Chapter 43: The Truth of the Desecrator (Please Read On)

"Impossible! That's way too little! Even with your blood, I'd need at least ten drops to recover!"

"Then ten drops. You give them to me first, I'll pay you back later."

"... Tch, deal! You're not allowed to go back on it!"

Although Elisha was utterly unwilling in her heart, she finally had no choice but to lower her head and choose to compromise.

Yet as Elisha lowered her head, the corner of her mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

"Excellent…"

There was no helping it—Elisha really was far too hungry.

Especially after she had tasted Herbert's blood, that alluring flavor kept tormenting her soul without end.

That holy, searing blood ravaged her body, yet seemed to carry some unique, addictive magic, opening another door in her heart.

She vaguely sensed that some strange new癖好 had awakened within her, but she wasn't quite sure—or rather… she didn't want to admit it.

Wanting to experience that painful sensation again or something… how could she possibly say it aloud!

She didn't even dare to take the initiative and ask Herbert for holy blood, afraid he might notice something.

"No, it's fine. Humans are despicable. That guy definitely won't keep his promise. When the time comes, he'll definitely try to fob me off with holy blood."

"And that will be my chance to drink it again!"

Right, that's how it is.

Just, just let me have one more sip, just one!

Otherwise, I…

"Hehe, hehe!"

Elisha cackled inwardly, extended her slender fingers from the coffin, and squeezed out a single drop of blood like a ruby from her fingertip.

Herbert placed that drop of blood into the crystal vial that had been emptied of holy water, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly.

Good.

Legendary vampire monster material—acquired!

Having witnessed the entire haggling process between the two, Nie Nasha couldn't help but sigh: 【"So this is how you've always tricked the materials out of people before."】

"None of your business! Besides, this is a perfectly proper, equal trade between us."

Although it seemed to take Herbert and Elisha a very long time, in fact it did not.

From the moment he rushed here to the moment he got the essence blood in hand, only five minutes had passed.

Two minutes left!

But before Herbert could swallow the essence blood, he heard Nie Nasha's reminder.

【"He's already here~"】

That fast!

Herbert's gaze hardened. Just as he was about to swallow the blood regardless, his expression suddenly changed.

A figure squeezed into his light, and Herbert clearly saw the Desecrator who had kept him busy for quite a while.

!!!

Herbert immediately raised his sword to slash, but his motion stopped halfway.

Because the fellow's current appearance was very different from what he had imagined.

Very, very different!

"What is this?"

There was nothing much to say about the Desecrator's face—he looked like an ordinary cultivator.

His gaunt, pallid complexion looked somewhat stiff, and his body gave off a rotting stench mixed with the smell of fish.

The true strangeness lay below his neck—he didn't look like a living person at all!

His upper body looked as though it had been torn apart by some enormous beast, leaving massive scars; his entire chest was pierced through, the flesh and organs within ripped apart and destroyed.

Not only was his upper body like this, his lower half was equally gruesome.

His left leg was slightly better off—merely broken into three sections, barely held together by a layer of skin and flesh.

The flesh on his right leg had completely vanished, leaving only a blackened leg bone, supporting his stumbling body as he struggled forward.

Clack, clack, clack…

At the same time, with every step he took, a chunk of flesh would fall from his body, and before it hit the ground, it had already turned to scattered dust midair.

This state… what on earth had he been through?

Most crucially, Herbert was clearly standing right before his eyes, only one meter apart, yet those pale, lifeless eyes held no reflection of him.

The Desecrator completely ignored Herbert.

He simply kept walking forward.

Walking on toward the unseen darkness.

Only after the Desecrator walked straight past Herbert did he slowly exhale and ask quietly in his heart: "... This is what you meant by charging at me?"

【"That's not my fault. Who told you to be standing right in front of him? Of course he walked toward you."】

Great!

Herbert rolled his eyes hard.

You son of a—!

No wonder you were only watching the show, not panicking at all, not worried about your ally meeting with misfortune in the slightest.

Turns out there was simply no need to worry!!!

"So you knew all along he posed no threat to me."

【"Of course!"】

Miss Xie Shen replied smugly: 【"Even I wouldn't just stand by and watch an ally die without lifting a finger!"】

"But you didn't tell me the truth either."

【"Indeed — after all, your reaction really was quite amusing~"】

"... Sigh."

The way things had unfolded was far too full of twists and turns; Herbert was now truly too drained to be angry at that damned Miss Xie Shen.

The matter of squaring off could wait for later — first, he had to get a clear picture of the situation before him.

"So then, what's actually going on with this guy?"

【"He is already dead… all that remains within this body now is a single obsession, propelling him forward without cease."】

Nie Nasha knew she had thoroughly offended Herbert this time; at this moment she did not continue to provoke him, and obediently began to provide exposition:

【"Or rather, several days ago, when another soul took over his body, the original him had already died."】

Body-snatched?

Herbert raised an eyebrow, hesitated for a moment, then decisively followed behind the Defiler.

He very much wanted to know just where this fellow was trying to go.

What exactly was his obsession?

The two of them walked in silence through the darkness, one ahead of the other, for quite a while — until all the flesh and blood on the Defiler's body was about to vanish entirely, and at last he stopped before a wall.

This place was?

Just as Herbert faintly sensed something, the Defiler spoke:

"Where are you…"

His voice seemed layered, a hoarse tone that was neither quite male nor quite female echoing ceaselessly through the darkness.

"my lord Archmage, why are you unwilling to see me…"

He really had come looking for Sifanni!?

Herbert narrowed his eyes, tightened his grip on his sword, and aimed the tip at the back of the man's head — should he make any suspicious move, he would strike without hesitation.

And just as Herbert hesitated, a helpless sigh drifted out from the darkness ahead.

"Sigh…"

"So much time has already passed — why must you come looking for me now?"

It was a hoarse murmur, tinged with a hint of complaint.

"Please, let him be. A man already dead — there's no need to trouble the Warden himself to act."

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

Accompanied by a series of faint sounds, a subtle change came over the darkness.

The next instant, Herbert clearly perceived a path — a path leading to another cage within the dark space.

Sifanni, who had been holed up and withdrawn all this time, had taken the initiative to reveal her location!

Thanks to the tip from only-jiji-ah! Thank you, big shot!

……

Officially on the second round of recommendations — let's go, me!

Hoping this book might get a chance to touch Sanjiang… I'll do my best!

……

Let me nag one more time — if any big shots are willing to tip or vote, it's best to do it at midnight on Monday; it might help push the rankings a little.

Thank you!!!

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(End of this chapter)