Chapter 46: Belated Arrival

Although York didn't know the reason, he tried to think from the devil's perspective.

To the devil, there was no need to explain its actions to what it saw as mere ants, much like how humans don't explain to ants they unintentionally harm...

Thus, he didn't dwell on the reason. After all, a devil is still a devil.

Listening to Mrs. Beck's worries, York controlled the steering wheel with one hand, pressed the gas pedal to the floor, and prepared himself mentally.

"Don't panic, Mrs. Hardy. I'm already on my way to the Jesse Building...

Please pray at home, the Lord will hear your prayers..."

"..."

The sealed Jesse Building.

In the monitoring room.

Beck, who had just arrived at the monitoring room, shook his head after putting down his phone.

"I don't know what's going on, suddenly there's no signal."

Watching the monitor continuously, staring at the still surviving, constantly sobbing Abigail, Jeffrey's heart sank.

"It's that devil's doing. It won't let us go!"

Hearing this, Beck slightly furrowed his brow, glancing at the monitor.

"Jeffrey, aren't you being a bit too sensitive?"

Jeffrey shook his head, continuing to stare at the monitor, and said gravely.

"You don't understand, Beck. When we try to save people, we're trying to interrupt its judgment. The death of the maintenance worker was a warning and a reminder..."

Hearing this, Beck glanced at the somewhat panicked Adolf and Ronald, and some officers who looked a bit righteous. He leaned in and whispered to Jeffrey.

"Buddy, do you realize what you're saying? Don't scare them, okay?"

"Beck, I'm lucid, and I know what I'm saying!" Jeffrey turned his head and stared at Beck. "You don't understand what we're about to face!"

Seeing his colleague's serious demeanor, Beck hesitated for a moment. He knew Jeffrey's character; although he had some faults, he was indeed an honest person.

"Okay, I give in. When Father York arrives, let him take a look, alright?"

Hearing Father York's name, Jeffrey's expression, though still grave, eased a bit. Because his mother wasn't an ordinary person, he knew what existed in this world, which is why he held a respectful feeling towards the church.

Just then, Beck's walkie-talkie suddenly made a noise, drawing his attention.

Beck glanced at Jeffrey instinctively, "It's from the fire department."

Jeffrey nodded.

Seeing this, Beck picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the button, but he suddenly felt a suffocating sensation.

"Hello?"

"Officer Beck, something strange is happening?"

The words from the walkie-talkie made Beck frown, and he said while looking at Jeffrey.

"What's wrong?"

"The wall is dug through, but suddenly there's a lot of blood flowing from the wall, and many dead rat corpses..."

At this moment.

The firefighters, who were digging through to the main part of the elevator, saw the continuously bleeding partition wall and the densely packed dead rat corpses stuck to the well's wall, also feeling a tingling sensation on their scalps.

"It's very strange!"

The fire chief looked at the scene in the hole, swallowing involuntarily.

"Do you want to come down and see?"

Beck was stunned.

Jeffrey heard the words through the walkie-talkie and turned his head to look at the monitor.

As expected, the lights in the elevator started flickering non-stop.

He saw the surviving Abigail curled up and continuously sobbing, biting his lip.

"Tell them to retreat!"

Hearing this, Beck hesitated.

But Jeffrey decisively snatched the walkie-talkie from Beck's hand and pressed the button.

"Leave the rest to us at the police station, you can retreat now!"

But just after he finished speaking, Jeffrey stared blankly at the now dark monitor.

"It's too late..."

.......................

"The scent of lava is so strong, it's probably the devil itself."

York, who had just arrived, carrying a backpack in his left hand and holding a Winchester M1897 in his right, with a knight's sword on his back, arrived at the entrance of the Jesse Building's lobby.

The time was [22:40].

However, the doors of the Jesse Building were tightly closed, and the inside was empty.

"Am I late?"

York looked at the still present mission window and glanced around.

The location of the Jesse Building was originally in a busy area, so even though it was almost 11 PM, there were still some cars passing on the nearby streets.

But it seemed like they all didn't notice the anomaly of the Jesse Building, only casting strange glances at him before swiftly moving away.

It was as if the Jesse Building had been encapsulated in some peculiar space.

York simply wiped his right hand over his eyes, and magic spread instantaneously.

[Used one point of magic] [Magic Points 136.5/137.5]

Magic spread across his eyes, ever-growing. Now, in York's view, the building was enveloped by a certain force, encapsulated in a membrane.

"No wonder people around didn't notice the Jesse Building. Is this a devil's trick?"

"Such powerful force."

York picked up his backpack and alone penetrated the membrane in front of him.

Crossing it, the view changed entirely compared to outside. The once bright lobby turned dark.

York saw that the once empty lobby now had over a dozen motionless bodies.

There were uniformed security guards, elite businessmen, police officers, and firefighters. Limbs were scattered everywhere, the death scenes were horrific, faces and bodies were unclear, as if torn apart by some ferocious beast.

[Triggered random mission ②]

[Exorcise the Devil] [Reward: +30]

[...] York, standing at the entrance, looked at the second mission window that suddenly appeared, then at the motionless bodies in the lobby. He narrowed his eyes, ignoring the second exorcism mission, and mentally accepted the first mission.

[Mission ① Accepted Successfully]

[...] He knew the existence of the first random mission meant there were still survivors in the building. The only requirement for completion was to save someone from the devil, with the risk that the devil might turn its attention to him.

The second random mission might have been triggered because he saw the dead bodies, but exorcising the true form of a devil was another matter. For a devil that could walk among men, he wasn't sure.

"Let's see the situation first, accepting it later if I can fight isn't too late."

York's face remained calm. He kicked open the tightly closed door, officially entering the Jesse Building, heading towards the place with the strongest scent. His steps were not fast, but his speed was quick.

Meanwhile.

On the seventh floor, a group of people were fleeing desperately in the dim corridor.

Leading them was Jeffrey. Compared to before in the monitoring room, his forehead was covered in sweat, and his face showed a hint of despair.

The devil turned out to be Abigail. The moment the lights went out, she left the elevator and began slaughtering everyone.

He saw people beside him bizarrely pulled away by some force, instantly disappearing from sight.

He saw Abigail, with completely black pupils,suddenly appear and effortlessly twist a police officer's neck, as easily as snapping a chicken's neck.

He also witnessed the woman with black eyes raise her hands and summon three grotesque beasts, resembling a cross between a tiger and a wolf, seemingly stitched together.

Yet, she didn't attack them directly. Instead, she said calmly.

"Run, humans..."

It was like a cat playing with mice.