Chapter 120 – Taking Over
The atmosphere was tense, on the verge of eruption.
The leader looked at Lu Shifeng, and when his gaze met Lu Shifeng’s Dragon horn, his pupils contracted. Others also noticed it, exchanging wary glances, clearly very cautious.
The leader asked in a suppressed voice, “Are you… from Dark Star?”
Jian Luo couldn’t understand the implication. Did these people have old grudges with Dark Star?
Right, these were Silver Grey’s rings, definitely not located within the jurisdiction of any forces on Dark Star. This was unbelievable. Did they accidentally teleport directly into enemy territory?
Lu Shifeng was much calmer. He took out a bright crystal-like object from somewhere and handed it to the leader, saying, “We’ll only stay for a few days, and we promise not to attract any enemies.”
That object must be very valuable. The leader’s face was originally grim, but after seeing it, his attitude suddenly became as warm as a spring breeze. He said, “In that case, come with us.”
Jian Luo asked in confusion, “Where are we going?”
“Here, it’s the Wild Beast Forest Hut. Wild beasts often appear here.” The leader lowered his voice. “Only by going to our tribe will you be safe.”
Jian Luo’s eyes widened.
He really didn’t expect this little thatched cottage to be so dangerous. So, it seemed that he was really lucky yesterday!
Lu Shifeng turned to Jian Luo and said, “Hold the eggs.”
Jian Luo snapped out of it and nodded. “Oh, okay.”
The dragon cub in his arms tilted his head eagerly, wanting to see the excitement. The little cub was lively and curious about everything. However, his mother directly stuffed him into her pocket and then used her hands to pick up two other eggs.
Holding a red egg in each hand, Jian Luo walked to Lu Shifeng’s side and said, “Done.”
The leader glanced at them briefly, but before he could ponder further, his view was obstructed by someone. Lu Shifeng seamlessly positioned himself in front of Jian Luo, his cold eyes fixed on the leader, conveying a clear warning. It seemed as though any further scrutiny might result in immediate repercussions.
The leader had heard about the possessiveness of the dragon clan before, but he hadn’t realized it was this intense. He decisively averted his gaze and led the way ahead, with them following at a distance.
Jian Luo whispered to Lu Shifeng, “Why did they accept us?”
Lu Shifeng remained silent.
Jian Luo glanced at him and realized that the younger Lu Shifeng was indeed taciturn, sparing with words as if each one were a burden, exuding an icy demeanor.
Unexplainably, Jian Luo suddenly remembered their time among the elves, how good it was then. Lu Shifeng had never treated him with such an attitude back then. Though equally reticent, the former Lu Shifeng would engage in conversations and tenderly care for him.
There’s just no comparison with this guy.
Feeling suddenly aggrieved, Jian Luo pursed his lips and decided not to speak. Men like him weren’t worth it.
His silence felt abrupt.
Lu Shifeng walked a distance ahead but glanced sideways at him, his eyes calm and focused, radiating a profound affection.
Jian Luo asked irritably, “What?”
Lu Shifeng looked down at him condescendingly and said, “He’s hungry.”
Jian Luo was taken aback, lowering his head to look at the black cub in his pocket. The little one had somehow popped his head out, his small horns pressing against the pocket flap. His tiny claws grasped the fabric while his curious red eyes peeked out, occasionally emitting soft, inquisitive coos.
Unable to hold the eggs while comforting him, Jian Luo murmured, “Ba Tian, be good. Daddy will find you something to eat in a while.”
The black cub didn’t understand his mother’s words. The little dragon’s belly was empty, having only consumed a bit of eggshell right after birth. After a night, he was hungry. Seeing Jian Luo walking, the dragon cub thought they were going hunting. Hearing Jian Luo’s voice, he became even more excited, attempting to crawl out of the pocket to join the hunt.
Jian Luo widened his eyes, “Hey… don’t come out!”
However, despite being small, the black cub’s legs were agile. He clung to the fabric of Jian Luo’s clothes and began to climb out of the pocket. Due to Jian Luo’s movements, the dragon cub swayed dangerously.
In the nick of time—
Lu Shifeng skillfully grabbed the back of his neck and lifted him up, looking at the little dragon and saying sternly, “Don’t misbehave.”
The black cub was stunned, gazing at Lu Shifeng, who in turn stared back. Neither yielded to the other. Though the person in front seemed familiar, he was fierce. Surely, he must be an enemy.
