The top floor of the Edgewood Building housed a luxurious apartment where Deacon Frost sat on a plush sofa, surrounded by several beautiful and alluring female vampires. In other corners of the room, other figures were entangled, the air thick with a hot and passionate atmosphere. Pulsating music pushed the decadent mood to its peak. This was traditional vampire revelry, and no one batted an eye.
The party was a celebration. Deacon had just made a breakthrough in his Blood God plan.
The previous day, he had convened another meeting of the city's vampire elite. As the council members arrived, they discovered their chairman was missing. Just as they were wondering about his whereabouts, Deacon's ambush was sprung. It was a clean operation. Though the councillors were purebloods with superior physicality, centuries of complacency had degraded their combat and defensive instincts. They were all captured effortlessly.
Of course, Deacon knew the risks. These were the patriarchs of their respective families. Their prolonged absence would inevitably trigger investigations. If the other clans discovered his role in this, they would unite against him. The combined force of the twelve pureblood clans would wipe out the Frost family in short order.
But Deacon didn't panic. He knew in his heart that as long as he gathered all the sacrifices and successfully summoned the Blood God, his power would be absolute. Even if the entire council united against him, they would be no match for the might of a deity. The records described the Blood God's power in terrifying detail, and the thought made his blood run hot.
Soon. The Daywalker is the only piece left. Once he is in my hands, my plan will come to fruition. A frown creased his brow. I wonder how Chunluo is faring.
As if on cue, the door opened and a subordinate hurried to his side, bending down to whisper a report. As he listened, Deacon's face lit up with naked excitement, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Hah! Finally, I've waited long enough! It seems the time for my plan to come to fruition is not far away!"
He stood and walked out the door, too excited to remain seated. The news that Blade had been successfully captured was the final piece he needed. He strode quickly toward the room where Chunluo was waiting.
He stopped before an alloy door, which hissed open to admit him. The room was a pure white chamber constructed entirely of high-strength alloy, from the floor to the walls to the ceiling, each nearly a meter thick. It was a safe house Deacon had built at great cost, designed to withstand a direct missile strike. Using it as Blade's cage was more than appropriate.
As soon as he entered, Deacon's eyes scanned the room before landing on the figure lying on the floor behind Chunluo. His eyes gleamed, and he hurried forward, looking at Chunluo with unbridled admiration.
"Sure enough, I read you right, Chunluo! I didn't expect you to capture Blade so quickly! And just in time; the other part of the sacrifice has also been obtained. I think we can start our plan tonight!"
Chunluo nodded, his face a mask of cooperative eagerness. "Then let's start as soon as possible. I think the other families have already sensed something is wrong. Only by obtaining the power of the Blood God as soon as possible can we successfully resist their attack." He allowed a hint of longing to show in his eyes. "I really want to see how powerful the legendary Blood God is."
Seeing Chunluo's reaction, Deacon smiled and nodded. But inwardly, a cold, uncontrollable fear of Chunluo was taking root. The fact that Chunluo had succeeded in capturing Blade demonstrated a strength that far exceeded his expectations. He could not allow such a massive threat to remain by his side during the Blood God ceremony.
While Chunluo had shown no signs of disloyalty, who could guarantee he wouldn't be tempted by the legendary power and try to seize it for himself? Deacon might have been confident in suppressing anyone else, but Chunluo was a different matter. If he decided to make a move, the situation could become dangerous.
No, I have to find a way to keep him away from the ceremony.
His mind raced, and soon he had an idea. "Now that the sacrifices have been collected, let's set off as soon as possible to avoid any accidents."
Without further delay, Deacon immediately gave the order. Blade and the other captured councillors were loaded up, and the group set off for their destination by car.
A few hours later, the convoy slowed to a stop in front of a somewhat ancient-looking building: the Palace of Eternal Night. This was an ancient holy place passed down through generations of vampires, used only for sacrifices on specific occasions and largely ignored at other times.
Today, this ancient hall was about to host a very special sacrifice.
Entering the hall, Chunluo and the others proceeded without pause to the top level, a sealed stone chamber. An upright iron coffin stood in the center, with a drainage groove beneath it and a small opening in the middle, like a container for collecting a specific substance. This was where Blade's sacrifice would take place.
Once he was placed inside, the internal spikes would pierce his body, and his blood would flow into the groove below, mingling with the other sacrifices. The ceremony could then begin, calling the Blood God to descend.
