The bonfire crackled.
The surging orange-red flames reflected countless figures, their movements flickering ceaselessly. Chen Yu, arms crossed, observed the myriad of respectfully bowing Kurutas before him.
"How is it?"
"Master, Master, I will serve you loyally from now on." Fear trembled in Kuruta's eyes, his gaze towards Chen Yu filled with dread.
He had no choice but to be afraid.
He had truly been beaten!
When Chen Yu had declared it was time for class, the Skeleton Warriors and Meteoric Iron Guards, wielding fists as large as sandbags, had rained blows down upon him.
Not to mention anything else,
Just looking at the scattered chicken feathers at his feet was enough to tell what kind of unimaginably brutal treatment he had endured.
He didn't dare to recall it.
That memory was undoubtedly the most terrifying of his life.
Chen Yu also raised his wrist to glance at the enslavement list.
Kurutha, Loyalty: 150.
Not bad, not bad.
While this loyalty wasn't at its peak, it was sufficient.
After all,
Once loyalty exceeds 100, enslavement means no betrayal.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just be like this from the start? You had to be taught a lesson to become obedient." Chen Yu murmured as he lowered his wrist. Kuruta, not daring to harbor even a shred of resentment, nodded and bowed obsequiously with a fawning smile.
Judging by his expression, he seemed to have accepted his fate.
Truth be told,
Kurutha was indeed a tough bone.
Among the many targets Chen Yu had "persuaded with virtue," Kuruta was the one who had lasted the longest. Despite being just a chicken, he had endured the combined assaults of the Skeleton Warrior and the Meteoric Iron Guard for a full ten minutes before succumbing.
Ten minutes!
One could only imagine what he had gone through.
Even so,
His loyalty hadn't been particularly high when he surrendered; it was in the lowest single digits. His current loyalty was entirely due to the "persuasive" punches from the Meteoric Iron Guard and the Skeleton Warriors.
Chen Yu was very satisfied.
He liked people with firm will.
Even if Kuruta was currently forced to submit to him and didn't truly serve him with all his heart, Chen Yu believed he could eventually influence him.
Once such a person could willingly serve Chen Yu,
Chen Yu would be able to give him ample trust.
There would be no need to worry about betrayal.
Perhaps, in the end, he could even be like Kuka or Kailin, directly removed from the enslavement list and become a core member of his camp.
"It hurts, doesn't it~"
Chen Yu whispered softly.
"Joining our camp, this is a mandatory course. If our predecessors in the camp were here, they could probably guide you well, here~"
As he spoke, Chen Yu took out a healing ointment from his wristband.
"Ah, where is the leader~"
"Here!"
The leading chicken scurried over, its eyes towards Chen Yu filled with seven parts fear and three parts timidness. Its long neck constantly twitched as it swallowed nervously.
Scared!
Did you think only Kuruta had become obedient?
It wasn't just him.
The screaming chickens who hadn't received the lesson also had trembling eyes. They hadn't been hit, but it felt as if they had.
They had witnessed the entire process.
Every punch landed.
Striking straight to the soul!
No one was foolish enough to stubbornly resist when they had seen the precedent.
"Take this and apply it to Kuruta. Also, from now on, your team's position needs to change." Chen Yu tossed the ointment. The leading chicken, catching it, nodded and bowed before Chen Yu could say more, "From now on, Kuruta will be the leader, and I'll assist him."
"He knows his place."
Chen Yu nodded with a smile in his eyes.
"I don't dislike those who know their place. I don't even know your name yet."
"Kuruzer."
"Huh?!"
This name?
It felt vaguely familiar.
Toyota?
Chen Yu raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smiled and continued.
"Are you two brothers?"
"Yes," Kuruzer's eyes were filled with a fawning smile. "We are brothers. I was born half an hour before him. I'm the elder one at home."
"Alright, go apply the medicine."
Chen Yu wasn't particularly concerned about these details. Whether they were brothers or not didn't significantly impact him. Since he dared to let these two chickens into his camp and grant them certain privileges, he wasn't afraid they would cause any trouble.
Chen Yu was actually quite simple.
As long as they served him well, even if they were relatively mediocre in talent, as long as they were loyal, Chen Yu would guarantee them prosperity and honor.
However,
If they harbored ill intentions under his command,
Either don't let him find out.
If he did discover them,
In this open world, he might not necessarily maintain his leniency.
"Looking at the current situation, it seems we can't go back, can we?" The demon girl, holding a piece of cheese and biting into it, had been with Chen Yu in his wristband for so long that she could discern some of his thoughts. "Are you really planning to domesticate these monsters?"
"Why not?"
For Chen Yu, this was an opportunity.
Perhaps,
Domesticating monsters might seem somewhat insane to outsiders.
But he felt it was quite reasonable.
As long as they could be managed properly, these screaming chickens could provide him with a stable supply of resources. The only thing Chen Yu was concerned about was how he should view these screaming chickens.
If,
He viewed these screaming chickens as monsters, as livestock, then he wouldn't need to pay much attention to their life or death. But if he viewed them as living beings, capable of independent thought like Kuruzer and the others, able to communicate with humans and beastmen without any obstacles.
He truly found it difficult to act.
Biting into the cheese, the demon girl glanced at Chen Yu, as if seeing through his thoughts, and said softly.
"You don't need to worry too much. The cavern world is a place where the strong prey on the weak. Humans and beastmen eat monsters, and monsters eat humans and beastmen. This is very common. Moreover, do you know why the screaming chickens are so afraid when they see you?"
"Why?"
"Bloodline suppression."
The demon girl spread her hands gently.
"Humans and screaming chickens have always been mortal enemies. Screaming chickens are a rare delicacy on the human diet. Every screaming chicken is worth a lot."
Delicacy?!
Upon hearing the word "delicacy," Chen Yu's eyes widened. He stared intently at the screaming chickens not far away.
As a foodie, who could resist the temptation of delicious food?
The screaming chickens, who had not yet recovered from Chen Yu's imposing aura, suddenly felt an eerie gust of wind blowing towards them amidst their unease.
Immediately, they saw a pair of greedy eyes scanning them like X-rays.
The screaming chickens hurriedly huddled together.
The fear in their eyes could be described as reaching an unprecedented level.
"Mas... Master..."
Kuruzer and Kuruta, who were applying the medicine, nervously tucked in their necks, gazing at Chen Yu's shining eyes.
A whisper reached their ears, a whisper that made their souls tremble.
"Screaming chickens, are they delicious?"