Pang Kirates’ substitute in the interstellar world.
Feng Lianzhu felt somewhat at a loss; he wasn’t sure how to comfort the Fat Dragon.
He didn’t believe he had been bullied. Indeed, these people harbored ill intentions, but these had not caused any real harm, and he had retaliated fiercely. Feng Lianzhu didn’t perceive this as being bullied.
But Pang Kirates saw things differently. In the young dragon’s eyes, malice could not be glossed over; it was, in itself, a form of bullying.
Feng Lianzhu had never harmed anyone, yet he was treated with malice, and the Fat Dragon was unhappy about it.
“It’s alright, no more fighting,” Feng Lianzhu gently patted the buzz-cut figure’s back. Despite having the same body, why did the buzz-cut figure’s back feel much stronger than his own?
The buzz-cut figure, seemingly feeling that burying his head this way was not proper, raised his head, his gaze sharp and fierce, glaring at the few people present.
Everyone, except for Dolphin 66, looked as if their faces were about to crack open from terror!
Especially Dog 16, who looked back and forth between the two figures, opening his mouth to address Lord Kirates but uncertain which one to speak to.
In fact, Dog 16 could distinguish between the two; he was sure the long-haired, golden-clad figure was the one he revered. But as a canine atavist, his sense of smell told him that the Kirates Dragon who had crouched in front of the medical pod that night was the one with short hair.
At that time, the little golden dragon hidden in Feng Lianzhu’s sleeve had an overpowering scent, masking Feng Lianzhu’s own light, fresh fragrance of bamboo and grass.
Ignoring the swollen-faced Laurie and the lizard, Feng Lianzhu smiled at Dog 16, saying, “This is Pang Kirates, the dragon who saved you from the beast tide.”
“And you…” Dog 16’s gaze lingered on Feng Lianzhu, his instincts telling him this was the person he revered the most.
“I am Feng Lianzhu,” Feng Lianzhu declared, scanning the onlookers, “Pang Kirates’s proxy in the interstellar world.”
He activated his internal energy and used the skill “Buddha’s Radiance.”
This was a special move of the Golden Winged Dapeng, adapted from mythological legends, suggesting that the Dapeng possessed a Buddha-like nature. When used, this skill would instill awe in players, preventing them from attacking and falling under a type of mental control. The Dapeng in the North Sea had used it on Pang Kirates, but it seemed ineffective, probably because its golden feathers were too dazzling.
Feng Lianzhu used Buddha’s Radiance here to lend more credibility to his words, to dispel the hostility of the lizard and others, and to make Dog 16 less shocked, naturally accepting his previous disguise.
Standing behind Feng Lianzhu and noticeably taller, the buzz-cut figure placed his hand firmly on Feng Lianzhu’s shoulder, declaring, “What Feng Lianzhu says, is the will of Kirates.”
That was well said! Feng Lianzhu thought to himself with quiet satisfaction. The Fat Dragon was quite presentable in public, and it seemed fitting for him to pretend to be a parent. But why was the Fat Dragon half a head taller than him, despite them sharing the same skin?
Feng Lianzhu glanced down and nearly toppled over in frustration. The foolish Fat Dragon had, at some point, dragged over a piece of construction-grade metal material to stand on, artificially making himself appear taller than Feng Lianzhu by half a head.
Couldn’t he maintain his dignity for just three minutes? Just three minutes was all he asked for!
“Are you not Kirates?” The lizard struggled to get up, looking at Feng Lianzhu’s serene face and recalling everything that had happened.
Kirates… no, Feng Lianzhu, whether on the field or on the primitive star, always appeared gentle, seemingly soft, clean. But the dragon he saw last night was powerful, domineering, and disdainful of everything.
Had he hated the wrong person? The lizard wondered in a daze. However, he then remembered his initial encounter with Feng Lianzhu, before he had taken on the name Kirates. Even then, the Clown didn’t like Feng Lianzhu.
