The man's tone was cold and stiff, his face devoid of any expression. In those deep black eyes was a faint trace of irritation.
He lowered his gaze, looking down at the pretty but delicate young man before him, and added, "Besides, you're the one who bumped into me."
His voice was low and magnetic, but the words themselves were far from pleasant.
[The hell! What kind of attitude is that? How dare he yell at our baby?!]
[Fine, fine, treat your wife like that, and don't cry when someone else snatches him away.]
[Where did this mangy dog come from? Baby, put him in his place!]
Yu Deng rarely met someone who spoke to him so harshly. He froze for a few seconds.
His forehead and wrist still throbbed faintly with pain. The ache mixed with his grievance, and his eyes turned red at the corners. Warm tears trembled on his long lashes for a few seconds before slipping down his cheeks.
Why was he being so mean…
[Host, you need to act a bit more ill-tempered in this instance,] the system sighed softly, reminding its tearful host.
Yu Deng sniffled and decided to snap back, "I don't care, it's still your fault! Your muscles are too hard, and your tone's awful… Don't you think you should reflect on yourself?"
The man: "…"
How could someone be this fragile—and still have such a temper?
He wanted to mock him again, but for some reason, when he looked at that teary, beautiful face, the words stuck in his throat.
He even found himself wondering—had he really gone too far?
Just as Yu Deng finished scolding him, the butler arrived, placing a steadying hand on Yu Deng's shoulder, almost pulling him into an embrace.
Wen Luo asked in a low, gentle voice, "Are you in pain, young master? Would you like me to carry you?"
The tall man across from them frowned even deeper when he heard that.
Those two were that close?
He opened his mouth to say something, but Yu Deng had already turned away and walked off with the butler in tow.
"...Tch." The man clicked his tongue heavily, inexplicably annoyed, and followed after them.
...
The patch of thorns was already close to the castle—only about a hundred meters away. Yu Deng trudged ahead, when the system's electronic tone rang in his ears.
[Scan complete... Data analyzed. Host, that man from earlier is also one of your mission targets for this instance.]
Yu Deng slowed his steps. "Ah… him too?"
That man looked handsome, sure, but his attitude was terrible. Yu Deng didn't like him at all.
"System, is he a player or an NPC?"
[...] The system said a few words, but all Yu Deng heard was static. After a pause, it spoke again. [Sorry, host, I might not be able to tell you.]
"Huh?" So it wasn't certain?
[Because of this instance's game rules, the identities of some mission targets are unclear. You'll have to discover them on your own.]
Yu Deng scratched his cheek. "Oh, okay…"
Another brain-twisting task, huh… He glanced at the butler beside him and immediately felt more at ease.
So reliable.
...
The castle was enormous, its outer walls a pale gray. The sky hung low, and the spire of the main tower seemed to pierce the heavy clouds—it had to be at least fifty or sixty meters tall.
With Wen Luo accompanying him, Yu Deng walked for seven or eight minutes, arriving at the grand hall within the one-hour time limit.
Inside, the castle was anything but old—it was lavish and magnificent.
Wen Luo first guided Yu Deng into a smaller room on the first floor, pulling out a new shirt from the wardrobe. "Young master, your clothes were damaged earlier. Please change into this first."
Oh right, his shirt had been torn when his wings burst out.
Yu Deng accepted it. "Okay."
Wen Luo turned his back politely, waiting quietly until Yu Deng finished changing, then escorted the little blood clan prince back to the hall.
By then, quite a few people had gathered—around twenty or so, standing in small groups.
Yu Deng glanced around, spotting both Western and Eastern features among them, though many carried some distinctly non-human traits.
He couldn't tell which were players and which were NPCs.
As soon as he entered, the noisy crowd quieted for several seconds before resuming their chatter. Many eyes—curious, astonished, even admiring—fell upon him.
One gaze, however, felt especially scorching.
Yu Deng looked up and met the eyes of a tall man with short, dark hair and a powerful, intimidating build. His muscles were solid, his expression fierce—so much that his striking looks were easy to overlook.
Yu Deng fell silent. Honestly, he looked like the kind of guy who could punch him straight into the sky.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, then the man smiled.
Yu Deng quickly turned his head away.
The one-hour timer hit zero.
[Time's up. Unfortunately, one player failed to reach the castle within the time limit and is therefore eliminated.]
