Page 127

In the last city of the Lackman Duchy, Northwind Fortress.

At this moment, the atmosphere in Northwind Fortress was tense and uneasy. News of the Ember Nest’s conquests in other regions was tightly controlled by the "Eagle’s Shield," but people had begun to suspect the truth or hear whispers.

"I…I’ve got a secret to tell you…"

"Mexis City, Trow City, Akan City..."

"They’ve all fallen."

A drunken man said this in a tavern, clearly intoxicated.

But the drunkard was quickly taken away by plainclothes spies, leaving the tavern in a suffocating silence as no one dared to speak further.

Under this oppressive atmosphere, everyone felt an impending sense of doom. The air in the city was heavy and almost stifling.

The city was under tight guard, with "Eagle’s Shield" soldiers stationed at every critical entry point conducting inspections. Any anomalies were treated as treason.

Doors and windows were tightly shut across households, but gray-robed spies still broke into homes for searches. Any abnormalities would result in severe interrogation or immediate detention.

No one knew where the so-called "traitors" were taken, though rumors suggested they were executed.

This created a pervasive atmosphere of fear, not just from Ember Nest's impending assault but also from the brutal searches of the city guards and the unknowns of the future.

"Damn it, where did he go?"

"He should’ve headed that way, follow him!"

"Catch him, dead or alive!"

In a dark alley, Langli Baitiao hid in the shadows, narrowly avoiding the search parties.

He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow—being an undead vampire progeny, he didn’t actually sweat, but the gesture was a force of habit.

"Has the old geezer lost it? Snatching up people like this?"

"Well, his time’s about up. Once Ember Nest’s heavenly troops arrive, that bloodsucking old geezer will face justice!"

Thinking of Ember Nest’s overwhelming military power crushing the allied forces, every player felt a sense of pride.

Yano was also hiding, crouched by a trash bin.

Over time, the once-proud count had shed his noble dignity, becoming a shadow-dwelling schemer under Langli Baitiao’s influence.

Hearing Langli Baitiao’s words, he curiously asked, "How do you know what’s happening outside when you’ve been stuck in the bunker?"

Langli Baitiao chuckled. "A mountain man has his ways."

"I even know that the old geezer’s allied forces were wiped out—thirty thousand soldiers turned into barbecue."

Thinking of the Battle of Trier, Langli Baitiao felt a pang of regret. Such an important faction war mission, and he hadn’t participated! While other players earned thousands of faction points, showcasing their prowess on the battlefield and even building armor, he’d been crawling around a dungeon, scrolling forums in the dark.

"This time, I’ll shine!" Langli Baitiao vowed silently.

Yano reminded him, "Don’t get too excited. The search parties will eventually find us, and we won’t escape then."

"Besides, if things are really as you say, my father won’t simply surrender."

"I know my father well. He’ll do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, to the point of obsession. He’s been planning this for a century, sacrificing thousands of lives in the process."

Langli Baitiao paused, then asked:

"You’re saying the old geezer wants to pull off a big move?"

"Exactly."

"I suspect the city folk branded as traitors are being taken to the bunker to be turned into blood thralls. My father likely knows his time is running out, so he’s no longer hiding—he’s openly using the city’s entire resources to complete his so-called grand ascension."

Langli Baitiao was immediately intrigued. "Looks like I’m destined to be the hero who saves this city."

"Don’t get ahead of yourself. You may have faced my father before, but you don’t understand his power."

Yano’s pale face showed a trace of fear as he seemed to recall past events.

Langli Baitiao dismissed it. "Why so scared again? Got PTSD or something? We’ve been out for a while now; see, that old geezer can’t touch me."

"Besides, I have this—"

He pulled out a finely crafted metallic emblem, stained with blood.

【Rebellion Emblem】

Quality: Special

"A mage who was turned into a vampire progeny once created this emblem in an attempt to rebel against his master."

"Sadly, he failed and turned into a pool of blood. This emblem sat in the duke’s collection, waiting for the next rebel."

Effect: Temporarily renders vampire progeny immune to their master’s control.

Langli Baitiao had found this item in the vampire duke’s collection alongside Yano, giving him immense confidence.

Yano shook his head, a hint of helplessness crossing his pale, bloodless face.

"Do you really think you can succeed?"

"I knew the creator of that emblem. His name was Triss, the most talented mage I’ve ever met. He was always full of hope and passion. Even after being turned into a vampire progeny, he never gave up, tirelessly seeking ways to resist the duke."

"But in the end, he still failed."

Yano’s eyes showed a fleeting mix of nostalgia and despair.

"Just because he failed doesn’t mean I will! I’m Langli Baitiao—"

As he spoke passionately, Langli Baitiao suddenly froze, only managing to blurt out:

"Oh, crap—"

Yano’s pupils had turned dark crimson, devoid of reason, and his body exuded an icy aura of death.

"Ascension."

"For the great ascension."

"Every sacrifice is worth it."

"Offer everything—"

Yano muttered, his pale face glowing with fanatical joy.

At that moment, he seemed like a devout believer, ready to receive divine blessings, nothing like the awkward NPC Langli Baitiao knew.

His body stiffened, his movements unnatural, as he walked toward the duke’s castle in the shadows.

The sky seemed tinged with blood.

Langli Baitiao noticed his 【Rebellion Emblem】 emitting a faint glow, as if struggling against a powerful force.

"Is the old geezer going all out?"

"But… this might be a good chance."

After some thought, he tucked the emblem into his pocket.

"Uh… for the great ascension?"

Mimicking Yano’s strange demeanor, Langli Baitiao pretended to be a controlled vampire progeny and followed closely behind.

---------------------------------

A big thank you to [Trevor Standifer] and [Willi Sarit] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.

*************************************************