It was beyond anyone’s expectations that a mature lava fire dragon could be so terrifying. Just after expelling a breath of fire not long ago, it was already able to conjure another breath in such a short time, and with even more devastating power.
The Empire and Lan Zhou’s forces were equally unprepared for this. Despite their numerous attempts and observations, they had deduced the shortest interval between two dragon breaths. However, they had not accounted for the dragon’s desperate defense of the eggs.
The dragon was on its last legs, twitching and trembling intermittently. Clearly, the attacks from the other world were effective. The dragon was being attacked by something unknown, and it seemed unlikely to survive much longer.
You Ji counted the surviving personnel and beasts and was horrified and heartbroken to find that out of the nearly a hundred people he had brought, fewer than ten remained. As for the thirty-odd beasts, only seven or eight were left, and they were severely injured from the breakthrough by the adventurers, not making it to the front lines.
You Ji could hardly imagine the punishment he would face from the Empire if he failed to bring back the dragon eggs.
Zi Yao also looked grim. Although she had brought a small team of elite members, she was now covered in dust and grime, no longer the elegant and enchanting figure she once was.
Among all the forces present on the valley floor, the only ones with the strength to compete were the Empire, Lan Zhou, the Nan Ming Legion, and another team of over ten survivors who were relatively intact.
As for the other scattered survivors, without a strong team, it was extremely difficult for them to contend with these four forces alone or in small groups. However, they had not left. None were willing to give up without seeing the last moment; perhaps they could find a big advantage amid the chaos.
All the factions were wary of each other. Eventually, it was You Ji who spoke up, his tone carrying the usual arrogance and command. “There are four intact dragon eggs over there. Our Empire will take two, Lan Zhou will take one, and you can divide the remaining one among yourselves. No fighting over it. If we delay, the next batch of adventurers will arrive, and it will not benefit any of us.”
Clearly, for You Ji, the losses were so great that taking just one egg would not compensate for them. Offering one egg was already a generous concession.
“I have no objections,” Zi Yao said, pulling out a small mirror to check her appearance while seemingly casually speaking. Although they were one egg short of the expected two, she knew that taking all the eggs was impossible under the circumstances. It was better to leave one for the others to fight over, creating conditions for their departure.
“You certainly have no objections. With Lan Zhou being represented by only you, if it weren’t for the cooperation with the Empire, Lan Zhou wouldn’t even have the right to be involved,” said a member of the other team named Bai You, who happened to be a group with their own apothecary and thus was not inclined to favor Lan Zhou.
“If it weren’t for Lan Zhou’s Chaos Potion, do you think those mere strays turned to ash could have inflicted such severe damage on the dragon?” Zi Yao put away the mirror and sneered. “Oh, right, Bai You Valley may train some apothecary, but they’re only second-rate. You probably don’t even know what a Chaos Potion is.”
“Meow?” The little kitten nestled on Shu Bao’s shoulder thought it was being called when it heard the word “stray”, and meowed in confusion.
Shu Bao patted the kitten, “Not you. You’re a big cat, big dog.”
Little kitten: “???”
The members of Bai You were instantly flushed with anger. Their apothecaries were indeed not as skilled as Lan Zhou’s, and they didn’t know what a Chaos Potion was, but being insulted so openly was intolerable. Just as they were about to react, You Ji spoke up again.
“Lan Zhou and the Empire had an agreement from the start. Any dissatisfaction with Lan Zhou should be directed at the Empire. If there are objections to the distribution method, I believe we have time for a duel before the next batch of adventurers arrives.”
You Ji’s defense of Lan Zhou made those from Bai You keep quiet. Although they were not afraid of offending Lan Zhou, they did fear the Empire’s power. It was clear that the Empire would definitely take two dragon eggs today, which would further enhance their strength.
As a result, Bai You’s attention shifted to Nan Ming. Since they couldn’t challenge the Empire, they might try their luck with Nan Ming, who came from a remote area. However, considering that delaying was not advisable at this point, they spoke in the same condescending tone, “We’ll give you 5,000 gold coins. There’s no need to compete for the dragon eggs. This way, we can leave as soon as possible.”
For Shu Bao and Fu Qing, 5,000 gold coins might seem like a considerable amount, but for Nan Ming’s Legion, which frequently operates in dangerous areas and regularly acquires magical beasts and resources, it was not a significant sum.
