Coiling Dragon

by welyjesch

  Linley clinked glasses with her.

  “My name is Sasha [Shasha]. Before the banquet began, I had been hoping I would have a chance to chat with you, Lord Linley. But it seemed as though you attracted quite a lot of attention from the girls. I didn’t have a chance at all.” Sasha laughed.

  Linley looked at Sasha.

  Sasha was very tall and slender, and her laughter was rich and vibrant. Her eyes also held a bewitching, intoxicating gaze. Compared to those young noble ladies, a female like this had a more feminine charm.

  “The girls? Can it be that yourself aren’t a girl, Sasha?” Linley asked with engrossed ‘curiosity’.

  Sasha took a light sip of wine, then laughed. “A girl? I’ve been married for eight years now. How could I be a girl?”

  Linley couldn’t help but be startled.

  “However…my husband died on the day of our wedding.” Sasha glanced at Linley as she spoke in a soft voice.

  “Uh….” Linley stared at Sasha in astonishment.

  Seeing the look on Linley’s face, Sasha couldn’t help but begin to laugh a charming laugh, and then she raised her glass and had another sip of red wine. Smiling, she said to Linley, “Lord Linley. You really…are too cute.”

  Linley couldn’t help but laugh as well.

  This Sasha really was an interesting person.

  “Sasha. What are you doing here?” Duke Patterson walked over with a laugh.

  Sasha glanced back at Duke Patterson. Feigning anger, she said, “Lord Duke, I just started chatting with Lord Linley. Fine, fine. Go ahead and have your talk with him.” As she spoke, she winked at Linley, then left.

  Duke Patterson stared at Sasha’s departing silhouette for a moment before sitting down next to Linley.

  “Linley, what do you think?” Duke Patterson said to Linley.

  “What do I think about what?”

  “Sasha, of course.” Duke Patterson looked at Linley suggestively. “Linley, amongst the circle of nobles, Sasha is a beautiful lady who is chased after by many. Look at Sasha’s figure, her eyes, her little mouth. Oh…”

  Linley could only laugh.

  “Let me tell you, Sasha should be very interested in you. If you seize this opportunity, you should be able to get her into your hands.” Patterson patted Linley on the shoulders.

  Linley glanced at Patterson. “Not interested.”

  Patterson stared at Linley in surprise.

  “Linley.” Patterson lowered his voice as he spoke to Linley. “Tonight, after this banquet is over, don’t leave in a rush. There’s something I wish to discuss with you.”

  Linley was startled.

  As secretive as that?

  “You wouldn’t not give me face, right?” Patterson feigned anger.

  Linley glanced at Patterson, musing to himself, “I want to see what you are up to.” Linley rather wanted the chance to get a bit…closer…to Patterson as well.

  “Lord Duke, don’t worry. Tonight, I will wait a while for you.” Linley smiled as he replied.

  Eight o’clock that night. Many of the nobles had already left, but Linley was in no hurry. He still remembered his appointment with Patterson.

  “I want to see what you are up to.”

  Linley waited quietly in the main hall.

  “Linley, I’ll leave now.” Clayde said to Linley as he left. The people in the main hall grew fewer and fewer. Getting rather impatient, Linley left the main hall, stepping onto the outside balcony to enjoy the cool night wind.

  Right at this moment, a manservant quietly walked up to him.

  “Lord Linley. The Lord Duke is inviting you for a walk.” The manservant said quietly.

  “As secretive as this?” Linley was a bit surprised.

  “Lead the way.” On the surface, Linley looked calm. Bebe remained curled up inside Linley’s robes. The manservant led Linley to a very dark, secluded alley. Judging from the appearance of the road, this was a place where people rarely came.

  “Where are we going?” Linley said in a low voice.

  The manservant said respectfully, “Lord Linley, this is in accordance with the Lord Duke’s instructions. No one is to see you, Lord Linley.”

  “Oh?”

  Linley furrowed his brows. But Linley wasn’t afraid. He continued to follow the servant forward, as the two of them made their way through the dark, secluded alley, then passed through a small copse of trees. A secret door was opened, and they arrived at a small building.

