I, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, am being kept by the state.

Longcheng City Government, Mayor's Office.

Li Changgeng took the dragon-shaped necklace and casually weighed it in his hand.

It feels slightly cool to the touch and is surprisingly light, like holding a feather.

He frowned and leaned closer to examine it more closely.

The bronze surface is covered with mottled marks, but the dragon carving is exquisite, with every scale clearly visible, the dragon's claws outstretched, and its whiskers flowing...

But that's about it.

The bronze artifacts displayed in the Longcheng Museum are far more beautiful than this.

What about Warring States bronze tripods or Han Dynasty dragon-patterned swords? Aren't they all more impressive than this thing?

"Professor Wang, are you... confused by archaeology?"

Li Changgeng shook his head with a smile, his tone somewhat teasing.

"What era are we living in? You still believe in this stuff? You're one of the top archaeologists in China, you wouldn't actually be fooled by those myths on bamboo slips, would you?"

"Mayor Li, please don't jump to conclusions."

Wang Jianguo's voice was very serious, even a little nervous, "Please take a close look, really take a close look."

Li Changgeng was stunned for a moment.

He had known Wang Jianguo for almost twenty years. This old professor was always rigorous and calm, and never spoke carelessly.

For him to speak in this tone, there must be something really wrong.

"Okay, I'll take another look."

Li Changgeng patiently examined it carefully again.

I must say, this dragon is indeed carved to be incredibly lifelike.

Each scale is clearly visible, with sharp edges, as if it will pierce the skin at any moment.

The dragon claws were powerful and outstretched, with the tips of the five claws gleaming coldly, as if they could tear through space.

The dragon's whiskers swayed slightly in the still air...

and many more.

Drifting?

"this……"

Li Changgeng suddenly looked up, as if he wanted to say something.

At that very moment—

The necklace in my hand suddenly became scalding hot!

Holy crap!

Li Changgeng instinctively wanted to throw it away, but his fingers felt as if they were welded to the necklace, and he couldn't move them at all!

The heat surged wildly, from warm to scorching, and then to a terrifyingly high temperature that seemed to melt flesh and blood!

Strangely, he didn't feel pain; instead, he felt a warm sensation, like... like returning to his mother's embrace.

wrong!

It's not warm!

It's intimidation!

An unimaginably vast consciousness surged into his mind like a tsunami!

boom--!

Li Changgeng's world completely collapsed at this moment.

He saw the night sky above Xianyang Palace, where a golden dragon coiled, its body stretching over thirty feet, each scale shimmering with sacred golden light. The dragon's roar shook the heavens, its sound waves spreading like a tangible force, causing the entire city of Xianyang to tremble!

The officials knelt and bowed, their foreheads touching the ground, trembling.

Qin Shi Huang, dressed in a black dragon robe, looked up at the sky and laughed, his laughter filled with boldness and arrogance!

The scene changes.

At the foot of the Great Wall, a dragon's shadow swept by, causing the wind and clouds to change color and the world to lose its luster!

The 100,000 Xiongnu cavalrymen were as if they had encountered a god. Their warhorses neighed, and the cavalrymen knelt down in terror, scattering like a tide!

Turn again.

On countless battlefields, dragon flames blazed across the sky, the golden flames like divine punishment, annihilating enemy troops wherever they passed, leaving not even bones behind!

Amidst the ruins strewn with corpses, a golden dragon coiled, its mournful roar echoing.

Protecting the last of the Chinese people, those ragged, emaciated people knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces, crying out, "Dragon God, protect us!"

as well as......

A pair of cold and majestic dragon eyes, spanning two thousand years, are watching him!

That gaze seemed to see right through everything.

See through his soul, see through his past and future, see through all his secrets!

"I am the true dragon."

The sound exploded in his mind.

Ancient, majestic, domineering, and beyond question!

It was as if there was only this one sound in the world, and everything else had turned into nothingness!

Li Changgeng stood frozen in place, his face deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down his forehead and dripping down his cheeks, wetting his shirt collar.

His legs were trembling, and his knees were almost buckling.

That was fear from the depths of one's blood, submission from the depths of one's soul!

"Mayor Li? Mayor Li!"

Wang Jianguo's voice came from afar, filled with deep worry.

Li Changgeng suddenly came to his senses, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.

He looked down at the necklace in his hand; his hand was trembling, and his whole body was shaking.

"This...this...this..."

He opened his mouth, but his throat tightened, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

"Do you believe me now?"

Wang Jianguo sighed, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

Li Changgeng didn't speak, but stared intently at Xiang Lian.

His mind was racing, countless thoughts flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern.

If this is true...

If there truly is a dragon that has protected China for two thousand years...

If this gets out...

No, this can't get out!

Not at least not now!

Li Changgeng took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He has been in politics for over twenty years; what storms hasn't he weathered?

"Old Wang."

Li Changgeng's voice was hoarse, "Who else knows about this?"

"Just the people from our archaeological team."

Wang Jianguo said, "But I've already told them to keep it a secret, and no one is allowed to tell anyone."

Li Changgeng nodded and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

he was thinking.

If this is false, then he is a laughing stock across the country. The mayor of Longcheng believing in gods and ghosts is something that would make people laugh their heads off.

But if it's true...

That would be an enormous political achievement!

No, it's not just about political achievements.

This is a momentous event that will go down in history!

This is an opportunity for China to stand at the top of the world!

"Mayor Li, what are you thinking about?"

Wang Jianguo asked cautiously.

"I'm thinking..."

Li Changgeng raised his head, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, "How can you prove this is true?"

Wang Jianguo was stunned for a moment.

"Proof? Didn't you just...?"

"I believe it, but others may not."

Li Changgeng interrupted him, his tone becoming serious, "Elder Wang, you said this dragon needs the power of incense to recover, so surely someone has to see something real, right?"

"Otherwise, who would believe it?"

"You can't expect me to take this necklace to Beijing and go tell those old leaders, 'There's a dragon inside, do you believe it or not?'"

"Their first reaction would definitely be, 'I'm crazy.'"

Wang Jianguo opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

He knew Li Changgeng was right.

Even if they believe it, what about those in power?

Would those high-ranking leaders sitting in the capital, those decision-makers who hold the reins of the nation's destiny, believe in the claim that "a real dragon lives inside a dragon-shaped necklace"?

What about ordinary people?

You can't just take a necklace and say it has a dragon inside, and expect over a billion people across the country to worship it, can you?

"So you mean...?"

Wang Jianguo asked tentatively.

"Report it to the National Security Bureau directly."