Chapter 3462: The Dragon’s Suspicion
"Lord Shenlong, we have news regarding the anomaly."
Within the depths of an enormous cave lined with all manner of crystals, a dragon woman drew closer before bowing down before a giant slumbering dragon with her head bowed.
RUMBLE...
The world shook with the amount of seismic radiation that emerged from the giant dragon’s body, which washed over the land and the air. His heart beat alone shook the world around him while his breath created its own jet streams across the continent, altering the wind dynamics of the entire continent.
It took the strongest of dragon women to even maintain their kneeling positions before him.
The sheer gravity that emerged from his body warped the very fabric of space-time, drawing everything to him, while the extreme force that emerged from him countered his gravity, pushing things away.
This created two intersecting forces on all things around him. One that pulled and one that pushed.
It meant that his very existence crushed any and everything that wasn’t strong enough to survive those forces. Only pathwalkers or protected civilians could possibly survive, even remaining in his existence.
The red dragon’s scales smouldered a bright reddish-orange, radiating so much gamma radiation that it made the dragon woman who had come before him feel dizzy.
He opened his eyes slowly as his yellow pupils bore upon the woman before him.
"Speak."
"Yes, My Lord. The anomaly crossed half of Kiriket before disappearing after the onslaught from those who decided to go all out with a violent approach," she continued. "However, highly rigorous and detailed studies of the craters left behind by the attack bombardment have proven to have no trace whatsoever of any kind of anomalous matter. We have found no trace of its existence."
RUMBLE...
The world shook as the woman froze, fear gripping her heart as chills ran across her skin.
A single misstep was enough for her to lose her life.
The slightest tone inflection that could be perceived as disrespect.
Many before her had lost their lives, while the best-case scenario would be earning the Dragon Emperor’s interest and being given the honour of bearing his offspring.
"The anomaly has not been destroyed then."
His voice was a low, rumbling roar morphed into words. It sounded as if lava could speak, if earthquakes could talk. One did not hear it with their ears, but through the vibrations it brought about in one’s heart and body.
"Yes, My Lord. All analysis believes that the anomaly was not destroyed."
The Dragon Emperor’s yellow, reptilian eyes sharpened with a hint of suspicion.
An anomaly that was capable of avoiding all surveillance of none other than Kiriket? One that could simply walk into their land without any problems, and then simply disappear into thin air after their one and only means of detecting it was also confounded?
There were very few things in the world, if not the entire universe, that could even possibly achieve something like that. Modern surveillance biotechnology could detect all forms of matter and energy; it could even actively track dark matter and directly detect dark energy, which fueled the expansion of the universe.
It could detect the existence of virtual particles that weren’t even entirely real.
And yet, there was an anomaly that could completely confound it?
Such a feat was beyond fathomable, something very, very few entities in the world were capable of. He was relatively certain that it wasn’t any conventional or even high stealth technology.
He had very strong reason to suspect that this was likely the incredible personal ability of a singular entity.
The true world was filled with all manner of pathwalkers. Not only were there the six, now seven, pureblood paths, but also a myriad of different combinations that gave rise to the hybrid paths with different capabilities. Within each path was an even greater diversity of individuals and their various capabilities.
It was truly difficult to try and pin down what path and what species, pureblood, or hybrid would be capable of something like this.
However, when he evaluated by timing, possible motive, and the power needed, it narrowed down the suspects considerably. At the very top of the list of suspects was none other than the Antithesis.
The man whom Lord Shenlong sought the most to consume.
He knew for a fact that Rui was trying to get to him and kill him. He knew for a fact that they had left the Hlakaschken Trade Empire and were travelling to the Kiriket discreetly, using stealth. The timing of the anomaly corresponded strongly with how much time he would expect them to take to get to Kiriket.
The suspicion especially rose when one considered the incentives they had to hide their existence as much as the anomaly did. Of course, he could not be certain of what the anomaly was, but he was suspicious enough to prepare for something.
Perhaps a declaration of war from his enemies.
Perhaps an assassination attempt.
Perhaps even a frontal challenge.
The Dragon Emperor did not know. But what he did know was that he couldn’t wait for Rui to try to kill him. He didn’t even entirely understand why the strongest Martial Artist of human civilisation was trying to kill him, but he didn’t even give a damn.
He just sought to consume him as soon as possible.
Just the very thought of enhancing his Authority of Alpha excited him beyond measure.
His gaze shifted to the dragon woman. "Well done. Keep surveying and hunting for the anomaly until it is found and report to me."
She heaved a sigh of relief internally. "Thank you, My Lord."
His eyes lingered on her with faint interest as he studied the female therianthrope. "Raise your head."
She obeyed his command, meeting his reptilian, yellow eyes with a clear expression.
"Mmm... come closer."
She did well to hide the shivers that ran across her spine, lest she offend the Dragon Emperor, before simply closing her eyes with a hint of resigned acceptance.
"Yes, My Lord."