Without any preamble, Zhou Yi stated his terms directly. "Your father invited Blade and me to this hunt because you possess the ability to create a new species. This species threatens not just Vampires, but humanity itself. I don't care about the fate of the Vampires, but I cannot ignore the survival of humanity. So, I want to hear your counter-argument."
"I can prove to you that everything my father said is a lie," Chadnomah declared. He opened his terrible mouth and let out a fierce roar. Moments later, several answering roars echoed, and Zhou Yi's sensitive perception registered multiple Alien Species rapidly approaching.
A few monsters couldn't change the power imbalance between them, and both men knew it. Zhou Yi remained unmoved, curious to see what Chadnomah was about to demonstrate.
Three distinctly different forms of Alien Species arrived. The first was built like a normal human, wearing a hooded sweatshirt similar to Chadnomah's. Aside from an oddly shaped head, he looked relatively typical.
The second was small, thin, and resembled a large, hairless ape. He didn't stand upright but supported himself with his forelimbs, moving on all fours, appearing purely animalistic.
The third was a gross replica of the first. His appearance was uglier, his body hunched, and his bones oddly protruding at the sternum and pelvis. Crucially, his eyes were dull, completely lacking the spark of intelligent life visible in the first one—this creature was pure bestiality.
After visually cataloging the differences, Zhou Yi looked back at the progenitor of the species.
"As you can see, these are the Alien Species I have bred so far," Chadnomah explained, pointing to the first creature.
"This one is a second generation, converted from a Vampire by me. It takes twelve hours. They possess a relatively normal intellect, are stronger than Vampires, and have better regeneration. They are infectious, capable of turning others into our kind. This is crucial for my plan. But their bloodlust is strong; one meal only sustains them for 24 hours. They rapidly decline if they can't feed."
"This is the new species, obtained by my second generation converting a human. His power is only slightly above an ordinary Vampire's, his bloodlust is even stronger, but he is not infectious. His stamina declines if he doesn't eat for 36 hours. He is merely cannon fodder for my plan."
"And this," Chadnomah indicated the ugliest one, "is the main force for my attack on my father's castle—the third generation. They are the result of the initial Vampires I converted converting other Vampires. They are aggressive, only obey my direct commands, and crave food intensely. They share the same regeneration as the second generation, and conversion takes only one hour. Vampires attacked by them will appear normal, but after 18 hours, they rapidly transform into this sub-species. Crucially, neither the third generation nor this sub-species is infectious to humans. Unfortunately, their decline is the most severe, lasting only 24 hours. Even eating cannot reverse it."
"Makinos hid the most crucial fact from you: the decline period! Only I, the progenitor, will not decline. I cannot destroy an entire species by myself."
Chadnomah was telling the truth. Zhou Yi had been running continuous physiological scans via Medusa, and the data matched. However, the details were complex.
Even with a decline period, the damage the second and third generations could inflict in those first 24 hours was immense. Even if they weren't infectious to humans, the bloodlust alone made them a threat.
Everything came down to those 24 hours. The sky was already lightening. They wouldn't attack during the day. But after sunset, they would surge to attack Machinos's castle. If Chadnomah lost control, this horde of bloodthirsty beasts would undoubtedly turn on humanity.
Zhou Yi was faced with an agonizing choice. He yearned to see the evil tumor Machinos destroyed by the consequences of his own hubris, but his responsibility as the Dawn Knight compelled him to preempt the worst-case scenario.
Chadnomah was tense, anticipating execution. If the Dawn Knight moved to kill him, he was prepared to unleash his entire horde in resistance. He had prepared this revenge for over three decades; it was the Dominator of his existence.
"Do you know what the best outcome is, Chadnomah?" Zhou Yi asked, surprising the Prince.
"The best outcome?" Chadnomah was momentarily stunned. "It must be my successful revenge, surely."
"That's just the good outcome. The best outcome is for you and Machinos to perish together," Zhou Yi said. He casually extended a hand toward the Alien Species converted from a human. A blast of White Fire at 4000 C instantly enveloped the creature, reducing it to ash in a blink.
