Steelwing Dragon Flock

The Mountain Folk rebellion had actually shown signs long ago.

Unlike the Redwood Natives, who saw the Empire as nothing more than a large tribe and believed the conflict between the two sides was essentially tribal warfare.

Because the Mountain Folk were more numerous and had once been united under faith in the Dragon God, there had always been calls within their ranks to "become independent and found a nation."

These Mountain Folk believed that the proud children of the Dragon God should never become vassals of the Empire. Even if they could not achieve independence, they should at least establish a large Mountainfolk Autonomous Region like the Frozen Fortress Cluster, with powerful Mountain Folk as their leaders.

They refused to pay taxes to the Empire, living scattered among the forests of the Bison Mountains, following ancient traditions and living lives apart from the world.

Because the regions where they lived were barren, the Empire had never been interested in purging them. Even when they occasionally had something valuable, it was merely traded through the Autonomous Region and several colonies, exchanged with these rebellious Mountain Folk for grain, salt, iron, and various tools.

Most importantly, the Empire had stripped the Mountain Folk of the Inheritance needed to reach the Third and even Fourth Energy Levels. Rebellious Mountain Folk had always existed, but they lacked the foundation of power needed to change anything.

Conversely, although the Empire had stripped the Mountain Folk of their own Third and Fourth Energy Level Inheritances, it did not discriminate against them.

Within the Azure Cloud Knights, there was even a Third Energy Level Mountain Folk grand knight serving as an enforcer, holding an extremely high position.

But this Mountain Folk's self-identity was "a Mountain Folk person under the Empire," not a child of the Bison Dragon God.

That was not strange. The Bison Dragon God had been gone for too long. No matter how steadfast or ancient a faith was, it would fade in the end, becoming myths, legends, and stories.

Many people had long since come to terms with that.

Elder Manyan was one of them.

Though it sounded somewhat strange, Ian could tell from his conversations with Elder Manyan that while the old Mountain Folk man spoke of faith in the Dragon God, what he truly pursued was power.

He believed the Empire was a more advanced form of civilization, and that joining it was not a problem. His desire to reclaim the Silver Radiance Book was essentially a desire to obtain an Inheritance of bloodline True Form unrestricted by the Empire, as well as to secure greater benefits for his own tribe from the Dragon-Worshiping Cult.

Of course, Ian also believed that Elder Manyan harbored thoughts of "using the Silver Radiance Book to command the Mountain Folk." He wanted the currently fragmented Mountain Folk tribes to unite once more beneath the radiance of the orthodox Dragon God.

But that was not the same goal as the rebellious Mountain Folk's desire to found an independent nation.

Elder Manyan's goal was to gather the Mountain Folk together, become one of Southern Ridge's major political forces, and thereby influence Southern Ridge's political decisions.

Therefore, the rebels were absolutely not the Mountain Folk led by Elder Manyan. Ian was certain of that.

But if that was the case, how had the rebellious Mountain Folk, who possessed neither Third Energy Level powers nor sufficient resources and organizational capacity, caused Southern Ridge's situation to deteriorate to such a degree?

"It was the Blazing Flame Lands."

Captain Piman answered Ian's doubts with absolute certainty. "The Blazing Flame Lands gave those rebellious Mountain Folk resources and weapons. They even have Alchemical Cannons and trained rifle squads. The militia from the Autonomous Region is simply no match for them. Only the spirits know how long they've been planning this."

That was quite similar to how they had supported the Redwood Natives.

Ian recalled the gun-wielding natives he had killed around Harrison Port and nodded. "The timing of their uprising was also very precise. The general and the Azure Cloud commander both went to the Imperial Capital. There had never been any warning of this beforehand. There must be a traitor in the Governor's Office."

"An insightful observation, sir!" Piman said admiringly. "The colonel said the same thing, which is why we've been following up on all kinds of leads!"

