Under the Red Dragon

Huff, gulp.

The vast, boundless grassland has wild grass hanging low, the wind blowing through the leaves like waves, spreading out like green ripples across the prairie.

Dozens of hunters ride their divine horses, galloping across the grassland, scattering countless wild buffalos, wild sheep, and horse herds along the way.

The beast herds near the Dragon Clan's core territory are not the targets of these hunters; they ride divine steeds, taller than the wild horses of the grassland, and rush towards the distance.

On their way, these hunters also passed through Anna's Land, around the large tree where the leopard Anna once lived, which has been named Anna's Land by the Dragon Clan's hunters.

Because under this large tree, there is a simple tombstone with Anna's name written on it.

And in this area, no hunter is allowed to hunt beasts.

Only the leopard family that lives under that large tree is the king of this small area, dominating the rise and fall of this area.

Once, a large lion pride, a powerful lion pride with five adult lions, took a fancy to this fertile territory and wanted to compete with the leopard for the rule of this territory.

The lion pride succeeded; they drove the leopard away and killed the most powerful male leopard in the leopard family.

But they also failed; they only occupied this land for a short day before being driven away by the dragon that descended from the sky.

However, the dragon did not kill these lions. Although the dragon favored the leopard, the current dragon is more like a god ruling over all living beings in the territory, hoping that everything in the territory will develop according to the rules.

Returning this territory to the leopard family is the dragon's last bit of favoritism for this creature.

These hunters did not pay attention to the few leopard cubs poking their heads out from the big tree, curiously looking around, but instead bypassed this area and spurred their horses forward.

It wasn't until they saw the low hills on the grassland that the hunters stopped.

High, slender watchtowers were built on the hills, and the Kobold soldiers on rotation were lazily leaning against the watchtowers, chewing on the roots of the wild grass growing on the grassland.

These are the sentry posts and communication points established by the Dragon's kin throughout the grassland, based on the terrain, to control the territory.

The leading hunter was an extremely strong man. He slightly reined in the horse under his crotch, turned his horse's head, and began to explain the precautions to the hunters behind him.

"Once we get here, it will be the free hunting area divided by the territory. Everyone can hunt any prey they see. Today, our team's goal is to hunt at least two hundred catties of meat per person. I don't want to be ridiculed by Serli's group when we go back, saying that our team's hunters are all trash!"

Although the hunter leader hoped that his team could hunt more meat, even the specially bred horses, whose load-bearing capacity is more than twice that of ordinary good horses, also need to consider the long distance.

Each of these hunters is an excellent hunter, and the longbows behind them have also been modified according to the bow styles of the Dragon Clan's warriors.

And these hunters appeared here not to sell their prey themselves, but to accept the commission from the urban area management department, an organization under the Dragon Clan's territory.

With everything in the territory on the right track, this kind of thing no longer needs to be done by the Dragon's kin, as the Dragon's kin all have their own tasks.

The upcoming New Year's holiday is valued from top to bottom in the territory, which has led to an atmosphere of anticipation for the festival to come.

Not only have various businesses brewing alcohol received a large number of orders, but even the meat supply, which is usually very abundant in the Dragon's territory, is somewhat unable to keep up with the needs of the territory's residents.

Of course, the most important thing is that the New Year's celebration activities must have sufficient supply of wine and meat, especially since the territory now needs to gradually supply the consumption of the Dragon Lord.

And the newly opened ranch, which is tamed by the residents and the Elven Druids, and the scale of the well-selected breeding herds has also expanded a lot, but it still cannot fully bear this consumption.

Especially the white dragon Gemot and the bronze dragon Alina, the two dragon lords who govern the dragon territory on a daily basis.

On the advice of some human scholars, they decided to give every family in the territory a strip of jerky and a bottle of cheap wine when they first welcomed this extremely important and representative festival.

Although the dragons' stinginess and greed made these two dragons hesitate, they also knew how much Calon valued this festival and the significance of this festival to the territory.

Most importantly, the scholars' statements convinced the two dragons.

What the scholars said was roughly that the money spent from the dragon's treasure trove can create various benefits in circulation.

Those who are hired receive commissions and also spend in the territory. Not only will the money come back, but the act of spending will also generate taxes and so on in the process of consumption.

Anyway, the long speeches of the old man who called himself an economist were like succubi, making the two young dragons' eyes shine in their professional field. Then, after soliciting the opinions of other scholars and grassroots officials, this measure was finally decided.

It must be said that these two young dragons are very good at absorbing other people's opinions, although to some extent they are tempted by interests.

The hunter leader then explained some matters, including trying not to hunt beasts drinking water by the water, trying not to hunt pregnant mothers and cubs in the beast herd, and dividing the hunters into teams of five so that they could take care of each other and keep the communication and rescue fireworks they carried with them safe.

"Finally, I want to emphasize again, take care of the horses under your butts. They are good horses registered in the Animal Husbandry Park, and they are very precious, more precious than ourselves."

