The Whole Empire Raises Me - Chapter 33

 

Chapter 33

"Roar—"

The resounding roar echoed from the speakers.

'Because you're dragons, you can't reveal your true identity, right?' Wen Xingze thought, feeling foolish for not having guessed it earlier. Everyone in the comments section is so talented.

Wen Xingze had grown accustomed to these sudden situations. He explained, "They like watching science fiction and fantasy movies. This is just a movie sound effect."

The guests and the production team laughed, "Ah, that makes sense. We all fell for it."

Wen Xingze thought, 'Why does this feel so strange?'

Two seconds later, the roar abruptly ceased.

Whispers followed, various voices audible despite the dragons' attempts to lower their volume. Through the amplifiers, everything was still clear:

"They can't roar! Who did that?" "His Majesty might get into trouble." "Didn't we prepare a script in advance? I'll go next—three, two, one—"

The production team remained silent.

Wen Xingze sighed inwardly.

The screen remained black for a while.

Finally, the image returned. The backdrop was still the vast expanse of snow-capped mountains, and it was nighttime. The base of the mountains glowed with the lights of a bustling town.

A transformed Astor stepped into the frame. Clearly nervous, he stumbled over his words, sweat forming on his forehead. Clutched in his palm was a small slip of paper with his lines. He stammered:

"Dear, dear ordinary humans of the Fantasy Cruise program—no, esteemed guests, hello! We are the Cub's—no, we are contestant's Wen Xingze parents!"

The dragon-shaped guests were also quite tall. Astor, in human form, stood over two meters tall, with golden hair and eyes. Despite his handsome appearance, his behavior always seemed a bit silly.

Wen Xingze felt like he was attending a kindergarten parent-teacher meeting.

The guests expressed their confusion, "Ordinary humans?"

"No, no, please don't misunderstand. We are humans too," Astor realized he'd slipped up and quickly corrected himself. "Absolutely, look at our human appearance, human hair, limbs, and... human horns."

The guests exchanged glances.

Wen Xingze covered his face, "Astor, humans don't have horns."

Astor hesitated.

Two seconds later, he reached up and pushed back the deer-like antlers on his forehead, laughing awkwardly, "My apologies, I forgot. Ha-ha."

On the other side of the camera, the dragon guests seemed flustered. Whispers resumed: "What about the tail?" "No tail! But there seem to be small wings." "Are you all crazy? Just look at the Cub! Humans don't have wings." "Huh? Humans are so weak."

Everyone collectively decided to lower their IQ.

Don't overthink it. Sometimes, ignorance leads to happiness.

Wen Xingze suddenly changed his tune, "Wait, I remembered wrong. Humans do have horns."

Astor blinked, puzzled.

The guests exchanged more confused glances.

"Aze, don't do this," Zhu Bo advised earnestly. "We've all managed to suppress our brain's thinking functions. Can't you just play along?"

"But it's true." Wen Xingze, unusually persistent, insisted.

Not only the guests but even the crew were shocked. Why was Wen Xingze breaking the rules this time? Had he completely abandoned materialism?

And then, it happened.

A sudden gust of wind blew through, extinguishing the candles on the table.

As their eyes adjusted to the abrupt change in light, most of the guests and crew blinked. In that brief, unusually quiet half-second, they heard a crisp snap of fingers.

They turned toward the sound.

...and saw a flicker of flames.

At the center of the round table sat Wen Xingze, his figure elegant. His eyes were lighter than orange, a translucent golden hue.

He maintained the finger-snapping gesture, flames dancing at his fingertips, casting a soft glow on his fair skin. Wen Xingze bent his index finger, and the flame floated away from his fingertip, illuminating the place.

"Look," Wen Xingze pointed to the pair of horns on his head, his expression earnest. "I have them too."

The guests stared.

The guests: "?????"

Utter shock!!!

It was true.

The delicate, silvery horns were smaller than deer antlers, forked at the tips. They sprouted from Wen Xingze's forehead, and as he brushed his hair back, his wide eyes made them seem perfectly natural.

Still a bit adorably cursed.

After about three or four seconds, the cluster of flames extinguished completely. When the candlestick lit up again, everything returned to normal. Hornless Wen Xingze bowed to everyone:

"This is our talent magic performance. Thank you all."

Wasn't the adventurous request to connect the video and perform talents together? Wen Xingze improvised like this.

On the other end of the video, Astor hesitated for a moment, then quickly caught on:

"Yes, yes, magic!" He transformed his horns and then pressed them back down, like playing whack-a-mole. "That's how magic works. Look."

