After the small-scale conflict with the Golden Tooth Tribe on the riverbank began, Iron Dragon Sorog did not personally enter the fray; the main participants in the battle were the cavalry and the Wyvern Swarm.
However, Sorog was far from idle.
In the Legacy of the Iron Dragon, within the knowledge concerning war in the prince, there is such a sentence:
"See clearly every texture on the enemy's shield, and the blade will naturally find the cracks."
The more you know about the enemy, the higher the probability of victory.
Leveraging his advantage of being able to soar at high altitudes, Iron Dragon Sorog tried his best to conceal his movements and presence while silently observing the Goblins' movements, and he was not limited to the riverbank stronghold.
During this time, he discovered something strange.
The Golden Tooth Tribe used their Alchemy Golems without any restraint.
They used the Alchemy Golems almost wastefully, completely unconcerned by the enormous consumption of the Alchemy Golems; these things were basically driven by drinking black oil, and during operation, they consumed a large amount of black oil every second.
At first, the Iron Dragon did not understand the reason and just felt it was a bit strange.
He continued to investigate around this point and then discovered other unusual things.
For example, the transport of the Golden Tooth Tribe's supplies, soldiers, raw ore, etc., did not use normal tribal methods but instead used steam trucks driven by black oil energy, just like the Alchemy Golems. Although the models were very old, they were genuine Alchemy trucks.
In contrast.
The Molten Iron Tribe was quite primitive in terms of transport, mainly relying on beasts like the Heavy Armored Rhino to pull carts for transport. Faster methods included cavalry using their four legs to sprint for transport, or emergency air transport by Wyverns.
In fact, it was not that the Molten Iron Tribe could not use more advanced Alchemy trucks for transport.
The blueprints for those old-model Alchemy trucks were ubiquitous. Perhaps they were not very beautiful or refined, but their structure was simple and intuitive, not complex at all. If they purchased the core components through a merchant group and built the basic parts themselves, they could obtain them without paying a high price.
The key problem was that the energy supply could not keep up.
The Black Oil Fields were basically all under the control of the Lothern Federation. The black oil purchased by The Borderlands from the Southern Federation was all bought at a high premium and could not support the consumption at all.
The Molten Iron Tribe had a closely connected Gem Merchant Guild, but it was still very difficult to obtain black oil at a low price.
The Black Oil Fields had abundant production, but it was a controlled resource; unless one had a deep background within the Federation, ordinary merchant groups also had to pay a premium to acquire black oil.
The situation in other tribes in The Borderlands was similar.
In short, the behavior of the Golden Tooth Tribe, using black oil like water to supply Mecha Golems and a large number of other alchemical creations, was extremely abnormal.
Other tribes were not sensitive to this because they did not have a great demand for black oil.
But the Molten Iron Tribe was different. Due to the Lord of the Crimson Wings' favor for black oil, from the Dragon Valley down to the ordinary dependents, everyone was very sensitive to black oil. Hearing these two words, they would immediately prick up their ears and pay extra attention.
Iron Dragon Sorog was no exception.
After clearly realizing this, he calculated carefully.
The high-intensity expenditures of the Golden Tooth Tribe, given their existing resources, were absolutely impossible to afford.
But the reality was that they could use it extravagantly.
Either they had a channel to purchase black oil at a low price, but this was basically impossible. In the eyes of the Federation, the tribes of The Borderlands were primitive barbarians; only merchants who would do anything for money were interested in trading with the tribes of The Borderlands.
"Stinking Borderlanders want Federation black oil?"
"Dream on!"
Besides this, there was another possibility.
"The Golden Tooth Tribe has its own black oil storage and does not need to purchase it at a high premium."
To verify this guess, every time the Iron Dragon dispatched soldiers to raid the Goblin strongholds, he would take advantage of the Goblins' distracted attention to personally go to their airspace and investigate carefully.
About a month later.
Iron Dragon Sorog approached the truth.
Inside the Golden Tooth Tribe's territory, about a hundred miles to the east, there was an unremarkable plain. It was not a strategic pass or a strategic location, but the Golden Tooth Tribe had stockpiled and stationed a considerable number of troops there, and there were even defensive lines in the air.
Iron Dragon Sorog did not dare to approach rashly.
He patiently observed from the periphery and discovered that with this plain as the center, convoys would travel back and forth from time to time, transporting sealed barrels of unknown substances to other strongholds.
Iron Dragon Sorog followed the convoy heading toward the riverbank.
At night, under the cover of darkness, the Centaurs and the Wyvern Swarm launched a surprise attack on one of the Goblins' riverbank strongholds, only to be repelled by exceptionally fierce Mecha Golems and heavy cannon crossbows.
