Chapter 167: Huang Laohan Loses Two Consecutive Matches

For the sake of easy measurement and comparison, every portion of food eaten by Huang Laohan and the Wolf King was of approximately the same size.

Huang Laohan did not maintain the dining etiquette of the Terra nobility, but instead followed the local customs and adopted the same eating method as Russ, picking up the piping hot food directly with his hands, bringing it to his mouth, and devouring it in large mouthfuls.

The Wolf King, even more so than the two wolf brothers beside him, devoured his food like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

Ninglu keenly noticed that the Emperor was not using his powerful psychic abilities to assist in digesting the food.

【Huang Laohan noticed Leman Russ's aversion to psychic powers, so he did not use them, relying purely on a contest of physical appetite.

The Wolf King, who grew up in the culture of Fenris, possessed an absolute advantage in this regard due to his evolutionarily adapted digestive system.

Huang Laohan is bound to lose!】

The Primarch then compared the reactions of Leman Russ after biting and swallowing meat with his own.

【Hmm, if I were to participate in a "Glutton" competition, I would not be the Wolf King's match either; he is like a bottomless pit.

Only by ascending to "Corrupted Baron" and using Distortion to alter the rules of the duel could I win, but whether this could deceive Leman Russ and gain his approval is a question mark.】

While lost in thought, Ninglu had already finished eating; he ignored the Wolf King's wild, provocative gaze, set down his fork, and waited for the duel to end.

A flash of disdain crossed Leman Russ's eyes as he shifted his gaze from Ninglu to the man who claimed to be his father.

Ninglu noticed that Huang Laohan's eating speed had gradually slowed, and his abdomen was slightly distended.

A moment later, Huang Laohan finished the meat on his plate and said calmly.

"I have lost."

The Wolf King swallowed the meat in his mouth and said with a loud laugh.

"Hahaha, your appetites are much smaller than your boasts."

Ninglu looked at the Wolf King, who had won the victory and achieved the title of "Glutton," and spoke with the certainty of victory.

"Then, the second challenge is the drinking challenge."

"Drinking capacity is the yardstick of a man; whoever drinks more fine wine is the stronger one."

A Bronze Drinking Horn was placed on the table in front of Ninglu, and Leman Russ bared his sharp fangs.

"Fenrisian mead is not for sipping; you must drink it in large gulps."

The Primarch did not want to drink, but a Mind Pulse flashed in his mind.

"Ninglu, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; drink!"

Under Huang Laohan's urging, Ninglu helplessly picked up the Bronze Drinking Horn and downed the liquid inside in one gulp.

The moment the wine entered his mouth, it burned his lips, then slid down his throat, and finally landed in his stomach.

Its taste was like a mixture of machine oil and acid; if a mortal had drunk this, they would surely have dropped dead on the spot.

The Primarch's expression remained calm; his superhuman body allowed him to adapt quickly, the burning sensation in his stomach faded rapidly, and a warmth spread from his abdomen to his entire body.

At the same time, Ninglu felt a sense of dissolution within his body, and he knew that the Potion of the "Briber" was being digested a little.

【Forcing myself to cooperate with Huang Laohan and drink this disgusting Fenrisian mead is also a bribe to him.

After all, if it were up to me, I would never drink this mead.

Both are strong spirits, but Lasvolt tastes much better than mead, without the disgusting machine oil and sour taste.】

Ninglu once again ignored the Wolf King's provocative gaze, set down the Bronze Drinking Horn, and then turned his gaze toward the two people dueling.

They kept bringing the Bronze Drinking Horns to their lips and tilting their heads back to drink.

The Primarch keenly sensed that, just as before, Huang Laohan was not using his powerful psychic abilities.

Compared to Leman Russ, who had long since adapted, Huang Laohan's throat trembled slightly, but after drinking three cups, he had adapted to the strongest mead of Fenris.

The Wolf King still held the advantage in the drinking contest, and Huang Laohan's drinking speed became slower and slower.

Finally, Huang Laohan placed the Bronze Drinking Horn on the table and gestured for the fur-clad attendant not to pour any more wine.

He revealed a faint, imperceptible bitter smile and said in a calm tone.

"I have lost again."

Leman Russ tilted his head back and poured the wine from the Bronze Drinking Horn into his mouth, then looked at the Emperor.

"Even the warriors of Fenris cannot drink as heartily as you."

"You have earned my respect; you are a man."

"But you still lost; no one can possess a drinking capacity like mine."

Ninglu watched the triumphant Wolf King, acknowledging his ability to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, which he had honed through daily heavy drinking; unless he used Distortion to change the rules, he himself could not surpass Leman Russ's drinking capacity.

While he was lost in thought, the Wolf King stood up from his throne.

"Then, now is the final challenge, a contest between warriors; I will defeat you in a trial of martial might."

Leman Russ said to the Emperor with full confidence, then glanced at Ninglu with contempt.

"In the manner of an admirable, heroic Warrior, not with despicable sorcery."

As the Emperor rose, golden light flashed in his eyes; he used Sympathetic Magic to deduce the future thousands of times.

He obtained the result he wanted and also bore the consequences; even for him, a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

The pain faded randomly; he had deduced the future and formulated plans countless times in his long life, and he was long accustomed to it.

"I am sending your brother Ninglu to take my place; do you agree?"

In the thousands of deductions the Emperor performed, Ninglu won the victory over Leman Russ in every martial duel.

Sending him to fight in his stead would kill two birds with one stone.

Not only would it win the challenge and allow Leman Russ to join the Imperium, but it would also allow Ninglu to gain the Wolf King's respect.

By observing Leman Russ's series of performances, the Emperor confirmed that he was a Warrior.

If Ninglu won the victory in combat, he would gain his respect.

As for Ninglu's dissatisfaction with Leman Russ, the Emperor believed that he would consider the big picture, and he himself would cater to his preferences and use the rare items he loved to dispel his displeasure.

Ninglu did not expect that Huang Laohan would actually let him fight in his place; although he disdained the Wolf King's contempt for sorcery while simultaneously trusting in the Shaman—this hypocritical attitude of double standards regarding psychic powers—he also had no interest in fighting the Wolf King.

Even victory will not wake those who pretend to be asleep.

Ninglu knew he could not refuse the request of Huang Laohan, but he would not let himself be manipulated either.

A duel was fine, but it had to be on his own terms.

Ninglu did not speak; Leman Russ stepped forward to stand before him, clenching his fists until they crackled.

"I accept."

"Ninglu, let us have a fight; I will defeat you!"

"Your ridiculous sorcery is nothing but a hollow joke in the face of true martial might."

Ninglu's black eyes flashed: "You are the Wolf King of Fenris, are you not?"

"Of course!"

"Combat is boring; wolves are the hunters of nature. How about we have a hunting duel?"

Leman Russ was taken aback; Ninglu had actually challenged him to a hunt, yet he possessed not a shred of a hunter's scent—how could he possibly best him at hunting?

If it were a trial of martial might, he might have had a sliver of a chance, but to compete in hunting was to hand victory over to him on a silver platter.

"Of course, what do you wish to hunt?"

"The choice is yours; no matter what you choose, I will defeat you."

"Kraken; whoever hunts the largest Kraken shall be the winner."

Ninglu had already made up his mind and spoke directly.

"Fine."

The Wolf King had once hunted the largest Kraken of Fenris—the King of the Gorgon; in his view, whether it was hunting ability or familiarity with the environment and the prey, he held the advantage.

Ninglu was bound to lose!

"When I achieve victory, the Kraken you hunt will also be mine."

"As long as you can win," Leman Russ said confidently, "but the one who wins will certainly be me."

(End of this chapter)