This Spiritual Energy is Lethal!
Chapter 474: Pursuit and Kill

Chapter 474: Chapter 474: Pursuit and Kill

"She’s gone. We were one step too late." Four assassins stopped in Wang Ailin’s room, looking at the mess all over the place. One of the assassins touched the bedsheets, which had already cooled.

"Could she have not arrived yet?" one of the assassins asked.

"No, the signal was right here in Norton City. Let’s leave this place and wait for new instructions," another assassin replied.

"The message said that the target had been injected with Spiritual Energy just two days ago, so we need to be cautious when we deal with her."

The four assassins looked at each other, their pupils shimmering with a blue halo, which was clearly the effect of the secret Skill, Spiritual Vision.

"Let’s not wait for her to go for a sewage flush; we’ll take care of her in Norton City," said one of the assassins.

The four quietly left Wang Ailin’s apartment as the moon slowly sank into the western horizon.

At 9 a.m., Diana woke up on the seat of a 24-hour coffee shop, having slept for only a short time, her mind constantly preoccupied with the whereabouts of Wang Ailin.

Wang Ailin wasn’t found in the apartment; either she had been taken away by someone, or she had been killed, her body mostly dissolved in corpse-dissolving fluid and cleared away in a body bag.

Diana preferred to believe that Wang Ailin had been kidnapped, after all, she didn’t smell the pungent odor in the apartment.

A familiar melody started playing; it was Steve calling. She finished off her remaining coffee in one gulp and then answered the phone.

"Diana! Where did you run off to?" Steve sounded very anxious.

"I... I’m in Norton City," Diana said.

"I know... I mean, what are you doing running off to Norton City?" Steve asked.

"Steve, I’m worried. I saw my friend’s name on the list. I’m really concerned for her..." Diana said, touching her forehead.

"Your friend...? Who?" Steve asked.

"Wang Ailin, she’s a senior researcher at the Spiritual Ability Research Institute... I don’t know why, how could we be on that list?" Diana said.

"That’s not important. Listen, the Administration Bureau will protect you. You going off to Norton City alone was too reckless... Is your friend with you now?" Steve asked.

"No... she was already gone when I got there..." Diana said, a bit saddened.

"Dead...?" Steve asked.

"No... I don’t know. Her apartment was attacked, I didn’t find her, if she really is dead... Steve..." Diana said.

"Regardless, this isn’t your fault. Diana, are you still on the move?" Steve asked.

"No, I’m at a coffee shop. I don’t know what to do, I don’t even know where to start looking for her." Diana shook her head.

"Get some rest, then head back to Opportunity City, we’ll investigate this together. Everything’s going to be okay, alright?" Steve said.

"Thank you, Steve... I..." Diana didn’t know what to say.

"Everything will be okay. Do you have a gun on you? Are you carrying the Holy Relics?" Steve asked.

"I have them with me..." Diana answered.

"Good... take care of yourself, Diana, we’ll find the answer," Steve said.

After the call, Diana pocketed her phone and went to the counter to order some food to satisfy her hunger when four new customers entered the shop.

These four new customers, three men and a woman, were all wearing short sleeves, jackets, and jeans. They were very sturdy. They scanned the indoor customers upon entering and caught eyes with Diana.

Without uttering a word, the four sat down at a seat near the door, leaving four rows of empty seats between them and Diana.

"A2’s order is ready. Please come and collect it," the server rang a bell.

One of the lady customers from the four walked up to the counter.

"This isn’t your meal," the server said.

"Of course not, we just got here. I wanted to have a look at the menu," said the lady with a smile.

"Oh, sorry about that," the server said.

Diana stepped forward to pick up her tray, which had two sandwiches and a cup of hot milk. The lady looked at her and inexplicably smiled.

When she returned to her table, the lady had ordered four cups of coffee before settling back into her seat, and the three gentlemen at her table would occasionally glance over at her.

Diana’s hand slipped inside her coat, turned off the safety of her Rhino revolver, and then she began eating her sandwich.

She wasn’t some fool with nerves of steel; it was obvious that these four were here for her, but no matter what, she had to finish her breakfast first. She was hungry, and one needs to be full to fight, right?

Diana took a full 20 minutes to eat, chewing slowly and deliberately while keeping an eye on the four individuals, who were also watching her.

Without saying it aloud, all five of them understood that the others were aware of their intentions and what was about to unfold.

"Check, please," Diana called out softly.

The server came out from behind the counter at her call, but was stopped by the four assassins.

"We’ll cover his tab," the female assassin stated.

The server looked at Diana, perplexed, but understood something from the tense atmosphere. She silently took the money, grabbed the ledger, and quickly left.

Two male assassins positioned themselves at the cafe’s entrance, gesturing for her to proceed and walked out first. Diana stood up and left the cafe, flanked by the other two assassins.

Surrounded by the four assassins, Diana turned off the main street and into an alley between two large buildings, stopping only when she reached the depths of the alley.

"Shall we begin?" asked one of the assassins.

"Before we start, I’d like to know who sent you. Who would dare go after an agent of the Administration Bureau?" Diana inquired.

"We considered refusing, but the offer was simply too generous," the assassin replied.

"Aren’t you afraid of the Bureau’s retribution? Do you think you can get away with this unscathed?" Diana pressed on.

"We never considered leaving this unscathed," said the assassin again.

"Good... It seems you’re well aware of what you’re doing," said Diana.

"We hold no grudges against you, Ms. Diana. It’s just unfortunate that you’re on the list," the assassin said with a smirk.

As soon as those words were out, the four simultaneously drew their guns, aiming at Diana.

In the instant before their triggers were pulled, Diana’s left hand unleashed her ability toward the ground, creating an orange, semi-transparent, hemispherical force field around her.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Four gunshots rang out.

"Hmph..."

The four bullets struck the force field, ricocheting off like they’d hit a wall and leaving four holes in the surrounding walls.

At the same time, Diana thrust her palms toward the two assassins in front of her, causing an Air Explosion! With a massive boom seemingly out of nowhere, the two assassins were blown away.

A blue glow flashed in Diana’s right hand as a longsword materialized. She brandished the sword, spinning and turning, before striking at the two assassins behind her.

The male and female assassins summoned their Holy Relics to defend themselves in an instant – the female wielding two daggers, and the male a longsword, just like hers.

Diana’s sword moved like a rattlesnake, the blade aiming for the male assassin’s throat. He parried the strike but stumbled back two steps.

The female assassin lunged toward her but gained no advantage. Two daggers swung past Diana’s hair, missing their target. Diana rolled her wrist and brought the sword that had been thrust outward back along her forearm, severing the female assassin’s wrists in a swift motion.

"Ah!!!" the female assassin screamed in pain, as two cola can-sized wounds on her wrists gushed out red blood.

Diana stepped forward, thrust her torso, and with an upward sweep, severed the male assassin’s right wrist and decapitated him.

She turned around and plunged her sword into the female assassin’s abdomen, twisted the hilt, and dragged it sideways to open a large gash across her stomach, from which chunky intestines spilled out.

No more than three seconds had passed, and two assailants lay dead.