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“There are traces of other Vampire Clans appearing in Transia? They’re also secretly rallying Blood Vulture defectors in the shadows. What are they trying to do? Preparing to kick us while we’re down and take advantage of the situation?

Heh, how befitting of vampires. They’re truly seasoned experts when it comes to the art of infighting.”

Murphy stood up and let out a cold laugh. He wasn’t surprised at all by other clans trying to take advantage of the situation. Back when he was a high-level corporate slave, he had dealt with headhunters before and knew that the first step of so-called “high-end corporate warfare” often started with large-scale poaching of employees from rival companies.

However, as a new vampire recruit, his knowledge of other clans was currently limited to the Wolfsbane Clan that he had fought against, and the Blood Pact Knights who had helped them before.

To deal with this troublesome matter, he would have to seek guidance from the well-traveled elder Tris.

Murphy left his office and knocked on the door of the adjacent room.

Indeed, the offices of the Blood Vulture Grand Duchess and the Count of Kadman were that close. What didn’t surprise him at all was that the Blood Vulture Grand Duchess who should have been working at this time had “gone missing” again.

“Sigh”

The Vampire Lord felt weary.

Having a boss who liked to skip work was truly trying, and even more trying was the fact that he had actually fallen for such a vexing enchantress.

But since things had come to this point, what else could he do?

Murphy closed his eyes and connected to the vision of his Blood Vulture Spirit, Revnor. He quickly discovered the slacking off Tris in some obscure corner outside the ruins of Kadman City.

As expected, that golden-ranked slacker Vampire Duchess was hiding in an abandoned tower, drinking heavily while enjoying the scenery, with a few small dishes beside her, completely carefree.

“Flap flap.”

With the sound of wings folding, the ferocious Blood Vulture Spirit landed beside the intoxicated Tris, immediately catching her attention.

Upon seeing Murphy’s “eyes” had discovered her, Tris stood up and threw a crimson Spirit transmission gate, attempting to flee. But in the next second, arrows shot through and tore open that gate.

With his massive bat wings folding, Murphy, with a solemn expression, had landed at the edge of the tower and hung the exquisite and luxurious miser’s hand crossbow back on his waist.

“Heh heh”

Tris let out a dry laugh and hid the half-empty bottle of alcohol behind her back.

She thought Murphy was going to scold her again, but instead, he went straight to business.

“The Blood Vulture’s territory has been invaded, Your Grace. This should be a matter for you to handle.”

The Vampire Lord projected the Spirit image attached in the player’s report from his palm, pointing at the emblem and saying:

“This is the emblem of the Thorn Clan, right?”

“Yeah, the Night Thorn, also called the Vampire Thorn, it’s indeed the emblem of the Blood Thorn Clan. Considering ‘Blood Thorn’ doesn’t sound too good, everyone started calling them the Thorn Clan a long time ago.”

Tris took the opportunity to educate the novice Vampire Lord on the origin of her fellow clan’s name.

She didn’t consider this a big deal and said casually while leaning against the tower’s edge:

“The Thorn Clan’s territory is under the White Mountains in the southern border of Nordtov, quite a distance from Transia. But it’s not surprising at all for them to enter our territory at this time to rally the defectors.

After all, the Thorn Clan is an ancient loser of the Sacred Blood Wars.

After their defeat, they were driven out of the fertile central continent and could only take refuge in the lands of the Northerners. Their situation improved slightly after the Kingdom of Nordtov was established. It’s said that during King Boreas’s conquest of the Great Wilderness, heroes descended from the Thorn Clan served his lineage.

If I have to say, the Thorn Clan probably has the most harmonious and closest relationship with human civilization among all clans, but they also harbor the deepest resentment towards other vampire clans.

Their ancestral teaching is to reclaim everything they lost in the Sacred Blood Wars.

Therefore, absorbing defectors from other clans to incite rebellion is something the Thorn Clan loves to do. And that clan is like it’s been cursed by filth, every single one of their Dukes dies an unnatural death, not a single one has been able to live past 300 years peacefully.

