Vol·⑨ [Melt]

At nine o'clock in the morning, the sky was still completely black.

The sun stretched lazily on the horizon, then, as if startled by a gust of cold wind, it immediately disappeared into the thick clouds, retreating back into its warm embrace to continue its lazy sleep.

Everything proceeded as planned and on schedule.

Sixteen distinguished guests from the Red Queen Parish, all young, beautiful, dignified, and polite gentlemen and ladies, in family units.

The Bloody Hand Brotherhood a more punk style, mostly consisting of small groups of three to five whispering among themselves, with many tattooed and pierced, wearing smoky makeup and looking like they just woke up and are in a bad mood.

Life on the north bank of the Thames River was much more respectable. Most of the men wore plaid shirts; they were either farmers or programmers. The women looked like happy full-time housewives—wearing whatever they wanted and being as comfortable as they pleased. These guys called themselves "Winter Fortress People," a group formed by the merger of three religious sects.

There were 277 people on the list, and 268 people were present.

Nine people were absent, including Mary, the matriarch of the Rose Sect, Maggie, the high priestess of blood, Leonardo, and the two princes of blood.

The remaining four people have just arrived.

--He is the representative of the Red Queen Sect, with godfather Leon, godmother Barbara, and their newly adopted godsons, twins Henry the Elder and Henry the Younger.

Jiang Xueming was initially worried that these vampires would cause trouble during the parking security check process, but he didn't expect Winston Spencer to be so skilled in social interaction.

This man in his forties was like a demon in human skin; his words could bewitch and mislead people.

He talked about court scandals with the nobles of the Red Queen, and also talked about table manners, giving them plenty of face and entertainment, so he could naturally take the money and bullets from these freaks.

He fraternized with the rebellious punks of the Bloody Hand Brotherhood, speaking slang and using coded language, discussing drug supplies, and talking fluently about the latest gun deals at gun shops, as if he had truly been living on the fringes of crime for years and was a seasoned terrorist.

He talked to his family in Winterburg about popular TikTok memes, and even pulled out a chart from his tuxedo showing the current state of popular internet companies, clearly indicating which bosses were prone to PUA and workplace harassment.

A little while later, Uncle Winston was talking to the farmers about the price of the new diesel-powered harvesters and where to buy them at the lowest price.

Xue Ming listened intently and moved closer to Mr. Winston.

Then the older man enthusiastically began his introduction--

"--Let's set aside the method for making blood tofu for now; that's a Chinese delicacy. Why don't we have this charming Nun teach you herself? Ladies, she's Chinese!"

Jiang Xueming was stunned for a moment, then saw three housewives with bright smiles, baring their fangs, surrounding him and asking all sorts of questions about Chinese food, Chinese blood, and even Chinese zombies and other Chinese-style vampires.

Winston's move drew the attention of most of the Winter Fortress People, for no other reason than...

--A heavyweight has arrived.

From afar, a stretch Lincoln could be seen parked next to the cemetery, and the godfather and godmother of the Red Queen Sect got out of the car.

They all had dark hair typical of Germanic people, deep-set eyes, and well-defined features.

The Godfather, Leon, was six and a half feet tall, a first-rate broad-shouldered sky tree, as strong as a lion, wearing a red suit, black tie, white shirt, and spotless leather shoes.

Godmother Barbara, dressed in a mink fur coat against the winter wind, matching her husband's bright red attire, seemed to be attending her wedding rather than a funeral.

Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and piercing, paired with her provocative upturned nose and cold, heartless peach-shaped lips, making it clear at a glance that she was a top-tier bitch who was not to be trifled with.

From the front of the car, a pair of energetic young men immediately emerged from the driver's and passenger's seats; they were the two newly inducted godsons—considered rising stars of the Red Queen Parish.

Like Leon, the Henry brothers also had striking black hair with a hint of red.

