HPDBC Chapter 271 She caught him!
Chapter 271 She caught him!
Chapter 271 She caught him!
Chapter 271
As Oliver was passing between two cliffs, the environment was silent except for the occasional slow breathing of the girl he was carrying. The weight of exhaustion hung in the air, yet his steps remained firm, unwavering. The sulfuric clouds reflected a strange light over the terrain, serving as a substitute for the sun; their shadows were cast as they passed by.
The surroundings were eerily quiet. Unnaturally quiet.
It was haunting for the winds to be silent and unsettling for the air to be so still. Even the occasional whisper of shifting rock felt deafening in the suffocating stillness.
Oliver had not stopped running, even though he had covered a considerable distance from the starting point.
He trusted nothing. Assumed nothing.
He was cautious and did not dare to underestimate the demons.
Just as he was running continuously, a cold prickle ran down his spine. @@@@
His instincts screamed.
Stop.
He halted instantly, his body reacting before his mind could process why.
He turned around and looked back into the distance.
Nothing.
It was clear. Too clear.
Not a single trace of any individual or demon.
Yet...
He felt it.
His sharp instincts could sense it; something had just passed by.
Something dangerous.
Something watching.
Something closing in.
His gut twisted.
Looking around as he ran, his eyes scanned every shadow, every jagged edge of the cliffs. His breathing was steady, but his pulse had quickened.
Then—his gaze paused. There.
He found what he was looking for.
He stopped moving and put the girl down.
"Teacher, what's wrong?" she blinked and asked. They had suddenly stopped; her small hands tightened into fists, a flicker of unease crossing her face. Had they reached their destination? But all she saw around were looming, indifferent cliffs.
He didn't answer immediately.
"Follow me for a moment," Oliver finally said, motioning her to follow him toward a massive rock formation.
The girl hesitated. Something about his tone felt... final.
When they reached the boulder, Oliver went behind it, inspecting its surface with narrowed eyes. His fingers grazed along the uneven rock, feeling for weaknesses.
He took a deep breath, curled his fist—
And struck.
Crack!
Crack!
Fractures splintered across the stone's surface like veins, deepening as dust and tiny shards broke free.
Using controlled force, he broke through just enough to create a hollow space—wide enough to fit a person but small enough to remain hidden.
"Come here," he called out.
She approached, curiosity in her eyes. But beneath that curiosity was worry.
"This is...?"
"I want you to go inside," Oliver said, his voice calm but firm. Unyielding. "I'll cover the entrance from the sides."
She stiffened.
He wasn't speaking to anyone in particular. Or perhaps, he was.
And the shadows answered.
A sharp, feminine voice spoke from behind.
"Your senses are indeed sharp for a kid."
His muscles tensed.
Oliver turned his head slightly. Slowly. Controlled.
There she stood.
Sera.
Arms folded. Expression unreadable.
Her eyes were upturned in amusement.
"Are they?" Oliver questioned, his tone deceptively neutral.
"Not really," she said, her lips curling. "I left some trails. A veteran exorcist would have found them far earlier."
Oliver raised a brow.
"Wow."
His voice was unimpressed.
Yet beneath the surface, his mind was already piecing things together.
She was lying.
He had sensed something long before he noticed any physical disturbance.
And—
The rustling.
The rustling sound he heard just now.
Sera appearing as if she had materialized from thin air.
Something wasn't adding up.
'Surely, I am missing something here?'
His expression remained calm. His mind? Sharp. Calculating.
Sera tilted her head slightly. Eyes sharp. Curious.
"So...?" she asked, her tone light. Too light. A predator feigning disinterest.
"Where's that human girl?"
Oliver didn't blink.
"You don't need to know."
His voice was colder than before.
Sera smirked.
"Hmm. You sound a little cold just now." Her gaze flickered with amusement, but her posture remained unchanged.
She was pushing. Testing.
"Could it be that you weren't expecting me to catch up?"
Her tone shifted.
From serious.
To mocking.
And Oliver felt something stir inside him—irritation.
His fingers twitched at his sides.
But he pursed his lips.
And he said nothing.
He would not give her the satisfaction.