Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 472 - 472 471 Smoke Grenade

Chapter 472: Chapter 471 Smoke Grenade Chapter 472: Chapter 471 Smoke Grenade Shuang Da did not appear again until March, when the Blazing Spire south of the Glowing Valley was completed, and neither the Frost Giants nor the Snow Giants had raided again.

Only the riotous Snow Demons had caused a bit of impact on various warm enclaves.

But it was also a festival of sorts, as the knights who had not seen a Snow Demon in two consecutive years crazily participated in the hunt, just to accumulate some military exploits and gather enough achievements for a nobility title. This included the knights under Russell, who also actively went to battle in the Snowfield.

Red Castle.

In the private small castle of Earl Merlin, Russell was in his grandfather’s study, smoking and drinking with him.

Earl Merlin was smoking a Frost Snow Cigar, while Russell was savoring Pink Blush Wine.

“Russell, you and His Highness Shadowflame can prepare to set off,” Earl Merlin began. “Once King Ares arrives and activates the Blazing Spire, you will accompany King Ares to the Scorching Torrent Kingdom. After activating the four Shadowflame Spires, King Ares will escort you back again.”

Since the Torrential Flood Dragon had been attacked, it dared not fly alone over the Snowfield anymore.

Aside from the Dragon Knights, both the Torrential Flood Dragon and the Shadowflame Dragon needed to fly in pairs to prevent further attacks.

“Grandfather, I’ve just thought of something.”

“Go on.”

“There was a time in front of the Torrential Flood Dragon when I mentioned that I didn’t know the Dragon Tongue… How can a Flying Dragon Knight who doesn’t know Dragon Tongue accompany a Shadowflame Dragon?” Russell suddenly realized a blind spot, which made him a bit embarrassed.

Initially, the Little Dream Dragon dared not reveal itself in front of the dragons, so it couldn’t translate for him.

He could only pretend that he didn’t understand the Dragon Tongue in front of the Torrential Flood Dragon.

“So do you actually know Dragon Tongue?” Earl Merlin squinted his eyes, looking at his grandson with a hint of amusement.

“Now I do.”

“That’s sufficient,” Earl Merlin flicked the ash from his cigar. “If the Torrential Flood Dragon is puzzled, let it figure it out by itself… Your individual exchanges with His Highness Shadowflame are hardly a secret to the kingdom anymore.”

“Hmm, that seems to be the case,” Russell nodded. Each time he went to meet the Shadowflame Dragon, he did so openly and never avoided anyone.

Earl Merlin thought it more amusing the more he considered it and laughed: “Understanding the Shadowflame Dragon’s tongue but not the Torrential Flood Dragon’s, what do you think King Ares will think?”

“I don’t know.”

“You do know, but you, you sly boy, don’t want to admit it,” Earl Merlin laughed loudly. “He will think your relationship with His Highness Shadowflame is unusually close… Isn’t this a good thing? The Grand Duchy really needs uplifting news.”

Clearly.

Russell’s close relationship with the Shadowflame Dragon would cause King Ares and the Torrential Flood Dragon to misunderstand, viewing him as the chosen rider of the Shadowflame Dragon.

The combat power of a dragon with or without a rider was entirely different.

“Maybe, Grandfather,” Russell chuckled.

Actually, the Shadowflame Dragon was also deliberately creating this atmosphere, making it seem as if it was grooming Russell; once it figured out how to manage its relationship with the Shadowflame Family, it planned to bond with Russell.

But that was just a smokescreen.

The Shadowflame Dragon merely wanted to use it to cover up the news about the Little Dream Dragon, allowing this yet-to-emerge ally to develop safely. In the future, it would join forces with the Little Dream Dragon to reclaim what the Torrential Flood Dragon had taken from it—their hopes.

A significant misunderstanding caused by a lack of information.

Russell naturally wouldn’t expose this misunderstanding; instead, he was always ready to display ambiguous behavior with the Shadowflame Dragon.

Neither admitting nor denying.

So much so that Earl Merlin was quite certain that Russell was very likely to become the next Shadowflame Dragon Knight.

“Your mission to the Scorching Torrent Kingdom is not a formal delegation, and you and His Highness Shadowflame do not need to visit the Royal Palace of Lieyang to pay homage. After activating the four Shadowflame Spires, regardless of how King Ares tries to retain you, you must return swiftly with His Highness Shadowflame.”

