Chapter 12: Veiled Presence

For the next stretch of time, Qiao Nian continued to stay at Han Qi’s home, though her sleeping arrangements had shifted from the bed in the bedroom to the sofa in the living room. Han Qi had kindly asked her if she wanted to return to the bedroom, but Suyue’s gaze swept over, cold and indifferent. Qiao Nian shivered, feeling an icy chill run through her body, and hastily shook her head. Han Qi felt guilty, so he decided to buy a new bed and set it up in the study.

It was rare that Suyue was not around; Han Qi and Qiao Nian went to the furniture store together. The television mounted on the wall was broadcasting the midday news.

“There has been a series of disappearances among clergy members in the city. According to official sources, twenty people have vanished without reason since the start of the month. The police are investigating with full force. Stay tuned for further developments...”

Hearing the report, Han Qi stopped in his tracks.

Qiao Nian tugged at him, “Why aren’t you moving?”

Han Qi frowned, “That’s strange.”

“In times like these, nothing shocks me anymore. There are all sorts of perverts out there.”

“Nothing shocks you?” Han Qi looked at Qiao Nian, puzzled. “Have you seen a lot?”

Qiao Nian gave a mocking laugh. “I’ve actually seen one myself. But let’s not talk about that. Aren’t we here to buy a bed?”

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Ji Ming was working on another bizarre case.

A cleaning lady had unearthed a blood-soaked garment while cleaning the sewer. The fabric was torn into strips, and when shaken out, scattered bones fell to the ground—white and fragmented, as if gnawed by dogs, broken and incomplete.

Frightened, the lady immediately called the police. After conducting a DNA test on the pieces of bone, it was confirmed that they belonged to a powerful local figure who controlled several well-known bars. People in the underworld dared not report the crime. Only when Ji Ming arrived at "Vampire" with the remains and used his identity as a hunter to threaten the owner did the man reluctantly recount what had happened that night.

In the end, the owner sneered, “People like him deserve to die.”

Ji Ming’s brows were tightly furrowed. “Every world has its rules. As a hunter, I am entitled to kill vampires who threaten humanity.”

The owner snorted disdainfully.

“Do you remember what that boy looked like?”

“Sorry, I can’t recall.”

As expected, a predictable answer.

But there was surveillance footage from that night, so Ji Ming managed to identify the vampire’s appearance. However, the lighting was so dim that the youth’s face was blurred. Ji Ming uploaded the unclear screenshot to the terminal’s matching system, which displayed all faces with over fifty percent similarity. He quickly browsed through each one. When he saw the record for "Qiao Nian," he stopped scrolling.

It showed that before going to "Vampire," the boy had visited "Flower Banquet." Ji Ming remembered the place clearly—it was a vampire stronghold, and Ling Yan had been frequenting it recently.

In that moment, he instinctively concluded that the entire incident had been orchestrated by a ruthless vampire. He tossed aside the mouse and hurried to "Flower Banquet."

Ji Ming pushed open the door, charging in. Li Ye was sitting leisurely on the sofa, enjoying tea. Ji Ming strode over and slammed a stack of photographs onto the table.

Pointing to the youth in the picture, Ji Ming asked, “Do you know him?”

Li Ye took a sip of tea, answering coolly, “What if I do? What if I don’t?”

Such evasive replies made Ji Ming’s temper flare. His voice rose abruptly, “This is evidence of you vampires harming humans!”

“Harming humans?” Li Ye’s lips curled in a mocking smile, his gaze full of provocation. “And what can you do to me?”

“Then it’s my duty to destroy you all!”

Ji Ming revealed the blade at his fingertips, striking toward Li Ye with the speed of lightning.

Li Ye sat unmoving, not even a tremor in the fingers holding his cup.

A white figure dashed swiftly toward Li Ye, blocking Ji Ming’s arm in midair.

“Don’t act without sufficient evidence.”

Ji Ming snatched up a few photos, flinging them at Ling Yan. “This is evidence!”

Ling Yan picked up the photos, examining them one by one, his brows furrowing tighter with each glance.

“We haven’t found the body yet. It’s too early to draw conclusions.”

“Ling Yan, are you insane?” Ji Ming grabbed his collar. “You’re a hunter, yet you’re protecting vampires?!”

“I’m not protecting anyone; I’m stating the facts.”

“Don’t you know how cruel vampires are?!”

“Enough,” Li Ye interrupted coldly, “If you want to argue, do it elsewhere.”

“Is this series of disappearances related to you lot?”

Li Ye’s lips twisted in derision. “I’ve never cared about human affairs, so please don’t look for me.”

“You...”

Ji Ming, teeth clenched, tried to lunge again, but Ling Yan blocked him.

“Enough, don’t lose your temper. Let me investigate first, alright?”

Ji Ming glared fiercely at Ling Yan. “We’ve been investigating for ages! The Hunter Association should have demanded the Vampire Military to look into this already!”

“I’m very sorry.” A cool, distant voice sounded from the doorway. Yuan Che entered in full military uniform. “The military exists to protect the blood race, not humans.”

A chill emanated from him, his mood evidently sour. Ling Yan glanced at his epaulets, immediately realizing he was not someone to be trifled with. Calmly, Ling Yan positioned himself between Ji Ming and Yuan Che, extending his hand, “Hello, Commander. I’m Ling Yan, of the Hunter lineage.”

Yuan Che ignored the offered handshake, his demeanor regal and aloof.

He walked over slowly, his gaze sweeping casually over the scattered photographs on the floor. He spotted Qiao Nian among them, and his expression darkened.

He turned to Li Ye. “You knew he was back all along?”

Li Ye nodded, opening his mouth to speak, but Yuan Che grasped his wrist.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Ah Zhan, can you let go first?”

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t know...”

Yuan Che slowly released him, his face frosted over. Li Ye tried to speak again, but Suyue, entering the room, interrupted.

“He’s at Han Qi’s house.”

Unexpectedly, Yuan Che calmed. The dangerous aura vanished, replaced by a cold smile at his lips.

“So you all knew he was back?”

Suyue sighed almost imperceptibly. “If he truly wanted to see you, would he have hidden for so long?”

Yuan Che glanced at him, saying nothing as he walked out.

“The thing he fears most now is probably facing you,” Suyue said softly as Yuan Che passed by.

Yuan Che’s steps halted, his profile stiffening. After a long pause, he replied in a deep, slow voice, “I told him I would never abandon him.”

He reached up, tugged down the brim of his military cap, and strode out. Suyue paused, then followed.

The room fell silent.

Ling Yan patted Ji Ming’s shoulder. “Go home for now.”

Ji Ming wanted to protest, but seeing Ling Yan’s grave expression, he chose silence. On his way out, he closed the door, leaving only Li Ye and Ling Yan inside.

Indescribable sorrow pressed heavily on Ling Yan’s chest, so intense that his ribs ached. Soon, blood welled at the corner of his mouth.

But these violent emotions were not his own—they belonged to Li Ye.

Li Ye stood motionless, watching the blood at Ling Yan’s lips. His pale face showed no expression.

After a long while, he suddenly asked, “Do you regret forming a blood pact?”

Ling Yan smiled. “I only regret not meeting you before he did.”

Li Ye laughed scornfully. “Your feelings for me are merely the effect of the narcotic, not love.”

His expression was calm, but his eyes empty.

“...Jin,” Ling Yan whispered his name, “What if it is?”

Li Ye’s lips twisted in a cold, thin smile. “You said ‘what if,’ which means even you aren’t sure.”

Ling Yan suddenly felt his heart tighten.

“But what does it matter?” Li Ye laughed suddenly.

He gently wiped the blood from Ling Yan’s lips with a fingertip, then grabbed his collar and kissed him.

Ling Yan froze, his hands hanging stiffly at his sides. The other’s cold lips pressed against his, deepening the kiss, the hand gripping his collar growing ever more forceful.

If true love was unattainable, then desire within reach was not so bad.

“...Wait,” Ling Yan gripped Li Ye’s shoulders tightly, his gaze burning, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Of course I do.”

Li Ye’s eyes were languid and relaxed, yet carried an unconcerned allure.

He bit Ling Yan’s lips again, his tongue sliding into his mouth, fervently and urgently entwining.

Then, they toppled onto the sofa together.

Between kisses, their clothes became disheveled.

Even as his voice weakened, Li Ye commanded hoarsely, “Be rough.”

At those words, desire nearly overwhelmed all sorrow, surging in.

Ling Yan tore off Li Ye’s clothes, then pinned him down and kissed him fiercely.

The intensity and force of his actions unsettled Li Ye, who was used to being in control. Instinctively, he tried to push Ling Yan away, but the dominant kisses blocked every attempt.

Breaths grew heavier, the implication more obvious, and Li Ye found himself powerless to break free.

A single deep kiss left Li Ye feeling as though he might combust, the rising heat making him yearn to draw closer.

“Quick, faster...”

Ling Yan’s hands gripped Li Ye’s waist tightly, and he suddenly smiled, “Too fast won’t do.”

That smile was intensely seductive.

In the moment Li Ye lost himself, Ling Yan lifted his leg, pressing firmly against him.

Soon, their hips began to move, the friction sending electric pleasure through their bodies.

A low, suppressed moan spilled from Li Ye’s lips. He wrapped his legs tightly around Ling Yan’s waist, gripping his shoulders hard, leaving deep marks.

An unprecedented sense of release nearly made Ling Yan lose all control.

Ling Yan wanted, uncontrollably, to ravage him, to break him to pieces; but at the same time, he wanted to love him fiercely, until breathless.

After their wild lovemaking, the heavy sorrow that had been repressed in Li Ye’s heart finally found its release, dissipating from his body. All he felt was exhaustion, nothing else.

Almost instinctively, he nestled closer into the warmth of Ling Yan’s embrace, and Ling Yan held him, gently stroking his back.