Paparal Refuse to Yield

Above the hall, the torchlight on the grey stone walls flickered, casting shadows that shifted and changed shape.

A wisp of light smoke rose from the unburnt pine tar, gathering and swirling towards the hall's dome. Amidst the haze, the dragon horns appeared even more mysterious and fearsome, as if they were still alive in those ancient legends and stories.

The main competition arena was surrounded by people three layers deep and three layers wide. A low hum of voices discussed the events, punctuated by bursts of gasps that drowned out all other sounds.

Only Zhang Tianmou seemed out of place with everything around him.

He lowered his eyebrows, his head bowed, meticulously smoothing his cuffs with his fingertips, oblivious to his surroundings. After a moment, he raised his head, his sharp gaze scanning the area with vigilance.

Soon, he saw his second-in-command approaching with a tall man, who stood like a colossal tower. In fact, he could have identified the innkeeper by the sound of his footsteps alone.

The other man also saw him and nodded slightly.

Zhang Tianmou didn't even bother to return the gesture.

"Did you find the person you were looking for?" Mazak finally asked.

He spoke with a steady, deep voice.

Zhang Tianmou shook his head slightly. "No, just a few tourists. He's unlikely to be in Elpaxin. We were just being prepared—you can think of it as me taking a break from above, though it was purely a precaution."

He lowered his hand and then added, "Speaking of which, thank you for your help."

"It's my pleasure," Mazak replied. "What about the other guests in the inn?"

"We'll find another way."

"Good."

Zhang Tianmou looked up at his old friend. He wasn't short, but he still had to tilt his head to see the top of Mazak's head. Esian men were all this tall and robust. Legend had it that their ancestors came from the wilderness of Istania, with the blood of the Dark Dragon flowing within them.

But they were also the mortal enemies of dragons, the descendants of dragon slayers.

"I heard you're planning to entrust this inn to the Silverwood Spear?" he suddenly asked an unrelated question.

But Mazak didn't evade the question, nodding. "What do you think?"

Zhang Tianmou shook his head. "I'm a soldier, you know we have discipline."

"Discipline, meaning not interfering in the affairs of the natives?"

"Pretty much. Within legal limits, our principle is non-interference in internal and external affairs, and it's the same for the Major Guilds."

"What about guilds from other countries?"

Zhang Tianmou sneered, "They can try."

Mazak looked at him curiously. "I know Corin-Ishurian also has an army, but they aren't like this."

The former raised his eyebrows. "We are naturally different from them."

"Very proud," Mazak replied slowly. "However, what I need now is just a friend's advice."

Zhang Tianmou was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

Mazak looked up at the inn's dome, where the giant dragon horn hung, motionless. After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm leaving this place."

"Leaving?" the former was somewhat surprised. "What's wrong? Are you going back to Istania?"

Mazak shook his head. "I have things I must do, just like the sacred responsibility you bear, Zhang."

Zhang Tianmou suddenly understood and asked, "Is this why you brought out the Golden Flame Ring?"

Mazak's gaze shifted to the stone platform not far away. The Golden Flame Ring lay in a tray, surrounded by several burly dwarves guarding the treasure.

"Although the Golden Flame Ring is just one of my early masterpieces, I've always kept it as a memento. Like a daughter to a father, but one day she will also leave my wing and meet the person she fancies."

"Your tone doesn't sound like you're just leaving; it sounds like you're arranging your affairs."

"It's not far from that—"

Zhang Tianmou looked at him.

Mazak paused for a moment before continuing, "The place I'm going is very dangerous. I must settle everything before I go."

As he said this, the former noticed that his dark, deep eyes showed no fluctuation, as if he were saying, "A new coffee shop opened on the corner, I'm going for a coffee." It was as simple as that, but without the intention of returning.

His meaning was clear: this departure might be permanent.

Zhang Tianmou suddenly said, "We've known each other for about five years now."

"About that. I still remember your previous superior; we didn't get along very well."

"That was my old superior. He retired last year. Speaking ill of him here won't make me happy."

Mazak smiled slightly.

Zhang Tianmou, uncharacteristically serious, said, "Then I'll give you some advice. You must understand that we vouch for every citizen, not just the Major Guilds."

"That sounds like there's no difference."

"No, of course there's a difference."

"Can't you be more specific?"

"It's discipline."

Mazak pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

A brief silence fell between the two.

Suddenly, a roar like a tidal wave of exclamations erupted from the east side of the hall. Most people in the hall were drawn to it, turning their heads curiously. Zhang Tianmou's train of thought was also interrupted, and he too looked up in that direction.

"What's going on?" he asked his subordinate with his eyes.

But Mazak was already looking that way and had begun walking in that direction.

