Before them stood the Hollowrest guard station—an official checkpoint right at the city gate, where every individual entering or exiting was subject to inspection. Once past this guard post, Jack's group would officially set foot in the town.
The city gate was built of colossal black stone, mottled with lingering old bloodstains. Just ahead were a few Vampire guards, clad in dull, heavy, and rough metal armor. They were inspecting each individual—primarily humans.
An old woman stood in front of Jack's group. Her face was wrinkled, her eyes tired, and her posture slightly trembling.
The main Vampire guard, holding a small, stick-like magical device, hissed:
"Present your Blood Sigil, human."
His voice was sharp, devoid of emotion. His eyes cast a contemptuous glance directly at the old woman. Two other guards stood behind him, quietly observing, ready to intervene.
The woman raised her hand. On her wrist was a deep red tattoo—a Blood Sigil, a magical mark. It was the mark of a slave, a certificate of ownership, and a vital pass for any human existing under the Vampire Empire.
The guard lightly pressed the device against her wrist. If one looked closely, inside the device was an Arcane Crystal, glowing faintly upon contact with the mark. The device let out a soft "click."
"Valid citizen." He nodded. "Warning—blood submission due in four days. Get in."
The woman bowed, offering a weary smile, and passed through the gate. Only then did Jack realize—she was very old, her eyes sunken, her steps faltering.
He thought to himself: "Will she even have the strength to walk when it's time for the next blood submission?"
A chilling sensation subtly crept into his chest, a reminder of the brutal order operating in this place.
"Next!" the Vampire roared, his eyes sweeping towards the line behind.
It was their turn. Jack—in the form of Lucien Valtoras, a proud noble Vampire—led his two human slaves forward. The three said nothing. But in their hearts, each beat was heavy.
Just one small mistake… and it would be the end.
The Vampire guard before them seemed to be an old hand.
He had long white hair, a wrinkled face, and pale, grey skin like dry bark. His face was dotted with freckles, his eyes dull but trying to maintain alertness. His posture was hunched, standing subserviently as if he had lived too long in the lower echelons of the Empire.
He was a gate overseer.
Upon seeing Jack—or rather, the noble Lucien Valtoras in his black suit, slightly wavy blonde hair, and cold, iron-like face—his attitude immediately changed.
He bowed slightly, his voice softening with deference:
"Greetings, noble sir… May I inquire your name…?"
His eyes swept over Jack from head to toe. His demeanor, aura, posture—all perfectly suited a noble Vampire. There was nothing suspicious.
Jack caught the rhythm. He subtly took half a step forward, lifted his chin, his eyes deliberately tinged with coldness.
"I am Lucien Valtoras, on my way back to the capital NoxValen."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. The red-tinged glasses, the perfectly tailored suit, the pale blonde hair falling across his forehead—all made Jack's current appearance utterly beyond suspicion.
The two guards behind the overseer immediately whispered to each other, glancing at Jack with wary eyes—then shifting to surprise, even a hint of deference.
The overseer himself was slightly startled. Hearing the name Valtoras, he nearly bit his tongue.
"Oh… it's a true honor for Hollowrest to host a distinguished member of the royal family… Sir, are you visiting Hollowrest to…?"
His voice was even more subservient, his face forcing a smile, not daring to look up. Jack straightened his back, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Long journey. I need to enter the city to procure some necessities." His voice was firm, without hesitation.
Then, without waiting, Jack strode directly past the overseer, his shoes clanking heavily and confidently on the gravel ground. The two guards stood still, merely glancing after him, almost oblivious to John and Mira—the two soiled slaves, heads bowed, faces feigning misery so well they didn't need to act further. But just as the trio reached the gate…
"Wait, sir." The overseer's voice echoed from behind.
Jack paused. John and Mira froze. The Vampire slowly stepped forward, his eyes narrowed, looking at Mira and John:
"And these two are…?"
The two guards also began to whisper, glancing back and forth between the "slaves" and the "noble sir." Without hesitation, Jack turned, his eyes behind the red contact lenses shooting a chilling, knife-like glare.
"They are slaves." He enunciated each word. "And my emergency food supply."
