Character List
Qiao Zhiya: Half-elf, half-dwarf MC.Chu Rong: Marshal ML.
Qiao Yi: MC’s father. An elf.
Mi Lai: MC’s mother. A dwarf.
Feng: The Imperial High Advisor.
Jian: the Imperial High Advisor’s son. Studies History.
An Lunn: Feng’s dead boyfriend. Jian’s biological father, the old Emperor’s second younger brother.
Qiao Yi glanced at Chu Rong, who was sitting aside, and then at the silly-looking Qiao Zhiya. He nodded, soothing Mi Lai by patting her hand before turning to the Imperial High Advisor, his expression becoming slightly serious, “Thank you for clarifying. I have another question… Feng-xiansheng, how did you come here initially? And the one who captured you, what are their characteristics?”
This question wiped away the relaxed smile on the Imperial High Advisor’s face.
He glanced at Jian, who was still basking in the joy of reuniting with his friend, and clenched his hand on the blanket. Knowing he no longer needed to hide the past, he composed himself and replied to Qiao Yi, “I was brought here over thirty years ago…”
Back then, the Imperial High Advisor was just a newly mature dragon, adored by his kin for his pure bloodline. Indulgently, his parents allowed him to grow to adulthood in his dragon form. But the dragon clan’s coming-of-age ceremony included a ritual for transforming and receiving blessings. Reluctantly, he was thrown into the family’s sacred land by his parents to undergo his transformation.
That was the beginning of the disaster. Before he could successfully transform, a black hole suddenly appeared and sucked him into a strange place.
Qiao Yi and Mi Lai exchanged glances, recognizing the crucial moment, and listened attentively.
The Imperial High Advisor recounted his story, his voice tinged with a deep-seated trauma. After being pulled through the black hole, he found himself facing a human with animalistic eyes who, ecstatic at his capture, injected him with some unknown substance. This left him weak and drowsy, and he was transported to a place resembling a laboratory.
“There were many other humans with strange appearances, confined in various experimental chambers, their eyes lifeless like corpses. Many people in white coats surrounded me. I couldn’t understand their language or the meaning of the instruments around me, but I knew that my life of suffering had begun…”
As he spoke, recalling that dark period, a chill seemed to envelop his entire being. The dragon’s power lies in their bloodline, and any contamination or control of their blood renders them powerless, completely at the mercy of others.
Experiment after experiment, the concept of time blurred, his consciousness remained foggy, and his body grew weaker. His innocence was gradually replaced by hatred and despair. He wanted revenge, to remember the faces of those who tormented him, but they were always careful, wearing strange protective masks that concealed their identities.
One day, the experimenters brought in a beast, attempting to force him to mate with it.
“This was the greatest insult to me and to the dragon clan. Somehow, from somewhere, a surge of power allowed me to complete my transformation, breaking free of my restraints. I disguised myself as a human experimental subject and hid. When the experimenters saw the empty chamber, they thought I had escaped and began searching for me. Seizing the opportunity, I knocked out one of the lab workers, stole his clothes, and blended in with them to leave that nightmarish place.”
As he spoke, his tightly clenched fists gradually relaxed, his gaze distant for a moment as if recalling something, his aura becoming gentler. “Later… I met An Lunn.”
At that time, having successfully escaped, the Imperial High Advisor knew almost nothing about the world and was filled with distrust and wariness towards humans. Yet, he had to live in human form to avoid being targeted again.
The initial period was extremely difficult. Without identification, he was immediately enslaved. His unique powers and human spiritual energy made him feign weakness to avoid exposure, resulting in severe mistreatment.
But danger still loomed. The person who captured him somehow managed to trigger his transformation back into his original form from afar. In a moment of life-threatening peril, he instinctively used his prophetic powers, predicting his chance of survival. He sealed his dragon bloodline, forced himself back into human form, and stumbled to his destination before collapsing.
When he awoke, the world had changed.
At that time, Prince An Lunn had saved him, mistaking him for an oppressed slave. He granted him official status in the empire, taught him the language, and helped him integrate into society.
