I Became The Vampire Progenitor
Chapter 123: A Moment of Glory

Li De had never imagined that anyone could actually complete this goal.

When he set the number at 200 laps, it was to filter out the 200 individuals with the strongest willpower.

But someone had actually finished it!!

400 kilometers, nearly 25 sun-hours.

A full day and night of non-stop running.

Although the physical capabilities of humans in this world far exceeded those of Earthlings, such an incredible feat still left him deeply shaken.

If this had happened on Earth, he would have thought it was a child’s tale, but here it unfolded right before his eyes.

By the later stages, most participants had already exhausted every ounce of their strength, yet these twelve relied on sheer willpower to push through.

This scene could only be called a miracle.

The security squad members respectfully carried the twelve final victors away for treatment.

In this magical world, as long as it wasn’t a fatal injury, healing was possible with some cost.

Li De watched as the twelve were carried away like heroes, under the gaze of the crowd, and rose to his feet.

His heart filled with admiration, his face solemn.

“My subjects, I am your city lord, Kachar.”

Amplified by magic, his voice echoed across the streets, and everyone turned their heads in unison.

“Today, I have come to understand anew what it means to be a hero.

Let us once again give our cheers and applause to the twelve brave souls who reached the finish line.”

With that, Li De led the applause.

Seeing this, the crowd below followed suit, clapping as well.

Then shouts and cheers once again engulfed Dawn City.

Only after three minutes did the noise subside slightly.

Everyone’s faces were brimming with excitement. That night, countless hearts surged for those brave warriors.

“I hereby formally declare the Hero Selection Tournament concluded.

The Hero Selection Tournament truly lived up to its name of selecting heroes!

The final victors will personally be bestowed by me with the identity of Saintlight Vampires.

On December 31st, in the square of Dawn City, I will host the most glorious gathering.

These twelve heroes will become noble Saintlight Vampires under the watchful eyes of all.”

Whisper~

Upon hearing Li De’s confirmation, everyone erupted into cheers once again.

After countless efforts and sacrifices, they finally reaped their rewards.

It was too difficult—becoming a Saintlight Vampire was incredibly hard.

But precisely because of the difficulty, the fruits of victory tasted so sweet.

“Today, not only are these twelve heroes; every participant is a hero.

Your perseverance, your efforts moved me.

I hereby announce that the rewards for the Hero Selection Tournament will still be distributed.

Based on the time each participant dropped out, the top 500 will receive three points, the top 300 will receive five points.

And the top 200—you will all, like the twelve heroes, be granted the bloodline of the Saintlight Vampires.”

Li De’s impassioned tone once again pushed the atmosphere to its peak.

“My subjects, this is Dawn City, and I am your city lord, the clan leader of the Saintlight Vampires, Kachar.

In this city, as long as you work hard and abide by the law, you will live the life you desire.

I hope that these twelve heroes are just the beginning, and more heroes will emerge in the future of Dawn City.”

“The Saintlight Vampires will never overlook those who contribute to Dawn City.”

“As long as you contribute to Dawn City, you will receive your reward.”

“Whether you are new residents or the first settlers, I, Kachar, am your protector. This is my promise to you!”

This brief speech once again sent the crowd into jubilation.

“Long live Lord Kachar!!”

“Long live Lord Kachar!!”

After today’s events, everyone felt immense satisfaction.

Effort brings reward—what a great message. Lord Kachar was truly admirable.

Among the 700 who participated in the competition, those who didn’t endure until the end and were eliminated midway now regretted deeply.

Some believed the 200-lap distance was almost impossible to achieve, so when they felt fatigued, they gave up voluntarily.

But now, even those who didn’t complete the race could still receive Lord Kachar’s rewards.

This unexpected news left those who had the strength but didn’t persevere filled with regret, wishing they could slap themselves twice.

Even if they couldn’t break into the top 200, entering the top 500 would have been good enough—at least they’d get three points. Now, nothing remained from their half-month of hard work because they hadn’t persisted—it all turned to naught.

On the other hand, those who knew they made it into the top 500 or 300 were ecstatic—they would receive points!!

Hahaha, points! How many envied the members of the security squad during this time? Those with points didn’t need to queue and enjoyed priority in everything, making others envious.

Now, they too could enjoy privileges above others—it simply couldn’t get better than this.

Moreover, points were tied to various rights in Dawn City, such as settlement rights and the ability for children to study in the mage tower. Thus, even a single point was highly precious.

With this, the Hero Selection Tournament officially came to an end.

