Serel Wilderness, Ximu Town.
After an initial period of nerve-wracking, agonizing lockdown, the merchants, adventurers, and ordinary residents confined within the town were surprised to find their taut nerves gradually relaxing.
They realized with astonishment that the behavior of the monsters stationed here was completely different from the chaotic and bloodthirsty image described in rumors.
Their appearances might still be hideous and terrifying, and their claws and fangs still gleamed with a cold light.
However, they simultaneously adhered to an invisible yet incredibly strict order, voluntarily retracting their fangs and claws.
As long as one strictly followed the decrees issued by the Molten Iron Tribe and did not initiate conflict, these guards would remain like silent statues, never inflicting unprovoked harm.
Of course, this was not weakness.
The townspeople had also witnessed the cruel and violent side of the monsters in the square or beside the gallows.
Anyone who dared to break the iron laws—theft, private fights resulting in death, attacking guards—would invite thunderous punishment.
Depending on the severity of the crime, the forms included but were not limited to: public flogging with salt-soaked whips; amputation of arms or limbs; ruthless hanging for public display; or direct decapitation for those who frequently broke the rules...
What surprised people even more was this.
The Molten Iron Tribe not only did not destroy or ravage Ximu Town, but while implementing strict control, they also began large-scale expansion and renovation of the town.
They even mobilized industrial-grade Alchemy Golems! These massive constructs tirelessly compacted the earth, paved roads, and reinforced the walls.
Even more astonishingly, the monsters had actually posted recruitment notices, publicly recruiting adventurers and laborers to participate in territory construction with quite fair compensation, along with various miscellaneous special tasks.
For example:
"Maintain the dragon scales and polish/trim the claws for His Excellency, Green Dragon Ludwig"
—those who completed this would receive paralysis fruit nurtured by the Green Dragon.
At first, the lingering traces of panic remained, but remaining trapped was not a long-term solution.
A few bold or financially strapped adventurers applied for the construction tasks.
They worked with a determination to die, but the result... after diligently completing the work, they actually received the compensation promised in the contract quickly and without any discrepancy!
Responsible for calculating work hours, verifying quality, and distributing payment were goblins with sharp eyes and agile movements.
These small creatures were known for being cunning and greedy, yet this time there was no sign of their usual pretense, procrastination, or deduction of pay; instead, they were surprisingly efficient and straightforward.
The adventurers checked repeatedly afterward and found no skimming or fraud.
The power of word-of-mouth was immense. Seeing that the first people to take the risk were not only safe but also made a fortune, the doubts and fears of many more were overcome by the desire for wealth, and they threw themselves into the reconstruction wave of this wilderness town with complicated feelings.
Time flowed quietly like a stream.
Ximu Town changed almost every day, and after a month, the scale of the place had expanded several times over.
Rows of new houses replaced dilapidated shacks, and spacious, clean stone-paved streets crisscrossed the area.
More importantly, thanks to the strict yet effective governance of the Molten Iron Tribe, public order had undergone an earth-shattering change. The vicious conflicts that used to involve drawing swords and bloodshed in the streets were firmly suppressed to the level of physical scuffles and minor squabbles.
Order, a luxury on the edge of the wilderness, had actually descended upon Ximu Town with the arrival of the monsters.
Just as the town was developing vigorously and prospering, Green Dragon Ludwig officially announced: the lockdown on Ximu Town was lifted!
When people gathered at the exit that had previously been heavily guarded and impregnable, they saw the burly Ogre guards, radiating a sense of oppression, still standing on both sides of the gate. However, their posture was loose and relaxed, no longer possessing the grim tension of the past, clearly exuding an attitude of "leave or stay, as you please."
When the first bold person tremblingly attempted to step out of the town and was pleasantly surprised to find that it did not invite any pursuit, more and more people began to try leaving.
However, their departures were mostly temporary. Often, after taking a stroll outside and breathing a few mouthfuls of free air, they would return to the town in unison. Very few truly chose to flee Ximu Town for good.
After this month of living together, the townspeople had long since realized that although these monsters looked fierce, they were orderly and would not kill the innocent indiscriminately; the fear in their hearts had vanished like smoke.
Moreover, with these powerful monsters maintaining order and defending against the Vicious Beasts and monsters roaming the surrounding wilderness, the safety of Ximu Town had attained unprecedented guarantees!
