Chapter 2177: Also a Freaking Maniac
Youming's heart instantly tightened:
"You're saying there are other places in this starry sky where the Stygian River flows out? Your Dali and that poison chicken soup were both refined and separated from over there?"
"Humans have long mastered the technique of refining and separating Stygian energy?"
At this moment, Jiulan, standing guard in the corner, was stunned. The Stygian River is not just in one place?
Really?
Jiangnan smiled: (〃◠̫◠) "I didn't say that—you said it yourself. You just need to know that I am not limited by you, even outside the Minghe Star Domain!"
"Without using the Stygian energy here, I can still get Dali and chicken soup. The Netherworld Race has no monopoly over me!"
Youming glared furiously at Jiangnan, his fists cracking as he clenched them. Staring at the confident Jiangnan before him, for the first time he felt utterly without a handle on the situation!
No wonder he's the Era Lord of humanity, the one who pulled humans from the mire and marched them into the starry sky!
He has almost no weaknesses, no soft spots!
"Speak! What will it take for you to teach me the method of refining and separating Stygian energy?"
"Since you brought it out and revealed your hand, it means you have some intention of yielding—otherwise you wouldn't have shown it!"
"And you can't keep it hidden forever. After all... if something is destined to never be obtained, then it's better to destroy it!"
If no matter what method is used, he can't extract what he wants, then Jiangnan has no further value to Youming for staying alive!
Youming understood this clearly, and Jiangnan knew it as well.
Jiangnan's gaze flickered: (๑◔◡◔ิ๑) "You've stated your terms! Now, are you interested in hearing mine?"
Youming let out a cold laugh: "Go ahead and say it!"
You've been stringing me along all this time—this is what Jiangnan was after, right?
Jiangnan's expression turned serious:
(˵ಠĹ̯ಠ˵) "Let me go!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Jiulan was stunned. Let Jiangnan leave? Let Lord Youming release him?
How is that possible!
Youming couldn't help but snort derisively: "You say my conditions are outrageous—aren't yours just as absurd? Don't joke around!"
"Impossible! Let you go? Return to the starry sky? Would the Netherworld Race reap any benefits then? What about Dichou's instructions? Is the Sacred Law Council a decoration? Do you want me to defy orders?"
"Are you asking me to gamble with the interests of the entire Netherworld Race for your sake? Is that possible?"
"Even if I agreed, do you think the Sacred Law Council would leave you alone once you're out? Would the Decree Troops not come after you?"
"I'll say it again—do you really think there's still a place for you in this starry sky?"
Jiangnan waved his hand with a smile: (︶◡︶๑)ﾉ "Don't refuse so quickly. I'm not asking for an obvious release—just turning a blind eye."
"A 'by accident, I escaped' kind of release. To be honest, I consider myself quite capable, but the Minghe Star Domain does pose some difficulty."
"If you don't go easy on me, my chances of successfully breaking out are almost zero."
This... was the most crucial condition for escape!
Youming had to go easy—otherwise, even if he tried tens of thousands of methods, as long as Youming cut off the Stygian star routes, eight million light-years would be enough to make anyone despair.
Of course, it was only 'almost zero.' If he couldn't get past Youming, Jiangnan had other tricks, but the risks were enormous.
So he still wanted to see if the path through Youming was viable.
Youming sneered: "You're quite self-aware. 'By accident, you escaped'? Do you think Dichou would believe that? Would the Sacred Law Council buy it? Are they stupid?"
"Can that excuse really fool anyone? I am a Star Devourer of the Netherworld Race, controlling all 800 million light-years of the Stygian River! How exactly do you expect me to turn a blind eye?"
Jiangnan said calmly: (˶‾᷄⁻‾᷅) "Are you truly in complete control? As for an excuse—I've already prepared one for you."
"The Minghe Koi is one factor you can't control. If I use it to break out and breach your blockade, it would be understandable, right?"
Youming's expression froze. Freaking hell—he even prepared an excuse for me!
Indeed, the Minghe Koi was one uncontrollable factor. Using that as a reason would hold water, and the Sacred Law Council would have to believe it even if they didn't want to.
But Youming said coldly: "Don't change the subject! In the end, why should I take the risk to let you go? Even if I can use an excuse to deflect some responsibility, the fact remains that the job was botched!"
"If you escape, the Netherworld Race will suffer no small loss! The Sacred Law Council will surely withdraw aid, and may even impose a series of sanctions on us. They—"
Jiangnan said disdainfully: "Is this the vision of a Star Devourer of the Netherworld Race? Have you been a dog for so long that you've gotten used to being fed?"
"Have you learned to watch your master's expression, worrying about whether you'll have food? Since when did the Netherworld Race need to rely on others' goodwill for their meals?"
[From Youming: Resentment +1010!]
"Boom!"
The desk was instantly shattered by Youming. Like an enraged beast, he lunged forward, grabbing Jiangnan's neck with one hand, his face savage and murderous intent overwhelming!
"Say that again! The Netherworld Race is not a dog being kept by the ten thousand races of the starry sky! Watch your mouth!"
Jiangnan's face was flushed red from being choked; his life could end at any moment, veins bulging on his forehead.
But he was full of madness, forcing out the words with difficulty: "See? You still have some blood in you, don't you?"
"It's just that you only dare to use that blood against the weak. When facing the powers of the Sacred Law Council, when facing the ten thousand races of the starry sky, you don't dare to lift a hand, do you?"
