The passage outside the stone crevice was narrow and rugged, the ground slick from the rain, scattered with gravel and the bloodstains from the earlier massacre that hadn’t been cleaned up yet.
Shiluo walked with difficulty, almost dragging her body as she struggled to move forward. Her figure staggered and swayed, only able to steady herself by clinging tightly to the wall.
The air was filled with a mixture of dampness and blood, and in the dead silence, there was only Shiluo’s heavy and painful gasps, the faint rustling of her clothes scraping against the narrow walls, and the distant, ceaseless howling of the cold wind in Eternal Night City.
“Hah… hah… hah…”
The wound hurt even more…
Shiluo lowered her head, removing the hand that had been pressing firmly against the wound, and found that the freshly bandaged spot was seeping dark red liquid again, soaking through the thin strip of cloth.
“Damn it…”
She gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, enduring the pain as she continued to squeeze through the crevice, supporting herself against the wall.
She didn’t know how long she had walked when, ahead, at the end of the narrow crevice, she finally saw the exit bathed in faint light—the streets of the central main district.
Shiluo stopped, leaning against the wall and panting violently. Her body shook even more intensely from exhaustion and severe pain.
Shiluo was just about to step out of the crevice, one foot not yet emerging from the shadows, when clear sounds of boots stepping on the stone pavement came from the nearby street.
Her movements froze instantly, and she quickly retreated deeper into the crevice, pressing her entire body tightly against the stone wall, holding her breath.
It was a patrolling vampire…
The footsteps were unhurried, slowly approaching until they reached not far from the crevice.
Shiluo silently reached for the dagger at her waist, but as soon as her hand moved away, the bleeding wound dripped down along the already soaked cloth, falling to the ground with a faint plop…
The footsteps outside suddenly paused.
Oh no!
Shiluo’s heart sank to the bottom. He hadn’t heard the dripping sound—he had smelled the scent of her blood…
Outside the crevice, after a brief silence, the footsteps started again, this time heading straight toward the crevice’s entrance!
Shiluo gripped the hilt tightly, her face grim… She had been discovered. In her current state, there was no way she could resist or escape.
Just as the vampire guard was about to peer into the crevice.
“Lady Utia… What are you doing here?”
A calm, emotionless voice, humble and childish, suddenly rang out from the direction approaching the street.
Was that Sylvie?
Immediately after, another enchanting voice, laced with a hint of sweet amusement, responded. It was completely different from Sylvie’s deliberately lowered tone, as she replied with deliberate significance.
“Of course, I’m here to find you, little one… You left so quickly this morning, and Sister didn’t even get a chance to talk to you.”
When that familiar voice reached her, Shiluo’s heart nearly stopped beating.
That voice… There was no mistaking it…
It was her!!!
The damned noble who had casually wiped out her squad!!!
Shiluo’s pupils dilated sharply, her expression overtaken by rage. Her body trembled even more violently, and the dagger she had intended to sheath was now half-drawn, revealing its cold blade.
Outside, the conversation continued.
“What do you want with Sylvie?”
Sylvie’s voice remained calm, but as she looked at Utia, who had personally killed Nia and Lynla and the others, her hand hanging at her side still clenched uncontrollably.
If it weren’t for covering for Shiluo, the first thing she would have done upon seeing Utia was turn and walk away…
“Your attitude is really cold, isn’t it? Such a pretty face, always so stiff—what a waste.”
Through the narrow gap, Shiluo stared fixedly outside, where the tall woman called Utia was bending down, extending her hand. Her pale fingertips slowly and teasingly brushed Sylvie’s cheek, as if admiring something.
Sylvie didn’t dodge.
She stood there, allowing the hand to toy with her. Only Shiluo could see that Sylvie’s other hand, hanging at her side, was clenched so tightly that her nails were nearly digging into her palm.
There was no expression on her face—no fear, no disgust, not even a hint of anger revealed, just a dead calm like still water.
“Tonight, come to Sister’s room… Sister has something to show you.”
Upon hearing this, Sylvie’s body trembled sharply, her emerald eyes contracting suddenly, reflecting Utia’s nauseating, infuriating smile.
Her Nia, Lynla, and the children had just been killed! And now, with the Queen away, she wanted to continue toying with her?!
Sylvie… was very angry.
“Can Sylvie refuse?”
She tried her best to suppress the surging emotions in her heart, striving to maintain her surface calm, but her voice was trembling slightly—not from fear, but from anger.
In Shiluo’s eyes, however, she thought Sylvie was afraid…
The smile on Utia’s face didn’t change, but her blood-red eyes narrowed slowly.
She didn’t answer Sylvie, instead countering with a question.
“Are you very angry… because I took away those little ones you cherished, because I took away the only things you cared about?”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Sylvie replied in a low voice.
“You are a noble vampire… As a lowly blood livestock, Sylvie has no right to be angry. Sylvie just doesn’t want to be punished by her master again, that’s all.”
“…It seems you are indeed very angry, heh heh heh…”
She chuckled lightly, leaning close to the beautiful face, her sticky, sweet voice whispering in her ear.
“Tonight, at your usual time for serving the Queen in the evening, come to my room… Of course, I’ll give you the choice—you can come, or you can not come, but the consequences will be very serious, you know.”
She reached out, gently patting Sylvie’s shoulder. Then, her blood-red eyes glanced toward the crevice with a hint of amusement, leaving one last sentence in a low, dangerous tone.
“And… don’t go picking up any more ‘dirty things.’ Those guys are… even more dangerous to you than vampires.”
With that, she didn’t linger any longer and strode away.
Once Utia’s figure disappeared down the street, Sylvie let out a deep, exhausted sigh… releasing the anger suppressed in her heart along with it.
“You can come out now… Lady Shiluo.”
After a few seconds, Shiluo slowly emerged from the shadows of the crevice. Her gaze first scanned the empty street warily, confirming that Utia had truly left, before landing on Sylvie.
Sylvie had her back to her, the spine that had been straight for so long now bending slightly in exhaustion. She was looking down at her hand… the one Utia had touched moments ago, still trembling faintly.
“…Do you know that guy?” Shiluo asked hoarsely.
Sylvie was silent for a moment, then turned her head to look at Shiluo. That face, which had been flawlessly calm from start to finish, now showed a few cracks.
“Utia Nordisas… She’s a noble, a guard to the Vampire Queen, and one of the ‘Sixteen Blood Overseers.'”
“Sixteen Blood Overseers…” Shiluo was stunned, her face growing even paler as she urgently pressed on.
“Are they… the Blood Overseers who manage the other Penned Districts?!”
Sylvie nodded.
“But if she doesn’t manage the Penned Districts, why would the Vampire Queen assign her as a guard?” Shiluo asked in confusion.
And Sylvie, without hesitation, blurted out a few words.
“Because she’s very strong… stronger than ordinary Blood Overseers.”