“An Lunn always wanted to abolish the empire’s slavery laws. He was kind, but it was this kindness that ultimately cost him his life… Perhaps he shouldn’t have saved me back then. Even if he did…” He shouldn’t have fallen in love.
The Imperial High Advisor swallowed the last part of his sentence, the light in his eyes dimming gradually.
Despite falling in love with the kind and warm-hearted An Lunn, the Imperial High Advisor harbored an enduring hatred towards humans. Utilizing An Lunn’s position as a prince, he subtly showcased his prophetic and divinatory abilities, gaining the admiration of the aristocracy, amassing power, and secretly searching for the person who had wronged him.
During this time, An Lunn secretly used his genes to create Jian, intending to publicly announce their relationship and be together forever. However, the Imperial High Advisor was unwilling, as his vengeance was still unfulfilled, and he didn’t want to live a life of oblivion.
Eventually, An Lunn compromised, and their relationship remained hidden.
As Jian grew older and required a formal identity, the investigation into the person responsible for his past suffering came to a standstill. An Lunn noticed the Imperial High Advisor’s deteriorating mental state, but his inquiries and advice proved futile, leading to a big argument between them.
Following this argument, the Zergs appeared, the black hole was revealed to the world, and An Lunn nearly faced danger. The Imperial High Advisor, overwhelmed with fear and anger, finally disclosed everything to An Lunn.
They began to secretly investigate the Zergs and the black hole, gradually uncovering links to the old Emperor and even some within the Federation. An Lunn, shocked and pained, vowed to steer his brother back on the right path. However, when the Zerg Queen emerged and war erupted, An Lunn was captured and, to protect the Imperial High Advisor’s secret, chose to end his own life.
The pain of losing his lover intertwined with his thirst for vengeance, leaving him on the brink of giving up. But Jian was still too young, and An Lunn’s revenge needed to be exacted, so he survived, becoming a shadow of his former self.
Narrating decades of history took only a few minutes. The Imperial High Advisor turned to look at Qiao Zhiya, a look of relief in his eyes. “I’m grateful that despite a similar beginning, Qiao has found a different ending… This is good.”
Qiao Yi and Mi Lai also looked at Qiao Zhiya. Mi Lai stepped forward to hold their son, while Qiao Yi glanced at Chu Rong.
Had Chu Rong not saved Qiao Zhiya, what kind of life would have awaited him? Would it have been like the Imperial High Advisor’s, passively awakening his bloodline one day and spending the rest of his life subjected to horrific human experiments?
A sudden sense of gratitude filled Qiao Yi’s heart — thankfully, Qiao Zhiya met Chu Rong.
Qiao Zhiya’s initial joy at seeing his friend dissipated, replaced by overwhelming sorrow after hearing the Imperial High Advisor’s story. He first nuzzled his mother to comfort her, then flew to the Imperial High Advisor, tilting his head to nuzzle his hand.
The Imperial High Advisor’s expression softened. He patted Qiao Zhiya’s head, then held Jian’s hand, offering a reassuring smile to his confused and worried son. Composing himself, he addressed Qiao Yi, “I speculate that the mastermind drawing me here was an accident, but after that, they consciously created black holes to attract extraterrestrial or interdimensional non-human species. The Zergs were the second victims after me, but unlike me, they always appeared in groups and reproduced rapidly, making it difficult for the mastermind to control them.”
The Zergs’ presence eventually exposed the mastermind’s long-standing conspiracy. From this perspective, the Zergs were not only victims under the control of certain humans but also saviors of many others. Without them, the mastermind’s plot might have continued indefinitely.
“Moreover, true Zergs can tear through space. The mastermind accidentally connected to their pathway, and once the real Zergs discovered the anomaly, they began to invade continuously, leading to a rapid loss of control. The black hole that Marshal Chu entered to kill the Zerg Queen was a real cosmic passage, also known as a wormhole. Compared to wormholes, the black holes created by the mastermind were insignificant.”
The Imperial High Advisor’s eyes showed a mix of ridicule and sorrow. “Even though artificial black holes are weak, countless individuals still suffer because of them.”
“As for Qiao…” He looked at the small dragon in front of him, sighed deeply, and suddenly said, “Qiao’s arrival might be due to my influence.”
