Chapter 47: Needle-Leaf Valley

"Why change territories? Aren't we doing just fine in the Hemlock Hills?"

Samantha, puzzled, asked.

It had not considered at all that the appearance of the Earth-Splitting Hundred-Feet was merely the beginning, meaning a larger-scale Black Rock force would very likely follow.

Moreover, due to the inertia of dragonkind, it had already adapted to life in the Hemlock Hills and was not yet prepared to relocate its territory.

"Use your brain. Do you think the appearance of these Alchemy Golems was just a coincidence? Others will arrive soon."

Garos said.

Samantha tilted her head, thinking seriously, and gradually understood the reason.

Red Dragons are not actually stupid; on the contrary, their intelligence is relatively high among dragonkind. It is just that their logic is often: "My wisdom allows me to solve problems with force."

Only when violence cannot solve a problem will a Red Dragon change its way of thinking.

"Oh, you are afraid an army will come to surround and kill us, so you are preparing to flee."

After a few seconds of thought, Samantha suddenly realized the truth and said.

Crack!

Garos whipped her head with his tail, his dragon face serious.

"This is a strategic retreat. If you don't understand, do not talk nonsense."

Having taken a tail-whip, Samantha rubbed her head with her claws, baring her teeth. Out of instinct, she subconsciously wanted to counterattack, but the moment she met Garos's gaze, she immediately became timid and submissive.

"Dragon Lord, where are we going next?"

Earth-Shattering Bear Mo Bei'er asked cautiously.

Hearing this, Garos fell into deep thought.

There is a proverb in dragon culture.

— The dragon that sees the spring roses must also watch for the footprints of the winter giants.

It essentially means to think of danger while in safety and to prepare for a rainy day.

And Garos had fulfilled this very well.

While staying in the Hemlock Hills, knowing it was merely a transitional place with limited resources, he had not forgotten to keep an eye out for other suitable habitats.

After weighing the options during the past period of investigation.

He had three targets.

Gray Stone Ridge.

— Its rock walls are covered with natural caves, suitable for establishing a highly concealed dragon nest. It is tall and steep, easy to defend and hard to attack, surrounded by lakes and forests with many creatures inhabiting them, rich in both biological and water resources.

Silver Moss Plain.

— It once held a large mithril mine; now the soil still contains certain mithril particles, causing mutated silver-sprout moss to grow abundantly. Eating the soil or the moss aids the development of dragon scales, claws, and fangs. The number of beast packs is extremely high.

Needle-Leaf Valley.

— A bowl-shaped valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. Hot springs steam within, and the sulfur smell can mask the scent of dragonkind. A tributary of a great river winds through it.

These three locations all possess resources far richer than the Hemlock Hills.

Such territories in the Cael Wilds are already claimed lands.

After a brief moment of thought, Garos finally chose Needle-Leaf Valley.

The rulers of Gray Stone Ridge are a pack of Giant-Tailed Steel Scorpions.

They are a type of massive beast possessing terrible venom; their poison is enough to pose a life-threatening danger to young dragons.

Garos's poison resistance had not been specially enhanced; he was unsure if he could withstand the venom of the Giant-Tailed Steel Scorpions.

As for the Silver Moss Plain, there were no ruler-level packs or individuals. Many beast packs there lived by the law of the jungle, fighting and struggling against one another. Garos had originally favored this place the most, but he later discovered that armies would occasionally come here to collect silver moss and other mutated plant samples, making the potential risk actually the highest.

As for Needle-Leaf Valley.

Besides having the lowest inherent risk, it is neither too far nor too close to a branch of the Thousand Serpent's Trace, which crisscrosses and winds through the Cael Wilds like meridians. This allows contact with caravans traveling along the Thousand Serpent's Trace, or groups transporting minerals, black oil, and other resources.

The drawback is that many intelligent tribes, such as goblins and gnolls, inhabit the surroundings.

"Needle-Leaf Valley? Roar-roar-roar, excellent!"

Upon hearing Garos's decision, the savage bear Mo Bei'er widened his eyes and shouted excitedly.

The reason for his excitement was simple.

This place, Needle-Leaf Valley, has another more formal name, recognized by the surrounding intelligent tribes and clans.

— Savage Bear Ridge.

It was the place where Mo Bei'er's former Earth-Shattering Bear Xiong Qun inhabited. It was also the place Mo Bei'er, adhering to the idea of "father speaks, son laughs," had originally suggested and recommended to Garos.

It was precisely when investigating the Xiong Qun that Garos had inadvertently discovered the branch road of the Thousand Serpent's Trace.

"My noble Dragon Lord, I wish to be your sharpest blade and seize Needle-Leaf Valley for you!"

Mo Bei'er knelt before Garos and said in a rough voice.

The night wind blew up his fur, revealing numerous runes densely engraved on his skin; these were the masterpieces of the Red Dragon Alchemist Samantha over the past half-year.

Strengthened by these Alchemy Runes, Mo Bei'er had also become much stronger.

However, he knew he still could not compare to the old bear, but his greatest reliance was not himself, but the dragon before him.

"Hmph, damn old thing."

"This bear will take back everything lost, seize your territory, and occupy your female bears!"

Mo Bei'er thought joyfully in his heart.

Garos did not forget his promise and patted the savage bear's shoulder.

"After subduing the Xiong Qun, you will be the commander in charge of them. But do not forget: if the Xiong Qun causes trouble, I will break your legs."

Immediately.

The Earth-Shattering Bear carried the still-intact Earth-Splitting Hundred-Feet and some other necessary items, running across the surface and heading toward Needle-Leaf Valley.

Garos spread his wings and soared through the sky.

The outline of the Iron Fir Hills gradually blurred in the twilight.

He glanced back at the territory where he had lived for nearly a year.

The iron firs snapped by exploding scales, the ruins of the alchemy workshop built crookedly, the winding tunnels dug by earth spiders, and the collapsed cracks caused by his impact.

Everything would return to the wilderness with his departure.

As if remembering something.

Garos suddenly paused, then turned back to fly to the Iron Fir Hills, ordering Samantha to follow the Earth-Burst Bear and continue ahead to the Conifer Valley first.

Samantha did not know what Garos intended to do, but she did not ask.

A while later, while flying in the sky, it turned its head to look back toward the Iron Fir Hills.

A cluster of firelight suddenly flared up, then, like a wildfire spreading across the plains, it grew fiercer and fiercer, gradually igniting the entire Iron Fir Hills, turning the vast hills into a torch blazing fiercely in the night; the light illuminated a patch of darkness, and the heat waves caused the surrounding air to constantly distort and rise.

The brilliant flame light reflected on the scales.

The young Red Iron Dragon rose from the "volcano," like a meteor, swiftly chasing after.

Alchemical items and magic with peculiar effects emerge endlessly in this world.

Although he felt a slight reluctance, for the sake of safety and to prevent further pursuit, Garos still decided to burn the Iron Fir Hills, purifying everything with fire to eliminate as many traces proving his existence there as possible.

He was not sure if this would be effective.

But it would at least make him feel a bit more at ease.

(End of Chapter)