TCPUAAV Chapter 43

 

The little dragon cub kept growing.

 

Although Rong Heng had only been gone for three days, the cub had already grown noticeably larger—twice as big, in fact. He now reached up to Nota’s waist, and Ruan Shiqing had to use both hands to pick him up.

 

Even the teachers at school had noticed the cub’s rapid growth and had specifically approached Ruan Shiqing to inquire about it. However, Ruan Shiqing himself had no idea why the little dragon had suddenly started growing at such an alarming rate. All he could do was send the teachers away with a worried expression.

 

The little dragon cub, on the other hand, was quite pleased with his rapid growth. In fact, he eagerly hoped to grow even faster.

 

At the very least, he had to be taller than Nota—only then could he be a proper big brother!

 

He was already big enough to carry the little fox in her beast form on his back while running around the playground. The only thing that disappointed him was that, despite growing so much, he still couldn’t fly. The small bat-like wings on his back could stir up little gusts of wind when he flapped them, but they weren’t strong enough to lift him off the ground.

 

The little dragon cub figured he just wasn’t big enough yet.

 

Thanks to his size advantage—and his ability to breathe fire—the other younglings at school had quickly acknowledged him as their new boss. The little lion cub who had previously held that position was so frustrated that he challenged the dragon cub to a duel to prove his strength. Naturally, he ended up getting thoroughly thrashed.

 

In the end, the lion cub went home crying, but this time, he didn’t go to the teachers to complain.

 

Losing after challenging someone was already humiliating enough. If he went crying to the teachers on top of that, he’d have no dignity left!

 

The little dragon cub was very satisfied with his school life.

 

During outdoor classes, he no longer had to fight for the biggest and most beautiful swing—his underlings would voluntarily give it up to him. So, the three of them—dragon, fox, and mermaid—could sit together, basking in the sunlight.

 

After a while, the little dragon cub couldn’t resist opening his gemstone box.

 

Recently, he had started leaving the box in his father’s bedroom at night, which at least stopped the gemstones from mysteriously disappearing. However, he also felt like he had lost a great deal of joy.

 

Now, his favorite pastime was taking out the gemstones whenever he had free time and counting them one by one.

 

Count once, then count again.

 

To other cubs, this might seem like a dull and pointless activity, but the little dragon cub found it incredibly enjoyable. The sensation of the smooth, shiny gemstones slipping through his claws was deeply satisfying, and even the sound they made when they clinked together was music to his ears.

 

He sat on one end of the swing, cradling the gemstone box in his arms, carefully counting each one.

 

One, two, three…

 

He was completely engrossed, his face glowing with contentment.

 

The little fox, however, rolled her eyes in exasperation.

 

She muttered to the little mermaid, “He’s doing it again! What’s so fun about this? It’s so boring!”

 

Ever since she had chipped her tooth on one of those gemstones, she had held a deep grudge against them.

 

Not to mention, the little dragon cub was now obsessed with counting gemstones and barely played with them anymore!

 

The little mermaid gently smoothed the fur on her head, smiling as he shook his head. Then, he climbed into his pushcart and pulled the little fox away to play elsewhere.

 

Nota turned back and made a face at the little dragon cub. “We’re going to play somewhere else! You can stay here and keep counting!”

 

With that, she pushed the mermaid’s cart and dashed off.

 

It took the little dragon cub a moment to realize what had happened. By the time he looked up, all he could see were their retreating backs. He pouted, muttering to himself, “I’ll go find them as soon as I finish counting.”

 

Under the sunlight, the multicolored gemstones sparkled brilliantly, their irregular facets refracting dazzling light.

 

As he counted, the little dragon cub suddenly found himself swallowing.

 

Tilting his head, he stared at the gemstone in his claw, hesitating for a moment before bringing it to his mouth.

 

His father had told him not to eat gemstones anymore… but if he just ate one, just to taste it, it should be fine, right?

 

After all, when he ate them in his sleep, he didn’t even know what they tasted like.

 

Sneaking one into his mouth, he squinted slightly and carefully chewed.

 

It was a bit hard, but when he swallowed, a warm sensation spread through his body. It felt really nice.

 

But that comfort disappeared in an instant.

 

Smacking his lips, the little dragon cub felt like he had only just started tasting it before it was gone.

