545 Chapter 545: Late Night Meeting (1/2)

”What are you doing here?”

Ling Xue Xiao folded her arms and glared at me as I wandered into the warehouse that Lin Xuan Chi suggested as the meeting place. It had taken quite a bit of time and caution on my part to leave the Franklin Manor undetected, a problem Ling Xue Xiao didn't seem to have. I didn't want Adrian and Melina following me into what was clearly a trap.

I had contingencies in place, but I didn't want to call upon them until absolutely necessary.

”Xuan Chi Senpai told me to meet him here,” I replied. I was actually using the Chinese version xue zhang, but English readers would probably be more likely to recognize the word senpai.

”Why would he do that?”

”Why don't you ask him?” When Ling Xue Xiao scoffed at my reply, I sighed and shrugged. ”Maybe he wants my help to find the spy.”

Ling Xue Xiao immediately narrowed her eyes and regarded me suspiciously when I said that, her expression filled with disbelief. I didn't blame her. Normally this was a guild issue that should be dealt with internally by members. It was not a matter that Hunter Associations or mercenary guilds would involve outsiders like me in.

I pushed my glasses up as I surveyed the interior of the abandoned warehouse, wondering why Lin Xuan Chi chose such a venue as our meeting place. My glasses whirred and the in-built sensors scanned the place and looked out for threats. Infrared vision, nightvision and a suite of other visual aids kicked in, displaying the warehouse in several tiny windows on my lenses. Right now, there was nobody inside. I was reminded of that time when I hunted the Chiropterans alongside Kufa and Saya. Speaking of which, I had no idea what happened to Saya. It had been a while since I had seen her. Maybe I should ask Kufa about her the next time I talked to him, which would be very soon.

For now, I could think of plenty of reasons why Lin Xuan Chi wanted me and Ling Xue Xiao to meet him here. There was something unnerving about the dark, danky place and the abandoned machinery that lay within.

”Where is Xuan Chi Senpai anyway?”

”Hmph! How would I know?”

Because you were closer and more intimate with him than I was?

I refrained from pointing out the obvious and obediently sank into silence. I wasn't here to start an argument. I was more curious as to how Lin Xuan Chi planned on flushing out the spy. And that was assuming he wasn't the spy himself – after all the nonsense I read in the vampire shoujo manhua, I knew he had to be the spy. Because the author couldn't get enough of bad boys. In any event, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to investigate the other Hunters…

”What guild or sect are you guys from?” I asked. Ling Xue Xiao sniffed and turned away.

”None of your business.”

Fine, be that way then, bitch. I decided to wait for Lin Xuan Chi to arrive before asking him.

Speaking of which, he was pretty late. He was the one who proposed that we meet here at 9pm, but as Ling Xue Xiao and I waited fruitlessly, he didn't arrive even after fifteen minutes past the appointed time. Ling Xue Xiao was getting impatient while I entertained the thought that this whole thing might have been one gigantic prank.

Hmm…but why would he drag Ling Xue Xiao along into this stupid prank of his?

I honestly doubted it was to set us up on a date. Surely hunting for a spy didn't make for an ideal atmosphere for high school romance.

”…!”

Just when I was about to scoff at such a ludicrous idea that could only emerge from a shoujo-styled drama, I suddenly caught sight of infrared signatures crawling toward the warehouse in the dark. Nightvision also showed their silhouettes moving stealthily (or what passed for stealth when I could see them as clearly as if it was daytime) from the outside. Tapping my glasses to improve the visual sensors and focus on the approaching figures, I narrowed my eyes and confirmed that they were threats.

”Be careful!” I shouted a warning to Ling Xue Xiao, who immediately went into high alert.

As rude as she was, Ling Xue Xiao was no fool. Already drawing her twin swords, she allowed her mana to surge and coalesce strongly around her body in a protective aura. Exchanging glances with me, she silently proceeded to the entrance, her swords gripped in a cautious stance.

It seemed that Ling Xue Xiao had detected the newcomers too.

Yet their arrival raised new questions. Where was Lin Xuan Chi? Was he killed by the intruders? Was that why he hadn't shown up so far? Or was he in cahoots with them, selling us out to the enemy and luring both me and Ling Xue Xiao into a trap?

The latter seemed more probable, and in line with what I had read in a badly written shoujo manhua. It also meant that Lin Xuan Chi was the spy.

What reason would he have to betray us? Oh, I was sure we were going to experience some random flashback to justify his callous treachery later, but now wasn't the time for that. I should focus on surviving.

Ling Xue Xiao jumped back the moment the doors were flung open and a group of hooded vampires flooded in, their eyes glowing red in the semi-darkness. The first one flung a red whip of blood at Ling Xue Xiao, who cut the mana strand with her own mana-infused swords.