Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

The room echoed with maniacal, curse-filled laughter, which, combined with the demonic flames leaping from "De Anton" and his eerie aura, sounded particularly jarring and terrifying.

Curtis frowned slightly and said to the man in black:
"Get rid of it, don't make a mess."

The man in black obeyed the order, and with a flash of eerie light at his fingertips, an even more powerful and refined energy was instantly injected into "De Anton's" body, precisely extinguishing his last vestiges of life and the demonic fire that was trying to spread.

The laughter abruptly stopped, and "De Anton's" body quickly became cold and stiff. The demonic light in his eyes went out, and the traces of demonic fire under his skin receded like the tide, leaving only a pale shell that seemed to have been drained of all life force, which slumped down.

There was deathly silence in the room.

All the vampires, from Prince Keshram to the lowest-ranking servants, felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their souls trembling with fear!
A traitor! A traitor, corrupted by the abyss and perfectly disguised, is actually lurking within their very core mission!
And they were completely unaware of it as they traveled!
The thought that all their secret plans, routes, and even their current whereabouts might have already been leaked to the Morgen Empire by this traitor, and that Thrall's assassination squad might actually be right around them...

A chill ran from the soles of my feet straight up to the top of my head!
What terrified and humiliated them even more was that it was not they themselves who exposed all of this, but the negotiating partner they had been wary of and even somewhat underestimating—the Supreme Council of the Endless City!

The other party not only knew their whereabouts perfectly, but also helped them eliminate the traitor and resolve the crises along the way.

This all-pervasive intelligence capability, this unbelievable efficiency, and this control over the situation... are worlds apart from their supposedly secretive but actually flawed operations!

Kashuram's face was so pale it was almost transparent, not from fear, but from a complex mix of lingering dread, anger, and a deep sense of defeat.

He looked at Curtis, whose expression remained calm, as if he had just dealt with a trivial matter.

Curtis met Keshram's gaze, his tone becoming even more arrogant:

"To put it bluntly, none of you are qualified to see our master, including your prince."

If it weren't for the fact that your vampire clan has some connection with my master, you wouldn't even be able to enter the gates of the Endless City!
Okay, in short, are you going or not?

Curtis's undisguised arrogance was like a resounding slap across the face of every member of the vampire delegation.

In particular, the phrase "They are not even qualified to meet our parents" shattered their remaining pride.

However, the shocking incident involving an internal traitor that had just occurred was like a bucket of ice water extinguishing their rising anger, leaving only a chilling sense of humiliation and a barely perceptible lingering fear.

They clenched their fists so tightly that their nails almost dug into their palms, but no one dared to utter a word in rebuttal.

They have been utterly defeated in terms of strength, intelligence, and even internal security. What right do they have to argue their qualifications?

Keshram's heart sank to the bottom as well, but more than simple anger, another piece of information revealed in Curtis's words made him extremely concerned - "If it weren't for the fact that your vampires have some connection with my master!"
Origins? What origins?
What connection could vampires possibly have with the Supreme Council, or rather, with the members who hold the core power of the Supreme Council?
Could it be...

He suddenly looked up, his dark red eyes fixed on Curtis, trying to find more clues on the other's face: "Your master is...?"

Curtis merely let out a soft, unintelligible snort and offered no further reply.

He turned to the side and made the "please" gesture again, but this time, the gesture lacked the initial superficial politeness and carried a more undeniable urgency.

No further explanation is needed.

Keshuram understood immediately. Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, his handsome face regained the coldness befitting a vampire prince.

"Okay, I'll go with you."

He stopped looking at the various members of the delegation behind him, and strode out of the hotel room that had humiliated them, following Curtis.

They also broke free from the vampires' former self-righteous and superior illusions.

……

Walking through the streets of the Endless City, despite his heavy heart, Keshram was deeply moved by what he saw along the way.

This city was unlike any other major city he had ever imagined.

The streets were wide and clean, paved with some kind of solid gray-white stone, and the magical streetlights on both sides emitted a steady and soft light, making it as bright as day even at night.

Pedestrians, carriages, and all sorts of strange magical vehicles flowed by, the level of racial mixing was astonishing:
He could see humans, dwarves, goblins, halflings, orcs, and even some rare wood elves, grey dwarves, and some demi-human races he couldn't name.

Most of them were in a hurry, but orderly, with a sense of peace and comfort rarely seen in Twilight Continent.

What alarmed him even more was the ubiquitous "new things".