I still remember when I was still quite prestigious back in the day, they had just elected their fourth Thorn Duchess. What was her name? Sophia?

Or Mary?

Oh right, Sophie!

Her name was Sophie, she was one of my good handkerchief friends.”

“The Sacred Blood Wars, that happened 800 years ago, right?”

Murphy frowned and said:

“It seems the Blood Vulture library doesn’t have much record of this event, only briefly mentioning that it was the first major war between the seven Vampire Clans?”

“Who did you learn your clan’s history from?”

Tris rolled her eyes and corrected him:

“It was six clans! The Crimson Blood Clan was sealed deep within the Crimson Sacred Land inside the Dark Mountain range before the start of the Era, which is also the origin place of all vampires. The Blood Pact Knights constantly patrol around the Dark Mountain range to guard that Sacred Blood seal.

Every hundred years, the leaders of the other five clans must return to the origin Crimson Sacred Land under the leadership of Lord Payne to reinforce the seal. That is also a major event for the entire Vampire Clan.

Moreover, the Cryptic Blood Clan of Machiavellians did not participate in the ‘Sacred Blood Wars’ that began in the 300th year of the Era and ended in the 400th year.

They claim to be the recorders of blood and never get involved in conflicts between other clans. Excluding the ever-neutral Blood Pact Knights who exist as arbiters, the so-called Sacred Blood Wars actually occurred between the four clans of Blood Vulture, Blood Dread, Thorn, and Wolfsbane.

It was a conflict that broke out over the central continental region of the then-clan civilization and the ‘blood rations’.

I’m not too familiar with the specifics.

It was too long ago.

But the end result was that the Blood Vulture, Blood Dread, and Wolfsbane clans reached an agreement. The three cunning and powerful Patriarchs, the young Salrokdar, Charlemagne, and Edward at the time, formed an alliance. They ambushed and killed the ancient Thorn Clan Patriarch Thalma Oxana Torrez at the Crimson Sea Cliffs in the Ice Bay region.

The great battle caused by the fall of the ancient one directly led to the loss of the Thorn Clan’s sacred artifact ‘Fallen Virtue’ in the cold currents of the northern sea.

The surviving Thorn Clan should have been annihilated, but Lord Payne intervened to spare them. Those poor souls were then driven out by their own malicious fellow clansmen to the desolate wilderness of the Frozen Lands.

They settled under the White Mountains.

From then on, they have lived there and formed a small principality until now.”

Tris narrated that ancient history in the tone of a historian. At the end of the story, she also mentioned a legend that only circulated within the Blood Clan to a limited extent.

The blood-drinking enchantress spoke in a rather gossipy tone:

“It’s said that the ancient Thorn Clan Patriarch Thalma Oxana Torrez’s initial identity was our old Patriarch Salrokdar’s ‘ex-girlfriend’. Their struggle for power turned them into bitter enemies.

There may still have been feelings between them.

When Salrokdar shed bloody tears and thrust the Necessary Evil blade into Oxana’s heart, the desperate ancient one loudly cursed her former lover.

She said Salrokdar and his accomplices would surely meet despair as the end of their eternity, and not even the grace of oblivion would be granted to them.

She also cursed, ‘Those who spill my blood today shall one day be pierced through the heart by a deadly blade.’

The good news is, that curse came true.

But unfortunately, that prophecy didn’t come to pass until hundreds of years later.

Charlemagne Morva Giovanni, the Patriarch of the Blood Dread Clan who was one of the killers, died under Lord Payne’s personally executed Sunscorching Punishment after summoning a sub-spatial rift during the Second Night War.

Lord Payne was obviously a man with a sense of ceremony.

The execution site he chose for Charlemagne was precisely the Crimson Sea Cliffs where Oxana had been ambushed and killed years ago. And Salrokdar, who had betrayed his lover for power and rations, ultimately died by the same Desire Demon Blade – Necessary Evil that had killed Oxana.

So you see, this stuff is quite mystical.”

“Uh, I think it’s better to just listen to these things. If ancient curses were really that powerful, they wouldn’t need to wait 800 years to backfire on the perpetrators. Besides, isn’t one of the killers, old Edward, still alive and well?”

