“So fast?? Didn't you say you were going to set up warning traps?” Po Kong said with a look of astonishment. “In that case, Little Star, let's hurry up and make dinner!”
“How much time could it possibly take to set up those little trinkets? It’s a piece of cake,” Xia Duo said dismissively, blowing on her fingernails. “Stop trying to change the subject with these old tricks. Honestly, what are you hiding from us?”
Po Kong’s face froze. He felt as if he were being seen through inside and out. After a few seconds of silence under Xia Duo’s sharp gaze, he finally had to raise his hands in surrender. “Alright... I give up, I give up! But let me gather my thoughts first...”
“Fine~ I’ll give you plenty of time.” As she spoke, Xia Duo held up one hand, showing five fingers.
“At least I have five minutes! Think fast, Po Kong!” Just as Po Kong was feeling a bit relieved, he saw Xia Duo’s gesture change from five to four...
“??? Wasn't it five minutes??!!”
A minute later, the four were sitting around the campfire, looking expectantly at Po Kong, all curious about what he was going to say.
During the time Po Kong was preparing, Starlight had not only built the fire but had even taken out a full set of cooking tools from his storage space, looking completely ready to enjoy the show.
Po Kong, seeing his good buddy acting like it was none of his business, gritted his teeth in frustration. He kept winking at him, but Starlight completely ignored him.
“Ahem... Alright, let me ask you a question first... What did you think of the group we met this afternoon?” Out of options, Po Kong cleared his throat and began his speech.
“Hmm? Didn't they say they were hunters? Did you forget already?” Moen asked with a slight tilt of her head, puzzled.
Being pure-hearted by nature, she naturally hadn't thought much of it, but Xia Duo and Starlight sensed something different in his tone.
“Po Kong, are you saying... that group might pose a threat to us?” Starlight rubbed his chin and instinctively looked around, his expression becoming alert.
“You don’t need to be too tense,” Po Kong waved his hand slightly, signaling him to relax. “I said it’s possible, but not certain. The main thing is that their identities are too suspicious; it just doesn't feel real.”
Xia Duo frowned and bit her nail. After a moment of contemplation, she offered her own view: “Hmm, now that you mention it, that’s true... Although I don’t know much about the situation on your human side, what kind of ordinary hunters would have such complete equipment? Furthermore... why would they bring a mage and a priest along for hunting?”
Only then did it dawn on Starlight. Thinking back to the rear of that so-called hunter team, there were indeed two members holding staves. If one thought about it carefully, it really didn't make sense. “Even so... it’s not enough to assume they’re dangerous to us.”
“True. If it were just a simple lie, I wouldn't have said this. But if that guy today really is from the House of Red... then it’s hard to say~”
Seeing that his companions were still somewhat confused, Po Kong had to continue explaining.
Back at the Spiritual Arts Academy, they had obtained some basic information about the Crimson City-State from Ivan and the Shadow Court, but there wasn't much description regarding its actual rulers, the House of Red, or its history.
In reality, this massive Crimson City-State was by no means something a single family could completely control. From the perspective of the royal family, they would never allow any single power to monopolize such a wealthy city.
Therefore, various large and small forces within the Crimson City-State were intertwined like vines, forming a complex web of power.
However, in the process of the city-state's development, not everything went according to the royal family’s imagination.
As the economic heartland of the entire continent, the Crimson City-State was undoubtedly a lucrative prize. Although the major families within the city-state fought tooth and nail over money, they were surprisingly united on a certain key point.
Thousands of years ago, the Crimson City-State was significantly different from other city-states. Its garrison was insufficient, and with no natural barriers around it, all defense relied on the vast depth of the continent’s interior.
But unfortunately, at that time, both the Violet City-State in the west and the Azure City-State in the southeast were being trampled by the iron hooves of foreign races.
The isolated Crimson City-State, facing the surging tide of the non-human army, was ultimately unable to resist and could only meet the tragic end of its city destroyed and its people killed.
Not to mention that during the great war thousands of years ago, the Crimson City-State had also suffered a savage invasion by the beastkin. Unlike the Demons who only knew slaughter and destruction, those beastkin who occupied barren lands year-round naturally wouldn't pass up the chance to plunder this fertile place.
In that horrific massacre, almost the entire prosperous city-state was put to the torch. The wealth accumulated by humans over generations was looted, and even the Grand Ducal Mansion of Red, the family of the city lord, had only a few survivors who narrowly escaped.
Originally, the human allies had every opportunity to come to the aid of the Crimson City-State, but under the circumstances of that time, neither the elves nor the dwarves provided assistance.
By the time the War God Legion hurriedly arrived, the entire Crimson City-State had been reduced to a wasteland of death and ash.
Under the struggle of the War God Legion led by the House of Mars, humans eventually reclaimed their land and even drove the beastkin directly out of the Leon Continent. However, the terrible scars left by the foreign invasion were not so easily erased.
Although the ancestors of the House of Red used their extraordinary means and courage to rebuild a more prosperous new city-state on that desolate wasteland.
At the same time, a deep-seated hatred for non-human races was deeply branded into the blood of every citizen of the Crimson City-State.
It was precisely out of this hatred and distrust from thousands of years ago that the Crimson City-State gradually evolved into a unique social structure of human supremacy.
Although all the families in the city had many frictions over matters large and small, they were exceptionally consistent when it came to the issue of non-human races. Furthermore, through their amazing business talent, they successfully seized control of the continent's central hub.
Because they were unable to conduct large-scale trade with the East, the originally prosperous economy of the dwarves suffered a heavy blow, and they eventually had to retreat into the mountains of the North, where they declined day by day.
The elves, who already had little commercial interaction with humans, locked their living areas even more firmly within their tribal lands. After all, their population was small, and with the protection of the World Tree and the abundant resources of the Star-Song Forest, it was enough for these peace-loving elves to live a comfortable life.
As the leader, the Royal House of Leon had also rarely maintained silence on this matter. The two ancient races were growing weaker, which naturally vacated a broader living space for humans. This transition directly shaped the current landscape of the entire continent.
It can be said that the current prosperity of the human kingdom is definitely linked to that decision from the past. The Crimson City-State, with its particularly strong racial consciousness, has passed down its traditions intact, and in recent years, this trend has even shown signs of intensifying.
Given the painful lessons of the past, the various families of the Crimson City-State have fully utilized their advantages to fanatically develop their combat forces.
Since the royal family strictly ordered the major city-states to maintain a limited garrison size, they kept only the most basic combat personnel and poured all their resources into talent cultivation and the recruitment of top-tier individuals.
Under the powerful drive of money, the current Crimson City-State has gathered almost the most formidable high-end combat power groups on the continent. Their density even exceeds that of the Royal Capital, making it a true gathering place for the strong.
Today, even if the royal family intended to intervene and try to change all this, they are already powerless to do so.
Rate on N.U.
