The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases
Chapter 90 - 87: Gloom (Part 2)

Chapter 90: Chapter 87: Gloom (Part 2)

This was a location that allowed both parties in a trade to lower their guard somewhat.

But if he were to approach as a "righteous and kind" Silver Dragon, it wasn’t just a matter of whether the other party would flee at first sight. Instead, dark creatures from over half the Gloomy Region might be stirred to action by the news and unite to attack him. As for those perpetually insatiable daughters of Spider Nest City, they would likely fall into a collective frenzy. No matter the cost, they would abduct this "Silver Dragon," forcibly accelerate its growth, and then use it for breeding.

The High Elves might still be wary of the threat from Dragon Island; after all, they were a prominent surface power and had to consider their reputation and business relationships.

But what were the Drow? Calling them street rats would be an understatement.

For instance, when Hiatt and the others were on the surface, or even on the Old Continent, they wouldn’t have dared to provoke a young Silver Dragon. They could very well have been annihilated before even managing to leave the Old Continent.

But where was this?

This was the Drow Elves’ domain—the Gloomy Region, deep underground on the New Continent of Granyel. It seemed to be a Mirror Image of the bustling and prosperous High Elf civilization.

After David and the others, led by Hiatt, had journeyed deep into a tunnel for a long time, the darkness ahead suddenly opened up. However, it wasn’t the kind of feeling described by the saying, "the willows are dark, the flowers are bright, another village appears."

What they first sensed was an extreme darkness and silence. The scent of fungi and decaying soil permeated the surroundings, occasionally mixed with rank and sour-acrid odors.

Before their eyes lay a vast, boundless subterranean world. Twisting caves, narrow passages, and steep cliffs formed a grim underground labyrinth. In some areas, glowing fungi and fluorescent stones emitted a faint light, illuminating the path forward. Other areas, however, were swallowed by a dark Abyss, so pitch-black you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

This was an entirely alien world, teeming with bizarre creatures. Eyes peered out obliquely from cracks in the stones; flickering figures haunted the labyrinthine passages; and strange creatures, covered in scales or fur, appeared and disappeared like ghostly Undead.

Relying on his innate draconic night vision, David merely found it novel; his sight here was even clearer and more detailed than it was in the daylight on the surface.

As for Hiatt’s two Drow companions, it was as if they had returned to a long-unseen home—even if this "home" wasn’t one Drow typically remembered fondly.

Only Rosinde, the Barbarian, was in a somewhat miserable state. Although David had transformed him into a dragonkin through an empowerment ritual, he was still effectively blind in complete darkness. Luckily, an obedient Winter Wolf followed him, now serving as the Barbarian’s guide dog. Otherwise, if he tried to keep up with the Red Dragon Lord and the Drow—who, despite their muscular builds, moved with the swift, light-footed grace of great cats—he would likely have gotten lost after just a few turns and become a missing person.

Perhaps influenced by David’s barely concealed Greed and his eagerness to strike it rich, the two Drow, who also keenly understood the value of the Anger Potions they carried, dared not slack off in the slightest. Consequently, no one had any desire for conversation along the way. As soon as they entered the Gloomy Region, they headed straight for Spider Nest City.

This manner of travel was reckless, even arrogant and rampant by the standards of the Gloomy Region. Had it been any other group, they likely would have been ambushed dozens of times already. However, any subterranean creatures planning an ambush either froze on the spot upon catching the faint scent of Dragon Might from David, the Red Dragon; or, upon spotting his two Drow companions, cursed and hastily detoured. Then there were the hardier ones, unafraid of a young Red Dragon or two Drow. Yet, just as they prepared to strike, David, sensing their intent with his Eyes of Greed, would glare at them, and they would turn tail and slink away.

It wasn’t that David had seen through their stealth or disguises. Rather, these creatures were usually so direct and fierce in their attacks that in the split second before they struck, David could sense the impending assault—almost as if through prophecy—and neutralize it before it even began.

Traveling swiftly in this manner for less than three days, David and his companions reached their destination. This was the same place Priest Attilicia had taken half a month of painstaking travel and constant fighting to finally arrive at: Drogsin, Spider Nest City, the stronghold of the Elariya Drow Elves.

In the distance, a sinister cityscape of black and white towered proudly, like a city poised at the edge of the world, its web spread wide, a city that devoured good, dominating the region. Even from such a distance, they could see the grand and chilling Spider God Temple at the city-state’s heart. A colossal, silver-white spider statue stood within, surrounded by flickering, eerie blue-purple flames. The Temple’s depths were veiled in an ever-present mist, from which bone-chilling growls and shrieks occasionally echoed.

However, David and his party weren’t headed for the menacing Spider Nest City proper today, but to a Wei City—or perhaps more accurately, an outpost—located on its periphery.

Compared to the labyrinthine yet imposing Spider Nest City, the streets of this Wei City outpost were twisted and narrow, as if ensnared in a giant spider’s web. Tall, gloomy buildings loomed, constructed from black and white stones laid in crisscross patterns. They were adorned with symbols and decorations signifying the profane power of Rose, alongside shimmering silver ornaments crafted with Drow artistry.

Upon stepping into this Drow Wei City, a cloying fragrance mixed with the scent of bodily fluids immediately assaulted their senses. The fragrance came from the hallucinogenic incense the Drow habitually overused. If an ordinary person with no resistance to toxins were to enter, merely inhaling the residual scent in the air could trigger allergic reactions, an accelerated heart rate, rashes, dizziness, nausea, and a host of other symptoms.

But David merely wrinkled his nostrils, snorted loudly, and muttered, "Truly a Drow dwelling. This AQI must be off the charts."

Arrogance

Hiatt, leading the way at the front, looked slightly embarrassed. Although she didn’t understand what her master meant by "AQI," the undisguised disdain and revulsion in his voice were palpable. And yet, that foolish Mage had, just half a month ago, dared to compare Spider Nest City to the Duke of Silver’s resplendent domain.

"Master, this way, please," Hiatt said. "The contact responsible for receiving the goods is right here."

"Are you sure they can handle this volume of goods?" David asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. He found it rather troublesome and just wanted to make a quick profit and be on his way. He was willing to accept a slightly lower unit price for this. His only requirement was that they take all the goods he had brought in a single transaction, paid in cash, to avoid any complications that might arise from delays.

Hiatt leapt onto the Drow Mage’s shoulders. Balancing on the Mage’s head, she tiptoed to whisper into David’s ear flap, "This is one of the outposts under the purview of Matron Mother Flavia’s family, one of Drogsin’s councilors.

"With her family’s resources, they can definitely take it.

"The only concern is the quantity of our goods this time.

"It’s a bit much."