The rain tonight was particularly mournful, with thunderclouds rolling as the downpour pattered relentlessly on roofs, window sills, and car hoods.
Xuena lay quietly, having gone from spewing all kinds of swear words in her mind to serene indifference, even finding the leisure to wonder why Changying had been gone for so long without returning, and whether that little vixen was still alive?
This was the craziest person she had ever seen, using herself as bait; wasn't she afraid of truly crashing?
Yet now, Xuena had no choice but to take that gamble herself.
Xuena turned over, facing sideways to the front seat, and stared at the pitch-black leather backrest before silently heaving a sigh.
Qiuzi hadn't disappeared today, but she still let Changying place the only chip on her, even beginning to act tonight, intending to secure control over her, the "sacrifice" that had been confirmed.
But the true moment would be tomorrow.
So the mission was far from complete.
...
The dense sound of raindrops came muffled, instilling a cold and dark feeling in the shadows.
Xuena, who was daydreaming, abruptly closed her eyes; shortly after, the volume of the rain intensified, its noisy patter filling her ears, accompanied by the damp scent, and a bone-chilling coldness that swept through her entire body with the rain and wind.
Suppressing the instinctive shiver of her body was a particularly difficult feat, but Xuena truly managed to hold it back.
No one realized she was awake.
Xuena was acutely aware of something like tentacles slithering over her body, caressing the spine pressed against the seat, gradually covering her entire being.
"This sacrifice is very good."
A hoarse and piercing voice rose slowly, eerily like nails scraping across glass—chilling and terrifying, Xuena had to fight hard to suppress the goosebumps rising on her skin.
She also needed to suppress her own fear; she had to be confident that, before tomorrow morning, she would be absolutely safe!
So no matter what, she couldn't expose herself now!
No other sounds came after that; Xuena felt raindrops on her skin, and then, amidst a sensation of sinking and floating, she fell into a cold and dark place.
From beginning to end, she dared not open her eyes.
...
...
The night was deep, and the torrential rain showed no mercy as it lashed the city, with neon lights flickering on and off through the curtain of rain.
Several cars parked silently by the street, their soft footsteps masked by the heavy rain, as the accumulated water on the ground trickled down the stone steps.
Despite the heavy rain, there was no sign of the streets flooding, which might speak to the city's well-constructed drainage system.
Then, he rolled down the window.
The cold air from outside poured into the car, and Officer Zhang, who had been daydreaming, snapped back to reality, somewhat bewildered, and looked towards the dark blue sky, where at the edge of the blue, a faint white was rising.
"Is it about to dawn?"
"You didn't fall asleep, did you?" the priest asked rhetorically, somewhat speechlessly.
"No, that's not it," Officer Zhang replied as she wiped her face and checked her phone for messages.
They had been lying in wait in the heavy rain all night, but there was no sign of movement from the surveilled iron gate, and the police officers staked out in various spots hadn't made a move, patiently waiting for dawn.
Officer Zhang squinted out the window and stepped out of the car without hesitation, looking up at the sky.
The rain had stopped.
It had indeed stopped!
"We can't wait any longer; there's only half an hour left. I'll have someone go and check the situation first," Officer Zhang said as she took a long breath.
She didn't wait for a response from the priest and commanded through the communication headset, getting people nearby to start moving.
.net
"Pay attention to the rhythm of the knocking, three long and three short," Officer Zhang said seriously. "The moment someone opens the door, no matter who it is, break in directly, and if no one opens the door after a long time, force your way in!"
The team responded to the order swiftly. In the dim light of dawn, several figures in navy-blue uniforms trudged through puddles, moving through the alleys.
"You really are reckless," the priest remarked with a hint of resignation, stepping out of the car and taking the ornate, well-wrapped sword from the back seat.
Officer Zhang ignored him. As her subordinates approached the iron gate in the alley, she checked her equipment and also made her way over.
Moving at night was a disadvantage for them, so they had waited until now.
But if the other side chose to start the sacrificial ritual at dawn, the situation would still be unfavorable for them.
Thus, before the break of dawn was the best time to act!
Well-trained personnel encircled the target from both sides of the alley, and several police officers ready for action on the rooftops surrounded the small flat-roofed building in the midst.
As Officer Zhang approached, the point person had already tiptoed carefully to the rusted iron door and knocked.
Three long, three short, with the rhythm completed quickly.
But after a long wait, there was no sign of life from inside, as silent and oppressive as the still night.
Officer Zhang gave a wave of her hand.
Breach and rush in directly!