[Players remaining: 8.]
So elimination meant death!
Expressions shifted among the crowd. The broadcast even revealed the number of surviving players this time.
Yu Deng sighed inwardly for the eliminated player.
This dungeon was definitely brewing something nasty.
[Ding. Instance officially begins.]
[Instance Title: "The Blood Banquet."
Main Task: During the banquet, conceal your identity and survive until the event ends.
Detailed rules will be revealed later. This instance has no side missions.
Warning: Difficulty Level – Hard.]
Yu Deng's heart sank. Nothing good ever came from "Hard mode."
While others discussed strategies, Yu Deng's attention drifted toward a few familiar-looking Eastern faces.
This instance seemed Western in theme—so wouldn't the players with Eastern features stand out immediately?
Or maybe there was some disguise function?
Perhaps noticing his curiosity, Wen Luo kindly explained, "Young master, this may be your first time attending such a banquet. Some non-human lineages also have Eastern descendants or mixed bloodlines."
Yu Deng nodded thoughtfully, standing on tiptoe to get a better look—and sure enough, it seemed true.
"Are you one of them too?" he asked curiously.
Wen Luo smiled faintly. "In a way. My ancestors once lived in the East for a long time. My mother was said to have Eastern blood."
After a brief pause, Wen Luo continued, "The banquet is about to begin."
"Hm?"
"When the Prince is not present, I usually oversee the event with Countess Claudia, one of His Highness's subordinates."
He gestured subtly toward a tall woman in a black gown with fiery red curls and sharp fangs glinting at her lips.
"But since you've awakened, would you like to preside over it instead?"
Yu Deng quickly shook his head. "No way!" He'd expose himself in seconds.
"Then shall we at least make a formal introduction?"
Yu Deng waved both hands. "Forget it."
"Understood."
Wen Luo led him to the front of the hall. Countess Claudia approached with a polite smile. "Young master?"
Yu Deng nodded at her.
Once everyone was assembled, the castle doors closed with a heavy thud. The players and NPCs all knew—the feast was about to begin.
Claudia looked at Yu Deng for approval. He met her gaze, hesitated, then suddenly felt inspired. Looking at the crowd, he said softly, "Then… let's begin."
Click.
The massive crystal chandelier above blazed to life.
All eyes turned to Yu Deng—this fragile, exquisite boy who looked too human to be a blood clan member.
But Countess Claudia called him "young master"… so he must be from the Prince's household.
The fierce-looking man from before—and the rude one who'd called Yu Deng delicate—were both staring at him intently.
Countess Claudia's voice rang out clearly, "His Highness remains in slumber, so I will host tonight's event as usual. Welcome, honored guests, to our grand celebration. We shall revel together and enjoy this splendid evening. However—"
Her gaze swept across the hall. "Each year, some clever little humans disguise themselves as one of us and sneak in. But they always end up as our sacrifices."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
[Ding. Player identity rules are as follows:
1. Each player will assume the role of a non-human noble attending the banquet.
2. The system has automatically adjusted each player's appearance accordingly.
3. Players may display non-human features, but they will not be identical to the originals. Use caution.]
As text appeared before his eyes, Yu Deng's head began to spin.
So… players could mimic fangs or wings, but not perfectly? Wouldn't that make it harder to tell who was who?
But if the goal was only to survive, did he even need to find the other players? Probably not—he just had to avoid being found himself.
His brain felt like it was about to overheat.
Meanwhile, Countess Claudia continued, smiling, "Of course, we would never mistreat our guests. Therefore, as always, we'll play our favorite game—to find the hidden sacrifices among us! There will be Dance Nights and Game Nights. The winner of each game becomes the Hunter. May everyone have a delightful time."
The guests erupted in excitement.
[Ding. Banquet Rules Activated:
1. Evenings alternate randomly between Dance Nights and Game Nights. The non-humans are less aggressive during Dance Nights but more dangerous during Game Nights.
2. Each Game Night will have one Hunter, who may choose a suspected sacrifice afterward. Both players and NPCs can become Hunters.
3. Players must participate in at least one game every two days.
4. If no sacrifices appear for two consecutive days, non-humans will become agitated and attack indiscriminately.]
Yu Deng: "???" Wait, there were more rules?
He understood each word individually, but together, they made his head hurt.
"Young master, you seem unwell. Are you alright?" Wen Luo asked with concern.
