Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

On the last day of winter, the cold wind failed to dispel the tension and restlessness that suddenly rose in the Lost Land.

A shocking piece of news spread like wildfire, instantly engulfing the intelligence networks of all factions.

Sal Ignarion, the Lord of Chaos Demon Continent, and Hex, the Alchemist Baron and ruler of the Machine Continent, officially signed an alliance at the Eternal Night Royal Court, announcing the merger of the two oasis-level forces and the joint establishment of a new nation: the Magic Gold Empire!

The Demon Lord Thrall ascended to the throne as Emperor of the Empire, while the Alchemist Baron Hex was appointed Grand Marshal of the Empire and concurrently served as the Chief of the Senate, a council symbolizing the joint political body of nobles and various factions.

The alliance of the two powerful figures instantly altered the balance of power in the Lost Lands, and a colossal entity, a combination of absolute authority and cutting-edge machinery, bared its fangs menacingly.

The establishment of the Demon Gold Empire instantly stirred up a monstrous wave throughout the Lost Lands.

Apart from the Mysterious Continent and the Endless Alliance maintaining a subtle silence for the time being, the other two established oasis-level forces—the Night Moon Continent and the Twilight Continent—reacted to varying degrees, but both were extremely strong, almost immediately.

In the depths of Wolf Howl Fortress on Nightmoon Continent, in the Ancestral Wasteland.

This is not a castle in the traditional sense, but a vast camp surrounded by ancient totem poles and built from rough boulders and the bones of giant beasts.

The cold wind howled among the bare rocks and wild grass, carrying the unique chill and wildness of the North.

A huge campfire roared in the center of the camp, the flickering flames illuminating the rugged, wild faces marked by battle.

The de facto ruler of Nightmoon Continent, the "Wolf Lord" revered by all the werewolf tribes—Tolwald Kayya—is standing on a giant stone altar carved with the head of a howling wolf.

He was exceptionally tall and muscular, a giant even by werewolf standards, with his bare chest and arms covered in silver hair and hideous scars.

A pair of amber vertical pupils gleamed with a cold, sharp light in the firelight, as if they could pierce through one's heart.

He simply stood there, and he naturally exuded a wild, domineering, and suffocating sense of oppression.

That was the majesty of a legendary peak powerhouse, and the absolute power and prestige needed to command countless unruly werewolves.

Below him, standing or sitting around the altar, were the leaders of various powerful "wolf bandit gangs" in Nightmoon Continent, as well as a few tribal shamans and elders known for their wisdom.

These people were all fierce and arrogant, true werewolf elites who had grown up in blood and fire, plunder and slaughter.

At this moment, their faces were filled with solemnity, anger, and a burning fighting spirit after being provoked.

Tolwald's voice was deep and hoarse, yet it resonated like thunder throughout every corner of the camp:
"Thrall... and that Hextech guy hiding in the metal shell... they've teamed up."

Magic Gold Empire? "

He scoffed, his contempt and anger barely concealed. "What arrogance! What do they want? To seize the entire Lost Lands? Do they think we're all just meat on a chopping block?"

He looked around at his wolf bandit leaders, each of whom represented a formidable armed force in Nightmoon Continent.

Wolf bandits are the main military and social organization in Nightmoon Continent. They are not only raiders and protectors, but also symbols of bravery and honor in werewolf culture.

"Tell me, Sal has come with great force this time, even going so far as to get involved with those guys who spend all their time fiddling with gears. He must have something big planned."

How should we, the wolf cubs of Nightmoon Continent, deal with this?

No sooner had he finished speaking than a rough, hoarse voice, like a broken gong, roared out.

The speaker was Goruk, the leader of the "Cracked Claw" wolf bandits, a burly werewolf with three deep claw marks on his face.

He pounded his thick-haired chest with a dull thud.

"Wolf Lord! What's there to say?! That bastard Thrall is just hiding in that godforsaken place, the Eternal Night Court, raising some shady characters!"

