The underworld queen come back and slays novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168 Investigation

Fury churned in the air like a gathering storm, and despite standing before Edric–the head of one of Regalhold’s Five Great Families–the surrounding crowd had little patience left in their tone.

Edric’s face was equally grim as he stared at the young man from the Sunset Empire.

His voice dropped cold as steel. “Slipping past multiple layers of security to sneak in? I‘ Il admit that takes some skill. But since you came here uninvited–don’t expect to walk out again.”

At his words, the heavy tension in the air eased ever so slightly, though the killing intent in everyone’s eyes remained sharp and burning.

All eyes locked onto the Sunset Empire youth with open hostility–yet the man himself remained unfazed.

With a slow, condescending sweep of his gaze across the gathered elites, he let out a low, disdainful chuckle.

“Your monarch practically begged for cooperation with Sunset Empire,” he said. “And you–just a lowly family head–dare stand against us?”

His words stunned the crowd into brief silence.

Then the fury came rushing back, fiercer than before.

But Jedidiah Ortega, as if oblivious to the temperature plummeting around him, smiled calmly and continued, “Before coming here, I did my research. Anyone under twenty- five is eligible to enter Vyrdenia’s new Hundred–Man Unit. There’s no mention of

nationality. No rules that say only your people can join.”

He turned his gaze toward Caleb. “If I’m not mistaken, he just received an official spot, didn’t he? Then according to your own rules, if I defeat him… that spot should go to me.”

The moment his words fell, the entire courtyard erupted into disbelief.

Indeed, the regulations never restricted entry by nationality.

They didn’t even mandate that applicants be members of the Vyrdenia Military. But no one ever imagined another nation would dare send someone in, much less try to seize

a spot.

This man wasn’t here to compete. He was here to humiliate them.

Across the courtyard, Caleb–who’d still been riding high from earning the very first nomination–felt his blood run cold.

“You think you can beat me?” he said sharply. “What an arrogant-”

But before he could finish, something slammed into his throat.

Jedidiah swept his gaze over the crowd like he was staring down insects. “This kind of trash wouldn’t even qualify for military service in Sunset Empire. And here, in a country that outnumbers us nearly ten to one, he’s treated like some kind of treasure?”