Under the Red Dragon

The sun had just risen, and the temperature hadn't yet climbed when a commotion broke out in the camp outside the Golden City, where the migrants and slaves who had been sold there were housed. The crowd fell into chaos, with many people running out of their temporary dwellings.

This camp, which housed migrants and slaves, consisted mostly of tents and crude wooden huts, hastily built by the dragonkin and human artisans who had settled here, so there wasn't much space. Each tent and hut was packed with people.

Now, those filling the tents and huts were being forcibly driven out by kobold soldiers wielding spears and swords, who then gathered the slaves and migrants in the open space within the camp.

The little girl Nora, supporting her grandmother and Village Chief Farn, was among them. These villagers, in an unfamiliar environment, spontaneously gathered together, which brought them a small sense of security.

Alina, the bronze dragon, used her shapeshifting ability to take human form, standing in front of the open space, quietly waiting for the migrants and slaves to gather.

The tall Alina stood beside a thick flagpole, which was made entirely of wrought iron and was quite heavy, but in Alina's hands, it was like a baton, easily wielded.

The flag, made of fine silk fabric, was not unfurled but rolled up.

The migrants and slaves gradually gathered, waiting quietly before the kobold soldiers' blades and spears. Although they wore expressions of fear, their morale was not bad.

This was because the territory had been providing these migrants and slaves with enough food, distributed in two meals a day, and it was enough to satisfy most of their hunger.

It should be known that many migrants might only have a full meal every few days. Even those humans living in the wilderness were frugal and could not afford to eat their fill at every meal. Only the most important laborers in the family could be sure of having enough to eat.

Seeing that everyone in the camp had been driven over by the kobold soldiers, the bronze dragon Alina slowly untied the ribbon that bound the flag. A gentle breeze blew, and the flag fluttered in the wind.

All the migrants and slaves couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

A beautiful, magnificent, and imposing flag shone with a moving brilliance under the rising sun. The images on the flag seemed to come to life, as if they could leap out at any moment.

Six lifelike dragon shadows were woven into the exquisite flag, soaring and flying, divided into six colors, arching over the red dragon in the center above the dragon horde.

That particularly prominent red dragon's head was majestic and ferocious, as if it could burst out at any moment. Like the other dragons, whose eyes were adorned with various colored gemstones, the large, scarlet, crystalline gemstones were the red dragon's eyes, as if looking down at everyone from above, reflecting a soul-stirring halo in the sunlight.

The bronze dragon Alina's bluish-gray hair fluttered in the wind. She raised her head high, her eyes sweeping across every face in the crowd. Her clear voice echoed in the ears of the frightened and bewildered people.

"This is the symbol of the dragon horde, the banner of the dragons, representing the will of the Dragon Lord and all the dragons," Alina shouted, effortlessly raising the fluttering flag. "Those who submit to the dragon horde and accept the rule of the dragons, kneel immediately and pay homage to the will of the dragons!"

Village Chief Farn unhesitatingly led the little girl Nora and the elderly grandmother to prostrate themselves on the ground. The knight's decisive action triggered a chain reaction.

When people are confused, they will subconsciously follow the first person to make a decision and take action. So, instantly, the crowd rippled, and the others also knelt down. The kobold soldiers with their swords and spears also knelt facing the fluttering flag, praising the name of the dragons.

The bronze dragon Alina's sharp eyes watched the reaction of everyone in the crowd, while she said, "And I, Alina, as the leader and chief administrator of the newly appointed New Reclamation Land Reclamation Corps, announce that you will all be under my jurisdiction."

"As the first legion established in the dragon horde's territory, you will all become members of the New Reclamation Land Reclamation Corps and be subject to military law. The territory will provide you with food, housing, and farming tools, but you will first be regarded as serfs, reclaiming wasteland and building cities for the territory."

Alina's words shocked everyone. Although these migrants and slaves did not have high expectations for the future, becoming lifelong serfs would be a terrible future.

The crowd began to stir, and many people, disregarding the supervision of the surrounding kobold soldiers, whispered to each other.

Even Farn was worried about his future. This seemed different from what the bandit mercenary groups had said.

"Quiet down," the bronze dragon Alina's clear voice suddenly rose, and the dragon's might flashed past, but the pressure from the young dragon made everyone shut their mouths.

The noisy crowd instantly fell silent. Even Village Chief Farn's current strength was not enough to resist the pressure of the young dragon's might.

"A long time ago, the prophets on the earth led the people to part the sea, and walked in the wilderness for decades before leading the people behind them into the promised land of the gods,"

The bronze dragon Alina raised her voice, like the priests of the gods' churches preaching to the lost lambs, proclaiming the doctrine for the gods, announcing to everyone with an unquestionable will: "And the generous and tolerant Dragon Lord, the supreme ruler of this place, the powerful Red King, Kalon Kogmora, you should thank him, because of his grace, you only need three years."

