Unfathomable Doomsday

"What skills does the system have for complete control or enslavement of a Level-5 lifeform?"

Lucius leaned against the wall and looked at Su Lei, who had fallen on the bed. Lucius wasn't fond of complicated things. Upgrading the skill he had on the system and taking full control of Su Lei was the best option for now.

[Analysis in progress…] [Esper Mind Control Level-5, Requires 90 Million Despair Points for Upgrade.] [Son of Death, Requires 10 Million Despair Points for Upgrade, but it can only manipulate the opponent's soul and cannot possess the opponent's special abilities.] [Spiritual Manipulation, Requires 50 Million Despair Points for Upgrade.] [……]

After reading the system skill, Lucius looked at his Despair Points, which was now only around 30 million. Currently, the most expensive skill he knew was Vector Control Level 5, with 100 million despair points.

According to the classification of destructive power, Su Lei, a Class-A Flame Controller, had a destructive power only a few points lower than Vector Manipulation. And Su Lei's extreme eruption was almost as powerful as an erupting volcano in a short period. Naturally, the price required to completely enslave a human of this level was ridiculously high.

"Although eating you up and going inside my Dead River will also allow me to gain your power…"

The Dead River possessed the ability to gain memories and power devoured life. But he can only use the power when the Dead River was completely liberated. The so-called complete liberation was to summon all the lives consumed by the Dead River at once and turn them into existence like the army of undead. This was the strongest yet the weakest point of Dead River. Because by that time, all the lives stored inside will be released, and Lucius would only have one live. He would be dead for good if he was killed during that state.

Lucius wouldn't dare to gamble with his own life. So… there's no way out.

Lucius looked at Su Lei, who had fallen on the bed, and pulled out a small knife.

Don't blame me for this…

……………….

The zombies…

Monster…

In the darkness, those two words had been stuck in Su Lei's mind.

People infected with the virus had no more qualifications in being human. They were the enemies of humanity…

An existence they must kill. Without showing mercy!!!

And slain down to pieces…

Was he discovered? Su Lei opened his eyes abruptly, started to take a good look at his surroundings. The end of a human infected with the virus, no longer worthy of being human, was being killed. But no…

Su Lei realized that his body wasn't tied up, and there were no scientists in lab coats with small knives around to dissect him. It was the exact same room where he had passed out.

Su Lei took a conscious glance at his infected arm. It's…bandaged? A white bandage wrapped around his infected arm. It seemed like there was a lot of blood flowing in his arm, next to the wound, the bandages were stained with dark blood.

"I'd advise you to stay still." Lucius leaned against the corner of the room and looked at Su Lei without a gas mask on his face.

"Who are you?" Su Lei's other hand rose into flame to stare intently at Lucius, who was wearing a Black Watch soldier uniform.

"Is this your attitude in front of your savior? Major Su Lei? It's best not to use your powers frequently, or the virus will spread faster and faster."

Virus spreading?

Su Lei took a conscious look at his arm.

Ah, yes…the virus.

"Did you make this?" Su Lei raised his bandaged arm.

"What do you think?"

It was the only possibility.

"The bandaging technique is completely unqualified…" Flames swallowed the bandages and burned them away, revealing one of the arms that had turned black. The view of the exposed muscle tissue looked particularly ugly.

"Well, sorry about that. This is my first time rescuing someone." Lucius looked at Su Lei with dissatisfaction across his face.

"Give it to me." Su Lei extended his hand towards Lucius.

"Give what?"

"The bandages."

"…….."

Lucius raised his eyebrows.

Was this Major… completely unaware of the situation he was in? If Lucius radioed the Black Watch's command center, at least a thousand people would rush in and aim their guns at him. From then on, he no longer could be called a human. Even so, Lucius tossed those unused bandages to Su Lei.

"Are you a member of the Black Watch? I don't remember those machines in human guise doing such kind things."

Su Lei took the bandage and began to wrap his arm.

He didn't know who I was? Wasn't the notice sent down?

