143 See You Soon
Early next morning.
Master Arden was planning to pay a visit and say goodbye. As he walked out of the courtyard, he noticed that all the agents in H.A.R.M. General's Mansion were in a hurry.
He wandered around curiously for a while and finally saw Rose Hightower. However, he discovered that she was the source of this tense atmosphere.
Orders were being issued rapidly—from agents to colonels, everyone who received them immediately turned and left the mansion.
"Station two skilled scouts every thirty miles, alternating day and night shifts, to relay messages."
"Tell General Laurent to stay as close to Chuckanut Mountains as possible without compromising his overall deployment."
"In case of any unexpected situations, I will signal the Vampire Hunters using the bell."
Puzzled, Master Arden stepped forward and asked, "Madam Hightower, is something amiss in Surrey? Can we be of assistance?"
Typically, members of the martial world avoided H.A.R.M.'s affairs. However, having faced the terrifying vampire lord together just days ago, his question seemed appropriate.
Rose waved her hand, dismissing the others, before turning to him. "It's not Surrey. We've detected the aura of a Mountain Lord. Colonel Kane intends to kill it before departing."
Master Arden's eyes widened in surprise as he recalled the earlier conversation with Master Rhys. "Is it the fully crystallized fierce tiger that's been hiding in Chuckanut Mountains?"
Last night, Master Rhys had confided that Cascadia was on the brink of chaos and that Colonel Kane was the Admiral's secret weapon. Though he had been skeptical then, but now it seemed that there was some truth to it.
Having just returned from Peacock Valley, he was already preparing to attack another powerful vampire.
H.A.R.M. usually focused on defense and stability, striving to prevent vampires from invading the twelve cities. As long as the vampires retreated, they rarely risked leaving the safety of familiar cities and counties to chase them into the dangerous wilderness.
"Sir Kane is employing shock and awe—making an example of one to intimidate the other vampires," Master Arden sighed. He and Master Rhys still needed to return the martial arts manual back to the Sanctum. While they would help without hesitation if anything happened in Surrey, they lacked the Vampire Hunters' expertise beyond Cascadia's borders.
Rose contemplated the concept of shock and awe, wondering if this aligned with John's intentions. She realized that these martial artists now saw even the fearsome Mountain Lord as merely John's example—a tool to demonstrate his power.
She had originally agreed to request assistance from a H.A.R.M. general. However, even with her personal relationship with General Laurent, she could only ask him to monitor the situation and remain as close as possible. If anything unexpected occurred, she would notify him immediately so he could rush to their aid. This was the most she could arrange.
After all, an ambush attempt on a Vampire Lord, if mishandled, could endanger all of Surrey.
For a H.A.R.M. general who had nurtured his Redeemed Spirit, leaving Cascadia would present the perfect opportunity to strike him down.
Therefore, this matter could only be handled by John and herself, and they had to be prepared to bear the consequences themselves. If they ran into unexpected danger, their survival would depend on whether they could hold out until General Laurent arrived.
"I apologize, but I have urgent matters to attend to. Please make yourselves at home." Rose gave a polite nod before departing from the mansion.
I stood beside two bloodsteeds. At the sound of footsteps, I turned. "You're coming too?"
Rose mounted one of the half-vampire horse and replied, "Though I may not be much help, I've gained experience tracking vampires over the years. At the very least, I can help you save some time. Your powerful concealment technique would be best used to hide in darkness, strike the creature when it's unaware, and then swiftly withdraw."
Remembering how I had "escorted" her to Black Stone Spring, she smiled. "You were quite skilled at ambushes before. Just use the same approach."
Given my strength, killing the Mountain Lord wasn't the issue. The real challenge lay in how to accomplish it efficiently.
If we got bogged down in a prolonged fight, escape would be difficult.
I mounted my bloodsteed and said quietly, "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Her advice on hunting vampires reflected valuable experience gained over countless missions.
"I thank you in advance, Brother John," Rose smiled at me.
I was taken aback by her calling me "Brother John." Something seemed to slip away from my heart, a strange ache bloomed within, a door had been gently closed—this must have been how she felt when I called her "Sister Rose."
Rose tightened the reins, and her bloodsteed pawed the ground with its hooves. With sharp, rhythmic hoof beats, it galloped swiftly out of Surrey.
...
In the Chuckanut Mountains south of Surrey, on a low slope about ten miles from Mount Strachan—the mountain range's highest peak.
We tied our bloodsteeds to a tree. The normally proud and elegant half-vampire horses now stood alert, their eyes scanning the surroundings as they nervously dug at the ground.
Rose withdrew her silver bell and sent a message.
The Vampire Hunters she had invited in advance swiftly responded.
"Everything is ready." Rose turned to me with a critical question. "At full strength, how far can you charge in an instant, before a vampire has time to react?"
I pondered for a moment and gave a somewhat conservative answer. "Eight hundred yards."
Though I wasn't entirely clear on what qualified as "an instant," I knew that within this range, even a fully crystallized vampire couldn't escape my ceremonial blade.
Rose paused mid-motion while putting away her silver bell. She needed a moment to process what she had just heard.
Could a body-tempering martial artist truly possess such tremendous explosive speed?
She composed herself and accepted my claim without question, despite knowing the accuracy of the information could mean the difference between life and death for her.
Having chosen to join this mission, she had no choice but to place complete trust in me.
"Eight hundred yards will work perfectly. That way, I can maintain enough distance with you to avoid revealing your position."
...
Before heading toward Mount Strachan, Rose put away the golden essence sample. Unlike the chase of Peter Volare, this time she needed stealth—the tiger vampire would be able to sense its own essence from afar.
The vast, boundless mountain range was the territory of the fierce tigervamp. For many years, it had reigned as the Mountain Lord of Chuckanut Mountains.
Occasionally, vampire hunters would venture here, but none could even collect an essence sample before loosing their lives in vain.
As she stepped into this dangerous territory, Rose wasn't flustered, even though John's aura had completely disappeared from her perception. She knew he was behind her, eight hundred yards away, and the memory of his decisive slaying of vampire lords steadied her nerves.
In the perpetual twilight beneath the dense canopy, Rose searched for the tiger's tracks—a crushed bone fragment here, a slash on tree bark there.
The air hung thick with damp earth and rotting leaves as Rose detected a faint tiger scent that most Vampire Hunters would miss. The mixed traces, both fresh and old, told her the creature roamed unhurriedly, confident in its dominion over this territory.
She knelt down, her fingers brushing the soft, damp forest soil. Through the symphony of buzzing insects, she discovered tiger droppings—evidence that the creature had passed through recently.
Rose smiled, a predatory glint in her eyes. On a branch of a bush hung a speck of golden fur that the wind hadn't yet blown away.
She continued on the treacherous path of gnarled roots and loose rocks, hidden beneath a thick carpet of rotting leaves. Her gaze swept methodically across the surroundings, committing every detail to memory.
As we ventured deeper into Mount Strachan, time crept forward.
The late afternoon sun's arc grew hazy, and a fine gray mist crept across the sky.
At last, a look of joy lit up Rose's face. She transmitted a message through the silver bell: "It was just here. It's about two miles southeast, in the back mountain's hinterland... Be very careful."
Despite herself, she couldn't help adding that last cautionary note.
Her task was done. Staying any longer would only be a hindrance. The silent assassin concealed in the mountain depths had no need for another presence that might give away his position.
Her next task was clear: leave Mount Strachan and await his news.
All was still, with only the silver bell's reply signaling the young man's departure.
"Thank you, see you soon."