Another thing that vampires feared was garlic, because the allicin in garlic could kill the viruses within a vampire's body. However, this killing power was far less potent than sunlight or silver ions.
Theoretically, an ordinary vampire would need to consume over ten catties of garlic to be completely killed. Therefore, garlic could only make vampires feel uncomfortable, and relying on it to fend off vampires was simply a joke.
Furthermore, the reproduction of these viruses required a large amount of fresh blood. Thus, vampires had to consume more than two liters of fresh blood daily to maintain their health; otherwise, they would fall into a state of weakness.
If deprived of blood supply for an extended period, vampires would weaken to the point of entering hibernation, remaining dormant until sufficient blood could awaken them.
Of course, if vampires wished to evolve, they would need to consume even more blood, and this blood had to be fresh.
Even with refrigerators and various preservation facilities, only blood within three days of collection was useful to vampires, as certain energies within the blood would dissipate once it left the human body.
Theoretically, vampires could sustain themselves by consuming animal blood, but they would not do so unless absolutely necessary.
On one hand, the energy contained in animal blood was far less than that in human blood.
On the other hand, animal blood had a peculiar odor that vampires found difficult to tolerate.
Another point was that vampires were an extremely proud race, with each vampire considering themselves superior.
Asking them to consume animal blood was akin to asking a human to eat tree roots and bark; while it could sustain life, it was incredibly demeaning.
The two vampires who appeared before Ali were named Bruce and Cheryl. They had only been vampires for a few years. They were servants of Count Draxler. Count Draxler was originally an ordinary vampire, sleeping in a subterranean tomb in a European castle.
In recent years, as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gradually revived, the subterranean tomb of the ancient castle formed a natural Yin gathering place. Thus, the sleeping Count Draxler's body was continuously strengthened, and he eventually awoke.
Upon waking, he discovered that times had changed. He then began a new life. To make his life more comfortable, he expended two drops of his primal blood to create these two new vampires, Bruce and Cheryl.
Primal blood, as it were, was the aggregate of the virus that created vampires, and it served as the vampires' source of energy.
The purer and more abundant the primal blood, the more powerful the vampire.
There was a saying that if a person bitten by a vampire survived, they would become a vampire, but this was merely a rumor.
The truth was that vampires had to inject primal blood into a person's body for them to become a vampire. Generally, vampires were unwilling to do this because each drop of primal blood was extremely precious. Every time they expended primal blood, their strength would significantly diminish, and they would need to consume a large amount of blood and spend a considerable amount of time to regenerate the viruses that constituted primal blood.
Count Draxler's reason for creating these two subordinates was primarily to have them find fresh blood for him.
In reality, vampires were also very discerning about their blood food. The energy contained in the blood of different humans varied.
For instance, the blood of strong adult males could quickly replenish a vampire's stamina, allowing the cells within their bodies to recover from hunger.
The nutrients contained in the blood of young women could effectively aid vampires in their evolution.
Furthermore, any race that lived long enough would develop eccentricities and perversions. In the eyes of vampire nobles, the blood of young women had a more exquisite taste.
The master of these two vampires, Count Draxler, had chosen to leave Europe a few years ago and move to America.
After all, Europe was a densely populated area. If they were to seek blood food in large quantities, the disappearance of a significant number of people in a region would attract the attention of certain organizations, such as the Inquisition of the Holy See.
Within those organizations were individuals who gave even vampires a considerable headache. They did not wish to be nailed to a cross and burned to death.
Conversely, across the ocean in the United States, the land was sparsely populated, people moved frequently, and the crime rate was high. As long as the disappearances were not concentrated in the same time and place, the vanishing of a hundred or so people would not attract any attention.
Six months prior, Count Draxler encountered Queen Bith of the Dark Altar, and they had a confrontation. Unexpectedly, Bith's abilities proved to be a counter to Count Draxler's.
To save his life, Count Draxler decided to submit to Bith and join the Dark Altar organization.
This time, Bith had received a commission from Gutteris to kill Aurora, and she dispatched Count Draxler to carry out the task.
Bith was well aware that if she were to engage Aurora in a direct confrontation, it would be difficult to gain an advantage. Only by dispatching a vampire to stealthily approach Aurora and launch a surprise attack with speed, aiming for a swift kill, could true results be achieved.
Count Draxler, along with his two subordinates, arrived at the camp in the afternoon. Amidst the crowd, they personally witnessed Ali display her prowess.
Count Draxler was extremely envious of this. He could sense the immense energy contained within the young girl. If he could consume her blood, his strength would undoubtedly increase significantly, and he might even break through his limitations and advance to the Prince level.
Therefore, he issued an order to his subordinates to find a way to capture the young girl. As for when the mission would be completed, it depended on his mood. Although he outwardly submitted to Bith, Bith did not possess the means to control him.
Cheryl had been keeping an eye on Ali, as a woman observing would not arouse suspicion. When she noticed Ali leaving the camp, she felt an opportunity had arisen. She quickly notified Bruce, and the two of them followed closely behind.
They seized the moment when Ali, after dealing with the brothers Ayu and Akun, was momentarily relaxed. They pulled the triggers of their net guns, firing specialized nets that ensnared Ali.
In their eyes, the blood of this young girl was absolutely delicious. Once they pleased Prince Draxler, they might even be rewarded with more primal blood, allowing them to evolve as well.
However, as they approached Ali, they discovered that she had stopped struggling.