Chapter 396: Tax Collection and Experience Exchange
Hovering above Red Scales Garrison, the ground crew below raised red and yellow flags, signaling instructions to the airborne Two-Headed Dragon. Stuffed Bun instantly deciphered the message. He patted Noodles’ flank and whispered, “Position thirteen.”
“Awooo~” Noodles let out a low growl, circling once above the Guarded Escort platform before settling precisely into the yellow-marked zone.
The后勤 staff swarmed around him immediately—polishing his scales, securing chains, and filling the feeding trough with the wyvern’s favorite meat paste. Noodles didn’t resist. Instead, he stretched his massive frame, basking in their care.
As the Empire expanded and its coffers swelled, Red Scales Garrison had developed a sophisticated logistics system, ensuring every wyvern remained in peak condition.
“Thanks, everyone,” Stuffed Bun called out, then leapt down from the dragon’s back and hurried toward the stairs.
He was so focused on moving forward that he nearly撞 into another player—only to realize it was Singo, resplendent in the ornate robes of a Viscount.
“Where’s the rush?” Stuffed Bun eyed the luxurious fabric of Singo’s outfit, envy dripping from his voice. “Going to exchange abilities.”
“Didn’t you read my guide?” Singo glanced at him, voice calm. “It said pro players should spend their experience points early—upgrade skills before they stagnate.”
Stuffed Bun gritted his teeth. “I am a pro.”
Singo flipped through his character sheet. “Seriously? You haven’t even hit the level cap? Still stuck at level seven?”
He smirked. “You don’t even have surplus XP to begin with.”
Stuffed Bun stubbornly retorted, “Don’t you know the value of foresight?”
“Fine. Just tell me—where’s the experience shop in the Guarded Escort compound?”
“Right by Alje Marquis’s office. You’ll need to go inside and wait in line. There’s already a queue of dozens.”
“Ugh.” Stuffed Bun continued descending, soon reaching the third-floor office of the Guarded Escort commander.
Sure enough, a long line had already formed—every Crimson Scale Conqueror player he recognized was there, waiting their turn.
He joined the queue, shoulders tense.
But the exchange process was quick. Each player took only a few minutes, and after thirty minutes of waiting, Stuffed Bun finally reached the door.
He pushed it open gently and stepped into a spacious, opulent office.
There stood Alje, the grand commander of the Crimson Scale Conquerors—still half-dragon, half-human, but with longer horns and denser scales across his torso. His ornate robe shimmered under the light, and the dragon-head medal pinned to his chest gleamed with authority: the emblem of an Empire Marquis, a symbol of noble status.
Beside him, the Dragonvein Eagle lounged on a cushion, unchained, chewing on rare magical ore while tilting its head curiously at the newcomer.
Stuffed Bun glanced up at the nameplate above Alje’s head.
> Head of the Red Scales Conquerors – Alje
> Faction: Empire of Ashen
> Challenge Rating: ????
A pang of awe struck him. Even after reaching level seven, he still couldn’t see Alje’s challenge rating—proof of how far beyond him the man truly stood.
Shifting uncomfortably, Stuffed Bun offered a nervous smile. “Alje, sir, I’m here to exchange abilities.”
He hesitated, then added, “You know… since I was one of your first two students… could you give me a small discount?”
“No.”
Alje’s reply was cold, devoid of warmth.
As a true Indigenous Inhabitant, he couldn’t even see character sheets. He was merely following orders—standing here to receive players and facilitate their ability exchanges. After each transaction, he’d feel a strange surge of energy flow into his body, but he had no control over it—only passive reception.
So “discounts” were impossible.
“Right,” Stuffed Bun muttered, scratching his head in embarrassment. He opened his Experience Shop interface.
> Alje Yoman’s Experience Shop
> Trained Skills: Horsemanship +18, Military +14, Reconnaissance +12, Hunting +11, Athletics +10, Survival +10
> Special Abilities: Commander’s Ambush, Dive Attack, Aerial Emergency Stop, Rapid Turn, Tide of Armor Class, Recovery Breath
“Whoa… so many options?” Stuffed Bun blinked, surprised.
Then he saw the costs.
Raising Horsemanship to +18 required 9,000 experience points—nearly a third of everything he’d earned so far.
And Commander’s Ambush? Over 10,000 XP.
“Can’t afford it. Not a chance.”
In the end, he settled on spending 3,000 XP to raise his Horsemanship to +14.
He clicked Confirm Exchange.
Instantly, his XP bar dropped sharply. And between him and Alje, a faint resonance sparked—born from their shared bloodline with the Red Dragon.
Alje’s memories, techniques, and mastery of horsemanship flooded into Stuffed Bun’s body.
His skill skyrocketed.
Suddenly, he felt as though he’d been riding since childhood—had trained with his mount for decades, had spent his entire life atop the wyvern’s back. His muscles remembered every motion, every shift of balance.
When he came back to himself, his character sheet had transformed.
> Horsemanship +14
“Amazing…” Stuffed Bun exhaled in wonder. The experience was unlike anything he’d felt before.
Alje, meanwhile, closed his eyes, savoring the surge of power that filled him—like a harvest reaping its yield.
“Stellarfallen…” he murmured. “Strange folk, these ones.”
Even after witnessing countless eccentric acts from the Stellarfallen, this direct infusion of strength still left him slightly stunned.
But neither he nor Stuffed Bun knew that half of the XP Stuffed Bun had spent had already been transferred as taxes to the faction leader—Emperor Kai Xiusu, the Red Dragon himself.
> [You gain 150 experience points]
> [You gain 300 experience points]
> [You gain 200 experience points]
> [You gain 400 experience points]
> [You gain 1,900 experience points]
Kai Xiusu scrolled through the constantly updating character sheet logs, eyes scanning the flood of XP data with growing delight.
“Ah… so the Imperial Grace bond channels XP directly from players.”
“Truly, players are a treasure.”
“Just like that—mere minutes of exchange, and thousands of XP poured in. At this rate, he’ll break level eighteen in no time.”
“Sleeping through upgrades… far easier than slaughtering enemies all day.”
The Red Dragon grinned, his fangs bared in a predatory smile—his eyes alight with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
From now on, every player would become nourishment for his power.
With a slow, deliberate flap of his wings, he circled above Antonio City.
“Long live the Empire!”
“Long live Emperor Kai Xiusu!”
Below, the people roared in celebration, cheering their sovereign’s presence, dreaming of a glorious future.
(End of Chapter)
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