None of them were ordinary people, so they didn't show any panic. Li Lingling stopped Chen Feng and Zhao Yu from acting, calmly offering to go check it out herself and telling them to wait patiently. Although Chen Feng and Zhao Yu were worried, they knew that Xia Tian and Li Lingling were both ability users, and if they couldn't solve the problem, it would be pointless for them to go themselves, so they didn't object. Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan didn't understand the situation, so they didn't go out to check it out either. Thus, the group continued to wait in the cabin as usual, but they all listened carefully to what was happening in the galley.
Seeing Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan's nonchalant and indifferent demeanor, Chen Feng and Zhao Yu couldn't help but secretly admire them. These two super special forces soldiers had exceptional eyesight and could tell at a glance that the two stunningly beautiful girls were both hidden masters. Chen Jiaxuan's every move exuded the demeanor of a master, while Su Bingyan, seemingly delicate and aloof, gave off a deep sense of danger. This sense of danger could only be felt by someone who had killed countless people and experienced life and death. Clearly, Su Bingyan was not as deceptive as her appearance suggested.
With a thud, the vampire viscount, his eyes gleaming with blood, slowly collapsed to the ground. Having lost his heart, the blood in his body began to dissipate, which was fatal for a vampire. His self-healing ability could heal any wound except for his heart.
Li Lingling then lowered the rifle; the 1.5-meter-long barrel almost reached her shoulder. An ordinary young girl wouldn't even have the strength to lift this old-fashioned heavy gun.
Xia Tian looked at Li Lingling. The combination of the gleaming black heavy weapon and the beautiful girl in the snow-white short skirt created a unique and stunning beauty. He smiled and stepped over the fallen vampire's body: "Lingling, well done. Thanks to you, our plane was saved."
Lingling looked at him with concern, "Brother Xia Tian, are you alright? I see you're covered in blood."
Xia Tian was startled and looked down at himself, only then realizing that his body and clothes were covered in mottled bloodstains. He hadn't noticed them during the fight, but seeing them now startled him. He laughed and said, "This isn't my blood, it's this vampire's. Don't worry, your brother Xia Tian is made of iron, nothing will happen to him."
Li Lingling didn't laugh, but frowned deeply: "Brother Xia Tian, how did this monster get in?"
Although she had heard of vampires and knew that vampires, as enemies of humanity, did exist among those with superpowers, her understanding of vampires as ferocious and terrifying was still based on imagination. She had never actually seen a real vampire. Seeing one today was indeed terrifying. If she didn't possess a psychic field and become a superpowered individual, the old Lingling would probably have fainted from fright long ago.
Xia Tian frowned. Li Lingling's question struck a chord with him. Where did this lowly vampire come from? How could it suddenly appear on the plane without any prior warning? He carefully recalled every detail before boarding, but after going through all the memories in his mind, he couldn't find the slightest clue about vampires.
Could it be a vampire they encountered along the way? Xia Tian shook his head. Vampires weren't that stupid, not even the delirious viscount they'd killed with Li Lingling. They possessed the same intelligence as humans, and at least wouldn't attack humans randomly like wild beasts. All their hunting of humans was planned and arranged, often under the cover of high-ranking vampires, moving in groups at night. They would prepare for the worst and have escape routes planned in advance. If danger was encountered, they would immediately flee; if the danger was minor, they could turn the tables and devour their prey.
In some ways, vampires and wolves are very similar, except that wolves attack not only humans, while vampires only drink human blood. This is the main reason why vampires cannot coexist with humans for the sake of mutual benefit.
This hunting strategy is a habit and practice developed by vampires over thousands of years. Refined and modified countless times, it has become a classic example, even seeping into their genes and becoming an instinct. This is because exposing dark power will attract the Judgment.
The field of light is most sensitive to the field of darkness. Just as a shark can smell blood from tens of kilometers away, an Arbiter can easily sense a dark field within a radius of 500 kilometers. A super strong person like Theodore can even detect dark auras within a thousand miles, track them down in the shortest time, and eliminate any dark creatures that appear.
When faced with the Arbiter, the only option for a vampire is to run away. The field of light spiritual energy has an absolute suppressive effect on the dark aura. If a vampire confronts the Arbiter head-on, it is impossible for the vampire to gain the upper hand, unless the difference in their strength is too great, in which case the dark aura can suppress the power of light.
However, such situations are extremely rare. Several deputy arbitrators have been keeping a close eye on the movements of William and other vampire dukes. Unless they remain inactive, they will face a fatal attack. Therefore, high-level forces can only play a role in maintaining order and intimidation. Only with huge incentives can a super-powerful duke be persuaded to take action. For example, the Heavenly Eye that Ling Yun and Xiao Rou encountered during their trip to Hong Kong was a huge incentive that would entice William to take action. Of course, William not only failed to obtain the Heavenly Eye, but also almost lost his life in Hong Kong.
