Add Me, Then?

Quill hadn't expected to find an unexpected bonus on this trip.

They'd made such a big show of their operation that he figured the little witches would stay far away. He'd even prepared himself for Sean not to show up. But not only had Sean come, he'd brought a fan along. Was this a buy-one-get-one-free deal?

Whether or not this signing had pleased Sean, Quill was pleased.

Quill turned to face the bewildered crowd and said, "Everyone, we've just received word that those terrorists are bolder than we expected. Some of them have already infiltrated the mall and are preparing to launch an attack. To ensure everyone's safety and prevent anything from happening, we're sorry to inform you that this signing will have to end early. We hope you understand."

"Now, please leave in an orderly fashion under Chief Burg's direction."

"Rest assured, we'll do everything in our power to bring these brazen criminals to justice as quickly as possible and give you an explanation."

Everyone was stunned by Quill's announcement, and for a moment, no one knew how to react.

"There's really going to be a terrorist attack?"

"Is this for real?"

"This isn't a drill, is it?"

Quill repeated solemnly, "I can assure you that this is not a drill. Everyone, please leave the mall immediately."

Burg promptly picked up his radio and shouted, "All floor teams, take note! Start evacuating the crowd immediately. Move!"

This didn't look like a joke.

At Burg's shout, the crowd finally panicked and began fleeing in every direction.

"Damn it, I finally made it to the weekend, and now there's a terrorist attack... Run!"

"Wait, my books!"

"Get off me, you son of a beach! Stop pushing!"

There's a saying, "A crisis reveals true character," and it couldn't be more true.

Most people here had really only come to watch. They'd bought books just to follow the trend and add them to their collections, so they'd have something to talk about with their friends later. They weren't about to risk their lives for a book. Drill or not, they were getting out first.

But a small number of people were different. Before running, they grabbed an armful of books and took them along. It was obvious at a glance that they were true fans.

One person even had time to send a message to the group chat: "Something happened here, so they called off the signing... But it's no big deal. I grabbed over ten copies. I'll mail them to you later!"

When Quill had first stepped out of the crowd, Charles hadn't understood. The man was clearly dressed as a doctor. What gave him the right to take charge here? That was why the others hadn't fled right away, either. It wasn't until Chief Burg, the head of the police, obediently ordered his subordinates to organize the evacuation that Charles realized the man in the white coat was the real leader of these Witch Hunters.

The sound of hurried footsteps came from all around them and from the upper floors. As the crowd dwindled and the police gradually closed in, Charles's expression turned grim. He knew that he and Sean were unlikely to get away this time.

Sean, on the other hand, didn't seem particularly affected by Quill's arrival. He picked up three new books, removed their plastic wrapping, opened the covers, and continued signing. One was for Elvily, one for Iris, and one for Kate. Then he took the book Charles had left on the table and signed that one too.

Charles: "?"

"Now of all times, you're still acting like a writer!"

There'd been nothing wrong with Sean doing this a minute ago.

But now, a minute later, he and Sean were no longer a hater and a lousy author. They were two witches trapped in a mall, waiting to be slaughtered.

"I told you not to rush." Sean glanced at the surrounding police and smiled. "There aren't that many people."

Charles: "???"

This wasn't that many people?

Even without counting the police surrounding the mall outside, there were dozens—maybe even a hundred—right there in front of them, all carrying guns. If the man in the white coat gave the order, they'd be shot full of holes in an instant!

And no one would feel sorry for them.

Burg had already announced that a terrorist attack might happen today. In reality, this was just a way of defining the Witch Hunters' operation. After Sean and Charles died, they'd be seen by the public as unforgivable terrorists who threatened public safety and had been duly gunned down by the police!

Sean understood that, of course.

It didn't matter what he'd been before, whether a writer or a magician. History was always written by the victors. Once he was dead, Quill and the others could redefine his life and have the police report it. Whatever crime they said he'd committed, he'd committed.

It was all standard procedure.

In just a few minutes, they had cleared the mall's first floor. Only Sean and the others, along with the police, remained.

Quill finally spoke. Seeing that Sean was as calm as ever, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You're still as unflappable as before."

"Too bad you weren't," Sean said.

Quill smiled and shook his head. "I admit, what happened in the Black Berry Rainforest caught me by surprise. I underestimated you. I never imagined that right after gaining magic and becoming a witch, you could take out an entire team of our hunters on your own. Nothing like that had ever happened before."

Charles's eyes widened.

What?

Sean had taken out an entire team of Witch Hunters by himself?

The lousy author was that strong?

"But I'm not stupid, Sean. I won't fall for the same trick twice." Quill continued with a smile, "I watched the footage they brought back from the Black Berry Rainforest. The bodies had been moved. If I'm right, after killing them, you deliberately arranged the bodies to make it look as if they'd turned on each other and shot one another. Right?"

"You were hiding what you could do."

"My guess is that you can control bullets."

"I don't know how you managed it. It's impressive, but you may be disappointed this time." Quill gestured for the guards to lower their guns. "Guns may not be a threat to you, but what about hand-to-hand combat?"

Burg and the others grinned as they pulled out their combat knives.

Getting too close to a witch was dangerous. Once someone entered a witch's casting range, even a newly awakened, Rank One witch with just one Lark of magic could be too much for an ordinary person to handle.

But witches had limited magic, and they had numbers.

"I thought Mr. Sean seemed to enjoy signing books for everyone just now. Why not settle down and keep being a writer?" Quill asked with a polite smile. "You saw the turnout today. Even the mayor's speeches don't draw a crowd like this. I doubt Mr. Sean would want his fans finding out that their favorite author was actually a criminal."

"We can keep promoting you until you're a household name, give you every major award, including the global Kanbeff Literary Award, and put you at the top of the literary world. You can trample everyone who ever looked down on you... Isn't that better than living in constant fear and running for your life?"

That was the power of capital.

They could crown Sean, but they could just as easily drag him through the mud.

"Let me ask you something," Sean said. "Didn't you prepare a little black room for me? If I agree, do I still have to go in?"

"Oh, sorry. I got carried away painting you a rosy picture," Quill said. "You still have to go in the little black room."

Sean sneered. "Then what's the point of your crap?"

"You won't choose the other path," Quill said with a faint smile. "A famous writer turning into a terrorist overnight? Just imagine how explosive that story would be."

"Isn't Mr. Quill afraid the rock he's throwing might land on his own foot?" Sean asked mockingly.

They'd mobilized so many police officers to catch terrorists, only for the terrorists to escape and kill a bunch of police. If word got out, how would the higher-ups ever save face?

"You?"

Quill smiled and shook his head. "Not enough."

"Then add me!" Charles had somehow produced a little bottle. A black skull was printed on its label. Gripping it like a bomb, he said sharply, "I'd advise you to let us go. Otherwise, nobody's getting out of this unscathed!"

"Are you threatening me?" Quill looked amused.

He hadn't even taken Sean, who'd single-handedly killed an entire team of hunters, seriously. What was a mere alchemist to him?

Charles hadn't been part of Quill's plan, but he'd already said it: this was a bonus.

It didn't matter whether the potion in Charles's hand could really blow up the mall and take them all with it. Even if it could, that didn't matter. Quill's goal was to capture Sean or kill him. Whether Charles died, or the police died, was irrelevant.

That was why Quill had worn the same relaxed, confident smile he'd had at Floris Hospital from beginning to end.

This time, Sean wouldn't get away.

Until another voice rang out.

"What if you add me?"