[Chapter 18] The Black Bat Army Mobilizes on a Large Scale
64
At midnight, the grand square of Bat City appeared exceptionally eerie under the dark purple moonlight. A cold wind swept through, lifting the flags in the square to flutter, and the sound of clashing armor was exceptionally clear in the silent night.
Anderson stood on the command platform, his obsidian-colored armor glinting with a cold sheen under the torchlight. His gaze, like a blade, swept across the entire Black Bat army; the soldiers stood in neat formation, their black cloaks fluttering in the night wind, like a rolling mass of dark clouds.
"Brothers and sisters!" Andersons voice was low but full of power, echoing across the square. "The moment of decisive battle has arrived, and we have no choice! This is a struggle to the death with the enemy; there is no retreat, only advance! Only through victory can we prove our existence!"
His voice, like war drums, shook everyone, and the soldiers roared in unison, their eyes flickering with bloodthirsty fanaticism.
Anderson slowly stepped down from the command platform and personally handed the two jet-black, gleaming general command flags to White Wolf and Black Bear.
"White Wolf, Black Bear, this operation is entrusted to you. Three hundred men on the left wing, three hundred men on the right wing, moving by day in hiding and by night in attack, leaving no survivors."
White Wolf took the command flag, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth, kneeling on one knee: "Yes, General!" Black Bear nodded heavily, clutching the flag tightly with both hands, his fighting spirit soaring.
Soon after, the three divisions of the Black Bat army quietly left the city, crossing the dark sea by ship, heading straight for the Italian Peninsula.
Night fell heavily, and Naples resembled a sleeping beast; the streets were silent, broken only by occasional dog barks and the sound of the wind slicing through the night sky. Yet, on this night, death quietly descended.
"Ah—!" A piercing scream came from the alley entrance, and a man stumbled out, his hands covering his neck, blood gushing like a fountain from between his fingers. His eyes rolled back, and his body convulsed as he collapsed to the ground.
Two black shadows slowly emerged from the alley, their red pupils flickering in the darkness, blood hanging at the corners of their mouths. Their cloaks swayed lightly in the night wind, and their figures were tall and spectral like phantoms.
A police car stopped at the street entrance, its headlights casting a pale light.
"Help! Save us!" Several citizens ran frantically toward the police car, panic-stricken.
Officer A and Officer B quickly got out, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
An elderly man trembled as he pointed toward the alley, his voice broken with fear: "Police! There! They—they are vampires! They are biting people!"
A woman covered her face and sobbed, her voice trembling: "They bite anyone they see… we must escape!"
Officer A and Officer B exchanged a glance, quickly drew their pistols, and assumed defensive stances.
"Brother, I’ll report to the precinct first." Officer A took out his radio: "0830 calling the precinct, this is the entrance of 19th Street Alley! Citizens are being attacked, we witnessed—it’s vampires! Requesting backup!"
Inside the precinct, alarms sounded, and the operations center was brightly lit.
"Vampires have appeared on 12th Street as well!"
Director Giacomo’s expression was stern as he slammed the table heavily: "Everyone, this is a coordinated attack! We must act immediately!"
He turned to give instructions: "Antonio, broadcast to all police cars, instruct citizens to take shelter nearby!"
"Tacito, urgently recall officers on leave!"
"Sandro, the criminal task force will carry long guns and grenade launchers; assign one agent per police car; sweep in a fan-shaped pattern; if vampires are seen—kill without hesitation!"
The officers swiftly obeyed orders and moved into action.
At the entrance of 19th Street Alley, the night grew heavier.
Two officers crouched at the street corner, the cold seeping from their fingertips into their bones. A vampire slowly approached, the blood on the corner of its mouth glinting with an eerie red light.
"Ready!" Officer A whispered, gripping his pistol tightly, cold sweat forming at his temples.
"Fire!"
Gunshots pierced the night; bullets struck the vampires body, green blood splattering on the ground. The vampire staggered slightly but continued advancing step by step.
"Damn it! Aim for the head!" Officer A shouted.
Gunfire erupted again, bullets piercing the vampire’s eyes directly; black smoke oozed from the wounds, and the monster finally stopped, leaning against the wall to catch its breath.
Officer A stepped forward slowly, aiming his gun at the vampires head, while Officer B kept a close watch by his side.
Suddenly, the vampire lunged at Officer A, its sharp claws instantly piercing his chest!
"Ah—!"
Blood sprayed, Officer A convulsed in pain but still gritted his teeth to pull the trigger.
Officer B’s hands trembled as he fired several shots at the back of the vampire’s head.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The vampire’s head exploded, its headless body collapsed, pinning Officer A beneath it.
Officer B fell to his knees, gasping like an ox, looking at his fallen comrade, tears blurring his vision.
"Senior…"
Officer A’s mouth bled, slightly open, but no sound came out. His eyes lost their luster, and the pistol he held slipped to the ground.
Officer B trembled as he closed his eyes, then took a deep breath and lifted his gun again.
The night remained dark and heavy, and the battle had only just begun.
65
The night hung low, and the city of Florence (Firenze) was shrouded in an eerie silence. The streets were sparsely populated, with only the red and blue lights of police cars reflecting off the ancient stone walls, their trembling light and shadows drifting like ghosts. The voice from the loudspeaker inside the police car was low and urgent, echoing on the silent streets: "Citizens, to ensure your own safety, please return home immediately unless necessary. Avoid lingering on the streets to prevent being attacked by vampires. Citizens…"
In the distance, jeeps and military vehicles roared into the city, the oppressive sound of engines cutting through the night sky. Fully armed army officers stood on high alert, guns at the ready, their eyes scanning sharply in all directions. At the street entrance, a temporarily erected barricade glimmered with a cold metallic sheen under dim light, and the barrels of armored vehicles were deep and silent, like a beast sleeping in wait.
