As a developed nation, H country boasts many affluent regions, and its capital, Seoul, is no exception. The rural outskirts of Seoul are more akin to suburban residential areas than actual countryside. Thus, the houses there are not the typical mud-brick homes or makeshift shelters seen in more rural settings, but rather, a collection of villas.
"Number 65."
Guided by Brother Xavier, who accompanied them, Eileen and her group quickly reached the street where their target was located. From a distance, Eileen, using her enhanced vision, could see Father Kim Sunwoo, dressed in his priestly robes, waiting at the entrance of a villa. They were positioned on a sloping corner of the road, which conveniently blocked them from Father Kim's view.
Seeing this, Eileen halted and turned to Zhang Zhouyuan.
"Mr. Zhang Zhouyuan, this is as far as you go."
Upon hearing this, Hilary and Brother Xavier, who were also part of the group, turned their attention to Zhang, who was carrying several backpacks.
"Ah?"
The simple-faced Zhang hadn't expected his temporary job to end here.
"Sister Eileen, I could actually..." Zhang started to say, looking at the stern-faced nun.
"No, that's not necessary," Eileen interrupted, shaking her head. Although Zhang was a part-timer and one of the documented superhumans, he wasn't truly part of their circle or a clergy member. They had taken the liberty of bringing him because of the urgent situation with Father Kim Sunwoo.
Without a bishop, they could not mobilize other clergy, so having Zhang, who had always been helping around the church, assist with minor tasks was the most they could ask.
The video sent by Father Kim indeed seemed eerie and dangerous. It was imprudent to involve outsiders in such matters.
"Put down the stuff, Zhang."
Hilary spoke up, giving Zhang a meaningful look and handing over his own backpack to Eileen. The backpack contained the equipment Sister Eileen would need: two HK416 automatic rifles equipped with 5.56×45mm NATO rounds filled with holy water, and 30-round STANAG magazines.
Eileen nodded, accepting the backpack with a calm demeanor. She had become a true marksman, perhaps as the bishop had said, she had a talent for it and had trained extensively.
Without further ado, Eileen placed the backpack on the ground, unzipped it, and began equipping herself with the neatly packed magazines and firearms. Spending so much time with the bishop had clearly influenced her.
Brother Xavier, witnessing the transformation of the slender nun into a competent warrior, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth in surprise. He had not expected the contents of the backpacks to be what they were, nor had he imagined a nun turning into such a fighter.
"Can you really handle a gun, Sister Eileen?" Brother Xavier couldn't help but ask in a low voice as he watched her expertly check an HK416.
"Yes, Bishop York often took me out for practice," Eileen replied nonchalantly as she slung the rifle over her shoulder.
"Ah, Bishop York..." Brother Xavier recalled the respected bishop. He had heard stories of Bishop York's prowess not only in exorcisms but also in knightly combat, having once dominated an entire order of knights during his time at the headquarters.
Only Zhang knew the real extent of their preparation; he sighed as Hilary came over to pick up another heavy backpack.
"Are you sure you don't need my help, Brother Hilary?"
"Go back and wait in the car," Hilary instructed, setting down his own heavy backpack and spreading out the contents on the ground. He gave Zhang, who seemed reluctant to leave, a reassuring pat on the shoulder and urged him to hurry.
Zhang reluctantly walked away, looking back three times before he was out of sight.
Hilary, like Eileen, crouched down to check his equipment. He had brought an M249 light machine gun, a staple of the military since 1984 known for its sustained fire capability.
This choice was very much in line with the bishop's style: high volume, high capacity for sustained output. He brought two of these weapons, along with various other pieces of equipment and ammunition, hence the significant weight. They had needed Zhang's strength just to help transport everything.
Not everyone could handle everything alone like Bishop York. Managing two M249s was already at Hilary's limit.
Hilary silently loaded a belt into the M249, his expression turning sharp. The belt, loaded with 200 rounds of specially crafted holy water bullets, was a critical part of their arsenal.
Brother Xavier, watching Eileen expertly attach magazine after magazine to her belt and Hilary shouldering the heavy weaponry, felt his face twitch uncontrollably. The sight of their fully equipped forms was indeed striking.
"Can a clergy member really be doing this?" Brother Xavier doubted inwardly, his worldview shaken. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What kind of person is Bishop York, anyway? Even his attendants are so unconventional."
"Sister Eileen, do you need this?" Hilary's voice pulled Brother Xavier from his thoughts. Hilary was holding out a gun and a belt to Xavier, on which hung several grenades.
"These are Holy Light Grenades I've recently developed. They should be effective against dark creatures," Hilary explained, seeing the puzzled look on Xavier's face.
"Holy Light Grenades?" Xavier echoed, still dazed.
"Think of them as just another form of attack," Hilary advised, stretching out the bandolier of grenades. "There's not much material, only two belts, each with ten grenades. Do you want one?"
Xavier's sturdy frame shuddered, and he quickly shook his head. "Thank you, Brother Hilary, but no. I can't let this equipment hinder my movements."
Hilary raised an eyebrow, glanced at the knight sword at Xavier's waist, and thought of their bishop who never seemed concerned about how much he carried. Nonetheless, Hilary nodded. "Fair enough."
