Blood Queen

At dusk, Han Jieli drove his absent-minded cousin Han Xiao back to the family residential building in the logistics compound.

The moment Han Xiao retreated from the hospital room with a pale face, Han Jieli completely understood that this seemingly cheerful, spirited cousin with a strong personality was actually no different from ordinary women.

Only after watching Han Xiao go upstairs did Han Jieli return to the car with peace of mind. He turned on the interior light, glanced at the time, then pulled out a document file from under the car rack and began reading slowly.

Although Han Guowei was a Major General Deputy Commander of the Western Surveillance District with high position and authority, his living conditions were quite modest—just a four-bedroom, two-living-room apartment with simple decoration, far inferior to some minor local officials.

In the spacious living room, only Han Guowei sat alone on the sofa, flipping through a photo album in his hands.

The album contained his son Han Jiesheng's growth record from infancy through school, military academy, and marriage. Now this record had permanently stopped adding new content.

His wife and daughter-in-law had already departed for elsewhere to attend his son's memorial service. The two unfortunate women would naturally spend a considerable time together, while Han Guowei became the family's remaining guardian.

It was already past dinner time, but his daughter Han Xiao still hadn't returned. Han Guowei put down the album and expressionlessly took the remote control to browse news channels.

The door opened, and Han Xiao appeared like a lost soul, her eyes slightly red and swollen, clearly having cried. Her military cap was crumpled in her hand, and her beautiful hair, freed from its hairnet, hung disheveled behind her head.

"Han Xiao, you just got discharged this morning. How can you be running around everywhere!"

Seeing his daughter enter, Han Guowei slowly stood up, his eyes showing a trace of concern.

With his son's sacrifice and only this daughter remaining, even as a rigid military man, he couldn't ignore his daughter's physical and mental changes at this time.

"I already ate..." Han Xiao looked blankly at her uniformed father in the living room, her face showing misery. "Dad, I don't want to see Meng Huai anymore."

Han Guowei was startled, his gaze gradually becoming complex.

"Meng Huai has a somewhat cold personality, but he's self-disciplined, steady, proper, and is well-educated."

Father Han took a deep breath, pulled his daughter to sit beside him, and gently patted her hand. "He's currently hospitalized and brooding over whether he can remain in frontline forces. He's an excellent soldier with strong career ambitions. Xiao Xiao, as his colleague and comrade, you should care for him more. Feelings can always be cultivated."

"Heh, somewhat cold personality, steady and proper? I might as well bring home a stone!"

Han Xiao's eyes reddened as she smiled coldly. "The Han family has been intermarrying internally for hundreds of years. Now it's my turn—is this how the Han family treats its children and descendants?"

"What happened!? Did he lose his temper with you at the hospital?"

Han Guowei frowned, feeling that his daughter's emotional management had shown signs of losing control since her injury.

Han Xiao wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes as the scene from the hospital room hours ago appeared in her mind.

"He always has a dead person's face, impervious to everything. I wish he did have a temper!"

Meng Huai chatting intimately with some girl was treatment that had never occurred in the years she'd known him.

In terms of figure and appearance, while not world-class, Han Xiao considered herself one of the top beauties in China's Shadow Arrow forces.

In terms of family background, the Han family had a heritage spanning hundreds of years and could even be called half the creators of China's Shadow Arrow forces. Her grandfather's generation had direct access to the highest levels, not to mention her father Han Guowei, who was the second-in-command of the Western Surveillance District.

In terms of ability, Han Xiao became squadron leader of the Embroidered Uniform Squad at twenty-three and was now only in her early twenties.

It could be said that in everyone's eyes, Han Xiao was as perfect as perfect could be. But seemingly, all of this meant nothing in Meng Huai's eyes.

"Dad... I have no mood to deal with him anymore. Please spare your daughter!" As she spoke, Han Xiao began sobbing again. "In his eyes, I simply don't exist as a person!"

"Xiao Xiao, do you know why I've been having you get along with him for years?"

Han Guowei gently smoothed his daughter's disheveled hair, his gentle smile mixed with traces of pain and guilt, yet deeply wrapped in unwavering determination.

"Isn't it the Han family tradition? Brother and I were destined from birth to join Shadow Arrow forces, and our life's major decisions could only be made within Shadow Arrow... Great Uncle, Second Uncle, Fourth Aunt, you Dad, Second Cousin Uncle, Great Cousin Brother, Second Cousin Sister, Little Cousin Brother..."

