Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Interrogation

This reminded Gu Zhongyan of the distinction between pureblood and half-blood vampires in the film "Blade." He recalled that pureblood vampires had skeletal structures entirely different from ordinary humans. It seemed that, apart from studying regular vampires, he ought to find two pureblood ones for research—perhaps he might discover something new.

However, before that, there was something he needed to clarify.

Late at night, the Hudson River flowed quietly under the moonlight. A black man in a trench coat leaned against a black Chevrolet, melding perfectly into the darkness—as if he were part of the tranquil landscape.

A soft splash shattered the silence.

A blonde woman, her face pale and her eyes lifeless—clearly on the verge of collapse—was tossed at Nick Fury’s feet.

Nick Fury’s brow furrowed; a flash of anger passed through his eyes as he turned to face Gu Zhongyan, who had just stepped out of the shadows.

“Wizard, I was hoping that, when you called to meet me, it wasn’t just to make me witness you torturing an innocent woman. If you can’t give me a satisfactory explanation, I doubt this conversation will end pleasantly.”

Sensing the sudden hostility in Fury, Gu Zhongyan let out a cold laugh and slowly pulled a UV counterfeit detector lamp from his coat.

“Oh, it seems we’re surprisingly in sync. I was about to say—if you can’t give me a satisfactory explanation for this, our conversation certainly won’t be pleasant either.”

With that, he flicked the switch. Violet light fell across Lilith’s face. A scream, mingled with the acrid stench of burning, enlivened this remote place.

In the blink of an eye, a charred mark appeared on Lilith’s once flawless features, standing out starkly against her pale skin.

Fury’s expression changed slightly. In an instant, he identified Lilith’s nature.

“Vampire?” Fury said.

Seeing Fury’s lack of surprise, Gu Zhongyan narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flickering within them. So, Fury had known all along that vampires existed in this world. It made sense—S.H.I.E.L.D. had eyes everywhere, and in the Marvel universe, vampires were far from subtle or formidable. If S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn’t even detect them, it would be the height of incompetence.

At that thought, anger flared within Gu Zhongyan. The dragonbone wand appeared in his hand as he gazed coldly at Nick Fury.

“I want an explanation, Fury. Don’t tell me that with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s resources, it’s impossible to wipe out these bloodsucking vermin. As long as you have the right methods, even an old woman could finish them off.”

“So tell me: Why, when S.H.I.E.L.D. claims to be the protector of humanity and Earth, knowing full well that vampires exist, did you choose not to eradicate them, but to let them be?”

“Answer me!”

With these last three words, Gu Zhongyan’s wand was aimed directly at the bald man before him.

Fury’s brow furrowed. Instinctively, he took a step back, his right hand finding its way to his hip holster.

But the worst did not come to pass. After that reflexive movement, Fury lowered his hand, dropping his guard.

“Because of an agreement. There was an accord between the vampires and the world’s highest authorities.”

Gu Zhongyan sneered. “Oh, really? Since when have you, Nick Fury, ever cared about what the world’s leaders think?”

“Don’t give me that nonsense about S.H.I.E.L.D. being overseen by the World Security Council. If you always followed orders, you wouldn’t have come to me for Muggle-Repelling Charms.”

“And don’t tell me those safehouses belong to S.H.I.E.L.D.—at least, I never found any record of S.H.I.E.L.D. contacting them.”

“So don’t try to deceive me. Give me the real reason. Don’t force me to fight you, Fury. You don’t want that, and neither do I.”

Fury scowled. “Because there was an agreement between the vampires and the highest authorities—”

“If you try to fob me off with that crap about an agreement one more time, believe me, I’ll show you what true regret feels like,” Gu Zhongyan said impatiently. The tip of his wand was glowing faintly, magic poised to strike.

“Motherf—can’t you just let me finish a goddamn sentence? You want a fight, is that it? Go ahead, blast my head off with your magic! See if I can’t put a bullet through yours first!”

Infuriated by Gu Zhongyan’s attitude, Fury erupted in curses. Two miniature submachine guns had appeared in his hands, both trained on Gu Zhongyan’s forehead and chest.

The tension, just beginning to subside, tightened once more.

This time, it was Gu Zhongyan who yielded first.

It wasn’t out of fear of Fury’s guns, but because Fury’s anger was proof enough that he truly wanted to explain.

Lowering his wand, Gu Zhongyan took a deep breath. “Fine, I’m sorry, that was my mistake. Forgive me for interrupting before you’d even finished. But I hope you’ll give me a complete explanation—without omission.”

With a cold snort, Fury also tucked his guns away, replying gruffly, “Let me repeat: I’ll give you the explanation you want. If you trust me, then don’t interrupt me again.”

“First of all, there really was an agreement between the vampires and the world’s leaders. That’s a fact, not an excuse.”

“Second, yes—I’ve known about the existence of vampires for a long time. Not just me; many people know about them. At the beginning, we wanted nothing more than to wipe these bloodsucking bastards from the face of the earth.”

“But in the end, we reached an accord. We tolerated the existence of vampires.”

Seeing Gu Zhongyan frown involuntarily, Fury hurried on, “Don’t get angry yet—let me finish.”

“There have been multiple wars between humans and vampires. In ancient times, they hid among us, unknown to all. But with modern technology’s advance, vampires could no longer conceal their existence.”

“By historical reckoning, the first time modern society discovered the vampire race was during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s,” Fury said.

“The Cuban Missile Crisis? What does that have to do with any of this?” Gu Zhongyan asked, perplexed.

The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962, during the Cold War’s hottest standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union. It began when, in 1959, the U.S. deployed Thor and Jupiter medium-range ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey. The Soviets, seeking to redress the balance, placed missiles in Cuba.

Though the crisis lasted only thirteen days, both sides hovered at the brink of nuclear annihilation.

But what did any of this have to do with vampires? Did they instigate the crisis? If so, shouldn’t humanity be even more determined to exterminate them?