Qiao Yi frowned and pulled his son into his arms.
Qiao Zhiya was stunned, hurriedly saying, “But I was brought here by a black hole transmission device, and that device is now with Chu Rong.”
Speaking in the lingua franca, Chu Rong, who had been silently listening, finally heard something he could understand. Realizing they were discussing how Qiao Zhiya was brought here, he straightened up, his brows furrowed.
The Imperial High Advisor looked at Qiao Zhiya and replied, “After my escape, the mastermind never ceased searching for me. Zergs were not suitable experimental subjects – it wanted to recapture me, but I had sealed my bloodline… You might have noticed that the red patterns on the black hole transmission devices are all drawn with blood. To lure me out, the creature made a set of devices using my blood and had the old Emperor bring them to the Empire, casting a wide net. An Lunn managed to acquire one, but it was later lost and accidentally activated, bringing you here.”
The true dragon bloodline is immensely powerful. A small transmission device sustained by a mere drop of dragon blood should never attract a real dragon. Yet, by sheer coincidence, it drew in Qiao Zhiya, a “pseudo-dragon” with diluted dragon blood and limited strength.
The only consolation was that the device wasn’t in the mastermind’s possession at the time, so Qiao Zhiya wasn’t discovered or captured.
The Imperial High Advisor lamented that although he was the first victim and the only one who had direct contact with the monster, he never unraveled the truth behind the black holes. His current speculations were based on Chu Rong’s investigative materials.
Without Chu Rong and Qiao Zhiya, who knew when he could have completed his plan for revenge?
“What about my bloodline awakening?” Qiao Zhiya looked at his small claws and then at the pale face of the Imperial High Advisor, worry in his eyes.
The fact that the mastermind could remotely awaken someone’s bloodline was terrifying.
At this, the Imperial High Advisor’s initial emotional response was replaced by a cold determination. “That mastermind is getting desperate. It used my blood and genes to create those human-dragon hybrids, turning them into mobile black hole transmission devices to find and recapture me. But I’ve sealed my bloodline, and I’ve been suppressing your bloodline awakening with my power. The hybrids can’t sense us, so the mastermind doesn’t dare act recklessly. Moreover, my blood supply was limited. There are likely only a few hybrids with the purest bloodline left, and the mastermind wouldn’t risk wasting them.”
No one could have predicted that Chu Rong would obtain over ten hybrids from Ning Tianxing, seven of which had relatively pure bloodlines, and that the pod would be successfully opened. Qiao Zhiya was stimulated at close range, and the Imperial High Advisor was affected from a distance. As the hybrids awakened, so did their bloodlines.
Understanding this, Qiao Zhiya and the Imperial High Advisor both looked at Chu Rong. Chu Rong, unable to understand the dragon language, could only infer from Qiao Zhiya’s words that they were discussing the youth’s bloodline awakening.
Seeing his confusion, Qiao Zhiya couldn’t help but fly over to him, nuzzling his chest.
Chu Rong embraced him but remained frowning.
“To completely eliminate the threat, we must destroy both the mastermind and their hybrids,” Qiao Yi declared, his tone calm, but his eyes cold.
Mi Lai’s expression was equally grim, her killing intent unmistakable.
The Imperial High Advisor looked at them, thinking of his distant family and relatives he hadn’t seen in decades. Sadness and longing filled his eyes until he felt the warmth of Jian’s hand, replacing his sorrow with tenderness.
Having learned everything they wanted to know, Qiao Yi stood up and sincerely said, “Thank you for the clarification. Please rest well. If you feel unwell, let me know, and I might be able to help.”
The Imperial High Advisor nodded kindly. “I will, thank you.”
As everyone prepared to leave, Chu Rong also stood up, holding Qiao Zhiya, eager to return to the main residence and ask what they had been discussing.
For the first time, Chu Rong understood the frustration of being excluded from important matters by a loved one, making him feel foolish for his past behavior.
Seeing his parents and Chu Rong leaving, Qiao Zhiya reluctantly looked at the Imperial High Advisor, broke free from Chu Rong’s embrace, and flew to him, gently nuzzling him. “I’ll come to see you again,” he whispered.
