Blood Queen

It felt like returning to the time of blood infection coma. That’s same sensation of the body floating weightlessly in mid-air, warm all over. Whether eyes were open or closed, everything around was empty, hazy pale white.

Sounds drifted to her ears—sometimes children's laughter and play, sometimes the clear sound of reading aloud in classrooms, rising and falling vaguely before gradually fading away. Then came the familiar assembly bugles of military camps, running drills and training sounds, followed by the thunderous roar of gunfire and bullets... Time in this world seemed to advance through successive waves of various sounds.

"Jiang Yan, twenty-one years old, completed all Shadow Arrow Phase Three training with excellent results, not bad... So, why did you choose Xuan Jia Squad?"

The mist before her eyes cleared, and Jiang Yan suddenly found herself sitting in a closed small conference room, facing the serious-faced Meng Huai in his crisp military uniform.

"Meng Huai?"

Jiang Yan looked at her own body. Underneath the camouflage training uniform was a swollen chest, a slender waist with a military belt, and straight long legs. Black hair in a ponytail draped over her shoulder from behind her head, with half the hair hanging in front of her chest. Looking opposite, Meng Huai's sharp gaze was fixed intently on her.

"I'm the one asking you!" Meng Huai suddenly struck the table, his expression growing colder and his eyes sharper. "Jiang Yan, you've already been blood-infected, yet you dare infiltrate Shadow Arrow forces! What audacity!"

"No... you... we..."

Jiang Yan's entire body bristled with cold shivers and goosebumps as she trembled and stood up attempting to flee, but the person opposite had already drawn a handgun, pressing it directly against her forehead.

"Heh, vampire monster, go die!"

The corner of Meng Huai's mouth revealed a savage expression, smiling especially cruelly.

The gun fired. Jiang Yan's vision went black, but there was no pain. Her body fell backward, plunging again into the empty pale white world.

The mist cleared, and Jiang Yan found herself standing in a large dressing room surrounded by beautiful wedding dresses of different styles and colors.

"Sister, quickly help me see if this one works. I think these pearl flowers are very pretty!"

"Xiao Yao? What are you doing here?"

Before her, Jiang Yao wore exquisite makeup and an elegant snow-white off-shoulder wedding dress, twisting her body left and right in front of a large wall mirror.

Her light golden hair was arranged in a complex style topped with a delicate platinum flower crown, like an angel. Under the soft lighting was an excited yet shy pretty face.

"Hehe, Sister, I'll tell you a secret…I’m getting married! This time I'm ahead, so I won't wait for you!"

Jiang Yao lifted her wedding dress hem and spun in place. The flower-like wedding dress skirt was blooming, with pearl flowers on the waist and hem reflecting brilliant luster under the lights. The girl's smugness and shyness were clearly visible.

Jiang Yan shivered again, her mind numb, slowly reaching out to touch Jiang Yao's smooth shoulder.

"Getting married? To... to whom?"

"Hehe, I won't tell you!"

After speaking, Jiang Yao smiled playfully, dodged Jiang Yan's grasp, grabbed her skirt hem and ran toward the mirror without looking back. She leaped into the mirror frame, merging into the red carpet world within the mirror, gradually disappearing...

"Xiao Yao, wait!"

Jiang Yan anxiously rushed into the mirror world, but her feet found empty air. She plummeted at extreme speed as if falling into an abyss, her consciousness being drained away again.

Her feet returned to solid ground, surrounded by hazy wine-red mist replacing the previous white sacred world. Everywhere were heart-rending screams and harsh gunfire and explosions, like sinking into a sinful battlefield of hell, bone-chillingly terrifying.

Distant mist churned, scattered, regathered, twisted, and stretched.

A vague massive outline rose at the horizon, gradually approaching, trembling and shaking, becoming clearer and more hideous.

It was that enormous meat mass, its surface dripping with streams of fresh blood. The lower part of the meat mass had a huge single eye half-open and half-closed, with dozens of bloody tentacles of varying thickness extending from around the twisted, swollen flesh.

