Chapter 130: The First Time…

Li De took a deep breath, not expecting such explosive news from young Jones. The good news was undeniably the discovery of an iron vein, and judging by Jones’s description, the deposit seemed to be substantial. The bad news was that Cyclops lived near this mineral vein. Cyclops were semi-intelligent creatures with intelligence comparable to that of a 12 to 14 year old child. These beings, who carried the bloodline of Ancient Giants, could grow up to six blades tall and weigh over 2,000 pounds upon reaching adulthood. An average adult Cyclops was around Level 9, elite Cyclops could exceed Level 10, and the most powerful Cyclops Lords could reach Level 15—making them a formidable high-level race. These creatures generally lived in remote forests or mountain ranges, rarely seen in the outside world. "How many Cyclops did you encounter?" Jones shook his head, fear evident in his eyes. "Lord Kachar, we only encountered one. He came out of that gray forest. The forest is vast—we couldn’t determine how many Cyclops live there." One? Li De looked at Henner and the other vampire, both now unable to speak, and nodded gravely. A single Cyclops had managed to injure two Level 8 vampires so severely—it must have been an elite Cyclops, at least Level 10. And Cyclops were communal creatures. If there was an elite Cyclops, it was certain their numbers wouldn’t be small. "Don’t worry, Henner will be fine. The Saintlight Vampires are not a fragile race." "What’s your name?" "Jones." "Jones, you’re a brave young man. I admire your courage. Can you lead us back to that forest? We need the ore, and we must avenge Henner." Young Jones looked at Henner on the ground, gritted his teeth, and tried to suppress his inner fear. "Lord Kachar, will Master Henner truly be alright?" "Of course—I wouldn’t lie to you, young man." "I’m willing. I’ll take you there right now." Li De gave a kindly smile and patted the boy on the shoulder. "You’re a courageous young man. Perhaps someday you can become a great hero like the Twelve Heroes of Dawn." The twelve heroes Li De had appointed had already become legends in Dawn City. Through his efforts, countless youths aspired to follow in their footsteps. "I’ll do my best," Jones said, excitement and aspiration flickering across his face. "Good." Li De nodded, then turned his gaze toward the second-generation bloodline descendants who had rushed over after hearing the news. Everyone was present except for Emi and Fred, who was guarding the Holy Land. Due to the weather, he had already ordered the cessation of population raids, and all vampires stationed at the borders had returned to Dawn City. It was worth noting that aside from Odys, Avi, Lucy, and Dylon—four second-generation bloodline descendants who had broken through to Level 10—the guardian of the Holy Land, Fred, had also reached Level 10 last night, becoming a true Advanced Mage. Five Level 10 Advanced Mages, one Level 15 Blasphemer, and him—a Level 11 Progenitor. To put it frankly, the current strength of the vampires had doubled compared to three months ago. Especially in terms of high-level combat power—they completely outclassed their previous selves. Give him more time to develop, and he believed that even facing his teacher Spark’s White Tower would be an easy victory. "Odys, Avi, Lucy, Dylon—you four come with me. Bring 100 bloodline descendants and 200 Whispering Bats. Also, summon Emi. The dignity of the vampires cannot be provoked!" Cyclops were communal creatures; it was rare to encounter a lone Cyclops. Thus, they were bound to face a Cyclops tribe this time. Aside from Fred, he was bringing all of his high-end forces. Though the Cyclops were powerful, he felt no fear—only cold-blooded determination. No one could casually infringe upon the vampires under his rule. No one had that right. Moreover, despite their formidable strength, the Cyclops had a fatal weakness. They couldn’t fly. With air superiority, the vampires held absolute control. If Henner hadn’t been protecting Jones, he wouldn’t have been injured so severely. In just ten minutes, all vampires and Whispering Bats were assembled. Above Dawn City, the shapes of the flying Whispering Bats covered half the city. As the Whispering Bats soared past, they cast enormous shadows on the ground, resembling abyssal demons preparing to hunt dragons. Every low-altitude pass caused gasps and admiration from the crowd in the square. By now, dusk was approaching. Although the vampires were still somewhat affected by their condition, it wasn’t as severe as it had been at noon. This was Li De’s first time leading the vampires into battle, and his blood boiled within him. Every man had a dream of commanding an army in brutal warfare, and Li De was no exception. On Earth, he never had the chance. But in the world of Glory, he was the king of a race and the master of a city. He could wage a war at any time, betting lives as stakes. The blood boiled within him. Without further words, the vampires set out for battle and assembled in the square of Dawn City. Under the curious gazes of the surrounding crowd, the neatly lined-up vampires exuded an overwhelming aura of strength. In this solemn atmosphere, the residents spontaneously ceased their chatter and unconsciously straightened their postures. "Saintlight Vampires, march with me for the sake of Dawn City!" Li De's cold tone echoed across the entire square. "Yes, Lord Progenitor." After a unified response, the hundred vampires mounted the giant Whispering Bats. Whoosh~ The Whispering Bats flapped their massive wings, stirring up a fierce wind. In the awestruck gazes of the crowd, all