Chapter 71

Chapter 71

The tail wasn't held for long; it retracted immediately after being released.

Xue Zhao was still biting Xiu Jixin's finger tightly, his golden eyes briefly unfocused.

His fangs pressed against the skin, as if sensing the blood flowing within.

The scent of fresh blood...

It smelled delicious, like sweet fruit juice.

Even as a cat, he remained a vampire, instinctively craving blood.

This realization startled Xue Zhao, and he quickly banished the thought from his mind.

He was a sensitive plant, a plant. Even with his current vampire identity, the thought of feeding on blood was psychologically unacceptable.

Xue Zhao then released his bite and turned his head, trying to distance himself from Xiu Jixin's fingertips.

The team member nearby had been packing his backpack. Seeing Xiu Jixin bitten, cold sweat almost broke out on his forehead.

He carefully reached out, attempting to pick up the cat, "C-captain..."

Xiu Jixin remained impassive, placing the small white cat on the chair.

Xue Zhao, now free, immediately darted into the cage, slipping inside and curling up.

Although he knew Xiu Jixin likely wanted to examine him, even as a cat, being stared at like that made it impossible to pretend nothing had happened.

Moreover, he had only recently transformed into a cat and didn't even know what his own body looked like yet...

Xue Zhao felt his ear tips warm slightly, burying his head and tucking his tail, as if startled.

Xiu Jixin's gaze lingered for a moment, then quickly shifted away.

Seeing this, the team member closed the cage and retrieved a towel from his backpack, handing it over.

The little white cat had accumulated a lot of dust in the house. There was a towel in the cage, and some of the dust had already been rubbed off, but the cat was still quite grimy.

Xiu Jixin took it and casually wiped his hands.

It was completely dark now. The two cars drove through the night, leaving the suburbs and entering the outskirts of the town.

Upon arriving at a guesthouse, several people exited the cars, and two more team members prepared to head in a different direction.

Xue Zhao secretly listened from the cage. The guesthouse was the team's temporary lodging. They had set up a trap somewhere and needed to guard it tonight.

Xiu Jixin did not go, entering the guesthouse with the remaining members.

While ascending the stairs, Xue Zhao also learned from a team member that Xiu Jixin had barely rested for several consecutive days and could not continue like that tonight.

Vampires emerge at night and hide during the day, but daytime is also when they are most vulnerable. Thus, someone usually has to work both day and night, without a moment's rest.

The vampire they were tracking was extremely cautious and cunning; if it sensed anything, it would never reveal itself.

The team had been busy for several days, only finding two abandoned hiding places previously used by vampires.

Upstairs, Xue Zhao was taken into a room by one of the team members.

The little white cat lay on the edge of the cage, watching Xiu Jixin pass by and enter the adjacent room.

The team member carrying the cage shared a room with another. They first put away their belongings and quickly finished dinner.

The team member didn't forget the little white cat in the cage and put some leftover food in a bowl, intending to feed it.

The cage opened, and Xue Zhao looked at the bowl nearby, then turned his head away.

Even if he was hungry, he wouldn't eat anyone else's leftovers...

Seeing this, the team member scratched his head and prepared to take the little white cat out of the cage again, saying, "It's so small, can it take a bath?"

Since they brought it back, should they keep it for now?

After confirming its safety, they could give it to residents along the way.

Hearing the team member's words, Xue Zhao's golden eyes widened, and he hurriedly dodged his hand.

No... he wouldn't take a bath!

However, the cage was too small, offering nowhere to hide.

In a rush, Xue Zhao burst forth with unexpected agility, squeezing out of the team member's grasp and leaping off the table.

The floor was carpeted, so he didn't get hurt even if he didn't land steadily. The little white cat frantically fled elsewhere, trembling and meowing, "Meow!"

The team member exclaimed, "Hey!" and gave chase.

The guesthouse room wasn't large, but the space under the bed was sealed off. Xue Zhao wasn't a real cat and didn't know where else to hide, so he ran in a panic, meowing: "Meow!"

Just as the team member was about to reach out, Xue Zhao raised his paw and meowed louder: "Meow!"

The team member instinctively pulled his hand back a little: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

Another team member immediately went to open the door and called out, "Captain!"

Hearing it was Xiu Jixin, Xue Zhao instinctively ran towards the door.

Xiu Jixin glanced inside the room: "What are you doing?"

His room was next door, and he clearly heard the cat's meows.

