Chapter 26: Intrusion

The three of them rented a three-bedroom apartment in Shuncheng. The storage room without windows was converted into Benjamin's bedroom. Emily and Olivia adapted to the unconventional lifestyle of sleeping during the day and Benjamin going out to hunt at night. Olivia also taught Emily some simple and practical tactics at home.

Unexpectedly, Alexander never showed up. Given Alexander's vengeful nature, after suffering such a huge loss in Miaoshan, he would surely launch a relentless counterattack. Even if they were lying in coffins, Alexander would dig them out and seek his revenge.

But the days passed without any incident for a whole month, as calm as if nothing had happened, making them even more anxious and uneasy.

"We're being overly paranoid, Charlotte. How about we go out and have some fun today?" Olivia suggested after waking up in the evening. The tension had been weighing heavily on everyone during this period, suffocating them.

Emily and Benjamin both agreed. They got ready and went out for a big meal. They had mostly been relying on takeout for sustenance during this long period. Olivia, after all, was a pampered rich girl, and this kind of eating had driven her mad.

After dinner, they went to a slow-tempo nightclub. Olivia quickly immersed herself in the music, dancing energetically with a man on the dance floor. Emily and Benjamin sat at a booth, drinking and chatting casually. After dancing for a while, Olivia returned, her face beaming with happiness and beads of sweat dripping down. She took a sip of ice water, unable to hide her joy. "I haven't had so much fun in ages!"

Emily felt a slight pang of guilt. If it weren't for her, Olivia could have continued living an ordinary life like this.

"If Alexander really won't come, it wouldn't be bad to settle down here," Olivia said, sitting next to Emily, crossing her legs and picking up a piece of watermelon with her fingers. She ate it contentedly, her face full of satisfaction. "Shuncheng is much bigger than Cyberville. Places like this are everywhere in Shuncheng, but Cyberville doesn't have them."

Emily chuckled. It didn't matter to her where they lived. Whether it was Shuncheng or Cyberville, neither place was her home. If possible, she really wanted to return to Wuyu Village, where life may have been impoverished, but it was lived freely.

"Cyberville is still your home after all!" Emily spoke up.

Olivia hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's okay, I'll secretly go back to visit my family in the future."

Benjamin's gaze turned distant. He still had deep feelings for Cyberville. Since becoming a vampire, he had been living in Cyberville, familiar with every plant and tree there. And there was Boris, who truly loved him like a father. Though strict, Boris was genuinely good to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Emily waved her hand in front of Benjamin.

"I'm considering Olivia's suggestion. It sounds good! There are plenty of people here, so I won't go hungry," Benjamin said with a faint smile, putting aside his previous worries.

"I don't have any objections," Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Then it's settled! Emily, let's go house hunting tomorrow during the day and find a bigger place!" Olivia exclaimed excitedly.

Emily felt embarrassed. Olivia seemed to make decisions impulsively, even when it came to buying a house. She couldn't quite understand the life of the wealthy.

"I think our current place is fine. Let's not waste money for now. If Alexander comes chasing after us, we'll still have to run," Emily said sheepishly.

Olivia pondered for a moment. It seemed like a valid point. Judging by Alexander's nature, he wouldn't easily give up.

Olivia was about to speak when Emily's expression became alert, and she looked at a man on the dance floor. "He has the scent of magnolia flowers on him!"

Benjamin also looked at the man. Sensing the gaze from their direction, the man glanced at Benjamin with a meaningful look. Among vampires, they could recognize each other's identities with just a glance. But soon, the man only gave Benjamin a faint smile and continued dancing, seemingly unconcerned.

"Don't be too nervous. Wherever we go, there will be vampires. As long as we don't pose a threat to them, it's fine," Benjamin comforted Emily, patting her tense shoulder.

Emily relaxed. Yes, even in the small towns they passed through, they could faintly smell the unique floral scent of vampires, let alone in a city as big as Shuncheng. There must be hidden dangers lurking here.

"This is the territory of the Miparty," Benjamin suddenly said. He had a feeling that he had forgotten something until he saw this vampire. Shuncheng was ruled by the Vanza clan.

"You mean Yulun?" Emily asked in astonishment.

"No, Yulun is just an elder. Their rule is different from ours. We are governed by elders, while they have princes selected every hundred years. The current prince is named Gaiyi, a very ambitious person. Since he took office, Lesonba has been in turmoil. He wants to annex Lesonba!" Benjamin's eyes flickered with tension.

"No wonder Alexander hasn't come after us. It turns out he fears Gaiyi!" Emily said thoughtfully, recalling the face of Yulun that day, which was hostile.

