The second day had arrived since Alex landed in Rio. When morning came, Alex slowly opened his eyes — and once again felt that extremely unpleasant sensation of waking up. With a slight sigh, he stared at the ceiling, running through everything still left to do in his mind.

But all those morning thoughts instantly gave way to one single one: he desperately needed coffee. Lying there a little longer, Alex scanned the hotel room and looked at Alucard — she was still sitting in the same spot where she had been for the past several hours while he slept. Alex noticed that Alucard was still reading the book he had given her the night before.

Yawning lightly, Alex tried to carefully pull his arm out from under Seras’s head — she had been using it as a pillow. When he slightly moved his arm so as not to wake her, Seras immediately stirred and drowsily opened her eyes.

Seras sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to figure out where she was. The reason for her sleepy state was simple: she hadn’t slept in her coffin, and her body was protesting against the disruption of her usual routine.

“Good… morning…” Seras mumbled sleepily, still rubbing her eyes and trying to fully wake up.

“Good morning to you too,” Alex said, yawning again and stretching slightly.

Seras only nodded drowsily, still trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Alex shifted his gaze to Alessa — she was sleeping on her back, hands neatly folded across her chest. Seeing how his daughter slept, Alex just shook his head: Alessa had even begun imitating the way Wednesday slept.

Finally gathering his thoughts — which after a couple of hours of sleep were in complete disarray — Alex got up from the sofa and snapped his fingers, instantly changing his clothes into something more suitable for the local streets so he wouldn’t stand out when going for coffee. Seras glanced at Alex — not even noticing how he had changed — right now her mind held only one question: where was he going?

“Where are you going?” Seras asked sleepily, standing up from the sofa.

“I need coffee. And then we need to figure out how to leave Rio unnoticed,” Alex said, checking the time on his watch.

“I’ll come with you…” Seras said, nodding and nearly falling back asleep on the spot.

Alex didn’t mind Seras coming along. But he knew she didn’t handle direct sunlight well, so he pulled a hooded cloak from his inventory — thick enough for Seras to shield herself from the sun. Alex tossed the cloak toward her, but she didn’t even catch it — it simply landed on her head.

Seras lazily pulled the cloak off her head and very slowly began putting it on, still trying to fully wake up. Alex shifted his gaze to Alucard — she had already closed the book and was looking at him. Alex smiled slightly and walked over to Alucard.

“Will you watch Alessa while she sleeps?” Alex asked, taking Alucard’s hand.

“Do I look like a nanny who’s going to babysit sleeping children?” Alucard asked with a light, playful smile.

“I’d tell you the truth. But I think you’d try to kill me. Again. So just watch Alessa. You have more in common than you think, Carmilla,” Alex said, gently kissing Alucard’s hand.

“I’m ready. Let’s go,” came Seras’s sleepy voice from behind Alex.

Alucard continued looking at Alex with that playful smile, making it clear she wasn’t promising anything. In response, Alex leaned in and kissed Alucard on the cheek — causing her smile to widen even further. Such tenderness was something she hadn’t experienced in a very long time — she had even forgotten that someone could show her this kind of affection instead of running away or being too afraid to meet her eyes.

But at the same time, it felt both pleasant and intriguing to her — it brought back long-forgotten feelings. Seeing that Alucard didn’t refuse to watch Alessa while the girl slept, Alex took Seras by the hand and left the hotel room.

Once Alex and Seras were gone, Alucard shifted her gaze to Alessa — the girl was sleeping with her arms crossed over her chest. At that moment Alucard’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a mysterious smile appeared on her face. Because now, alone with Alessa, she could find out just how deeply the girl had sunk into darkness and what this child truly was.

By this time Alex and Seras had left the motel grounds and stood on the road. Alex was trying to figure out which direction to go to buy coffee. Lighting a cigarette, he pointed in the right direction once he finally worked it out. Seras nodded slightly, gradually waking up. Fortunately, the nearest coffee shop wasn’t far — and by now Seras had fully come to her senses and returned to her usual smile, as if nothing had happened the day before.

Seras, of course, noticed that Alex had been holding her hand the entire time — something she definitely didn’t mind, and it only made her smile brighter. Squeezing Alex’s hand a little tighter, Seras looked at his profile — he looked as if he were too lazy to go anywhere or even move more than necessary.

Exhaling cigarette smoke, Alex tried to recall what he needed to do next and what the following step should be. While he was lost in thought, he and Seras reached a fairly simple-looking coffee shop. Alex pushed the door open — and a characteristic bell rang above the entrance.

