Chapter 229
Chapter 229: The Empire’s Commander-in-Chief Is Her Lover Dragon—Does She Have to Be This Cool?
Cai Xi Chao’s report landed like a bomb.
Across the ruined settlement, Yellow Dragon Clan members and police personnel alike went still, as if the air had been sucked out.
They’d thought this was a private grudge—an attacker and his ally, with Chong Ming only here because of Jiang Tea Tea.
But treason?
Selling national genetic and ability data to foreign powers?
Private grudges could be negotiated.
Treason was a death sentence.
Chong Ming’s gaze sharpened into something lethal. “Minister Cai. How long has he been doing this?”
Cai Xi Chao answered crisply. “Commander-in-Chief, his foreign cooperation spans over two hundred years.”
“His trafficking of our beastfolk and pure human genetic and ability data appears to have begun in the last fifty years. He acted covertly. Each year, he sold between one million and ten million records.”
“He has eleven fake identities and fake lightbrains. He employed at least five dedicated database managers.”
“Those managers are not on the capital planet. They’re on Bang Star. I have locked onto them and notified Bang Star Security Department to arrest them.”
Cai Xi Chao didn’t pause. “Chong Ling Lan has known and covered for his father.”
“And his wife, Huang Yu Ling, handled family finances and all external communications.”
“Huang Yu Ling is currently on a business trip on A Ba Planet under the pretense of ability research and international cooperation. I’ve notified her and placed her under tracking. Ten minutes ago, she purchased a space jump flight back to the Zhen Lin Empire capital planet. She will arrive within twelve hours.”
Chong Ming turned his gaze toward Chong Luo Han as if looking at trash, then issued orders without hesitation.
“Notify Security Department. Sweep every Yellow Dragon Clan member on the capital planet. Regardless of occupation or status, bring them all here.”
“Notify special operations Police Bureau. Station officers at the capital planet spaceport. Any Yellow Dragon Clan member returning from anywhere is escorted here.”
Cai Xi Chao responded with a firm “Yes” and moved to relay the orders. In the middle of the night, Security Department headquarters, special operations, and the Police Bureau all lit up—rest and leave canceled, everyone dragged back to work.
Chong Ming looked back at the kneeling trio. “Chong Luo Han. Chong Ling Lan. Chong Xing Qi.”
“For what Minister Cai uncovered—do you have anything to say? Any doubt?”
Chong Luo Han and Chong Ling Lan stayed bowed to the ground, silent.
Chong Xing Qi, clutching his chest, stared at his father and grandfather. When he spoke, his voice was raw.
“Grandfather… Dad… you told me, since I was young, that as Yellow Dragon Clan members we should bring honor to the empire, to the clan. That we should never harm the empire, the people.”
“You pushed me into the Royal Military Academy. You told me to be a soldier useful to the empire.”
His eyes reddened. “Why? Why did I believe you? Why did I trust you? How could you hurt someone for abilities and longevity?”
“And why—” his voice cracked, “—for money, for research, sell one hundred million records to foreign powers?”
“Why? Tell me why!”
Neither man lifted his head.
Their backs stayed bent.
They couldn’t face him.
Chong Ming stepped toward Jin Lin again, voice measured, carrying an unusual note of restraint. “Your Excellency Jin Lin. You were imprisoned and harmed for three hundred years. That is fact. Chong Ling Lan has effectively admitted it—this is his fault.”
“But his family is now implicated in treason.” Chong Ming’s eyes hardened. “You want to kill him. I understand.”
“I ask you to wait.”
“When twenty-four hours pass and all Yellow Dragon Clan members have arrived, I will confirm the evidence and process everything.”
“Then,” Chong Ming said, gaze steady, “Chong Ling Lan will be handed to you. You may do as you wish. Any other involved personnel—how you handle them will also be up to you. Agreed?”
Jin Lin looked Chong Ming over again—golden hair, pressure like a storm, two large golden dragon horns. A true dragon.
He pointed at Jiang Tea Tea. “For her sake, I’ll give you twenty-four hours.”
