As expected, his guess had been right.
After several random quests, he'd noticed the system had a soft spot for demons, evil spirits, man-eating demons, or any twisted pervert it could find.
In those kinds of events, the trigger rate was shockingly high.
'Bet the thing's got a screw loose somewhere…'
York muttered in his head, then silently accepted the newly spawned random quest.
The reward was only a single point, but a single attribute point still smelled sweet; with his current high stats, even one more nudged his strength a notch higher.
Attribute points weren't added—they multiplied; 1 + 1 wasn't 2, it was squared.
When no answer came, Hailey glanced up at the priest who towered over her and quietly closed her notebook.
'If you won't help, at least don't stop me—I'm not listening to you anyway.'
[…]
[Quest accepted.]
The system ping echoed in his ears alongside Hailey's words. York looked down at the girl beside him.
A tiny thing with a face both boyishly brave and baby-round, speaking in a tone firmer than anyone's—nothing he said, not even threatening to tell her mother Julia or the cops, could sway her.
Clearly this girl was dead-serious and fearless, ready to snatch her best friend from the tiger's jaws.
Bear in mind the enemy was a grown man, probably some six-foot-plus man-eating demon of a pervert.
Watching Hailey slide the notebook into her bag, York spoke.
'Child, I won't stop you. In fact, I'll help. But can you tell me how you plan to do it?'
Hailey blinked, tilted her head way back at the lofty priest, and asked uncertainly,
'If I tell you… you'll really help?'
York smiled and nodded. 'I will.'
At that, Hailey's brows lifted; having an adult along beat going solo—higher odds, safer play.
Without another thought she laid it all out, pulling a pocket notebook and handing it over.
'My plan's in there. Basically I use my image to drop the creep's guard, then hit him hard at the end…'
Listening, York took the notebook and began to read.
What he saw gave him a whole new respect for the kid beside him.
Her bold confidence wasn't bluster; she'd mapped out a thorough, high-percentage play.
To pull it off she'd already bought knockout drops off the dark web, staked out the pervert's house, timed the neighbors' comings and goings, and picked a day when no one would be around the man-eating demon's home.
With those two boxes ticked, the rest was as she'd said: play the innocent Little Red Riding Hood to lower his guard, then slip the drug while mixing drinks and showing just enough charm… York weighed it carefully—risky on paper, but from a predator's viewpoint the plan had a scary-good chance of working.
After all, what wolf could refuse the innocent smile of a Little Red Riding Hood who'd already walked into his den and placed the glass in his paw?
York closed the notebook and looked at Hailey waiting for his verdict, remembering her list of options—humane castration, staged suicide, the works.
Who could guess that under the red hood beat a heart as black as pitch?
'So?' Hailey gave an innocently bright smile.
'Not bad, right?'
He studied her and had the sudden thought: this girl would grow into a devil queen.
'Not bad at all,' he said, handing the notebook back.
'But with me along, shouldn't the plan change a little?'
Hailey pocketed the booklet.
'Spell it out. As long as it works, I don't mind tweaking things.'
York smiled. 'Wait here till I finish Mass, then we'll refine it together.'
'Sure, whatever.'
Hailey shrugged. As long as the priest didn't block her, a short wait was nothing.
She pulled out her notebook again, flopped onto the sofa, and started scribbling.
York left the rectory to finish the liturgy.
After Holy Communion he would preach the Gospel, announce the grace of salvation, and dismiss the faithful.
Then, as pastor, he would bless each parishioner and watch them depart.
Mass ended.
When the nave stood empty he locked up, hung a sign—'Gone out on parish business'—and led a bewildered Hailey to his Ford Raptor.
'Father, what are you doing?'
Hailey frowned; she still had no clue what the priest behind the wheel intended, and he wouldn't explain.
'You'll see when we get there.'
York saw no need; his plan was blunt and simple.
In a word: with him around, why play Little Red Riding Hood sneaking into the big bad wolf's lair? Cut straight to the heart and be done.
He shifted into gear and reminded her, 'Buckle up, child.'
'Okay!'
Perhaps because he was a priest, Hailey obeyed and snapped her belt.
'Where are we going?'
'To the man-eating demon's house.'
With that, York stomped the accelerator; the muscle truck Ford Raptor roared off toward the address in Hailey's notes.
'Right now? Now-now?'
Hailey clutched her belt, scenery blurring past, stunned.
'Right now.' York smiled serenely and floored it.
'I realized we have a plan that's simple, fast, and surgical.'
'Which is…?'
Hailey was still lost; she couldn't fathom what the cryptic priest was up to.
She found out seconds later.
The priest in the driver's seat shot straight to the pervert's front door.
Staring at that all-too-familiar gate, her mind buzzed. She glared at the priest ringing the bell and hissed,
'Father, this is your plan? March up to his door—are you sure?'
'Absolutely.'
Looking down at her, York smiled; the would-be tough kid was finally showing honest childish panic.
'Relax. My plan's better—about a hundred-percent success rate.'