Village Chief Farn's expression changed slightly. The words spoken by the woman calling herself Alina were similar to the stories preached by the church, except that Alina used them on the dragons. This woman, or rather this dragon, knew a lot about human knowledge.

The bronze dragon Alina's voice was carried by the breeze that swept across the camp to everyone's ears. "In the presence of the Dragon Lord and the will of the dragon horde, I, Alina, at this time and in this place, will make an agreement and promise with you. After you work as serfs for the dragon horde for three years, you will be able to regain your status as free citizens. This is also the dragon horde's promise!"

"And at that time, you will be qualified to redeem the land you have opened up with your own hands, or you can choose to open up the land again and become self-sufficient farmers with your own land,"

"Or you can enter the New Reclamation Land Reclamation Corps with your excellent performance and become members of the legion serving the dragon horde, with a unique status and treatment."

"But in any case, after you gain freedom, you will automatically become the first generation of free citizens in the city you built with your own hands!"

The crowd stirred. Although some words were not very clear, these migrants and slaves knew that as long as they worked for the territory for three years, they would gain freedom. The fear and worry in their hearts faded, and they began to look forward to the future three years later.

Only Nora, with a worried look on her small face, looked at her elderly grandmother. Her grandmother had told her that as long as she lived well, she would always find a way to survive.

The young Nora was not afraid of the coming serf life. She was only afraid that her elderly grandmother would have a hard time getting through it.

"Now, salute the Dragon Flag, recite your name, in the name of the dragons! Swear allegiance!" After the bronze dragon Alina finished speaking, she inserted the flag into the soil in front of her.

Although the bronze dragon Alina felt that it would be more ritualistic and solemn to have everyone come forward to swear individually, there were too many of these migrants and slaves. This batch of people sent here numbered about three thousand, and it might take a whole day for each person to swear individually.

But time was quite precious for the bronze dragon Alina now. She couldn't wait to prove her ability, make some achievements, and make the dragon horde look at her with new eyes, proving that she had not let down Kalon's trust.

Village Chief Farn immediately took the lead, lowering his head and reciting his name, "I, Farn, in the name of the dragons, offer my loyalty, thank the Dragon Lord for his generosity, and thank the dragons for their virtue!"

The others lowered their heads one after another, learning from Farn, reciting their names, and swearing allegiance to the dragons. For a time, the camp was filled with voices.

"Very good. Next are some policies and regulations related to your future lives. I hope you pay attention to your future and don't miss this knowledge,"

The bronze dragon Alina signaled everyone to get up, and then handed a thin booklet to the human scribe standing beside her, signaling him to announce the future policies of the legion.

The human scribe was an old mercenary. Although he didn't have deep knowledge, he knew most of the common language, and he had experienced many adventures. Even when facing so many people, he still didn't change his expression and recited fluently.

Most of these slaves and migrants didn't have much culture, but since it concerned their future lives, they still pricked up their ears and listened.

For these policies and regulations, these migrants automatically summarized them in their hearts into terms they could understand.

For example, after becoming free citizens, they could choose to reclaim wasteland again, and the wasteland they reclaimed would belong to them, and they would not have to pay taxes for six years. If they redeemed the wasteland they had opened up during their three years of serf life, they would have to pay a certain amount of tax.

Moreover, they could apply to the territory for livestock such as cattle, horses, and dragon beasts to help with farming, and the territory would provide grain seeds for cultivation within ten years.

Moreover, the opening up of land was rewarded based on area. One hectare would earn the territory a reward of a chicken or duck-like poultry, and two hectares would earn livestock such as pigs and dogs.

Three hectares would earn rewards of large livestock such as cattle and horses, four hectares could apply for dragon beast rewards such as earth dragons, and five hectares or more could become low-level agricultural officials in the territory based on the merit of opening up land, enjoying certain tax reduction rights.

There were also policies to reward childbirth. Every child born to a serf, regardless of when, would automatically obtain the status and rights of a free citizen and would no longer be regarded as a serf.

If a girl was born, the reward would be two barrels of wine and a pig or dog. If a boy was born, the reward would be two barrels of wine and a cow or sheep. If a third child was born, the territory would also provide a dedicated wet nurse, and they could also apply to use animal milk to raise the child.

Moreover, as long as a child was born, they would receive assistance from the territory. Not only would they be rewarded with two acres of cultivated land, but the child would automatically enroll in the Dragon Academy and would enjoy the right to free food and lodging in the future Dragon Basic Academy.

