Life is tough, so Honglong resorts to performing?

Chapter 72 The Pivotal Trend and the Black Market of Greenleaf City (4k)

After comforting Morris and sending him away, Aaron turned his gaze to the little red dragon and smiled at him.
"So eager? I remember you dragons are supposed to prefer lying on gold coins and sleeping soundly, aren't you?"

"But you need gold coins first."

"Gold and silver are no longer legal tender; they're now pure luxury goods with no magical properties. Who would want to buy them?"

"I could buy magical artifacts mixed with mithril with that money."

Loren was helpless. Of course, he also wanted to lie down on the gold coins and sleep, but the gold coins were now antiques.

As the Federation prospered, prices also rose.

The Federation currently only has two common currencies: copper coins and magic crystal coins. Copper coins are not even entirely made of copper, and paper money has replaced the vast majority of metal currencies.

The name "copper coin" was retained to commemorate the outstanding contributions of Salad Bronzebeard, the last powerful dwarf king, to the establishment of the Commonwealth.

Otherwise, it would be more likely to be called a universal currency or a federal currency.

That's a really sad thing.

Aaron could hardly contain his smile.

He had initially assumed that the little red dragon had a secret stash of money, Dragon Nest, since it went out to stay every day.

He misjudged the boy; he was a rich but stingy fellow.

Now that I think about it, that nest outside probably wasn't very wealthy either.

Its value in life is probably equivalent to the daily value of Lava Heart.
Or is the reason simpler and more direct: the little guy actually paid for several weeks at once, but the other party wouldn't give a refund, so he had no choice but to stay there for now?

Aaron pondered.

"I plan to live in the enclosure from now on. Does the zoo provide meals during holidays?"

It seems that the nest outside is now less valuable than the Lava Heart.

Aaron listened and pondered, then answered Loren's question.
"Of course...no."

"We are a legitimate listed company funded by the official government of Greenleaf City and managed by the Druid Association, and we strictly abide by relevant corporate laws."

“A day off is a day off. Even the veterinarians here don’t work when they’re on vacation. Didn’t you see that I was the one who treated that animal just now?”

"Please note that my actual position at the zoo is that of a partner, not an employee, and therefore I am not protected by any relevant laws."

Old Aaron shrugged, and Loren was shocked.

So you're trying to exploit legal loopholes to make yourself work overtime? You Druids are really crazy!

However, after thinking for a while, old Aaron quickly provided a solution to Loren's problem.
"You can get the ingredients from the cold storage yourself and then cook your own meal."

“The park raises a lot of large carnivorous animals and some large carnivorous fish. As a company, we allow for a certain amount of loss.”

Loren chuckled upon hearing this, wondering what this familiar feeling of déjà vu was all about.

However, if we have to categorize it, it should fall under the scope of employee benefits.

If I take more, won't everyone else take less?

Is there no problem? Or is it a test of my skill level?
"It's okay. Every year, the waste exceeding the standard is mainly in vegetables and fruits. Everyone loves to eat these."

"In such a large facility, more than 70% of the employees are vegetarian, and the rest are omnivorous with a preference for vegetarians. You are the only one who can eat a purely meat-based diet."

"The standards we set are far higher than those of our peers, after all, we are a typical example."

“We not only allow, but even encourage employees to take food home to eat, after all, it only costs a few dollars to buy some ingredients.”

"If we set the waste level too low here, our employees will be paid less, and the ratio of our fellow animal lovers will be even more alarming. It will be a problem whether our animal friends can even get enough to eat."

"Not to mention that over there, there aren't more than 70% vegetarian employees, and a bunch of trainee druids supervising and learning from each other."

Aaron patiently explained to the little red dragon.

"Is it similar to Zilu accepting a cow?"

A sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of a past life where high salaries were used to maintain integrity, startled Loren.

He increasingly felt that what the Green Leaf Zoo was currently doing was actually quite complicated.

That's natural.

After all, the main reason Morris and Aaron decided to recruit the red dragon was to find a sustainable path for the druid-affiliated zoo that integrates protection, survival, and management.

Druids are not exactly a cash-strapped organization.

Once they reach a certain level of combat capability, they can go out into the wilderness with high-level seniors, collect some items, research and produce them, and earn enough money to last them a long time.

