Fang Qing finally emerged from below, a baffled expression on his face as he held the Zaun flower. Song Qianshan joined him to fetch the battered red car.
After feeding on fresh blood, Long Shiyu’s condition seemed to have improved considerably. At least, when the two approached, he made sure to conceal all dragon-like features.
Shen Zhaomu carried him into the car, which rumbled unsteadily forward.
Behind them, the eerie cries of the nocturnal ghouls resounded, with the ground shaking violently as if swarms of burrowing dragons were emerging. These creatures weren’t usually so agitated, but it seemed someone had purposely roused and angered them, similar to how Veyrpan had been awakened from his slumber.
The Undertakers, Orca, and Behemoth, who were left in the construction area, had already been taken away by the arriving team of hunters. Now, only their group remained underground.
Fang Qing floored the gas pedal. Song Qianshan leaned out of the sunroof, setting up a sniper rifle. The flashbangs thrown by Fang Qing illuminated the terrifying horde of creatures chasing them. The specially prepared drugs finally came in handy, making the eyes of the nocturnal ghouls reflect terror and slowing their movement. Meanwhile, Song Qianshan, holding her breath, shot each beast squarely between the eyes.
Shen Zhaomu seemed rather dazed, perhaps due to the thrill of the recent battle with Veyrpan or due to his genuine alarm over Long Shiyu’s injury
Long Shiyu appeared to be in great pain, curling up and staying docilely and quietly in Shen Zhaomu’s embrace, breathing softly, his head buried in his neck.
He’d fallen asleep.
Even as he slept, a slight furrow remained between his brows.
Fortunately, the bleeding hadn’t worsened. Long Shiyu’s draconic regeneration abilities were in play after having consumed a significant amount of Shen Zhaomu’s blood. It seemed that the blood of someone with robust psychic power was a tonic for dragons.
The car sped on, gradually leaving the horde of monsters behind. As they moved forward, the tunnel was no longer cloaked in total darkness; emergency lights began to appear on both sides of the path.
Shen Zhaomu glanced out of the window.
Ahead was an endless tunnel with an uneven road. The dim yellow of the emergency lights intermittently illuminated half of Long Shiyu’s face and slender neck. In the light, his skin looked delicate like the finest silk.
When the light receded, darkness crept back in, leaving only sounds of Shen Zhaomu’s heartbeat and Long Shiyu’s breathing, warm and alive, mingling as one.
The light of the next lamp approached, the radiance growing warm once more. Shen Zhaomu saw his hand resting on the young man’s waist. The sensation beneath his clearly defined fingers was remarkably supple.
Golden flecks of light, as always, acted like a vast ocean, halting the advance of the exotic creatures. Every strike was precise and unerring. Amid the chaos of the battle, fur and feathers flew, black blood surged, breaths came in ragged gasps, and crimson eyes blazed with unchecked desire.
For a brief moment, the words of the circus troupe seemed to echo in his ears:
“Where do you wish to go? To death or to paradise?”
But neither was the answer.
Neither was his answer.
The sharp cries of the nocturnal ghouls and the overwhelming sounds of the burrowing dragons faded into the distance. The only warmth Shen Zhaomu felt was the young man nestled in his embrace.
Emergency lights passed by them. Their surroundings grew bright, then dark, then bright again. The tires rolled over a vast stretch and the bumbling car shook while they shared an intimate embrace.
Everything else became inconsequential, and even the whispers of the wind ceased.
The rickety car raced forward, emerging from the narrow tunnel to the bright moonlit Kassand.
…
Several hours later, in the lower town of Kassand.
Holding five boxes of takoyaki, Shen Zhaomu knocked on Long Shiyu’s door, “Are you awake?”
Faint whines came from inside.
Shen Zhaomu opened the door to see one of Long Shiyu’s pale feet dangling off the bed, about to touch the floor. His tail wrapped around a soft pillow, and a hand reached out from under the blanket, barely grasping a teacup on the bedside table.
