Chapter 1: Dragon Soul War God

"Welcome to Dragon Soul! The new King of Soldiers!"

Beneath the five-star red flag and the banner of Dragon Soul, a young man stood tall and imposing. His brows were sharp, his eyes bright, his physique vigorous and powerful. On this day, he irrevocably changed his fate.

...

He Tian received a Chinese Dragon badge—the emblem of Dragon Soul. For this, He Tian had strived for seventeen long years, from the age of two until now. From a mere recruit to King of Soldiers, and now, a member of Dragon Soul.

He Tian possessed everything others could envy.

Dragon Soul was China’s most mysterious and elite organization. Unknown to the world, it carried the country’s most vital missions. It was the true force behind the scenes, representing ultimate combat prowess.

Within Dragon Soul, there was no power balancing. Its members were few—how many, He Tian himself did not know. Yet every member was capable of turning the tide of a small-scale war. Dragon Soul was the nation’s hidden, ultimate strength.

At its head was the true Dragon Chief: an old man, whose power was unfathomable.

"Old man! We meet again!" He Tian arrived at Dragon Soul’s headquarters and saw the Dragon Chief. Since he was two, the Chief had brought him here; though they met once a year, it was never of He Tian’s own accord. This time was different—He Tian finally had the right to initiate the meeting.

"Stand straight, don’t fool around with me. King of Soldiers? Where do you look like a King of Soldiers?" The Dragon Chief was aged, but his voice was vibrant, full of energy—like a man in his prime.

"Tch... You told me when I was five: if I wanted freedom, I had to become King of Soldiers and enter Dragon Soul—because Dragon Soul means freedom. Don’t tell me now it’s all a lie!" He Tian had abided by the rules for seventeen years. Now, he craved freedom more than anything.

To enter Dragon Soul was to gain freedom.

That was what the Dragon Chief had told him.

Yet now, He Tian might receive an answer entirely contrary to his pursuit. How could he accept that?

"Of course it’s not a lie! You’ll have every freedom. You could even immediately switch to American nationality and run for President—no one would interfere with you! But that’s outside; here, in Dragon Soul, you must follow the rules!" The Dragon Chief’s gaze was sharp, his presence daunting; a single glance left He Tian uneasy.

"Master!" He Tian muttered the words he always said upon seeing the Chief, then straightened and stood ramrod stiff.

"That’s more like it. But... since there’s no one else here, you can relax a little." The Dragon Chief suddenly smiled.

"Oh, come on, don’t mess with me." He Tian dropped himself into a seat, though his back remained straight, still maintaining a soldier’s posture.

Dragon Soul was the highest hall for soldiers—the destination for the King of Soldiers. In his bones, He Tian was a soldier; even as the King among them, that would never change.

"Alright, you’ve become King of Soldiers and entered Dragon Soul. You haven’t disappointed me. You are the youngest member since Dragon Soul’s founding, at nineteen, exceeding everyone’s expectations—though not mine. You arrived a year later than I predicted!" The Dragon Chief’s tone was warm, the stern aura vanished, like a senior facing his junior.

"What could I do? I spent a year and a half in Africa! Otherwise, I would have come for the assessment earlier." He Tian recalled his days in Africa—every day a hail of bullets, not something he wanted to remember.

"You think without your deeds in Africa, Dragon Soul would have opened its doors for you? Let me tell you, don’t get cocky. You could enter Dragon Soul not because your strength is unmatched. The road ahead of you is long." The Dragon Chief spoke gravely.

"I know! Don’t worry, sooner or later I’ll surpass you!" He Tian’s aura surged, the force of a true strongman, driven by relentless ambition.

"Hahaha, kid, I’ve heard you say that since you were five. I’ve been hearing it ever since!" The Chief laughed heartily, a gentle warmth flickering in his eyes.

"One day, I’ll surpass you! Old man, stop beating around the bush—if you’ve got something to say, say it quick. I want to go enjoy my freedom!" He Tian yearned for the outside world.

"He Tian! Remember, Dragon Soul is sacred! Entering Dragon Soul means you possess immense power, but equally, you shoulder immense responsibility! Freedom is always relative. Never forget you are a soldier! King of Soldiers is an honor, but also pressure and responsibility! Keep this in mind!" The Dragon Chief’s voice was solemn and deep.

"Understood! The motherland is my life!" He Tian’s face was earnest. Such loyalty was the belief of a soldier, ingrained in He Tian’s very bones.

Through every step, He Tian knew: loyalty was paramount.

