Chapter 4

Yahyun gradually released the man’s neck, loosening his grip.

“I have a question.”

“Yes, ask anything. If I know, I will even tell you the color of Qingyue’s undergarments.”

“Do you know anything about the organizations that handle information nearby?”

“There are the Beggar Sect and the Hao Gate.”

‘Beggar Sect and Hao Gate?’

Yahyun’s brow furrowed at the unfamiliar names.

“What kind of places are they?”

“The Beggar Sect is a group of beggars. It represents the righteous faction...”

‘Interesting. A sect founded by beggars. And to represent the righteous faction means they are on par with Shaolin Temple?

When under hypnosis, one cannot lie.

Yahyun is a member of the Dark Clan. According to the man’s explanation, the Beggar Sect would be an uncomfortable place for Yahyun to visit.

“Let’s skip the Beggar Sect. What about the Hao Gate?”

“The Hao Gate is, as the name suggests, a group of the lowest class...”

Yahyun’s tightly closed lips curled into a smirk. It was exactly what he was looking for. While the quality of information might be low, the quantity would be vast if it was centered around the lower class.

“Do you know how to contact the Hao Gate?”

“I don’t know the method, but I know someone who can.”

“Who is it?”

“The leader of the Black King Sect, Galguhyo.”

“Black King Sect? Is it a martial arts sect?”

“No, just a gang from the back alleys. They call themselves a sect, but everyone else calls them the Black Dog Gang. However, Galguhyo has learned a fairly high level of martial arts.”

“I see.”

Even so, it was likely that Galguhyo was far inferior to the White Tiger from earlier. Yahyun asked one last question.

“Where can I find him?”

“The headquarters of the Black King Sect, or rather, the Black Dog Gang, is...”

The man spilled out everything he knew.

“Forget it.”

After tapping the man’s cheeks, Yahyun disappeared deeper into the darkness. The man stood there for a moment, dazed, then shook his head vigorously as if waking from a deep sleep.

“What is this?”

His mind was hazy, as if the effects of alcohol were just setting in.

“Damn, why is my neck so sore?”

Frowning, the man moved his neck around and continued on his way.

* * *

On the outskirts of Nanju.

Amidst shabby and dilapidated buildings, a medium-sized mansion stood out.

This was the headquarters of the Black King Sect, as the man had described. Yahyun was perched on the roof of a small house not far from the mansion, observing the Black King Sect.

“Hmph.”

A small chuckle escaped Yahyun’s lips.

Despite claiming to mimic a martial arts sect, there were guards at the main gate, and some were patrolling in pairs, making it look quite impressive on the surface. However, it was all just a facade; the inner workings were far from impressive.

‘No need to pay special attention to this.’

After a brief reconnaissance, Yahyun vanished into the darkness.

He reappeared in the shadows under the eaves of a building deep within the mansion.

A middle-aged maid hurried out of the building, seemingly in a rush.

As the maid passed by the dark corner, a pale hand suddenly emerged from the shadows and grabbed her by the neck.

“...!”

The maid’s scream was muffled as she and the sound were pulled into the shadows.

A moment later, the maid, seemingly unharmed, walked briskly toward a destination. She arrived at the residence of the self-proclaimed leader of the Black King Sect, the head of the Black Dog Gang, Galguhyo.

“This is the place.”

The maid, standing in front of Galguhyo’s bedroom, spoke politely to the dark shadows created by the wall and trees.

A red glow flickered in the darkness.

“Thank you. Return to where you were and forget about this.”

“Yes.”

The maid bowed and quickly disappeared.

“Too easy.”

The owner of the red glow, Yahyun, stepped out of the shadows and walked into Galguhyo’s bedroom as if it were his own.

Half an hour later.

Bang!

The leader of the Black Dog Gang, Galguhyo, who looked like a bandit, roughly pushed open the door and dragged a young girl inside.

“P-Please, Master Galguhyo, spare me! Please!”

She was about fifteen, quite pretty but emaciated, clinging to Galguhyo’s pants and begging.

“When did I say I would kill you?”

Galguhyo closed the door with a lecherous smile.

“Please! Please spare me!”

“Didn’t I say I would treat you well? Don’t you trust me?”

“Please...”

“Since you couldn’t pay your debt and were sold, how can you be so ungrateful? I’m offering to treat you well.”

