Time seemed to freeze in an instant.
Golden rain poured from the teenage girl's wrist, falling into Huai Shi's mouth.
Between the dark and cruel heavens and earth, that streak of brilliance was like a miracle, dazzling enough to intoxicate the heart. At this moment, as her blood flowed away, a life force comparable to the Philosopher's Stone spilled out from her.
It was a terrifying amount, capable of creating an Artificial Human Legion with just a few grams. Now, with Lily's generous offering, it multiplied tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten thousandfold.
At all costs! Even if it meant adding fuel to the fire, even if it was all in vain, she stubbornly sustained Huai Shi's last thread of life. Like a lone hand, her desperate effort pulled at him, refusing to let him go.
"Please survive."
With tears streaming down her face, Lily managed a pained smile. "Stay. Don't leave me alone, please."
Amidst his stupor and pain, Huai Shi struggled to lift his hand, trying to touch her cheek.
He felt the tears on his fingertips, so cold.
The hand he raised stopped abruptly in mid-air and finally, fell limply to the ground. Only a sound of shattering was heard.
No matter how generously Lily's life force poured forth, no matter how desperately she called out, his hollow eyes held no more spirit. They reflected only the pitch-black sky and the blood-red Sea, mirroring this cruel world. Then, there was only silence.
Lily looked at him blankly, disbelieving, for a long, long time. Her hoarse screams rang out, but there was no response.
Heavy footsteps stopped in front of her, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.
"Is he dead already?" Old Xiao murmured regretfully. He sighed and slowly raised his beastlike fingers towards Lily's face. "I'm sorry, I have to do this... even though it's just a game."
In that instant, the razor-sharp fingers converged and thrust toward the stunned teenage girl.
A piercing Space Break whistle erupted, like a shriek.
Then, suddenly, the shriek stopped, just in front of a crumbling hand.
His wrist was gripped tightly.
By a broken hand, from which numerous fragments had fallen off to reveal silvery-white bones.
It was as if he had violently pushed open the Gate of Hell itself.
From the empty eyes flowed a surge of blood-red light.
"Don't you dare..."
The dead Vampire slowly lifted his head. From amidst the sound of flesh peeling away, the ruined face revealed a grim visage of metallic bone.
Even though he was a soulless husk, driven by the remnants of his obsession, the shattered Vampire rose from the ground again, standing in front of the Chimera.
His hoarse voice, as harsh as roaring metal, pronounced each word to his enemy,
"Don't. Dare. Touch. Her!"
「. . .」
In the midst of his stupor, Huai Shi felt himself plunging into the Abyss again.
Holy light shone from the Sky Dome above, radiating endless majesty and chill indifference, coldly watching his disgraceful state, watching him prostrate himself meekly before the altar.
"This is your final chance, Abraham, and the last mercy of the Holy Spirit."
The aged Bishop looked down at him coldly, Scepter in hand, issuing his final command, "Abraham, kill her, and you may still be redeemed!"
In the silence, there was only Huai Shi's pained groaning.
He breathed laboriously, crawling forward awkwardly, reaching out his trembling hand, as if to grasp the ethereal light and redemption itself.
But in the end, he didn't speak.
"Waste! You disappoint me too much."
The Bishop's face twitched, gradually turning livid. "If you do not repent, then drown in God's wrath alongside that heretic!"
With not a shred of sympathy left, he turned and walked away, leaving Huai Shi behind in the darkness.
But then he felt a hand placed on his shoulder.
A hoarse voice came from behind him, so close!
"Sorry, Father."
Out of nowhere, Huai Shi had risen from the ground. Head bowed, gazing at the nearby neck, he whispered a farewell, "What others won't give me..."
"I prefer to take for myself!"
In that instant, the aged Bishop let out a piercing scream.
The Vampire's fangs had sunk deep into his neck.
No matter how much he struggled, pleaded pathetically, or rebuked in anger, not another sound emerged until the end.
In the deathly silence, Huai Shi slowly withdrew his fangs, and the withered corpse fell upon the altar.
Huai Shi looked down at the man's face, marked by fear unto death. He slowly raised his hand, wiping away the last sweet drop of blood from the corner of his mouth, then bent down and took the Scepter from his hand.
"Now, does anyone else have orders for me?"
The young man looked up at the sanctified light in the Sky Dome.
In the silence, no one spoke anymore.