Chapter 015: Beasts Live Beneath the Ground
“You’re too bold.” Dubai shook his head helplessly at this moment, muttering to himself: “Among the dwarves, it’s your people from Orna who are the boldest, always stealing others’ inventions. But thankfully, our three families are connected; otherwise, I don’t know how many times I’d have to let you steal.”
Though Dubai thought this in his heart, he still smiled and said, “So what’s the name of this thing? Having it gives us some leverage in the struggle for the Regent position, but without a name, it’s hard to justify it.”
“A name?” Orna frowned before saying excitedly, “How about calling it the Magic Core Shotgun?”
“I think that works.”
Just as Dubai finished speaking, Jones walked in with a pale face, looking displeased at the two of them. “Those things down there are restless again. I don’t know where that chieftain, Rumba, has gone. What if they rebel?”
“Again?” Dubai shook his head helplessly upon hearing Jones’s words. “It’s all because the original chieftain who created this territory was a fool—putting us in charge of these creatures. If they really turn against us, even with magic robes, we’re done for.”
“Stop talking about those things,” Orna sighed helplessly, looking frustrated at the two of them. “Our goal now is to secure the Regent position. If you two have nothing else to do, train your people. If we can’t win through negotiation, we’ll use force to make Rumba submit.”
“Sigh.” Hearing Orna’s words, Dubai and Jones also sighed helplessly. Then Dubai said to Orna, “Our dwarves are already a race abandoned by the Creator. If other races of our era find out about our internal strife, I can’t imagine how they’ll mock us.”
“Shut up!” Orna, enraged by Dubai’s words, raised the Magic Core Shotgun and pointed it at his head. “If I find out you’re spilling secrets, I’ll send you to meet your father right away. Do you believe me?”
“I believe you, I believe you,” Dubai said helplessly, raising his hands. He looked at Orna and said, “I’ll believe whatever you say. Just calm down.”
Hearing Dubai’s words, Orna finally withdrew her Magic Core Shotgun with great satisfaction. Looking at the two panicked men in front of her, she said with a smile, “Of course. If you’re not confident, you don’t have to bring your people to work with me. But by then, each of my people will be armed with a Magic Core Shotgun. I think then you’ll realize just how serious this situation is.”
……
“Elder, look! My third brother has the dwarves and elves as his backing, along with the Bluebloods as allies. His strength far exceeds that of the Gavin Empire! Just think—when hundreds of thousands of our dwarves march forth, how can those soldiers of the Gavin Empire resist? Moreover, there are the elves, who are natural magicians and archers, and also the powerful Bluebloods!” Basha kept saying to Lumba.
Listening to Basha’s words, Lumba’s smile grew wider and wider!
After Basha’s persuasion, the dwarf elder became fully confident in Du Fan. Soon, Lumba went up to Du Fan and whispered a few words in his ear.
“Elder, do you think there are creatures underground?” Du Fan looked at Lumba in shock, asking incredulously, “We’re already at the bottom of the continent. Could there really be an even lower level?”
“Mm.” Hearing Du Fan’s question, Lumba patted him sympathetically and said calmly, “Beneath our feet are actually the Bimons. But their situation is different from ours. They originally lived on the surface of the continent but were somehow exiled to the underground world. At that time, I, the founder of our Hell Valley, who was then the leader, knew about the Bimons’ warlike nature. To protect this underground world, I imprisoned them forever beneath us. However, the elder once promised that if our dwarves could escape the underground world, the Bimons would become our allies and obey our Regent’s orders. For this reason, our dwarves and Bimons signed a contract.”
“I see.” Hearing Lumba’s explanation, Du Fan was no longer as excited as before. Instead, he spoke with anticipation, “But according to your people’s reports, it seems the Bimons are trying to break out. That would be very unfavorable for us dwarves, after all, a single adult Bimon can easily tear apart a dragon.”
“Yes.” At this moment, Lumba also shook his head helplessly and said, “A few days ago, the current leader of the Bimon tribe sent me a message saying they could wait no longer. If a regent isn’t chosen to lead them back to the continent, they will break free from the restrictions and return on their own. If that happens, not only will the continent fall into chaos, but I believe the underground world will also be on the verge of collapse, and perhaps even the Second War of the Gods will be drawn into it.”
