Chapter 361: Dragon's Summoning

On the sea, a steam passenger liner cut through the waves northward.

The ship was nearly a hundred meters long, divided into four decks, each filled with mercenaries dressed as transcendent beings, while people idly drank and played cards in the tavern aboard.

Though the cabin was well insulated, a few mercenaries with the Element of hearing still caught faint, intense gasps from the most luxurious suite on the top deck, sounds of pain and pleasure that sparked endless imagination yet remained indistinct.

"Tsk tsk…"

A middle‑aged mercenary with a scruffy beard laughed ambiguously twice, downed a shot of strong liquor, and said enviously, "Lord Count is truly impressive—ten days on this ship without a single day of rest, and the Commander still hasn't squeezed him dry! If it were me, I'd be unable to move after two days."

"Pah…" a nearby mercenary sneered.

"With your looks and strength, how could the Commander even notice you? When we went to the brothel together, even the courtesans despised you, charging a few extra silver crowns just to do business with you."

The surrounding mercenaries burst into loud laughter.

"You think that's impossible?" The middle‑aged mercenary was mocked but did not get angry. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, glared fiercely at the crowd, and snickered, "You lot, who dares say they've never entertained a crooked thought about the Commander?"

The mercenaries' faces froze, some feeling uneasy.

"Ahem!" a mercenary captain broke the silence, lowering his voice, "Only Lord Count can endure the Commander's lecherous blessings. From now on, stop gossiping behind backs, lest Lord Bi Ge Bei Er hear and punish you."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward a shadowy corner of the tavern.

The mercenaries looked and saw Lord Bi Ge Bei Er sitting alone, drinking sour wine, his face sullen, eyes blood‑shot, as if he hadn't slept for days.

The ship's mercenaries were accustomed to his demeanor.

Since a certain night last month when the Commander spent the night in Lord Count's bedroom, the news spread and Lord Bi Ge Bei Er was dealt a blow, never recovering thereafter.

Some mercenaries sneered at Bi Ge Bei Er's delusions, while others felt sympathy for him.

Yet no one thought the Commander had made a wrong choice.

For over a year they had been in Gela Morgan Territory, living in a castle, enjoying comfortable days, and were familiar with Lord Count.

In status, rank, and power, Lord Count held overwhelming advantage.

Moreover, Lord Count was younger, limitless in potential, and strikingly handsome, whereas Bi Ge Bei Er was a balding middle‑aged man; any woman would make the same choice as the Commander. Even being Lord Count's lover would be a hundred times better than being with Bi Ge Bei Er.

But Bi Ge Bei Er could not get over it, his Willpower sank daily, and no one dared to touch his bad luck.

The mercenaries shook their heads, sighed, and dispersed.

In the luxurious suite, after a deep, soaring long gasp, the sound gradually subsided.

Lei En, looking refreshed, leaned back, gently cradling Ai Mi Li Si in his arms, his hand stroking her smooth back with a satisfied smile.

Since that first taste, Ai Mi Li Si grew increasingly passionate.

She dared to try anything, to play anything.

Even though Lei En had seen countless scenes in his past life, he knew fewer tricks than Ai Mi Li Si; sometimes he was startled, thinking people of this world truly know how to play, worthy of the elven courtesan's bedroom art, and he enjoyed it.

After tasting the marrow, he began to be somewhat addicted to the feeling.

"Gentle lands are heroes' graves; no wonder many men are addicted, unable to extricate themselves." Lei En sighed softly, admonishing himself, "Lei En, Lei En, you must beware—never let a woman erode your Willpower. Start fresh from tomorrow."

A moment later, Ai Mi Li Si's stamina recovered.

She immediately tangled like an octopus, warm soft touches from all over her body causing Lei En's qi to surge; he tried to refuse but his mouth was blocked.

"Hmm… one more time." Lei En thought, deciding to enjoy it first.

One, two, three… until the seventh time, already deep into the night, Lei En finally came to his senses, reluctantly refusing, "Ai Mi Li Si, stop, that's enough for today; we must be moderate, we have many days ahead."

Ai Mi Li Si lifted her head, giggled twice, and, somewhat reluctantly, said, "Alright then."

Lei En rose and opened the window, letting fresh sea breeze into the room.

It was mid‑April, not yet summer; the northern coast's temperature was lower, the wind's chill made Lei En shiver lightly, his mind clear.

Looking far ahead, under the night sky before the ship, a faint black outline of the coastline appeared.

That was the Barshi Sea Nation.

Lei En's destination was Hai Tuo Ke, the capital of Barshi.

Last month, Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng and Ai Mi Li Si reached a secret pact, but had not yet acted. A war, especially one deciding a great kingdom's rule, cannot be started instantly.

Mobilizing troops, stockpiling and transporting supplies, strategic planning—all require time, at least three to four months or longer.

Ai Mi Li Si had spent her life fighting for this, preparing for decades.

Hai Tuo Ke would become the gathering point of this restoration plan; the transcendent members of her mercenary corps had gradually returned to Hai Tuo Ke, many supplies were shipped in batches to the city's warehouses. The most important Centaur Legion would cross the Empire's northern great plains, over the Wansongling Mountains, board a ship at a hidden pier a hundred li outside Hai Tuo Ke, cross the Thousand Islands Sea, and land at Kangjiatuo.