Around the meat mass scattered countless severed limbs of Shadow Arrow officers and soldiers—lifeless, unbearable to look at.

From a dark corner in the distance came Meng Huai's weak cries, intermittent, lonely, and stubborn.

"Is anyone still alive... kill this monster... it will proliferate!"

Looking down, Jiang Yan saw familiar, smoke-filled, tattered black combat clothing exposing the beautiful curves and fair skin underneath, with only one incendiary bomb remaining in her hand.

A long tentacle pierced through the mysterious wine-red mist, directly penetrating Jiang Yan's body. But the black-haired girl still held the incendiary bomb hesitantly in a daze. She seemed to hear the giant meat ball wailing in grief, like a chorus of hundreds and thousands of wronged souls.

The abdomen pierced by the tentacle felt no pain; instead, her whole body felt warm and comfortable, as if loving care deep in her body was transmitting nutrition, like a mother's umbilical cord...

---

September 21st, Saturday.

Today was the fourth day of Jiang Yan's advancement hibernation. In the room filled with various signal sounds, Jiang Yan continued sleeping.

The rhythmic breathing accompanied by faint fragrance indicated that the dreaming Jiang Yan was still breaking through to Knight realm. Her flushed face showed alternating expressions—sometimes frowning, sometimes panicked, sometimes calm, sometimes smiling, as if experiencing a long and complex dream.

"What? Sister Xiao Ai... she likes Brother Zhao Peng?"

Jiang Yao was replacing a new bag of blood on the IV drip while staring at Zhou Ping's face, her expression and tone somewhat surprised.

"Hehe... keep your voice down."

Zhou Ping smiled slyly with a very mysterious expression. "Many people know, but Sister Xiao Ai's personality is too introverted so she can't express herself. Brother Zhao probably knows too, either he's been playing dumb or feels embarrassed to show it in front of us."

"What's the use of liking someone... can they get married later?"

Jiang Yao sat beside Zhou Ping, looking curious.

"Sister Wan has never explicitly restricted everyone from dating and marriage... but there are few men and many women in Hyacinth. Probably more than just Sister Xiao Ai likes Brother Zhao."

Zhou Ping leaned over the bedside with one hand supporting her chin, somewhat melancholy. "We Hyacinth are essentially banded Wandering Blood Clan, but we'll probably still need to move toward Orthodox Blood Clan. Gradually relying on blood relationship bonds to form stable and inheritable groups. All Orthodox Blood Clan major families in the world came about this way."

"What about Sister Wan? She's so beautiful and sexy. I don't believe she wouldn't attract other men."

Jiang Yao blinked her pretty big eyes, suddenly turning the topic to the Hyacinth leader.

"Nonsense!"

Zhou Ping quickly ran to close the door, then covered her mouth and lowered her voice. "You might not know, but many big domestic bosses have privately pursued Sister Wan, spending scary amounts of money... tsk tsk... but Uncle Liang said Sister Wan's original departure from the Hermit Alliance seemed to be because of relationship problems... you must keep this secret and not say I told you!"

"Tsk tsk, Sister Wan is indeed amazing... mm, I'll keep it secret!"

Jiang Yao quickly nodded, but seeing the other's mysterious and nervous expression, she was a bit confused. "Wait... if it's supposed to be secret, why are you telling me!?"

"Hey, we're good sisters, our relationship is different! Let me tell you, you must keep this secret. Actually, Sister Xiao Ling also has someone she likes..."

Zhou Ping's expression changed again as she mysteriously began a new round of gossip, leaving Jiang Yao stunned.

Indeed, everyone's quite secretive. Probably over the years, there haven't been any gossip secrets in Hyacinth... Jiang Yao suddenly realized what the biggest difference was between herself and these women.

"What about... you?"

After hearing so much gossip, Jiang Yao suddenly thought of something and smiled while staring into Zhou Ping's eyes.

Zhou Ping's cheeks flushed slightly as she bit her lips, her body fidgeting several times before covering her mouth and leaning to Jiang Yao's ear to whisper a few words.

"Eh, really? You can even like ordinary people?"

