Chapter 135: The Corrupt Dragon (Seeking Collection)

Chapter 135: The Corrupt Dragon (Seeking Collection)



For several days, nothing but bad news has been circulating.

The front lines are collapsing, and more and more deserters are returning, bringing with them news of an approaching beast tide.

The snow keeps falling, and the weather is getting colder. Every day, frozen corpses can be found in the outer areas of the market.

Food prices are skyrocketing once again.

However, it's hard to say if this is good or bad news, as some people are taking advantage of the situation to fill their pockets.

It's not just food!

Prices are rising for potions, magical artifacts, and various other supplies.

The Cape family and market merchants, with their abundant resources, are seizing the opportunity to make a fortune, which is causing increasing discontent.

In just a few days, several riots have broken out in the outer areas, with people openly killing and stealing food, and revenge killings are becoming more common.

"Things are getting more chaotic!"

Karl stepped out of the blacksmith's shop, carrying a bundle of broadswords he had ordered, and shook his head helplessly as he glanced back.

The blacksmith's business had never been better.

As he passed by the Podor restaurant, Karl subconsciously stopped and looked up at the noisy second floor.

Hodgson was celebrating the opening of his 'new shop,' and most of the people who had come from the Black Swamp were there to congratulate him.

Well,

Karl was not among the invited guests.

Upon returning to the shop, a man dressed entirely in a black cloak was examining the shelves.

"Shopkeeper."

The man's voice was raspy, as if he was speaking with a strained throat:

"Do you buy herbs here?"

Tracy frowned and instinctively looked at Karl when she heard the word 'herbs.'

Typically, apothecaries don't buy herbs directly, as they have partners, but if it's a rare herb, it's a different story.

"What kind of herbs?" Karl took off his cloak and set it aside, asking casually.

"Can you make the decision?"

"Yes."

The man was silent for a moment, then took out a small package from under his cloak. Inside were several flowers.

The red petals were as vibrant as fire, even though they were withering, and they firmly attracted everyone's attention.

"Flame Blossoms!"

Karl exclaimed in surprise:

"Not bad! If you're willing to sell them, I can buy each one for the price of a magic stone."

"One magic stone?" The man's voice was displeased:

"Don't think I don't know the market. These flowers are sold for three magic stones each in shops."

"These are highly sought-after items, even for formal wizards!"

"Your flame blossoms are not in good condition, so they won't fetch a high price. Moreover, we are the ones buying, so we can't offer the selling price." Karl spread his hands:

"If you think my offer is too low, you can go to other shops and ask around."

"..."

The man pushed the package forward:

"Deal!"

"Five magic stones." Karl took out five magic stones and handed them over:

"If you have more of these magical herbs, bring them to me, and I'll buy them at a reasonable price."

"I'll say." The man collected the magic stones and turned to leave.

"Mr. Karl."

'Jeff' approached and asked in a low voice:

"Should we follow him?"

"Flame blossoms have a unique growing environment, and they grow in clusters. When they appear, there are usually dozens or even hundreds of them. He might have more in his possession."

"Why follow him?" Karl smiled lightly and shook his head:

"We are businessmen, and we should just do our business honestly. There's no need to get involved in other people's affairs."

"Hmm..."

"It seems someone has already set their sights on him."

Flame blossoms are an extremely rare wizardry material, typically found in places with high concentrations of starry energy, such as near volcanoes or lava in the earth.

In other words,

The man who just left likely knows a special location, which is far more important than a few flame blossoms.

Before the black-cloaked man came, he probably visited other shops, so he had already been secretly monitored.

Karl shook his head and turned towards his armchair.

"How's the situation in the residential area?"

"It's chaotic!"

Jeff had been gathering information about the surrounding area these days. Hearing this, his eyebrows furrowed, and concern filled his eyes: "The weather is getting colder, food is getting more expensive, and the outside is becoming more dangerous. Some people are selling their children for food."

"Most of the buyers are the wealthy people from the market. A six-year-old girl can be sold for five to seven magic stones."

"Hmm..."

"The residents in the area are growing more resentful towards the rich people in the market. Many are secretly cursing them."

"Resentment!" Karl sighed:

"This resentment is often just verbal complaints, but sometimes it can be deadly."

"Oh well!"

