Chapter 73 - Seven Beast Generals Under the King’s Command

Previously, Lu Ran hadn’t paid much attention to Sudden Death King’s training. After all, he would need to pass the ascension realm to obtain its second contract card. Now that Captain Doofus had reached level 10, Lu Ran could enter the realm at any time, and acquiring the second contract card no longer seemed like a distant goal.

However, that wasn’t the main reason for his urgency. The real motivation lay in the spiritual energy revival. News reports revealed that many animals had gained tremendous power from this phenomenon, with some even reaching level 20 or higher. A common trait among these creatures was that they weren’t bound by any contracts.

It was clear that the contract card imposed limitations on beastmasters and their familiars, creating a bottleneck that could only be broken by passing the Limitless City trials. Wild animals, on the other hand, faced no such restrictions.

Lu Ran hoped Sudden Death King could take advantage of the spiritual energy revival to rapidly grow stronger. Ideally, by the time Lu Ran cleared the ascension realm, Sudden Death King would have already reached level 20. This way, when they entered the realm alongside Captain Doofus, their combined strength would make the challenge significantly easier.

At present, Lu Ran wasn’t planning to enter the ascension realm just yet. Captain Doofus hadn’t completed its trait fusion, and its power was still far from its peak. With the Hell realm challenge looming, there was ample time for Sudden Death King to grow.

As a non-contracted creature, Sudden Death King couldn’t access Limitless City, presenting Lu Ran with a training dilemma. Fortunately, he had found a solution: free-range training. He entrusted Sudden Death King to the care of the dark crow, old turtle, and one-ear. These beasts, all over level 10 and having already benefited from the first wave of the spiritual energy revival, would guide and train Sudden Death King to evolve. Together, they would consolidate their hold on Green Sea and expand their domain.

Lu Ran was confident that Sudden Death King would undergo a complete transformation under their guidance. In the meantime, Lu Ran continued to receive updates from the Green Sea Alliance. The latest report revealed no newly discovered Superior-Transcendent mutant creatures.

“Not even one?” Lu Ran muttered with a sigh, biting into his Wood Scale Fruit as he watched Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King interact.

At the moment, Sudden Death King was cloaked in lightning, while Captain Doofus kept prodding it with a paw. Each poke sent a jolt through both of them. Despite the mild discomfort, Captain Doofus seemed thoroughly entertained. Sudden Death King, on the other hand, wore a pained expression, as if it might drop dead at any moment.

To Captain Doofus, relentless sparring was the fastest way for Sudden Death King to master

Lightning Scale Armor

. Whether this approach was brilliantly wise or utterly ridiculous was anyone’s guess.

Given Captain Doofus’ knack for picking up new skills, Lu Ran allowed him to take charge of the training. Meanwhile, Lu Ran kept scrolling through the latest news, waiting for updates.

In a short span, the world had been completely transformed. Areas like the deep sea and the Amazon Rainforest had already become dangerous, inaccessible to humans.

“Well, exploring the Amazon Rainforest just got a lot harder,” Lu Ran muttered with a sigh.

His parents had vanished in that region, and he had always planned to search for them someday. But now, it was clear that neither he nor Captain Doofus was strong enough for the task. The area was likely crawling with level 20+ beasts, and given the region’s richness in resources, even level 30 creatures could be lurking there.

“Caw!”

A sudden burst of cawing drew Lu Ran’s attention. A few crows descended onto a nearby tree, led by a familiar crow Lu Ran recognized as their leader.

“Boss! We found one, we found one!” the leader crow squawked excitedly.

“Oh?” Lu Ran glanced up. “Is it like you?”

“Yes! We can feel its power. It’s a sparrow, and it’s awakened ice attribute abilities. And there’s treasure too! Treasure!”

Lu Ran’s eyes lit up. Finally, some good news! What he wanted wasn’t reports of no findings but the discovery of Superior-level mutant creatures. The more such creatures he could subdue, the easier it would be to control Green Sea’s wildlife.

The crows were proving themselves invaluable. Their efficiency even surpassed that of the Green Sea Alliance.

It dawned on Lu Ran that these thousands of crows could become his second set of eyes in Green Sea. Crows were naturally intelligent, adept at flying, and skilled mimics—perfect traits for scouts.

“Where is it?” Lu Ran asked.

The crow leader quickly recounted their findings. They had discovered a small, previously unknown mountain in the rural outskirts of Green Sea City.

Following the spiritual energy revival, the mountain had become frost-covered, resembling a snow-capped peak. At its summit stood an entirely ice-blue tree, where a mutated ice-type sparrow was perched.

