Chapter 272 The Final Struggle
June 15, Monday.
North America, Mississippi.
The farm bathed in morning light was quiet and vast, with a small path extending from the farmhouse to the distant horizon, disappearing into a lush forest.
In the neatly divided fields, the stubble left after harvesting stretched endlessly, and countless birds hopped up and down, picking at the remaining grains. Occasionally, there would be squabbles that resulted in noisy chirping, disturbing the tranquility of the morning.
The red and white-painted farmhouse was simple yet exquisite, and in front of the steps stood a professionally dressed lady, quietly waiting.
A rugged pickup truck stopped at the farmhouse door, and Edward, carrying a shotgun, called to his two beloved hunting dogs and energetically got out of the vehicle.
Catherine stepped forward, slightly bending her body, her attitude extremely respectful.
“Is it news from the Engel family, or from the Wang family?”
Edward nodded, slowly shifting his gaze from Catherine to the distant horizon.
“Both, or maybe it should be considered one matter… You guessed correctly, Elvin has failed. Everyone associated with the Engel family and Nguyen Shunhong from the Viet country has been taken out by dark arrows and the Wang family.”
Qin Cai has been captured by the Wang family, the hermits have disbanded, and Chu Dali is missing.
Catherine followed her duke into the house, where a female knight in a maid outfit stood silently in the corner. On the long wooden table, two steaming cups of coffee were already prepared.
“I heard that some people from Japan were involved this time as well?”
Edward casually sipped his coffee and replied, “Some interesting things appeared online, but were quickly regulated by the Chinese authorities. I’ve seen those images; someone used the first-generation antibiotics, and at least had the status of a baron.”
“Yes, Fujihara Kiyoyama is dead. I heard he was cooperating with the Engel family against the dark arrows. The Fujiwara family has completely abandoned him and paid a hefty price to deal with the pressure from China.”
As Catherine spoke, she took out a USB drive from her handbag and carefully placed it on the table. “No news has been released from the Engel family, and Elvin himself has gone to Eden. We lost contact with our informant at the Eden base. Here are the satellite images taken by the North American military and the reconnaissance images from high-altitude drones, showing some unusual changes.”
With a snap of the fingers, the female knight hurried to pick up the USB drive and walked to the corner. A minute later, all the curtains in the dining room closed, and a huge projection screen slowly descended.
The Engel family issued the highest level of alert, activating the defense mechanism of the Eden base, and a large number of security contractors and mercenaries were stationed. The last intelligence transmission from the informant was a week ago, confirming that Otto had suffered brain death.
Images and documents were displayed one by one on the projection, and Catherine carefully explained several key pieces of information.
Moreover, Dr. Maddy had indeed hidden part of the research data on the freedom fighters (vanguards), which was found by the Engel family. However, Elvin did not report this to us…
Edward pursed his lips, his suspicious eyes slightly shifting, and his deep amber gaze swept across the projection screen, his expression growing more serious.
“There’s no funeral, Otto intended to sacrifice himself to the Ancestor… What was worth the extremely undignified price…? What purpose does Elvin have in concealing the research data on the vanguards?”
Edward muttered to himself, and no one in the room dared to interrupt the elder’s contemplation. It was impossible to tell how much time had passed; Edward’s coffee had turned cold.
Does that duchess from the Wang family still refuse to meet with me? She should have gained a lot of benefits in this confrontation, perhaps even including the queen…
After a long while, Edward set down his coffee cup. With a discreet gesture, all the curtains reopened, and sunlight flooded back into the living room.
Speaking of this, Catherine looked helpless. “We’ve contacted them many times, but the reply has always been to wait, citing that the Wang family is focusing on dealing with the issues left behind by the Liang family and the hermits.”
As she spoke, Catherine seemed to remember something, her expression suddenly tense, lowering her head slightly and speaking in a muted tone, “However, there is a rather strange issue raised by the Wang family, allegedly mentioned by the duchess. They hope to receive your words directly…”
“Uh?”
