A good while passed.
"Luke~"
Jessica's voice was filled with seduction, her fair arms wrapped around Luke's back.
"Jessica, it's almost dinnertime."
Luke gently kissed Jessica's hair, then pulled her out of bed.
"Matthew should be done soon, and I think Steve will call us to discuss what's next. So, are you still not getting up?"
"We're definitely not buying these soft mattresses for our home. I feel like I'm lying on ocean waves."
Jessica rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushed as she put on her clothes.
"Of course, we'll pick out furniture together then, and we'll build our little cabin on the Holy Mountain."
Luke got out of bed, put on his jacket, then sat on a chair, watching Jessica.
Jessica slowly pulled her pantyhose onto her calves, her movements incredibly alluring.
Or perhaps any woman making that motion would be alluring, but the subsequent actions became a little difficult to watch.
The twisting and turning, trying to pull up the pantyhose, looked like an all-out battle. Even for the supernaturally strong Jessica, putting on pantyhose was a difficult task.
After all, this wasn't a problem that could be solved by sheer force alone.
If you're curious, you could try wearing a pair of thermal pantyhose. The feeling is hard to describe, but apparently, they're excellent for warmth.
Of course, this was just a small price to pay for beauty.
It didn't take long for Jessica to get ready. She playfully "gently" punched the grinning Luke on the shoulder, leaving behind the shattered remains of a chair on the floor.
"I think we won't need to pay for this damage, right?"
Luke looked troubled at the fragments of the chair beneath him. It looked quite high-end, surely not cheap.
Jessica rolled her eyes at his words.
"When you see Walter later, ask him how much it costs, Luke. Remember to be fair."
Jessica shook her hair, then opened the door.
Luke nodded, then walked with Jessica towards the meeting room at the end of the corridor.
They were staying in a double room, the farthest from the meeting room.
Along the way, they would pass by the other members' rooms, allowing them to call out to their teammates.
"Hey guys, I think we should have a meeting."
Luke shouted loudly in the corridor.
The other companions came out one by one in no time, but their expressions were all tinged with amusement.
"Looks like you had a good rest."
Rumlow leaned against the wall, holding a bottle of liquor and grinning mischievously.
Steve held his shield, saying nothing. He wouldn't pry into other people's private matters.
"Of course, the environment here is much better than expected."
Luke grinned shamelessly, not feeling embarrassed at all, then walked directly to the meeting room at the end of the corridor.
"Looks like my timing was just right. Let's go."
Matthew, who had just poked his head out from the stairwell, said this, then immediately opened the meeting room door and walked in.
Inside the meeting room was a traditional British conference table—yes, a sufficiently large round table.
"Let's discuss our gains and our next moves. At least Matthew won't disappoint."
Rumlow swayed as he walked into the meeting room.
"Hellboy is a guest at Hellsing, as for that vampire, it's a bit hard to describe."
Matthew pulled out a chair and sat down, then beckoned to Blade.
"That Alucard, he's the progenitor that Midnight Vampire spoke of, which means the River of Death exists."
Blade didn't sit down, but stood by the door as he spoke.
His words made Steve's face change. As a veteran who had fought alongside the Howling Commandos, it was impossible for him to be ignorant of the "River of Death" mentioned by Midnight Vampire.
"River of Death? So, if we want to kill him, we have to completely wipe out the River of Death!"
Steve was the last to enter the meeting room, closing the door behind him. He simply stated his understanding of the River of Death, but his brows were already furrowed.
"The problem is, no one knows how many souls are in his River of Death. Besides, I don't think Alucard is someone who can be easily defeated."
Blade turned his gaze to Matthew, wanting to hear Matthew's assessment of Alucard's strength.
"What is the River of Death?"
Jessica interrupted Blade.
Among those present, only Blade and Steve knew about the River of Death, so it was better to clarify.
"The River of Death represents how many lives that vampire has from the blood of those he's consumed."
Steve said with a grim expression, his eyes also turning to Matthew.
"Don't look at me. If it's just killing him once in his normal state, I can probably do it. The problem is I'm not confident I can keep winning in a continuous struggle. I estimate he has at least a million lives in his River of Death."
Matthew's face was also somewhat grim.
The feeling of being watched by others was as uncomfortable for him as being pricked by a needle through an oilcloth.
A powerful being with an unquantifiable number of lives—this was an enemy he couldn't deal with.