“Well done,” Lu Ran said. “Take me there.”

“

Caw!

We can take a shortcut through Emerald Mountains!” the crow leader suggested, pointing with its beak.

“Captain Doofus, stop poking around! Let’s take the shortcut through Emerald Mountains. You’ll carry me,” Lu Ran instructed. “Also, when are you going to master Gale Wings? Flying would be so much faster in terrain like this.”

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus barked in mild protest, feeling that life had become far too hectic. After all, it was just a dog!

With Captain Doofus preoccupied, Sudden Death King hugged his lightning-scarred scales and let out a relieved sigh.

***

Following the shortcut, Captain Doofus reached the destination in about ten minutes. The remote mountain, hidden in Green Sea’s countryside, had remained undiscovered due to its isolation. Without the crows’ guidance, it might have taken far longer to locate.

But as Lu Ran arrived, he froze in shock.

Atop the ice-blue tree emanating powerful ice energy, two formidable creatures were locked in a standoff. A massive ice sparrow perched on the branches, its body radiating frost, while a red-banded snake wreathed in fiery energy coiled around the trunk, its eyes fixed hungrily on the sparrow.

Lu Ran blinked, recognition dawning.

Damn, isn’t that the same red-banded snake that escaped during the last incident?

This snake was a treasure-hunting expert. Not long after leaving that battle, it had found another rare treasure! Just then, Lu Ran’s communications rang.

“Latest intel. Our drone captured footage of another Superior-Transcendent mutant creature-”

“Is it a sparrow?” Lu Ran interrupted.

“Huh?” Officer Luo was caught off guard.

“I’ve already found it. I’ll handle it from here.”

Lu Ran chuckled as he hung up. He had planned to find the red-banded snake later, but it had saved him the trouble by showing up here.

At this moment, the arrival of Lu Ran, Captain Doofus, and the dark crow interrupted the two Superior-level mutated creatures that had been locked in a standoff.

Sensing the presence of strong enemies, both creatures felt a wave of panic. However, the one most upset was the red-banded snake. It stared blankly at the newcomers, unable to comprehend how it was this group again.

“You two, stop this standoff. It’s just a tea tree, isn’t it? Do me a favor and let it go.”

Lu Ran glanced at the blue-colored giant tree.

[Name: Ice Heart Tea Tree]

[Grade: Advanced]

[Description: The tea leaves have a refreshing effect and can relieve mental fatigue.]

Seeing this, Lu Ran nodded. Although it was an advanced resource, its abundance made it valuable.

Had the Ice-attribute natural energy surged earlier in this region? Not only had the tea tree mutated, but it had also triggered the evolution of the sparrow.

Indeed, the early stages of the spiritual energy revival were full of opportunities everywhere!

“Ssssss!”

The Red-Banded Snake hissed at Lu Ran as if asking what he meant.

Let it go? I’ve already given you face once. Is your skin that thick!

The Ice Sparrow didn’t seem too welcoming either, eyeing the group warily. Facing the cautious gazes of the two ferocious beasts, Lu Ran smiled slightly.

“Forget about the tea tree for now. I’m here for you two. Are you interested in working with me on something big? Given your current intelligence, you should have noticed that the world has changed dramatically.

“Just look at Green Sea City. Its landscape has completely transformed. Treasures like this will become more common in the future. Are you going to fight for every single one? While you’ve mutated significantly, you’ll eventually encounter creatures stronger than you.

“By then, you’ll just become prey. Submit to me, become my subordinates! Together, we’ll control the entire animal world of Green Sea City. When that time comes, treasures like this? You’ll have as many as you want!”

Lu Ran stretched out his arms, extending an invitation.

But both the red-banded snake and the ice sparrow looked at him like he was a fool. Although their intelligence had improved, their species had no concept of submission or grand ambitions.

To them, Lu Ran was simply trying to steal the treasure! Seeing their reactions, Lu Ran twitched the corner of his mouth.

How dull.

There was a clear difference between the animals he had befriended and those he hadn’t.

“Seriously...”

Lu Ran sighed and spoke calmly, “If that’s the case, I’ll just have to give you a demonstration.”

He glanced at Captain Doofus. At the same time, it was also casting a sharp gaze toward the red-banded snake and the ice sparrow, making both creatures freeze.

“

Woof!

”

Captain Doofus charged forward the next moment while holding a wind blade in its mouth. The two ferocious beasts’ eyes widened in shock.

