The Incubus System Chapter 848. Dancing Lady II

The Incubus System Chapter 848. Dancing Lady II

“Uh, ya know I have an idea,” Larry suddenly said in a low voice, his eyes darting toward the old lady behind us. "What if we run a race?" he proposed, keeping his tone hushed.

I shot him a puzzled look, wondering where he was going with this seemingly random suggestion. It took a moment, but then it clicked—I realized he meant for us to escape, using a race as a cover. A silent agreement passed between us; the unspoken acknowledgment that fleeing was our best option for now. Larry's plan was both clever and discreet; it allowed us to report the situation to the demon hunter organization later, without directly confronting the potential threat.

“Okay,” I agreed, nodding subtly. “Where is the finish line?” I inquired, playing along with the charade.

"Park. The swing in the park,” Larry finally suggested after a thoughtful pause. It made sense; using my house as the finish line would have been like sending demons an invitation to my doorstep.

“Sounds like a good idea,” I agreed, playing along with the ruse. Unbeknownst to Larry, I silently communicated with my loyal servants.

‘Foxy, Red,’ I telepathically called out.

'Yes?' they both responded simultaneously.

'A parasite-infested human is at a T-junction around two blocks from the house, near a small park. Handle it,' I ordered them, my voice echoing in their minds. 'Bring her to the hospital after you have successfully destroyed the parasite, and be careful. That human's a bit weak,' I cautioned, knowing that even a seemingly simple task could pose a threat.

‘Roger that!’ they affirmed in unison, their readiness evident.

"Are you ready?" Larry inquired, his voice a mixture of seriousness and anticipation.

“Yeah,” I responded, my focus shifting back to our impromptu race.

“1… 2… 3…” Larry counted down, his voice taking on a playful tone as if the impending race was just another ordinary, lighthearted competition.

And with the count of three, we bolted. The race through the park unfolded in a mix of urgency and silence. Larry and I, usually inclined to banter and jest, found our usual camaraderie replaced by a tacit understanding of the gravity of the situation. The dimly lit paths became our makeshift track.

Larry's usually easygoing demeanor was tempered by a solemn focus, a reflection of the invisible threat that lurked in the shadows. My strides matched his, the night air punctuated only by the rhythmic beat of our footsteps against the pavement. Jokes, which might have accompanied such a peculiar race under different circumstances, hung in the air unsaid.

Luckily, the old lady didn't follow us. I was sure Foxy and Red were working on her. They should know what they have to do.

My heart sank as the ominous rhythm of approaching footsteps disrupted the fragile calm that had settled after our peculiar race. It was a beat foreign to the casual sounds of a park at night, more akin to a sinister dance echoing in the shadows. I exchanged a glance with Larry, and the unspoken understanding between us returned—an unwelcome visitor had joined us.

The announcement flashed before me, its stark red letters spelling out the imminent danger that loomed once again. The acrid scent of decay accompanied the warning.

[!!!Warning!!!]

[Another demon detected!]

Larry's Demon Compass echoed the same unsettling truth, its vibration mirroring the ominous beats that resonated through the park.

Our synchronized gaze shifted to behind us. The expectation of confrontation had woven tension into the fabric of our awareness, amplifying every sound into a potential threat. But, the park revealed no pursuer, no lurking demon in pursuit. The pathways remained empty, bathed in the faint glow of the park's lamps, which cast eerie shadows among the trees. A deceptive calm settled, punctuated only by our own tentative breaths.

We halted in unison, frozen in our tracks, exchanging a shared perplexed look. Our gaze shifted forward, and there, in the subdued glow of the streetlamp, we discovered the source of the mysterious rhythm. An old woman, her silhouette swaying to an inaudible melody, danced with a peculiar grace. The soft thud of her feet against the pavement created an oddly enchanting percussion.

Her back faced us, and the contours of her frail form seemed to merge with the nocturnal shadows. The sight was surreal—a lone dancer under the muted streetlamp.

As the rhythmic dance unfolded before us, a realization dawned. This was no ordinary scene; it was a manifestation of the insidious reach of the parasite demons. Memories of a nearby retirement home surfaced in my mind, a place where the elderly sought solace and care. It appeared the parasites had infiltrated these elders.

'Another demon…' The thought raced through my mind, a disconcerting realization that the threat we faced was not isolated but had potentially multiplied. Whether it was a horde of demons or a singular entity capable of unsettling replication, the urgency of the situation intensified.

The old lady's impromptu dance ceased, her attention now directed toward us. Larry's reaction was swift; he gasped, his hand finding mine, pulling me urgently into the cover of the bushes. We crouched down, hidden among the foliage, our heartbeats syncing with the unfolding tension of the night.

In the hushed darkness of our hiding place, Larry spoke in urgent tones, his words laced with the gravity of the situation. "Listen to me. I know you know my real job, but now, it's an emergency. That lady is a demon, and we need to handle this carefully. Stay here, and whatever you do, don't come out, okay?" His hand deftly retrieved the demon compass from his pocket. His eyes met mine

With a quick motion, he activated the compass, triggering the manifestation of his demon hunter uniform. The sleek, protective layers encased his form, a uniform of his commitment to combating the demons that lurked in the shadows. The uniform, a symbol of defense against the unseen, seemed to cocoon him in an aura of preparedness.