--
"Hey, hey! Look at the news!"
TJ's attention was drawn by the small and sudden commotion within the training room near the holographic screen. Unable to help himself, he looked at what they're looking at, just in time for him to hear the voice of a professional news reporter.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Anna, and I bring you the latest news of the day."
The screen currently displayed the words: 『Just in!! Raid in the Abandoned Warehouse!』
In the background, a clip showing an old warehouse wreathed with flames was playing. TJ could see several figures surrounding the warehouse: police, firefighters, and other staff. He could even see people gathering behind the restriction line.
In the skies, several silhouettes of combat professionals chasing and/or fighting individuals in dark cloaks could also be seen. Their clash was intense, causing strong winds and impacts everywhere.
Then, the haunting story was told:
"Today at around 10am in the morning, District 13 police headquarters launched a raid at the area you're seeing right now. They received a tip from an informant that this place has been turned into a hidden base for the Black Church Cultists."
"As you all know, the Black Church Cultists are deranged terrorists who had been plaguing our district with their madness for years now. Our government had been doing their best ever since to hunt them down and eliminate them completely."
"Alas, these criminals are just too terrible and cunning. They keep appearing everywhere and seemingly never run out of people."
"According to the reports we received coming directly from the police, this place is where they found most of the missing people during the past two years."
"For the sake of our sanity, we will not be showing how the police found them. Just know that their fates had been miserable under the hands of these deranged cultists."
"The police found a total of 200+ people, all bound by chains attached to the ceiling like carcasses in a butchery. Some had been dead for quite some time, and others were alive. Only a few managed to stay intact, but even then, they too were injured."
"Those who are still alive by the time the rescue comes have all been deeply traumatized by their experiences; some have gone catatonic."
"The victims are still being tallied as we speak. The dead are being identified, and their loved ones will soon be notified of what happened. As for those who lived but are mentally scarred, they are receiving the best care this district has to offer."
"As for these foul criminals, most of them have been taken care of. Our combat professionals tried their best to capture some, but these people would rather die or blow themselves up rather than face justice for what they did. They're monsters, all of them."
"Although every cultist hiding in this area had been eliminated by our combat professionals, the Chief of Police stated that there might be one or two people who escaped the net by not being there when the raid occurred."
"From the evidence the authorities have gotten so far, they managed to identify one of, if not the only one of, the people who escaped the net. Their portraits will be displayed right now."
Following this, the display showed a drawn portrait of an individual. It was a male, tall and and skinny. His eyes and cheeks were sunken, his hair was sparse, and there was an obvious hint of cruelty in his eyes, perfectly captured by whoever drew this.
More importantly, a deep red paint was used to draw the person's lips. It's like a messy streak of blood that dried on his lips, making him look more intimidating than usual.
As soon as TJ's eyes saw the portrait, he became rooted where he stood. An explosion went off in his mind, and a trace of disbelief could be seen on his face.
"What the hell...?" He whispered in disbelief.
"Friends, please take a good look at this portrait and remember this face. If you see him, please inform the police right away. Make sure to stay away from him and immediately call for help. This is a wanted man, and he's dangerous."
"According to what we've learned so far, the profession of this man has something to do with blood consumption and manipulation. He also possesses the Vampire Bloodline, which he had certainly bought from smugglers."
"Once again, if you ever saw him, stay away and report where you saw him. If you can and it's safe, record a video for proof, this will certainly help our people apprenhend this criminal before he claims more victims."
"The existence of the cult doesn't mean well for the safety of our district. Our authorities are already doing their best to apprenhend every single one of them so that this threat is eliminated once and for all."
"But as we all work hard to return the safety and security of our home, please abide by the rules set by our government. Follow the curfew and stay out of dark alleyways."
"This is all for now; stay safe, everybody, and stay tuned for the latest news. I am your host, Anna, and you'll hear from me again soon."
**
"Damn!"
"How horrible!"
"Those cultists need to be eradicated soon!"
"How is our government struggling so much with those damned cultists?"
"To think that one of them might be walking amongst us...oooh, I'm scared!"
"Yeah, it's really scary. Hopefully the police catch them soon."
TJ didn't even hear the latter half of that report, nor the reactions of his classmates.
Even as the newsflash disappeared from the screen and was replaced by a commercial, TJ stood rooted on the spot, unable to move a muscle and still in shock.
His face was pale, and his thoughts were overwhelmed with disbelief about what he saw just now.
'That portrait...it's him! It's the guy I crashed into at the market! 'He exclaimed thunderously in his mind.
He couldn't believe it. Seriously, what are the odds? Out of all the people he could crash into, it just had to be that guy.
TJ didn't doubt his discovery even for a second. That guy left a bad lasting impression on him because of what happened. Try as he might, that memory kept replaying in his mind these past couple of days.
He knows what he saw; his vision's 20/20, and he's got a good memory. So with complete confidence in his heart, he could say that the portrait he just saw matches the face of the man he met in the professional market!
Besides that, there's also...
"It's him!"
"We told you! That man is sinful!"
"You didn't believe us. Now he still roams free."
"Every single person who suffers in his hands after you met him is also your responsibility because you didn't kill him."
"How does it feel to be an ally of a murderer?"
"You really should've killed him!"
"Go out there and hunt him down!"
"Devour that sinner!!!"
The voices in TJ's mind were going haywire. They're so loud that TJ struggled to hold on to his own thoughts.
He's even starting to believe them, and it's making him feel terrible.
Isn't it true? He's technically an ally, an accomplice, and a partner of that criminal. Because he allowed him to go, every victim of his after they met has every right to curse him as well.
He could've prevented their miserable fate if he just did something. It doesn't really matter whether he succeeds or not; even just for the sake of his conscience, he should've done something.
Dying in this duty might've even been better than knowing that he unknowingly helped that man hurt others.
"TJ..."
A soft and gentle voice cut through the haze of his thoughts and pulled him back to the present. It was then followed by a pleasant and grounded presence surrounding him like a warm hug.
When the haze faded from his eyes, TJ saw Lily staring at him worriedly. Her cherry blossom-tinged pupils scanned him, filled with concern and care.
TJ even had an illusion that she was being surrounded by a soft curtain of aurora, making her look like a saintly being for a moment. However, that illusion faded shortly after.
'Gee, I'm starting to see things now...' TJ released a deep and weary sigh before shaking the bad thoughts off his head.
"What happened? You looked unwell," Lily asked; concern marred her tone.
"I'm good. I was just shocked by the news. I was, once again, reminded of how horrible the cultists could be."
Lily wore a look that told him she didn't believe a word he said.
"Really, I'm fine. Thank you for shaking me awake." TJ did his best to show her a smile in hopes of convincing her, but we all know that he can't smile.
"Fine. I'll believe you for now." Lily pouted. She truly doesn't believe him, not even an ounce, but she also can't force him to talk.
"Anyways, Dad told me he wanted to see you, so you're coming home with me," she declared, her tone bearing no room for refusal.
"Aye, aye, Ma'am."