The grand play directed by Li De, from start to finish, though it consumed much effort and time, ended beautifully.

Not only did it perfectly achieve the strategic goal of expanding the vampire population, but it also further integrated Dawn City’s residents into the city through this competition.

In the following days, Dawn City remained immersed in the atmosphere of the Hero Selection Tournament.

Because of the arrival of the Month of Deep Winter, although Li De no longer freely distributed food to newcomers, he allowed new residents to buy on credit at the grain store, to be repaid next year.

Thus, without worries about survival, the residents’ favorite pastime was discussing who should have entered the top 200 but gave up, and who entered the top 200 due to luck rather than skill.

Regardless, the twelve who endured to the end became heroes in the eyes of Dawn City’s residents.

After their injuries were healed by the vampires, wherever they went, they were met with praise.

And these twelve individuals felt immense honor as well.

In this atmosphere,

The eagerly awaited gathering began.

December 31st.

As the sun set behind the mountains, the last ray of twilight disappeared from the sky.

On the square of Dawn City appeared a group of young girls dressed in pure white gowns, holding bouquets of flowers.

A red carpet stretched from the street outside the square directly to the high platform in the center of the square.

Around the red carpet were placed vibrant flowers, seemingly unaffected by the winter chill.

In the center of the square, a pile of wood was stacked, and around it, long tables were set with various sweet breads, mouth-watering roasted meats, and fine wines.

The area around the square was festooned with lanterns and decorations, creating an air of celebration akin to a grand festival.

The residents who arrived were filled with curiosity, excitedly discussing everything around them, especially the hundred-plus young and beautiful girls, which drew constant glances from the crowd.

These border-dwelling commoners had never seen such a spectacle, and their voices grew quieter.

Before darkness fell, magical lamps illuminated the entire square.

This scene, combined with the patrolling vampires, exuded the flavor of a magical world.

At this moment,

Taptap~ Taptap~

The sound of hooves on cobblestones approached from afar.

The crowd in the square seemed to sense something, instinctively lowering their voices.

Taptap~ Taptap~

At the end of the street, a figure clad in a silver-embroidered white mage robe, riding a white steed, advanced elegantly under the curious gazes of the crowd.

Li De sat atop the white horse, his gaze sweeping over his domain like a king inspecting his territory.

Once the crowd recognized the figure on horseback, they were instantly filled with excitement, but no one dared to be disrespectful. Anyone who met those dark, deep eyes bowed their heads in reverence.

This was the master of Dawn City, their king.

Under the adoring gazes of hundreds of flower-bearing maidens, Li De dismounted outside the square and stepped onto the red carpet, ascending the high platform to begin tonight’s moment of glory.

“My subjects, I am your city lord, Kachar.

Today is an exciting day. The winners of the Hero Selection Tournament, our twelve heroes, will receive my rewards!”

Li De’s gaze was piercing as he stood on the platform, looking down at the thousands below.

“The Saintlight Vampires are the eternal protectors of Dawn City. Under my rule, the Saintlight Vampires will bring you even more honor.

This is only the beginning.

My subjects, this is their reward, and it is also a reward for every resident of Dawn City.

Because of you, Dawn City will prosper.

Applaud yourselves—your future belongs to you!”

Simple yet stirring words ignited the atmosphere.

“Long live Lord Kachar!!”

“Praise the Saintlight Vampires, praise Dawn City!!”

Li De spread his arms wide and cheered loudly.

“Let us welcome the twelve heroes!!”

Under everyone’s gaze, twelve figures dressed in magnificent robes appeared on the red carpet outside the square.

Each face bore pride and anticipation, their splendid red capes adding to their distinguished demeanor.

The cheers of the crowd reached their peak in this instant.

The shouts even sounded like mountains collapsing and seas surging.

On both sides of the carpet, the young girls held flowers, gazing at the twelve with eyes full of admiration.

These were heroes—the best among 3,000!!

The twelve, amidst the crowd's cheers, walked step by trembling step along the red carpet toward the high platform where Li De stood.

“Well done, Hunter, you’ve done brilliantly!”

“Amazing, boys!”

“Goddess above, from today onward, these few will be noble Saintlight Vampires—how enviable!”

Watching the twelve figures bask in praise, longing arose in every heart. Almost everyone was envious.

To be welcomed by hundreds of flower-bearing maidens, to receive rewards under the gaze of thousands.

What glory!! It was something they could boast about for a lifetime!!

Many who hadn’t signed up now regretted deeply. If they had participated, might they have been among these twelve?