Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 871: Worry-Free, Yellow Springs (4)

"Is there any special significance to this ring?" Luo Qiu picked up one of the red rings and examined it. Cythacyl replied seriously, "My friend, you give me such a precious thing, and your valuable friendship astonishes me. So I have decided to be honest with you about some things, allowing us to meet eye to eye." Luo Qiu showed an expression of attentive listening. Cythacyl then stated, "Do you know about our tradition of the Day of the Hunt?" "Is it a festival?" Luo Qiu thought for a moment. "Something like that." Cythacyl nodded. "The Day of the Hunt is equivalent to a banquet for us. We are usually very restrained, but the impulses hidden within our bodies, if suppressed for too long without release, can easily cause us to become lost. Once lost, we will lose our rationality. In fact, many of the vampire legends that circulate in the world are about lost vampires who, unable to control themselves, brought calamity upon themselves." "So, this Day of the Hunt..." Luo Qiu's heart stirred, "Today is the Day of the Hunt, and the guests here are the prey?" Cythacyl nodded. "They won't know afterward because we have ways to erase that part of their memory. Remember Long Ze? He specializes in handling the aftermath; his deceptions can trick the memories of most people." "So the wine-tasting party was just a cover." Luo Qiu looked around. Cythacyl said, "We need an environment where we can freely unleash our instincts. The taste of blood from these privileged people is quite good, rich in nutrients, and under the ritual that opens the Day of the Hunt, it can give us even more vitality... My friend, wearing these rings will allow you to avoid being targeted by my companions. They are my personal markers; once you wear them, my companions will know you are my guests, and naturally, they will not attack you." "Why are there two colors?" Luo Qiu asked curiously. Cythacyl smiled and said, "Why do men and women exist?" "Alright then." Luo Qiu didn’t press further about the rings but clearly didn't believe everything so easily. Under Cythacyl's eager gaze, he put on the only green ring. After wearing the ring, Luo Qiu didn’t feel anything unusual... Apart from carrying a hint of Cythacyl's aura, it was essentially just a decorative piece. Cythacyl then lamented, "In fact, if you had taken your friends and left when I first urged you, you might have avoided a panicked experience. But now, it seems it may already be too late... At this point, if you were to leave, even I would have a hard time bearing the dissatisfaction of my companions." Luo Qiu smiled, "Isn't this already your ring?" "Yes." Cythacyl smiled slightly, lifted the champagne in his hand, and gently clinked it against Luo Qiu's glass. "My dear friend." It still felt a bit too enthusiastic... Luo Qiu always sensed that something was off. "I hope your companions, those beautiful ladies, won't be too panicked." Cythacyl leaned back in his chair, swaying the champagne glass. "Actually, it won’t take long before the guests here fall into a peculiar state. It’s just that you had someone open a window later, which complicates things." "I think the scent of these flowers is a bit too strong." Luo Qiu shook his head. Cythacyl replied, "These flowers were specially brought in; they are a variant of the Solanaceae flower. The scent can create a hypnotic effect, leading people into an illusion. Later, combined with Long Ze's abilities, it can easily erase some unpleasant memories... You don’t know these things and felt something strange about the flowers, so opening the windows doesn’t seem like a big deal." Cythacyl nonchalantly continued, "Actually, this might be better; if the guests are a bit more alert, they will feel fear, despair, and so on during the process. If they have these reactions, it should stimulate some individuals' more vigorous impulses, though handling it afterward would be more troublesome... Overall, it’s not a big deal." Suddenly, the sound of a bell ringing echoed through the room. Not loud, but enough for everyone present to hear clearly. Everyone turned to look, and they saw Uncle Jin, the butler of the manor. He was holding a bell in one hand and a small hammer in the other. He glanced around and then spoke loudly, "Dear guests, the last batch of wine for this year is about to be opened. Please follow me." The doors opened, and several servants from the manor were