At this very moment, in a dark alley of the Eastern District.
Thud!
Another vampire collapsed, letting out a dull sound.
On the cold, damp floor lay eight or nine bodies strewn about haphazardly.
From the pierced hearts, slit throats, and severed heads, it was clear their deaths had been swift and clean—each felled by a single, fatal strike.
The air was thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder, mingled with the cloying sweetness unique to the Penned District…
“Tch, tch, tch. So the vampires of Eternal Night City aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. I thought they’d put up more of a fight.” A man in a black cloak squatted beside one of the corpses, his tone dripping with careless arrogance.
He reached out, pinching the dead vampire’s head between two fingers before tossing it aside like trash.
At the alley entrance, another cloaked figure pressed against the wall, ever vigilant, growled in a low, displeased voice.
“Don’t underestimate them, Lance. These were just patrol vampires—at best, first- or second-rank enforcers. If we’re discovered, stronger ones will come.”
He paused, then added,
“And… keep your voice down.”
The one called Lance snorted, flicking the foul blood from his fingertips. Though he lightened his movements as instructed.
He kicked the corpse at his feet with the toe of his boot, a disdainful smirk curling beneath his hood.
“Stronger ones?” His voice was lowered, but it couldn’t hide his bloodthirsty excitement.
“That’s exactly what I’m waiting for. These small fry aren’t even worth the effort. If you ask me, Cisse, you’re way too tense. We’ve been here three days, and no one’s spotted us yet!” He spoke casually.
Cisse let out a helpless sigh.
“The higher-ups didn’t send us here to kill vampires… It’s been three days, and we still haven’t found what they called the ‘vessel.’ If it’s not in the Eastern District, we’ll have to search the Western District.”
“We’ve already caused enough commotion along the way. Plenty of blood livestock have noticed us by now. We can’t drag this out any longer.”
Lance couldn’t help but scoff, replying in a cruel, icy tone.
“Blood livestock? If they’ve seen us, just kill them. Problem solved.”
Cisse froze, turning to look at him with complicated eyes.
“They’re still our fellow humans…”
“Fellow humans?”
Lance’s laugh grew even more scornful as he mocked.
“Right now, they’re nothing but vampire food—rotting chunks of meat, whimpering trash. If they see us? Clean them up on the spot. Saves trouble… and keeps our path clear.”
“Soft-heartedness has no place in this line of work, Cisse.” Lance tossed the words over his shoulder without looking back.
“Either kill everything in our way, or wait to be gnawed to the bone by vampires and their livestock together… Right, little Dill?”
From the shadows by the alley wall, the leaning figure stirred.
Her black cloak slipped slightly, revealing the tight black leather chest wrap and shorts beneath, outlining a powerful waist and long, toned legs.
She held a pocket watch in her hand, gazing at it quietly, lost in thought.
Her voice was colder than Lance’s, laced with deep displeasure—even disgust.
“Don’t call me by that disgusting nickname.”
She lifted her head. Strands of dark red hair spilled from beneath her hood, and a pair of purple slit pupils gleamed coldly in the shadows, stabbing straight at Lance.
“And,” her eyes chilled further, her voice sinking ominously.
“Watch your mouth. And keep your hands to yourself. Don’t touch garbage…”
“Aw~ Still so cold, little Dill.” Lance drew out the words deliberately, his tone teasing.
“I don’t get what’s so fascinating about that thing. It’s just a broken watch. You can get as many as you want. If you like them, I could get you a really nice one—way better than that junk…”
Clang!
Before he could finish, a dagger flashing with cold light tore through the darkness, embedding itself mere inches from Lance’s foot. The sharp blade sank effortlessly into the hard stone floor.
Realizing the joke had gone too far, Lance immediately stood, raising his hands in surrender with an awkward, apologetic grin.
“J-Just kidding. Come on, don’t take it seriously, heh heh…”
Those purple eyes brewed genuine anger. She drew the other dagger from her waist, her face dark as she advanced on Lance.
Just then, Cisse quickly stepped between them, one hand firmly gripping Dill’s wrist.
“Enough, Dill.” His voice was kept extremely low, his sharp gaze sweeping over Lance before settling on his companion’s boiling, murderous purple eyes.
“The mission comes first. If we fight among ourselves here, we’re all dead.”
She stared fixedly at Lance’s still-smug, infuriating face, her chest rising and falling slightly. Strands of dark red hair slipped further from her hood.
The standoff lasted several seconds.
“…Hmph.” A cold snort.
She yanked her hand back sharply. The dagger spun once in her palm before sliding neatly into the leather sheath on the opposite side of her waist.
Cisse exhaled in relief, though his brow remained furrowed. He shot Lance a stern warning look.
“Watch your mouth. Next time, I won’t stop her.”
Lance shrugged, spreading his hands in a roguish “I’ll try” gesture.
