My lips smacked, but I couldn't discern any difference between the liquors. Still, I have no recollection of wines from six millennia ago, so even if there were something off, I likely wouldn't notice. Bai and Xue raised their cups, ready to drink, but Xia Huren swiftly stopped them. I might be immune to all poisons, but others are not.

“Marshal Zhu Rong, how does the wine taste? How about a little entertainment to liven things up? If you agree to cooperate with us, days like this will be yours every day. You'll never have to worry about three meals a day again, nor endure that nauseating synthetic food. The world will be in our hands, granting us endless days of freedom and joy!”

As Kang Hui spoke, he clapped his hands, and instantly, beauties draped in sheer gauze stepped forward to dance. This was no ordinary choreography; it appeared to be a rather primal sexual dance, something still seen in some remote tribes six millennia later, primarily designed to display genitalia and incite lust for carnal pleasure. With the **beauties wrapped only in gauze dancing, the effect was even more captivating.

I have drunk baijiu before, but never anything this potent. Once it hit my stomach, it felt like a raging fire, burning fiercely. A wave shot up from my lower abdomen and spread throughout my body. My little brother involuntarily offered a salute to the dancing women. Long Nü, standing beside me, gripped my hand and asked, "Are you alright, Dragon Envoy?"

I replied, "Don't drink any more. This wine is too tyrannical. I think I’m getting dizzy."

Yet, Kang Hui raised his cup again, inviting everyone. The fire in my lower abdomen made my entire body flush with heat, making me desperately want to find a woman to vent upon. The spectacle of those pale, bouncing breasts seemed to sear my vision. Was it possible that wine from a primitive era also stoked carnal desires like the dance? Or had Kang Hui laced it with poison, intending not to kill us outright, but to drive us into a frenzy that would leave us completely helpless?

Relying on my robust physique, I blocked Kang Hui's toast. "This wine is exceptionally flavorful. I'll drink it all for them; otherwise, I fear there won't be enough."

Ignoring whatever Kang Hui intended to say, I promptly poured all the wine from everyone else's cups into my own. Drinking one cup or two made little difference now; the crucial thing was to ensure they remained safe.

Kang Hui gave another command, and several beauties entered the hall carrying even more wine. Bottles were lined up before me and Kang Hui. Long Nü anxiously warned me, "Stop drinking, Dragon Envoy. Your face is completely red; be careful not to fall into Kang Hui’s trap."

I said, "If this was a trap, we've already walked into it. Don't worry; there’s no poison that can kill me. Only when I kill them will the count be settled. If Kang Hui wants to play games, I'll play along. We are truly in his lair now; surely he won't bring the flames of war right to his own doorstep?"

Long Nü countered, "But right now, you must protect the three of us and those four Energy Stones. What if you get drunk?"

I assured her, "If I don't wish to be drunk, no one can make me fall. These drinks probably are problematic. I suggest you don't touch your food either. This fire is burning through me, but thankfully, I can control it."

Kang Hui lifted a large bottle and gulped down its contents. "Dragon Envoy, you are a man of true spirit. On this point alone, I salute you."

I followed suit, draining a bottle. "Since we are finally sitting down to drink properly today, there are things I've long wanted to ask you. Why did you rebel against Tai Hao? Was it because Long Xi treated you poorly, or do you have some hidden agenda?"

Kang Hui burst into laughter and finished another bottle. "It’s no harm telling you. The world belongs to the capable. I ask you, in all the years Long Xi has reigned, has he accomplished anything truly commendable? Have Long Nü count them for you; if there are even three deeds worthy of human praise, I will sever my own head as atonement!"

Long Nü lowered her head in disappointment after translating. She knew her brother was a good brother and a good king who loved his country and his subjects, but perhaps fate was unkind or his abilities insufficient. Since Long Xi took the throne, Tai Hao had done nothing but decline day by day; there was nothing praiseworthy to cite. (Fastest updates at http://wap.1 6k.c n)

Seeing Long Nü's expression, I knew this elder brother-in-law hadn't flattered himself, but considering he was supposedly my ancestor, I couldn't let Kang Hui overshadow him. I loudly retorted to Kang Hui, "You speak of the past. After a long discussion with Long Xi, he has recognized his shortcomings. Believe me, it won't be long before Tai Hao regains its vitality. Long Xi will lead everyone out of this current trough and eventually scatter the seeds of humanity to flourish across the globe."

Kang Hui roared with laughter. "We can immediately grant humans abundance, no, luxury—we can let humans enjoy eternal bliss in this world. And what has Long Xi done besides scattering seeds? He hasn't even solved humanity's existential crisis! Under his leadership, humanity has been reduced to the brink of extinction. Under his leadership, humans can't even operate their ancestors' starships! Under his leadership, humanity is about to regress to primitive technological levels!"

