Chapter 427 - Sambia’s Reaction

As dawn started to break,the counting work was finally completed.

Just in gold coins alone, fifty-three chests were counted, each containing ten thousand Nu Bao, plus assorted silver and copper coins totaling six hundred thousand.

In terms of the number of gold coins, even some ancient dragons would be embarrassed.

This goes to show how many merchant caravans the young red dragon had plagued over the past few decades with the help of the Sambiyan merchants.

It also reflects the bustling trade on the East Road; the merchant caravans that were harmed were just a small part. Those affiliated with Sambia or who had paid the full protection fee were let through.

The only ones harmed were those who were at odds with the Sambiyan merchants.

If enough memories could be extracted from the corpse of the red dragon, it would be more than just a discomfort to the Sambiyan merchants.

Because some merchants might not have been completely crushed by Sambia, especially those from Komeer.

It wasn’t only Weizemay Manor that stayed awake all night.

Many people in Odulin, the capital of Sambia, were also up all through the night.

Odulin is located in the center of Sambia.

Apart from the elves and valley people, few remember that this land once belonged to the Moon Valley, one of the valleys. Google seaʀᴄh NoᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt

The Sambiyan merchants designed the city with their immense wealth, erasing all traces and memories of Moon Valley.

Seen from above, the city looked like a dazzling giant pattern with three massive constructions at the core. Grand avenues radiated out from the central core like rays from the sun.

The building in the very center housed the Sambiyan Senate’s main hall - the mouthpiece of the merchant class and the actual rulers of the nation. Many of Sambia’s decisions originated from here.

To its left and right were the Tower of Guards and the Gate of Protection respectively.

Don’t be misled by the names.

The Tower of Guards was not where soldiers were stationed, but rather Sambia’s mint. All Sambiyan currency was minted here, and other cities did not have this right. Unauthorized minting was considered illegal and the product was claimed by the state.

A powerful army was permanently stationed here, guarding closely, and not even a fly could enter without their permission. They were loyal only to the Merchants Council, and even the Great Commander had no authority to command them.

The Gate of Protection was the national treasury of Sambia, storing taxes paid in by various cities and merchants. These were used for the construction of public facilities. It was said that the wealth inside was astronomical, enough to make even the ancient giant dragons drool.

But up to now, no dragon has dared to plunder it.

It was normal for the Tower of Guards and the Gate of Protection to be brightly lit every night.

The former was involved in the continuous minting of currency, while the latter was guarded by treasure guardians on shifting patrols.

If the main hall was still lit at night, that was not normal.

It silently informed the citizens of Odulin that something significant was happening, something closely related to Sambia, and that the leaders of the Merchants Council were discussing countermeasures.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. Our plan was foolproof. How could it be that in just one afternoon, our entire force was wiped out? Especially when we deployed a young red dragon. That half-elf had less than a thousand men, mainly relying on those treants and Pikespirit. Could there be a mistake in the message?"

"What if one set of messages was wrong, what about the second, and the third? This is the fourth confirmation, there can be no mistake. Not only were the mercenaries completely annihilated, but the red dragon is also dead!"

"The red dragon is dead, too? That’s even less possible? Does he have a powerful existence that can contend with a red dragon?"

"According to the message that came back, it was the young lord named Gaven who acted personally!"

"That’s even more outrageous. I have seen that lord with my own eyes, not yet twenty years old, and his professional level hasn’t even reached Transcendent. Where does he get the power to slay a dragon?"

"I remember the newly staged opera about outsmarting a vampire mentioning that he had single-handedly killed two Dwarves vampires, indicating that his strength is indeed extraordinary. Perhaps he has some cards we don’t know about."

"Operas are meant to flatter people. You believe that kind of stuff? You’re being a bit too naive."

"Operas may lie, but Darnell, the Judgment Chief of Just Hammer, and August wouldn’t also deceive people, would they? They have publicly acknowledged the authenticity of the opera."

"Breaking news, breaking news, the Dragon’s Nest of Slark Sata has been found, located in Blood Horn."

"This cunning creature, I never thought he’d play such a deceitful game. For years, he created the impression that he had other lairs elsewhere, with Blood Horn being just a contact point with us. It turns out that it was all an illusion."

"What are we waiting for? Send a team of mage specialists immediately to bring back the treasure from the Dragon’s Nest, to compensate for the losses of this failure. We’ve been fattening up this red dragon for so many years."

"It’s too late. The Dragon’s Nest has already been emptied, not a single item left."

"Impossible, this cannot be. It’s only been half the night since the start, excluding the time taken to find the red dragon’s lair, how much time would they have to move the contents of a Dragon’s Nest? Even if it was only two or three hundred thousand Nu Bao, it’s not easy to move that out. Could there be an error in the message? Maybe they found a fake Dragon’s Nest?"

"There can’t be a mistake, because the message comes from a Dragonborn servant of Slark Sata, who served him for many years and brought back memory images of the Dragon’s Nest. The wealth piled up like mountains, with at least five hundred thousand Nu Bao in gold coins. He personally witnessed two people, mounted on two steeds, enter the Dragon’s Nest led by the red dragon transformed into a ghost."

"How could he empty a Dragon’s Nest so quickly? Does he also have a team of mage specialists equipped with a large number of Teleportation Staves like we do? No, you just said it was just two people on two mounts!"

"This doesn’t make sense, that doesn’t make sense. What exactly is right?"

