The Dragon's Pact: A Princess for the Flame

Chapter 37 – Interrogation

"Wow, feeling a bit of a spark, huh?"

Su Nian was slightly taken aback, his heart fluttering with joy at the thought of being liked by such a delicate and charming elf girl with fox ears. It made him feel a bit ticklish inside.

He wanted to shout out loud and puff up his chest a bit.

But he decided against it, not wanting to lose his composure.

"System, why didn't I get a reward? The affection status has changed!"

[Ding! The next affection reward is at 80 affection points.]

"Eighty affection points? What does that mean?"

As he questioned the system, Su Nian's dragon tail wagged happily behind him, though his dragon face remained serious as he focused on treating Anna's leg wound.

[Ding! Based on the host's actions, 80 affection points can generally indicate three main states: liking, admiration, and deep faith.]

I see.

Su Nian pondered. His relationship with Anna was clearly developing towards liking, while his kobold followers and other subordinates mostly felt admiration or awe.

As for deep faith, that seemed to be tied to religion, like if he were to start a cult in human society and develop some followers, that might create such a relationship.

This system is really detailed!

Su Nian couldn't help but admire it in his heart, as his dragon tongue worked more vigorously on Anna's wound.

The rotten flesh was scraped away by the dragon's tongue, revealing fresh red muscle tissue.

Under the dual effects of the dragon saliva's stinging pain and the healing of the wound, Anna no longer felt as much pain.

"Oh, it's so itchy..."

Anna squirmed uncomfortably, her petite body writhing as a tingling, itchy sensation spread from her wound.

Combined with the dragon's hot breath occasionally blowing over the wound, she couldn't help but squeeze her slender, soft legs together, letting out a couple of delicate whimpers, her voice mingling with a nasal tone, reminiscent of a nightingale's song.

Meanwhile, outside the dragon nest.

Brother Hui, the elite gnoll, was holding Moriyama Yaren's head, carrying him along as he led a group of muscular gnolls back in triumph.

Brother Hui looked at the two elite gnolls guarding the entrance to the dragon nest, standing tall and proud like spears, and gave a not-so-standard military salute with his legs together.

"Oh awooo." [Reporting to the master, understand?]

"Awoo." [Understood.]

After a brief exchange, the two elite gnolls made way, and Brother Hui nodded slightly, leading his two underlings as they carried Moriyama Yaren into the dragon nest to meet the boss.

By this time, Su Nian had finished treating Anna's wound and was coiled on a high rock platform, holding the blushing, steaming elf girl tightly in his arms, his dragon head, as large as a car tire, gently resting on her head.

This behavior was quite normal.

After all, what could be unreasonable about a dragon holding onto its treasure every day?

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"Master, a live one, captured."

Brother Hui howled, then with a "thud," he tossed Moriyama Yaren to the ground. The poor man rolled once, spinning to a stop at the foot of the rock steps.

When he looked up, he was met with Su Nian's terrifying dragon face and dark golden dragon eyes.

"Ah! Mother!"

Moriyama Yaren shuddered in fear, letting out a scream as he kicked his legs and scrambled backward, trying to get away from the fearsome black dragon, only to accidentally bump into Brother Hui's leg.

Brother Hui's face twitched, and he grabbed Moriyama Yaren by the scruff of his neck, tossing him back in front of the black dragon. To prevent him from moving, he placed a foot on his head.

"Also, this, as a gift, for the master."

Brother Hui howled twice, pulling out a blueprint emitting a faint purple glow from a leather pouch, signaling for the gnolls behind him to present it to the master.

"A Flame Arrow Tower blueprint? Not bad, not bad, must have come from that silver treasure chest, hehehe..."

Su Nian's menacing dragon head leaned forward slightly, his sharp dragon claws gripping the rock steps as he approached Moriyama Yaren, his dark golden pupils scrutinizing the player with the mustache and shifty eyes.

[Moriyama Yaren, Level 5 - Cleric - Trash]

"Human, lift your head! Look at me!"

The thunderous roar left Moriyama Yaren deaf for a moment, his mind going blank. It took him a while to process what the black dragon had said in the Common Tongue.

He didn't understand the Common Tongue, but the game system would translate it into his Sakura language for him.

He cautiously lifted his head to glance at the black dragon, then quickly lowered it in fear.

This was a legendary black dragon, and it looked so terrifyingly majestic.

It was even more intimidating than the Yamata no Orochi, and he felt that the terrifying monsters of legend from his Sakura Island couldn't even compare to licking the toes of this black dragon.

Seeing Moriyama Yaren's lack of cooperation, Su Nian had no choice but to have Brother Hui forcibly lift Moriyama Yaren's head.

"Why did you invade my territory!"

Su Nian's nostrils flared, releasing a puff of sulfurous steam that scorched Moriyama Yaren's face, immediately causing him to lose half his health and adding a burn debuff.

"Great, Black Dragon Lord, I, I am... yes, I am an adventurer, visiting this place for the first time, merely passing through your territory, with no intention of disturbing you."

Moriyama Yaren knelt on the ground, his face pinched by the gnoll, stammering as he nearly revealed his identity as a player.

Though he didn't know what would happen if he did, or if the natives of this world would understand, he had a feeling it wouldn't be good, so he lied.

"Nonsense!"

Su Nian's shout made Moriyama Yaren's head spin, his health dropping further, leaving him with just a sliver.

"How did you open these treasure chests?"

Su Nian said, slamming a Black Iron Grade Chest in front of Moriyama Yaren with a loud "bang."

"That, that was because we have a special ability, yes, a special ability, that allows us to open treasure chests."

"You? How many of you are there?"

Su Nian's menacing dragon face loomed closer to Moriyama Yaren, applying pressure.

His gaping maw opened and closed, the hoarse, deep voice like a devil's whisper from hell, the sulfurous breath threatening to ignite him at any moment.

"We, we..."

No, I can't just say whatever he asks!

Moriyama Yaren pinched his thigh, hesitating for a long time.

Saying he's alone wouldn't be believable to this black dragon, especially since he had already slipped up.

His eyes darted around, and under the oppressive presence of the black dragon, he gritted his teeth and said:

"We only have two... over a thousand people."

Over a thousand?

Su Nian snorted, blowing out a smoke ring.

He didn't believe a word from this Sakura Island player.

Although he didn't know exactly how many players were in the first starter village, since Moriyama Yaren said a thousand, he boldly multiplied that by five.

Assuming there were over five thousand players in this starter village.

This was a major threat looming over him.

In seven days, he had to lead his magical beasts to slaughter these Sakura Island players until they quit the game, only then could he develop in peace.

Of course, he couldn't let the surrounding starter villages off either.

So, he had to confront the players, avoiding them would only shrink his space for survival, and he needed to accumulate system points by killing players to grow stronger quickly.

A level 5 player could provide 120 system points after being killed 24 times, not to mention they could help him open treasure chests.

There's no need to hide anymore, but he couldn't expose himself. A young black dragon wouldn't attract too much attention from the players, but a black dragon that knew the players' origins would bring about a massive hunt from all the players.