Lucian’s Swelling Pride

Does Emilia continue to serve as regent?

Who votes yes.

Who votes no.

Lake always preferred to get straight to the point. Taking detours and exchanging pleasantries was a waste of time; a simple, direct approach was better, at least it saved time spent on meaningless talk.

Time is money, and money is life.

As soon as these words were spoken.

The expressions of the thirty-six Vampire Council members at the conference table involuntarily changed.

But…

After the shock, the twelve Vampire Council members loyal to Emilia’s faction showed expressions of surprise mixed with happiness.

The remaining twenty-four Vampire Council members, belonging to Marcus and Viktor’s factions, all changed their expressions drastically, showing shock mixed with disbelief and anger.

Catalan, the foremost figure in Marcus’s camp, was even more so.

Catalan looked directly at Emilia. "Is this the Elder’s will?"

Emilia’s gaze was calm. "My husband’s words are my words."

Catalan suppressed his inner anger. "One of the three Elders is regent, and two are in slumber. Tomorrow will be the era of Elder Marcus’s rule. These rules were jointly established by Elder Emilia, Elder Marcus, and Elder Viktor. The reason our Vampire race has remained stable until now is precisely because of this rule."

Madness.

This is sheer madness.

Lake suddenly let out a laugh, drawing Catalan’s attention.

Catalan looked towards Lake.

Lake’s lips curved upwards, his eyes narrowed, and a flash of lightning seemed to flicker within his deep-sea blue eyes. "Councilman Catalan, are you saying you object to what I’ve said?"

Catalan, feeling the faint killing intent surrounding him, forced himself to say, "Tomorrow is the era of Elder Marcus’s rule. This is the rule, the rule that has allowed us to survive until now."

Lake burst into laughter. "Good."

Catalan frowned instantly.

Lake snapped his fingers, and an image instantly appeared on the laser projection device on the conference table. "Then what if I say that Marcus and Viktor will both meet their end tonight?"

"What?"

Catalan was greatly alarmed, and like the other council members with similar expressions, they all looked up at the image projected on the wall.

A real-time satellite image.

A real-time satellite image of Viktor’s manor.

"This…"

"Werewolves!"

"Good heavens."

"Is that…"

"Lucian?"

"Didn’t he die?"

"…"

Within the image, supported by the top-tier 4K high-definition communication satellite technology from the Federation, the scene of countless werewolves and vampires clashing at Viktor’s manor was incredibly clear.

Lucian had directly launched an assault on Viktor’s manor from the front, showing no intention whatsoever of sneaking in through tunnels.

The guards who came to protect Marcus and Viktor for tomorrow’s awakening ceremony were dragged into the meat grinder battlefield by the werewolves. Those dozens of werewolves who had drunk Michael Corvin’s blood moved as if in a no-man’s-land, slaughtering the vampires in the manor one after another. Almost, a bloody path leading to the manor’s main hall was about to be carved out by Lucian and his werewolf army.

Catalan’s eyes turned bloodshot, and he glared at Emilia. "Damn it…"

"Roar!"

"Boom!"

Lake looked coldly at Catalan, who was being held high by the Dragon Claw Hand. He scanned the Vampire Council members who had risen from their seats at the conference table, then looked at the raised Catalan. "Look, just watch properly. You can say whatever you have to say after you’ve finished watching."

Thump!

This time, Lake didn’t handle it as gently as the first time. He directly withdrew the Dragon Claw Hand, allowing Catalan to unceremoniously flip his chair and crash onto the floor with a thump.

The projection wasn’t just in the conference room.

It was also in the basement.

"Wow!"

"Daddy’s so cool!"

Little Cotton-padded Jacket Katherine, holding a drink, also took out popcorn, which she had a maid prepare earlier from her Fourth-Dimensional Pocket. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the real-time feed of the conference room projected onto the basement wall. If one looked closely, they could also see the Viktor manor blockbuster playing simultaneously in the conference room.

This was Little Cotton-padded Jacket’s request to Lake, as the basement was too boring, and her brother was a useless idiot.

Lake couldn’t say no to the obedient and sensible Little Cotton-padded Jacket.

As for the rebellious son?

Aside from the little cotton-padded jacket secretly giving him some, who would dare send him food? Lake said he’d slay anyone who did.

The rebellious son, David, watched the scene unfold on the projection screen, completely stunned.

He was foolish, but foolish didn’t mean stupid. At the very least, the rebellious son had some intelligence, especially considering his parents’ genes. Seeing this, the rebellious son, David, understood what Lake and Emilia were planning.

The little cotton-padded jacket’s eyes sparkled. "The Volturri family in Italy claims to be vampire royalty. Once Daddy and Mommy finish this job, we’ll be royalty too! I’ll be the eldest princess, wahahaha."

