Chapter 609: Final Negotiations (2)

At some point, the courtyard right outside was already filled with Yin energy. Qin Ye pulled up the curtain and took a peek, only to see a magnificent carriage pulled by eight skeletal war horses pulling over at the main entrance. The coachman and the attendant stood upright at attention at the side of the carriage.

It was a Cathayan-styled carriage, covered with an exquisite relief of the bright rising moon as well as the majestic Aurogon holding up a lantern. The beautiful palace lanterns shaped like lotuses also hung from the four corners of the carriage. Wisps of teal smoke rose into the air from these lanterns, before quickly dissipating into the surroundings.

The procession was followed closely by an armed escort unit comprising 99 Yin soldiers wearing their newest Tigerform Battle Armor. Intense netherflames blazed from the masks on their faces, making them appear ever more domineering than before.

“Naturally.” Shang Yang sneered, “Liu Yu has committed the heinous crimes of colluding with a foreign underworld. Death would be but a reprieve for him! He’s definitely shivering in his pants right now. Do you really think he would still dare to put on airs around us?”

Whoosh… At once, the procession of Yin spirits and the armed escort knelt to the ground at once. Meanwhile, Qin Ye, Wang Chenghao and Nobutada vanished from their rooms and appeared right in front of the carriage in a gust of nethergale.

Within moments, there began a soft chanting around them. Wang Chenghao peeked out of a crack in the curtains, only to realize that the entire entourage was floating an inch above the ground. Yin energy billowed below, while flares of netherflames flourished overhead. The ceremonial procession behind tossed paper money in the air as they rumbled towards their destination. Wherever they passed, wandering Yin spirits would scream and retreat in fear.

“Are we entering a rift to the underworld now?” He closed his eyes and sensed his surroundings. He could detect that the source of light outside of the carriage was slowly undergoing a qualitative change. The breath of the living was also fading, while Yin energy was slowly taking its place.

At just about the same time, the skeletal horses neighed loudly and stopped completely. Seconds later, there was a knock on the door to their carriage, “Esteemed Emissaries, we’ve arrived.”

This was the first time he had entered a foreign underworld.

Qin Ye glanced back beyond the palace walls. The vast expanse outside was brightly lit with lanterns of all shapes and sizes. Citizens sang and danced in joy in the middle of large Cathayan pavilions. The sea of netherflames appeared no different from the constellations in the sky. The splendour and prosperity of Hanyang was probably only second to Ashmound City itself.

In that instant, he was suddenly filled with the urge to go outside and see the world.

He finally retracted his gaze and looked ahead where two figures stood, welcoming his arrival.

“Welcome, Marquis Zhong.” Rumyantsev earnestly made a gesture of invitation as though there had never been any friction between them before, “Please, Earl Liu has already arranged a glorious banquet, and we’re waiting on our guest of honour.”

“Judge Liu.” Qin Ye smiled back and shook Liu Yu’s hand, ignoring the ugly expression on Liu Yu’s face when he heard himself being addressed as ‘Judge Liu’. A moment later, Qin Ye turned his gaze past the two men and onto the gold-painted roof at the back, “Golden glaze, huh… That’s strictly for royalty, isn’t it? You might have overstepped your boundaries here.”

Qin Ye nodded placidly. Then, escorted by Rumyantsev, he walked into the main hall in a breezy manner.

Some of the larger fixtures akin to the golden glazed roof outside couldn’t be changed that quickly. Within, there were the golden pillars, the Torch Dragon lamps, and frescoes of the Harken, just to name a few.

“It’s all thanks to the blessings of King Yanluo.” Liu Yu’s smile stiffened. He was now more tempted than ever to burn bridges and call upon his army to tear the Emissary of Hell to shreds!

A loss was a loss. Although he had to pick himself up, he also had to know when to bow in front of one stronger than himself.

Qin Ye immediately nodded, and then suddenly quipped, “But I’ve heard that Judge Liu hasn’t been sleeping too well lately.”

This was no different to a slap to the face. He could already guess what Zhong Kui was about to say. In fact, his hand even shifted slightly towards his waist where his sword was located. However, it was only when Rumyantsev grabbed his hand and glared at him in the eye that he finally backed down.

“Lord Zhong!” Liu Yu finally exploded. He tossed away Rumyantsev’s hand and stared Zhong Kui in the eye as he complained through gritted teeth, “The Third King Yanluo of Hell has already promised me independence! Just what’s the meaning of this? Are you telling me that these actions are all sanctioned by the King Yanluo? How could Hell, one of the four major underworlds in the netherworld, not keep to its word? How would this make Hell look in front of other underworlds?! How do you expect them to treat Hell at arms’ length in future?!”

A leopard never changes its spots.

Does he not know that history is written by the victors? The losers have no rights! Contracts and agreements? Who’s going to enforce them, especially if they’re nothing more than verbal agreements? In fact, who would possibly believe that the King Yanluo of Hell personally assented to the independence of one of his twelve envoys?

“Absurd!” Qin Ye barked back louder, sneering, “Sure, the Third King Yanluo may have agreed to it, but has he ever agreed to an official date of independence, or made a formal international announcement? You knew full well that you didn’t have any formal declaration of independence to work with, and yet you went ahead to conspire and collude with foreign underworlds, and even allowed them to set foot in Hell’s territory! Are you trying to conceal your actions from Lord Harken? Or are you banking on your suspicions that the Second King Yanluo can’t be bothered anymore?!”

“You--...” Liu Yu was livid.

Who would’ve thought that Qin Ye would immediately retort like a ferocious general, bringing up the Harken and the Second King Yanluo to make it clear once and for all what the situation of Hell was like.

Not even the man once hailed to be invincible would dare stand toe to toe against the peerless Second King Yanluo of Hell!

“Pardon my interjection.” Rumyantsev chipped in at the most opportune time and smiled dryly, “What’s the point of bringing up these things of the past? What’s happened has happened. Everything could in some way or other be attributed to a misunderstanding. Besides, aren’t we here today to figure out a good way to resolve these differences? Come, please take a seat.”

And then he added the masterstroke, “If you’re looking for a way out… I’m sorry, but I think that might be a conversation better left for the Second King Yanluo of Hell and the Tsar of the Russian Underworld.”

Rumyantsev forcefully suppressed the disgust in his heart and continued tugging at Qin Ye’s sleeve with the sincerest smile he could muster, “That’s right, compensation. The Russian Underworld would definitely offer Hell fair compensation for its transgressions, and hopefully finally close the chapter on this episode. Marquis Zhong, please, have a seat.”

Emissaries of Hell naturally commanded at least that much respect.

This was the angle of attack that they had previously agreed upon. Push Liu Yu too hard, and he might actually go ahead and disclose Hell’s current condition. That would most certainly end up in a lose-lose situation.

Liu Yu and Rumyantsev both heaved a sigh of relief in their hearts.

“The total value of the reparations we’re asking for amounts to the sum of approximately one billion Yin spirit stones. The full particulars of it are set out in the scroll. Mr Marquis, if you have no further questions, please sign and endorse this treaty on behalf of the Russian Underworld.”

1. New Delhi, Cairo and Athens respectively.