An alarm chimed in Shen Zhilin’s ear, someone had intruded upon her lair. Her expression darkened, and in an instant, she vanished, reappearing in her stronghold with preternatural speed.
The intruder seemed oblivious to her arrival. Standing before the bookshelf, the figure was unmistakable. The person remained hunched over, their small, exquisite profile silhouetted in the dimness. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her hands were mostly tucked into her sleeves, save for slender, pale fingers that trembled as they gripped a thin page of the book.
Shen Zhilin let out a faint, silent smile. In the next heartbeat, she was standing directly behind Sheng Mian.
Sheng Mian’s scalp tingled. Sensing someone behind her who remained as silent as a ghost, her surge of adrenaline and terror spiked. She froze, not even daring to breathe deeply, looking for all the world like a cornered fawn.
Watching the girl remain paralyzed with fear, Zhilin found it oddly amusing. She lowered her voice, making it sound deep and oppressive: “Not going to run?”
The hair on Sheng Mian’s neck stood on end. The book slipped from her trembling hands and hit the thick carpet with a dull thud. Having exhausted all her utility cards, she had no way out. She turned around slowly, only to find the person before her completely eclipsing the faint candlelight.
Sheng Mian looked up at the dark silhouette. She couldn’t make out the face, but she felt the gaze of those dark red eyes fixed on her in total silence. A crushing sense of pressure enveloped her as she backed up against the bookcase.
Zhilin’s hand moved gently to Sheng Mian’s neck. At the moment of contact, she felt the girl shudder. Sheng Mian’s breathing grew ragged. Zhilin applied a fraction of pressure, her thumb pressing against the artery, feeling the vibrant, steady pulse beneath the skin.
With her life literally in the vampire’s hands, Sheng Mian deeply regretted her reckless intrusion. Perhaps because they were in a game, Zhilin’s actions were uncharacteristically bold and direct. Her thumb slowly stroked the fair, fragile throat, her cool fingers sending a lingering, ticklish sensation through Sheng Mian’s body.
Due to the darkness, the unfamiliar tone, and her own rising anxiety, Sheng Mian failed to recognize her. A soft chuckle drifted from above—a laugh so different from the surrounding atmosphere that Sheng Mian found herself relaxing slightly.
Zhilin leaned down, her target clearly Sheng Mian’s neck. As that icy breath drew closer, Sheng Mian, acting like a lamb at the slaughter, instinctively raised her hand and covered the mouth that was inches away.
Sheng Mian’s warm palm pressed against the lower half of Zhilin’s face. The contact was cool and smooth. With her palm pressed so firmly against Zhilin’s lips, it felt as though Zhilin were kissing her hand—a realization that made the Alpha’s breath hitch as the predatory vampire instincts surged.
A muffled voice vibrated against Sheng Mian’s palm, carrying a tone of casual, warm amusement: “Still haven’t recognized me?”
Then, Zhilin tilted her head and nipped lightly at Sheng Mian’s middle finger. The sharp fangs met the soft pad of her finger with zero distance between them. It wasn’t the pain she expected; instead, a jolt of electricity shot from her fingertip and raced through her entire body.
Sheng Mian stood dazed for several seconds before she finally snapped back and jerked her hand away. Zhilin withdrew her hand as well, licking her sharp canines as if savoring the lingering warmth.
Sheng Mian squinted, using the guttering candlelight and the familiar tone to finally realize who it was. Zhilin fought down the urge to feast on the fresh blood before her and took a step back, her expression and voice returning to their usual, slightly cold state. “Took you long enough to recognize me.”
Sheng Mian let out a massive sigh of relief. “I was terrified! And it’s so dark, I can’t see a thing.” She glanced at Zhilin, her eyes turning playful and pleading. “Since it’s you, let me go, okay? I’m not done playing yet.”
Because they were in the game, Zhilin was more animated than usual. She teased, “There are no personal favors in this game.”
Normally, Sheng Mian might have surrendered, but with Zhilin, she felt she could be a little more forward with her pleading. She stepped closer and looked up piteously at the “vicious” vampire. She found she wasn’t afraid of Zhilin’s monstrous form at all; even if she were bitten, she felt she could accept it, she might even offer her neck up willingly.
She gently grasped Zhilin’s wrist and gave it a small tug. Her voice softened into a melodious, wheedling tone. “Please, Shen Zhilin? Let this little one go just this once?”
Zhilin had never intended to actually “kill” her. Looking at that face, she felt an inexplicable softness in her heart. She opened her thin lips and whispered, “Qin Heng is a vampire too. Watch out for him.”
After a sincere thank you, Sheng Mian bolted from the room, leaving Zhilin alone in the darkness.
Sheng Mian headed straight for the kitchen to gather the necessary ingredients. As for the silver weapon, she’d figure that out later. The kitchen was as bright as day; she blinked several times to adjust before spotting the “body” on the counter. Keeping her eyes on it to make sure it didn’t “reanimate,” she hugged the wall as she moved past.
“Sheng Mian, Sheng Mian come here.” a mournful, haunting voice called from behind.
Sheng Mian turned warily to see Qin Heng standing at a distance, beckoning her with a finger. “Come over here.”
“Stop that, you’re creeping me out,” she said, staying put. “What do you want?”
“Don’t worry, I just want to form an alliance. I know who all the vampires are. It’s safer if we move together.”
