In the blink of an eye, three days passed. After several days of recuperation, Kassan's severed palm had grown back. Once his injury was healed and remembering Chunluo's order, Kassan did not dare to neglect his duty and immediately led his people into action.
After some thought, Chunluo decided to divide the manpower into two groups to investigate the gang that was secretly hunting vampires. Kassan was to lead a team to find users of this new drug. If they could capture one for interrogation, they might find the supplier and follow the clues to the enemy's lair.
But this method had its uncertainties. As a backup, Chunluo personally led the other group. His investigation had revealed that the hunters targeted solitary vampires. He posted lookouts in the dark corners of several streets near the bar, instructing them to report any changes to him immediately.
Vampires were far superior to ordinary people in stealth and observation, so Chunluo wasn't worried they would be discovered. Running into Blade, however, was another story. Fortunately, that situation did not arise.
Chunluo found himself staking out a graffiti-covered corner near Paradise Bar, a flickering street light doing little to pierce the darkness. It was the kind of place favored for illicit activities. Parked silently at the end of the alley was a pickup truck with darkly tinted windows, appearing completely deserted.
But inside the vehicle, it was a different story. A thin young man with shoulder-length blond hair and a pale complexion sat motionless in the driver's seat, staring unblinkingly at the street lights ahead, his fingers tapping unconsciously. His name was Cain, and he was a gentleman—a user of a very particular drug.
His year-round abuse had left him emaciated and mentally frayed. His condition had finally been noticed by those around him. His girlfriend left him, his friends and family drifted away, and eventually, his company fired him. With no income, his suppliers cut him off. He'd considered turning to robbery, but his body was too ravaged by the drugs. Even walking was a struggle. In this city, attempting to rob someone in his state would be a death sentence.
But at his lowest point, a man had appeared and changed his fate. This man approached him, handed him a pack of white powder, and told him that inhaling it would bring about unexpected changes. Cain, desperate for any escape, didn't care about the specifics. He just needed something to take the edge off.
He tried it as soon as he got it. That decision opened the door to a new world. The next thing he knew, he was standing over the body of a tall, burly man, the man's eyes wide with horror. Two bright red puncture wounds marked his neck, yet strangely, not a drop of blood spilled out. The body was already cold. The blood was on his hands, and in his mouth. He had killed him.
As panic and confusion set in, the man reappeared. He explained that the changes were all due to the powder, and then he revealed how it was made. When Cain learned it was crafted from vampires, he was revolted at first. But the powder's addictiveness was far greater than anything he'd tried before, and the raw power it granted was intoxicating, even if he knew it was temporary. After experiencing such strength, Cain developed a burning desire to become a vampire himself.
As if reading his mind, the man revealed his own identity as a vampire and promised Cain that if he did as he was told, he could earn a place in the Blood Clan.
Cain agreed without hesitation. He formed a team and began capturing vampires from locations provided by his mysterious benefactor, processing them into the new narcotic for sale. A month into this grisly work, the number of vampires who had died by his hand had doubled. His techniques grew more refined, and his awe for the creatures faded. To him, they were just strong prey with obvious weaknesses. If not for his craving for their immortality, he might not have even wanted to become one.
But he'd heard a rumor lately. A rumor about a special vampire in the city who hunted his own kind. A vampire named Blade, who had none of their weaknesses—no fear of the sun. To Cain, that was true perfection. If he could capture Blade and uncover his secret, then he could become that perfect creature.
His reverie was shattered by a high-pitched scream.
He looked up. Two figures had materialized in the alley. A tall black man had a woman cornered, a sharp knife in his hand.
"Don't talk. Hand over all the money."
The woman—blonde, blue-eyed, and well-dressed—trembled as she handed over her bag. "The money is here. Take it all. Don't kill me."
The man greedily stuffed the thick stack of banknotes into his pocket. But his eyes then roamed over the woman's graceful figure, a predatory gleam replacing the greed. One hand moved toward her.
"The money has been given to you. What else do you want to do?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"You'll know later. I advise you to keep quiet, or the knife in my hand won't have eyes."
Terrified into silence, the woman could only watch as the man put away his knife and grabbed her shoulders, intent on assaulting her right there in the dark alley.
Cain licked his lips from inside his truck, watching with voyeuristic interest. He'd seen robberies before, but never one so brazenly conducted in the open.
Then, the situation changed in an instant.
As the man closed in, the woman stopped crying. A half-smile played on her lips as her eyes changed. Two long fangs grew from her mouth, her nails sharpened into claws, and she seized the man's head with irresistible force.
"You... what the hell are you?" he managed to gasp, utterly terrified.
The woman's face was a mask of hunting triumph. "Want to know? Then go to hell and ask."
She bit down without another word, gulping down his blood desperately. His struggles weakened until he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
Cain was stunned, then thrilled. A simple robbery had turned into a deadly reversal. The prey was the hunter all along. Seeing her skillful movements, this was clearly a common occurrence for her. The man was just another unlucky victim.
Today's a good day after all, Cain thought. As the woman prepared to leave, he took a small glass bottle from his pocket, uncapped it, and inhaled deeply.
