Blood Jiao's Secret, Gao Linzhi Tightens the Lock

"Xi He and her sister did not inform His Majesty, perhaps because they were worried..."

"Understood."

"Then why are you willing to tell me now? Don't you care about the safety of your clan's Holy Relic?"

Although young, Lan Yue was discerning. She looked up at Shius and said softly:

"I was born in the Dragon Palace City of the Fish-Dragon Clan, and since I opened my eyes, Grandpa Shius has been taking care of me as I grew up."

The Tide Clan is long gone.

"I care more about Grandpa Shius' safety than about the future that I can't see or touch."

"As for the rest... I can't afford to worry about that."

Before she could finish speaking, a sob rose in her throat, clearly indicating the immense pain she felt for having failed her people's expectations.

I'll trust you this once and for all.

"I'll spare this old man's life for now. If I discover he's uttered even a single lie—which just so happens to be the time I've just learned how to punish people like you, and I haven't had a chance to test it out yet," Zhang Mingzhen said coldly.

This sudden power came at just the right time.

If Lan Yue disobeys again, he can use the old man's life as a bargaining chip.

Upon seeing this, Gao Linzhi couldn't help but shake his head.

He naturally couldn't sense that, under the influence of the altered power, he had transformed from the disabled young man into a cold-blooded tyrant.

This is the real world.

What is a hero?

Heroes turn into devils in the face of power.

People change.

Unlike the characters in novels who are good people from the beginning and whose power reaches its peak, they still act and speak like ordinary people.

Is this possible?

That's impossible.

It seems he needs to put an extra lock on these people.

"We would never dare to deceive you."

"You hold the power of life and death over our people. As your vassal, how could we harbor rebellious thoughts? Please, Your Majesty, be at ease."

Where is that Crimson Blood Jiao? And how can we obtain it?

"As far as I know, the Crimson Blood Jiao is one of the most renowned rare and legendary magical Warcraft in the Orc City."

"The only way to obtain it is by going to the Orc City."

Inherited Warcraft...

Just hearing his name tells you he's no ordinary person.

It seems it will take some effort. Oh well, I'll just treat it as a trip.

Zhang Mingzhen had always longed for the Orc City.

Legend has it that the city is a paradise for spirit pets, where adventurers can find Summoned Beast of any attribute, regardless of their rank, as long as they have enough wealth to acquire them.

What he has in abundance right now is gold and silver.

In just this week, the city's revenue and dividends have exceeded hundreds of thousands of Gold Coin.

This is the wealth of a city.

Of course, this kind of dividend only applies to cities controlled by the Game System.

The Game System avoids extravagance and waste, eliminates middlemen losses, and maintains profitability at all times.

If this were a real city controlled by humans, Zhang Mingzhen's weekly dividends would be worth hundreds of millions in debt...

It's good enough that they don't let you invest; if you still want a share of the profits, you're just asking for trouble.

Now, Zhang Mingzhen is actually hoping that the Crimson Blood Jiao can be exchanged directly for money.

"When I return from the Orc City, I hope you will have already offered me the Spirit Core."

"Did you understand?"

"Furthermore, since the previous agreement has been terminated ahead of schedule, I will take this Jade Coral Conch with me—old man, you have no objections, right?"

The second half of the sentence was addressed to Lord Shius.

The old man had been silent and timid since the beginning, appearing extremely cautious.

"Of course, of course, please accept it."

Unexpectedly, this conflict not only failed to eliminate this person, but also cost the clan's most precious treasure, the Dragon-Eye Spirit Pearl. It was a complete loss of resources and face.

Lord Shius was furious, but there was nothing he could do.

That's reality. If you have no power, you have no right to speak and can only be at the mercy of others.

Even if someone is willing to give you some fairness, the prerequisite is that you have to stand up for yourself. If you become a coward yourself, no matter how much help others give, it won't be of any use.

"Um."

Zhang Mingzhen then put away the treasure and turned to leave.

Although the city lord was not killed, obtaining a treasure for free is still a gain.

Once his Spirit Core is sufficient to help him advance to the second tier, this person will be the first to be killed!

Since you dared to attack him first, you should leave your life behind!

At this moment, Zhang Mingzhen had no idea that it was his excessive oppression that led to the other party's resistance.

This is how power alienates character and personality.

It makes people habitually believe they are always right and doesn't consider the interests of the weak.

"Finally gone... How could that fiend be so powerful?"

The old man and the young man looked at the direction where Zhang Mingzhen had disappeared and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I recall instances where exceptionally talented individuals occasionally emerged from different groups."

"They are often able to travel to farther shores and stand atop higher peaks."

"Grandpa Shius, let's not provoke him anymore."

"Lan Yue" gazed in the direction the person had left and murmured to herself.

"But what should you do? By overdrawing your lifespan to forcefully gather your Spirit Core, your life force will rapidly wither away!"

