Although it has been a month since the time-travel, the fact that the golden finger system hasn't fully decompressed is a bit embarrassing, but Murphy feels pretty good about himself.
He suspected that this delay could be some sort of spooky "test"!
For instance, allowing himself one month to adapt to the feeling of being a "Dweller from Another World" before obtaining the life-transforming golden finger. This is so that he wouldn't become an "ultimate hero" like Ah Zu, who released his raw nature too fast and recklessly after suddenly acquiring tremendous power.
Of course, it is quite possible that all these are nothing but mindless speculations and the real reason might just be that he's too naïve to handle it.
"I'm back."
Murphy stepped into the main mansion with a parcel of food, and as soon as he opened the door, he was hit by a strong alcoholic aroma.
Following the scent, one could see a long-haired drunkard curled up on an old worn-out couch, strewed with countless empty wine bottles at her feet and clutching onto half-emptied wine bottle in her hand.
The faint ticking sound emitted from an old mechanical clock hung on the wall, and several bright red women's gowns were draped on the shabby balcony. Amid the annoying sunlight and its teasing speckles, the mild yet rhythmic sound of snoring echoed in the ancient room.
The clean blanket on the couch formed a perfect human imprint. A long-haired inebriated woman lay on it, sleeping soundly in an incredibly immodest posture, with her hand occasionally scratching her thin waist.
If she also had a bubble of mucus, this place would seem more like the bedroom of a century-old reclusive witch.
Murphy was used to this.
First, he tidied up the room a bit, moved all the day's empty wine bottles to the basement, then rolled up his sleeves, busied himself in the kitchen, and eventually brought out a bowl of bread congee with meatballs and duck blood.
Theoretically, vampires don't need any food other than blood to survive - in fact, they might even live better. However, given the financial situation of Murphy and Lady Cui Si, they can't afford to keep a regular blood-slave to feed on. Being able to drink fresh blood occasionally is considered a luxury.
You see those fat rats frolicking out in the courtyard?
Those were the "blood reservoirs" that Lady Cui Si prepared for herself before she started "cohabiting" with Murphy!
Over the past month, she had recommended this "energy-saving and self-sufficient" lifestyle to Murphy several times but he had tactfully declined each time.
He didn't mind being an exotic eater in this magical different world, but he'd rather not indulge in deluxe cuisine like rats.
Honestly, before meeting Lady Cui Si, Murphy had never imagined that such high-fliers as the midnight aristocrats could be this destitute in a city ruled by a vampire.
"Wake up, Cui Si, it's time to eat."
He put down the bowl, which was sturdy enough to have been his grandfather's, on a table at least six times his age and bent down over the couch to help his venerable matriarch sit up.
"Matriarch" here refers to the first vampire grantor.
In their culture, this word conveys a sense close to that of mother-father. Whether it's the Blood Vulture Clan, or any other, they all have strict and sacred ancient rules regarding the first granting ceremony. This isn't simply about the propagation of vampires, thus, the term matriarch has a significant meaning in vampire culture.
Regrettably, Murphy's matriarch is too extraordinary, resulting in a severe misrepresentation of the whole vampire race in Murphy's fresh memory.
These crepuscular beings must all be unreliable due to chronic sleep deprivation and a messed-up biological clock!
"Ahhh... Little Murphy, let me sleep a little longer..."
Lady Cui Si, half-asleep and muttering some nonsense, rubbed herself on Murphy's broad chest like a cat and tried to go back to sleep, leaving Murphy helpless.
"Hmm, you know what, I had a dream about my younger days. I dreamed of when I was still the prodigious elder of the Blood Vulture Clan, when Salockdale personally poured my drinks, and the handsome Lord Pa Ying invited me to banquet.
That damned Old Edward would avoid me…"
Truthfully, this babbling vampire lady looks quite stunning and carries a fascinating charm in her mature big-sister vibe, mixed with the exotic allure peculiar to the midnight aristocrats.
Her raven hair flows down smoothly in glorious profusion, a slender waist and fiery eyes make her the center of attention for men wherever she shows up.
However, a terrifying scar, almost like a centipede, stretches from her slender neck to her chest, then leaks out again from her trim, nipped-in waist and ends just above her crotch. The scar nearly pierces her entire body, like an unfortunate crack on an exquisite porcelain.
This scar doesn't just mar her beauty significantly but also destroys the vampire's life-sustaining strength.
Other vampires referring to her as "worthless" isn't an insult. Cui Si indeed lost a large part of her strength. She never talked to Murphy about how she got this scar, and Murphy never inquired about it either.
After all, when you live together, there should be a certain boundary between the two.
"Wow, the flavor is just as amazing as always! Turning you, this little troublemaker, into my descendant seems to be the most correct decision I've made in my muddled hundred-year life."
A groggy Cui Si had a sip of the congee and instantly showed a satisfied expression.
As she was about to tuck in, she noticed something. On the usually "simple" table lied an oddly luxurious velvet pouch, the Blood Vulture badge pinned on top especially caught Cui Si's attention.
"What's this?"
She looked at Murphy and asked angrily while tapping her spoon:
"Didn't I tell you not to deal with those other vultures? All of them are lowlives! Did you forget how their stupid summoning spell nearly killed both of us? You disobedient child! Are you trying to kill me... Burp~"