Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 933: Chapter 177: Snake Bite

The light in the cell was adjusted to a very dark level—yet for the vampire who loathed sunlight, it was clear that she wouldn’t feel energized at this moment.

Because outside, it was daytime.

With a biological clock entirely different from humans, the vampire Gloria felt incredibly exhausted, and hungry, as her powers were shackled.

She even felt cold—this was because her vampire powers were sealed, and even if she drank blood, the special organs couldn’t convert the blood into the energy vampires needed.

Or rather, even if it could convert, the conversion was highly inefficient.

It was somewhat like an addict, immersed in a drug named ‘blood,’ unable to resist the dependency on it—ordinarily, this should lead to madness… but in her current state, Gloria’s consciousness remained clear.

Precisely because her consciousness remained clear, she felt even more tormented—by the ‘food’ the man in front of her offered.

Song Haoran would come once every day, ask a few questions, and then cut open his palm to leave some ‘food’ for Gloria.

He later even started to bring paper and pen to jot down some important things Gloria would say.

“So, even if vampires are ageless and undying, food is still a factor constraining their development.” Song Haoran twirled a ballpoint pen in his fingers, “Where exactly is the Farm of the Thirteen Clans… I mean the residences of pure-blood humans.”

This involved the crucial secrets of the Thirteen Clans… Gloria gritted her teeth at this moment, struggling with the pain brought by hunger, hesitating whether to confess honestly—because, over this period, she had already exposed too much that shouldn’t be known to ordinary people due to this man’s questioning.

Strictly speaking, Gloria had already committed the crime of betraying her race—what made things worse was that she herself belonged to the surveillance agency of the Thirteen Clans, a crime plus an aggravating circumstance.

At this moment, Gloria curled up in the corner between the window and the wall, hugging herself, her expression pale, shivering occasionally. Her vampire fangs for blood feeding were already exposed early, “I… I don’t know… this is a secret, not… not something within my level to know.”

“Really don’t know?” Song Haoran suddenly smirked, then picked up the remote control placed beside him and pressed one of the buttons.

At that moment, one side of the cell window suddenly opened slowly, the ruddy morning sunlight instantaneously shooting in—a scene of dust dancing wildly in the air could be seen under the light.

As the degree to which the window opened increased, the light gradually started to spread toward Gloria. She shivered suddenly, curling herself even more tightly.

When the sunlight spread across the bed to her feet, Gloria even curled her toes tightly in fear, the pink toenails gleaming with luster due to the sun’s presence.

“I know only one place, it’s the breeding ground of my clan, I know nothing about the others!” Gloria ultimately feared the direct sunlight.

Song Haoran chuckled, casually pressed the stop button, and the spreading sunlight halted instantly before Gloria’s toes—but the window did not close, the golden sunlight still shimmering in front of her.

Her entire body continued to contract in fear, the sense of tension not receding but rather increasingly strong.

“Which place?”

“Mo… rocco.” Gloria’s voice trembled.

Song Haoran calmly said: “Be more precise.”

“Tangier… After setting sail east from Tangier, about half a day at sea, there’s a small island…”

Song Haoran casually wrote this down, glanced at Gloria’s current state, and then closed the window.

The retraction of sunlight allowed her strained expression to finally relax slightly.

Song Haoran suddenly said: “I won’t come back for a few days and then will visit again. After that, I’ll leave for a period… but rest assured, I’ll have someone bring you three meals a day.”

Gloria still looked at Song Haoran in fear… the idea of a vampire fearing a human, when spoken of, seemed absurd—yet this man possessed such power.

As he spoke, Song Haoran pulled out a small dagger, then held the blade in his palm, gently pulling it out. Beneath his clenched fist lay a glass cup.

The scarlet blood strung together into a line, gradually filling this cup.

Gloria’s lips could not help but part.

The cup soon filled, and Song Haoran stood, pressing his wrist while smiling: “This is your breakfast… oh, no, for you, it should be supper, do enjoy it.”

He was preparing to leave.

But before he completely left, Gloria had already abandoned her reason to suppress her instincts, climbing down from the bed directly, rushing to the cup, and drank it all without hesitation.

