"Dragon activity has increased threefold compared to before?"
At four-thirty in the afternoon, in the living room of the Bai Cha dormitory, a clear voice contrasted with the slightly heavy late afternoon sun. The young girl stood rigidly by the window, several reports slammed onto the coffee table, her tone laced with barely suppressed anger. "How could I have indulged those people so much that something this serious was reported half a month late?"
"Ah, who knows. The star system they all call the 'Dragon Mother' has also become much more active. But it's fine~ At this rate, it'll be decades," said a young man with delicate features. His eyes were closed, and a vibrant cinnabar mark adorned his brow. He was clad in monk's robes and a kasaya, his shiny bald head gleaming as if waxed.
In his arms was a small, adorable loli, about the size of a Persian cat, held with one hand by the monk. The loli had short, pure white hair that barely reached her ears, and her pupils were blood red. The oversized monk's robes seemed out of place on her, and a red cinnabar mark, as vibrant as the one on the monk's forehead, adorned her own brow. She lay obediently in the monk's embrace.
"What if it accelerates?" Bai Cha clicked her tongue irritably. "Who knows when it'll crash into us?"
Just then, the tablet placed on the coffee table spoke with a dignified voice; it was a video conference with a big shot.
"In short, there's no rush for the next couple of days. Your leave remains unchanged. Various countries are searching for the prophesied individuals. Before then, you must ensure your own safety. The nation cannot afford to lose a loyal and righteous person like you."
"Hmph, that title sounds more like a muscle-bound brute with eight-pack abs," Bai Cha ground her molars. Despite her displeasure, she had to swallow it. "I'll be careful here."
"Very well, thank you for your hard work."
With a "beep," the tablet went dark. Meng Qinghuan sprawled on Bai Cha's sofa, adopting a posture of carefree resignation.
"So, what else did you want to see me about this afternoon?" Bai Cha also sat down, silently putting down her cool water glass under Lucifer's intense gaze and taking a sip of the steaming black tea beside it.
"Hmm, let me think, video conference, and then... Oh, right! I applied to the higher-ups to undertake missions with you from now on, and it was approved!" Meng Qinghuan said with a smile, stroking the loli in his arms. "We all missed you a lot, didn't we, Little Baimeng~"
"Yes, miss," the loli's crimson pupils, like glass beads stained with blood, gave people a sense of unease.
The unusual hair and eye color were proof that the dragon race could not control their powers. Lucifer furrowed his brow, seemingly lost in thought.
"Is the deficiency still that severe?" Bai Cha asked.
"Ah, but we still need more compatible dragons for predation. The dragons that have appeared recently are too weak to be of any use to Baimeng," Meng Qinghuan sighed, pinching the loli's cheek with a touch of pity.
"So it's a deficiency. Why is Baimeng deficient? If I recall correctly, she ranked quite high among dragons, a relatively powerful being," Lucifer finally voiced his question.
"Hmm, how to put it... There was an ugly dragon, like a mule, with Little Baimeng. But I resonated with Little Baimeng," Meng Qinghuan said innocently, spreading his hands. "I was heavily injured at the time, and Little Baimeng, to protect me, devoured that guy and sacrificed half her soul."
No wonder. The primary characteristic of a soul deficiency is the inability to control one's strength and consciousness. However, thanks to her host, this situation would not hinder her normal life and combat.
"I see. I didn't expect Walif to appear so early," Lucifer nodded. He had thought weaker beings would die off, leading to the appearance of stronger evil dragons.
"Eh? You even remember their names? Uriel and the others don't remember them," Meng Qinghuan sighed softly and stood up. "Alright, alright. In a few days, it'll be the carnival. I, one of the top three strongest in Junyao, will train you~~"
Bai Cha was accustomed to Meng Qinghuan's occasional tangents. As Meng Qinghuan's lingering tone faded, Bai Cha and Lucifer headed to the training grounds together.
Normally a training ground, it was also used annually as the venue for the carnival. Scenarios such as deserts, swamps, and forests were simulated with extreme realism. The walls of abandoned buildings, covered in ivy, had much of their plaster peeling off. Snakes, insects, rats, and ants were all present, making it like a small world.
"Alright~ Then, we, training begins~~~"
"Begin."
Meng Qinghuan and Baimeng walked ahead, cheerfully swinging their fists.
Five days later.
In a conference room, a circle of LCD screens was displayed. One screen in the center was particularly large. In the middle sat a conference table, and in the dim room, ten people sat quietly.
"Old Meng, is the boss in there too?" someone nudged Meng Qinghuan with their elbow. This person was very tall, with exaggerated muscles exuding explosive power. A head of dark red hair was slicked back into a pompadour with hairspray, and a scar diagonally bisected his face.
"Of course. I'm waiting for little Bai to help me win money. The private betting odds are twenty to one, it's a huge profit!" Meng Qinghuan's eyes were peculiar; in daily life, he could only keep them closed.
However, his mental perception was very strong and could directly replace his eyes. But out of habit, Meng Qinghuan still "stared intently" at the LCD screen with his eyelids. "Little Lang Lang, who did Xiao Gu bet on?"
"How many times have I told you not to call me that! My name is Lang Ya. You mean our principal? He bet on Mo Ziye, the top student," Lang Ya scoffed dismissively. "Just tell me, did you intentionally set Bai's odds so high?"
"Heh heh~" Meng Qinghuan replied with a brilliant smile. "Who dislikes money?"
"Silence." A woman's voice cut through the air. The woman was strikingly beautiful, with an air of arrogance. Her scarlet attire was particularly eye-catching, and a barely concealed hostility flickered in her eyes as she looked at Lang Ya and Meng Qinghuan.
