Chapter 289: "Red Dragon" Prototype

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: "Red Dragon" Prototype

For Bazzer, the last three days had been somewhat surreal.

On the afternoon the second half of the Summer Crown began, a huge conflict erupted in the camp.

As a non-combatant, Bazzer didn’t dare go out to see what was happening.

He locked the door tight, hiding in his room and holding Lilia, who had been frightened to tears by the commotion outside.

But the conflict started and ended quickly.

When it was finally quiet outside, he gathered his courage and pushed open the door to gather information, only to be shocked to find the situation had been completely turned on its head.

The three most powerful groups in the camp had officially announced a strategic alliance and formed a supreme command headquarters.

This temporary organization, responsible for leading over ten thousand people in a breakout, had a name that sounded incredibly imposing.

The Red Dragon United Strategy Team.

According to inside sources, the name was personally proposed by Captain Felix of the Golden Lion Cross.

Its inspiration came from the Legend of Emperor Clovis, about the invincible Red Dragon Legion that rose from the ashes in a desperate situation.

Because the official Red Dragon Legion was still in service under the Royal Capital’s command, Felix chose the similar moniker "Red Dragon" to avoid any impropriety.

The conflict that afternoon had been sparked by the first order issued by the Red Dragon United Strategy Team immediately after its formation: the mandatory consolidation of all consumables, Potions, and food within the Underground City’s safe zone.

This action, which cut into their profits, naturally met with fierce resistance from unscrupulous merchants who were hoping to make a killing from the situation.

However, the conflict had clearly been anticipated by the mastermind behind the plan.

Captain Julius of the Silver Hand personally led the enforcement team to suppress it.

The merchant groups that tried to resist were no match for the official enforcement team, and the riot was swiftly crushed in its nascent stages.

Immediately after, the Red Dragon Order carried out a large-scale registration and assessment of personnel with lightning speed.

From Blacksmiths to Pharmacists, from combat Professionals to logistics staff, everyone’s Profession and Skills were recorded and they were systematically assigned to the most suitable positions.

From that day on, the Red Dragon Order declared: The camp will support no idlers.

Everyone, regardless of their status, had to prove their worth in this campaign.

This hardline measure did cause considerable panic at first, but good news soon came and stabilized morale.

People in the camp saw with their own eyes that the gathered Spiritual Chefs were working day and night, using a special recipe to create a type of high-energy compressed food.

According to conservative estimates from the logistics department, the current consolidated reserves were enough to supply the tens of thousands of people with food for over two weeks!

As soon as this news broke, the survival crisis caused by the lack of food was instantly and greatly alleviated.

However, the Red Dragon Order also stipulated that all supplies would no longer be distributed based on need, but would strictly follow a point-based system of "distribution according to work."

Bazzer, being a Minstrel, was naturally placed into a newly formed "Information Department" composed of over thirty other Professionals of the same type during the personnel reorganization.

This newly established department was split into two teams.

One part was responsible for gathering information from the front lines and compiling reports on the Red Dragon Order’s recent logistical work and strategic progress. This was tedious clerical work, requiring them to organize the information into daily battle reports for the leaders of the three major groups to use for decision-making.

The other part was responsible for taking these polished reports and disseminating them throughout the various areas of the camp, using them to boost morale and reassure the people.

Because he was older and had a child, Bazzer was assigned to the relatively safe clerical team.

As he sorted through the data and progress reports that flew in like snowflakes each day, Bazzer grew more and more astounded.

He truly felt that the person behind the scenes coordinating everything possessed terrifying administrative talent!

Sitting in this central hub responsible for data aggregation, Bazzer could see it every day.

How the chaotic situation of ten thousand scattered individuals was gradually brought under control and began to move forward steadily with each new directive.

It seemed the mastermind had long anticipated the inevitable problems that arose during the process, such as "material shortages," "insufficient space for the wounded," and "artisan strikes."

Whenever a problem emerged, a complete contingency plan would be immediately implemented to resolve it quickly.

The camp, once gripped by panic due to being sealed in the Underground City, had miraculously stabilized.

And then, the most shocking thing happened—something that practically made Bazzer’s brain freeze.

When he received permission to enter the core area of the Silver Hand’s encampment to report, holding a compiled table of front-line casualty data...

The behind-the-scenes coordinator, sitting amidst a huge pile of documents and maps, rubbing his temples and completely swamped with work...

...was actually Lance!

When he saw that familiar face, Bazzer even rubbed his eyes hard. ’Am I having some kind of absurd dream?’

And the Lance of this moment was someone Bazzer had never seen before.

In this young man, he saw a powerful ability to coordinate and control, as well as a certain charisma.