Stepping inside, Alex looked around: behind the counter stood an elderly woman, and the coffee shop was almost empty — except for one woman sitting by the window. Seeing this woman, Alex sighed slightly and decided to order coffee for himself first while Seras looked around.

“It’s pretty empty in here,” Seras said, glancing at Alex.

“This is the outskirts of Rio — there shouldn’t be many people. Except for tourists who prefer exploring the city’s edges,” Alex said, paying for the coffee.

Seras nodded and took her coffee. She thought about adding a blood-flavored candy to her drink once they stepped outside. But before she could take a step toward the exit, Seras noticed Alex walking toward the only woman sitting in this small family coffee shop.

Seras didn’t understand why Alex decided to approach a stranger, but she followed him anyway. Seras glanced at the woman: she was dressed in black jeans and a light black women’s shirt, her light brown hair tied in a high ponytail. Alex walked up to the table and sat down across from the woman.

“Decided to change your style, Amara?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You think I should always wear the same thing?” Amara replied, bringing her coffee cup to her lips.

“Well, yeah. After all, it wasn’t me cosplaying a gloomy aristocrat during our last meeting. You know — dark black dress, candles, and a gloomy melody from an old gramophone,” Alex said, lazily waving his hand.

Amara looked at Alex with a blank stare, then shifted her gaze to Seras — who had sat down next to Alex. When Amara looked at her, Seras felt slightly uneasy under that gaze. But Amara quickly looked away from Seras and back at Alex — causing Seras to sigh in relief, not understanding why this woman Alex knew had such a heavy, oppressive look.

“So — why are you in Rio? And especially here? Were you waiting for me?” Alex asked, tapping his finger on the table.

“Not everything has to be me pretending to be wounded. I felt like getting some fresh air — and ended up here. And why I was waiting for you… It’s because of your little stunt yesterday, Freddy the Bear. I was enjoying a massage last night, and then the news came on TV. I couldn’t even finish the session — because several blocks lost power,” Amara said, giving Alex another blank look.

Alex’s eyelid twitched at her words — and all he could do in his defense was roll his eyes. Seeing his reaction, Amara just shook her head and took another sip of coffee. Then she decided to ask why Alex had caused all that chaos in Rio yesterday — enough to get him labeled a terrorist.

Hearing Amara’s question, Alex briefly explained what was currently happening — causing Amara to simply nod, not even surprised by what she heard. Seras, watching the conversation between Alex and Amara, realized: they had known each other for a long time and even behaved like old friends.

And that realization brought her a little calm. But when Alex introduced her, Seras gave an awkward smile and waved lightly. Amara, in turn, gave Alex a sarcastic smile that said more than words ever could. Alex just cleared his throat dryly, pretending not to understand Amara’s hint.

“Ah, and before I forget. Your nephew is looking for a weapon that can hurt you. He hasn’t had any success so far — because Cass managed to grab a couple before they fell into the wrong hands. He even found another of Balthazar’s caches. So be careful — so you don’t actually get hurt,” Alex said, tapping his finger on the table.

“I know he’s looking. And thank you for the help. Aren’t you afraid Dean and Sam will lose it when the truth comes out?” Amara said, smiling slightly.

“We’ve already talked about this. I’ll tell them everything when the time is right. Sauron is still keeping an eye on Dean and Sam — like they’re two hobbits heading to Mordor,” Alex said, rolling his eyes slightly.

“As you say. I noticed you’ve almost collected everything. As always — thank you,” Amara said, shrugging lightly.

“We’re best buddies, after all. And it’s no trouble for me. Here — this is yours, and I need to get back,” Alex said, placing a small box on the table and standing up from his chair.

“Take care,” Amara said, taking the box in her hands.

“You too. Otherwise I’ll have to listen to Dean’s whining again. A little more and he’ll empty all my supplies,” Alex said, chuckling lightly and waving his hand as he led Seras out of the coffee shop.

Hearing Alex’s last words, Amara laughed lightly. After all, how could she not know about the struggles Dean faced. She occasionally visited his dreams — where she could talk to him, even if Dean remembered nothing after waking up.

Once outside the coffee shop, Seras looked at Alex — wondering what they had talked about and what he had given her. But what Seras definitely understood was that Amara didn’t have the simplest relationship with her family, since her nephew was looking for a weapon that could kill her. And thinking about that, Seras realized: Amara was no ordinary human.

