Chapter 102: Northwind Keep Log (3)
Langli BaiTiao clung to the dark ceiling of the dungeon, inching forward silently like a shadow on the edge of night. Inside the Iron Cage, the Blood Slaves wailed in agony—raw, guttural cries that echoed through the stone halls.
"Aaah…!"
"Blood…"
"Give me blood!"
They had been trapped here for so long they no longer remembered what it meant to be human. Their minds had long since shattered under the endless thirst for blood, reduced to mindless beasts driven by instinct alone.
"None of them can even speak like a person anymore," Langli BaiTiao muttered, watching them with a mix of pity and irritation.
Suddenly, a raspy voice cut through the silence.
"Newcomer… you should run. Once the Duke awakens, you won’t have a chance."
"At least now you still have a little freedom—enjoy your game of cat and mouse. Isn’t it fascinating?"
Langli BaiTiao turned toward the source. There, standing straight in the center of the cage, was a man—pale-faced, yet dressed with far more dignity than the writhing slaves. His clothes were tattered, worn thin by time, the fabric frayed and rotting at the edges.
"Who are you?" Langli BaiTiao asked.
"Yeno Lakanman."
The name struck a chord.
"Yeno… Lakanman?" Langli BaiTiao narrowed his eyes. "The surname… You’re the Duke’s heir. Former Baron of Hreburg. One of his 1,172 Vampire Offspring. You were imprisoned here with the Blood Slaves—because you dared to resist his brutal rule."
Even in chains, the man carried himself with the cold pride of his bloodline.
Langli BaiTiao raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think I can’t escape?"
Yeno Lakanman let out a soft, bitter chuckle. "Hah."
Langli BaiTiao snapped. "Jesus Christ, what’s wrong with your whole damn family? Is there anyone here who can talk like a normal person?"
Yeno’s voice returned, dry and hoarse.
"My father’s strength… it defies imagination. Every one of his Vampire Offspring—deep within their spiritual soul—bears the brand of slavery. The Duke can command them all with a single thought. And when he ascends… you and I… we’ll both become nothing but boiling blood within his veins."
Langli BaiTiao didn’t hesitate. "Then just kill the old bastard."
"Hah."
Another dry, weary laugh.
"Laugh all you want," Langli BaiTiao growled. "Is this funny? I’ve killed the chicken god of Ximu Village. What’s one bloodsucking old freak compared to that?"
Yeno shook his head slowly. "I’ve seen men like you before. In my hundred years here, I’ve watched countless souls break free from the Iron Cage, dreaming of revenge. But they all failed. They fell to the curse. They became mindless Blood Slaves—just like the ones you see now. That’s the Duke’s Eternal Curse."
"So run. Before it’s too late. While you still have a chance."
"I know my father. He loves this game—the cat and mouse. He plays the omniscient god, watching his prey slowly lose hope. Maybe… he’s watching you right now."
The thought sent a chill down Langli BaiTiao’s spine.
"…Don’t tell me that old bastard is actually Old Nantong," he muttered, shaking his head violently to dispel the absurd image.
He turned back to Yeno. "So what’s the point of fighting? You’re just doomed, right? If fate’s sealed, why the hell are you even here? You think you’re some noble martyr? If you were truly above this, you wouldn’t be locked in a dog’s cage!"
"You speak these words… only proves you’ve grown more cowardly."
Yeno fell silent for a long moment.
Then, quietly: "Perhaps you’re right."
Langli BaiTiao smirked. The upper hand was his. He pressed on.
"So you’re no different from the fools you mocked. Stop acting like some prophet. You’re just annoying. Honestly, you’re asking for a punch."
He held up two fingers.
"Two choices. First—I get you out. You’ve been here a hundred years. You must know something. If you don’t, then you’re just a useless sack of bones. So help me steal everything from this hellhole, then we take down this old freak together."
"Second—stay in this cage. Keep whining, telling new arrivals about your tragic destiny. Then, when the end comes, you’ll just be a puddle of menstrual blood."
"Choose."
Yeno didn’t understand every word, but the tone was clear enough—this wasn’t a request. It was a challenge.
He stared at Langli BaiTiao’s face—rude, indifferent, utterly unbothered. There was no fear. No despair. No fury. Just… nothing.
He had seen vampires before—some screaming in terror, some drowning in despair, others consumed by rage. But never someone like this.
Someone who didn’t care.
Not even when he learned he was a Vampire Offspring. Instead, he’d looked at his new abilities with curiosity—testing them like a child with a new toy.
It was unnatural. Unthinkable.
Yeno Lakanman remained silent, lost in thought.
Finally, Langli BaiTiao snapped. "Are you just gonna stand there? You’re making me regret not just peeing in your cage and leaving. If you’re not going to move, I’m walking—and I don’t care if you’re useful or not."
After a long pause, Yeno spoke.
"...Fine. I’ll go with you."
A flicker of something—hope?—passed through his eyes.
Langli BaiTiao grinned. "Took you long enough. I was starting to think I’d have to carry you out in a sedan chair."
He worked quickly, picking the lock with practiced ease.
The iron gate groaned open.
Yeno stepped out—his first breath of fresh air in over a century.
Langli BaiTiao nudged him. "Move it. Any treasure vaults around here? Let’s steal everything from this old prick. I want him to know what it feels like to have his underwear stolen!"
Yeno: "..."
"Come on, is there one or not? Don’t tell me you spent a century telling stories while doing nothing. If you can’t even find your father’s private stash, go back to the cage. I don’t need a useless, cowardly teammate dragging me down."
Yeno sighed. A nobleman had never worked with someone like this before.
But he said, "I do know where a few of his treasure vaults are. But they’re heavily guarded. Our strength… it’s not enough to break in."
He was still speaking when he realized Langli BaiTiao was gone.
A faint rustling came from the shadowed corner.
There, clinging to the wall like a cockroach, was Langli BaiTiao—wrapped in a black cloak, twisting and crawling along the stone surface.
"Keep your eyes wide open, why don’t you? Never seen a Trickster Rogue before?"
"Can’t you even stealth? Get up here. We’re going in. No guards. No alarms. We take everything. That old freak’s private savings? Gone."
Yeno stared. Once again, he was silent.
After a long moment, he swallowed his pride.
And climbed up.
Dammit. Fail this exam if I must. But I’m not dying in this cage.
(End of Chapter)
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