Bai Haorui stopped what he was doing, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at the two of them silently. He knew in his heart that this was a duel of obsessions between the two brothers. One was guarding the bottom line of human nature, and the other was holding on to the last hope. She couldn't get involved and could only wait for them to make their own decisions.
In the end, it was Sam who spoke first, with a softer tone and a hint of exhaustion. "Listen, brother, our goal is the same."
Dean sighed, with a bit of helplessness and weakness in his tone, and his tense shoulders slumped. "I know. But I have to leave. If you want to stay, just stay."
He bent down to pick up the backpack on the ground, walked to the door, held the door handle, but stopped, turned his head, and looked at Sam, his eyes filled with uncontrollable worry. "Sam, be careful."
"You too." Sam nodded in a low tone, not daring to look into Dean's eyes.
Dean looked at Sam, silent for a few seconds, and finally turned around and closed the door. The moment the door closed, Sam leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and sighed deeply. His face was full of exhaustion and helplessness, and his eyes were very red.
Bai Haorui walked up to him and patted his shoulder. He took out a stack of pre-drawn charms from his pocket, including two Array-Breaking Talisman, three Evil-Suppressing Talisman and a close-fitting Tracking Talisman, and stuffed them into Sam's hand. Each charm contained a touch of pure Yang temperature.
"I'll accompany you." His tone was firm, without any hesitation, "Dean is going to chase Bela, and we're going to check Benton. I've marked the location of his hut, and Tracking Talisman has also set it up, so there won't be any problems. As long as I'm here, I will protect you."
Sam raised his head and looked at Bai Haorui, a trace of emotion and gratitude flashed in his eyes. He squeezed the charm in his hand tightly and nodded, his fingertips turning white from exertion.
Dean walked in the corridor of the motel, sat in the driver's seat of Chevrolet Impala, started the car, with helplessness and worry, he was doing it for my own good, I know. But it became What's the point of living for a monster like Benton? I would rather kill Hell than live like that. Sam, you must be careful. With Haorui by your side, I can rest assured.
In the room, Sam was leaning against the wall to let his thoughts go. Why didn't he understand? I just didn't want to lose him. Even if he turned into a monster, even if we died together, I didn't want him to do it to Hell. Fortunately, Haorui was with me, otherwise I really couldn't hold on alone.
Bai Haorui looked at Sam's red eyes. The two brothers' obsessions each have their own reasons. Dean is guarding humanity, Sam is guarding family affection, and no one is wrong. Dean is gone, I must accompany Sam, not only to help him find the formula for Benton, but also to keep an eye on him to prevent him from going astray, and to protect his safety. Benton is not easy to deal with. A madman who has lived for two hundred years can do anything.
Deep in the Vermont forest, a dilapidated wooden house stands alone, surrounded by dense pine trees, with almost no human habitation. The walls of the wooden house are covered with moss, and on the porch of the door, there is a handwritten wooden sign with a few lines of large characters written in black Mark pen, "No sales, I'm talking about you! No fundraising, no selling anything! No nonsense!"
Dean parked the Chevrolet Impala at the end of the forest path, carrying a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey wrapped in brown paper, walked to the door of the cabin, rang the doorbell, and raised his hand to knock on the security door. The surveillance camera above his head immediately turned around and was aimed at him, with the red indicator light flashing continuously.
Rufus's hoarse, impatient voice came from the intercom. "What's the matter?"
Dean smiled and spoke to the intercom in a polite tone, "Hi, uh, Rufus?"
"So what if it's me, the problem is still that, what's the matter?" Rufus's tone did not soften at all.
"I am Dean·Winchester, I am Bobby·Singer's friend."
"So?"
"You called him this morning."
"So?"
Dean's eyes lit up, and his tone suddenly became urgent. "Tell Bobby that a United Kingdom woman has contacted you. Great, can you tell me where she is?"
"No." came Rufus's flat refusal from the intercom, leaving no room for negotiation.
Dean whispered in a low voice with a hint of helplessness, "Of course not."