Everyone: "…"

It felt like someone was using magic to perform actual magic.

But considering how unbearably cute Wen Xingze was, they let it slide.

The director said, "After it's over, explain the magic principle to me. Otherwise, we can't air the program, haha."

Wen Xingze: ?! Damn, I've been played.

Wen Xingze's dare challenge was now complete. Next up was Truth or Dare with Guest No. 5, followed by Wen Xingze again—

The truth or dare cards prepared by the production team were tough. They each survived two rounds, and the battle was heating up. In the end, Guest No. 5 lost on a dare card that read "Bikini Dance."

Guest No. 5 had gone all out to avoid the bikini dance, and now they were caught in this loop. The production team was truly devious!

"Director, team," Guest No. 5 clenched their fist, "you really hate me."

The director chuckled, sounding world-weary. "Do you understand? That's life."

Wen Xingze: "Brothers, flood the chat with tears."

Other guests: …Tears!

So this battle was a win for Wen Xingze. Jean got a reprieve, and the male guests temporarily preserved their dignity.

As the savior, Wen Xingze received wholehearted praise from the male guests. If he hadn't firmly declined, they would have happily cheered and lifted him up, singing hallelujah…

"Alright, take a short break. Nighttime activities start at 8:30 PM today." The director checked the time, and the cameramen temporarily put away their equipment, preparing to shift positions. "We have thirty minutes to rest, and then we'll continue the game—"

"Roar—!!!"

The still-active speaker suddenly emitted another thunderous dragon roar, even more resonant and majestic than the first. The entire round table trembled.

The production team stared at the speaker in shock.

Wen Xingze froze in his tracks.

That sound…

His phone was still connected to the speaker, and the video hadn't been disconnected!

Wen Xingze reflexively looked at the screen. Sure enough, it still showed the snow-capped mountains of the dragon homeworld. A dark shape appeared on the horizon, rapidly approaching—pure black scales, golden vertical pupils, and wings that could blot out the sun, sharp claws capable of tearing any enemy apart… It was Lei Qi! Had Lei Qi finally ended his rebellious phase?

Although pleasantly surprised, if the production team saw this, it would be a big problem.

How had he forgotten to turn off the projection? Wen Xingze couldn't fathom it and hurriedly reached for his phone to disconnect the projection, but—

"A'Ze, what is this?" The staff member, who had been drawn in by the sound, looked at Wen Xingze with suspicion. "Is it… magic too?"

Wen Xingze instantly went into crisis mode, starting to chant, "Explaining this is quite complex, but it's essentially like this: a famous materialist philosopher once said that Newton's coffin exists in multiple quantum states, so we must uphold the Three Represents of the Party…"

The staff member's eyes gradually glazed over: "???"

"..."

After a prolonged silence.

*Plunk.*

The director's scorecard fell to the ground once again.

________________________

Ten minutes later, at the beach.

Will: "Your Majesty, I—I—I was just about to remind you that the video wasn't disconnected. But then Jade started cheering, saying they wanted to watch you a little longer..." The WeChat video provided a closer view than even the God's perspective in the Cub Raising Program.

Jade: "It wasn't me. Astor said it."

Astor, the scapegoat: "???"

Meanwhile, Black Dragon Lei Qi folded his wings, standing nearby with a sour expression, refusing to acknowledge that he almost caused trouble.

Lei Qi neither communicated with the other dragons nor bothered to watch the communication video featuring Wen Xingze.

"It's fine," Wen Xingze said. "Teacher Chi helped me out."

Speaking of which, why was Professor Chi's timing always so impeccable? And why did he seem entirely unsurprised by these supernatural occurrences?

Chi Yan shook his head, gesturing for Wen Xingze to continue the call.

However, Wen Xingze didn't want to continue the call. The situation with Lei Qi, the rebellious dragon parent, was something that could never be fully explained via video.

He needed to meet them in person.

"One should be enough," Wen Xingze checked the time. "Can we send it now?"

Astor proudly extended his claws, patting his chest. "In theory, we can't, but we've found some leverage with the Light Tower, so it's no problem!"

"...Why does this Light Tower seem to have handles everywhere?" Wen Xingze wondered. Not only were there multiple loopholes, but it also seemed greedy. Was this the true nature of the planners?