But what about the little ones, those first and second-tier children? Are they also going to the wilderness with the legendary and near-legendary ones to face those horrors?
A new era demands a new path, and even the most stubborn druids must accept this reality.

This is why Loren's affair caused such a huge uproar among the Druid community.

"That's it."

Loren now understands the ripples his sudden inspiration had caused.

Am I riding the wave of the times? Or is it that I started this wave?
Loren thought that, after all, Maurice was someone he had managed to persuade with sophistry.

But thinking about it carefully, even if this kind of thing wasn't caused by me, but by me, it would probably have been caused by someone else or the dragon, right?
Are there really few middle-aged people like Maurice who haven't completely cooled down and still have a burning dream in their hearts?

Are there no other places like Old Aaron, who stays at the zoo and prepares to raise the next generation of druids?
Ten years, twenty years? Or even just five years?
Without me, who would have come up with this idea, a black dragon or a green dragon?
Or perhaps a wandering unicorn, or some other intelligent creature that is not making ends meet.
The time has come, the opportunity has arrived, whether it's a pig or a dragon that flies, it doesn't matter at all.

I seized the opportunity presented by the times, but that's not unique.

While Loren was overjoyed, he was also secretly on guard.

His historical memories of dynastic changes from his previous life told him that most of the first rebels did not have the last laugh.

Later entrants are often better prepared and play a more stable game, making the most of what their predecessors have inherited.

"Fortunately, this is the work of the druids, not mine."

Loren shook his head, erasing some strange thoughts from his mind. Was he really going to spend his whole life as an animal celebrity at the zoo, making a living off his online popularity?
Even if I were to be replaced by another generation of young talents in the future, so what?

Why not just break free from the little dragon circle and become a stronger dragon?
Loren constantly reminded himself that there was only one bright path for his career: to become stronger and become a true ancient dragon.

Everything else is merely an aid on this path.

In this world, only the power you possess yourself is the most real and reliable thing.

"Let me know when you go to the Lava Heart arena, I need to practice for a while."

As Loren spoke, large dragon wings materialized from behind him, and he took flight amidst Old Aaron's somewhat surprised gaze.

"This kid is interesting."

Watching Loren's departing figure, old Aaron chuckled and cursed, then paid no more attention.

Everyone has a time when they're young, thinking they can reach the pinnacle of strength and be arrogant towards everyone!

Not to mention, this kid is a red dragon!

Loren returned to the heart of the lava.

He found a spot at the top of his skull and began his daily deep meditation, sorting out the magic and observing the legacy.

Time passed slowly, and as noon approached, Loren opened his eyes and saw that old Aaron was already waiting for him outside the stadium.

Upon seeing this, Loren transformed back into human form and flew towards the other party.

"You can wake me up."

"It's alright, it didn't take long. The old man's time is worthless."

Aaron smiled self-deprecatingly upon hearing this.

"Actually, you're not that old, are you? You druids must have quite a few ways to prolong your lifespan, right?" Loren asked casually. Although he didn't know Old Aaron's exact strength, Loren felt that the other party was at least close to the top of the third tier, about to reach the fourth tier, or perhaps already at the fourth tier.
If you could revitalize your body and live for a few more decades, becoming a fourth-tier cultivator, and with a little more effort, reaching near-legendary status might be quite possible, right?

“Birth, aging, sickness, and death, the withering and flourishing of trees—these are all part of nature, and I accept them. Therefore, I will not use any means to prolong my life.”

Old Aaron said calmly, a response that surprised even Loren.

"Is someone waiting for you on the other side?"

After a moment of silence, Loren couldn't help but ask.

Old Aaron looked at Loren in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"I thought you dragons didn't understand this, especially you evil dragons like the red dragons."

Harden, you're being racist...

What words, what words is this!

Arthur Pendragon, son of the red dragon of Britain, doesn't understand human nature, so we red dragons don't understand human nature either, right?
Loren kept his grievances bottled up inside, but ultimately didn't utter a word.

Cultural differences are like this.

"Let's go, then?"

Loren tilted his head and asked.

"Come on, let me show you how the black market in Emerald Leaf City works."

The old man sighed and led the way, with Loren following behind.

After taking several teleportation arrays, the old man led Loren to a deserted, enclosed wall.

He then handed Loren a white mask with a distinctly mechanical design.

"Put it on, and remember not to use magic to resist. It serves as both cover and proof."

