Vol. 5: Magic Theorem

Five hundred years ago, Henry VIII built Chaderton Castle in South Sea City, Hampshire, England.

The Mary Rose sank here, witnessed by an old lighthouse, in the outlying coastal area of Portsmouth.

Mary Rose is also a transliteration of the Christianity Virgin Mary Rosary.

Five hundred years later, the vampires qualified to enter Chaderton Fort are the Rosary Sect of the Stuart Family, whose leader is Mary Stuart.

The vampire underground society is a strictly hierarchical society.

Vampires never consider themselves [monsters] --

--They call themselves [Vampires], or use other noble names, and socialize according to the ranks of dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons.

Just like how gangs have nicknames like "members," "leaders," "cadres," "cousins," "chieftains," or "general affairs officers," they are all essentially organized crime.

But as the saying goes—

A gangster who only knows how to do dirty work and doesn't use his brain will only ever be a gangster and will never become a gang leader.

Once you arrive in London, to become a well-known and popular [SuperIdol] in the vampire clan's territory and earn the title of Red Flower Double Stick, you need not only strong professional skills but also an understanding of interpersonal relationships.

Sects like Our Rose Virgin and the Red Queen have a long-standing tradition of prioritizing female students, and their underground societies are matriarchal.

In the eyes of the godfathers of Westminster, a dedicated and eager-to-do person like Wang Chenggui is just a tool who only knows how to bury himself in work, far inferior to Maria Bruce, who embarked on the path of vampires right after graduating from university.

You might ask, why?

Is this vampire society really that cruel to men?

Can the man still stand up?

In fact, this strange tradition actually stems from the Blood Ceremony itself.

The lapis lazuli wolf mother is a divine beast. According to the vampire's very flexible moral standards, the basic embryonic form for the divine transformation of all things is female. The transformation from human to vampire is not a degeneration, but a transformation and conversion to Tao.

Vampires deeply believe in religious rituals, and they must always remember even the simplest feudal superstitions, such as visitor spells. They must act like elegant guests and never step into their host's house without permission.

For vampires like Mary Stuart, who have lived for hundreds of years, her blood is itself a very valuable scientific research resource.

As history unfolded and countless wars were fought, after the end of the two world wars, Mary had almost become the spokesperson for the Blessed Holy Blood on earth.

The person who could gain Mary Stuart's favor and have the Lady herself perform the Blood Ceremony must have been the Lady's closest and most trusted confidant.

The sisters Maggie and Masha are even more remarkable. With the rapid advancement of technology, as early as 1986, Mary cloned a pair of baby girls using mycelial protein somatic cells. She then gave birth to these baby girls herself, despite being a vampire.

As is well known, vampires are unable to have children. The spaces in their wombs are already occupied by the Vita Imprint, and any unfamiliar reproductive cells are directly incorporated into the body's energy cycle and completely digested as primordial matter.

Mary's childbirth was considered a miracle in vampire society, and in a religious sense, it was as if the vampires had overcome their innate curse.

Through this event, Mary transformed from an ordinary matriarch into Our Blessed Mother.

When the two children in her womb grew up, they looked exactly like her; they were the Holy Trinity of the Child, the Mother of God, and the Holy Spirit. The aura of religion allowed her to stand at the pinnacle of power.

All vampires in London have to listen to the Rose School to some extent.

Mary says one, they would never dare say two.

Chaderton Fort became Mary Stuart's retirement home.

The continuous six months of rainy weather caused her to wander further and further away from the surface world, and for a moment she even forgot that she was a vampire living in the dark abyss of eternal night.

This unrestrained, arrogant, and frivolous lifestyle made Mary somewhat swayed and inflated.

She knew that no matter how powerful the fierce black cat of the underworld was, it couldn't control the surface world—when she saw the simple and unadorned Steel Heart.

She acted with almost no hesitation, without any deliberation.

That transparent corundum was about to steal her entire being.

She could sense that the ring was connected to another extraordinary soul, a pure and flawless willpower, an incomparably powerful spiritual force, as if it had used rational science and technology, and the power of two industrial revolutions, to completely transform this weak and powerless country into a bustling modern metropolis.

Thinking of these things, Mary ordered her attendants to draw their guns, break Bai Ziqing's arm, and take the brilliance stone.

She was like someone picking fruit in a vegetable garden, never feeling guilty or regretful, as naturally and smoothly as breathing.

She has drunk more blood than anyone else in the world has drunk water.

--Wait, except for those Wen Bucai.

However, aside from such extreme exceptions...

Mary treated the prey that appeared in the hunting grounds like private property in a storeroom, as playthings to be disposed of at her whim.

