Chapter 78
Chapter 78
Jian Fan couldn’t find an answer.
He placed the photograph back in its original spot.
A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf stood in the study, packed with volumes. Jian Fan scanned them briefly; the collection spanned various subjects, including modern publications and ancient texts. The timeline covered roughly a thousand years.
Whether the Vampire was simply wealthy enough to acquire ancient books or had lived long enough to collect them personally was a question Jian Fan didn’t want to dwell on. It was the kind of thought that only bred more anxiety.
The study yielded no other useful discoveries.
After a quick sweep, the three of them withdrew and continued their exploration.
Before long, they found the Vampire’s bedroom.
It maintained the same opulent European castle style, with one notable difference: there was no large bed in the room. In its place sat a coffin. Hanging on the wall in front of the coffin was a wedding portrait.
The bride in the portrait was the same girl from the photo in the study, but the Groom was a different man.
In other words…
The owner of this castle was most likely the girl in the wedding portrait.
This discovery caught the three of them off guard. What kind of plot development was this? A love triangle in a world of Vampires? Or was the Bartender merely the girl’s lover?
However, bringing a lover to one’s own Bar to work as a Bartender and giving him special treatment was a move that felt far too meaningful.
Jian Fan didn’t pay much attention to these details, so Qin Nan turned his head to exchange a look with Mu Xin.
Qin Nan was starting to realize that the Realm of Death might have a penchant for melodrama. Despite being a Death Game, it seemed intent on adding soap-opera tropes to balance out the horror and adjust the overall atmosphere of the plot.
Jian Fan had already walked over to the coffin.
The lid was leaning against the side. Inside, it was lined with brocade and jade pillows, but it was empty.
They had been wandering around for a long time without anything unusual happening, which meant the owner of the castle should already be down in the Bar’s main hall.
Thinking of the wave of Skeletons that had just gone down, Jian Fan began to feel a headache coming on. Even if their guess was correct and this bride was the Original Vampire they were looking for, they wouldn’t be able to find her easily. They would likely be bitten to death by other Vampires before they even laid eyes on her.
His theory held weight, but executing a plan based on it would be extremely difficult.
They probably needed more substantial clues.
Jian Fan looked up, his gaze sweeping across the bedroom.
On the other side of the room was a door. Jian Fan walked toward it quickly, and Qin Nan followed immediately upon seeing him.
It was a walk-in closet.
The floor space of the closet was even larger than the bedroom. At a glance, it was filled with a dazzling array of clothes and jewelry. Outfits of different styles and seasons were neatly categorized; shoes were stored in a large, transparent cabinet, and the wardrobes contained drawers filled with various matching accessories.
The sheer opulence of this closet was undoubtedly breathtaking.
Here, women’s clothing predominated, while men’s attire was scarce.
This further proved that the owner of the castle was the bride from the wedding portrait.
At first glance, Mu Xin’s eyes were filled with envy and wonder; perhaps no girl could resist such a temptation. However, that feeling soon faded. Looking at the closet again, she felt a sense of scrutiny.
While these things were heart-stirring at first, a closer look allowed Mu Xin to notice the castle owner’s bizarre aesthetic.
A large proportion of the dresses were pink. It wasn’t that pink was bad, but-looking at these neon-pink dresses, Mu Xin could only think of one word.
Death Barbie Pink.
Tsk. It wasn’t just a bizarre aesthetic; was it chosen to fit a theme? Well, “Death” certainly seemed appropriate.
Beyond that, Mu Xin turned her attention to the jewelry. Their main characteristic was their size, but as for beauty… looking at these gaudy, oversized pieces that practically screamed “nouveau riche,” Mu Xin really couldn’t bring herself to call them attractive.
There were many other things like this.
Could that Female Vampire’s taste really be this eccentric?
Mu Xin suddenly turned her head to look at the wedding photo on the bedroom wall.
In the album they had found in the study, the girl’s Palace Dress had been magnificent and exquisite, something anyone would find beautiful-even stunning. Yet, while the girl in the wedding photo was also pretty, she seemed to be missing something. Mu Xin hadn’t been able to put her finger on it before, but now…
She felt it was perhaps due to the makeup and the wedding dress itself.
Once she realized this, another theory formed in her mind as she looked around the walk-in closet again.
The master of this castle wasn’t the bride; it was more likely the Groom in the wedding photo. If the aesthetic of this closet belonged to a straight man… then everything seemed to make sense.
Neither Qin Nan nor Jian Fan had realized this.
After their eyes swept over the closet, they decided there was nothing useful to be found and were already preparing to leave.
When Qin Nan noticed Mu Xin was still staring, he mistook it for envy. He stepped forward, patted her shoulder, pointed toward the exit, and then quickly caught up with Jian Fan.
Mu Xin took one last look at the closet.
She was now even more certain of her guess, but since they couldn’t talk right now, she could only keep these thoughts to herself and follow them out.
The trio continued their exploration.
Meanwhile, in the Bar, Qin Weiyi was fortunate enough to find Professor Qi’s group before the Vampires did.
“Professor Qi,” Qin Weiyi called out as soon as he spotted them. However, as he approached, he maintained his distance. It was only after his gaze landed on the Silver Bracelet on her wrist that he moved a few steps closer.
Professor Qi naturally noticed this, but she didn’t mind. She gave him a small smile. “We meet again.”
“I came specifically to find you, Professor Qi,” Qin Weiyi said.
Professor Qi was somewhat surprised. “To find me?”
Qin Weiyi nodded. His gaze then swept over Xia Zeqin, a faint sense of wariness rising in his heart. He didn’t let it show, however, and continued speaking to Professor Qi.
“Professor Qi, you must have killed another Vampire,” Qin Weiyi said.
Professor Qi nodded.
“I saw quite a few Vampires coming down the Stairs-at least dozens of them. If I’m not mistaken, they’re coming for you, Professor Qi. You’re in great danger right now,” Qin Weiyi said.
Professor Qi was slightly taken aback, but she quickly regained her composure.
Although this development was something she hadn’t anticipated, it was within the realm of possibility. However, with dozens of Vampires involved, the situation was becoming quite dire for them.
Professor Qi fell into a brief silence, deep in thought.
After finishing his warning, Qin Weiyi’s gaze shifted back to Xia Zeqin as he continued, “The Vampires’ current target is indeed Professor Qi, but once she is harmed, we’ll be the next to die. We are only safe as long as Professor Qi is alive.”
Xia Zeqin wasn’t surprised; instead, he let out a short laugh. “Are you suggesting that I might act against the Professor?”