As Aaron spoke, he took out the same mask and put it on his face. With a flash of light, the old druid's appearance transformed into a simple robot that looked like it was made of building blocks.

There was a number on the side of his arm, 79.

Seeing this, Loren also put on the mask, and a strange magic began to flow through his body. Soon, he completed the same transformation.

Loren looked up and saw that the number on his arm was 194.

"That's just a number. The ones we're wearing are the most basic mechanical mimicry, they don't have much offensive power. Be careful if you see red or black robots."

"By the way, remember to switch the communicator to squad mode instead of full-screen mode. If you concentrate your mental energy and sense it, it will appear."

Old Aaron's voice seemed to be transmitted through some kind of ability on the mask.

Upon hearing this, Loren began to concentrate his mental energy to perceive, and sure enough, a virtual panel appeared in front of him.

Following Old Aaron's advice, he joined the other side's two-person team in their conversation.

Then, old Aaron gently tapped twice on the wall in front of him.
A flash of light, and the two appeared under the sky of a foreign land.

A giant, broken clock phantom floated in the sky, with a large hole in it. The hour hand was broken, the minute hand was missing, and only the second hand was still ticking.

Beneath the sky, there were also numerous mechanical structures: giant clock towers, enormous constructs, and intricately designed giant wind-up spheres whose specific functions were unknown. However, each of them was badly damaged and only moved occasionally.

"here it is?"

Loren began searching within the Dragon Legacy for locations similar to this strange sight.

"Some kind of dimensional projection, something between reality and illusion, could be an alternate dimension, or it could be a projection of a god's divine kingdom, who knows?"

"Nobody cares about the specific principles, because they're not worth much."

"However, due to the style, the city administrators of Greenleaf City don't really like coming here."

It doesn't fit the style of the wood elves, does it?

Loren thought to himself.

After all, this place is far too mechanized.

"Come on, I'll take you to the place where they sell things."

Old Aaron spoke as he led Loren inside.

Along the way, he encountered many other people who were also there to make a transaction, and they were also led by various robots.

From Old Aaron's explanation, Loren learned that this was a place where attacks were restricted.

External forces are meaningless here; everyone can only fight each other using the mechanical mimicry they wear.

The victor can obtain some of the opponent's parts to upgrade their own machine.

White, green, blue, purple, black, and red represent the machine grades here.

Once the machine's mimicry is broken, it will be sent out of here.

The mechanical mimicry on Loren and Old Aaron is the lowest in this projected world, making them easy targets for forced PvP battles.

Therefore, Old Aaron reminded Little Red Dragon to be careful.

Loren kept the other person's words in mind while also observing this somewhat strange projected world.

It must be said that Verdant City truly lives up to its reputation for inheriting some of the Pokémon's technology; even the secrecy of its black market is higher than that of the city he originally lived in, Linyo City.

"But what's the underlying principle?"

The mage's curiosity led him to wander around and look around. After experiencing the presence and disappearance of nearby machines several times, Loren's doubts deepened.

"Don't even think about it. When I first came here, I went back and checked. I asked a senior druid, and a demigod had studied this projection. His answer was that it was worthless."

"Is it worthless?"

Loren murmured, "That answer is quite intriguing."

Filled with doubt, Old Aaron led Loren to a window. After disconnecting from Aaron's communication and exchanging a few words with the blue robot in the window, he brought out a glass of black liquid.

"Come and try it, this is the most useful thing here."

"What's this, engine oil?"

Loren listened to the words on the communicator and looked at the viscous, swaying substance, and couldn't help but frown.

"You're absolutely right, it is engine oil, but aren't you a robot now too?"

Old Aaron continued.

"This thing can grant you a temporary blessing here, enhancing the robot's mental and cognitive abilities. The first time you use it, the boost is permanent and you can take it with you. It might be a little small for you, but do you want to drink it or not?"

Upon hearing this, Loren took the item, thinking that every little bit helps.

But before he could open his mouth and drink it down, he suddenly remembered something and asked in advance,

"Robots don't necessarily have to drink with their mouths, right? Isn't there a refueling port?"

"You actually found out, you boring brat."

"Pour it into your belly button."

Over the communication channel, Old Deng's voice sounded quite regretful.

This rotten stuff must taste awful; he's trying to rip me off.

Loren was speechless. What a terrible old man!

At your age, why are you still so enthusiastic about pranks!
(End of this chapter)