They were all smiles, their large, bluish-green eyes narrowing into slits when they laughed. That smile, combined with the brothers' perfectly coordinated way of leading the way and their wonderfully slender figures, would definitely make any female tourist on Instagram scream with excitement.

Winston immediately went to greet them one by one.

Surprisingly, Godfather Leon held this White Dove Knight in high esteem.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Mr. Leon gave a slight bow and said to Mr. Winston, "It's been a long time."

Winston, full of energy and with his head held high, replied, "It certainly isn't long for you! The last time I saw those two little guys, they were fighting in the baby pool. We haven't seen each other for at least twenty years! Right?"

Leon nodded.

--Ms. Barbara immediately screamed.

"So you know this gossipy bastard?! Leon, do you know how he described me to the Guardian reporter?!"

Winston muttered under his breath, "I'm just stating the facts, madam. Your affair is nothing new."

"No! Damn it! To say such things in front of my godson!" Barbara cried out in a trembling voice, each word punctuated with alarm. "Otherwise I..."

Halfway through his sentence, Godfather Leon dismissed his wife with a look.

The Henry brothers huddled up to Uncle Winston and asked him in a low voice.

"It's been so long, Uncle, we've all missed you."

"Uncle, how did you meet the Godfather?"

Winston didn't give him a friendly look. When dealing with these little beasts, he always went straight to the point, tearing off the pretense and getting straight to the point.

"Where did you learn your tricks to get close to me? Just say what you mean. I've only ever changed your diapers. Are you some kind of child prodigy who can remember this strange uncle who was always busy around your bed when you wet the bed before you were two? Your tone towards me, pretending to be an acquaintance, is so cold and heartless—do you really have to be so distant?"

Before the words had even finished --

Winston bent down and leaned close to Henry's ear.

"You must be curious about the Godmother's scandalous affairs, right? Maybe you can use it to gain access to the core of the Red Queen Sect's power? You're too naive, kid. Do you think Barbara would care about such gossip? If she really cared that much, I probably wouldn't be alive today."

Winston then leaned close to Henry's ear.

"And you, kid, even though you took a nice shower before you left to wash off your godmother's perfume, you two must have had a really, really wild time last night! You forgot to wash your ears—I smelled Swarovski perfume, the cheetah one."

Young Henry panicked and tried to cover Mr. Winston's mouth, but the cunning old man swayed and immediately hid behind Father Leon, muttering incessantly.

"You actually dared to use such cheap perfume to appease your godmother. It seems she really likes both of you. These days, it's rare to see children raised by vampires."

Henry's eyes reddened. "Godfather! He's spouting nonsense!"

Winston hooked his arm around Leon's shoulder, a chilling smile spreading across his face.

"--I met this guy at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. We were roommates. Back then, he wasn't a vampire yet. We lost touch after graduation; after all, he's made it big now, things are different."

Leon tilted his head and glanced at his wife and children, who were in name only, but who were actually his business partners—without saying anything.

Young Henry and the tycoon, each with their own ulterior motives, stopped speaking to each other.

They could never have imagined that a homeless man who kept pigeons in St. James's Park had such great power and such deep social connections.

Father Leon whispered to Winston, "These two godsons have excellent potential; they are promising talents. Actually, over the years, I've preferred that you educate them. You're a very shrewd person, but unfortunately..."

Winston clasped his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. "I am religious, but I do not believe in cults."

Upon hearing the word "cult," a flash of anger, a cruel and resolute one, crossed Leon's face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Say what you will. I've always needed a deputy. When you arranged the funeral for the blood donor of the Red Queen Parish, I thought you would give me face and do things for me, as a sign of goodwill—but it seems there's another reason?"

Winston started spouting nonsense, grinning as he pointed at the funeral staff behind him.

"Did you see these young people?"

He then pointed to Nun Jiang Xueming.

"You think these two lads possess exceptional qualities? That they are the future backbone of your Red Queen Parish?"

