The young vampire butler raised his head, looking at the little vampire sitting on his lap. Every muscle in his body was tense, and he used all his strength to restrain himself, resisting the urge to grip Yu Deng's waist tightly.
For once, Wen Luo was slow to react. It took him several seconds to realize what Yu Deng had just said to him.
The young master had said… even if they weren't lovers, he still wanted to bite him.
The hungry young master was being extremely willful and had no understanding of the deep meaning behind vampires exchanging blood.
"Wen Luo!"
Yu Deng waited several seconds without receiving an answer. His palm pressed against Wen Luo's chest, and his beautiful little face moved closer, his eyes full of accusation: "Are you unwilling? But you're the butler… aren't you supposed to take care of me? I'm really hungry…"
The dark red pupils, which should have given his round eyes an eerie, inhuman chill, were instead brimming with unshed tears, as if they were about to fall at any moment.
He was being completely unreasonable, but somehow so aggrieved that it was impossible to refuse him.
…Fine, let the little vampire take a bite.
The black-haired butler gazed at the little vampire and sighed softly, "Yes, you're right."
"As your butler, of course, I can't let the young master go hungry."
After he finished speaking, Wen Luo tilted his head to expose his vulnerable neck to Yu Deng.
Yu Deng was finally satisfied with the butler's response. He leaned in even closer, practically lying in Wen Luo's embrace.
His soft lips brushed clumsily against the skin on Wen Luo's neck, his little fangs grazing over the spot but not pressing down with enough force, leaving him with no blood.
Naturally, the bad-tempered little vampire didn't consider this his own fault and instead complained to the butler, "You're so hard to bite…"
Wen Luo closed his eyes, sighing silently, "...So delicate."
Yu Deng dizzily thought it over for a moment before putting a bit more effort into it, pressing his little fangs down.
Cool blood spilled out, touching the tip of Yu Deng's tongue.
The exquisite taste made his taste buds dance with delight, and his eyes lit up as he instinctively latched onto that spot, eagerly trying to draw out more blood.
The pale, uncomfortable look on his face quickly flushed with a faint, healthy pink.
For Yu Deng, this was pure bliss; but for Wen Luo, it was the height of torment.
The veins on the back of the dark-haired man's hand and along his neck stood out visibly as he restrained himself with difficulty, his breathing heavy and labored.
He could clearly feel his blood being drawn out, could feel Yu Deng's warm lips and tongue.
The typically cool body temperature
of a vampire was gradually heating
up, and he had to concentrate fully
to suppress his natural instincts.
The young master had no idea... that the act of exchanging blood between vampires usually only occurred under one particular circumstance.
And that was before... sexual intercourse.
The black bat-like wings behind him fluttered anxiously, wanting to wrap tightly around the youth in his arms.
[Deng Deng... such a delicate baby. I'm Deng Deng's loyal dog...]
[Doesn't anyone else think this scene is too suggestive!! Can they just move on to some adult stuff already...]
[I never thought I'd actually get to see Little Vampire Deng Deng biting someone... Damn, just as I said that, the screen went black!]
Yu Deng was already entirely immersed in feeding, his small Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, eyes narrowing slightly in bliss.
Mmm, delicious!
"Alright, young master."
After an indeterminate amount of time, Yu Deng felt a hand pressing gently but firmly against his lips. The dark-haired butler, warm yet unyielding, stopped Yu Deng from continuing to feed.
Yu Deng lifted his head in confusion and murmured, "What are you doing? I haven't had enough yet."
"Young master, this is your first time consuming blood. You can't overdo it; you need to adapt gradually," Wen Luo explained patiently.
If one ignored the wound on Wen Luo's neck and his somewhat uneven breathing, he had already returned to his usual calm demeanor.
His black bat wings gently flapped, lifting him off the ground as he settled onto a chair, with Yu Deng still sitting on his lap.
Yu Deng made a disappointed sound, licking his lips with lingering satisfaction.
After feeding, his soft lips were now moist and a deep red, almost as if they were inviting a kiss.
Completely oblivious to this, Yu Deng lightly swung his pale, slender legs, commenting with satisfaction, "Mmm, your blood is really tasty. Next time I'm hungry, I'll come find you again."
