Lord of the Truth-Chapter 2087: New History

"Will you withdraw from Mid Sector 101 that simply?" Zina frowned deeply, the lines on her forehead sharpening. "You remember the scale of our losses there, don’t you? The total casualties have nearly reached 1,500 complete fleets, not scattered ships but full formations with commanders, elites, and logistics. We also lost a Guardian, one of the first-raw scions from Generation 566! That alone shook the balance of our upper ranks."

"Who said anything about leaving the sector?" Zavaros burst into laughter, his voice heavy and resonant. "And who said we’ll bear any losses?"

"...Please, explain." Zina bowed slightly, her tone respectful yet earnest.

Although she usually managed everything related to the galaxy without returning to her father for guidance, he was still the Behemoth, the one who carved his path to the summit through blood and conquest and gathered this entire galaxy under his authority. Even if he no longer involved himself in most matters after stabilizing his throne, every word he spoke carried layers of experience, strategy, and long vision. To her, his sentences were doctrines worth studying.

"Focus carefully on the content of Human’s words," Zavaros began slowly. "He did not demand that we withdraw. He spoke of resolving matters. He began from his side by opening the door to trade, claiming he possesses a sea of Pearls vast enough for us to benefit from. Correct?"

"Correct," Zina nodded. "But in practical terms, isn’t resolving the matter equivalent to stepping away from the sector?"

"No." Zavaros waved his hand lazily. "He avoided saying it directly because he knows such a demand would be impossible. It would diminish my stature and push me into a direct clash with Darvion. I will allow neither humiliation nor forced confrontation." His eyes narrowed slightly. "However, there are other paths." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

He leaned back slightly as he continued, "We can cease our direct assaults on the forces of Mid Sector 101. We can disengage the armadas currently entangled in prolonged engagements. If our fleets stop advancing, if we halt the systematic flattening of their military infrastructure, wouldn’t that in itself ease the pressure?"

"...." Zina’s brows tightened. "And Darvion? If we suddenly freeze our movements while our armadas disengage from active conflict, won’t that be interpreted as retreat? Wouldn’t that embolden him?"

"Ah~ interpretation is flexible." Zavaros waved dismissively. "We fabricate a narrative. We claim Zarion has been struck by a grave illness requiring strategic pause and resource reallocation. Or we announce that an unexpected assault crippled half our fleets, forcing us to divert our remaining forces to defensive protection. Or something similar. A convincing story is enough in wartime." He chuckled darkly. "Meanwhile, we coordinate with Human so that one of his armadas remains positioned near ours, creating the illusion of continued tension. From a distance, nothing changes."

His laughter deepened. "And during that time, our men return to the military base in Mid Sector 101. They regroup, resupply, and observe from afar while others bleed."

"That is feasible." Zina nodded slowly, already calculating the sequence of staged events required. "I can orchestrate a series of controlled incidents, reports, and internal communications that justify our fleets consolidating around the base. Externally, it will appear strategic rather than defensive."

Then her expression hardened again. "But you mentioned losses. We have already lost fleets, commanders, and a Guardian. How do you propose we compensate for that?"

"We will reclaim every loss from that endless sea of Pearls he boasts about." Zavaros laughed confidently. "If he wishes to buy peace, then he will pay properly for it."

He tilted his head slightly. "What exactly was his initial request for the first transaction? A small lake of blood from a Nine-Tailed Fox at Nexus State level?"

"Yes," Zina confirmed. "In addition to one hundred bottles of Nine-Tailed Fox blood at the Law Domination Realm."

"Hm." Zavaros nodded twice, thinking. "Instead of sending merely a lake of blood, send him an entire family of Nine-Tailed Fox beasts. A male and a female, both in Nexus State. Let him deal with breeding, harvesting, and whatever ambitions he has." His lips curled faintly. "And instead of the one hundred bottles of Law Domination Realm blood, send him a small lake. Make it generous."

"Are you not going too far?!" Zina’s voice rose despite her usual composure, her brows knitting tightly as genuine alarm surfaced on her face. "The Nine-Tailed Fox is an extremely rare and overwhelmingly powerful bloodline. It does not exist anywhere in the universe except here, under our control. Why would you give them an entire family?!"

Her expression darkened further as another thought struck her. "And a lake of Law Domination Realm Fox blood? Do you understand what that could do for that girl, Rinara?! With that level of cultivation, her foundation would be transformed completely!"

