Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 877: Worry-Free, Three Lives (5)

If anyone besides Cythacyl knew the underground maze best, it would undoubtedly be the castle's nominal owner, Tu Shenyi.

In fact, apart from the few renovated stone rooms that had been made public, many secret chambers still existed here—such as the one Cythacyl initially used to host Luo Qiu.

And also, for example, the place where Tu Shenyi was now.

It was more like a laboratory... a hidden underground lab. There were many devices here, brought by Cythacyl and other vampires using their abilities. Some were even advanced, state-level technological products.

The lab was filled with large containers, each containing bodies preserved in a special liquid—almost all different specimens.

There were human bodies, large werewolves, mermen with tails and beautiful appearances... and even vampires. These were all captured by Cythacyl and others from various parts of the world for Tu Shenyi’s research under the True Blood Project.

At this moment, in a completely white room in the lab, Tu Shenyi sat quietly, staring at the screen on the wall—flush with the surface of the wall, it was currently showing Takizawa revealing his monstrous true form and engaging in a frenzied slaughter.

Tu Shenyi glanced at the screen briefly. Even when Song Da, Song Er, and Song San appeared in the crowd later, his expression didn't change. He seemed to be waiting for something.

On the white table in front of him were several different containers—the "Worry-Free" series from Cythacyl's collection.

What Tu Shenyi was waiting for was one specific cup... a cup filled with fresh spring water containing a red crystal. The clear water was slowly turning red.Next to it was an old notebook.

Tu Shenyi picked up another cup, took out the "Flower on the Other Shore" from Elizabeth, opened it, and poured just enough into the cup... then took a sip himself.

He closed his eyes and waited quietly... Suddenly, Tu Shenyi’s face showed a trace of pain as he clutched his heart.

The pain didn’t last long. His expression gradually relaxed as he exhaled slowly. He then picked up the second "Yellow Spring," poured some out, and drank it.

For every bottle, Tu Shenyi personally tasted it, except for "Three Lives" and "River of Forgetfulness."

Each time he drank a different one, he experienced the side effects—feeling intense pain but recovering quickly.

But when he drank "Naihe," he didn’t feel any different.

He snorted coldly, "Longze, you sly bastard..."

Tu Shenyi took a deep breath and regained his composure.

He picked up the notebook beside him and flipped through it carefully. He had gone through it countless times, but only when he reached the last few pages did his expression change.

The last few pages of the notebook had been torn out.

"I’ve gone through this notebook who knows how many times..."

Tu Shenyi muttered to himself, “What’s the formula...” He slowly closed his eyes.

But after only a moment, his eyes opened again. He grabbed the cylinder containing "Naihe" and smashed it against the screen on the wall.

"You will all die."

Tu Shenyi's eyes grew cold. He reached for a button on the edge of the table. Instantly, a wall in the room split open.

A man missing a finger, wearing a black finger cover, walked out slowly—it was Jin Wucheng, also known as Uncle Jin.

Uncle Jin held a remote control in his hand. He approached Tu Shenyi and placed the remote in front of him.

Tu Shenyi glanced at it before looking coldly at Uncle Jin, "Haven't you sent Ouyang Jie away yet?"

Uncle Jin replied expressionlessly, "Whatever happens in the underground maze, the castle will remain unaware. Besides, A Jie is asleep now; there's no need to send him away. Moreover, the woman he’s interested in is still inside. See..."

Tu Shenyi interrupted, "I have no interest in this kid's romance. If that girl insists on coming, what does it have to do with me?"

Uncle Jin sighed and said calmly, "Then the matter you promised me..."

Tu Shenyi stood up and stared at Uncle Jin, "Rest assured. I promised you eternal life, and I won’t go back on my word. After all these years of service, I won’t forget... Once this is over, I’ll fulfill your wish. Now, proceed."

"Let’s hope so." Uncle Jin nodded silently, took the remote control, and pressed it slowly.

At the same time, in the underground maze, hidden doors suddenly opened, releasing the "creatures" that had been trapped inside for so long.

...

At the gathering place for all those involved in the True Blood Project, Aamon hadn’t relaxed for a moment, keeping his gaze fixed on Elizabeth.

His fingers slowly clenched the bottle of energy-restoring potion given to him by Cythacyl, his mind heavy with worry.

Elizabeth looked like an albino, but apart from those symptoms, she resembled a girl of fifteen or sixteen.

However, Aamon knew Elizabeth’s real age exceeded thirty. Her slow physical growth was due to spending much of her time in slumber.

Since birth, Elizabeth had never truly consumed human blood. She survived on injections of pure blood provided by the thirteen clans.

Every time, Aamon personally injected the pure blood into her veins because he was Elizabeth’s only remaining relative.

Aamon’s daughter was Elizabeth’s mother, a pure human.

Elizabeth was a half-blood—born of both a vampire and a human. But half-bloods were not acknowledged by the thirteen clans.

To them, half-bloods broke the reproductive isolation between different races. The old, arrogant vampires who clung to their rotting traditions saw this as an affront to their pure bloodlines.

The thirteen clans acknowledged Elizabeth’s existence because she had vampire blood. However, they did not grant her the rights of a vampire, as half of her blood was human.

Over time, the clans provided Elizabeth with less and less pure blood. In the end, they resorted to keeping her in slumber to reduce her bodily consumption and stave off hunger.

Elizabeth’s blood cravings could not be allowed to surface—doing so would render all their efforts meaningless. But Elizabeth's body had grown too hungry, and several times, her bloodlust nearly overwhelmed her.

Aamon had barely managed to restrain her each time.

But he was old. No longer one of the Knights of the Round Table, his speed had slowed, his strength waned. He even gave up wearing armor to conserve energy.