Jiang Yao was startled and didn't quite react at first, but after a few seconds, she remembered the former Sister Tan, that feudal knight who had returned to her homeland with her unborn child's soul.

"Shh... can't say... only known him for over half a year. He's a prestigious university graduate working as a teacher at a preschool training center near my residential complex. Hehe, he's very handsome, and..."

Zhou Ping embarrassedly pinched her skirt hem with a slightly infatuated smile on her face.

How scary. You’re a thirty-something female vampire, yet you're also love-brained and can fall for an ordinary scholar heartthrob?

Feeling that Zhou Ping had begun treating her as a close friend, Jiang Yao suddenly felt awkward. But... listening to others' privacy was quite thrilling.

Suddenly, a blurry shadow resembling a certain young man flashed through her mind. Jiang Yao's heart jumped, feeling strange.

"Not bad, very stable, about to break through... In the coming days, we can transfuse some ordinary blood. Rare blood types are severely in shortage domestically now."

The door opened as Wan Yue entered with a faint smile, glancing at several medical monitoring devices while checking the blood bag on the transfusion apparatus. Zhao Peng stood outside the door, eyes straight ahead.

Wan Yue's sudden appearance scared the whispering Jiang Yao and Zhou Ping into quickly standing up, both blushing and lowering their heads, not daring to speak.

Wan Yue frowned, looking left and right at the two girls, somewhat puzzled. "Am I a ghost? Why are you so nervous?"

Jiang Yao and Zhou Ping looked at each other, then both shook their heads frantically after a few seconds.

Wan Yue couldn't be bothered with the two young girls' emotions and directly turned to leave. "Zhou Ping, you stay here and watch. Remember to clean Jiang Yan's body later. Jiang Yao, come out with me this afternoon."

"Yes, Sister Wan!"

Zhou Ping quickly responded while secretly glancing at Jiang Yao beside her.

In a high-end teahouse tea room belonging to Wan Yue's private property, Wan Yue in a soft satin blue-and-white patterned qipao sat quietly in a rosewood chair, holding a tea bowl and sipping delicately.

Behind Wan Yue, Zhao Peng wore his unchanging suit. Jiang Yao, accompanying them for the first time, wore a white long-sleeved shirt with a plain tie, paired with a black suspender tulle skirt and brown small leather shoes. Her light golden hair was pinned back with a snow-white silk scarf, her hands gently clasped in front.

This outfit appeared more mature and dignified but still couldn't hide Jiang Yao's natural youthful charm.

Hyacinth's internal Level Two alert had not been lifted, so Jiang Yao still had a dagger strapped to each side of her thighs under her skirt while accompanying Wan Yue out.

Just watching Wan Yue leisurely drink tea, Jiang Yao had been standing for nearly half an hour. Though this was child's play compared to military posture drills, Jiang Yao was still somewhat impatient, twisting her little head to look around, not knowing whom Wan Yue was waiting for today.

Multiple footsteps sounded in the corridor outside the tea room. Soon, a medium-height bearded man walked in.

Seeing Wan Yue in the guest seat, the man's expression became serious as he bowed slightly. "Sister Wan, I've brought Elder Chu."

After speaking, the bearded man winked at Jiang Yao, then moved aside several steps to make way for the person behind.

Huh? Is that Huang Gu?

Seeing his outfit like a delivery rider's working clothes, Jiang Yao remembered their first meeting and almost laughed out loud.

Sensing movement behind her, Wan Yue frowned and turned her head slightly, scaring Jiang Yao into quickly shutting her mouth and uncomfortably smacking her lips. Zhao Peng beside them remained calm and collected, just nodding lightly at Huang Gu.

A few seconds later, a light cough entered the tea room first, followed by a gray-haired old man in tai chi clothing slowly walking into the tea room with a young woman.

As soon as the coughing stopped, Wan Yue, facing the tea room door, quickly stood up, slightly turning sideways to bow with lowered head and bent knee, performing the etiquette of a junior receiving guests.

Zhao Peng and Huang Gu also deeply bowed their heads and waists, bodies motionless.

