TMWTGD CH25

Yan Ke exclaimed, “I’ve learned something new!”

Xie Jianwei’s mouth twitched. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he continued reading further down.

At the very bottom of the page was a lengthy, detailed description concerning blood.

A vampire’s sustenance was blood, and the finest quality with the best flavor came from human blood, with hot blood reigning supreme.

To the senses of these vampires, blood possessed distinct temperatures. Flowing within a human body, it was considered warm blood. Once it left the body, it became cold blood. Exquisite hot blood was produced only at the moment of climax, said to taste so delicious it intoxicated the senses.

Thus vampires were all masters of seduction, and anyone who had tasted hot blood engaged in lovemaking and feeding simultaneously.

Common vampires could survive on cold blood and warm blood, but purebloods could only consume hot blood, and only hot blood could truly fill their stomachs.

The concept of being full here was meant in the literal sense.

Going without it for too long would cause one to starve to death!

Of course, so far, no pureblood had ever been known to starve to death.

After all, purebloods possessed immense power, near-infinite lifespans, and no fear of sunlight. Any one of them walking outside was like a mobile artillery battery, capable of blasting down swathes of enemies with a wave of a hand. Moreover, every pureblood possessed extraordinary looks. The men were peerlessly handsome, the women ravishingly gorgeous, and a casual smile was enough to bring countless suitors flocking to win their favor.

Blessed with such natural advantages, hot blood was exceptionally easy to obtain, so naturally no one would be foolish enough to starve themselves to death.

Yet the possibility of starving to death was genuine.

If a pureblood willfully refused to feed on hot blood, a catastrophe would inevitably follow!

Yan Ke marveled repeatedly as he read, “This is practically forcing you to drink the Lord Marshal’s blood!”

Xie Jianwei thought to himself that drinking blood wasn’t the point, the real challenge was how to bring Big Li to climax.

Though he hadn’t voiced it aloud, Yan Ke had already caught on. He stammered bashfully, “The Lord Marshal is truly… something else, haha.” He fantasized briefly about being serviced by a busty vampire beauty until reaching that certain point. Oh my, he wouldn’t mind having a dream like that himself. Well, first he would need a girlfriend who couldn’t live without him…

Sighing, Xie Jianwei closed the book and said, “Let’s hurry up and find where that bastard is hiding.”

Even so, these few days happened to be a grand festival for the Blood Clan.

Xie Jianwei held no small rank here, standing as a genuine figure of authority. It was said that the King of the Blood Clan had been slumbering for nearly a century, and during this time, governing affairs had been handled jointly by Xie Jianwei, Loren, and two other purebloods. Occupying such a high and mighty position, he truly had no way to slip away for the time being.

Still, there was no rush, as he wasn’t hungry yet anyway.

Xie Jianwei familiarized himself with the circumstances as swiftly as possible, gaining a clear grasp of the background narrative.

This was quite an intriguing dream world. A single continent was divided into two halves, with the left side belonging to the vampires and the right side serving as the human dwelling. Tied together by the food chain, the two races had been locked in discord for years, where bloodshed and conflict were the norm.

Among vampires, purebloods possessed immense power and near-infinite lifespans, but pitiably, they lacked numbers and could not reproduce, meaning each death was an irreversible loss. Common vampires could expand their ranks through the embrace, but their constitutions were barely stronger than human bodies, and worse, they feared sunlight, easily roasted to ash if father sun caught them unawares.

Though humans were physically weaker, quite a few exceptional figures had arisen among them. The most renowned vampire hunter had once dealt a devastating blow to the current King of the Blood Clan. Although his methods were somewhat shameless and underhanded, the achievement was staggering, bringing hope and light to humanity at the time and igniting their will to resist.

Humans reproduced rapidly and possessed extraordinary adaptability and learning capacity, which was how they managed to contend on this continent against adversaries hundreds or thousands of times stronger than themselves.

Judging by the current state of affairs, the vampires were actually at a slight disadvantage.

The battle a century ago had forced the King of the Blood Clan into a deep slumber. Although that human vampire hunter had vanished without a trace as well, in terms of morale, the Blood Clan had fallen behind.

Compounded by the fact that the four ruling purebloods harbored their own schemes and rivalries, considerable turmoil had fractured the Blood Clan from within.

As dusk fell, Xie Jianwei dressed neatly and stepped out. Night was the realm of the Blood Clan, and an all-night banquet of revelry was their finest reward.