the Whispering Bats took to the skies, disappearing into the distance as mere black dots in moments. The humans present couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. The strength of this army filled them with a sense of honor. As for the reason behind this sudden event, it spread quickly among the crowd after the vampires departed. The prospector team dispatched by Lord Kachar had, after more than a month of arduous effort, finally discovered an iron vein. However, near this vein lived a tribe of Cyclops. The ferocious Cyclops had ambushed the unsuspecting prospectors, gravely injuring one of the Saintlight Vampires who had protected the young prospector, while two blacksmiths were killed by the Cyclops. Upon hearing this news, Lord Kachar was enraged. The dignity of the Saintlight Vampires could not be challenged, nor could the lives of Dawn City’s residents be lost in vain. In his fury, Lord Kachar decided to personally take action, seize the iron vein for Dawn City, and exterminate the Cyclops responsible for killing its citizens. The carefully packaged message spread rapidly from the City Hall’s newly established Propaganda Department, reaching everyone's ears in no time. Propaganda was always a crucial battleground, and this secret department, though small and not open to recruitment, was personally overseen by Harrison. It was a department Li De paid close attention to. Upon hearing the news, the residents of Dawn City were filled with righteous indignation toward the Cyclops, silently praying for the safe return of the Saintlight Vampires. This war was fought to avenge the residents of Dawn City, and everyone stood united in their hatred. External conflicts were one of the best ways to resolve internal tensions. Facing a powerful enemy brought the entire city together instantly. Li De and Jones sat together on a single Whispering Bat. With a wingspan of 10 to 12 blades, the Whispering Bats were undisputed rulers of the skies. In terms of size alone, they rivaled any lifeform of the same level. The iron vein discovered by Jones wasn’t far from Dawn City. After half a sun-hour of high-speed flight, guided by Jones, Li De arrived at the site of the attack. This was a rather concealed area, difficult to discover. It lay between two towering peaks, with a narrow passage only 30 blades wide. The winding aerial route stretched for nearly a thousand blades. If not for searching for ore, Li De believed no one would ever pass through here. The Far Mountain Range wasn’t made of small hills—towering peaks were everywhere, so no one would bother exploring such a place out of curiosity. After navigating the winding passage, the view suddenly opened up. A vast space appeared, surrounded by towering mountains. This valley resembled the shape of a bowl. Jones pointed toward the entrance of the valley. From hundreds of blades above the ground, Li De surveyed the land below. What met his eyes was a mountain range not covered by snow and ice. The exposed rocks displayed a gray-brown hue, starkly different from the surrounding peaks. This must be the iron vein. To the right of the mountain range lay a forest with an average height of 15 blades, stretching endlessly into the distance. The fine, gray leaves were heavily covered in snow, with only a few peeking through. The gray bark of the trees resembled stone pillars, exuding an ancient and resilient aura. At the boundary between the forest and the ore vein, clear signs of combat were visible. The ground was pockmarked with craters, and several enormous footprints left by the Cyclops were evident. Scattered around were traces of blood, and there was even the skeletal remains of a Whispering Bat, gnawed clean by sharp teeth—a clear sign of the Cyclops’ handiwork. Li De’s gaze turned icy. This was the first time the vampires had suffered losses in such a long while. He didn’t order the vampires to descend. With a wave of his hand, his voice, amplified by mana, reached everyone. "Odys, lead a team to scout the perimeter of this valley and confirm if there are other passages connecting to the outside." "Emi, you are free to act independently to locate those damned Cyclops." "All other vampires, ascend to 1,000 blades and wait for nightfall." Rash actions would only put them at a disadvantage. Before the battle, they needed to confirm specific details about the enemy. This wasn’t a fight involving just one or two individuals—it was a war between two people. Even the smallest mistake could result in countless casualties. The vampires immediately carried out their orders. As a Shadow High Priest and Level 15 Blasphemer, Emi was undoubtedly the strongest presence here, especially after becoming a vampire and learning Li De’s Small Fireball spell. Even if he encountered the Cyclops tribe, he wouldn’t be intimidated. Thus, Li De felt confident allowing him to explore alone. As for the other vampires, Li De decided to act after nightfall. Nighttime was when the vampires were at their strongest. Emi directly used his racial talent in mid-air, transforming into a bat. Pop~ Hundreds of bats flew toward the ground, disappearing from Li De’s sight in the blink of an eye. The vampires who had ascended maintained a state of silent vigilance, awaiting the information brought back by Odys and Emi, as well as the arrival of the Goddess of Night. The snowstorm, which had just subsided, began to pick up again. The already dim light of dusk grew even darker. Jones, seated on the Whispering Bat, looked at Li De’s tall and imposing figure, then at the solemn vampires beside him. A nervous tension welled up within him. The great battle was imminent.