Chapter 23: Rewards

Inside the manor room, Mo Yu watched the clock, waiting quietly.

6:52.

The door opened, and his mirror image returned. It walked to the center of the room and stood perfectly still, not moving an inch. Mo Yu approached with a glass dish.

Cancel mirror image.

The moment the image dissipated, he extended the dish to catch the red blood suspended in mid-air. This was his strategy. A mirror image is a replica; anything it consumes can be digested normally, but the moment the image vanishes, these tangible items remain. By having the image bitten and then extracting Elise’s blood, he had secured his prize.

The volume was small—just a few drops. Mo Yu began his tests. Elise’s blood was unique; it was cohesive rather than fluid, behaving more like a colloid. It spontaneously repelled impurities, remained free of dust, could be picked up with one's fingers, and would not disperse even when water was added. After experimenting for a while, he sealed the blood in a small vial and hid it inside a pendant. With that, his disguise prop was complete.

He donned the pendant to test its effect. He sought out Elise, but even as he approached her, she showed no abnormal reaction. She truly could not pinpoint the blood’s location. After confirming the effect, he activated "Rewind," cutting out this test timeline.

No traces left behind.

With that done, Mo Yu finally relaxed, flopping onto the bed and rolling around. Just as he was scrolling through his phone, someone knocked on the door. He got up to answer, feeling rather annoyed.

Standing outside was the maid.

Mo Yu asked in confusion, "It’s so late? Is something the matter?"

The maid pushed him back into the room and locked the door behind her.

Mo Yu: "?"

The maid asked, "The young mistress’s reaction was very strange. What did you do this afternoon?"

"She didn’t recognize me," Mo Yu explained briefly.

The maid’s lips curled, as if she had confirmed something: "My deduction was correct. The young mistress really does favor your type."

Mo Yu denied it: "I don't think so. It’s simply because I’m handsome."

The maid said, "You were the first to successfully strike up a conversation; it’s a good start. You must seize the opportunity. Even if you lied, you will still be converted into a vampire and kept by the young mistress’s side."

The maid pulled out a pair of rubber gloves, put them on, and stretched the edge before letting it snap back with a crisp 'pop.' Mo Yu had a bad premonition.

"What are you doing?"

"Let me check your body. If you aren't adequately sized, we’ll need to perform surgery in advance. It will be too late once you’ve been converted into a vampire. All for the young mistress’s pleasure."

"?!"

The maid lunged at him, intending to force the issue. Mo Yu parried her moves. After he pinned her to the bed using a joint-lock technique for the fifth time, she grew angry and used brute force to fling him away, commenting:

"I couldn't tell, you actually have some skill. If you had a mana cultivation method, matching spirit weapons, and combat techniques, you would make a fine demon hunter."

"Too bad I don't. Your concern is unnecessary. Don’t come any closer; if you do, I’ll scream and let every vampire in this manor know about this."

Under Mo Yu's threat, the maid finally gave up and left. The rest of the night was quiet, and no one else came to disturb him.

After 8:00, the Monster Bestiary settlement arrived.

[Elite Vampire: A vampire that has evolved once. Greatly weakened in sunlight, strengthened at night. Can easily lift small cars weighing 2-3 tons. Survives by devouring life force. Fears specific frequencies of ultraviolet light and metallic silver.] [Cumulative kills: 14] [1 kill reached: Bronze Trophy acquired, +1 attribute point. 10 kills reached: Silver Trophy acquired, +1 attribute point. 100 kills reached: Gold Trophy.]

[Knight-class Vampire: A vampire that has evolved twice. Greatly weakened in sunlight, strengthened at night. Can lift heavy road rollers with one hand. Survives by devouring life force. Fears specific frequencies of ultraviolet light and metallic silver.] [Cumulative kills: 2] [1 kill reached: Bronze Trophy acquired, +1 attribute point. 2 kills reached: Silver Trophy acquired, +1 attribute point. 3 kills reached: Gold Trophy.]

He claimed the 4 attribute points. There was no need to agonize over the allocation. He put them all into physical attributes, bringing them straight to 9.3.

Mo Yu performed a strength test. He took a decorative sword hanging in the hallway; he threw the 2-kilogram piece of iron with all his might, and it created a sonic boom, piercing through a wall. According to the panel information, his current physical constitution was on par with a Knight-class vampire. With his strength surging, Mo Yu’s confidence grew accordingly.

The next morning, Mo Yu rose early. As he opened the window to catch the breeze, he spotted footprints on the ground outside the building at a glance. Around this guest villa, there were many remnants of footprints and handprints.

It was a strange sort of vision. It felt like a survival instinct from a game, or something like "Eagle Eye," allowing him to distinguish specific traces in a complex environment at a single glance. This was the intuitive ability of the Monster Bestiary.

After killing enough vampires to obtain two silver trophies, this ability began to take effect, allowing him to discern the traces left by vampires in complex environments instantly. He opened the door; there were many footprints and handprints in the hallway.

Mo Yu squatted down to examine them. When he observed closely, he could perceive how long ago these traces had been left, as well as individual differences. He walked around the guest villa. Footprints, handprints, urine, saliva—he could distinguish all these traces.

He tried using a mop to wipe away the footprints. Even if the floor was scrubbed spotless, he could still observe the footprints left within the last 24 hours. A quite practical ability.

Mo Yu attempted to leave the manor, but was warned by several blood-sucking bats. They landed in front of him, their black eyes staring straight at him. With no other choice, he had to retreat.

Since he couldn't leave the manor, he decided to explore the interior thoroughly. After all, it was Elise’s lair; he hadn't had the chance when he was brought here before, but now that he was here, he wouldn't miss it.

The manor was cold and deserted. During the day, no other vampires were to be seen; it was like walking into a wasteland, with no sounds other than birds chirping and the wind whispering. Each time he entered a new room, he released a "Rewind." To the blood-sucking bats tailing him, it merely looked like he was walking along the corridor.

The above-ground part of the manor was nothing special—a very classical European aristocratic estate with many old items, which were quite interesting to browse through. After a short tour, he discovered an underground entrance. Only then did he realize there was a whole new world beneath the surface.

The vampires were hiding in individual small rooms, sleeping in coffins, waiting for the sun to set. During his search, Mo Yu discovered a room of great value: the study.

This was a study located underground. To be more precise, it was a small library. The room was cylindrical and three stories high, with a glass dome at the top that allowed sunlight to illuminate a small area overhead. Wooden bookcases lined the walls, stacked to the ceiling and filled with colorful books. To reach the books at the top, one needed to use the ladder nearby. In the center stood a desk and chairs with stationery and office supplies, and piles of books were scattered on the floor.

Mo Yu grew interested. He pulled out a few books at random to check them, only to find he couldn't understand them. He didn't recognize the script; he really should have brought Alpha with him.