The young vampire butler lifted his head and looked at the little vampire sitting on his lap. His muscles were tense all over; it took all his strength to stop himself from gripping Yu Deng's waist tightly.
Wen Luo was unusually slow to react this time. Several seconds passed before he realized what Yu Deng had just said.
The young master had said… that even if they weren't lovers, he still wanted to bite him.
The hungry young master was extremely willful, and clearly didn't understand the deeper meaning behind vampires drinking each other's blood.
"Wen Luo!"
Yu Deng waited several seconds without receiving an answer. With his palm pressed against Wen Luo's chest, he leaned his beautiful little face close, eyes full of accusation. "You're not willing? But you're my butler… aren't you supposed to take care of me? I'm really so hungry…"
Those dark red pupils should have lent his round eyes an eerie, inhuman chill. Yet tears shimmered within them, as if they might fall at any second.
He was obviously being unreasonable and willful, yet he looked so aggrieved that it was impossible to refuse him.
…Forget it. Let the little vampire take a bite.
The black-haired butler gazed at him and sighed softly. "Yes, you're right."
"As your butler, I certainly can't let you go hungry."
After speaking, Wen Luo tilted his head and exposed his vulnerable neck to Yu Deng.
Only then was Yu Deng satisfied with the butler's response. He leaned in even closer, almost lying against Wen Luo's chest.
His soft lips brushed clumsily against the skin at Wen Luo's neck. His small fangs rubbed against it without much force, so he didn't draw any blood at all.
Of course, the ill-tempered little vampire didn't reflect on himself. Instead, he complained, "You're really hard to bite…"
Wen Luo closed his eyes and sighed silently. "…So delicate."
Yu Deng swayed dizzily for a moment, then finally applied a bit of force, letting his small fangs pierce through.
Cool blood welled up and touched Yu Deng's tongue.
The wonderful taste made his taste buds tremble. His eyes lit up. Instinctively, he bit down on the skin and eagerly tried to draw out more blood.
The pale, uncomfortable look on his little face quickly faded, replaced by a faint, healthy blush.
For Yu Deng, it was pure bliss. For Wen Luo, it was exquisite torment.
The veins on the back of the black-haired man's hand and along his neck stood out clearly. He endured with difficulty, breathing heavily.
He could distinctly feel his blood being drawn away. He could feel Yu Deng's warm lips and tongue.
A vampire's naturally low body temperature gradually turned feverish. He had to concentrate to suppress his instincts.
The young master had no idea… that when vampires drank each other's blood, it was usually under one specific circumstance.
That was before intimacy.
Black bat wings fluttered restlessly, wanting to wrap the boy in his arms.
[Deng Deng... such a delicate baby. I'm Deng Deng's loyal dog...]
[Doesn't anyone else think this scene is too suggestive!! Can they just move on to some adult stuff already...]
[I never thought I'd actually get to see Little Vampire Deng Deng biting someone... Damn, just as I said that, the screen went black!]
Yu Deng was completely immersed in feeding. His small Adam's apple bobbed continuously as he narrowed his eyes slightly.
Wuwu, so delicious!
"Alright, young master."
After an unknown amount of time, Yu Deng felt a hand covering his lips. The black-haired butler, gentle yet firm, stopped him from continuing.
Yu Deng lifted his head in confusion and murmured, "What are you doing? I haven't had enough yet."
"Young master, this is your first time consuming blood. You mustn't overdo it. You need to adapt gradually," Wen Luo explained patiently.
If one ignored the wound on his neck and his slightly uneven breathing, he had already returned to his usual composed demeanor.
His black bat wings fluttered lightly, carrying Wen Luo back down to sit on a chair, while Yu Deng remained seated on his lap.
Yu Deng gave a regretful "oh" and licked his lips reluctantly.
After eating his fill, his soft lips were moist and crimson, as if inviting a kiss.
Yu Deng was completely unaware of this. His pale, slender legs swung lightly as he commented contentedly, "Mm, your blood tastes really good. Next time I'm hungry, I'll come to you again."
[…] System 01's electronic tone flickered for a moment.
Wen Luo's gaze was filled with Yu Deng's legs as he sighed again. "Young master…"
For vampires, such praise was not to be given lightly—how was that any different from anticipating what might happen next?
