Vampire?
The system notification flashed before Jason's eyes, informing him that the unconscious girl lying before him was actually a Bronze-tier target!
Target?
Something wasn't adding up about this girl. Unless... she was a vampire?
That would make sense. Even the lowest-ranking vampires started at bronze level in the system's hierarchy.
Several possibilities raced through Jason's mind, but looking at the temporarily innocent girl before him, he decided to attempt to save her first.
If that failed... well, he could always kill her and claim the reward package.
Jason searched his memories for everything he knew about vampires from his past life, when a solution suddenly occurred to him: allicin!
"David, I need you to get me pharmaceutical-grade allicin immediately."
"On it!"
Being a top-tier hacker had its advantages. David quickly located a nearby pharmacy and rushed over without delay.
In the movie "Blade," when the female lead was bitten, the hero's adoptive father Whistler had suppressed her transformation by injecting her with allicin.
But the success rate was only fifty percent.
Even if successful, this method would only delay the transformation for a few days before the specialized serum would need to be administered.
David swiftly returned with the allicin, and Jason injected it into the girl's bloodstream.
Now everything depended on whether she could resist the infection.
David watched the entire procedure with a skeptical expression. "Is that all? I mean, I've heard garlic can ward off evil, but what about holy water and crosses? This is nothing like the exorcism I imagined."
Jason shot him a withering glare and lowered his voice. "She's not possessed by a demon. She was bitten by a vampire."
David's face contorted in confusion. "Vampires? They actually exist?"
"They've existed for thousands of years," Jason replied grimly. "They're stronger than us, wealthier than us, and they survive by drinking our blood. Compared to them, Wall Street billionaires seem downright friendly."
"You're saying they control the entire world?"
"Not exactly. The night belongs to vampires, but the day belongs to humans. Anything that never sees sunlight eventually becomes nothing more than sewer scum." Jason paused meaningfully. "But they are incredibly powerful and have many human supporters working for them."
After a moment, Jason continued, "David, I need you to check what she did yesterday and who she came into contact with. Find the vampire who bit her and locate where they live."
David nodded with understanding. "Got it!"
Jason didn't remain idle either. After coordinating with David, he made his way to a large abandoned dock by the Hudson River that he'd rented, where he stored an arsenal of equipment he'd collected over time.
The stockpile included numerous firearms and ammunition—even the sniper rifle that Bullseye had used to wound Daredevil during their last encounter.
He purchased an electric furnace, melted down silver, and crafted hundreds of silver-plated bullets, along with a pair of razor-sharp daggers that gleamed with lethal silver edges.
Though his system designation was "Combat Master," the title actually meant he could skillfully wield any conventional weapon.
While vampires in the Marvel universe possessed physical abilities far superior to ordinary humans—not to mention their near-immortality—their weaknesses were equally pronounced.
Ultraviolet radiation, silver, and allicin could kill them with surprising ease.
Jason methodically loaded the silver-plated bullets into magazines and holstered two Glock 17s at his waist.
His phone rang—David had found an address.
The bitten girl had visited a bar in Hell's Kitchen last night. Around three or four in the morning, she had been embraced by a teenage boy, appearing about seventeen or eighteen, as they exited through the bar's back door.
Fortunately, Jason had secretly installed a camera in that exact location.
In the dark alleyway, the footage showed the boy and girl kissing passionately. Then, without warning, the boy sank his teeth into the girl's neck.
Despite her struggles, pleas for mercy, and tears, it was futile. After draining her blood, he discarded her on the ground like a worthless rag.
Two hours later, she had risen and staggered out of the alley.
David had also hacked into the bar's security system, tracking the front entrance footage. The boy had driven away in a Ferrari.
The camera captured the license plate, allowing David to trace the owner's information and address—an upscale neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Jason drove his battered pickup truck around the villa three times, examining every detail.
The doors were locked, windows sealed shut, with thick curtains blocking any sunlight from penetrating inside—the perfect dwelling for creatures who hid during daylight hours and emerged at night to hunt.
