Fantasy Novel: Paradise

Hotel    19


【Eighteen】The Black Bat Army Mobilizes in Force

64

At midnight, the main square of Bat City looked especially eerie beneath the dark purple moonlight. A cold wind swept across the square, sending the flags fluttering wildly, while the clanking of armor sounded especially clear in the stillness of the night.

Anderson stood on the command platform, his black-obsidian armor gleaming with a cold sheen under the torchlight. His gaze was as sharp as a blade as it swept across the entire Black Bat Army. The soldiers stood in orderly formation, their black cloaks billowing in the night wind like a churning mass of dark clouds.

“My brothers and sisters!” Anderson’s voice was low yet powerful, echoing across the square. “The time for the decisive battle has come. We have no choice! This is a life-or-death struggle. There is no retreat, only advance! Only victory can prove our existence!”

His voice thundered through the crowd like a war drum. The soldiers roared in unison, bloodthirsty fervor flashing in their eyes.

Anderson slowly walked down from the command platform and personally handed two gleaming, jet-black command flags to General White Wolf and General Black Bear.

“White Wolf, Black Bear, I’m entrusting this operation to you. Three hundred men on each flank, left and right. Move by night and hide by day. Leave no survivors.”

White Wolf took the command flag, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth. He dropped to one knee and said, “Yes, General!”

Black Bear gave a heavy nod, gripping the command flag tightly in both hands, his fighting spirit soaring.

Before long, three divisions of the Black Bat Army quietly left the city. They boarded ships, crossed the dark waters, and headed straight for the Italian peninsula.

The night hung low over Naples, which resembled a sleeping beast. The streets were silent, broken only by the occasional barking of dogs and the sound of the wind cutting through the night sky. Yet on this night, death quietly descended.

“Ah—!”

A piercing scream came from the mouth of an alley. A man stumbled out, clutching his neck with both hands as blood gushed between his fingers like a fountain. His eyes rolled upward, his body convulsed, and he collapsed to the ground.

Two dark figures slowly emerged from the alley. Their red pupils glimmered in the darkness, blood staining the corners of their mouths. Their cloaks swayed gently in the night wind, and their tall figures looked like ghosts.

A police car pulled to a stop at the end of the street, its headlights casting a ghastly white light.

“Help! Please, help us!”

Several terrified citizens ran desperately toward the police car.

Officers A and B quickly got out of the vehicle, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings.

An elderly man trembling with fear pointed toward the mouth of the alley. His voice broke with terror.

“Police! Over there! They—they’re vampires! They’re biting people!”

A woman covered her face and sobbed, her voice trembling.

“They bite everyone they see... We have to get out of here!”

Officers A and B exchanged a glance, quickly drew their pistols, and took defensive positions.

“Brother, I’ll report this to the precinct first.”

Officer A pulled out his radio.

“0830 to precinct headquarters, this is the entrance to 19th Street! Civilians have been attacked. We witnessed it—they’re vampires! Requesting backup!”

Inside the precinct, the alarms sounded and the operations center was brightly lit.

“Vampires have also appeared on 12th Street!”

Chief Giacomo looked grim and slammed his hand down on the desk.

“Everyone, this is a coordinated attack! We must act immediately!”

He turned and issued his orders.

“Antonio, order every patrol car to broadcast a warning and tell civilians to seek shelter nearby!”

“Tachito, recall all officers currently on leave immediately!”

“Sandro, have the Criminal Special Operations Unit carry long guns and grenade launchers. One operative in every patrol car. Conduct a fan-shaped search. If you see a vampire—kill on sight!”

The officers quickly acknowledged their orders and sprang into action.

At the entrance to 19th Street, the night grew increasingly oppressive.

Two police officers crouched at the street corner, the cold seeping from their fingertips into their bones. A vampire slowly approached, bloodstains at the corners of its mouth glimmering with an eerie red light.

