Shadows, Secrets, and Scrolls

Night had fallen.

Xiu Lan gazed out at the profound darkness beyond her window, discerning faint figures moving beneath the streetlights—the night watchmen dispatched by the police department, performing their routine duties.

Following the resolution of the vampire incident, the Supervisory Bureau had already lifted the curfew.

Yet, aside from those in certain specialized professions, most ordinary citizens still opted to remain cautiously secluded in their homes, rendering the once bustling nightscape exceptionally desolate.

“Alas.”

Lying on the sofa, she sighed, the drone of Yao Jing’s lengthy discourse washing over her unheard, prompting the young woman to pull out her phone once more, checking the time on its screen intermittently.

Tonight held something of immense, paramount importance for her—

The release of [Old Man Scrolls 6] was just an hour away!

This was a game she had anticipated for what felt like countless years!

“Thump.”

Robin delivered a sharp rap on the head of the restless Xiu Lan beside her, then swiftly snatched her phone, tucking it under her own backside before speaking with an air of indifference:

“Quiet down. We’re discussing serious matters.”

She truly couldn’t fathom how this person managed to immerse herself so completely in her own world, utterly oblivious to her surroundings.

“Give it back!”

Xiu Lan glared at the person beside her, her former friend, now a brazen bandit.

For someone living in modern society, calling a mobile phone a second life was hardly an exaggeration.

Though this particular phone was an old model with poor performance, she had, at the very least, worked tirelessly to earn the money for it.

Growing increasingly incensed with each passing thought, the grey-haired girl yearned to reach under Robin’s backside to reclaim her device, yet the overly suggestive nature of such a move would surely provoke Yao Jing’s teasing about her being a lesbian.

Caught between shame and indignation, she reluctantly halted her actions.

‘I’m not a lesbian, alright? I’m a genuine heterosexual who likes women. Wait, no, I seem to be a woman now, so does that make me… a lesbian?’

‘And so I’m back to square one…’

‘No, no, no.’

‘Given my circumstances, I should be physiologically female but psychologically male.’

Having satisfactorily settled on her gender identity, Xiu Lan lifted her head, her gaze meeting Yao Jing’s.

“What are you staring at?!”

It proved true: mobile phones indeed had a tendency to provoke violent inclinations in humans.

‘This brat is getting more and more punchable.’

Yao Jing’s fists clenched; she hadn’t been such a defiant brat when they first met.

Why had she changed? Had he been too lenient with her?

Forcibly suppressing the urge for a real brawl, he began, “Operations targeting the Blood Clan should commence in the coming days, and we…”

“Wait? Weren’t all the Blood Clan wiped out?”

Hearing this unexpected news, Xiu Lan interrupted, a puzzled expression on her face.

Her reward was three pairs of eyes staring at her as if she were an idiot.

“So you genuinely haven’t been listening at all!”

Witnessing Xiu Lan’s unapologetic nod, Yao Jing’s temper flared instantly, and he longed to pull out a ruler and give her a few sharp smacks.

“After all, the Blood Clan has been rooted in Dongchuan for a long time,” Wu Liyun explained. “The results of the last operation dealt them a severe blow, but it was far from enough to eradicate them.”

Despite being heartbroken by the declaration of lesbianism, he still rallied at the opportunity to improve his standing.

‘What if he could somehow change her sexual orientation…?’

‘Wait!’

‘He almost got sidetracked; it was her mother he was truly interested in.’

‘Beautiful, gentle, generous… that silver-haired hero was the true goddess in his heart.’

‘And, honestly, could he truly endure this girl, who seemed like a demon star incarnate, bearing not a single trace of Vanguard’s essence?’

‘Hmm…’

“I’ll briefly explain it again.”

Yao Jing desperately wanted to unleash a torrent of curses, but considering he might still need Xiu Lan’s assistance, he patiently continued:

“During Irina’s interrogation, we learned that the current Blood Clan is primarily controlled by the Elder Council, with both she and The Doctor being members.

Beyond them, there are numerous ordinary Blood Clan members, most of whom were transformed from Bloodthirsty ones.”

“Most?”

“Precisely. Though it seems incredible, ordinary people can also become these so-called Blood Clan members… As for the underlying principles, The Doctor remains tight-lipped, while Irina, whose role is combat, possesses no knowledge in that area.”

“How does the Supervisory Bureau intend to deal with this group of Blood Clan members?”

