Chapter 21-22

Chapter 21: Achilles' Heel

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

Since arriving in this world, Samuel Phillips had never felt such an extreme exhaustion from vigorous activity. His chest burned as if engulfed in flames, his lungs ached as though they might tear apart at any moment, and his mouth emitted heavy, labored breaths. He knew this was due to the oxygen demand exceeding supply after pushing his limits.

His human body felt like a heavy shackle, restraining his power.

Suppressing the urge to transform back into his true form, a bead of sweat slowly slid down his forehead, naturally falling in an arc due to gravity, but Samuel didn't blink. Instead, his focus sharpened towards what lay ahead.

When he received the call, Samuel had a bad feeling but had no choice but to hurry over. He was now at the edge of a junkyard operated by a Hispanic family, located in the suburbs.

In the United States, such junkyards are common. Sellers simply need to drag their accident-damaged or scrapped vehicles to their open-air lots, completing the process from sourcing to sorting out the goods, waiting for customers to come. Buyers find their way here, pick the parts that match their vehicles, pay, dismantle them, and leave. The process is cost-effective for both parties, hence the market demand.

These junkyards are typically situated in spacious suburban areas, and because there's an airport nearby, there are no tall buildings around. Climbing onto the roof of a car gives a clear view of the surroundings without worry of unwanted interference.

Spread across a vast parking lot were rows of scrapped vehicles. Standing about ten meters opposite Samuel were two men and a woman. It was an odd combination; the sole woman was the tallest, her figure strikingly attractive. Dressed in a sheer blouse and denim shorts, she combined freshness with sensuality perfectly, stunningly beautiful. One of the men was of average height but had an exceptionally muscular physique, his muscles bulging, standing like a solid wall. The other was remarkably short, barely reaching 160 centimeters, considered almost disabled among American men.

Their only common feature was their expressionless faces and sharp gazes, like predators eyeing prey trapped in a cage, filled with blatant greed and violence.

"Still haven't decided? We're getting very hungry, might start with this human female first." The most seductive woman gently swayed her fair arm, her red tongue lightly licking her lips, exuding a tempting charm.

Yet this scene, potent enough to make any man's heart race, didn't affect Samuel. Instead, his brow furrowed in urgency, his expression darkening further. His attention was entirely on the woman's hand, holding his human girlfriend, Jill Miners, in a tight grip, her expression panicked and full of fear.

This lively, beautiful woman now looked disheveled, with clear slap marks on her face and red-rimmed eyes, presenting a pitiful sight. If not for her neck being grasped, she would have cried out loud.

Even so, the deep fear and helplessness in her eyes still pierced Samuel's heart, stirring a nearly uncontrollable rage within him.

Having lived in the brutal, bleak demon abyss filled with killing, survival, and the law of the jungle, Samuel once believed the world was only about these themes. When he awoke on Earth as Samuel, his first instinct, driven by newfound hunger, was to devour the frail creatures around him to satisfy his appetite.

However, a strong, unprecedented warmth instantly overwhelmed him, seeing the sleeping Jill Miners, radiating brilliance in Samuel's eyes, more beautiful than the whole world, igniting a flame in his heart, the light of life, and the fire of desire, redeeming all sins and souls at that moment.

From that sunny morning when Jill Miners woke up, sleepily kissed him, Samuel entirely forgot his true name, becoming the human male he now was.

He learned a strange, wonderful, miraculous word for the first time in the human dictionary: love.

But these despicable, filthy demons still uninvitedly invaded Samuel's peaceful life, intending to take this beauty away from him again, filling him with anger and self-blame, enraged by the invaders' destruction and blaming himself for letting his guard down.

"Is this your... what humans call a lover? Can you bear to see her suffer like this?" The extremely beautiful woman slightly lifted Jill Miners by the neck, just enough for her toes to barely touch the ground.

The suffocating sensation returned, Jill Miners's face flushed, uttering disjointed sounds, clearly in pain. But since the force wasn't enough to support her body, her bare toes desperately scraped the ground seeking more support, her once delicate toes now dirty and nails broken, blood trickling down in shallow red trails.

