Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 731 Living Dead

In the intricate alleyways of the new suburbs, a group of people hurried along, finally finding their priceless target thanks to the tracking skills of a wilderness hunter.

Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.

laugh!
Amidst the flashing blades, King Losang II pulled his sword from the body of a wide-eyed enemy, and ducked to avoid a silver dart thrown from behind.

"Reinforcements! Call for reinforcements!"

"Push it up!"

"He's amazing..."

"Don't let him get away! This guy is worth five gold coins!"

"Does he know how to position himself? Surround him!"

"He's gone through! Watch out behind him!"

"Don't fall asleep, bro—oh no, this is his superpower..."

Losang II's sword seemed to have a life of its own, dancing and leaping with his body, weaving back and forth between high walls and narrow alleys, each strike maximizing its effect and leaving his opponents scrambling.

His steps were orderly, and whenever he was attacked from both sides, he would strike the drumbeat, shift his position, and escort him out of the encirclement to start the next one-on-one duel.

"I've seen you, I'm absolutely certain I've seen you! But aren't you dead?!"

"Run! That's Losang! Losang from the Blood Vial Gang!"

"So what? What's so great about having a name? Our leader is the 'alpha wolf' Phyllis's' right-hand man... and he's got looks! Who cares who he is, we'll still go for it!"

"Yes, I took his head! Even Prince Theas couldn't stop him! I mean—ahhh!"

"Holy crap! He's smitten with Ah Da!"

"The legend of the Blood Bottle Gang is true; he has been resurrected!"

"Impossible! The Black Sword killed him!"

resurrection?

King Lausanne II sneered inwardly.

Compared to Robert, he was far less fortunate.

Back then, when he woke up from that nightmare...

He only felt thirsty.

An intense thirst.

Even if he lay in the water tank and drank water all night, he still couldn't quench his thirst.

Until the kind little girl who took him in to recover from his injuries was cut on her hand by a straw.

Then the monster woke up.

Thinking of this, the frustrated and tormented King Losang II's sword trembled, and the enemy, who should have been dealt with decisively, groaned and suffered for a few more seconds.

But his opponents were too incompetent to exploit such a weakness.

If it were Joaquin or Bruno in the past, he would have suffered.

"How many times do I have to say it? Garlic is useless! Reciting the sunset mantra is useless too!"

"Is beheading useful?"

"Isn't he a vampire? Why aren't these blood vials working?"

"Since it's called a Blood Bottle... does that mean only Blood Bottles from the Blood Bottle Gang are effective?"

"Phantom Blade lied to us!"

Ignoring the five or six mercenaries or bounty hunters looming around him, King Lausanne II instinctively turned and drew his sword, taking another life amidst screams.

Blood vials are certainly useful.

The blade tore open the wound, and blood splattered. He subtly shifted his position to avoid getting the blood on him.

God knows how much pressure he had to endure every time he swung his sword, in order to fight against the monsters inside him.

【Blood.】

No, shut up.

He repeated it over and over again, emphasizing it repeatedly, until they were forced back into a corner.

That day, the little girl who took him in died.

And her parents, who rushed to the barn after hearing the noise.

He was killed by a monster.

King Lausanne II was momentarily dazed.

And he, only after he regained consciousness did he realize...

He had already lost everything.

All that's left is this body.

This cursed, hateful, disgusting body.

The two enemies in front of King Lausanne II, who had been menacing, suddenly became listless and collapsed in a daze.

The third person gritted his teeth, stabbed himself hard in the thigh, and shook his head in pain.

But in those few seconds, Losang II pressed forward like a ghost, his sword flashing.

laugh!
The victim was terrified when he realized his throat had been slit. He pressed his hand against the gushing blood from his neck, cried out, and turned to run away.

"Ahhhh!"

Blood! Blood!

[Shut up. You're not hungry, you're already full.] Losang II scolded inwardly.

Not enough... Fighting... More... Blood...

【roll. 】

Looking at his other opponents, whose eyes were filled with fear, King Lausanne II, carrying his blood-dripping sword, stepped forward.

"Didn't we agree to ambush and kill a washed-up old assassin?"

"You're telling me this is called 'outdated'?"

"That's called an assassin!"

With a complete transformation from his organs and musculoskeletal system to his mind and spirit, he was no longer himself.

There is nothing left in this body...

It belongs to him now.

Even the most loyal and reliable power of ending, which he thought would accompany him throughout his life, has left him without a trace.

He could no longer use the sword techniques he was once familiar with.

All that remained were overly sensitive senses, a body as withered as rotten wood, a vision so dim that night was like day, and... a thirst for blood.

Of course, there's also the fear of the sun.

"I swear! They told me it was just a mentally unstable vampire!"

"Open your eyes and see if this is 'dementia'?"

"That's called a vampire!"

He tried it.

Really.

He tried, he tried to resist, countless times, countless times!
But he can't.

Just like facing one's past fate.

He had no way to resist.

He was powerless to resist.

How did he resist?

"The information I received says it's a half-crippled, near-death extreme!"

"You call this 'half-crippled'?"

"This is called the extreme!"

