The Damned Demon
chapter-616

The air in the room thickened with tension as Yui spoke, her voice steady yet carrying a hint of finality, "There isn't anymore, Master. We and Aunty Grace made sure to destroy each and every such organization over there and saved all the girls. It was easy for Aunty Grace to make one of the managers over there cough out all the information regarding such things."

Emiko, sitting beside Yui, her expression hardened into a mask of serious resolve, added, "We also made sure to kill every one of them."

Asher sighed and asked, "That's good, but did you guys at least ask whom they were selling these girls? They must have had multiple clients, but Lenny had to be one of them."

Grace, her brows furrowed in frustration, joined the conversation, her voice tinged with resignation, "We checked that. But as expected, such high-profile clients did all the transactions anonymously or through middlemen like Gary's guild so that they would do all the dirty work and not let clients like Lenny bother with such things."

Asher's jaw clenched as he processed this information, his gaze hardening, "And yet, despite what you guys say, Lenny still seems to be heavily investing in whatever shady stuff he is running from multiple countries. That means this isn't over. If we can only somehow bring him down, then we can stall Derek's plans for a while," As he said this, Asher's eyes briefly glinted with killing intent as Irinia's face flashed in his mind.

The room fell silent, each member lost in thought until Yui hesitantly broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper, betraying her inner turmoil, "I uhm...I don't know if this is important, but when Emiko and I were sold, we overheard those bad people talking to our manager and asking if we were all, uhm...v-virgins. They were willing to pay extra for us."

Grace shook her head with a hint of disgust and anger in her eyes, feeling glad that she was able to save these two before anything bad could have happened. Yet, she felt sad thinking about the other adolescent girls who died in the crossfire.

"So he not only wants those with the Essence Morphing pathway but virgins? That seems like..." Asher started to piece together the implications but stopped short, as he noticed Emiko and Yui's discomfort, their hands tensely intertwined.

Quickly switching his tone to one of reassurance, he added, "Don't worry," His tone grew colder as he continued, "We will grant him one of the worst deaths possible."

Rebecca narrowed her eyes upon feeling the subtle killing intent radiating from Asher, wondering why was he so concerned about some stupid Lenny. It cannot be because of his soul servants.

She couldn't help but increasingly grow suspicious of his true motives.

—

Inside the Blazing Slayers' headquarters, ensconced within its laudable guildmaster's office, sat Rachel.

Her attire was a bit uncharacteristic of her, or at least according to the public, exuding both elegance and allure with a breathless simplicity – she was draped in a close-fitting blue v-neck top, hints of her provocative cleavage playing peek-a-boo and skin-tight white pants that did nothing to conceal her seductive curves.

Across from her, Lenny lounged with a roguish grace clad in a combination of charm and humor. His demeanor was relaxed, a hint of mischief playing at the corners of his mouth. Handing a glass to Rachel, he settled next to her on the plush sofa, his eyes twinkling with amusement and a trace of something more calculating, "Is it me, or have you started enjoying my company these days? I got so drunk with you yesterday that I dozed off and didn't realize it was already the next day. Were you the one who brought me here?"

Her slender fingers gracefully pushed through her silky blue hair, tucking a lock behind her ear, and presented Lenny with a graceful yet teasing smile, "I merely figured it would save you from embarrassment if we just camped here instead of waking up on your mansion's front steps."

Lenny's eyebrows shot up, followed by an exaggerated titter, "Oh, you wound me, Rachel. In fact, I find this degree of concern rather overwhelming. And yet, for the life of me, I can't wrap my head around why a young and beautiful angel like you're still single."

The distracted glance that flickered over her bosom didn't escape Rachel's notice as she lifted the wine glass to her lips for a measured siip, "Perhaps because I am afflicted by an incurable condition known as imperfection, Lenny."

"Ha! Rachel, sweet, sweet Rachel, if you're a beacon of flaws, then nuns might as well hail from the pits of hell." Lenny's wit carried a teasing edge that had Rachel's lips curving into a broader but abashed smile.

A mature sparkle laced her radiant blue eyes as she leaned back in her sofa, her friendly candor paving the way for seemingly genuine tone, "But about what you asked before, it is true that I am enjoying your company, Lenny. Unlike my dad, who is too overprotective and doesn't want me to be involved in any dangerous things, you are different. You let me join the guild and eased me into Project Mars, and it's refreshing to talk to someone who gets me on certain things. It's liberating, to be frank."

Raising his glass in mock reverence, Lenny let out a soft laugh, "Astonishing! I had no clue I held such merit in your eyes, Rachel. And I understand. Your dad, uh..." Lenny winced, adopting a mocking smile as he spoke of her father, "...can be a bit too much to handle, right?"

Recognition flickered in her eyes, and she conceded with a slight nod, "True enough. But that is why I am hoping you won't prove me wrong, Lenny. I am done being Daddy's good girl, and it's time for me to have some real adventure and get my hands dirty. It's tiring to play the daughter of justice all the time and unable to do interesting things for the sake of our future. Don't you think so?"

Lenny narrowed his eyes as he understood what Rachel was hinting at and tossed Rachel a awkward smile, "I really want to, Rachel. But maybe after I train you a bit more - Urgh!" His words caught in his throat, his face draining of color at the sudden onslaught of pain.

