Chapter Five: Connection

“What about the person you brought with you?”
The Lieutenant Colonel noticed the native human standing beside the dragon and spoke up.

“Oh, him? At first, I didn’t know the way, so I had him guide me,” Huang Ze replied. “He said he’s a merchant who trades with our country, and he even speaks our language.”

“Yes, noble citizen of Xia,” Hook, though pale-faced, answered immediately. “I am Hook from the Kingdom of Soman, a loyal trade partner of Xia. There should be my registration information at the North Dragon River No. 2 customs port.”

The native humans of this world have little affinity for magic—far less than legendary creatures like dragons. Thus, they are less negatively affected within Xia’s borders. Though Hook felt some discomfort, he was clearly in better shape than the dragon. In other words, the more extraordinary and powerful the being, the more susceptible it is to the effects of a non-magical environment and foreign world laws.

“We’ll have someone verify your situation,” the Lieutenant Colonel nodded toward Hook. “But the dragon’s return to the homeland concerns state secrets. I’m afraid you’ll have to stay in Xia for a while.”

“That’s no problem at all,” Hook replied hurriedly. “To be honest, I’ve long yearned for Xia’s society. It’s my greatest honor to live in your country.”

“Sir, I promised him a reward for guiding me,” Huang Ze suddenly said. “We Xia people value keeping our word. If it’s convenient, could you give him a reward on my behalf? I’ll repay you later.”

“Of course. Bringing you back is a great deed—we won’t treat our friends poorly,” the Lieutenant Colonel nodded, then smiled. “Mr. Huang Ze, you’re a dragon now—a creature of high status. No need to call me sir; my surname is Liu. You can call me Xiao Liu or Old Liu.”

“That doesn’t seem right…” Huang Ze considered. Indeed, ‘sir’ felt somewhat distant. “I’ll call you Brother Liu, and you can just call me Xiao Huang.”

“No, no. You can call me Brother Liu, but I can’t call you Xiao Huang…” Liu shook his head repeatedly. “You’re now a powerful dragon—one of our country’s most prominent external representatives. If word got out that I called you Xiao Huang, it’d diminish your prestige. I’d better stick with Mr. Huang.”

“All right…” Huang Ze conceded, seeing the logic, and then said, “Brother Liu, could I trouble you with one more thing?”

“Of course, Mr. Huang.”

“Please help me contact my parents. I’ve been missing so long—they must be worried sick.”

Huang Ze spoke with barely concealed excitement. As an only child, his relationship with his parents was naturally close. He hadn’t realized it before, but half a year as a dragon had made him deeply aware that familial love is life’s most important bond—yet it’s often only cherished once lost.

---

“That’s no problem,” Liu replied promptly. The armed helicopter descended from the sky.

However, he didn’t approach Huang Ze directly. Instead, he first found a heavy protective suit, covering himself thoroughly, then walked toward Huang Ze with his phone in hand.

Huang Ze: ???

“It can’t be helped,” Liu explained, sensing Huang Ze’s confusion. “Mr. Huang, as a dragon—a supernatural being—you naturally emit a dragon’s aura.”

“This aura is essentially a powerful energy field. It not only intimidates and suppresses weaker creatures nearby but can also inflict invisible trauma on their bodies. Although within Xia, your aura is greatly weakened by the world’s laws, just to be safe, I need to wear protective gear before coming close.”

“Oh, I see…” Huang Ze’s expression fell somewhat. So, he had truly become an outsider.

“Don’t be disheartened. There are ways to deal with this. Dragons are clever and resourceful—I’ve heard some can even transform into human form to blend into society!”

“They must know how to restrain their aura, or they’d be exposed long ago!” Seeing Huang Ze’s despondence, Liu hurried to reassure him. He didn’t want to send this dragon compatriot into depression.

“Really?” Huang Ze perked up immediately.

Despite being a dragon for half a year, Huang Ze still hadn’t grown used to his new body and dreamed every night of returning to human form. Truth be told, while dragons are far stronger than humans, their physical structure isn’t necessarily superior. Dexterous hands, sensitive touch and taste—humans have them all, and dragons can only envy.

What dragons desire most, however, is the uniquely varied and pleasurable mating rituals of humans. Humans are the masters at exploring and enjoying the delights of coupling. So much so that dragons long ago developed transformation magic specifically to turn into humans and mingle in human society.

“Absolutely true—ask Mr. Hook if you’re unsure,” Liu said with a smile.

“Yes, noble dragon lord,” Hook replied respectfully. “Many powerful dragons like to disguise themselves as humans and live among them. They can even mate with human women and produce offspring… Most dragon-blooded warriors are born this way.”

“That’s astonishing!” Huang Ze was both excited and shocked. “Isn’t it bizarre? There’s no reproductive isolation between dragons and humans?”

“That’s a long story,” Liu said with a smile. “You’ll learn more in due time.”

“But let’s call your parents first and let them know you’re safe.”

“Yes, yes.”

---

Tian Nan Province, Gui City.

Huang Kangping sat behind the cashier’s counter, burdened by two dark circles under his eyes and a weary expression.

His son Huang Ze had been missing for half a year. He couldn’t reach him, had reported it to the police, but they couldn’t find out where he’d gone. The case was simply classified as a missing person and nothing more.

“How could you just disappear like that? You’ve always been so considerate—always told us where you were going,” Huang Kangping sighed heavily. “Maybe you got trapped by some pyramid scheme?”

“But even if you’d been locked up, you should’ve at least called home for money. Otherwise, how would they scam you?”

“…"

“Huang Ze, you’re my only son. Please don’t let anything happen to you.”

“Ring ring…”

Lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. Huang Kangping grabbed it reflexively; he’d been dreaming of receiving a call with news about his son.

“North Dragon River—an out-of-town number!”

Huang Kangping hurriedly answered, nervous. “Hello, who is this?”

“Dad! It’s me, Huang Ze!”

“You little rascal, so you finally remembered to call! Where have you been all this time?”

Hearing his son’s voice, the breath he’d been holding finally released, his legs nearly buckling, but his voice remained firm as he scolded, “Half a year without a word—you know how worried we’ve been? Your mother’s so anxious she can’t eat or sleep, her nerves are shot and she’s had to get IV drips!”

“Dad, I’m sorry,” came Huang Ze’s voice after a moment’s silence. “Something came up—I had to leave.”

“What could be so important you couldn’t tell your parents? Why go without a word?” Huang Kangping demanded. “Don’t tell me you got tricked by some pyramid scheme?”