Youming's huge hand tightened like a steel vise, his eyes blazing with murderous intent!
"Enough! What right do you have to judge the affairs of the Netherworld Race? What do you know? Do you think I *want* to be like this? Huh?"
Jiangnan was choking, his eyes rolling back, but he still forced out a few words:
"Because I dared to throw a punch at the starry sky! Because not a single human is a coward!"
Youming gritted his teeth: "You—"
Jiulan was terrified and hurried forward to mediate, but didn't know what to say.
੧੧(⌒﹏⌒;) "Alright, alright... both of you, say less! Jiangnan, if you want to die, say one more word—I won't stop you!"
"Lord Youming, you wanted to make a deal, right? If you choke Jiangnan to death, the deal is off."
Youming glared viciously at Jiangnan, then threw him aside in irritation and sat back down, trembling with anger.
(￢益≠ꐦ) "Damn it! Yakeli is a maniac, Dameng is a maniac, and you're one too!"
Jiangnan clutched his neck, coughing violently, but still laughed.
At least now he knew—Youming was unwilling too, or his reaction wouldn't have been so intense.
Jiulan's eyes widened. Laugh? He almost got choked to death and he's laughing? She couldn't tell if Jiangnan was seeking death or trying to live.
Jiangnan took a couple of breaths, his voice hoarse: "What does the Sacred Law Council give the Netherworld Race? What did Dichou use as a bargaining chip to trade with you?"
Youming shot Jiangnan a cold glance and said irritably: "Resources. Huge amounts of resources! Ore, spirit materials, rare metals—these are the cornerstones of a race's development!"
"Within the Minghe Star Domain, the Stygian River rushes through the stars, and there are very few planets of any kind, let alone life-bearing planets or mining planets."
"Strategic resources are a rigid necessity for a race's development and survival. You don't manage a household, so you don't know the hardships of running one. You speak lightly."
"The Netherworld Race is boycotted by all ten thousand races. We can't get a share of the pie in the starry sky; there's no place for us. And our own Minghe Star Domain is resource-poor."
"If we don't accept the Sacred Law Council's resources, what will we eat? Dirt?"
This was the dilemma facing the Netherworld Race. Due to their racial talent, they were destined never to be accepted by the ten thousand races.
The Netherworld Race naturally counters all kinds of energy and abilities.
To survive, to develop, they needed resources. Their own star domain wasn't enough, so they had to accept the Sacred Law Council's charity.
That was why the Minghe Death Prison existed. For this matter with Jiangnan, Dichou generously threw out massive resources as a promise to the Netherworld Race.
This was also a condition Youming couldn't refuse.
But in the end, they still had to live by others' whims. If "I give you food, you eat; if I don't, then go hungry!"
Youming knew this reality all too well, but what could he do?
Even Jiulan silently clenched her fists. Jiangnan's words were harsh, but weren't they the truth?
This Minghe Star Domain was the Netherworld Race's cage.
The Minghe Death Prison imprisoned criminals from all races, while the ten thousand races used the Minghe Star Domain to imprison the Netherworld Race!
Sounding nice, it was a cooperative relationship; in reality, it was just keeping a dog on a leash.
That was why Jiulan felt the injustice, why she resisted the ten thousand races.
Jiangnan twisted his neck, his voice hoarse:
(͡°◠͡°) "How many resources does the Sacred Law Council give the Netherworld Race? How much does Dichou give you? I'll make it up to you."
"The Netherworld Race won't starve."
He spoke casually, as if discussing something that had nothing to do with him.
But Youming was stunned, and Jiulan was also bewildered. Jiangnan was going to provide it?
Youming couldn't help but laugh: "Ha! That's the coldest joke I've ever heard. *You* provide? What can you provide? Humans are barely managing to take care of themselves, right?"
"Do you know how much that is? How staggering a number?"
"The Sacred Law Council can afford it, but you? Forget it. I'm afraid it wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between my teeth."
Jiangnan rolled his eyes: "I really don't know how big the gaps between your teeth are. Actually, the one thing humans aren't short of right now is money. You should have heard the news—humanity's Dimensional Star Navigation has been coming online one after another. It'll be fully operational soon."
"As a Star Devourer, you should know what it means to control a star route that spans the entire starry sky—what value it holds, how much profit is generated every second."
"Right now, the only ones in the starry sky with star routes are the Bose Race, the Silicon Race, and now humans."
"Forget about your Minghe star routes—they can't be operated."
At this, Youming couldn't help but swallow. Star routes! That's the most lucrative business out there!
Jiangnan said flatly: "Of course, the resources for the Netherworld Race won't come from my humans."
"Once I'm out, I'll go with Chong Feiyu to the Beimian Xingkong Kuangchang and take back her former assets. All her mines will be mine."
"Humans are indeed in a stage of rapid development, but it's still early days. We won't use up that many resource deposits. I can give half of the mined resources to the Netherworld Race."
"That'll be enough for you to eat."
Youming was stunned: (･ˇ口≠｡:) "The mines at Beimian Xingkong Kuangchang? Half of... wait, Chong Feiyu?"
"You don't just want to get yourself out—you want to take Chong Feiyu with you? You, you, you—"
Jiangnan spread his hands, looking perfectly reasonable:
ʅ(･´‸･｀)ʃ "What? Is there a problem?"