Especially since the 5,000 gold coins were offered in exchange for the dragon eggs, it seemed even less worthwhile.
Ning Zhi, the most hot-tempered of them all, scoffed, “When we hand out alms, we don’t feel right giving only 5,000 gold coins. We’ll give you 10,000 gold coins; we’ll take the dragon eggs!”
“You! Don’t overreach!” Bai You’s leader, Zeng Zijing, grew visibly angry and hostile after such repeated taunts.
Nan Ming calmly retorted, “You’re the ones who are being unreasonable.”
“It seems the negotiations have broken down,” Zeng Zijing sneered, and his team members drew their wands.
This situation was precisely what the Empire and Lan Zhou had hoped for. With the dragon eggs taken, subsequent arriving adventurers would naturally chase after those who took the eggs, while the Empire and Lan Zhou would have left with their fastest-flying beasts. They were content to leave behind two fighting factions to draw attention away.
“You handle the distribution yourselves. Lan Zhou and we will leave first,” You Ji said disinterestedly, heading towards the dragon eggs with Zi Yao.
The dragon continued to roar threateningly, but it was now on its last legs, helplessly watching as the two approached.
Bai You and Nan Ming’s people naturally did not want the Empire and Lan Zhou to leave. They understood the situation they might face but had no authority to demand anything from them, so they could only watch with gritted teeth.
At this moment, Shu Bao clapped his hands with excitement and said, “Great! Since the negotiations have failed, we’ll take all the dragon eggs!”
Bai You: “???”
The Empire and Lan Zhou: “???”
Other adventurers: “???”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward Shu Bao, likely to see what kind of fool would make such a claim.
Nan Ming’s group was also shocked. Although they were thrilled at the prospect of obtaining a dragon egg, they had never considered the wild idea of claiming all of them. However, to their surprise, as they looked at Shu Bao, they realized that it might not be entirely impossible.
Assessing their own strength combined with Fu Qing and Shu Bao’s, and comparing it with the remaining forces in the valley, they found that they could actually hold their ground. With this realization, everyone’s hearts began to race.
Most people in the valley had heard of Nan Ming’s Legion, knowing it was a hundred-person squad active around the Chaotic Swamp. As for Fu Qing and Shu Bao, although they had shown some skills during their encounters with the Chaotic Swamp, besides the bubble-blowing skill that was impressive, they seemed unremarkable otherwise.
Seeing that no one from Nan Ming’s group objected, everyone else in the valley thought they had gone mad. It was one thing to grab a dragon egg temporarily, but the Empire would surely send forces to hunt them down. Unless they had a dragon that was not afraid of the Empire, being caught would mean certain death.
“The Empire will offer 10,000 gold coins. This is our final concession—don’t make us waste more breath!” You Ji glared at Nan Ming and the others with disdain, clearly believing that they didn’t genuinely want all the dragon eggs but were instead trying to take advantage of the situation.
In his view, Nan Ming’s strength was inferior to Bai You’s. Since Bai You’s 5,000 gold wasn’t satisfactory to them, Nan Ming’s group was likely just using this as leverage to force the Empire into making further concessions.
“I don’t want to waste words either.” Shu Bao glanced at Fu Qing, who instantly understood. Both of them stepped forward and then rushed toward the dragon eggs.
Fu Qing, a Monarch Butterfly, was naturally adept at flying, while Shu Bao, a Treasure-seeking Mouse, was known for his speed.
The people in the valley only saw two fleeting shadows. In the blink of an eye, the two were already beside the dragon eggs.
You Ji and Zi Yao were startled but reacted quickly, immediately moving to block their path.
In the sudden skirmish, in the blink of an eye, both You Ji and Zi Yao were sent flying and landed on the ground.
The adventurers who had been itching to move were stunned. How could it be that in a single exchange, the Empire and Lan Zhou forces were defeated and sent flying?
You Ji, disregarding his dignity, quickly summoned his magical beasts. Even though they were injured, their combat power remained formidable.
Shu Bao remained indifferent and tossed a cat at them.
As the small kitten flew through the air and landed, it instantly transformed into its true form—a towering white cat that stood several stories high, blocking the injured magical beasts.