His tone was resolute, leaving no room for argument. "Do you have a problem with that?"
The overseer fell silent. But then… a guttural chuckle escaped his throat. The two guards also began to smirk, laughing as if they couldn't control themselves.
"But sir…" The overseer tried to keep his voice serious, but a smirk played on his lips.
"Why does a noble's food, such as yours, look so… dirty, and… smell so foul?"
"Perhaps… you have unusual tastes?"
Having said that, all three simultaneously snickered. Not loud. But enough to cause humiliation.
Mira clenched her fists. John tilted his head slightly, his eyes darkening.
Jack… still stood there.
His shadow stretched under the red sky.
Mira's face flushed. Not with cold or fear—but with burning shame.
In her head, a frantic internal scream echoed: "This crazy old man… why did he make me disguise myself with this disgusting mud?! What an absolutely terrible idea!"
John, meanwhile… could only cover his face and lower his head, muttering a helpless "ahem… ahem…" It seemed even he hadn't expected his current appearance to become the reason for the entire Hollowrestguard station to burst into laughter.
The overseer and the two guards still hadn't stopped. They snickered, their eyes darting back and forth as if savoring a juicy joke.
But…
Jack's voice boomed, roaring like a clap of thunder across the guard post.
"Silence."
No one expected him to roar. And no one dared to expect his voice to be so sharp.
"You have no right to judge my slaves." Jack's voice was like steel. "Or… are you trying to pick a fight with the Valtoras royal family?"
All three Vampires immediately froze. Their faces paled. No more smiles. No more snickering. Only absolute silence and averted gazes.
"No, no, sir!! We… we just… meant no harm!!"
The overseer quickly bowed, his voice flustered:
"Please, sir, enter! Welcome to Hollowrest!!"
The gate opened. Not another sound.
Jack said no more. He turned and strode into the city. John and Mira silently followed behind, each breathing a sigh of relief. Their eyes secretly darted towards the guards from moments before, now bowed, not daring to look directly.
It was done.
No Blood Sigil.
No Bloodcore.
No killing.
No losses at all.
The bluff… had succeeded beyond expectation.
Suddenly,
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion echoed off the stone ground like thunder. A massive two-bladed axe, nearly twice Jack's size, slammed straight into the middle of the path, blocking the trio's way.
Earth and rock shattered, dust billowed.
Jack, John, and Mira flinched and stopped dead, all three immediately spinning into defensive stances. Their eyes instinctively shot upwards.
Before them—was a humanoid monster.
Over four meters tall. Big. Fat. Muscular. His muscles bulged in khối như tảng đá sống. His upper body was almost bare, clad only in savage warrior-style half-armor. His belly was large, his navel protruding, yet his entire body was densely muscled like a crazed sumo.
On his head was a full helm covering his entire face, revealing only his long, shoulder-length black hair, tangled with sweat and road dust. He looked… like a living block of steel.
Jack's eyes tightened for a moment.
No mistake. This was a Vampire. An Orc Vampire.
And what's more… he was of Leader Rank.
The same rank as Jack.
There was nothing overly complex or divine about this species—simply an Orc individual who had been infected with the Vampire virus. But with the Orc's characteristic physique combined with the basic abilities of a Vampire, this was an extremely difficult opponent.
The colossal axe impaled on the ground before them was his weapon.
The Orc Vampire slowly stepped through the Hollowrest city gate, his studded boots making heavy, thudding sounds with each step, each stride like a pestle pounding directly into the psychology of those facing him.
He roared, his voice like thunder, echoing off the stone walls:
"What kind of business are you running here!?"
"Recently, the Hunters have been very active. Even if you're a noble… you must be inspected. No exceptions."
He stopped directly in front of Jack, his eyes within the helmet shining down like two deep pits.
Then he coldly glanced at John and Mira.
"Present your slaves' Blood Sigils, sir."
The trio subtly took half a step back. No one spoke, but their eyes were all taut like bowstrings. The air near the Hollowrest gate suddenly chilled.
