Chapter 87: The Fall of the Bai Family

At the headquarters of the Bloodhunter Guild, bloodied and battered hunters gathered, defending their final bastion.

“Lady Radiant Sun, according to intelligence from our outer members, a large number of vampires have been discovered at the Bai Family estate. As one of the three major underground powers, it appears the Bai Family has been harboring vampires,” reported a Grade-A Bloodhunter to the golden-robed young woman before them.

Radiant Sun—one of the guild’s three S-rank Bloodhunters, now one of only two after the silent passing of her comrade—had, before reaching twenty, already achieved heights unprecedented in the guild’s history. She was hailed as its greatest prodigy, a beacon of hope for humanity. During her last encounter with Duke Wind, she had been wounded and narrowly escaped with her life. Now, seated before her fellow Bloodhunters, she listened intently to the state of their guild.

Upon hearing the report, Radiant Sun fell silent, lost in thought.

“My lady, what should we do?” asked another A-rank Bloodhunter, turning to the young woman. “With our current strength, we can no longer contend with the vampires. Should we lie low and recover our power?”

This operation had seen all three S-rank Bloodhunters converge on the small city, only to retreat in disarray—one dead and two wounded. The mightiest among them, Bloodslaughter, had yet to recover from grievous wounds. Thus, the heavy burden of leadership now rested upon the slender shoulders of this young girl.

“Everyone,” the golden-robed girl finally spoke, her voice calm yet resolute. “Our last campaign cost us dearly. Lord Silent gave his life so that we might preserve what remains of our strength. Lord Bloodslaughter’s wounds have yet to heal. Even among our elite A- and B-rank hunters, nearly a third have perished forever on the battlefield. I know each of you has watched friends die beneath the vampires’ claws. Now, against the blood clans—against the vampires—we are almost powerless.”

Her voice dipped, growing faint, nearly inaudible. The gathered Bloodhunters bowed their heads, hiding the persistent sorrow in their eyes.

“This tragedy, however, is one of our own making. It was we who broke the pact with the blood clans, we who decided to strike at their princess.” She did not comfort them but pressed their wounds with greater weight.

At her words, some Bloodhunters clenched their fists so tightly their nails bit into flesh, others’ eyes brimmed with regret, and still others burned with fury.

“But were we wrong?” Her tone shifted, rising. “We were not. Everything we have done is for humanity’s future. Our suffering is the price of failure, nothing more. Our allegiance was forged the day the Bloodhunter Guild was founded—against the vampires, against the blood clans, there can be no end but death. We have lost friends and kin, yet our plight only worsens. Even so, we have not erred. The fallen did not die in vain; their deaths are not meaningless.” A tear traced down her cheek as she spoke, remembering her own father and teacher lost in that battle.

“My warriors, tell me—can we stop now? Can we retreat out of fear of sacrifice?” Her voice trembled with grief as she called out to each Bloodhunter. “No, we cannot!” She wiped her tears away. “We must not let the dead die for nothing. We must not let our ancestors’ wishes become cries of despair. Even if we bleed our last drop, we will fight the vampires to the end. Now, tell me—scarred as we are, what should we do when faced with these bloodthirsty fiends?” she shouted.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!” Every Bloodhunter was roused by her words, their voices thunderous, burning with rage and the will to fight.

“All who can still stand, follow me. Even if this is our last day, we will not bow to the vampires. We cannot, out of weakness, turn a blind eye to their presence. This is our mission, the very calling we must defend, even at the cost of every life.” She turned to all present. “We are Bloodhunters—guardians of humanity. There is no road back, only the road to death or victory.”

With that, she led the way out of the guild, heading toward the Bai Family estate.

Behind her marched Bloodhunters with steadfast eyes, each gaze fixed with the resolve to die. None intended to leave the Bai Family’s doors alive. Like the prayer before every battle, they shouted in unison, “Today is a good day to die!”

The Bloodhunters finally arrived at the Bai Family manor, only to be struck dumb by the sight before them. The estate’s former glory was gone, reduced to ruins. Ashes, the remains of dead vampires, drifted through the debris; all life had vanished from the Bai Family.

“What happened here?” Radiant Sun, the S-rank Bloodhunter, asked in shock. She had come prepared for death, but this sight left her speechless.

“Lady Radiant Sun,” a D-rank Bloodhunter stepped forward to report, “about half an hour ago, the Blood Clan Princess came here. Her battle with the Vampire King destroyed the place.”

“The Blood Clan Princess? The Vampire King?” Radiant Sun echoed in disbelief. She knew that neither of these beings could be withstood by the guild now. “What became of them?”

“The Blood Clan Princess defeated the Vampire King,” the hunter answered, voice trembling at the memory. “She left without killing him. But in the end, the Vampire King was slain by a human, who absorbed his power.”

“What? A human absorbed the Vampire King’s power? Where is he now? We must kill him before he can fully consume that power!” Radiant Sun exclaimed urgently.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I couldn’t keep up with his speed. By the time I realized it, he was gone,” the D-rank hunter replied, his voice bitter.

“It’s all right—it’s not your fault. Bringing us this news is help enough,” Radiant Sun consoled him. She then addressed the others, “Everyone, form teams and search for any escaping vampires. Don’t let them harm civilians. As for the Bai Family—kill any you find, leave none alive.” To the Bloodhunters, those who colluded with vampires and endangered humanity were the most despised; there would be no mercy.

She had not expected that an assault made in the spirit of martyrdom would end so abruptly due to the Blood Clan Princess’s intervention. Whenever she was involved, the guild seemed destined to fail—yet this time, Radiant Sun found herself silently grateful.

The Bloodhunters fanned out, hunting down fleeing vampires and remnants of the Bai Family, stirring the whole city to action.

That night, the Bai Family was erased from history in a single stroke.