Recap
Shen Chaomu zipped his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He couldn’t tell which was the dream. Was this Tabu, and had he dreamt of another life during his nap? Or was this reality, and had he dreamt of Tabu?
He climbed out the window.
The wind carried the scent of grass and wildflowers—
The breeze of nine hundred years ago.
They drove across the vast grassland, the fresh scent of rain filling the air. Water sprayed from beneath the tires as they rolled over the damp grass.
“How long until we arrive?” Shen Chaomu asked, his gaze on the endless expanse of green.
“About two hours,” Li Ming replied, activating the autopilot and propping his feet up. “It’s been a while since I saw her. Remind me again, how did you meet her?”
“I accompanied some elders on a diplomatic visit,” Shen Chaomu said. “It was very formal. We had just established relations with the elves.”
“Seven or eight years ago, wasn’t it?” Li Ming mused. “I met her around then, too. Time flies. She’s getting married already. I thought you’d be attending with your family.”
The vehicle rolled over a patch of tall grass, its crunching sound a brief interruption in their conversation.
“I’m not on good terms with them,” Shen Chaomu admitted.
“Why? Are they too strict? It’s understandable, with their expectations. They want you to be the next Shen Di, don’t they? Royasno has only been king for ten years. There’s still time to turn things around. It would be ideal if we could destroy the throne entirely.”
Shen Chaomu remained silent.
“Relax, brother,” Li Ming said with a grin. “They’re family. If I had your talent and background, I’d do whatever I wanted. Why worry?” He clapped Shen Chaomu on the shoulder. “You’re only twenty-three. Don’t be so serious. Tomorrow will be better.”
The vastness of the elven territory stretched before them, an endless expanse of green that evoked a sense of solitude.
Li Ming, engrossed in his game, turned on the radio. “We have established contact with the civilization in Bei En,” the announcer chirped. “Further exchanges are expected in ten days. As long as they’re not hostile, the Alliance welcomes them.”
Shen Chaomu’s gaze drifted to the vibrant wildflowers blooming in the distance. Long Shiyu would love them.
Wait, who is Long Shiyu?
The strange dream from his nap was fading, leaving him with a lingering sense of confusion.
Finally, the magnificent elven castle appeared on the horizon. Reserved for important events, it was now adorned with festive decorations for the princess’s wedding. Though their contact with humans was relatively recent, the princess was fascinated by Alliance culture. At her insistence, the wedding would blend elven and human traditions.
Alliance Standard wasn’t widely spoken here yet, and many of the elves who greeted them spoke haltingly, relying on translation software.
They walked through the grand hallways, their footsteps muffled by plush carpets. The castle buzzed with activity as workers adorned the space with colorful balloons and arranged long tables draped in white cloth. The air was filled with the aroma of elven delicacies and the delicate fragrance of flowers.
Li Ming, upon arrival, immediately sought out the refreshments, then disappeared into the crowd, catching up with acquaintances.
Shen Chaomu wandered through the castle, exploring the grand hall with its chandeliers crafted from leaves and the library on the top floor. He browsed the books, their elven script indecipherable, then stepped onto the terrace. The wind whispered through the long grass, and the mountains loomed in the distance.
The wedding guests gathered, anticipation hanging in the air. The bell tolled, a white dove soared, and the castle doors opened. The elven princess, radiant in her white gown and leaf-woven adornments, emerged, a joyful smile gracing her lips.
“Everyone,” she began, “I am so happy—”
A shadow fell over the gathering. Guards raised their weapons, searching the sky. Shen Chaomu’s heart pounded as he recognized the attacker – a magnificent silver dragon, its scales shimmering, its outstretched wings a cascade of light. A sheepskin bag hung around its neck.
Shen Chaomu blinked, wondering if he was hallucinating.
The dragon swooped down, its target clearly the princess.
Knowing the creature’s tendencies, Shen Chaomu lunged, placing himself between the dragon and the princess, his spiritual power flaring. He had to prevent this abduction.
