Blood Queen

In a five-star hotel in C City, presidential suite.

The three-bedroom, two-living-room guest suite was spacious and luxurious, with various extravagant decorations and expensive furnishings creating an atmosphere of ultimate enjoyment.

Erwin of the Engel Family and the visiting Hyacinth leader Wan Yue sat facing each other in the living room.

Behind Erwin's sofa stood his professional-attired personal assistant Miss Emma and personal lawyer Luca.

Wan Yue, dressed in fashionable formal evening wear that was elegant, classical, and luxurious, had a much more modest entourage behind her with only Zhao Peng.

"Last time, it was your people who went to the military hospital, wasn't it? Before you came, there weren't many Baron-level or higher individuals among the Rhine Blood Clan in China. How could those old tortoises from the south suddenly appear in C City? Weren't you basically telling Shadow Arrow that foreign Blood Clan forces were provoking them?"

Wan Yue flicked her cigarette ash, squinting as her gaze swept slightly across the blonde young man's face. "If I'm not mistaken, you have people inside Shadow Arrow, at least in the Western Surveillance District, who know all the details of Shadow Arrow's last operation."

"Dear Miss Amelia, I just didn't expect you to be there at the time, otherwise we could have cooperated to give Shadow Arrow an even bigger surprise..." Erwin smiled cheerfully as he glanced back at his two subordinates. "So does that count as me helping you once again?"

"You suspect the clues about the Tang Family in D City are related to Shadow Arrow's last operation target? And you've been having people watch my people all along."

Wan Yue stood up, slowly walked to Erwin's front, then circled around the sofa, making a complete circle around Erwin's two subordinates.

"Though they're only Lower-tier Barons, they're well-trained and quite ruthless in their methods..."

A flash of disgust appeared in Wan Yue's eyes as she continued walking nonchalantly to the floor-to-ceiling window, turning her back to the European blonde young man. "Erwin, I don't care how many European Orthodox Blood Clan families' interests you represent behind you. We can share intelligence and even cooperate, but I still need to remind you that this is China. If certain matters require action, naturally, it will be handled by us Chinese Blood Clan."

"Miss Wan Yue, you're not the first Chinese Blood Clan I've met. But I'm always curious why Chinese Blood Clan, compared to all other Blood Clan worldwide, always seem so out of place. The Blood Clan world should have its own order, vision, and boundaries, rather than being constrained by the traditional frameworks of the ordinary human world."

Erwin seemed to have expected her to say this, and a trace of mockery and dissatisfaction appeared in his blue eyes.

"Miss Wan Yue, the first time I came to this country was when I was sixteen. At that time, China was under warlord rule, and behind each warlord stood one or several Orthodox Blood Clan families, viewing each other as mortal enemies.

"The second time I came, this place was suffering military invasion from your eastern neighbor Japan, and the Blood Clan here banded together to fight against Blood Clan from Japan. I've always been curious why Chinese Blood Clan always see the world's contours differently than we do."

After speaking, Erwin walked to Wan Yue's side carrying two glasses of red wine, offering her one.

"Our ancestors had a saying: 'Brothers may quarrel within the walls, but they unite against external insults.' This is thanks to a great emperor named Ying Zheng over two thousand two hundred years ago, who first unified the way all people on this land viewed themselves and the world.

"You probably don't know that Chinese secret historians have speculated that behind this great founding emperor of the empire, there may have stood certain Blood Clan ministers. So he, and we descendants, have never viewed and measured this land solely from the perspective of ordinary humans or Blood Clan." (TN: Ying Zheng or Qin Shi Huang is the founder of Qin dynasty and first emperor of China.)

Wan Yue lightly sipped the wine in her glass. Before the wine's effects could reach her, a proud flush had already appeared on her beautiful face.

Engel's brow furrowed slightly, as if sensing from Wan Yue a sense of historical inheritance's oppression and contempt that was extremely uncomfortable, his expression beginning to show displeasure.

"The major Orthodox Blood Clan families in China have always maintained distance from us. But what I want to say is, this concerns the interests of Orthodox Blood Clan families worldwide, just like during World War II when we jointly sent the Goebbels Family to hell!"

