Alex’s hand slowly extended from the shadow of the tree closest to his house. It was his first time traveling through shadows, and even for him, the experience was… unusual. Passing through the dimensions of Darkness felt different—not like teleportation magic or opening portals with Yamato. Everything seemed… denser, more viscous. As if he was crawling through the very fabric of the night, filled with foreign gazes.

“I doubt I’ll want to use this method again,” Alex muttered, shaking off remnants of foreign darkness from his fingers. “Unless… it’s to scare someone.”

Whistling a sinister melody, the kind that could make even the bravest shiver, he headed toward the house. Returning through the main gate of the settlement felt pointless. The day had already been full of revelations and surprises. Now, he had his own prison—a place where he could lock away all the trash that dared stand in his path. Besides, he had dealt with two problems that might’ve caused him serious trouble in the future. Now they were part of the Red City—and there was no way out for them.

With light steps, Alex approached the house and pushed the door open. Still whistling that same eerie melody, he stepped inside. The moment he crossed the threshold, all the girls’ eyes turned to him. Confusion was clear on their faces, and some even showed obvious concern. They didn’t know what that melody was, but it sent chills down their spines.

“Can you stop whistling that?” Koko was the first to speak, shivering slightly. “It sounds… how should I put it…”

“Blasphemous?” Alex offered with a smirk as he settled on the couch.

“Close. More like… really creepy,” Ada replied, rubbing her arms as if she had suddenly gotten cold. “I got goosebumps the moment I heard it.”

“Not surprising. You can hear this melody in only one place in the entire infinite multiverse. In a way, it’s a lullaby,” he said with a grin, leaning his head back.

“I don’t even want to know who it’s meant for. Better tell us what happened with Bison and why you were gone so long,” Saya said, eyeing him intently.

“You want the short version or the long one?” Alex asked with an innocent smile.

“This time I’ll take the medium one,” Rika grinned.

Alex raised an eyebrow, let out a quiet chuckle at the joke, and shook his head. Before beginning his story, he headed to the kitchen to make some coffee. The girls exchanged glances and immediately understood: if Alex was asking the “length of the story” question, that meant things were about to get interesting.

Turning on the coffee machine, he waited for the brew to finish. Meanwhile, the girls started gathering in the kitchen, grabbing snacks and drinks like it was a casual campfire gathering where people told scary stories. Alex smirked to himself at the comparison.

When the coffee machine finished its work, Alex poured himself a cup and returned to the living room. Everyone had already gathered: the girls were sprawled across the couches, and even Anya, Alice, Nobukatsu, and the three troublemakers—GIR, MIMI, and Stitch—were sitting at the small table. Spotting an open space, Alex sat down between Namiyo and Kiriko, placing his mug on the table.

“So, where were we?” he asked, getting comfortable.

“You were about to explain why the fight with Bison took so long. And where that creepy melody came from—the one that’s still giving me chills,” Chiquita reminded him.

“Let’s start with this,” Alex said with a slight smile, “I’ve seriously started to wonder if I should stop anti-reviving every idiot who stands in my way.”

“What are you getting at?” Chun-Li frowned. “Did you do something to that basta—” she stopped herself, noticing the kids, “—to that idiot Bison?”

“Exactly,” Alex confirmed. “But before I go on… who here remembers what I said about the Red City?”

“I do!” Shizuka replied cheerfully, raising her hand like a diligent student. “That creepy place with the ghosts, right?”

“Close. It all revolves around Zhang Ya—the strongest ghost from another world. She’s from a reality where urban legends aren’t just stories. And she’s so powerful, she took control of most of the Red City.”

“And what’s your point? Why bring up ghosts again? Does this have something to do with your decision to stop killing villains?” Valmet asked, crossing her arms.

“Exactly. Today I learned that before Zhang Ya arrived in our world, she passed through others. She absorbed countless ghosts and legends. How many exactly—I don’t know, but that’s not the point. The important thing is: she gave me permission to use the Red City as a prison. For people like Bison. And for other scum I might run into along the way.”

The girls stared at Alex in surprise, then shifted their gaze to his shadow. They all knew perfectly well that Zhang Ya resided there. At that moment, the shadow trembled slightly and took the shape of a girl with long, flowing hair. Some of the girls even thought Zhang Ya was showing off—after all, she had helped Alex more than any of them.

