Chapter 111: Ethics of the Blood Clan
November 30th, Saturday.
In the capital city, Xifeng Forest Park, at a certain secret military base.
The first snow of the year in the capital gently caressed the earth, layer upon layer, transforming the landscape into a white wonderland.
This vast expanse of white was cold, solemn, and heavy, yet it heralded the fiery hopes of the year to come.
After Meng Huai was able to get out of bed, he was transferred from the sanatorium to here. Although his range of activity was limited to the base, he found that his freedom of movement was much greater than he had imagined. Standing at the edge of the snowy playground, the snowflakes piled onto the overhang above his head, occasionally drifting in the wind and landing on his face and body, feeling cool and refreshing. He still wore the neatly pressed military uniform, but after more than half a month, Meng Huai had clearly lost some weight. The adjective “robust” no longer applied to him, but instead, he appeared more balanced and proportionate.
He pulled out two photographs from his pocket, one taken half a month ago, and the other just yesterday. Both were half-body shots of Meng Huai, but careful inspection revealed subtle differences between the two.
The previous Meng Huai was considered handsome, marked by distinctly defined, resolute features. Now, however, his forehead, cheekbones, brow ridge, chin, and nose had taken on a more delicate appearance. Even the depths of his eyes seemed to show slight changes, appearing deeper as if they were bottomless.
According to Han Jie Li, the facial and iris recognition systems had now judged Meng Huai to be two entirely different people. As he looked at the photos, another slender figure slowly emerged in the empty space of the photograph.
It was a beautiful woman, standing closely behind the tall and handsome young officer, her hands gently resting on his shoulders as she looked at the camera with grace and a beaming smile, radiating warmth like water.
Mother, Meng Xiang, or Fujihara Miya, she probably never imagined that the son she fought so hard to protect would one day return to the path he once took… Meng Huai closed his eyes, seemingly avoiding his mother’s image and that warmth-filled smile that was forever etched in his memory.
Only a teardrop, warm to counter the icy chill, appeared at the corner of his eye.
“Brother Meng, you’re probably the only one who has completed the first phase of technical blood invasion within three weeks since the formation of the Special Secrecy Operation Group. Your blood invasion index has reached the standard and is stable, just waiting for the final push… The foundation left by Aunt Meng Xiang is truly extraordinary!”
Han Jie Li walked over, holding a briefcase, snowflakes dotting his shoulder. When his gaze fell upon the photograph in Meng Huai’s hand, he couldn’t help but smile.
“They are members of the Blood Dragon Team?”
A few seconds later, Meng Huai reopened his eyes, put away the photos, and turned his head toward a distant corner of the playground, his expression serious.
In the midst of the swirling snow, several fully armed individuals were engaged in intense outdoor training, all wearing dark arrow combat uniforms, lively and vigorous.
After a brief observation, Meng Huai noticed that the physical fitness and explosive power of those members of the Dark Arrow were unmistakably different from ordinary people, creating a bizarre, unreasonable illusion.
“Most of them are attendants or knights. It’s said the highest-ranked member of the Blood Dragon Team is an Altai-level baron. That’s the Dark Arrow’s real trump card; it wasn’t easy—they saved up for forty years.”
Han Jie Li followed Meng Huai’s gaze and nodded slightly, “It’s said that several great powers had these even before World War II. In this regard, our Dark Arrow started relatively late; we had to invest heavily and took many detours… In the fierce competition, the money spent on each member of the Blood Dragon Team could have trained over a dozen pilots.”
“Only forty years? How many people are there now?” Meng Huai withdrew his gaze, increasingly curious.
“Confidential. Or rather, my rank is far from enough; I’m not qualified to know the composition of the Blood Dragon Team…”
Han Jie Li shook his head, answering succinctly.
They were probably what the instructors used to refer to as the nation’s foundation.
I now understand why, aside from the Central Supervision Area, the highest task levels in other supervision areas only reach Grade B… If I’m not mistaken, the Blood Dragon Team should be a secret force specifically handling tasks above Grade A.
Meng Huai tried to flex his wrist and arm, feeling surprisingly light, though a bit unsteady, as if the density of his bones and muscles had decreased in some way.
“Hey, still classified,” Han Jie Li laughed, shrugged, and continued shaking his head.
“Alright… So they all scored full marks on psychological tests like me? How do you guarantee the results are 100% reliable?”
Meng Huai sat down on a bench under the awning, gazing at the snowstorm on the playground, his expression somewhat unnatural.
“It’s a bit lower than yours; I can only say they passed with near full marks on key items… However, even with full marks, over the years, it was found there’s still a 5% margin of error.”
