Chapter 45: The Tyrant Receives His First…
“…Hǎiwān Island covers a total area of 2099.9 square kilometers. The star-level manors, castles… many residents kept collections of ancient artifacts that are literally priceless…”
“Just tell me how many stars you want.”
Inside the conference hall of the Federation’s Foreign Affairs Building, two rows of people sat across from each other, discussing the sinking of Hǎiwān Island.
Because the incident was trending on the StarNet and was highly controversial, the Federation and the Empire’s diplomatic teams were moving quickly to settle the matter as soon as possible.
The Empire’s diplomat was accompanied by a holographic projection. A person wearing a crimson court military uniform, with a Royal Guard totem sword at his waist, had been the one to speak just now.
The Federation’s diplomatic team was led by two men in silver-white councilor robes.
The other diplomats deferred to the two councilors. After Vice Commander Chén Chán’s interruption, one of them spoke.
“What exactly do you mean, Commander Chén?”
“Give me a price. My time is limited, and His Majesty could call for me at any moment. I want this settled now.”
The two councilors exchanged a look. One asked, “How much does the Empire intend to pay?”
Chén Chán held up a hand to indicate a number.
The two councilors whispered for a moment.
The one who had been speaking shook his head at Chén Chán, clearly unsatisfied with the price.
Chén Chán retracted her hand and leaned forward, her fingers forming a steeple. Her eyes shifted into the dense, grid-like irises of a cicada, beast markings appeared on her cheeks, and a cold sneer played on her lips.
“What, are the Federation’s councilors’ appetites so large? If we give you that much, will you even be able to swallow it without choking to death?”
“Hahaha!”
The other Imperial diplomats burst into laughter.
Their arrogant display made the Federation side’s teeth itch.
The Federation Council’s reputation was known throughout the stars.
One only needed to look at how they suppressed Marshal Shěn, the Federation’s God of War, to see their true colors.
A few laughs wouldn’t kill anyone, but the blatant disdain in the Imperial diplomats’ eyes was like ripping away their facade and stomping on it. It was humiliating.
The only two council members at the table turned red.
Don’t misunderstand—it wasn’t embarrassment; it was rage.
“You!”
The councilor who had been silent until now was breathing heavily, his fists cracking as he stood up abruptly.
The Imperial diplomats stood up in unison, each of them eagerly cracking their knuckles.
It was coming! It was coming!
Their chance to impress His Majesty’s favorite had arrived! They were just waiting for the other side to make a move so they could get a promotion.
Sensing something was wrong, the other Federation councilor quickly pulled his companion back, whispering, “Don’t be impulsive. We’re here to negotiate, not to fight. Don’t forget, these people from Ikaruosi are all combat lunatics. Do you want to go up there and die?”
The man looked at the buff, muscular Imperial diplomats and couldn’t help but tremble. He sat back down and hung his head in silence.
The diplomats’ disappointment was visible to the naked eye.
They might be civil officials, but they knew how to throw a punch.
If the two Federation councilors had lost their tempers, they wouldn’t have minded ganging up on them to win His Majesty’s favor.
They had heard His Majesty was only here at the Federation’s main star to see Marshal Shěn’s youngest son.
Today’s incident had also been triggered because of that young Master.
Marshal Shěn’s story was known across the galaxy. Even as citizens of Ikaruosi, they respected him and despised the Federation Council for what they had done.
Since His Majesty cared about the cub, they didn’t mind giving the Federation Council some trouble.
In the end, the Federation gained no advantage.
Since the councilors couldn’t skim any profit from the Empire, they had to turn their attention to the wealthy merchants who had bought property on Hǎiwān Island.
The merchants were full of complaints but didn’t dare to cross the councilors.
This whole incident had been caused by Tǎlǐ’ěr, yet the merchants were being forced to bear the loss. How could they take this lying down?
Hèlǐ, Tǎlǐ’ěr’s grandfather, became the target of everyone’s ire.
With Tǎlǐ Yào causing trouble in the background, Hèlǐ’s various businesses were hit with unprecedented suppression.
Fortunately, the Shěn family stepped in.
Shěn Zéxī’s personal secretary arrived with an inspection team and a list of names. Every merchant on that list had a “dirty” record; as soon as they were checked, they were found guilty. Before long, a group of merchants was sitting in the detention center.
Tǎlǐ Yào was dragged from his mistress’s bed and brought there as well. He didn’t say a word.
The moment the meteoric iron gates slammed shut, the smile he had been maintaining vanished, replaced by a dark scowl.
He sat on the cold mechanical chair, staring at the bright energy lamp above. His eyes turned a blood-red, and his pupils were replaced by a cold, slit-like pair of snake eyes.
“…That’s the gist of it. Tǎlǐ Yào is just a pawn; the Fifth Council Elder’s youngest son, Wéilìkè’ěr, is the one actually calling the shots. They wanted to use this incident to drag you down.”
Dàiwéi put away the documents and finished his report.
Shěn Zéxī, who had been buried in work, hummed in acknowledgment.
Dàiwéi stepped to the side and stood in silence.
Once she finished the document at hand and closed the virtual contract, Shěn Zéxī finally looked up. Her gaze landed on Shěn Zéjué, who had been standing there with his head down, silent for once.