He shook his head lightly:

"We should just do our business honestly and live our lives peacefully. As long as we don't get involved, we'll be fine..."

"Hmm?"

Karl stood up and sniffed:

"Do you smell something strange?"

"Strange smell?" Jeff took a deep breath and shook his head:

"No, I don't."

"It's a... rotten, corrupt smell." Karl frowned, looking up at the sky:

"It seems to be coming from up there."

"I don't smell anything." Jeff shook his head again and turned to Tracy and asked:

"Tracy, do you smell something strange?"

"No, I don't."

The others in the shop also shook their heads.

"..." Karl stood still for a moment, then suddenly waved his arm. An invisible force shattered the roof of the shop.

"Boom!"

Debris and wood chips flew everywhere.

However, no one paid attention to the missing roof. Instead, they stared in shock at the sky.

In their field of vision, a cloud was rapidly approaching the market.

No!

That's not a cloud!

"..."

Tracy's body trembled, and her voice sounded like the wailing of a dying patient.

"It's a dragon!"

Karl's face turned serious:

"The Corrupt Dragon!"

Dragon!

A Tier 3 Creature!

The legendary knight's gaze swept across the horizon, focusing on the winged Western dragon.

This terrifying monster was nearly a hundred meters long.

Its gray muscles and veins carried a sense of decay and rot.

Its murky eyes resembled two dried-up pools, exuding despair and death.

The exposed flesh was rotten, emitting a nauseating stench. Sores and ulcers covered its body, oozing yellow-green pus. It was covered in weeds, mud, and tumors, and just looking at it seemed to be shrouded in plague.

The air grew heavy and gray as the corrupt dragon approached, its very presence causing plants to wither and die in its path. Like a harbinger of death, it swept through the area, leaving a trail of lifeless creatures in its wake.

As the dragon flew overhead, its wings spread wide, it unleashed a breath of corruption that silenced all life in its path.

The source of the foul stench that had reached them earlier was undoubtedly this dragon.

"Quickly!" Karl exclaimed, his face paling.

"Hide in the underground cellar at the back! Don't come out until it's safe!"

The sound of rustling filled the air, jolting everyone awake. Without hesitation, they rushed to the backyard and descended into the underground chamber.

Karl followed closely behind, having just put away his star plate. As he did, an invisible pressure descended upon him from above.

"Ugh!" Despite his legendary knight's physique, Karl's legs trembled, and he nearly fell to his knees.

An immense and terrifying shadow passed over the market, accompanied by a raging hurricane, as the dragon charged forward.

"The Cape family's estate!" someone cried out.

Karl's eyes widened, and with a wave of his arm, a magic carpet shot out, wrapping around him and lifting him into the air.

A thunderous boom echoed as the dragon unleashed its power, a mix of gray and blue light, above the Cape estate.

The dragon roared, spewing a gray breath of corruption that collided with the wizardry barrier surrounding the Cape family had erected around their estate.

The dragon's breath, clearly of a third-tier or higher level, overwhelmed the barrier, causing it to shatter after only a moment.

It's over! Karl's eyes narrowed.

Even from this distance, his body trembled at the power of the dragon's breath. If they had been inside the estate, the breath would have been fatal, leaving no chance for survival, whether wizard or legendary.

The dragon roared again, and its breath swept across the Cape family's estate, covering almost every part of it except for the area around the wizard tower.

Suddenly, countless points of light appeared in the void, rushing like a torrential rain towards the corrupt dragon.

Tier 3 Spell - Radiant Light Shower! With the aid of the wizard tower, the Cape family unleashed a spell of incredible power.

In an instant, the dragon's body was pierced by countless wounds, causing it to lose control and roar in anger once more.

"Roar!"

The dragon collided with the wizard tower, and a blinding light erupted, causing even the heavens and earth to pale in comparison. The very fabric of space trembled under the force of the blast.

When Karl regained his senses, he found that the Cape family's wizard tower had been shattered, and the corrupt dragon had disappeared.

"Without the Cape family's protection, how can we resist the beast tide?" someone asked.

"The beast tide is coming, and we'll all die!" another cried.

"We don't even need to wait for the beast tide; without enough food, we'll starve to death! At least with food, we might have a chance to survive!"