The shop windows lining both sides of the street displayed many magical items he had never seen before, combining magical runes and mechanical structures:

From small metal balls that can automatically clean clothes to large household protective barrier generators that emit stable magical fluctuations.

The patrolling guards were well-equipped, their armor gleaming with the glow of new enchantments, and almost all of them were armed with magic-level weapons!

The magical fluctuations in the air were unusually active. In the distance, several towering towers were under construction, with busy workers and magically glowing engineering structures on the scaffolding.

He could even vaguely see that in a specific area on the edge of the city, there were heavily guarded workshops, from which came rhythmic rumbling sounds—the sounds of large-scale magic furnaces and forging workshops in operation.

The sheer number and quality of the extraordinary individuals on the streets secretly alarmed Keshram.

Although most of them are of low to mid-level, the proportion of high-level powerhouses is obviously not low, and they are of different races and professions, but they all seem to follow some kind of unified command system.

He even sensed several subtle yet extremely powerful auras, faintly rising and falling in different parts of the city.

Legendary Rank!
And not just in one place!
This is only the “surface” power he perceived while walking on the main streets!
Prince Keshuram maintained a calm expression, but his heart was in turmoil.

The pride and self-esteem that originally came from the vampires, the immortal race, and the ancient overlords were challenged like never before in the face of this vibrant, efficient, and unfathomably powerful new megacity.

Keshram silently took all of this in, becoming more cautious about the upcoming meeting, even showing a hint of barely perceptible awe.

Curtis led him not toward the most prominent and magnificent buildings in the city center, but instead turned onto a relatively quiet, but much more heavily guarded, tree-lined avenue.

At the end of the road is a cluster of buildings that are not particularly ostentatious, but they cover a vast area, have a heavy style, and combine the features of a fortress and a mansion.

The administrative and military core of the Endless City is usually referred to as the "Lord's Mansion" or the "Committee Headquarters".

The mansion's outer walls are tall and made of a special gray-black stone, engraved with complex defensive runes, and faintly glow with flowing energy.

The entrance was not a magnificent golden gate, but two heavy, massive doors that gleamed with a cold metallic sheen, and they were tightly shut at the moment.

Curtis led Keshram through the gate, past several buildings, and finally stopped in front of a mansion that was significantly more splendid in style.

Upon seeing the official residence before him, a strange light flashed in Keshuram's eyes.

It wasn't the architectural style of the mansion that was out of place with the rest of the complex, but rather the two guards standing on either side of the mansion.

These were two tall, slender men. They wore light armor, dark green with silver trim, carried elegantly designed longbows on their backs, and had slender scimitars and daggers at their waists.

With long, pointed ears, a healthy wheat-colored complexion, and exquisitely perfect features, she naturally exudes a transcendent aura that blends harmoniously with her surroundings while subtly surpassing them.

Elves! And two elven rangers at that!
Kashuram almost choked on his breath.

As a vampire prince, he has a deep understanding of all the major races on the continent.

Elves are a mysterious, ancient, and proud race that almost never gets involved in the internal affairs of other races, especially pure-blooded high elves, who are extremely rare.

They usually live in seclusion in remote forests or floating cities, far removed from the world, indifferent to the affairs of humans and other races, let alone guarding the gates for others!

These two before us are not only clearly elves, but judging from their equipment, temperament, and the spirituality that naturally resonates with their surroundings, they are by no means ordinary elves.

Instead, they are the elite of the Elven race, skilled in tracking, reconnaissance, and jungle and wilderness warfare—the Elven Rangers!
What shocked Kaishuram even more was that, with his ninth-tier extraordinary strength, he could clearly sense that the energy fluctuations surrounding these two elven rangers were solid and powerful, clearly reaching the peak of the ninth tier.

They're probably only one step away from becoming legends!
Why have two peak ninth-tier elven rangers guard the gate?
This can no longer be described as "luxury" or "showing off strength".

This is more like a powerful, silent declaration.

It means that the owner of this mansion is not only able to command proud races like elves, but also to make their strongest members willingly take on such basic duties.

This represents an unimaginable level of influence and power.

In an instant, Curtis's earlier remark, "You have some connection with your parents," resounded in Keshuram's mind like a thunderclap.

According to the information Keshram possessed, there seemed to be only one person in the Supreme Council who could command high elves.

