Chapter 56: Why Do Villains Perish Because They Talk Too Much?

The blade of the axe swept through the air, sending a head soaring skyward. The vampire to the side reacted with astonishing speed, kicking off the ground and leaping backward at the last second, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for slaying LV5 Vampire Baron. Source Energy +40 points.]

Disregarding the notification, Lin Xiao surged forward once more, unleashing another charging strike to pursue the escaping vampire. The Interstellar Destruction Battle Axe, wreathed in overwhelming force, cleaved straight for the vampire’s skull.

Just as forty more points of source energy were about to be his, a deep crimson beam of blood shot from behind, intercepting the battle axe’s path.

Lin Xiao felt as though his axe had sunk into sinewy, unyielding tendon. Fortunately, the magical flames enshrouding the axe quickly incinerated the blood light. The vampire, seizing the opportunity, retreated to Damon’s side, his face contorted in terror.

“A superhuman among humans!”

Damon’s exclamation shattered his previously smug composure; at last, wariness clouded his expression as he stared at Lin Xiao.

“Oh? Are you also going to ask whether I’m a mage of the Arcane Union or a member of the Templar Order?” Lin Xiao snuffed out the magical flames, his gaze tinged with regret as he looked at the two of them. Having lost the advantage of surprise, slaying them now would be no easy feat—especially since he still had to protect Will.

“No, you’re not one of them. I can sense it—your power is different from theirs. What I want to know is, are you a Blade Warrior?”

To Lin Xiao’s surprise, Damon uttered a new term:

Blade Warrior!

“Sorry, I’m not a Blade Warrior. I’m just a delicious meal, a premium pet, isn’t that right?” Lin Xiao retorted with irony. Stephan’s face lit with joy; he had long suspected Bayes was a superhuman, and the recent display of strength confirmed it—his power was formidable, scarcely inferior to his own.

“Indeed, you are our blood feast—a premium pet among humans. The blood of superhumans is more delectable still; it not only prolongs our lives but also enhances our strength. I have been trapped at the rank of Count for decades—it’s time I advanced once more.

Once I defeat you and feed on your blood daily, combined with the environment here, I won’t need long to become a Vampire Duke and seize a seat on the Elder Council. That is my greatest aspiration.”

Damon released the girl in his grip. A pair of enormous black wings unfurled from his back, spanning four or five meters wide.

His face twisted grotesquely, features contorting and fangs bared, as if transformed into a demon from ancient legend.

Vampires, also known as ghouls, were in essence monsters—at best, undying monsters.

“Stephan, lend me a hand. The two of us together can subdue him. We’ll split the superhuman’s blood equally; with his resilience, he won’t die easily.”

Damon turned to his brother, inviting him to join. He knew his seemingly gentle sibling possessed even greater potential, and his strength was close to his own. With Stephan’s help, their odds of victory would rise by at least thirty percent.

“No, Damon, stop this. I don’t want to prey on humans anymore. We can survive on animal blood alone—there’s no need to harm humans.”

Stephan’s voice was choked with pain as he gazed at the lifeless bodies of two women and a man on the floor, tears of regret welling in his eyes. He should never have invited them to the party, only for them to die here.

“Stephan, you coward! Animal blood is foul and bitter—nothing like the sweetness of human blood.

Besides, this is a superhuman. His blood contains immense power! With him, we’ll soon become Vampire Dukes and join the Elder Council—don’t you want that?”

Damon’s reproach thundered as his wings beat furiously, whipping up gales.

Lin Xiao calmly signaled for Will to retreat and guard himself. This Damon claimed to be a Vampire Count, certainly much stronger than the Baron slain moments before.

By the hierarchy of Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron, his rank was two above the Baron, his strength likely at least level seven or eight—possibly even higher.

Otherwise, having seen a comrade felled so easily, he would not boast so brazenly of making Lin Xiao his blood feast. Clearly, he was confident in defeating him.

“No, I’ve told you before—I have no interest in joining the Elder Council. That’s why I left home.

Damon, stop persecuting humans. This is now the humans’ world. If our kind hopes to survive, we must blend in—or face extinction.”

Stephan’s plea was sincere; his thinking, Lin Xiao noted, was much like Eddie’s.

It was obvious to Lin Xiao that the haughty Eddie was also a werewolf.

“So, you’ve already betrayed our race. No wonder Father ordered me to execute you.

Stephan, I’ll ask you one last time: Will you help me? If you help capture this superhuman, I’ll plead your case with Father and let you return to the fold. If not, once I have him, your death will follow.”

Before his words finished, a thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking Damon as he menaced his brother.

A brilliant white flash, crackling with unparalleled force, hurled him more than ten meters away. One of his wings was blasted apart, and he collapsed, screaming in agony.

“So this is why villains always die from talking too much. Damn, this isn’t just being verbose; you’re practically putting on a comedy routine. Did you think I was dead?”

Lin Xiao raised one hand as the thunder talisman faded from his palm. While Damon was distracted threatening his brother, Lin Xiao had secretly activated the thunder talisman, blasting him skyward in one strike.

“You despicable human! How dare you interrupt a noble’s speech? Have you no sense of chivalry?”

Damon struggled to his feet, his body scorched and smoking, pitch-black blood gushing from his wounds. Even though the thunder talisman had summoned only the weakest white lightning, its power was not to be underestimated.

“Chivalry? Let me show you some noble spirit—by beating a dog while it’s down.”

Without another word, Lin Xiao lunged forward, unleashing a charging strike toward the gravely injured Damon.

Another vampire rushed to block his path—among their kind, the rules were strict. If he let his superior die, he would be executed upon returning.

“Watch out! He’s not aiming for me!”

The bystander saw clearly, but his warning came too late.

Lin Xiao’s target was not Damon. He suddenly shifted direction, attacking the vampire charging from the side. The Interstellar Destruction Battle Axe swung upward from below, smashing into the vampire and launching him into the air.

Aerial Slash!

Lin Xiao kicked off the ground, leaping high. The axe burst into flames once more, and with a sweeping blow, he cleaved the vampire cleanly in two at the waist.

Bang! Bang!

Two severed halves crashed to the ground. Magical fire consumed them, leaving nothing but charred remains. Against vampires, fire was even more devastating than to werewolves.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for slaying LV5 Vampire Baron. Source Energy +40 points.]

With another comrade slain, Damon was both shocked and furious. He wanted to seize Lin Xiao at once, but the lightning strike had gravely wounded him, sapping at least forty percent of his strength.

And with Stephan refusing to help, if the fight continued, he might well perish here.

As an immortal being, he would never take such a risk. Without absolute certainty, he would not hesitate to—

Flee!

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