Chapter Twenty-One: Extraordinary Talent

"The history of hybrids can be traced back to the very dawn of humanity. When the earth was still raw, unscarred soil, and the spark of civilization had yet to be ignited, the Dragons—the only intelligent species of the age—enlightened mankind, teaching them how to harness fire and craft tools. That era, which symbolized the dawn of human civilization, marked the beginning of an endless enslavement. The Dragons did not cultivate humans as partners; they bred them as prize livestock and trained them as submissive slaves to satisfy their own desire for conquest and cruelty. Life for humanity then was beyond measure in its misery."

Professor Manstein stood before an easel, speaking softly under the gaze of Lin Nian and Lin Xian, recounting a history not found in any textbook: "When human civilization and intellect reached a certain threshold, the sparks of revolution and rebellion naturally ignited. Thus, the first generation of humanity attempted a leap forward—they tried to mate with the weaker, less powerful dragons. But the offspring born to human women were not hybrids; they were monsters that existed between human and dragon, creatures that did nothing but hunt for high-purity dragon blood: the Dead."

At this, Lin Nian reflexively frowned, though Manstein’s expression remained perfectly calm. "Logically, I should not be telling you this directly; I should wait until your capacity to accept such truths has grown before allowing you to apply for access to the archives. But I suspect that with your clearance, an application to NOMA would not be denied, so I am merely giving you a head start."

Nearby, Finger, who had been quietly sipping hot chocolate, stole a cautious glance at Manstein, secretly stunned. He couldn't help but marvel that this man, who had served as the disciplinary committee chairman for so many years, could make violating school regulations sound so reasonable and justified.

Seeing that Lin Nian offered no objection or rebuttal, Manstein continued: "After the birth of these 'Dead' monsters, the ancient humans once thought that crossbreeding was impossible. But some undeterred pioneers, driven by desperation, waited in their iron cages for the 'Dead' to tear through the mothers, only to force new girls to mate with them once more. They gradually filtered out the lineages that were too pure, eventually giving birth to a stable newborn. This was the first generation of hybrids."

"It is sickeningly absurd," Lin Nian remarked bluntly. Lin Xian, sitting beside him, nodded slowly in agreement.

"History has always been ugly," Professor Manstein said calmly. "In fact, if you were to go to the archives yourself to request the original historical texts, you would find that this section regarding the 'Dead' has been omitted. It skips this stage and simply records that 'the first generation of hybrids was born directly from the union of humans and dragons.' The reason for this is the concern that such gory history might cause students with psychological vulnerabilities to loathe their own bloodlines, leading to suicidal thoughts."

"I heard from Senior Mandy that you were always a rigid man who would never break the school's bylaws," Lin Nian said, looking into Manstein's eyes. "But it is quite clear that what you are doing now does not conform to your rules."

Manstein did not shy away from Lin Nian’s gaze. He said faintly, "I simply believe that speaking plainly about this history does more good than harm for students who are exceptionally gifted. I have seen too many students with superior bloodlines go astray in pursuit of so-called 'power' and 'purer lineages.' Their ultimate fate is to become 'Dead,' only to be buried by their own peers."

"So, you are saying that I am a hybrid, and that my 'draconic' bloodline is exceptional?" Lin Nian asked, pointing to his own chest.

"Particularly exceptional," Manstein nodded. "To use Principal Anjou’s own words: 'He is one of the most promising dragon-slaying seeds I have seen in the last hundred and forty years.'"

"I'm flattered," Lin Nian replied with a slight shake of his head. "But if I may be blunt, I fell over a wall at the orphanage when I was a child and injured my leg and head. When the doctors took the X-rays, they didn't mention any horns growing from my skull or my leg bones bending backward. I am, in every sense, a human being."

"Is that so?" Manstein countered. "But you are capable of doing things that ordinary humans cannot, are you not?"

Lin Xian, sitting beside Lin Nian, spoke up to refute this: "There are always people in the world born with extraordinary talents."

"And most of the time, those 'extraordinary talents' share a common origin—they are, for the most part, hybrids," Manstein said. "As for your medical history as a child, I can only tell you that the dragon blood in your body is recessive. It only manifests after a certain ritual, which will completely catalyze your bloodline and trigger a sublimation!"

