Chapter 140: Slaves and Subordinates
Although he came alone.
In Li Meng's eyes, the Yue Clan was nothing more than ants.
Not to mention his current self.
Even his self from a year ago could have annihilated the Yue Clan alone.
Hearing the unhurried sound of footsteps,
The Lizardmen behind the gate lowered their heads.
Their fists clenched tightly, faces full of unwillingness and humiliation.
But as Li Meng approached, the expressions of the Lizardmen changed.
Even without looking up to directly face the Goblin,
The Lizardmen behind the gate still felt an oppressive force that suffocated them.
"Thud!"
A Lizardman couldn't bear the pressure and collapsed.
Its body went limp, kneeling on the ground.
With this one kneeling, the other Lizardmen quickly followed, collapsing to their knees.
Looking at the group of Lizardmen kneeling in submission, a trace of ridicule flashed in Li Meng's eyes.
Even at this point, they still refused to give up their tiny shred of dignity.
If it weren't for the Yue Clan's already limited population,
He would have already made an example of them, breaking their spirits entirely.
At this moment, hurried footsteps sounded from within the tribe.
Bai Ling, accompanied by a group of Lizardman elders, approached.
Seeing the tribesmen kneeling behind the gate, Bai Ling frowned slightly.
She moved forward without a word and knelt on the ground.
The elders behind her quickly followed suit, kneeling as well.
"Master!"
Bai Ling lowered her head and called softly.
Looking at Bai Ling kneeling at his feet, Li Meng grinned.
Grabbing Bai Ling's hand, he pulled her up.
Then, holding Bai Ling's hand, he walked toward the chieftain's wooden hut.
After the two walked away, the Lizardmen behind the gate finally stood up.
Watching the departing figures of their chieftain and the Goblin,
All the Lizardmen wore complex expressions on their faces.
There was unwillingness, despair, and numbness.
"Bai Ling, what must I do for you all to willingly submit to me?"
Inside the chieftain's wooden hut, Li Meng asked with a tone of uncertainty.
This question caused Bai Ling and the Lizardman elders to change their expressions drastically.
Bai Ling hurriedly knelt, bowing to the ground.
"Master, we have already submitted to you. This is an irreversible fact!"
The other Lizardmen broke into cold sweats in fright.
They quickly prostrated themselves, bowing deeply.
Sitting on the animal hide, Li Meng grinned.
"Is that so? Why do I not feel your submission? Perhaps I should have Yue E devour half of your people. That way, you will face reality honestly, accept being my slaves obediently, and become my possessions."
As he finished speaking, Li Meng reached out and pinched Bai Ling's chin.
He forced her to raise her head and meet his gaze.
Bai Ling's pale face turned even whiter.
Her eyes were filled with fear and pleading.
Her body trembled slightly.
Meanwhile, the other Lizardman elders pressed their faces to the ground.
Their faces were full of terror.
From the Goblin's words, they could sense killing intent.
The Goblin—no, the Master—was serious.
If they did nothing and said nothing, the Master would definitely carry out his words.
"Mas… Master, please don't do this!"
Li Meng released Bai Ling's chin.
"Give me a reason!"
Faced with the Master's expressionless gaze, Bai Ling trembled in her heart.
She bit her lip tightly and stood up.
Turning around, she looked at the kneeling elders with an emotionless face.
"Gray Scales and Black Scales, immediately execute the tribesmen stationed at the East Wooden Wall today. Announce to all tribesmen that from now on, anyone who dares disrespect the Master or speak ill of him shall be executed on the spot without mercy!"
Hearing the clan chief's words filled with killing intent.
The robust bodies of the Gray Scales and Black Scales trembled.
They deeply understood that at this moment, they could not hesitate even for a second.
Otherwise, half of their clan would be slaughtered.
The Gray Scales and Black Scales stood up.
They lowered their heads, turned around, and hurriedly ran outside.
Just as the two reached the doorway,
Li Meng's voice rang out from within the wooden house.