Too clean. His cleanliness reminded the lizard of his childhood, the bamboo forest next to the orphanage where breathing in deeply amidst the bamboo would bring a sense of freshness and natural purity to one’s heart.
Seeing Feng Lianzhu had reminded the Clown of this, twisting his expression involuntarily. He couldn’t help but mark Feng Lianzhu, wanting to see him bloodied, wanting to see him overcome his enemies… so he could imagine that the younger version of himself had also won, that the painful past was scattered with the wind through the bamboo.
If only Feng Lianzhu hadn’t adopted the nickname Kirates. The Clown thought sadly.
Although the Fat Dragon was rough in his beatings, he was careful with his strength, leaving Laurie and the lizard with a chance for recovery. Feng Lianzhu, with his modest healing abilities, treated their wounds and stopped the bleeding, but he didn’t bother saving the person from the underground arena; they wouldn’t die, so they could recover slowly.
Addressing Laurie, who seemed to have an epiphany but was unclear about his realization, Feng Lianzhu said, “Hurry and take the people from the underground arena to the Alliance. Their arena might already be destroyed, and it would be problematic if they were prepared.”
Turning back to the Fat Dragon, Feng Lianzhu wanted to know exactly what he had done, especially since the Star Network device had exploded!
In front of others, Pang Kirates, standing on the construction material to appear taller, maintained his composure. He solemnly stated, “I took the quantum bracelets from the contestants and put them on the spectators, burying everyone under the arena.”
Feng Lianzhu: “…”
Laurie and the Clown were stunned. Laurie, clutching his head in agony, groaned, “Are you trying to start a war with the Alliance?”
“Then let’s go to war!” The Fat Dragon feared no one.
Feng Lianzhu, wiping his face, told Laurie, “I’ll have Lind’s technicians copy the Star Network device’s recordings for you. It should show who was buried underneath. Contact the Imperial Army agents hidden within the Alliance immediately, without any delay!”
Fortunately, Lind had monitored his Star Network device in an attempt to steal gold coins and had not dismantled it, otherwise, it would have been impossible to retrieve information from the destroyed device about who was injured.
Understanding the gravity of the situation and compelled by the Demon Control Chain, Laurie acted according to Feng Lianzhu’s instructions. Before long, he departed the primitive star with 1000 Imperial Army soldiers and the captured personnel from the underground arena.
The Clown fixated on Pang Kirates, unable to comprehend why he shared the same face as Feng Lianzhu, yet their differences were starkly apparent.
“How can you remove the contestants’ quantum bracelets? How did you manage that?” The Clown, while asking, couldn’t help but touch his own wrist.
The Fat Dragon had no desire to converse with the Clown; in fact, he was itching to give him another beating, but Feng Lianzhu had restrained him.
Feng Lianzhu himself was unsure how the Fat Dragon accomplished this, but such miracles occurring around the Fat Dragon were not surprising.
“In the face of absolute power, what do you think is impossible?” Feng Lianzhu addressed the Clown, “Brother Clown, I know you’ve suffered much and harbor hatred towards everything, but none of this is Pang Kirates’s fault. Those who did wrong have been punished.”
“It is Kirates’s fault!” The Clown, eyes reddened, stubbornly shouted.
Dog 16 slapped the Clown across the face, using his claws and leaving four bloody marks on the Clown’s cheek.
“I am an atavist, and I have never hated Kirates!” Dog 16 roared at the Clown, “Are you hating on Kirates? Or are you just a coward who lacks the courage to hate those who wronged you, opting instead to hate something intangible, you cowardly dog!”
Dog 16 was so agitated that his words ended with a “woof.”
Dolphin 66 tugged at Dog 16’s tail. Among those present, except for the overpowering Lord Kirates, whose thoughts he couldn’t hear, Dolphin 66 could hear everyone else’s.
The unsightly Dolphin 66 said to the Clown, “If you’re already feeling grateful in your heart, why not express it?”
His words utterly dismantled the Clown’s psychological defenses.
