Kingdom's Bloodline, page 28
'If Jadestar was destined to be without an offspring, then the equally remarkable descendent of Leinster Covendier, who had fought together from the start with King Tormond I, with his Tricolor Iris Flag, would take the oath of King.
'That way, I would have enough authority to…'
Thinking of this, Zayen felt his shoulders turn heavier but stronger.
He remembered about the fat Duke Cullen. Zayen's pupils moved slightly as he laughed. There were no traces of warmth in his eyes.
Ashford put the bottle in his hands down, made a perfect bow and left.
"That's right. Although it is just a trifling matter, have Seychelles ask Nikolay."
Zayen looked up. Duke Covendier of the Tricolor Iris' eyes were abstruse as he asked, "How is the probing of the Mindis Hall?"
Chapter 25: Immortal Species (Two) |
Red. The color of blood.
He shook his head feeling dizzy.
'Where am I?'
Sharp pain assaulted his chest and abdomen.
He groaned in bewilderment. He opened his eyes in a daze only to see bloodiness in front of him.
At this moment, a familiar and gentle voice said, "Qiren. Do not move! Hold on a little more! The ambulance is coming."
He was calm for a moment but at the next moment, the pain in his chest and the dizziness in his head became more intense.
"Wu Qiren!" The voice became more and more alarmed. "You cannot die here! You… Right. You still have not changed the world! How could you die here? You still have not changed the world. What qualification do you have to have a baby with me then?"
'Change the world? Have a baby?'
His sobered up a little and breathed heavily. He felt much better.
In a bloodied state he endured the acute pain and put on a forced smile.
"Is the Second Year Syndrome treatable…ahh1"
The familiar voice was seemingly crying tears of joy. However, the weeping laughter seemed to get softer and weaker like a candle about to die out.
He suddenly panicked.
'No. It will not happen.'
He smiled painfully and wanted to call out to that voice. He wanted to joke around with her as usual. However, when he opened his mouth, he found that he could not call out her name.
It was still red and bloody in front of him but his whole body felt hotter.
*Poof*
Thales fell into a thicket of grass. He opened his eyes and became fully aware.
"Damn it! What happened?" By Thales' side was the pale-skinned blond-haired man cursing angrily.
"How did it use up so much blood?" His voice was filled with suspicion and dissatisfaction.
Thales realized that the blond-haired man turned into watery blood and took him flying at high speeds. Thales had another flashback. In that fragment of dreamland, it seemed he 'lost control' again,
'This time the displacement is effected by the blond-haired man through watery blood?'
Thales felt as though he had just got off a roller coaster, crashing on the ground and coughing dryly.
'Fortunately, I have experienced carsickness… Er, 'man-sickness with Yodel before this.'
Thales thought to himself as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the disturbing red blood color from his mind.
"It is obviously almost time to go. Could it be that the injury has not yet healed? The Blood Image Dance is no longer proficient..." The handsome blonde murmured and rudely grabbed Thales.
'It looks as though it is already dusk. Has the sun set behind the hill? It is also a bit cold. Are we outdoors?'
Thales could clearly see that they had fallen on a dusky trail by a thicket of grass. In front of him was an expansive manor with a large garden.
A flag flapped at the iron gate located between the garden and the dusky trail. Weeds grew thick at the manor as though its owner never took care of it.
If not for the fact that it was less refined, it could have been comparable to Mindis Hall.
'That flag.' Thales narrowed his eyes and saw three strange petals. It was red, blue and green in color.
Thales recognized the flower. It was the favorite flower of Wu Qiren's first girlfriend.
'Is this an Iris? Is this a noble's coat of arms? This is probably one of the 'enemies' that Gilbert mentioned. What terrible luck. I fell right into an enemy's nest.'
"Go quickly! Little whelp of the mortal species!" The blonde impatiently pushed him towards the manor.
Thales' thoughts furiously churned and reasoned.
