The sound of running water in the bathroom stopped.
Luo Li sat in his gaming chair, somewhat restless, his fingers tapping unconsciously against the desk.
His brain was still struggling to process the string of surreal events: "a game character crossing worlds," "system activation," and "a curse being lifted."
He heard the soft turn of the door handle.
Luo Li instinctively held his breath.
The bathroom door opened a crack, and mist drifted out first, carrying a warm, fresh, pleasant scent that mingled Luo Li's cheap men's body wash with a certain distinctive natural fragrance.
Then Castorice cautiously emerged.
She wore Luo Li's oversized white cotton T-shirt, its hem reaching almost to the middle of her thighs. The sweatpants that normally fit him were a little too long on her, and she had clumsily rolled the cuffs up several times, revealing a stretch of slender, fair ankle.
Her wet silver hair, tinged with purple, was barely bundled in a dry towel. A few strands clung to her smooth neck and cheeks, making her look all the more delicate and endearing.
With the dust of her travels and the chill of another world washed away, her skin glowed faintly pink from the hot water, and she seemed bathed in a soft halo.
The steam made her purple eyes look even more hazy, with less of their aloofness and more of a newcomer's bewilderment and unease.
"S-sir... is dressing like this somewhat... improper?"
She lowered her head slightly, her voice relaxed after her bath. Its eerie sweetness seemed to have melted in the steam, becoming softer still.
Luo Li felt as though an invisible hand had clenched his heart, then abruptly released it.
Blood seemed to rush straight to a certain unmentionable place. He sprang from his chair as though electrocuted, forcibly turned away, and pretended to tidy the tangled cables behind him while clearing his throat hard, trying to suppress the dryness in his throat and the restlessness in his body.
"Ahem! N-no! You look great! Very... homey!"
His voice went a little off-key. "Uh, I mean, it fits-this is fine for now. Really!"
He secretly took a few deep breaths, trying to settle his surging blood.
No, no, Luo Li, calm down!
This is Castorice! A visitor from another world whose curse was only just lifted, who knows nothing about this world-you can't act like a pervert!
Castorice seemed not to notice Luo Li's inner turmoil. She gently tugged at the oversized neckline of the T-shirt and curiously sniffed the lingering scent of body wash in the air, the corners of her lips lifting in a tiny, satisfied smile. "The cleansing products of this world have such a distinctive fragrance... different from Amphoreus's herbs and resins."
"Oh, that? It's just ordinary synthetic fragrance..."
Luo Li finally managed to compose himself and turned around, though he still did not dare look directly at Castorice for too long. His gaze wandered as he pointed beside the bed. "Sit here for now. I'll get you the hair dryer so you can dry your hair, or you might catch a cold."
While Castorice clumsily learned to use the buzzing hair dryer, Luo Li finally had a chance to collect his thoughts and consider what to do next.
First, he had to help her understand this world's current situation.
After all, the dark red "Cloud of Blood Erosion" that never dispersed outside the window and the searchlight beams that occasionally cut across the sky were constant reminders of this world's cruelty.
Once the hair dryer fell silent and Castorice began combing her now fluffy, silky silver-purple hair with her fingers, a look of wonder on her face, Luo Li pulled over his chair and sat opposite her, his expression growing slightly more serious.
"Castorice, there are some things I think I need to tell you."
He pointed at the unsettling dark red sky outside the window. "What you're seeing isn't a natural phenomenon. Our world... is in the middle of an apocalypse."
Castorice followed his finger with her gaze, that ominous red light reflected in her purple eyes. She nodded gently. "When I first arrived here, I sensed a faint air of... deathly stillness and blood in the atmosphere.
"It bears some resemblance to the banks of the River of Souls that I guard, yet it is even more... frenzied."
"That's right."
Luo Li took a deep breath and began recounting this world's scars. "About thirty years ago, an unknown virus suddenly broke out across the globe.
"It wasn't like an ordinary plague. Infected people didn't die. Instead, they... mutated.
"They craved blood, feared sunlight-at first, anyway-and had pale skin, with strength and speed far beyond ordinary people. We call them-vampires."
"Vampires..."
Castorice softly repeated the unfamiliar word, her gaze attentive.
"These vampires have clearly defined ranks, from the lowest D-ranks, walking corpses that know nothing but their instinctive thirst for blood, to powerful beings with intelligence who can even use something like supernatural abilities.