Then it pointed to Bu Liuxing.

"Compared to the young people around me, they are like fireflies, trying to outshine the bright moon and blazing sun."

Ultimately, it points to 3301.

"Even the direct descendants of the Qingjin Wolf Mother can be recruited by Mary."

The eerie silence lasted for a mere five seconds.

In those five seconds.

Leon and Barbara were thinking hard.

He wondered if Winston Spencer was lying.

Henry Jr. and Henry Sr. tried to use their Inspiration to sense the spiritual pressure emanating from these people.

The four family members were all working at lightning speed, trying to figure out the underlying meaning of the funeral.

Leon's expression immediately changed. He began to speak humbly and politely to Winston, trying to get all the details out of him.

"You're saying these young people are all members of the Rose Sect? They're about to become the new elites of the Rose Sect?"

"Maybe?"

Are they of noble birth? What is their family background?

"Not of noble blood, but certainly destined for nobility."

"Spencer, tell me honestly, are these Chinese people of unknown origin your pledge of allegiance to Mary? Do you intend to work for her?"

"No! I never said that! Don't make false accusations!"

"So that means I still have a chance? I can still win over these outstanding seeds of power?"

"Are you tempted?"

"You don't know, you don't understand. Ordinary people like you can't even sense spiritual pressure. The spiritual pressure that my two godsons released with all their might was not even as strong as the faint sneeze that little Nun produced when she was angrily explaining how to cook Chinese food, triggered by the cheap perfume on that old bumpkin from Winterburg."

So, you're tempted?

"I am indeed intrigued. Could you introduce me to these young people, Spencer? Actually, I've always been curious why someone as outstanding as you, someone with such a strong will and extraordinary spirit, doesn't have a single spark of Inspiration."

Some things are destined.

Leon leaned close to Winston's ear and whispered, "So, are you willing to do this for me? I promise you, no matter how much Mary offers you, or anyone else tries to offer you, I'll double it. You know I'm not short of money, and you know who my father is; you've known for twenty years."

Winston grinned slyly, pointing and gesturing at Leon's subservient manner, remaining silent for a long time.

Until Barbara began to get angry, and that anger spread to her two restless godsons.

Winston finally spoke up, "Brother, why don't you just go and chat up that little Nun?"

Leon looked surprised and astonished. "Can I just approach her and start a conversation?"

Winston lied without batting an eye. "To the confessional."

Leon then asked, "Is she a devout Christian?"

Winston: "Yes, are you surprised?"

Leon: "What do you want to say?"

Winston: "Don't talk about money. She doesn't like people talking to her about money. Instead, list all the sins you've committed—and sincerely repent."

Leon: "Don't lie to me."

Winston: "Aha! You're scared? You're scared? You're actually scared of a little girl?"

To be honest, Godfather Leon wasn't afraid of that young Nun with her extraordinary spiritual qualities.

All his guilt and timidity stemmed from Winston Spencer's words.

This man has a kind of Magic Power.

Even back in his school days, Winston Spencer already looked this ugly and slovenly. He seemed to have never grown up or aged; his greasy, disgusting yet shrewd and efficient demeanor instilled a deep sense of awe in Leon.

That's a terrifying way to survive.

At the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Spencer's silver tongue alone shielded Leon from countless troubles.

It wasn't until Leon entered vampire society and began the brutal and bloody selection process, climbing step by step from the Red Queen Parish, that he realized, many years later, that this was a form of diplomatic rhetoric, a terrifying magic that almost made his words law.

He had always hoped that Winston would come back to him. Even if he didn't become a vampire, his words alone were enough to win over many people's hearts and open the Gate of Death for many.

But this strange white dove knight was truly devoted to his country, hated vampires from the bottom of his heart, and never wanted to associate with demons.

At this very moment--

Leon feared that this old friend, with whom he still had some lingering affection, might suddenly turn on him and try to harm him.

