TCPUAAV Chapter 44

 

 

When Heli woke up, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar swamp.

 

The area was covered in murky, decaying marshland, both filthy and foul-smelling, with an eerie dark green mist floating through the air.

 

Half of his body was submerged in the swamp, and he was slowly sinking.

 

Panicking, he flailed his limbs, managing to pull his enormous bat-like wings free from the muck. The sudden motion sent a spray of thick mud flying through the air, splattering all over his head and body.

 

Spitting out a mouthful of sludge, he finally noticed something—his body had grown enormous.

 

So large that he couldn’t even control it properly.

 

Every step he took was clumsy and unsteady, leaving deep craters in the soft ground as he struggled through the swamp.

 

His body was too massive and heavy—with each step, he would sink deeper into the mud. It took him a long time to learn how to use his wings for balance, coordinating all four limbs to move across the treacherous terrain.

 

The swamp stretched endlessly in all directions.

 

No matter where he looked, there was only mud—no landmarks, no signs of a way out.

 

With no other option, he relied on instinct, trudging toward higher ground in hopes of finding a more stable place to rest.

 

After a full day and night of struggling through the swamp, he finally found a relatively solid hill where he could barely settle down.

 

Panting, he collapsed onto the high ground, his wings limp and coated in filth, drooping weakly behind him.

 

At that moment, Heli was exhausted, filthy, and starving.

 

He let out a low whimper, tears welling in his golden eyes.

 

He wanted to go home.

 

He wanted his dad.

 

But as his clear-headed mind recalled the events of the previous night, an overwhelming sense of guilt surged through him.

 

He had disobeyed his father.

 

He had secretly eaten all the gemstones.

 

And after his body expanded, he had destroyed their home.

 

Images of the shattered house flashed through his mind, and Heli sniffled, fat tears dripping down his cheeks.

 

He felt sad and scared.

 

When he was still a small dragon cub, he had always dreamed of growing up quickly—of becoming a majestic, powerful dragon.

 

But now that he had actually grown up, he wasn’t happy at all.

 

Growing up was too painful for a dragon.

 

He just wanted to shrink back to his old self.

 

He just wanted to go home.

 

He just wanted to be with his dad again.

 

He never wanted to grow up again.

 

*

 

At Fragrance Tower Manor, Ruan Shiqing dragged out the second-hand land cruiser he had purchased earlier.

 

This cruiser had been meant for modifications, but he had been too busy to work on it before. Now, it would finally serve its purpose.

 

With the help of the Xiong brothers and 09, he began dismantling the vehicle.

 

Regular land cruisers could only travel over stable ground. In harsh environments like deserts and swamps, they would lose functionality.

 

Take the Lost Marsh, for example—if Ruan Shiqing attempted to drive a normal land cruiser through it, the engine would clog with mud and fail within an hour.

 

To navigate hostile terrains, manufacturers like Naxi Corporation and Quark Shipyard had developed specialized desert cruisers and swamp cruisers.

 

Unfortunately, those models were rare, and none existed on B3024.

 

That meant Ruan Shiqing had no choice but to modify a standard land cruiser into a swamp cruiser—the only way to safely enter the Lost Marsh to find Heli.

 

First, he removed the bottom engine, keeping only the anti-gravity system and reinforcing the chassis to seal it against mud and water.

 

Next, he salvaged a turbine engine, extracted the fan, and installed it at the rear of the cruiser as its main propulsion system.

 

By adjusting the fuel distribution and fan speed, he could control the vehicle’s movement more effectively in the swamp’s hostile conditions.

 

After solving the core propulsion issue, he added mudguards to prevent clogging, reinforcements to seal and fortify the cockpit, and an oxygen filtration system to block out the swamp’s toxic fog.

 

By the time the modifications were complete, another night had passed.

 

As dawn approached, the two moons sank below the horizon.

 

In an hour, the sun would rise.

 

Ruan Shiqing packed all necessary supplies, climbed into the cockpit, and prepared for departure.

 

Mo Li tried one last time to stop him.

 

“Why don’t you wait a little longer? Mr. Rong heard about your situation and is rushing back. With him here, it’d be much safer.”

 

Ever since Ruan Shiqing insisted on going into the Lost Marsh, Mo Li had contacted Rong Heng.

