Chapter 13: The Vengeful Vampire
Vampire?He frowned.
At the same time, he received another notification: the unconscious girl in front of him was actually a Bronze-level prey!
Prey?
Was this girl guilty of something?
Or... was it because she was a vampire?
If that's the case, even the lowest level vampires start at Bronze.
A few thoughts surged in Cohen's mind, but seeing the temporarily innocent girl before him, he decided to save her if possible.
If not... he could just kill her for the loot.
Searching his past life memories for knowledge about vampires, an idea flashed in his mind—garlic extract!
"Davie, get me pharmaceutical-grade garlic extract immediately."
"On it!"
As a top hacker, Davie quickly located a nearby pharmacy and rushed over.
In the movie Blade, the protagonist's foster father, Whistler, used garlic extract to suppress the heroine's transformation after she was bitten. However, the success rate was only fifty-fifty. Even if it worked, it would only delay the process by a few days, and she would ultimately need to be injected with a specific serum.
Davie soon returned with the garlic extract, and Cohen injected it into the girl.
Now, it was up to her to pull through.
Davie watched the entire process and said, "That's it? I believe garlic can ward off evil, but what about holy water or crosses? If you've got any tricks, use them now. This doesn't feel like the exorcism I imagined at all."
Cohen glared at him and whispered, "She's not possessed by a demon; she was bitten by a vampire!"
Davie was stunned. "Vampires? They really exist?"
"They've existed for thousands of years. They're stronger than us, wealthier than us, and they survive by sucking our blood. Compared to them, big capitalists seem downright friendly."
"So, have they taken control of the world?"
"Not quite. The night belongs to the vampires, but the day belongs to humans. Creatures that can't face sunlight will always be scum of the underworld. But yes, they do have quite a powerful influence, with many human followers."
Cohen paused. "Davie, check what she did yesterday and who she came into contact with. Find the vampire who bit her and their address."
Davie understood. "Got it!"
Cohen wasn't idle, either.
Since teaming up with Davie, he had rented a large, old dock by the Hudson River, where he kept various equipment he had picked up along the way. There were plenty of firearms and bullets, and even the sniper rifle that injured Daredevil had been added to his collection. He purchased an electric furnace to melt silver and made over a hundred silver-coated bullets, along with a pair of gleaming silver knives.
Though a master of hand-to-hand combat, Cohen could also expertly wield any common melee weapon. In the Marvel universe, vampires possess far superior physical abilities, are long-lived, and have regenerative powers, but they also have very clear weaknesses: ultraviolet light, silver, and garlic can easily kill them.
Loading the silver-coated bullets into magazines and holstering two Glock 17 pistols at his waist, Cohen was ready.
Soon, Davie called with an address. The girl had been to a bar in Hell's Kitchen the night before. Around three or four in the morning, she had been led out the back door by a boy about seventeen or eighteen. Fortunately, Cohen had discreetly installed a camera nearby.
In the dark alley, the boy and the girl passionately kissed, and then the boy suddenly bit her neck. The girl struggled, begged for mercy, and cried out, but it was all in vain. After he finished draining her blood, she was discarded like a rag.
Two hours later, the girl staggered out of the alley.
Davie hacked into the bar's cameras and found footage of the boy leaving through the front door, driving away in a Ferrari. Using the license plate, Davie traced the car to its owner and an address in a high-end neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Cohen drove his old pickup and circled the villa three times. The gates were tightly locked, the windows sealed, and heavy curtains blocked out the sunlight—perfect for a vampire's lifestyle.
Parking his car in the backyard, Cohen sprinted and easily vaulted over the two-meter-high fence. Looking up, he saw that a second-floor window was slightly open, though a thick curtain blocked the light.
The exterior of the villa had many protrusions, making it easy for Cohen to climb up. Through the curtain, he could hear the rhythmic breathing of someone inside.
Seemed like they were asleep.
Silently lifting the curtain, Cohen saw a luxurious bedroom, and lying on the bed was the boy from the bar.
What a coincidence.
Cohen swung himself in, landing directly on the boy's chest, pressing a silver-coated knife lightly against his throat.
Sizzle…
The smell of burnt flesh filled the air.
The boy woke in pain, his eyes glowing red. Feeling the silver blade against his neck, he dared not move.
"Who are you?"
Cohen replied, "Last night, at the Blue Rose Bar, a girl was bitten.You haven't forgotten that right?"
The boy asked again,"Who are you? Enforcement from the Council of Elders? She was just some farm girl from Ohio. I checked; her death wouldn't cause any trouble!"
Cohen gripped his jaw forcefully. "I'm not some enforcement lackey. I'm here for one reason—to kill you and your entire family!"
The boy trembled in fear. "Why—why? Who are you…?"
Feeling the boy's terror, Cohen raised an eyebrow. "You're scared? Good."
He pressed harder, and the silver knife plunged into the boy's throat.
With his vocal cords severed, the boy could only make muffled sounds as the silver caused severe damage, leaving him almost powerless to resist.
Dragging him out of bed, Cohen headed toward the window. The boy, bleeding profusely, weakly flailed at Cohen's arms, but to no avail—he was still dragged to the window.
With a loud yank, Cohen pulled open the curtains.
The weather was cloudy, but even so, smoke started rising from the boy's body. He convulsed, trying to crawl back into the shadows, but Cohen grabbed his collar, pulled out the knife, and threw him out.
Like peeling an onion, the boy's skin cracked, then his muscles melted, and finally, his bones turned to ash.
Creak.
Behind Cohen, the door opened, revealing a little girl clutching a stuffed toy.
He hesitated for a moment, but before he could act, the girl let out a sharp scream, crawling up the wall like a spider.
She moved at incredible speed, a blur as she lunged toward Cohen.
Bang, bang, bang.
Three shots.
Since becoming a master of handgun combat, Cohen's accuracy had skyrocketed. Previously, against vampires with superior physical abilities, he had only a 50% hit rate. Now, within pistol range, it had increased to 80-90%.
Despite her speed, the vampire girl was too close.
Beyond seven steps, a gun is faster.
Within seven steps, it's fast and accurate.
The vampire girl was hit in her left leg and foot, falling to the ground.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and smoke began to rise from her body.
Creak!
Cohen pulled the curtains shut.
The girl, writhing in pain, looked confused as the burning sensation subsided. But in the next moment, a needle was jammed into her neck.
A diluted solution of garlic extract—effective in prolonging death and intensifying emotional responses.
At that moment, a middle-aged couple finally appeared at the door.
Seeing the scene inside, the woman bared sharp fangs, her nails extending into claws as she lunged at Cohen.
Meanwhile, the man pointed a large shotgun at Cohen—
Boom!
(End of Chapter)