This was, of course, discussing the main caves, and between them were smaller caves, varying in size. These caves were all fiefdoms, belonging to the nobles of the last few caves.
Upon realizing this, Yan Xiaobao understood that Zhou Long belonged to one of the main caves, but for some reason, he had pitiable cultivators in this small cave.
As he pondered the various caves, Yan Xiaobao suddenly found himself standing in front of the headquarters of the Dragon Army. Letting out a sigh, he pushed open the door and stepped inside, his eyes scanning the surroundings, discovering that everything had been abandoned.
Looking back at the building, Yan Xiaobao found that the headquarters was nothing like what he had anticipated. For some reason, he had expected something akin to a police station from his old world, but evidently, this was a lavish residence constructed for the Dragon Army, meant for their use whenever they lived in the city.
"Hello?" Yan Xiaobao called out while looking around, but no response came. Unsure of whether he should wait in the hall or leave the building, Yan Xiaobao didn’t know what to do. However, before he could make a decision, the front door opened, and Zhou Long appeared in the doorway, smiling as usual.
"Ah, my dear friend Yan!" Zhou Long exclaimed with exaggerated arm gestures. Then, placing a hand on Yan Xiaobao’s shoulder, he firmly guided him up the stairs and through various corridors until they reached a large room.
As they entered the interior, Yan Xiaobao’s mouth hung slightly open in astonishment, captivated by the exquisite Azure Dragon carvings all around him. The four columns in the room were carved into sky-blue dragons, the windows adorned with dragon mosaics, and dragon statues perched at the corners of the room.
Although Yan Xiaobao referred to it as a room, it was actually a suite of three interconnected spaces. One room featured a luxurious bed, another served as a washroom, and the final room, where Yan Xiaobao now stood, was the office.
The office contained a large desk made of heavy wood and two chairs.
Zhou Long gestured for Yan Xiaobao to take a seat while he settled himself behind the desk. Zhou Long remained silent for a moment, though his gaze upon Yan Xiaobao was peculiar, impossible for Yan Xiaobao to describe. Zhou Long’s face continued to carry a chilling, eerie smile—a friendly smile.
"I’ve had to stay in this cave for half a year," Zhou Long began, his eyes falling on the scattered Memory Stones and papers on the desk. "But I need to send some information to headquarters," he continued, picking up three Memory Stones and a package.
"These items have to be delivered to the Capital, but since I can’t leave, I must rely on someone else to carry them for me," Zhou Long added, his tone tinged with a faint complaint about the task.
If there had been anyone else in the room apart from Yan Xiaobao, they would have immediately pointed out flaws in Zhou Long’s logic. If Zhou Long had to remain in the cave for half a year, he could easily reach the final cave before Yan Xiaobao and his party—even if Zhou Long started his journey after the six months had passed.
The fact that Yan Xiaobao refrained from pointing this out reinforced Zhou Long’s impression that Yan Xiaobao had hidden ties to General Frozen. The unspoken truth hinted that Yan Xiaobao was not from the Underworld.
Meanwhile, Yan Xiaobao felt fortunate. The truth was that they had been tasked with delivering items to the final cave, which would allow them access to every tunnel along the way. Upon hearing that Zhou Long had no intention of tracking them during their journey, Yan Xiaobao felt even more reassured. Zhou Long’s obligation to remain in the cave for six months was a relief.