 

The moment Rong Heng received the news, he had dropped everything and was now racing back as fast as possible.

 

But Ruan Shiqing couldn’t afford to wait.

 

He didn’t know if Heli, in his irrational state, might hurt himself.

 

He didn’t know if sudden gigantism would cause lasting health issues.

 

He didn’t know if Heli had wandered too deep into the swamp, where he might already be in mortal danger.

 

His worries were endless—and he had no time to waste.

 

“The cruiser is equipped with a communication system and a tracking beacon. If I find Heli or run into trouble, I’ll send a signal.”

 

The past few days had been chaotic, and Marlin had helped him tirelessly. Ruan Shiqing’s expression softened as he said sincerely,

 

“I understand your concern, but I can’t wait any longer.”

 

With that, he lowered the protective shield and accelerated away.

 

*

 

Navigating by holographic map, Ruan Shiqing sped westward.

 

The closer he got to the Lost Marsh, the bleaker the landscape became.

 

Unlike the outer city, which was filled with scrap metal and ruins, this place was a barren wasteland—lifeless and eerily silent.

 

The ground was covered in overgrown weeds, but there were no footprints, no signs of human presence, not even the chirping of insects.

 

The absolute silence was unsettling.

 

After four hours of travel, Ruan Shiqing finally reached the swamp’s outer boundary.

 

In the distance, he could see the forbidden land shrouded in a thick, ominous green mist.

 

Slowing down, he activated the headlights, scanning systems and the oxygen filtration. Then, cautiously, he drove into the mist.

 

The swamp cruiser cut through the fog, moving steadily forward.

 

Data from the scanners fed back to his console, and as he analyzed the information, his expression grew increasingly grim.

 

Marlin had been right—this swamp was incredibly dangerous.

 

Unlike normal swamps, which were full of life, this place was completely barren.

 

Apart from the thick toxic moss, there were no other organisms.

 

The air analysis confirmed that the green mist contained neurotoxic compounds. In small doses, it was harmless. But prolonged exposure would paralyze the nervous system, leaving its victims helplessly trapped.

 

If Heli was here, then he was in grave danger.

 

Ruan Shiqing hoped, for once, that he wouldn’t find any trace of him here.

 

As the dim headlights illuminated the foggy terrain, he focused intently on his screen—searching for any signs of Heli.

 

With his massive size, he had to have left some kind of trail.

 

*

 

Unaware of the search effort, Heli stirred on his high ground, his consciousness hazy.

 

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

 

The sky grew darker.

 

And his stomach rumbled louder.

 

Heli rubbed his protesting belly, glanced around, and hesitated for a moment before choosing a direction to search for food. But the moment he took a step, his paw sank deep into the swamp.

 

The sudden loss of balance sent a wave of panic through him. He frantically yanked his paw free, only to collapse onto the ground, his heart pounding.

 

Something was different.

 

The swamp was deeper than before.

 

Just now, when his paw had sunk down, he had barely been able to pull it out.

 

Sitting dejectedly on his tiny patch of solid ground, Heli let out a frustrated roar.

 

The resonant dragon cry cut through the eerie silence, traveling far and wide.

 

Far away, Ruan Shiqing’s heart leaped in his chest.

 

He had already spent an entire day searching the swamp, from dawn until dusk. The cruiser had traveled through one-tenth of the swamp’s vast expanse, yet he had found nothing.

 

The oppressive silence was beginning to wear down his nerves. He had to constantly remind himself to stay calm, forcing his emotions into check.

 

But now—

 

That dragon’s roar was like a shot of adrenaline.

 

Heli!

 

Immediately, he pushed the cruiser to its top speed, racing toward the sound.

 

The deeper he went, the thicker the green mist became.

 

At first glance, the swamp seemed lush and thriving, covered in vivid green moss. But upon closer inspection, scattered remains of animals littered the marsh.

 

Even human bones.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s expression darkened.

 

Another thirty minutes passed, and the sky turned completely black.

 

The artificial moons barely cast any light through the mist, forcing him to rely on the cruiser’s headlights.

 

Finally, the vehicle stopped in a low-lying area.

 

Under the bright beam of the headlights, he could see the telltale signs of a struggle—deep, chaotic grooves in the muddy terrain.