Although Xie Jianwei had zero interest in fooling around with anyone, he still had to attend such an occasion.

The moment he stepped outside his residence, a silver-haired, blue-eyed pureblood approached him head-on.

Xie Jianwei recognized him at a glance. “Good evening, Sears.”

The man addressed as Sears was none other than one of the four rulers.

Sears smiled at once. “Good evening, beautiful Wei.”

Xie Jianwei offered a casual smile.

Sears was about to speak further, but right at that moment, Loren strolled over. Looking at Sears, he mocked, “Just how many rejections will it take for you to give up?”

Sears put on a deeply wounded expression. “I didn’t even do anything…”

Loren exposed him without an ounce of mercy. “Indeed you didn’t do much, just took a detour from your palace ten miles away to stage an accidental encounter here?”

Having his intentions laid bare, Sears didn’t take offense. Instead, he looked at Xie Jianwei and pleaded, “Wei, just give me a chance, just once. My blood will definitely satisfy you.”

Although human hot blood tasted the finest, the blood of purebloods was also top tier among delicacies, with some varieties proving even more delectable than human blood.

As a senior pureblood with formidable strength, Sears’s blood was certainly delicious in the extreme, so his words were hardly an exaggeration.

Yet Xie Jianwei had zero interest in him. Blood-drinking itself was intensely intimate, and coupled with lovemaking, well, if he fooled around in Lu Li’s dream, who knew if the man might split into eight in a fit of rage.

Loren rejected Sears on Xie Jianwei’s behalf, “Keep dreaming your daylight fantasies!”

With that, he gently nudged Xie Jianwei from behind. “Let’s go, the banquet is about to begin.”

Xie Jianwei bid farewell to Sears with polite courtesy, leaving Sears fuming where he stood.

Loren said to him, “Only you would have such a gentle temper. Why bother paying attention to that scoundrel?”

Xie Jianwei said, “We are colleagues after all.”

“Heh, colleagues my foot. That kid puts on an act of deep devotion toward you, but in private he messes around worse than anyone. Do you want to know where he went last night?”

Xie Jianwei thought to himself that he didn’t care to know in the slightest.

Yet Loren was quick-tongued, already blurting out, “The Hall of Radiant Blood!”

Probably every vampire knew of this place, though very few had actually visited. Purebloods valued their status and disdained going, while ordinary common vampires couldn’t get in even if they wanted to.

The Hall of Radiant Blood, judging by the name, one could tell it was a place of wild, blood-soaked battles.

A simple battle wouldn’t be much, as most vampires lacked moral scruples and were happy to tumble into bed whenever someone caught their eye, but mass orgies were rather scandalous.

The rule of the Hall of Radiant Blood was that once inside, one was forbidden from refusing advances, regardless of the number of partners, how many rounds, where it occurred, or what method was used. As long as someone requested it, one had to accept.

Someone had once described the Hall of Radiant Blood like this, “Here, hot blood is everywhere.”

Which was more than enough to prove what a chaotic den of debauchery it was.

Xie Jianwei cast a sideways glance at Loren. “How do you know he was there?”

Loren was rendered speechless.

Xie Jianwei patted his shoulder. “Brother, take it easy. Your health comes first.”

Clearing his throat, Loren spoke with considerable frankness, “I am far better than Sears. I haven’t confessed feelings to anyone, nor do I plan to bare my heart to anyone. Going to Radiant Blood is merely to satisfy my physical appetite. Unlike Sears, who proclaims loudly that it must be you and only you, yet turns around and takes anyone available. You had better steer clear of trash like that!”

Xie Jianwei nodded. “Understood, understood.”

Though he agreed readily, Loren was clearly still ill at ease, nagging him several more times.

Xie Jianwei laughed in amusement. “If I truly believed Sears, would I have needed to stay starved for this long?”

Loren halted mid-sentence, looking toward him with subtle unease.

Noticing his strange reaction, Xie Jianwei asked, “What is it?”

Loren hesitated briefly, then abruptly changed the topic. “When do you think His Majesty will awaken?”

Xie Jianwei said, “I don’t know.”

Loren let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with worry and heartache as he looked at Xie Jianwei, shaking his head. “You, try to take things in stride.”

Xie Jianwei didn’t quite understand. He was taking things plenty in stride. Rather, was there anything he hadn’t moved past?