[...] System 01's electronic voice wavered for a moment.
Wen Luo's gaze was filled with the sight of Yu Deng's legs as he sighed once more. "Young master…"
For vampires, such praise couldn't be taken lightly—it was practically an invitation for what might come next!
But looking at Yu Deng's innocent eyes, Wen Luo swallowed the explanation he was about to give.
Wen Luo gently wiped away a trace of blood from the corner of Yu Deng's lips, his fingertips sliding down to rest near Yu Deng's collarbone.
With a hint of probing, he said, "Young master, when vampires exchange blood, it's usually mutual."
Yu Deng took a few seconds to process this and then firmly refused, "You can't bite me!"
Wen Luo nodded. "Understood."
He knew it—his young master was too delicate to allow anyone to bite him so easily.
Feeling satisfied and lazy, Yu Deng didn't want to move. Fortunately, the obedient butler was there as a perfect cushion, so he simply lay there without stirring.
The bat wings behind Wen Luo were partially folded, and Yu Deng, curious, reached out and touched them.
The wide wings instantly fluttered in response.
"Why don't your wings tear through your clothes?"
Wen Luo tolerated the young master's touch, replying, "Fully matured bat wings can control the force and angle of their spread, plus my clothes are designed with special compartments."
Yu Deng nodded in understanding. After resting for a bit, he slowly climbed off the butler's lap and looked around for a bed. "I want to sleep now... huh?"
When he was starving earlier, Yu Deng had been too dizzy to notice the details of the bedroom, and only now did he realize—his bed was actually a coffin?!
The spacious bedroom had a bathroom, a walk-in closet, and various pieces of furniture, but right in the middle of the floor was a coffin.
The pitch-black coffin was large, its material indiscernible, with a faint metallic sheen on the surface. Inside, there even appeared to be a pillow.
Memories from Yu Deng's previous mission started flooding back.
In disbelief, he asked in a shaken voice, "Why is my bed a coffin?"
"Newly turned vampires generally sleep in coffins to fully relax and rest," Wen Luo paused, then asked, "Do you not like it?"
Yu Deng shook his head. "I don't like it."
Sleeping in a coffin was too terrifying—he wouldn't be able to fall asleep at all.
Wen Luo nodded in understanding. "Please wait a moment." With that, he ordered the vampire servants to prepare a regular bed for Yu Deng.
After giving his instructions, Wen Luo went to the bathroom to gather Yu Deng's "dirty" clothes.
They weren't actually dirty at all.
Having been worn by Yu Deng for a while, the fabric was imbued with his sweet scent.
Wen Luo's face lingered just above the material, his prominent nose almost brushing it.
He couldn't help but wonder if the young master's blood was just as sweet.
…
The servants quickly finished setting up the new bed. After bidding Yu Deng goodnight, the butler left the bedroom with the clothes.
Feeling much better after eating, Yu Deng was still a bit tired, but he couldn't shake his excitement.
A bat hung upside-down near the edge of the bed, while a crow perched on top of the wardrobe, both watching Yu Deng intently without blinking.
Yu Deng didn't notice the crow; instead, he looked at the little bat.
Wen Luo had explained that it was an intelligent creature capable of basic conversation, sent over to serve him.
However…this was Yu Deng's first time closely observing a bat, and he came to a conclusion. "You look kind of… odd."
The little bat went, "?!", its grip loosening as it fell onto the edge of the bed in a state of dejection.
With genuine concern, Yu Deng asked, "You don't have any germs, right?"
The little bat, teary-eyed, nodded emphatically. It wasn't like those wild bats outside—it was incredibly clean!
Yu Deng pursed his lips, feeling slightly guilty. "Well… on closer inspection, you do look a bit like a puppy, and… actually, kind of cute."
The round little bat finally recovered from its shock.
Yu Deng carefully poked the bat's belly and started chatting with it. "Do you know what's been happening with those guests?"
The little bat thought for a moment, flapping its wings in a small circle, then fluttered each wing in turn, finishing with a few silent, munching-like sounds.
—They were just eating, dancing, chatting, and arguing.
Yu Deng somehow understood exactly what the little bat meant.