He carefully drew his weapon and handed the expensive, ornately carved 1911 to his old friend as a gesture of mutual trust.

"I believe you, Spencer. I'll go find her and confess right now. That should work, right? I can strike up a conversation with this Chinese woman and make her like me?"

Winston shrugged dismissively, putting away his gun. "You could even talk to her about marriage. I told you in the dorms back in school, you're handsome, especially with me standing next to you."

Leon wasn't in the mood for a joke, "Come closer, I don't believe you."

As Winston took Barbara's guns, he started groping the Henry brothers, taking all their weapons—he craned his neck, his innocent yet cunning eyes wide, like a drunkard facing a traffic cop checking for drunk driving.

Leon stuck out his tongue and breathed out.

"You didn't lie to me, did you?"

Winston: "No!"

The pheromones in the sweat that Leon's godfather tasted on his tongue all indicated—

"--Very good, you're not lying, I'll be right there."

After saying this, the head of the Red Queen Parish walked into the crowd at Winterhold.

Winston shouted, "The funeral starts at ten! You have a little over half an hour! Get it over with!"

Leon turned around and waved, displaying great poise and impeccable manners.

Thank you, old friend.

Winston shouted very, very loudly, making sure Jiang Xueming could hear him clearly. "This is a heavyweight! You can feel it, right? Her elemental quality is the best! If you can keep her here, there will be far fewer troubles later."

Leon nodded. "That's right."

Winston: "Take her to the confessional and have a good talk. Melt her! You know what I mean, right? M. E. L. T.! Make her gentle! Melt her!"

Godfather Leon smiled with satisfaction, his massive body pushing aside a group of Winterburg Mudbloods. The oppressive aura emanating from above filled the enthusiastic housewives with a mixture of surprise, joy, anger, and fear.

He bowed slightly and extended an invitation to Jiang Xueming, without offending her in the slightest, before leading her with one hand to the quiet room of the chapel.

Jiang Xueming squinted as he observed the old nobleman.

Leon didn't ask her name; names weren't important to vampires. He was talking to the Nun about doctrine, trying to win over this naive girl.

"In the past, United Kingdom taxed windows in homes. Churches have a free window, which is the confessional. The confessional is a gift from God to sinners. Little girl from the East, can you grant me this gift in the name of the Father?"

Jiang Xueming stood up from beside the housewife and spoke concisely.

"Come on! Follow me inside!"

Winston squinted, leaning on Ms. Barbara's arm; he felt almost no fear when facing vampires.

"Hey, your husband's trying to seduce a young, beautiful Nun. Can I tell the reporters about this? He's a lord, this is big news."

Barbara rolled her eyes and immediately went to find her seat according to the seating arrangement, not wanting to say another word.

The two godsons behind her wanted to keep up with their godmother.

"--No, that won't do! You can't!" Winston's expression shifted to a cold, authoritative one. "I've arranged other seats for you."

The tycoon roared, "Why?!"

Little Henry asked in a gloomy voice, "Why?!"

Winston Spencer stood with his arms crossed, looking arrogant.

"Because you are not yet vampires, how dare you use those ugly and lowly bodies to sit in the ranks of the blood nobles? You have such audacity!"

The Henry brothers were speechless and wanted to ask their godmother for help.

The godmother is gone.

They turned to the Godfather for help, but from dozens of meters away, all they received in return was Mr. Leon's cold and fierce gaze.

In the end, the two brothers obediently followed Uncle Winston's instructions and sat in the back row.

On the other side, Jiang Xueming sat upright behind a black curtain.

Father Leon squeezed into the narrow confessional and began to recount his misdeeds.

Uncle Winston's earnest teachings came through Xue Ming's radio headset.

"I want him to confess to you. I told him that you are a devout Christian and that I wanted to appeal to your emotions to win your favor, Ms. Jiang Xueming —don't be surprised."

"You can see his eyes through the thin black veil. Eyes don't lie; there's a clear difference between fabricated stories and subtle expressions of earnest recollection."

