I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 394

Chapter 394: Chapter 396: The Blood Moon Descends, Gods Will Fall to Mortality (7000 words)

When Lide opened his eyes again, the off-white color of the ceiling entered his view.

He slightly turned his head and glanced around. Seeing the modern furniture and electronic products in the room, his previously tense nerves instantly relaxed.

The feeling was quite marvelous. Although he had greater power in Glory and had even broken through to the Transcendent level, Earth always gave him an irreplaceable sense of security.

Sitting up, he subconsciously grabbed his cellphone, which he had left on the wireless charger for fear of running out of battery. When he turned on the phone, he was immediately greeted with over 50 missed calls.

A third of them were notifications that he had won various prizes…

The rest were from his assistant, Cheng Lu, and the vice president Zhao Yue, both high-level executives of the Crimson Moon Guild.

Clearly, his disappearance for the past half-year had caused them no small amount of resentment.

However, Lide had already anticipated this and had given instructions beforehand.

As for the Crimson Moon Guild, he had made thorough preparations. He divided the power of the Crimson Moon into two parts.

The decision-making and execution power lay with vice president Zhao Yue and the management team; another department was the Audit Department, tasked with supervising the management team.

The Audit Department was setup by Lide on the fly. Its main function was to remind the management team and prevent them from hollowing out the company, as power must be monitored to operate healthily. Earth didn't have any Bloodline members who were utterly loyal to him.

He dialed Cheng Lu, his assistant's number directly.

The moment the call connected, a resentful tone came through.

“Mr. Li, we haven't been able to reach you for half a year… If it wasn't for your previous instructions, we really would have called the police.”

Lide smiled slightly, “It's nothing serious, I just had more important things to deal with. Moreover, I trust you to manage the Crimson Moon.”

Regardless of whether he truly trusted them, the compliment was necessary, “And with your capabilities, managing the Crimson Moon is a breeze.”

“Alright, when will you come to the company? There are still many decisions that need your attention,” said Cheng Lu, feeling rather helpless to be saddled with such an irresponsible boss–it was both relaxing and stressful.

She couldn't understand how a company worth billions could go without inquiry for half a year.

You could at least call once a month…

“Alright, I'll be there in two hours.”

After seeing Cheng Lu hang up, Zhao Yue, who had just logged out of the game, raised her eyebrows in her office, “Is Mr. Li finally willing to come to the office?”

Cheng Lu gave a wry smile and nodded, “Mr. Li said he'll be here in two hours.”

After speaking, she pursed her lips, muttering, “Mr. Zhao, just how many mines does Mr. Li's family own? He doesn't care about the company for half a year; wasn't he afraid that we would run it into the ground?”

Zhao Yue shook her head with a smile. As curious as she was, since the other party was the boss, she had no way to hold him accountable.

Thinking about the man, elegant to the point she found pleasing to the eye, an indescribable emotion surged in her heart.

“Let's not talk about this. Prepare the work from the past half-year, and let's report everything to Mr. Li when he arrives.”

“Alright…”

After hanging up, Lide casually set down the phone and stood up to walk towards the bathroom, but after just a few steps, he suddenly felt something was off. Inside his body, it seemed like there was something… Magic Power?

This…

Because that power was so faint, Lide wasn't quite sure. After all, this was Earth.

He paused in his steps, his eyes slightly narrowed, and began to seriously sense his surroundings.

The air around was still empty, lacking the basic element of Glory–Magic Power–but the weak force inside his body was becoming clearer.

A flicker of contemplation crossed his eyes.

With a somewhat unusual mind-set and even his right hand on his head ready to bear the brunt of Magic Rebound,

He brought his thumb and middle finger close and snapped them–pop! A crisp sound echoed, and then under Lide's gaze, the air in front of him ignited like a candle being lit.

Then a Small Fireball the size of an apple roared into existence, radiating heat as it formed. The spacious room's temperature rose substantially in an instant.

“Cast… success??”

Lide's eyes widened, his face showing undeniable surprise.

He felt the warmth emanating from the Small Fireball, his expression a colorful spectacle.

“Have I really brought back a portion of Magic Power to Earth after my Transcendent breakthrough??”

He extended his right hand, and under the guidance of spiritual power, the Small Fireball began to slowly float towards him, then stayed suspended above his palm.

