Chapter 149 - 116: Countermeasures_1

Chapter 149: Chapter 116: Countermeasures_1"No, my faith in my Lord is unshakeably firm, and I absolutely won’t fall into the embrace of a false god," Brooke proclaimed with his head held high, his voice resolute. "To honor our Lord, it’s not as simple as paying lip service—you have to reflect it in your everyday actions and words," Stephanie said through gritted teeth by the end. If it weren’t for the powerful background of the young man before her, she would have kicked him out of her grassroots organization long ago. Letting out a long sigh, Stephanie calmed her emotions before speaking, "Tell me in detail about your meeting with the other party." "Alright." Brooke instantly perked up, embellishing the account of his previous encounter, not forgetting to glorify the critical role he played in it. Stephanie had barely listened when her serious cheeks began to twitch uncontrollably. If not for her strong will, she would have punched the fool before her to death. Duped thoroughly by others, yet here he was, complacently boasting. Even with that Lord’s patronage, it was a miracle this fool had survived to this day. No wonder he was kicked from Santiel Fortress to the godforsaken Rocklands. It wasn’t to temper him, but to dump the burden. After finishing, Brooke cautiously asked, "Shouldn’t we give them a taste of sweetness, so that they can sincerely ally with us?" Stephanie’s cheeks twitched again as she ground her teeth, "Their kind of superficial allegiance doesn’t count for anything. Giving them sweeteners now is essentially a loss-making deal, likely a path of no return." "Lady, do you mean that Gaven is deceiving me?" Brooke said, somewhat in disbelief. "I’m not certain, but it is highly likely he’s just biding his time," Stephanie said, her eyelids drooping, "You don’t need, nor are you allowed, to concern yourself with this matter. Return to the Monastery immediately, and without my permission, do not take a single step out for half a year." "But..." Brooke was reluctant, not wanting to let go of the line of communication he had managed to establish, seeing success within reach. "There is no ’but’," Stephanie said icily, "Either you go back on your own, or I break your legs and send you back." "Yes, ma’am." Brooke’s head drooped, knowing full well that the woman before him meant every word, and when pushed, she wouldn’t even spare the face of his own uncle. Stephanie dismissed Brooke without another word, her gaze shifting towards Blackwell’s direction, her eyes flickering, clearly plotting something. Brooke was foolish, but she was not. She would not be deceived by the illusions cast by the other side. Brooke’s appearance had already alarmed them, regardless of whether they genuinely agreed to cooperate or were stalling for time, they would surely take countermeasures. Hence, her next move had to be even more cautious, or else she wouldn’t even know how she died. ... Once the Santarin Association’s spokesperson named Brooke was shown the door, Gaven’s expression immediately darkened. The fact that the Santarin Association had approached them was expected but its promptness was a surprise. This indicated that the Santarin Association’s arrangements on the High Road were in place much earlier than he had realized. Brooke was just an insignificant pawn used to test the waters; deceiving him was easy, but fooling the people behind him was not. The true probing— the task mentioned by the young merchant—would soon arrive. Such tasks were almost certainly tied to raiding merchant convoys on the High Road, a tactic frequently employed by the Santarin Association. Once he involved himself in such raids, he would inadvertently be hitched to the Santarin Association’s chariot of evil. In his past life, he had no choice but to be coerced and controlled by this evil organization for over a decade. In this life, he had options and would not allow himself to be ensnared again. More accurately, Gaven not only had no plans to join the Santarin Association but also was ready to trip them up. As long as he resided in the Rocklands, they could forget about establishing control over the High Road. According to Gaven’s initial plan, the day the Santarin Association came knocking, his first move would have been to seek the support of Komeer, believing their interest in striking at the Association would be high. However, now he had a better choice; this move could be delayed. He didn’t want to be bound to Komeer’s battle wagon so quickly unless necessary, as doing so could lead to being constrained on all fronts. Gaven’s better choice was none other than the Yaling of the Fairy Wilderness. He needed to hire a few powerful personal guards from there. He knew the Santarin Association’s modus operandi all too well—if he didn’t comply, they’d send assassins to kill him and replace him. It was not just their usual tactic but a requisite one, something he himself had frequently carried out in his previous life. Although his recent stall would buy a month or so to maneuver, at least until he rejected the first task, the likelihood of the Santarin Association acting against him was slim. But he couldn’t rule out the possibility that they might not play by the rules. Gaven decided to make haste to Spring Bud Fortress and set this matter in stone. The trip to Spring Bud Fortress, of course, would not be without trouble. The cash brought by Bede was just what he needed right now. ... Life had been quite fulfilling for Aivensa lately. Every morning, she awoke to the sunrise and held a one-hour personal concert for the Gnolls scattered throughout the hills, starting their busy day with her song. After a lavish, delicious breakfast, she’d take her number one lackey, Gos, for strolls across the Rocklands, seeking out those darling gnoll burrows, to declare her reign over this land and issue a summons for them to report to Eagle Cliff Burrow, to start a new life. No Gnoll tribe could refuse the recruitment of a True Dragon. To date, Aivensa had yet to encounter a Gnoll Tribe blind enough to refuse. This left her with