He took a deep breath and spoke into the intercom with a pleading tone, "Listen, Rufus, brother..."
The security door was suddenly opened, making a "squeaking" sound, interrupting his words.
Rufus stood at the door, tall and wearing a white washed black jacket. His face was full of wrinkles and his eyes were sharp, like an old knife hidden in a sheath. He stared at Dean, exuding the unique sense of oppression of an old hunter.
"Listen, let me make it clear to you." His tone was cold and undeniably tough, "You are knocking on my door. Don't talk to me as a 'brother.' I am not your brother."
Dean immediately put away his smile, spoke in a respectful tone, and restrained all cynicism. "I'm sorry, sir."
"Okay, let me tell you a little story." Rufus folded his arms and leaned against the door frame. "Before, Bobby called me and asked me to tell him if I had any news about Bela Talbot. I have news, I called, and the story is over."
"If you could tell me where she is, I'd be very grateful." Dean's tone was pleading.
Rufus stared at him, looked him up and down, and said in a cold tone, "Dean·Winchester, right?"
"Yes." Dean nodded.
"Dean, do I look like I'm here to help you?"
Dean laughed twice and said in an awkward tone, "I guess not?"
"Then get out of my territory." Rufus pointed at the door, his tone unquestionable and leaving no room for relaxation.
Dean nodded, turned around and was about to leave, but suddenly stopped. He took out the bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey wrapped in brown paper from his backpack, raised it, tore off the brown paper, and the bottle glowed in the sun.
"Okay, no problem. But I still have a question." He looked at the bottle and asked, "Look, I have a bottle of whiskey here. Uh... is this good wine?"
Rufus's gaze fell on the wine bottle, and his eyes lit up instantly. The coldness in his eyes faded a bit, and the corners of his mouth moved.
Dean held up the wine bottle. This old man has a really bad temper. Fortunately, Bobby reminded me to bring whiskey, otherwise I would not be able to find out anything today. Bela's clue is in this bottle of wine. Bai Haorui and Sam hope nothing happens.
Rufus looked at the wine bottle, blue label? You are a bit discerning. Bobby's friend, plus this bottle of wine, I can chat with you.
The furnishings in Rufus's house are simple and messy. There are piles of demon-hunting books, modified weapons and various detection instruments everywhere. The walls are covered with demonic symbols and exorcism spells. The air is filled with the smell of whiskey, tobacco and engine oil.
There are two glasses on the table. Dean and Rufus are sitting on both sides of the table. The bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey in front of them is three-quarters full.
Rufus picked up the wine glass and raised it to Dean: "Cheers."
The two clinked their glasses and each took a big sip.
"Let me tell you, it's not this stuff. I don't drink it at all." Rufus smacked his mouth, with a hint of admiration in his tone, "This is simply the nectar of God."
Dean smiled, with a bit of ridicule in his tone. "Yes, it's much better than the whiskey in plastic bottles I usually drink."
He put down his wine glass and immediately got to the point, his tone became serious. "So, what is Bela here for?"
"She wants to buy a few things, and I have to spend some time to get them together." Rufus took a sip of wine and spoke calmly.
Dean's tone instantly became urgent. "Where is she now?"
Rufus did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Dean and suddenly asked a question. His eyes were so sharp that he seemed to be able to see through his mind. "Boy, can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Dean nodded.
"You only have three weeks left, why are you wasting your time chasing that skinny, arrogant United Kingdom girl?"
The smile on Dean's face froze instantly. His body tensed slightly and his eyes were full of vigilance. He looked at Rufus: "How do you know this?"
Rufus smiled and said with a bit of vicissitudes of life and understanding in his tone, "Because I know a lot of things, and I know a lot of people's things."
"Really?" Dean raised his eyebrows, his tone a bit suspicious.
"I know that that little broken gun can't save you." Rufus's eyes became serious and his tone was firm without any ambiguity.
