36: Chapter 36 Raising Children Against the Clock

Inside the breeding room.

The Golden Horned Small Dragon lay on the cold platform, its head drooping and its tail hanging down along the surface, dripping with viscous blood that went tick-tock onto the floor.

Its scales were dull all over, covered in a thin layer of bloody scabs, looking oppressive under the cold white lights; the dragon's entire aura was weak, as if it might stop breathing at any moment, yet it struggled to prick up its ears, listening to the movements around it.

The Golden Horned Small Dragon heard everything: the arguments outside, its master's crying, and the noisy voices of others.

It knew.

Its master was worried about it; its master was afraid of losing it.

In truth, it was also afraid of leaving its master, but it couldn't be helped; its body felt so heavy it couldn't get up, its four legs wouldn't obey, and its tail wouldn't obey either.

Even its head wouldn't obey; it couldn't even manage to open its eyes to look at its master.

Stupid head, please, let me see my master just one more time.

Just once.

“Wu...”

The Golden Horned Small Dragon exhausted its strength just to let out a low cry, its voice filled with urgency and pleading; it didn't expect humans to understand, it only hoped some kind-hearted familiar could hear its words and take it to find its master.

Even if it was just to catch one last scent of its master and tell her 'don't cry,' that would be enough.

Suddenly, a set of footsteps approached.

Who is it?

Master?

No, those aren't master's footsteps; master's footsteps are so familiar, I wouldn't mistake them.

Who are you? Tell me?

How is my master...

The Golden Horned Small Dragon's eyelids twitched as if cramping, struggling to open, but they felt as if weighed down by iron blocks—unable to open, unable to see.

The footsteps approached and stopped.

“Lie still, nothing will happen, be good...”

A gentle, very comfortable voice rang out; it was the person who had come over.

Ah!

I can understand what he's saying!

“Wu...” In its excitement, the strength the Golden Horned Small Dragon had gathered turned into a whimper-like cry.

“Rest assured, your master is very safe; she's just a bit worried about you.” That voice was like a light breeze and fine rain, moisturizing the Golden Horned Small Dragon's anxious heart. “Lie there obediently, I will make you better. When the time comes, you can say whatever you want to your master.”

“Wu.” The Golden Horned Small Dragon gave a short response; it had no strength left, those few words had exhausted all the energy it had accumulated.

“Good child, be good.”

Li Yu gently stroked the Golden Horned Small Dragon's head, a gentle smile on his face.

Once the Golden Horned Small Dragon settled down, only then did Li Yu pick up the remaining silver needles by the table; following the new knowledge in his mind, he pressed the needles against the scales one by one, piercing the scabs and inserting them into the Golden Horned Small Dragon's body.

With each needle that fell, the Golden Horned Small Dragon's muscles twitched slightly, but it quickly relaxed without resistance.

It was as docile as a good child who wanted to get well quickly so their parents wouldn't worry anymore.

In a short while, the Golden Horned Small Dragon's body was covered in needles, with clumps of Spirit Mugwort Pillars standing on the needles; faint spiritual energy followed the back-flowing smoke, drifting into the Golden Horned Small Dragon's body.

Li Yu stared at the monitor, seeing the rate of the Golden Horned Small Dragon's heart rate decline slow down; only then did he wipe away his sweat and breathe a slight sigh of relief.

It was good that the worsening trend had slowed; with it slowed, he finally had time to process the materials.

Li Yu turned and went to the workstation, grabbed the file folder on the desk, flipped to a blank page, and began writing rapidly.

Before long, dense lists of materials were written on the paper and placed into the transfer port by him.

The workstation made the sound of mechanical operation, and the materials were sent over very quickly; this speed made Li Yu sigh with relief.

Whether it was Bright Moon Company or this Research Institute, places specifically for breeding were equipped with automated material transport systems; as long as the form was filled out and approval passed, the intelligent system would accurately grab the materials and deliver them in the shortest time possible.

Only for relatively rare or obscure materials might there be a delay.

“Why are these all materials unrelated to healing wounds?”

A voice rang out abruptly, giving Li Yu a start; he turned his head to look, only to find seven or eight people standing behind him at some unknown time.

It was Professor Li and the others, and the one who spoke was a middle-aged Breeder; his brow was furrowed, and his gaze at Li Yu was full of suspicion—he didn't say it outright, but Li Yu understood.

That look meant just one thing—'Hey kid, are you really up to this?'

“Young brother, don't be nervous, we just came over to take a look.” Professor Li had his hands behind his back, looking like an old man taking a stroll in the park.

Li Yu nodded without saying anything, took the materials, and began processing them.

The worsening of the Golden Horned Small Dragon's injuries had been slowed, but it hadn't stopped after all; if he couldn't handle the materials within half an hour, the Golden Horned Small Dragon would die due to untimely treatment.

Time was pressing!

“Professor Li, senior Breeders.” Li Yu suddenly spoke up.

“Hmm? Is there something, young brother?” Professor Li was curious.

“Please help me, seniors, let's process the materials together,” Li Yu said. “Although I've delayed its time of death, there are so many materials that I simply can't process them in time alone, so...”

“No way, what if the breeding fails and you shift the responsibility onto us?” a Breeder said.

“Exactly, not to mention asking Professor Li to act as your assistant; no Breeder in the entire country would dare say such a thing, it's too disrespectful to Professor Li,” an assistant added.

“I also think it's inappropriate.”

Several Breeders and assistants shook their heads one after another.

However, as Professor Li looked at that basket of materials, his eyes showed a hint of eagerness amidst his contemplation, and he immediately said: “Fine! I'll help you. I also want to see if the breeding plan in a young person's head is truly extraordinary.”

“Professor Li!” everyone shouted.

But Professor Li didn't care what others said; he grabbed a pile of materials, and after asking for the processing method, he carried them to a nearby machine and began processing them.

Seeing this, the group of Breeders and assistants could only follow suit, each taking some materials to process.

The large basket of materials was broken down into parts, and all the material processing machines were put to use; the breeding room became a hive of activity, with the sound of grinding wheels, the cutting of sharp blades, and the bubbling of boiling distillation rising and falling in succession.

Outside the breeding room.

Wang Mengting watched the busy scene inside nervously, her hand still tightly clutching a phone—it was Supervisor Song's phone, and the screen was still on the photo of the Starlight Wolf King.

This was a major reason why she trusted Li Yu and was willing to let Li Yu handle the breeding.

A Breeder who could produce an s-rank new species...

Should be very formidable.

Another person who was equally highly tense was Supervisor Song.

Many bloody scratches from fingernails still remained on his face and body; those were the glorious marks left behind just now while stalling for time for Li Yu and drawing the fire.

At this moment, that fat face carried an unprecedented longing.

Li Yu, you better pull through.

Old Song here is over 35, it's not easy to find a job...