Chapter 209
He heard some rustling sounds through the call before the voice came again. A quick shuffle, the urgency of the situation finally sinking in, as if the weight of his words had dropped like a stone into the calm waters of their routine.
“Yes, sir exorcist, what can we assist you with?” This time, the voice had changed; it was that of a man. Clearly, the operator had immediately forwarded the call to her superior after hearing his claim.
There was a sharpness now, a readiness in the tone, as if the mention of “exorcist” had snapped the team into focus.
The shift in tone was immediate, from casual to tense, as if the very word “exorcist” had sent a jolt of realization through the station.
The man on the other end was no longer speaking to just anyone; he was talking to a member of one of the most feared and respected groups in existence.
Although it was a bit reckless to suddenly trust the other party based on a call alone, only a few dared to joke about such matters, and the punishment for pranksters was severe.
No one, not even the most brazen of criminals, would dare impersonate an exorcist and risk the wrath of the clans.
No one took an exorcist lightly, especially not in times like these. There were too many dark forces lurking just beyond the light of civilization, too many dangers that only exorcists could face head-on.
“Come over and clear the playground in the north. Have all the civilians evacuate the premises right now. I am about to perform an exorcism.”
His voice remained calm, but there was an underlying urgency in his words, a subtle command that brooked no argument.
An exorcism!
The police chief on the other end of the call, upon hearing the word, had a tense expression. His heartbeat quickened, his grip on the phone tightening as if the very word had sent a chill down his spine. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked a bit dazed.
He knew what it meant when an exorcist was about to perform an exorcism somewhere—it meant the place was infested either with demonic beings like ghosts or something related to heretics.
Both possibilities were equally terrifying. Demons could tear apart the very city itself, and heretics… well, they had a way of twisting the world around them into something unrecognizable.
Both were threats that no normal police force was equipped to handle. They could barely deal with regular criminals, let alone the supernatural horrors that exorcists faced daily.
Being on the deeper side of the human continent, there was no way a ghost could sneak past, so it only meant one simple thing.
Heretics. The word echoed in his mind like the tolling of a funeral bell.
There were heretics in the city!
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. It was the kind of news that could shake an entire city to its core. And since an exorcist deemed it necessary to take action and personally perform an exorcism, it could only mean that the heretics had been active in the city for a long time, operating under their noses.
His stomach churned. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend how something so dangerous had slipped past them unnoticed.
It had reached the point where an exorcism was needed to keep the people safe. That meant the threat was already far greater than they had ever anticipated.
The gravity of the situation settled in, a cold sweat breaking out across his brow.
His expression turned grim as he realized the playground in the north… The place where families gathered, where children played—blissfully unaware of the darkness creeping toward them.
The department had received some reports from there recently about abnormal activities and mysterious disappearances of children.
Missing posters had been plastered around the city, but no one had connected the dots—until now.
But they had concluded it was a missing persons case, and some officers were investigating it. Standard protocol for a city like Harlington—chalk it up to runaway kids or unsolved abductions.
Who could have thought it was related to heretics? The realization burned in his chest like acid. They had been blind to the real danger all along.
If this matter came to public light, his position would be in grave danger. The city’s trust in his leadership would crumble. He could already see the headlines—his career in ruins.
“Are you still there? Reply.”
Oliver’s cold voice sounded from the other end since the chief officer had not replied. It cut through the chief’s rising panic like a blade, snapping him back to the present.
“Yes, yes, sir. I will personally mobilize every available personnel and come to your aid right now.” The chief’s voice wavered, but he forced strength into it, knowing this wasn’t the time for hesitation.
“Fast,” Oliver said and hung up the phone. The abrupt end to the call left the chief staring at the receiver, the weight of the command still hanging in the air.
The chief held his face for a moment, feeling frustrated. His fingers pressed into his temples, trying to massage away the anxiety building inside. No matter what, since an exorcist had called for assistance, as per the laws and conduct of human society, they must aid them to the best of their ability.
There was no room to think about other things now. The clock was ticking, and lives were on the line.
He was shocked how he, an experienced officer was panicking so much right now? Where did all that training to remain calm in such situations go?
He could not help it since the topic related to heretics and demons made even the bravest sweat cold buckets.
He quickly ordered his force to be ready and rushed to the location where Oliver was. The sirens blared as police cars sped through the city streets, a sense of dread filling the air.
They quickly reached the scene and immediately started escorting the citizens still loitering around in the park out.
There were a few homeless beggars hiding under benches and other places; they were directly removed from the park. Even the most stubborn were pulled away, their protests drowned out by the urgency in the officers’ voices.