 

Hesitating for a moment, he grabbed another gemstone and popped it into his mouth…

 

By the time the other two younglings came back, they found the little dragon cub hastily hiding his gemstone box behind his back.

 

The little fox looked at him suspiciously. “Did you finish counting?”

 

“Yeah,” the little dragon cub replied, though his voice sounded a little guilty.

 

The gemstone box behind him had become much lighter.

 

His father had told him not to eat gemstones anymore, and he really had intended to only eat one… but somehow, he had ended up eating all of them.

 

Now, he was incredibly anxious but didn’t dare to admit it. The entire little dragon looked flustered and at a complete loss.

 

This unease lasted until Ruan Shiqing came to pick them up after school.

 

Normally, the little dragon cub would be the first to charge forward, but today, he deliberately lagged behind, not even running up to ask for a hug.

 

Even though he was getting bigger, he still loved being coddled. He couldn’t curl up in his father’s arms anymore, but he still adored his dad’s hugs.

 

Something was off with him today.

 

Casually, Ruan Shiqing asked, “Did anything happen at school today?”

 

The little fox shook her head. “Nope!” Then she grumbled, “School is getting more and more boring.”

 

Ever since Heli had become the school’s boss, no one came to bother them anymore. Instead, a bunch of noisy brats were always swarming around them. The little fox found it annoying, but since those were Heli’s underlings, she couldn’t just beat them up. That made it even more frustrating.

 

Nothing happened?

 

Ruan Shiqing glanced at the little dragon cub, who was dragging his feet with his head down. He reached out and flicked the small horn on the cub’s forehead. “Then why does Heli look so down?”

 

The little dragon cub’s ears twitched guiltily, and his tail curled up slightly. “I’m not sad!”

 

To prove it, he even jumped up twice, making the ground thud beneath him.

 

The little fox whispered to the mermaid, “Heli looks like he got even chubbier.”

 

The mermaid tilted his head, studied the dragon cub for a moment, and then nodded solemnly.

 

Seeing that the little dragon cub seemed energetic enough, Ruan Shiqing figured he hadn’t been bullied at school, so he didn’t press the matter.

 

Maybe now that he was growing up, he had his own worries too.

 

As soon as they got home, the little dragon cub bolted upstairs with his gemstone box, frantically running around his room before finally stuffing it into his toy cabinet.

 

Only after hiding it did he squeeze his claws nervously. Feeling slightly less anxious, he slowly went back downstairs.

 

*

 

Out in the yard, Joel had just arrived and was inspecting the modified shuttle.

 

—The shuttle that had been delivered half a month ago had finally been upgraded. From the outside, it looked unchanged, but internally, its stealth system and deflector shield had been significantly improved.

 

Ruan Shiqing had modified the shuttle’s standalone sensor into a sensor array, significantly enhancing its data capture capabilities and accuracy. The precise collection of environmental information provided the stealth system with faster and more accurate data support, allowing it to crack electronic identification codes more efficiently. No matter the environment, this shuttle could seamlessly blend in—just like a chameleon.

 

As for the shield generator, he had upgraded it from a single-layer defense to a multi-layered system. The existing deflector shield could absorb most energy-based attacks, such as laser cannons and plasma blasts. However, the absorbed energy was primarily converted into heat, which had to be quickly dissipated via a heat sink, putting a heavy strain on the shuttle’s systems.

 

To improve this, Ruan Shiqing added two energy storage units to the shield generator. These units stored the external energy absorbed by the shield, effectively converting enemy fire into reserve power. If the first layer of shielding failed, the stored energy would immediately activate, forming a second protective barrier. This not only reduced the burden on the heat sink but also provided an additional layer of defense for the shuttle.

 

Joel listened to the explanation and nodded approvingly. “The client will be very satisfied with your design.” Without hesitation, he transferred the final payment to Ruan Shiqing and had the shuttle taken away. “I look forward to working with you again.”

 

It had been a smooth and pleasant collaboration. After exchanging a few polite words, Ruan Shiqing saw him out.

 

When he returned, he found the little ones helping 09 trim the Falling Star Vines.

 

Those vines were incredibly resilient and grew rapidly, requiring regular pruning to maintain their aesthetic appeal. 09 had always been responsible for this task, but today, for some reason, the little ones had taken an interest in it. Each of them had grabbed a pair of pruning shears and were eagerly imitating 09.