'Looks like this handsome young man knows how to speak and is not just a brute that is difficult to tame. On top of that, he had also left behind other words such as how this was just an exercise and how it was fortunate that the sun was about to set.'
Thales thought it was fortunate that the guy seemed rational and then tried to find a countermeasure. The JC dagger was at his waist but it was evident he could not hope to 'put this dagger to the man's neck' or anything like that. He also could not suddenly injure himself to inform Gilbert and Yodel as it was too meticulous and obvious.
He could only gather intelligence first.
"Hey!" Thales turned around and shook off the blonde's hand. "I see you have the demeanor and temperament of a noble. Your actions must match your appearance. Pay attention to your manners!"
The blond-haired man was stopped by this remark.
"Manners? Demeanor?" The man grinned and deliberately revealed his two ferocious fangs. "I need to show manners to food fated to be eaten?"
The man purposely ground his sharp fangs.
'It is really similar to that creature from my memories.'
Thales leaned ahead and glanced at the two fangs. He contemptuously curled his lips and said, "Your attitude towards food is terrible. You do not have the talent of a gourmet. The mental and physical conditions of the food could affect its quality. What are you going to do if your rudeness affects its taste?"
The handsome blonde was stunned for about three seconds and his malevolent expression had half relaxed. He then replied, "Nonsense. Little whelp, you certainly have guts." The man then laughed and added, "However, you are not the first food that was courageous. No need to try your luck. You cannot escape."
"So that my flesh and blood would become tastier?" Thales showed an expression as if he finally understood. He then unexpectedly walked towards the manor.
The man had gotten ready to carry him to the manor ahead when the man saw him walk to the front by himself.
The blond-haired man stretched his hand to scratch his head, puzzled at the food (he felt disdain in calling them 'prey') that did not seem to have any intention to escape. Half-way through the man felt that this was inappropriate and could only put down his hand. He then quickly kept up with Thales with a speed visible to humans.
"Not your flesh and blood. Just your blood. I believe you should have been injured recently? The smell of blood is drifting everywhere. Tsk. It is so fragrant I feel like having a mouthful first."
The two continued to move forward.
"Then how do you prepare to eat me? Do you nibble or just suck the blood? From where do you start? Do you use seasonings?'
"The Tuvalus like to eat their meat raw. They enjoy the howling of their prey. We generally suck the blood directly and it is divided into neck food and wrist food. As for seasonings… Wait. Why am I talking about these to a short-lived whelp like you?
The blonde stopped and looked at Thales who evidently did not behave like a seven-year-old.
"I am destined to be food right? Shouldn't it be a virtue to be polite to food that willingly gets sacrificed? Isn't that a virtue? Food that was in a good mental state may even taste better."
"You… are weird as food. Do you think your actions would make me release you?"
"It is hard to come by good food. Of course, it must be rare. Come. There is no need to stop. Let us continue walking. What is your name sir?"
"Young whelp? Why do you ask? Do you want revenge?" The blonde stopped again. His suspicion and vigilance of the boy increasing.
"With your skill, it would not be easy to take revenge on you. Since I am already about to be eaten by you, you should at least tell me your name, right? Besides that, isn't shouting hey inconsiderately too boorish? Mm...You are not an illegitimate child without a surname right? You should at least have a name."
The blonde seemingly felt his pride stabbed by the last few words. He then proudly replied, "My name is Istrone van Leica Liszt Corleone from the Night Kingdom. The Leader of Seven Pillars, the Corleone Family's first-class Blood Knight."
"Come. Come. Let us keep moving. So why do you call me a mortal?"
"What else could humans who have lifespans of less than one hundred and twenty years old be other than mortals? Even young whelps like you would live another ninety years at most." Istrone showed disdain.
"So you guys are 'immortals' that have longer lifespans compared to us?"
"Of course. A vampire's lifespan is endless, more than what the inferior mortals could imagine."
Thales quietly filed away the information in his mind.