Counting the names of living and deceased Han family members one by one, Han Xiao's heart ached beyond measure.

"That's only one reason... Xiao Xiao, Meng Huai is a very special soldier of the Republic, the kind that appears once in decades. Some matters involving classified discipline I cannot discuss, but what I can say is that Meng Huai's heart and roots must remain with Shadow Arrow forces... He's destined to carry out the most arduous tasks in this world!

"So, Xiao Xiao, you are the person Dad has chosen to keep Meng Huai's heart and roots with Shadow Arrow forces... No one is more suitable than someone from the Han family."

Han Guowei covered his face with both hands, vigorously rubbing his eyes to prevent his expression from showing.

"Is it still for the war against vampires? The Han family is nearly extinct, and you want to sacrifice your biological daughter's entire life too?"

Han Xiao's emotions finally collapsed as she cried breathlessly.

Apart from tightly embracing his daughter's shoulders, Han Guowei remained expressionless and speechless.

Han Jiesheng's sacrifice was not only the most painful event for Han Guowei's family but for the entire Han family, causing an emotional earthquake throughout the Han family the night the news returned.

After all, strictly speaking, Han Jiesheng was truly and uniquely the Han family's only heir. His sacrifice had essentially declared the Han family's actual extinction.

As for Han Jieli, he was originally just the son of Han Ling, the sole daughter of the Han family's fourth branch, who had changed his surname while still in the womb to be included in the Han family genealogy. Now through a twist of fate, he had become the only male of this Han generation and the Han family's nominal last hope.

At exactly 23:00, Han Jieli, who had reviewed countless work documents, punctually knocked on Han Guowei's door.

"Is my sister alright?"

Han Jieli's first words upon entering were this question, and he smiled while glancing at a tightly closed door around the hallway corner.

"She's sleeping. Let's talk in the study."

Han Guowei calmly led the younger family member into the study. Both sat down, their demeanor resembling a serious classified meeting.

"Third Uncle, the internal review of the former 430 Work Group has continued for a week with no problems discovered."

Han Jieli smiled as he took out a document from his materials bag, gently placing it on the desk with a somewhat awkward expression.

"Including you and Zhen Guangquan, there are only sixteen people total, and you can't find any leads? Hasn't the Intelligence Department's Information Section found any traces?"

Han Guowei took the document and scanned it briefly, frowning and shaking his head with a somewhat gloomy expression. "I thought Shadow Arrow was our nation's most secure and classified institution, but it turns out Blood Clan have infiltrated it too.

"There's no way to investigate. After all, the last operation's detailed plan was simultaneously reported to headquarters for approval. If we speculate like this, it goes up to the headquarters level..."

Han Jieli smiled bitterly as he dropped his materials bag, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, carelessly staring at the ceiling light.

"You brat, are you planning to expand the scope of attack? Don't say such things carelessly!"

Han Guowei's eye first twitched, then he deliberately glared at the other party, his expression gradually returning to normal. "Forget it, I didn't hold much hope anyway. Let headquarters send a special investigation team. This shouldn't be your task."

"Yes!"

Probably understanding the meaning, Han Jieli quickly straightened up, his previously somewhat lazy behavior instantly disappearing.

"You just graduated from military academy this year and entered the Headquarters Intelligence Bureau. Are you getting used to it?"

Looking at this family genius who had entered Huake University's youth class at sixteen and was personally selected for military academy, Han Guowei's mouth showed a trace of gratified smile.

"Not at all."

Han Jieli shook his head decisively, this response freezing Han Guowei's smile for several seconds.

"That's right. Your real position is the Special Classified Action Group. In the future, you'll be Meng Huai's liaison, and even later, you'll be your Second Grandfather's successor."

Han Guowei sighed, stood up, and walked to the bedroom side, gently opening the window.

This was the last night of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. In the sky, the full moon's outline showed little change, still perfectly round, appearing and disappearing as black clouds played across it.

