The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

Darkness completely enveloped Xunfeng Street, and the night sky above lost its starlight, leaving only a heavy, inky black.

The sound of footsteps was particularly clear in the silence as Morian and Charlotte walked side by side down the street.

For tonight's mission, the girl wore a gemstone necklace; a sparkling sapphire hung above her collarbone, its value immediately apparent.

In her words, since it's bait, it has to be made more attractive.

"The air here... seems to have a strange smell," Charlotte said uncertainly.

"It's factory smoke," Morian casually chimed in, his gaze unconsciously drifting further into the distance.

"The exhaust fumes from the dock area drifted here with the wind, and I wasn't used to it when I first came here."

Charlotte nodded slightly, using the brief time they spent together to quietly observe her surroundings.

A night breeze swept by, raising clouds of dust that drifted into the distance under the dim light of the streetlights.

When he reached the fork in the road, Morian stopped.

"That's enough," he said, turning around. "From now on, you walk on your own."

"Mmm." The girl nodded obediently.

"I'll follow fifty meters behind. If you spot anything unusual, signal me immediately with that badge." Morian paused, his tone becoming more serious. "Don't worry too much about whether the operation will succeed. Even if you just feel something's slightly off, signal me right away. Safety is the top priority."

"I understand, sir," Charlotte smiled slightly.

After staring at her for a few seconds, Morian sighed helplessly:

"Go."

After saying this, he slowed down and lagged behind, while Charlotte continued forward, her steps light yet restrained, like a real girl returning home late, feeling a little guilty for being discovered.

Before long, her figure disappeared into a dark alley.

When the time was right, Morian quietly followed, always maintaining a safe distance to ensure he wouldn't be easily noticed and could react promptly in case of an accident.

At the same time, he activated the ability of the "Dreamer," mimicking the methods of the clowns in his memories to diminish his own presence.

This isn't invisibility; it just makes it easier for others to overlook you. But combined with the cover of night, it's practical enough.

With a slight unease, Charlotte stepped into the alley.

The cramped space was dark, with only the occasional faint candlelight and the sounds of the tenants arguing.

Various sacks and crates were piled up haphazardly on the ground, taking advantage of the sewage as nutrients, and weeds grew rampant in the gaps, obscuring part of the view.

As a young girl, no matter how composed she appeared, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive when she actually stepped into such an environment.

There's nothing to worry about... Mr. Morian is right behind me... The girl silently cheered herself up and reached out to push open the iron fence in front of her.

Every so often, new forks appear ahead. Some lead to narrower alleys, while others connect to other streets, making the entire area feel like a giant anthill, with interconnected pathways.

If you're not familiar with this place, you could easily get lost.

What a complex terrain... I never imagined there would be such a place in Bet City... Charlotte thought to herself, clearly seeing a scene completely different from that of St. Crentin.

Using the faint moonlight to orient herself, she navigated through one intersection after another, deliberately creating the illusion of a young woman traveling alone at night.

As we passed an alleyway, something seemed to wriggle slightly in the shadows of several dilapidated wooden crates.

Charlotte immediately became alert, staring intently at the wooden box, only to discover that it contained nothing more than a drunken man.

The guy staggered over from the other side, muttering incoherent words.

"Phew... I thought it was that vampire." Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest.

It seems like half an hour has passed. I wonder if Mr. Morian has noticed anything unusual...

She glanced back at the darkness behind her, then continued deeper into the darkness.

The deeper you go, the more dilapidated the surrounding buildings become, with moss crawling on the cracks in the walls, and the dark and damp atmosphere becomes unbearable.

As we turned into an exceptionally deep alley, a foul odor suddenly filled the air, like the stench of rotten food.

The light from the kerosene lamp flickered, and as if sensing something, Charlotte gradually slowed her pace.

The "atmosphere" here seems different from before... Charlotte frowned slightly.

As the thought flashed through my mind, my spiritual intuition was also triggered in that instant.

If I had to describe the feeling, it would be like being in the dark, with something staring at me with the cold, icy gaze of someone looking at prey.

The night breeze stirred gently, making her shadow flicker. At that moment, she was absolutely certain that something was lurking nearby!

It's not an illusion, it's an undeniable fact!

Then she heard that voice.

Like the sound of dripping water, I couldn't tell if it was a leaking pipe or something else.

In the darkness before them, drops of dark red liquid fell from above...

Seeing this, Charlotte didn't think twice before reaching into her purse and gripping the badge tightly.

……

A blinding light suddenly burst forth, instantly dispelling the darkness in the deep alley and filling every nook and cranny.

If someone were looking out from a distance at this moment, they would most likely mistakenly think that daylight had arrived in the narrow alley.

Almost simultaneously, Morian raced through the night, weaving through alleyways, and arrived at the scene in just a few seconds.

He stepped past Charlotte, shielding the girl behind him, his gaze fixed on the figure ahead.

He was a thin, middle-aged man.

His bald head gleamed, and his skin had an unhealthy, pale white color, as if he had never seen the sun. His ten fingers were much longer than those of an average person, and his knuckles were more prominent.

The man grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. He knew he had fallen into a trap, but he showed no sign of panic.

Is this a vampire? Morian cautiously observed, noting down the unusual features of the other person.

Before he could even speak, the vampire laughed first.

"Congratulations," he said slowly, his voice hoarse.

"Congratulations, you've finally found me." The man shrugged. "I knew there were hunting dogs tracking me all along."

As he spoke, he approached with unhurried steps, his other hand drawing a silver dagger from his waist.

Morian's brow furrowed slightly.

What does that mean? Instead of running away, you're walking towards me?

Then the man licked his lips, his smile twisting into a grimace:

"Unfortunately, the two of them were only fit to be my prey."

Charlotte was about to make a move when Morian called out to her in a low voice.

The next instant, the vampire suddenly sprang up and rushed towards Morian, his silver dagger aimed straight for his chest.