“What are you waiting for? Everyone, go! We’ll split the loot among the three of us!” Seeing his magical beasts blocked, You Ji quickly rallied the others. The “three” he referred to were naturally the Empire, Lan Zhou, and Bai You.
However, as Shu Bao and Fu Qing took action, Bai You also moved swiftly. To them, the dragon eggs seemed like they were already in their grasp, and Nan Ming’s sudden actions caught them off guard and made them anxious.
As soon as Bai You’s group moved, they were immediately intercepted by Nan Ming’s Legion. Bai You had magical potion users so they expected to quickly gain the upper hand, but Nan Ming had been generous with his team, having purchased ample magical potions in advance.
As the battle commenced, Bai You, despite having a slight numerical advantage, began to gradually lose ground. With no spare resources to handle Fu Qing and Shu Bao, they became overwhelmed.
Zi Yao, struggling to get up from the ground, angrily pulled out four vials of potion, holding them between her fingers, and hurled them at Shu Bao and Fu Qing.
Fu Qing soared into the air with his wings, while Shu Bao quickly released four bubbles, trapping the potions inside them. The potions within the bubbles exploded violently, turning the bubbles into fireballs. However, the potency of the explosion was contained by the bubbles and was less effective than it could have been.
You Ji used his wand to cast several ice blades, which Fu Qing intercepted with wind blades from his wings. Shu Bao took advantage of the gap to launch multiple bubbles at the two.
You Ji and Zi Yao rolled and evaded, engaging in several quick exchanges. However, the stalemate didn’t last long. Fu Qing’s wind blades were relentless, and with the bubbles restricting their movement, the two were soon cornered. The moment they touched a bubble, it expanded rapidly, trapping them inside.
The other members of the Empire’s team had been dealt with by the giant white cat.
Watching You Ji and Zi Yao struggle inside the bubbles, trying various methods to break free, Shu Bao kindly remarked, “No need to rush; it’ll automatically break after half an hour.”
Suspended in mid-air, You Ji’s expression was extremely grim. “You dare to defy the Empire! I’ll make sure there’s no place for you in this chaotic world!”
Shu Bao tilted his head and marveled, “Oh my! Are you sending us to the real world? You really are such a generous person!”
The onlookers: “…” We’re unsure how to interpret this, but it seemed oddly fitting.
You Ji, nearly choking with frustration, panted heavily. Since joining the Empire’s army, he hadn’t tasted defeat for a long time. “Even if you take the dragon eggs, they will merely be under Empire’s custody!”
After struggling for a while, Zi Yao was the first to calm down. Instead of threatening like You Ji, she proposed a deal, “Leave one dragon egg for me, and in return, Lan Zhou Island will cover all your legion’s potion needs for the next ten years. How does that sound?”
Shu Bao’s steps toward the dragon eggs faltered. Although completing the mission would grant him an apothecary’s skill book, the Nan Ming Legion and his beautiful friends had no apothecaries.
“With dragons and money, you can just buy it,” Fu Qing said, casually and confidently, displaying his wealth.
Zi Yao: “…”
Shu Bao: “…” He liked this straightforward and ruthless solution.
With that, all forms of coercion and persuasion became useless. The dragon eggs were to be entirely handled by the Nan Ming Legion. The members of Nan Ming were so excited they nearly jumped up and down, holding back their urge to shout and scream. Following Shu Bao and Fu Qing’s instructions, they began to move the dragon eggs.
The massive dragon eggs were about half a person’s height. When they stood next to the nest, many had tears in their eyes. After carefully touching the warm eggs, they briefly doubted if they were dreaming.
Eventually, they selected one dragon egg and carefully removed it from the nest.
Next was Fu Qing, who, true to his style, picked the largest egg and took it out. The remaining two eggs were clearly left to Shu Bao.
Shu Bao approached the dragon egg nest, walked around it, and carefully examined the materials used to build the nest. His eyes gradually brightened when he recognized one of the plants among the nest’s construction. It was the precious material that could transform a snake into a flood dragon: the Dragon Moon Vine.
Under everyone’s watchful gaze and the giant dragon’s mournful low roars, Shu Bao took out the two dragon eggs, set them aside, and then picked up the dragon egg nest with a silly grin, looking like he had stumbled upon a treasure.