Cisse sighed helplessly once more. Then he pulled out a fully silver syringe from behind him. A faint red glow flickered across its surface, as if sensing something.
Lance pointed at it and asked.
“Does that thing even work? We’ve been following it for so long.”
Cisse shook his head.
“Who knows. They said the light would flash when we get close to the target. Then we just inject the liquid inside, and we’ll know if it’s the ‘vessel’ we’re looking for.”
Lance tilted his head, eyeing the syringe with its eerie red glow. His mouth twitched.
“Hey, Cisse, I’ve never understood why the old folks up top are so obsessed with this ‘vessel.’ Enough to send us sneaking into this hellhole, right under the Vampire Queen’s nose, just to steal it?”
He kicked the remains of a vampire corpse, his tone full of confusion and a barely detectable restlessness.
Cisse was silent for a moment before replying softly.
“For humanity.”
“Tch, what kind of rea—”
Just as Lance was about to complain further, Cisse suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth, hissing in a low voice.
“Shh… Vampires approaching.”
Ahead on the street, three vampires in black enforcer uniforms slowly approached. In the darkness, their forms seemed to melt into it, becoming writhing shadows.
Click-clack…
The sound of pebbles rolling in the alley drew their attention.
The three exchanged glances, drawing their swords as they cautiously advanced.
As they stepped into the alley entrance, the thick scent of blood put them instantly on edge.
“Something’s wrong…” the captain growled lowly. The trio drew their blades, following the scattered stones deeper into the shadows.
At that moment, a playful whistle rang out from above. The three looked up simultaneously—just in time to see someone crouched on the rooftop eaves, a tachi slung over their shoulder.
“Surprise~”
The next instant, Lance leaped down, his blade piercing straight through the captain’s skull. Almost simultaneously, a flash of hidden steel sliced through the dark, and the left vampire’s head flew off.
The last vampire’s eyes cracked with rage. He opened his mouth to scream—but a dagger buried itself precisely in his throat, choking the sound before it could escape.
Three bodies hit the ground nearly at once.
Lance pulled his tachi from the vampire’s skull, flicking off the foul blood. Beneath his cloak, his smile was one of satisfied cruelty.
“See? Pretty simple.”
Cisse didn’t respond. He quickly checked the bodies, confirming death. Just as he was about to order them to dispose of the corpses and leave, Dill suddenly hissed.
“Shh! There’s another…”
From the far end of the dark street came the clear, faint sound of heels clicking on stone.
Tap… tap… tap…
The footsteps were unhurried. The heavy scent of blood seemed to thicken the air, turning it cold and viscous.
Stingy moonlight outlined the approaching figure… tall, slender, skirt swaying in the darkness.
The right sleeve hung empty, swaying lightly in the breeze.
Lance caught sight of the newcomer and sneered mercilessly.
“Yo, a cripple.”
“Deal with her quickly. We don’t have time to waste.”
Dill said coldly, drawing her dagger once more.
Tap… tap… tap…
The figure drew closer… First coming into Dill’s view was the face gradually emerging from shadow.
Cold moonlight traced pale skin and a refined jawline. On that face hung a smile—calm to the point of arrogance, playful yet contemptuous.
It wasn’t directed at anyone in particular; it felt like an instinctive mockery toward ants, chilling to the bone…
When the figure fully stepped out of the shadows.
Dill’s purple slit pupils contracted sharply in shock and terror. The hand gripping her dagger trembled uncontrollably.
White… pure white uniform.
Against the filthy backdrop of Eternal Night City, that color was glaring—so out of place.
Intricate golden patterns on the cuffs and epaulets glinted faintly in the dim light, symbolizing the highest status and purest bloodline in vampire society.
In vampire society, only one type of person wore white uniforms.
Nobles.
And… high-ranking nobles!!!
Dill’s breath caught in her throat.
Almost instantly, she whipped around, her voice tearing from her lungs as she screamed at Cisse and Lance.
“Run!!! It’s a noble!!!”
But before the words fully left her mouth, a blood-scented gale roared past her ear.
Rip—
The sound of flesh tearing was piercing in the dark. Warm liquid splattered across Dill’s stunned cheek…
Her gaze turned stiffly.
She saw the vampire now standing before Lance, so close their bodies nearly touched. Lance’s face twisted in shock and disbelief—those ever-arrogant eyes now wide, pupils shrunk to pinpricks.
Utia’s remaining left hand formed a blade, fingers pressed together. Silently, effortlessly, it had pierced Lance’s left chest… sinking into his frantically beating heart.
He hadn’t even managed a reaction. Every movement, every expression froze in that instant.
Utia turned her head slightly. Her crimson slit pupils reflected Cisse and Dill’s frozen terror, the playful cruelty in her smile deepening.
She extended her scarlet tongue, licking the blood that had splashed her lips, and purred in a pleased voice.
“Surprise… Hehe~”