When she spared Bai Ziqing's life, she returned to the chapel and prayed for several days.

In Mary's view, taking away the Steel Heart and letting Bai Ziqing live was a good deed.

If you do good deeds but don't recite scriptures, how will the Madness Butterfly know?

Madness Butterfly doesn't know, then wouldn't this good deed have been done in vain?

But Mary couldn't understand why this good relationship had ended in such a bad way.

When Mary got up in the evening, she pushed aside the withered corpse beside her and rang a bell to summon her attendants.

"Leonardo! Make the bed clean!"

She rolled out of bed, put on a sheer nightgown, and was very sensitive to the musty smell on her body, wanting to always look beautiful—her bedside snack was a young boy who had just come of age, so she could play and eat at the same time.

The entourage was from Florence; he was a shrewd businessman who was both efficient and romantic when working for his mistress, often arranging little surprises. Let's call him Little Li for now.

Little Li had two very nice little mustaches. After greeting the servants in the side hall, he saw two strong and sturdy maids come in and carry away the completely dried-up male corpse from the bed.

Mary stood in front of the mirror, raised her arm and sniffed the scent under her armpits, feeling the rhythm of the ancient blood in her body. Confirming that the maddening musty stench was gone, she finally felt relieved and praised the entourage's ingenious design.

"You're a genius, Leonardo. This young man is so handsome, he can be eaten or used as a toy—how did you come up with such a brilliant idea?"

Little Li clasped his hands together in prayer and said to the Blessed Mother, "This is a toy; young people have liked these trendy items for a long time."

"A toy? Heh." Mary nodded with a smile. "A toy? Interesting! Very interesting!"

The mistress's expression immediately changed, her mood shifting very quickly.

She hunched over, brushed aside the red curly hair on her forehead, revealing a fierce look in her eyes.

"You must treat this young man's family well; don't let him die in vain."

Leonardo nodded quickly. "Yes! Yes!"

Mary: "What are you going to do?"

Leonardo: "Send money to his family! I found this young man in Naples; he's admired you for a long time and wanted to meet you. I'm just the matchmaker."

Mary found it unbelievable. "You mean... you're planning to send this young man's family a sum of money as compensation?"

Leonardo didn't understand. "Does the mistress have a better way?"

Mary whispered softly, pressing her ear close to Leonardo's and gently blowing cool air into his ear.

"I want you to bring his whole family over. His blood tastes very good. What if I can't drink it tomorrow? If I can't drink the right blood, I'll get angry, and when I get angry, I become ugly."

Leonardo: "Yes! Yes!"

Mary continued, "Can his parents still have children?"

Leonardo: "It's probably not going to work."

Mary: "Does he have siblings?"

Leonardo: "Four siblings. Two older brothers and one younger sister."

Mary: "I'll bring my two older brothers over; I'll need them for the next couple of days. I'll also arrange a matchmaker for my sister, and we'll have a proper marriage. I'll attend the wedding. Christmas is in ten months, and their first child will be born just in time for the Christmas Eve feast, which I'll enjoy with Maggie."

Leonardo: "What about his parents?"

Mary: "Don't cause any trouble, give them to the servants as snacks."

Leonardo: "Then who should receive the resettlement allowance?"

Mary, slapped her large vulva out—

--Little Li's head spun around in place more than twenty times before finally stopping. The attendant was terrified and waited for White Lady to heal the wound on his neck, not understanding what he had done wrong.

Mary wiped the blood from her hands and said haughtily, "Are you mistaken? I had a fleeting affair with this little toy. Although it's a toy, my feelings for it are real—how dare you use money to insult our love?"

Leonardo dared not speak, nor dared he kneel.

Mary took the blood-stained handkerchief and gently patted the attendant's temples.

"My willingness to accept his family is a blessing in itself, yet you want to talk about such cold-blooded, heartless, shameless, and disgusting things as 'settlement allowance'? Do you have any conscience at all? Have you even read the Blood Butterfly Bible?"

Leonardo: "I've read it. I've read it."

Mary: "Read it again, what is its opening meaning?"

Leonardo: "By the glory of the Blessed Holy Blood, all those who are given blood on earth will become brothers and sisters in heaven, helping and loving one another, showing kindness and righteousness to one another, with the scales of justice being fair, blood for blood, flesh for flesh, and no one should insult each other with money or gold and silver."

Reciting the Madness Butterfly Bible, Little Li looked as if he were walking off an execution ground.

Anyone who angered Mary, the unfortunate soul who never got a chance to chant sutras, probably wouldn't even have their ashes left; they'd only be chopped up and fed to the dogs.

Recite scriptures when you do something wrong.

--This is the rule of the vampires in South Sea City, a kind of magical theorem.