But seeing Yu Deng's innocent expression, Wen Luo swallowed back his explanation.
He wiped away the trace of blood at the corner of Yu Deng's lips, his fingertips sliding down toward Yu Deng's collarbone.
With a hint of probing, he said, "Young master, when vampires drink each other's blood, it is usually mutual."
Yu Deng took a few seconds to process this, then firmly refused, "You're not allowed to bite me!"
Wen Luo nodded. "I understand."
He had known it. The young master was so delicate—there was no way he would casually let someone bite him.
After eating his fill, Yu Deng felt lazy and didn't want to move. Fortunately, the butler obediently acted as a cushion, so Yu Deng simply lay there without moving.
Wen Luo's bat wings were half-folded behind him. Yu Deng's gaze drifted over his shoulder, and he curiously reached out to touch them.
The wide wings immediately fluttered.
"Why don't your wings tear through your clothes?"
Wen Luo endured the young master's touch and replied, "Fully matured wings can control the force and angle of expansion. In addition, the clothing has specially designed space."
Yu Deng suddenly understood. After resting a while, he slowly climbed down from the butler's lap and turned to look for the bed. "I want to sleep… ah?"
Only then did Yu Deng realize that his bed was actually a coffin.
The spacious bedroom had a bathroom and a walk-in closet, along with various furniture, but right in the center of the floor stood a coffin.
It was pure black and large, its material indistinguishable. The surface had a faint metallic sheen, and there seemed to be a pillow inside.
Certain memories from the previous instance began to resurface in Yu Deng's mind.
In disbelief, he asked loudly, "Why is my bed a coffin?"
"Because most newborn vampires need to sleep in coffins to relax properly," Wen Luo paused. "You don't like it?"
Yu Deng shook his head. "I don't."
Sleeping inside a coffin was way too scary. He wouldn't be able to fall asleep.
"I understand. Please wait a moment," Wen Luo said, instructing the vampire servants to replace it with an ordinary bed for Yu Deng.
After giving the order, Wen Luo went to the bathroom to collect Yu Deng's dirty clothes.
They weren't dirty at all.
Because Yu Deng had worn them for some time, the entire outfit was filled with his sweet fragrance.
Wen Luo's face lingered above the fabric for a moment, the bridge of his nose nearly brushing against it.
He wondered if the young master's blood is just as fragrant and sweet.
---
The servants quickly replaced the bed with a new one. After bidding Yu Deng farewell, the butler left the bedroom carrying the dirty clothes.
After eating his fill, Yu Deng felt much better. Though he was tired, he was still a little excited.
A round little bat was hanging upside down by the edge of the bed, and a crow was perched on top of the wardrobe. Both stared at Yu Deng without blinking.
Yu Deng didn't notice the crow. He only looked at the little bat.
Wen Luo had said this one had already gained intelligence and could hold simple conversations. It had been sent over to serve the young master.
But… it was Yu Deng's first time carefully observing what a bat looked like, and he came to a conclusion:
"You look a bit peculiar."
Little Bat: "?!" Its claws loosened, and with a plop, it fell onto the edge of the bed and shut down in self-isolation.
Yu Deng was very serious as he asked worriedly, "You don't have any bacteria, right?"
The little bat stood up, tears welling in its eyes as it nodded. It wasn't like those wild bats outside—it was super clean.
Yu Deng pressed his lips together, feeling a little guilty. "Alright… if you look closely, you kind of look like a puppy. A-and you're actually pretty cute."
The round little bat finally recovered from the blow.
Yu Deng cautiously poked the little bat's belly and chatted with it. "Do you know what happened with those guests?"
The little bat pondered for a moment. It flapped its wings in place and spun in a circle, then slapped its wings against each other, and finally smacked its lips a few times, letting out a few silent cries.
—They ate, danced, chatted, and argued.
Yu Deng somehow miraculously understood what the little bat meant.
Now that he thought about it, he had two little paper figures, didn't he? They should also be able to gather information, right? Hmm, he'd try it tomorrow.
Thinking about it, Yu Deng drifted off to sleep.
Outside the window, the blood moon cast a dim glow. By midnight, the temperature had dropped considerably, but Yu Deng had already kicked off the thin blanket.