"Agony, pain, scars... she seems unable to bear it much longer..."

"Blood and demise are uncontrollable, so you'd better think carefully if you can stand

your ground."

Seeing Jill's struggle, Samuel's eyes flashed with pain, his heart pounding nearly out of his chest. But he knew he had to stay rational, waiting for a chance, not revealing his true feelings, or else not only would finding an opportunity be difficult, but Jill's life would be at risk.

Yet Samuel's threat didn't concern them, as his presence already signified their tactic had worked. The demon's dictionary doesn't include mercy, nor does it ever give up attacking weaknesses.

"Tsk, so heartless. You just need to show your true form, and you're not willing? Hoyle, Trivikang, are you sure he cares about this Jill woman?"

"Although we're not sure why, he definitely values this woman from the bottom of his heart."

"I think it's a waste of time, Captain Modess, let's finish this guy. If someone shows up, it'll be more trouble."

They had been watching Samuel for a while, noticing his unusual care for Jill Miners, looking like a couple deeply in love among humans. Effortlessly seizing the opportunity to capture Jill, they lured Samuel to this secluded place. The rest was just closing the net.

"Well, who do you think should take the first bite? Look at this smooth, delicate, elastic flesh; I bet it's delicious."

Jill Miners was clearly on the verge of collapse, her eyes nearly bulging out, blood vessels swollen, arms desperately reaching for something, unable to touch the coldly beautiful but bizarre woman.

Modess, however, glanced at her prey, slowly approached, gently caressing Jill's cheek, then indulgingly licked her lips.

This seductive gesture completely broke Samuel's restraint.

The man roared lowly, his feet slamming into the hard concrete, instantly cracking it, propelling him with unstoppable momentum, swiftly closing the distance. As his arms swung rapidly, his bulging muscles instilled an overwhelming sense of fear!

Yet, this fierce punch had to stop abruptly because Modess, in Samuel's path, merely adjusted her arm, using Jill Miners in her grasp as a shield, blocking his attack.

Seeing Jill's fearful and painful eyes, Samuel had no choice but to halt his attack abruptly.

Modess's face showed a triumphant smile, but it froze instantly, as an unexpected turn of events occurred!

"Boom!"

Samuel indeed redirected his punch at the last moment, not retracting it but instead slamming it down between Modess and Jill. With a thunderous explosion, under his precise control of strength, the shattered rocks flew towards Modess.

Each demon is a battle-hardened warrior, tough, brave, and powerful, facing daily survival challenges. Despite his reluctance and unusual care for Jill, Samuel hadn't lost his rationality, struggling to find a chance to turn the situation around. What seemed like a reckless punch was a well-thought-out strategy.

However, his subsequent attempt to separate them missed, as Modess had instantly shifted form. Delicate, deep blue scales covered her body, filled with a bizarre artistry and beauty, a stark contrast to human appearance, yet it was hard to feel fear, instead adding a layer of charm.

This female demon's demeanor had quietly shifted from seductive to stern, moving with a speed hard to follow, carrying Jill Miners high into the air, maintaining grace, rolling lightly a few times before landing on top of an elevated, scrapped large truck.

Chapter 22: Battle

In battle, opportunities are always fleeting.

Watching Modess leap into the air, Samuel had no chance to pursue because Hoyle and Trivikang, who had been eyeing him eagerly, revealed their ferocious demon forms and intercepted him head-on. From the few probing encounters before, he knew the formidable strength of these two demons; in his human form, he could only manage to defend himself. Now, unable to spare attention elsewhere, he was forced to dodge their fierce attacks and retreat continuously.

Even with utmost caution, a desperate strike had still wounded the unfortunate Jill, the beautiful girl now bearing several cuts from shattered stones on her body. Through her torn pants, long wounds were visibly clear.

"Tsks! Almost underestimated your boyfriend here!"

Modess, with a lover's whisper, gently approached Jill's cheek, licking clean the blood from a thumb-sized wound, squinting her eyes in pleasure as if savoring the most exquisite delicacy in the world.

