Karu was still waiting patiently by the carriage, showing no signs of irritation.
Li De paused and gestured.
"Use Charm on him."
He wasn’t going back tonight—he couldn’t let this young mage wait all night for nothing.
Emi instantly understood.
He approached from the side and, while Karu was still dazed, cast Charm.
A Level 15 spellcaster against a Level 3 novice mage—child’s play.
However, when Emi spoke, Li De’s temple twitched involuntarily.
"Lord Li De has fallen for a noblewoman and won’t return to the Mage Tower tonight. He asked you to return alone."
Then Emi immediately cast another Charm.
Level 15 standard—dual casting.
"Lord Li De drank a bit and went back with you. You two had a pleasant chat on the way home."
After casting, Emi turned away.
Karu, under the effects of the double Charm, dumbly stared at the carriage, then climbed aboard and slowly drove off toward the Crimson Mage Tower.
Li De was a bit confused, but before he could ask, Emi explained:
"Lord Progenitor, Charm isn’t a high-level spell. If someone uses magic to extract his memories, he’ll recall the first version—about the noblewoman.
The second layer makes it seem like the Charm was only to cover up a romantic affair. No one will suspect more."
Li De’s mouth twitched hard.
It was an effective trick—but couldn’t you have picked a better story?
He let it slide.
Using the carriages around them for cover, Emi tossed a cloak over Li De and also swiped a white cloak meant for women from an unattended wagon.
The two cloaked themselves and slipped into the shadowed alleys.
Winding through the dark paths for nearly half a block, they emerged onto another street. A waiting carriage stood nearby.
Emi nodded at the coachman, and the two boarded.
Clip-clop—
The carriage rolled slowly down the empty street.
After about half a sun-hour, Emi’s expression suddenly darkened.
"Lord Progenitor… Dark Pact agents."
Li De's heart tensed, but he quickly calmed.
"Where?"
Emi turned slightly, narrowing his eyes.
"I sense a familiar aura. They must be here specifically to find me."
"Lord Emi, the Bishop has invited you to tonight’s meeting."
A cold voice echoed from the dark corner of the street.
Crack—
A sharp sound.
Thud—
A heavy body hit the ground.
The stench of blood filled the air.
The coachman had been killed on the spot. Classic evil-being behavior.
Emi’s expression darkened as he looked at Li De.
The Vampire Progenitor was the ultimate ruler of the bloodline. No matter the situation, a bloodline descendant had to obey.
Li De leaned in and whispered,
"From now on, you’re the Vampire Progenitor. I’m your bloodline descendant."
They couldn’t leave now—there could be more Dark Pact members hidden nearby. The enemy’s strength was unknown.
"And the Dark Pact?"
"We go with them."
Emi looked hard at Li De and nodded solemnly.
"I’ll give my life to protect you."
Li De shook his head calmly.
"This may be our best opportunity. Only by meeting these evil beings face-to-face can we prepare to deal with them."
Though Emi had told him a lot about the Dark Pact, he didn’t want to miss a chance to gather intel personally.
As for the danger?
A cold gleam flickered in Li De’s eyes. When had he ever backed down?
If he wanted to lead a race to rise, and he couldn’t even face this risk, he might as well go back to Earth.
Besides, he didn’t think it was truly that dangerous.
Emi was one of their Vice Presidents. And he, Li De, was a genuine Vampire—a textbook dark-aligned being.
A Vampire taken in by a Level 15 Shadow High Priest? Totally reasonable.
Who would ever believe a Vampire was the master of the Crimson Mage Tower—or Spark’s disciple?
No. He had to fight for survival. Waiting to die was never his style.
Emi nodded firmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You’re a Vampire who was injured while fleeing from the Knight Temple this winter in the Far Mountain Range. For eternal life, you willingly embraced the bloodline.
Afraid of being controlled, you killed the Vampire who embraced you immediately after turning.
I’m a Vampire you met near the Beastmen border. You subdued me. I used to be a drifter surviving in the borderlands."
Li De quickly whispered the details. Emi nodded silently, memorizing it.
"Lord Emi?"
The voice outside the carriage grew colder as Emi delayed. Magic fluctuations intensified—clearly, they weren’t the patient type.
Rustle—
The black curtain of the carriage lifted, and Li De stepped out first.
Now, he had sharp fangs protruding, blood-red eyes, and an intense Vampire aura that made him completely unrecognizable as the human mage he’d been earlier.
Though his facial features were still similar, his entire demeanor had changed.
Even someone as close as Vina might not recognize him now.
Li De didn’t leave after exiting the carriage. Instead, he respectfully stood at the side, waiting for Emi—just like a proper subordinate.
Emi stepped down with Li De’s support, his movements so natural that no one could tell it was an act.
Their expressions were calm, natural—nothing looked out of place.
A figure hidden in the shadows relaxed slightly and stepped closer to the carriage.
Under a large gray cloak, a pair of eerie blue eyes glowed.
“Gahaha, Lord Emi, long time no see.
Your soul…? Hmm, you’ve become a Vampire?”
The voice from beneath the cloak was like rusted iron scraping open—a piercing screech.
Emi raised a brow and nodded.
“Lord Witherbone, for eternal life, this is a small price to pay.” Sёarᴄh the NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Li De narrowed his eyes slightly. From the name, he instantly identified the figure—
Witherbone, a Level 14 Necromancer, the one with the Bone Dragon.
“Excellent. I like Vampires—their bodies make the best alchemical materials.”
Witherbone glanced briefly at Li De, but quickly lost interest. A Level 12 or 13 spellcaster wasn’t worth his attention.
“Viscount Berna is waiting, Lord Emi. I assume you don’t intend to miss this meeting.”
Excitement laced Witherbone’s voice.
“The Evening Bell Church has used the Tyrant God's power to forge a weapon that suppresses artifacts. Divine power is truly intoxicating.
Gahaha, praise the God of Death! It’s the most beautiful weapon I’ve ever seen. Maybe in a week—no, three days—we’ll attack a human Mage Tower right in this human city.”
“Isn’t that thrilling?”
“My little pet will love those tasty souls…”
“Lord Emi, I swear on the God of Death, the Vampires will get their fair share of delicious food.”
Li De’s gaze lingered on the chattering Necromancer, his mind tightening.
The Dark Pact… was planning to strike the Crimson Mage Tower soon.
And they had truly forged a weapon capable of suppressing an artifact—with the power of an Evil God.