This bizarre sleeping position was something Shen Zhaomu had witnessed before. He wondered how Long Shiyu managed to sleep like that.
From the moment they returned a few hours ago, Long Shiyu had been in a deep sleep. Initially, Shen Zhaomu was concerned about his injuries and stayed by his side for hours to ensure his condition stabilized.
During that time, Shen Zhaomu debated whether or not to call a doctor.
Doctors specializing in exotic creature treatment were only available at the Hunters Association – they absolutely couldn’t call them. But who should they call? A regular surgeon or a veterinarian?
For once, Shen Zhaomu was deeply conflicted over a decision. Thankfully, seeing that the wound seemed to be healing, he dismissed the idea. Later, due to an assignment from the association, he had to leave for half an hour, and on his way back, he brought back some food.
Now, as Shen Zhaomu entered, Long Shiyu didn’t even bother opening his eyes.
Sitting beside the bed, Shen Zhaomu opened a box of takoyaki and waved it under Long Shiyu’s nose.
After just two wafts, Long Shiyu’s eyes snapped open, fixated on the takoyaki.
Shen Zhaomu chuckled and handed him the snack and the fork.
The effects of the takoyaki were evident. Fully awake, Long Shiyu cheerfully began to eat, his tail wagging lightly on the bed.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Shen Zhaomu suggested, “Let me check your wound again.”
“Pa’r gfjiis olcf, gfjiis.” Obcu Vtlse wewyifv klat tjio j ajxbsjxl lc tlr wbeat. Ycmf atf kbgra bo atf lcpegs qjrrfv, atf qbkfg bo atf vgjubc ijcuejuf yfujc ab kbgx, obgmlcu atf ugefrbwf kbecv mibrfv.
Ktf qglcmfrr cffvc’a xcbk jybea atlr.
Vtfc Itjbwe gjlrfv jc fsfygbk, “Qts vb P offi ilxf sbe jikjsr ufa lcpegfv lc atf rjwf rqba?” Ktf lcpegs tf’v rerajlcfv lc atf ecvfgugbecv jgfcj kjr ibmjafv bc tlr jyvbwfc abb. Ciatbeut Vtfc Itjbwe tjvc’a rffc atf kbecv atfc, atf jgfj atja yifv rffwfv ab yf lvfcalmji ab atf bcf atlr alwf.
“It’s probably just a coincidence,” replied Long Shiyu, having just finished the last takoyaki. He pitifully eyed the remaining boxes.
As he reached for another box, Shen Zhaomu stopped him.
Shen Zhaomu questioned, “Tell me the truth. Is it really a coincidence?”
“Yup.”
“Really? I find that hard to believe.”
“…Sob.”
In the end, those four boxes of takoyaki found their way into Long Shiyu’s hands.
Shen Zhaomu rubbed his head, “I have to head out again in a bit.”
“Where to?”
“To the North District of the Lower City.”
Due to the rampant destruction caused by the burrowing dragons, a part of the Upper City of Kassand collapsed. During the construction of the Upper City, the builders had anticipated this, ensuring that the Lower City had sturdy barriers for protection. This time, it remained undamaged.
The group of burrowing dragons and nocturnal ghouls had since been subdued by the arriving hunters. The psychic energies of the creatures completely dissipated. After a secondary check in 48 hours, citizens would be able to return to the Upper City.
Shen Zhaomu planned to head out to the rubble that had fallen from the Upper City, hoping to find any residual clues. If they could locate and study the corpse of Veyrpan, they would be able to gain a breakthrough in their understanding of the airborne exotic creature clans, especially the vast mantis colony.
He couldn’t understand why he’d only seen one Veyrpan. If both had appeared at the same time, he wouldn’t have been able to handle it so easily.
Was the other located somewhere else?
Or had he been held up by something else?
Perhaps he might find answers amidst the Upper City’s ruins.
