On the stretch of road from the Knight House tower to Lover's Bridge, Robert successfully dodged the patrols of a large number of Golems, greatly lowering his guard against them.
Although he had the painful experience of being chased by Golems before, if everyone could learn from their mistakes, the world would be full of smart people.
Moonlight poured in from outside, clamping between the walls on both sides of the corner to form a triangular shadow.
Robert watched the approaching Golem, hastily held his breath, and curled his body into the shadow with all his might.
But an action as self-deceiving as burying one's head in the sand was naturally destined to fail.
That Golem model, known as a "Light Cavalry," stood about two meters tall and was half a meter to a meter wide. It was fully covered in light armor, and its lower half primarily consisted of wheels, though it also had assembled spider legs.
The "Light Cavalry" moved quite fast, and the stickiness on its spider legs allowed it to adhere to the Castle walls!
This meant it could truly "walk on walls"!
The primary weapons of the "Light Cavalry" were dual swords, and the unit before him was no exception. Its waist axis was a 360-degree rotating disc. Its most adept ultimate move was the "Bladestorm," formed by extending its dual swords and spinning its waist!
Unlike the "Heavy Cavalry," which possessed a "paralysis gem" on its forehead, the Light Cavalry had no ranged magic skills.
It typically used its spider legs to assist in suppressing enemies, forcing them to surrender without killing them.
"Do not kill creatures other than Magic Guide Spirits" was an ironclad law engraved into the core of all Golems.
Therefore, students didn't have to worry about being killed by Golems.
What they needed to worry about were the school rule punishments and confinement they were destined to face after being caught.
Robert definitely did not want to be put in confinement!
But as he shivered in fear, the Golem didn't turn away at all; it walked straight toward him.
Moreover, it was gradually accelerating, getting faster and faster.
By the time Robert realized something was wrong, the Golem had already drawn its dual swords and was sweeping toward him like the wind!
"Fuck!" Robert's face instantly filled with terror.
He immediately lunged outward, fleeing frantically with his head covered.
At this moment, he naturally couldn't care less whether Virt discovered him or not.
Although Golems theoretically "stopped before dealing a fatal blow," no one would truly leave their life up to a Golem's internal circuitry when pointed at by a blade!
Who knew if these ancient relic Golems would malfunction at a critical moment?
With his path blocked, Robert could only run toward Lover's Bridge.
But just as he got on the bridge, he suddenly realized—why was this scene so familiar?
"Fuck! The last time I was caught was also here!"
Robert abruptly raised his head and looked at the other end of the bridge.
Last time, it was precisely because two Golems had occupied both ends of the bridge, trapping them on it, that they had nowhere to run.
Would another Golem appear on the other end this time as well?
"No, it won't! Virt is still over there. He hasn't made a single sound, so he definitely hasn't been caught..."
In his anxiety, Robert completely failed to realize how strange it was that Virt "hasn't made a single sound."
In this critical moment, he drew a Magic Guide Card from the card pouch he carried and quickly chanted a Normal Summoning spell in his heart.
As white light shone from the Magic Guide Card, a hideous ratman, standing upright on two legs and as tall as a person, appeared behind him.
This Magic Guide Spirit named "Cyborg Ratman" had a crude mechanical structure on its left side and rotting flesh on its right. It carried a tank full of acid on its back and wielded a massive acid sprayer in its hands.
[Card Name: Cyborg Ratman]
[Type: Spirit Card]
[Level: ??]
[Race: Mechanical Species]
[Attribute: Steel-type]
[Magic: 900]
[Attack: 900]
[Defense: 800]
[Ultimate Move: Acid Spray]
Under its master's command, the ferocious Cyborg Ratman hoisted its acid sprayer and unleashed a wild torrent at the "Light Cavalry" charging head-on.
However, the highly corrosive acid merely slid off the "Light Cavalry's" body like water, failing to deal any damage whatsoever.
The level difference between the two sides was simply too immense!
Robert didn't even need to turn his head to know this would be the result. In fact, this had already been proven the last time in this exact same place.
Back then, his Cyborg Ratman couldn't even last a single round. Using the rotational force of its waist axis, the "Light Cavalry" sliced open its abdomen with dual swords, bisecting it in an instant!
