Under the hazy night sky, all was silent.
While Su Nian was sound asleep, holding Anna Hathaway as she lay atop his belly, an armored and armed human army had already arrived near the Silvermoon Forest.
Vimons raised his hand and clenched his fist.
The army behind him obeyed without question.
Night was not a suitable time to attack the Silvermoon Forest.
Night raids worked well against humans but were ineffective against a black dragon.
With night vision akin to that of feline creatures, a black dragon lurking in the shadows could become a lethal predator.
Though dragons were often deemed foolish compared to other creatures, even the least intelligent among the Five Chromatic Dragons—except for the utterly brainless white dragons—possessed considerable intellect.
If this black dragon showed even a hint of cunning, it could move unseen through the night, turning Vimons' army into mere playthings.
Vimons was cautious by nature; he dared not gamble.
"My dear Magogoko," he said, addressing Mei Magogoko, who sat obediently in his lap, "we'll camp here outside the Silvermoon Forest tonight and use the Tracking Array tomorrow morning to locate the black dragon."
Mei Magogoko nodded sweetly, the two of them sharing a horse like a loving couple.
In truth, Mei Magogoko wanted to find and kill the dragon tonight. However, she lacked expertise in dealing with dragons and didn't want to leave a bad impression by defying Vimons.
After all, this man had his uses.
If used well, he might even die for her.
To monopolize the rewards this time, Mei Magogoko had persuaded Vimons to bypass Sakura Island's No. 1 Novice Village and had even refrained from bringing any players from No. 6 Novice Village.
She claimed she was undertaking a solo hidden quest.
Initially, some players had followed the army, but after two days of intense marching, they fell behind, exhausted.
Now, no one knew where they had wandered off to.
Though called a game, this was essentially a real-world alternate dimension.
Players, aside from being able to adjust pain sensitivity and easily learn combat and magic, were no different from ordinary locals.
They still needed food, water, and rest.
Their bodies, of course, felt fatigue.
Everything was merely digitized.
For instance, eating would fill a hunger bar, drinking would replenish a hydration bar, and even defecating had a progress and residue meter.
How could Mei Magogoko time Vimons' actions down to the second?
A joke—Vimons had a countdown timer floating above his head when he started his "operations," didn't he?
It was game-like but also hardcore.
"Brother Vimons, I'll do whatever you say," Mei Magogoko cooed, her sultry tone making Vimons' heart itch.
Without hesitation, he dismounted with Mei Magogoko in his arms, ordering the soldiers around him to set up night patrols and defenses.
Then, carrying Mei Magogoko, he hurried into the simple military tent the soldiers had erected, a timer reading 351 seconds floating above his head.
Unbeknownst to Vimons, a bird monster had already flown high above the night sky, observing the army's movements.
...
"Master! Bad news!"
"A human army has arrived outside the Silvermoon Forest!"
A fledgling bird monster, barely feathered, struggled to flap its wings but still crashed into the dragon's lair like a plane with engine failure.
Flying usually consumed little energy, but this scouting trip to the forest nearly exhausted her.
Her last act of defiance was to crash into Grey Wolf's arms instead of directly onto the black dragon. However, her effort earned her a sharp slap from the suddenly awakened Grey Wolf.
"What the hell?! A human army?!"
Awoken from his sleep, Su Nian abruptly opened his dragon eyes, releasing a jet of scorching steam that shot three meters high. His head tilted with a "clang" against the rocky platform as his fierce gaze locked onto the bird monster.
"Explain in detail."
The bird monster, stunned by Grey Wolf's slap, snapped to attention and quickly reported:
"Great Master, during my routine patrol, I discovered a human army camped outside the Silvermoon Forest."
"They number around two thousand, including knights and archers."
"I even sensed the presence of a grand mage."
A grand mage? That must be the dragon-slaying army sent by King Anlius. Su Nian hadn't expected them to arrive so soon.
Still, their arrival was welcome—more system points to harvest. He might as well wipe them out under cover of night.
Su Nian gently lifted the drowsy, sleepy-eyed Anna from his belly and placed her on his back. Rising to his feet, he issued commands with renewed vigor:
"Ji Tai Mei, lead your kin to observe the human army again. Check for any ambushes nearby. I need precise and accurate information."
"Grey Wolf, notify the other monster leaders to gather their forces and prepare for battle."
"And bring Bolikri to me separately. I have tasks for him."
Grey Wolf obeyed and left. Soon, Bolikri arrived, trotting eagerly to Su Nian.
"Praise be to you, Great Master! Bolikri awaits your orders!"
In the past, hearing about a battle with humans would have made Bolikri grimace. But now, having secured a golden thigh to cling to and influenced by the black dragon's heart blood, Bolikri's mindset had completely shifted—he was now filled with excitement and bloodlust.
"Notify all kobolds to bring their trap-setting tools. Make sure they bring plenty."
"Once the human army's position is confirmed, Grey Wolf and the others will distract them."
"Your job is to ensure their rear is riddled with traps."
"Great Master, your wisdom shines like the sun and moon, radiant and brilliant!"
Bolikri bowed deeply, his flattery resounding.
"I think so too," Su Nian replied calmly, gripping the rocky platform with his claws.
Master and servant—a dragon and a kobold—shared a sinister smile, their golden eyes reflecting the malice and cunning etched into their very bones. """