The Whole Empire Raises Me - Chapter 31

 

Chapter 31

The ruins, at the end of the universe. 

After the communication was cut off, a massive black dragon paced anxiously in these ruins. It’s not an exaggeration to say that each step caused a slight tremor on the entire planet.

Even among all the dragons, the black dragon is the largest. Its back could even carry an entire spaceship. Today, he is the only black dragon left in the dragon clan.

The black dragon, with its massive size and terrifying combat power, was once seen as a symbol of evil in the old times. The black dragon was once the mount of the Emperor. He carried the Emperor from a lonely barren star to the now prosperous empire. This is a glory in his life that is worth repeatedly reminiscing about.

On the eve of the final battle that made Muse a dominant power, the black dragon asked the Emperor a question: “What should I do after the war ends?” The black dragon picked up their Emperor with his claws. He was about to win, but he cried, “You’re a cunning Emperor, aren’t you?”

The Emperor said, “Go travel, go party all night, do whatever you want to do, you are about to gain freedom.” But the black dragon didn’t want freedom. If possible, he even wished that this war would never end.

This might be the voice of most Muse warriors, Astor, Will, Soren, Lilith, Wu Zhu… War is the only way for them to stay with the Emperor for a long time. So after the war ended, the black dragon did as the Emperor said, he went to travel, to party all night. Over the past year, he has been to many places, deserts, snowfields, the rarely visited Sky City of the Feather Clan, and dangerous planets where no one has set foot.

And the black dragon began his cold war with the world. He cut off most of the communication methods, let Astor act as the leader of the Dragon Clan, and was forced to learn to be alone and taste loneliness on the journey.

To be more specific, he started a one-sided cold war with the Emperor. The other dragons simply referred to this as a rebellious period.

“…”

“Give him a hug of love, and let him hug us too,” the memory slowly returned to the present, the black dragon heard Astor say, “Then you can see him in this universe, in a month.”

After the communication ended, the black dragon was quiet for a long time, lowering his head to look at his claws. The dragons would bump heads, touch claws, and roar with their companions. But for them, hugging is a very unfamiliar topic.

He needs to practice, the black dragon thought, clumsily stretching out two front claws, hugging a collapsed giant building in the ruins. He has tried his best to make his movements gentle and slow.

However, boom——

The building shattered.

Black Dragon: “…”

________________________

Fantasy Cruise ship.

After breakfast, it entered the official variety show content session. Because it’s a werewolf-style game, of course, the daytime is for searching for evidence, guessing the murderer, and voting. But if you just do these things dryly, it seems boring - then why watch the variety show, you might as well go directly to watch the board game werewolf.

The guests will go ashore for sightseeing during the day, complete some clue tasks while interacting with other guests to guess the murderer, and vote every evening.

The director, holding a small loudspeaker, said, “Regrettably, I have to inform all the guests that no one died last night, and a traitor has appeared among you.”

“Now, we’re adding a separate victory condition. The first person to vote out the traitor from their own camp can ignore all other victory conditions and win directly.”

This traitor should be Jean, right?

The ship quickly returned to port. This is the largest island in the Canary Islands.

Today is a sunny day with soft clouds, a blue sky, and seagulls perched on the shore.

“Today, only one group of guests will win the task. The winning group members can get a chance to avoid death. The grouping of guests will be based on the breakfast grouping,” the director said. “Today, everyone can enjoy the Spanish style to their heart’s content. Solve dinner by yourselves, and we’ll gather for voting at the designated restaurant on the pier at seven.”

“Alright, dismissed!”

Wen Xingze’s group had four guests. Their travel route was to depart from the seaport and find the NPC holding a balloon in a city park to give them the task card.

Now that only their own people were left, everyone could speak freely. Zhu Bo said, “Is the traitor Jean? He was originally in the sailor camp, but now he has become a sea monster.”

Fang Ruxue and Jean both nodded in agreement.

But Wen Xingze always felt that something was wrong. Can Jean, who relies on skills to change camps, be called a ‘traitor’? He always felt that there was another traitor.

Wen Xingze said, “It’s not necessarily a traitor from the sailor camp, it might be from our camp. The director might be deliberately misleading us.”

Zhu Bo felt a chill on his back, looked around, and said, “Do we have to think so hard? The author’s IQ won’t be able to keep up, right?”

Wen Xingze: “…”

But what Zhu Bo said also made sense, so maybe Jean is the traitor the director mentioned.

They soon arrived at the designated park. After a few challenge games, they successfully found the NPC who issued the task. Next, they would act separately.

