Beneath the Red Dragon

As another annual celebration day draws near, the atmosphere of the first annual celebration since the founding of the Golden Empire has gradually become more intense, with households already starting to buy wine and meat for the occasion.

However, within the empire, the most sought-after items nowadays are the fireworks and firecrackers produced by the fireworks factories.

Despite the fact that the guards from the security office have emphasized that it’s not allowed to set off fireworks within the cities on regular days, many people still take the risk of being fined and excitedly light firecrackers in various corners, then wait obediently in temporary detention until their families pay the fine and take them home.

Therefore, even when Silver Dragon Chris steps into Kes Town after a full day of hard work in the evening, she can still hear sporadic firecracker bangs and the sharp shouts of the Kobold guards patrolling the streets.

Lately, the empire has been in the midst of flourishing growth, with big and small cities connected, surrounded by towns and villages. From the Golden Coast on the easternmost edge to the Warm Silence Forest near the coastal mountains on the western edge, it already spans tens of thousands of miles.

Under the empire’s policy of opening up exploration rights and encouraging residents to spontaneously explore and cultivate the lands, a wave of exploration has arisen within the empire.

Especially the imperial legions, which are tasked with opening up a major artery from east to west across the empire. These legion warriors charge straight toward the western coast with a blade-like momentum, not caring whether the empire’s internal forces can keep up with the legions’ advancing speed.

While this can quickly open up the artery and establish trade and cooperation with the Vampire Country on the Western Continent,

due to the long journey, apart from the main transportation routes, other wilderness and forest areas are not included under the empire’s governance. Even if all the goblins and Kobolds in the empire were sent out, they wouldn’t be able to take on this massive task.

Just maintaining the safety of the transportation routes is already a heavy task, not to mention those Kobolds and goblins have even more important tasks.

Thus, the Pioneer Corps’ actions have temporarily been halted for rest and regrouping at their stations.

The newly joined War Lizardman Corps, led by Reilly, also had to reluctantly come to a stop.

With the support of imperial weapons, armaments, and food supplies, along with mutual aid from the Pioneer Corps, these War Lizardmen have, for the first time in their monstrous life, experienced the pride of traversing this land.

Besides these temporarily assembled War Lizardman units, the rest of the legions are equipped with complete legion armaments. Not only are the warriors’ armors as solid as boulders, but their weapons are so sharp that no monster can withstand them.

Each legion is also equipped with a considerable number of Caster Corps, Healing Physicians, and there are Flying Dragon Riders in the sky as reconnaissance and strike forces, forming a ground-air integrated force. Even some powerful monster lords tend to avoid conflict under such sharp momentum, not wanting to start a battle rashly.

But while the legion warriors are jubilant in their thrilling victories, the patrolling Giant Dragons are more frustrated.

Not only are the Dragon Lords in the Dragon Nest being constrained by the expanding territory, but they also have to conduct fixed-point patrols within the designated areas every day.

Even the three Giant Dragons employed temporarily, Bronze Dragon Gross and Natarili with Silver Dragon Chris, unknowingly find themselves assigned various tasks not belonging to them, subtly being driven by the Dragon Group. Some things, once accustomed to, are truly hard to change.

Thus, after completing a five-day distant inspection task, Silver Dragon Chris returned to this small town to enjoy a rare holiday.

This brief rest after busying her, unexpectedly gave Silver Dragon Chris a sense of joy surpassing countless past years. Only the surprise of facing treasures could surpass this sense of joy.

”Am I going crazy? How can I start liking this feeling? I must have been too busy lately, overworking my brain!”

Silver Dragon Chris couldn’t help but shake her head, trying to dismiss the strange thoughts from her mind.

During this period, Silver Dragon Chris deliberately refrained from thinking about the differences between the Metal Dragons and Five-Color Dragons, preferring instead to use her eyes and heart to observe everything happening within the Golden Empire, this dragon-ruled nation.

Silver Dragon Chris began to feel that such a civilization should be the kind of civilization Silver Dragons favor, the kingdom she should aspire to.

The citizens, though ruled by dragons, have their own freedom, and with hard work alone, they can lead a prosperous life.

The pioneers who initially stepped onto this land could become wealthy farmers simply by relying on the taxes exemption policies back then, without worrying about the exploitation by the nobility or their wealth being confiscated at any moment.

Here, Chris has finally witnessed a world achieving relative fairness. At times, it’s hard for Silver Dragons to believe this is a land ruled by those Five-Color Dragons.

But undeniably, Silver Dragon Chris has grown fond of this land, especially every morning when the bell rings, stirring life into everything, always allowing her to maintain a good mood amidst her busy work.

Of course, if the Ancestral Red Dragon knew the thoughts of this Silver Dragon, Silver Dragon Chris might only receive some sarcastic banter.

Chris walked slowly along the gradually broadening street and came to the Divine Hall guarded by several Dragon-man guards.

In the empire, every town has now begun to construct the empire’s Divine Hall. These halls serve as a demonstration of imperial power and as a promise from the Dragon Group to the citizens of the empire.