Loren suddenly perked up again, clapping Xie Jianwei on the shoulder. “Let’s go! Today I will definitely find you a great beauty to fill your stomach!”

Xie Jianwei had no words. Filling his stomach today was out of the question, as he still had no clue where his great beauty was stirring up trouble.

At the banquet, plenty of attractive vampires continued coming over to strike up conversation, men and women alike, covering every conceivable archetype, mature beauties, cute lolis, dignified older men, youthful boys, pure and innocent, seductive, enchanting, and elegant. If you could imagine it, it was there.

Xie Jianwei maintained his customary composure, refusing them from start to finish.

At first Loren stood beside him helping him screen candidates, but later on he was dazzled by an inexperienced youth, disappearing off to who knew where to satisfy his physical cravings.

Xie Jianwei enjoyed the peace and quiet. After turning down another round of suitors, he decided it was about time to leave.

Lingering here for so long had mainly been to see if he might run into Lu Li.

Although he wasn’t sure what identity Lu Li held, according to past patterns, there was usually some connection between them, such as brother-in-law, bed partner, or personal physician, essentially someone he had known for a long time.

Yet this time the Lord Marshal held exceptional patience, hiding far away, such that Xie Jianwei couldn’t find a trace of him among the Blood Clan.

Stepping out of the banquet hall under the moonlight, Xie Jianwei hadn’t walked far before running into a live display of passionate intimacy.

Just as Xie Jianwei was about to take a detour to avoid it, he suddenly heard his own name.

A cloying, sweet youthful voice asked, “Have you still not tasted Lord Jianwei’s hot blood?”

Followed by Sears’s voice, “How could it be so easy? He is the renowned unreachable blossom of our Blood Clan, his standards are exceptionally high.”

The youthful voice flattered, “No matter how high they are, once Your Lordship becomes serious, won’t he be yours for the taking?”

Sears laughed, “Only your sweet mouth knows how to talk.”

The youth added, “Lord Jianwei simply hasn’t tasted your pleasures yet. Once he does, he will surely obey your every word.”

Sears burst into laughter, “Just like you, begging for it?”

The youth said with coy embarrassment, “My Lord, you are truly wicked.”

“Wicked already? I haven’t even begun to show you wicked.” What followed was a wave of wanton groans and whispers.

Shaking his head with zero desire to eavesdrop, Xie Jianwei was about to leave when he suddenly heard Sears let out a cold snort, “Xie Jianwei is just a wanton slut. Putting on a holy front now, yet a hundred years ago wasn’t he played with beneath His Majesty’s body?”

That remark was sensational indeed, and the hidden implications exploded with revelation.

Yan Ke chimed in, “Oh dear, oh dear, my connection dropped just now, I heard absolutely nothing.”

Yan Ke added, “Nothing about sluts, being played with, or beneath someone… heard none of it!”

Xie Jianwei asked, “Do you want to forfeit your salary for next month?”

Yan Ke instantly turned serious, “I believe this slumbering Majesty is eighty percent likely to be the Lord Marshal!”

Xie Jianwei mused, “Quite possible.”

If Sears wasn’t spouting nonsense, it indicated that Xie Jianwei shared an extraordinary relationship with the King of the Blood Clan. And since Lu Li would never permit Xie Jianwei to do this and that with anyone else, this figure could basically be confirmed as Lu Li.

Except… Lu Li was slumbering?

How could treatment proceed while he was asleep?

Did he need to awaken him first? Then that raised the question of how to wake him up. Well, the most critical issue was where the King of the Blood Clan lay sleeping. He had to go verify first whether it was truly his Big Li.

While Xie Jianwei was contemplating, he heard Sears remark again, “His Majesty will never wake up again. Xie Jianwei will be mine sooner or later. Once I have him, haha, the new King of the Blood Clan will definitely be me!”

Xie Jianwei was speechless. Quite an ambitious scumbag, though doomed to daydream.

Prying information out of Loren tonight was out of the question, as that fellow would probably feast all night long.

Xie Jianwei was in no rush for the moment, simply heading back to his quarters to rest early.

The next day, the moment Xie Jianwei woke up, an astonishing wave of hunger washed over him. The sensation was terrifying, as if his stomach had been hollowed out, the immense emptiness causing him sheer agony, leaving him curling tightly upon the bed.

Yan Ke’s voice rang out right on time, “My Lord? My Lord!”