Long Shiyu asked, “Can I come with you?”
“You should rest,” Shen Zhaomu replied, “Get some more sleep. I won’t be gone for long.”
“I just want a little walk,” Long Shiyu picked up another takoyaki, “Plus, I want to get more food.”
After a moment’s thought, Shen Zhaomu agreed, “Alright then. Just wait for me for a moment. I need to find Fang Qing.”
He headed downstairs.
The inn was a temporary lodging provided by the association for the hunters. They moved in upon arriving in the Lower City.
Fang Qing, unharmed, was sitting on a sofa in the lobby, flipping through something and muttering, “These guys are always late with their rent. Be careful or one day I might just…”
“Not sleeping yet?” Shen Zhaomu approached him.
Closing his ledger, Fang Qing said, “Can’t sleep, too excited. Your spouse gave me a very strange potted plant. We’ve been arguing for quite some time.”
The Zaun flower on the table responded, “Fuck your mom, fuck your mom.”
Fang Qing retorted, “Fuck your grandpa, grandma, and great-grandmother.”
Shen Zhaomu: “…”
Pointing at the flower, Fang Qing complained, “You better take it back soon. Who can stand this?”
Clearing his throat, Shen Zhaomu said, “I’ll return it to him soon.”
With no one else around, Fang Qing added, “So our evidence trail has ended again. By the way, what about the interstellar mercenary that was taken away? Zhou Xin, was it? Did she say anything?”
“All she said was she and another guy, Xu Jing, and other mercenaries, woke Veyrpan based on the ‘boss’s’ orders,” Shen Zhaomu sat down, handing over a list of materials.
Fang Qing skimmed through it, “Bee wings, deep blue coral, dream-waking flower…” He then said, “Most of these ingredients have been verified to enrage mantises, but that shouldn’t be enough to awaken an exotic creature that’s been dormant for centuries. Unless these materials combined have some effect? Either way, I’m sure this isn’t knowledge the association possesses.”
He pointed, “I’ve never seen this recipe ratio before. If this list is from the so-called boss, we might be dealing with a bigshot. Such a figure would either have vast resources backing them — vast enough that they know things even the association doesn’t — or they might be an old being such as an exotic creature who has experienced lots of things.”
“No matter what it is, we’ll find out,” Shen Zhaomu affirmed. “Even if they destroy all the traces they left in Kassand, there will always be a next ‘Kassand’.”
“Right,” Fang Qing agreed, “There’s always a way. I’ll go over this list again today, then send it to my top student, Lu Shanyao. It’ll be a chance for him to rack his little brains.”
Before Shen Zhaomu headed upstairs, Fang Qing hesitated.
He recalled the scene he’d seen in the tent — a fleeting golden hue that couldn’t belong to human eyes.
Did he see wrongly? But if Long Shiyu was an exotic creature, how could Shen Zhaomu not know? Or was it…
In the end, Fang Qing remained silent.
Pushing his doubts aside, he returned to the list, occasionally muttering complaints about those defaulting on their rent.
As Shen Zhaomu took the elevator up, something struck him.
Something wasn’t quite right. He encountered a carriage-driving Long Shiyu, so why hadn’t Lu Shanhuai sent him any novels?
He checked his terminal.
Oh, the commander had sent him some.
His signal was just too poor to receive it earlier.
With an emotionless face, Shen Zhaomu put away his terminal. Such was the peril of having dubious friends.
Back in the room, Long Shiyu had already finished all five boxes of takoyaki, changed his clothes, and was putting on shoes.
Seeing Shen Zhaomu return, he was about to say something when his gaze fixed on Shen Zhaomu’s neck.
The two bite marks hadn’t faded. After all, lots of blood had been lost. Even after Shen Zhaomu used his strong psychic energy to stem the flow, recovery still wouldn’t be swift.