However, her scaly face and slender, apricot-yellow pupils had completely terrified Jill Miners. Jill's eyes flickered with shock and horror, desperately trying to escape, but to no avail, she was firmly held in place, only able to close her eyes and let tears of terror fall.

Besieged by two demons, with diminishing space to dodge, Samuel saw Jill's pitiable state, his eyes flashing with determination. A low growl from his throat, his aura suddenly changed, fierce scales rapidly grew on his skin, and his four blade-like limbs pierced through his clothes, slicing the air for a counterattack, leaving behind faint afterimages.

Why force me to reveal my true form!

"No!"

Jill Miners, though her neck was tightly grasped, remained conscious due to Modess's careful control of her strength. Yet, witnessing her once intimate lover display a monstrous, terrifying form filled with killing intent, Jill's world collapsed, uttering a despairing and mournful sigh.

The scene, along with their bizarre conversation, made it clear to her that her boyfriend, like these demons from hell, was a complete monster!

With nowhere to retreat, Samuel, seeing Jill's fear, estrangement, and detachment, felt as if a sharp knife pierced his chest, wishing to burn all his rage into power to settle this damned mess.

To hide his true identity from Jill, he had always been cautious, living and behaving like a normal human, never consuming humans, which meant his strength hadn't grown much.

Despite his blade limbs being incredibly sharp and swift, facing the two demons, Samuel struggled to find an opening. Hoyle's body, covered in tough, dark green skin, absorbed the blade's impact like mud, slippery and difficult to penetrate, making it hard to inflict serious damage. Trivikang, on the other hand, was as hard as granite, sparks flying upon impact, his immense strength forcing Samuel into evasive attacks, unable to confront him directly.

"Hahaha! Yes, that's it! Open your eyes wide and see, your cute new boyfriend is also a complete monster! Suffer! Despair! Wail!"

Modess's shrill laughter echoed, forcibly making Jill Miners face Samuel, ensuring her despair was fully visible to him.

This tactic clearly worked, making Samuel, already at a disadvantage, even more distraught, suffering hits one after another. Trivikang seized an opportunity for a fierce charge, sending Samuel flying into an old car with a loud crash, shattering the glass and denting the car body. If he hadn't managed to leap up in time, he would have been pummeled into severe injury.

A fierce battle erupted, yet the fully engaged combatants failed to notice a small, spotted spider quietly lying on a nearby black Toyota SUV's roof, its multiple eyes fixed on Samuel and the others.

Meanwhile, several hundred meters away, at the entrance of the junkyard, stood a few low buildings, the resting and living quarters for the old car company's staff.

"Hey, Tom, did you hear that? Sounds like someone's here. Go check it out," a voice called out impatiently, followed by commotion inside. After a while, a bare-chested burly man lazily made his way out.

"SHIT, why is it always me going to check."

Tom, the burly man, waved his furry arm in frustration and slammed the door shut with a clang, spitting a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground. He then rubbed his head, scattering some dandruff.

It seemed like he heard some noise. Turning his head towards the back of the parking lot, where Samuel and the others were.

But before he could take a step, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Kitz, take care of those guys inside to make sure they don't see anything they shouldn't. It looks like our new friends are a bit clumsy. Let's do them a favor and clean up the mess for them," Ray said, stepping over the unlucky fellow without looking back.

"Maybe they'll come over and finish them all off. After all, not everyone is as cautious as us, bothering to knock these humans out," muttered a medium-built man with curly hair, clearly thinking it was too much effort compared to just killing them.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Ray stopped, turning to look at him with a calm gaze.

"No, no. Clyde, how's it going over there?" The curly-haired man, McIntosh, quickly changed the subject, not daring to argue.

"That guy named Samuel has already shown his true form, but he probably won't last long," the spider demon Clyde stood still, receiving messages from the little spiders ahead.

"Are there any particularly tough opponents?"

Ray didn't pursue the matter further. For these stubborn and bloodthirsty folks, a mix of kindness and severity was the best policy.

Maintaining a proper level of authority was enough; there was no need to be too oppressive, a lesson Bruce had taught him.

Accustomed to acting alone, managing such a diverse group of subordinates was indeed a new challenge. So far, Ray was doing quite well.