Chapter 138 This is no ordinary monster; we must strike hard.

An invisible hand seemed to be stirring up the wind and clouds in the dark sky, rolling up layers of forest waves. Large raindrops poured down, sobbing between the mountains and the wilderness, and lifting a pale rain curtain.

Galus's steel-cast body stood firm in the wind and rain.

Beside him, the Iron Dragon and the Red Dragon also spread their wings, stood up straight, their faces full of excitement, revealing their sharp fangs.

"Crush those lowly reptiles!"

Samantha snorted, sparks flying from her nostrils, and growled.

"They will pay a bloody price for their arrogance!"

Sorog's hard dragon scales clanged.

The Ignas brothers already knew each other well enough that when they saw the changes in Galus's expression and gaze, they knew what Galus was thinking without having to ask any further questions.

Unlike Galus.

The red dragon and the iron dragon were filled with murderous intent, wanting to skin and tear apart any humans who dared to extort them. However, Garos kept them in check, making them endure.

And now.

Galos was also enraged.

He had already backed down, but the other party kept pressing him.

In fact, from the perspective of humans, their actions were not wrong.

If this monster clan is weak, then we can simply subdue it with our private army and take complete control. If it becomes so powerful that it frightens us and goes on a rampage, then it will be even easier. We can request the garrison to come and suppress it, give it a good beating, and then subdue it with favors.

The nobles do not want normal cooperation.

Instead, it's a hierarchical relationship where the individual is completely under control.

However, this was completely unacceptable to Galus.

The nobles' probing and provocations are touching Galos's bottom line.

This made him feel extremely dangerous.

Then, fear and dread filled his heart, and a fierce, boiling murderous intent rose within him.

However, now is not the time to take direct action.

In such situations, it is all the more necessary to remain calm and rational, to carefully consider the consequences, and to plan for a way out.

Galos took a deep breath, drawing the wind and rain into his lungs, and then slowly exhaled.

"Sorog, instruct the commanders of the dependents of each battle group to prepare for battle. Order the commanders of the dependents remaining in the territory to pack their belongings and immediately evacuate to Quenching Heights."

"Samantha, clean up Tail Valley. Take everything you can, and destroy everything you can't."

The meaning behind these words is quite clear.

Galos is going to abandon this territory.

He was decisive. Since he had decided to overturn the table, he immediately prepared to relocate, leaving no opportunity for the other party to retaliate.

Upon hearing this, Samantha hesitated.

It was reluctant to give up the territory it had cultivated for so long, and the wealth it had brought.

"Wait, Garus, are we going to abandon the territory?"

"It's not giving up, it's just a temporary withdrawal. We'll come back sooner or later."

"Why? A viscount's army is no match for us. We can wipe them all out and continue to occupy this place."

A viscount is not considered a high-ranking noble in the human world.

Samantha remained as arrogant as ever, believing that only high-ranking nobles or great lords were worthy of her shunning.

Iron Dragon glanced at the calm-looking Garos, then sneered, suppressing his surging emotions, and said, "Foolish. Do you think the Lorthen Federation would tolerate three evil dragons nesting near the trade route and sit idly by while we grow stronger?"

“The viscount is nothing to worry about, but when we show our claws and sharpen our edge, we will inevitably attract more attention.”

"If we stay here and wait for the powerful to come and annihilate us, we will surely die."

"Given our nobility and value, we dragons may even attract legends."

"If a legend comparable to Gu Long arrives while we remain in the same place, we won't even have a chance to escape."

"And we don't even need legendary status; those high-level beings can pose a danger to us."

When Tielong can suppress his emotions and think calmly.

Its wisdom far surpasses that of Samantha.

What it said was also Galus's thought.

Every legend is a pillar of the nation, the core of each race and country. There is no legend behind a viscount, otherwise he would not be a viscount who comes to the wilderness to fight monsters for food.

However, within the vast Lothern Federation, there are legendary powerhouses, and the garrison in the Sel Wilderness also has legendary figures; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to suppress the ferocious beasts and monsters of the wilderness.

Once the viscount's men were killed.

One of them was a nobleman's son.

This would undoubtedly be seen as a provocation against the Lorthern Federation.

In the eyes of the defenders of the Sel Wilderness, the Ironforge Clan must have been no ordinary clan, and they believed that the dragons had posed a threat to the Federation and that a heavy blow must be dealt to them!

If they continue to occupy the fissured earth passage.

The rest of the story is predictable.

First, the viscount will send troops to retaliate, but they will be defeated by the dragons. Then, a more organized legion will arrive. If they still cannot defeat the dragons, the strongmen in the garrison will take direct action.

Or perhaps there aren't so many twists and turns.

After discovering several dragons, some powerful individuals, eager for a piece of the action, preemptively struck before the viscount could send troops or request military reinforcements, making a hefty profit.

