North Wind Fortress Log (III)

The Lang Li Bai Tiao streak clung silently to the ceiling of the dark dungeon, while the Blood Slave in the iron cages let out mournful howls.

"Awooo..."

"Blood..."

Give me blood.

They had been in this dungeon for who knows how many years, and had long since lost their minds due to their thirst for blood, turning into beasts driven by instinct.

"There isn't a single one of them who can speak human language."

Looking at the Blood Slave, Lang Li Bai Tiao sighed helplessly.

Suddenly, a hoarse voice rang out.

"Newcomer, you should run away. Once the Duke wakes up, you won't be able to escape."

"At least for now you can still play a game of cat and mouse, stealing a moment of freedom, isn't that interesting?"

Looking towards the source of the sound, Lang Li Bai Tiao saw a man standing straight in the cage. He was also pale, but his clothes were much neater, though they were still covered in the marks of time and were somewhat rotten.

Who are you?

"Yeno Lakman".

"This surname..."

"That's right, I am the Duke's son, the former Hrethelburg Earl, and one of his 1,172 Vampire Spawn. I was imprisoned in the dungeon along with the Blood Slave for rebelling against his tyrannical rule." Even in his imprisonment, his tone carried the arrogance unique to his family.

The Lang Li Bai Tiao retorted, "Why do you think I can't escape?"

Yeno Lakman chuckled softly.

Lang Li Bai Tiao, unable to bear it any longer, said, "Are all the people in your family brainless? Can't you even speak normally?"

Yeno's hoarse voice rang out again. "My father's power is far beyond your imagination. All the Vampire Spawn —their souls are branded with the mark of slavery. The Duke can easily control all the clones with his will, and when he ascends, you and I will turn into the boiling blood within him."

The Lang Li Bai Tiao said directly, "Then why don't we just kill that old Deng?"

"Oh"

Another helpless chuckle escaped her lips.

"What are you laughing at? Is it that funny? I dare to kill the Chicken God of Creekwood Town, what's a mere old vampire like Deng?" Lang Li Bai Tiao retorted angrily.

Yeno shook his head slightly. "I have seen too many people like you. During the hundred years I spent in the dungeon, I have seen countless people escape from the iron cage, wanting to seek revenge, but in the end they all failed to escape their predetermined fate and became Blood Slave who lost their minds. This is the Duke's eternal curse."

"So run, while you still have a little freedom left."

"I know my father very well; he enjoys this cat-and-mouse game."

"He often plays the role of an omniscient and omnipotent being, watching his prey slowly fall into despair. He might be watching you right now."

The thought that old man might be watching him sent a chill down Lang Li Bai Tiao's spine.

"Could this old Deng really be some old Nantong native?"

The Lang Li Bai Tiao shook its head, shaking off the terrible thought, and said to the person in the cage, "Then what the hell are you resisting for? You think it's fate? You think you're so noble? If it were fate, you wouldn't be locked in this dog cage."

"What you said to me only shows that you've become more cowardly."

Yeno was silent for a moment before speaking, "Perhaps you are right."

Seeing that his words had gained the upper hand, Lang Li Bai Tiao continued to press his advantage, saying, "So you're no different from those guys you're mocking. Stop acting like a prophet all the time, you're just asking for a beating."

He held up two fingers.

"I'll give you two choices. First, I'll rescue you. You've been here for over a hundred years, you can't be completely clueless, right? If you were, you'd be a complete waste. So, I want you to lead me to raid this guy's lair, and then find a chance to kill this old man."

"Second, continue to stay in this dog cage, whining and pretending, bragging to the newcomers about your stupid, eight-fold fate theories, and finally turn into a puddle of auntie."

Choose.

Although Yeno couldn't understand some of his words, he could tell from his tone that it wasn't something nice.

He remained silent for a long time, staring at the rather irritating, indifferent face of the guy named Lang Li Bai Tiao.

The Vampire Spawn in front of him was unlike any he had ever seen. After becoming Vampire, those people were either panicked, desperate, or filled with resentment, but none of them were as nonchalant as the person in front of him.

Yes, it's simply not caring.

Every movement he made seemed to say, "So what if I die?"

Even after learning that she had become Vampire Spawn, she was not panicked at all. Instead, she tested her abilities with a sense of novelty.

That's so strange.

He had never seen such a strange person in a hundred years.

Yeno Lakman remained silent, deep in thought.

Finally, the Lang Li Bai Tiao couldn't help but mutter, "Are you going to leave or not? Giving me that sour face. If it weren't for the fact that you're still somewhat useful, I would have pissed in the cage and run away. Stop dawdling. Are you even a man?"

"Okay, I'll go with you."

After a long silence, Yeno finally made his choice.

This unusual person in front of me might actually be able to break this tragic fate.

"That's fine now. You were dawdling around there before, and I thought I had to carry you away in a sedan chair."

While skillfully unlocking the Lang Li Bai Tiao muttered to himself.

The iron gate opened, and Yeno stepped out of his cage after a long absence; he hadn't been out for a century.

"Quick, is there a treasure room or something here? Take me to steal all of this old man from Nantong. I'll show him what it means to steal even your underwear!" Lang Li Bai Tiao urged.

Yeno: "."

The Lang Li Bai Tiao said discontentedly, "Does it exist or not? Don't tell me you've been telling stories for the past hundred years and can't even find your father's secret stash of money. You should go back to your dog cage. I don't need a pure flying creature teammate like this, who's likely to drag me down."

Yeno was somewhat speechless. As a nobleman, this was the first time he had worked with someone like this, but he still said, "I do know the locations of several of my father's treasure vaults, but they are heavily guarded, and with our meager strength, we may not be able to..."

As he was speaking, he discovered that the Lang Li Bai Tiao had vanished.

From the shadows in the corner came rustling sounds. Lang Li Bai Tiao, wrapped in a black robe, clung to the wall like a cockroach, writhing and twisting.

"Why are your eyes so wide? Haven't you ever seen Trickster Thief before?"

"Do you even know what stealth is? Hurry up and lead the way. Forget about the guards, let's just sneak in and steal all of this old Deng's savings."

Yeno fell silent again.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally put aside his last bit of aristocratic pride and climbed up.

I'm just going to give up. If I fail, I fail.