"What does any of this have to do with a Wandering Blood Clan like me? I'm thinking you must have hit a wall with the Wang Family, right?"

Wan Yue turned her head, the corner of her mouth curling up as she smiled at Engel's uncomfortable expression, her red lips parting slightly. "Since World War II, there are only three Duke families left openly in the world, and the Wang Family in China is one of them. Their attitude can be said to represent the entire Chinese Blood Clan's attitude.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Wang Family believes the Tang Family's troubles in D City were caused by you European and American major families. The Wang Family's eyes and sense of smell are much sharper than mine."

As she spoke, Wan Yue's gaze gradually became sharper, as if interrogating the Engel Family heir before her. "The Goebbels Family was destroyed by you, but all the spoils of war should have been taken by you as well... Mr. Erwin, are you really here to clean up trouble?"

Erwin's deep blue eyes stared coldly into Wan Yue's black pupils. After a long moment, he nodded slightly. "Miss Wan Yue, several months ago two Shadow Arrow soldiers in D City were blood-infected and fled. I believe they're either with you or with the Wang Family. I hope Miss Wan Yue can show genuine cooperative attitude."

"Heh, were they blood-infected by 'that thing'? You want to get them?"

Wan Yue's smile took on several sharp edges, her tone growing colder. "Need genuine cooperation? Then tell me, what exactly is 'that thing'? Is it the Goebbels Family's legacy? And who brought it into China!"

A special term emerged from Wan Yue's mouth. Apart from a flash of killing intent in Erwin's eyes, both Baron-level Emma and Luca's pupils contracted, their faces changing dramatically.

Erwin turned his head to gaze at the prosperous city outside the floor-to-ceiling window, not saying a word, as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Lord Wan Yue, the situation here is very complex... but we truly came to China for the interests of Blood Clan worldwide. Those two blood-infected soldiers must be handed over to us for handling! Otherwise, we'll use our own methods to find them!

"We've already obtained the personnel list of Shadow Arrow's Xuan Jia Squad that participated in the D City operation last time. I believe the day we find them won't be far off!"

Lawyer Luca couldn't restrain himself any longer, stepping forward with an unfriendly expression to speak sternly to Wan Yue.

"Heh, giving me an ultimatum? Get lost! What kind of thing are you to have the qualifications to threaten me!?"

Wan Yue didn't even move her head, just spitting out the words with a hiss, immediately making Luca, this burly Rhine Baron, flush red with anger.

Never mind Luca; even Erwin, this newly promoted Rhine Earl, might not be able to gain any advantage when facing Wan Yue, who had half a foot already in the Viscount realm.

Siberian Blood Clan were equally masters of blood manipulation, even stronger, with considerable restraining advantages over Rhine Blood Clan.

"Can't answer my questions? When dividing up the Goebbels Family legacy, you European and American major families ate alone. Now that problems have emerged, you want Chinese Blood Clan to consider the big picture? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world!

"At least, I believe the Tang Family in D City dared to risk being eliminated by both the Wang Family and Shadow Arrow to do unspeakable things only because the benefits were so great they were willing to bet their lives!

"I'm thinking, do you really think you can represent Blood Clan worldwide and not fear becoming the second Goebbels Family!?"

After Wan Yue finished speaking, she turned and walked toward the guest room exit. Zhao Peng politely nodded slightly to Erwin and followed closely behind.

Only the three from Erwin remained in the room, with Wan Yue's final words echoing in their ears like a heavy bomb.

Erwin continued slowly drinking his red wine, but his pupils had begun to gradually turn red. Against the backdrop of his blonde hair, this appeared full of killing intent. After quite a while, they slowly returned to normal.

"Interesting, she actually knows about the Goebbels Family legacy? It should be the Wang Family who told her, so she still chose the Wang Family... No, she might know even more than the Wang Family."

Looking at the wine glass in his hand, Erwin's face showed slight twitching, seeming very annoyed at mentioning the Wang Family.

