Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 322 The Curtain of Eternal Winter
Su Ming quickly immersed himself in analyzing the data acquired during the aerial combat. During the brief exchange between Rainbow-2 and its multi-angle high-definition cameras, the entire process was continuously recorded and transmitted back a large amount of video data. Su Ming carefully examined each frame, and soon, he noticed a clear indication!

He immediately summoned Stacy.

The medical scholar leaned closer to the control panel, carefully examining the details of the highly magnified image on the screen—a close-up of the scales on the silver dragon's body. After a moment, she adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and nodded affirmatively: "The abnormal pale pink tinge at the edges of the scales, accompanied by fine keratin lifting and slight scaling... these are undoubtedly typical symptoms of psoriasis!"

Psoriasis is a widespread contagious disease among the otherworldly dragons, with dragons contracting it almost every year. Its course is typically long, requiring at least half a month to recover even with various treatments.

In severe cases, the illness can last for two or three months.

Based on the condition of the dragon scales in the images, Stacy made a professional judgment: these silver dragons will begin their acute attack tomorrow. The intense itching, as if countless scorching insects were frantically gnawing at the scales, would be enough to make even the most resilient dragon suffer unbearably.

Violet unconsciously hugged herself, "Why do I feel so sorry for my kin!"

"Even a dragon with an itchy body can still fight, right?" Su Ming asked.

“Of course,” Violet replied. “It would take at least a week of illness to break down their scales’ defenses.”

“I can make contact with them and ensure they won’t be on the battlefield tomorrow.” Stacy’s lips curled into a confident smile. “Don’t worry, I’m absolutely certain.”

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you!" Su Ming nodded.

Violet, standing nearby, solemnly instructed Stacy, "Remember! You just need to keep them in check and make them willingly stay on the island to recover! Whatever you do, whatever you do—" she emphasized, "Don't let your heart soften and bring them back!"

“Of course not!” Stacy immediately agreed.

Violet, however, remained serious and emphasized, "My people have an unusually large appetite! They really will eat the entire Pansy Ship empty!"

“…I understand,” Stacy replied.

****
In the early hours of March 11, a biting cold wave arrived as expected, completely sweeping across the northern seas.

In a short time, the wide deck of the Pansy was covered with a hard, smooth layer of ice. Icicles, as thick as a baby's arm and crystal clear, quickly formed on the railings, the gunwales, and even the antennas.

The faint warmth that had finally begun to seep in with the arrival of early spring was instantly driven away by the biting cold. The temperature plummeted like a falling boulder, dropping below minus twenty-five degrees Celsius, and continues to fall.

Su Ming was sleeping on a recliner in the command room when he was awakened by the howling wind outside the porthole.

He rubbed his slightly sore eyes and looked up at his watch: four in the morning.

He got up to check the weather radar data, his brow furrowing slightly—the blizzard had arrived earlier than predicted.

Sure enough, as far as the eye could see, fine snowflakes began to fall, and then the snow fell heavier and heavier until it completely filled the gray sky, weaving a huge, impenetrable white net. The snowflakes were carried by the icy, biting sea wind, like countless tiny ice blades, lashing wildly at the hull of the Pansy.

But even in such extremely bad weather, several crew members on night watch ran up to the deck and excitedly started a snowball fight! They clumsily slid on the smooth, mirror-like ice, throwing snowballs at each other and cheering wildly.

But they didn't play for long before the biting cold penetrated their clothes, and they all grimaced from the cold, quickly running back to the warm cabin.

"Those are people from the south; they've never seen such heavy snow before," the duty officer at the control tower explained to Su Ming.

With the arrival of the blizzard, the screen of the X-band fire control radar was now filled with noise and completely ineffective.

It was exactly as predicted before the war.

Su Ming decisively activated the longer-wavelength S-band search radar, and the image on the screen immediately became much clearer!

The radar quickly detected the target: two battle groups of the Bright Fleet, like open crab claws, appeared on the sea thirty kilometers away, flanking the Pansy from the left and right.

There was still some buffer time at this distance. Su Ming instructed the staff on duty to closely monitor the radar movements, then leaned back in his recliner, intending to take a short rest.

But not long after, Violet hurriedly pushed open the door to the control panel and walked in.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she complained, her tone tinged with the languor of someone who had just woken up.

“We’re still more than 20 kilometers apart,” Su Ming replied, pointing to the radar screen. “Even if they rush over at full speed, it will take them about half an hour.”