Seeing this, Deacon licked his lips in excitement, his impatience getting the better of him. "Quickly! Put Blade in there!"
As the words left his mouth, Blade, who had been unconscious for a long time, finally stirred and slowly opened his eyes. As his vision cleared and he recognized his surroundings, his face changed. He tried to get up immediately, but the iron chains binding him held him tightly in place, rendering him helpless.
He looked up, his eyes finding the familiar face beside him. He gritted his teeth. "Chunluo! Where is this place?"
"Huh? You're finally awake." Hearing the voice, Chunluo looked down at Blade's angry eyes and said with a smile, "As for where this is? I think you should have an answer in your heart."
Blade's eyes narrowed, and his heart sank instantly.
Before he could respond, Deacon laughed. "Blade! I finally see you!"
He walked over and squatted down, a mocking smile on his face. "I heard you've been looking for me for a long time. I'm curious. What's your reason?"
Blade paused, then slowly turned his head to look at him. He frowned. "You are Deacon." A disdainful smile appeared on his face. "You should be glad you didn't meet me sooner. Otherwise, you wouldn't be alive today."
A cold light flashed in Deacon's eyes. He smirked. "I'm really curious. Where did your confidence come from? Don't forget how you fell into my hands."
Blade was silent for a moment, looking at the other calmly. "So, you mean you were stronger than Chunluo?"
Deacon was speechless for a moment. Anger flashed across his face, and his laughter grew colder. He clapped his hands, then looked at Blade. "That's right. I heard you've been looking for the vampire who bit your mother all these years. How about it? After all these years, have you found any clues? If not, I think I can tell you the answer."
Hearing this, Blade's eyes instantly turned sharp, and he stared firmly at the other. An inexplicable thought suddenly crossed his mind. "Could it be you?"
Deacon burst into laughter instantly. He patted him heavily on the shoulder. "You guessed right. It's me." He leaned in closer. "Speaking of which, you should thank me. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have the power you have now. Seriously speaking, to a certain extent, I should also be your father."
He straightened up, his expression one of supreme arrogance. "But speaking of this, I really want to thank my past self. If I hadn't bitten your mother, I wouldn't have gotten the most important sacrifice for my Blood God ceremony today. Only your blood can allow me to successfully obtain the power of the Blood God. Once I have this power, the day I dominate all mankind is not far away."
He laughed again, a sound full of cruel triumph. "Blade, regarding your role in this, I will always remember it. So, in return, I'll grant your last wish."
He looked behind Blade with an inexplicable smile. "Tara! You are finally here. Come and see your son. You haven't seen each other for decades. Since this is the last time you'll meet, I'll give you some time to catch up."
Hearing that familiar name, Blade trembled from head to toe. He couldn't help showing a look of shock on his face. He turned his head slowly, stiffly, and looked behind him.
A woman stepped forward and came to his side. She stretched out her hands and gently stroked his face. "Son, we finally meet."
Looking at the other person's familiar face—one he had seen countless times in photographs—Blade's body still trembled with disbelief. "Why? You should have..." he began, but was interrupted by her.
"That's right. I was dead after you were born. But then Deacon found me and gave me a new life."
Hearing this, Blade was silent for a moment. "So now you have become a vampire too, right?"
Tara nodded slightly, looking at Deacon with utter devotion. "Now I'm no longer the human being I used to be. It was only after I transformed into a vampire that I realized this life is more suitable for me. As Deacon says, only we, the Blood Clan, are the noblest creatures in the world. As for humans, they're nothing more than our food."
Her gaze returned to Blade, her expression gentle yet utterly alien. "So, my son, I'm really proud of you for dedicating your life to Deacon's project."
Looking at her gently smiling face, the faint hope in Blade's heart died instantly. The light in his bright eyes extinguished, and his unyielding will began to crumble under the ultimate betrayal of his biological mother. His face fell into silence as he quietly nestled in his mother's embrace, saying no more. By all appearances, he had completely given up hope.
From the side, Chunluo watched calmly, though he sighed inwardly. He had known about the betrayal from the plot and had expected it. He'd thought that by capturing Blade himself, he might have prevented Deacon from playing this card. Yet, at this final moment, the other party had still used it—a masterstroke of psychological destruction.
