Chapter 576: The Beach Awaits
Mistake. A big mistake.
Marcus quickly scrambled for an explanation. "It’s just a pet," he said, which was only half a lie. "Although, I admit, a lot of people have said it looks exactly like the Wyvern Saint Knight. Weird coincidence, right?"
He equipped the Twin-Winged Ice Owl Bow and started toward the tunnel exit. "Everyone, stay close. Watch yourselves around the black ice snakes in these tunnels. They’re specialists at ranged ambushes, so don’t let your guard down."
The soldiers exchanged quiet murmurs among themselves, "It really does look like her..." Still, since Marcus hadn’t admitted anything, none of them were willing to jump to the conclusion that the sacred Wyvern Saint Knight, Lyanna, was actually his pet. They simply followed him out of the cave.
Unfortunately, Marcus still hadn’t found the key to the third level of the Black Serpent Cave. As they passed through the blue serpent gate once again, he couldn’t help feeling a little regretful. He had gone this far, only to leave without finding the key he needed.
The journey back was considerably easier. The markers he’d left at the forks were still there, saving him from having to retrace every turn by memory. Less than six hours later, a faint sliver of daylight finally pierced the thick black mist ahead.
"We’re out!" Marcus immediately recalled his pets and led the soldiers toward the cave entrance.
"Marcus!, you’re finally out!"
His ladies rushed toward him the moment he emerged. Amber and the mischievous Jade reached him first, each grabbing one of his arms as if they were afraid he might disappear back into the cave.
"Have you been waiting long?" Marcus smiled at them. They had been outside for more than two hours already, but there was no need to ask what had kept them informed. He had already told them everything about his battle with the Iceflame Black Serpent Man through the chat system.
"Sir! Thank you! You’ve saved our town!" The Town Lord hurried over with several officials behind him, tears streaming freely down their faces. The moment they saw the eighty-eight rescued soldiers emerge from the cave, several of them nearly collapsed to their knees from relief.
"Town Lord, there’s no need to thank me," Marcus said with an impressive air of righteousness, taking the opportunity to strengthen his reputation among the residents. "It’s our duty to protect the people. If necessary, we’d risk our lives for their welfare."
The words were grand enough to make him sound like a true hero, and Marcus had no intention of wasting such a good opportunity.
They were preparing to head toward the ships waiting to carry the rescued soldiers home when Marcus suddenly noticed something moving across the sky above the nearby sea.
More than a hundred of Dragon’s Roar Town’s unique flying mounts, the Three-Tailed Patterned Pheasants, were soaring gracefully over the water.
The Three-Tailed Patterned Pheasant was as large as an eagle, as elegant as a phoenix, and as beautiful as a songbird, with a voice so melodious that it sounded almost like music.
Their origin and final destination remained unknown, but they could occasionally be seen throughout the Twin Wing Island archipelago, where they would dance through the sky while proudly displaying their magnificent plumage.
They had no combat ability whatsoever. Their one remarkable trait was their beauty and grace, which made most ordinary monsters reluctant to attack them. A thousand years ago, Dragon’s Roar Town had enlisted the help of a cultivator to capture several of these rare birds and raise them as flying mounts.
Over the centuries, their numbers had grown to nearly twenty thousand.
When the Town Lord learned that the missing soldiers had been rescued, and knowing that the ships would have to sail around the island before reaching the town, he had sent more than a hundred of the birds to greet them. Now they filled the sky above the coast.
Against the endless blue of the sea and heavens, the Three-Tailed Patterned Pheasants sang as they flew, their patterned feathers gleaming beneath the sunlight. Their three long tail feathers streamed behind them like ribbons, giving them an elegance that made the entire flock look almost unreal. They looked like creatures that had stepped straight out of an ancient myth.
"Brother, the Town Lord gave each of us one!" Amber said excitedly, finally releasing Marcus’s arm. She summoned her own Three-Tailed Patterned Pheasant and climbed onto its back. The bird was already beautiful enough to attract attention, but with Amber sitting atop it, the sight was even more striking.
"Sir, this one is for you." The Town Lord personally led forward a particularly large and graceful pheasant. Its plumage carried a faint, almost ethereal glow, making it clear that this was no ordinary member of the flock.
Marcus didn’t hesitate. "Thanks!"
He checked its attributes.
