Yu Deng responded perfunctorily, not actually catching what the man was saying.
His little fangs were still sunk into Qin Jun's neck as he slowly sipped the blood oozing from the wound.
Thanks to Wen Luo's constant feeding over the past few days, Yu Deng wasn't too hungry. However, Qin Jun's blood tasted surprisingly good—on par with Wen Luo's, even.
Yu Deng took just a small taste before gradually withdrawing his fangs.
Caught up in the excitement earlier, he'd bitten quite hard, leaving two fairly deep marks on Qin Jun's neck.
Yu Deng licked his lips, thought for a moment, and then reluctantly leaned back in. His tongue flicked over the two wounds.
Qin Jun could feel the injuries on his neck healing rapidly, and a wave of warmth softened his heart completely.
Yu Deng's hasty attempt at treating Qin Jun wasn't perfect, but it resolved the unbearable heat and gave him a taste of some rather delicious blood. As a result, Yu Deng was in a very good mood.
His gaze returned forward, and that was when he noticed his disheveled clothing. Flustered, he quickly reached down to pull up his shorts.
"...Uh," Yu Deng murmured as he adjusted his outfit. "Qin Jun, did you say something just now?"
Qin Jun, holding him close, brushed away the frost on his hands. "Yes, I did. I said, you seemed fairly comfortable and satisfied just now, didn't you?"
Yu Deng glanced at the so-called "dessert man," then at his wiping motions. His already flushed face turned a shade redder.
"...It was just okay," Yu Deng offered a candid overall assessment, before nitpicking with some disdain. "But your hands are too rough, and your strength was excessive—it hurt."
This was probably the first time in Qin Jun's life that he'd been criticized for tending to someone. Yet, far from displeased, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
The little vampire, having been thoroughly pleased, now lounged lazily. His heightened senses from earlier left him teary-eyed, with a blush blooming at the corners of his eyes. His lips, freshly stained crimson from blood, parted slightly, revealing the faint pink of his tongue.
Qin Jun's self-restraint was at its breaking point.
"Even if my skills were a bit lacking," he murmured, "can I ask for a reward?"
Yu Deng looked up in confusion, only to be kissed the next moment.
"Hiss!"
Emotions suppressed for so long were poured into this kiss. Qin Jun kissed him deeply, repeatedly sucking on Yu Deng's lips, dominating every inch of his mouth as though he'd mastered the art instinctively.
Yu Deng, already feeling drained, now had his legs turning to jelly under the weight of the kiss. The tears he had barely managed to hold back welled up once more.
"Why are you kissing me so hard… Get away!"
Having just been pampered to his satisfaction, Yu Deng immediately turned hostile after being kissed. He angrily pushed Qin Jun's face aside.
Qin Jun obediently let himself be pushed away, ceasing his assault on the swollen red lips. Instead, he lightly nipped Yu Deng's collarbone.
Yu Deng scrambled out of Qin Jun's embrace, glaring at him in frustration.
The tall man stood up as well, lowering his gaze to study Yu Deng for a moment before slowly crouching down in front of him.
The man's black wolf ears twitched slightly. "Sorry. You can play with my ears as compensation."
Those black wolf ears quivered a few times, instinctively lowering themselves as Yu Deng's hands rested on them, allowing him to touch them freely.
Unable to resist the allure of something fluffy, Yu Deng reached out and gave the ears a rub.
It seemed to be Qin Jun's first time being touched there, or at least the first time he experienced the unique sensitivity of that area. He stiffened, bowing his head while his muscles tensed and his tail wagged nonstop behind him.
After playing with the wolf's ears for a bit, Yu Deng's irritation dissipated somewhat, leaving him feeling a little drowsy.
Qin Jun remained crouched, looking up at Yu Deng. It was only then that his thoughts finally turned elsewhere.
The young vampire's goal, it seemed, was to have him sign a contract.
What connection did the young master have with that boring main system? Could it be that he was some sort of NPC assigned a special task?
...
Yu Deng's bedroom.
Earlier, Yu Deng had left in such a hurry that his little bat hadn't managed to follow him.
Now, the little bat sat in the room, growing increasingly uneasy. Scratching its head with a claw, it emitted a unique locator sound wave. Once it pinpointed Yu Deng's location, it froze in shock.
Oh no! The young master had gone to the wild man's room!
