Dual Seals! Dragon Language Inscriptions and the Wetland Treasure

(This chapter is free.)

"You overestimate me. How could I possibly be capable of that?" Chen Rui shook his head. Win over her body and heart? One swing of that greatsword and everything would become meaningless.

"Don't underestimate your cunning and wickedness, my Companion." Pagliu chuckled. "Before that, I'll use a little trick to make sure she can't reveal the secret. But judging from that woman's performance just now, the method won't last long, so you must find a way to win her heart. Her strength and potential are both impressive, and she'll be a great safeguard for your survival. Remember, our lives are bound together. I'm doing this for my own sake too."

Cunning, wicked... was that supposed to be a compliment? Chen Rui's face darkened. He could only say, "Don't worry. We're grasshoppers tied to the same rope now. I... will do my best."

"Grasshopper? Is that some powerful creature from the Primordial World?" The Poison Dragon looked curious, then said, "Still, women really are troublesome creatures. The one proficient in Ancient Rune Language was a woman I once offended."

Did he abandon her after sleeping with her? Or did he fail at seducing her? Just as Chen Rui's imagination ran wild, Pagliu began recounting what had happened back then.

Pagliu was powerful and cunning, with a formidable reputation. His terrifying poison could cause disasters across vast areas, and even several empires would not dare provoke him lightly. As a member of the Dragon Race, the Poison Dragon naturally shared their common obsession with hoarding wealth, possessing an extremely strong desire for riches.

During a battle over a treasure, Pagliu had joined forces with the Fairy Dragon Lola to kill their enemy, the Blue Dragon Ranieri, and seriously injure Ranieri's ally, the Crystal Dragon Jacob. However, after driving off their enemies, Pagliu could not resist the powerful temptation of that treasure. He temporarily betrayed their agreement to study it together, ambushed Lola, and stole the treasure.

The enraged Lola began relentlessly hunting the Poison Dragon. Fairy Dragons were born powerful mages and scholars; to them, the tongue-twisting and obscure Dragon Language magic was as easy as yawning. Lola was among the best of them and was also proficient in Ancient Rune Language. Knowing he was no match for her, the cunning Pagliu feared losing the treasure. He hid it in a secret base within the Gloomy Night Wetland, set up layer upon layer of traps, and fabricated a series of false clues in another cave to mislead the Fairy Dragon.

Pagliu escaped Lola's pursuit, only to encounter another terrifying man. The strength and poison the Poison Dragon relied upon were like child's play before this man, and Pagliu was swiftly subdued. What surprised the Poison Dragon was that the man's goal was also that treasure.

Pagliu was not a fool who relied only on brute courage. Pretending to submit, he agreed to hand over the treasure and led the man to his "secret" cave. The cave was a complete mess, with scattered gold coins and gems lying across the ground, as though someone had already plundered it—the trick originally meant to deceive Lola had finally found a use.

After failing to find anything, the man used Ancient Rune Language to seal Pagliu within Blue Wave Lake. Four hundred years ago, Emperor White Night, unaware of the situation, led his army to attack Dark Moon. To prevent the Poison Dragon from awakening and affecting the overall campaign, he cast the Lock of Light and Darkness as well. The two seals interacted in a strange way, causing Pagliu to awaken early. Now, the Poison Dragon bore both the Lock of Light and Darkness and an Ancient Rune Language seal. The former prevented him from leaving the area around Blue Wave Lake, while the latter greatly suppressed his power.

Hearing that someone had been able to easily capture and seal a powerhouse like the Poison Dragon, Chen Rui was secretly shocked.

Without the Ancient Rune Language seal, the Poison Dragon could slowly break free from the Lock of Light and Darkness through his own strength. But now there were two seals, and the situation was grim. What Pagliu wanted Chen Rui to do was this: first, go to the secret base in the Gloomy Night Wetland and find the treasure to break the Lock of Light and Darkness; second, locate the Fairy Dragon Lola and negotiate the removal of the seals in exchange.

Pagliu was especially serious about this. "You need to go to the Gloomy Night Wetland and find two things. The first is a fist-sized red crystal that looks somewhat like an eye. It is called the Eye of Sauron. With my power suppressed as it is now, I need that thing to break the Lock of Light and Darkness and leave this damned lake. The second is a silver box containing the treasure I stole from Lola back then. Besides those two things, there are some pieces of equipment in my treasure hoard that you can use... I can give you a few."

Chen Rui carefully memorized everything. Seeing the pained expression on the Poison Dragon's face as he spoke that last sentence, he grinned. "Don't worry, Brother Poison Dragon. I won't touch a single thing in your treasure hoard."

This dragon clearly did not understand that one had to part with bait to catch a wolf. How could he ask someone to do work without offering payment? Still, this fellow was truly obsessed with wealth, the standard type who valued money over life. Was that why he got sealed? Were all dragons this fierce?

"Not touch a single thing? You want to take all of it! Don't think I can't see your greed and cunning. I'm beginning to suspect you're a Dragon Race member in human form." Pagliu snapped irritably, looking pained again. "I can give you twenty percent of the treasure, but don't celebrate too soon. The Gloomy Night Wetland is not so easy to enter. With your current strength, you'll probably become magical beast food before even reaching the outer perimeter. So hurry up and win that Athena over, then have her accompany you. And that's not all. You must also learn Dragon Language Inscriptions. I set countless inscription traps inside the secret base. Even a Dragon would suffer greatly if it barged in by force. The traps might even destroy all the treasures within."

