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“Are the Blood Vulture Halls really that vast?”

“The Blood Vulture Clan has been nesting here for 400 years, my child. If the vampires didn’t mind being local rats, we could have easily dug out a new Kadman City underground with our claws. The Halls are so vast that you can’t even imagine. There are also some special spaces distorted by concealment spells.

Nowadays, the younger generation of vampires has no idea how many secret rooms are hidden layer upon layer underground.

Ah, and while I’m on the subject again, I used to have my own luxurious private room in the halls too, you know? Just the bedroom was bigger than my ill-fated manor!”

Tris still had that drunken look.

Being rejected by Murphy and not allowed to join him in the dangerous halls had left Tris quite disheartened. A few hours ago, when she received news from beneath the halls, she had already drowned herself in alcohol, continuing her drunken slumber.

It was Miriam who had to drag her out of bed.

After all, with Murphy gone to war, the only one left to keep the camp in order was Tris.

Although Miriam was the camp supervisor, the red-haired girl was sensible enough to maintain her judgment of the truth, which was that her current authority came solely from Murphy’s appointment.

That’s just how the power structure worked in the Transia region.

At least for now.

“Your camp is designed to accommodate 1,000 people. Although you’ve already established a rudimentary order, suddenly taking in twice as many survivors will put an extreme strain on your governance system.

I’m pessimistic about this.”

Next to Miriam, Frayzer, a lieutenant wearing a Goldflower Kingdom military uniform, was fulfilling his duty as the “king’s eyes and ears,” meticulously recording everything he saw and heard during his travels in Kadman City in a notebook.

Facing his assessment, Miriam crossed her arms in dissatisfaction and said:

“That’s precisely the problem we need to face, Lieutenant. No need for you to worry about such matters. Everyone here has enough reasonable hatred towards the Goldflower Kingdom, so I suggest you worry more about your own personal safety.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Miss Miriam.”

Lieutenant Frayzer answered matter-of-factly:

“As you say, that is indeed the problem I need to concern myself with. I believe King Louis will be surprised by everything that has happened here, especially regarding the ‘Knight of Nantes’ Sir Kudel, who has been missing from the Anju region for nearly a hundred and ten years.”

The lieutenant looked at the civilian protection officer Kudel, who was being carried out of the halls on a stretcher by several strong survivors, already put into a slumber by the young lady’s spirit spells.

Those civilians he had protected were afraid Kudel would be burned by the sunlight, so they had thoughtfully rigged up a simple canopy over the stretcher.

“You know him?”

Miriam looked curiously at Lieutenant Frayzer, who did not hesitate to explain:

“My family has lived in the Anju region for generations. When I was a child, my favorite folktale was about the ‘Nantes Ranger’ Kudel.

He was active nearly two hundred years ago, born a commoner but exceptionally gifted. He was a famous prodigy knight in the Anju region. Even in his youth, he participated in the Avalon Church’s expulsion of vampires and performed many remarkable feats in the ‘Second Night War,’ which mainly took place in the Saxony region. He also took part in the Church’s devastating attack on the Blood Dread Clan.

It was Sir Kudel and countless acolyte warriors’ relentless efforts that drove the vampires plaguing Saxony and the Ice Bay region down to the southern Misty Coast.

To this day, a fourteen-line poem about Sir Kudel the knight is still passed down in the Saxony province.

He was a true folk hero. Apparently, he once had the opportunity to receive a peerage, but unfortunately, during the Fourth Black Calamity that erupted in the year 1000, he went missing while leading a squad of ranger knights against the Gnolls in the Dark Mountains.

Some say he died in battle.

Others say he simply grew weary of conflict and chose to live in obscurity, but no one could have imagined that this legendary figure, who had spent his life fighting vampires, would end up in such a predicament. Fate has truly been cruel to him.”

“Don’t make it sound like we’re the evildoers here.”

Tris, riding her horse, pursed her lips. She snorted and added:

“Lieutenant, you seem to have forgotten that every time a Black Calamity occurred, Transia was on the front lines against the Gnoll warlords, and the Fourth Black Calamity, which lasted a full ten years, turned half the continent into scorched earth.

It was precisely because the vampires you despise, the Blood Vulture Clan, fought to the death on this land that those frenzied Gnolls were unable to charge into your prosperous homeland.

The Anju region isn’t that far from here.

And the knight Kudel you mentioned also fought side by side with us during the Fourth Black Calamity. Well, I was already a wreck by then, so I don’t know how he became one of the Blood Vulture Clan.

But I guess in those circumstances, even Salrokdar couldn’t have turned a renowned human knight into one of us without drawing the attention of the heroes from multiple races.

