At night, inside North Pine Forest Farm No. 38.
After Ci Rong and his accomplices and subordinates finished pouring bullets towards 38, they led the charge into No. 38, wanting to quickly clear out the remaining resistance inside. However, what appeared before them was the scene of an empty house.
"What is going on!"
Looking at the overturned phonograph in the room and the humanoid wooden sign standing by the table, Ci Rong shouted somewhat emotionally. The others who rushed in with him were also stunned in place. They hadn't expected that this so-called meeting place would be completely empty.
"Chad, didn't you say there were people meeting here? Where is that Rose Cross?"
Standing to the side, A Ming, also wearing a mask, spoke directly to Ci Rong, while Ci Rong responded angrily.
"How the hell would I know! The intelligence was clearly correct! The information obtained from those guys... information... damn it, could it be..."
Ci Rong muttered to himself. Just as he realized something was wrong, gunshots suddenly erupted all around them again.
Around No. 38, behind the woods and in the grass, a dozen figures suddenly appeared. They were all wearing uniform black trench coats, iron masks, and holding standard model rifles, pointing their dark muzzles at No. 38, aiming at Ci Rong and his accomplices and subordinates.
Facing the cultists who had fallen into the encirclement trap, the Hunters belonging to the Directorate General of Tivian opened fire mercilessly. Bullets shot out from the muzzles, firing at Ci Rong and his accomplices and subordinates gathered inside and around No. 38.
In an instant, Ci Rong and the others, who were preparing for a sneak attack, became the ones being ambushed. Under the Hunters' gunfire, they had no means to resist. Nearly half of them were shot and fell to the ground immediately, while the rest were suppressed behind cover after reacting.
Among the Hunter team, there were two people with slightly different uniforms. Figures with a more distinct style stood among them. They were the Captains of this group of Hunters. Witnessing the cultists who had suffered severe losses in an instant, one of them muttered.
"The instructions told us to first set up an ambush on the periphery and wait. That 'Detective' really calculated everything, set up the trap, and is waiting for us to make a move."
"It feels like we're being used as pawns. In my opinion, these guys aren't good news, but that 'Detective' is also a big problem."
Another Hunter Captain also spoke silently, and at this moment, the battlefield underwent new changes.
"Damn it... it's Black Dog! This is Black Dog's trap! We fell for Black Dog's scheme!"
Inside No. 38, looking at the scene outside, Ci Rong said through gritted teeth. At this moment, he believed that the current situation was probably calculated by the An Yin Bureau, and that Rose Cross was a front for the An Yin Bureau. They had been tricked!
"Charge! Kill your way out in this direction!"
At this time, A Ming on the other side also shouted an order towards one direction. He knew that being suppressed like this would only lead to complete annihilation. Now, they had to make a desperate push to carve out a bloody path and escape.
Responding to A Ming's order, the remaining few Student-level Extraordinary individuals from their "Shadow" team immediately switched to the melee weapons they carried with them, transforming into several extreme shadows, and charged towards the Hunter's encirclement. Their speed was very fast, making them difficult targets for bullets.
Three or four Stealth Shadows attacked the front of the Hunter team. If this Hunter team was entirely composed of ordinary people like the Iggwente Secret Agency's, they would quickly be killed and defeated by these few Stealth Shadows. However, this was Tivian.
Facing the several Stealth Shadows attacking from the front, the shooters in the front quickly retreated. Behind them, five or six team members holding standard issue blades walked out.
Facing the charging Stealth Shadows, these team members holding blades advanced fearlessly, engaging in close-quarters combat with the charging enemies. Instantly, sword light flashed everywhere, sword shadows flickered wildly, and the sound of clashing weapons was incessant.
Compared to the other side, these Hunter team members' speed and reaction were not slow at all. This was because, like the other side, they were all Student-level "Shadow" Extraordinary individuals, also Stealth Shadows. While being able to counter the opponents, they also had greater numbers, better coordination, and better weapons. They not only firmly suppressed the charging enemies but also successively injured and cut down the opponents.
Tivian's Hunter squads not only had ordinary team members but also superior members who were Student-level Extraordinary individuals. Therefore, the Student-level combat power among the Hunters was even greater and stronger than that of these cultists.
Seeing the attacking team fall into a tough fight, Ci Rong and A Ming's hearts tensed. They then immediately rushed towards the battlefield, wanting to join the battle and break through the blockade.
Just as they were rushing towards the distant battlefield, a whistling sound echoed in the air. Sensing something was wrong, Ci Rong and A Ming stopped. Then, a strong wind swept past, causing the soil in front of them to splatter. Instantly, a long furrow was carved out of thin air.
If they hadn't stopped just now, the invisible blade that carved out this furrow would have cut them in two!
"It's Wind Blade... the elemental application of'Shadow', it's a Wind Art User!"
Seeing the scene before him, Ci Rong muttered. Then, he and A Ming looked together in the direction from which the whistling sound had just come. They saw two Hunter Captains with slightly distinct uniforms standing not far from them. One of them held a small stone knife in his hand, and the origin of that furrow was at his feet.
"Damn it! Two Captains! There are actually two Black Dog squads here. Chad, these guys came prepared. We can't escape on our own. Quickly use the trump card and ask that Lord for help! Otherwise, none of us will get away!"
Seeing the situation before him, A Ming immediately felt something was wrong. Listening to his companion's words, the very unwilling Ci Rong took out a small glass bottle from his clothes. Inside, it contained a vial of blood-red liquid.
Without thinking, Ci Rong directly crushed the small glass bottle.
Instantly, the liquid in the glass bottle spilled out. However, it didn't flow onto the ground but instantly vaporized and dispersed into the air.
For a moment, a faint, strange bloody smell permeated the air.
"Then now, let's try our best to buy time..."
Throwing the glass shards onto the ground, Ci Rong looked at the battlefield before him and muttered.
...
Royal Saint Crown University, King's Campus.
At night, the meeting point of the Secret Knowledge Society was spacious and sparsely populated. Because it was already close to midnight, and Ci Rong had dispatched a large number of his direct subordinates, only two or three students remained in the meeting point, reading seriously.
Naifnis walked inside the meeting point. At this moment, she was wearing a large cloak that could conceal her entire figure, slowly walking towards the depths of the meeting point. Although her expression and attire were somewhat unnatural, because there were too few people present and they were almost all reading, no one noticed her abnormality.
Slowly, Naifnis walked past the gathering area of the meeting point and reached the entrance of the Spider Web Corridor in its depths. After glancing around and seeing no one, she lifted her cloak, and Dorothy, who was hidden inside, crawled out.
"We have arrived, Miss Dorothea."
"Phew... You've worked hard, Senior Naifnis."
Letting out a long breath, Dorothy said after scanning her surroundings. Taking advantage of the mutual engagement between Ci Rong and the Hunters, she had now come to break in.
This time, Dorothy wanted to use this opportunity to delve into the ruins, and... she had to go herself.