Under the deep night.
Above the Angelicia Mountain Range, the cold wind howled.
Tang Zheng, wrapped in a Black Robe, floated in mid-air, wearing a single-lens Magic Item with Night Vision, watching a Fortress below.
That was the territory of the dwarves!
Whoosh.
The biting cold wind made the Black Robe on his body rustle, but at such a high altitude, and in the dark of night, the noise wouldn't be noticed by the Fortress below.
His purpose this time was for the Rune Artisans among the dwarves.
If he wanted to borrow these artisans from the dwarves, he naturally needed to have contact with them, and the best way was Bone King's method.
Using the threat of the Digging Orcs to make demands of the dwarves, and after repelling the Digging Orcs, taking away the Rune Artisans, while also establishing a diplomatic relationship with the dwarves.
But this approach was clearly not suitable for Tang Zheng.
It would leave too many traces!
Too much information would be exposed! In the future, when the Great Tomb of Nazarick descended, if nothing unexpected happened, Bone King would still be interested in Rune Technology and visit the dwarves.
Then he, a human appearing among the dwarves, a mysterious man also seeking Rune Artisans, would appear in Bone King's sight, which was not what Tang Zheng wanted to see.
Besides the Rune Artisans, there was nothing else among the dwarves that Tang Zheng was interested in, so after considering it, he decided to use the simplest method.
Kidnapping!
Tang Zheng slowly descended from the high altitude, and the things below gradually became clearer in the Night Vision Magic Item's view.
The Great Rift.
It was a very Terror-inducing geographical feature in the Angelicia Mountain Range, with a length of over sixty kilometers and a width of about one hundred and twenty meters.
The depth was even more unfathomable.
It was a natural Fortress for the dwarves' eastern city, Feiao·Jura, as no land creature could cross the Great Rift.
However.
For Tang Zheng, who possessed Flight, the difficulty of crossing the Great Rift was obviously non-existent.
After descending to about two hundred meters above the ground, Tang Zheng could clearly see a somewhat conspicuous Fortress on the edge of the Great Rift.
"At this time, have the dwarves already moved to the eastern city?" Tang Zheng swept his gaze below, thinking to himself.
Currently.
Tang Zheng couldn't accurately determine whether the dwarves lived in the southern city or the eastern city after the start of the plot.
So, he first came to the eastern city, which was the closest, to check. Since a Fortress had been built below, it meant that the dwarves already lived here.
"According to the timeline, the dwarves shouldn't have moved to the eastern city so early," Tang Zheng raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
When he dealt with the Lizardmen, the future chief of the Dragon Tooth Tribe at the start of the plot, Renbeel Gugu, was not in the Dragon Tooth Tribe.
Tang Zheng speculated at the time that this Lizardmen should still be training in the dwarves' southern city.
Now, only a little over a month had passed since he dealt with the Lizardmen. Had the dwarves moved to the eastern city so quickly? Doubt arose in his heart.
Tang Zheng quickly observed the dwarven Fortress built on the edge of the Great Rift below.
Calling it a "Fortress" was actually just a settlement built by the dwarves. The existence of the Great Rift was enough to block any enemies on land.
The fundamental purpose of this settlement was to protect the suspension bridge that the dwarves had painstakingly built over the Great Rift. As long as they guarded the suspension bridge, they could block all Demon Creature invasions on land.
"There are four dwarves on night watch, and the area of the settlement is not large enough, with a maximum of only 20 people."
After observing for a while, Tang Zheng analyzed silently in his heart, and then, with a thought.
Tang Zheng's figure quickly descended from the high altitude.
Whoosh! A rapid sound of air being torn apart came from above.
The four dwarves, who were yawning and standing on both sides of the suspension bridge, subconsciously raised their heads and looked towards the sky.
In his vision, he only saw a tall, black figure descend among them. Before they could react, a flash of icy light appeared.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Four dwarven heads flew into the air, falling into the Great Rift of the Abyss not far away.
Tang Zheng, holding the Magic Greatsword in his hand, expressionlessly looked at the somewhat short, only about two meters high, square-like garrison building in front of him.
