"Is that a genetic lifeform, do you think?"
"I should hope not. Look! Don't those aliens have the tail of a fish?"
The alien races of Renhuang began pointing at the starbeasts and the aquatic, only to be held back by the humans. "Be more respectful of them—they're some of the strongest races in the Milky Way, as well as the governor's good friends!"
"How strong are they compared to the governor?"
"They're weaker, of course—who isn't?"
As Zhang Lie guided Xing Bai and Lianna forward, he told them, "I'll have a reception prepared for you, but please give me some time to arrange the logistics."
The monarch of stars had convened a meeting of the elders in his palace. He roared, "Are all the preparations complete?"
The elder nodded. "Following your command, your majesty, we've called for all the cities in the empire to send their garrisons to the capital in order to prevent an attack from the other sura empires.Fortunately, thanks to your majesty's victory against the three sura empires recently, the citizens' morale is high, and all the cities have agreed to this demand. In addition, the last group of captives from other sura empires will arrive at the capital shortly."
"Once the captives arise, we'll have everything we need to proceed." The monarch of stars leaned back on his throne. "Although all nine of my godsons have given up their lives for this, I have to admit that Renhuang has given me an even better reason to advance my plans."
Many believed that the reason three sura empires had attacked the empire of stars was because they were threatened by the empire of stars' growth, but only a scant few people realized that this was all part of the monarch of stars' great plan.
"I'd intended on getting more materials from Renhuang, but all seven of my remaining godsons died instead... I suppose it's not too much of a drawback, considering I now have a stronger claim for advancement."
The monarch of stars' tone was calm and placid, as though the rage he had demonstrated that day in his palace was all just an act.
One of the elders raised his head and asked, "Your majesty, are we truly carrying out this plan?"
"Do you think there's an issue with it?" the monarch of stars asked. He frowned; he thought his plan was faultless.
"Your majesty, I'm sure you've planned for all contingencies, but according to your plan, you'll have to sacrifice a million square kilometers of land belonging to two of the sura empires you conquered, as well as half the population of the empire of stars. Are you certain this price is worth it?"
The monarch of stars' eyes' bulged. "You want me to give up on a plan I've spent years working toward at the eleventh hour?!" A blood-red beam emanated from his eyes and pierced the elder who quailed as he knelt trembling on the floor.
"N-No, your majesty!"
The red glow in the monarch of stars' eyes dissipated. "If not for the fact that you've been loyal to me for so long, I'd have decapitated anyone else who said that to me on the spot. I won't hear the like again, do you understand?"
The elder's forehead beaded with cold sweat. He felt as though he had almost looked death in the eyes.
The monarch of stars rapped on his armrest. "Sacrifices have to be made for such a large venture, and the ends justify the means. It's too late for your doubts."
"Yes, your majesty!" The elder wiped the sweat off his forehead. His heart thumped in his chest.
The monarch of stars slowly closed his eyes. "Do you know what the grandest treasure, what the basest pillar of our empire is?"
"Please tell us, your majesty!" The elders stirred, unwilling to hazard a guess that might prove incorrect—and deadly.
"Me!"
The elders: ...
"The ruler!" the monarch of stars cried out. "As long as I remain alive, the empire of stars will not crumble!"
This was a rather arrogant claim, but the monarch of stars' words were reflected in the sura's beliefs. Absolute strength trumped over everything else; no one would dare provoke the monarch of stars while he remained alive and well.
"And do you know what the second-most important treasure of the sura realm is?"
The elders shook their heads once again. "Please tell us, your majesty!"
"The army!" The monarch of stars continued, "The army can help expand the empire's territory, so I'm going to assign 80% of our forces to head toward Renhuang.
"From everyone else's perspective, it will surely seem like I've lost my mind—that I'm intending to defeat Renhuang at any cost without any care for the safety and security of the empire of stars. In truth, however, I simply want to protect the integrity of the army. I shall have to thank Renhuang for destroying the seven sura kings' forces; otherwise, I would hardly have such a good reason to act.
"Now, do you know what the third-most important treasure of the sura realm is?"
"The... people?" an elder guessed.
"Wrong!" the monarch of stars boomed. "It's all of you."
"All of us?"
"The third-most important treasure is the empire's elders and officials. Only with all of you around can the empire function properly, so I'll preserve all your lives."
"Thank you, your majesty!"
The monarch of stars continued, "And the fourth-most?"
"The citizens, surely?" another elder guessed.
"Incorrect once more! It's the empire's treasury. The citizens are only the eighth-most important thing in the empire, following our natural resources, technique repository, and weapons! Why should I give up my plan for the eighth-most important thing in the empire?"
"We understand our mistake," the elders replied somberly.
"There are countless sura all over the sura realm, as many as there are ants. If we want more citizens, we simply have to conquer a few more sura empires—and that's an easy feat as long as I become an asura! After that, the entire world shall be our oyster!"
The monarch of stars' eyes gleamed with cold red light.
The four prime races' gift, a peak-grade lifeform, was very generous as things went. contemporary romance
After a short deliberation, it was decided that Zhang Lie would weaken the peak-grade dragonwolf before allowing the strongest hunters to attack it a few times. Doing so would let them obtain some peak gene fragments before the dangerous battle.
Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith themselves didn't need more peak gene fragments, but the other hunters of Renhuang would certainly appreciate it.
Despite its chains and the drugs that it had consumed, the peak-grade dragonwolf was still a fierce creature to behold. Against Zhang Lie, however, it was all meaningless.
"[Rune: Resonate]!" Zhang Lie easily sealed the wolf's actions and thoughts, then beat it senseless.
Subsequently, a group of Renhuang hunters lined up. Each gave the wolf one blow with their weapon before moving on. Multiple times, a healing tincture had to be poured on the wolf's wounds to prevent it from dying outright.
As he watched the proceedings, Zhang Lie couldn't help but feel sorry for the wolf, who had to suffer this indignity at the hands of the humans.
After everyone had attacked it, Zhang Lie dealt the finishing blow. The peak-grade dragonwolf made a relieved expression at the last, tears brimming from its eyes as it finally found solace in death.
[You successfully killed a peak-grade dragonwolf and obtained its soulshard. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade dragonwolf, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]
Zhang Lie smiled. Noticing his smile, Lianna couldn't help but ask, "Did a soulshard condense?!"
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