Vampire Cornet

"Qiao Qiao, why are you up so early today?" As Qiao Wei stepped out of her room with her things in hand, she heard Luo Xuan's gentle voice coming from the living room. To her surprise, despite what had happened yesterday, there was no awkwardness between them; Luo Xuan acted as though nothing had occurred.

"Luo Xuan, I'm planning to look for that sorcerer today." Qiao Wei smiled sincerely and sat down beside Luo Xuan.

At her words, the hand holding Luo Xuan’s coffee trembled slightly, nearly spilling the aromatic liquid. He set the cup down gently, managing a strained smile. "There's no need to rush. You should rest a few more days."

"Let’s go today. I’ve been here for more than three months now, and I haven’t seen my mother in all this time. I really miss home. I want to finish everything soon and… go back." A trace of sorrow flickered in Qiao Wei’s dark eyes, and a faint hint of reluctance appeared on her face.

"Will you come back to see me, Qiao Qiao?" Luo Xuan forced a smile, a touch of bitterness at the corners of his lips.

Qiao Wei patted Luo Xuan’s shoulder, deliberately lightening the mood. "Of course I will. I’ll visit you, Rhine, and… Luo Chen, too. Ah, there’s Luo Chen now. Let’s go to that town today."

Just as she spoke, Luo Chen walked in, the frost in his dark red eyes unthawed. "Then… let’s go."

He clenched his fists unconsciously, then walked to Qiao Wei’s side and rather stiffly took her hand. Qiao Wei paused, then quietly withdrew her hand, waved to Luo Xuan, and followed Luo Chen out the door.

Luo Xuan’s brow furrowed tightly, his eyes filled with guilt. Suddenly, a black shadow flashed in from the window and lunged at him as he sat. Luo Xuan dodged swiftly, his crimson eyes flaring with a burst of red flame that shot toward the figure!

The shadow halted, a transparent shield snapping up to envelop him tightly. The flames Luo Xuan cast were blocked outside the shield. As the fire faded, the figure gradually became clear—it was the vampire who had killed Xiaoxiao. His shoulder-length black hair half-veiled his face, and his emerald eyes shone with cunning. He curled his lips slightly, speaking in a leisurely manner, "Heh, Your Highness Luo Xuan, allow me to introduce myself. I am the one you despise most—‘the Prisoner.’ My name is Corneille."

"Get out before I kill you," Luo Xuan’s handsome face was contorted in anger. But Corneille only laughed. "Your Highness jests. Certainly, you have the power to tear me apart, but you know as well as I do—you cannot kill me."

Luo Xuan’s fingers were clenched so tightly they’d turned pale. Suddenly, he laughed coldly. "What do you want?"

"Your blood!" Corneille’s fangs glinted uncontrollably, and the protective shield around him flickered, weakening. Luo Xuan’s gaze turned razor-sharp. The instant the shield’s power waned, Corneille was flung ten meters away by Luo Xuan’s will, crashing into a wall. Luo Xuan swiftly drew a wooden stake from an ornate carving and hurled it at Corneille, the wood piercing his chest just centimeters from his heart, wringing a cry of pain from him.

"Hmph, lowly creatures like you should not dream of power. The filthy blood coursing through you always betrays those uncontrollable desires. So, get out!" Luo Xuan's tone grew ever more frigid, but Corneille merely dragged himself up, pulled out the stake, and with the same smugness replied, "You cannot kill me! I’ll be back! Hahaha…"

With that, he vanished out the window. Luo Xuan’s brow remained deeply furrowed, as though sensing an imminent crisis.