Chapter 7: No One Understands Vampires Better Than Me
Du Wa had always known that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s patience had its limits, yet for some reason, they hadn't taken any further action.
Were their funds that ample?
Anyway, the days passed one by one. Du Wa and Dum Dum Dugan continued their awkward existence as neighbors. He occasionally played the part of Robin Hood, spending the same stack of money over and over, and seemed to enjoy it.
"So far, the Queen has laid a total of 14 Eggs. Two of them haven't hatched yet. After the others hatched, 11 Xenomorphs were born."
Du Wa counted his forces on his fingers, constantly monitoring the mental states of these Xenomorphs.
This was a special kind of telepathy.
During this time, Du Wa didn't even step out the door, until Blade, unable to hold back any longer, came to his door again.
"You know I don't like coming here."
As soon as he entered, Blade pushed up his sunglasses and looked around. He spotted a few Messenger Xenomorphs, but didn't see the one with the crown on its head. He then said, "Not to mention you're raising even more of these pets. How did you do it?"
"Then how do you manage to give the Vampires such a hard time all by yourself?" Du Wa said.
"Strength. I have immense strength."
"That's my answer too. Because I'm strong, I always believe I can achieve great things."
Blade didn't believe a word of it. He thought Du Wa must have cultivated the embryos for these creatures long ago and had only just released them.
"So, what do you want? I probably won't be selling you any more strong acid," Du Wa said.
"I don't need any. I took out some trash who called himself a blood god, and your weapon was a great help. The price, however, is that some Vampires now suspect you and are looking for a way to deal with you."
"Then let them come. Perhaps wiping the Vampires off this planet would be a good choice." Du Wa carefully considered the possibility.
Blade's gaze sharpened. "Are you serious? That's difficult. Unless you can develop a vampire virus—but people have been trying for years with little effect. I actually think you'd have more success developing a drug targeting Mutants."
"Ha, you think dealing with Mutants is easier than dealing with Vampires?"
"No. I just think the Mutant problem is bigger and more complex. If you approach it from that angle, you'll gain more, just as many scientists have chosen to do. Vampires, on the other hand, are just a bunch of insects parasitizing Humanity," Blade said.
Du Wa set the tone for their conversation: "Then I'll just have my forces parasitize the Vampires."
*He has a clear aversion to Vampires, and perhaps some human-supremacist ideology. Of course, it could all be an act, just because hunting Vampires brings him benefits,* Blade thought to himself.
But as for what specific benefits, Blade couldn't imagine.
Those Vampires... besides having accumulated a lot of money thanks to their long lifespan, what else did they have? Nothing.
Blade finally revealed his purpose. "There's something I might need your help with."
"Are you representing yourself, or the team behind you?"
"I haven't officially joined them yet, so to be precise, *I* need your help. After all, I don't know many reliable people." Blade's expression didn't change. "I've received word that a mad general is obsessed with the Super-Soldier Program. To that end, he's even using the army to capture a certain green, mobile blood bank."
"You want me to go up against that green guy? That won't be easy. I remember seeing reports about him online a few months ago," Du Wa said.
Blade gave Du Wa a strange look, shocked by his imagination. "What makes you think you have the ability to get involved with the Hulk? That guy just needs to roar once to shatter your little pets."
This was crazy. Were all young people this audacious nowadays? Or was he just overestimating his own level?
"Then I should really feel lucky," Du Wa said noncommittally.
Blade carefully observed Du Wa's micro-expressions. Sometimes, he really couldn't figure out if this guy was confident out of ignorance, or because he was holding something back.
He leaned toward the former. Anyone with any intelligence on the Hulk would be dumbfounded. A green behemoth who could swat planes out of the sky with his bare hands and unleash hundreds or even thousands of tons of force with a casual wave. If he got angrier, unleashing even more power would be a simple matter.
Blade said, "What I need to deal with are certain people coveting the Hulk's bloodline. The little pets you're raising are agile and seem well-suited for battle. They could take some of the pressure off us."
"But why should I get involved in something so dangerous? Just because those people are assessing my threat level?"
"Listen, I don't know how much you've figured out, but it doesn't hurt to do what you can," Blade said frankly. "Your power isn't at a level that would make those people wary, but they can't let you act freely either. Someone as smart as you must have anticipated this situation from our first bargain."
After speaking, Blade stared into Du Wa's eyes. "You're showing off your talent on purpose, aren't you? Perhaps the time has come where you have no choice but to reveal yourself? Using their power to strengthen yourself is a good choice."
"Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of joining you. I just want to give back to society," Du Wa said with a wave of his hand. He knew he would have to take this step sooner or later, and using Blade as a springboard was a suitable opportunity.
He took a file from Blade's hand and quickly flipped through it, getting a general idea of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s focus.
It turned out the primary target wasn't the Hulk, but another person—Mr. Blue, someone who had already conducted a genetic experiment on the Hulk's blood.
Blade was targeting Mr. Blue because he had dealings with a particular Vampire—Baron Blood. They were possibly conducting a troublesome blood transaction and needed to be eliminated.
In Blade's mind, God only knew what a top-tier Vampire would turn into after drinking the Hulk's blood. It was too dangerous.
"Got it. You need me to track and intercept Mr. Blue, right?" Du Wa said. "Let's be clear, the price for my services isn't low."
"One million US dollars."
"Two million. This is life-threatening work. Also, I'll need all the information you have regarding the Vampire population distribution, stronghold locations, and so on," Du Wa said.
Blade gave the young man a meaningful look. He even wanted intelligence on their population numbers? To make such a demand, he was either drunk or had a terrifyingly huge appetite.
What was it about these Vampires that attracted Du Wa?
Blade didn't understand the proper use for Vampires. Du Wa felt that he was the one who truly understood.
They were numerous, their individual strength was relatively decent, and you could even make money by taking out a batch... Nothing could capture Du Wa's interest more than hunting Vampires.
Otherwise, who would he hunt if not Vampires? Mutants?
(end of chapter )