Chapter 7: Old Joe's Lair

I check the time—Derek’s almost done cultivating for the day, about to come find Morgan. I have to get her to leave before he arrives.

I step forward, chin up, acting arrogant but secretly picking at my fingers. Whenever I lie, I pick at my fingers.

"I like Derek. Derek likes me too."

Suddenly, a rumbling sound comes from outside, like something collapsed.

Morgan doesn’t care, her expression full of disdain. "Nonsense! Your scum of a father wiped out the whole dragon clan—how could Derek like the daughter of his enemy?"

I almost reflexively retort. "My father is my father, I’m me—we’re not the same."

My eyes brim with tears, about to fall but not quite. Looks like I’m madly in love with Derek.

The system encourages me: "Nice, keep going! Now, give her some evidence."

Morgan’s face goes cold: "What makes you think Derek likes you?"

I think for a moment. "He doesn’t like my dad, my dad doesn’t like me—two negatives make a positive, so he likes me."

I’m a little proud, hoping for the system’s praise.

The system sighs: "Forget it, just read from the panel."

The system pulls up the script. "If Derek didn’t like me, why would he bring me back to Dragon Valley? Did he ever let you touch the dragon scale on his chest? I’ve touched it. Every part of Derek’s body, I’ve touched. And you? Has Derek ever let you get close to him?"

I finish reading. Sure enough, Morgan is hurt and runs away.

I stand there waiting, and ask: "Why didn’t Derek come find Morgan?"

The system says: "When you said you liked Derek, he was already there. Hearing that, he was so grossed out he covered his face and ran away. Now he’s outside angrily ramming into coral."

I nod. So that crashing sound was coral. I remember—last time Derek carried me, he also crashed into coral. Derek must really like crashing into coral.

The system is sure: "Because coral looks like dragon horns. He can’t grow his own, so he won’t let anyone else have them either. Stingy, so petty."

The system glances at the panel—he’s really enjoying those crashes. Excitement value is off the charts.

The system gives me a life lesson. "You can’t want a man like this. He’ll definitely crash into his wife in the future."

I imitate him. "Can’t want."

The system sighs in relief, seeming quite pleased with me. "Keep going. Morgan’s already run to the edge of Old Joe—hurry and go push her."

I’m used to my tail now, swimming super fast. In no time, I catch up to Old Joe.

The water near Old Joe’s lair is dark and cold, swirling with strange currents and flecks of silver. My heart beats fast, nervous energy prickling through me. The quest isn’t over yet—and the real world, that old, half-remembered life, feels farther away than ever. A shadow moved in the black water. I braced myself—whatever happened next, there was no going back.