Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 341 - 341 340 Blackflame Plains

Chapter 341: Chapter 340 Blackflame Plains Chapter 341: Chapter 340 Blackflame Plains Standing atop the Warm Enclave, Russell, a Flying Dragon Knight, felt his strength reach an optimal state.

It could be said that,

this Warm Enclave was the root of Russell.

“Sir, what should we call our new territory?” Katie suddenly asked a question. Every Warm Enclave had a name.

Tributary River Mouth, Gravel Domain, Fire Ant Swamp, Golden Prairie, Glowing Valley, Populus Gobi, Blackgarden Mountain, and so on.

The Warm Enclave newly formed by Black Oil Dragon Ross was now the eighth independent Warm Enclave of the Shadowflame Duchy.

“A name?” Russell looked around, touched by the warm and stable feeling emanating from the territory. He smiled faintly and said, “This land will produce black oil in the future, and it’s a vast plain. Let’s call it Blackflame Plains.”

Blackflame represented the fire produced by burning black oil.

Russell didn’t know whether he could pioneer an industrial age of another world with the burning of black oil on his territory.

But that did not stop him from envisioning the future flames and black smoke billowing from tall chimneys on this land.

“Blackflame Plains…” Katie pondered the name, “It’s very fitting, Sir.”

“Yes, quite fitting, Sir,” Eric echoed, unable to think of a more apt name with his cultural knowledge.

“However, I hope that my future title will not be ‘Baron of Blackflame,’ nor ‘Baron of Black Oil,'” Russell laughed. Both titles sounded rather unappealing to him, so he would not choose them.

The Warm Enclave had a name now.

Blackflame Plains.

However, the current Blackflame Plains was not yet ready for development, so it could only wait until the territory was fully expanded.

After surveying the Blackflame Plains, with the evening approaching, Russell prepared to ride the dragon and leave.

He certainly didn’t want to stay overnight in the wilderness.

“Are you camping here tonight?” Russell asked.

“Yes, Sir,” Eric answered, “We originally planned to search for black oil mines, but since there are none, we are going back to Wuyao Snake Manor tomorrow.”

“Alright, you stay here then.”

Russell blew a whistle to the sky, and Black Oil Dragon Ross dived down, carrying him once again towards the heavens.

Overlooking the snowfield below, he had already envisioned the embryonic form of trade routes.

“As the territory expands, the distance between Blackflame Plains and Glowing Valley will shrink, making it possible to travel directly between the two Warm Enclaves without stopping at Cold Spring Point. Then, I can construct a trade route to the north and south of the territory.”

The northern trade route would connect to Uncle Rosen’s Great Wind Manor.

In the future, it could serve as a transfer point to the Mountain River Trade Route and Twin Rivers Trade Route for external trade.

The southern trade route would lead to Wuyao Snake Manor.

Eventually, the relocation would need to be carried out in stages, transferring the wealth from Wuyao Snake Manor to Blackflame Plains.

However, he soon became contemplative, “Population, population… In over seventy years, Glowing Valley has only accumulated a population of less than seventy thousand. How many years will I need to gather enough people to cultivate the land?”

Previously, Red Castle had opened up the trade of serfs.

But the population in Volcanic Oasis was not much either, growing to nearly four million only after more than twenty years of recuperation.

“Perhaps,”

Russell squinted his eyes: “In the future, I could pay a visit to Scorching Torrent Kingdom, exchange cigars for population… Scorching Torrent Kingdom is an established nation, developed over a thousand years, with abundant population resources. Besides, a confrontation is inevitable sooner or later.”

He had promised the Shadowflame Dragon that he would join forces to reclaim its hope.

His thoughts soared.

And he had returned to Wuyao Snake Manor.

When the dragon’s roar resonated through the territory again, the serfs, who had just finished their dinner, knew their lord had come back.

Some of the braver serfs even ran near Cigar Courtyard, craning their necks in hopes of catching a glimpse of the noble Bipedal Flying Dragon.

But no one dared to approach Cigar Courtyard.

Fearful of both the majesty of the bipedal flying dragons and the authority of Lord Russell, they now deeply wished for Cigar Courtyard to assign them chores so they could catch a glimpse of it all.

“Sir, Sir!” Hearing the roars of the dragon, Charles quickly rode his horse over.