Dean's tone was a bit unconvinced. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because this is what we do, kid." Rufus sighed, with a somewhat sad tone in his tone, as if he was talking about him, but also as if he was talking about himself, "Even if you escape by chance this time, there will be other things waiting for you later. There is no happy ending for people like us. We all have to pay off our debts."
Dean curled his lips, and his tone was a bit sarcastic, trying to cover up his panic. "You are such a little sunshine."
"If you can survive, I will be your future." Rufus took a sip of wine and said in a calm tone, but every word was heartbreaking, "But you won't survive."
Dean avoided his gaze and asked again, with more urgency in his tone. "So, Bela?"
"Canaan Hotel, Room 39." Rufus finally relaxed and said slowly, and then added, with a hint of warning in his tone, "But be careful."
Dean smiled confidently and said in a relaxed tone, "Bela I can still handle it."
"Don't be too confident, there are some things you don't know." Rufus shook his head, the warning in his tone getting stronger.
Dean raised his eyebrows and said in a somewhat unconvinced tone, "Oh, you know? Yes, because you know everything."
"That's right." Rufus nodded with a firm tone and tapped the table with his fingertips, "I know Bela Talbot's real name is Abigail Kane. I know that she made a deal with a red-eyed demon 10 years ago, when she was just 16 years old."
Dean The cynicism on his face disappeared instantly, his body leaned forward suddenly, his eyes were full of shock, and the wine glass in his hand almost spilled. "What?"
"She exchanged her parents' lives for 10 years of good life." Rufus took a sip of wine and spoke in a calm tone, but the words were clear, hitting Dean's heart like a heavy hammer, "Now, the deadline is coming, and there are only less than 10 months left. She stole things and resold monster hunting props, not for pleasure, but to collect money, and she wanted to find a way to break the contract."
Dean was stunned, the wine glass in his hand was hanging in the air, and he was speechless for a long time. All the hatred and dissatisfaction he had towards Bela were instantly replaced by shock and an inexplicable complex emotion - it was the helplessness of feeling sympathy for the same disease, and empathy for the desperate situation.
"She... she never mentioned it." Dean's voice was low, with a bit of surprise.
"Do you think she will tell you? Do you think she will tell anyone?" Rufus sneered, his tone a bit sarcastic, but not malicious, "For people like us, the most shameful thing is our own weakness. She is just like you, Dean, she is also paying off her debts."
Dean was silent for a few seconds, suddenly came back to his senses, drank all the whiskey in the glass, stood up and picked up his coat, and said neatly, "Thanks, Rufus. And here's the wine."
"I remind you, don't underestimate her." Rufus looked up at him with a warning in his tone, "She will do anything to survive. If you go to find her now, you are jumping into a trap."
Dean twitched the corner of his mouth and showed a self-deprecating smile, "I have never jumped out of a trap in my life. One more is not enough."
He turned around, opened the door and walked out, and the door closed behind him with a bang. Rufus looked at his back, shook his head, picked up the wine glass and took another sip, with a bit of indescribable regret in his eyes, and a hint of helplessness of feeling sympathy for the same person.
Dean walked on the path in the forest, got into the driver's seat of the Chevrolet Impala, and started the car. It turned out that she, like me, was possessed by the devil. No wonder she was so crazy and greedy for money. It turned out that she was just trying to survive. But she stole Colt gun and almost killed me and Sam. This debt cannot be ignored. Also, who is the devil who holds my contract?
Rufus looked out the window as Dean's car drove away, with a vicissitude in his tone: Two fools targeted by Hell, one desperately wanted to live, the other desperately wanted to die with dignity. The boy from Winchester's family has the same virtues as his father, and is as stubborn as a donkey. I hope he won't fall into the hands of Bela.
The library's archives were dimly lit, with only a few old chandeliers on. The dim light barely illuminated the room filled with bookshelves. The bookshelves were filled with yellowed old newspapers, county journals, and 19th-century medical files. The air was filled with the smell of dust and moldy paper, and it was so quiet that only the rustling of paper could be heard.
