Under the Red Dragon

Sharp, howling bird cries echoed through the continuous forest, along with the calls of eagles and the roars of ferocious beasts.

These were the rangers of the Golden Empire, traversing their domain, using these animals and beasts to gather the information they sought.

Occasionally, ancient treants within the forest would stir from their silent, natural state and communicate with the arriving rangers.

Even half a night would have been sufficient for the prepared dragon hunters to flee the Golden Empire to distant lands.

Now that the second day had arrived, if those dragon hunters possessed magical artifacts and tools related to spatial teleportation, even the Empire's grand mages and dragons would be unable to detect their location.

However, as long as something exists, it will inevitably leave traces of its existence.

The Golden Empire's exhaustive search, while seemingly unnecessary, could provide valuable experience for the Empire's vigilance and search systems.

Besides the rangers roaming the forests, the Empire's inland waterway guards also patrolled the Golden River in search vessels.

The Golden Empire's overall terrain sloped from north to south, and the Golden River flowed along this gradient, making it the largest river in the Empire, with countless branches extending east and west.

Although the Golden River originated in the grasslands, it was replenished by the waterways of the Dragon's Nest Mountains.

The Dragon's Nest Mountains, initially formed by the long-term habitation of the two white dragons, Gormoth and Camide, had permanently altered the geography over time.

Each day, vast amounts of glacial snow melted, forming small tributaries that flowed into the Empire's main river.

Moreover, as the number of dragons within the Empire increased, the geography of the Dragon's Nest Mountains was changing even more noticeably.

Especially the initial core members of the Gormoth dragonflight, whose peaks were located at the main nodes, towering above almost all the other mountains.

This was not only due to the influence and favor of the Empire's Dragon Emperor, Calon Gormoth, but also the effect of the exceptional dragons' long-term habitation.

Ordinary dragons would require a century to naturally create such supernatural signs around their nests.

Unfortunately, every core member of the Gormoth dragonflight was no ordinary dragon.

Besides the white dragons Gormoth and Camide, the white dragons Sloka and Roni did not have the qualifications to occupy the main mountain peaks alone.

These two white dragons only occupied two branch peaks around the Empire's White Scale Twins' main peak, building their nests on the mountain's branches.

While the adult white dragon Sacreless and the ferocious Scarred Dragon Roca were powerful, they could only occupy two of the branch peaks as their foothold.

As for the other white dragons, including the Frostwind dragonflight originally led by the adult white dragon Sacreless, a total of five remained, all nesting around the White King Twins' main peak.

Dragons of other scale colors were in a similar situation to the white scales. Among the red dragons, only the young red dragon Cadyros, besides Kleineria, was able to occupy a main peak alone.

And Kleineria did not like any dragons living around her nest. Therefore, the main peak occupied by this perpetually temperamental female red dragon was devoid of any other dragons.

Under these circumstances, the Golden River, which already ran from north to south, grew even larger, with increasing water flow and a widening surface.

In the widest sections of the Golden River, the width reached one hundred and twenty kilometers, and the Empire had not yet accurately measured the deepest points.

The narrowest point of the Golden River was once located at the Flying Ape Gorge in the middle reaches of the downstream, only forty meters wide, named because the local people of the Empire described that wild apes in the mountains could swing across.

However, as these search vessels passed through the Flying Ape Gorge, they saw a shadow cast from the sky above.

High above, dragons were appearing.

In that long queue, twenty nearly identical wyverns were being ridden by their knights, guarding and leading the way at the front of the queue.

Sixteen white dragons of varying sizes spread out and surrounded them, forming a protective array.

Behind them were over a hundred wyvern knights and warriors of the 'Bloodscale Berserker Legion'.

Two enormous white-scaled magic dragons, each forty meters long, were surrounded by these dragons and warriors, pulling a massive war chariot that rumbled through the sky.

The war chariot was adorned with the royal banner of the Golden Empire, with dragons of various scale colors fluttering on the flag.

Two small bells hung from the eaves of the war chariot's roof, tinkling crisply.

At the front of the chariot, two purple-haired, purple-eyed, handsome Valyrian Iron Guards steered and controlled the massive magic dragon species in front.

These magic dragons, bred and hatched by the Valyrians using druidic knowledge and magic, found better growing conditions in Akania's world. Their size increased so rapidly, far faster than in their original world.