The usually domineering and proud Wan Yue actually had such a cautious and proper young lady's day, obviously indicating that the entering person was someone with status and position far higher than the Hyacinth leader.

Seeing everyone so serious, Jiang Yao quickly put her legs together and bowed, secretly observing the door direction with her peripheral vision.

"We haven’t seen each other for over twenty years, little Yue has made considerable progress... hehe, still holding back from advancing? Hurry up, there’s no need to think about unnecessary things. Strive to advance to Viscount within a few years. Then you'd be the second fastest in Hermit Alliance history."

An aged and steady male bass voice emerged from the old man. When passing Wan Yue, he smiled and pointed at her forehead with his hand.

Following the old man into the room a few steps behind was Yao Li, who hadn't left a good impression on Jiang Yao.

Just four days ago at dawn, Yao Li and Wei Jun had attempted an ambush kidnapping, only to have Jiang Yan sever her left arm in one encounter, while the latter was even worse, beaten into a leaky blood gourd by Jiang Yao.

But now it seemed Yao Li's luck wasn't good. Her severed arm hadn't been reattached. Her left arm position was empty as she stood beside the old man with lowered eyes, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Elder... Elder Chu, you've aged..."

The old man Wan Yue called Elder Chu was currently one of the three central elders with the greatest authority in the Hermit Alliance. Though only a Mid-tier Viscount, he was definitely one of the Hermit Alliance's top-tier major figures.

Wan Yue probably hadn't expected that after over twenty years, this elder who had once led her from Blood Servant all the way to Baron would have suddenly aged from a middle-aged appearance of around fifty to someone about to enter the grave.

Not only was his hair gray, but age spots had actually appeared on his face. Wan Yue's mood immediately darkened.

Blood Clan lifespans far exceeded ordinary people. Even the lowest-level Blood Servants theoretically lived seventy to eighty years. Attendants could reach one hundred fifty, Knights two hundred, and Barons and above started at three hundred years.

It was said that legendary Dukes, as long as they didn't have too many old injuries and ailments and reasonably arranged hibernation periods, could expect to live a thousand years.

In Wan Yue's memory, Elder Chu had fought hard against Japanese Blood Clan over eighty years ago, damaging his foundation and leaving hidden ailments, stuck at Mid-tier Viscount ever since. But no matter how calculated, he should live past three hundred years. Currently, at only around two hundred sixty years old, he was already approaching his terminus.

For Blood Clan, if they appeared aged externally, they were truly old. With Elder Chu's current degree of external aging, if he were an ordinary person, he could be considered a super centenarian.

"Time to age indeed. My lifetime has been exciting enough. It's you youngsters who still have long roads ahead!"

The old man slowly sat down without ceremony, extending vine-like hands to pick up the tea bowl. Just upon lifting the lid, his thin face covered with age spots showed a smile. "Not bad, it’s my favorite Renhua Silver Hair tea. Little Yue is thoughtful."

"These years... have you never hibernated..."

Seeing him drink two sips, Wan Yue quickly picked up the long-spouted pot to personally add water for him.

"What hibernation at this point? 'To live long when old is to be a thief.' I slept too much before, only to wake up and find this girl had actually run away! Sleep and sleep. For what? Just to live a few more years?

"Sleeping and sleeping, donkey carts became automobiles. Sleeping and sleeping, shadow plays became television. Another sleep, and phones that hadn't been used long became portable! If I sleep another ten years, I probably won't dare go out on the streets when I wake up..."

The old man was humorous, producing a string of witty remarks that even made Jiang Yao laugh.

Jiang Yao's light laughter was particularly noticeable in the quiet tea room. Elder Chu's eyes flashed with keen light as he slowly put down the tea bowl, fixing his gaze on the girl for over ten seconds, his smile changing to amazement.

"This young lady, you brought her out? She should  be the person Zhuang Jianfei mentioned, mm... indeed exceptionally talented with unlimited future potential. The rare blood type is secondary—she might be another little monster like little Yue..."