The Hand of Omnipotence still believes in the ironclad law, which these vampires have long forgotten, yet they still chant it endlessly, as if it were the truth.

Upon receiving a request from Mary, Little Li quickly went to work, preparing two more surprises for her to add a few more little joys to her daily life—this was Brother Li's livelihood.

When Mary returned to the council chamber, she couldn't stop thinking about the two Naples brothers and wondered if she should invite Maggie along to discuss new ways to enjoy food.

--It's just a pity that the foolish and crazy little sister Masha, what kind of extraordinary person did she meet to fall in love with him, and to willingly die in the Portsmouth sun.

Thinking of this, Mary was almost driven mad with jealousy. The man who could make Masha's heart flutter must be a top-tier catch—good food and fun, right?

Right now, at this very moment.

The second sister, Maggie, was dressed in mourning clothes and draped in a black veil.

Hearing her older sister's footsteps, Maggie pressed the remote control.

The projection screen in the council chamber showed the horrific murder that occurred last night at the Royal Hospital in the United Kingdom.

Mary: "Is it some kind of reality show?"

Maggie: "Sister, you have to wear this outfit too."

Mary: "Who died? Who did it?"

Maggie: "The Red Queen Sect's blood-drawer is dead. He was Korean, well-known to many lords, and quite famous. His funeral will be held on Thursday."

Mary: "He's a good man. I met him just two weeks ago, and he could recite the Madness Butterfly Bible word for word right in front of me."

Maggie: "His death has a lot to do with you."

Mary: "What?"

Maggie: "Take a look first, look carefully, sister."

Twenty minutes later--

--The video has finished playing.

Mary's expression was serious, her brows furrowed. She raised her arm, carefully sensing the spiritual pressure of the Steel Heart, a feeling that captivated her and made her unable to let go.

She heard the little man's roar and growl from the speakers, showing off his ring to the camera and expressing his love.

She saw the boy's cold and indifferent eyes—

At that moment, Mary only wanted to pull this mysterious and handsome little guy into her arms and defile him.

You should lick his tears clean with your tongue.

They were to put him on an iron bed, brand him with the Vita Imprint, and bleed him while simultaneously transfusing him.

Mary was amazed. When she saw the other half of the steel ring, her mind burst forth with incredible talent. The ways and tricks she came up with made her face, which was over five hundred years old, start to burn.

Maggie turned her head, her expression serious. "Do you know what this means, Sister Mary?"

Mary: "I know, I know! I understand how Masha feels! I get it!"

Maggie lifted her older sister's chin and said seriously, "That middleman is dead! No one dares to take his place. Westminster is about to face a blood shortage. Do you think the Red Queen's Godfather would be willing to drink inferior, dirty blood?"

Mary described it vividly. "Do you see this little man? He's like a crybaby, he's looking for his mother. He..."

Maggie roared, "Our Blessed Mother!!!"

Mary yelled, "He just wants justice! What did he do wrong!"

Maggie regained her composure, her expression turning sinister and terrifying. "But this trouble! You're the one who caused it."

Mary returned to normal, adopting a nonchalant and playful attitude, as if she had already thought of a solution in mind.

"Are you going to blame me?"

"I didn't mean to blame you. Sister, no! No! I should call you Mother, but I think we both have to attend Dr. Wang Chenggui's funeral next."

"Why?"

"Dr. Cheng Gui died because of you, all because you coveted a ring from a station waiter. You've deprived half the parish of a drop of fresh blood."

Mary pressed on. "I think it's the Red Queen's Godfather who's incompetent and powerless, unable to protect their businesses on their own turf, and using that as an excuse to cause me trouble."

Maggie softened and took her older sister's hand. "I think so too, but we have to respond."

Mary continued, "Do you care about this?"

Maggie evasively replied, "No."

Mary: "Where will the funeral be held?"

Maggie: "Right in St. James's Park."

Mary: "Shall I go with you?"

Maggie: "Yes."

Mary declared confidently, "I won't go. That sweetheart in the video will definitely go on to kill more people. I've lived for over five hundred years; I've seen it all. The murderer loves to return to the scene after committing a crime. If what he says is true, and he's going to keep his word, then none of the unlucky souls who attend the funeral will escape."

Maggie: "Are we just going to watch like this?"

Mary: "Of course you can't just look at it like that, you have to look at it with a smile."

Maggie: "Can he really do it?"

"If he really did it, slaughtering all the vampires from the Red Queen's territory who came to attend the funeral like slaughtering pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep—then it means that my true love has finally come to my side, that this ring didn't lie to me, that its owner is extremely powerful, possessing the potential to become a king even in the underworld, and is the crown prince favored by Ming De." Mary raised her hand, looking up at Steel Heart: "I will give him justice, and while I'm at it, I'll take back all the businesses in the city center. Dignity is worthless to me. I'm willing to kneel down and apologize to him, willing to return the ring to him. I'm willing to do anything."

