Chapter 183-1: When Northern Warriors Become Vampires (Part 1)

Words : 1175 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

While the Vampires were still cleaning up the battlefield, Li De's sharp gaze swept around. A thoughtful glint flickered in his eyes. This battle had ended in victory, no matter the cost in casualties. And the spoils were no less than three individuals above Level 15. The value of these three top-tier combatants far exceeded the combined worth of all the fallen Vampires and Whispering Bats dozens of times over. It was an enormous fortune. This battle had also made Li De realize more clearly what the Vampires were currently lacking: top-tier combat strength. If he had had Betty, the Northern Valkyrie, as his trump card from the beginning, Li De was confident he could have resolved this battle without a single casualty. Thus, the Vampires' shortfall had to be remedied. Even with Betty's addition, it wasn’t enough. The Vampires needed even greater power. Now, Li De urgently needed to choose between Stanley and Grote to turn into a Vampire. Strictly speaking, Betty would have been the best choice. But since she had already bonded with Isha and signed a Soul Contract with him, she was effectively part of his faction thus excluded. That left Grote and Stanley. Ordinarily, there would be no hesitation between the two: Grote’s combat prowess crushed Stanley’s. However, there was one huge consideration: the Evening Bell Church had immense hidden power within Green City. That clandestine force made Li De hesitate. If he turned Stanley into a Vampire, he could immediately inherit the Evening Bell Church’s decades of influence in Green City. When the time came to confront the Dark Pact, he could directly mobilize the Evening Bell Church’s resources to fight them. Yet, comparatively, while Stanley’s subordinates, now either dead or captured, had little standing left, his sheer combat ability could offset it. If, alongside Betty, they could gain Grote, who had suppressed both Kosso and Emi, then Dawn City's high-end combat power would rise dramatically. Due to bloodline limitations, Li De could perform only one Embrace per month, and the next battle would happen in three days. Thus, he could only choose one. Ordinary Vampires could perform an Embrace only once per year, and during the Months of Deep Winter, all Vampires had already used their Embraces. Even if some Vampires had saved an Embrace, Li De couldn’t afford to waste such a critical resource. If their bloodline strength decreased, the loss would be catastrophic. Taking a deep breath, Li De chuckled and slapped his forehead. The answer had been clear all along. He was simply tempted by Stanley. At this moment, Grote’s importance was far greater. Without hesitation, he made his choice: Grote. The importance of top-tier combatants had just been clearly proven, without Betty’s sudden appearance, it was uncertain if the Vampires would have survived today. Even Emi and Kosso, both at Level 15, might not have made it. Such was the role of high-end combat power. When facing low-tier professionals, it was an overwhelming force. "Clan Leader, preparations are complete." Fred, an old Second-generation Bloodline Descendant who had survived the Green City battle a century ago and now guarded the Holy Land, stepped forward to report. Li De turned to look at Fred. His blue Mage robe was now soiled beyond recognition, burnt and caked with dirt, a massive sword wound slashed across his chest. The scene was utterly tragic. Li De silently patted Fred on the shoulder. During the battle, this veteran Second-generation Bloodline Descendant had slain no fewer than seven Northern warriors, including high-tier Level 10 professionals. "We're going home," Li De said with a strangely emotional tone. "Yes," Fred froze for a moment at those words, then, seeing the encouragement in Li De's eyes, felt his own vision blur. To hide his emotions, he quickly lowered his head and turned sharply away. Li De watched Fred's retreating figure, silent for a long while. When the fate of an entire race rested in his hands, this was not only great power, but also immense pressure. At this moment, Isha descended from the mountain as well. Upon seeing Li De, her face lit up with excitement, and she ran over. "Teacher~" Looking at the cheerful little girl, then glancing at the always doting smile on Betty’s face behind her, Li De couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion. This little girl was truly a treasure gifted to him by the Goddess of Luck. Isha, noticing Li De’s silence, grew slightly nervous and cautiously explained, "Teacher, I awakened a special ability a few days ago. I didn’t have time to tell you before... and then Betty-sis..." Li De looked at her worried crimson eyes and smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Isha, don’t worry. You did very well. When facing sudden situations, most of the time, you’ll have to make decisions on your own. In the future, when I'm not around, you’ll need to learn to make decisions independently. As long as you think carefully about your safety and the consequences beforehand. If you can bear the consequences, then boldly act." At that moment, Li De was like an older brother, patiently teaching his little sister how to navigate life. Encouraged, Isha’s crimson eyes filled with a radiant smile. "Mm~" The little girl felt deeply satisfied. Finally, she had been able to help her teacher. Behind them, Betty silently watched the scene, her heart stirring strangely. Her mind wandered to when she had been fourteen or fifteen... Was she hunting snow wolves alone on the snowy mountains? Or battling giant water pythons in the frozen rivers? She couldn’t quite remember. Half a Sun-hour later, seeing that the Vampires had finished preparations, Li De revealed a hint of mystery. "Today, I'm taking you all to a new city. It will be our new home." Hearing this, Betty, who had been silent, perked up with interest. "A Vampire castle? I’ve lived in the North for years, but I’ve never seen a Vampire’s lair. Is it like the legends say, hidden deep within dark caves, sealed tightly, with bats hanging from the ceiling and icy spring water seeping from cracks in the rocks?" Li De’s mouth twitched. "You’ll see when we get there." He had no intention of humoring this wild Northern Valkyrie further. Suddenly, an image surfaced in his mind. That female Elf he had met outside the Elviss Tavern: Ariel, the Level 17 Master Archer. There was something very similar between her and Betty: both carried a wild aura. Yet, they also had stark differences. Elves were renowned for their splendor and wealth; Ariel, of course, was stunningly grand. By contrast, under Betty's leather armor... There was nothing particularly impressive. Perhaps it would look better if the two switched places. Li De’s eyes gleamed playfully. He couldn’t help but wonder, when it came to combat power, was the famed natural talent of the Elves superior? Or was Betty, the Northern Royal Valkyrie who could slay a Level 19 Magma Demon, the true victor?

Chapter 183-1: When Northern Warriors Become Vampires (Part 1)

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