These horses were borrowed from the Animal Husbandry Park by these hunters because they undertook the commission. Even in a place like the Dragon Clan's territory, not every hunter will have their own horse.

Each of these horses, which have been selected and bred by the Elven Druids, is a head taller than ordinary horse breeds. Now many discerning merchants want to trade with the Dragon Clan's territory and want to apply to do the horse trading business, selling the Dragon Clan's precious horses to other regions.

And the Dragon Clan's territory has also begun to select its business partners. The dragon does not care that these excellent horse breeds can bring powerful cavalry seeds to others.

Because the horses in the Dragon Territory will always be better than the horse breeds sold.

In fact, every horse in the Animal Husbandry Park is registered and has its own name. And because of the Elven Druids, the selection, breeding, and development speed of these horses is extremely fast, and the price is not as expensive as the hunter leader thought.

However, the hunter leader did not know this. He just led his team, riding the big horse named "Green Ear" under his crotch, and galloped towards the hunting ground he had chosen.

Although the grassland is rich in species and the prey is plump, compared to the vast grassland, the distribution of these numerous animals and beasts still seems sparse.

The hunter leader Reggie led his hunting team all the way to find his suitable prey. They did not want to provoke beasts that were too fierce.

Like the white-horned wild cattle that Calon often likes to eat, although this beast is huge, and one white-horned wild cattle, after removing the bones, can satisfy the goals of several hunters, it is not as docile as ordinary herbivores.

This big guy has a particularly fierce personality and dares to charge against the fierce species on the grassland, although the result is often actively sending himself into the belly of the fierce species.

There are also some extremely fast animals, such as the giant antelope, which are also excluded. This creature is extremely alert, and chasing this creature is just a waste of time and arrows.

The hunter leader led his hunting team all the way to search, encountering countless beasts and animals. The white-naped cranes, golden eagles, herons, and great swans flying in the sky made these hunters stop and watch.

These beautiful and mighty birds are particularly popular in the territory and are also pets that the residents of the territory especially like to keep. If they are sold to those merchants, the price is even more expensive.

There are also Pallas's cats, desert cats, and blood pheasants that occasionally dart out of the grass. The skins of these creatures can also be sold for a good price. Several hunters couldn't help but take action and harvested several small beasts.

"Don't mind these little things. There are white-lipped deer and argali ahead. These two are exactly our suitable targets," the hunter leader Reggie had not taken action, but was only searching for his target.

At this time, he finally found his target from the wide variety of beasts.

"Accelerate, surround and attack from both sides, and then force them together," the hunter leader Reggie issued a slogan, calling the hunters to spread out to both sides.

"Drink, ha," the other hunters shouted slogans, patted their horses, and began to drive the argali herd, and the bows and arrows in their hands were also shot towards the nearest argali.

swoosh swoosh swoosh,

Of the several arrows, only one arrow hit the eye socket of a slow-reacting argali, shooting the argali down. The other argali had already run wildly, and were approached and surrounded by the hunters on both sides. They could only run to the valley not far away.

"Good, let this group of argali escape into the valley. It seems that today's goal can be completed soon," the hunter captain Reggie was overjoyed, urging his horse to chase wildly behind, following the argali herd into the valley.

But when he entered the canyon and hadn't run tens of meters, he suddenly tightly reined his horse in his hand, because he saw that the argali herd was actually standing still not far away, just меме(меме: bleating) in a panic, neither daring to rush towards the hunters nor daring to take another step forward.

The other hunters also stopped a few steps away, looking at the area where the argali herd was standing with serious expressions.

That was a thick fog, with heavy moisture.

The entire valley terrain is recessed downwards, like a pit, so the heavy fog also occasionally transmits the sound of giant objects stirring the water.

What made these hunters even more vigilant was that under the heavy fog, the vaguely exposed layers of white bones, decayed, damp, and tattered bones, raised the entire terrain by a layer.

"What to do, Reggie," a hunter turned his head and asked the hunter leader.

The safest course of action is of course to leave this ghostly place directly, but Reggie knows the purpose of the other party's question.

These hunters are reluctant to part with the prey that is close at hand and has no resistance. As long as this argali herd is hunted, not only can today's quota be completed, but there will be a surplus for tomorrow's quota. Interests are tempting.

And in the keen perception of these hunters, as long as they don't actively step into the fog, they will not be attacked, so the hunters are hesitant.

The hunter leader Reggie was silent for a long time. Of course, he knew that greed is a big taboo for hunters, but when he thought of his wife who was eagerly waiting for him at home and his two嗷嗷待哺 children, as well as his son who was growing up and studying in the Dragon Academy.

"Hey, be careful, try not to get close to those fogs, and be quick," Reggie sighed in his heart and gave the order, gritting his teeth.

The hunters got the answer from the backbone, and immediately acted.

Those argali were shot by the hunters' arrows in wailing, and fell to the ground, and wisps of blood penetrated the ground, staining the foggy area.

