Chapter 128
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Chapter 128: Title
"You’re welcome," Wen Qingyan smiled.
Since experiencing the cross-dresser’s perspective within that painting, Bai Ye had desperately tried to bury that painful past, convinced he’d never encounter Wen Qingyan again. The mere recollection of those events still made his temples throb.
Yet against all expectations, Wen Qingyan not only applied for the Special Bureau’s "Special Class" but graduated top-tier before being assigned to headquarters. Their relationship remained closer than most would suspect.
Among Moon Lake Wonderland’s Practitioners existed the prestigious Bai Family, whose ancestral ties to Bai Ye spanned generations. The Bai Family’s next heir, Bai Wei, maintained close friendship with Wen Qingyan’s master.
Gu Huaiqin, Wen Qingyan’s mentor, stood as a paragon of Confucian-Taoist cultivation – his aura radiating unshakable righteousness. After Bai Ye’s lineage was formally recognized by the Bai Family, his growing closeness to Bai Wei naturally led to acquaintance with Gu Huaiqin. This connection resulted in Gu Huaiqin assigning his disciple as Bai Ye’s intern for proper guidance.
Few within the Special Bureau knew of their prior meeting – only Qiao Feiyu, Hu Mei, and Yang Xingyu were privy, minimizing risks of unwanted rumors.
Li Canghai’s phone vibrated. The caller ID showed Division 5 Chief Tang Tong.
"Chief Tang?"
"It’s me," came the crisp reply.
"Something urgent?"
"We’re expecting an… unexpected visitor," Tang Tong’s tone carried peculiar inflection. "His Highness Ao Lan of the dragon royalty will arrive shortly. Ensure proper reception."
"The Third Prince? Why?" Li Canghai frowned.
"Complications arose. He’s en route to your coordinates – dragon-speed travel being what it is. His presence should assist your Atlantic investigation."
Before Li Canghai could inquire further, the line died.
Pocketing his phone, Li Canghai gazed at the cerulean sky where wispy clouds drifted lazily. Chen Qingfeng, having overheard, voiced the obvious question:
"The Dragon Prince visits?"
"So says Chief Tang."
True to warning, rain clouds materialized moments later. Sunshine surrendered to drizzle as a white dragon pierced the horizon, diving toward the aircraft carrier. Upon deck impact, the majestic creature shimmered into a white-robed youth.
Dragons ever rode the storm’s veil – their full glory rarely glimpsed beneath rainy shroud, mere fragments visible through cloud-breaks.
"Greetings!" The pale-haired figure beamed, crystalline raindrops clinging to his lashes.
The soldiers charging up with weapons in hand witnessed the white dragon transforming into a human form. When they saw the small puff-like figure the dragon had become, they exchanged bewildered glances until their Team Leader dismissed them with a wave.
Admittedly, the white dragon appeared majestic, but this childlike form radiated pure adorableness.
"Your Highness," Li Canghai stepped forward with a gentle smile, "Chief Tang informed me of your arrival but didn’t specify the purpose."
"I came to investigate what lies beneath the waves," Ao Lan declared excitedly, darting across the deck before perching on the edge, legs swinging freely over the abyss.
Settling comfortably, the dragon prince announced, "Second Brother tasked me to assist your search. Consider this my official mission!"
When it came to oceanic explorations, who could rival the dragon race’s prowess?
No one.
The realization dawned clearly on Chen Qingfeng, Li Canghai, and their companions.
The Atlantic’s expanse rendered proximity to America’s waters unnecessary, especially since the deep blue light pillar marked an enormous territory. Their suspicions pointed to an entire submerged continent below – once home to sophisticated ancient civilizations, its treasures surely scattered across multiple locations.
"With Your Highness’ assistance, we can maintain a safer distance," Li Canghai remarked.
Originally planning submarine explorations near American waters, they’d faced the challenge of extreme depths even extraordinary individuals couldn’t endure.
Ao Lan required no such vessels.
As the aircraft carrier reached its coordinates, the dragon prince plunged seaward in an iridescent blur. Onlookers barely glimpsed a pale streak vanishing beneath the waves.
In the Control Room, underwater cameras and sonar relays flickered to life while submarines stood ready in reserve. Ao Lan’s involvement allowed delayed deployment until precise targeting.
