Confirming identity: Dr. An Te Qi, Lv. 2 in command, waiting to receive orders.
âAh Ye?â
Waiting to receive ordersâŠ
ââŠDark Sun.â
âYes, Dr. An Te Qi.â
Waiting to receive orders, analyzing Dr. An Te Qiâs condition: Sad, pained.
Executing action: Inquire.
âDr. An Te Qi, how may I help you?â
ââŠHeavens! I shouldnât have done this surgery, I really shouldnât have! But if I hadnât, they would still have found someone else to do it, in which case I might as well be the one to carry it out. At least I can still persuade them to make the part that represses emotions reversibleâŠâ
Analysis: Not an order, not a question, unable to execute action.
âAh Ye⊠no, Dark Sun, do you still remember the GÄge you repeatedly called out for?â
Analysis: Question, Lv. 2 in command.
Executing action: Reply.
âNo, memories have been sealed.â
âAh Ye, you always said that GÄge would come and rescue you, but where is he now? It has been so many years. Just where in the world is he?!â
âI do not require the action of being rescued.â
âYou do not require⊠Hahahaha! Indeed, you do not need it anymore as you are now. Perhaps thatâs good, or better! At least you wonât be eternally waiting for the GÄge that will never arrive; you donât need to smile at me, the rotten person who doesnât dare save you! Repressing your emotions may be for the best, hahaâŠahâŠhicâŠâ
While I had thought that I would have possibly had my blood taken and my flesh dissected into pieces, my days in the laboratory instead started with simple questions. If it were not for the fact that my hands and feet were chained to a chair, it would have been exactly like being interviewed. Except rather than interviewers or journalists, it was doctors in white-robes instead.
âIs E.X. the vampire that bestowed First Kiss onto you?â
âI am a pureborn vampire. I did not receive any First Kiss from another vampire,â I honestly answered. This was a matter that the Church also knew of; there was no meaning in lying.
Hearing the term pureborn vampire, the white-robed doctor interrogating me suddenly turned enthusiastic, his eyes glowing as he pressed, âHeâs your father? He had you together with a female vampire?â
âNo, X and I do not share any blood relation.â I could not help but suggest, âPerhaps you should first read my data before asking questions. There is no doubt that the Church has a file dedicated to me in their database.â
The white-robed doctor nonchalantly replied, âThere is no need. Information obtained from investigations may have mistakes. Also you have no way of lying here.â
So that is what these are. All the equipment connected to my body is actually for detecting lies?
âHave you drunk E.X.âs blood before?â
This question was somewhat contrary to my expectations. Typically speaking, a vampire would not drink the blood of other vampires, like how a human would not want to eat food from another personâs mouth. However, after personally having experienced extreme hunger, I believed that I could have also drunk a vampireâs blood if there were no other alternatives.
âNo.â
The white-robed doctor eyed the equipment monitor and seemed slightly disappointed. He furrowed his brows and said, âYou did not lie, but that may not be the truth either. Perhaps E.X. fed you without you knowing.â
âIs Xâs blood very special?â I stared at the doctor in confusion. Is this perhaps the true reason the Church relentlessly pursues X?
The white-robed doctor reflexively answered, âYesâŠâ
âShut up!â
At this point, Sinâs furious roar could be heard. However, he was not physically present. It sounded as if the voice was being transmitted through a broadcasting device. The white-robed doctor jumped in shock and apologized repeatedly, his complexion slightly pale. Not daring to do anything else unrelated, he continued his questioning.
âHas he ever told you of his history?â
âNever.â I calmly replied, âHe is reluctant to speak of his past, refusing to even say the origin of the Churchâs intense hatred. You do not need to ask these types of questions. I do not know anything of his history.â
The white-robed doctor habitually checked the meterâs monitor. His eyes suddenly widened and he showed an excited expression as he announced in delight, âYouâre lying!â
I started and automatically said, âIâm not⊠Ugh!â
An electric current passed through the cuffs on my hands and feet, spreading through my entire body, leaving immense pain after the numbness. I shot upwards, but due to the obstructions on my limbs, I could not move, only able to stay chained to the chair. All I could do was struggle in pain like a captured fish brought ashore.
