BXBX NOVEL Chapter 149: Negotiation
Even Enzo himself had not anticipated such a fortuitous opportunity.
Initially, he merely sought to inconvenience Audrey, undermining her strength before seizing the chance to eliminate her—the orchestrator—methodically vanquishing the supernatural beings one by one.
Moreover, he aimed to unveil the hidden secrets of this place.
He could hardly believe that Audrey and the hatchling of Beast God clan had appeared in the depths of Plata Plain by mere happenstance. Either they were guided by someone, or this place possessed extraordinary significance.
After all, the hatchling of Beast God clan feasted upon humans, and Plata Plain was hardly an ideal choice for such a predilection.
Now, the opportunity to realize his initial plan had arrived.
Enzo advanced towards Audrey, sword in hand.
With great effort, Audrey rose, her face betraying no hint of fear.
She fixed her gaze on Enzo and declared, "Even if you slay me, you cannot thwart the actions of the other supernatural beings. Furthermore, should I perish, a far greater calamity shall befall, affecting the entire barren mountain region."
Enzo inquired, "Is that a threat?"
Audrey approached him unhurriedly, undeterred by the sword poised against her slender, pale neck—almost tauntingly brushing against it—and replied, "Whether it is a threat or not, you may find out."
"And we are not enemies." she continued.
"I can ensure that those supernatural beings refrain from attacking your tribe, and I could even bestow upon you the essence of some fallen supernatural creatures, potentially assisting you in vanquishing your rival tribe."
Enzo smiled and said, "A rather commendable proposal."
Audrey\'s expression brightened as she asked, "Have you agreed?"
Enzo shook his head, and suddenly thrust his sword towards Audrey. She instinctively dodged, yet could not entirely evade the strike; the blade grazed her smooth shoulder, leaving no blood, but instead tearing open the flesh as strange black patterns emerged from the wound, resembling a colossal centipede clinging to her shoulder.
Audrey cried out in agony once more.
Sheathed in silence, Enzo sheathed his sword and remarked, "It appears your condition is quite dire."
Audrey glared at Enzo with malice, utterly unprepared for his sudden aggression.
Indeed, he was a despicable man!
What was worse, she found herself in a state of extreme weakness; given Enzo\'s strength, coupled with that sword of the Solar Dynasty, there was a significant chance he could extinguish her life entirely.
Death, a specter feared by all.
Audrey was no exception.
She inhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling rhythmically, carving deep hollows into her visage. Forcing herself to regain her composure, she turned to Enzo and inquired, "What is it that you truly desire?"
"Miss Audrey, it\'s not about what I desire, but rather what you are willing to concede."
Enzo replied with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Audrey scoffed, "Then I wish for you to take your own life before me. Can you do that?"
Enzo shook his head and said, "Miss Audrey, that jest is far from amusing."
Audrey raised her gaze to Enzo, her expression cold as she retorted, "You prompted me to say that."
At that moment, Audrey sensed an anomaly. Enzo\'s murderous intent had dissipated.
Did he no longer wish to kill her?
Audrey remained uncertain about the unfolding situation, yet she recognized an opportunity and provocatively remarked, "Now that you\'ve lost your murderous intent, what is it you seek? Do you wish for me to submit to you, to become your slave? Do you desire to unleash your cravings upon me, or perhaps humiliate me to satiate your obscure, malevolent inclinations?"
Her barrage of questions left Enzo somewhat bewildered.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Audrey intently.
There was no denying that Audrey possessed an air of arrogance worthy of her beauty.
Her exquisite visage, combined with her alluring form, indeed stirred the deepest desires within one\'s heart.
Yet, for Enzo, these superficial charms held little sway.
Moments ago, he had sensed a peculiar disturbance.
It was this very anomaly that had prompted him to halt and reconsider his plan to eliminate Audrey.
Enzo countered, "Ms. Audrey, is this truly how you perceive me?"
Audrey shook her head with derision, saying, "It is not just you, but all of humanity. In this world, humans are the most despicable of species. They seize everything, even when they possess more than enough for their sustenance. They annihilate all, wreak havoc, and delight in mutual strife. Such a race should not exist!"
Enzo retorted, "This is not merely a flaw of humanity; do not other species behave similarly?"
He approached Audrey, continuing, "Wherever there is intellect, there will inevitably be divergent thoughts. When differing opinions arise, conflict is born, leading to strife. All battles in the world stem from this."
