Chapter 179:

After the initiation ceremony, the twelve little players couldn’t wait to go outside and test their new powers.

Although their “monkey vampire” talent had been nerfed, these guys entered the Black Iron Rank and received 18 attribute points. Now, they were supplemented with the initial 40 attribute points for transcendent beings, making them even stronger than Standard Template Black Iron Rank vampires.

Bullying Standard Template monsters was no longer a question.

Especially Sister Pomegranate, who had martial arts skills. She excitedly demonstrated her extreme pulling and hand-tearing an elite ghoul in the sewers. After that, no one doubted her current strength anymore.

However, Sister Pomegranate’s job transition had a slight issue.

After all, the Blood Vulture Clan wasn’t renowned for producing quality assassins, the Thorn Clan excelled in that area.

Although she gained the Blood Vulture Clan combat arts manual after becoming a Blood Vulture Nightwalker, Lady Adele advised her that the Thorn Clan’s Midnight Assassination techniques were the true masters in this field. Therefore, Sister Pomegranate had to quickly grind the Thorn Clan’s reputation to obtain the Midnight Assassination technique manual from Count of White Mountain Andrei.

After witnessing how Lady Shani massacred the Spirit Mages of Circle Tower, Sister Pomegranate became very interested in this “assassin fist” skill. She also heard that this world had an ancient warrior monk heritage and planned to develop in that direction.

The other little players didn’t encounter similar issues during their job transitions. The Blood Vulture Clan Midnight Hunter and Tomb Guard were renowned among the seven great clans, and the Blood Inquisitor was a mid-tier Spirit Mage profession.

Seeing so many “racial benefits” being handed out, some of the spectating players couldn’t help but have the idea of trying out the vampire race after completing the Black Iron Trial.

According to an unreliable rumor spread by some dorm mates, it was said that the vampire race conversion also came with a certain “beautifying” effect.

Ridiculous!

But many people still believed it!

They stubbornly believed that this must be a “little easter egg” buried by the developers because in any vampire legend, rarely would an ugly one appear. Weren’t the vampires in famous animated works all beautiful and handsome?

After dismissing the noisy little players, Murphy first bid farewell to Lady Shani along with Tris. The former was returning to North Wind Citadel to report the situation in Transia to the Wolf Queen in person. Count of White Mountain Andrei and a few of his attendants were left behind.

After Shani’s departure, Murphy privately communicated with Andrei, allowing him to open the purchase of “Thorn Clan specialty items,” including the basic manuals for Midnight Assassination, Thorn Fist Blades, North Wind Whips, and Frost Swords.

Andrei didn’t object, but he stated that new members of the Blood Vulture Clan must contribute to the Thorn Clan to obtain these items.

Murphy was satisfied and had Maxim teach Andrei and his servants how to correctly use the Computation Bead and communicate with little players, as well as assign them quests.

Afterward, he went on his usual patrol around his territory.

However, after flying for just a few minutes, he sensed a familiar presence approaching the outskirts of the Crimson Citadel.

“Clop clop clop”

In the night, the clear sound of galloping hooves approached rapidly. The battalion commander Natalie crouched low on her warhorse, while an agile gray hunting falcon flew overhead, seeming disheveled.

This was because the lingering Blood Vulture Spirit Revnor had set his sights on it and was about to play another round of “you run, I chase” with Swift Shadow.

Swift Shadow was a hunting falcon raised by Natalie from a young age using Witch Hunter secret arts. It was extremely agile, intelligent, and fierce enough to independently deal with eagles three times its size, making it an exceptional aerial hunter.

However, against Revnor, this unscrupulous spirit vulture, it was at a disadvantage, screeching and pleading for its master’s help.

But Natalie ignored it.

She knew that Lord Murphy’s spirit vulture was just misbehaving and wouldn’t actually harm Swift Shadow. It had a beastly cunning that could distinguish between enemies and friends.

This was obviously inherited from its equally cunning master.

“Ah, the passionate pursuer has once again come to the place where she once fought. As the master of this place, perhaps I should welcome your arrival?”

Murphy’s voice rang out from ahead.

The young battalion commander, who had ridden through the Anderma Hills and Kadman region to reach the Crimson Citadel in just two days, pulled on the reins, stopping her demonic warhorse Maple Leaf in its tracks and lifting its front hooves.

The gray-haired Huntress looked up and saw the vampire lord lightly standing on a slender branch ahead. The branch was so thin that it couldn’t even support a slightly larger bird, but Murphy stood on it without moving.

This fully showcased Murphy’s absurdly high level of agility.

“I bring bad news.”

