"Why not try artillery bombardment coverage?"
Sitting in the four-wheeled carriage, Angel asked curiously.
Dunn this time vetoed contacting the garrison and using artillery bombardment.
"Unlike last time at the Tasok River bank, this time's target is located in the city district, with many residents around. Artillery accuracy isn't as good as you imagine. If shells fall on other buildings, the death toll would probably exceed the casualties caused by the 'Aurora Order'."
"That's right. The upcoming battle might affect nearby residents. We need to evacuate them in advance, and can't let passersby approach that building."
"Sleepless" pathway Sequence 6, "Requiem Master" Sost supplemented. He still wore his windcoat but didn't wear his top hat, instead carrying a gold-inlaid black straight cane, which seemed to be his close-combat weapon.
The other two "Red Gloves" also sat in the carriage, organizing their revolvers. Including them, these five people were all the personnel for tonight's assault on the target building.
Driving was Frye from the Tingen squad. Since he wouldn't participate in combat, he would leave immediately after delivering everyone to the location, then notify nearby patrol officers to jointly evacuate surrounding crowds and establish isolation lines to prevent people from entering by mistake.
According to the battle details discussed on the road, Sost would first attempt to remotely pull Ms. D into a dream. If he succeeded, other squad members would immediately enter the villa to launch an attack.
If entering the dream failed, the result wouldn't be much different - just that Sost would launch the attack together with them.
"We're here."
Frye said briefly, and the carriage slowly stopped.
Five people filed out, stepping onto the ground of Wendel Street in the North District. Tonight the cloud layer was thick, the crimson moonlight was blocked, and only scattered streetlamp light flickered on the entire street.
"Very good, not a single pedestrian. Frye, drive to the street corner to notify patrol officers. Find an excuse to evacuate residents from surrounding buildings. No matter what commotion comes from this side, don't approach."
Dunn observed the surroundings and instructed.
Pale-skinned, taciturn Frye nodded, driving the empty carriage away quickly.
Two Nighthawks and three "Red Gloves" watched the carriage leave before continuing to walk forward. Soon they came to a villa with an independent lawn and garden.
Behind the wide private lawn, this three-story house had its main door tightly closed, curtains drawn, with some light faintly leaking from the second floor. It was no different from other detached villas on the street.
"This is the place."
Dunn said in a low voice. He often patrolled the North District and was quite familiar with this area. Even in the lightless night, he quickly confirmed the target.
"I'll try to pull her into a dream first. You wait."
Sost handed the "Blood Vessel Thief" to Lares beside him, crossed his arms over his chest, leaned against the villa's outer wall, closed his eyes and entered the dream realm.
Won't he really fall down like this? Captain Dunn usually sits when entering dreams...
Angel looked at the steadily standing Sost, then at Dunn beside her, suddenly asking:
"Captain, what's the difference between Sost's Sequence 6 'Requiem Master' and your 'Nightmare'?"
"Hmm? Didn't he tell you before the operation?" Dunn asked curiously, also glancing at the sleeping Sost. "'Requiem Master', besides all abilities of 'Nightmare' becoming stronger, can also directly see spirit creatures and has the ability to soothe them. This soothing is equally effective on opponents in battle."
So it's basically an enhanced version of "Nightmare", seems not to have the qualitative improvement of other sequences... But "Nightmare's" beyonder abilities are already very strong.
Angel refocused her attention on Sost, just curious how long the upgraded dream-entering ability would take to pull a Sequence 5 into a dream, when she noticed "Nightmare" Henry beside her body swaying.
"The captain wants us to begin the operation. He's already pulled that 'Shepherd' and another Beyonder into the dream. They're both in the bedroom on the second floor. There are only these two people in the entire building."
Henry, who seemed to have spaced out for a moment, said.
"When the target is the same sequence or even higher, he also needs to maintain the dream on-site, otherwise the opponent will wake up and receive spiritual warning."