Yu Deng shook his head weakly. "Were the previous banquets like this too?"
"Yes, everyone enjoys these games. If you wish, you may join as well."
Yu Deng frowned miserably. Of course he had to—this instance wouldn't let him avoid it.
He needed to sort out these rules fast.
If an NPC became the Hunter and guessed right, a player would die. But if a player became the Hunter and chose not to act, that night could be safe.
However… that fourth rule spelled trouble.
What if no one was sacrificed for days—what would happen then?
The livestream chat was already exploding.
[Let me analyze this real quick. Best case scenario: an NPC wins but doesn't find a player, or a player wins and spares everyone. But rule four forces eliminations eventually—it's going to turn into a player-against-player scenario.]
[Oh crap! It's a PvP dungeon—and a hard one!]
[Nooo, my baby's only on his second instance! How did he end up in such a nightmare?]
[Baby, please be careful. You can't trust anyone this time.]
Countess Claudia smiled, showing her sharp fangs. "Tonight is a Dance Night. Please relax and enjoy yourselves. May the festivities begin."
...
Once the banquet started, the hall buzzed with noise again. Servants filled the tables with food and entertainment, and ghostly musicians began to play.
Yu Deng was still trying to make sense of the rules.
Ugh, why did every instance require so much thinking?
He pursed his lips, mind tangled in confusion. Then he looked up—and saw the man who'd called him delicate staring at him again, eyes dark and intent.
Yu Deng: "?" What's he looking at now?!
Annoyed, Yu Deng turned away immediately, walking a few steps in the opposite direction without even glancing back.
The man: "..." Tch.
But before Yu Deng got far, a shadow fell over him. He looked up—and froze.
It was the tall man he'd locked eyes with earlier. Up close, he was even more imposing—almost two meters tall, sharp-featured, with an intimidating aura.
Wait… were those furry ears on his head?
Is this… a werewolf?
The man smiled at Yu Deng. "Hello, beautiful vampire. My name is Anders Archiayoli."
Wha—what a long name.
Yu Deng's head felt dizzy, and he only managed to selectively remember the first part. "Ander?"
That short yet faintly intimate way of addressing him struck a certain excited chord in Anders.
"I'd like to invite you to dance later," Anders said straightforwardly, gaze burning. "The moment I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful, most adorable person here."
He also thought—how much he wanted to drag the pretty little blood clan into his den, mark him, and maybe even have him bear wolf cubs.
His excitement made his furry ears twitch upright.
"...?"
Yu Deng stared at the towering man and those expressive ears, his voice soft. "I don't want to dance…"
The fierce beast's first-ever invitation had just been rejected.
Anders' ears drooped instantly. He stepped closer, insisting, "Why not?"
Yu Deng kept his expression in line with his "bad-tempered" persona. "No reason. I just don't want to."
The werewolf looked crestfallen but didn't move away.
Yu Deng peeked at him, then turned toward Wen Luo, calling out, "Wen Luo…"
His voice was soft and sweet, almost like he was whining.
Wen Luo was at his side in seconds, greeting him gently and nodding politely at the werewolf. "Mr. Anders."
Faced with a potential rival, the werewolf's instincts flared.
His amber eyes turned cold, as if he could tear out the other man's throat at any moment.
Wen Luo met his gaze calmly, outwardly courteous, though his wings itched to spread open.
Yu Deng remained oblivious to the rising tension between the two. He just tried to walk toward Wen Luo.
The werewolf instinctively grabbed his wrist.
"Ah—!"
Unfortunately, it was the same wrist that the rude man had gripped earlier.
Yu Deng frowned, his voice tight with pain. "Let go…"
The werewolf's skin was hot—uncomfortably so for a cool-blooded vampire.
His dark eyes shimmered with tears, his pale face scrunched up in pain.
"Why are you holding so tight… It hurts."
Anders quickly loosened his grip, though he still held onto him gently. "Sorry."
His thumb brushed over the soft skin, unable to resist the texture. The little vampire smelled sweet—so soft, so fragrant.
But he'd hurt him. He'd made the little one upset.
The werewolf's ears twitched up and down with his emotions. Yu Deng's gaze lingered on them for a few seconds.
The werewolf noticed and bent his head slightly, almost like he was offering them to him.
"They're really soft, you know," he said in a hopeful tone. "Do you want to touch them?"