Astral Fortification

Walking on the streets of Pinewood County, I asked each of these girls where they lived.

I had dismissed the remaining officers, feeling their reputations were too tarnished to be associated with me.

Even so, people on the streets still avoided me like the plague.

Shaking my head, I knocked on a weathered wooden door.

A tearful woman answered. Upon seeing a police officer, she instinctively tried to slam the door shut.

I stopped her with an outstretched hand and stepped aside. A young girl immediately launched herself into the woman's arms, sobbing hoarsely. "Mom!"

The woman stared in disbelief, her red, swollen eyes blinking repeatedly. Her nose twitched, and she clutched her daughter tightly. "My baby! Damn those dirty cops, they are going to rot in hell!"

She abruptly stopped, realizing her outburst, and glanced nervously at me.

I pretended not to hear, turning to take two bags of rice, flour, and a slab of beef from Wade. I bent down and placed them at the woman's feet.

"The child is hungry and scared. Make her some meat porridge to nourish her." I advised.

Wade, laden with supplies, watched with surprise etched on his face.

He saw the familiar Sergeant Kane, usually cold and aloof, nod humbly and offer an apologetic smile before gently closing the door on the mother and daughter.

What in the world?

This scene repeated itself four more times.

Having returned all the girls to their homes, I retreated to the street, rubbing the corners of my stiff mouth.

Observing my actions, Jade Rivers couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

I was clearly not skilled at interacting with others, let alone apologizing. Despite my outward composure, my entire body felt rigid.

"Brother, is this your new boss?" she asked.

Wade glanced at her silently. "No, that's Sergeant Kane."

Jade's hand flew to her mouth at the mention of that name. Though she had never met me, my notorious reputation was well-known to her, thanks to her brother's protective efforts.

"Stay away from him," Wade warned softly, his mood growing more complex.

It wasn't just my transformation that puzzled him; there were more pressing matters at hand.

Now that the girls were home, how would we deal with the old apes? What would we bring to the meeting at the appointed time?

"Sergeant Kane," Wade approached, his tone serious.

I snapped back to attention, casting a casual glance in his direction. "The rest of the supplies are for your sister. Take them home."

"That's not what I want to talk about!" Wade bit his lip, frustrated. He couldn't fathom why I kept deflecting.

It had been the same with the jackalvamp incident. Did I think ignoring the problems would make them go away?

Under his intense gaze, I stood motionless, finally offering a calm response: "I don't know."

Those three words caused Wade to lose his composure. "Are you kidding me?"

I met his gaze calmly.

I was simply stating the truth.

The predicament facing Pinewood County today ran far deeper than a single rogue cop turning over a new leaf.

The black-skinned jackalvamp that ambushed me at the Velvet Pleasure, Lucky Six and his mate squatting in the village, the increasingly demanding apevamps...

They all treated the unspoken rules established by the Pinewood County Police with utter disregard.

This implied either that the officials' corruption had emboldened the vampiric fauna, or that the monsters, aware of the impending H.A.R.M. inspection, feared a police uprising and sought to unleash their fury while they still could.

As a low-ranking officer with no access to H.A.R.M., I was powerless to change the situation.

The only options were to either abandon the county to the beastvamps' whims or shed my uniform and prioritize my own survival.

[Remaining Personal Lifespan: one year]

I turned away, my eyes lingering on the stark reminder displayed on the panel.

Self-preservation was pointless. My only hope of survival lay in acquiring advanced training capable of extending my lifespan.

Whether I rely on the panel to deduce or join H.A.R.M. to search, I can't do without slaying beastvamps.

All I could rely on was the dagger in my hand.

"Let's go." I started walking.

"Where to?" Wade fell into step beside me.

"Your place. I'm hungry."

… …

Wade was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of me entering his home, but after the events of the day, he reluctantly acquiesced.

The siblings lived in a small, one-bedroom apartment provided by the police force. Jade slept in the bedroom, while Wade made do with the small studio that served as living room and kitchen.

At the door, Jade invited us in. "Brother, come in and sit down."

"No, you go inside and cook," Wade insisted, blocking the doorway. He then disappeared inside, returning with a coffee table and two low stools, which he placed in the hallway.

"Isn't this a bit much?" I raised an eyebrow at the foot-high stools. They were barely better than sitting on the ground. "Can't I just come inside? I'm not a thief, what are you afraid of?"

"Just make do," Wade said, taking a seat on one of the stools. He pulled a yellowed page from his pocket, his eyes closing in hesitation. The memory of me embracing and then brutally slaying the jackalvamp flashed through his mind, starkly contrasting with the gentle smile I had shown while returning the girls.

"I don't know if you truly have no plan or are just keeping it from me," he began, "but either way, I can't offer much help." He opened his eyes and handed me the page. "All I can give you is this."

"What is it?" I asked, taking the page and quickly scanning its content. My expression shifted. Before Wade could reply, the panel had already given me the answer.

[First Realm - Astral Fortification, Part 1 (Untrained)]

"The H.A.R.M. captain sought me out personally," Wade explained. "He said I had potential, and in addition to the three vamp-slaying techniques, he gave me this seventy-eight words training method."

"It's a method to refine the tendons, bones, skin, and muscles – the four major barriers, using medicine. Once mastered, it leads to the pinnacle of human power."

Wade gave a self-deprecating smile. "The captain has a keen eye for talent, but he missed you. Perhaps he saw through your facade long ago. It's a shame I haven't been able to break through the first level in three years."

"I'm only giving it to you now, so it probably won't do much good, but I don't have anything else to offer... Just take your time and memorize it. I'll go help with the cooking."

I suppressed my excitement, waving him off dismissively. "Go ahead, go ahead."

He was right. No matter how advanced the technique, it's useless without time to master it.

However, for me, the situation was entirely different.

[Remaining absorbed lifespan: 199 years]

I was grateful for my earlier restraint.

With steady breaths, I channeled ten years of lifespan into the Astral Fortification, and a few lines of text appeared on the panel:

[In the first year, you familiarized yourself with the medicinal refining process and started nourishing your tendons with celestial essence.]

[In the third year, lacking the necessary herbs, you could only absorb trace amounts of essence through your diet, so progress slowed.]

[In the seventh year, you showed signs of a breakthrough. Your body grew strong, but you lacked enough essence, so you proceeded cautiously, accumulating power.]

[In the tenth year, you completed the fortification of tendons, first step of the Astral Fortification.]