Chapter 77: Zhuang Jianfei
On October 18th, Friday, in a luxurious private dining room of a five-star hotel in S City, located on the eastern coastal area of China.
This place used to be the tallest building in S City and even the entire country. Sitting in the opulent suite on the eighty-eighth floor, one could overlook the bustling landscape of Asia’s number one metropolis, beneath the clouds.
At this moment, only a young man dressed in a suit, with an elegant demeanor, sat alone on the room’s sofa, leisurely flipping through an English magazine, with a steaming cup of coffee beside him, appearing like a returnee with exceptional status.
Zhuang Jianfei, Elder of the Hermit Alliance, member of the Apennine bloodline, mid-level baron.
Fifty years ago, Zhuang Jianfei was merely an ordinary youth from S City, sent to a southwestern border province for progressive education. During that chaotic era, filled with both excitement and confusion, Zhuang Jianfei sought a way out by sneaking abroad, wandering around Southeast Asia, where he was subsequently turned into a vampire.
In the early 1980s, Zhuang Jianfei returned to the country as a Chinese national and joined the Hermit Alliance, by then already a mid-level knight.
Becoming a mid-level knight in just over ten years with an ordinary blood type marked him as a talent of the highest caliber.
Some members of the Hermit Alliance doubted whether Zhuang Jianfei might have joined the Black Blood Clan while in Southeast Asia. The reasoning was simple: the Apennine bloodline is the most difficult ancestral bloodline to cultivate, bar none.
For a non-rare blood type to grow to a mid-level knight in such a short span raised suspicions, especially given the notorious reputation of the Southeast Asia region; every vampire across the globe was well aware of it.
That area, apart from Siam, is the only region in the world without a major family of orthodox vampires, filled instead with wandering bloodsuckers and those from the Black Blood Clan—a chaotic, disorderly place driven solely by profit.
However, the extensive overseas connections and channels Zhuang Jianfei brought back allowed the Hermit Alliance to develop rapidly in the short span of twenty years, garnering the trust of the central elders. Seven years ago, he successfully ascended to the position of Elder.
“Elder Zhuang, Elders Wu and Xiang have arrived…”
The door opened halfway, and the voice of Wei Jun came into the room.
“Hmm, inform the lobby manager that the dishes can be served.”
Zhuang Jianfei tossed aside the magazine, stood up to adjust his suit, and then cheerfully walked to the dining table in the center of the room, preparing to welcome his guests.
Minutes later, a man and a woman entered the suite. After merely nodding to Zhuang Jianfei in greeting, they took their seats at the dining table.
The hotel staff entered in succession, and plates filled with rich offerings filled the table—typical Huadong coastal flavors, light and fresh. After declining the dining service, the suite door was firmly closed, obstructing any outside intrusion.
“Zhuang Jianfei, why choose S City? Had I known, I would have hosted it myself, and wouldn’t have chosen such a country bumpkin show-off place…”
A middle-aged woman, plump and dressed in a Shanghai-style cheongsam with a Su embroidery shawl, lazily leaned back in her chair, not even glancing at the sumptuous dishes on the table. Instead, she pulled out a box of cosmetics, nonchalantly touching up her face in the little mirror as if no one were around.
Wu Yuqing, Elder of the Hermit Alliance, lower noble rank, from the Iberian bloodline.
Sister Wu lives here.
You, boy, hosting a banquet in her territory, is simply lacking respect, haha!
A burly middle-aged man pounded the table heartily, his voice booming and unrestrained.
Xiang Zuxing, Elder of the Hermit Alliance, mid-level viscount, of the Alatau bloodline.
This wine is meant for women, it’s as bland as water…
Xiang Zuxing wasn’t polite at all, reaching over to grab a bottle of yellow wine from the table and opened it directly for a drink. After taking a swig, he smacked his lips several times, showing clear dissatisfaction.
Wu Yuqing rolled her eyes at him while pursing her lips, ignoring the rough northern man and instead turned to Zhuang Jianfei: “What’s this? Just the three of us? Didn’t you invite Sister Deng and Old Feng?”
Zhuang Jianfei smiled but did not answer immediately. Instead, he kindly poured a glass of Huadiao wine for Wu Yuqing first: “It’s not anything formal, just a private gathering. This time I’m in S City to discuss new collaboration intentions with some prominent families in Europe and America.”
If the collaboration goes smoothly, the alliance could procure their latest vampire secret medicine. Hehe, the effect surpasses the Wang family’s golden elixir by ten percent, and it works for those of baron rank and above, but there’s a limit on annual procurement quantities.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Wu Yuqing’s makeup application came to a sudden halt. She slowly turned her head, her expression one of disbelief.
Works for barons and above!? Oh wow, even if the effect is only ten percent better, that’s extraordinary! It could save us so much growth time!
Xiang Zuxing also put down the wine bottle, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Hehe, that’s a project jointly done by the James family from North America and the Fujiwara family from Japan, in collaboration with MIT. On the surface, it’s a veterinary analgesic.