Sam is sitting at the table by the window, with a pile of 19th-century medical files and old newspapers spread out in front of him. His fingers are rummaging through it quickly, his eyes are full of eagerness, and beads of sweat are oozing out from his forehead. He has been flipping here for two hours, but he still cannot decipher the encrypted alchemical symbols in the file - that is Benton's personal mark, and only he can understand it.
Bai Haorui sat opposite him, holding a medical record of New Hampshire from 1810 in his hand. His fingertips ran across the yellowed pages, and the golden light between his eyebrows was looming. With Divine Sense scanned every encrypted alchemical symbol in the file. The fifth level of cultivation of "Three Altars Body-Refining True Fire Art" allowed him to easily see through the doorways in these yin and evil symbols. The pure yang aura swept through, and the information hidden in the symbols was invisible.
A very light golden True Fire condensed from his fingertips. The temperature was controlled just right so as not to burn the paper. It was precisely placed on an alchemical symbol on the file page. The originally blurry, twisted and weird ink became clear instantly, and the hidden text and coordinates in the symbol were revealed. He pushed the file in front of Sam and said calmly, "This is The private encrypted imprint of Benton is exactly the same as the Yin-Gathering Array Talisman number I sensed outside his cabin before. It is written here that after he gave up practicing medicine in 1816, he built a laboratory in the black pine forest in the western suburbs of Erie City, next to Erie Creek, which exactly matches the location we locked before."
Sam immediately came over and looked at the contents of the file. His eyes instantly lit up and his breathing became rapid. He took the file, quickly ran his fingers across the pages, and murmured words. The eagerness on his face finally turned into ecstasy. "Yes, this is it! I have been looking for it all morning, but I still can't decipher this symbol. I didn't expect it to be the private mark of alchemy. Haorui, thank you."
"Sam, calm down first." Bai Haorui looked at his excited look, and reminded him with a dignified tone, "It also says, Benton's Immortality Technique, the core is 'exchange life for life, Shengbusheng', he not only replaces the organs, but also the victim's soul essence. Every time he replaces an organ, he will devour the victim's soul to maintain the activity of his body. This is not immortality, it is a sorcery, and it is surviving by robbing other people's lives. Do you really want Dean to use this?"
The excitement on Sam's face faded away in an instant. He raised his head and looked at Bai Haorui, his eyes full of struggle, but in the end he showed unquestionable determination and his eyes were slightly red. "I know this is evil, I know this is wrong. But Haorui, I have no other choice. There are only three weeks left. In three weeks, he will be dragged to Hell, torn to pieces by the devil, and will never be reincarnated. Compared to that, what if it is a magic spell? As long as he can live, as long as he can stay by my side, I am willing to do anything."
His voice was trembling uncontrollably, and the despair and desperation in his tone were like needles. Bai Haorui looked at his red eyes, and finally swallowed the words of dissuasion on his lips. He knew Sam's obsession all too well, just like he knew Dean's bottom line. This deep-rooted brotherhood cannot be shaken in a few words.
He sighed, took out two painted Array-Breaking Talisman and a personal amulet from his pocket, and placed them in front of Sam. The cinnabar lines on the amulet paper were clear, with a touch of pure Yang temperature. He had blessed them with his own True Fire, and could block most of the evil spells and anesthetics.
"I don't agree with this method, but I won't stop you." Bai Haorui said firmly without any hesitation, "These two Array-Breaking Talisman can break the Benton outside the hut. Yin Gathering Boundary, if you carry this amulet close to your body, it can block his anesthetics and evil aura. Let's go to his laboratory now. I will set up a security guard outside, and you go in to find the formula. If you are in danger, call me immediately and I will rush in as soon as possible."
Sam picked up the talisman and held it tightly in his hand. The warmth of the talisman came through his fingertips, which calmed his panic a little. He looked at Bai Haorui, his eyes full of gratitude, nodded heavily, quickly put the files on the table into his backpack, stood up, and said neatly, "Haorui, thank you."
"You're welcome." Bai Haorui stood up and patted his shoulder. His tone was calm, but with unquestionable strength, "I promised Dean that I would protect you. I also promised you that I would help you save him. But remember, no matter what time, you can't lose your bottom line."