ready to guide the guests. At this moment, Cythacyl stood up, bent down slightly, placed a hand gently on Luo Qiu's shoulder, and leaned his lips closer, whispering, "I need to go prepare as well. Remember to have your friends wear their rings too. And don’t run around; once it starts, there will be people in the castle responsible for checking." Luo Qiu nodded, and Cythacyl floated away. "What were you two discussing in secret? Who is that person?" Song Ying approached Luo Qiu, accompanied by Gan Hong and her secretary, Su Mei. Luo Qiu casually replied, "Actually, it’s nothing much, just some unusual anecdotes. This gentleman is quite enthusiastic and talkative." Song Ying looked at Luo Qiu with suspicion—she had wanted to interrupt the two men earlier, but she was also someone who understood the occasion, and suddenly interrupting wouldn’t be appropriate. Although Luo Qiu was brought by her father, she still felt a bit of unease but couldn’t just ignore it. "Is it really just that?" Song Ying clearly didn’t believe him so easily. Luo Qiu suddenly said, "By the way, when do you plan to meet Tu Shenyi?" Song Ying sighed helplessly, "Isn't it because of you? Clearly, there was a great opportunity... Forget it. I asked, and Tu Shenyi is not meeting anyone right now; I was turned away long ago. I'll see if there’s an opportunity to chat after the wine-tasting begins. If not, I’ll visit him after the guests leave." As she spoke, Song Ying raised her eyebrows in surprise, "I didn't expect that woman, Zhong Luoyue, to also be here, and she brought Ouyang Jie with her. He is a direct disciple of the God of Slaughter; it might be even more difficult to persuade Tu Shenyi than I imagined... By the way, since you’ve interacted with Tu Shenyi, you should at least have some impression of him. What do you think he is like?" "He should be a wise elder," Luo Qiu thought for a moment, but his gaze suddenly shifted toward the window. This distracted action easily caught Song Ying's attention, and she followed Luo Qiu's gaze—only to find that he was just looking at the vase by the window. The fresh flowers in the vase must have just been arranged, appearing very vibrant, but Song Ying was clearly uninterested: "Let's talk about something serious; don't get distracted. What's so interesting about these flowers?" "There's a butterfly." Gan Hong, with better eyesight, reminded her softly at this moment, "It probably flew in from outside after the window was opened." It seemed that the sound of their conversation startled the butterfly, which suddenly flew out from the petals and headed toward the window. But because of this, Song Ying was able to see its appearance clearly. Its body was a purple-blue color, shimmering with a metallic sheen. Song Ying took a glance and retorted, "Isn't it just a Blue Flash Butterfly? Nothing special." Luo Qiu, however, said, "It's not a Blue Flash Butterfly; it's a Helena Flash Butterfly. Although both have a blue shimmer, they are different species. Look, it has a ring of light white patterns on its body, like a beautiful halo. When it flutters, the Helena Flash Butterfly has a graceful posture, like a goddess dancing under the blue sky. That's why the Helena Flash Butterfly is also called the 'Goddess of Light Butterfly.'" "Mr. Luo, you are truly impressive; you know so much." Su Mei listened, unable to help but admire him... only she seemed to have overlooked Song Ying's presence—however, after finishing this sentence, Su Mei immediately regretted it because Song Ying was currently glaring at her fiercely. "Actually, I learned all this from books." Luo Qiu said casually, "This is the first time I've seen a real one." "I was asking you about Tu Shenyi; stop changing the subject!" When Song Ying got angry, she actually had a commanding presence, her chest puffed up high, like a female leopard running on the grasslands. Luo Qiu suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Then let me take you to meet Mr. Tu." "You? Now?" Song Ying looked surprised. Luo Qiu, however, smiled without replying, walking straight to a side door of the banquet hall. Song Ying glanced at Gan Hong, who also had a puzzled expression, and could only hurry to follow him. …… "Everyone, please follow the servants and maintain silence and order as much as possible." At the entrance to the passage leading to the cellar, Uncle Jin instructed all the guests, and the guests walked slowly in an orderly fashion without rushing in. "A