NOVPUBDaniel didn’t dwell on it and quickly got into the car.
After all, there was no point confronting that mysterious creature now; going back would only invite more trouble.
It was frustrating: his villa was occupied by mummies, and now Rachel’s apartment too was off-limits.
Territories that were rightfully his were being usurped by these creatures.
A look of loathing passed through Daniel’s eyes.
"Monsters truly are the most damnable creatures on Earth!" he muttered.
He vowed silently, "One day, I’ll eradicate every single one of them!"
As Mike drove away from the apartment building, they followed the main road.
Daniel noticed they weren’t heading in the direction of the Investigation Bureau headquarters.
"Where are we headed?" he inquired.
Without turning, Julia, who was in the passenger seat, responded, "We received a tip-off. There’s a creature spotted at the supermarket at 83 Central Street. Martin wants our team to handle it."
Given that Daniel was a de facto member of Julia’s team, naturally, he was expected to join the operation.
The car smoothly glided along Central Street.
Soon they reached a bustling intersection.
Across it, at the corner, stood the 83rd Street Supermarket: Volon Supermarket, one of the crown jewels of Libertopia’s retail scene.
The expansive building, with its towering glass façade blending the indoors and outdoors, bore a gigantic logo which shimmered with a metallic sheen under the sunlight.
What struck as odd was how pedestrians and vehicles seemed to deliberately avoid the supermarket, as if they feared something within.
When the traffic light turned green, Mike steered the vehicle into the supermarket’s parking area.
As the three of them alighted, a well-dressed middle-aged man approached them, a tall, blonde woman trailing behind him.
With palpable enthusiasm, the man gripped Mike’s hand, "You are from the Federal Investigation Bureau, correct?"
Mike, seemingly unperturbed, withdrew his hand and replied, "Yes, I am Mike from the Federal Investigation Bureau. These are my partners, Julia and Daniel."
The manager quickly nodded in acknowledgment. "Greetings, I am the general manager of this supermarket. You can call me Richard." He gestured towards the blonde, "This is my secretary, Jennifer."
Jennifer offered a subtle smile, her gaze briefly sizing up Daniel. Daniel’s brow furrowed; he disliked being scrutinized in such a manner.
Richard led the group directly into the supermarket.
Perhaps because the glass façade was entirely covered, the light inside was dim, a stark contrast to the brilliant sunlight outside.
There was also an unmistakable, pungent odor permeating the air.
A hint of concern appeared on Daniel’s face, and he noted similar reactions from Julia and Mike.
It seemed they all had sensed the anomaly.
The smell, thick with decay, mingled with an ancient aroma.
It evoked feelings of a century-old corpse that had decomposed but never completely decayed.
Walking ahead, Julia whispered a caution, "Both of you, be on your guard. If I’m not mistaken, this is the scent of a creature."
Daniel’s eyes sharpened as he peered deeper into the supermarket.
The outside light couldn’t penetrate its depths, and beyond the entrance which was illuminated, the rest of the store was plunged into darkness, perhaps due to the store being closed.
The engulfing darkness felt like the gaping maw of a monster, ready to swallow them whole at any moment.
The creature lurking here seemed to pose a significant threat.
As they ventured further in, Daniel noticed Jennifer remotely lowering the store’s entrance gate.
With a resounding clang, it shut.
The sound of the door sealing echoed throughout the supermarket.
With an apologetic look, Richard explained, "I apologize for the suddenness, but it’s best to keep the door closed to prevent others from wandering in and disrupting your investigation."
Neither Daniel nor the others spoke up. They weren’t naive; they understood Richard’s intentions— he simply didn’t want others to see that the federal Investigation Bureau was on the case.
Seeing no objections from the trio, Richard began detailing the series of bizarre incidents that had been plaguing the store.
"Last Wednesday, someone mysteriously vanished within the market. "
"At first, we dismissed it as an isolated incident and promptly reported it to the authorities. "
"Officers from the Golden Shores precinct came several times, but they found no leads, eventually labeling it as a missing person case."
"I thought that was the end of it, but after that day, someone would disappear in the store daily. Just last night, five customers went missing."
"We’ve doubled the surveillance since, but upon reviewing, found no clues whatsoever."
