The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

"Use steel claws! Specially made!" shouted a foot soldier in charge of technology.

Several mechs extended their forelimbs, unleashing massive alloy steel claws that shimmered with high-frequency oscillating energy—these were the keys they had prepared for this moment.

Sizzle—!

An ear-piercing metallic cutting sound rang out, and sparks flew like a waterfall, illuminating the dimly lit floorboards. Each cut was accompanied by flying fragments from the overloaded tips of the steel claws.

After a grueling and lengthy process involving more than ten mechs, the four specially made chains, symbolizing absolute confinement, finally broke completely with a dull snapping sound!

Freed from the chains, the heavy alloy gate seemed to have lost its support.

Immediately afterwards, a huge wolf claw covered with thick blue fur, bulging muscles, and wearing heavy shackles suddenly emerged from the crack in the door, its five fingers like hooks, digging deep into the alloy edge of the door frame!

Boom!

With a deafening roar that made one's heart stop, the heavy alloy door was forcibly torn and pried open to both sides by those two wolf claws! The heavy metal twisted and deformed, emitting a groan of unbearable strain.

A tangible, heavy, and suffocating pressure, mixed with a strong, pungent stench belonging to apex predators, surged out from inside the door.

This instant swept through the entire bottom of the Dark Prison, and all the noise, all the cutting sounds, and all the roars of the abundant creatures seemed to be paused at this moment.

Time stood still.

The warriors were struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, involuntarily taking a step back in unison, their knees buckling and almost collapsing to their knees.

The newly released high-ranking criminals fell silent instantly, their eyes filled with astonishment and instinctive fear.

Even the berserk step-away mechs' crimson electronic eyes flickered violently a few times, as if they had received higher-level commands, and their movements became sluggish.

Thick, bluish smoke, reeking of sulfur and blood, billowed from the torn doorway.

From the smoke, a massive, mountain-like figure slowly emerged.

He was over three meters tall, covered in thick, bluish-gray hair like bronze armor, his muscles bulging, exuding explosive power. Most striking was the ancient, weathered bronze mask covering his face, carved with a ferocious wolf's head.

Behind the eye openings of the mask were two eyes burning with eerie green flames, coldly scanning everything below. Heavy shackles were locked on his wrists and ankles, making a dull metallic clanging sound with his movements, but they could not conceal the fierce aura of a king emanating from him.

Bu Li, the former leader of the Wolf Clan and a formidable enemy who caused headaches for the Immortal Boat Alliance, Hu Lei, has finally broken free of his cage.

“Heh…hoho…” A low, hoarse laugh, like the friction of sand and gravel, came from beneath the bronze mask, carrying the ecstasy of regained freedom and the violence suppressed for countless years.

"Finally... I can smell the air of freedom. I have waited too long for this day, but... it doesn't seem too late."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every corner, with a strange penetrating power.

The moment Hu Lei appeared, all the Bu Li warriors were like a powder keg that had been ignited! The suppressed excitement exploded instantly.

They forgot their fear, forgot their surroundings, and only saw that godlike figure!

"Lord War Chief!!"

"Lord Hu Lei!!!"

A wave of frenzied shouts erupted like a tsunami! The warriors of Bu Li trembled with excitement. At this moment, all their sacrifices and all their forbearance seemed to have been perfectly rewarded.

They welcomed back their king!

Hu Lei stood before the torn door, thick smoke swirling behind him like a cloak.

He slightly raised his masked head, seemingly savoring the long-lost feeling of being adored by the masses. However, as his gaze swept over the excited crowd below, the eerie green flame flickered slightly.

weak.

too weak.

These cheering Bu Li warriors were too weak. Although their eyes were fervent, the power contained in their bodies was like that of a cub compared to the Bu Li warriors who had followed him in his battles across the starry seas.

Even the energy responses of the awakened Bu Li mechs were weak. In his view, these mechs manufactured by the company were more like a bunch of tentacle monsters pieced together from scraps.

A hint of displeasure crept into Hu Lei's heart. The new war leader? Hmph, what an arrogant attitude.

To welcome this old war chief, who had rendered outstanding service to the Buli tribe, out of prison, they only sent such a weak and defeated group of soldiers? Was this contempt? Or had the Buli tribe truly dwindled to this state?

However, as his gaze swept over the fierce and powerful convicts of the Rich who had also been released from the lower ranks, a thought suddenly occurred to him: Perhaps... the losses from the attack on Luofu were too heavy? This new war leader had no choice but to absorb these foreign tribes as supplements?

This guy is at least adaptable and intelligent. His ability to breach the Luofu Prison and rescue him is indeed worthy of Hu Lei's...give up his heart?

As long as he can lead Bu Li back to his peak, what does it matter if I am subordinate to him?

A complex and inexplicable sense of pride even rose in Hu Lei's heart—there's a worthy successor! But isn't this new war leader a bit too arrogant? He doesn't even show his face?

Just then, a figure stepped out from the crowd below—it was Mo Du.

He endured the terrifying pressure that almost made him kneel, walked to a spot not far below Hu Lei, knelt on one knee, pounded his right fist heavily on his left chest near his heart, and with all his might, let out the loudest and most devout shout.