David felt a jolt of fear and disbelief. "How could Mom agree to his plan? This is too insane… Ouch!"

Before he could finish.

David cried out in pain, clutching his forehead.

The little cotton-padded jacket, Katherine, looked at David. "Shut up, my foolish brother. Look, just watch properly. You can say whatever you want after we’re done."

David: "…"

Don’t think I don’t know you’re imitating that guy’s tone.

After speaking, the little cotton-padded jacket was ecstatic internally. Wow, this way of speaking is so cool. Daddy is mighty.

In the conference room.

Lake sat at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over the expressions of the thirty-six vampire council members.

Kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

Lake was choosing his chicken.

In the real-time feed.

Lucian led the werewolf army, advancing like a hot knife through butter, clearing a path towards Viktor’s manor. Although the vampires had deployed their main forces, and some ordinary werewolves were no match for them, the scales of victory were already tipping in Lucian’s favor.

First, Craven had led the main force of the Death Walkers out, getting them surrounded and wiped out.

Second, Emilia had, according to their supposed agreement, withdrawn the combat vampires from her faction from Viktor’s manor in advance.

Now, only a pitiful few Death Walkers, along with Marcus and Viktor’s combat vampires, were left fighting the werewolf army in Viktor’s manor.

If these people died, they died.

Even if they didn’t die now, once Emilia was back in power, these vampires would undoubtedly be branded as rebels.

However…

Just then.

A cold and elegant vampire, clutching a wound, arrived outside the ancient castle.

A maid hurried in and whispered to Lake, "Sir, there’s a woman named Selena outside. She wants to see you. She’s injured."

Lake raised an eyebrow and looked directly at a projection. "Katherine, go to the entrance and bring her in."

Katherine, who was engrossed in watching from the basement, immediately got up and walked towards the basement passage. She then stopped and looked at David in the confinement room. "I’m warning you, keep your mouth shut, or I’ll beat you to death."

With that said.

Katherine vanished with a whoosh from the basement stairs.

A moment later.

Katherine, transformed into a Beguiler, appeared at the castle entrance and saw Selena, who was pale and clutching a wound on her abdomen.

Selena looked at Katherine and said, "Lucian…"

Katherine immediately helped Selena up. Moving like the wind, she transformed into an afterimage and carried Selena into the basement. With a bang, the iron bars opened, and David, unable to dodge, was slammed against the wall.

David’s anger flared instantly.

I didn’t say anything, I didn’t even make a sound.

Why did you hit me?

Just as David was about to speak, his gaze fell upon Selena, who was being placed on the bed by Katherine. Katherine then took out a healing potion from her Fourth-Dimensional Pocket and began to apply it to Selena’s abdominal wound.

"Selena!"

David’s eyes widened. He appeared by the bedside, looking at Selena on the bed with a mixture of tension and confusion.

But…

Katherine kicked out, and with a bang, sent David flying into a corner again. She then pointed her finger. "Shut up. If you speak again, I’ll beat you to death."

David: "…"

As the healing potion was applied to Selena’s wound, she let out a groan.

But…

The paleness on Selena’s face improved slightly. At the very least, the wolf venom in her wound seemed to be suppressed, and the vampire’s self-healing gene began to function again.

The next second.

Selena, having recovered some of her strength, gripped Katherine’s arm and said, "Lucian, Lucian plans to…"

Katherine interrupted her with a slight smile. "He plans to take them all down in one go. Don’t worry, my dad was prepared long ago. Didn’t you notice there weren’t any vampire guards in the mountains when you came up?"

Selena: "…"

David: "…"

Unlike Selena’s shock, David, the rebellious son who was squatting in the corner with a blue vein throbbing on his forehead, was shocked by something else entirely. He seemed to have discovered that his goddess, Selena, was also involved in his father’s plan, a plan he had always looked down upon.

Is he crazy?

She’s Viktor’s daughter, how could she just openly recognize a thief as her father?

David couldn’t quite understand, just as he had never understood why his awesome dad never just said it plainly, waiting until he courted death before revealing himself.

Selena frowned. "Does your father know?"

Katherine hummed in response, then asked Selena if she was still in pain. After that, she pulled Selena away from the confinement room, the heavy clang of the iron bars closing behind them. She then took out another small stool from her Fourth-Dimensional Pocket and gestured for Selena to sit.

Immediately after.

Katherine gestured to Selena, pointing at the big screen projected in the basement. "Look, this side has just begun. Want some popcorn? It’s a perfect match."

Selena looked at the projected conference room and the real-time satellite surveillance footage. After a moment of silence, she looked down at the popcorn being offered and waved her hand.

The next second.

Selena’s gaze fell on David, who had once again run to the iron bars, separated from them by a single railing. "David, what’s wrong with you?"

Katherine rolled her eyes.

"This, well…"

"…"