Chapter 6: vampire in the Supermarket? Walking Shopping Cart
The next morning.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the living room. Wanda opened her eyes and found herself curled up on the soft sofa, covered with a thin blanket.
Pietro was sleeping sprawled out on the rug on the other side, with drool pooling all over the floor.
She froze for a moment, then remembered everything that happened yesterday.
The war-torn Sokovia, that missile suspended in mid-air, the man in pajamas, and that suffocating storm of pressure...
Everything felt like a dream.
But the faint lingering scent of lavender in the air, as well as the warm and soft blanket on her body, were telling her—this was not a dream.
"Awake?"
A lazy voice came from the direction of the kitchen.
Wanda turned her head and saw Li Heng standing in the open kitchen, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of toast in the other, somewhat clumsily spreading butter on it.
He was wearing a loose gray hoodie and sweatpants, his hair messy, and his whole person exuding an aura of "just woke up and not fully awake yet".
But for some reason, he like this made Wanda feel exceptionally close to him.
"Li... Mr. Li." Wanda quickly sat up, somewhat awkwardly tidying her hair, "Good morning."
"Don't call me Mr. Li, just call me Li Heng." Li Heng took a bite of toast and mumbled vaguely, "There's milk and cereal in the fridge, make it yourself. Help Pietro make his portion too, he'll probably be hungry when he wakes up later."
After saying that, he walked toward the balcony holding his coffee and toast, leaving behind a sentence: "I'm going out to get some fresh air, make yourselves at home."
Wanda watched his back, a warmth that was hard to put into words welling up in her heart. This man who claimed with his mouth that he "wouldn't care about them" yet took care of them everywhere was truly a strange good guy.
...
Balcony.
Li Heng leaned against the railing, took a sip of coffee, and squinted at the New York skyline.
[Ding! Detected that the host is starting a new day, current lying-flat status evaluation in progress...]
[Evaluation result: Excellent! The host's decadence, slackness, and idleness levels are all at their peak, perfectly matching the lying-flat persona!]
[System reward: Daily breakfast points +100, which can be accumulated to redeem for vampire talent upgrades!]
The corners of Li Heng's mouth twitched.
This system was really... encouraging him to continue being decadent.
However, since there were rewards to take, lying down wasn't bad either.
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly sensed a trace of unusual aura.
It wasn't Hydra, nor was it a vampire, but rather a... more ancient, darker existence.
Li Heng frowned slightly, following that aura, his gaze falling on a figure at the entrance of the supermarket across the street.
That was a middle-aged man wearing a black windbreaker, looking completely ordinary, but Li Heng noticed the flash of blood-red light in the depths of his eyes.
A vampire.
And not an ordinary end-line vampire.
That vampire seemed to have also sensed Li Heng's gaze, raised his head, revealed a bizarre smile at him from afar, and then turned and walked into the supermarket.
Li Heng: "..."
What kind of plot is this? A vampire strolling through the supermarket in broad daylight?
[Ding! Detected an unknown rank vampire appearing near the host, triggering the passive event 'The Neighbor's Greeting'!]
[System prompt: This vampire belongs to the North American Vampire Coven, holds the rank of Baron, and carries the codename 'Dark Walker' Carlo. According to vampire etiquette, he is greeting a newly-risen fellow kinsman.]
[Suggestion: The host does not need to actively respond, just maintain the lying-flat posture. The other party wouldn't dare to cause trouble in the daytime; after all, not every vampire is fearless of sunlight like the host.]
Li Heng rolled his eyes.
He just knew that suppressing that Baron named Marcusyesterday would definitely cause a sensation in the vampire circles.
Now it seemed that this "Dark Walker" Carlo was probably here to probe the situation.
"Fine, as long as you don't come bother me, you can stroll the supermarket all you want."
Li Heng finished his last sip of coffee, stretched, and turned to walk back into the living room.
At this moment, Pietro had also woken up, sitting on the sofa looking dazed as Wanda poured him milk.
"Mo... Good morning." Seeing Li Heng enter, Pietro greeted him somewhat awkwardly.
"Hmm." Li Heng nodded, slumped down on the other sofa, and casually picked up the remote to turn on the TV.
The morning news was playing on the TV.
"... Last night, unknown energy fluctuations suddenly erupted in Manhattan, New York. According to witnesses, a supernatural event is suspected to have occurred. A S.H.I.E.L.D. spokesperson stated that the event has been controlled with no casualties; citizens are advised not to panic..."
In the footage, the exterior wall of Li Heng's apartment building was clearly visible, with several damaged spots temporarily repaired.
Li Heng's expression didn't change, and he even felt a little like laughing.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s public relations speed was truly fast enough.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Li Heng froze for a moment, glanced at the new door on the wall that had been blown up by Hydra and replaced just yesterday, and sighed: "Who is it again?"
He didn't look through the peephole and casually opened the door.
Standing outside the door was a young Black deliveryman in a courier uniform, holding an exquisite silver box in his hands.
"Are you Mr. Li Heng?" The delivery guy flashed a standard professional smile, "Your delivery, please sign for it."
Li Heng looked at the box, his eyebrows raising slightly.
He had only moved into this place a few days ago and hadn't bought anything at all; where did a delivery come from?
"Who sent it?" he asked.
"The sender didn't sign their name, only left an address." The delivery guy handed over a receipt.
Li Heng glanced at the address on the receipt: New York City, Brooklyn District, XXXX Number.
In the remarks column was only a line of handwritten words: "Greetings from a kinsman. —— C."
Li Heng: "..."
C? Carlo?
That vampire who smiled at him at the supermarket entrance just now?
He took the box and unwrapped the package.
Inside was a bottle of red wine that looked very old, with a yellowed label on the bottle body written with a line of Latin.
Although Li Heng couldn't read Latin, the system thoughtfully provided a translation.
[Detected item: 'Brew of the Dark Night' — A vampire-specialty drink brewed from an ancient vampire recipe, which can slightly increase vampire energy reserves. The taste is similar to mortal red wine, but with higher purity.]
[Remarks: This is a common courtesy in vampiresocialization; receiving the gift means accepting the other party's goodwill.]
Li Heng looked thoughtfully at the bottle of wine, then turned his head sideways and said to the delivery vampireguy: "Go back and tell that Carlo that I accept the wine. Don't be so polite next time, just treat me to coffee directly."
The smile on the delivery guy's face froze slightly.
He hadn't expected that even though he disguised himself so well, his identity was still seen through.
"Sir, how... did you know?"
Li Heng shrugged: "The smell of blood on you is too heavy, and..." He pointed at the delivery guy's neck, "Those two bloody holes on your neck haven't fully healed yet."
Delivery guy: "..."
He was silent for a moment, then put away his smile and bowed slightly: "Baron Carlo asked me to pass on a message to you: the Elder of the North American Vampire Coven hopes to meet with you. You set the time, and you choose the location."
Li Heng raised an eyebrow.
The Elder of the vampire Coven?
Is this... the rhythm of inviting him to tea?
"I've been very busy lately." He perfunctorily brushed it off.
Delivery guy: "..."
"Jokes aside," Li Heng leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms, "go back and tell that Elder that I have no plans to see anyone recently. When I want to see them, I will naturally notify you guys. But before that—"
A flash of blood-red light crossed his eyes.