But most of the group were far more interested in Alex’s words about the Red City and his intention to turn it into a prison for trash like Bison. Nodding, Alex began to lay out his plan in detail—to make the Red City into a kind of hell, where sinners would be doomed to suffer.

He wanted to show the girls what happened to Bison after he ended up there, but unfortunately, Anya, Alice, and Nobukatsu were in the living room—and Alex clearly wasn’t about to scar their young minds with nightmare fuel. The girls understood and decided to get the details later. However, ones like Rebecca, Rika, Revy, Nobuna, and Rory were far more interested in what kinds of creatures lived in the Red City—and which ones Zhang Ya had already devoured.

Alex simply shook his head. Even he didn’t know how many spirits and monsters she had absorbed before they met. He had only seen two of them himself—and that was more than enough to spark the girls’ curiosity.

Realizing that there was no point in hiding it anymore, Alex finally named the ones he had seen: Slenderman and Kayako. The girls weren’t familiar with the first name, but they knew plenty about Kayako. During their movie nights, when Rebecca was in charge of the picks, she almost always chose horror films. One time, she played a movie about a ghost girl named Kayako. Ever since then, the girls hadn’t forgotten that eerie image.

“I wonder what Kayako looks like in reality?” Yuriko murmured, glancing at Alex. “In the movie, she was played by an actress, but the one living in the Red City is a real ghost.”

“Kayako’s busy right now. She’s got a guest too,” Alex said with a faint smile.

“What do you mean ‘busy’? I thought you said that… what’s his name… Slenderman was the one chasing Bison?” Cammy frowned, trying to recall the name of the entity currently “having fun” with Bison.

“Well… I kind of lost my temper. Might’ve gotten a little carried away… and kidnapped Derek Simmons,” Alex said innocently, raising his brow.

“Wait a second,” Rei interjected, “you mean to tell me you threw not only that idiot who thought he was a god into the Red City, but also the second idiot who sent the first one after us?”

“That’s one way to put it,” Alex replied casually. “Turns out Simmons had already struck a deal with the priests. So I figured: to hell with him—let him have some fun. The moment I lured him through the Red Door, he became Kayako’s newest victim. So yeah… he’s going to be occupied for a while,” Alex added with a grin.

“That’s actually convenient,” Ada said lazily, leaning back against the sofa. “First it was the Evil Corp getting in the way, then the demons who can’t stand the sight of you… And now one of our potential enemies is out of the picture. I’d call that a nice bonus.”

“Are you smiling like that because he annoyed you? Or because he tried to hit on you?” Alex teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Not my fault I’m so desirable. Not even the Demon King could resist,” Ada replied with a narcissistic tone.

Alex couldn’t hold back a laugh. He knew full well how obsessed Simmons had been with Ada Wong. So much so that in the original timeline, he even turned a woman into her exact double.

But jokes aside, Alex and the girls returned to the main topic—discussing their next moves. If the priests had managed to sway someone like Simmons, a man standing atop a crumbling society, then they could likely recruit others too. Alex understood this better than anyone. He knew how mortals, hungry for power, were willing to betray everything and everyone just for a fleeting moment of ego satisfaction.

Still, his plans remained unchanged. Before taking any major steps or going after the second priest, he needed to know how the resistance effort was progressing—and for that, he needed intel from Chris. If Alex acted prematurely, the demon army might mobilize and launch a full-scale assault. For now, they were busy destroying the Red Markers across the globe, which gave humanity a temporary respite.

But that was a matter for the near future. If Chris didn’t reach out, Alex had a backup plan. If Chris wouldn’t come to him—then Alex would go to Chris.

Knowing that their strategic course hadn’t changed, the girls decided there was no need to rush things. Life in the settlement had stabilized, work was manageable, and their defenses had proven themselves when Shadaloo’s army unexpectedly attacked. All that remained was to wait for the right moment to act.

Deciding to have dinner and wind down with a movie, Alex and the girls moved to the dining area. The conversation continued through the meal, but at one point, Alex’s gaze settled on Rory.

He wondered: why not grant her a blessing — just like the gods do? He didn’t want his sweet reaper to serve some deity from another world. Even the girls who had stayed in Orario had received blessings from the goddesses of his family, one way or another.