Soon, Wen Xingze received a familiar text message on his phone:

[Light Tower Logistics]: Mr. Wen, greetings! The snow mountain sent by the dragon parents has been delivered. Due to its immense size, it has been automatically placed in your exclusive mustard seed space. Please check it carefully..."

Since the Merfolk had previously relied on it to mail the ocean, they had obtained access to the mustard seed space. This time, they sent a snow mountain—perhaps the dragons could use it too. That's what Wen Xingze thought.

After a brief discussion with Auster, Wen Xingze ended the video call. He turned to Chi Yan and said, "Teacher Chi, I need to go to another dimension. Would you like to come along?"

Tonight, Wen Xingze had originally planned to reveal everything to Chi Yan—from the game to the existence of the dragon parents and even the filter. He needed to explain why he had bitten Chi Yan and why he might continue to do so in the future. There was no better time than now.

"..."

Chi Yan's eyebrow raised slightly. He personally felt that going might not be appropriate.

After considering it, he said, "I'll pass."

Wen Xingze was just about to find the entrance to the mustard seed space when a door appeared in front of him. He turned back. "Ah? It won't take much of your time—just fifteen or twenty minutes."

"Let's go," Wen Xingze smiled, revealing a small tiger tooth. "After spending so much time by the sea, I'll show you the snow mountain."

Chi Yan looked at Wen Xingze's little tiger tooth, momentarily stunned. Now, he couldn't find any words to refuse.

"Lead the way."

Wen Xingze held Chi Yan's hand, pushed open the seemingly empty wooden door, and confidently stepped forward. Then—

"Whoosh—"

He stepped into thin air.

Below him stretched an endless expanse of snow and mountains. From this height, even the massive dragon forms appeared no larger than fingernails.

The dragons frantically searched for Wen Xingze, completely unaware that he was soaring 30,000 meters above their heads.

Chi Yann: ...

Wen Xingze: ...

As an entirely ordinary person, Wen Xingze had never experienced parachuting before.

The intense feeling of weightlessness suddenly hit him. The wind howled, rushing past his ears, and his eardrums stung. His clothes billowed as he plummeted backward, and the sound of his heartbeat and breath echoed infinitely in the air.

"Teacher Chi, I'm so sorry!!!" Wen Xingze clung to Chi Yan in midair like an octopus, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into. "This is my mustard seed space. Whenever I opened the door before, it led directly to the ocean. I never expected—"

This was Wen Xingze's blind spot in thinking. Previously, when he opened the mustard seed space, it always contained an ocean. The merfolk parents had prepared everything, and there was no issue with high-altitude land within the seawater.

But this time, when he was transported to the other end of the mustard seed space, it was a snowy mountain. The door connecting the two spaces was inexplicably in the sky.

Suddenly, he found himself in a nerve-wracking, parachute-free freefall!

Wen Xingze had to take back his earlier words—the Light Tower was too much!

"Uh-oh," even though speaking in midair hurt his throat, Wen Xingze couldn't help but say, "I should have checked my horoscope before leaving and played a suona song..."

Fully embracing his inability to keep quiet, Wen Xingze was close to tears. "Teacher Chi, if there's a next life, I hope you'll still teach me acting, even though you're a devil teacher."

During freefall, everything around Wen Xingze blurred. The entire world became pristine and distant, bathed in snowy hues. Only Chi Yan, falling at the same speed, remained clear.

They were plummeting toward the world.

And then...

Wen Xingze saw Chi Yan smile.

It was a faint smile, a slight curve of the lips. Even the coldness between his brows and eyes seemed to come alive, like snow melting into a stream overnight, reflecting the brilliant daylight.

The sky and earth were so gentle. Time slowed down second by second, and Wen Xingze heard Chi Yan's strong heartbeat.

This scene imprinted itself on Wen Xingze's retinas, becoming the sole clear thing in his world.

Wen Xingze widened his eyes

Due to the acceleration of gravity, their descent speed increased. Wen Xingze distinctly saw Chi Yan's lips move, as if he said something, but all he heard was:

"Not teaching."

Wen Xingze: "???"

Refusing even when facing death, you devil teacher!

In his mind, Wen Xingze imagined himself and Chi Yan crashing to the ground, turning into pieces... After a few seconds, he decided it was better not to think about it.

"If this is truly the end," Chi Yan whispered in his ear, "what would you say?"

"Won't you become a pile of pieces," Wen Xingze blurted out, "I still love your performances the most, of course, I also like you as a person. I hope you won't turn into fragments, uh..."