Her voice, no longer lighthearted as usual, carried such a serious tone that those present almost failed to recognize it as Xiu Lan speaking.

Villy stared in surprise at the black-clad girl, wondering, ‘Has this person finally grown a brain?’

“The Supervisory Bureau’s plan is to—disseminate information beforehand, prompting them to voluntarily withdraw from Dongchuan and engage in battle in the wilderness.

After all, the consequences of fighting an unknown number of mutated species within the city would be far too severe.”

“No, that’s not what I’m asking.”

Xiu Lan sat up straight, crossing her arms over her chest as she clarified, “I’m asking about the Supervisory Bureau’s *method* of dealing with the Blood Clan. Do you understand?”

Finally grasping the true meaning behind Xiu Lan’s words, Yao Jing deliberated before stating, “The Bureau’s intention is to capture them alive whenever possible, unless absolutely necessary otherwise.”

“……..”

“Among the Blood Clan, there are members with blood on their hands, but naturally, there are also ordinary citizens who, for various reasons, were forced into this conflict.

Once this operation concludes, the Supervisory Bureau will pass judgment based on their individual actions.”

“……How are the Supervisory Bureau’s studies on the Blood Clan progressing? Don’t look at me like that; I’m not an idiot. I can guess your intentions with my toes.”

Xiu Lan rolled her eyes.

Even she knew that individuals like the Blood Clan, who had overcome Bloodthirst Syndrome yet retained their human will, would undoubtedly become a primary focus of the Supervisory Bureau’s research.

Although the Blood Clan was nominally considered a member of the Black Bloodline.

But if a person looked human and believed themselves to be human, weren’t they, in essence, human?

“Fine, I’ll tell you everything, to spare you from overthinking and causing trouble.”

Yao Jing explained, “You’re not wrong; the Supervisory Bureau’s objective is precisely to harness the power of the Blood Clan to resolve Bloodthirst Syndrome.”

Though she had anticipated this, hearing it directly from Yao Jing still caused Xiu Lan’s brows to furrow, a wave of revulsion stirring within her.

Only those who had personally experienced such a thing could truly perceive the terror it contained.

It was a power humanity should never meddle with.

If she were to describe it, it was an omnipotent force capable of twisting and shattering all things.

Like an abyss, endless.

And those who dared to gaze into the abyss often found themselves consumed by it.

Was the Supervisory Bureau truly not playing with fire, risking self-destruction?

Yet, she had no logical grounds to voice her objection.

If there truly was a chance to cure the incurable disease that had plagued humanity for years… no matter how slim the hope, someone would always take desperate risks.

From this perspective, it might even be better to let the Supervisory Bureau continue its research.

At the very least, they possessed a large number of vampires as samples, and two captured Blood Clan members to provide reference.

But…

‘Still, I really don’t think this is right.’

Xiu Lan was formulating her thoughts, just about to speak, when she was interrupted by a voice from beside her:

“……Senior, are you saying that if the Supervisory Bureau’s research is completed, we could also transform into Blood Clan members?”

Villy’s tone carried a hint of excitement.

Only then did Xiu Lan recall that Villy also suffered from Bloodthirst Syndrome, and a headache immediately began to throb.

Not only would it allow one to escape the ever-present urge of bloodthirst, but it would also grant powers beyond the ordinary.

For those suffering from Bloodthirst Syndrome, who were often subjected to discrimination, becoming a Blood Clan member would undoubtedly be a beneficial endeavor with no downsides.

This was especially true for Villy, who had just escaped a perilous situation and yearned for power more than ever before.

This was a far more suitable path for her than the ‘Armaments’ that required lengthy training.

“Provided the research proceeds smoothly.”

Yao Jing added.

“I have the patience to wait!”

Villy nodded repeatedly.

It was Xiu Lan who now found herself in an awkward predicament.

Glancing at her friend’s expectant expression, she hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back, finding it truly difficult to utter any discouraging words at such a moment.

‘There’s still plenty of time; I’ll discuss it later.’

When faced with indecision, her nature seemed to be either to act rashly or bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

Returning to the main topic.

“Everyone, quiet down for a moment.”

Yao Jing clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention, then pulled a photograph from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The scene in the photograph was a narrow alley near a street, where a young man with short red hair leaned against a wall, his solitary figure exuding an aura of detachment from the world.

“His name is Titan, and he is the nominal leader of the Blood Clan.”

“What did you say?!”

Wu Liyun exclaimed in shock.