“The issue of psychology is too profound… For example, I bafflingly scored full marks.”
Han Jie Li self-deprecatingly said, sitting next to Meng Huai, then opened his briefcase and took out a document.
“Brother Meng, next month, the Special Secrecy Operation Group will arrange for you to return to the Xuanzhong Team and rejoin an active duty position. Since the mole hasn’t been found, it’s safer to keep the Special Secrecy Operation Group’s connection with you separate.”
“The final complete blood invasion operation needs to be completed in a certain battle, thereby allowing for an official departure from Dark Arrow and entering a secrecy operational state.”
Han Jie Li’s words were gentle, but Meng Huai knew he was different from the members of the Blood Dragon Team. The latter remained part of Dark Arrow, highly classified but still considered their own by other Dark Arrow members.
But he was different; he would be just like anyone fleeing after blood invasion, apart from the yet-to-be-announced secret operational task, he would become an unmistakable enemy of humanity.
This was the future identity and life hinted at by the series of bloody questions. At that time, his true identity would only be known to Han Guowei and Han Shuli.
This is the transfer of the captaincy document for the Xuanzhong Team; you need to sign it and then take it back over there.
Han Jie Li held out the document to Meng Huai, but after a dozen seconds passed, aside from his focused gaze on the document, Meng Huai’s hand remained unmoving.
“You still haven’t answered the previous question; what does a 5% margin of error represent?”
Meng Huai turned his eyes to Han Jie Li’s face, his expression very serious.
“Some physical and mental changes occur, leading to leaving the Blood Dragon Team.”
Han Jie Li forced a smile as he put the document away, taking a long time to find a euphemistic expression.
“Defection?”
Meng Huai’s expression grew increasingly stern.
“Mm, turning into a Black Blood Clan, which is quite similar to defection… The psychological tests in Dark Arrow were summarized from forty years of trial and error.”
Han Jie Li lowered his head, removed his military cap, and played with it absentmindedly.
“Why? Doesn’t the war with the Blood Clan change these people’s minds?”
Meng Huai frowned, somewhat confused.
“Brother Meng, do you know how the Black Blood Clan came into being? Do you know where the most difficult points for normal humans and the Blood Clan to coexist lie?”
Han Jie Li suddenly looked up, his tone chilling, his expression icy.
“In the world of normal humans, regardless of the system, the basic ethics are the same: the equality of life. Birth, aging, sickness, and death, with limited lifespans, and in fact, for the vast majority, as they grow older, the resources and opportunities available to them diminish, becoming more marginalized. Those who control the distribution of societal resources often judge based on intellect rather than longevity.”
“The world of the Blood Clan is completely different; from blood servants to dukes, their realms and life limits form the basis of the power hierarchy. The longer they live, the stronger they become, the more resources and opportunities they gain.
Why would a knight who can live for two hundred years bow to a blood servant who can only live for a few decades?
Only blood clans of marquis rank and above might experience a life that feels too long and welcome emptiness… Below barons, all are mere ants; this is the greatest truth of the Blood Clan world. Every blood clan strives to climb higher, driven by a genetic curse that often leads most blood clans down the path of the Black Blood Clan.
Even an illiterate or a madman, as long as he qualifies well, can become a Blood Clan baron and gain the power to set the rules… Innate talent and acquired realm are the true power in the world of blood clans. Morality, knowledge, intelligence are of no use.
Do you know, over twenty years ago, there was a rich man in Europe, with a fortune of tens of billions, over fifty years old, incredibly lucky, and did not die from the immune collapse during the initial phase of blood invasion.
He had an IQ test of over 150 at the time; brother Meng, guess what happened… Sadly, due to his poor qualifications, he could only grovel like a dog, spending all his money to struggle upwards. And the result? He didn’t even manage to become a mid-tier blood servant and died within a few years from boiling blood control issues, with his body being sold off.
He clearly could have ruled in the normal human world for at least twenty or thirty years, yet naïve as he was, he thought he could rely on his wealth and intelligence to become a Blood Clan member, thus breaking free from the mundane… Trying to survive in the Blood Clan world like in the normal human world is impossible, a luxury and naivety.
After speaking, Han Jie Li stood up, patted his backside, and walked away.
So your previous conversation with me about the coexistence of normal humans and the Blood Clan was just a test?
Meng Huai furrowed his brow and muttered to himself.
Heh, everyone should have the right to daydream, right?
Han Jie Li paused, smiled slightly, noncommittally, and continued to walk away.