But the dragon was too fast. A clawed hand reached for him. He shoved the princess aside, the guards’ weapons clanging uselessly against the dragon’s scales. This was a powerful creature, a first-generation dragon, impervious to their attacks.
Shen Chaomu braced himself, his spiritual energy shielding the princess.
The next moment, he was airborne, the ground receding, the screams of the guests fading. The dragon, its grip surprisingly gentle, carried him away, its powerful wings beating the air.
It seemed he was the target.
The claws, capable of tearing through starships, held him securely without causing injury. Shen Chaomu’s spiritual power surged. He was young, newly qualified, and this was his first solo encounter with a first-generation dragon.
But this dragon didn’t seem intent on harming him. If he waited until it tired and landed, he could engage it more effectively. Even if it dropped him, he could use his spiritual power to restrain it. He had trained for this.
But the dragon was inexplicably excited, its flight erratic.
It finally landed on a vast grassland, far from the castle. As they descended, Shen Chaomu’s spiritual power formed a spear, ready to strike.
A weight landed on him, warm and solid.
The naked boy, his face alight with joy, clung to him, his tail wrapping around Shen Chaomu’s ankle.
Shen Chaomu stared, speechless, his mind reeling. The boy’s features were unforgettable, but the horns and tail were undeniable. He muttered something in dragon language, and clothes, the same shimmering silver as his scales, materialized around him.
Shen Chaomu’s spear wavered, his hand frozen between attack and surrender. His ancestors hadn’t prepared him for this.
He pushed the boy away, his voice firm. “Stay away from me,” he ordered.
Though dragons might not understand Alliance Standard, Shen Chaomu’s tone was unmistakable. He was met with a tearful dragon, its distress palpable.
Shen Chaomu was baffled. This dragon was clearly an idiot, its intentions harmless. And young, judging by its size and behavior. He briefly considered the dragon-hunting rules drilled into him since childhood. He had spared strange beasts before, but this was a dragon…
He looked at the weeping creature, its tears glistening on its scales. He considered the rules again. He looked at the dragon again.
Then, he turned and walked away. His terminal indicated a post station twenty minutes west.
He had barely taken two steps when he heard the patter of footsteps behind him. He turned to find the dragon trailing him, stopping whenever he looked back.
Wait, who is Long Shiyu?
Confusion clouded his mind. He felt as if he had forgotten something crucial.
He continued walking, his pace quickening. He even messaged Li Ming, who was likely frantic by now, assuring him he was fine.
The dragon persisted, its pursuit relentless.
“What do you want?” Shen Chaomu finally snapped, exasperated.
Long Shiyu flinched, misunderstanding the princess’s anger. He rummaged in the sheepskin bag hanging around his neck and pulled out a handful of shimmering gems. “For you,” he mumbled, offering them to Shen Chaomu.
Shen Chaomu stared at the gems – purple, red, green, their brilliance unlike anything he had seen before. Even to his untrained eye, they were clearly valuable, likely worth a fortune. Such gems had never been displayed in any Alliance museum or jewelry store. They must be from an unexplored galaxy.
Why would a dragon, especially a greedy one, share its hoard?
“Why are you giving me these?” he asked, his brow furrowed. “Keep them.”
Long Shiyu, sensing the rejection, assumed the princess found the offering insufficient. He pulled out more gems. “Take them all,” he insisted.
Shen Chaomu pushed his hand away. “I told you not to follow me.”
The gems scattered across the ground, and Long Shiyu froze, his hopes dashed.
Shen Chaomu continued walking, assuming the dragon had finally given up. Then, he heard a soft whimper.
He stopped, an inexplicable force compelling him to turn.
Long Shiyu sat dejectedly amidst the scattered gems, his tail drooping. He looked utterly heartbroken.
Shen Chaomu marched back, his expression stern. “Why are you following me?” he demanded.
Long Shiyu, with renewed determination, gathered the gems and offered them again. “For you,” he insisted.
Shen Chaomu hesitated, then took one. The boy’s face lit up, a radiant smile transforming his features.
