162 Everything is Expendable
Early morning.
General Grant temporarily assigned his two lieutenant generals to Kane and lent him his mount. This provided Kane an opportunity to familiarize himself with his future subordinates.
After the group left Cascadia, Grant quickly walked towards the Admiral's courtyard.
"I don't understand. He's the H.A.R.M. General of Vancouver. Why does this assessment completely disregard my opinion?"
A rare flash of anger crossed the old man's face. As Cascadia's oldest and longest-serving general, even the Admiral had to show him respect.
Theodore stood up to greet him and shook his head with a warm smile. "If he can't even deter a fully crystallized foxvamp, how could Kane possibly help you protect Vancouver?"
"Admiral Montgomery, don't try to deceive me!" General Grant narrowed his eyes. "That fox vampire is not an ordinary fully crystallized vampire. It left New Terra, became a disciple of Fox Wonderland, and has now returned after completing its studies. It's revisiting its old haunts at the height of its pride and self-satisfaction. You're unwilling to provoke it, and you won't send your disciple. Instead, you let the H.A.R.M. general I personally selected to stir up trouble. You don't think I know what your intentions are?!"
"Are your own disciples precious gold, while those entrusted to me are nothing but mud?" Skyler Grant's voice crackled with barely suppressed fury. "If this matter is mishandled, it won't just be John Kane who suffers the consequences. All of Cascadia will face the wrath of Fox Wonderland!"
"Keep your voice down, please," Theodore's smile faded as he glanced at the two women inside.
An elegant woman was gently twirling a white Go stone, asking soft questions. The serene and beautiful girl remained silent, her eyes icy. She placed black stones in a row of five and then withdrew her delicate hand.
The woman covered her red lips with her hand. "Aisha, that's not how you play Go."
Aisha Patani didn't glance back at the board. She had no time for pursuits like piano, chess, painting, or dancing. In her mind, the game was already over. As for the rules the other person adhered to, why did they hold any significance to her?
"..."
Theodore turned back to General Grant and spoke calmly, "Aisha has more pressing matters to attend to, and I must remain here to supervise her. You understand—her power is extraordinary. Even I cannot afford to lose focus while in the same courtyard."
"Moreover, being a H.A.R.M. general requires more than just strength—one must also know how to handle vampires. This is an excellent training opportunity. After all, it's merely a disciple of Fox Wonderland. Even if we cause offense, I carry enough influence to manage the consequences."
Skyler Grant let out a cold snort at Theodore's last comment and ceased his questioning.
Kane's decisive and efficient manner had clearly earned the general's respect. The thought of any harm befalling the young man made Grant deeply uneasy. The Admiral's promise provided some reassurance.
The old man reflected on Theodore's earlier remarks and fixed him with an icy stare. "Admiral, with a personality like yours, you're destined for complete isolation."
He appears to treat even his own disciples as though they were worthless mud. Such is the inherent distrust that plagued those in positions of power.
For example, after discovering an unparalleled talent like Aisha, he wasn't content merely teaching her skills—he sought to forge her very character. First, he personally destroyed her only influential companion, the golden monkey. Then he used that tragic event to ensure she dared not relax even for a moment.
Now, rather than placing hope on her breakthrough, he sought to use this disciple—whom he had raised since childhood—to seek help from beyond New Terra, having lost all hope of aid from the capital.
"If Cascadia can survive the vampire scourge, I have no doubt that you will be stabbed dozens of times by the Will Embodied Ice Dragon." Skyler Grant said coldly as he turned to leave.
"It doesn't matter. I possess a Redeemed Spirit. This physical shell—she may cut it to pieces to vent her rage if she wishes." Theodore smiled with cold detachment.
While a Seeker of Redeemer could transfer their consciousness to their Redeemed Spirit, the Spirit still required a physical vessel to inhabit. Life without a body would be far more challenging than Theodore suggested.
However, as Admiral of Cascadia, he had only one duty—protecting the vast territory of twelve cities and 205 counties from vampires. Everything else was expendable.
"The Prince family is thoroughly debauched, notorious across New Terra for their countless offspring. I doubt their heir is any better." Before leaving, the old man couldn't help but whisper a few words of advice.
"Mrs. Prince, being a descendant of a Red Party leader, has an iron-willed personality. That's the reason why Mr. Prince has many illegitimate daughters but only one legitimate son. Though she might be able to summon a Ward of Nature, she's like a winter bear that only emerges for the richest honey. Admiral, be careful."