The powder hit his system. His pupils flooded with blood, fierce fangs erupted in his mouth, and a surge of power coursed through him. Grinning, he touched the weapon concealed in his jacket and stepped out of the truck.
Click.
The woman stopped and turned at the sound. As Cain emerged into the light, she relaxed, recognizing the vampire traits he now displayed.
"Where did you come from? Why haven't I seen you before? A newly turned rookie?" she asked curiously.
Cain smiled. "That's right. It's only been a few days. I thought I'd found prey, but I didn't expect it to be the owner."
"So that's it. A newcomer." She glanced dismissively at his truck. "No wonder you're so cautious. But it's not surprising. Not every rookie is as strong as Boss Chunluo. You want to be like me? You'll need to practice awhile."
"Boss Chunluo?" Cain's eyes flickered with brief confusion, but he dismissed it. As he drew closer, the violent killing intent in his heart became uncontrollable. His right hand crept toward his weapon.
"I won't keep you. It's not safe out at night now. You should be careful. I'll go first." Worried about lingering, she turned to leave.
But before she could take a step, a sharp pain erupted in her chest. She looked down to see a blade protruding from her sternum, a question dying in her eyes before her consciousness faded into blackness.
The knife wasn't silver-plated, so it wouldn't turn her to ash. Cain watched the life leave her eyes, his own bloodlust fading into excitement. He licked his lips, dragged the corpse to his car, and threw it in the back. With a roar of the engine, he sped off into the night.
From a shadowed corner, Chunluo emerged, watching the taillights disappear.
Finally. I've been waiting for you.
He never imagined his luck would be this good. He'd chosen a random spot to wait and had struck gold. For three days, he and his men had searched without a trace, making him wonder if the hunters had moved on.
When Cain appeared, Chunluo had initially taken him for a vampire. The sudden reversal and successful hunt had caught him off guard. But upon reflection, it was a fortunate turn. Now that Cain had his prize, his next move would be to transport the corpse for processing. By tailing him, Chunluo could find their base.
With his speed—twenty times that of a normal human—there was no chance of losing him.
His mind made up, Chunluo's figure flashed, transforming into a black shadow that melted into the night. He moved across the rooftops, his eyes locked on the vehicle below, following close behind.
The truck drove on, the city buildings thinning out until they reached the quiet outskirts. The only sign of life was a medium-sized machinery plant, brightly lit and humming with the dull sound of all-night work.
Chunluo almost laughed. Employees in this country famously don't work overtime, but here they are, working through the night. The remote location had clearly kept their operation hidden.
The truck stopped at the factory gate. Chunluo sent a quick message to Kassan—Come now—then moved. He crossed hundreds of meters in an instant, the two guards at the door never even registering his presence before he was on the roof.
Peering through a skylight, he settled in to watch. He wasn't in a hurry to attack now that he'd found the lair; he was curious about their process.
Soon, Cain strode inside, two men following behind him carrying the long-dead corpse. The workers looked at the body with excitement.
"Boss, another successful hunt? You never miss!"
"As expected of Boss Cain! Every time you go out, you come back with a full haul."
"Great! We have new materials. Our reserves were almost exhausted."
"We've been hunting too much lately. The vampires are getting cautious. It's not as easy as before. Our output is dropping. Boss, what should we do?"
Cain listened to his subordinate's concerns and snorted. "Even if output drops, our profits won't. I'm doubling the price. Our product is like nothing else on the market—it gives humans vampire strength. At double the price, it's still a bargain."
Greed flashed in everyone's eyes. They nodded in agreement.
"That's right! We were selling too cheap before."
"Only we have this product. We could triple the price and people would still buy it."
"Maybe we should consider capturing live vampires to sell. I bet rich collectors would pay a fortune for a legendary creature."
After this cheerful discussion, they got to work. The two men carried the corpse into a sealed room. Soon, the heavy sound of chopping and the unnerving scrape of steel on bone made Chunluo's scalp prickle.
An hour later, the door opened. A man walked out carrying a large black bag. "Boss, the first step is done."
"Good. Start the next step," Cain ordered.
The man went to a machine, opened the bag, and dumped its contents inside—bloody bones. He hit a button, and the machine roared to life.
Chunluo's blood ran cold. The sounds he'd heard, the contents of the bag… his darkest guess was confirmed. He took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, the killing intent within them was completely undisguised.
For these evil spirits, sending them to hell is their only destination.
While he held no love for vampires and didn't blame Blade for his crusade, Cain's methods were beyond the pale. Hunting vampires was one thing; butchering them, grinding their bones into powder, and selling them was a cruelty that surpassed mere killing. They were no different from demons.
And if their power grew, Chunluo, as a vampire, would also become a target. For his own safety, this group had to be eradicated.
Just as he solidified his resolve, two gunshots rang out outside the factory gate. Boom! Boom!
Chunluo's head snapped around. Outside, dozens of figures in black suits stood with pistols drawn. At their head was Kassan, his bear-like frame unmistakable.
