Chapter 516 Not just vampires, this time even succubi have arrived.

The melodious whistle of the steamship pushed aside the sea fog outside the port of Thunder City. Seagulls circled the smokestacks of the steamship, forced to dress up by the swirling coal dust.

The port of Thunder City is always so busy that even the cries of the seagulls sound tired, as if their throats are on fire.

The wooden cranes rose and fell tirelessly, picking the wooden crates from the pile of goods. Porters with towels draped over their shoulders moved back and forth, carrying them into the warehouse.

There were also female laundry workers, scavengers picking up coal, newspaper boys going from street to street, and brokers looking around for opportunities...

If Queen Street is a richly colored oil painting, then the tone here is closer to the charcoal outlines of a black and white sketch.

However, in this gray sketch, a bright spot has broken in that cannot be ignored.

She was a lady in a long white dress, standing on the deck of a steamship, her long, flowing pink hair swaying in the sea breeze.

The skirt, blown askew by the wind, outlined her graceful curves, like slender willow branches laden with bountiful harvest.

She simply stood there quietly, and the noisy crowd around her unconsciously left a blank space for this exquisite oil painting.

The gentlemen frequently glanced sideways, yet felt inferior in the face of such dazzling beauty. The ladies' gazes, however, bordered on naked envy—

Why does this guy deserve Saint Sis's favor?

That's not actually the case.

The fact that a god could favor the Padrich family has nothing to do with Saint Sith.

Mignis took a deep breath, straightened his perfectly pressed bow tie, and forced a confident smile onto his face, which was stiff from the sea breeze.

As a cotton merchant from Mist Harbor, he considered himself quite worldly and wealthy. He came to Thunder City with the ambition to make a big splash in this emerging and promising land.

Although it was somewhat abrupt, he felt that a young and promising gentleman like himself might be qualified to get to know this beautiful woman traveling alone.

She had no servants with her.

In his experience, such ladies usually have a famous surname, but they have been unlucky and their families have fallen on hard times.

That's exactly what he's missing.

"Good day... beautiful lady. The sea is quite rough; I hope it hasn't spoiled your enjoyment." He mustered all his courage and walked to the side of this graceful lady, wearing a polite smile that he had practiced countless times.

Seeing that the lonely woman did not respond, Mignis was not discouraged. Instead, he bowed slightly and handed her a gold-embossed business card.

"My name is Mignis. I run a cotton trading company in Mist Harbor, and business is doing fairly well. I am new to this bustling Thunder City and don't know anyone here. I wonder if I would have the honor of getting to know you?"

The lady with long pink hair still didn't respond, but after hearing his voice, she subconsciously shifted her gaze.

Are you calling me?

That polite look seemed to convey that meaning.

However, just one glance at those two pools of clear autumn water made Mignis's heart skip a beat, and he almost forgot his own name.

She did not accept the business card in his hand, which represented wealth and status.

Seeing that he stood frozen in place without responding, she smiled politely, then turned her gaze back to Thunder City, which was awakening from the morning light, as if there was something more precious there than anything in the mortal world.

Clearly, that practiced movement wasn't the first time she had refused.

Mignis's hand, holding the business card, froze in mid-air, and a sense of frustration welled up inside him.

But he was, after all, a seasoned businessman, and not one to be defeated by a single setback like a virgin. He quickly followed the woman's gaze into the distance, trying to find a new topic of conversation.

"Judging from your appearance, this must be your first time visiting Thunder City as well? It truly is a city full of wonders... Although this is my first time coming here by boat, I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time."

He carefully considered his words and asked tentatively.

"Excuse me for asking... are you traveling alone? Are you here to stay with relatives, or... visit friends?"

This time, the woman finally responded.

The sea breeze ruffled the strands of hair at her temples and also lifted the captivating curve of her lips, carrying her longing into the clamor of the sea.

"To be precise, I'm here to find my... sweetheart."

This word was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the small flame that had just ignited in Mignis's heart. But he still wouldn't give up; perhaps that so-called "sweetheart" was just an empty pretext, or perhaps just an ambiguous object of affection that hadn't been decided yet.

"Your sweetheart?" He raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise, his tone tinged with a hint of sourness and probing. "So, you're already engaged?"

"not yet."

The woman's answer made Mignis's eyes light up again, but her next words plunged him back into despair.