He was no longer the spirited knight squire, nor the ambitious and talented swordsman, nor even the cruel and callous killer with the same name as the infamous "Bad Blood" Losang.

He was just a...beast clinging to life.

A wild beast.

Lausanne II regained his balance and caught his breath for a second.

why?
Why are things like this?

Is it because he is too weak?

Is it because he is too weak to defeat the bloodthirsty monster inside him?
Was it because he was too weak to block the stunning sword strike from the black sword in the heavy rain?

Was it because he was too weak, unable to accept a life of despair and misery, and listened to the misleading words of old Turnbull?
Was it because he was too weak to uphold his beliefs and commit suicide in prison, so that his teacher wouldn't have to cut off his own hand to save him?
Or was it because he was too weak to protect the flawless Crown Prince Midir from those complex and unpredictable ambitious individuals?
Or was it because he was too weak and failed to kill Horace Star in the final battle, as arranged by the other group, and end the struggle for the throne?

Or was it because he was too weak, unable to resist his vanity during the selection process, ignoring Aknet's well-fitting and imposing knightly armor, and quietly taking his seat in the audience?

Could it be that he was too weak to see through the wickedness of fate when he was a child in the fields, and simply rejected the hand that the great knight Joaquin reached out to him with hope and expectation?
Just then, Losang II's left hand trembled—he had been struck by an arrow.

Silver crossbow bolts.

The familiar, excruciating pain returned.

The left side of his body began to feel numb.

Oops.

After repelling an attack, King Lausanne II discovered that the surrounding enemies had all turned into red, humanoid targets, pulsating with life.

Abundant blood and energy.

Not good.

He swallowed instinctively.

【Blood.】

No.

As the monster inside him lost blood, it began to stir and struggle to break free.

Losang II's vision went black, and he seemed to return to that barn from long ago, where he saw the little girl lying in the grains, her blood staining the food red.

Do not……

Just now.

Remember, squire! A knight is more than just a title...

Joaquin's voice suddenly came, which cheered him up.

Ever since the incident in the sewer, the teacher's words have been echoing in my ears.

Extremely annoying.

[...is a path of spiritual transcendence worth dedicating your entire life to understanding and practicing!]

The next second, King Lausanne II suddenly opened his eyes.

Sublimation my ass.

Swish!
His sword swiftly slashed back, ripping away the silver arrow from his left arm, along with a large chunk of smoking flesh!
The wound on my arm healed quickly.

His pain remained, but the numbness gradually disappeared.

Why must we cling to this outdated and conservative chivalric code, this creed that has long been scorned?

Because you are just an old-fashioned person who dares not face reality, who fails and escapes all day long, who deceives himself, and even tirelessly instills this set of fallacies into his students and servants!
Handro Joaquin!
Unprovoked, nameless rage overcame his pain and thirst, and Losang II's swordsmanship suddenly changed!
"His sword speed is too fast!"

The enemies' words grew increasingly terrified:

"No, the sword isn't fast, it's just that the force is too strong!"

"It's clearly a sword move, but it's tricky and unpredictable..."

Be careful, what if you no longer believe in these tenets...

Because they are inherently absurd and ridiculous, and no one should believe them.

As Joaquin whispered in his ear, Lausanne II calmly swung his sword.

He was ruthless and resolute; the monster within him could no longer affect him.

"Is that guy using a knife? It swings it in an arc!"

"Why are there different versions of his story? What is his actual skill level?"

"There must be something strange about his sword! It's probably some kind of ancient divine weapon or sword from an ancient empire with magical powers! We need to find a way to disarm him!"

The next second, Losang II delivered a skillful thrust, sending his opponent, who was frantically swinging his chain to disarm him, to the River of Hell.

When that moment arrives, only you, only your heart, will know whether you truly deserve the name of a knight.

But that moment has already passed, Joaquin.

Lausanne II thought coldly.

And I know.

It is the name of a knight...

You're not good enough for me.

"No, no, no, I recognize this person! It's him! It's him!"

"It's Lausanne!"

"The legend of the Blood Bottle Gang is true! He's back!"

Lausanne II struck again, piercing the heart of the last enemy and eliminating yet another opponent.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his burgeoning thirst, and saw with satisfaction:
The opponents' morale collapsed, and they scattered in all directions.

The ruthless killing solved many problems, and many bounty hunters who rushed over after hearing the news began to hesitate and retreat when they saw the corpses and wounded all over the ground.

King Lausanne II sheathed his sword, turned around, and stepped out of the alley.

How much further until we reach that abandoned watchtower in the distance?
Yes, that watchtower.

He is going there.

There.

He thought so.

It seems that as long as you treat that place as the end, you can stop thinking about what happens after the end or before the beginning.

That's all he could think.

But after walking a short distance, footsteps sounded behind them—someone else had caught up.

more than one.

King Lausanne II smiled and touched the hilt of his sword again.

----

Thales stood alone on the watchtower, fiddling with the telescope in his hand.

"Okay, he's gone."

Thales suddenly spoke.

"As you said, you couldn't wait to curry favor with me," Thales said to Haoyue without turning his head, his tone rather strange. "Now, what do you have to say?"

