558 Chapter 558: Aftermath (1/2)

…to confirm if she was a vampire…

A lot of the hostages were dead. Nan Gong Zhao Yan explained that Fan Le Lao killed them and sucked their blood in front of her in order to blackmail her for information on the Nan Gong family's secret purification magic.

She gave in eventually, but she refused to tell him of her sister's or family's whereabouts. Apparently, that was where Ji Yan came in. Xu Wu Cheng forced the Nan Gong family's address out of her during the gang-rape. The surviving Crimson Blood Demonic Night clan members attested to that.

The hostages who were still alive looked unharmed, with no trace of physical wounds, but they were clearly traumatized by the affair. Not only were they imprisoned by bloodsucking mages, they were forced to watch as their comrades were killed right before their eyes. It must have been nerve-wracking while waiting for their turn to die.

”You should go back and rest. Good job, everybody.”

Teresa Taylor was addressing Kufa, Rossetti and me. She looked proud of what we had achieved tonight. I hoped she wasn't going to announce this to the rest of the school tomorrow. That would be embarrassing.

”I'll see you again, Ji Yan.”

Zhao Yan was brushing her sister's hair in a tender manner.

”She'll be all right.”

Nan Gong Jiao Shou was clenching his fists, which were shaking violently. However, he clamped down on his temper so that he could present a calm façade to his daughter. He didn't want her to worry unnecessarily. He had to remain strong for his daughter.

”We should leave them alone,” Rossetti whispered to me, tugging at my sleeve. She was trying to be sensitive, aware that the Nan Gong family needed the space to mourn…to absorb and digest what had happened. I nodded and turned away.

There wasn't much left to do except to return home. Exhausted, I joined Kufa, Rossetti and Saya on a military vehicle, the hovercraft humming as it began to take off and ferry the weary soldiers back to Flandor City.

*

Instead of heading straight home, I checked on the Nan Gong family instead. I wanted to ensure that Yue Jian and her mother were all right. It would be bad if they were attacked by the enemies while Yue Jian's sisters and father were out there in the vampire base.

”Zhao Yan! Dad!”

Yue Jian had already rushed out the moment she heard the commotion outside the apartment. She was so relieved to see her sister alive that she embraced her, weeping and sobbing. Zhao Yan hugged her back, also teary.

”Zhao Yan! You are all right! You are safe!”

”Yes. I'm sorry for causing you to worry so much.”

Zhao Yan patted her sister's back. Yue Jian sniffled and broke apart before looking around. She blinked.

”Ji Yan…where is Ji Yan?”

”Ji Yan is in the hospital right now,” Nan Gong Jiao Shou explained. He nodded to his wife, who approached him and hugged him silently. She wiped tears from her eyes. ”She has been…mentally traumatized by the experience. The doctors want to look at her. We will visit her again first thing in the morning.”

”Is Ji Yan all right?” his wife asked.

”She is still alive, but her mind is a bit…confused right now. You will see what I mean when we visit her tomorrow.”

Nan Gong Jiao Shou had a complex expression on his face, but he refused to be drawn to say anything else. His wife nodded.

”All right! We'll bring her something!” Yue Jian smiled brightly. The innocent girl had no idea what her sister had been through. Beside her, Zhao Yan forced a smile. Like her father, she didn't want to worry her mother and sister.

”Yes. I'm sure Ji Yan will like that.”

I felt awkard watching the family reunion from afar, so I left. I didn't want to be a third wheel, and the truth was that I was nothing more than an outsider. Peeking on the family affairs of others was just rude.

I hadn't gone very far when Nan Gong Jiao Shou called out to me.

”Richard.”

Turning around, I saw the older man striding toward me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up, not at all surprised that he noticed my presence. Having seen him fight vampires before, I knew that he was a skilled mage. I also sensed the blood and violence lingering on his body. Evidently he had been fighting a few vampires before he found his daughters.

He did mention that he participated in the mission to rescue them, after all.

Nan Gong Jiao Shou placed a hand on my shoulder and offered a grateful smile.

”I heard about what you and your friends did tonight. Thank you.”

”We didn't do much. Most of the work was done by the Midnight Order and the Federation military.”