Blood Queen

At the Hyacinth villa during the entire National Day holiday, aside from that secret raid against the Black Blood Clan, there really weren't any formal team-building activities. It was more like a meet-and-greet between official members and probationary members.

Jiang Yao, whose mood had emerged from its low point, also returned to her carefree and lively image, becoming close with those so-called Blood Servant juniors who weren't much different in age.

Every day she either organized everyone for online gaming sessions or wild camping and playing in the surrounding areas. Zhong Jing naturally became a quite knowledgeable advisor, always coming up with various fun activities for everyone.

The little Blood Servants who had been confined to the depths of Longquan Mountain for long periods really had few opportunities to truly experience the outside world beyond the internet and mobile games. Now with Jiang Yao, a Knight senior who put on no airs, everyone played very enthusiastically until the holiday ended and Jiang Yao and others left, reluctantly saying goodbye.

Zhong Jing's diarrhea seemed not completely cured yet, but fortunately the medication treatment was somewhat effective and his body hadn't experienced other changes. It could only be considered a small imperfection in an otherwise perfect holiday.

Sitting on the bus back to C City, Jiang Yao happily browsed through various photos on her phone. Though the blush on her face never faded, her attitude was much more natural than before.

These were photos showing the effects of wearing various dresses that Zhong Jing had brought this time. It had to be said that Zhong Jing, as someone everyone considered a scoundrel who had been with countless women, was indeed an authority when it came to women's clothing aesthetics.

Every outfit seemed tailor-made for Jiang Yao, with sizes perfectly measured. Jiang Yao even suspected he had used just his eyes to accurately assess all the details of her figure.

Wan Yue, from beginning to end, never interfered with any relationships between Hyacinth members. She maintained an observer's attitude toward Jiang Yao and Zhong Jing's interactions, quietly watching developments. Probably no one knew what she was really thinking.

Returning to C City, the Golden River Club resumed normal operations, and Zhao Peng and others who had stayed to watch over Jiang Yan finally had time to take shifts and relax.

On October 11th, Jiang Yan showed signs of awakening, just a few days short of a full month since she began hibernation.

According to Zhao Peng's assessment, Jiang Yan's strength after awakening would be between lower-tier and mid-tier Knight, slightly inferior to Jiang Yao but surpassing the three lower-tier Knights Xiao Ai, Xiao Dong, and Xiao Ling. Hyacinth internally was full of anticipation about this.

In the employee break room, Jiang Yan wore pajamas and was eating and drinking voraciously, eating like a starving ghost reincarnated for the first time, an inevitable result of over twenty days of hibernation.

"...That's how it was. Four new people entered the Hyacinth villa. Oh right, that Hermit Alliance that ambushed us had an old man come to negotiate peace, but Sister Wan didn't give them a good reception! Brother Zhao Peng issued a gag order, so I can't mention some things."

Jiang Yao sat on the bedside, filing her nails while slowly recounting the events of the past month.

Her eyes falling on Jiang Yao's nail-filing motions, Jiang Yan slowly put down the lunch box in her hands, as if remembering certain scenes from dreams during hibernation, a trace of unnaturalness appearing in her eyes.

"Sister, what are you looking at?"

Jiang Yao looked down at her own body, not feeling she was wearing anything particularly shocking today, her face full of confusion. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"Nothing, just thinking that the key thing is you didn't get injured serving as vanguard alone this time."

Jiang Yan concealed that trace of inner discomfort and changed the topic. "If you hadn't told me these things, I wouldn't have known Hyacinth had such a large base in Longquan Mountain, and with so many probationary personnel. It feels just like Shadow Arrow's training center."

"Yeah, I only now realize how difficult it is for Sister Wan and them. They're secretly fighting Black Blood Clan year-round. It feels like being back in the Shadow Arrow Force... Those underground blood food breeding places of the Black Blood Clan looked too painful to see. But thinking about you and Commander Meng, you've probably seen quite a lot of such things over the years."

Jiang Yao raised her hand toward the light, very satisfied with each delicate, rounded fingernail.

"Yes, many... Black Blood Clan methods are very extreme. They rarely feed on ordinary people's blood but deliberately infect ordinary people, then breed them for food. Most of our previous combat operations targeted them. How do I put it… it felt like fighting a bunch of crazy beasts."

Jiang Yan recalled her days with the Xuan Jia Squad while preparing to get out of bed, turning her head to again see Jiang Yao examining her nails under the light.

"Who taught you to file nails?" Jiang Yan asked without showing emotion. "While I was hibernating, Zhong Jing didn't bother you, did he?"

"Sister Xiao Dong taught me. I found it really passes time."