The colonel was Mayowa Henriel, son of Marquis Barton Henriel and deputy commander of the Nineteenth Legion. After Marquis Barton had gone to the Imperial Capital, Mayowa had taken charge of Southern Ridge affairs.

"And that led you to a pastry maker whose father was killed by Blazing Flame Folk?" Ian glanced at him and said calmly, "That isn't your actual duty, so don't make too much of it. Where are the other Patrol Knights?"

"Um..." Piman clearly could not answer that question. How could he possibly know the movements of the other Patrol Knights?

Ian believed this was connected to the truth behind why the rebellious Mountain Folk had dared to revolt. Without even one Fourth Energy Level powerhouse, even with support from the Blazing Flame Lands and supplies of weapons and equipment, those rebellious Mountain Folk could never withstand the attacks of Marquis Barton's knight orders and the Patrol Knights.

Not to mention that Southern Ridge's Dragon-Worshiping Cult was still an ally of the Empire, and the Mountain King, because of Sheo, hated the Blazing Flame Lands to the bone.

"Take me to the Governor's Office."

As thoughts flashed through his mind, Ian raised his head and signaled for the guard knights to leave. "I have something to report to the colonel."

Since there was an order from above, Piman naturally would not insist on continuing to pester the pastry shop owner. It had been an assignment from above in the first place; they were merely following instructions and handling official business.

The pastry shop owner watched, still shaken, as that squad of guard knights obediently led their men away after Ian rebuked them. He knew that his ingredient supplier had rather remarkable connections, but he had never imagined it would be related to spies from the Blazing Flame Lands.

But this was already normal in Southern Ridge. The elusive spies and informants from the Blazing Flame Lands had severely disrupted normal production and work in the regions around Nauman City. Though it sounded ridiculous, they really did sabotage waterwheel mills, castrate bulls, dig through irrigation channels, and pour salt over important farmland.

As for shaking apart egg yolks, splitting earthworms lengthwise, or slapping passing children... they naturally would not do such things, but those had basically become standard elements of folk tales.

"Why was there no news of the Mountain Folk rebellion in the Imperial Capital? I hadn't even heard about it over on the Golden Plains."

Ian asked this on the way to the Governor's Office. He had not expected an answer; for guard knights like Piman, not knowing was simply not knowing. They only followed orders from above.

Who would have thought that this knight actually had an answer? "Of course it's because of the Grand Assembly. Sir, you're young and exceptionally talented, so you probably don't understand these subtleties, do you?"

"When the Imperial Capital is holding its meetings, how could they possibly report news like this to the outside world or to those above? Besides, it hasn't affected the Agate Stone Plains, so it isn't a major matter."

"Once the general returns, all this will definitely settle down."

—This was... far too realistic.

Blinking, Ian felt an absurdity born of excessive realism. He had not expected Terra to also have a tradition of there being no major events during national assemblies. Even something like a Mountain Folk rebellion could be concealed?

And as long as there were no problems around the Agate Stone Plains, it was not a major matter... whose idea was that?

Ian did not want to know the answer.

Led by Piman and the other knights, the group entered Nauman City without obstruction.

Given Ian's identity and reputation, some people within Nauman City recognized him.

Marquis Barton, in particular, occasionally mentioned Ian. Everyone knew that beneath Marquis Barton was a highly regarded White Folk alchemist, one who had even been allowed to join the Inspecting Knights Order before reaching the age of twenty.

The sky was now slightly darkening, yet there were more pedestrians on the streets instead. With food becoming expensive and alcohol prices rising, Nauman City's streets had gained quite a few seafood stalls selling mainly shellfish and fish. Such food could hardly be expensive in Nauman City, and it filled a gap in the current market.

There were quite a few knights patrolling the streets, and their armor was exceptionally refined, using a layered armor design. Ian even saw two armored constructs guarding a bridge in the upper district, both brand-new.