 

However, they had no idea how to properly trim the vines. Their random snips left the once-lush vines in a pitiful, ragged mess.

 

09 winced, taking sharp breaths as he watched. “Stop! You can’t cut there anymore—you’re making it bald!”

 

—09 had a strong artistic sensibility. The vines he pruned were always beautifully shaped, their flexible tendrils cascading down like clusters of stars falling into the Milky Way.

 

But after today, these vines might just become the darkest stain in the little robot’s gardening career.

 

Ruan Shiqing chuckled and called the little ones back. “Stop making trouble for 09.”

 

Before they could respond, 09 spoke up first. “Sir, you’ve misunderstood. I was the one who invited the young masters to help.”

 

The little robot sounded a bit regretful. He had noticed that the dragon cub had been listless all day and had hoped that getting him involved in pruning the vines would cheer him up.

 

He sighed and told Ruan Shiqing, “But sometimes, making the young masters happy requires sacrifices.”

 

Such as the tragic fate of the Falling Star Vines.

 

Ruan Shiqing shook his head, laughing. “Maybe next time, you should try a different method.”

 

The little robot nodded solemnly. “I think so too.”

 

*

 

For three or four days, the little dragon cub was wracked with guilt, constantly on edge, afraid that his father would find out he had secretly eaten the gemstones.

 

But as time passed and Ruan Shiqing didn’t seem to notice, his fear gradually faded, and his courage grew.

 

Since the gemstone box was now empty, he no longer carried it around. When the little fox asked about it, he held his head high and declared that he had hidden it away.

 

And so, no one knew that the so-called “hidden” gemstone box was, in reality, completely empty.

 

Only Ruan Shiqing found something odd.

 

Ever since the dragon cub had started growing rapidly, Ruan Shiqing had made a habit of recording his height and weight daily. Before, he would grow a little each day, but in the past few days, his growth had suddenly stopped.

 

This sudden change left Ruan Shiqing uncertain whether to feel relieved or worried, prompting him to monitor the cub’s condition even more closely.

 

The little dragon cub, however, remained his usual carefree self, eating and playing as always, having long since forgotten about the empty gemstone box.

 

That night, as he slept soundly, a sharp pain suddenly jolted him awake.

 

It felt as though a fire was raging in his belly. His limbs were weak, aching as if some unseen force was relentlessly pulling them apart.

 

The pain was unbearable.

 

“Daddy… Daddy… Heli hurts so much…”

 

Writhing on the soft cushions, the little dragon cub whimpered in distress, his voice thick with confusion and pain.

 

It hurt. It hurt so much, as if he was being torn apart.

 

His mind was consumed by the agony, his vision blurred beyond recognition. In his dazed state, his only instinct was to call out for his father.

 

But no matter how much he called, no one came.

 

Tears welled in his golden eyes, spilling down his cheeks. Overcome by the excruciating pain, he let out a desperate, primal roar.

 

A deep, resonant dragon’s cry shattered the silence of the night—

 

The little fox and the little mermaid, sleeping closest to him, were the first to wake.

 

What they saw was a massive, pitch-black dragon, its rapidly expanding form completely unrecognizable.

 

For a moment, they hesitated, too overwhelmed to even call his name.

 

Ruan Shiqing, who had also been roused by the commotion, rushed out of his bedroom—only to be met with the sight of an enormous black dragon rearing its head and roaring in agony.

 

His body was too large for the room, his horns already scraping against the ceiling. Worse still, he continued to expand, his size increasing as if he were a balloon being inflated beyond its limits.

 

“Heli?!”

 

Ruan Shiqing’s voice was filled with disbelief.

 

The little fox snapped out of her shock. She grabbed onto one of the dragon’s bat-like wings and shook it, desperately trying to wake him. “Heli! Heli!”

 

But the black dragon didn’t respond. His body was too massive, too wild, his sheer size making the entire room feel suffocatingly small.

 

With another anguished roar, his horns shattered the ceiling, his upper body breaking through the roof and into the open sky.

 

The entire house trembled as debris rained down.

 

The little fox managed to dodge the falling rubble, still shouting Heli’s name at the top of her lungs.

 

But the little mermaid, confined to his wooden barrel, wasn’t so lucky. The collapsing ceiling sent heavy chunks of debris crashing down, breaking the barrel and spilling water everywhere. The impact sent him tumbling onto the floor.

