"Gulp, gulp..."
Just before departure, Xia'er was guzzling down Black Oil with a boldness that made it seem like she was drinking beer, not the toxic, flammable substance.
After waking from her dragon sleep, Xia'er was no longer satisfied with just 300 milliliters. She could down 1000 milliliters in one go without a problem!
Well, it still wasn't a huge amount, but it was a qualitative leap!
Like chugging a beer, she swallowed a whole cup of Black Oil, let out a satisfied belch, then shook her head on the spot, feeling the fiery sensation burning in her throat. She couldn't help but shout, "Strong! So strong!"
"This Black Oil has power!"
Her poison mist was decomposing the Black Oil, giving Xia'er a feeling of pain mixed with pleasure.
But in the end, pleasure dominated.
After all, her strength was increasing!
Rebecca, watching from the side, was utterly dumbfounded.
Huh?
What was going on?
Princess Valentina's pride, the princess's right hand of the Underwood Dragon Flight, the Prime Minister... was a crazy dragon?
Soon, Rebecca remembered the effortless spells Xia'er had cast earlier, and her heart sank with a thud.
That was it.
Obsessive spell-addiction!
Rampant magical elements coursing through a dragon's bloodstream could affect their mind.
The more magically powerful the dragon, the more susceptible they were to such influence.
Under prolonged stimulation, some dragons would break down, some would become insane.
Others would grow obsessed with obtaining powerful spells.
Thus, many mature and even adult dragons became cruel and bloodthirsty, not just due to their nature, but also because of this factor.
But Xia'er was just a young dragon.
How could she have this condition?
Rebecca shivered slightly, watching Xia'er chug the Black Oil, laughing one moment and crying the next. She already wanted to leave early.
Would Xia'er suddenly go mad later, see me as prey, and hunt me down on the spot?
Rebecca trembled internally, regretting volunteering to come find Xia'er.
If she had known, she would have let Otto take this task...
Shivering, Rebecca could only watch as Xia'er 'gulped, gulped' down the Black Oil.
After about half an hour, Xia'er felt she was nearing her limit. She put down the Black Oil, her throat burning, her voice slightly hoarse as she spoke to Rebecca, "Let's go."
"You..."
Rebecca hesitated, then said, "Are you... okay?"
"What could be wrong with me?"
Xia'er exhaled a puff of turbid air, even her breath carrying the scent of Black Oil, as if ready to ignite at a touch. "I can hardly wait any longer. Let's depart quickly."
So strong!
Xia'er now felt incredibly energized, itching to get to the battlefield and unleash her dragon breath!
In an instant, Xia'er strode out of the Royal Court, spread her wings, and shot into the sky!
"Boom!"
Fierce, cutting winds were torn apart by Xia'er's deep emerald-green dragon wings. Seeing this, Rebecca could only slowly follow behind Xia'er, racing southward towards the Karugu Highlands.
Soon, the iconic rugged, jagged terrain of the Karugu Highlands appeared at the edge of their vision.
The air began to carry the scent of gunpowder, rust, and a faint trace of blood.
However, when Xia'er descended and her sharp dragon eyes scanned the so-called 'front line' below, her massive body suddenly stalled mid-air, an expression of disbelief appearing on her draconic face.
There was no earth-shaking battle, no dragons roaring as they dove to spew breath.
At the edge of the battlefield where Xia'er imagined fierce clashes should be happening, she found Valentina in a concealed mountain hollow, backed against a steep ridge, perfectly out of range of the highland dwarves' ballistae.
Valentina was lazily sprawled on a relatively flat boulder, her elegant blue scales appearing deep in the shadow. Her massive head rested on her foreclaws, her tail swishing idly against the ground, appearing... exceptionally relaxed?
Surrounding her was a motley crew of magical creatures with varied forms, their eyes either dull or filled with primal beastliness.
There were massive crustacean-like creatures with rock-hard shells and clumsy movements; cave-dwelling beasts covered in filthy fur, baring their teeth but clearly lacking any coordination; even a few stone giants, bound by crude iron chains, pacing restlessly.
