Chapter 17

1

The final battle between Hong and Xiang in front of the Gate of Demons had entered its climax when Marutian's avatar abandoned the Anubis statue. The Anubis statue had been defined as a sacrificial "object" from the beginning, and as bait, they were all about to be sacrificed under the command of the two Dragon Emperors. Hong was hit by a magic missile and sank into the sea. Looking up through the seawater, he felt that he couldn't even drown. The meaning of being alive was his hometown, but he could never find it. Guffy had once told him and his brother that their homeland might be on the other side of the great ocean, but now everyone knew that the other side of the ocean had already become a battlefield, a purgatory on earth. Their family from thirty years ago, if they had not already sacrificed themselves, might have become refugees.

"Brother, let's leave together!"

With his last strength, Hong threw his staff. Caught off guard, Xiang was pierced through the chest, revealing his virtual heart made of live human hearts he had consumed. It was with this heart that Xiang was able to feel human emotions again, but Hong, on the other hand, took out his own virtual heart to end his meager existence, not even feeling alive.

"No!" Xiang couldn't understand why his younger brother became so negative after perhaps acquiring a virtual heart. Maybe once he had a human heart, everything would be beyond control.

Xiang, who rushed into the sea, was given full speed by all the artificial elements, and once the virtual heart was broken, they would escape the imprisonment of the Anubis statue. The half of the soul that remained would become a wandering, untransmigrated spirit.

The sea shimmered with a red light as it slowly receded with the waves.

Xiang, unable to control his emotions, supported his sinking brother with one hand, restoring him to his stone form, while with his other hand, he took out his own virtual heart...

"Wake up!"

Xiang heard someone calling by his ear, and he abruptly opened his eyes. There wasn't a cloud in the sky above the ocean, the sun shining brightly. All the steam had disappeared, and he lay quietly on the surface of the sea, as stable as lying on the ground.

"What...?" He felt a vague meaning, as if there were two images in his mind.

"How long are you going to lie there, my servant?" Geirerofi sat beside Xiang, looking like he had been through some exhausting experiences.

"Master... you saved me?"

"Not just you, but both of you!"

"Both of us?" In an instant, a confused feeling emerged in Xiang's consciousness, merging and regenerating in his confusion. At the moment of destroying the virtual heart, Geirerofi intervened, stopping it, and at the same time, controlling the souls separated from the stone statue, using the magical skills of the dragon race to merge the two brothers together, forcibly combining each of their half souls into a new, complete soul.

"Now you can surely understand your brother's thoughts, and your brother can understand yours. Living together, you are a complete soul. Cherish it!"

"Why? I'm just a servant."

"But at the same time, you are my only friend in this world." Geirerofi slowly recalled his past and felt that having a servant accompany him in this strange world was already quite difficult.

"Don't be so modest, you are the Dragon Emperor!"

Geirerofi smiled bitterly, realizing that being a Dragon Emperor was no longer important to him; what mattered was whether the dragon race could continue.

Elena, who was nearby, also had a similar feeling in her heart, with memories of the dragon protecting the sacred artifacts slowly surfacing.

"Geirerofi, you should rest for a while. I received a message from Qin Yang that Marutian has retrieved the dragon head, but it's damaged. There should be some time before he comes back to seek the dragon body. Both Hong and Xiang need time to understand each other's memories."

Qiming lay on the surface of the sea, casually stating, "It's not certain, he might be arriving soon. After all, the spine of a dragon, though less prominent than its head, is crucial."

"Qin Yang probably will use the 'Dragon Summoning Order' to gather all the living dragons. You should break your seal as soon as possible. Qin Yang's seal shouldn't be difficult for you to handle."

Geirerofi summoned his dragon core, which had a thin seal on it. He lightly traced several important symbols with his fingers, and the thin seal vanished.

Near the Othrie coast, it was uncertain whether it was a good or bad thing. With the appearance of the higher gods, the number of human casualties increased. Therefore, another concert to soothe the wounded would have to be organized. With the addition of some magic assistance, the concert could also serve as a large healing event.

Jiang Moana stood at the dock of the island base, watching the ships retreating towards Othrie. Others didn't understand why a singer needed to stand there and watch. It was probably just for show, a thought typical of ordinary people.

Situ Liyao disembarked from the Situ family's medical ship. Upon succeeding the position, she would have countless responsibilities to shoulder.

Although they exchanged a glance, both knew there was no avoiding the situation. Situ Liyao reluctantly went up to greet Jiang Moana, their previous conversation not particularly pleasant.

"You are waiting for someone, aren't you?" Situ Liyao discerned Jiang Moana's expression and could guess her intentions. With her attire and makeup exuding a twenty-year-old charm, Jiang Moana outshone Situ Liyao, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, in demeanor.