"Wan Yue began investigating the Tang Family in D City fifteen years ago. Where did she get that intelligence from... She's already guessed it was us."

"Mr. Engel, what do we do next? Among those people surrounded by Shadow Arrow at the military hospital that day was that man just now. Also, that woman called Jiang Yan seems suspicious based on her aura, but the two Shadow Arrow soldiers blood-infected in D City were two men."

Luca now walked to Erwin's side, looking puzzled, always feeling something was off.

"Two men? Don't let your own eyes deceive you... When we eliminated the Goebbels Family, in the underground bunker of the Third Reich's army, was the 'Grandmother' we found male or female?"

Hearing this, both Emma and Luca were simultaneously stunned, their facial expressions quite remarkable.

"I believe Grandmother's aura cannot deceive people. It's like a Blood Clan fingerprint, and its offspring will inherit it as well. Miss Emma, go contact people from the Hermit Alliance and have them test the waters again."

Erwin drained his glass in one gulp, casually tossing it as he walked toward the bedroom. The wine glass fell to the ground, shattering into crystalline fragments that scattered brilliant light under the lamplight.

---

"Why does your sister always have the same taste as me?"

In the hospital room, Meng Huai lay in bed with a laptop computer set up in front of him, browsing medical knowledge about acute liver failure while glancing at the mango Jiang Yan was cutting, his face full of confusion.

"In this whole world, you're not the only person who likes eating mangoes."

Jiang Yan smiled as she cut half the mango flesh into a grid pattern while still processing the other half. "She also likes stinky tofu. Do you like that too?"

"Will your unit leaders agree if you plan to be discharged and recuperate at home in a couple days?"

"Sorry..."

The corner of Meng Huai's mouth twitched as he awkwardly turned his head to continue browsing the internet content.

Jiang Yan held the mango flesh in front of Meng Huai, smiling as she said, "You still want to visit the bar club where I work, but with your serious liver problems, you can't drink alcohol."

"The test results are still good, far from needing a liver transplant. This leave period is very long. Besides military training and missions, I never had any hobbies... Going to sit at your workplace would just be changing locations to space out."

Probably because the latest test results had come out, Meng Huai's mood was much better than before. That suppressed, declining, and desolate look in his eyes had faded considerably, releasing a more relaxed emotion.

Jiang Yan's hand trembled slightly as she looked up quietly at Meng Huai's calm and relaxed expression, feeling somewhat strange.

He seems very accustomed to getting along with me, always showing a different attitude than usual. His current words and behavior have almost no coldness, and he talks much more, nothing like the former Meng Huai.

Previously, every Sunday, Meng Huai would wait for her at the W District Children's Welfare Institute with a casual appearance.

In the days she didn't come, he wouldn't actively order meals. During meals, he had learned to serve dishes from several plates rather than his previous single-minded approach or waiting for her to rearrange the plates.

Now, Meng Huai was determined to visit her workplace, and it wasn't a joke.

The more Jiang Yan thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. Some bad premonitions arose in her heart. This feeling was just like when she secretly looked through Jiang Yao's phone messages last time.

Could he... like me!?

Jiang Yan's heart suddenly jumped, and the mango flesh in her hand fell onto the blanket in front of Meng Huai, the juice staining the surface yellow.

"Sorry!"

Jiang Yan's face reddened somewhat as she quickly grabbed tissues from the side to deal with the fruit, her extended slender hand inevitably falling near Meng Huai's head area.

This posture of holding tissues and reaching toward Meng Huai, if viewed from the hospital room door, would look like a girlfriend trying to wipe fruit residue and juice from her boyfriend's mouth.

Because at this very moment, standing at the hospital room door was indeed a beautiful woman in military uniform, along with another ridiculously young military officer.

The scene before them made Han Xiao, who had come to visit Meng Huai despite her own injuries, freeze in place, the bag of fruit in her hand quietly falling to the ground. Behind her, Han Jieli touched his nose and quietly stepped back two paces.

"Han Xiao?"

Meng Huai's peripheral vision caught sight of the doorway, and he looked up with some surprise.