191 Chapter 191: Daybreak (2/2)

”Ana and I will go investigate,” I offered. ”Since we're the closest operatives on hand.”

”And the only ones,” Anastasia added gloomily as she folded her arms.

”Be careful, the both of you.” Feng Hai's expression turned very strict. ”We don't know what's out there, and what caused this communication blackout. We're still sending reinforcements, but we'll have to break through the monster blockade that has surrounded the city.”

”Understood.” I saluted. ”We'll send any information we can get as soon as possible. You should be able to get the data transmitted from my glasses once I get up there.”

My glasses had a satellite function installed, which constantly beamed what I was seeing during missions. Obviously I turned it off when not during a mission or whenever I wanted privacy, but otherwise it would continue to stream visual and audio data that it recorded when I was out in the battlefield. That was how Jing Tian Academy monitored its students during missions in any case. It was only natural that mercenaries and the military also had similar devices.

They could be installed anywhere, on com beads, weapons, the uniform, a Swiss army knife or even backpack. I just chose my glasses as the recording device because it was the most convenient and offered the most accurate recordings.

”The top priority is for you both to stay alive, not to transmit intelligence, if you sense that you're in danger, or you meet an overwhelming opponent, retreat. Do not engage. Withdraw to safety. Contact me only when you're in safety.”

”But if we believe we have a chance of defeating the enemy, are we allowed to engage?” I asked, just to be sure. Feng Hai hesitated for a second, and then nodded.

”I guess. If it's just low and mid-ranking monsters, then go ahead and wipe them out.” He scowled. ”I know you're capable of defeating high-ranking monsters, but still…be careful.”

”Yes, sir.” I snapped off a salute.

”Don't worry, Leader.” Anastasia was smiling. ”I'm a former Assassin. If all it takes to save the city is to cut off the head, that should suit my specialized set of skills. It doesn't matter whether it's a high-ranking monster or the head of the Dark Church himself. Unless they have immunity to poison, I should be able to eliminate them without too much difficulty.”

”Assuming they let you get too close to them.” Feng Hai narrowed his eyes. ”Remember that you're not invincible.”

”How can I forget? My partner is the very guy who defeated me.” Anastasia giggled as she lay a hand on my shoulder.

Feng Hai looked at the both of us for a few more moments, and then nodded. ”I'll be counting on you two then,” he said before he signed off.

The both of us then hurried upward, clearing the last flight of stairs. Yesterday, when we went through the same place, we weren't surprised that it was bereft of any human presence. After all, the Dark Church had been doing its work here, with the priest we captured yesterday being responsible for diverting non-Dark Church personnel away from the underground facilities.

But today, the emptiness seemed a lot more ominous. As if every other human in the city was gone. Granted, it could be the claustrophobia caused by the dark, enclosed space. I was allowing my imagination to run too wildly. Even with my common sense trying to suppress the dread in my heart, I couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding.

”…”

Anastasia was more subdued than normal, her usual cheer gone and replaced by grim professionalism. She was faster than me, staying just a couple of steps ahead, and reached the door. In a single stroke, she kicked it open.

”…why so dramatic?” I growled as I followed her out of the door. ”You trying to draw attention to us or something?”

If there truly was a monster attack, kicking the door open and making so much noise was sure to draw the attention of all those Hound monsters to us.

However, Anastasia nodded.

”That is exactly my intention,” she said. ”If there are any people out here, they would be drawn to the noise we're making. If there are monsters, then…” she raised her gleaming daggers, which she produced from somewhere inside the folds of her fancy dress. ”We kill them.”

I couldn't help but smile. ”Works for me.”

However, even as we stepped out into the surface and emerged in the open space of Azpire City for the first time in over a day, we didn't see anyone.

Anyone human, at any rate.

There were dozens of monsters swarming the place. Just as Feng Hai told us, they were mostly Hound type monsters – fire-breathing Hellhounds and vampire-type Bloodhounds. There was the occasional wraith-like Revenant, their thin, almost skeletal forms gliding across the floor and the unnatural rattling of their freezing breaths.

Both Anastasia and I froze when we saw the scene of monsters – not just because of them, but also in the background.

There was evidence that a huge battle had just taken place here. Splatters of blood flooded the broken roads and sidewalks, buildings were wrecked, glass had shattered and crushed furniture were strewn about. Countless remains of humans lay about, the majority of them having chewed on or ripped apart by the prowling monsters that now inhabited the streets of aspire City.

It wasn't just the humans who died. Hundreds of monsters' broken and maimed carcasses also lay scattered across the city, some of them intertwined with determined humans desperate enough to fight to the death and bring their enemies with them. The surviving monsters did not care about their deceased brethren, however, trampling over the dead of both human and monster alike.

”…kill them…”

Anastasia was trembling beside me, her voice cold. It wasn't trembling, it wasn't filled with any emotion like rage or hatred.

It was just a statement, almost mechanical and unfeeling.

”…let's kill them.”

Then Anastasia disappeared. The next thing I knew, she was in the midst of the closest swarm of monsters, her daggers flashing. Before they knew what was happening, they were cut apart. Those that recoiled from what seemed like shallow wounds dropped later, going into spasms as they frothed in the mouth, poisoned by Anastasia's weapons.

The other monsters in the vicinity raised their heads to stare in her direction.

”Good grief.” Sighing, I proceeded forward to back my partner up, my hands on Gan Jiang and Mo Ye. A pack of Hound-species monsters pounced on me, but they never reached me. Instead, their heads and limbs began to fly off in all directions and their carcasses dropped like a rock with a wet splat. I continued walking through the rain of blood and body parts to link up with Anastasia.

The surviving monsters shrank back, afraid of the newly appeared pair of humans. Whimpering, they exchanged frightened glances and began to retreat, fleeing from the real monsters.

”Do you think we'll let you go?” Anastasia asked frostily.

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If any of the fleeing monsters ever harbored any semblance of such thought, they found out how just how mistaken they were a few minutes later.