The aide replied with some uncertainty, "That seems to be the preliminary round arena, Captain. Something must have happened." Zhang Tianmou shook his head, glanced at the tall man's retreating back, and gestured to his aide, "Let's go take a look."

Saying that, he followed.

"Huh? Captain, wait for me!"

The first round of the main tournament was drawing to a close.

Among the four participating contestants, one was from the Elpaxin Artificer Guild, another from the Taboris Oak Knights, and the third from the Silverwood Spear. The contestant from the Elpaxin Artificer Guild was a young man in his early twenties, a Level 14 Combat Artificer.

His opponent was Wu Di from the Silverwood Spear. Although Wu Di's level was slightly lower, the match was a complete one-sided affair.

Soon, the young man's Walker Type III was sent flying by Wu Di's Shield Bearer Type II, damaging its structure. Although its HP wasn't depleted, the young man graciously admitted defeat.

After shaking hands with Wu Di, he left the arena.

Seeing this, Tian Lan snorted dismissively, leaning on the table.

Her impression of the two troublemakers who had bumped into Jita without apologizing was extremely poor. Although Wu Di wasn't the main culprit, his attitude wasn't much better.

It wasn't just her; Luo Yu, who was watching nearby, couldn't help but frown. However, the reason for his frown wasn't this, but rather that the contestant from the Taboris Oak Knights was about to be defeated.

His opponent happened to be the young man who had bumped into Jita earlier—the main culprit, as Tian Lan put it.

Honestly, they hadn't expected that the two 'genius young men' from the Silverwood Spear would be the very two they had a grievance with. And seeing them showing off in the arena made the French girl grit her teeth in anger.

Luo Yu looked at Jita.

But Jita wasn't paying attention to the match at all. She was gazing down with her long eyelashes, cradling a wooden cup full of milk in her hands, and taking small sips. Noticing his gaze, she curiously looked up, blinking her eyes and looking at Luo Yu with confusion.

There was a faint white mark on her lips, making her look incredibly cute.

"Hong Ye is going to lose."

"She wasn't expecting to win in the first place," Jita said in a soft, milky voice, holding her cup. "Those two are the long-rumored genius Combat Artificer newcomers from Silverwood Spear's 7th Regiment. The gap between them is too large."

Luo Yu nodded. "Indeed, the opponent is very strong."

Hearing this, Tian Lan became furious. She glared at the two of them, "Hey, what are you two talking about? What's so strong about these two guys?"

Jita was startled and quickly signaled Luo Yu.

But Luo Yu didn't see it at all. He seriously organized his words, "Their reaction time, control, and tactical judgment are all top-notch. The key is that their Flexible Constructs don't have the stiffness common in artificers below Tier 2, which is very rare."

Tian Lan sneered, "How do they compare to professional artificers?"

Luo Yu was startled. "Of course, they can't compare. Even non-professional Combat Artificers above Tier 3 would definitely not be their opponents. But this isn't a matter of skill, it's a matter of level."

"Then what are you bragging about here? I think Brother Ed could easily defeat these two."

Jita quickly tugged at Luo Yu's sleeve.

But Luo Yu was still thinking and judging. He frowned and shook his head, "--I think it would be difficult. Their military Magic Furnace is excellent, allowing them to use complex constructs like the Shield Bearer Type II even when out of their level range. As for Mr. Ed, I don't know his skill level, but the equipment difference is too great."

"What kind of hero relies on equipment?"

"Equipment is also part of strength," Luo Yu said earnestly. "And it's not just the Magic Furnace that allows them to control such complex constructs. Besides processing power, their own skill level should also be very high."

Hearing this, Jita knew it was over.

He sat back in his chair, adorably curled up with his head in his hands, pretending none of this had anything to do with him.

As expected, Tian Lan was enraged by Luo Yu's words. She slammed the table and stood up, "After all that, you're just boosting others' morale and dampening our own. I didn't expect you to be this kind of person!"

The young man was stunned. "How did you interpret it that way? I'm just stating facts!"

"What facts? Those two scoundrels bumped into Jita and didn't apologize. They don't even have basic manners, how can they be powerful Chosen? If professional Combat Artificers are all like this, then I'd rather Brother Ed be an unprofessional Combat Artificer!"

"Alright," Luo Yu was about to speak, but the French girl interrupted him again, puffing out her cheeks, "Luo, you're not thinking of joining that Silverwood Spear, are you? That's why you're speaking up for these outsiders!"

Luo Yu was shocked. What was she talking about? How did it get onto the topic of professional Combat Artificers? Besides, what did the politeness of the Chosen have to do with their power?

He quickly defended himself, "What are you talking about? I'm a member of the Taboris Oak Knights. How could I possibly join the Silverwood Spear?"

