Chapter 2175: Caged Bird
Jiu Lan, who was in the Buxingren Chamber beating Suona and executing a living hell of torture, learned of the return of Warden Youming!
And he wanted to summon Jiang Nan? How could she still care about Suona?
Her heart jumped into her throat!
Jiang Nan had nothing to do with that matter, and he had even helped suppress the riot, earning merit. The Warden shouldn't do anything to Jiang Nan!
So it must be about something else!
She turned to look at Suona, only to see him beaten to the point of swelling, his HP zeroed, lying on the ground with his eyes rolled back and legs kicking!
Unconsciously babbled:
(꒪ͦཀ꒪ͦ#ゝ∠)_"I don't know anything... didn't see anything... I'm innocent, I am..."
Jiu Lan nodded slightly. The physical memory erasure seemed quite successful!
So she turned and ran out.
...
On the other side, Jiang Nan took his time walking toward the Youming office!
This guy finally agreed to see him?
Bing Chacha followed behind:
(⌒ㅂ⌒;)"S-Southern God Lord, I just spoke well of you in front of Warden Youming!"
"And earlier during the riot, I risked my life to protect you. So about that happy thing of mine..."
Jiang Nan grinned: (๑¯ิ↼¯ิ)"Your performance over this period has been commendable, worthy of praise!"
"If I'm in a good mood after seeing Youming, telling you the exact location isn't out of the question!"
Bing Chacha was moved, almost crying on the spot. Finally! Finally he relented?
Now he just hoped the meeting would go smoothly so Jiang Nan would be in a good mood!
Hope Lord Youming wouldn't be so tactless!
As they walked, Jiu Lan suddenly rushed out of the corridor, looking worried.
(O•᷄～•᷅)"I heard Lord Youming wants to see you?"
Jiang Nan smiled: "It's fine, don't worry. This is exactly what I was hoping for."
Bing Chacha looked strangely at Jiang Nan and Jiu Lan.
Could they be...
Jiu Lan glared: (ꐦÒ～Ó)"What are you looking at? Impotent coward!"
Bing Chacha: (ꐦథ益థ)σ"Y-You you you..."
Don't rub salt in people's wounds!
The office door opened, Jiang Nan stepped in calmly, and the door closed heavily.
Bing Chacha paced anxiously in the corridor, as nervous as a husband waiting for his wife to give birth.
Jiu Lan, however, skillfully pressed her ear to the wall to eavesdrop.
...
The moment he entered the office, Jiang Nan saw Youming sitting imposingly behind the desk, a new suit stretched tight over his frame, a pipe in his mouth.
He looked every bit the suited thug.
The room was smoky, mixed with the smell of Youming marinated by the Minghe Koi...
Jiang Nan pinched his nose:
(￢ก￢٥)"Hoo~ Did you take a dump in your office?"
Jiu Lan outside: (|||≥3≤)"Pfft~"
What are you even saying to Warden Youming?!
Youming choked on his own smoke from that one sentence, coughing hard.
Jiang Nan didn't stand on ceremony, plopping into the swivel chair across the desk.
"Smoking while on the toilet won't cover the stench. Still stinks."
"Mind opening the AC to air out? Or we could talk in my cell instead."
Youming gritted his steel teeth, glaring at Jiang Nan, nearly crushing his pipe.
But he didn't lose his temper. Instead, he let out a sneer.
"The outside world says no one has bigger balls than the Southern God, no matter how vast the starry sky. Today I get it. No wonder you caused the Thousand Stars Catastrophe."
"Bold!"
Jiang Nan beamed: (๑⁼̴ꇴ⁼̴)"Sucking up to me won't get you the Dali formula."
Youming's gaze sharpened. Straight to the point. But he didn't take the bait.
Instead, he changed track: "You released Yakeli, didn't you? And you hijacked the crystal shipment at Mingzhu Star Port, right?"
Jiang Nan quickly waved his hand:
(︶～︶〃)ﾂ"Hey hey, farts can be let loose randomly, but words can't. How could it be me?"
"I was in here suppressing the riot with the prisoners. Don't throw shit on me!"
"Says it was me? Where's the evidence? Plenty of witnesses can testify I never left Ming He Death Prison!"
Youming squinted: "I have no evidence. But I feel it was you."
Jiang Nan: ???
(´-﹏-(ヾ)"My reputation might be bad out there, but you can't just do this."
Youming said flatly: "Ye Hua doesn't have the guts for this. And those Minghe Koi looked like they'd been drinking Dali..."
"I don't care how you did it or what method you used. A man like me doesn't care about the process, only the result."
"This is the Minghe Star Domain. I say it was you, so it was you. I don't need evidence!"
Jiang Nan's mouth twitched. Damn, you guessed right!
I really did do it!
Jiu Lan outside felt her heart in her throat!
(งᵒ̌﹏ᵒ̌)ง How could Lord Youming be like this? He's wronging a good man!