Elder Chu resumed his smile, pointing at Jiang Yao, then gave Yao Li beside him a look. She immediately understood, taking out a black small box from her remaining right pocket and placing it on the tea table.

"Little one, us meeting is fate. This old man will give you a box of big golden pills. Remember to hide them well, don’t let little Yue snatch them. She was quite mischievous back then and stole quite a bit of my medicine!"

The old man was humorous and shrewd. This display of courtesy not only flattered Jiang Yao but also somewhat surprised Wan Yue, while Huang Gu kept winking at Jiang Yao.

Big golden pills were one of the Wang Family's exclusive secret medicines, extremely helpful for Blood Clan growth below Baron level—rare items costing over one hundred thousand each and priceless at that.

According to Zhao Peng, one big golden pill equaled two hundred milliliters of rare blood. This box of six was already an extremely generous gift. Even Wan Yue had only given the Jiang sisters one box to break through to Knight level these past months.

"Elder Chu, he's also your grandmaster by seniority. When elders give gifts, one cannot refuse. Accept it."

Wan Yue smiled and nodded lightly.

A whole box of big golden pills! This trip was a huge profit... Jiang Yao was both shocked and delighted, blushing considerably as she quickly stepped forward to receive them, then lowered her head, nervously heart pounding.

"Hehe, the tea's been drunk, gifts given… Now let us discuss serious matters..."

Elder Chu put down his tea bowl, turning to look at the awkwardly embarrassed Yao Li with a light sigh. "This girl Yao is also from my grandnephew's lineage. She was training under Zhuang Jianfei before. Whatever offense occurred, for this old undying one's sake today, let it pass."

As soon as Elder Chu finished speaking, Yao Li quickly stepped forward, deeply bowing to Wan Yue. "Sorry, Sister Wan. I was thoughtless that day and shouldn't have come with Wei Jun to cause trouble... Great-grandfather forbade me from reattaching my severed arm as punishment and atonement."

"Hmph... Zhuang Jianfei didn't greet me before sending two cannon fodder to take my people away. Elder Chu came today just for this matter? What, is that coward Zhuang Jianfei afraid to show his face?"

Entering the serious discussion phase, Wan Yue's aura returned. The junior posture was swept away as she became the Hyacinth leader again. She just elegantly lifted the tea bowl lid with her jade hand, her beautiful eyes alternating between the old man and Yao Li, not accepting the old man's mediation.

"This Zhuang Jianfei is also a child I watched grow up. Talented enough to reach Baron before sixty, which can be counted on one hand in the alliance. You two have been feuding for over twenty years, it’s time to let it go!"

Elder Chu sighed lightly, staring at the tea bowl in his hands, his face showing a trace of sadness. "This Hermit Alliance claims three central elders plus six executive elders, but over the past decades, some left, some died—positions still aren't filled. Originally, after you advanced to Baron and settled a bit, you'd be qualified to fill an elder position, but unfortunately..."

"Hehe, let it go? Zhuang and I can never let it go in this lifetime!"

Seeming to touch a nerve, Wan Yue instantly stood up, slamming the tea table with one hand, eyebrows raised and teeth gritted!

"Little Yue, whether he released Cheng Yueshan back then isn't certain... I heard Cheng Yueshan already died in Europe. By rights, your revenge has been avenged by someone else. You're not a little girl anymore. Why can't you let go of that anger?"

Elder Chu frowned and shook his head repeatedly.

"This is between Zhuang Jianfei and me. I won't trouble Elder Chu to make excuses for him. He sent people to ambush and kidnap my people, wanting to pass it off with a simple apology from subordinates? Even requiring you to personally intervene and speak for him—when did your face become so worthless?"

Wan Yue sneered and turned away, actually taking out cigarettes and a lighter in front of an elder, lighting one with a snap, cold as frost.

"I know Zhuang Jianfei has been smooth sailing these years, making him somewhat domineering. Seeing good prospects, he lost his sense of proportion. The alliance is already looking into this matter. Though you ran off for twenty years, the alliance still considers you family!"

