National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

"You’d better not try any tricks."

Chu He stared into Xu Fu’s eyes and said, word by word, "If I discover you making any move detrimental to the Great Xia Empire, I will show no mercy."

"I understand." Xu Fu nodded. "In this crisis-ridden world, we need each other. I won’t do anything foolish."

Chu He gave a slight nod, but his vigilance didn’t lessen in the slightest.

’Xu Fu is an extremely dangerous person. I must be on guard against him at all times.’

’But in this turbulent situation, I have to admit, Xu Fu might actually be a powerful asset.’

「In Chiyoda City, the heart of the White-Red Empire,」

The night was like thick ink, spilled with abandon, tightly wrapping every inch of the bustling metropolis.

In the inky blackness, the forest of skyscrapers stood like silent, shadowy giants, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

Ye Lingyun stood atop one such skyscraper, wreathed in a faint aura of darkness, like a sorceress emerging from a black abyss.

In her hand, she held the secret order from Chu He.

The moment her fingertips touched the letter, an indescribable sense of relief washed over her heart.

She knew Chu He’s plan had succeeded, and her own era was about to begin.

The lively sparkle in Ye Lingyun’s eyes gradually faded. In its place was an endless cold and apathy, as if nothing in the world could stir the slightest ripple in her heart any longer.

She slowly turned. Behind her, the high-ranking members of the Vampire Clan were hidden in the shadows, like dormant beasts awaiting their master’s command.

These Vampires exuded a hair-raising aura—a stench of intertwined decay and evil that slowly permeated the silent night sky.

Their eyes gleamed with a dark red light, like will-o’-the-wisps burning in the depths of Hell, flickering eerily in the darkness.

"Act."

Ye Lingyun’s voice was low and hoarse. Each word seemed forced from between her teeth, carrying a bone-chilling cold that echoed across the empty rooftop.

This brief command, like a death knell in the darkness, struck a nerve in every Vampire.

In an instant, the members of the Vampire Clan who received the order sprang into action, like unleashed Demons.

They flitted through the darkness, their movements too fast for the eye to follow. All that could be seen were blurred black shadows, like phantoms, flashing between the city’s skyscrapers.

As the night deepened, they poured from the building under the cover of the boundless dark. Like a surging black tide, they spread out in all directions across the White-Red Empire.

Everywhere they went seemed to fall under a dark Curse.

Their goal was clear and ruthless,

to convert the entire population of the White-Red Empire into members of the Vampire Clan.

Once they succeeded, Ye Lingyun, who possessed the Bloodline Power of the Vampire Clan’s Ancestor,

would be able to take complete control of the White-Red Empire, turning every person in the land into her puppet.

Under the suppressive might of the Ancestor of the Blood Race, no member of the Blood Race could ever betray her, the one who held the Ancestor’s bloodline. This absolute control was the cornerstone of Ye Lingyun’s ambition.

The pale moonlight fell like a layer of cold frost upon the earth, casting an eerie veil over the entire world.

The members of the Vampire Clan transformed into bats, taking flight under the pale moonlight.

Their wings beat powerfully, making a dull, rhythmic FLAP FLAP sound.

The sound echoed in the silent night, like the footsteps of the Death God, each beat striking terror into the hearts of men.

Densely packed in swarms, the bats flew toward the Empire’s towns and villages. They blotted out the sky wherever they went, leaving only darkness in their wake.

...

In a peaceful, quiet town, most of the residents were already deep in sweet dreams.

Suddenly, an agile bat slipped silently through a narrow crack in a window.

It circled the room slowly, making a faint SQUEAK SQUEAK sound that was jarring in the silence.

After a few circles, it landed gently on the floor and transformed into a human figure amidst a puff of eerie black smoke.

This Vampire had messy black hair and a face as pale as paper, utterly devoid of color.

His eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty light—the madness of an extreme craving for fresh blood.

The corners of his mouth curled upward, revealing two sharp fangs that glinted coldly in the pale moonlight, as if heralding the slaughter to come.

His footsteps were light and silent as he slowly approached the bed.

On the bed, an old man slept soundly with a peaceful smile on his face, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

The Vampire leaned down, brought his nose to the old man’s neck, and inhaled deeply. His greedy expression was that of someone savoring the world’s most precious delicacy.

Then, without hesitation, he bit down, his sharp fangs instantly piercing the old man’s skin.

The old man’s body shuddered violently. He awoke from his dream with a faint, pained groan.

A low growl rumbled in the Vampire’s throat—a sound of satisfaction and excitement from drinking fresh blood. As he fed, the power of the Vampire Clan slowly infused the old man’s body.