Chapter 27: Emma's Move
David left behind a month's worth of rent, then took his time saying goodbye to everyone.
After giving her father a hug, Emma quietly stepped aside.
As she glanced around, her eyes caught sight of something on the windowsill—
a rusty piece of metal, about ten centimeters long, sharp and clearly torn from some machine.
She remained calm and glanced around.
Bailey was still wrapped around Huang Ren.
And that damned priest was still talking to her father.
Perfect timing.
Emma moved swiftly, slipping the shard into her sleeve without drawing attention.
Just as she finished, she happened to meet the priest's eyes—but he didn't seem to notice anything.
"The situation's like I said—so be careful," Gideon Black patted Huang Ren on the shoulder.
Huang Ren frowned. "Seriously? She's just a kid."
Gideon shrugged. "Then feel free to pick your burial site in advance. I'll graciously conduct the funeral rites."
"Piss off."
---
Evening.
Gideon returned to the church, carrying a cloth bag.
As usual, he checked the surrounding area for any anomalies. Once he confirmed all was well, he took out his keys.
On the way back, he had picked up two bottles of high-grade animal-based holy oil, planning to test them tonight.
Now that he had some money, he wasn't going to skimp—not when it came to his own body.
He deserved the best.
---
An hour later…
[Ignatian Exercises +1]
[Current Progress: Tier 0 (3/100)]
[You applied the holy oil. Your body has undergone minor changes. Continue the practice to unlock new abilities.]
Gideon stared into the mirror.
This time, the difference was noticeable.
First was physical toughness.
As the oil seeped into his skin, a burning sensation surged through his entire body.
Afterward, he felt his skin tighten—noticeably more resilient.
He lightly pricked his forearm with a sharp tool and found the outer layer far tougher than before. It took effort just to feel a hint of pain.
Then there was agility.
His reflexes, jumping ability, and general power had all improved.
It wasn't a massive leap, but if he kept this up, his body would transform drastically over time.
---
Knock knock.
Just as he was tidying up, someone knocked at the door.
At this hour? Unusual.
Gideon narrowed his eyes, grabbed his binoculars, and peered through the window.
One look, and his brow lifted slightly.
Creak—
He opened the door to find Emma standing outside, wearing a harmless smile.
Behind her was Huang Ren, looking apologetic.
"Uh… she insisted on staying the night with you. We'll pick her up in the morning. She's all yours!"
Before Gideon could reply, Huang Ren bolted like the wind.
"That bastard…"
Gideon twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"May I come in, Father?"
Emma looked up at him, her expression pure and harmless.
"Of course." Gideon stepped aside to let her in.
Kicking her out wasn't an option—if she ran into some demonic entity overnight, he'd be the one paying for the next batch of holy oil.
But if she thought this gave her the upper hand, she was being incredibly naïve.
Thud.
The heavy doors shut behind them.
Emma walked slowly into the church, hands behind her back, calmly surveying her surroundings.
Her relaxed demeanor made sense.
She knew about the arrangement between her father and this priest.
So naturally, she assumed he wouldn't dare try anything with her.
And she was right—
but only halfway.
She hadn't taken two steps when Gideon suddenly slammed her to the ground.
"!?"
Her face met the ground with a less-than-elegant smack.
For someone as clean and particular as Emma, that alone was unbearable!
She was about to scream—but froze when she saw the priest pulling out a bundle of rope.
In a few swift, practiced moves, he tied her up and threw her into a chair.
"What are you doing?!"
Emma glared, her brows furrowed, a smear of dust on her cheek.
But the next second—
Splash!
A full bucket of water came crashing down on her, leaving her drenched instantly.
"Pbbt—cough cough—"
Emma squinted, sputtering out the water that had gotten into her mouth. She stared at Gideon in pure disbelief.
"No reaction. So holy water really doesn't work," Gideon murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
That had been a whole bucket of ten-year-consecrated holy water.
And still, she showed no abnormal signs.
So he pulled out a crucifix next, pressed it to her face, and began chanting exorcism rites for five minutes straight.
This routine—on any genuine demonic entity—would've gotten a rise out of them.
Yet Emma didn't flinch.
Well… aside from being furious.
Earlier today, Gideon had mentally concluded she wasn't some evil spirit.
Now, he had his physical confirmation.
"Sorry—hope you brought a change of clothes."
He smiled and began untying her.
Though his words were apologetic, his tone was anything but.
Emma opened her mouth to yell at him—but bit her tongue.
She knew the priest was on high alert around her. She had to bide her time.
"I need to freshen up," she said, forcing a strained smile.
Inside the bathroom.
Emma stared into the mirror. Her face darkened, fists clenched tightly, faint veins showing through her skin.
Haaah…
She took a deep breath, then practiced her charming smile again.
From her pocket, she pulled out a cylindrical tube—"Silicone Lubricant" vaguely printed on the label.
Next came the metal shard she had stolen earlier.
She quickly assessed the layout of the bathroom… and began setting up.
Roughly ten minutes later, she re-emerged.
Seeing Gideon still poring over a book, Emma acted casual—sat quietly, pulled out a light novel, and pretended to read.
But her eyes never left him.
Time passed.
A slow, silent thirty minutes.
Eventually, Gideon stood up—and headed toward the bathroom.
"Perfect."
"Bastard," Emma muttered under her breath, a gleam of vengeance flashing in her eyes.
She could already picture how this ends. A jolt of twisted satisfaction stirred in her heart.
Bang!
A loud crashing noise echoed through the church.
Emma immediately flung her book aside and ran toward the bathroom, looking elated.
As a seasoned criminal, she knew the cleanest kind of murder—was the one that looked accidental.
Make it look unintentional.
Pair that with her youthful, innocent appearance… and she'd walk away without a scratch.
But when she arrived at the bathroom—
No one was there.
Emma blinked, confused, then cautiously stepped inside, scanning the room for Gideon.
Next instant—her foot slipped.
Her hands shot out instinctively, scrambling for anything to stabilize herself.
She caught the edge of a storage rack—just as the rusty screws gave way.
Losing balance, she fell with the shelving unit.
In that fatal second before impact—
She yanked her head to the side.
Wham.
She crashed to the ground hard.
Emma coughed and turned slightly, her throat tightening.
Just inches from her head... a rusted metal shard was embedded in a pile of junk.
The same one she had set as a trap for Gideon.
"Tch. What a pity."
A voice rang out behind her—cool, amused.
She looked up slowly.
There he was.
That damned priest stood calmly at the doorway.
"Forgot to mention… the church has two bathrooms. One's for storage."
"I figured I'd leave you this one for decency's sake, so I was off cleaning the other one… Didn't expect you to—well…"
He trailed off, feigning a look of deep regret.
"FKU!!"
Emma's scream echoed through the entire church.