Cold sweat poured from Xie Jianwei’s forehead, his lips blanching swiftly as extreme hunger mutated into acute torment.

Anxious and frantic, Yan Ke asked, “Should we exit first?”

Xie Jianwei wheezed, “I’m… fine.”

Yan Ke said, “We must find the Lord Marshal quickly, this won’t do!”

Dizzied by hunger, Xie Jianwei’s mind filled entirely with thoughts of crimson liquid. Worse still, under such excruciating pain, his body unexpectedly grew aroused.

What a goddamn setting!

Right at that moment, Loren’s voice drifted in from outside, “A-Wei, are you awake?”

Unable to voice a sound, Xie Jianwei could only reach out and knock over the vase by the bedside.

Hearing the crash, Loren called repeatedly, “What happened? A-Wei?”

With no reply, Loren kicked the door open and rushed in. Seeing Xie Jianwei curled up on the bed, he darted over, slashing a cut across his own arm without a second thought.

Fresh blood carrying an intoxicating fragrance permeated the entire room. Xie Jianwei swore he had never tasted anything so delectable in his entire life.

This was no mere satisfaction of an appetite; it filled the very soul.

The horrific hunger gradually subsided, and Xie Jianwei regained his calm, though a dull ache lingered in his stomach like a temporarily soothed beast ready to roar into madness at any moment.

Because Loren had slashed his arm directly to let blood, red splattered everywhere, across the bedsheets, clothing, and Xie Jianwei’s cheeks, looking rather gruesome at first glance.

Yan Ke stammered nervously, “H-Horror movie…”

Xie Jianwei said, “Show some spine.”

Loren stemmed his bleeding, then handed a warm towel to Xie Jianwei.

Catching his breath, Xie Jianwei said, “Thank you.”

Sighing, Loren said with heavy concern, “You can’t go on like this. The effect of my warm blood is growing weaker by the day.”

Xie Jianwei said nothing.

Glancing at him, Loren shook his head, “Can you stop being so stubborn?”

Frowning faintly, Xie Jianwei said, “I know what I am doing.”

“You know what?” Loren was both angry and anxious, “His Majesty has been asleep for a hundred years, and you starved yourself for a full hundred years!”

Xie Jianwei was speechless.

Yan Ke declared with certainty, “It seems the leader of the Blood Clan truly is the Lord Marshal!”

Pitying his stubbornness while frustrated by his refusal to see reason, Loren scolded, “What pureblood goes a hundred years without drinking hot blood? Do you know it’s a miracle you haven’t starved to death!”

Taking advantage of the opening, Xie Jianwei said, “I refuse to drink anyone else’s hot blood.”

Loren said, “I truly don’t know what you are worried about. Even if His Majesty woke up, he wouldn’t want to see you ruin yourself like this!”

Xie Jianwei thought to himself that if he truly drank someone else’s hot blood, Lu Li would probably detonate this dream before blowing himself up.

Loren was truly worrying himself sick over him. “A hundred years is plenty. I know you genuinely love His Majesty, and His Majesty will surely be moved once he awakens.”

Having grasped the essentials of the situation, Xie Jianwei didn’t intend to drag the conversation out. “I understand.”

Fuming, Loren snapped, “What do you understand? Hurry up and find hot blood to drink. If you still haven’t drunk any in another month, don’t blame this brother of yours for forcing your hand!”

Xie Jianwei had no words.

Yan Ke imagined the scenario briefly, “Thank goodness this Admiral Loren is fictional, otherwise…” Having his trusted right-hand man force his own wife to stray, the Lord Marshal would definitely explode into the most dazzling fireworks in the sky.

Yes, green fireworks at that.

Xie Jianwei managed to coax Loren away after much effort.

Still, he understood the stakes. The urgent priority was to awaken the leader of the Blood Clan quickly, otherwise he would either starve to death or end up being unfaithful, neither of which boded well for personality therapy.

Xie Jianwei combed through archives and finally located the resting place of the Blood Clan’s leader.

He needed to inspect the goods in person, sparing himself from wasting effort in vain.

Gaining audience with the King of the Blood Clan was effortless for Xie Jianwei. In fact, over the past century, it had been Loren and his subordinates guarding the leader.

Among the four ruling figures of the Blood Clan, Xie Jianwei and Loren belonged to the royalist faction, steadfastly awaiting His Majesty’s return to reclaim supreme authority.