âThink back!â
After the current passed, the white-robed doctorâs voice came again. I took a deep breath, but before I could even recall anything, another wave of electricity and twitching came.
âWhat about E.X. do you know?â
I undoubtedly do not know of anything related to Xâs past⊠Miss Tong?
The electricity came to an abrupt stop. I no longer twitched, though I was unable to stop the faint trembling of my body.
âYou thought of it?â The white-robed doctor stuck his head closer. âDonât deny it. Your body index cannot hide it.â
I tried my utmost to stop shaking as I widened my lips into a smile and answered, âI am very sorry, but I cannot think of anything.â
The white-robed doctorâs face dropped.
As my muscles tensed in preparation to endure another electric attack, the door slammed open. Sin charged in to grab my collar, lifting me up. Only my cuffed wrists and ankles were left on the chair, causing a pain that felt as if my limbs were on the verge of being torn apart.
âDo you think electricity is our only technique?â Sin bellowed out angrily, âCharles Endelis, no matter how much you struggle, no one can conceal anything from us while in our grasp! With what we will do to you, youâll wish you were in Hell rather than continue living! Right now, you have one remaining chance to say everything. Once E.X. is in our hands, you can leave!â
I sincerely replied, âThen I may as well stay here for eternity.â
Sinâs face twisted like a vampire turning hostile. I should really brace myself now for either an electric attack or a more painful technique.
âSin!â A black-robed pastor rushed in with a somewhat panicked look. âOutsideâŠâ
âBe quiet!â Sin interrupted him and reprimanded, âWhat are you all flustered for?!â
The black-robed pastor immediately went silent and his attitude turned solemn. However, his ashen face exposed his anxiety. Sin frowned in discontent, though he did not lash out again. Instead, he turned his head to order the white-robed doctor, âContinue investigating and dig up everything E.X.-related from his mouth. Do not let the slightest detail slip. Understood?â
The white-robed doctor earnestly nodded.
Sin and the black-robed pastor left. While Sin maintained his composure, the black-robed pastorâs footsteps were a bit rushed. I wonder what occurred for him to be so nervous?
At this moment, the white-robed doctor let out a sudden sigh. When I looked at him, he sympathetically said, âYou should just speak. No one can endure unending pain. The situation is even worse for you, since youâre a vampire and cannot die easily. This will only make things more terrible, understand?â
I remained silent. Actually, Miss Tong had already been dead for many years, so speaking of her would likely not be an issue. However, I absolutely would not say a hint of a word. Never!
I had never received training on how to deal with interrogation by torture. I was terrified that the moment I spoke, I would lose control of my mouth. If I were tortured to the point where my mind was no longer clear, I was afraid both lies and truth would all come out.
Perhaps I did not know too much of Xâs past, but I was very familiar with his combat style, possessed his email address and the secret phone number on that cell phone, and knew what disguise he had used a few days ago and how he had obtained cashâŠ
I honestly should not have known so much.
Through the little information I had provided, Curtis had once found X. The Church would certainly not be outdone. The torment of seeing X being detained here would be even more terrifying than any torture.
The white-robed doctor sighed again and urged, âSince you will eventually speak, you might as well say it now. To be honest, I donât have much interest in torturing others, but I must stay here to monitor the instruments. Itâs only electrocution for the moment. I donât even want to be here to witness when those pastors take over later. You should just be good and confess so I can return to the lab and you can regain freedom. It would be good for everyone.â
âThose pastors?â I showed faint curiosity as I asked, âAre you not a pastor?â
âDo I look like a pastor?â The white-robed doctor responded in amusement. âYou should at least be able to discern black robes and white robes, right?â
I smiled and replied, âNaturally. However, I thought that the white robes were also a unit established under the Church.â
At this point, the white-robed doctor chuckled and said, âIâm Deason.â
Before voicing his name, Deason had paused for a moment and used a smile to conceal it. Despite being a very small gesture, it was already sufficient to a butler. We were always very skilled at observing the subtle expressions of the employer.
