Chapter 388 - 386: With Fervent Blood

Chapter 388: Chapter 386: With Fervent Blood

Blaise was actually far more emotional than Oliver and Neil.

The mother and son had always detested Blaise, but he had never stopped thinking about them.

But despite his tough exterior, he found himself at a loss for words at a time like this.

Most Dawn Members kept their affiliation a secret from their family and friends, and Blaise was no exception.

Although the Association didn’t explicitly forbid revealing one’s identity to loved ones, many subconsciously hid it from their relatives out of concern for secrecy.

Of course, some also found ways to recruit suitable friends and family into Dawn.

Blaise had wanted to tell Oliver and Neil about his identity as a member of the Dawn Association many times before. He had even considered pulling them into Dawn.

But their years of a strained relationship had left Blaise with a strange lack of confidence. In this regard, he was emotionally quite fragile.

Over the years, it was only after joining Dawn that he had been able to feel the heavy-handed affection from his Mentor—as heavy as his Mentor’s fists—and the steadfast friendship of his comrades.

Tonight’s battle was the most intense he’d experienced since joining Dawn. In terms of sheer numbers, even the incident in France couldn’t compare. It was a situation where every direction held an enemy, and every step was a dance with death.

The sixteen of them were now approaching the front line before the school.

Blaise had spotted Oliver and Neil long ago, and Maki had recognized them too.

However, the people on the front line were too intimidated by their appearance to speak. It was Blaise who asked the first question.

"Who’s in charge here?"

A captain jolted and quickly stood up.

"I’m the commanding officer here. My name is George, and I’m in charge of coordinating the three surrounding companies. I’m so glad to see you in this godforsaken place! Thank you for the support!!"

Blaise took a step forward and extended his hand.

"Blaise Eon, a warrior of the Dawn Silent Knight Order."

His large hands were covered in the blood and grime of Demons, making them look filthy, but the captain seized his hand and shook it firmly. This was the second time he had met someone from Dawn, but he was definitely even more emotional than the first time.

The surrounding soldiers and civilians watched as the Guardians from Dawn looked their way. Most of them had never seen real Dawn Members before. Some had previously imagined them in a rather comical way, picturing handsome celebrities.

But the sixteen people before them were burly, a full head taller than the average person, and covered in blood, their faces grim. Even the steam rising from their bodies carried a metallic stench.

Drops of dark red blood even trickled down the edges of their clothes. Their presence and intimidating aura were terrifying.

"You’ve done well. You are all true warriors and heroes!"

Blaise spoke again, his tone completely sincere. He had been scared witless the first time he saw a Demon; for these ordinary people to have held on until now must have been like living in a constant nightmare.

"Your reinforcements are almost here, but San Francisco City has to be abandoned. The defensive perimeter will be established outside the city. You all must break out immediately."

He pointed west, the direction they had come from, and continued.

"That’s the way we came. We’ve already cleared out a large number of the Demons there. Concentrate your forces, take the civilians, and break out that way. The main road is clear. A fifteen-minute drive will get you to the rendezvous point with two other companies and a battalion to break out together."

"You won’t last until morning here. We’ll escort you to the rendezvous point!"

The captain listened silently until Blaise finished, then roared out orders without a second’s delay.

"Did you hear that? Form up! Everyone, form up! Signalman, notify all units! We’re breaking out!"

Although Oliver and Neil recognized Blaise, they couldn’t quite believe it, afraid it was just someone who looked like him. Not until Blaise walked straight toward them.

"You two..."

He looked at the mother and son holding their guns, struggling for a moment before finally speaking.

"Are you okay? I went to your house, but I couldn’t find you... It’s so good to see you!"

Oliver stared at Blaise, covered head to toe in dark red, momentarily stunned. Neil was also at a loss.

He didn’t know if he should call him ’Dad,’ or if he should say something apologetic.

A torrent of information swirled in their minds.

’The Dawn Association? The guardians behind the world!’

’Blaise... Dad... is actually a member of the Dawn Association? Was his old identity just a cover?’

The shock needed time to subside. Their previously terrible relationship was still a chasm between them. It used to hold Blaise back; now it held the mother and son back.

It was a complex mix of excitement, guilt, and pride, leaving them feeling hesitant and unable to face him.

"N-No, we’re fine! We’re both okay..."

Not knowing what else to say, Oliver managed to choke out the sentence. She still found it hard to believe.

Blaise, for his part, was also inept at handling emotions. He was overjoyed that they were safe, but he also felt a pang of disappointment.

This was the first time he had seen Neil in a year. He had imagined reuniting with his son countless times, imagined proudly revealing his identity to them, but reality didn’t quite match his dreams.

He forced a smile at them, then turned and left to rest with his comrades.

As the man turned away, both Neil and Oliver were filled with regret, desperately wanting to call him back, even to run after him. But this time, it was their turn to be plagued by indecision.

VROOM—VROOM—

The roar of engines filled the air as military trucks pulled up, and several school buses were started.

"We have enough vehicles! Everyone, get on board! Everyone, on board!"

