The Impala's engine rumbled steadily along the highway, the old rock playing on the radio partly drowned out by the wind outside. John sat in the passenger seat, his fingers unconsciously stroking the Colt on his thigh. The cold metal offered him a little reassurance-this weapon, said to be capable of killing any supernatural creature, had only four bullets left. It was his last trump card for killing the Yellow-Eyed Demon and avenging his wife. He glanced back at Bai Haorui in the rear seat. The young man from the East, with his peachwood sword and Five Emperor Coins, had already proved himself through their previous encounters. John felt fairly confident about bringing him along.
"Do your Taoist methods really work against high-ranking demons?" John's voice was low and uncompromisingly serious. "Yellow Eyes isn't some water ghost, Wendigo, or low-ranking demon. He's cunning and powerful."
Bai Haorui was toying with three Five Emperor Coins. He looked up and smiled. "Taoism teaches that everything has its counter. Yellow Eyes is rooted in yin and evil. My peachwood sword has been soaked in holy water and cinnabar, and carved with Three-Five Evil-Slaying inscriptions. The Five Emperor Coins gather the yang energy of five emperors, so they should counter him to some extent. But I haven't been working with these things long enough to integrate everything systematically. Ultimately, we'll still need the Colt. I'll find a way to trap him and weaken him for you."
Dean rolled his eyes as he gripped the steering wheel. "Come on, man. Without you, Sammy and I would've gotten screwed over who knows how many times. Stop being so modest." He glanced at Sam in the rearview mirror. "Little Sammy, keep staring out that window and you'll burn a hole through the glass."
Sam was about to argue when his whole body suddenly shuddered, as though all his strength had been drained away. His head slammed against the window, his eyes tightly shut, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "No... don't..." he cried unconsciously, clutching the hem of his shirt, his face as white as paper.
"Sam?" Dean immediately hit the brakes, bringing the Impala to a stop by the roadside. John and Bai Haorui leaned over at the same time. Bai Haorui took out three Five Emperor Coins and held them before Sam's eyes. The coins instantly glowed an intense blue-green, cold enough to bite, as though they had been soaked in ice water.
"It's a vision, caused by a high-ranking demon's energy," Bai Haorui said with certainty. Forming a hand seal, he recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra and gently tapped Sam's forehead. Sam jolted awake, gasping, his eyes unfocused. It took him a long while to recover.
"I dreamed about... a woman pinned to the ceiling, burning, just like Mom." Sam's voice choked as he spoke urgently. "Red Rock Town, Colorado. The baby's name is Rosie. She's only six months old, and her mother's name is Monica. I'm certain she's Yellow Eyes' next target."
John's expression instantly darkened. He turned toward Dean, his voice thick with suppressed anger. "Precognition? You knew he had this ability and didn't tell me?"
Dean froze, instinctively defending himself. "Dad, we didn't mean to. Sam didn't want to talk about it, and..."
"And what?" John interrupted, his voice rising sharply. "This ability could be connected to Yellow Eyes' plans, to all our lives, and you kept it from me?" He drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then looked at Sam. "This isn't an ordinary nightmare. It's the pattern Yellow Eyes follows when marking 'special children.'"
"Taoism has an explanation for it too," Bai Haorui added, rubbing the Five Emperor Coins with his fingertips. "When a baby reaches six months, their yang energy has just formed but isn't stable, and their bloodline is at its purest. By acting then, Yellow Eyes can bind their bloodline through an anchor point and awaken the potential of these 'special children.' Burning their mothers also plants fear in the children, making them easier to control later. There must be a bloodline anchor point near Rosie-that inverted pentagram symbol."
John nodded, confirming his guess. "That matches what I found. We can't let our family's tragedy happen to anyone else."
Dean frowned. "But we're still tracking the remaining anchor points. If we change course now, won't we miss some leads?"
"We protect the child," John decided, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Yellow Eyes will go to Rosie's house. We'll wait for him there."