Murphy shook his head.

Although he himself was a “feudalistic superstitious” being, he clearly didn’t pay much attention to unscientific things like curses. To be precise, he believed in the existence of curse-related Spirit spells, but he didn’t believe a curse could influence the course of fate.

Wouldn’t that make the “fate” that governs all people too cheap?

After listening to the little story about the Thorn Clan’s past, Murphy asked:

“So in your experience, how should we respond to this situation?”

“It’s up to you,” Tris said, stroking her long hair and taking a sip of alcohol.

“If you can swallow this insult, negotiate with the Thorn Clan. They’ve already latched onto the Kingdom of Nordtov’s royal family, so they have abundant resources at their disposal. Perhaps you can use the lives of the defectors to secure some benefits for your territory.

If you can’t swallow this insult…

Just kill them!

Entering another clan’s territory without permission from their Duke and inciting defectors can be punished with the most cruel Sunscorching Punishment according to the reclusive laws of the Blood Clan.

Although we view cunning as tradition and coldbloodedness as a virtue, betrayal is another concept entirely.

No clan can tolerate betrayal!

It would undermine the very foundation of a family’s existence. Even if Lord Payne himself came, he wouldn’t accuse you of cruelty. You and I could even use this as a pretext to start a clan war and personally ignite the Second Sacred Blood Wars.

Of course, the prerequisite is that you must be able to defeat the emissary sent by the Thorn Clan.

I reckon whoever dares to cause trouble at this time must have some backing.

However, Murphy, I guess this incident may not necessarily represent the will of the Thorn Duke.

You have to understand, in a complete family, vampires will always form many factions. Faction leaders have a certain degree of freedom to act, and small-scale things like inciting defectors from other clans may not necessarily require reporting to the Patriarch for a decision.”

“I understand,” Murphy nodded.

“So what I need to do next is launch a counterattack from the Count of Kadman faction of the Blood Vulture Clan against a reckless faction leader of the Thorn Clan. It has nothing to do with my noble and bewitching Duchess Tris.

I understand.”

Murphy smiled and bid Tris a gentle farewell.

Tris nodded, but in the next instant, Murphy strode over and snatched the bottle of alcohol from her hands, then scolded her:

“Now that the business is done, go back to work right away! There are so many affairs in the clan waiting for your decisions. Have you finished the work plan for next month? Have you written the work summary for this month? The personnel appointments within the clan haven’t been issued until now!

You actually have the heart to come here and slack off? Do you believe your Patriarch’s allowance wouldn’t be suspended this month?”

“No, please! I’ve just ordered a batch of fine Ice Fire Wine from the wine merchants in Ice Bay. I’m waiting to receive my salary to pay the remaining amount. I’ve never owed anyone for wine! In this regard, I, Tris, have an impeccable reputation!”

Tris let out a wail.

“Could you put your impeccable reputation towards proper business for once?”

Murphy urged.

Under the stern gaze of Count Kadman, the guilty Blood Vulture Grand Duchess had no choice but to open the Spirit transmission gate to her office, muttering “miser” as she disappeared from Murphy’s sight.

This hardly seemed like the fearsome Crimson Witch who had once been a force to be reckoned with, almost 500 years old!

The Lord let out a long sigh, carelessly tossing the bottle of alcohol, then spread his wings and glided back to the Blood Vulture Halls in the evening twilight.

His lady maid and intelligence chief Adele, along with her three fully armed Descendants, were already waiting for him here.

Murphy opened his arms, allowing Lady Adele to approach and dress him in a low-profile black-and-red swordsman’s light armor. The Crimson Midnight Cloak was also fastened around his shoulders, and the Necessary Evil demon sword at his waist sensed the scent of war and began to hum.

Murphy suppressed it and said to Adele:

“Call Maxim, you two bring your respective Descendants and follow me to Bataxin. There are many affairs in the territory, so we must finish and return within one night. Also, have the Blood Servants prepare the crosses for the Sunscorching Punishment.