Meanwhile, Sears and Thorne represented the new king faction, advocating the election of a new sovereign to usher in a fresh era for the Blood Clan.

However, Xie Jianwei and Loren were formidable opponents. One excelled in strategy while the other mastered warfare, holding firm control over political and military power, leaving Sears and Thorne thoroughly stymied.

Sears had begun pursuing Xie Jianwei fifty years ago. Whether he genuinely fancied Xie Jianwei was merely secondary to political utility.

If he could charm Xie Jianwei into joining his camp, victory would be guaranteed; and even if he failed, he could use it as a pretext to openly resent the slumbering King of the Blood Clan.

After all, Xie Jianwei deeply loved the King of the Blood Clan, while he “deeply loved” Xie Jianwei. Under the bitter ache of unrequited longing, wanting to replace him was only natural.

Xie Jianwei went quite earnestly to inspect the goods, yet upon arriving at the destination, he was left speechless.

Gazing at the massive dark shadow lying inside the crystal coffin before them, Yan Ke was thoroughly stunned. “Bravo, my Marshal.”

The corner of Xie Jianwei’s mouth twitched.

Weighing his words, Yan Ke ventured, “Though he doesn’t look human while asleep, maybe he’ll turn human once he wakes up?”

Xie Jianwei stared at the crystal coffin without uttering a word.

Lying inside this coffin was indeed the King of the Blood Clan, only vastly different from what Xie Jianwei had envisioned.

Sleeping within was no great beauty Lu Li, but a bat-shaped mass of black mist.

Indeed, never mind a human, it was not even an actual bat, but a dark mist resembling one.

For the magnificent King of the Blood Clan to hold such an appearance left Xie Jianwei with thoroughly mixed feelings.

Yan Ke asked cautiously, “Can you sense the Lord Marshal’s aura?”

Xie Jianwei said, “This crystal coffin blocks out all aura.”

Yan Ke suggested, “Open it to look?”

Xie Jianwei countered, “Didn’t you read what the texts said? Opening the crystal coffin will cause the Blood Clan leader to disperse into nothingness.”

Yan Ke was struck speechless. What on earth was to be done then?

Xie Jianwei could not confirm the King’s identity from appearance, nor from aura, but judging by the gathered information, this fellow ought to be Lu Li.

He just couldn’t fathom why the man had tormented himself into such a bizarre state.

Sighing, Xie Jianwei said, “In any case, let us wake him first.”

Once he awakened, they could determine whether he was Lu Li. If he was, all the better; if not, at worst he could simply be left to sleep for another few centuries.

Yan Ke agreed wholeheartedly, “Makes sense.”

Upon returning, Xie Jianwei set to work researching methods to awaken the sleeping bat.

Loren visited him several times, seeing his relentless labor and merely sighing with a shake of his head. “You’ve striven for a full hundred years, and you still refuse to give up?”

Xie Jianwei said, “One must try every avenue.”

Loren said, “Stop wasting time. As long as you wait another century, His Majesty will definitely awaken.”

Xie Jianwei said, “I cannot wait that long.”

Loren truly wanted to beat some sense into him. “You stubborn blockhead!”

Even as he spoke, he did not leave, sitting down to study alongside him instead.

Xie Jianwei had persevered for a hundred years, and in truth, Loren did not wish to see him surrender in despair either.

Although intimacy was commonplace among vampires, to make an apt comparison, it was like humans eating meals. No one ate meals prepared by only one person every day, and no one starved themselves simply because that person stopped cooking.

Therefore, even if Xie Jianwei drank someone else’s hot blood, His Majesty would not be angered upon waking, and their bond would remain intact.

Yet Xie Jianwei adamantly refused to drink, persisting for an entire century, which was truly breathtaking to witness.

Although Loren constantly urged him not to torment himself, if Xie Jianwei could see through His Majesty’s return without compromise, he would feel heartfelt joy for him.

After researching for several days, Xie Jianwei actually developed a promising lead.

“This spell… have I attempted it before?”

Loren glanced over and said, “Never.”

Reviewing the principles thoroughly, Xie Jianwei said, “I believe it is feasible.”

Glancing over it, Loren shook his head. “Too outrageous. The required materials are practically once-in-a-century rarities.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Not necessarily. Let us search first.”

Loren thought for a moment. “I will assist you with everything I have, but I need you to promise me one condition.”

Xie Jianwei looked at him, “What is it?”

