"I finally did it. Immortality. Eternal life."
I was never afraid of dying.
What truly terrified me was the unknown darkness that comes after death.
Ever since I was a child, that fear haunted me—cold, endless, and suffocating. I didn't know why. I just knew I couldn't let it take me. So I searched. Desperately.
Eastern cultivation, Western sorcery. Science. Superstition. I would take anything that could save me from that endless dark.
And I found it.
Vampires.
Elegant, cursed wanderers of the night.
Today, I am reborn. Today is the first day of my new life as a vampire.
Maybe someday I'll forget the birthday I had as a human, but I'll never forget this one—my *true* birthday.
The moment the transformation settled in, I stood before the mirror and touched my new fangs—like a father stroking a newborn's face. Who says vampires cast no reflection?
The old vampire had to give me thirteen drops of his blood before I turned. Thirteen—he seemed pleased by the number. He said turning a white or Black human took only one drop, but I, an Asian, had stronger resistance. Even with thirteen, it took over ten days for the change to manifest.
Still, I wasn't complaining. More blood meant more power.
Though... I had no idea how powerful that vampire really was, or how far his bloodline went. That part—terrified me.
I'd been preparing for this for years. The right gear, the rituals, the research. And now? I threw myself into the vampire identity with reckless passion. I dreamed of immortality, of knowledge, of power. Of worship and fear.
That fantasy? It lasted exactly three months.
---
One afternoon, someone knocked on my door. I was in deep sleep and definitely not happy. Woken in broad daylight? Not something any vampire enjoys.
I opened the door. A middle-aged man stood there, dressed in a suit, his long hair tied back, a faint smile on his lips.
"Who are you looking for?" I snapped.
He looked me over slowly, eyes gleaming with something like obsession.
"You," he said.
"I don't know you," I frowned, reaching for the door.
"But I know you." His voice was calm, unhurried. "I heard vampires were supposed to be elegant hosts. You're making me stand outside?"
My eyes flashed red. I threw a punch that could shatter a wall.
A shimmering green barrier flared to life, stopping my blow mid-air with a gentle ripple.
Before I could react, a vase flew off the side table toward his head. One of my new powers: telekinesis.
The barrier pulsed again. The vase bounced off like a rubber ball.
I leapt back and morphed into a bat, darting toward the window. Freedom.
Nope. The window shimmered green. The glass turned to solid stone.
I slammed into it and dropped to the floor, dizzy.
When I came to, I was trapped inside a glowing emerald sphere. The man was now sitting on my couch, sipping tea.
"If you could break out of my energy sphere," he said, "my seven centuries of cultivation would've been for nothing. Admit it—you're impressed."
I nodded my bat head miserably. What choice did I have?
---
The barrier faded. I shifted back into human form and sighed, pouring two cups of tea. He took one happily.
"Now that's more like it," he said. "Proper manners."
I didn't answer. "What do you want?"
Instead, he asked, "What do you think vampires and Chinese jiangshi have in common?"
I blinked. "Not sure. But from what I've seen... there's definitely a connection."
"Exactly." He smiled. "I'm Lian Feng. Elder of the Dianxi Divine Sect."
I shook his hand. "Liu Lei. Vampire."
"We've studied forbidden arts for centuries," he continued. "One technique—creating Zombie Kings using energy cultivation and rare herbs. A Zombie King gains enhanced powers and can even walk in sunlight."
My heart skipped.
Sunlight?
Lian Feng's eyes sparkled. "I always wondered... what if we used a vampire as the base? It might rival a cultivator with five hundred years of training. The problem? Vampires are rare in China. Until I found you."
He leaned forward.
"So? Interested in becoming a Zombie King?"
I hesitated. The temptation... was overwhelming. Sunlight. Power. Freedom.
But I asked the important question: "If I do this, will I lose my mind? My identity?"
"No," he said firmly. "But the process is risky."
"How long?"
"Six months. Maybe more. Depends on your potential."
I looked down, thinking hard. Then I said, "Fine. I'll do it. But I have conditions."
"Go on."
"I won't join your cult. I want my freedom. After the process, I go where I want, do what I want. If your sect's in danger, I might help—*might*—but I'm not your puppet."
He grinned. "Agreed. You're a test subject, not a soldier."
Still... he agreed too quickly. I didn't trust it.
"I need to call my parents," I said.
"You care about human parents?" he asked, surprised.
"I just want to walk them to the end of their road."
"You never thought of turning them? Giving them immortality?"
I gave him a look. "Holy water's good for Christians. Doesn't mean it works for Muslims."
I called my mom. "Hey, Mom. I'm fine. Heading to Yunnan for a work thing. Might be gone for six months. Don't worry, I'll call when I can. Love you."
I hung up.
"Let's go," I said.