Wen Xingze’s task was to find the uncle who kept cats in a certain attic bar and ask him for some clue information.

The cameraman was also diligently filming Wen Xingze’s beautiful face today.

Because Wen Xingze had to ask for directions and interact with passers-by and NPCs along the way, the cameraman didn’t follow him step by step to shoot his close-ups like before. Wen Xingze occasionally had some personal space.

It was nine o’clock at this time. As soon as the opening time of the Soul Box arrived, the vampire patriarch actually teleported over. They used to teleport mostly in the evening to accompany Wen Xingze for dinner.

Today, Ansel, one of the Blood Clan princes, came.

Ansel has a rare light flax hair color in the vampire clan. Although he is also very handsome, he is more introverted and shy among the vinegar essence and coquettish vampires. Of course, Ansel has the biggest contrast. When he gets jealous, he is much more terrifying than them, mainly in terms of attack power.

Wen Xingze had experienced it last time on the island. Because Wen Xingze didn’t eat the watermelon he cut but ate the one cut by Lilith, and by the way, praised Lilith for ‘choosing a sweet watermelon’, Ansel almost burned down a forest.

Today, as soon as Ansel came, he lowered his head and asked him in a mosquito-like voice, “Emperor… do you… like it?”

Although Wen Xingze didn’t hear clearly, he immediately said with certainty, “I like it.”

Based on his long-standing experience, he knew that no matter what the vampire princes asked with anticipation, the answer must always be affirmative. Moreover, one must not hesitate for more than two seconds while responding.

Suddenly, Ansel raised his head. His deep red eyes began to sparkle. After a moment, tears welled up in his eyes. He spoke in an even softer voice, “If you like it, that’s good. I… I will put it on for you right away.”

Wen Xingze was a bit stunned, “?”

A dark necklace appeared in Ansel’s palm. He carefully floated behind Wen Xingze and helped him put on the necklace. As he did so, he said, “This is a sacred artifact of the Blood Clan that I possess. Its original function… is not important. Now, it can protect you very well. I’m really happy that you like it.”

Wen Xingze was even more confused, “What do you mean by protection?”

“If members of other races embrace you and physical contact exceeds ten seconds, you will automatically activate the highest level of vampire filter,” Ansel said shyly, revealing his small canine teeth. “In this way, people or dragons, mermaids, and others with unknown origins won’t be able to take advantage of you.”

Meanwhile, on the main star of the vampire clan, the other vampires and the twelve princes were secretly clenching their fists. Although they disdained to share matters related to the Emperor with their clan, they had to admit, Ansel did a great job!

The attack power of the highest-level vampire filter is very strong. Even if they can’t participate in PK tasks, it doesn’t mean they can’t set obstacles for other guests.

How could their king easily give others loving hugs!

At this moment, the lead photographer and his assistant had just finished shooting the scenery. They noticed a dark necklace suddenly appearing on Wen Xingze’s neck, and their pupils dilated, “Little Wen, you—”

Wen Xingze quickly made up a story, “Sorry, am I not allowed to wear this? I just bought it at the market.”

“No,” the female assistant who had just started yesterday suddenly started to nosebleed. The lead photographer was giving close-ups on the side, giving him a thumbs up, “Well done.”

Wen Xingze’s appearance was originally more youthful, but he was highly adaptable. The pure black necklace, of unknown material, didn’t have much decoration. However, when it was fastened around Wen Xingze’s white neck and locked at his Adam’s apple, it looked very… seductive.

The style of the whole person changed instantly. The lazy look in his eyes gave a kind of little devil feeling. It was so good-looking that the photographer felt this scene would make the cover in post-production.

Ansel expressed extreme appreciation for the lead photographer’s aesthetics.

After delivering the necklace, Ansel left, saying he was going to save time to accompany Wen Xingze for dinner in the evening. The daytime itinerary passed without incident. Unfortunately, Wen Xingze’s group did not complete the task, so they did not get the chance to be exempted from death.

________________________

At six in the evening, they were still at the restaurant where they had eaten with Chi Yan before. Wen Xingze and Zhu Bo met up and ordered food as they entered. Dinner only needed a few brief shots, and then there was an hour of private time without shooting. The guests also briefly got their phones back.

Jean was the first to notice Wen Xingze’s necklace. As a designer, he was completely amazed. He praised, “My God, it’s very good-looking.”

And so sensual, like some kind of noble or demon residing in the deep night. My sexual orientation almost changed. The only strange thing is, when I uttered that sentence just now, I felt a chill on my neck.