"Wow~ Little Lang Lang, did you hear that? Who was that speaking just now, interfering even in teacher's discussions?" Meng Qinghuan raised an eyebrow and patted Lang Ya's chest muscle. "Hey~ Little Lang Lang, I'm so scared. A gatekeeper is ordering me around~"
"Ahem, yes... Wait, what the heck, can you restrain yourself? You're disgusting the allies." Lang Ya's mouth twitched twice.
"I wonder who their master is to spoil them so much. So arrogant~" Meng Qinghuan snorted and grinned cheerfully.
Zhi Yue's pretty face turned red, almost leaping up. Most of the ten review board members were mere nominal guardians with no real power, so being called gatekeepers was not inaccurate. However, stating it so bluntly was clearly an insult.
As a powerful figure of the Light faction, Zhi Yue could never stand the arrogant, direct, and underhanded actions of the Shadow faction, led by the Bai family. Being retorted to like this almost made her choke.
The image flickered, and a young girl captured everyone's attention. Most people found her somewhat unfamiliar, but seeing her delicate beauty, they couldn't help but hold their breath.
Her beauty rivaled that of a lotus in water, her shadow like the moon. Her face was more radiant than a lotus, her demeanor as cold as moonlight. Who wouldn't be astonished by such beauty?
However, her physique was rather thin. Tall and slender, she looked more suited for a fashion runway. Could she be used for combat?
"Tch, just a pretty face. Meng Qinghuan, your taste has really gone downhill," Zhi Yue snorted coldly, feeling a sense of vindication. "And you guys swear allegiance to her like this? Utterly ridiculous."
This Bai Cha is probably just a pampered girl who relies on technology to kill dragons, right? This time, she hasn't brought her boosters or firearms. Let's see how they'll act arrogant now.
"If you have the guts, bet against me... no, bet against Miss Bai to lose. Are you just going to flap your gums here?" Lang Ya pouted, looking like he couldn't be bothered with her. "If you're speechless, learn sign language. Who's stopping you from being mute!"
"You! Lang Ya, did I hit a nerve and make you angry? I think you're the one who's flustered!" Zhi Yue shouted, her face flushed crimson.
"Nonsense, wouldn't you be upset if a dog bit you?" Lang Ya rolled his eyes. "It's not me jumping up and shouting. Who's actually flustered?"
"You!"
"Alright, alright, everyone quiet down and watch the screen." Gu Zi Tan tapped the table, effectively stopping the impending argument. He was caught in the middle and felt quite helpless. Although he looked plump, it didn't mean he was entirely without problems. Gu Zi Tan found the conflict between these two factions quite troublesome.
On the screen, Bai Cha was walking across a wide concrete ground. This area was rather unique: to her left was an abandoned building plaza, to her right a dense forest, behind her a swamp, and the wide area curved forward.
Bai Cha walked, observing her surroundings. She had been randomly deployed here for five minutes, and a shadow was rapidly approaching from behind her.
Indeed, it was just a shadow, a patch of irregular blackness on the ground, like a pool of water, silently closing in on Bai Cha.
"Rustle, rustle..."
A faint sound, almost imperceptible, suddenly surged forward as it neared Bai Cha from behind. The small pool of black water suddenly expanded into a surge of water over ten feet high, rolling towards Bai Cha.
However, it missed. The moment it lunged, Bai Cha sidestepped perfectly and threw a punch. Bai Cha moved with fluid grace, striking a person out of the black shadow.
"Ugh!"
With a muffled groan, a figure was sent flying by Bai Cha's punch from the black wave. It rolled several times on the ground before stopping, eyes rolling, coughing up blood, and falling unconscious.
"Beep! Competitor number three hundred and eighty-four eliminated."
It took one minute for medical personnel to reach the battlefield. Bai Cha walked over and casually flipped over the unconscious person.
This person was unremarkable in appearance. His stomach was protected by a small black dragon, which was his dragon forcibly lending its power to protect its master. Otherwise, this blow would have likely left him in critical condition.
Obvious openings, overconfidence, unstable mindset, too slow, poor physical fitness.
Bai Cha assessed him with a few calm thoughts in her mind and then left. This time, she didn't walk brazenly on the main path but instead melted into the jungle.
This person was from the middle to lower ranks. By that calculation, at least three hundred or fewer could be ignored. With this level of combat, even Gong Yuechen wouldn't need a second hand.
Bai Cha estimated in her mind.
The carnival lasted three to five days; Bai Cha was not in a hurry. The forest air was very fresh. The forest at night was filled with the occasional chirping of insects and the sounds of reptiles crawling. And also, a faint smell of rust.
Bai Cha narrowed her eyes, leaping nimbly through the tall jungle. Soon, she found the source of the bloody scent.
It was an open space, rather abrupt in the forest. A person, completely wrapped in a conical hat, stood by a pool, washing bloodstains from their hands. The hood was casually pulled down.
This person was quite handsome, with distinct, chiseled features. Their long hair and eyes were the color of the deep sea, carrying a hint of melancholy.
Their skin was pale and somewhat greenish. Deep blue eyelashes drooped. In this warm weather, they exhaled a puff of white mist. Three people lay around them, all crippled by a single sword strike and lying on the ground, twitching. The sword wounds on their chests bore a thin layer of frost.
And this person was calmly washing their hands and long sword with clean water. Even after the medical personnel carried the injured away, they didn't glance at them.
"Wow~ Already facing the second brother?"