“Get ready!” Officer A said quietly, gripping his pistol tightly, cold sweat forming on his forehead.

“Fire!”

Gunshots tore through the night. Bullets struck the vampire’s body, splattering green blood across the ground. The vampire staggered slightly, yet continued advancing step by step.

“Damn it! Aim for the head!” Officer A shouted.

The gunshots rang out again. A bullet pierced directly through the vampire’s eye, and black smoke poured from the wound. The monster finally stopped and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

Officer A slowly advanced, his gun aimed at the vampire’s head, while Officer B kept a close watch from the side.

Suddenly, the vampire lunged at Officer A. A pair of razor-sharp claws instantly pierced his chest!

“Ah—!”

Blood sprayed through the air. Officer A convulsed in agony, yet still gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger.

Officer B’s hands trembled as he fired several shots into the back of the vampire’s head.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The vampire’s head exploded. Its headless body collapsed, crushing Officer A beneath it.

Officer B fell to his knees, gasping for breath as he stared at his fallen partner, tears blurring his vision.

“Senior...”

Blood trickled from Officer A’s mouth. He opened it slightly, but no sound came out. The light faded from his eyes, and the pistol he had been gripping slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

Officer B tremblingly closed his eyes, then took a deep breath and raised his gun again.

The night remained dark and heavy, and the battle had only just begun.

65

Night had fallen over Florence, leaving the city of Firenze shrouded in an eerie silence. Few pedestrians remained on the streets. Only the red and blue emergency lights of police cars flickered across the ancient stone walls, their shifting reflections moving like ghosts. The loudspeaker in a police car broadcast in a low and urgent voice, echoing through the silent streets:

“Citizens, for your own safety, unless absolutely necessary, please return home immediately. Avoid remaining on the streets in order to prevent vampire attacks. Citizens...”

In the distance, jeeps and military vehicles roared into the city. Their imposing engines tore through the night sky. Fully armed army personnel stood on alert, rifles in hand, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. At the street corner, temporary barricades gleamed with a cold metallic sheen in the dim light. The barrels of armored vehicles were dark and silent, like sleeping beasts.

“Stop! Identification papers!”

A military officer wearing body armor raised his arm and stopped a black sedan. His voice was stern, his gaze fierce, and his rifle was held tightly against his chest. The trembling driver handed over his identification. The officer stared at his face, then, after a moment, nodded toward the checkpoint.

“Let him through.”

Meanwhile, the city government building was brightly lit. The offices were filled with a heavy atmosphere of anxiety. Maps, documents, and military intelligence reports covered the desks, while several aides spoke quietly and updates continued to come through their earpieces.

Mayor Ivano stood gravely before the conference table, his fingers gripping its edge as his gaze swept across everyone present.

“Naples suffered an organized vampire terrorist attack last night. As soon as I received the news, I issued a declaration of martial law this morning. We cannot sit back and wait for disaster. We must make every possible preparation.”

General Duccio folded his arms and nodded slightly, his tone decisive.

“Mayor, I have ordered the armored units to seal off all surrounding roads. Every person and vehicle entering or leaving the city must undergo inspection, without exception.”

Chief Fabio frowned deeply, both hands pressed against the table.

“These vampires are cunning and bizarre. They can infiltrate anywhere. They are skilled at hiding, and their movements are unpredictable. If they really manage to infiltrate the city... we may find it almost impossible to defend against them.”

General Duccio curled his lips into a reassuring smile and patted Fabio on the shoulder.

“Chief, you don’t need to be so pessimistic. With the military and police working together, even if they get inside, I’ll make sure they come in but never leave!”

“General,” Ivano said calmly, though there was a hint of warning in his voice, “these vampires are not ordinary terrorists. They are not afraid of bullets, and they are extremely difficult to deal with. I just spoke with Bishop Mario on the phone. He warned us—the vampires are so powerful that even ordinary priests are unable to do anything against them.”