"Don't send people to stalk me, and don't disturb the people around me."
"Otherwise, the fate of that Marcus last time will be the best example."
The tone was casual, yet carried an unquestionable sense of oppression.
The delivery guy only felt a chill down his back and hurriedly nodded: "Yes, yes, I will definitely convey it!"
After speaking, he turned and ran, his speed more than doubling compared to when he came.
Li Heng closed the door and walked back into the living room, carrying the bottle of red wine.
Wanda asked curiously: "Who sent that?"
"A wine seller." Li Heng casually spouted nonsense, placing the wine casually in the wine cabinet, "Don't accept any future deliveries; what if they're bombs?"
Wanda: "..."
Pietro looked at Li Heng with an expression of worship: "Big Bro, you're too awesome! Even the delivery guy is afraid of you!"
Li Heng waved his hand: "Stop flattering me, finish your breakfast and tidy up quickly, I'm taking you out to buy some daily necessities today."
"Buy daily necessities?" Wanda froze for a moment.
"Yeah," Li Heng opened his phone to look, "you guys can't keep running around in these tattered clothes forever, can you? Besides, with Pietro's running speed, his shoes will probably wear out as he runs."
Pietro looked down at his pair of sneakers that had worn-through holes, scratching his head somewhat sheepishly.
...
Half an hour later, a large supermarket in Manhattan.
Li Heng wore sunglasses and a hoodie, pushing a shopping cart as he walked in front, while Wanda and Pietro followed behind like two curious babies.
For these two children who came out of the Sokovia war zone, the New York supermarket was simply another world.
The dazzling array of goods, colorful packaging, and the fragrance mixed with all kinds of food made them feel both novelty and unfamiliarity.
"Big Bro, can this be eaten?" Pietro asked, holding a bag of potato chips.
"Yes, put it in the cart."
"Big Bro, this is so pretty!" Wanda held a bottle of shampoo, her eyes sparkling.
"If you like it, put it in the cart."
"Big Bro, this..."
"Take it."
In less than twenty minutes, the shopping cart piled up into a small mountain.
Li Heng looked at the cart full of things, and then looked at the two siblings who were still continuously stuffing things into the cart, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
He originally just wanted to buy some daily necessities, but as a result, these two little guys directly treated the supermarket as a free distribution center?
However... whatever, anyway he didn't lack this bit of money.
Just consider it... raising two hamsters.
Just as he was preparing to go check out, he suddenly felt a gaze carrying a scrutinizing meaning.
Li Heng's footsteps paused, and he looked along that gaze—
At the fresh produce section on the other end of the supermarket, a blonde woman wearing a black coat and sunglasses was looking straight at him.
Her skin was pale to the point of being almost transparent, her lips as red as blood, and her whole body exuded an aura extremely similar to Li Heng's.
A vampire.
Moreover, a female vampire.
Seeing Li Heng notice her, the woman smiled slightly, raised the red wine bottle in her hand, and made a "cheers" gesture to him from afar.
Then, she turned and disappeared among the shelves.
Li Heng frowned slightly.
People from the vampire faction again?
It seemed his appearance had already made the entire North American Vampire Coven unable to sit still.
[Ding! Detected a strong vampire aura, the other party's identity confirmed — Deputy Head of the North American Vampire Coven, Queen rank, codename 'Blood Rose' Irene!]
[System prompt: This character did not appear in the original work, and belongs to an original faction character created by the system based on Marvel vampire settings. Her strength is stronger than an ordinary Baron, belonging to the Earl rank.]
[Suggestion: The other party is suspected to have developed a strong interest in the host. The host can choose to ignore or choose to make contact. Both comply with the lying-flat principle, please choose freely.]
Li Heng looked at the empty shelf, was silent for a moment, and then pushed the shopping cart toward the checkout counter.
"Checking out."
He couldn't be bothered to pay attention to those miscellaneous things.
His principle was very clear—
Buy what should be bought, sleep what should be slept.
As for those troubles that came looking for him...
As long as they don't disturb his sleep, anything is easy to talk about.
But right at this moment, on the TV hanging next to the checkout counter, a news bulletin suddenly broke in.
"Breaking news! According to the latest news from our station's reporter, a major event will occur in East New York tonight, and the police have cordoned off the surrounding area. According to insiders, it may be related to supernatural forces active recently..."
In the news footage, the streets of the East District were deserted, filled with police cars and cordon lines everywhere.
Li Heng glanced at it without paying much attention.
However, the system gave a prompt that he couldn't ignore—
[Warning! Detected that a large-scale conflict between vampires and Demon Hunters is about to erupt in East New York!]
[This event may be indirectly related to the host — Hydrais trying to take this opportunity to divert the attention of the vampire faction, thereby secretly approaching the host's apartment!]
[The conflict is expected to erupt at 8 PM tonight, by which time the nearby blocks will be cordoned off, lasting for about 3 hours!]
[Suggestion: The host can choose to ignore it, but Wandaand Pietro may fall into danger due to being blocked outside...]
Li Heng: "..."
He took a deep breath.
"Fine, I get it."
"Here we go again, right?"
He glanced at the time; there were less than 5 hours left until 8 PM.
"Then... let's stroll by and take a look."
Anyway, he was idle anyway.
Going to watch vampires and Demon Hunters fight could also be considered a rare pastime.
He pushed the shopping cart toward the exit, while behind him Wanda and Pietro were still chattering away, discussing the snacks they just bought.
And what Li Heng didn't know was—
In the second-floor cafe of the supermarket, the woman known as "Blood Rose" was sitting by the window, watching his back with great interest.
"Interesting."
She picked up her coffee cup and took a light sip.
"A progenitor-class vampire who isn't afraid of sunlight?"
"And still bringing two mortal children to stroll the supermarket?"
"Li Heng... What on earth is your background?"
A trace of excited light flashed in her eyes.
"It seems coming to New York this time was really the right choice."
Chapter 7: Night Battle in the East Side? I'm Just Here to Watch the Show!
At 7:00 PM, East Side, Manhattan.
Night had just fallen, and the streetlights lit up one by one, casting an orange glow across the damp asphalt pavement and reflecting a faint halo.
Li Heng wore a black mask and a loose hoodie, his hands shoved into his pockets as he strolled leisurely down an alley in the East Side.
Wanda and Pietro were left behind by him in the apartment, with a very simple reason — "Kids shouldn't run around at night, go to sleep early."
Of course, the real reason was that the system had just popped up a prompt:
[Warning! The upcoming conflict in the East Side involves forces directly subordinate to the vampire 'Elder Council'. It is recommended that the host act alone to avoid the heroine getting prematurely involved in the vampiredisputes. Otherwise, it may cause the plotline to go wild ahead of time!]
Li Heng heartily agreed with this.
He definitely didn't want Wanda to see him dealing with a group of vampires — — although he was now a vampirehimself, he always felt it wasn't quite appropriate to let a young girl see the scene of him "cannibalizing his own kind".
After all, he still wanted to maintain his persona of a "mysterious and handsome big brother".
"Tsk, I wonder what that 'Blood Rose' means by asking me to meet here."