Jiang Yao blushed slightly and quickly supported Jiang Yan's still somewhat weak body. "Sister Wan said that after a while, she'll teach us to controllably break through our blood-boiling thresholds and master combat techniques for partial arm aberration. I've seen Brother Zhao Peng's arm aberration. It’s very cool, just like in movies!"

After nearly a month apart, Xiao Yao looked more and more like a girl, and her skill at changing topics was becoming increasingly practiced. Jiang Yan smiled and made no comment on what Jiang Yao had said.

"Oh right, a Japanese Blood Clan came to Zhong Jing's house. I encountered them when I took him home last time!"

Jiang Yao glanced at the door and quickly lowered her voice. "Zhong Jing's mental state was very poor recently, and he even asked Sister Wan for help. It was probably to solve this problem!"

"A Japanese Blood Clan came to Zhong Jing's house!?" Jiang Yan was stunned and slowly turned around. "What was Sister Wan's opinion?"

Jiang Yao shrugged, also looking confused. "Sister Wan seemed completely unconcerned. Zhong Jing's emotions stabilized too, but he's been in poor health recently, always having diarrhea, and looking listless. Also, since you went into hibernation, Meng Huai seems to have disappeared. That day he waited outside the club for over ten hours like a lapdog, and those girls laughed at him for days."

"Don't follow them in talking nonsense... His health problems are serious. He went for treatment. Alright, you go stand guard outside. I'm changing clothes."

Jiang Yan turned her head away uncomfortably, remembering the scene in her dreams of Meng Huai shooting at her, not intending to delve into this topic that disturbed her peace of mind.

"Just change here. There's no one else around. Brother Zhao Peng and all the men went out on business. There are no men in the club right now."

Jiang Yao nonchalantly took clothes from the sofa behind her and handed them to Jiang Yan, making space to sit on the sofa herself and take out her phone to play games.

Before, even when I was present, she would change clothes alone. Even in the club's employee changing room, she would pull the curtains of the changing stalls. Now she doesn't care at all.

Looking at Jiang Yao's composed appearance, Jiang Yan sighed softly again and could only lift her nightgown.

…

…

October 13th, Sunday.

The Zhong family villa welcomed a rare full family reunion today. The eldest son Meng Huai, who hadn't been seen for over a month, suddenly returned home this day. What was even rarer was that Meng Huai wasn't wearing his military uniform today.

Tsurumi Haruka, who stayed overnight at the Zhong home almost every weekend, again became Mother Zhong's kitchen assistant today.

Having changed into casual home clothes, she now looked more like a refined young lady from a Chinese family rather than the aloof, elegant, and dignified heiress of the prestigious Tsurumi Financial Group.

Looking at this unfamiliar but seemingly very familiar Japanese girl with his family, Meng Huai had a somewhat strange expression from the moment he returned home, even maintaining a thoughtful expression at the dinner table.

"Is your physical recovery going well? What are your plans next? I also received a call from your unit's leadership saying they'll respect your wishes and you can choose to transfer to C City's police system. I think it's quite good, quite suitable for your personality and expertise."

At the dinner table, Zhong Hai looked at his eldest son, now out of military uniform, with a cheerful smile, appearing even more amiable. "If you don't like it, there are also positions for you in the group. You two brothers will ultimately need to work together.

"If the eldest wants to start his own business, your father and I will definitely support it!"

Seeming to feel her husband's subsequent promise might shake their son's future foundation, Mother Zhong quickly served her husband food to change the topic while showing Meng Huai a friendly smile. "The eldest became a major at such a young age. Ordinary girls definitely wouldn't interest him. Several of my close friends have good resources. We could arrange blind dates sometime, then buy another house outside for comfortable small-family life."

Meng Huai ignored these family matters and just silently ate his food, occasionally looking up at Tsurumi Haruka across from him.

Zhong Jing watched with a peculiar smile as his father and mother performed their heartfelt acts with different thoughts, secretly laughing inside. Casually turning his head, he accidentally met eyes with the quietly eating Tsurumi Haruka beside him.

"Is Jing-kun's health better? Should I ask my grandfather's private doctor to come?"

Tsurumi Haruka stood up and served Zhong Jing a bowl of chicken soup, appearing very gentle and considerate. Mother Zhong beside them smiled with squinted eyes.

"Mom's medicine was good. I'm fine now."

Zhong Jing cheerfully flattered his mother while inconspicuously passing the chicken soup to Meng Huai. "Big brother, I heard you were also recuperating recently. You need to strengthen your nutrition too."

"Take care of your own health. With your usual smoking, drinking, and wild lifestyle, looking at your complexion, you'd better get a full physical exam at a hospital."