The team member awkwardly explained, "We were just thinking if we should give the cat a bath..."

As he spoke, a small white cat quickly ran over and hid behind Xiu Jixin.

The air suddenly grew quiet. The two team members looked at this scene, their expressions somewhat nuanced.

This looked... like Xiu Jixin's pet cat.

Xiu Jixin lowered his gaze, bent down, and picked up the small white cat.

The little white cat didn't struggle much in his hands, clinging tightly to his sleeve, while looking at the team member with a panicked expression.

Xue Zhao felt inexplicably wronged and preferred to stay with Xiu Jixin.

No matter what, he was the only familiar person to him since he arrived in this new plane.

The team member standing at the door smiled, breaking the silence: "This little white cat seems to really like the captain."

Xiu Jixin ignored him and said concisely, "Take it away."

The team member reached out, but before he could touch it, the little white cat cried out loudly, "Meow!"

Xue Zhao began to struggle again, attempting to escape directly, but Xiu Jixin held him down.

When the team member withdrew his hand, the little white cat stopped meowing.

Xiu Jixin frowned, and after a moment, said, "Forget it, leave it with me for now."

He turned and left with the little white cat, returning to his room.

The team members closed the door and looked at each other.

"The cat is with the captain... it should be fine, right?" one of them said. "If there's really a problem, the captain can definitely handle it."

As a qualified vampire hunter, one must maintain absolute caution regarding everything. If the cat was indeed a pet raised by a vampire, it might even be used as bait.

With the cat by Xiu Jixin's side, at the very least, it would be absolutely safe.

The two exchanged another glance and decided to leave it alone for now.

On the other side, Xue Zhao was brought back to the room by Xiu Jixin and placed on the floor.

Unlike the others, Xiu Jixin had a room to himself.

There were no unfamiliar faces in the room, which at least gave Xue Zhao some sense of security.

The little white cat looked around and quickly slipped into the gap between the bed and the cabinet, curling up inside.

Xiu Jixin ignored him and went to the sofa by the window.

Xue Zhao hid in the gap, wondering what to do.

Although he had turned into a cat, he wouldn't be in mortal danger in front of these vampire hunters, but...

He absolutely would not take a bath!

However, after the escape just now, he had become more proficient at controlling his new body.

The system was also comforting Xue Zhao: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid; we'll slip away when we find an opportunity."

Fortunately, Xiu Jixin had no intention of forcing him to take a bath, so Xue Zhao gradually calmed down and relaxed a little.

He remained hidden, and not long after, someone knocked on the door to deliver something.

Then, Xiu Jixin came to the gap in the cabinet.

He bent down and placed a plate on the floor.

Xue Zhao smelled a savory aroma and turned to see a piece of chicken on the plate.

As a cat, he could eat some normal food, and he was indeed a little hungry.

Xiu Jixin remained where he was, seemingly waiting for him to come out on his own.

Xue Zhao thought for a moment, then slowly crawled out of the gap and approached the plate.

The chicken was boiled and didn't smell like much. It was also a whole piece, not cut.

Xue Zhao couldn't get a bite. He reluctantly lowered his head and bit it, only to find he couldn't chew through it.

He silently let go, staring at the chicken with some hesitation.

At this moment, Xiu Jixin picked up the chicken.

He sat on the floor, lowered his gaze, tore off a small piece, and fed it to the little white cat.

The little white cat sniffed it closely, then slowly ate it, unable to resist moving a little closer to him.

Xiu Jixin watched quietly, feeding it piece by piece with his hand.

As he ate, the little white cat sat beside him, looking obedient. When its golden eyes looked over, there was an inexplicable sense of dependence.

Xiu Jixin's breathing paused slightly, and he fed another small piece.

Xue Zhao couldn't eat too much; he was full after less than a quarter and refused when offered more.

Xiu Jixin didn't force him and left the rest at the door for someone to clean up.

Then, looking at the dusty little white cat sitting on the floor, he bent down, picked it up, and carried it into the bathroom.

Why did he still have to take a bath...

After being fed, Xue Zhao became much bolder. He lowered his head and bit Xiu Jixin's hand, trying to make him change his mind.

Xiu Jixin ignored him and placed the little white cat on the sink.

But he didn't directly bathe the cat; instead, he soaked a towel in hot water, wrung it out, and wiped it little by little.

The little white cat was covered in floating dust, but it wasn't actually too dirty.

