Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes.

Chapter 290, Section 36: A Surprise Attack in the Forest

On the highway, a Ford pickup truck is driving along the road, leaving Houston and heading into the suburbs.

Arthur, in the driver's seat, held the steering wheel with one hand and casually rested the other hand on the side of the car window.

The heatwave rushed into the cab, ruffling his hair, and the smell of dust assaulted his senses, yet he seemed oblivious to the heat.

The car radio was playing the old song Hotel California, and the lyrics unexpectedly resonated with his current mood.

His fingertips tapped the steering wheel as he calmly gazed at the highway stretching to the horizon.

Looking in his rearview mirror, he saw a police car that had somehow followed him, its siren on, signaling him to pull over.

Arthur slowed down expressionlessly and gently brought the car to a stop on the shoulder.

Good afternoon, sir.

The patrol officer stepped forward and gave a routine greeting. The fact that the driver inside the car didn't have the classic skin tone made him relax his guard a little.

"Good afternoon." Arthur nodded casually.

"Is this leaving the city?"

"Yes."

"You were speeding, sir."

"Really? I'm sure I was driving at the legal speed."

The patrol officer remained noncommittal, his gaze sweeping over Arthur's face and inside the car: "Please show me your driver's license and vehicle registration."

Arthur took out his wallet from his pocket, his movements unhurried, and handed over his identification, as if he were just an ordinary passing driver.

The patrol officer took the identification, carefully checked the photo against the person, and then looked down at his tablet to look something up.

Time passed by, and only the songs on the radio and the occasional roar of passing cars on the highway broke the silence.

“Mr. John Macedon?” The patrolman looked up. “You seem tired?”

“Yes, Houston was amazing, it drained me completely.” Arthur nodded. This identity was given to him by Ethan, and there hadn’t been any problems along the way.

The patrol officer gave a knowing smile, his gaze sweeping over the slightly messy back seat once more: "Indeed, this is a good place, but I still need to do a routine check. Please get out of the car; I need to inspect your passenger compartment and back seat."

Arthur didn't move, just watched him silently. Just as the patrolman was about to speak again to urge him on, his walkie-talkie suddenly crackled to life with an urgent call:
"Attention all units! Attention all units! Shooting at the Episcopal Cathedral! Suspect at large! All police forces in and around Houston, immediately proceed to block major thoroughfares and respond immediately! Over!"

The patrolman's expression changed instantly. He pressed the radio: "Roger that, backup coming right away!"

He glanced quickly at Arthur, then at the dilapidated pickup truck. This was the outskirts of Houston, and the dispatch center had ordered a lockdown of the city. This meant that the perpetrator was still in the city shortly before the shooting, which was why the main roads leading out of the city needed to be blocked. It had little to do with the dilapidated pickup truck in front of him.

"Excuse me, sir!" The patrolman spoke quickly, shoving the ID back into Arthur's hand before he could even get a firm grip. "There's an emergency! You...you need to be careful on the road."

He hastily left those words behind, turned around, and sped off towards his police car. The lights flashed, the siren wailed, and the tires screeched against the road as he made a sharp turn and raced toward downtown Houston.

The dust kicked up by the police car hit Arthur's face.

He glanced down at the ID in his palm. Then, he opened his other hand, which had been resting on his lap.

A bright yellow bullet casing lay quietly in his palm.

Arthur's lips twitched upwards very slightly.

He put away the spent cartridges, restarted the car, and the pickup truck drove off along the highway again, leaving the chaos of Houston far behind.

The hoarse male voice was still singing from the car radio:

"I must find my way back, return to where I once was. You can settle your bill anytime, but you can never truly leave."

Arthur turned up the volume, brought up the virtual screen, found Sen, and sent a private message.

[Arthur: I've taken care of my business. What do you need me to do?]

A few seconds later, a reply popped up:
[Sen: Do everything you can to make Texas chaotic.]

[Arthur: Easiest]

He stepped on the gas, the pickup truck accelerated, and headed towards the next city, the next church with a cross standing there.

The Bible brings no shortage of churches.

He will bring a whole new gospel to those devout believers.