Descending through fading sunlight into ink-black depths, the dragon’s eyes pierced the darkness effortlessly. To document his findings, he released a luminous pearl from his mouth, its glow captured by a bubble-encased camera protected from crushing pressures.
Upon reaching the seafloor, Ao Lan glided above the abyssal plain seeking human-made structures – potential remnants of bygone eras as Li Canghai suggested.
Thirty minutes later, a drowned city materialized from the gloom. Hovering above its skeletal ruins, the dragon surveyed collapsed walls and time-ravaged debris. After recording the scene, he swept his tail through the structures, juvenile draconic strength effortlessly clearing obstructions.
The companion pearl blazed like a miniature sun, banishing shadows from the deserted seascape – timid sea creatures had fled long before the dragon’s approach.
"Much better for treasure hunting," Ao Lan mused, shrinking his form to scour the ruins for artifacts of worth.
He couldn’t discern valuable items, instinctively swallowing anything that caught his interest—these treasures became stored within an unfathomable dimensional space. This innate ability manifested spontaneously after Ao Lan’s dragon metamorphosis. Having concluded his search, the dragon departed silently.
…After hours of anticipation, those gathered on the surface finally witnessed Ao Lan’s emergence from the depths. The magnificent serpent still retained his draconic form, moonlight dancing across pearlescent scales that gleamed like liquid mercury. Compressing his massive form, Ao Lan levitated from the waves to hover above the deck.
With a guttural rumble, he disgorged his oceanic findings before carelessly flinging the camera toward Li Canghai, his human guise reasserting itself moments later. “Exhausted. Require sustenance,” the dragon-man declared without preamble. The statement drew mixed reactions from the dazzled observers—equal parts amusement and exasperation at his childlike priorities.
Bai Ye extended a welcoming hand, his smile warm. “Let’s remedy that hunger. Daoist Priest Li, you’ll join us too—we’ve all postponed dinner awaiting Your Highness.” As crew members began sorting the cluttered artifacts, Li Canghai discreetly passed the camera to technicians.
The ensuing banquet saw Ao Lan devouring meats with rapturous delight, his enthusiasm proving contagious. “Satiated,” he announced abruptly, transforming mid-stretch into the Xiao Bai dragon. His usually lithe form now displayed a faint abdominal curve—a comical contrast to his serpentine elegance. “Slumber calls,” the miniature dragon yawned, drifting lazily toward the exit.
Chuckles rippled through the room. “Such childish whimsy,” someone murmured.
“By dragon race standards, he’s practically an infant,” Wen Qingyan observed, eyes twinkling.
Ao Lan’s underwater reconnaissance proved invaluable, revealing astonishing artifacts amidst the retrieved debris. The camera’s footage unveiled greater marvels—particularly the final frames capturing a submerged metropolis encased in crystalline architecture.
Special Bureau analysts buzzed with excitement upon receiving these materials, particularly when Atlantis scholars confirmed the discovery: the fabled city matched every legendary description. Unbeknownst to Ao Lan—now coiled asleep on deck—his afternoon explorations had coincided with intense diplomatic maneuvers between nearby aircraft carriers, their near-collision resembling an aquatic dance of rival leviathans.
In the Control Room, technicians replayed crucial footage—a ninety-second descent through abyssal darkness revealing the domed city’s secrets. “How could an ancient civilization achieve this hydraulic isolation?” wondered a researcher. “Might they have harnessed Spiritual Energy?”
“More likely advanced technology,” countered another. “That protective dome aligns with theoretical energy shield concepts. Massive power expenditure could sustain such a structure…”
Nearby, Dr. Zou examined a double-fist-sized crystal pyramid etched with cryptic sigils. Tilting it beneath lamplight, he glimpsed fleeting shadows—a humanoid silhouette that vanished upon closer inspection.
“Both theories hold merit,” Li Canghai interjected. “Regardless of their methods, we must locate this city.”
Dr. Zou’s gaze lingered on the frozen video image. “America’s lingering Atlantic presence makes sense now—they’ve likely discovered similar wonders.” The screen displayed Atlantis in all its glory—a luminous aquatic jewel, its spires glowing ethereally through marine twilight.