"But it came soon enough."

She spoke with such certainty, as if that man... or rather, his prey, was already hers to command, her possession.

That confidence and composure stirred a strong sense of jealousy in Mignis.

What kind of man could make such a stunning beauty so devoted to her that she would even travel across the ocean and come to this unfamiliar city alone?

"Can I find out who that lucky guy is?"

Mignis asked almost instinctively, his heart filled with resentment. He wanted to see which young talent in Thunder City could be more competitive than him.

He himself did not realize that he, who should have been as calm and composed as a towering mountain range, had actually become more than ten years younger and turned into a competitive teenager.

Desire and ambition can make you feel young.

The succubi of the Padridge family wield this mind-numbing power, spreading corruption as easily as breathing for them. Countless legends who once reigned supreme in Hell have become their captives... Only the madmen of the Colin family can pose a real challenge to them.

The pink-haired lady finally withdrew her gaze from the distance.

She turned around, and for the first time, she looked directly at the young businessman. The smile in her eyes deepened, carrying a hint of unfathomable cunning.

"Mr. Colin."

That heartless bastard seems to be having too much fun lately and has forgotten all about hell.

As someone's nominal boss, let her add a harmless touch to this scoundrel's script.

Colin?

Mignis paused for a moment, his mind blank for a brief time, before quickly searching for the surname in the list of "distinguished people" in Thunder City.

There may be many gentlemen with the surname Colin in this city, but only one can be mentioned in this way.

That "Prince Colin," who supposedly wielded immense power in the empire and was even treated as an honored guest by Archduke Edward.

A wave of helpless despair washed over Mignis, and he stumbled back a few steps, just like everyone else who had come here only to be ruthlessly driven away.

She turned out to be Mr. Colin's lover...

If his opponent were another wealthy merchant, or even a fallen nobleman, he certainly wouldn't give up so easily. It doesn't matter if he can't catch up; he can just wait in line.

However, if his opponent is that legendary prince, and he doesn't even have the thought of taking the game, then they are simply not even in the same league.

He might really be heartbroken.

The sound of the passenger ship's horn as it docked jolted Mignis out of his daze.

The ship had docked, and the woman who had been standing on the deck was nowhere to be seen; no one knew when she had left.

Passengers carrying suitcases had already formed a long queue in front of the gangway, their heads held high and their eyes shining, ready to charge into the thriving market before them.

Although Prince Colin's sex scandals had nothing to do with them, they believed that through their own hard work, they could definitely carve out their own paradise here.

Upon hearing that Campbell's great justice and the common people would govern his duchy together, the common people on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea were in an uproar.

Unlike the newly emerging concepts of "nation" and "sovereignty," "republic" is not unfamiliar to the common people of the continent of Os. Many city-states and autonomous cities are republics. However, a republic within a single country is unprecedented on the continent of Os.

This is the first time in history.

Watching the figure disappear into the depths of the crowd, Mignis felt not only disappointment but also a strange sense of sympathy.

Not to himself.

It was directed at Princess Irene.

He remembered the rumors that the princess of the Campbell family also seemed to have a close relationship with Prince Colin, and that their marriage was supported by Grand Duke Edward.

But if it's an opponent with such stunning beauty and cunning...

Her Highness is probably in big trouble.

...

Of course, the young lady of the Padridge family didn't have to queue up to disembark with the passengers, not to mention that she was now a Gold-level powerhouse.

Standing on the stone-paved road in the harbor, Mia narrowed her peach-blossom-like eyes and looked around, searching for the signpost leading to the maze.

Unfortunately, Thunder City is now even more decadent than the hellish city of Demon City, and few adventurers venture into the labyrinth anymore.

If you can earn money honestly, who would want to risk their life as a temporary worker?

In particular, since Archduke Edward's focus had long since shifted away from the "leaderless" labyrinth, these adventurers, who brought their own provisions, were certainly no match for the Demon King.

Even the bravest adventurer couldn't beat Missy's little finger.

Taking advantage of the Demon King's inattention, they would smuggle some mysterious potions to the Misty Town on the fourth floor of the labyrinth, or pick up herbs that the night elves wouldn't want in the Misty Forest.

The potion ingredients are usually collected by the Adventurers' Guild in Misty Town. And that Adventurers' Guild, like the church in Silverpine Town, has long been infiltrated by the Demon King's influence.