And for those who deserve to die, may they be sent on a one-way ticket to hell.

He is the Evangelist Gunner.

Chaos is on the horizon in Texas, but in California, fear has been lingering for nearly a week.

Three separate incidents, involving dozens of people and occurring in different locations, all involving bloody and cruel sacrificial rituals, have caused widespread panic in California.

The dead included notorious local gang members as well as well-known officials and wealthy businessmen. Their deaths were gruesome; some could barely be considered intact, while others were so bad that even experienced forensic doctors or glue makers had difficulty piecing them together.

The model kit expert admitted that he had never seen anything so broken before when building Gundam models. The last time he experienced such torment was when he was building the PG Phoenix.

The corpses were mostly disposed of in a desecrated and painful manner, and in the end, like livestock in a slaughterhouse, they were openly hung on street signs on busy streets, exposed to the sight of commuters in the early morning. The little skin that remained was covered with complex and mysterious patterns, blood and bones intertwined, a shocking sight.

Before the authorities could react, several media outlets published photos and sensational details from the scene, instantly igniting panic and anger throughout California and even the entire United States.

Even though it was later forcibly removed from the platform, the internet was already rife with speculation about the arrival of demons and cult rituals.

Since the arrival of the supernatural, needless to say, all over the United States, various sects have been celebrating like it's New Year, vigorously promoting doomsday theories to recruit believers, collect fees, and solicit female believers for free.

It's not uncommon for people to perform sacrificial rituals; in fact, some people do those things before they even become extraordinary.

But none of them were as heinous or as blatantly provocative as these three serial sacrificial rituals.

"This morning on the Golden Gate Bridge, thirty-six mutilated bodies were found hanging in a row, using the same method. This is the fourth such incident. California forensic pathologists are now just piecing together building blocks; they simply can't keep up."

On the other end of the phone, Leon didn't seem too anxious and even had the energy to joke around. In the background, you could vaguely hear the noise of various communication devices and people shouting.

"The California police are going crazy. They've dug deep, investigating every underground sect and heretical organization they can and can't investigate, but they probably haven't found anything. Otherwise, they wouldn't be begging me for help."

"This incident is quite close to where you are. Do you have any leads? Even a little idea will do, and I'll have someone investigate."

"The fact that the entire California police force couldn't find a clue, and that they acted so arrogantly and confidently, may indeed be related to something extraordinary."

"Muramasa Taki is dealing with the current issues surrounding the Silver Cup Manor, so he probably can't spare the time."

Hirosue Eri is currently deep in an ancient redwood forest.

Towering trees stand tall, their canopies not dense, the ground covered with a thick layer of humus, and evening mist begins to appear.

She gently placed one hand on the trunk of a massive redwood tree that would require several people to encircle, sensing in her palm the slow yet powerful pulse of life in the tree, and the restlessness that permeated the entire forest.

"It's not clear yet whether it's related to the supernatural," Hirosue Eri replied. "However, we've already got some leads."

"Okay, contact me anytime if anything happens. I have someone there."

After hanging up the phone, Hirosue Eri withdrew her hand and turned to walk towards a treehouse nestled among the trees. The cabin was covered in vines and moss, almost blending into the forest.

As you push open the door, a scent of wood and dried plants wafts out.

The room was simply furnished, with the most eye-catching feature being a long table that seemed to be part of the whole and naturally formed, on which dozens of glass jars and cloth bags of different sizes were neatly arranged.

It was filled with all sorts of plant seeds, such as acorns, pine cones, grass seeds, and flower seeds. These were all collected by hand from the forests and scorched earth after fires, during her time as a fire chief in California.

She discovered that the seeds she collected herself seemed to possess a stronger, more spiritual power when they were catalyzed for growth. This led her to consciously collect and store them.

She did not refuse Leon's request. Although tracking down the murderer was not her forte, her talent lay in using the power of the forest to sense anomalies.

At least in the senses just now, there was indeed a direction that made the forest slightly uneasy.

Perhaps that's the source of the chaos in California.

