Thump... Thump...
Gu Chen's heart pounded violently, and with the surge of mysterious energy, every muscle in his body seemed to ignite, unleashing a force he had never experienced before.
Thump... Thump...
The sound of his heartbeat echoed in his ears, and the warm blood splattered across his face, leaving behind a metallic, sweet scent. His hands trembled uncontrollably, each shake carrying a deep, unsettling tremor.
This was the first time Gu Chen had killed someone.
In the years spent in the slums, he had been in countless skirmishes with thugs, but those were always close-quarters fights—wild punches and kicks. This, however, was the first time he had taken a life with such finality. Today, he had ended a life with the cold, sharp blade, without hesitation.
He looked down at the blood on his hands, staring at it for a while. It wasn't the first time he had seen blood, but it was the first time he had seen his own hands stained with it like this.
"小婉…" Gu Chen's voice was hoarse and low. He had just been about to wake his sister, Mu Xiaowan, when he realized that she was already awake. She was sitting on the bed, her large, water-filled eyes fixed on him, her gaze locked on the bloodstains on his hands.
She swallowed hard. Her voice was quiet but filled with an undeniable hunger: "Brother, I'm really hungry. If you don't feed me soon, I might lose control."
Gu Chen looked down at his sister's eyes—those eyes not only showed a clear hunger but a need that could tear apart all reason. The craving for blood was so intense, it was beyond words.
Without showing any sign of hesitation, Gu Chen wiped the blood off his hands and walked into the room. The four corpses were still sprawled on the floor, their death scenes horrifying, and blood soaked the ground. Mu Xiaowan's breathing had become uneven; it was clear that she was struggling to control her cravings.
"Hold on. Wait for me," Gu Chen murmured, trying to calm her.
He gently covered the bodies with a white cloth, hoping to shield her from seeing them. Gu Chen knew that her control was waning, and if she saw the gruesome sight, she would inevitably erupt into a violent frenzy.
He stepped into the kitchen, grabbed a syringe, and inserted it into the already bruised vein in his arm. Slowly, blood began to drip into a bowl. The cold air in the quiet room seemed to thicken, the tension palpable, as if the very atmosphere was holding its breath.
He looked down at the blood in the bowl and fell into deep thought.
It had been three years. Mu Xiaowan—his little sister—was no longer the innocent and lively girl she once was. Three years ago, when their father led an expedition out of the city, she had started showing strange signs. First, she lost her appetite, and then she developed an uncontrollable craving for blood.
He had tried everything—searching for alternative food sources—but nothing worked. She had even tried drinking animal blood, but the violent reactions almost turned her into a monster.
In the end, Gu Chen had no choice but to sacrifice himself, regularly giving her his blood to keep her under control. Because of this, his own powers had failed to awaken.
"Just a little more…" Mu Xiaowan whispered, her eyes still glued to the blood in his hand, the hunger in her gaze almost palpable.
Gu Chen furrowed his brow, hesitating for a moment.
"I'll go get more."
This had become the routine for the past three years. Mu Xiaowan's strength was growing—though Gu Chen had no idea how she compared to actual awakened individuals, she had easily dealt with those thugs just moments ago. If it hadn't been for the risk of exposure, he would have let her handle the situation herself.
However, with her growing strength came an equally increasing appetite. Gu Chen was already exhausted, and he couldn't afford to lose any more blood, not after the toll it had taken on him. He was already feeling faint and dizzy.
Gu Chen stood up, about to head to the kitchen for more supplies, but as he moved toward the door, his eyes happened to land on the white cloth on the floor—something caught his attention. Floating above the cloth were faint, greenish orbs of light, drifting like will-o'-the-wisps in the air.
He froze.
Mu Xiaowan also noticed them. She blinked in confusion, seemingly seeing nothing unusual. She still looked at the cloth with a blank expression.
"What are you looking at?" she asked softly.
Gu Chen frowned, feeling a sense of unease, and walked closer. As he neared, the green orbs seemed to sense him, and suddenly, they all flew toward him, as if they had found their master. One by one, they adhered to his hand.
A cold, refreshing sensation spread through his body, and the green orbs disappeared, leaving behind four small, translucent green crystals, glowing faintly like precious gems.
"What is this?" Gu Chen whispered, his mind racing.
Mu Xiaowan's gaze was locked on the crystals, and an expression of indescribable longing appeared in her eyes. She instinctively reached out toward them.
"Do you want them?" Gu Chen asked, frowning.
Mu Xiaowan nodded vigorously, but then quickly restrained herself, lowering her head and pressing her lips together.
Gu Chen paused for a moment, feeling an unexpected surge of tenderness. He decided to see if these mysterious crystals could help satisfy his sister's hunger, so he picked up two of them and handed them to her. Without hesitation, Mu Xiaowan swallowed them in one go.
Seconds later, she let out a satisfied burp, her face brightening with a rare look of contentment. "Brother, where did you get these? They taste amazing!" Her eyes sparkled, as though she had finally filled her empty stomach.
Gu Chen looked at the remaining two crystals in his hand, his heart racing with confusion and curiosity. He didn't fully understand what these were, but they seemed to have a remarkable effect on Mu Xiaowan.
"If we can extract these crystals from bodies, maybe we won't have to rely on blood anymore," Gu Chen muttered to himself.
He held one of the crystals in his palm, concentrating, hoping to see what would happen if he tried to channel his energy through it.
An extraordinary sight unfolded.
The crystal slowly turned into green mist, flowing into Gu Chen's body through his skin. A warm, comforting sensation spread throughout his body, and he recognized it immediately—this was the surge of power he had been waiting for! The sensation of energy coursing through him was unmistakable.
But what was most shocking was that this occurred even though he had not officially awakened his powers yet.
"Could this be...?" Gu Chen's eyes widened in disbelief.
It dawned on him—this might be the trigger for his awakening. For three years, he had been struggling to find a way to break through, never considering that he might have already awakened without realizing it.
No matter what, this could be the hope he and his sister needed to survive.