158: Lucia's interference and Su Chen's "arrogance"!

"beast emperor inheritance?"

Lucia scoffed, her laughter filled with disdain.

"I have long since found a better option!"

Her finger swiped again.

Buzz!

Su Chen's image was forcibly shrunk and pushed to the corner.

In its place was a terrifying giant beast, coiled in a dark abyss!

It had a massive body covered in dark purple dragon scales, bone wings that blotted out the sky, and curved dragon horns on its head that burned with an eternal netherworld flame.

Even as a static image, it exuded suffocating dragon might and abyssal aura.

[Abyssal Demonic Dragon Galakron]

[Affiliation: Shadow Kingdom (A-level Faction) Consecrated Sacred Beast]

[Bloodline: Pure Ancient Abyssal Dragon Race (Activated)]

[Status: Cultivated by the Kingdom for 490 years, strength steadily increasing, background clear and reliable]

[Current Strength Assessment: Stage 200 (Awakening Level Peak)]

"Compared to the target,"

Lucia's voice was devoid of emotion, yet carried a deadly precision.

"Galakron possesses an indisputable pure ancient dragon bloodline, a solid foundation, a clear growth trajectory, and the entire Shadow Kingdom as its backing and endorsement. Its risks are controllable, and its expected returns are stable. Most importantly, its age meets the trial requirement of not exceeding 500 years."

Her gaze finally turned to Su Chen's image, squeezed into the corner, as if scrutinizing a flawed product.

"And the 'Kraken' recommended by Deacon Lan Xin?"

The sneer on her lips was no longer hidden.

"A beast born by chance in a low-level plane, evolving for barely a month. Its origins are a mystery, and its affiliated Blue Star Civilization is so primitive it can be ignored, unable to provide any effective background support. I estimate that Galakron only needs to breathe casually to incinerate this soft-bodied creature into ash. Investing in the soon-to-breakthrough Galakron is ten thousand times more effective than investing in this octopus that hasn't even reached the Awakening Level!"

"Lucia! You short-sighted woman!"

Lan Xin could no longer hold back, her face flushed red, her chest heaving violently with anger.

"You don't understand what kind of miracle Lord Kraken represents! His potential is enough to crush that lizard that has been kept for hundreds of years!"

"Miracle?"

Lucia interrupted coldly, her voice like a final statement in court.

"What the Guild needs is quantifiable, predictable, stable returns, not unverified, ephemeral illusions that could burst at any moment."

Inside the circular council chamber, the figures in the beams of light once again exchanged hushed opinions.

Most gazes swept between the steady-as-a-mountain, data-rich Galakron and the overly "outrageous," rootless Su Chen.

Finally,

Subtle nods indicated their inclination.

President Nicola's aged and authoritative voice rang out, settling the matter decisively:

"Deacon Lan Xin's investment application is rejected."

"Deacon Lan Xin, the Guild understands your enthusiasm for opening new planes, but we must remind you to stick to your duties and remain rational. Do not let personal emotions and interests override professional judgment. The investment proposal for the Shadow Kingdom's 'Abyssal Demonic Dragon Galakron' will be included in the formal agenda for discussion in the next cycle."

Buzz—!

The light screen instantly dimmed and extinguished, as if the last glimmer of hope had been snuffed out.

Lan Xin stood frozen in place, the color drained from her face.

Her knuckles, gripping the communicator, were white and trembling from excessive force.

She had lost.

She hadn't lost on facts or potential, but to the seemingly prudent yet narrow-minded shortsightedness deeply ingrained in the Guild's high-level executives!

Just then,

A deep voice sounded behind her, like muffled thunder rumbling across an ice field, making her eardrums buzz.

"That woman named Lucia,"

Su Chen's massive compound eyes turned to Lan Xin, a faint light flowing within them, "The beast she favors is in the Shadow Kingdom, right?"

"...Yes, but Lord Kraken, that's the core heartland of the Shadow Kingdom, heavily guarded, and Galakron himself also..."

Lan Xin came back to her senses upon hearing this, sighing in disappointment.

Su Chen interrupted her, his voice showing no ripples: "Then if I kill it, and come back with its head, will your Guild have no other choice?"

Hearing Su Chen's "bold words",

Lan Xin was shocked and quickly tried to dissuade him:

"Lord Kraken, you don't understand! If you want to kill Galakron, you will inevitably clash with the Shadow Kingdom,"

"The Shadow Kingdom is a colossal kingdom that rules an entire sea! Its King is an Overlord-level powerhouse beyond the Awakening Level! It has countless giant beasts and a multitude of powerful experts! Your current strength is mighty, but facing an A-level kingdom is tantamount to throwing an egg at a rock!"

"Heh heh... throwing an egg at a rock?"

Su Chen let out a muffled chuckle, a laugh that seemed to come from the abyss, carrying a chill that could freeze all things.

One of his massive tentacles slowly rose, obscuring the faint light in the sky and casting a suffocating shadow.

"What if I take that 'rock',"

The tentacle clenched suddenly, the air exploding with a sonic boom, "and the bugs crawling on it, and grind them all into powder?"

His massive head lowered, drawing close to Lan Xin, his compound eyes reflecting her utterly shocked face:

"Tell me, after destroying the Shadow Kingdom, flattening its sacred land, and twisting off that demonic dragon's head... will your Guild still have a reason to refuse me?"

It was quite a coincidence, actually.

Even without Lucia's obstruction, Su Chen was already planning to attack the Shadow Kingdom to complete his system repair mission.

Now,

That damned Abyssal Demonic Dragon favored by Lucia was also in the Shadow Kingdom.

He might as well take care of them all at once!

However,

By then,

If the Star Sea Merchant Guild still wanted to invest, it wouldn't be at this price.

At that time,

He would definitely extort a hefty sum from the Star Sea Merchant Guild, allowing himself and the entire Divine Summer to achieve a qualitative leap in strength!

Su Chen's words were like a clap of thunder, making Lan Xin and all the Star Sea Merchant Guild members tremble.

Aux's mouth hung open, a gasping sound escaping his throat.

Everyone was shaken by Su Chen's towering ambition and crazy audacity.

A plane that had just experienced the Spiritual Energy Revival, with barely any Awakening Level experts,

Actually wanted to proactively attack a powerful kingdom that had dominated for a thousand years.

It all sounded so insane, so unrealistic, enough to make any rational person scoff.

But looking at Su Chen's calm yet destructive-fire-burning compound eyes,

Listening to his resolute, unquestionable tone,

An absurd yet incredibly fervent confidence suddenly surged from the depths of Lan Xin's heart!

She remembered before, facing Golosh's Expeditionary Force, who could have imagined victory belonging to this giant beast born barely a month ago?

But he did it, crushing all doubts in the most violent way!

She could take a gamble!

This thought spread like wildfire in an instant.