As evening approached, the sun had just set behind the mountains.
The square of Dawn City was packed with people.
Almost all residents had gathered. Whether fearful, uneasy, excited, or curious, everyone wanted to see what blood donation was and how it worked.
The world of Glory wasn't modern society. In the eyes of these commoners, extracting their own blood was an act of extreme evil.
Only demons would do such a thing.
Fortunately, the trust the residents of Dawn City had in the vampires had reached its peak. If this had happened when they first arrived, it would have certainly caused widespread panic.
Li De naturally wouldn't miss this historic moment.
He arrived at the square early.
By this time, several long tables had been set up in the center of the square, each adorned with various strange tools.
Sharp needles, porcelain jars for storing blood, hollow, opaque tubes, and more.
Although modern blood-drawing tools couldn't be manufactured, the existence of magic could meet some needs.
Though rudimentary, these blood-drawing tools had proven safe after months of experimentation.
As residents passed by, catching sight of Li De in his pure white mage robes, standing like a bluestone monument with an almost perfect demeanor, their initial panic quietly dissipated.
It seemed that merely seeing his towering figure in their line of sight gave them boundless courage.
This trust and admiration had been built over a long time, as solid as a mountain.
"Lord Kachar!"
"Lord Kachar, good evening."
"Good evening."
Li De nodded slightly in response to the crowd's respectful and admiring gazes.
He felt a measure of satisfaction.
These were all his personal assets.
"Good evening, my subjects.
Do not worry—blood donation is not an evil act. The Saintlight Vampires are the protectors of Dawn City, the great rulers safeguarding the common people.
You will not be harmed."
This statement had been repeatedly heard from the vampires when the commoners first arrived in Dawn City.
Now, hearing it directly from Li De, the surrounding crowd suddenly felt a strong sense of security.
It was this great being who had granted them a wonderful life.
Praise Lord Kachar! Praise the Saintlight Vampires!!
The crowd visibly relaxed. The master of this city, the great Lord Kachar, had never broken his promises.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of the crowd in the square, the Security Squad and Logistics Team arrived, wearing red armbands.
These two departments were now the largest in Dawn City, with the Security Squad numbering 300 and the Logistics Team 150.
The members of these departments were carefully selected residents who were extremely loyal to the vampires and to Dawn City.
Though they felt uneasy about this unprecedented and seemingly sinister act of blood donation, no one shrank back.
Because the great Lord Kachar was watching them, and as members of the City Hall, obeying his orders was their top priority—above even their lives.
Li De silently observed everything. When most of the residents of Dawn City had gathered, he ascended the central platform in the square with elegant yet firm steps, under the adoring gazes of all.
He began another speech.
"My subjects, I am your city lord, Kachar."
This sentence had become Li De's standard opening line, but it instantly ignited the crowd.
Many who had heard this before might not have felt anything, but after enduring the long and harsh Months of Deep Winter, their mindset had undergone a seismic shift.
Before coming to Dawn City, they could never have imagined living so comfortably during the cold winter.
Without Dawn City, they wouldn't have land, windproof houses, or an endless supply of food.
All of this had been bestowed upon them by this man—the great leader of the Saintlight Vampires, the Lord of Dawn!
"I know you're all confused—why are the Saintlight Vampires initiating a blood donation plan?"
Li De's deeply resonant voice echoed across the square of Dawn City.
"I know you feel fear, unease, and apprehension. Some of you may even think the Saintlight Vampires are showing their fangs and targeting humans?"
This blunt remark instantly made many in the crowd feel guilty—they indeed harbored such thoughts after hearing the news.
Especially those who had arrived in Dawn City during the Months of Deep Winter, having missed the earlier ideological education, they felt goodwill toward the vampires but hadn't reached the level of trust shared by the earliest groups of humans.
"Do not lower your heads, my subjects. No one will blame you.
The Saintlight Vampires are your protectors. Under my rule, as long as you don't break the law, no one can harm you.
This is my promise to all of you!!"
His resolute words stirred the crowd into a roar, releasing their inner unease through shouts.
"Long live Lord Kachar!!"
"Long live Lord Kachar!!"
The thunderous cheers lasted a full three minutes.
Li De waited until the crowd quieted slightly before continuing.
"You only need to do one thing now!"
His powerful voice gripped everyone's attention.
"Trust me!"
With that, he turned and stepped down from the platform.
Just these three simple words plunged the restless crowd into silence.
"Trust me"—just three words, yet heavier than gold.
No promise or explanation could reassure the residents below as much as these words.
"Trust me"—such a simple phrase. Was Lord Kachar trustworthy?
No one had any doubts. The answer was an unequivocal yes—of course, he was.
If such a great man wasn't trustworthy, then who was?!
The blood donation, crucial to the future of the vampires, began after these three words.