Since the four dwarves didn't make any noise before they died, they naturally didn't disturb the other sleeping dwarves inside.
His gaze briefly lingered on the protrusion above the garrison, similar to a cannon barrel, pointing directly at the drawbridge.
There were faint Mana fluctuations on it.
It should be a Lightning Strike Magic Item that the dwarves had prepared specifically to deal with the Digging Orcs.
Digging Orcs had excellent resistance to metal weapons, but Lightning-type attacks were the race's weakness. If they encountered an attack from the Digging Orcs,
with the drawbridge being the only route across the Great Rift, the Digging Orcs would face the penetrating effect of Lightning Strike if they tried to break through.
Bang.
Tang Zheng raised his foot and kicked the four dwarven corpses into the Abyss together, chanting softly, "Camouflage."
A stream-like ripple flashed across Tang Zheng's body, and in the already dark night, his figure gradually merged into the darkness.
"Stealth!"
As the Thief skill activated, Tang Zheng silently passed the garrison and walked towards the mountain wall behind it.
There was a three-meter-high, two-meter-wide stone door there.
Tang Zheng easily walked into the stone door because no dwarves were stationed here.
"Apart from the garrison outside, the defenses here are really lax."
Tang Zheng, hidden in the shadows, followed the crystal ore on the roof of the stone cave, which emitted a faint, hazy light, and continued to walk deeper.
This was a spiral tunnel extending underground, and it was also an important route connecting the outside garrison with the underground Eastern City.
Tang Zheng continued to move forward, recalling the information in his mind. Soon, a half-open giant stone door appeared before him.
Even in the dim underground, this stone door still reflected a bright silver luster under the light of the crystal ore above.
According to the information in his memory, this was a door made entirely of Mithril and Orichalcum, which was priceless among humans.
Only dwarves, who were good at mining and refining metals, could be so extravagant as to use these two precious metals to make a door.
"Only one person is guarding here?"
Tang Zheng couldn't help but be more surprised when he saw the dwarven soldier guarding the half-open stone door, holding a long spear, and exuding a smell of alcohol.
This stone door could be said to be the last line of defense for the Eastern City, and it should be guarded by a large number of dwarven soldiers.
But the current situation revealed a sense of slackness.
Silently, Tang Zheng approached the drunken dwarven soldier, passed through the stone door to observe the rear. There were several dwarven soldiers guarding both sides, and they also seemed to be drunk.
Looking up into the distance, he could already see the Eastern City.
"This is?"
Tang Zheng's eyes froze.
Rows of unremarkable, box-like buildings came into view, some were two-story buildings, and some were one-story.
And most of these buildings seemed to have been built recently, and even in the distance, he could see some dwarves wielding tools to build.
Seeing this scene.
Tang Zheng had already realized something. He exited the stone door, looked at the dwarven soldier leaning against the corner, snoring loudly because of drunkenness, and raised his palm.
Slap! A crisp sound.
The dwarven soldier's cheek immediately swelled up. He was suddenly awakened by the pain, and his eyes looked blankly at Tang Zheng, who was wrapped in a Black Robe, standing in front of him.
"All-Race Charm."
The dwarven soldier's body stiffened, then relaxed, and he swayed and got up from the ground.
"What's going on here?" Tang Zheng asked.
"We are building a brand new city, 'Feiao·Jura'," the dwarven soldier said, his words slightly slurred.
"What about your original southern city?"
"According to Commander-in-Chief, a large number of Digging Orcs have been discovered near our southern city, 'Feiao·Laizuo'."
"The Regent Council adults, to be on the safe side, sent all the artisans to build a new city here in advance."
Tang Zheng asked a few more questions, a look of understanding in his eyes.
He had been wondering before, according to the timeline, the dwarves should still be in the southern city.
But the current situation shows that as early as a few years ago, the dwarves had already started building a new city in advance.
No wonder the defense here is so lax.
Thinking about it carefully, it's normal.
The relocation of an entire race cannot be completed in a short period of time, it must have been prepared in advance, and the foundation has already been laid.
So.