'Istrone Corleone. Mortals. Immortals. Night Kingdom. Corleone Family. The superior vampires. The most important point was that he did not seem interested as to why I appeared at Mindis Hall. This may be my only way out… Oh. I had forgotten that he wanted to 'eat' me'.
Thales and Istrone walked into the manor. The transmigrator's eyes narrowed. At the entrance, two fierce-looking men wearing red scarves headed towards them.
'The Blood Bottle Gang? Why are they here?'
"Tell me. Why did you we stop here? Is it better to simply fly in?"
"If it was not because of the Blood Image Dance… Sigh…"
The handsome Istrone suddenly realized that the mortal whelp could understand his words. So, he gracefully cleared his throat and indifferently continued.
"Hmph. I would have flown in if this was my territory. However, we are only guests and need to maintain respect and courtesy towards the host."
'An immortal that pays attention to elegance.' Thales thought to himself.
The two helpers from the Blood Bottle Gang walked up. They looked at the two with bad expressions and said, "Who is it?"
However, Istrone furrowed his eyebrows. With a cool expression, he interrupted them with disdain.
"Get lost! Inferior mortals!"
Thales' expression twitched as he took back his earlier words.
...
A few minutes ago,
After the fiasco from the 'One Night War', one of the few Blood Bottle Gang members who were in power rushed back to the capital. One full day after the battle the head of the Psionic Warriors, 'Red Viper' Nikolay, still looked hard pressed.
In the very least, together with the other three Psionic Warriors, he had to preserve the current status before the Blood Mystic, who had stayed hidden for a very long time, rushed back.
First, he had to deal with the aftermath of the One Night War. Other than the explosion, there was also the issue of the Air Mystic disappearing without any trace. His personal bodyguard, that lunatic with the sword, was lying there with Ralf. Their upper bodies were almost cut open. One could only guess that Asda had also been killed. So, Nikolay had to make certain that the Brotherhood's three Assassins, especially the Black Sword himself, was in the capital before he could leave in peace. (In fact, Tinker, who had just come back from the Red Street Market, thought that he was oversensitive. Even if the Black Sword was at the capital, the man would not bother looking at him.)
Tinker and Noumea were amongst the few Twelve Strongest of the Blood Bottle Gang to return. ("Shit. So it was the cowards who would live to the end."- Nikolay) They would not say what happened at the Red Street Market except that there was fear and panic. Nikolay had given up looking for the truth. As for revenge for the Air Mystic, he would discuss this with the Blood Mystic once that person returns.
The Blood Bottle Gang's morale took a huge blow after losing the highly profitable Red Street Market that they had occupied for a long time. Most of the common helpers had begun to waver. Their customers, regardless of whether they were nobles, merchants or people from the same trade, expressed deep unswerving friendship to the Blood Bottle Gang, but at the same time reduced all their dealings and withdraw their funds. Some even broke their contracts. (Shit! Calm down. Stay calm. The debt of blood must be repaid! – Nikolay)
The Blood Bottle Gang members whose morale had fallen at the other districts in the capital retreated when confronted with the irresistible 'inferior' Brotherhood. It could be imagined that when the news spread nationwide, the fight at every branch would likely end up the same way.
Second, the major supporter behind the Blood Bottle Gang, the Covendier Family with the crest of the Tricolor Iris was indifferent even after finding out about their crushing defeat. He did not appease them nor did he reinforce them. He also did not even spend a single copper to comfort them.
What Nikolay resented the most was that they had previously done a lot of dirty work for them all over the kingdom. At this crucial moment, Seychelles, the Knight of Termination did not even let him in through the front gate of the Duke's manor. That afternoon, he was even ordered to 'thoroughly investigate the theft at Mindis Hall'.
'Theft? Shit. Which part of me looks like a police investigator? Can I cut that part off?'
Thinking of police officers, Nikolay became even more furious. 'Damn. That cop of the West District. That Lorbec or Lockerbie is usually smiling. I am not sure if he has dispatched people at the crucial moments of the One Night War to reinforce, did we not agree to have police-community cooperation? Forget it.' Nikolay suppressed his unhappiness.
