The Missing Xiaoxiao
“What’s wrong?” Hearing Qiao Wei’s cry from outside, Luo Xuan and Luo Chen rushed in at once, and Rhine, who had just entered her own tent, hurried over as well.
“Xiao Xiao is missing! I just brought her into the tent, she was right there, and suddenly she’s gone…” Qiao Wei was like an ant on a hot pan, anxiously pacing in circles.
Rhine walked over and patted Qiao Wei’s shoulder. Though her words were reproachful, her tone betrayed her own anxiety. “That girl must have slipped out while we weren’t paying attention. When she gets back, she’ll get a good scolding!”
“Enough talking, let’s hurry out and look for her. It’s dangerous outside at night, and… those vampires who’ve lost their humanity usually wander at night. That little one will be in real danger alone out there!” Luo Chen’s warning made Qiao Wei even more nervous. She hurried out of the tent, only to be stopped by Luo Xuan, whose expression was grave. “Don’t panic. We’ll split into two groups. I’ll take Qiao Wei, and Luo Chen will go with Rhine. That’s safer. Whether we find her or not, we must all return in two hours.”
Luo Chen glanced at Qiao Wei, some unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes. He said nothing and turned to leave with Rhine.
Luo Xuan led Qiao Wei in their search. He caught the faint scent of blood on the wind, and quickly took Qiao Wei in the direction where it was strongest.
“There’s someone lying over there!” Following the scent through the grass, Qiao Wei saw a small figure lying in a pool of blood from a distance. She cried out and ran toward it.
When they got closer, they discovered it was not Xiao Xiao, but a person who had been killed by a vampire. The corpse stared with wide, terrified eyes; its fingernails gripped the grass roots tightly, and its face and body were covered in wounds, clear signs of a desperate struggle before death.
Luo Xuan examined the wounds carefully, then looked at Qiao Wei, his expression complicated. “It was bitten by a newborn, the marks are still raw. But the size of the bite suggests it was… a child.”
“Have you found anything?” Suddenly, Rhine’s voice sounded from behind.
Luo Xuan frowned, his tone slightly reproachful. “Why did you come here too?”
“We followed the scent of blood,” Luo Chen replied, sweeping his gaze over the corpse.
Suddenly, numerous green eyes appeared in the darkness of the woods, like ghostly will-o’-the-wisps, slowly closing in around Qiao Wei and the others, encircling them. Only then did Qiao Wei see clearly—it was a pack of vampires! Their faces twisted in bloodthirsty expressions, their pale fangs terrifying, poised and restless where they stood…
Before Qiao Wei could react, one vampire lunged forward, followed by the others, as if obeying some command, rushing madly toward her. Greed shone in their green eyes. Just as the vampire’s sharp claws were about to slash Qiao Wei’s cheek, a ghostly light flashed, and the vampires that had just attacked were instantly reduced to ashes.
The eerie glow faded from Luo Chen’s dark red eyes, his voice cold beyond measure. “These ‘Prisoners’ seem to be under someone’s control.” He suddenly grabbed Qiao Wei’s hand. “I’ll take her. Let’s keep searching for the little one.” With that, he whisked Qiao Wei away at lightning speed.
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Passerby (with knife): Where on earth did Xiao Xiao go??
Yu Ning: I’d rather die than tell you~
Passerby: — —||