Blood and Qi: A Vampire Xianxia LitRPG

There were large screens all over Peerless cities. On the sides of buildings, on top of pillars, everywhere. These screens never showed highlights, though as John and his companions traveled back to Kulolo, for the first time ever, they were showing a new type of highlights no one had ever seen before.

These highlights showed the first Kahaka to purchase Alii with credits. And not normal Alii either. Three Nani, one of Nani Empire.

The highlights started by quickly reviewing some of John’s achievements, ending with his Agonizer record. It then showed him making a strange face and shuddering as he prematurely ‘sprayed pollen’ in his pants. A comedic noise played and a large 1 appeared within a red null sign.

It next showed John making a slightly different strange face and shuddering again as he prematurely finished for the second time. The comedic noise played once more as a large 2 appeared within a red null sign. An Alii surprisedly said, “Great Akua! There’s so much! Do terrans always spray so much?”

It then cut to the smiling face of a gorgeous human named Brandi. She said, “No. This is an absurd amount for a terran to spray.”

The camera pulled back to show more of Brandi. Two lights flashed and two images of measuring cups appeared over her chest. One was completely full. The other was a third full.

“Normal terrans spray between 1.32 and 4.4 quens,” said Brandi. Quens were a universal liquid measurement most Tech 1 societies used.

The amusedly smiling Brandi pointed at the third-full cup and said, “This cup is 4.4 quens.” She then held up the full cup. “This is almost 11 quens, the amount sprayed by Kahaka Three-five during his second, yes, his second premature spray. Talk about needing release!”

The highlights resumed, showcasing the three Alii in the usual ways. John sighed in relief, thinking his embarrassment was over. It wasn’t.

The highlights prominently included every slightly humorous face John made, and his lack of eyebrows made these faces far more humorous. The four other times he ‘sprayed pollen’ were accompanied by a normal dinging sound along with the numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Alii never have post-coital interviews. John remembered little of his own, but after seeing the parts they included, he had to agree with the crone. He acted very foolishly.

Someone off-camera asked John, “Did you enjoy yourself?”

John tried to spit but failed. He either didn’t realize spittle hung off his chin or ignored it as he said, “I know there aren’t…I know there’s no Underworld or gods below, but this is all just…all just still a dream. A nightmare that never ends. Sometimes it’s not so bad. Tonight was just…uh…just…that raven-haired beauty…they said I don’t have enough credits now.”

The interviewer laughed and asked, “What was your favorite part?”

John rolled on the ground, stood, and punched the air for a few moments before the question was asked again. He clapped his hands loudly together, then flexed his biceps before saying, “Definitely the vaginas.” His eyes quickly tracked from right to left as his arms dropped back to his sides. “Did you see that thing? What was that? It looked crazy.” He looked up at the interviewer and asked, “Is my face shrinking? Do I still have a face?”

After feeling his face, John tried and failed to spit again. With new spittle hanging from his chin, he said, “I think I could defeat a mountain. I’ve been able to crush rocks in my hands since…since…”

The highlights ended by showing Brandi again, a smirk on her lips as she shook her head bemusedly.

John, filled with shame and regret, wished he was a better man above succumbing to his base desires. Still, he also wished the highlights focused on his powerful performance instead of making him seem like a clown. He caused three Alii to form golden nectar. One of them twice. Not one mention of that was made. It caused him equal parts anger and shame.

Everyone enjoyed the highlights, especially Hux and Marbrouk, but the other humans and Kahaka races did too, as did the few Peerless that shouted out to John on his way back to the Kahaka district.

John never wanted anyone to learn of his shame and what he did that night. Not only did everyone know about it, but they also constantly poked fun at him and reminded him of it.

The Peerless had no content of their own in the NCS and were only allowed to purchase and watch a handful of pre-approved historical documents within it. Watching other content, what was meant to entertain subhumans, was seen as detrimental to Peerless society.

