The Zerg didn't wait for the Empire's defenses to adjust.
They struck like a black tide.
Screams erupted across border outposts, psychic signals cut through the stars, and reports flooded in—dozens of worlds were under simultaneous attack. But this wasn't their usual resource-feeding swarm.
This was surgical. Precise.
They were searching.
And Sheng Long knew exactly who they were after.
"Absolutely not," Sheng Long snapped, pacing in front of the war table.
"You need me," Xiao Lin said, standing in the center of the command room in white robes embroidered with silver foxes, his pendant gleaming against his chest. "This isn't just about you anymore."
Sheng Long stared at him.
He was glowing.
Not metaphorically. His entire presence shimmered faintly, threads of spiritual energy curling like morning mist around his figure. His silver-white hair danced as though responding to unseen winds.
He looked otherworldly.
And utterly untrained.
"You don't know how to control it yet," Sheng Long said lowly.
"But I am it," Xiao Lin replied, voice soft but unwavering. "They're coming for me. I'd rather face it standing than hiding."
Silence stretched. Yan Shuo stepped forward.
"He's right, Marshal. Whether he fights or not, he's the target. We can't shield him forever."
Sheng Long's jaw clenched. His dragon pendant hung under his armor, burning hot against his skin.
"…Fine," he said at last. "But you don't leave my sight. Not for a second."
Xiao Lin's smile was small. But radiant.
The battlefield was chaos.
Zerg tore through metal walls like paper, their monstrous forms hissing and shrieking as they flooded an outer colony defense ring. The air was thick with blood and static.
Sheng Long landed first, transforming mid-air into a massive black dragon with the red moon sigil blazing on his forehead. His roar shook the earth.
Xiao Lin dropped behind him, fox ears flickering into sight as his claws glinted with sharp energy. His SS spiritual presence rippled outward in concentric waves.
And then—it happened.
A burst of power surged from his chest.
The closest Zerg screeched in pain, backing away, twitching violently.
"Marshal!" Yan Shuo shouted from comms. "His energy—it's repelling them!"
Sheng Long turned, stunned. "Xiao Lin—!"
But Xiao Lin had gone still. His red eyes glazed, distant, as memories not his own poured through his mind.
He saw ancient beasts kneeling before a white fox. A great gate, sealed in the stars. A voice whispering: "You are the Healer. The Key. The Bloodline Awakened."
The pendant on his chest cracked, and a second tail flickered into existence behind him.
His power exploded.
The Zerg screamed.
Later, when the battle settled and the colony stood — miraculously intact — Sheng Long approached Xiao Lin who sat quietly among injured soldiers, helping them with glowing hands.
He looked up, tired but smiling.
"You were… beautiful," Sheng Long said quietly, almost dazed.
Xiao Lin's ears twitched. "…Are you flirting with me, Marshal?"
"…No," he said too quickly. Then, "Maybe."
They both laughed — gently, breathlessly. The sky overhead had begun to clear.
But far away, the Zerg Queen hissed in terror.
"He opened the Gate."