Serana was a delicate, tender flower, alluring and still in the bud. Zhou Yi truly wished to spend the night with such a lovely girl, but the timing was terrible.
Tonight was destined to be a hectic night, not for the billionaire Zhou Yi, but for the Dawn Knight.
As he and Chadnomah had tacitly agreed, the Vampire Empire was scheduled to fall before the next sunrise. If it didn't fall by Chadnomah's hand, it would fall by his. He would never permit a Vampire Grand Duke who had once plotted against him, and who could create new monsters at will, to continue existing.
After a gentle farewell to Serana and assurances that she would remain safely within their new sanctuary, Zhou Yi transformed into the Dawn Knight and launched himself into the night sky, flying towards the Vampire lair. He needed to monitor the situation closely. This was a critical event where the slightest mistake could result in catastrophic consequences for human society.
Though the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division existed as humanity's theoretical last resort for supernatural threats, Zhou Yi didn't trust them. He distrusted any organization entangled with bureaucracy, regardless of its official mandate.
He flew silently under the cover of night, not landing at Machinos's castle, but taking position atop a distant skyscraper. The tactics of the Vampires and Alien Species were irrelevant to him. His goal was simple: ensure no innocent humans were caught in the initial crossfire, then handle the inevitable cleanup.
From his perch, he watched Chadnomah and his Alien Species until they entered the designated arena for this grim performance—the castle and its surrounding factory complex.
Chadnomah, impatient to execute his revenge, didn't keep him waiting long. As soon as the streets began to thin out, the Alien Species began to move. Surprisingly, due to Chadnomah's iron restraint, the horde was exceptionally disciplined, sticking to shadows and walls. Hundreds of them moved through the city without attracting human notice, a stealth that both impressed and reaffirmed Zhou Yi's decision: these controlled monsters must not survive until morning.
However, one thing was unsettling: Blade was missing. Given the Daywalker's unwavering commitment, this meant something serious had happened. A shadow of concern crossed Zhou Yi's face. The situation was more complicated than a simple revenge plot.
But the hunt for Blade would have to wait. The immediate priority was controlling the battlefield. Zhou Yi stared intently, ensuring every single Alien Species was advancing toward the designated combat zone.
Chadnomah led his army at a superhuman pace, crossing streets and alleys with ease. They were a pale, unstoppable tide surging toward the Vampire's fortress.
Revenge—the sweet word pulsed in Chadnomah's corrupted blood, easing his perpetual physical pain. He had survived years of torment relying solely on this fantasy. Now, the fantasy was reality. He yearned to face his father.
The Alien Species arrived quickly at the castle. The patrolling Guards and strict defenses meant nothing to Chadnomah.
He surveyed the exterior, a cruel smile stretching his grotesque mouth. "Nothing has changed, Father. You were truly too arrogant." He waved his hand, and the Alien Species army surged like a gray tide, immediately swarming the castle walls.
The Vampire defenses were designed for humans or other Vampires. The six-meter-high factory walls and the crisscrossing patrols, while formidable against conventional foes, were useless against the Alien Species. For the invaders, the walls were not obstructions but cover. As they silently scaled the structure in the shadows, the surprise attack was guaranteed success.
The Vampires were utterly blindsided. As the Alien Species poured over the walls, knocking down patrols and flooding the factory grounds, Zhou Yi knew the Vampires' doomsday had arrived.
And indeed, the attack was a complete shock, even to the instigator, Grand Duke Machinos. Faced with the news of his son's invasion, he seemed genuinely taken aback.
Perhaps in his mind, his son was an utter failure, a discarded project who should have crawled into the trash and stayed there, not returned to pester his master. But Chadnomah had returned as an Avenger. Shock quickly turned to hatred and fury in Machinos. He would never allow anyone to shake his power, especially not a failed son.
He glanced at the assembled Blood Clan Guard, who had rushed to his presence upon hearing the alarm, and issued a dismissive command.
"Blood Clan Guards! Defend this castle! Kill every single invader, and bring me the head of their leader." He no longer saw Chadnomah as his son; to an aging lion clinging to power, Chadnomah was merely a desperate rebel.
Entrenched within his heavily fortified castle and only exposed to the Alien Species through reports, Machinos had no concept of how ridiculous his order was.
The Blood Clan Guard's faces were grim. They had fought the Alien Species and knew their formidable power. Dealing with ten or twenty was possible, but the alarm indicated hundreds. This was suicide.
Defiance came immediately, a direct challenge to the Grand Duke's authority—a testament to the Priest's gruesome death.
Rehart was the first to speak. "Boss, those things are too strong. We are too few; we cannot fight them."
This was the first time the Guard had disobeyed Machinos. The Priest's fate had severely eroded the Grand Duke's command.
Machinos, however, unexpectedly held his temper. These warriors were his final line of defense. He wouldn't cripple himself until he was absolutely safe.
He changed the order. "Issue the command: activate the castle's defense system. Forget about everyone else outside; seal all entrances, guard this specific area, and don't let a single one of them inside." He looked at his silent daughter, Nysha. "Also, prepare for transfer."
This order was much more manageable. The Guard mobilized instantly. Rehart contacted the external Guards, ordering them to activate defenses and close entrances. Chuba, Light Axe, and Weilian began searching the castle interior for any infiltration.
Snow Man, the most formidable fighter, was ordered by Machinos to remain close. He needed that combat power for the critical moment.
But as Machinos was sealing the underground entrances, the factory above ground was already overrun. The factory Guards were swallowed by the surging Alien Species tide, immediately becoming new, ravenous monsters. They were outmatched in strength and speed, with no chance of escape. In less than half an hour, the Alien Species completed their sweep.
Chadnomah, enveloped by his horde, walked into the main hall and towards the underground entrance. He looked up at the activated surveillance camera and smiled a terrible, happy smile.
He spoke to the camera: "I've come for you, Father. Wait for me."
Machinos, watching the feed, visibly recoiled in fury. He waved his hand. The Vampires on standby immediately pressed buttons.
Spotlights descended rapidly from the ceiling. Chadnomah felt an ominous dread and frantically grabbed a firearm, shooting at the lights.
He had too little time. He only managed to shatter a few before the rest activated, bathing the hall in a massive wave of purple light.
Any Alien Species caught in the light immediately ignited like torches, burning with a brilliant blue flame that eclipsed the purple. A cold dread settled over Chadnomah. In just a brief moment, most of his surrounding horde was annihilated. Only those shielded in the shadows of the shattered lights survived.
As he had confessed, the Alien Species were not perfect; they were even more fragile than Vampires under concentrated ultraviolet radiation.
But the casualties did not stop Chadnomah. As long as he achieved his revenge, sacrificing everything was acceptable. He had waited too long. Today, he would finish it, betting everything he had left.