Ai Wei and Lily were just ordinary girls. They had never experienced anything so dangerous. Now they were badly shaken, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide, tears welling up. They were about to burst into earth-shaking sobs when Guan Heng spoke.
"Ladies, if you don't cry or make a fuss right now, and act as if nothing happened, then return to the yacht with Tony, I guarantee that once we get back, Tony will give each of you a luxury sports car."
Ai Wei and Lily exchanged a look, and their tears miraculously vanished. The two girls stared blankly and headed toward the yacht, as if under a spell.
"Damn, you really know how to handle things. One sentence and you've got them settled," Tony said with a sigh. "What on earth is your brain made of? How do you come up with these ideas?"
"Get this straight, that wasn't my idea." Guan Heng shrugged. "Your money, Mr. Big Shot, was the key."
Just as he was about to leave, Guan Heng suddenly bent down and picked up a piece of dead dragonfly flesh. He wrapped it in a handkerchief and handed it to Tony. "Have Jarvis analyze this on the boat and figure out what kind of freakish insect it is. Then we'll know what we're dealing with."
Tony nodded, took it, and slipped it into his pocket.
As soon as the two girls returned to the yacht, they locked the cabin door tight and refused to come out no matter what. Tony and Guan Heng looked at each other and shrugged. That was probably for the best.
In the yacht's lower deck was a small workshop. Tony opened his laptop. "Jarvis, scan this piece of flesh and quickly identify its species."
After a moment, Jarvis replied, "Analysis and comparison indicate that this flesh belongs to Europe's largest and fastest-flying dragonfly, the Dragonfly Emperor."
He continued, "However, the cells and genes of the creature this flesh came from are abnormally enlarged. It has clearly undergone severe radiation-induced mutation, resulting in a body hundreds of times larger than normal. The Dragonfly Emperor is carnivorous and aggressive. Like falcons, they spend most of their time circling above waters or swamps in search of food. Each male Dragonfly Emperor has its own territory, and any intruders are mercilessly attacked. They look extremely fierce, which is why some people call them Falcon Dragonflies. After growing to an enormous size, they would become terrifying man-eating predators."
Tony and Guan Heng exchanged a look, both of them visibly astonished.
Even more astonishing details followed as Jarvis continued: "Ordinary Dragonfly Emperors can fly in any direction at speeds of up to sixty kilometers per hour. Now that their bodies have grown enormous, my simulations indicate that the Giant Dragonfly Emperor can fly at more than ten times that speed—up to six hundred kilometers per hour. Dragonfly Emperors bask in the sun each morning, vibrating their bodies to raise their temperature by seven degrees per minute. This warmth is essential to their flight speed. Their aerial skills are crucial: they defend their airspace and mate with females that fly by."
Tony sat at the table with a frown, his fingers tapping lightly on its surface. Guan Heng rubbed his chin and lowered his head in silence, apparently lost in thought.
According to Jarvis, the Dragonfly Emperor's astonishing aerial abilities came from its complex anatomy. At the joint between each wing and the body was an axle-like structure that could rotate freely in flight. Each wing could move independently, allowing for highly precise flight and aerial hovering, as well as figure-eight maneuvers. This let them generate maximum lift during both the downstroke and upstroke. Each wing also had a tiny but extremely important spot called a pterostigma. It balanced the wing and could greatly increase the dragonfly's gliding speed. Modern aircraft had a similar feature.
The Dragonfly Emperor could fly forward like a jet or hover like a helicopter, but it was also an extremely aggressive marauder. It constantly started fights, and other creatures in its habitat were routinely subjected to its wanton attacks and predation. Dragonflies were now in their breeding season. Their larvae lived underwater for about two and a half years, which accounted for 95 percent of a dragonfly's life. Once it successfully emerged as an adult, it became the ultimate killer in the skies above that body of water.
Furthermore, two-thirds of the Dragonfly Emperor's body was made up of flight muscles. Without the sun's warmth, it was difficult to activate its enormous flight muscles, which accounted for two-thirds of its body weight. Those muscles reached peak efficiency only at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius.
"Gentlemen, it's important to note that newly emerged Dragonfly Emperors are blue all over, and these newborn predator-killers are ravenous."
Jarvis continued, "Dragonflies eat a great deal. They can devour any flying insect smaller than themselves. The Dragonfly Emperor's chewing mouthparts are extremely sharp and act like scissors, slicing open its prey. Each Dragonfly Emperor can eat food amounting to one-fifth of its body weight per day. After two weeks of frenzied hunting, a newly emerged Dragonfly Emperor doubles its weight, and its body turns a shade of blue. At that point, it first claims a territory of lush aquatic plants about fifty meters in radius, then frantically searches for a mate and prepares to reproduce. Dragonfly Emperors will eat anything weaker than themselves in their territory, including their own kind. Their adult lifespan is only about one-tenth as long as that of a Dragonfly Larva, lasting anywhere from a few days to a month. So Dragonfly Emperors live every moment in a race against time."
Guan Heng said to Tony, "Old Jarvis is right. When I passed by the lake just now, I saw giant dragonflies fighting each other all over the sky. They must have been fighting over territory and mates."
"Looks that way." Tony nodded. "They're busy hunting and breeding around the water, so there's very little chance they'll come to the shore. If we stay quietly on the yacht, don't go into the woods or near the lake, and head back at dawn, we should be safe."
Guan Heng thought it over. "We still can't let our guard down. One of those things already came over and put your lives in danger. Here's what we'll do: you stay on the yacht and protect the girls. I'll patrol the shore. If any insects attack, I'll take them out."
Tony hesitated. "Is that really necessary? I think we'd be safer staying on the boat. Why take that risk?"
Guan Heng shook his head. "You saw it yourself. Those flying bugs have already started attacking you. You don't have your armor right now, so you're just an ordinary person. You can barely protect the girls. I have to make sure you're all completely safe."
He paused, then continued, "I'm the only one who can defeat those bugs right now, so you have to listen to me. Stay on the boat, and don't come out unless I call for you. That's final."
As he spoke, Guan Heng stood up and patted Tony on the shoulder. "Buddy, I won't be in any danger. You just take good care of Ai Wei and Lily—and don't take the chance to cop a feel. I haven't made a move on them yet."
"Bah! I'm a gentleman," Tony said with a laugh. "Now get off the boat and go on patrol."
"Besides, I have some personal business to take care of after I get off the boat. Heh," Guan Heng thought to himself, then spoke again. "Jarvis, tell me everything about these dragonflies' habits in detail. I need to know what I'm dealing with."
"Certainly, Mr. Guan. I would be delighted to assist you." Jarvis was indeed every bit the proper English butler, holding nothing back and answering every question.
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