Now that he thought about it, he remembered he had two little paper figures as well. They should also be able to gather information, right? He'd give it a try tomorrow.
Lost in thought, Yu Deng drifted off to sleep.
Outside the window, the blood moon cast its dim light. In the middle of the night, the temperature dropped, but Yu Deng had already kicked off all his covers.
The little bat shook its head and fluttered over, picking up the blanket to cover Yu Deng. But at the same time, the crow on the wardrobe swooped down, placing the blanket over Yu Deng as well.
The little bat, furious at having its job stolen, turned and started tussling with the crow.
"Mmm…?" Yu Deng mumbled drowsily.
The two creatures froze immediately, not daring to move, and instead settled by the bedside to quietly admire the young master's sleeping face.
…
That night, Yu Deng slept soundly, not waking until nearly noon.
The other players in the castle seemed to have stayed safe as well, as the system hadn't announced any reductions in their number.
During the day, the game's scenario didn't impose any specific tasks on the players, leaving them free to do as they pleased.
Yu Deng, after some deliberation, enjoyed a light lunch of juice and steak. The castle didn't feel as eerie in daylight, so with the little bat accompanying him, he strolled around half of the castle.
While wandering through a certain floor in the main building, Yu Deng came across a massive room. The door was engraved with intricate reliefs and marked with blood-red patterns.
The little bat clung to Yu Deng, trembling violently and refusing to go any further. Yu Deng, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong here?"
It didn't seem scary at all. However, seeing how terrified the little bat was, Yu Deng decided to leave.
Soon, night fell again.
Wen Luo wiped off the trace of blood at the corner of Yu Deng's lips, letting his fingers trail down to Yu Deng's collarbone.
He hinted, "Young Master, among vampires, the act of sharing blood is usually mutual."
Yu Deng blinked, processing for a few seconds, before firmly refusing, "You're not allowed to bite me!"
Wen Luo nodded. "Understood."
He expected as much; the Young Master was certainly not the type to let just anyone bite him.
Now satisfied, Yu Deng lazily slumped, not wanting to move. Fortunately, the butler made an excellent pillow, and Yu Deng leaned against him without hesitation.
Wen Luo's black wings partially folded behind him, and Yu Deng's gaze drifted over his shoulder, reaching out curiously to touch them.
The broad wings flapped slightly in response.
"Why don't your wings tear your clothes?"
Patiently enduring the Young Master's touch, Wen Luo replied, "A fully developed bat wing can control the force and angle of its spread, plus the clothing has specially designed spaces."
Yu Deng nodded in understanding. After resting a while, he sluggishly slid off the butler's lap, looking around for a bed. "I want to sleep… huh?"
Earlier, Yu Deng had been too dizzy with hunger to pay attention, and only now noticed his bed was… a coffin?
The spacious bedroom was equipped with a bathroom, wardrobe, and all kinds of furniture, but right in the center was a massive black coffin.
Just before the transmission, Yu Deng saw a tall man with a bluish-gray complexion, his smile eerie as he sighed with a strange sense of wonder.
"Ah, I hope I can catch some lost little cuties."
Wait… Yu Deng suddenly remembered something he had overlooked.
The instance had only mentioned that if these non-humans won the game, they would find the human players hiding among them that very night and sacrifice them.
But it never said... there wouldn't be any danger during the game! Non-humans were highly aggressive—could they be strong enough to harm players? No one could say for sure.
A wave of dizziness washed over him. When Yu Deng opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a narrow path.
Around him, thorny walls were everywhere, even the sky above was completely blocked, with only a single beam of light shining down from above. The entire maze was eerily dim.
Yu Deng looked around but saw no one. He shivered. "Tongtong?"
[Host, I'm here.]
"Why has this place suddenly become so large?" Yu Deng cautiously took a few steps forward.
[You can think of it as a magical space within the instance or a new space created by the instance itself.]
Ah, so it's similar to the illusion in the mansion instance?
Yu Deng fumbled as he walked a short distance. Fortunately, now that he was a vampire, his night vision was excellent, so he could see the path clearly.
He wondered whether this maze blocked sound, or if it was simply so vast that he couldn't hear anyone else.