A few hours ago, Long Shiyu wasn’t fully conscious in Shen Zhaomu’s embrace. Now, seeing the marks, realization hit him.
Shen Zhaomu, noticing Long Shiyu’s gaze, reassured, “It’s fine. The wound will heal.”
Long Shiyu: “Sob.” QAQ
Awash with sadness, his tail instantly drooped. He had hurt his princess.
Shen Zhaomu didn’t make much of it. After all, he was well aware of dragon tendencies.
Just as he was about to hang up his coat and change, he found Long Shiyu charging at him, headfirst into his back.
Shen Zhaomu: “???” Thinking something was wrong with Long Shiyu, he began, “Is the wound hurting? I told you to stay…”
His words stopped short when he felt Long Shiyu’s arms wrap around his neck and a warm breath drawing close.
Sensing something amiss, Shen Zhaomu quickly pushed Long Shiyu away, turning to ask, “What are you doing?”
Long Shiyu wore a deeply distressed expression. “You got hurt because of me…” The ‘Evil Dragon Code’ seemed to crumble within him. He was certain he wouldn’t make the cut for the title of ‘Outstanding Evil Dragon’ this year.
“It’s alright. I told you I’m fine,” Shen Zhaomu said, still feeling something amiss. “So, what exactly were you trying to do just now?”
“I wanted to lick your wound for you.”
Shen Zhaomu: “…”
Shen Zhaomu: “……?”
The mere thought of that image made him overwhelmed. Who could handle such a situation?
Still earnest, Long Shiyu explained, “It really helps. When dragons get injured, we lick our own wounds. You should try it and see.”
Shen Zhaomu firmly responded, “Absolutely not.”
He felt that some of Long Shiyu’s ideas were seriously flawed. From jumping through fiery hoops to licking wounds, all of it seemed very off to him. “Listen, you can’t go around doing that to others, okay?”
“…Oh.” Long Shiyu looked dejected at the refusal.
Shen Zhaomu still had a niggling sense of unease. “You haven’t done this to anyone else, have you?”
“No,” Long Shiyu replied. After all, others weren’t his princess.
Shen Zhaomu finally felt relieved.
The prior incident had been too shocking, and it took him a while to process it.
Yesterday, their clothes got dirty, just like the other hunters. The Association procured some casual clothes from nearby stores and placed them in the hotel. Long Shiyu was now dressed in a misty blue hoodie and jeans, gleefully following Shen Zhaomu outside.
The lower city was considerably cleaner than the upper part. Although there were plenty of suspicious-looking people and shops along the way, on the whole, it felt more normal.
Along the way, Long Shiyu bought loads of food.
Fried chicken wings, seafood pizza, milk tea, and crispy hand-pulled pancakes.
Mapo tofu, butter-fried scallops, meat sandwiches.
The tofu pudding wobbled in its bowl, a few scallion bits resting atop some squid tentacles, making a sizzling sound. The thin rice rolls were filled with enticing barbecued pork. Skewers of beef and lamb were marbled with fat. The best of them all were the soup dumplings; when bitten, a delicious broth would gush out, lingering pleasantly on the lips and tongue.
Usually, Shen Zhaomu didn’t pay much attention to shops as he walked. But now, with Long Shiyu beside him, he often found himself being tugged on the sleeve by the younger man, whose eyes were locked onto something. Sure enough, it was time to spend again. Dragons really had a keen sense of smell; even hidden eateries were easily located by Long Shiyu.
After they had finally covered a portion of town, Shen Zhaomu teased, “No wonder you’re always broke; you spend all your salary on food.”
“Pretty much,” Long Shiyu replied, munching on fish ball skewers. “I always end up getting fired pretty quickly and have to find another job.”
Shen Zhaomu chuckled, “Considering you’re always sleeping on the job, who wouldn’t fire you? It’s a mercy if you don’t give someone the fright of their lives, like what you did to that circus owner.”
Long Shiyu: “…Sob.”
