In the Examination Room
The atmosphere remained tense, still charged with an unspoken hostility.
Although Lina had obeyed Yi Bai's instructions and reined in the dangerous surge of her powers, her gaze towards the Rose Count was still filled with wariness.
Meanwhile, the Rose Count, with a curious gleam in his blood-red eyes, regarded both Lina and Yi Bai with a mischievous expression, as though he were savoring some hidden amusement.
"It seems you've misunderstood my intentions," he said, his voice smooth and taunting. "As a noble, I would never deign to turn my benefactor into a mere human blood bank. Such behavior is beneath a true aristocrat."
He paused, his crimson eyes flickering with an eerie light. "But… tell me, doctor, how do you plan to treat my affliction?"
The question hung in the air like a deadly weight. A wrong answer here, and Yi Bai might not make it out of this room alive.
The blood in Yi Bai's veins held a dangerous allure for the Rose Count, potent enough to be fatal. The fact that the Count had shamelessly sucked on his finger earlier proved this point well—his hunger for Yi Bai's blood was far stronger than his sense of decorum.
Treating the Count's illness might be easy enough, but Yi Bai faced a more complicated challenge: how to ensure ongoing treatment without being drained completely—or worse, taken to the Count's castle to be kept as his personal blood supply.
Despite the Count's earlier assurances that he wouldn't treat Yi Bai as a mere blood reservoir, the idea of losing his freedom still made Yi Bai shudder.
After a brief pause, Yi Bai gathered his thoughts and spoke, his tone steady but firm.
"Lady Countess, rather than calling it an eating disorder, it might be more accurate to say that your noble status has given you an extraordinarily refined appetite. Does that sound reasonable?"
The Count's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face, as if Yi Bai had just exposed a secret she was reluctant to admit.
"My blood, without a doubt, must hold a great appeal to you. I'm sure you don't deny that, do you?" Yi Bai continued.
"Of course not," the Count responded without hesitation, her voice smooth as silk.
"Very well," Yi Bai said, his pale face still carrying a faint smile. "In my country, we have a saying: 'Things become precious because they are rare.' How do you feel about that?"
"'Rare things are precious'? An interesting take. Most of the time, that's certainly true," the Count mused.
Yi Bai pressed on, his voice growing more confident. "The same food, eaten every day, no matter how exquisite, will eventually grow tiresome, don't you think?"
The Count chuckled lightly. "Little one, you've been dancing around the point for so long just to suggest that I should drink your blood in moderation? To give you time to grow stronger and eventually escape?"
"No." Yi Bai shook his head, his gaze steady as he met her eyes. "A being of your power, a blood-clad specter with a domain of your own, is already one of the most formidable entities in the world. Not to mention, the bloodline of the Vampire Clan stands behind you."
"I'm just a poor soul caught up in the horrifying game of the world, unlucky enough to be chosen and dragged into this bizarre realm. By sheer chance, I met a beautiful, kind lady like Lina, who granted me a relatively safe identity," Yi Bai continued, his words laced with careful flattery as he subtly praised Lina.
Yi Bai's social skills were truly something to behold.
"I won't waste any more words," he said, adopting a more serious tone. "I don't have the strength to survive perfectly in this world. If I can attach myself to a powerful figure like you, offering only a small price in blood, then why would I not take the opportunity?"
Yi Bai gave a wry smile. "As for escape… do you know how envious other human players would be of my current situation?"
"Survival or death—that is the question," he said with quiet determination.
"I don't know how monsters like you view such things. But for me… I choose life. Even if I have to live humbly, life is still hope. Even if that hope is no more than a spark in the dark, I will still chase it."
The Rose Count's eyes softened ever so slightly, her expression momentarily touched by Yi Bai's sincerity.
Lina, who had been silently holding Yi Bai's hand, tightened her grip, as if sensing the depth of his words and his genuine respect for life.
"Apologies for the dramatics," Yi Bai said, giving a rueful smile. "Let's get back on track."
With a more serious tone, he continued, "From another perspective, I am a doctor, and you are my patient, Countess. You pay me for my services, and I treat your illness—that's a mutually beneficial relationship, wouldn't you agree?"
"If I can gain even a small advantage from someone like you, Countess, it will be a great benefit to someone like me, a newcomer to this world."
The Rose Count's eyes narrowed as she regarded Yi Bai. "You are clever and rather forthright," she said, a new respect in her voice.
From Yi Bai, she now saw something few others possessed—an indomitable resilience. It was the kind of strength that could ensure survival in this twisted world.
"So, are you willing to try my suggestion and follow my treatment plan?" Yi Bai asked directly, his patience running thin after such a long conversation.
The Count seemed to weigh his words carefully before nodding slowly.
"Yes."
It was a simple answer, but one that sent a wave of relief washing over Yi Bai. He could feel Lina relax as well, her grip loosening on his arm.
"However…" The Count's voice shifted as her gaze turned predatory.
"However, what?" Yi Bai asked, sensing the change.
"You have considerable potential," the Count said, her voice low and teasing. "You've gained the trust of a Death Angel, and you possess a resilience beyond the ordinary. So..."
She trailed off, allowing the tension to build. Her tongue flicked sensually over her lips as she gave him a wicked smile, her blood-red eyes gleaming with an unsettling light.
In an instant, the Count disappeared from her spot, her presence vanishing with the swiftness of a predator.
Yi Bai and Lina barely had time to react.
The true power of a blood-clad specter was something even Lina, with her Death Angel nature, could not resist. Yi Bai, already weakened from blood loss, felt his senses dull.
Then he felt it—a soft, supple body pressed against his back.
The coldness of a ghostly being was not what he felt. In fact, there was a strange warmth to the figure that held him.
Before he could process this new sensation, a gentle warmth spread across his neck. His instincts screamed that the Rose Count had bitten him again.
However, thanks to the nature of the Vampires, even though he was being drained, Yi Bai didn't feel the slightest pain—only a strange, almost intoxicating pleasure.
It was as though he was being emptied, yet something deep within him welcomed it.
As his vision blurred and he sank into unconsciousness, Yi Bai sensed something shifting within his body—something was changing, transforming him quietly and without his consent.
And then, he succumbed to the darkness.