"It's the assassin from the wanted poster! Everyone, stay alert! That person over there is extremely dangerous! That's an Infected who managed to slip away from the military's hands!"
The military police responsible for searching for Infected felt their hair stand on end at the sight of Crownslayer. They had only received word that Infected might be hiding here; no one told them that such a ruthless character was the one lying low!
At this moment, they had no intention of launching a life-or-death assault, nor did they plan to capture her alive or fight until Lyudmila died. This was a formidable person who could walk away unscathed from elite forces; why should they stake their lives against someone like that?
In the next moment, however, the surrounding area was engulfed by Crownslayer's mist. Everyone lost their line of sight in the thick haze, seeing nothing but white.
These men were utterly terrified, dropping the crossbows they held and fleeing desperately behind them. Before long, they were crashing into one another in their frantic scramble to escape.
"Tch... a bunch of cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong."
Crownslayer looked disdainfully at the fellows who didn't even dare to use their crossbows. While exhaling mist, she hoisted the two unconscious Infected onto her back and vanished before their eyes with casual ease.
Once the mist cleared and the police realized they were unharmed, they began to roar at the empty building as if it had committed some unforgivable sin.
All of this was heard clearly by Zima, who was hiding inside the chute. She didn't dare breathe too loudly, fearing she would be discovered by these jackal-like men who might vent their rage and lost face on her.
Fortunately, these people didn't linger. Though they had let Crownslayer go out of concern for their own safety, it didn't mean they were giving up. They immediately reported the sighting of the wanted criminal to their superiors. Now, no one cared about the minor issue of hidden Infected; they simply assumed the fugitive was hiding there to recover from injuries.
After waiting for a long time, Zima finally stepped out of the chute cautiously. Looking at the empty grounds, she found herself at a loss for words and hurried to leave this den of trouble.
Outside, Crownslayer led the pursuers on a chase for a distance before easily shaking off the police following her. Carrying the two girls, she located Jeanne and the others.
By now, the outside world had fallen into chaos. Large numbers of police and military police had mobilized to search for Crownslayer's whereabouts. This time, their superiors were putting their lives on the line to save their own careers.
In an instant, the brawling students on the streets were subdued. The appearance of these violent state organs caused the surrounding shops to fall into a dead silence as everyone retreated to their homes and stayed inside.
"These two are back with you. Leave here quickly. It won't be long before this place descends into chaos again!" Crownslayer said casually after placing the two girls in the car. It was obvious that despite having been exposed, she had no intention of leaving; she still had a reason why she must stay.
"Aren't you leaving? You've escaped from them twice now. No matter how incompetent the Chernobog police are, you won't get away so easily next time," Talulah urged, hoping she would leave with them. Under these circumstances, if an exposed Crownslayer were to be surrounded, it might result in something far worse than just a few injuries.
"I still have my own business to settle. If I wait for next time, who knows what changes might occur."
After leaving earlier, Crownslayer had sneaked back to the vicinity of that man's house to scout, intending to find an opportunity to break in and demand the truth—to see if things were truly as Kal'tsit had described.
Unfortunately, the security there had been upgraded again. It was now difficult for her to slip in while securing enough time for an interrogation. She could only observe from the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. Instead of an opportunity, however, she had spotted Jeanne and the others driving in while she was searching for clues.
Thus, Crownslayer had secretly followed them. Though she didn't know what they were planning, she wanted to see if she could be of help...
In truth, Crownslayer had hoped Jeanne might act alongside her. That unique power of hers might have been able to help... but Crownslayer hadn't said it aloud. She had no reason to let others take such risks for her private matters, especially when she couldn't even imagine the dangers she might face today, let alone dragging Jeanne into it.
"I'll go with you. If you're left here alone, there's no telling what accidents might happen."
Jeanne, who seemed to have seen through Crownslayer's thoughts, took the initiative to speak the words Crownslayer wanted to say. Jeanne's words took her by surprise. She subconsciously wanted to refuse and go alone, but she couldn't bring herself to speak because she knew this was her best option.
Ultimately, Crownslayer nodded and accepted Jeanne's offer. Reflecting on the fact that she had received Jeanne's help twice in such a short time, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.
"Head east, and you can safely return to Azazel. Crownslayer and I will have our own way back."
Time was of the essence, and none of them were the type to dally. After instructing Talulah on the safe route, Jeanne patted Crownslayer on the shoulder, signaling her to move out.
"Thank you... Though I don't understand why you'd ask to wade into this muddy water, I'll pay you back for this favor slowly once this is over."
Looking at Jeanne ahead of her, Crownslayer followed obediently, speaking in a low voice—it was unclear if Jeanne even heard her. Not long after, urgent footsteps echoed from the spot where they had just been standing.
Crownslayer realized that the intensity of this search was far greater than before! If she were to wander this city alone, it would undoubtedly be a very difficult battle.
"No need to be so serious; this isn't a difficult task for me. Besides, I truly want to witness which path you'll choose when facing hatred. I might even stop certain actions of yours, you know."
Hearing this, Crownslayer didn't quite understand Jeanne's meaning. She hadn't told Jeanne about her past, had she? How did Jeanne know what she was here to do? Had that "Old Lynx" (Kal'tsit) told them something?
"Actually, I'm very familiar with the look in your eyes! I once possessed that same emotion where hatred and confusion are intertwined, so I understand your current feelings. I also don't want to see my friend unable to pull themselves out because of this emotion."