The little bat shook its head and fluttered over to pick up the blanket to cover Yu Deng. At the same time, the crow flew down from the wardrobe and covered him with the blanket first.
The little bat, having its job stolen, was furious and immediately turned to fight the crow.
"Mm…?" Yu Deng murmured sleepily.
The two that had been fighting instantly froze, not daring to move. Together, they squatted at the head of the bed, quietly admiring the young master's sleeping face.
---
That night, Yu Deng slept very well and didn't wake up until nearly noon.
The other players in the castle also seemed not to have encountered any danger. The system did not announce any further player eliminations.
During the daytime, the instance did not impose any mandatory tasks on the players, leaving them free to act as they pleased.
Yu Deng rather pickily drank a glass of juice and ate steak for lunch. The castle during the day wasn't gloomy, and Yu Deng felt a little less afraid. Accompanied by the little bat, he wandered around half of the castle.
When he reached a certain floor of the castle's main building, Yu Deng saw an enormous room. The door was carved with intricate reliefs and streaked with blood-red patterns.
The little bat clung tightly to Yu Deng, trembling violently and refusing to move forward. Yu Deng was puzzled. "Is there something wrong here?"
It didn't seem that scary… But seeing the little bat about to shake itself apart, Yu Deng decided to leave.
Soon, night fell again.
After a day of interaction, the non-humans were standing in small groups with their companions. The entire hall was lively.
Yu Deng even heard someone teasing his butler.
"Lord Wen Luo, I assume you had a wonderful night yesterday. How was the taste?"
There was still a faint mark on Wen Luo's neck. He responded calmly, "That is none of your concern."
The person laughed loudly and walked away. Yu Deng was completely confused. Soon after, Lady Claudia announced that tonight there would be a game.
[Ding. Tonight is Game Night.]
"Lady Edith, please."
Yu Deng followed everyone's gaze.
It was an elderly lady. Her face was wrinkled like dry tree bark, but her eyes were not cloudy—instead, they were extremely sharp. In her hands was a crystal ball radiating brilliant light.
Wen Luo thoughtfully explained to Yu Deng, "That is Lady Edith, an exceptionally talented witch. She has likely lived for over a thousand years. Every game at the Non-Human Gathering is divined by her crystal ball."
The ice-blue crystal ball rotated in the witch's hands. After a few minutes, it slowly stopped. Inside, the image was pitch black, faintly showing intersecting lines.
What was that?
"Ah, let me see the result," Lady Edith's hoarse voice sounded. "Very well, everyone. Tonight's game is a maze."
Yu Deng looked around the castle in confusion.
Was there really enough space in the castle for a maze?
[Ding. Side quest triggered: Castle Maze.
After the game begins, all players will be randomly placed somewhere within the maze. Players must reach the finish line within the time limit. The first player to reach the finish line will receive double points.]
[The use of flight-type and speed-enhancing items or abilities is prohibited in this side quest.]
[All players must participate in this side quest.]
Lady Claudia nodded to the witch and loudly announced, "For the first game night, please participate together. You have three hours. Enjoy yourselves."
Yu Deng: "!" The game was starting just like that?!
He quickly turned to find the butler. "Wen Luo! What if I can't find the finish line…"
"I will come find you."
The next moment, a red flash passed through the hall, and everyone was transported into the maze.
In the second before the teleportation, Yu Deng saw a tall man with a grayish complexion smiling strangely as he sighed:
"Ah, I hope I can catch some lost little cuties."
Wait… Yu Deng suddenly realized something he had overlooked.
The instance only said that if the non-humans won the game, they would identify the human players who had infiltrated them and treat them as sacrifices that night.
But the instance never said… that there would be no danger during the game itself. Non-humans were highly aggressive—what if they were aggressive enough to attack players? No one could say for sure.
After a wave of dizziness, Yu Deng opened his eyes and found himself standing on a narrow path.
Thorn-covered walls surrounded him on all sides. Even the top was completely sealed off, with only a faint ray of light filtering down. The entire maze was extremely dim.
Yu Deng looked around but saw no one. He shivered. "System?"
[Host, I'm here.]
"How did this place suddenly become so huge?" Yu Deng cautiously took a few steps forward.
[You can think of it as a magical space within the instance background, or a newly created space opened by the instance.]
Oh, so it was similar to the illusion in the manor instance?