These are all things written in the report that the Demon King submitted to the Demon King Management Division.

And now, Mia has seen it with her own eyes, and it is indeed so.

Today, the port of Thunder City is filled with the stench of coal dust and sweat, and the air is humid and sticky, like the white mist exhaled by a steam engine.

If it were an ordinary lower-level succubus, she might like this aura full of desire, but could the succubi of the Padridge family be those vulgar, seductive, and cheap bastards?

Mia just found it noisy.

The thought that "poor little Luo Yan" had to become a demon king in such a terrible environment instantly dissipated half of the resentment that had been building up in Mia's chest, replaced by a slight pang of heartache.

That's so pitiful!

A sharp-eyed coachman had already noticed the elegantly dressed lady.

Seeing that no one came to pick her up, he immediately brought the carriage over eagerly, took off his hat, and performed a less-than-perfect greeting.

"Excuse me, madam, where are you going?"

Mia glanced around and, seeing no "Gorilla cars" commonly seen in Shanghai, spoke softly, adopting a "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" attitude.

"I'm looking for Mr. Colin. Do you know where to find him?"

In Thunder City today, Prince Colin's reputation is known to all, and there is no need to say his full name.

The coachman's smile instantly became even more solicitous, and he immediately opened the carriage door, while at the same time, the door to gossip in his mind was opened as well.

"Of course, everyone in this city knows where His Highness is!"

Mia got into the car.

The carriage wheels rolled over the stone-paved road, crossed a tributary of the flowing river, and soon came to a stop in front of a manor surrounded by greenery.

Mia casually tossed a gold coin to the coachman; it was a huge sum enough to buy his carriage.

Before the coachman could recover from his blissful surprise, the elegant and dignified lady had vanished from the carriage like lightning.

He didn't even see how she walked away.

The servants on duty at the manor gate didn't realize that they weren't powerful superhumans; they only guarded against honest people, not scoundrels.

A pink lightning bolt shot fiercely through the iron gate, sending a chill down Nanfu's spine as he sat reading under the hedge.

What's going on?!

Mia did not knock.

The reason she didn't use the Demon King's Management Division's teleportation array and endured the sea's turbulence and the carriage's shaking like an ordinary human was all for the sake of this perfect strike!

This is a real "surprise inspection." My boss is going to investigate thoroughly, whether it's the Demon King's problem or Miss Vivian's educational background!

What's wrong with this guy?!

She clings to her older brother all day and doesn't even study anymore!?

Does the Principality of Colin want an illiterate prince?! Besides, she's not just a future princess, but also the Minister of War two hundred years from now!

The Padridge family cannot accept such an incompetent official!

The terrified servants tried to stop her, but were too intimidated to move by the aura of a high-ranking demon emanating from Miss Padridge.

certainly--

They weren't entirely intimidated by the aura of the high-ranking demon; some were also frightened by the familiar pink hair.

These demons all come from Shanghai. Others might not recognize the eldest daughter of the Padridge family, but they all do.

They had also heard about the dance she had performed with the Demon King.

Thanks to the Padridge family's machinations, that birthday banquet became a sensational scandal in Shanghai, and also a symbol of the alliance between the Thunder County Demon King and the Padridge family.

The sound of high heels echoed through the corridor. Mia searched the bedroom and study but found no one there, nor in the entryway or basement. Dejected, she turned and headed to the back garden.

The afternoon sun was filtering through the leaves and dappling the lawn. Luo Yan was sipping his black tea and sighing, while Vivian was carefree, stuffing cookies into her mouth.

"Brother, why are you sighing?"

"I was thinking..." Luo Yan glanced at the white clouds in the sky, watching them being gently moved by the wind, "What was bound to happen has finally happened."

Perhaps he has truly awakened the divine power of his words becoming law; otherwise, why would the very thing he fears most come to pass?

The only thing he couldn't understand was why they went to the bedroom and study, but to the basement to look for him. If they really wanted to hide, they could have easily gone back into the maze; why would they need to hide in the basement?

Vivian tilted her head, not yet realizing the seriousness of the problem, until the unpleasant scent of perfume entered her nose, causing her delicate eyebrows to furrow.

"Tsk...how come a bug flew in?" she muttered under her breath, then popped another cookie into her mouth, crunching loudly as if venting her dissatisfaction at having her leisure time disturbed.

