Chapter Four: The Mystery of Origins

In a spacious, empty room, gentle white light illuminated every corner, leaving not the faintest trace of shadow. The four walls were one-way glass, and the silence within was so profound that it unsettled the heart.

After a moment, a faint sound broke the stillness. On the polished floor, a young man slowly opened his eyes, and deep within his gaze, a fleeting glimmer of silver flashed by.

His eyes were still a little vacant, but in the next instant, he abruptly came to his senses, rolled over, and sat up. As he took in the unfamiliar surroundings, his brows furrowed and his eyes betrayed a trace of confusion. This youth was none other than Luo Longyu, now awakened.

He stood up, but a jolt of searing pain shot through every part of his body, as if he were being torn apart. His throat was so parched it seemed about to ignite. Weakness swept over him, and he staggered, clutching at the wall for support, kneading his temples as he struggled to piece together what had happened.

He vaguely remembered going to the mall to look for a job. Suddenly, security guards and police rushed in to evacuate the crowds, then the military appeared as well. A gigantic python attacked the people, the army opened fire—the roar of guns and the screams blended into chaos. Later, the serpent was killed and disgorged a multitude of huge eggs... What followed became a blur. No matter how hard Luo Longyu tried to recall, only scattered fragments surfaced.

He seemed to be fighting with something. At that time, he felt like himself, and yet not himself at all—it was impossible to explain. Glancing down at his own hand, he saw it was bloodless, tinged with a faint bluish-black. He tried clenching his fist, but noticed nothing unusual.

"Luo Longyu. Male. Eighteen years old. Han ethnicity. Resident of Jiulong Village, Liupan County, Longmen City, Qinxia Province. Junior high school education..." An abrupt voice startled Luo Longyu, and he looked around. In each corner of the room, he spotted a small speaker—the voice was coming from them.

"Who are you?" Luo Longyu shouted, uncertain where his observers lurked, but sure enough that someone was watching him.

What Luo Longyu did not know was that, beyond the glass walls, a group of people was indeed observing him. Among them was the woman who had knocked him unconscious. This was a vast, modern underground hall, bustling with people and dominated by giant electronic screens. Satellite feeds from the Beidou system and various military satellites streamed into this command center, providing a global overview. Military personnel in camouflage uniforms moved about with hurried efficiency. Each corridor was guarded by armed soldiers on patrol—this was a cutting-edge military command hall.

Outside the glass, a middle-aged man with graying hair, dressed in a traditional tunic suit, stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He squinted at Luo Longyu, separated from him by only one-way glass, then nodded slightly and muttered to himself, "Yes, that's the look. Faint as it is, it's unmistakably the bearing of the Xuan Yuan lineage—the rebellious force of the Corpse Clan at its root." Turning to the woman beside him, he said, "Shaoxian, you mentioned he is unlike ordinary zombies. Of course that's true. Would you like to know why?"

Long Shaoxian looked at the man and nodded.

He smiled and said, "From ancient times, your Starborn Dragon Clan has wandered the universe as guardians of the Way. Ever since the Deicide in the solar system, your people have rarely set foot upon the earth. It’s understandable, then, that you might not know some things. But you should have heard of the Seed Program of the Primordial Gods, yes?"

"I've heard bits and pieces," Long Shaoxian replied. "After the Deicide, the surviving gods left behind preparations against enemy forces—a massive, long-term weapon system. But the details are a closely guarded secret even within the clan. Elder Ge, why do you ask?"

Elder Ge gazed at Luo Longyu, who was still pacing in the room, his eyes deep and thoughtful. "That colossal weapon system you mentioned? It's him: the Primordial Corpse Path."

Long Shaoxian frowned, her pupils flickering. After a moment, she said, "I don't understand. Is the weapon in this program nothing more than these rebellious zombies?"

"No, no, you're mistaken—completely mistaken. Shaoxian, there are others like you." Elder Ge glanced at the others present. "Remember, a zombie is not the Corpse Path. Take him, for example—would any of you call him a zombie?"

"Er... He really doesn’t look like the zombies of legend," a young man replied, scratching his head, clearly puzzled by Luo Longyu’s identity.

Elder Ge nodded, taking a deep breath. "Because he is the Corpse Path. Unfortunately, right now, he is only half a corpse. His Xuan Yuan Corpse Vein is sealed. He possesses the bearing of the Corpse Clan, but cannot yet manifest the Blood-Eyed Corpse Wheel—he is far from fully awakened. It seems Xuan Yuan Qianqian still does not wish her son to become the complete Corpse Path; he remains one step away."

"What step is that?" Long Shaoxian asked instinctively.

