I, a Mental Patient, Was Chosen to Participate in AnalogHorror-Chapter 542 - 508: Holding the Emperor to Command the Princes

The countess couldn’t help but praise again.

Originally disliking the taste of human blood, she found herself unable to resist licking the crimson corner of her mouth.

Actually, the taste of human blood a hundred years ago wasn’t so bad.

Back then, the blood had a smooth texture, was fine, had a slightly salty taste when it first hit the tongue, followed by a hint of sweetness on the back end.

But as people’s living standards improved, dining on rich meats and fish became commonplace.

That’s when the taste of human blood slowly started to worsen.

Thick, fishy, and grainy like a lump.

Especially the color, some people’s blood had turned from a beautiful bright red to a disgustingly dark black.

However, the countess felt the man before her, brimming with confidence, must have delectably wonderful tasting blood~

She was already picturing herself, after drinking his blood, elegantly wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

As for the young earl...

His eyes were fixed exclusively on Shi Shi.

She was so beautiful today...

Having been at the castle for quite some time, this was the first occasion on which the young earl had seen Shi Shi like this.

Her eyes and brows brimmed with an uncontrollable joy, despite a hint of subtle melancholy, yet it didn’t detract from her grace.

Today, she took the initiative to join me and my parents for dinner; could it mean she’s ready to accept me?

Thinking of this, the young earl was already indulging in fantastical thoughts of a bright future with Shi Shi.

Owing to their divergent thoughts, no one took the initiative to speak for a while.

At the same time the others were sizing up Jiang Xiao, he too was quietly observing them.

First, he noticed the little boy, eyes unblinking, staring intently at Shi Shi.

Is this brat coveting my Shi Shi?

Jiang Xiao couldn’t help but wonder if he should treat him to a "Heavenly Horse Meteor Chicken Fist."

Then there was the woman of dignified grace...

Must be the lovestruck boy’s mother.

The way she looked at him had the same desperate longing as her son’s gaze at Shi Shi; it was uncannily similar.

Is this old onion taking a liking to me?

Jiang Xiao felt a chill...

Admittedly, the matron carried herself well, but Jiang Xiao always had a preference for the younger ones.

Unless she offered him a hundred and eighty strange devices, only then might he consider it.

Lastly, Jiang Xiao’s gaze met with the earl’s.

So powerful...

Merely locking eyes, Jiang Xiao could sense the volcanic strength within the earl.

Even without a full eruption, the potent forces churning beneath the surface unnerved him.

Equivalent to perhaps seven or eight Steel Eggs, if not more.

He doesn’t look like any Old Bideng, so how did he train?

The earl, however, couldn’t pinpoint the source of the unsettling sensation he felt earlier.

Jiang Xiao, as a Chosen One, harbored a particularly unique manner of power manifestation, which earlier had stirred the earl’s sixth sense.

The earl glanced at his wife and the backfiring son.

Realizing they seemed oblivious to any nearby presence of a skilled fighter, he gradually let his guard down.

But...

Being an old fox, he preserved a measure of caution.

At the very least, he preferred to forego the present nourishment rather than risk even the slightest danger.

Those who live long know full well it doesn’t come down to who fights better but to who plays it safer.

"Young man, where are you from? And where are you headed?"

The earl said, pulling out a chair himself, gesturing for Jiang Xiao to sit and join them for dinner.

"I hail from the great Tang of the Eastern lands, venturing to the Western Heavens to seek scriptures."

Jiang Xiao took a seat unceremoniously and bluffed without batting an eyelid.

Not expecting his words to have such an effect, the Earl’s complexion changed instantly.

The Eastern Great Tang?

That wasn’t any land of virtue!

He had heard that there lived a group of sinister baldies who delighted in killing members of families like his to "accumulate merit."

Listen to that?

Was that even human talk?

What kind of genuine merit is accrued through murder?

"Oh? The Eastern Great Tang— I have a friend who does business there too."

With each word, the Earl grew more cautious. By this point, he had abandoned any malicious thoughts towards Jiang Xiao.

Mysterious origins—his strength unfathomable...

Though the Earl believed that no matter how strong a human was, it was unlikely they could stand against someone who had lived for hundreds of years like himself.

Still, living in a perilous world, striving to avoid any danger, had always been his life’s motto.

"Hehe, better lucky than early, I see a certain affinity with you, young brother. How about joining us for a family feast?"

Huh?

Just then, the Earl felt someone kick him under the table.

Could it be his wife?

At the moment, the Countess was making meaningful eye contact with him.

Why haven’t you taken action?

And now you’re calling to invite this "nourishment" to dine with our family?

"You, a woman of the household, what do you know? This youngster has an unclear background; he likely came here by himself, he’s not just some nourishment. Skipping one meal won’t kill us!"

The Earl responded with a look of his own.

Helpless.

The Countess could only grimace in discontent and continue eating the cold, raw meat cutlets.

It had been a long time since their family had feasted on fresh blood meal...

The last time they ventured out in search of nourishment, they hadn’t expected human technology to have advanced so quickly as to have methods to counter creatures like them.

Though they couldn’t be killed off for the time being, they mustn’t be wounded. Once injured, not to mention the large quantities of blood meal needed for the recovery of wounds, vengeful enemies would spare no effort in hunting them down.

However, since her husband had said that the origins and depth of this man were unclear, she had no choice but to swallow down her saliva.

"What sort of meat is this?"

Jiang Xiao leaned close to smell the plate the Earl had pushed in front of him— the scent was really not that appealing.

The same feeling as if it were zombie meat, no telling how long it had been frozen, only the taste of the seasoning remaining.

"Oh, this is a beef steak that we’ve had in storage for quite a long time."

Seemingly aware of the stale ingredients, the Earl clapped his hands, signaling the maid to prepare some fresh beef and lamb chops and to boil a pot of nourishing deer blood soup.

With clenched teeth, the Earl also ordered his treasured wines to be brought out for the guest to enjoy.

Fresh animal meat was not something they lacked.

What was actually on their plates... was meat procured from mortuaries or crematoriums.

The organs had been eaten long ago; the meat came from those who had either died of disease or old age, making it difficult to find any that tasted good or palatable.

Treasured wines?

Shi Shi shivered uncontrollably upon hearing this.

They were about to be exposed!

She wanted to grab her father and run away immediately, but she was also keenly aware of the unfathomability of the Earl and his wife, as well as the ferocity of the maids in the castle.

Moreover, the Young Earl, who sat opposite her, was ogling her and drooling like a lecherous man...

It was likely impossible for them to leave this dining room.

What if they simply denied everything later?

After all, there were no surveillance cameras in the castle...

Or...

Shi Shi’s eyes glinted with a cold, cunning light as she stared at the Young Earl.

Or, should a fight break out, she could take the Young Earl hostage in a lightning-fast move, using him to coerce the Earl and his wife into letting her and her father leave.

Without ruthlessness, one cannot stand firm!

Although Shi Shi was young, when it came to the number of people she had killed, it was likely not less than Jiang Xiao’s.