Free Web NovelChapter 55: Chapter 54: I, the Bargaining Chip
"Great Master of the Undead, I am willing to offer myself as a bargaining chip in exchange for your protection of the Tabu Tribe."
Even facing Li Ziyu, the Master of the Undead, Tas Tuling wasn’t the least bit nervous. He spoke in a calm tone, making him seem nothing like a child.
’Offer himself as a bargaining chip for my protection?’
’What does that even mean?’
Li Ziyu was completely baffled. He scratched his head and looked up at Mumu. He just didn’t get it. ’You’re the Clan Leader. You said you were going out to discuss things with your tribesmen, but then you turn around and bring a kid back, one who keeps saying he’s a bargaining chip. Aren’t you going to explain?’
’In ancient times, it was common practice to exchange hostages,’ Li Ziyu mused. ’Could it be that Mumu doesn’t trust me, so he’s giving me this kid, Tas Tuling, as a political hostage? If that’s the case, does that mean this kid is Mumu’s son?’
Thinking of this, Li Ziyu mouthed to Mumu, "Your son?"
Mumu’s eyes shot wide, and he immediately shook his head.
’No?’
Li Ziyu was confused all over again. ’What in the world is going on?!’
Just as he was puzzling over the situation, Tas Tuling unexpectedly started taking off his clothes. His attire was different from the other Minotaurs; they wore either grass skirts or shorts, revealing their brawny muscles. He, however, wore a hooded robe of coarse cloth that completely concealed his body.
Huh?
Wait, what?
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
’What the hell are you doing, taking your clothes off?! I may be the Master of the Undead, but my preferences are perfectly normal! I’m cool with Fox Girls, Snake Women, and Rabbit Girls, but a little Minotaur boy is where I draw the line!’
Tas Tuling continued to remove his robe, ignoring the look on Li Ziyu’s face.
The robe was tossed aside, and he stood before Li Ziyu wearing only a pair of shorts. His true form was revealed. Though young, his body was corded with muscle, brimming with explosive power. But what truly surprised Li Ziyu were the strange tattoos covering his skin.
Blue, lightning-like patterns snaked across his entire body, even his face. Together, they formed a bizarre totem that radiated an aura of frenzy and violence. freewebnσvel.cøm
Tas Tuling slowly spread his arms. With a CRACKLE and a SIZZLE, electric arcs jumped between his hands.
Mumu took two steps back, putting distance between himself and Tas Tuling.
"Master of the Undead, am I worthy of being your bargaining chip? If you are willing to help the Tabu Tribe in earnest, then I will become a powerful weapon in your hands, obeying your commands and destroying your enemies," Tas Tuling said, gazing at Li Ziyu with a serious expression.
"You can actually generate electricity? Is this magic?" Li Ziyu asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
"My father is a Warrior of the Thunder Bull clan, and my mother is a Shaman Priest. I inherited their natural talents. I will become very strong." Tas Tuling had no intention of hiding anything; he knew he needed to display his worth.
Li Ziyu nodded with a serious expression, looking as if he understood everything completely. In reality, he was internally calculating, ’Are Thunder Bulls a type of Minotaur? And is a Shaman Priest like the ones in video games...?’
’In any case, Tas Tuling was a pleasant surprise. Once this kid grows up, he’ll be a powerful warrior at the very least. Gaining a formidable general is a good thing.’
’My original intention was just to have the Minotaurs board the Mobile Fortress to see if they could live on it. I never expected them to think so much about it and offer up some kind of bargaining chip. Well, I can’t be blamed then. It’d be rude to refuse,’ he thought. ’I’ll gladly accept this future powerful warrior.’
With a snap of his fingers, a sheet of Beast Hide Paper wreathed in ghostly blue flames appeared out of thin air, hovering before Tas Tuling.
This was a modified slave contract, much more lenient than a standard one, but it still gave him control over life and death. Li Ziyu’s meaning was clear: as long as Tas Tuling signed the contract and was bound by the system, he would agree to their terms and treat the Tabu Tribe with sincerity.
On the strength of this contract, even if the Tabu Tribe couldn’t adapt to life on the Mobile Fortress, he would help them find a suitable place to live, allowing the tribe to thrive in peace.
Tas Tuling read the contract carefully, examining every clause in detail. In his experience, humans were cunning creatures, and tricks hidden in the fine print of contracts were commonplace—a word game they loved to play. Even though he was facing the Master of the Undead, that Master was still human, so he had to be cautious.
He checked it over three times, and once he was certain it contained no traps, he raised his hand and pressed it to the contract.
"Tas Tuling..."
Mumu seemed to want to stop him, but Tas Tuling just glanced back at him before pressing his finger down without a hint of hesitation, signing the simplified slave contract with Li Ziyu.
Contract sealed!
The Beast Hide Paper burned, turning into a ball of fire that split into two streams and shot into the minds of Li Ziyu and Tas Tuling.
Li Ziyu felt his soul connect with Tas Tuling’s. With a normal slave contract, he would even be able to know what the other party was thinking. But with this neutered version of the contract, he couldn’t read Tas Tuling’s thoughts, though he could still decide his life or death with a single thought.
"I pledge my loyalty to you, great Master of the Undead."
After the contract was formed, Tas Tuling knelt on one knee and lowered his head. Seeing this, Mumu hesitated for a moment before also kneeling on one knee and bowing his head to Li Ziyu.
Normally, it was against a Minotaur’s nature to submit to anyone. They would become friends, but never subjects. However, Tas Tuling was simply too important to the Tabu Tribe—even Mumu, the Clan Leader, deferred to him. With Tas Tuling kneeling, Mumu had no choice but to follow.
"Alright, have your tribesmen pack up and move everything onto the fortress." Li Ziyu waved his hand, gesturing for the two of them to rise.
"Yes." Tas Tuling responded, then rose and led Mumu out.
The members of the Tribe quickly got to work. They didn’t have many possessions. Aside from some simple clothes, the only things they needed to pack were water vessels and thatch; everything else could be left behind.
Guided by the Undead, the Minotaurs carried their packed belongings and set foot on the legendary, terrifying Undead Fortress for the first time. But what greeted them on the fortress was a human with a brilliant, sunny smile, and two Catmen.
Watching the line of Minotaurs making their way up to the fortress, Li Ziyu thought for a moment and redeemed an item from the system: a three-meter-long staff topped with a skull, called the Banner of the Undead.
The purpose of the Banner of the Undead was to mark territory and serve as a coordinate point in the system.
’Since Mumu and the other Minotaurs valued this place so much, he might as well help them out. Whether it would actually deter other creatures from coming here was anyone’s guess, but at least he would have tried.’
Li Ziyu raised the Banner of the Undead and plunged it forcefully into the ground.
WHOOSH—
As the banner was planted, the color of the ground in a small area around it changed, turning into dark, corrupted earth that exuded an aura of terror, decay, and death. A large ball of Soul Fire ignited within the skull atop the banner, glowing in the darkness like an undead beacon guiding Wandering Souls.
Li Ziyu observed the effect for a moment, clapped his hands in satisfaction, and turned to walk back toward the fortress.
