85: conspiracy

"General Jiangzuo, the Black-crowned Golden Eagle we cultivated has just shown a loss of life signs..."

Inside a hidden base office deep underground in County 0223, a short man dressed in a black trench coat was prostrating himself, kowtowing in apology.

"Baka, you useless waste! Do you have any idea how much manpower and resources we spent on this? Just stealing the egg from the Black-crowned Golden Eagle's nest back then cost us over a dozen High-level Wargod martial artists in casualties."

"And it took several full years to cultivate this Black-crowned Golden Eagle. For such a specimen that was about to reach Intermediate Lord Level, even ten of your lives wouldn't be enough to compensate!"

A middle-aged man with a receding hairline, wearing a white lab coat and glasses, leaned back in his office chair and reprimanded him fiercely.

"Hai! Your subordinate failed to look after the Black-crowned Golden Eagle. I deserve ten thousand deaths!"

The short man in the trench coat kowtowed repeatedly.

"Humph, it's because of fools like you that it's so difficult for the Empire to make a comeback. If everyone had my level of wisdom, this vast land would have long been in the Empire's pocket."

"How is it that fools like you can become martial artists, while a brilliant person like me has to research extracting genes from monsters to strengthen myself just to improve my strength? Heaven is truly unfair."

The middle-aged man with a receding hairline slammed the desk in front of him, and it shattered at the impact.

The lab coat covering his arms burst open from his massive biceps, revealing thick arms covered in scales underneath.

"Hai! The General Jiangzuo is both wise and brave; you will surely surpass the War God Level with the help of these monster genes."

The short man in the trench coat trembled all over; though he was spouting flattery, he couldn't hide the fear in his voice at all.

"Heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony—we hold two of them. Heavenly timing: before the Island Nation was destroyed, we went undercover in China and managed to survive."

"Geographical advantage: in this remote county where not many Martial Artist Squads hunt, we discovered an Imperial base from a hundred years ago, allowing us to survive and accumulate strength."

"I thought everything would develop for the better, but we lost on human harmony, defeated by a bunch of wastes like you! He-tui!"

The middle-aged man spat a thick glob of phlegm at the short man kneeling on the ground.

"Thank you for the gift, General Jiangzuo!"

The short man in the trench coat didn't dare show any displeasure. He kowtowed frantically, the blood on his forehead clearly visible, hoping this would appease the middle-aged man's rage.

"If it weren't for the fact that you're undercover in the Chinese military and still have some use, I would have fed you to the monsters long ago!"

The short man in the trench coat simply kept kowtowing and admitting his mistake.

Seeing the short man's good attitude in admitting his fault, the middle-aged man's anger subsided slightly.

"Fine, go back! Don't show any flaws and continue to pass on intelligence. If the Black-crowned Golden Eagle is gone, then it's gone. An Intermediate Lord Level is neither here nor there; it's not particularly important."

"County 0203 is ultimately just a barren land. Our County 0223 is closer to the ocean. As long as the Sea Dragon King is fine, everything is negotiable. Once we cultivate that monster to surpass the King Level, the reconstruction of the Empire will be just around the corner!"

The middle-aged man waved his hand, dismissing the short man in the trench coat.

"Hai!"

The short man in the trench coat breathed a sigh of relief and retreated respectfully, facing the man he called General Jiangzuo.

As the man in the trench coat left, the middle-aged man with a receding hairline touched the ring on his finger.

"The inheritance within the Shikigami Ruins not only gave me the ability to modify genes but also made me a Psycher Master who can possess and control monsters. This is a gift from the Great God. Once that Sea Dragon King I've raised since it was young surpasses the King Level and I reach the Planetary Level, with the Sea Dragon King by my side, I will surely make the Empire shine brilliantly on Earth once more!"

... "Screech!"

In the main city of County 0203, under the cover of night, a massive black and silver figure streaked across.

A Black-crowned Golden Eagle with a wingspan of nearly 30 meters dived from the sky, standing atop the ruins of a tall building as if it were standing on a low wall.

The fungus-infected Black-crowned Golden Eagle spread its massive wings, wantonly exerting its Intermediate Lord Level pressure.

Upon sensing the Lord Level pressure of the Black-crowned Golden Eagle, the surrounding monsters gathered around timidly.

Among them were no lack of High-level Beast General Rank monsters.

On the platform atop the ruined building, a large group of flying monsters followed behind the Black-crowned Golden Eagle, currently standing quietly behind it.

Not only were there eagle-type monsters, but also a group of Golden Vultures.

Naturally, they had all been fungalized by Qiao Yu.

The Golden Vulture Flock that had been fungalized in the suburbs never expected that their parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts in the main city would now be reunited with them as a family.

"Mike, how come we didn't find such a great place before? There's actually a Lord Level Black-crowned Golden Eagle. If we hunt it down, won't we make a fortune?"

Inside a building far from the county's main city, a black man held binoculars and spoke greedily in a fluent American accent.

"You're right, Miles. I originally thought that since the Chinese authorities designated this city for us foreign martial artists to hunt in, there wouldn't be any good stuff. I guess I was judging them by my own standards."

"With China's policy of favoring foreign martial artists, we can sell hunted Lord Level monsters for double the price. We're really striking it rich!"

Responding to the black man was a tall white martial artist. He was also observing with binoculars at the moment, chuckling softly with a tone full of disdain.

"That's enough, Mike, Miles. The communication watches the Chinese authorities gave us have a recording function; our every move is being monitored. Keep your voices down."

Behind the two foreign martial artists was their squad leader, Janice. His muscles bulged like a monster's; he was clearly a power-type martial artist.

"Haha, Captain, you're too sensitive. Our American War God Squad is giving them face by being willing to come to China. We're not afraid even if they monitor us. We'll kill their monsters and take their resources right in front of them in their own China!"

Another yellow-skinned martial artist sitting next to the captain said.

"Hahaha, Geonseok, you've really forgotten your roots. To think that as a person of Chinese descent, you can say such things."

The Big Guy Captain seemed to think of something and laughed while patting the yellow-skinned martial artist's shoulder.

The yellow-skinned martial artist named Geonseok retorted.

"Captain, China was just a vassal of the Peninsula in ancient times! And I am a citizen of the Peninsula!"

The Big Guy Captain waved his hand and said dismissively,

"Alright, alright. If your parents hadn't joined America years ago, you might not even be alive right now."

The martial artist named Geonseok could only swallow his anger. He didn't dare direct his rage at the American martial artists, so he could only cast a hateful gaze out the window at this land.

"Captain, should we move?"

The black martial artist named Miles turned and asked.

"Hmm, first observe the surrounding situation, then formulate a combat plan..."