Deterrence

Sunderland Starglim, the High Magistrate of Mirabar, looked at the child before her with surprise. Yes, Sunderland was certain he was still a child. Although the boy was exceptionally tall and strong, possessing a composure and maturity not found in ordinary youths, the callowness and childishness on his face betrayed his true age. The female magistrate asked with a hint of severity, "Are you certain, little boy? Are you sure you aren't lying?" She cast a suspicious, questioning glance at the caravan guards behind Chen Jinyang.

What the hell! Little boy? Chen Jinyang's nose crooked in anger. This little wench! She really thinks she's something, doesn't she? In my previous life, I was old enough to be your uncle, and then some. The caravan members were in an uproar over Sunderland's incredibly rude question. Chen Jinyang's immense strength had caused them to completely overlook William's actual age. Only now did those who knew William recall that he was only sixteen or seventeen—still just a big boy.

The guard who had called out earlier had to step forward to verify, "Respected Lady Sunderland! William is indeed the person in charge, personally appointed by Mr. Elrago! We can all testify to this!" The other guards and mercenaries all chimed in to confirm.

Sunderland Starglim's bright blue eyes slowly swept over the members of the caravan. A Frost Giant?! A Drow?! Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Phinia and Drizzt, scrutinizing the pair with extreme astonishment. The female magistrate sneered with a playful, mocking tone, "Mercenaries, children, elves, halflings, dwarves! Oh! And evil Frost Giants and Dark Elves! Little one! What do you have to lead them? Is it your hulking frame or your baby face? Or perhaps those milk teeth that haven't even fully grown in yet?" As she spoke, the woman even flirtatiously touched Chen Jinyang's somewhat handsome cheek (a rude gesture that would bring her great glory in the days to come).

Sunderland's flirtatious act caused everyone's expression to change, and they glared at her with ill intent, save for the carefree elf girl who continued to giggle at Chen Jinyang's embarrassment. The guard who had answered earlier turned bright red and said angrily, "Your Excellency, Magistrate! Mr. William's strength is beyond question! You are being far too rude!"

I'll be damned! In two lifetimes totaling fifty or sixty years, he had been scolded, mocked, cheated, feared, hated, and hunted, but he had never been flirted with so brazenly. Today had truly set a precedent. Chen Jinyang's face darkened, and he stared coldly at this brain-dead "bitch," truly wanting to slap her to death.

The two guards behind the woman, who was being mentally labeled as brain-dead, looked at their magistrate with surprise, as this was so unlike her. They exchanged confused glances and tightened their grips on their swords and shields, moving closer. Sunderland felt that the grain caravan was extremely wrong and illogical: an absurdly young leader, injured guards, a nonsensical Moon Elf, an irrational child, a mysterious trio of dwarves, and an evil Drow and Frost Giant. One could find a pile of flaws if they looked, but if they wanted to sneak into Mirabar so brazenly, even the crudest orcs would have done a better job. The shrewd female magistrate tried to provoke this boy-leader, who looked more like a puppet, to test their true intentions.

"Oh! Powerful? Beyond question? Hehehe—"

Lady Sunderland Starglim's shrewd move this time was used in the wrong place; she had kicked an iron plate—a very large iron plate. Chen Jinyang stepped forward, grabbed Sunderland by her fair, slender neck, and said viciously, "Lady (he truly didn't know the proper term for insulting this woman in Common)! Do you have an opinion?"

The woman, her neck gripped, instantly lost her composure and elegance. She flailed and struggled desperately, but how could she break free from a hand stronger and more powerful than iron pliers? The two guards tried to intervene, but Chen Jinyang swept his hand lightly, sending them both flying.

Whether by mistake in the chaos or sheer accident, an exquisite scroll fell from Sunderland's bosom, and William stepped on it, crushing it into fragments. Invisible magical power began to ripple.

Chen Jinyang leaned his "pork-kidney face" toward Sunderland's pale, terrified little face and asked coldly, "Please tell me, how should I prove my strength?"

The caravan guards panicked and hurriedly advised, "William! Please don't hurt Lady Sunderland! She is..." Chen Jinyang turned his head and glared, silencing the rest of the guard's words.

The guards who had climbed back up tried to move forward to rescue their mistress, and the soldiers on the city walls hurriedly gathered men, preparing to leave the city to punish the "unruly" entrants. Chen Jinyang waved his free left hand, and a massive, several-meter-long Palm Flame erupted, sweeping across a large area of open ground. The several feet of accumulated snow melted and evaporated rapidly, sending rolling waves of heat in all directions. The chaotic scene suddenly went cold, and a strange sensation enveloped everyone, except for the little girl and Phinia, who was holding her.

Everyone gasped and froze—Damn him! Combat casting? Instant spell? Silent spell? Directed spell? A super archmage? The people in the caravan had even more thoughts; combined with that terrifying close-quarters combat ability, even a high-ranking dragon would be no more than this! Could it be a dragon's breath? Aside from Phinia and her two companions, who had lived with Chen Jinyang for months and remained calm, even the fearless Drow and the brain-dead elf girl changed color. Sunderland looked like a hen being throttled, "Woe—!"

