The cavern flickers with unnatural light, security drones hovering near stone-carved altars. Drugged dragons lie in metallic enclosures, their breathing slow and heavy. The air is thick with an acrid chemical scent.
Mayang kneeling beside a dragon, her hands glowing faintly. "This isn't natural. Something is forcing their bodies into stasis."
David runs a hand over a dragon's scales. "They're alive, but barely. What did they do to them?"
Eka typing furiously on her tablet. "Give me a second... I’m in. There’s a file called ‘Project Awakening.’"
David frowning. "Awakening what?"
Eka grimly. "Not what—who. They’re fusing dragon DNA with AI enhancements. Sheng Xiu’s fingerprints are all over this."
A flickering hologram materializes above the altar, revealing Dr. Sheng Xiu’s smirking face.
Dr. Sheng Xiu Hologram. "You’re trespassing on history in the making. The Crown was only the beginning."