There was no doubt that he was wearing a hidden earpiece, with someone speaking to him or even commanding him.
Trying to appeal to my emotions? Then I shall keep you company. âI am Charles Endelis. However, I am sure you already know this.â
âOf course.â Deason spoke in high spirit, âYou know Endelis is an extremely ancient vampire surname, right?â
âYes, I know. It comes from a second-generation vampire.â
This was a matter that my honorable father had found out. However, it was uncertain if Madam Avexila had truly inherited this surname, or if she had changed to this surname out of vanity. The behind-the-scenes details related to vampires from ancient times had been intractable for even my honorable father, and my brief interactions with the madam were not enough for me to understand much about her.
âYouâre a fifth-generation pureborn vampire that holds the Endelis surname!â Deason praised. He then studied me with a complicated expression as he lamented, âYou have absolutely no idea what this means.â
I furrowed my brows without concealing my inquisitiveness. I was indeed a bit curious about this, though I did not find it particularly important.
âSecond-generation vampire, Donovan Endelis, was an extremely powerful vampire. He once established a non-human city that even the Church did not dare to enter.â
A non-human city. This sounded like a place that even non-humans would be unwilling to reside in. Despite being a vampire myself, I had to admit that too many non-humans gathered together was not a good thing. If I had to guess, even if it had been a non-human city, there was a high chance that it had many humans living in it as well. Just like⊠the current Sunset City.
âCharles Endelis, with enough time, you will become even stronger than E.X.!â
I suspect that Avexilaâs surname might have been stolen. There are still two generations between second and fifth. Too much could have happened in the time between.
Deason shook his head. âHe really isnât worth you sacrificing your own life. If you knew E.X.âs true face and what he had done, you would not want to protect any of his secrets.â
âWhat did he do?â I asked in confusion. âI have puzzled over this for a long time, but he has never been willing to tell me.â
âE.X. obviously wouldnât tell you. If you knew such things, you would have cut ties with him long ago. In that case, how could you have been caught by the Church? Let me tell you, he doesnât care about any life. He was even called a demon after his massacre centuries agoâŠâ
Donât tell me that the vampire Dracula was modelled after X? That would honestly be a bit too much like a movie plot.
Fortunately, Deason did not mention anything about Dracula. I continued wearing a mask of doubt and bewilderment as he continued to describe the various crimes X had committed, such as slaughter, slavery, abuse, and even sucking the blood of infants under the age of three as a result of his carefree affinity for draining human blood.
Every bloody crime was hung over Xâs head. While I might have been unable to ascertain in the beginning if X had committed these types of deeds before, I grew increasingly confident as Deason spoke that the person he spoke of was not X, but E.Xâthe reprehensible E.X. that the Church had built up.
Although X might have done several things in the past that had resulted in the Church chasing him non-stop for so many years, the figure Deason was currently talking about was not him. The X that I recognized was not a vampire who would commit such crimes.
In the end, the action of specially conversing with the other party had not provided any useful information. This Deason did not understand X better than I did. He was just like a student, the not very hard-working type as well. He had been taught by a teacher like the Church about what type of historical icon E.X was and what crimes he had performed without any doubt about the unreasonable parts. He did not go further to pursue the truths from falsehoods. He also had never even seen X on top of that.
âSo, are you going to endure torture for this type of person?â Deason stated in disbelief, âYou were originally free, yet you were captured because of him. While youâre suffering here, heâs instead killing people and feeding on blood as much as he likes outside. This is a bit unfair to you.â
âIt is indeed unfair.â
âYes!â Deason agreed, âLet him suffer for the crimes he committed himself. You donât need to be his sacrificial lamb. You look very gentle and polite, nothing like a non-human with no regard for law or discipline. You shouldnât have to suffer this cruelty!â
I smiled in response. The other party seemed very happy, believing I had been convinced.
âI have previously been struck with a whip sprinkled with silver powder, had silver needles stabbed into all my fingertips, been burned by a brand, and been tied to a pillar under intense sunlight so that the rays burned every inch of my skin! How about you show me some more original methods of torture this time?â
This was the firstâand what I believed the onlyâtime I felt grateful for the past torment that Madam Avexila had inflicted.
