Chapter Twenty-Three: Guess?

Shen Yi had spotted the two dragons long before they reached the edge of the Endless Forest. They were enormous, and more importantly, they were heading straight for his base without the slightest deviation. The base’s satellite array fed the situation to him in real time.

"They've entered our airspace. Fire two missiles; let’s test the mettle of these dragons." Watching the dragons' hostile approach on the monitors, Shen Yi saw them roaring as they flew, their massive frames and gaping maws intended to intimidate.

Spies from various races heard the dragons' roars and looked up. The four individuals who had previously been at Fragrant Wind Mountain had arrived as well, standing on a small mound with an unobstructed view of the battlefield. They made no effort to hide, eager to see if the dragons could finally take down the Commander. The other spies in the vicinity, seeing these four, fell deathly silent, terrified of causing offense.

"Darling, is that massive iron shell the place where this 'Commander' is hiding?"

"It must be. My information comes from the most prestigious figures of various races; it shouldn't be wrong. Once we kill him, we’ll head back to the Western Continent!"

"You're right, dear. He’s just a human. The people of the Eastern Continent won't bother us for the sake of one man."

"After this is over, let's try for another one..."

"You scoundrel..."

At that moment, the two dragons entered the range of the missile towers. Two towers facing the dragons' approach emitted a sharp "whoosh" as they launched a pair of missiles. The rockets, trailing white exhaust, streaked toward the sky, leaving two gray lines in their wake.

The onlookers had never seen such things before and watched with bated breath. Even the quartet on the mound was curious. The black-robed Song Yuan and the elven elder sensed no magical fluctuations, deepening their intrigue. The single, shared thought of "What is that?" echoed in the minds of everyone present.

To the dragons, the missiles looked like mere, cone-shaped iron scraps. Despite their speed, the dragons assumed that even if they struck, it would be no more than a scratch. They didn't bother to dodge, intending to simply plow through them. To the onlookers, it looked as if the dragons had collided with the iron projectiles. A pair of thunderous explosions rocked the sky, blooming like flowers against the dragons' hides. The force of the missiles brought the flying beasts to an abrupt halt, leaving them suspended in the air as shrapnel scattered and their scales were scorched pitch-black.

The crowd below widened their eyes in shock. The spies had often studied the strange structures within the city, including the spinning missile towers, but none had imagined they were this ferocious. Stopping a dragon in its tracks was a feat no ordinary attack could achieve.

The four on the mound were equally astonished. The child covered his mouth in shock, the black-robed man and the elder narrowed their eyes, and Wo Biao stood there stuttering, unable to find the words to express his disbelief.

The dragons, realizing they were being watched, felt their pride wounded. Being stopped by mere iron projectiles was humiliating. Although the things exploded, they weren't particularly fast; they could have easily dodged them.

"You coward! Is the Commander in there? Get out here! Why did you take my son's life?" the black dragon roared, his maw wide.

Shen Yi, who had been bracing for a fight, was caught off guard in the command center. He quickly patched the base’s audio system into the city’s loudspeakers.

"I don't know who your son is. Are you sure you have the right person?" As he spoke, Shen Yi remembered the red dragon he had seen when he first arrived—the one he had blasted into oblivion. But then he thought, *That can't be right; these two are a black dragon and a green dragon. It's unlikely they’d produce a red one.*

A young man's voice echoed through the city's loudspeakers.

"Don't play dumb! You think I can't recognize the aura of my son, the red dragon? His scent is all over this forest!"

"Pardon me for asking, but was the one who died your biological son?"

Shen Yi’s question left the black dragon stunned. "What did you say? One more word of nonsense and I’ll peel your skin off!" the black dragon bellowed. After roaring, he glanced at the green dragon beside him.

The green dragon was not pleased. "What are you looking at? Are you doubting me?" She roared at the black dragon, spraying him with spittle.

"I’m not, I’m just afraid you're angry!"

Shen Yi’s voice cut in again: "Only the guilty get so agitated. Big black dragon, haven't you ever suspected anything?"

As Shen Yi spoke, the image of a red, imposing figure flashed through the black dragon's mind. He looked at the green dragon again.

The green dragon grew frantic. "You brat, if you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!" She prepared to charge the city.

"Wait! Darling, is there something you're keeping from me?" The black dragon blocked the green dragon, his eyes filled with confusion. "Other families have children of the same color. Why was ours different? You told me it was a mutation, and I believed you, but your reaction today makes me wonder!"

"Darling, believe me! Our child was a mutation! I swear it on the heavens!"

The crowd below was dumbfounded. They had come to watch a siege or a classic hero-versus-dragon battle; they hadn't expected to be treated to a domestic drama. The tone had shifted entirely.

On the mound, Wo Biao muttered, "I—I think this is a serious issue. It concerns a male’s... dignity!" The other three looked at him strangely, as if seeing him for the first time. *Are you kidding? Can't you see this is off-track? We’re supposed to be getting them to fight!*

Wo Biao didn't think he was wrong. He shook his head and looked at the black dragon in the sky with pity, thinking, "Poor guy..."

The black dragon was agitated. Domestic shame was not meant to be aired in public, and with so many people watching, he didn't know how to save face.

Shen Yi’s voice rang out again: "If he wasn't yours, just have another one. Wouldn't a little black dragon be better?"

"I’ll have your life, you little brat!" Unable to bear it any longer, the green dragon formed a massive green arrow of energy and fired it toward the city.

Two more missiles launched, meeting the green arrow in mid-air. With a thunderous boom, the missiles shattered the arrow. "Trying to kill the witness? I’m just stating facts—you’re basically admitting it, aren't you?" The loudspeaker broadcasted the words far and wide, complete with echoes.

The green dragon was livid. She wanted the human dead at any cost and prepared to attack again.

After a moment of intense internal struggle, the black dragon blocked her path. He stared at her, his dragon eyes intense. "Stop. Let’s go back. Killing him isn't an urgent matter. I have things I need to ask you."

"You don't believe me? You’d actually believe the words of a despicable, cunning human?"

"It's not that I don't believe you. I’m just... confused. Let's go back, clear our heads, and we can return later."

With a final roar at the black dragon, the green dragon let tears stream down her face. The black dragon watched her silently, as if numb to the pain.

The green dragon took one last, deep look at the city, turned, and flew into the distance. The black dragon followed close behind, disappearing into the horizon without another word.

The spies on the ground, who had come for a battle, were left having watched a bizarre, heart-wrenching, and twist-filled emotional drama instead.

"Let's go. There's nothing left to see. I doubt the dragons will be back," the elven elder said, stroking his beard as he watched the horizon.

"How can you be so sure? Maybe it really was a mutation," the child interjected.

"You've barely begun to grow your feathers, kid. You don't understand these things," the elder said meaningfully.

"That's enough for today," the black-robed man said, turning to leave.

The four of them vanished from the mound, having agreed on a time and place to plot their next move.

Just then, a ghost spy drifted toward the city, his form nearly invisible, betrayed only by the faint distortion of light. As he neared, testing whether the Commander could detect him, a beam of light shot out from a window in the city, piercing the ghost's head. After a shrill, piercing scream, the ghost was purified, dissolving into raw energy.

The city’s loudspeakers boomed: "How much longer do you lot plan to watch the show? Do you really think I won't start a massacre? You have one minute. If you aren't gone by then, none of you are leaving."

The spies didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled away, vanishing in an instant.