Chapter Nine: Ambition
As the wolf-headed orc approached Yang Dianfeng, twenty raptors suddenly burst out from the forest, emitting low, guttural growls that caught the orc’s attention.
Yang Dianfeng didn’t glance back. His gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the murderer of his mother. With his blade held aloft, he ran toward the wolf-headed orc, resolute in his determination to die fighting.
As the girl ran, the raptors surged past her one by one, as if they were her soldiers, eager to surpass their commander and bravely engage the enemy.
The lead raptor sprang forward and pounced on the wolf-headed orc. The orc was powerful and swung his blade at the beast. The orcs had undergone physical training, granting them immense strength; the orc’s strike sent the raptor flying five or six meters away, leaving it struggling on the ground for some time.
Though the orc had knocked the raptor aside, the beast’s blood splattered over him. The corrosive quality of the blood caused the orc intense agony, forcing him to collapse to the ground, howling in pain.
Meanwhile, the remaining raptors attacked the orc from all sides. Some were struck aside, others were knocked down and viciously bit him. The scene descended into chaos.
The wolf-headed orc was utterly outmatched—not because he lacked strength, but because he couldn’t fight. Wounding the raptors meant risking contact with their acidic blood; not fighting meant taking hits without retaliation. This put the orc in a desperate position. Even attempting to flee was futile; raptors were famed for their speed and ferocity, a reputation well-earned.
Before long, all twenty wolf-headed orcs lay dead, their ends gruesome. If not for one orc wildly slashing and decapitating a raptor, the raptors might have achieved a complete victory.
At that moment, twenty machine gunners emerged from the jungle.
Through the human satellite, Shen Yi observed the entire battle and couldn’t help but smirk. He had initially underestimated the insectoid race, considering them repulsive, but their combat prowess was undeniable. Twenty against twenty, and they almost completely dominated—their fighting instincts were absurdly formidable.
The girl had witnessed the raptors slaughter the wolf-headed orcs the entire time, including in her own helpless charge toward the orc. It was these ugly-looking raptors who surpassed her and avenged her.
The girl returned to her mother’s side and wept for a while. She knew her mother must have been skilled in invisibility; she blamed herself for her mother’s death. Without her, her mother would have survived.
She noticed that after killing the orcs, the raptors did not feed on the corpses. Instead, they lined up quietly, some flicking their heads, looking toward the girl.
To her surprise, she felt a strange affection for these unsightly raptors. Instead of fear, she stepped forward, wanting to touch one. It seemed as if she shared a telepathic bond with them, sensing they would not harm her.
Approaching the raptors, she extended her palm slowly toward one.
Shen Yi, watching from the base, thought, “Is this girl crazy? They’re so ugly, and she wants to touch them? Isn’t she afraid of catching something?” He then ordered a raptor to lean its ugly head toward the girl’s hand.
The girl looked at the outstretched head and inexplicably felt joy, as if a child receiving a treasured toy. She gently petted it twice before withdrawing her hand, afraid the raptor might grow impatient.
Under Shen Yi’s command, the machine gunners had long since returned to the village, their trip a mere exercise. But with the gunners gone, who would converse with the girl?
Shen Yi momentarily forgot that the insectoids communicated telepathically. Suddenly, a mental voice came: “Commander, I sense this girl wants to talk to you.” He cursed himself inwardly: “I’m such a fool.”
A chime echoed: “One of the host’s virtues: self-awareness.”
Shen Yi was speechless as a mental text floated through the air: “You do know, you do know...”
He connected to the raptors’ perspective and sent a telepathic message to Yang Chaoyue: “The weak must suffer. This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. Don’t be sad, young lady. Your mother would want you to live strongly.”
Startled by the message, the girl hesitated, then asked the raptor, “Are you speaking to me? You can speak?” The raptor nodded, saliva dripping from its mouth.
To the girl, the raptors were heroes, despite their grotesque appearance.
She said, “But I have no power to change anything. I am just a miserable person manipulated by fate.”
The raptor shook its head and transmitted, “Climb on.”
The girl carefully lifted her mother and climbed onto the raptor. Her mount led the others as they made their way toward the insectoid base. Along the way, the raptor sent a message: “My destiny is mine to command, not heaven’s.”
The girl shuddered at these words, thinking, “Such a powerful statement.” She glanced back at the raptors weaving through the forest behind her, curiosity welling up.
“What kind of creatures are these?”
Since the insectoid base was near the edge of the boundless forest, they soon arrived.
She saw a massive flesh mound pulsating as if it were breathing, beside a pool of blood-red liquid. She was shocked.
The girl buried her mother’s body not far from the base. She took her mother’s longsword and carved her mother’s name onto a split log, setting it as a grave marker before turning toward the base.
A message arrived from the insectoid base: “To gain great power, she must take control here!”
Eyeing the massive flesh mound with its dripping, slimy entrance and the larvae crawling about, the girl thought, “Father, you despised me for being a girl, but I will be stronger than all men. Now that mother is gone, since heaven does not favor me, I will defy it!” A wild determination blossomed within her.
Her eyes gleamed with madness as she resolutely approached the insectoid entrance.
Shen Yi watched the girl’s flickering gaze as she entered the base, unsure if he had done the right thing. Since she chose this path herself, as long as she didn’t go too far, he would not intervene—after all, he was managing the insectoid race.
A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and soon the sound of a saw resonated from the command hall of the human base.
Far away, in the imperial garden of Saint Dragon City’s palace, Emperor Meide of the Saint Dragon Empire was playing chess in a pavilion with his fifth prince, Meipin.
Meide watched his son thoughtfully as the prince pondered the game. He waved away the palace maids and eunuchs attending them.
The servants bowed and quietly withdrew.
Meide said, “My son, do you know why among all my sons I chose you as crown prince?”
The prince replied, “Father, it is because you love me.”
“Not entirely. I like that you are serious and dedicated, focusing completely on whatever you do. Do you know why I ascended the throne?”
“Your servant does not know, please tell me.”
“No, I want to hear your answer.” Meide looked kindly at Meipin.
“I dare not say,” Meipin felt something different about his father today.
“I told you to say it, don’t be afraid. Whatever you say today will be fine!” Meide pretended to be stern.
“Father, you were born with great fortune; destiny made you emperor.”
“Tell me, what do you lack most?”
“I still lack much—experience, prestige, maybe seniority?” Meipin replied earnestly.
“What you said is useful, but most important is that you have ambition!”
“Ambition?” Meipin asked in confusion.
“Ambition. This world is like that: survival of the fittest, no room for fairness. You must understand, if you want to be the best, you yourself are the law.” Meide looked earnestly into Meipin’s eyes.
“I like you because you, like me when young, have ambition.”
“Father, I do have ambition, but it will never surpass yours. I know my limits.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself. Now leave and think carefully about what I told you today.” Meide seemed tired.
“Your servant takes his leave.” Meipin stood, bowed twice, then turned and left the pavilion, a cold sweat trickling from his temple.