Chapter 95: Subjugation

"Don't be nervous."

After Dracula retracted his wings, he looked at Xiu with a smile:

"I came here with no ill intent."

Xiu watched his changes; even though his tone was gentle, the vigilance on his face did not diminish in the slightest:

"Who exactly are you?"

"Fulade sanshi Degula."

"What?!"

Xiu exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes full of incredulity: "He's a person from several hundred years ago—how could you possibly be him?"

Dracula seemed pleased with his surprise, came to the seat he had just been sitting in and sat down, speaking softly: "Of course, I have gained power."

"An immortal power!"

"And, magic."

As his words fell, two sharp fangs protruded from his mouth; he raised his right hand and simply gripped the candle flame, and in an instant frost condensed, extinguishing the flame!

This caused the temperature here to drop sharply by a lot!

Seeing this, feeling the temperature change, Xiu couldn't help but shiver:

"You, you, you're a vampire?!"

"How could you willingly degenerate into becoming a vampire?!"

"The people of Romania regard you as a hero!"

"Heh." Dracula gave a slight smile, looking at his aged appearance, and said lightly: "It's not that I willingly degenerated into a vampire; rather, wherever I am, that is where vampires are."

"Moreover, I don't care about these."

"I only want my homeland, my kingdom restored; moreover, to overthrow the Ottoman Turkey!"

A hint of fierceness appeared in his dark eyes.

Although he now appears gentle, that is only toward his subordinates, toward those he wishes to win over, and toward enemies........... they have always been terrified at the mere mention of him!

"Furthermore."

Dracula changed the subject:

"I'll tell you frankly: with your current vitality, you won't live to see the next century."

"Think about everything you have now—are you willing to give it up?"

He looked at Xiu, the corners of his mouth slightly turning up, his smile carrying a hint of seduction:

"While alive, everything you have remains yours; but once dead, everything turns to dust!"

"Can you ensure that your actions will guarantee your ascent to heaven?"

"I believe you know better than I do that your chances of going to hell are greater than your chances of going to heaven!"

Xiu's breathing became rapid, his aged fingers unconsciously gripping the armrest.

Dracula's words slipped into his ear like a poisonous snake, tearing at the fear he had long struggled to ignore.

The candlelight trembled in his cloudy pupils, reflecting memories buried deep: land bought cheaply during famine, fingers of workers in the cotton mill severed by machines...............

"I……" his Adam's apple rolled once, his voice hoarse as if scraped by sandpaper:

"I really…… cannot guarantee."

Dracula's smile deepened.

He slowly rose, the shadow of his black coat enveloping Xiu's trembling body, his voice like the lowest string of a cello:

"Then, why not choose eternity?"

At this moment it became utterly silent, so silent that Xiu could hear the faint crack of his own soul shattering.

No one knew how long had passed.

"What is the price? My soul?" He finally lifted his head, his eyes murky with desire.

"The price........"

Dracula walked to the side, opened his liquor cabinet, and took out a bottle of fine wine and two glasses.

As the scarlet grape wine was poured into the glasses.

Dracula raised his hand, extended a finger, and a drop of vivid red blood fell into one of the cups.

He lifted the cup, offering the one containing his blood to Xiu:

"Drink it; from today onward, you will serve me, and I will grant you longevity and extraordinary power!"

"All that is needed........... is to drink a little blood each day, and........ never betray me."

Xiu stared at the cup emitting an eerie red glow, his Adam's apple moving up and down.

His aged fingers trembled as he took the cup, a final flicker of struggle flashing in his cloudy eyes.

"For eternity......" he whispered, then suddenly tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.

The moment the liquid entered his throat, a scorching energy exploded from his stomach.

Xiu's eyes widened violently, veins bulging at his temples.

He clutched his chest in pain, his expensive shirt torn to shreds.

"Ah——!"

Accompanied by a heart-rending scream, an astonishing transformation began——

His white hair turned gold at a visible speed, his slack skin becoming firm again.

His nails grew wildly and then broke, the newly formed claws gleaming with a metallic sheen.

When the pain peaked, two sharp canine teeth broke through his gums......

When the last trace of pain faded, Xiu trembled as he lifted his hands.

Under the moonlight, Xiu's hands, once covered with age spots, had become smooth and firm, with distinct knuckles.

He incredulously stroked his own face, feeling full, smooth skin rather than the previous wrinkles.

"This... this..." he stumbled over to the floor-length mirror by the fireplace, and there reflected was his youthful self—blond hair shining like sunlight, bright blue eyes sparkling, his once stooped frame now standing tall like a pine.

The mirror reflected sculpted muscle lines, every inch radiating youthful vigor.

Dracula appeared silently behind him, placing a hand on his trembling shoulder: "All right, the abilities you've gained are far more than this."

"But I need you to appear aged during the day, and only in solitude can you regain your youth."

"Now, I want you to do something for me."

As Xiu turned around, his youthful face was filled with awe:

"What do you need me to do?"

Originally facing Dracula as a human, he had merely feared Dracula's vampire identity.

Now that he had become a vampire...... he could truly feel Dracula's power!

Dracula took out a document from his bosom: "I want to start a company."

"I need you......"