Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 192 - 192 191 Just a Little Bit

Chapter 192: Chapter 191 Just a Little Bit Chapter 192: Chapter 191 Just a Little Bit In Grotto Village, within the Wolf Head Skylight, amidst piles of decaying wood, clusters of Bloodfang Fungi with sparkling blood-red spots sprouted.

The village chief, Ranger Druk of the Grotto Village, was carefully introducing Russell to the situation of the Bloodfang Fungi’s magical medicine field.

“In this period, our Grotto Village has mobilized a large labor force to continuously excavate the Wolf Head Skylight, then transport decaying wood to fertilize the fields, and now the Wolf Head Skylight, along with various branch tunnels, is almost approaching one hundred and fifty acres,” Druk explained.

“Are the ice caps in the grotto still sturdy?” Russell looked at the thick ice cap above his head, somewhat worried it might collapse.

After all, the original Wolf Head Skylight was not very large and had enough structures to support the ice cap.

Now, after having carved out several dozen passageways leading outside—all of which have been planted with Bloodfang Fungi—the support for two-thirds of the structure had been removed.

Druk confidently replied, “Sir, the intense heat of summer is almost behind us. If there haven’t been any issues with the ice cap now, there definitely won’t be any in the future. Many of our villagers have lived in the grottos for years and are very familiar with the ice caps.”

“That’s good to hear,” Russell nodded.

He wasn’t keen on continuing to grow Bloodfang Fungi here in Wolf Head Skylight.

However, experiments had already determined that the most suitable environment for the growth of Bloodfang Fungi was the cold and damp conditions within the grottoes.

Therefore, the field of magical medicine for Bloodfang Fungi couldn’t be relocated to be concentrated in Magic Medicine Tun; they had to continue expanding the Wolf Head Skylight, reclaiming one hundred and fifty acres of magical medicine field.

Charles, who accompanied him, said with a laugh, “Sir, you needn’t worry too much. Even if the Wolf Head Skylight collapses, at most we’ll lose a part of the magical medicine field. It won’t greatly affect the cordyceps or the neighboring high-quality Bloodfang Fungi.”

Directly above the Wolf Head Skylight, there was no ice cap, so naturally, there was no risk of collapse.

“Regardless, your Cordyceps Guard Squad must regularly check the ice cap, especially paying close attention to any cracks,” Russell instructed.

Druk immediately responded, “Yes, sir.”

“How has the yield of this magical medicine field been lately?” Russell asked further.

It was Charles who answered, “We’ve had three batches of mature Bloodfang Fungi harvested and transported to the manor’s annex, then together with the Glowing Mushrooms, sent to Fluorescent Castle to make magic elixirs. The yield is even a bit higher than that of the Glowing Mushrooms.”

Glowing Mushrooms have mushroom birds which can theoretically affect one thousand five hundred acres, but the Birch Forest is only so large and newly planted trees still need to grow.

There won’t be a significant output in the short term.

But that’s alright.

After an elf evolves once, their lifespan resets. Mushroom bird Rosy is currently just a 0-year-old chick, able to live a very long time.

“For the next few years, the output of Glowing Mushrooms will probably not be very high,” Russell sighed with regret, “We’ll still have to rely on annual crops like dill, dandelions, and recently planted tobacco to provide the magic potions.”

Spring planting leads to autumn harvest; dill and dandelions are about to mature, ready for mass harvesting.

After the harvest, they could plant another crop at the tail end of the harsh summer, ensuring a second harvest before the freezing period begins.

Common crops, such as wheat, barley, and lentils, are basically harvested once a year.

But with the influence of cordyceps, magical medicines easily yield two crops a year, and some fast-growing ones can even manage three or four crops annually.

After inspecting the magical medicine field of the Wolf Head Skylight.

Russell gestured grandly, “Let’s go have a look at the Great Mouth Atrium to see what the Snowfield looks like in the last days of summer.”

“Squeak squeak!” The Red-eyed Rat King, serving as Russell’s guard, was the first to respond.

Charles, however, spoke cautiously, “Sir, how about you let the Red-eyed Rat King send the Sentinel Rat Squad to scout around the Great Mouth Atrium first? We can then climb up and see how the Snowfield looks.”

Catherine chuckled softly from behind, “Lord Charles, aren’t you being a bit too anxious? The snow around the Great Mouth Atrium has melted, especially in the surrounding Snow Forest where many small animals are frolicking.”

“It’s not being anxious, it’s being cautious,” Charles corrected sternly, “A knight indeed needs to be brave and savvy, but also needs to know how to assess the situation and act accordingly.”

