Chapter： 155 Vixen City
The southern region is largely dominated by humans. The Strong Ones among humans have cleared out ferocious Magical Creatures and unbeatable monsters, pierced through obstructive giant peaks and dense forests, and built cities and villages for human habitation.
Cities and villages are connected by roads that allow for smooth travel by people or caravans.
From high above, Brian looked down and saw what seemed like a miniature map. Each human village was a small node, connected by multiple, non-fixed roads. Roads also passed through surrounding dense forests or mountains, with inns and taverns for travelers to rest along the way.
When he first left the Dragonspine Mountains, human presence was still sparse.
But as he continued flying southward, more and more human settlements came into view.
Similarly, scenes of ruin and decay became more frequent.
He saw forests burned to ashes, with only the wind stirring up dust and debris, and rivers with floating, pale corpses, where carnivorous fish were enjoying a rare feast.
Brian flew southward without seeing a single intact place untouched by the ravages of war.
He also passed by some small-scale battlefields, where rivers of blood flowed and the sounds of killing reached the sky. In the few seconds Brian passed by, his unrestrained presence caused the Strong Ones in the armies to sense him, momentarily halting the chaotic battlefield.
But once Brian left, the chaos resumed with a strange order.
He felt as if the air in the south was filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood.
"If this were a time of peace and prosperity, I might have considered exploring human society to experience the local customs and culture," Brian thought. "But in such a desolate and dead landscape, I have no interest at all."
"War... it seems humans are inherently fond of war."
Brian shook his head and withdrew his gaze from the tragic Earth below.
His thoughts were similar to those of the silver dragon Luna. As a True Dragon, he had no interest in meddling in human wars unless there was enough benefit to tempt him.
Brian's goal was clear: the portal to the Lava Demiplane.
Without wandering through the war-torn human society, he flapped his Dragon Wings and flew straight ahead, following the sense of connection.
Time passed by, stars shifted, the sun rose and set, and four days quietly slipped away.
Under a night sky with dim stars and a bright moon, Brian looked down at the scene below, his eyes flickering.
Beneath him, several kilometers down, lay a human city covering about eighty square kilometers.
The capital city of Mocha Principality, Vixen City.
Vixen City was surrounded by a tall, circular wall, with some sections having a man-made moat below, where some bloodthirsty Magical Creatures could be faintly seen.
On the walls, soldiers stood guard in the night, facing the vast world outside the city.
The city was dark due to a curfew, with only sporadic lights visible, and ninety percent of the area shrouded in darkness.
Stern soldiers patrolled the streets, and no one dared to move around freely. Doors were tightly shut, and silence prevailed.
Vixen City's structure was unique, with the terrain rising gradually from the outer edges to the center. At the very center of the circular walls stood a tall, majestic, and brightly lit castle, illuminating the night sky like a lighthouse.
Additionally, several inner circular walls separated the various buildings within.
The closer to the center, the more luxurious and magnificent the buildings appeared. The outermost buildings were a disaster, consisting of simple shacks or makeshift shelters made of broken wood and cardboard—likely the slums.
"Slum area, civilian area, merchant area, hmm... official area..."
Brian's gaze moved from the outer ring to the inner ring, speculating on the structure of the city.
He shifted his gaze, hiding his body within a cloud, and stared at the most majestic and splendid central city.
Over there, he sensed a gathering of elemental energy.
"Detect Magic."
With a flash of light in his eyes, Brian immediately saw the numerous magical runes and the surrounding elemental glow around the central city.
"They've set up a lot of defensive spells, but they're very low-level."
"Hmm... there are some spellcasters and extraordinary warriors, but their quality seems inferior to that of the army."
"The city's defenses are quite weak."
Brian withdrew his gaze and, after a brief thought, the clouds around his body gradually dispersed, revealing his shimmering silver form under the night sky. His platinum Dragon's Eyes stared directly at the central city. He then flapped his Dragon Wings, lowered his altitude, and released his Dragon's Might, flying over unhurriedly.
As Dragon's Might swept over the city, ordinary people were momentarily stunned, their minds blank, and their bodies stiffened, unable to move.
Nearby patrolling and guarding soldiers trembled, trying with all their might to look up, only to find the air seemed to have solidified, and their bodies were out of control.
They could only see a dragon-shaped shadow flash across the ground.
When Dragon's Might passed, their tense hearts relaxed, their faces turned pale, and they turned around in horror, looking up at the sky.
In their view, a massive silver dragon, blocking the moonlight and casting a large shadow on the ground, was flying straight towards the Thorn Grand Duke's castle. Compared to it, the city's buildings seemed as fragile as children's toy blocks.
"A d-d-d-d-dragon... it's a dragon!"
The nervous, stuttering shout came from a soldier's mouth.
More than one person saw Brian's figure, and shouts of fear, awe, and reverence echoed one after another.
The previously deathly silent Vixen City, like a graveyard, suddenly came alive. Some bold residents quietly opened their windows, poking their heads out to look up at Brian's silhouette.
When Brian flew over the inner rings of the city and reached the very center in a short time, the people there finally reacted.
Thud, thud, thud... dense and somewhat panicked footsteps sounded.
Squads of soldiers gathered like ants, forming defensive formations. Archers drew their bows and aimed at the hovering dragon, their fingers trembling slightly, sweat dripping from their foreheads, and their breathing becoming labored.
Some spellcasters muttered incantations, ready for action.
Not understanding Brian's intentions and confused by his silver dragon scales, they dared not act rashly.
Brian looked down at the panicked human guards and spoke in a deep voice in the Common Language, "I come with goodwill."
"The cost of offending a True Dragon, I believe you all understand very well."
A commotion arose from the crowd below.
After a few seconds, a mage with gray whiskers, wearing a round hat and a finely crafted robe, stepped forward, trying to remain calm. He looked up at the colossal figure before him and respectfully replied, "Greetings, Silver Dragon. They are merely performing their duties. Please forgive them."
"May I boldly ask, what brings you to our city?"
This mage appeared to be around forty years old, tall and thin, with a moderate but not strong flow of magic within him.
The Mocha Principality, now severely weakened by war, no longer had the strength to resist an adult silver dragon.
However, judging by Brian's demeanor, this mage did not believe Brian had come with malicious intent.
