The Sudden, Unexpected Change
The sudden shift in events, though alarming, was not beyond Yi Bai's expectations.
According to the insights gleaned from his Insightful Eye, the Rose Count cared deeply about her noble reputation. Anorexia, in the case of a vampire, was a serious matter. If word of it spread among other vampires, she would instantly become the subject of ridicule—perhaps even nailed to the pillar of shame.
After all… a vampire refusing to drink blood? Would she switch to pure milk instead?
However, Yi Bai understood the situation far better than most. The Rose Count wasn't exactly repulsed by blood. In fact, it remained her favorite drink. The problem lay in her obsession with the quality of the blood she consumed. Her standards had become so unreasonably high that it had triggered the onset of anorexia.
"I'm starting to like you less, little human," the Rose Count purred, her voice laced with an icy venom. "It's quite rude to casually reveal the secrets of a noble, don't you think?"
Her unnatural, blood-red eyes gleamed with a deadly intent. Crimson threads, like living creatures, spiraled from behind her, brushing lightly against Yi Bai's cheek. The sensation sent a wave of cold prickles down his spine, and he couldn't shake the feeling that... death was drawing near.
Behind Yi Bai, Lina struggled to move. Her nurse's outfit, which once had perfectly accentuated her graceful form, now turned a deep shade of crimson. A faint gleam of metal rang from the scalpel in her hand, while a pair of grey wings unfurled quietly behind her, an ethereal yet ominous presence. Her eyes, once warm and full of life, had shifted to a cold, emotionless grey.
"Hmm?" The Rose Count furrowed her brow, staring at the grey wings emerging from Lina's back. Her gaze, though laced with curiosity, still held an air of amusement. "Little ghost, I advise you not to act rashly. While your… companion back there may present some trouble, they aren't yet someone I fear."
"Let him go," Lina's voice was cold, laced with an intensity that would have paralyzed anyone else with fear. But she stood firm, despite the pressure weighing down on her.
"Why?" The Rose Count's expression grew more puzzled. She could understand why a ghost might protect a human for some unknown reason, but to this extent? It was incomprehensible.
"Because he healed a disease that's tormented me for a long time. And because he's a truly excellent doctor," Lina's response was chillingly calm, though there was something else she didn't voice. A thought that lingered in her mind but stayed unspoken. After all… for a ghost to admit that a human was her friend? That just seemed far too complex, laden with unspoken meaning.
Not far from Yi Bai's office, in another consultation room, the hospital director and several other doctors had gathered in tense anticipation.
Their faces reflected a mixture of hope and anxiety. They hoped that the Rose Count, after dealing with the human doctor, would leave without causing further trouble. But they also feared that if she once again failed to find a solution, her fury would be turned upon them.
"The human and Lina's aura has disappeared. They must have been engulfed by the Rose Count's crimson domain," the director said gravely, his voice lowering.
"Then that kid is done for. If we couldn't solve it, how could some young doctor possibly manage?" a werewolf doctor scoffed.
"I just hope the Rose Count finishes off that human and leaves without causing any more problems for us," said another doctor, his voice muffled by the beak-shaped mask he wore.
"It's hard to say..." an alchemical bio-human rumbled, his voice thick and hoarse. "How many times has the Rose Count been to our hospital? We haven't been able to solve her problem, and no one dares ask what's wrong with her. The doctors who knew have all died. If she isn't treated soon, who can say what a blood-clad vampire of her caliber might do when pushed to the brink?"
"Wait," the director said softly. His eyes, hidden behind thick lenses, glimmered faintly as he uttered the word. After that, he remained silent, and the room fell into a still, tense quiet.
In the hallway, various supernatural creatures were gathered around Yi Bai's consultation room, keeping a respectful distance yet eagerly awaiting the outcome. The Rose Count's illness had been a long-standing mystery in the Third Hospital, and no doctor had managed to solve it. Naturally, it had become a topic of endless gossip among the creatures of the supernatural world.
Some had even dared to set up clandestine betting pools, luring other creatures to wager on the outcome, earning themselves tidy sums. Others speculated endlessly about the nature of the Rose Count's strange illness, with some even suggesting she was cursed.
Meanwhile, some of her more conniving "friends," like the Rose Count's black-hearted "best friend," were quietly gathering information about her medical records, determined to exploit any weakness.
"Lina, trust me, I never said I couldn't cure the Rose Count's condition," Yi Bai said, his hand trembling slightly as he reached out to grasp Lina's.
The chill emanating from her was even more intense than before, making his hand feel as though it were frozen in place. A thin layer of frost had begun to form on his palm. But his words, though shaky, had the desired effect.
The tense atmosphere in the consultation room shifted. The Rose Count, her strange gaze flickering with surprise, looked at him. Her suspicion of the human's audacity was evident, but beneath it, she couldn't deny the small thread of hope stirring within her. She desperately wanted her anorexia to be cured.
"You really can cure my illness?" Her voice softened slightly, as if she herself had almost forgotten the need for reassurance.
"Of course! I wouldn't gamble with my life," Yi Bai said confidently. "Life is a one-time deal, and I don't plan on wasting mine."
The Rose Count seemed to consider his words. The strange red threads around him receded, as though her attention had been momentarily diverted.
Yi Bai turned to Lina, flashing her a brief smile. "Can I borrow your scalpel for a moment?"
Lina hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She handed him the scalpel, though she still had some doubts.
With a reluctant sigh, Yi Bai focused on his finger, knowing what needed to be done. Ancient sages fed their flesh to eagles, and now… Yi Bai feeds his finger to a vampire, he thought wryly. There was nothing else to be done.
Shing!
The scalpel sliced through his flesh with alarming sharpness. A single drop of blood oozed from his fingertip. The moment the blood hit the air, a heady fragrance filled the room—one that neither humans nor vampires could resist.
The Rose Count's gaze snapped to his finger, her eyes widening with an almost predatory focus.
Lina, too, felt the pull. Though not a vampire, her senses were sharp enough to recognize the sudden rush of temptation.
The drop of blood was on the verge of falling to the table when something unexpected occurred.
Yi Bai had known his blood would attract the Rose Count's attention. But he hadn't expected this much attention.
The Rose Count's elegant demeanor shifted in an instant. In a fluid motion, she reached out, taking Yi Bai's finger between her lips with unholy grace.
Her pale face transformed before his eyes, her previous blank expression replaced by a look of intense, greedy pleasure. Yi Bai felt something stir inside him, an unsettling tingling spreading through his body. Her unnatural ability to mesmerize prey left him feeling weak, dizzy—a sensation he had never experienced before.
His skin turned pale, and his limbs grew heavy. For a moment, he thought he might lose consciousness entirely.
"Yi Bai!" Lina's voice, sharp and alarmed, broke through the fog clouding his mind. She shook him roughly, snapping him back to reality.
"Shit…" His voice came out weak and hoarse. "Stop! Stop! If you keep going, I'm going to die!"
Yi Bai could barely hold himself together as the pressure of the Rose Count's feeding overwhelmed him. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't escape her grip. Not even Lina could help him—he was a mere human, helpless before the might of a blood-clad noble.
In a panic, Yi Bai's mind raced. Desperation clawed at him. With the last of his strength, he croaked, "Lady, you should know what 'saturation' means… one full meal, every time. You get it, right?"
At his words, the Rose Count's greedy expression faltered, her gaze shifting from ravenous to suddenly more lucid. The spell of her hunger seemed to lift—just a little.