A Precarious Alliance

“A bad premonition… are you suggesting we let the thief go?”

Having pursued them all the way from The Supervisory Bureau, if anyone else had suggested to Yao Jing at this critical juncture that they give up and cease the chase, he would undoubtedly have slapped them twice. But The Doctor was different; as a member of the Black-blooded, the world he perceived likely far surpassed ordinary human imagination. A warning issued from his lips had to be treated with utmost caution by Yao Jing.

“But I don’t feel anything…”

Irina remarked with a hint of hesitation. Despite being Bloodkin just like The Doctor, she hadn’t sensed a thing.

“No, this is merely a premonition, not some racial ability.”

“Hmm…” Yao Jing stroked his chin, lost in thought.

‘Should I continue forward or turn back? Two paths, leading to different futures, stretched before him, compelling him to make a choice.’

“Let’s keep going,” Yao Jing declared.

Choices were for children; adults, of course, wanted it all. As long as his ability to reverse time remained, it was merely a matter of trying again a few times.

“Alright.”

“Understood.”

The two temporary teammates affirmed his decision. Just as they prepared to press onward, a figure suddenly descended from high above.

“I advise you to turn back now and not approach any further.”

The woman, clad in a black catsuit with her face obscured by a mask, spoke.

“You—”

It was an evident truth that the woman in the black catsuit was not human. No human could fall from a height of dozens of meters without auxiliary equipment and emerge unscathed, nor could they possess ears and a tail, moving with the agility of a cat.

“You actually delivered yourself right to our doorstep! This time, you won’t escape.”

Irina’s expression was agitated, and she rubbed her hands together, looking ready to charge forward and attack. This woman was none other than the thief who had stolen from The Supervisory Bureau, and the very reason the three of them had pursued her to this location.

“Wait a moment.”

Yao Jing reached out, stopping the eager blonde Bloodkin, and soothed her, “Don’t act yet. Let’s hear what she has to say.”

“Indeed,” The Doctor echoed. “She seems to know a great deal. It might be wise to listen before deciding.”

“Are you done discussing?”

The woman leaned casually against a lamppost, arms crossed, and only spoke after the trio had finished their debate. “Two [Fallen Divine Blood] have already gathered there. If you bring another drop, the situation will inevitably take an unpredictable turn. So, for your safety and that of this city, I urge you to return the way you came.”

Her calm, even words contained a bombshell, leaving Yao Jing and his two companions with varied expressions.

“Fallen Divine Blood… are you referring to The Gem? To think it’s connected to the ancient gods… could it be that—”

The Doctor was the first to react. After a moment of contemplation, he instantly grasped the crux of the woman’s words, connecting it to a terrifying truth.

With a slight tremor in his voice, The Doctor asked, “Are you implying… that the ancient gods are the origin of the [Black-blooded]?”

This was not a baseless assumption, but a conclusion The Doctor had swiftly deduced from the clues he had just received. That the Bloodkin were a Derivative Species born from the power of the Fallen Divine Blood was a fact acknowledged by other Black-blooded. If this power truly originated from the ancient gods who had vanished without a trace, then only one answer remained.

‘Divine Beings’ and the ‘Black-blooded’ shared an extremely close relationship.

This was astonishing news, capable of altering the world’s entire格局.

“Yes and no.”

The woman remained noncommittal, appearing to have no intention of providing further explanations. Instead, she shifted to another topic. “I’ve decided to abandon my attempt to take the [Fallen Divine Blood] from your hands. Would you kindly remove the restraints placed upon me?”

Her decision to appear before Yao Jing and the others was not solely to prevent these Bloodkin from delivering more ‘equipment.’ More importantly, she had been partially sealed by Irina using the power of Divine Blood, leaving her in an incomplete state. This was precisely why the trio had been able to pursue her all the way here.

“Why should we trust you!” Irina exclaimed.

“I can agree to your request, but I also have a condition.”

Yao Jing, surprisingly, agreed without hesitation. For him, there were no true choices in this world:

“I need to know everything that’s happening over there.”

Monsters with black blood rampaged across the land, appearing without warning or clear origin, simply materializing in the human world. They effortlessly shattered humanity’s proud civilization, driving it back in relentless retreat.

Even when heroes rose to turn the tide, their utmost efforts only managed to gather the remaining embers of humanity, allowing them to huddle in a corner and merely survive.

Undoubtedly, in this war for the world’s dominion, humanity had suffered a devastating defeat.

So, where exactly did the Black-blooded come from, and why had they appeared?

This unsolved mystery, which had plagued humanity for over a decade, might finally yield some answers from the woman before them.

“You must first remove the restraints on me.”

Despite being in a disadvantageous position, she spoke with righteous confidence, boldly setting conditions. At the woman’s shameless declaration, Irina rolled her eyes.

“…Mm, alright. Little I, go ahead and release her.”

“Who are you calling ‘Little I’?! You scumbag, if you can’t speak properly, just shut your rotten mouth, or I’ll shut it for you myself!”

As Irina grumbled and summoned The Gem, preparing to remove the restraints, Yao Jing suddenly roared, “Stop!”

“Huh?”

Irina jumped in surprise, looking at the hunter with a bewildered expression, wondering what new fit of madness had seized him.

Yao Jing, however, wore a serious expression and spoke with an unyielding tone:

“I believe a transaction can only proceed when built upon mutual trust and understanding. However, I sense no sincerity from you, Miss. If you continue to maintain this unwilling attitude to communicate, then I’m afraid I’ll have no choice but to decline your proposal.”

‘Are you sick? You’re the one who agreed, and you’re the one who’s refusing.’

Yao Jing’s capriciousness not only stunned the woman but also left his two teammates bewildered.

“This is…” The Doctor mused, as if something had dawned on him. His time in prison these past few days hadn’t been in vain; rumors of Yao Jing’s apparent precognitive abilities had already reached his ears. ‘Could it be… no, I mustn’t jump to conclusions so quickly. Further observation is needed.’

“No, you… never mind, I understand.”

The woman seemed about to say something more, but finally sighed and gave up the argument. “Sometimes, knowing too much isn’t good for you.”

“That’s not for you to worry about.”

Yao Jing’s words were sharp and laced with a suppressed fury. And indeed, they were. He had genuinely believed this woman would keep her word, only for her to take the advantage and run, infuriating him enough to commit suicide on the spot and rush back to confront her.

“I recall… someone just asked about the relationship between ‘Divine Beings’ and the [Black-blooded]… Very well, I’ll tell you a portion of what I know. Of course, whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

Concerning the profound secrets of this world, even the usually bored Irina perked up her ears, listening intently.