"Oh angels! Are you alright?" Rachel gasped, alarm written all over her face as she watched Lenny crumple onto the sofa. His veins popped, adding a horrific touch to his rapidly aging skin.

With gritted teeth, Lenny battled the pain ripping through his chest. "Fuck... I forgot to take it..." He mumbled, his hands struggling to cater to his own needs.

Rachel's brows furrowed in confusion at his words. "Forgot to take what? Is it some kind of medicine or potion?"

Rachel couldn't believe her guess actually came true. After observing Lenny closely for the past few weeks, she noticed he sometimes secluded himself for a couple minutes to do something in secret.

And he stuck to this habit every single day, no matter how busy he seemed.

But in order to make sure, she wanted to see what would happen if he skipped this habit for a day. All it took was to get him drunk enough to wake up the next day.

Lenny tried to reach towards his desk but his limbs felt heavy, as though they were thrust into an icy abyss.

"I am going to call an ambulance!" Rachel declared, tapping on the device on her wrist in a frantic motion.

"No..." Lenny groaned. He strived to lift his gaze towards her, words fighting against the breathlessness, "No need ... for that...My desk... Open my safe and... take out a black box. It's one on the bottom... right..."

Rachel nodded quickly, rushing towards the desk. She pulled open the bottom right drawer, revealing a sturdy black safe surrounded by a faint, pulsing mana barrier, "What's the combination to the lock?" she called out, her voice laced with urgency.

"It's.....0-3-2....1-5-6-7-2...quick..." Lenny gasped out the numbers, his voice weak, his condition deteriorating rapidly, and he couldn't care to think about anything else.

With nimble fingers, Rachel entered the combination, the safe clicking open to reveal the black box and several other documents.

She quickly took a peek at the cover name, and it read, "EternaSynth Project."

"R…Rachel…" As Lenny seemed on the verge of collapse, Rachel grabbed the small black box, her voice echoing in the room, "Got it!"

She hurried back to his side, opening the black box to find several syringes filled with a glowing, radiant green liquid. Lenny's shaky hands reached for one, attempting to roll up his sleeve in desperation.

"Let me help you," Rachel said softly, taking over with gentle efficiency. She rolled up his sleeve, and as he injected the syringe into his vein, a grimace of pain crossed his features, followed by a sigh of relief as the color and youthfulness slowly returned to his face, "Gaaarr...fuck...." Lenny cursed softly under the wave of relief, then finally exhaled a long breath, the crisis momentarily averted. "Haa..."

Rachel inwardly frowned in disgust as Lenny looked like some junkie before her eyes who felt relief upon getting his shot, licking his lips as if he was feeling something heavenly.

As he lay back, recovering, Rachel stood by, the syringe dropping from his hand to the floor.

But what made her brows raise was that his skin looked more pristine and youthful than just minutes ago.

Lenny, with a weak yet relieved smile, hoisted himself onto the plush sofa, clutching a sleek black box, "Sorry about that," he began, the words tumbling awkwardly, "I had forgotten to take this medicine for a small genetic issue, and you just saved my life."

Rachel, easing down on the sofa, exhaled a laugh tinged with relief, "You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought you were going to die before me. But...this medicine...it isn't any ordinary medicine, is it?" Her eyes narrowed, slicing through the dimness with keen suspicion.

Lenny's laugh was a hollow sound, filled with uneasy resonance, "Of course...it isn't something you can buy at a medicine shop but something made for my unique condition."

"Then that means it must be very expensive," Rachel observed, her eyes widening in realization.

Lenny's sigh carried the weight of unvoiced frustrations, "Fuck it is, and very hard to produce too."

"Why don't you ask my dad for some help? He will definitely help a friend out," Rachel suggested, her voice brimming with unwavering confidence.

"Fuck no. Your daddy isn't as perfect as you think," Lenny scoffed, his tone sharpening, making Rachel's brows furrow in puzzlement.

Realizing his slip, Lenny winced, blinking rapidly as if to clear the fog of war from his vision. He waved dismissively, "Uh...what I meant is that he has a lot of responsibilities and has no time or resources to spare for my personal problems."

Rachel shook her head, disappointment etching her features, "No. You are right. It seems that my dad isn't as perfect as I thought if he is neglecting a friend like you. You and him fought side by side for so many years, and yet..."

"You think so?" Lenny's question was soft, his smile lazy yet smug, feeling a twisted satisfaction as he watched doubt cloud her expressions—doubt towards that supercilious motherfucker. This could be an opportunity, he thought, a chance to wedge her further from her father and, perhaps, to his side.

Such a young and elegant angel definitely needed to be on his side.

Catching the shift in the air, the opportunity it presented, he leaned in, his smile sharpening with intent, "About that adventure you talked about earlier... Are you really willing to get your hands dirty for it?" His eyes glinted with fervor, a dark invitation hanging between them.

Rachel's eyes glinted with a determined light, "Yes, but what do you have in mind?"

"Let's begin with something easy. First…can you help me deliver black boxes like these to certain people? The only thing you have to be careful about is that you can't get caught with this, or you could get in serious trouble," Lenny asked with a sly smile as he held up the black box in his hands.

Rachel took a deep breath as she slowly nodded with a smile, "That sounds fun and exciting. So why not."