Chapter Two: The Angel's Embrace

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After conducting aerial reconnaissance, Huang Ze discovered that the human civilization of this world appeared quite primitive. There were no skyscrapers, no abundance of food and clothing, little understanding of machinery or electricity; both their means and mode of production lagged far behind, as if they were trapped in an era of slavery or feudalism.

Yet none of this troubled him. The more backward this place was, the greater the opportunity for Huang Ze to shine. If he revealed the knowledge and technology in his mind, these people would quickly prosper, with their productive forces and resources soaring. Then, supporting a giant dragon like him would be a trivial matter.

Unfortunately, the humans here were equally unfriendly toward him, showing no welcome for this uninvited dragon. Though their nation was poor and undeveloped, their military and defenses were anything but weak: towering walls, numerous watch posts, impressive organization and swift response.

Even when Huang Ze was still dozens of miles away, they spotted him early. Once they confirmed the dragon was heading straight for them, they treated it as a crisis—gathering elite soldiers, mounting dragon-hunting ballistae, preparing to deliver a crushing blow.

Seeing their preparations, Huang Ze had no choice but to turn back. Though he lacked his predecessor’s memories, he retained a basic sense of danger; those giant ballistae seemed ominous, and if he forced his way in, even his formidable defenses might not protect him from being riddled with arrows.

Direct contact was impossible, so Huang Ze tried a roundabout approach, secretly capturing a few humans. Yet, their reactions disappointed him. As expected, there was a language barrier, and whether under the influence of dragon’s might or some bloodline suppression, humans before him were terrified—unable to speak coherently, their consciousness clouded.

Reluctantly, Huang Ze let them go.

But he didn’t leave the human kingdom entirely. Instead, he found a nearby mountain to settle on. After all, he reasoned, the presence of a dragon near human settlements would profoundly disrupt their daily lives and threaten their safety. Driven to desperation, they would surely call for a hero to slay the dragon.

And such a hero would surely be stronger, braver, and easier to communicate with—perhaps even a learned mage among them. When the time came, Huang Ze intended to show goodwill, presenting himself as a civilized, reasonable, and progressive dragon who wished to ally with humanity, offering his strength and blood in a pact.

If necessary, he was even willing to sell his dragon blood, drawing it on the spot and guaranteeing its authenticity—after all, he wasn’t a true dragon, and as a former citizen of Xia, he had donated blood before, knowing that moderate blood loss wouldn’t harm one’s health. He saw nothing dishonorable in selling his blood to humans.

But to his surprise, instead of a dragon-slaying hero, he was confronted by an angel.

Yes, you heard right—an angel! One with radiant white wings, a glowing halo, and shimmering brilliance!

Huang Ze’s dragon eyes nearly popped out of his head. Who could have guessed that the humans of this world could summon such a powerful ally? Completely unprepared, he was beaten mercilessly by this angel, chased for dozens of kilometers before the assault ceased.

If not for his thick hide and the angel’s apparent reluctance to kill, Huang Ze’s hundred-ton body might truly have been left for dead.

After being driven off by the angel, Huang Ze was disheartened for a long time, no longer daring to approach humans. He resumed his wandering, flying eastward in search of the sea.

After all, the sea’s creatures were larger and slower than those on land, perhaps offering him a chance to fend for himself.

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…

One noon, exhausted from flight and hungry after days without food, Huang Ze searched along a trade route, hoping to ambush a hapless merchant caravan for provisions.

He knew full well his actions constituted serious crimes—robbery and lawlessness—but in this world, no one would wield the law against him.

If he could, he longed to return to his homeland, to the familiar world of human civilization, to his parents and friends—even if they locked him away as a specimen, dissecting and studying him, he would accept it willingly.

For this half year as a dragon had been nothing but hardship—not merely the lack of food and physical hunger, but a gnawing spiritual emptiness, loneliness, and confusion, unable to find any sense of belonging or purpose as a dragon.

Huang Ze suspected that, if things continued, he might become the first dragon in history to suffer depression and take his own life.

Given the choice, he truly did not wish to be a dragon.

…

On the dusty highland, along a rugged mountain path, a merchant caravan was advancing slowly.

They hailed from the distant Kingdom of Soman, having crossed mountains and rivers to trade for a large quantity of goods from a mysterious eastern nation, now returning to sell them at home.

Suddenly, the leading mountain horse halted, nervously circling in place.

“Something’s wrong… Something’s up, everyone be careful!”

The caravan leader, experienced and alert, immediately sensed danger and called everyone to prepare.

“Damn, are you part radar? You can spot me from this far away?”

Huang Ze was both frustrated and puzzled. He lay in ambush halfway up the mountain, planning to leap out when the caravan approached and seize a horse or two for a meal. Yet, even though he was still over a thousand meters away, a horse noticed him first.

Was his dragon’s aura or presence truly so overwhelming?

Huang Ze doubted himself. He didn’t know how to restrain this effect, and it was counterproductive for hunting; he couldn’t fathom why dragons would evolve such a trait.

Since he’d been discovered, Huang Ze could no longer hide. With a long roar, he took to the air, wings spread wide, swooping down upon the caravan.

…

“Dragon! Dragon!”

“Heavens! And it’s the most terrifying black dragon!”

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“We’re done for!”

“Run! Run!”

…

The entire caravan erupted into chaos, wailing in despair. With such a massive black dragon upon them, they saw little hope for survival.

“Don’t panic, don’t scatter!”

The caravan leader, somewhat seasoned, quickly tried to calm everyone. “Hold steady—black dragons are advanced dragons, and they don’t eat humans. Our flesh is inferior in both quality and quantity compared to other prey.”

“So don’t be afraid. As long as we remain calm, show no aggression, and avoid angering the dragon, it will leave once it’s fed.”

His urgent reassurances brought a measure of calm to the group, and indeed, the black dragon did not target the humans, but instead pounced upon a mountain horse, sweeping his cold, inscrutable gaze across them.

If he could have heard their thoughts, Huang Ze would have protested his innocence. His gaze was not cold or ruthless, but gentle and friendly—he was simply surprised and curious to finally encounter humans who remained composed in his presence.

But at that moment, Huang Ze had no interest in conversation. He wanted only to eat.

He looked down at the red horse beneath his claws. It was still alive, but had surrendered to his terrifying aura, ceasing all struggle.

“If I remember correctly, this is my first successful hunt.”

Huang Ze mused silently, but felt no joy at the accomplishment. After all, this horse had already been tamed by humans, bound tightly by reins, unable to flee, and thus there was nothing to boast about in catching it.

A beauty by nature, forced to be a thief!

How unjust is fate!

Huang Ze sighed inwardly, preparing to enjoy his meal, when his peripheral vision caught sight of goods spilled from the overturned wagon.

On a white nylon bag, he clearly saw several bold Xia characters—Refined Iodized Salt!