"If he truly opens his heart, it will be when he is most vulnerable."

"A vampire's body temperature is nineteen degrees Celsius, their muscle strength is more than four times that of a human, and they have extremely strong vitality. Even if they are smashed to pieces or blasted into mincemeat, they can barely survive if you put a bottle of blood on them and piece them back together."

"To gain this power, one must inevitably pay a price."

"Do you know where their physical Gate of Death is, and what it is?"

"When Leon recalls the most regrettable, painful, and sorrowful things in his life, and honestly recounts these sins to you—that's when the Gate of Death."

"Don't let this opportunity slip by. I believe you can do it. This is just a little test for you, and it won't be too difficult for you."

"I don't know if Leon possesses the kind of magical power you speak of, similar to [Soul Might], but this is all I can do for you."

"Good luck."

After settling his guests in, Winston Spencer moved nimbly through the tool shed, neatly organizing the weapons into their respective categories.

I saw 3301 looking lost and helpless, as if he hadn't done anything at all, and he seemed embarrassed by his inability to help.

After all, Uncle Spencer had taken care of everything. So Teacher San San had to go to the nearby post office tavern and get two pies to reward Uncle Winston.

The two, one older and one younger, chatted intermittently.

Teacher San San was very curious. "Uncle Winston, you're so amazing, how come you keep pigeons in James Park? And for so many years?"

Winston munched on a pie and reminisced with San San about the past.

"I graduated from the Royal Military Academy with a heart full of desire to serve my country. The naval officer had character issues; he cheated on me, so I beat him up."

"Then I used my connections to become a driver for a member of parliament. On my first day, I discovered that this guy was greedy and lecherous, using social welfare as payment for prostitution. I threw him into the Thames River to feed the fish, but he didn't die. Instead, I spent sixteen years in jail, but unfortunately, it wasn't life imprisonment."

"My cell boss and fellow inmates were all my classmates or fellow students. They couldn't stand me, so they kicked me out early and bribed the warden to send me to a prison in Canada. During the transfer, I Prison Break —and one of the serious offenders traveling with me tried to kill a prison guard, but I blew his head off with a single shot."

"So I was released on parole and became a curator at the Post and Telecommunications Museum in St. James's Park. The last time the Chancellor of the Exchequer came to visit, he just glanced at me and thought I was too ugly and would damage the beautiful image of the British Empire. With just a few words, he lost my job."

"I wanted to get revenge on that bastard, so I took two dumps of shit and threw them on his car. Then I got a beating from the guards—I escaped into James Park, and they didn't dare shoot because the pigeons and tombstones in the park are artifacts, much more valuable than my life."

"I came out of the labor camp at the age of twenty-five. For the next twenty years, I thought, why not just raise pigeons and live a simple life—telling the Guardian reporters juicy gossip about Downing Street every day, keeping those ministers on edge while serving their country."

"They can't kill me, they can't catch me, I'm the shadow in their hearts, I'm the demon in their dreams."

3301 was stunned.

--She was from the underground and had never seen such a ruthless character who had tempered his body and mind in the mortal world.

After she had her fun, she finally got down to business.

"Mr. Winston, I came back from the corner store and someone sent you a letter."

Winston took a look, and his expression became very complicated.

He kneaded the cat paw print on the bright red sealing wax and scratched his head.

A terrifying smile was forced onto his gaunt, menacing face.

He read aloud the message from the letter.

"Jack Has Come To"

Written request for leave

The company is moving today, so I expect we'll be busy for a while.

The air conditioning at the old location is terrible. The comic book team works in 30-degree Celsius heat every day. We need to find a way to move to a cooler place. I don't know if we'll have enough time to update!

If you don't show up with your leave request, then pretend I didn't say anything.

--If there's no update tonight, I'll probably make up for it with a second update at midnight or tomorrow!

PS:

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