Chapter 458: Chapter 350: Solin’s Secret
It had been three days since Suolin entered the secret chamber. She spent all that time huddled in the corner, her shivering body the only sign of life. There were no other movements from her.
Every day, Long Yi and Ai Lin paid her a visit. Little Zi had told Long Yi that Suolin was emotionally unstable to a degree that even Little Zi could not accurately measure. However, over the following days, her consciousness seemed to be gradually sorting itself out, indicating her recovery.
Long Yi decided to go see her, gently knocking on the door.
Suolin, huddled in the corner, suddenly gave a full-body jerk and disappeared into thin air, only to reappear the next moment. Because her appearance was not visible, it was impossible to read her facial expression. However, Long Yi could sense her despair from her body language.
"Is that you, Long Yi?" Suolin asked.
"It’s me." Long Yi started.
"Please come in." Suolin replied.
The door opened, and Suolin appeared before Long Yi. Though he could not see her eyes, he could feel that Suolin was looking at him.
"Are you alright?" Long Yi asked.
"I... I’m very upset." Suolin admitted.
"Because of your memories?" asked Long Yi. The past memories could evoke a deeper sorrow than the loss of freedom.
Suolin nodded, "I’m grateful to you, Long Yi. When I chose freedom, I was prepared to give up all my powers. But not only did you grant me freedom, you gave me more substantial powers and even gave me back my precious memories."
"As I said, surprises come along when I help someone. I see it through to the end," Long Yi shamelessly replied.
"Indeed, you’ve given me more than I ever imagined receiving. But Long Yi, I have a surprise for you too. I will reveal a secret to you which could be enough to shift the world’s balance." Suolin said.
"A secret? What is it?" Long Yi widened his eyes. Suolin used to serve under the direct command of the Black Dragon Empire. Could she possibly know some top-secret stuff of the Black Dragon Empire?
"This room, does it ensure complete privacy?" Suolin asked.
Of course not, this place was monitored all the time!
"Little Zi, give us a hand!"
"Okay!"
Little Zi giggled and cast several magic barriers. Simultaneously, the surrounding walls were frozen and sealed off, creating an absolutely enclosed space.
"You...you trust me so much... aren’t you afraid that I might suddenly kill you?" Suolin was taken aback.
"How could that be? If you kill me, what’s in it for you?" Long Yi laughed.
"Yeah, if I kill you, who else can I rely on?" Suolin also laughed.
"Okay, can you tell me what the secret is now?" Long Yi was a bit impatient.
"No, I have one more request," Suolin said.
"What’s that?"
"I want to form a covenant with you, Long Yi," Suolin said.
Long Yi’s eyes widened.
"Are you running a fever?" Long Yi reached out and touched Suolin’s forehead; it was only a little warm.
"No, I’m very calm."
"So are you insane?"
"No, I am perfectly normal."
"Then I just don’t understand, you hate being bound that much to break a covenant even if it would mean to trust an enemy you had only met once. But now you come and tell me that you want to form a covenant with me? Such a proposal from you does not seem normal at all, does it?" Long Yi asked.
"I, Suolin, am essentially a dragon despite currently being in human form. Now, this dragon wishes for you to become her Dragon Rider, regardless of how weak this dragon might be. If it was anyone else, they would probably be too thrilled to refuse, right?"
"Certainly! I would be more than thrilled! I wish you would join us and tell me all you know. But the way you’re acting is so abnormal! This is a covenant we’re talking about. You’ll lose your freedom. You’ll have to listen to me your entire life!"
"Yes, I know."
"Damn it! This is called Stockholm syndrome," Long Yi finally said helplessly.
"I don’t understand."
"You’ll lose the precious freedom you’ve just gained!"
"Loss of freedom?" Suolin turned her head to Little Zi on the side, "Have you lost your freedom?"
Little Zi was taken aback. This wasn’t the first time she had answered this question for Suolin. Little Zi looked at Long Yi, her face torn. However, the adorable little maid had no intention of lying.
"No, I haven’t," Little Zi said confidently.
"And you, have you lost your freedom?" Suolin asked Isrile.
Food-loving Isrile was taken aback. She hadn’t expected the question to be directed at her, so she laughed and said, "How could that be possible?"
"Then, have you two lost your freedom?" Suolin asked Bajie and Xiaoyou. The two dragons immediately shook their heads in unison. There probably weren’t any contract dragons more free than these two.
"Or maybe, have you lost your freedom?" The one Suolin asked was Ai Lin, her voice already starting to tremble.
Ai Lin shook her head resolutely. What bound her was only her feelings toward Long Yi, not the contract which Long Yi hardly remembered even once in eight hundred years.
