Recap
The planet was a unique creation, its landscape forged entirely of metal. Jagged steel mountains pierced the sky, cascading tides mimicked by the rhythmic motion of iron sheets. At its core burned a heart of star-black iron, capable of withstanding unimaginable forces.
Shen Chaomu knew this was where the old Dragon King had hidden his treasure house. Royasno, captivated by the dwarves’ craftsmanship, had waged a relentless war to claim this artificial planet. It wasn’t a true celestial body, its existence a defiance of natural laws, making it impossible for Long Shiyu to sense its location.
“Maybe we can find the treasure house here,” Long Shiyu said, his voice filled with a hopeful awe.
“We’ve seen too many incredible things to dismiss another miracle,” Shen Chaomu replied, his gaze steady. “If it’s here, we’ll find it. I’m with you.”
Beyond the corridor lay a twilight sky. It was evening in Tabu, the sky painted in shades of pink and purple, like a watercolor masterpiece. Neat flower beds filled the space, butterflies dancing among the vibrant blooms. These flowers and butterflies, a riot of color, seemed out of place in the arid landscape.
Small pavilions dotted the grounds, overlooking clear pools where lotus leaves and buds floated – an impossible sight in this season, yet here they thrived, nurtured by some unseen technology. Fish and shrimp swam in the water, unafraid of their approach.
A towering robot, its form sleek and elegant despite the weaponry concealed within its design, stood sentinel. Gardening shears and electric saws hinted at its role in maintaining this oasis.
A stone path led upward, the garden unfolding in tiers, connected by stairs and aerial walkways. Each level, crafted from metal, resembled a small island, casting long shadows in the fading light. The delicate walkways, seemingly fragile, were supported by thick vines, a testament to the dwarves’ engineering prowess.
“Some robots are still active,” Long Shiyu observed, pointing to two small, black machines tending the flower beds, their delicate hands spraying water as they recorded data. Other gardener robots were visible in the distance.
“Their energy source is incredible,” Yang Zhiming murmured. “Still functioning after all these years. No wonder their starships could travel so far. With this power, there would be no limits.”
Long Shiyu, remembering his promise to the princess, began searching for the most beautiful flower.
Shen Chaomu, his brow furrowed, moved toward a secluded corner. While the gardener robots functioned perfectly, the more energy-intensive patrol robots had mostly shut down. Weeds and wild trees, likely sprouted from seeds carried by birds, grew unchecked.
Behind a cluster of trees, he found a deactivated robot, its form mangled, the ground scarred by a battle. A puddle of blue liquid, likely oil, leaked from its damaged casing.
“Yang Zhiming,” Shen Chaomu called, “come and take a look at this.”
Yang Zhiming came over: “What’s wrong?”
“This oil hasn’t solidified yet, can you tell how long ago it leaked?”
“Why? Do you suspect that someone has been here?” Yang Zhiming was taken aback.
“Well, there is still a little bit of spiritual power left here.” Shen Chaomu replied, “But it’s too weak, I’m not sure.”
“Then let me take a look.” Yang Zhiming took out the instrument he carried with him, carefully dipped a little blue oil, and then the instrument automatically analyzed the ingredients in it, “We basically haven’t used this formula of oil, but this probably …probably left a week ago, within one to two weeks. If the time is longer than this, it will definitely solidify completely.”
Shen Chaomu pondered for a moment: “It is possible that the person underground came here.”
“But the black pyramid was discovered a few days ago, no one other than the association would have entered, and it would be impossible to know the coordinates.” Yang Zhiming said, “Although the principle of concealment is still unclear, the garden has not been exposed for so many years. It should not have been discovered by chance.”
Shen Chaomu told the association about the destruction of the sky garden and the robot, and then said: “Long Shiyu, come here.”
“Coming soon.” Long Shiyu squatted by the flower bed and picked a flower after careful selection.
This flower is beige yellow.
He raised the flower towards the setting sun, and the orange-red light made the petals translucent, so the yellow looked more gentle.
Very beautiful.
Very suitable for princesses.
As soon as he picked the flower, the gardener robot next to him started beeping the alarm.
While shouting in the dwarf language, he rushed up, very excited, and a… small machine gun was erected on his head, as well as something that looked like a grenade launcher and a flamethrower. As soon as the kettle in his hand was thrown, it immediately turned into a small bomb.
Yang Zhiming was startled: “Could this be the dwarf’s gardening robot?”
The next second, Long Shiyu kicked it away, and the 5 cm thick metal plate was directly deformed.
The robot flew tens of meters away, and electric sparks began to spark around it, and it couldn’t be broken anymore.
Shen Chaomu: “…”
Yang Zhiming: “…”
They couldn’t tell which side was more violent for a while.
Long Shiyu held the small yellow flower and happily came to the princess: “Here you are.”
Shen Chaomu looked at the flower, neither accepting it nor not accepting it.
He took a deep breath: “I’m really a man…”
“Ying.”
Shen Chaomu let Long Shiyu pin the flower on his collar.
