Chapter 21:

“Your blood servants have been diligent and tactically astute. The traps they constructed are crude but serviceable.” After nightfall, Lady Femis personally led a few Midnight Hunters to inspect the ambush site. Her servant, Lady Adele, must have given her some “gossip,” yet upon seeing the efforts of the sixteen small players in planning and the day’s work by the blood servants, the lady did not admonish Murphy harshly. Especially after seeing the trench the blood servants were widening and deepening, as well as the automated ballistae mounted on Murphy’s carriage, the lady nodded in satisfaction. This effective work proved that Murphy, an outlying member of the clan, was indeed committed to his decoy and ambush mission. Despite being assigned a sacrificial role, his diligent attitude greatly improved the lady’s impression of him. Since they were all serving the clan’s interests, there was no need to overreact to minor unpleasantries. This was the lady’s philosophy and what her patriarch father had taught her. “I am merely doing my duty, my lady.” Murphy replied humbly. He then suggested: “These traps are still quite crude, as my blood servants are but vengeful civilians gathered from the massacred Morland Village. Their will is strong, but their skills are lacking. Perhaps your professional hunters and spirit adepts could assist in camouflaging these traps to enhance their effectiveness.” “That is precisely what I had in mind.” Lady Femis nodded and quietly instructed her guards. Soon, elite Midnight Hunters and adepts arrived to assist in concealing the preparations. The lady then gripped her exquisite blood whip and discussed the next evening’s attack with Murphy, pointing towards the Foul Swamp. “My hunters and I will conceal ourselves there. The swamp’s miasma will provide excellent cover. After you successfully delay the enemy, we will launch a sudden attack from the flanks and rear to swiftly destroy those military supplies. At that point, we will engage the enemy while you and your servants retreat. The blood servants in the caravan will also join the attack, but the carriages will stop at the swamp’s entrance. Thus, you need only retreat there to escape. Afterward, we will proceed directly back to Kadman City.” “I see. A simple yet effective plan befitting your wisdom, my lady.” Murphy flattered, though inwardly scoffing. Easier said than done! It’s like placating a child to run an errand. However, his current force could never hold out until the lady’s plan came to fruition. It was evident she intended to expend Murphy and his servants as disposable assets. If Murphy had harbored any residual guilt about deceiving the lady and her hunters, it had now vanished upon hearing her make such naive plans again. Still spinning tales at this hour? Good! Don’t blame me for undermining you thoroughly. “You have already assembled forty-five Midnight Hunters, a formidable force. But for prudence, perhaps you could summon more reinforcements this evening?” Murphy suggested softly: “Your esteemed status warrants caution, lest any mishap befall you during the operation.” “Silence!” A guard rebuked him: “The lady’s safety is our responsibility. Focus on playing your decoy role properly instead of running your mouth.” “Ah, it seems I was overcautious.” Murphy narrowed his eyes, maintaining a polite smile as he bowed to the lady and rejoined his servants working at the perimeter. Watching Murphy leave, Lady Femis wrinkled her refined nose and told her two burly guards: “Sir Murphy is also a Blood Vulture clansman who has served the family. Mind your words.” “We have been courteous, my lady.” The guard protested: “With the worsening war, you have long commanded the Midnight Hunters in mobile defense operations away from Kadman City. You are unaware of how our kinsmen in the city deride him and his elders. Even humans mocked them. —— After a night of busyness, when the sunshine fell the next day, Murphy was still in the woods urging the blood servants to complete the final earthworks. Considering the possibility of enemy cavalry, Murphy had also instructed the blood servants to dig pit traps for horses, greatly increasing their workload and fueling their resentment towards him as an outcast of the clan. However, that dubious Lady Adele who has at least an E-cup did not clash with Murphy again today. Likely instructed by Lady Femis, she even came to the woods personally to oversee the blood servants’ labor, greeting Murphy cordially and making small talk. This played right into Murphy’s hands. During the hottest part of the afternoon, just like the previous day, Miriam was escorted cautiously into the captured Witch Hunters’ carriage by Maxim. Today, Natalie and the other three Witch Hunters appeared more wretched than yesterday. Clearly having endured another round of interrogation overnight. When the red-haired blood servant Miriam roused the female hunter, she retrieved a cylindrical object from Natalie’s bosom and handed it to her. The huntress was all too familiar with this innocuous little item. It was what had incapacitated her in Morland Village. However, she shook her head and gestured with her mouth towards the mangled veteran in the corner. Indicating that Miriam should also give one to him. In her current condition, she could not successfully ambush both vampire interrogators simultaneously. Miriam grimaced, reluctantly retrieving her last potent tranquilizer. These were a parting gift from her mentor at the Shaldor Engineering Academy when she dropped out, each one a halfling masterwork. Had she not shown such promising grades and clever conduct, her mentor would never have bestowed these upon her for self-defense. There were only two, with three doses each, originally intended to deter the “local specialties” of Transia, the vampires. Yet now they were all expended on Witch Hunters instead. How vexing! But recalling the current circumstances and Murphy’s promise, Miriam steeled herself and crawled over to slip the last dart into the hands of the veteran called Norman. This man was far more ravaged than Natalie, his upper body was virtually flayed, his slashed throat crudely sutured, and it seemed a rib had even been extracted from his chest, conveying the depravity and madness of these vampires. The sight made Miriam’s gaze tremble. She knew that had she fallen into vampire hands, this would likely be her fate as well. In comparison, Murphy seemed almost gentle for a vampire. Perhaps the very reason he was scorned by his own kind for lacking sufficient malice, gloom, and guile befitting a proper vampire. So Miriam mused as she loosened the captives’ bindings slightly to facilitate their planned ambush that evening. As before, she then took out paper and pen, writing down Murphy’s intelligence on Lady Femis’s battle plan for Natalie to read: “The vampires are lying in ambush near the Foul Swamp. You will be left at the swamp’s entrance. Create a commotion to attract the supply convoy’s attention. We will prepare two cans of lamp oil outside the carriage.” After ensuring Natalie understood the message, Miriam hurried away, her heart pounding. She could sense that everything was rapidly approaching its decisive climax. “Give me a weapon!” She told the escorting Maxim, the loyal blood servant looked at her perplexed and said: “Lord Murphy instructed me to protect you, for you are unskilled in combat.” “I have no intention of entrusting my life to a vampire worshiper who needs to count on his fingers for basic sums.” Miriam clutched her crimson cloak tightly, saying softly: “I want a weapon not for harming others but so that, should you and your lord fail, I can at least choose to end my own life and avoid a more wretched fate.” “You should have some faith in us.” Maxim unshouldered the dwarven hunting rifle he had kept, handing it to Miriam and said: “Have faith in Lord Murphy. He is a sage emerging from the shadows, soon to forge his own legend.” Miriam gave Maxim an incredulous look and snorted: “What legend? Let’s focus on just surviving first. If he does become legendary later, I’ll be sure to pen his biography myself. Aye, the chance to struggle for survival alongside vampires, my arrogant classmates would never believe such a tale. Who could believe it?”