It was unclear how much time passed when Meng Huai softly spoke to himself, “There is actually no ethical coexistence between normal humans and the Blood Clan, that’s what it means…”
On the snow-covered playground, the figures of the Blood Dragon Team were no longer visible, but it seemed that from another angle of vision, another person appeared amidst the wind and snow, slowly approaching.
It was that familiar girl, slim and graceful, with a cool elegance, snowflakes swirling around her but never touching her clothing.
Why are you here… Don’t you know I’ve become a vampire now… Aren’t you afraid?
Murmuring some inexplicable words, Meng Huai’s vision began to blur.
The other person drew closer, and Meng Huai grew increasingly nervous, involuntarily turning his head to avoid looking at her face, even feeling an urge to escape immediately.
Comrade Meng, you shouldn’t stay outdoors for too long in this weather; it’s time for your stabilizer shot.
The voice was somewhat familiar, soft-spoken, the person very beautiful and gentle, smiling at him as she patted the snowflakes off her shoulders. She was not Jiang Yan, but another young nurse who regularly took care of him.
Oh, alright… how troublesome.
Taking a deep breath, Meng Huai stood up and turned towards the dormitory direction.
Once more scanning his surroundings, the winds and snow still persisted, and there was no sign of the girl he’d imagined; the world before him remained reality.
Disappointment and relief emerged simultaneously within him, indifferent and confrontational.
……
In City C, Province S, Longquan Mountain.
In the winter, Longquan Mountain retained considerable greenery at its base, dotted with patches of red and yellow, disorderly yet beautiful.
As dusk drew near, amidst the dense forest, about ten figures moved through, each clad in black tactical combat suits, jackets or coats, armed with MP5SD silenced submachine guns, equipped with bulletproof armor, and other tactical gear, meeting the standards for real combat.
Today marked the first day of Jiang Yan and Wan Yue’s agreed Hyacinth training plan. Although Jiang Yan was feeling somewhat unwell, she still persisted in outdoor exercises with Zhao Peng and the others.
The last time they had undergone such training was over nine months ago with the Xuanzhong Team. Many feelings had undergone subtle changes in the past few months, and Jiang Yan felt a bit out of practice.
Standing in a wooded high point away from the training area, looking at the scattered Hyacinth knights and attendants, Jiang Yan suddenly had a unique thought.
If Meng Huai were to be blood-invaded, would he be resigned to his fate, or would he flee like me and Xiao Yao? Would he still find me a detestable monster then?
Would there come a day when Meng Huai would appear as a Blood Clan in Hyacinth and create a blood clan team to rival Dark Arrow for Sister Wan? I would become his deputy again, just like back in the Xuanzhong Team.
This fleeting thought was absurd and laughable, embarrassing and even a bit horrifying. Jiang Yan felt her temples pounding, a slight pain as if her head were a pressure cooker ready to explode, very uncomfortable.
“Staring off again? How are you feeling? I sense some chaos in your aura; I remember your cycle is mid-month.”
After another simulation training exercise finished, Wan Yue walked out from the side of the woods, examining Jiang Yan from head to toe.
“I don’t know; it’s just a feeling of being stuck, but I can’t see an end… I remember Xiao Yao felt like this for a while too, not daring to take the big and small pills.”
Jiang Yan blushed, dispersing some of the ridiculous thoughts in her mind, helplessly sitting on a piece of dead wood, rubbing her temple, her expression not looking well.
You two are truly living examples of stat-driven monsters; the analogy of Xiao Ling and Zhou Ping is quite apt. Although both of you appear to be high-tier knights, your explosive limits have long surpassed that of knights, unable to fit even half a step into a baron, like a baron missing a corner.
If this continues, you both might not even need to upgrade to hibernation but could end up as barons unable to use blood eruptions.
Wan Yue smiled as she lit a cigarette, sitting beside Jiang Yan, with a hint of self-deprecation in her eyes: “You and Xiao Yao have made me reliant… In the past, I was always the one others depended on; this feels somewhat unfamiliar.”
“To alleviate the pressure on the Wang family, Hyacinth has suffered significant losses lately. There are only eight knights in total, and now two are laid up in bed. But this time, I’m not worried at all… Jiang Yan, do you think Hyacinth has already outgrown you?”
Puffing on her cigarette, Wan Yue’s face rarely displayed a touch of melancholy.
Ultimately, Sister Wan is still a woman… Last week, she took me to a private villa on Longquan Mountain for closed training, which was actually an attempt to avoid Zheng Dage’s injury.
At that time, she probably had lost hope; she just didn’t want to stay in the hospital, watching Zheng Dage die before her eyes.
