Chapter 223: Red Fragments, Using Oneself as Bait

Then, the next step is to lure the Ancient Dragon out of Great Qin!

Thinking of this, Zhou Qingqing's beautiful eyes also grew solemn.

This was undoubtedly an extremely perilous matter; one misstep and they would be completely exposed before the Ancient Dragon, facing its relentless pursuit to the death.

By then, let alone that treasure, they themselves would likely be unable to ensure their own safety.

For the current them, this was undoubtedly a burden they could not bear.

Then, perhaps sacrifice would once again be necessary.

Thinking this, she solemnly took out three red fragments of varying sizes, gently caressing the three fragments with her fingers, her eyes full of wonder.

These fragments were a single corner that she had, over the course of this past year, painstakingly chipped off from that Crystal through countless attempts using various methods.

She also did not know why that Ancient Dragon treasured that claw so dearly, having madly produced a layer of incomparably hard mysterious Crystal to encase it.

The Crystal's strength could truly be called impervious; ordinary attacks landing on it left not even a trace.

Even if, with great difficulty, one or two faint marks were produced, those marks would automatically recover as Time passed.

Truly miraculous beyond words!

It was also thanks to her abundant Time, through constant probing and attacks using various methods, that she finally, after isolating a certain mysterious substance in the atmosphere, painstakingly extracted these only three fragments from within.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qingqing could not help but sigh in wonder.

If she could analyze this material and manufacture it for her own use, then forge it into a weapon according to the knowledge in her memory — just how terrifying would that be?!

Zhou Qingqing did not know, but she could imagine how splendid that scene would be.

After sighing for a while, Zhou Qingqing turned back and beckoned to Xiao Hu, who was not far behind her, signaling him to come over.

At this, the man called Xiao Hu's heart clenched, and he hurriedly stepped forward, saying in a low voice, "My Lady."

Zhou Qingqing nodded, then handed these three incomparably precious red fragments to him, saying, "Go, select a few death warriors with strong survival abilities, then have them carry these fragments to lure the Ancient Dragon's attention along the way, drawing it completely out of Great Qin's lands."

After speaking, Zhou Qingqing thought for a moment and added, "This operation is permitted only to succeed, not to fail. Failure would mean that group of Ancient Dragons becoming even more enraged, and humanity would be left with no path to survival whatsoever."

After all, this represented a group of humans having destroyed that Ancient Dragon's most precious treasure.

When that time came, that Flame Ancient Dragon, whose status was absolutely extraordinary, would absolutely not let the matter rest.

Though, in truth, there wasn't much difference now.

Zhou Qingqing thought with a touch of finding solace in bitterness.

"Yes!"

Hearing this, Xiao Hu silently accepted the three incomparably precious and weighty fragments, then left this cabin.

Clearly, for this operation's success, an extremely great loss was bound to occur.

Nevertheless, everything was ultimately for the survival of present-day humanity.

……

Time began to flow once more, and in the blink of an eye another month had passed.

On this day, in a desolate human empty city.

"Buzz~ buzz~"

Heavy trembling sounds began to ring out, and accompanying those trembling sounds, the ground also began to vibrate rhythmically.

Before long, a four-legged, winged Ancient Dragon, crimson all over, slowly appeared.

"Thud—"

Amid a dull sound, a red-scaled dragon with its neck already bitten off crashed to the ground, and the Ancient Dragon then opened its sharp dragon fangs and began to tear at it.

Clearly, this empty city had been temporarily used by this Ancient Dragon as its dwelling nest, and it was now feeding.

Not far away, several bare-chested, muscular men were continuously communicating in silence.

After a few breaths, one of the men solemnly nodded, watching as his other companions soundlessly departed.

After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, then unexpectedly drew out a small knife and cut open his own palm.

In an instant, fresh blood gushed out continuously, flowing over his palm and dripping onto the ground.

"Drip~ drip~"

Crisp dripping sounds began to appear in this corner, and accompanying the dripping of blood, a peculiar rich fragrance began to rapidly spread out.

Carried by a gentle breeze, it drifted toward the Ancient Dragon that was still feeding.

This… is…?

At this moment, the Flame Dragon still feeding in the distance suddenly froze; on its majestic dragon head, its huge nostrils kept twitching, as if it had caught some peculiar scent, and it could not help but fall into puzzled recollection.

After a few breaths, this Flame Dragon suddenly widened its eyes sharply; within its pair of sharp dragon eyes was now nothing but shock and wild joy — that scent was actually—

The treasure it had been entrusted by its "Father" to seek for so long without finding!

That's right, it couldn't be wrong!

Before leaving, Father, for fear they would err, had specifically made them carefully memorize the scent of the Crystal protecting the treasure.

But why would it appear here?

After the shock and wild joy, this question arose in the Flame Dragon's mind — it remembered that the treasure should have been hidden by humans… wait, humans?

"Roar——!!!"

Upon realization, the next moment, within this silent, desolate empty city, an enraged dragon roar exploded, echoing throughout the entire empty city.

Yet at this moment, the man who had left the scent of his blood had already completely dragon-transformed into a Thunderlight Wolf extremely adept at sprinting across the ground, and was now madly dashing into the distance.

Clearly, this man who did not hesitate to risk himself was actually an exceedingly rare Ancient Dragon-person!

"Come on! Damn Ancient Dragon, sniff this lord's blood scent and chase after this lord like mad!"

At this moment, this madly sprinting Thunderlight Wolf — the man named Shi Yu — was laughing wildly in his heart.

At this time, his mind seemed to still be recalling that scene from not long ago.

Back then, their general "Tiger" had suddenly summoned all of them.

Then, with a grave expression, he explained to them in detail the changes across the entire Da Qin region since the day they fled Di Du. Now Da Qin had utterly perished, and their former compatriots were in an extremely perilous situation, ravaged by dragon beasts and ancient dragons, on the verge of extinction.

The Empress, unable to bear it, deliberated for a long time and finally came up with a method that was hardly a method at all — would they be willing to make a sacrifice for the human race?

To stake their own safety and carve out a future for humanity?

The moment those words were spoken, a group of hot-blooded men still immersed in the crisis of humanity's peril began declaring one after another, "We fear no sacrifice! If you need this seven-foot body of ours, then take it!"

However, given that this mission was extremely important, and the slightest carelessness could cost one's life, the chosen candidate had to possess extremely agile speed — and specifically speed on the ground.

Because humans, even if they could dragonize into giant beasts, would ultimately be unable to match the Flight speed of powerful ancient dragons…

(End of this chapter)