Everyone: “…”
Fu Qing: “???” Is the beautiful friend not very smart?
Giant Dragon: “!!!”
After grinning foolishly for a moment, Shu Bao quickly claimed the dragon egg nest for himself, stowing it away into his system space. He then turned to look at the two massive dragon eggs beside him.
The dragon, seeing this, began to emit threatening low growls once more, but its threats had lost their impact. Instead, they sounded mournful and pitiful, and gradually, the threatening growls took on a note of pleading—a display of the proud dragon’s helplessness.
Shu Bao glanced at the dragon, then at the dragon eggs, and under everyone’s watchful gaze, he picked up the dragon eggs and slowly approached the dragon.
Fu Qing immediately set down the dragon egg and followed. Even though the dragon was nearly spent, it was still quite dangerous. Although he didn’t stop Shu Bao, he stayed close by, ready to act if the dragon suddenly attacked.
Shu Bao reached the side of the dragon. The dragon’s orange-yellow vertical pupils nearly matched Shu Bao in size. It looked at this human and the slowly extended dragon eggs.
The dragon eggs were placed next to the dragon’s head, and Shu Bao went to get the other egg.
The eggs gently touched the dragon’s cheek. Even through the thick scales, the dragon seemed to sense the warmth of the eggs. The dragon struggled to lift its head, tenderly pressing against the two eggs, and tears began to flow slowly from its huge eyes.
This was the first time Shu Bao had seen dragon tears, and they were no different from the tears of other beings.
The dragon emitted a sorrowful long roar as if it had finally accepted its fate and its inability to continue protecting the dragon eggs. It lowered its head and nudged the two eggs forward with its nose, pushing them toward Shu Bao, and then stared at him with its large eyes.
Despite the vast distances, despite the language barrier, and despite not being of the same kind, Shu Bao instantly understood the dragon’s intent. He looked down at the two dragon eggs and nodded, “I will be a good guardian, raise them well, and make them upright, kind, and helpful dragons!”
Everyone: “…” Tears of emotion were almost about to flow, but something felt strangely off.
The dragon seemed to understand, as it pressed against the eggs once more, then suddenly retreated, pulling its neck back. As the dragon’s figure disappeared, the long-standing dimensional rift also vanished.
Before the rift vanished, Shu Bao faintly heard the dragon’s roar again, along with its swift attacking movements.
Shu Bao tilted his head. The dragon’s vigorous appearance didn’t seem like it was about to die. What was going on? Had the dragon used a feigned death strategy on him?
“What’s going on? Wasn’t that dragon supposed to be trapped? How can it go back?”
“Dimensional rifts are one-way! How can it go back!”
“The Nan Ming Legion is trying to escape!”
“Stop them!”
As soon as the words were spoken, a gust of wind from Fu Qing’s wings blew the bubbles to every corner of the valley. In an instant, those who couldn’t dodge were trapped inside. The valley was soon filled with a multitude of colorful bubbles, carrying people drifting around.
The Nan Ming team quickly packed up, then, with the four dragon eggs on their backs, swiftly left the valley. Their figures disappeared into the depths of the Chaotic Swamp, and it would likely be very difficult for anyone to track them down before the dragon eggs hatched.
On the way out, Shu Bao finally understood everything. He had indeed been tricked by the dragon. As the others had said, dimensional rifts are one-way, but the dragon hadn’t fully passed through; it was only halfway through, so it could return.
However, the dragon eggs were different. Once fully integrated into this dimension, they couldn’t return to the dragon’s original dimension. The dragon knew this, so it stayed by the dragon eggs, forcibly keeping the dimensional rift open to find a suitable caretaker for the eggs.
This caretaker needed to be powerful enough to stand out among many forces, and also kind-hearted and compassionate so that promises made would be seriously fulfilled.
“If I ever find the dimension where the dragon is, I’ll definitely award it a little golden statue!” Shu Bao was somewhat frustrated but, considering the dragon nest, decided it was worth it. The mouse didn’t come out too badly!
Moonlit: When I was working on “Interstellar Greening Master”, whenever Shu Bao’s name was mentioned, I thought he had a cold, elegant, and serious personality. I never thought it would be like this (≧∇≦)