Shortly after, a gust of wind swept across the small mountain, accompanied by the frantic cries of the red-banded snake and the ice sparrow, creating utter chaos.

Later that night.

After traveling over mountains and across water, Lu Ran had finished his preliminary work. He held friendly talks with every Superior-level mutated creature in Green Sea City. At Qingwu Lake, he gathered them all together to begin dividing up territory.

“From now on, you’ll cooperate with me to maintain the stability of the animal world in Green Sea City. It’s a win-win situation.”

Looking at the creatures before him, Lu Ran commanded, “Stop making such sour faces.”

“I’ll start by giving each of you a codename.”

Lu Ran turned to the old turtle by Qingwu Lake. “From now on, your codename will be Mystic Turtle. You’ll be in charge of maintaining security around Qingwu Lake. This area has the most aquatic creatures in Green Sea City, and we’ll steer clear of the ocean for now. Let’s not provoke it.”

The old turtle sighed as it looked at the other mutated beasts around it. It really didn’t want to get dragged into this with Lu Ran.

“Cricket, your codename is Insect King. Work on uniting the insect population of Green Sea. Your priority is to suppress the ant colonies and bee hives, as that’s the most important task.”

The Insect King, who was dragged out in the middle of the night again, was not pleased but nodded in agreement anyway.

“Crow, you’re Dark Crow now. From here on, you’ll rule the skies over Green Sea. Under the cover of night, have your underlings keep an eye on everything happening in Green Sea for me.”

“Your Majesty is wise!” Dark Crow was very satisfied with the codename Lu Ran had given.

“As for the snake, you’ll be Fire Snake. You’ll act as a forest ranger in the Emerald Mountains area. Don’t let any mutated creatures into the city. And don’t you dare cause any forest fires, or I’ll roast you myself.”

“

Ssss.

”

The red-banded snake, covered in wounds, nodded frantically. It felt like it had boarded a pirate ship and resolved to stop treasure hunting from now on. Clearly, Captain Doofus had given it a good thrashing.

“As for the sparrow, you’ll be Ice Bird. Until we figure out a way to transplant that tea tree, you’ll be in charge of guarding it,” Lu Ran instructed. “Also, I checked your area. There are a lot of wild boars. If any of them try to invade the nearby villages, you’ll deal with them.”

Although the tea tree was only an advanced-grade resource, Lu Ran saw great potential in it. A tea that refreshes and relieves fatigue? There was a huge market for that, and it would be useful for his own needs as well.

“Cheep...”

Ice Bird was clearly unhappy. However, after getting beaten, it listened closely to Lu Ran’s plan. Banding together to rule Green Sea City certainly felt safer than going it alone.

“One Ear, your codename is One Ear. From now on, you’ll lead the stray cat groups and maintain security within the city,” Lu Ran said, turning to One Ear.

Hearing its codename, One Ear’s face froze.

“Meow!!!”

It protested loudly. Why was its codename the least impressive?

“And you, stop slacking off!” Lu Ran called out to Sudden Death King, who had been lounging on the sidelines.

Sudden Death King froze in confusion. Was there a task for him too?

“From now on, you’ll also participate. At first, you’ll stay by my side, and later, you’ll act independently to help maintain security in Green Sea City. Your codename will be Lightning Dragon.”

Sudden Death King looked around at the massive mutated beasts surrounding him, feeling overwhelmed.

I have to work with them?

Now, the group was complete: Mystic Turtle, Insect King, Dark Crow, Fire Snake, Ice Bird, One Ear, and Lightning Dragon.

Lu Ran was pleased with the lineup. Six creatures above Level 10. Their ability to suppress other mutated beasts would undoubtedly be top-tier.

“Once the situation in Green Sea City stabilizes, I’ll reward you all accordingly and find suitable resources to strengthen you. Don’t worry! No, actually, tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll find a batch of resources for you and deliver them right away.”

Lu Ran knew that promises alone wouldn’t work. Tomorrow, he planned to head to Limitless City #3 and buy some resources to win them over. Once they proved themselves, he’d further reward them.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have a suggestion!” Dark Crow suddenly spoke up.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. How about we call ourselves ‘The Seven Beast Generals’? For now, we’ll just rule over Green Sea City, but once we’ve unified it, we’ll inevitably move on to other cities! Haha, we need a name with some clout.”

Lu Ran was used to this guy’s antics. He responded indifferently, “Say something like that again, and I’ll have Captain Doofus cut your tongue out.”

Dark Crow flinched and quickly covered its mouth.

Understood. Stay low-key, grow in silence, and then amaze everyone!