Chapter 21: Is This How Church Hunters Flirt?

“No vampires bothering you lately, right?”

Suyue asked on the drive.

“Nope.”

Luoyao kept her answer short.

Fewer words meant fewer chances to slip up.

A vampire had broken into her home at night.

But seeing the kiss mark on her neck, it left.

Luoyao didn’t want to tell Suyue.

From Suyue’s words, vampires were unforgivable, bloodthirsty monsters in her eyes.

If she knew a vampire targeted Luoyao but spared her, she’d dig for answers.

And then…

Luoyao touched the collarbone necklace hiding Noah’s kiss mark.

During Suyue’s first visit a week ago, their brief doorstep talk kept the mark hidden.

But if Suyue saw it now, she’d hound her relentlessly.

Better to avoid trouble.

Keeping her ambiguous bond with Noah secret from Suyue was priority.

“Good, no vampires targeting you.”

Suyue drove, speaking slowly. “In this monster-filled world, you’ve got to stay safe.”

Her words warned Luoyao to be cautious.

But her tone dripped with loathing for vampires.

The word “monster” carried a thick venom.

Luoyao pursed her lips, giving a low “mm” without engaging further.

“But you’ve got my number now. If you’re scared at night, call me anytime.”

“…I’ve lived alone a long time. I’m not scared.”

‘Protect me?’

‘Sorry, hunter miss, someone’s already got that covered.’

Seeing Luoyao’s lack of enthusiasm, Suyue paused and switched topics.

“Guess how many vampires I’ve killed?”

Luoyao shook her head.

“Thirty-four,” Suyue said. “In five years, unbroken record.”

Boasting achievements to spark admiration was a classic move for the pursuer.

Luoyao wasn’t new to being chased, so this tactic felt stale.

Plus, Noah said Suyue didn’t care about civilian casualties on missions.

So, those thirty-four vampire kills likely came with innocent blood.

What’s there to brag about in that tainted glory?

“And that vampire who took you, Noah, will be number thirty-five.”

That snapped Luoyao to attention.

She gripped her skirt, head lowered, voice low. “Do you have to kill Noah?”

“Of course. She’s the most dangerous vampire I’ve faced. Killing her would be the ultimate honor for a Church hunter.”

Hah, killing a vampire who never took a life is your ultimate honor?

That’s… pretty disgusting.

For the rest of the drive, Suyue ranted about her hatred for vampires.

She wanted to end every single one herself.

Luoyao found her increasingly obsessive, almost unhinged.

In Suyue’s eyes, any vampire who resisted was prey, good or evil.

If every Church hunter hailed as a savior was like Suyue, the world would only grow more absurd and terrifying.

Suyue tried to push her views on Luoyao.

Luoyao played along verbally, but her heart was unshaken.

Those in the light weren’t always pure.

Those in the dark weren’t always heartless.

Luoyao felt lucky.

Without Noah, she might’ve fallen for Suyue’s rhetoric.

“We’re here.”

Suyue parked, and they got out.

It was a large multi-purpose mall.

The top floor had a theater and arcade; lower floors held shops and supermarkets.

Suyue led Luoyao to the elevator, straight to the arcade.

They exchanged coins at the counter and began looking for fun games.

“Dance machine?” Suyue asked.

Luoyao glanced at the machine.

Two players were already on it, moving rhythmically to a K-pop song.

The dance moves were intimate—faces close, chests nearly touching.

Only couples wouldn’t raise eyebrows.

Suyue was sly, picking such a suggestive game.

Luoyao shook her head. “Nah, I’m not good at it.”

She might not care much about her appearance.

But her heart was pure as fresh snow.

No way she’d dance so intimately with someone who hurt Noah.

This “date” with Suyue was to “avenge” Noah her way.

“Alright, what do you want to play? Your call.”

Luoyao looked around, her gaze landing on a claw machine.

“Let’s grab some dolls.”

“Sure.”

They approached a claw machine.

Suyue inserted coins and gripped the joystick, adjusting the claw.

First try, miss.

Second try, miss.

Third, fourth, fifth…

All failures.

Suyue bit her lip, smacking the machine. “Why’s this so hard?”

Luoyao raised an eyebrow, sensing her ‘chance.’

She cleared her throat, using an exaggeratedly coy tone. “Hard? My ex-girlfriend was amazing at this, nailed it every time.”

People hate comparisons.

Especially to an ex—it flips the vanity switch.

Suyue hurried to explain. “That was just a warm-up. Watch me grab some now.”

She tossed in more coins.

Still nothing.

Her target was a Miffy rabbit plush.

After a dozen tries, that darn rabbit stayed glued in place!

Luoyao’s look screamed, “That’s it? Really?”

“It’s fine if you can’t grab it,” Luoyao said. “Maybe you’re just not as good as my ex. You’re cute when you’re flustered, though.”

That didn’t sound like comfort at all!

Suyue’s face flushed, momentarily speechless.

Seeing her like this, compared to her earlier arrogance about killing Noah, Luoyao could barely hold back her laughter.

This was the best a Church hunter could do at flirting?

A few words from Luoyao, and she was rattled.

Ex-girlfriend? Luoyao had never even dated.

She thought messing with Suyue’s head would take effort.

But it was so easy to throw her off.

‘Next, hunter miss, I’ll torment you slowly, oh so slowly.’