Bai Haorui immediately laid out a plan. "I'll use a Yin-Locking Formation-aged glutinous rice mixed with cinnabar, scattered in a closed loop around the farmhouse, drawing on yang energy to lock down yin energy. I'll snap ink lines onto the door and window frames to form a barrier evil spirits can't touch, then plant the peachwood sword at an angle in the front threshold to protect the house and block evil. John, control the situation with the Colt. Those bullets are too precious, so don't fire unless there's absolutely no alternative. Dean, bring silver bullets and Molotov cocktails. You'll provide suppressive fire. Sam, your precognition can warn us in advance. Stay with Monica and Rosie. Don't let anything happen to them."
As soon as he finished, a cold system notification sounded in Bai Haorui's mind: [Main quest triggered: Protect Rosie and eliminate the bloodline anchor point.] [Quest rewards: Evil-Breaking Talisman ×3, free attribute point ×1.]
Dean started the Impala, its engine roaring back to life. "All right. If you've decided, let's go."
Red Rock Town lay in a valley in Colorado. Sunlight spilled through the sparse pine trees, but failed to dispel the chill surrounding the farmhouse. When the four arrived, Monica and her husband were pacing anxiously in the yard with Rosie in their arms. Ever since Rosie turned six months old, strange things had kept happening at home: she always cried in the middle of the night, the cradle rocked by itself, and no matter how often they cleared the cobwebs in the corners, they could never get rid of them.
John stepped forward and produced his America Hunter Alliance identification. The insignia and signature on it gave Monica and her husband pause-they had heard an old hunter in town mention the organization. "We're here to help," John said sincerely, without unnecessary pleasantries. "An evil supernatural force has targeted Rosie. We want to protect her."
Bai Haorui followed his lead, taking out his peachwood sword and Five Emperor Coins. The Three-Five Evil-Slaying inscriptions carved into the blade glowed faintly red, while the strung coins clinked crisply together. "These are all tools for warding off evil. They've already saved quite a few people." He smiled, his tone relaxed. "We won't charge a cent. We just want to keep the child safe. After tonight, the strange incidents will stop."
Monica and her husband exchanged a glance. Their hesitation gradually turned to trust at the sincere words, and they stepped aside to let them in. "Please, come in. We're willing to trust you."
The farmhouse wasn't large: two bedrooms and a living room, with the nursery beside the main bedroom. The four immediately divided up the work and began preparing defenses. John took bags of salt from his backpack and scattered even lines around the outer edges of the doors and windows, then wound silver wire around the door and window frames. "Salt and silver wire can weaken their energy. At the very least, they'll slow them down getting inside."
Carrying a toolbox, Dean installed silver animal traps in the bushes outside the windows, then set up Molotov triggers beneath the windowsills. If anything approached and broke the thin wire, the Molotovs would ignite automatically. "Don't worry. These are more than enough for low-ranking evil spirits. At least we won't get surrounded."
Bai Haorui opened an oilpaper packet containing glutinous rice aged for five years, every grain plump and rounded. He sprinkled cinnabar powder evenly through it, cupped his hands in a hollow tai chi gesture, and silently recited a few lines before scattering it along the courtyard wall. The rice gave off a faint glimmer as it landed. "This is the Yin-Locking Formation. Glutinous rice is rich in yang energy. It can lock down yin energy and keep evil spirits away from the farmhouse's core area." He then took out an ink-line reel. The words "Soul Stabilization" were carved into its peachwood spool, and the dark red line had been soaked in cinnabar, mugwort juice, and black dog blood. He rapidly snapped lines against the door and window frames. The ink line left afterimages in the air, forming a faint red barrier on the wood. Finally, he planted the peachwood sword at an angle beneath the front threshold, sinking the blade three inches into the soil. "Peachwood counters yin. This sword bears Three-Five Evil-Slaying inscriptions. It'll stabilize the house's yang energy and keep evil spirits out."
Sam followed Monica into the nursery. The cradle was an old-fashioned wooden one carved with simple patterns. Guided by what he had seen in his vision, he crouched to examine its underside. Sure enough, he found a tiny inverted pentagram in a gap between the boards-a dark red symbol that looked as though it had been drawn in blood, giving off faint black mist. "Found it. The anchor point's here."
John and Bai Haorui hurried over. John gently scraped the symbol with the Colt's grip. The disturbed black mist released a wisp that smelled of rot. "It's a bloodline anchor point, bound to Rosie's bloodline." John frowned. "We have to remove it completely. Otherwise, even if Yellow Eyes fails this time, he can still use it to find her later."