And those scrap metal from the Mechanical Continent? On the Ancestral Wasteland, our wolf riders can crush them into pieces with a single charge!

Want to devour the entire Lost Lands? Dream on!

A bloodthirsty red light flashed in Goruk's eyes:
"When it comes to lone wolves who play tricks in the shadows, we may not be as good as that old sly Sarr."

But when it comes to head-on confrontation, to the charge of thousands of wolf riders, to the relentless battles, chases, and biting on the vast plains!
Our Wolf Bandit Gang of Nightmoon Continent, who have we ever been afraid of?
Are they the spineless scum of the Chaotic Demon Continent, softened by the abyssal aura? Or the useless trash of the Mechanical Continent, unable to walk without their metal shells?

His words resonated with many of the wolf bandit leaders, who responded with low howls or roars in agreement.

Werewolves admire bravery and direct combat, and have always despised Thrall's scheming methods and the Mechanical Continent's reliance on external aids in combat.

However, not everyone is so optimistic.

A relatively aged voice rang out; it came from an old shaman, Wofga, who sat not far below Tolwad:
“Goruk, your courage is commendable, but underestimating your enemy is a path to death.”

The Demon Lord Thrall, after years of forbearance, suddenly launched an attack and joined forces with the traditionally closed Mechanical Continent to establish a nation. This was by no means a spur-of-the-moment decision.

He dared to launch a war of such scale; he must possess a trump card that we are unaware of, one that could potentially change the course of the war.

The old shaman's words calmed down some of the impulsive leaders.

Wolfga continued:
"Our warriors of Nightmoon Continent are indeed brave, and our wolf riders are invincible in the wilderness, but war is not just about frontal assaults. Intelligence, logistics, allies, and ways to deal with unknown threats... these are all things we must consider."

He raised his cloudy yet sharp eyes, looked at the wolf lord Tolwald, and slowly said:
"Lord Wolf, I believe that at this critical juncture, our Night Moon Continent can no longer cling to tradition and face this challenge alone."

Should we send envoys to try to make contact with the Twilight Continent, the Mysterious Continent, or even... that newly risen, mysterious Endless Alliance, to exchange information?

Exploring the possibility of jointly addressing the threat posed by the Demon Gold Empire?
The vampires and witches surely understand the principle of mutual dependence and sympathy.

Cohen of the Endless Alliance is no pushover either; perhaps there's room for cooperation.

Wofga's suggestion brought a brief silence to the camp.

For werewolves, who are proud and used to solving problems on their own, teaming up with outsiders is not the first choice.

However, the pressure from the alliance between the Demon Lord Thrall and the Alchemist Baron Hextech forced them to face reality.

The wolf lord, Tolwald, listened silently to his men's argument, his amber vertical pupils flickering in the firelight.

Unite, or fight alone?
This was a pivotal decision concerning the fate of the entire Nightmoon Continent. And he knew that no matter which path he chose, a storm sweeping across the Lost Lands was inevitable.

Will the wolf packs of Nightmoon Continent choose to howl proudly in the storm, or temporarily ally with other hunters to jointly confront the behemoths rising from the abyss and machines?

Before the Wolf Lord could make up his mind, someone else quickly spoke up to refute him.

The speaker was Fenrir, leader of the Shadowfang Wolf Bandit Gang, known for his cunning and expertise in raiding logistics, and also the least trusting of other factions.

"Elder Wolfga's concerns are not without merit, but alliance, with whom?"
The old bats of Twilight Continent have been hiding in their castles and coffins for thousands of years. Apart from their interest in blood and ancient rituals, their attitude towards the outside world has always been 'those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.'

Haven't we had enough conflicts with them over territory and prey?
Can we expect them to work together with us?
Before Thrall even attacks, they'll probably be figuring out how to put a 'blood curse' in our drinking water!

As for the witches of the Mysterious Continent and those Sequence Madmen? Cooperate with them? Who knows what kind of damn potion experiments they might conduct on us?