Natalie shook her cropped hair and said to Murphy:

“The gnoll bandits near the Anderma Hills are uniting! Perhaps influenced by the Black Disaster, they are merging from small bandit groups into larger gangs. My people discovered their movements while passing through there and helped you wipe out a forming gnoll gang.

But you should perhaps be more vigilant.”

“Well, you all have already contributed to this land. See, it’s not that difficult, is it?”

Murphy smiled and said:

“Why surrender them?”

Murphy shook his head and reminded her:

“You are the Adventurer’s Guild, and you will inevitably have to deal with my warriors in the future. From fighting alongside them before, you should know their personalities and habits. If you don’t offer them good stuff, don’t expect to motivate their enthusiasm.

I think aside from serving as professional trainers, you should also have some ‘specialty items’ to attract my warriors’ attention.

As for pricing, you can set it yourselves, just don’t be too unreasonable.

To be honest, my chief minister Miriam is under quite a financial strain, so the allocation can only be a little. You’ll have to raise the rest of the funds yourselves.

If you can monopolize the market for these accessories, even just in the Transia region, it would be enough for you to have a healthy and abundant cash flow.

You must learn to earn money, Guildmaster Natalie.

I won’t simply give you plots of land in the city district. Establishing a residential area for Witch Hunters and such will cost money.

As the battalion commander and guild master, it’s your responsibility to take care of your followers and subordinates. You are no longer just a religious organization, so there’s no need for your subordinates to rely on faith to fill their bellies, right?”

“...”

Natalie gave Murphy a strange look.

After several seconds, she finally spoke:

“Is this really necessary? You could just distribute these accessories for free to enhance your warriors’ combat capabilities. What’s the special significance of making them pay for it?”

“Because no one will cherish something that’s free, Natalie. You must learn this principle,” Murphy said as he spread his enormous Blood Wings and hovered, the beating wings creating a gust of wind.

“My warriors uphold a simple value of ‘you get what you deserve.’ Although they also like getting a good deal, their strong moral compass means they believe they should be rewarded for good work. If others deprive them of what they’ve earned, they’ll take it back themselves.

This will also be one of Transia’s future laws.

You need to get used to and adapt to it.

Lastly, I want to remind you of a personal matter.

Your direct subordinate ‘Miss Pirate’ Amber Nikita Constance seems to have developed some abnormal feelings towards my warrior Niuniu.”

“This...”

Natalie frowned and said, “I’ll stop her immediately!”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m not asking you to break them up so cruelly,” Murphy shook his head. “I just want you, as a friend, to remind her that Amber is one of the few who knows the true nature of my warriors. I hope she fully understands the cruelty of the affection she’s about to seek before she’s determined.

She needs to understand that Niuniu and the other warriors could leave this world for any number of reasons at any time, never to return. And no matter how hard she tries, all she can obtain is a spiritual love.

At the very least, that’s how it will be until I find a reasonable solution.

But if Lady Amber understands all this and still insists on pursuing it, then I will bless them! As Lord Palanno once lamented, true love appears so beautiful precisely because of its difficulty and rarity.”

“Amber is someone who severely lacks a sense of security. She’s not as determined as she appears on the outside, her inner self is still that little orphan who grew up on the edge of the Antanisen Forest,” Natalie shook her head with a sigh.

“I’ve fought alongside her for ten years, I know her. She won’t give up that easily. So please also restrain your warrior Niuniu. If that otherworld man intends to toy with my friend’s feelings, if he dares to hurt my sister’s heart, then I absolutely won’t let him off the hook!”

“Uh, about this...”

Murphy waved his hand awkwardly.

“You have to understand, although Niuniu is brave, he is still young after all. Perhaps he hasn’t had such an experience before and can’t even comprehend what Lady Amber’s affection towards him means. So my suggestion is, why don’t we just observe for now?

If he truly turns out to be a heartbreaker, you don’t need to take action, I will punish him too! I have no need for irresponsible people under my command.”

“I believe your promise,” Natalie replied quite seriously.

Murphy nodded, turned in midair, and then broke the sound barrier, disappearing into the night sky. The hunting falcon Swift Shadow, exhausted from being chased by Revnor to the point of rolling its eyes, also wearily returned to its master’s embrace, chirping pitifully.

The Adventurer’s Guild Master stroked its little head with her finger, then pulled on the reins, letting Maple Leaf carry her swiftly towards the city district of the Crimson Citadel.

There was still so much to do next.

The following period was destined to be a busy and tiring process, but it didn’t matter. All the hard work seemed insignificant in the face of the hope for stability.

The salvation and new life that this group of believers had longed for was actually going to be realized in a vampire’s territory.

Who could have foreseen such a turn of events?