“Charles, what’s the rush?”

“Ah, Sir, I was so eager to see you,” Charles chuckled. “When I heard that you were riding a dragon, I was stunned, but then immense pride followed. I always knew, I’ve always known, that you would ride a dragon one day!”

“Alright, let’s have dinner first,” Russell beckoned.

During dinner, while sipping on Cigar Courtyard’s cellar-stored Black Pearl wine, Charles inquired, “Sir, when the news of your dragon riding reached us, I had already distributed a round of copper coins to the villagers on your behalf.”

“Hmm.”

“I was thinking, since Fluorescent Castle will definitely hold a dragon riding celebration for you, shouldn’t we also hold one on our estate?”

“We can.”

“I have three ideas for the dragon riding celebration,” Charles said, having done his homework. “The first is your favorite, simple and crude: throwing money as a celebration. The second is for Cigar Courtyard to make bread for the villagers to collect.”

“And the third?”

“The third is to hold a song and dance party at the small market, allowing the villagers to participate in this dragon riding celebration, to share in your glory, Sir.”

“Let’s choose the third,” said Russell. “It’s lively and besides, constantly giving out money or food easily breeds bad habits among the villagers. Now that the villagers are living better and better under my administration, it’s time to focus on building spiritual civilization.”

Charles did not fully understand what “building spiritual civilization” meant, but that did not prevent him from grasping the sentiment, “I’ll arrange the dance party as soon as I get back.”

“No hurry, take your time to arrange it, and try to sync up with Fluorescent Castle’s dragon riding celebration,” Russell said. “By then, we can invite circus troupes or comedians from town to perform for the villagers.”

“Of course, Sir.”

As the wine took effect, Charles, filled with emotion, lifted his glass and said, “Sir, I toast to you once more!”

With a voice choked with emotion, he said, “Since I followed you to Wuyao Snake Manor, step by step I have witnessed your growth. To be honest, I used to harbor some feelings, wondering how you could hold back and not conquer Mr. Ross.”

Russell smiled as he listened to him pour out his feelings.

“Only today do I understand the breadth of your mind and talent, and you were never meant to vie with your brothers for Mr. Ross,” Charles exclaimed loudly. “With your vision and foresight, you must have always known you were destined to ride a dragon!”

After speaking, Charles drained the glass of red wine in one gulp.

“It’s not that mysterious; it’s just a matter of a great dragon’s gaze,” Russell said with a light smile, joining Charles in a drink.

Only he knew it wasn’t that he didn’t want to ride Ros the Clay Dragon back then; it was because Ros the Clay Dragon had been hostile towards him.

Now he knew that Ros the Clay Dragon had been frightened out of its wits.

Even if it let him ride, he would disdain to do so — after all, he now had Ross the Black Oil Dragon.

After dinner, Charles, slightly staggering, rode away on his horse. Russell stood in the terrace garden, looking out at the Glowing River under the night sky.

The river water flowed quietly, with ripples shimmering under the moonlight.

Harpy Dragon Hape stood on a climbing frame, her gaze sharp as she seemed to be looking for prey in the night. Until today, Hape had not completely adjusted her schedule; she would feel sleepy during the day and be energized at night.

Unicorn Polly was already peacefully asleep among the bamboo.

Black Oil Dragon Ross crouched atop the three-story roof of Cigar Courtyard, resembling a dark gargoyle.

It was a good thing the materials used in Cigar Courtyard were solid because it certainly couldn’t bear his weight of over ten tons otherwise.

“Why did I suddenly start riding dragons?”

Russell felt the abundant Dragon Breath in his body, along with the vibrant Second Turn Primordial Breath, and he had a somewhat surreal feeling.

“Alone in a strange land, I am a stranger… But I have loving family and so many bonded companions; I am not alone!”

Laying back in the rocking chair, he could gaze up at the starry sky and admire the brilliant stars.

He couldn’t find the Milky Way.

Not a single constellation here resembled that of Earth, his former home, but Russell did not feel lonely.

At this moment, all he felt was the joy of riding dragons.

“I crossed over in the middle of April last year, and now it’s mid-September, just a year and five months gone by,” Russell stretched with a yawn, slightly dizzy from the effects of the Black Pearl wine. “I am already a Flying Dragon Knight!”