“It’s not a debt! I’ve already paid it all! I’ve paid it all!”

Exhausted from begging, the girl finally snapped.

“Even my kindness has its limits. If you keep this up, I’ll sell you to a brothel!”

Galguhyo’s threat made the girl clutch her chest in fear.

“Now, open your heart. Okay?”

Galguhyo’s harsh expression softened as he whispered to the girl.

“Please! I’m begging you. Please spare me!”

“This girl, still!”

When the girl refused to listen, Galguhyo finally lost his temper. He grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground.

“Ah!”

A scream erupted, but Galguhyo paid no heed.

Rip!

The girl’s clothes tore under Galguhyo’s ruthless hands.

“Spare me... Ah!”

He was merciless. His thick palm struck the girl’s face forcefully.

“This girl, do you think it’s funny to defy me? I’ll sell you to a brothel and cut off your parents’ heads.”

Threats poured out of his mouth.

“This girl, you’re dead today!”

Just as Galguhyo was about to forcibly remove the girl’s torn top, a calm voice came from the corner of the bedroom.

“Enough!”

“Who’s there!”

Startled by the unexpected intruder, Galguhyo pushed the girl away and reached for the sword at his waist.

Snap!

Yahyun snapped his fingers, and the candle in the room lit up.

Yahyun sat in the center of the now-lit room, his legs crossed on a wooden chair, with a picture-perfect smile.

“If I had known, I would have come here instead of wasting my time eating...”

“Who are you?”

Galguhyo interrupted Yahyun, his eyes narrowing. As Yahyun’s face hardened, his body vanished from the spot.

“Gasp!”

In the instant he felt a gust of wind, Galguhyo’s breath was cut off.

“Who said you could interrupt me?”

Yahyun lifted Galguhyo into the air by his neck.

“Gasp!”

Galguhyo struggled against the pain.

“Oh dear!”

Suddenly, Yahyun’s expression turned awkward. He looked at the girl, who was trembling and clutching her torn clothes, with a sympathetic gaze.

“Look at me.”

The girl’s eyes met Yahyun’s red ones, and her face relaxed, just like the thug and the maid before her. A smile returned to Yahyun’s face, though it was a hypnotic one.

‘Hmm.’

However, when he noticed the wound on the girl’s exposed shoulder, a deep frown appeared on his forehead.

The fresh human blood stirred Yahyun’s instincts.

It was a fleeting moment.

The temptation of blood was strong, but Yahyun was not one to succumb to such desires.

Yahyun asked the girl kindly.

“Do you like sweets?”

“Yes.”

“There are some sweets on the table. Eat them while you wait a moment.”

“Yes.”

“Ah! You might see something unpleasant, so don’t look back. Understand?”

“Yes.”

The sweets were something she had never tasted, only dreamed of. The girl happily agreed and walked to the table.

“S-Spare me...”

Yahyun licked his lips and smiled, a smile very different from the one he had given the girl. It was chilling, ominous, and infinitely cold.

“Whether to kill or spare you is your decision.”

Snap!

The nails of the hand gripping Galguhyo’s neck extended and dug into his throat.

“Gasp!”

Red blood droplets formed on Yahyun’s nails.

Thud!

Yahyun released his grip, and Galguhyo collapsed weakly.

“Gasp! Cough!”

As Galguhyo coughed, struggling to breathe, Yahyun brought the blood droplets on his nails to his mouth.

“Mmm.”

The taste of human blood, which he hadn’t tasted in a long time, was indeed sweet. With each drop he savored, fragments of Galguhyo’s memories surfaced in Yahyun’s mind.

Murder, killing, plunder.

And the enjoyment of such evil deeds.

Galguhyo was not human. He was worse than a beast in human skin.

‘A perfect catch.’

Yahyun usually drinks animal blood, not human blood. He is known among vampires as a vegetarian.

The downside of consuming only animal blood is the weakening of his strength.

Still, Yahyun refrains from drinking human blood to remind himself that he was once human. He tries his best to maintain human emotions even after becoming a vampire.

Of course, there are exceptions for Yahyun.

Moments like this.

He quenches the hunger and desire that animal blood cannot satisfy with the blood of the worst of humanity, those who deserve to die a hundred times, while also preventing the weakening of his strength.

# Chapter 5