They even promised that if this collaboration negotiation receives support from the three of us, this secret medicine can be provided in addition to the procurement quantity limits, which would be a private allocation…
Zhuang Jianfei proudly raised his wine glass. Wu Yuqing also understood and raised her glass, while Xiang Zuxing, holding the entire bottle of yellow wine, remained motionless.
Brother Zhuang, for something so beneficial to the alliance, naturally, the more the merrier, but hearing you say it, this collaboration must not be that simple, right? I think those foreigners won’t just be taking your brother Zhuang’s face into account.
Xiang Zuxing had calmed down, placing the wine bottle back on the table, fixating his gaze on Zhuang Jianfei’s face: “What kind of collaboration method requires the three of us to mobilize in the alliance?”
It’s simple, we need to use some resources from the alliance to operate in the financial market, diluting the shareholdings of several listed companies controlled by the Wang family behind the scenes. Hmm, primarily targeting a few bank stocks.
Brother Xiang, you also know that Old Feng is, to put it nicely, a peacemaker, but to put it harshly, he’s like a weather vane—swaying wherever the wind blows. Old Chu is in a central position but is rather old-fashioned; now that his life term is nearing an end, he probably wouldn’t agree to anything that competes with the Wang family’s interests. As for Sister Deng, don’t get me started—she’s entirely dependent on Old Feng’s face.
The remaining two central elders are currently dormant; it’s likely they won’t return to manage affairs for a few years. So, as long as the three of us move together, Old Feng will definitely see the direction of the wind clearly, and Sister Deng will naturally side with us. By then, even if Old Chu opposes it, he will still have to consider the opinions of the five of us…
Zhuang Jianfei sighed in regret, deeply exhaling: “What era are we in now? To develop quickly, we must align with the international market and fully utilize global resources to develop relationships with overseas orthodox vampire families!”
“You’re insane, the Hermit Alliance has a deep relationship with the Wang family, having coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years. In times of trouble, we stand united. Many brothers in the alliance have familial ties with the Wang family. Although the alliance has many hidden cards, dismantling them in this way surely isn’t ethical!?”
Xiang Zuxing’s palm slammed heavily onto the table, his face gradually turning pale, seemingly displeased with Zhuang Jianfei’s collaboration with the foreign vampire families.
“Unethical? The Wang family roots itself in several provinces of the West, their influence radiating across half of China. The Zhou family in Huadong and the Liang family in Huanan combined don’t even compare to the Wang family. The Wang family dominates but has no drive to advance; although they seem to avoid offending anyone daily, they’ve hindered the development of domestic vampires.”
“Those old turtles with thousands of years of history are best at utilizing bloodline marriages to establish connections. If the Hermit Alliance continues this way, we might one day truly become their vassals.”
“Brother Xiang, think about it; in the past decades, whatever good project came up, we left our share for the Wang family, but we can’t even step into their territory… Isn’t it just blatant that they’re eating at our table while guarding against us?”
Zhuang Jianfei’s expression began to darken as he drained his glass of wine and anxiously returned to his seat.
“…”
Xiang Zuxing was stunned and gradually sat down, his brow furrowing in some hesitation.
“The Wang family is powerful. They might look down on these trifling interests… As for eating and drinking, I think Jianfei has some reason here. Recently, I’ve also been in touch with the Zhou family, and they have some complaints about the Wang family over the years. It can only be said that the Wang family’s appetite is a bit too big…”
Wu Yuqing smiled cheerfully, personally serving Xiang Zuxing several pieces of food while stealing glances at Zhuang Jianfei.
“Sorry, Brother Xiang, I was emotional and spoke a bit harshly; allow me to make amends!”
Zhuang Jianfei stood up and drained an entire bottle of red wine in one go. This gesture naturally made the spirited Xiang Zuxing feel somewhat embarrassed.
“I’m not siding with anyone, nor will I oppose. I can only go this far. Brother Zhuang, Sister Wu, I have matters at home to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave.”
Xiang Zuxing also finished the yellow wine in his hand, lifted his arm to wipe his mouth, and strode out of the private room.
Talking to him is simply like dealing with a straightforward character.
Wu Yuqing elegantly savored a pricey steamed large yellow croaker, appearing confident and relaxed.
Zhuang Jianfei also smiled faintly, noncommittal.
As night fell over S City, Zhuang Jianfei stood alone at the riverside dock, gazing calmly at the dazzling lights on the wide river surface.
A shadow approached from afar, taking small, cautious steps as if in a very delicate state.
A middle-aged man, dressed like an ordinary citizen, would immediately be recognized by those from the Dark Arrow headquarters’ intelligence bureau as the last key figure from the Tang family that had gone missing.
Tang Zexuan, a lower-level baron, the nephew of Tang Jiazhang Tang Zhaowen, managed to escape during the ambush and pursuit by the local Black Blood Clan and is now on the Dark Arrow’s B-level wanted list.