Xiu Jixin's face was expressionless, but his movements were quite gentle.

Xue Zhao was nervous at first, but gradually relaxed, and couldn't help but recall the previous plane, when Xiu Jixin first picked him up.

He couldn't help but lean into Xiu Jixin's hand, purring.

Xue Zhao was startled by himself and quickly held back, but after a while, it started again.

[System]: This is a normal cat reaction; it's okay.

Okay, okay...

Xue Zhao tried to ignore it, letting it go, and the purring grew louder.

When his hind legs and tail were being wiped, he didn't struggle much, just timidly shrank a little.

Until he was finally clean, the water in the sink had been changed several times.

Xiu Jixin wiped him again with a dry towel and carried the little white cat out of the bathroom.

Xue Zhao was placed on the carpet, looking up as Xiu Jixin went into the bathroom alone to take a bath.

He looked around and found a corner to lie down in.

The system was scanning, checking around: "The window is a bit high. If you want to escape, you'll probably have to change back."

Transform back into human or vampire form and escape directly through the door.

Xiu Jixin is taking a bath, so maybe now is the time...

The system was hesitating when it saw a prompt that a task was about to begin.

It quickly perked up and sent a message to remind Xue Zhao.

[New Main Quest has been issued!]

[Quest Details]: Disguise yourself as a human, blend into the town, and approach the library in the central district.

[Quest Reward]: Villain Value +10

[Current Villain Value]: 0

[New Side Quest has been issued!]

[Quest Details]: Find a target, obtain blood (Life value needs to reach 35 points)

[Quest Reward]: Villain Value +20

[Current Villain Value]: 0

With two quests issued at once, Xue Zhao looked carefully.

The reward for the Side Quest was even higher than for the Main Quest...

The system also received plot hints about the comic and characters, which it briefly explained to Xue Zhao.

[System]: Xiu Jixin is not the protagonist here, but he is still an important character.

[System]: He is a high-level vampire hunter with wizard blood, and in just a few years of service, he ranks first in the number of vampires hunted.

Similarly, Xue Zhao is a very powerful villain vampire, with strong abilities and special skills in the setting. His ultimate mission is to find a way for vampires to be immune to sunlight and silver bullets.

Unlike other planes, Xue Zhao's ultimate mission here had a predetermined ending from the start; it was destined to fail.

According to the plot, he constantly searched for clues, tried various methods, and even set his sights on vampire hunters.

Because it was rumored that vampire hunters possessed wizard blood, they might have a way to break the "curse" of vampires.

That's right, Xue Zhao's character believed that vampires being afraid of sunlight and silver bullets was a curse.

In short, he tried for a long time and eventually died in despair.

The protagonist of the comic, on the other hand, was a human with wizard blood who didn't become a vampire hunter. He joined an Anomalies management agency, took an office job, and was later forced into various incidents.

And the character of Xiu Jixin was the ceiling of combat power in the comic, always acting at critical moments and eventually capturing Xue Zhao.

There were no further hints; the specific plot had to follow the quests.

The system worried: "I feel like the quests here are a bit difficult..."

Xue Zhao also "hmm"ed after reading the information.

He had to both strive to achieve the ultimate goal of the mission and fail the mission, but he felt that failure was simpler than success, right...

[System]: Never mind, let's take it one step at a time.

Fortunately, Xue Zhao's skills this time were all very useful. In addition to the two attached skills, he also had a special skill called Stealth Skill.

Normally, after feeding, vampires would leave their scent on their prey and be easily tracked.

But when Xue Zhao activated his Stealth Skill, he would leave no scent, and even if he transformed into his vampire true form during the active period of the skill, it would be difficult for instruments to detect him.

Moreover, the Stealth Skill could be stacked with the Sleep Skill among the attached skills.

[Sleep Skill]: Puts a single target into a deep sleep state for two hours, unable to be awakened.

The system quickly formulated an action plan: "First, escape from here, then find a suitable target to use the Sleep Skill on, then use the Stealth Skill to feed and complete the Side Quest."

After that, he would go to the library in the central district to complete the Main Quest, otherwise Xue Zhao's current life value was too low, and his human disguise wouldn't last long.

Xue Zhao, however, was somewhat resistant: "Do I have to drink blood?"

[System]: Yes, this is the only way to increase your life value.

"But," Xue Zhao said glumly, "I..."

He didn't want to drink blood, always feeling that if he did, he would become very strange.