"Enough, come back!"
As soon as Li Meng said this,
The Gray Scales and Black Scales at the doorway collapsed to the ground.
They immediately crawled back into the wooden house.
Bai Ling's body also softened,
Her graceful figure slumping to the ground,
Her entire body drenched in cold sweat.
Looking at the Lizardmen before him, who appeared relieved of a heavy burden, Li Meng grinned.
It was good that they were frightened.
At least it showed that they were genuinely afraid.
"My underlings are numerous—Goblins, Ogres, and the Swamp Crocodile King—they are all my underlings. From now on, you are also my underlings. Call me Boss instead of Master!"
Compared to being called Master, Li Meng preferred being addressed as Boss.
He liked having subordinates more than slaves.
Slaves were merely objects.
You could never gain the loyalty of an object.
Because slaves were living dead things.
Li Meng had no need for such things.
Such things were utterly worthless to him.
Li Meng reached out and lifted Bai Ling's chin again.
Facing Bai Ling, whose expression was complicated, Li Meng grinned viciously.
"If you can't even be a proper subordinate, then you're not even qualified to be slaves."
Under her master's menacing gaze, Bai Ling nodded lightly.
Her lips parted slightly, and a blush flashed across her face.
"B-Bo… Boss!"
She had never called anyone Boss before.
This made Bai Ling feel a bit awkward for the moment.
But the other Lizardmen seemed accustomed to it.
"Boss!"
As the clan chief spoke, the Lizardman elders followed suit and shouted in unison.
"Very good. Sit up straight now. It's time to discuss important matters."
Hearing this, the Lizardman elders straightened their postures.
Bai Ling let out a sigh of relief.
She looked at her… her Boss with a mix of emotions.
"To improve your fishing efficiency, I've made some fishing tools for you."
Li Meng had initially planned for the Yue Clan to handle aquaculture.
But after some thought, he decided against it.
The aquatic ecosystem of the Goblin River was extremely abundant.
With good fishing tools, a single cast of the net could catch over a dozen fish.
There was no need for aquaculture.
Moreover, feeding farmed fish was a significant problem.
In short, the conditions for aquaculture were absent.
"Fishing tools?"
Bai Ling looked at the Boss with confusion.
She had no concept of the fishing tools her master mentioned.
"In a few days, the fishing tools will be delivered. You'll see them then!"
In the following time, the conversation in the wooden house continued.
It lasted for two hours before the Lizardman elders left the clan chief's wooden house.
Time flew, and the sun set in the west.
Night fell, and the Yue Clan settlement became quiet.
"Boss, no… no, it's not okay. If I get… get…"
Bai Ling's soft moan echoed in the clan chief's wooden house.
In the darkness, Bai Ling's graceful figure sat in her Boss's embrace.
Bai Ling was pleading, begging the Boss for mercy.
"Giving birth to Goblins is as simple as relieving yourself. You must adapt to it."
"But…"
"No buts. There's a first time for everything. After the first time, there'll be a second. Do it a few more times, and you'll get used to it. Once you're used to it, nothing will be unacceptable. If you want to be my proper underling, you must adapt."
"Boss… I… I understand… Ah!"
Bai Ling suddenly let out a sharp cry in the darkness.
The commotion in the wooden house did not cease because of Bai Ling's cry.
Instead, it grew louder.
It wasn't until the late night, under the high silver moon,
That the noise in the clan chief's wooden house gradually subsided.
In the darkness, Bai Ling lay panting on the bed.
Next to her was the Boss, who had fallen asleep instantly.
The silver moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Bai Ling's face.
A few crystal-clear tears flowed from Bai Ling's eyes.
Her gaze no longer held resentment or humiliation.
She quietly wiped away her tears.
Turning around, she hugged the Boss's arm and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
For the sake of the clan's future, both she and her people had to look forward.
All the past had to be abandoned.
Only by starting a new life could there be hope.