Chapter 287: The Shining of Human Stars (Revised)
The hunter saw an expression on the elder’s face guarding the village for the first time.
When he was a child, the sky was just as blood-red. The giant dragon people stood at the village entrance, watching them with timidity or curiosity, muttering incomprehensible words.
He seemed capable of everything; his calloused hands tinkered and soon crafted a small bow hanging around his neck.
He appeared to know everything. Whenever the village chief encountered problems, they sought him out. His stories were endless, from his childhood to the present day.
But “wind pressure” was something the hunter had never heard before.
“You take the prey back first. I’ll be gone for a while.”
The great dragon person patted his shoulder and pushed him toward the stone frame marking the village entrance.
As for himself, the winged dragon flew away, leaving a long trail of loneliness in its wake.
The hunter tossed the large beetle to the children, telling them to bring it back, then stepped out of the village gate, chasing after that lonely silhouette.
…
The winged dragon descended from the air, its eyes seemingly filled with considerable human hesitation.
After all, this was Jié Jié’s first attempt to actively initiate contact with humans since becoming a monster.
Previously, when interacting with humans, he either assumed a harmless form for close contact or avoided revealing his ability to communicate altogether, unwilling to expose the alien soul beneath his monstrous shell.
Before exposure, humans could only perceive his physical form, like wearing a mask.
But after exposure, their gaze would pierce through to the alien soul within, raw and naked.
He wondered if, once the unknown became known and fear subsided, humans would reveal an unfathomable side towards the alien soul?
Without the mask as a barrier, would irreparable hostility arise?
This wasn’t something a new mask could solve. Jié Jié detested the possibility of such an occurrence.
“Do you even understand what fear is?”
The black-clothed dragon person had never said this to him, but his chanting tone perfectly matched this phrase, seamlessly imagined.
By projecting the black-clothed dragon person’s hesitancy onto himself and harshly criticizing it, he suddenly no longer understood what fear was.
Mere humans, whether contacted or not, could never restrict him.
Human gazes in this world would never catch up to the alien soul, because he intended to leave this world.
The Great Elder’s narrowed eyes widened as he watched the flying pterosaur’s form begin to swell, its aura rising.
Jié Jié lowered half his mask, carrying the majestic presence of the Flame King Dragon, initiating resonance with the giant dragon person.
The Great Elder clutched his forehead. As the former ruler of Dongduoluma, the Great Elder Hall under his control possessed the most literature materials in this world. Giant dragon people themselves were special existences among the dragon people tribe.
He knew much—what humans didn’t know, what dragon people didn’t know—and could easily say NO to ancient dragons.
Just look at the old mountain dragon’s severed tail! Cut in two by a single blade!
However, the other party’s attitude was not the usual condescension of ancient dragons; this was a peaceful, equal exchange.
Yet their respective situations were unequal.
The other party’s body was proud and robust, while he, an elderly man with a bare chest, bore the ravages of time.
When the other party threw down a fragment of a ruined city, his body involuntarily trembled. He realized he had lost his choice.
He cared about Dongduoluma and wanted to know its intelligence.
His concern caused confusion, and for a moment, he thought being controlled wouldn’t matter.
His clenched fists tightened and relaxed. The aged giant dragon person raised his own presence. Even though both his mind and body were in their twilight years, his aura remained no less than that of the Flame King Dragon.
Only the hunter hiding in the corner was scared stiff, dumbly staring at the mutual gaze between the two “monsters.”
Jié Jié watched as the Great Elder swiftly reconstructed his worldview and nodded approvingly. Truly worthy of being the well-informed Great Elder.
But the Great Elder revealed a hint of strangeness regarding being acknowledged by the Sunfire Dragon—
The Flame King Dragon adjusted his presence, urging him to rein in his scattered thoughts, avoiding unnecessary entanglements.
He continued observing the Sunfire Dragon before him. It was undeniable that he had never seen such a strong and magnificent male Sunfire Dragon since childhood.
Every male Sunfire Dragon he remembered formed a herd in his mind, and without question, the one before him could be crowned king among them.
Both noticed the eavesdropping hunter, but Jié Jié paid no attention, nor did the Great Elder show excessive concern or intention to make the other party notice.
“Have you been to Dongduoluma?”
“Dongduoluma.”
The Flame King Dragon pondered human cognition. That was the center of the world, humanity’s most prosperous city, which had endured monster invasions since ancient times but had never fallen.
It only fell once.
Jié Jié solemnly shared the sole instance of its fall.
No, it didn’t fall. The colossal deity of hell perished before the city’s destruction.
The tendrils of thought extended and retracted, reformulating his words to avoid provoking the elder.
“Ahh…”
A long sigh echoed through the mountain hollow. The giant dragon person remained silent, yet due to the other party’s solemnity and correct speech, gained a bit more favor.
And the other party’s request was merely to tell him the detailed beginning and end.
Though it was just a simple inquiry, it felt like reopening old wounds.
But what do these ancient dragons understand about civilization? Perhaps the one before him isn’t even older than him.
The Great Elder could also judge age through the Flame King Dragon’s horn patterns.
Seated on a rock, he began slowly recounting everything humanity could achieve, warning the other to avoid the remnants of civilization.
Lan Dragons were repelled, Old Mountain Dragons were repelled, Peak Mountain Dragons were repelled, Great Sea Dragons were repelled…
Their armies could drive the black death gods, comparable to ancient dragons, to the brink of volcanic despair, needing no lone hunter’s intervention if not for concerns about volcanic structures.
Sunfire Dragons, Steel Dragons, Crimson Dragons… In the face of natural disasters, they transitioned from being annihilated in ignorance to migrating upon early detection, and finally, repelling them to protect their homes behind them.
Even a single Blue Speed Dragon could effortlessly hunt humans, and stronger monsters were abundant, yet they managed to carve out survival amidst the gaps of monsters.
Dragon people witnessed the chain reactions of ecological destruction, knowing they were part of the ecosystem, and would collapse with its demise.
Beyond protecting settlements, they invested more effort into the wilderness, restricting hunting to maintain the current ecosystem and prevent chain reactions.
But everything still perished; they couldn’t secure victory for the current ecosystem.
For the world-ending Tempered Black Dragon, he hated yet accepted it, simply losing. If given another chance, they could do better.
Now, after everything was destroyed, they chose to sow old seeds, waiting for a new ecosystem to coexist with them.
His voice vibrated with his thoughts, captivating the hunter who listened involuntarily.
Jié Jié was similarly captivated, taking a long while to realize he wasn’t asking about the shining of human stars but the details of that battle!
Pleasing, enjoyable, keep listening.
Chapter 288