Clearly, the full-scale standoff with the Blazing Flame Lands had placed enormous pressure on Southern Ridge. Nauman City had nearly brought out all the equipment it had kept in reserve.

Upon reaching the Governor's Office, Piman and the others took their leave. They did not have the authority to enter.

Ian waited for the guards to relay the message inside. When the gate officer saw that the Inspecting Knight mentioned in the report was such a handsome young White Folk man, he could not help showing a surprised expression.

"Please wait a moment."

After confirming Ian's Inspecting Knight medal and the personally signed lordship appointment letters from Marquis Barton and Prince Mikael, he respectfully said, "I will report this immediately."

A few minutes later, Ian received a reply. "Please enter. The colonel is waiting for you."

Since he had been here once before, the Silver Chip even contained a map, so Ian still had the leisure to observe some of the people within the Governor's Office as he was led toward the governor's office.

Unlike when Marquis Barton was present, the Governor's Office no longer had more than a dozen people watching every area from various angles. There were not even many knights left; manpower was exceptionally scarce.

And with just one glance, Ian spotted a target in the first-floor office area glowing bright red, representing hostility.

"Oh."

Ian thought, A spy is working openly inside the Governor's Office? He really isn't afraid of dying. Without Marquis Barton and his elite knights, are all the ones left behind this useless? They can't even spot such an obvious target?

This was one of the reasons he had come to the Governor's Office. After deducing that there was a spy within, Ian had planned to use his psychic power to see if he could uncover any clues. Yet he had not expected to find one immediately upon opening his vision, as easily as bending down to pick up money.

That said, no one else had Precognitive Vision. Who could hide before a prophet? But Ian looked closer and discovered something suspicious. Wait... isn't that a Flesh Shapeshifter?

So it parasitized an employee? Then I blamed the Governor's Office wrongly. This monster's ability to disguise itself and replace people is exceptionally strong. I didn't expect the Blazing Flame Lands to already be using one.

The Flesh Shapeshifter was a monster Ian had encountered in the Subspace Labyrinth of Awak Domain. Through its immensely powerful parasitic ability, it had killed two members of the Light-Embracing Rescue Team.

This kind of shapeshifter could read the memories in the brains of low-level Sublimers and then imitate them perfectly. Aside from abnormalities in weight, it had no flaws whatsoever.

Ian made up his mind to tell Colonel Mayowa about this when they met shortly.

It seemed the Blazing Flame Lands had not gained nothing in Awak Domain. Some of the materials had likely been sent back before the Undead Monarch was born.

With countless thoughts in his heart, Ian arrived at the Governor's Office.

Inside the office, a thin middle-aged man with brown hair stood up on his own initiative and approached Ian with a smile to shake his hand.

"Indeed, hearing of you is not as good as meeting you."

Colonel Mayowa said gently, "Mr. Ian, I assume you already know who I am, so there is no need for introductions. I heard that you left the Imperial Capital two weeks ago. Why have you only now reached Southern Ridge?"

Because of Marquis Barton, Ian was quite unreceptive to this smiling, friendly manner of his. He even thought, Is he trying to trap me again?

"Reporting, sir." Therefore, he answered flawlessly, "Part of it was related to a mission, and part of it was to observe Southern Ridge's current situation and prepare for the upcoming management of my territory."

He said this partly to prevent the other man from asking further questions, and partly to introduce the next topic.

However, Colonel Mayowa did not seem to possess his father's depth. He merely nodded slightly, gesturing for Ian to sit on the sofa nearby while he returned behind his desk. "I understand. During the half-year you were away, Southern Ridge has undergone tremendous changes. The situation is now exceptionally chaotic. It is only natural that you wanted to see it for yourself."

"I presume you did not come here merely to see me, but to contact my father. Yet judging by your expression, you seem to have other matters to report or ask me about?"

Colonel Mayowa spoke with unexpected frankness. It seemed that having a father who spoke in riddles and constantly tested others did not necessarily produce a son of the same kind, but rather an entirely opposite descendant.

