Chapter 541.5: Fire Dragon Diago
What shocked the reservists first was that Bay Territory immediately distributed enchanted armor and equipment.
"You must familiarize yourselves with these weapons and equipment as quickly as possible, mastering their performance."
Arnold's words pleased most of the reservists.
Many of them had combat experience and naturally understood the value of equipment.
Udala gently stroked her enchanted leather armor, appreciating its lightness and resilience, feeling the enhancement it gave to her body. She softly muttered:
"Bay Territory must be very wealthy. I've never used such high-quality weapons and equipment before."
Saying this, she drew the slender dagger from her belt and gently touched its cold blade.
Beside her, Rika was silent. Her amber eyes flickered with complex thoughts. She nodded in agreement but didn't say more.
Soon, the reservists began their training.
A special gravity room gave them a rough start!
Two hours later, few reservists could walk out of the gravity room on their own.
Then they tasted their first welfare benefit from Bay Territory.
A bitter nutritional potion was poured into their mouths. The exhausted reservists quickly regained their vigor.
Arnold didn't give them much rest, urging them back into the gravity room.
Amidst cries of agony and wailing, the reservists completed their morning training.
Rubbing her slightly wobbly knees, Udala, half-leaning on Rika, complained weakly:
"This is too tough. That awful place is so strange. People with stronger bodies really have an advantage!"
Rika, slightly more resilient, also felt a bit weak-limbed. Looking at Arnold's smiling face, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
What a smiling tiger!
While the reservists were groaning, a rich aroma wafted through the air, filling the training ground.
Piles of meat.
Fragrant dried fish.
Fresh green vegetables.
Delicious fish soup.
These were simple dishes that suited the Western soldiers' taste.
Alongside them were glistening braised pork, translucent crystal pork knuckle, spicy shredded green pepper beef, sweet and sour tenderloin, and savory tofu stir-fried with chicken—each representing a different flavor profile.
Udala was curious about the food on the right. Despite the longer line, she obediently queued there.
Rika, with more thoughts in mind, followed her nose and stood in another line.
The two of them had already agreed to try a bit of everything to see what tasted best.
Interestingly, not many shared this idea. Most still preferred to eat what they were familiar with.
The soft, aromatic braised pork easily captured Udala's taste buds after just two bites, its flavor rolling pleasantly in her mouth.
"Mmm…this is delicious!"
Stabbing a golden, translucent piece of tofu, she watched the light golden juices seep out and curiously took a bite.
The faint spiciness, combined with the rich aroma of oil, made Rika chew a few more times and savor the sweet, delightful flavor of the tofu.
"Hmm…this taste…what kind of food is this?"
Happily picking up a piece of crystal pork knuckle, Udala sneaked a glance at the nearby soldier's eating method before eagerly biting into it.
"Wow, this is so good—so satisfying…so tender…"
"Ooh…it's a bit spicy. They seem to say it's like this…"
"Try this—it's sweet and sour…"
"It's a bit strange with bread, but it's great with rice…"
"…"
The two of them tried many foods they'd never seen before and ended up stuffed.
As the soldiers rested, they suddenly heard Instructor Arnold's voice calling out again:
"Attention, everyone! Next, we'll continue literacy and reading sessions. Soldiers who make faster progress will receive additional rewards."
Additional rewards?
Udala perked up her ears, eager to hear if other soldiers had any information.
"I hope it's mulberry wine…"
"That's unlikely—new recruits probably won't get it. Most likely, it'll be some extra servings of konjac…"
"Konjac isn't bad. Swamp crocodile would be nice too…"
"I hope it's not high-grade nutrient fluids…"
"That stuff is too bitter…"
"But it's effective!"
"…"
Having heard some tidbits, Udala shared them with Rika.
Rika, meanwhile, pondered why the Bay Territory placed so much emphasis on literacy and education.
Before long, the reservists fully integrated into the Bay Territory's military training.
It took only two or three days for them to transition from constant complaints to gradual adaptation.
Not only because their physical qualities were good, but also because the Bay Territory provided all kinds of supplies, allowing them to recover quickly.
During this time, Udala and Rika gradually experienced the charm of the Bay Territory.
This extraordinary charm made it impossible for them to resist, and hard for them to leave.
After each day of training, they could feel their progress and improvement.
What amazed them even more was that the Bay Territory's various training tasks yielded extraordinary results.
Not only did they help them easily master many combat skills, but they also gradually improved their physical condition.
Of course, this also had to do with their potential, which had not yet been fully tapped.
Even so, this rapid surge in strength immersed every reservist.
They began to follow all orders and training from the Bay Territory's army to the letter.
They had no choice—the benefits were just too much!
December 13th.
Bay Territory.
The Underdark.
Brightness: -1.
Air humidity: Dry.
Temperature: 14 degrees.
A slightly cool air current carried a faintly acrid sulfur smell.
Udala rubbed her cheeks forcefully, carefully observing the layers of glowing moss above, and said in an incredulous tone:
"Wow, so the Underdark is this spacious? I thought it would be like the mine I used to live in."
A considerable number of halflings live near human villages or mining areas.
They gain stable food and a living by providing certain assistance to human forces.
Rika warily observed the bottomless chasms and tunnels in the distance, feeling as though danger was lurking within.
Udala came back to her senses, looked at the reassembled troops, and was just about to speak again when Rika gave her a silencing gesture.
She suddenly remembered that talking was not allowed in formation.
However, the two of them already knew who the main enemy in this battle would be.
This was an entirely novel experience for them.
After all, they had never made such thorough preparations before a battle as they had in the past few days.
They exchanged a glance and saw determination in each other's eyes.
"No matter what, we must survive."
"Earn more merits and quickly gain higher permissions."
They bore heavier responsibilities and dared not die easily.
"Roar…!"
A deafening roar echoed through the vast and deep underground space.
The fire dragon Diago, furiously flapping its wings, swooped down from above.
It opened its massive mouth, spewing out a scorching stream of destructive flames!
Hundreds of gnoll slaves were engulfed by the terrifying flames.
The searing temperatures, thousands of degrees hot, burned their skin and muscle and consumed their internal organs and bones.
The blazing flames danced wildly, licking the air with fiery tongues.
The gnoll slaves who managed to escape ran away in a panic.
The drow hiding in the shadows calmly and steadily shot arrows at the descending fire dragon Diago.
One after another, pitch-black arrows pierced through its tough red scales, injuring the legendary creature.
Adamantine-tipped arrows were just that lethal!
However, such minor injuries were of no concern to the fire dragon Diago. It didn't even care whether the arrows were coated in poison.
Its searing blood easily neutralized most toxins, transforming them into boundless rage.
The whispers in its ears only fueled its fury further.
The voices wouldn't go away—they grew clearer and clearer.
Initially, it paid them no heed, but it gradually began to feel fear.
The fire dragon Diago unleashed its wrath without restraint, rushing into the mass of gnoll slaves with a wave of searing wind.
This berserk beast, a full 25 meters long, crushed the gnoll slaves effortlessly with swipes of its claws and swings of its tail.
Even as these gnoll slaves cowered in terror, pleading for mercy, it paid them no mind, venting its anger unchecked.
The fire dragon Diago, with its tenacious vitality and long lifespan,
had just further refined its bloodline during a slumber that lasted over a hundred years.
But before it could enjoy the achievement, its lowly servants brought troubling news.
The weak black-skinned monkeys dared to plot against it and almost succeeded.
The enraged fire dragon Diago could already "smell" the scent of those drow.
With its extraordinary senses, it pinpointed their locations amidst the crowd.
Then came the violent strikes of its claws and tail.
Few drow could escape its pursuit; most perished miserably.
However, these drow were only part of what enraged it.
The true plan—
was still in the hands of the drow commander Leah.
News from the Bay Territory army made Leah hesitant.
"Over 25,000 troops—are there really that many soldiers?"
She didn't want to fight the Bay Territory, especially without certainty of victory.
"When will you tame this beast?"
"If you can't, I'll do it myself!"
The coldly mocking voice made Leah turn around and face a figure dressed in a gold-embroidered priestly robe.
Beside her stood several cloaked figures, giving Leah a faint sense of danger.
Leah's heart stirred, but her expression remained calm as she stared at the figure and said,
"I don't care what you think. The plan is proceeding steadily, and my task is about to be completed."
At Leah's words, the other woman's smile grew even brighter.
She waved her hand gently.
Over ten drow commanders behind Leah—
walked to her side under the others' furious gazes.
"You see, now it's my plan."
"I'll take over the plan, and thank you for laying the groundwork. I won't take credit for your contribution."
Betrayal!
A shameless betrayal!
Leah instinctively furrowed her brows, her eyes glinting with icy sharpness. After a moment of hesitation, she said,
"You have no right—"
"But I do!"
The other woman laughed heartily, taking out a pale golden scroll, and said with certainty,
"I have the approval of 40% of the drow commanders, so I do have the right."
"My lord will love the sacrifice I'm about to offer!"
As she said this, she didn't even bother looking at Leah's expression, her gaze fixed on the raging fire dragon Diago.
Leah was already a defeated foe!
In the world of drow, losers had no right to resist!
Leah calmly watched the other woman's back. With a cold snort, she turned and left.
Of the 20-plus drow commanders who had been behind her, only five or six followed.
As she walked away, Leah muttered under her breath:
"Damn fool, you won't succeed!"
Because the Bay Territory will stop you!
Her behavior, in the eyes of the other drow, was naturally seen as the impotent rage of a failure.
Interestingly, the priestess who had been urging Leah to attack earlier—Shetril—
was now calmly ordering the gnoll slaves to continue wearing down the fire dragon Diago's stamina.
She was like a dangerous spider watching her prey struggle in the trap.
She kept weaving her web outside, letting the prey exhaust itself.
The more fiercely it struggled, the tighter the bonds became.
Until the prey was completely spent, powerless to resist.
Just as Shetril had said, she liked Leah's plan—she simply wanted the victory for herself.
If this time she could please the goddess Lolth,
she would not only recoup her investment many times over,
but also gain a significant lead in the key positions race!
However, she didn't notice that outside her trap, there were still many watchful eyes.
Yaya eagerly rubbed her hands together, carefully scanning the surroundings, already running combat scenarios in her mind.
Matthew, meanwhile, was observing the battlefield and recording data.
He then handed these data to Yaya, allowing her to refine her battle plan.
When the Bay Territory acts, they never miss.