Chapter 460: My Turn

Chapter 460: My Turn

Ryan faded away.

Neo did not linger to indulge in or brew any remaining sentiment; instead, his form instantly dissolved into a dark mist, drifting down the mountain.

Lango had not deployed the army here, and with the island's lost ones currently being rounded up, the main island of Mipos felt remarkably desolate, stripped of the pervasive dangers of recent days, leaving only a pervasive quiet.

Instead of rushing back to the cellar hideout, Neo first approached a pharmacy—not one of the island's voucher-based apothecaries, but an ordinary one, reasoning that any location tied to the core church areas would have long been secured or ransacked.

Stepping inside, Neo bypassed the medicines on the public shelves entirely, heading straight for the depths of the shop, where he quickly located a concealed compartment packed with illicit substances.

If the fruit stand outside York City's church hospital could accept vouchers, there was no reason a pharmacy nestled within the holy land wouldn't peddle forbidden drugs under the table.

Plundering every last vial of contraband, Neo departed and made his way to another shop, where he gathered some maternal and infant supplies, slipping in a children's toy—a plush puppy—for good measure.

Before carrying them out, he purposefully piled the goods together, raising a hand to subject them to a thorough round of "Order Purification."

…

"Who is it?"

Richard rose to his feet, instantly alert.

"Me."

Hearing Neo’s voice, Richard relaxed, and as Neo’s figure materialized, he handed one of the two bundles to Richard before collapsing onto his own bedding, retrieving a syringe, drawing three small vials of liquid, and plunging the needle into his arm.

This was no narcotic; it possessed no addictive qualities.

It was extracted from a species of fish found near the Mipos archipelago only during a specific season each year; these fish were usually brilliantly colorful and beautiful to behold, but their flesh harbored a terrifying neurotoxin that caused many to hallucinate, run screaming down the streets, or simply perish if consumed by mistake.

Having injected the toxin into his system, Neo waited quietly for its effects to spread.

Yet after a considerable wait, the desired hallucinations failed to manifest; looking down to inspect his arm, he realized the toxin had been instinctively "hunted down and purged" by the Light energy within him shortly after entering his body.

"Damn it!"

Neo cursed softly, burying his head into his pillow and closing his eyes, resolving to sleep, but the sound of Richard playing with little Eliza in another corner grated on him, prompting an irritated:

"Quiet down."

The noise subsided at once, and Neo drifted off.

…

When he awoke, he had no idea what time it was; sitting up, he grabbed the waterskin beside him and drank half of it in successive gulps, yet his thirst remained unquenched, and as he licked his lips, he found himself craving blood.

Neo did not reject this "desire"; instead, he nurtured it carefully as a distinct, external emotion entirely separate from his own conscious control.

Some individuals relished the pleasure of indulgence, viewing it as the ultimate release, but in truth, blind indulgence required no skill or effort, yielding only a profounder emptiness afterward;

The disciplined, conversely, sought stimulation by "torturing" themselves, though both paths ultimately inflicted a form of "harm" upon the self, differing not in superiority but merely in their thresholds of tolerance.

Neo just sat there, "gazing" at the thirst for blood blooming within his heart, much like one might tease a small dog.

An old face materialized before Neo, speaking with a touch of helplessness: "Doing this makes me feel rather lose face."

"At a time like this, you're the only one who can amuse me."

"The great lineage of the Blood Fiend is reduced to being toyed with like this by you?" The old face grumbled in deep dissatisfaction, "And another thing, the next time you want to evoke the Blood Fiend lineage, could you refrain from addressing me directly as 'old thing'? You could easily call me 'Great Progenitor'—see, it's just a few more syllables."

"Very well, old thing."

"Though you've struck it rich this time; I can feel the abundant Light energy inside you, even if it will take some time to fully digest. I told you long ago, those who truly believe in the Light are inherently madmen."

"A rather endearing kind of madness."

"Yes, indeed. I once met a very endearing Knight of the Light myself, a female knight, heh."

Neo remained silent.

The old face urged: "Aren't you going to ask me what sort of person she was?"

Neo continued his silence.

The old face grumbled: "Then I won't come out to chat with you anymore."

Neo sighed, saying: "The love and hatred between the vampires and mortal women has been played out all too often in novels and movies; though you are one of the Progenitors of the bloodline, I doubt your love story can rival those of your descendants."

"Most of theirs are pure fabrications, whereas mine is real, and I was the actual participant!"

"When a story comes from the mouth of the participant, it is often at its least credible."

"There is truth in that, but I am an exception; I have no reason to deceive you here, do I?"

"Fine, speak then; I shall feign rapt attention to keep the conversation going."

"That female knight was actually quite ordinary-looking. You know how it is with those who constantly train in the martial paths; their skin can never be too pristine or delicate, and she was even a bit tanned from the sun, to the point where her bosom could practically pass for pectoral muscles, if you catch my drift?"

"Mm."