The Orc Vampire—Grol—didn't attack, nor did he withdraw his axe. He merely slowly squatted down, a crude, yet menacing posture. His massive shadow fell over the group, his gaze still locked onto them—cold, sharp, and unforgiving.
"Blood Sigil." He repeated, his voice deep as wind whistling through stone. "Sir… Lucien."
Jack stood still, his mind working at full capacity. This was the biggest weakness of the plan. The Blood Sigil—the Empire's slave mark—was the only thing that couldn't be faked. Even as a noble Vampire, bringing slaves without the mark was a serious violation, risking immediate arrest at the gate, forced direct marking rituals, or deeper investigation.
Jack knew well: neither John nor Mira… had a Blood Sigil.
Behind him, John and Mira also understood. They didn't react, merely casting a silent glance of… hope towards Jack. At this moment, everything rested on one person: him.
Just then…
A faint memory fragment flashed in Jack's mind. A party… a blood-soaked night… when he was still Butcher Jack. An illicit feast.
Under the current Vampire Empire law, killing, consuming, or transforming humans without permission was a crime. Because humans were scarce, they were a living resource—for blood submission, labor, reproduction. But precisely because of this law… many noble Vampires craved to break it. They organized illicit blood feasts, where unmarked humans would be eaten alive, fresh blood drunk without cups, and souls crushed directly.
Jack himself… had participated.
And now, that idea would save the group.
He sharpened his voice, his eyes chilling slightly, and said:
"You know… we're about to have a feast." He glanced at Mira and John. "So, these two… will be eaten." His voice lowered. "You understand."
Jack pulled two Bloodcore gems from his pocket, letting them gleam clearly under Hollowrest's red light. Then he approached Grol, stopping less than two steps from him.
The Orc paused for a moment. His eyes shifted slightly. He saw the Bloodcore.
No need for analysis—his gaze said it all: he knew how valuable this item was.
He narrowed his eyes, then chuckled gruffly.
"I knew it…" He snorted. "You nobles are all rule-breakers."
He raised two fingers. "Double." His voice was firm as nails driven into wood. "Double the Bloodcore. I'll let you pass."
Behind them, the three gate guards began to approach. One spoke up:
"Sir Lucien… this is Grol—the highest authority in the town's military. He is our Leader."
His voice drawled, subtly mocking:
"I think… you should listen to him. Hehehe…"
"We also really need Bloodcore. You nobles… surely you aren't short on such things, are you?"
Grol nodded, his eyes still fixed on the two Bloodcore gems in Jack's hand.
Mira gritted her teeth: "There were 4 Bloodcore, and that Jack already swallowed 1… why didn't he eat my and John's blood back then… it's just ridiculous." John also shook his head slightly in exasperation. Jack also remembered, indeed… he only had 3 Bloodcore left. One had been used to stabilize himself. If he gave all three to Grol now, there would be nothing left to trade for Silverium… And without Silverium, Mira couldn't survive. This situation was too difficult… After deliberating for a few seconds, he decided to take a gamble. Get into the city… then figure it out.
"Grol…" Jack looked up, his eyes stern and cold. "You've got guts. Daring to extort royalty. Do you know that my family members are all in the Supreme Council? What will you do if… someone from the Council comes to Hollowrest tomorrow?"
Grol let out a mischievous chuckle. He was large… but not stupid.
"And I will report that 'Sir Lucien' organized an illegal human slaughter… and even bribed me." He tilted his head, his eyes as dangerous as daggers.
Jack's face tightened… a vein near his temple twitched slightly.
"…Haha." Grol laughed, then shook his head. "I'm just kidding. Doing that… would be disadvantageous for both of us. I'm not so foolish as to provoke nobility for a few humans." He paused, then stated firmly—"Final price: 3 Bloodcore. If not… then please leave."
Jack looked directly into his eyes, then let out a very slight sigh of relief. Even if he was broke… at least, he got into the city. He nodded, without further hesitation.
"Deal. Here are 3 Bloodcore. Let us in."
Jack extended his hand, pushing the 3 shimmering red Bloodcore gems directly towards Grol's chest armor. His eyes didn't blink. His heart didn't race. This round, he won. But the price… was by no means cheap.