"Master." Lucifer returned to Bai Cha's side. Although those people were fast runners, that was only for most Dragon Knights. For Bai Cha, catching up to them was effortless.
But Bai Cha did not move. She simply looked at Meng Qinghuan beside her in silence. Lucifer, intending to ask something, closed his mouth upon seeing Bai Cha's displeased expression.
Perhaps due to Bai Cha's deterrence, no more evil dragons dared to offend them. Intelligent A-class dragons even looked at Bai Cha fearfully, afraid she might unleash another Banshee's Wail.
They had just heard a threat from their bloodline and from a superior. Although the Dragon Mother's control over them was strong, it was from a great distance, across the universe. But Bai Cha was right before their eyes, and in that moment, she overwhelmed their mother.
However, an even more astonishing scene unfolded before ordinary people. In the sky, a small portion of the A-class dragons stopped attacking the humans below. The crimson color in their pupils rapidly receded, and they eventually landed obediently on the open ground of the Z Nation's resting area, surrounding Lucifer.
Lucifer remained silent, his heart filled with a mix of emotions. He knew Bai Cha had done this intentionally. She hadn't killed these evil dragons directly but had found a way to awaken them for a moment. Bai Cha's long-charged wail had caused momentary mental confusion for these dragons.
Even with the high probability of being re-controlled, no one had expected this attempt to actually succeed.
Lucifer felt a touch of emotion. He hadn't expected Bai Cha to consider him even when she was angry. The Banshee's Wail required a long charge-up time and had poor results. Bai Cha rarely used this thankless move.
In the sky, Bai Cha still hadn't spoken. The atmosphere was tense until Cang Liu returned to Bai Cha's side.
"Miss Bai," Cang Liu said softly, "you might have to face public opinion."
Bai Cha finally shifted her gaze from Meng Qinghuan and replied in a low voice, "You already knew."
This was a statement, yet it carried two meanings.
One was confirmation that Cang Liu had long known about the dragon calamity's cause.
The other was confirmation that Cang Liu had long known Meng Qinghuan's stance.
Cang Liu did not refute it, lowering his head with a look of guilt on his face.
Bai Cha's forehead pulsed, and she took a deep breath, waving her hand. "Never mind, you did well."
"Meng Qinghuan, go back and copy the Shadow Ancestral Teachings and combat principles a thousand times. You don't need to train for the next few days, and you're forbidden from using your Thousand Hands!"
Saying this, Bai Cha left without waiting for Meng Qinghuan's reply.
She was clearly angry, but to outsiders, Bai Cha seemed capricious and her anger somewhat inexplicable. Meng Qinghuan had only made a small mistake, and there were no major errors in his coordination with Yun He and Cang Liu, yet Bai Cha flew into a rage.
That evening, Bai Cha was summoned for a video conference.
Bai Cha wore projection glasses, making the experience immersive. Video conferences were only used for minor meetings; video projection had poor security and was convenient for slacking off. However, high-ranking personnel each had a pair of projection glasses, offering strong security.
And, it was incredibly realistic.
In the vast conference room, an empty seat beside Gong Yuechen flickered with a futuristic blue light, outlining a cold and beautiful young woman, gradually becoming clearer. If one wasn't paying close attention, they might truly believe it was a real person.
"Speak." Bai Cha's voice was still pleasant but undeniably carried a slight electronic tint due to the technology. However, it wasn't a major issue; it simply revealed a little less emotion. Even so, everyone could discern the impatience in Bai Cha's tone.
"What attitude is this, Miss Bai? Do you know how much trouble you've caused this time!" an old man with a white beard suddenly stood up, puffing out his chest and glaring. "To reassign evil dragons for your own use, this is simply the act of a demon!"
"Oh? And what do you propose?" Bai Cha, seated, looked up at the old man, a trace of disdain in her eyes.
"Of course, it's for us to research! Look at you now, what are you doing? You used to hand over important experimental samples and live specimens immediately. Now you're hoarding them privately..." The old man, named Guang Ping, was from a family affiliated with the Mohist school of the Bright faction and held a significant position.
Guang Ping had dedicated his life to scientific research. In the past, Bai Cha would have treated him with respect. Now, Bai Cha directly interrupted him.
"Does what you say not shame you?" Bai Cha said coldly. "Where are the evil dragons I gave you back then?"
Guang Ping faltered, unable to reply.
"Thirty-two A-class evil dragons, one thousand six hundred and eighty-four B-class evil dragons, thirty-six thousand eight hundred and eighty-six C-class evil dragons," Bai Cha raised her eyes, looking directly into Guang Ping's eyes. "You tell me, how is it that they all escaped, alive and kicking?"
Guang Ping was also taken aback, his expression changing instantly. He subconsciously looked at the group behind him and blurted out, "How is that possible!"
"Hmph, it seems you haven't coordinated your stories," Bai Cha sneered. "I have twenty-seven photos of A-class evil dragons and six hundred and fifty-four photos of B-class evil dragons, all high-definition and uncensored. Does anyone want to take a look?"
The crowd fell silent.
"Ridiculous. I haven't even troubled you yet, and you come to me and hang yourselves from the southeast branches?"
Her words left the conference room speechless. If the atmosphere before Bai Cha's arrival was "full of killing intent, high spirits, and righteous indignation," it now resembled red-hot charcoal doused with cold water, with residual warmth on the surface but icy on the outside. Anyone could see that Bai Cha had come prepared.
How was this possible? How could she be so prepared no matter how busy she was? It seemed she was always like this.
"Then, you still can't take in evil dragons. What will outsiders think of my Z Nation?" someone else stood up to voice an objection, but their voice was much weaker this time.