Edward turned to look, staring intently at the family’s chief steward, “Could it be an uncomfortable question for me?”
The question from the Duke of the Wang family was… whether the James family was willing to abandon the Ancestor project.
Edward’s face twitched, and he stood up slowly, a feeling of humiliation he recognized creeping in, a hint of obvious anger surfacing in his amber eyes.
“Like Otto, she is just an old woman from an old era, about to step into the grave. She must know what Otto really intended. She holds the truth, has not joined the Ancestor project, but is waiting for me to hand her a check that would make her satisfied!”
With a bang, the expensive gilded coffee cup fell to the ground, splattering black liquid everywhere.
There were no boiling pheromone scents, yet Catherine could still feel a deep shock and fear from the bottom of her heart. It was like when Wang Feng faced a razor-sharp blade, imprinted with a sense of humility and submission at the genetic level.
A minute later, perhaps having vented enough, Edward took a deep breath and sat back down.
Catherine, keep in touch with Wang Meng and provide them with all the intelligence we currently have on the Engel family!
After saying this, Edward left without looking back.
…
Fourteen hours’ time difference away, it was already 23:00 at night in China.
A military vehicle drove into the Army General Hospital in District X of City C.
Han Jielai and Tu Weijun, dressed in white lab coats, entered a medical building. From the entrance, every three steps was a guard and every five steps a lookout, with armed dark arrow soldiers everywhere.
Most of those responsible for the security here were from the Western Monitoring District. Many recognized Han Jielai and Tu Weijun, displaying complex expressions towards these two uniquely positioned officers.
The former still hung in the intelligence division of the Western Monitoring District, but had become a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters, with merits undervalued versus the death of the ocean. The latter had briefly served as the acting captain of the laundry brigade, but his true background was evidently more significant.
Following closely behind Han Jielai and Tu Weijun was a tall figure in a lab coat, wearing a mask that made him seem quite mysterious. However, under the silent endorsement of Han Jielai and Tu Weijun, every security check recognized the situation and let them pass without identity verification.
“Han Jielai, you’re quite something, you’re probably the most powerful lieutenant general since the dark arrow’s establishment.”
As they entered the elevator, Tu Weijun joked.
“What can I say? It’s just a matter of what the leaders say I can or can’t do.”
Han Jielai mimicked making a tugging gesture near his neck as if fiddling with an invisible rope, then suddenly remembered something and quickly showed a hint of apology to the man in the lab coat beside him: “Sorry, Meng Ge, I was just joking.”
“Only you, Han Meng, dares to liken obeying military orders to being a dog…”
In the perception of Meng Che and Tu Weijun, various pheromonal fluctuations of blood knight or attendant circulated around, and there was even a breath.
The security work on this floor had been under the control of the Blood Dragon Unit.
“Comrade, he injected the anesthetic two hours ago and has just woken up.”
A knight from the Blood Dragon Unit guarding the ward door reported upon seeing Tu Weijun bringing two people in, quickly standing at attention and saluting.
“Alright, you all stand back twenty meters, I’ll go in with them.”
Tu Weijun signaled with a hand gesture, and the six fully armed officers from the Blood Dragon Unit quickly retreated.
…
In the luxurious ward with high-level treatment, it was astonishingly empty. In the spacious main bedroom, there was only a bed, on which lay a young man in a patient gown, half-propped up, watching TV.
The moment Meng Che entered the main bedroom, he pulled off his mask and fixed his gaze on the young man on the bed.
The young man also recognized Meng Che at a glance, a slight smile forming at the corners of his mouth.
“Geta Nishiyoshi, as per your instruction, we informed the Fujiwara family of your false death message. Now, it’s time for you to cooperate with us.”
Han Jielai pulled up a chair to sit at the bedside, while Tu Weijun and Meng Che stood on either side.
“Thank you, Mr. Han. What do you want to ask?”
Geta Nishiyoshi spoke with fluent Chinese, his emotions quite steady, often glancing at Meng Che.