Seeing the Elf Ranger guarding the gate with my own eyes now confirms this!
Although he was already quite certain, the matter was of great importance, and he carried the hopes of the entire Twilight Continent on his shoulders. Before stepping into the inner passage, Keshram couldn't help but stop and turn to Curtis beside him, confirming again in as calm a tone as possible:

“Mr. Curtis, please forgive me for asking one more question.” His dark red eyes were fixed on the other man, trying to glean more information from his expressionless face. “Is the esteemed person I am about to meet… from the Elven race?”

After the Supreme Council was established and gained prominence, although the Twilight Continent did not initially pay much attention to it, the vampires' intelligence network did not completely stop.

They learned that this emerging alliance was co-chaired by multiple committee members, and the power structure seemed relatively decentralized, with each core committee member having considerable influence and representativeness in their respective fields.

They can all be seen as representatives of the Supreme Council to some extent. Among these members, the one in charge of foreign affairs, who frequently represents the Council in contact with the outside world, is an elven member who has ties to their vampire clan.

Upon hearing this, Curtis turned his head, the ambiguous smile returning to his face. He didn't answer directly, but instead asked with a hint of amusement:

"Your Highness, you have traveled thousands of miles and risked countless dangers to come to this Endless City. Is it not to discuss a cooperative alliance?"

Keshram's expression softened considerably; it really was that elven committee member!
This elven council member is not an ordinary elven noble, but a princess of the elven royal court, and is even regarded as the successor to the next elven queen. Of course, she also has another eye-catching identity now: Princess of Windsor of Effie.

Having confirmed this, Kashuram unconsciously straightened his back and subconsciously tidied his neatly arranged collar and cuffs.

Adjust your expression to be more solemn and reserved.

When facing an elven princess, a future candidate for elven queen, the vampire prince must maintain the proper etiquette and demeanor expected of him.

This is not just about personal upbringing, but also about the dignity of vampires when facing equally ancient and noble races.

He followed Curtis along the thickly carpeted corridor.

The walls on both sides of the corridor were adorned with landscape paintings of profound artistic conception and exquisite magical lamps, and the air was filled with the refreshing fragrance of grass and trees, all of which suited the elegant and natural preferences of the elves.

Finally, Curtis stopped in front of an elegant double door carved with vines and star patterns.

He knocked gently on the door, then pushed it open and gestured for Keshram to enter.

Kashuram took a deep breath and stepped into a spacious living room.

The reception room is spacious and bright, with a decor style that is consistent with the exterior corridor, but even more magnificent and exquisite.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows bring in the natural light from outside, which becomes soft and hazy through the gossamer-thin curtains.

The furniture placed indoors has smooth and elegant lines, and is mostly made of light-colored wood and simple fabrics, adorned with vibrant exotic flowers and plants.

The entire space seems to have brought a part of the forest's secret realm indoors, filled with a natural and vibrant atmosphere.

However, when Keshuram's gaze fell on a figure in the center of the room...

All his mental preparation, all his consideration of etiquette, and even the calmness and self-control he was accustomed to as a vampire prince, were instantly overwhelmed by the shock brought by the person in front of him.

Windsordler's simple act of getting up seemed to revitalize the entire room's light and atmosphere.

Wearing a simple, moon-white long dress, with a few strands of hair falling over her shoulders and neck, her skin appeared even whiter and more translucent, like the finest crystal fairy.

The moment Keshram saw Windsordler's face, he almost stopped breathing.

Vampires are renowned for their longevity, strength, and stunning beauty.

Their long lives and unique bloodlines endowed them with perfect looks and elegant, aloof temperaments, regardless of gender.

This innate advantage makes many vampires unconsciously scrutinize and feel a sense of superiority when facing other races.

In their view, only the elves, who were also known for their beauty and longevity, could be somewhat comparable to them in appearance and temperament.

However, at this moment, all of Keshuram's past knowledge and pride crumbled the instant he saw the woman before him, becoming utterly insignificant.

As the eldest prince of Twilight Continent and the future heir of the vampire clan, he has seen countless beauties in his hundreds of years of life.

The vampire clan is full of beautiful noblewomen, elegant ladies, and stunningly beautiful female warriors.

He had also seen stunningly beautiful princesses from human kingdoms and alluring exotic songstresses in diplomatic settings... He thought he had long since developed a strong immunity to beauty.

However, compared to the woman before him, all his memories of "beauty" faded instantly, turning into "vulgar glamour."

It wasn't a face that could be precisely described in words, but a natural perfection that struck straight to the very essence of the soul.

She stood there, silent, yet she was the absolute center of the entire space, as if even the light willingly gathered around her, coating her with a hazy halo.

Windsordler Windrunner.

