"Anna! Wait a moment!"
Zhao Lun had been paying attention to Anna, the devoted noble believer. As she prepared to act, he quickly grabbed her hand, redirecting the aim of her gun away from its target.
According to the ancient doctrines of the Church, beings like the one before them were to be purified.
"He is the one the demons seek; we cannot let the demons have him!" she insisted, trying to extend her gun again.
Zhao Lun held her back with urgency; her strength was surprising, and if he didn't take it seriously, he might not be able to stop her.
Anna's words left Niko and the others momentarily stunned, and even the enraged creature froze, adopting a despondent posture as it lay on the ground, howling, "She's right! You can't let the demons find me! Just kill me! Kill me!" It then lay still, seemingly resigned to its fate.
Upon seeing this, Niko, Mulan, and Penelope felt reluctant to bully a "person" who had clearly given up resisting.
"If he hasn't committed any evil deeds, we cannot kill him!" Zhao Lun reiterated, pulling Anna back once more.
"But what if he falls into the hands of the demons?" Anna relented slightly but still seemed uneasy.
"With the weapons we have, why should we fear the demons?" Zhao Lun displayed his wand and shotgun, showcasing their power.
Frankenstein rose, adjusting his disfigured face, and said, "You should kill me! If Dracula discovers my existence, they will use me to reproduce and revive their kind!"
"Their offspring are numerous, countless! They will all return! They will kill many people!"
"You will regret not killing me!"
He pleaded with them, then closed his eyes, seemingly awaiting death.
Anna lifted her gun, but Zhao Lun quickly intervened again.
"Anna…"
Today's weather was dreary, with rain pouring down, making it unsuitable for battle. They had encountered this creature on their way back.
The heavy rain finally ceased by evening, revealing a clear sky filled with stars.
"Tomorrow should be nice weather," Niko remarked, looking up at the sky with a cheerful expression.
"Nice weather? Let's hope so," Anna replied.
Mountain weather was notoriously unpredictable; the good weather of the evening could easily turn cloudy by morning, bringing heavy rain.
In the living room, white candles illuminated the space, casting a warm glow.
Aside from the clinking of utensils, no one spoke.
"Anna, don't worry; as long as we kill Dracula, all our troubles will be resolved!"
"Yes, Anna, we've prepared some interesting things for him!"
Anna was still upset that Zhao Lun hadn't allowed her to kill Frankenstein, sulking during dinner.
Zhao Lun and the others tried to comfort her, while Mulan remained silent, quietly enjoying her meal.
After dinner, the ladies retired to rest, while Zhao Lun began his research.
The creature Frankenstein was a manufactured being, created by a scientist using rudimentary technology resembling a bug.
His existence was a sort of cheat code.
Few could achieve such a feat—creating life under limited conditions! This life was not only complex but had room for further improvement.
When Zhao Lun saw him again, he felt a unique vitality emanating from him, a vitality capable of reviving the dead.
Such a familiar phenomenon was certainly worth preserving for study, to see just what extraordinary qualities this scientific monster possessed that allowed it to exist under such conditions.
Of course, Zhao Lun was not one to kill an innocent; he couldn't bear to leave someone in distress without offering help.
"Count Dracula… I've heard so much about you."
Just thinking of his name, Zhao Lun felt a sense of familiarity. Whether in his past life or this one, the name Dracula was notorious, widely recognized as a formidable monster.
Now, they were getting closer to experiencing his formidable presence!
The next day, when Zhao Lun awoke, the light outside was pleasant; it appeared the rain had stopped. The air was exceptionally fresh and humid, filling his lungs with the scent of grass and trees.
Townsfolk hurried about, their expressions tense.
In the morning, a local had reported seeing werewolves lurking at the town's entrance.
This was a bad sign; the exit was blocked, and the town was about to face a demon's onslaught. The townspeople, experienced in such matters, were frightened and uneasy.
They resented the outsiders who had brought them misfortune, but the four appeared formidable, so they didn't dare confront them.
Anna stood elevated, observing the anxious townsfolk. She quietly loaded bullets into her magazine, then retrieved the sharp Dao knife Zhao Lun had given her, carefully polishing it.
Nearby, Niko donned gloves, using a brush and cloth to meticulously clean her hammer.
Her movements were careful and detailed, treating the hammer like a fragile work of art.
Mulan was also polishing her sturdy box, which looked like wood but had a metallic sheen. Inside were her cherished cooking tools; she took great care of the box, never using its contents for combat.
"These are cooking tools; I won't use them to fight," Mulan replied to curious inquiries.
Penelope was also maintaining her wand, reflecting on yesterday's battle, occasionally gesturing excitedly as she discussed it with Zhao Lun.
Zhao Lun took out his wand, feeling its changes; it had become increasingly remarkable, its surface shimmering with streaks of golden-red metallic light. In his hand, it felt like a living entity, swiftly moving through his fingers so quickly it was mesmerizing.
The wand was exhibiting extraordinary qualities, even catching the attention of the ladies nearby.
"Is that your wand?" Anna asked.
She had seen Penelope's wand before, but it couldn't compare to the one before her.
"Ollivander made it, made of willow wood, with a phoenix feather core from China, fifteen inches long, featuring a magical engraving of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix."
"It's a wand with a strong spirit."
Zhao Lun gently rubbed his fingers along it, causing the wand to emit a faint golden-red glow, a warm light that dispelled the shadows in their hearts.
Within the golden-red light, the image of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix faintly appeared, accompanied by soft chirping, reminiscent of the heavenly music of a phoenix.
"It looks amazing!" Penelope said enviously.
Even those unfamiliar with wands could recognize its extraordinary nature, and Penelope, who owned her own wand, could sense the difference even more acutely.
"Every wand possesses a spirit; if you treat it well and nurture it, your wand will also become extraordinary," Zhao Lun explained.
Their atmosphere was pleasant, completely at odds with the impending battle.
Dark clouds began to gather on the horizon.
"It's coming!"
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