"Stop! Identification!" A marine officer in a bulletproof vest raised his arm, stopping a black sedan. His voice was stern, his gaze sharp, and the rifle in his hands pressed against his chest. The driver handed over his identification shakily. The officer scrutinized his face, and after a moment, nodded toward the checkpoint: "Clear to proceed."
Meanwhile, the city government building was brightly lit. A thick sense of anxiety permeated the offices; maps, documents, and military intelligence reports were stacked across the desks. A few aides whispered to each other, and information continuously updated through the earpieces.
Mayor Ivano stood with a grave expression at the conference table, fingers pressed tightly on the surface, his eyes sweeping across everyone: "Naples suffered an organized vampire terror attack last night. Upon receiving the news, I immediately issued a martial law order this morning. We cannot sit idly by; we must prepare thoroughly."
General Duccio crossed his arms and nodded slightly, his tone decisive: "Mayor, I have already ordered the armored units to fully blockade the surrounding roads. Anyone entering or exiting the city must undergo inspection, without exception."
Director Fabio frowned, hands pressing on the desk, his voice low: "These vampires are cunning and strange, slipping through any opening. They are adept at hiding and their movements are unpredictable. If they truly infiltrate… we may not be able to defend against them."
General Duccio curled the corner of his mouth, patting Fabios shoulder reassuringly: "Director, you need not be overly pessimistic. With the military and police working together, even if they get in, I will make sure they do not return alive!"
"General," Ivano said, his tone steady but with a hint of warning, "these vampires are not ordinary terrorists. They fear neither bullets nor weapons, and dealing with them is extremely difficult. I just spoke with Bishop Mario by phone; he warned us—these vampires cannot even be subdued by ordinary priests."
The office fell into brief silence. The distant roar of military vehicles came from outside, and the night wind stirred the curtains, bringing a hint of chill.
Ivano exhaled slowly, hands clasped on the desk, his voice deep: "The enemy lurks in the shadows, and we are in the open. The only thing we can do for now is prepare for battle and remain on standby, using stillness to control action."
The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy; everyone knew in their hearts—this would be a tough fight, and the real nightmare had only just begun…
66
The night was dark and heavy. In the Vatican Hall of Rome, the interior was brightly lit. Thick red velvet curtains blocked the outside darkness, leaving only candlelight to cast flickering shadows upon the gilded and magnificent ceiling. The entire reception hall was suffused with a stifling atmosphere, and even the holy icons on the walls seemed to silently listen.
Pope Norbert Paul sat at the head of the long table, his silver-white hair glowing faintly in the candlelight. His gaze was deep, slowly sweeping across the cardinals at the table and Father Stron standing beside them. His voice was steady but carried an authority not to be ignored: "You have all heard the news. Anderson’s vampire legion is attacking city after city. Now the entire Italian populace is in panic, and citizens are fearful for their lives."
Cardinal A put down the Bible in his hands, clasped his hands on the table, and frowned deeply: "This is clearly a planned attack. They are targeting civilians, forcing the military, police, and our clergy to stretch themselves thin, running themselves ragged."
"But things are probably not that simple." Father Stron stood beside the table, his palm lightly brushing the edge, eyes sharp and focused. He deliberately paused for a moment, waiting until all eyes were on him, and then slowly spoke: "Who, then, is the true nemesis of Anderson’s faction? Perhaps you should consider it from this perspective."
Cardinal B frowned, arms crossed over his chest, his tone tinged with skepticism: "Stron, if you have something to say, just say it."
The Pope’s gaze narrowed, as if he had realized something, and he spoke in a low voice: "You mean… Princess Maria?"
Stron’s lips curved slightly, as if awaiting the question: "Exactly." He nodded lightly and then added: "Not long ago, my senior brother, Chen John, went to Switzerland at Maria’s request. I speculate that in the dark world, the two major powers—Maria and Anderson—have moved from past tensions to the moment of full confrontation."
The Pope’s fingers lightly tapped the table, signaling him to continue speaking.
Stron took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “Although Anderson has caused chaos in multiple cities, have you noticed one detail—they have not directly attacked our churches in any of these locations. What does this mean? It means he is not targeting the Church, at least not for now. The real reason, I fear, is that he does not want to be attacked from both sides while simultaneously going to war with Maria and us.”
Bishop B pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: “Your analysis indeed makes sense… If Anderson wants to monopolize dominion over the dark world, the first thing he must do is eliminate Maria.”
“Exactly.” Stron’s voice dropped another notch. “Anderson is sending his elite forces this time precisely to force Maria’s main troops out. If he succeeds in annihilating Maria’s Iron-Blooded Guards, then the only force capable of resisting him will be our Church. And at that point…”
“We will become his next target.” The Pope’s tone was firm, and a trace of deep contemplation appeared between his brows. He slowly stood, his gaze sharp as he looked at Stron, speaking solemnly: “Princess Maria is the only balancing force in the dark world, and she has long been our ally. We cannot stand by and watch her suffer Anderson’s attacks, Father Stron.”
“Yes, Your Holiness.” Stron knelt on one knee, bowing his head to listen.
“You are to immediately gather the Church’s elite clergy and organize a demon-slaying army. On one hand, assist local governments in exterminating Anderson’s minions; on the other hand, support Princess Maria in resisting Anderson’s main forces. We cannot allow the dark world to fall into tyranny and slaughter.”
Stron raised his head, his eyes blazing, his tone resolute: “Stron swears to complete this mission to the death!”
The Pope nodded, his gaze heavy as he looked toward the cardinals: “May the Lord bless us.”
