Chapter 141: The Butcher's Trail

Tornado Harbor, later that day.

The sun was scorching hot over the sea, making everything seem torrid and painful.

Xander’s group entered the city after receiving a strict inspection. If not for Xander taking out his Overlord medal from the South Wizards Alliance, it probably would have been impossible to enter the city at such a chaotic time!

Tornado Harbor was already in chaos: people were doing their best to clear out rubble, parents were looking for their missing children, and guards were silently receiving treatment.

Quite a lot of people had lost a relative, brother, or friend after that Dragon’s Disaster. And some lost an arm or a leg.

As for the injured soldiers, they could only lie down and receive medical treatment. It was already a lot better than those who died under the Evil Dragon’s Breath.

At least they still had their lives and the time to feel sad.

The disaster was that ruthless.

Xander walked down the street, silently looking at children running by, their faces filled with fear.

This disaster might even be recorded in history, but it would leave an even deeper mark in the hearts of Tornado Harbor’s inhabitants.

Especially the children, who met with this traumatic ordeal at such a young age. This event was something those who had lived in peace for a decade couldn’t imagine.

Xander heard someone pray to the gods; it was naturally a Priest of the Silver God. He prayed for the god’s blessing, to keep away disaster from this land.

Unfortunately, this low-level Priest was unaware that the god he believed in wouldn’t bless him.

Indeed, the Silver God was a 3rd Generation Ancient God. He wouldn’t participate in the attack of the Arcane Reservoir, but he also couldn’t prevent everything.

For the East Coast, as well as for the entire continent, the Dragon Disaster was only the beginning.

The true catastrophe and sorrow still had yet to arrive!

—

Xander and Ivan parted ways in Tornado Harbor.

The Elven Prince swore to find the place where the Ancient Red Dragon Ember was hiding, to complete the feat of killing a Dragon.

But Xander knew the Ancient Red Dragon’s old nest was actually inside a strange cave at the bottom of the ocean. That place was very difficult to find, and without knowing the precise location, you simply couldn’t find it in the vast sea.

Seawater couldn’t reach that place, and it was actually quite dry and warm because it was deep in the earth and frequently had lava flowing.

The Ancient Red Dragon waged war twice on the East Coast. The first time was the attack on Tornado Harbor. The second would be the world-shaking battle with the Copper Dragon, Professor. Both sides would suffer a heavy loss the second time, and Ember would escape back to his old nest at the seafloor, but a Master Tracker would find the location of his nest and spread the news.

This immediately attracted countless adventurers who wanted to become famous as Dragon Killers.

This was the continent’s “Release of the First Legendary Instance,” the opening of the [Lava Palace] .

This was a part of the storyline Xander was very familiar with. He even knew how to find that deeply hidden Lava Palace in the seafloor.

But he didn’t tell Ivan that Lava Palace’s location because he knew that the current Ivan was far from being the opponent of the Red Dragon.

That earlier punch was only effective due to catching the Red Dragon off guard.

If the Ancient Red Dragon was somewhat prepared, he would have used a few Dragon Spells, and unless the Great Elven King had put a taboo magic like Rebirth on Ivan, he would have been annihilated!

Even if Ember was now scared away by the threat of the Dragon Slayer Sword spell, he wasn’t something Ivan could handle now.

Xander obviously knew that the Dragon’s body was extremely powerful, but he was even more aware of his abilities. To get rid of the Ancient Red Dragon, only a Legend powerhouse on the level of the Great Elven King, Anthony, the Copper Dragon Professor, or Inheim wearing Void Boots could have a chance.

If it was him, even if the Ancient Dragon was lying immobile in front of him and he executed his strongest move, he wouldn’t even be able to pry a dragon scale open!

This was absolute strength.

Skills and experience were all worthless in front of it.

Xander watched as Ivan sat on a ship and went out to sea. Afterwards, he started carrying out his plan.

He hadn’t forgotten why he’d come, painstakingly passing through the Spider Crypt in order to buy food.

Tornado Harbor was a food port after all.

—

“What!?”

“Because of the Dragon Disaster, all trade in Tornado Harbor is suspended?”

Xander frowned.

Lola displayed a helpless expression.

Last time she came to Pearl Bay, she looked for the person in charge of the Taurus Chamber in Tornado Harbor.

Thanks to Lola’s silver tongue, describing the impoverished and backward Redoak Vale as a territory which had a high potential for development, that person in charge, under Lola’s negotiations (swindling?), agreed to lower the market price by 30% and sell a certain amount of wheat to Redoak Vale.

The prerequisite was that for the next three years, the Taurus Chamber would become Redoak Vale’s number one supplier, and required Xander to let them build some subsidiaries. They also requested an even lower taxation rate.