These thoughts made Seras frown even deeper — understanding that she had only caught a small part of the conversation between Alex and Amara, because everything sounded very strange and veiled. Alex noticed Seras’s thoughtful look and lightly patted her on the head to get her attention. Seras turned her head and looked at Alex thoughtfully.

“If you want to ask — just ask. No need to rack your brain over questions you won’t be able to answer yourself anyway,” Alex said, smiling slightly.

“Who was that woman?” Seras asked, stopping in place.

“Amara? Well, she’s… a very ancient woman who was betrayed. And now she wants revenge — and I’m helping her. That’s all,” Alex said, lighting a cigarette.

“I see. So her family still wants to kill her,” Seras said, nodding.

“Something like that. It’s all pretty complicated to explain in two words. You could make a whole series about her story. Better let’s go buy breakfast for everyone,” Alex said, chuckling lightly and continuing to walk.

“Mmm, let’s go. Alessa is probably hungry… And about your friend Dean — what kind of relationship do they have?” Seras said with a smile, following Alex.

“I didn’t expect you to be such a gossip, Seras,” Alex said, pinching Seras’s nose.

“I’m just curious… I mean — it’s obvious Amara and Dean have some kind of relationship,” Seras said, blushing slightly from embarrassment.

“If we’re talking about their relationship… Yeah — they’re sort of together, but in a very strange way. They’re bound to each other, but they can’t be together. In short — one big romantic comedy,” Alex said, shrugging lightly.

Seras nodded — and her mind immediately began painting very strange pictures from romantic books, where the main characters face obstacles preventing them from being together. Alex noticed Seras’s look — when she started behaving like a teenage girl who had just learned about someone’s romantic life.

Unable to resist, Alex pinched Seras’s nose again — causing her to squeak lightly and glare at him angrily for doing it once more. Alex just smiled and took Seras by the hand — and they continued walking down the road.

Meanwhile back at the motel, Alucard and Alessa were looking at each other without saying a word. Alessa had woken up a few minutes after Alex and Seras left — and saw only Alucard sitting in the same spot. Alessa’s black eyes looked into Alucard’s red ones — and neither of them had spoken the entire time.

A mysterious smile played on Alucard’s face as she looked into Alessa’s eyes and saw the impenetrable darkness there with rare glints of light. This indicated that even after plunging into darkness and becoming a monster, Alessa still reached for the light — which in her life had become Alex and her new family.

But despite those small glimmers of light in Alessa’s black eyes, Alucard saw a very dark and cruel soul — one that would spare no one. And that only brought a smile to her face. At the same time, Alucard wanted to see everything Alessa was capable of if she showed her darkness to others.

And she had no intention of doing it now — she had time to see it with her own eyes. Alessa, meanwhile, looking at Alucard, was thinking whether she could consider Alucard her new mother — or if it wasn’t time yet. And that was the only question swirling in her head at the moment.

But she didn’t find an answer — so she decided to ask her sisters. Alessa took her phone from her little bag and messaged them. After writing to her sisters and instantly receiving a reply, Alessa nodded. Alucard noticed Alessa’s actions and raised an eyebrow slightly — noticing how the look Alessa had been giving her earlier had changed.

“What’s wrong, child?” Alucard asked, intrigued by the reason for the change in Alessa’s gaze.

“My sisters said you’re our new mom,” Alessa said calmly, looking straight into Alucard’s eyes.

“Really? Interesting… And why would I become your mother, child?” Alucard asked, looking at Alessa with interest.

“You already know the answer, Mom. You can’t escape Dad — and you don’t want to escape him. You wouldn’t be able to escape anyway, Mom. You love Dad — but in your own way,” Alessa said calmly, continuing to look into Alucard’s eyes.

Hearing Alessa’s words, Alucard’s eyes widened for a moment — and then she burst into loud laughter, hunching over in the chair she was sitting in. With her laughter Alucard neither denied Alessa’s words — nor confirmed them. Alucard had long forgotten what love or attachment even was.

She simply took what she desired — and now her target was Alex. Alucard stopped laughing — and her smile grew wider and more manic, baring her sharp teeth. She rose from the chair and approached Alessa, leaning forward to look into the girl’s eyes. Alucard’s face was shrouded in thick shadow — from which only her red eyes were visible, looking down at Alessa.

