The narrow apartment hallway erupted in gunfire. Soren's team, precise and brutal, shot and killed three of the four werewolves instantly, the sound of their high-caliber pistols deafening in the enclosed space.
However, just as Soren thought victory was secured, several new figures appeared from the stairwell. They were armed with heavy, unfamiliar rifles. They opened fire, and instead of bullets, beams of high-intensity ultraviolet light lanced through the air.
Vampires struck by the UV rounds screamed immediately, a high-pitched, agonizing sound. Their regenerative abilities were suppressed in an instant. Where the light hit, their flesh quickly rotted, sizzling and burning with a fuming chemical smell, like white phosphorus.
Seeing this, Soren immediately barked, "Inside!" He and his team fell back, retreating into the apartment, but the werewolves and the UV team pinned them down with coordinated fire.
Soren kicked open the bathroom door, the wood splintering from the frame. He intended to grab Michael, to use him as a hostage.
But the small, tiled room was empty. Michael hadn't sat waiting for death. He had climbed out the small bathroom window and was scrambling down the building's old drainpipe.
Seeing the open window and the empty room, Soren slammed his fist against the wall. "Damn it!"
He lunged to the window and looked down, just in time to see Michael clinging to the pipe three floors below. At the same time, a werewolf was ascending from the ground, climbing with unnatural speed, trying to capture him.
"Michael, keep your head down!" Soren shouted, the words lost in the wind and gunfire.
Hearing someone call his name from above, Michael looked up in terror, then down. His heart stopped. He saw the creature crawling up toward him, its claws digging into the brickwork.
Soren drew his pistol, aimed, and fired down at the werewolf below Michael.
Several silver bullets struck their target rapidly.
Lucian grunted as the silver rounds tore into his back, the pain immediate and searing. He was seriously injured instantly, but he didn't give up. Instead, he coiled his muscles and jumped upward, a powerful, desperate lunge.
He grabbed Michael, his claws digging into the man's jacket. Their combined weight ripped the drainpipe support from the wall, and they fell together. As they descended, a chaotic tumble of limbs, Lucian twisted and bit down hard on Michael's shoulder.
Soren, still leaning out the window, didn't see the bite. He just continued his shooting, trying to hit the falling werewolf.
Lucian didn't fight back. The moment they hit the pavement below, he released Michael and scrambled to his feet. He ran, melting into the shadows of an alleyway. Simultaneously, he produced a small, empty test tube from his pocket and spat Michael's blood into it.
Even if he couldn't capture the target, as long as he had the blood, he could test whether Michael was the one he sought. As long as the goal was set, opportunities would come later.
After capping the tube, Lucian paused in the darkness, his body shuddering. He used his strength to expel all the silver bullets that had entered his body. They clattered to the ground, and his grievous injuries recovered within a few deep, ragged breaths.
After accomplishing this, Lucian immediately fled the scene.
At that moment, Soren rushed down the stairs and out the building's front door. He saw Michael lying on the pavement, fainted but not seriously injured. He scooped the man up and took him away directly.
As for the group armed with ultraviolet weapons, they also departed with Lucian's retreat, their mission complete.
The doctor exclaimed when he saw Lucian return empty-handed, his lab coat stained and his face drawn. "He escaped? Even from your attack. Is this kid blessed by fate?"
Lucian showed no frustration. Instead, a small, confident smile touched his lips. "That idiot Raze caught the vampires' attention. When I arrived, I encountered a group of Death Dealers. But it's not a complete loss."
He produced the small test tube, now filled with dark blood, from his pocket. "At least I brought this back."
Looking at what Lucian held, the doctor's tired expression turned into a smile. He walked forward, took the tube, and held it up to the light. "If Michael is indeed the person we're searching for, will the vampires also discover this?"
Lucian's smile widened, and he spoke with unconcerned confidence. "I tasted his flesh, and it's two days before the full moon. Soon, he'll be a werewolf. Soon, he'll come to us. Once he becomes a werewolf, he's no longer pureblooded. He's useless to vampires."
The doctor didn't wait. He took the blood sample to his workstation, ran a test, and then dripped a small amount into a beaker containing a measure of werewolf blood. "It's unfortunate we didn't obtain more."
As the doctor stirred the mixture with a glass rod, the blood in the beaker changed. The dark Warewolf blood was neutralized, swirling and clearing under the influence of Michael's blood.
The doctor's eyes widened. He let out a sharp breath. "It's indeed him."
At that moment, Raze also returned to the gathering place, his clothes smelling of the night air. Looking at the returned Lucian, he began reporting, his voice full of manic energy. "I sold information about the vampires to the Assassin Brotherhood. I believe they'll take action tomorrow. Vampires will soon be attacked. After casualties mount, the Fraternity will also take action."
His grin widened, showing his teeth. "Let chaos reign."
The next day, John Wick stood in the sterile silence of his former home.
This was where he and his wife had once lived. But since Helen's resurrection, John had taken her to the headquarters. They never lived here again.
The reason he had returned was for the favor he had given to Xu Xialing.
Xu Xialing looked around at the furniture, all of it covered with clean white cloths. "It seems this place has been abandoned. How long has it been since anyone lived here? Almost a year, I'd guess."
Though he didn't live here, John still came regularly to clean. There was no dust, just a sense of stillness.
John sat on the single sofa, the one piece not covered, his hands resting on his knees. He looked at Xu Xialing. "I wonder what Ms. Xu wants to discuss this time."
Xu Xialing didn't hesitate. She stepped forward, her businesslike demeanor sharp in the quiet room. She directly produced the token John had left her last time, the specialized three-stage bullet.
"Last time you used this to exchange the Dragon Ball from me," she said, her voice even. "This time, I want to use it to exchange the Dragon Ball back."
John wasn't surprised to hear she had come for the Dragon Ball. He simply shook his head, a single, small motion. "Sorry, I can't do that. I don't have any more Dragon Balls."
Hearing John's words, Xu Xialing's eyes narrowed. She didn't believe him at all. "John Wick, according to my investigation, you had two more Dragon Balls besides mine. I don't believe you gained nothing else this past year."
Hearing Xu Xialing's words, John met her gaze. "I know you're here for the Dragon Balls. You must have received information from a Dragon Ball and learned its function. But unfortunately, I collected all seven Dragon Balls last time and fulfilled my wish."
His expression remained perfectly neutral, giving nothing away. "The Dragon Balls scatter after granting wishes. If you want to collect them all and make a wish, you need to compete for the Dragon Balls again."
Hearing John's words, Xu Xialing's eyes widened. The implications hit her instantly. "You mean... you collected all the Dragon Balls last time? And you fulfilled your wish?"
John nodded.
Xu Xialing took a deep, steadying breath, her mind racing. "Can you tell me some details?"
John didn't speak immediately. His gaze dropped from her face to the token she held in her hand, the three-stage bullet that represented the Fraternity.
"Are you planning to use this token," he asked, his voice quiet, "in exchange for information about the Dragon Balls and wishes?"