For Xander, Redoak Vale’s businesses were lacking and the tax was already pretty low. The Taurus Chamber’s conditions were something he could completely accept.

Thus, if what Lola said was true, he would definitely agree.

However, this morning, when he had Lola go look for that person in charge, he received this news.

– Business transactions are strictly prohibited in the city. Everyone has to help with the debris. Outsiders aren’t allowed in the Business District, the Noble District, and the Docks. –

This ban was said to be lasting for at least a week.

In other words, for the next week, Xander couldn’t buy food from the Taurus Chamber!

Xander quickly checked this news.

Lola didn’t lie.

Tornado Harbor’s announcement board clearly had a trade ban, especially mentioning the trade of food and products used daily.

‘This is troublesome.’

‘The territory will run out of food in six days at most. To get Madeline to send some food, I would have to give her the Magic Holy Grail—it’s too much of a loss!’

‘The other five ports, even if they didn’t suffer from the Dragon Disaster, were probably affected by the tsunami. They might also have the same policy, and going there could be a waste of time we can’t afford.’

Xander frowned, thinking for a while before finally making a decision.

There was only one way.

Trojan Town’s black market.

—

Half an hour later, Xander bought a good horse at a high price from a merchant and was ready to leave Tornado Harbor.

He rode with Lola toward the west, disappearing in the dust.

Lola didn’t know horsemanship, so Xander could only let her ride in front of him to prevent her from falling off the horse.

But, heaven knows what this overthinking talkative girl was thinking about.

The reason why Xander took Lola along was simple.

Lola was a very good speaker, meaning she had the potential to become a great merchant. Her accounting and bargaining ability were very high, which was very important during negotiations.

Of course, out of all her skills, the fiercest one was [Bluff] .

Even if Xander somewhat trusted her right now, he wouldn’t completely hand stuff over to her.

If it was Anna, he would have already felt relieved to have the Half-Elf take care of the matter. Why would he need to act then?

—

Main road at noon, people were scattered around, annoyed by the scorching sun.

After a while, Xander left the main road and went on the field.

Further west was Trojan Town.

Trojan Town was closer to the entrance of the Spider Crypt, and was where the pair of Halflings had gone. They didn’t have much to buy, so that place was fine.

Xander knew that Trojan Town had an underground black market which sold quite a lot of stuff, and food was naturally included.

But it was very expensive and there was also the risk of robbery.

Thus he had made preparations to go through the proper channels.

How could he have expected the Ancient Red Dragon would attack the Six Pearl Ports at that time? Even just a few days later would have been fine!

While Xander was thinking, Lola suddenly cried out, “There is a strange shadow!”

She pointed far in the distance. That was in the direction of Trojan Town.

Xander froze and looked up, the sun hurting his eyes, but he noticed that big shadow.

His expression suddenly changed!

That was a human skin kite!

‘Twin Serpents Cult… No good! Trojan Town!’

This kind of thought suddenly flashed through Xander’s mind.

Lola didn’t know what it meant, so seeing Xander’s extremely solemn expression, she couldn’t help but be somewhat nervous.

—

Ten minutes later, outside of Trojan Town.

“Ugh!”

Lola threw up.

In front of her was a horrifying scene!

A pillar of human flesh hanging by a rope. On the other end of the rope was a kite made of human skin!

All of this human flesh was originally the inhabitants of Trojan Town when they were alive. In the end, their skin was peeled to make a human skin kite.

Needless to say, this certainly was the handiwork of the Twin Serpents Cult.

Only corpses were left in Trojan Town.

A strong bloody smell that would make people feel sick. This scene was more horrifying than the one in the Thousand Leaves Forest!

Last time was a small elven village.

This time was the entire Trojan Town, which had about 600 to 700 inhabitants!

They were all dead, and they died in such a cruel way.

“Twin Serpents Cult!” Xander ground his teeth as he uttered that frightening name.

These damn bastards!

They definitely took advantage of the South Wizards Alliance dispatching the guards of the neighboring towns to the Six Pearl Ports, leaving the village defenseless. They thus attacked those elderly and children left behind!

He didn’t know how shocked and tormented those soldiers guarding the East Coast would be when they return to their town and saw their own relatives murdered and made into a human skin kite.

‘Damn it…’

‘This Lord must dismember these scum ten thousand times!’

Xander endured the bloody smell and dragged Lola forward.

Since the human leather kite was hanging there, it was proof that Twin Serpents followers had already left.

But they should have left something in the small town he could use to track these bastards with Night Tracking!

The situation inside the town was even more sickening, and Lola kept throwing up.

Xander was looking at his surroundings, alert.

Suddenly, he heard faint footsteps!

To the left!

“Woosh!”

He instantly threw a dart.