Han Jielai opened his notebook, hesitated for a few seconds, then looked at Tu Weijun before finally speaking: “I have a question that I only realized a couple of days ago… During the encirclement by the Wang family and dark arrows, didn’t the outside wild Fujiwara Kiyoyama have any alertness? You only decided to launch an attack after the encirclement was completed.”
“I initially thought this was due to the presence of Baron Su Pingning on our side, but upon reflection, it’s impossible to completely conceal any traces. You, as Baron Su Pingning, are not that far apart in strength from the Wang family’s sixth brother.”
“And you were with Fujiwara Kiyoyama and Kakuzaki Haruka, heading into the narrow path of the encirclement. Didn’t you realize anything was off?”
The question posed by Han Jielai not only brought a solemn expression to Tu Weijun but also made Meng Che clench his fists.
Geta Nishiyoshi turned his gaze from Meng Che’s face back to Han Jielai, smiling lightly: “Honestly, you should have thought of the answer long ago. I was assisting Kakuzaki Haruka in spreading false information to delay time and impact Fujiwara Kiyoyama’s actions.”
“So you, Meng Che, and Tu Weijun are all dark arrows?”
“Indeed, I am a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Han Jielai, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Tu Weijun, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Meng Che, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters.”
“A big shot at the dark arrow headquarters?”
“Indeed, I am a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Han Jielai, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Tu Weijun, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Meng Che, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters.”
“A big shot at the dark arrow headquarters?”
“Indeed, I am a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Han Jielai, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Tu Weijun, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Meng Che, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters.”
“A big shot at the dark arrow headquarters?”
“Indeed, I am a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Han Jielai, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Tu Weijun, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Meng Che, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters.”
“A big shot at the dark arrow headquarters?”
“Indeed, I am a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Han Jielai, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Tu Weijun, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters. Meng Che, you are a big shot at the dark arrow headquarters.”
The Prelude of Determination
Upon hearing this, Meng Che stepped forward half a step, his sharp gaze like a blade, darting back and forth across Geta Nishiyoshi’s face as if unwilling to disapprove of the other’s statement.
“Meng Ge…”
Han Jielai hurriedly pulled at Meng Che’s arm, then cleared his throat and continued watching Geta Nishiyoshi: “Hmm, this basically confirms my suspicions… What intelligence did Kakuzaki Haruka convey to us earlier, indicating that you were complicit with Fujiwara Kiyoyama in ambushing Kakuzaki Haruka, yet this time you chose to help Kakuzaki Haruka. Can you tell me why?”
Once the question was asked, Meng Che’s eyes widened even further, gazing at Geta Nishiyoshi with a predatory stare.
“Self-declaration, like my sister, leaving the family to live the life she wants.”
Geta Nishiyoshi replied immediately, without any hesitation.
Not only did Han Jielai and Tu Weijun show surprise, but even Meng Che, who had been suppressing his emotions beside them, now revealed an astonished expression.
“I don’t quite understand what you mean by freedom, but with your status, do you need to make such a calculated severance with your own family?”
Han Jielai pondered for a moment, closing his notebook and not planning to record the following conversation, treating it like a casual chat among friends.
“This answer, my sister Kakuzaki Miyaka and Kakuzaki Haruka have already shown you through their actions. They are in pursuit of what…”
“But why? Why did you help that person kill my mother?!”
Meng Che finally couldn’t contain himself, directly interrupting the conversation between Han Jielai and Geta Nishiyoshi, his red eyes gripping Geta Nishiyoshi’s collar, an uncontrollable fury spreading violently in the bedroom.
The door was burst open, and several officers from the Blood Dragon Unit rushed in with guns drawn.
“Everything’s fine here, get out!”
Tu Weijun turned around, giving a sharp rebuke to his subordinates. Moments later, the footsteps receded, and the room fell back into silence.
“Meng Che, you look a lot like Miyaka…”
Geta Nishiyoshi offered no resistance, just smiling at Meng Che’s gem-like eyes, his tone gentle.
