It’s Exciting to Snatch the Supporting Male Lead and Run Away [Quick Wear] - 93

 

IETSTSMLARA | The Ambitious Vampire Prince | 93

Arnold was slightly surprised. He hesitated but didn't voice his question. "Thank you."

He was pathetically thin. Lin Su helped him slightly, allowing him to sit on the horse's back. As he mounted the horse, Arnold stiffened slightly.

Lin Su looked down and asked, "What's wrong?"

"If I sit like this, won't your significant other get jealous?" Arnold asked softly.

"Should I get down and lead the horse for you?" Lin Su asked, waving his whip.

His voice was calm but carried a strange sense of distance, making Arnold feel that he was different from before, with an aura that discouraged any rash behavior.

Being so close, the rich scent of blood filled Arnold's nostrils, making him feel restless. "No, of course not."

How could he let the person who saved him lead the horse?

"Then you get down and lead the horse?" Lin Su tightened his grip on the horse's belly, and the horse began to move forward at a steady pace.

He had just helped him up and already knew how weak the boy was. Asking him to lead the horse was more like being led by the horse.

Arnold's body trembled slightly. "I'm not sure I can manage that."

Because there were so few passersby, he was already so hungry that his head felt dizzy. Especially in the daylight, he felt his chest sticking to his back, and his legs were weak.

"Then shall we dismount and walk together?" Lin Su asked again.

Arnold hesitated, "…Won't it be very slow if we don't ride the horse?"

"That's why you don't need to mind riding together; it's just for travel," Lin Su said, waving his whip. The horse neighed and began galloping forward.

Arnold, a bit panicked, first held onto Lin Su's arm that was holding the reins, then quickly retracted his hand and leaned forward to hug the horse's neck.

His body was jolted painfully. From behind, Lin Su said, "The trick to riding a horse is to move your body in sync with the horse's movements, so you won't be jostled."

With this kind reminder, Arnold responded softly, trying hard to adjust. Indeed, it hurt less after a while. He continued to hold onto the horse's neck, his eyes slightly moist.

After becoming a vampire, he understood the pain of being ostracized by former human companions, being hunted by everyone. It felt as though he was the last person left in the world. 

He thought he would be alone forever, yet he didn't expect anyone to accept and help him.

The horse entered Aurora City at dusk. The streets were sparsely populated, and someone as striking and richly dressed as Lin Su attracted quite a bit of attention and envy.

Unlike in the wild, the horse now trotted steadily down the road. Arnold straightened his body but pulled his hood and cloak tighter around himself.

The badge on Lin Su's clothing allowed them to bypass the soldiers' inspection, but Arnold's attire made them suspicious. "Take off your hood so we can see."

Arnold froze. Even with the sun setting, its light would still cause him to disintegrate into the air instantly, a painful sensation he would never forget.

"Take it off, now!" one of the soldiers demanded, pointing his sword.

Lin Su smiled and said, "I'm sorry, but could he possibly remove his hood in a shaded area?"

"Shaded? Why?" a soldier asked, puzzled.

"This child's skin is very delicate. The doctor said it might be the early signs of albinism, so he can't be exposed to sunlight. Please understand." Lin Su dismounted, and as his cloak billowed, a multi-pointed star badge and a special hunter's badge from the church were visible.

While many soldiers didn't fully understand what demons were, they knew that hunters like Lin Su couldn't possibly be allied with demons or traitors of the church.

Due to the badges, the soldiers' attitudes softened. Without needing to go to a street corner, Lin Su shielded Arno with his cloak. Arno removed his hood, revealing a pale, almost blindingly white face and brown hair, which dispelled all doubts.

"Alright, there’s no problem," one soldier confirmed upon seeing Arnold's hair.

Arnold put his hood back on, still trembling slightly. As the soldiers sheathed their swords, Lin Su took out a gold coin and said, "Could I exchange this for a badge that exempts us from future inspections?"

A gold coin was equivalent to a thousand copper coins, while a soldier's monthly salary was only a silver coin, making this an unexpected windfall.

The soldier accepted the coin and handed Lin Su a badge. "You're quite considerate."

After they left, Lin Su handed the badge to Arnold and said, "Wear this, and you won't have to take off your hood in the future."

"Thank you very much," Arnold said, lowering his head. "You've been so kind to me; I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't worry about it. I'll deduct all current expenses from your future wages," Lin Su replied with a smile. "Now, mount up. I'll take you to… get something to eat."

This was quite different from the usual "don't mention it," but it brought a sense of calm to Arnold's anxious heart. "I'll do my best to serve you."