Russell stopped their back-and-forth, saying, “Let’s do as Charles suggests. Send the Sentinel Rat Squad to scout around first… Red-eye, send your rat children and grandchildren to the outside of the Great Mouth Atrium to investigate the environment.”

It wasn’t that Russell was cowardly.

He hoped to use this opportunity to train the Sentinel Rat Squad, as he would probably be promoted to Great Knight in a few months.

After persisting for another half year, mastering the Battle Qi chains, I will be able to form a contract with the Red-Eyed Rat King.

By then, having trained the frames of both the Treasure-Hunting Rat Squad and the Sentinel Rat Squad in advance, I’ll be able to command the two Mouse Armies to expand my territory and establish my achievements.

The Great Mouth Atrium is the deepest skylight in Grotto Village.

After the group arrived.

The Red-eyed Rat King softly squeaked: “Squeak squeak!”

Immediately after, a rustling noise could be heard from the tunnel, and shortly, dozens upon dozens of rats, big and small, scurried over. They were afraid of people, but instinctively driven by the Rat King, they passed under everyone’s feet and gathered around the Red-eyed Rat King.

The Red-eyed Rat King again softly squeaked: “Squeak squeak.”

The crowd of rats quickly climbed up the walls of the hole and one by one disappeared above the Great Mouth Atrium.

“How cool.” Catherine, upon seeing this, clicked her tongue in amazement.

Charles chuckled, “That’s the strength of the Red-eyed Rat King, only a few beasts with exceptional talents can attain the title of Beast King.”

“Maybe it ate too much of the Bear Honeybee’s honey, and that’s why it grew into a Beast King,” Catherine said.

“Primordial Beast Honey, ah, that’s some good stuff. Unfortunately, Kenny’s skills aren’t up to snuff. We haven’t seen the bee colony flourish, and that bit of honey isn’t even enough for Sir… Naturally, we also have no chance to taste it,” Charles said with regret.

The horde of rats quickly returned.

Then the Red-eyed Rat King squeaked at Russell, who understood and laughed, “It’s safe up there, let’s go up together!”

After finishing his words, he jumped, gathering Battle Qi in his feet and legs, shooting up like an arrow and landing steadily on the edge of the skylight.

Following Russell, his Knight Attendant, as well as Catherine, Druk, and others, all jumped up.

Only Charles flushed red, remembering how he had failed to jump up several times during his first visit to the Great Mouth Atrium and finally had to ask Russell for help to be pulled up.

“Lord Charles, do you need assistance?” Knight Attendant Tom peeked down from above.

Charles really wanted to say he didn’t need help, but feeling his belly that had grown even bigger, he promptly admitted his weakness: “Give me a hand, my body is quite bulky, just a little short on jumping… Not too much, just a tiny bit.”

“I understand, just a tiny bit,” Tom laughed.

With Tom’s help, Charles finally managed to climb up to the surface. By this time, Russell had already led the group out beyond the snow walls.

The snow walls should no longer be called snow walls, as most had melted, forming irregular gaps.

Now, the Great Mouth Atrium might as well be renamed the Tianjing.

“Hmm.” Charles expanded his chest and nonchalantly caught up with the group, saying with a smile, “The temperature on the snowfield is almost the same as inside the Grotto Village. The snow on the ice cap has melted, and even the ground has been exposed.”

“This year’s Ice Age retreated a bit late, but the warm season is hotter than in previous years,” Druk remarked.

Russell turned around and glanced in the direction of Grotto Village.

This place should have been a solid frozen land, but with the birth of Ros the Clay Dragon, warmth began to rise from beneath the earth.

Then, with the alternating warm seasons and Ice Ages, the area around Glowing Valley continued to freeze and thaw, eroding the surface.

In the end, it formed the grottoes, a mix of mud and ice cap.

“Let’s take advantage of the good weather and stroll through the Snow Forest,” Russell said, withdrawing his gaze and looking towards the Snow Forest nearby.

The Snow Forest at this moment no longer had snow on the leaves. The previously lifeless dark green was replaced by clusters of tender yellow-green, bursting with vitality. Birds and small squirrels were happily foraging throughout the forest.

Merry chirping sounded from time to time.

Perhaps it was breeding courtship, or perhaps they were just full and content.

Stepping into the Snow Forest, Russell touched an old fir tree, unknown how many years it had grown, and reflected, “Even in the harsh environment of the Snowfields, life can grow through the cracks. If this persists, there’s no worry that we can’t eradicate the Snow Demon.”