The above photo was taken by Lin Xue and then edited a bit for the little miss, like correcting the color of her eyes because red eyes appearing on an ID photo are slightly off-putting.
"The surname Mu is from mine, and Mianmeng combines a character from your name and Meng Meng’s. See if it works for you. If not, you still have the chance to change it." Mu You told her.
"Mu Mianmeng, Mianmeng, Meng Meng and I..." Mian Mian murmured as she looked at the name on the document. Her eyes steadily brightened and she quickly looked up to say, "No need to change it, I want this one!"
"Definitely! Mu Mianmeng, that’s my name... I’ll go practice saying it..."
The little miss, holding up her ID gleefully, twirled around before clutching the document and speeding upstairs.
Once Mian Mian left, the Shadow Ghost lurking in the shadows once again peeked out, following her around much like a shadow.
Mu You chuckled as he watched the girl and the ghost playing hide and seek and didn’t intervene, shifting his focus back to his game.
Just then, the Pumpkin Lantern was activated, revealing signs of an attack on the ground and asking him whether he was willing to stand up for justice.
Of course, Mu You chose ’yes’. So far, no negative outcomes have resulted from the Pumpkin Lantern’s prompts.
[Following the trail, you quickly arrive deep within the dimly-lit alley.]
[The Pumpkin Lantern emits a faint blue light, illuminating the scene ahead: a vampire gnawing at the neck of an unconscious young woman, feasting voraciously!]
Mu You was taken aback. He had initially set out to find a werewolf but had bumped into a vampire first.
Well, there’s no surprise in that; werewolves weren’t the only creatures that attacked humans at night. Vampires did too.
Mu You didn’t have that need because he had a gargoyle by his side that suppressed his craving for blood every day. However, a normal vampire required a daily blood meal.
[The vampire notices someone approaching and instantly becomes alert. Letting go of the unconscious woman, it opens its bloody mouth wide, revealing its fangs. It growls menacingly at you as a warning to keep your distance.]
[But a few seconds later, the vampire suddenly retracts its fangs, quickly wipes its mouth, and fearfully moves up to you. Bending at the waist, it greets you, "So it’s the esteemed Earl. I thought it was people from the Church or the Demon Hunting Association..."]
Mu You raised his eyebrows, puzzled. He was currently in his vampire skin, sure, but he was wearing the Thousands Faces, so his appearance should have changed. How did the other party recognize him?
Just as he was marveling, a notification popped up on his game screen.
[The vampire clan has strict hierarchy. The vampire, being a Viscount, recognized the aura of a superior, which is why it is being so respectful toward you.]
[Now, you might have the opportunity to get some information from him.]
[Ask about the Clan Meeting.]
[Ask about the Blood Clan.]
[Ask about the Ryan Family.]
"So it’s just a recognition thing, huh..."
Mu You relaxed as it appeared that the vampire only recognized his rank and not his actual identity. Brought back to the matter at hand, Mu You looked at the provided options and selected each one using his pocket watch in turn.
[Ask the vampire about the situation of the Clan Meeting.]
[The vampire informed you that the Clan Meeting originally scheduled to take place three days earlier has not yet been held, as the Ryan Family who is in possession of the Fog Heart has failed to hand it in, causing the Meeting to be postponed. At the moment, the Duke of Brand has issued a stern warning on behalf of the entire clan against the Ryan Family, demanding the handover of the Fog Heart before the Night Without Light, or else the Ryan Family will be expelled from the Blood Clan.]
Mu You felt a bit awkward. The Ryan Family he was referring to was the very family his vampire host body belonged to. Previously, members of this family had sent a blood servant to the Foggy Mountain for the Heart of the Fog, only to be killed by him. He had forgotten about the ’Clan Meeting Invitation’ they left behind, because he had never planned to attend any Clan Meeting.
Unexpectedly, the Vampire Clan Meeting coincided with his current mission, and the consequences of his non-participation seemed rather grave. The whole family that his vampire host was in would be expelled.