"He can bring teammates into the dream world to communicate through this."
Dunn explained to Angel, then took the "Blood Vessel Thief" from Lares and said: "Let's go, we're moving."
Since the only two enemies in the villa were all in dreams, Angel and the other four didn't hide their tracks, but approached the villa at the fastest speed.
"Click—"
Leading the way, Dunn twisted the door lock and found the main door wasn't locked. He looked left and right at his teammates beside him, slowly pushing open the thick copper-wrapped wooden door.
Behind the door was a pitch-dark hall, but under Angel's dark vision, she could clearly see a giant statue about four meters tall.
An inverted male giant bound by chains to a cross had a unique, vertical single eye. It was placed on a wooden altar slightly elevated above the ground, with dried bloodstains on its body, concentrated on the lower half.
This was the statue of the "True Creator"!
Dunn and Henry, who had partial night vision, also saw the giant statue in the hall, knowing they hadn't found the wrong place. Only Lares, being a "Spirit Medium", had no night vision ability and could only follow his teammates' movements in the dark hall.
Several people tacitly didn't mention turning on lights. Although Ms. D had been pulled into a dream by Sost and couldn't move, out of caution, it was better to maintain a combat environment more favorable to the "Sleepless" and "Assassin" pathways.
"The stairs are behind the statue. Everyone be careful, never use spirit vision."
The hall had a through-design, going straight to the second floor. The stairs were located at the back of the hall, just blocked by the "True Creator's" statue.
Everyone was preparing to enter the hall, go around the statue to the second floor, when a high, angry shout suddenly rang out.
"How dare you trespass into the Lord's domain!"
"Bang" - the large gas lamp hanging from the hall ceiling was lit. Light twisted and magnified by lenses instantly filled the entire room, making several people accustomed to darkness involuntarily squint their eyes.
In front of the "True Creator's" statue stood a black-robed woman. Her hood was down, brown long hair casually tied behind her head, her beautiful face full of anger.
This was exactly the Nighthawks' target tonight: Ms. D!
"Accept the Lord's favor!"
She raised both hands high, dazzling light burst from her palms, then two flame spears appeared in her hands.
The spears emitted scorching light but didn't harm their wielder at all. She swung her arms, and the two spears drew bright lines in the intruders' eyes, flying rapidly toward them. Liquid-like flames dripping down burned black spots on the carpet.
"Shepherds" themselves shouldn't have the ability to control flames. This is... a soul grazed by Ms. D?
A flash of understanding passed through Angel's mind, but at this moment she could only dodge the flame spears. She pulled the slow-moving "Spirit Medium" Lares and dove to the side. On the other side, the two "Nightmares" also agilely rolled on the ground, avoiding the spears that brushed past them.
"Bang—Bang—"
Having pushed Lares aside, Angel had just drawn "Thirst", when Dunn had already drawn his revolver and fired two shots, hitting Ms. D's chest and creating a spray of blood.
Ms. D, who had recovery abilities far exceeding the "Rose Bishop", laughed disdainfully. Countless flame birds flew out around her, flapping their wings toward the people at the door. Their numbers were so great that one momentarily couldn't think of dodging.
Holding the sealed artifact resembling a thick, stiff blood vessel in his right hand, Lares, who had steadied himself, extended his left hand in a claw shape and suddenly clenched it.
The fire birds in mid-air disappeared with a "poof" sound like a shattered illusion.
He stole Ms. D's flame control ability!
Ms. D had just gathered flames to form another flame spear when she lost control ability under the "Blood Vessel Thief's" effect. She didn't panic, but faced the several revolvers in front of her, pushed forward with her right hand, and softly recited ancient Hermes in a mysterious tone:
"Gunpowder weapons are forbidden here."
An invisible wave instantly spread out. Dark gold light interwove into countless symbolic signs and magical markings, scattering and merging into the void.
Steel-like laws took effect here.