It's important to remember that the most terrifying thing about an enemy who can revive countless times isn't just that they're immortal, but that each battle exposes their characteristics to their opponent.
A weak person who cannot die only has one outcome: being placed on a dissection table. But a powerful being with immortality is a nightmare for all who oppose them.
Furthermore, Matthew couldn't be sure that the Alucard he saw was fighting at full strength.
His normal state alone made Matthew feel immense pressure. He didn't have much confidence in defeating this vampire.
"Our goal doesn't seem to be to fight Hellsing to the death, right? Why are we talking about this?"
Luke said, putting his feet on the table.
The faces of the few people present improved slightly with Luke's words. The Hellsing organization, represented by Alucard, was not their objective for this trip.
On the contrary, they should be looking for the enemy.
"But can vampires really be trusted?" This question constantly echoed in their minds.
"Did Nick Fury tell you anything?"
Rumlow leaned back in his chair, supporting his body with the two back legs, swaying casually, looking like a carefree street punk.
He looked at Steve, a knowing, mocking smile on his lips.
"He didn't say."
"I knew it. Then let's wait for Hellsing's butler to come. That old butler isn't weak. I'm looking forward to fighting him."
Rumlow put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
"Rumlow, I feel like you've been somewhat 'desireless' lately?"
Luke took the vodka from Rumlow's table and gulped it down.
"What, are you going to fight me to ignite my desire to win?"
Rumlow sat up straight, staring intensely at Luke.
"Ancestor Talik really wants to see me beat you up. You know, those three are very concerned about it."
"Now you're not one-on-one. You'll have to face both of us."
Luke wrapped his arm around Jessica, speaking to Rumlow. Jessica simply rolled her eyes and said nothing.
"Pfft! You bastard."
Rumlow grumbled, snatched the liquor back from Luke's hand, and took a big swig.
"Next, let's discuss the battle arrangements. I don't think there'll be any problem with me commanding."
Steve rapped on the table.
...
Inside the Hellsing Organization, Integra was holding a round table conference with government officials to discuss the recent surge in vampire incidents.
Clearly, the officials were under considerable pressure due to the increasing number of vampire incidents.
After all, trying to suppress information was never an easy task; the longer it dragged on, the greater the likelihood of causing panic.
"Gentlemen, this is the signaling device."
Integra placed a small mechanical device in front of everyone, her expression serious.
"The vampires and ghouls killed so far have shown no exceptions in their investigations. This signaling device is embedded in their bodies. I believe it can track and upload all their status, movements, minds, and combat situations!"
Integra's words astonished everyone present. This implied that a series of vampire incidents were being orchestrated.
Compared to Integra, who had already reached a conclusion, the other members seemed a bit nervous, except for the old man sitting directly opposite Integra.
"This series of incidents couldn't have happened naturally; it's clear someone is manipulating them from behind. There's another type of vampire, ghouls.
Originally, ghouls were non-virgins whose blood was sucked by vampires, but this time it's different. Throughout this series of events, the number of vampires hasn't increased at all. It's clear that even virgin youths have become ghouls.
Furthermore, ghouls should be eliminated along with the death of their superior vampire. However, during the Bedřich incident, even though the Vatican's Father Anderson had killed the vampire, the ghouls did not die with it."
Integra analyzed, and her words further confirmed the attendees' suspicions.
However, no one showed any signs of panic; they all maintained calm expressions.
Haste was but a momentary display; elegance and backbone were the inner convictions of these individuals.
"The person manipulating all this must know a great deal about vampires and ghouls, just like us!"
The cigar in Integra's hand was burning, her face extremely serious. The already lit cigar had not been puffed even once more.
Meanwhile, outside the Hellsing Organization, a blond man in a white trench coat walked along a small path.
His long golden hair was slightly tied at the end, making him look very handsome.
"Excuse me, this is private property and not open to visitors."
The guard at the main entrance was performing his duty, cautioning the approaching stranger.
However, the next moment, the speaking guard was shot through the head by a bullet and fell to the ground.
Another younger gate guard, before he could even draw his pistol from his waist, was exposed to dense gunfire.
The large gate behind him was shattered by the hail of bullets.
Behind this man, a team of fully armed Third Reich soldiers marched with sluggish steps, following him into the Hellsing building.
These soldiers quickly broke through to the guards in the main hall, and the alarm call was transmitted to Integra at that moment.