A gentle breeze blew, and the watchtower remained silent.

Thales frowned.

Finally, just as the prince was growing impatient, another voice rang out softly:
"Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Thales turned around.

Count Le Corleone, the regent of the Night Kingdom, appeared silently, stood before him, and bowed respectfully.

"This mission has troubled Your Highness so much, which is neither my wish nor Her Majesty Cortlina's wish."

Thales stared at him for a long time.

But Li's expression remained unchanged, as calm as a still well.

Thales snorted.

"I understand, of course I understand, how could I not understand?"

What else can we do but forgive?
Pull out your fangs?

The prince looked up at the night sky, annoyed. "I bet you're going to say that my dad forced me to do this, right?"

Speaking of this, I know it all too well.

Li gave a highly unsettling, mechanical smile, neither admitting nor denying it:
"It's wonderful that Your Highness understands..."

"Okay, okay, okay..."

Thales didn't want to get bogged down in formalities anymore and got straight to the point:
"Tell me, what exactly is your relationship with that King Lausanne II? How did he get involved with Federico? What are his motives—"

Thales paused, realizing that from that moment on, Li was completely frozen in place, not moving an inch.

He seemed lost in thought.

No matter what Thales said, he didn't react.

isn't it?
So you're just pretending to be dead?

Thales took a deep breath:

"Okay, well, thanks for the tip earlier, otherwise I would have fallen for Yannick's trick. I'll remember your kindness..."

But Li remained motionless.

Even better than stone carving.

Thales had to patiently explain:

"Please, he's already gone. Your Night Kingdom has already shown off its power and gained face..."

Give me something substantial!

Li remained completely unresponsive.

"What's wrong? Asleep? In a meditative state? Hehe! Hehe!"

Thales couldn't help but reach out and wave in front of him.

"Hey, hey... It's dawn... The sun's out... Serena's here... Lanley's resurrected... Cortrina's downfall..."

The next moment, Li suddenly looked up!
This startled Thales.

“Very good, now we can confirm that the fourth-generation junior has left the maximum range of eavesdropping,” Li said calmly.

Thales was stunned for a moment, then became furious when he realized what was happening.

"Just for this? You, could you—"

But Li seemed to know the right time to speak, and he spoke before the prince was enraged.

"As far as I know, King Losang II obtained at least one piece of Source Blood during his lifetime, consumed it himself, and successfully reincarnated—do you know what Source Blood is?"

Thales paused.

Source blood.

"Of course, who doesn't know about the Source Blood?" Thales said casually.

"That's why, in the Kingdom of Night, King Losang II had no elders or relatives, no mentors or discipline; he was a born outcast," Li said solemnly.

A natural loner.

Is he a cursed lone star?
Thales sighed.

"Alright, that was from outside the Night Kingdom. Which old guy gave him the source blood? And on whose orders? Was there any favor or connection involved—"

"It wasn't given to me by a vampire."

Thales was taken aback:
"what?"

Li shook his head and explained slowly, "Normally, source blood can only be condensed by powerful vampires, and it will evaporate and become ineffective within a short period of time..."

His gaze turned cold:
"However, the blood that King Losang II consumed was the only type that could be separated from a vampire's body, preserved in a container for a long time, and retain its efficacy as a solid source of blood."

"Solid source blood?"

Thales realized:
"That means Yannick was wrong; there are still people in the world who can access the source blood that has been lost overseas..."

"However, solid source blood is something that the vampires themselves cannot or dare to create."

Li interrupted him; the count was serious and cold at that moment, causing Thales to cross his arms.

"Instead, it was the alchemists of the old alchemy towers who, through cruel and special methods and expensive tools, sacrificed the lives of one or even multiple vampires..."

Thales opened his eyes wide.

Li spoke calmly, but closed her eyes:

"...forcibly extracted from the living, bloody bodies of my people."

what?
Refining at the cost of lives...

Wait, he just said...

"You mean, a mage?" Thales asked in surprise.

Li nodded, a sense of melancholy in his eyes:

"Like eternal oil extracted and processed from eternal whales."

“Mage, refine, life, solid source blood…” Thales murmured for several seconds.

He realized:
"But why would the mages of the Alchemy Tower do that back then? Capture a vampire and then... study it? Or was it simply out of hatred?"

"It's about interests."

Li said softly.

"The reason why the original blood is so precious is that it can preserve the essence and vitality of life. When used on ordinary people, it can cure terminal diseases, bring the dead back to life, heal flesh and bones, and even prolong youth and lifespan."

Cures terminal illnesses, brings the dead back to life, heals flesh and bones, prolongs life, and grants eternal youth...

Thales pondered the meaning of these words, growing increasingly shocked.

Li closed his eyes and sighed.

“In the Imperial Age, even after the End War, and before the signing of the Convention of Human Nations and Long-lived Species, for various reasons, many people—often important figures, including kings and generals—were willing to pay high prices for the source blood to hunt down our race,” he said with a sorrowful expression. “Therefore, the fate of many vampires was not perfect.”

Thales remained silent for a long time.

Li opened his eyes:

"But in short, Losang II was not a direct descendant created by us—his transformation from solid source blood into a vampire represents the tragedy of his other kin."