The orange-yellow fireball came with a mesmerizing aura.

Magic, this was real Magic, and the sensation was too wonderful.

Even though this Small Fireball was as weak as a match compared to the ones he used in Glory, this was damn Earth.

“From the day my body underwent changes, it seems this moment was destined…”

Lide murmured to himself, “The Bloodline's Bloodline has influenced my Earth body through the soul; I don't even need to eat anymore. The energy emanating from Glory alone is enough to sustain my bodily functions.

Compared to that, it seems not so extraordinary that I brought back a portion of my casting ability after breaking through to Transcendent.

So, speaking of which, if I can break through to the Legendary level, might I be able to bring back even more powerful forces?”

At this thought, Lide's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he dispersed the Small Fireball with a flick of his hand.

As the orange-yellow Small Fireball lost its magical support, it slowly faded away until it vanished completely.

He started to ponder more deeply. Casting spells was a positive thing, but what it signified behind the scenes required serious thought.

Did this mean the higher his level in Glory, the more power he could synchronize with on Earth?

What was the underlying principle?

What was the relationship between Earth and Glory?

Why was Glory presented as a game to players?

Countless thoughts flashed through Lide's mind.

The game Glory had been shrouded in mist from the very beginning, no matter how much he probed, the mist never fully lifted.

Now, it seemed even denser.

“No matter what Glory and Earth eventually evolve into, great strength will always be the best response…”

After taking a deep breath, Lide's eyes instantly became resolute.

He was no longer the somewhat naive novice from four years ago; now, he was the master of hundreds of thousands, his word deciding the fate of countless individuals.

An absolute superior.

“In Glory, I've already acquired a certain ability to protect myself… so next, it should be time to increase my investment in Crimson Moon.”

Dawn City was now taking shape, currently boasting two Transcendents–himself and the Frost Giant Dragon Stran.

Besides them, Emi, who was on the verge of a breakthrough, and the missing Divine Monster, Asreaga–if nothing unexpected happened, once they reemerged, Dawn City would boast an astonishing four Transcendents.

Four Transcendents–what did that signify? In the southern provinces, with tens of millions of people, only Lord Rock of Green City was known to be an Extraordinary Mage in the public eye.

Perhaps there were one or two others hidden in the shadows, but their numbers were certainly pitifully scarce.

Legendary beings often carried great responsibilities and seldom appeared before outsiders, which made Transcendents the ultimate force one could encounter.

Yet now, Dawn City was about to possess four Transcendents, the significance of which was self-evident.

With Dawn City in its initial form, the next step would be to develop the powers on the side of Earth.

What changes the future would bring were unpredictable–who else besides him could weave a Small Fireball?

To face this unknown future, diversifying strategies was undoubtedly the best way to mitigate risks.

After pondering for a moment, Lide no longer hesitated; he took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went straight downstairs.

Apart from the smart robots, there were no outsiders in the two-billion-dollar villa he lived in.

Two latest-model self-driving cars were parked in the underground garage. Lide got into one, set the destination, and then pulled out his phone to check the latest news about Glory.

But as soon as he opened the official forum, the various posts made his expression quite peculiar.

“Today, I'll show you the Combat Secret Skill–Iron Charge–I learned at the Warrior Guild”

Lide clicked on the post, and the video began playing automatically: a player wearing a comical mask stood on a balcony, with a huge rusty iron pot fixed to a wooden stake about twenty meters away.

The masked player slightly bent his body, showing a perfectly standard warrior's starting pose, and then propelled himself with great force, charging forward like an arrow.

The twenty-meter distance was covered in just two breaths.

Clang~

What was shocking was that the huge rusty iron pot was smashed to pieces by the charge, and the masked player accidentally hit the edge of the balcony and cracked the cement rail…

“Folks, hit the like button, and next time I'll perform a jumping execution…”

After the video ended, Lide's expression was quite colorful.

He had known that warrior skills from Glory could be used on Earth, but he had not anticipated they would be this effective.

And there were countless similar videos: some using kitchen knives like sabers to split open their neighbors' heads, only to find their wives dressed scantily coming out…

Some were using pot lids as shields, jumping from the third floor of a building unharmed and standing up, but so excited during the celebration that they accidentally fell into the nearby septic tank…

Some were using brooms as Knight Captain's lances, charging and piercing through a freshly built cement wall, only to be chased and beaten by dozens of construction workers for three hours…

These players were indeed foolish, but these videos all hinted at one thing–strength.

