A gigantic werewolf seemed to struggle out from the small body, accompanied by the sound of exploding bones. Its massive form roared at Gustin, who had just been shot.
"I never expected to encounter a werewolf clan!" Gustin laughed eerily. "The world is becoming more and more interesting. You really do have patience, hiding so deeply. If it weren't for my misunderstanding with Elizabeth, you probably wouldn't have shown yourselves."
"Roar—" The transformed Elizabeth could only make roaring sounds.
However, Mr. Kott could speak. Holding his gun at Gustin, he said coldly, "No matter who we are, you can't deny that we are outcasts in this society. So... you better get out of here. You know there's an irreconcilable conflict between werewolves and vampires, and I do not wish to kill you here!"
David Gustin chuckled coldly, sticking out his tongue to lick the blood from his bullet-wounded shoulder. Just as he was about to speak, Elizabeth lunged at him without warning.
David Gustin spun around and ran off. Compared to werewolves, vampires were at a disadvantage. Werewolves possessed more agile movements and stronger power after their transformation.
"Elizabeth—"
Mr. Kott shouted.
The gigantic werewolf jumped down from mid-air as if to swipe at Gustin's shoulder, but then halted. Gustin seized the opportunity to escape, vanishing like a puff of smoke.
Fleeing from Elizabeth's house, David Gustin, shot in the shoulder, felt some pain. However, a regular bullet couldn't cause significant damage to him, thanks to his excellent self-healing ability. As he walked, the bullet was expelled by his body's muscle tissue, making a "ping" sound as it hit the ground.
Not daring to stop, he acknowledged his miscalculation, which almost led him into dangerous territory. When it came to werewolves, vampires were always at a disadvantage in terms of speed and power. This was due to the werewolves' massive stature, strong bodies, and their inherent sharp wolf genes.
All the way from Harold Town to a quiet villa in the suburbs of Laredo, David Gustin quickly rushed in and collapsed on the couch in the hall.
It was a luxurious villa located in a quiet area surrounded by a forest. There was only one asphalt road leading from the villa's main entrance to the highway, a distance of about two kilometers. This made the villa not so conspicuous.
"David? What happened?" A middle-aged man descended the stairs. Like David Gustin, he was slim but taller. Looking at David, he asked, "Did you stir up trouble?"
"Yes, Dad. I want to handle things my own way!" David Gustin clenched his teeth, "In this world, it's survival of the fittest. Why do we have to hide in the shadows, unable to show our special abilities?" He slowly got up. His shoulder wound had healed, but his bullet-pierced clothes couldn't be mended, causing the middle-aged man to frown.
"What did you encounter?"
The middle-aged man instantly spotted the problem. Ordinary people couldn't hit them due to their fast movements. If they could be hit, it had to be by someone like them or some other creatures with special abilities.
"It's the werewolves..." David Gustin stood up, "Dad, it's not just us in this world, there are also werewolves. They have greater abilities than us, they can transform as well. I was hit by them." His eyes sparkled as he spoke.
The middle-aged man walked over, looked at his wound, and shook his head, "If it's a werewolf, he wouldn't use a gun. But if what you're saying is true, it means they didn't want to expose themselves..."
"Of course, that's what they wanted. But someone didn't share that view. She wanted to scare me, or perhaps she wanted to ward me off or even kill me... Elizabeth, my high school classmate, the one I'm currently pursuing."
"Tell me what happened!" The middle-aged man looked sternly at David Gustin.
David Gustin, initially dismissive, shrugged his shoulders and gave a hum when he saw the man's serious expression. He then recounted the entire event.
The middle-aged man hummed, "You made trouble, it's lucky that they didn't want to expose themselves either. Otherwise, we'd all be doomed. Do you understand? Don't give me that foolish grin, you're a disgrace to our family."
"Enough, Dad, I'm an adult now. I should make my own decisions. Don't always dictate to me. Sooner or later, I will leave this family. It's a cursed family. It's damned... I'm sick of those blood meals." David Gustin seemed to explode, yelling at the middle-aged man. "Silence, David—" An aged voice echoed from the entrance of the hall. An old man with partially white hair stood there, casting an intimidating gaze at David.
"Father—" The middle-aged man said respectfully.
"Grandpa—I have my reasons, okay, I shouldn't have spoken like that." David Gustin shrugged, showing slight fear towards the old man, "I shouldn't have."
The old man nodded, and gestured for David Gustin to follow him. The two left the hall and arrived at a cellar in the rear of the villa, hidden amongst the trees. They moved aside the vine covering the cellar door, revealing a series of intricate mechanical contraptions.
The cellar door was made of heavy iron and controlled electronically, hence the opening process was slow. Once the door finally opened completely, they both descended into its depths. Down the stone stairs, about twenty meters deep, was an expansive underground room.
Inside, three other individuals sat at a table, engrossed in a card game. Beside each of them was a cup filled with fresh blood, emanating a pungent iron smell.
"Hey, Gustin, I hate drinking this stuff, it stinks." Upon seeing the old man, one of the men couldn't help but voice his dissatisfaction. "During the day, you won't let us out, at night, the same. Listen, we aren't your prisoners. We should be free to do as we please."
"Listen here, Miguel, as long as you seek refuge here, you follow my rules. Don't forget the mess you made before. You almost got yourself killed, and of course... almost doomed us all."
"It's been fifteen years, fifteen years! You bring this up every day." The old man stood up, yelling at Gustin, "I'm sick of it. Why can't we go out? We should be the masters of this world, not its rejects. Screw this!" As he finished, he flipped off the old Gustin.
David, who was standing nearby, was enlightened by these words. Yes, he thought the same. Why couldn't they showcase their unique abilities, instead of hiding like cowards? And this event from fifteen years ago, he seemed to know nothing about it. So, he was eager for them to continue the conversation.
"Enough! In front of David, don't mention that damned incident from fifteen years ago. It almost led us to a major crisis. Stay in this damn basement!" Gustin forcefully rebuked them.
After a moment of silence, the old man looked at Gustin, "Hey, Robin, we are friends, aren't we? All four of us. I know you've done a lot for us these years, but... Do you know how despairing it is to live here without seeing the sun? Please, either let us go or let us die!"
Yes, fifteen years was a long time.
The old man named Robin Gustin stayed silent for a while and finally shook his head, "No, at least not now because... David has stirred up trouble again. This time, he has provoked the werewolves." After saying this, he turned to leave.
As he departed, the three men behind him were left stunned.
Opening the heavy iron door, Robin Gustin and David emerged. As soon as they stepped out, they noticed something was amiss. At the entrance of their house, a rope was hanging from the top of the villa, with a man tied to it, suspended in mid-air. Nearby, a young man who seemed Chinese stood there, wearing an inscrutable smile on his face.