  “So the Debs clan has a place as secretive as this.” Linley said to himself.

  Unless someone was capable of flight, it would be quite difficult indeed to spot this hidden little building.

  The manservant led Linley directly into the main hall.

  “Lord Duke, Lord Linley is here.” The manservant called out respectfully as they reached the main hall’s doorway.

  “Haha, Linley is here?” Dressed in a long black robe, Duke Patterson stepped out of the main hall. Seeing Linley, a gleam of excitement appeared in Duke Patterson’s hawk-like eyes, and he hurriedly walked over. “Linley, come in, quick.”

  The manservant respectfully said, “Lord Duke, I’ll be leaving then.”

  “Yes, you can go.” Patterson said casually.

  The manservant respectfully bowed and turned to leave. But then, the smiling Duke Patterson suddenly shot out his right arm at high speed, viciously piercing through the manservant like a knife, from his back to his chest.

  “Ah!” The manservant disbelievingly turned his head and stared at Duke Patterson. He totally couldn’t understand why the powerful Duke Patterson would stoop to killing someone like him!

  Unfortunately, with his heart totally shattered, in just a few seconds, the light fled from his eyes.

  “Lord Duke, the meaning of this is…?” Linley, off to the side, still managed to maintain his calm.

  Duke Patterson was a warrior of the seventh rank. For him to kill a manservant who was at most a warrior of the first or second rank was indeed very easy.

  From within his clothes, Duke Patterson drew out a handkerchief, using it to wipe off the blood from his hand. And then, he casually tossed it on the ground.

  “Linley. It’s nothing. I just didn’t want anyone to know that you and I met.” Duke Patterson chortled.

  Linley looked suspiciously at Duke Patterson. “You don’t want anyone to know?”

  Duke Patterson nodded confidently. “Don’t worry at all. This secret meeting place was arranged by Bernard per my instructions. Bernard only knows that I’ll use this place, but he doesn’t know who I meet with. The only servant who knows that we have met is dead now. Thus, no one will know that we have met.”

  Linley made up his mind. He stepped into the main hall.

  “Duke Patterson. This matter seems to be quite important.” Linley smiled at Duke Patterson.

  Patterson nodded. “Of course. And, I have arranged for a decoy as well. In the eyes of others, I have returned to my estate long ago. Aside from Bernard and my housekeeper, I’m afraid you are the only one who knows I am here.”

  “A decoy?”

  “Duke Patterson, what exactly do you intend to do, for you to meet with me here so secretively?” Linley asked with some curiosity.

  Duke Patterson looked around the area, then closed the door to the main hall.

  “Come. Let’s chat inside.” Pulling Linley by the hand, Duke Patterson headed for a room within the main hall. After entering the room, Duke Patterson activated a mechanism. With a grinding sound, the stone wall began to move, revealing a stone passageway.

  So within this secret little building, there was a secret underground room as well.

  “Linley. Come in.” Patterson smiled at Linley.

  Linley nodded and stepped inside.

  The inside of the underground room was pitch dark. Patterson lit three candles, then turned to smile at Linley.

  “There’s nothing for it. Neither my Duke’s manor nor your own manor is suitable. There are
too many spies in both places. It’s not safe.” Duke Patterson let out a long breath.

  Linley also knew that his manor was under constant surveillance from the Radiant Church as well as Clayde.

  Because this manor was gifted to him by Clayde. The servants belonged to Clayde as well. It was quite normal for the place to be filled with Clayde’s spies. At the same time, his guard corps belonged to the Radiant Church. Frankly speaking, Linley’s actions within his manor was under the constant, watchful eye of these two parties.

  “Duke Patterson. Today, the topic of our conversation seems to be quite important. Go ahead, tell me what this is all about.” Linley smiled.

  Patterson withdrew a magicrystal card from his clothes. “Linley. There are ten million gold coins in this card.”

  “Ten million gold coins?” Linley waited for Patterson’s explanation.

