A True Dragon!

The Golden Oasis, ablaze with campfires, glowed brilliantly.

Thousands of flickering flames illuminated the entire oasis as if it were broad daylight. The desert dwellers gathered, cooking their meals over the fires. The fare was mostly meat, accompanied by a bit of steamed millet—natural, untouched by any seasonings, embodying a primal simplicity. Despite its simplicity, the food brought immense happiness to the desert folk, who had once struggled to fill their bellies. Eating meat had been a rare treat, reserved for festivals. Now, meat was a staple, available at every meal.

Gratitude towards their lord filled their hearts. Every time they gathered to eat, they would pray together, thanking the lord who provided their sustenance. Besides working hard, this was the only way they could express their thanks.

In the town hall, Haotian sat on an opulently decorated chair. His gaze was fixed on a large, bound black rat sprawled on the floor. This rat exceeded Haotian's expectations of rodent size—it was extraordinarily large and fat, over a meter long, not counting its tail.

He found it hard to believe that in the sandy hunting grounds of the Royal Gryphon Knights, the underground world harbored hundreds of thousands of such giant black rats. The mere thought of so many gathered together made his skin crawl. Mishandling this could lead to a catastrophic rat plague. Fortunately, the Rat Kingdom seemed wary of his Royal Gryphon Knights. Though aware of his conquests, they only sent scouts to gather intelligence, not daring to declare open war on his Golden Oasis.

"Great human lord!" the black rat trembled as it spoke. "I have told you everything I know. Please, honor your promise and spare my life!"

Haotian replied coolly, "Don't be hasty. I have one more question. Who is this Charles the lizard chief mentioned? Whom he reveres as his master?"

"Cha… Charles…" The black rat trembled even more. "Charles is the king of our Rat Kingdom!"

"Liar!" Haotian's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you say your king was Aubrey?"

The rat began to stammer, but a sharp knight's sword pressed against its head silenced it. The sword belonged to a burly Royal Paladin, his rank nearing the peak of king level. Terrified, the black rat stammered, "Great lord, I was afraid to tell the truth. If I do, King Aubrey will surely kill me!"

Haotian's suspicions deepened. Charles must be significant. He stared menacingly at the rat. "Speak, or die now!"

Desperate, the rat chose to comply after a painful internal struggle. Surviving this immediate threat was more urgent than worrying about Aubrey's retribution. "Charles is the true ruler behind our kingdom, our worshiped master," the rat confessed.

"Continue!" Haotian's face remained impassive.

"Charles is a dragon, a powerful one capable of destroying our entire kingdom. Two years ago, it descended upon the sandy lands, its wings creating hurricanes, its terrifying presence making all creatures tremble. The lizard tribe was the first to submit to its power. Soon after, King Aubrey invited Charles into our kingdom, offering vast amounts of food in exchange for protection. Charles has remained in our forbidden zone ever since."

Haotian was astonished. A dragon living next door? This was... unexpected. Whether it was good luck or misfortune was yet to be determined.

"Why has Charles stayed in your kingdom for so long?" Haotian asked, doubting it was just for free food. After all, this was the desolate Kalar Desert. Food was scarce. A dragon could easily find better sustenance in the Forest of Life nearby, where prey was abundant and varied.

The black rat explained, "Charles is injured. When it fell, its blood stained the land, attracting many beasts to the area."

Haotian understood. If the dragon was healing, it made sense.

"What rank is Charles?" Haotian inquired.

"I don't know," the rat replied. "I'm too weak to sense its level. But I do know it's a dark dragon, covered in black scales."

Haotian frowned. Knowing the dragon's type without knowing its rank complicated things. He pondered for a moment. "Your kingdom is underground. How did it enter?"

The rat explained, "King Aubrey ordered a mountain to be tunneled through, creating a massive passage for Charles. The entrance is sealed now but still exists."

Haotian's eyes lit up. This passage could allow his Royal Gryphon Knights to launch a direct assault on the Rat Kingdom. But first, he needed to ascertain Charles' exact rank. If the dragon was merely at king level, they could kill it and perhaps establish a dragon graveyard. If it was extraordinary, caution was needed. If it was saint level, he would need to devise strategies to protect his base.

Turning to a Royal Paladin, Haotian ordered, "Take it to the sandy lands and find that underground passage. If it lies, kill it."

"At once, great lord!" The knight obeyed, dragging the black rat out of the hall.

In the hall, the old steward Hoden looked worried. "Master, should we consider moving?"

He was reluctant to leave the Golden Oasis, a paradise for the desert folk and his new home. But living next to a dragon was terrifying.

Haotian pondered the situation, weighing their next move.