Wings Of Deception
Chapter 38 Price

Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Price

"I see." Damien exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable.

After the luncheon, the youth with the lion’s tattoo on his forehead shifted the topic. "Clan Head Singer, I’m here to invite you to the Beast Alliance Summit. The details are in this." He reached into his robe and pulled out a thick scroll made of animal hide before casually tossing it toward the gray mockingbird perched on the branch.

The scroll glided through the air, carried by the wind, and landed smoothly near John’s feet.

"What’s this?" John tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his black eyes.

"Open it and see for yourself."

John unfurled the scroll, his feathers twitching as he scanned the contents. A moment later, he shut it and scoffed. "Not to offend, but I don’t have a single clue what this says."

Damien tensed slightly.

John continued, "I don’t read this script. Not that I can’t read—I’ve studied hundreds of other texts. Just not this one."

Damien’s shoulders relaxed, a wry smile tugging at his lips. The tension in the air lightened.

Master Karin, the venerable python, let out a dry chuckle. "That’s understandable. Here, let me help." He raised a hand, controlling the wind to lift the scroll toward himself. After glancing at the text, he began reading aloud:

**"I, Frassure Mufasa, King of the Wolf Fangs Kingdom, have sensed large numbers of intruders infiltrating our sanctuary. Thousands of cultivators—many of them formidable—have crossed into our lands. This is no mere Slave Harvesting. They are planning something big, and soon, our presence may be exposed.

It is time to set aside our differences. One week from now, we shall meet under the Hollow Giant Willow Tree. Attendance is conditional: all invitees must arrive in their human forms. Fail to do so, and you have no right to sit among the strongest."**

Karin smirked as he finished. "Hah, the beginning is all formal—just my style. But the ending? Sloppy. His Majesty still needs some work on his delivery."

"Shut up, snake! No one asked for your opinion!" Master Bull barked.

"Oh? And what exactly are you gonna do about it?" Karin shot back with a grin.

"Both of you, stop." Damien’s voice cut through their bickering, silencing them instantly.

John tapped his beak thoughtfully. "Alright, I’ll make sure to be there." His gaze sharpened. "But let’s talk about something more pressing. Today, three of your juniors led a horde of beasts straight to my home. As their senior, I think you owe me an explanation."

Damien’s expression darkened slightly. "A sincere apology. I wasn’t aware of that."

"Your apology is accepted," John said, his tone cool. "Now, let’s get to the point. I’ve captured them for their crimes. The damage to my clan because of their recklessness is not something I can just overlook. If you don’t believe me, take a good look around—you’ll see the destruction they caused."

His feathers ruffled slightly as he added, "By all rights, they should have been executed already. But they’re just kids. So I’m willing to be merciful... in exchange for something valuable. The question is, do you want to buy their lives?"

"Extortion?! You dare—" Master Bull shot to his feet, his aura flaring.

John let out a sharp, bird-like laugh. "Yeah, damn right it’s extortion. What are you gonna do about it? Either you pay the price, or my flock enjoys a premium meal tonight." His beady eyes gleamed mischievously. "What do you think, Blackie? You’ve already tasted that scared cat’s meat before, haven’t you?"

The cavern echoed with dark laughter as the flock joined in, their mockery-filled chirps further infuriating Master Bull. Karin, the venerable python, merely smiled, while Damien Mufasa remained as unreadable as ever.

Just as Master Bull was about to lose control—exactly what John had been orchestrating—Damien shot him a sharp glare. The massive bull stiffened before awkwardly clearing his throat. "Since your barbecue was to this Bull’s liking, I’ll let this one go." He huffed, blew his nose loudly, then fell silent.

Damien spoke in a calm, measured tone. "Alright. Name your price."

John tilted his head. "Three youths, three separate prices. Let me think..." He paused dramatically, letting the tension build before continuing. "For that dumb ape, I won’t ask for much—since he’s not worth much in your eyes anyway. This land is under Three Fangs Kingdom’s territory, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then for his life, give me 800 square kilometers around my mountain. Will you sacrifice such a ’great subject’ for just a tiny piece of land?" John’s tone was playful, yet sharp.

The silver wolf, listening from the sidelines, felt a chill run down his spine. How big is this bird’s gut? I thought his game ended already, but this is the main course—and we three were just appetizers to bait the seniors. His gaze flickered toward Damien. He dares to extort His Highness Damien Mufasa himself? And I strongly believe he has the strength to back it up. This guy... I should never offend.

