Chapter 69: New System Target
Three nights after the meeting ended, a system window suddenly popped up.
Livia was lying by the Lava Lake, resting with her eyes closed. Six heads crowded around her, each sleeping in a disheveled heap—Kalendil lay to her left, Valerion to her right, Aetheriel beside her tail, Mihariel between her front claws, Valensius disguised as a stone crouching next to Mihariel, and Grimhild lying in the curve of her tail, eyes wide open and glaring at the ceiling.
The system window was shoved right in her face:
[High-quality mate target detected]
[Scanning surrounding area... Scan complete]
[Target: Gold Dragon "Seran Dilmullong Mihara Erdien"]
[Location: Radiant Mountain Range, approximately two thousand kilometers from current location]
[Status: Active]
[View details?]
Livia opened her eyes and tapped for details.
[Name: Seran Dilmullong Mihara Erdien]
[Race: Gold Dragon (Pureblood)]
[Age: Prime Adulthood (Approximately 1,800 years)]
[Body Length: 52 meters (Slightly larger than current Host length)]
[Combat Power: S (Holy Light + Fire dual attributes, has single-handedly slain an Abyssal Demon Lord)]
[Intelligence: A+ (Extremely knowledgeable, well-versed in dragon history and magic theory)]
[Personality: Neutral Good, worships Bahamut, possesses a strong obsession with'saving all living beings']
[Current Status: Solitary, protects human villages in the Radiant Mountain Range area, regularly eliminates monsters and evil forces threatening the region]
[Special Note 1: This individual has sworn to protect the weak, willing to sacrifice everything, including their own life, for those in distress]
[Special Note 2: This individual deeply despises the 'evil deeds' of the Five-Color Dragons, but holds a tolerant attitude towards 'redeemable ones']
[Special Note 3: This individual has a 'fatal weakness'—unable to refuse pleas for help from victims, especially those who appear 'cornered' or 'with no way out']
Livia stared at the words'saving all living beings' for a long time.
Then she stared at the line 'unable to refuse pleas for help from victims' for even longer.
Then, a script began playing automatically in her mind.
Victim.
Helpless.
Persecuted.
Cornered.
In need of protection.
A perfect, pitiful, damsel-in-distress image of a victim.
As for the persecutor—
A face flashed through her mind.
Sinister, greedy, vengeful, petty.
Caesar Torsayesumola.
Her sister who had sided with the Metallic Dragon.
The system window popped up again:
[Detecting impure motives from Host]
[But the system states: Highly supportive]
[Suggested plot outline:]
[1. Disguise as a helpless Red Dragon being hunted by your sister]
[2. Flee to the Radiant Mountain Range, 'coincidentally' encountering the Gold Dragon]
[3. Fabricate a tragic backstory: the sister, to seize family assets, colluded with Metallic Dragon forces to eliminate the older sister]
[4. The Gold Dragon, driven by a sense of justice + obsession with protecting the weak, intervenes to help]
[5. Subsequent developments... depend on Host's improvisation]
[Note: Feasibility of this plot: 87%]
[Note 2: Caesar is indeed hunting you, so it's not a complete lie]
[Note 3: Gold Dragon intelligence is A+, suggest plot details be realistic and withstand scrutiny]
Livia stared at the line 'Caesar is indeed hunting you' and fell silent for three seconds.
That part wasn't false.
Two years ago, that sister had sent scouts searching for her all over the world. A year ago, the scouts turned into assassins. Six months ago, the assassins leveled up—what arrived weren't ordinary grunts, but Dragonborn warriors trained by the Metallic Dragon, carrying her portrait and a bounty notice.
The bounty notice read: 'Red Dragon with pink-tinged scales. Alive: 100,000 gold reward. Dead or Alive: 50,000 gold.'
One hundred thousand gold coins.
When she first saw that number, her initial reaction was: Am I only worth 100,000 in my sister's eyes?
Her second reaction was: Where did that pauper Caesar get 100,000 gold from?
Later investigations revealed that the money came from the Metallic Dragon. Caesar, having sided with them, had exaggeratedly reported her 'hybrid mutation' and 'possible involvement with Metallic Dragon.' The Metallic Dragon side considered her a'sample of extremely high research value' and approved the funds.
Now she was target number 37 on the Metallic Dragon' bounty list.
The words 'alive' were glaringly prominent.
Livia closed the panel and looked at the little ones sleeping soundly beside her.
Kalendil was talking in his sleep, muttering indistinctly: '...Let me... I can win...'
Valerion smacked his lips, probably eating something good in his dream.
Aetheriel occasionally flashed with arcs of electricity, but miraculously didn't electrocute himself.
Mihariel hugged her little notebook, a smile on her lips, probably dreaming of some riddle.
Valensius continued his stone disguise, but a tip of his tail peeked out from beneath, gently swaying.
Grimhild was still glaring at the ceiling, hadn't slept half the night, his stamina truly impressive.
She withdrew her gaze and looked at the night sky outside the cave.
Two thousand kilometers.
The Radiant Mountain Range.