“Alright, alright, I won’t fire you. I promise.”
As they continued walking, they neared a massive sculpture of a bean.
The bean was situated in a vast plaza in the lower city, with a statue of Jack right in the center. Inscribed on the base of the statue was a famous saying: “Oh, hell, it’s growing even bigger now.”
There were vendors around them selling Kassand’s memorabilia. Shen Zhaomu took a stroll around and bought a colorful balloon.
Long Shiyu remarked, “I don’t really understand that guy.”
“You mean, Veyrpan?”
“Yes. It was Jack who stood him up. It was clearly Jack’s fault.”
Shen Zhaomu began to explain, “Veyrpan hails from a mantis settlement in the skies. These creatures inherently possess strong psychic powers, allowing them to walk among the clouds. They communicate in frequencies beyond human hearing. Veyrpan is a unique and powerful individual among them. The Association’s research on them is scant, but it’s clear that they don’t have genders in the way we understand.”
He continued, “Their reproduction isn’t based on mating, but by consuming and then dividing. Once they’ve consumed enough other beings, they change and split into a new version of themselves. This is why Veyrpan is called a ‘twin soul’. They’re quite unique, and hopefully, our research on them will progress this time.”
By now, they had reached the statue of Jack.
Long Shiyu tilted his head, “I still don’t quite get what you mean. So, did Veyrpan eat Jack after getting drunk?”
“All we know is that he’s consumed humans before; part of his appearance clearly resembles a human. Plus, in the play, when he first met Jack, he hadn’t yet split into a second self,” Shen Zhaomu said. “But as to the real truth, nobody really knows. 130 years ago, during our standoff with Veyrpan, we discovered that the sounds he made were incomprehensible even to other mantises.”
“This is why he left the sky settlement and even started learning human language to communicate.”
It’s natural for two split entities of a mantis to be two distinct beings, with different personalities. There have even been cases where one half consumes the other when it’s weakened.
The two Veyrpans didn’t like each other but stayed together, for only they could understand each other.
If no one understands me, I’ll just make a copy of myself.
Shen Zhaomu remarked, “Perhaps Veyrpan never really had a loyal audience. The real Jack might have been entirely different from the one in his imagination. After all, he’s been so lonely, right? No one ever understood him. He was the only one to bow at the end of his circus performances.”
He then tied the colorful balloon he had bought to the statue’s right hand.
Now, it looked as though a young boy was joyfully running against the wind, a colorful circus balloon floating alongside.
Shen Zhaomu mused, “Still, I wish the story was real. No matter where the audience eventually went, at least someone truly appreciated his circus.”
Shen Zhaomu looked up at the statue, his gaze introspective. Meanwhile, Long Shiyu watched him intently without batting an eyelid.
Then, Long Shiyu broke into a genuine smile, his eyes crinkling mirthfully. “You’re a really strange person.”
Shen Zhaomu ruffled his hair. “What makes you say that?”
“Because you’re a hunter,” Long Shiyu recalled, “And what do they always say about hunters? Cold-blooded? Stoic and impartial?”
Shen Zhaomu retorted, “You’re the last person who should be calling me out. Just look at the lavish life you lead! You even managed to burn down my house eating spicy peppers.”
Long Shiyu: “…”
He was instantly sheepish.
Shen Zhaomu, his curiosity piqued, turned his head to face Long Shiyu. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask. Can you explain exactly which generation of dragon you are?”
Author’s note:
One cutesy sob a day: 3/1
Today’s chapter is a mix of fluff and lethally cute sobs. Prophet Lu, as always, gets his screen time too. If things go as expected, there will be gatherings in the sky and the licking of wounds. #DiscussingTheWaysADragonExpressesAffectionToHumans#
Oh my god, is that what happened?? Did Veyrpan eat Jack, but only one of the twins knew that happened, so the other wanted to resurrect him?? Kind of messed up and tragic O.O