He looked at Thales:

"When the Emerald City was thrown into chaos, he fled to the Eastern Continent with Federico. By the time he found us by instinct, he was already a vampire."

Thales's brow twitched:
"You mean, he's the one who helped Federico escape?"

"of course."

of course.

Thales snorted inwardly.

Of course you would say that.

In short, it has nothing to do with Corleone. You were just approached and, feeling sorry for them, were forced to protect them.

"In the end, isn't this all your doing?" the prince said unhappily.

Li remained silent.

"So he really is, as Yannick said, an outcast without any elders?"

“Worse than that.” Li’s words once again drew Thales’ attention.

The vampire with a Far Eastern appearance watched the battle below the watchtower from afar:

"When he first took the source blood, his intention was to save himself and survive the arduous battle. However, he died unexpectedly in a short period of time, which triggered the source blood to take effect and begin to transform."

“So, his transformation was an accident,” Thales caught up, frowning. “Lossan II… wasn’t even prepared to become a vampire?”

“Exactly,” Li nodded. “So, he is not just an outcast, but also a rejecter.”

"The rejecter?"

Li looked at Thales:

"As you may know, there are very few examples in history of extreme masters transforming into vampires."

Thales nodded, recalling what Yannick had said.

"Yes."

"Therefore, when we saw examples like Lausanne II back then, we were quite surprised and excited."

Li's tone grew increasingly serious:

"But we soon discovered that the rarity of precedents was not without reason. As a master of the highest level, Losang II's identity and experiences before his reincarnation became his biggest obstacle."

"What obstacle?"

"He doesn't want to become a vampire."

"Don't want to?"

Li nodded.

"Although we had high hopes for him, Losang II was stubborn and refused to let go of the past, refused to acknowledge the facts, disdained to associate with us, despised the identity of vampires, and rejected our way of life. He insisted on finding his human feelings again and practiced swordsmanship every day without stopping, almost to the point of madness."

"No matter how many times we tried to persuade him to be reborn and let go of the past, to tell him that the power of ending had long since left him, or to tell him that even if he swung his sword ten thousand times, he would not be the same as before, he refused to believe it, refused to accept help or guidance, and regarded eating blood as a disgrace."

"As expected, he was captivated by his ever-growing thirst for blood, and his mental state gradually deteriorated. We had no choice but to use the Dark Night Coffin to calm his mind and quell his bloodline turmoil."

"He still refused to accept you in the end?" Thales pressed.

Li shook his head:

"He refuses to accept himself."

"Then what do you do?"

At this point, Li couldn't help but sigh:

Ultimately, we have to conclude with heartache: as stubborn and as lost as he is, he will never be a part of us, nor will he be willing to be used by us.

A heartbreaking conclusion?

Thales's brow twitched:
"You wouldn't be going to—"

"Yes."

Li nodded without question:

"For vampires, a rejecter with extreme combat awareness, a sensitive identity, and who is uncontrollable, and who is transformed from a terrifying solid source blood, is a great risk."

The count's eyes were brimming with murderous intent:
"He must be executed."

Execution.

Thales looked at the other person's appearance, then at the encirclement below the tower, and sighed:

"Let me guess, something went wrong with the execution?"

Li nodded expressionlessly.

"Although his strength is no longer what it used to be, Losang II was not willing to give up his life. Although he no longer had the power to finish off his enemies, he practiced swordsmanship day and night and gradually figured out a way to exert force that was suitable for the vampire's body. He regained all of his superb swordsmanship and even made further improvements by taking advantage of the body's advantages."

Thales sighed:
"There was a mishap when they were executing the lab rats, because the experiment made the rats even stronger—why am I not surprised at all?"

Li couldn't understand what he was saying, but continued:
"If that were the case, it would be fine, but unexpectedly, he went mad during the life-or-death battle and awakened an extremely rare psychic ability, catching us off guard and resulting in the complete annihilation of the execution team."

completely annihilated……

Thales said solemnly:

"The whispers of evil spirits?"

Li's eyes dimmed.

"This is the name Chris gave it. In short, things were far beyond what we imagined. It took us many generations to patch the loopholes, re-lock down the crazed and out-of-control Lord Lausanne II, and separate him from the black coffin. In that battle, the major families, including us, suffered heavy casualties. Many of our older members of the Extreme Clan even had to go into a deep sleep to heal their wounds and have not yet awakened."

"So exaggerated?"

"With the amplification from the black coffin, his bizarre superpowers could only become more exaggerated."

Li raised his head and looked directly at Thales:
"Unfortunately, that also weakened the defenses of the Blood Prison, giving the unpardonable criminals inside an opportunity to take advantage."

The Blood Prison...

"A repeat offender..."

Thales muttered these words, then his expression suddenly changed drastically!
Could it be that--

"Yes."

Li's voice was steady, but his eyes were cloudy.

"Shortly after that, Serena Corleone, a notorious criminal with a history of heinous crimes, escaped from the poorly guarded Blood Prison with Chris's help and stole the Dark Night Coffin."