Yu Deng fumbled forward for a short distance. Fortunately, he was now a vampire and had good night vision, so he could basically see the path clearly.
He didn't know whether the maze blocked sound or whether it was simply too large, but Yu Deng couldn't hear anyone else at all.
Rustle… rustle…
The wind blew through, causing the plants on the walls to sway and cast shifting shadows, making a soft rustling sound.
When Yu Deng reached the end of the path, he discovered it was a dead end.
With drooping shoulders, he turned back. There was no helping it—he had chosen the wrong direction.
After finally reaching the intersection again, Yu Deng saw three branching paths. His mind went blank, and he fell into indecision. "System, I'm tired…"
Just as the system's electronic voice was about to respond, a rapidly moving figure appeared on one of the nearby paths.
Yu Deng was startled and quickly stepped back in tactical retreat.
When the figure came closer, Yu Deng realized it was the man who had said yesterday that he was too delicate.
Only now did Yu Deng notice that the man also had a pair of ears on his head—pure black ones. He hadn't seen them that day.
"You…" The man looked surprised to see Yu Deng. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly said, "Qin Jun."
Yu Deng: "?"
The man seemed very unskilled at introducing himself and said stiffly, "...My name."
Yu Deng gave an "oh" and didn't continue the conversation. He planned to just pick a path at random and try his luck.
At that moment, the wall behind him rippled like water for an instant, and thorny vines quietly hooked around Yu Deng's arm.
"Huh??"
Yu Deng sluggishly realized something was wrong. He hurriedly dodged, but without watching his footing, he tripped and fell to the ground. Qin Jun instinctively reached out his hand, but he was a step too slow and failed to catch him.
The thorns froze in place, not daring to move.
Yu Deng's clothes were scuffed miserably, a few leaves stuck to his little face, and his arm hurt. He slowly sat up, his eyes already red.
It looked like he was about to cry again.
Qin Jun clearly disliked troublesome, delicate people like this the most, yet when he looked at Yu Deng, his body moved on its own, wanting to step forward. He walked over, crunching on dry branches and fallen leaves, and stopped in front of him.
Yu Deng glanced up at him but said nothing.
Qin Jun crouched down, grabbed Yu Deng's hand, and lifted it to take a look. "The skin's broken."
Yu Deng lowered his head dejectedly. "Oh…"
Qin Jun frowned, took out a small vial of medicine from his coat pocket, poured a little onto Yu Deng's arm, and gently spread it over the wound.
A sharp sting immediately followed. Yu Deng shrank back a little and complained tearfully, "It really hurts."
His voice was soft and hoarse, so pitiful it made one's heart melt.
That inexplicable irritation in Qin Jun's heart began burning again. Lowering his eyes to look at Yu Deng, he said, "Crybaby. I was already being gentle."
Yu Deng looked up at him, lips trembling. "Why do you keep saying that about me? It really does hurt."
His bright eyes had already grown misty. Qin Jun's heart skipped, and he inwardly thought, This is bad.
Sure enough, as soon as Yu Deng finished speaking, the warm tears he had been holding back could no longer stay contained. They slid down his cheeks and fell with a soft pat onto the grass.
When the beautiful vampire cried, he didn't make a single sound. But the corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose were flushed red, making him unbearably pitiful.
Those tears felt as though they struck Qin Jun's heart, stirring ripples he couldn't calm. Crouched in front of Yu Deng, watching the wronged vampire, he felt regret for the first time.
Somewhat stiff and awkwardly, Qin Jun lowered his head. "…I'm sorry. Don't cry. I'll take you to the finish line."
Yu Deng's tears didn't stop. At the same time, he thought to himself—
Even his apology sounds so stiff.
Yu Deng glared at him. "I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to go with you. I'm going to find someone else!"
"Find someone else?"
Qin Jun immediately recalled last night's ball. This beautiful vampire was the most popular presence there.
The vampire butler was gentle and indulgent toward him, the werewolves fawned over him, and many others watched from the shadows, coveting him silently.
If this little vampire just called out, he could probably summon a whole pack of loyal "dogs" immediately, all circling him, vying for attention openly or in secret, wagging their tails and begging for his favor.
Thinking of this, Qin Jun's face darkened instinctively, and words slipped out before thought could catch up:
"…No."