Chapter 1756: An Important Visit With Midwak and the entire Strike Force failing to respond to any form of communication, the situation had escalated from a minor concern to a glaring red alert. The silence was deafening, and it left the Howlers with no choice. The group had collectively decided that a core, powerful team needed to head straight to Centrefield to investigate exactly what was going on. Hopefully, it would be a quick trip. The best-case scenario was that they would simply find the Strike Force, perhaps having lost their communication equipment, and bring them back to Slough or send them off on their next mission. However, as they gathered their gear, none of them felt like that would be the case. There was a heavy feeling in the air, a premonition that they were walking into something messy. Currently, the team had all met up outside the Wolf’s Pool Club. The morning air was crisp as they waited on the curb. A few moments later, a nondescript minivan pulled up to the entrance. It wasn’t the most glamorous ride for a gang of high-tier fighters, but it was practical. Park was in the driver’s seat, looking relaxed as he unlocked the doors. “I picked up Luzen on the way; he seemed even readier than me,” Park commented, leaning over the center console to address the group. “In fact, he was standing right outside my door this morning before I even had my coffee. I don’t even know how he found out where I lived.” “I wouldn’t be a very good tracker if I didn’t know that,” Luzen said from the back of the vehicle. The archer was already seated, his posture rigid and alert. His bow was placed carefully in the seat next to him, treated with more reverence than a passenger. “Besides, I hate just sitting around waiting for things to happen. It’s always best to get a step ahead of the problem.” The others exchanged glances. There was a subtle nervousness among them when they saw Luzen like this. The core group of the Howlers had worked closely together for a long time; they were friends who had bled together. They were used to a certain rhythm, a mix of serious work and casual banter, even in the face of danger. Even Kai, who was usually the most uptight, could be joked with once in a while. But Luzen was different. Although they had worked with outsiders before, they had never worked with someone so tightly wound about the whole situation. He seemed unable to take a breather, his intensity radiating off him in waves. They piled into the car, the doors sliding shut with a heavy thud. Park shifted gears, and they began driving through the familiar streets of Slough, heading toward the highway. “Remember, I’m just driving you guys there,” Park said, glancing in the rearview mirror with a reassuring smile. “I’ll be waiting in the vehicle if you need a quick getaway. I won’t be directly getting involved in the fighting unless it comes to us. Think of me as your mobile evac and medic.” “Right,” Gary said, returning the smile. It was good to have Park. He was reliable. However, as Gary looked over at the passenger seat, his smile faded. He noticed that Kai seemed to be glued to his phone, his thumb scrolling rapidly, his brow furrowed deep in concentration. The color seemed to drain slightly from his face. “Wait a second!” Kai said suddenly, his voice sharp. “Pull the car over for a moment. Now.” The urgency in his tone was undeniable. Since Kai rarely panicked without reason, Park didn’t question it. He quickly signaled and pulled the van into a bus stop just a little ahead. They still hadn’t left the city limits of Slough yet. “Hey, if I get a fine for this, it’s not going to come out of my salary, right?” Park asked, trying to lighten the mood, though he kept the engine running. “This is important. There’s just been a notice released right now,” Kai said, ignoring the joke. He turned his phone screen so the others could see, though the text was too small to read from the back. “There is a strict lockdown notice. No one is allowed in or out of Centrefield. The authorities have put a total blockade on the city.” The car fell silent. “They haven’t said why,” Kai continued, “but all communications have been locked off as well. Internet, phone lines, everything is dark.” “Crapping hell, isn’t that pretty serious then!” Innu exclaimed from the back, leaning forward between the seats. “Wait, is that why you can’t get in contact with the others? Because of this lockdown?” Kai shook his head slowly. He had already considered that possibility. “I don’t think so. This notice was put out just now. Minutes ago. But when I asked Xin earlier, she said she hadn’t received any information from the others for a while—long before this notice went up. Something serious must be happening there to trigger a city-wide shutdown.” “Then that just means there is more reason why we have to go there, right? Lockdown or not,” Gary said, his voice firm. He clenched his fist. If his people were trapped in a locked-down city, they needed him more than ever. “I think the team we have is still right for the job. We can find a way in.” Although Gary said that with conviction, and everyone was about to nod in agreement, the vibration of a phone interrupted them. Gary looked down. He had received a text, and the name flashing on the screen was Xin. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮 He read the message once, then twice, his eyes widening slightly. “It looks like we should head back to the Manor,” Gary said, his voice dropping an octave. “It appears that someone wants to meet with us.” “Wait, already? But we haven’t even left the city!” Park said, looking confused. “Does that mean she managed to get in contact with Black Jack? Is the mission off?” “No,” Gary replied, looking out the windshield back toward the direction of their headquarters. “She said that they got in contact with us. And they are waiting.” The group felt a spike of nervousness. The phrasing was ominous. Without further questions, Park put the vehicle in gear, performed a U-turn, and started to head back to the Howlers Manor. The drive back was silent, filled with heavy thoughts. There wasn’t even a moment for them to rest or formulate a plan; everything was already in motion, spiraling faster than they could keep up with. As the Manor came into view, Kai spoke up. “Luzen, I think it might be best for you to stay in the vehicle or out of sight. We know the situation can get pretty intense, and having a hidden card is better than showing our full hand immediately,” Kai stated. Luzen nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I’ll stay in the forest. There is a dense patch at the edge of the Garden. If there is trouble, I will come immediately. Just shout and let me know.” The van slowed down near the perimeter. Luzen slipped out like a ghost, disappearing into the foliage with his bow. By then, they all had a strong suspicion of who the visitors would be. The Vampires. But the question remained: why had they come to Slough directly? Were they looking for Marcus? Was it to interrogate them about the troublesome situation currently ongoing in the underworld? Or maybe, just maybe, it was to get rid of the Howlers entirely. Eventually, the van pulled up to the front entrance. Gary walked in first, with the others flanking him closely. They pushed past the double doors and entered the main hall. There, waiting for them, were three men. They were dressed in all black, tailored suits that screamed wealth and authority. They looked to be of various ages, but Gary could tell instantly that not a single one of them was under the age of thirty. More importantly, the aura they radiated was suffocating. They stood up the moment Gary walked in. Gary’s instincts flared; he could tell immediately that these weren’t ordinary vampires sent as messengers. These were apex predators. The man in the center stepped forward. He had a commanding presence that demanded attention. “Allow us to introduce ourselves, although I know you have met some of us before,” the man in the center said, his voice smooth and cultured. He gestured to the man standing on his left. “Here we have Jin Talon, the current leader of the Fourth Family,” the man stated. Gary’s eyes shifted to Jin. A Family Leader. Here. “And to my right,” the center man continued, pointing to the other figure, “we have Haylock Sanguis from the Thirteenth Family.” The speaker then placed a hand on his own chest, a small, confident smile playing on his lips. “And lastly, I will introduce myself. I am Rowa Cha, the current leader of the Second Family.” The silence that followed was heavy enough to crush a normal human. Three Vampire Family Leaders were present in the Howlers Manor at the same time. This wasn’t a social call. This was something big. **** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. Instagram: jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.