Chapter 182: Toothwood Tribe, Persuasion (2)

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“If that’s the case, then we have no room for negotiation. Even if we fight to the death, we will never send our comrades to be slaves!”

As the words fell, all the Half-Orcs became furious, their eyes turning bloodshot with anger.

The reaction was even more agitated than before.

“Slave hunters?” Ji Chen couldn’t help but be taken aback. “We are not them.” “Not them?” Irona looked at Ji Chen, who seemed genuine in his denial. She remained skeptical. “Then why did you happen to appear outside our camp?” “We had just returned from the center of the island and stumbled upon your camp.”

“The island’s center!?” Irona’s face showed surprise. “That’s impossible.”

According to the legends passed down through generations on King Kong Island, the island’s center was a land once inhabited by deities, guarded by numerous divine beings who would tear apart any intruders.

All the shamans on the island warned their tribesmen to stay away, as it would bring calamity to the tribe.

Therefore, no foolish tribe or Half-Orc would dare to violate the ancestral taboo and venture beyond the forbidden boundaries.

But this human man claimed they had just returned from there?

And he didn’t even look injured…

For a moment, Irona couldn’t make sense of it.

Until she saw the human man wave his hand and summon a towering aura guardian. It looked exactly like the divine guardians depicted in the tribe’s folklore!

Suddenly, Irona’s gaze toward the human man turned reverent.

She placed her left palm over her heart, bowing her head.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding, Great Lord. I, esteemed leader of the Toothwood Tribe, Irona. I offer you my sincerest apologies.”

Irona’s change in attitude made the other Half-Orcs feel somewhat embarrassed as well.

To return safely from the legendary land and even obtain a divine guardian, these people couldn’t possibly be despicable slave hunters.

Ji Chen casually waved his hand, retracting the Ruins Guardian. “I am Ji Chen, Lord of the Crown of the Ocean and ruler of the New Moon Islands. There’s no need to apologize. Let’s get back to the main topic… If I guess correctly, you are on the brink of extinction here, aren’t you?”

At Ji Chen’s words, Irona’s face showed a bitter expression, and she didn’t hide anything anymore. “Indeed, Lord Ji Chen, we can no longer survive on King Kong Island.”

“Can you tell me more about your situation? Like… the slave hunters you mentioned?”

Irona sighed. “If you don’t mind, Lord Ji Chen, why don’t you come inside our camp? 1 will share with you the details you find interesting.”

Ji Chen nodded and instructed Benbo to keep the army stationed outside the camp. He then followed Irona into the camp, accompanied by Alice and Anina.

Surprisingly, although the exterior seemed crude, the interior was orderly, free from the common sanitation problems seen among orcs and Half-Orcs. It even had a sense of cleanliness.

Noticing Ji Chen’s surprise, Irona smiled lightly. “Are you surprised to see a Half-Orc camp so clean? Actually, before I became the tribal leader, the Toothwood Tribe’s settlements and camps were incredibly filthy, with excrement everywhere, utterly unhygienic. But ever since the arrival of the esteemed lords on King Kong Island, the Toothwood Tribe started interacting with them and learned many things from human society, such as not defecating everywhere and not polluting water sources… We also exchanged resources with some friendly esteemed lords, trading ores for weapons and food, commissioning them to purchase rare supplies from the outside world for the island. Of course, the arrival of esteemed lords has also squeezed the living space of various tribes on the island, resulting in frequent friction and conflicts…”

Ji Chen nodded slowly, gaining a new perspective on the impact brought by the players from the standpoint of the native people.

There were both positive and negative aspects.

As they continued talking, they entered the largest tent in the camp.

Irona invited Ji Chen to sit at the head, and he accepted without hesitation.

Might makes right.

Irona sat on the left, while Alice and Anina sat on the right.

“Now, if there are friendly beings, there are naturally malicious ones too. Some evil esteemed lords have formed slave hunting teams, capturing lone Half-Orcs on the island and shipping them off to be sold in the outside world, earning profits. As you may know, robust and powerful Half-Orcs with weapon proficiency and vitality are highly sought after by mine owners and slave masters… Some members of the Toothwood Tribe have also been taken, which is why we reacted so strongly earlier.”