"The Wolf Clan's strategist, Mo Du, along with his wolf warriors, respectfully welcomes the return of the War Chief! Great War Chief! Please reclaim your authority, lead your lost descendants, reclaim your former glory, and recreate the splendor of the Great Hunting Era!"

Hu Lei's brow furrowed suddenly beneath the bronze mask.

The final part contained a huge amount of information, but something was definitely wrong!

"Cewen Guan Modu?" Hu Lei's deep voice rang out, tinged with scrutiny. "You have the blood of Du Lan flowing through your veins. Tell me, what exactly happened to my clan after I was imprisoned?"

Mo Du raised his head, his eyes filled with sorrow: "Reporting to the War Chief! Since you unfortunately fell into Luofu, the situation of my Bu Li Wolf Clan... has been deteriorating day by day!"

"Hmph, as expected." Hu Lei's voice was unreadable. "How could the Luo Fu jackals let go of the opportunity to weaken my race? Even though I am imprisoned, I could have foreseen this."

"And then?" he asked, voicing his most pressing question, pondering how to get along with the new king.

Mo Du took a deep breath, knowing that the most crucial part was coming: "The decline of the race... all of this stems from the emergence of a bountiful envoy named 'Huai Xiu' more than a decade ago! His name once shook the world!"

"The Envoy of Abundance?!" Hu Lei's dark green pupils suddenly contracted, and even his bronze mask could not hide the shock he felt in that instant!

The pride and displeasure I felt towards the new leader vanished instantly! In its place was a tremendous sense of relief and... awe!

I see! I see!

No wonder they were able to breach the Luofu Prison! No wonder they were able to rescue him! It turns out that behind the new war leader stands an agent of the Eternal Lord.

With the Envoy's backing, what difficulty would there be in attacking Luofu or even crushing the Immortal Boat Alliance? Hu Lei's previous petty schemes for power and profit were utterly laughable in front of the Envoy.

His ambition was instantly extinguished, leaving only a deep awe for the new war chief who had won the favor of the envoy and a trace of barely perceptible jealousy.

"Hahaha! Good! Good!" Hu Lei's voice was filled with joy, even with a hint of flattery. "The Lord of Immortality has indeed not abandoned us, his bountiful people! There is a new representative walking in the world."

"In that case, it's no wonder you were able to break through this Luofu prison and rescue me! Heaven has not forsaken me! Where is the envoy? I will personally pay my respects!"

He automatically conjured up a perfect story in his mind: the new war chief gained the appreciation and support of the envoy of abundance and led the Bu Li army to conquer Luofu.

The expression on Modu's face instantly became incredibly complex, a mixture of fear, humiliation, and unspeakable shame. He knew that Hure had completely misunderstood.

"Uh... Lord War Chief... We... We did not conquer Luofu..." Mo Du said with difficulty, his voice dry.

Hu Lei's hearty laughter abruptly stopped. The atmosphere instantly froze.

"Oh?" Hu Lei's voice turned cold, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anger. "Then... is it infiltration? Creating chaos, a coordinated attack from within?"

"With your strength, a direct attack would indeed be unwise; infiltration would be a wise move." He was trying to find a reasonable excuse for the new war leader's low profile, such as the Immortal Boat Alliance supporting each other, or to preserve strength?

"No...not really..." Cold sweat trickled down Modu's forehead. He could feel the gazes from above like solid icicles. He forced out the next sentence through gritted teeth.

“We…we sneaked in, released those mechs to create chaos, and then…that’s when we found the opportunity to infiltrate this place, all to save you…”

Hu Lei fell silent. The eerie green flame beneath the bronze mask flickered dangerously.

Mo Du mustered his last bit of courage and tried to paint a grand picture: "Although the Wolf Clan has suffered heavy losses, as long as you return, you will surely lead us to revival! To recreate the great hunt of ancient times..."

"Enough!" A roar like thunder suddenly exploded! The terrifying sound wave, carrying a tangible pressure, sent several nearby warriors flying.

It slammed heavily into the wall! Even the massive mechs were shaken and forced to stagger backward!

Hu Lei's massive body trembled slightly with rage, and his bronze mask seemed about to crack!

He looked down at the ant-like Modu and the terrified Buli warriors below, his voice like a cold wind from the depths of hell, filled with unbelievable rage and...despair!

"You scoundrels! You have the messenger of the Lord of Immortality assisting you, yet you still act so furtively?! You're like rats in a sewer! Cowards of the fox people!"

"You...you still dare to call yourselves warriors?! You are a disgrace to our race!" He instinctively believed that the new war chief and these idiots must have slighted the envoy, which led to their despicable actions!

Mo Du was terrified by this thunderous rage, but he knew that if he didn't explain himself clearly, he would be completely finished.

He almost cried out, “Lord War Chief, please calm down! We…we didn’t have the help of the Envoy! That Huai Xiu…that Abundant Envoy Huai Xiu…he…he is our Bu Li Wolf Clan’s greatest enemy and the greatest murderer in the past ten years!!”

"Mortal enemies? Murderers?!" Hu Lei's massive body jolted violently, as if struck by an invisible hammer. He stared intently at Mo Du. "You... defied the will of the Envoy?!"

