Chapter 26: The Purge Order

Midnight.

There was no light.

Of course there could be no light. In Eternal Night City, midnight was marked only by the clock tower’s chimes and a chill in the air that seeped even deeper into the bones.

Sylvie opened her eyes on the icy bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Ugh…”

A suppressed groan squeezed from deep in her throat.

Her exhausted body felt as if it had been dismantled. The weakness from blood loss left her head heavy and throbbing with sharp, intermittent pain.

Even worse was the mental fatigue. Even forming a single thought felt laborious.

I don’t want to get up…

She stared at the ceiling. Her emerald eyes were empty, reflecting nothing.

Maybe just… rot away in bed.

Or simply melt into a puddle, seep into the cracks in the stone, and disappear?

Meaningless, self-destructive thoughts drifted through her mind.

Slowly, extremely reluctantly, she began to move.

Her slender bare feet touched the cold floor. The chill shot up her spine, making her shrink involuntarily.

Dressing, washing—quick and precise.

After tidying herself, Sylvie took out a cracked hand mirror. She gazed at the girl in the reflection: face pale as paper, emerald eyes calm and waveless, like gemstones—beautiful, yet lifeless.

She reached out, pinching her cheeks to ensure no “flaws” showed, before finally stepping out.

First, attend to the Queen…

…

Arriving at the grand hall’s entrance, she was puzzled to find that wicked Utia still absent—only Sulga stood guard alone.

The same unsmiling face. The same eyes cold as death.

The same voice, icy as machinery.

“Sylvie…”

“Lord Sulga, please allow Sylvie to enter.”

Sylvie spoke respectfully, extending both hands to await the cold silver handcuffs on her slender wrists.

But his words surprised her.

“This morning, you need not attend. This is Her Majesty’s command.”

“Is… that so.”

Maybe the wine hasn’t worn off yet…

Sulga nodded, his voice betraying no emotion.

“She said… from this morning until afternoon, you have the right to spend your time freely. Anywhere within Eternal Night City—you may go wherever you wish. That is all.”

“…Yes, Lord Sulga.”

Something feels off… Whatever. I’ll go see Lady Cassia first.

Sylvie turned and descended the cold steps, escaping the suffocating pressure of the hall.

A deeper chill enveloped the streets of Eternal Night City.

She instinctively pulled her cloak tighter, lowering the hood to shadow most of her face and those emerald eyes.

Yet today’s streets were different from usual.

Too quiet.

Cold to the point of deathly silence.

Normally, at this hour, one would see blood livestock hurrying along—some alone, some in pairs or trios—heading to trade with vampires for morning rations.

The air usually carried the faint scents of blood and ever-present fear, but it was the scent of “life.”

Now, the streets were terrifyingly empty. The cobblestones seemed freshly washed, yet the blood scent was several times stronger than usual.

It no longer drifted lightly but clung thickly, with the rusty tang of iron and something… of terror.

Sylvie’s steps instinctively lightened and slowed. Her emerald eyes scanned warily from beneath the hood’s shadow.

What happened…

Unease coiled around her heart.

This unnatural killing aura and overwhelming blood… Was it an external invasion? A human raid? Or… some upheaval among the vampires?

“…”

She quickened her pace, weaving swiftly through the streets.

As she turned a corner, intending to cut through a relatively wide back alley,

Sylvie’s steps abruptly halted. Her breath, her heartbeat—in that instant.

Stopped completely…

Before her was no longer an empty, silent street.

It was “hell.”

Dozens—no, perhaps more—corpses of blood livestock! Strewn haphazardly across the alley’s cold cobblestones!

They varied in age: some appeared only eight or nine, others nearing sixteen or seventeen. Their clothes were mostly thin and tattered, bodies gaunt and frail. Blood soaked them completely!

The ground… no longer showed the stones’ natural color but was covered in viscous crimson streams! They snaked across the damp surface, reflecting faint light and emitting a nauseating, piercing metallic stench.

And this… was not all.

Deeper in the alley, near one wall, a small mountain of corpses stood in grotesquely twisted silence.

Their limbs entangled at unnatural angles. Heads tilted skyward. Every face frozen in utmost terror—empty eyes staring silently at the heavens, at that sky which would forever offer them no light or salvation.

Sylvie’s eyes widened slowly. She stood frozen. Her loose cloak slipped from her shoulders, revealing a face rigid with extreme fear and agony.

Icy cold swept through her body, spreading rapidly to every limb, nearly robbing her of the strength to stand. Her stomach churned violently.

Those blackened corpses! The flowing blood! The maddening blood stench that could drive one insane! All mercilessly tore at her sanity! Her worldview! Her very soul!

Her vision began to darken. Breathing had long stopped. A ringing filled her ears. Even thought shattered in this moment!

In the dimness, the mountain of corpses and sea of blood before her seemed to swell, distort—until it became a grotesque monster. Countless empty sockets weeping blood tears stared at her! Watched her! Fixed on her!

Words surfaced unbidden in her mind…

“Massacre…”

“Purge…”

Not against external enemies. Not internal rebellion… but against blood livestock… extermination?

“Why?”

“Why…”

“Why?!!!”

“Help… help!”

“Run! Don’t look back!”

Several terrified cries—laced with sobs and despair—suddenly rang from a nearby alley, shattering the frozen, bloody silence.

Sylvie turned mechanically toward the sound.

Two blood livestock, perhaps only in their early teens, stumbled out in panic—faces smeared with tears and blood.

But as they stepped onto this corpse-strewn street,

A dark figure emerged unhurriedly from the alley mouth.

A male vampire in black enforcer uniform—face grim, eyes filled with contempt and indifference.

He didn’t even draw a weapon. He simply extended a hand, moving faster than the eye could follow.

Pfft—

Flesh tore. Blood sprayed, joining the crimson rivers of despair and death.

The boy’s terrified expression froze. Then he collapsed limply…

“Brother!”

The girl let out an agonized scream, falling to the ground and staring in horror at the approaching vampire.

Sylvie watched the scene. Her contracted pupils trembled violently. She shook her head slightly, murmuring in a daze.

“No… don’t…”

“Stop it!!!”

The murmur erupted into a near-shriek. She rushed forward madly, clutching the frail girl tightly in her arms.

The hand-blade halted just as it was about to pierce Sylvie’s heart.

The vampire looked at her, brow arching slightly.

“Her Majesty’s blood livestock? Get out of the way. Do not interfere…”

“Why… why are you doing this!!!”

Sylvie’s voice shook as she screamed near-hysterically, holding the trembling girl even tighter.

“What did they do wrong?! They just… just wanted to live!”

“Massacring blood livestock without reason… Does Her Majesty the Queen… does she know?! She would never allow such indiscriminate killing!!!”

Yet upon hearing this, the enforcer showed no fear—only a strangely twisted expression.

“Of course Her Majesty knows. This is her issued…”

“Purge Order.”