Under such circumstances, how could a lone, weak vampire dare to attack a human? And in broad daylight no less! This is quite suspicious!
Xia Tian and Li Lingling exchanged a worried glance. Both of them were farsighted and could naturally connect the strange phenomenon to other things. Perhaps it was just needless worry, or perhaps something big was really going to happen in the world of superpowered individuals! Otherwise, how could the vampires brazenly run onto a human's plane?
However, the two of them knew little about the dynamics of the superhuman world, and even less about vampires. Therefore, they had no way of knowing what had happened. They were just sensitive and vaguely sensed that something seemed amiss.
Xia Tian turned around and looked at the Viscount's body, his brow furrowed. "Brother Xia Tian, what should we do with the body? We can explain it to Brother Chen and Brother Zhao, but I'm afraid we won't be able to explain it to the two girls. Besides, the crew is still here, and if they see it, it might cause panic." Li Lingling, being meticulous, immediately voiced all of Xia Tian's concerns.
"What do you think about throwing it off the plane?" Xia Tian asked after thinking for a moment. "This is a no-man's land near the American West. Throwing it off shouldn't attract any attention, especially since you've already killed it."
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Brother Xia Tian.” Li Lingling shook her head, rejecting Xia Tian’s suggestion. “First, we don’t know where this vampire came from. If we just throw it off the plane, it will be easier, but what if it has accomplices who come after us to take revenge after seeing its corpse? Second, it’s dead now. We can’t just throw the body off the plane right away. What we need to do immediately is scan the plane and the hiding places to see if there are any places damaged by the vampire or other enemies lurking around. We can close the kitchen door first, and then you and I will go check it out.”
"Lingling, you're so thoughtful, you've considered everything," Xia Tian exclaimed, clapping her hands and saying, "Let's do it your way."
The two closed the iron door to the kitchen, hiding the vampire's corpse inside. They then returned to the cabin and told Chen Feng, Zhao Yu, and the two women about it. Although they only briefly mentioned the whole process, the four of them could naturally imagine how intense the battle in the kitchen must have been. Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan looked at Lingling with strange expressions. This beautiful and lovely girl could actually shoot and kill the ferocious and terrifying vampire without batting an eye. It was truly unbelievable. Even though they knew she was also a superhuman, the contrast in her appearance was too great, and the two women couldn't help but be very surprised.
The group huddled together to discuss their options. The crux of the problem was whether to continue flying back to their destination, China, or to stop somewhere along the way and seek help from an arbitration institution and the American Bureau of Supernatural Abilities. The immediate danger had passed, but that didn't mean the journey would be without its challenges. Fortunately, they were still flying over land; if they were at sea, things would be far more complicated.
Chen Feng and Zhao Yu's opinions were naturally based on safety. They advocated that everyone should land immediately and seek help from the American supernatural organization. This was the safest approach, although it would delay their journey, it was better than encountering danger. Li Lingling also leaned towards the two older brothers' opinions.
Summer was still somewhat hesitant. As the main decision-maker, he thought further ahead. The plane was halfway through its journey in a desolate area, hundreds of kilometers away from any human habitation. If they were to make a forced landing, given the performance of the small passenger plane, it would be difficult for it to take off again. Perhaps this vampire was just an accident.
Moreover, if there is real danger, it would probably be useless for everyone to land. On American soil, expecting the American Bureau of Superpowers to come to the rescue? That's probably unrealistic. Since vampires appeared in broad daylight, it's enough to prove that the Bureau of Superpowers is in a critical situation. Even if they send out a distress signal, no one may come to their aid.
Moreover, if he could just hold on for a few more hours, he could return to China, which was within the sphere of influence of the Superpower Headquarters. It was said that Skynet had even been upgraded to the point where it could carry out remote strikes at any point within the country. Although this was just an unverified legend and had no credibility whatsoever, it still excited Xia Tian. Therefore, whether to stop on the spot or risk returning to China, he thought and thought, but remained undecided.
Chapter 406 Mutant Vampire
Lingling, Chen Feng, and Zhao Yu all had an indifferent attitude. The boss of Sihai Group was Xia Tian, and they were merely Xia Tian's subordinates. Although the four of them were as close as brothers and sisters, and there was no superior-subordinate distinction between them, Xia Tian was still in charge. Therefore, no matter what the boss thought, it was enough for them to offer their opinions; the final decision rested with Xia Tian. Lingling, Chen Feng, and Zhao Yu only needed to follow Xia Tian into battle; whether Xia Tian was right or wrong, none of them complained in the slightest.
As it turns out, Xia Tian's decisions were mostly correct. He might be cynical or not particularly skilled in cultivating his supernatural abilities, but when it came to crucial decisions, Xia Tian was never ambiguous.
Out of respect and safety considerations, Xia Tian also consulted Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan. After all, these two girls were partners of Sihai Group, and one of them was the daughter of a martial arts family. If something happened to them on Sihai Group's plane, Xia Tian would have a hard time explaining it.