Long Nü translated Kang Hui's words as I furiously roared, "Silence! I repeat, solemnly: you are talking about the past! Long Xi is already finding solutions to humanity's survival crisis. Soon, Earth's environment will change, becoming more conducive to life. Moreover, as Tai Hao stabilizes, technology will advance by leaps and bounds. Within days, we will reactivate the starships, and then I'll show you Tai Hao's true strength!"

Kang Hui countered, "No! That is not the strength of Tai Hao or Long Xi. Perhaps the future you describe will materialize under your leadership—I must believe that—but with that fellow Long Xi? Heh heh. Tai Hao will never see its day of resurgence, nor will it ever, because those eight cities are about to be annihilated in an instant. Only Mount Long remains, and it is under our control. What will Long Xi use to fight us? Even you will have to submit to our command!"

I instantly snatched the box containing the four Energy Stones and threw it open. "Kang Hui! Since you want to play, I'll see it through to the end. If you dare destroy those eight cities, I will smash these four stones to dust! Let's all perish together!"

My threat of mutual destruction was not the meaningless bravado Long Xi possessed. Kang Hui's eyes lit up when he saw the four Energy Stones, especially the heart-shaped one beating ceaselessly—the Heart of Energy.

“Stop! Those four Energy Stones are vital to the future happiness of humanity. If you destroy them, the entire world will sink into endless darkness, and the entire solar system will be pulled into the black hole generated by their explosion. I can return the eight cities to you, but you must give me the four Energy Stones and those two individuals. And you—Dragon Envoy—must serve us. Otherwise, we truly have only mutual destruction left! I have enjoyed this world long enough; conversely, you haven't even had a single good day yet. Dying now would be such a waste.”

"You don't need to worry about that. Your grandfather enjoys himself far more than you do. Let's stop haggling. Since you are finally willing to negotiate, let's calm down. First, hand over all the nuclear warheads you possess. If you refuse, fine; we aren't without nukes either. We just couldn't locate your lair before, but now that we know, we can exchange fire and sample the taste of nuclear war. You must have seen the aftermath of the nuclear explosions over those six cities. With the size of your stronghold here, I think two bombs should be enough to flatten it."

Kang Hui conceded, "Dragon Envoy, you are indeed formidable. You quickly devised a countermeasure. Perhaps Long Xi should abdicate to you. After all, you both belong to the Long clan, and Long Nü harbors deep affection for you. Long Xi has always wanted to leave a pure Long lineage behind for the Long family, hasn't he? Instead of that useless seed, it's better to keep you, this courageous and cunning seed of the Long lineage, hahaha!"

"Spit!" I vehemently spat toward Kang Hui. "Talk your goddamn nonsense! I hate nothing more than haggling with people. If you want these four treasures, immediately send men to dig up every nuclear bomb buried beneath the eight cities and Mount Long City, and hand them over to me, every single one. Then we can discuss the matter of those two great scientists."

Kang Hui didn't seem overly anxious about Bai and Xue, even though these two figures held the key to the whereabouts of the genetic species. But we were currently on his turf, and he wasn't afraid of us fleeing. "Agreed, but I must verify the authenticity of this Energy Stone."

I challenged him, "Can you fake something like this? You try faking one for me."

Kang Hui chuckled slyly. "Others might lack the skill, but who are you, Dragon Envoy? That's why I must inspect the merchandise. Don't any of you wish to know why these stones are so important? If you want to know, then follow me."

At that moment, we were truly caught between a rock and a hard place. After a brief consultation among the five of us, we decided to follow, driven primarily by curiosity. Besides, we had no other option; otherwise, we would have to let Kang Hui destroy the eight cities, leading to a breakdown in negotiations and an all-out battle. There was another crucial reason: I noticed Kang Hui was heading toward the center of the circular structure—the very spot where we discovered the men in black. While escorting Long Nü, Bai, and Xue there was highly dangerous, we were deep within the tiger's den; escaping unscathed now seemed unlikely. We might as well try our luck there; perhaps there would be an unexpected discovery.

Passing through the ring of waterways required stricter inspection. I was also asked to leave my Laser Sword behind. I was about to flare up when Long Nü stopped me. "Leave it here, Dragon Envoy. I know that bit of water can't stop you; it's just a show. With your speed, leaving it here is the same as keeping it on you."

I pondered it and agreed. Currently, Kang Hui held the advantage, and besides, it's always what they do in movies and television—you can’t bring the weapon you used to kill over 300,000 people when entering someone’s true headquarters.

The group passed inspection and boarded the small boat with Kang Hui toward the massive complex at the center. Long Nü commented to me, "There are so many large vessels; why insist on using these small, human-powered ones? Are they fools?"

I examined the surroundings closely. "Probably to conserve energy. Those ships are all powered down. There are some markings on the gunwales; can you make them out?"