Chapter 31: The Unpopular New ’Beast King
Chapter 31: The Unpopular New ’Beast King
Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Unpopular New ’Beast King
The shopkeeper looked with some surprise at the very young sub-female before her. She had just come of age, but her eye was sharp; the price she haggled for was right at the shopkeeper’s bottom line.
"That’s possible, but since it’s a small order, you’ll have to wait ten days." The shopkeeper wasn’t one for mind games and agreed readily.
’Too long.’
’The rainy season is approaching.’
’She could wait, but the wild vegetables couldn’t.’
Feng Si’s eyes scanned the counter where the bowls were displayed. Her gaze was drawn to the second shelf, to a white porcelain jar about a palm high. It was painted with a black scale pattern, had a lid with a clasp, and was delightfully plump, able to hold about a pound.
’Pickled cabbage is meant to be a premium food, so I can’t just sell it in a small bowl or a leaf-bowl. The packaging is quite important.’
She said, "How about this: I’ll also take fifty of these white porcelain jars, but I need the custom crocks you’re making for me in three days."
"Alright, alright. These are ten coins each. For the crocks you ordered, come by in the afternoon three days from now, and I’ll deliver them to your door." Having made another big sale, the sub-female shopkeeper immediately agreed.
After settling on the crocks for the pickled cabbage, Feng Si paid 1100 coins, with six hundred as a deposit for the custom order. She then hurried home, carrying a basket of white porcelain jars.
’I’ll keep this batch of pickled cabbage for myself. Today, I’ll take out the large bowls and pickle another batch. That way, in two days, I can start selling it at my stall.’
...
「Pantian City.」
The rolling green mountains rose and fell, meeting the blue sky at the horizon. Everything in sight was the territory of the Southern Wilderness Main City.
As the seat of power for the Beast King of the South Desolate Empire, its walls were a majestic mountain range, and all the city’s roads were paved with high-density, rust-colored wooden blocks.
Round, white houses blended perfectly with the forest. The roads were laid out in an orderly grid. Along both sides of the most bustling and dense streets stood rows of five-story, standalone white villas.
Closer to the highest central mountain range, the houses gradually disappeared, leaving only an incredibly straight and wide road, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters.
This road led to the Southern Wilderness’s Beast King’s palace, which occupied an entire mountain range. The three Young Masters each held a cluster of more than a dozen mountains, their palace complexes built on the summits.
The majestic mountains stretched on endlessly. In a castle atop one of the high peaks, looking in through a window past the strictly patrolling Guard Team...
Inside the lavish main hall, the bright light from the crystal lamps on the walls illuminated the figure seated high on the main throne, accentuating his handsome features.
Chi Shou, the Eldest Young Master of the South Desolate Empire.
He was currently seated on the high throne, his gaze lowered as he spoke with his younger brother, the Third Young Master, Chi Jun, who was seated to his lower right.
"The Beast King is already bedridden. Everything in the Empire is now for you to decide, Brother," Chi Jun sneered. "As for that bunch who opposed you, after killing a few, they’ve become incredibly obedient. They don’t dare to defy you anymore."
A smile played on Chi Shou’s lips, but his golden eyes were filled with ambition. "This is all thanks to you standing behind me. I will take advantage of his absence to seize complete control of the Empire’s power."
The mention of this "him" instantly stifled the previously relaxed atmosphere in the hall.
The two brothers understood who "he" was without needing to say it.
Chi Jun’s previous arrogance was gone. He anxiously ran a hand through his hair, pushing the short black strands back to reveal a pair of golden eyes.
"I heard Chi Jie has already withdrawn his troops and is rushing back?"
He shifted restlessly and leaned forward. "The Beast King hasn’t officially proclaimed you as the heir apparent. What will we do if he comes back!"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Chi Shou’s face vanished like melting snow. His pupils narrowed into slits, and his expression turned grim.
Chi Jie, as the Empire’s Second Young Master, was born of the Beast King’s first Beast Queen. Chi Shou’s own mother, however, despite being a Special-level Female, had started out as merely one of the Beast King’s female attendants.
If Chi Jie’s mother hadn’t died young, it never would have been their mother’s turn to become the Beast Queen.
What was more infuriating was that while all three brothers were Special Level, the gap in their strength since childhood had been immense.
In a fight—he had never once beaten Chi Jie.
A dark glint flashed through Chi Shou’s pupils. His face was so grim it looked like it could drip water. At the mere mention of Chi Jie’s name, the negative emotions in his heart nearly materialized into a dark aura.
’I absolutely have to make everything I want a reality before Chi Jie returns.’
’The succession of the Beast King’s throne, the supreme position as master of the South Desolate Empire.’
’...The New Beast King.’
A vicious light flickered in Chi Shou’s eyes. He tapped a sharp, venomous fang at the corner of his lips and said slowly in a low voice:
"Tell Mother to begin preparations. As for Father... it’s almost time."
...
Ever since arriving in Nantong City, Feng Si rarely went out for a stroll unless necessary. On foraging days, she would go to the forests outside the city, but only to areas that had been designated and cleared of danger.
The rest of the time, she would wake up every morning, prepare that day’s food, and take it to the second floor to set up her stall. In the afternoon, she would return to make more food. The news on her communicator was usually just about Nantong City and Cang City.
She was almost completely unaware of the major events happening in the world.
On the third day of pickling the cabbage, Feng Si started bottling it early in the morning. The jars had been sterilized with boiling water, allowing the contents to be stored for a long time.
Suddenly, the optical screen on her wrist flashed. It was an old communicator, but the image that popped up was surprisingly clear. On the tablet-sized screen, a somber male baritone was announcing:
"To all citizens of the South Desolate Empire, today is September 13th of the dry season, Year 826 of the Beast Calendar. Our great Beast King, Chi Sasen III, has left us forever, returning to the embrace of the Beast God."
"Beast King Chi Sasen III protected the South Desolate Continent for nearly a hundred years. The Sacrificial Hall will hold the grandest of funerals for him at the Imperial Tomb. His soul will forever watch over this land. Let the entire populace observe a moment of silence."
"On September 16th of the dry season, the South Desolate Continent will welcome its new Beast King—Chi Shou. With the blessing of the chief priest, he will don the imperial crown of the South Desolate Empire’s Beast King and be coronated as the new Emperor..."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
A knock on the door interrupted the male voice on the optical screen, who was still singing the praises of the new Emperor. Feng Si felt no sense of belonging regarding the change of the Beast King in this world.
She simply switched it off, put down the jar of pickled cabbage in her hand, and went to open the door.
CLICK.
Outside the door stood Mao Qiu, whose own optical screen was continuing the broadcast: "...Chi Shou, he will be known as Chi Shou IV of the South Desolate Empire..."
Mao Qiu walked in as if it were her own home, raised a hand to switch off her communicator, and pouted. "It’s unbelievable. The new Beast King isn’t Young Master Jie. I wonder where he is now."
’This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of Chi Jie. It sounds like he’s won the hearts of the Beastmen on the South Desolate Continent. But the struggle for the throne doesn’t have much to do with ordinary commoners like us.’
Hearing this, Feng Si turned and went back inside, heading toward the kitchen. "Wait for me a moment. I’ll head out to the stall as soon as I finish packing these."
Mao Qiu’s gaze fell on the food preparation counter and paused. "You’re planning to sell this food called pickled cabbage today? ...And you’ve packed so many jars."
’They’ll never sell!’