Doesn't he even listen to reason?
And Jiang Nan had even led the riot suppression!
Jiang Nan insisted: ☝(︶◠︶〃)"Nothing to do with me! Not me!"
My whole body, my mouth is the second hardest part! I'm not admitting it! What can you do to me?
Youming leaned back leisurely, looking at Jiang Nan with interest, taking a puff of his pipe.
(￢⇀≠๑)"Truth be told, I don't really care about a Mingzhu Star Port. Our Netherworld Race has hundreds of resource hubs like that. Losing one doesn't hurt me much."
"This can be a small matter—I can turn a blind eye and let it go. Or it can be a big matter—a matter of life and death."
As he spoke, Youming's gaze turned sharp, a faint killing intent settling on Jiang Nan.
The pressure of a Star Devourer was no joke!
But Jiang Nan, who had seen big scenes, wasn't intimidated.
Jiang Nan smiled: (*ﾟ◡ﾟ)"Oh? Aren't you turning a blind eye right now?"
[From Youming: Resentment Value +1007!]
Damn it! Can't you follow the script?
(ꐦᵒ̶̶̷̀益˂̶́)"Don't interrupt! You're smart. You know what I want. And you know how important Dali is to the Netherworld Race. That's why you brought it out, right?"
"Hand over the method to extract Dali, and I'll let you live. You've been living pretty comfortably in Ming He Death Prison."
"To be honest, Di Chou and the Sacred Law Council are running out of patience. You can choose not to hand over the secret on that end. I'll tell them you died accidentally during torture, fake your death, and settle it that way."
"Even though I didn't fulfill the Sacred Law Council's orders, if you're dead, they won't say much. Consider it closed."
Jiang Nan smiled: "Oh? That sounds like a decent proposal."
Youming said flatly: "After that, you'll live under a new identity. You can even choose to join the Netherworld Race!"
"Want Minghe Crystal? I'll give you as much as you want. Resources? Women? Power? Planets? Anything the Netherworld Race has, I can give you!"
"You know my reach. In this Minghe Star Domain, you can be second only to me, above all others! Of course, you can't leave the Minghe Star Domain. You can't show your face in the starry sky again."
"After all, Jiang Nan is dead. Say goodbye to your past. A bright future, a new life awaits you. And all I want is your Dali formula."
"I'll give you time to consider. And this is your only way to live."
With that, Youming stared into Jiang Nan's eyes. The air in the room grew deathly still.
You could even hear the tobacco burning.
Jiang Nan's expression turned serious. He understood that Youming was negotiating in earnest.
The proposal was the Netherworld Race's biggest concession—not a threat, but a genuinely good offer.
Even Jiu Lan outside grew tense.
What would Jiang Nan choose? Lord Youming's terms were really quite generous.
Jiang Nan slammed his hands on the desk, his gaze firm.
"No need to consider. I can tell you clearly: I refuse!"
"Join the Netherworld Race? Say goodbye to my past? Start a new life? Hah, do you think that's possible?"
"I am human! I have my race, and I'm proud of it! The starry sky holds everything I love!"
"I gave everything to let humanity step into the starry sky. I didn't hesitate to collapse over forty thousand planets, bear the sins, stain my hands with blood, earn the hatred and curses of countless people!"
"All to make humanity shine among the stars! That is my life's work! Do you think I would abandon all of that?"
Youming said coldly: "And that's exactly why you're stuck here now!"
"Don't be naive! Making humanity shine among the stars? After the Thousand Stars Catastrophe, do you think there's still a place for you in the starry sky?"
"Sometimes, how you live isn't your choice. As the Era Lord of humanity, you've done well. You've fulfilled your duty."
"What else can't you let go of? The road to life is right in front of you. Will you take it or not? Must you die to achieve meritorious completion?"
Jiang Nan's eyes sparkled: "If you don't try, how do you know there's no place for me?"
"The starry sky is so brilliant. But to spend the rest of my life trapped in the Minghe Star Domain? What's the point of being king of a cage? Is that truly living?"
"How is that any different from being imprisoned in Ming He Death Prison? Humanity has been caged long enough! We will not be caged again!"
"Life is born free! Every single hair on my body shines with the light of freedom!"
Youming's eyes widened, as if struck on a nerve. He slammed the table and stood up, his massive form exuding intense pressure.
Highly condensed Stygian Energy burst forth, distorting the void.
"Are you insulting the Netherworld Race? Calling us caged birds imprisoned by the ten thousand races?"
Jiang Nan looked up, meeting his gaze: "Am I wrong?"
Youming's fists clenched, furious: "Don't think I won't kill you here and now!"
"One breath is enough for me to slay you ten thousand times! Your life has been in my hands from the moment you entered the Minghe Star Domain!"
"I can take it whenever I want! Do you understand or not?"
Jiang Nan's gaze turned icy. He also stood up, leaning over the desk, glaring at Youming.
"Then come on! Do you think I was raised on fear?"