Those who dabble in forbidden knowledge are no better than the demons of the abyss!
"Get involved with them, and you won't even know how you died!"

Finally, when he mentioned the Endless Alliance, his tone was slightly less sharp, but still full of doubt:

"The Endless Alliance... that Cohen is quite a character, he's been making waves lately."

But the problem is that he's now so close to Belmotti of the Mysterious Continent that they're practically inseparable. Who knows what kind of deal they've made behind the scenes?
Now he's even become the imperial consort of the Central Empire. If we rashly approach him, will it be cooperation or walking into a trap? Who can say for sure?

Fenrir looked around at everyone and concluded:
"Therefore, joining forces is too risky, too unpredictable, and may not even get us the support we really want. Instead, it could backfire or we could be stabbed in the back by our allies!"

Although his analysis was filled with distrust of other forces, it did reveal a common mentality within Nightmoon Continent—pride, xenophobia, confidence in their own military strength, and unwillingness to easily entrust their fate to unreliable outsiders.

His words elicited nods of agreement from many wolf bandit leaders, especially those tribes that also made a living by plundering and were accustomed to working alone.

Fenrir finally offered his suggestion, which currently seems to be the most palatable solution for most werewolves:

"In my opinion, the best course of action so far is to remain inactive and observe the situation."

Thrall and Hextech are merely announcing the establishment of a nation, raising a banner, and making a big fuss.

They did not explicitly target our Night Moon Continent, nor did they show any signs of immediately taking action against us.

Why should we rush out and become the first obstacle they want to remove?
Let them make the first move! Let's see just how much this so-called 'Magic Gold Empire' really weighs, and who they're going to bite first!

Is it the Twilight Continent? Or the Endless Alliance?

Once they've shown their true colors and exhausted their strength, we can then seize the right opportunity to decide whether to fight or make peace, or which alliance to take against whom.
The Ancestral Wilderness is vast; we wolf riders move like the wind. Thrall would have to break a few teeth before he could swallow us whole!

"Hold your positions and observe the situation!"

"Fenrir is right! Let's see what Thrall is really capable of!"

"We werewolves aren't easily intimidated, but we also can't be used as pawns!"

This proposal was quickly approved by most of the wolf bandit leaders.

They have a warlike spirit running through their veins, but they are not mindless brutes. Given the unclear situation and unreliable potential allies, choosing to observe for the time being, preserve their strength, and closely monitor developments is undoubtedly the safest and most beneficial option for the werewolves.

The wolf lord Tolwald Kayya, perched atop the altar, took in the reactions of his many leaders.

He did not immediately express his support or opposition to any opinion, but he clearly already had a preference in mind.

In fact, deep down, Tolwald basically agreed with Fenrir's advice to "remain still and observe the situation."

This was not cowardice, but rather a clear understanding of the complex situation in the Lost Lands, and a slight disdain for Thrall and Hextech's "ambition".

Do Thrall and Hextech really think they can unify this lost land that has been in chaos and fragmented for thousands of years?

It’s simply a fool’s errand!

He knew the true nature of the Lost Land better than anyone else.

Yes, on the surface, there are five major oasis-level forces (Chaotic Demon Continent, Mechanical Continent, Mysterious Continent, Twilight Continent, and Night Moon Continent), plus the newly emerging Endless Alliance, which constitute the so-called six top forces.

However, the territory, population, and resources that these six major forces actually control and whose influence can stably cover probably only account for about one-third of the total area and resources of the Lost Lands!

What is the landscape like in the remaining two-thirds of the vast land?
It consists of countless independent city-states, floating islands, ancient ruins guarding tribes, exile gathering places, dangerous wastelands, forbidden zones occupied by powerful magical beasts or elemental creatures, as well as all sorts of strange and bizarre secret societies and strong territories with different ideologies, sometimes enemies and sometimes friends!
Individually, these forces may not be as powerful as the six major powers, but they are numerous, rooted in their homeland, familiar with their environment, often possess unique ways of survival and strange abilities, and are extremely resistant to external rule.

