Recap
Shen Chaomu, alarmed by Long Shiyu’s distress, scrambled to comfort him. “Maybe the planet will reappear someday,” he said. “You’re the only dragon I know now, and no one will steal your treasure. If they try, I’ll help you fight them.”
“That’s not how it works…” Long Shiyu sniffled.
“It’s not a fairy tale,” he wailed. “You lied to me. Maybe I’m not a good enough evil dragon. I used to believe in miracles, but they never happened for us.”
“Believe me, they will,” Shen Chaomu insisted. “As for the miracle you mentioned…” He paused, then leaned in and kissed Long Shiyu’s forehead. “Miracles will come.”
The goodnight kiss was effective. Long Shiyu’s tail twitched, a spark of life returning to it.
“After all,” Shen Chaomu added, “who’s to say we’re not in a fairy tale?”
“Charge!” the mercenary roared, his light blade flashing.
In the distance, golden light flakes danced, a mesmerizing and terrifying display of power. Caught on the periphery of the battle, the mercenary had stumbled upon Shen Chaomu’s companions – a strange man with an insect net and a beautiful young man. They were both staring intently at something in a tree.
Experience told him to target the older one, the one with the perceptible spiritual energy. He lunged, his light blade aimed at Fang Qing—
And was stopped by Long Shiyu, who caught the deadly weapon with his bare hand. He didn’t even need to shift into his dragon form to deflect the attack. Before the mercenary could register his shock, Long Shiyu twisted his hand, sending the man sprawling.
The commotion startled a strange bird perched in the tree. It squawked and took flight.
“Damn it!” Fang Qing yelled, kicking the fallen mercenary. “You scared it away!”
Fang Qing, by now accustomed to Long Shiyu’s surprising combat abilities, glared at the mercenary, who was still reeling from having his attack so effortlessly thwarted. “I could have completed my formula with just three milliliters of that bird’s saliva!” Fang Qing fumed. “How are you going to compensate me? I don’t expect you to catch it, but using you as a test subject seems fair.”
Long Shiyu, oblivious to the outburst, yawned and bent to examine a small, white flower growing on a nearby stump. The Tabu forest was a wonderland of unusual flora and fauna, most of which couldn’t survive outside this unique environment. Market specimens were a poor substitute for witnessing this vibrant ecosystem firsthand.
The flower emitted a soft, fluorescent glow.
Perfect for a pure and kind princess, Long Shiyu thought, his tail giving an excited flick. He plucked the flower and carefully tucked it away.
Ten minutes later, Shen Chaomu returned, a trail of groaning mercenaries in his wake.
This was their fourth day in the forest. Yesterday, they had discovered a Church stronghold, already destroyed by the association, but with recent signs of mercenary activity. Following the tracks, they had located this group.
“I’ve contacted the others,” Shen Chaomu announced. “The patrol team will be here in ten minutes.”
“My bird!” Fang Qing wailed. “My bird just flew away!”
Seeing that Fang Qing was unlikely to calm down anytime soon, Shen Chaomu gestured toward the mercenaries’ camp. “I’m going to take a look,” he said.
Long Shiyu followed.
The mercenaries, like them, had a well-equipped RV, though it seemed overloaded, explaining the need for extra tents. Two pots simmered over a portable stove. One held a stew, the other a pair of green fried eggs, likely from a local bird, emitting a pungent, sour odor.
Long Shiyu wrinkled his nose at the congealed mess in the frying pan. “That’s disgusting,” he declared, his tail flicking in disgust. Food that even an evil dragon found repulsive was truly terrible.
He moved to inspect the tents. The mercenaries clearly weren’t concerned with tidiness. Clothes were strewn everywhere, a jumbled pile of undershirts, pajamas, and coats atop the sleeping bags, emitting a pungent odor.
Shen Chaomu used his spiritual power to move the mess aside, revealing scattered syringes, some still containing blood.
“Where did they get these?” Long Shiyu asked.
“Most likely the dwarf territory in the Western Hemisphere,” Shen Chaomu replied. “It’s a wasteland now, completely unregulated.”
Golden light flakes lifted a syringe, and Shen Chaomu examined the blood within. “Low purity, not a good product. We’ll need to analyze it back at the lab to determine the source.”
Long Shiyu leaned in and sniffed.
“What are you doing?” Shen Chaomu asked, amused.
“It’s Arc Bird blood,” Long Shiyu declared. “I can smell it.”
