Under the Red Dragon

The setting sun slanted, the evening clouds merged, and the setting sun melted gold.

The Dragon Nest Mountains seemed to grow with the red dragon. Not only the red dragon's peak, but the entire mountain range was also growing taller and wider under the traction of the red dragon's power and the surge of energy from the earth's core.

In the past, the highest point of the mountain range was only about a thousand meters, but now the highest peak of the mountain range has become the red dragon's nest, with a height of more than a thousand meters.

The other peaks were also gradually rising. The changes in the Dragon Nest Mountains, which occurred every day and night, were slow, but that was only relative to the eternally existing mountains and rocks.

For the dragonkin dwelling around, frequent and violent mountain tremors had become commonplace.

The lava flow, which spewed out day and night, covered the highest peak of the mountain range. It appeared particularly dark red under the golden sunset. Even with the surrounding twilight clouds, one could still feel the sulfurous smell, like a scene of the end of the world.

The rising mist and smoke gradually mixed with the twilight, like the dark side of the world, shrouded over the peak of the red lava flow.

Perennial frost covered the other two peaks, reaching halfway up the mountain. Under the glow of the setting sun, wisps of cold air seemed to freeze even the air above the peaks.

The frozen ice transformed the upper part of the mountain into an uneven ice mirror, reflecting brilliant colors. Occasionally, birds flying through the air would pause in front of the huge ice mirror, admiring their gorgeous feathers.

Two waterfalls cascaded down from the frost-covered peaks, refracting the golden light of the setting sun, like a Milky Way hanging in the sky, crashing into the mountainside, and finally flowing into the water veins in the forest.

On top of another mountain covered by green forests, a huge green canopy occupied the entire peak, with countless huge, twisted trees forming the pillars supporting the canopy.

Above the canopy was a palace, decorated with ancient vines, poisonous flowers, and thorny leaves, exuding vibrant vitality. The cliffs were lush with vegetation, and the ancient trees that welcomed the wind were gnarled and strong. Birds often nested on the ancient trees on the cliffs, their figures appearing and disappearing in the clouds.

There were also two peaks often shrouded in dark clouds, with countless frictional lightning bolts flashing between the clouds, and rainstorms lurking within the clouds, about to erupt.

The peaks were like those eroded by the wind and sand in the endless desert, becoming a land shrouded in wind and sand. Surprisingly, some plants that only grow in the desert grew between the mountain walls: prickly cacti, scaly saxaul trees, and red willows.

There were also dozens of species of poplar trees with different leaf shapes growing on the cliffs, as well as tall sweet wormwood. These seeds, brought by birds from unknown places, took root and sprouted here, forming their own kingdom.

The last unique peak was filled with a foul-smelling thick fog, staining the twilight clouds black. The entire peak was like a swamp that had been deposited for many years.

Birds stopped here, and beasts disappeared here. Only when the weather was clear could a vague, enormous figure be seen emerging in the thick black fog.

Among the peaks, either overlooking or guarding, was a massive fortress that was slowly rising. This castle abandoned the redundant structures of human castles, such as sentry towers and walls, leaving only the main structure.

This made the castle look more like a huge palace, which would be the future sanctuary of the dragons, the future royal fortress of the dragons.

Even when looking up at the foot of the mountain, the copper dragon Alfred and the bronze dragon Alina could still imagine the future magnificence and grandeur of the castle.

The dragon nests and royal fortress, high on the peaks and surrounded by clouds, gave the copper dragon Alfred and the bronze dragon Alina an extremely strong sense of shock, which had nothing to do with power, but was a kind of imposing manner.

Even the bronze dragon Alina's parents, two adult bronze dragons, had built a nest in the sea that was wide enough, and the treasures accumulated by the adult dragons made the nest look radiant, but it seemed particularly stingy in comparison to the dragons.

Alina even felt that even owning a floating city as her nest could not compare to the shock brought to her by the dragons.

The copper dragon Alfred felt that his nest was just a doghouse. Alfred was almost looking up as he walked. He said to the centaur warrior leading the way, "A male dragon should be like this!"

The bronze dragon Alina did not speak, and she was immersed in the process of walking up the mountain.

As night fell, many kobolds and green goblins rode dragon beasts and gray wolves along the steps, and the torches they held high lit the lights on both sides of the wide stone steps. The tall torches burned fiercely, spreading up layer by layer until the top of the mountain.

Alfred and Alina, two young dragons, looked back with a feeling in their hearts. Above the sky, the Milky Way was rolling, and on the earth, the stars were shining. Countless lights were lit in the neat villages at the foot of the mountain, and the area near the Dragon Nest Mountains seemed to have become a city that never sleeps.

