The giant Jiao raised its massive head, revealing its snowy white belly, and wriggled its enormous body rapidly towards Brandon, flattening low shrubs in its path. The giant Jiao was visibly excited, its cold eyes misty with emotion. As it crawled, it let out loud roars that echoed like distant thunder rolling across the sky.
The human soldiers stood frozen, the scene before them too terrifying and surreal to comprehend. If they hadn't witnessed it themselves, they might have thought they were watching a movie. The appearance of such massive creatures, one after another, was enough to shake even their steely resolve. Their guns trembled in their hands as they struggled to stay calm, knowing a misfire could provoke the beasts and spell their doom.
In America, the sanctity of one's life was paramount, and facing an overwhelmingly superior enemy gave soldiers the right to surrender without shame. Yet, they doubted the dragon would accept their surrender, fearing it would incinerate them or crush them underfoot. They gripped their weapons tightly, trying to prevent any accidental discharge.
The dragon landed before the giant Jiao, which swiftly swam over. As it reached Brandon, the giant Jiao lay flat on the ground, its enormous body trembling slightly with emotion. The recent exertion had drained its remaining strength.
Seeing the giant Jiao again, Brandon felt a surge of indescribable emotions: joy, excitement, and elation. His eyes gleamed as he examined the green Jiao closely. Having been outside where spiritual energy was scarce, its cultivation environment was far inferior to that on the island. In just a year, other giant Jiaos had far surpassed it. Most of its form remained serpentine, and reaching its current earth-level strength was a testament to its efforts.
“Alright! Don’t move. Let’s go home,” Brandon's gentle voice resonated in the giant Jiao’s heart.
The giant Jiao immediately lay still, its massive body relaxing, muscles softening, and its huge eyes shining with joyful fervor. Brandon extended a giant claw, grasped the giant Jiao, and with a powerful flap of his wings, lifted into the air. The giant Jiao hung limply like a dead snake, unmoving except for the slight rise and fall of its belly, which indicated it was still alive.
The human soldiers watched in amazement, their mouths agape. The dragon effortlessly carried the massive Jiao into the sky, its 60-meter-long wings glinting with a purple-gold hue in the sunlight, nearly blocking out the sun.
With a mighty roar, the dragon flapped its wings and swiftly flew away. Only after the dragon had vanished did the soldiers begin to relax, exhaling deeply in relief. They had never been so tense, not even in the face of other enemies. But in that moment before the dragon, they had smelled the scent of death.
Major Lycett, the highest-ranking officer in the camp, had also come out at the noise. Watching the dragon fly away, he realized their mission had been completed by someone else, rendering their presence pointless. He reported the incident to his superiors, who surprisingly showed no shock or anger, sounding relieved instead.
President's Office
The President sat in his office, flipping through documents with a grim expression. His brow was furrowed, and he looked exhausted, having had several sleepless nights. The presence of the dragon in the United States had been a constant source of anxiety. A giant serpent had already thrown California into a panic, but a dragon?
The President didn't dare to think further. At that moment, a knock on the door broke the silence.
"Come in!"
A middle-aged man hurried in, holding a file. He wore a broad smile and quickly said, "Mr. President, we have located the dragon. It’s holding the giant serpent in its claws. The National Security Center has tracked it; it’s flying towards the sea. Should we attack?"
The President immediately stood up and opened the file. In the center was a clear photo of the dragon clutching the serpent mid-flight, its immense size almost overshadowing the entire landscape. The image showed that the dragon had grown even larger, now about 20 meters long. This was troubling; it meant the dragon had become even more powerful.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
"Attack? With what? Nukes?" The President shook his head and smiled bitterly. He then addressed the middle-aged man, "Notify the National Security Center to monitor the dragon closely. If it doesn’t cause any damage, do not engage. Let it leave the U.S. on its own."
The giant Jiao, being about sixty to seventy meters long, forced Brandon to fly high, making him more visible and increasing the likelihood of missile hits. Yet, so far, everything had gone surprisingly smoothly—no planes, no missiles. This puzzled Brandon.