He circled to the villa's back garden, parked his truck, and with a single powerful sprint, easily cleared the two-meter-high perimeter wall.
Looking up, he noticed a second-floor window was slightly ajar, protected only by a heavy curtain to block out the light.
The villa's exterior wall featured numerous decorative protrusions, making it easy for Jason to climb.
Through the curtains, he could hear steady breathing from inside. Someone was sleeping.
Silently, he parted the curtains and peered into a luxurious bedroom where the boy lay in bed.
What convenient timing.
Jason slipped inside, rolling across the floor before straddling the boy's chest in one fluid motion, the silver-plated dagger resting delicately against his throat.
"Sssss..."
The scent of burning flesh filled the air.
The boy awakened with a jolt of pain, his eyes flashing crimson. Feeling the silver blade against his neck, he dared not make any sudden movements.
"Who are you?" he hissed.
"Yesterday, a girl was bitten at the Blue Rose Bar. Was that your handiwork?" Jason asked coldly.
"Who are you? Enforcement from the Elders' Council?" The boy's voice trembled. "She was just some farm girl from Ohio. I checked—no one would cause a fuss if she disappeared!"
Jason gripped his jaw with crushing force. "I'm not with any damned enforcement team. I'm here for one purpose only: to kill you and your entire family."
The boy shuddered violently, eyes widening in terror. "Why? Why? Who are you—"
Feeling the vampire's trembling fear, Jason raised an eyebrow. "Scared? Good."
With a swift, powerful motion, the silver-plated dagger pierced the boy's throat.
His vocal cords severed, he could only make pathetic gurgling sounds. The silver weapon inflicted devastating damage, robbing him of nearly all strength to resist.
Jason dragged him from the bed and moved toward the window.
The boy frantically shook his head, blood spilling across the floor. He weakly slapped at Jason's arm, but his efforts were useless as Jason pulled him inexorably toward the window.
"Let there be light," Jason muttered.
With a dramatic flourish, he yanked the curtains open.
Though the day was overcast with dark clouds, it was still sufficient.
Smoke immediately began rising from the boy's body.
He convulsed violently, desperately trying to crawl toward the darkness, but Jason maintained his grip on the vampire's collar. He withdrew the dagger and hurled the creature through the open window.
The boy's skin cracked like dried parchment, then his muscles liquefied, and finally, his bones disintegrated into ash.
Creak.
The door behind Jason opened, revealing a small girl clutching a tattered rag doll.
He hesitated for a split second, but before he could react, the little girl released an inhuman shriek and scurried up the doorframe like a spider.
She moved with impossible speed, lunging at Jason in a blur of motion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots rang out in rapid succession.
Since attaining the rank of Pistol Master, Jason's accuracy had increased dramatically.
At the standard master level, one would typically achieve only a fifty percent hit rate against vampires whose physical capabilities far exceeded human limits. Now, within effective pistol range, Jason's accuracy had soared to between eighty and ninety percent.
Though the vampire girl moved with incredible speed, she had made the fatal mistake of getting too close.
Beyond seven paces, speed beats the gun. Within seven paces, accuracy and speed prevail.
After three perfectly placed shots, the vampire girl had bloody wounds in her left leg and foot, causing her to crash to the floor.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and smoke began rising from her small body.
"Enough," Jason muttered.
He drew the curtains closed.
The vampire girl, who had been howling in agony, felt her pain diminish slightly. Confusion filled her eyes, but a moment later, a needle pierced her neck.
The diluted allicin solution would effectively prolong her death and intensify her emotional response—exactly what the system valued.
At that moment, a middle-aged couple appeared in the doorway.
Taking in the scene before them, the woman bared her razor-sharp fangs. Her fingernails elongated into deadly claws as she launched herself toward Jason.
The man gripped a massive shotgun, leveling it at Jason's chest.
BOOM!