"But I fell for her regardless. When she brought her mount to the river to bathe, I squatted in the nearby bushes watching her, thinking she was beautiful, and I suppose that was love at first sight."

"Was she wearing clothes at the time?"

"Oh, damn it, you animal!"

"Was she?"

"Of course not, I saw everything, heh!"

"Heh."

"Then she discovered me, drew her sword, and set out to kill me. Afterward, she confessed she knew there were signs of a fiend nearby, so she deliberately used that method to lure the target out.

I told her straight to her face back then: did she think she looked like one of those women from the Miers faith, trying to fish that way? It was only because I was blind that I stayed squatted there watching."

"And then?"

"The initial pursuit, or after I said those words?"

"After you said those words."

"She pinned me to the ground and forced me to go at it three more times that night."

"Ah, so that's where the setup was leading."

"We were already together by then, haha."

"Fast forward a bit; I want to hear the tragedy."

"Why must it be a tragedy?"

"Because comedies leave no desire to confide, and given your vast lifespan... no, your vast period of existence, it wouldn't be worth remembering to this day."

"Yes, a tragedy. She and I lived together for half a year. We traveled to many places; by day, she was the knight and I was the squire; by night, she was still the knight."

Neo could not help but urge: "Fast forward."

"Can't you let me savor the memory a moment longer?"

"Looking at your old face, I feel absolutely no investment in this plot."

"Hah, I was quite handsome back in my day, looking much like that psychiatrist member of your squad.

Wait, why do you always lock away my memories regarding him? What is it about him that I am not permitted to know?"

"Done talking, are we?"

"Talk, talk, talk. Those six months were so happy. I accompanied her to many places, slaying many deviant demons that endangered ordinary people. She even issued me a Light Squire certificate.

Then, in a small town tavern, after I showered and was about to go downstairs to feed the horses, the ordinary residents of the town all put on Light sacred robes.

Just like that, I was captured."

"She betrayed you?"

"No, her heart always belonged to the Light."

"She knew long ago that you weren't an ordinary bloodthirsty deviant demon."

"Yes, she always knew I was deliberately hiding my true strength. Although I was very young back then, my bloodline talent was exceedingly high. You know, otherwise I wouldn't have elevated this lineage of mine to such a level to be revered by descendants as the Progenitor."

"Deliberately hiding?"

"A man can never entirely suppress the urge to show off in front of the woman he likes. I must have let the cat out of the bag on purpose."

"You were taken away?"

"Yeah, the array of forces that night was massive. It was impossible for me to be a match for them."

"You wouldn't run?"

"When she drew her sword and pointed it at me, at that moment, I suddenly didn't want to run anymore."

Neo commented, "Idiot."

"Who hasn't been young, and who hasn't been an idiot?

Didn't you, an idiot, also wait until after the peace talks ended to voluntarily ration yourself the peace fluid for Elisa to drink?

And what was the result!"

"Yeah, I was an idiot too," Neo directly claimed the title for himself, "A massive idiot."

"That's more like it. Without being raw and green, how can maturity come? Life evolves step by step like this."

"What happened after you were captured?"

"I was locked up, imprisoned for a very long time, subjected to slicing and research every day by the people of Light and Principle. Fortunately, I was quite cooperative and couldn't be bothered to resist, so I got along rather pleasantly with everyone inside.

They often held small wine parties and would invite me to join them, even unlocking my shackles to make me more comfortable.

There, I made many friends. Some of them later became high-ranking figures in the two great churches of Light and Principle, and one even entered the Temple of Light to become an Elder of Light.

I researched with him on ways to integrate the power of Light into the blood. It was just an attempt back then, but I didn't expect him to actually succeed, and he even forcibly condensed a divinity. Although it was very small and fragile, he succeeded.

If the Church of Light hadn't perished, he would probably be very famous, likely molded into that typical grassroots dummy who lacked talent but rose through effort and piety."

"Yeah, I can picture it."

"I stayed in the Light Dungeon for many years. I won't deny that a significant reason for my later achievements was because I met many excellent friends there back then, and I made great progress and harvests during that period."

"And then?"

"What do you mean 'and then'?"

"What about her? Did she get married, did she have children?"

"No, because of her part in capturing me, she received a promotion within the church and eventually attained the position of Vice Commander of the Knights of Light. She never married."

"She was still thinking of you?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? You didn't see her later?"

"I did, when her hair was completely white. The lifespan of Light Knights is generally not very long because their fighting style easily overdraws their vitality.

She found me and said she could find a way to let me out, that she wanted to leave with me. She said she had finally understood and wanted to go back with me to relive those beautiful six months."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Neo's mouth.

The old face caught it and questioned, "What are you laughing at!"

"I imagine it wasn't because she still loved you."

"Yes, she felt the exhaustion of her life, and her talent could not possibly support her to condense a divinity and enter the temple to gain a prolonged lifespan in her few remaining days.

She wanted me to grant her the First Embrace."

