealing their true faces.
They were clearly Blood Clan members, and the remaining six were likely the same.
“Who exactly are you!?”
“You’re here already and still don’t know, human? Then let us show you what death feels like!”
“We are the Empire Secret Guard, the ‘Scarlet’ Blood Clan squad! That’s all you need to know!”
I looked at the three of them—two wielded long rifles, the other held a strange, oddly shaped sword.
Thankfully, no ranged weapons…
Though it didn’t matter! I was about to take on three!
Whether ranged or not, I was probably doomed!
Also, I used my [Identify] skill to check their levels—one was SS rank, two were S rank; I was definitely outmatched!
“Prepare to die, human!”
With that, the three charged at me!
It’s over—ahhhhh!
***
Meanwhile, on the other side…
“Surrender, Selina! This time you won’t escape even if you sprout wings!”
The female Blood Clan leader sneered at Dai Lina, pointing her finger provocatively.
“Previously, you escaped because of faulty intel. Now you’re facing three SS rank—no more running for you!”
Dai Lina scoffed at the woman’s words.
“Then let’s see about that!”
With quick reflexes, Dai Lina was the first to pull the trigger, but the bullet only grazed past one Blood Clan member. The three responded swiftly, moving like ghosts, each brandishing their weapons.
Two long rifles glowed with a blood-red light, thirsting for blood, while the female wielded a special sword engraved with eerie runes, the tip exhaling ominous purple energy.
“Come on! Show me what you’ve got! Princess of the Succubus City, Selina!”
“Hmph! Bring it on!”
Dai Lina snorted coldly, reloading her rifle, an intense battle aura radiating from her.
Using the terrain as cover, she moved skillfully, searching for the right moment to strike a lethal blow!
“Grandmaster Archer!”
The enemies before Dai Lina slowed their movements, allowing her precise aim.
But just as she was about to pull the trigger, a figure suddenly appeared behind her—a Blood Clan member swung his long rifle swiftly, the tip narrowly grazing her neck, leaving a shocking blood-red scratch. Dai Lina rolled right just in time to avoid the attack.
She immediately turned her rifle, the bayonet gleaming coldly under the moonlight, ready to counterattack.
The Blood Clan member wielded his long rifle in close combat, the weapon carving bloody trails through the air. Dai Lina used the bayonet to block his strikes.
She moved sideways, barely dodging attacks, while firing shots. Although the bullets were easily deflected by the long rifle, it forced him to divide his focus.
Sure enough… facing three SS rank psychics alone was tough.
Only the female SS rank leader hadn’t made a move yet—she watched her subordinates’ battle silently.
While Dai Lina fought fiercely with one Blood Clan member, another approached like a ghost, aiming at her weak defense and launched a sudden attack!
A long rifle shimmered coldly, slicing through the air with a sharp gust, stabbing directly at Dai Lina!
Dai Lina’s heart skipped a beat. She had to quickly adjust her strategy, splitting attention between the two enemies. She rolled agilely to dodge and tried to return fire, but the two-on-one situation was overwhelming.
The first attacker was relentless, using the rifle’s length to constantly suppress Dai Lina. The second was even craftier, launching surprise attacks when she least expected, leaving her struggling to defend.
Her breath quickened, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She knew that if this continued, she’d eventually lose.
So she decided to take a risk, trying to turn the tide.
Using her movement and terrain advantage, she darted between the two foes, aiming to create chaos.
After a skillful dodge, she suddenly turned and aimed her rifle at one Blood Clan member’s vital point.
But just as she was about to pull the trigger, another Blood Clan member lunged from the side, blocking the shot.
The battle reached a deadlock, and Dai Lina’s stamina waned. Using sheer will and excellent combat skill, she kept up the fight.
Damn… not using that move really made it too hard…
Finally, after another fierce exchange, she found an opening again and landed a precise stab, severely wounding one Blood Clan member. She let out a brief sigh of relief, but the other’s attack quickly followed—the battle went on.
Damn… this just won’t end…
During the fight, the female Blood Clan leader who had been watching finally made her move. She first approached the wounded comrade and used a healing skill, then transformed into a purple blur, charging straight at Dai Lina!
No—!
Where her sword passed, the air seemed torn apart, emitting sharp whistling sounds.
Dai Lina’s eyes narrowed. Instead of retreating, she advanced, rolling to avoid the fatal strike while thrusting her rifle toward the enemy’s vital spot.
The female Blood Clan smirked coldly, waving her hands lightly. Black energy ripples radiated from her, interfering with Dai Lina’s senses and movements.
Wh—!?
The woman easily dodged the attack and swiftly extended her leg!
Dai Lina thought, bad—too late to dodge, she was kicked hard in the side!
Ugh—!
The heavy blow sent her flying several meters, but she gritted her teeth and stood back up.
“Huff—huff—huff…”
She gasped heavily; that kick had really taken its toll.
Then she looked at the three again.
They stood beneath the moonlight, each in a different stance, watching her. The once badly injured Blood Clan member had already been healed by the female leader.
“So? Is that all you’ve got, Selina?”
Tch…