Ji Chen nodded with understanding.

He had certainly come across such information in chat channels and forums. Races such as orcs and half-orcs, known for their simple minds yet robust physiques, were in high demand in the market. Mines, plantations, and arenas had a significant need for their labor, leading to these races often being sold at lucrative prices in the slave market. As a player hailed as the “Fourth Cataclysm”, it was only natural for Ji Chen to seize this opportunity for wealth.

*The term Fourth Cataclysm is widely used among Chinese within the online gaming community as a playful and humorous way for players to refer to themselves when they possess significant power or influence within a game. The term highlights their ability to disrupt and reshape the game world, similar to the catastrophic events depicted in games like “Stellaris”. It has become a sort of inside joke and a way for players to express their prowess and dominance in the gaming realm.

“It turns out the slave hunters are like this… But your current plight shouldn’t be mainly due to the esteemed lords, right?”

Irona sighed and began to explain.

In fact, they had some connection to the players as well.

When the players arrived on King Kong Island, relying on their numerical advantage and endless tricks, they greatly compressed the living space of the Half-Orc tribes on the island.

The Half-Orc tribes fought back against the player invasions while struggling to secure internal space.

As a result, intense conflicts arose between the Half-Orc tribes.

In these conflicts, there were winners and losers.

And the Toothwood Tribe was among the losers.

After their former tribal leader was killed, Irona led the remaining members of the Toothwood Tribe on a journey of escape.

But with King Kong Island being as small as it was, where could they possibly escape to?

Eventually, they were forced to move deeper into the island, closer to the forbidden center that all Half-Orc tribes feared…

As Irona explained their situation, Ji Chen began to grasp a better understanding of their circumstances. This newfound knowledge boosted his confidence in his previous ideas.

Observing a glimmer of curiosity in Ji Chen’s eyes, Irona’s heart filled with a subtle delight. Rising to her feet, she approached him and executed a formal salute with utmost solemnity.

“Therefore, Lord Ji Chen, 1 beseech you to lend us a helping hand. The Toothwood Tribe will surely repay your kindness in the future.”

Looking at Irona’s sincere plea in front of him, Ji Chen pondered the situation. From his perspective, the thin animal skin clothing reveals a deep cleavage between her prominent breasts, resembling an abyss.

“This girl is quite something…”

After contemplating for a moment, Ji Chen stood up and helped Irona to her feet.

“Lord Ji Chen, what are you…?”

“I have a better solution that can permanently resolve your predicament,” Ji Chen interrupted.

Irona couldn’t help but be stunned. A better solution?

As she looked at the perplexed Kemonomimi girl, Ji Chen smiled faintly and spoke slowly.

“As long as you pledge your allegiance to me, 1 can bring you out of King Kong Island, to my territory, where you can live. This way, the conflicts here will no longer concern you, and you won’t have to worry about food and shelter.”

Irona’s mouth hung open. This method… it seemed like it could truly provide a permanent solution…

But soon, Irona snapped back to reality.

How could the Wood tooth Tribe ever submit themselves to someone else, especially a human?

Half-orcs would never be slaves!

Irona was about to refuse, but Ji Chen placed a finger on her mouth, and the gentle touch sent a shiver down her spine.

“Don’t rush to refuse. Listen to my reasons,” he said.

“It appears that without food, your survival may be limited to just a week. Consider the young ones in your tribe. While you might manage to last a week, they won’t even make it through a day. That’s the first challenge. Your weapons are scarce and in severe disrepair. Reclaiming your habitat through a counterattack will become a distant dream, as you won’t even be able to defeat the creatures lurking in the woods. You’re slowly perishing. That’s the second challenge. Without a stable shelter, enduring constant hardships, and being pursued by enemies, the prospects of reproduction are bleak. Simply avoiding further loss of tribe members would be considered fortunate. That’s the third challenge.”

“These three predicaments are like three massive mountains pressing down on you. Before long, the Toothwood Tribe will likely vanish in the vast forest.”

These words struck Irona’s heart like a heavy hammer.

With each sentence, her heart sank deeper.

Ji Chen’s words accurately hit her weak points.

The once firm convictions now wavered within her..

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