Li Heng glanced at the anonymous text message he received on his phone, which had only one line of text: "East Side, 14th Street, Abandoned Theater — Tonight at 8:00, there's a good show, and I'd like to invite you to watch it. — C"
The signature at the end was not "Blood Rose", but "C" left by yesterday's delivery guy.
Shadow Walker Carol.
Li Heng hadn't wanted to come originally. But the system gave another reason he couldn't refuse:
[Detected that an ancient vampire relic is hidden beneath the abandoned theater in the East Side, and this item has a potential resonance with the host's current bloodline! If the host can obtain this relic, the bloodline level will be greatly enhanced, and new talent skills can be unlocked!]
[Suggestion: The host can go with the mindset of 'just passing by to watch the show', without actively participating in the conflict. As long as you 'happen' to appear next to the relic at the appropriate time, the system will automatically complete the fusion!]
This system really mastered the meaning of "lying flat".
Even acquiring treasures didn't require actively snatching them; all it took was "just happening to pass by".
Li Heng expressed extreme satisfaction with this attitude towards life.
He continued walking forward along the street, and the surrounding pedestrians became fewer and fewer. As he got closer and closer to the abandoned theater, the smell of blood in the air grew stronger and stronger.
Suddenly, a commotion came from ahead.
"Clang!"
A trash can was fiercely kicked away, rolling a few times on the ground, spilling its garbage all over the place.
Immediately afterwards, two dark figures rushed out from the depths of the alley, fiercely entangling in combat under the dim yellow streetlights!
One dark figure was extremely fast, wielding a gleaming silver longsword in hand; the other dark figure was much taller, its fists swinging with the sound of breaking wind, and a low roar issued from its mouth.
Li Heng stopped in his tracks, leaning against the telephone pole by the roadside, and watched the excitement with keen interest.
"Oh ho, they're already fighting?"
At a glance, he could tell that the one holding the longsword was a Demon Hunter, hung with various silver weapons and holy water; while that tall dark figure was a vampire viscount, with exposed fangs and blood-red eyes.
The two guys fought back and forth in the alley, gravel flying everywhere, leaving deep gouges carved into the walls.
Standing to the side, Li Heng even took out his phone and turned on the camera mode.
"Record it and go back to show Pietro, letting him know what'street combat teaching' is."
He muttered to himself.
At this moment, that tall vampire viscount suddenly noticed Li Heng's presence, a fierce light flashing in his eyes!
"Human? Seeking death!"
He shook off the Demon Hunter and charged fiercely toward Li Heng like an out-of-control heavy truck, his sharp claws aiming straight for Li Heng's throat!
In his view, this human standing by and watching the show was simply a delivered blood bag.
Li Heng didn't even dodge, merely lifting his eyelids.
Then — —
"Snap."
He snapped his fingers.
At half a meter away from Li Heng, that vampire viscount suddenly seemed to crash into an invisible wall, his entire body bounced away by a terrifying repulsive force, smashing heavily into the pile of garbage at the end of the alley and letting out a shrill scream.
"Ah — —!!"
The Demon Hunter was stunned.
He stared blankly at Li Heng, then looked at the already passed-out vampire viscount in the garbage pile, an expression of disbelief on his face.
"You... who are you?"
"A passerby." Li Heng shrugged, "Just watching the show. You guys continue, don't mind me."
The Demon Hunter: "..."
The corners of his mouth twitched, and he ultimately gave up the intention of continuing the fight. Facing an existence that could instantly kill a vampire viscount without even moving, he felt it was best to retreat first.
"We shall meet again!" Leaving behind these words, the Demon Hunter's figure flashed and disappeared into the night.
Only Li Heng and the unconscious vampire viscount were left in the alley.
Li Heng walked over to the garbage pile, lowered his head to glance at the unconscious guy, and shook his head: "Tsk tsk, these days, even watching some excitement is life-threatening."
He turned around and continued walking toward the abandoned theater.
However, what he didn't know was — —
Not far behind him, on the roof of a tall building, a woman was holding binoculars, taking in everything that had just happened.
It was none other than the Blood Rose Irene.
The corners of her mouth curved into an intrigued arc: "Ancestor aura, snapping fingers to instantly kill a viscount... This Li Heng is indeed not simple."
She put down the binoculars and said into her headset: "Notify the Grand Elder, the target has entered the predetermined area. The good show... is about to begin."
...
Outside the abandoned theater.
Li Heng stood in front of the dilapidated main gate, looking up at this building that had been abandoned for at least twenty years.
The walls were covered in vines, and the roof had several large holes, through which the dim interior space could be seen. A warning sign reading "Dangerous Building, No Entry" hung at the door, but obviously, such signs had no binding force on either vampires or Demon Hunters.
Li Heng pushed open the door and walked in.
The interior of the theater was much more spacious than he had imagined. On the stage, the seats were already dilapidated, and various trash and dust were scattered on the ground. The air was permeated with a bizarre aura mixed with a moldy smell and the scent of blood.
Right in the exact center of the stage stood a person.
A woman.
The Blood Rose Irene.
Today she was wearing a red long dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and her skin was glowing white. Seeing Li Heng walk in, she smiled slightly, raised the goblet in her hand, and gestured toward him.
"Good evening, Mr. Li Heng." Her voice carried a hint of laziness and charm, "Welcome to my little theater."
Li Heng stood at the door with his hands in his pockets, without continuing forward: "Where is Carol? He invited me here, why is he nowhere to be found?"
"Carol had something to do, so he entrusted me to wait for you here." Irene took a light sip of the red liquid in her cup, "Moreover, I wanted to meet you in person — — this ancestor-class newcomer who made Marcus beg for mercy on his knees and left Hydra battered and bruised."
Li Heng raised an eyebrow: "So, you invited me here just to praise me?"
"Of course not. I am here to give you a suggestion — — leave New York, leave all the disputes here."
"Otherwise..."
A flash of cold light crossed her eyes.
"Tonight's 'clearing operation' in the East Side will inevitably affect you."
As soon as she finished speaking.
"Boom!!"
The theater's main gate was suddenly blown open from the outside! Smoke and dust filled the air!
Immediately following, a group of figures wearing black combat uniforms and holding silver weapons rushed in, surrounding the stage tightly!
At the lead was a bald, burly man with a string of silver crucifixes hanging in front of his chest, holding an exaggeratedly shaped double-barreled shotgun in his hand, the muzzle aimed at Irene and Li Heng.
"Found you, the Blood Rose!"
The bald burly man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
"The vice president of the North American Vampire Covenactually dared to come to the East Side alone? Today is your death day!"
Li Heng looked at these uninvited guests, then looked at Irene, and then silently raised his hands.
"You guys fight your fight, I'm just passing by."
"Do as you please, pretend I was never here."
Having said that, he turned around and walked toward the corner, finding a broken chair that was reasonably clean to sit down on, striking a posture of "I'm just watching and won't say a word".
Irene: "..."
The bald burly man: "..."
Everyone's gaze fell on Li Heng, and the atmosphere instantly turned very bizarre.
It was still the bald burly man who broke the silence first: "Who are you? What is your relationship with this female vampire?"
"No relation." Li Heng's expression didn't change, "I just came for a stroll today and ended up taking the wrong road. You guys continue, I guarantee I won't disturb you."
The bald burly man narrowed his eyes, stared at Li Hengfor a good while, and finally let out a cold snort: "Since you are seeking death, go to hell together then! Open fire!"