"In any case, we can't stay in the Scaled Earth Crack Path any longer; we must evacuate."

Galos's gaze sharpened as he slowly said, "But before that, I will make those people pay a heavy price."

In reality, the most sensible choice would have been to simply tuck their tails between their legs and retreat with their pack, leaving the humans untouched.

However, Galos is not an absolutely rational person.

He has his own demands and desires.

Was his precarious struggle for survival and growth meant to make him want to run away in disgrace every time he encountered danger?

No.

The purpose was that, even if he had to retreat at such a time, he would make his enemies who disrupted his peaceful life pay the price and let them know the consequences of provoking him.

So that if I encounter a similar situation again, I will never have to tolerate it again.

When Garros was forced to abandon his territory for the first time due to the threat from the Blackrock Dwarves, he had no confidence to resist and migrated overnight, like a stray dog.

This time, he will make his enemies remember the pain.

If there's a next time, he might not be the one running away.

Immediately, through the communication stone, a series of instructions were issued in rapid succession.

Instead of returning to their territory to collect taxes, the combat units led by Karu, under the cover of the torrential rain and the sorcerers, slowly and silently approached the encampment of the noble's son.

The leaders of the various territories of the Ironforge also received orders to mobilize their clansmen to prepare their territories and head to the Quenching Highlands.

In the blink of an eye, four days had passed.

The rain has been increasing and decreasing over the past few days, but today it is still pouring down. Large raindrops are hitting the leather tents, making a crackling sound.

The largest tent was filled with the luxurious aroma of perfume mixed with the scent of roasted meat.

Edmund reclined in his chaise lounge, toying with a crystal ball in his hand.

He seemed relaxed, not like someone who had come to the wilderness for training, but rather to go on vacation.

"Young master, will those monsters really pay their taxes honestly?"

Brent fawned over him and offered him a glass of chilled wine.

"If you ask me, we should just storm their lair."

Edmund glanced at the tax collector: "Do you know where their hideout is?"

"Um, I don't know at the moment."

Brent gave an awkward smile.

Edmund sipped his wine, his pale blue eyes reflecting the defensive lines arrayed outside the tent.

Five alchemical golems formed a ring of defense. Thorn Knights were training in the pouring rain. Further away was a frost giant controlled by magic, its eyes lifeless and empty.

Be patient.

Edmund said dismissively, “A beast is a beast after all; its stupid and primitive mind can’t come up with any schemes.”

He looked down on the monsters of the wilderness from the bottom of his heart.

Or perhaps, all intelligent beings living in civilized lands are prejudiced against the primitive and crude monsters of the wilderness.

for example.

The goblin kingdom within the Lorthen Federation completely disregards the goblin clans in the wilderness as the same kind of creatures as them, regarding them only as 'pseudo-goblin' monsters with similar appearances.

Edmund swirled the wine in his glass and downed the red liquid in one gulp.

"Perhaps they might initially be resentful and try to cheat when paying taxes, but in the face of our wisdom and civilization, the thoughts of wild beasts are nothing but laughable."

Edmund said casually, "The taxes we're asking for now are just the beginning."

"Next, I will keep testing their bottom line, gradually apply pressure, squeeze all their wealth, and completely take control of them."

Learning magic is extremely expensive.

In order to gain a foothold in Sky Academy in the future, Edmund did not mind acquiring a large fortune first, even if it meant going hungry.

In his view, these excessive demands are not a problem now. As long as he learns well in the future and becomes a high-level mage, acquiring wealth and glory will be a piece of cake.

Brent smiled obsequiously and nodded repeatedly.

This young master is a true prodigy, but his birth has limited him. His future achievements will surely far surpass those of his father. If he is fortunate enough to become a legendary spellcaster, his name will spread throughout the entire Duchy of Raymond, and he will become a pillar of the country.

The atmosphere inside the tent was relaxed.

Edmund sipped his wine and elegantly cut the roast meat with his knife and fork.

However, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging.

The monk Bane, who was in the shadows, suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils contracting.

Something is approaching.

He said solemnly.

"Uncle Bain, are you being too nervous?"

The magical alarm outside the camp went unanswered, but Edmund paid it no mind.

Until, boom!

A dull, unnatural rumble of thunder echoed in the sky, growing louder as it approached.

The frost giants were the first to notice the anomaly.

The puppet, created using alchemy and necromancy, suddenly let out a shrill howl.

The knights around looked up and saw the direction the giant was pointing.

The sky, torrential with rain, was suddenly torn apart.

A crimson, ominous star pierced through the clouds. In the vacuum channel scorched by its tail flames, rainwater vaporized into pale mist before it could fall. The light was not the orange-red of an ordinary meteorite, but a dark red more like the blood of a living being, as if a deep wound had been cut open in the sky.

(End of this chapter)