"Waiting for someone important. I've been looking for him for a long time."

"Important person... I guess..."

"No need to guess, it's him."

"For no reason, how could he come here? This is a transit base for the wounded. Can he make these people recover immediately?"

Jiang Moana calmly replied, "Not impossible."

Situ Liyao suddenly felt that the question was indeed foolish.

"The miraculous magic of the dragon race is truly unpredictable."

"Oh? Have you seen the miraculous magic of the dragon race before?"

"I've never seen the magic that saves people, and I don't want to see the magic that kills. The so-called killing magic is the magic on Mantou Island, which has killed countless people."

"The dragon race is not a peaceful race by nature. The more you interact with them, the more you'll find their hands stained with blood, even cold-blooded."

Situ Liyao couldn't understand where Jiang Moana got all this rhetoric. Did Jiang Moana know more about the dragon race than her? At the same time, she had no reason or argument to refute. After all, with Situ Liyao's limited knowledge, it was difficult to grasp information about the dragon race. Even experts specializing in the study of the dragon race couldn't definitively state the morals of the dragon race.

"Do you truly believe he will come? We haven't received any information about the arrival of any important figures. Given his current status, appearing on the front line should not be so quiet."

"He won't come through the normal channels."

"Then what are you doing standing here? Taking a boat would be a more normal approach." Situ Liyao didn't know when she had started standing with Jiang Moana, waiting together.

"Comparatively, this is the best place to land. Would you choose to move further to the opponent's landing point?"

In this sense, the dock was located in the closest straight line distance from Othrie, complementing the marine environment, thus it was situated there.

Jiang Moana continued, "Do you know how the Dragon Clan likes to move around? Not by flying, they prefer using spatial Magic, which allows them to freely control their position and distance. They can appear in a place in the blink of an eye, but Magic is still Magic, so it's best to be careful with magic consumption."

"Do you really know the Dragon Clan that well?"

"Know them? Ha... I'm very unfamiliar with them."

"Then, are you really just an ordinary person, Jiang Moana?"

Jiang Moana casually played with her hair, leaned her face towards Situ Liyao, and said, "What's so non-ordinary about me? From head to toe, is there anything harmful or threatening to others?"

No matter how Situ Liyao looked at Jiang Moana, she seemed harmless, with very ordinary Magic levels and a single attribute of light. But there was an inexplicable aura around Jiang Moana that didn't quite match, although that feeling couldn't be used as evidence.

"Your tattoo on your forehead is nice, but why get such a faint tattoo?"

"Tattoos are a matter of personal preference. Perhaps some people just like to see something light, yet mysterious."

Jiang Moana hinted at something, giving off a sense of provocation.

"He has that preference? He's just a collector."

"Why not ask him yourself." Jiang Moana raised her arm and pointed to the sudden opening of space next to the port.

Many people appeared through this space gate, all strangers except for Forst Lord and the Student Union.

"Brother, we're here!" Wen Xi helped me out of the space gate. Dealing with the wounds left by Marutian in the desert was tricky and needed a suitable and quiet place for healing to take place one by one.

"This is the area near the frontline of the Human and Divine War. Take a rest, our target is the 'Gate of the Divine Demon.'"

The Dragon Clan, with their wild habits, naturally disliked crowded places, so they went off to find their own shelter, even the mechanical dragons.

Looking ahead, I saw two dazzling girls standing on the pier, one was the familiar Situ Liyao, and the other was Jiang Moana holding a half dragon tooth.

"Moana, you really brought this half dragon tooth with you."

"It's a memento, I can't bear to throw it away." Contrary to my understanding, Jiang Moana approached me proactively and said, "You're not calling me Moana sis anymore? I have helped you bathe."

I could clearly feel the sharp gazes projected by the other three girls.

"I was injured at the time, was it necessary to be so surprised with someone's help?"

"Oh? So now you're injured too, which means this sister can help you again, right?"

"Well... about this proposal..."

"If you're trying to say it's a good proposal, I'll let you experience the power of Zi Sirou! By then, I hope you, Qin Yang, can display gentlemanly manners... and please, don't fight back!"

In this very awkward situation, I decided to leave before turning my decision into action. But before I could act, Jiang Moana took the lead, holding my hand and dragging me away from the three girls. Faced with such an assertive girl, I couldn't help but feel a bit excited. This... assertiveness was out of character for Jiang Moana. The obedient Jiang Moana had transformed from a girl who had just gained confidence into a rising star who could stand on her own, right?

On the seaside, Ginger Moana, with her hair tousled by the sea breeze, captures attention with every expression. From head to toe, she is still the same Ginger Moana as before, but now she is radiating confidence. Embarking on the path of a singer should be the best course in her destiny, transforming a raw gem into a dazzling diamond.