Loren said, “One month. If His Majesty fails to awaken, you must find hot blood to drink.”

Xie Jianwei was silent.

Loren added, “One month at most, you cannot hold out much longer!”

Knowing it was for his own good, Xie Jianwei sighed softly, “Very well, one month.”

As a bona fide workaholic, Military Advisor Xie’s efficiency when working was formidable enough to strike fear into anyone who saw it.

In barely two days, he tracked down the whereabouts of a vital ingredient.

Loren said, “I will fetch it for you.”

Xie Jianwei said, “I will go with you.”

Loren countered, “You have less than a month remaining. Hurry and keep searching for clues!”

Xie Jianwei considered it and said, “Fine, keep in touch.”

Waving his hand, Loren departed the Blood Clan territory with his men.

Speaking of good fortune, soon after Loren left in the afternoon, Xie Jianwei uncovered the trail of another component.

This material was scheduled to be auctioned tomorrow morning in the largest market of the human realm. The opportunity came only once, and if someone else won the bidding, securing it later would become infinitely harder.

Loren had already set off for the Oli Forest, unable to reach the Qinya Market anytime soon.

Fearing he would miss it, Xie Jianwei resolved to travel to the market in person, intending to secure the material at auction first thing in the morning.

In truth, both he and Loren departing the Blood Clan territory at once was a perilous gamble. After all, Sears had been watching like a hawk, and with both gone, he might stir up trouble.

Yet Xie Jianwei made thorough arrangements prior to leaving. He would be gone for two days at most and departed without warning, so Sears would likely remain oblivious until his return.

Pressed for time, Xie Jianwei took few escorts. Fortunately, vampires favored darkness, making travel by night far swifter than by day.

Leaving the Blood Clan territory required passing through the Misty Ravine, beyond which lay human domain.

This body of Xie Jianwei’s was quite mystical, capable of wielding magic and taking flight, making travel effortless.

Because his attendants were slower, Xie Jianwei slowed his pace after entering the human domain to allow them to catch up.

This was a dense forest. Beneath the pitch-black night, only rustling leaves broke the silence, where excessive stillness often concealed grave peril.

Yet Xie Jianwei paid it no mind; across the entire human realm, he was likely the most dangerous entity around.

While idly flipping through a book he carried, disorganized footsteps caught his ear.

Not his attendants, but humans.

Xie Jianwei intended to avoid them, but halted abruptly due to a familiar aura.

Yan Ke asked, “Huh… is that the Lord Marshal?”

Concealing his presence, Xie Jianwei watched as a squad of people approached and emerged into view.

They appeared to be a hunter squad, likely entering this forest on an extermination mission.

After all, this forest bordered the territories of both races, frequently visited by common vampires, which naturally attracted hunters seeking bounties.

However, this squad seemed far from united.

A tall, skinny man in front grumbled, “Why did we have to drag that deadweight along? What use could he possibly be?”

“You think I wanted him here? Boss lady took a liking to his handsome face, insisting he tag along to earn some glory.”

“Disgusting. Lacking skills yet insisting on playing vampire hunter, what useless trash!”

“Heh, keep your voice down. If he hears you and whispers into her ear in bed, we will be the ones suffering.”

The skinny man seemed somewhat wary, lowering his tone, “I really want to kill him!”

“That is not impossible…” The leader lowered his voice as well, “…It is dangerous out here anyway, so if an accident happens…”

The skinny man exchanged a look with him, and both sneered in unison.

Listening to the entire exchange, Xie Jianwei felt rather astonished.

The “deadweight” they spoke of was a Lu Li.

Indeed, it was definitely Lu Li, possessing not only the exact same features, but an identical aura.

A single look was enough for Xie Jianwei to be completely certain.

Yan Ke asked, “A miscalculation? The Lord Marshal isn’t the King of the Blood Clan?”

Xie Jianwei did not answer, merely saying, “Let us save him first.”

These hunters were truly ruthless, not batting an eye at murdering their own kind.

Striking without mercy, Xie Jianwei knocked them all to the ground in an instant.

This version of Lu Li appeared somewhat frail. Though possessing that same handsome countenance, he was visibly leaner, his complexion strikingly pale, while his dark eyes resembled a night sky veiled in clouds, letting not a speck of light filter through.

Xie Jianwei felt a sudden pang of heartache. Stepping before him, he asked softly, “Are you willing to come with me?”

Lu Li watched him in silence.

