Light Eater

Forbidden Fruit was said to be a mysterious fruit from the abyss.

Any creature that consumed it could gain the power it had always dreamed of, but would also pay an equal price.

Ever since Forbidden Fruit had appeared, human society had undergone earth-shaking changes. Some humans who consumed it benefited the world, while others brought calamity that lasted for millennia.

Animals that obtained Forbidden Fruit had also caused immense destruction to human civilization, forcing people to build high walls and huddle within one fortress after another.

Because the vast majority of creatures could not resist the temptation of Forbidden Fruit and would devour it the moment they found it, Forbidden Fruit was essentially as unattainable as a myth to most people.

However, the various supernatural powers derived from Forbidden Fruit were not difficult to obtain.

Silver City.

Inside an old apartment building.

Wearing a mask and carrying a briefcase, Yu Xian accepted the pen injector handed over by the black-market shop owner and asked, "Boss, what generation is this blood from?"

"Third-generation Blood Clan blood. But I must remind you: while directly injecting vampire blood can turn you into a vampire, you'll be unregistered—a so-called wild vampire. Once the Blood Clan discovers your existence, you'll face the hostility of the entire Blood Clan, as well as relentless pursuit by the Purifiers!" The black-market shop owner looked at Yu Xian and spoke slowly.

Several centuries ago, the progenitor of the Blood Clan consumed Forbidden Fruit and transformed from a human into a vampire. Now, the Blood Clan had become an exceptionally powerful force within human society.

Only humans who passed the Blood Clan's examinations and trials were qualified to receive the First Embrace and become vampires.

Such vampires would be accepted and protected by the entire Blood Clan, but they also had to contribute their own strength to the Blood Clan.

In the past, some people had assassinated vampires and used their blood to transform themselves, seeking immortality. Without exception, though, they were eventually killed by Purifiers sent by the Blood Clan.

The problem was that Yu Xian could not wait that long, nor did he have the patience to undergo the Blood Clan's trials.

He was merely a high school student who had just inherited a small factory from his deceased father and had a little money.

If nothing unexpected had happened, he would have managed the factory like his father after graduation, then passed it on to his own son or daughter when he grew old.

Unfortunately, the unexpected had come.

A year ago, he had also been diagnosed with ALS.

It was hereditary. His father had died of ALS as well.

Only the supernatural world had methods to treat this terrifying terminal illness, but most treatments came at an exorbitant price.

For example, hiring a healing-type superpowered individual to cure him outright would cost one hundred million.

Even if he sold the factory, he could only scrape together around twenty million. That was nowhere near enough to hire one. The other treatment methods cost at least sixty or seventy million, and they came with all sorts of strange side effects.

In the end, after spending a considerable amount on investigations and consultations, he found this black-market shop, which claimed to sell anything.

After selling the factory and one of his shops, he had finally gathered enough money to buy vampire blood and gained a hope of survival.

As long as he injected the vampire blood and turned himself into a vampire, his ALS would naturally be cured without medicine. The downside was that he would have to live on blood from then on, while also fearing silver and sunlight.

"This is the remaining payment."

Yu Xian took out a silver ring and brought it close to the pen injector to verify its authenticity.

After confirming that the blood inside the pen injector was indeed vampire blood, he set the briefcase on the table and immediately turned to leave.

After returning home, Yu Xian quickly drew all the curtains, then went back to his bedroom and sat down.

Taking off his mask, Yu Xian carefully removed the pen injector. Looking at the blood inside, he could not help revealing an ecstatic expression. He finally would not have to die.

The moment he had been diagnosed with ALS, he had truly felt as if the sky were falling.

He had spent a month in a daze before gathering his courage again, accepting that he did not have long to live, and trying every possible way to save himself.

In fact, his hands often felt weak now, and sometimes he even lost feeling in his legs.

He knew full well that death was drawing closer and closer.

Fortunately, there was still time!

Yu Xian took off his clothes. After calming the excitement in his heart, he slowly injected the blood from the pen injector into his body. Soon, he felt a chill spread from his marrow, and then his consciousness grew heavy as an irresistible drowsiness overcame him.

He obediently lay down and slowly closed his eyes.

At the final moment, he could feel his heartbeat slowing, slowing...

A day and a night passed in the blink of an eye.

In the darkness, Yu Xian turned over.

He suddenly realized something and abruptly opened his eyes. The next moment, he sat up in bed.

"I succeeded?"

He muttered to himself, then hurriedly pressed a hand to his chest.

After about a minute, a smile appeared on his face. Sure enough, his heart had stopped beating. That meant the vampire blood had transformed him into a vampire.

A vampire's heart only beat once a year.

It was said that every ten beats granted a minor talent, while every hundred beats granted a major talent.

Therefore, the longer a vampire lived, the stronger they became!

Moreover, when food was plentiful, vampires could even make their hearts beat only once every six months, gaining strength more quickly. That was why all vampires drank blood even when they were not hungry.

"Every newly transformed vampire possesses an initial talent."

Yu Xian recalled the information he had gathered and carefully sensed the changes in his body.

First, he could rule out an active ability. Active abilities were usually like opening one's mouth to eat—after sensing them slightly, one could use them freely. Anyone without brain damage could easily grasp them.

Since it was not an ability he needed to actively cast, then it had to be a passive ability.

That was more troublesome.

Passive abilities often had to be triggered before one could know what they were.

"I'm a little hungry. Good thing I prepared plenty of blood packs in advance!"

Yu Xian did not sense his ability, but instead felt a wave of hunger.

He got out of bed and habitually turned on the light, then froze where he stood.

His body was absorbing the light!

No!

More accurately, his body was devouring the light.

How was that possible?

Although vampires only feared sunlight, and ordinary lights would not harm them, vampires actually disliked light as well. Under strong lighting, they would even feel slight discomfort.

Yet not only did he feel no discomfort now, he even felt somewhat comfortable.

"Could my first talent be... Light Feeding?"

Yu Xian looked up at the incandescent bulb. The uncertainty on his face gradually turned into wild joy.

He immediately walked to the window. After deciding to become a vampire, he had replaced all the curtains with blackout fabric, but he knew that it had to be daytime outside.

"My feeling isn't wrong. Even through the curtains, sunlight is already shining on them. I can feel the warmth coming from the curtains."

"But I... don't seem to feel uncomfortable at all!"

"I even... crave it..."

Yu Xian grabbed the curtain with one hand. After taking a deep breath, he suddenly flung it open.

Light instantly dispersed the darkness. The morning sun streamed in, bathing Yu Xian's entire body in sunlight. He could clearly feel his hunger rapidly fading. He truly was feeding—his food was sunlight.

He was an anomaly among vampires.

He fed on light.

He was a Light Eater!