Wen Xingze looked towards Jean, and Ansel, who had just teleported over, was staring at Jean’s neck with a gloomy expression, seemingly contemplating how much force it would take to break it.

Wen Xingze almost knocked over his coffee cup and sincerely advised Jean, “Mr. Jean, cherish your neck while you still have the chance.”

Jean: “???”

Wen Xingze found that Fang Ruxue’s sense of humor was too low. She was slapping her thigh and laughing out loud, “Honk honk honk honk honk!” (Note: Yup, it's really that snorting laugh sound ^^;)

To prevent Ansel from doing something irreversible, Wen Xingze volunteered to get some red wine and take Ansel away from here.

The owner here is very generous, and the red wine is freely available on the wine rack.

The wine that Fang Ruxue wanted to drink was in a high place in the wine cabinet. Wen Xingze painfully discovered that he couldn’t reach it due to his height, and the ladder had just been taken away by someone else.

Ansel was floating nearby, his face inexplicably red, and he stuttered, “Your Majesty, do you need me to help…”

“Do you need my help,” a cold voice came from the side. He initially spoke in English, but switched to Chinese after a moment, “…Wen Xingze?”

Only a wall lamp was lit on the side of the wine cabinet. It was getting late, and the light in the corner of the restaurant was somewhat dim.

Wen Xingze looked up in surprise, and sure enough, it was Chi Yan, whom he hadn’t seen for a few days. He was wearing a mask, his eyelashes were drooping, and his eyes were as cold and indifferent as usual."

Chi Yan looked down at him, and after a moment, his eyebrow raised slightly, seeming surprised by this unexpected encounter.

The blush of embarrassment on Ansel’s face disappeared instantly. He seemed to harbor some inexplicable hostility towards Chi Yan and began to glare at him, grinding his teeth.

“Cherish your neck,” Ansel, floating next to Chi Yan, surprisingly said to him, “while you still have the chance.”

Chi Yan was indifferent. There was no reflection of Ansel in his pupils, not even a momentary pause, as if he truly couldn’t see Ansel’s existence.

Ansel was exasperated, “What are you pretending for, you actor! Your Majesty, listen to me…!!”

Wen Xingze: “?”

Wen Xingze gestured for Ansel to calm down. He would listen to what Ansel had to say later. For now, in front of ordinary people, they couldn’t reveal any abnormalities.

Having unexpectedly run into Chi Yan, Wen Xingze was actually quite surprised. If it weren’t for the variety show recording later, he would really like to have a good chat with Chi Yan.

“Which bottle do you want?” Chi Yan asked him.

Chi Yan was nearly 1.9 meters tall, so he could easily reach any bottle of wine.

Wen Xingze mentioned the name and location of the red wine. Then Chi Yan looked up, squinting his eyes, and focused on the wine cabinet, looking for the red wine that Wen Xingze had mentioned.

“Wait a moment,” he said.

"And then…

Ten seconds passed.

A minute passed.

Three minutes passed.

Chi Yan seemed to be thinking about something very seriously. Then he slowly reached for the top shelf of the wine cabinet and took down a bottle… of juice.

Wen Xingze discovered a problem.

He was shocked and said, “Mr. Chi, that’s juice.”

Upon hearing this, Chi Yan paused. He lowered his head and carefully examined the raspberry juice in the glass bottle.

After a while, he looked at Wen Xingze with a somewhat bewildered look.

Chi Yan wasn’t wearing glasses.

Wen Xingze had just seen him so confident and assumed he must be wearing contacts. He never expected that Chi Yan was now in a state of semi-blindness.

Twenty seconds of silence.

Chi Yan: “What were you just doing?”

Wen Xingze: “Laughing at you.”

Chi Yan: “…”

“Let me do it,” Wen Xingze finally stopped making fun of him and said, “I’ll go borrow a ladder.”

Chi Yan seemed a bit frustrated. He hummed in agreement and said, “Or we could do this.”

Wen Xingze: “?”

The wall lamp flickered.

Chi Yan reached out and lifted Wen Xingze from behind.

His hands lightly clasped under Wen Xingze’s ribs. Due to the difference in their sizes, he could completely hold Wen Xingze without seeming impolite.

Wen Xingze’s feet left the ground, his line of sight level with the top of the wine cabinet. His nose caught a scent like the dampness of early spring snow about to melt.

“Choose.” Chi Yan whispered in Wen Xingze’s ear.

The wall clock ticked away, ten seconds quietly passed.