"Lady Integra, the enemy has broken in! We cannot contact outside; signals are blocked! We are currently engaging the enemy on the first floor. Please, Lady Integra and the other lords, prepare to evacuate!"
A message from the monitoring room came through the internal intercom in the conference room.
If the situation wasn't extremely critical, the monitoring room wouldn't directly call for evacuation.
"What?! Retreat first! If you can't retreat, buy time!"
Integra didn't have time to comfort the other personnel but immediately began to command. The sudden attack was even more shocking than the previous news.
This was Hellsing. As a quasi-official organization, their location was always top secret, yet now they were being confronted, which was highly unusual.
However, the sounds of screaming immediately came from the other end of the radio, interrupting Integra's thoughts.
"Who is the enemy? What's the number! Report the situation!"
Integra asked impatiently. In the face of an unknown enemy, her usual composure had vanished.
"The enemy is ghouls..."
Then, there was no other sound from the radio.
Upon hearing this news, the people in the conference room finally lost their composure and began frantically trying to confirm their escape routes.
"Don't panic! There is still combat capability within Hellsing. Your safety is guaranteed!"
Integra listened to the chewing sounds and ghoul cries coming from the radio, biting her lip until it bled.
She knew very well that the monitoring room had fallen, and her subordinates were being devoured little by little, but at this moment, she could only stay put.
"Walter! Hold the door! Don't let them leave this house alive!"
Integra's shout reached Walter, who was standing outside the door. The conference room door immediately opened.
"So, do the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel need to be notified?"
Walter calmly pushed open the door and walked in, first bowing to everyone present, then asking.
"No, they need to know what kind of enemy they are about to face! Also, what is Alucard doing right now?"
Integra's tone was filled with suppressed anger, her eyes sharply looking at Walter.
"My master, it seems I should prepare for battle now."
Alucard's figure phased through the wall. As a true vampire, he possessed various inconceivable abilities.
Hypnosis, reading memories from blood, phasing through walls, and powerful magic.
Alucard possessed them all.
Alucard, who was already walking towards Integra, had pretty much understood what had happened earlier, but he hadn't had a chance to tell Integra about S.H.I.E.L.D. yet.
"Where is Seras?"
"She's resting."
Integra got the answer she needed, then stood up.
Seras's bedroom was in the back. To get there, one would definitely pass through here.
Since Seras's safety didn't need to be worried about, focusing on the battle at hand was enough!
"Fight, Alucard! Go kill all those bastards; not a single one shall leave here alive!"
Just as Integra yelled in a roaring tone, Steve and his team also appeared.
The commotion from the battle was not small. They weren't deaf, so they naturally investigated the cause immediately.
"Hellsing personnel, do you need us to join the fight?"
Steve raised his shield and shook it.
The name Captain America was enough to earn him basic respect and initial trust.
However, Alucard's gaze at Steve was tinged with amusement.
He had also been a participant in the World War, so he was equally curious about Captain America.
He had even hoped to fight this "righteous man of God" once, to see if this fellow was a man or a dog.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, once this matter is resolved, I hope you can share information. For now, please witness our combat strength!"
Integra subtly breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn't intend to let S.H.I.E.L.D. join the battle, their presence provided sufficient assurance for the council members behind her.
This slight moment of relaxation went unnoticed.
Alucard was an unkillable, undefeated monster. He could eliminate all enemies, but no one could be sure how long it would take him.
With unknown enemy intelligence, having an extra layer of assurance was an excellent thing.
"Then we'll stay here. If needed, we are willing to contribute our combat strength."
Steve replied, and the others had no differing opinions.
Blade stared intently at Alucard, his hand already gripping his blade.
That sense of danger surged around Alucard, even making the somewhat lax Rumlow stand up straight.
"Seriously, you're all here."
Luke Valentine's figure emerged from around the corner.
His purpose for this trip was merely an initial probe. If possible, eliminating Hellsing and killing Alucard was his mission.
However, even his superiors didn't believe he could complete this mission.
"Alucard~"
Luke Valentine looked up at Alucard's tall figure, then removed the cigarette from his mouth, speaking with complex emotions:
"When I was human, I feared you. After I became a vampire, I yearned for your ageless, immortal, eternal self. Now, I will kill you and take your place!"
A series of nonsensical words spilled from his mouth, causing a sneer to appear on Alucard's face.
Blade raised his long sword, adopting a defensive stance.
Although Luke Valentine hadn't revealed his name yet, his aura reminded him of Jan Valentine, whom he had seen before.