Don't underestimate this. In a life where polarization is extreme and the common people are extremely separated from the noble upper class, materials are extremely scarce for these common people. Often, a family of three only has one thick leather jacket for winter.

When someone goes out in winter, they wear this thick leather jacket, and the rest can only huddle in the house to keep warm. And the rewards issued by the territory are enough to make these migrants and slaves excited.

Even Farn, the former leader of the Knights Templar, after living in the wilderness for a long time, heard these policies rewarding childbirth and was wondering whether he should find a wife to get by with in the coming time.

There were also some other regulations. The old and young would provide support for the legion's development on the logistics line, including grazing flocks of chickens, ducks, cattle, sheep, etc., washing clothes, cooking, and receiving supplies.

This put Nora, who had been listening intently, at ease. She patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Although her elderly grandmother was deaf and blind, she felt that she could take on the work of two people, as long as her grandmother could stay by her side all the time.

When everything was announced, the bronze dragon Alina immediately directed the kobold soldiers to divide the crowd into queues and head towards their destination. These kobold soldiers would also become the first generation of guards in the new city, responsible for guarding the people who were opening up the wasteland.

As the first pioneering legion in the dragon horde's territory, Alina also received a lot of material support. One after another, huge, tamed, and docile dragon beasts pulled long trailers, which contained materials transferred by the giantess Fafna from the Golden City's warehouse.

Most of them were food and tools made for reclamation. Of course, the carrying capacity of these dragon beasts was amazing. In order not to drag down the journey, some of the old and young were able to rest on the dragon beasts' trailers.

They followed the roads opened up by the dragonkin, stopping and going along the way, and it took nearly ten days to reach the place specially selected by the bronze dragon Alina for the new city.

This was because, on the one hand, the team was too large, with old and young, and the speed of travel was not fast. On the other hand, Alina also took this opportunity to register and register everyone's identity for management purposes.

Along the way, they also passed several small villages established by free people, which were inhabited by humans who had voluntarily settled and pioneering immigrants who had been recruited earlier.

Under the hard work of these people, pieces of wasteland were developed, living along the river. Now, the land that had been opened up was already planted with various crops, a green patch.

There were also vegetable fields opened up in the villages, with a variety of vegetables. Some gourd vines even climbed up the wooden houses in the villages, a pastoral landscape, quiet and peaceful.

There was also the land opened up by the dragonkin on the other side of the river, where some kobolds and gnolls lived together. Occasionally, human children and the cubs of these monsters would make an agreement, then row small boats and gather together to fish in the shallow waters on the shore.

But before long, they would be discovered by the adults on both sides, but the reactions of both sides were different.

The human parents were scolding the children to be careful, lest they encounter danger. Although the river had been cleaned up, there might be ferocious species swimming in.

And those gnolls and kobolds were laughing, ridiculing whose cubs were too weak and were knocked over in the water by the fish's tail.

And the bronze dragon Alina pointed to the villages and said to everyone, "Look, that is life, peaceful and beautiful, and it is also your future life. This is my agreement with you, and it is also the promise given to you by the dragon clan."

Seeing this harmonious and beautiful scene before them, the entire team quickened their pace unconsciously, and the faces of all the people were no longer confused. What was on their faces at this moment was a yearning and longing for a better life in the future.

Many young children would even pester their parents, arguing about what kind of pets they would raise in the future!

On the twentieth day, the Firstborn Pathfinder Legion finally arrived at their destination. During this period of integration, the team initially came together and became somewhat orderly and disciplined.

Under the command of the bronze dragon Alina, they followed the kobolds into the forest to cut down trees and build temporary residences, while the old and young set up tents at the foot of the mountain as temporary rest stops.

The bronze dragon Alina, on the other hand, ascended the low mountain, watching the location she had chosen for the new city.

This place was where the golden river that ran through the forest had a gentle confluence, with the exception of a few low peaks, the rest were low flatlands and river valleys, with many splashing waterfalls falling from the backs of the low valleys, which could be described as a scenic place of mountains and rivers.

A large enough city could be built on the plains of the mountain-backed river valley, and she would build the dragons' palace on the low mountains, the mansion for governing the territory.

The land along both sides of the river was also sufficient to open up many fertile fields, and through the connection of the Golden River, the connection between the territory and the dragon's nest was very convenient. In the future, as long as small and medium-sized ships used in the river area are built, they can travel between the dragon's nest and the territory, which is not only convenient for the transportation of materials, but also river transportation is more convenient than land transportation.

Therefore, when the bronze dragon Alina asked Kalon for instructions, she named the new city Bayflow City.

……

Kalon's huge body was mostly buried in the hot, boiling magma, with only a large head exposed, quietly listening to the chattering of the copper dragon Alfred.