"Perhaps we should stay here, and Alexander won't dare to come," Olivia suggested.

Benjamin shook his head. "You don't understand Alexander. He won't give up. If he hasn't come yet, it's probably because he hasn't figured out a strategy. The longer it takes, the more dangerous it becomes for us. Plus, now that we're exposed and Gaiyi knows, there may be more trouble ahead!"

"Pack up tonight, and let's leave this place immediately!" Emily said firmly. She looked up, but the vampire in the dance floor had disappeared. The air was filled with a murky smell, and she had a sense of unease.

"Let's go back!" Emily stood up and practically ordered, her tone firm with a hint of doubt.

Olivia clearly wasn't done having fun yet, but seeing Emily's serious expression, she reluctantly followed along, glancing back several times.

The car sped quickly, maneuvering through the crowded streets. Emily drove like a daredevil, swerving and dodging on the congested road, as if she were being pursued.

As the car was about to enter the parking lot, a person suddenly stepped onto the road. Emily couldn't brake in time, and the person was sent flying. She slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop, leaving deep tire marks on the ground.

The three of them quickly got out of the car. In their haste, Emily overlooked the scent in the air. The person lay motionless on the ground. She rushed over, about to touch the person's body, but Benjamin pulled her back in an instant. At that moment, the person on the ground suddenly jumped up, attacking Emily.

Benjamin shielded Emily, dodging the attack. However, they both fell to the ground, rolling a couple of times. Benjamin protected Emily, ensuring she didn't get hurt, but his arm got scraped, which quickly healed.

Suddenly, a dozen vampires appeared around them, including the one they had seen in the dance floor earlier. However, he didn't seem to be the leader. He stood behind a man with a commanding presence.

The one standing at the forefront seemed to be the leader. His hands were in his pockets, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. His hair was medium-length, covering half of his face. His eyes scrutinized the three individuals in front of him without blinking. Finally, his gaze settled on Benjamin, and he spoke in a mocking tone, "Which clan do you belong to? How impolite of you not to inform the prince when you arrive in Vanza's territory!"

Upon hearing this, Emily understood that this group of people had only come to cause trouble because Benjamin had violated their territory. They didn't know who they were. This reassured her. The air was filled with the scent of magnolia flowers, and she didn't regard these lackeys as a threat. It seemed like a good opportunity to practice the moves Olivia had taught her.

"Lesamba doesn't belong to the Shadow Party. Your prince is not our prince!" Emily took a step forward and casually remarked, her tone filled with disdain.

The head lackey was momentarily taken aback. "Lesamba?" he repeated, then subtly took a few steps back, appearing somewhat fearful. But he quickly remembered that he had a dozen followers behind him. He regained his composure and stepped forward, locking eyes with Emily. "Humans have no right to interrupt when we vampires speak!"

Emily had long noticed the head lackey's cowardice. The Shadow Party's rules were strict, and they dared not overstep them. However, they had no authority over Lesamba. Lesamba was known for their strength and ferocity in battle, and their reputation preceded them. This was also why the Shadow Party, with its seven clans, had struggled to subdue Lesamba.

"Look down on humans, do you? Well..." Emily's lips curled into a smile as she took a few more steps toward the head lackey. Her eyes, seemingly indifferent, gleamed with coldness. "Would you like to try me first?" she said, before kicking the head lackey away.

The lackey was sent flying several meters, crashing into a tree. He clutched his chest, in evident pain. He tried to stand up but couldn't, fear evident in his eyes as he looked at Emily. The girl lazily flexed her wrist, twisted her neck, and smiled at him, her eyes filled with a murderous intent.

"Emily!" Olivia stepped forward to stop her. "This is a residential area. It won't end well if we're discovered!"

"I know," Emily continued to smile, but her smile was now devilish. "Otherwise, he wouldn't experience the joy of soaring in the sky!"

Upon hearing this, the head lackey realized that Emily hadn't intended to kill him. Otherwise, that kick might have ended his life. Fear filled his eyes as he stared at Emily. He no longer cared about his image or face; he simply got up and ran.

"Trying to run? It won't be that easy!" Emily raised her foot to chase after him but suddenly collided with Benjamin's chest. She hadn't expected Benjamin to suddenly block her. With their physical bodies, she immediately felt her nose bleed, a sour and tingling pain. She quickly held her nose with one hand and angrily pounded Benjamin's chest several times with the other. "What are you doing!"

"Don't act recklessly. Killing them will only alert Gaiyi. That would be disastrous!" Benjamin endured her blows, his expression serious.