Chapter 116: Humans and Demons Stand Apart! Joining Falcon Beak!
“Anaconda Demon.”
The Mountain Lord opened his mouth, his tone unexpectedly calm.
“Do you have any interest in joining us, in cooperating with us?”
“Hm?”
The Mountain Lord’s sudden words left Mo Lin somewhat surprised.
It actually ignored the fact that its Purple Crystal Dragon Mine had been devoured by Mo Lin, and instead extended an invitation to team up with him?
And compared to the last time, when it spoke only of Mo Lin “following” it, this time it actually said “join” and “cooperate”?
No longer “follow”?
But an equal “cooperation”?
What was going on?
But soon Mo Lin understood.
Yes, it was now already a Middle Earth Rank, already qualified to stand on equal footing with the Mountain Lord.
But why did the Mountain Lord say “us”?
In this mountain range, to the Mountain Lord, who else was worthy of being included in “us”?
Seeing Mo Lin’s seemingly bewildered look, the Mountain Lord also felt some doubt:
“You wouldn’t not know what has happened recently in the mountains, would you?”
Hearing this, Mo Lin felt a little embarrassed.
It truly did not know what had changed in the world outside the mine lately, but this was not something it could admit to the Mountain Lord.
Could it say, “I’ve been living in your Purple Crystal Dragon Mine for a month, not knowing the outside world”?
If it did, the emotions the Mountain Lord had just calmed would no doubt surge up again.
So it did not answer directly:
“Ah, ah, I don’t really pay much attention to other matters.”
At these words, the Mountain Lord gave Mo Lin a strange glance.
It felt there was something unsaid in Mo Lin’s words, but it did not care too much:
“In the past month, within Yongzhou’s territory, the humans’ Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring have launched a campaign to exterminate demonic beasts, called ‘Locusts’.”
“Many demonic beasts that usually hid in small corners have been dragged out and killed by humans.”
“......”
Through the Mountain Lord’s brief explanation, Mo Lin suddenly understood Yongzhou’s current situation.
The Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring of Yongzhou had launched a joint extermination operation named “Locusts,” declaring:
“Now, demonic beasts wreak havoc most severely, lurking in mountains and fields, coveting the human world, harming lives and tormenting villages, leaving Yongzhou’s people in dire peril. To cleanse demonic miasma and protect the common folk, the Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring strike with thunder, swearing to sweep dens and nests with the force of ‘Locusts,’ to eradicate this great scourge.”
When the Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring—these two vast human institutions—moved with their full power toward a single purpose, the energy they unleashed was terrifying.
All the demonic beasts within Yongzhou had no power to resist before the combined might of the two organizations, being beaten back step by step.
No fewer than five Earth Rank demonic beasts and a dozen Profound Rank demonic beasts had already died at the hands of the two institutions, their corpses hung from the gates of Yongzhou’s counties as a warning to others.
For a time, the hearts of Yongzhou’s demons were in great panic.
While the operations of Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring surged like fire, the Mountain Lord and other Earth Rank demonic beasts stepped forward, jointly forming a Demonic Beast Alliance.
This alliance had no other purpose but to demand blood for blood from humans.
To counter the humans’ “Locusts,” the demonic beasts even deliberately named their union “Falcon Beak.”
If you humans wish to be locusts, sweeping nests and burrows, then fine—
we will be the falcons that feast on locusts.
Let us see whether your locusts sweep first, or our falcons finish eating you.
To make a stand against the humans, regardless of whatever grievances or grudges they had before, the demonic beasts all set aside their differences and chose to stand in the same camp, for now.
Mo Lin finally understood why the Mountain Lord, even knowing its Purple Crystal Dragon Mine had been emptied by him, still did not strike but instead extended an invitation.
The demonic beasts needed every force that could be united.
Now, humans were the foremost enemy of all Yongzhou’s demonic beasts.
Mo Lin looked at the Mountain Lord before him, sinking into thought.
To join, or to refuse—that was the question.
If he refused, without doubt he would earn the enmity of the demonic beast camp, though this was not necessarily something to worry too much about.
After all, as just said, the first contradiction of the demonic beasts was with humans.
They had no time to target him.
At most, the Mountain Lord alone might strike at him for the Purple Crystal Dragon Mine.
But with his current strength, he need not fear it.
The main concern lay with humans.
If human organizations came to sweep for demonic beasts and found him, then he would have to face the entire Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring alone.
Today he could stand by coldly, but when calamity fell upon himself tomorrow, there would likely be no demon to raise a banner for him.
The other Earth Rank demonic beasts bowing their proud heads and choosing cooperation was likely for the same reason.
On the other hand, choosing to join the demon camp made things simpler.
Though joining “Falcon Beak” meant shouldering some responsibility, at the same time, its burdens would be shared with other demonic beasts.
Even if these beasts might not stand united at critical moments, still, when facing the colossal powers of Six Gates and Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, having beasts behind him would feel much better.
At least he would not have to face a repeat of standing alone against the Western Earth Rank of Yongzhou’s Chamber of Commerce, as had happened a month ago.
Mo Lin’s deliberation did not last long.
He lifted his head to look at the Mountain Lord.
The Mountain Lord immediately straightened his posture.
From Mo Lin’s subtle movement, he could see that Mo Lin had already decided.
While Mo Lin was in thought, the Mountain Lord naturally also had his own considerations.
For the greater good, if Mo Lin was willing to join “Falcon Beak,” the Mountain Lord was willing, for the sake of his sense of the bigger picture, to overlook the matter of the Purple Crystal Dragon Mine.
But if he was unwilling, then sorry—in today’s Yongzhou, there was only friend or foe.
He would make Mo Lin regret refusing his invitation a second time.
But the final result seemed rather satisfying to the demon.
Mo Lin nodded and said:
“I am willing to join ‘Falcon Beak.’”
The Mountain Lord nodded with satisfaction:
“A wise choice. As one of ‘Falcon Beak,’ I welcome your joining. In a while, I will take you to meet our other members...”
“Wait!”
Before the Mountain Lord finished speaking, Mo Lin interrupted him.
This brought a flicker of displeasure across the Mountain Lord’s heart.
In the past, no beast in this mountain range had dared to interrupt his speech.
But considering the greater premise that Mo Lin had just joined “Falcon Beak,” such small matters could be overlooked.
So the Mountain Lord took a deep breath:
“Anaconda Demon, do you have a question?”
Mo Lin looked at the Mountain Lord.
He had no idea what the Mountain Lord was thinking—though even if he did, he would not care much.
They were both Middle Earth Rank. Neither should posture before the other.
His choice to join “Falcon Beak” was only because he deemed it the most beneficial choice under the current standoff between humans and demons, not because of the Mountain Lord’s might.
If he later judged that remaining in “Falcon Beak” no longer helped him, he would walk away without hesitation.
In his eyes, joining “Falcon Beak” was just a transaction, so:
“I can join ‘Falcon Beak,’ but I have one condition.”