The office fell silent for a moment. Outside the window came the distant roar of military vehicles. The night wind stirred the curtains, bringing with it a trace of coolness.

Ivano slowly exhaled, folded his hands on the table, and spoke in a deep voice.

“The enemy is in the shadows, while we are in the open. The only thing we can do now is prepare for battle and stand by, using stillness to respond to movement.”

The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy. Everyone understood clearly—the battle ahead would be a brutal one. The real nightmare had only just begun...

66

The night was deep and dark. Inside the Holy See’s main hall in Vatican City, Rome, the lights were blazing. Heavy red velvet curtains blocked out the darkness outside, leaving only candlelight casting wavering shadows across the gilded ceiling. A tense atmosphere filled the entire reception hall, and even the sacred images on the walls seemed to be listening in silence.

Pope Novan Paul sat at the head of the long table, his silver-white hair glowing faintly beneath the candlelight. His gaze was deep as he slowly surveyed the cardinals seated around the table and Father Strougn standing nearby. His voice was calm yet carried an unmistakable authority.

“You have all heard the news. Anderson’s vampire army has been attacking cities one after another. The entire country of Italy is now gripped by fear, and the people are living in terror.”

Cardinal A placed his Bible on the table and clasped his hands together, his brow deeply furrowed.

“This is clearly a planned series of attacks. They have chosen civilians as their targets, forcing the military, the police, and our Church to spread ourselves too thin and rush from one crisis to another.”

“But I’m afraid things are not that simple.”

Father Strougn stood beside the table, his palm gently brushing along its edge, his gaze sharp and focused. He deliberately paused for a moment, waiting until everyone’s attention had turned toward him before slowly speaking.

“Who, after all, is Anderson’s greatest enemy? Perhaps we should consider the situation from that angle.”

Bishop B frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, his voice carrying a hint of doubt.

“Strougn, if you have something to say, say it plainly.”

The Pope’s gaze sharpened, as if he had already realized something.

“Are you referring to... Princess Maria?”

The corners of Strougn’s mouth lifted slightly, as though he had been waiting for that very question.

“Exactly.”

He gave a slight nod and continued.

“Not long ago, my senior fellow priest, Father Chen John, went to Switzerland at Maria’s request. I believe that, within the dark world, the two great powers of Maria and Anderson have moved from their former state of confrontation into a moment of full-scale reckoning.”

The Pope lightly tapped his fingers on the table, signaling him to continue.

Strougn took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

“Although Anderson has created chaos in several cities, have you noticed one detail? They have not directly attacked our churches in various regions. What does that mean? He is not targeting the Church—at least not yet. The real reason, I suspect, is that he does not want to fight both Maria and us at the same time and leave himself surrounded on two fronts.”

Bishop B thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“Your analysis makes sense... If Anderson wants to monopolize control of the dark world, he must first eliminate Maria.”

“Exactly.”

Strougn’s voice dropped even lower.

“Anderson has sent out his elite forces this time precisely to force Maria to deploy her main forces. If he succeeds in destroying Maria’s elite guards, then the only power capable of opposing him will be our Church. And when that happens...”

“We will become his next target.”

The Pope’s tone was firm, a profound look appearing between his brows. He slowly rose and looked intently at Strougn.

“Princess Maria is the only balancing force in the dark world, and she has been our ally for many years. We cannot stand by and watch her suffer Anderson’s attack. Father Strougn.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

Strougn dropped to one knee and bowed his head as he listened.

“Immediately gather the Church’s elite clergy and organize an army to subdue the demons. On one hand, assist the governments in various regions in eliminating Anderson’s forces. On the other, support Princess Maria in confronting Anderson’s main army. We cannot allow the dark world to fall into dictatorship and bloodshed.”

Strougn raised his head, his eyes blazing with determination.

“I, Strougn, swear to fulfill my mission even at the cost of my life!”

The Pope nodded, then looked solemnly at the bishops.

“May the Lord protect us.”