Iron Dragon's Advancement Journey

Page 171

　On the fourth day, construction of the middle ring began.

　If the inner ring is the skeleton of the entire fortress, then the middle ring is its flesh and blood. This area will house living facilities equivalent to a million human beings, and will feature a strategic teleportation array based on the future Silinshi's labyrinthine structure, directly connecting to four cities: Astral City, Waterdeep, Baldur's Gate, and Silvermoon City.

　"Building a city in a spherical space," exclaimed an architect from Deepwater Refuge. "This was unimaginable before."

　But the designers of Deepwater had already solved this problem. By cleverly using magic, they created multiple directions of gravity within the spherical space. People standing on the "ground" always feel that their feet are flat, even if they may actually be standing on the inner wall of the sphere. In this way, the utilization rate of space is greatly improved. With the range of the Miser Core remaining constant, the usable space of the new fortress design is more than a hundred times that of the original Sultanza.

　The assembly line started operating.

　The standard housing modules produced in Deepwater City were continuously transported over. Each module was a complete living unit, including a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and even a small balcony. Suitable for different human species and for dragons, they were assembled like building blocks to form "buildings".

　"This is the future." Lyra Silverhand gazed at the emerging neighborhoods, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. "Standardized, modular, replicable. While it lacks artistry, its efficiency is miraculous."

　Kelburn held his wife's hand: "Times are changing, and we must learn to adapt."

　The industrial park is even more impressive. Four different component production lines have been relocated here, each with complete production capacity. From raw material processing to final assembly, the entire process is completed within this spherical space.

　"Self-sufficiency." Casalos stood at the observation window of the command post, watching the bustling scene below. "This is a basic requirement for survival in the Abyss. We cannot rely on external supplies; we must be able to produce everything we need ourselves."

　On the fifth day, the construction of the outer ring reached its climax.

　This is the most complex part of the entire fortress. It must not only withstand direct attacks from the abyss, but also provide a complete combat platform for the defenders. It also boasts the largest "land" area and serves as an indispensable agricultural production zone for the fortress's self-sufficiency. To accommodate the self-sufficiency of supplying a million people and to ensure complete combat capabilities, this space underwent the most complex simulation calculations and optimizations to guarantee maximum combat effectiveness.

　"Weapon platform in position!"

　The massive turrets were installed in their designated positions. These latest products from the Waterdeep City Armory were primarily designed to fire kinetic energy projectiles.

　In an environment like the Abyss where magic is severely disrupted, weapons that rely purely on physical damage are more reliable in terms of destructive power—even if demons are actually immortal, they are no longer a threat once they are destroyed, right?

　The hangar area is also under construction. Those massive platforms are not only capable of accommodating dragons taking off and landing, but are also equipped with comprehensive maintenance facilities. Injured dragons can receive timely treatment here, and exhausted warriors can get ample rest.

　"Reconnaissance system test!"

　Tens of thousands of spherical probes extend from openings in the outer shell. These psionic-based devices function normally in the chaotic environment of the abyss, providing the fortress with comprehensive situational awareness.

　The medical district is another key focus. The best physicians and priests from Deepwater Territory have been transferred here to establish a comprehensive medical center capable of treating all kinds of injuries. From physical trauma to mental pollution, from poisoning to curse possession, all kinds of harm that might be encountered in the Abyss are being considered.

32. Those that are still on the right track for now

　The streets of Loreba were deserted, with only sparse magical streetlights casting a dim yellow glow, broken only by the occasional low hum of a bronze dragon flapping its wings. Moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting a cold luster on the bronze city walls, as if the entire city were holding its breath in slumber.

　Gerstagg Haider staggered through the narrow alleyways, dark red blood seeping from a wound on his left arm, dripping onto the stone pavement with a soft patter. In his right hand, he clutched a heavy package wrapped in a waterproof bag, as if bearing the last weight of his life.

　"Three more blocks... hang in there..." His breathing was rapid, and his consciousness was beginning to fade, but his instinct for survival and his trust in his teacher sustained him as he continued forward.

　The waterproof satchel clung tightly to his chest, containing two books stolen from the Dragon Cult's stronghold: Samasser's notes and the Dragon Sorcerer's sacred text. He had paid a heavy price for these two books. That bastard Edwin—who would have thought his dagger was cursed?

　The sound of pursuers' footsteps approached from afar, mixed with the hissing of some reptilian creature. Gerstagg knew he didn't have much time left.

