Outside the window, the sun shone bright and warm. On the surface, Wuzhou City remained calm and peaceful.

For ordinary people, that was a blessing—truly a stroke of luck. Only those blind to danger could chase happiness with peace of mind.

But for those who’d lived through the incident? Utter misfortune. Whether they died or survived, the trauma would haunt them forever.

Sigh.

As dusk settled, An Li returned. She spotted the steaming teapot on the table, lifted it, and took a long gulp straight from the spout.

She looked utterly exhausted.

“Did it show up again?” I asked.

“Mm. A few times. Long arms, but didn’t kill many—I stopped it in time.”

She drained several gulps, set the pot down, and sank into the sofa, panting heavily.

Even An Li, a formidable agent of the Holy See, showed fatigue after a full day of high-intensity combat.

The enemy was elusive—unpredictable, forcing constant movement. Even driving drained her.

“Any progress? How do we deal with *that thing*?”

“No. It’s cunning.” She fell silent, clearly unwilling to say more.

I hesitated, poured her a fresh cup, and handed it over. “I *can* help. Seriously. Next time, take me with you?”

An Li shook her head. “Your skills barely handle one arm…”

“One arm is still help! I could take one out, let you focus on the big one,” I said, stepping closer to knead her shoulders. “You’re doing everything alone—bosses, minions—all by yourself. Exhausting.”

She let out a cold laugh. “Flattering me won’t work. No.”

“Why not?!”

“Because *you* can’t get hurt.” She grabbed my collar, plopped me onto the sofa. “Stay put. This isn’t your concern.”

“How is it *not*? People die every day—even right before my eyes…” My voice cracked, eyes stinging.

“So? What’s it to you?” She crossed her arms. “Did *you* kill them?”

I shook my head dumbly. “No.”

“Friends? Family?”

“No, but—”

“Then it’s none of your business.” A sharp snort. “Even if the mission fails and the city’s abandoned—you stay safe. I brought you here to keep you in sight.”

Her voice turned stern. “Get this straight: I’m monitoring and confining you. *Confining*. Understand?”

I stuck out my tongue, muttering, “I thought we were just… living together…”

*Wait—monitoring and confining… isn’t that basically house arrest?*

“Actually,” I slid off the sofa, dragged a stool opposite her, “while you were out… someone came looking for me.”

An Li’s tone stayed flat. “Who.”

“Someone from the Queen of Night.”

She sat up straight. “*Her* people? What did they want?”

I shrank back. “Shouldn’t you wonder *how* they found me?”

*That’s the real issue! Makes me sound easy to track—where’s the mystique of being the last vampire?*

“Dare you ask?” Her temper flared. “You *lost* your blood sample at the hospital! Someone took it—how do you think they tracked you?”

I stayed quiet, thinking: *Just one bottle… How’d they pinpoint me? Are they dogs with super sniffers?*

“And *what* did they want? You haven’t answered.”

I shrugged. “Dunno. Didn’t dare ask.”

“What?”

“They rambled cryptic nonsense,” I shrugged again. “Mainly threats. Nothing else.”

An Li narrowed her eyes. “That’s all?”

I nodded hard.

Lily had mentioned “recruiting” me—but to me, it sounded like a threat.

I’m not stupid. Telling me to “come willingly”? That’s walking straight into a trap. No way.

After two seconds of silence, An Li stood. “Showering. Sleeping. Don’t disturb me. Computer’s on the desk—use it. *No speakers*.”

“Okay,” I mumbled, spirits sinking.

All that talk… still no assistant role.

“House arrest it is. You’re strong. Might makes right,” I whispered.

I watched her grab fresh clothes, vanish into the bathroom. Rustling. Water. She emerged, strode past the living room without a glance, and shut the bedroom door.