The Peerless all had some sort of communication device with something like Earth’s internet, but how this could be utilized was heavily restricted. What the Nani wanted their people to watch or know about was always shown on the large screens, such as important information, changes in policy, speeches, ceremonies, and the like.

After humans arrived on Gani, the large screens were utilized much more often and very differently.

Humans changed how the Peerless operated. Many of the humans brought to Gani specialized in film and television production, government intelligence, psychological operations, and the like. The Nani wouldn’t let human mastery of essence-free manipulation, propaganda, and indoctrination go to waste. These tools would be used to strengthen their empire.

The screens began showing docuseries covering important stories and events in Peerless or ganian history performed by human actors controlling Peerless avatars. One series promoted the correct interpretation of the Aikapu by showing Peerless in tricky and dramatic situations getting it right.

These shows were instant hits loved by all, including John. He much preferred learning through a show over reading, and he needed to learn as much as he could about his enemies.

Prior to humans, the Peerless only had small post-coital interviews. If the Peerless included in or relevant to these new programs or docuseries were alive, clips of a human interviewing them would be included throughout the show.

Twice a week on a rotating schedule these new programs would be broadcast. Most were reruns, but they were always mandatory to watch for all Peerless not deployed off Gani. The times these shows would air was constantly advertised, as would be announcements for new shows and docuseries.

Also new to Gani, another invention of humans, was a weekly recap and news show only shown on Weekend, the last day of the week, covering new and important information and utilizing live footage from conquered worlds or warzones the same way as the news broadcasts of Earth. It was broadcast every hour and was to be watched at the viewers discretion, unlike the other shows and docuseries where all Peerless watched together as a social event.

Other than the two females that lived in the Kahaka district, no race knew where their females on Gani lived. A source of pride among humans was that many of their males lived in Gaan and Hub City providing vital functions to the Peerless no one else could. No other Kahaka race had males on Gani outside of Kulolo.

Only about two hundred men lived in the two terrran barracks in the Kahaka district. Each barrack had three floors of four rooms made to house ten men each. All the men excitedly shuffled out the two barracks to watch a new show on the large screens peppered around the district.

This was the first airing of an interview program highly anticipated by both Peerless and humans. Not only was a broadcast dedicated to interviewing one person a new thing, but the first guest would be Amber, another source of pride among humans.

The guys couldn’t get enough of her. All the terran females brought to Gani were nearly perfect examples of the species. All of them were breathtakingly beautiful, but none more so than Amber, a fact agreed upon by both terrans and Peerless.

The program began with a flashy intro of the host, a human named Cam Roderick, in various poses making many different serious faces as compelling music played. After the intro, a montage of Amber photos played on the screen as Cam explained a little about Naturals, her forms, and her contributions defending Terra against demons, dark ones, and g’athu, including real footage of her fighting.

Next came short, pre-recorded clips of Cam asking some famous Peerless their thoughts about Alu Amber. They all praised her desirability and other Alii-esque qualities.

John recognized the Alii that brought him to Gani, Alii Pono of Heiau Ikaika, Kauwa Naau Pi, as well as her Oliua. Both praised how Amber saved a man she saw as belonging to her subhuman kauwa-like unit during the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga, how quickly she conformed to Peerless orthodoxy during the flight, and how greatly she made an impression on both.

There were far more famous Peerless giving their opinion of her, including three of the Nani Empire, a few Akemele, and a few Akeoli, including the most famous living Peerless of all, a man known as Akeoli Slayer in short, or as Akeoli Two-three-five, Slayer of Inner-Point Master Ukobyzouth in proper form.

Akeoli Slayer was injured terribly and crippled permanently during his last battle with the Inner-Point Master of Circle Joyat. Even though he was already at an advanced age when he was crippled, neither his age nor his injuries stopped him from fighting for decades and decades after in a hovering biosuit.

Akeoli Slayer’s days of fighting were long behind him now. He looked more elderly than anyone had the right to be. His skin was so thin it was nearly translucent. He struggled to hold his own head up.

