CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 31 COURAGE

Don’t die, Lorenzo Holmes!

Eve kept chanting in her heart as she ran, to be honest, everything she experienced tonight was more thrilling than all the events in the first half of her life combined, the monsters living in the world’s dark side, and those fighting them.

This world was more complex than Eve imagined. The girl was troubled and in pain, but also felt an unprecedented inspiration because of Lorenzo.

He might be the bravest person she had ever seen, though his personality was terribly bad, yet in the face of monsters that could destroy the spirit, he still had the courage to wield a sword. In this comparison, Eve seemed dimmer than ever under his brilliance.

Not knowing how long she had been running, Eve kept going downward, and she heard the sound of rushing water that Lorenzo had mentioned, the waterway.

The girl stopped immediately, surrounded by darkness, with only dim electric lights illuminating the not-so-large space.

She wasn’t as knowledgeable as Lorenzo, she couldn’t see what was around her at all, and it was only then that the girl realized Lorenzo’s importance, without that detective, she might have died long ago.

But at this moment, the sound that had been relentlessly pursuing Eve sounded again, the sound of scales from the serpent-like beings entwining, faint yet clear because of the flowing water sound, Eve couldn’t figure out where the sound was coming from. The girl could only grip the gun in her hand tightly and watch around vigilantly.

Lorenzo said that thing would put incredible pressure on the mind, but once you get used to that fear, even the fiercest tiger is just a dangerous big cat.

Gripping the gun tightly, Eve’s gaze swept back and forth in the darkness.

Thoughts flew by continuously, in an instant, Eve thought a lot, she thought about what would happen if she survived, and what if she died. There was nothing to fear, just many regrets.

For a moment, there was an extremely unfamiliar sense of trance. Eve wasn’t too sure when she became like this. She remembered that a long time ago, she was also a girl who liked dresses and dolls, very ordinary, when did she start gripping swords and guns?

In the darkness of her consciousness, the girl strained to remember, and everything became clear in this thinking.

Eve was born after the Radiant War, but before Eve was born, she actually had three older brothers, just like those war stories said, her three brothers had died in battle before she was born, and her parents always looked at her with a slight sadness, treating her as a treasure.

Sometimes it’s very ironic, the death of her three brothers brought a permanent trace of sadness to the family, but because of their death, her parents gave all their love to Eve, and her childhood was simply growing up in a sugar house.

So why did she become like this?

Eve was somewhat unclear, and in that darkness, the sharp claws and fangs came suddenly, an aura that sent shivers down her spine, but Eve still mustered a bit of courage, rolling to dodge the attack and then firing back, dark red blood spurting out, spilling on the ground.

Her heart pounded fiercely, but unlike before when she was too scared to move, Eve was gradually adapting, dragging her stiff body, she ran towards a corner of the darkness, just as Lorenzo had told her in the passageway.

That voice from the memory echoed in her ears.

"According to the Order’s records, at first, humans and demons lived together on the earth, humans fenced themselves with strong walls and hid in sealed shelters when night fell, enduring fear without making any sound."

She remembered Lorenzo saying that back then.

"In the darkness, we shivered until the first fire was lit, illuminating this dark forest. It could guide other bewildered people in the night to find their direction, but it would also let the demons lurking in the dark perceive your presence, so light sometimes doesn’t protect us.

To kill a demon, you must first become one, infiltrate the darkness."

The friction of scales grew more intense, Eve could even smell the fishy scent permeating the air, she leaned tightly against the dark wall, so she only had to guard her front.

She had to survive, at least until Lorenzo arrived.

This place was like a round chamber building, with curved walls reflecting sounds, and the water sound and friction noise resounded together, making it impossible to discern the direction.

It seemed something lightly brushed Eve’s face, but when she rubbed her sleeve, there was nothing, maybe it was falling dust, she thought to herself, then suddenly raised the gun and fired into the darkness above.

The muzzle erupted with dazzling firelight, illuminating everything in this darkness and the demon perched above. It was an eerie twisted body, pale bones connected to exposed muscles, three or four pairs of hands clinging to the wall firmly, countless eyes arrayed among the sharp teeth extending beyond the mouthparts.

The bullet successfully hit the demon. During her police academy training, Eve had excelled in her shooting course. At close range, she directly hit the demon’s head, shattering several eyeballs, provoking a raspy howl.

