At night, on a quiet street in Beiling City, Shino stepped out of a convenience store, a nylon bag in hand. Above him, the stars glittered, and a full moon hung high in the clear sky.

Everything at home was serene.

Fortunate, he thought, to have this peace, and a faint smile played on his lips as he began his walk back home.

"All I can say is, it’s good to be home."

…

Further down the street, a woman stopped in her tracks. Behind her, a man halted as well.

She took a step forward, and he followed suit. She paused again; he mirrored her. Glancing over her shoulder with mounting apprehension, she picked up her pace, eventually breaking into a run.

But as she reached a certain corner, a pale hand shot out from the shadows, clamping over her mouth.

"Mmph—!"

Her muffled cry was all but silenced as she was yanked into the darkness.

Two pairs of crimson eyes glinted in the shadows.

“I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting Asian blood,” one sneered.

“Ah… the scent—so intoxicating,” murmured the other, his face twisted with hunger.

The woman, terror-stricken, watched as the two men bared their fangs and lunged toward her neck.

Splat! Splat!

A sudden burst of blood sprayed the air—not hers, but theirs.

A blood-red vine had pierced through their shoulders, pinning both vampires against the wall.

In stunned silence, the woman looked on as one of the vampires hissed, “Who… who dares?”

The other lifted his gaze, catching sight of the figure looming above them under the pale moonlight. Blood-red eyes gleamed, cold and merciless, radiating an oppressive aura.

It was him.

Splat!

The vine retracted, and one vampire collapsed to his knees.

“R-Royal!”

Royal?

Hearing his companion's words, the second vampire’s face drained of color, and he too fell to his knees.

Shino stepped forward, studying the two trembling vampires with a resigned sigh.

So much for a peaceful homecoming.

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“Explain yourselves. Why are you here, when did you arrive, and how many of you are there?”

One vampire answered in a rush, “R-Royal, we came here under the True Ancestor’s orders!”

“She sent us to find you!”

True Ancestor?

Shino frowned. “I don’t know any True Ancestor. Why is she looking for me?”

The two vampires exchanged a puzzled glance. “But… Royal, how could you not know the True Ancestor?”

Am I supposed to know?

He’d glimpsed the True Ancestor from afar once but had no real knowledge of them, let alone a connection.

Then again, most royals were created by the True Ancestor. It was difficult to fathom that a royal might not recognize her.

But Shino’s case was unique—he wasn’t one of the True Ancestor’s own converts.

“Speak. What does the True Ancestor want from me?”

The vampires hesitated before one finally answered, “The True Ancestor Lilith sent us. The vampire ranks are severely weakened; she ordered us to bring you back to New York to take over Queens and Brooklyn.”

“Wait—Lilith? She’s the True Ancestor now?” Shino blinked, taken aback.

The vampires nodded. “Yes, Lilith-sama has become the second True Ancestor.”

“And the original?”

“He… he was captured by the Kitsune.”

“I see.”

Shino fell silent, lost in thought. At last, he said, “Go back and tell Lilith I’m not returning. And tell her to withdraw all vampires from Asia.”

"This..."

"Royal, you... why don't you tell her yourself?"

"Exactly! We can’t just return with nothing. Give us a reason!"

"Reason?" Shino took a step forward, eyes flashing crimson as he stared them down. "Are you afraid of death?"

They both nodded, the fear evident in their wide eyes.

"Then here's your reason—if you refuse, I'll end you both right here. How's that for motivation?"

"Uh..."

"This is... really..."

Shino straightened up, his expression unreadable. "To be honest, I want nothing to do with vampires. If I had the choice, I'd live a normal life."

His voice hardened. "I’ve never wanted any of this—not before, not now. If you choose to stay, I’ll gladly send you on your way. I trust you can tell whose methods are harsher, mine or Lilith’s."

Seeing Shino’s determination, the two vampires exchanged glances, resigned.

They were royals, and they knew—just as Lilith could make them suffer, so could Shino.

"All right... we’ll go."

"We’ll relay your message to the True Ancestor."

With one last look, they turned and left. Shino watched them go, a faint sigh escaping him. Returning to the life he once knew now felt like a distant dream.

“Let’s go home.”

He turned to head back, but the woman he'd saved was still standing there, staring at him, wide-eyed.

Ignoring her, he picked up his bag and started down the street.

But she followed. Shino walked. She walked. He stopped. She stopped.

Annoyed, he finally looked back. “Do you need something?”

She blinked, then, surprisingly, took out her phone. "Um, can I add you on WeChat?"

Shino: "..."

"You're not afraid of me?"

She hesitated. "You’re a vampire, right? And those two… they were, too?"

He nodded, trying to hide his exasperation.

“I saw a post about vampires online,” she said, lifting her phone with determination.

"So?" Shino frowned, not following.

To his surprise, she shifted her shirt, baring her shoulder. "Well... I heard if you’re bitten by a vampire, you can turn into one, too..."

Shino groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why didn’t you ask those two? They’d happily turn you."

She shook her head. "No way. They were... kind of ugly. I don’t want to end up like them…"

Shino raised an eyebrow. "Forget it. I don’t turn anyone, and it’s not what you think. Becoming a vampire means there’s no going back."

This world is getting stranger, he thought. People seeking to become monsters, as if that were somehow appealing.

Without another word, he turned and, in an instant, vanished from her sight.

...

Two days later, Shino was brushing his teeth when his phone rang. He answered, toothpaste still in his mouth. “Hello?”

"Shino! Remember me?"

The voice was unfamiliar. "Uh... who is this?"

“It’s Shen Yu—your middle school deskmate. Don’t tell me you forgot?”

“Oh, right. What’s up?”

"I heard you’re back from overseas. It’s been ages since we caught up, so... I thought we could meet?"

There was an awkward pause, a hint of uncertainty in Shen Yu's voice.

"Sure," Shino replied, glancing at the clock. "Pick a time. I’m free all day."