  Patterson said helplessly, “Linley, I’ll tell you the truth. After my elder brother tasked me with the position of Minister of Finance for the kingdom, I have used my authority to accumulate wealth for myself. Up until now, my activities have been hidden perfectly, but this time, the smuggling activity I engaged in with another clan was simply too large-scale. Based on what my sources tell me, my elder brother…may have already found out.”

  Patterson still held to his, as he did not reveal that the clan in question was the Debs clan.

  “The smuggling was on too large a scale? But does this have anything to do with me?” Linley laughed as he looked at Patterson.

  Patterson hurriedly said, “Of course this has something to do with you. Although I am King Clayde’s younger brother, I know very well that when he makes his move, he never shows any mercy at all. I must find a path of retreat. After all, over the course of all these years, I have done too many things. Once this affair comes to light, many other affairs will be dug up as well.”

  “Thus…I want you to speak on my behalf with young master Yale of the Dawson Conglomerate. I know that you are good friends with Yale.” A hint of a smile appeared on Patterson’s face.

  “Yale?” Linley began to understand Patterson’s intentions.

  Patterson said helplessly, “In the future, when these events come to pass, there are not many local powers capable of rescuing me from Fenlai City. But the Dawson Conglomerate is definitely one of them. The Kingdom of Fenlai does not dare to offend the Dawson Conglomerate! At the same time, the Radiant Church will not go to loggerheads against the Dawson Conglomerate for the sake of a minor corruption scandal.”

  “As long as the Dawson Conglomerate is willing to act, they can easily rescue me. However, I spoke with the Dawson Conglomerate, and they were not willing to offend King Clayde on my behalf.” Patterson looked hopefully at Linley.

  “Linley, Yale is the son of the Chairman of the Dawson Conglomerate. His words are extremely influential. What’s more, the Dawson Conglomerate values you quite highly as well. As long as you are willing to help me, there definitely won’t be any problems.” Duke Patterson begged. “If you don’t help me, I most likely am going to die. I beg of you, please help. No one will know that you and I have spoken.”

  “As long as you are willing to save me, these ten million gold coins are yours, Linley. I beg you.” Patterson’s words were very sincere. His eyes were filled with hope!

  Linley laughed.

  “No one will know?” Linley’s smile was incandescent.

  “Right. No one will know.” Patterson hurriedly nodded. A look of joy had already appeared in his eyes.

  Suddenly, Linley’s body began to transform at a high speed. Black draconic scales began to come out of his body, while a single black horn sprouted out of his forehead. His two hands transformed into draconic claws. His pupils also transformed from their original color to the dark, golden color of the Armored Razorback Wyrm.

  “You…” Duke Patterson’s face changed. Knowing that something was wrong, he hurriedly roused his own battle-qi, and all of the muscles of his body began to tighten.

  “Whoosh!”

  Linley’s iron-whip-like tail slashed through the air with a terrifying howl. Given Duke Patterson’s reaction time and speed, he was unable to avoid it, and it landed a vicious blow on his body.

  “WHACK!”

  Patterson, warrior of the seventh rank, was sent flying. Blood splattered everywhere.

  But then in the next instant, that whip-like tail wrapped around Patterson. The sounds of bones clattering could be heard as Patterson’s entire body was bound tightly, preventing him from moving in the slightest. Patterson struggled as much as he could, but his arms were unable to break free from his bonds.

  Linley controlled his draconic tail to pull Patterson towards himself.

  Linley was now under full Dragonform. His cold, merciless, dark golden eyes stared death directly into Patterson’s eyes. A hint of a cruel smile played about the corners of Linley’s lips. “You say….no one will know? Haha. That’s just perfect. I’ve waited so very long for this opportunity.”

  “You…you…” Patterson had been absolutely scared stupid by this sudden development.

  Book 6, The Road to Revenge – Chapter 11, The Man Behind the Curtain

  His entire body was covered in black scales, while sharp black spikes jutted out from his elbows and his knees. His entire back was lined with a row of sharp spikes coming from his spine. And his eyes had turned a dark golden color. Just seeing that cold, dark, golden set of eyes staring at him was enough to terrify Duke Patterson.

  “Who are…who are you?” Duke Patterson was so terrified that his face was ashen white. His mouth flapped for a long while before he managed to say these words.

