Chapter 69: Klein’s Threat

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Klein’s Threat

All his unreasonable demands were deliberate; of course he knew she couldn’t produce that much food in a year. He just wanted to fight for an opportunity for himself.

An opportunity to become Ophelia’s mate.

Ophelia’s pupils shrank slightly. She stared at Klein’s face—one capable of captivating any female—trying to find a flaw in his expression.

Become his mate?

She didn’t believe that a Mine Master, the White Tiger King, would actually like a small female like her who had already been mated and had her bond broken. Their statuses simply didn’t match.

She quickly figured it out. "You want to tie me to your side forever by becoming mates."

Ophelia’s voice was light but carried a hint of coldness. "Thinking you can obtain an endless supply of food this way... what a brilliant scheme. Unfortunately, you guessed wrong. This food really was given to me by a friend. Even if you kill me, I still won’t be able to produce 3,500 pounds of food in a year!"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Klein’s lips. He shook his head. "Don’t think so poorly of me, Ophelia. I’m just offering a win-win solution.

"I genuinely like you. It has nothing to do with the food."

"I will never agree to it. Just give up," Ophelia shot back.

"My proposal benefits everyone. If you become my mate, these 3,500 pounds of food will be yours," Klein replied.

Ophelia didn’t believe Klein’s words at all. Whatever he claimed about liking her was nothing more than a smokescreen.

"You misunderstand, Ophelia. I—"

"There’s no need to explain," Ophelia interrupted, stepping back to put some distance between them. "I won’t agree. I can’t produce that much food in a year. You might as well kill me."

Klein’s expression froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected Ophelia to interpret his proposal this way. A flash of hurt crossed his amber eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

Tyler was walking back with freshly roasted venison when he saw from a distance that Klein’s tall figure was practically pressed against Ophelia. He could clearly see Klein gripping the Princess’s wrist while she appeared to be struggling.

"Let go of the Princess!" Tyler dropped the roasted meat and sprinted forward.

Hearing the commotion behind him, Klein had just turned his head when a heavy punch violently smashed into his face. His head whipped to the side, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Ophelia cried out and tried to break free, only to realize that Klein’s grip hadn’t loosened in the slightest.

Klein slowly turned his head back, his eyes flashing with a golden light. With blood still staining his lips, he let out a soft chuckle.

Seeing that Klein was about to lose his temper, Ophelia hastily diverted his attention. "Klein, I will not agree to your terms," she said coldly.

He took a step forward, his towering figure casting a shadow over her. "Do you think you still have a choice?"

Ophelia subconsciously took a step back, but he firmly seized her wrist. His body heat seeped through her skin, carrying an undeniable dominance.

"Did you think I was negotiating with you?" Klein’s voice remained calm, but it sent a chill down Ophelia’s spine. "You probably aren’t aware of the White Tiger Clan’s status in Star Fall. As long as I say the word, all of the Golden Dragon Clan’s territory will be confiscated, and you will no longer have a place to live."

Tribal territories were all distributed by Ten Thousand Beasts City and needed to be registered there. If a clan wanted more land, they could also challenge neighboring tribes in the arena to win their territory.

"Are you threatening me?" Suppressed anger laced her voice.

"This isn’t a threat; it’s a fact." Klein released her hand. "If you agree to my proposal, not only will the Golden Dragon Clan be safe, but after we become mates, I can also have the Ten Thousand Beasts City Lord allocate an additional piece of land to them.

"In the future, no matter what difficulties the Golden Dragon Clan faces, they can always come to me."

Ophelia’s fists clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms. "Even if I agree to it, what if you go back on your word?"

"I can swear to the Beast God that I will never go back on my word."

Ophelia’s heart sank. She knew Klein was telling the truth. With his financial power, he could absolutely persuade the Longevity City Lord to reclaim the Golden Dragon Clan’s territory. After all, no matter where one went, power and money were king.

Ophelia now deeply regretted being so flashy in the trading market just to earn points. It had literally invited a tiger into her home, and she had willingly jumped right into his trap.

Klein wasn’t in a hurry. He waited quietly, his gaze never leaving Ophelia’s face. He watched her tightly pursed lips, her slightly trembling eyelashes, and those stubborn eyes.

He really wanted to tell her that this wasn’t a threat. But he knew they had spent too little time together and lacked any emotional foundation. Because she was so wonderful, he could only use this method to fight for a chance and secure his status by her side!

"Fine." After a long time, Ophelia finally spoke, her voice hoarse. "I accept, but I need two years. Otherwise, I will never agree."

"Alright." The corners of Klein’s mouth turned up slightly, though he quickly suppressed the smile. He reached out and gently grasped Ophelia’s icy fingers. "Trust me, this will be the best choice you’ve ever made."

Ophelia didn’t answer; she just silently pulled her hand away. Gazing at the gloomy sky, her mind was a tangled mess.

Klein stood behind her, watching her back with a gentle gaze. He knew Ophelia must absolutely hate him right now, but he believed she would understand someday. Even if she hated him, he would spend his entire life dispelling that hatred.

Ophelia felt a bitter taste in her mouth. A momentary act of opportunism was going to cost her entire life. However, she quickly pulled herself together. As long as she could grow rice and increase the yield, she might be able to legitimately produce 3,500 pounds of food within two years.

"This is great! It’s finally cleared up."

"Look, a rainbow!"

After the rain cleared, a rainbow appeared in the sky. The young females of the Golden Dragon Clan gathered together, cheering excitedly.

"Elder, the sky is clear now. Can we move back?"

"This place is too run-down. We really don’t want to live here anymore. We just want to go home."

For the past few months, the constant rain and living in the crude stone houses on the mountain had long since bred dissatisfaction among the usually delicate young females.

"Yes, we can move back today," the Great Elder announced to the crowd, a hint of a smile reaching his wrinkled eyes.

"Wonderful! We can finally go home."

The Golden Dragon Clan’s females clapped and cheered in delight, practically jumping for joy.

Just then, someone suddenly spoke up. "Clan Leader, what should we do about the people from the Snow Wolf Clan?"

"That is indeed a problem. Leon, what do you think?" the Great Elder asked, looking at Leon for his opinion.

"Clan Leader, Elder, the Golden Dragon Clan can no longer accommodate that many people. Why don’t we drive the Snow Wolf Clan males out of the Golden Dragon Clan and only keep the young females?"

"That’s a good idea. I agree!"