Yes, despite their ludicrous actions, it was a robust body that allowed them to perform these stunts.

And Lide's brow furrowed.

Outsiders see the fun, but he felt as if a giant hand was controlling all of this behind the scenes.

He took a deep breath, a depth unnavigable by outsiders lurking in his dark pupils.

“Glory… Earth…”

“Times are changing, huh.”

Murmuring, he quietly closed his eyes, no longer flipping through the always inactive official website.

An hour later.

Crimson Moon.

The top management were somewhat helpless about the fact that their boss hadn't been to the company in half a year and never bothered to inquire about its affairs. But what can you do when the man is the boss?

So when they heard that Lide was coming, they quickly lined up to welcome him.

The self-driving car stopped in front of the main entrance of Crimson Moon. Seeing this, Deputy CEO Zhao Yue personally stepped forward to open the door. Lide alighted naturally, nodding his head in thanks.

There are only two ways to get out of a car–you open the door yourself, or someone opens it for you. The difference lies in who you are.

About a dozen top managers immediately greeted him in unison.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Li.”

The tidy voices drew many passing employees to look back, and upon seeing Lide's figure, they were instantly wide-eyed.

Especially the new female employees, their eyes shone; was this the boss? How could someone be this handsome…

“Good afternoon, you've worked hard during this time.”

Lide nodded slightly, exchanging pleasantries with the managers with a smile on his face.

What the managers truly thought inside, he did not know, but the smiles on their faces remained as bright as ever.

Each experienced in their own ways, none would create discomfort in Lide's presence; their external professionalism was well-practiced.

After a round of polite back-and-forth and business flattery, Lide dismissed them and returned to the office with Zhao Yue and his assistant Cheng Lu.

Having not been here for several months, Lide could clearly sense that there were quite a few more people in the company offices.

It seemed that although he had been absent, the development of Crimson Moon had not stalled, which pleased him greatly.

In the office, Lide sat opposite Zhao Yue. While assistant Cheng Lu was brewing a pot of extremely fine Dahongpao tea that cost 12,000 yuan per 500 grams, his gaze fell on Zhao Yue, who was dressed in a classic black and white pencil dress. Her mature and voluptuous allure was incredibly enticing.

“Mr. Zhao, how has Crimson Moon developed during this period? Start with staffing and report everything to me.”

Lide didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

“Yes, Mr. Li.”

Zhao Yue turned serious when it came to business matters and began her earnest report.

“At present, the total number of people in Crimson Moon has broken through 2,100,

including 1,215 professional gamers.

Data Analysis Department has 627 people,

and Game Commodity Trading Department 210 people,

plus over 100 logistics and administrative staff, making a total of 2,186 people.”

More than 2,000 people?

Lide nodded slightly. For a gaming club, this size was considered medium to large.

“How are we doing with guild formation in Glory?”

Last October, the open beta for “Glory” launched, and now it was September.

Nearly a year had passed, and in other games, one year would already be considered the mid-stage, with many games only lasting one to two years in total.

“Mr. Li, with your support, Crimson Moon has already become one of the top three guilds in the Nolan Empire!”

Zhao Yue's tone rose with excitement.

Lide, the tycoon, had splurged tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Pucks on Crimson Moon in the game. For players just entering “Glory,” these were astronomical figures.

Even for running a large guild, it was more than enough.

“Currently, the Crimson Moon Guild has a total of 120,000 members, the core of which are our 1,200 professional gamers, followed by 100,000 formal members, with over 10,000 temporary members.”

120,000 players?

Lide raised an eyebrow. The number wasn't enormous, but it was definitely not a small feat.

Although “Glory” hosted 10 million players, the Main Plane of Glory was so vast that just the population of the Nolan Empire was several hundred million. The addition of 10 million players to the Main Plane was like a drop of water in the ocean; they would be dispersed immediately.

Having recruited tens of thousands of players was likely thanks to the shine of the player's main city.

“How are we managing and controlling these players recruited in the game now?”

“It's simple, a contribution system and a well-stocked warehouse.

We've established the largest guild warehouse, which contains all kinds of weapons, equipment, Magic Scrolls, Alchemy Potions…

But everything requires contribution points to exchange. The longer they join the guild, the tighter they are bound to us.