Cam asked the Akeoli the same question he had asked everyone else. “What do you think of Alu Amber?”

Smiling dazedly as the extremely elderly often do, the old Oli loudly asked, “Who?”

“The Natural from Terra,” nearly shouted Cam. “The new Kahaka world of the Peerless Empire, mighty Akeoli.”

“Great Akua, they’re letting you subhumans out of Palm now?”

Cam laughed and yelled, “No, mighty Akeoli! I’m terran, a new Kahaka race of your Peerless Empire!”

“Kahaka? You? A new race, you say? You look like a Kahaki, but I can’t see so good anymore.”

Terran males looked similar to normal ganians, Kahaki, what Oli and Mele were before Akua improved them. Kahaki men were taller on average, had the dark noses of all peerless, pointed ears, and slightly different, nipple-free chests.

Cam laughed heartily again. He started showing large images of Amber to the old man. “Here, mighty Akeoli, let me show you pictures of Alu Amber.”

The old man whistled and said, “My stamen hasn’t stirred in…what year is it? Never mind. My stamen hasn’t stirred in a long while, and I’ll tell you what, it’s calling out for that Alii right there, boy. Why, after I killed that demon filth, Ukobyzouth, my stamen was never dry. I got the zenith.

“Never thought I’d get through all those credits. I was injured so badly I could barely do the deed. Still did though. No injury could stop me from getting my stamen sticky. Not back then. Great Akua, I must have fathered half the Oli for a couple decades. Do I have credits? Does she fall into the Nani I get for free? I can’t get it up anymore but if I got the credits or she’s one of my Nani, I’d love for her to rub that tushy all over me.”

After Akioli Slayer’s clip ended, the camera cut to a live shot of Cam’s laughing face. “That was a lot of fun. Meeting all those examples of Peerless superiority, especially the mighty Akeoli Slayer, was very humbling. And a true honor. I’m Cam Roderick coming to you live from the city of Gaan. Here in the studio with me today is the terran Natural, Alu Amber.”

The camera cut to Amber dressed very inappropriately. Her nose was painted dark, her chest had billowy material making her two breasts look like a full row of pregnancy sacs, and her long and bare legs were prominently on display. The terrans around John all whooped and clapped as his heart fluttered as it always did on seeing her, and also filled with anger, as it always did on seeing her display herself so.

Smiling brightly, Amber said, “Hi, Cam. It’s great to be here. Please call me Alu Four-five.”

“Of course. Alu Four-five it is. So, have you been enjoying your time here on this beautiful home world of our gracious hosts and masters of the Peerless Empire?”

Amber’s smile managed to grow wider. “Oh, you know it, Cam! It’s just gorgeous! And the Peerless are just wonderful. I’m learning so much. I’ve enjoyed my time here tremendously, but it’s not all fun and games. It’s mostly work! But as that old saying goes – if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

John’s heart sank. If she truly is one of them now, I must kill her along with them. And if she knew what would happen to the people of Earth after we left, her death must be slow and painful.

Cam chuckled. “I certainly agree with that sentiment. I love my work too. What sort of work have you been doing?”

“I’ve received a great honor. I’m being considered for possible service as Alii. You know Alia are trained from birth in the ways of Alii, a very long process, centered on and blessed by the praised Aikapu the venerable Akua set our Peerless masters on. I’m trying to learn all that!”

Cam chuckled again. “That can’t be easy. Any details you can share?”

“Well, right now I shadow an Alia during the day as she raises and teaches the children of one of my patronesses, Alii Pono Nani Empire of Heiau Inoa, Kauwa Koonu Ka, a Nani that’s been very kind to me. In the evenings, she somehow makes time to guide me along and teach me the intricacies of the praised Aikapu.”

“Praise the great and venerable Akua, all of us terrans are certainly proud of you,” replied Cam. “Any other patronesses you’d like to thank?”

Amber thanked many Alii for all the help and guidance she’d been given, including Nani Terra, the Alii that transported them to Gani, Plumb-hair, and the old crone.

