Beast Hack: Customizing Beasts and Capturing Beauties - Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Burned and Betrayed?

Lucius stood calmly at the Volcaria estate’s main balcony. He observed the distant glow of flames that consumed the auction building.

Behind him, Ragnar and Savra joined him, both watching the scene with various expressions.

Ragnar glanced at Lucius and frowned deeply. He was irritated about this accident. He couldn’t help but think it had to do something with Lucis. “Is this part of your plan, Lucius?”

Lucius glanced back at Ragnar and smirked. “You could say that. I left some barrels of 4-Star oil unguarded on purpose, knowing it would tempt our intruder into doing exactly this.”

Savra also glanced at Lucius. She clearly didn’t like this sudden plan. “Why the hell would you deliberately set things up for him to start a fire?”

Lucius’s smirk didn’t waver. “A couple of reasons.”

Lucius then raised his index finger. “First, I wanted to ensure he wouldn’t use his beast. The last time I met them, they were all 5-Star Tamers.”

Lucius looked back at the burning building. “I’m afraid that this time, there’s a good chance the robber is at least 6-Star Tamer.”

Savra folded her arms as she listened to his reasoning, but still she didn’t smile at all. Lucius glanced back at her and smirked.

“If he had used his beast during the theft, it would have forced us into direct combat. That would mean unnecessary conflict and potential casualties.”

“But by luring him into using fire instead, we avoid that risk. Fire is easier to put out, and it ensures he has no choice but to steal the items quickly and escape without a fight.”

Savra was surprised after she heard it. She immediately considered his reasoning to be quite logic. “Hmm. I see. That’s… a sound strategy.”

Ragnar was still skeptical about it a bit. “So, you let him burn down the building just to avoid a battle?”

Lucius chuckled and shook his head. “Of course not. That’s only part of it. There’s another reason—one that could benefit us greatly in the long run.”

Lucius then raised two of his fingers up. “Secondly, you both know the empire has been reacting to recent events, right?”

Lucius reminded them again. “First, the Garran family was destroyed. Then, the Kryndals’ hub was wiped out. In both cases, a lot of nobles immediately complained to the empire, making sure everyone knew about their losses.”

Savra understood it a bit but didn’t interrupt. She let Lucius continue. Lucius only smirked.

“Because of that, they gained the empire’s sympathy—and leverage. Now, thanks to this incident, we’re in a similar position. Our building has been destroyed, and a priceless item has been stolen right under our noses.”

He then paused a bit before adding. “This gives you, Patriarch and Matriarch, the perfect opportunity to go to the empire and demand compensation.”

“Before, the Volcaria family was only tasked with fighting. You were never given anything in return—just orders to destroy enemies. But now, with this incident, you have a legitimate reason to ask for something in return.”

Ragnar laughed hard as he heard it. He was clearly impressed by him. “Hah. You’re saying we can use this as an excuse to finally get something out of the empire?”

Lucius nodded. “Exactly. We clean up the mess, track down the group, and destroy them. In return, we demand compensation—be it territory, resources, or influence.”

Savra remained silent for a moment, processing everything Lucius had said. She then slowly smirked.

“I have to admit. You’ve thought this through. You’re not just setting a trap for the enemy—you’re setting up an opportunity for us.”

Lucius smiled after being praised. “That’s the idea. You’ve been doing the empire’s dirty work without complaint for too long. Now, it’s time they owe you something.”

Ragnar laughed hard again. He clapped Lucius on the back. “I like it. We finally get to play their game—and win.”

Savra nodded in agreement. “Alright, Lucius. We’ll play along. But you’d better be sure this plan works. If we’re going to make demands from the empire, we need to deliver results.”

Lucius smirked confidently. “Don’t worry. By the time this is over, not only will we have wiped out this group, but the empire will have no choice but to recognize the Volcaria family’s power.”

Ragnar grinned as he was amused. “It should be. We are the Volcaria after all. But what do we do now?”

Lucius smirked as he pointed at the auction house. “First, let’s head to the auction house. We need to make sure things are under control. At the very least, we should prevent any further chaos.”

Without wasting time, the three of them—Lucius, Ragnar, and Savra—set off for the auction house.

When they arrived, the scene was tense but manageable. Fortunately, there were no casualties—just a few guests who had suffered minor burns.

The fire had been put out, and guards were still moving about, ensuring that everything was secure.

As they entered, Daxton approached Lucius quickly. He bowed down as he felt a bit guilty about the accident. “Lucius. I’m sorry. The essence… I couldn’t protect it. It was stolen.”

Lucius smiled and placed his hand on Daxton’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. We couldn’t have known something like this would happen, even in our own territory.”

Daxton frowned slightly. He was still bothered by his failure. Before he could say more, Lucius continued, “For now, focus on helping your men handle the aftermath. Make sure the guests are safe and sound.”

Daxton nodded quickly, but Lucius wasn’t finished. “And let this be a lesson for you and your men. This incident shows that you’re still not strong enough. You need to train harder—there will always be enemies willing to test our strength.”

Daxton clenched his fists briefly before nodding. “Understood. We’ll work harder. But… what about the thief?”

Lucius smirked and glanced at Ragnar, who stood beside him. “Don’t worry about the thief. The patriarch will handle it. We can’t let someone that causes a scene in Volcaria territory get away with it.”

Daxton immediately turned to Ragnar and kneeled down. He bowed his head in respect. “Patriarch, I am sorry but I leave this in your hands.”

Ragnar crossed his arms. “Leave it to me. Now, get back to work. Handle the aftermath, ensure everything is cleaned up, and we’ll talk later.”

Daxton nodded and stood up. “Yes, Patriarch.” Without hesitation, he turned and went back to help the guards manage the situation.

As Daxton left, Lucius glanced at Ragnar and Savra. “The real game begins now. Let’s see just where their base was.”

Ragnar chuckled. He clearly enjoyed this situation. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper hunt.”

Savra also chuckled. “Let’s make sure they remember that no one crosses the Volcaria family and lives to tell the tale.”