Even though the Golden City in the distance was too far away, they could still see the halo of light diffused by the soaring lights. These halos dispelled the surrounding darkness, and in the eyes of the dragons, they were like striking blooming flowers in the wilderness, like the brilliance on gold coins, making the two dragons obsessed.

"What a beautiful scenery," the bronze dragon Alina sighed. The sea has its profound and gorgeous aspects, but the myriad lights on land are also colors that are difficult to compare with in the sea.

The distance of the stone steps from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain was not far for the dragons, but the copper dragon Alfred and the bronze dragon Alina followed behind the silent centaur warrior, as if they had walked a long distance.

Finally, when all the mountain roads leading to the dragon's nest were lit by lights, the centaur warrior Chiron stopped and turned to the two young dragons and said, "I have already conveyed the message through the birds. The dragons are waiting on the top of the mountain, so I can no longer send the two distinguished guests."

Alfred nodded, looked at the departing figure of the centaur warrior, and then looked at the bronze dragon Alina. In the perception of the two dragons, the aura of the dragons gathered on the top of the mountain was like a bright light, as if waiting specifically for distinguished guests from afar.

The bronze dragon Alina took a deep breath, and then took the first step onto the last two steps. The copper dragon Alfred followed closely behind, and then the two dragons finally saw the figures of the dragons.

At this time, the top of the mountain was already surrounded by blazing torches. The figures of the dragons lined up under the light of the tall torches were like the lords of the shadow realm lurking in the dark.

The white dragons Gremot and Camid, the green dragon Antagina, and the black dragon Rosani, four young dragons, were lined up on the right hand side, and the blue dragons Akzi and Dos and the red dragon Kleineria squatted on the left hand side.

The eyes of the dragons converged on the two dragons that climbed to the top, and the scrutinizing eyes made the two young dragons feel pressured.

The red dragon, sitting in the center of the dragons, with its huge and majestic body and majestic and ferocious face, was half in the light of the lights and half hidden in the shadows. Its scarlet eyes condescendingly looked down at Alfred and Alina.

The eyes of the dragons bloomed with a light that was more brilliant than gold and brighter than the lights.

Even though the bronze dragon Alina had seen many adult dragons and many old dragons, although those dragons were powerful, they were far less powerful than the pressure that the dragons gave her.

Although the scene in front of her could be described as simple, it revealed a wild and unrestrained atmosphere.

The copper dragon Alfred was also the same. He even forgot that he had become friends with the Lord of the Dragons.

Under this silent pressure, the two young dragons involuntarily lifted the transformation spells on their bodies, revealing the bodies of the dragons.

The copper dragon Alfred slightly lowered his head to pay tribute to the dragons, and then said: "Greetings to all the noble true dragons, Caron, the King of the Dragons, I hope my arrival will not disturb you!"

"Greetings to the dragon lords, and sincere greetings to you from the bronze dragon Alina!" The bronze dragon Alina also lowered her head slightly, subconsciously temporarily abandoning the bronze dragon's prejudice and arrogance towards the chromatic dragons, and paid tribute to the dragon group.

The red dragon, sitting in the center of the dragons, stared at the courtesy of the two young dragons, and then suddenly smiled after the two dragons saluted, revealing his thick and white fangs.

"Alfred, you don't need to be so polite. You are my friend. I said that you are very welcome to come to my territory, and my territory will shine because of your arrival!"

"As for you, the beautiful bronze dragon lady Alina, you are Alfred's friend and will become a distinguished guest in the territory. Please don't be restrained, otherwise it will be the fault of the dragons!"

Along with the red dragon's smiling face and gentle words, the oppressive and awe-inspiring atmosphere of the dragons' gaze also melted away, and the two young dragons felt relieved and were able to face the dragons squarely.

The copper dragon Alfred looked at the red dragon in front of him. At this time, the red dragon's body length had reached fifteen meters. In front of the copper dragon with a body length of sixteen meters, it was impossible to tell that this was just a young dragon.

Because the young copper dragon looked more like a thin young man meeting a strong adult in front of the red dragon. This contrast was particularly obvious when the body lengths were similar.

The red dragon was now in the most dazzling period of scale color on a dragon's body. In the eyes of the copper dragon Alfred, at this time, perhaps only the gold dragon with an outstanding appearance and the silver dragon known for its beauty could become the red dragon's companion. Those chromatic dragons were not worthy of the red dragon's power and appearance.

Even the proud dragon, Alfred, could not help but feel a strange feeling called self-deprecation in his heart. He couldn't help but say: "Caron, you have become more beautiful... uh, more powerful!"