But this was a family affair. Even if he decided to rescue Blade, Chunluo had no intention of interfering with his mother's choices. After the rescue, Blade would have to deal with that himself.
Seeing Blade's broken spirit, Deacon showed a satisfied smile. His goal achieved, there was no need to wait any longer. He glanced at Chunluo, his eyes flickering, and gave a slight nod to a subordinate across the room. Having set his new plan in motion, Deacon turned back to Blade.
"It's time. Put Blade in."
"Yes, sir!"
Two subordinates stepped forward, dragged Blade across the floor to the iron coffin, and began securing him. Click. After his limbs and neck were firmly clamped, they pushed the spiked iron lid shut.
Boom!
A muffled sound echoed, accompanied by a pained groan from inside the coffin as the lid sealed shut. The internal spikes pierced Blade's body, and dozens of streams of blood began to flow from the wounds into the central disc of the coffin. The blood gradually began to gather as if pulled by an invisible force, flowing toward the groove in the center and finally sinking into it.
Seeing that the ceremony was about to begin, Deacon didn't delay any longer. He ordered the two guards to stay behind and then led the others toward the altar below.
However, just as he reached the bottom of the stairs before the altar, a figure rushed toward him in a panic.
"Boss! It's too bad! An elite team of vampires came from somewhere outside the Palace of Eternal Night! Without even saying a word, they launched an attack on us! The enemy's firepower is too fierce! Our people can't resist! The casualties are more than half already!"
"What did you say?" Deacon stopped instantly, turning his head with a gloomy face. His eyes clouded over as he processed this. He gritted his teeth. "It must be the group from the twelve clans. I didn't expect them to find this place so quickly."
He knew immediately what this meant. "It seems if these people are not eliminated here, the Blood God summoning ceremony will not be able to continue."
He turned to look at Chunluo, his expression grave and sincere. "Chunluo, now it seems our forces may not be able to stop the opponent. I think only you can do it. The ceremony is about to start now. I think it will take half an hour at most to complete. So, I hope you can help me resist for a while. Once the ceremony is over and I get the power of the Blood God, I will come to help you."
Seeing his seemingly earnest eyes, Chunluo nodded decisively without any hesitation.
"No problem. Leave it to me, Deacon. The ceremony will be left to you." He met Deacon's gaze, his own face a mask of fierce determination. "Deacon, you must succeed."
After saying this, Chunluo immediately turned and left.
Watching Chunluo's disappearing back, a complex and inexplicable light flashed in Deacon's eyes, followed by a wave of surprise. He truly hadn't expected Chunluo to agree so readily. Based on his reaction just now, did he really not want to replace me and get the power of the Blood God for himself?
A trace of guilt flickered in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it. I'll make it up to him after the ceremony is over.
The most important thing now was to begin. Thinking of the impending descent of the Blood God, Deacon's heart burned with anticipation.
"Quick! Bring me all the sacrifices to the altar!"
"Yes, sir!"
Following Deacon's order, a group of subordinates led the captive council members to stand at various points around the altar. Twelve people formed a circle, and twelve special marks appeared behind them, glowing with faint light.
Looking at the massive altar before him, Deacon walked slowly forward and stepped into it, an excited smile on his face. When he reached the center of the altar, he saw Blade's blood flowing down the ark-shaped blood trough above his head, beginning to gather and pool.
Deacon's eyes grew increasingly frenzied. He threw his arms open wide and shouted loudly, "The Blood God is about to descend! I will become the new king of the Blood Clan!"
Hearing this, all the vampires below began screaming excitedly, cheering for their leader.
Looking at the frenzied and weird scene in front of him, one of the councillors on the altar suddenly sneered with disdain.
"Don't be naive, Deacon! The Blood God is just a legend! Do you really think the Blood God will come? It's just a vampire fairy tale!"
Hearing this, Deacon paused. He turned his head and looked at the other party with a half-smile.
"Really? Since you know it's a fairy tale, why do you still look so scared? Take a good look at yourself. Your body is shaking." His voice dripped with mockery. "But you should feel honored. You can contribute your own strength to my great cause. When I absorb your pureblood essence and gain the power of the Blood God, this world will be ruled by the Blood Clan from now on!"
His voice rose to a fever pitch, echoing through the ancient hall. "And I, Deacon Frost, shall be its ruler!"