The night air in the Sky Palace gardens was cool, carrying the faint scent of alien flowers.
Tiny floating lights buzzed among the blossoms, casting the winding paths in a soft glow.
Xiao Lin tugged at the edge of his jacket nervously.
Sheng Long and Yan Shuo had slipped away to speak to an old ally quietly — someone within the military court who still seemed trustworthy.
Left to "mingle" in a safer corner of the palace, Xiao Lin wandered down the lesser-used paths, wanting a breath of air and a moment to settle his racing thoughts.
I'm not good at this, he thought miserably.
I'm just a cook's helper, not a spy or soldier.
He kicked a loose pebble, feeling stupid.
But he didn't notice that his mental powers — the instincts of his half-fox nature — had subtly sharpened, guiding his feet.
Something in the night air prickled the back of his neck.
Voices.
Sharp, low voices carried from deeper in the garden.
Curious despite himself, Xiao Lin crept closer, flattening himself behind a shimmering blue-leafed bush.
Two figures stood in a small clearing ahead.
One wore the silver-trimmed robes of a royal advisor.
The other was a shadow — cloaked in a way that blurred their features, using some kind of stealth tech.
Xiao Lin's ears — sharpened by training and natural gift — twitched and caught snatches of conversation.
"...accelerated the plan. The Queen grows impatient."
The cloaked figure's voice was distorted, but not enough to hide the menace.
"And the Marshal?" asked the royal advisor nervously.
"Dead, as far as the people know. Even if he lived... no beast with a broken nucleus could threaten us. Focus on preparing the next phase."
"And... the ger?" the advisor hesitated.
"The one from the outskirts?"
The cloaked figure stiffened.
"He is nothing. If he interferes, end him quietly."
Xiao Lin pressed a hand over his mouth to stop a gasp.
They were talking about me...
And the Queen — they could only mean the Zerg Queen.
Meaning the rot went all the way up into the Empire's heart.
The advisor nodded and turned to leave.
Panic fluttered in Xiao Lin's chest.
I have to tell the Marshal. Now.
But as he shifted to sneak away, his foot snapped a twig.
The cloaked figure's head whipped toward the sound.
Xiao Lin didn't think — he moved.
Tapping into the little training he had, he ducked low and sprinted back down the garden path, weaving between statues and hedges.
Behind him, a shout — and footsteps pounding after him.
No, no, no...
Xiao Lin's heart hammered against his ribs.
Focus! Remember what the Marshal said — use your strengths!
His fox instincts flared.
His body felt lighter.
With a small, startled yip, Xiao Lin pushed off the ground and half-shifted — his body flickering into his fox form for precious seconds, moving faster than human eyes could easily track.
It was clumsy — he tripped over his own too-large paws once — but it gave him enough of a lead.
He bolted toward the side exit of the gardens where Sheng Long had told him to retreat if anything felt wrong.
The moment he rounded the corner, strong arms caught him.
Sheng Long's steely voice cut through his panic.
"Xiao Lin!"
Xiao Lin gasped for air, shaking.
"They're working with the Zerg!" he blurted.
"In the palace — the royals—! They were talking about you—! About me—!"
Yan Shuo appeared out of the shadows, blade already half-drawn.
Sheng Long's face turned to stone.
"Get him out of here," he ordered Yan Shuo.
"Quietly."
"But Marshal—" Xiao Lin protested.
A large hand rested briefly but firmly on his head.
"You did well," Sheng Long said quietly, fierce pride burning in his cold voice.
"You're braver than you realize."
Xiao Lin stared at him, wide-eyed, heart pounding, as Yan Shuo hustled him away through secret back corridors.
Behind him, he caught a glimpse of Sheng Long stepping back into the shadows, cloak swirling around him like a thundercloud.
The dragon was awake now.
And soon — the Empire would learn what it meant to rouse a dragon's fury.