Everyone looked at Chen Jinyang with extreme terror, as if facing the most terrifying dragon of the North—Klaus. Facing this sudden silence, Chen Jinyang was somewhat bewildered. He scanned the scene with a confused look, and everyone he looked at subconsciously shrank their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Clueless, Chen Jinyang let go of the female magistrate, feeling rather bored.

No one was without fear. Chen Jinyang's appearance clearly showed he couldn't be a super spellcaster, but he possessed top-tier melee ability, and with that devastating [Flame Breath?], he was essentially the standard for those fire dragons walking the mortal realm.

Drizzt the Drow elf suppressed the fear in his heart and bravely stood before Chen Jinyang, saying, "Mister Dragon, please calm your anger. This poor girl did not mean to offend you, and we have no intention of fighting you. Please, spare her."

Chen Jinyang snorted coldly, though he released his grip on Sunderland's neck.

Lady Sunderland, nearly frightened out of her wits, sat slumped on the cold stone floor, screaming frantically in her heart: God! Strike me down with lightning! I actually lost my mind and flirted with a dragon! I actually flirted with a dragon! Gods! Let me faint! The terrified lady closed her eyes and faked a faint, her eyelashes trembling slightly from time to time.

Sigh! Do I really have such a deterrent effect? Chen Jinyang sighed with a flourish, reached out, and picked up the faking magistrate, asking with a smile, "Dear Lady Sunderland! How must I prove myself?" The woman, being lifted, shrieked, and looking at the "dragon's ferocious face," said repeatedly, "No proof needed! No proof needed! Great Sir! You may enter and exit as you please!"

"And my caravan?"

"Your caravan may enter the city at any time! Please rest assured! We will arrange everything for you! Except for the Frost Giant and the Drow..." Seeing Chen Jinyang's darkening expression, the poor female magistrate's voice grew smaller and smaller until it faded away.

Chen Jinyang, who was "putting on an act," turned to look at the caravan members. The guard who had stepped forward earlier felt his legs go weak and trembled unconsciously, saying, "Wi-William?" Chen Jinyang's face stiffened, and he said bluntly, "My friends were injured in battle; they need to find a priest for healing!"

"Please rest assured, My Lord! We will take care of your slaves (Chen Jinyang didn't yet understand this word)! These trifles need not trouble you! Please, follow me!" The female magistrate took the caravan to be the captives of this fake dragon. Only a powerful dragon ignorant of the world would be so unconcerned, and all the flaws of the grain caravan suddenly made sense to the overly shrewd lady. Poor Mr. Elrago, I will mourn for you!

"Phinia! Alos! Mishaer! Let's go!" Chen Jinyang called out to his three family members and followed Lady Sunderland, who was personally leading the way, through the city gate. After Chen Jinyang and the others left, the remaining caravan members and the soldiers on the walls fell into a state of chaos. "My god! By the gods! We've been living with a powerful dragon for so many days!" "By Moradin! I knew he was an evil dragon! A human couldn't have kicked my sturdy dwarven steel shield to pieces like that! Only a dragon could! Otherwise, I'm just a bearded gnome!" "Hahaha! I actually fought a dragon! Did you see that? Even a dragon couldn't kill me!"

Mirabar was filled with stone houses, and the ground was made of smooth, gray-white stone. Occasionally, the clinking of metal reached their ears—the sound of blacksmithing. For a famous metal mining center, this was somewhat unusual. The group strolled along the cold stone streets, the sound of Sunderland's high-heeled leather boots and the guards' metal boots echoing "clack, clack" for a long distance.

"Great Lord William! This is the largest inn in Mirabar! Do you have any other needs? Please, feel free to command me!" The fawning female magistrate led Chen Jinyang to an inn with feigned elegance and presented a sumptuous meal.

Chen Jinyang glanced at Phinia and the others, who were wolfing down their food, and said nonchalantly, "Nothing else! Just take good care of my friends! Oh! Right! Help me find the village chief of the Gnome Village—old Sailu. I have something to discuss with him after I eat."

"How could I trouble you with such a thing! I will bring old Sailu to see you myself!" Lady Sunderland said, backing out of the inn. Once outside, she wiped the cold sweat from her face, feeling faint. Dragons truly are terrifying existences! Just being near one made me tremble and break out in a cold sweat! (Indeed, she was just scaring herself.)

She hurriedly called to the guards beside her, "Yas! Go notify Marquis Erastu immediately! A dragon transformed into a human has entered Mirabar! Tell the Marquis to prepare for contingencies! Delier! Go to the Temple of Tyr and notify the Bishop to heal the dragon's captives as soon as possible; they are potential allies! Find out any information you can about this dragon! Also, keep a close watch on that Drow, but do not provoke him yet. And! Seal the news; forbid the South Gate guards from mentioning this to anyone!" The female magistrate efficiently made emergency arrangements and dismissed her guards; she needed to calm down alone.

After the two guards left, this famous strong woman of the North shuffled into a deserted corner, covered her face with her hands, and knelt on the ground, sobbing softly. It took a long time for Sunderland to stop crying. She stood up, wiped away her tears, and, regaining her composure as a strong woman, walked quickly toward the temporary settlement of the Mirabar-affiliated villagers. She needed to find the Gnome Village chief, old Sailu, in person and ensure he did not provoke the "dragon."