The turn in conversation was so dramatic that Deason did not quite manage to follow it. After a long moment of silence, he let out a soft exhale and said, âYou know, Iâve been doing this job for a long time now. The vast majority of non-humans that come here are nothing good. Opening with electricity and persuasion is merely a formality. Torture is actually the quickest method. Itâs been ages since I played good cop to persuade so earnestly.â
Sin had been the bad cop. Deason had played the good cop. At the very beginning, Sin had even reprimanded Deason, creating the image of the two not being âcut from the same cloth.â Then, Deason had begun to appeal to my emotions, putting on an act of showing deep affection. He had indeed played the part well.
Deason calmly stated, âThe methods of torture we will use are more or less similar to the ones you speak of, but a bit more scientific. We will also use hypnosis and drugs as support. You wonât be able to endure it. This isnât something you can bear just by wanting to, because by that point, your consciousness will no longer be clear.â
Hypnosis and drugs. My heart sankâŠWait a moment! Speaking of hypnosis, does Liederâs new ability not count as the most powerful type of hypnosis? Typically, Lieder could use his words to control my movements. If he commanded me while I was in a dazed state from the torment, it would not be difficult at all for them to know of Xâs secrets.
This was the simplest method, yet they had not adopted this solution. Could it be that they do not know of Liederâs new ability at all?
That would not be strange either. If such a terrifying ability, even at Joshâs level, were to actually land in their hands, the consequences would be endlessly frightening. What is more, it is currently in Liederâs possession. If the Church knew he had this type of power, then his chances of walking out from the Church may not be any higher than mine.
âHow about it? Just say it directly. Donât continue delaying things like this.â Deason looked at me expectantly. My silence just now had seemingly been assumed to be hesitation.
I remained completely silent. Torture, drugs, and hypnosis: would I truly be able to keep my lips sealed?
Deason remained good-tempered as he said, âAll right, Iâll leave you to yourself. Think it through well. Iâll come back later.â
He stood, but I spoke up to stop him.
âNo, there is no need. I want to meet a person. There are explanations that I must receive regarding several matters. As long as you let me meet with him, I will tell you anything related to X.â
Deason shook his head and replied, âWe wonât let you meet with any outsiders. Just give up, itâs impossible.â
âNot an outsider. He is the person that brought me here.â I bluntly stated, âLieder. I want to meet Lieder.â
The other person furrowed his brows without a word, seemingly considering this. However, I guessed that he was listening to instructions through his earpiece.
âI have to discuss with others.â Deason added in a distressed tone, âBut donât expect too much. Sin is tightly monitoring you, and I donât think he will agree. But fine, Iâll give it a try.â
He turned and walked out of the room. In that moment, an energy cage surrounded me again. Although I had changed locations, the precautions were equally strict.
âTong Xiao Ai.â
Deason stopped in his tracks and looked back to ask, âWhat?â
I explained in more detail, âWhen I first met X, he had a girl with him named Tong Xiao Ai. Her mental state was very unstable, and she frequently shouted various things by herself. Most of the time, they were just words or phrases; I did not understand the contents much. However, since I had strongly yearned to understand Xâs situation at the time, I remember everything she had said before. I believe that her words should be more meaningful to you than me.â
Deason glanced at the equipment before inquiring, âJust a meeting with Lieder?â
I firmly answered, âJust a meeting with Lieder.â
He nodded and turned to leave the room.
Torture, drugs, and hypnosisâeven if I could endure the process of the interrogation by torture, the longer things dragged on, the higher the chance was that X would bring himself to their front steps. By then, would there be any meaning in having lasted without saying a word?
I had to find an opportunity to escape as quickly as possible. At the moment, the only target I could think of using was Lieder. He had originally been hunted by both the Sun Emperor and Curtis. If his voice control ability was exposed, even the Church would not let him leave easily. By that point, his situation would undoubtedly be much worse than Xâs.
Lieder had no choice but to help me, or else he would not be able to keep this secret. Worst case, he could also come up with a way to kill me.
It was not long before Lieder entered alone with a bag of blood.