After executing the two gate guards, Kassan didn't pause. "Surround the factory! Don't let anyone escape!"
"Yes, sir!"
Dozens of black shadows fanned out, encircling the building in under a minute, their expressions grim and ready for action.
Watching Kassan take his position at the main gate, Chunluo nodded in satisfaction. Everything is in place. Now it's my turn.
Inside, the gunshots sent a wave of panic through the workers.
"Boss! The factory is surrounded by vampires! They're here for revenge!"
On the monitor, they could see Kassan staring forward, his ferocious fangs gleaming white. His giant-like physique radiated powerful oppression.
Cain's face darkened. He immediately grabbed a bag of the freshly made product. "Everyone, don't panic! Don't forget, we have the power to fight back! Remember, vampires are just our prey! There's nothing to be afraid of!"
His words snapped them out of their fear. They looked at the finished powder on the table, and their courage returned.
"Yes! As long as we take this, we'll have vampire strength!"
"This might be a good thing! All these vampires coming to us? That's free raw material! If we capture them all, we won't have to worry about production!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go kill those bloodsuckers!"
Everyone eagerly grabbed bottles from the table, opened them, and inhaled the powder. Moments later, power surged through them. Hundreds of people roared in unison, their pupils flashing with blood, long fangs exposed, looking ferocious and bloodthirsty.
"Go! Let's kill those vampires!" Cain snarled, a ferocious smile on his face. He waved his hand and led the charge toward the door.
Click!
The next moment, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the factory as a black shadow flashed over their heads and landed steadily in front of them.
"Sorry, this road is blocked." Chunluo looked up at Cain and the others, a smile on his face. "Also, I don't think you can get out of here. This is the grave I chose for you."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, as if they'd heard the funniest joke, the entire group burst into laughter.
"Haha! Kid, who do you think you are?"
"Just you? You want to kill us all?"
"We all have the same power as you now! Do you think you can deal with all of us by yourself?"
"Let's grind this kid's bones up first! See what his product looks like!"
"Wasteful! He's not bad-looking. We could sell him to a rich woman for more."
As they debated his fate, a cold voice cut through the chatter.
"Finished?"
Chunluo's expression hadn't changed. He put on his gloves unhurriedly. "If you're finished, then it's time for me to give you a ride."
"You kid, how dare you talk tough in front of us? Well, I want to see how you give me a ride!"
A two-meter-tall man emerged from behind Cain, a bloodthirsty grin on his face as he cracked his knuckles. He walked toward Chunluo, his aura fierce.
"Die for me!" he roared, throwing a punch straight at Chunluo's head, just as Kassan had done.
The others watched with excited smiles, eager to see Chunluo's head smashed like a melon.
Whoosh!
Before anyone could react, Chunluo turned into an afterimage and vanished. When he reappeared, he was behind the strongman.
Thump.
A line of blood appeared on the man's neck. His arms waved twice, involuntarily, before his head toppled from his shoulders and his body hit the floor with a heavy thud.
A silence unlike any other fell over the factory.
They stared in shock at the headless corpse at Chunluo's feet, their mouths agape. The man they were so confident in hadn't even had a chance to react.
Is this speed even possible?
"Run! Everyone, run! This guy's a monster!"
Finally coming to their senses, they turned to flee without a second thought.
"Oh? Do you think you can escape?" Chunluo sneered.
He moved, disappearing again. A black shadow weaved through the crowd. At his full speed, four times that of a normal vampire, they had no chance. Cold light flashed repeatedly.
In just a few minutes, a series of screams echoed through the factory. Heads rolled, bodies collapsed. When Chunluo reappeared, everyone was dead except for Cain. Hundreds of heads littered the ground, bright red blood flowing like a river, covering the floor in a sea of gore.
Chunluo stood in the middle of the bloodbath. Ignoring the terrified Cain, he took out his phone expressionlessly and dialed.
"Kassan, come in. It's all settled."
The door burst open with a loud bang, and Kassan led his men inside.
Psss!
A collective gasp went through the vampires. Even they, who were no strangers to death, were stunned by the hellish scene. Hundreds of heads, a flowing river of blood, eyes still wide with fear staring blankly—it was enough to make them shudder.
"Why are you still standing there?" Chunluo's voice was cold. "Take this man back. He's the leader. You should be able to get valuable information from him. When you're done, deal with him. I'll leave first. Kassan, I'll leave this factory to you. Remember, no loose ends."
Kassan snapped out of his daze and nodded quickly. "I understand."
"Then I'll leave it to you." With a wave, Chunluo vanished on the spot.
It was a long time before anyone moved, finally letting out the breath they'd been holding. The image of Chunluo in their hearts had been completely rewritten. His majesty now perhaps even surpassed Deacon Frost's in their eyes.
Kassan turned to the stunned men. "What are you waiting for? Get to work! Don't keep Boss Chunluo waiting!"
They sprang into action. Kassan approached the catatonic Cain, who offered no resistance, and led him out. The others doused the factory in gasoline and set it ablaze. The fire burned until dawn, reducing everything to ashes and erasing all traces of their presence.