The moment they saw her true face, all speculation about her identity, all strategies for negotiation, and all the pride and mission of the vampire clan melted away like snow under the sun.

Kashurram felt his heart skip a beat uncontrollably, followed by an even more violent throbbing. An unprecedented thrill and indescribable shock overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

He completely succumbed to depravity.

I was captivated by her indescribable beauty and by her spiritual radiance that transcended racial boundaries.

He even forgot the purpose of his trip, forgot his identity as a vampire prince, and forgot the crisis facing his clan; he just stood there, stunned.

His dark red eyes were fixed on the figure in front of him, as if he wanted to imprint this breathtaking scene deep into his soul.

When Windsordler saw Keshram's gaze, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

She was no stranger to such gazes. Her stunning beauty and noble status had long made her accustomed to the various reactions of different people when they first met her: admiration, awe, love, and even greed.

Normally, she would turn a deaf ear to the prying eyes of even the smallest ants.

But at this moment, in a serious diplomatic setting concerning the future of two powerful forces, even their life and death, the undisguised and almost rude stare from the other side's chief negotiator only made her feel a sense of disgust from the bottom of her heart.

How could the Blood Lord send such a useless envoy? He's so arrogant, he hasn't woken up from his dream yet.

However, Windsordler did not react; instead, she gracefully returned to the sofa with an air of detachment.

At the same time, he gave a wink to the person next to him.

A female official standing not far behind Windsor immediately understood and stepped forward.

The woman was dressed in the standard uniform of a civilian official of the Supreme Council, which accentuated her capable demeanor.

She was beautiful, with the shrewdness and experience typical of people from wealthy merchant families, but at this moment she exuded a more serious, business-like demeanor.

This person is Rachel Conrad, the only daughter of Conrad, the president of Unicorn Trading Company, and the central figure in the recent family turmoil.

When Cohen first contacted Unicorn Trading Company, as a greeting, he mentioned to President Conrad that Rachel's husband was colluding with external forces and intended to harm the company.

Conrad was initially skeptical, but after a thorough investigation, he indeed discovered evidence that his son-in-law was betraying the company and colluding with competitors to embezzle the firm's core assets.

Outraged and disappointed, Conrad ruthlessly purged his family, but also felt heartbroken and depressed because of the inhuman treatment his daughter had suffered.

In order to help her out of the shadows and to help her gain a foothold in the new order led by the Supreme Council, Conrad carefully arranged for his daughter to serve as an assistant to Windsordler.

Firstly, being around a high-ranking, highly capable, and fellow woman like Windsordler would provide her with protection and guidance.

Secondly, this is undoubtedly a very promising and prestigious position, which can ensure Rachel's future status in the new empire.

At this moment, Rachel felt a surge of contempt when she saw Keshram's disgraceful expression upon first meeting Windsordler.

She had been with Windsor for quite some time and knew that although the princess seemed gentle, she was actually of iron will and detested such rude people the most.

The vampire prince in front of us committed a major taboo right from the start.

Rachel composed herself, a professional smile appearing on her face, and began calmly:
"Your Highness Prince Keshram, welcome to the Endless City and the headquarters of the Supreme Council."

I am Rachel Conrad, Assistant Secretary of the External Affairs Division of the Supreme Council.

She turned slightly to the seated Windsor, gesturing towards her, and continued her introduction:

"This is Commissioner Windsordler Corleone, who is currently in full charge of all external affairs of the Supreme Council."

Corleone!
The surname struck like a thunderclap in Keshuram's ears as he recovered slightly from the shock of her beauty.

He shuddered violently, his pupils contracted sharply, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him from head to toe, instantly jolting him completely awake from his momentary daze, and even breaking out in a fine layer of cold sweat on his back.

Windsor & Corleone!
It's not Windsor Windrunner, it's Corleone!
The significance of that surname is far heavier and more terrifying than that of an elven princess or even a possible heir to the elven queen!
It points directly to the King of Eifine, whose fame resounds throughout the continent, who commands the attention of even the gods, and who is now the true ruler of this endless city and the Supreme Council—Cohen Corleone!

It was only then that Keshuram realized that the other party was none other than the Queen of Cohen Corleone!
In an instant, all the amazement, excitement, and even the fleeting instinctive admiration for the stunningly beautiful woman were replaced by a tremendous sense of fear and regret.

He actually showed such an out-of-control expression in front of Cohen Corleone's wife!

This is not merely rudeness, but an offense against that terrifying being! (End of Chapter)