Alessa, with the same emotionless expression, looked back into Alucard’s eyes — clearly showing her stance in this conversation. Alucard’s smile began to twist and stretch unnaturally — making it even more terrifying — when she noticed that even in such a situation Alessa had no intention of backing down. And that filled Alucard with pure delight.

“You say I love your father. You said I can’t escape him — but can he escape me? Can you call it love — the desire to possess someone who evokes so many emotions in you and brings so many thrilling things? Answer me, child. Or are you afraid of me?” Alucard said, looming over Alessa.

“It’s not for me to answer that question, but for you, Mom. And you’re not the first mom who loves our father in that way. And I’m not afraid of you. You’re not scary,” Alessa said, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“Interesting… very interesting. You really are his daughter. Now his personality intrigues me even more. Because your father is not Death. I’m right, aren’t I, child?” Alucard said, returning to her usual appearance.

“He’ll tell you himself. You want to hear those words from him personally — not from me, Mom,” Alessa said, looking straight into Alucard’s eyes.

“Hahahahaha. You’re right — I want him to tell me everything himself. It seems everything is becoming far more interesting. And if he’s not going to choose one of us — then I’ll simply take first place in this race… Or maybe I already have. My Mistress still wants to control him, Seras is still acting like a lovesick girl. How fascinating… It seems I’m already first. And I like it,” Alucard said, laughing loudly.

“It won’t be easy for you, Mom. Mom Wednesday said: whoever celebrates victory too early always ends up last. Unlike Dad, you act impulsively when you want something,” Alessa said coldly, stating her opinion.

Hearing Alessa’s words, Alucard looked at the girl with interest. A light smile appeared on Alucard’s face — when Alessa expressed her opinion. Alucard couldn’t help but note that Alessa was almost an exact copy of Integra — only darker and more cruel.

Alucard even thought about how Integra would react upon hearing how Alessa spoke. Would Integra consider taking Alessa under her wing — to raise her as the next head of Hellsing?

“Hmm… You’re clever, child. I think Integra would want an heir like you,” Alucard said, running her finger along Alessa’s cheek.

“Maybe you should call her. To report to your Mistress what’s happening — before Dad gets back,” Alessa said calmly, changing the subject.

Alucard looked at the phone being offered to her, then back at Alessa. It wasn’t hard for her to understand that Alessa was changing the subject — and that only amused her. Alucard took the phone from Alessa’s hands and sat back in the chair. She began dialing Integra’s number with light taps of her fingers — already anticipating the conversation with her Mistress.

After all, Alex wasn’t here to stop her — and she could once again play her little game with Integra to annoy her and throw her off balance a little more. Bringing the phone to her ear, she heard the dial tone — and then Integra’s voice came from the other end.

Alessa, meanwhile, sat calmly in her place, clutching her terrifying rabbit Robbie to her chest, thinking about her conversation with Alucard. She thought she had done everything right — just as her sisters had asked, so her potential mothers wouldn’t run away from their dad.

“Who is this?” Integra’s voice came from the other end.

“It’s me, my Mistress,” Alucard said calmly, smiling slightly.

“Report what you’ve learned,” Integra said in a calm tone.

“All of this is the work of the Major and his Last Battalion. From beginning to end — all of it is their plan. Even back then they acted exactly the same way. The way they operate. And what they plan. It’s deeply etched in my memory, my Mistress,” Alucard said calmly.

“Excellent. Alucard, today Her Majesty is convening a Round Table meeting,” Integra said, sitting at her desk in her office.

“Seriously? The Queen herself?” Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

“That’s why return as quickly as possible. We need a full report on everything you’ve managed to learn. Don’t make Her Majesty wait,” Integra said, turning in her chair and looking out the window.

“As you command, Integra. But we won’t be returning alone — we’ll bring a pleasant surprise for you, my Mistress. You also want to see his children, don’t you? A child you could raise as your heir — who would call you Mom. His child. Those thoughts bring you pleasure, don’t they? They stir your blood? You see it in your mind too, don’t you?” Alucard said, looking at Alessa sitting nearby.

“Shut up, you idiot! Don’t talk nonsense! Get back here right now, you fool!” Integra shouted and immediately ended the call.

At that moment Integra was sitting in her office — and a light blush had appeared on her cheeks. She didn’t deny Alucard’s words — but she also wasn’t going to admit them so openly. She knew Alex’s children were intelligent — very intelligent for their age. And she would like to see them with her own eyes. But she definitely wasn’t going to voice her thoughts on the matter.

