The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

Upon hearing this, the gray-haired man's smile instantly froze.

"No, no, no, first I have to correct you," he said with a disdainful look, his expression turning ugly. "This guy is just a lowly vampire, unworthy of being called a noble blood."

For some reason, this guy seemed to genuinely feel disgust when the word was mentioned.

vampire……

Are vampires and bloodlines not the same species? Is there a difference between the two?

Morian frowned slightly. Harrison was indeed of inferior blood, but most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

From that statement, it can be inferred that the other party must have some understanding of vampires.

"Why do you know about these things?" Charlotte's curious voice rang out.

She stepped out from behind Morian and asked the most crucial question.

The gray-haired man's eyes lit up slightly when he saw Charlotte, but he quickly suppressed it.

"That's a good question, beautiful lady." He smiled and placed his right hand elegantly on his chest.

"Please allow me to introduce myself."

"My name is Carl Vlad, and I'm a private investigator." He paused, then continued, "Like you, I'm tracking down the killer in this serial murder case."

Private investigator… Maurice’s eyes held a subtle glint.

Did I run into a fellow professional?

No, the so-called private investigator's account is only one side of the story, and it's too early to draw conclusions.

He didn't immediately lower his gun. His gaze fell on the other man's bloodshot eyes, which were clearly not the color of an ordinary person. They were more like an outward manifestation of some extraordinary characteristic, indicating that this person was also likely a free agent.

"I had my sights set on this target for a long time before this."

The man who called himself Karl said helplessly:

"I originally planned to take action tonight, to personally catch this disgrace... uh, catch this murderer, but you beat me to it."

"You haven't answered the question yet," Morian said coldly, the dark muzzle of his gun raised high. "Why do you know so much about vampires?"

"Because I investigated for three whole months, I naturally have some understanding of vampires," Karl said lazily.

"If vampires were merely such weak creatures, why would the Church and the Hall of Phenomena be so wary of them? And why are there so many records about them?"

Three months—this timeframe predates the police's public announcement of the case.

...Could it be that he's investigating not only this current case, but also a much larger secret? Morian's thoughts raced, but his expression remained calm.

If this is true, it can indeed explain his behavior.

"Then how will you prove your identity?"

After sighing, Carl took a business card out of his pocket, held it between two fingers, and showed it to the two men.

With the eyesight of a free man, Morian saw the simple words on the business card, which included his name, identity, and a detailed address.

No. 37, Liuli Street, Bet City...

"This is my address. If you don't believe me, you can ask the residents in the neighborhood to verify if what I said is true."

Morian remained silent for a few seconds before slowly lowering the muzzle of his gun.

Because he couldn't verify it on the spot, he hadn't completely let his guard down.

At least this guy who called himself a private investigator did produce some decent-looking stuff.

"What information do you have?" he suddenly asked.

Faced with this unexpected question, Karl couldn't help but smile, avoiding a direct answer.

"Information? I do know some other things, but you should know that everything in this world has a 'price'..."

"Since you're determined to investigate further, you must have already extracted quite a bit of information from this vampire, right?"

Whether it was a keen awareness of something or a casual guess, the gray-haired man in front of him spoke calmly.

Although he didn't finish speaking, it was clear that he wanted to exchange something.

Charlotte stood quietly to the side, not saying another word.

Whether the other party is trustworthy is entirely up to Morian to decide.

If we can obtain valuable information in exchange, it will undoubtedly be helpful for the subsequent investigation.

After a moment of silence, Morian decided to reveal some of the known information.

"This vampire..."

"They're vampires!" Karl corrected earnestly.

"...This vampire comes from an organization called the 'Moon Worship Group,' and is essentially a peripheral member. On Friday nights, this organization holds a secret gathering."

"Only core members are qualified to know the specific details of the gathering."

Karl nodded slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face:

"I know about this organization, but I haven't investigated it in depth. It's said that they worship the only true ancestor of the vampires to a certain degree of madness."

"However, that gathering is not open to just anyone. The threshold for the gathering is not low. It may require an introduction from an insider or some kind of token. Without special channels, it is impossible to meet the requirements."

"The information you've obtained largely matches what I already know."

Morian was waiting for him to continue, but the man suddenly stopped and gave a meaningful smile.

That's all?

"I said we'd exchange intelligence. You gave me some, and I'll give you some, but not now," he said slowly. "Besides, I suspect the information you've provided isn't complete, is it?"

Karl took a step forward and then spoke:

"I still have to thank you guys for helping me deal with that vampire, which saved me a lot of trouble."

"But since we share the same goal, we can cooperate to continue the investigation."

After saying that, the guy took out the business card he had just received, walked straight up to the two of them, and stopped less than a meter away.

Charlotte instinctively took a half-step to the side, becoming alert, while Morian remained calmly in place.

Those bloodshot eyes stared at Morian, a smile playing on his lips.

"If you're interested, you can find me at the address above, and we can discuss more details."

"Of course, I hope that this time you have come with sufficient sincerity."

The gray-haired man raised his hand and stuffed the business card into Morian's breast pocket.

Then, he patted him on the shoulder, the gesture as natural as that of a long-time friend.

After completing all this, he said no more and walked in the opposite direction of the alley, gradually disappearing into the darkness, leaving only the two figures in the dim light.

The alleyway fell silent again, with only a faint smell of burning remaining.

Seeing the man walk away, Charlotte took a step forward, her gaze falling on the business card in his pocket, filled with curiosity and confusion.

"Sir, can he really be trusted?"

"I don't completely believe it, but I can give it a try. Anyway, I don't have anything to lose," Morian said dismissively.

"And that guy is right. Since we have the same goal, cooperation is better than mutual suspicion."