...
Pinewood County, Salem.
A few months ago, this place was plagued by four major vampire infestations, two of which were eliminated by Sergeant Kane.
H.A.R.M. swiftly secured the area by sealing the city gates and launching a comprehensive vampire hunt.
Numerous elite agents from the Containment Division scoured the county's outskirts. Infamous vampires fled when they heard the news, and even wandering vampires who were unfortunate enough to encounter H.A.R.M. met swift execution.
However, even after three whole months, they were still stationed in Pinewood County. All because of the remaining North Cliff, which they still couldn't enter.
Ethan Atzmon, newly promoted to lieutenant colonel and wearing a wolf-emblazoned cloak, led a group of subordinates at the city gate. As the first H.A.R.M. officer to come into contact with Pinewood County, he possessed the deepest understanding of the place.
Holding Rose Hightower's letter, he was the one who halted the Containment Division agents from clearing out North Cliff.
Beside him stood Anil Patel, a middle-aged man with a bald head. After H.A.R.M. had arrested most county elites for vampire collusion, Patel emerged as the highest-ranking official left standing. His early opposition to the vampire collusion and his role in establishing the Supernatural Affairs division made him the frontrunner for county executive in the upcoming election after H.A.R.M.'s withdrawal.
"A H.A.R.M. general?" Despite being notified hours ago, Patel still struggled to believe it. To him, H.A.R.M. generals were legendary figures who existed only in tales.
"It's been ages since I last saw a H.A.R.M. general in person." Ethan's breath quickened as he unconsciously straightened his posture and brushed the dust from his cloak.
"Must you be so eager?" Noa Atzmon sighed.
This kid was acting too much like a H.A.R.M. agent, and not at all like the Atzmon heir.
Unlike other first-rate forces, their family—as leader of the Four Families and Five Organizations—had their own harmonizing patriarch. Why act so awestruck, as if he'd never seen real power before?
"I'm just wondering which general it might be. If it's the General of Salem, he'd likely negotiate with the fox vampire. But if it's General Patani, she might actually engage the foxvamp in combat..."
"That would give us a chance to earn merits. Wouldn't you like to be promoted to major?" Ethan observed his sister with interest.
Noa looked different somehow—happier and more vibrant. Her aura even felt stronger than it had just days ago.
"Did Dad give you some elixir or something?" Ethan was curious.
Noa shook her head slowly. Her mind drifted back to the passionate encounter a few days ago. Though experienced herself, she had never met anyone like John. His body felt not of flesh but of some enhanced alloy-fiber material. His fluid, which she swallowed so much that day, was not only intoxicating but rich with celestial energy, pushing her cultivation to the threshold of next stage.
While she was lost in her thoughts, Dave Gray suddenly shouted, "Here they come!" The group erupted into commotion.
Outside Pinewood County, a magnificent crimson steed galloped like a streak of light, followed by three towering half-vampire horses. Though only four riders approached, they radiated the overwhelming presence of an army thousand-strong!
"General Grant?" Ethan's eyes widened.
The four bloodsteeds arrived in an instant, their hooves raised high, stopping in front of the waiting H.A.R.M. agents.
A young man in pitch-black armor dismounted, his crimson cloak fluttering in the wind.
Two veteran lieutenant generals from Vancouver steadied his crimson steed. "General Kane, would you like to rest while we gather information about the situation?"
"No, I'm in a hurry." I strode purposefully through the crowd, my calm demeanor commanding silence.
I was quite familiar with this place, and the person who knew the North Cliff fox vampire best was right beside me, so there was no need to ask anyone else.
Rose Hightower trailed silently behind me, her eyes filled with nostalgia as she gazed at the familiar streets.
She wondered if the fox had ever imagined that in just three months, she would return to her homeland—and that the man before her, once merely an insignificant police officer beneath its notice, would rise so far.
Ethan clutched his prepared document, eager to prove his worth, but noticed that the H.A.R.M. general showed no interest in consulting anyone.
He stared at the two familiar figures, rendered speechless.
Even after considering all twelve generals, he couldn't have guessed this outcome.
Who would have thought that there was a General Kane in Cascadia?!
No introductions were necessary—this was their hometown!
"Sis... Sister!" Ethan Atzmon murmured.
"Ah?" Noa replied absent-mindedly, her mind already drifting away with the figure in the black armor.