Looking at Wan Yue’s profile, Jiang Yan found herself at a loss for words, suddenly understanding some of her usual posturing—such seemingly aloof arrogance was not merely a means to reassure others but also a mask for her vulnerabilities.
Zheng Shaolin, although he has escaped danger, would still need at least two months of recovery with such severe and life-threatening injuries without better treatment methods.
Zhou Ping’s injuries are somewhat better; she should return to duty in about a month. Xiao Dong sustained the least serious injury and will be discharged in a few days after some rest.
So, right now, Hyacinth is at its weakest moment, as Sister Wan has described.
Suddenly, a strange idea that Jiang Yao had proposed some time ago returned to Jiang Yan’s mind, causing her heart to race once more.
Putting aside the issues of tactical ability, the root of the Blood Clan’s existence still lies in qualifications and realm strength. Given Hyacinth’s current foundation, if not for the appearance of myself and Xiao Yao, or discovering truly potential individuals, it might not change much even in twenty years.
Moreover, no one can guarantee that in the next ten to twenty years, members of Hyacinth won’t fall due to their inner demons as they grow.
Sister Wan’s sense of solitude and Brother Zhao Peng’s helplessness probably resides here.
“Sister Wan, I have an idea… Xiao Yao and I are unique; we should be able to help Brother Zhao Peng and Sister Xiao Ai.”
After yet another internal conflict, Jiang Yan lowered her voice and spoke almost word for word about her hidden plan, which had been a sudden inspiration.
Wan Yue first froze, then suddenly turned her head, fixing Jiang Yan with a mysterious, peculiar smile as she scrutinized her profile intently.
After ten seconds, Wan Yue directly shook her head: “Jiang Yan, I’m very glad you want to stand with me and everyone else. I’ve actually thought about certain possibilities long ago… But do you really trust Hyacinth and every person’s character here?”
“Sister Wan, I don’t understand grand principles, and I have a very shallow understanding of the Blood Clan world. But I know that as long as there is visible hope, the human heart will not degrade; despair makes the heart unpredictable…”
Jiang Yan raised her head, revealing a relieved smile: “Brother Zhao Peng has always told me that you led Hyacinth to where it is today with a steadfast belief and hope. There’s not much I can help… If you hadn’t taken in Xiao Yao and me back then, perhaps…”
“Foolish girl, just that much is enough for me to feel satisfied…”
Wan Yue leaned closer, hugging Jiang Yan gently, patting her back softly, her voice softened considerably: “No rush, let me think about it for two more days. Your idea could mean walking a tightrope between heaven and hell for the entirety of Hyacinth.”
“Do you know? Sometimes giving someone new hope can lead to paths that may not always be good… Actually, they are already quite satisfied with their current lives, and new hope means new uncertainties; they may not all be prepared.”
“Do you think people like Zhou Ping are ready for a day when they might have to face knights or even barons in combat? They are not like you; they just need to live peacefully, marry, and bear children to stay far from genetic curses and many dangers. Hyacinth is merely their family, not the destination of their lives.”
“Jiang Yan, you will one day realize that Hyacinth has never been a place where everyone is qualified to give their all, and I have never asked for that! Its existence and ideals really cannot bear much for people.”
After finishing, Wan Yue stepped away from Jiang Yan; this separation unexpectedly made Jiang Yan reluctant.
In Wan Yue’s words, she sensed a kind of tenderness amidst passion and sincerity, along with a solitary courage riddled with helplessness.
“Sister Wan, my thoughts were wrong, weren’t they? Because I want to become someone like you…”
Jiang Yan shook her head, feeling a bit embarrassed and confused.
“Still want to learn from me? Tsk, tsk, you still lack some feminine charm… This is the second time you’ve said you want to be like me, do you think I’m perfect and attractive? But you can’t become me; perhaps, you have a misconception about perfection.”
Wan Yue took a few steps away, suddenly turning around, her sensual figure, captivating smile, and commanding presence with a weapon in hand all combined into a perfect image once again.
“Jiang Yan, you possess maturity and rationality that most women lack. Even if you make no changes and don’t need to imitate anyone, one day you will become a powerful woman. But to become a perfect woman, you still lack one thing.”
Jiang Yan was startled, revealing deep confusion.
Emotionality, the emotional appeal from the heart, is the ultimate charm of a woman, not to compensate for rationality. In this regard, I’m imperfect too… As a woman, have you experienced it from loving someone to gaining love, then to not being able to have it?
A wave of indescribable emotion suddenly surged from her head to her entire body. Jiang Yan froze, as if all the words in her mind could not form a single sentence at that moment.