The two walked out of the archives side by side. The lights in the library went out one by one behind them, leaving only the sound of flipping paper in the air, and the sound of Sam's heartbeat getting faster and faster.
Sam walked in the corridor of the library and finally found the location of the laboratory. Dean, wait for me, I will get the immortality formula soon and save you soon. No matter what the price is, I will not let you cheat Hell.
Bai Haorui looked at Sam's back, and realized that this unlucky kid had already got into trouble. Benton's technique is not about immortality at all, it turns people into inhuman monsters. I have to prepare in advance. Even if Sam gets the formula, he can't easily use it on Dean.
Canaan Hotel's high-end suite is brightly lit, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire Canaan City street scene. Bela is wearing a black silk nightgown and holding a glass of red wine in his hand, standing by the window, looking at the busy traffic downstairs, with a hint of imperceptible anxiety in her eyes. There were several lists of demon hunting props scattered on the table, as well as an open suitcase filled with cash and jewelry, but it could not dispel the despair in her eyes at all.
The door was knocked hard, and the sound of "dong dong dong" broke the tranquility of the room, and the rhythm was rapid.
Bela's eyes instantly became alert. She put down the red wine glass, took out a loaded pistol from under the pillow, walked quietly to the door, leaned her back against the wall, and asked in a low voice, "Who?"
"Room service, give you something you left behind." The familiar voice of Dean came from outside the door, with a bit of joking in his tone, "For example, the Colt gun you stole."
Bela's pupils suddenly shrank. She gritted her teeth and secretly cursed that old guy Rufus. Then she put away the pistol, took a deep breath, adjusted the expression on her face, and opened the door. She leaned on the door frame, folded her arms, and looked at Dean at the door. A familiar and provocative smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, as if the panic just now had never happened.
"Dean·Winchester. What a rare visitor." She raised her eyebrows with a teasing tone, "I thought you were busy digging your own grave and didn't have time to come see me."
Dean ignored her teasing, walked straight into the room, and closed the door behind his back. He looked around the room, his eyes cold, and finally landed on Bela, with a chill that kept strangers away from him. "Where is Colt gun?"
"Sold." Bela shrugged, walked to the table, picked up the red wine glass, and took a sip, his tone casual as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
Dean's eyes darkened, he took a step forward and approached her. The air pressure around him was extremely low. "Who did you sell it to?"
"You think I will tell you? Dean." Bela rolled his eyes with a sarcastic tone, "Rufus has told you, right?"
Dean was stunned. He didn't expect Bela to be so direct. He put away the anger on his face, folded his arms, looked at Bela, and said in a calmer tone, "He said. Abigail Kane made a deal with the devil when she was 16 years old, and exchanged her parents' lives for 10 years of good life. Now the deadline is coming, and there are only 10 months left."
The smile on Bela's face disappeared instantly. She put down the red wine glass, and the provocation in her eyes faded away, leaving only coldness and a trace of imperceptible vulnerability. She turned around, turned her back to Dean, looked out the window, remained silent for a few seconds, and her shoulders tensed slightly.
"Rufus, that old guy is really lax." Her tone was cold and somewhat self-deprecating.
"You never told me." Dean's tone was filled with complicated emotions.
Bela turned around suddenly and looked at Dean, with anger and grievance in his eyes. His voice suddenly increased, like a cat that had been poked in the weak side, with spikes all over its body. "What are you telling me? What are you telling me?" That I personally sent my parents to hell? Tell you that in order to survive, I stole things everywhere and resold props like a dog? Dean, do you think you understand me very well? Do you think we are poor people with the same disease? "
"We are." Dean's tone was calm, without any sarcasm, "We have all made a deal with the devil, we are all being watched by Hell, and we are all waiting to die."
"Dean." Bela sneered, his eyes full of sarcasm, but with a hint of despair, "You are different from me. You traded to save your brother, you are a hero. What about me? I do it for myself, I am a selfish bitch and a murderer."