"Calm down, Eve, calm down..."

The girl murmured to herself and then rolled to avoid the descending demon. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hands trembled slightly, but she still held onto her weapon. To be honest, seeing such a twisted nightmare as a dangerous big cat was still somewhat difficult.

This is the terrifying aspect of demons, every moment of battle with them is a test of one’s mind; once you break down, death awaits.

A fierce wind howled from behind; it was sharp claws, adorned with rings on those slender claws. It looked like it used to be human, but in tonight’s eerie aura, it too had become part of the demon ranks.

Eve swiftly turned around, she knew well she could no longer escape. She drew her short sword and slashed forcefully, but her strength was clearly no match for the demon. The short sword clashed with the claws, and Eve felt a tingling in the webbing of her thumb, soon her weapon was knocked away powerlessly, and then a superficial yet painful wound appeared on her slender arm.

Perhaps it was because of the human blood, that demon emitted an excited howl, its sharp mouthpiece opened wide, twisted arms tightly grasping Eve, that grinding mouthpiece spreading before her, and unsurprisingly, she would die there next.

Was it just going to end like this?

But it seemed that was the only way it could end, multiple arms held Eve as though in shackles, slender claws piercing beneath her flesh. Her spirit was increasingly fractured, seemingly on the verge of insanity in the next moment.

What an unlucky night. If she had listened to her father, maybe she’d be sleeping in a warm bed now, oblivious to these so-called demons, growing up happily until finding a beloved partner, spending her life on a scenic island.

It was supposed to be like this, so when did things change?

Was it her father drinking at night after her mother’s death? No, he had been like this since she was born, mourning her brothers.

A familiar photo frame rose in her mind, but Eve couldn’t recall the faces upon it; she only knew they were her brothers. She was the princess of the Phoenix family, a newly reborn phoenix from ashes.

Yet she survived, while they became ashes.

Every moment of breath, every instant of life was bought by their deaths. Perhaps it was realizing this that changed her.

The sharp mouthpiece churned downward, and at that moment, an incredible strength erupted from within Eve. Enduring the pain of the claws, her arm forcefully broke free from the grasp, and she punched, hand clenching a pistol, into the descending mouthpiece of the demon.

It was an almost numbing pain, but Eve didn’t care. Under extreme fear, some went insane, while others fell into hysterical courage.

In the densely clustered eyes were reflected the fierce and brave face of the girl, her pupils constricted in rage like those of a beast.

"Die!"

She shouted, squeezing the trigger in her hand, a dull sound emanating continuously beneath the strange flesh, bullets relentlessly piercing through the demon’s body, shredding its flesh from within. It flung Eve violently into the wall, blood poured from its mouthpiece, its wheezing voice piercingly harsh.

Eve fell heavily from the wall, it felt as though her whole body shattered, her arm bled heavily with a shocking wound, the demon opposite didn’t fare well either, though it was merely discomfort. It was a demon; the painful wound only incited its beastial nature, parasitic Stomach Chewing Grass sprouted forth, like a frenzied serpent swarm.

The timid heart finally found courage. Eve bit her lip and struggled to stand, unwilling even in death to tarnish the Phoenix family’s reputation.

The demon once again charged at Eve. She tried to move, but the overwhelming pain almost sent her fainting, yet eventually, the girl managed to move and evade before the fatal collision.

Gray dust fell heavily, shadows fiercely twisted and swung amidst the stirring dust.

Eve breathed heavily. She survived, lived another few seconds, but that was enough; she had to live, at least until Lorenzo arrived. Although she hadn’t known this detective for long, the image of him standing alone against the demon was etched in her mind.

Lorenzo Holmes wouldn’t die, he dared to stay because he could kill the demon. She just had to survive, survive...

Another roaring attack, wildly growing limbs like flying swords, just a scrape left behind a wound, blood continuously flowing.

Her vision grew dim, Eve felt as if she were submerged in the Ice Sea, due to blood loss, her will barely resisted the demon’s assault.

It seemed she would stop here, Eve closed her eyes as the demon drew ever closer.

Time ticked by, yet the anticipated death didn’t arrive. Light seemed to rise before her eyes, prompting Eve to open them, blazing white flames filled her entire sight.