The hunters were busy killing, completely unaware that the sound of giant objects stirring the water in the fog had disappeared, and the center of the fog that had been shrouded the bottom of the valley began to roll slightly, like gradually boiling bubbles.

"Oh, the stench of blood, the life that makes me jealous, and the taste of sweet and sincere souls," a dry and old voice came from the fog.

The moment the voice came out, the thick fog rolled, and a huge white bone claw stretched out from the fog, like an eagle's claw grabbing a chick, grabbed a hunter who had no time to react, and then shrank back into the fog.

The other hunters then reacted, screaming in horror, even throwing the bows and arrows in their hands on the ground, and rode on their horses to escape this ghostly place.

The hunter Reggie held the longbow in his hand, jumped on the horse, and at the same time took out the firework signal stick for communication and rescue, releasing a soaring whistling firework.

swoosh, bang!

The fireworks exploded in the air. Under the brilliant fireworks, several white bone claws stretched out from the fog, grabbing at the hunters who wanted to escape the valley.

At the moment when the white bone claws enveloped him, the hunter leader did not have any regrets or regrets in his heart. In his mind, there were only his family and relatives.

"Hey," his last sigh left in the world was drowned in the thick fog.

In the thick fog, a strange old hall similar to a Gothic architecture church stands in the water waves at the bottom of the valley, and occasionally a white bone tail swaying under the dark water surface, and the sharp thorns are ferocious and evil.

In this building, a corrupt tattered body is lighting the ghost fire in the empty eye sockets, watching that group of struggling, wriggling soul in his claws, with a strong obsession.

"Oh, strange soul, possessing strange power, seems to be connected and echoing with something," the lich's numb tone revealed a trace of fluctuation.

He drove out the soul's persistent shouting, such as "wife, children, dragon, beautiful regret and other fragmented", and then brought his head closer to the soul, and began to explore the mystery of this abnormal soul.

In fact, the reason why liches and most necromancers are hated by everyone, and even the gods hate them, is not only because of their spells and powers, but also because these two existences like to covet the authority of the gods and play with souls.

"It is shouting, it is praying, but this power is too small, and the other party is obviously not a powerful existence. Now the object you are praying to cannot save you, sad soul,"

The lich's dilapidated jaw creaked, emitting a mocking sound, he extended his spirit and will along a certain connection of the soul, wanting to see who the object of this soul's prayer is.

Thousands of mountains and rivers are but a thought away. The mysteries of the soul are elusive. In the next moment, the lich's consciousness saw its target.

It was a massive red dragon, its entire body submerged in scorching, surging magma. In the dim space, its floating body was covered in crimson, formidable scales, and its horns were terrifyingly majestic.

Its wide head seemed like a creation carved by the gods, and the unparalleled lines and muscles all over its body demonstrated the red dragon's terrifying power.

The next moment, the red dragon suddenly opened its eyes, as if a crimson lightning bolt illuminated the entire space. A massive aura rose from the red dragon, and it turned its head, staring directly at the lich whose consciousness had descended.

"Not good," the lich's consciousness exclaimed in surprise, and immediately wanted to withdraw, but a supreme authority emerged from the red dragon, trapping the lich's consciousness firmly. Even the lich's main body was responding to the summons, yet it could not move.

Before the lich's consciousness was annihilated, it only saw a red claw covering it, and a voice traveled along the connection of this part of its consciousness to the main body.

"You actually dared to spy on my mind after killing my minions, little rat. Think about your own death, this is the only request of yours that I will fulfill!" The voice was arrogant and domineering.

"Huff," the lich's main body, shrouded in mist, actually exhaled. He had forgotten this physiological instinct a hundred years ago, but now he remembered it again.

"Damn it, what kind of monster is this," the lich felt somewhat uncomfortable from the loss of consciousness. "A mind mage? No, the two are similar, but it doesn't belong to the power of a mind mage."

The ghost fire in the lich's eye sockets flickered. He was seriously considering whether to move, after all, he was still transforming into a lich, and moving was a troublesome matter.

But suddenly, a violent gust of wind came from above the valley. He raised his head and projected his spirit, transforming into a illusory figure to observe the surrounding movements.

Whoosh.

The collective resonance of flapping wings made the already dense, cloud-like sound of wings even more grand. In the dazzling light shooting from the distant sky, there were wyverns with four wings.

The lich saw wyverns carrying their knights flying in the sky. The dazzling streamers on the wyverns made their speed unimaginable. In less than a moment, they descended above him, surrounding the entire valley, and also surrounding him.

An especially large wyvern also descended at the same time, its crystalline whiskers trembling slightly, emitting invisible sound waves, commanding all the wyverns.

The valiant yet sexy and wild female knight riding on the wyvern placed her hand on her chest and bowed slightly, as a sign of noble etiquette.

Then the female knight laughed loudly: "Under the command of the Dragon, the Wyvern Legion greets you, little rat hiding in the gutter!"