No One Understands Vampires Better Than Me

No One Understands Vampires Better Than Me

Duva had always known that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s patience had its limits, but for some reason, they had yet to make any further moves.

Did they have that much funding? In any case, the days passed one by one. Duva and Dum Dum Dugan remained awkward neighbors, occasionally moonlighting as Robin Hood. They kept spending the same stack of cash over and over, yet enjoyed it well enough.

"So far, the Queen has laid fourteen eggs. Two have yet to hatch, while the others have produced eleven Xenomorphs."

Duva counted his forces on his fingers, keeping constant watch over the Xenomorphs' mental states.

This was a special kind of telepathic ability.

During this time, Duva had not even stepped out the front door, until Blade was the first to lose patience and come knocking again.

"You know I don't like coming here."

The moment he entered, Blade adjusted his sunglasses and looked around. He spotted several Courier Xenomorphs, but not the crowned Xenomorph. He immediately said, "Not to mention you've raised even more pets. How did you do it?"

"Then how did you manage to make the vampires suffer so badly all by yourself?" Duva asked.

"Strength. I have great strength."

"That's my answer too. Because I'm strong, I always believe I can accomplish extraordinary things."

Blade did not believe a single word. He thought Duva must have cultivated the embryos of these creatures long ago and had only released them now.

"Go on, what do you want with me? I might not sell you any more Strong Acid," Duva said.

"No need. I took out a bastard who called himself the Blood God. Your weapon was a great help. But the price was that some vampires have already become suspicious of you and are figuring out how to deal with you."

"Then let them come. Maybe wiping vampires off this planet would be a good choice." Duva carefully considered the possibility.

Blade's gaze sharpened. "Are you serious? That would be difficult, unless you can develop a Vampire Virus. People have been trying for years with little success. I think you'd get more out of developing drugs targeting mutants."

"Hah, you think dealing with mutants is easier than dealing with vampires?"

"No. I just think the mutant problem is bigger and more complicated. You'd gain more by starting there, just as many scientists have chosen to do. Vampires are nothing but parasites feeding off humanity," Blade said.

Duva set the tone for their conversation. "Then I'll make my power parasitize vampires."

Blade clearly hated vampires, perhaps with a degree of human supremacist thinking. Of course, it was also possible that he was merely putting on an act, that hunting vampires simply benefited him. Blade pondered silently.

But Blade could not imagine what those benefits might be.

What did those vampires have besides the money they had accumulated through their long lives? Nothing.

Blade finally revealed his purpose. "There's something I might need your help with."

"Are you speaking for yourself, or for the team behind you?"

"I haven't officially joined them yet, so to be precise, I need your help. After all, I don't know many reliable people." Blade's expression did not change. "I got word that a mad general is obsessed with the Super Soldier Program. He even mobilized the military to capture a Green Mobile Blood Bank."

"You want me to deal with that green guy? That won't be easy. I remember seeing reports about him online a few months ago," Duva said.

Blade looked at Duva strangely, shocked by his imagination. "What makes you think you're capable of getting involved in Hulk's affairs? That guy only needs to roar, and he can shatter your little pets."

This was insane. Were young people these days all this fierce? Or did they simply overestimate themselves too much?

"Then I should count myself lucky," Duva said noncommittally.

Blade carefully observed Duva's microexpressions. Sometimes, he truly could not tell whether this guy was confident because he knew nothing, or because he had something hidden up his sleeve.

Blade leaned toward the former. Anyone who knew Hulk's intelligence would be dumbfounded. This green brute could punch planes out of the sky with his bare hands. A casual swing carried hundreds or even thousands of tons of force, and if he got angrier, unleashing even greater strength was easy for him.

Blade said, "What I need to deal with are certain people coveting Hulk's bloodline. The little pets you raise are agile and seem highly suited for combat. They can help take some pressure off us."

"But why should I get involved in something this dangerous? Just because those people are assessing how much of a threat I am?"

"Listen, I don't know how much you've figured out, but doing what you can has no downside." Blade spoke frankly. "Your power hasn't reached the point where those people fear you, but they won't let you act freely either. You're smart. You must have anticipated this the first time you traded with me."

With that, Blade stared into Duva's eyes. "You deliberately showed off your talent, didn't you? Maybe you'd reached the point where you had no choice but to expose yourself? Using their power to strengthen yourself is a good choice."

"Don't misunderstand. I have no intention of joining you. I just want to give back to society." Duva waved a hand. He would have to take this step sooner or later, and using Blade as a springboard was a fitting opportunity.

He took a file from Blade and skimmed through it quickly, roughly grasping S.H.I.E.L.D.'s concerns.

It turned out Hulk was not the primary target. Another man was—Mister Blue, who had already conducted genetic experiments on Hulk's blood.

Blade had set his sights on Mister Blue because Mister Blue had dealings with a special vampire—the Blood Baron. They might be conducting troublesome blood trades, making him a target that needed to be eliminated.

In Blade's view, who knew what kind of monstrosity a top-tier vampire would turn into after drinking Hulk's blood? It was far too dangerous.

"Got it. You need me to track down and intercept Mister Blue, right?" Duva said. "But let's be clear: my price isn't low."

"One million dollars."

"Two million. This is life-threatening work. And I also want all the information you have regarding vampire population distribution, base locations, and so on," Duva said.

Blade gave the young man a meaningful look. He even wanted intelligence on their population numbers? Either he was drunk out of his mind, or his appetite was terrifying.

What exactly was it about vampires that attracted Duva?

Blade did not understand the proper use of vampires, but Duva believed he did.

There were many of them, their individual strength was fairly good, and he could make money after taking down a batch... Nothing interested Duva more than capturing vampires.

Otherwise, if he was not capturing vampires, who would he capture? Mutants?