Chapter 162: We have to stop him
Captain Zhen moved through the stronghold’s lower levels, looking for the main thermal vent that fed heat to the eastern section. The corridors here were narrower, carved directly from the volcanic rock, with pipes of molten stone carrying superheated water throughout the structure.
"Here," Captain Zhen said to himself, pointing to a junction where three major thermal pipes converged. "If I rupture this central feed, it should create enough steam and chaos to cover Lin’s escape."
The main line was as thick as his torso, with pressure valves that glowed red-hot from the thermal energy flowing through them.
Captain Zhen positioned himself. He could hear the battle raging above them through the volcanic stone—roars of dragons, the crash of weapons, and the distinctive crackling sound of Lin’s ice magic.
"It’s now or never." Captain Zhen said.
He struck the pipes in 3 distinct spots. He sliced through the pressure valves, and immediately superheated water erupted from the damaged pipes. The corridor filled with scalding steam as the thermal system began to fail catastrophically.
Above them, the effects were immediate. Steam began pouring through vents and cracks in the eastern wall section, creating a thick white fog that obscured vision and made targeting difficult.
Lin seized the opportunity. With visibility reduced to mere feet, she launched herself upward, her powerful wings carrying her above the confused mass of loyalist dragons. Her ice magic crystallized the steam around her, creating a protective barrier of frozen vapor.
But before she could escape the combat zone entirely, the stronghold’s main gates exploded inward. The massive volcanic stone doors, each weighing several tons, were blown apart by a concentrated blast of corrupted energy that left dark stains on everything it touched.
Through the shattered entrance came Jiaolong himself.
His appearance had changed since Lin last saw him. His scales were now even darker than before and his muscles looked to be twice the size.