Chapter 2447: The Dragon King Culprit
Zhang Xiaohou was on a mission, and could not afford to stay for too long. He asked the head scout to regroup with the rest of the troop so they could continue on their journey.
The Flying Dragon beat its wings and flew higher into the sky.
The Flying Dragons usually flew at an altitude of over ten thousand meters, similar to most commercial flights, but not every creature could withstand the cold when flying at such an extreme altitude.
Zhang Xiaohou took a final worried glance at the ground as his mount was soaring into the clouds.
He could only see half of the land below because the thick clouds were obscuring things.
The gray buildings, as tiny as lego blocks, were scattered close to some gentle hills in the vast terrain. The area close to the mountains was most likely the main district of the county. The buildings were denser there than those close to the sea.
When the buildings were almost blocked off by the clouds, Zhang Xiaohou noticed round gray clouds engulfing some of those buildings.
The sky was silent as the strange phenomenon occurred on the ground. Zhang Xiaohou thought he was imagining things again.
"Dive down!" Zhang Xiaohou suddenly ordered.
His men had no idea what was going on. They only saw Zhang Xiaohou pulling the lead reins on the Flying Dragon. The majestic creature immediately dove from the sky!
The Flying Dragon did not fold its wings. It pulled its wings toward its tail, making its head and body into a long triangle. Its dive left two visible lines on both sides as its wings sliced through the air. It soon passed through the layer of clouds.
The others immediately followed and dove for the ground too, but the Triumphant Eagle Dragons were slower than the Flying Dragon. They were quickly left some distance behind.
---
Zhang Xiaohou gradually approached the ground. He could see the intertwining roads, patches of farmlands and wetlands, and people fleeing in panic.
However, he felt a shiver running down his spine when he noticed the buildings had all disappeared!
All the buildings were razed to the ground, as if they were destroyed by a celestial being. Their remains, now in the form of dust clouds, loomed over the district. Thousands of people were standing on the streets and staring at their surroundings like they were having a nightmare in total disbelief and fear!
Not a single building was left, including those with only a single story.
Even the strongest earthquake would not turn all the buildings into powder in just an instant. Most importantly, an earthquake would cause strong quakes and leave cracks in the ground everywhere.
However, the ground was perfectly fine without any sign of damage, yet the buildings of an entire county had all collapsed and turned into dust!
Zhang Xiaohou could not believe his eyes.
It would take a huge amount of power to cause such a terrifying phenomenon. Even a Great Ruler could not destroy the buildings so cleanly and silently!
However, Zhang Xiaohou did not notice anything strange as he searched the 'bald' county.
There was no sign of a powerful demon creature's presence and no trails had been left behind by the culprit. The whole county had effectively disappeared, but its residents were all unharmed.
Some of the people were living in taller buildings, but the hills of dust the buildings had turned into cushioned their falls and saved their lives.
"What...what exactly just happened? Don't tell me the Dragon King is real?" Hua Yuezhu blurted out after a prolonged silence.
If Hua Yuezhu had linked the phenomenon to the Bohai Dragon King, the residents who had been around for a long time would arrive at the same conclusion too.
The survivors soon dropped to their knees while facing the sea. They either lost their minds after being overwhelmed by fear, or were sincerely grateful toward the Dragon King for sparing their lives. Many were knocking their heads on the ground. It was quite a shocking sight!
---
The shocking incident in Luning County soon spread on the Internet.
There was no sign of demon creatures, and it did not seem to be caused by a Mage, either. It was like the work of a god, so more people started to believe the Bohai Dragon King was responsible for it.
Zhang Xiaohou could not stay in Luning County. There was nothing he could do since there was no sign of any demon creatures. He could not find any explanation for the incident, either.
However, Zhang Xiaohou could sense a strange atmosphere looming over Qinhuangdao.
The buildings were destroyed in virtually no time at all. What if the target was the people, who were far more fragile? Was it really a warning from the Bohai Dragon King? What would he do next to vent his wrath?
Zhang Xiaohou quickly reached Qinghuangdao City.
He was still lost in his thoughts. For some reason, he had a feeling the mission he had been assigned had something to do with the rumors of the Bohai Dragon King.
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Beidaihe District...
Beidaihe was a coastal resort town, but not many people were visible enjoying their day on the beach, most likely due to the incident that shocked the whole country.
A black-bearded middle-aged man in a brown military coat was walking slowly along a scenic path. The sea breeze was caressing his beard.
"I heard about Beijiang. You did well," the man spoke.
"Chief, is the incident in Luning County related to our current mission?" Zhang Xiaohou asked attentively.
"Pretty sharp, aren't you? The wrath of the dragon king, huh? People always like to believe in rumors," the man sighed. "Xiaohou, what do you think?"
"I think it's terrifying. The cities are our foundation. The safe zones are established with relay stations, sentry towers, keeps, fortresses, and maritime battlefields on their perimeters. The coastlines are even guarded by dams, otherwise the sea monsters would be able to come and go freely. If something out there has the ability to turn them all into dust, the cities will soon turn into hunting grounds for the sea monsters and demon creatures!" Zhang Xiaohou judged.
"It seems like you are more alert than some of the old generals," the man smiled grimly.
The two kept walking along the beach. The man suddenly stopped and pointed at the sea and the islands within their range of vision. "How far can you see?" the man asked.
"Around a dozen kilometers."
"The water you can see now and the water further away are full of the culprits who destroyed Luning County. These things have always been in our territory. They are trying to destroy every defensive structure, dam, and building along our coastlines. Bohai is their nest. They are multiplying now, growing until they are strong enough to devour the Bohai, East, and South China Seas," the man declared with a slight hint of anger.
Zhang Xiaohou could sense his chief's Aura. The waves were rolling in the opposite direction, and the tide was retreating from him, too!
The man continued before Zhang Xiaohou could say a word, "The old clock tower in Shanghaiguan District has started its countdown."
Zhang Xiaohou was puzzled. He looked at the huge clock tower on top of a mountain in Shanhaiguan District. "Chief, what is the countdown for?" he asked.
"The arrival of a Forbidden Curse!"