The little bat ball flew off in a panic, heading straight for the steward, who was working in a study on the secondary floor.
Though the steward wasn't exactly trustworthy either, at least he seemed reliable on the surface.
"What's the matter?" Wen Luo took off his glasses and glanced at the bat that had burst in through the window. "At this hour, shouldn't you be watching over the young master?"
The little bat flapped its wings in an animated frenzy, sending out sound waves repeatedly.
Wen Luo's expression darkened.
In just a brief moment of inattention, it seemed the young master might have been taken advantage of by another man.
The little bat was still flapping its wings anxiously, gesturing and emitting sound waves to communicate. But in the blink of an eye, the butler had disappeared from its sight.
---
Bang!
The wooden door to the werewolf's guest room was flung open again, and Wen Luo found the young master, who had been sneaking around instead of sleeping.
The young vampire's face and eyes carried a post-contentment haze, with a hint of blush around his eyes and ruddy lips. A faint mark adorned his collarbone.
Yu Deng's shorts were slightly disheveled, and he was still immersed in the fluffy comfort of the werewolf's ears.
The air held a faint metallic tang.
Wen Luo instantly grasped what had happened. His bat wings spread wide, and his gaze turned icy cold.
"Young Master, I've come to escort you back to rest."
"Eh?" Yu Deng reluctantly pulled his hand away from the werewolf's ears. "You're here."
Qin Jun stood up, speaking in a low voice, "He could rest here as well."
Wen Luo had reached the end of his patience. He strode forward and scooped the drowsy Yu Deng into his arms. "Young Master, you need to return to your bedroom for rest. The formations there are more suitable for a newborn vampire."
Yu Deng, always mindful of his health, agreed, "Oh... okay, then let's go back." After saying this, he gave Qin Jun a half-hearted wave.
Qin Jun watched as the vampire butler carried Yu Deng away. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he refrained from attempting to snatch the little vampire back.
Wen Luo finally pieced together the situation, clenching his fists briefly before explaining, "Some vampires have a unique constitution. When their power is unstable, they may enter a special phase. From what I can see, you appear to be one of them."
During such phases, vampires might crave release and blood, making them vulnerable—especially to being taken advantage of.
With patience and a calm demeanor, Wen Luo elaborated, his tone utterly devoid of any exaggeration, "This is a serious matter. Non-human entities of other species don't understand vampires well, which can easily lead to accidents."
"Young Master, if you encounter this situation again, you must come to me."
Yu Deng, still a bit dazed, nodded. "Oh... I'll find Wen Luo next time."
---
After causing a commotion in the middle of the night, Yu Deng finally felt sleepy upon returning and promptly fell into slumber.
The non-human guests of the castle had likely indulged themselves during the masquerade ball's festivities last night. When Yu Deng awoke the next day, it was nearly noon, yet most of the castle's guests remained in their rooms, resting.
The previous night had been a safe one, with no player casualties.
This should have been a good thing, but many players had keenly noticed the mounting tension among certain castle guests compared to the previous day. It wasn't hard to imagine what might happen if no sacrificial offerings were found soon.
After lunch, Yu Deng declined Wen Luo's offer to accompany him, instead opting to explore the castle with just his little bat. While wandering the corridors, he encountered a chubby young wizard.
The wizard's face lit up upon seeing Yu Deng, and he approached with effusive gratitude, his cheeks tinged with an odd redness.
It took Yu Deng a moment to recall that this was the player he had casually rescued during the labyrinth game.
[Haha, the way the chubby guy is looking at Deng Deng is priceless—he's practically ready to call him big brother on the spot!]
[Our baby not only tames bad dogs with ease but also collects adoring fans effortlessly!]
[Seriously, though, our baby has such a soft heart. He's helped so many players already. You rarely see anyone like him in infinite survival channels.]
Yu Deng exchanged a few polite words with the chubby wizard before ending the conversation.
As he strolled onward, he began reflecting on the players' identities.
There had been nine players at the start of this dungeon. One had died in the outer forest, and another during the labyrinth game, leaving seven survivors.
These included himself. Anders and Qin Jun were still uncertain variables. The chubby wizard seemed likely to be a player, as did the wizard who had probed him in the labyrinth. That left three or four other uncertain individuals.
Yu Deng counted on his fingers for a while, but the mental effort left him slightly dizzy.
Suddenly, that same nauseating scent he had noticed on the first night at the banquet hit him again.