Bazzer had noticed on the very first day of the reorganization that many veteran Adventurers did not approve of the young Lance. Some of the Knights from the Golden Lion Cross, in particular, were full of resistance towards Lance’s directives.

But Lance’s method of dealing with these troublemakers was incredibly shrewd.

He didn’t use force to suppress them. Instead, he broke up the troublemakers and mixed them into the front-line advancement teams that had a positive attitude.

First, he arranged for them to handle relatively easy assignments.

At the same time, Lance implemented a strict "point system" throughout the entire camp.

Whether it was killing Demons, patrolling, or transporting supplies, the principle was "the more you work, the more you earn."

With enough points, one could exchange them for more rest time and higher-quality Spiritual Cuisine supplies.

Under the subtle assimilation of their environment and the powerful drive of personal interest, it only took three short days.

When that group of troublemakers returned to exchange their accumulated points for supplies and receive new assignments, Bazzer was shocked to discover that the faces of these troublemakers, once filled with disdain, now showed a hint of willingness to obey!

Bazzer had no idea at what stage Lance had worked his magic; he only felt profoundly shaken.

It wasn’t just his Command of personnel.

Lance’s response speed to the various unexpected events that could come from the front lines at any moment was also astonishingly fast.

Gradually, a powerful belief began to spread like wildfire among the tens of thousands in the camp.

Everyone began to feel a shared conviction: as long as they followed Lance’s command, a solution could be found for any seemingly impossible problem.

The originally distant goal was broken down into numerous small objectives, which were quickly completed, and the news of their completion was spread throughout the camp.

Everyone could tangibly feel that the difficult final objective was being advanced, step by step, through their collective efforts!

Especially the Minstrels of the Information Department, who stood on high platforms every day to announce the progress data: the number of Demons slain today, areas cleared, remaining days of food reserves...

These real numbers were like shots of adrenaline, making everyone start to believe: ’We can really get out of this damn Underground City alive!’

The camp, which had been lifeless after supplies were cut off, had slowly come back to life and become vibrant under Lance’s coordination these past three days.

Artisans repaired armor, Therapists treated the wounded, Warriors blazed trails...

Here, it seemed everyone could find their own meaning and value.

And watching these miraculous transformations happen before his eyes every day was like witnessing an endless supply of precious writing material.

Now, whenever Bazzer returned to the inn to rest at night, he would feel a surge of inspiration.

Every day, he would meticulously record the deeds he had witnessed on parchment.

He had a strong premonition: after this disaster was over, if he organized this content into a documentary-style report on the Underground City and published it in the *Campfire Traveler*, the article would absolutely cause a sensation!

A Heroic Spirit Species, an Underground City under lockdown, tens of thousands of Adventurers surviving in a desperate situation...

Each of these elements, on its own, was enough to attract immense attention.

「The night grew deep.」

Bazzer rubbed his sore wrist, carefully folded the few pages of parchment he had just finished writing, and placed them in his leather bag.

When he had gone to hand over his report that evening, he couldn’t help but praise Lance to his face.

He genuinely felt that thanks to Lance’s coordination, everyone now had hope of successfully conquering the Summer Crown and surviving.

But in the face of his heartfelt praise, Lance, sitting behind that pile of documents, looked completely astonished.

"What does that have to do with me?"

The black-haired young man put down his quill and said something that left Bazzer utterly surprised:

"Bazzer."

"A torch is able to light up the long night because every piece of firewood within it is burning itself with all its might."

"Not because of the person who just happened to gather the firewood together."

Recalling those words, Bazzer turned his head and looked at his daughter, Lilia, who was fast asleep on the bed, hugging a stuffed doll.

At this moment, he suddenly understood completely why, on the day they first met, his daughter had pointed at the seemingly ordinary young man and firmly declared him a "Hero."

A Hero isn’t someone who simply possesses terrifying Power.

A Hero is someone who, when disaster strikes, can step forward, unite countless small strengths, create mortal miracles, and compose an epic for all humanity.

If, on that night before, Bazzer had felt apprehensive about betting his future on Lance, wondering if the boy could truly become Legendary...

...then now, this middle-aged reporter was utterly convinced.

This young man named Lance would one day become a Hero whose tales were sung by thousands across the continent!

Bazzer stood up and walked to the window.

He looked up at the high dome of the Underground City, where the original Magic Energy Lamps had completely dimmed.

The entire camp was plunged into darkness.

But in this darkness, he could still see the faint lights shining from the various wooden cabins.

Those scattered lights were like embers, stubbornly burning in the dark.

He turned back, picked up his ink-dipped quill again, and on the blank cover page at the very top of his manuscript, he solemnly wrote down these words:

"In the long night, no one bestows salvation."

"And so we are Gathering Stars into Fire, willingly becoming the Red Dragon that bursts from the abyss."