Although they paid a certain price.
However, the Iron Dragon confirmed one thing amidst the Goblins' cheers: the Golden Tooth Tribe had, in all likelihood, excavated a Black Oil Field.
And it was definitely not something that had happened recently.
It was highly likely that they rose to power by relying on the Black Oil Field.
Other tribes in The Borderlands were not sensitive to black oil, had no demand for it, and did not care. The Lothern Federation had no garrison in The Borderlands and lacked attention toward the tribes of The Borderlands, so they also had not discovered the existence of the Black Oil Field.
"Based on current findings, it can basically be concluded that there is a Black Oil Field in the Golden Tooth Tribe's territory."
Iron Dragon Sorog said slowly.
Through his narration, Garros roughly understood the course of events and the specific situation.
The Golden Tooth Tribe had deployed heavy guards at the Black Oil Field and had also carried out surveillance and cover-ups.
But perhaps because the other tribes in The Borderlands had never reacted for a long time, they had relaxed their vigilance a bit, using black oil almost wastefully, which allowed the black oil-sensitive Molten Iron Tribe to notice something unusual.
"Sorog, you are wrong."
The Red-Iron Dragon slowly stood up, his scales as deep black as the night, and the spines resembling a forest of swords slightly erected.
He said: "It is not that the Golden Tooth Tribe has a Black Oil Field; it is that the Golden Tooth Tribe has grown in my Black Oil Field."
The fangs in the Red-Iron Dragon's mouth were sharp and exposed as he said: "These insect-like things dare to occupy my Black Oil Field and use my black oil so wastefully."
The Black Oil Field, even though it had been mined and used by the Golden Tooth Tribe for some time, was still of immeasurable value.
Because it concerned his own future development, the Red-Iron Dragon felt hot and restless all over, wishing he could immediately fly into the sky, rush toward the Golden Tooth Tribe, beat those Goblins until they knelt and begged for mercy, and obediently offer him the Black Oil Field.
"Hoo—" He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing his boiling greed.
The Golden Tooth Tribe had deep accumulations, and the Black Oil Field was located in their hinterland, guarded by heavy troops. If he really flew over directly, he was afraid there would not be any good results.
He needed to calm down.
To deal with the Golden Tooth Tribe, he could not be reckless.
He was the absolute core, but the power of the Molten Iron Tribe also needed to be brought into play.
The Red-Iron Dragon looked up at the cliff wall and asked the Red-Silver Dragon lying on a rock slab: "Deborah, the scale of the war between the Molten Iron Tribe and the Golden Tooth Tribe is about to escalate. Will you help me?"
The Red-Silver Dragon furrowed the skin between her brows, her gaze drifting.
She had heard the conversation between Garros and Sorog and felt that Garros was doing this to plunder the black oil of the Golden Tooth Tribe.
This was an evil act.
The code of justice belonging to the Metallic Dragon made her feel somewhat troubled and conflicted.
"The Golden Tooth Tribe is attempting to monopolize the riverbank of the Estonia Great River near The Borderlands and completely manipulate the trade of The Borderlands."
The Red-Iron Dragon said: "Once they succeed, given the treacherous and greedy nature of Goblins, they will absolutely squeeze all the value out of this land and destroy the peace of The Borderlands."
He spoke righteously and continued: "We are crusading against the Golden Tooth Tribe for the sake of The Borderlands, for the many creatures here, and for peace and justice!"
Finally.
Garros added another sentence, saying: "After the matter is accomplished, I will give you ten high-quality Magic Gems as a reward."
The Red-Silver Dragon fell silent.
She had originally wanted to refuse Garros; after all, a war with the purpose of plunder did not conform to the principles of a Metallic Dragon.
But then again, Goblins were creatures of the evil alignment, and crusading against evil and upholding justice was something she, as a Metallic Dragon, should do.
As for the naturally evil Red Dragon and the son of the Iron Dragon, he was different.
Under Garros's gaze, the Red-Silver Dragon nodded heavily and said: "Crusading against the evil Goblins is my duty!"
After receiving the Red-Silver Dragon's answer, Garros nodded almost imperceptibly.
[Dragon Taming Art · Copper Dragon Chapter]
[Just need a reason, an excuse, and a reward. The naturally Chaotic Good Copper Dragon is very happy to participate in an 'unjust' war.]
The Red-Iron Dragon silently perfected his Dragon Taming Art.
×=×
15PS = 1 Extra Chapter. ✓
30PS = 2 Extra Chapters. ✓
50Ps= 3 Extra Chapters.✓
75PS = 4 Extra Chapters.
100Ps = 5 Extra Chapters.