"Led by Her Majesty Cortina, our family crossed the sea to pursue the black coffin, eventually reaching the birch forest in the northern border of your country. We paid an even heavier price before finally managing to retrieve it."

Li looked at the dumbfounded Thales with a humble attitude:

"Of course, Your Highness is probably more familiar with this part than I am."

clear.

Of course I know. But how could I not know!
It took Thales a very long time to process this chain of events.

King Lausanne II was not only the culprit behind the Jade City disaster.

Even many years ago, were they the ones who started the Thales Birch Forest's misfortune?
Okay.

We made it!

He blinked incredulously.

"Holy crap!" Thales snapped back to reality, jolted, and even forgot about politeness, "Then why are you keeping this blood feud, this troublemaker, alive? For the New Year? Hurry up and get Losang—"

Thales' words came to an abrupt end.

and many more.

He looked at Li's vacant eyes and suddenly understood.

“You are afraid of him.”

Thales murmured, recalling his encounter with King Lausanne II.

"Faced with the most unique and strangest vampire individual in thousands of years—no, he can't even be considered a vampire," he frowned, "you fear him, and you're even less confident in killing him?"

Li lowered his head, avoiding his question:
“The last reckless execution caused such a disaster, we suffered heavy losses, and the major families are full of resentment towards Corleone.”

Although it wasn't exactly a popular movement to begin with.

"For the sake of the security of our neighboring country, we reached a compromise with King Lausanne II through the mediation of young master Federico—the process was really nothing to write home about."

Thales took a deep breath.

The secrets surrounding King Lausanne II have been thoroughly investigated.

So we end up back at the original question:

"Great, so how do we solve this now?"

Thales said with a headache:

"Is there no one in the world, under heaven, who can control this—?"

Li interrupted him again at the opportune moment:
"Because of the terrifying power he displayed, we specifically investigated the source blood that King Losang II had ingested."

His eyes were blazing:
"And the source was eventually confirmed."

Thales' eyes lit up:
"Very good, at least that gives us some clues—whose bloodline is it? Which vampire clan?"

Li did not speak.

Thales had a bad feeling:

"Could it be—Nightwing King Langley?"

Li sighed softly:
"higher."

Thales was stunned.

"higher?"

Etc., etc……

In this world, from childhood to adulthood, in everyone's perception, is there any vampire who is higher or more powerful than the Nightwing King?
Under the moonlight, Li Linran spoke:
"What he consumed, and what ultimately transformed him, was the original blood of Prince Philip Corleone, the first immortal being in the world and the progenitor of the vampires."

Phil...

Who?
What's number one?
What ancestor?
"We speculate that the reason why Lausanne II was able to successfully reincarnate as an Extreme Being, and why such unexpected changes occurred after his reincarnation, is because of this—Prince Philip lived in the Imperial Era, and their method of condensing source blood was more primitive and crude, unlike the modern vampires who have absorbed countless experiences and are as skilled and disciplined as they are today."

Faced with Thales's bewildered, confused, and incredulous expression, Li remained calm:
"But to put it bluntly, the current King Lausanne II, like me, Her Majesty Cortrina, and many other heads of families, is a second-generation vampire."

"To be precise, since the rule of the first generation of elders ended completely after the 'Night of Indomitable,' Lord Losang II is the current vampire whose bloodline is closest to that of the progenitor, apart from His Majesty Lanley."

"If we follow the traditions and laws of the vampires, apart from the long-deceased Prince Philip, no vampire in this world—including His Majesty Lanley—has the right to use blood ties and seniority to command, restrain, or reprimand him as a relative or elder."

"Let alone ending him."

The abandoned watchtower remained quiet for a very long time.

"I don't understand."

Thales snapped out of his daze and hurriedly asked:
"Lossan II was just a mere gangster assassin before. How did he obtain the priceless, even primordial blood of the vampire progenitor? What's behind him—"

“He refused to speak and refused to cooperate—this was the trigger that initially led the clan leaders to want to execute him,” Li said coldly.

Thales frowned.

“However, this matter is of great importance, and we have been investigating this source blood relentlessly,” Li continued. “We do not know where it was obtained or how it was refined.”

"But how it ended up in the hands of the world, we have uncovered some clues, and we are about to discuss them with Your Highness."

Thales swallowed hard. "What clue?"

Li scrutinized him closely.

"Decades ago, a powerful figure who held sway over the Western Continent was seriously injured and nearly died," the vampire said very slowly, observing very carefully, "searching high and low for elixirs and miraculous cures."

Miracle cures...

Thales frowned.

By the way, the source blood can... revive the dead and heal the wounded?

Li continued:

"We have reason to believe that the mysterious and terrifying solid source blood, after going through many power struggles and changing hands many times, finally ended up in the Holy Tree Kingdom."

what?
Thales' eyes flickered.

"Then the Holy Elves will hand it over to their most powerful ally in the human world."

The most powerful...human ally of the Holy Tree Kingdom?
Thales was stunned.

"That's right, Your Highness."

Li bowed again:
"That precious solid source blood that originally belonged to Prince Philip, capable of reviving the dead and healing flesh and bones..."