With Lin Su's skills, finding the black market wasn't difficult. A corner street and a special code led them through a hidden door into an underground shop.

"Ten bags of fresh blood," Lin Su said, his voice hoarse and masked like an older man's.

Arnold followed behind, looking up in surprise before quickly lowering his head again.

The person behind the counter scrutinized them and then extended a hand. "Badge."

Lin Su took out a badge from his pocket, marked with various scratches and notches. The person glanced at it and said, "Ten bags of blood, ten gold coins."

"So expensive!" Arnold exclaimed, quickly covering his mouth.

The person behind the counter chuckled. "This is the regular price for frequent customers. It would be even higher for new ones."

"Alright," Lin Su said, paying the gold coins.

His straightforward manner prompted the person behind the counter to promptly get up and say, "Wait a moment."

After a short while, he returned with a small box and handed it over along with the badge. Arnold noticed that the badge now had ten more small notches than before.

Lin Su opened the box. Instead of blood bags, there were twenty neatly arranged bottles filled with vibrant blood, gently swaying with the movement.

"This is the equivalent of ten bags," the person said.

"How long can it be preserved?" Lin Su asked.

"Thirty days," the person replied, providing good service despite the high price.

Lin Su gestured, and Arnold picked up the box and followed silently behind him. Even though his stomach was empty, he felt a strange sense of peace.

They left and found lodging at an inn, each staying in separate rooms. Lin Su ordered food, while Arnold sat nearby, clutching a bottle and almost gulping it down in a few swigs.

After drinking one vial, he paused, then swallowed hard while staring at the box on the table. Determined, he closed the lid firmly.

The sound of his rumbling stomach was continuous, and Lin Su, cutting into his tender steak, could hear it clearly. He said while looking down, "This is just temporary and very expensive. Humans losing a certain amount of blood periodically is actually good for their bodies. All you need is to open a clinic or hospital, and blood won't be particularly scarce. Drink as much as you need."

He couldn't abandon Arnold because newly turned vampires were as fragile as newborns, unable to procure food. For survival, they would become increasingly violent and lose their humanity. Since he couldn't kill him or leave him behind, he had to take him along.

In the future, he might have to take in more vampires who had not harmed humans.

Arnold swallowed hard, opened the box, and took out another bottle. This time, he sipped it slowly. After finishing three vials, he let out a satisfied burp and sighed with relief. "Thank you very much. I'm willing to do anything for you."

"Alright, go to sleep. We need to leave early in the morning," Lin Su said.

Arnold didn’t question the reason. He obediently stood up, carrying his box to another room. As he exited, he glanced back at the man sitting at the table. Despite being a hunter, he looked more like a noble—gentle and reliable in a way that made one envy the person who received his special treatment.

...

Ivan’s exploits naturally reached the vampire territories. Although he had only killed vampires so far, the fact that he could kill thirty at once indicated that human strength was evolving. If such power spread, it could one day threaten the vampire race.

This event alarmed the various vampire clans. Celtic, upon receiving the news, was trying on his latest custom-made outfit. The garment was lavish and intricate; on anyone else, it would seem overly complex and overshadowing. But on him, it enhanced his allure and added to his elegance.

"What do you think?" Celtic asked, unbothered by using his appearance to his advantage. After all, the man he was interested in liked his looks, and there was no shame in leveraging one's strengths.

"It fits perfectly," the butler praised. "Master is the most dazzling among all the princes."

"At least he has good taste," Celtic said with some satisfaction, adjusting the position of his sleeves. "Go ahead, what's the matter?"

"A vampire hunter named Ivan has emerged among humans. He killed thirty vampires on his first bounty mission," the butler said with a serious expression.

Although this hadn't directly affected the noble vampires yet, it was a grave enough situation.

"Ivan?" Celtic paused his actions and asked, "What does he look like?"

Among humans, the only one Celtic knew of with such power was Lin Su.

The butler reported, "Blond hair, blue eyes, very tall, and extremely handsome..."

"It's definitely him," Celtic said, unconsciously licking his sharp fangs. "Ivan, Lin Su… so he changed his name. Didn’t the church's want a traitor named Lin Su?"

"Yes, master," the butler confirmed. "Should we spread the news that Ivan is Lin Su? That way, the church will take care of him for you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Celtic casually kicked him, sending him crashing into the wall. The crash caused cups and saucers to fall and shatter on the ground.

Celtic walked up to him, looking down from above, and said, "I don't need humans to handle what I want to deal with."

How could he use such a method? That man would likely just shamelessly use another name.

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