“Elder Zhuang, is it the Engel family here to pick me up… sigh, I really can’t stay in this country any longer. The pursuit by Dark Arrow has become increasingly tense!”
Tang Zexuan looked grim. After months of being on edge, he was somewhat mentally unstable, even his pheromone control—the minimum required for a baron—was showing signs of faltering, giving off weak hints of anxiety, fear, and terror.
“Hmm, they’ve already arrived, just in that warehouse over there. When the time comes, you’ll disguise yourself as a crew member and board their cargo ship directly; you’ll be able to go to Europe.”
Zhuang Jianfei smiled, patting Tang Zexuan on the shoulder, presenting a reassuring expression: “Tang Zhaowen was too greedy, wanting to monopolize the good fortune entrusted to the Tang family. As a result, he acted recklessly and got discovered by the Wang family. It’s just a case of him looking for death; I know it has nothing to do with you.”
“Exactly, it was something entrusted to the Tang family! But the clan leader got greedy after discovering two blood types. I couldn’t change his mind!”
Tang Zexuan was sobbing and sniffling, completely devoid of the commanding presence of a baron.
“Alright, let’s go over together. I’ll introduce you; consider it your first chance to meet the new employers. Once you’re with the Engel family, your status is likely even higher than here in the country, so you’ll have to take good care of your little brother.”
Zhuang Jianfei, like a good brother, pulled him along towards a large dock warehouse a kilometer away, chatting along the way.
As they walked, Zhuang Jianfei’s body began to emit a faint, barely perceptible pheromone, while his internal hormones also started a unique chemical reaction, merging into the pheromones.
This was a unique ability of the Apennine bloodline baron—Dream Illusion—capable of activation without boiling blood. Even vampires of baron rank and above wouldn’t easily perceive this change in atmosphere if they didn’t switch on their boiling blood.
The two chatted like they were simply taking a walk, gradually entering a dark, large warehouse.
Feeling as if they were stepping in something liquid, the soles of their shoes became sticky, like standing in water. Tang Zexuan looked around, puzzled, but even the terrifying night vision of vampires found nothing unusual, with only the familiar presence of Zhuang Jianfei beside him.
Continuing onward, the wet, sticky sensation at their feet intensified. Tang Zexuan began to twitch his nostrils but still detected no odd smells.
Suddenly, blinding lights shone from a distance, striking Tang Zexuan’s face directly, forcing him to raise a hand to shield his eyes.
As he realized his shoulder was suddenly empty, he discovered that Zhuang Jianfei, who had been holding his shoulder all this time, was nowhere to be seen.
“Zhuang Jianfei, you’ve betrayed me!”
A sense of crisis exploded in his mind, prompting Tang Zexuan to activate boiling blood. Only then did he realize the ground beneath him was covered in thick, congealed blood, an overwhelming stench of blood assaulting his senses.
“Damn it, you’ve been using Dream Illusion to interfere with my sight and smell this entire time!?”
Figures began to materialize around him; he saw Zhuang Jianfei, along with two unfamiliar European men and women, standing several dozen meters away, while Tang Zexuan’s anger bubbled over as he charged recklessly towards the exit.
But it was too late. Under the distortion of Zhuang Jianfei’s Dream Illusion, the blood spikes rising before him looked all too real or doubled in shadows, striking him repeatedly, leaving him in a state of confusion where he couldn’t make correct judgments—even with his Alatau bloodline baron capabilities, second only to the Caucasian vampires.
Emma and Luca of the Rhine bloodline were once again working together to cast a Blood Domain, trapping Tang Zexuan like a fly in a web, leaving him with no escape. The baron, who should have been restrained by the Rhine bloodline, was now like a lamb waiting for slaughter.
In a battle of three barons against one, with the most treacherous Apennine baron present, Tang Zexuan had almost no chance of winning. Within ten minutes, his overused boiling blood caused his body to collapse, being pinned down by dozens of blood spikes, his limbs severed, his torso perforated like a beehive, blood gushing out like a broken sack but he hadn’t truly died yet.
“Mr. Zhuang, please enjoy your feast… what a splendid cooperation.”
In the eyes of Emma and Luca, Zhuang Jianfei’s body twisted in excitement and bloodthirsty greed as they exchanged satisfied glances and turned to leave.
“Zhuang… Zhuang Jianfei, you’re a damn Black Blood Clan member… wuu, Master Zhuang, please spare me… Zhuang, may you not have a good end!”
Zhuang Jianfei, with distorted hands, reveled in hearing Tang Zexuan’s cries and curses, while he began tearing apart Tang Zexuan’s already battered body, extracting the liver, pulling out the intestines, and munching on them as one would savor a delicious meal.
Tang Zexuan’s pitiful screams grew quieter, eventually transforming into indistinguishable bloody remains.
Meanwhile, at a nightclub in the city, Wei Jun and his loyal followers, full of liquor, seemed unaware that their elder was currently enjoying a lavish feast at the riverside dock warehouse.