“I will, Grandfather.”

“What I fear the most is the kingdom using beauty traps,” Earl Merlin seemed lamenting yet also mocking. “Mel, this useless boy, has been utterly infatuated by Annie of the Ade Family; I don’t wish for you to also be enchanted by some family’s lady.”

“Haha,” Russell laughed. “Grandfather, you worry too much.”

“I hope I am just being overly cautious. Go and pack your bags and notify me when you set out with the Shadowflame Dragon,” he said.

“Okay.”

After leaving Red Castle, Russell did not visit the Shadowflane Volcano to send his regards as he and the Shadowflame Dragon already had an understanding that needed no further elaboration.

Upon returning, Russell first inspected his territory.

Then, he made a trip to the Greentown Snow Forest; the Harpy Dragon Hape was still at the Greentown Garden Cold Spring Point, contemplating a single feather.

“Hape, I need to leave for a while, and it might take about a week,” Russell said.

“Go ahead, Russell. I still need some time here to perceive the profound experiences of life and death. Without directly experiencing it, it’s not easy to fully digest and absorb the knowledge left by our ancestors,” Hape replied.

“Right, take your time to think it over,” Russell waved, leaving behind a bag of roasted rat meat.

Subsequently.

Russell went home and took the Ice Saint Artifact, along with a large metal stone, to the Shadowflame Volcano. “Your Highness Shadowflame, after thinking it over, I have decided not to give the Ice Saint Artifact to King Ares for now. I plan to keep it to fish for Shuang Da,”

“Why bring it here?” the Shadowflame Dragon asked without opening his eyes.

“To store it in the Shadowflame Volcano for a few days until we return. If both of us are away, and only the two spires protect the Blackflame Plains, I am not reassured. It prevents Shuang Da from stealthily taking it,” Russell explained.

Shuang Da had twice evaded the surveillance of the Torrent Scale Tower and sneaked into the Warm Enclave, causing Russell to seriously doubt the effectiveness of the tower.

If not for the fortunate incidents when he encountered Shuang Da while riding the Little Dream Dragon, the Ice Saint Artifact might have already been taken by Shuang Da.

“The scales of the tower indeed have limited use,” the Shadowflame Dragon said. “Place the Ice Saint Artifact down carefully, don’t let the seal crack open… this aura is disgusting, Shadowflame dislikes it.”

“Okay.”

The Ice Saint Artifact was properly placed.

Before long, King Ares arrived once more at the Shadowflame Grand Duchy riding the smoke-belching Fiery Dragon.

He did not go to the Shadowflame Volcano or visit Red Castle.

King Ares directly headed to the four blazing spires located northeast, southwest, southeast, and northwest, activated them, and then waited at the Fire Ant Swamp for a moment.

“Roar!”

A dragon roar, flashing with red light, the Shadowflame Dragon swiftly flew from the sky.

By the side of the Shadowflame Dragon, atop the Black Oil Dragon Ross, marked with the Mark of the Thunder Lord, Russell followed closely. Unfortunately, as a Flying Dragon Knight, he was too small. Compared to the massive Shadowflame Dragon, the Black Oil Dragon was just a little black dot.

Russell on the dragon’s back was even harder to see.

“I might be small, but King Ares isn’t much bigger,” Russell consoled himself.

Although a Dragon Knight was not riding on the back but was seated on the scaled throne atop the dragon’s head, he was similarly invisible from afar.

Moreover.

The Fiery Dragon was enveloped in black smoke, obscuring King Ares; even from close by, he was hard to see clearly.

This did not suit the magnificence of a Dragon Knight.

“Roar!” The Fiery Dragon responded, immediately soaring into the sky with King Ares, flying side by side with the Shadowflame Dragon.

They swiftly headed towards the northwest direction to the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.

The normal flying speed of a dragon was not much faster than that of a bipedal flying dragon. Russell didn’t need to use the Thunder Boosting Technology, as the Black Oil Dragon Ross could easily keep up.

Moments later.

Russell felt something as they crossed the national boundary of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy.

He couldn’t help but look back; the Fire Ant Swamp had disappeared, and all around was just the vast, boundless Snowfield.