 

Something massive had fought its way through here.

 

He stepped out of the cruiser and examined the area carefully, his eyes landing on a series of large, partially eroded footprints.

 

The shifting nature of the swamp had distorted them, but based on their size and depth, he was certain—

 

Heli had been here.

 

The prints indicated that he had fallen into the swamp, struggled, and then managed to escape.

 

And that roar he had heard earlier?

 

It wasn’t just his imagination.

 

Following the faint traces, Ruan Shiqing pressed forward.

 

*

 

Heli lay weakly on the patch of high ground.

 

His hunger was sapping his strength.

 

He tried to flap his wings, but he could barely lift them before they drooped limply back down.

 

The dried mud on his scales cracked as he moved, flaking off in dusty chunks.

 

“Ugh…”

 

His stomach ached with hunger.

 

Miserable, he whimpered, kicking his hind legs against the ground in frustration.

 

But as his eyes landed on his filthy, mud-caked body, he froze.

 

His once smooth, obsidian-black scales were now dull and gray.

 

The gaps between his scales were clogged with moss and grime.

 

He looked horrible.

 

Lowering his head, he sniffed at himself—

 

Only to be hit by a disgusting stench.

 

“Urgh—”

 

He gagged, recoiling in horror.

 

It was awful.

 

He couldn’t take it—he violently shook his head, but the awful smell and filth remained.

 

At home, he had never gone hungry.

 

At home, he had never been this dirty.

 

He was no longer his daddy’s beautiful little dragon cub.

 

Tears burned behind his eyes again.

 

For the first time, a terrifying thought crept into his mind—

 

He might never leave this place.

 

He might never go home again.

 

No one would want a filthy, smelly, ugly dragon.

 

And he had even destroyed their house.

 

His heart ached.

 

Heli curled up tightly, staring at the dimly glowing moons through the mist.

 

He wanted to cry.

 

But then—

 

A familiar voice rang through the swamp.

 

“Heli, Heli!”

 

His father’s voice.

 

Daddy had come for him!

 

Excitedly, Heli sprang to his feet.

 

His eager gaze swept across the swamp, and thanks to his taller height, he quickly spotted a small glow in the distance.

 

A light from a land cruiser.

 

Daddy!

 

His heart soared, and he instinctively opened his mouth to call back—

 

But then—

 

His eyes fell on his own claws.

 

The words caught in his throat.

 

He hesitated.

 

He stretched out his claws, examining them under the faint moonlight.

 

They were huge.

 

His once round and soft paws had become sharp and terrifying, with gleaming, hooked talons.

 

Not cute at all.

 

Before, when Daddy trimmed his claws, he had praised them for being adorable.

 

But now—

 

They were ugly.

 

Heli’s heart sank.

 

Would Daddy still like him if he saw him like this?

 

Would he be afraid of him?

 

A storm of anxious thoughts swirled in his mind, and his courage faded.

 

He didn’t call out.

 

Instead, he shrunk back, hesitating, and slowly sank into the swamp to hide himself.

 

Maybe—

 

Maybe he could follow Daddy secretly.

 

Maybe he could clean himself up first.

 

Maybe if he looked nice again, he could go home.

 

That way, he wouldn’t scare Daddy away.

 

*

 

Following the faint tracks, Ruan Shiqing finally reached a lone patch of high ground.

 

It looked like it had once been a small hill, but the swamp had swallowed most of it, leaving only the peak exposed.

 

The barren terrain held clear signs of activity, proving that Heli had been here recently.

 

But now—

 

He was gone.

 

Ruan Shiqing didn’t know whether Heli had left or if something had happened to him.

 

After a moment of thought, he drove the cruiser up the hill, put on his protective gear, and stepped out cautiously.

 

He scanned the area, then spotted deep claw marks on a lone, withered tree.

 

That confirmed it.

 

Heli had been here.

 

Taking out an amplifier, he played a pre-recorded message—

 

A loop of his own voice, calling Heli’s name over and over.

 

Dragons had keen hearing—if Heli was anywhere nearby, he would hear it.

 

*

Hiding in the swamp, Heli held his breath, gripping the solid earth beneath him to keep from sinking completely.