So the truth is probably that Kudel was ‘saved’ by us when he was on the verge of death.”

“You turned a human hero into a vampire, depriving him of the ability to return to his homeland or even bask in the sun’s warmth, and you shamelessly call that ‘saving’ him?”

Lieutenant Frayzer was enraged, and the brave soldier shouted loudly:

“How shameless of you to speak in such a way! You twisted witch!”

“Tsk, this is how us vampires operate. If you’re not happy about it, you can go challenge Salrokdar to a knight’s duel in the halls right now. The fact is that a human legend who should have faded away a hundred years ago is still alive today, and whether you want to admit it or not, you should be thanking us that you get to see your childhood hero in person today.”

Tris did not even look at this “little brat.”

She raised her hand above her eyes, gazing at the halls entrance that was still sending out survivors, and yawned before saying to Miriam:

“I’ll leave this to you, little Miriam. I need to go get some sleep. Wake me up when little Murphy returns.”

With that, she patted the neck of her warhorse and used a bit of “witchcraft” to make the warhorse obediently turn around and carry her back to the survivors’ camp, with her devoted lunatic vampire guard, Bonnie, guarding her “mistress” closely.

And Tris wasn’t just slacking off when she said she was going back to the camp for a good sleep.

She really did sleep through until the evening, only waking up in a daze around midnight. She casually grabbed the bottle by her bed and took a swig of “hangover soup.”

This lifestyle was the proper way for a vampire. As night fell, Tris became energized. She stretched her lazy limbs, got up to change into a long dress, and planned to take a stroll around the camp under the cover of night.

After all, little Murphy had entrusted the camp to her care. Although she had been a waste for over a hundred years, she still didn’t want to disappoint little Murphy.

Under the escort of her devoted lunatic vampire guard, Bonnie, Tris left her tent.

She looked at the chaotic yet orderly situation in the camp and nodded in satisfaction. It seemed the integration of the two groups of survivors was going smoothly, and the cries and laughter of reunited families were quite thought-provoking.

“Bonnie, do you have any family?”

Tris asked casually.

Behind her, the mentally unstable Bonnie tilted her head in thought, then nodded and said hoarsely:

“Three mistresses.”

“Uh…”

Tris twitched the corner of her mouth and couldn’t help but ask:

“Don’t you mean three lovers? That’s quite a rich love life.”

“No!”

The lunatic Bonnie shook her head stubbornly and seriously held up her fingers to trace the curves of a female body, saying:

“Mistresses.”

“Oh my!”

Lady Tris paled in an instant.

She suddenly realized that her decision to take Bonnie in as a guard might have been a bit risky. Alas, little Murphy was right, she really needed to break this habit of picking up random things.

“From now on, keep your distance when I’m bathing or changing clothes.”

Tris said uncomfortably. Bonnie nodded and pulled up her mask, lost in thought.

However, just as the two were approaching the edge of the camp, Tris and Bonnie almost simultaneously looked up at the night sky outside the camp, sensing a peculiar aura approaching through the darkness. Three sturdy warhorses clad in crimson battle armor emerged from the night, carrying their heavily armored knights at a speed nearly grazing the ground as they closed in.

“Scout knights from the Blood Pact Clan?”

Tris narrowed her eyes. They were a day and a half later than expected, but little Murphy hadn’t finished things on his end yet. She needed to stall them!

“Blood kin ahead, identify yourselves!”

Tris raised her hand and cast a dense spirit spell like a net to block the warhorses’ path.

The three knights, clearly skilled riders, instantly completed their deceleration maneuvers. Amid the neighing of their tank-like sturdy warhorses rearing on their hind legs, they responded:

“Three scouts from the Blood Pact Knight Order! And you are?”

“Tris, the former elder of the Blood Vulture Clan!”

Tris answered briefly. The other side immediately exclaimed:

“Lady Tris? But weren’t you dead for over a hundred years? Our lord lays roses at your mausoleum every year on the day he met you.”

“Ah?”

Tris’s eyes widened, quickly recalling some uncomfortable memories before asking in a somber tone:

“Who is the knight lord you serve under?”

“The First Lord, Palanno Gaerci Cappadocia!”

The scout responded with pride:

“Nicknamed ‘The Blade of Dignity.’ Lady Tris, the lord is currently bantering with the commander of the Winter Wolf Legion at Fort Crimea. He will arrive in Kadman City in two days and will undoubtedly be delighted to see you.

After all, he has emphasized many times that you are the muse in his heart.”

“So it really is that madman! But what about the original First Lord, my good sister Lily Hugo Bartoli? Why has her former deputy become the knight lord? And please, there are already enough lunatic vampires in Kadman City.