In an instant, a "reasonable" story came to mind: the new warlord was extremely foolish to dare to disobey the envoy of the Abundant Order, which resulted in his annihilation.

Seeing that Hu Lei seemed to have misunderstood again, Mo Du was so anxious he almost vomited blood: "There is no new war leader! My lord! How dare we choose any new war leader!"

"The position of leader will forever belong to you, Lord Hulei! As for that Huaixiu Envoy... he... he is not here to help the people of Fengrao at all."

"He is... he is a butcher who hunts down the people of abundance, a walking jinx! He and his terrifying organization called 'Compassionate Physicians' are hunting us down all over the universe!"

"His methods are a hundred or a thousand times more ruthless than those of the hunting dogs, the Immortal Boat! The Bu Li Wolf Clan... the Bu Li Wolf Clan... under his pursuit... has... has been wiped out!"

Modu's voice was choked with sobs, filled with tearful accusations.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with deep-seated hatred and despair on the verge of collapse: "The three hundred warriors gathered here at the bottom... and the more than forty thousand brothers waiting outside... are the last seeds of our Bu Li Wolf Clan."

"This is the last spark of our clan! My lord, we risked everything to infiltrate Luofu, just to rescue you! Only you! Only you can lead us, the remaining members of our clan, to survive the pursuit of the messengers!"

"Only then might we... regain a sliver of our former glory! Please... take us away!"

Hu Lei froze completely. Beneath the bronze mask, the two eerie green flames seemed to solidify.

No new warlord... no large army to conquer Luofu... no envoys to support...

Only by sneaking in...

Only a weak and exhausted remnant of soldiers, who had been hunted down for over a decade...

Their greatest enemy is not the Immortal Ship Cloud Riders, nor the Judges of the Ten Kings' Court...

Instead, he is... an Envoy of Abundance?!

A magistrate of the bountiful people who specializes in hunting them down?!

And he was on the fairy boat at that moment.

This is simply the most absurd and terrifying joke in the universe!

"So...you bunch of trash..." Hu Lei's voice became extremely hoarse and slow, each word seeming to be squeezed out with difficulty from the depths of his throat, filled with extreme coldness, "...is it a full-scale attack? All of them...have come to Luofu?"

"Yes, sir!" Mo Du replied hastily, as if grasping at the last straw. "If it weren't for that Huai Xiu Envoy and his Ci Huai Physician, who are like maggots clinging to my bones..."

"Furthermore...furthermore, some cowards in our tribe have willingly degenerated, transforming into repulsive fox-people to eke out a living...we should have more people..."

"But my lord! Those who remain here are your most loyal and fearless warriors! Not one of them has retreated! They are all scattered throughout Luofu, awaiting your orders!"

"As long as you give the order, our brothers outside will create even greater chaos to support us!"

Hu Lei's gaze swept over the released, fierce-looking but still weakened Fu Rare criminals at the bottom, then over the weak energy-reacting Bu Li mechs, finally settling on Mo Du's face, which was filled with loyalty yet utterly foolish.

"Create chaos... to provide backup?" Hu Lei's voice carried a deathly calm, yet it filled Mo Du with an unprecedented fear.

"You mean... those 'brothers' outside... who are even weaker than you, can set a few fires and kill a few people in the streets of Luofu... and hold back a... Envoy of Abundance?"

"Is it...is it not possible?" Modu was startled by Hulei's tone, but still managed to argue, "Although their combat strength is indeed...a bit lacking...but their loyalty to you..."

"A little short?" Hu Lei repeated those four words.

The sound suddenly rose in pitch, like the roar of a wounded beast, shaking the entire lower level! Its massive wolf claws shot up, creating a gust of wind!

"Most!" Hu Lei's voice was devoid of any warmth, icy and chilling, like an ancient ice age!

Modu trembled and instinctively straightened up: "Your subordinate is here! Lord Zhan Shou! Please give the order! We must break through immediately!" A glimmer of hope still lingered in his eyes.

Hure looked down at him, his gaze beneath the bronze mask filled with extreme anger, absurdity, and... a look of pity as if he were looking at a dead man.

He slowly raised his massive claw, which was bound by heavy shackles, and pointed it at Modu, as well as all the Buli warriors and the wealthy criminals behind him who were bewildered by this sudden turn of events. His voice was like a judgment from hell.

"Fools! Trash! You bunch of pawns, manipulated and discarded! Don't you... understand?!"

An overwhelming sense of despair, like an icy tide, instantly overwhelmed Hu Lei's heart, which had just begun to ignite hope.

Looking at this group of loyal fools and the rescue they had orchestrated with the full strength of their clan, he felt dizzy and his vision blurred.

The Wolf Clan is finished! Today, no one will be able to escape this prison.

...............

Chapter 2 today, 5 words. That meets today's minimum update requirement, but not enough to make up for a chapter's loss. Consider it a word count patch for the previous chapters. Goodnight everyone.

The Golden Branches: Chapter 173 The Desperate Alliance of Abundance

Modu was abruptly pulled back to reality by Hulei's soul-shaking roar.