The Damned Demon

Chapter 701 A Planned Ambush

The truck rolled to a stop near Jim and Amelia, its tires crunching against the gravel road. Jim squinted, raising his brows, "Is this one of ours?" he mumbled, recognizing the vehicle as one belonging to the WHA.

The truck's doors creaked open, and two heavily armored female guards, their faces concealed by sleek black helmets, stepped out, their movements precise and professional.

Jim lowered his staff but kept a wary eye on them, "Who sent you?" he asked, his tone sharp.

One of the guards, her voice calm but emotionless, replied, "Our boss, Lawrence, sent us. We received a call for backup at this location. He asked us to bring a vehicle for transport."

Jim's eyes narrowed slightly, his senses picking up their strong and pure radiant mana. These were no ordinary guards—they were A Rankers, which was as expected of Lawrence's people.

"Lawrence sent you?" Amelia asked, a flicker of concern crossing her face, "But where is he? We haven't been able to reach him."

The second guard shook her head, "We don't know, ma'am. Our orders are to transport the VIP immediately if we don't hear from him. We are here to follow protocol."

Amelia exchanged a quick glance with Jim, "What do you think, professor?"

Jim sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow, "They're right. We can't waste time out here, especially with Hellbringer on the loose. Lawrence knew what he was getting into. We have to secure Remy and get him to the Bridge Station." He turned to the two guards. "Get the commander into the truck. Let's move out."

The guards nodded, moving with purpose as they approached Lenny's unconscious body. His chest heaved shallowly, and his skin was still marred by the dark green molten layer that had not fully dissipated. Remy watched anxiously from the truck, his eyes wide with shock. Seeing the previously smug and confident commander in such a state made the reality of Hellbringer's power sink in even more.

Hellbringer did that just by looking at him... Remy thought, swallowing hard. If he hadn't run out of mana...

The guards carefully lifted Lenny's limp body, carrying him into the truck, while Jim and Amelia readied themselves to follow.

But just before Jim could step inside, one of the guards stepped in front of him. "Sir," she said in a stoic voice, "we've inspected the commander's injuries. He requires immediate medical attention. Both of us are healers, and we can stabilize his condition until we reach the station."

Jim blinked, looking her over, "Then go ahead and heal him," he said, gesturing towards the back of the truck.

The guard hesitated, her helmet obscuring her expression, "It will require both of us to concentrate on healing a S Ranker of his stature. Someone will need to drive the truck."

Jim sighed and said, "I don't know how to drive an old-fashioned vehicle."

Amelia quickly stepped forward, her voice confident, "I can drive."

The second guard spoke up, "There's a spare Radiant Pulse weapon in the driver's cabin, but it requires an S Ranker to help charge it."

Jim slowly nodded, seeing the logic. "I'll handle the pulse weapon. Who knows...it might come in handy even if it might not slow down Hellbringer if he attacks again."

With that, the group split. The two guards busied themselves with Lenny in the back, their hands glowing with soft yet radiant green light as they worked to stabilize his condition.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Jim climbed into the driver's cabin. The small compartment was cramped, with various dials and screens crowding the dashboard.

Amelia glanced over at Jim, "Think he'll try to follow us?" she asked, her hands gripping the steering wheel as the truck rumbled to life.

Jim shook his head, "I doubt it. He's running low on mana, and attacking now would be a suicide mission for him. But demons like Hellbringer are unpredictable. He could be waiting for another opportunity to strike. Let's first get away from this forest. Then, we won't have to worry about anything anymore."

Amelia furrowed her brows, wondering what made him say that with such confidence.

She tightened her grip on the wheel as the truck lurched forward, the engine growling as it rumbled through the forest. In the back, Remy tried to steady his breathing, glancing nervously at Lenny's still form. The commander's face was twisted in a permanent mask of terror, and his muttered words were incoherent.

The truck picked up speed, but the forest around them seemed to close in, the trees looming like silent sentinels. As the truck emerged from the thick forest, the sunlight glinted off the hood. But what made her breath catch in her throat were the figures hovering in the sky above—dozens and dozens of them.

Powerful Hunters, their auras almost palpable, radiated in overwhelming waves. Each one of them was an S Ranker, their scrutinizing gazes fixed on the truck as if they could see right through it.

Amelia's heart raced. She could feel the weight of their collective power pressing down on the vehicle. If Asher had tried to take Remy, this would have been a slaughter. Her eyes flicked briefly to Jim, wondering if he, too, had expected this.

Jim leaned slightly out of the truck window, raising his hand in greeting to the Hunters above. Instantly, their gaze seemed to relax, the pressure lifting from the truck. Amelia exhaled deeply, trying to keep her composure.

"They were...waiting for us?" Amelia asked, her voice tinged with disbelief, eyes still wide as she glanced up at the hovering figures.

Jim smiled, giving a small nod. "Of course. The president doesn't take chances with situations like this. Especially with a student like Remy involved. Those Soul Devourers were a real threat, and the president ensured our safety by positioning these elite Hunters as backup."

Amelia slowly nodded, her mind racing. This made her realize how much more cunning and terrifying Derek was. The fact that he could use all these powerful Hunters as his private army was just unsettling for her.

And they were all ready to strike if things had gone differently. Her admiration for Asher's foresight grew—he had backed down just in time, sensing Derek's trap. But now, a new thought gnawed at her. Jim…was this a test for her too? Was Jim simply playing along to see if she would slip?

She gave a side-glance at Jim, wondering if he had been keeping an eye on her this whole time. It was lucky that Asher hadn't told her the entire plan; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to act candidly.

Trying to shake off the thought, Amelia continued driving until the truck reached an open, barren field surrounded by barricades and multiple guards standing on alert.

All the Hunters above in the air were still following the truck like silent guards.

In the center of the field stood a mini-teleportation portal, its edges glowing faintly with ethereal blue light.

Amelia furrowed her brows. "What's this? This doesn't look like the Bridge Station," she muttered, feeling something was off.

Jim smiled as if he had expected her question. "No, it's not. This portal will take us directly to the Bridge Station. The actual location is highly secretive. No one, not even me, knows the direct route to it. This portal is a safeguard to ensure security. Only through this can we get there."

Amelia nodded slowly, her mind turning. So they were heading into a place that was completely secure and hidden. She could feel her palms begin to sweat, but she maintained her composure. How in the world is Asher going to get Remy out of this?

Just then, one of the female guards from the back spoke up, her voice muffled slightly by her helmet. "We'll be getting off here and see if we can locate our boss. We were instructed to assist only up to this point."

Jim turned around, raising an eyebrow, "You're getting off here? What about Commander Lenny? Is he stable?"

The guard nodded briskly. "We've stabilized his physical condition, but his mental state... there's nothing more we can do. Only mindforce healers can help him."

Jim grimaced but waved them off, "Alright. You've done well. You're dismissed."

The two guards nodded, then glanced at Remy, who sat quietly in the back of the truck, looking troubled.

He noticed their gaze, the strange, almost knowing look they gave him. He frowned, wondering why they seemed to be staring at him like that. It made him feel strange, as if they recognized him from somewhere.

But the next moment, they just left the truck.

Amelia's thoughts raced as she drove the truck closer to the portal. Emiko and Yui, she thought, recognizing who the "guards" really were.

But with them gone and Remy still in the truck, Amelia felt a gnawing worry in her gut. How would Asher get Remy out now? They were about to enter a highly secured area, teeming with powerful Hunters and protective barriers. Every inch of the Bridge Station would be guarded.

What now, Asher? she thought, her pulse quickening as the truck drew nearer to the portal's shimmering light.

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