"Bang bang bang bang — —!"
Over a dozen silver weapons opened fire simultaneously, and silver-glistening bullets poured out like a rainstorm!
However.
The second before the bullets were about to hit Li Hengand Irene.
Li Heng was still sitting on the chair, without even changing his posture.
He merely lifted his right hand gently, fingers spread open.
Then — —
Clenched into a fist.
"Hum — —!"
An invisible wave of force diffused outward, and all the bullets flying toward him stagnated in mid-air, as if the pause button had been pressed.
Immediately following, Li Heng waved his hand casually.
Those bullets seemed to be controlled by an invisible hand, uniformly reversing direction and flying back at an even faster speed!
"Puff puff puff!"
Several Demon Hunters behind the bald burly man collapsed in response, their screams rising one after another.
The bald burly man's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly hid behind a pillar, looking at Li Heng with lingering fear: "You... what kind of monster are you?!"
"Didn't I already say so?"
Li Heng stood up and patted the dust off his body.
"I'm just passing by."
He turned his head to look at Irene, a trace of helplessness in his tone: "Look, I said I didn't want to get involved, but you had to force me to take action. Does this count as self-defense?"
Looking at the innocent-looking man before her, Irene couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Counts, of course it counts."
She walked to Li Heng's side, intimately linked her arm with his, and winked at the bald burly man: "By the way, let me tell you — — this gentleman here is a new favorite of our vampire clan. If you Demon Hunters want to touch him, you have to ask whether I agree first."
Li Heng frowned, wanting to pull his arm back, only to find that Irene was holding on very tightly.
He: "..."
This woman was deliberately dragging him into the muddy waters, right?
[Ding! Warning! The host has been publicly bound as an 'accomplice' by the Blood Rose Irene!]
[The Demon Hunter forces have identified the host as a 'vampire faction target'!]
[System prompt: Although the host maintained a lying-flat posture, you were passively dragged into faction conflicts. It is recommended that the host go with the flow; anyway, you can't lie flat anymore — — you might as well lie down more comfortably.]
Li Heng: "..."
He took a deep breath.
Fine.
Very well.
This grudge is considered settled.
He glanced at the gnashing-teeth bald burly man in front of him, then looked at the female vampire beside him who was shaking with laughter, and sighed helplessly.
"Fine then."
"Since it's like this — —"
He loosened his wrists.
"Then let's stretch our muscles a bit."
On the distant skyline, the lights of Avengers Tower were still bright.
And in this abandoned theater, a storm belonging to the dark world was quietly kicking off.
Chapter 8: Theater Showdown? I'm Just Here to Scavenge!
Inside the abandoned theater, the atmosphere was tense.
The team of demon hunters led by the bald brute was so shaken by Li Heng's earlier trick of bullet reflection that for a moment, no one dared to open fire rashly again.
They exchanged glances with each other, while the silver weapons in their hands trembled slightly and involuntarily.
Blood Rose Eileen was still linking arms with Li Heng, a charming smile on her face, as if she didn't put the group of demon hunters in front of her in her eyes at all.
Her gaze shifted back and forth between the bald brute and Li Heng, seeming to anticipate something interesting happening.
As for Li Heng——
Li Heng had only one thought at this moment.
"Is this woman's arm welded to my body?"
He tried to pull his arm away, but as a result, Eileen hugged tighter, even intentionally leaning against him, her soft chest pressing unceremoniously against his arm.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave," Eileen whispered in his ear, her breath carrying a hint of icy chill, "The good show has just begun."
Li Heng was expressionless.
[Ding! Host detected suffering an attack from the 'honey trap', willpower judgment in progress...]
[Judgment result: Host's current mood - irritability value 85%, interest in women - 30%, lying-flat index + 50%!]
[System evaluation: As expected of the ultimate slacker, even beauties clinging close cannot shake your determination to lie flat!]
Li Heng: "..."
This system really... knew how to give him an out.
"I say, are you guys going to fight or not?" Li Heng finally spoke, his tone carrying obvious impatience, "If you're going to fight, hurry up. If not, I'm going home to sleep. I still have to wake up early tomorrow... Oh wait, I have to sleep until I wake up naturally."
The bald brute was so angered by these words that his face turned green.
Demon hunters like them had been enemies of the vampirerace for generations; which encounter wasn't a life-or-death struggle with swords drawn? How come when it reached this young person, it was as casual as watching two noobs peck at each other?
"Kid, don't be too arrogant!" the bald brute said through gritted teeth, "Do you think that trick just now could scare us? Our Demon Hunter Guild isn't vegetarian! We have silver bullets, holy water, wooden stakes, and secret weapons specially designed to deal with monsters like you!"
"Oh? Secret weapons?" Li Heng raised an eyebrow, "What secret weapons? Tell me and let me hear it. I haven't seen anything that could make me go 'wow' yet."
The bald brute: "..."
Eileen couldn't help covering her mouth and chuckling: "You really know how to anger people."
The bald brute's face flushed red, blue veins bulging on his forehead, and his hand holding the gun trembled slightly from excessive force. Several young demon hunters behind him also showed aggrieved and indignant expressions, but constrained by Li Heng's weird strength just now, no one dared to actually rush up.
Just at this moment.
"Clang——!!"
The windows on the second floor of the theater suddenly shattered, and glass fragments poured down like a torrential rain!
A black figure leaped in from the window, tracing a sharp arc in mid-air, and landed steadily on the stage!
The newcomer was tall, wearing black tight leather clothes, covered outside with a knee-length black trench coat. He wore sunglasses, his face expressionless, and held a gleaming silver longsword in his hand—a few drops of dark red blood were still dripping from the Blade.
Most eye-catching was that his skin presented a sickly cyan-white, and two sharp fangs were faintly visible at the corners of his mouth.
"Daywalker?" Seeing the newcomer, the bald brute's expression changed slightly, "Why are you here?"
The man called Daywalker did not answer, only slowly scanning the crowd in the venue. When his gaze fell on Li Heng, those eyes hidden behind the sunglasses seemed to narrow slightly.
Li Heng also noticed this uninvited guest.
"Daywalker?" He thoughtfully sized up the suddenly appearing man.
According to the original host's memories in his mind, Li Heng quickly recalled this man's identity—Blade, real name Eric Brooks, a half-vampire half-human hybrid.
In Marvel's settings, Blade's mother was bitten by a vampire during pregnancy, causing him to be born with vampire genes, yet without the weaknesses of traditional vampires: he could move freely in sunlight, wasn't afraid of garlic and silverware, and simultaneously possessed strength, speed, and self-healing abilities far exceeding ordinary people.
He was a vampire hunter specializing in hunting vampires, called "Daywalker" by the vampire race.
"How could this character appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?" Li Heng had some doubts in his heart.
According to common sense, although the character Bladeoriginated from Marvel Comics, due to copyright issues, he logically shouldn't appear in the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. But considering the existence of the MarvelMultiverse and cross-time-space settings, this wasn't completely impossible either.
"Could I have really traveled through to a world fusing multiple Marvel parallel Universes?" Li Heng pondered inwardly.
He decided not to rush to pick a side first, observing the situation before speaking. Anyway, his purpose for coming today was originally to "pass by and eat melons", casually seeing where that ancient vampire relic was located.
