Chapter 2: Conquering Monsters with Scientific Literacy

“Captain, he’s after me!”

Su Yi shouted as he ran, his body like an arrow loosed from a bow, closing the distance to the crowd in just a few strides.

“Sim, lend me your horse!”

With a slight crouch, Su Yi pushed off the ground with his left foot, leaping through the air toward a young man mounted with a musket.

Sim’s face was freckled, his red hood askew. Despite his panic at Su Yi’s words, he offered no resistance.

Su Yi let out a silent sigh of relief.

He had chosen Sim because, in Sonam’s memories, they were childhood neighbors, their understanding of each other unmatched by any other member of the squad. In this tense, time-critical moment, picking someone else’s horse could have provoked a reckless reaction, and any hesitation would have allowed the monster behind to catch up, ruining his plan.

Midair, Su Yi grabbed the reins, swung himself onto the saddle, and, with a deft push, sent Sim tumbling down.

Their eyes met fleetingly—Su Yi saw unwavering trust from his childhood companion.

He squeezed his legs around the horse, jerked the reins, and struck the steed with a harsh whip. The horse, stung, reared and spun.

“Captain, I have a way to deal with it! Hold it off for me!”

As he spoke, the monster—transformed into a blood hunter—charged forward, and the security squad drew their blades.

Amid wild neighs, Su Yi’s horse surged out of the crowd.

Yousi hesitated for a moment. Years of camaraderie kept him from suspecting Su Yi of desertion.

He drew two pitch-black swords from his back, uttered a low command, and slashed with thunderous force at the vampire’s neck.

The monster plunged into the crowd, upending men and horses. With what little reason remained, it understood the threat posed by their numbers.

It unleashed its monstrous aura. Horses screamed in terror, as if meeting their nemesis, and not even the squad’s efforts could calm them.

The web of swords and blades, meant to ensnare the creature, proved little threat; agile and shrunk in form, the monster slipped through, leaving carnage in its wake.

Just as the creature sent a squad member flying, Yousi’s twin swords converged on its neck from both sides, their angle impeccable, their timing flawless—escape seemed impossible.

The vampire let out a shrill scream. Its grotesquely swollen hand seized the left sword, pinning its sharp edge with inhuman strength, spilling foul, purplish-black blood.

On the other side, the monster’s body jerked—the second sword sliced across its shoulder, colliding with its tough scapula in a dull thud. Before Yousi could savor his triumph, he felt his sword gripped by a tremendous suction, trapped within the monster’s flesh.

Damn!

Yousi, locked in the monster’s icy gaze, felt chilled to the bone. The creature’s gaping maw twisted into a mocking smile.

In that critical instant, a flash from a nearby musket drew the monster’s attention. Seizing the brief chance, Yousi kicked hard at the creature’s chest, narrowly avoiding its grasping claws.

Three bloody gashes tore his trousers. Landing, Yousi ignored his wounds, eyes fixed on the musket-blasted wound at the creature’s waist.

Point-blank musket fire had almost no effect on the monster’s movement. In mere moments, nearly every squad member bore injuries, while the wound on the monster’s waist healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“Damn monster,” Yousi muttered, and, shielded by two comrades, unhesitatingly used a silver dagger to carve out the wounded flesh.

With a grunt, another squad member uncorked a gold-plated copper flask, pouring holy water from the town church onto the wound. Blackened flesh sizzled with white smoke, turning pale, and the bleeding stopped quickly.

Seeing the human fighters’ coordination grow ever more sophisticated, the monster, now unable to pose a mortal threat to the security squad, regained some reason, its hatred for Su Yi flaring.

With a stomp and a piercing howl, it lunged at two squad members ahead.

Amid the clash of sword and claw, the two men were knocked aside. The monster halted beneath the brick wall of a street-facing house, grinning silently.

Thud! As if a mysterious force had stunned their hearts, everyone’s actions slowed by a beat. Then, they watched as the creature’s body flashed a strange crimson, its right arm swelling and plunging halfway into the brick wall, slicing through it like butter.

The next moment, an explosion erupted; bricks and dust shot toward the crowd like a hailstorm.

Seizing the opportunity, the monster burst out of the mob after sending another squad member flying.

Covered in dust, Yousi mounted his horse with a teammate’s help, shouting hoarsely, “After that bloody vampire—don’t let it escape!”

As the monster, astride the fastest horse, sped away, Yousi’s heart sank. He murmured, “Sonam, it’s up to you.”

Night wind rushed past, filling Su Yi’s ears as he bent low over the horse. The shouts behind him faded, but given the situation, he had to prepare for the worst. Judging by the monster’s abilities, the squad could only delay it briefly.

At last, the cramped streets opened up. The warhorse, guided by the reins, turned toward a towering, stone-gray building standing at the battered end of the avenue.

Yet, just as Su Yi relaxed, fresh commotion behind made his heart race again.

On a nearby two-story house, the vampire of the Nofeller clan shattered half the eaves, emitting a chilling howl. Turning, Su Yi met its blazing red eyes and gleaming fangs under the moon.

Roof tiles shattered as the monster sped forward, closing the distance fast.

Whipping his horse hard, Su Yi and his mount shot down the road like an arrow. Nearing the building’s entrance, Su Yi used the horse’s momentum to leap high, thrusting his sword at the stained glass above the doors.

Glass shattered with a crash. Su Yi rolled to his feet, surveying the wide interior, noting three distinct doorways. He made an instant decision and charged toward the left-front portal.

The wooden bar fell under his sword’s blow. Inside, the light dimmed further. Shelves, gears, and chains did little to slow him—Sonam, a native, knew the building’s layout well. Navigating the obstacles, Su Yi slipped through the innermost door.

Above the main entrance, the vampire’s massive form squeezed through the broken stained glass. Its scarlet gaze lingered on the three doors, then, following the sounds, rushed through the left-front entry.

The thrill of hunting his prey made the vampire restless. Why the weak human had fled into this building didn’t trouble him; though he hadn’t lurked in the human world long, it was clear this was merely a place for food processing, nothing that could threaten him.

Humans—damned humans! Without their trinkets, they’re nothing but pests I could crush with a flick.

Roaring, he barreled to the end of the road, ignoring every obstacle. The wooden door splintered under his frenzy, and he plunged into darkness.

As a creature of the night, every vampire possessed excellent low-light vision. The space was smaller and the ceiling lower than outside. Walls and center were lined with neat stacks of burlap sacks, making it hard to see everything at once.

A discomforting odor filled the air. The vampire sniffed and bellowed, “Foolish human, are you playing hide-and-seek? I’ll show you something worse than death!”

He crashed through the nearest aisle, massive limbs knocking sacks aside. The smell grew stronger, his vision hazy, and then he spotted the hated human not far ahead.

A sack flew from the human’s hand. The vampire, unconcerned, swatted it aside, but the burst of powder blinded him instantly. When his sight returned, the human was gone!

A point of light surfaced in the darkness, sweeping a beautiful arc.

Boom! Fire erupted, enveloping the space in a blazing inferno centered on the vampire. The shockwave unleashed its unmatched fury, walls groaned and crumbled like rotten wood.

In the mill’s cellar, Su Yi leaned against the wall, watching as the iron plate at the entrance was warped by the blast. He exhaled hard.

“Let’s see how you like the taste of a dust explosion!”