Chapter 247: Days Upon Days.
The investigation team was sending people back, and Jié Jié saw the crates being moved out of the cabin for reinforcement and modification. But he didn’t see their actual departure for days.
Every day, he followed the Compiler around to see what he was up to—organizing documents, packing luggage, collecting samples outside, and enjoying overly friendly farewells from his companions.
Letters were tucked into the Compiler’s book, awaiting delivery across the ocean to the most important people in the investigators’ lives.
The investigation team clearly awaited something more, which made Jié Jié hesitant to leave for the desert to check on the Flame Empress Dragon at first.
But eventually, he had to go.
After half a month of waiting, he vanished from the base, leaving traces of an Abyssal Wave Dragon by the shore and signs of Spiny Dragon activity in nearby forests. He buried some items here and there.
It only took him half a day. Then, cloaked in a massive shadow, he soared through the sky, quickly reaching the swampy area of Giant Ant Hill Wasteland.
He began walking into the depths of the desert as a Flame King Dragon.
Gifts always come uninvited, just like him.
The Sand Earth Dragon was too scrawny for his taste, while the Black Horned Dragon that leapt up looked hungry but was spared for the sake of increasing the Horned Dragon population—a matter of multiple lives per corpse.
Finally, he spotted an ordinary Horned Dragon wandering among the cacti.
Ignoring its wary roar, he dived down with claws ablaze, dust exploding around him. Fangs snapped shut with precision, ending its life efficiently.
Very effective hunting.
Dragging the Horned Dragon’s tail, Jié Jié moved forward until a familiar scent greeted him reciprocally.
Thinking back to that moment, the atmosphere was set. To retreat now would be rude to both the Sunfire Dragon and himself.
If things can’t be helped, might as well jump in first and sort it out later.
After jumping in, solutions naturally appear.
While the young Flame Empress Dragon isn’t too bright yet and has a bit of a crush, he’ll try his best to charm her temporarily.
But when she grows wiser in the future, it’ll be time to make amends.
This could take decades, but Jié Jié felt it aligned with his original plan.
With that, let’s keep going!
As they enjoyed each other’s company, red and blue manes intertwined, long ears teasingly poked, horns clashed, and flames mingled.
The Horned Dragon corpse was discarded aside, perhaps to be eaten after significant exertion.
A few days later, Jié Jié stayed with the Flame Empress Dragon for a few more days. Ancient Dragons have low reproductive rates, so unless he visited frequently, there wouldn’t be much worry about returning to find the child grown. The frequent visits also served as a reward mechanism for Sunfire Dragons.
Naturally, the Flame Empress Dragon was displeased about his impending departure, but no big deal—he’d already charmed her earlier.
After hunting another Horned Dragon, Jié Jié glanced at her long mane, thinking he should try styling it sometime.
He hadn’t transformed in front of her yet; better wait till dinner’s ready.
Skipping joyfully out of the desert, he shared his happiness with the frogs before returning to Starlight Base.
The investigation team seemed used to his frequent disappearances but remained highly interested in what he brought back.
“Great job.”
The Commander regretted not being able to pat his head and instead reached out to touch the origin pearls on the ground. Besides the pearls, the broken scales caught his attention.
Though limited by the Smoky Snow Weasel’s size, the scale sizes were too small to process into materials but could still be studied as monster activity traces.
“Is this a scale? It feels cool, looks like ore.”
The Compiler immediately identified it as an Ice Curse Dragon scale, playing with it in his hands.
“The surface has volcanic glass structures, suggesting a lava-rich origin. But it’s too small to identify the exact creature. There’s a possibility of new subspecies on the New Continent.”
The Dragon Person scholar adjusted his glasses, raising his head to examine the stone through the Compiler’s fingers.
“Lava? Underground or volcano?”
“But wherever it is, it’s beyond our current reach.”
The Commander muttered, curiously looking at the Smoky Snow Weasel, though it was just a weasel.
“I think it’s more likely shed during monster migration. Look at this…”
The Dragon Person scholar picked up the Dragon Crystal fragment specially selected by Jié Jié—a piece of Dragon Vein Stone.
“This crystal, though poor quality, gives me a strange sensation when I hold it.”
The scholar pondered, and the bead-stringing tech team captain became curious, taking the Dragon Vein Stone to inspect it.
“This thing resembles an origin pearl but seems different. It must be useful.”
“Hmm.”
At this moment, Jié Jié was enjoying Cat Granny’s cooking on the table, occasionally observing the investigators’ reactions to the items.
The small boat had been fully modified, supplies prepared, just awaiting personnel.
…
Time passed slowly. When the weary woman returned, Jié Jié realized what the investigation team had been waiting for.
The Compiler, who had been fiddling with the Ice Curse Dragon scales, put them away and closed his notebook to greet another Compiler from the team.
These days, he tried completing his work, “The New Continent Culinary Encyclopedia,” but lamented eating too little to fill many pages.
Seeing him close the book solemnly, Jié Jié understood the cookbook would pause updates and quickly followed the food-loving Compiler.
The Field Master expressed regret and congratulated the Compiler’s departure, unsurprisingly knowing his duties aboard the ship.
Returning specifically because the ten-year period approached, she brought back collected information.
She spread her Compiler’s book on the dining table, where Jié Jié could only see from above, while the Compiler copied updated content, occasionally asking the Field Master for clarification.
Maps, monsters, fragments of traces, and two pictures with vastly different styles.
“The ecological changes on the New Continent are more dynamic than the Old Continent, often showing drastically different scenes repeatedly, astonishing.”
“But even if lost, just follow the coast southward, and you’ll find the Starlight Base.”
The Field Master laughed, and everyone else joined in.
Chapter 248…
