Chapter 313 - 286: Pledge of Fealty
"How are the Fishmen performing?" Qin Ziwen asked, sitting in his room. Cao Biansheng stood opposite him.
"Chairman, the individual Fishmen are physically stronger, but their combat effectiveness is poor," Cao Biansheng said, shaking his head. "They feel like a stronger version of the people from the Urban Village."
"They don’t know how to coordinate?"
Cao Biansheng said, "That’s right. They don’t use battle formations or anything like that. I observed their fighting style. It’s mostly thrusting, stabbing, and lunging. Their movements are a bit rigid. They’re not effective on land."
Qin Ziwen mused, "What you’re describing sounds a bit like underwater combat tactics."
"My lord is right. Those are underwater fighting methods," Yan Da, who was standing behind him, spoke up. "Slashing and cleaving are impractical in the water. Only thrusts are truly suitable. These Fishmen must be skilled in aquatic combat."
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Qin Ziwen nodded slowly. "They are aquatic creatures, after all. It’s only logical they’d excel in the water."
He changed the subject. "How many Fishmen died?"
"Five."
"What was their reaction? Did they cause any trouble?"
"They were very docile. No particular reaction at all."
Qin Ziwen’s thoughts turned to a Religious Army, or perhaps a Slave Army.
His fingers tapped gently on the tabletop as his gaze drifted out the window. ’So docile. They’re either compelled by faith or part of a rigid class system, brainwashed from birth.’
"What about those three big oafs? How are their injuries healing?" Qin Ziwen asked, turning back to Cao Biansheng.
Cao Biansheng replied with a hint of disbelief, "My lord, those fat Fishmen are incredibly tough-skinned. I think they have a very high pain tolerance. When the doctor was scraping their wounds, they barely reacted. They just kept humming and whimpering while they ate."
"The fact that they’re whimpering means they do feel it." A thought occurred to him, and he stood up. "I’ll go take a look."
The small, dim, and dreary room was filled with the smell of medicinal herbs.
A Muddy Race Fishman was lying on its side on the damp floor, holding a soggy piece of seaweed in its webbed upper limbs and chewing on it with relish.
A whimpering sound came from its throat, somewhat like a baby crying, or perhaps a child whining for attention.
Suddenly, it heard something, and the sound stopped abruptly.
It turned, its small eyes secretly observing Qin Ziwen.
Its abdominal wound was packed with herbs. The wound had healed somewhat, but signs of minor inflammation and pus were still visible around the edges.
Qin Ziwen walked over and placed his hand on the Muddy Race Fishman’s abdominal wound, pressing down with his fingers.
The Muddy Race Fishman lowered its head and looked at him, making no sound.
"Ask it if it hurts," Qin Ziwen said, looking directly at the Muddy Race Fishman.
Pura translated from behind Qin Ziwen.
The Muddy Race Fishman held the seaweed in its hands, its expression blank.
Qin Ziwen pressed down hard with his five fingers.
He could feel the Muddy Race Fishman’s body trembling beneath his hand.
"Ask it again. Does it hurt?"
As Qin Ziwen continued to apply pressure, the Muddy Race Fishman slowly put down the seaweed.
A whimpering sound rumbled in its throat.
Pura said, "Master, it says it hurts a little."
"So its pain tolerance isn’t low. It’s just good at enduring hardship." Qin Ziwen withdrew his hand. "Later, have someone bring it some seaweed soaked in the Healing Spring."
Qin Ziwen turned, about to leave, when the Muddy Race Fishman behind him cried out.
Pura translated in a low voice, "Master, it says it’s in pain but doesn’t dare to cry out loud. If the sound of its suffering gets out, it will attract the Thousand-Eyed Death God. The Death God will eat the cowardly Fishmen."
"...That sounds like a story to scare children," Qin Ziwen said, speechless.
Pura had never heard of such a thing either. "The Muddy Race are born with relatively low intelligence and are easily satisfied. This must be a way to keep them obedient."
Qin Ziwen looked away. "Tell it that once the wound heals, it won’t hurt anymore."
The torrential rain, which had been falling for a full day and night, gradually began to thin.
The Fishmen were not well-adapted to the terrestrial environment. As the rain thinned, they either lay in mud pits they had dug for themselves or retreated to the shallows by the beach.
"What’s the situation inside the building?"
"It was really chaotic late last night, but it’s quiet now. Three people snuck out of the building around dawn. We have them detained."
"How are things inside the building?"
"The fighting was fierce last night. Several floor masters are dead."
A flicker of understanding passed through Qin Ziwen’s eyes. ’The hierarchy within Blood Words isn’t that complex. Below the leader, there are just the various floor masters.’
Each floor master ruled over anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred people.
Without a leader, their first instinct when facing an external threat was to unite against it. But when they found their opponent difficult to handle, and were even defeated time and again, they began to consider other options.
Deng Guang hurried over. "Chairman Qin, a floor master from the building wants to contact us. They sent out an envoy."
"Which floor? Don’t tell me it’s the second-floor master."
"Chairman, how did you know?" Deng Guang asked, surprised.
"It’s logical. The second floor is the lowest. If a floor master from a higher level tried to send someone, it would be difficult to avoid the second floor’s lookouts," Qin Ziwen said with an amused smile.
’This is getting interesting.’
The second floor was the gateway to Hongding Mansion. If its master defected, a nighttime assault could lead to a major victory.
"Let’s go take a look," Qin Ziwen said.
Elsewhere, Yang Long also received news of the offer to defect. His expression darkened. If you were to make a list of people who would never accept a surrender, he would be at the very top.
After all, if Hongding Mansion surrendered, what would happen to him?
No matter how you looked at it, from the perspective of either the Mansion or the Urban Village, he was a traitor.
Yang Long shot to his feet. He had to find out what Qin Ziwen’s attitude was.
"Chairman Qin."
Arriving in the first-floor hall, Yang Long stopped short. In the living area, a man was sitting opposite Qin Ziwen.
When the man saw Yang Long, a flash of disgust crossed his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
But Yang Long’s sharp eyes caught that fleeting emotion. His heart sank.
He knew that his act of betrayal had likely been marked down by everyone in Hongding Mansion. If his former allies recovered, he would be in for a miserable end.
"This is the envoy sent from the other building to surrender. I think they make a very good point. They’ve offered to help us open the doors, assist with poisoning, and submit to us unconditionally. It’s a tempting offer," Qin Ziwen said with a faint smile. "But considering our existing cooperation with you, my friend Yang Long, I’ve decided to hear your opinion first."
Yang Long was silent for a moment, then cupped his fist and said in a heavy voice, "Chairman Qin, their words cannot be trusted! What if it’s a trap? Victory is already within our grasp; we need only advance steadily."
At this, Yang Long became more agitated. "We’ve fought them to this point. There’s no turning back now. There is only one path forward: to eradicate them, root and stem!"
"Yang Long, fuck your mother!" the envoy’s face changed drastically as he roared with fury.
"You’re courting death!" Yang Long’s eyes went cold. He stepped forward, drew the dagger from his waist, and plunged it into the envoy’s chest before slicing off his head.
"I am willing to be the vanguard! I will slaughter every last enemy!"
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