  What was this monstrosity in front of him?

  “Who am I?” Linley’s cold gaze was fixed on Patterson.

  “Squeak, squeak.” The sounds of bones chattering emanated from throughout Patterson’s body, as Linley continued to apply force through his iron-whip-like tail in constricting Patterson. No matter how hard Patterson struggled, he couldn’t budge at all.

  Pain began to spread from his arms to the rest of his body.

  “You are from another plane?” Patterson’s eyes were filled with terror. From what he could tell, based on Linley’s current appearance, only a different species from another plane could do what Linley had just done. “Linley, I beg you, spare me, spare my life. I definitely will keep your secret, definitely.”

  Transfixed by Linley’s dark golden gaze, Patterson had totally lost his equanimity.

  “Spare your life?” A hint of a cold smile appeared on Linley’s face. “That’s not impossible. I want to ask you something. Around twelve or thirteen years ago, did you send some people out to kidnap a woman.”

  Patterson was startled.

  He immediately frantically tried to recollect the affairs of twelve or thirteen years past, but twelve or thirteen years was an extremely long period of time. Most importantly… “Linley, no, Lord Linley, I…I can’t remember.” Patterson said frantically.

  “That was a long time ago, and I often would have women I took a fancy to captured and brought to my mansion. I don’t know exactly which one you are talking about.”

  That murderous intent in Linley’s heart began to grow.

  This Patterson actually often abducted women?

  From Linley’s face, Patterson had no idea as to the transformation that was currently occurring in Linley’s heart. Having completely undergone the Dragonform, Linley appeared totally cold and emotionless, terrifying sinister.

  “A woman who had just given birth not long beforehand, who had just finished a pilgrimage to the Radiant Temple, and then returned to her hotel.” Linley still stared icily at Patterson. His voice didn’t rise at all.

  Hearing Linley say these things, Patterson’s entire body went stiff. And then he stared at Linley in astonishment.

  “You remember now?” Linley said coldly.

  Of course Patterson remembered now. Throughout all these years, he had only abducte
d women who had just given birth on two occasions. His memories of these affairs was quite keen. Especially that one time, thirteen years ago. That time, the person whom had instructed him to act had severely warned him to maintain secrecy.

  “I really can’t remember.” Patterson said, terrified. “Lord Linley, I beg you, spare me. I really don’t know. You must be mistaken.”

  Linley’s dark golden eyes flashed.

  “You want to die?” Linley’s voice grew even colder.

  “Ahhhh!” Patterson’s screamed in terror as Linley’s tail increased the pressure around him. This greater pressure was causing all of the bones in Patterson’s body to moan in protest.

  “Clatter. Clatter.” The sound of bones nearly cracking was enough to make one’s heart shudder.

  But Linley still only stared coldly at Patterson.

  “Crunch!”

  “Ahhhhh!”

  The crisp sound of a bone snapping, mixed with the tortured screams of Patterson. His left arm bone had actually been snapped clean by this terrifying pressure.

  “Not bad.” Linley’s lips quivered slightly. As though he were smiling.

  But Patterson didn’t view it as a smile. Under the Dragonform, the slight curve of Linley’s lips only filled Patterson’s with even more fear.

  “You know what matters and what doesn’t. The vast majority of your battle-qi has been used to protect your vital organs. Only a small amount of battle-qi was used to protect your arm. It’s true. A broken arm isn’t a life-threatening condition. But if your organs were to rupture, then you really will lose your life.” Linley’s voice was very calm.

  Patterson felt his throat go dry.

  He had never imagined that Linley would have such a terrifying side.

  “Now, do you remember yet?” Linley asked again.

  Patterson really wanted to answer him, but when he thought about the punishment which would await him if he spoke, he couldn’t help but shudder. His face growing still more pitiful, he cried out miserably, “Lord Linley, I beg of you, don’t torture me. I really don’t know. Even if you kill me, I still don’t know.”

  Patterson firmly believed that, with this affair having been over thirteen years ago and Linley being so young, there was no way Linley could be certain about what had happened.