Bab 94: What Kind of Tactic Is This?
The mechanical dragon halted its ascent, and the shockwave from below hit instantly, causing Bai Yi's windbreaker to rustle violently in the gusts. The ground cracked beneath them, and flames engulfed more than ten thousand meters of terrain. Although the heat didn't harm the red dragon, it was enough to halt its furious rampage.
The dragon's roar echoed through the explosion, full of rage—as though this intense yet non-fatal strike had triggered its fury.
Buzz~
The sound of wings flapping pierced the air, and the mushroom cloud dissipated in an instant. A massive dragon with torn wings and deep wounds shot upwards, its eyes fixed on Bai Yi with murderous intent. "Damn you, ants!"
"Dear Ms. Tina Anderson," Bai Yi interjected loudly, sending a message on his phone.
Suddenly, a sharp sense of danger surged, causing the dragon to dart away just in time.
Boom!
The ground, charred and cracked, instantly froze into ice crystals. Space distortion shimmered in a seven-kilometer radius, with a cold shockwave spreading outward. The nearby jungle was frozen solid in an instant.
Before the ice could settle, a second explosion roared through the air as a bolt of lightning tore through the sky. The ice shattered into powder, and the dense forest vanished without a trace.
Tina's pupils contracted sharply as her anger slightly abated.
She wasn't afraid of magical flames, as she was mostly immune to fire—legendary flames only posed a minor threat. But ice or electricity? Those could have caused significant damage.
Bai Yi smiled. "You see, the Federation isn't afraid of dragons. My actions earlier were simply to show that I'm worthy of negotiating with such a powerful creature."
"You were too angry before," he continued. "I've learned that your treasures were taken by others. But surely, this is nothing more than a dispute over resources. You've lost much, but we can resolve this peacefully instead of letting some opportunists use you like a pawn for their own gain."
Bai Yi lightly touched the mechanical dragon beneath him, and it began to descend slowly, landing at the edge of the crater.
The massive pit, seven kilometers wide and dozens of meters deep, was a stark reminder of the power of the giant dragons in Dongwu City.
In the sky, Tina was contemplating. If the enemy was strong enough to return her treasure, she might consider negotiating. But dragons didn't simply hand over their hoards—they required compensation, and the value of their treasures was immeasurable.
Tina glanced at Gao Cheng, her fear palpable, before turning back to the calm alchemist and the thief. Despite her rage, the red dragon held back from slaughtering them.
Slowly, she began to descend.
At three hundred meters in length, the dragon's form was even more imposing compared to the mechanical dragon—like an adult towering over a child. Dragons' power and inheritance were tied to their size, and the larger they were, the stronger they became.
A saying from wandering poets of Xia Continent echoed: "When the wings of the dragon darken the sky, the people below must kneel and pray—for it may be life, or death."
"We can talk," Tina's voice boomed, "but only if the thief hands over all of the dragon's treasures. Then we'll discuss compensation."
Her scarlet eyes fixed on the bulging sack on Higanbana's belly and the weapon in his hand.
Higanbana's face soured. He exchanged a glance with Fengchen, both feeling the urge to log off. But they knew better—taking the dragon's treasure would make them enemies in this city, and offending the NPCs was not something they could afford.
Reluctantly, Higanbana placed the item on the dragon and pulled out a string of sparkling ornaments, handing them over with great hesitation.
Bai Yi took the items—mostly silver-grade with a few gold-grade pieces.
Tina's anger lessened slightly, but before she could speak, a twisted, ominous aura suddenly rose from the west gate of Dongwu City, darkening the sky. It was a power that felt like doom itself.
Both Bai Yi and Tina turned, a sense of unease flashing across their faces.
"Hell?" Tina muttered, her eyes filled with disgust. Aside from the black dragon, all dragons abhorred planes like Hell and the Abyss. These planes symbolized chaos and decay, and while they were not inherently weak, they were far from the dragons' preferred realms.
Bai Yi's expression hardened. "Ms. Tina, I'm sure you can see that someone is manipulating the situation. I can offer compensation, but should we let a powerful dragon be used as a tool for others' schemes?"
Tina's gaze sharpened. "Of course, once my compensation is met, I'll deal with the ones who broke into my hoard. They'll pay for their theft." She turned back to Bai Yi, demanding, "Now return my treasures."
Buzz~
A strange vibration filled the air, and space seemed to distort. Diane appeared beside Bai Yi, looking surprised. "Didn't they say there wouldn't be a war soon? Why are there giant lizards and hellish forces involved now?"
Ignoring the dragon, she looked directly at Bai Yi. "By the way, where's the secret realm? I've had people install the launch silo for Dongwu City."
"Miss, let's focus on the current situation first," Bai Yi replied, his voice low. His mental strength allowed him to maintain control over the mechanical dragon, while the items and weapons in his hands flew toward Tina, obviously under Night Rose's direction.
He had no intention of engaging in a full-blown fight with the red dragon. While twenty-four intercontinental missiles could devastate a mutation zone, killing a dragon was another matter. The dragon's speed could evade the blast radius, and if it didn't perish after the initial strike, Bai Yi would be in grave danger.
Night Rose was clearly eyeing them, and the city lord was caught in a dilemma—support the city or address the Hell rift, knowing that whoever he chose to assist would become the target of Night Rose's ambition.
Bai Yi had originally planned to pit Night Rose against more enemies, but this new development complicated things.
Dragons hated being referred to as "giant lizards"—it was an insult that could provoke their wrath. "Madam, the treasures have been returned. We can discuss compensation later. But first, I must protect my city. How about we wait here for a moment?"
Tina's anger reignited. "What did I just hear? How dare a mere human insult the great dragon? I've changed my mind. Not only do I want compensation, but you must come with me!"
Her gaze fixed on Bai Yi, and a new greed gleamed in her eyes. Dragons were known for their diverse tastes, and to her, Bai Yi seemed stunningly beautiful. Much like male dragons coveted beautiful princesses, she had no qualms about taking him as a lover.
Behind them, the bone dragon swooped back, and Bai Yi sighed in resignation. "Is there nothing left to discuss?"
Tina's tail lashed the ground in irritation, gouging deep grooves as her anger surged.
"No, I—"
Before Bai Yi could finish, another ripple of space echoed, and Diane appeared again, visibly annoyed. "Bai Yi, what's going on? You can't just send me away without warning!"
Bai Yi gave her a helpless look. "Miss Diane, it's too dangerous here. Can you leave first? There are too many enemies."
Diane's displeasure faded a little as she processed the situation. Her eyes fell on the red dragon. "Enemy? You mean this big lizard?"
"Also, Big Lizard," she added, her tone dismissive, "what was that about asking Baibai to go with you? Who do you think you are? If he goes with you, who will I do business with?"
Bai Yi sighed, "Miss, that's a mid-level golden dragon."
The malice in his gaze sharpened as the inevitable confrontation loomed.
Tina's rage reached a boiling point. "You're courting death, ant!" she snarled, her breath sizzling as it surged toward them.
The roar of the red dragon filled the air, and in an instant, the beast lunged toward them, its form becoming a streak of red light.
Bai Yi's hand hovered near his transformation trigger, ready to engage in battle, but then he froze. Something unexpected happened. The red dragon was sent hurtling backward, its trajectory interrupted by a sudden strike from an invisible force.
Looking up, Bai Yi saw a magical whip slowly dissipating in the air, a gold-level wizard's offensive scroll having been used. The power behind it was immense, and Bai Yi's eyes widened as he realized that the battle was about to take a very different turn.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone