After walking for about an hour, Shen Yi finally saw the small town of Transylvania.
The Bloody Badge announced the completion of the main mission, rewarding him with 200 Bloody Points.
Transylvania, though called a town, was actually more of a village. Despite being in the 19th century, it felt like being in medieval Europe. Wooden houses were the main structures, with roofs mostly thatched with straw. The majority of the buildings were simple farmhouses, showing no signs of industrialization.
As Anna returned to the village, several townspeople stopped their work to greet her.
"Anna, sister!" a little girl shouted.
"Hey, Lily, you look pretty today," Anna waved back.
"Oh, our Princess Anna is back. Glad you're still alive. How many werewolves did you kill this time?" an uncle called out, waving a hoe as he stepped out of his wooden house.
"Not a single one. They're getting cleverer by the day, even more than you, Uncle Todd."
"Anna, you're a girl, it would be better if you stopped doing such dangerous things," a woman fetching water advised.
"Thank you for your concern, Aunt Julie. You're looking good today."
As a descendant of the Valerius family, Anna was a well-respected figure in the town. Many locals greeted her as she passed by.
A young, handsome man blocked Anna's path. "Anna, I've told you not to do those dangerous things. If you must, at least take me with you."
"There's no need for that, Gascon," Anna replied, noticing a scar on the young man's forehead. "You've been fighting again."
"It was just two drunks who refused to pay. It wasn't a fight, just a lesson... Who is this? He looks unfamiliar," Gascon said, pointing at Shen Yi.
"It's none of your business," Anna surprisingly refused to introduce Shen Yi.
"Stranger, what are you doing here?" Gascon asked, eyeing Shen Yi with suspicion.
Shen Yi smiled slightly. "She said it's none of your business."
Gascon's face changed, and he stepped forward to grab Shen Yi, but Anna grabbed his wrist and warned, "Gascon, I warn you not to treat my friend like that!"
"Your friend?" Gascon snorted at Shen Yi and turned back to Anna. "I bet you haven't known him for more than two hours!"
"That's my business! You better not pry into my affairs. Go back to your tavern work!" Anna shouted.
Perhaps sensing Anna's firm attitude, Gascon glared at Shen Yi before leaving resentfully.
Anna apologized to Shen Yi, "Don't mind him. Gascon is not a bad person, just a bit headstrong."
"You forgot to mention he's a bit smitten with you. I saw jealousy in his eyes. You know, only when a man is madly in love with a woman will he be hostile to any man near her, even a stranger."
"That's not for you to remind me," Anna replied irritably, then walked ahead.
They reached Anna's home, a luxurious castle-style building, the most grandiose in the town.
Anna led Shen Yi inside and looked for medicine for his wounds.
The castle was filled with a medieval aura. Antique chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and large oil paintings of Anna's ancestors in knight's armor decorated the walls. The carpet on the floor was embroidered with exquisite patterns. A fireplace carved with 13th-century designs crackled with burning wood, adding warmth to the cold weather.
In a corner of the hall were weapon racks filled with spears, swords, axes, and scimitars.
"This house is big," he said.
"It's the legacy of my great-great-great-grandfather, the only witness to the rise and fall of the Valerius family," Anna replied, coming over with the medicine.
She instructed Shen Yi to lie down on the sofa and carefully applied ointment to his chest. Her hands were skilled, indicating she often did this.
"Do you live alone?" Shen Yi asked.
"I used to live with my brother. Now, I'm alone. Someone comes to clean every week, as I don't have the time."
"Of course, you're busy hunting werewolves," Shen Yi smiled.
"Or being hunted by them," Anna laughed too.
Her gentle hands on Shen Yi's wound brought a cool sensation. Though the medicine was ordinary and couldn't directly restore life, it did enhance the healing speed.
"Don't you get tired of it?"
"Sometimes, but it's fate. We're destined to fight vampires for life. We have no choice but to face it bravely."
"You're a brave girl," Shen Yi sincerely said.
"Thank you," Anna finished applying the ointment and patted him lightly. "Rest well for a couple of days, and you'll recover quickly."
Shen
Yi looked at himself in the mirror. Apart from being a little pale, he seemed to be in good shape.
"Since you saved my life, you can stay here. We have enough rooms. That's the bathroom, and my room is upstairs. You can choose any room downstairs as your guest room. The dining room is at the other end, but there's not much to eat. You know I don't have time to cook, so you'll have to buy food in town. Oh, and there's money in the drawer over there, feel free to use it."
With that, Anna went upstairs. She was so exhausted that she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke up, it was already dark. Groggily, she descended the stairs, only to be greeted by a familiar and delicious aroma.
