The restaurant was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was stunned by the bloody reversal that happened in the blink of an eye.
That seemingly harmless little girl, who even needed a translator to speak, had just torn off the arm of an S-Rank strength-type Hunter with her bare hands?!
Even if Barton had been careless, even if she were another S-Rank Hunter, she shouldn't have been able to rip off Barton's arm so easily.
Unless... this little girl before them was an SS-Level Talent Hunter.
At this thought, everyone drew in a sharp, cold breath, their eyes filled with terror.
They had originally thought this little girl was some family's princess, but it turned out she was a player just like them, a player who had reached the age of eighteen!
And not only that, she was terrifyingly powerful. To act so decisively and swiftly, her methods were clearly not as harmless as they appeared on the surface!
Lilith seemed oblivious to the shock around her and Barton's miserable state.
She picked up the glass of blood that was still trembling slightly and brought it to her lips. Her ruby-like vertical pupils seemed even more profound behind the rim of the glass.
She opened her small mouth, revealing two little canine teeth. Her throat moved slightly as she swallowed, the blood staining her pale pink lips.
As she set the glass down, she even extended her small tongue to lightly lick away a trace of crimson from the corner of her mouth.
The action carried a bizarre allure, a mix of innocence and cruelty that sent chills down the spines of those who saw it, stirring an inexplicable palpitation in their hearts.
"The taste is acceptable."
Lilith gave a bland evaluation. Though the others couldn't understand her words, the coldness in her voice lowered the temperature in the restaurant by several more degrees.
At that moment, the restaurant door was flung open, and a ten-member Tianqi Enforcement Team rushed in.
The leader was a composed middle-aged man. Seeing the blood on the floor, the severed arm, and Barton's agonized wails, his expression changed. His gaze swept quickly over the scene, finally settling on Lilith and William.
When his eyes fell upon the seemingly ordinary metal wristwatch on William's wrist, his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
He didn't recognize William with the mask, but he recognized the watch on William's hand—it was William's symbol of identity.
Combined with the matching height and build, the man before him was none other than the leader of Apocalypse, Lord William.
"They intended to attack my lady. Now they've been dealt with in return. As for the rest, you, Apocalypse, handle it yourselves. I hope your actions do not disappoint me."
Upon hearing William's voice, the team leader's eyes lit up, instantly understanding what he needed to do.
As one of Apocalypse's core members, he was well aware of the organization's upcoming plans.
Though he didn't know why the leader was addressing a little girl as 'lady,' the moment he thought of the true power behind Apocalypse...
They immediately assumed Lilith was the daughter of that figure, a little princess specially brought here by the leader for particular care.
Having mentally filled in the general picture, the law enforcement captain instantly switched to an expression of appropriate shock and indignation, mixed with difficulty.
He first cast a wary glance at Lilith and William, then looked at the screaming Barton, before sweeping his gaze over the breathless onlookers among the outsiders. He pressed his lips together, even forcing a bead of cold sweat to appear at his temple.
He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself with great resolve, stepped forward, and first addressed the direction of William and Lilith. His tone carried a deliberately concealed compromise and unease.
"You two... This incident occurred within Apocalypse's jurisdiction. We will definitely give you a satisfactory resolution."
The words sounded like mere formalities, but the underlying sense of bluster and weakness was not lost on the seasoned veterans present.
They exchanged glances almost simultaneously, a flicker of unspoken meaning in their eyes.
The law enforcement captain now looked at Barton on the floor, his expression complex. He hastily waved to his subordinates.
"Quick! Get the wounded out of here, emergency treatment! Don't let him die!"
The penetrating wound from the torn arm directly affected Barton's internal organs. If he didn't receive treatment soon, he could very well die for real.
Of course, he wasn't being so kind as to treat the other party out of goodwill. First, it was to fit the current narrative of Apocalypse's apparent weakness.
Second, since this person had dared to attack Apocalypse's leader and little princess, his fate would be far worse than simple death.
At this moment, the law enforcement captain's mind was already picturing Barton's miserable end, and he couldn't help but shudder.
To others, this appeared as the law enforcement officer's fear of Barton dying on their turf, which would bring unnecessary trouble to Apocalypse.
Upon hearing the order, the team members immediately stepped forward. Their actions weren't exactly gentle, but their speed was astonishing.
As if afraid that even a second's delay would mean the other's death.
After completing this, the law enforcement captain turned back to William and Lilith. He bowed slightly, his voice lowered further, sounding even more cautious.
"Regarding subsequent compensation and handling, Apocalypse will definitely give you both a satisfactory account... Please, please give us some time to manage this."
Having said that, he almost didn't dare to look any longer, hurriedly leaving the place, his retreating back even seeming somewhat flustered.
Throughout the entire process, William remained silently standing slightly behind Lilith, his face hidden by the mask, his expression unreadable.
Only the icy aura emanating from him grew a few degrees colder, as if dissatisfied with the law enforcement team's attitude and actions.
The restaurant fell completely silent, save for the sound of heavy breathing.
Everyone was digesting the information that had exploded within those few short minutes.
A mysteriously powerful Silver-Haired Loli, a masked expert suspected to be her guard, the Tianqi Enforcement Team's weakness and compromise in the face of a severely injured member of the [Godslayer Guild]... Many of the outsiders exchanged glances, silently rose to settle their bills, and quickly left the restaurant.
They needed to immediately report everything that had happened here, especially Apocalypse law enforcement's outwardly strong but inwardly weak reaction, to their respective backing factions.
An S-Rank Hunter from the [Godslayer Guild] had been crippled, yet Apocalypse didn't dare to stand firm to the end, instead rushing to smooth things over.
This undoubtedly added a piece of concrete evidence to the rumor that Apocalypse lacked an SSS-Rank Hunter overseeing it.
Lilith picked up a napkin and meticulously wiped the non-existent bloodstains from the corner of her mouth and her fingers.
She raised her eyes, her ruby-like vertical pupils having returned to normal. Through the restaurant window, she looked out at the gradually stirring street outside, a slight curve forming at the corner of her mouth.
William also looked out the window, towards where the law enforcement officer had disappeared, a flash of appreciation in his eyes.
Quick reaction, understands how to cooperate—quite the talent. Could promote him afterward.
As steaming, delicious dishes were served to the table, Lilith also began to taste the first human food of this lifetime...