Chapter 72: Future

This was the last day in the Well of Atonement.

If they survived tonight, Noah and Luoyao would become the first master and servant in the castle’s history to endure this punishment.

However—

At dusk, as the sun sank below the horizon, Luoyao’s consciousness faded with the twilight’s glow.

She collapsed into Noah’s arms, unresponsive no matter how Noah called out to her.

In her panic, Luoyao, with her last shred of will, managed one sentence to Noah:

“If I don’t make it, please turn me into a vampire, make me your progeny, and hold me as we die together in tomorrow’s sunrise.”

Luoyao had never allowed Noah to turn her before, but at this life-or-death moment, she brought it up herself.

She could have died as a human, with the identity she’d always cherished and taken pride in, in her lover’s arms.

Yet, standing at the crossroads of life’s end, she chose to become Noah’s “daughter.”

To her, a fulfilling life wasn’t just about herself but also the one she loved.

Since her Noah had an inexplicable fixation on the “first embrace,” Luoyao would grant her this wish as her life burned out.

To die as her lover’s “daughter”…

Quite romantic, wasn’t it?

As midnight approached, Luoyao showed no signs of waking.

Her breathing grew fainter, her body temperature dropping.

Her weak heart squeezed out its last bit of strength to keep beating.

Having lived over three hundred years, Noah knew what a person looked like on the brink of death.

She was certain: in Luoyao’s current state, she wouldn’t survive the night.

Humans had to be alive to undergo the first embrace and successfully become vampires.

Even a single breath could suffice.

Otherwise…

Even a “fresh” corpse would remain just that—a corpse.

At any moment, Luoyao could lose her vital signs, and then it would be too late.

Noah held the frail human girl in her arms, inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair, silently weeping.

After a long moment, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made the agonizing decision.

She propped up Luoyao’s shoulders, revealing her delicate, pale neck, still bearing the mark Noah had left.

Noah’s fingertips grazed the “kiss mark,” murmuring nostalgically, “Next life, let’s be an ordinary couple.”

She closed her eyes, parted her pale lips, baring sharp fangs, inching toward the mark on Luoyao’s neck.

Bang—

The passage door at the well’s bottom was forcefully shoved open.

A blonde, graceful woman rushed in, shouting, “Get Luoyao to the clock tower. Prepare glucose, saline, and epinephrine.”

Anna and Xiaan ran forward from behind her.

Under Noah’s stunned gaze, they lifted Luoyao, one on each side, and carried her out of the Well of Atonement.

Noah slumped to the ground, her eyes shifting from shock to a hollow, numb stare.

Finally, she leaned weakly against the well wall, fixating on the doorway.

Huangwei approached, kneeling halfway, gently touching Noah’s cheek. “It’s over, Noah. You’ve passed the Well of Atonement’s punishment. It’s all over.”

Noah looked at Huangwei’s face, her heartbeat and breathing quickening uncontrollably.

The next moment, her tears broke free, flooding out.

She threw herself into Huangwei’s arms, finally letting out a raw, unrestrained sob.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry, don’t cry. It’s okay now, it’s okay, sweet girl. Everything’s fine.”

Huangwei stroked Noah’s hair with one hand, patting her back with the other, as if soothing an oversized crybaby.

The more she comforted, the louder Noah cried, almost unable to stop.

“Oh, come on, you’re so old, how can you cry like this? Don’t cry, don’t cry. Big sister Huangwei’s here. I know you’re upset, but how about crying back in your room, okay?”

Upset… was that it?

Not quite.

Huangwei didn’t know the real reason for Noah’s breakdown.

Her hysterical sobs weren’t from feeling wronged but because…

She had nearly performed the first embrace on Luoyao.

As a vampire, turning the one she loved was in Noah’s nature, unchangeable.

Noah accepted this openly and often brought up the first embrace when with Luoyao.

Half-joking, half-serious.

If her little fool agreed, Noah would turn her without hesitation.

But if she refused, Noah wouldn’t force it.

Respect was what set Noah apart from other vampires.

She knew deep down that, unless absolutely necessary, Luoyao didn’t want to be turned.

Her little fool cherished her human identity.

But if Huangwei had arrived just a few minutes later…

Noah would have made an irreparable mistake.

Humans could become vampires through the first embrace.

But in thousands of years, no vampire had ever become human again.

Noah didn’t want her misjudgment to rewrite Luoyao’s future.

Her future belonged to her alone.

After a long cry, the lingering fear in her heart began to fade.

Noah sniffled, haphazardly wiping the tears from her face. “Don’t tell anyone I cried.”

Huangwei raised a brow. “Sure.”

Noah blinked, suspicious of how quickly her sly sister agreed. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

As she spoke, Huangwei pulled out her phone and played a recording.

Sure enough, it was Noah’s crying!

“…When are you gonna drop dead?!”

Noah said, exasperated.

“Alright, deleted. Just messing with you.”

Huangwei erased the recording, then helped Noah up by her arm. “Let’s go, back to the castle.”

“Slow, slow… my wounds haven’t healed.”

“If Mother had gone all out three days ago, you wouldn’t just be injured.”

Noah pouted. “I’m not that weak, okay?”

“Hard to say. Ever since your fight with Mother, you know what nickname the sisters gave you?”

Noah shook her head.

“Undefeated War God.”

“…Wasn’t I the Pure Love War God before? How’d I become the Undefeated War God?”

“Everyone knows you’re the toughest in the castle. Even Aleng didn’t dare say a word after you slapped her. But since you met Luoyao, it’s like you’re either getting beaten or on your way to getting beaten.”

Noah coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment. “Cough, cough…”

Huangwei’s hand rested on Noah’s waist, and hearing this, she pinched her.

“Ow, ow, ow! Why’d you pinch me?”

“Don’t get too lost in your head.”

Huangwei said softly, “There are more troubles waiting for you two ahead.”