Elder Chu clearly understood Wan Yue's strong personality and naturally wouldn't mind her attitude.

"Haha, considers me family? Do you know why I left the Hermit Alliance?"

Wan Yue suddenly laughed, laughing until her whole body shook, the mockery on her face growing thicker. "I stayed in the Hermit Alliance for forty years, always treating it as my home. Unfortunately, this home gradually became like those old tortoises... no, even worse than those old tortoises. All sorts of demons and monsters kept entering, factions sprouting up one after another, internal fighting over every inch of territory.

"That Cheng Yueshan ate my fiancé to break through to Baron. Not only did Zhuang Jianfei not intervene, he even harbored and released him! That treacherous dog! He knew all along that Cheng Yueshan had previously mixed with Black Blood Clan!"

Speaking of this, Wan Yue suddenly shed tears, sobbing uncontrollably, her whole body trembling as if past nightmares had returned.

Holy crap, am I hearing things I shouldn't... So Sister Wan had such explosive stories before—even her fiancé was eaten by an internal Black Blood Clan traitor! And the killer was deliberately allowed to escape!?

Standing behind Wan Yue with lowered eyes, Jiang Yao suddenly raised her head in shock.

Elder Chu's expression gradually darkened as he sighed lightly. "I was hibernating then and wasn't clear about the rights and wrongs... but with Zhuang Jianfei's strength at the time, he probably couldn't have stopped Cheng Yueshan's defection. The word 'released' seems unfair."

Hearing this, Wan Yue didn't get angry but laughed instead. "Hehe, everyone says this, and you say it too... hehe, that Zhuang Jianfei has been entangled with Southeast Asian Black Blood Clan since thirty years ago. How many of his overseas connections are clean? Are all the alliance elders blind!?"

"Enough, girl!"

Elder Chu's face was now iron-blue, his hand gripping the tea bowl trembling slightly. "Though Zhuang Jianfei joined the alliance midway, he has great merit! The other elders naturally have their own judgment about his affairs! As for you, you've been involved in things you shouldn't have these years. Can your small frame bear it!?"

Speaking thus, Elder Chu's keen gaze enveloped Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao immediately felt wrapped by a tsunami-like terrifying aura, instantly shivering all over like bristling fur, her face involuntarily turning pale.

"Hehe, I'm now the independent Hyacinth. There’s no need for the Hermit Alliance elders to worry. I guess you came this time probably after hearing those old European tortoises' nonsense?

"When have these European and American Orthodox Blood Clan major families ever respected us Chinese Wandering Blood Clan? Nothing happens without profit—running to China to point fingers. I'd be crazy to believe their words!"

Wan Yue smiled while wiping away tears, slowly standing and resuming her habitual proud expression. "Elder Chu, please tell Zhuang Jianfei that as long as I, Wan Yue, live one more day, I won't let this debt go. I don't have time to deal with him now, but if he dares reach out again, I'll destroy him!"

Speaking thus, Wan Yue's blue porcelain tea bowl was heavily smashed to the ground, tea leaves, soup, and porcelain fragments scattering everywhere.

"Huang Gu, properly arrange and serve Elder Chu. All expenses for the elder's lodging and entertainment in C City go on my account!"

After speaking, Wan Yue took a deep breath, turned, and walked toward the tea room exit.

Seeing Jiang Yao still trembling in a daze, Zhao Peng directly grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her out the door.

"Elder Chu, Sister Wan has actually had a hard time these years, even delaying her advancement hibernation..."

After the unsuccessful meeting between the two factions in the tea room, the transparent Huang Gu slowly walked behind the old man.

"Young Huang, sometimes what you see and hear isn't necessarily true... Little Yue isn't simple, and that young lady beside her is even less simple...

"Forget it. I spoiled her proud temperament too. I won't hold it against her. Since you chose to follow little Yue, do well. Don't delay your own growth either. You’re not young anymore."

The old man's cryptic words were mysteriously profound, leaving Huang Gu even more confused.

Elder Chu had never truly gotten angry from beginning to end. He continued drinking the remaining half bowl of tea in one gulp without another word.