A minute later, Han Guowei withdrew his gaze from the moon, turned around, and said lightly, "According to the Special Classified Action Group's plan, when Meng Huai shows Stage Two pathological changes, that's when you begin contact with him. This time was quite coincidental, just encountering the Tang family incident, which let you represent headquarters in participating…”

"Third Uncle, I've read Brother Meng's files... If it's really as you say, there's no need to involve Sister Xiao... I mean, Brother Meng passed all psychological tests perfectly when he first underwent them."

Seeing Han Guowei's neither happy nor sad expression, Han Jieli couldn't help but voice a question he'd been thinking about for a long time.

"Nothing is absolute. I just don't want any accidents, not even the slightest!"

Han Guowei shook his head slightly, his tone gradually becoming somewhat low. "The Special Classified Action Group has already suffered once before. Sigh... Maybe I think too much, always wanting everything to be one hundred percent controllable…

"Alright, let's stop here today. Meng Huai will be arranged to go to Beijing for medical examination in a while, and I'll gradually teach you some things. The organization will temporarily have you remain in the Western Surveillance District under the name of grassroots assignment training, taking an intelligence staff position with Zhen Guangquan."

Upon hearing this, Han Jieli immediately smiled. "Third Uncle, does that make me a hidden piece for the Special Classified Action Group entering the Western Surveillance District?"

"In a certain sense, yes." Han Guowei was startled, then slowly nodded.

After these words, brief silence appeared in the study as uncle and nephew each had their own thoughts.

---

At 1:00 AM, in a folk culture protection alley in J District.

The slight autumn mood brought by the full moon quietly descended. While it might not be noticeable during the day, the night chill was already beginning to show.

In the small courtyard, elegant stone pillar-shaped lamps were lit. Jiang Yan sat at the stone table with tea water before her, one hand supporting her chin on the table surface, quietly staring at a potted plant in the corner while lost in thought.

Meng Huai had probably entered a state of self-abandonment that others couldn't understand, which explained his increasingly unfamiliar yet familiar and heart-wrenching behavior. He was probably just using these words and actions to resolve his inner unwillingness.

For Jiang Yan, the day that was about to pass had been simply too eventful, probably the most complex day in terms of content and emotions she'd ever experienced, far more profound than those days of bloody combat.

"Sister, hehe, the club issued promotion bonuses today. Guess how much!?"

After dinner, Jiang Yao had been doing something unknown in the bedroom until now, finally emerging from the inner room and standing in the doorway proudly waving her phone.

Looking back, under the lamplight, Jiang Yao wore a short black dress with lace transparent shoulder sleeves, her legs in black thigh-high stockings.

Her light golden long hair no longer bore a ponytail, with delicate small braids tied at the side of her head while the rest naturally fell over her shoulders and behind her head, just like that anime poster of someone called Asuna in her bedroom.

Jiang Yan was slightly startled, her gaze scanning the other's body up and down several times with some surprise.

This wasn't just a simple change in clothing style, but more importantly, a natural temperament that had emerged from the imitation period. Even after experiencing two major realm promotions, Jiang Yao's originally oval face from after blood infection was now quietly transitioning toward a melon seed-shaped face.

It was said that in the mid-16th century, a certain radical European secret scholar reached a conclusion: Blood Clan were a variant human species progressing toward self-perfection.

Whether this secret scholar was later burned to death was unknown, but a phenomenon was confirmed by modern science hundreds of years later: after being blood-infected to become Blood Clan, it was the beginning of secondary physical development, and not just at the microscopic level.

As individual realms continuously improved, Blood Clan's figures and appearances would undergo subtle detailed changes. The higher-level the Blood Clan, the greater these changes became.

After reaching Knight level, it was said that existing AI facial recognition technology could hardly match and identify Blood Clan with their pre-blood infection appearances. Although many details visible to human eyes remained familiar, in AI systems' view, they might very well be two different people.

Over time, the old appearance would naturally be forgotten like discarded clothing, no longer remembered by others or even oneself. Only memories remained unchanged.

No wonder all Knight-level and above members in Hyacinth, despite still having varying levels of attractiveness, had none who were truly ugly. Sister Wan, Uncle Liang, Brother Zhao, Xiao Ai, Xiao Ling, Xiao Dong—all were like this.

"Bro, uh... Sister, what do you think?"

Noticing the other's gaze constantly roaming over her body, Jiang Yao also felt somewhat embarrassed, lowering her head to look at her legs and smiling awkwardly. "Hehe, the skirt hem is a bit short, and there are the speed stockings. Sister Xiao Ping helped me choose this outfit."