We also have improved on many previous systems, made many changes, the core personnel will sign contracts with us, and…”

Zhao Yue seemed quite knowledgeable about this area, speaking eloquently for over half an hour while Lide listened intently.

For Earth, a planet with highly developed information technology, accessing data was not difficult.

For the elite managers on six-figure salaries, designing a system completely suited for Crimson Moon based on past experience wasn't a challenge.

“Excellent, I trust you have more experience in this area than I do, so go ahead and take the reigns.

All I need is for Crimson Moon to become a force that can be directed at will.”

Lide's gaze was piercing, and after a brief pause, his tone solemn.

“Mr. Zhao, I believe you can sense the uniqueness of 'Glory', especially the point that we can bring power out of this game. This foretells the game's increasing influence in the future and its growing importance to us.

Crimson Moon has already taken the lead, and no matter what changes occur in the future, as long as we use this advantage to keep developing, we will undoubtedly hold our own in upcoming upheavals.”

“Although the 2,000 members of Crimson Moon aren't few, it's not enough. I want to expand to 5,000, to 10,000 members.

These professional players will become the capital for our future growth.

Mr. Zhao, I want Crimson Moon to become the foremost of all guilds.

During this process, whatever help you need, I will provide it.”

Lide's tone was calm, but the ambition behind his words made Zhao Yue's breathing slow, her heart thrumming quickly.

To a strong-willed career elite, only the strong are worthy of admiration, and the man before her shone brilliantly.

Wealthy beyond measure, cunning as the sea, elegant in demeanor, handsome in appearance…

Few of the opposite sex could remain unmoved before such a man.

Great people always attract more attention, regardless of gender.

“Mr. Li, I understand. Crimson Moon will reach the heights you expect.”

Zhao Yue took a deep breath, lifted her head slightly, and her tone was unwaveringly firm.

For someone in charge of a company with thousands of employees, her boldness and capability were enough to make many self-proclaimed extraordinary men blush.

“Very well.”

Lide smiled in satisfaction, appreciating the resolute spirit Zhao Yue possessed, which he found similar to his own.

“How far has the collaboration with the Crimson Mage Tower to develop Magic Scrolls progressed?”

If the professional gamers were his blade, then the Data Analysis Department was the craftsmen forging that blade.

Whether it was intelligence collection, data analysis, questing, or boss strategy, they were indispensable.

As Crimson Moon and Dawn City expanded, the role of the Data Analysis Department would only become more crucial.

“At present, we have mastered the production technology of 10 sets of First Circle and Second Circle Magic Scrolls from the Crimson Mage Tower.

And by collaborating with the Supercomputer, we successfully improved four of them, resulting in 12 different types of derivative scrolls…

Now, even if we leave the Crimson Mage Tower, as long as we have spellcasters of sufficient level, we can immediately produce these magic scrolls.”

Lide nodded with satisfaction. The chemical reaction where one plus one equals more than two had clearly taken place, which is exactly what he desired: combining the strengths of both worlds to develop new technologies and magic.

“You've done well, but you must ensure absolute secrecy regarding the magic scroll data.

Apart from the normal work deductions and key personnel, no one is allowed to access the data.”

Lide's gaze became sharp in an instant.

“The production technology of magic scrolls is our core competitive edge. If we lose this data, it will cause us unbearable damage.”

“Don't worry, the supercomputer where we store the data operates independently and is not connected to the outside network. Without my permission and the key I carry with me, anyone who touches it will immediately trigger an alarm.”

Zhao Yue spoke calmly, yet with absolute confidence.

Seeing this, Lide didn't say much more. He trusted that Zhao Yue would take the security of this confidential information even more seriously than he would, as he was familiar with her airtight working style.

“How is the Trade Department doing now?”

“The Trade Department has gradually gained ground with the support of the Golden Wheat Commerce in Green City…”

“What are the plans for the next phase of development, currently?”

“Currently…”

Lide began to understand the progress of Crimson Moon's projects one by one over this period.

Assistant Cheng Lu was helping the two by making tea on the side and also noting down the key points as instructed by Lide.

It took a whole afternoon for Zhao Yue to report half a year's work of Crimson Moon to Lide.

