“Yes, which is why we need to focus our defenses on the library now, blocking the last entry point.” Schneider pointed to the screen, where a large number of lights were converging towards the library.
“Is it necessary? The Belldandy sector is directly controlled by Norma; it’s impossible for it to be infiltrated,” Manstein said. “We should be supporting Caesar and Chu Zihang. Although they are the best of the A-Rank, if they make a mistake, it’ll be too late to fix it.”
“I’ve already arranged for D Group to support the Caesar. I have faith in Chu Zihang,” Schneider said. “Once he makes a move, he can quickly end the fight!”
“If there’s nothing else, let’s begin.” They heard Chu Zihang speak again.
“Alright,” said the deadpan girl.
“Yanling: King’s Blaze,” Chu Zihang said, his low chanting starting, the rhythm growing faster and evolving into a high-pitched recitation.
“King’s Blaze… that’s Yanling sequence No. 89!” Guderian broke into a sweat. “He’s just a third-year—how can he use ‘King’s Blaze’?”
“Bloodline advantage, which is why he’s beyond A-Rank,” Schneider said. “With his ‘King’s Blaze,’ protecting the church isn’t a problem.”
“A second-year wielding ‘King’s Blaze’ is like a child riding a motorcycle almost past the speedometer limit… Let’s just be thankful he’s on our side,” Manstein said. “This time, I believe you—no one else is needed at the church. Chu Zihang can handle it.”
“Alright, Yanling: King’s Blaze,” the deadpan girl said in a calm voice.
The three professors’ faces turned pale. The next moment, they heard the same dragon incantation, spoken in the voice of a girl, gradually catching up to Chu Zihang’s recitation.
“All units, focus on the church direction! Prepare for explosion!” Schneider grabbed the microphone and shouted.
He rushed to the window and looked out. A sharp light like an electric weld pierced through the church’s glass; communications were instantly cut off, and dust quickly spread in all directions. The church, in an instant, was reduced to only its pillars and load-bearing walls.
A moment later, the bright welding-like flames erupted again.
A moment later… again!
“Are they just using ‘King’s Blaze’ against each other? This is… too crude and simple!” Manstein’s forehead was covered in sweat.
“If… the destructive Yanling: King’s Blaze doesn’t belong solely to our side…” Schneider was sweating heavily, “then who exactly is the opponent?”
7. Laboratory
Shikoudi District, fifty meters underground.
“Good, let go.” Someone clapped their hands.
After four mechanical arms moved away, a brass canister hovered steadily in a superconducting magnetic field immersed in liquid nitrogen, surrounded by half a meter thick quartz glass walls. It floated like an embryo in the mother’s womb, which was this specially made oval quartz glass container.
“Perfect!” The researchers in white lab coats applauded.
“Allow me to announce with joy: Norton, the Dragon King, has been successfully captured,” Principal Anjou raised his glass. “Capturing one of the ‘Four Monarchs,’ an original dragon, came at a great cost, but it was worth it. Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to those who have sacrificed for our cause.”
All the researchers raised their glasses solemnly.
The phone on the console rang. The principal put down his glass and picked up the phone. “Schneider? It’s me. I just came back… Yes, I have asked the Night Watchman to lift the Word Spirit? Discipline… Do I need to worry so much? After lifting the ‘discipline’, you have Caesar and Chu Zihang. I have confidence in their strength… Okay, that’s it. Buy us some time. As the head of a college, I have important research work to do now… Of course…” The principal smiled, “Dissecting the Dragon King.”
“For thousands of years,” he turned to the researchers after disconnect the phone, “we have been following the footsteps of the dragons. We have used alchemical tools, cold weapons, and even evil witchcraft as weapons to fight against the dragons, and we have paid a heavy price. The truth of history has quietly continued in our hands, that is, if the dragons revive, humans will have no future. But all we can do is to make a huge sacrifice and temporarily put the dragon kings to sleep. Their powerful spirits still exist, being nurtured, waiting to be resurrected again.”
“But now we have a weapon,” he looked around, “that is, science.”
The researchers applauded.
“To date, a total of 118 types of word spirits have been confirmed, of which more than 60% have been scientifically explained, providing us with a sufficient theoretical basis to fight against these word spirits. In addition, research on dragon gene maps, dragon family genealogy, and dragon history has also allowed us to learn more about dragons. But the only problem is that we have not been able to obtain a perfect specimen so far. It is too difficult to obtain a living dragon or a complete skeleton. You all know that Longwangze cannot be dissected. In addition, the only living body is a juvenile, which has not matured and lacks sufficient research value.” The principal pointed to the copper jar isolated in the sealed glass chamber, “But today will be a historic day.”
“Principal, what is the significance of dissecting dragon remains for research?” A researcher raised his hand.
The principal smiled. “First, we need to confirm whether dragons are actually reptiles. Although we have always agreed that dragons are highly intelligent lizards with supernatural powers, there is no research material to refer to, except for the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game rulebook…”
“Secondly, the bones of an adult dragon are helpful for studying its evolutionary history. We still cannot be sure whether dragons are a species that evolved from ancient reptiles, or whether they are simply alien species, or… the theory of evolution is simply wrong.” The principal rubbed his hands. “This is exciting. After recognizing that dragons did exist in history, many things we once thought to be correct will have to be rewritten.”
“Excuse me, are there any living things in the brass jar?” Another researcher raised his hand.
“It is not certain. This brass jar was cast in about 33 AD. It is difficult to say who cast it. This is a bone vase, and the person buried there is a minister of Gongsun Shu, the ruler of southwest China at that time, Li Xiong. It was this man who persuaded Gongsun Shu to become emperor, and showed Gongsun Shu the miracle of ‘dragon coming out of the palace’, so Gongsun Shu became emperor, and the reign was called ‘Longxing’. Moreover, Li Xiong believed that according to the Chinese element theory, Gongsun Shu represented the west and belonged to ‘metal’. He even had a strange prophecy, ‘eight Si Zi Xi, twelve years’, which was a bad omen. ‘Eight Si’ is the Chinese character for ‘gong’, and Zi Xi means ‘sun’. ‘Twelve years’ means that Gongsun Shu will only be emperor for twelve years. Sure enough, twelve years later, Gongsun Shu died at the hands of Liu Xiu, another ruler of China. And Li Xiong, although he once served as such an important official as the Grand Tutor, history did not record his outcome.”
“Is he buried in it?”
“He is sealed in it,” the principal stared at the bronze jar. “That bronze jar is the coffin that Dragon King Norton made for himself. It is also the cage he imprisoned himself in. He was placed in this cage and placed in the huge bronze city he made to prevent being discovered by outsiders. It is both a seal and a protection. Li Xiong, according to speculation, is the name of Dragon King Norton in that generation. He crossed the Eurasian continent to China, and no one knows his purpose.”
“How do we open the copper pot?”
“In terms of its true texture, the jar is not copper, or even metal, although it looks like it. It is made of some alchemical material, the composition of which is unknown. The dragon clan’s elemental theory is based on the four basic elements of earth, water, wind and fire, plus a fifth, the great power that runs through everything, spirit. Dragon King Norton is the king of fire and the king of metal. Both fire and metal are important forces to awaken him. So the object that seals him must not be made of metal. We designed a quartz glass chamber like this to house him for the same purpose. He is now in a low temperature, absolutely no metal environment, and the uniform strong magnetic field keeps him suspended in the air.” The principal was confident, “This is absolute safety in the scientific sense.”
Once again, there was a round of applause.
“The mistake made a hundred years ago must not be repeated,” the principal whispered.