a tiny bit of regret; she really wanted to experience the feeling of asserting her authority with a Dragon Breath. She was a kind-hearted dragon, unable to bring herself to harm those who obeyed. After returning in the afternoon and having dinner, Aivensa wouldn’t venture out much. Either she went over to Blackwell to chat with Gaven, collect a joke or a skit, or she circled the Dragon’s Nest under construction. The Dragon’s Nest’s progress was much faster than Aivensa had anticipated. This made her heart ache a little less, at least the money wasn’t wasted. The Gnoll Construction Crew Gaven had arranged for her was very efficient; one-tenth were Dragon Seeking Kobolds with spell-like abilities related to construction, and the others were miners by trade with extensive excavation experience. And the number wasn’t a hundred but two hundred and fifty. The additional one hundred and fifty were provided by Lord Aivensa, who thought the construction of the Dragon’s Nest was progressing too slowly and offered them proactively. The main burrow was rapidly taking shape, and the foundation of the castle on Eagle Cliff was also beginning to show its outline. The rocks excavated from the main burrow were not wasted; all were transported to the top of the cliff and fashioned into blocks of stone, ready to be used in the castle’s construction. "Lord, Lord Aivensa, the Leader is here looking for you," Gos panted as he ran over. Gaven had now entrusted him with an even more important task, to exclusively serve the Young Red Copper Dragon Aivensa. It included her diet and daily life, and he had to follow her around the clock during each outing and regularly report Aivensa’s whereabouts to Gaven. This was definitely not surveillance but care. Lord Aivensa was so young and could easily be exploited by evil-doers; Gos’s mission was to prevent such circumstances. Gos was very satisfied with this mission. To accompany a Giant Dragon day and night was a life every Gnoll dreamed of. Gos could never have imagined such a thing in his dreams before. Especially being a Gnoll who had flown with a Giant Dragon (clinging on), he was the first from Blackwell and Eagle Cliff Burrow. "What do you need me for?" Aivensa turned her head from side to side, her hands clasped behind her back, maintaining an air of meaningful maturity. As the Leader of the Gnoll Tribe, she had to maintain the posture of a Leader. But such an expression, appearing on a delicate little girl of seven or eight, carried an inexplicable sense of comedy. "I don’t know, the Leader didn’t say," Gos replied obsequiously. "When Leader came, he brought a cart with several large boxes on it that looked very heavy. Even Lord Hou had a hard time pushing it. They seemed to make a metallic sound... Ah... Lord Aivensa, wait for me..." Before Gos could finish, Aivensa had already transformed to her true form and soared into the sky. Large boxes, metallic sounds, heaviness... Aivensa seemed to have already heard the sound of Gold Coins clinking. So many Gold Coins! Really so many Gold Coins! By the time Aivensa arrived, four large boxes had been neatly arranged together, their lids opened to reveal rows of exquisitely made, uniformly sized Gold Coins gleaming inside. She recognized at a glance these were Gold Lion coins from Komeer. "Three thousand Gold Coins per box, totaling twelve thousand, is your commission for the past two months. Count them yourself later," Gaven said, smiling as he stood to the side. You should never cheat a Dragon out of its money, even if it’s just a young one. The role of the Young Red Copper Dragon was certainly worth the price. Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "All these are mine?" Aivensa swallowed hard, amazed at how quickly and easily the money had come. It seemed like she hadn’t done anything, and the Gold Coins had just fallen on her head. What was most important was that this was just the first payment, and there would be more to come every month. Just thinking about it filled the Young Red Copper Dragon with energy and courage to even stand up to a young Red Dragon. "All yours," Gaven confirmed with a nod. With Dragons, it was not only about emotional ties but also interests, especially the allure of shiny Gold Coins. "I really didn’t misjudge you. If you need my help in the future, just let me know," Aivensa said energetically to Gaven. No amount of empty promises matched the allure of tangible Gold Coins. The Young Red Copper Dragon’s fondness for Gaven was quickly rising and had already taken first place. This was her own money tree, untouchable by anyone; anyone who tried would face her wrath. Now she couldn’t wait for Gaven to use her more, which would mean even more little coins. But where should she hide so many Gold Coins? After the excitement, the Young Red Copper Dragon found herself in a dilemma. Gaven seemed to notice Aivensa’s dilemma and suggested, "I recommend keeping these Gold Coins temporarily in Eagle Cliff Burrow, right on top at the main stand. Everyone can see them, so naturally, no one would dare to go near. These Gnolls make the best treasure guards; even if you gave them a hundred guts, they wouldn’t dare touch a Dragon’s treasure. Once the Dragon’s Nest Treasury takes shape, you can move them there." "That’s the only way then," Aivensa said, a bit reluctantly but without a better option. Gaven took the opportunity to propose accompanying him on another visit to Spring Bud Fortress. Aivensa agreed without hesitation; she had a good impression of the Yalings, finding them generous albeit a bit boring, and the food not quite to her taste. But they had given her a useful ring and several pretty dresses, all of which she liked a lot. Another visit to Spring Bud Fortress. The same vibrant springtime vibe, the same mist, but somehow it felt different. The last time, everything was filled with novelty, and everything seemed fresh. This time, it felt a bit monotonous, with a sense of unchanging sameness. Especially upon learning that the same scenery would last the entire spring season, this feeling was even more pronounced.