“Congratulations,” Henkel raised his glass, “For the first time in history, we truly killed one of the Four Kings. For thousands of years, the dragon kings’ ‘cocoon’ ability has been a nightmare for us, and you’ve solved this technical problem. In the foreseeable future, I believe the dragon kings will fall one by one. When all Four Kings are buried, it will be the most significant day in human history. Gentlemen, a toast to our compatriots.”
The young men stood in unison, raising their champagne glasses high, “To a new era in history!”
“No, what matters is not the new history… but the end of a particular chapter in history.” Anjou also raised his glass.
“Well then, at such an important moment, can we resume the alliance between us?” A young man stood up, sporting a small artistic mustache and smiling warmly.
“The door for negotiations is always open. If the conditions are good enough, even if there’s no door, you can climb over the wall.” Anjou smiled.
“I truly admire your open-mindedness, Mr. Anjou. If the person here today had been Frost Gattuso, we might not have been able to sit down as friends, have a drink, and talk peacefully,” the young man stared into Anjou’s eyes. “I think you understand why.”
“The Gattuso family is the strongest among us, and Frost is its representative. He’s always tough. If it were him, he wouldn’t even give you the chance to ask questions.” Anjou spread his hands. “I’m a moderate. Everyone likes moderates.”
“Yes, that’s why we can communicate. Among our kin, the Secret Party is the most radical, like a group of fighting rams, and Frost is the one who jumps around the most among them. We don’t want to talk to him—it’s unwise.” The young man spoke with a lofty but persuasive demeanor. He had graduated from Harvard Business School, and among the young people here, he had the best negotiation skills. His tone was gentle as he walked around Anjou, trying to convey goodwill, while standing up forced Anjou to look up at him. Negotiation psychology told him that once you look up at your opponent, your mind will naturally be at a disadvantage.
“We are all hybrids. We should be friends, just with some differences in our attitude toward the Dragon Raja. There’s nothing irreconcilable about that. You now have the power to kill the First Generation. We’re happy to see that because the Dragon Raja is also our enemy. We look forward to you completely ending the history of the Dragon Raja, and we are willing to help.” The young man smiled.
“So generous?” Anjou raised an eyebrow.
“We’re willing to be generous for our shared cause, but we also expect a fair return. After the Dragon Raja’s history ends, the new era will belong to all hybrids. No single faction should become the absolute leader. We should share power,” the young man leaned on the back of Anjou’s chair, acting very friendly, his breath almost brushing Anjou’s face. “As long as Cassell is willing to talk about sharing power with us, we certainly won’t hesitate to help a friend.”
Anjou shrugged. “Are we talking about dividing up territories?”
“No, not division, but sharing. We are far superior to humans, and we should be the rulers. But for so many years, we’ve been careful to hide our identities because of the lingering threat of the Dragon Raja. They could resurrect at any time, keeping us on edge. We don’t want to be enemies with both the Dragon Raja and humanity. But now that we’ve found a way to kill the Dragon Kings, we’re about to rid ourselves of this shadow, and nothing will restrict us anymore. Our influence will span the globe! It will be our most glorious era!” The young man’s tone was full of temptation and passion, like a Wall Street junk bond broker. “Let’s create that glorious era together!”
“That sounds nice… but it’s still just an ideal. Do you have a concrete plan?” Anjou asked.
“Of course.” The broker seemed to have found a potential customer, his face animated with excitement. “First, and most importantly, the Holy Grail—I mean, the Dragon Skeleton—you can’t monopolize it.”
“Not monopolize it? Should we make it into an exhibit and tour it around the world?” Anjou laughed.
“You understand what I mean, Principal. The value of the Dragon Skeleton is not just as a specimen to study dragons; it contains the power of the Dragon King. Dragons have only two ways of passing on their power: through offspring, or by devouring their kind!” The young man circled around Anjou slowly. “African cannibals believe that eating a brave enemy gives them courage. For dragons, devouring their kind truly means inheriting the power of the vanquished!”
“So split it in two—half for you, half for us. Charbroiled Dragon Skeleton?” Anjou nodded and smiled. “I recommend pairing this reptilian dish with a rich California red wine!”
“Take away the jokes. You’re right,” the young man grew impatient. “Our condition is this: half of the Dragon Skeleton for us, half for you.”
“Could our half be bigger? We’ve done more of the work and have more students. Charbroiling won’t be enough; I guess we’ll have to make a soup out of it—each person gets a spoonful.”
“We’re expressing a willingness to cooperate, not to bargain!” The young man was visibly angry.
“We are bargaining,” Anjou said flatly. “Though we are all hybrids, in the past few centuries, only we have fought the Dragon Raja. Our companions who migrated to the Americas established schools here, made weapons, gathered intelligence, and explored ruins, which is why we have Cassell College. Meanwhile, you took the gold you seized from the Native Americans back to Europe, turned it into jewelry, and put it on prostitutes, dancing and flirting with them, expanding your family business. Our companions who gave their lives in this war could have filled Santa Monica Beach with white crosses. Having sacrificed so much, we are certainly entitled to bargain.”
Henkel coughed lightly, breaking the deadlock.
“Alright, alright,” the young man took a deep breath, suppressing his displeasure, and put on a warm smile again. “We acknowledge the significant sacrifices of the Secret Party and will pay a fair price for it.”
“How reasonable?” Anjou seemed interested.
The young man saw hope, and his smile grew more inviting. “The entire hybrid society will welcome you, and trade routes worldwide will be open to you. We will strengthen our bloodlines through intermarriage and give birth to more superior offspring. Most importantly, we will fully support your dragon-slaying efforts. With only the Secret Party, every encounter with a Dragon King is a life-and-death struggle. But with us, though I can’t say victory is assured, your chances will be significantly improved.” He paused. “Also, for you personally… we know that while you’re the Principal of Cassell College, you’re not the most powerful member of the School Board. Some people are dissatisfied with you; in fact, they’re simply jealous of your excellence. If you can push our proposal through the School Board, we will have people join the Board with massive donations, fully supporting you. At Cassell College, you should undoubtedly hold all the power.”
The young man studied Anjou’s face, but Anjou showed no emotion.
The young man decided to strike the strongest chord in this negotiation, patting Anjou on the chair back. “Look ahead, Principal! Those friends who have died—we remember them, but let’s not overpay for the dead. History is an iron wheel, and some people will always be crushed beneath it. That’s their personal tragedy, but it’s the inevitability of history! We can’t keep indulging in sorrow. The best way to remember them is to enjoy the peaceful life they brought us. As the future unfolds, why dwell on old disagreements? Once the Dragon Raja is extinct, hybrids will be at the top of the evolutionary tree—humans can’t compare to us,” the young man took a deep breath, “We will become… the new Dragons!”