She rubbed her temples and pulled an inhibitor-cigarette from a drawer to light it.
The smoke blurred her delicate features.
Between her fingers, which were tipped with black polish, the cigarette glowed in the light.
Shěn Zexi exhaled a smoke ring and tapped the ash away. “I’ve settled the mess for you, Old Three. Now, do you know what you need to do next?”
Shěn Zéjué didn’t look up, murmuring, “I know.”
“You know my foot!”
Shěn Zéxī crushed the cigarette and stood up. She walked over to Shěn Zéjué and poked his shoulder with a slender finger.
“You’re sixteen, not six. Do you have any idea who you were provoking? That’s a tyrant who wiped out his own clan, not some little brother you can order around. If it weren’t for Bǐngbǐng, Tǎlǐ’ěr would have been forcibly sent to the Blood Abyss.”
Shěn Zéjué went pale. He opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond.
Shěn Zéxī crossed her arms, the sound of her heels clicking as she paced the floor.
The silver chain on her collar clinked, and the silver councilor’s badge on her chest shimmered.
“You have about a year until graduation. Think carefully about what you want to do in the future. Don’t just act on impulse. As Bǐngbǐng’s brother, you are supposed to take care of him, not the other way around. Now, go. I have work to do. Go to the Beast Blood Pool and take your punishment.”
“…Yes.”
Shěn Zéxī was about to light another cigarette when she saw Shěn Zéjué still standing there, hesitating to leave. She raised an eyebrow. “What, is there something else?”
Shěn Zéjué hesitated. “Second Sister, you said yourself he’s a bloodthirsty tyrant. Should we keep Bǐngbǐng away from him? What if he goes crazy and hurts Bǐngbǐng? You know Bǐngbǐng’s situation… and that guy saw Bǐngbǐng’s secret. What if he has ulterior motives?”
Shěn Zéxī glared at him. “You think I like it? Bǐngbǐng has his own opinions; we can’t interfere. Of course, if you want to push Bǐngbǐng away from us, be my guest.”
Shěn Zéjué immediately wilted.
He left with a dejected air.
Shěn Zéxī sat back in her chair, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.
Once she finished another cigarette and crushed it in the ashtray, she gestured for Dàiwéi to step forward.
“Where is Eldest Brother?”
Dàiwéi quickly replied, “He’s reached the Butterfly Nebula and is about to enter the Solar System.”
Shěn Zéxī hummed and waved Dàiwéi away.
Once she was alone in the study, black scales flickered across her cheeks.
Her long, dark hair writhed and twisted, letting out a soft hissing sound.
Shěn Lín woke up and instinctively felt for the plume in his arms. Instead, he touched a body with an exceptionally high temperature. He snapped his eyes open.
He immediately saw brilliant red hair.
The youth was stunningly beautiful, his red eyes closed. One hand was placed properly on his abdomen, while the other was being used as a pillow for Shěn Lín.
Looking down, Shěn Lín saw a damp patch on the fabric where he had been lying.
He blushed.
He tried to wipe it away, but the stain only seemed to grow larger. He quickly grabbed his little blanket and covered it up.
As long as he couldn’t see it, it wasn’t his doing.
“Heh~”
A light laugh sounded.
Shěn Lín’s body went stiff, and he dove under the blanket, pretending to be an ostrich.
The little blanket formed a soft lump.
Lì Héng reached out, trying to pull back the edge of the blanket.
A chubby little hand shot out, clutching the blanket tight.
“Little Bear, what are you embarrassed about?”
The lump wiggled, but no sound came out.
Lì Héng’s hand lightly scratched the back of Shěn Lín’s hand. The chubby hand immediately retreated into the blanket as if startled.
Lì Héng leaned in, his gaze meeting the cub’s peeking almond eyes.
He smiled. “Caught the Little Bear.”
“Giggle~”
The cub immediately forgot his embarrassment and began playing hide-and-seek with Lì Héng.
The two of them played together in a heap.
The sounds of laughter filled the room, and the servants outside couldn’t help but smile as they went about their work.
After laughing for a while, Shěn Lín forgot all his earlier awkwardness. He crawled over to Lì Héng and began rummaging through his spatial button.
Lì Héng was hit by a bag of snacks.
He looked at the label—it was a brand of cheese dessert.
Shěn Lín continued searching until his eyes lit up and a gift box appeared in his hands.
He shoved it into Lì Héng’s hands.
“For me?”
Lì Héng didn’t know how to react, instinctively pointing to himself as he asked the cub.
“Gift~”
“Only for you~”
The milky voice was extra sweet.
“Really!”
“Mhmm~”
The surprise was too sudden!
Before even opening the gift, the red-haired youth’s mouth was already curved into a wide grin.
The wrapping was a bit crooked, and only the crimson bow on top looked passable.
Seeing the rough handiwork, Lì Héng knew the cub had made it himself.
Lì Héng didn’t want to damage even the wrapping paper. He carefully unwrapped it, revealing the corner of the gift.
It was a round, chubby pink chick.
With large, round, crimson eyes, it had a piteous, crying expression.
What a weak and piteous little chick.
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