Bai Haorui took a small bottle of holy water John had given him from his backpack and unscrewed the cap. He retrieved the peachwood sword from the threshold, dipped its tip into the bottle, and gently scraped the anchor point. "Holy water purifies, and peachwood breaks evil. This will completely sever the connection between the anchor point and Rosie." Wherever the sword tip passed, the dark red symbol faded. The holy water and the peachwood sword's yang energy dispersed the black mist until it vanished entirely.
During a break in their preparations, the four sat around the wooden table in the living room, drinking coffee Monica had brewed. John took out the Colt and laid it on the table, its metallic sheen almost dazzling under the light. "This gun has only four bullets left."
Bai Haorui nodded, recalling the car accident that had killed the original owner's parents. "There was an inverted pentagram anchor point like this at my parents' crash scene too. I suspect Yellow Eyes is building an energy network of seven anchor points, each bound to a special child. Once they're all activated, he'll be able to open Hell's Gate."
Dean took a sip of coffee, then suddenly remembered something. "Right, Meg-the one we trapped before-was possessed by a follower of Yellow Eyes. When we interrogated her, we found out she'd been tracking the Colt." He paused, then added, "She knows we're after Yellow Eyes. She might show up to interfere, or he might send her to keep us occupied."
John's gaze darkened. "Whoever comes, we're ready. All we can do now is our best."
Toward evening, the sun gradually set, and the farmhouse grew darker. Suddenly, the living room lights began flickering wildly, the electrical current crackling. The Five Emperor Coins in Bai Haorui's pocket instantly turned bone-chillingly cold. He sprang to his feet. "He's here!"
The words had barely left his mouth when the farmhouse's front door burst open with a tremendous bang, sending splinters flying. A man in black clerical robes stood in the doorway-the town's priest. His eyes shone a deep yellow, without a trace of white, and a cruel smile curled his lips. Faint black mist wreathed his body, an oppressive force rolling toward them as the air grew thick and cold.
"Finally." John tightened his grip on the Colt, his eagle-sharp gaze filled with deep-seated hatred.
The priest walked into the living room, black mist spreading with every step. Wherever he passed, the salt lines on the floor hissed, the grains rapidly dissolving. "John Winchester, your two sons, and an interesting boy from the East." Yellow Eyes' voice was hoarse, with the scrape of metal against metal. "You think these little tricks can stop me?"
"They can at least make you uncomfortable, bitch." Dean immediately activated the trigger outside the window. The thin wire snapped, and the Molotov ignited with a roar, flames leaping more than two meters high and forcing the possessed priest back half a step.
John raised the Colt and aimed at the priest's chest, his finger resting on the trigger, but still didn't fire. He could sense that the host's consciousness remained inside the priest. He didn't want to kill an innocent man.
"Don't hesitate!" Bai Haorui shouted, pulling an Evil-Breaking Talisman from his pocket. He flicked it precisely onto the priest's chest. The instant it touched the black mist, the talisman erupted in dazzling red light, like a red-hot branding iron pressed against ice. The priest screamed, his body convulsing violently. Suppressed by the red light, the black mist thinned somewhat.
Sam seized the chance to rush over and grab Monica's hand. "Quick, come to the basement!" Holding Rosie tightly, Monica followed him downstairs. Sam shut the door behind them, poured the salt he had brought across the gap beneath it, then braced the door with something heavy. "Stay here. Don't make a sound, and don't be afraid. We'll protect you."
Bai Haorui drew his peachwood sword, his gaze firm. He bit hard into his palm, drawing blood, and smeared it over the Three-Five Evil-Slaying inscriptions. They immediately shone red, more intensely than before. "Taoism teaches that essence blood can transform evil. Today, you'll taste the power of pure yang essence blood!"
He and John charged the priest from opposite sides. Bai Haorui's sword glowed red as it slashed toward the priest's shoulder. The blade hissed on contact with the black mist, which gave off white smoke, and carved a charred wound into his shoulder. John seized the opening to strike with his knife. The silver blade cut through the priest's arm, its power drawing another scream.