Conquering, absorbing, and assimilating these scattered entities one by one is no less difficult than building the Tower of Babel on quicksand!
The alliance between Thrall and Hextech is powerful, but how easy is it to face such a complex and uncooperative overall environment?

Not to mention that the remaining four top powers would never sit idly by and watch it grow stronger.

This is destined to be a long, bloody, unpredictable adventure that is very likely to end in failure.

The Wolf Lord deduced that Thrall had simply heard rumors about the Covenant of the Gods on the human continent and wanted to establish a kingdom ahead of time to gain an advantage and secure a position in the great changes to come.

But thinking about it is one thing, actually doing it is even more difficult!

The Lost Lands cannot be easily tamed by shouting a few slogans, winning over one or two allies, or establishing a nation.

He simply didn't believe that Thrall and Hextech were truly capable of unifying the Lost Lands, a land that had been rife with chaos and division for thousands of years, and therefore he was unwilling to change his usual strategy at this time.

More importantly, the fundamental way of survival and foreign relations of Nightmoon Continent make it difficult for it to adopt a strategy of proactively forming alliances.

The name "Wolf Thieves" says it all.

Plundering, conflict, and acquiring resources and glory through border skirmishes are the traditions of the werewolf tribe to maintain its strength and hone its claws. This has also led to their unfriendly relations with the surrounding major oasis-level powers, and even deep-seated grudges.

They compete with the Twilight Continent for prey and ancient ruins, and occasionally clash with the Mysterious Continent over potion ingredients or forbidden knowledge.

Even border friction with the chaotic Demon Continent of the past.

If Nightmoon Continent were to lower itself and actively seek an alliance at this moment, it would inevitably be at a disadvantage and might even have to humble itself and apologize to its former enemies.

This was an unacceptable humiliation for the werewolves, who revered strength, were proud, and held grudges, especially for the "wolf lord" who unified the tribes through force and prestige.

The potential benefits of the alliance are far from enough to offset the loss of dignity and the risk of division within the tribe.

Having made up his mind, Tolwald slowly raised his hand, and the noisy discussions below instantly subsided, with all eyes focused on him.

"Everyone's suggestions make sense."

Elder Wolverine's foresight is commendable, and Chief Fenrir's caution is also necessary.

The warriors of Nightmoon Continent fear no challenge, but they also refuse to make pointless sacrifices, and they will not easily entrust their fate to unreliable individuals.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he announced in a deep voice:
"Issue my order: all wolf bandit groups, immediately enter a state of first-level combat readiness!"
Strengthen border patrols and release all falcon and shadow wolf scouts.

Closely monitor all movements of the Demon Gold Empire, Twilight Continent, Mysterious Continent, and Endless Alliance!
In particular, I need to know where the Demon Gold Empire's army will first strike, given their movements!
All units should be prepared to assemble and launch an attack at any time.

However, without my Wolf Howl Command Arrow, no one, no tribe, may provoke either side.

No one may cross the border we have drawn without authorization, and no one may engage in large-scale armed conflict with any force, especially the Demon Gold Empire!

Those who disobey this order will be considered traitors to the tribe and will be executed along with the entire tribe!

Everyone responded in unison.

The wolf lord's voice softened considerably as he said:
Let's take a look first.

Let's see what tricks Thrall and Hextech can pull, and see how muddy the waters of this lost land will become!

When the time is right, when our pack bares its fangs, I will lead you to tear off the fattest piece of meat! Now, get ready!

"Yes, Lord Wolf! For the glory of Nightmoon Continent!"

A deafening roar rose into the sky, and the leaders, shamans, and elders of the various wolf bandit groups all bowed and pounded their chests with their right hands.

As if receiving a command, the wolf pack quickly and orderly dispersed, mounted their respective mounts, or transformed into giant silver, gray, or black wolf figures, blending into the night and cold wind of the wasteland.