When he returned later, would his plant friends be able to smell it on him?

"Then..." the system tried to change the plan, "how about trying Xiu Jixin's blood?"

Both skills would be used together, and Xue Zhao would quickly slip away after drinking the blood.

After all, they had spent time together, so Xue Zhao might adapt better this way.

Moreover, Xiu Jixin had wizard blood, and his blood could add more life value.

Xue Zhao indeed hesitated: "I... I'll try."

When he bit Xiu Jixin's finger, he smelled the scent hidden within the skin, and he wasn't too repulsed by it.

Ultimately, he was just timid. Perhaps after drinking blood once, he wouldn't be afraid anymore.

He still had to save money to buy at least two Xiu Jixins from different planes, so he had to work hard to complete the mission.

Just then, Xiu Jixin finished his bath and walked out of the bathroom.

He wasn't wearing a shirt, and his hair was dripping wet. He casually wiped it with a towel.

In the corner by the wall, the small white cat secretly observed him, its golden eyes irresistibly peeking at the side of his neck.

This was one of the vampire's instincts, to bite the target's neck.

Xiu Jixin ignored the little white cat in the corner and took out a hairdryer.

Soon after, someone from the guesthouse came again, helping to buy new cat litter and a litter box.

The litter box was placed on one side of the bathroom. The guesthouse attendant said that cats are generally very smart and led the little white cat to the litter box.

Xue Zhao looked at the plastic basin and strange sand in front of him, turned his head away in disgust, and ran off.

He wouldn't use these...

He would slip away tonight after drinking blood using his skills.

Moreover, even as a cat, Xue Zhao was still a vampire, and his body was different from ordinary cats.

Vampires only needed to feed. If they ate something indigestible, they would uncontrollably vomit it out as soon as they swallowed it.

The little white cat returned to the wall, where a towel had already been laid out in the corner. It lay on it, watching the attendant leave.

After that, Xiu Jixin no longer paid attention to the little white cat, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

The room was quiet both inside and out. The rest of the team should also be resting.

According to the system's plan, Xue Zhao waited patiently until 1 AM.

[System]: First, try the Sleep Skill.

The room was dimly lit. Xue Zhao carefully approached the bed.

When he was close enough, he pressed the skills button on the panel.

[Skill target confirmed]

[Skill "Sleep Skill" is active—]

Then, Xue Zhao raised his paw, stepped on the bed frame, hooked the sheet, and tried to climb up.

The little white cat successfully reached Xiu Jixin, buried its head and sniffed, then pushed his face with its paw.

Xue Zhao's strength was too small, so he couldn't push much.

But it really seemed like he wouldn't wake up...

He thought for a moment, then bit Xiu Jixin's ear tip, exerting force secretly.

It wasn't enough to break the skin, but it would definitely hurt.

Even so, Xiu Jixin didn't wake up.

Xue Zhao felt a little relieved and activated the second skill.

[Skill "Stealth Skill" is active—]

The stealth effect was short-lived, lasting only an hour, but it was sufficient.

Immediately after, a slightly nervous Xue Zhao pressed the form transformation button.

To increase his HP, he needed to be in vampire form; otherwise, he could only barely satisfy his hunger.

[Current form transforming. Will transform into: Vampire - Original Form]

Half a minute later, the little white cat on the bed vanished, replaced by another figure.

Xue Zhao sat on the edge of the bed with his legs bent, anxiously scanning his surroundings.

At this moment, he had silver hair, red eyes, and pale skin—all characteristic features of a vampire.

Yet, his exquisite and delicate features made him appear more like the human manifestation of the little white cat.

A detector rested on the low table by the window, and despite the close proximity, no alarm was triggered.

[System]: Success!

Xue Zhao breathed another sigh of relief and gazed at the sleeping Xiu Jixin.

He slowly edged closer, extending his cool fingertips to touch Xiu Jixin's neck.

Is this where I should bite?

Biting elsewhere should also be acceptable, as long as he could obtain fresh blood.

The transformation had consumed 5 HP, leaving him with only 15.

The closer he got to Xiu Jixin, the more Xue Zhao felt a surprising pang of hunger.

He briefly zoned out, instinctively burying his head to sniff lightly, and opened his mouth over Xiu Jixin's neck. Yet, he hesitated, procrastinating, unable to bite down.

In the darkness, Xiu Jixin's eyes remained tightly closed, his breathing pausing almost imperceptibly.