Amidst the officer’s shouts, soldiers and civilians who had fallen back from various positions began to gather.

Blaise and his comrades fanned out around the perimeter. Every so often, one would vanish into the night like a fleeting shadow. Whenever this happened, terrifying wails could be heard from the darkness. They were protecting everyone as they boarded.

Soon, the remaining three hundred or so people had all boarded the vehicles, and the convoy quickly began to retreat to the west.

Neil and Oliver got into a smaller car, their eyes drifting toward the burly figures in the distance.

"Hey, Neil! It’s the Dawn Association! The Dawn Association!! We talked about them at school!! These are the real deal!!! Oh my god!! They actually came!! Unbelievable, I’m seeing them in person!!"

His overweight classmate sat next to Neil, yelling excitedly. The other passengers were also stirred up; seeing the Superman-like warriors seemed to diminish much of their fear.

"Neil, are you listening to me? The Silent Knight Order! So the Dawn Association has different divisions. That sounds so cool! If only I could get to know them!!"

Amidst the chatter and Neil’s absentminded replies, the convoy continued to move forward at high speed.

The path ahead had been cleared by Blaise and his team, and they were now taking care of any remaining obstacles.

A dozen or so minutes later, the convoy spotted a much larger mixed formation in the distance, and their sense of security grew.

This was especially true because there were Evolver agents from the 19th Organization Department among them, which meant that even without the Dawn Members present, the threat of Yin Spirits would be greatly mitigated.

Blaise glanced at the vehicle carrying Oliver and Neil, then turned to the agent currently in charge of the area.

"You can begin the breakout now!"

"What about you?"

The agent heard the implication in his words and asked subconsciously. The surrounding military officers also looked on with concern—concern for the Dawn Members, but also for themselves.

Blaise didn’t answer the question directly.

"Listen!"

He pointed deeper into the city, where the faint sound of gunfire could be heard.

"There are still some defensive positions over there that haven’t received the news. There are also comrades from Dawn still fighting inside, perhaps battling high-level Demons. We can’t leave yet!"

He pointed sincerely at a school bus.

"Mr. Korang, my ex-wife and son are on that bus. Their names are Oliver and Neil. I’m asking you this personally—please, protect them. Thank you!"

Blaise was the commander of this small Knight Order squad. Now, in addition to notifying the other positions, they also had to try and find the Association members who were originally guarding the Secret Realm here.

The agent and the officers looked toward the school bus. While giving their solemn promise, all they could do was offer Blaise and his men a military salute.

...

The much larger convoy started moving again, the vehicles proceeding slowly.

Inside the school bus, Neil suddenly felt that something was wrong.

"Wait!! Wait!!! Stop! Why aren’t they coming?! Where are they?"

He pointed at the sixteen blood-soaked figures in the distance.

A sergeant major who had just boarded the vehicle saw it was Neil and quickly came over to console him.

"They have their own mission. The people from Dawn are powerful. They’ll be fine!"

But the scene filled Neil with panic. In movies and TV shows, a moment like this was often the final farewell.

’I haven’t had a chance to say anything to him yet!’

"I want to get off! Let me off the bus!!"

He shot up from his seat, rushed to the door, slammed the open button, and jumped out. His mother, Oliver, hurried after him, though it was unclear if she was chasing her son or had another reason.

"Stop them!"

The captain leaped from his jeep, ordering the surrounding soldiers to grab Neil and Oliver.

’Are you kidding me? What if those two run back into the high-risk zone?’

"Let go! Let go of me!!"

"Dad! Dad! Why didn’t you ever say anything? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?! Dad!!!"

Unable to break free from the two soldiers holding him, Neil roared frantically at the distant figures.

It was indeed far for a normal person’s eyesight, but with the enhanced senses of Blaise and the others, they could see and hear him with perfect clarity.

Just hearing that shout, Blaise felt tears welling up in his eyes. He had waited a long time to hear that word, "Dad," and the moment he heard it was so deeply satisfying.

But the sentimental man didn’t want to lose face in front of his comrades, and he was also afraid that if he turned back, he wouldn’t be able to leave again.

"Son!!! Next time, I’ll bring you into Dawn!!!"

After roaring this out, he turned away. He didn’t know what else to say, and this was no place for emotional farewells.

It was Maki who began to chant their oath in a low voice, jolting the spirits of all the initiates. Blaise shot Maki a smile and led everyone in reciting the oath aloud.

"The final war drum is about to sound. In the long night, I burn myself from this moment on!"

"To become the torch for the Sages in the night, the Light of Dawn that pierces the darkness, to melt the frozen earth with my scorching blood!"

"I am the strongest spear, and the firmest shield!"

"I will cast aside hesitation, sever all fear, never retreat, never surrender, and be faithful to my duty until death!"

"I offer my life and soul to Dawn. So it is today, and so it shall be for all days to come..."

Their voices were sonorous and powerful, letting all who heard them feel the boundless strength and unyielding faith contained within.

The oath of the Silent Knight Order echoed in the ears of ordinary people for the first time as the sixteen members of the Knight Order vanished into the night.

PS: Chapter two for Thursday.