Chapter 28: Swift Shadow, Taking Down the White Ghost

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Swift Shadow, Taking Down the White Ghost

The man in the lead kicked the unconscious Summer Lynn, his voice exceptionally cold through his protective mask.

"I don’t know why people with these special powers have started appearing. But if we let the Parasitic Bloodworms infest them, then bring them under our Control, we might be able to create even more powerful and unique bio-weapons."

The blood in Seraphina Sullivan’s veins ran cold.

She finally understood their objective. They weren’t here to eliminate parasites at all. They were deliberately hunting Players, using them as incubators to cultivate new parasitic variants.

Suddenly, the Hound, White Ghost, grew agitated. It sniffed the air, and its blood-red eyes locked onto Seraphina’s hiding spot, a low whimper escaping its throat.

The armed personnel looked toward her hiding place.

"Looks like we’ve got a decent haul today. There’s another one over there!" one of them exclaimed, immediately turning his rifle.

Seraphina realized with a jolt that she’d been spotted.

’Damn it!’

’These official-looking types are clearly not the good guys.’

Harnessing the burst of power from her [Speed Enhancement] Skill, Seraphina instantly drew her two guns and opened fire on the men.

Her Sound Wave Vibration Gun and her handgun fired simultaneously.

In a flash, two men in protective suits were sent flying by the blast from the Sound Wave Vibration Gun.

The man holding White Ghost’s leash took a bullet to the head from Seraphina and dropped dead on the spot.

Amidst the chaos, the Hound, White Ghost, broke free from the Binding of its electronic collar and lunged at Seraphina like a phantom.

It looked even more horrifying in the sunlight. The Parasitic Bloodworms squirming beneath its skin were clearly visible, and the mucus dripping from its fangs caused corrosion on the ground with a SIZZLING sound.

"ROAR—!"

White Ghost’s speed was astounding; it was on her in the blink of an eye.

Seraphina decisively raised her Sound Wave Vibration Gun and fired.

"HUM!"

The shock wave sent White Ghost stumbling backward, but it merely shook its head, its blood-red eyes glowing with an even greater Frenzy.

However, its momentary stun gave Seraphina the opening she needed.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Three bullets screamed through the air, but they only tore bloody holes in White Ghost’s shoulder and abdomen.

The monster roared in agony, the pain only making its movements more savage.

"Tsk!" Seraphina swiftly retracted her pistol into her Space as Silver Needles coalesced in her palm, forming a slender Fencing Sword.

She took a deep breath and shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.

[Quick Sewing] Skill, full power!

The Silver Needle sword traced dozens of afterimages in the air as living Energy Silk Threads wrapped around White Ghost’s limbs.

Seraphina moved like a wraith, each thrust precisely piercing White Ghost’s joints, "sewing" it securely to the ground.

"AWOO—!" White Ghost thrashed wildly, but it could only rage in helplessness.

The Energy Silk Threads sliced through its flesh, and dark red blood sprayed from the wounds.

Giving it no chance to recover, Seraphina summoned a Chopping Axe from her Space, gripping the handle with both hands and raising it high—

"CRACK!"

The axe blade precisely severed its spine. White Ghost’s head rolled onto the ground, and after a few twitches, its body fell still.

The Parasitic Bloodworms swarmed from the severed neck, but dissolved into pus the instant they touched the sunlight.

[Ding! You have slain the parasitic variant: White Ghost!]

The system notification echoed in her mind, but Seraphina had no time to relax.

In the distance, the armed personnel who had been knocked down by the Sound Wave Vibration Gun were already back on their feet, their rifles aimed squarely in her direction.

Seraphina scrambled for cover.

Seraphina suddenly spun around, pulling a grenade from her Space.

It was one of the grenades Nicholas Jensen had given her.

"Here’s a little something for you!"

With the crisp *click* of the pin being pulled, the grenade sailed in a perfect arc, landing right between the two men.

A deafening BOOM blew them both away.

After the fight, Seraphina walked over to White Ghost’s corpse.

She thoughtfully examined the officially modified parasitic variant.

"A specially bred variant... it should have some research value," Seraphina muttered, suddenly thinking of her [Clothes Making] Skill.

’If I use this unique material to make protective gear, I might get some unexpected Effects.’

At that thought, Seraphina immediately took a sealed bag from her Space and carefully placed the remains of the decapitated parasite inside.

The corpse was cold to the touch, and it felt as if Parasitic Bloodworms were still faintly squirming beneath the skin, a truly horrifying sensation.

But Seraphina’s expression remained unchanged as she deftly sealed the bag and stored it back in her Space.

She turned and walked over to the unconscious siblings.

This time, Seraphina was more cautious, putting on a mask to hide her face.

After parting ways with Nicholas Jensen, she’d realized some things she had overlooked.

’What if someone recognizes me in the real world?’

’At least I wasn’t a fool like Nicholas Jensen and revealed my name.’

That’s why she was immediately on guard when she ran into other Players.

Observing the pair, she saw that Summer Lynn had a bullet graze on her shoulder and Troy Lynn seemed to have a sprained right leg, but neither injury was life-threatening.

’Should I be a good Samaritan and help them? Or just walk away?’

Seraphina tilted her head, thinking. ’Their Talents seem decent, but they can’t ’mass-produce’ weapons like Nicholas Jensen...’

’It’s a shame I can’t fleece them.’

Just as she was weighing the pros and cons, Summer Lynn’s eyelids fluttered, and then her eyes shot open.

In the sunlight, her pupils were a strange indigo color, likely a sign of her awakened Talent.

"Who... who are you? A Player?" Seeing Seraphina standing over her, Summer Lynn asked weakly but warily. Her fingers subconsciously tried to gather a current of air, but her injuries only allowed her to stir a faint breeze.

Seraphina raised an eyebrow, surprised she had woken up so quickly.

She crouched down, pistol in hand. "I should be the one asking the questions. Why was the military hunting you?

And what’s the story with that modified parasitic Hound?"

A flicker of fear crossed Summer Lynn’s eyes, but when she saw the bodies of their pursuers on the ground, her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

However, when she noticed the Silver Needle glinting at Seraphina’s fingertips, she instinctively shrank back.

She struggled to sit up, glanced at her newly-awakened brother, and bit her lip. "They may be with the military... but they don’t treat survivors like people."

Her voice trembled with rage. "They’re rounding up ordinary people and using them as live feed to breed these parasitic monsters..."

Seraphina’s brow tightened.

Humans turning on each other wasn’t rare in the apocalypse, but systematically experimenting on living people still made her stomach churn.

"Hiss... Sis, are you okay?" Troy Lynn sat up, clutching his head. The moment he saw Seraphina, his eyes glinted with wariness.

But he was clearly stunned when he saw the corpses of their pursuers.

"Since you’re both awake, you should get going," Seraphina said, not bothering with an explanation. She turned toward the bodies and began methodically collecting weapons and gear.

’This is all valuable loot.’

Standard-issue rifles, bulletproof vests, tactical daggers.

Seeing her actions, Summer Lynn and her brother realized that Seraphina was a Player, just like them.