To convey the wolf lord's will and to ignite the flames of war among the tribes.

The giant wolf of the North on Nightmoon Continent temporarily retracted its claws, lowered its body, and narrowed its amber eyes in the biting cold wind.

Silently watching the land in the south where the "Magic Gold" flag has just been raised.

Observing and waiting is never a sign of retreating.

Instead, it gathers strength before the storm arrives, scrutinizes its prey, waits for the most opportune moment, pounces, locks its throat, and delivers a fatal blow!
When the wolf pack truly bares its fangs, the wasteland will surely be stained with blood.

Now, all they need to do is wait and sharpen their claws until their prey makes a mistake, or until the storm sweeps them away as well.

……

Twilight Isles, Twilight City, Crimson Palace.

In stark contrast to the rugged and wild style of Wolf Howl Castle in Nightmoon Continent, the grand hall deep within Twilight City is filled with an atmosphere that blends antiquity, elegance, and eeriness.

The towering dome is painted with faded starry sky murals, and huge stained glass windows filter the ever-changing crimson moonlight from outside, casting mottled, dark red light and shadows on the ground.

The ruler of Twilight Continent, the ancient vampire prince who has lived for countless years, Lucius Aragell, sits on a throne carved from a single piece of dark red gemstone.

He was tall and slender, with a pale and handsome face that was almost otherworldly. His long, silvery-white hair was neatly tied back, and his scarlet eyes were as deep as a pool of blood.

Wearing a well-tailored dark red dress, with several rings set with huge rubies on her fingers, she stood gracefully, seemingly indifferent to the rise and fall of the world.

Over countless years, Blood Lord Lucius can be considered the strongest being in the entire Lost Lands!
Beneath the throne stood several ancient and powerful vampire elders, as well as some deacons responsible for specific affairs.

News of the Demon Lord Thrall and the Alchemist Baron Hextech joining forces to establish the "Magic Gold Empire" also reached this place.

A young vampire deacon in charge of diplomacy and intelligence was repeating the announcement from the Eternal Night Royal Court for the last time.

Upon hearing this, Lucius's crimson eyes flashed with mockery and weariness:

"Magic Empire?
Sal, and the craftsman hiding in the tin can...

Ah!
What a boring farce.

His attitude was completely different from that of Tolwald, the wolf lord of Nightmoon Continent, who was filled with anger and vigilance. Instead, it was more like a condescending indifference.

His long life gave him an almost eternal perspective. In his eyes, Thrall and Hextech's actions were perhaps no different in essence from those arrogant figures in history who had only a fleeting moment of glory.

Below, a vampire elder dressed in a black classical dress spoke:
"Chieftain, our 'Night Ravens' and 'Blood Servants' have already discovered their frequent contact and unusual movements."

Chaos and steel combined...it sounds threatening, but at its core, it's nothing more than ambition exceeding capability.

Another male elder with a serious expression echoed:

"The Lost Lands have been divided and fragmented for thousands of years. Countless madmen have attempted to unify the lands during this time, but in the end, they have only become laughingstocks or turned to dust."

Thrall and Hextech will be no exception.

Their alliance is bound to have internal conflicts; the chaos and disorder of the abyss and the absolute order of the machine are inherently irreconcilable opposites.

Forcing a merger will inevitably create hidden dangers.

A younger, more radical deacon, his eyes gleaming red, added:

"Indeed, my Twilight Continent inherits the bloodline of the most ancient 'True Ancestors,' possessing unparalleled wisdom, power, and eternal life."

We are a distinct species; why should we associate with those short-lived aliens or puppets whose souls have been corrupted by metal?
Let's just wait and see, and let them exhaust themselves.

If they dare extend their claws into the Twilight Lands… Hmph, it'll be perfect for those younger generations who have been slumbering in the castle for too long to stretch their limbs and taste some fresh blood! (End of Chapter)