Most of the dwarves are still in the southern city.
Should he go there?
Wait!
"You just said that all the artisans were sent here to build, so are the Rune Artisans here too?" Tang Zheng remembered what the dwarven soldier had just said, his eyes lit up.
"Probably," the dwarven soldier said uncertainly.
With the development of "Demonization" technology, even among the dwarves, the outdated craft of Rune Technology is no longer valued.
After asking the question.
Tang Zheng raised his palm and knocked the dwarven soldier unconscious, then leaned him back against the corner, disguising him as if he was drunk and sleeping.
With a flash of his figure.
Tang Zheng disappeared and entered the eastern city.
Using the crude and simple method of "All-Race Charm" to find lone dwarven artisans and directly inquire, he quickly located all the Rune Artisans.
The next step was much simpler! Taking advantage of the gaps when these dwarven artisans were sleeping, Tang Zheng knocked the Rune Artisans he found unconscious and used Teleport Magic to return to the Lava Zone.
After going back and forth dozens of times.
Without alarming any of the dwarves, all the Rune Artisans had been taken away by Tang Zheng.
The next day.
Outside the Lava Zone.
More than 20 Rune Artisans were lying on the ground, snoring loudly, some turning over and pressing on other dwarves.
These dwarves were all about 140cm tall, with short limbs, beer barrel-like physiques, and faces full of gray-brown beards.
"Snore!"
"Creak!"
"Snore!"
Various snoring and even teeth-grinding sounds were constantly coming from this group of dwarves.
Tang Zheng sat cross-legged not far away, supporting his chin with one hand, seemingly unable to help but yawn because these dwarves were sleeping so soundly.
The Evil Spirit Dog was lying on Tang Zheng's right side, its sharp beast eyes occasionally scanning the group of dwarves, its eyes filled with curiosity.
And on Tang Zheng's left side, the Gray Dwarf Forging Minister, controlled by "All-Race Charm", stood respectfully.
Three pairs of eyes were watching the group of dwarves at the same time.
Tang Zheng was not in a hurry to wake up the group of dwarves, the ability of "All-Race Charm" can only control one creature, and cannot control more than 20 dwarven artisans in one go.
If he wants this group of captured dwarves to work for his next, somewhat crazy idea, he can't use only forceful means.
"Huff~"
Gong De emitted a powerful snorting sound from his throat, causing his upper and lower lips to tremble.
After finishing the snort.
Gong De closed his eyes, chewed his mouth, and half-awake, half-asleep, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
So hot.
The thought flashed through Gong De's mind.
Dwarves, who liked to live underground, did not like cold environments, but the temperature in the Angelicia Mountain Range was already cold.
Even underground, the temperature was never high.
But now it was too hot.
Was the environment in the Eastern City this hot, or did he drink too many bowls of wine last night and hadn't sobered up yet?
While thinking this, Gong De opened his eyes sleepily.
The crimson light reflected between the mountain walls first came into view, this was the light and heat transmitted from the Magma Sea.
Gong De was stunned when he noticed this scene, then suddenly woke up, quickly got up from the ground, and shouted in panic, "Fire! Fire!"
The terrified roar echoed between the mountain walls.
The other dwarves who were still asleep all jumped up from the ground, looking around in panic.
However, there was no fire around!
No! This was not their Eastern City, Feiao·Jura at all.
"What the hell is this place? Weren't we building houses?" one dwarf asked blankly.
Clap! At this moment, a crisp sound of hands clapping came from the front of the dwarves, attracting the attention of all the dwarves.
A human sitting on the ground, wrapped in a Black Robe, came into the view of all the dwarves present.
And a Demon Creature similar to a Magic Wolf and... a dwarf? The Forging Minister's gray skin, different from theirs, made all the dwarves couldn't help but pause.
"Welcome everyone to the Lava Zone."
"I'm very sorry for inviting you here without your permission."
Tang Zheng exerted a little force in his legs and easily stood up from his seated posture, speaking apologetically to the dwarves in front of him.
As soon as these words came out! All the dwarves who were originally noisy, suddenly became quiet.
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