Alucard, in turn, laughed loudly — once again having managed to break through Integra’s defenses, and she could clearly feel it. Alessa, watching this and hearing the entire conversation, just shook her head with a cold expression — not understanding why Alucard enjoyed angering Integra so much.

And when Alucard finished the call — Alex and Seras returned. The moment Alex stepped into the room, he heard Alucard’s laughter — and once again wondered: what had amused her so much? Alex shifted his gaze to Alessa — she gave him a blank look. Sighing to himself, Alex realized what had happened again — when he noticed the phone in Alucard’s hands.

Shaking his head, Alex picked Alessa up and set the breakfast he had bought in front of her. Jake, Pierce, and Bernadotte also received their breakfast — and now all that remained was to figure out how to leave Rio without attracting too much attention. After all, even though he had worn a mask yesterday, their entire group looked far too suspicious to leave the country so openly.

After some time, Jake, Pierce, and Bernadotte arrived — to discuss how they would leave Rio.

“There’s nothing to be done — we can’t fly back right now. Airports will definitely be checked. And we’re too noticeable,” Bernadotte said, stuffing a burger into his mouth.

“By ship it’ll take a whole week — if not more,” Seras said, sitting next to Alessa at the table.

“You might as well suggest hijacking a plane, little lady,” Jake said, rocking back in his chair.

“A plane isn’t even an option. And how would we hijack a plane unnoticed — this isn’t stealing apples from a market. You can’t just grab and run. They’d shoot us down before we even gained enough altitude,” Bernadotte said, rolling his eyes slightly.

“In principle — it’s possible. In theory,” Alex said, rubbing his chin.

Everyone looked at Alex — who genuinely believed it was possible to hijack an entire plane to return to London. But before anyone could voice their thoughts — the hotel room door was kicked in. Everyone immediately turned their heads and saw Father Anderson standing in the doorway. A smile appeared on Alucard’s face — she rose from her seat and walked toward Father Anderson.

Father Anderson stepped into the room — and as soon as he and Alucard were close enough, they both raised their fists to strike. And before their fists could connect — Alex appeared between them, placing his hands on Anderson’s chest and Alucard’s, pushing them apart. Alucard stepped back and landed softly in the chair she had been sitting in, while Anderson took several steps back — until his back hit the wall.

“If you came here to fight — I don’t mind beating you, priest,” Alex said calmly, cracking his neck slightly.

“You!” Anderson said, drawing his silver bayonets.

“Sheathe your weapon, priest. Because my daughter is here,” Alex said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Anderson narrowed his eyes slightly and saw Seras shielding Alessa. Seeing that there was a child present, Anderson put away his weapons — because he had always cared for children. But in Alessa’s gaze he saw thick darkness — darkness that should not belong to a child.

He didn’t even consider Alessa a monster — rather a child who had endured terrible trials. In his life he had seen that same look in the eyes of children who came to the orphanage he ran — and there were far more such children than he could have imagined. And all he could feel in that moment was pity for Alessa.

“Not quite the monster after all — since you care for a child. The Vatican has a small private plane — it’s thirty kilometers north. Take this paper and get out of here. Before I change my mind and decide to kill you all again. Even despite the fact that this child is here,” Anderson said, pulling a document with a seal from his inner pocket.

“Thank you for the help, priest. But before you leave — allow me to remind you,” Alex said, taking the document in his hands.

“What else do you want to tell me, monster?” Anderson asked before leaving.

“Heaven is empty, and down below a coup is underway. Is it worth walking the path you’ve chosen if there will be nothing at the end of what your faith promises?” Alex said, looking straight into Anderson’s eyes.

“That doesn’t matter to me. I am merely a weapon in His hands. And I will not stop — until I die or until all this scum dies. Protect your child, monster. So she doesn’t follow in your footsteps. It doesn’t matter — child or adult, a monster is a monster,” Anderson said, looking back into Alex’s eyes.

At that very moment, the atmosphere in the room shifted so abruptly and intensely that a shiver ran down everyone’s spine — except for Alucard and Anderson. Alex’s face instantly went blank as he delivered a swift punch to Anderson’s face. In the same second, Anderson smashed straight through the wall and flew outside — sliding across the ground and leaving a clear, elongated trail behind him.