These were the 'original inhabitants' of the Karugu Highlands, whom Valentina had essentially enslaved.
At the moment, Valentina was using her voice, carrying the unique magnetism of a Blue Dragon, to leisurely brief two smaller young Blue Dragons beside her:
"So, this afternoon's objective is to have the rock-shell crab swarm launch another charge from the western pass against the dwarves' left flank patrol. Remember, spread out, make a big commotion! Roar loudly! Just draw the attention of those stubborn little shorties... Karta, you're in charge of supervision. Make sure they charge forward, but you absolutely! Absolutely must not get too close yourself, understand? The dwarves' heavy ballistae are extremely annoying..."
Valentina's words held no trace of tension or fighting spirit, instead brimming with a perfunctory 'just going through the motions' attitude.
She even cautiously poked half her head out, took a quick glance at the faint outlines of ballistae atop the distant dwarven fortress, and swiftly pulled back, as if afraid of being locked onto by a targeting sight.
"Princess Valentina."
Xia'er's voice, low like rolling thunder, suddenly boomed over the mountain hollow. Her massive form landed with a crash right in front of Valentina, the stirred-up dust causing the low-intelligence magical creatures to stir restlessly.
Rebecca landed close behind, though keeping some distance from Xia'er.
"Xia'er?"
Valentina, startled by Xia'er's sudden voice, jerked her head up. A flash of embarrassment crossed her dragon eyes, quickly replaced by delight. "My Prime Minister, my right hand! You've finally awakened from your dragon sleep. You've come at the perfect time!"
"Good day, Your Highness."
Xia'er sized up Valentina's current form: to be honest, she was still a bit larger than Xia'er.
But compared to the despair-inducing size difference before, it was nothing now.
Valentina, body length thirteen meters.
Xia'er, current body length ten and a half meters. Soon, she could plot to usurp the throne.
Valentina, however, remained unaware. This Blue Dragon, who hadn't received a proper Blue Dragon education and was rather naive, turned to Xia'er. The laziness from just moments ago, directing the magical creatures' feint, was instantly replaced by a surge of intense indignation. A long-suppressed fury ignited in her deep blue dragon eyes:
"These damned dwarves! They're like a bunch of stubborn moles digging holes in the rock. They refuse to fight me fair and square! Look at the fine mess they've made in the Karugu Highlands!"
With that, Valentina pointed with her claw, covered in hard scales, towards the distant horizon where stone structures were faintly visible, dotting the rolling hills like ugly tumors.
"Every time they advance about a kilometer, it's like they have obsessive-compulsive disorder. They immediately start building these damned stone forts! One after another, densely packed!" Valentina's tone was full of frustration. "I tried to destroy them, but those forts all hide extremely vicious ballistae! They can even pierce my scales! Even if I risk injury and exhaust myself tearing one down..."
Valentina's voice dropped, carrying a hint of weary helplessness and gritted-teeth hatred. "After I drag my injured body back to recuperate for a few days, guess what? Those short stone blocks! They can rebuild, right on the same spot, right under my nose, in even less time, a bigger, thicker fort with more ballistae and longer range! Like poisonous mushrooms you can never stamp out! Just looking at those stone lumps gives me a headache now!"
She let out a heavy snort, sparks of electricity crackling within, as if trying to expel all her pent-up frustration.
Xia'er followed Valentina's pointing claw and saw the fort, massive as a small hill. For a moment, she was also taken aback.
The Dwarven Kingdom truly lived up to being a kingdom.
Steady and sure, step by step.
Building solid forts, fighting methodical battles.
Inching forward like a pawn without end, no effort is ever wasted, eventually reaching the sea.
These little b*stard dwarves, not content with just forging, have started studying military strategy.
However...
Xia'er suddenly spread her emerald wings wide, her scales ringing like clashing metal. She raised her dragon head high, a low rumble rolling in her throat:
"Let me give it a try!"