Lord: I can see loyalty.

Chapter 275 Three Trips to the Dragon Mouth Mountains

Longkou Mountains.

The biting wind was like a knife, whipping up the snow on the mountaintops and drawing white streaks across the gray sky.

Violet stopped his horse and looked up at the enormous mountain shadow that stretched between heaven and earth.

This was his third time here. The first time was for the Dragon Scale Magic Stone and Dragon Blood Grass, and this time, it was for the red dragon.

In addition to the magic winged sword and shield and the magic gloves, he also carried a musket on his back. It was a replica of Flynn's weapon made by Old Patton and Ryan, with a shorter barrel and a lighter stock for easier carrying.

The mountain path remained steep, with loose stones rolling beneath our feet.

His fourth-level breathing technique gave him plenty of energy, and he climbed to the halfway point of the mountain in less than an hour.

Blood-red eyes lit up on the rock wall, and flying monkey bats poked their heads out of the cave, emitting uneasy hissing.

They recognized the human, the one who had stolen his master's treasure, been driven away by his master, and then escaped from his master's clutches.

Their wings were slightly spread, ready to pounce at any moment.

"Tell your master I've arrived," Vio said calmly, but he didn't stop walking.

The flying monkey bats looked at each other, their blood-red eyes filled with hesitation.

The leader squatted on the highest rock, staring at Vio for a long time, then let out a short hiss, and the other flying monkey bats all retreated.

It turned and flew towards the mountaintop. "Follow me."

Its voice was hoarse, tinged with a hint of helplessness.

The cave was still enormous, and the crystals on the dome still shimmered, illuminating the entire space.

The red dragon Draenei was curled up in the central depression, his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.

The dark red scales gleamed with a metallic sheen under the light of the crystals, and each breath caused the cave to tremble slightly. The wings were folded on the back, and the wing membranes trembled gently in the heat.

Its ears twitched, and its eyelids fluttered slightly, but it didn't open them.

"Human—what are you doing here again?" The red dragon's voice was deep and resonant, tinged with anger, echoing like muffled thunder in the cave. "Trying to steal my things again?"

"I'm not here to steal, I'm here to discuss cooperation." Vio stopped ten steps away from the dragon's head. This time, he didn't draw his sword, but simply looked quietly at the pair of golden vertical pupils that were slowly opening.

The red dragon's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in its vertical pupils. "Cooperation? You said the same thing last time, but you took my Dragon Scale Magic Stone and Dragon Blood Grass and then ran away."

"I ran away because you didn't want to talk," Vio said calmly. "But now you have no choice but to talk. A new king has emerged in the North. He has a Griffin Knights, a dozen or so well-trained and well-equipped Griffins."

"His target is all of Rovia, including your Dragon Mouth Mountains. Once they've dealt with the southern border, they won't let you go."

The red dragon spewed two plumes of hot air from its nostrils, carrying the scent of sparks and sulfur. "Griffins? Those little ones?"

It scoffed, "I could kill one with a single swipe of my paw."

"One is manageable, but what about a dozen, or even dozens?" Vio didn't back down. "They have knights to coordinate with them, and they have ranged attacks. Even if you're tough and resilient, you won't last long. You can't stay flying in the sky forever; you'll have to land and rest eventually. When you land, that's when they'll surround and attack you."

The red dragon remained silent for a moment.

It has lived for over four hundred years and has seen countless humans, from the weak to the strong, from awe to greed.

It wasn't that it hadn't seen the Griffin Knights before, but that was hundreds of years ago.

Did those humans really train another Griffin Knights?

"You've come to me wanting me to fight for you?" The red dragon's voice carried a hint of mockery. "A weak human trying to make the great red dragon Draenei fight for him?"

"It's not about risking your life, it's about cooperation." Vio's gaze was calm. "You help me deal with the Griffin Knights, and I'll help you protect the Dragon Mouth Mountains."

"No one will steal your things anymore, and no one will disturb your sleep. You can even find a comfortable place in the Southern Territory to be your mountain king, eating and sleeping whenever you want."

The red dragon stared at him for a long time, its golden vertical pupils flashing with complex light.

Vio stood there, motionless, letting it scrutinize him.

"You're stronger than last time," the red dragon suddenly spoke. "Fourth tier?"

"Fourth tier".

"Truly rare—your progress from third to fourth rank is astounding." The red dragon snorted hot air. "But you are still no match for me. Your sword can't even pierce my scales. What right do you have to talk to me about cooperation?"

Vio did not answer, but simply took the musket off his back, raised it, and aimed it at the red dragon's eyes.

The red dragon narrowed its eyes, a hint of doubt flashing in its vertical pupils. "What is that?"

Vio pulled the trigger. "Bang!" The gunshot echoed through the cave, the bullet striking the red dragon's eyelid scales, sparks flying.

The red dragon blinked, unharmed, without even a trace.

But it paused for a moment, then burst into a deafening laugh, laughing so hard that its whole body trembled, and the rubble on the cave ceiling tumbled down.

"Hahahaha!" The red dragon's laughter was like thunder. "You're going to threaten me with this? It's not even enough to tickle me." Vio put away his musket, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I'm just showing you that we have new weapons. This time, you're not the only one with the advantage. The Griffin Knights also have these weapons, and far more than I do. They'll fire from the sky, aiming for your eyes, your mouth, the soft flesh between your scales. How many times can you withstand that?"

The red dragon's laughter abruptly stopped, its golden vertical pupils fixed on Vio. "Are you trying to scare me?"

"I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just stating the facts," Vio said calmly. "You can choose to keep sleeping, wait for them to come to your door, be surrounded and attacked, and eventually die at the hands of those little brats. Or you can choose to cooperate with me, help me win this battle, and then sleep peacefully. The choice is yours."

Silence fell over the cave. The red dragon stared at Vio, and Vio stared back at the red dragon.

Time passed in silence. After an unknown amount of time, the red dragon finally spoke. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because you have no other choice." Vio's voice was calm. "I said, it's cooperation, not risking your life. You help me, I help you, and neither of us owes the other anything."

The red dragon remained silent for a long time, its golden vertical pupils flashing with complex light.

Finally, it sighed and closed its eyes. "Get lost, I won't help you."

Vio frowned. "Why?"

"Because you are human," the red dragon said calmly, "and humans are not worthy of trust."

The red dragon curled up and closed its eyes. "Let's go, before I change my mind."

Vio simply stood there, staring at the red dragon.

The red dragon sensed the presence of humans, exhaled through its nostrils, and opened its eyes again, its golden vertical pupils filled with rage.

"You think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

"Of course you dare." Vio drew his Demon Feather Sword. "But you can't kill me. You couldn't last time, and you can't this time either."

Vio even let out a cold laugh. "You are no match for me."

The red dragon suddenly stood up, spread its wings, and the wing membranes blocked out the light from the dome.

A blazing flame gathered deep within its throat, and its golden vertical pupils were filled with murderous intent.

"You're no match for me? A fourth-tier human dares to boast like that?"

Vio raised the Demon Feather Sword, and the runes on his gloves glowed blue.

"Then let's give it a try."