LABMY CH159

Jian Yuanbai wanted to keep Shen Tingyue’s identity hidden from the Special Operations Investigation Bureau, although he also understood that this was basically impossible.

The people in the Special Operations Investigation Bureau weren’t incompetent. Shen Tingyue’s various behaviors were so obvious that if they didn’t report it, everyone who had gone to the ancient castle might as well resign in disgrace.

But fortunately, after regaining his memory, Shen Tingyue happened to need the bureau’s resources.

The head of the Special Operations Investigation Bureau was a stern middle-aged man in his early forties. Shen Tingyue, dressed in white shirt and trousers, slowly took a sip of tea.

As the tea slid down his throat, Shen Tingyue frowned.

His slender fingers placed the teacup down, and though his tone sounded like a negotiation, it carried an unmistakable air of authority.

“You need to eradicate this faction. As it happens, I have a personal grudge against them.”

“Why not cooperate? What do you think?”

Jian Yuanbai, sitting beside him, was momentarily stunned. This version of Shen Tingyue was completely different from the one he had seen that morning.

If the Shen Tingyue from this morning was an arrogant and spoiled young master, the one before him now was a ruler who decided life and death.

One would throw tantrums by slamming the table, while the other was cold and indifferent.

The distinction between closeness and estrangement was clear at a glance.

Jian Yuanbai, who had been inexplicably tense ever since learning that Shen Tingyue had regained his memory, suddenly felt at ease in this office, in this unfamiliar setting.

Whether he had his memory or not, he was still his little moon.

Shen Tingyue, unaware that his own unspoken thoughts had already been deciphered by someone else, continued,

“Among the Special Operations Investigation Bureau members who went to the ancient castle that day, at least one of them was a demon, right? You don’t mind cooperating with non-humans.”

The director said solemnly, “Indeed, but you’ll have to join our Special Operations Investigation Bureau.”

Shen Tingyue frowned slightly. “I don’t like working.”

The director chuckled and shook his head. “You don’t need to work. Aside from assisting in this matter, you’d just be a special consultant. You’d still receive a salary, and we’d only call on you occasionally for help.”

“Besides, if you plan to live in the human world, you’ll need an identity, won’t you?”

Shen Tingyue pondered for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I accept your terms.”

Jian Yuanbai, in a moment of impulse, blurted out, “In that case, I’ll join too.”

A glint flashed in the director’s eyes, and he coaxed, “Sorry, but non-members of the Special Operations Investigation Bureau aren’t allowed to participate.”

He obviously could have just said no outright, yet he deliberately phrased it that way.

Without hesitation, Jian Yuanbai said, “Then I’ll join.”

“No.” Shen Tingyue’s gaze turned cold as he looked at the director. “Jian Yuanbai is just an ordinary human. What are you scheming?”

“If even an ordinary human is being used, then I see no reason to cooperate with your bureau.”

A thin layer of sweat formed on the director’s forehead. He glanced at Jian Yuanbai, who was entirely unaffected by Shen Tingyue’s overwhelming aura, and felt a bit resentful.

This pureblood vampire was exuding a terrifying pressure, yet Jian Yuanbai, sitting right next to him, didn’t sense a thing.

This was what he called an “ordinary human”?

Redefining ‘ordinary human’.jpg

The director wiped his sweat and explained, “Captain Jian Yuanbai isn’t entirely an ordinary human.”

“Even though you truly have no special powers, all supernatural phenomena fail in your presence. That alone is special enough.”

The pureblood vampire blinked and let out an indifferent “Oh?”

An hour later, the assembled Special Operations Investigation Bureau members, tasked with investigating the cult, listened to Shen Tingyue’s briefing while repeatedly glancing at Jian Yuanbai in disbelief.

Their department’s legendary Jian Yuanbai…

Just joined out of the blue?

Just like that?

The squad member who had driven them yesterday was feeling especially conflicted. On one hand, it seemed like no effort had been required; on the other, the recruitment condition had been a pureblood vampire—something impossible to find twice in the entire world.

Before long, they put aside their thoughts and listened attentively as Shen Tingyue carefully explained the origins of the cult.

Yula Zans, an evil spirit that gained power by consuming human desires, malice, and corruption.

Shen Tingyue’s grudge against it was quite simple.

Yula Zans coveted the power of pureblood vampires and had manipulated Shen Tingyue’s subordinates, inciting them to betray him and seal him inside a coffin, hoping to refine him or force him into corruption through betrayal.

Those vampires had long been dissatisfied with Shen Tingyue’s strict rule, and they believed that he was unworthy of being called a vampire since he never drank human blood.

With Yula Zans’ help, they successfully sealed Shen Tingyue in the coffin.

But they paid a heavy price. Not only did Yula Zans fail to refine Shen Tingyue, but it was also severely wounded by him.

To regain its power, it needed to feed on malevolence.

