CHAPTER 370: CHAPTER 18: CHRISTINA (2)

Under the blue moonlight, the dragon clan boy’s dragon scales shimmered with a strange brilliance. It was the proof of his honor. Christina’s face, however, bore no such marks.

The courtyard was silent, with only snowflakes gently drifting down.

Christina’s gaze flickered. "You... you’re looking for me? What for?"

"To inform you that you need to return," the dragon clan boy replied. "This is the elder’s order."

"When...?"

"Now."

"For how long?"

"I don’t know. Maybe for a long time. Or perhaps you’ll be able to leave soon. Who knows?" The dragon clan boy answered offhandedly.

"Is there something important that I need to go back for?" Christina stammered, uncertain.

The dragon clan boy gave Christina a sidelong glance, his tone dripping with impatience, as he said, "Probably just to make sure you stay put. After all, you’ve been out here long enough. It’s time you went back."

Christina fell silent, quietly staring at the dragon clan boy, feeling a bit at a loss. She turned to look back in the direction where Andrew was inside the house.

After a long while, she took a deep breath and softly said, "But... but I don’t want to go back. I’m really happy here, much happier than I would be back there. Besides, the Blood Elf and Dragon Mercenary Group is finally making some progress. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, I don’t want to leave."

"The Blood Elf and Dragon Mercenary Group? What kind of ridiculous name is that?" The dragon clan boy sneered. "This is the necessary moment. It’s the elder’s will. Isn’t that ’necessary’ enough for you?"

"But..." Christina hesitated, her words faltering. "I’m not one of your clan, am I? Isn’t that what you told me? That it’s ’your’ elder, not ’mine.’ That you have nothing to do with me—wasn’t that what you said?"

"Do you think this is up to you to decide?" The dragon clan boy stepped forward. "I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to tell you it’s time to return. This isn’t a request; it’s an order. If you refuse, I have plenty of ways to force you back. So, I hope we can keep things simple."

"You’re planning to use force?" Christina immediately stepped back.

"Including force," the dragon clan boy said, continuing to move forward.

Christina panicked and quickly turned to flee.

In an instant, the dragon clan boy appeared behind her, blocking her escape. "Where do you think you’re going?"

Though he appeared to be a boy, it was obvious he was, in fact, a fully grown Golden Dragon.

Just then, a voice rang out.

"Who is he?"

Andrew’s silhouette quietly emerged on the other side of the dragon clan boy. He stood on the courtyard steps, leaning on his magic wand, looking across at Christina from a distance.

Taking advantage of the dragon clan boy’s momentary distraction, Christina quickly circled past him, ran up the steps, and hid behind Andrew.

Andrew still looked utterly bewildered.

"Hello, insignificant human. I am Andreevich Golden Power, a Golden Dragon," the dragon clan boy said with a smile.

A Golden Dragon?

Andrew’s heart jolted violently, though his expression betrayed no change. After all, pretending to stay calm was a survival skill every con artist needed to master.

While Andrew was busy masking his shock, Andreevich paused, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized Andrew. "You’re not human. No human possesses magic power as strong as yours. Nor are you an elf. And yet, there’s a faint trace of Hydra energy... What are you? Some kind of new breed of magical beast?"

Andrew instinctively wanted to step back, but Christina was clinging to the back of his robe, leaving him no path of retreat. Thrust forward, unprepared, to face a Golden Dragon, Andrew’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

Seeing Andrew remain silent, Andreevich turned his gaze to Christina, who was hiding behind him, and chuckled. "Are you seriously expecting this oddball creature to protect you? Come on, you’re a dragon, aren’t you? You’d probably be safer hiding behind a rock than behind him."

"What did you just say?" Andrew bristled instantly, but after a moment of worry that he might have provoked the other party, he quickly amended, "No, I mean—what do you want?"

Andreevich’s attention returned to Andrew. "I want to take her away."

"Take her where?"

"That’s none of your concern. I suggest you step aside. This is not something you can meddle in."

"I don’t want to go with him!" Christina said quickly. With her head lowered, she clung pitifully and desperately to Andrew’s robe, looking small and helpless.

At this point, Andrew felt like he was being roasted over an open flame.

With a sigh of resignation, he could only look at Andreevich and say, "She... she doesn’t want to go with you. I think maybe you shouldn’t force her."

His wide eyes were starting to show a hint of panic.

What else could he do? Wouldn’t you panic if a dragon was staring you down? Especially when Andrew had absolutely no way of countering a Golden Dragon’s power. Facing a Golden Dragon, he was nothing more than a slab of meat. Maybe not even that—perhaps not even enough for one bite.

Andreevich sighed in exasperation. "Are you seriously going to stand in my way?"

"No! I’m just saying that maybe there’s some kind of misunderstanding! Perhaps we could sit down and clarify things."

"There is no misunderstanding. Step aside if you don’t want to die." And with that, Andreevich raised one hand. "We Golden Dragons are a peaceful race. We generally do not choose violence without necessity. But if you insist..."

Does Andrew want to move? Of course, he does! But can he? No, he can’t!