"I’ve dedicated years of my life to this store, was even on the verge of a promotion and raise. And now, this malevolent occurrence, it’s like some damn curse."
"Do you know what people around here are saying? They’re whispering that our supermarket is haunted. Some even think that the creature from the Mauritania pyramid has come here."
"What rotten luck!" Richard exclaimed, clearly frustrated and venting non-stop.
At that moment, Richard’s phone buzzed.
He answered quickly, a flash of excitement evident on his face.
"Alright, I’ll have someone open the door for you right away!"
After hanging up, he exchanged a few words with Jennifer, who promptly pressed the remote to raise the main entrance.
The door began to ascend once more.
Daniel, Julia, and Mike collectively turned their attention towards the entrance.
As the door rose, revealing a bit more than a person’s height, a bald elderly man in priestly robes came into view.
Upon seeing the man, Richard hurried forward, even more enthusiastic than when he’d greeted Daniel and the others.
"Ah, my dear Father Romant! You’ve finally arrived; I’ve been waiting for days!" Richard exclaimed.
Father Romant stood at the entrance, clutching the Bible to his chest, fervently murmuring prayers.
Daniel only caught the last word, "Hallelujah."
Julia and Mike exchanged a glance and smirked, "Old charlatan."
In Libertopia, religious faith thrived.
Even Julia and Mike once held profound beliefs in God.
But after becoming Evolvers, their faith waned.
God?
Trusting Him felt more futile than trusting oneself, especially since monsters wouldn’t care about one’s faith when they’re hungry!
Daniel remained impassive, indifferent to religious convictions.
He remembered praying desperately while facing death inside the pyramid, only to realize later that such prayers were in vain.
Had he not been strong enough, he would have ended up as just another offering to the Ghouls within the pyramid’s depths.
Once Father Romant entered, Richard addressed the trio, "You three, proceed with your investigation. I will show the Father around. If you need anything, Jennifer will be here to assist."
Watching Richard and Romant venture deeper into the shadowed store, Daniel, without missing a beat, whispered, "Follow them."
Without hesitation, Julia and Mike trailed behind, matching Daniel’s stealthy pace.
Seeing this, Jennifer had no choice but to quietly tag along.
Romant led Richard in a winding route through the supermarket, peering here and there.
As he ambled, he continued to chant, occasionally opening his Bible and holding it up to seemingly cleanse the surroundings, appearing every bit the exorcist.
Mike whispered to Daniel, "So, you followed out of concern that the creature might harm Romant and Richard? Didn’t expect this soft side from you, Dan!"
Daniel’s expression remained stoic, choosing not to respond.
He held no particular concern for the fate of the two men.
His reason for tailing them was to use them as bait, hoping to lure out the creature.
But as they made their way around the ground floor of the mall, looping back towards the main entrance, nothing seemed amiss.
It appeared the entity within was cautious, and the priest, it seemed, was lucky to remain unharmed.
However, at that moment, Daniel’s senses heightened.
"This scent..." he murmured, eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring.
That ancient, decaying stench was back, and even more potent than before.
Julia’s hands sparked with electric energy. "Stay alert, the creature is near!"
A subtle, green glow emanated from Mike, barely perceptible unless looked upon closely.
It was the aura of healing, readying to support Julia. Offense and defense, their synergy was undeniable.
Daniel surveyed the mall with calculated calm but saw nothing out of place.
BANG!
A sudden loud noise echoed, as if something massive had crashed to the floor.
Romant and Richard jumped in surprise, the object having landed right in front of them.
Had they been walking just a bit faster, they might have been struck.
Richard, shaken and angered, swore aloud, "What the hell! Who did this? It nearly killed me!"
Recalling that the mall was closed and that they were the only ones present, he switched on his flashlight to inspect the fallen object.
The beam illuminated the floor, and an icy dread gripped Richard.
Chills ran down his spine.
Beside him, Romant shivered, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Jennifer, rushing forward to check on her boss, let out a piercing scream.
It was a corpse.
More precisely, a decaying body that looked as if it had been ravaged by wild dogs.
Bites and clear tooth marks littered its limbs and head.
Julia and Mike tensed, on high alert. They both knew.
The creature had revealed itself.
