Chapter 59: Five Years
Snow accumulated and melted repeatedly on the Storm Highlands.
In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.
For a long-lived dragon, five years could pass in a mere nap, but for short-lived creatures like humans and goblins, it was enough time for their world to undergo drastic changes.
So, what happened over these five years?
First, the number of followers in Ember Nest grew rapidly, and its territory continued to expand.
Egg-laying creatures like kobolds and lizardfolk could lay dozens of eggs at a time, while viviparous creatures like goblins reproduced at a breakneck speed, birthing seven or eight offspring per year—a crucial factor for their survival in the wild.
Soon, Giant's Valley could no longer contain them all.
Cassius's followers had to expand outward.
Now, Ember Nest's territory spanned the entire Storm Highlands, with many tribes conquered or absorbed. Dozens of valleys and caves became homes for Cassius's followers, with only the strongest, most elite followers remaining in Giant's Valley, receiving the red dragon's unconscious blessings.
Living in Giant's Valley was considered an honor.
The valley's name was even changed to "Dragon's Valley."
Currently, Ember Nest hosted three chimeras, forty-one wyverns, sixty-five ogres, four hundred sixty hobgoblins, three hundred seventy lizardfolk, two hundred four satyrs, and countless goblins and kobolds.
Their numbers likely exceeded ten thousand.
Smaller, newly subjugated tribes like snakefolk, lizardmen, and orcs weren't individually counted as they merely paid tribute.
Additionally, the entire Storm Highlands had become Ember Nest's "pasture" and "mine."
Hobgoblins, known for their beast-taming skills, transported goods and weaponry over long distances using oxen and horses, just like more civilized races.
They communicated via tamed crows and used fierce wolves to guard prisoners and protect their camps, just as Ember Nest's hobgoblins did.
Led by Dolo, the goblin faction included hobgoblins, goblins, and bear goblins.
They began systematically herding woolly mammoths, aurochs, and giant rhinos to provide ample meat for the followers. They even started breeding tundra saurians, although there were currently only three, which would eventually be used in battle and for transport.
Meanwhile, Langpu primarily controlled the ogres, kobolds, and lizardfolk.
Numerous goblins and kobolds established an extensive underground mining network, constantly supplying the valley with metals and elemental ores.
These metals were smelted in underground furnaces and forged into crude weapons for the army, while the elemental ores were stored in the red dragon's cave as energy reserves.
However, these creatures were hard to manage, frequently attempting to escape with stolen gold whenever oversight was lax. Consequently, Langpu deployed a significant number of lizardfolk and ogres as overseers.
During this time, Langpu remained the head steward of Ember Nest, approving all matters—even those from the goblin faction.
Although Dolo often harbored dissatisfaction and schemed in secret, he still had to report his actions to Langpu as protocol dictated.
They maintained a surface-level peace, ensuring Ember Nest's basic internal order, as neither wanted to risk incurring the red dragon's wrath due to infighting.
Each awaited the other's misstep, hoping to report them to the red dragon upon his awakening and bring them down.
As for the skirmishes among goblins, kobolds, and ogres, they were countless, occurring almost daily and becoming routine.
"When the Master wakes, hmph, that position of his won't last long."
—This was something Dolo often said to his closest followers.
Additionally, Ember Nest's interactions with humans grew more frequent.
Sager Town operated as Ember Nest's puppet. The "Friendly Trade" caravan led by Hart continued to supply human armor, weapons, and books.
Perhaps due to the bounty, over the past five years, adventurers dreaming of dragon-slaying and overestimating their abilities frequently intruded into Ember Nest.
Langpu "welcomed" these rude, uninvited guests with enthusiasm—turning their heads into necklaces to decorate the entrance.
However, the ogre mage often complained about not being allowed to eat intelligent creatures, lamenting how long it had been since he tasted such "snacks."
Langpu even captured a few so-called nobles, extracting a hefty ransom from their families and obtaining a few spell scrolls as leverage, expanding his spell collection.
Ember Nest's rapid expansion had, in fact, drawn the attention of human powers like the northern kingdoms.
Not only was the Lackman Duchy on alert, but the Bosk Grand Duchy further south and the continent-spanning organization of justice, the Harpers' Alliance, had also sent scouts, most of whom never returned.
With Cassius still in slumber, Langpu harbored ambitions of world conquest but dared not recklessly start a war without the red dragon's permission.
Consequently, despite minor skirmishes, Ember Nest avoided direct confrontation with any major human forces.
And so, Cassius remained asleep for five full years.
A dragon's slumber, due to its magical nature, has profound environmental effects. A white dragon's sleep would frost the ground, a blue dragon would turn soil to sand, a black dragon would transform forests into swamps, and a red dragon would create lava.
Cassius's presence filled the cave with lava.
Occasionally, when the red dragon shifted in discomfort, loud noises would echo, releasing scorching steam and splattering lava at the cave entrance, injuring several hobgoblins stationed there.
This filled his followers with both fear and reverence for the red dragon's immense power.
Meanwhile, Cassius unconsciously released "bloodline blessings."
The range and potency of this influence grew, until nearly all the followers in Giant's Valley displayed the traits of dragon-blooded creatures, bearing the distinct characteristics of a red dragon.
These creatures were now regarded by nearby adventurers as extremely dangerous, earning the reputation as the "Dragon's Minions," not to be provoked.
The progress was accelerating; soon, the entire beta test phase would likely commence.
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