Resistance against external threats was innate to dragons; they didn’t need to be taught. As a cub with principles and aspirations, the black cub was about to mimic biting, but before he could, Lu Shifeng firmly held him back. Having been tricked once before, how could Lu Shifeng allow him to succeed? His expression was stern, “This is the last warning. Don’t misbehave.”
In Lu Shifeng’s hands, the little dragon cub seemed like a cute toy.
Jian Luo, feeling sorry for him, said, “Put him down. He’s still too small. Maybe he’s just hungry. Don’t shake him.”
Although he knew children shouldn’t be spoiled, he couldn’t help but feel protective. The little cub was indeed very small, and Lu Shifeng was handling him roughly…
Unaware of Lu Shifeng’s implied message, Jian Luo glanced at him and said, “Don’t scare him. He might resent you in the future.”
Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow, unrepentant. He replied confidently, “So what?”
“…”
Truly you.
Jian Luo couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. Just as he was about to look away, he saw Lu Shifeng lifting the dragon cub and placing him on his shoulder.
The little black cub, who had just been assertive, also understood the situation when placed on the shoulder. To prevent himself from being thrown off, he tightly grasped the military emblem on Lu Shifeng’s shoulder. The palm-sized black ball stubbornly nestled on Lu Shifeng’s shoulder, its small tail resting, and its round horns alert, stubbornly.
Jian Luo had been a bit annoyed, but seeing this scene, he inexplicably smiled. He felt relieved. Perhaps he could provide a harbor for the black cub to be spoiled, and at the same time, the cub needed someone to guide him through life’s challenges and teach him about the dangers of the world.
…
The leader led Jian Luo to their tribe.
The tribe had a distinct style. Their houses were mostly built on large rocks, mostly circular in shape. At first glance, it looked like round glass stones on square blocks of cheese, resembling… decorative items in supermarkets.
The leader pointed to one of the spherical houses, saying, “You can stay there.”
“Thank you,” Jian Luo replied.
The leader then looked at Lu Shifeng, who said, “Bring some meat.”
The leader obviously didn’t want to be ordered around, but the small crystal card made him stay quiet. He nodded, “Okay.”
The small spherical house looked small from the outside, but when Jian Luo climbed the stairs, he found it quite spacious inside, with all the necessities and cleanliness. There was even a kang bed and a bathroom. Outside, there was a small pot, probably for cooking.
Jian Luo looked around and said, “Not bad.”
Meanwhile, Lu Shifeng had already put down the black cub. The little dragon stumbled and tumbled a few times, finally managing to stop himself, sitting dizzily on the kang bed, his big red gem-like eyes wet with confusion, his small head filled with questions.
Seeing his own cub so cute, Jian Luo first placed the remaining two eggs properly before going to pick up Ba Tian. He then asked Lu Shifeng, “Why haven’t the other two come out yet? Is something wrong?”
Sitting on a nearby chair, Lu Shifeng’s face was frighteningly pale, his eyes half-closed as if resting. Though his young body didn’t appear frail, wearing oversized military uniform made him look like a child playing dress-up. His usually stern and mature face now carried a slight youthfulness. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the two eggs, “Weakness due to insufficient qi and blood.”
Jian Luo panicked, “What does that mean?”
Lu Shifeng calmly said, “Taken out of the incubator prematurely, they lack the nutrients and strength to hatch.”
“…”
Indeed, all three were premature.
Jian Luo hugged the black cub, stroking his head, and said worriedly, “But why did the eldest one come out fine?”
Lu Shifeng seemed to be caught off guard by the question. Replicas of the dragon race were usually hatched simultaneously from the same batch. Such a situation rarely occurred. With a slightly furrowed brow, he spoke, “How long did this batch of dragon eggs take to hatch?”
Rolling his eyes, Jian Luo replied, “Like I said, these are my children. I carried them for fifteen months and gave birth myself. There was no incubation.”
As the words fell, Lu Shifeng’s gaze towards him finally changed slightly, showing some astonishment. He was about to speak when a knock sounded at the door. It was the food delivery.
The person delivering the meal was a middle-aged woman. She placed the meat from the big bowl outside and looked inside with great curiosity. However, Jian Luo came down quickly, blocking her view. In the end, she could only give up. Jian Luo picked up the meat and started cutting it with the knife placed on the side of the bowl. He first cut a big piece for Lu Shifeng, then took a few bites himself before starting to cook for the little one.
Lu Shifeng, seeing his actions, said, “Cut it into small pieces for him to eat.”