　Tagan Nightwind's swordsmanship school finally came into view, its gates still wide open—a habit of the teacher, who always said a true swordsman should be ready to face any challenge. Gerstagg used his last ounce of strength to rush into the courtyard.

　"Teacher!" he murmured softly, his voice hoarse as if the wind was being squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

　------

　Inside the drawing room of the swordsmanship school, Fiona held a teacup, her fingers lightly tapping the rim, causing ripples to spread across the clear tea. Opposite her sat the winged elf swordsmanship master, Tagan Nightwind, organizing sword manuals on the bookshelf.

　"So, Master Tagan has decided to stay here after all?" She put down her teacup and crossed her hands on her knees.

　"This is my school, my students need me." Tagan put the last sword manual back in its place. "And Gerstagg could return at any time; I must wait for him here."

　Agatha stood by the window, her nostrils flaring suddenly: "There's a strong smell of blood... and that peculiar putrid stench of the dead."

　Before the words were even finished, Göstag stumbled into the drawing room. His face was ashen, and his lips were purple; he had clearly been poisoned. The moment he saw his teacher, the muscles in his face relaxed, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

　"Teacher..." he swayed unsteadily.

　Tagan sprang to his feet and caught his disciple: "Göstag! What's wrong?"

　"Treat the wound first." Fiona immediately stepped forward, taking a vial of healing potion from her waist. "This is a specially prepared antidote; it should alleviate the poisoning."

　But as she tore open Göstag's clothes to examine the wound, her fingers unconsciously tightened around the medicine bottle. Radial, dark purple lines emanated from the wound, spreading throughout his chest cavity. This was a curse, not poison; Tagan's disciple had missed the best opportunity to remove it.

　"It's too late." Göstag shook his head with difficulty, his trembling hands untying the waterproof book bag. "Teacher... this is what I stole from the Cult of Dragons... Samass's notes... and their sacred texts..."

　He gasped for breath, each word requiring immense effort: "That man who called himself the harpist... lied to me... but it doesn't matter anymore... Samass... he's back... plotting..."

　"Don't speak, conserve your energy!" Tagan's voice trembled, and the sword master, who had seen countless life and death, was now shaking slightly with his hands.

　Gerstag forced a weak smile: "Teacher... I did it... like a real hero... right?"

　A piercing shriek suddenly came from outside the window. Agatha abruptly drew her longsword from her waist: "They're coming! At least one wyvern, and... twenty? No, thirty zombies!"

　Fiona stood up, walked to the window to check the situation outside, then turned to Tagan and said, "Master, have your apprentices all been evacuated?"

　"Yes, I had them all leave temporarily during the day," Tagan said in a low voice.

　Fiona and Agatha exchanged a glance, and both took a few steps back.

　"Then let them in." Agatha sheathed her sword. "Master, this is your school, your students."

　With his last ounce of strength, Göstag grasped his teacher's hand: "Protect...these two books...they contain...important things..."

　His voice grew weaker and weaker until it disappeared completely. His young eyes remained open, but all their light had been lost.

　"Göstagh!" Tagan growled, trying to rouse his disciple, but his once passionate eyes had lost their light. He gently laid Göstagh's body on the ground, his wings trembling slightly, as if unable to suppress the anger and grief within him.

　"Agatha is right, it's an acid dragon and a bunch of ghouls." He stood up, took his sword from the wall, each movement unusually slow and deliberate. "They've tainted my school."

　In the courtyard, a four-meter-long acid dragon roared and brandished its claws, followed by more than thirty rotting zombies. Leading the group was a spellcaster dressed in the robes of the Dragon Cult, none other than Edwin, who had previously fought against Gerstagg.

　"Hand over what was stolen!" Edwin shrieked, "or everyone here will die!"

　His answer was a flash of silver sword light.

　Tagan's figure swept across the courtyard like a phantom, his rapier tracing a perfect arc in the moonlight. Before Edwin could react, his right arm was severed at the shoulder, blood gushing out like a fountain.

　"You killed my students." Tagan's voice was terrifyingly calm, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "Now, it's time to pay the price."

　The Acid Wyvern roared and lunged at the Winged Elf, spewing a corrosive acid mist from its gaping maw. Tagan nimbly dodged to the side, his sword transforming into a streak of light as it precisely pierced the wyvern's left eye.

　"Roar!" Yalong shook its head in pain, but Tagan had already appeared behind it like a ghost, the blade slicing along its spine, leaving a deep bloody gash on its tough scales.

　Fiona and Agatha stood at the doorway of the reception room, watching everything quietly.

