To Felicia's surprise, the robed man let out a strange laugh and moved like a ghost. The bullet passed through the corner of his robe, embedding itself in the stone ground. Felicia hadn't expected him to be so fast. As she raised her gun again, the robed man reached for her neck with claw-like fingers.

Seeing this, Scarlet no longer cared about capturing him alive. She threw her throwing knife at the robed man's back. Felicia also moved, raising her hand to block his attack. She dared not shoot, as Scarlet was directly behind him; reckless gunfire would only cause harm.

However, the robed man ignored Scarlet. He pressed forward, his deep, coarse voice filled with greed. "You came to me," he muttered. "How nice. Now, I don't have to waste time searching for you. This is great!" As he spoke, a string of black, bronze bells appeared in his hand.

Delicia's expression changed drastically. The ringing of the bells emanated from his hand, drifting through the valley on the wind, reaching far and wide. Felicia couldn't avoid it; the sound assaulted her ears, drilling deep. A sharp headache tore through her head; her soul felt ripped apart. Her limbs grew weak, and just before losing consciousness, she shoved her gun into Scarlet's hands. Scarlet had leaped in front of her at the right moment.

The words were barely squeezed from Felicia's clenched teeth. She wasn't sure what would happen next, or if she would become a mindless killing machine under the robed man's control. Scarlet grabbed the gun, intending to help Felicia, but upon reaching behind her, found the ropes had fallen during the previous struggle. They were now trampled underfoot.

Felicia's eyes reddened, sweat beading on her forehead. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, her mind fluctuating between clarity and confusion. Even though Scarlet didn't know what she felt, she could guess Felicia was desperately trying to control herself.

But then, the robed man flicked his hand, and the almost mystical sound of the bronze bells rang out again, like an ancient, mysterious chant. Scarlet whirled around, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. Without hesitation, she raised her weapon and charged at the robed man, her only thought to kill the one controlling Felicia. Once he was dead and the bells destroyed, no one could control Felicia.

But once the real fight began, Scarlet realized how elusive and skilled the robed man was. He not only dodged all her attacks but also managed to counterattack each time. It was no wonder he hadn't taken her seriously from the beginning.

Ten minutes later, Scarlet had three more wounds; two on her back. Blood soaked her black clothes; though the wounds were hidden, the strong smell of blood was undeniable. She sustained another deep gash on her forearm; had she not dodged quickly, she might have lost her arm.

"You're no match for me," the robed man sneered coldly, his voice low. "But if you want to die, I don't mind helping you." With that, he raised his hand and ordered Felicia, "Go, kill her!"

The string of black bronze bells rang again, and at that moment, Felicia, who had been standing with her head bowed, suddenly moved. Like a machine, she received his command. Holding a knife, she began walking toward Scarlet.