Then his expression hardened. “But no one here leaves. Not one.”
“If anyone runs,” Jin Lin said plainly, “I kill them. Understood?”
Chong Ming nodded. “Understood.”
With the agreement set, Chong Ming’s gaze shifted to Jiang Tea Tea. His voice eased by a fraction. “You haven’t eaten dinner. Your friend hasn’t either.”
He gestured toward his warship. “Come aboard. Wash up. Change clothes. Eat.”
Jiang Tea Tea glanced sideways at Chong Xing Qi and the stunned Yellow Dragon Clan members. “If I bring my friend onto your ship, won’t they accuse you of favoritism? Say you’re abusing power and letting us harm them?”
“They won’t,” Chong Ming said calmly. “Everything depends on evidence. Accusing without evidence is slander.”
“Under empire law, severe slander results in exile—three to five years—and heavy fines.”
“If anyone wants to slander you, you can file suit in empire court. The court will order an apology and compensation.”
Jiang Tea Tea understood what he was doing: warning the clan that a purge was coming, and excuses wouldn’t save them.
She nodded once. “Fine. We’ll go.”
“And I hope you don’t let a single bad person go,” she added.
Chong Ming’s voice stayed steady. “I won’t.”
Jiang Tea Tea took Jin Lin onto the warship.
Jin Lin looked like a country bumpkin thrown into a palace: barefoot, half-dressed, hair tangled and hanging in wild lengths.
His mismatched eyes darted everywhere. Now and then, he knocked on the metal walls like he was testing them.
Each knock left a dent.
The guards’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Once Jin Lin and Jiang Tea Tea passed, they rushed over to inspect the damage and immediately called maintenance.
Jiang Tea Tea led Jin Lin to the cafeteria.
Even though it wasn’t a normal meal time, the kitchen staff had already received the Commander-in-Chief’s orders. Dishes waited the moment they sat: cold plates, steamed meat, steamed fish, and more.
Jiang Tea Tea looked at Jin Lin. “Chopsticks or hands?”
“Beast form,” Jin Lin said instantly.
His head shifted into a massive jiao head. He grabbed a basin of cold dish, tipped it into his mouth, and devoured it in one swallow.
Jiang Tea Tea stared.
Then she sighed and went straight to the cooks. “Don’t bother cooking seafood. Just make sure it’s fresh and alive. Meat—no stewing. Fresh is fine. Fruits and vegetables—rinse if you want. If not, don’t.”
To the cooks, those were the easiest requirements in the universe.
Crates of seafood, basins of sliced raw meat, baskets of produce—all brought out in bulk and dumped into Jin Lin’s open mouth.
He barely moved. He just swallowed.
Twenty minutes later, he’d finished:
Twenty crates of seafood.
Fifty basins of fresh meat.
Fifteen baskets of fruits and vegetables.
Total weight: around three thousand jin.
He belched once, loud and satisfied.
His belly still looked flat.
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t even blink. A thirteen-hundred-year-old demon with a true form over a hundred meters long could eat three thousand jin without it meaning much.
After thanking the cooks, she took Jin Lin to wash up.
Adjutant Ai delivered clean clothes: pants, shirt, underwear.
When Jin Lin returned dressed, hair tied back, his true face was finally clear—rugged, handsome, and edged with something wicked. His black-gold eyes looked dangerously alive.
He stepped up to Jiang Tea Tea and spoke casually, as if they were discussing the weather.
“Fellow townsman. Your demon power is vast. You know many arts.” His gaze flicked toward the settlement below, where Chong Ming was still handling the mess. “But you’re still a bit short.”
He leaned in and sniffed. “Is it because of that lover dragon of yours?”
Jiang Tea Tea choked. “What lover dragon? Can you talk properly?”
Jin Lin blinked. “You’re drenched in dragon scent. His scent is similar. And you haven’t formed a mate contract.”
He tilted his head, sincere as a knife. “If he’s not your lover, then what? A spare meal you’re keeping around in this world? A top-grade tonic dragon you’re saving for later?”