Chapter 241: Chapter 203: Deeply Cultivating a Vertical Domain, Delivering a Differentiated Combination Punch
Watching the Centaur Leader, who had been utterly furious at first, become as calm as the placid Thunder River.
Levi knew the deal was done. Tossing the seed shells in his hand into the fire, he let out a couple of chuckles as the flames suddenly leaped up.
’It worked. I didn’t expect this Goblin to actually have a few tricks up his sleeve.’
To be fair, this Centaur Leader was a truly tough nut to crack.
When Levi captured him alive, he had tried the same old intimidation tactics, but the Centaur couldn’t have cared less, simply sneering in disdain.
The complete opposite of that Pigman, Tikli.
The Lord had even considered that if the other party still didn’t know what was good for him after this was over, he would just be chopped up and fed to the Giants.
He did want to recruit this big fellow. For no other reason, just showing off that physique during military drills would be cool as hell. But it wasn’t as if he was absolutely indispensable.
As for torture? That method wouldn’t win over the strong; it only worked on spineless cowards like Sam.
"Looks like you’ve reached an agreement." The Lord strolled over with his hands behind his back and patted Gus’s muscular thigh, which was as thick as his own waist, exuding the full swagger of a Mafia boss. "Gus, my boy, I, your Lord, am definitely not letting you go. You have to choose between the key and the butcher’s knife. So, what’s your choice?"
The Lord clapped his hands. Two of his subjects walked over, one carrying a massive cleaver and the other a key to unlock the chains on Gus’s hands.
Looking down at the human who was only as tall as his own hooves, Gus fell silent for a good while before asking in a voice that rumbled like thunder, "Why go to such lengths to recruit a barbaric Wilderness Native? And a defeated captive at that?"
At this question, everyone’s ears perked up. Si Kai and Fujero, in particular, were the most eager to know why their Lord would put so much effort into recruiting a barbaric Centaur.
Undeniably, the Centaur Race was known for its combat prowess, but their nature—worshipping strength and being quick to anger—made it almost impossible for them to submit to anyone weaker than themselves.
Those like the Panda Warriors, who possessed both outstanding individual Martial Arts and a gentle, peace-loving temperament, were a minority, after all.
The Lord clasped his hands behind his back, gazed into the distance, and spoke in a light, casual tone.
"I’ve reviewed the historical case studies, aligned on the granularity, and plan to deep-dive into this vertical to execute a differentiated combo-punch..."
Everyone stared at the Lord’s back. His form was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant golden light, so dazzling in the night that it made him look grand and tall.
Fujero squinted. ’Is that the Glowing Holy Word Treasure Manual?’
Even the erudite Master Fu Jin looked on with admiration; those words sounded incredibly profound.
He’d never expected the Lord of High Cliff Castle, who had always seemed so uncouth, to be capable of uttering such awe-inspiring words.
"In plain English, I’m planning to train a unit of Heavy Cavalry." The Lord turned his head and grinned, flashing two rows of perfectly white teeth.
"..."
"AHEM, AHEM." Fujero coughed uncontrollably, as if having an asthma attack.
"Well? What’s your decision?" the Lord asked, his face smug with the certainty that he had him cornered.
"I have one condition. If you don’t agree, I would rather die in this Wilderness until I rot into the earth." Gus’s simple mind couldn’t fathom it. ’How can this short human before me possibly contain such unrivaled Power?’
"You’re full of crap. Spit it out!"
"Although I am a prisoner of war, I refuse to join High... High Cliff Castle as a slave. I must at least be a..." Gus had wanted to say "Warrior," but he changed his mind at the last second. "...a member."
Levi nodded decisively. The Holy Sword left its sheath and he swung it with a speed too fast to follow.
SHING!
A cold glint flashed through the air. Before anyone could react, the manacles on the Centaur Leader’s wrists snapped in two with a CLANK and crashed heavily to the ground.
Gus’s temples throbbed, and he was suddenly aware of how dry his mouth was.
The chains used to bind him were made of heavy, solid iron, yet they had been sliced in two as easily as fruit. More importantly, the motion was too fast for him to even see.
’This human... it seems he wasn’t even using his full strength last time...’
"Then, my Lord, from this day forward, I, Lionel of the Sun-Chasers, will fight for your will! I will be your eternal follower, until I run myself to ruin upon the plains!"
Gus made a fist with one powerful hand and placed it over his chest, bowing his proud head. His tone was formal and solemn.
He knew that swearing oaths was a human custom used to prove one’s loyalty, so he naturally borrowed the practice, doing as the locals do.
"Excellent!" The Lord applauded generously.
This Centaur Leader was smarter than he’d thought, clearly understanding his position and circumstances. To Levi’s surprise, he even received a system notification that the centaur had joined his party.
You had to understand, getting recognized by the system wasn’t about just shouting slogans; it required a certain level of genuine loyalty. The textbook counterexample was that old fox, Sam.
He was quick-witted and full of schemes, and he thought himself very clever. He would shout slogans like "I’ll die for my Lord!" loud enough to shake the heavens, but every time a party-join request popped up, it would disappear without a trace in under three seconds.
He was missing out on the greatest benefit of High Cliff Castle without even realizing it, and the fool was probably still feeling smug about his own cleverness.
"My Lord, may I join High Cliff Castle as well?"
Leiden asked, his face a picture of reverence.
’In this world, Power is ultimately everything,’ he thought. ’Though my Wisdom surpasses that of my kin, I’m like a merchant with vast riches but no Power to protect them.’
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