He said coldly:

"It was originally prepared for your country's Crown Prince, Midil Canxing."

----

"They actually dared to chase after them..."

King Lausanne II stopped and turned around:
"Who are you?"

Surprisingly, King Lausanne II did not see any well-dressed or professionally equipped elite troops.

Instead, a ragtag team, seemingly cobbled together from various sources, was formed.

Like a group of defeated and remnant soldiers.

"I'm not important." In the pursuing group, a swordsman in worn leather armor gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

King Lausanne II raised his gaze.

“But, Tate Bischoff, remember? He was my friend, a very, very good… friend,” the swordsman stared at him intently, “until you impersonated him, barged into the Elephant, and made him the laughingstock of the entire Emerald City.”

That's it?

King Lausanne II shook his head dismissively.

A friend's reputation.

Is this really worth dying for?

“He was originally a commoner. With such a reputation and past, Tate, he can never be a knight again,” the swordsman said, barely suppressing his grief and indignation. “You have taken away his knightly ideals.”

King Lausanne II remained silent.

A knight, is that it?

That's all for Tate's own good.

The assassin's gaze was chilling:
If his ideals were so cheap.

And it's childish.

"Hey, assassin!"

On the other side, a muscular man stepped forward, tightening his grip on his gauntlets and bladed fist rings.

“Tanase, Sogen, and Bolwin—the three boxers who died at your hands, remember?”

Boxer?

King Lausanne II frowned.

He found that he couldn't remember.

These days, aside from "work," he spends most of his time locked indoors, only seeking out blood donors—which he is reluctant to think about—when he can't bear it any longer. He usually picks out lone, menacing-looking guys.

The monsters will take care of the rest.

Looking at him, the burly man gave a sorrowful smile.

“Of course you don’t remember,” the man said with grief and indignation. “Anyway, a boxer’s life is cheap, and no one will care if he dies.”

Moreover, the burly man thought to himself that among them, Tanase was a mentally ill idiot who fought in underground boxing matches just to raise money for his daughter's dowry, who refused to acknowledge him even in death.

Sogen is a repeat offender. No matter what he did to get in, his life is ruined after he gets out of prison, and he will never be able to find a decent job again.

As for Bollvin, he was dragged down by his father, and although he did nothing, haha, he was no different from a criminal.

They died, and nobody remembers them.

Nobody cares.

Emerald City didn't care.

King Lausanne II was silent for a few seconds, then turned his gaze to the other man's gauntlet: "You're a boxer too?"

“Yeah, I used to hang out with Gutierrez,” the burly boxer sneered, “but I’m not doing it anymore.”

Screw the Blood Bottle Gang.

The boxer thought to himself.

So many boxers have died, and no one cares.

They'll just treat them like donkeys.

"What do you have to do with the three dead people?"

The boxer sneered and clenched his fist:

"Leave me alone."

King Lausanne II frowned.

“I, I’m a shoveler, a shoveler,” the third young man who spoke seemed mentally challenged and spoke haltingly. He was carrying a rusty shovel and shrank back when he saw the gaze of Losang II. “But my father said that if you owe someone, you have to pay them back.”

King Lausanne II squinted:
"Do I owe you something?"

"I owe Boss Roger."

Roger.

King Lausanne II had a sudden thought.

In the Blood Bottle Gang, there was that loyal latrine worker foreman.

“But a long time ago, Roger’s boss owed me,” Losang II sneered. “Who will repay me?”

The mentally challenged young man froze for a few seconds, then panicked:
"Ah, he owes him, he owes you, I owe him, then I, I, I..."

His face betrayed his anxiety; he calculated anxiously for a while before hesitantly making a decision:
"I'll pay him back first."

King Lausanne II smiled dismissively.

"With your character, how could your old man bear to let you come here?"

The mentally challenged man was silent for a few seconds, then lowered his head in grievance: "My father died while shoveling manure."

"Boss Roger paid for the burial."

The smile of King Lausanne II slowly faded.

From another direction, a strong female warrior, dragging a long spear and an injured leg, limped forward with difficulty.

King Lausanne II felt that she looked somewhat familiar.

“Dosalan fought with you,” she said through gritted teeth. “You are much, much, much stronger than Dosalan.”

King Lausanne II could not understand what she was saying; it seemed to be a peninsular dialect from the southern part of the East Continent, which was quite different from the common language.

But that didn't stop him from seeing the fierce fighting spirit in the other's eyes.

No, it's not just about fighting spirit.

It was even more resolute.

"But the blue soil comes from the red earth, carrying the hopes of the whole village."

The female warrior gripped her weapon tightly, took a deep breath, and spoke in her native dialect that no one could understand.

Yes, she is the hope of the whole village.

Dosalan must earn money to pay off Governor Hamburg's debt.

The debt was so large that even the village elders couldn't count it all, even after using up all the village's counting rods.

Therefore, we cannot back down from the task of spreading more blue.

Whether it's making it to the quarterfinals or winning the prize money.

Let's kill this swordsman and get the bounty.

If only that were the case...

In the village, there was no longer a need to sell the children to the governor to pay off debts.