Lan Yue, however, shed her previous bewilderment and her expression calmed down:

"Perhaps this is my destiny."

"The Azurewave Clan will not have only one Holy Maiden; a new successor will surely appear after me."

"I've let it go, Grandpa Shius, you don't need to worry about it."

After saying this, she turned and left the hall. She needed to go into seclusion to refine her Spirit Core, hoping to deliver satisfactory results to him before his return.

"Well..."

Lord Shius knew his abilities were limited, and the only thing he could do to help her was to try his best to make up for the loss of his life force.

Let us search the storeroom for any treasures that nourish life.

At the same time, a sense of bewilderment lingered in his mind: Why are humans so powerful?

He had also seen other adventurers who arrived at the Dragon Palace City, but none of them were as good as this man.

Could this be the extraordinary being with a destiny that Lan Yue spoke of?

Just then, Gao Linzhi made another move.

The effects of this little trick quickly spread.

After leaving the Dragon Palace, Zhang Mingzhen went straight to the Orc City via the Teleportation Array.

In stark contrast to the mysterious and magnificent underwater palace, this city seems to coexist with nature.

The entire city resembles a vast forest, with houses and furnishings all constructed from natural materials.

The players they encountered along the way were all smiling, some carrying pet eggs, others playing and frolicking with their spirit pets, and there was an intimacy between humans and their contracted beasts that was rarely seen elsewhere.

"Expert! Over here!"

Not far away, One Sword Nine Provinces, dressed in animal skins, was waving his hand, and the insect-type Summoned Beast with its shell shimmering with iridescent light beside him was particularly eye-catching.

"Why don't you go all out and just make my hidden information public?" Zhang Mingzhen said with some dissatisfaction.

Couldn't this person see that he didn't want to attract attention? The War Alliance actually sent a guide with such a temperament to meet him.

He had already contacted the War Alliance before setting off, since this guild was the first force to capture the Orc City stronghold.

Moreover, some members of the alliance have completed special quests in the Orc City, and with their assistance, the search for the Crimson Blood Jiao should proceed much more smoothly.

War Sky, the guild leader of the War Alliance, had confidently promised to assign the most suitable person as the guide, but the person he ended up with was this guy?

"Oh dear, I got so nervous when I saw the master that I forgot everything!"

"One Sword Nine Provinces" felt his ears burning; the scene of Chongxing by Chongxing to solo a dungeon and obtain the achievement was still vivid in his mind.

This time, the guild leader assigned him the task of receiving guests again. As a newly promoted guild manager, he naturally wanted to do his best to perform.

"Is your outfit... a special costume?"

Zhang Mingzhen frowned as he examined the other person's fur outfit, especially the fur skirt. Even if it was equipment with attributes, he would never want to put it on.

"Ahem, well... it's a long story. I wasn't used to it at first, but I got used to it after a while."

"This is the exclusive attire for official residents of the Orc City. Ordinary Player don't even qualify; only by wearing it can they participate in certain exclusive city events."

When I first received my official resident status, the excitement I felt for One Sword Nine Provinces was almost completely dampened by this primitive leather skirt.

If it weren't for the incredibly tempting rewards of the Orc Race internal activities, he would have quit long ago.

However, after experiencing the benefits of various privileges, he gradually accepted this attire.

"Master, you're looking for a type of Warcraft, right?"

"That's right. Help me offer a reward for information on a Warcraft beast called the 'Crimson Blood Jiao.' Money is no object; the more information, the better."

"One Sword Nine Provinces" has been familiar with almost all the Warcraft beasts around the Orc City these past few days, but he has never heard of the Crimson Blood Jiao. Could it be some kind of rare and exotic species?

"Let me take you to Xiong Ping's shop first. He has the most complete selection of goods in the city. Even if he doesn't have any in stock, he's sure he can find out about it."

He led Zhang Mingzhen to the first pet shop he had entered when he first arrived in the Orc City.

Now, thanks to the series of tasks he has completed, he and Xiong Ping have become such good friends that they can even get discounts when the guild buys pet eggs in bulk.

As soon as he stepped into the store, One Sword Nine Provinces shouted into the store:

"Xiong Ping! I've brought you a distinguished guest, so you'd better be on your best to greet him!"

Since the territorial war ended, the number of players in Orc City has increased several times over, and the shops are always bustling with people.

These indigenous vendors all had beaming smiles on their faces, clearly having made a fortune.

"Hey, my good brother One Sword Nine Provinces is here! Don't worry, there's no pet egg in this city that I, Xiong Ping, can't get!"

Xiong Ping spoke with great confidence, and it wasn't an exaggeration.

The Bear Clan tribe is skilled in trade and is the wealthiest branch of the entire Orc Race, so their shops are naturally well-stocked.

Bears are cunning.

This is not nonsense.

