37: Berserk Serena

Back at the Vampire Base.

It had been more than half a day since Locke and his team left to carry out their mission, and the time had now reached the evening of the second day.

At this moment, Kraven was pacing anxiously in the conference room, asking his subordinates from time to time: "Have you still not made contact with Claube and the others?"

The subordinate dialed the phone repeatedly, but it kept showing no answer, and could only shake his head helplessly at Kraven.

Kraven was extremely puzzled.

After all, he had prepared this mission flawlessly. Apart from sending five elite subordinates, he had also contacted Lucien's side.

Normally, they should have completed the mission and returned by now, but there was no news at all.

This made him feel a slight sense of unease.

"What kind of accident could happen? Logically speaking, Emilia has cultivated the secret codex given by her master, and her strength is less than one-tenth of what it was; it shouldn't be possible for an accident to occur..."

"Which part exactly went wrong?"

His confusion was ninety percent caused by Locke, and the remaining ten percent was brought about by Lucien abandoning his cooperation with him.

It was just that he wasn't aware of it.

"You keep trying to make contact. I'm going out for a moment."

Kraven gave instructions to the few people in the conference room, intending to find a secluded place to contact Lucien and ask about the situation.

Returning to his room, he couldn't wait to take out his hidden mobile phone and call Lucien.

"What is it? Make it short."

In the underground tunnels where the Werewolf Clan resided, Lucien had already learned the news from the returning Kruto and the group of werewolves.

Kraven didn't drag things out and hurriedly asked two questions:

"Did the mission to assassinate Emilia fail? Why haven't my people returned yet?"

"No." Lucien already knew that Emilia had submitted to Locke, so he covered for him.

"The mission proceeded very smoothly. Emilia and her few subordinates are all dead."

These words made Kraven's brow furrow even tighter: "Since the mission was smooth, why hasn't a single one of my people returned? Could it be that you violated our cooperation..."

"Your people are not my people. I am not a babysitter; do you expect me to watch over them for you?"

Lucien's attitude toward him was not good at all: "If they are missing, go find the state police; they will help you find them."

"You..." Kraven was furious.

Those five were subordinates he had painstakingly cultivated; now that they had disappeared, he felt very heartbroken.

However, upon hearing that the mission had been completed successfully, he could barely accept it.

"Is there anything else to say? If not, contact me if something comes up." Lucien couldn't be bothered to waste more breath on him and hung up the phone directly.

After all, this was how he acted when they communicated in the past.

He never gave a good look to Lucien, this defeated opponent.

Kraven did not doubt what Lucien said; after all, if Lucien really wanted to double-cross him, there was no need to go through such a big roundabout with him.

Furthermore, this mission was proposed by him. If the other party had proposed it, then it would have been very likely.

Fortunately, Emilia was dead, which meant he could now firmly control the Vampire Clan for 100 years.

This 100-year period was completely enough for him to develop and grow stronger.

"Forget it, those few people; if they are dead, then let them be dead. 100 years is enough time for me to cultivate many more Vampires just like them."

Kraven tried hard to crush the phone in his hand, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

"I just need to endure a little longer, just a little longer. The era that belongs to me is about to arrive."

While saying this, a circular symbol inexplicably flashed in his eyes, the same one Locke had seen on the invitation card from the Secret Cult. However, Locke was not here now; if he were in front of Kraven, he would have instantly understood the key to it all.

Back to Serena's side, she was staying with Erica. Seeing that Locke hadn't returned for such a long time, she was also extremely anxious.

Although she didn't know where they had gone to pick up Elder Emilia, she thought it shouldn't be too far.

After all, if it were too far, they wouldn't have set off by car.

"Sigh, I don't know how Locke is doing."

A trace of worry quietly crept onto Serena's icy face, making her whole person look particularly cold and gloomy.

"Don't worry. With the strength your little boyfriend has displayed, none of the five people Kraven sent out should be his match."

Although Erica was also a bit worried, fortunately, she still trusted Locke quite a bit.

Given Serena's personality, she shouldn't normally be like this; it was mainly because concern leads to chaos.

Because they didn't have Locke's contact information, they couldn't reach him for the time being, so they could only wait idly in the room.

They waited until 12:00 midnight.

Clang, clang, clang...

The bronze bell hanging at the top of the base's ancient castle was struck violently. The urgent and loud tolling instantly resounded for miles around.

Upon hearing the bell, the expressions of both Serena and Erica in the room changed drastically, as if they had seen something terrifying happen.

Because the tolling of the bronze bell meant that something of significant impact had occurred within the Vampire Clan; it was absolutely impossible for it to be a trivial matter.

The last time it happened was when the entire Werewolf Clan invaded.

And the only major event they could think of recently was what Locke had told them about Kraven wanting to assassinate Elder Emilia.

With unshakeable worry in her eyes, Serena looked at Erica, her hands trembling slightly, and her voice became choked with sobs:

"Erica... it shouldn't... be, right? He... promised me he would definitely return..."

"I... I don't know either." Erica was also flustered and felt completely at a loss.

After kissing Locke that day, Erica would often recall the scenes of intimacy between herself and Locke.

Although she felt that it was just a dream, it still caused her feelings for Locke to deepen continuously.

Seeing Serena, who was even more heartbroken than herself, Erica could only force a smile and comfort her:

"Let's go to the conference room first and ask. Maybe it's actually good news?"

Serena knew that Erica was comforting her, but she could only nod, hoping that what she was thinking hadn't actually happened.

With stern expressions, the two held hands and quickly ran toward the conference hall on the ground floor.

By the time they arrived, the conference hall was almost full. Serena, holding Erica's hand, quickly took their seats.

Kraven, who was presiding over the meeting at the head of the table, had a gloomy face and looked very grim.

Of course, half of this was put on.

Kraven rested his hands on the table, wearing a look of sorrow on his face:

"It is with great regret that I inform everyone of some bad news: the team we sent to rendezvous with Elder Emilia has been completely wiped out, and even Elder Emilia has..."

"Even what... Hurry up and say it!"

"Also met with misfortune."

Kraven lowered his head, his lips curling into an imperceptible smile, and then he secretly scanned the expressions of everyone present with the corner of his eye.

Of course, his main focus was on Serena.

Kraven had long since received news from Lucien that the decapitation mission was successful. The reason he only announced it now was mainly out of caution.

He had waited for nearly a day, and after confirming that there were no unexpected changes, he had the bronze bell rung, intending to pave the way for his own rise to power.

"This... this is impossible."

Serena stood up from her chair in a daze, staring fiercely at Kraven:

"Can you be sure that the six-man team and Elder Emilia are all dead?"

Kraven stared at Serena with a calm expression and nodded:

"I am sure. I am 100% sure."