Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 24: Burning Christmas Eve (5)

Dragon Raja 3

Zero laughed loudly and shouted, “Hadōken!”

He landed lightly on the ground, while Anton tumbled to the floor, spitting blood.

Zero adjusted his collar, “First time trying it, sorry about that. The finishing move had some flaws, please forgive me, everyone.”

Renata remembered. She had seen a Japanese magazine in the library that described a game on TV. She couldn’t understand the text but recalled a series of pictures showing a Japanese warrior launching an enemy into the air and following up with attacks. Zero’s moves came straight out of a game magazine… just as he had said, all his knowledge came from reading books—he could even turn an imaginary fighting technique into something real!

Anton struggled to get up, and the head nurse rushed angrily towards Zero, seemingly intending to reason with this troublemaker. Zero suddenly turned, glancing around at everyone, his pupils now blazing with an intense golden glow.

Everyone was awestruck, including Renata. She only heard Zero say coldly, “What are you looking at? Never seen someone fight for a girl?”

Instantly, the dance floor returned to its previous state. The interrupted ball resumed, men and women continued their singing and dancing, gulping down strong liquor—even Anton joined back in. It was as if the previous incident was just a minor unpleasant episode, which had now passed, so there was no need to dwell on it. They resumed enjoying their beautiful evening.

“Happy birthday,” Zero said, using his sleeve to wipe Renata’s tears.

Renata didn’t speak, only stared at him, tears streaming down her face. It was at that moment she finally felt the piercing fear—Anton had really wanted to violate her, in front of everyone. This wasn’t like Zero’s previous mock attempt. Now she felt so overwhelmed with sadness that she wanted to curl up and cry in a corner where no one could see her.

“Hey, hey!” Zero lowered his voice. “This isn’t the time to cry; we’re not out of danger yet.”

Renata kept crying.

“Hey! Nothing happened to you, right? Didn’t I save you in time? You’re still intact, still a little virgin, not even fully developed—no chest yet. Even if they tore your clothes off, there would be nothing to see!” Zero seemed a bit annoyed.

Renata continued crying… Zero let out a long sigh.

“Woof! Woof!” Zero suddenly changed his expression, barking like a dog, his pleading eyes like those of a baby seal.

Renata stared blankly at Zero. Her mouth was pouting, but slowly that little crying face was soothed by some unseen force. She inadvertently revealed a slight smile. Zero was like a devil—devils are cunning, and when they don’t want you to cry, they always find a way to comfort you, because devils understand the human heart too well.

“Come! Let’s dance! Since we’re already here!” Zero pulled Renata’s hand.

No one could have imagined that a boy who had grown up restrained in a straitjacket could be such an excellent dancer. From sailor’s dance to waltz to tango, he danced each one with effortless grace. Renata had never learned dance steps, but by looking into Zero’s eyes and following his lead, she managed to keep the rhythm. Zero was like a magician, and Renata was a white bird dancing alongside the magician.

“Who taught you to dance?” Renata asked.

“I learned from reading books. I learn everything from books.”

“The doors are sealed.”

“That’s because someone plans to blow up this port. I just found out. They’ve released hallucinogens through the ventilation system, which is why everyone seems insane to you. Hallucinogens are like drugs. People who overdose lose all reason, morals, and human decency. Right now, all they crave is alcohol, loud music, and the opposite sex. The only ones who are still sober here are you and me,” Zero said, patting Renata’s head. “Your lineage is too superior for hallucinogens to affect you. How could such vile substances harm someone of noble blood?”

“What should I do?” Renata asked.

“Do you remember the map of the ventilation system?” Zero said, “Go through the ventilation ducts back to your building, come to my room—Zero’s room. Quickly! We need to get to a safe distance before midnight. Let’s hope the dogs can run fast enough.”

He looked deeply into Renata’s eyes, his gaze profound. “Follow my instructions, and soon you will be free. Now go, run! Run! Run!” He had a slight smile on his lips, “My little princess!”

Renata felt dazed for a moment, and suddenly her palms turned cold. Right there between her arms, Zero turned into glittering golden dust, scattering on the carpet. She was still in the noisy dance hall, the air filled with the scent of alcohol, with men and women brazenly dancing and kissing, the door sealed with three locks. She stood alone in the center of the dance floor, holding the stuffed bear with serious eyes.

In the boiler room, the on-duty lieutenant had slumped over his station, still holding a bottle of Red Label vodka. A steel-core bullet had pierced his heart, and Bondarev stood behind him, holding a Makarov pistol. The doctor struck a match and tossed it into a vat filled with fuel. In an instant, roaring flames surged into the cold storage. The fire roasted the thick ice, and within the ice, small thumb-sized embryos were faintly visible.

“These are embryos mixed with dragon genes?” Bondarev asked.

“They are products of an immature technique. They might go out of control.” The doctor wiped his hands of the fuel. “If they grow up, they could be trouble for us.”

“Could they even turn into a dragon?” Bondarev asked.

“Who knows? In any case, the second-generation products will be better—stronger and more controllable. Our next destination is the archives. We need to burn all unnecessary blueprints. This reminds me of when the Soviet army stormed Berlin—every institution in Berlin was burning, incinerating all their documents.”

“Only twenty minutes left until eleven. Are the youngsters in the Golden Hall still having fun?” Bondarev carried a large canister of fuel on his shoulder, walking side by side with the doctor out of the boiler room, stepping over the sticky blood.

“Let’s hope they take advantage of their last moments to enjoy being with the opposite sex.” The doctor spoke coldly. Behind them, the oil tank’s valve opened, and tons of fuel poured onto the ground. The extra fuel allocated to the boiler room wasn’t just for heating—it was also for burning it down. After walking several hundred meters away, a thunderous explosion roared behind them, and soaring flames consumed the cold storage. The fuel explosion destroyed two floors, turning those delicate embryos to ashes.

Series Navigation

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