Beneath the Red Dragon

A massive steel machine entirely constructed, like a box, slowly moves across the sand surface, crawling through the desert with the help of tracks, slowly extracting spice within the territory of the sandworms.

The Steel Body above the tracks is surrounded by sixteen steel limbs, each five meters thick and twelve meters long, inserted beneath the sand surface, extracting sand mixed with spice into the pipe openings at the tips of these limbs.

The spice mixed with gravel is then filtered through spice filters within the limbs and transported to the storage tanks on the back of the steel machine, resembling a spider’s bulb but hundreds of times larger.

Countless filtered-out gravel and dust are ejected from the pipes of this spice-collecting vehicle, leaving clouds of dust rising in its wake.

Several flapping-wing aircraft commanded by Harkonnen Clan warriors soar in the sky, monitoring the movements of the sandworms to provide timely warnings to the spice mining vehicle.

Once the sandworms, which can devour any organic matter, discover intruders in their territory, these technologically advanced Harkonnens can use transport aircraft to promptly evacuate the spice mining vehicle.

Additionally, some Harkonnen Clan Legion warriors, dressed in battle suits and armed with firearms and long sabers, patrol the ground to fend off surprise attacks by the Fremen and protect the Harkonnen’s mining operations.

The battle suits are equipped with large helmets resembling those of aviation suits but are not bulky.

These battle suits integrate defensive and life-support functions and are also equipped with hovering devices, allowing these warriors to temporarily float in mid-air.

However, they do not carry Holtzman Shielding Devices, as the vibration frequency activated by the Holtzman Shield would attract the sandworms’ attack.

But these Harkonnen Clan warriors do not notice the massive shadow slowly drifting overhead like a small city-sized island, shrouded by the shadow of magic, like overlapping illusions within the clouds.

The number of Golden Empire warriors and mages on the island has decreased compared to before. However, the lively scene on the island remains undiminished.

Due to the climate, two White Dragons and Blue Dragon Doss are stationed on the Floating Island, watching over the world’s skies.

”This is truly a marvelous civilization, entirely different from a civilization of magic. There is no magic power here, yet it appears more convenient than a magical civilization,”

White Dragon Gomot crouches at the edge of the island, the vision of the giant dragons allowing them to see the ground’s details clearly even from thousands of meters high in the clouds.

After continuously stealing the spice, experiments have shown that this spice has become a resource the Empire is determined to acquire. The Caster Corps and Dragon Group initially intended to forcibly conquer this planet with Imperial power.

But a cautious approach avoided the potential losses of the Imperial Legion. As the Casters used Stealth Spells to infiltrate the Harkonnen Clan Legion’s bases, the knowledge gained, along with information delivered by the Ancestral Red Dragon, helped the Empire gradually grasp much information in this Cosmos.

It seems this Cosmos is dominated by humanoid species, particularly various branches under human rule, with no other intelligent alien activity or presence.

No extraterrestrial intelligent biological civilization has been discovered; most creatures are fascinating like sandworms but lack intelligence.

Thus, the sudden appearance of the Dragon Group is unwise, given their original nature as entities not belonging to this Cosmos. A bold conquest might trigger resistance across the Cosmos civilization.

Though the elite of the Golden Empire are formidable, their numbers are too few to withstand the combined might of the Cosmos.

The indigenous people of this planet, the Fremen, already number in the millions, and the inhabitants of main stars populated by humans reach tens of billions, with each star capable of hosting billions of souls.

Moreover, many weapons existing in this Interstellar Cosmos pose threats to the Dragon Group and mages.

”Indeed, this is a civilization following a different path; naturally, it has its greatness. This belongs to the memory of civilization, potentially becoming part of my bloodline inheritance, broadening the future generations’ horizons.”

Blue Dragon Doss’s originally blue vertical pupils glimmer with a shimmering light.

After absorbing the spice, the giant dragons within the Dragon Group have obtained evolutionary growth opportunities; each dragon’s brain potential is developed, and the physical potential is explored.

They have not only greater prospects but also significantly enhanced intelligence, expressing more emotions and enjoying deep thought more than before.

Surely, increased intelligence does not necessarily mean greater cleverness, a baffling notion applied to others or other giant dragons.

But it does not surprise dragons in the case of White Dragon Camid.

White Dragon Camid’s eyes remain filled with their usual clear simplicity. His two heads lazily rest on his forepaws, yawning and interrupting the reflections of the two wiser Dragon Lords.

”I wonder what Karon is doing; it seems he has become smarter. That’s good, so I don’t have to think!”

Hearing White Dragon Camid’s murmurs, the two growing giant dragons cannot help but laugh, baring their fangs.

Before, perhaps the wise Dragon Lords couldn’t fathom the Ancestral Red Dragon’s deeds. But with brain evolution opportunities and information relayed by Karon, these two giant dragons harbor some speculation.