Sheng Mian tested him: “What’s your faction?”
“Commoner, obviously,” Qin Heng replied without hesitation. To make himself more credible, he added, “The vampires are Cheng Liye and Shen Zhilin. I found a utility card that told me.”
If Zhilin hadn’t warned her, she might have actually fallen for it. Sheng Mian feigned a look of shocked surprise. “My God! They’re the vampires?”
She slowly walked toward him. “Then let’s go find Yi Chi. She’s a Knight. With her on our side, we have a better chance of winning.”
Qin Heng was delighted, he’d accidentally discovered the identity of the final Knight. Remembering how Yi Chi had fought earlier, he decided to keep Sheng Mian “alive” for now as bait to lure Yi Chi out and finish them both off.
Perfect, he thought, suppressing a smirk behind his masterful acting. “Great. Let’s find Yi Chi, then we can plan how to kill those two vampires.”
Sheng Mian greeted him with a smile, following a half-step behind Qin Heng. Relying on his vampire night vision, she found her movement speed through the dark much faster.
The current standings: 2 Vampires, 1 Knight, and 3 Commoners.
“The situation is looking grim; we have to find Yi Chi immediately,” Qin Heng said with feigned panic. Internally, he couldn’t help but smirk, killing Yi Chi would mean a guaranteed victory for the Vampire faction.
The joy of impending triumph flooded his brain, and his pace quickened. It seemed fate was finally on his side when, before long, they ran right into Yi Chi.
Sheng Mian, trailing slightly behind, caught Yi Chi’s eye and offered a subtle signal. Yi Chi caught the look instantly, her fingers drifting to the hilt of her sword.
Sheng Mian called out to stop the eager Qin Heng. He turned around, looking confused. “What is it?”
Sheng Mian’s lips curled into a playful grin. “I know you’re a vampire.”
The sheer certainty in her voice made Qin Heng’s breath hitch. He immediately shouted back, “How is that possible? Of course I’m not a—”
Before he could finish the word “vampire,” his eyes widened in disbelief. He slowly turned his head to look at Yi Chi. Blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth; the sharp blade Yi Chi had just been stroking was now buried in his back.
Qin Heng swallowed a mouthful of blood, sounding utterly defeated. “Wait, Yi Chi, you stabbed me without even a wind-up? What if Sheng Mian was just guessing?”
“I told her with my eyes,” Sheng Mian replied.
Qin Heng was left even more speechless and indignant. “Since when did you two get so in sync? One look and she knows exactly what to do? Dammit!” His indignant “Dammit” echoed through the corridor until his character finally vanished.
Current standings: 1 Vampire, 1 Knight, and 2 Commoners.
“There’s only one vampire left. Do you know who it is?” Yi Chi asked, cleaning her sword once again.
After a moment of hesitation, Sheng Mian spoke. “It’s Shen Zhilin.”
Both went silent. Yi Chi leaned against the wall, thinking. She had only managed to kill Cheng Liye and Qin Heng because they were either caught off guard or severely wounded. In a head-on confrontation with Shen Zhilin, she honestly didn’t have much confidence.
Sheng Mian couldn’t bring herself to use the same trick on Shen Zhilin. After all, Zhilin had just spared her; to turn around and use a dirty tactic felt impossible to her.
Both girls sighed simultaneously.
Suddenly, a ghostly silhouette swept toward them, coming to a halt right beside Sheng Mian. “Shen—”
Before Sheng Mian could finish her name, she was swept off her feet. In a flash, both she and the shadow vanished. Yi Chi silently lowered her outstretched hand and retracted the foot she had been about to use to give chase.
The world spun for Sheng Mian, the motion making her feel nauseous. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the vertigo. When she felt her feet touch the ground, she opened her eyes to find herself back in the same room from before, only now she was sitting on a dark red leather sofa.
The two of them were trapped in a space of intimate restriction. Shen Zhilin had one hand braced against the back of the sofa and her knee propped up beside Sheng Mian’s thigh. From behind, Sheng Mian was completely eclipsed by Zhilin’s silhouette, hidden from the rest of the world.
Shen Zhilin reached out, and a small silver dagger dropped into her palm. She dangled it before Sheng Mian’s eyes. Sheng Mian looked up, confused.
Zhilin’s voice was gentle, her tone carrying a playful lilt. “I’m the last vampire left, and you guys have the numbers. I’m surrendering.”
She pressed the small silver dagger into Sheng Mian’s hand, her voice a soft lure. “I know you have the other materials. With this, you can kill me.”
The silver blade was sharp and cold, its weight making Sheng Mian’s hand stiffen. She looked up at Zhilin’s face, which appeared even more ethereal and dangerous under the vampire’s thrall.
Sheng Mian shook her head instinctively, tossing the silver dagger aside in a silent refusal. Her eyes remained locked on Zhilin’s face, even though this avatar only looked about seventy percent like her, it was still strikingly handsome.
Sheng Mian felt that if she had to be bitten by a face like this, she would be perfectly willing. She might even offer her neck up as a sacrifice.
Feeling a sudden dizzying heat, Sheng Mian averted her gaze and whispered, “Go find Yi Chi. She’s the Knight.”
“If I have to choose,” Zhilin murmured, “I’d rather die by your hand.”
Sheng Mian looked up at her in shock, her entire body beginning to flush.