And where there was bloodshed—

According to their research on those lunatics, they had already identified several locations.

Very quickly, everything—

With H City as the center, radiating outward to the surrounding areas, Shen Tingjiu had gains everywhere.

Jian Yuanbai also played an indispensable role in this.

That mouth of his—if he had been in a cult, even the high-ranking members inside would have wanted to kill him the moment he spoke.

So during operations, Jian Yuanbai was always the first to charge in alone. Once he lured the target out, the other team members from the operations Bureau would move in.

However, after the operations Bureau destroyed five hideouts and captured three cult leaders similar to H, this tactic stopped working.

But…

It was already enough.

A team member walked out of the Special Operations Investigation Bureau’s interrogation room and grinned at the people in the conference room. “He cracked. We have the location of Yula Zans.”

The Special Operations Investigation Bureau dealt with evil spirits and supernatural creatures on a daily basis.

For cases like this, the interrogation room was far less effective than the torture chamber.

No monster or evil being could last more than three rounds in the torture chamber—confession was only a matter of time.

Upon hearing Yula Zans’ hiding place, someone couldn’t help but say, “That bastard really knows how to hide. Absolutely shameless.”

The hideout was in the sewers of a slum-like area between two cities. Even the Special Operations Investigation Bureau hadn’t expected that location.

Shen Tingyue, however, was unsurprised. “He calls himself an evil god, but in reality, he’s just filth born from corrupted thoughts.”

“Sewers are filled with filth, foul and disgusting, yet they connect everywhere—making them the perfect place for a heavily injured creature like him to recuperate.”

Now that they had the location, the Special Operations Investigation Bureau immediately started drafting a capture plan.

While they were making their plans, Jian Yuanbai quietly slipped away with Shen Tingyue.

In the stairwell, the shorter Shen Tingyue stood there, dignified and proud, unmoving, but his gaze was fixed intently on Jian Yuanbai, exposing the urgency he tried to hide.

The tall, sharp-featured man, usually cold and unapproachable, bent down slightly and lowered his head, speaking in a soft voice, “Go ahead and bite.”

Shen Tingyue’s eyes lit up instantly. He only needed to tilt his head slightly to get closer to Jian Yuanbai.

Even after regaining his memories, Shen Tingyue still had the habit of licking first before biting. His tongue would make the small patch of skin wet before he sank his fangs in.

The fresh, delicious blood made the little vampire squint in satisfaction, humming as he nestled deeper into Jian Yuanbai’s arms.

Jian Yuanbai’s fingers twitched at his sides before he finally relented, stepping back and leaning his head against the wall.

The little vampire in his arms let out a displeased hum, following his retreat by pressing forward, even standing on tiptoe—practically draping himself over Jian Yuanbai.

His voice was muffled, the tone carrying a hint of a spoiled plea. “No dodging.”

Jian Yuanbai’s voice was hoarse. “I’m not dodging. Bite away.”

He closed his eyes, the long lashes casting shadows, hiding the complex emotions within.

Finally, he gave in to his instincts, placing his hand around the little vampire’s waist.

At this point, Jian Yuanbai could no longer deny it—he wasn’t as straight as he once thought.

After that day when Shen Tingyue shattered the table and sofa, there was a period where he stopped chasing Jian Yuanbai for blood.

Jian Yuanbai had assumed that, after regaining his memories, Shen Tingyue had gained enough self-control to stop feeding on him.

Until two months ago—when Jian Yuanbai, lying in bed with his eyes closed, unable to sleep, caught a high-born vampire with teary eyes attempting to secretly bite him.

Even after being discovered, Shen Tingyue still whined and crawled into his bed, draping himself over him, too hungry to hold back.

According to Shen Tingyue, blood was like food to a vampire. Other people’s blood smelled disgusting to him—he had starved for half a month, eating nothing at all.

Just crying, without draining Jian Yuanbai dry, was already a show of immense restraint.

After that, the habit of biting twice a week was established.

The real problem? Jian Yuanbai reacted every single time.

As the little vampire hummed and whined while feeding, a certain part of Jian Yuanbai saluted in response. Even if his nerves were made of steel, he could no longer fool himself into thinking he was straight.

Shen Tingyue licked the blood off his lips with a delicate pink tongue.

The gesture made his lips look even redder, a soft blush dusting his cheeks, like peach blossoms brushing against his face.

Seeing Shen Tingyue like this, Jian Yuanbai suddenly felt relieved.

Just before he had planned to take Shen Tingyue to finalize the adoption papers, Shen Tingyue had regained his memories.

No, nothing about a foster father and foster son.

Shen Tingyue: “Shall we go?”

Jian Yuanbai, trying his best to stay calm, waved his hand. “You go ahead, I’ll make a call.”

After Shen Tingyue turned and left—

The tall and handsome man slid down against the wall, looking slightly overwhelmed.

His expression was one of extreme exhaustion and pain.