　"He needs this," Agatha whispered, her hand on the hilt of her sword but not drawing it.

　Fiona nodded, crossing her arms. "Let him vent."

　The battle in the courtyard continued. Tagan faced over thirty zombies and a wyvern alone, his wings and slender body dancing in mid-air as he unleashed sword flashes imbued with fierce killing intent. The zombies were shredded to pieces before they could even get close, and the acid wyvern was also badly wounded under the continuous attacks.

　Finally, Tagan pierced the dragon's skull with his sword, ending this one-sided massacre. The entire courtyard reeked of burning and blood, with zombie limbs and the dragon's corpse scattered on the ground.

　Tagan sheathed his sword, took a deep breath, and his shoulders heaved slightly. He turned and walked back to the reception room, his steps much heavier than before.

　He carefully took the two books from Gerstag's stiff hands, his thumb gently touching the covers.

　"This is what he got with his life." He handed the book to Fiona, his voice a little hoarse. "I think it should be given to a real harpist."

　Fiona took the book, opened Samasser's notebook, and immediately frowned: "This is... written in secret."

　She tried using language-skilling magic, but the text on the page remained a jumbled mess, clearly not written in any obscure language: "Samass has used some special encryption method that even language-skilled individuals cannot crack."

　Agatha also leaned over for a look: "It seems that to decipher this, we need to find a way to crack the code."

　"In any case, Göstag's sacrifice will not have been in vain." Fiona closed the book. "Since these two books are so important, the Cult of the Dragons will surely continue to try and seize them. Master Tagan, I'm afraid we'll have to stay here longer."

　Tagan glanced at Ghost's body, clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them: "I understand. But first, let me bury my student."

　...You Lin Yong and Lin Mei are busy, and Lin Zai Zai isn't here either...

　The next morning, a tall woman appeared at the entrance of the swordsmanship school. She had long, fiery red hair, wore a magnificent robe, and had an exquisite mage badge pinned to her chest.

　"Is Master Tagan here?" Her voice was sweet, but her fingers were fiddling with the folds of her robes. "I am Elena Frostwhisper, the headmistress of the Loreba Magic Academy. I heard that some unpleasant things happened here last night?"

　The apprentice guarding the gate clearly recognized the woman, who held considerable prestige in the city, and quickly bowed respectfully: "Headmaster, Teacher Tagan is in the drawing room. Last night indeed..."

　"No need to say anything, I'll go in myself." Elena interrupted him and walked straight to the reception room.

　Inside the drawing room, Tagan was sorting through Gerstag's belongings. Seeing Elena enter, he merely raised his head slightly: "What is it?"

　"Master Tagan," Elena sat down opposite him, her hands folded on her knees, a professional smile playing on her lips, "I heard that your student, Gerstag, was tragically murdered last night? It's truly a great loss."

　"Yes," Tagan replied briefly.

　Elena's gaze swept across the room, her fingers lightly tapping the armrest of her chair. "I also heard that Gerstag brought something back with him before he died? Perhaps some...books?"

　Tagan finally raised his head, looking at her expressionlessly: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

　"Oh, please don't misunderstand." Elena's smile widened, but fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. "I'm just worried that if Gerstag really did take something he shouldn't have from some dangerous place, it might cause trouble for you and your school."

　"I don't know what you're talking about." Tagan lowered his head again. "Gestag didn't bring anything back."

　"Really?" Elena's voice suddenly turned sharp, her hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly. "That's a real shame. I was hoping to help you with this problem."

　"I don't think I need your help," Tagan said coldly. "If there's nothing else, please leave."

　Elena stood up, her smile vanishing completely, her cheek muscles twitching slightly. "Master Tagan, there's no use pretending to be ignorant about some things. I'll ask one last time, did Gerstag actually bring back a certain... holy book?"

　"I told you, there's nothing here." Tagan stood up, his hand on his sword hilt. "Now, please leave."

　"You're really asking for trouble!" Elena dropped her pretense completely. Her pupils suddenly turned vertical, fine scales appeared on her forehead, and her hands began to tremble violently. "Since that's how it is, don't blame me for being impolite!"

　She leaped backward, chanting a spell. Several portals opened in the reception hall, from which emerged a horde of Abisai dragons with bat wings and scales, emitting piercing shrieks.

　"Kill him! Turn this place upside down!" Elena commanded shrilly, her voice cracking with excitement.

　However, just as the dragon demons were about to pounce on Tagan, two figures suddenly appeared from the shadows.