Speaking with someone like this was far too pleasant for Ian. He nodded solemnly and asked, "Yes, sir. One of the knightly territories in my domain, the former Layan Territory, has lost contact because of the Mountain Folk rebellion. I want to know why Mountain Folk who theoretically possess no high-level combat power dared bare their fangs at the Empire."

"Even with support from the Blazing Flame Lands, they should not have been so bold while Fourth Energy Level powerhouses could not act."

"Besides that, I have a conjecture regarding spies from the Blazing Flame Lands that I wish to report to you."

"Indeed. You came here to inherit your territory, only to encounter this by chance."

Colonel Mayowa truly was a straightforward man. He tapped the desk with his hand, thought for a while, and after confirming that Ian indeed met the conditions to know this information, told him the entire story.

Nearly three months ago, a dragon's roar suddenly came from the northwestern side of the Bison Mountains, where they intersected with the Abasalom Mountains of the Blazing Flame Lands.

It was not the Mountain King's voice, but the roar of another dragon. This put the Governor's Office on high alert, and the Dragon-Worshiping Cult also paid it immense attention.

After that, the beasts within the Bison Mountains began growing abnormally active. The large-scale spread of biological viruses also began then. Batch after batch of frenzied magical beasts assaulted Mountain Folk tribes and villages, while both Imperial colonies and the Mountainfolk Autonomous Region suffered severe blows.

The Mountain King naturally would not allow such things to happen. It took the initiative to investigate the source of these events, only to discover what appeared to be an Ancient Dragon ruin deep in the mountains. It went to investigate, only to find that it was an ambush, and was delayed for a long time.

"It was the Steelwing Dragons."

Colonel Mayowa revealed the truth. "The Steelwing Dragon flock from the Abasalom Mountains migrated here, causing all the disasters that followed."

The Steelwing Dragon flock in the Abasalom Mountains was a powerful magical beast community dwelling among the towering mountains that lay between the Blazing Flame Lands and the Empire. Its Steelwing Dragon King was a Fourth Energy Level beast. Though weaker than a True Dragon, unlike True Dragons, which often traveled alone, Steelwing Dragons were creatures accustomed to moving in groups, always advancing and retreating together.

The Blazing Flame Lands had secretly opened a mountain passage between itself and the Empire. Both the Empire and other nations believed that the Blazing Flame Lands must have paid an enormous price to eliminate that group of vicious beasts entrenched deep in the mountains.

But the truth was that the Blazing Flame Lands had made a deal with the dragon flock. The Blazing Flame Lands would help the Steelwing Dragon King transform into a True Dragon, or at least gain part of a True Dragon's bloodline, and the Steelwing Dragon flock would pledge loyalty to the Blazing Flame Lands.

A reasonable deal.

The chaos in Southern Ridge was fundamentally caused by this Steelwing Dragon flock that had suddenly migrated here from distant mountains. They carried large quantities of biological warfare viruses and insect plagues, easily crushing the Mountain Folk settlements far from central Southern Ridge of the Empire. With the help of the Blazing Flame Lands, the Steelwing Dragon King had grown even stronger, becoming comparable to a True Dragon.

They had migrated to Southern Ridge.

That was the truth of the matter—the rebellious Mountain Folk of Southern Ridge did not have nothing behind them, but rather a tremendously powerful flock of Dragon Beasts and a Fourth Energy Level True Dragon-class magical beast.

The rebellious Mountain Folk called them their true objects of worship, the future new Bison Dragon God.

Basically, Southern Ridge's powerful Sublimers and the Sublimers of the military had all gone deep into the Bison Mountains, helping those Autonomous Regions that were still resisting and supporting the Empire maintain their conditions and order.

That was also why Ian had not seen many Patrol Knights or Marquis Barton's private guards along the way.

They had all gone into the depths of the mountains to fight the dragon flock.