'Lorbec had used all sorts of excuses when he wanted a few corpses. The funny part was that he acted like a righteous envoy. After receiving so many inducements you act like a righteous envoy? What are you doing talking about righteousness in front of me, Nikolay? Which part of me looks like a good person? Can I cut that part off? Damn. In the old times, I would have gone to his house, strip his wife naked and hang her at the doorbell of the Western City Gate.'
Besides that, Nikolay wanted to settle a matter involving Covendier's three vampires. The vampires were unexpectedly sent to the Blood Bottle Gang's branch in the Eastern City District. (The Vine Manor was actually also Covendier's property.) 'Take good care of them? Did you think we are entertaining lost puppies? They want the blood of ten people every day! They even asked for supra class masters! Good. Now we might as well find the Black Sword, knock him out and then tie him up before giving him to them! I already sent them all the Blood Bottle Gang members that I disliked and it is still insufficient! I even had to softly persuade that cop for corpses! Which part of me looks like an animal breeder? Can I cut that part off? The most annoying part was that the number of vampires were not many, but were short-tempered and bossy. They looked at me as though I am a dog!'
Thus, with a bad mood, Nikolay took his entourage to the Vine Manor in the night. He lightly waved his hand as a greeting to the other Blood Bottle Gang members whose expressions were equally bad.
When he walked into the main building of the manor, to the stone staircase, he heard faint sobbings and wretched cries from below. This made Nikolay who was already in a terrible mood even more distraught.
He resisted the urge to think about the 'blood food' in the dungeon (many of whom were his former colleagues and subordinates). His face was ashen as he went up to the second floor. He pushed open the wooden door of the main hall and looked displeased at the few people in front of him. To be precise, there were two people and their food in front of him.
One was pretty, fair-skinned, had a red ponytail, sexy and was attractive. The woman that looked like she was about thirty years of age wore a noble's horse riding clothes. She gently pushed away a man whose eyes were in a daze.
The seductive woman licked the bloodstain on her lips. She gave a captivating smile to Nikolay and extended her finger to wipe away the blood at her chin.
The man that was pushed away seemed like a plundered civilian. He looked absent-minded and his skin was deathly pale. He fell to the ground and twitched. His breathing became weaker and weaker as he soon perished.
There were at least seven to eight of these that had died from excessive blood loss in the hall. The corpses were dried up with bloodstains everywhere.
Fresh blood dripped slowly onto the ground and the table, the sound utterly terrifying.
At the full-wall window in the hall was a similarly luxuriously dressed old man with white hair. He stood with both his hands on his back and seemed to be waiting for the moon to rise.
"Oops." A gentle voice came out from the woman's mouth. Her eyes lit up. "Have you sent us something nice to eat? Are there twenty people? Was there any supra class? Any virgins? Any young children?"
'These damn vampires! Did they go out hunting for living people again?'
"Miss Rolana! Mister Chris! I just wanted to tell you something." Nikolay suppressed the unhappiness and disgust as he said unhappily to the two vampires, "The twenty corpses sent here in the afternoon is the limit. Our blood bank reserves are not that high."
When Nikolay said the words 'blood bank', he remembered the anguished cries in the prison cell and felt nauseated.
"Oh?" The attractive Rolana laughed. Her lips curled upwards and her eyes gradually showed a dangerous gaze. "Can the blood of those dead people be eaten? What we want is the blood of the living."
"Otherwise, if and when I see you Blood Bottle Gang members come and go, I might not be able to resist…" Rolana revealed her sharp fangs and adopted a charming posture. She placed her forefinger on her sharp fang. With the light from the Everlasting Lamp along with the bloody backdrop, Rolana had a strange malevolent beauty.
"Three distinguished guests. Please understand. The Eternal Star City is the capital. Our capabilities are limited…" Nikolay suppressed his anger and quietly replied.