Allowing herself to fall to the ground after drinking a cup of blood—vampires, after consuming blood, would have a very brief moment of pleasure, almost the greatest enjoyment for them.

Song Haoran watched this scene with interest, chuckling: “Though I’ve seen it many times, each time I see you this way, I have a desire to experience this extreme pleasure.”

Only then did Gloria slowly open her eyes, staring emptily at the ceiling.

She lay still, just like this on the ground, suddenly speaking: “You…are not normal.”

“Oh?” Song Haoran shrugged, “How so?”

Gloria still didn’t move, only her eyeballs shifting… shifting to Song Haoran from top to bottom, “Normal people’s wounds don’t heal so fast, normal people would be exhausted after so many days of blood-letting.”

“Maybe I’m naturally healthy.” Song Haoran smiled casually, turning to open the door, “Goodbye, Ms. Gloria, discussing vampire matters with you really is an enjoyable thing.”

After the steel door closed, Gloria slowly stood up… she glanced at the surveillance camera in the corner. This gadget would automatically turn off when Song Haoran entered, but once he left, it would open again.

This time, Gloria walked to the end of the bed, then sat down, with the surveillance camera only able to capture her body emerging past the bed’s end, unable to see her hand quietly stretching to the foot of the bed.

This single bed in the cell was made of steel bars… and at the moment, Gloria’s fingers were twisting a screw at the foot of the bed.

Yet she hung her head, expressionless.

…

After leaving the cell, the wound on Song Haoran’s palm had already healed; he casually shook his hand, feeling no numbness from excessive blood-letting.

“Turns out she judged from the healing speed of the wound and the bleeding volume…” Song Haoran muttered at this moment: “I always thought it was because of the blood. So, does my blood still count as human blood…”

He was pondering over some of the happenings occurring to himself—only Gloria was unable to provide any useful clues.

Perhaps he could seek advice from Mr. Blind, but Song Haoran was not planning to disclose his secret of immortality—immortality… could Mr. Blind’s Tao heart resist such temptation?

While pondering, Song Haoran’s phone suddenly rang. The caller was Oni, saying the car was ready, and they could leave anytime.

Later, he would be heading with Bai Shuitang towards Zhonghua Street to figure out the remnants’ matter—of course, Song Family’s Young Master wouldn’t venture alone—earlier, a team had secretly departed.

“I’ll come over in a bit.” Song Haoran stopped, then hung up the call, heading towards the yard beside him.

This is where Old Zhong keeps his books—a study that resembles a hall.

Without a doubt, Song Haoran encountered the early-rising Luo Qiu here—in the Han Residence, if there’s nothing going on, you can usually find Luo Qiu in this place.

This nephew exudes a scholarly aura that is quite comforting, reminding Song Haoran of the vast and tranquil grasslands beneath the snow peak.

“Are you still getting used to it?” Song Haoran’s voice came through the door even before he stepped in.

Luo Qiu, who was reading a collection of poems, put it down and curiously asked, “Getting used to what?”

Song Haoran laughed, “Reading without a lovely companion at your side. If you’re not used to it, I’ll find someone for you later, someone definitely not inferior to Gan Hong.”

“What do you need me for?” Luo Qiu casually replied.

“Ah, you’re clearly dodging the question, but why do you always do it so naturally?” Song Haoran walked in with a look of helplessness and suddenly had an idea, “Luo Qiu, why don’t you come out with me for a while?”

“That sounds good.” Luo Qiu nodded. “But, is there something to do?”

“Not really, just want you to come along. Because I suddenly have a feeling that as long as I bring you along, good luck will come… After all, you don’t have anything to do, right?”

“…A premonition?”

Song Haoran nodded, “Didn’t you know? My premonitions are quite accurate. Come on, stop being a bookworm, let me take you to do something fun!”

“Alright, let me pack up a bit.”

Luo Qiu stood up, put the poetry collection back in its place, extinguished the incense burning beside him, and only after tidying away the teapot and teacups did he unhurriedly follow Song Haoran out.

But what is this about bringing good luck just by tagging along… Have I become a mascot?

…

Bai Shuitang didn’t expect the Song Family to act so quickly. Early in the morning, Young Master Song, Song Haoran, already requested that he personally take him to Zhonghua Street.

