Night Visitor

After crossing hands with Bullet, Dragon remained on God's Island for another seven or eight days.

He did not idle away those seven or eight days either.

Yale put him through Hachinosu's unorthodox "getting beaten is training" regimen exactly as it was. He was dragged to the training grounds before dawn every day and released only after sunset, bruised black and blue all over, his hand trembling even when he gripped his chopsticks.

Every few days, Bullet rode the Sky Shark King down from above the Cloud Field and insisted on another fight, on the grounds that "I figured out how to counter that wrist-lock move you used last time."

Dragon did not refuse. Rubbing his still-sore shoulders, he assumed the opening stance of Dragon Claw Fist again. The two fought another four or five times on the Cloud Field, each winning and losing in turn. By the end, even the Winged Heavenly Soldiers practicing formation flight above the training grounds stopped and hovered in midair to watch.

On the evening of the eighth day, Annus sent Lilith to summon him to the Central Hall.

"Sit."

Dragon sat down with his back ramrod straight.

Annus took a stack of Cloud Paper documents from the armrest of the divine throne, placed them on his lap, flipped through two pages, and spoke as though he were merely laying out something arranged long ago.

"The messenger network you established in the Land of Endless War has been verified by people Diumil sent. One hundred and seventy-three people spread across thirty-seven towns, with at least one backup contact in every town. Well done."

Dragon did not respond. He knew Annus was not finished.

"But this is only the beginning. The Blue Sea is vast. There are over one hundred and seventy Celestial Dragon member