"The definition of an evil dragon is one controlled by the Dragon Mother, thus possessing destructive intent. Having evil power is merely an accompanying condition. Without control, they have no destructive intent and are just ordinary dragons. So, what's wrong with me taking them in?"
"If we are to be strict about evil power, then I, Bai Cha, from core to dragon, am all evil power. Are you perhaps insinuating something, trying to force me to abdicate?"
Everyone: "..."
Good heavens, you dare to say anything! The big shot is right here!
Everyone was petrified. They always lost arguments to Bai Cha. This time, Bai Cha's aggressiveness was even greater than before, raising the issue to forcing a faction leader to abdicate. She had suddenly flipped the blame back and added an extra burden.
The people of the Bright faction wouldn't dare admit it openly. Even if they had the intention, they couldn't express it, so they could only desperately deny it.
"No, no, that's not what we mean. It's just, Miss Bai, are you trying to directly give them... official positions?" another person stood up.
Everyone knew that the Neutral faction were the true decision-makers, and granting official positions was the exclusive privilege of the Neutral faction. This was a veiled accusation that Bai Cha was overstepping her bounds, implying she wanted to seize power and become the host.
"Official positions? Even with official positions, I wasn't protected. And I don't know when I might be stabbed in the back by my own people. How dare I drag dragons into a pit of fire?" Bai Cha retorted unceremoniously. "According to the Animal Protection Law and Citizen Law, dragons are a type of rare and advanced animal and are considered citizens, forming an equal friendship. Are you trying to forcibly research innocent dragons?"
This statement even made the Neutral faction's expressions change slightly.
This not only implied that the Bright faction disrespected the law and stabbed people in the back, but it also implicated the Neutral faction.
After all, although the Neutral faction didn't stab the Shadow faction in the back, they were the umbrella for the Shadows. In plain terms, the Shadows were a vine wrapped around them, but they weren't stepping up, so the Shadows' experiences were also their responsibility.
Bai Cha, wearing her projection glasses in her room, engaged in a verbal battle with the group. Freya lay on the bed next to Bai Cha, silently protecting her. Outside the door, Lucifer stood guard silently.
Meng Qinghuan had just entered the room when the door suddenly closed with a "bang." Meng Qinghuan clasped his hands together, his smile as usual.
"Oh my, Xiao Nan, it's been so long since you used insects to unlock doors. You specifically waited for me in my room, huh?" Meng Qinghuan drawled lazily. "Although I'm good-looking, I'm a dignified straight man, you know."
Xiang Nan didn't speak. He wore loose pants and a long-sleeved shirt, but it couldn't hide his thin build. A black scarf stood high around his neck, obscuring half his face.
"Alright, alright, don't stare at me like that. You're making me shy," Meng Qinghuan continued to tease as Xiang Nan remained silent. "But if you really insist on sleeping in the same bed as me, it's not impossible..."
"Why the hesitation?" As if unable to bear Meng Qinghuan's lewd remarks, Xiang Nan interrupted him with a frown, his question direct. "You've lost your fighting spirit."
Meng Qinghuan's smile vanished for a moment, but he quickly put on a smile again. "Hey, hey~ Don't be so serious. It'll make me sad. I train hard every day. Where have I lost my fighting spirit?"
"You're trying to cover it up." Xiang Nan, who usually appeared listless with drooping eyelids, now had eyes as sharp as an eagle's, even carrying a chilling coldness. "When encountering an enemy, one must strike immediately to eliminate future trouble. Yet, your '海底捞月' (Hai Di Lao Yue - Sea Bottom Scooping Moon) not only lacks offensive power but is merely an ordinary confinement technique."
If it weren't for this, those people wouldn't have been able to break Meng Qinghuan's Buddha's Hand so easily.
What was even more egregious was that after his Thousand Hands was broken, Meng Qinghuan didn't attack but merely dispersed the mist. This was no longer just about not attacking; it was a warning to the opponents that they had been discovered and should escape immediately. This was also the reason for Bai Cha's anger.
Meng Qinghuan fell silent, his smile also disappearing. His eyes slightly widened, and golden electricity crackled faintly. A normal Dragon Knight would have been suffocated by the pressure, but Xiang Nan was completely unfazed. His pair of jet-black pupils were as deep as a vortex, possessing a hint of Bai Cha's unfathomable aura.
"You've betrayed her," Xiang Nan said in a low voice.
"I haven't!" Meng Qinghuan's face darkened as he vehemently denied it. "Xiang Nan, times have changed. You're not a child anymore, why are you still impulsive? Your eyesight is better than mine, you should know better than I do about the status of those people. If we really turn against them now, we won't fare any better."
"So, by us giving in time and time again, we'll fare better?" Xiang Nan retorted. "Haven't they just become more aggressive?"
"But we can't fall out with them in front of so many people. If the country is in turmoil, how can we resist foreign enemies?" Meng Qinghuan countered.
"If we don't fall out, won't they be in turmoil?" Xiang Nan, unyielding to Meng Qinghuan's excuses, argued. "Concession and conservatism will only leave us vulnerable from all sides. Hungry dogs only understand the pain of the rod and won't provoke recklessly."
"We still have room to maneuver now. If we go too far..." Meng Qinghuan frowned, but Xiang Nan interrupted him roughly.
"That's not your place to overstep. Bai Cha is the leader," Xiang Nan coldly interrupted Meng Qinghuan. "You've betrayed her will. She was just a girl who only knew how to fight and kept silent. Now she's developed her sharp tongue for us!"
"Meng Qinghuan, when your family was destroyed, it was Bai Cha who buried your relatives. When you were exiled and almost violated, it was Bai Cha who carved a path of blood to rescue you. You said you would be loyal to her, but you have already deviated from her will."
"Meng Qinghuan, is love really that important? More important than loyalty?"