People who dared to make a living in such a lawless place were inherently bold or desperate individuals. They had managed to stay when Ximu Town was dilapidated, backward, and had harsh conditions; now that this town was becoming increasingly prosperous, safe, and comfortable through their own participation, they were going to leave? That was simply a huge joke.
Furthermore, it was not just Ximu Town that changed. Extending along the Scale-Earth Rift Road on both sides, whether it was deep dense forests or steep rift valleys, they were all filled with patrol posts set up by the Molten Iron Tribe. Those Vicious Beasts and monsters accustomed to destruction and attacks were driven away or hunted down one by one, and the safety coefficient of the entire trade route was greatly increased.
Coupled with the reputation that the Molten Iron Tribe had accumulated in this area over twenty years ago spreading once again, upon hearing that this place had returned to the control of the Molten Iron Tribe, the number of passing merchant groups did not decrease but increased, making it even livelier and more prosperous than during the rule of the Albert Family. More and more people were stopping here to rest or even planning to stay to seek business opportunities.
Therefore.
When the weather cleared and the brilliant sunlight spilled onto the earth without reservation.
When the Flower Knight Charles Hines arrived in Ximu Town all alone, dusty and travel-worn, and stepped onto the spacious road paved with smooth bricks.
The scene that greeted his eyes was completely different from the tragic picture of being ravaged and enslaved by monsters he had envisioned in his mind.
What he saw was a thriving scene with tidy streets, brand-new houses, orderly crowds, and lined shops.
The hubbub of voices, the clanging of blacksmith shops, and the hawking of vendors intertwined, full of vibrant vitality.
In a trance, this young and handsome knight almost thought he was in some prosperous and stable civilized town of the Federation, rather than in the heart of the crisis-ridden, law-of-the-jungle Serel Wilderness.
The huge gap between the expected cruel reality and the vibrant vitality before him left him stunned in place for a moment.
"Human, hiss... don't stand stupidly in the middle of the road blocking the way." A snake-person guard with a scimitar at her waist and vertical pupils reminded him in a cold tone, her forked tongue flicking slightly.
"Apologies, my deepest apologies." Charles snapped out of it and hurriedly stepped aside to clear the way. When he noticed that this snake-person guard was a female with a lithe figure and a face with exotic charm, the knight's instinctive gallantry and enthusiasm were instantly ignited.
"Beautiful snake-person lady, thank you for your kind reminder." He elegantly performed a common adventurer's salute, then a look of perfectly measured distress appeared on his face. "I am new here and completely unfamiliar with this place, as if I have lost my way. I wonder if I might have the honor of asking you to guide me forward?"
The snake-woman guard asked: "Where do you want to go?"
"My lady." Charles revealed his signature sunny smile that could make many young girls blush, his right hand elegantly flipping as if performing a magic trick, and a luscious red rose appeared at his fingertips. "The destination I long to reach is your heart."
Although he was dressed as an ordinary adventurer at the moment, his handsome face could not be completely concealed. The snake-woman guard carefully and unabashedly looked him up and down a few times, and her flexible tail tip suddenly darted out, curling away that rose.
Immediately following, she twisted her waist and leaned forward without warning, her cold, delicate cheek almost pressing against Charles's face.
"Hiss, hiss—"
She flicked out her long, forked tongue, and with a gesture full of provocation and wildness, gently licked the knight's cheek, then said to Charles, who was instantly stiff and dumbfounded: "Human, do you want to mate with me?"
"No problem, I was just thinking about tasting what a human is like."
"Mis—misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding!" The Flower Knight had never expected the other party's response to be so direct and wild. The wet and cold sensation on his cheek had not yet dissipated, and he was already blushing, fleeing in panic, almost using his hands and feet, which drew low laughter from several nearby townspeople.
"Strange human." The snake-woman shook her head in confusion, toying with the rose, and muttered to herself while watching the knight's disheveled back.
"Didn't he like me? Why run away? So hard to understand."
She felt that she would never be able to understand the complicated minds of these roundabout humans.
On the other side, after wandering around Ximu Town and calming his mood, Charles finally walked into the liveliest tavern in town.
The doubts in his heart grew heavier.
How could Ximu Town present such an orderly and even prosperous and upward scene under the rule of monsters? This was vastly different from what he had heard from Earl Mills—that the monsters were cruel and bloodthirsty, slaughtering humans and occupying land.
Admittedly.
The Flower Knight was immensely grateful for the many favors and support Earl Mills had given him early in his adventuring career, so after receiving the plea for help, he did not hesitate to drop the task at hand and rushed to this wilderness at the first opportunity.
