Chapter 713: Section 500: Is This Degeneration or Justice?
White Hair Sea Trench.
Ocean Nest.
In the Deep Sea Monster Fish, the atmosphere between Cang Xu and the Fishman youth was somewhat solemn.
“Cang Xu, are you planning to attack these sea beasts and the followers of Mei Lan, kill them all, and make Undead Materials?” The Fishman youth looked at Cang Xu expressionlessly.
Cang Xu could feel the displeasure of the Fishman youth, and he quickly lowered his head, “Sir, it was you who said this, I didn’t bring it up.”
Cang Xu knew the Fishman youth and did not propose it because he knew the Fishman youth’s attitude.
The Dragon-man youth initially didn’t catch on but after a while, he grasped Cang Xu’s true intentions.
Cang Xu knew the consequences of the proposal, but he had no choice!
That was the situation.
Cang Xu was captured, while the Dragon-man youth was transported and imprisoned within the Ocean Nest, finding it difficult to break free and escape.
Of course, a forceful approach could breach the Ocean Nest, but after comprehensive consideration, damaging the nest and storming out was not only very dangerous but also would result in significant loss of interest—because it was the only known channel for supplementing Pearl Bubble!
The Fishman youth and Cang Xu both did not want to lose this channel.
They were not in a rush.
This attitude was based on their speculation about the situation.
Teng Donglang had been taken out, the Saber Gang had been dismantled, Snowbird Port’s City Lord and the Lijian family had become allies of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps. The former had almost made Snowbird Port the main base of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, while the Lijian family had become the best guides for integrating the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps into the Kingdom of Ice Sculpture.
The Dragon-man youth trusted Zong Ge and Zi Di and believed that the plans for atonement and commerce were steadily advancing. Even though he was trapped here, he felt relatively at ease.
Initially, his choice to rescue Lan Zao was not only because of his unwillingness to abandon any of his companions and his adherence to promises but also because he had a optimistic assessment of the situation.
After all, at that time, no enemies of the Golden Level had emerged to ambush the survivors.
It was also unexpected that a colossal power would trouble the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps and could casually bring out Golden Level power!
With such considerations and huge benefits in sight, both the Fishman youth and Cang Xu were patient, planning to peel off the layers slowly, aiming for meticulous work.
Cang Xu, with a hidden door planted by ship ghosts and a double seal of Zhou Zhang, also factored into their considerations. Under the fear of harming a trapped rat, the Dragon-man youth had to consider Cang Xu’s life and couldn’t force things. Therefore, ingeniously breaking the situation was key.
Following the plan, Cang Xu was supposed to deceive a Divine Blessing through the Desecration Priest to resolve his own troubles, which would have been the best outcome.
He could also gain the trust of Zhou Zhang and others, facilitating escape plans for him and the Fishman youth in the future.
Both wanted to avoid direct combat as much as possible. If possible, they could also rescue the ship ghosts and others, thus potentially allying with the Undead Orthodoxy.
Becoming friends with legendary forces led by You Can would be greatly helpful to the survivors.
Aside from unparalleled knowledge on the Undead, there was also a vast amount of Undead Materials to trade. Should atonement succeed in the future, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps could even resell You Can and others, becoming a meritorious step toward alignment with the Empire.
Fair to say, this plan which brought together the wisdom of Cang Xu and the Fishman youth, was quite good.
The current progress was also not bad.
Cang Xu’s Bloodline had not only been accurately detected but had already undergone the first round of deposits.
This progress was quicker than either had anticipated.
Cang Xu’s qualifications had been enhanced, and the Bloodline of the Corpse Hanging Tree was at the Holy Domain Level, even if currently only at 3%, it was enough to support Cang Xu’s promotion to the Silver Level.
But to continue advancing, Cang Xu severely lacked the corresponding Undead Materials.
There were about three channels to obtain Undead Materials.
The first, buying from the market.
The second, exploring the Netherworld.
The third, self-manufacturing.
Only the third option was feasible for the Fishman youth and Cang Xu.
Thus, Cang Xu suggested attacking the transported Fishmen!
He knew this would upset the Fishman youth, so he prompted the Fishman youth to come to this realization in a clever way.
The Fishman youth quietly stared at Cang Xu for a while, then chuckled bitterly and shook his head, “Cang Xu, don’t resort to creating killings for personal power. Doing so can easily lead to degeneration and loss of our true selves.”
“Some things seem easy to pick up, but the easiest paths often hide unseen huge costs. The right path is often filled with hardships and obstacles and is much longer than any shortcut.”
“That’s why the right path is the most valuable.”
“Squad leader, you are right!” Cang Xu nodded repeatedly, agreeing verbally, appearing to be listening to a lesson.
If the ship ghosts saw him like this, they would be surprised, and could not help but ask, where had the defiant and eloquent Cang Xu seen at the Undead Gathering gone?
Cang Xu treated ship ghosts as opponents, but faced the Fishman youth as a true subordinate facing a leader!