Shen Chaomu was surprised. Arc Birds were rare, dwelling in high mountains, their bodies wreathed in electricity. He picked up several more syringes, and Long Shiyu identified each one correctly.
“That’s a useful skill,” Shen Chaomu commented. He had a sudden, absurd image of Long Shiyu as a sniffer dog, head out the car window, tongue lolling, sniffing out clues. A sniffer dragon.
“It is!” Long Shiyu puffed up with pride, pleased by the princess’s praise.
They returned to the RV, its interior even messier than the mercenaries’ tent. Unwashed dishes piled in the sink, syringes and needles scattered about. Most of the mercenaries were conscious now, their expressions a mix of frustration and resentment as they sat trapped within Shen Chaomu’s golden restraints.
“The patrol team will be here in two minutes,” Shen Chaomu announced, checking his terminal.
“Okay,” Long Shiyu replied.
A gust of wind swept through the forest, carrying the fresh scent of the sea. Long Shiyu carefully retrieved the small white flower he had found and presented it to Shen Chaomu. “Here you go,” he said with a hopeful expression.
“What’s this?” Shen Chaomu asked, taking the flower.
“A flower.”
“Why are you giving me a flower?”
“You can wear it in your hair.”
Shen Chaomu stared at him, bewildered.
“Or on your clothes,” Long Shiyu added helpfully. “Let me put it on for you.”
“I don’t—”
“Ying!”
“Fine.”
Long Shiyu carefully tucked the flower into Shen Chaomu’s collar. Its faintly glowing petals fluttered in the breeze.
“Where did you learn this?” Shen Chaomu asked, a bemused smile tugging at his lips.
“It looks good,” Long Shiyu replied simply.
Shen Chaomu recalled Long Shiyu’s question about the lack of skirts in his suitcase back in Bei En. Perhaps the Dragon Clan had a very unique worldview. He had a long way to go in educating this silly dragon.
Two minutes later, the patrol team arrived, taking the mercenaries into custody and collecting evidence. The captain, after a brief discussion with Shen Chaomu, couldn’t help but steal several glances at the flower on his lapel as he departed.
“Once we find the Scorching Sun Epiphyllum, we might need to visit the dwarf territory,” Shen Chaomu said as the patrol team cleared the area.
“To look for the Church?”
“Yes. Shen Di and the mercenaries have been in contact since Cassandra. I’m not sure if he’s connected to the vampire Lilith, but we might find clues here. There’s something else, though.”
“What is it?”
Shen Chaomu hesitated. He wasn’t one to share his burdens, and Long Shiyu shouldn’t be involved in this…
But he spoke, outlining the situation. The incident in Cassandra, where their comms had been blocked and they were attacked by Bai Yiyi and the Disciplinary Department, was still fresh in his mind. No one dared discuss such insubordination openly. But as a candidate for chief, he had heard whispers of similar cases. He never imagined he would be a target.
The Hunter Association was generally efficient, but certain matters remained shrouded in secrecy.
“It’s unclear why they’re hindering our investigation of the Blood Worship Cult,” Shen Chaomu said. “And in Bei En, Song Qianqian and Li Jianchun captured footage of the Church collaborating with the mercenaries.”
“I remember,” Long Shiyu said. “I drove to pick them up that day.”
“Yes, the day you got another arrest warrant. But when we went to the Land of Eternal Night, that footage disappeared, including the backups.”
“Sounds like a bad person,” Long Shiyu declared.
“Definitely.” Shen Chaomu ruffled his hair. “But don’t worry too much. We’ll find out the truth eventually. I have a feeling that day isn’t far off.”
They continued north, the vehicle bumping along toward the plains where the Scorching Sun Epiphyllum bloomed. Night fell quickly, the light retreating with startling speed.
Fang Qing, still ranting about the escaped bird, retreated to his room and turned on the television.
“What’s he watching?” Long Shiyu asked, hearing the muffled sounds.
“Probably the awards ceremony,” Shen Chaomu replied, grabbing Long Shiyu’s horn and shaking it gently. “They’re honoring him for developing the mermaid poison. They’re still searching the Land of Eternal Night for stragglers, but with the poison, we can finally eradicate their lairs.”
Long Shiyu wriggled free, retreating to the far end of the sofa, his tail curled in protest.
“Come back,” Shen Chaomu coaxed.
“I’m not stupid.”
“I’ll give you money for your game.”