"Oh—" Tian Lan suddenly realized, "You mean to say that you and the Silverwood Spear both belong to that Rainbow Alliance, right? As expected, you're all birds of a feather."

Luo Yu was speechless.

He couldn't help but turn to Jita and say, "Jita, say something. This damn foreign woman is being unreasonable—Tata, what are you doing?"

Jita pulled his hood over his head and covered his ears with his hands, pretending to be an ostrich.

He was already used to such arguments.

As their argument escalated, it finally woke up the third party present.

The Paparal crossbowman suddenly smacked his lips, sniffed, and mumbled, "What's that smell? So fragrant?" Then, he hazily opened his beady black eyes. He lay sprawled on the chair, his small belly sticking out, looking curiously at the ceiling.

At the same time, he rotated his chubby little head and asked curiously, "Am I revived? What temple is this? Have I worshipped some Kitchen God or Food God? Why does it smell so good?"

"Ah, I understand. This is the temple of the God of Harvest."

"Aethelria doesn't have this god," Tata, sitting to the side, cautiously peeked out from under her hood and said.

It was then that Tian Lan noticed the other person had woken up. She couldn't help but let out a surprised yelp and jumped up from her seat. Forgetting about her bickering with Luo Yu, she ran over and grabbed the Paparal's shoulders, asking, "Are you awake? Are you awake, Parker?"

Parker was almost shaken to pieces. He quickly used his short little hands to stop her, saying, "I'm awake, I'm awake! Tian Lan, stop! I've already woken up."

Tian Lan then let go.

The latter looked around with a bewildered expression. "This place looks so familiar. Wait, isn't this 'Traveler's Respite'? I think I recognize this place—Dragon Hall. Did I not die?"

"Dragon Horn Hall," Jita's voice came from under her hood again, correcting him.

Tian Lan happily said to him, "Of course you didn't die, Parker. Luo Yu found you. You have no idea how heroic he was back then."

Luo Yu couldn't help but touch his nose, feeling a little embarrassed.

"That's great," the Paparal said, sitting up straight from the chair. "Of course, it would be even better if you didn't use the word 'found.' It makes me sound like a sack of flour."

"You do look a bit like one," Jita's voice, as faint as a mosquito's hum, continued from under her hood.

But Parker pretended not to hear and loudly asked, reaching for the fork with roasted meat on the table, "What about those Red-brown Elephant-nose Beetles?"

"They all left," Tian Lan said, slapping his hand away. "Don't touch that. This is for Brother Ed. He saved all of us."

"Ed?"

"Brother Ed is a Combat Artificer," Jita finally lifted her hood and replied softly. "He defeated Big Sister, and the rest ran away. Those elephant-nose beetles naturally retreated."

"A Combat Artificer? Isn't that who Luo Yu admires the most?" The Paparal plopped back down into his chair, stretching his short legs out. He asked curiously, "Then what about my dinner?"

Luo Yu's face turned red, and he quickly denied, "Mr. Parker, I just like the profession of Combat Artificer."

"It's all the same," Parker replied, looking around for his dinner. He had just woken up, and his stomach was already rumbling with hunger.

But Tian Lan grabbed him by the collar. "No need to look. You have more important things to do than eat."

"Huh?"

"Come with us to inform Sister Etila."

"Wait," Luo Yu hadn't reacted yet. "Fuli, didn't Miss Etila ask us to...?"

"Ask us to do what?" Tian Lan looked at him dangerously. "Shouldn't such an important matter be reported to Sister Etila? Besides, Parker also wants to meet our savior."

"No, I don't want to," the Paparal frantically shook his chubby head. "I just want to have my dinner in peace."

Tian Lan completely ignored him. Luo Yu, meanwhile, finally noticed Jita winking at him from the side. He wasn't completely stupid and suddenly understood.

He scratched his head and said, "Okay, what you're saying isn't unreasonable. Actually, I also want to see how Mr. Ed's match went."

"I love you!" Tian Lan couldn't help but hug him excitedly and shriek, completely forgetting what had happened before. "Let's go, we're going to find Sister Etila!"

With that, she grabbed Parker by the collar again and dragged the little chubby guy toward the crowd.

"Wait," Parker clearly hadn't figured out what was happening and shouted, "What are you guys planning to do? Do you know the Paparal racial talent? If they don't eat for three hours, they'll starve to death! --Wait, put me down!"

"Then you've already starved to death twice today, Mr. Parker."

Jita followed behind, looking somewhat pityingly at the Paparal crossbowman.

"I'm telling the truth!"

So Jita handed him an apple.

Parker took the apple and took a bite, then continued to protest loudly:

"Real Paparals would rather die than yield! We only eat roasted meat!"

Please continue to vote and collect. I, too, am unyielding on this matter and responsibly tell you.