Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 34: New Testament (4)

Dragon Raja 3

Once they left Zero’s room, nothing in the world could contain him anymore—he was completely free. Sometimes, he would still stare at the sunset city like a child, lost in thought. But as days went by, he became more like someone who knew how to wield power. One day, after returning from the black market, he brought back a box of Cuban cigars. Late that night, Renata woke up to see Zero sitting by the fireplace, lighting a cigar with the fire. He took a deep drag, leaning back in the high-backed armchair, slowly exhaling a plume of blue smoke. At that moment, his eyes, reflecting the firelight, seemed like molten gold, and a mountain-like authority emanated from him, making Renata feel distant and out of reach.

“Don’t be afraid. I may change, but I won’t leave you.” Zero knew she was watching him, but he didn’t look back. “As long as you’re useful to me, I won’t abandon you.”

“That’s our new agreement. If you want to survive, be brave, and always be someone of use to me.” After a while, he added.

A bell rang, and the waiting passengers stood up as if they had heard the trumpet call for a charge. It seemed the K4 was ready to depart, and people were rushing desperately towards the gate. Nobody knew if there would be enough seats on the train, and boarding a moment earlier meant a better chance of leaving Moscow. The crowd surged past Renata, who instinctively clenched her pocket, where she held two tickets for the Orient Express and two passports with Chinese visas. All the documents were in her hands. Zero had said he needed to take care of something and would definitely be back before the train departed.

“If I really don’t make it back, that means I’ve been caught,” Zero had casually said when he left. “Then you’ll go to China on your own, and we’ll meet there.”

Renata didn’t believe anyone could catch Zero—just like mortals couldn’t catch a demon. But her heart was still pounding, and she stretched her neck to look towards the waiting hall’s entrance, hoping to see Zero appear. The ticket gate would only be open for a few minutes, and if Zero didn’t return by then, she would have to go to China alone. But she knew nothing about China—she was only going because Zero wanted to go.

Reunite in that distant country? But Zero hadn’t even set a place or time for their reunion. Perhaps the trip to China was just a lie, and “taking care of something” was just an excuse to leave. The real reason was that she was no longer useful to Zero, so he left her. As these thoughts crossed her mind, tears welled up.

“Do you want hot coffee?” someone behind her asked.

Zero was standing there, holding two cups of hot coffee. He was sipping from one, his black coat covered in snowflakes.

“You’re back?” Renata stared at him in disbelief.

“Oh, I came back just now. Went to buy some hot coffee first. It’s freezing outside.” Without giving her a chance to speak, Zero handed her the other cup. “Here, warm your hands.”

Renata held the hot coffee in both hands, her tears falling silently into the cup.

“I already told you, as long as you’re still useful to me, I won’t abandon you.” Zero saw through her thoughts at once, speaking in a carefree tone. He took off his gloves, rubbed his hands until they were warm, and then patted her head.

He showed a “hesitant” expression: “I went to check on your parents. But I’m sorry, it’s bad news. Both of them have passed away. They spent their lives waiting for you to return home, but unfortunately, they didn’t make it through this winter without heating fuel.” Zero said cautiously, watching Renata closely, his expression as if asking, “Would you like a comforting hug after hearing this bad news?”

To Zero’s surprise, Renata nodded, neither shocked nor saddened.

“I understand,” Renata said softly. “It looks like the train is about to depart.”

“Yeah, but all these people are blocking the ticket gate.” Zero said. “I’ll lift you up so you can see what’s going on over there.”

Without waiting for her response, he hoisted Renata onto his shoulders. Despite his slender build, he did it effortlessly. The ticket gate wasn’t open; Renata saw the ticket inspector shaking a bell while writing on a small blackboard: “Emergency notification from the administration: Due to insufficient track maintenance, the K4 train is canceled starting today.”

The hope people had ignited was instantly extinguished. Everyone stood in shock, unable to believe the bad news.

“The K4 train is canceled,” Renata said.

Zero put Renata down and whispered, “The news from Black Swan Bay has reached Moscow.”

Renata looked around cautiously.

“Don’t doubt it. They’ve realized someone escaped from Black Swan Bay. If I were them, I’d also immediately lock down all main transport routes.” Zero pulled Renata toward the exit. “They’ll seal the railway station first, then reinforce checkpoints on highways and airports.”

“What do we do?” Renata asked.

“We go to China.” Zero dragged her out of the station, looking up at the snowy sky. “We’re going to China.”

“To China?”

“Do you know why I want to go to China?” Zero asked.

Renata shook her head; she had never thought about it. Perhaps because Zero looked Chinese, it would be easier to blend in there.

“I read in the newspaper,” Zero touched her cheek, “that China is to the south of the Soviet Union. It’s warmer there, with four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Flowers bloom in three of those seasons—not just Papaver radicatum—there are thousands of kinds of flowers! In spring, every valley is filled with different kinds of flowers, each with its own color.” He gave her a proud smile. “I’ll take you to see them!”

His eyes were full of childlike excitement, as if those flower-filled valleys were right in front of them.

“Then let’s go to China,” Renata nodded. “Let’s go somewhere warm in the south.”

“Are we really just going to China like this?” Renata asked softly.

“If the K4 was still running, I’d have gotten us first-class seats,” Zero sighed. “But now, this is the only way. Don’t complain; I’m even carrying you…”

On an endless snowy plain, the tracks ran like parallel black serpents, at times buried under the snow, at times exposed, stretching far into the distance. There were no signs of life for dozens of kilometers—not even a thatched house in sight, only withered pines standing in the snow. They were moving along the railway, stepping through snow up to their knees.

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