“I don’t know this country bumpkin with arms thicker than her legs, and I can’t understand her dialect,” the burly boxer spat, “but guess what, I like her.”

King Lobsang II looked around at the group of "defeated soldiers" surrounding him, and seeing the resolute look in their eyes, he shook his head:

"You will die."

Many people laughed.

He didn't have to repeat it a second time.

Because they had already charged forward.

There is no turning back.

clang!
King Lausanne II blocked the female warrior's spear.

The scene was chaotic, but the outcome was clear.

Among them were neither exceptionally skilled individuals, nor talents like Marius who excelled in battle formation coordination and on-the-spot command, nor any cooperation or tacit understanding whatsoever.

Purely relying on sheer courage...

It's just suicide.

The first to die was the swordsman who came for the friend he was impersonating—what was his friend's name again?

boom!
Losang II ripped the shovel from the foolish boy's backhand and, without any fancy moves, pierced the swordsman's vulnerable abdomen with a single backhand strike.

“Your friend isn’t worth it,” Losang II said coldly.

The swordsman realized something, released his sword, and his eyes filled with tears.

His lifeless eyes stared blankly at Lausanne II, his lips trembling.

"It was worth it," the swordsman whispered his last words.

Just as Lobsang II was about to disdainfully draw his sword, he suddenly understood something when he saw the swordsman's unconsciously upturned lips and his resolute yet relieved smile.

That Tate might not be worth it.

But love is worth it.

King Lausanne II was stunned.

Because in this era, this is the only way.

Shouts of battle erupted behind them.

In that instant, King Lausanne II felt a strange emotion welling up in his chest.

It's not thirst.

But it is far better than thirst.

The next second, inexplicably enraged, King Losang II roared and pulled the sword blade from the swordsman's abdomen!

boring.

boring!

He repelled Duosalan, spun around, and slashed fiercely with his longsword!

clang!
Where the sword struck, a vertical shovel snapped in two.

At the same time, the mentally challenged boy's arms were also severed.

The latter looked in confusion at the bright red splattered from the severed arm, then at the bloodline gradually spreading from the chest, and suddenly shuddered.

"I owe, I owe, I owe Roger, Boss Roger, I have to pay it back, pay it back, pay it back..." He stared wide-eyed and muttered to himself.

"You have nothing, you idiot."

Lausanne II ruthlessly swept past the young man, knocking his upper body off with his shoulder.

"What will you use to repay this?"

The mentally challenged young man split in two and fell to the ground, his delirious murmurs growing fainter and fainter.

But Losang II's vampire hearing still picked up on that faint, lingering last word without a single mistake:

"Pay with your...life..."

King Lausanne II couldn't help but close his eyes.

This damn body.

Damn hearing.

And then there's this self-righteous idiot.

Why just doesn't he understand...?

Roger didn't want anything back from him!

call!
The sound of wind approaching.

Without even opening his eyes, King Lausanne II seemed to anticipate the boxer's attack, then thrust his sword forward to strike the female warrior!
Dosa Lan roared, created distance, and prepared to swing his spear in a sweeping attack!
A very good response.

If her leg is not injured.

Lausanne II's wrist trembled slightly.

laugh!
With a soft thud, the female warrior was struck in the neck by a sword.

She propped herself up with her spear, feeling the heat gushing out in disbelief.

But the next second, Duosa Lan took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and pressed forward despite the bleeding from his neck!

clang!
Lausanne II parried her final spear thrust and watched her slowly collapse.

"You are a warrior," he said softly, trying to suppress the tremor in his voice.

The female warrior did not understand what he said.

She simply stared at the ground, smelling the soil that was completely different from the red soil of her hometown.

it's OK.

The female warrior slowly closed her eyes.

Dosing Blue failed.

But there are others.

May God bless you.

Other sisters, other brave and fearless women of God's blessing heading towards different destinations...

Each and every one of them... is the hope of the entire village.

They... can do it, right?

clang!
Losang II turned around and used the blade of his sword to solidly block a heavy punch, taking two steps back.

clang!
Another punch landed, and a spark flew from the steel fist ring.

Losang II drew his sword in time and launched a counterattack, but faced with the sword's edge, the burly boxer instinctively advanced and punched!

clang!
Fists and swords clashed, sparks flew.

Unable to create distance, King Losang II frowned: his opponent was unreasonable, ignoring offense and defense, and disregarding the possibility of injury to him, only relentlessly closing in, roaring and throwing punch after punch!
clang!
Some punches missed, while others were blocked.

clang!clang!clang!
King Lausanne II gritted his teeth.

In terms of skill, this boxer is no match for the swordsmen or hunters before him; every punch he throws is conventional and straightforward.

It's a fighting style used in underground boxing rings.

but……

King Losang II looked at the man whose eyes were bloodshot and who was throwing punches forward without regard for anything else.

But this boxer has one thing that makes him more terrifying than anyone before him:
He was not afraid of death at all.

They are also adept at risking their lives for others.

For this reason alone, he was a hundred times more dangerous than all those who had blindly thrown themselves to their deaths, or even some complacent, elite masters who cherished their reputations.

Even someone like this could be found by Faisal...