"Mm, Xiao Ping and the others are very good at fashion coordination. Not bad, you have your own style. The black stockings also look very nice. You can finally manage your own image."

I worry about her relationship with Zhong Jing, and she's probably also nervous about my contact with Meng Huai. This isn't a result of becoming a female Blood Clan, but rather a reaction of flesh, blood, and soul memories still existing in isolation... Jiang Yan came back to her senses, a trace of bitterness appearing on her face.

"Sister, Meng Huai is from Shadow Arrow forces. If he runs into the club and sits there surrounded by Blood Clan, wouldn't that scare people to death..."

Jiang Yao sat beside Jiang Yan, picking up an orange from the table to play with, her face showing an exaggerated expression. "Sister, tell me, would Sister Wan or Brother Zhao Peng let him into the club?"

"I can't answer that question, and Meng Huai's personality makes it even harder to say."

Jiang Yan continued to casually observe Jiang Yao's entire outfit, when a strange thought suddenly appeared in her mind. She quickly said, "Xiao Yao, what do you think Sister Wan's identity was before blood infection?"

"Let me guess, Sister Wan's past?"

Jiang Yao's hands paused, her expression somewhat strange. "Her realm is so high, her skills so formidable. The time she's been a Blood Clan is probably at least seventy or eighty years... New China hadn't even been established then."

Hearing this, Jiang Yan gently shook her head, thoughtfully. "Xiao Yao, during the military hospital incident last time, I discovered Sister Wan seems to understand Shadow Arrow forces' combat characteristics very well. Moreover, the action arrangement for supporting Brother Zhao Peng and me in withdrawal also resembled Shadow Arrow forces' Support Company tactics in style..."

Just as Jiang Yan finished speaking, Jiang Yao jumped up with wide eyes. "Impossible! If Sister Xiao Ai and Sister Xiao Ping were formerly Shadow Arrow people, never mind you—even I could sense it!"

"I'm not referring to Hyacinth. What I'm trying to say is that since the founding of the nation, every year some Shadow Arrow force members are blood-infected with unknown whereabouts. These people, like you and me, always have a few who escape tracking."

Jiang Yan's brow was deeply furrowed, as if the answer was separated by just a layer of gauze, yet difficult to see through. "Where did they go? Join Orthodox Blood Clan, become Wandering Blood Clan and fend for themselves, or fall to become Black Blood Clan?

"Remember what Zhou Ping said last time? Sister Wan left the Hermit Alliance twenty years ago. I understand the Hermit Alliance—it's just a loose Wandering Blood Clan alliance, yet it's been a key focus of Shadow Arrow forces for a long time. Sometimes Shadow Arrow forces' attack intensity against them can match that against Black Blood Clan."

Jiang Yao understood and also looked thoughtful. "You mean those people who successfully fled after blood infection have been banding together since decades ago, and it's very likely the Hermit Alliance, so Sister Wan she... But that's not right either. Shadow Arrow forces have only existed for over seventy years total since establishment, but the Hermit Alliance's history is said to span several hundred years."

"Little fool, who told you to only count from Shadow Arrow forces' establishment? Xuan Jia Squad, Embroidered Uniform Squad, Ice Well Squad—which of these inherited units doesn't have a history of hundreds or thousands of years? The Hermit Alliance's waters are probably deeper than we know!"

Jiang Yan reached out to touch Jiang Yao's face, appearing in good spirits, probably having finally connected some logic.

"Oh my, Sister, when you put it that way, I feel our Hyacinth is even more awesome! Look, Sister Wan is a former Hermit Alliance big shot, and she still has connections with them now. Even if the sky falls, there are tall ones to hold it up. We don't need to be afraid!"

Jiang Yao happily played with her hair, appearing very optimistic.

This Xiao Yao is being overly optimistic. If Blood Clan world relationships were this simple to calculate, Sister Wan wouldn't be running around so busy.

Moreover, Sister Wan seems to have plans to completely sever ties with the Hermit Alliance. What exactly happened between her and the Hermit Alliance?

A dark cloud covered the bright moon. Looking at Jiang Yao living carefree in the present, Jiang Yan's heart also calmed down, but the hidden uneasiness could never be dispelled.