Little Dragon was only born a day ago. Although the meat wasn’t tough, it was still too hard for him to digest and swallow. Jian Luo lit the small pot and boiled the meat. The high heat quickly boiled the water, and then he put the meat in.
The little one smelled the aroma of the meat and his hungry stomach growled. Inside his throat, there was the sound of a baby crying for milk. Lu Shifeng, sitting nearby, tore off a piece of meat for him. Although it wasn’t large, it was obviously too big for the little one’s teeth to handle. The little dragon took a few bites, but the meat was too tough for him to chew.
Realizing this, Dragon Ba Tian became anxious and started crying.
Jian Luo gave Lu Shifeng a glance. “Don’t tease him.”
As the meat soup boiled, Jian Luo tried to make it a bit thicker. Although the meal was simple and the appearance of the meat soup wasn’t great, the fragrance was still there, especially for the hungry little dragon; it was simply delicious.
He staggered towards the door, but his small wings couldn’t support him. When he was close to the kang, Lu Shifeng reached out and poked him with his finger, causing the little black one to roll roundly twice.
Jian Luo let the soup cool a bit and brought it inside. Seeing his son looking so pitiful on the kang, he softened. He made the little one sit properly on the kang and then carefully spoon-fed him some meat paste.
The little one, finally able to eat, cheered happily. His soft cries sounded like a kitten, obediently eating the paste. However, because he couldn’t control his strength and his head was too small, some of the paste even got stuck in the corner of his mouth.
Jian Luo couldn’t help but laugh and cry as he wiped the corners of his mouth. “Slow down, no one is competing with you.”
The little one thought it was his mother trying to kiss him. Although he wasn’t full yet, he still lifted his head from the spoon and gently rubbed against Jian Luo’s palm with his horn, even purring happily.
There was tenderness in Jian Luo’s eyes. “Eat quickly.”
So the little one continued to eat the paste. Lu Shifeng had already finished his meal but didn’t disturb Jian Luo. Instead, he went to the bathroom inside to clean up. When he came back, he had changed into clean clothes and was sitting next to him, drying his hair.
Lu Shifeng watched Jian Luo gently washing the little one’s face, and the little dragon, being mischievous, amused him to no end. The intimacy between Jian Luo and the little dragon was touching.
For some reason, Lu Shifeng began to believe Jian Luo’s words a bit. Dragonlings didn’t have the same attachment to their mothers as birdlings did; it was like no one would be close to their incubator.
When the Dragon Clan still had reproductive abilities, dragonlings were indeed very attached to their mothers. Some things couldn’t be faked. This little black one looked foolish in front of Jian Luo, showing the instinctive dependence of a dragon on its birth mother.
Thinking of this, Lu Shifeng said, “Whose child is this?”
Jian Luo paused, looked at Lu Shifeng, very honest, and not intending to hide it. “Yours.”
“…”
There was a moment of silence in the room.
Lu Shifeng’s face remained impassive, but there was obviously a crack. His Adam’s apple moved up and down, his voice somewhat hoarse, suppressing the inexplicable excitement in his blood. He said, “That’s impossible.”
Jian Luo was almost angry to death. He had suffered so much for whom? He thought that once the child was born, everything would be better, but without a single loving word, it was fine, but now to say such things, could anyone bear this injustice?
Jian Luo retorted, “Right, it’s not yours, it’s your brother’s, okay?”
It was just a rant. Normally, anyone wouldn’t believe it, right? Silver gray was a white dragon. How could this black one be so pure black? Only someone colorblind would mistake them, right?
Who knew that the next moment, Jian Luo heard Lu Shifeng say, “Did he abandon you?”
“…”
Jian Luo couldn’t believe it. “What?”
But Lu Shifeng didn’t say anything more. He just looked at the other two eggs and said, “Don’t worry, even if Silver Gray did something wrong, I won’t blame his offspring.”
???
Jian Luo was full of question marks, and even the little black one by his side made a couple of noises in agreement.
Feeling unfinished, Lu Shifeng looked at Jian Luo again and said, “Later, I’ll have them find you another house. We should rest separately. After all…”
“After all what?” Jian Luo was curious.
“You’re his partner.” Lu Shifeng was serious. “You should abide by propriety.”
“…”
T/N: Hey there! How have y’all been? If you missed the previous TN, been busy with life and all, so apologies for the super delayed update, but I plan on finishing this series this year so hang on tight! Please accept this mass-update as an apology! We will get back to a regular update schedule till the last chapter is published (ch180). There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! Hope you’ve all stayed healthy!
Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
and many, many more!
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