High King

Life is the greatest miracle in the universe. The universe encompasses all directions and space. Though space has substance, it lacks a fixed point. Time flows from the past to the present, and while it has an extension, its origins remain unknown. In the vastness of space and the endless starry sky, many scientists speculate that Earth may be the only cradle of life. Humanity, in truth, is lonely. Among the countless stars scattered across the heavens, it’s nearly impossible to find a second planet that harbors life. But humanity has never given up its quest for exploration. Since the last century, numerous space probes have been launched. Voyager 2 is an unmanned space probe, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. in 1977. Onboard, it carries a gold-plated record titled "Greetings to the Universe," containing popular music and greetings recorded in 55 languages of Earth, in hopes that one day it might be intercepted and received by an alien civilization. From the 1970s until now, Voyager 2 has journeyed alone, like a speck of dust in the boundless universe. Most space probes of its era have either malfunctioned or lost communication with Earth, vanishing forever into the silent depths of space. More than thirty years have passed, and while technology has advanced, and newer, more sophisticated space probes have been developed, Voyager 2 remains ahead of them all. Thirty-three years after its launch, Voyager 2 is now over 14 billion kilometers from Earth. At this very moment, it has reached the third cosmic velocity, leaving its orbital path unable to return to the solar system, transforming into an interstellar spacecraft. In the cold, dark universe, stars twinkle like diamonds scattered across a vast black canvas. Though Voyager 2 is moving at incredible speed, it seems as if it’s crawling like a tiny ant across the vast, dark expanse of space. Yet after more than three decades of travel, today, Voyager 2 made an astonishing discovery! In the silent void, nine colossal corpses lie motionless... On May 22, 2010, NASA received a mysterious data transmission from Voyager 2. After arduous decryption, they were presented with an unbelievable image. In that moment, everyone in the control room turned pale, frozen like statues. The shock was indescribable. It took them a long time to recover, and when they did, the control room erupted. "My God, what am I seeing?" "How is this possible? Unbelievable!" Voyager 2, now beyond control, continued forward, transmitting this mysterious data before it quickly passed through that dark region of space, heading towards even deeper, more shadowy realms. Although the discovery was monumental, humanity is powerless to act due to the immense distance. The mysterious data has not been publicly released. Shortly after, Voyager 2 experienced a malfunction, cutting off communication with Earth. Perhaps that marks the end of the story, but sometimes, things turn out differently than expected. For space observation and exploration, and in the fields of life and physical sciences, space stations offer an unparalleled environment. Since the Soviet Union’s successful launch of the first manned space station in 1971, nine space stations have been launched worldwide. On June 11, 2010, astronauts aboard the International Space Station also witnessed something extraordinary. In this age, the existence of gods has long been dismissed. Any lingering belief in them is often seen as mere emotional solace. But at that moment, the astronauts' beliefs were deeply shaken. They saw something beyond comprehension. Outside the station, in the cold, dark expanse of space, nine massive creatures lay still, as if they had been there for eternity, exuding an overwhelming sense of desolation and ancientness—nine dragon corpses! Identical to the dragons of ancient myth. Each dragon corpse stretched over 100 meters, forged like iron, radiating a sense of immense power. All nine dragons were black, five-clawed, with crystal-clear horns glowing with a faint purple light. Their bodies were entirely black, shimmering faintly in the dark, and their scales gleamed with a mysterious light. Dragons, legendary beings, once believed to stand beside gods, defying the laws of nature. Yet who, in this age of science, would believe they actually exist? The astronauts aboard the space station were struck by this unbelievable sight! In the silent universe, these cold, lifeless dragon corpses appeared as indestructible as iron fortresses. One could almost feel the terrifying power still lingering within their bodies. But they had long since lost all signs of life, resting eternally in the cold void of space. "What is that...?" After the initial shock, the astronauts’ pupils contracted once again, as they witnessed an even more staggering sight. Each of the nine dragon corpses, over 100 meters long, was bound at the tail by thick black iron chains. These chains extended into the dark reaches of space, tethering the dragons to a massive 20-meter-long bronze coffin. The chains, forged through countless hammerings, were thick and sturdy, their cold black gleam exuding an eerie chill. The bronze coffin, ancient and unadorned, bore faded, time-worn patterns, exuding the weight of eons. How many years it had floated in space, no one could say. Nine dragons pulling a coffin! In the cold and dark universe, the nine dragon corpses and the bronze coffin, linked by those thick iron chains, created a truly overwhelming sight. After a moment of stunned silence, the astronauts immediately sent out a distress signal. "Calling Earth..."