Madwoman? No! A Female Vampire!

The note Xu Qianqian gave Su Ming contained nothing complicated—just a contact method.

However, this seemed to be Xu Qianqian's private contact information, completely different from the method she usually used to communicate with the academy and her classmates.

The contact method Xu Qianqian normally used for the academy and her classmates appeared to be for work, and could not be confused with her private contact information.

The work contact might only reach her assistant, while only this private contact could reach her personally.

"Making yourself out to be some big celebrity."

Su Ming grumbled, then contacted Xu Qianqian.

"Later than I expected. Looks like you're quite patient."

The moment the call connected, before Su Ming could say anything, Xu Qianqian said that from the other end of the phone.

What she meant was that she hadn't expected Su Ming to endure until now before contacting her.

"Well, I'm terribly sorry."

Su Ming's tone was sharp, and it was obvious he was in a bad mood.

"It's fine." Xu Qianqian, whether she was playing dumb or genuinely oblivious, responded to Su Ming's barbed apology and asked, "When are you free?"

"When?" Su Ming glanced out the window at the night that had already fallen, narrowed his eyes, and said, "I'm free right now."

Xu Qianqian immediately fell silent.

She felt that Su Ming might be teasing her.

In the middle of the night, saying he was free now—wasn't that the same as telling her that he wanted to see her in the dead of night?

"I was wrong. Your patience isn't as good as I thought." Xu Qianqian said, "Since you're free right now, let's meet at the usual place."

"The usual place?" Su Ming froze.

But before Su Ming could ask, Xu Qianqian had already hung up.

Su Ming nearly cursed.

"Could you explain yourself before hanging up?"

This was revenge, wasn't it?

Revenge for him snapping at her just now.

It seemed that the queen of Demon Hunter Academy was just as vindictive as Su Ming.

Fortunately, Su Ming had already guessed where the so-called "usual place" Xu Qianqian mentioned was.

So Su Ming put away his phone and looked up.

The instant he did, he was startled by two enormous faces that had somehow drawn close before him.

"Finished talking?" Ye Bai was the first to ask with a gossipy look. "What did you talk about? Tell us too!"

Clearly, Ye Bai was rather curious about what a Side Character like Su Ming, who had nothing whatsoever to do with the famously cold and glamorous School Belle Xu Qianqian, could possibly talk about with her.

As for Lei Hao, his ears were pricked up like a rabbit's, and he stared at Su Ming with a grave expression.

"What usual place? What usual place could you possibly have with Xu Qianqian to arrange a meeting?"

Lei Hao's eyes gleamed an oily green, making him look like a ghost.

"Want to know?" Su Ming pointed at the door that was still banging away and said, "Go out and draw some aggro for me, then I'll tell you."

The moment he said that, Lei Hao and Ye Bai responded in unison.

"Bye!"

The two immediately slipped back into their beds and began pretending to sleep.

What a joke. Going out there wouldn't be drawing aggro—it would be committing suicide on the spot.

There would be plenty of time in the future and plenty of chances to interrogate him. There was no need to rush.

"..."

Su Ming stared speechlessly at the two, who had returned to bed with astonishing speed and were now snoring away.

"Come out..."

"Come out!"

The ghostly howls outside continued.

The night deepened.

When midnight finally came, the boys had no choice but to return to their respective dorm rooms and prepare for bed, all for the sake of tomorrow's attendance rate.

Only then did the knocking that had gone on all night finally stop, allowing Su Ming to leave the dorm.

"Once I'm invincible, I'll send all these bastards to guard the borders of Base City."

Su Ming declared that a gentleman never let a grudge go unavenged, then left the dormitory, left the academy, and headed for the outskirts.

The usual place Xu Qianqian meant was the only place Su Ming could think of.

Sure enough, when Su Ming arrived at the suburban area where he had encountered the suspicious group and met Xu Qianqian that night, the High Mountain Flower of Demon Hunter Academy was already waiting there.

"...You're the first man who's made me wait a full two hours."

Xu Qianqian looked at Su Ming resentfully.

"Well, I'm terribly sorry."

Once again, Su Ming offered an entirely insincere apology.

And his tone was even sharper than it had been over the phone.

After all...

"This is thanks to you too. I trust you don't mind?"

Su Ming wore a rather wicked smile.

Yet Xu Qianqian showed no anger whatsoever. Instead, she gave Su Ming a fresh, curious glance.

"You're also the first boy to speak to me in such a sharp tone." Xu Qianqian said calmly, "That alone shows that you really are different from ordinary people."

"Thanks for the compliment." Su Ming said without the slightest modesty, "Unfortunately, I didn't come here to listen to you praise me."

