Chapter 369: Confronting the Monarch

Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Confronting the Monarch

Ever since treating He Hanshi a few times and discovering that his collapse value increased at a different rate than other males, Shi Lan had suspected that a high-risk spiritual power breakdown left Beastmen with certain aftereffects, making them more prone to the risk of another collapse.

With so many of the Insect Clan in that underground base, Shi Lan was worried that Ye Ming’s fight with them would affect his collapse value.

She had Ye Ming test his level, and just as she’d suspected, his value was also rising quickly. She had previously lowered the collapse values for all of them to 0, but now his had already reached 35%—a medium-risk Level.

Ye Ming was also surprised by the number. Unlike He Hanshi and the others, this was the first time he’d had close contact with the Insect Clan recently. The Chao Si in the research lab had a negligible effect on him, so it was clearly all related to the Chao Si he had fought today.

Perhaps because Chao Si was an artificially created test subject, it had a greater inherent effect on a Beastman’s spiritual power, causing his value to fluctuate so rapidly.

Shi Lan glanced at the Mecha battle unfolding up ahead. It wasn’t a good time for a treatment session, so she could only say, "I’ll treat you properly when we get back."

Ye Ming nodded, his lips curving into a gentle smile.

For some reason, even though he didn’t want Shi Lan in such a dangerous place, the sight of his partner filled his chest with an indescribable sense of peace and security.

’Perhaps Lanlan is just always the one who brings us hope.’

After the reinforcements arrived, and with the help of Yan Huoshui and the other two 2S Spiritual Power Beastmen, the Mecha battle quickly concluded.

All of Captain Xing’s Mechas were wrecked, and his team had no choice but to disarm and surrender.

One of Ye Ming’s subordinates brought Captain Xing over under guard and asked, "Your Highness, what should we do now?"

Ye Ming looked from the small island before him to Captain Xing, then divided his forces into three groups: one to document the entire island as evidence, one to take Captain Xing and his men into custody, and one to deal with the youths and children left at the military base.

He quickly delegated the tasks. Leo helped with the recording, a job he was already accustomed to and had remembered to perform back at the underground base.

However, upon learning the military base’s true purpose and hearing the comments from some of the children, everyone was once again left in stunned silence.

The very children they once viewed as the future hope of the interstellar age, the offspring they had longed to have, were now like a cancer on society, having been raised to become a complete menace.

They had been relatively docile during their capture, but their true colors showed the moment they saw Shi Lan.

They immediately began to curse. "The thing is here!"

"Where did this disgusting female come from? Is a female even worthy of being in a place like this?"

"Oh, Teacher, my eyes are filthy now! They’ve been tainted by this female."

"Quick, lock that female up! They belong in cages."

...

In short, every word they spoke was vile.

Listening on, Ye Ming, Yan Huoshui, Jiang Xia, and Mu Tangfeng were so furious their eyes turned red.

Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng, not bound by the same princely etiquette as Ye Ming, immediately slapped every child who had dared to curse Shi Lan. Those who couldn’t keep their mouths shut were slapped several more times, until their lips were swollen and they were all cowering in a silent huddle. Only then did the two feel their anger begin to subside.

Yan Huoshui considered himself a good teacher, so he felt it wouldn’t be right to beat the students. Instead, he went straight for their teacher.

’How the students turn out has a lot to do with their teacher.’

For every few students who had cursed, the teacher took a few blows.

In the end, Yan Huoshui beat the teacher unconscious, and the man had to be dragged away.

Shi Lan hadn’t expected any of this to happen. She had simply followed Ye Ming’s main group, thinking that since she was already here, she might as well see what the island was all about. But as it turned out, not a single male on it was normal. They all stared at her with looks of contempt and disgust.

At first, she didn’t understand why. But after flipping through a student textbook, she realized the people here were indoctrinated from childhood with a worldview that held females in contempt.

Shi Lan was not only shocked but also horrified, because she could now sense the true ambition hidden deep within the Monarch.

As for how she knew it was the Monarch—just like at the underground base, she had seen several masked males. Furthermore, the island was full of well-trained soldiers and well-stocked with weapons, feats that were clearly beyond the means of any ordinary person.

Although Ye Ming hadn’t laid a hand on anyone himself, he hadn’t stopped anything either. Moreover, they could have used a stretcher for the teacher Yan Huoshui had knocked unconscious, but after Ye Ming shot a look in that direction, his subordinates resorted to simply dragging the man away.

He still hadn’t decided what to do with the minors, however. For now, they were all escorted to the prison cells.

After all, the mastermind was his own father. Ye Ming worried the Monarch would abuse his power to secretly release everyone involved. He decided to act first and report later, exposing the entire affair online to attract nationwide attention and public outrage. Once the public knew these people existed, his father would have to consider popular opinion, even if he wanted to let them go.

As for his father, Ye Ming still didn’t know how to deal with him, but he couldn’t stop himself from going to confront him directly.

Even though his own son had discovered so much, the Monarch showed no sign of evasion. He was in his study as usual, either reading a book or handling current affairs.

Upon seeing him arrive, he put down his book and said faintly, "So you’ve come."

Then, thinking of the matter currently stirring up a storm online, he couldn’t help but remark, "You’ve finally grown up. Your wings have hardened. You have your own ideas now, and you know how to cut off all paths of retreat."

"However, Ming’er, I’ve told you before that you’re far too indecisive. Your abilities are more than enough to be the heir, but ability alone isn’t sufficient. You lack ambition and ruthlessness. People like this, who deserve to die, should be dealt with and killed swiftly."

Ye Ming’s fists clenched, his scalp tingling with rage. "Father, these are your people. Why would you do all this? Why harm so many innocent females?"

’And you even wanted to kill me...’

In the end, he swallowed the words, perhaps feeling there was no point in saying them.

The Monarch slowly rose from his seat and walked to Ye Ming’s side. His broad, tall figure, which once could easily envelop his younger self as he patted his head, was no longer so imposing. They had long since become the same height, and such gestures were now awkward.

He calmly patted his shoulder instead. "Ming’er, you’re mistaken. There’s no such thing as ’my people’ or ’your people.’ No one ever truly belongs to anyone. It’s all just communities of shared interest. We can only be considered partners."

"You know perfectly well that’s not what I’m asking about."

Ye Ming couldn’t help but take a step back, avoiding his father’s proximity.

The Monarch withdrew his hand, his dark green eyes growing dim. He suddenly let out a low, grim laugh. "Ming’er, don’t you want to see this world belong entirely to us males?"

"By what right can females have multiple husbands? By what right is the title of Monarch given to females by default?"

"It is clearly we males who wield absolute power, is it not?"