Whoosh... whoosh...
The wind blew through, and the plants on the walls swayed, casting eerie shadows and making a rustling sound.
Yu Deng reached the end of the narrow path and discovered that it was a dead end.
With a slumped head, Yu Deng turned around. There was no choice—he had gone in the wrong direction.
After finally reaching the end of the path, Yu Deng found three forks ahead. His mind went blank as he struggled with indecision. "Tongtong, I'm tired..."
Just as the system's electronic voice was about to sound, a figure quickly appeared on a nearby path.
Yu Deng jumped back in surprise, taking two steps back in a hasty tactical retreat.
As the figure drew closer, Yu Deng realized it was the same man from yesterday who had called him too delicate.
Only now did Yu Deng notice that the man had a pair of ears on top of his head, though these ears were pure black—something he hadn't seen before.
"You..." The man seemed surprised to see Yu Deng. After a few silent seconds, he suddenly said, "Qin Jun."
Yu Deng: "?"
The man, as if not good at introducing himself, coldly stated, "…My name."
Yu Deng simply nodded in response, not continuing the conversation. He decided to just pick a random path and take a chance.
At that moment, the wall behind him rippled like water, and thorny vines silently wrapped around Yu Deng's arm.
"Hmm??"
Yu Deng sluggishly realized something was wrong and hurriedly tried to pull away, but in his panic, he tripped over his own feet. Qin Jun instinctively reached out a hand, but it was too late—he missed.
The thorns froze in place, not daring to move.
Yu Deng's clothes were torn and tattered, a few leaves scattered across his small face, and his arm ached slightly. He slowly sat up, his eyes red.
He looked like he was about to cry again.
Qin Jun, who clearly hated dealing with such troublesome, delicate people, found himself inexplicably drawn to Yu Deng. Despite his better judgment, his body moved forward on its own. He stepped on the dry branches and fallen leaves on the ground, walking toward Yu Deng.
Yu Deng glanced up at him without a word.
Qin Jun crouched down, grabbed Yu Deng's hand, and lifted it to examine it. "It's scratched."
Yu Deng slumped his shoulders, defeated. "Oh..."
Qin Jun furrowed his brows, took out a vial of medicine from his coat pocket, and poured a little onto Yu Deng's arm, gently rubbing it in.
A sharp sting immediately shot through Yu Deng's arm. He flinched and, with a quiver in his voice, complained, "It hurts."
His voice was soft and hoarse, full of such vulnerability that it could melt anyone's heart.
A nameless frustration flared up in Qin Jun. He lowered his gaze at Yu Deng. "You really are a delicate one. I've been as gentle as I can."
Yu Deng lifted his head to glance at him, then pouted. "Why do you keep saying that? It really hurts."
His bright eyes were already clouded with tears. Qin Jun's heart skipped a beat, and he inwardly cursed himself.
Sure enough, after Yu Deng spoke, the warm tears could no longer be held back. They slipped down his cheeks, landing with a soft splat on the grass.
The beautiful vampire made no sound as he cried, but the corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose turned red, making him look so pitiful and fragile, it was impossible not to feel sorry for him.
The sight of the tears seemed to strike right into Qin Jun's heart, causing ripples of emotion he couldn't control. He crouched in front of Yu Deng, looking at the distressed vampire, and for the first time, regret stirred inside him.
Qin Jun awkwardly lowered his head. "…I'm sorry. Don't cry, I'll help you find the end."
Yu Deng's tears didn't stop, but in his heart, he thought to himself.
This person's apology sounds so stiff and awkward.
Yu Deng shot him a glare. "I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to walk with you. I'm going to find someone else!"
Find someone else?
Qin Jun immediately recalled the ballroom from last night, where this beautiful vampire had been the most popular presence.
The vampire butler had treated him gently and indulgently, the werewolves had showered him with attention, and there were even many others lurking in the shadows, silently coveting him.
If this little vampire called out, he could probably summon a whole bunch of loyal dogs, all circling around him, secretly fighting for favor, wagging their tails, hoping for a scrap of pity.
Qin Jun's face darkened instinctively as he thought of this. His words came faster than his thoughts, slipping out without thinking.
"...No."