Desolate World

It had been five minutes since they flew. But, nothing had happened. However, Ace felt Red was more nervous as they flew further. He felt the flying skate was warrier and slower as the time passed.

A few times, he wanted to ask Geo to go down. However, he was always hesitant, as he felt nothing was wrong. So, he chose to be silent. Although he didn't know how Red felt the danger, he quite believed her, as he also felt the atmosphere became heavier. 

He speculated that what Red felt was a kind of aura or something. This aura was released by a strong monster to warn other monsters that they entered its territory or its sphere of influence.

His mother-in-law also thought the same. She said, such behavior was often done by animals before the Earth was polluted that made them extinct. It was explained in many records.

Suddenly, his contemplation was interrupted by Red's action. She suddenly dived down towards the forest under her. Geo then said in an anxious tone, "Red said that we can not fly again. We have already gotten too close to it."

"Okay, it doesn't matter. We will walk after this. Nila said her sister's location is already so close," Cloud said.

"Yeah, you can put out Blue, Jumpy, and Torch. You can ride Blue, and your grandma rides Jumpy. As for me, I will run," Ace said. He then leaped off Red's back.

"Okay…," Geo said.

***

"It's weird, why haven't we seen the vampires?" A man who held a spear murmured.

"Maybe they live deeper. Because of an attack that the vampire servant did before, I'm sure this cave should be their dwelling," Another man said.

Noah who led them frowned. He never imagined the underground cave was not only wide but also pretty long. He was pretty nervous right now, because of the unknown that hid in the darkness. His feeling always said that something was definitely wrong.

'Are they preparing an ambush ahead? Or traps?' Uncertainty ran amok inside his heart.

"Did you hear something?" Suddenly, a man behind him asked.

"What?"

"Do you find them?"

"What did you hear?"

Other people asked him.

Noah frowned at the commotion at the back. "Sstt… how can we hear if you are so noisy?" 

Everyone then shut up. As they quieted down, Noah began to hear them. They were so soft, that he almost didn't catch them. They were the flaps of wings.

His expression was hardened in an instant. How could he not recognize the voices? He always heard them when the vampire attacked them.

However, he couldn't see anything because of the darkness. He then threw his torch all of his strength to the direction the voice came from, which was above them.

Then he saw them. He was blank for a moment and tried to digest the spectacle that he had seen.

"Prepare your javelins and ropes! Don't let them get away!" Noah shouted at the men that were still frozen on their feet.

***

Hugo's plan was simple. He ordered vampires and vampire servants that he led to carry one human that had been in the late phase of the transformation each. 

Although they had kidnapped many more, they had to abandon them. Because it was impossible for a vampire to carry more than one person.

He forbade them to kill the rest of the humans that they had kidnapped because he knew it was impossible for the refugees to cure the transformation. As he didn't find a healer among them.

The humans that were transforming wouldn't be able to hold their desire for blood for a long time.

He imagined the spectacle of humans killing each other. It definitely would create chaos among them. Although, he was sure the transformed humans would be defeated. He wanted to see the despair they had felt after they killed their loved ones.

What he hated was he wouldn't be able to see it with his own eyes. However, he was satisfied with the outcome he was certain of. As he couldn't transform them, it was better for them to die.

He was leading the vampires and vampire servants to fly quietly toward the exit. He forbade them to confront the humans that came. They should prioritize coming back to the undead camp safely. Because the number of vampires and vampire servants that he brought would affect his quest completion and of course his standing. 

As the number of his subordinates determined his title. Something that would increase his strength and his status among the vampires. At the moment he was a Viscount. To become a Count, he needed to have 100 subordinates.

At the moment, he had 38 subordinates. They consisted of 32 vampire servants, 5 ordinary vampires, and a vampire Baroness. 

Vampire servants, although they had a 'vampire' word in their name, were just a little stronger than ordinary humans. Except for being able to fly, attack with their claws and infect someone with vampire venom through their bite, they were as weak as ordinary people.

When they leveled up to level 10, they would become true vampires. Being a vampire, they could learn 2 skills depending on their preference. If they preferred close combat, they could learn body strengthening and blood armor.

If they preferred range combat, they could learn blood arrow and bats transformation. Or they could mix the skills. As bats transformation was a nice skill that was not only difficult to be targeted by attacks, it was also a good means to hide from the enemy's eyes. Once the bats scattered, few skills could target the vampire.

After reaching level 20, a vampire could become a vampire baron or baroness by transforming 5 people from other races to be vampire servants. He or she would have domain skill and of course more skill options.

He had already reached level 32, and because he had more than 20 subordinates, he became a viscount. He intended to become a Count in this mission. 

But the level 30 elite human NPC among the refugees made him flinch. He knew how thick the HP of an elite. And he definitely had a powerful move. Unless Hugo made painful sacrifices, it was impossible to kill him among hundreds of human refugees. And of course, he didn't want to make such a stupid decision.

"The humans are ahead, how should we deal with them?" Freya said beside him. She was at the moment holding an unconscious girl. Although she was just captured the day before, because her master and lover said that she was a good seedling to be transformed, she had to carry her.

"Then be quiet, if possible, don't alarm them," Hugo said. He himself didn't carry any human. Because in the worst case scenario, if the humans realized their attempt to run away, he would hold them for a few seconds, while the other vampires escaped. With their speed, he hoped no one would shot down by the humans' javelin and ropes.

The vampires, although unwilling, had to obey their master's order. They then flew as quietly as they could to not alarmed the humans.

However, it seemed their attempt was meaningless. Just as they were about to pass above the humans, the humans stopped moving, then a human threw a torch in their direction. Although it missed them, it revealed them. 

Then they heard the human leader shout, "Prepare your javelins and ropes! Don't let them get away!"

***