"Damn you!" Yellow Eyes roared, hurling a blast of black mist at Bai Haorui. Bai Haorui dodged sideways. The mist struck the wall, leaving a black mark as the surface instantly blackened and rotted.
Dean threw another Molotov, the flames driving the priest back again. "Dad, shoot!"
John hesitated, then finally pulled the trigger. The Colt's bullet grazed the priest's arm without hitting a vital spot, but Yellow Eyes' energy fluctuations instantly weakened. Even a grazing hit from the bullet had wounded the high-ranking demon.
Yellow Eyes knew he would gain nothing by dragging this out. Their combined Eastern and Western defenses and attacks were difficult to break through. He sneered, glancing toward the basement. "You can protect one, but you can't protect every special child." His gaze seemed to pierce the basement door and settle on Sam, carrying a trace of strange anticipation. "Sam, you can't escape your destiny. We'll meet again soon."
As soon as he finished, the priest's body exploded, blood and flesh scattering everywhere. A wisp of black mist slipped through the gap in the door and vanished into the night.
Bai Haorui immediately rushed into the nursery and checked beneath the cradle. The anchor point had indeed vanished completely. Rosie was sleeping peacefully in the basement, entirely unaffected. The four breathed in relief. Monica and Sam came upstairs as well. Holding the sleeping Rosie, Monica thanked the four over and over, tears filling her eyes.
Just then, John's phone rang, its shrill ringtone breaking the farmhouse's silence. John took it out.
He answered, and Meg's cold voice came through the receiver with a hint of mockery. "John, I know you're in Red Rock Town. Nice work. You actually stopped Lord Yellow Eyes."
"What do you want?" John's voice was low and wary.
"Simple." Meg chuckled. "If you want the locations of the remaining four anchor points, come to the abandoned warehouse. Remember, come alone. Otherwise, I'll have low-ranking evil spirits slaughter every child in town. Let's see if you can save them all!"
The call ended. John clenched his phone, his face livid.
"It's a trap," Bai Haorui said immediately. "She must want to steal the Colt, or take the opportunity to kill you."
"But we can't risk it," Sam said urgently. "There are so many children in town. We can't let anything happen to them."
Dean frowned. "What if we all go and hide nearby? Once she shows up, we trap her or kill her."
John considered it for a moment, then nodded. "All right. But we can't risk losing the Colt. I'll make a fake and pretend to hand it over. You use that chance to activate the trap."
The four immediately got to work. John took a gun he had bought earlier from his backpack, its shape resembling
the Colt, almost identical in appearance, but without its killing power. Bai Haorui went with John and Dean to the town's abandoned warehouse-a disused farm equipment storehouse, spacious and drafty on every side, suitable for laying a trap.
On the warehouse ceiling, Bai Haorui used cinnabar mixed with chicken blood to inscribe a Spirit-Trapping Formation. The outer ring consisted of Hebrew letters recorded in The Key of Solomon, while the inner ring was a Taoist Eight Trigrams Formation. He placed Soul-Subduing Talismans at every intersection of the symbols. "This trap will use Hebrew letters to contain the demon's energy, while the Eight Trigrams Formation and Soul-Subduing Talismans suppress it. She won't escape even if she grows wings."
Dean arranged salt bags and Molotovs around the warehouse as a second defensive line. Sam handled luring Meg in-holding the fake Colt, he stood in the middle of the warehouse and waited for her.
Before long, Meg arrived as expected. She wore a black leather jacket, with several passersby possessed by low-ranking evil spirits following behind her, their gazes vicious. "Where's the Colt?" She went straight to the point without wasting words.
Sam raised the fake and slowly offered it to her. "Tell me where the anchor points are first."
"You're in no position to bargain." Meg sneered and waved the spirits behind her forward. The instant they approached Sam, Bai Haorui shouted, "Now!"
The trap on the ceiling suddenly lit up in red and gold, the lights intertwining into a barrier that enclosed Meg and the spirits. Dean immediately ignited the Molotovs, and the salt bags were kicked around the barrier, creating a double blockade. John rushed forward and pressed a silver knife against Meg's throat. "Talk. Where are the remaining anchor points?"
Meg struggled, her eyes venomous. "You think you can hold me? Lord Yellow Eyes will avenge me!"
