Chapter 112: Informing the Deceased

Under the shroud of night, in a luxurious villa on the outskirts of the city, a young man sat on a sofa, elegantly savoring the red wine in his glass. Beside him stood several beautiful young women, serving on either side, though the light and vitality had long since faded from their eyes.

"Damn those blood hunters! What has gotten into them lately? They've made it impossible for me to go out and hunt!" Frustrated by his recent misfortunes, the young man hurled his wine glass to the floor in a rage. With a sharp crash, the glass shattered, sending shards flying. A young woman immediately stepped forward to clean up the debris. The young man grabbed her by the throat, his sharp fangs sinking into her flesh without hesitation, as he greedily drank her sweet blood. The girl offered no resistance, lying limp before him. Moments later, her arms went slack, and she lost all signs of life. The other girls standing by remained motionless, indifferent, as if they had seen nothing. They were blood slaves—the tragic victims of their kind—soulless husks who existed only to obey their master's commands.

After draining the girl dry, the young man tossed her corpse aside, and two other girls immediately stepped forward to remove the body.

He sat back down and took a napkin from one of the servants, elegantly wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "It's all because of those damn blood hunters that I'm forced to feed on the blood of these cattle. It’s infuriating. And that guy who’s been hunting vampires lately—how could such a madman even exist? It’s sickening!" he grumbled.

"If that’s how you feel, what are you going to do about it?" A voice suddenly echoed from behind him.

"Who’s there?" The young man’s eyes widened in terror. He never imagined that someone could approach him so silently. He immediately realized that the intruder was a master.

"Louis Carter. A vampire of Duke-level power. I haven't found the wrong person, have I?" said the man who had suddenly appeared before the vampire Duke.

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?" Louis stared cautiously at the stranger. He was wrapped in a long black windbreaker, his blood-red pupils glowing with an eerie light. The fangs exposed at the corners of his mouth revealed his identity as a vampire, yet the gentle smile on his face felt chilling.

"Who am I? I am an avenger, a wandering soul, but for you, I am your gravedigger." The vampire before him wore a cold smile.

"It’s you—the one who’s been hunting vampires everywhere!" Upon hearing this, Louis’s eyes widened in horror, and he trembled. By now, no fewer than three Duke-level vampires had died at his hands. Whether human or vampire, all were his prey. He had even killed two members of the vampire clans who had tried to hunt him, draining them dry. Having offended the blood hunters, the vampires, and the clans alike, he was a man no one understood—a lunatic, a complete and utter madman. In the dark world, he was known as the "Death Herald," the one who proclaims death. No one he targeted had ever survived.

"Oh? Since you know me, that’s perfect. No need to waste time on introductions." The Death Herald smiled at Louis. "Now, may I ask you to die?" A massive black scythe appeared in his hand, pointed directly at the trembling Louis.

"Damn you! Choosing me as your target—you have a death wish. I don't care what you call yourself; in the face of true power, titles are meaningless. If you're looking for death, I'll grant it to you!" Louis roared in fury. *How could I be killed so easily?* Pushing down his fear, he extended his claws and lunged at the Death Herald.

***

Moments later, the Death Herald tossed the battered, blood-drained body of Louis to the floor, a look of disdain flashing in his eyes. "Indeed, in the face of power, all titles are worthless. Whether you are a vampire Duke or a human, before death, all are equal," he said calmly, looking down at the fallen Louis.

"Hey, you wretched creature, which one is this?" A casual female voice drifted in from the window, and Lyliel appeared before the Death Herald.

"Lyliel, you don't have to waste your time following me every day. You'd be better off using this time to improve your strength so you can avenge Lilith," the Death Herald replied coolly.

"Improve my strength? Just like you?" Lyliel’s voice was filled with contempt. "Xing Yu, if Sister Lilith saw you now, I wonder what she would think? I suspect she wouldn't hesitate to kill you herself."

"Perhaps. But as long as I can kill Bai Ye, I don't care what I become. I have no regrets." Xing Yu, the man feared by the dark world, was indeed hunting constantly to gain strength. "If Lilith could kill me with her own hands, how wonderful that would be," he added, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"Hmph!" Lyliel snorted at the mention of Lilith and fell silent.

"Spare me, please, spare me. I don't want to die," Louis whimpered from the floor, dying from the blood loss.

"Spare you?" Xing Yu laughed coldly at the plea. "When you drained these girls of their blood, did you ever think of sparing them? If I let you live, how could I face the poor girls who died? You must die today, for the sake of those poor souls."

"Don't kill me! If you kill me, the others will all die, too. You can't kill me!" Louis played his final card, begging for his life.

"They'll all die?" Xing Yu sneered. "Look at them now. If this is living, they are better off dead. Death is nothing to be feared for them." He turned to the girls standing by, who remained unresponsive to the scene. "I am sorry. I cannot save you, but I can grant you eternal release." With a flicker of movement, Xing Yu’s fangs sank into their carotid arteries one by one, draining them completely.

Xing Yu looked down at the pile of corpses with a sorrowful expression, remaining silent for a long time.

"I truly don't understand you. If you wanted to grant them release, killing the vampire would have been enough. Why drain their blood, too?" Lyliel asked, bewildered.

"If they are to die regardless, why not let them contribute to my growing strength? Consider it a fee for their liberation. I think they would be willing." Xing Yu wiped the blood from his mouth and spoke indifferently.

"Sometimes I wonder, are you even the same Xing Yu we once knew? You are completely different now. You act in the name of justice, but in the end, it’s just to increase your own power. I really can't see how you’re any different from *him*," Lyliel stared at him, questioning.

"Of course I'm not. People change. Especially after everything that has happened, I am no longer who I was. The old Xing Yu died the moment Xiao You did. Now, I am merely a vengeful specter. You are right; I am only doing this to gain power. I have prepared myself to bear all the sins; I only hope that retribution comes late—at least let me see Bai Ye die before my eyes," Xing Yu said, looking at Lyliel. He turned his head away. "This is not the time for such talk. There is still one small fry left to deal with, isn't there? He is the main character of this little play, after all."

Following his gaze, Lyliel saw Louis, whom they had momentarily ignored, struggling to crawl toward the door. "I don't want to die! I don't want to die! To die because of these lowly animals... I won't have it!" Louis muttered.

"Hmph! How ugly. No matter how many times I see it, the wretchedness of vampires makes me sick," Lyliel said with disdain. "As expected, vampires are a breed without dignity or honor." She glanced at Xing Yu as she spoke, but he ignored her gaze.

"Very well, Lord Louis, I shall take your life. May you suffer in hell for eternity." With a cold smile, Xing Yu walked over to Louis, raised his scythe high, and brought it down without hesitation.

"Let’s go. It’s time to find the next target," Xing Yu said calmly amidst the swirling dust.

Lyliel said nothing; she simply spread her bat wings and flew into the night.

Xing Yu watched her silhouette disappear and murmured, "She really is an awkward child, isn't she, Lilith?"

He looked up into the deep, dark sky and spoke with affection, "Lilith, don't be impatient. Soon, I will possess the power to avenge you, and then we will be together forever, never to be parted again." With that, Xing Yu unfurled his own wings and took flight, following in Lyliel’s wake.