 

But hearing his father call his name, his nose stung with sadness.

 

He sniffled—

 

And accidentally inhaled a noseful of swamp water.

 

!!!

 

The horrid stench made him gag, and he instinctively surfaced, sputtering and coughing uncontrollably.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s head snapped up at the sudden noise.

 

Reflexively, he drew his blaster—only to freeze as he saw a massive, mud-covered dragon thrashing in the swamp.

 

“…Heli?”

 

Heli’s body stiffened, his eyes drooping in guilt.

 

Ruan Shiqing didn’t hesitate. He strode forward and reached out his hand.

 

“Come up. Now.”

 

Heli peeked at his father’s urgent expression, then—carefully—lifted a paw.

 

His giant claws dwarfed Ruan Shiqing’s hand.

 

He hesitated—afraid of hurting him.

 

But Ruan Shiqing didn’t care. He firmly grasped Heli’s claw.

 

“Can you climb up yourself?”

 

Heli nodded, let out a low whimper, and clambered onto the solid ground.

 

Once on land, he curled up tightly, unwilling to meet his father’s eyes.

 

He wanted to disappear.

 

Heli didn’t need to sniff himself to know just how filthy and stinky he was.

 

If he had known earlier, he would never have hidden in the swamp, wu wu wu wu[mfn]He’s literally sobbing[/mfn]…

 

Ruan Shiqing looked at the mud-covered dragon cub, both exasperated and amused.

 

Now that he thought about it, since Heli had been here the whole time, that meant he had definitely heard him calling earlier.

 

But instead of responding, the little brat had deliberately hidden in the swamp.

 

Clearly, he had been avoiding him.

 

“Look at you,” Ruan Shiqing huffed, giving his big, dirty paw a smack. “Just wait until we get home—then we’ll settle this properly.”

 

Heli peeked at him cautiously and timidly asked, “I… I can still go home?”

 

Ruan Shiqing’s expression darkened. “Oh? So you do remember home?”

 

The little dragon immediately wilted, lowering his head in guilt.

 

Of course, he had wanted to go home this whole time, wu wu…

 

Seeing his pitiful state, Ruan Shiqing softened. He sighed and took hold of Heli’s enormous, grimy paw.

 

“No matter what you become, you’re still my Heli. Daddy will never abandon you.”

 

Heli sniffled, then carefully curled his claws inward, gently holding onto his father’s hand.

 

“Can you still fly?” Ruan Shiqing asked.

 

Heli shook his head, flapping his wings weakly. The movements were uncoordinated and clumsy.

 

Before, he had only managed to move through the swamp thanks to pure instinct.

 

Now that he was exhausted and had Daddy beside him, he didn’t even want to try. If his body weren’t so huge, he would have already curled up in Daddy’s arms.

 

“Then we’ll have to wait here for rescue,” Ruan Shiqing decided.

 

Leaving the little troublemaker here alone while he went to seek help was too risky. So he sent a message to Marlin, informing him that he had found Heli and sharing their location.

 

Soon after, Marlin replied: “We’re coming immediately.”

 

Ruan Shiqing finally let out a relieved sigh.

 

He brought over a spare oxygen mask from the land cruiser, intending to put it on Heli.

 

But—

 

Heli’s current size was way too big, making the mask completely useless.

 

Ruan Shiqing had no choice but to remove the mask entirely and let him breathe directly through a soft oxygen tube instead.

 

Even though the toxic mist didn’t seem to affect Heli, it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

After securing the oxygen supply, Ruan Shiqing sat down beside Heli, holding a small signal transmitter in his hand.

 

“Just a little longer—Uncle Marlin will be here soon to take us home.”

 

Heli obediently held the oxygen tube in his mouth and let out a soft “mm.”

 

They were already deep within the Lost Marsh, and even though Marlin had their coordinates, it would still take some time for him to arrive.

 

At first, Ruan Shiqing kept talking to Heli, but after just half an hour, his voice began to fade.

 

Before long—he fell into a deep sleep, leaning against Heli’s warm side.

 

From the moment Heli went missing until now, nearly six days had passed.

 

During that time, Ruan Shiqing had barely slept, relying only on stimulants to keep himself awake.