The camaraderie among kin was unique and wonderful. The Imperial High Advisor smiled, patting his little horns. “You’re always welcome,” he said.
As they bid each other a friendly farewell, a strange power suddenly filled the air. The Imperial High Advisor’s body stiffened, his arms and face instantly covered in scales. Qiao Zhiya’s wings stopped flapping, causing him to fall onto the bed.
“Qiao!”
“Father!”
“Baby!”
Everyone’s expressions changed, and they rushed towards them. Suddenly, a black hole appeared behind the Imperial High Advisor, rapidly expanding. Its powerful suction immediately drew in half of his body.
Jian quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him with all his strength.
Chu Rong, in a split second, embraced Qiao Zhiya, pulling him away from the black hole’s range, his spiritual power surging towards the black hole.
Mi Lai, slower than Chu Rong, momentarily missed catching her son. Frustrated, she turned her hostile gaze towards the black hole, grabbed the Imperial High Advisor’s arm, and effortlessly threw him aside. Her magic power surged as she drew out a giant hammer, charging straight towards the black hole, exuding killing intent. “Damn monster, I’ll kill you!”
“Mom!”
Just recovering from his headache, Qiao Zhiya was alarmed by the scene and tried to stop her.
Qiao Yi quickly pulled out a staff and lightly tapped it. A thick vine sprang out, wrapping around Mi Lai’s waist just before she disappeared into the black hole, but she was dragged into the black hole, pulling the vine with her.
Chu Rong held Qiao Zhiya tightly, preventing him from rushing forward, while his spiritual power followed the black hole.
Qiao Yi stepped forward, gathered his magic power, and quickly drew a magical array in the air, enveloping the black hole. Power surged towards the array.
The furniture in the room began to tremble and creak, and cracks appeared on the walls and floor. The black hole flickered, seemingly about to disappear, but the green magic array held it in place.
As Qiao Yi continued to channel his power, the magic array started spinning wildly, its green light shining brightly. The magic patterns grew like vines, twisting the air around them. Eventually, these new patterns formed another giant array.
Qiao Yi tapped his staff again and sternly commanded, “Go!”
The array’s rotation paused briefly before it began to spin in the opposite direction, creating a visible distortion in the air. The array’s light intensified, and the magic patterns multiplied, drilling into the trapped black hole.
Jian watched in astonishment, unable to believe the elegant and gentle Qiao Yi possessed such immense power.
Qiao Zhiya was frantic, struggling against Chu Rong’s hold. He poured his magic into the array, trying to boost its power. He also brought out Qiuqiu, ready to assist at any moment.
In what felt like an instant, or perhaps an eternity, the flickering black hole solidified and began to expand. A clear beastly roar sounded, and a massive hybrid was ejected, followed by Mi Lai, who emerged full of rage. “Damn it, I couldn’t find the monster! I only caught this thing!”
Qiao Zhiya breathed a sigh of relief. Chu Rong released him, and he immediately flew into his mother’s arms. Chu Rong stepped forward and encased the unconscious hybrid in an isolation shield.
The sound of wind filled the room. Qiao Yi frowned as he put away his staff, then waved his hand to dissolve the magical array in the air. The black hole twisted and vanished, all anomalies ceasing. He stepped forward, placing a hand on his wife’s head, using his magic to check her condition. He frowned disapprovingly and called, “Mi Lai.”
Mi Lai looked up at him, knowing she was in the wrong. She lowered her head, gently nuzzling her worried son and softly said, “I’m sorry… I was just so angry…”
How could she tolerate such a provocation, attempting to snatch her child right in front of her?
Angry enough to charge into a black hole? And she actually succeeded, returning unharmed with such a creature?
Jian was utterly stunned, glancing between Qiao Yi and Mi Lai, whose appearances belied their true strength, and the isolation shield containing the hybrid on the ground. He felt the weight of revenge that had burdened his father for years might soon be lifted.
With Qiao Zhiya’s parents capable of facing black holes without fear, even turning them to their advantage, the monster was as good as exposed and vulnerable, its capture and punishment only a matter of time.