Damien studied John for a moment before responding. "Fine. From now on, the 800 square kilometers around your mountain belong solely to you. The Three Fangs Kingdom will have nothing to do with it." Then, with a curious glint in his eyes, he added, "But I must say, I’m surprised. Why such a cheap price? To me, the little ape is a precious subject."

Master Bull’s eyes widened in disbelief. "800 square kilometers is cheap? That too in exchange for that runt? Yeah, it’s cheap. If it were up to me, His Highness would’ve given a hundredfold just to get rid of him."

Karin sneered, his voice laced with disdain. "Don’t kid yourself. The price is too cheap."

At the same time, the silver wolf screamed in his head, Yeah, it’s too cheap!

Master Bull, still puzzled, sent a telepathic message. "Why?"

Karin’s voice slithered into his mind like a cold whisper. "Think, you idiot. Why do you think His Highness stopped you from attacking those damn birds?— Because they’re too strong. His Highness can’t even gauge that Mockingbird’s true strength. Do you really think he’s just been playing around this whole time? Don’t be a fool. They defeated the Immortal Mad and took over her cave. That alone makes him a hegemony in this region. If he wanted, he could’ve just taken the land for himself. So yes, 800 square kilometers? That’s far too cheap."

Master Bull’s eyes flickered with sudden realization.

Damien nodded. "Alright, it’s a deal. Now, tell me—what’s the price for the little wolf’s life?"

John chuckled. "Nothing. I’ve already made a deal with the little fella." He then turned to the silver wolf and asked, "What do you say, Little Fella?"

The silver wolf merely nodded, not daring to utter a single word. He knew he was out of his league in this discussion.

For the first time, Karin the python narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. No one knew what schemes were coiling within that calculating mind of his.

Meanwhile, Master Bull remained blissfully ignorant of the deeper stakes at play. He simply grinned, relieved that no more land was being stripped away.

Damien, ever composed, studied the silver wolf with a meaningful look before speaking. "Fine. If you want to keep him, then keep him. I have no interest in dragging him back to the palace. Just look at him—psychologically broken, physically..." He waved a dismissive hand. "A complete disappointment. If I take him home, Big Brother will skin me alive. I’ll compensate you, but make sure he stays here."

John tilted his head, his feathers ruffling in feigned irritation. "Hey, Brother Damien, he’s your nephew, for God’s sake. And my clan is not some boarding house for washed-up princes."

Damien chuckled, unfazed. "Don’t worry, Brother Singer. I trust you’ll take good care of him. Just name your price. Can you keep him here?... Don’t worry—the offer is negotiable."

John said nothing, tapping his talons against the rock. He wasn’t actually considering it—he had already made up his mind—but there was power in making the other party wait. Then, he turned to his flock.

"Birds, what do you think?"

A cacophony of chirps and caws erupted. "Let’s keep him! If food ever runs low, we can always feast on him."

John clicked his beak in mock disapproval. "No, no, no. He’s not food." Then, with a sly glint in his eyes, he added, "But since you all accept him, I suppose I have no reason to send him away. Besides, having an extra pair of hands could be useful. We always need someone to run errands, don’t we?"

Turning back to Damien, he said, "Alright. I’ll keep him—under one condition."

Damien gave a slight nod. "Just name it."

"I’m still new here, so I want complete knowledge of the cultivation levels in this world. And while you’re at it, give me some intel on this... ’Zoo.’" John’s tone was casual, but his sharp eyes betrayed his keen interest.

Damien raised an eyebrow and let out a short laugh. "That’s too easy. Ask for something more."

John shook his head. "No. My Sky Dominating Clan doesn’t exploit its trade partners, and neither should the other party. I’ve named my price—that’s all I need. Now, bring me the documents I asked for, and you can take that ape back. What you do with him afterward? None of my concern."

Damien studied him for a moment, his golden eyes filled with something unreadable before he finally smirked. "You really are an interesting one, Brother Singer."

John spread his wings slightly, his beady eyes flashing. "I get that a lot."

Master Bull exhaled in relief, clearly happy that no more land had been taken, but Karin, the python, remained eerily silent, his forked tongue flicking as if tasting something unseen in the air.

Damien gave a lazy stretch before turning away. "Fine. You’ll have your information soon. Enjoy your new pet, Brother Singer."

John let out a sharp cackle. "Oh, I will. You can count on that."

As the negotiations wrapped up, the silver wolf, now officially part of the Sky Dominating Clan, felt the weight of his fate settle in. Whether this was salvation or another kind of hell, only time would tell.