For the decision to have been made so swiftly, either Sin had been waiting outside, or Deasonâs position was higher than I had imagined.
Lieder sat down, a bitter expression on his face as he met my eyes and sighed. âYou really canât let me go, can you?â
I replied matter-of-factly, âYou used me more than once, harmed both myself and the young master, and finally captured me to bring to the Church and land me in a situation where I must face torture or see my loved ones get hurt. Why would I let you go?â
Lieder rolled his eyes and retorted, âHey, hey! I donât have anything to say about the past, but my seizing you back to the Church just happened to save your life this time. How can you count it against me? Itâs definitely a favor too!â
I calmly replied, âThe young master would not kill me. Even without you, he would have stopped.â
Lieder snorted angrily and sneered, âThere might be a difference in perspective, because that was not the situation I saw.â
I leaned forward and said, âEven âJoshâ could not stop the young master. Why do you think that you could?â
Liederâs mouth opened, his eyes suddenly widening.
I smiled.
He coldly scoffed and spoke in a tone of disdain. âJoshâs mental state is like that of a childâs. Itâs normal for him to be unable to defeat your young master. However, my methods are far superior to his. Werenât you also duped at the time?â
âSo how could I not drag you down with me?â I smiled as I looked at him. âYou can see it as my revenge.â
There was no doubt that people were listening in from the outside. I could not speak directly, or else I would be giving the Church a super powerful hypnotizer in vain. Thus, I could only use Josh to hint at Lieder that I would expose his ability. Lieder clearly understood, even replying that his ability surpassed Joshâs. This truly gave an uneasy feeling.
âBesides, do you think my current situation is better than death?â
Lieder was quiet for a moment. He then said with difficulty, âYouâll be fine. E.X. will quickly come looking for you here. By then, you will no longer be of any use, and I will try my best to win over your departure.â
I coldly stated, âDo you think I would leave if X comes?â
âThen, what do you want to do?â Lieder furiously shouted, âI canât help you escape. Thatâs impossible for me!â
âI was not hoping to escape. I merely want you to help investigate a matter for me and tell me the results. Then, Iâll confess everything related to X!â
Lieder paused for a moment, then asked, âWhat matter?â
I roared out emotionally, âWhat exactly was the reason for the great steward of the Elysees family, Curtis Christopher, to betray his family head?!â
There were still lie detectors connected to my body, but I was not worried in the slightest about these noting anything off. After all, this fury was more real than anything. I truly wanted to know why!
If he had abandoned me merely after getting threatened, why had he made that pledge with me in the first place? Sadinaâs grandson would not be a person who would speak without thinking nor go back on his word!
Lieder frowned as he replied, âI canât get access to the Elysees steward.â
I reminded, âYou even struck the Sun Emperorâs head with the butt of a gun.â
Lieder angrily huffed, âDo you know how many years I spent planning and preparing for that? Fine, wait three years, and Iâll be able to find out everything you want to know!â
I furrowed my brows and replied, âDong Fang Lei. He is Curtisâs personal butler, as well as the one that manages the red bowtie troops. He must know something. Do not tell me that even access to him is not guaranteed, or else there is no point in further discussion.â
Liederâs forehead creased in thought as he appeared to be contemplating this. However, my guess was that, like Deason, he was being directed through a hidden earpiece.
He sighed in distress. âThe Elysees family is not one to provoke. Moreover, this needs time as well.â
âThe Church can definitely provoke them.â I mockingly asked, âIs the Elysees family head not bound right before you?â
Lieder rolled his eyes and retorted, âTrust me, the Sun Emperor contributed the most.â
My face fell. Indeed, if it were not for the Sun Emperor this time, the situation would absolutely not have been this disastrous.
âIf the Church can help, it really would be much easier. But why would they help me?â
âIn order to make me speak.â
Lieder helplessly replied, âSin probably believes torturing you will give faster results.â
âThey can try and see,â I coldly declared.
Lieder curiously asked, âWhy are you so confident?â
Because I have been tortured by Madam Avexila, hypnotized by Josh, and have even fallen into an unusual state when injected with tranquilizers. My guess was that I had a certain level of resistance to torture, hypnosis, and drugs. Although I did not know whether or not I would succumb at the end, I could at least delay for a period of time.