She selected a batch of seeds and placed them in groups on her checkered belt. As she stepped out of the treehouse, just as she was about to set off, the forest suddenly fell silent, followed by a frantic rustling of leaves.

这 是
The forest was screaming at her.

dangerous!
Hirosue Eri suddenly raised her arm, and the spiritual climbing vine that was wrapped around it received power, growing rapidly, enveloping her body, and transforming into vine armor. Almost at the same time, the wooden house exploded from behind!

A black and red figure moved with ghostly speed, its target clear: blood-red, misty claws slicing through all obstacles and pointing directly at her.

"combine!"

She retreated rapidly, quickly making a gesture of clasping her hands together in mid-air and pressing them forcefully together.

The trees that made up the wooden house moved in response, like a gaping maw that snapped shut before the figure could break through.

The trees rubbed and twisted, and countless branches spread and grew, as if trying to wrap the entire treehouse up like a rice dumpling.

Eri showed no joy on her face. She reached into the bag with one hand and touched a handful of seeds. The surrounding trees seemed to be stirring with anticipation.

A few cracking sounds of trees breaking came from the wooden house, which was no longer recognizable. The next second, it exploded with a bang, sending wood chips flying. In the smoke and dust, a black figure slowly floated in mid-air.

The newcomer was wearing a well-tailored black trench coat, the hem of which moved without wind, and he was carrying something unidentified on his back.

His face was covered with a layer of thick, dark red blood lines that looked like living creatures writhing. These blood lines twisted and intertwined, forming a mask that obscured his features and was terrifying, revealing only a pair of eyes that gleamed with a frightening red light.

It was Ethan, disguised as a vampire.

He had no intention of speaking at all, and once again chose to charge at Eri. His right hand formed a claw, with visible scarlet blood light swirling around the fingertips. With a tearing sound, he aimed straight for Hirosue Eri's throat.

Hirosue Eri's reaction wasn't as quick as his, but fortunately, the forest was her home turf!
The giant redwood trees beside her rose from the ground, becoming the most loyal guardians. Eri scattered seeds in her hand, and countless vines and strange flowers swelled up in the blink of an eye, waiting for their chance to strike.

"Humph."

Ethan was prepared for this; he was carrying a white-tailed deer carcass on his back, which he threw directly towards Eri Hirosue.

Eri didn't know what the white-tailed deer was doing, but she was sure it wouldn't be anything good. So she moved away from it and used trees to block its path.

"burst."

Ethan's lips moved.

The white-tailed deer suddenly swelled up like a balloon, then exploded in an instant, almost like a bomb, but without the flames or the smell of burning; the blood red color completely replaced the flames.

Kaka.

The two giant redwood trees were blasted into a honeycomb pattern by the splattered blood. The most severely damaged parts broke off, and they crashed down, no longer moving.

The newly sprouted vines and flowers were also not spared, leaving a scene of utter devastation.

The earth was a radiating red.

Eri's rattan armor was quite sturdy, and she only suffered minor scratches.

"Player?"

She manipulated several more giant trees to provide cover and asked cautiously.

hum!
Ethan's continued attack answered this question.

Eri's temper flared up, and she frowned.

Countless vines, like garden eels, stretched out from the ground beneath her feet. They intertwined and coiled, forming an incredibly thick vine shield in front of her at the critical moment.

scoff!

The crimson claws slammed into the giant vine shield, tearing with a ripping sound. The resilient vines, corroded by the crimson light, were like those doused with strong acid, constantly charring and withering.

But the ever-replenishing vines managed to block the attack.

The immense impact caused Hirosue Eri to grunt and slide back half a step.

Take advantage of now!
More thorns burst forth, wrapping around Ethan.

A red glint flashed in Ethan's eyes; he was somewhat surprised that the defense and strength that the opponent had hastily organized were not weak.

He gave up on going any further, broke off several thorns, created some distance, and stretched out his hand towards Yingli from afar, then grasped and pulled!
Bloodletting therapy.

An invisible force instantly affected the blood flow throughout Hirosue Eri's body.

She felt a sharp burning pain coming from the small cuts on her arm from the explosion of the corpse.