Bai Haorui threw an Evil-Breaking Talisman onto Meg's chest. Red light erupted from it, and Meg screamed as the demonic consciousness inside her began turning against the host. "Talk!" Bai Haorui demanded more forcefully, reciting the Breaking Illusion Spell.
Meg's body convulsed violently. The host's consciousness briefly awoke and cried weakly, "Yellow Eyes wants to activate all the anchor points and open Hell's Gate... the next anchor point is at Sunrise Apartments..."
As soon as she finished, black blood poured from Meg's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Her body collapsed limply. The demonic consciousness inside her perished completely, and the host stopped breathing too.
Dean found a folded piece of paper in Meg's pocket. He opened it to reveal half an anchor point distribution map, marking the locations of four inactive anchor points. Sunrise Apartments was marked particularly prominently.
Afterward, the four drove out of Red Rock Town, the Impala traveling along the highway through the night. John studied the half-map in his hand, his brow deeply furrowed. "The remaining anchor points are all bound to special children. Yellow Eyes is moving fast. We have to get ahead of him."
Sam sat in the passenger seat, clenching his fists, his gaze determined. "We have to stop him this time. We can't let more people die."
Bai Haorui leaned back in the rear seat. The Five Emperor Coins in his hand grew colder and colder, without a trace of warmth-a sign that yin energy was approaching. Watching the night rush past the window, he knew their struggle against the Yellow-Eyed Demon had only just begun. Another fierce battle was already waiting for them.
Sunrise Apartments stood on the edge of town, an apartment building converted from an abandoned farm equipment factory. No one had lived there for a long time. Its exterior walls were mottled and peeling, its windows shattered, broken glass scattered across the ground. The weeds around it grew taller than a person. Wind whistled through gaps in the windows, sounding like someone quietly weeping.
Disguised as demolition workers in dusty work clothes, the four entered the building. The moment they stepped through the front door, a heavy wave of yin energy struck them, making Dean shiver. "This place is creepier than that abandoned asylum last time."
Bai Haorui took out three Five Emperor Coins. They instantly glowed a deep blue-green, more intensely than they had in Red Rock Town. "The yin energy is strong. The core anchor point is in this building." He turned the coins, which all pointed toward the basement. "In the basement. That's where the yin energy is most concentrated."
John nodded and took the Colt from his backpack, holding it in his left hand while carrying a loaded shotgun in his right. "Be careful. Yellow Eyes might already have people guarding this place." He approached the basement's iron door, its lock long since rusted. John raised his gun and fired, shattering the lock. The iron door clanged open, revealing a pitch-black passage.
Dean switched on his flashlight, illuminating the narrow staircase. Dust and cobwebs covered the steps, which creaked underfoot as though they might collapse at any moment. The four descended cautiously. The basement was spacious and dim, the air thick with the smell of rot. Inverted pentagram Anchor Point Symbols densely covered the walls. Each gave off faint black mist, like eyes staring at them.
"These symbols..." Sam crouched and touched the symbols on the wall. "They're exactly like the anchor point under Rosie's cradle, just more powerful."
A system notification sounded in Bai Haorui's mind: [Core anchor point detected. Anchor point network activation: 4/7. The core anchor point and the Yellow-Eyed Demon share the same energy source.]
John walked to the middle of the basement, where a circular stone platform stood. A huge inverted pentagram was carved into it as well, black mist pouring endlessly from the symbol. "This is the core anchor point. Yellow Eyes intends to activate it here." He took a yellowed book from his backpack: The Key of Solomon. The medieval occult text had a worn cover and yellowing pages, with accounts of Devil's Traps, summoning techniques, exorcism spells, and more written in Latin and Hebrew. It was a priceless treasure among hunters. "The Devil's Traps recorded here can hold high-ranking demons. We'll set one up here and take Yellow Eyes down when he comes to activate the anchor point."
Bai Haorui leaned closer to examine the text and nodded. "I'll help reinforce it. Your trap will contain his energy. I'll use Soul-Subduing Talismans and pure yang tools to suppress his consciousness so he can't teleport away."
