Chapter Fifty-One

“Mr. Liu, may I ask if the state could use this black dragon to host a few exhibitions, allowing the general public to approach and learn about this legendary creature up close?”
Another reporter pressed forward with a question.
“We have indeed considered this,” Liu Weihan replied. “But the black dragon’s current mental state remains unstable, so holding large-scale exhibitions might pose certain risks. The matter requires further observation, analysis, and research.”
“Mr. Liu, since our country traversed into this world half a year ago, we have maintained strict information control to prevent foreign forces from learning about our domestic situation,” another reporter asked. “Yet now you plan to release this illegally-entered black dragon without charges. Could this threaten our national defense, or signal a shift in our foreign policy?”
“I am not in a position to answer that question at this time,” Liu Weihan responded, smiling as he looked around at the crowd. Then, his voice rang out with conviction:
“But I can say this—our Xia civilization is far more advanced and responsible than any other in this world!”
“All the foreign nations and intelligent races combined might not even reach a tenth of our total output. Many wise races live in dire straits, lacking material wealth and spiritual fulfillment, suffering under the oppression and enslavement of gods and demons.”
“As a responsible great power, as a member of this world, it is impossible for us to remain isolationist forever. Sooner or later, we must fully integrate into this world. Therefore, we have a duty to help intelligent races abroad escape ignorance and poverty, to advance together, cooperate, and create a brighter future.”
“Moreover, I believe that with Xia’s advanced institutions and productivity, opening up and publicizing our domestic situation will not threaten national security. On the contrary, it will become a powerful ideological and propaganda tool, inspiring and attracting progressive forces abroad to learn from and align themselves with us.”
“Mr. Liu, thank you for your answer. I’d like to ask—since the black dragon is also an intelligent race, could we use our superior material conditions and advanced ideas and systems to entice it to willingly join Xia?”
A reporter from the national broadcaster inquired.
“That’s an excellent question!” Liu Weihan laughed. “Actually, even if you hadn’t asked, we were already planning to do so.”
“Once the black dragon’s emotions stabilize, we will initiate friendly communication and exchanges. If it is willing to cooperate with Xia, we would be absolutely delighted.”
………
Capital of Xia, Xia Academy of Sciences, underground research facility.

Inside a sealed and silent chamber, an angel with immaculate white wings was carefully preening her feathers.
By rights, angels are divine and pure creatures, bearing halos and inherently immune to filth and dust. They should not behave like birds, performing such inelegant actions as grooming their feathers.
Yet, unfortunately, this angel had fallen.
At least, that’s how Kael herself felt.
Ever since she was captured by the Xia people, her physical condition had been poor. Not only had she lost contact with her Lord, but even her sanctified white feathers had begun to lose their luster. Just two days ago, she even found a patch of pure black feathers, which had frightened her terribly.
Xia truly is an evil country!
Even a devout and steadfast angel like me can be corrupted by its power!
Kael thought bitterly, then couldn’t help but open the book beside her.
A spark can ignite a prairie fire!
The faith of the God of Light has already spread within Xia. One day, my Lord’s radiance will surely shine upon and purify this wicked land!
“Black dragon?”
As the most trusted aide of the deities, angels possess extraordinary data processing capabilities. They quickly capture any information to which they are sensitive, and the news broadcast on television had certainly caught Kael’s attention.
“Even the black dragon, renowned for its tough skin and thick flesh, was torn open by two missiles. If it were me, I surely wouldn’t fare any better...”
Kael’s feelings were conflicted; she didn’t know whether to feel fortunate or ashamed.
Compared to the unlucky black dragon, her capture upon entering was much luckier—at least she didn’t have to endure missile fire.
Yet for an angel whom the Lord had placed such hope upon to be taken down by the Xia people without effort, it was undeniably humiliating.
“If it were me... could I evade it?”
Watching the moment when the missile struck the black dragon, Kael fell into deep thought.
As the God of Light’s most important force and most trusted shepherd in the material realm, an angel’s combat abilities are naturally formidable.

Abroad, her maximum speed could even break the sound barrier. With her smaller size and agile reflexes, evading anti-air missiles traveling at three to four Mach should not be difficult.
But within Xia, things were different. Restricted by the world’s will, all her physical metrics had drastically declined, and her top speed might not even reach twenty meters per second.
If she were locked onto by anti-air missiles, the odds would certainly not be in her favor.
“Perhaps I really should study physics...”
A sudden thought arose in Kael’s mind, just as the Xia people’s books taught: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles.
Only by thoroughly understanding Xia’s civilization and the world’s core could she discover its weaknesses and loopholes, thereby defeating and overturning it!
Yet Kael’s subconscious soon produced a strong resistance—Don’t read! Don’t read! That is the devil’s book, utterly evil. It will pollute your soul and lure you into a deeper abyss!
Not only physics, but other popular science books—biology, chemistry, astronomy—also triggered fear and aversion in Kael’s heart.
She knew exactly why—this was her Lord’s warning, and her Lord’s salvation.
In fact, at first, Kael despised everything about the Xia people—their script, their language, their technology. Nothing failed to arouse an angel’s vigilance and disgust.
But for some reason, as time went on, her resistance and aversion grew weaker, her mood more restless. She began to study Xia’s language and script, started reading their books and history.
This was always the task assigned to me by my Lord!
Kael comforted herself thus, beginning to devour books hungrily. Her worldview wavered, and she even began to reassess her own Lord—the mighty God of Light.
Kael felt deeply ashamed and guilty, knowing that she had served for centuries in the soul purgatory, a place of ultimate evil, and still maintained her energy and faith.
Now, after only a few months imprisoned in Xia, her faith was shaken, defeated by emptiness and loneliness. She was subtly influenced by Xia’s culture and history.
Of course, it must be said that this could not have happened without the Xia people’s insidiousness. If they hadn’t used electricity to pollute her power core, if they hadn’t constantly delivered books to her and played programs like “National Heavy Industry” or “Unveiling the Cosmos,” Kael would surely remain her Lord’s most trusted angel.