Chapter 735 — The Dragon's Shadow in Winter

"What exactly happened?" Noretta seemed to have finally calmed down, and from Mei Heng's tone she sensed something unusual. "You can speak freely—Omega has already intervened, and Speaker An Qian is on the line."

"Gao Yang Cecil has obtained an Ultimate Book manufactured by the Tide-Reversal Empire—don't gasp yet, it's damaged," Mei Heng said unhurriedly. "Also, without any deliberate guidance on my part, he has summed up one of the core laws of 'Defiance.'"

The other side of the channel fell silent for a long while before a voice came through: "Which one?"

"That human beings, with human wisdom, take up the divine authority," Mei Heng said. "The infant crawling out of the cradle must use its own hands and feet..."

Speaker An Qian's majestic, steady voice came over the channel: "That's enough. Say no more."

Even here, near the legacy of the "Voyager," at this altitude far from the eyes and ears of the gods, certain taboos still had to be handled with care.

Mei Heng halted this dangerous topic, and then, in response to questions from Noretta and Speaker An Qian, meticulously reported the details of her meeting with Gao Yang Cecil that day.

When the report was finished, she heard Speaker An Qian let out a long sigh.

A sigh that seemed to carry relief.

This dragon elder, who had lived through ages beyond measure, asked in a low voice: "Mei Heng, in your view... to what stage have the common people of the Cecil Empire progressed?"

Mei Heng's answer was very direct: "Most remain ignorant and backward, their bodies and minds still controlled by the old ideologies of kingship and divine authority. They merely obey the directives of the Administrative Hall mechanically, rather than truly awakening their reason and acting on their own initiative. Although Gao Yang Cecil has been desperately pushing education forward, this is clearly not a problem that four or five years can solve."

Speaker An Qian's voice seemed somewhat subdued: "...True. Quite so. This is not something that can be solved within a few years..."

"But we must not overlook the changes that have already occurred," Mei Heng continued. "It's true that the transformation of most people will take time, but all manner of sprouts have indeed appeared in this land. Or rather, the accumulated potential of this land itself had already reached a critical point; the emergence of Gao Yang Cecil merely hastened the process and effectively gathered these sprouts together, preventing them from silently vanishing into the darkness. These sprouts include doubt toward divine authority, the pursuit of reason, and the understanding of natural law. Now Gao Yang is employing them in the right way, so the pace of Cecil society's transformation may prove faster than we anticipated."

After another brief silence, Speaker An Qian's voice sounded low: "...You seem to have particular confidence in Gao Yang Cecil and the order he is building."

Mei Heng's answer remained candid: "I have seen a transformation on this land unlike any in a thousand years."

"...I hope your judgment is correct," Speaker An Qian said gravely.

No sooner had the Speaker's words fallen than Noretta's voice cut in: "But whatever Rong says, leaving the relics of the Tide-Reversal Empire in human society still carries some risk. Mei Heng, I think you had best recover that book. Tarondor can offer some compensation for it, and Gao Yang Cecil shouldn't mind doing the dragons a favor, should he?"

Mei Heng shook her head and was about to speak when Speaker An Qian's voice came again: "Noretta, let us trust Mei Heng's judgment in this matter."

"But..."

"Noretta, young as you are, are you really more stubborn than an old one like me?"

Noretta paused for a moment: "...I understand, my lord Speaker."

The matter was at last laid to rest, and Mei Heng could not help but breathe a silent sigh of relief.

She had challenged the rules and confronted shocking information far too many times today; thinking back on it now, it felt as though she had spent several hours teetering madly on the brink of dropping dead on the spot.

This sort of thrilling work... all she could say was that dealing with Gao Yang Cecil was not at all good for the heart.

Not good in the physiological sense.

"Mei Heng, return to Tarondor once you have finished the work at hand," the white dragon Noretta's voice came through the communicator again. "Your implant needs repair, and your body after the backlash needs a thorough examination."

"I know, you don't have to tell me—I'm already in agony," Mei Heng said, drawing a sharp breath. "In a moment I'll find somewhere to rest for a day or two; once I've recovered my strength I'll head back to Tarondor."

"Received. I wish you all the best."

"Your blessing is received."

The communication cut off, and the pale golden interface dissolved into faint particles of light, slowly dissipating into the air.

Mei Heng drew a deep breath, filling her lungs with the cold air of the high altitude, then slowly let it out.

With a dull ache running through her muscles and frame, she began to descend slowly.

The lands of the Cecil Empire grew ever clearer in the reflection of her vast pupils.

Mountains and rivers, forests and plains, cities and villages, and the countless people living upon this land.

"A transformation unlike any in a thousand years... I hope I truly have not misjudged..."

The refraction field spread across her scales, and the figure of the giant dragon gradually vanished into the illusion wrought by magic; the unseen dragon-shape swept across the sky, and over the wind-swept land, convoys laden with supplies were setting out, hopeful settlers were making their homes, and spirited companies were gathering...