Chapter 48: Legendary Creature

Closing the mission panel, Li Xia noticed that the small team from earlier hadn’t left yet. They stood there, lost in thought.

Clearly, they hadn’t received a mission and were still staring at the group chat.

Their earlier accusation of Li Xia’s actions being foolish might have been misguided; these people were not necessarily stupid, but quite possibly just purely malicious.

Although the next phase hadn’t arrived yet, Li Xia could roughly guess their intentions.

They simply wanted to extract the hidden secrets of the human faction from him by such means.

It was a clichéd yet effective method in reality—how many honest, upright people had been ruthlessly exploited and betrayed by villains in workplaces and daily life?

After all, they were all newcomers who unconsciously carried over habits from their previous lives, failing to realize that this was a sanctuary.

Here, the most sincere friendships and the most ruthless cruelty coexisted.

If this were not a neutral zone, Li Xia would have long since ended them with a few shots.

He withdrew his gaze, sweeping them away like trash from his attention, and hurriedly ran toward the tower, summoning his trusted followers to remind them carefully.

These few followers were precious assets and needed to stay far away.

They could handle mere grunts, but facing Smaug would be like delivering a feast.

Numbers One and Two nodded with dry chuckles, leading four subordinates toward the wooden ship.

The tower wasn’t far, but the panic-stricken crowd clogged the roads, clutching hastily gathered belongings and holding their families tightly, scurrying around Changhu Town like headless flies.

Some tried to board small boats to escape, but they were not alone in this thought, and soon the waterways between towns became blocked with boats.

By the time Li Xia arrived beneath the tower, most of the Changhu Town guards had already gathered, tensely holding bows as they watched Smaug circling in the sky.

Bard’s face was gloomier than before; he stared coldly at the giant dragon above, his fingers gripping the bow turning pale.

Perhaps he was recalling the home destroyed by Smaug.

“Everyone—”

Bard’s voice trembled, low and solemn:

“The evil dragon has come. The mayor has fled, taking all the gold from the treasury—enough to fill an entire ship...”

The guards below erupted in unrest, their eyes filled with disbelief and anger.

“But we can’t escape. You’ve seen it—everyone looks like goats surrounded by wolves. No one can outrun Smaug, so...”

Bard’s voice rose sharply:

“We must fight! We must drive this evil dragon away to save our families, to save... ourselves!”

【Notice: Mission assembly has changed】

【Mission: Repel Smaug!】

【Mission Rewards: Time Copper Coins *2, Merit Points *3, Battlefield Contribution Weighted +10%】

Li Xia instantly understood—this was the secret hidden by the human faction!

This was the ticket, a ticket to the battle against Smaug that others did not have!

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Other apostles could also attack Smaug, but none received such additional rewards.

Li Xia didn’t know what Time Copper Coins were, but he understood the 10% weighting for battlefield contribution calculation.

Completing the mission meant his contribution would be calculated at 1.1 times!

His monocle reflected the flames.

Combat Power: 90!

...................

Suddenly, a message popped up in the chat group.

【Claude (Steel Brotherhood Apprentice): Just used an Ultimate Green Scouting Scroll, got part of Smaug’s status panel. Is 50 points per read too much?】

【Notice: Claude (Steel Brotherhood Apprentice) posted paid intelligence. Pay 50 points to view?】

Fifty points wasn’t expensive, and the group would only buy one copy, so Claude might earn about a thousand points, which was considered a cost.

Li Xia immediately chose to pay. The moment he saw the panel, an unusual melancholy welled up inside him. Finally, a normal status panel!

【Smaug】

【Category: Legendary Creature · Regional Overlord】

【Physical Strength: 4 (Tier One)】

【Attribute: Legendary Creature Template】

【Strength: 36】

【Agility: 30】

【Intelligence: 18】

【Spirit: 20】

【Constitution: 37】

【Skills: Dragon Flame LVmax (Innate Skill), ???, ???】

Dragon Flame LVmax: Condenses fire elements and breathes scorching dragon flames from its mouth, reaching temperatures over a thousand degrees.

Attack Intensity: 3

Damage: When Physical Strength ≤ 3, deals 100% full health damage per second; for each additional tier of Physical Strength, damage received is reduced by 90%.

【Trait: ???】

【Evaluation: The last great dragon of Middle-earth, a tyrannical ruler, a greedy monster. However, it is not invincible and can be defeated.】

Li Xia pressed his lips. Legendary creature, regional overlord...

The communication platform had already exploded with activity. Even with some imagination, Smaug’s formidable power still brought immense pressure.

Kagura: “I don’t even know if Lord Smaug would accept my surrender now. I’ll even polish his scales!”

Apothecary: “I can still heal bodies! No choice, I’m planning to slip away.”

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Claude (Steel Brotherhood Apprentice): “Stop chatting. I’ve done my best. As the evaluation says, Smaug is definitely not unbeatable. Don’t hide anymore, especially those who have stayed silent—Black Ape, Arongul, Bloody Mary, Knight, Madwoman, and the brother named Xia.”

“If you don’t act soon, by the time Bard finishes off Smaug, we’ll all be dead and no one will get the rewards!”

Knight (Judgment Sword Apprentice): “I need an explanation.”

Madwoman (Nightingale Sisterhood Apprentice): “Looks like you know a lot about the members in this trial?”

Bloody Mary (*** Apostle): “What is the relationship between Xia and Mu Xia?”

Arongul (Hermit Order Apprentice): “Something interesting seems to be happening.”

Xia (**** Apostle): “...............”

Claude (Steel Brotherhood Apprentice): “Don’t misunderstand. Our guild got the draft rights this time, so naturally, those talents under the Hall’s spotlight will stand out.”

Draft rights? Li Xia silently queried the Hall, but the transcendence was asleep too long and had no idea about this new thing.

Hmph... useless Hall!

..............

High above, Smaug finally moved. The terrifying beast folded its bat-like wings and dove downward.

As it neared the ground, its slender neck flushed red, sparks flickering across its dense scales, gathering a fierce heat.

Then, like a whip, it swung its head violently down, unleashing a scorching dragon flame from its mouth.

The flame was like a blazing hot butter knife, setting everything it touched ablaze instantly. The crackling of the fire mixed with the panicked screams of the crowd.

The entire Changhu Town was engulfed in the deepest despair.

Amid the chaos, Bard’s cold voice cut through the unease like his sword:

“All civilians, abandon your belongings! Grab wooden planks and jump into the water—swim outward! When Smaug dives, dive under! The deeper, the better!”

He turned, picked up his purple-clad greatbow, and glanced toward Old Joel.

Old Joel took a deep breath and blew the ancient horn atop the tower:

“Woooo—”

【You have received the Valley Clan’s inherited horn: Storm Horn’s Inspiration】

【Wind element surrounds you, increasing all ranged attack damage by 30%, damage tier +1】

Bard raised his longbow and shouted fiercely:

“Everyone, shoot with me!”

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