Swish~
At that moment, a door opened, and a mermaid appeared in August's line of sight.
Her upper body was human, and her lower half was a fish's tail, but unlike other mermaids, she exuded a seductive and sinister aura that could easily captivate anyone who saw her.
"This gentleman seems to be a bit impulsive, acting so harshly against my people all of a sudden—it's really quite excessive."
Her voice was extremely melodious, like a heavenly tune, but August frowned.
The curse he had found on Stunk and the others matched the aura emanating from this woman perfectly.
"So, it's you who's been scheming against my friends? A well-played curse—able to enchant guests without being detectable as magic, so it can be passed off as mere charm. Clever."
When she heard August's words, her pupils contracted for a moment but quickly regained calm.
"Sir, I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Don't understand? Let me make you understand."
As he spoke, the Dark Sea within August began to roil, and the sin of Lust started to manifest.
This was the first time August had used the power of Lust's sin since acquiring it, and its force was more terrifying than any curse.
Swish~
August grabbed her by the throat, and the power of sin quickly flowed into her body.
Her once calm face twisted in agony as the sin's power was far more dreadful than a mere curse.
She had used the enchantment curse to produce effects far more potent than any charm magic, but the sin of Lust was like unleashing all the suffering inflicted upon others onto her in an instant.
It was similar to the torment August had imposed on Rinali and the others when he controlled them with Lust's power, but for this mermaid, the pain was infinitely worse.
In an instant, her body began to change. Her fish tail became more elongated, especially the fins, which grew thinner, and her arms sprouted fins as well.
August immediately recognized her. This was a sea siren, a creature similar to a mermaid but fundamentally different.
According to legend, sirens lived on an island and used their enchanting voices to lure sailors to their doom, with the island becoming a graveyard full of human bones.
In appearance, sirens were nearly identical to humans, aside from their fish tails, but they were far more seductive and beautiful than regular mermaids.
August released the siren and withdrew the power of sin.
The siren gasped in relief, lifting her head to look at August, her eyes filled with fear and dread. This man was not human—he was a demon, a monster.
For years, she had used her enchantment curse without leaving a trace, but today, this man had seen through her scheme in a single breath.
And this man was terrifying—he was like a human-shaped monster.
"What's your name, siren?"
"Iva. I'm Iva, the sea siren."
At this moment, all of her previous arrogance was completely gone.
"I need you to do something for me. As compensation, I can grant you anything you desire—power, wealth, influence, anything."
"Please, tell me what you need, my lord."
She had no choice but to comply. He held all the power, and she was nothing but a tool in his hands.
"First, find pure beauties from different races, except humans. For each one you bring me, I will give you 10,000 gold coins. I want quality, not quantity."
"Yes, my lord."
"Second, I need sea beasts. There's no limit to the amount. For each kilogram, I will pay you one gold coin."
"Hmm?"
Iva was taken aback by this second request. One gold coin per kilogram? Sea beasts were practically endless in the ocean, and this price would lead to a fortune beyond imagination.
"I don't care how you do it or what methods you use. Find me the sea beasts, and you'll earn great wealth."
"Do you want the sea beasts alive, or just their bodies?"
"Just the bodies. I don't need them alive."
"Understood."
August pointed at Iva, and a surge of dark energy, along with the power of Lust, entered her forehead.
Iva felt a powerful darkness rise within her, making her feel almost invincible. This power was overwhelming.
But along with it, there was another force that seeped into her heart.
She wasn't foolish; she understood this was August's method of controlling her.
"Serve me well, and I won't mistreat you. But if you try to play any tricks, I won't forgive you."
"I wouldn't dare."
Iva lowered her head. She never wanted to experience the hellish torment she had just endured ever again.
August nodded in satisfaction. He had now made his first move in gaining control over the ocean.
Compared to land, the sea was far more mysterious and unpredictable, but the rewards were much greater. One large sea beast could be worth a whole heap of magic beasts.
"I've placed a spell inside you. Once activated, it will summon one of my servants. She will handle the transactions."
"Yes, my lord."
"Now, return the gold coins you swindled from those three last night."
"Yes."
Iva signaled to a sea woman nearby, who had been petrified with fear. The woman hurriedly fetched the coins.
Three bags—that was the amount Stunk and the others had lost.
To Iva, this was merely pocket change, so insignificant that it hadn't even been added to her accounts.
Iva couldn't help but regret targeting those three poor men. Now, she had ended up entangled with someone far more dangerous.
While she had gained some benefits, her life was now in the hands of this man.
August didn't care what she thought. To him, she was merely a tool for gathering sea beasts. As long as she was obedient, he would reward her. If she tried to defy him, he would erase her without hesitation.
"Iva, what should we do?" a sea woman asked.
"What can we do? We have no choice now. Spread the word. From today on, Deep Sea Paradise will be buying sea beasts, no limit—two kilograms for one gold coin."
"Wait, isn't it supposed to be one kilogram per coin?"
"I have to make some profit, don't I?"
"But that man just now~"
"Don't worry. Someone like him doesn't care about such trivial matters. All he wants is the result."
"Alright."
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