America: The Cremator

"With your shiny blonde hair and unique voice, it's really hard not to recognize you."

He paused, shifting his gaze from Dania to survey the "Exorcism Society," which resembled a modification workshop.

"So, Miss Dania, what exactly are you up to?"

"The teammate you're referring to who's in charge of the main attack, is that yourself?"

Dania readily admitted, "Yes, it's me."

She put down the screwdriver, wiped her hands with a piece of chamois cloth, and seemed unsurprised that Su Long could recognize her.

Su Long frowned. "Don't joke around. You're an exorcist? I can't sense any spiritual aura from you, and there's not even a decent sacred object in your workshop."

Dania stood up from her office chair, walked to a metal filing cabinet next to her desk, opened a drawer, took out a card, and handed it to Surong.

It was an official identity certificate issued by the Federal Bureau of Paranormal Affairs, with Dania's photo and basic information on it, and the words "Registered Exorcist" were clearly printed in the occupation section.

However, in the grade column, there was a glaring letter printed on it—D.

Surong looked at the certificate, then at Dania: "A D-rank exorcist? Are you sure you're capable of dealing with something as supernatural as 'The Rain Lady'?"

"This isn't my true level," Dania explained somewhat helplessly, "It's just that my store hasn't been doing well, so my personal rating just won't go up."

Su Long let out a cold laugh: "Coming to your place to place a commission, and having to buy a $34 zoo ticket out of your own pocket first, guess why you won't have any sales?"

Dania scratched her head, a troubled look on her face: "My father doesn't really approve of me doing these things, so... I can only do them secretly here."

"So the zoo's management just lets you run wild here?"

"Oh, this park was a gift from my father for my eighteenth birthday," Dania replied casually.

Su Long fell silent, looking at the girl in front of him who was wearing a gray hoodie and looked no different from an ordinary college student. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond to this overly simple boast.

Sending an entire zoo as a birthday present?

Just how rich is this Russian family?

Dania turned and walked to a drawer under the worktable, pulled it open, and took out a neatly folded silver vest: "Oh right, this is what I promised you."

It was a chainmail made entirely of finely woven metal rings. It felt lighter than I had imagined, but it was extremely dense, with the unique coldness and weight of silver-tungsten alloy.

Each ring is only the size of a little fingernail, with an extremely smooth surface, stacked in three layers, nested tightly together.

Sulong took off his coat and put on the chainmail vest.

The metal rings made a soft, pleasant friction sound with his movements. The cold armor fit his body perfectly, and the soft, breathable lining inside insulated him from the coldness of the metal, bringing only a solid and reliable sense of security.

"How is it?" Dania asked.

Surong stretched his body, the vest not hindering his movements at all: "Very good."

"I'm glad you're satisfied," Dania nodded first, then suddenly smiled. "So... could you do me a small favor while you're at it?"

"What kind of help?"

"You pay me to place a commission with me, the target of which is to hunt down the woman in the rain... Just consider it helping me boost my sales figures, and I'll pay you double the commission fee."

Surong looked Dania up and down: "Miss Dania, you really... give off a very unreliable vibe."

"It's alright," Dania waved her hand, "You're coming with me to see a guy... and then you won't feel this way anymore."

"What, are you going to take me to the zoo?"

"You said yourself that you wanted to fully understand your teammates' information," Dania said with a hint of slyness. "Now I'm showing myself to you from every angle, so don't take it for granted."

"It's not without its flaws." Surong glanced at Dania's airtight hoodie and cargo pants, clicked his tongue, and put his coat back on. "Let's go."

A smile immediately bloomed on Dania's face. She turned around, walked to the back of the room, grabbed the handle of a roller shutter door with both hands, pulled it upwards with force, and then pushed the Ducati motorcycle out of the room.

"Get on." Dania straddled the seat, skillfully started the engine, and patted the cushion behind her.

Su Long pursed his lips, climbed onto the back seat of the motorcycle, and then naturally stretched out his arms to hug Dania's slender waist.

The next moment, accompanied by the roar of the engine, the red motorcycle drove into the zoo's main loop.

The surrounding trees and fences rushed past in his field of vision, the whistling wind whistled past his ears, and Dania's brilliant golden hair was blown back, the ends of which occasionally brushed against Surong's face, tickling him and carrying a hint of agave mixed with gasoline.

The locomotive sped along the empty circular track, soon veering off the main road and onto a secluded side road.

The scenery along the road changes rapidly, with carefully maintained tourist viewing areas being replaced by pristine, undeveloped dense forests.

Finally, the locomotive came to a stop in front of a huge steel gate.

The towering concrete walls extend to both sides, and the tops of the walls are covered with electrified wire mesh.

Two security personnel wearing tactical vests and carrying rifles emerged from the guard post. Upon seeing that it was Dania, they immediately pressed the switch.

The heavy iron gate slid slowly to both sides with a hissing sound from the hydraulic rods.

The locomotive started up again and entered a vast, almost luxurious, natural ecological zone.

This place perfectly simulates the real environment of the North American temperate rainforest, with towering mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests blocking out the sun, and a clear stream running parallel to the road, flowing gently.

Suron could even see several wild deer raising their heads warily in the forest clearing, watching them, the intruders.

Just then, a long and penetrating roar came from the depths of the distant mountains and forests, echoing through the valley.

The majesty and power contained in that voice startled the birds by the stream, causing them to take flight in panic.

"So, we've now entered the tiger enclosure?" Surong's voice was clear amidst the roar of the engine.

"Yes," Dania's voice held a hint of amusement, "it knows I'm here, it's greeting me."

The locomotive continued along the stream, and suddenly the view ahead opened up.

The stream converges here to form a small lake, and the grassy area around the lake is covered with unidentified wildflowers.

Dania stopped the car by the lake and turned off the engine.

Su Long got out of the car, his feet landing on the soft grass, his eyes scanning the surrounding silent forest warily.

Soon, he saw a yellow and black figure flash by among the trees in the distance, rapidly approaching them at an astonishing speed.

Su Long’s right hand instantly pressed down on the handle of the revolver at his waist.

"Don't worry," Dania seemed to sense his nervousness, "That's Chapaevka. It will give a little warning to creatures that are trespassing into its territory for the first time, but it won't..."

She hadn't finished speaking.

The yellow figure had already dashed out of the treeline like lightning.

Before Su Long could even aim at the afterimage, a tremendous impact, accompanied by a foul stench, slammed into his chest.

He was knocked to the ground by this irresistible force, and the revolver in his hand flew out and slid into the grass a few meters away.

The heavy body pressed down on his chest, almost suffocating him.

A huge head covered in black and yellow stripes came close to him, its amber vertical pupils reflecting his own face.

Between his sharp, white teeth, a strong, bloody stench wafted from his face.

The next moment, a deafening tiger's roar exploded in front of him. The violent sound almost tore his eardrums apart.

Su Long frowned deeply; the feeling of being pressed so close to his face made him quite uncomfortable.

He slowly raised his fist, and the primordial fire ignited on it. He then unleashed a powerful punch at the enormous tiger face so close to his own.

"roll!"