Maggie: "What if he doesn't give up? If Your Blessed Mother's legs go weak, it will be the entire vampire clan that loses face."

Mary cupped her younger sister's face, then took off the ring and put it on her sister's finger.

"Maggie, think carefully about why he recorded this video."

"Is it to seek justice?"

"No, that's not it—if he wanted revenge on me, he wouldn't need to show his face. He could just write an anonymous letter to threaten me. He killed me in just three seconds. Even an old monster like me finds it hard to imagine what kind of killer reincarnated could have such a cold heart."

"You mean he wants people from other sects to come after us?"

"Yes, he's clever. He's trying to use our strength against us to bring us down—did you feel it? His spiritual pressure is like an iceberg."

"I can feel it for him, my sister is so charming."

"Is there a strong emotion welling up from the bottom of your heart?"

"I'm so unwilling, so incredibly unwilling. Why? He went against us for this brilliance? Just for his lover?"

"Anything else? Anything else?"

"Does he really just want justice? I'm so jealous. How wonderful it would be if the bride he's talking about were me?"

"Anything else?"

"His essence is like an indestructible knife. If we can seize control of him, half of London—no, even Sky Station— might become ours."

Mary squinted and snatched the ring from Maggie's hand. "This is mine. I'm not giving it to you, and you're not allowed to take it."

Maggie was unwilling, but she obediently replied, "Yes, Our Blessed Mother."

Mary snapped her fingers, and black fungal spots sprouted from her skin, turning her gauze nightgown into a black mourning garment. "Regarding Wang Chenggui, the middleman, we only need to film a condolence video. As for this wretched funeral, let whoever wants to go go—whatever happened, it's a good thing."

Maggie: "The whole of central London is in complete chaos right now. Everyone working at the hospital doing blood work is on their tails between their legs. What if this little man doesn't show up?"

Mary: "That means he doesn't have the guts to go against us."

Maggie: "If he really did set an ambush at the funeral, some vampires died."

Mary: "He has the ability, but all he wants is justice. So I'll chop off my arm and give it back to him, propose to him, send Leonardo to Italy, and there will be a new godfather in South Sea City. This godfather comes from the East; he's ruthless and keeps his promises. If he says he'll kill an entire family, he will kill the entire family."

"But Sister Mary," Maggie hesitated, "How can you be so sure he'll accept your invitation?"

Mary pulled out her phone and showed a photo of Bai Ziqing against the backdrop of a cold, rainy night. "Look, this is what his lover looks like. You don't think that the proposal I mentioned was just a simple 'proposal,' do you? My daughter, my sister—when we encounter adversity, we must have the ability to turn adversity into favorable circumstances, otherwise how can we take our destiny into our own hands?"

Maggie: "Are you serious?"

Mary: "I'm very serious. If our little sister, our little Masha, had that ability and that determination, she could have lived a carefree life with her lover. Going to the hospital every now and then to buy some blood to drink wouldn't be anything shameful. Maybe her boyfriend would even offer her blood or himself. I wouldn't blame her at all—unfortunately, she's weak and incompetent, only able to be controlled by the poison of emotions, and in the end, she turned to ashes. She used my face to do these bastard things, which makes me feel extremely ashamed."

"I believe that this little man from the East will definitely show his Gate of Death when he sees this face."

Mary's facial transformation, driven by the Blessed Holy Blood, involved White Lady drilling into her facial muscles, gnawing at bones and textures, and reshaping her eye sockets and cheekbones—the most powerful cosmetic surgery in the world.

"People judge others by their eyes—I will use my gentlest side to melt the ice in his heart and give him a gentler, more virtuous, and more self-aware partner, unlike what he said, unlike that pretentious, melodramatic heroine he disliked—I will definitely love him fiercely."

In just one minute.

"As for that bride he so swore he was so attached to, in five, ten, or at most twenty years, she'll grow old and ugly. What makes her compare to me? We're just sending her back to Madness Butterfly ahead of time. Don't you agree, Maggie? Go and feel it again, feel his spiritual pressure."

The Blessed Mother transformed into Bai Ziqing's appearance, with only her blood-red hair, broad frame, and tall stature of 188 centimeters being undeniable.

Mary puts the Steel Heart on her sister's head again.

"--Can you refuse him? Do you dare refuse a gift from heaven?"

Maggie immediately agreed, both angry and amused.

"He just wants justice! What did he do wrong?!"