No wonder Pagliu kept emphasizing that Chen Rui needed to win Athena over. So that was what he had been planning.

Dragon Language Inscriptions were a unique technique of the Dragon Race. They resembled magic arrays, but were far more difficult and powerful. Pagliu was highly proficient in them.

"Dragon Language Inscriptions?" Chen Rui had already been intimidated by English back in university. Now that he heard he had to learn another foreign language, his head began to ache. "Why make it so troublesome? Just tell me where the traps are, and I'll go around them."

"That's the key point." Pagliu's face actually reddened slightly. "My memory isn't very good, and I've only just awakened, so there are even more things I can't remember clearly now, including the inscription traps in the Gloomy Night Wetland..."

Your memory is bad, yet you set up so many traps, even a self-destruct mechanism! Chen Rui rolled his eyes. Sure enough, windfalls did not come so easily. It seemed he would have to reluctantly learn this foreign language after all... but since the risk had increased, the division of the treasure needed to be revised.

Athena watched Chen Rui and Pagliu shake their heads and argue fiercely. Since she could not hear them, she wondered whether the despicable Poison Dragon was forcing the brave human to accept some harsh conditions.

After a long while, Pagliu and Chen Rui stopped arguing.

"You get forty percent, I get sixty. No more!" After saying this, Pagliu removed the soundproofing force without allowing any argument. He deliberately made his tone fierce. "It's decided. Don't test my patience again!"

Athena immediately came over. Chen Rui cursed the bastard inwardly; he had originally wanted an even split.

Pagliu waved his hand and dispelled the poison in Athena's body. He sneered. "Despicable human, although you tricked Lord Pagliu into signing an equal contract, that does not mean I completely trust you, especially that female demon! I have given all three women the most powerful slow-acting poison. This poison is colorless and odorless; even the greatest potion Grandmaster could not cure it. Every seven days from now on, you must come here and exchange enough roasted meat for the antidote. Otherwise, their entire bodies will rot away, and even their bones will turn to ash!"

Athena had personally witnessed Pagliu's potent poison effortlessly destroy a greatsword. How could she dare doubt its authenticity? She was both terrified and alarmed. She and Jia might be one thing, but Alice was the little princess of the Fallen Angel Empire. How could she be exposed to such terrible danger?

At that moment, Athena was overwhelmed with regret. She should not have disobeyed the eldest princess's orders and brought Alice to Blue Wave Lake on her own.

Only then did Chen Rui realize that this was the temporary "method" Pagliu had meant. The slow-acting poison was probably a bluff, but the roasted meat requirement had definitely been deliberately added. He immediately shot the Poison Dragon a contemptuous look and gritted his teeth. "I agree! Once the seal is broken, you must help Athena and the others completely remove the poison!"

"I can guarantee that with the honor of the Dragon Race!" Pagliu pointed at Athena. "You and I signed an equal contract, but she did not. I poisoned them as a precaution. If the secret cannot be kept, you will bear all the consequences yourselves! Get lost now. Lord Pagliu needs to study this Diamond Chess."

With that, he ignored Chen Rui and eagerly began playing with the masterpiece of Grandmaster Wukong.

Chen Rui gave Athena a look. "Let's leave first."

Athena was flustered and completely at a loss. Hearing him, she immediately carried Jia and Alice to the Triangle Rhinos, which had regained consciousness, and placed the two women on their backs. The tamed Triangle Rhinos had gentle temperaments. Under Athena's control, the leader slowly led the other three onward, completely different from their earlier wild and ferocious charge.

Chen Rui had specifically asked the Poison Dragon to unleash his strongest poison on him earlier. However, once the activation progress of the Super System reached 90%, it could no longer increase. Apparently, repeated exposure to the same poison had reached its limit and could no longer be converted into activation energy for the Super System, leaving Chen Rui disappointed.

In truth, he had already gained plenty today. Not only had he obtained a powerful ally and a long life, but the Super System's activation progress had also increased greatly. Next, he only needed to make proper use of Aldas Laboratory's resources to activate it officially. It seemed necessary to properly study potion-making under that enthusiast Grandmaster.

"Athena." Chen Rui organized his thoughts before speaking. "Don't tell the little princess or Jia about the poisoning. They might not be able to handle it mentally. Also, Pagliu's existence absolutely cannot be leaked in the slightest, because our lives are in his hands. Don't worry. I'll find a way to break the Poison Dragon's seal as soon as possible and free you from his control."

Athena was not someone who failed to understand the gravity of the situation. She nodded. "It was thanks to you today. Otherwise, we might not have made it back. I take back my earlier rudeness. You are... a brave human."

Chen Rui was surprised by Athena's praise. In his impression, this warrior woman had very high standards; she did not even spare General Allen a second glance. He tested the waters. "Earlier... the Poison Dragon misunderstood our relationship... Please don't mind it."

"I know." Athena answered softly, her face reddening slightly. Fortunately, her skin was not as snowy white as Jia's, so the change was not obvious.

Chen Rui breathed a sigh of relief. This busty, brainless violent woman was indeed far easier to handle than that scheming little girl. If it had been Alice, there was no way he could have brushed it off so easily.

Still, that mission to court a girl by imperial decree was far too difficult. Chen Rui himself had only ever had one failed relationship. Did he really have to pursue Athena?