Chapter 64: Who Is Shen Murong?

"Ah, your majesty," Lin Feng said, offering a theatrical, entirely insincere bow while resting the heavy cleaver against his shoulder. "We’re actually here on behalf of the owner of the swamp. She wanted us to suggest that you take... maybe a vacation? Away from this swamp. Permanently."

The courtyard went dead silent for a fraction of a breath. Then, the majestic white beast started laughing. It was a boisterous, booming sound that shook loose dust from the ancient stone pillars.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Owner? What owner?"

The beast’s intelligent eyes flared with sudden, mocking brilliance. "There are no owners for this land, brat. Only pretenders. And you? You dare to challenge my dominion?"

The quiet system interface suddenly flared back to life.

[Ancient mythical beast is irritated]

[Rage Value: +2,000]

[Current Rage Points: 8,900]

[Keep pushing at your own risk, Host]

Lin Feng’s eyes widened slightly behind his mask of shameless confidence. Holy shit, he wondered, a wild, dangerous thought flashing through his mind. If a slight bit of irritation from this thing gives two thousand points instantly, what would happen if I actually ragebait this creature into an absolute fury?

The sheer math was dizzying. He could fund a small country’s worth of shop upgrades. He quickly snuffed the thought before the beast could read it on his face, forcing his expression back into an innocent smile.

"Not at all, your majesty. Just passing along the message."

The beast settled down, the blue gem on its forehead dimming back into a watchful glow.

"Hmmm. So you came on behalf of her... Shen Murong. She usually sends the ones who annoy her mostly and she wants to get rid of, or the ones she thinks can actually get rid of me."

The brilliant eyes locked onto Lin Feng’s face, filled with a terrifying, lazy humor. "Which one are you?"

Lin Feng cleared his throat, scratched the back of his neck, and gave the only answer that made sense. "Ah... both?"

The white beast’s eyes widened in genuine amusement, and it let out another short, booming laugh. It hadn’t encountered a human this thoroughly shameless in centuries.

Beside him, Yu Mei suddenly froze. Her spear trembled slightly in her grip as she stared at the pedestal.

"Ah, your majesty," Lin Feng said, offering a theatrical, entirely insincere bow while resting the heavy cleaver against his shoulder. "We’re actually here on behalf of the owner of the swamp. She wanted us to suggest that you take... maybe a vacation? Away from this swamp. Permanently."

The courtyard went dead silent for a fraction of a breath. Then, the majestic white beast started laughing. It was a boisterous, booming sound that shook loose dust from the ancient stone pillars.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Owner? What owner?"

The beast’s intelligent eyes flared with sudden, mocking brilliance. "There are no owners for this land, brat. Only pretenders. And you? You dare to challenge my dominion?"

The quiet system interface suddenly flared back to life.

[Ancient mythical beast is irritated]

[Rage Value: +2,000]

[Current Rage Points: 8,900]

Lin Feng’s eyes widened slightly behind his mask of shameless confidence. Holy shit, he wondered, a wild, dangerous thought flashing through his mind. If a slight bit of irritation from this thing gives two thousand points instantly, what would happen if I actually ragebait this creature into an absolute fury?

The sheer math was dizzying. He could fund a small country’s worth of shop upgrades. He quickly snuffed the thought before the beast could read it on his face, forcing his expression back into an innocent smile.

"Not at all, your majesty. Just passing along the message."

The beast settled down, the blue gem on its forehead dimming back into a watchful glow.

"Hmmm. So you came on behalf of her... Shen Murong. She usually sends the ones who annoy her mostly and she wants to get rid of, or the ones she thinks can actually get rid of me."

The brilliant eyes locked onto Lin Feng’s face, filled with a terrifying, lazy humor. "Which one are you?"

Lin Feng cleared his throat, scratched the back of his neck, and gave the only answer that made sense. "Ah... both?"

The white beast’s eyes widened in genuine amusement, and it let out another short, booming laugh. It hadn’t encountered a human this thoroughly shameless in centuries.

Beside him, Yu Mei suddenly froze. Her spear trembled slightly in her grip as she stared at the pedestal.

"Wait... did you say Shen Murong? Isn’t it —"

The beast turned its majestic head toward her, the tone inside their minds turning slightly softer, though no less heavy. "Yes, child. That’s exactly who she is."

Yu Mei looked completely stunned, her jaw tightening as if a massive, historical secret had just been dropped at her feet. Lin Feng turned his head to glance at her, wanting to ask what the hell a ’Shen Murong’ actually was, but he quickly decided to save it for later. They were currently sitting in the palm of a creature that could squash them like bugs.

He stepped forward again, waving a dismissive hand.

"Look, look, we don’t have to fight, your majesty. It would be easy if you, you know... just moved out. Like, who would want to live in this gloomy, wet swamp for so long anyway? The dampness alone is terrible for white fur."

The blue gem on the beast’s head twitched. The massive ears flared backward.

"You know nothing, brat," the beast rumbled, its voice dropping an octave, carrying the weight of centuries of old, stale spite. "She would rather burn down the entire swamp than see me walk out of here alive."

The creature chuckled dryly, a sound like grinding stone, before shifting its weight back into its comfortable pedestal groove.

"And besides... I don’t feel like moving. I’ve lived for so long and seen everything this world has to offer. I have no interest anymore. I only need peace. And also... I got pretty lazy in the last century or so."

Lin Feng blinked, his brain stalling at the timeline.

"Oh. Ah... centuries, ah." He let out a sharp whistle, looking around the ancient ruins, his troll instincts taking the wheel before he could stop them.

"There’s a lot that can change in centuries, you know?"