Chapter 314: “Main Quest.”
Jie Jie finally sensed the few humanoid energy sources hiding behind, and the rhythm of the Ruin City’s operation paused.
“Hmm, there will indeed be follow-up moves.”
He left the cockpit, maintaining the Ruin City while also sizing up the hunters chasing after them.
Three men and one woman, Dongduoluma’s Chief Hunter wielding dual blades, a Great Sword Warrior, a Katana Warrior, and… an Archer.
As the only female among the three men, her weapon was as different from her companions’ as could be, naturally drawing Jie Jie’s attention.
And without magic, she certainly wasn’t some frail, delicate elf archer. She was tall with well-defined muscles and a flat chest—this was what an archer should look like.
“Did it notice us?”
“We’ve used scent suppressants…”
Kempe recalled the previous battle where the Queen Mantis fought on even after its eyes were destroyed, his mood sinking.
Should we retreat temporarily?
Battle isn’t just about winning or losing; when the situation seems unfavorable, hunters should retreat to adjust their state.
But the Queen Mantis stepped on the Ruin City and moved elsewhere.
“Phew, there’s still this: the Queen Mantis’ eyes are fragile, but it doesn’t affect its fighting ability at all.”
“That’s unfortunate. But Captain, you mean we already damaged its eyes earlier?”
The female archer loosened her grip on the arrow, then noticed a new issue.
“Yes, it seems our intel needs updating—it has powerful regenerative abilities.”
“Maybe those aren’t eyes, just something to confuse opponents?”
The Great Sword wielder raised his hand, only to receive silent stares from his teammates, so he quietly lowered it.
“I think… it saw us but simply didn’t care.”
The Katana Warrior broke the silence, making everyone quiet again.
Indeed, compared to human size, they weren’t worth the effort for the creature to prepare or attack directly.
Their cautious readiness was more wishful thinking than actual threat.
“Let’s continue the mission.”
Kempe shook his head, refocusing on the Ruin City created by the Queen Mantis.
Jie Jie thought similarly. Standing atop the Ruin City, the humans hiding in the bushes seemed so insignificant.
If you want to watch, fine, but don’t think of attacking.
The Ruin City began moving again, step by step, entering the nearest ruined fortress. He continued with his modification plans.
Its lower half still looked strange. Next, he planned to create a forward upper body outline, following the game’s Queen Ruin City development.
Four legs provided better stability, but converting the bipedal form into quadrupedal would require immense time and materials.
If he really wanted to do it, he’d have to find a Queen Mantis with a mature Ruin City and take it over.
So, if only the next few ruined fortresses could lead him to another Queen Mantis…
…
A Queen Mantis wasn’t encountered, but an Old Mountain Dragon was.
The familiar Thunder Wolf Dragon ran in panic, stopping in front of the Ruin City as if scared stiff, gritting its teeth before leaping high and jumping over the Ruin City.
In the distance, the towering figure of a dragon reared up, its long neck surpassing the mountains, gazing ahead at its direction, spotted both by the monsters and humans on the path.
Could the Ruin City fight the Old Mountain Dragon?
This was Jie Jie’s first thought.
Clearly not. During the previous battle with the Queen Mantis, the Giant Halberd Dragon had lifted one leg of the Ruin City and flipped it over, rendering it completely useless.
He understood the Old Mountain Dragon’s strength and weight all too well. Imagining it rearing up and pressing down, the Ruin City would collapse instantly, much easier than the Old Mountain Dragon flattening a mountain.
The Ruin City and the Old Mountain Dragon were on the same route; their meeting was inevitable.
If the human fortress was a threshold that must be crossed in these mountains, then the Old Mountain Dragon was the mountain god that must be revered when traversing these peaks.
But Jie Jie wasn’t worried at all.
Two months ago, he made the mountain god run away. If it weren’t for the Queen Mantis stealing the Strike Dragon Gun and his obsession with building mechas, the Old Mountain Dragon would’ve been dealt with long ago using the Strike Dragon Gun.
Perfect timing to unlock a new form in the “main quest”!
The King of Beetles left his throne, and the Queen Mantis left her Ruin City.
“It’s the Old Mountain Dragon!”
“The Old Mountain Dragon!”
“The Old Mountain Dragon…”
The hunters also spotted the long neck stretching beyond the mountains, exclaiming in awe.
People from Dongduoluma grew up hearing legends of the Old Mountain Dragon. As elite hunters, they had engaged in battles with it multiple times.
Just as the Peak Mountain Dragon represented the passion of Loke Clark, the Old Mountain Dragon symbolized the passion of Dongduoluma, being both the monster they sought to hunt and a cultural emblem.
And every time they encountered the Old Mountain Dragon, their astonishment and admiration remained constant.
“I suddenly remembered, the initial city alert was because they found the Old Mountain Dragon battling an unknown ultra-large monster, right?”
Kempe touched his forehead, unsure, reviewing the events and finding it amusing.
“Yes, we never saw the Old Mountain Dragon or the unknown ancient ultra-large dragon. My investigation team discovered the Ruin City’s footprints first, leading to the fortress defense battle.”
The Great Sword wielder wore a simple smile.
The Old Mountain Dragon was the main storyline for the fortress and the people of Dongduoluma. The Queen Mantis? Just a side quest.
“The Old Mountain Dragon might arrive late on the road, but it will surely come.”
Even the usually taciturn Katana Warrior showed a hint of amusement in his voice.
“You East Douluma folks confuse me, but hasn’t our mission target abandoned its nest and fled?”
The visiting female archer didn’t understand the main storyline of Dongduoluma and remained focused on their true objective.
“There are no other paths avoiding the distance between the Ruin City and the Old Mountain Dragon. The Queen Mantis fleeing is wise. The Ruin City left behind will definitely be crushed as an obstacle by the Old Mountain Dragon.”
Kempe spread out the map, revealing parallel mountain roads rarely intersecting.
“May the Mountain God bless us. It seems the task difficulty has decreased.”
“No, let’s check out the Ruin City.”
Kempe stepped out of hiding, examining the Ruin City—from the blush-inducing Strike Dragon Gun to the cannon mounts placed upon it.
“Mission change, we can climb onto the Queen Mantis’ Ruin City for inspection. If conditions permit, we’ll prepare to ambush the Old Mountain Dragon.”
“Are you crazy?!”
The female archer widened her eyes, looking left at the foolishly grinning Great Sword wielder and right at the silent Katana Warrior who seemed ready to go insane.
She began questioning whether she was the only sane person.
“No, I’m perfectly clear. The Ruin City isn’t our fortress, we don’t need to die defending it. We’re just making the best use of it.”
“This will be a legendary experience, won’t it?”
Dongduoluma’s Chief Hunter extended his palm, which the Great Sword wielder and Katana Warrior slapped onto without hesitation.
“You’re right, this is indeed a legendary experience.”
The archer watched them, placing her own palm on top.
Hunters protect through hunting, gain benefits and honor through courage.