Xie Jianwei confessed, “As you can see, I am a vampire.”

Lu Li spoke, his voice unexpectedly clear and resonant, “I am willing.”

Xie Jianwei smiled, offering his hand.

Lowering his gaze, Lu Li stared at his open palm for a long time before resting his hand upon it.

Xie Jianwei knitted his brow, “Are you unwell?”

Lu Li kept his head lowered, “Mm.”

Xie Jianwei said gently, “It is fine. When there is time, I will help you recover.”

Lu Li spoke no more, walking beside him almost like a phantom.

Yan Ke remarked, “The Lord Marshal has turned into a pitiful young man, how heartbreaking.”

Xie Jianwei was silent.

Yan Ke added, “I thought the Lord Marshal would be a domineering Vampire King, waiting to be kissed awake by his lover to rekindle their romance…”

The corners of Xie Jianwei’s lips lifted, “Why the rush? It will happen.”

Understanding struck Yan Ke, “Ahhh, I was… too naive!”

Xie Jianwei paid him no further attention.

Having picked up a little Lu Li, Xie Jianwei completely forgot about his subordinates, escorting Lu Li into Qinya Market ahead of schedule.

The auction took place tomorrow, leaving tonight for a proper rest.

Xie Jianwei reserved two rooms with proper decorum, one for himself and one for Lu Li.

Lu Li remained silent throughout, quiet beyond belief.

Xie Jianwei was in no hurry either. Cultivating romance took time.

He asked Lu Li, “Are you hungry?”

Lu Li nodded.

Xie Jianwei ordered a full table of food. “Eat, but not too much, or you will get indigestion.”

Lu Li said, “Thank you.”

Smiling, Xie Jianwei sat opposite to watch him eat.

Pitiably, he was currently a fasting vampire, ravenous with hunger yet unable to eat, which was quite vexing.

His gaze drifted uncontrollably toward Lu Li’s neck, watching until his throat parched, realizing he needed to nurture their bond quickly to fill his stomach sooner.

Seeming to sense his stare, Lu Li lifted his head slightly and cast him a subtle glance.

Xie Jianwei quickly averted his eyes.

Lu Li ate very little, barely touching a few morsels across the entire feast.

Xie Jianwei asked, “Are you full?”

Lu Li said, “Mm.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Then rest early.”

Lu Li nodded, following behind him upstairs. Just as they were about to enter their rooms, Lu Li suddenly asked, “Do you want to drink blood?”

Xie Jianwei was struck silent.

Yan Ke marveled, “Good grief, the Lord Marshal is so sensible.”

Xie Jianwei felt this was moving too fast, believing things should advance step by step. So he said, “Go to sleep early.”

Lu Li looked at him, hesitating as if about to speak.

Xie Jianwei said, “Good night.”

He slept well through the night, but at daybreak, Xie Jianwei was overwhelmed by unbearable distress.

His stomach contracted violently as that terrifying hunger surged anew. Xie Jianwei handled it slightly better than before, since the first time had caught him unprepared.

This time, he could at least move.

Yan Ke urged repeatedly, “I will sever the connection right away, hurry and go find the Lord Marshal, My Lord!”

Xie Jianwei had wanted to cultivate romance before bed intimacy, but judging by this setting, he probably could not hold out that long.

Forget it, filling his stomach came first.

Xie Jianwei stepped next door, and almost the instant he entered, Lu Li rose to his feet.

A sheen of sweat coated Xie Jianwei’s forehead, his lips unnaturally flushed, lending his delicate features an alluring allure.

Lu Li watched him without blinking, while Xie Jianwei approached, sinking to his knees before him, trembling fingers unfastening his belt.

Lowering his head, Lu Li watched as this unimaginably gorgeous vampire took him into his mouth.

Xie Jianwei was impatient, desperate to drink hot blood, and knowing Lu Li so well, this was the fastest way to make him surrender.

Military Advisor Xie serviced him with diligent effort, yet classmate Big Li, who usually stood proud and tall at a single kiss, remained completely motionless!

Refusing to believe it, Xie Jianwei worked at it for quite a while, until his heart skipped a sudden beat.

Lu Li’s voice sounded slowly, “I am sorry.”

Xie Jianwei looked up at him, “You…”

Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that Lu “beast who can never get enough” Li had actually turned frigid?!

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Author’s Note:

Big Li, I need to be handled this way and that way and then this way and that way before I can stand up.