I beg him not to come.”

“Um, Lord Lily unfortunately perished in the last Black Calamity. After that, Sir Palanno was appointed by Lord Payne to take over her banner and troops.”

The scout knight reported:

“I must also defend my lord a bit. Although he may seem like a philanderer, he is actually a pure-hearted man…”

“I know that madman better than you do! If it’s Palanno coming, then I’d rather request support from old Edward and his wolf pups! This is unbelievable!”

Tris was aghast once again, and then scolded angrily:

“That out-of-tune lord of yours hooks up with dozens of women each year. Being viewed as a goddess by that indiscriminate scoundrel is simply lowering my standards. Can I request Lord Payne to send a different knight lord to assist?

The Second Lord or the Third Lord would do, even though they have their own issues. But at least during the Third Black Calamity, I addressed those two little sisters as such.”

“Um, I’m afraid that might not work.”

The scout knight from the Blood Pact Knight Order dismounted and quickly approached Tris, performing a standard knight’s bow before saying:

“We’ve come here not only in response to Lady Femis’s invitation, Lady Tris, but also to issue a warning. The Fifth Black Calamity is coming!”

“A Black Calamity? At this time? Are you joking? No! Is the world playing a joke on us? What have the Blood Vulture Clan done to deserve such calamitous treatment?”

“Tris? Are you there?”

Just as Tris was rendered speechless by the bad news from the Blood Pact knights, the computation bead tied to her wrist suddenly vibrated. She stepped back angrily and held the thing to her ear.

Murphy’s voice came through, tinged with weakness and resignation:

“I really didn’t want to drag you into this, but we’ve just discovered a sub-dimension rift opening at the very bottom of the Blood Vulture Halls.”

“A sub-dimension rift? At this time? Here? Oh Night Mother, no wonder we’re in such a terrible situation, it’s all our own doing! Tsk, I must have had too much to drink and am hallucinating. How could I be this unlucky?

Or perhaps I haven’t had enough to drink.”

Tris sighed and brushed the hair from her forehead.

She took a deep breath, sensing Murphy’s weakness and worry in his words, and said softly:

“Hold on! I’m coming right away! Don’t worry, little Murphy, Tris is here.”

“Mmm.”

Murphy made a nasal sound before cutting off communication. Tris exhaled and tied her loose hair into a simple, practical braid at the back of her head.

This was the classic hairstyle of the “Crimson Witch” back in the day. She then turned to look at the three fully armed Blood Pact knights behind her.

She snapped her fingers and said:

“Immediately send word to that dog Palanno. I don’t care who he’s bantering with, he has three hours to get to the Kadman City ruins!”

“Um, madam.”

The scout knight replied calmly:

“As an ancient one, you should understand the impact a Black Calamity has on the situation across the continent. According to the Blood Pact Knight Order’s duties and knight’s covenant, the First Lord must personally relay our discoveries in the Dark Mountains to the commanders of various forces.

In the face of such a major event, the internal affairs of the Blood Vulture Clan should be postponed.”

“I’m not requesting this, soldier!”

Tris said coldly:

“I understand the knight’s covenant better than you do. I was present when Lord Payne revised it for the third time, and the three new clauses added in that revision were all my suggestions!

What I’m talking about now is not the Black Calamity that may destroy the continent months from now, but rather a sub-dimension rift that has opened beneath the ruins of Kadman City!

My blood kin has just discovered its existence.

And it’s highly likely that it had already anchored itself in the physical world ten days ago. With my shallow understanding of astral spirit energy, the time until it fully opens is estimated to be no more than three days.

So I’m ordering you to immediately report this matter to Palanno and Lord Payne!

Remember!

You have only 3 hours. If the First Lord cannot make it, then we will handle this problem ourselves and bear all the consequences.

Ourselves alone!”

After speaking, Tris wrapped her braided hair around her neck and let it hang over her chest. She slightly bowed to the dumbfounded scout knight, then turned and summoned her three-eyed raven familiar, Weber. Amid its ominous cawing, she strode off with Bonnie.

The scout knight watched Tris disappear, then suddenly snapped back to his senses.

He immediately took out the knight order’s rune from his pocket and crushed it. In the next instant, the Blood Pact Knight Order’s spirit smoke signal shot into the sky and exploded at the edge of the night.

Sub-dimension rift.

He hadn’t heard that term in a long time, as distant as some experiences from a previous life. After all, the last time one of these appeared, the direct result was the overnight disappearance of 300,000 people and the extinction of an entire vampire clan.

Indeed!

Lady Tris was right, this thing was far more dangerous than the Black Calamity currently brewing and set to hit the continent in a few months.