Chapter 102: St. Maryan Swallowed by the Sect [16]
Everything was happening amid excited shouts.
Everything was unfolding in complete silence.
…
The countless bats hiding in the corners of the castle became the target of the students’ eager search.
Whether they were bats released by the Vampire Count or those that originally existed within the castle.
Even the little demon beasts, which resembled bats, almost became targets of attack.
Dark retrieved the candy bag from that classroom and followed the direction the bats had flown to search for them.
As the candies in the bag dwindled, he managed to find several bats.
But after eliminating the bats, nothing was revealed.
“It seems my luck isn’t as good as I imagined.”
Around ten o’clock, Dark retreated from the eighth floor back to the seventh floor.
Then at twenty past ten, he retreated again from the seventh floor to the sixth floor.
By forty past ten, he was already on the fifth floor.
Nearly an hour had passed since the Vampire Count’s self-detonation, but there seemed to be no news of anyone finding the “special bat.”
Given how fervently the students were searching, this was hard to comprehend.
“Could they have escaped into one of the secret passages?” Dark couldn’t help but mutter.
…
The Sect’s actions were orderly.
Except for the Squid and Pufferfish who were still wandering, the other fourteen members all had results.
Although not everyone successfully captured three couples, the quota itself was a safeguard.
Because the true number of couples needed for the All Saints’ Day sacrifice was only seven.
The rest were just backups.
Human emotions are subtle and hard to understand.
No one knows if two people who were once genuinely in love might suddenly change their feelings at some point.
Or perhaps what appeared to be genuine affection was merely convincing acting?
The Sect members couldn’t afford to take chances.
So they set a goal three times higher, attempting to reduce the failure rate through sheer numbers.
The appearance of the “Vampire Treasure” brought both convenience and trouble.
People started appearing at the entrances of various secret passages.
But they successfully avoided those risks and ultimately delivered the captured couples to the temple.
At exactly eleven o’clock.
All members except the Squid and Pufferfish had returned to the temple.
In total, they had sixteen couples, twice the actual target.
These couples were tied back-to-back, two by two.
Their card packs were confiscated, and the selection cards, which could reveal their locations, were thrown outside the secret passages.
The Sect didn’t gag them, but it seemed that pointless cursing and shouting had ceased.
Sixteen couples, thirty-two people.
They were temporarily stuffed in a corner of the temple, where they could see the snow-white, lifelike statue of the goddess inside the temple. Many were captivated by the statue, as if their souls were sucked out, becoming silent.
If only the statue were present, it might evoke a sense of sanctity.
However, the sea-creature costumes worn by the Sect members after removing their black robes were too eerie, exuding an ominous aura.
A clear-headed girl couldn’t help but ask the only female member of the Sect, Miss Moray, whose voice she had heard before.
“Please, may I ask, what will you do with us?”
“You will become sacrifices!”
The voice of Miss Moray, altered, sounded like an old witch, chilling to the bone.
But the girl suddenly widened her eyes: “Betty, is it really you?”
“Who is Betty? You must be mistaken.” Miss Moray replied indifferently.
The girl named Jenny broke down immediately: “Betty, you can’t treat me like this! We’re friends!”
Miss Moray continued indifferently: “Yes, there are women in this world who would betray their best friends.”
Jenny’s expression froze, and after a long moment, she forced out a sentence: “He likes me too.”
“Yes,” Miss Moray chuckled ominously, “that’s why I brought you all here!”
“Hehehe, it’s over, Jenny!”
“No!”
…
Outside the secret passage…
The Squid and Pufferfish, having experienced numerous failures, had completely lost their composure.
Since they failed to catch even one couple, they had no face to return to the temple, so they continued loitering even after the agreed time.
They looked like middle-aged men pretending to work while sitting in a park after being fired.
Suddenly, the Squid grabbed the Pufferfish and pulled him into a corner.
While the Pufferfish was puzzled, two first-year students appeared outside the secret passage.
After Wit brought Robert here, he seemed to make a great decision and revealed his secret: “This is it, actually, there’s something I’ve been hiding from you!”
Robert was momentarily stunned but then excitedly said: “I know, and I’ve also been hiding something from you!”
“What?” Wit was dumbfounded.
Robert chattered on: “I knew it, we’re best friends, how could you keep something from me! Come on, let’s tell each other!”
Wit: “Oh, well, why don’t you go first?”
Robert: “Of course, your secret comes first, mine is built upon yours.”
Wit reluctantly said: “Then I’ll go first. Actually, I found a secret passage here. Look, no one has found that special bat yet, I suspect it went into the passage.”
After waiting for a bit, Robert couldn’t help frowning: “Just a secret passage?”
Wit exclaimed: “What do you mean ‘just a secret passage’? This is my biggest secret. Anyway, I told you, now your turn?”
Robert: “Ah, well, actually, I don’t have much of a secret.”
Wit: “Forget it, should we go look in the secret passage? I really want to beat Dark!”
Robert: “Of course, I’ll help you!”
…
The Squid, hiding in the corner, looked deep in thought. Suddenly, he whispered to the Pufferfish: “Look, don’t they seem perfect for each other?”
Pufferfish was utterly confused: “Perfect for what?”
There was a sinister and joyful tone in the Squid’s voice: “Let’s capture them. Their feelings must be great!”
…
A wisp of smoke spread silently.
Wit and Robert were still talking.
Both were so focused on the word “secret” that they didn’t notice anything unusual.
That wisp of smoke was inhaled by both of them.
After a dozen seconds, Robert suddenly held the wall, his face full of confusion: “What’s going on? I feel a bit dizzy.”
Wit rubbed his forehead forcefully and said: “Me too, maybe I’m just tired?”
