"Mirror Lady, is there something about the previous meeting that displeases you? Do you wish to discuss it privately with us?"
Countess Rose asked with confusion, yet she still patiently inquired.
"No," Qingyuan shook her head slowly, responding, "I come for a different matter. I wonder, Countess Rose, are you aware of any human players recently being turned into vampires?"
Countess Rose: (O_O)?
Jiang Ling: o(′^｀)o
After the shock and confusion faded, a hint of caution flashed in Countess Rose's eyes. "Mirror Lady, when did you start caring about the affairs of my vampires?" she asked.
Qingyuan: "..."
For a moment, Qingyuan didn't know how to proceed. Should she tell them that her precious daughter had been taken by one of the vampires under their control?
"A human player who seems to have recently been transformed," Qingyuan said, quickly changing her approach, "He demonstrated immense talent during a terrifying game, and I admire him. That's why I'm here to ask if you know anything about him. If his status in the vampire world is not favorable, I will take him under my wing."
"Oh?" Countess Rose was genuinely surprised.
Recently, aside from Yi Bai, there hadn't been any other humans turned into vampires in Yinming City. The situation was quite puzzling.
Yinming City's vampire population, consisting mostly of blood-clad ghosts, was quite small—only about ten individuals. Yet Yi Bai always seemed to attract their attention. Even Countess Rose, who kept a watchful eye on him, could not help but worry.
"What's his name?" To play it safe, Countess Rose asked.
"Yi Bai."
The silence was the unspoken answer.
Qingyuan, sharp as ever, immediately noticed something in Countess Rose's gaze. The moment she spoke Yi Bai's name, Rose's expression shifted to one of surprise and disbelief. Even Jiang Ling, the zombie loli beside her, wore a look of utter astonishment, as if wondering what Yi Bai had done to deserve such recognition from Mirror Lady.
Vampires of Yinming City were infamous in their own right. Mirror Lady herself was known for her aloofness, so it seemed utterly bizarre that someone as enigmatic as her would be interested in a newly turned vampire.
"You know him?" Qingyuan pressed directly.
"Yes," Countess Rose didn't deny it.
Whether Yi Bai had angered Qingyuan or whether Qingyuan's admiration for him was true, she needed to make her stance clear.
If it was the former, Countess Rose wouldn't mind resolving any potential problems Yi Bai might cause. After all, she held the little fellow in high regard.
But if it was the latter... Perhaps Yi Bai could become a new ally, and Countess Rose's influence in Yinming City would only grow.
"Who turned him? Which lineage does he belong to? Or is he one of your vampires?" Qingyuan's tone became a bit more agitated.
"May I ask why you're asking?" Countess Rose, growing more suspicious, continued. "Even if his performance is impressive, why would someone like you, from the blood-clad ranks, be interested in him?"
"My apologies, I can't tell you the exact reason, but I can tell you this: the little one is important to me, and I don't intend to harm him. If you can provide any information, Countess Rose, I would be willing to offer a suitable reward."
"Since you've asked so straightforwardly, then fine." Countess Rose thought for a moment before replying, "Yi Bai was personally turned by me. His potential is quite remarkable, and I value him highly."
Before she could finish, a terrifying presence surged from her.
Mirrors began to materialize around Qingyuan.
The candlelight reflected in the mirrors flickered, twisting into distorted faces.
Her domain—Qingyuan's Mirror Domain—was in full effect.
Whoosh!
The blood-red and gray domains expanded simultaneously, clashing in a tense stand-off in the Black Rose Castle.
But Countess Rose was utterly confused. She couldn't understand why Mirror Lady would suddenly become so enraged.
The crucial point was... Even if Yi Bai had caused trouble, it was Countess Rose who had turned him into a vampire. Why was Qingyuan so furious with her?
"Little one, what have you done to anger this person so much?" Countess Rose could only respond by releasing her own domain to counter Qingyuan's.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ling, who had initially reacted by releasing her own domain, quickly realized that the conflict wasn't her concern. She nonchalantly stepped aside, pulling out a bag of sunflower seeds she had seemingly found from nowhere, happily munching away. The essence of a mischievous, evil best friend was on full display.
"How dare you!" Countess Rose snapped, her blood domain extending countless blood tendrils, aggressively attacking Qingyuan's domain.
Though she knew the power gap between herself and Qingyuan was significant, Countess Rose wasn't someone to back down easily. If Mirror Lady truly intended a life-or-death struggle, she had some cards up her sleeve to hold her ground.
"How dare you?!" Qingyuan scoffed, her fury boiling over.
Having been the main victim of all this, she had no outlet for her anger.
Yi Bai, because of his connection to Xier, was off-limits for her to touch.
So... frustrated and helpless, Qingyuan thought to take her anger out on the one who had turned Yi Bai into a vampire.
She had never expected that Yi Bai had such a powerful background, receiving the initial embrace from Countess Rose herself.
But none of that mattered now.
What mattered was... her precious daughter being taken away. Qingyuan could barely contain her frustration.
Every time she thought about Xier's actions in the mirror world, her anger grew unbearable.
Boom!
Blood-red tendrils exploded from the mirrors, colliding with Rose's domain in a violent clash.
The terrifying force spread out, and in just moments, Black Rose Castle—the towering vampire fortress in Yinming City—crumbled to dust.
It seemed that Yinming City was destined for a chaotic day ahead.