Moreover, what Bai Shuitang didn’t expect was that accompanying them was the ‘Young Master Qiu’ mentioned by the servants.

Regarding this ‘Young Master Qiu,’ Bai Shuitang quietly asked an elderly acquaintance in the Han Residence about him in the middle of the night. He found that even the old staff in the Han Residence didn’t know much.

They only knew that he returned with Young Master Song Haoran and entered the spirit hall on the very first day, and later Old Master Song announced his identity.

The servants speculated a lot about Young Master Qiu’s identity, but Bai Shuitang thought more deeply—Song Tianyou’s ideas were almost a set of traditional Confucian teachings. A place like the spirit hall, even Song Ying, if it wasn’t some important occasion, wouldn’t be allowed in.

That this Young Master Qiu entered the spirit hall upon arrival indeed surprised Bai Shuitang—this signified that Young Master Qiu was acknowledged as a true member of the Song Family.

“However… this is also good.” Bai Shuitang sat in his car, face clouded.

He glanced at the car following closely in the rear-view mirror—Song Haoran and Luo Qiu were in that car.

Bai Shuitang let out a sneer, and took out his phone from his clothes—after a long while, the person on the other end of the line finally picked up.

It was Bazel’s voice.

“Bazel.” Bai Shuitang looked calmly at the driver in front of him—when he mentioned the name, he could clearly see the driver’s shoulders shake a little.

“What do you want with me now? I told you, I’m not continuing to work with a schemer like you.”

“Bazel, the guy driving me right now, he’s the one you placed by my side, right?” Bai Shuitang casually replied with a sneer, “I suppose you already know all about my trip to the Han Residence… up front, you better keep the car’s speed up, otherwise the ones behind might get suspicious.”

The phone went silent for a moment.

A while later, Bazel spoke again on the phone, “Bai Shuitang, what are you plotting?”

With indifference, Bai Shuitang said, “I bet you’re thinking that after we fell out, I went straight to the Han Residence to complain about you to that old fox Song Tianyou for my protection, right?”

Bazel sneered, “Do I need to guess?”

Bai Shuitang sniffed coldly, “Bazel, you underestimate me. My visit to the Han Residence wasn’t for protection, but to lure someone out. I thought it would take at least a day for the Song Family to react, but it turns out they’re already on the move.”

“You mean… Song Haoran?”

In a deep voice, Bai Shuitang said, “In a moment, I’ll take him to your hiding place… whether you can handle him or not is up to your skill. Bazel, isn’t this gesture sincere enough?”

“You better not try any tricks on me,” Bazel scoffed, then added, “But if we really manage to take out Song Haoran this time, our collaboration can continue.”

“Let’s hope so.”

The call disconnected a few seconds later, and Bai Shuitang calmly watched the driver’s reflection in the rear-mirror—seeming to realize he was being watched, the driver quickly turned his gaze forward.

Bai Shuitang remarked, “Bazel is quite clever, at least he knows to find a Chinese and not some foreigner, thus reducing my guard.”

The driver wanted to say something, but suddenly stiffened—because when he looked once more into the rear-view mirror, he found Bai Shuitang holding a small pistol!

His arm rested on his thigh, the gun’s muzzle slightly pointing upward… at this distance, if he were to shoot…

“President Bai! Let’s talk this over!”

“Whatever Bazel’s paying you, I’ll double it, how about that?” Bai Shuitang casually offered, “I’m actually short a dog by my side, care to be one?”

“President, I…”

“Think, you’re still young, do your parents live? Do you have family? Have you bought insurance? Oh… even if you don’t say, I can still find out, just a waste of some time.”

“…” The driver’s forehead immediately broke out in sweat, he hastily said, “President Bai, whoever you want me to bite, I’ll bite!”

Bai Shuitang smiled slightly, calmly saying, “Drive safe.”

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PS1: Special thanks to ‘People under the Firmiana’ for the silver gift, the leg accessory named white stone is ready… (0/20)

PS2: Thanks to the Digital Reader ‘20170428005707291’ as the head… (0/1)

PS3: And from before (2/3)…

PS4: Alright, even if I made the rules myself, I’ll track them while kneeling, isn’t it just… (0/22)! By the way, aren’t the women’s clothing on Taobao quite cheap…