"...What's going on?" Karl wondered, his eyes narrowing and his face paling as he listened to the chaotic voices around him.

Who was inciting the crowd? The arrival of the corrupt dragon was strange enough, and its furious demeanor suggested something more sinister.

"The merchants at the market are hoarding food, and they're selling it to us at high prices!" someone shouted.

"Why should we put up with this?"

"Without the Cape family, we're all in the same boat!"

"Charge!"

"Let's go to the market and the beastfield! We'll get food and supplies! It's our only chance to survive!"

The crowd's voices, filled with incitement, echoed from all directions, luring the residents out of their homes.

Their eyes, once lifeless, now glowed with desire as they fixed their gaze upon the market.

Greed, thirst, and madness filled the air.

Several figures rushed forward, leading the charge as countless others poured out from the residential area, heading towards the market.

Chaos erupted, like a spark landing on dry tinder, and it would be difficult to extinguish.

Karl's expression shifted as if he had realized something. He urged his magic carpet forward, flying towards the distant apothecary.

At the apothecary, Mike MacDonald stood by the window, watching Karl's retreating figure.

"A high-level magical artifact that allows flight... The depth of your six-circle tower's foundation is truly impressive. You escaped quickly," he muttered.

Mike had planned to secretly keep Karl here, but the market hadn't descended into complete chaos yet, and any action would draw too much attention. By the time he was ready, Karl had already flown away on his magic carpet."

"The potion worked. Even with the wizard tower's aid, severely injured Jeppeson wouldn't stand a chance against a third-tier corrupt dragon."

"Now..."

"Create chaos, destroy the Cape family, and take advantage of the situation."

Mike muttered, tapping his staff on the ground. The shadows beneath him writhed and twisted, and multiple shadows detached from his body, spreading out in all directions to exacerbate the chaos.

A grand knight, carrying a longsword on his back, stepped out of a room, his gaze fixed on the direction of the market. His eyes flickered with determination, and he strode towards the market.

In a courtyard nearby, several people gathered.

"Big brother, if we miss this opportunity, who knows when the next one will come? We need to get what we need to survive the beast tide!"

"Exactly!"

"What are we waiting for? Let's do it!"

The group urged, and the high mage apprentice, seated in the center, hesitated before finally drawing his staff.

"Let's go!"

In a room nearby, several shop assistants huddled together.

"I'm sick of putting up with Weber's attitude. This is our chance to get rich!"

"Weber may be a high mage apprentice, but he's old, and we're faster. If we get close enough, even a knight could take him down."

"I know where he hides his valuables. If we kill him, those treasures will be ours. We might even have a shot at becoming archmages!"

"Let's do it!"

Driven by anger and desire, more and more people left their homes and headed towards the market.

Even within the residential area, the slaughter had begun.

There was never a shortage of those who took advantage of the chaos to plunder and oppress the weak.

Of course, there were also cautious and timid individuals who would only shut their doors tight or flee towards the outskirts of the market.

The sky gradually darkened.

And the firelight,

had already soared into the sky!

Bodol Restaurant.

Second floor.

A group of people from the Black Swamp arrived at the window, their faces turning pale as they watched the crowd rushing towards the market in frenzy. Hodgson's face lost all color, and his body trembled, devoid of any blood.

"Quick!"

"Hurry, let's go back to the shop. There are magic items worth tens of thousands of magic stones there!"

Back to the shop?

The others turned to look at him, their eyes filled with pity.

...

Chaos!

Complete and utter chaos!

Karl landed on a rooftop and looked towards the market, shaking his head slightly.

Even if the Cape family lost control of the Leipzig Market, the chaos shouldn't have erupted so quickly.

It was obvious! Someone was secretly stirring up trouble.

There were plenty of valuable items in the market, and the apothecary where he was had stockpiled magic items worth thousands of magic stones. However, this was nothing compared to the other shops, which had inventories worth tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of magic stones.

Not to mention knights and wizard apprentices, even legendary and archmages would find it hard to resist the temptation.

In just a short while, Karl had already spotted several archmages participating in the chaos, thankfully they were still somewhat restrained, covering their faces to avoid drawing too much attention.

Let's go!

He wasn't interested in looting and pillaging, especially when he was not strong enough, so he decided to stay away from the market.

