The vampire, crimson blood still lingering on the corners of its mouth, looked at the bullet hole in its chest and let out a piercing howl.
Jessica, standing nearby, watched with a rather indifferent gaze as the vampire at her feet slowly turned to ash.
"Boss, how many is that for you now?"
Jefferson burst out from the side, a pitch-black iron rod inscribed with Mystic Runes in hand, and sidled up to Jessica. Moments before, that very iron rod in his hand had crushed a vampire to ash.
Jessica barely glanced at Jefferson beside her. Instead of answering, she shifted her gaze to the surrounding rooms, calculating which ones had been cleared.
Unsurprised by the lack of a response, Jefferson continued, unfazed, "It's a shame those Eastern merchants aren't buying vampires anymore. Otherwise, we could've made a killing this time! Tsk tsk tsk... A single vampire could mean a double US dollar payout!"
Jefferson shook his head, his face a mask of regret.
"If you're done here, move on to the next building quickly, or see if anyone else needs help!" Jessica's face finally showed a hint of impatience. Waving her handgun right in front of Jefferson's face, she said coldly, "Don't get in my way here!"
With a kick, she sent the pesky Jefferson out of the empty room, then quickly followed him out.
She glanced at the overcast sky, her brows furrowing slightly, before calling out, "Jefferson!"
Upon hearing Jessica's call, Jefferson, who was just getting to his feet while rubbing his behind, scurried over immediately.
"What is it, Boss?"
She glanced down at Jefferson, who was still rubbing his backside. A fleeting smile touched her eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
"Tell everyone to pick up the pace. We need to clear this town today. If we aren't finished by dusk, we all retreat. We'll come back tomorrow to continue!"
"As for the State Government breathing down our necks, don't worry about them!"
"Er... okay!"
Jefferson didn't understand the intent behind Jessica's order, but he didn't ask questions. After rubbing his behind a couple more times, he promptly took out his specialized communicator.
"Brothers, brothers! I now announce the Boss's latest directive..."
Ignoring Jefferson's comical announcement, Jessica stood in the middle of the street and began to survey the surrounding buildings, searching for something.
The town before them was Segri Town. It wasn't very large, with under five thousand residents living in a contiguous area. Had it not been for the insufficient population, a town like this could have been classified as an urbanized area according to America's urbanization standards. According to earlier intelligence, the town's residents were indeed making various efforts to have it renamed Segri City.
"Boss, I've notified everyone! That bunch was just saying they'd like to grab a drink tonight!" Jefferson reported, running over excitedly after finishing his task, his eyes fixed on Jessica with anticipation.
She met his expectant gaze. After a brief pause, she said, "OK! I'll be there tonight!" Seeing that Jefferson still wasn't leaving, just staring at her, Jessica shrugged helplessly.
"YES!" Jefferson shouted, pumping his fist in celebration.
Inviting Jessica to gatherings failed at least nine times out of ten. Yet, the team remained tirelessly enthusiastic. Managing to invite Jessica out was an achievement someone could boast about for quite a while.
After his small celebration, Jefferson finally noticed the dilapidated church. He pointed his black iron rod at the notice board and carefully read the text.
"Relocation notice?"
Puzzled, Jefferson looked up at the decrepit church before him and couldn't help but complain, "The Holy See, with all its wealth and power, since when did it have such a rundown church?"
But then, his eyes lit up as if he'd thought of something. "Boss, I'll take care of clearing this church!"
The words had barely left his mouth when Jefferson's figure disappeared through the church's battered wooden doors.
Behind him, Jessica frowned. Ever since he personally eliminated that Bizarre creature, Jefferson's personality has become increasingly erratic. For an Exorcist, such a change isn't necessarily a good thing.
She patted her waist, and another handgun instantly appeared, which she grasped in her left hand.
She watched a crow take flight from the church roof, pondered for a moment, then followed Jefferson inside the decrepit building. This dilapidated church... no matter how I look at it, something seems very wrong here.
Jefferson, having entered the church first, gripped his black iron rod tightly. He strode past the deserted nave and thoroughly searched the altar area.
"FUCK! Not a single blessed item left behind!"
Old churches like this, due to their age, had been steeped in the faith of countless worshippers and priests. After the resurgence of the Bizarre, items within them often gained miraculous powers. If no one in the church recognized their value, these items might be left behind during a relocation.
But clearly, Jefferson's hopes were dashed!
"Huh? What's this? A corridor?"
Just as he was about to leave, Jefferson suddenly discovered a narrow corridor in the corner of the altar, leading to an unknown location.