Suolin nodded. Her voice started to tremble and her body began to shake as well: "Yes, that’s right. That’s why, let’s form a contract. This way, I will feel reassured to share my secrets with you... Please..."
Long Yi was incredulous. This girl named Suolin, was she really so insecure that she was seeking my help?
"Are you... crying?" Long Yi asked.
"I’m very upset, very sad. But, I’ve long lost the ability to cry," Suolin replied.
"Sigh-" Long Yi let out a deep sigh. Facing Suolin’s predicament, who wouldn’t struggle? Long Yi felt he understood a bit why Suolin was so eager to form a contract with him.
"I know I lost the ability to transform, compared to them, I... I’m very ugly." Suolin lifted her head, looking around at Ai Lin, Little Zi, Isrile, even at Lingling, each one has their own unique beauty. Suolin, however, had nothing.
Indeed, she couldn’t even call herself ugly.
"Stop being silly!" Long Yi laughed, "How could you call this ugly? This is a special kind of beauty right? Come on, let’s form a contract. Appearance is a trivial matter. Besides, you have a great figure."
Little Zi, unable to bear it, covered her face. She couldn’t bear to look straight at Long Yi, his comforting abilities were just too pathetic.
However, clearly, these words had a significant comforting effect on Suolin. Although her expressions couldn’t be seen, from her body language, it seemed as though her spirit had lifted a bit.
Next, the contract forming part was the easiest. Both parties could completely rely on their instincts to form the contract. Long Yi was originally planning to simplify the contract terms, but Suolin added a whole bunch of restrictions for herself, as if afraid someone would forcefully break her contract and take her away.
Suolin was essentially a dragon, but had chosen to make a servant contract for herself.
Amidst the light, the contract gradually took form.
Ai Lin watched the glow, whispering to Little Zi, "I know why she’s doing this."
Little Zi nodded, saying, "I just realized too."
"Because, she’s envious of us," the two whispered at the same time.
The contract was quickly established, and feeling the relationship between the two established by the contract, Suolin’s uneasy heart gradually calmed. Because of the contract, she could feel that every being in the room was closely connected to Long Yi, with these contracts being full of joy and firmness. That was a special feeling only contract servants could have. The Emperor of the Black Dragon Empire, Kaniel Black, controlled a multitude of servants through contracts, but those contracts were full of instability and were very fragile. Kaniel’s servants were primarily from evil experiments, and nearly all of them despised Kaniel. Not a single one truly wanted to help Kaniel, the majority were compelled to obey commands.
And now, I am different.
The warmth and tranquility transmitted from Long Yi’s body, along with all contracts connected to Long Yi being filled with joy, Suolin knew, her choice this time, was absolutely correct.
At this moment, Long Yi could also feel the peace coming from Suolin. Long Yi understood, things like Suolin’s weren’t uncommon.
In the initial fervor of the emancipation movement, some slaves, upon gaining freedom, became lost and didn’t know how to live. In the end, they returned to their master’s mansions.
This matter, requires slowly unraveling the knots in one’s heart one step at a time.
"Now, let me tell you a secret," Suolin said, "My full name is Suolin Green. I’m the granddaughter of Jim Green, the current Emperor of the Green Dragon Empire and the only heir to the Green Dragon Empire’s royal family."
"..."
Upon hearing these words, everyone was shocked.
It turned out that when Suolin was very young, she exhibited extraordinary talents as a Dragon Knight, and was a rare chameleon dragon throughout the entirety of the Green Dragon Empire. However, the Green Dragon Empire had no choice but to send Suolin to the Black Dragon Empire, becoming their hostage, in order to prove to the Black Dragon Empire that they had no second intentions. Obviously, the Black Dragon Empire initially only intended to place her under house arrest. However, once her talents were discovered, she was immediately included in the experiment list.
Following various cruel experiments, she became what she is now, and the Green Dragon Empire almost completely forgot about her.
As time went on, all of the Green Dragon Empire’s royal heirs unexpectedly died due to various reasons, leaving only Suolin. Therefore, the elderly Emperor Jim of the Green Dragon Empire had to request the Black Dragon Empire to return Suolin, but how could Suolin in her current state be returned?
Thus, up until now, the Green Dragon Empire’s Emperor had been supported only by the elderly Jim. However, he’s already unable to have progeny. It appeared that the Green Dragon Empire’s bloodline was on the verge of extinction! And the Green Dragon Empire’s resentment toward the entire Black Dragon Empire was becoming increasingly high.
"Alright, Your Majesty the Empress, tell me how we should deal with that bastard Kaniel," Long Yi said. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote and recommend it on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users can read it on m.qidian.com.)