These magic dragons were also far more intelligent and spiritual than their counterparts in their original world. Although these magic dragons still could not possess the magical abilities and heritage of the true dragon species in Akania's world, they were gradually becoming powerful aerial weapons in the Golden Empire.

Because these magic dragons were gradually undergoing mutations under the influence of the true dragons in the Golden Empire, becoming dragon-blooded infected magic dragons.

In front of the chariot's gate stood four warriors clad in magic-powered armor, the Frost Giant guards of the White Scale King Gormoth.

The White Scale King Gormoth's slender dragon body coiled in the chariot, his head resting lazily on his claws, occasionally licking the scales on his paws like a large cat.

This made the scales on Gormoth's front paws appear more magically lustrous than the scales on other parts of his body.

The expression on Gormoth's face was one of boredom, because in his eyes, and in the eyes of the other dragons in the Gormoth dragonflight, dragons were born to use their wings to soar through the sky, not to stay on the ground.

However, the Empire considered this visitation invitation very important, believing that the Empire's Dragon King's tour should not lack momentum, but should have dignity.

This convinced these dragons, who liked to fly through the sky with their own wings.

Thus, under the hands of those craftsmen, such a huge war chariot, relying on a simplified version of the Mythral Core as a levitation energy source and powered by the Empire's magic dragons, was forged in a short period of time.

The white dragons accompanying the White Dragon Gormoth on his tour included several from the Frostwind white dragon tribe, while the remaining white dragons were those dragons subdued by the Empire's Dragon Emperor that night.

The Empire's White Scale King had the power to control these white dragons, and naturally had to bear the obligation to supervise, discipline, and transform these white dragons.

Excluding the dragons killed by the Empire during the Dragon Fury Night, a total of sixty-six dragons survived and were restrained by the Empire's Emperor Calon Gormoth, who imposed penalties and required them to serve in the Empire to atone for their sins.

Most of them were white dragon species, restrained by the white dragon Gormoth.

The good news was that these white dragon species were relatively weaker than the other dragon species, so not only did they survive, but their injuries also recovered relatively quickly.

The dragon hallucinogenic potion created by the magical alchemist madman Tiki was not wasted on these white dragon species by the subsequent rapid reaction forces, giving these white dragons enough vitality at this moment.

However, these dragons could not compare to the white dragon Gormoth. This white dragon, who grew to nineteen meters long in his adolescence, looked like a snow-covered hill even when lying in the huge chariot.

The wyverns patrolling and guarding in front were also powerful species in the mortal world, averaging more than six meters in length, but next to the white dragon Gormoth, they were like chicks on the ground compared to eagles in the sky.

Traveling smoothly through the cities in the Golden Empire's territory, and even after passing through the Gulfstream City at the southernmost tip of the Empire, even this seemingly powerful team began to attract some malicious gazes.

This was the central border area between the Golden Empire and the outer edge of the Godforsaken Mountains. Although this area was also very large, the unsealing of the Godforsaken Mountains had caused this vast area to gradually become chaotic.

This place had always been plagued by disputes, swept back and forth by the monsters that escaped from the Godforsaken Mountains and the Golden Empire's 'Crimson Mercy' battle group.

Many adventurers were also mixed in, trying to gain some benefits from this complex place.

At the very least, these adventurers could act as a team to capture giant species and other rare and exotic beasts that had escaped from the Godforsaken Mountains, and then bring them to the trade market in Gulfstream City.

The current Gulfstream City was no longer as poor as it once was, and was already the main city at the southernmost tip of the Golden Empire. Although it could not compare to the prosperity of Golden City, it was still better than most of the most prosperous cities of small and medium nobles.

With the 'Crimson Mercy' main battle group stationed there, the officials of Gulfstream City could let go and open up in all directions.

Four hundred miles east of Gulfstream City's coast was a cliffside.

It was originally not suitable as a place to build a harbor, but in front of the craftsmen of the Empire's Infrastructure Management Office, there were no insurmountable mountains.

Although high-energy gunpowder could not occupy the mainstream in the Empire's military plan, it was undoubtedly an unparalleled weapon in terms of civil engineering.

Although the Empire's infrastructure department did not like to use its inventions to blow up fish like the goblins, they were particularly keen on opening mountains and splitting rocks.

It seemed that they could gain the same power from such actions as those superhumans.

In order to complete the construction of the harbor here, Gulfstream City specially transferred the undead legion residing in the Forest of Sin from the Empire's Central Parliament.