Unexpectedly, Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan resolutely followed the host's arrangements, even rejecting Chen Feng and Zhao Yu's kind suggestion to give them parachutes to escape on their own.
The reason is simple: Lingyun. Lingling had already introduced Xia Tian and the others to Lingyun, and Su Bingyan, out of affection for him, naturally wanted to help them. She was indeed very capable, at least as good as Chen Feng and Zhao Yu. Chen Jiaxuan also liked Lingyun and, being naturally adventurous, resolutely decided to stay without hesitation.
Xia Tian tried to persuade them to no avail, so he had no choice but to let the two girls go their own way. No matter what, he would risk his life to protect them. Ling Yun was his brother, and he naturally considered these two girls as his sisters, just like Xia Zhen. He had to protect his sisters no matter what, even though he didn't know which girl would end up with Ling Yun.
Of course, if it weren't for those words just now, the relationship between the three women wouldn't have become so delicate and close because of Ling Yun.
If it weren't for their connection with Ling Yun, the two women might have chosen to leave first. This wasn't a matter of refusing to help, because the danger had already exceeded the scope of ordinary people. If they couldn't help but stay and cause trouble, that would be truly causing trouble for others. However, now that they were all connected by a man they deeply loved, Su Bingyan and Chen Jiaxuan had unknowingly grown closer to Li Lingling. The three women shared the same plight and even felt a sense of shared hatred. At this point, how could they leave?
Several people were still hesitating about whether to continue flying or to make a forced landing immediately.
At that moment, the vampire corpse in the kitchen suddenly moved, and then a bizarre scene unfolded. The blood-soaked corpse suddenly stood up like a zombie, and its originally dull, scarlet eyes suddenly shone with a bright red light again. Its stiff head was lowered as it looked at the blood hole in its chest, and then it raised its head to look at the tightly closed steel door of the kitchen, seemingly lost in thought.
A sound like crawling insects gradually arose, and the flesh and blood in the vampire viscount's translucent wound suddenly began to writhe automatically. The blood condensed together, turning into countless twisted blood threads like earthworms. The tendons and muscle tissues intertwined indistinctly, growing wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye, and in the blink of an eye, a powerfully beating heart was formed in his chest.
The ventricles, arteries, and veins slowly and laboriously grew out, connecting with the rupture caused by the rifle to form a complete ventricle. Then came the outer dermis, fat layer, and epidermis, gradually forming a transparent sarcoma. The sarcoma then began to thicken continuously, weaving the broken muscle tissue together like fabric, forming a pale but intact chest.
In just a moment, the vampire viscount had fully recovered. Surprisingly, not only had the wound on his chest healed, but the lines of his originally hideous face had also softened considerably. The edges of his nose and chin had become rounded, and the bloodthirsty light in his eyes had gradually become clear. No one could tell that it was a ghost face anymore. Although his expression was still slightly stiff, in terms of facial features, the vampire viscount had become a handsome young man. Although his eyes, which represented intelligence, were slightly dull, they still revealed a hint of consciousness.
The young man looked down at his tattered, torn clothes and bloodstains, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes. With a gentle wave of his hand, the clothes, now resembling beggar's attire, turned into countless pieces of cloth that slowly drifted down into the air, revealing a tall, strong, and dazzlingly white physique. Apart from the fact that his skin was slightly pale due to the lack of capillaries, the young man's body was practically perfect.
He walked naked through the kitchen, seemingly sensing the power of rebirth. A black halo rose from his skin, gently sweeping across his body. Wherever it passed, his pale skin suddenly glowed, as if filled with power and vitality. His previously disheveled hair stood on end, swinging left and right as if on its own. Dust and dandruff cascaded down his flowing hair like smoke, and in the blink of an eye, it became jet black and shiny, automatically forming a neatly combed hair ornament. The bloodstains that had covered his body vanished completely when the halo of light touched them.
A black halo slowly circled the young man's body, then began to transform like liquid, gradually forming the shape of a classic black coat from medieval Europe, covering him all the way to his feet, with a snow-white round-necked double-button shirt underneath, instantly making the young man look exactly like an old nobleman.
The young man gracefully flicked away non-existent dust from his shirt, then smiled and struck several classical poses, as if there were a mirror in front of him.
With just a few gestures, a vampire viscount with only animalistic instincts transformed into an elegant young man with aristocratic manners and etiquette. If Xia Tian and Li Lingling were to witness this transformation, they would be astonished and speechless, because the vampire viscount's resurrection not only overturned the common knowledge that vampires could survive having their hearts pierced.
Even more incredibly, after the vampire viscount was resurrected, he actually became an earl, and his strength increased by a whole level. This was almost impossible, yet it happened right under our noses.
After a while, the young man finally stopped his womanly behavior of dressing up. He straightened his back, turned the lock on the kitchen door, and then slowly walked towards the cabin without looking to the side.