Blade stood on the stage, coldly looking at the two factions in the venue—one side was the demon hunter team, and the other side was Blood Rose Eileen and Li Hengstanding beside her.
"My target today is only one." Blade spoke, his voice low and hoarse, "Blood Rose, Eileen."
"You killed my three companions, and today you must pay with blood."
The smile on Eileen's face paused slightly, then she recovered her charm: "My Lord Daywalker, you are wronging me with those words. Although I have indeed killed a few demon hunters, the deaths of those three companions of yours really have nothing to do with me."
"Whether it is you or not, I will find out myself." Bladeslowly raised the longsword in his hand, "But now, you are coming with me on a trip."
"What if I don't?" Eileen's tone remained relaxed, but her hand hugging Li Heng's arm tightened slightly.
Li Heng felt like he was sandwiched between two steel plates—on one side were the demon hunters, on the other side was the Daywalker, and in the middle was a female vampire who obviously wanted to drag him down as a cushion.
"Um... Can you guys sort things out before fighting?" He tried to act as a peacemaker, "For example, you guys first confirm who killed those three demon hunters, and then decide who should get beaten. That's fairer, right?"
The whole venue fell silent.
Everyone looked at him with the gaze of watching an idiot.
"Are you kidding me?" The bald brute spoke first, "Between us demon hunters and vampires, do we still need evidence? Just kill every one we see!"
"That's right." Blade also coldly added a sentence, "The vampire race, all deserve to die."
Li Heng: "..."
Well, it seemed today could not end peacefully.
He sighed, just preparing to say "fight if you love to, I'm leaving first", when a system prompt suddenly sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Detected that the ancient vampire relic 'blood moon eye' is emitting resonance fluctuations in the secret room on the third basement level of the theater!]
[The bloodline matching degree between this relic and the host is as high as 98%! Once fusion succeeds, the host's bloodline will directly ascend to the Count rank!]
[But please note—this relic has been cast with an ancient seal, and must be injected with the bloodline power of three different factions to lift the seal! Respectively: vampire blood, demon hunter blood, and Daywalkerblood!]
[System suggestion: The host can try to 'inadvertently' collect these three types of blood, 'unintentionally' unlock the seal, and 'coincidentally' complete the fusion!]
Li Heng: "..."
He finally figured it out, this system was just finding ways to make him fight.
And even bleed them one by one?
"Fine then, since it's already come to this..."
Li Heng suddenly let go of the arm Eileen was linking, and stepped towards the center of the stage.
"I have something to say."
Everyone's gaze focused on him.
"First of all, I am not here to fight, nor am I here to pick a side." Li Heng put his hands in his pockets, his tone as casual as chatting, "I came today purely because I heard there was excitement to watch here, and incidentally wanted to find something."
He looked at Blade: "You said you wanted to find Blood Rose for revenge, I have no objection. You said all vampires deserve to die, and I''m too lazy to refute. But——"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience.
"Before you guys start fighting, I need to take something first."
"Once I get the item, fight however you like, I absolutely won't interfere."
The bald brute frowned: "What item?"
Li Heng did not answer directly, but looked at the wooden floor beneath his feet, seeming to perceive something through layers of soil.
"Right below here."
"On the third basement level, there is a secret room."
As soon as these words came out, Eileen's expression showed an obvious change for the first time.
"How do you know there is a secret room there?" Her voice carried a bit of vigilance.
Li Heng shrugged: "I said, I'm here to find something. As for how I knew... Don't worry about that."
Blade remained silent for a moment, slowly lowering the sword in his hand.
"I have also heard about the underground secret room." He said, "Legend has it that an ancient holy artifact is sealed there, which has a special meaning for the vampire race. The Demon Hunter Guild has tried to explore it several times, but failed to enter successfully."
"That's right." The bald brute nodded, "That secret room is sealed by a powerful energy, and ordinary methods simply cannot open it. Our coming this time is on one hand to hunt Blood Rose, and on the other hand to investigate that secret room."
Li Heng rejoiced inwardly.
Everyone was looking for that relic? That would be even easier to handle!
"Since everyone is looking for that thing, how about this——" He pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket, gesturing casually, "I have a way to open that secret room, but it requires the blood of the three of you."
"What do you mean?" Blade frowned.
"The seal requires three types of bloodline power to be lifted." Li Heng explained, "vampire blood, demon hunter blood, and—Daywalker blood. Coincidentally, all three of you are present."
"One drop is enough, it doesn't hurt."
"Consider it... making a contribution to archaeological endeavors?"
The bald brute: "..."
Blade: "..."
Eileen: "..."
After a few seconds of silence, Blade suddenly let out a cold snort: "Why should I trust you?"
"You don't have to believe it." Li Heng put away the pocket knife, spreading his hands, "Then I won't keep you company. You guys continue your fight, and I'm going home to sleep."
Finishing speaking, he made a motion to turn and leave.
"Wait!"
Eileen called out to him, staring at him with complex eyes for a few seconds, and finally sighed: "I believe you."
She walked in front of Li Heng, extending her slender white fingers.
"How much blood do you want? I''ll give it to you."
Li Heng wasn't polite either, grabbing her finger and gently slicing with the pocket knife—a drop of crimson blood oozed out.
[Ding! Collected: vampire blood (Count rank)! Purity: A-Rank!]
"Alright." Li Heng let go of her hand and looked at the bald brute: "What about you?"
The bald brute hesitated for several seconds, and finally under the coercive gazes of Eileen and Blade, reluctantly extended his hand: "Hmph, just one drop! If you dare to play tricks, I''ll blow your head off with a silver bullet!"
"Rest assured, I am a man of my word."
[Ding! Collected: demon hunter blood (veteran demon hunter)! Purity: B+ Rank!]
Finally, Li Heng looked at Blade.
Blade silently stared back at him for a long time.
Finally, he also extended his hand.
"I hope you keep your word."
Blade's voice remained icy.
[Ding! Collected: Daywalker blood (half vampire half human)! Purity: S-Rank!]
[The three bloodline powers have been collected!]
[Automatically combining seal-releasing mantra... 30%... 60%... 100%!]
[Seal lifted! Underground secret room entrance opened!]
The instant the system prompt fell.
Rumble——
The center of the theater floor suddenly shook violently! The wooden floor slowly split to both sides, revealing a stone staircase leading underground!
An ancient and chilly aura surged from below the staircase, carrying the dusty scent as if traversing through long years.
Everyone was stunned.
Li Heng stood at the staircase entrance, looking at the passage leading underground, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
"Alright."
"The item, I have gotten it."
He turned his head to look at the three people behind him: "Now whether you guys want to continue fighting or follow down—I''ll go down and take a look first."
Finishing speaking, he stepped down the stone stairs.
Behind him, Blade, Eileen, and the bald brute looked at each other in dismay.
In the end, the demon hunter and the vampire temporarily put down their hatred and followed up together.
In front of ancient relics, all grudges could be put aside for now.
And at this moment, no one knew——
That ancient relic named "blood moon eye" was about to stir up a huge storm in the depths of this abandoned theater, enough to shake the entire vampire world.
At the end of the staircase.
A door carved with ancient runes was quietly waiting for its opener.
Li Heng extended his hand, slowly pushing open that heavy stone door.