"Do you need me to sit in a cauldron filled with the blood of beasts, while a shaman dances around with a branch?" Lin Nian couldn't help but joke, hearing the word 'ritual' and its heavy, mystical connotations.

"That is not necessary, although the ritual you describe does indeed exist and possesses a certain degree of feasibility," Manstein said, after a moment of thought.

Lin Nian froze, his expression one of bewilderment. Now that Manstein had admitted it, his mind couldn't help but conjure an image of himself, stripped bare, stuffed into a giant iron cauldron, while Manstein, Mandy, and Finger danced around the pot waving branches.

"But the immature processes you speak of were long ago discarded as the eras changed. We now advocate for science," Manstein said, realizing his slip of the tongue. He scratched his eyebrow nonchalantly and coughed twice. "In short, there will be nothing of that sort. We will simply have you listen to an audio track to induce resonance, thereby awakening your bloodline."

"That sounds even more esoteric," Lin Nian said diplomatically. "To be honest, I don't think I have the potential of a hybrid. Perhaps you've really recruited the wrong person. As for my 'excellence,' it's just that I have faster reflexes and a bit more strength. Any well-trained athlete is actually better than me."

"Our academy rarely makes mistakes in admissions, especially when it comes to students personally recruited by Principal Anjou," Manstein declared with absolute confidence. In his view, if Lin Nian were completely ordinary, there might have been a minute chance of a "recruitment error." But since Lin Nian had already displayed anomalies in his daily life, this counted as a concrete precursor to the awakening of a draconic bloodline.

"You make it sound like my fate is already sealed. I haven't even met this Principal Anjou you speak of, so I really don't know where your confidence comes from," Lin Nian said helplessly. "Actually, compared to me, I think a senior at my school is more suited to your criteria. We always tie when we play basketball, and sometimes I even lose to him. At times, I feel he is more exceptional than I am."

"Then your senior must be the star of the basketball team," Manstein said. "People with specialized skills will always be better at certain things than others. The fact that you tie with him doesn't mean he is better than you; rather, it shows that your potential, lacking any professional training, is stronger than his, despite all his experience!"

"That's not what I meant..." Lin Nian sighed, feeling that no matter how he explained it, he wasn't getting through.

"But what is it that makes you so adamant about refusing to believe in the existence of dragons?" Manstein asked.

Lin Nian was speechless for a moment. After a long pause, he finally said, "Perhaps... it's just too bizarre. I can't just believe in dragons because I have fast reflexes and good physical fitness... These two things are not on the same scale!"

"But I believe that deep down, you have always felt a sense of fear and curiosity toward your own 'extraordinary talents,'" Manstein said quietly, watching Lin Nian for a moment. "The feeling of being born different isn't easy, is it? You subconsciously hide and disguise yourself, trying to appear no different from the average person because you are afraid that one day your uniqueness will be discovered, bringing disaster upon yourself... or those around you."

Lin Nian’s face twitched, and he forced himself not to look at the person beside him.

"But when you find a group of people who are just as unique as you are, these things will no longer happen. Because we are all special; when you are with a group of special people, you are 'normal.' Don't you yearn to be a 'normal' person?" After saying this, Manstein’s typically stern face became calm. "We are almost at the academy. I just wanted to help you with some psychological counseling, because the truth of the world is right there. Even if you refuse to look, it is still happening—quietly and cruelly."

The light outside the carriage window suddenly brightened. The CC1000 Express had surged out of the long forest of red pines, and brilliant sunlight poured into the cabin, falling squarely on the fierce painting. The black giant dragon shimmered, its golden pupils appearing as vivid and lifelike as if they were truly alive.

Lin Nian turned to look out the window. His field of vision widened as he gazed into the distance. In the coniferous forest, he saw a low, evergreen mountain, and nestled within it, the faint silhouettes of castle-like academy buildings were visible. Everything seemed like a myth shrouded in a hazy mist, making it difficult to distinguish reality from illusion.

"If everything the Professor says is true—that dragons indeed exist and I am a hybrid—then please, Professor, prove it to me!" Lin Nian withdrew his gaze and looked at Manstein. "I will be waiting."

As Professor Manstein nodded slowly, Lin Xian, leaning against the table, looked at Lin Nian and, for no apparent reason, revealed a smile that was incredibly bright against the sunlight.