"Grandfather, could you tell me your story?" Mu Qingyun looked up at the old man and asked softly, "About your... granddaughter?"
The old man's smile immediately faltered. His face turned pale, making him appear rather frightening.
"I apologize. I meant no offense," she said as she observed him. "But I will be staying here for a while. If you truly wish to help me, please tell me the truth."
The old man hesitated for a moment. Seeing the determination in her eyes, he finally let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Have you ever heard of the surname Dracula?"
Dracula?
It sounded familiar—she might have just come across it during her search.
"What about it?" she raised an eyebrow and asked calmly.
"Vampires are divided into different clans based on their surnames. The ones hiding and gathering here belong to the Dracula family," the old man said, shaking his head. His expression twisted with pain. "Our technological development is relatively backward here. Decades ago, a large number of vampires suddenly appeared. They took a liking to this place.
"Vampires feed on blood. The younger generation had already left for work elsewhere, leaving only us elders behind.
"My son died in an accident while constructing a building, and my granddaughter and I were left to depend on each other."
At the mention of his granddaughter, the old man's expression shifted noticeably. "She was such a sweet girl. Vampires hate those who hunt them, and naturally, they did not spare us either."
"You never asked the outside world for help?" Mu Qingyun rubbed her forehead. This world truly felt fantastical.
It was nothing like the one she came from in her past life. Strange abilities, inexplicable beastmen, and now these mysterious vampires—it all felt bizarre.
As if species had mutated during the course of evolution.
"Of course we did. Many people died here, but when the Planetary Defense Force came, it was useless. Vampires are clever and adept at hiding. No one could find them."
"Eventually, the survivors all left. I also wanted to leave with my granddaughter. But the night before we were to depart, a vampire came... and drained her of every drop of blood."
Growing increasingly agitated, the old man's eyes welled with tears. His fists clenched tightly. "My granddaughter was such a young and beautiful girl. She was ravaged—and in the end, she… she was reduced to a dried-up corpse!"
He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and let out a cold snort. "The Planetary Defense Force taught me how to resist vampires. They even gave me a kind of high-tech 'water' to splash on them if absolutely necessary."
"If you are the only one left here, and you cannot do anything about the vampires, why not leave?" Mu Qingyun asked quietly. "Also, yesterday you led me in circles for quite a while. Was that a maze formation used by ancient generals during wartime?"
The old man nodded. "Yes. My family has an ancient book, passed down from generals of old. I could not master the more complex formations, but I managed to learn the maze formation."
"As for why I have not left," he gave a bitter laugh, "I am just an old man with no family left. I might as well stay rooted here and wait for death. Besides, I discovered that those vampires lure young girls online, drawing them here, and then…"
He trailed off, but Mu Qingyun finally understood what he had hinted at earlier.
So, that was the reason.
"I have tried countless times to reach General Su, but I do not have the connections. Forget asking for his help—chances are, I will never even see him in my lifetime." The old man sighed and shook his head.
General Su?
"Su Qiluo?" Mu Qingyun asked.
"Yes. General Su possesses powerful light-based abilities. He would surely be able to wipe out those vampires completely!" As soon as he mentioned Su Qiluo, the old man's eyes lit up.
"But there are many people on the planet who have light abilities. Why are you so fixated on Su Qiluo?" she asked, puzzled. Light-based powers were rare, but not so rare that only one person could possess them.
"Ordinary light abilities are nothing compared to real sunlight. Only the most powerful light abilities can rival the sun," the old man replied.
Still, Mu Qingyun remained unconvinced. "How can you be sure? Su Qiluo may be powerful, but he is a dual-ability user."
"Strong light powers can soothe fatigue and have the same healing effect as plant-based abilities," the old man explained.
Healing?
Mu Qingyun's fingers twitched. She instinctively touched her palm. She had not realized that plant abilities could also be used for healing.
"Elder, you seem quite knowledgeable about plant abilities."
"My ancestors were well-known figures who left behind many books—not just on formations, but also on various abilities, including hidden ones," the old man said as he turned to walk toward the main house.
Mu Qingyun followed him without hesitation.
The main house was as simple as the one she lived in, except for a large bookshelf that took up the entire side wall. It was filled to the brim with books.
So many?
A spark of excitement flashed in her eyes. She rushed forward to look through the collection.
Seeing her like this, the old man chuckled. "Young lady, feel free to read whatever you like. Since you refuse to leave, stay and keep this old man company. I will do my best to protect you."
"Thank you." She offered a polite nod and immediately pulled out a book on formations, holding it in her hands as she began to read.
At first, she did not think much of it—until she started reading.
The formation book was incredibly detailed. The handwriting was unmistakable; she recognized it clearly. It was exactly the same as the strategist's from her past life. Most importantly, the final page of the book bore his signature!
"This book…"
"A handsome young man came by once. He really liked this book and even said he wanted to take it back."
The old man chuckled as if recalling something amusing. "I refused, of course. He even said something about not being able to reclaim what was his. Nonsense. This book was passed down to me from my father."
Handsome young man… could it be that the strategist had come here too?
Mu Qingyun clenched her fists.
The strategist knew many of her secrets. He knew she disguised herself as a man. He knew how scheming and ruthless she was.
But he was not normal either. Besides formations, he was fascinated with celestial phenomena and constantly talked about things like the alignment of nine stars.
Back then, she thought he was merely passionate. But looking back now, it all seemed bizarre.
And according to the old man's story, the strategist had arrived before she did. In fact, her arrival here might have been orchestrated by him.
"Young lady, are you all right?"
Perhaps it was the look on her face, but the old man regarded her with concern.
"I am fine," she said, shaking her head as she carefully placed the formation book back on the shelf.