Jie, come here for a moment." But Uncle Jin suddenly called A Jie over—he and Zhong Luoyue were actually still in the banquet hall. At this moment, he glanced at Zhong Luoyue and then brought her to Uncle Jin's side, "Uncle Jin, is there something?" Uncle Jin said, "A Jie, your master is looking for you. Don't go in yet; go wait for him in the study." "Now?" A Jie was taken aback, then puzzled, "I just saw my master in the study; what could he want?" Uncle Jin shook his head, "I don't know. This is what your master asked me to tell you; you should go check." Ouyang Jie hesitated for a moment, glancing at Zhong Luoyue. Zhong Luoyue said calmly, "You go ahead; I can go down myself." "Alright then, I'll be back soon." Ouyang Jie nodded, greeted Uncle Jin, and then quickly made his way against the crowd. "Wishing you a pleasant time." Uncle Jin smiled at Zhong Luoyue, a very warm smile. Zhong Luoyue nodded and followed the crowd down the stairs leading to the cellar. …… Song Ying thought that Luo Qiu's claim of taking her to meet Tu Shenyi was probably unreliable—because along the way, the group of four had already arrived at an empty corridor, which was definitely not the way to the wine cellar. Moreover, Luo Qiu casually opened the doors of different rooms along the corridor. Like a customer who didn't find what he liked, he simply left—finally, when Luo Qiu opened the door to the fourth room, Song Ying could no longer hold back. "Are you done?" "This is it." Luo Qiu nodded and walked into the room, inviting Song Ying and the others to enter as well. The room was arranged like a living room, spacious and bright, with very comfortable sofas. Luo Qiu looked at the three of them and said, "You can sit for now; just wait a bit." "Is Tu Shenyi really coming?" Song Ying frowned. However, seeing that Luo Qiu had already taken a seat, she reluctantly had to sit down obediently. Luo Qiu took out the tea set from the table and started brewing black tea. Soon after, he poured a cup of fragrant black tea for Gan Hong, Song Ying, and Su Mei. "The wine party is about to start; I don't feel like drinking this. What is your purpose in bringing me here?" Song Ying was already impatient, glancing at the time, "Are you lying to me? What are you really after?" "To clear my throat." Luo Qiu said softly, "I'll tell you." "I won't drink!" Song Ying huffed coldly. Luo Qiu simply looked at her, making Song Ying feel annoyed, almost overwhelmed by the urge to hit him. Angrily, she picked up the teacup, drank nearly half of it, and then threw it back down. "I've had enough; now tell me!" Seeing that Gan Hong and Su Mei had also taken small sips, Luo Qiu slowly said, "Because it should be safer here." "Safer? What do you mean?" Song Ying frowned, but suddenly felt her head grow a bit heavy. Instinctively, she shook her head, trying to wake up, but in just a moment, she collapsed on the sofa. Actually, the first to fall was Su Mei, and the last to fall was Gan Hong—they only had a moment between them. Luo Qiu waved his hand to ensure they could lie comfortably on the sofa, then opened the window of the room so it wouldn’t feel stuffy and closed the door afterward. Cythacyl said to have them wear rings to avoid bad situations—but in Luo Qiu's view, the better solution was just to keep them here. As his holiday extended, Luo Qiu, gradually feeling his emotions revive, also began to act as he did before, avoiding trouble whenever possible. After all, who would want to take a group of women to grind dungeons? Having closed the door, Luo Qiu gently tapped on it, and a light pattern rippled in front of the door, while the entire room was completely swept by this rippling wave. "Safe enough now... just rest well; after all, you stayed up late looking over documents last night." Suddenly, a blue butterfly flew in through the window of the corridor and finally landed on Luo Qiu's shoulder. Luo Qiu extended his hand, and the butterfly flew onto his finger. "Are you going to follow me down to the cellar?" Luo Qiu suddenly asked. The blue butterfly took off again and landed back on Luo Qiu's shoulder. "Then come along." Luo Qiu smiled. …… When Luo Qiu arrived at the entrance of the cellar, Uncle Jin had already started closing the doors. "Am I late?" Luo Qiu said apologetically. Uncle Jin, catching sight of the green ring on Luo Qiu's finger, opened his mouth slightly and suddenly said, "Lucky guy... go in; you should be the last one." "Thank you." Previous | Next