Beneath the Red Dragon

Chapter 545: Chapter 48: Imperative

The briny sea breeze swept through the wide strait, echoing through the jagged rocks on the coast, like the eerie wails and howls of dreadful winter ghosts on the Eternal Frozen Plains, varying in pitch, leaving one uncertain if it was desolate or mournful.

Standing side by side on the strait a few miles from the commercial harbor of the Golden Coast, the Ancestral Red Dragon and Ocean Dragon Law Enforcement Officer Naxson overlooked the newly constructed harbor.

This newly built harbor was slightly smaller than the natural harbor of the Golden Coast due to natural terrain constraints, as the surrounding sea areas, apart from the natural harbor, were surrounded by high mountains and steep cliffs.

Because this somewhat secluded strait was stagnant seawater, the Golden Empire deployed a large workforce to level the high mountains and cliffs and hollow out the craggy rocks to construct a dedicated naval harbor, serving as the experimental site for the Imperial ship research center and the stationing point for the subsequently assembled Imperial Navy.

In constructing this harbor, the Witch Demon residing in the Forest of Sin once again leveraged the advantages of the Undead Mage.

Countless White Bone Undead, after completing the monumental task of excavating the canal and connecting the sea with inland rivers, once again undertook this massive project under the "voluntary" efforts of the diligent Witch Demon overseer.

Every night after the clock struck midnight, the industrious Witch Demon would meticulously awaken those unperturbed White Bone beings, guiding them along secluded paths to quarry rocks and fill in areas near the shore, saving the Empire considerable manpower and resources.

Thus, the two Giant Dragons, even now, occasionally glimpsed skeletons drifting in the sea, those industrious workers, after falling to the seabed, sometimes accompanied the sea’s endless slumber due to the Witch Demon’s oversight.

The officials and Imperial Guard Warriors accompanying behind quietly waited at the foot of the two Giant Dragons for the Emperor’s inspection, a routine well-known to these officials.

Within the Golden Empire, although a gradually mature system was in place, much of the bureaucratic red tape was discarded, resembling the Emperor and Dragon Lord’s unannounced arrivals which never forewarned the concerned officials.

As a result, officials within the Empire adhered to the regulations stipulated by the Empire in their daily affairs.

"How are things at the Imperial Ship Research Workshop lately? In the report submitted by Fafnir a few days ago, the Ship Research Workshop applied for a large sum of research funds again, although I can still afford it, I dislike investments without returns."

Karon’s gaze fell upon the large ships within the harbor, these experimental model new ships were covered in a layer of iron, far bigger than any existing ships and warships in the Icaria World.

The hull, connecting with the rams, stretched a total of three hundred meters, ninety-one meters wide, accommodating the Giant Dragon to move freely on it, an indisputable maritime behemoth, a mobile landmass.

However, these ships have never been put into formal production and use; apart from the overall structure and hull, they are entirely bare, devoid even of mounted Magic Cannons and Armor-Piercing Crossbows, resembling massive models.

"Those workshop researchers have indeed built these iron ships, but they are still quite far from your envisioned giant ships, even with the guidance of a mature knowledge system, but..."

Ocean Dragon Naxson showed some hesitance, this Ocean Dragon Law Enforcement Officer’s domain encompassed the shipyard center, thus in the overlapping responsibilities, he counted as one of the superiors of these research centers.

"Karon,"

Ocean Dragon Naxson observed the leisurely tail-flicking manner of the Ancestral Red Dragon and then spoke, "Not everyone possesses powerful talents, even with a mature knowledge system before them, their already shaped concepts and habitual thinking patterns are difficult to delve into and understand."

"Perhaps we should give them more time, after all, these people originally only manufactured small boats for river navigation, there exists a technological gap between these and sea vessels, let alone the envisioned super warships."

"The ship research center is also striving recently, maybe we should gradually push these upgraded warships into the application market, then improve them incrementally through usage experience."

Ocean Dragon Naxson observed the subtle expressions of the Ancestral Red Dragon ahead, before a twenty-meter-long Ancestral Red Dragon, his snake-like silhouette of the Ocean Dragon appeared especially diminutive, necessitating him to raise his head fully to observe the changes on the Red Dragon’s face.

This Ancestral Red Dragon, it seemed, was not troubled by these affairs, rather appeared to be relishing the salty sea breeze rushing ahead.

A big doubt rose in Ocean Dragon Naxson’s vertical pupils; the Red Dragon, while not fearing water, generally disliked the sea, preferring, even for bathing, magma.

The ascended Ancestral Red Dragon, strictly speaking, already diverged completely into another species from ordinary Dragons, evident from the Ancestral Red Dragon’s splendid scales and magnificent horns.

But the foundational Element embedded in Dragon Blood made it impossible for a fiery Dragon to favor the sea.

In truth, Karon was indeed savoring the sea breeze, which previously seemed somewhat foul.

This resulted from the Ancestral Red Dragon having digested the heart of the Blue Dragon Demon over the past few months.

By devouring the heart of the Blue Dragon Demon with his innate bloodline, purging the chaotic traits of the Demon’s creation, a trace of storm and tidal attributes were captured and absorbed by the Ancestral Red Dragon’s bloodline.