Alex stepped through the hole in the wall after him — with a grim expression on his face. Seras wanted to intervene — but Jake placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her not to move. Anderson rose from the ground, spat blood, and snorted blood from his nose. In an instant, Anderson drew his silver bayonets. But Alex was already beside him in the same moment and placed a hand on Anderson’s shoulder. Anderson felt an immense weight on his body — as if he were about to be crushed. And his legs buckled with a loud crack — he fell to the ground.

“Choose your words carefully, priest. Even if I’m interested in your potential as a human — killing you would be like crushing an ant. I am not a monster, Anderson. But I could hunt down every single member of the Vatican — every last one — and kill them all. And none of you scum could stop me. You call me a monster — but the one who raises a hand against a child, that is the true monster. People like you consider everyone around them sinners. But you forgot the most important thing. No one has the right to take freedom from others. He gave you all freedom — not so that people like you could take it away. You are not God’s weapon. You are a thief of freedom,” Alex said, continuing to press Anderson down into the ground.

“I’ve seen children like that in the orphanage… Empty eyes, souls already broken. They smile when beaten — because they know nothing else. You call that freedom? You gave her darkness instead of light. Your words change nothing, monster. I don’t believe in Heaven. I believe only in duty. So protect your child, monster. So she doesn’t follow in your footsteps and become like you or her,” Anderson said, ignoring his shattered shoulder and forcing himself to rise — even as his knees cracked under the pressure on his body.

“I’ll give my daughter everything she desires. It’s not your place to lecture me, priest. People like you don’t save children like that — you impose your faith on them, turn them into God’s weapons so they can die in your war. But they’re just children! Children who also want to find family and warmth. Remember how many children left the orphanage — without becoming soldiers in your war. They are not your weapons — they are alive, just like all of you,” Alex said, squeezing Anderson’s shoulder with such force that the bones inside cracked with a clear, dry sound.

“Do you think I don’t know how many of them broke? I see their faces every night. Boys who cried when I taught them to hold a bayonet. Girls who whispered: ‘I don’t want to die for God.’ I remember every single one who ran away. Every single one who died without becoming a soldier. And I still keep going. Because if I stop… then all of them died for nothing. Now go. Fly on my plane. Because a monster is a monster. Even if he calls himself a father,” Anderson said, ignoring his shattered shoulder and forcing himself to rise — even as his knees cracked and buckled under the inhuman pressure that was still crushing his body.

Hearing those words, Alex continued staring straight into Anderson’s eyes — and saw the full weight of accumulated pain, exhaustion, and shattered faith hidden behind that fanatical resolve. Alex had seen that look many times before. The look of a man who failed to save or protect someone important. The look of a man who, despite everything, keeps moving forward — to reach a goal he himself considers unreachable, yet refuses to stop. That was why Alex wanted to give Anderson a new purpose and the strength to achieve it. But not now — when the time was right.

“I understand you, priest. Your gaze… We’re alike. You’ve seen all of this with your own eyes — but you were too weak to change it. Your only way to save those children is to kill all the monsters. I see it in your eyes — that’s your true goal. That’s your true crusade, the one you started yourself. You can go, priest. Because this isn’t the place where your path ends. But when your path comes to its end — there, at the end, I’ll be waiting for you. And we’ll talk again,” Alex said, healing Anderson with a single light pass of his palm before fully releasing him.

Hearing those words, Anderson saw in Alex’s eyes the same look he saw in the mirror every morning. In that instant he understood: Alex was only pretending to be a monster — but he was not one. And when that realization fully struck him — Anderson understood everything.

Standing before Alex, he slowly brushed the dust and blood from his torn clothes, sheathed his silver bayonets back inside his coat, and calmly began to walk away. After a few steps, Anderson paused, turned his head over his shoulder, and looked at Alex.

“I’ll be waiting for our next meeting…” Anderson said in a quiet voice, and those final words hung in the air before he finally departed.

Alex simply lit a cigarette and tiredly lifted his gaze to the sky. All he could do in that moment was mentally curse Chuck once again for what he had done to this universe. Alex could understand why Anderson was such a broken man — yet still kept moving forward. After all, anyone would break if forced to walk the same path. Exhaling cigarette smoke, Alex stubbed out the cigarette and returned to the others — so they could finally leave this country and return to London.

To be continued…

(Oh my God, today is a complete fucking day. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with so much work that I simply didn’t know what I needed to do first. And at that moment, my brain literally boiled from fatigue and overexertion. And all I can do at this moment is lie down and stare at the ceiling. Screw it, I’m going to relax, peace, love, and Yo-ho-ho.)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep