Chapter 31: Extra Story Seven – Mission

When Li Ye burst back into the military headquarters, the vampires thought their medic had gone mad, his body streaked with mottled blood, disheveled and desperate. He flung open Yuan Che’s door, only to find it empty; instead, Qiao Nian stood by the window. Seeing Li Ye in such a state, Qiao Nian was startled and was about to speak, but Li Ye lunged at him with ferocity, clutching Qiao Nian’s collar so tightly his sharp nails scratched his face.

Several captains nearby rushed over to pull Li Ye away, but he tossed them aside with brutal force.

Qiao Nian, strangled and unable to breathe, struggled desperately. Li Ye easily hoisted him off the ground, his grip tightening around Qiao Nian’s neck.

Yuan Che returned to headquarters just in time to witness the scene; his heart clenched. He seized Li Ye’s wrist, coaxing him to loosen his hold. Qiao Nian collapsed heavily to the floor, gasping for air.

Li Ye swallowed the blood lingering in his mouth, his gaze fixed fiercely on Qiao Nian. Sensing Li Ye’s instability, Yuan Che gripped his hand tightly, afraid that a reckless impulse might cost Qiao Nian’s life, and infused his own strength through his fingertips. Li Ye’s wounds began to heal rapidly.

“Why did you annihilate my clan?” Li Ye’s voice was icy, every syllable echoing in their ears.

The Blood Lotus had become a ruin soaked in crimson. Vampire corpses, bones, and broken fangs scattered everywhere. In the end, the military could only continually spray poppy pollen to force all deranged vampires into unconsciousness.

It was nothing short of a calamity.

Yuan Che had immediately summoned all officers for inspection, leaving the vast intelligence division eerily empty.

Qiao Nian stared out the window, unmoving, his face shadowed with sorrow.

Li Ye emerged from the conservatory, his expression haggard. He ordered the surrounding captains out, leaving only himself and Qiao Nian in the room. Qiao Nian waited quietly, unsure what to say.

“There’s no one else here now. I want you to tell me the truth.”

Qiao Nian felt his heart ache even more; he would have preferred Li Ye’s anger or even violence. Instead, Li Ye’s face was emotionless and his tone calm, as if he were speaking to a stranger.

“I truly don’t know what happened.”

Li Ye laughed mockingly. “What a convenient ignorance. Now you’ve washed your hands of all guilt.”

“I really don’t know!” Qiao Nian’s voice was choked and hoarse. “Why won’t you believe me? I beg you, tell me what happened…”

“You are indeed Qining’s child. You carry half of the Blood Key lineage.”

Qiao Nian wiped his tears with the back of his hand. “What is a Blood Key?”

“It’s a special bloodline, the origin of the clan. It’s exempt from the death list, and when necessary, it brings new life to the blood kin.”

“Then…”

“Your brother is a pure Blood Key—but you are not. Your bloodline has already been partly corrupted.”

A foreboding dread surged through Qiao Nian. His voice trembled uncontrollably. “So… what does that mean?”

“You are a Reverse Blood Key. You bring death.”

These words sent Qiao Nian plummeting into an abyss.

Li Ye suddenly stood, his emotions surging. He seized Qiao Nian’s wrist. “What did you do to Qining? Why has her bloodline been corrupted?”

A dense fog of sorrow clouded his face as he repeated, again and again, “What did you do to her…”

Li Ye’s strength was immense. Qiao Nian heard the sound of bones fracturing in his wrist, but he forgot to struggle.

“If I told you I had no idea my bloodline was impure, would you believe me?”

Li Ye paused abruptly. After a long silence, he released his grip. “Does belief matter? Is it meaningful? Will it bring the dead back to life? Since it began with you, you must do something to resolve it, not dwell on irrelevant things.”

A bleak smile appeared on Qiao Nian’s face. “You’re right. Something must be done to make amends…”

He turned stiffly, slowly walking toward the door, murmuring that broken sentence under his breath.

“Do something… to make amends…”

That night, Su Ye received an urgent message from headquarters and hurried back from Ice Mirror with Han Qi.

Moonlight illuminated the long corridor leading to the Blood Lotus. The ground bore deep grooves and countless cracks from battle; the air was thick with dust and debris.

The pungent scent of blood lingered. Han Qi felt as if a boulder weighed on his chest, bent over, vomiting blood. Su Ye put his arm around Han Qi’s shoulders, forming a barrier around them to keep out the ominous stench.

Han Qi gazed at the mangled bodies strewn across the ground, his heart torn, tears spilling from his eyes. “How… how did it come to this…”

Su Ye reached out to gently wipe his tears, whispering, “There will be a way…”

In the highest conference room of headquarters, Su Ye stood in silence, appearing calm, though only he knew he was on the brink of collapse.

Li Ye stood opposite, his face worn and weary, having not slept for days. “Marshal, there’s only one way…”

“Do you know that once the Blood Key is activated, it will vanish completely?”

Li Ye nodded bitterly. “I know. But Marshal, this is Han Qi’s mission.”

Su Ye spun around, his terrible, icy aura shattering all the windows in the conference room.

“I absolutely forbid it!”

“Marshal, I can’t bear to lose Han Qi either, but—”

“There are no ‘buts’,” interrupted not by Su Ye, but by Han Qi, who entered. “Since it’s my mission, I must fulfill it.”

He walked to Su Ye’s side and gently took his hand. His smile remained serene, his gaze soft yet resolute as he looked at Su Ye. “It’s military law, isn’t it?”

Su Ye withdrew his hand from Han Qi’s palm, turned, and left without a word.

Han Qi hugged him from behind, giving Li Ye a signal with his eyes. Understanding, Li Ye quietly withdrew.

Han Qi circled to face Su Ye, kissing him gently on the lips.

Su Ye still turned away, but Han Qi stood before him, undeterred.

“I won’t agree. You’re wasting your breath.”

“Ye, do you trust me?”

Su Ye said nothing.

Han Qi sighed, hugged him tightly, and whispered into his ear, “If you trust me, let me go. I won’t die.”

“The price of activating the Blood Key is the dissolution of the body.”

Han Qi smiled. “Do you remember the first time we met?”

Su Ye wasn’t sure what wordplay Han Qi was up to and decided to keep silent out of caution.

“I survived then, so this time I’ll survive again.”

Su Ye frowned. “What logic is that?”

“Ye, trust me,” Han Qi placed Su Ye’s palm against his lips, kissing it tenderly, “Trust that I can always create miracles, and this time will be no exception.”

Han Qi’s gaze was unwavering and gentle, pure light shining from beneath his soft black lashes.

Su Ye could no longer stay angry. He lifted Han Qi’s chin and kissed him deeply.

“But I want to go with you.”

The place to activate the Blood Key was the Blood Realm Forest, but none of them knew what dangers awaited, for the Blood Key had only been activated once, tens of thousands of years ago. All vampires had gained new life, except for the Blood Key itself, which vanished into dust and its soul faded away.

Su Ye and Han Qi walked ahead, Li Ye and Yuan Che followed behind. With every step, their hearts sank further.

It was a sentient forest; sensing the Blood Key’s presence, it responded. The previously dormant air currents swiftly swirled, forming raging whirlwinds that uprooted trees.

The storm made it impossible for them to move forward, but around Han Qi, a sturdy barrier seemed to form. The fierce currents did not touch him; only he could advance.

Han Qi took a few steps forward, then stopped, turning to look at Su Ye. Tears shimmered in his eyes, but he smiled gently at last.

Then he turned away and continued forward without hesitation.

A black vortex appeared ahead, growing rapidly, pulling Han Qi in.

Author’s Note: