The soft little female makes the beast husbands lose control and fall

Chapter 225. Negotiating Conditions

Day 9, evening.

Su Yaoyao stood alone on the highest terrace of the castle, gazing at the magnificent sunset in the distance. The ten-day agreement was about to expire, and the pressure was mounting.

Perhaps the only way to avoid this war is to find a compromise.

Suddenly, a cold voice rang out from behind:
"It seems you haven't wasted these nine days."

Su Yaoyao didn't turn around; she knew who it was. Lan Yi Garuda had appeared on the terrace silently, without anyone noticing.

"Likewise," Su Yaoyao replied calmly. "Your fleet must be in place by now, right?"

Lan Yi did not deny it. He walked to Su Yaoyao's side and looked at the sunset with her. The golden afterglow fell on his cold and hard profile, softening his icy expression slightly.

"Tomorrow will be the tenth day." Lan Yi's voice was devoid of emotion. "I need your answer, Su Yaoyao."

Su Yaoyao turned around and looked directly at him. The evening breeze ruffled the hair on her forehead, and her eyes appeared particularly deep in the setting sun.

"Before I give you an answer, Winged King, I need you to answer one question first," she said slowly. "Do you want a 'tool' to save your people, or an 'ally' who is truly willing to understand and help you?"

Lan Yi's silver eyes narrowed sharply as he stared intently at Su Yaoyao.

The setting sun bathed the terrace in a warm gold glow, yet it couldn't melt the icy tension between the two. Su Yaoyao's question was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating subtle yet clear ripples in Lan Yi's sharp silver eyes.

“‘Tools’? ‘Allies’?” Garuda repeated these two words, his cold tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery. “Su Yaoyao, you don’t seem to fully understand the seriousness of the situation. What the Winged Race needs is survival, concrete methods to break the shackles of their genes, not some vague ‘alliance’ relationship.”

“Then, the ‘tool’ won’t think, won’t resist, and will only act according to instructions.” Su Yaoyao met his gaze without flinching. “Do you think a ‘tool’ that has been forcibly taken and harbors resentment would willingly and fully unleash its potential to save a race that has coerced it? Especially when, according to our research, this power is extremely dependent on mental resonance and willpower guidance?”

She gently raised her hand, and a faint yet warm and pure halo of light swirled around her fingertips. That halo stirred a yearning within Garuda's decaying bloodline. This was the first time in nine days that he had felt this pure life force so closely.

“Look, your body is craving it.” Su Yaoyao keenly caught his momentary lapse in concentration. “But which is better at irrigating your parched people: a stream forcibly drawn from the ground, or a river that willingly gathers its waters?”

Lan Yi fell silent. He had to admit that Su Yaoyao's words had struck a crucial point he had been deliberately ignoring. Scientists of the Winged Clan had also speculated that this evolutionary power, involving the very origin of life, was likely deeply intertwined with the spiritual realm. Forcing it might indeed be counterproductive, and could even bring unknown risks.

"Then what is your proposal?" Lan Yi Garuda's voice was still cold, but it was now a questioning tone, rather than an absolute command. "The ten-day deadline is approaching, and I don't want to hear any more empty assumptions." "My proposal is," Su Yaoyao's voice was clear and firm, like the sound of jade being struck in the evening breeze, "I volunteer to go with you to the Winged Clan, as an ally, not a prisoner."

Lan Yi's silver eyes suddenly lit up, but then a shadow of doubt fell over them: "Voluntary? Allies? What are the conditions?" He knew all too well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, especially from a civilization that he had just threatened with force.

Meeting his scrutinizing gaze, Su Yaoyao spoke frankly: "Three conditions."

"First, my beastmen and I must go together. They are my family, and an extension of my power and wisdom. Their safety must be absolutely guaranteed, and they must enjoy the same courtesy and freedom as your people's most distinguished guests, not as prisoners."

"Second, the rescue process must be guided by my judgment and methods. You must provide everything you need, but you must not interfere with my specific actions, much less force me to make any attempts beyond my capabilities or wishes. I need your complete trust and cooperation, not suspicion and instructions."

"Third, regardless of the final outcome, the Winged Race must forge a permanent and unbreakable peace treaty with the Starshine Empire. From this day forward, the two races shall not invade each other, exchange goods, and watch over each other. My power is used for salvation, not to fuel hatred and division."

With each condition she stated, Lan Yi's brow furrowed more deeply. These conditions, especially the first and third, were practically a challenge to his authority as king and the consistent practices of the Winged Clan.

Allowing outsiders into Skywing City is already an exception, but to treat them as honored guests? A permanent alliance? This is simply...

He was about to retort coldly, but Su Yaoyao seemed to see through his thoughts. The warm halo at her fingertips lit up again, even more clearly than before. The vitality contained within it made Lan Yi's almost dried-up bloodline let out a yearning cry again.

“Wing King,” her voice carried a strange penetrating power, reaching the deepest anxiety in his heart, “do you care about the empty authority and dignity of a king, or the survival of your people? Do you care about the temporary strength or the future of the Winged Clan, the vast universe for millions of years to come?”

"My power comes from love and responsibility, not fear and oppression. Agree to my conditions, and you will gain an ally who will give their all, a hope that may truly bring new life to your race. Refuse..." She paused, her eyes still calm, yet carrying an undeniable resolve, "You may be able to forcibly take away an empty shell, but you will also forever lose the chance to truly save them, or even touch upon the possibility of 'evolution.' What will you choose?"

As the sun sank completely below the horizon, the last rays of warmth vanished, and night began to fall. The temperature on the terrace seemed to drop a few degrees. Lan Yi Garuda stood there like a silent statue, only his clenched fists and violently heaving chest betraying the turbulent emotions within him.

He was weighing his options. He was weighing the king's dignity against the survival of his race. He was weighing the efficiency of power against the potential of allies. Su Yaoyao's words were like a heavy hammer, repeatedly striking at his preconceived notions. She possessed not only power, but also the wisdom and courage to match it, wisdom that allowed her to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, and even surpass him in some aspects.

Time seems to have frozen.

For a long, long time. Lan Yi Garuda suddenly raised his head, his silver pupils shining brightly in the twilight. There was no mockery, no coldness in them, only a desperate, almost tragic determination.

He took a step forward, his posture no longer condescending, but carrying a heavy solemnity. He looked at Su Yaoyao, his voice hoarse yet clear, uttering each word clearly:
"……I promise you."