"Hurry up and retrieve the item."

Xueluo strained to press her hand against the ground. A faint voice reached her ears, but she couldn’t push herself up.

Just then, she saw the clerics step before her and flip the Blood Kin’s body over.

"Even if the Graves family hid this," one cleric muttered, pulling a small black box from Guya’s body, "we’ve found it at last."

"What about this Blood Hunter, sir?" another asked after the box was tucked away.

"Tch. She’s dying anyway. No witnesses." The lead cleric raised his hand, drawing a circle in midair. "I’ll head to the Graves estate. Clean up here."

"Yes, sir."

The higher-ranked cleric vanished into the circle. The remaining clerics drew their weapons, advancing slowly toward Xueluo.

*Damn it…*

Sensing death’s approach, Xueluo weakly crawled forward—only to freeze as a spear *SLAMMED* through her back.

"She’s practically dead already," a cleric muttered, watching her writhe.

"Let’s not waste time. Withdraw."

As they turned to leave, Xueluo coughed violently, blood splattering the ground. Her heartbeat roared in her skull—*thump-thump, thump-thump*—a tiny fist-sized organ keeping her alive. *I’m not living. I’m being kept alive.* Yet no matter how she begged, the rhythm weakened.

*Am I dying?*

She wasn’t enlightened enough to accept death. Not yet.

Irina’s face flashed in her mind like a nightmare.

*I don’t want to die.*

*Not yet.*

*I can’t die!*

【Don’t want to die?】

A voice echoed in her head.

【Then… I don’t want to die either.】

Understanding dawned. Xueluo turned her trembling head. Guya’s hand stretched toward her, shaking.

【Then… suck my blood… human.】

*Vampire blood…*

Even through the haze, Xueluo knew the consequences. But—

She lunged, gripping Guya’s arm. Her teeth sank deep.

As darkness swallowed her, Irina’s smile filled her mind.

---

"Open the portal. We’re wasting time."

A small circular gateway shimmered to life. But as the clerics moved to leave—

**BOOM!**

A blood-forged spear impaled the nearest cleric, pinning him to the earth.

"What—?!"

The survivors whirled around. Xueluo rose unsteadily from the ground. Guya’s corpse had melted into a pool of crimson. Dark blood oozed from Xueluo’s pores, coating her body like armor.

"Leaving…" she rasped, blood surging like rabid beasts across her skin. It hardened, sealing over her face. "…so soon?"

"ATTACK!"

Spells erupted. Silver beams lanced toward her—

**KRAKOOM!**

The explosion tore the graveyard apart. Stone shards rained like meteors. Crimson flames bloomed like hellflowers in the choking dust.

"Did we…?" a cleric whispered, lowering his hand.

***THWIP-THWIP-THWIP!***

Blood spikes erupted from the smoke. They speared clerics through the groin, bursting out their mouths, hoisting bodies skyward.

"G-gah—!"

Survivors collapsed, trembling. Some peed themselves, staring at the dripping corpses.

Through the settling ash, Xueluo emerged.

The dried blood cracked and fell away.

A river of starlight hair cascaded to her waist.

A slender girl stepped forward, face tilted toward the moon. Silver strands danced around her. Her crimson eyes—deep as demon-haunted abysses—glowed with lethal allure. A drop of blood traced her lip. She flicked her tongue to catch it, savoring their terror. A smile curled.

【Now…】

Her voice, crisp and hollow, cut the silence.

【…begins the Impaler’s triumphant return.】