History repeats itself.
This time... the Cyborg Ratman relived history once more.
Watching the light from the bisected Cyborg Ratman's screams swiftly return into the Magic Guide Card, Robert felt neither sorrow nor joy, only terror.
The time the Cyborg Ratman had bought was even shorter than he had imagined.
And if he wanted to summon the next Magic Guide Card, he would have to wait for the cooldown to finish.
"Virt!"
In his anxiety, Robert shouted in panic.
This was both a plea for help and a warning.
He didn't know if Virt hadn't noticed the commotion because he was lost in a sweet embrace, but he had to make him aware.
Whether to assist or flee afterward would be entirely up to Virt himself.
But there was still no sound coming from the other end of the bridge.
"Could it be that Virt has already been caught in this short time?"
The moment this thought arose, Robert's brain nearly short-circuited.
"Don't tell me he ran into a Dragon Cavalry?"
Despair invaded his mind.
At the third-floor window.
Dark observed Robert on the bridge from a bird's-eye view.
Even now, he wasn't entirely certain if Robert had been parasitized by the vampire.
Theoretically, what they were doing tonight could very well be a futile effort.
But if this possibility could be ruled out, the likelihood of the other option would greatly increase.
After that, they would have to shift their focus to searching for the Blood Princess.
In short, food had to be eaten one bite at a time, and investigations had to be taken one step at a time.
For now, it was best to quietly enjoy the show.
The thing Robert feared most did not happen.
After slaying the Cyborg Ratman, the "Light Cavalry" Golem failed to catch up to him immediately.
He successfully ran to the other end of the bridge.
And he didn't find any Golems lying in wait on this side.
Yes...
Although Virt Gold and his girl were nowhere to be found for some reason.
It was safe here!
"Phew!"
Just as Robert was about to rejoice, he subconsciously turned his head, wanting to see where the "Light Cavalry" had chased him to.
But this backward glance nearly scared the soul out of him!
Down the corridor where the "Light Cavalry" was, at least a dozen Golems were converging!
"Did I kick a hornet's nest or something?"
Looking at the differently shaped Golems, Robert really wanted to bash his head against a wall and end it all.
Among that group of Golems, not only was there the agile "Light Cavalry," but also the defense-specialized "Heavy Cavalry," as well as a small Golem used for scouting and tracking—the "Beetle"!
The "Beetle" model Golem was barely half a meter tall. Its petite body was mainly a disc resembling a cleaning robot, and a retractable structure extending from the center of the disc acted as its neck.
At the top of the neck was a round head with two protrusions that looked like a bug's compound eyes.
Aside from increasing its field of vision, those two compound eyes could also record video.
The gem between its brows was used for alarms and summoning companions.
The moment it detected its target, the "Beetle" Golem would emit a "biu biu biu" alarm sound, calling all nearby Golems over.
And beneath the "Beetle's" disc were four rotating wheels, along with slender spider legs normally stored inside the disc.
Though those spider legs couldn't support it to stick to walls, they could be used to traverse most complex terrains.
Once targeted by a "Beetle," it was incredibly difficult to escape.
But in reality, there weren't many small "Beetle" Golems; most were deployed near the secret passage entrances.
While the "Beetle" certainly put Robert on edge, what truly terrified him was the "Dragon Cavalry" mixed in among the Golem crowd!
Wielding a greatsword, the Dragon Cavalry was like a god of war, exuding an aura of utter despair.
Scared half to death, Robert didn't dare stay any longer and began sprinting forward like a madman.
His running speed was indeed quite fast; the Golems behind him actually couldn't catch up—at least, that was what he thought!
Robert fled for his life.
Thanks to his past few experiences, he was already quite familiar with the terrain here.
Relying on his excellent stamina, he genuinely managed to shake off the Golems behind him.
Seeing the Golems behind him gradually fade from view, he abruptly ducked into a corner, leaning his back against the wall while gasping for air.
It was only then that he suddenly remembered: "So, where the hell did Virt go?"
While pondering, he snapped his head up.
The Castle's towering walls entered his vision as if piercing straight into his brain.
The entire corridor was incredibly empty, surrounded by deathly silence, as the deep chill of the night seeped into his bones.