“Because I am the coward you speak of, afraid to hate, afraid to admit I hated the wrong person. I’m twisted inside, unable to utter even a basic ‘thank you.’ That’s the kind of person I am!” he said fiercely.
“Woof!” Unable to hold back, Dog 16 charged and began to fight with the Clown.
This was a primal fight involving teeth, claws, and tails. The Clown, with his extensive combat experience, should have been stronger than Dog 16, but he couldn’t defeat him.
The Fat Dragon wanted to join the fray but was stopped by Feng Lianzhu, “Don’t add to the chaos.”
“Dog 16 seems to have evolved too,” Dolphin 66 observed after a while. “His strength has significantly increased.”
“That’s good. I was worried he wouldn’t be able to command respect.”
Feng Lianzhu addressed the brawling pair, “Brother Clown, you are both a victim and a perpetrator. If you choose to stay on the primitive star, then accept Dog 16’s authority, abide by the laws and order of the atavist base, and accept the punishment given to you. If you refuse, I’ll have Laurie take you back to the Alliance to face trial with the underground arena. I trust the Alliance, with its more established legal system, will deliver a fair judgment.”
“I want to stay here!” The Clown shouted amidst the fight.
“Stay here and you still fight and brawl!” Dog 16, taking advantage of his evolution and the Clown’s loss of will to fight, finally subdued him with another punch.
“Dog 16,” Feng Lianzhu called out to him.
Dog 16 released the Clown and scampered over, his tail wagging.
“The atavists from the underground arena are a tough lot to handle; I’m leaving them to you,” Feng Lianzhu said.
“No problem! It’s my honor to be entrusted with a task by you,” Dog 16 said, “but…”
“But what?” Feng Lianzhu asked.
“Lord Feng, I no longer wish to be called Dog 16. May I, may I take your surname and choose a new name?” Dog 16 asked timidly.
“That’s not a rare surname,” Feng Lianzhu chuckled, “Feel free to use it if you like.”
“Then can I be called Feng Lang from now on?” Dog 16 asked excitedly.
“That’s fine.”
Feng Lang beamed with joy, even baring his teeth at Dolphin 66 in a show of bravado, which led Dolphin 66 to slap him on the forehead, exclaiming, “Lang what? You’re more of a Feng Gou (Feng Dog)!”
The two of them tussled once again.
With matters finally settled and the Fat Dragon’s anger dissipated, Feng Lianzhu instructed everyone to keep the day’s events secret for the time being. Then, he extended his hand to the Fat Dragon, “Shall we go back together?”
The buzz-cut figure stared at Feng Lianzhu’s slender, well-defined hand before slowly placing his own in it.
As Feng Lianzhu and the Fat Dragon boarded the armor, and it was just the two of them, Feng Lianzhu whispered, “Thank you.”
“You and I share a system; attacking you is like attacking me, challenging the dignity of Kirates!” the buzz-cut figure huffed, seemingly unaccustomed to expressing gratitude.
“It feels really good to have someone stand up and protect me,” Feng Lianzhu smiled, “though the spent credits were a bit much. Next time, try to be more composed.”
“The system rewarded me with credits,” the mention of credits instantly brightened the buzz-cut figure’s mood, and he said gleefully, “It said I restrained my killing intent, didn’t kill anyone, and resolved the conflict with the underground arena in a rather clever way, making them suffer the consequences of their actions. I was rewarded with ten thousand credits.”
Feng Lianzhu: “…”
System, we need to talk. Are your standards for the Fat Dragon a bit too low?
Author’s Note:
Fat Dragon: As a mighty Kirates, we never have to worry about money!
Feng Lianzhu: System, we need to have a heart-to-heart!
–
Lalala, that’s it for today’s update. As usual, I’m asking for a wave of nutrient solutions. See you tomorrow, mwah (ใฅ๏ฟฃ3๏ฟฃ)ใฅโญโค๏ฝ
BAHAHAHAHA the system is biased