"Make her a Law Dominator? And what’s the problem with that?" Zavaros threw his head back and laughed, the sound rumbling from deep within his chest. "It’s not as though we suffer from a shortage of Law Dominators. Let him have one~ What difference does a single new Law Dominator make to us?"

He continued chuckling before waving dismissively. "Secondly, what is the issue with giving him a pair of beasts? Don’t be narrow-minded. Yes, I use the rarity of their blood to achieve strategic leverage. Scarcity creates value, and value creates control. But in the same way, I can use the beasts themselves as instruments..."

His gaze drifted toward the distant Beast Garden, his eyes lingering there with a strange, unreadable look. "...They were born to assist me in the end. Their existence serves my will. Whether through their blood, their offspring, or their symbolic weight in negotiation, I will use them in whatever manner I deem appropriate."

"..." Zina nodded slowly, forcing her emotions back under control, her face returning to its usual blank discipline. "May I ask what exactly you consider appropriate in a deal like this? What is the deeper calculation?"

"..." Zavaros kept staring toward the Beast Garden for a long moment, a faint trace of something almost sorrowful flickering in his gaze before it disappeared. Then he turned back to her. "Preparing the pair properly and gathering a full lake of blood will take decades. We cannot rush such things without diminishing quality. During that time, I want you to have Zarion send a formal reply to Human."

He leaned back slightly. "Tell him we accept the offer. Inform him that our army will begin withdrawing to the military base starting today, reducing offensive pressure. And tell him to begin gathering the funds required to complete the first transaction..."

His lips curled faintly. "I want 400 billion Pearls."

"Four hundred billion?!" Zina’s eyes widened fully, the sheer number momentarily shaking even her disciplined mind. "...Isn’t that excessively inflated? In the end, no matter how rare, they are still beasts."

"You don’t understand..." Zavaros shook his head slowly. "The beasts and the blood are not merchandise in this context. They are a gift from me to him, a gesture of goodwill to establish long-term channels. I did not attach a price tag to them."

"...What?!" Zina’s confusion deepened.

"The 400 billion," Zavaros said calmly, "is the price for removing my hand from Mid Sector 101." He laughed again, openly and without restraint. "It is the price of strategic absence. I will accept this bribe gladly, and he will pay it."

He waved lightly. "But inform him early. Let him begin preparing, consolidating, liquidating if necessary. Four hundred billion is not gathered overnight, even for someone boasting a sea of Pearls."

"It truly is enormous..." Zina looked downward, mentally reviewing the treasury ledgers she knew so well. "If he agrees, this will be unprecedented. In the entire recorded history of this galaxy, our treasury has never received such a quantity of Pearls in a single influx. Our primary income source, aside from internal mining and resource allocation, has always been the sale of beast blood throughout the universe. And most of those transactions involve low-level bloodlines sold in steady volume."

"..." Zavaros looked at her with a faintly amused expression. "You did not need to remind me." He chuckled again. "Yes, we do not usually secure grand transactions under this model. But stability outweighs spectacle."

He leaned forward slightly, voice lowering with conviction. "The second cultivation path is the most widespread cultivation route across the universe. That is not speculation; it is structural reality. And that reality will persist indefinitely. No one in cosmic history has resolved the energy gathering center bottleneck at the Martial Emperor stage. And no one ever will."

His laughter grew deeper. "Other Behemoths may see their enterprises disrupted. Their influence may fluctuate. Their systems may collapse under manipulation or rebellion. But our foundation is tied to necessity. As long as cultivators exist, they will need what we provide. Our business will endure until the final moment of this universe’s lifespan."

"You’re right, Father." Zina bowed slightly once more, her confidence restored. "Our source is the most stable and formidable among all powers. I will depart now and begin implementing your directives immediately."

Without further hesitation, she shot away like an arrow, her figure vanishing into the distance with decisive speed.

"..."

Zavaros remained alone.

He reclined upon his massive couch, one arm draped lazily to the side, his gaze drifting slowly across the Beast Garden. For a brief moment, something heavy lingered in his expression, as though the weight of ages pressed behind his laughter.

Then the shadow vanished.

A wide grin spread across his face, and he roared with booming laughter that echoed across the garden,

"Hah... haha! Who wants more food?!"