Looking up, he saw a male vampire approaching from the far end of the corridor, holding a glass of vivid red blood.
Apart from the glass, the vampire's hand bore a visible cut, with beads of blood still oozing from the wound.
Yu Deng vaguely recalled that the vampire before him was notorious for being unpleasant. Many non-humans seemed to have had quarrels with him.
Feeling a wave of disgust, Yu Deng stepped back, his reddened eyes stinging from the pungent smell. He prepared to flee from this troublesome scene.
"You seem to truly hate blood," the vampire remarked, scanning Yu Deng from head to toe. Taking advantage of the absence of the vampire butler, he added in a mocking tone, "And I've never seen your bat wings or fangs. Could it be you're one of those cunning sacrifices?"
[What the hell, how dare he mock our baby like that! Who is this guy, a player?]
[Yes, I checked this streamer's channel. He's cleared five dungeons, but his methods are dirty, and he's said to have a bad personality.]
[He lucked out with this character, though—a vampire duke with an infuriating temperament. Fits him perfectly, and he doesn't need to hold back while probing others.]
Yu Deng couldn't determine whether this vampire was an NPC or a player, but he definitely didn't like the other's tone.
Why is it that I can't even walk peacefully without running into such inexplicable people?
Annoyed, Yu Deng snapped, "You're not anyone important. Why should I show you anything?"
After a brief pause, he added disdainfully, "And your blood—it stinks."
The vampire's expression twisted. "How arrogant of you! I am Duke Scott, and you are merely a fledgling vampire."
Such a beautiful person, yet his words were so unpleasant. If this fledgling was indeed a player, then perhaps...
A lecherous greed crept into the vampire's eyes. "If you are a sacrifice, you'd better hide well. Otherwise, your fate will be far worse than death—"
Yu Deng frowned deeply, but before he could respond, the little bat flew up in a rage and delivered a sharp slap to the vampire's face.
[YES! Go, little bat! Well done!]
[This guy is unbearable. Probing is one thing, but threatening our baby?]
[Exactly! Even the bad dogs might covet our baby, but at least they're not disgusting. Plus, they listen to him!]
The vampire was utterly stunned. "You—!"
Yu Deng, unimpressed, retorted, "What's a duke? Everything in this castle is under my command."
The vampire sneered. "Does His Highness the Prince know how arrogant you are?"
Yu Deng had no idea who this "Prince" was, but that didn't stop him from losing his temper.
"And what if he does?"
At that moment, a faint ripple of power spread through the air. The little bat froze instantly, its expression shifting drastically.
Yu Deng also felt a strange, fleeting sensation but remained defiant.
"A mere prince—what's that supposed to be?"
After all, the Prince had remained a dormant backdrop character all this time. Surely, he wouldn't find out what Yu Deng had said!
---
In a certain room within the castle's main building, a coffin crafted from enchanted crystal lay quietly. Its jet-black surface appeared modest in size but concealed an immense space within.
Complex patterns etched into the coffin glowed with a dark red light. At its center rested a man with silver hair, impeccably groomed, his eyes closed in slumber.
A sliver of his consciousness stirred ahead of his body, extending hazily throughout the castle.
---
Back in the corridor, the little bat suddenly stiffened, its eyes taking on a sharp and entirely different gaze.
Through these transformed eyes, it saw the young, beautiful vampire standing tall, his bright, proud eyes slightly red-rimmed from the unpleasant scent.
Every detail was stunning, every aspect perfect.
Bit by bit, the bat's gaze grew infatuated.
…However, something seemed to be missing.
The little bat darted away in a flash and soon returned, carrying a tiny gemstone crown in its mouth. Carefully, it placed the crown atop Yu Deng's head.
Yu Deng: "?" Huh?
The gemstones sparkled brilliantly under the light, but they paled in comparison to the radiance of Yu Deng's eyes.
Wearing the small crown, Yu Deng tilted his chin slightly, casting a fleeting glance at the vampire. Without sparing him another word, he turned and walked away.
He didn't say a thing, yet his indifference spoke volumes.
Yu Deng was like a haughty, noble little princess—proud, beautiful, and born to command all power and affection.
T/N: In the original text, "小公主" it literally means "little princess." It's used metaphorically to describe Yu Deng's delicate, pampered, and noble demeanor — not his gender, but the soft, beautiful aura he gives off.