Elder Ge glanced at her, then at the others, and slowly revealed the answer...

Inside the room, Luo Longyu paced dozens of times but could not find a door. Fear gnawed at him—he had never experienced anything like this before, let alone knew who had imprisoned him.

As he searched anxiously for an exit, a sudden disturbance caught his attention. A door opened soundlessly, and a graceful figure stepped in. The door closed again, blending seamlessly with the wall.

"Who are you?" Luo Longyu instinctively retreated, pressing his back to the wall.

"You may call me Long Shaoxian," she replied, her gaze upon Luo Longyu complex, glancing unconsciously at the glass wall behind which Elder Ge and the others stood.

"Elder Ge, isn’t this a bit cruel for Luo Longyu?" a black-clad youth asked, the others also looking uneasy.

Elder Ge’s expression was solemn. "The situation is urgent. We don’t have the luxury of time. A fully realized Corpse Path does not mature in a mere decade or two, but time is not on our side. The threat is pressing. We need him, we need his Xuan Yuan bloodline. This must be done. Let Shaoxian talk to him first. There are matters I will address with him myself."

Inside, Long Shaoxian looked at Luo Longyu but found herself at a loss for words. To her, this boy of eighteen was just a child, incomparable to her own nearly century-long life as a dragon.

Luo Longyu, confronted by this beautiful stranger, felt ill at ease—a faint, involuntary fear. He retreated further, voice trembling, "Who are you? Where is this place?"

Long Shaoxian was silent for a moment, then steadied herself with a deep breath. "I already told you my name. As for my identity, it’s not important for you to know just yet. Someone will explain everything soon. You need not fear—we will not harm you. What matters is that you are safe here. Those creatures will not find you."

"Creatures?" Luo Longyu blinked. "You mean that giant python and those monsters?"

Long Shaoxian looked surprised that he remembered, but quickly realized he had seen those things before his rampage.

Before she could reply, Luo Longyu pressed, "But… why are those monsters after me?"

Long Shaoxian smiled inwardly, impressed by his quick grasp of the situation—it saved her some trouble.

She paced, pondering. "It’s a bit complicated. Where to begin? Luo Longyu, don’t you have any doubts about yourself?"

Luo Longyu narrowed his eyes, memories he’d rather not recall rising unbidden—like the question of who his parents were, or how everyone connected to him seemed to fall ill and die, coughing blood.

Seeing his troubled expression, Long Shaoxian smiled gently. "During the two days you were unconscious, we visited your hometown, Jiulong Village. Strangely enough, whenever your name was mentioned, your neighbors showed only fear, unwilling to speak of you. Are you the curse of your village?"

Luo Longyu looked up sharply, meeting her eyes. She tilted her head, watching him with a half-smile. A sudden flame of anger rose in Luo Longyu's heart—the old, familiar feeling of being treated as an outcast. His fists clenched. "I am not a curse. What are you trying to say?"

Outside the glass, a red-haired youth rubbed his nose. "Shaoxian’s words are a bit much..."

"Yeah, if I were Luo Longyu, I’d have lost it by now. I’d go up there and slap her twice," muttered another black-clad youth, miming a slap at thin air.

The red-haired one sneered, "As if you’d dare."

"She wouldn’t dare talk to me like that," the black-clad youth shrugged.

The redhead snorted, unwilling to argue. A nearby boy in dark armor, his eyes wide and bright, poked the black-clad youth and said quietly, "Brother Zuo, didn’t Sister Long kick you into the toilet last time? Wasn’t that worse?" He had barely finished before the youth scooped him up, covering his mouth. "Traitor! Wasn’t that barbecue enough for you?"

Back inside, Long Shaoxian, seeing the anger in Luo Longyu’s eyes, raised a delicate finger and signaled for calm. "Don’t get angry yet. I want to ask you—about the illness, what do you think? Do you really believe you carry a contagious disease?"

Luo Longyu frowned and lowered his head. The question struck at his deepest pain, one he could never ignore. But Long Shaoxian’s words forced him to confront it again—did he really have a contagious disease?

This time, Long Shaoxian didn’t wait for his answer. "No, you do not. It was never a contagion. Do not doubt your own body."

Her words were like a shot of hope in his heart. Luo Longyu’s head snapped up, his voice trembling with excitement. "Really? You really think so? I’m not sick, am I?" His joy quickly faded, and he whispered, "But… if I’m not ill, why did my grandfather, and the village chief, end up…"

"That was because of your parents. More precisely, because of your mother. You probably don’t know what you were like at birth. I’m sure your grandfather never told you," Long Shaoxian said softly.