Yang Zhiming next to him was amused: “Oh, don’t tell me, this is quite a contrast.”
“So what did you ask me to do?” Long Shiyu asked.
“Have any strange beasts been here?” Shen Chaomu thought of how Long Shiyu had done an excellent job as a sniffer dragon before.
Although he has no spiritual power, Long Shiyu is very sensitive and familiar with the aura of different monsters.
“Yes, but I don’t know what it is.” Long Shiyu said, “I’ll smell it again.”
He followed the strange beast’s lingering scent, his senses guiding him deeper into the garden. A familiar presence snagged his attention, and he pushed through a tangle of waist-high weeds.
Two more deactivated robots lay amidst the foliage, their forms entangled with thorny vines. These thorns, a common sight in the desert, carried a mild poison that caused intense itching. Now, they were crushed, evidence of a recent struggle.
Long Shiyu spotted blue and white hairs caught on the thorns, their faint electrical charge still crackling. And the scent…
The gold in his eyes intensified, a primal rage rising within him. He would never forget this scent.
“Found something?” Shen Chaomu asked from behind.
“Yes,” Long Shiyu replied, his voice low and dangerous. “Royasno.”
……
Rain continued to fall, mud splattering Bai Yiyi’s face as the injured white deer stumbled through the forest. The association’s defense line was close, but the dragon pursued relentlessly, its roars echoing through the storm. Lightning crackled, its destructive power intensified by the rain. A stray bolt pierced her spiritual barrier, and she dodged instinctively, the searing energy grazing her shoulder.
Flesh blackened, bone gleamed white. Despite her efforts to suppress the pain, blood flowed freely. The white deer, also injured, lacked the strength to heal them both. Bai Yiyi, her first aid spray useless, tore a strip of cloth from her cloak and bandaged the wound, the rain a constant threat.
The sounds of battle faded. Had she escaped? She couldn’t believe it. Her instincts, her experience, her unwavering loyalty to the association… all had failed her. She had always prided herself on her flawless record, her obedience a stark contrast to Shen Chaomu’s recklessness and Uther’s elusiveness. And after Shen Chaomu’s disqualification, she had been confident in her own ascension to chief.
But now, faced with this overwhelming power, she was forced to flee. Was this the strength of a “dead” Beast King, driven by instinct? What kind of creatures were the Ghost Whale and Akasa Mo?
The last time she had felt this helpless was during her brief confrontation with Shen Chaomu in Cassandra. But that fight had been too short, Shen Chaomu holding back.
Despair washed over her, the rain suddenly cold against her skin.
Hooves pounded behind her. She turned, sickle raised, ready to strike.
“Wait!” the Black Knight gasped. “It’s me!”
He was a sorry sight, his armor battered, his horse’s eye burned by lightning, his own left arm severed. As a ghost, he could heal, but the pain was immediate and intense.
Bai Yiyi was in a trance: “You’re not dead?”
“I had a stroke of good luck,” the black knight’s voice was very weak, “Royasno and that man fought, they should have escaped.”
Bai Yiyi did feel that the cold aura of the strange beast had completely disappeared.
The thunderstorm subsided, and the sky was gradually clearing up.
She said: “Aren’t they together?”
“I don’t know,” the rain was flowing on the knight’s armor, the black knight replied, “Royasno is already a lunatic, no one can control him… But the man in the suit also looks like a lunatic.”
For a while, Bai Yiyi didn’t know what to say.
She never thought that the black knight could survive.
The association’s line of defense is just ahead.
She should get rid of the monster here, just like before. The black knight is very weak now, and he has no defense against her, just a light blow…
The hand holding the sickle tightened faintly.
But maybe it was too cold this rainy night, which made people lose their energy.
In the end, her hand still lost strength.
Bai Yiyi said: “Don’t follow me anymore, I’m going back to the defense line now. If this is really Royasno, we will come back again.”
“We”.
The word echoed in Bai Yiyi’s mind, a stark contrast to the fear and humiliation that consumed her. She had always struggled with this weakness, the inability to maintain composure in the face of danger. Despite her accomplishments, the pressure from her family, the expectations of her father, the weight of her potential future as chief… it all fueled her anxieties.
“Madam,” the Black Knight said, his voice earnest, “allow me to escort you to the defense line. It’s a knight’s duty.” He hesitated. “I don’t know when I’ll have the honor of seeing your brother again.”
“You’re injured,” Bai Yiyi said, her voice weary. “You’re lucky to be alive. Who can you protect? The legend is a lie. I’m not Doris. We just happen to be from the same clan.”
“I disagree,” the Black Knight insisted. “It was my experience. I know the truth.”
“Do you even know what the Black Knight is like in the stories?” Bai Yiyi scoffed. “He’s a fool. He gets drunk and causes trouble during monster attacks, needing to be rescued. He believes lies, falls into traps, and relies on those children to save him.”
“That’s not true,” the Black Knight protested, though his voice was weak. “It was the general who was drunk, not me. And I never fell for any traps.”
“It’s about perception,” Bai Yiyi countered. “How others see you.”
