Chapter 139: The Hunt (Part I)

(1/3)
"Mother, I just received word that my brother has arrived safely at his assigned knightly fief."
Zack stood in the center of a spacious room, looking toward the noblewoman seated before him.
"A Lord-tier expert, a Lord-tier beast, and a pack of jackals led by an alpha, yet they failed to inflict any substantial harm on your brother. It seems your father has provided that good-for-nothing with immense support."
"Perhaps he dispatched a Baron-tier expert to stand guard by that useless fellow's side," the noblewoman said slowly.
Because Count Iron-Gold and Li Ju maintained a tacit understanding to suppress the truth regarding Li Ju's actual strength during the assassination attempt, outsiders currently speculated that the Count had deployed another high-tier expert to protect Li Ju, causing the meticulously planned ambush to fail.
"The family only has a handful of Baron-tier experts in total. According to intelligence reports from my men, all of our Baron-tier experts have remained within the family estate the entire time without stepping out," Zack shook his head and said.
"Hah, do you truly believe those are the only Baron-tier experts the family possesses?"
"My child, you must remember never to blindly trust the surface-level power displayed by noble houses that have endured for centuries. True nobles always know how to conceal their strength."
"Only fools who rose to prominence a few years ago are impatient to broadcast their power to the world, as if terrified that others might not know how many gold coins or soldiers they hold."
The noblewoman let out a cold laugh.
"Regardless, the assassination ultimately failed, and it has drawn the attention of both your father and that good-for-nothing."
She shifted the tone of her voice.
"Mother, what should we do next?" Zack asked.
"Remain dormant for now and make no further reckless moves. A viper only bares its fangs and strikes when its enemy is most complacent."
"Besides, dealing with someone who might be a Baron-tier expert exceeds my current capabilities."
The noblewoman picked up a red fruit from the table with her fingers.
"However, I believe your grandfather will be more than pleased to see his grandson become a count in the future..."
"Is this the grand surprise Father prepared for me?"

(2/3)
Li Ju stared at the creature standing before him, his lips twitching involuntarily.
Although he had already learned from the hundred elite soldiers dispatched by Count Iron-Gold that a magnificent surprise awaited him, seeing the entity in person still left him somewhat astounded.
An Armored Golden Dragon.
To ensure Li Ju's safety, Count Iron-Gold had specially sent an Armored Golden Dragon to his knightly fief.
"Your Highness Trenel, with the protection of the Armored Golden Dragon, I daresay not even those viscounts would dare to come and besiege our fief!" Captain Rama stood beside Li Ju, speaking with pleasant surprise.
As someone belonging to the Iron-Gold family, he was well aware of the terrifying might of an Armored Golden Dragon. As a level-48, combat-proficient lair creature of the dragon species, a single Armored Golden Dragon was powerful enough to wipe out certain weaker viscount domains!
"Keep the arrival of the Armored Golden Dragon a secret for now," recovering from his initial shock, Li Ju immediately commanded those around him.
Fortunately, the people who accompanied him to receive the "gift" sent by Count Iron-Gold were all his trusted confidants who understood the gravity of the situation, making it easy to ensure their silence.
Since Li Ju's knightly fief consisted mostly of flat plains lacking any suitable terrain to house an Armored Golden Dragon, he placed the creature within the lair of the Armored Ants, assigning it to guard the ant colony.
Entrusting a level-48, Lord-tier lair creature of immense might to guard the nest of a knight-tier lair organism was likely something only Li Ju would ever do throughout the entire Sea Serpent Kingdom.
Late at night, seated within his villa's study, Li Ju unfolded a parchment map.
Before departing to assume his post, Li Ju had specifically requested a detailed map from Count Iron-Gold outlining the various noble territories within the Sea Serpent Kingdom, which even marked the lairs possessed by each noble family.
Though unassuming at a glance, this map represented part of the profound heritage wielded by the Iron-Gold family as grand nobles of the Sea Serpent Kingdom, usually kept sealed within the Count's private study. Had Count Iron-Gold not deeply favored his eldest son, Li Ju would never have managed to obtain it—even as a copied duplicate rather than the original.
"Among my three mission objectives in this world, I still have no leads on the first—finding the divine artifact, the Emerald Crown. As for the remaining two objectives, whether it is conquering a Royal-tier lair or establishing a continent-spanning empire, both demand absolute strength as a foundation."
"In this realm, a mere Lord-tier lair organism possesses power rivaling that of the True Qi realm. Royal-tier lairs, whose levels vastly surpass the Lord tier, likely exceed my current capabilities entirely."
"Therefore, if I wish to accomplish my mission objectives here, the key relies upon the native power of this world—lairs."
"The information regarding lair evolution pathways provided by the system panel may well be my greatest asset in fulfilling my goals in this world."

(3/3)
"What I must do currently is continuously accumulate my strength while exploring this realm. Once my power reaches a sufficient threshold, I can begin the process of dominating the continent and founding an empire."
Having formulated his initial strategy for this world, Li Ju began meticulously examining the map.
"The evolution of the Armored Ant lair requires the lair core of Driver Ants. The closest noble possessing a Driver Ant lair is..."
Li Ju finally circled a specific noble territory on the map.
"Knight Oufla, subordinate of the Rhinoceros Count."
Li Ju drew a straight line between Knight Oufla's fief and his own knightly domain.
"The hunt begins tomorrow," Li Ju said in a deep voice.
By evolving his lair one day sooner, he could accumulate another fraction of strength sooner.
Early the next morning.
"Over the next few days, I must temporarily return to the family estate to handle some matters. I leave the administration of the fief in your capable hands," Li Ju told several officials inside his villa.
"Please rest assured, My Lord," the officials stood at attention and replied in unison.
"Rama, the security of the fief is entrusted to you."
Li Ju turned his gaze toward Captain Rama, the man he relied upon the most.
Having taken command of the additional hundred elite soldiers subsequently sent by Count Iron-Gold, Rama now controlled a force of two hundred soldiers, making him undisputedly the premier figure beneath Li Ju within the entire domain.