Lide now had a clearer understanding of the current state of Crimson Moon.

But just as today's conversation was about to end, he suddenly remembered something.

The Ancient Alchemy Magic Array being constructed over the Magic Crystal Vein.

“Mr. Zhao, you need to prepare a team from the Data Analysis Department. I will take you to a hidden place to study the magic array, just like improving the magic scrolls of the Crimson Mage Tower.”

Although he had transcended to Extraordinary and no longer urgently needed the Ancient Alchemy Magic Array,

It had a very important feature–it could become his temporary Divine Country, transforming other races into Bloodline.

This was of significant meaning to him.

The races under Dawn City were far too numerous and diverse, and these foreign races could not be transformed into Bloodline by the initial embrace.

This created a very awkward point–he could only use the Power of Faith to transform the upper echelons of these foreign races.

Just like with the Iron Hoof Tribe at the moment, he could only control the Iron Hoof Tribe's army of over a hundred thousand through the Clan Leader, Sam.

The risk of this single-pole operation was undoubtedly high; if anything happened to Sam, the command of this army might not belong to him anymore.

However, if the Ancient Alchemy Magic Array were established, a group of Centaurs could be transformed into Bloodline, and then, using this group as the core, he could take complete control of this army.

The same applied to the Beastmen.

But now the biggest problem was that Dawn City's knowledge reserve on magic arrays was lacking, resulting in the ridiculously difficult Ancient Alchemy Magic Array not being established for a long time.

He also couldn't possibly bring others back and forth to the already established Ancient Alchemy Magic Array of the Crimson Mage Tower for transformation.

He didn't know how big of a commotion the transformation would cause; if it were earth-shattering, then the secrets of the Crimson Mage Tower, which had been so hard to conceal, would be exposed.

He had already thought about involving the Data Analysis Department in improving the magic array last time, but he never really found the time to arrange it.

“A magic array? Mr. Li, that's more complex than a magic scroll…”

Cheng Lu, who was nearby, spoke up at this moment, with a hint of admiration in her eyes.

“How did you manage to complete so many hidden tasks in Glory? You're able to access such valuable things at this stage… It's amazing.”

“When I participated in the internal test, I happened to obtain a Noble identity, and Glory just happens to be a world dominated by Nobles…”

Lide smiled, saying just a little, and left the rest up to her own imagination.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lu indeed looked enlightened, obviously having filled in the process with her own assumptions.

“Mr. Li, I will form a new group specifically in charge of this matter,” Zhao Yue nodded, also quite intrigued.

As an internal test player, she naturally understood the value of magic arrays. Now that they had the production technology for magic scrolls, once they grasped the magic arrays… as long as the mages of Crimson Moon were trained, wouldn't they control a source of wealth that would make everyone envious?

At those words, Lide nodded slightly. He only needed to be responsible for arranging things; implementation would naturally be handled by Zhao Yue or other middle management.

His main reasons for coming back this time were actually two things: one was to let the management know that their boss hadn't run off and was still alive.

The other was to correct any potential deviations in the development direction, ensuring that the next steps for Crimson Moon were in line with his layout–whether recruiting more players or involving them in studying magic arrays, it was all part of his plan.

“Do you have any other matters to report?” Lide picked up the still warm cup of top-quality Da Hong Pao from the table and took a comfortable sip.

“Mr. Li, there is indeed one very important piece of news,” said Zhao Yue as if she suddenly remembered something, her expression turning somewhat solemn.

“Three months ago, one of our professional players inadvertently took on a hidden serial task, which was extremely difficult. We had to employ a team of over a hundred people to complete it.

But the final reward wasn't any equipment or skills, but a message.

This message was spoken by the NPC who issued the task just before dying, and we are no longer able to verify its authenticity.

However, the content of the message surprised the Data Analysis Department, as it might be a clue to the opening of the next expansion in Glory.”

A message?

Lide became intrigued, “Let's hear it.”

He hadn't paid much attention at first, but Zhao Yue's next words made his eyes widen to their limits.

“The exact words of that message were–When the lands are covered in ice and snow, and the Crimson Moon looms over the world, the shadow of bygone days shall envelop the earth.

At that time, the gods shall fall to mortal realms, the light will no longer shine brightly, the Holy Light will be obscured, and the wickedness of old shall once again rule the world…”

Chapter end