Hearing Lumba’s words, Du Fan had no doubt about their truth. The Bimon tribe was inherently blessed with immense divine power. If they were released onto the land without control, all human nations would face collapse. The wars between continental nations were already imminent. By then, not only would the Bimon join the conflict, but Earl Wade, who was still the envoy of the underground world, would also lead the creatures of the underground world back to the continent. The orcs of Northern Oscar would also take advantage of the chaos to attack the Gavin Empire. Every race had a deity they worshipped, and if a deity’s followers suffered too great a loss, the supreme deity in the divine realm would intervene. Once a war between deities broke out, the entire continent would be destroyed.
“Sigh,” Lumba sighed, then shook his head helplessly as he looked at Du Fan. “To be honest, it’s not just the pressure from the Bimon tribe. Among our dwarves, the three major noble families—Orna, Dubai, and Jones—are also starting to train. If I’m not mistaken, once you succeed in becoming the regent of the dwarves, these three families will attack us, those without power. I think even the dwarf tribe will fall apart. Although we dwarves live deep in this Hell Gorge, it serves as a barrier. If the various races in the underground world want to wage a large-scale war, the first thing they need to consider is whether they can cross the Hell Gorge. Our Hell Gorge exists not only to protect us dwarves but also to keep the balance among the races of the underground world.”
Hearing Lumba’s words, Du Fan finally understood why Lumba wanted him to become the regent of the dwarves.
As the current envoy of Count Wade, all races in the underground world will obey his orders. However, some ancient races such as the dwarves, the earth tigers, and the mimons living in the Hell Gorge cannot be commanded by Count Wade. Therefore, if one can successfully become the regent of the dwarves, it means having control over these three races. At that point, even if fighting against Fischer’s army, it would be difficult to determine a winner.
“Elder,” Haina rushed over in a hurry. Looking at Lumba with concern, she said, “Orna, Dubai, and Jones, along with their followers, are now protesting. They say if we don’t use voting to choose a regent, they will go on a hunger strike.”
“Bang!” Lumba slammed his fist against the wall in anger, his body trembling as well. He said angrily, “These three old fools are really getting too reckless now. A hunger strike? I think they’re trying to force me to let one of them become the regent. It’s obvious this is Orna’s doing. I never thought this old bastard could be so despicable.”
“Elder, what if we—?” Du Fan took out a magic cone from his pocket and said eagerly, “What if I use this to take care of them along with my companions? That would save us a lot of trouble. A hunger strike? I’ll just send them back to the Creator.”
“No,” Lumba waved his hand at Du Fan and said to Haina, “Don’t inform the other clan members about this for now. Du Fan and I will go and take a look first.”
“Understood.”
……
Du Fan and Lumba slowly stepped out of the mound and saw thousands of dwarves standing at the road intersection, armed with miniature magic cannons, radiating a murderous aura.
“What? Trying to rebel?” Lumba stared at his clan members with a grim expression and said toward Orna and the others, “Orna, you’ve been a elder for so many years. You should know our dwarven rules. What do you mean by blocking the entrance to the elder’s home with your people? Do you really want to rebel?”
“Rebellion?” Orna snorted coldly, looking at Lumba with disdain and saying, “Elder, our people have unanimously decided that if you refuse to choose a regent through voting, then we, along with all the dwarves, will hold a hunger strike outside your house.”
“Oh?” Hearing Orna’s words, Lumba also snorted, then looked at her calmly and said, “Decided by voting? I became the elder through voting as well. Does that mean the regent also has to be chosen by voting? Orna, let me tell you—don’t think you can do as you please just because you have a little army. Right now, the Bimons are constantly breaking through the restrictions set by our first elder. As the current elder, I declare that whoever can subdue the Bimons underground will become our dwarves’ regent.”
Hearing Lumba’s words, not only Orna’s men were stunned, but Du Fan was too.
What a joke? An adult Bimon can easily kill a dragon. The dwarves are so weak—they probably won’t even have time to run, let alone subdue the Bimons.
“Lumba, you can do it,” Orna said through gritted teeth, staring at Lumba fiercely. “Subduing the Bimons is an impossible task. Don’t you also want those human boys around you from becoming regents?”