Caron's increasingly majestic and ferocious head shook gently, and the red dragon, who was skilled at carrying sedan chairs since he was a child, praised: "Alfred, your posture has also become more graceful and majestic."

"Ha," the expression on the copper dragon Alfred's face immediately became active. He smiled happily, and even the bat wings on his back fluttered.

Alfred happily said: "Caron, my friend with excellent vision and beautiful and powerful, I yearn for the dragon's nest. I wonder if I am lucky enough to join the dragon group and occupy a nest on this mountain top."

In the copper dragon Alfred's view, his territory that was not even visited by birds was completely incomparable to the territory of the dragons in front of him. Not to mention his nest, he really wanted to join the dragon group, even if this dragon group was dominated by chromatic dragons.

The copper dragons and yellow dragons belong to the alternative among the metallic dragons. One is mindless and the other is unhappy. Most of them belong to a relatively chaotic state. They completely ignore the camps of good dragons and evil dragons and act completely according to their own preferences.

The copper dragon Alfred had now completely forgotten the purpose of his visit with the bronze dragon Alina. This is the selfish nature of the dragon.

Under his own interests, let alone that Alfred had not yet formed a partner with the bronze dragon Alina, even if they had become partners, Alfred would give priority to his own demands.

In the expectant eyes of the copper dragon Alfred, Caron shook his head. This matter did not require the dragon group to decide at all. He could give an answer immediately.

The red dragon said solemnly to the copper dragon: "Alfred, as a distinguished guest of the dragon group, you can stay and play in the mountains at will. I and the dragons all welcome your arrival,"

"But if you want to join the dragon group and have your own nest on the top of the mountains, you must prove your ability and bring contribution and value to the dragon group. This is the only way to get the dragon group to accept you."

The red light in the red dragon's eyes flickered with a light called flickering. He slowly said: "Otherwise, even if I allow you to directly join the dragon group, these dragons will not sincerely accept you."

The expectant light in the copper dragon Alfred's eyes dimmed, and he muttered: "Contribution and value, what contribution and value can I bring to the dragon group? What else can I do besides bragging and telling stories? I am not very good at fighting either. Alfred, quickly use your smart brain to think about it."

Caron couldn't help but find the copper dragon's performance amusing. He liked this dragon's special temperament very much. Caron had never seen a trace of prejudice in the copper dragon Alfred's eyes, as if that clear stupidity had occupied all of the copper dragon's eyes.

But for the bronze dragon Alina, Caron directly asked: "Beautiful Ms. Alina, I probably already know your intention. If you pass the dragon group's approval, then I guarantee that the guys in the dragon group will never exclude or target you just because you are a bronze dragon."

Caron's eyes swept over the dragons, and he saw the reactions of the dragons clearly.

The young dragons were all wagging their tails quickly. The chromatic dragons' prejudice against the metallic dragons was still there, but under the friendly meeting, the male dragons' instincts began to take over.

With the gradually developing and improving sexual reproductive system, these young male dragons were beginning to become restless, and the bronze dragon, who could be described as beautiful in the eyes of the dragons, also became their object of reverie.

The young blue dragon Akzi nodded repeatedly, without the calmness of the past. He hurriedly said: "Ah, yes, yes, yes, what Caron said is right!"

Only two female dragons, the female red dragon Kleineria and the female green dragon Antagina, did not care. In fact, in the eyes of these dragons, most of the time, Caron's decision was equal to the dragon group's decision.

What Caron said about the dragon group's approval was just that Caron himself wanted to test the bronze dragon Alina's knowledge.

The bronze dragon, Alina, nodded and then said, "I don't know if the dragon group just wants to become lords ruling over one area or establish a normal kingdom ruled by dragons. If they only choose to become lords ruling over one area, then I can only give the dragon group advice on some minor aspects."

"Well, just assume we want to establish a kingdom ruled by dragons," Kalon nodded, signaling the bronze dragon, Alina, to continue.

"If you want to establish a kingdom, then you should first determine the system of the kingdom. Even if there are few people in the early stage, you should build the framework of the kingdom's system and gradually fill and replace it later,"

"This can also avoid some chaotic operation of power in the early stage and create some kind of hidden rules. If this continues for a long time, these hidden rules will become tumors and troubles."

The bronze dragon, Alina, spoke eloquently, "For example, the administrative office of the Golden City takes overall charge of all affairs of the Golden City, but without detailed responsibilities and relevant officials, it not only leads to extremely chaotic operation, but also becomes an obstacle in the subsequent division of power."

