Beast Taming Star Journey

Chapter 348 The Arrival of the Envoy for Amnesty

The council hall was packed with people, a tense atmosphere permeating the air. The torches crackled, casting flickering light on everyone's faces. I immediately spotted Elder Jin Hei seated at the head of the table; his brow was furrowed, his face grim, as if something heavy weighed on his mind. My heart sank as well, a sense of foreboding washing over me.

Su Yao and I walked quickly to the elder, but before we could even ask anything, a shrill voice rang out: "Oh, isn't this our great hero Nong Yu? What, are you here to hear about the Dark Lord's terms of amnesty?"

The speaker was a thin man with a weasel-like face; he was none other than the Dark Lord's envoy for amnesty—Strategist Bo. Behind him followed several guards dressed in black, each with a fierce and menacing appearance, clearly not to be trifled with.

I gave him a cold glance and asked in a deep voice, "What are the conditions for being offered amnesty?"

The strategist smiled contemptuously and said slowly, "The Dark Lord is merciful and willing to give you traitors a chance to repent. As long as you hand over all your beasts and swear allegiance to the Dark Lord, you can be spared death."

His words had barely left his lips when the council hall erupted in discussion. Some voiced their opposition, while others hesitated.

I slammed my hand on the table and roared, "Insolence! We would rather die fighting than submit to the forces of darkness!"

Su Yao also stepped forward, holding a long sword, her eyes blazing, and said sternly, "The Dark Lord has committed countless evils, and everyone has the right to kill him! We will never associate with him!"

Jinbo's expression changed, and he said in a sinister tone, "You won't listen to reason, so don't blame us for being impolite! Since you don't know what's good for you, then don't blame us for being ruthless!"

Just as he was about to give the order to act, an old voice suddenly rang out: "Wait!"

The one who spoke was Elder Jin Hei. He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, and said in a deep voice, "This matter is of great importance, and we still need to discuss it carefully."

His words silenced everyone, and the council hall fell silent once again.

At this moment, a burly beast tamer stepped forward; it was none other than Jinxi, the beast tamer. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Elder, I think... perhaps we could consider the terms of our offer of amnesty..."

Before he could finish speaking, my gaze shot sharply at him. I couldn't believe someone would say such a thing! Had he forgotten the crimes the Dark Lord had committed?

"Xi, you..." I was about to reprimand him when he interrupted me...

“Nong Yu, I know you’re furious, but we also have to consider the safety of our people!” Jin Xi, the Beastmaster, blushed, his voice tinged with panic. “The Dark Lord is incredibly powerful; we are no match for him! If we refuse to be offered amnesty, we will only invite annihilation!”

His words were like a pebble, creating ripples on a calm lake. The once quiet council hall erupted in noise again, and some of the previously hesitant beast tamers began to waver, echoing Jin Xi's words. I felt a chill run from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Were we really going to succumb to the forces of darkness?

Just then, a warm hand tightly grasped my arm. I turned to look; it was Su Yao. Her gaze was firm, and a hint of encouraging smile played on her lips, as if telling me: Don't give up, I'm still here for you. This simple gesture gave me immense strength. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

“Jin Xi,” I said in a deep voice, “I understand what you’re saying. The Dark Lord is indeed powerful, but we cannot give up the fight because of that! Think about it, if we surrender, our families, friends, and all the innocent people will become slaves to the forces of darkness! How can we just stand by and watch that happen?”

My voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight and echoed in the council hall. Some of the previously wavering beast tamers fell silent, heads bowed, seemingly pondering my words.

"But...we have absolutely no chance of winning!" Jinxi's voice trembled slightly. "Rather than sacrifice ourselves in vain, it's better to..."

"No!" A clear voice interrupted him. A young man stepped out from the crowd; he was thin, but his eyes were exceptionally determined. "We cannot give up hope! Even if there is only a sliver of hope, we will fight to the very end!"

The young man, named Jinmai, though lacking the ability to tame beasts, ignited the passion of the crowd with his words. More and more beast tamers stepped forward, declaring their determination to fight against the forces of darkness to the very end.

Seeing this, Jinxi's face turned even uglier. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

I looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, "I know you are all afraid, but we cannot be defeated by fear! We are all Beast Tamers, bearing the responsibility of protecting this land! As long as we unite as one, we will surely be able to defeat the forces of darkness!"

No sooner had I finished speaking than deafening shouts erupted in the council hall: "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Looking at the excited crowd, my heart was filled with hope. Perhaps, we really could create a miracle!

Just then, Strategist Jinbo coughed lightly, interrupting the shouts. His face still wore a fake smile as he slowly said, "Gentlemen, why so agitated? The Dark Lord genuinely wants to recruit you and give you a chance to reform..."

Su Yao suddenly gripped my arm, her eyes sharpening. She whispered, "Nong Yu, something's not right..." Before she could finish, the door to the council hall was suddenly pushed open... A dusty messenger, Jin Da, stumbled in...