　"That's exactly what I've been waiting for—you'll walk right into my trap," Fiona said calmly, a dazzling light emanating from the tip of her staff.

　Agatha had already drawn her longsword, her black armor gleaming with a divine light: "How interesting, the headmistress of a magic academy is actually a member of the Dragon Cult."

　Elena's face turned deathly pale, and her legs began to weaken: "You...how did you get here?"

　"Because we've been waiting for you." Fiona smiled, her staff twirling gently in her hand. "But we don't need you to tell us anything. A nobody like you, Samaster won't let you know anything important."

　The battle erupted instantly. Agatha charged into the horde of dragons like a black colossus. Unlike Tagana's graceful sword dance, the tungsten dragon paladin's sword was neither swift nor precise, but rather like a wheel of blades launched from a construct. Each touch blasted a dragon into a cloud of blood mist, the contained exorcising power tearing apart these evil souls from purgatory. Fiona's magic, on the other hand, was both dazzling and deadly; a series of lightning bolts transformed the entire reception hall into a sea of ​​thunder.

　Elena tried to escape, but Tagan blocked her path. The winged elf's sword was so fast that it was just a blur, leaving more than a dozen wounds on her body in just a few breaths.

　"No! You can't kill me!" Elena collapsed to her knees, blood gushing from her wounds, her entire body trembling violently. "I'm a celebrity in Lorba! My disappearance will cause a sensation!"

　"Let's make a big splash then." Agatha knocked her unconscious with the hilt of her sword. "Take her away; maybe the interrogation experts can get something out of her."

　Fiona nodded: "Although she doesn't know much, it's better than nothing."

　After the battle, the three sat in the ruins of the reception room. Tagan, head bowed, seemed to be deep in thought, before finally breaking the silence.

　"What's next?"

　Fiona stood up and walked to the window. "Several potentially crucial figures—Dorn Grey Creek and his team—are already on their way. Agatha 'invited' them. But frankly, in my opinion, their current strength isn't really of much help."

　"Then why are we still looking for them?" Tagan asked, somewhat puzzled.

　Agatha explained, "Because they possess certain blessings that will be indispensable in future conflicts against the core power of the Dragon Cult. I'll have the half-dragons train these guys well to increase their strength as quickly as possible. If Master Tagan is willing to personally instruct them, that would be even better. After all, our fighting style isn't quite suited to humans… Of course, it doesn't matter if he's not willing. In any case, the real fighting force in the potential conflicts we face right now is the team led by Eisen and Svent."

　"Eisen and Sven?" Tagan wasn't very familiar with those two names.

　"The most elite special operations team in Deepwater Territory." Fiona turned around, hands behind her back. "They're currently on standby outside Loleba City, ready to move at any time. The only reason we haven't launched a large-scale operation yet is because this is Imbutu, not Deepwater Territory."

　She approached Tagan: "Imbutu is the land of dragon knights and paladins. And Agatha and I happen to be tungsten dragon paladins. That's why we're here—our identities offer a unique diplomatic advantage."

　"So you need me to take you to see the people in the palace?" Tagan understood.

　"Exactly," Agatha nodded. "Master, you are highly respected in Loribad. With you here, we can get in touch with the real decision-makers. And as Tungsten Dragon Paladins, we should receive considerable courtesy at the Imput Palace."

　Tagan was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "For Göstag, I will do everything in my power."

　Meanwhile, deep within a distant gray forest, a massive magical barrier was slowly taking shape. Twelve magical ships of the Dragon Territory hovered in the air, forming a perfect encirclement.

　Trapped in the center of the barrier was a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe. He had long, fiery red hair, and a mocking smile played on his lips, revealing two sharp teeth. The air around him was thick with the smell of sulfur.

　"Stop your futile struggle, 'Sulfur'," a voice came from outside the barrier.

　Eisen and Sven stood side by side on the flagship's deck, with hundreds of fully armed half-dragon warriors behind them.

　"We just want to talk to you." Svent's scaly lizard face broke into a dangerous smile, his fingers lightly twirling the massive spear. "About Samaster, about the Cult of Dragons, about everything you know."

　The Smoke Dragon, known as "Sulfur," remained in human form, elegantly adjusting the cuffs of its robes: "You think trapping me will make me talk? How naive."

　"Oh, we'll make you talk," Eisen said coldly, his knuckles cracking. "You know, our Lord taught us a lot of...interesting interrogation techniques."

　"Sulfur" chuckled as it chanted an incantation: "Then let's see if your techniques are more interesting, or if my magic is more spectacular."