Wen Xingze felt a boom in his brain.

It was the sound of blood rushing. Wen Xingze felt his sense of smell suddenly become sharp, as did his vision and hearing. He even felt his canine teeth rapidly becoming sharp. Wen Xingze had no time to look at the wine…

He wanted to bite someone!

Chi Yan was very close to him. Wen Xingze could hear his pulse just by listening. His veins were a light blue color. Wen Xingze’s brain was in chaos. He didn’t remember how he turned around, found Chi Yan’s neck, and then opened his mouth…

“Ow.”

He bit down.

“…”

A few seconds of silence later…

Ansel and billions of parents in another universe were shocked.

________________________

…Blood.

It had a bit of a rusty taste, but it wasn’t fishy. The taste was surprisingly sweet, like drinking some kind of aged wine. It was slightly intoxicating, but it had a more addictive taste than wine.

Wen Xingze had never drunk blood before. He didn’t expect it to taste like this. If this were a milk tea shop, he would definitely order a large cup, no ice, and less sugar.

Just opening the vampire filter was like becoming a vampire. Especially now, before dinner, when Wen Xingze was most hungry, he couldn’t control the vampire’s instinctive thirst for blood.

The wine cabinet was in an open cubicle, a distance from the dining table. Fortunately, there weren’t many customers today, and no one noticed what was happening here.

About half a minute later, Wen Xingze’s consciousness finally fell back to the ground from mid-air.

Under the dim light, Chi Yan tilted his head, his face somewhat pale, his eyes like a cold pool shrouded in mist.

There was a tooth mark on the side of his neck, which had healed quickly - vampire saliva has the effect of accelerating wound healing, but some blood still flowed out, trickling down his collarbone.

In addition to being shocked, Wen Xingze couldn’t help but lick the corner of his lips."So fragrant, such a waste…"

Chi Yan: “…”

Ansel: “…”

Chi Yan touched the wound with the back of his hand and hissed.

Wen Xingze woke up from his dream.

He just…???

Bit Chi Yan’s neck and sucked his blood???!!!

“Help, help, ambulance! I’m sorry, Chi Yan, no, Teacher Chi, I…” Wen Xingze was almost crying.

Ansel floated beside him with lifeless eyes.

“It’s already stopped bleeding.” Chi Yan signaled Wen Xingze not to panic, “Less than 200 milliliters, it’s okay, blood donation starts at 200 milliliters.”

Although Wen Xingze had experienced many ups and downs, this was the first time for such a thing. He felt like a jerk: “What should I do now?”

Chi Yan’s calmness played a big role at this time. He said, “Go back for dinner, don’t think too much, focus on the variety show.”

“If you have something to say, see me at ten tonight.”

________________________

After ten o’clock is the guests’ private time. The Fantasy cruise ship won’t leave Tenerife Island today.

Wen Xingze rarely heard Chi Yan say so much at once. Everything was immediately arranged in an orderly manner, which also calmed Wen Xingze down.

After saying a few more things, Zhu Bo sent a WeChat message urging Wen Xingze to go back for dinner. Wen Xingze said goodbye to Chi Yan, and just as he turned around, he suddenly heard Chi Yan say:

“Wen Xingze.”

Wen Xingze: “Hmm?”

Chi Yan looked at him for a moment, and suddenly his eyes seemed to carry some teasing, although his expression didn’t change much.

He pointed to the bloodstain on his neck: “Don’t waste it.”

Wen Xingze: “…”

Wen Xingze: “!!!”

So generous? Can I really still drink it? Thanks for the treat!

Wen Xingze actually felt that this wasn’t good, but the instinctive appetite was simply too hard to control. His eyes quickly turned a ruby-like reddish color, his pupils slightly dilated, wet and bright, and he couldn’t help but show his little fangs.

He pounced into Chi Yan’s arms, with such force that he even made Chi Yan, who was holding him, spin around.

In a place where Wen Xingze couldn’t see, Chi Yan’s gaze finally met with Ansel’s in his spiritual state.

His right hand supported Wen Xingze’s waist, and he glanced at the furious vampire prince, then lightly fell back on Wen Xingze’s face. It was just a short glance, but Ansel clearly saw some… greed.

In the Cub Raising Program, there came a prompt sound of Chi Yan completing half of the task.

Ding dong! Congratulations to parent Chi Yan for completing half of the PK task ‘Get a hug from the cub’. There are six and a half days left until the end of the task, parents please continue to work hard!

Ansel had a heart attack: “…!!!”

Damn, evil concubine!!!

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