She had finally completed her brother's task, and now it was time for a reward. Couldn't she just enjoy some quiet time alone with him?

She even went out of her way to get rid of Nanfu.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Youyou was already rolling around on the grass, laughing so hard she almost choked. In a sense, the Demon King's ability to keep a straight face was precisely what this burden had helped him develop.

At the same time, a pair of fair hands pried open the hedge, and then a grumpy head popped out from behind it.

Her pink hair was covered with leaves, and her silk skirt was torn by branches.

There was no trace of elegance left on her face, only a devilish grin and a murderous aura that seemed to want to tear a vampire apart.

"Mia?"

Seeing the uninvited guest who "suddenly" appeared beside the bushes, Luo Yan's hand holding the teacup froze in mid-air, his face showing just the right amount of surprise.

"..."

Mia, who was pursing her lips, was about to speak.

However, the moment her eyes met those deep purple eyes, the last bit of resentment that had been piling up in her chest vanished like spring water into her heart-shaped pupils.

"Why are you here?" Luo Yan put down his teacup, the surprise on his face gradually turning into concern. "Are you... alright?"

"I...I'm fine..."

It's actually not good at all.

With her face flushed, Mia subconsciously loosened the hedge she had pried open, only then realizing that her current appearance was not elegant enough, and wanted to tidy up her messy hair.

However, Miss Padridge had clearly forgotten her current predicament.

Her index finger had barely touched the end of her hair at her temple for less than a second when it was suddenly caught between the closing hedges and slapped in the middle.

Snap—

Luo Yan never expected that his old classmate from the Demon King Academy would be trapped by two hedges. It wasn't until Mia screamed when her skirt got caught that he remembered to use magic to save her.

"Kuku—Hahahaha!"

Vivian, unable to contain herself any longer, burst into laughter. This time, she forgot all about restraint and elegance, and almost laughed so hard she hid under the table.

Mia, whose anger had subsided slightly, was reignited by the unrestrained laughter.

She ripped off the tattered half of her skirt and flipped herself up from the ground.

Miss Padridge no longer concealed her strength, even revealing the tip of her heart-shaped tail, which swayed under the upturned hem of her skirt.

Looking at those pale, white thighs and the bulging, full breasts, Vivian, who had been bursting into laughter just a moment ago, suddenly stopped laughing.

Her small face was tense, her eyes were more serious than ever before, and even her legs, which were wearing long stockings, were nervously twisted together.

I never expected this succubus to be so cunning!

We've fallen for their trap!

Fortunately, the demons of the Padridge family could never fathom the thoughts of the demons of the Colin family, otherwise Mia's anger would probably have increased even more.

Unable to cope with the nervousness that came from looking into Luo Yan's eyes, Mia could only vent her pent-up anger on a certain gloating brat.

"Colin!!"

Her voice rose a full eight octaves, her eyes fixed on Vivian as if she wanted to nail her to a cross with her gaze.

"Tsk, I didn't run away, why are you yelling so loudly?"

Vivian casually popped a cookie into her mouth, but her eyes darted around, trying to figure out where she could get her brother to save her too.

Unfortunately, there were no such traps at Colin Manor; her brother simply didn't take his personal safety seriously enough.

Seeing that Vivian showed no remorse and her eyes were still wandering around, Mia gritted her teeth and said, word by word.

"I remember when you were allowed to use the Demon King's Administration Division's teleportation array, you said you just wanted to take a peek at your brother's territory from afar and didn't want to go directly and disturb him, so you didn't use the Demon King's territory's teleportation array... But what do you mean by skipping school? I never heard of you staying here. What a waste of my kindness, I actually felt sorry for you for a moment!"

Vivian, who was eating a cookie, froze.

Her eyes darted around, and with half a cookie still dangling from her mouth, she turned her head away guiltily, whistling a clumsy tune, her mouthful of cookie crumbs fertilizing the lawn.

She was indeed in the wrong.

Even with her thick skin, Vivian still felt a little embarrassed when faced with such a direct accusation that exposed her lies.

Until that word got into her ears.

Skipping school?

joke!

As if grasping at a lifeline, Vivian jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, putting into practice the Demon King's teaching of "concentrating superior forces to attack weak points."

"Skipping school? Watch your words, Miss Padridge. Skipping school means not going without permission! I asked for permission!"