Long Shiyu cried, torn between virtual currency and his dignity as an evil dragon. Happy Beans won.
He returned to Shen Chaomu’s side and resumed his card game. Shen Chaomu, mercifully, refrained from further horn-grabbing. The triumphant music of the awards ceremony continued. Long Shiyu lost another hand. “Why isn’t he at the ceremony?” he asked.
Shen Chaomu turned a page in his book. “He doesn’t like causing trouble,” he replied, his voice distant.
The topic brought back a memory, a mission from years ago, and Fang Qing’s expression of rage and despair.
“I understand that,” Long Shiyu said with a yawn. “I just want to eat and sleep in peace, but there are always annoying people who bother me.”
“Your definition of ‘trouble’ might be different.”
Fang Qing was indeed watching the ceremony. He and Lu Shanyao were the primary researchers who developed the mermaid poison. The Alliance and the association had offered them awards, but he wanted nothing to do with those organizations now.
So, tonight, in Star City, the only attendees were the other researchers, their awkward smiles a testament to their discomfort in the spotlight. Lu Shanyao stood at the front, accepting the award.
Young and promising, he basked in the thunderous applause.
Just like Fang Qing, once upon a time.
He watched as Lu Shanyao scanned the audience, his expression falling slightly. Fang Qing knew he was looking for him.
He was far away, in Tabu, hidden in an RV in the middle of a forest, scratching his messy hair. He sent a message to his best student: “Well done.”
A long pause followed before the reply came: “Thank you, teacher.”
Fang Qing stared at the screen, lost in thought. A sudden clap of thunder startled him, nearly making him drop the terminal.
“Damn it,” he muttered. “Why are there so many annoyances today?” He stood and stretched.
Before venturing out to the living area, he steeled himself. He was prepared. He wouldn’t flinch, even if he saw Shen Chaomu crying or Long Shiyu smoking.
He opened the door.
Shen Chaomu sat on the sofa, Long Shiyu nestled in his arms. “Don’t be afraid,” Shen Chaomu murmured. “It’s just thunder.”
“Okay.”
“I won’t leave.”
“Okay.”
“Damn it,” Fang Qing cursed, retreating to his room. He couldn’t escape the suffocating sweetness.
Thunder boomed, and rain lashed against the vehicle. Long Shiyu followed Shen Chaomu to their room, refusing the top bunk and squeezing onto the lower one with him.
The storm raged, the sound of rain drumming against the leaves. In the distant town, lights flickered as people hurried home, umbrellas bobbing like colorful jellyfish. Flood barriers rose on the mountains, animals sought shelter, and leaves swirled in the wind. The rain brought a chill, the windows rattling in their frames.
Inside, it was safe and warm.
“I haven’t been in a thunderstorm in a long time,” Shen Chaomu remarked. “It’s strange. The ones we encounter always seem to be intense.”
“They do,” Long Shiyu agreed.
“Why are you afraid of them?”
“I’m not, really,” Long Shiyu whispered. “It’s just…because I’m injured.”
Shen Chaomu didn’t understand the connection, but another clap of thunder sent Long Shiyu burrowing deeper into his arms. “It’s okay,” he soothed. “It will be over soon.”
“Okay.”
Long Shiyu, his tail wrapped around Shen Chaomu’s ankle, fell asleep quickly.
Shen Chaomu lay awake, listening to the storm. For some reason, he thought of the old Dragon King.
The dragon-hunting family had attempted to study the dragon language, but its ancient script was difficult to decipher. Many concepts were lost in translation, and after years of effort, they had managed to translate very little. With the Dragon Clan gone, the urgency faded.
But they had managed to translate the old Dragon King’s name: Royano, which meant “King surrounded by thunder and lightning.”
Perhaps it was the ferocity of the storm, the way the lightning seemed to tear the sky asunder, that brought him to mind.
But the old Dragon King was dead. Akasa Mo wouldn’t be on the throne otherwise.
Shen Chaomu’s gaze drifted to the head of the bed, where the white flower Long Shiyu had given him rested. Its petals emitted a faint glow.
Long Shiyu mumbled in his sleep, words like “skirt,” “evil dragon,” and “princess’s waist” that Shen Chaomu couldn’t decipher, but they seemed to be part of a pleasant dream.
He smiled. He wondered what the name “Akasa Mo” meant. Perhaps he would ask Long Shiyu someday.
___
T/N: Catkins -> light flakes if there are still mistakes
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