"Creak——"
Behind the door was a secret room of about fifty square meters.
In the center of the secret room hovered a dark red crystal the size of a fist.
It floated quietly in mid-air, emitting a bewitching and charming light, like a blood-colored moon forever gazing at the night sky.
blood moon eye.
The instant Li Heng's gaze touched that crystal.
His heart beat violently!
An unprecedented resonance originating from the depths of his bloodline exploded inside him!
[Ding! Detected that the host has established a mental connection with the 'blood moon eye'!]
[Fusion starting... Estimated completion time: 30 minutes!]
[During the fusion, the host will be in a semi-stationary state. Please ensure the surrounding environment is safe, or... let the people around help you 'watch'!]
Li Heng: "..."
He glanced at the three people behind him—the demon hunter, the vampire, and the Daywalker—who were eyeing the "blood moon eye" covetously, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
"System, are you tricking me again?"
[Ding! The system never tricks the host! It's just that right at this time point, it coincidentally requires the host to'steady the scene'!]
[Please rest assured and lie flat, host, good luck will naturally come!]
Li Heng: "..."
Fine.
It seemed these 30 minutes were destined not to be too peaceful.
Chapter 9: Bloodline Awakening! The Successor of Dracula?
Inside the secret chamber, a dark red light dyed the entire space into a sea of blood.
The "blood moon eye" hovered in mid-air, emitting increasingly intense resonance fluctuations, resembling an awakening heart, with every pulsation carrying a soul-shaking power.
Li Heng stood directly in front of the crystal, his eyes tightly closed.
He could feel the call from the depths of his bloodline—not words, not images, but a more primitive, more instinctive desire.
It was like a river that had been dry for a thousand years, finally waiting for the infusion of the source water.
"Hum—"
The blood moon eye suddenly burst forth with a blinding pillar of crimson light, shooting straight up to the dome of the secret chamber!
Li Heng's body began to undergo changes.
His skin became paler, nearly transparent, and the dark red energy veins flowing beneath his skin were faintly visible.
His canine teeth elongated unconsciously, and two sharp fangs protruded from between his lips, gleaming with a chilling, cold light.
Most astonishing of all were those eyes.
When he suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils had turned into a color never seen before—dark golden vertical pupils, with a blood-red crescent moon embedded in the center of the pupils!
That was... the Progenitor's Eyes!
"What is going on?!"
The expressions of the three people behind him changed simultaneously.
Irene had the most violent reaction.
She covered her mouth, her entire body trembling uncontrollably, her legs going weak, almost kneeling down directly.
That was the fear and awe engraved in the deepest parts of the vampire genes—absolute obedience to the Progenitor Bloodline!
"Impossible... This is impossible!" Her voice was sharp and trembling, "This is the power of the Progenitor! He is just a newly awakened vampire, how could he bear the power of the Progenitor?!"
The bald brawny man was even more frightened, retreating three steps in a row, his back hitting the cold stone wall, and the silver shotgun in his hand dropped to the ground with a clatter.
"Damn it... What kind of monster is this?!"
Only Blade was barely standing, but his hand holding the sword was also trembling slightly.
Although his half-vampire bloodline did not have the strong instinct to submit like pure-blood vampires, facing this terrifying coercion, he still felt a bone-deep sense of oppression.
"Calm down," Blade said in a low voice, "He is changing... but he hasn't shown any hostility."
"No hostility?!" The bald brawny man almost jumped up, "Didn't you see those eyes of his? Those are eyes that only the vampire Progenitor has! If he goes crazy, the three of us combined wouldn't even be enough to fill his teeth!"
"Therefore," Blade glanced at him coldly, "don't provoke him."
...
At this moment, Li Heng had no mood to deal with those three making a fuss behind him.
All his attention was attracted by the system panel frantically refreshing in his mind.
[Ding! "blood moon eye" fusion progress: 15%... 30%... 45%...]
[Detected deep variation in the host's bloodline! Parsing the source of variation...]
[Parsing complete!]
[Ancient Progenitor-level residual imprint detected in the host's bloodline—Source: Second-generation vampireProgenitor, Dracula!]
[Dracula—the only survivor of the second-generation vampires in the Marvel Universe, revered as the Progenitor by all vampires.]
[Before the demise of the first-generation vampires (Atlantis magic experimental subjects), all their power was passed down to Dracula.]
[Dracula possesses an immortal body, able to resurrect perfectly no matter how he is killed.]
[This is a setting at the level of the Marvel Universe laws, which even the Goddess of Death cannot stop!]
[The Dracula bloodline imprint in the host's body is extremely weak (about 0.01%), but after being catalyzed by the "blood moon eye", it is rapidly awakening!]
[It is expected that after the awakening is complete, the host will obtain the following abilities—]
[1. Progenitor's Eyes (Passive): Possesses absolute bloodline suppression over all vampire creatures, can see through illusions and disguises!]
[2. Immortal Factor (Primary): Self-healing speed increases by 500% after suffering fatal damage, gradually approaching a state of 'unable to be permanently killed'!]
[3. Dark Favor (Passive): All attributes increase by 30% at night, and under moonlight, injuries and energy can be continuously restored!]
Seeing these attributes, Li Heng almost couldn't hold back his expression.
Dracula's bloodline?
An immortal body?
As a slacker player, how did he inexplicably become the successor of the vampire Progenitor?
But on second thought—isn't this a matter of course?
The system's main feature is "lying flat and getting stronger".
He doesn't need to look for opportunities; opportunities will come to him on their own.
He doesn't need to fight for treasures; treasures will recognize him as their master on their own.
This is truly the highest realm of lying flat!
[Ding! "blood moon eye" fusion progress: 60%... 75%...]
[Extra discovery! An ancient memory fragment is sealed inside the "blood moon eye"! Attempting to read...]
[Read successfully!]
An unfamiliar and ancient image surged into Li Heng's mind like a tide—
He saw a glorious underwater city.
Towering domes, flowing energy, and strange figures shuttling through them.
That was... Atlantis.
In Atlantis deep in the Atlantic Ocean, a wizard draped in a black robe stood in front of the altar, holding an ancient book emitting a dim glow—the darkhold.
The wizard used a certain magic within the darkhold to transform himself into the first vampire, and he was the origin of all vampires—Varna.
The scene shifted.
Varna stood under the sunlight, his body burning in the blazing sun.
He had lived for far too long, experienced far too much, including witnessing Atlantis sink to the bottom of the sea with his own eyes.
He grew tired of the long immortality and chose to end himself under the sun.
But before dying, he passed down all his power to a human noble—Dracula.
Dracula inherited Varna's power and began a vampire rule lasting five hundred years.
He was killed again and again, and resurrected again and again.
Captain America had killed him, Thor had killed him, and even Blade had killed him—but he would never truly die.
Because Dracula's resurrection is a setting at the level of the Marvel Universe laws, an unchangeable rule.
The scene shifted once more.
Dracula stood on top of an ancient castle, holding a dark red crystal in his hand—precisely the "blood moon eye" before his eyes.
"My era will eventually end," Dracula's low voice echoed in the scene, "but the bloodline will not perish."
"One day, a new bearer will appear."
"He will be even more powerful than I was at my peak."
"Because he..."