Furthermore, any words I would say while having an indistinct conscious would likely be incoherent. The Church would need to spend quite a bit of time discerning truth from falsehoods; it would not be a simple task.
I chuckled and shook my head. âBecause Iâve had an extremely âinterestingâ life.â
Lieder sighed, âInteresting indeed.
âI promise you that I will try my best to attempt this. No matter what happens, I will investigate for you. However, the Church may not necessarily accept your condition. If they refuse to help me, Iâm afraid I wonât be able to find anything within a short period of time.â
Lieder looked deep into my eyes as he swore, âI will strive my hardest by any means possible.â
I nodded, accepting this promise. Perhaps it was just hope that I would not be disappointed once again. Regardless of whether he honestly wanted to help investigate or if he was thinking of directly killing me, he could not let me down.
Lieder stood and picked up the blood bag he had casually placed down as he suggested, âIâll give you blood to drink, then I must leave. They only gave me half an hour, but now there are only eight minutes leftââ
The ground suddenly shook, cutting off his words. Layers of energy nets instantly surrounded us, making it impossible for even Lieder to leave.
Lieder smiled, spreading his hands out as he helplessly said, âI suppose plans canât ever keep up with changes?â
I furrowed my brows. Is this an earthquake? But this type of vibration does not seem like an earthquake, but rather more like an explosion. However, I did not hear the sound of an explosion. Could it be that this roomâs soundproofing is too advanced?
âGive me blood.â Regardless of the circumstances, I had to drink the blood first. If possible, I never wanted to experience the feeling of losing rationality due to extreme hunger again.
Lieder started, then came forward to feed me the blood. He could not help but ask, âI heard that you were starving to the point of draining an entire person dry?â
I bit into the blood bag and nodded as I drank.
He clicked his tongue as he looked me up and down, asking in confusion, âWhere in the world does it go? Thatâs over five liters of blood. Even if it were water, one would want to throw it up if they drank that much!â
I did not know where the consumed blood went, but the reason was clearly Liederâs drug!
Since drinking that drug, I had never again experienced losing consciousness, and I was even starting to miss sleep. A vampireâs lifespan was already excessively long; there was truly no need to save sleeping time.
The chair suddenly shook with another vibration that was even more intense than the last.
âHurry up and drink,â Lieder advised.
I immediately finished in one breath.
ââŠâ Lieder stared at me blankly, then back at the empty blood bag in his hands as he murmured, âNo wonder you were able to drain a person dry even while being monitored. This speed isnât any slower than firing a gun at someone.â
âWhat happened?â I asked with wrinkled brows. Who knows if this is another one of the Churchâs acts or if something unexpected had actually occurred?
Lieder opened his mouth but stopped speaking last minute. He shrugged and responded, âI canât tell you anything, just give up.â
Has something truly happened? It canât be that X has arrived?
Lieder worriedly asked, âYour complexion looks horrible. Is there something wrong with your physical condition?â
I anxiously pressed, âIs it X? Is it him?â
If heâs currently presenting himself at the front door, then everything I just did has lost all purpose!
âUm, I canât tell you anything.â Lieder frowned at me as he placated, âBut calm down a bit, calm down.â
Calm down? How could I calm down? X isâŠ
My racing heartbeat gradually slowed, my breathing also stabilizing. While I was puzzling over this, a flash of realization passed through me. This was Liederâs ability.
âTake a deep breath, very good. As expected of an Elysees butler. Donât fret, it isnât like panicking will be of any use. Weâre locked here. What else can we do?â
I looked at Lieder and inquired doubtfully, âThey do not plan on releasing you either?â
âTheyâll let me out eventually.â He shrugged and laughed. âOtherwise, your food will be me.â
This was not the least bit humorous. I could not say for certain if I would bite the young master or Curtis after being hungry for several days. But drinking Liederâs blood? It didnât sound like anything that I would want to restrain myself from.
Another vibration.
Perhaps it really is not a show this time.
Now the question is, who has arrived?
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