He deserves to be the biggest drug lord in the Star Kingdom.

King Lausanne II squinted his eyes.

But that's all.

The next second, he changed his sword technique, rubbing the blade against the fist ring, using a peculiar force to stick to the opponent's fist!

Swish!Swish!
He wielded the sword like a violinist and exerted force like sawing wood. With just two strikes, he left deep, bone-revealing wounds on the boxer's arm!

The boxer groaned in pain, his punch weakened, and Losang II seized the opportunity to pierce his chest.

ended.

But at the same time, King Losang II suddenly opened his eyes wide, pushed away the boxer, and threw down his sword!
Ding! when!
The sound of metal clashing echoed through the night sky. A figure groaned as it swept over King Losang II's head, tumbling to the ground.

The feeling of exchanging blows...

King Losang II lowered his head, looking at the rapidly healing knife wound on his wrist, and then turned his gaze back to the uninvited guest:
"Black silk?"

On the other side, Leyok struggled to his feet and looked at his wrist as well—his wound was larger than Lausanne II's.

“You maintained the best distance, and your moves were the most cautious and patient,” Lausanne II pondered for a moment. “It seems you know me better than they do.”

Leyok sneered, glaring defiantly at his opponent:

"Yes, maybe we know too much about each other."

King Lobsang II shook his head and raised his sword:
"I don't know enough about it."

"I know I can't kill you, but I'm just really curious."

Leyok clutched his arm and gritted his teeth.

"Besides being good at fighting," the Silent Assassin spat, "what else about you does that makes you worthy of her?"

King Lausanne II was stunned.

The next second, Leyok turned and left, disappearing into the alley.

Losang II stared blankly in the direction the enemy had gone.

what did he say?
Snapped!
Lausanne II turned around—the dying boxer, pressing his wound, swayed to his feet and grabbed his clothes.

The vampire assassin shook his head, preparing to leave.

"They're with me..."

Lausanne II paused.

"what?"

"They," the boxer said with his last breath, "didn't kill me."

King Lausanne II was taken aback.

what?
Correct.

In a daze, the boxer thought: That year, when he fled to Emerald City, with nothing to eat or drink, he was tricked into the life-or-death boxing ring by the Blood Bottle Gang's swindlers...

They—the boxers, the fools, and the ex-convicts…

They didn't kill him.

Faced with a defenseless, dying, and bloodied beggar from a foreign land, they silently lowered their blood-stained fists amidst the urging of the assembled gentlemen and ladies...

Unlike other boxers, they didn't fight for that considerable "blood money"...

Beat him to death.

"They're dead, nobody remembers them..."

Even the Blood Bottle Gang doesn't care.

"But it doesn't matter..."

The boxer closed his eyes:

"I remember."

I remember.

Lausanne II remained silent.

“You, the boxer,” he said softly, “what’s your name?”

The boxer struggled to lift his head.

"me……"

He forced a miserable smile.

The next second, the boxer released his hand that was pressing on the wound.

Boom!
He delivered a powerful punch, striking King Losang II squarely in the cheek!
The force was so great that the latter's vision blurred and his eardrums rang!

The next second, the boxer released Losang II, fell to the ground, and died.

King Lausanne II was in a sorry state: the blades on the gauntlets had ripped his face open, leaving it bleeding profusely, and even half of his nose had been torn off.

But he remained calm and composed, silently watching the boxer on the ground as the injuries on his face rapidly healed.

"I see, I'll remember that."

King Lausanne II nodded slowly:

"Your name is Boxer."

King Lausanne II lifted his foot and stepped over the countless corpses: the nameless swordsman, the mentally challenged boy, Dosalan, the boxer...

For a moment, he suddenly missed the monster inside his body.

I miss that thirst for blood.

Because when they riot, he doesn't need to have any more feelings or emotions.

[Injured...on the ground...blood...]

The thought came to mind, and the monster spoke at just the right moment.

【Shut up. 】

King Losang II solemnly sheathed his sword and stepped forward.

Stepping across the blood-soaked ground—human blood exuding a pure and alluring aroma.

It was as if they could no longer affect him in the slightest.

King Lausanne II stepped onto a path, feeling the bounty hunters fleeing like a tide.

The area within the encirclement was as silent as a cemetery.

That's all, isn't it?

Losang II thought silently.

Even if Fei Suo and Xiao Daozi offered a higher price, seeing the corpses strewn everywhere and the countless precedents, aside from fools who would die for various reasons, no one would dare to do it again.

“Stop right there!!!”

A sudden shout broke the silence of the moonlit night.

Full of energy.

But his exhaustion was hard to hide.

King Lausanne II raised his gaze.

"Under..."

A young man, covered in dust and bruises, appeared before him, struggling to carry a large sword, looking shaky.

"Under..."

The young man trembled, gasped for breath, and coughed several times before regaining his composure and shouting into the empty street:

"I am Kong Geyou, the Hundred-Step Swordsman!"

The familiar opponent trembled as he raised the ill-fitting greatsword, its tip pointing directly at the vampire assassin:
"To rid the people of harm and to eliminate violence and bring peace!"

Lausanne II closed his eyes.