Robert's mind settled, yet he suddenly felt the loneliness and terror of being completely alone in this massive Castle!
But at this moment, he finally displayed the bravery of a Knight House student.
Mustering the courage to face his fears, Robert pushed against the wall and slowly stood straight.
"So, what should I do next?"
"Should I go find Virt, or return to the tower?"
But just as he stood upright, he suddenly noticed a dark shadow spilling in from the side.
A frequently flashing red light shone into his eyes.
A "Beetle" had silently appeared at the corner.
"Biu biu biu—"
The "Beetle's" alarm blared, spreading to the surroundings almost instantly.
Then, Robert directly felt the rustling rolling sounds coming from all directions.
That swarm of Golems was back!
Robert was forced to start running again.
Immediately after, he fell into an endless loop of fleeing, fleeing, and fleeing!
Meanwhile, far behind him.
Trailing behind the tide of Golems.
Virt, who had been frightened to the point of doubting his own existence by Magic Beast: Ditto, was acting meek and submissive, not daring to utter half a word of complaint.
Because the person standing next to him was Professor Silf!
Professor Sarah Silf walked behind the Golems with a solemn expression. Pale green winds blew in continuously from the front, swirling around her ears and the corners of her eyes.
Despite the vast distance, Robert and his surroundings were under her complete control at every moment.
Virt really wanted to ask her what on earth she was doing.
But seeing Professor Silf so entirely focused, he didn't dare interrupt.
It wasn't until nearly half an hour later that he finally couldn't hold back anymore. "Professor, the person those Golems are chasing... is it Robert?"
However, Professor Silf didn't refuse to answer as he had imagined. "That's right, it's Robert."
Gathering his courage, Virt asked, "Why?"
By this point.
He had roughly deduced that the "girl" hadn't lured him out for his sake, but rather to indirectly bait Robert out!
But what bait value did Robert have?
Although he knew it was wrong to think this way, in that fleeting moment, Virt truly thought so.
Professor Silf glanced at him and said calmly, "We suspect that Vampire Vlad is parasitizing Robert's body."
They hadn't told Virt about this in the beginning, fearing that his poor acting skills might accidentally leak the secret.
But now that the plan was already in motion, there was no harm in letting him know.
"Vampire Vlad? Impossible, how could it hide inside Robert's body..."
Virt's immediate reaction was to deny it, but upon closer thought, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
During the period from Christmas until now, Robert had indeed displayed some abnormalities.
Others might not have felt it.
But he and Robert were inseparable, making him the most aware of Robert's changes.
Thinking back on it now.
Some esoteric knowledge that should have been obscure would always slip from Robert's mouth.
Robert, who had no redeeming qualities other than physical stamina, suddenly possessed a talent for divination.
Robert, whose head used to ache at the mere sight of text, was now able to calm down and read books.
Even his requests to play Magic Guide Chess had become moderated!
No matter how he looked at it, the current Robert was like a completely different person from his past self!
Virt couldn't help but murmur, "So you're saying, the reason Dark suddenly started playing Magic Guide Chess with Vampire Vlad's piece a while ago was also because of this?"
"No," Professor Silf replied, "that's a separate matter entirely."
"There's another matter?"
For some reason, Virt suddenly felt like a newborn child, living in swaddling clothes and knowing absolutely nothing about the world.
Professor Silf didn't elaborate on that other matter with him. Instead, she asked, "You don't seem to be overly surprised that a vampire is hiding inside Robert's body?"
Virt scratched his head. "I just feel like the signs were all there."
"Is that so?" Professor Silf said. "Then it seems we might truly gain something tonight..."
Some time later.
Professor Silf's eyebrow suddenly twitched, and she spoke, "Kazel, are you certain?"
At the Castle's third floor.
Trailing Robert from directly above, Professor Kazel's eyes were shining brightly.
Standing beside him, Dark excitedly asked, "Professor, did you sense it?"
Professor Kazel smiled. "Yes, just a moment ago, a trace of blood aura leaked from Robert's position! Make no mistake, it's the vampire!"
____
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on (P). with 50 advanced chapters available on (P)
👻 Join the crew by searching Leanzin on (P). You know the spot! 😉