Curiously, she went downstairs and saw the dining room filled with an array of exquisite dishes: avocado with squid, roasted codfish, onion beefsteak, cheese bacon, tuna with corn grits, asparagus salad, fruit bowl. "My goodness, where did all this come from? We've never had such food in town!" Anna exclaimed in disbelief.
"I made it," Shen Yi said, coming from the kitchen with a bottle of wine. "The soup's been reheated once. If you didn't come down soon, I was going to knock on your door."
Anna, sitting at one end of the dining table, stared at Shen Yi in amazement.
"Try it. I hope you like it," Shen Yi smiled.
Anna tasted a small piece of the codfish with her fork and nodded vigorously in approval, "It's incredibly delicious!"
"Glad you like it," Shen Yi toasted Anna from across the table.
Shen Yi often traveled abroad for work. Being alone most of the time, he learned to take care of himself. Even if left in a desert, he would first cook scorpions and snakes before considering survival. This only increased Anna's admiration for him.
It's often said to win a man's heart, one must first win his stomach. The same can be true for women. Though Shen Yi didn't intend to pursue anything beyond friendship with Anna, he didn't mind flattering his host when necessary, especially since he realized Anna could significantly impact his future missions.
"The last time I had a meal like this was on my twelfth birthday," Anna said, unabashedly taking a big spoonful of the tuna corn grits.
"A woman destined from birth to struggle against vampires her entire life is indeed too hard," Shen Yi commented lightly.
"My ancestors swore to God that until Dracula is destroyed, they and their descendants can never enter heaven. To free our ancestors from this suffering, we have never stopped fighting, but unfortunately... I fear I will never be able to send my ancestors to heaven with my power alone," Anna said, her voice tinged with sadness and melancholy.
"Honestly, that's what I dislike. I'd rather go to hell than let my descendants suffer such torment... if I had any," Anna added.
"You destroy evil, you won't go to hell," Anna laughed.
"I don't think so. Maybe I should do something to prove my wickedness to you," Shen Yi winked at Anna.
Anna shook her head, "No, I don't believe that. You're a good person, and good people don't go to hell."
"What a pity, I thought I was already in hell," Shen Yi muttered.
Who's to say Bloody City isn't hell?
Even though he hadn't officially been there, Shen Yi already sensed the faint scent of blood from that terrifying city.
Thinking for a moment, he put down his cutlery and asked Anna, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead," Anna replied eagerly, her dining manners both refined and graceful.
"Why didn't you tell the townspeople about my identity?"
Anna was about to answer when suddenly there was a commotion outside.
Shen Yi quickly pulled out his gun from the badge and approached the window. Outside, a large group of townspeople, armed with torches, was approaching menacingly.
Leading them was a middle-aged man in a top hat and gentleman's attire, holding a cane. The others carried scythes, hoes, axes...
"Oh, hell!" Anna exclaimed.
Shen Yi turned to Anna, "They don't seem friendly. Can you tell me what's going on?"
"You'll know soon enough," Anna said, putting down her cutlery and quickly running out of the dining room. She grabbed a cross sword from the hall and rushed to the front door.
As she opened the door, the townspeople had surrounded the entire castle.
"Northon!" Anna shouted, raising her sword. "What are you doing here with them?"
The gentleman-like man called out, "The townspeople just found the Silver Wolf's body by the riverbank. Anna, tell me, who killed the Silver Wolf?"
"It was me!" Anna responded loudly.
"Come on, Anna, if you could do it, you would have done it a long time ago," the man named Northon scoffed. "It was that outsider you brought back, wasn't it? He's brought great trouble to our town. I want you to hand him over!"
"Forget it, Northon. As long as the Valerius family leads this land, I will swear to protect the dignity of my family. You may refuse to fight vampires, but don't expect me to hand over a warrior who battles them! If you want to catch him, you'll have to step over my dead body!"
Anna spoke with unwavering determination, looking at the townspeople who were also watching her. Despite their respect for the girl who constantly battled vampires, there was an air of hesitation and fear among them.
Sensing Anna's courage and resolve, Northon spoke in a low voice, "I hope you know what you're doing. The Silver Wolf is not an ordinary werewolf; it's one of Count Dracula's two most important subordinates. Its death will enrage Count Dracula. Transylvania cannot withstand the fury of vampires."
"As long as one member of the Valerius family is alive, they won't have their way," Anna replied proudly.
Northon glanced at Shen Yi behind the door: "That outsider, he better not leave the town."
With that, he turned and led the crowd away.
Watching the townspeople disperse, Anna sighed deeply, leaning weakly against the door.
"Now you know why I didn't tell them your identity... Not all oppressed people long for salvation."
"A flock of lost sheep," Shen Yi responded with a smile. "Fortunately, my homeland has ample historical experience in dealing with such people."