Xu Qianqian nodded indifferently. As her eyes lifted, her expression became far more serious than before.

The School Belle of Demon Hunter Academy stared straight at Su Ming, making even him feel a little uncomfortable.

"What are you doing?" Su Ming could only ask irritably. "Never seen a man before?"

Xu Qianqian ignored him and merely smiled.

It was a faint smile, but she had indeed smiled, and it was exceptionally beautiful. Even Su Ming had to admit that this woman was truly blessed with good looks.

"I just wanted to take a proper look at you." Xu Qianqian said, "Before this, although I'd noticed you long ago, this is the first time I've seriously looked at what you actually look like."

Hearing that, Su Ming stopped acting playful.

"I'm rather curious." Su Ming looked at Xu Qianqian and said, "For our esteemed School Belle to notice an unknown nobody like me is truly strange."

"Perhaps." Xu Qianqian did not deny Su Ming's words and said frankly, "If not for what happened a few days ago, I might have only continued watching you silently. I probably wouldn't have had any interaction with you."

"Oh?" Su Ming raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"It's simple. There was no need." Meeting Su Ming's gaze, Xu Qianqian said, "Based on the results you've displayed at the academy, we were destined to be people from two entirely different worlds. If we had unnecessary contact, it would only harm you."

You're still harming me right now. Su Ming very much wanted to say that.

But Xu Qianqian's words made Su Ming realize something.

Before this, Xu Qianqian had not seen through him.

She truly thought Su Ming was an unremarkable Side Character, completely unaware that he had been lying low and building his strength.

Therefore, Xu Qianqian had not intended to approach that version of Su Ming, much less have any interaction with him. Only when the two of them had unexpectedly crossed paths last time and she noticed that Su Ming was hiding something had she cast aside her concerns.

Then the question was...

"Since you thought we were people from two completely different worlds, why did you notice me in the first place?"

Su Ming was puzzled by this.

Xu Qianqian did not beat around the bush.

"The reason is simple." Xu Qianqian looked directly at Su Ming and said, "Because of your blood."

"My blood?" Su Ming was stunned.

Seeing that, Xu Qianqian explained.

"Everyone knows that we Hunters are lives who have seized the power of Phantom Demons and possess Phantasmal Demon Blood." Xu Qianqian said, "We may not be Phantom Demons, but in the end, we possess the same blood, the same power, and even the same traits as Phantom Demons."

"Among such Hunters, a very small number become excessively inclined toward the life-form of Phantom Demons because of their bloodline or compatibility."

Su Ming had heard an Instructor speak of what Xu Qianqian mentioned.

It was said that some Hunters underwent inexplicable mutations because they were too compatible with the bloodline inside them.

For example, some grew horns.

For example, some grew tails.

For example, some even grew scales and claws.

To a certain extent, these Hunters had departed from the form of life known as "human." In many people's eyes, they became heretics, monsters, and targets of exclusion.

"I am one of those people."

Xu Qianqian revealed a shocking secret.

"Fortunately, my abnormality isn't reflected in my appearance, but in a craving possessed by almost all Phantom Demons."

What kind of craving was it?

The answer was obvious.

"Feeding on blood." Xu Qianqian dropped a bombshell. "I need to consume a certain amount of fresh blood. It's not as severe as it is for Phantom Demons, who thirst for blood as if their lives depend on it, but I still have to consume blood at regular intervals."

In other words, Xu Qianqian was not a madwoman. She was a vampire.

Su Ming involuntarily grabbed the wrist that this female vampire had bitten before and took a step back.

"Don't worry." Xu Qianqian seemed to find it somewhat amusing. "Even if I don't consume blood, nothing serious will happen. At most, I'll develop symptoms similar to anemia. Unless I suffer severe injuries, I won't lose my mind over blood."

Once Xu Qianqian said that, Su Ming immediately understood.

That night, the reason Xu Qianqian had become so impulsive, so irritable, and so irrational was because she had been seriously injured.

Her severe injuries had stirred up the Phantasmal Demon Blood within her, causing her instincts to seek blood. That was why she had become like that.

But it was not entirely a bad thing.

After consuming blood, the Phantom Demon side within Xu Qianqian would also take effect, allowing her to convert the blood she consumed into regenerative power and rapidly recover from her injuries.

Thanks to that, after consuming Su Ming's blood that night, Xu Qianqian had regained her sanity and recovered from her severe injuries.

"The reason I noticed you was because, when we brushed past each other, I felt a faint stirring within me."

Xu Qianqian finally revealed why she had paid attention to Su Ming.

"Your blood seems to be somewhat special to me."

That was how it was.

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