The two immediately began. Following The Key of Solomon, John carved a double set of symbols into the platform: an outer binding formation composed of Hebrew letters, and an inner ring of reversed summoning runes that could absorb a demon's energy instead. Bai Haorui placed a Soul-Subduing Talisman on every node, then planted four small peachwood swords at the platform's four corners, creating a triple demon-trapping formation of symbols, talismans, and pure yang tools. "Peachwood swords are made of pure yang wood. Placing them at the four corners creates a yang energy barrier, preventing Yellow Eyes' yin energy from spreading and stopping him from breaking out."
Dean arranged salt bags and silver bars at the basement entrance, forming a defensive line. "Even if low-ranking evil spirits come to help, they'll have to get through me first."
Sam stood at the basement entrance, watching for movement. His precognition could provide advance warning of Yellow Eyes' arrival. "Everyone ready?" he asked the other three, a hint of tension in his voice.
John raised the Colt, his gaze firm. "Ready. This time, we'll kill him with the Colt and end all this."
The basement fell silent, with only the four men's breathing and the swaying beams of their flashlights. Suddenly, Sam shuddered, his face turning pale. "He's here!"
The words had barely left his mouth when the flashlight beams began flickering wildly. Black mist surged from the Anchor Point Symbols on the walls. The temperature throughout the basement plummeted, their white breath instantly freezing into frost.
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness: a man in an ordinary suit, his eyes glowing a deep yellow-the host possessed by the Yellow-Eyed Demon. He looked at the trap on the platform and scoffed, his voice dripping with mockery. "John, you're still so naive. You think these little tricks can hold me? The traps in The Key of Solomon are nothing but a joke to me."
He hurled a blast of black mist at Dean, its bone-chilling cold traveling at astonishing speed. "Watch out!" Bai Haorui immediately recited the Soul-Subduing Mantra. Red light blazed from his peachwood sword as he swung it to block. The light and black mist collided with a tremendous bang, scattering the mist. Dean used the opening to retreat, escaping the attack.
"Force him into the trap!" John shouted. He raised the Colt and aimed at Yellow Eyes, but didn't fire-he was waiting for the best opportunity.
Dean immediately threw a Molotov. Flames leaped up, forcing Yellow Eyes back half a step. Sam drew his gun loaded with silver bullets and fired at Yellow Eyes' feet. The silver bullets struck the floor with hissing sounds, forming a silver barrier. Driven back repeatedly by the two, Yellow Eyes moved closer and closer to the trap on the platform.
"You think this will force me into your trap?" Yellow Eyes sneered and turned to teleport, only to discover that the surrounding air had thickened, as though glue held him in place. Bai Haorui's Soul-Subduing Talismans had taken effect, suppressing his teleportation.
"Too late to realize that now!" Bai Haorui shouted, activating the trap with a wave. The symbols on the platform instantly shone red. Hebrew letters and the Eight Trigrams Formation intertwined into a golden barrier, enclosing Yellow Eyes. He struggled, black mist pouring from his body and slamming into the barrier. It shook but didn't break.
"Impossible!" Yellow Eyes roared, battering the barrier wildly. "How can this trap hold me?"
Colt raised, John approached step by step, aiming at Yellow Eyes' chest. "Only four bullets left. This time, you won't get away."
"Don't get cocky with me," Bai Haorui added, taking out an Evil-Breaking Talisman. "My Evil-Breaking Talisman can temporarily force you out of your host. Don't make us use lethal force. Your death doesn't matter, but don't drag an innocent person down with you."
Yellow Eyes' gaze turned venomous. "You think killing me will end this? The special children's destiny is already fixed. Sam will become the vessel, and Hell's Gate will open sooner or later!"
Bai Haorui wasted no more words and threw the Evil-Breaking Talisman. It landed squarely on the possessed host's chest. Red light erupted, and Yellow Eyes screamed, his body convulsing violently. The host's consciousness briefly awoke, clarity returning to his eyes, his face filled with pain and terror.
"Help me..." the host cried weakly, looking pleadingly at the four. "He wants Sam... he's going to activate the final anchor point at Stanford... the strongest bloodline anchor point is there..."
Yellow Eyes instantly turned against the host. Black blood streamed from the host's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and his body slumped as Yellow Eyes seized control of his consciousness again. Bai Haorui took the opportunity to recite the Breaking Illusion Spell and pulled the Yin-Yang Mirror from his backpack. Its light fell on Yellow Eyes, noticeably weakening his energy fluctuations. The barrier tightened, holding him firmly in place, unable to move.