Indeed, Meng Che bore a subtle resemblance to Geta Nishiyoshi, and this nephew-uncle relationship particularly piqued Han Jielai’s interest.
“Answer my question!”
Meng Che’s expression turned increasingly grim, his grip on Geta Nishiyoshi’s collar tightening until the joints cracked.
“Because at that time, I was too weak and had no choice.”
Geta Nishiyoshi held firm against Meng Che’s gaze, calm in tone and expression, saying: “Even without me, Miyaka wouldn’t have been able to escape… So all I could do was save you.”
“You don’t believe that within the realm of blood, Fujiwara Kiyoyama wouldn’t find a little child hiding under the bed, do you? You don’t think it was all Miyaka’s capability, right?”
Meng Che was taken aback, his hands releasing, stepping back as his fury gradually dissipated, falling silent.
Tears began to form again, but the moment they spilled from his eyes, he wiped them away fiercely, regaining his indifferent expression.
The chilling irony of helping one’s uncle kill their own sister while secretly saving their own nephew—what a Japanese espionage ghost story this was…
Both Han Jielai and Tu Weijun, reeling from the bombshell, couldn’t help but sigh in unison.
“My sister is the family’s genius. The treatment she can obtain is truly far beyond what I can. Even she cannot bear some pressures, let alone me? Perhaps, the understanding of freedom between me, Miyaka, and Haruka is that shallow…”
After saying this, Geta Nishiyoshi closed his eyes, a trace of self-mockery at the corners of his mouth.
“Meng Che, step out for a moment. The upcoming interrogation involves confidential content.”
After a few seconds, Han Jielai turned, showing a hint of apology to Meng Che.
“Meng Che, if it were you, having to take action against the ones closest to you, what would you do?”
Just as Meng Che was about to exit, Geta Nishiyoshi suddenly spoke again.
Meng Che’s footsteps halted, not turning back, and after a second of silence, he re-adjusted his mask and gently closed the door.
…
In the Viet country, Guan Gang.
That footstep followed suit to China’s reform and opening-up, causing Guan Gang to transform into an increasingly famous tourism destination, falling victim to radical policies where underneath the glitzy and bustling facade were shadows of real estate revelry aftermath.
Near the Shanchahua Peninsula, in the basement of a half-finished building, in a dark corner surrounded by various garbage, a semi-closed refuge was formed, with flickering candlelight faintly visible from the tattered curtain.
At midnight, a middle-aged man entered quietly, carrying a backpack and a plastic bucket.
“Old Qian, did you make contact?”
Old Qian, dozing on a broken sofa, startled awake. As he helped Qian Guilong take down the backpack, his eyes were fixated on the plastic bucket that was set down.
Inside the translucent bucket was a dark green liquid, with several black floating chunks inside.
With more than ten liters, the liquid emitted a faint bloody smell.
Chu Dali’s face twitched slightly as he turned his head to the side, revealing in the farthest corner a piece of ragged fabric that separated a private space, showing a bathtub’s edge.
At that moment, Chu Dali’s face, which could have used a shave, appeared extremely comical with its smooth, wrinkled surface. The once ethereal demeanor had been replaced by a disheveled and destitute look, his gaunt body becoming even more wizened in the past half month.
“Yes, they’ll be sending someone to pick us up soon.” Qian Guilong lit a dry cigarette and took a comfortable puff, his eyes almost squinting, “Old Chu, that woman named Emma, can she really talk to the Engel family?”
Chu Dali shifted his gaze back, nodding without hesitation: “Old Qian, you have helped me, and even saved Mr. Luca. The Engel family will surely not treat you poorly!”
Qian Guilong chuckled derisively, “Old Chu, to me, this is just a business deal. The value of you and Luca is what makes it worth my effort.”
Chu Dali was taken aback, retreating to the dilapidated sofa in dejection, falling silent.