"If you’re so capable, why don’t you give a reasonable explanation?"

"If I had a reasonable explanation, would I still be here arguing with you?"

The entire Sambiyan Business Council was a complete mess.

The messages that kept coming in were not just contradictory, there was simply no explanation for how the other party managed to do it.

Originally, they thought they had seen through this newly risen young lord, seen through the strength of the Three Rivers Region.

He was just a piece of fat meat for them this summer.

Who would have thought that this piece of fat would bite back?

And bite hard, at that.

"The Great Commander has arrived, the Great Commander has arrived, the Great Commander has arrived!"

Accompanied by a series of shouts, a group of heavily armed Sambiyan Knights marched in first, splitting into two columns. Once they had taken their positions,

a tall, thin old man slowly walked in.

He exuded an aura of late life, his eyes cloudy and his pace slow. Although he was dressed in the most lavish and fashionable attire and his face was covered with the most expensive foundation, he couldn’t entirely conceal the age spots on the exposed parts of his skin.

This person was named Oudes*Yamast, the Great Commander of the Sambiyan Business Council.

The Merchants Council adopted an electoral system, and the ruler ultimately elected was the Great Commander, with a term of seven years.

However, because there were no term limits, once someone became the Great Commander, barring special circumstances, they generally kept the position until death.

Oudes was evidently such a case; many Sambiyan Merchants called him "the undying old man" behind his back.

Especially those merchants coveting the Great Commander’s position, who could hardly wait for him to die sooner.

Yet, like now, hanging on like the flickering flame of a candle in the wind, he had been in that state for over a decade but remained unchanged, seemingly on the verge of extinguishing, yet stubbornly refusing to go out.

It was rumored that his agedness was not just due to simple aging, but rather a horrific aging magic, against which even Legendary Priests were powerless.

The more power he held, the more he feared death.

The number of his guards had increased from two to four, from four to eight, and now he had a small squad surrounding him.

It was said that the bodyguards protecting him were not just a small team but two, taking turns in a black and white rotation; there was always a squad that followed him day and night, step by step, including when he slept.

Many people criticized behind his back, questioning how he could sleep being watched by a group of people.

Whether they were willing or not,

the moment Oudes stepped into the great hall, all the members of the Merchants Council stood up to pay their respects to him.

It’s not so much that they respected Oudes as they respected the title of Great Commander, and the system of the Sambiyan Merchants Council.

Only by respecting this system, as beneficiaries within it, could they continue to maintain their current interests and their high positions.

Anyone who tried to shake this system would become their greatest enemy, whether from the outside or the inside.

"Please, take your seats!" Oudes’s voice, like his appearance, was old, murky, and slow.

Under the escort of numerous guards, he slowly walked to the podium of the great hall and spoke again, "I believe many of you are already aware of the reason for this urgent summons tonight, but before that, I want you to take a look at a few short images."

The Great Commander of Sambiya gestured, and a guard holding a crystal ball walked up to the front of the podium.

Some savvy Sambiyian council members recognized the origin of the crystal ball at a glance—it was a Memory Projection Crystal.

It was part of a set of Magic Artifacts.

This was the central artifact of that set, which would display the images from the location of its held subsidiary crystals.

Such magical devices were precious and rare.

Even for the wealthy Sambiyan Merchants Council, there were not many sets available.

They were only used in crucial wars.

Could it be that the Great Commander had secretly made use of this magical device?

The other party had already answered him with their actions.

A tremendous image was directly cast into the airspace of the great hall.

A holographic image appeared before everyone.

Rows of mercenaries, assembled in order, stood at the ready, awaiting the advance of the towering Treants.

Even for the Merchants Council members, experienced as they were, many couldn’t help but inhale sharply.

Dozens of Treants and Enlightened Trees, seemingly insubstantial numbers, but when faced with their heavy, advancing steps, one could feel the terrifying pressure of their charge.

In a few seconds, they heard the distinctive roar of the Red Dragon getting closer.

But in the next second, everything changed dramatically.

Frightful thunderbolts directly burst in their ears, making the audience feel as if they were right beside Yewen Pond, as if they were on the battlefield.

"Revenge Storm! That’s a ninth-level spell!"

"There must be a Quasi-Legendary Druid or a Quasi-Legendary Priest present!"

"Who has intervened? Which mighty being has stepped in?"

"No wonder, no wonder the mercenaries were just cannon fodder to lure the enemy into an attack, they simply couldn’t withstand the impact of a ninth-level spell, no wonder they collapsed so quickly."

Among the Merchants Council members, those who knew their stuff instantly recognized the origin of the spell.

They couldn’t help but discuss it in whispers with those around them.

Most spellcasters gained access to the ninth-level spell slots at the Professional Level of eighteen.

Once they successfully cast their first ninth-level spell, they were honored with the title of Quasi-Legendary.

For them, stepping into the realm of the Legendary was only a matter of time.

Needless to say, there are no sudden appearances of the Legendary, nor of the Quasi-Legendary.

Every one of them is well-known to major forces and registered, closely watched.

Although it’s virtually impossible to track most of them, as once spellcasters surpass the Transcendent level, they begin to possess Teleportation Spells, becoming elusive, leaving no trace to follow.

Regarding Duke Gaven, freshly minted from the Battle Valley, they had already thoroughly investigated him inside and out; there was no information regarding his close association with any Quasi-Legendary known to them, otherwise, they would have been more cautious.