The two remaining Alien Species growled in distress, but Chadnomah quickly silenced them. His body tensed, the moment of his judgment had arrived.
"You have 24 hours. Until sunrise tomorrow, I will not interfere with your war against the Vampires. However, you must absolutely control your descendants. Beyond those humans who are already tied to the Vampires, I will not allow a single innocent person to be harmed. After the 24 hours are up, neither you nor your descendants will be allowed to remain alive."
Chadnomah's terrifying maw split wide, and he let out a loud roar, a sound filled with desperate craving and the elation of imminent revenge. He was ecstatic to have the chance to live and exact his vengeance.
Zhou Yi understood. For him, this was a deadly farce, but one with a valuable lesson. Justice, for some, means protecting lives. For Zhou Yi, it meant something deeper: letting people receive their just desserts. For Chadnomah, revenge was his deserved outcome.
Zhou Yi turned and vanished. Chadnomah didn't linger; he needed to amass his forces for tonight. Machinos's folly in gathering the Vampires here had created the perfect breeding ground for Chadnomah's army.
Sensing Chadnomah's disappearance, Zhou Yi spoke into the empty air. "Blade, what's your move? Will you stop him?"
Blade's tall figure emerged from the shadows. He watched the direction Chadnomah fled. "No. I enjoy killing Vampires, too, and Machinos certainly deserves a taste of his son's fangs. But do you genuinely trust him?"
"I trust his desire for revenge. Beyond that, whether I trust him or not is irrelevant. Before dawn tomorrow, if they don't destroy each other, I will wipe them out myself."
"Suit yourself," Blade shrugged. "I'll watch a few streets for you, but that's all. The rest is your problem."
"Thanks." Blade's agreement was a significant show of support.
"No need for thanks. You still owe me a car," Blade waved him off. "I like tough vehicles; make it a military Humvee."
Zhou Yi smiled. He liked the honesty of this guy.
Having understood the origin of the chaos, neither Blade nor Zhou Yi felt any further obligation to the Vampires. Their alliance was null. They were withdrawing, leaving the final reckoning for the morning.
Meanwhile, the Blood Clan Guard was still locked in a desperate battle with the rapidly multiplying Alien Species. Overwhelmed and unable to contact their two missing hunters, they were forced to request backup from headquarters and abandon the entire nest.
In the subterranean lair of the Vampire headquarters, within a crumbling castle, Vampire Grand Duke Machinos was having his meal. Just as Chadnomah described, he was so decayed he couldn't even use his fangs. His "meal" was solidified blood gel, which he ate with human utensils, a grotesque attempt at maintaining civility.
No one usually disturbed him, not even his daughter. But today, someone burst in: Kaelo, the nominal legal advisor, and Machinos's chief biological Scientist.
Watching Kaelo rush in, the Giant—the Grand Duke's perpetually silent butler—frowned slightly, indicating Kaelo's high status.
"Your Grace, the Grand Duke, bad news. The Blood Clan Guard has suffered heavy casualties, and the Dawn Knight and Blade are missing. They appear to have discovered something. Should we change the plan?"
The Vampire Grand Duke set down his utensils. He stood and walked slowly toward a pool of swirling blood behind him.
"The casualties of a few pawns change nothing. As long as the prey is still in the net, there is no problem. These sacrifices are acceptable." Machinos's profound tone was lost on Kaelo. The scientist bent down tentatively.
"Tell Rehart, he knows what to do. Also, notify our rat; Blade is key to our plan. He absolutely cannot be allowed to escape."
"Understood, Your Grace. Allow me to take my leave!" Machinos's decaying aura was sickening. Kaelo, outwardly impeccable, hid his revulsion and desire to escape the old Vampire.
"Go!" Machinos waved his hand. Kaelo bowed and left immediately.
The Vampire Grand Duke then immersed himself entirely in the blood spring. After a long silence, only the sound of surging blood filling the chamber, he finally spoke.
"Giant, the Dawn Knight is yours."
"Please rest assured, my Master," the Giant said, kneeling on one knee with solemn sincerity. "I swear on my life, the Dawn Knight will not disturb you in the slightest!"