Dragon Raja; Chapter 120: The Dragon’s Tomb

Dragon Raja

Three Gorges Dam, in ancient time “Kui Gate.”

On a clear night, boats waiting to pass through the locks were quietly moored on the river. The water was calm, reflecting the starlight and moonlight. A solitary shadow stood on the shore of a small islet in the middle of the river, silently gazing at the scene. The sound of rushing water evoked memories from many years ago.

Years ago, this islet was a mountain, and standing here, one could see the Kui Gate carved by divine axes, spring’s green stretching out as far as the eye could see, with the wind lifting the white robes of two individuals.

The shadow reached out towards the water, and ancient incantations traveled across the surface like a bell’s toll.

Ripples formed on the water, countless bubbles rose from the depths, and wisps of white steam floated upwards. A molten light shimmered below, as if a volcano was about to erupt from the riverbed.

The water began to boil, steaming white vapor shot into the sky, thundering like a storm. The surface split apart as hundreds of tons of scalding water surged into the air before falling as droplets. The droplets hit dark scales, evaporating instantly.

A massive creature that words could barely describe emerged.

It broke through the surface, letting out a sound somewhere between laughter and a baby’s cry, then bent its neck, lowering its head to face the shadow at the shore. Its exposed form rose to a height equivalent to four stories. Its neck was covered in black scales, and along its spine were jagged, black bony spikes that pierced through the scales. An ancient iron mask covered its face, with only its eerie golden eyes exposed.

No one would believe such a creature existed if they didn’t see it for themselves. It was like something out of mysterious and forbidden texts. Some said they hid in caves, spewing sulfur and fire. Others claimed they were venomous serpents, some with more than one head. Still others believed them to be symbols of fate, half-divine beings. Ancient European sailors spread rumors that the seas of the East were unnavigable, filled with red, boiling water from the magma below. Schools of creatures swam above that magma layer, destroying any large vessel in anger, unless rice was thrown overboard, for the rice resembled maggots—these creatures’ only fear, as maggots could burrow into their scales.

But none of these legends captured the truth of their form.

When it appeared before humanity, it was far more terrifying and majestic than any tale.

There was only one word to describe it: “Dragon”!

A prolonged silence followed. The shadow reached out towards the dragon, and the dragon made a soft, whimpering sound, obediently lowering its head for the shadow to stroke its nose.

This moment, the small figure and the immense dragon stood in harmony.

“Samson, after two thousand years, we finally meet again,” the shadow whispered. “You’ve kept watch for too long… It’s time we go home!”

The shadow grasped the iron ring on the dragon’s mask as if reclaiming strength and dignity.

He let out a roar towards the sky, and the dragon roared with him, their voices intertwining and reverberating across the river. The dragon’s long tail lashed the water, splitting the surface, and its head traced a graceful arc through the night sky. With the shadow, it dove into the crack. The river’s surface closed after a moment, leaving only ripples.

“What was that sound?” Not far from the islet, tourists on a river cruise singing karaoke on deck shivered simultaneously, turning in the direction of the noise.

They only saw the shimmering water, dark mountains under the starry sky. Yet, that night, the karaoke session ended quickly—no one wanted to sing anymore.

Throughout the night, they couldn’t shake off the memory of that sound. They couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but it left a lingering, heart-wrenching sadness.

If it had been a human voice, what kind of pain, what kind of desperate agony would it take to make such a sound?

“It is now February 13th, 2010, Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve. The Moniach is anchored in the Three Gorges Reservoir. The river is calm, and the equipment is functioning normally. Tonight, we will carry out ‘Operation Bronze.’ I am Captain Manstein, and this is my thirteenth entry in the captain’s log on this voyage.” Professor Manstein glanced at his watch, dialed an international call, switched to speaker, and placed the phone on the table. “We are ready. School Board, please give us the final order.”

“Begin the operation, and good luck,” Principal Anjou said before hanging up.

Manstein looked around at everyone. “You’ve all heard it; the principal has confirmed it.”

Everyone nodded.

“Although we’ve rehearsed many times, only tonight will you know all the details. Listen carefully and remember—each team must cooperate to ensure success.” Manstein looked at the students in black combat suits standing in the cabin with solemn expressions, hands clasped behind their backs. “Congratulations, everyone. This is a true dragon-slaying mission. Here, you will no longer be considered students. You were chosen for this ship because you are the best.”

“Hey, can you not talk about ‘the best’ and ignore small fry like me, who were brought in to fill numbers?” Lu Mingfei muttered. He stood at the back of the crowd, only half his face visible.

“Unlike last time, the Moniach is now fully armed. The Gear Department has crammed all their latest equipment into the hold. This ship is equipped with the pinnacle of modern technology. Its firepower rivals that of a cruiser, and it can handle any creature—provided there are no mistakes in operation.” Manstein continued, “Our target this time is even stronger than the one you faced on campus. Metal and explosions cannot harm it, rendering conventional weapons useless. Allow me to introduce,” Manstein activated a large screen, which displayed a schematic diagram, “‘Storm’! The world’s fastest torpedo, manufactured in Russia, with an underwater speed of up to 200 knots—almost as fast as a small aircraft. According to the data, dragon species can swim at speeds of up to 50 knots, which means our target cannot escape the Storm torpedo… Lu Mingfei, do you have a question?”

Lu Mingfei raised his hand. “I read in military magazines that the Storm torpedo can carry a nuclear warhead. Are we planning to use… nuclear weapons?”

“No, we’ve equipped it with an alchemical warhead!” Manstein zoomed in on the torpedo’s warhead section.

“The warhead contains 8,000 alchemical shrapnel pieces arranged in a spiral. Their edges are incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through dragon scales!” Manstein activated the animation. “Look, when the warhead detonates, the 8,000 pieces of shrapnel spread out in a 30-meter diameter plane, rotating like a powered saw blade. But its speed far exceeds any saw, completing a rotation within fractions of a second—slicing the Dragon King in half!”

Series Navigation

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