Rory noticed Alex’s thoughtful gaze and couldn’t resist winking at him. Seeing her smile, Alex decided to ask her directly — after all, it was her choice whether she was ready to become his apostle. He already knew how to do it — he had more than enough experience. What interested him was only one thing: what would Rory become after that? Everything pointed to the idea that she could be called the Apostle of Destruction… or perhaps the Reaper of Destruction.

Alex thoughtfully stroked his chin, pondering possible titles for his gothic bride-to-be.

Still, he understood one thing clearly: before taking any action, he had to hear Rory’s answer.

After dinner, the group moved into the living room — preparations for a cozy movie night were in full swing. But after the recent conversation about ghosts, the little gremlin named Rebecca couldn’t resist and picked yet another horror movie from her vast collection.

Noticing Rebecca’s choice, Alex acted immediately: he sent the kids upstairs so they wouldn’t see anything scary and suffer from nightmares afterward. Alice, Anya, and Nobukatsu were far too young for such entertainment.

Showing care as both a father and an older brother, Alex personally took Anya and Alice to the kids’ room. G.I.R., MIMI, Stitch, and Nobukatsu had already rushed ahead — the kids always had something to do, especially since G.I.R. and MIMI were constantly inventing new board games. But today, instead of tabletop games, they had set up an impromptu video game tournament.

“Daddy, that bad man… are you going to punish him too?” Anya suddenly asked as she walked up to Alex and gently squished his cheeks.

“Which bad man do you mean? There are so many, I’ve lost track of all their names,” Alex replied with a smile.

“The one who made Mama Zhang Ya turn into a ghost,” Anya added in a whisper, thinking Zhang Ya couldn’t hear her.

But of course, she heard everything. Alex’s shadow suddenly shifted — the silhouette of a girl emerged from it, and a pale hand slowly reached out. Zhang Ya rose silently from his shadow and hovered behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Her eyes were fixed on Anya, who immediately tried to pretend she hadn’t said anything.

For a normal child, such a sight would have caused nightmares for years. But for Anya, Zhang Ya was just another mom. Even if she was a ghost.

Alex felt the cold of her hands on his neck and understood why she had appeared. He had also been thinking about the bastard who had turned Zhang Ya into a vengeful spirit. He knew who the man was. He knew where to find him. And if necessary, he would personally travel to any world to capture him and throw him to Zhang Ya for judgment.

“I think it’s only fair to find him, catch him, and send him to the Red City — along with the rest of the bad guys,” he said, gently stroking Anya’s hair.

“Right!” Anya said, eyes blazing. “Bad people shouldn’t be walking the streets. They should be punished… Or better yet — hit with a stick!”

Alex couldn’t hold back a smile. Seeing his little daughter, full of righteous fury, talking about “punishing with a stick” was genuinely heartwarming.

Zhang Ya silently watched Anya. In her eyes flashed a tenderness — a feeling one wouldn’t expect in the heart of a ghost. She lifted one hand from Alex’s shoulder and gently reached toward the girl, as if afraid to touch her.

But Anya was not afraid at all. On the contrary — she gladly snuggled up to her ghost mom’s hand. Her face lit up with a happy smile as she rubbed her cheek against the cold palm.

Not used to such closeness, Zhang Ya quickly pulled her hand back and disappeared back into Alex’s shadow.

He just sighed with a slight smile:

“Still, Zhang Ya is very sweet. Even if she is a ghost.”

He knew she kept watching Anya. Just from the shadows.

Alex couldn’t stop smiling, watching how shy Zhang Ya could be. After chatting a little with Anya and discussing the plan to beat the bad guy with a stick, he decided to return to the girls. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to remind the group of kids not to stay up too late. But, as usual, the kids ignored his words and continued to happily take part in their mini-tournament.

Sighing and shaking his head, Alex went down to the first floor — just as the girls had finished preparing everything for the evening movie night. Snacks and drinks were neatly arranged on the table, all that was left was to start the film. Alex sat down next to Rory, who immediately settled on his lap, while Miu and Renka sat on either side of him.

The next day, Alex was sitting in the living room with Zero Two curled up between his legs. He was bored, not knowing what to do with himself, until the pink-haired sweet tooth came over and asked him to file her horns. Since he had nothing better to do and definitely didn’t want to refuse, Zero Two smiled broadly and sat on his lap, giving him access to her horns.