Especially upon entering Dragon Soul, where loyalty was placed at the highest pedestal—the most fundamental premise.

"I trust you! This is yours. Keep it safe. Remember, never reveal your identity to anyone! Except for a few, no one in the country knows who you are. Outside, you’ll have a brand new, clean identity. You don’t need me to teach you these things!" The Chief tossed him a packet—documents for Dragon Soul members.

"Rest assured, I will fulfill my duties as a member of Dragon Soul and uphold its rules," He Tian said, his face solemn. Freedom was relative; its counterpart was loyalty to the nation.

"Very good. I heard you plan to attend university once you’re out?" The Chief smiled.

"How did you know? I just want to experience it, see what it’s like!" He Tian had been specially trained since childhood; he wanted to taste ordinary life.

It was like being inside and outside a besieged city—two worlds. No matter how splendid your world was, you’d always want to see what it was like on the other side.

"Experiencing it isn’t a bad idea. Among the things I just gave you is an admission letter to Tianhai University. Aren’t you keen on making money? I enrolled you in the School of Economics and Management." The Chief spoke with care.

"Really?" He Tian pulled out the acceptance letter. "Old man, thanks!"

He Tian didn’t care much about money, only that he wouldn’t shortchange himself. That meant having money! That’s how society worked now.

"Hehe, no need for thanks! Actually, I have a selfish motive. I want you to help take care of someone." The Chief smiled.

"A Dragon Soul mission?" He Tian’s face became serious—his first mission since joining.

"Dragon Soul missions are rare. You might not get one in years. This is a personal task—between you and me, of that nature." The Chief waved his hand dismissively.

He Tian looked at the Chief with suspicion.

In his understanding, the Chief never handled private matters; it was always about the nation. Now, he was invoking personal ties. What was he up to?

"What is it?" He Tian asked. Everything he had was given by the Chief; helping him was a duty.

"Look after them!" The Chief handed him a photo.

"Sisters?" He Tian frowned slightly—two girls, young. One was clearly shrewd and capable, mature and steady; the other, lively and cute, full of youthful beauty. Both were undeniably beautiful.

But beauty didn’t interest He Tian. He’d faced countless temptations throughout his growth.

He Tian eyed the Chief, thoughts swirling—who were these girls to the Chief? Relatives? But the Chief had always lived alone.

Could it be...

"Don’t let your mind wander!" The Chief saw through He Tian’s thoughts instantly.

"Who are they? What’s their connection to you?" He Tian asked, now focused.

"They are the daughters of Dragon Fang," the Chief said softly.

"Dragon Fang? How can that be? Dragon Fang has daughters? Two?" He Tian remembered Dragon Fang—he was the master of Dragon Scale. But three years ago, on a mission, he was killed by enemies. To this day, Dragon Scale had not found a new Dragon Fang; it had lost that iconic code name.

"There’s much you don’t know," the Chief said.

At certain levels—especially the master of Dragon Scale—family information was absolutely confidential, mainly to protect against enemies. After all, someone like Dragon Fang, commanding Dragon Scale and leading the entire Dragon Squad, had enemies everywhere.

"Their information was leaked?" He Tian asked.

"That’s right! Though we’re not certain if it’s true. Just rumors through some channels. And Dragon Fang’s death—it’s a national shame! We’ve always wanted to find the mastermind and avenge him! You don’t know, but Dragon Fang was always a Dragon Soul member, so his death is Dragon Soul’s shame too." The Chief’s anger seeped through.

"So you mean, protect these sisters—and while you’re at it, see if you can find any clues?" He Tian wasn’t foolish; fools couldn’t get into Dragon Soul.

"Exactly! This is your long-term mission. Will you accept or not?" The Chief’s voice was grave.

"I accept! Dragon Soul’s disgrace must be cleansed!" He Tian stood, his face resolute. "Since they’re Dragon Fang’s family, why is this a personal mission?"

"The Dragon Squad is investigating. But three years have yielded no progress. Dragon Fang was a member of Dragon Soul; we can’t really stand idly by. If Dragon Soul intervenes openly, the Dragon Squad would object. A personal mission is just a cover—do what you need, I only care about results." The Chief spoke deeply.

"I’ve got it." He Tian understood the complexities between organizations and didn’t ask further.

"Go, enjoy your freedom!" The Chief laughed.

"Goodbye, old man!" He Tian left eagerly—freedom, here I come...

"This kid... I went through such trouble arranging a personal relationship for him. Don’t let me down!" The Chief muttered to himself, but He Tian didn’t hear it.