Strolling along the riverbank for less than ten minutes, William's heightened senses picked up on the presence of someone nearby. Dressed in a long coat with black tactical gear underneath, a katana strapped to his back, and two modified pistols at his waist, the Black Ghost stood silently in the shadow of the trees.
Without turning his head, William clasped his hands behind his back and gazed at the flowing water. "Have you identified the person who was spying on the castle last night?"
"Apologies, Boss," the Black Ghost responded. "Last night, after Sunday alerted me, I managed to scare off the intruder. I pursued them all the way to the old Devonshire Earl's estate, but I lost them there. And... there's more."
Hearing the hesitation in the usually unflappable Black Ghost's voice, William frowned and turned to look at him. To his surprise, there was a faint trace of fear on the man's face, something he rarely, if ever, displayed.
"What exactly happened?" William asked, his tone turning serious.
After a pause, the Black Ghost explained, "On the 40-kilometer route from the castle to the Earl's estate, I fought with the intruder three times. They were incredibly fast but not particularly skilled. During our confrontations, I hit them with at least six darts.
"Although they bled, it was as if they didn't feel pain. They just pulled the darts out and kept running. However..." He hesitated, then unsheathed the katana from his back. "For some reason, they seemed terrified of this blade."
William gestured for the katana, catching it as the Black Ghost tossed it to him. He examined the weapon, its blade dull except for the faint metallic glimmer along the edge. Despite its menacing appearance, he couldn't discern anything particularly special about it beyond its sharpness.
"Where did you get this blade?" William asked curiously.
"From Ozunu's armory," the Black Ghost replied. After thinking for a moment, he added, "There's something odd about it. When I found the blade, it was sealed in a ceremonial offering box along with seven other weapons."
"A ceremonial box?" William's interest was piqued. Given that the Ozunu Clan was an ancient organization that had existed for over a thousand years, it wouldn't be surprising if they'd encountered and prepared for supernatural entities.
"Follow me back to the castle," William said decisively. "I want to analyze the composition of this blade."
"Understood," the Black Ghost replied, fastening his coat buttons, pulling up his collar, and removing his mask to transform back into his usual dashing appearance.
Once back at the castle, William sent the Black Ghost to rest in the small sitting room while he carried the katana to the second underground level. Placing the blade in a scanner, he waited ten minutes before Sunday reported back.
"Sir, this blade is primarily made of folded steel. However, unexpectedly, 11% of its metal composition is silver. The blade's dull appearance isn't due to the metal itself but rather a thin layer of silver plating on its surface."
"Silver?" William mused. "Are you saying the blade looks like this because the silver has oxidized over time?"
"Exactly, Sir. However, the blade isn't particularly old—its construction likely dates back no more than 40 years."
William wasn't concerned about whether the blade was an antique. The inclusion of silver in its composition was far more intriguing. Combined with the Black Ghost's account of the intruder's reaction, he couldn't help but suspect the existence of supernatural entities.
"Hah," William chuckled darkly. "The only creatures afraid of silver are those from folklore—like werewolves or vampires. But vampires aren't supposed to be this sensitive to silver."
His face darkened as he issued a command. "Deploy the Spider drones and the Black Blade aerial carrier. Investigate the old Earl's estate thoroughly. I want every stone turned over."
"Understood, Sir. The mission has been initiated," Sunday replied.
After a moment of thought, William added, "Also, send the Spider drones to inspect the old Earl's crypt. I want to know if there's still a body inside."
"Sir, are you suspecting that the old Earl faked his death?"
"No," William said with a strange expression. "I'm worried that he's risen from the dead and climbed out of his coffin."
"Understood, Sir. I'll begin the investigation."
"Good. Let's figure this out first." With that, William activated the portal to the London estate. "Transport the equipment to the lab there. Also, prepare a few cases of UV bullets and start producing ammunition with nano-silver-infused tips. The bullets need to release the silver into the bloodstream immediately upon impact. Can you have this ready in half an hour?"
"Yes, Sir. Half an hour is sufficient to model and produce 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Once the model is completed, the current production facilities can produce 10,000 silver bullets per hour."
While waiting, William pondered the implications of what he had learned. If vampires existed, then the existence of werewolves was likely as well. But why had someone only begun spying on the castle last night?
His thoughts drifted to the video recorded by the Spitz couple, showing Marco's bodyguard Sergei in a state of visible fear. Sergei had mentioned that Marco's personality had drastically changed after an incident over 20 years ago.
"Damn it," William muttered. "Could Marco have encountered werewolves or vampires back then and become one of their thralls?"
"Sunday, get me in touch with Blade. If it's taking him this long just to capture a vampire, he might not be worth the $5 million bounty. Tell him to either finish the job or let me handle it myself."
"Understood, Sir."
Half an hour later, William inspected the 1,000 silver bullets laid out before him. Picking up two modified Glock 17s, he tested the new ammunition at the range. The bullets hit their target with precision, and a silvery liquid leaked out of the impact points. Satisfied, William nodded.
He packed 200 rounds each of silver bullets and UV bullets into a backpack, leaving the rest in his spatial storage. Handing the katana back to the Black Ghost, he explained, "This blade is 11% silver. The dullness is due to oxidation over time."
He then handed over two bullets. "These are silver bullets and UV bullets. I think you already have an idea of what they're for."
The Black Ghost stared at the bullets in surprise. "So those creatures actually exist?"
William nodded. "I've confirmed the existence of vampires. As for werewolves, it wouldn't be surprising if they exist too."
Seeing the Black Ghost's expression shift from shock to thoughtfulness, William offered a reassuring smile. "You've already fought one of them. They're just a few times stronger than ordinary humans. If they were truly unstoppable, they wouldn't have stayed hidden in the shadows for so long."
That seemed to comfort the Black Ghost. Remembering how his opponent had fled from his blade the night before, his fear began to dissipate. "Knowing your enemy and how to counter them makes them a lot less terrifying."
"Exactly," William said with a laugh. "The unknown is what we fear most. Once we understand their weaknesses, it's not them hunting us—it's us hunting them."
The Black Ghost couldn't help but smile. Examining the UV bullet that glowed faintly purple and the silver bullet with its liquid nano-silver core, he said, "Their biggest mistake was messing with someone like you—someone who's both rich and resourceful enough to counter them instantly."
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Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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