"Generally, once vampires reach A-rank, they no longer fear ultraviolet light and can move around to a limited extent during the day. And... they're fluent in human languages and skilled at disguising themselves to blend in among us. Their combat strength is often several times that of ability users of the same rank.
"As for the legendary S-ranks, or even SSS-ranks... they're walking natural disasters."
Castorice's brows drew together slightly. "They sound like beings even more troublesome than the Titans of Amphoreus."
"Troublesome doesn't begin to cover it..."
Luo Li smiled bitterly.
"The virus spread too quickly, too fiercely. The old order collapsed within a few years.
"Countless small nations fell completely, becoming hunting grounds for vampires.
"Now, in all of human civilization, only the five largest faction blocs are still holding out."
He raised his fingers, counting them off one by one.
"The one we're in is the Longxia Faction, located in what was once an ancient nation of the East. Its social structure is relatively stable, and it does the best job of internal control and defense."
"Across the northern ice fields and industrial ruins is the Su'e'ai Faction. Its people are tough, renowned for their heavy firepower and tenacity."
"Across the ocean is the America Faction, which has the strongest technology. They rely on cutting-edge technology and powerful squads of elite ability users to maintain their strongholds."
"The former cradle of the Renaissance, now a land of interwoven castles and defensive lines, is the Europa Faction. They're barely holding on through their deep historical foundations and joint defense system."
"Finally, there's the Middle East Alliance, rebuilt amid deserts and the ruins of oil facilities. Relying on their distinctive faith and geography, they've also held on to their last homeland."
"Only these five major factions are still keeping human civilization from being extinguished completely."
There was a hint of helplessness in Luo Li's voice, but also a trace of relief. "And where I live is 'Jiangcheng,' one of the many safe cities under the Longxia Faction.
"It's relatively safe here, day or night, because official ability-user squads patrol on a regular schedule every morning and evening, clearing out any low-ranking vampires that might have slipped in.
"Maintaining this level of order isn't something all four of the other factions can easily manage."
Castorice listened quietly, digesting this startling information.
An apocalyptic world overshadowed by vampires, five enormous factions struggling to survive... it seemed even more desperate and vast than the conflicts she had experienced in Amphoreus.
"So... is that also why the 'ability' you possess exists, sir?"
She recalled the "Super-Speed Reaction" Luo Li had mentioned earlier.
"Yes. After the virus broke out, some people gradually awakened special powers. They're called ability users.
"But a C-rank 'Super-Speed Reaction' like mine is of limited use on the front lines. All it really lets me do is show off my skills in games."
Luo Li gave a self-deprecating smile, then looked at Castorice. "But now that your curse has been lifted, are your powers... still there? I mean, your ability to summon Pollux?"
Castorice closed her eyes briefly to sense it, then opened them again. "My connection to the River of Souls has weakened, as though separated by a veil, but the source of my power has not disappeared. It is simply that in this world... the rules seem somewhat different. Still, I should be able to exercise some of my basic authorities."
Luo Li breathed a sigh of relief. Having a Battlefield Saintess at his side made him feel considerably safer, even if her power was limited.
As he looked at the T-shirt hanging loosely on Castorice's body and her eyes, filled with curiosity and a little unease toward everything around her, a thought occurred to him.
"Um... Castorice, wait here for a moment."
Luo Li picked up his phone and lit up the screen. "I'll order some food first. You must be hungry too, right? And then..."
He paused, a little embarrassed.
"I'll use the money I have left to buy you a few properly fitting pieces of... women's clothing from this world. You can't keep wearing mine."
"I'm sorry to put you to such expense, sir."
Castorice inclined her head gently, her manners impeccable.
Luo Li opened an app with a yellow icon, and an array of food pictures instantly filled the screen.
He held the phone out to Castorice. "Take a look. What would you like to eat? Just tap the picture."
Castorice leaned closer curiously, looking at the colorful pictures of food in all manner of shapes, her purple eyes filled with wonder. "These... are all food? They look... so elaborate.
"Where we come from, meals this intricate are only seen during celebrations."
"Haha, this is all takeout. It'll be delivered to our door in no time."
Watching her carefully slide her finger across the screen like a curious child, Luo Li found himself smiling.