“The Peerless are helping us so much,” said Amber, “helping our world, giving us everything they have, trying so hard to raise us up to peers, and asking for nothing in return. I can’t thank them enough for it. It’s beyond my ability to express the full extent of my gratitude. No one’s coming to help us. Only the Peerless can and will help. Only by embracing the Aikapu will this universe finally be free of the demons and g’athu. Only the Peerless can usher in an age of peace and harmony. Praise be the Aikapu. Praise to the great Akua, father of the Peerless.”

John hoped with all his heart Amber was lying about it all, pretending to accept the Peerless blight and falsely praising their wrong and despicable society.

Cam took a moment to collect himself. “Beautifully stated. And every word true.” He blinked a few times, as if to dry his glassy eyes. “My apologies for becoming so emotional. Let’s change topics. You’ve been ready to ascend to five for a while now, so why haven’t you?”

“Even though I’m not Alia, not a peer, I’ve still been graced by the offer of consideration. If I finish my training, I’ll advance to five, the tier Alia ascend to womanhood and Alii.”

Cam became extremely serious. “We all know you’ll finish your training with perfect scores, but that’s not all of it though, is it? Is there another reason you’re holding off ascending?”

The smile left Amber’s face and she became serious too. “Yes, Cam. Even though I was born on Terra, my genetics aren’t fully terran. None of my forms are fully what they look to be. My racial grade in each form is always higher than the basic grade of that form. My DNA is…Cam, I’m going to trust you with some information that’s recently become declassified.”

Amber blew out a deep breath, as if expelling her nervousness before sharing a big secret. “My forms have rules. Sometimes I’m given an offer for a new form with a new rule. You know how smart and gifted the Mele are?”

Cam smiled, nodded, and said, “I do.”

“Well, they understand all this more than I do. They think at some point, if I’m blessed by the great Akua, I’ll be offered a Peerless form and some issues I have now will go away. It can’t be known until it happens, and it isn’t the Peerless way to wait and hope, so I’m also undergoing some additional genetic modifications and workarounds to current issues. Issues that would prevent me from serving as Alii even if I was lucky and blessed enough to complete training and deemed Alii-ready.”

John knew what she was talking around. She’d lose her human form if she learned of carnal knowledge.

“Interesting,” said Cam. “Now, let’s say you do become an Alii. How would it work for you? You’d only be able to carry the child or children of one father to term, correct? That isn’t being modified, is it?”

“Correct. My kauwa would be smaller. Kauwas have become much smaller since the dark times due to Tech 1 and the changing face of warfare. And we know it’s not the size that counts! It’s the Alii that rules it and the boys that fill it.

“My kauwa would most likely serve a niche role, somewhat like that of the smaller kauwas of Heiau Koa, except my boys would be lower tier and I’d have breeding rights. We’d function like some special operations units of Terra. A small but devastating force striking fast and hard at special targets.”

“Amazing,” said Cam. He smiled and said, “I’ve heard rumors an old companion of yours is being considered as an Oli applicant much the same as you are for Alii. Kahaka Three-Five, also known as John, a man claiming he’s a vampire. Whether that’s true or not, he certainly has trouble hanging onto his own eyebrows.”

Cam laughed before continuing. “He’s also been called Big-spray and Mountain-fighter since his recent highlights. He’s the only Kahaka ever serviced by our gorgeous Alii masters. Boy, he really, really seemed to have enjoyed himself. Maybe a little too much. I’d really like to earn some credits myself. Now, is he…are you okay?”

Amber’s eyes were glassy. Her bottom lip was quivering. After a few moments of no response, Cam asked, “What’s wrong?”

Amber choked out, “I’m fine. Fine. Nothing’s…” She tried and failed to control her quivering lip. A tear left her eye a moment before her face completely crinkled up and she began to cry in earnest. The shot cut away from her and went to the surprised but recovering Cam who thanked everyone for watching, named the guest for his next episode, and the outro played over Amber’s loud sobs.