Shen Chaomu’s stern facade softened. “Though you probably won’t understand,” he said, “stop following me. Go anywhere you want.”
Long Shiyu’s stomach growled loudly.
Shen Chaomu sighed.
Half an hour later, he emerged from the post station with two bowls of steaming ramen. Long Shiyu waited patiently, his hoard of gems neatly repacked, ready to be presented to his princess. These were his favorites; surely, the princess would love them too. His eyes sparkled as Shen Chaomu approached.
“Here.” Shen Chaomu handed him a bowl.
Long Shiyu took it, and in a blink, both the noodles and the bowl vanished.
Shen Chaomu stared, incredulous.
He returned to the post station, purchasing more bowls under the bewildered gaze of the owner. Long Shiyu devoured them all.
In return, he thrust the bag of gems into Shen Chaomu’s arms. “I have more,” he mumbled. “I’ll give you everything.”
Shen Chaomu was baffled. “Are you stupid?” he asked.
Long Shiyu, oblivious, simply beamed.
“Silly dragon, what’s your name?”
Long Shiyu, understanding the question, replied, “My name is…” He paused, his brow furrowing as he searched for the words.
…
Shen Chaomu woke with a start, the insistent buzzing of his terminal dragging him from the strange dream. An urgent message from the association demanded his immediate presence at a monster riot. Disoriented, he struggled to separate dream from reality.
“Are you leaving?” Long Shiyu mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
“Yes.” Shen Chaomu rose from the bed. “Come with me.”
“Why are you so nice today?” Long Shiyu asked, a note of suspicion in his voice.
“If I don’t take you, you’ll just wander off anyway.”
Long Shiyu, reluctantly accepting this logic, allowed Shen Chaomu to bundle him into his thick cloak.
“Didn’t you say you had something to tell me when my injury was healed?” Long Shiyu asked as they prepared to board the aircraft.
“I did,” Shen Chaomu replied, ruffling his hair. “But I thought I’d wait until after we deal with this riot.”
“What is it? Why are you being so secretive?”
“You’ll see.”
They stepped out into the cool night air.
Images from the dream flashed through Shen Chaomu’s mind – the grassland, the castle, the wedding, the silver dragon, the gems. And the boy, his features eerily similar to Long Shiyu’s. The tearful outbursts, the insatiable appetite, the frustrated “yings,” the endearing clumsiness…
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
Was this a memory from the light rain? But how could he have memories from nine hundred years ago?
The boy’s name, uttered in the dream, remained elusive. But a few syllables echoed in his mind.
A terrifying thought took root.
“Do you know Akasa Mo?” he asked, his voice tight.
Long Shiyu froze. “No,” he replied, his expression innocent. “Why would you ask that?”
“Just a dream. I dreamt I went back in time. There was a castle, a wedding, and a dragon who tried to steal the bride.”
“Oh.” Long Shiyu’s nervousness was palpable. “What else did you dream?”
Shen Chaomu hesitated, then said, “Just some random things. Nothing special.”
“I forgot everything else. I only remembered your name.”
They reached the aircraft, the dim light illuminating their faces. Beyond lay the dry plains, the forest a dark smudge in the distance. Soon, the sun would rise, bringing its scorching heat, revealing the secrets hidden within the sand and glinting off the vibrant leaves.
Cassandra and Bei En would awaken to a new day, their streets bustling, the sea churning, the waterfall roaring. Challenges remained, but the future held promise.
In that vivid dream, he had forgotten the competition for chief, the association, the family mission. Only when he saw the wildflowers had he remembered Long Shiyu.
Remembered that Long Shiyu would love those flowers.
“What’s wrong?” Long Shiyu asked, noticing his hesitation.
“Long Shiyu,” Shen Chaomu said, his voice low and steady, “I like you.”
___
T/N: Hi guys, sorry but updates might slow/be missed sometimes, I started a full time job so might not have the time to translate chapters every week. I hope y’all will understand.
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