“But—”
“Enough.” Bai Yiyi cut him off. “I don’t want to discuss this. Leave. Now. Before I change my mind. Leave this planet. Didn’t the legend say you came from another world? Why are you still here?”
“I can’t leave. Potato was injured and can’t fly. We’re stranded.”
“You traveled the universe on an old horse?” Bai Yiyi couldn’t even muster a sneer. “This isn’t a fairy tale.”
“It’s true!” The Black Knight puffed out his chest. “Potato is powerful. Every full moon, we gallop through the stars, my greatsword pointed at the nebulas. The universe is our battlefield.”
The war horse whinnied softly.
“It’s alright, Potato,” the Black Knight soothed. “We’ll return to the stars when you’re healed.” He gazed at the horse’s empty eye socket, his voice trembling. “You’ll heal.”
Bai Yiyi, after a stunned silence, finally spoke. “There’s medicine at the defense line. It might help strange beasts. Take it, and leave.”
……
They climbed higher, the vibrant tropical flowers of the lower levels giving way to a more temperate climate. The sun had set, and the garden’s lights illuminated the space, their soft glow enhancing the beauty of the plants without distorting their colors.
“I wouldn’t have expected such artistry from the dwarves,” Shen Chaomu commented, surprised.
“It’s all part of the Xijia legend,” Yang Zhiming replied, clutching a mechanical bird he had picked up along the way. “Xijia was their greatest creation. They weren’t incapable of appreciating beauty, just too busy forging to enjoy it. Wait, what’s that?”
He pointed to a destroyed robot, its design unlike any they had seen before. Scorch marks from lightning marred its surface.
“Is it him again?” Shen Chaomu asked, turning to Long Shiyu.
“Yes,” Long Shiyu confirmed. “He and Shen Di were here.”
“My teacher mentioned this type of robot,” Yang Zhiming said, abandoning the bird and rushing toward the wreckage. “Its combat system is state-of-the-art, its core material unknown. And most importantly, it has a black box.”
“Can it record images?” Shen Chaomu asked.
“Yes, I can extract the black box, but it will take time.”
Shen Chaomu contacted the association. The commander, informed of the potential link between the intruder and the monster frenzy, granted them a short extension. Yang Zhiming immediately set to work, carefully removing the damaged components.
“Why don’t you explore the area?” Long Shiyu suggested. “See if you can find any other clues.”
“Good idea.” Shen Chaomu ruffled his hair.
They strolled through the gardens, the air filled with the fragrance of exotic blooms.
“What kind of fruit is that?” Long Shiyu asked, pointing to a tree laden with plump, red fruit.
“Snake vine orchid,” Shen Chaomu replied. “From a planet with tropical rainforests. Don’t eat it; it’s poisonous.”
“Okay,” Long Shiyu sighed, his culinary ambitions thwarted. A few steps later, he pointed to a vibrant flower. “What about that one? I’ve seen it before, but I don’t know the name.”
“Lava flower. It grows in volcanic ash, often near a certain type of fruit tree.” Shen Chaomu’s eyes narrowed. “Why have you seen it?”
“I was playing by a volcano one day.”
“You weren’t stealing anything, were you?”
“Of course not,” Long Shiyu replied, his expression a picture of innocence.
In fact, the strange beasts near the volcano were all robbed by him, and they offered their treasured food with tears in their eyes.
“What about this?”
“Poisonous, don’t eat it.”
“This?”
“Poisonous, don’t eat it.”
“What about this fruit?”
“Toxic, don’t eat it.”
Long Shiyu was very disappointed.
The two of them walked while talking like this, and soon another gazebo appeared in front of them.
The water in the pool is as clear as ever, and a few fish are gently opening and closing their gills.
Spit bubbles.
Spit bubbles.
There are no such lights here. A huge full moon appeared, just in time, it stopped at the top of the gazebo, reflecting the sparkling water.
It is bright and gentle.
They walked into the gazebo. A few wisps of fragrance surged, and the little yellow flower beside Shen Chaomu’s collar swayed in the wind.
Shen Chaomu suddenly said: “What if I admit that I am a princess?”
Long Shiyu looked at him in surprise: “Isn’t this the truth?”
Shen Chaomu: “…”
Long Shiyu thought for a while: “But you have always been an awkward and silly princess, and you always say that there are no princesses who are men.”
“There are really no princesses who are men.”
“Ying.”
“…” Before Shen Chaomu could react, his rebuttal had automatically disappeared, leaving no shadow behind.
“So I’m still very happy that after so many years, you are finally willing to admit it to me.” Long Shiyu was happy.
The silver color of the moon fell into his eyes.
Clear and bright.
The wind blows everything in the garden, rustling. This is the edge of this area, and there is no road ahead.
Like the end of the world, the moonlight is clear.
He stood on tiptoe slightly, with the huge full moon behind him——
The next second, Shen Chaomu’s cheek felt a little warm.
He opened his eyes slightly.
It was a kiss.
Long Shiyu said: “Princess, I will give you all the gems and flowers in this world.”
___
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