Chapter 203: The Military Department's Appointment

At this moment, seeing the Black Dragon Egg in Zhou Chu's hands, the desire in Long Aofei's heart was instantly ignited.

He swallowed hard again, looking at Zhou Chu with a burning gaze, his very soul nearly hooked away: "Zhou Chu, can you... can you let me have this Dragon Egg?"

"I want to possess a Black Dragon so much; for so many years, I have been searching, and I never expected that today, it would be you who let me see hope..."

But having already spoken the words, it allowed Long Aofei to regain a sliver of reason, while simultaneously making him feel extremely annoyed that he could have spoken such words uncontrollably.

This Dragon Egg was obtained by Zhou Chu at the risk of his life in the perilous Soul Crystal Mine; how could he be so shameless as to demand it?

Long Aofei's face turned red; he hurriedly turned his head away, waved his hands in a rush, and said, "Zhou Chu, don't mind what I just said; I was just too impulsive."

"This Dragon Egg has extraordinary significance; it relates not only to the person who obtains it but even more to the future of the entire Shenxia Kingdom. Moreover, this was obtained by you through great hardship, so naturally, it should be up to you to decide how to dispose of it."

Zhou Chu smiled understandingly and said, "Chief, I understand your longing for a Black Dragon. If I were in your position, I might also be momentarily excited and act the same way."

"But as you said, this Dragon Egg has extraordinary significance, relating not just to an individual, but to the future of the Shenxia Kingdom. So, I think it is best to follow the most secure method and place it in the hands of someone who can successfully hatch it."

"As the only Black Dragon Knight in the Shenxia Kingdom, you are the person who should most rightfully receive this Dragon Egg. I believe only you could have a way to hatch it!"

Long Aofei, of course, knew how he should hatch this Black Dragon Egg.

That was to use his own Soul Blood to bathe the Dragon Egg, nourishing it with his own soul power while simultaneously causing it to hatch.

Once the Dragon Egg hatched, the young Dragon inside would be equivalent to having signed a contract with him and would recognize him as its master anew.

At that time, Long Aofei could use the power of the Black Dragon to refine his own Life Soul Artifact, and might even break through to the Seven-turn.

This had been Long Aofei's long-cherished wish for many years.

However, this Dragon Egg was, after all, not obtained by him personally venturing deep into danger, so no matter how intensely his heart desired to possess it, he could not take it as his own.

To Long Aofei, such behavior was something he felt ashamed of.

"Zhou Chu, thank you for your kindness. Although it is my lifelong pursuit, that cannot be a reason for me to possess it without cause."

"This was obtained by you, so you are the one most worthy of possessing it."

Zhou Chu was moved by Long Aofei's righteousness and upright conduct; as the highest commander of the Exorcism Army, he had always been respected and supported by everyone in the military.

There was a reason for all of this.

The story of the ancient Tao Yuanming, who would not bow for five pecks of rice, was verified in Long Aofei at this moment.

But compared to those five pecks of rice, the Dragon Egg before him was far too precious; therefore, given Long Aofei's character, no matter how much Zhou Chu insisted, he would not accept it.

At present, his Emperor Tomb could not hatch the Dragon Egg; handing it to Long Aofei was the best choice, and also the perfect fulfillment of his oath to the Calamity Ghost Dragon.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Chu said, "Chief, since you say this Dragon Egg should be left for me to handle, then handing it to you is my way of handling it."

"As the leader of the Exorcism Army, you already shoulder the heavy responsibility of resisting the Calamity Invasion and defending the country."

"If you do not have sufficiently powerful strength, how can you shoulder the sacred mission of protecting the home and defending the country, and how can you protect the people you love?"

Zhou Chu looked at Long Aofei with a firm gaze and said earnestly, "If you can successfully hatch this Dragon Egg, it will not only greatly enhance your strength but also have major significance for the safety of the entire Shenxia Kingdom."

Seeing Long Aofei's eyes begin to waver, Zhou Chu continued, "You once told me that years ago, your only daughter died in a Calamity Invasion, and your wife, unable to bear the blow, remained depressed day after day until she eventually passed away."

"If you had possessed sufficiently powerful strength at that time, you would not have experienced the pain of losing both wife and daughter."

"To you, this Dragon Egg is not just a chance to realize a long-cherished wish, but an opportunity to become stronger and never repeat the same mistakes."

Zhou Chu's voice was low and powerful, every word striking at Long Aofei's heart.

Long Aofei's body trembled slightly, and a flash of pain and struggle crossed his eyes.

That unbearable past was like an old scar being ripped open again, dripping with blood.

He remembered his daughter's innocent smile and his wife's gentle face, and a sharp pain pierced his heart.

"Zhou Chu, say no more." Long Aofei's voice trembled slightly, "I understand what you mean, but this..."

"Chief, I know your concerns." Zhou Chu interrupted him, "But in my hands, this Dragon Egg is merely a waste of a heavenly treasure. I do not have the ability to hatch it, nor can I make it exert its proper effect."

"But you are different; you are a Black Dragon Knight. Only you can bring out the efficacy this Dragon Egg should have, becoming an aid to the Shenxia Kingdom and a powerful force to guard the country and its people."

"So I hope you will keep your original intention in mind, hold fast to your mission, and lead the Exorcism Army to guard the peace of the Shenxia Kingdom, to comfort the spirits of those two in heaven!"

Long Aofei pressed his lips together, the muscles on his face twitching slightly, his inner struggle like surging waves.

Finally, Long Aofei raised his head, a flash of determination in his eyes; he took a deep breath and said, "Zhou Chu, I... I accept your kindness."

"But to me, you have the grace of a second life. From now on, no matter what difficulties you encounter, I, Long Aofei, will certainly go through fire and water, and will not refuse!"

"Even if it costs my life, I will not hesitate!"

At this moment, it was as if the identities of Zhou Chu and Long Aofei had been swapped; instead, Zhou Chu had become Long Aofei's chief, earnestly doing ideological work for his subordinate.

Seeing that he had finally persuaded the stubborn Long Aofei with genuine sincerity, Zhou Chu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Chief, you are too kind; I only hope you will not let down my good intentions and must ensure the little Dragon in the egg is born safely."

Long Aofei stood at solemn attention, stretched out both hands to carefully take the Dragon Egg from Zhou Chu, his eyes filled with determination.

He gently tucked the Dragon Egg into the crook of his arm, tensed his feet, gave a crisp military salute to Zhou Chu, and said loudly and clearly: "Yes! Deputy Commander Zhou!"

Hearing Long Aofei's form of address, Zhou Chu couldn't help but be stunned, then said, "Chief, have you gotten too excited? I am not any Deputy Commander, hey."

Who would have thought that Long Aofei would be completely serious: "I just received an order from the Military Department, appointing Zhou Chu to a rank promoted by two levels, serving as Deputy Commander of the Exorcism Army, effective from the issuance of the appointment!"