"A gentleman does not stand near a crumbling wall. I have a bright future ahead of me. As long as I steadily cultivate, I can become a wizard without going crazy like the others."

Karl jumped down from the roof, intending to find a secluded place to enter the Divine Realm Fragment and hide for a few days.

"Hmm?"

After taking a few steps, a familiar corpse caught his attention, causing him to stop.

"The guard from the Sith Apothecary, he was just following the person selling Flame Blossoms. How was he killed so quickly?"

"A swift slash to the throat, a clean and efficient kill of a Grand Knight. That person is indeed extraordinary, probably a legendary knight."

Sneaking around to investigate a mysterious person, only to be killed by them, was a common trope in storybooks.

"Hmm..."

Karl stroked his chin, then suddenly retreated. Two curved swords appeared from behind him, landing in his palms. He muttered, "Who's there?"

"What sharp senses you have."

The air, like a calm surface, rippled, and a man with a curved blade appeared.

The man stared directly at Karl, a strange smile on his face.

"No wonder you're a disciple of the Sixth Circle Tower, it makes sense that you could kill the Fire Fox, 'Mei'."

Fire Fox?

That female assassin?

"Are you from the Shadow Hand?" Karl narrowed his eyes, and in an instant, a connection formed in his mind.

"Were you also behind the attacks on the Cape family?"

"Taking advantage of the Monroe family's hatred for the Cape family, systematically eliminating their experts, and finally luring out the Second Circle Wizard, Jeppson, to replace the Cape family's position in the Leipzig Market?"

"No!"

He shook his head slightly.

"You're an assassin organization. You have no use for the Leipzig Market, so you're just a pawn in someone else's game?"

"Tsk tsk..." The man was surprised.

"You're very smart!"

"Your guess isn't entirely wrong. The Shadow Hand played a part in this, but they're not the ones who want the Leipzig Market. They're just good at assassinations, not management."

"Then who is it?" Karl frowned.

"Who's interested in the Leipzig Market? The Andrew family? The Zachary family? Or someone else...?"

"Do you think I'll tell you?" The man chuckled.

"Why don't you guess? As an assassin, why didn't I make a move directly?"

"It's simple." Karl's expression remained unchanged.

"You weren't confident enough to make a move. The Fire Fox, 'Mei', must be a formidable opponent within your organization. Since I was able to kill her, I could certainly kill you. You're waiting for your allies to arrive so you can join forces and ensure success."

The man's face changed color.

"Why don't you guess why I know you have companions? And why haven't they arrived yet?" Karl smirked, not waiting for a response, he continued,

"They're already here, just waiting for you to make the first move."

"The killer intent behind me is even more obvious. They want me to strike first, either to wear me down or... to use me to kill you."

"Would killing me benefit them?"

"Shut up!" The man roared, and in a flash, he disappeared.

Combat Technique - Phantom Step! The Shadow Hand's top-tier combat technique, allowing the user to become intangible for a split second during the technique's activation.

Even a wizard's perception would have difficulty detecting this.

"Hmm."

Karl let out a soft hum, crouching slightly.

Combat Technique - Bloom! The legendary knight's battle aura exploded, transforming into a terrifying force of repulsion that impacted all directions around him.

"Bang!"

A body was forcefully pushed out.

"Legendary..."

The man's eyes widened, filled with terror.

He had thought Karl was a high mage apprentice, but he never expected that the person before him was also a legendary knight, while he was just a grand knight.

A legendary knight and a high mage apprentice, in close combat, could even rival an archmage.

Combat Technique - Holy Reprimand! The crossed swords descended from above, their whistling strike making it hard to breathe. The man's heart was filled with resentment.

With such strength, he should be among the top legendary knights, right?

"Don't kill me, I am..."

"Bang!"

In an instant, the terrifying force landed on the man's body, shattering it into countless fragments from the inside out.

Karl sheathed his sword and looked back.

"Hmm..."

"Such a coward?"

Two Shadow assassins, who were hiding in the shadows ready to strike, disappeared the moment the man died.

They clearly had no intention of continuing the attack.

"Let's go!"

Karl also had no plans to cause further trouble for the Shadow Hand. He quickly searched the bodies, then, after ensuring no one was following him, he used the Blink Spell to enter the Divine Realm Fragment and hide for a while.

He would lay low for now.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end