Ever since that underground lab destruction, the president of the New Federation of China should've known who was responsible for spreading the virus. Even if he didn't know Lucius's name, they should have had his picture, right? A vampire's appearance was very distinct, right? But Major Su Lei, a senior member of the New Federation of China, knew nothing about it. So the information was kept hidden for some unknown reason.

"If I were a member of the Black Watch, you would have been strapped to a hospital bed and sliced up and studied by that crazy scientist." Lucius tugged at the epaulets on his shoulders.

"Why do you want to help me?"

As a major, Su Lei never lowered his guard.

"You wouldn't believe it if I said I saw a dying man and helping him or something, right?"

"An existence that can infiltrate this base and disguise himself as a Black Watch soldier is definitely not an ordinary person."

"It looks like you're already aware of that, Major."

"Then why did you save me?" Su Lei stopped bandaging his hand and stretched it out, revealing the bare, darkened side of the muscle tissues in front of Lucius, "Aren't you…afraid? I'm infected with a virus that will soon turn me into a zombie."

"Afraid of what?" Lucius raised his hands in surrender, "Afraid that you'll turn into a monster that will devour me at any moment? Of course, I'm afraid."

"Then why are you…"

"So what if you become a monster? Isn't your name still Su Lei? A flame controller named Su Lei."

Lucius's current appearance really didn't look like a human, and while Su Lei had doubts inside, he understood that now wasn't the time to ask about that. And if Lucius told the others over the radio, Su Lei would no longer have any contact with humans for the rest of his life.

"I'm still myself…" said Su Lei, looking at his infected arm, "Even if I become a monster…"

"Are you… not human?"

"As you can see, I'm a vampire." Lucius tugged at his lips to reveal his sharp shark-like teeth, "Weird, right? Vampires were creatures that only existed in legends…"

"Vampires?" Su Lei didn't do anything drastic. Instead, he looked at Lucius silently, "Thank you for your help and keeping my secret. But I must get back to my post…"

"Your post? You would go back to protect those civilians?" Lucius stared at Su Lei, "You would sacrifice the rest of your life to protect those humans? How do you think you'll be treated after you turned into a zombie? Will they save you? Like the little girl? And then build a monument to mourn you?"

"…." Su Lei pursed his lips and didn't say anything, he probably thought that was impossible too.

"No kidding, which side of the human race are you on? And what have they given you?" Lucius stared straight at Su Lei, "Humans never show mercy to monsters, they hunt us, they even torture us… The so-called mercy and justice was just a word they invented."

"Today, you protect them. But tomorrow, they will kill you mercilessly. Su Lei, do you think it's worth it?" Lucius stepped forward and pressed his hand on Su Lei's shoulder.

"We monsters can only survive amidst human society, and if we are found out, we will only be abused and killed. And because of that, we must work together!"

"Do you mean to put me on the opposite side of the human race?"

"Not the opposite!!!"

Lucius gritted his teeth…

"We're just… trying to survive!!!"

"Humans fear us, hunt us. They see us as enemies! We run and hide, simply trying to survive. But they don't allow it. There is no room for us to survive in a world that has been overrun by humans. Once we are discovered, it's practically a death sentence! Is there anything wrong with that? We're just trying to survive… what's wrong with that?"

It was the only thing Lucius had hoped for years ago. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He would survive by sucking blood bags for a living, hiding in dark corners just to survive. But humans didn't allow him to.

The only result of the vampires being found by humans was to be sent to the stake and brutally burned to death, even if they hadn't harmed anyone.

Monsters, to humans, were a feared existence.

But monsters fear humans more.

But now it was different!

Lucius had the power, so it's different now!

Lucius stared intensely at Su Lei.

"I'm sorry I don't understand what you meant." Su Lei slapped away Lucius's hand.

What it felt like to be hostile and preyed upon by humans, Su Lei, who was a human couldn't understand.

"…what?"

"But I will keep it a secret." Su Lei wrapped his hand with a bandage and put on leather gloves to cover the bandage, "In return… As a thank you, if you were being hunted by humans, come to me, and I will grant you shelter. You will surely find a way to be able to live with the humans."

Is this what is called mercy?

Monsters living in peace with humans?

You've got to be kidding me!

Hahaha…you're too naive, Major.

I'll show you a real human being.