Trapped within the barrier, Yellow Eyes struggled frantically. The black mist grew denser, striking the barrier with increasing force. Suddenly, he gathered all the mist and slammed it into one corner-where a loose stone had interfered with John's carving, leaving the symbols slightly shallower. It was the barrier's weak point.
"No!" Bai Haorui shouted. He tried to activate the Soul-Subduing Talismans again, but it was already too late. With a tremendous bang, the black mist punched a hole in the barrier. Yellow Eyes turned into a wisp of black mist, shot through the opening, and teleported out of the basement.
"After him!" John shouted immediately. The four rushed out of the basement and climbed into the Impala. Yellow Eyes' voice echoed through the air with a strange, laughing note. "See you at Stanford, Sam. I'll be waiting for you to fulfill your destiny!"
Dean started the Impala, its engine roaring as it sped toward Stanford. "He's going to Stanford to activate the final anchor point. We can't let him!" John gripped the Colt, his gaze sharp. "Once the last anchor point activates, Hell's Gate will open. Then it'll be too late."
A system notification sounded in Bai Haorui's mind: [The Yellow-Eyed Demon's energy is moving toward Stanford, accompanied by numerous low-ranking demon pursuers.] "We've got trouble. He brought help."
As soon as he finished, several trucks appeared in the rearview mirror, racing after the Impala. Black mist filled their drivers' eyes. They were clearly possessed by low-ranking evil spirits.
"Damn it, so many!" Dean jerked the steering wheel, avoiding a truck's charge, the tires screeching against the road.
John leaned out the window, raised his gun, and aimed at the lead truck's tire. With a bang, the bullet struck its target. The tire burst, and the truck veered out of control, crashing into a roadside tree and bursting into flames.
"Nice one, Dad!" Dean shouted, dodging another truck.
Bai Haorui took out his ink-line reel, pulled out the cinnabar-soaked line, and whipped it toward the steering wheel of a truck beside them. The line wrapped precisely around the wheel. He yanked hard, wrenching it sideways. The truck careened off the highway and overturned in a ditch. He then drew his peachwood sword and swung it at another truck's driver. Red light flashed from the blade, dispersing the black mist around the driver. The truck lost control and slowly stopped by the roadside.
Sam drew his silver-bullet gun and fired at the remaining trucks. The bullets struck the drivers, dispelling the evil spirits, and the trucks stopped one after another. Working together, the four quickly shook off their pursuers, though it cost them considerable strength.
The Impala continued racing toward Stanford, about to leave the highway and take the turnoff leading there. Just then, a heavy truck suddenly charged down the hillside beside them at astonishing speed. Its driver's window was lowered, revealing a pair of glowing yellow eyes-Yellow Eyes had personally possessed him!
"Watch out!" Sam shouted.
Dean jerked the wheel, trying to evade, but it was too late. With a tremendous bang, the heavy truck slammed into the Impala's side. The immense impact sent the Impala rolling through the guardrail and down the hillside, where it crashed heavily to the ground. Glass flew everywhere, and the body was badly twisted.
The Colt flew from John's hand and landed in the grass a short distance from the car.
The collision left Bai Haorui dizzy, his whole body wracked with pain, his consciousness gradually fading. The last thing he saw was Yellow Eyes' yellow pupils behind the truck's window, carrying a triumphant smile. A final system notification sounded in his mind: [The core anchor point is at Stanford. The decisive battle over the special children's destiny has begun.]
John struggled to crawl out, reaching for the Colt. His fingertips had barely touched the gun when he lost consciousness.
Pinned in his seat, Sam endured the severe pain in his chest and shouted toward Dean, "Dean! Dean! Are you okay?"
Blood ran down Dean's forehead. He turned his head with difficulty and looked at Sam, using the last of his strength to answer, "Sam..."
Before he could finish, all four sank into darkness. The Impala lay silently at the foot of the hillside, the night growing thicker and thicker, as though it would swallow everything.
(A ten-thousand-character mega-chapter. I could split it into four chapters, but the problem is, I'm lazy~~)