Gold coins cascaded from the Red Dragon's mouth, while the Chimera outside the cave watched intently, its greedy eyes filled not only with distress over lost treasure but also a hint of resentment, though this emotion was fleeting, not daring to show itself before the Red Dragon.
Ke Xiu Si noticed all of this, but he didn't care; he even felt a sense of accomplishment, as if he had transformed into a Minotaur.
For such chaotic evil monsters, showing kindness is useless, because it's impossible for the Chimera to be unconditionally loyal; given the chance, it would try every means to usurp its master.
As an ancient saying from his previous life goes, it's called "fearing power but not cherishing virtue"; this is precisely the case for such monsters.
The only thing the Red Dragon could do was utilize its power and maintain his strong prestige, ensuring it would forever remain a subordinate, never having the opportunity to rise.
【Metal Scales reached max level (5230/5000)】
【Obtained new characteristic: Gilded Scales】
【Gilded Scales】 Ac+3 Constitution+1
【You have consumed an excessive amount of gold elements. Flowing gold will adhere to your body surface and deep within your heart.
You can actively activate 【Gilded Carapace】; the gold within your body will form a plating on your body surface, greatly increasing your armor value and changing the appearance of your scales to gold.】
"Able to turn my scales gold?"
A peculiar thought suddenly arose in Ke Xiu Si's mind.
Because in his memory, there shouldn't be any Gold Dragons in Anzetta.
Could it be possible...
Regardless, his life-saving abilities had increased, and the Red Dragon was very pleased.
Ignoring the Chimera's resentful gaze, he simply continued to let it lead the way, exploring the Giant Mouth Cave.
"Hasn't it ended yet?"
Ke Xiu Si wondered.
This place was far more complex than he had imagined, with many extremely deep areas, making one suspect it wasn't naturally formed but rather the creation of some dwarven artisans.
And in a narrow cave not far away, hot white smoke billowed out, with some magma splashing, which made the Red Dragon feel a sense of familiarity.
"Keep going inside."
Ke Xiu Si signaled the Chimera to lead the way.
But this life-preserving beast only whimpered and begged for mercy, absolutely refusing to go in any further.
"Master, hot, dangerous."
"Will die."
After all, it submitted to the Red Dragon to save its own life.
Not to lose its life in magma; it didn't have the Red Dragon's fire resistance.
"Strange place."
"However, with such intense elemental reactions, I'll wait until I'm fully confident before exploring it."
"As for the name, let's call it the Bottomless Cave."
Ke Xiu Si pondered for a moment, deciding to temporarily set it aside; after all, he was still just a juvenile Red Dragon.
He was barely able to establish himself as king in this wilderness, let alone face the unknown monsters underground. If high-level monsters like Beholders appeared, he wasn't confident he could defeat them.
"You can leave first."
"Thank you, Master."
The Chimera sighed with relief.
Ignoring its injuries, it ran straight to the cave where it hid its treasure, quickly transferring the remaining hundreds of gold coins.
It even disregarded its almost fractured wings, stubbornly carrying its gold and wobbling to the other side, burying these treasures somewhere.
"As expected of a creature with Dragon blood."
"Truly cherishes wealth."
Ke Xiu Si couldn't help but shake his head in disdain.
Thus, Ke Xiu Si made the outer caves of the Giant Mouth Cave his first lair, temporarily sealing off the inner passages with rocks.
And the Chimera was driven by Ke Xiu Si to a small cave on the opposite rock face, serving as the Red Dragon's servant and Dependents, guarding his home.
In Ke Xiu Si's opinion, the treatment he offered was already quite good; at least he left it some savings, didn't he? Many modern companies don't even have that kind of treatment...
"Prestidigitation!"
As Ke Xiu Si's incantation fell, a cubic foot area in a corner of the cave became clean and tidy; the previously foul-smelling bloodstains disappeared.
This Red Dragon, like a cleaner, swept the cave inch by inch with magic.
"This brainless beast can really mess up a place. This cave, in cultivation novels, would at least be a 'Blessed Land Cave Heaven,' but it was forcefully turned into a slaughterhouse by it," Ke Xiu Si muttered, looking at the bloody ground.
Ahead was another pile of bones. The Red Dragon was about to clear them out of the cave when he once again saw a skull with goat horns among them.
This skull didn't look too old, perhaps a few weeks, and still had some fragmented flesh on it, with flies buzzing around.
From its human-like size and the broken tailbone, it could be determined that this was a Tiefling.
Tieflings are derived from human bloodlines and generally look like humans in size.
However, their demonic heritage left clear marks on their appearance: they have horns on their heads, a thick tail four to five feet long behind them, entirely monochromatic eyes, and skin covered in various colors.
These races with infernal blood are usually found in human towns; they are not necessarily inherently evil but always encounter distrust and discrimination in the eyes of others.
Ke Xiu Si pondered for a moment, recalling the quest line from his previous life: "It's a Tiefling, alright. Could it be from the 'Northwind Fortress Tragedy' quest?"
【The Northwind Fortress Tragedy】
【Northwind Fortress, also known as Corvanath Fortress, a city located on the border of the Northern United Kingdom, north of the Stormwind Highlands, with over thirty thousand inhabitants, including more than a thousand Tieflings, is a territory under the rule of Count Lakman.】
【However, a hundred years ago, the aging Duke Brad Lakeman, suffering from the loss of his lifespan, made a pact with an evil Necromancer, having already transformed himself into an immortal Vampire. Now he has reawakened and promised to offer a thousand lives to the Necromancer within ten years to achieve a great ascension.】
【In the following months, many people in the city mysteriously disappeared, with no bodies found. Brad Lakeman took the opportunity to convene a meeting and deliver a notorious "Bloody Speech," shifting all blame onto the Tiefling race, referred to as "Devil's Offspring," claiming they were sacrificing human lives to devils.】
【Thus, a "righteous" massacre began. Enraged people rushed into the city, tying defenseless Tieflings to pyres, regardless of gender or age, and burning them alive on charges of colluding with devils.】
【And Meizhuolashi, a Tiefling Paladin of the original city guard, resisted to the death, escaping capture by the Duke's Soldiers, and led three hundred remaining kinsmen to flee north, near the Stormwind Highlands, establishing the Tiefling refugee camp "Dilapidated Home."】
And one of the early main quests for players was to cooperate with the Tieflings, expose the true face of Duke Lakeman, and kill this tyrannical Vampire.
And Northwind Fortress was the most important "Main City."
"Could the Tiefling refugee camp be near this territory? Perhaps I can use this quest line... to occupy Northwind Fortress."
It's important to know that this was a player's main city; once this city was occupied, it almost meant gaining control of the players. And in Ke Xiu Si's view, having experienced several versions in his previous life and knowing the importance of players, the benefits were simply too great.
Thinking of this, the Red Dragon summoned the Chimera again, pointing at the remains on the ground and asking:
"Where did you encounter these creatures?"
The Chimera leaned forward, sniffed with its lion head, and replied, "Horned humans, not tasty."
Ke Xiu Si looked at the Chimera's tattered wings; it seemed to no longer be capable of long-distance flight.
He thought there was no need to rush, and besides, his own power wasn't strong enough yet, so he could first bring the surrounding creatures under his command.
"Go back and heal your injuries first."
"Yes, Master."】}