Chapter 27: The Worries of the Living Fish, the Peace of the Dead Fish, and the Rolling of the Salted Fish (Bonus Chapter for Ranking)

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For the next week, Lind was spinning like a top, working around the clock. Beyond his daily duties, he focused his energy on preparing for the treasure heist, which he summarized in three steps: "Search, Strike, Escape."

Searching and escaping were the most critical steps; the strike was not the core. However, if a confrontation became unavoidable, they had to at least have a fighting chance. He didn't expect to trade blows with the Red Dragon, but they needed to hold it off long enough to make an exit. After all, once the treasure was in hand, there was no need to fight. If they could empty the Red Dragon's coffers, surviving the encounter would be the ultimate victory. When the Red Dragon saw its empty treasury, it would surely be more agonizing than if it had simply been killed. They wouldn't kill the dragon, but they would break its spirit.

Based on the intelligence provided by Shirona, Lind drew a rough map of the terrain surrounding the Red Dragon's palace. The mountain summit where the dragon resided had cliffs on three sides, with only one path leading up to the palace. Opposite this mountain stood another, with a gap of about five hundred meters between them. Consequently, there were three possible escape routes:

1. Run down the mountain.
2. Jump off the cliff.
3. Run to the mountain on the other side.

These three escape methods were still just crude prototypes. The map was far too rudimentary, consisting of messy lines based on Shirona's somewhat disjointed verbal description. The actual discrepancies would only be determined after an on-site inspection. Looking at the map, Lind scratched his head in frustration.

Seeing him so troubled, Victoria offered a lazy suggestion: "Since the escape plan is so hard to figure out, let's stop thinking about it for now. We still have a week and a half, and setting up tools only takes a few days at most. We can spend this time scouting the geography first.

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Let's focus on the 'Search' phase—that's better! A treasure hunter must secure the treasure first to have no regrets!"

"Uh..." Lind was skeptical about the last part, but he agreed with the young dragon's previous point. "I didn't expect you to be so good at playing dumb; you even fooled me."

"What do you mean 'playing dumb'? I was acting smart, thank you very much!"

"Yes, yes, acting smart."

"Hey, wait... no, I am actually smart."

"Alright, 'Smarty-pants,' go play somewhere else."

Lind waved his hand, shooing away the giant slacker as if driving off a cricket. If he let her stay any longer, she would inevitably start whining about being "brain-drained" and hungry. He then turned his attention to Shirona.

"You know more about the palace than Victoria or me. Please, dictate and guide me while I draw the interior map of the Red Dragon's palace on paper. I'm counting on you."

"Since the 'Search' step is completed inside the palace, and the 'Strike' might happen there too, a map is essential."

Shirona did not refuse Lind's request. However, she first posed a request of her own: "Can we just search and not fight? I'm worried about your safety. With our current strength, confronting the Red Dragon is too unwise."

Lind shook his head and sighed: "Of course I'd like to fill our pockets and slip away while the Red Dragon remains as oblivious as a fool. But one must always consider the worst-case scenario. Only by not treating the opponent like an idiot and not overestimating our own intelligence can we go further."

"Fine..."

The Butterfly Dragon's mood clearly dampened. Still, she wouldn't give up, trying to persuade Lind: "Actually, we don't have to take any risks. I've been here for so long, and none of my kin have found me. Perhaps this place is a utopia that will never be disturbed.

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The three of us could settle down here for a lifetime, living happily every day, just like we have been these past few days. As long as we just forget about the Red Dragon, it won't affect our lives, so we can just pretend it doesn't exist..."

Lind's expression darkened gradually, while Shirona remained lost in her fantasy. She had never wanted to confront the Red Dragon directly. The fear of the weak toward the strong could not be erased overnight. The time spent together had deepened her emotional bonds with Lind and Victoria. The happiness she could grasp right now made Shirona feel content.

Isn't this good enough? The three of them could live beautifully in this peaceful land where resources were abundant. Shirona wanted Lind and Victoria to understand her perspective. The Red Dragon couldn't oppress them, so why risk their lives? So many other dragons didn't step up, and it might even hinder their plans; why should they be the ones to take a stand? As long as Lind agreed, Victoria wouldn't be a problem. Victoria relied heavily on Lind; if Lind persuaded the cute young dragon, it would surely work.

Shirona looked at Lind, filled with expectation, and said softly: "Lind... we aren't running away. We are just biding our time. When we get stronger, we can fight the Red Dragon then, and we'll be more confident, won't we? By then, I'll have become stronger too, and I can fight side-by-side with you."

"That sounds nice."

Lind lowered his eyes, his voice devoid of joy or sorrow.

The Butterfly Dragon brightened: "So that means...?"

"However, I refuse."