Gold Dragon Seran Dilmullong.
She continued refining the script in her mind.
Victim.
Helpless.
Hunted.
Flee to the Radiant Mountain Range.
Just happen to encounter the Gold Dragon on patrol.
How to flee to appear realistic? How badly injured should she be? How many tragic past stories to tell? Should she cry?
She reviewed her expression repertoire.
Expressionless.
Aloof.
Occasionally frowning.
Cry?
In her entire life, she had only cried once—the day she hatched, when a piece of eggshell scratched her.
Never cried since.
System window:
[Suggestion: If you can't cry, don't force it. The Gold Dragon's 'victim radar' primarily detects the sincerity and sense of desperation of the one seeking help, not tears. Host only needs to exhibit a'sense of genuine desperation with no way out.']
Livia closed the panel.
Cornered. No way out.
That was simple.
She was indeed being hunted, indeed needed stronger genes, indeed was utilizing every resource she could.
As for sincerity—
She bore no ill will towards the Gold Dragon, just wanted to borrow some genes.
Borrow and leave, not harm him, not damage his territory, not kill the humans he protected.
That wasn't lying, right?
The system remained silent.
She asked again.
The system was still silent.
She understood.
When the system didn't answer, it was tacit approval.
————
Early the next morning, Livia called everyone for a meeting.
The six heads gathered again in the main hall, this time missing the Fire Dwarves and the Kobold Chieftain—they were still sulking over yesterday's events and didn't want to come.
Kalendil spoke first: 'Mother, another meeting? Didn't we just have one yesterday?'
Livia looked at him and fell silent for a second.
'I need to go out for a while.'
All six heads froze simultaneously.
Kalendil frowned: 'Go out? Where to?'
Livia: 'The Radiant Mountain Range.'
Mihariel's eyes lit up: 'The Radiant Mountain Range? That's Gold Dragon territory! Mother, are you going to find a Gold Dragon?'
Livia nodded.
Kalendil's frown deepened: 'Why find a Gold Dragon?'
Livia thought for a moment, explaining in a way they could understand: 'To borrow something.'
Mihariel raised a claw: 'Borrow what?'
Livia looked at her.
Silence.
Three seconds later.
Mihariel answered herself: 'Genes.'
The room fell silent.
Kalendil's face instantly flushed—red turning purple, purple turning black.
Valerion continued gnawing on a gem, completely not understanding.
Aetheriel raised his hand: 'I want to go too!'
As soon as he spoke, *zap*—he electrocuted himself.
Valensius silently disguised himself as a stone.
Grimhild glared at Livia, his eyes filled with the accusatory question, 'You're leaving again?'
Livia met his gaze.
They stared for three seconds.
Grimhild blinked first.
Livia withdrew her gaze and looked at Kalendil.
'While I'm gone, I leave the Dragon Court in your charge.'
Kalendil froze, then puffed out his chest: 'Don't worry, Mother!'
Livia looked at Valerion: 'Do you have enough gems to eat?'
Valerion lifted his head, powder still at the corner of his mouth, thought for a moment: 'Enough for three days.'
Livia fell silent for a second.
Then she looked at Mihariel: 'You're in charge of recording.'
Mihariel nodded, already pulling out her little notebook and starting to write.
She looked at Aetheriel: 'You're in charge of the electrical grid—don't electrocute yourself.'
Aetheriel nodded, then *zap*—electrocuted himself.
She looked at Valensius.
The stone shifted.
Livia: 'You're in charge of—not getting lost.'
The stone shifted again, signifying agreement.
Finally, she looked at Grimhild.
Grimhild continued glaring at her.
Livia extended a claw and placed it on his head.
'Wait for me to return.'
Grimhild, with the claw on his head, continued glaring.
He glared for three seconds.
Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Sparks dribbled from the corner of his mouth, drop by drop onto the animal hide.
Livia retracted her claw and stood up.
Her forty-five-meter frame spread its wings, blocking the light from the cave entrance.
The six heads looked up at her.
Kalendil shouted: 'Mother, come back soon!'
Valerion waved a gem: 'Go Mother!'
Aetheriel crackled with electricity: 'Mother is mighty—ow!'
Mihariel held her little notebook, writing rapidly:
[Mother departs for the Radiant Mountain Range, target: Gold Dragon. Note: This target is number 4. Mother's gene bank is steadily expanding.]
Valensius transformed back from a stone and whispered: 'Be careful, Mother.'
Grimhild was asleep and didn't hear.
Livia looked at these little ones and fell silent for a second.
Then she turned and rushed out of the cave entrance.
The massive sixty-meter wingspan figure soared into the air and disappeared into the northern sky.
Behind her, the six heads crowded at the cave entrance, watching her depart.
Only when that black dot completely vanished did Mihariel close her notebook and look at Kalendil.
'Brother, what breed do you think it'll be this time?'
Kalendil glared at her: 'How should I know!'
Mihariel blinked and wrote in her notebook:
[Big brother Kalendil is upset again. Note: Eldest son pressure is understandable.]