Once she got comfortable, Alex noticed with surprise that her horns grew at about the same rate as fingernails, which meant they would need regular care in the future. He took a small file out of his inventory and began carefully filing the horns, trying to make them neat and symmetrical. Zero Two happily swung her legs as Alex focused on his task.

During this, Alex thought he should check the horns of Anya and Lucy as well — since it was unclear how much theirs had grown. Maybe they would need some shaping too. This was his first experience with this kind of task. Of course, he had helped Haruhime brush her tails back in Orario or styled other girls’ hair, but filing horns was something new. That’s why he was especially careful — not to damage the horns and, most importantly, not to hurt Zero Two.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Alex said without turning around.

The door opened, and Rebecca Chambers and Claire appeared in the doorway. The first thing they saw was Alex sitting on the couch with Zero Two comfortably perched on his lap. The girls froze, watching how carefully he filed her horns. Alex gently blew off the tiny filings and admired the result — symmetrical and neat. Turning around, he saw who had come in.

“Yo, Recca, Claire. What brings you here so early? Missing me?” he asked, pulling out a soft cloth from his inventory to wipe the horns.

“You could say that… But if you’re busy, we can wait,” Rebecca Chambers replied with a smile.

Alex nodded and invited them to sit down while he finished. After examining Zero Two’s horns from all angles, he took out a small mirror so she could see the result for herself. Zero Two looked at her neatly filed horns with interest. Satisfied that everything was fine, she smiled happily, kissed Alex on the lips, and hugged him tightly. He returned her warm smile — it truly was a valuable new experience that might come in handy in the future.

While Alex was busy with Zero Two, Rebecca Chambers and Claire looked around the house with interest. It was their first time here, and they were pleasantly surprised by how cozy and comfortable it was, especially compared to how some other people’s houses looked.

“Well, I’m done now. So what did you want? Just to hang out or was there another reason?” Alex asked as he began braiding two braids in Zero Two’s pink hair.

“You could say both reasons,” Claire replied with a light chuckle. “Rebecca wanted to see you both just because and for something important.”

“Rebecca, if you want to spend time with me — come anytime. I’ll always find a moment for you. Now tell me, what’s the second reason? I’m listening closely,” Alex said, continuing to braid Zero Two’s hair.

Rebecca Chambers blushed slightly at Alex’s words — after all, they had kissed only yesterday, and now she felt shy meeting his eyes. Claire, noticing how her friend was embarrassed again, couldn’t hold back a laugh.

The night before, she, along with Sherry, Moira, and Jill, had interrogated Rebecca after the “Shadaloo” issue was resolved. When the girls learned that Rebecca had kissed Alex, they spent almost the entire evening pestering her with questions, demanding all the details.

Seeing that her friend was still blushing, Claire gently nudged her with her elbow, encouraging her to speak. Rebecca cleared her throat, trying to control her nervousness.

“I’ll remember that I can come to you anytime… But right now, I need your help with something,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Oh, now you’ve really got me curious. What do you need done? Kill someone? Beat someone up? Tie someone to a tree? Or maybe send them into space on a rocket?” Alex asked with a smile, playfully twirling Zero Two’s braids between his fingers.

“Wait-wait, none of that!” Claire jumped up, clearly worried about Alex’s imagination. “And besides, how exactly are you going to send someone on a rocket? Are you really going to build one just for that?”

“I said ‘on a rocket,’ not ‘in a rocket.’ I’d just tie the poor guy outside and launch him into orbit. So, what’s this thing you need help with?” Alex asked with a slight smirk.

“I think I’ve managed to synthesize a few experimental versions of an anti-demon virus,” Rebecca explained, pulling capsules out of her bag. “And now I need test subjects. That’s why we came to you.”

“Hm… So you really pulled it off. Impressive. So, do you want me to bring you a couple of demons? Or do you want to go hunting yourself?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with interest.

“Either option works for me. You decide what’s easier for you,” she replied, putting the capsules back into her bag.

“Then I think it’s best to head out right away and test the virus in the field. Zero Two, want to come for a walk?” he turned to the girl on the couch.

“Nah. I’ll stay home. Your science stuff isn’t really my thing,” she said lazily, sprawling out comfortably.

“All right then. Rebecca, Claire — go grab your gear. We’re going to catch some little test subjects,” Alex declared, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

The girls nodded and went off to get ready. Left alone, Alex quickly changed, grabbed his pistols, and headed for the door. Before leaving, he reminded Zero Two to let the others know he’d be gone.