Prepare ten for now, we’ll get more if needed.”

“Master, are we going to slaughter them this time?” Adele asked softly.

“Are the targets those Thorn members who have trespassed?”

“No, those are for the traitors,” Murphy shook his head and corrected her.

“As for those uninvited guests, their little lives might have some other use besides turning to ash in the sunlight. So, prepare accommodations for our guests as well. Three cages…

should be enough, I think.”

——

“In the name of Lord Murphy! You traitors shall face the Oblivion Punishment!”

Outside a village at night, Ah Yuen, a Master of the Twin Blade Style, shouted in a staged manner. His twin blades then pierced and pinned the terrified vampire to the ground.

Behind Ah Yuen, other little players were “dealing with” seven other vampire traitors.

Although it was nighttime, these midnight clansmen would receive Night Mother’s blessing. However, the little players were no longer novices. After being tempered by the difficult battles in the Blood Vulture Halls, defeating these Professional-ranked vampires was not a big issue.

They had numerical superiority, and their job compositions were quite decent.

More importantly, Leading Pigeon, an alchemist apprentice, had previously learned from the Witch Hunters how to concoct sunlight potions and other things that weaken vampires.

Hey, we loyal Blood Servants of Lord Murphy are using the Witch Hunters’ methods against you disloyal vampires!

That sounds exhilarating!

“These fringe vampires of the family are not as strong as we imagined. Even with attribute advantages, their combat skills are completely sloppy. They only rely on their vampire status to intimidate people.

Tsk, we were worried for nothing.

I thought they would all be as formidable as Maxim and Lady Adele.”

On the threshing ground outside the village, after achieving another ambush victory, Leading Pigeon said to Meow King beside him:

“With just this level of strength, they dare to defect from the family? Who gave them the courage?”

“As I said, they’re colluding with outsiders, colluding with that so-called Thorn Clan. Their new master must have ordered them to lurk here and try to cause trouble.

Pah!

Stray dogs that don’t recognize their master and run around outside deserve to be beaten on the head with a wolf-fang stick!”

Gugu Chicken, who was almost a “veteran true-blood,” spat disdainfully. Just as he was about to chat with Leading Pigeon and mix a few bottles of healing potions for survival, he suddenly heard screams coming from the village behind them.

“Everyone is blocking the outside! Hurry!”

A few seconds later, Sister Pomegranate’s furious voice rang out from the team channel:

“There’s a Thorn Clan mole hiding here! His strength is at Black Iron rank, but he can’t fly! He won’t get far, chase after him and kill him! That bastard just bit a girl in the village.”

“Damn! What a disgusting creature!”

The little players were instantly filled with righteous indignation.

Several hunters immediately released scouting spells to search outward, determined to put this filthy vampire to death.

The fleeing Thorn vampire wasn’t a particularly strong character either. The little players soon surrounded him by a riverside.

Seeing these armed Blood Servants wearing the Blood Vulture Clan emblem closing in with murderous intent, the Thorn vampire wielding a blade whip immediately raised his hands and shouted:

“I want to see your elders! I want to negotiate! As an Eternal Sin Descendant, this is the power bestowed upon me by the Night Mother!”

“What’s he babbling about? Doesn’t sound like the local language?”

The Cyborg Snail holding a spear asked.

Beside him, Meow King pretended not to see the translation on the player interface and said coldly:

“He’s calling us stray dogs and insulting Lord Murphy and Lady Tris. What nerve! Kill him!”

“Wait! Don’t kill him, just tie him up,” Orchid’s voice gently reminded in the team channel.

“I’ve heard that vampires have a punishment called Sunscorching. As a traveler curious about customs everywhere, I want to witness it myself. Please, brothers. Also, we couldn’t save the girl who was bitten earlier.”

“Oh, got it.”

Meow King responded, then said to Old Tune and Black Stockings who had clenched their fists:

“What are you spacing out for? Go chop some wood!”

“Huh? Chop wood for what?”

“To make crosses! I read in the 《Brief History of Blood Clan》 that the Sunscorching Punishment has to use those things to be authentic and flavorful.”