Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

Bronze Dragon Owen was incessantly chattering in Yang Yu’s mind.

The handshake lasted only a few seconds, yet Yang Yu felt as if half a century had passed.

Not all giant dragons are indifferent to external affairs, merely observing and recording. At least Yang Yu could tell that Owen had a keen interest in him.

...As long as it’s not that kind of interest, it’s fine.

If he was pinned down by a giant dragon, Yang Yu really wouldn’t be able to resist.

As the most powerful creatures in the world, there are probably few who can resist a giant dragon.

After handing out the invitations and shaking hands with all the qualifying contestants, Owen returned to the main seat, repeatedly emphasizing the matters needing attention for the official competition, and then announced the end of the preliminary rounds.

The Dragon God Conference’s official competition was set for October 10th, and the contestants who passed the preliminaries had ample time to rest and adjust.

With the competition completely over, the contestants left one after another, and the staff of the Dragon God Conference began dismantling the platforms and crystal walls inside the Martial Arts Hall.

Kekarlos cheerfully walked up to Yang Yu, shaking the invitation in her hand,

”Congratulations, big brother and big sister, on successfully qualifying. I qualified too.

I look forward to competing against big brother and big sister in the official match.

—Goodbye.”

Kekarlos squinted her eyes, revealing a slightly eerie smile.

Before Yang Yu could respond, the petite Kekarlos slipped into the crowd waiting outside the Martial Arts Hall and vanished completely.

Yang Yu sensed something unusual, a premonition that something was going to happen.

But, after all, he was just a mortal.

He didn’t know what Kekarlos was thinking, nor did he know the Curse Sect’s exact plans.

It wasn’t until after the preliminaries had ended and Yang Yu had visited the Dwarf settlement again that he became belatedly aware of the Curse Sect’s intentions.

Hoping that if Brian Redbeard forged new Epic Equipment, he could adapt in advance and more securely win the Dragon God Conference, Yang Yu decided to visit the Dwarf settlement after the competition.

As soon as he arrived at the Dwarf settlement, Brian Redbeard’s disciple hurriedly found him with a letter.

The normally bustling Brian Redbeard at the forge had suddenly vanished.

No matter how much Brian Redbeard’s disciple searched every possible place, he couldn’t be found. In the end, only a letter left for Yang Yu was found near the forge.

The signature outside did not resemble Brian Redbeard’s handwriting at all.

Brian Redbeard’s disciples were anxious, like ants on a hot pan.

After much consideration, they decided to give the letter to Yang Yu.

Fortunately, Brian Redbeard’s disciple hadn’t left the settlement, and he encountered Yang Yu at the settlement’s edge.

Opening the envelope, Yang Yu frowned.

The Curse Sect had made a move.

The Curse Sect had abducted Brian Redbeard and demanded Yang Yu meet them at a designated location, or they would end Brian Redbeard’s life.

”Such despicable tactics.”

Yang Yu originally thought that as long as he managed his team well, he wouldn’t have to worry about the Curse Sect luring them out of the city for an attack, forcing the Curse Sect to wait until after the Dragon God Conference to act.

For over a month, Yang Yu and his team had deliberately avoided too much contact with others.

They were afraid that being too close to certain people would lead to those people being persecuted by the Curse Sect.

Unexpectedly, the Curse Sect really made a move.

Yang Yu hadn’t even met Brian Redbeard very often. Abducting Brian Redbeard was less effective than kidnapping the innkeeper where Yang Yu stayed, who they saw every day.

Not long after reading the letter, several other dwarves hurried over, anxiously handing Yang Yu more letters.

Upon opening them and browsing through, Yang Yu learned that not only Brian Redbeard, but several other unrelated Forging Masters had also fallen victim to the Curse Sect and mysteriously disappeared.

To save them, there was only one way.

Without much thought, Yang Yu immediately had Bai Jin contact the Corpse Collection Coffin, saying that he had found traces of the Curse Sect and needed their help.

However, before Bai Jin could make contact, a female dwarf stumbled out from the Dwarf settlement, disoriented, and walked up to Yang Yu.

She raised her head, her eyes emitting an eerie green light, as if she were being controlled.

The female dwarf didn’t open her mouth, but a voice slowly sounded,

”You are not allowed to seek help from anyone.

If you dare to contact others, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do to them.

You have only two hours now, leave the Dwarf settlement and head southwest toward Makuder, where you’ll find a Stone Forest.

As long as you arrive on time there, I will release them.

Two hours is enough. If you dawdle, you’ll have to bear the consequences.”

After speaking, the green-eyed female dwarf collapsed, unconscious.

The dwarves present looked at each other, encountering such a situation for the first time, not knowing how to handle it.

Some dwarves took the letters to seek help from the Law Enforcers, but it would take time for the Law Enforcers to respond.

If the people who had abducted the Forging Masters were truly ruthless, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The remaining dwarves ultimately turned their eyes toward Yang Yu, hoping he would follow the letters’ instructions and go to the designated location to save the Forging Masters.

Tucking away the letters, there was no room for hesitation. Yang Yu climbed onto Lotcar’s back, lightly patting Lotcar on the shoulder,

”Lotcar, head southwest. Everyone else, be ready for battle at any time.”

”Yes!” Bai Jin and Iyas responded in unison.

Yang Yu knew this was a trap.

Moreover, he knew the danger of the trap was immeasurable.

To have captured so many dwarves at once, the Curse Sect must be well prepared.

Yang Yu indeed had the option to ignore the letters, which would be the safest approach.

By nature, Yang Yu wouldn’t be blackmailed by the notion of ”it’s your fault they’re dying because of you”…

Like when two people are kidnapped by a maniac, and the maniac tells one person, ”For every breath you take, I will stab the other person with a knife,” is breathing then considered a crime?

Never confuse who is at fault.

The ones who should be punished are those forcing others to choose, the masterminds fooling themselves into thinking they control everything.

Yang Yu could easily walk away, but he didn’t plan to ignore these letters, nor would he abandon those dwarves to their fate. He sensed an incredibly similar aura to himself on Brian Redbeard, and it would be a shame for that old man to die just like that.

Besides... a new urgent rescue task had appeared on Yang Yu’s task panel.

Yang Yu had even fewer reasons to refuse.

The enemy was strong, but not boundlessly so; without trying firsthand, how could one know their true depth?

If things truly went south, there was always time to retreat.