Dracula turned his head, those dark golden vertical pupils seeming to pierce through time and space, looking straight at Li Heng—
"Because he is not me. He will not be bound by hatred and power like I was."
"He is free."
"He is—"
The scene came to an abrupt end.
Li Heng opened his eyes abruptly, panting heavily, his forehead covered with a fine layer of sweat.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
He supported his knees, steadying his posture, feeling as if an entire epic movie had been stuffed into his brain, with an amount of information so huge that it almost caused him to crash on the spot.
"Dracula..."
He muttered to himself, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
That vampire Progenitor actually foresaw his appearance thousands of years ago? And specially left behind the "blood moon eye" as a heritage object?
Isn't this too outrageous?
He, Li Heng, an ordinary person who just wanted to slack off, was actually appointed as the successor by the vampire Progenitor?
[Ding! "blood moon eye" fusion progress: 90%... 95%... 99%...]
[100%! Fusion complete!]
[Congratulations to the host! "blood moon eye" has been completely fused!]
[Host bloodline officially promoted: Baron → Count!]
[All awakened abilities unlocked!]
[Extra reward: Because the host maintained the slacking posture of "passive acceptance, never active" throughout the fusion process, the hidden achievement "Inaction" is triggered!]
[Achievement reward: Vampire Domain (Primary)—The host can deploy a 50-meter radius crimson barrier. Within the barrier, all hostile creatures have their overall attributes reduced by 30%, and vampire creatures automatically submit!]
[Current host comprehensive combat power assessment: A-class (has surpassed the vast majority of Marvel Earth-level heroes)!]
Li Heng took a deep breath and slowly straightened up.
He could clearly feel that his body had undergone Earth-shattering changes.
Power.
Endless power.
Every inch of muscle, every bone, every blood vessel was filled with powerful energy far exceeding before.
His five senses became unimaginably sharp—he could hear the sound of the wind outside the secret chamber, smell the scent of a mouse on the third floor, and even perceive the heartbeat of every creature in the entire theater.
Most importantly—
He felt an unprecedented sense of "security".
In the past, even though he was very strong, there was always a vague worry in his heart—there were still too many beings stronger than him in this world.
Thanos, Odin, Ancient One... these ceiling-level combat forces could crush him into dregs at any time.
But now, with the Immortal Factor and Vampire Domain, he finally had the confidence to say those words—
"I can finally slack off with peace of mind."
Because... I can't die anymore!
Even death is not feared, what else is there to fear?
He moved his wrists, feeling the abundant energy inside his body that was almost overflowing, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling up.
Then he turned his head to look at the three people behind him.
"Alright, my business here is done."
"You guys said you were going to fight just now? Shall we continue?"
His tone remained casual, as if asking "Would you like another cup of tea?"
But heard in the ears of the three, it was no less than a bolt from the blue!
Irene was the first to react.
She almost instinctively dropped to her knees with a thump, her forehead touching the ground, her voice trembling beyond recognition: "Irene... pays respects to My Lord!"
The bald brawny man: "!!!"
He looked at the Blood Rose kneeling on the ground, and then looked at Li Heng, whose dark golden vertical pupils were embedded with a blood-red crescent moon, only feeling a chill rushing straight from the soles of his feet to his crown.
"Pro... Progenitor?!" His voice went out of tune, "He is the vampire Progenitor?!"
"Not the Progenitor, but the Progenitor's successor," Bladecorrected, but his expression was also very ugly, "Though there isn't much difference... Someone with the Progenitor Bloodline has absolute suppression over all vampires."
He turned to Li Heng, his hand holding the sword tightening then loosening, loosening then tightening, and finally slowly lowering it.
"I came today wanting to kill Blood Rose to avenge my comrades," Blade's voice was low, "but if she is your clansman, then this debt..."
"Stop, stop, stop," Li Heng raised a hand to interrupt him, "I don't care about your business, and I am not any Progenitor. I'm just a passerby. That shiny thing just happened to have an affinity with me, so I took it. Now that I've taken it, I'm going home."
He glanced at the watch on his wrist (although he wore a decorative electronic watch and had no habit of checking the time at all), "Oh, it's already past nine? Wanda and the others should be asleep."
When mentioning the two words "Wanda", his tone unconsciously softened a bit.
This subtle change was acutely captured by Irene.
"Wanda?" She raised her head, a flash of shrewdness passing through her eyes, "Is what My Lord said... that red-haired girl who was with you today?"
Li Heng frowned slightly: "You investigated me?"
"I wouldn't dare!" Eileen lowered her head hurriedly, "It's just that this afternoon at the supermarket, Carol's subordinates saw from afar that you were shopping with two people, so..."
"Tell Carol," Li Heng's voice suddenly turned cold, "and that so-called Grand Elder behind you—"
"Wanda and Pietro are my people."
"Whoever dares to touch a single hair of theirs, I will go and overturn the Secret Society's headquarters."
His tone remained calm, but the killing intent emanating from his bones caused the temperature in the secret room to plummet to freezing point!
Eileen trembled all over, the sweat on her forehead instantly soaking the ground: "Yes! This subordinate will definitely convey it! Anyone who dares to offend the Progenitor My Lord's... your friend, the Secret Society will definitely execute them!"
Li Heng withdrew his gaze and walked towards the exit of the secret room.
"Alright, stop kneeling, the ground is cold."
He walked a few steps, suddenly stopped, and glanced back at Blade who was still standing in place.
"Daywalker."
Blade was slightly startled: "What's wrong?"
"Those three companions of yours," Li Heng thought for a moment and phrased it, "were not killed by Blood Rose."
Blade's pupils shrank: "How do you know?"
"Because the means of killing them are not in the style of the vampire." Li Heng pointed at his nose, "Although I'm a slacker, I'm a vampire after all; I can still tell which killing method belongs to our kind."
"Those three companions of yours died from a... weapon with mind control effects."
"Mind control?"
Blade's expression changed abruptly.
A word flashed through his mind—Mind Scepter.
If that thing really is it...
"Hydra." Blade whispered the name.
Li Heng nodded: "Almost. Anyway, just don't wrong an innocent person. Although Blood Rose is no saint, she really shouldn't take the blame this time."
After saying that, he didn't stay any longer, stepped onto the stone steps, and disappeared into the darkness.
In the secret room, the three of them looked at each other in dismay.
Blade was silent for a long time, and finally put away his long sword.
"Today's account is noted down for now." He looked at Eileen, "But if you are really related to those three murders, I will find out the truth sooner or later."
Eileen stood up from the ground, patted the dust on her dress, and resumed her charming look: "Daywalker My Lord, go ahead and investigate. If it traces back to me, I leave myself to your disposal."
Blade said no more and turned to leave.
Only Eileen was left in the secret room.
She stood in place, watching the direction Li Heng left, complex light flashing in her eyes.
"The Progenitor's successor..."
She murmured softly.
"Grand Elder, it seems your wishful thinking is going to fall through."
...
New York, Manhattan penthouse apartment.
When Li Heng returned home, it was already 10 PM.
In the living room, Wanda was curled up on the sofa, holding a throw pillow in her arms. The TV was on, but she had clearly fallen asleep. Pietro had spread a quilt on the carpet, sleeping sprawled out with snores like thunder.
Li Heng walked in on tiptoe, intending to go straight back to his bedroom, but as he passed the sofa, his steps involuntarily slowed down.
Wanda's sleeping appearance looked exceptionally quiet.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and a faint, elusive smile still hung on the corners of her mouth, as if she were having some sweet dream. Her red long hair was scattered on the throw pillow, reflecting the micro-light of the TV, possessing an indescribable beauty.
Li Heng looked at her for a few seconds, then took off his coat and gently covered her with it.
"Good night."
He said in a low voice and turned to walk toward the bedroom.
However, the moment he stepped into the bedroom—
[Ding! Blood Pact link abnormal fluctuation!]
[Detected sudden change in emotional state of female lead Wanda Maximoff!]
[Current status: Nightmare! Mental value plummeting!]
[Warning: Chaos Magic inside Wanda's body is losing control and running amok! If not intervened in time, it may trigger a regional reality distortion event!]
Li Heng whipped his head back.
I saw Wanda on the sofa starting to tremble violently! Beneath her tightly closed eyes, tears silently slipped down, her ten fingers clutching the throw pillow tightly, her nails almost embedding into the fabric!
Even more terrifyingly—
From her fingertips, scarlet Chaos Magic light was bursting forth!
The light grew brighter and more violent, beginning to spread outward with her as the center. Objects around the sofa floated up one after another—the throw pillow, the remote control, the water cup on the coffee table, even the carpet was trembling!
"Wanda!"
Li Heng appeared by her side instantly, holding her shoulders with both hands!
"Wake up! Wanda! You're having a nightmare!"
But Wanda couldn't hear his voice at all. She was trapped deep in the nightmare, Chaos Magic completely out of her control, red energy ripples spreading outward in circles, and wherever they passed, cracks began to appear on the surface of the furniture!
If not controlled, this power was enough to overturn the entire floor!
Pietro was awakened by the commotion, and seeing the scene before him, his face turned pale with fright: "Sister! Wanda!"
"Don't come over!" Li Heng shouted sternly, "Retreat to the corner!"
He took a deep breath and made a decision.
"System, is there a way to stabilize her magic?"
[Ding! Only solution: Activate Blood Pact deep link! The host needs to inject his own energy into Wanda's body to guide Chaos Magic back to stability!]
[Risk warning: Chaos Magic has extremely strong corrosiveness and unpredictability, the host may suffer backlash!]
[System suggestion: With the host's current Earl-grade physique and Immortal Factor, the backlash will not cause permanent damage, but the process might... hurt a bit.]
"Hurt?"
Li Heng glanced at Wanda's painfully distorted face without the slightest hesitation.
He closed his eyes and slowly injected his energy into Wanda's body along the Blood Pact link.
The next second—
"Hisss——!!"
An indescribable excruciating pain exploded from the depths of his soul!
Chaos Magic cut wantonly in his mental world like tens of thousands of red-hot sharp knives! That feeling was like being thrown into magma, fished out, thrown into ice water, repeating in an endless cycle!
But Li Heng clenched his teeth tightly, not making a sound.
His hands firmly grasped Wanda's shoulders, not retreating a single step!
Ten seconds.
Thirty seconds.
One minute.
Finally—
The Chaos Magic inside Wanda's body, guided by the external energy, gradually calmed down. Those floating objects slowly fell to the ground, and the red light dissipated bit by bit.
Wanda suddenly opened her eyes!
In her pupils, a trace of scarlet lingering charm remained, but upon seeing the pale yet firm face in front of her, her tears instantly breached the dam.
"Li... Li Heng..."
She threw herself into his arms and cried bitterly.
"I had such a terrifying dream... I dreamed... I dreamed I became a monster... Everyone was afraid of me... everyone stayed away from me..."
Li Heng was soaked in sweat, his arms still trembling slightly due to the backlash just now, but he still reached out and gently patted Wanda's back.
"It's not a dream."
His voice was hoarse and gentle.
"You do have a terrifying power."
"But you're not a monster."
"Because—"
He lowered his head to look at the tearful girl in his arms, a weak smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"I'll be the monster."
"You just need to be yourself."
Wanda froze.
She looked at Li Heng's dark golden vertical pupils—those eyes belonging to the successor of the vampire Progenitor—looking at his pale face and the smile at the corner of his mouth, the fear and self-loathing in her heart were completely overwhelmed by a warm and firm power at this moment.
She buried her face in his chest, hugging him tightly, as if holding the whole world.
"Thank you... thank you..."
Li Heng sighed, leaned against the back of the sofa, and closed his eyes.
"Don't thank me, I'm really tired."
"Next time you have a nightmare, give a heads-up first, so I can prepare mentally in advance."
"...Can you not smile while crying? It makes me unable to tell whether you're crying or happy."
Wanda broke into a smile through her tears, and gently punched him in the chest.
At this moment, in Li Heng's mind, the system prompt rang out again—
[Ding! Blood Pact deep link successfully established! Host and female lead mental synchronization rate broke through 50%!]
[Wanda's favorability skyrocketed! Current favorability: Gratitude +50, Trust +60, Reliance +40, Heartbeat +35!]
[Special achievement unlocked: Soulmate—When the female lead's favorability 'Heartbeat' value towards the host exceeds 30, the Blood Pact will grant the host the 'Empathy' ability, capable of perceiving the female lead's specific thoughts and needs within a certain range!]
[System evaluation: Host, your wife-protecting operation is textbook-level. Although you talk about "slacking off" on your lips, you are more reliable than anyone at critical moments. Isn't this the legendary—saying no with your mouth, but your body is very honest?]
Li Heng: "...Shut up."
With his eyes closed, feeling the gradually steady breathing and slowly relaxing body of the girl in his arms, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upwards slightly.
Forget it.
Slacking is slacking, but some things are still worth putting a little effort into.
For example—
Making her not have nightmares anymore.
That night, Wanda slept very peacefully.
She didn't have nightmares again, because deep in the dream, there was a warm dark golden light guarding her side all along.
But what Li Heng didn't know was—
Just in that brief one minute when Wanda's Chaos Magicwent amok, an extremely weak spatial fluctuation leaked out from the apartment.
This fluctuation, although so weak that it was almost undetectable, was still captured by a special existence.
New York, Greenwich Village, Sanctum Sanctorum.
An elderly person with white hair put down the teacup in his/her hand and looked up in the direction of Manhattan.
In her eyes, complex light flashed.
"Chaos Magic... and Progenitor-grade vampire aura?"
Sorcerer Ancient One slowly stood up.
"In the same place, both of these powers appeared at the same time..."
"It seems that the balance of this world is about to be broken once again."
She walked to the window, looking at the night view of Manhattan, and was silent for a long time.
"Perhaps... it's time to go see this young man."
And in a farther place—
Asgard, Bifrost Bridge observatory.
Heimdall's pair of golden eyes also looked in the direction of Earth.
He saw an apartment, saw a young man with dark golden eyes, and a red-haired girl sleeping in each other's arms.
"Interesting."
Heimdall said in a low voice.
"This newly appeared entity on Earth... even my All-Seeing Eye cannot completely see through him."
"What on Earth... is he?"
The distant realms were all gazing at the same direction.
And Li Heng at this moment simply turned over in his dream.
"Mhm... what should I eat for breakfast tomorrow..."