Chapter 105: Post-war Reparations and I Only Want Her
Chapter 105: Post-war Reparations and I Only Want Her
Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Post-war Reparations and I Only Want Her
Tiger Flame’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
Whale bone is used to create Mechanical Weapons. The Titan Python Whip at Chi Jie’s waist, for instance, was active and could change size. That was because whale bone had been used as a binding agent to fuse Titan Python Bone with liquid metal.
Whale Beasts lived more than ten thousand meters below the sea and were extremely rare. Acquiring whale bone was a matter of sheer luck, to say nothing of the immense difficulty of even reaching the deep sea area.
The Northern Wilderness currently possessed only one such skeleton. One could say the war between the two nations had started because of it—that, and the fact that the continent could not accommodate two great powers with its limited resources.
So, upon hearing the Southern Wilderness’s demand for the whale bone, Tiger Flame’s immediate instinct was to refuse. He ignored Prime Minister Lizard Fei, who sat opposite him, and instead looked toward the true master of the Southern Wilderness.
Even though the coronation had been held just the day before yesterday, and he had only arrived yesterday, he was now facing the true, undisputed master of the Southern Wilderness:
"Jie Beast King, aren’t you being a bit too greedy? A complete whale bone skeleton can only create two biological weapons, and you demand half from the outset."
"Unwilling to give it? That’s fine by me. I’m not one for sharing whale bone either." The corner of Chi Jie’s mouth curved into a somewhat wicked smile.
There was little warmth in his golden eyes. He rose languidly from the black crystal throne, casually raising a hand and clenching it into a fist. His long knuckles cracked with an audible KAKA.
A terrifying aura erupted from him, causing all the Northern Wilderness envoys around Tiger Flame to pale. None of them dared to make a sound.
Tiger Flame was the only one from the Northern Wilderness whose expression remained unchanged. Ignoring the intimidation, he planted his hands on the table and slowly leaned forward. His broad back muscles strained against his silver formal jacket, their powerful contours clearly visible.
This was the body of a male beast brimming with explosive power. Even in his human form, he adopted the hunting posture of a White Tiger crouching to attack. His imposing aura didn’t diminish in the slightest; it was a perfect, textbook display of a wild White Tiger’s pre-strike stance, radiating immense pressure.
This time, the expressions of the seated Southern Wilderness contingent changed in unison.
Prime Minister Lizard Fei watched Tiger Flame. ’I have to admit,’ he thought, ’this White Tiger is a little stronger than his brother. With him in the picture, the Northern Wilderness won’t be an Empire that’s easily conquered in the future.’
Unless—
’We take this opportunity to eliminate this White Tiger and nip the problem in the bud!’
Prime Minister Lizard Fei, who had already mentally devised several ways to kill Tiger Flame, turned and shot a meaningful look at his Beast King, hoping he would understand his plot and give the order.
Standing before the black crystal throne, Chi Jie looked down at the newly matured tiger, a faint brow arching on his face.
Arrogant and self-assured.
He paid the White Tiger’s threat no mind at all. With a detached look in his golden eyes, Chi Jie stared at Tiger Flame, the corners of his mouth upturned.
It was the look of a full-grown male beast watching a little cub hiss and bare its milk teeth at him.
After a brief staring contest, Tiger Flame was the one to break eye contact first. After seven years of war, the land and the Beastman Warriors of the Northern Wilderness desperately needed time to recover.
Moreover, it was the middle of the cold season. The entire Northern Wilderness was blanketed in ice and snow, making food difficult to find. Feeding the warriors was a major problem, to say nothing of keeping them warm.
"I agree to the Southern Wilderness’s terms."
Tiger Flame turned back to Prime Minister Lizard Fei. The killing intent in his ice-blue eyes was hidden behind long lashes, making him appear to be the harmless Young Master and representative of the Northern Wilderness.
He pulled his hands back from the table and said in a low voice, "However, since we were the ones who acquired the whale bone, if you want it... then I want a certain female from the Southern Wilderness in return. Her name is Feng Si."
Prime Minister Lizard Fei: "...?"
Upon hearing their Young Master’s condition, Shi Li and Xiong Baiwei, who stood behind him, gave him looks that were difficult to put into words.
’That’s the most precious whale bone! It was meant to forge your spear, Young Master! Now you’re just giving half of it to the Southern Wilderness. There goes the spear!’
’This semi-sentient biological weapon is far more effective than any lifeless steel one. It can autonomously block ranged attacks for its wielder, serving as both armor and a weapon.’
’Only two such weapons remain on the entire continent, both possessed by the Beast Kings of the great northern and southern Empires. All others turned to dust upon their masters’ deaths.’
’You just agreed to give away HALF of such a precious whale bone, something even a Beast King would struggle to acquire!’
’A woman is the downfall of a country.’
’Truly, the downfall of a country.’
The Northern Wilderness delegation was incredibly frustrated, but they were in a foreign land, and the Young Master’s authority was absolute. They could not object.
"Oh? No. You don’t have the right to negotiate with me. Your only option is to agree." Chi Jie rejected the proposal without a second thought, leisurely walking down the steps.
Prime Minister Lizard Fei remained seated, a polite smile fixed on his face.
’So this is what it feels like to have a powerful King backing you up, instead of bearing down on you?’
’Heh, so satisfying. As expected of my King!’
Chi Jie smiled at the White Tiger seated at the center of the long table. "A Special-level Male Beast... and you’re still just a Young Master?"
Tiger Flame looked up at Chi Jie, his expression turning icy.
He could sense that the male beast before him was immensely powerful. Staring at him for too long made his vision blur and play tricks on him.
It was as if Chi Jie’s beast form had appeared behind his human one. The shadow of a giant Chi burst through the hundred-meter-high domed ceiling, its black, blood-stained scales glowing with a dark red light. The giant Chi’s eyes shone brighter than the sun, and staring at them for too long made his own eyes ache with pain.
Looking at the giant Chi, Tiger Flame was self-aware enough to know his limits. Having only recently come of age, his power was not yet at its peak. Right now, he was no match for Chi Jie.
’But he would be, one day.’
"Fine. On behalf of the Northern Wilderness, I accept the Southern Wilderness’s terms," Tiger Flame said, his voice calm and cold.
Shortly thereafter, two copies of a beast-hide truce agreement were signed between the powerful northern and southern Empires.
Beastmen, at their core, were better at fighting than talking. The speed at which they negotiated a truce that would last for years was astonishing.
Once signed, with one copy for each nation, the Northern Wilderness delegation didn’t leave right away. They took up temporary residence in the Southern Wilderness’s emissary building, waiting for their contingent to deliver the tribute before returning to the Northern Wilderness together.
So, once the Northern Wilderness party had left the main hall, a cunning light flashed in Prime Minister Lizard Fei’s eyes. He trotted to catch up with Chi Jie, who was walking toward the back of the palace. "My King, such a golden opportunity..."
He made a throat-slitting gesture. "Why don’t we... and just kill that White Tiger!"
Chi Jie didn’t break his stride. The Titan Python Whip was coiled around his lean waist, nestled against a belt of precious gems. His voice, devoid of warmth, replied:
"You may. But first, you have to fill my empty coffers."
The ever-clever Lizard Fei: "..."
’Damn it,’ he cursed internally. ’The previous Beast King was incredibly wasteful, and after years of continuous war, the royal treasury is so empty it has less than a single city’s warehouse.’
’Lizard Fei considered himself a jack-of-all-trades, but when it came to making money, he was utterly clueless.’