The Empire's sleeping lich once again transformed into a contractor, and the Empire's infrastructure team worked during the day, while these bone undead would appear at the harbor construction site at night.

Thanks to these tireless and unpaid undead legions, the harbor built by Gulfstream City had been in operation for several months.

Along the way from the harbor to Gulfstream City, villages and towns had sprung up due to the harbor's trade and the branch canal transport.

Many merchant ships from the Golden Sea Route would also stop and rest here, bringing a lot of business.

On the way back, these ships would also replenish supplies here, and by the way, buy some rare birds and animals or elite slaves for those noble lords.

When these outsiders saw the queue appearing in the sky, they knew that a big man from the Golden Empire was on tour, so they stopped to watch.

Because a team with such a configuration could already be considered an elite squad. Just the ten or so dragons rampant in the sky were a full-fledged war weapon anywhere, flexible, free, and powerful.

Most importantly, these dragons that submitted to the Golden Empire would have different order and obedience from other loose dragons under the influence of the Empire's transformation.

"It's really terrible, the Golden Empire has subdued many dragons again, but unfortunately I wasn't there at the time, I didn't see the scene, it is said that all the dragons are afraid of the Dragon Emperor of the Golden Empire,"

"The Dragon Emperor only gave a roar, and the dragons were so scared that they even peed their pants."

Looking at the dragon shadow that was going away in the sky, there was a lot of discussion in Gulfstream City.

"Hey, you don't know, a distant relative of mine was there at the time. According to him, the Dragon Emperor of the Empire ate a dragon alive who tried to escape in order to establish his power! So the other riotous dragons didn't dare to escape again."

"Ah? So terrifying? Why did I hear that the Dragon Emperor of the Empire tore several riotous dragons in half, and the blood of those dragons is still on the towers of the King's Landing and has not dried up..."

"It seems like this, hee, I also heard that the souls of those dead dragons are unwilling to return to the River Styx, turning into the resentment of the dragon souls, crying in the King's Landing every night, it's so terrifying..."

The rumors in the market have always been distorted, and the rest of the people have expressed their own hearsay, but the natives in Gulfstream City shook their heads and were too lazy to listen to the chattering of these outsiders.

But there were also some special professionals walking in the market, mixed in the crowd, listening carefully to the discussions of these outsiders.

These special professionals looked no different from other people, and their clothes were not outstanding. They were lost in the crowd like a drop of water into the sea.

Only these special professionals knew that the members of the Dark Crow Eye were never selected based on appearance and strength, but on a person's adaptability and integration with the surrounding environment.

The Empire never convicts people for their words, and even the romantic scandals of the Dragon Lords and Dragon Emperor have never resulted in anyone being convicted.

But not all words can be spread in public, such as remarks that incite the people of the Empire to revolt.

Stopping and going, crossing the low rolling hills and jungles, the towering high mountains of the Magical Mountains were already faintly visible in the distance.

Although there were many ferocious monsters and beasts along the way, the dragon's might gathered and naturally emitted by the ten or so white dragons traveling together had already caused most creatures to retreat on their own.

Only when passing through a dense forest swamp did some unexpected situations occur.

A fierce dragon might accompanied by a whirlwind swept up, and a wild female black dragon rose from her territory and roared loudly: "What are you doing here, dare to steal my territory."

But a loud noise rang out in the sky, and the White King's guard, covered in iron armor and cold light, showed his face on the huge chariot, looking down at the wild black dragon.

"The Dragon King of the Empire is on tour, you need to retreat, and you must not collide with the Dragon King's chariot!"

This attendant was tall and imposing, his eyes gleamed coldly, clad in armor, his presence exuded a vigorous aura, like a warrior descended from the gods, rebuking the black dragon who had yet to grasp the situation.

The dozen or so white dragons accompanying him in the sky simultaneously unleashed their chilling dragon might, casting icy gazes upon the black dragon.

The female black dragon, who had once plundered the green dragon Ellie's lair, shuddered. Although they hadn't specified which empire they were from, even a female black dragon dwelling in the distant south knew which nation these visitors belonged to.

The female black dragon had heard the words 'Golden Empire' so many times that her ears were about to develop calluses from robbing adventurers and raiding the coast hundreds of miles away.

Only the Golden Empire could gather so many dragons, merely to serve as guards for a dragon king.

And so, the female black dragon shamefully retreated back into her swamp, revealing only a pair of dark, gleaming eyes, watching the departing procession fade into the distance.

"How majestic!" the black dragon exclaimed.

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