“Tsk tsk, I, Old Qian, a bona fide Blood Clan, never expected to do business with the Engel family… To be honest, at first I only thought of tidying up our side and getting the Black Dragon Society back on track.”
“However, I’ll make it clear from the outset, I want the things, and the Engel family cannot back out!”
Having said that, he knocked the tip of his nose on the ground a few times, and Qian Guilong took the bucket filled with blood and went to the corner, pulling back the tattered curtain to dump the entire bucket of viscera blood into the bathtub.
In the bathtub lay a severely burned Caucasian man who was weakly half-opening his eyes, looking at Qian Guilong with gratitude as he “added blood” to him.
“Hehe, this is my home remedy; it can keep your life hanging on!”
Throwing aside the plastic bucket, Qian Guilong then pulled out a cloth bag from his pocket, pouring the powdered traditional medicine into the bathtub, mixing it with the half-tank of blood.
Behind Qian Guilong, Chu Dali couldn’t help but tremble slightly at these words.
The so-called remedy for the Blood Clan’s immune collapse involved soaking the entire body in the blood of the Blood Clan mixed with medicinal materials, with fresh blood needing to be replaced daily.
This blood came from local Black Blood Clan members or strays in the Viet country, and there were at least three donors needed to fill that plastic bucket. After all, adult human blood cannot be extracted all at once in a short time.
This meant that in the past ten days, at least forty local Blood Clan members in the Viet country were killed by Qian Guilong and turned into blood packs for rescuing Luca.
The newly added fresh blood and herbs seemed to make Luca feel comfortable, as he soon let out a soft snore and surprisingly fell asleep in the bathtub.
“Alright, I don’t know if it’ll ruin his foundation, but it should work… There are some food packages in that bag; feed him when he wakes up, I’m going out to take a look.”
Having completed these tasks, Qian Guilong walked out of the temporary dwelling.
Sitting by the bathtub, Chu Dali lowered his head, looking forlorn.
According to the piecemeal information Qian Guilong had relayed, the patient’s situation was completely dire; dark arrows and the Wang family were jointly eliminating the remnants of what he had done, and his deeds were now out in the open.
Once a powerhouse in China’s Blood Clan landscape, the first major roaming Blood Clan force had broken apart within half a month. Not only had he become a stray dog but also had been nailed to the pillar of shame in China’s Blood Clan world, universally lamented and mocked.
Perhaps, the hermits and some scattered individuals, especially the Shen family, were still searching madly for him, seeking vengeance for their elders.
“Hehe, it’s just the victors enjoy the spoils… When you all arrive at my place…”
A hoarse laugh involuntarily escaped Chu Dali’s throat, his face contorting into a sinister expression.
…
Along the Red Sea coast, in the Biltaville Desert.
Local time at six in the afternoon, a dust storm was approaching. Amid the swirling murkiness, a long convoy with headlights was on the road.
The beams of car lights were weak and feeble in the yellowish air, sand particles struck the car windows, creating a dense pattering sound, akin to countless tiny sprites knocking.
The convoy came to a halt, all the headlights extinguishing simultaneously, like a lurking desert rattlesnake waiting for its prey to appear.
A minute later, the sand dune ahead quaked, and a massive crack slowly appeared, revealing a long downward-sloping tunnel with two rows of lights spilling out.
Deep within the Eden base, in the central control room, Evon sat in a luxurious chair, leaning sideways with his finger resting on his chin, fixated on the large screen.
In the frame was a not-so-large enclosed space, where a gigantic, brain-like mass floating in red liquid slept; occasionally, the nerve strands drooping would twist, while a large green eyeball protruding from the flesh stared blankly at the screen, as if it were a meditating demon.
The stability rose to the 70% safety line, brainwave response normal, hormone levels stable, releasing two units of nutrient solution…
The control room’s broadcast relayed the latest instructions from the Ancestor life support team, and Evon let out a slight sigh of relief, wearily closing his eyes.
“Lord Evon, Miss Emma has returned, and Mr. Luca has been located.”
His close aide Frank approached, speaking softly behind Evon.
