...The Forbidden Fruit, a legendary mysterious fruit from the abyss.
Any creature that consumes it can gain the power it desires, but must also pay an equal price.
Since its emergence, human society has undergone tremendous changes—some who ate it have benefited humanity, while others have brought calamities for millennia.
Animals that obtained the fruit have wreaked havoc on human civilization, forcing people to build high walls and live in fortified cities.
As most beings cannot resist its allure and would devour it on sight, the Forbidden Fruit remains as elusive as a myth to most.
However, the extraordinary powers derived from it are not difficult to obtain.
…
In Silver City, an old building.
Yu Xian, wearing a mask and carrying a briefcase, takes a pen - shaped syringe from the shady shopkeeper and asks, "Boss, which generation is this blood?"
"The blood of the third - generation vampires. But I must warn you, although directly injecting vampire blood can transform you into a vampire, you'll be an illegal one, a so - called wild vampire. Once the vampires discover your existence, you'll be met with hostility from the entire vampire clan, and the self - purifiers will hunt you down relentlessly!" The shady shopkeeper looked at Yu Xian and said slowly.
"Centuries ago, the vampire progenitor used the Forbidden Fruit to transform from a human into a vampire. Since then, vampires have become an extremely powerful force in human society. Only humans who pass the vampire assessments and trials are eligible to receive the Embrace and become vampires. Such vampires will be accepted and protected by the entire vampire clan, but they must also contribute their strength to the clan. In the past, some people have tried to assassinate vampires and then transform themselves into vampires by drinking their blood, hoping to achieve immortality. However, without exception, they were all killed by the self - purifiers sent out by the vampires."
"The problem is, Yu Xian can't wait that long, and he has no patience to go through the vampire trials. He's just a high - school student who has just taken over a small factory from his deceased father and has a bit of money."
If nothing had gone wrong, after graduation he would have managed the factory like his father, and then passed it on to his son or daughter when he got old.
Unfortunately, an accident happened.
A year ago, he was also diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)!
It's hereditary—his father died of the same disease.
This terrifying terminal illness can only be treated in the extraordinary world, but most treatments come with an exorbitant price tag.
For instance, hiring a super - being with healing powers to cure him outright would cost one hundred million.
Even if he sold the factory, he could at most raise about twenty million, which is far from enough to afford such a treatment. Meanwhile, the cheapest alternatives would still cost six to seven million, and they come with all sorts of bizarre side effects.
Finally, after spending a fortune on investigations and consultations, he found this so - called "black shop" that claimed to sell anything.
After selling the factory and a store, he finally scraped together enough money to buy the vampire blood, seeing a glimmer of hope for survival.
As long as he injected the vampire blood and transformed himself, his ALS would be cured instantly. However, he would have to live off blood for the rest of his life, and fear both silver and sunlight.
"This is the final payment," Yu Xian said, taking out a silver ring and holding it close to the pen - shaped syringe to verify its authenticity.
After confirming that the blood in the syringe was indeed vampire blood, he placed the briefcase on the table and immediately turned to leave.
Back at his residence, Yu Xian quickly drew the curtains, then sat down in his bedroom.
Removing his mask, Yu Xian carefully took out the pen - shaped syringe. Seeing the blood inside, he couldn't help but show a look of wild joy—he was finally not going to die.
The moment he was diagnosed with ALS, it felt like the sky was falling. He spent a month in a daze before mustering the courage to accept his impending death and frantically searching for a way to save himself.
In fact, his hands often felt weak, and occasionally his legs would go numb. He was acutely aware that death was approaching.
Fortunately, it was not too late!
After taking off his clothes and calming his excitement, Yu Xian slowly injected the blood from the syringe into his body. Soon, he felt a chill spreading from his bones, followed by a wave of drowsiness that he couldn't resist.
He obediently lay down and slowly closed his eyes.
In his final moments, he could feel his heartbeat slowing down—slower... and slower...
A day and a night passed in the blink of an eye.
In the darkness, Yu Xian rolled over.
Suddenly realizing something, he abruptly opened his eyes and immediately sat up in bed.
"Did I succeed?"
He murmured to himself, then quickly pressed a hand against his chest.
About a minute later, a smile spread across his face. Sure enough, his heart had stopped beating—proof that the vampire blood had transformed him.
Vampires' hearts only beat once a year.
It's said that every ten beats grants a minor talent, and every hundred beats grants a major one.
That's why the longer a vampire lives, the stronger they become.
Additionally, when well-fed, vampires can even reduce their heartbeats to once every six months, accelerating their power growth. This is why all vampires drink blood even when not hungry.
"Every newly turned vampire gains an initial talent."
Yu Xian recalled the information he had gathered and carefully felt the changes in his body.
First, he could rule out active abilities—those were like eating or speaking, which one could naturally master with a little practice.
Since it wasn't an active ability, it must be a passive one.
That was more troublesome.
Passive abilities usually required a trigger to reveal themselves.
"I'm a bit hungry. Good thing I prepared some blood bags in advance!"
Instead of sensing any new power, Yu Xian felt a pang of hunger.
He got out of bed and habitually turned on the light, only to freeze in place.
His body was absorbing the light!
No, to be precise, his body was devouring the light.
How was this possible?
Vampires were supposed to fear sunlight, but—
Yu Xian recalled the information he had gathered, then carefully sensed the changes in his body.
First, he ruled out active abilities—those are like eating or opening your mouth, which you can instinctively use as long as you're not mentally impaired.
Since it wasn't something he needed to activate deliberately, it must be a passive ability.
That was more troublesome.
Passive abilities usually only reveal themselves after being triggered.
"Feeling a bit hungry, but luckily I prepared plenty of blood bags!"
Instead of sensing his ability, Yu Xian felt a pang of hunger.
He got out of bed and habitually turned on the light, only to freeze in place.
His body was absorbing the light!
No, to be precise, his body was devouring the light.
How was that possible?
Vampires only feared sunlight, and ordinary light shouldn't harm them, but in reality, they dislike strong light and may even feel slight discomfort under intense illumination.
And now, not only did he not feel uncomfortable, but he even felt a bit pleasant.
"Could my first ability be... consuming light?"
Yu Xian looked up at the incandescent bulb, his face shifting from doubt to ecstatic joy.
He immediately walked to the window. After deciding to become a vampire, he had replaced all the curtains with light-blocking fabric, but he knew it was definitely daytime outside.
"My senses aren't wrong. Even through the curtains, the sunlight is hitting them, and I can feel the warmth," he thought.
"But... I don't feel any discomfort at all!"
"On the contrary, I feel a strong desire..."
With one hand gripping the curtain, Yu Xian took a deep breath and yanked it open.
Light instantly flooded the room, and the morning sun shone directly on him. He could clearly feel his hunger vanishing rapidly.
He was indeed feeding, and his food was sunlight.
He was an anomaly among vampires.
He fed on light.
He was a "Light Eater"!