"I want to be the man who becomes the Pirate King!" (Note: A One Piece reference, I think lol)

Chi Yan: "?"

"No, no, I misspoke," Wen Xingze's thoughts were chaotic. "Let me try again. I love everyone in the Muse Empire the most. In the next life, I still want to be everyone's Emperor and their little cub. And...

"Lei Qi—help—!!!"

The next second.

A black dragon roared to the sky, its broad and powerful wings unfolding.

As if rehearsed countless times, the dragon sliced through the air, precisely locating Wen Xingze's position in the vast expanse. It caught the falling Wen Xingze and Chi Yan, its wings creating gusts of wind.

"Roar—"

The deep dragon's cry reverberated in their ears, carrying both anger and the joy of a long-awaited reunion. It pierced through the mountains and soared through the sky—

Just like long ago.

Wen Xingze was a careless Emperor.

He always managed to get himself into dangerous situations—falling off mountaintops during border exploration missions, charging to the frontlines in battles, or climbing to the palace rooftop just to admire the view. Countless times, he fell from great heights...

And every time, Lei Qi caught him.

Whether it was hundreds of meters, thousands of meters, tens of thousands of meters, or even tens of thousands of light-years away.

No matter how far, Lei Qi would come to catch him.

Then, Jade would scold him for being careless, Astor and Will would cry while holding medicinal herbs to treat him, and Lei Qi would stand nearby with a sour expression.

Speaking of which, it's been a while since Lei Qi scolded me.

The vast expanse of the snowy landscape gradually grew closer.

The black dragon folded its wings and, after the final glide, landed its front claws firmly on the solid snow. It positioned one wing on the ground so that Wen Xingze and Chi Yan could slide down along it.

As they touched the ground again, their steps were still unsteady. Chi Yan steadied Wen Xingze with a gentle touch and then stepped aside in silence.

This was the moment meant for Wen Xingze and Lei Qi.

Wen Xingze approached the dragon, but Lei Qi turned his massive head away, awkwardly lowering it to meet Wen Xingze's gaze. His golden eyes focused elsewhere.

Standing on tiptoe, Wen Xingze reached out and touched Lei Qi's snout. "Welcome back, Lei Qi."

"Enough with the dramatics," Lei Qi huffed, exhaling bursts of fire. "You nearly killed me, cunning Emperor."

Wen Xingze: "...Still the same sharp-tongued Lei Qi. Seems like he's in a good mood."

"It was my mistake," Wen Xingze said, embracing Lei Qi's massive head. He nuzzled the dragon's snout. "Don't be mad at me. You're my best partner."

Wen Xingze's words were genuine. He loved Lei Qi, as well as Astor, Will, Lilith, Soren, Zhi Xia... everyone. Because he cared for them, he wanted them to live freely and happily.

To travel, to have fun, to stay up all night drinking with companions, and to experience everything that war denied them.

But recently, he realized they might not enjoy traveling, drinking, or leisure as much as he did.

So Wen Xingze decided to accompany them—for a long, long time.

Because he was their only Emperor.

Lei Qi's claws tightened and then relaxed, leaving deep imprints in the snow. The dragon's breath was heavy and rapid.

Lei Qi's golden eyes widened, then closed after a moment.

"Roar—"

The black dragon lifted its head, releasing a powerful, ancient howl that pierced through the winds of time.

After an unknown duration, Astor and the others hurriedly arrived. Lei Qi had just stopped roaring. But it seemed he still had something to say, so Wen Xingze patiently waited by his side.

Hanging from Lei Qi's body was a small pouch. Lei Qi reached inside, searching until he found a tiny, translucent bank card from the Universal Bank.

All of Lei Qi's savings were there—accumulated from past battles and the year spent working odd jobs during their journey. Due to racial limitations, Lei Qi's job options were limited. He'd carried bricks at construction sites, sold plush toys at amusement parks, and even piloted tourist starships through the cosmos...

Initially, it had been a challenge to prove himself to Wen Xingze. Lei Qi wanted to earn a lot of money and impress him when he returned.

But now, there was another purpose.

Before returning to the dragon homeworld, Lei Qi had intentionally visited the Universal Bank to deposit his savings.

He pushed the semi-transparent card toward Wen Xingze, then stared at him with determination. "I want to see you a hundred million times. Is this enough money, or do they have any discounts?"

Wen Xingze: "Huh?"

Astor, who had just arrived: "..."

Astor clapped his paws and began singing, "Dreams fly out one by one through the skylight..."

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