After a moment of thought, Brandon decided not to dwell on it. After all, this was a fortunate turn of events. He couldn't afford to second-guess it. Confident that humanity had been intimidated by his power, he let out a resonant dragon’s roar, its metallic quality creating waves that traveled far into the distance.
With a powerful flap of his wings, Brandon flew swiftly away. As soon as he reached the sea, he dove in, knowing the importance of caution. He was aware that he wasn't invincible. If humans discovered his lair and dropped a few nukes unexpectedly, even his Golden Bell defense might not save him.
As Brandon and the giant Jiao entered the water, the Jiao seemed to come alive. It stretched and swam rapidly behind Brandon, hunting as it moved. Marine creatures were much larger than freshwater ones, allowing the giant Jiao to feast heartily.
With a gaping maw, the Jiao aggressively attacked the marine life. It had been two months since it had eaten well, and its stomach acid had been burning with hunger. Surrounded by abundant food, it couldn’t hold back. Everything in sight was swallowed whole. Noticing the Jiao's ravenous behavior, Brandon stopped to watch it feed.
Seeing the giant Jiao’s pitiful state, Brandon felt a pang of sadness. The Jiao must have endured a lot, but fortunately, it had returned safely.
Half an hour later, the giant Jiao finally stopped eating and looked gratefully at Brandon. With a gentle swish of its broad tail, it followed him. Despite being in the ocean for the first time, the Jiao showed no signs of discomfort. It seemed to enjoy the sea, stretching its body and radiating excitement. As a species adept at aquatic life, the Jiao felt right at home in the water.
The small lake and underground river felt constricting for its massive body, like a fish trapped in a small bowl. Now, in the open sea, the green Jiao felt a rush of exhilaration. Its blood began to boil with a sense of familiarity buried deep within its veins, making its movements smoother and faster.
A row of sharp bone spines ran along the green Jiao's back, connected by a fin that undulated in the water, acting as a hydrodynamic aid. Its tail was flat like a fish's, providing powerful propulsion. Brandon noticed that the green Jiao’s speed in the water was nearly equal to his own.
Seeing this, Brandon flapped his wings and swished his massive tail, increasing his speed. The dragon carved a long wake through the deep sea, creating a clear white path. As he surged forward, the powerful current tore through the surrounding marine life, leaving blood and entrails in its wake. Even large sea creatures were left disoriented, floating towards the surface. To Brandon, these large creatures were merely slightly bigger animals.
Brandon was secretly impressed by the green Jiao’s aquatic abilities, recognizing its mythological prowess from Chinese folklore. As they swam, they left the continental shelf behind, moving into the deeper ocean.
While humanity's reach had extended into space, the depths of the ocean remained largely unexplored. The ocean covered nearly three-quarters of the Earth, but humans could only explore the areas near the continental shelf. The deeper regions remained a mystery, fueling many myths and legends. The pressure in the deep sea was terrifying, preventing even the strongest humans from diving beyond 500 meters without equipment. For humans, the ocean depths were mysterious and frightening, but for Brandon, the ocean was the perfect hiding place.
Once at the ocean floor, the dragon's trail would vanish completely. No one could know where he had gone or where he lived, adding to his mystique and menace.
The dragon possessed excellent mobility, incredible speed, and agility. As an amphibious creature, it thrived in water, on land, and in the air. With formidable defenses, even missile-proof scales, and supernatural abilities, including magic, the dragon’s influence was growing. His followers and worshippers were increasing, forming a burgeoning power base.
These factors caused headaches for governments worldwide, leaving them at a loss. The dragon’s burgeoning influence was particularly troubling. They couldn’t decide whether to suppress or support this new force.
Evidence, both mythological and contemporary, suggested that the dragon possessed intelligence far surpassing humans. Many people claimed to have spoken with the dragon. World leaders couldn't be sure if the dragon had any ties with these emerging forces. If they tried to suppress him as before, they risked provoking his wrath, which could be disastrous.
A few hours later, Brandon and the green Jiao returned to their island, resuming their peaceful and idyllic life.