Only on the day the army set sail would the Wizards of Weizelan appear.

Lei En's Extreme Warrior and Gunwing Knight Order will also join the battle then, forming the main force to conquer Kangjiatuo.

But before that, there is another important task to do.

A supple body pressed from behind, then turned to the front, nestling in Lei En's arms, eyes gazing through the window at the distant coastline.

"What are you looking at?" Lei En asked.

"Hai Tuo Ke."

Ai Mi Li Si whispered, then after a few breaths continued, "I grew up in Hai Tuo Ke. Though Lord Asthan told me my lineage since childhood and kept reminding me I'm a member of the Zhuo Geng Bao family, Princess of Dragon Crystal Island, legitimate heir to the Kangjiatuo throne, I've never been to Kangjiatuo."

"Kangjiatuo seems so foreign to me; Hai Tuo Ke feels more like my hometown…"

"I'm a bit scared."

The confession suddenly halted.

"Are you afraid the people of Kangjiatuo will refuse to recognize your identity?"

Lei En read her thoughts, saw her nod lightly, patted her smooth shoulder, and comforted, "Conquest doesn't need the people's consent; governance does. You won't be worse than King Xi Rui Ya, right?"

Ai Mi Li Si's expression grew complex, first hesitant, then she shook her head firmly.

King Xi Rui Ya, the very cause that almost destroyed the Zhuo Geng Bao family.

He was an outright tyrant and despot; across all of Ai Lun E Si, few could be worse than King Xi Rui Ya.

During his hundred‑year reign over Kangjiatuo, he committed countless heinous acts.

Blood‑thirsty, pleasure‑seeking, capricious, and extremely paranoid; at the slightest inconvenience he would burn people at the stake, relishing watching them die, arbitrarily stripping nobles of titles and lands, treating commoners like livestock, throwing countless into fire to satisfy his perverse fetish.

People suspect that King Xi Ruiya is mentally unstable, or has pledged allegiance to an evil god, and secretly call him the "Mad King".

The other families of Kangjiatuo finally could no longer endure, were forced into rebellion, formed a coalition, and at last overthrew the Zhuo Gengbao dynasty, killing the Mad King.

In just a few months, the Zhuo Gengbao family was uprooted completely.

Nearly a hundred royal dragon‑blooded were slaughtered, and only Ai Mi Li Si escaped under the protection of the king's guard captain A Si Tan.

Even after several decades, the Zhuo Gengbao family's reputation in Kangjiatuo remains squalid, one could even say despised.

Among the reasons are the incumbent king's relentless smear campaign to legitimize his rule, but the primary cause is the unforgivable crimes committed by King Xi Ruiya.

It can be foreseen that after Ai Mi Li Si restores the Zhuo Gengbao dynasty, governing the kingdom will face great resistance.

If placed in a previous life, she would have scarcely been able to succeed in restoration.

But in the Ai Lun E Si world, public opinion matters less; the sea of people's war cannot drown the Extraordinary Legion.

Moreover, the nobles of Kangjiatuo do not know how to mobilize the masses with those tricks.

In a world where might belongs to oneself, ultimately it is still spoken with fists.

Lei En's gaze fell on Ai Mi Li Si's neck.

It is the only adornment she ever wears, never leaving her—a pale‑gold necklace whose pendant hangs in a deep groove, shaped like a finger‑sized curved horn.

This unassuming horn is actually a Legend Grade item.

It is called "Dragon's Summon".

The Zhuo Gengbao family ruled the Kangjiatuo continent for over three thousand years thanks to this heirloom. It is a treasure bestowed by the dragon god Ba Ha Mu Te, and only the dragon‑blooded of the Zhuo Gengbao family can sound it, summoning nearby legendary dragons to sign a Dragon's Oath, guaranteeing at least three hundred years of service.

The Dragon's Oath is somewhat similar to a soul contract, yet different; it can invoke the dragon god's blessing within a dragon‑blooded's soul, causing the dragon‑blooded apostle's power to surge dramatically, upgrading directly.

Dragon's Summon can be used only once every thirty years, and the uses can accumulate.

At present it has three usage opportunities.

The prerequisite for signing the oath is to defeat the dragon honorably; Ai Mi Li Si is a level‑eleven dragon‑blooded apostle, and the summoned dragons are at least legendary. She lacks confidence in success and has for years dared not sound the horn.

Fortunately, the dragon god Ba Ha Mu Te also established a rule allowing a dragon‑blooded apostle to designate a helper, but only a clan member or spouse.

The only person meeting the condition beside Ai Mi Li Si is Lei En.

Lei En naturally would not refuse.

She has long found three suitable dragons as contract targets: two near the Ba Er Xi Hai Guo, and one within the northern orc tribe's territory.

Lei En comes alone with her to subdue those three dragons, becoming a aid in conquering Kangjiatuo.

The new volume sets off; tomorrow is still the third watch.

(End of chapter)