The copper dragon and the red dragon have similar habits, and both like to build nests in warm places, but the copper dragon does not have the innate physical conditions of the red dragon to soak in magma for a bath, but the heat of the red dragon's nest did not make the copper dragon Alfred feel uncomfortable.

Only the increasingly powerful field pressure made Alfred feel uneasy, and this was still the result of Kalon deliberately restraining himself. However, in order to occupy a nest on the top of the mountains, the copper dragon went all out and endured the powerful pressure to talk with the red dragon.

"I've thought about it, Kalon, my other skills are not outstanding compared to the dragons of the dragon clan, but I like to tell stories, I like to talk, and I am good at making friends, so maybe I can become the diplomat of the dragon clan's territory? Although it may not be a great contribution to the dragon clan!"

The copper dragon Alfred cautiously probed the red dragon's reaction. In his own opinion, even this characteristic is not a special skill. Once Kalon refuses, his thoughts will be in vain.

Kalon narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, Alfred, maybe you can play a much bigger role than you think."

Kalon knew that in addition to the economic base and armed forces, there was another point that was especially important for the stability of a kingdom, and that was cultural awareness, which was an indispensable foundation and the basis for uniting all the forces of the kingdom.

Moreover, cultural awareness can be expressed as cultural public opinion propaganda in some aspects, which is a basic position that must be grasped by the dragon clan. It can not only unite the internal spiritual will of the kingdom, but sometimes it can also carry out a wave of reverse cultural output.

However, the territory was newly established before, and there was no foundation and energy to manage this aspect. Now it can be influenced and manipulated by the copper dragon Alfred to make some simple preparations.

"Alfred, sometimes telling stories can also influence other people's opinions and viewpoints and make them change their minds," Kalon said.

"I will appoint you as the chief officer of external cultural exchange in the dragon clan's territory. Next, write down the stories I tell. I will let you spread these two stories. Remember to find those bards and let them spread them together, and they can be printed into books and sold cheaply."

The copper dragon Alfred nodded solemnly, took out a small notebook, and began to prepare to record.

"These two stories are called The Dragon and the Game of Thrones, and The Ogre and the Princess," Kalon said in a low voice. He began to slowly tell the stories in the memories retrieved by the sub-brain cluster.

Kalon replaced all the dragon characters in The Dragon and the Game of Thrones with the five-colored dragons, and positioned these five-colored dragons as being moved by humans and invited to voluntarily form partnerships with humans, wanting to end the era of flying war, and some details were distorted and adapted.

Anyway, it was done in a way that would benefit the dragon clan's image. As he spoke, even the copper dragon Alfred felt sorry for them and shouted, "How can those dragons sacrifice their precious lives for the despicable humans to fight for power? It's a pity for the dragon. These humans are too hateful."

Kalon shook his head and smiled. These two stories are mainly to weaken the evil nature of the five-colored dragons and strengthen some of their shining points, and they cannot take up too much space, otherwise they will appear particularly deliberate. Regardless of how the other five-colored dragons react, as long as he and the dragon clan can benefit from it.

There is also the story of The Ogre and the Princess. These are Kalon's simple attempts at cultural propaganda, and they are also conducive to the integration of various races within the kingdom in the future. Regardless of whether others believe it or not, cultural propaganda should be like brainwashing. Over time, personal inherent views will always be affected.

Moreover, Kalon also has some interesting games in his memory, which can also become one of the unique cultural activities in the dragon clan's territory. Imagine walking down the street in the future and a group of people suddenly opening their mouths to invite you, "Hey, do you want to play a game of Dragon Cards?" Kalon suddenly thought it was quite interesting.

While Kalon was thinking about possible ideas for the future in his mind, he was distracted by the sub-brain cluster to tell stories to the copper dragon Alfred.

After a long time, the voice finally stopped. Kalon finally told the copper dragon, "Alfred, you can also create similar stories in the future, and those bards can be rewarded with some gold coins for their outstanding performances. You can start preparing to establish your own department."

"Also, remember to promote some of the shining points and unique features of the territory. Alfred, I believe in your vision and ability. You will definitely be able to do this well!"

The copper dragon Alfred nodded excitedly and shouted, "Kalon, I am already excited. I can't wait to do something. Don't worry, I won't let you down!"

"If you stay any longer, you will not only be excited, but the dragon meat on your body will also emit a焦香 smell," Kalon said with a smile, looking at the copper dragon whose scales had been scorched yellow by the high temperature.

"Ah, damn it, my scales are so beautiful. If they are burned, how will I pursue those arrogant female dragons in the future!" The red dragon's nest suddenly resounded with the copper dragon's earth-shattering cry.