That incredibly similar aura made Blade feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
"Hahaha~ There's no such thing as ageless, immortal beings!"
Alucard, amidst his rampant laughter, raised his gun, and he and Luke Valentine immediately engaged in a shootout at that very spot.
Both of their marksmanship was precise; there were no instances of hitting the wrong target.
Or rather, Alucard made no attempt to dodge Luke's shots.
A bullet passed through Alucard's body and flew towards Rumlow. Rumlow casually swatted the bullet, which had lost most of its kinetic energy, to the ground as if shooing a fly.
The massive hammer appeared in his hand.
"Captain, he attacked me!"
Rumlow swayed slightly, then prepared to charge.
Although he had already heard Matthew talk about Alucard's strength, Rumlow still wanted to experience it himself.
"Sir, please do not interfere with Hellsing's battle. From now on, not a single bullet will bother you."
Walter's specialized wires flashed with a metallic gleam, then struck another bullet that had passed through Alucard's body, knocking it to the ground.
"Rumlow, wait a moment."
Steve pressed his hand firmly on Rumlow's shoulder. In terms of strength alone, it was still a bit difficult for him to stop Rumlow right now.
"Alright, looks like we'll have to watch another battle unfold before our eyes."
Rumlow planted his great hammer on the ground, crossed his arms over the handle, and aimlessly watched the people in the conference room.
Those people were the country's top officials; Rumlow had seen their faces on television more than once.
But this was the first time he'd seen them in person.
Alucard and Luke Valentine both fell to the ground after a round of gunfire. Alucard's head now had several bullet holes, his entire skull severely shattered.
But he still held his gun, continuously firing, while Luke Valentine had given up on the idea of a shootout.
He held a sharp short knife in a reverse grip, dodging Alucard's bullets.
His reaction speed, perfectly dodging through a hail of bullets, was indeed impressive, and Alucard gradually grew interested.
However, those watching merely scoffed at Luke Valentine's fighting style.
A reverse grip slash seemed more effective than a thrust when facing an immortal monster, but the advantages of a normal grip were far more useful than the inexplicable coolness factor of a reverse grip knife.
An "ingenious" warrior who had never suffered a setback. That was their assessment.
And the Hellsing personnel, accustomed to fighting supernatural monsters, had long since ceased to be surprised by such things.
"I'll admit you're not the worst kind of vampire, so are you ready?"
Alucard raised his hand, and the magic circle on his glove began to glow red.
"Ready for what?"
Luke Valentine's inherent dodging made him seem at ease, but he just hadn't found an opportunity to counterattack.
"Prepare for a battle between vampires!"
He intended to unleash his restraints. It wasn't easy to encounter an opponent worth fighting.
Especially the speed Luke Valentine displayed had led him to misjudge his opponent's true strength.
Vampire power was never just about physical prowess.
Magic, familiars—all these mysterious and unpredictable powers were the fundamental source of a vampire's strength.
"Alucard!"
Integra's voice rang out, causing Alucard to pause for a moment.
Integra had no intention of changing her command, but she was reminding Alucard not to scare the dignitaries behind her.
And also, not to expose his full strength to Steve and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
"Tap, tap, tap, tap~"
The fully armed ghoul army finally charged upstairs. The dense military formation and the gun barrels extended from behind their shields indicated that they had just fought a battle with no difficulty at all.
There were only a few shallow scratches on their shields, testifying to how easily they had breached the defenses.
"Walter!"
Integra called out. This was no longer the time to restrain Alucard.
Integra waved her hand, and Walter, with an angry and murderous expression, met the foremost ghoul head-on!
A flash of shimmering silver light, and the ghouls in the front row were already sliced into pieces.
At this moment, Alucard also completed the release of his restraints.
Dense, countless eyes emerged from his chest and shadow, making the onlookers extremely uncomfortable.
As Alucard released his restraints, a fierce aura began to spread rapidly. Everyone, including Steve, felt that chilling sense of dread permeate their beings.
Blade even retreated a few steps, directly bumping into Luke.
"Ha!" ×4
Rumlow and the other Barbarians immediately let out war cries under the pressure. A wild, barbaric aura rose up, colliding with Alucard's formidable presence.
Faint popping sounds, like firecrackers, appeared in the air.
Dense gunfire began to rage. Even though the ghouls' reactions were still somewhat sluggish, the intention to attack was still there.
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