His words rendered Audrey silent.
She was not adept at engaging in debates, especially on such broad topics.
Moreover, the words spoken by Enzo seemed to trigger a dormant memory within her, plunging her into a brief reverie that rendered her gaze somewhat vacant, until Enzo\'s voice resonated once again: "Ms. Audrey, I am curious to understand the purpose of your presence here; I hope you can articulate it in detail."
Audrey affirmed, "Do you truly wish to know?"
Enzo nodded, "Indeed."
With a solemn tone, Audrey replied, "Very well, I shall share my story."
To Enzo\'s surprise!
He had anticipated that Audrey would either maintain her silence or hurl curses, yet she appeared to have relinquished all restraint, simply yearning for someone to confide in.
The tale itself was not overly complex.
Audrey belonged to the illustrious Six-Winged Colorful Phoenix tribe, endowed with formidable lineage and exceptional talent.
However, this very brilliance incited the envy of her fellow tribe members, particularly a cabal of noble kin who conspired against her, leading to her banishment.
These individuals held a more exalted status within the tribe, yet lacked the innate gifts that Audrey possessed.
After departing from the Six-Winged Colorful Phoenix Clan, Audrey was left to fend for herself, vulnerable and frail. Yet, her extraordinary lineage made her a coveted delicacy for some formidable creatures.
Through countless skirmishes and narrow escapes, Audrey persevered.
"... Subsequently, I encountered an egg of the Beast God clan. In that moment, a bold thought emerged—I sought to seize the bloodline of the Beast God clan, to elevate myself. Yet, when I endeavored to act, I was met with a horrific curse, manifesting as the dark patterns you glimpsed earlier, now entrenched within me. I have become akin to a mere puppet, one incapable of governing her own fate."
Audrey\'s voice was rather monotonous.
After listening, Enzo remarked, "It\'s a tragic tale. I can only assume many will find it compelling."
Audrey chose not to engage further; she merely cast a glance at Enzo before diverting her gaze and said, "If you do not intend to kill me, you may leave. I will summon back the supernatural beings that invaded humanity\'s tribe. However, let it be known, if you spare me, I shall not be grateful. I have memorized your scent, and once I recover my strength, I will seek you out. I hope you are prepared to withstand my wrath when that day comes!"
Enzo furrowed his brow, questioning, "Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?"
Audrey remained silent.
At that moment, a peculiar sound echoed once more.
Both Enzo and Audrey turned their gaze towards the source.
Crack, crack—
Half of a shell was being devoured, and in no time, it lay completely consumed, revealing even greater changes in the hatchling of Beast God clan.
The hatchling was with a long, corpulent head, four sharp claws, a scaly body, and a flicking tail.
It was, in Enzo\'s aesthetic judgement, an exceedingly grotesque creature.
Yet, in Audrey\'s eyes, joy gleamed as she struggled to rise, looking at Enzo with a mocking smile, "It seems this time I have triumphed. You have succumbed to your own arrogance!"
Enzo\'s expression remained calm. He had already realized that Audrey had merely been buying time.
The story she shared was not riddled with flaws and was delivered with heartfelt sincerity, indicating that those tales were indeed her past experiences—tragic and deserving of sympathy.
However, as the protagonist, Audrey remained ensnared in her own sorrowful recollections.
As a silent observer, Enzo discerned an unnoticed thread in Audrey\'s narrative, a string of events that seemed to be manipulated by an unseen hand, including her encounter with the Beast God clan\'s egg and her journey into the depths of Plata Plain.
It all appeared to be a well-crafted plot.
With a script in place, who might be the playwright?
Enzo pondered, a name surfacing in his mind. But this was not the time for contemplation. the hatchling of Beast God clan, after devouring its shell, rose on its feet, bellowing a low growl, its ferocious gaze fixed on him.
Yet, Enzo remained unperturbed.
Despite the unusual transformation of the hatchling of Beast God clan, its aura was not threatening, and he felt adequately prepared to handle it.
Audrey, weakened and devoid of her fighting strength, presented no threat.
The task, then, was to handle the hatchling of Beast God clan.
Suddenly, Audrey spoke out once more.
With an air of benevolence, she advised, "Don\'t attempt to kill it, or even wound it. This is not a threat. It carries the bloodline of a deity. Should anything happen to it, all human inhabitants of the barren mountain region would pay the ultimate price."
Enzo retorted, "Apologies, but I do not respond to threats."