Yang Lanyan's expression also turned cold.
He fell silent for a moment, then looked up at the man before him, his tone instantly becoming extremely stern.
"You dare to have such thoughts? Are you insane?"
The man opposite him watched Yang Lanyan with a cold laugh. His red hair blazed like a vibrant flame, and he retorted directly.
"Why not?"
"Why shouldn't I have such thoughts? Kidnap her, have her bear children. You clearly think the same way in your heart."
"You just don't dare to say it. What, do you think you're nobler, more hypocritically upright?"
"Do you dare say you're not tempted?"
"The council arranged so many female beasts for you before, and you never paid attention."
"But it wasn't because you didn't want female beasts, but because you thought too highly of yourself. You believed that as a council executive, you deserved the best female beast."
"None of the previous female beasts were enough to impress you."
"But this female beast now, you must have taken a liking to her."
"During the banquet, your gaze never left her for even a moment. You let her stay in the villa belonging to you in the council. You claimed it was fair competition, but you know very well what you're hiding in your heart!"
"You just want to hide her away and have her bear your children!"
This red-haired man, Artemus, clearly had a fiery temper. He blurted out this speech, then looked at the other person again, his eyes full of cold mockery.
"Isn't that the truth?"
"Yang Lanyan, don't think you're noble."
"We are all men. How can one man's thoughts be hidden from another?"
"Everyone wants a female beast."
"But to have her bear offspring for oneself, doesn't that depend on one's ability?"
"Surely you won't let Ling Kuang have his way?"
Upon mentioning the name Ling Kuang, Yang Lanyan's expression turned instantly cold. He remained silent for a long while before replying in a cold voice.
"He will not have his way."
"There is no place for him on the central planet. He belongs in the eighth prison. The council tolerates his unruly temper only because—"
"Because the crisis of the insectoids has not yet passed... His talent does have some utility."
"But his personality is so domineering, like a demon blade that will cut the hand that wields it. How can we easily wield such a blade?"
"Someone like him, we cannot give him the opportunity to leave behind descendants!"
"Nor should he hope to... hope to possess this female beast!"
The red-haired youth opposite him laughed.
"Very well. It seems we can agree on our dislike for Ling Kuang."
"Since we both detest Ling Kuang so much, I think we can discuss the ownership of this female beast further."
"Regardless of whether she belongs to you or me, it has nothing to do with Ling Kuang."
Yang Lanyan fell silent for a long time, then he said.
"It is true that female beasts are naturally loyal, but the premise of a female beast's loyalty is that she must genuinely like the man."
"If she is forced, she will only languish and die."
"Unless, of course, the child—completely disregarding her feelings, treating her as merely a tool."
"But I..."
He paused at this point, and the red-haired youth, Artemus, let out a soft scoff.
He immediately understood Yang Lanyan's meaning.
"And you are unwilling to do so?"
"When did the council's coldest measure, the one who treats all humans in the universe as chips on a scale, this Imperial Executive, become so indecisive?"
"This is completely unlike you."
"You actually worry about a female beast's feelings?"
Yang Lanyan looked up at Artemus.
"What if she had a chance to fall in love with you?"
"Would you also lock her up, treat her cruelly, make her completely despair, and sever any possibility between you?"
Artemus was stunned by Yang Lanyan's question.
"Then—"
Artemus took a deep breath. He didn't know what he was thinking. After a long pause, he let out a low grunt, his voice suddenly much deeper.
"If she had a chance to fall in love with me."
"I certainly wouldn't do that. However, if she has already been obtained by Ling Kuang, if she has already become Ling Kuang's female beast, even if she hates me, I won't let go. I won't stand by and watch her fall into Ling Kuang's arms!"
"We both know very well that although he is powerful, he has a natural genetic defect that dooms him to an early death. He will not live long, and his personality is extremely eccentric."
"Even the council cannot control him."
"Otherwise, why would they have exiled him to the eighth prison in the first place? It was out of concern that his personality, his uncontrollability, would ruin the entire central planet!"
This red-haired man's tone revealed his intense annoyance. He reached out and impatiently stroked his hair, then said coldly.
"However, since this female beast is now on the central planet, and you have allowed her to appear in public, then anyone has the qualification to possess her."
"Although the council is powerful, our military is not to be trifled with."
"I have come to tell you this. If this little female beast wants to follow me and have children with me."
"You had better not turn hostile!"
Yang Lanyan looked at the ambitious expression on the red-haired youth's handsome face. He slowly lowered his gaze, his voice extremely calm and clear.
"Of course."
"I will not turn hostile."
His voice was so clear that he could hear it himself.
"I will respect her wishes."
"Although I very much want her to become my female beast and bear me offspring."
"However—I will respect her."
The red-haired youth glanced at Yang Lanyan with confusion. He spoke.
"Then I'll go see her, and you won't stop me?"
"I want to ask her out on a date!"
Yang Lanyan smiled. A sense of calm and self-assurance appeared on his clear, handsome face as he slowly spoke.
"Why would I stop you?"
"If you have the ability, you can invite her."
"I swear, I will not stop you in the slightest."
"If you want to see her, just go ahead."
Yang Lanyan's words were so confident that they made the red-haired youth feel strange.
Would he be so generous?
However, since there was an opportunity, he must seize it and not retreat.
He nodded and strode out with great confidence.
Yang Lanyan lowered his gaze slightly. A difficult-to-read, obscure emotion flickered in his eyes. After a moment, a faint smile curved his lips.
"Hide her."
"Have children?"
If anyone else harbored such thoughts, it would be an act of treason.
But—
The more he thought about it, the more this idea surfaced in his mind, making him obsessively yearn for it as if he were bewitched.
What would it be like if he hid her away and had her bear his children.
What would it be like if he could get close to that little female beast, and if her bright, luminous eyes were filled only with him.
What would it feel like to be close to her skin, to caress her, to approach her, to kiss her?
Ling Kuang had been able to hide her in the eighth prison for so many years.
He was too foolish. He should have hidden her too.
Those old fossils in the council had directly announced her status as a female beast back then, letting the entire central planet know about it, knowing that a new female beast had arrived, thus drawing everyone's attention.
Now, hiding her would likely be difficult.
He clenched his fingers, his expression turning slightly cold.
But if not hiding her.
What if he had her bear children directly?
Could he do that?
The thought circled in Yang Lanyan's mind, almost driving him to madness!