The small talk concluded, the helicopter landed atop a bleak, industrial structure. It smelled strongly of chemicals and disinfectants, more like a specialized factory than a manor.
The ubiquitous security personnel and glaring searchlights gave Zhou Yi the distinct impression that the individual residing here was a paper tiger. A truly powerful being, Zhou Yi believed, should possess the self-assurance to face any crisis without such frantic, obvious fortifications.
Nysha straightened her clothes, pulling a crested ring onto her finger and wrapping herself in a plush mink coat. She didn't acknowledge Zhou Yi, simply bidding him to follow her with indifferent eye contact.
Zhou Yi stepped onto the roof, standing still for a moment to take in the surroundings. His dark armor almost melted into the night, broken only by the distinctive Dawn mark on his shoulder and the subtle fluttering of his black cloak. The thin armor plates enhanced his muscular physique, giving him the appearance of a Black Panther stalking prey.
To humans, the Dawn Knight was a celebrated figure, a Superhero who delivered thunderous justice to organized crime. He was lauded by the media and the public for his effectiveness, though his "attendance rate" was often a source of mock complaint.
To Vampires, however, the Dawn Knight's reputation was catching up to that of the notorious veteran hunter, Blade. Blade's ill fame was the result of a decade of relentless, mechanical slaughter—thousands of Vampires tracked and executed with blades and bullets. The Dawn Knight, in contrast, was like a freshly launched intercontinental missile. In just three raids, he had wiped out hundreds of Vampires, often seen in surveillance footage as little more than a flash of light before hundreds turned to ash.
While Blade's cumulative kill count was far higher, the Dawn Knight's quick, catastrophic attacks were profoundly destabilizing. Hundreds of deaths in three days, even for a non-human race, suggested a terrifying escalation. The surrounding Vampires watched Zhou Yi with a mix of primal fear and deep, simmering hatred.
Zhou Yi, caring nothing for the thoughts of "ants at his feet," ignored the scrutiny and followed Nysha into the building. The security inside was even more stringent.
Nysha led him to an elevator. Her slender palm pressed against a verification device that wasn't a standard fingerprint scanner, but a bone DNA verification system. Five needles slowly extended and sprang out, piercing deep into her palm along her finger joints. Zhou Yi could see the cold-faced beauty wince and frown. He refrained from comment.
The elevator descended rapidly deep underground, opening into a subterranean room with rough stone walls. Aside from the elevator, the only feature was a strange, metal apparatus—a blend of modern mechanics and archaic Vampire aesthetics.
Nysha inserted a cylindrical device into the groove of the machine. As it sank, a heavy mechanical sound echoed, and a wall slowly retracted, revealing a massive, metal-filled door, similar in scale to Zhou Yi's laboratory entrance, but operated by crude mechanics rather than advanced automation.
As the door opened, Nysha introduced the space with an uncharacteristic flourish of pride: "Now, what unfolds before you is the true face of the Vampire Empire. The true power of the Vampire Empire lies here."
Zhou Yi suppressed a chuckle. An Empire? It sounded like a joke. All he saw were aging Vampires and the trappings of paranoia. He activated his super vision, observing the subtle energy signatures and concealed threats. He realized two things: the situation was interesting, and he needed to determine if Nysha was an actress or truly as ignorant as she seemed.
The cavernous room beyond the door was styled after an ancient castle, a decaying reproduction of a medieval manor. In the center, an existence as decayed as the architecture itself sat with his back to them, seemingly absorbed in ancient texts at a heavy desk.
Beside him stood the respectful Black butler. Nearby, three men waited with varying degrees of wariness. Two were unremarkable: an old man and a scrawny figure who looked like a car mechanic.
The third man immediately captured Zhou Yi's full attention. He was a stoic Black man wearing black sunglasses and a heavy black trench coat. His muscular frame struggled to contain the coat, which bulged suspiciously at various points, hinting at concealed blades, firearms, and possibly explosives. This man was a self-contained, fully armed killing machine.
This was Blade, the world's most feared Vampire hunter, a terrifying legend who had achieved the unique status of making Vampires tremble. Zhou Yi immediately categorized him: the man was an effective weapon, and fortunately, his targets were the poor Vampires.
As the door closed and Nysha and the armored Dawn Knight walked into the castle, reactions were mixed. The Vampire Grand Duke remained still. His butler, however, tensed, his eyes locked on the heavily armored figure of the newly active Vampire hunter. The old man scrutinized Zhou Yi, while the car mechanic looked amused, clearly analyzing the armor with considerable interest. Blade's reaction was the simplest: he merely tilted his head, though Zhou Yi knew that to a warrior like Blade, there were only two categories—enemy or kin. Zhou Yi clearly fell into the latter.
"Father…" Nysha began, but the Vampire Grand Duke interrupted her, raising a hand. He turned, revealing his true face: a gaunt, hideous specter, dressed incongruously in an ancient noble's robe, looking like a corpse preserved in formaldehyde.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my Master," the butler announced solemnly. "The leader of the Vampire ruling party, the Supreme Grand Duke of the Vampire race, Elida Makinos."
Makinos affectedly extended a hand, which Nysha immediately helped him stabilize. He spoke in a reedy voice: "Welcome to my castle. We Vampires have a saying, 'Take pride in your enemies, and enjoy their achievements.' In that light, I should thank you."
Makinos, by casting himself as the final boss before the game had even started, displayed an absurd pretense. Zhou Yi found this arrogant attitude ridiculous, especially given the pathetic state of his supposed 'Empire.'
"Do you honestly think you are worthy of being my enemy, Vampire?" Zhou Yi's patience snapped. He chuckled and took a purposeful step forward, directly challenging the Grand Duke.
The words instantly triggered the butler's frayed nerves. "This is before the Supreme Grand Duke! Human, cease your arrogant actions!" With a shout, he drew a weapon and lunged toward Zhou Yi.
An ant trying to kill an elephant, even if armed with its weight in explosives, remains futile. Disdain flashed in Zhou Yi's eyes. He threw a punch at the butler in mid-air. The fist didn't connect with the body, but the force of the strike was terrifying. The air boomed, and visible shockwaves rolled outward, kicking up dust.
A focused jet of kinetic energy, like a high-pressure water cannon generated by a supersonic punch contained by a subtle psychokinetic field, slammed into the butler. His body instantly halted its forward momentum and was sent rocketing backward at immense speed. With a sickening thud, he was flattened against the stone wall like a fresco. He slowly slid down, leaving a perfect, man-shaped imprint.
Zhou Yi ignored the loyal butler. He continued his walk toward the Vampire Grand Duke. He wanted to see what foundation this fragile old Vampire's confidence was built upon to dare stage such a pitiful display.