In reality, it was just a certain someone unwilling to admit that he was teetering on the edge of depravity.

Only Xiao Jian was honest—his thoughts about this “foster father and foster son” notion made him all the more restless.

While Jian Yuanbai was caught in a complex state of self-doubt, he never once considered—

That if it were anyone else, he wouldn’t have had any thoughts at all, or maybe even disgust. But with Shen Tingyue—only with Shen Tingyue—

Jian Yuanbai, who internally felt he might be a bit perverse, outwardly remained the reliable and handsome deputy captain of the Operations Bureau, at the peak of combat prowess.

After finalizing the capture plan, he donned his specialized uniform—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, an inverted triangle figure, and long legs. With boots on his feet, Jian Yuanbai joined the team at the designated location.

He gripped the car door with his long fingers and bent down to step out. His entire body was wrapped up tightly, exuding an intense sense of restraint.

Shen Tingyue, who had gotten out first, glanced over and inexplicably felt his throat itch. He coughed lightly.

Jian Yuanbai turned his head at the sound and looked at him. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”

Shen Tingyue shook his head. “Let’s go.”

The area had already been cleared of people. The stench from the sewer was overpowering, and even with a mask on, the smell couldn’t be completely blocked out.

The usually pampered and proud little vampire, however, said nothing. He simply stepped into the manhole and started descending.

“We’ve placed a special barrier in this area to ensure it doesn’t escape.”

“But the sinister aura inside is too strong. With our current equipment, we can’t detect what’s in there.”

One of the Operations Bureau’s support members explained the situation.

He didn’t move forward and instead said, “Since the situation ahead is unclear, I’ll stand guard here and relay updates to headquarters.”

The support members weren’t combat personnel and shouldn’t have come down in the first place. They had followed as far as they could go, but now they had no choice but to stop.

Jian Yuanbai nodded. “Good work.”

The ten-member Special Operations Investigation Team, led by Jian Yuanbai, proceeded further inside.

They moved a small grate aside from a square-shaped pipe. Crawling through, they entered a larger space.

The sewage reached mid-calf. The sound of squeaking rats was constant, and flies buzzed in erratic circles.

Yet none of this drew their attention.

Because above them—

A high net woven from golden threads hung suspended.

Above that net—

A throne constructed from human bones.

On the throne, a mass of viscous, tar-like black sludge wriggled slowly.

“So it’s you.”

“I wondered who it was. To think it would be you.”

“How did it feel—being nailed into a coffin by your own people, enduring the agony of the Seven Soul Nails for a hundred years?”

Shen Tingyue looked up, his brows furrowing in undisguised disgust. “Haven’t seen you in a hundred years, and you’re still this repulsive.”

Countless eyes suddenly emerged from the black sludge, covering its entire surface.

“Shen Tingyue, I may be gravely injured, but do you really think you’re in a much better state?”

“You’ve come running to your own death—then I shall grant your wish!”

Ding-dong—

A familiar system prompt rang in Jian Yuanbai’s mind:

“Please have Long Aotian Shen Tingyue say the following lines—”

“A hundred years ago, you bewitched my people into nailing me inside a coffin.”

“Today, I am no longer some noble blood clan member—I am a corpse that crawled out of its grave for revenge!”

“I will use your death to fuel my rebirth!”

“Evil god? Hah—forget being just an evil spirit, even if you were a god—”

“If humans stand in my way, I kill humans. If gods stand in my way, I kill gods! If anyone dares to block me, I will slaughter all under the heavens!”

Jian Yuanbai’s forehead twitched. He leaned in close and whispered something into Shen Tingyue’s ear.

No one in the team could hear what was said.

But they could all see—just as the battle was about to start, their two strongest members seemed to erupt into a massive conflict.

Shen Tingyue clenched his teeth, his fist so tight that veins bulged.

His beautiful face was filled with furious anger. “You’re using that to threaten me again!”

“Despicable!”

Jian Yuanbai sighed inwardly. He hadn’t wanted to resort to this.

Then Shen Tingyue, both humiliated and enraged, shouted: “I am a noble blood clan member! How could I yield to your threats!”

At that moment, Jian Yuanbai had a sudden realization.

He followed his instincts and did something unexpected.

He placed his hand on his left shoulder, bent slightly at the waist, and with a deep, magnetic voice, said:

“Master.”

Under the watchful eyes of the entire team—

The little vampire instantly turned red, stammering in frustration yet unable to refuse.

“I… I… I’ll say it, okay?”

Jian Yuanbai’s gaze held a faint smile.

The one who had been stubbornly proud, insisting he was the master, had been Shen Tingyue.

And the one now so embarrassed that his face turned completely red—was also Shen Tingyue.

A noble and proud blood clan member? Jian Yuanbai shook his head.

Clearly, he was just an easily flustered little vampire who would pout if he couldn’t bite a neck.

And maybe—

He was also Jian Yuanbai’s little red moon.