https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-301-The-Second-Lionheart-Alliance/13676618/
Chapter 300: Suspicion
The scout was seized by the Wyvern, his body torn and bleeding, his severed arm still gushing blood in crimson spurts that scattered through the air like red mist.
"Man, don't die on me now—I still need you to collect my reward!"
"Noodles, full speed!"
Stuffed Bun’s composure shattered instantly, his usual calm demeanor replaced by panic.
Yet the dying scout, barely clinging to life, let out a ghastly grin. His voice was cold, hollow—
"Dragon’s Claws… I will not let your conspiracy succeed!"
"For Bosk Duchy!"
"For Duke Leo!"
"For the glory of the Northern Regions!"
His voice cracked, raw with agony, each word a scream torn from his soul.
Even Stuffed Bun was unnerved by the man’s wild, fanatical fervor. He quickly tried to reason:
"Whoa, man, don’t be reckless! Life’s still sweet! Sacrificing yourself for some backward feudal regime? That’s not worth it! You know this is just their brainwashing tactic—"
He couldn’t bear the thought of losing a guaranteed bounty to a dead man.
"Hmph."
But the scout gave him no chance to continue. Without hesitation, he bit down on a poison sac hidden in his mouth, swallowing the thick, fatal venom.
Black-red blood erupted from his lips. His body turned pale, his head slumped forward.
He was dead.
"Ugh?"
Noodles let out a confused chirp, poking the still-warm corpse with his claw. His simple mind couldn’t comprehend why anyone would choose to die.
Stuffed Bun, meanwhile, was speechless—his heart aching with the loss of gold coins and Contribution Points.
"My gold coins… my Contribution Points…"
He sighed. "Well, whatever. Hand him over to Nocturne. At least we’ve eliminated an enemy."
He patted the Wyvern’s neck gently and made his way to Nocturne’s headquarters in Lakanman Castle.
There, he handed in the scout’s broken corpse. Now, all he could claim was a meager reward for killing an enemy.
Three gold coins.
It wasn’t much—especially compared to the massive payout for capturing a spy alive. The gap between expectation and reality left Stuffed Bun utterly miserable as he accepted the reward.
"Failure… it’s always part of life."
"My gold coins and Contribution Points—gone with the breath of a dead man."
Sitting atop the Two-Headed Dragon, he spoke with forced profundity.
Suddenly, his System Panel buzzed. A message from Singo.
Singo: Red Scales Garrison—hurry.
Stuffed Bun: On my way.
The garrison now stood twenty meters tall—undoubtedly a landmark within the city. In this era, it seemed even more imposing. Guarding the entrance were several statues of knights riding Two-Headed Dragons, with a massive half-figure of Kai Xiusu at the center. Above the gate, the distinctive emblem of the Ashen Kingdom gleamed: a golden vertical pupil encircled by flame.
Perched atop the structure were over a hundred Two-Headed Dragons, and workers scurried across the rooftops like ants.
After years of Alje’s careful cultivation, the kingdom now boasted thirty-seven native Crimson Scale Conquerors. With the recent influx of new players, there were nearly a hundred Dragon Riders—surpassing even the former Northwind Eagle Guard in numbers, and vastly outclassing them in combat strength.
"Damn, this place is luxurious now."
"Though the smell of Dragon Droppings is still unbearable."
Stuffed Bun docked Noodles at the entrance and stepped inside alone.
He found Singo lounging comfortably in a private office, seated on a plush leather sofa, a tall glass of wine in hand.
The man had been thriving. Now commander of the third Crimson Scale Conqueror regiment, leading over thirty Dragon Riders, collecting a steady stream of gold coins and Contribution Points every day.
Stuffed Bun couldn’t help but feel envious. He often regretted not staying behind to train at the garrison.
Singo lifted his glass, swirling the wine gently.
"Long time no see, Stuffed Bun."
"Cut the crap. What’s the urgent? I’m busy—don’t come here to show off your fancy life, I know what you’re after."
Stuffed Bun snapped impatiently.
Soon, Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang and Xia Ye Qiu Yu arrived.
The legendary “Black Slave Four” from the Past Internal Test era—finally reunited in Public Test.
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang rubbed his bald head, glancing around. "This place is awesome."
Xia Ye Qiu Yu, meanwhile, looked like she’d just crawled out of a coal mine—her face charred, her clothes scorched.
She’d recently co-founded the Five Fireball Cult guild, dedicated entirely to researching and perfecting the Fireball Spell. It had attracted a massive following of players obsessed with explosive, high-impact magic. She’d long since abandoned any concern for her appearance.
Now that everyone was present, Singo finally spoke:
"You’ve all noticed it, right? There’ve been increasing numbers of spies from the Northern Regions infiltrating Northwind Keep. And border patrols keep reporting Bosk scout knights."
"I just caught one," Stuffed Bun said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Too bad he killed himself."
The thought of those lost gold coins still stung.
Tian Sheng Zhan Kuang chuckled. "I nabbed one too. But I lost control—punched him so hard he just… exploded."
"..."
Xia Ye Qiu Yu sighed wearily. "I was testing a Rapid-Fire Fireball Technique. Didn’t pay much attention to the rest."
But the moment she said “Fireball,” her eyes lit up—fierce, euphoric, as if flames burned behind her pupils. Stuffed Bun instinctively stepped back, unnerved.
Singo nodded slowly.
"That’s exactly right."
"The big one’s coming."
Stuffed Bun’s eyes widened. "You mean… war? War against Bosk Duchy?"
Singo crossed his arms, resting his fingers beneath his chin.
"Not just Bosk Duchy."
"From my intelligence, Duke Leo is the nominal leader of the Northern Alliance Kingdom. After the Lionheart Alliance, he holds the title King of the Northlands. And Bosk Duchy is the largest nation in the Northern Regions. If we declare war on them, it’s effectively a declaration of war on the entire North."
"But it goes further."
"Anzeta Great Wasteland may be remote and isolated, but a war of this scale would draw in everyone—the Faldran Empire to the south, the Lute Players’ Alliance across the continent, the Silvermoon Bay Free Confederation. The situation will become utterly chaotic—unprecedented in scale."
Stuffed Bun frowned, thinking hard. Then finally, he muttered:
"…So serious?"
"What if we lose?" he asked. "We’re already trapped in this."
Singo smiled faintly. "Relax. We won’t fail."
"The southern powers are strong, yes—but their base isn’t here. They can’t sustain real support for the North. Meanwhile, I’ve studied our kingdom’s strength. Our political, economic, and military power now dwarfs the Northern Kingdoms. And let’s not forget… him."
He paused.
"The King of the Burnt."
Then, with finality:
"Unless someone officially unleashes that Mechanical Deification nonsense, we cannot fail. The kingdom will unify the Anzeta Great Wasteland."
He stood, eyes sharp.
"Then we go to war.
We declare war on the Kingdom of Lakanman.
We declare war on the Kingdom of France.
We declare war on the Kingdom of America!"
(End of Chapter)
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