114: Chapter 114 Even the Queen of Straightforwardness Can Make Empty Promises

"How did you discover this place?"

Queen Medusa wasn't surprised that Gu Han could sense her; after all, he had left a seal within her body. With a few flashes through the air, she arrived by his side.

She was more curious now about how Gu Han could find a flame crystal ore vein that the Snake-People Clan had "failed to discover" right on their own territory.

"Is Her Majesty interested in my secrets?" Gu Han turned to meet Colorful Glass's gaze.

"This Queen is very interested." Medusa didn't back down at all, her stunning face carrying a hint of coldness. "That day at the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Flood Dragon's tomb, it should have been your first time there as well, yet your goal was clear."

A queen is a queen; she never beats around the bush and prefers being domineering and straightforward.

"Interested, huh?" A smile flickered in Gu Han's eyes as he asked seriously, "Then, Your Majesty, could you tell me the Snake-People Clan's method for implanting snake-shaped magical beasts? I'm quite curious about that too."

Colorful Glass: "..."

"If you don't want to say, then don't. Do you think this Queen would force you?" Colorful Glass snorted softly, crossing her arms and turning her head away. "This is the territory of my Snake-People Clan. Any ore vein found here naturally belongs to us."

"Thank you for discovering this ore vein for my clan. If the mining yields are good in the future, this Queen will naturally show her gratitude."

What a queen; she's even a natural at making empty promises.

"Why wait for the future?" Gu Han seemed not to notice Medusa's stalling as he began to calculate seriously. "I've checked with my Soul Power. It will take about three years to fully excavate this flame crystal ore vein, and the total number of complete ores that can be mined is three thousand seven hundred and seventy-two."

"Accounting for potential losses during the mining process, the required manpower and resources, and the fact that this is Snake-People Clan territory..."

"How about this: I only want a third. Give me one thousand two hundred flame crystal ores."

Even a basic xuan rank Dou tool requires ten flame crystal ores. If forging a High-level Xuan Rank Dou tool, it might take several hundred pieces.

One thousand two hundred pieces wasn't a small amount—it was a significant sum—but upon closer calculation, it wasn't an extraordinary amount either.

"You certainly know how to calculate." Medusa's brows furrowed coldly, looking like she wanted to lash out in anger.

No one had ever been able to take away something that belonged to the Snake-People Clan from their own territory.

Even if Gu Han hadn't discovered this place, the Snake-People Clan, entrenched here, would have found it sooner or later.

Three thousand seven hundred and seventy-two pieces were enough to replace the weapons of all eight commanders.

Why should Gu Han get a third just by saying a few words?

But influenced by the Snake Seal, she clenched her hands and eventually compromised, tossing a storage ring toward Gu Han. "One thousand pieces. No more. This is this Queen's bottom line; do not challenge it again."

Had he already reached Her Majesty's bottom line?

Gu Han accepted the storage ring and smiled. "Colorful Glass, you truly are the Queen of the Snake-People Clan—so generous."

"Since you've mentioned your bottom line, I know my limits and naturally won't push further."

"I also said you aren't allowed to call me Colorful Glass!" Medusa's curved willow-leaf brows shot up, radiating a sharp edge.

"That's not your bottom line, is it?" Gu Han chuckled, turning to fly away.

Medusa clenched and unclenched her hands several times before snorting. "Purposefully bringing me here just to get ready-made flame crystal ore... what a loathsome little fellow."

"What you take today, I will surely demand back twofold in the future."

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Medusa landed on the ground and walked into the flame crystal ore vein to investigate.

After a rough survey along the way, she found that the amount of flame crystal ore that could be excavated from this vein was likely close to what Gu Han had stated.

"With such powerful Soul Power, a small Jia Ma Empire cannot contain him, perhaps not even the Northwest Continent..."

"The reason he could find the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Flood Dragon's cave and this ore vein must also be due to his Soul Power."

Colorful Glass believed she had deduced the truth.

The next moment, her pupils constricted as she looked toward a certain rock wall.

As a Peak Dou Huang expert with some knowledge of spatial power, nothing within a one-mile radius was a secret to her.

Boom!

Colorful Glass raised her hand, condensing a giant energy snake that blasted toward the rock wall ahead.

The rock wall, which appeared extremely solid, instantly disintegrated into powder and vanished.

A man-made tunnel appeared, revealing several figures inside working hard to excavate ore.

"Who is it!?"

The Snake-Person overseeing the mine heard the noise and slithered out from the side of the vein. Upon seeing Colorful Glass, he immediately knelt in greeting, his expression full of fanaticism. "Your subordinate, Venom, greets Her Majesty!"

Hearing Venom's words, the Snake-People and humans responsible for mining immediately knelt. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Medusa's expression didn't change at all as she asked calmly, "You've all worked hard."

"Venom, how long have you been mining here?"

Venom didn't think much of it; Colorful Glass's attention made him very happy, and he immediately replied, "Your Majesty, we have been mining for over two months."

Over two months?

A flash of severity crossed Colorful Glass's eyes.

"Work hard, and this Queen will reward you when the time comes."

Leaving behind those words, Medusa's figure flickered as she left the area.

Half a cup of tea's time later, she appeared at the residence of Yue Shuang, the commander of the Snake-People Clan in this oasis.

"Who!?"

Yue Shuang heard the sound of the door being burst open and opened her eyes to look.

Realizing the visitor was Queen Medusa, she immediately got out of bed and bowed. "Your subordinate greets Her Majesty."

"Yue Shuang." Queen Medusa sat down in a chair, her long purple tail flicking lightly. "This Queen has not treated you poorly."

Yue Shuang didn't understand Queen Medusa's meaning, only feeling a chill envelop her as she lowered her head even further. "My sister is Your Majesty's guard commander; Your Majesty has always treated me well."

"Indeed, your sister is this Queen's guard commander." Medusa raised her hand, admiring it under the moonlight. "Then, what more are you dissatisfied with that you would betray me?"

Thud!

Yue Shuang fell prostrate on the ground, her body trembling with terror in her eyes. "Queen... I... I haven't..."

Queen Medusa didn't look at her, indifferently spitting out four words: "flame crystal ore vein."

Yue Shuang looked up sharply, her eyes filled with shock.

She had entrusted the matter of the flame crystal ore vein to her confidants and had done it in secret.

Many of these confidants had been given to her by her sister and were loyal to Queen Medusa.

Her cooperation with the Second Elder was conducted in secret, and even those confidants didn't know.

Where did Queen Medusa learn of this?

"For your sister's sake, you are spared from death, but punishment is unavoidable."

Queen Medusa struck like lightning, grabbing Yue Shuang's neck. "Speak. Who did you secretly side with?"

Yue Shuang didn't dare hide anything and immediately replied, "It's the Second Elder. I didn't want to, but the Second Elder threatened me."

"That old thing again." A cold glint flashed in Medusa's eyes.

When the day comes that she breaks through to Dou Zong, the clan must be purged.

"Get out. Go find your sister and receive your punishment."

"After you return, you will still be in charge here."

"As for where the flame crystal ore should be sent after it's mined, you know what to do!"