"Moreover, when establishing the kingdom system, after referring to many kingdoms, I think the dragon group's territory is more suitable to remove those inherent lord classes. Although those lords can help expand the territory rapidly in the early stage, they often become obstacles to the kingdom in the later stage,"

"The kingdom's orders cannot override the will of these lords. There is no need for a country within a country in the dragon's kingdom. It can be changed to administrative officers and military officers governing local cities appointed by the ruler. Those who perform well will be rewarded, and those who perform poorly will be dismissed and punished."

Kalon's expression was calm, but he inwardly agreed with the bronze dragon's statement. However, he did not expect that the bronze dragon, Alina, would propose this kind of system similar to feudal centralism. In the northern countries, federal systems, this kind of composite state structure, are very popular, but the unitary state structure proposed by the bronze dragon is rarely marketable.

Moreover, dragons often hope to have a territory of their own. He originally thought that the bronze dragon, Alina's, request was also the same.

However, Kalon continued to listen. The bronze dragon, Alina, expressed her opinions from the national system to the implementation of specific laws and policies.

"There is also the policy of reclaiming wasteland. According to the dragon group's laws, all humans and other races who come to settle in this land will become free people and be provided with a fixed amount of food, housing, and agricultural tools. They can also freely develop land and have a series of preferential policies,"

The bronze dragon looked at the red dragon, she breathed out and said, "But I think that only those who come to this land as free people and voluntarily settle can have these preferential conditions, while those who are sold as slaves should be regarded as serfs, accept the dragon group's jurisdiction and cultivate and reclaim wasteland for the dragon group."

"It is difficult to provide enough food in a short time only by relying on the dragon's dependents, and giving overly generous conditions will not be cherished by those people. A certain class should be divided so that these serfs can work for three years before they can obtain the status of free people and have the rights of free people."

"Moreover, not only these serfs need to be divided into classes, but all members of the territory need to be divided into fixed classes. Only those who perform well can be rewarded and jump to higher class levels."

"Among them, the dragon is the supreme ruler, which can never be surpassed, and below it is the division of various classes."

Kalon looked at the bronze dragon, Alina, with some surprise. As a kind bronze dragon, she would not show her kindness when substituting into the ruling class, and she also had the supreme dragon's doctrine, but the class division similar to the caste system was not what he wanted.

Kalon interrupted the bronze dragon, Alina's, speech, and he solemnly said, "Alina, I agree with and appreciate many of your ideas, but everyone and every race under the dragon will have the equality of personality, and the division of social status will replace the division of racial class, which is enough,"

"What I need is a kingdom ruled by dragons that is full of vitality and where all races coexist, not a stagnant pool, a lifeless puppet country with the dragon as the only will."

The expression on the bronze dragon, Alina's, face froze. She felt that maybe this time she had failed again, and in order to cater to the red dragon's preferences and get the opportunity she wanted, she had also made up her mind to change some of her ideas.

A strong sense of frustration arose in the bronze dragon, Alina's, heart. She was a little afraid of the verdict issued from the red dragon's mouth.

"However, your suggestions in many aspects are in line with the will of the dragon group. I can give you a chance to become the person in charge of the new reclamation area, responsible for developing and building new cities in the dragon group's territory. You have great potential, Alina, and I look forward to your growth."

The red dragon expressed his affirmation and stretched out his dragon claw towards the bronze dragon, Alina, who seemed to be in a daze.

The bronze dragon, Alina, suddenly came back to her senses. She did not fail, but was affirmed by the red dragon. The surprise like discovering treasure poured into the bronze dragon, Alina's, heart.

She happily lowered her head, held the red dragon's thick dragon claw and kissed it, "Thank you for your trust, honorable Lord of the Dragon Group, King who controls the earth and flames, Master of metallic power."

"Go, my trust in you will be the same as the trust in every dragon in the dragon group, Alina, repay the dragon group's trust in you with your performance." The red dragon withdrew his dragon claw, spread his broad wings, and soared to the highest peak among the mountains.

The other dragons also nodded friendly to the two young dragons, and then each flapped their wings and flew back to their mountain nest. Soon, only Alfred and Alina were left here.

"Let's go, Alfred," the bronze dragon, Alina, walked down the top of the mountain, looked back at the dragon nests in the mountains, turned her head to look at the copper dragon, Alfred, and said, "Alfred, I understand your intentions. If you want to become my partner, it should be when you build your nest on the top of the mountains."

The copper dragon, Alfred, nodded a little confused, and suddenly exclaimed, "It's over, Alina, Kalon hasn't said where we should live tonight yet!"