"How did you feel at the time?"

"No feeling."

"No feeling?"

"Right, no feeling. After all, we hadn't seen each other for decades. When I saw her again decades later, she was old, her hair had turned white, her skin was wrinkled. In fact, she wasn't even that good-looking when she was young, and when I saw her again, she had become quite ugly."

"Oh, I see."

"Otherwise? I only looked slightly more mature at the time. In reality, I was still considered young within the bloodline level of that stage for a bloodthirsty deviant demon."

"Mm."

"She wasn't the same person she used to be. I think, if she had come just to see me one last time, to tell me she never regretted sending me in, to tell me that her faith in the Light meant purging all filth and evil so that this world would forever be covered by gentle light...

I think I might still have had feelings for her, because the memories hadn't been erased.

But she had fallen, she had lost herself. She was no longer the one washing her warhorse under the afternoon sun, no longer the female knight I hid in the grass to steal glances at."

"What if she hadn't changed?"

"Even if she hadn't changed, I wouldn't know either, but is that even possible? She is a human being, a life with self-awareness. Besides, even if she hadn't changed, I had already changed long ago.

It's nothing unusual. How many young people love each other to death during their first love, but when they reach middle age and see that so-called first love again, sigh, it just feels like nothing special anymore."

"I'm curious, how did you escape?"

"Because of a riot. Actually, at that time, I already noticed that huge problems had arisen within the Church of Light. From the outside, they looked very powerful, but from the inside, their internal conflicts had long been sharp.

The Holy Grail Riot, do you know of it?"

"I know."

"I escaped during that very riot. Actually, I didn't want to leave at first. I thought that place was pretty good—doing research together, exchanging insights, and occasionally I'd lie on the bed to rest and let them study me.

That life was quite good too, but the Light Prison was sinking at the time, so I had no choice but to escape. However, not many prisoners escaped; most of them were buried there.

If you want to go there and take a look, I can give you the coordinates."

"Alright, give them to me later."

"As for the story after coming out, it's quite boring. The same old thing—establishing a family, spreading the branches and leaves, upgrading the bloodline rank, becoming the Progenitor of this lineage in the mouths of descendants. It's tedious and dull to the extreme."

"Mm."

"Actually, I feel Order is getting close to its end too," the old face suddenly blurted out.

"This topic is beyond the scope."

"What, do you still have taboos in this regard?"

"It's not a taboo, it's just meaningless."

"Oh, true. However, there is one thing I really want to say to you, Neo. You are very talented."

"Isn't that just a fact?"

"Do you know where your true talent lies?"

"Elaborate."

"Your body and soul possess a formidable capacity to absorb the things that integrate into you—myself, Philias, that last pope, and even that Rayan who just tossed his luggage in without moving in himself."

"Right, I thought you were going to say something else."

Just then, little Eliza raised her small hand and rolled over on the blanket, flashing a smile toward Neo.

Neo smiled back, standing up and walking over to little Eliza. Meanwhile, the woman and Richard were still fast asleep.

"Oh, she is truly adorable, and fate has bestowed such a name upon her. I am most grateful to my descendant named Eliza; if she hadn't given you the First Embrace, I would never have found someone to speak with normally.

Sometimes communication and calling out are mere instincts, but the vast majority of my descendants went mad before they could even hear what I wanted to say, and quite a few of the more talented ones committed suicide the very day after speaking with me.

Neo, you are the only one who has spoken with me this much and yet remains perfectly fine. Truthfully, I get lonely too, dreadfully lonely."

Little Eliza looked at the old face floating beside Neo, a smile gracing her lips as she reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to stroke it.

The old face said, "Look, she likes me too."

The old face willingly descended, allowing little Eliza's hand to pass through it time and time again.

"Neo, have you considered granting her a lineage?"

Neo crouched down before little Eliza. Looking at Neo in front of her, little Eliza smiled and opened her arms, asking for a hug.

Neo raised his hand and placed it before little Eliza, overlapping his thumb and ring finger, then flicking his ring finger out against little Eliza's forehead.

"Thwack."

Little Eliza leaned back and fell into a deep sleep.

"Oh goodness, you are a devil, Neo!

How could you have the heart to treat a lovely child this way, especially when she shares a name with your wife!"

"She's too noisy. More sleep is good for a child."

"You really are too cold-blooded. Has your heart never been warmed?"

"I saved her because her name is Eliza, and I dislike her for the exact same reason."

Immediately following this, Neo looked toward the old face and continued, "Furthermore, do not presume I am ignorant of what you are plotting. You wish to possess my body, and I, in turn, wish to find the place where you are sealed to claim your original blood."

"Is there a possibility that I might follow Rayan's example?"

"The moment you say you wish to emulate him, you ensure you can never become him."

...

"Oh! Land, land!"

Perching on Kallen's shoulder, Purr looked at the shore appearing ahead and cried out in excitement:

"After drifting upon the great sea for so long, it is finally our turn, meow!"