“Have her wait for me in the intensive care unit.”
Evon glanced at his subordinate, without any expression of joy, merely rising to walk to the large screen, touching the slightly warm glass surface with his cheeks, his eyes glinting with cold light.
…
The faint sound of electronic unlocking echoed, the airtight door slowly slid open, and Evon stepped in with an impassive expression.
In the spacious intensive care unit, the light was soft, and in the center sat an elderly man with graying hair, dressed neatly.
Beside the treatment pod, his private secretary Emma lowered her head, tugging at her skirt to give a slight bow to Evon.
“Is Luca not dead? Have we made contact?”
Evon walked to the treatment pod, staring at his great-grandfather without sparing a glance at Emma.
“Yes, I’ve seen Mr. Luca himself through my third contact, but… the contact isn’t Luca himself; it is Qian Guilong.”
Evon paused, slowly turning his head, his brows slightly furrowing: “That dirty Black Clan count from China, he escaped?”
“Yes, he rescued Mr. Luca and also Chu Dali from the encirclement.”
Luca was heavily injured and unable to report to you personally.
“Basically, it’s just as you predicted, Lord Evon. All setups in China have been destroyed by dark arrows and the Wang family, and even Fujihara Kiyoyama is dead. Currently, the James family is stirring, looking for intel everywhere.”
Evon made no judgment, only listening quietly.
Stealing a glance at the sleeping family head within the treatment bed, Emma’s voice was soft.
“Frank is still investigating the spies hidden in the base; you should go to Luca and bring him back… By the way, is Qian Guilong a Six-value military officer?”
Evon pondered for a moment, issuing an order while simultaneously asking a peculiar question.
Emma hesitated for a few seconds but then nodded slightly: “He has contributed significantly while assisting Chu Dali. However, for saving Mr. Luca, he demanded something… He wishes to acquire Frank’s medicine and a batch of Baron breakthrough medicaments.”
Evon was taken aback, then revealed a cold smile: “The last remaining Frank’s medicine has been used up; how does he know we can produce these… Does he understand the Ancestor project?”
Frank’s medicine can only be used in the corresponding oocyte extraction of the queen, which should have been revealed by Chu Dali, or he might have been paying attention to Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao.
Now, the queen is effectively in the hands of the Jiang family, and dark arrows have also sensed this, ready to act anytime. Perhaps, we can rely on Guilong to quickly reestablish a temporary plan for the queen’s return…
Emma cautiously kept glancing at Evon, fearing her suggestion might provoke his anger.
“Qian Guilong, evil and greedy, is indeed an unexpected gain outside of our plans…”
Evon stroked his chin, walking slowly in the room, deep in thought.
“Miss Emma, do you think I should follow my great-grandfather’s will?”
Suddenly, Evon halted, bringing up a topic that greatly surprised Emma.
“I… I think as long as there’s a possibility for the queen to return, extending Sophia’s state matters…”
As soon as she said this, Emma regretted it, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on her back.
The stability of the Ancestor’s condition is becoming increasingly severe; tolerance for stabilizers is continuously rising, barely maintaining around 70%, and the costs paid daily are exceedingly high to the extent that many project researches have been forced to pause.
Currently, the only way to reverse the situation is to let the Ancestor devour Otto, preventing the Ancestor project from failing utterly.
Letting Otto leave so disgracefully would openly violate the traditional norms of the rightful Blood Clan; sooner or later, the hungry wolf from the James family would discover the problem—do you understand what that means?
Evon stared intently into his subordinate’s eyes, his facial muscles twitching slightly.
Emma dared not speak, merely lowering her head deeply, maintaining silence.
Minutes dragged on in silence until Evon let out a long breath and turned to walk out.
Miss Emma, let the Serger family pay for this… You personally welcome Qian Guilong, revise the plan, and bring back the queen!
In Emma’s view, at the moment the airtight door closed, Evon turned around and issued a cold directive.
With the airtight door shut, Emma was left stunned.