Once outside, Alex thought it wouldn’t make sense to take the motorcycle. So he pulled out his favorite ride from the inventory — a black 1967 Chevrolet Impala. Smirking, he slid behind the wheel, started the engine, and savored the deep roar of the motor.

Now all that was left was to pick up Rebecca and Claire. Pulling up to the house where Claire, Rebecca, Jill, Moira, and Sherry lived, he impatiently honked the horn.

“Whoa! That’s an Impala! Where have you been hiding such a beauty?” Moira exclaimed as she stepped out of the house and spotted the car.

“It’s been in my inventory all this time. I’m not about to leave my girl unattended. I don’t like idiots messing with her,” Alex smirked, stepping out of the car.

“Damn! Why were you hiding her? I’m dying of envy! You could say this Impala is now one of a kind in this world,” Moira said, peeking under the hood.

“Envy is a bad feeling, Moira,” Alex remarked, leaning on the car roof and lighting a cigarette.

“Oh, give me a break,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Don’t you need to get to the armory? Last I remember, you, Becсa, and Revy run the show there,” he asked, exhaling smoke as he sat on the hood.

“I can skip it today. There’s not much to do anyway. And you guys are going to hunt demons to test Rebecca’s virus, right?” Moira asked, settling on the hood next to him.

“Bingo. So, you coming with us?”

“Why not? Nothing else to do. Since you’re inviting — I’ll go get my gear,” she said, standing up and heading back inside.

Alex watched Moira disappear into the house and shrugged. One more person or one less — didn’t make much difference. In any case, it was good he took his car today.

While waiting for the trio of girls to get ready, Brunhilda, Koko, and Yuriko approached, curious about where he was headed. Alex openly explained that Rebecca Chambers had managed to synthesize a virus capable of fighting demons, and now it needed to be tested in the field. If the virus proved effective, it would become a key part of his future plans.

Brunhilda, Koko, and Yuriko immediately agreed. They understood well enough: the final battle was near, and every chance to strengthen their position before the upcoming conflict must be seized. Perhaps this biological weapon could turn the tide.

As Alex shared his plans and thoughts about the future with the girls, Rebecca, Claire, and Moira emerged from the house — fully geared up. Brunhilda, Koko, and Yuriko said their goodbyes, asking him later to tell them how it went. Alex nodded, got behind the wheel, and Claire and Moira gently pushed Rebecca into the front seat before settling themselves in the back.

Starting the engine, Alex steered his Impala toward the exit of the settlement. Once outside the safe zone, he pondered where to go — he needed a place where finding a few demons for the experiment wouldn’t be too difficult.

“So, where are we headed?” Moira asked, leaning forward. “There aren’t any demon nests within dozens of kilometers around here.”

“You’ll find out soon enough. For now—hold on tight. Recca, grab the wheel,” Alex replied with a mysterious smile.

Rebecca hadn’t even fully processed his words before he let go of the wheel and climbed out through the car window. Frightened that they might crash or flip over, she grabbed the steering wheel tightly with both hands.

Meanwhile, Alex, having gotten outside, called for Yamato. A few quick gestures later, a portal opened right in front of the car. The Impala sped through it without slowing down.

When the car emerged from the other side of the portal, Alex deftly climbed back inside and slowed down a bit to get his bearings.

“Don’t ever do that again, idiot!” Rebecca snapped, giving him a light punch on the shoulder. “I almost had a heart attack. Where are we even?”

“China. More specifically — Hong Kong,” Alex replied with a satisfied smile. “I think there should be plenty of demons here.”

“You can open portals over such distances?.. Damn,” Moira said in amazement, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Ah… it’s tough being cool,” Alex sighed dramatically, theatrically putting his hand to his forehead.

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, you’re cool. So how exactly are we supposed to find demons? They usually stick together in groups,” Claire smirked.

“We only need one. The rest are just for warm-up. You could say the demons will be playing Russian roulette today — some will get lucky, some won’t,” Alex answered casually.

Claire just sighed wearily, deciding not to argue. No matter how strange he acted, she felt safe around him.

Alex wasn’t in a hurry. There was plenty of time, so he could afford to drive around the ruined Hong Kong a bit. The last time he’d been here, the city was being bombed while his team tried to evacuate survivors. Now the streets were empty, the silent buildings a reminder of what had happened.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep