Ashen Dragon

Chapter 305: Chapter 228: Scout
 

Northwind Castle, Municipal Square.

“Citizens, please abide by the kingdom’s order!”

Mantou rode his Bipedal Wyvern, circling above the city repeatedly, shouting through a loudspeaker. He constantly drew either envious or awestruck gazes from the people below.

As the number of players had skyrocketed, their antics became increasingly varied and inventive, even exploiting loopholes in the kingdom’s laws for some tricky maneuvers.

As the sheriff, Mantou’s workload had become unprecedentedly heavy. The southwest urban district he was responsible for now had more than thirty thousand people, including nearly five thousand players.

“Hey! You over there, stop stripping in public!”

“Trying to run?”

Mantou drove the Wyvern into a steep dive.

The Bipedal Wyvern extended its sharp claws and grabbed a naked player who was attempting to disrupt public order from the ground.

Mantou turned his body and, as expected, saw that familiar face.

“It’s you again, Holy Light Bro. This is the third time this month you’ve intentionally exposed yourself in public. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

Holy Light Bro, entirely naked, showcased his body curves in the air and calmly said:

“I am merely following the Way of Nature. Everyone is born naked, so why let crude creations cover our bodies? In my ideal world, everyone can be honest with each other…”

Mantou forcibly suppressed his urge to retort, waving his hand dismissively.

“Enough!”

“Citizen, you have violated Article 23 of the Kingdom Public Order Punishment Law. Either pay a fine of five Gold Coins or spend seven days in jail, your choice.”

Using only his legs to control the Wyvern, Mantou pulled out a small notebook and quill from his backpack and began to write.

Holy Light Bro answered plainly as ever:

“I’d rather spread the Way of Nature in jail and teach more people the beauty of freedom than pay for a fabricated crime.”

“…”

“You’re unbeatable.”

After a long silence, Mantou finally muttered through clenched teeth.

After delivering the composed Holy Light Bro to the kingdom’s jail, Mantou resumed his patrol over the city.

As the city’s sheriff, he not only had to manage the citizens but also had to search for unidentified outsiders, wary of spies sent by the Northern Countries, the Harpist Alliance, and even the Empire of Fadlan.

Surveying the bustling crowds below, Mantou let out a long sigh.

“So many things to handle lately—really annoying, dealing with these trivial matters everywhere. There’s no reward, and it’s a waste of time.”

“Awooo~~”

His mount, Noodle, howled in agreement.

This Bipedal Wyvern also fondly remembered the days of standing guard at the palace gates and lounging in its lair.

“Damn, the air seems to be getting worse, it’s suffocating.”

“Never mind, let’s keep executing the mission.”

Mantou stroked Noodle’s slender, smooth neck, continuing to use the aerial reconnaissance skill of the Red Scale Conqueror for patrolling the city skies. Icons appeared above everyone’s heads on the ground, indicating their names, levels, and even factions.

[Citizen]

[Worker]

[Scholar]

[Tiefling Guard]

[Wealthy Merchant]

Mantou overlooked the city, his eyes growing numb at the dense clusters of names.

“With over thirty thousand people in this southwest district, catching spies is practically like finding a needle in a haystack. If I look at each one, I’ll die of exhaustion.”

“Wait, what’s that—”

Suddenly, an eye-catching red font in the crowd caught his attention.

[Boske Duchy Scout (Challenge Level: 3)]

The man dressed in ordinary clothes stood unnoticed in the crowd, just like any average citizen. No one in the chaotic Northwind Castle would suspect his identity, but unfortunately for him, he encountered the players who could see everything.

Mantou became instantly excited, leaning forward slightly, almost snorting out white smoke from his nostrils.

“Speak of the devil, here comes Gold Coin and contribution!”

“Noodle, it’s that man.”

“Awooo~”

The Bipedal Wyvern nodded slightly, speeding up the flapping of its wings.

The scout on the ground seemed to notice the Wyvern in the sky as well. He discreetly quickened his pace, trying to slip into a side alley under the cover of the crowd.

However, Mantou in the air saw everything clearly.

How could he let this duck delivered to his mouth fly away?

“Damn it.”

The scout turned his head to look at the approaching large shadow, realizing he might have been exposed. He quickly took out some powder from his clothes, creating a dense smoke and causing quite a stir in the city.

“Cough cough, what’s this?”

“Where did this weird fog come from?”

“Could it be an enemy invasion?”

People began to speculate, unable to keep their eyes open from the smoke.

Seeing the scout’s footsteps quickening as he was about to completely blend into the crowd, Mantou gave a low command.

“We can’t wait any longer, Noodle, Dragon’s Roar Charge!”

“Roar——”

They collectively let out a soul-stirring dragon’s roar.

At the same time, the Bipedal Wyvern extended its wings, diving rapidly from mid-air.

Under the influence of the dragon’s roar, most people stood frozen in place or even collapsed on the spot. The scout’s hope of escaping through the chaotic crowd was shattered.

Even for a well-trained scout, the power of the dragon’s roar caused him to stagger. He barely ran a few steps before crashing into a roadside stall.

Mantou shouted loudly:

“Red Scale Conqueror on a mission! Bystanders step aside!”

“He is a scout sent by the enemy!”

Two legs running couldn’t possibly outrun two wings flying, especially under the effect of the dragon’s roar.

In just a few breaths, the Bipedal Wyvern swept over the scout, lifting him off the ground with its giant claws.

“Wahoo, take off!”

Mantou rode the Wyvern, shouting in exhilaration. Not only had he caught the scout, but he also secured a hefty amount of Gold Coins and contributions.

“Damn dragon minion!”

The scout struggled continuously in mid-air.

However, the Wyvern’s sharp claws embedded in his flesh held him firmly, making it impossible to break free.

Within a few breaths, the Bipedal Wyvern had ascended to several hundred meters above the ground. The scout, calming down, took out a hidden sleeve arrow, aiming to pierce the Wyvern’s wing and take the Wyvern Knight down with him before dying.

“Die, dragon minion!”

The scout raised his right hand, aiming at the Wyvern’s wing.

However, the knight on the Wyvern’s back was always watching the scout’s moves.

“Swish——”

The moment the scout extended his hand, Mantou swiftly swung his longsword, chopping off the arm along with the sleeve arrow.

Wiping his blood-stained sword, Mantou said calmly: “Since you got caught, why not just surrender?”

“You still want to crash me? Forcing me to harm you, huh.”