The Price of Power

“Ah… is that so? I understand…”

Villy paused, startled for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. She said indifferently, “Then just let me know when things restart.”

“No, Senior Yao’s intention is… it’s highly unlikely to restart at all.”

“What? Why not?”

“…It’s probably a matter between the higher-ups.”

Wu Liyun spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. During the call, Yao Jing had been vague, not explaining the reasons before rushing off to other matters, leaving him utterly bewildered.

“Alright, I understand then.”

Villy’s mood sank a little, but she knew there was nothing to be done about it.

“Actually, I wanted to know…”

Wu Liyun, sensing the girl’s somber mood, pondered his words carefully before asking, “Villy, why are you so determined to become Bloodkin?”

“Hm? To cure my illness, of course.”

Villy blurted out, “After all, ‘Bloodthirst Syndrome’ is a ticking time bomb. No one knows when or where it might flare up.”

‘That was a lie.’

‘Ever since Liu Yu saved her that night, her sole pursuit had been power that defied all reason.’

‘And becoming Bloodkin was precisely the shortest path.’

“To… cure your illness?”

Wu Liyun’s expression darkened slightly. After a moment of internal struggle, he decided to explain, “I’m sorry to shatter your illusions, but the truth is… Bloodkin are not as flawless as you might imagine.”

Under Villy’s scrutinizing gaze, Wu Liyun slowly revealed everything: “Just as those afflicted with ‘Bloodthirst Syndrome’ need to take ‘inhibitors’ regularly, we, all members of the Bloodkin, also need to hold ‘gatherings’ at regular intervals.”

“Only Bloodkin who regularly attend these ‘gatherings’ can maintain a stable state. Otherwise, they risk gradually degenerating into ‘Vampires’ with muddled consciousness over time.”

“What exactly are these ‘gatherings’?”

“In the past, I would have said: these were hidden traps laid by the ‘Elder Council’ or The Doctor and his associates to control other Bloodkin. But now, I’ve come to understand the underlying principle…”

Wu Liyun shook his head and continued, “The so-called Bloodkin are ‘Derivative Species’ born from the power of ‘The Gem’. Just like the ‘Elves’ have their sovereign, the ‘Forest King’, and the ‘Duo Shi’ have their sovereign, the ‘Baize’, our Bloodkin’s sovereign is ‘The Gem’, or rather, the source of ‘The Gem’.”

“However, unlike other ‘Derivative Species’, if we Bloodkin are cut off from ‘The Gem’s’ power for too long, we will degenerate into ‘Vampires’. Do you understand now…?”