Zhang Mingzhen quickly scanned the various pet eggs displayed in the store, from water to sky, from offensive to support types, covering almost all known Warcraft categories.

"I'd like to inquire about a demonic creature called the 'Crimson Blood Jiao.' Do you have any information about it?"

"Crimson Blood Jiao? I've never heard of that name before..."

Xiong Ping was taken aback.

His expression didn't seem fake; he appeared to be encountering the name for the first time as well.

This is tricky.

Even the shopkeepers in the Orc City who specialize in pets had never heard of it. Could it be that Lan Yue lied back then?

But she probably didn't have the guts— Zhang Mingzhen could take her life with a mere thought, and she would never dare disobey orders.

That leaves only one possibility: the Crimson Blood Jiao is not an ordinary Warcraft; perhaps only those with a specific identity can access relevant information, or it may have already become extinct.

"Is there any way to help me find clues about the Crimson Blood Jiao? This is a deposit; if you can find concrete information, there will be a greater reward."

Zhang Mingzhen directly traded 10,000 Gold Coin to them—as mentioned before by One Sword Nine Provinces, the Bear Clan has always been known for their greed.

Sure enough, upon seeing such a generous gesture, Xiong Ping's attitude instantly warmed up:

"You're too kind, esteemed guest! Leave this to me!"

"I will go and consult the Warcraft encyclopedia passed down through generations of our clan. If I still cannot find it, I will consult our Bear Clan's Great Elder."

"He is the most unfathomably intelligent being in the entire Orc Race!"

"Alright, then I'll trouble you."

Entrusting One Sword Nine Provinces to temporarily look after the shop's business, Xiong Ping immediately set off for the Bear Clan's settlement, preparing to do everything in his power to track down the Crimson Blood Jiao for this generous guest.

The entire Orc City was composed of many Orc Race.

Wolf Clan, Tiger Clan, and Lion Clan excel in combat, while Insect Clan and Bear Clan are mostly responsible for support and logistical tasks.

The Bear Clan is particularly known among human players for their business acumen. They often act as merchants in town construction. This information was mentioned by One Sword Nine Provinces during his conversation with Zhang Mingzhen.

After leaving the shop, Xiong Ping headed straight for the clan's archives, only to run into the Great Elder he had mentioned earlier at the entrance.

"What brings you here today, young man?"

"You don't usually like to look through these old books. Have you suddenly become interested in our clan's history?"

Great Elder Xiong Yi is one of the few learned men in the Bear Clan, and he is in charge of recording the historical materials of the entire Orc Race.

"It's perfect timing to run into you; it saves me the trouble of searching."

Have you ever heard of a Warcraft called the 'Crimson Blood Jiao'?

Xiong Yi's originally kind and smiling face suddenly darkened upon hearing those three words, his gaze fixed on Xiong Ping:

"Where did you learn of this beast? Who told you about it?"

Seeing the Great Elder's drastic change in expression, Xiong Ping's heart tightened, and he almost wanted to immediately cancel the deal.

"A visitor came to my shop to inquire about the whereabouts of the Crimson Blood Jiao, or any related clues..."

"Is there some taboo surrounding this? Should I just reject him outright and say I have no news?"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Yi was filled with surprise and uncertainty.

The Crimson Blood Jiao Clan has vanished for nearly a thousand years, and there should be very few groups still aware of its existence. Could it be that someone has triggered some kind of secret mission?

To avoid any further complications, this matter must be completely covered up...

"From now on, remember this: never mention the words 'Crimson Blood Jiao' again, and never accept any transactions related to it."

"Go back and tell that man that there is no record of this beast in the Bear Clan's records, and get rid of him as soon as possible."

"Yes, I understand."

Seeing the Great Elder's displeasure, Xiong Ping dared not say more and hurriedly returned to the shop to convey these words directly to Zhang Mingzhen.

"I'm so sorry, sir."

"There is no record of this in the clan, and these Gold Coin will be returned in full."

"Oh? That's a real shame. But... I don't believe it." Zhang Mingzhen keenly sensed the abnormality.

One Sword Nine Provinces had repeatedly warned that this Bear Clan merchant was always greedy and rarely returned the Gold Coin that fell into his hands.

The other party's eagerness to return the item at this moment is clearly illogical.

Moreover, Xiong Ping's reaction to avoiding the term "Crimson Blood Jiao" was too abrupt, suggesting that the Bear Clan indeed harbors a secret related to it.

"Hmph! Do you think you can force me, guest? I've already said I don't know this beast. Please leave immediately!" Xiong Ping completely abandoned his previous feigned friendliness and made a move to drive him away.

Zhang Mingzhen turned to the stunned One Sword Nine Provinces and said, "You can leave now. What happens next is none of your business."

"... good."

Although One Sword Nine Provinces knew that leaving at this time might affect the orcs' favorability, he dared not disobey Chongxing's wishes.