But although he was young, he was no longer a rookie adventurer who was wet behind the ears and easily swayed by one-sided words.
His rich experience had taught him to observe cautiously and think independently.
The harmonious and prosperous scene of Ximu Town at this moment struck his heart like a huge question mark, leaving him feeling deeply puzzled and suspicious.
Therefore, he decided to delay his actions.
The primary task was to investigate thoroughly, figure out the truth behind this situation, and then carefully consider how to proceed.
Inside the tavern, relying on his naturally humorous and enthusiastic personality, his well-informed conversation, and his generosity in buying drinks, Charles Hines soon hit it off with several tables of adventurers.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, he guided the conversation, gradually piecing together the cause and effect of the matter, and also learned about the grudge between the Molten Iron Tribe and the Albert Family that had spanned over twenty years.
Based on the known intelligence.
He was certain that the Dragonkin that had attacked and killed the noble back then was only a Young Dragon, and by now it should have entered the Young Dragon stage.
The subordinates under its command could display such strong organizational ability and combat effectiveness, so its leader must be extremely outstanding, and its strength was likely comparable to an ordinary Young Adult Dragon, or perhaps even touching the threshold of an Adult Dragon.
But Charles Hines felt no fear; he was full of confidence in himself.
His original plan was to first assassinate the Young Green Dragon leader entrenched here and liberate Ximu Town.
Then, he would engage in guerrilla warfare, sabotaging and harassing the strongholds of the Molten Iron Tribe located around the Scale-Earth Rift Road, constantly weakening its strength and creating panic.
During this process, he would seize the opportunity to investigate the true leader of the Molten Iron Tribe—the traces, strength, and habits of that Hybrid Dragon—and seek the best timing for the crusade, striving for a one-hit kill to completely fulfill the Earl's revenge commission.
But now.
The prosperous order he witnessed with his own eyes was completely different from the brutal rule he had imagined, making his originally clear plan instantly blurry and full of variables, and his action plan needed to be adjusted accordingly.
"Although the leader of the Molten Iron Tribe is a Chromatic Dragon, its current style of conduct does not seem to warrant the word evil."
Charles Hines walked alone on the streets of the town shrouded in night, his thoughts surging.
He was honored by the world as the Flower Knight, not only because of his appearance and charm, but also because he always held himself to the noble standards of a knight: punishing evil and promoting good, upholding justice, and protecting the weak.
He was not a racist.
He had indeed slain Dragons, but those were Evil Dragons that wantonly burned villages, slaughtered fishermen, and plundered wealth in coastal areas; his standard for crusading was based on actions, not the color of the dragon skin.
Even if a Metallic Dragon committed atrocities, he would still draw his sword against it.
Conversely, even if it were a Chromatic Dragon, as long as its rule was not built upon trampling lives and order, he would not have natural prejudice or hostility toward it.
Many years of an adventurer's life had long ago taught him a profound truth.
—Judging whether a sentient being is good, evil, or neutral should not be based on the prejudice brought about by its race or Bloodline, but rather by observing its specific actions.
However, the favor of Earl Mills was also real and heavy as a thousand catties.
That helping hand extended in times of distress, those protections at critical moments, were the indispensable cornerstones of his adventurer's path.
To receive a drop of water in need and repay it with a gushing spring—this was the foundation of a knight's existence.
If he were to completely ignore the Earl's commission and stand idly by just because what he saw before him did not match the Earl's description, this would undoubtedly severely violate his principle of repaying kindness.
After much thought and repeated weighing of options.
The Flower Knight decided to stay in Ximu Town for a while longer and would not take action immediately.
Perhaps, this fleeting scene of peace and auspiciousness before him was just a facade carefully crafted by the Molten Iron Tribe?
A trap specifically set to confuse potential crusaders and righteous people?
He did not mind taking root in this peculiar monster-governed town, living like a real resident, and patiently and meticulously observing every move and every word spoken here.
Deepening his understanding of its fabric, discerning its essence.
Once he discovered any evidence of evil plans, oppressive acts, or substantive threats to the surroundings hidden by the Molten Iron Tribe in the days to come, he would not hesitate to fulfill his knightly duties, striking with thunderous force.
"The private army dispatched by Mr. Mills should be arriving in this area soon."
"It is just as well; I can take this opportunity to see for myself exactly how powerful the Dragon ruling over this Molten Iron Tribe is."
The Flower Knight pondered to himself.