This put Mu You in a bit of a predicament.
The vampire skin had provided him with great assistance. He owed them a favor, and morally, he should offer a helping hand when the family is in trouble.
On the other hand, having already made use of the vampire skin, if he were to be recognized as the Fool, it would suggest the original Vampire Earl had been killed by him, and would he then be hated or even hunted down by the Ryan Family?
Unable to decide, Mu You could only continue reading.
[You inquire about the general situation of the Blood Clan.]
[The vampire looks at you a little oddly but doesn’t question you, quickly explaining the basic structure of the Blood Clan to you.]
[The Blood Clan worships the Blood God, and the members of the clan, ranked by status, are divided into Ancestors, Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, Barons, and ordinary blood clansmen. There are also human-made blood servants below the ordinary blood clansmen, but they are not categorized as orthodox Blood Clan. Currently, there are 3421 orthodox Blood Clan members who are divided into 13 lineages, further sub-divided into 72 families. Large families consist of hundreds of people, small families only have tens or even single-digit populations. Typically, they live concealed around the world in their family groups, isolating themselves from other families, except during Clan Meetings and some fixed holidays.]
"So, the whole Blood Clan only has a little over three thousand members?"
Mu You was taken aback; the number fell way short of his expectations.
[As time passes, you ask the vampire about the situation and location of the Ryan Family.]
[The vampire informs you that a thousand years ago, the Ryan Family had a powerful Vampire Earl, making them one of the top ten families. But ever since that Earl’s disappearance, the glory of the Ryan Family has been fading, and now it is just a very ordinary small family, with only a dozen or so members left. The highest-ranking member is only a Viscount, not at all noticeable amongst the Blood Clan.]
[As for the location of the Ryan Family...The vampire explains that since vampires often move, each family’s location is not fixed, hence he does not know the Ryan Family’s specific location. However, he did see a member of the Ryan Family near the Dark Forest in the northern part of the city a few days ago. Perhaps you could try searching around there...]
The Ryan Family appears to be quite weak...
Mu You was somewhat relieved. It seemed like even if he were to be hunted down with hatred by this family, it wouldn’t pose much of a problem.
Having obtained the location, Mu You didn’t trouble the vampire anymore and prepared to leave.
[You decline the vampire viscount’s invitation to share a ’feast’, leaving the alley and heading towards the Dark Forest.]
Mu You decides to look for the Ryan Family, but he has no plan to reveal himself. If he were to secretly leave the Heart of the Fog to them, it would be his final act of benevolence to the original host of the vampire skin.
This forest, located outside Dark City, is not far from the city center. It’s a low-level training site, with some who dislike the bustle of the city choosing to live in this forest.
After ten minutes, Mu You arrived at the place.
However, just as he was pondering how to find the people, the game suddenly displayed a text.
[Upon your arrival at the Dark Forest, before you can step into it, you hear a shout from behind: "Brother?"]
[You turn around to see a ’bat’ hanging upside down from a tree behind you. The bat quickly lands and transforms into an elegant female vampire.]
[The vampire approaches you uncertainly, stopping a few meters away. After deciphering for a while, she suddenly displays a surprised smile, hastens to your side, and clasps your arm: "My dear brother, it’s really you!"]
[You look at her, and the Omniscient Crystal feeds back her information.]
[Ryan·May (Level 20 Un-evolved): Ryan·Liston’s sister, the eldest daughter of the Ryan Family, Vampire Viscount. Her family talent, Super Perception, is unlocked.]
Mu You’s eyes flicked. Ryan·May was the very master of the blood servant he had killed earlier and sister to the original host of his vampire skin. He certainly did not expect to run into her right away.
What confused him was that, even though he was wearing the Thousand Faces mask, she was still able to recognize him.
Mu You was wondering if he should backtrack to avoid this meeting when another text popped up.
[Seeing your puzzled expression, Ryan·May looks worried and says, "Brother, don’t you recognize me? Has your ’amnesia’ flared up again?"]