Chapter 48: Only the Living Can Be Called the Beast King

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Only the Living Can Be Called the Beast King

"To kill him, we sent an elite force of a thousand Advanced Male Beasts last time. There’s no way they failed, right?" Chi Jun glanced cautiously at his brother, Chi Shou. ’Half of my own Advanced Dead Servant Beasts were part of that force.’

The arrogance on Chi Shou’s face stiffened at his words.

’Is he praising Chi Jie just to undermine my authority?’

The corners of his mouth turned down. "Don’t worry," he said, his tone strained. "There’s no way Chi Jie survived."

With that, Chi Shou turned and walked toward the throne behind him. The pitch-black throne resembled an inverted crown of thorny vines. Its spires were inlaid with goose-egg-sized black gems that glittered under the swaying light of the bronze-pillared lamps.

"Long live Chi Shou IV of the South Desolate Empire!"

The sound of his subjects kneeling and shouting in fealty flashed through his mind. Chi Shou slowly sat on the throne, his lowered, golden eyes reflecting its form.

The throne: a symbol of rule and power over the entire South Desolate Empire.

Chi Shou raised a hand to gently stroke the armrest, his heart swelling like a tidal wave.

No matter what, he was now the King of the South Desolate Empire.

He rested both hands on the armrests and closed his eyes in rapture, an arrogant expression spreading across his face as he reveled in the feeling of being the supreme ruler of the South Desolate Empire.

Watching Chi Shou reveal his domineering side, his magnificent robes draped over the throne, Chi Jun was surprisingly moved by the noble sight as he stood beside it.

’This is the place of a trusted confidant.’

After a long and tiring day, after being crowned the most esteemed man in the Empire, Chi Shou had summoned him here alone, to the high dais of the throne. This was proof enough that his brother still held him dear.

"Brother, you’re truly the most intelligent Beastman in the world. Chi Jie is nothing compared to you." Chi Jun swelled with pride. ’If my brother were to ask for more Dead Servant Beasts, I’d give them to him without a second thought.’

"Is that so? What gives you the audacity to think that?"

A voice that did not belong here suddenly broke the silence—cold and indifferent, like a glacial stream, almost making one feel as if they were in the frigid depths of a winter sea.

Chi Shou shot to his feet and took two steps forward. He and Chi Jun looked down to see a familiar figure strolling unhurriedly from the entrance. In the great hall, which was as bright as day, the newcomer’s face was revealed.

His short black hair was sharp and clean, framing deep-set, aggressive eyes. His cold, golden gaze was fixed straight on them.

Chi Jie.

A wave of panic washed over them both.

’The shadow guards in the hall were completely silent, yet Chi Jie was strolling in so casually. What did that mean...?’

Chi Shou’s heart nearly stopped. His pupils constricted as he gripped the railing before him, the cold of the metal seeming to seep into his very bones.

Sharing his brother’s terror, Chi Jun lost control and cried out, "Chi Jie! My brother is the New Beast King, chosen by the Beast God and our father, the late Beast King! You—you were not summoned by the King, yet you dare trespass in the palace at night! That is disrespect to the King! By decree, you are to be beheaded and put on public display!"

His shouts reverberated through the great hall, the echoes growing weaker until they vanished completely, leaving only the sound of one slow footstep after another.

The young man walked toward the light, a hint of nonchalance in his golden eyes, and started directly up the steps leading to the throne.

Like a conquering king returning from victory, his tall, lean, powerful figure strode forward, head held high. The brutal aura of battlefield carnage still clung to him.

This presence exerted a terrifying, oppressive force on those who faced him, making them afraid to look directly at his handsome, refined face.

It made Chi Jun, who was standing before the throne’s dais, instinctively step aside. Chi Shou, however, remained frozen in place, his grip deforming the sturdy railing beneath his hand.

Without breaking stride, Chi Jie walked right between them. As he brushed past, his languid, rich baritone finally sounded once more before the throne.

"Wrong, Chi Shou. The one with the strength to be the last one standing..." Chi Jie reached the throne, turned, and elegantly took a seat. The motion caused his black cloak to billow out behind him.

His black, scale-mail battle robe outlined his powerful, well-formed physique. He planted his long legs apart on the footrest, which was carved to resemble a coiled dragon. As his cloak finally settled, it stirred a few strands of black hair across his fair, refined features, making his cold golden eyes seem all the more terrifying.

Chi Jie settled firmly onto the throne. He lightly touched his temple with his long, slender fingers and smiled serenely. "...is the one to whom the throne truly belongs."

The two of them whipped their heads around.

’Chi Jie... he was sitting on the... on the THRONE!’

’Sitting on the throne.’

’How dare he!’

Chi Shou’s breathing grew ragged. The throne he had painstakingly won was now occupied by that little mongrel, Chi Jie.

His face flushed crimson with rage, and his earlier fear of the powerful Beastman vanished completely. He snarled through gritted teeth, "Get down from there! You are not worthy to sit there! That seat is mine!"

"Don’t think you can be so arrogant just because you killed the Empire’s guards! My brother and I are still here! Tomorrow, my brother will summon the army and kill you, you traitor!" Chi Jun blustered, glaring at Chi Jie, his heart a tempest of fear and fury.

’Chi Jie has always been like this, looking down on him ever since they were children. The situation is settled now! He’s just a Young Master with nothing to his name! What right does he have to be so contemptuous of my brother and me?!’

Chi Jun’s eyes filled with venom. As if to convince himself, he said stubbornly, "My brother is the Beast King of the South Desolate Continent."

Chi Jie propped his cheek on his fair, slender hand. He languidly raised his eyelids, looking at the furious pair with amusement. A smile of sudden realization bloomed on his face. "Ah, that’s right. If I kill you, this seat becomes mine." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The moment his words faded, a squad of warriors surged into the hall. They were as burly as iron towers, clad in silver armor and wielding three-meter-tall tridents forged from chill-iron. The heavy plate, weighing hundreds of pounds, encased them from head to toe, leaving them as impenetrable as a fortress wall.

Clearly, the heavy armor was designed to protect against the venom produced by Chi Jun’s and Chi Shou’s beast forms.

"No—" Understanding dawned on Chi Shou, and his face went pale. With all his forces eliminated, he resolved to make one last, desperate gamble.

He suddenly transformed into a hundred-meter-long black behemoth and lunged, opening his cavernous maw to swallow the seated Chi Jie.

A foul wind blasted toward him, accompanied by the DRIP, DRIP of viscous, transparent saliva. A dark glint flashed in Chi Jie’s golden eyes.

The next second.

A colossal black form appeared, twice the size of the hundred-meter behemoth—something that looked more like a true dragon than a lesser Chi beast. It deftly evaded the cavernous maw, then slithered up along the smaller beast’s long, black-scaled body, closing in to a point just inches below its head.

With a swift, ruthless, and precise bite, its fangs pierced the tough scales without resistance. The moment venom was injected, the smaller Chi beast’s enormous, window-sized eyes went vacant.

The massive creature then slammed to the ground with a sickening THUD. Its colossal body immediately began to disintegrate, flesh and blood melting away until only a corpse remained. It was Chi Shou.