She put her hands on her hips, as if it were Nanfu who had knelt on the ground begging for mercy just a few days ago.

Mia was shocked by her twisted logic, her mouth agape.

"Does your father... no, your grandfather know about this?"

Vivian became even more smug upon hearing this, and put her hands on her hips with an air of self-righteousness.

"He said I did a great job and didn't embarrass myself!"

Mia: "???"

Luo Yan: "..."

unbelievable.

This is absolutely incredible!

Councilor Luo Yan silently took a sip of black tea, watching the tea leaves rise and fall in the cup, and couldn't help but worry about the future of Hell.

It seems the devils of Shanghai are truly beyond saving.

Aren't these demons doing anything else but making excuses for their depravity?

Credit systems and winter break assignments probably won't save them; only a radical change can rouse these second-generation devils.

However, Luo Yan suddenly changed his mind and thought that he, as a councilor of Shanghai who didn't care about the life or death of the goblins in Shanghai and spent all his time in the human world, didn't seem to have the right to talk about his fellow townsmen who were far away in Shanghai.

At least they didn't buy a house in the holy city.

Emmm...

All right.

Since the most depraved person is oneself, then it's not a big problem.

Thanks to Councilor Luo Yan's profound reflection on his own problems, the second-generation rich kids in Shanghai can finally breathe a sigh of relief, instead of having to endure the same rain that the "orphans of the temple" had endured.

Seeing that she couldn't win the argument with this shameless brat on "academic" issues, Mia took a deep breath and decided to put pressure on her "owner".

She adopted a serious tone and looked intently at Luo Yan, who was silently drinking tea.

"Luo Yan!"

"I am here."

Mia was taken aback, not understanding the response, but she wasn't distracted and pressed on to the point.

Do you think this is right?

Luo Yan subtly shifted his gaze.

“I… in principle oppose it, and I plan to write to Prince Colin about it. But you know, how can a mere member of parliament like me have any say in the Minister of the Army? Besides, Vivian’s studies are an internal matter for the Colin family.”

Councilor Luo Yan's business in Blackwind Fortress still relies on Caesar Colin's support, so he really has no reason to drive Vivian away.

Besides, there's no point in driving them away.

As everyone knows, blowing up a latrine won't make the excrement disappear; it will only make it proliferate. Luo Yan would never do something so foolish; he believes in channeling rather than blocking.

Rather than sending Vivian back so she could sneak back, it's better to keep her in this manor, at least under his watchful eye.

This place is no different from a large cemetery.

The church that Vivian kept clamoring to blow up had long been replaced by his own ghouls, and the priests and nuns who used to live there had all happily moved to the big and beautiful new church.

As for the nearby vineyards, wineries, and other properties, he had already bought them all in the name of Prince Colin.

In exchange for agreeing not to drive Vivian away, Vivian also reached a gentleman's agreement with him that she would hide with Nanfu when Eileen came here, and not meet with her "family".

Besides the neckless dwarves who can smell the scent of vampires, Eileen, who has become a vampire herself, can also smell it.

Besides, it was his "master".

Seeing Luo Yan's predicament, Mia lowered her head and whispered.

“I, I’m not talking about Vivian’s education. What I mean is, don’t you think it’s dangerous to have a human and a vampire living under the same roof? You know the Colin family members are all a bit dim-witted. What if… she loses control?”

She wasn't a unreasonable woman, and she could understand Luo Yan's difficulties.

As a helpless human being, to survive in a place like Shanghai, where wolves lurk, one must be adept at navigating the complex relationships between various powerful forces.

However, despite this, the sour smell of vinegar still wafted from her, almost drifting out of the garden.

Looking at Mia muttering to herself, Luo Yan couldn't help but ponder.

Wouldn't saying the Colin family is stupid in front of them really cause a conflict between the Padridge and Colin families?

However, although that's what he thought, Miss Colin didn't find it offensive; she just thought she'd heard a very funny joke.

Vivian puffed out her chest, a smug, arrogant look on her face, and announced triumphantly.

"Kukuku... You don't need to worry at all! My brother is very strong, I haven't eaten him yet!"

The air in the garden froze for three seconds.

Mia's expression first changed from bewilderment to astonishment, then to disbelief and shock, and finally to a scream that broke her.

"You actually did it?!"

(End of this chapter)