 

In the center of the wreckage, the black dragon thrashed violently, his massive wings struggling against the remnants of the ceiling. Every movement sent tremors through the house, worsening its already precarious state.

 

His pained roars echoed through the night, carrying far and wide.

 

“Sir! Young master!”

 

09, alarmed by the destruction, rushed upstairs. Upon seeing the chaos, his defense protocols automatically activated, and his systems prepared to engage.

 

“09! That’s Heli!”

 

Ruan Shiqing turned sharply, his voice urgent.

 

The little robot froze. His scanners swept over the terrifying black dragon again and again.

 

A massive, fearsome body.

 

Cold, golden slit-pupil eyes.

 

Jagged, razor-sharp bone spurs.

 

Nothing about this terrifying dragon resembled his small, mischievous young master.

 

Ruan Shiqing scooped up the little mermaid and handed him to 09, then passed the little fox to the approaching Xiong brothers. “Take them out of here.”

 

“What about you, sir?” 09 asked, holding the mermaid securely.

 

“I’ll be right behind you.”

 

Pushing them toward safety, Ruan Shiqing turned and strode toward the struggling black dragon.

 

The ceiling was already half-destroyed, the entire house trembling on the verge of collapse.

 

Dust and debris rained down, stinging his eyes.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s eyes reddened, but he didn’t retreat.

 

Climbing over the fallen rubble, he reached out and called his name—again and again.

 

“Heli! Heli! Heli!”

 

The faint sound reached the dragon cub’s ears.

 

Somewhere deep within the haze of pain, he tried to open his eyes.

 

But he couldn’t see anything.

 

He couldn’t see his home, and he couldn’t see his father.

 

Trembling with fear, the little dragon cub pouted, trying to hold back his sobs as he called out, “Daddy… Daddy, Heli is here…”

 

The black dragon let out another anguished roar, its cries shaking the very ground.

 

The commotion soon attracted the attention of nearby residents. They gathered outside, staring in shock at the massive dragon perched on the ruined rooftop. Their expressions were a mixture of awe and fear.

 

Ruan Shiqing carefully approached, trying to get closer to the black dragon. Just as he was about to grab hold of its front claw, the dragon suddenly let out a sorrowful, earsplitting wail and took flight.

 

Its enormous bat-like wings unfurled, stretching nearly twenty meters across.

 

The massive wings blotted out the sky, their sharp bony spurs glinting ominously.

 

With a powerful beat of its wings, the black dragon stirred up fierce winds and soared away into the night.

 

“He—Heli!”

 

Ruan Shiqing shouted desperately, his voice hoarse from strain.

 

But the dragon never looked back.

 

The dark figure disappeared into the pitch-black night.

 

Ruan Shiqing had no time to grieve. Wiping his face, he jumped down from the rubble and sprinted toward his workshop on the first floor.

 

The second floor was already in ruins, and the first floor was on the verge of collapse, but he ignored the danger. Quickly activating the Blue Star Necklace’s tracking system, he checked the map—only to find that the small blue dot representing Heli was completely still, unmoving.

 

A sense of dread settled in his chest. Ignoring the Xiong brothers’ attempts to stop him, he rushed back upstairs.

 

Digging through the rubble, he soon found the broken remains of the Blue Star Necklace buried beneath the debris.

 

It made sense. The little dragon cub had grown so large so suddenly—far beyond what the necklace’s size limit could withstand.

 

Ruan Shiqing let out a bitter sigh, about to head downstairs to reassess his options. But as he turned, his eyes inadvertently landed on a familiar object in the rubble—the gemstone box.

 

The box that Heli had treasured so much was now covered in dust, having rolled into the wreckage.

 

It was completely empty.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s expression darkened.

 

So Heli’s transformation… was because of those gemstones after all.

 

*

 

A sleek teal-colored battleship floated silently in the vast darkness of space.

 

Inside the rest cabin, Hector lounged idly, swirling a glass of liquor in his hand as he tapped his foot to the rhythm of blaring rock music.

 

Suddenly, a sorrowful dragon’s cry echoed in his ears.

 

Hector’s movements stiffened. He switched off the music, listening intently.

 

But the sound had vanished.

 

Frowning, he rubbed his ears and gazed out of the porthole into the endless void.

