Lord Game: I Have 100 Million Talents-Chapter 42 - 38: I Have Never Needed Allies

As soon as he finished speaking, the reception hall’s carved wooden doors were thrown open with a bang. More than twenty Ratman Warriors swarmed in, their pauldrons clashing. Their jet-black armor glinted like cold steel in the flickering candlelight, and the blades of the Black Crystal Longswords in their hands shimmered with an inky light. The clang of their overlapping armor plates sounded like the prelude to the beating of war drums.

They instantly formed a fan-shaped battle formation, closing in to create an impenetrable circle around the three Ratmen in the center. The sound of their boots grinding against the floor tiles carried the chilling finality of quenched steel.

Moreover, these cowards who had once thrown down their weapons and surrendered on the Withered Leaf Tribe’s battlefield now had a near-sacrificial fanaticism churning in their eyes.

At a single command from Qin Feng, even if a flame-breathing Giant Dragon stood in their way, these bodies—remolded by warrior spirits—would pounce like arrows loosed from a bow. Their Black Crystal Swords would bloom like flowers of death against the dragon’s scales.

Liv’s face paled in shock.

"Meikai... Yuri... Folckwin’s personal guards!?"

"What is the meaning of this!?"

Meikai, the one in the lead, lowered his eyes. His metal bracers traced a cold arc in the candlelight as he spoke.

"Us?"

"Of course, we have long since surrendered to the great Lord Tingfeng before you!"

"It is the will of the Deities!"

"The Withered Leaf Tribe was not our destiny. Pledging our oaths and our hearts to Lord Tingfeng—that is our true purpose!"

The Withered Leaf Tribe Ratman known as Yuri glanced at Brand and his Bone Blade. He shot Brand a warning look, silently telling him to lower his weapon, before speaking slowly.

"Folckwin Leader... he backed the wrong side."

"That human Lord, Zhao Chuan, is not the person of destiny favored by the Deities."

"Only Lord Tingfeng, who wields infinite Divine Power, can restore the glory of the shattered Forest Throne! He will lead all the Forest Tribes to war against the empire and reclaim the homeland that was once ours!"

"So."

"Folkwin Leader now sleeps eternally in the cold earth."

"And we will take his place as the new leaders of the Withered Leaf Tribe. We will call upon all our remaining Ratman brethren to join Lord Tingfeng’s territory and swear fealty to him with blood and loyalty!"

Upon hearing this, Liv, Brand, and the other Ratmen recoiled half a step, their faces masks of stunned disbelief.

’They’re insane!’

’These Southern Rats have gone completely mad!’

’They’ve always been corrupted by the human empire’s utilitarianism! They’re soulless wretches who would even trample on their own beliefs!’

’For profit!’

’They wouldn’t hesitate to kill their own parents!’

’They’d even desecrate the graves where their ancestors lie and defile the Hall of Heroes, the very symbol of honor and courage!’

’It’s hard to believe such words could come out of their mouths!’

’Even harder to imagine!’

’The devotion churning in their eyes is almost bursting from their sockets!’

’It’s like how we of the Northern Ratman Tribes would feel if we witnessed our great Ancestral Heroic Spirits returning from the distant Divine Hall of Heroic Spirits!’

’Damn it...’

’What in the world happened...?’

"Liv, as a former ally, let me give you a piece of advice. Consider it a gift for you betraying the northern factions to join our Withered Leaf Tribe."

"If I were you."

"I would pledge my loyalty to Lord Tingfeng without hesitation."

"And honestly answer the questions he asks."

"Otherwise, with the few combat personnel your Night Crow Tribe has left, you couldn’t even match a fraction of our Withered Leaf Legion."

"It would take less than ten minutes."

"For you to be annihilated by the incredibly Powerful Forest Wolf Legion under Lord Tingfeng’s command."

At these words, Liv’s fingernails dug deep into her palms. Brand’s knuckles whitened around his Bone Blade. Both of them stood frozen, shock coiling around their limbs like vines, unsure of what to say.

Only Bogard maintained the last shred of his composure. His hoarse voice cut through the tense silence:

"Are you saying... the hundred-man legion, formed by the Withered Leaf Tribe in alliance with several Southern Affiliated Tribes, has been wiped out?"

"All of them were killed by this human Lord named ’Tingfeng’?"

"And you’re the only survivors?"

"And you’ve submitted to him?"

Meikai and Yuri confirmed it without hesitation:

"Yes."

"Everyone here."

"Is all that remains of the adult Warriors from our Withered Leaf Tribe and the other affiliated tribes."

Instantly, Bogard’s brow furrowed. He stared intently at Qin Feng, who sat at the head of the hall, his voice filled with anger:

"Hmph!"

"Then what’s the meaning of this tonight?"

"Under the pretext of ’forming a Forest Alliance’!"

"You call us envoys from the Northern Ratman Tribes over in the middle of the night!"

"Then you show off the powerful military might of your territory to force us Northern Ratman Tribes to submit, just like those Withered Leaf Tribe Ratmen did?"

Diablo immediately raised his Bone Blade and snapped:

"Bogard!"

"Watch your words!"

Qin Feng waved his hand dismissively.

"It’s fine."

"Diablo."

"This guest from the Bear Tribe doesn’t yet understand the situation."

"It’s normal for him to misunderstand me."

Pausing, Qin Feng’s slender fingers traced the rim of his cup, the amber liquid rippling and glistening in the candlelight.

"Bogard, you must first understand something. I can deal with the Withered Leaf Tribe easily, so I never had any intention of allying with you Northern Ratman Tribes. Tonight’s meeting was entirely Diablo’s own idea, not an order I gave him."

Diablo was stunned.

"Ah?"

"My deepest apologies!"

"Lord, I acted on my own initiative this time. I have caused you..."

Before he could finish, Qin Feng waved his hand and said slowly,

"It’s nothing."

"Don’t be nervous."

"There was nothing wrong with what you did today."

"Although I have no interest in allying with other Ratman Tribes, forming an alliance between us is not a bad thing."

"On the contrary, there are quite a few benefits."

"So, if you encounter a similar situation in the future, make your own decision. Act boldly and with confidence. You don’t need to worry about me questioning you afterward..."

As a Heroic Unit captured by the Riding and Cutting system, Diablo held unconditional and absolute loyalty towards Qin Feng.

It was a one-hundred-percent obedience etched into the depths of his very genes, far beyond that of any ordinary subordinate.

Furthermore, the system of knowledge stored in Diablo’s mind was as vast and complex as a galaxy of stars.

He could strategize like the most brilliant of generals, govern an empire like the wisest of statesmen, and personally wade into battle to cut down thousands. He was a walking textbook on the art of war and a living weapon.

For this very reason, Qin Feng had never considered using political maneuvering to control his right-hand man.

After all, the political games ancient emperors played to keep their subjects in check stemmed from a fundamental lack of trust. It was a way to enhance their own status and authority in their subjects’ eyes.

Diablo was already a paragon of loyalty who was one-hundred-percent obedient to him. Why would Qin Feng bother with such convoluted schemes?

On the contrary, giving Diablo the highest degree of autonomy in his decisions, letting him find his own solutions to future problems, would awaken the strategic wisdom slumbering deep within his mind. He would then clear the path forward for Qin Feng’s territory and seize even greater rewards.

This was the most astute way to utilize a top-tier asset.

...