The candlelight flickered.
Chen Yu and the Lion Chief's shadows swayed in the flickering firelight. The Lion Chief stared intently at Chen Yu's eyes, his gaze filled with disbelief.
"How do you know my name?"
It wasn't that his identity was debatable; he wasn't impersonating anyone. He was Tornus, a name bestowed upon him by his father.
In their tribe, Tornus meant "brave."
From a young age, his father had placed great expectations on him, and he had not disappointed. Upon reaching adulthood, he had personally slain his father.
Becoming the king of his tribe!
However, he no longer wished to have any connection to his father, nor did he present himself by this name to the outside world.
Even within his own tribe, few knew this name. Other chieftains or outsiders only knew him as the chieftain of the Lion Camp.
How could this youth of unknown origin possibly know?
"I know everything," Chen Yu smiled, spreading his hands and shrugging slightly. "There is nothing in this world I don't know. You can consider me omniscient and omnipotent. Do you feel fear or respect? Do you wish to surrender to me?"
The Lion Chief grunted, remaining silent.
The ability to know the Lion Chief's name was actually due to his wristband. Chen Yu's wristband had some differences compared to others; it could detect the other person's name.
Chen Yu was unclear where this particularity originated from.
Much like the talent he possessed!
At first, he thought it came from Sona and the little demon. But after subtly inquiring, he discovered it wasn't from their possession.
Chen Yu didn't dwell on it. Thinking too much would only lead to unnecessary trouble.
He would utilize the advantages he had.
What was the point of relentlessly tracing back and understanding all of this?
"It seems you don't have such thoughts," Chen Yu sighed. The Lion Chief frowned. "What exactly do you want to discuss with me?!"
"Cooperation."
Chen Yu's eyes curved with a smile as he shrugged.
"Didn't I make my intentions very clear just now? I want to cooperate with you, and among the chieftains, I only want to cooperate with you."
"That's rather interesting."
The Lion Chief, sitting opposite him, couldn't help but laugh.
"I am your enemy, the one who brought a heavy army to attack your city. Yet you now tell me you want to cooperate with me. Should I call you foolish or magnanimous?"
"Say neither."
Chen Yu pursed his lips and shook his head with a sigh.
"I am a petty person, even narrow-minded. Grand ambition is not a descriptor for me. As for foolishness, that's not the case. If I were truly an idiot, the lord of this city-state wouldn't cooperate with me, and I wouldn't hold my current position."
"Then perhaps I need a reason," the Lion Chief smiled slightly.
"A reason?"
Chen Yu feigned surprise, raising his eyebrows with an incredulous expression.
"Don't you have confidence in yourself? Do I need to state a reason for cooperating with you? Aren't all the qualities you possess the reasons for me to cooperate with you? Do I need to spell this out, or do you enjoy this feeling of being sought after?"
"I am certainly aware of everything I possess," the Lion Chief murmured.
Before Chen Yu arrived in this area, or before this city-state appeared, he was the absolute overlord of this region.
Although the other camps were also formidable.
But—
Which of them dared to provoke his Tornus's camp?
The other camps were in constant conflict, yet no one dared to offend him here. This alone was enough to prove his absolute strength in this area.
He had never doubted himself; he simply didn't understand Chen Yu's actions.
Especially since he had clearly stated his intentions.
"If you are aware, then I don't need to say more, do I?" Chen Yu's face was filled with a smile, but the Lion Chief shook his head. "However, I have no desire to cooperate with you."
"Why?"
Chen Yu spread his hands in a smiling, puzzled gesture.
"Clearly, I am giving you an opportunity now. I believe anyone in your position would know how to make a decision, yet you refuse."
"Let me think..."
"You're not cooperating with me because of that Svyen?"
Chen Yu murmured, resting his chin on his hand and pondering, looking at the Lion Chief before him.
"You two have reached some kind of cooperation. Adhering to the spirit of the contract, you won't cooperate with others, let alone me, your common enemy."
Chen Yu smiled as he watched the Lion Chief, taking a sip of his juice.
"It is precisely your spirit of contract that I value," Chen Yu said, putting down the juice and nodding with satisfaction. "Since you are so trustworthy, I will feel at ease cooperating with you."
"Unfortunately, we have no chance."
"No!"
Before the Lion Chief could finish speaking, Chen Yu raised a finger and shook it twice.
"We still have a chance."
"Your resistance towards me is nothing more than this contract. If we speak of our actual conflicts, there aren't any. So, if the person who signed a contract with you breaks it, we will have the possibility of cooperation, won't we?"
He snapped his fingers, and a projection suddenly appeared in the prison.
The image showed Svyen sitting on a leather sofa, stuffing his mouth with food from the table, while screams of agony could be heard from outside intermittently.
Upon seeing this, the Lion Chief frowned.
What was going on?
Wasn't Svyen dragged away to be beaten? Why was he sitting there enjoying food?
And those screams...
"Young Master Svyen, have you considered our request?" Sona's eyes sparkled with a smile, looking at Svyen on the sofa with a hint of fawning. "Breaking your arm just now was not intentional. It was merely to put on a show for those chieftains. If you require compensation, we are willing to provide it."
"Hmph!"
Svyen, stuffing food into his mouth, suddenly snorted.
"It's not impossible for you to want to ally with my uncle, and I can choose not to concern myself with the fate of those chieftains. But if you want to satisfy me, you will have to pay a considerable price."
"Of course, we are willing."
As he spoke, Sona suddenly raised her hand, and several treasure chests appeared before Svyen.
"Here in total is 20 million gold coins, as well as several valuable rare weapons and armor, worth over 30 million. Furthermore, we are willing to hand over 20% of the city-state's annual tax revenue to you. Are you satisfied?"
Upon seeing the gold coins and equipment before him, Svyen's eyes lit up.
He stared intently at the treasure chests for a long time, unable to speak.
"Young Master Svyen, because you have protected them, we have not dared to kill them. If you feel this is satisfactory, then..."
"Kill them,"
Svyen waved his hand, his face filled with cold indifference.
"Kill them as you wish. I am willing to cooperate with you."
Bang!
The Lion Chief's fist slammed onto the table, his eyes blazing with fury.