As entities so deeply entrenched in the Western world, after the Industrial Revolution they were among the first to plunge into commerce and finance, seizing a massive share of the revolution's dividends. They stirred chaos during the world wars, operating as borderless international capital that clustered together for mutual survival. When global capital shifted to the United States after the wars, they sank their hooks deep into this country, influencing and controlling it from the shadows.
Over five thousand years of accumulation had forged a vampire empire whose wealth perhaps all of humanity combined could not rival.
Of course, this only applied to the pure-blood nobles.
The political and economic might of vampires needed no elaboration. They were like parasites that had grown through every limb and bone of the capitalist world, rooted deep from the brain to the extremities.
Many called bankers vampires… and quite often, that was meant literally.
S.H.I.E.L.D. could deal with aliens invading Earth, masters from other dimensions, super villains who stumbled into power, and even Hydra, an organization of immense influence that had lurked since Ancient Egypt. But S.H.I.E.L.D. simply could not handle vampires who fed on humans.
Because, in a sense, the vampires were this country, or at least its economy.
Capital vampires controlling powerful conglomerates were not a minority here; they were the massive shadow of an iceberg beneath the sea. That was why the pure-blood vampires and the Council of Elders could see humanity's strength. They had watched the Sword Bureau's superheroes battle monster disasters thousands of times more powerful than their own race, yet they remained utterly unworried that those heroes would ever strike at them.
Sometimes, humans could fight opponents far stronger than themselves, but could do nothing about a tiny malarial parasite living inside their own brain.
"Natasha, send a message to the U.S. government for me. I want to invite those pure-blood vampires and the mixed-blood representatives to observe my judgment ceremony for the vampires sent to trial."
Zod said to Black Widow.
Was this about stirring up trouble?
Black Widow keenly sensed that.
She didn't know exactly what Zod Heath was planning, but if it meant dealing with vampires, she was more than happy to assist.
The U.S. Congress members who received the notice were no fools; fools could not sit in those seats.
"Is Zod Heath trying to stir things up?"
"He's still a young man after all. If he had kept his cards close to his chest without showing off, I would have worried he was some kind of genius in that regard too."
"So, should we notify the vampire side?"
"Of course."
Just as the vampires were preparing to make their move, this news reached them.
Having lived for so many years, as the saying goes, "men grow crafty with age, ghosts grow cunning." They naturally saw right through Zod Heath's intentions.
But they also couldn't afford to ignore his invitation. After all, Zod Heath was nothing like the President or Congress. He could even be called the most powerful human alive right now.
Did the vampires dare disobey him? Wouldn't that just be handing him a perfect reason to go berserk?
So, inside a Sword Bureau base, nearly all the pure-blood vampire nobles who could come did come, except for those from other countries who couldn't make it in time, or were stuck on the other side of the hemisphere.
The mixed-blood vampire representative, after Blade cut down Deacon Frost, was now just a bald white man flanked by two underlings.
Their temperament and attire were completely different from the pure-blood nobles, like they belonged to two entirely separate factions.
"Mr. Zod Heath."
The Grand Elder greeted Zod Heath with utmost respect.
Zod Heath nodded. On the other side were the representatives of the United States.
Then the vampires noticed a group of humans clad in War Machine armor surrounding them.
The pure-blood noble side was a bit flustered but managed to maintain their aristocratic poise. The mixed-bloods could not keep calm; they panicked, thinking Zod Heath was trying to capture the leader and decapitate their forces in one strike.
"Don't worry. They're only here to maintain order during the judgment process."
Zod said calmly. The human representatives naturally felt a great sense of security and pride welling up.
Although vampires were strong and their individual abilities completely outclassed humans, they could never win against the War Machines.
Capturing the leader to defeat the enemy was impossible. The vampires were far too deeply entrenched. Taking out this group would only create opportunities for those below them, leading to even greater chaos.
And Zod's goal was simply to stir things up.
"No! You can't do this!"
A pure-blood vampire was escorted out by two War Machine soldiers. It was the owner of the underground blood factory, a vampire who had lived for over a thousand years. Zod had interrogated it for some time, seizing its wealth, which even included relics from China's Old Summer Palace.
"Grand Elder, save me!"
It refused to resign itself to death like this. But the War Machine soldier beside it brutally slammed a fist into its face, smashing its head open and snapping its neck to the side.
The scene quieted considerably. Then it was locked onto a cross.
"The execution time is one hour. We will start with the weakest ultraviolet light, equivalent to the degree of a human having sulfuric acid splashed on them, and then gradually increase the intensity."
Zod laid out the execution process. Many mixed-bloods turned sickly pale just listening, while the pure-blood nobles remained utterly expressionless.
Zod's original target wasn't them anyway. If he expected this to anger these ancient old foxes who had lived for so long, he might as well believe they were just putting on an act.
Even the weakest ultraviolet light was excruciating for vampires. The pure-blood vampire, bloody-faced and unconscious, was jolted awake by sheer agony the instant the ultraviolet rays touched its body.
"Aaargh!"
It howled in misery, utterly wishing for death. But since it was the weakest ultraviolet, as soon as damage was inflicted, its own regenerative ability healed the injured areas right away.
This process continued for a full five minutes. Even the pure-blood nobles displayed subtle changes in their expressions. At that moment, the ultraviolet light intensified by ten percent.
Instantly, its skin melted like ice and snow. This time, the ultraviolet light damaged it down to the very bone.
This bone-deep agony sent the vampire straight into unconsciousness, only for it to be shocked awake again by the pain.
It struggled like a mad beast, but the cross and the locks on its limbs and neck did not budge one bit.
Flesh and blood turned into a thick fluid that dripped down, and then under the ultraviolet light, was reduced to ashes.
"So this intensity of ultraviolet light can already inflict such damage."
Zod thoughtfully recorded the observation. Over on the mixed-blood side, some faces were so grim they turned black, desperately wanting to charge over and slaughter these humans outright.
This phase lasted even longer.
"Kill me!"
"Kill me! Kill me! Just kill me now!"
"You'll all die a horrible death!!!"
Zod Heath had said the execution would be one hour, so one full hour it must be.
/-\
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