Even with the amplification from the "Eternal Winter Veil," the attack range of "Heart of Winter" theoretically shouldn't exceed ten kilometers. "...You're not planning to wait until they unleash their magical weapons and freeze this place into an icebox before waking me up, are you?" Violet neatly tied her hair up and secured it with the End Bone Staff, complaining irritably, "Are you planning to deny me even time to brush my teeth?"

At this moment, the logistics team delivered steaming hot drinks and several easily digestible, delicate breakfast items.

Each holding a warm cup, the two stood side by side in front of the huge porthole, gazing at the dense snowflakes that covered the sky and earth, dancing like a white curtain.

“Su Ming,” Zi Jin looked at the wind and snow and suddenly said softly, “My hometown has a warm winter sun and never snows. It’s a warm and humid place, always filled with the fragrance of flowers and grass.”

"That's where we're headed next." The information concerned their next move and needed to be kept secret, so Su Ming responded telepathically. He suddenly remembered something, "Your two mothers are there, aren't they?"

Zi Jin paused slightly, suddenly realizing that once this journey took place, it would mean that Su Ming would be formally introduced to them.

"Yes, that's right." She nodded, a hint of confusion in her voice. "I just don't know why Atia went there... Her relationship with Myrcella has actually been... very strained all these years."

"I possess the White Bone Mark, will they want to beat me up?" Su Ming asked worriedly. These two, one a dragon and the other a Shattered Light Sword Saint, were not easy to deal with.

Violet's lips couldn't help but curve upwards, revealing a smile. "Misella won't care about these things. As for Atia..." she paused, "Actually, she's a rather pure person, not difficult to get along with."

[I hope so. Even all of us combined probably couldn't beat her, right?]

"Of course!" Violet's eyes immediately shone with immense pride. "She is, undisputed, the strongest warrior in this world!"

"Looks like I'll have to prepare a decent gift for our first meeting," Su Ming said earnestly. "Do they have any particular likes or preferences?"

"Well..." Violet thought for a moment, "Whatever you like, as long as it's the thought that counts. Just don't cause the same kind of trouble that happened with Grandpa Xiangxiwo..."

"Hey, I was innocent that time, okay?" Su Ming retorted, dissatisfied.

****
As the two were talking, an extremely powerful and ethereal magical rhythm suddenly swept across the ship's hull, disappearing like an invisible ripple.

A knowing smile instantly appeared on Su Ming's lips.

"They're starting from such a distance?" Zi Jin seemed quite surprised, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.

The blizzard had not yet reached its peak intensity, but clearly, the enemy was already impatient.

This is a sign of impatience! It clearly reflects that General Theodore's mindset at this moment has become somewhat desperate.

Even a seasoned veteran like General Theodore was left with no way out after losing two crucial flying beast carriers. If he couldn't eliminate Su Ming in this battle, he would face severe punishment and purges from within the Temple of Light.

On the contrary, as long as he successfully achieves his goal, he can retire gracefully and be granted a prestigious and carefree position, enjoying endless wealth and glory for the rest of his life.

"Issue a full combat readiness order!" Su Ming's voice instantly turned cold.

The piercing alarm bells immediately rang throughout the entire ship! The Pansy, this sleeping behemoth, was instantly awakened, and all personnel quickly mobilized and took their respective combat posts.

Apart from key positions such as engine room crew that had to be held, all surplus personnel were incorporated into the combat sequence and began to carry out final pre-battle preparations in a tense and orderly manner.

On the frigid deck, Yunier arranged for a team to brave the raging blizzard and work hard to clear the ice and snow that was rapidly condensing on the radar antennas and various modern precision electronic devices. They strictly implemented a cleaning plan of "every ten minutes" to ensure that the Pansy's "eyes" were always clear.

As time ticked by, the signal dot representing the Bright Fleet on the radar screen continued to approach at an ever-shrinking distance.

Just then, an even more powerful magical wave, carrying a chilling aura, swept across! The strength of the 'Eternal Winter Veil' was suddenly increased to a new level.

In an instant, Pansy seemed to be thrown into a giant, pure white blender. What surrounded her was no longer ordinary snow, but a snow wall that was astonishingly thick and tangible! The swirling snowflakes were so dense that they blocked out all light, and visibility plummeted to almost zero.

Even the beams of powerful searchlights could only reach a few meters away!

Under the intense interference of this magical weather that far exceeds the limits of nature, even the longer-wavelength S-band search radar completely lost the last target signal on the screen amidst a chaotic noise.

Without hesitation, Su Ming immediately activated the VHF radar system in the contingency plan.

(End of this chapter)