He then passed the grenade belt to Eileen, who was already heavily armed. "Eileen, can you manage this?"
Without a word, Eileen took the belt and slung it across her body. She wasn't planning on getting into melee combat anyway.
"I can manage this last one, but any more would affect my ability to shoot," Eileen commented, making a final adjustment to her gear.
Seeing this, Hilary equipped the last belt of grenades himself, loaded two more boxes of ammunition, and picked up the last M249.
"Whew!" he exhaled sharply, exchanging a look with Eileen. "Ready."
"Good," Eileen nodded and then turned to Xavier. "According to the video sent by Father Kim, we're dealing with a physical monster."
Xavier and Hilary pursed their lips.
"From the exorcism performed by Father Kim, it's effective. We're definitely facing a corporeal demon," Eileen continued. The air grew tense as she added, "Don't trust anyone easily because it can shape-shift. We need to prepare for the worst."
With these words, Xavier gripped his sword handle tighter.
"Understood."
"The first thing we do," Eileen instructed, pulling a bottle of holy water from her bag and handing it to Xavier, "is to not trust anyone. Immediately identify who the demon is."
"Stick to the plan," Xavier said, taking the holy water and securing it in his robe, then gripping his sword as he moved towards the villa where Father Kim was waiting.
"Can you see?"
As Xavier moved away, Hilary turned to Eileen and asked. His human senses and the little holy power he possessed were insufficient to see clearly over a hundred meters away, especially with the obstructed view.
"I can."
A golden ring invisible to Hilary shone in the depths of Eileen's eyes. Through her enhanced sight, the figure of Father Kim waiting at the villa was crystal clear.
"I can see very clearly," she affirmed, observing as Father Kim noticed Xavier approaching and greeted him. Whatever they discussed, Xavier seemed to use it as a pretext to enter the villa with the priest.
"They're inside."
Eileen signaled, leading the way forward.
Hilary, clutching his light machine guns, muttered as they moved, "Honestly, facing a real demon still makes me nervous."
"We've fought demons with the bishop before," Eileen reminded him, glancing back. "Remember, the bishop said it was a Commanding demon."
At this, Hilary expressed regret. "I was sent away by the bishop then, so I never saw that demon."
"Oh," Eileen replied calmly. "But really, demons aren't so special. Aside from being ugly, they look almost like us."
The two continued their conversation, trying to ease their nerves as they prepared for the battle ahead.
However, Hilary couldn't resist commenting, "Eileen, what have you been doing while I've been buried in research? You seem so unfamiliar now."
Eileen answered seriously, "I wanted to be more helpful to the bishop, not just a bystander. Since the bishop said I am—"
Her words were cut off by a roar from inside the villa, just dozens of meters away.
Eileen paused, sharing a grave look with Hilary: "Xavier found the demon."
The next second, a loud boom! The wall of the villa exploded outward, sending a figure flying into the external wall, raising a cloud of dust.
Without needing Eileen's reminder, Hilary could see with his own eyes who the flying figure was: it was Xavier.
"Move!"
Hilary took the lead, sprinting towards the villa. Eileen's delicate features hardened as she quickly followed.
Inside the villa,
the demon's form emerged amid the dust cloud. It was a towering figure, over three meters tall, shrouded in darkness as if it were the embodiment of shadow itself.
Its muscles were bulky and twisted, radiating immense strength. Its arms and legs were covered with iron-hard scales that glinted with a dark red glow. Its large hands sported sharp claws capable of tearing through any obstruction.
The demon's face was grotesque, with eyes that were deep pools of darkness and pupils like burning coals, flickering with a malevolent light.
As it stood there, the demon exuded an indescribable aura of terror.
"I've been waiting for you," it said with a wicked grin, apparently amused by the sight of Hilary and Eileen arriving, plus Xavier trying to recover from the impact against the wall. "I didn't expect you to suspect the priest as well. I had planned to play with you a bit longer."
Xavier, regaining his footing, wiped the blood from his face and stared at the demon inside the villa. "Father Kim and his family are all dead. The video he sent must have been part of this demon's plan. Probably, right after sending the video, Father Kim was killed."
The next words from Xavier chilled Eileen and Hilary to the bone: "It wants to torment us."
Without a word, Hilary, who had already pulled a Holy Light Grenade from his belt, threw it towards the villa.
"Run!"
It was the only logical decision. Since the exorcism techniques of Father Kim and his family, who were no longer alive, had all been part of the demon's plan, they had to flee.
The trio acted decisively, retreating the way they had come.
"Trying to run?" The corporeal demon, watching the small object flying towards it and the three retreating figures, taunted with a predatory gleam in its eyes, savoring the cruelty.
It wanted to toy with its prey slowly before killing them in their despair.
"This is the ultimate pleasure," it voiced breathily, snatching the flying object out of the air.
The next second, a loud bang! The previously unconcerned demon suddenly recoiled as the Holy Light Grenade detonated in its hand, the explosion's light piercing its fleshly defenses and shattering several of its claws. Black, ichor-like blood sprayed, corroding the ground into a smoking pit.
"You all deserve to die!"
With a furious swipe, the demon's damaged claw instantly regenerated. Pained yet furious, it stamped the ground, creating a crater, and leaped towards the fleeing trio...
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