Meng Huai didn't appreciate the gesture and pushed the soup back. This action directly darkened Mother Zhong's expression considerably, feeling the eldest was simply slapping her son's face and speaking without considering others' feelings.

"Mr. Meng, please have some soup."

Tsurumi Haruka served another bowl of chicken soup and personally walked to Meng Huai's side to set it down.

The moment she approached Meng Huai, the intense fragrance of rare blood type from his body made Tsurumi Haruka's body tremble slightly, and her face involuntarily reddened. Suppressing some inner impulse, a meaningful smile flashed in Tsurumi Haruka's eyes.

"I deeply admire uncle and aunt's love story. Mr. Meng should be like uncle, certainly a man deeply beloved by girls. However, Mr. Meng gives me an illusion… You look somewhat like a senior from the Tsurumi family."

Tsurumi Haruka returned to her seat and spoke lightly while nodding to Zhong Hai in acknowledgment.

Meng Huai suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze fixed on Tsurumi Haruka's face. But he only moved his mouth slightly before lowering his head to eat as if nothing had happened.

Zhong Hai's heart surged with tremendous waves. Looking at Tsurumi Haruka's mysterious smile, he could only remain silent.

"Are you planning to marry Zhong Jing?"

She's from the Tsurumi family, and she even knows my mother? Headquarters told me absolutely not to act rashly... Meng Huai sighed and slowly put down his chopsticks, looking coldly at the Japanese girl across from him.

"It's grandfather and uncle's favor, and also my personal wish. I'll become family with big brother in the future. Please take care of me, big brother."

Tsurumi Haruka quickly stood up again and bowed slightly.

"Before entering the family, not even being engaged, you shouldn't come here so often. I don't know what the customs are like in Japan."

Meng Huai dropped this mood-killing statement and left the dining room. Zhong Hai and his wife had different emotions, Zhong Jing was happy to watch the drama, while Tsurumi Haruka maintained her bowing posture with her head consistently lowered.

Night fell, and Zhong Jing and Meng Huai left the Zhong villa under different pretexts. Tsurumi Haruka leisurely enjoyed the night scenery on the balcony of the side hall bedroom, waiting for the so-called private car to pick her up and return to school.

Hakuha Chishin, dressed in black ninja attire, appeared on the balcony again, kneeling on one knee with an extremely humble attitude. "Miss, Meng Huai went to China's military base. It's confirmed he's a squad leader in China's Shadow Arrow Force."

"Sister Miyuka's son. I recognized him at first sight. The blood in his body is the same as Sister Miyuka's. Just smelling it makes me jealous..."

Tsurumi Haruka waved her small fan with a strange smile. "Back then, Tsurumi Miyuka violated the clan leader's orders and betrayed us for ridiculous love, thinking she could escape control that way. In the end, wasn't she still eliminated by the family?"

"Sister Miyuka managed to save a son. Zhong Hai was also lucky, making him understand that for friendly cooperation, we could even sacrifice a baron. As the Chinese saying goes, 'kill the chicken to warn the monkey.'"

Hakuha Chishin slightly raised his head, showing a trace of killing intent. "Then... to avoid disadvantage to the miss, should we eliminate Meng Huai? A Chinese Shadow Arrow squad leader and the offspring of a traitor!"

"How dare you! You, an outsider of the family, what qualifications do you have to call Sister Miyuka a traitor!?"

Tsurumi Haruka's eyebrows shot up as she struck the short youth before her with her fan, her tone ice-cold. "The Tsurumi family has powerful influence in both political and business circles in Japan. The Fujiwara family is Japan's premier marquis family. How would China dare do anything disadvantageous to me? Is my value so low in your eyes?"

"Hai! This subordinate has said something unnecessary!" Hakuha Chishin quickly lowered his head.

Tsurumi Haruka didn't look at Hakuha Chishin again but slowly stood and walked to the balcony edge, leaning against the exquisite railing and smiling as she looked at the distant city lights.

"Hakuha-kun, do you know? We Blood Clan have never considered ordinary people true opponents. Sometimes they even qualify to be our friends. Those so-called heroes who hunt Blood Clan rarely live past forty. Compared to our lifespans, they're like ants.

"Maybe we're just tired and want a good sleep for five or ten years. Those who make us unhappy will already be dried bones in graves. So why care about the life or death of a Shadow Arrow squad leader? Especially now that he's become useless... It's just a pity about Tsurumi Miyuka's noble rare blood type, giving birth to an ordinary person."

After speaking, Tsurumi Haruka picked up the ragdoll cat walking on the railing and held it in her arms.

Quietly watching the girl's silhouette, Hakuha Chishin was thoughtful.