 

Now that he had finally found Heli, he had stopped taking the nutrients. The sheer exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he drifted off almost instantly.

 

Heli froze, not daring to move an inch, afraid of waking him up.

 

Lowering his head, he noticed the dark circles under Daddy’s eyes for the first time.

 

His claws twitched uneasily—he felt terribly guilty.

 

Just then, the sky darkened further, and rain began to fall.

 

The green mist thickened, and the raindrops themselves took on a faint green hue.

 

Recalling what Daddy had said about the toxic fog, Heli immediately spread his wings, shielding Ruan Shiqing from the rain.

 

As the downpour intensified, Heli kept his wings firmly raised, creating a dry, sheltered space.

 

Beneath his wings, Ruan Shiqing slept soundly, completely untouched by the rain.

 

*

 

Mo Li had been uneasy the whole time, so he and his team waited at the swamp’s edge for an entire day.

 

By evening, Rong Heng finally arrived, having rushed back aboard the Glory.

 

The moment he landed, he wanted to charge into the swamp immediately—

 

But Mo Li stopped him.

 

The Lost Marsh was too vast.

 

If they blindly rushed in and missed Ruan Shiqing’s signal, they could lose him entirely.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s swamp cruiser was equipped with a communication and tracking system. The signal inside the swamp was weak, so they couldn’t track him in real time—

 

But if he sent repeated signals from one location, they would eventually pick it up.

 

Their best option was to wait for his message.

 

Logically, Rong Heng understood.

 

Emotionally, however, he couldn’t calm down.

 

He sat motionless in front of the display screen, his gaze locked onto it, his body tense like a beast on the verge of breaking free.

 

Mo Li had never seen him this impatient before.

 

Even during the Zerg swarm crisis, His Highness had remained calm and composed.

 

No matter how dire the situation, he always led them through it.

 

But now—

 

His restlessness was obvious.

 

And the moment the signal came through, he was the first to rush into the swamp.

 

Mo Li glanced at the screen.

 

The message from Ruan Shiqing had arrived.

 

They were safe.

 

Ruan Shiqing had found Heli and had sent their coordinates.

 

Rong Heng piloted the Glory straight to their location, while Mo Li followed closely behind.

 

The rain made it hard to see, forcing them to fly low and slow.

 

Rong Heng was the first to spot the figures on the high ground.

 

Leaving Noah to control the ship, he opened the hatch and jumped down without hesitation.

 

He landed smoothly.

 

The first thing he saw was a filthy, mud-covered black dragon—

 

Holding up one wing to shield someone from the rain.

 

Heli’s golden eyes lit up the moment he saw him.

 

“How is he?” Rong Heng asked, his expression grim.

 

Heli answered in a small voice, “Daddy was really tired… so he fell asleep.”

 

So he was just asleep.

 

Rong Heng let out a quiet sigh of relief.

 

Carefully, he picked up Ruan Shiqing, cradling him in his arms.

 

“I’ll take him up first. Wait here.”

 

Heli obediently nodded.

 

He slowly folded his stiff, aching wings, curling up neatly in place.

 

He looked so well-behaved—

 

Rong Heng snorted, but his gaze softened.

 

Dumb as a rock, but not completely annoying.

 

Carrying Ruan Shiqing, he handed him off to Mo Li.

 

“Take him back on the Glory and have a doctor check on him.”

 

Mo Li hesitated. “And you?”

 

Rong Heng sneered. “I’ll deal with this one.”

 

After all—

 

They couldn’t exactly tie up the big idiot and haul him out like cargo, could they?

 

“Take your people and go,” he ordered.

 

Once Mo Li and his team left, Rong Heng turned back to Heli.

 

His voice was mock-stern as he said, “I’ll carry you back. But in exchange, you have to keep this a secret. Understand?”

 

…?

 

Heli didn’t really understand, but he still nodded obediently.

 

Only then did Rong Heng smirk, leisurely undoing his collar…

 

And shifting into his true form.

 

 

 

---

 

AAAAAAAAAAH HELI MY BABY!!!! My heart hurt so much for him!!!

 

DADDY RONG IS BACK!!! He’s turning into his true Ymir form, not the cub one!!! (Though how big/strong is he to be able to lift a dragon who went through crazy growth……)

 

Thanks for reading!

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