—
Three-Tailed Patterned Pheasant King: Flying mount. Due to its extraordinary beauty and melodious calls, ordinary monsters have a 70% chance of choosing not to attack it or its rider. Can carry two riders.
—
"Perfect." The soldiers were already mounting their own birds with practiced ease. Marcus and his ladies climbed onto their Pheasants while the Town Lord accompanied them on another bird. Soon, the entire formation took to the sky and flew toward Dragon’s Roar Town.
By the time they arrived, the elderly, women, and children of the town had already gathered in the square, anxiously waiting and looking toward the sky. The instant they spotted the approaching formation of flying mounts, cheers erupted through the town, accompanied by more than a few tears of relief.
"Thank the Goddess of Dreams! Thank the Golden Wolf Guardian!"
The scene quickly became far more emotional than Marcus was comfortable with. The rescued soldiers had survived a near-death ordeal, and the villagers would undoubtedly have endless stories to tell once everything had settled down.
Rather than stand in the middle of the celebration and become the center of attention, Marcus simply told the Town Lord that he and the others would wait on the beach until things had calmed down.
He and his ladies flew down to the golden sands.
Behind them stretched a lush tropical forest, while ahead lay an endless expanse of blue ocean. The warm sunlight rested pleasantly against their skin, and the cool sea breeze swept in from the water, carrying with it the clean, refreshing scent of the coast.
It was the kind of place that made it easy to forget there was an entire dangerous world beyond the beach.
The ladies quickly set up several tables, umbrellas, and lounge chairs. Since Dragon’s Roar Town was also a scenic destination, its shops carried practically everything they could need. With the Town Lord’s permission, they had also gathered plenty of fresh fruit from the surrounding forest.
"Surfing!" Amber cheered and hurriedly changed into a swimsuit she had bought from one of the shops. The green one-piece had tiny violet patterns scattered across it, and the youthful figure she’d been growing into over time was now impossible to miss.
"Marcus, the sun here feels amazing!" One after another, the other ladies changed into the swimsuits they had carefully chosen.
"Marcus, do you like it?" Talia sauntered over wearing a blue-and-white bikini patterned with roses. She and Lily both had the kind of mature, graceful figures that drew the eye naturally, their long, slender bodies accentuated by their swimwear.
Marcus’s heart skipped. ’I’m going to lose my mind.’ Then the others appeared.
Snow, Crystal, Jade, Chloe... each one had chosen a different style, and each looked stunning in her own way. Any man would have found it difficult to keep his composure in a situation like this. Fortunately, this particular stretch of beach was deserted except for them, so the ladies had no reason to feel self-conscious about enjoying themselves.
Even Professor Tina, Crystal, Elara, Firebrand, and Icefall, who were usually much shyer and had kept their distance, had put on swimsuits in front of a man for the first time. Their flushed cheeks and hesitant expressions made their embarrassment perfectly obvious.
’Golden beach. Perfect.’
Marcus’s gaze soon landed on Chloe. She was wearing a light red one-piece with an open back, and among the Campus Queens, she had a presence that stood out from the others. Her figure was lean and athletic, full of youthful energy, and the exposed curve of her back caught Marcus’s attention before he could stop himself.
He stared for a moment too long. A private message immediately appeared.
Chloe: Pervert. What are you looking at?
Marcus almost laughed. Marcus: Chloe, you’re the one sneaking glances at me. Otherwise, how would you know I was looking at you?
Chloe: You...! Her face turned scarlet. She immediately looked away, clearly flustered by how quickly he’d turned her accusation back on her.
"I am not looking at you!" Marcus couldn’t help smiling.
’Pervert, huh?’ He wasn’t exactly offended by the accusation. If anything, he found her reaction amusing. After all, he was the man she had chosen to serve, the husband she would eventually belong beside as his lady. For now, he was content to tease her and enjoy seeing her lose her composure. There was no need to rush anything.
Before he could send another message and make her even more embarrassed, Firebrand and Icefall, the twin beauties, came running over toward Anya and Chloe.
"Anya, Chloe, let’s go catch some fish!" Firebrand called. "Professor Tina said she’ll grill them for us!" Marcus’s attention shifted toward the twins.
Firebrand was dressed in pale purple, while Icefall wore pale blue. Their faces were nearly identical, their figures equally graceful, and even the way they moved seemed to carry the same effortless rhythm.
Marcus stared for a moment before quietly admitting to himself, ’Twins really are something special.’