The blood vessels around the wound seemed to be forcibly stretched open, and the blood seeped out uncontrollably at an accelerated rate.

Although the wound was small and the blood loss was not significant, this strange ability directly affected her blood, making her feel nauseous!
"roll!"

Hirosue Eri's eyes turned cold, and she erupted completely, piling up layers of climbing vines to seal the wound shut.

The forest is screaming, the forest is twisting, the forest is shaking!
Ethan watched this scene and roughly figured out the upper and lower limits of Eri's power. His eyes burned even more. However, fighting her in the forest was indeed not a good place.

If it weren't for the urgency of the situation, he wouldn't have chosen this place for the battle.

The chaos in California during this period was deliberately orchestrated by him, a kind of experiment, and the results were good. He verified the cruelty in the requirements of growth, which is that cruelty requires the approval or fear of others. If no one knows or cares, then no matter how excessive one goes, it cannot be considered cruel.

Originally, he didn't plan to act so quickly and attract attention. He had planned to wait for the real disaster at Silver Cup Manor to explode before taking action when the authorities were preoccupied with their own problems.

According to information obtained from Park Min-woo, the manor owner may be involved in the whereabouts of the legendary Holy Grail.

This news was absolutely worth the risk for him, and he was also aware that the players competing with him for the Holy Grail were Arita and Muramasa Taki.

Muramasa Takii has a versatile fighting style and strong individual combat ability. He has achieved excellent or better endings multiple times, with generous rewards. Tanari is a completely mysterious figure.

Therefore, he must enhance his strength as much as possible before the disaster unfolds.

Eri Hirosue was also one of his targets in California.

He knew the other party wasn't a player, but he didn't necessarily need a player's blood to increase his blood energy limit and strength. The blood from the heart of the Kyoto Giant had the same effect last time, which meant that as long as the other party was strong enough, that would be sufficient.

He had witnessed Hirosue Eri's fighting prowess at the foot of Mount Fuji; it was not weak, and it might be useful to him.

However, since she was in the forest, giving him a home-field advantage, all the tragedies he caused failed to lure her out. Now, he doesn't have much time left and must leave California, so he plans to test Hirosue's strength before leaving to see if he can absorb her essence.

The outcome is somewhat regrettable. His ability to use corpse bombs is quite limited here. Perhaps detonating the blood clotting spores could lead to victory, but he is not entirely sure if he can get enough from Hirosue Eri to offset the side effects.

Let's not even mention the consolation prize from the last ending; it was just a low-quality blood pack. It could replenish blood energy, but it would have side effects. It was a quick way to replenish energy, but it was far less effective than blood clotting spores.

“Truly a darling of the forest,” a hoarse voice came from beneath the bloodline. “Your blood smells very special.”

Hirosue Eri steadied herself, her light blue eyes gradually turning emerald green, burning with rage.

The forest's fury swirled around her, and countless vines behind her stood tall like venomous snakes, poised to strike.

"You can't hide in the forest forever. We'll meet again someday."

Ethan didn't press the matter further. He chuckled a few times and fled quickly before the forest erupted completely.

Giant trees stretched out their branches to block him as he hung in mid-air, but the forest here was not dense and had many gaps, so he could easily dodge them.

Hirosue Eri did not pursue. Her heavy breathing gradually slowed down, and the emerald green in her eyes faded, turning back into aquamarine.

She unfastened the rattan armor on her arm, frowned as she looked at the patterns that had spread further, and her gaze grew even colder.

She had finally managed to suppress the fire in California after a month of hard work, but now the damage has started to come back.

She didn't know much about Ethan, and even when Ethan used blood energy in Japan, he would use a samurai sword as a cover, never revealing his ability to suck blood or manipulate blood.

Therefore, many suspect that this guy might be a legendary vampire.

It is an existence that revives as the game progresses.

Like divine flowers and Japanese demons.

The other party wants her blood, so it seems they are collecting the blood of extraordinary individuals like her.

After organizing her thoughts, she finally dialed the satellite phone and contacted Leon.

"I think I've found the killer in the California case."

(End of this chapter)