 

There was nothing—only a white planet, its surface sealed beneath layers of ice and snow.

 

He had visited that planet before. It was a barren wasteland, an endless frozen expanse devoid of any life.

 

“…Have I been cooped up on this ship for too long? Now I’m even hearing things.”

 

Shaking his head, he muttered to himself and turned the music back on.

 

*

 

The black dragon had vanished without a trace.

 

B3024 was neither too big nor too small. Finding a single dragon on the planet should have been possible.

 

As soon as Mo Li heard about the incident, he rushed over. With the tracking device now useless, Ruan Shiqing didn’t refuse his help.

 

Yet despite sending out search teams across the planet, Mo Li’s men found nothing—not even after three days.

 

Ruan Shiqing himself had been searching relentlessly, going without sleep for three days and nights. His eyes were bloodshot, veins of red creeping across their whites.

 

The little ones had been taken to Fragrance Tower Manor under the care of 09 and the Xiong brothers. Afterward, even the Xiong brothers joined the search, leaving 09 to watch over the younglings.

 

Since the night Heli had gone missing, the little ones had barely slept either. They only dozed off when exhaustion forced them to, huddled together beside 09.

 

Yet, whenever Ruan Shiqing returned home, they never asked about Heli’s whereabouts. They simply sat quietly, keeping him company as he drank his nutrient supplements, then silently watched him leave again.

 

One evening, as they gathered to reassess their options, Ruan Shiqing asked, “Where haven’t we searched yet?”

 

As an ancient human, his physical endurance was weaker compared to Beastkin and Evolvers. While the others only looked slightly fatigued, he had to rely on stimulants to keep himself alert.

 

Mo Li hesitated, wanting to advise him to rest, but ultimately swallowed the words. Instead, he pulled up a holographic map and highlighted the areas that had been searched.

 

“We’ve combed through the outer city and the inner city twice,” he explained, marking them in red. “The only place left unchecked is the Lost Marsh to the west. But that place is extremely dangerous—almost no one ventures inside.”

 

The Lost Marsh was practically a forbidden zone on B3024.

 

It had existed long before the Energy Center—possibly dating back to the planet’s formation. Early survey data indicated that the swamp covered one-fiftieth of B3024’s surface, with a depth exceeding hundreds of meters in some places.

 

But depth wasn’t the real danger.

 

The most deadly aspect of the swamp was the toxic moss that thrived there. When the moss decayed, it released poisonous substances into the marsh, making even the mud and water highly toxic. The swamp’s moisture evaporated over time, filling the air with a deadly miasma that no living creature could withstand.

 

Even the strongest Beastkin and Evolvers couldn’t survive in that swamp.

 

Normally, people didn’t even mention its existence.

 

But Ruan Shiqing was resolute. “We’ve searched the outer and inner cities, but Heli is nowhere to be found. We can’t leave any place unchecked. I’ll go search the Marsh.”

 

“That place is unexplored—it’s too dangerous!” Mo Li protested. “Besides, Heli probably wouldn’t have gone there. We should check the outer city’s junkyard again—maybe he’s hiding there.”

 

“Then we’ll split up,” Ruan Shiqing decided. “I’ll go to the Lost Marsh, and you take a team to search the junkyard again.”

 

“Going there is suicide!” Mo Li snapped. “If someone has to go, I’ll take a team myself.”

 

But Ruan Shiqing shook his head firmly. “Heli is my child. This has nothing to do with you. If there’s danger, I’ll be the one to bear it.”

 

Raising a hand to cut off Mo Li’s further protests, he said, “I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry—I’ll be fully prepared before heading in.

 

Yuebai and Nota still need me to take care of them. I wouldn’t risk my life recklessly.

 

With that, he turned, straddling his hoverbike. Before departing, he looked back at Mo Li.

 

“I need to gather materials and tools before heading out. My house is still wrecked, so I’ll need to borrow your place.”

 

Seeing how determined he was, Mo Li knew there was no stopping him.

 

He could only watch as Ruan Shiqing rode off into the night.

 

 

 

---

 

Me during the first part of the chapter: phew these technical terms are so difficult I wish something more interesting would come

Me later on during the chapter: omg what IS HAPPENING????!! I DID NOT ASK FOR SO MUCH STIMULATION .｡･ﾟﾟ･(＞_＜)･ﾟﾟ･｡.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~