Regardless of whether the follow-up would be war or peace, a crusade or other plans, figuring out the true strength level of the Dragon here in advance, especially that leader of The Dragon Flight known as the Death Omen Star and Sky-Rending Wings, was crucial for his subsequent actions.
Moreover, Earl Mills sending a private army had the intention of providing cover and creating chaos for him from the very beginning.
He had long known the planned attack route and approximate time of this private army through the Earl's channels.
Soon, time arrived at three days later.
At this time, it was a critical period for the Molten Iron Tribe to take root here, so just in case, Garros was still stationed in the Coniferous Valley and had not returned to The Borderlands.
With his currently terrifying speed.
Once any changes occurred in the area around the Scale-Earth Rift Road, he could rush to support at the first moment.
At this moment, Garros had brilliant golden lightning leaping all over his body, having clearly activated the Frenzied State.
But his breathing was long and steady, as if he were bearing an insignificant burden.
"After I officially enter the Young Adult Dragon stage, maintaining this Frenzied State should be as easy and natural as breathing."
Garros calculated silently in his heart.
At the current stage, the energy consumption of the Frenzied State was no longer serious for him, and he could maintain it for a considerable period, but he still lacked the refinement to reach the Realm where it did not need to be deliberately maintained and could be kept as an instinct.
Whoosh—!
He took a deep breath of the cold air in the valley, and the violently leaping golden electric snakes around his body receded like a tide, all sinking beneath his thick dragon scales and disappearing.
Almost at the same time, the steady and calm telepathic transmission of the Iron Dragon Sorog sounded in his heart.
"About fifty kilometers from the outer defense line of the Scale-Earth Rift Road, traces of a human army have been detected."
"They are not small in scale, their marching direction is clearly and unmistakably pointed toward the Scale-Earth Rift Road, and they are well-equipped, with the emblem of the Albert Family clearly branded on their armor and flags."
What was supposed to come had finally arrived.
The Albert Family indeed could not sit idly by while their territory was occupied by the Molten Iron Tribe, and had already dispatched a Family private army to crusade.
The Red-Iron Dragon thought for a moment, then calmly responded.
"Control the battlefield outside the Scale-Earth Rift Road. I do not want the territory of the Molten Iron Tribe to be affected; lead the subordinates and prepare to meet the enemy."
In order to firmly drive the first wedge at the edge of the wilderness and pave the way for the subsequent large-scale march, the vanguard force dispatched by the Molten Iron Tribe this time was not weak.
In addition to those powerful monster leaders, the three Wild Monster Lords subdued earlier in The Borderlands were currently resting in the Crescent Moon Valley, where the original werewolf tribe had been entrenched, sharpening their claws and fangs, waiting for the call of war at any time.
The Molten Iron Tribe kept such a large number of fierce subordinates under its command, naturally not just to waste food.
Now was the time for them to demonstrate their value and exchange military exploits for glory and rewards.
"Understood! Those humans who do not know life from death are destined to never return; this wilderness will be their final burial ground."
The mental connection was immediately severed, and the Iron Dragon had clearly begun to sharpen weapons and mobilize the army.
Bathed in the cold and bright moonlight, the Red-Iron Dragon narrowed his eyes, looking toward the distant mountains, with a contemplative light flickering in his pupils.
The Earl's private army had been discovered too quickly, as if they were crossing the wilderness holding torches, with no concealment to speak of.
Theoretically, regardless of whether they would be discovered by lurking scouts along the way, a concealed, surprise attack would always be more effective than a head-on confrontation.
Garros absolutely did not believe that a human Earl would have any so-called fine knightly spirit and insist on a fair and open duel.
Besides this force placed on the surface.
In the shadows, there might be another, more dangerous and deadly sword hidden.
This might be Garros being overly suspicious, but he had always been cautious and would not ignore potential dangers; this was the key factor that had allowed him to grow to this day, besides his talent.
However.
With the Earl's knowledge, it was hard to imagine that he could have gone from a Young Dragon without much edge twenty years ago to the current King of the Borderlands; regardless of whether his methods were overt or covert, the danger level to him would not be too high.
If it hadn't happened to himself.
Garros himself would not believe it.
"My sleeping periods are always far beyond the normal range... before that, moving this body around more is never a bad thing."
With a decision gradually formed in his heart, the Red-Iron Dragon no longer hesitated.
He spread his wings and soared straight into the sky, his strong body disappearing into the heavy veil of night.
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