This was because of the experiences on Mysterious Monster Island and the momentum. There was also the personal favor from the Dragon-man youth’s numerous rescues. There was the tremendous and unique benefit of the Blood Core!
And the most crucial point—the call of human nature.
No one does not aspire to truth, goodness, and beauty, even a schemer like Cang Xu hopes the world is full of light and love.
For someone like the young squad leader who adheres to his own bottom line, Cang Xu had deep-seated respect.
In his years as a Noble Housekeeper, he had seen too many hypocritical beasts. Outwardly noble and upright, but in reality, for their own desires, they were unscrupulous and without bottom lines.
The young squad leader rejected Cang Xu’s proposal, but Cang Xu was not in a rush.
He adopted an attitude of “Everything is up to you to handle, you are the squad leader! I follow your orders.”
Thus, silence descended upon the scene.
As a leader, the Fishman youth instinctively rejected Cang Xu’s suggestion.
But he had to face reality and resolve the immediate problem.
That’s what a leader must do!
How could he solve the issue of the need for Undead Materials?
What should he do?
Cang Xu bowed his head, kept silent, displaying an “I don’t have a solution, but I am certain you, the squad leader, can solve it, and I will always follow orders” attitude.
As expected by Cang Xu, he soon heard the Fishman youth let out a deep sigh.
The Fishman youth paced back and forth, deep in thought, yet unable to find a solution.
He had to admit in his heart that Cang Xu’s suggestion was the best and only way to solve the problem.
“No, let me think again…”
Watching the Fishman youth pacing back and forth, struggling in his expression, Cang Xu felt a twinge of guilt arising within him.
However, he persisted with his suggestion, deliberately advising, “My lord, there is no need to rush.”
“The Undead Materials are available. The Little Prince’s Turtle Heavy Cavalry, including the ship ghost’s Golden Level Ghost Ship, were captured by Zhou Zhang. Absorbing these will surely purify the Bloodline of the Corpse Hanging Tree.”
“This time, when sent, I will find a way to implore Zhou Zhang to take these as offerings!”
The Fishman youth immediately shook his head, “Distant waters cannot quench immediate thirst.”
“We must seize every moment and opportunity.”
“If we proceed with this method, it is too slow, we will have to wait until the next Transmission Blood Sacrifice to possibly succeed.”
“And it will be challenging for you to transmit here a third consecutive time.”
“Moreover, to persuade Zhou Zhang to treat these Undead Lives as offerings is difficult, there are too many uncertainties.”
Cang Xu said no more, his face remained calm.
He wasn’t genuinely persuading the Fishman youth, but instead using this subtle method to tell him—listen to me, no other method will work!
The Fishman youth buried his head in thought, long remained silent.
Cang Xu silently counted the time and suddenly spoke, “Squad leader, time is limited, may I go to pray meanwhile?”
The Fishman youth awakened, communicated with the Tower Spirit, and learned about the situation inside the nest. He hurriedly said, “Yes, go and pray first. The Snow Pear Octopus has slaughtered half of the sea beasts already!”
The Fishman youth watched Cang Xu walk into the cabin.
The metal door closed in front of him.
The Fishman youth leaned against the wall of the metal corridor, hands clenched into fists.
At the moment the metal door closed, he regretted it!
“Am I too rigid by focusing on the right path?”
“Cang Xu is my partner, and his body bears the enemy’s seal and fatal hidden mechanisms. Every sacrifice, he risks his life!”
“Yet here I am, wasting time, letting my partner take risks, isn’t this selfish?”
“Compared to Cang Xu, those Fishmen are neither kin nor friends of mine. In fact, they are my enemies.”
“Am I considering my enemies?”
“Have I considered the bigger picture? Am I still a qualified leader?”
The air in the metal corridor was ample, yet the Fishman youth gradually felt suffocated.
His mind was filled with countless thoughts, and in the process of continuous self-reflection, he increasingly felt he had failed Cang Xu.
“He trusts me, even though I rejected his proposal, he did not argue but continued to risk his life, seeking a glimmer of hope.”
“Yet I hesitate, allowing Cang Xu to remain in peril!”
“For Cang Xu, for my companions, what’s wrong with sacrificing some Fishmen?”
The expression of the Fishman youth remained severely conflicted.
He painfully asked himself, “If I do this—slaughter others to benefit my own, is that a kind of degeneration?”
“Is this a just act?”
“Who can tell me?”
The Fishman youth felt lost.
He closed his eyes and prayed in his mind, “God of Justice, my Lord, I follow Your path.”
“At this moment, your perplexed believer, your lamb, prays to You!”
“Please grant me answers, help me to choose, let me always walk in the light You believe in, away from all sin and fall.”
The Fishman youth’s eyes were tightly shut, his face full of anguish.
The fists he clenched, along with his long prayer, gradually relaxed.
When he opened his eyes, his expression was utterly weary.
God of Justice…
There was no response.