Aamon didn’t know if he’d be able to suppress Elizabeth the next time she lost control. He feared the end was near.

Watching her now, feverish and wracked with pain, Aamon’s heart ached no less than when he had witnessed his daughter’s tragic death at the hands of Elizabeth’s father.

The man, who had fought his bloodlust for love, eventually lost his rationality to his vampiric instincts.

That’s why Aamon supported the True Blood Project and drank the "Flower on the Other Shore." His heart had long since died; drinking the flower’s essence was merely a way to see his daughter again.

“If there is a God, why be so cruel to this child…”

Aamon gently placed his hand on Elizabeth’s forehead, feeling her unusually cold skin.

Even so, he knew Elizabeth was enduring a pain akin to being burned alive. The hunger of her vampire blood was raging, testing the limits of her frail resolve.

"Grandfather... I’m in so much pain..."

Elizabeth opened her eyes and gripped Aamon's sleeve tightly.

Aamon tightly held Elizabeth's hand, whispering encouragement in her ear: "Elizabeth, frenzy is a common affliction of vampires, but since you chose this path, you must persevere. Every time you get through the frenzy, it's a success of your efforts. You are strong-willed, and fate always favors the strong. This time, if Tu Shenyi has really perfected the True Blood, you'll gain a new life and live under the sun just like an ordinary person..."

"Grandfather..."

She twisted her body in pain, and her lips already revealed the vampire's mark, the fangs for sucking blood.

Aamon suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. His trembling hand pulled out a small box from his pocket... inside was the last bit of pure blood and the injection tool.

At that moment, Aamon almost injected the pure blood into Elizabeth... but he knew that if he did it during her frenzy, it would only drive her vampire instincts into greater madness.

He had made this mistake before... his soft heart had led him to be hurt more than once.

He had suffered for it, unable to prevent the mistakes.

"Grandfather, I'm in so much pain."

"Elizabeth!"

Aamon's trembling hands opened the box containing the pure blood, taking out the injection tool, his eyes filled with struggle and wet with tears.

"Elizabeth, Grandpa... Grandpa will make you feel better."

A drop of blood clung to the needle's tip, shaking slightly due to the liquid's surface tension. Every drop of pure blood was precious, too valuable to waste, but Aamon was in so much pain, his shaking hand couldn't stay steady.

"No..."

Just as he was about to inject Elizabeth’s arm, he heard her pained voice. Aamon jolted and slammed the syringe onto the table, clutching his hair, rasping, "What am I doing... I'm sorry, Elizabeth..."

He was truly old now, his heart had grown soft, no longer the iron will he once had. Now, he was just a lonely old man, having lost loved ones.

Aamon took a deep breath and gripped Elizabeth's hand again, hoping to give her the courage to endure the pain... it was all he could do.

Suddenly, a strange noise began to emerge.

Something was growling... like a beast. Aamon instinctively sensed danger approaching.

His response was swift. He drew his umbrella sword, holding it firmly, and quickly glanced at Elizabeth... The danger wasn't from her, but...

Outside the door!

Bang—!

A loud crashing sound!

Something was violently hitting the door. Aamon shouted, "Tu Shenyi! Tu Shenyi! Get out here! What is happening?"

But no matter how much he yelled, there was no response, and the pounding on the door only became more frantic.

Finally, the door was smashed open. Standing before Aamon was a rotten, foul-smelling corpse, so decayed that its original appearance was unrecognizable.

The corpse moved, staggering step by step towards Aamon... who rushed forward and swiftly swung his arm.

The sharp pure silver blade instantly decapitated the rotting corpse. However, the headless corpse continued to advance!

At the same time, behind the corpse that broke through the door, a mass of other rotting corpses filled the doorway.

Zombies... the result of failed transformations into vampires! As one of the former Twelve Holy Knights of the Round Table, Aamon was no stranger to the cause of zombies.

But seeing this many zombies crowding the door made him gasp in shock!

...

"Tu Shenyi has a research lab in the dungeon maze, not far from where we're meeting. We should be close," Cythacyl said, observing Luo Qiu as he spoke.

Cythacyl had narrowly escaped death at the hands of this powerful undead and was now acting as a temporary guide.

He wasn't sure if Luo Qiu was truly interested in the 'Flower on the Other Shore' and the 'Three Lives'... as a dark merchant, Cythacyl always kept his thoughts to himself.

Cythacyl had pledged his loyalty to Luo Qiu, but the other had clearly not accepted. With no solid relationship between them, Cythacyl was now contemplating how to escape from this dangerous individual.

"I hear something." Luo Qiu suddenly stopped walking.

Cythacyl hesitated, taking a couple of steps forward. They had just entered a more spacious part of the dungeon maze. Around them were many square basins, originally used for water storage, meant for those hiding here.

"Sound?" Cythacyl glanced around and finally fixed his gaze on one of the basins.

Perhaps due to rainwater seeping in, the basin was half-filled with water... and the surface was rippling slightly.

Suddenly, a drop of liquid fell from above, hitting the water's surface and creating concentric ripples.

Cythacyl instinctively looked up.

In the darkness above, countless small eyes appeared, seemingly belonging to some creature.

Among the countless tiny eyes was an especially large set of eight eyes, which suddenly blinked.

Cythacyl waved his hand, emitting a green glow from his palm, illuminating the creature hidden in the darkness above.

In that moment, the green light revealed countless terrifying spiders, each larger than a tarantula! And among them was a massive spider, even larger than an ox!

It reared up on its legs, its eight menacing eyes fixated on Cythacyl and Luo Qiu.

"Why did Tu Shenyi release this thing..."

Cythacyl was stunned.