Chapter 1701: Eating Humans

It was like someone had chucked a rock into the middle of a lake and elicited heavy ripples. Everyone instinctively followed suit and fell to their knees as well.

“Greetings, city lord.”

“Greetings, city lord.”

“Very good.”

Satisfied with their capitulation, Menghu declared loudly, “You know the rules. Surrender all your wealth and half of your food, and you may live.”

“Disobey, and you die.”

The people were scared out of their wits at this point, and no one was crazy enough to resist. They had no choice but to surrender their wealth and food obediently.

At the same time, dozens of armored soldiers flew out of Profound Tortoise City and landed among the crowd. They were the loot collectors.

Pssh!

Suddenly, an armored soldier unsheathed his saber and cut off a middle-aged man’s head. His blood splashed against a couple of bystanders and nearly elicited a shriek of surprise from them.

“He dares to try and trick me. He overestimated himself.”

The soldier eyed the surrounding people with a blood-drenched crescent saber in his eyes and cruel eyes that resembled a viper’s. “Just try and emulate this idiot’s example. I promise they will meet his fate.”

“Dad! Dad!”

It was at this moment a girl who had been too frightened to react earlier abruptly burst into tears.

“So noisy!”

The soldier frowned and cut off the girl’s head the next second. There wasn’t even a hint of pity or hesitation in his movements. “Be quiet as well. I

hate

noise.”

Everyone fell as silent as death. As angry as they were, no one dared to resist or make a peep.

The soldiers weren’t the only ones who treated them like subhumans. From time to time, the Profound Tortoise would seize a couple of people with its tongue, toss them into its mouth, and chewed slowly. It did not care that the blood was raining on the city.

Obviously, the people of Sand City grew more anxious than ever. Their expressions were numb and despairing as no one knew if death would pay them a visit next. There was nothing they could do about this though. They could only tolerate it in silence.

On the contrary, some of the populace of Profound Tortoise City were standing on the edge of Profound Tortoise’s shell and pointing at the people of Sand City, pointing and gossiping and laughing like a horrifying tragedy wasn’t happening right before their eyes. It painted a stark contrast compared to the fear, panic and despair that had Sand City in their throes.

This was the law of survival that everyone living in the Western Regions obeyed: the strong preys on the weak.

The Western Regions had a poor environment but a lot of countries. Therefore, the nations and tribes often fought each other over resources.

A weak force, city, or tribe like Sand City was the prey of a powerful force. It was their destiny to be oppressed and robbed by the strong.

It so happened that Profound Tortoise City was one of the strong nations of the Western Regions.

Strength in this case did not refer to the size of Profound Tortoise City or its population size. It referred to its two greatest elites.

The city lord of Profound Tortoise City was one. He was a Half-Sage. The Profound Tortoise who carried the Profound Tortoise City was another. It was a Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise.

In fact, the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise was even stronger and scarier than Menghu.

The Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise was a Disaster-class Stranger. A wisp of the bloodline of the ancient Thick Earth Profound Tortoise ran in its veins. Born from the earth, it was massive like a mountain and tough beyond imagination. It could summon wind, clouds and fog, break hills and sunder earth like nothing. It was incredibly powerful.

It might just be a Disaster-class Stranger, but woe be those who underestimated it. It was a top-tier Disaster-class Stranger and on par with most first level Sages.

In the Western Regions, only a handful of countries were protected by Sages. They were the true strong nations of the Western Regions.

Although the Profound Tortoise City wasn’t protected by a Sage, the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise was almost as strong as one. That was why it counted as a powerful country as well.

Besides that, Profound Tortoise City enjoyed a unique advantage no other country enjoyed: mobility. As the city was built on top of the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise’s shell, it wasn’t limited by geography and did not need to settle in one place. It could travel everywhere and plunder to its heart’s content.

This was why Profound Tortoise City had become increasingly wealthy and powerful over time, and why it was one of the wealthiest countries in the Western Regions.

Besides that, Profound Tortoise City’s primary goal was wealth. Barring exceptional circumstances, they did not massacre everyone to the last like some countries. Most people would survive so long as they obediently surrendered their wealth to Profound Tortoise City.

Why “most” and not all of them? Because a small portion of them were eaten by the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise.

Of course, Profound Tortoise City wasn’t doing this out of the goodness of their heart. It was because they understood the folly of killing a golden goose.

The people of the Western Regions were as cheap as grass, but they were also as tenacious as one. Give them a bit of space and opportunity, and they would survive one way or another.

By allowing them to live, Profound Tortoise City could endlessly harvest their wealth and feed his own greed. It was a great idea, wasn’t it?

The city lord of Profound Tortoise City, Menghu, was the one who came up with the idea.

He thought that he was the smartest man in the entire world.

Right now, Menghu was standing on the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise’s back with his arms crossed and grinning widely.

He believed that, thanks to his genius idea, Profound Tortoise City would one day become the largest and most powerful nation in the Western Regions. He might even unite the Western Regions and become its sole king one day.

The more he thought about it, the more he grew excited.

“One day, all of the wealth, beauty, and treasures in the Western Regions will be mine!”

Menghu spread his arms wide and declared passionately, “When the time comes, you’ll be able to feast on as many humans as you want, Cyan Martial. Are you happy?”

“Oooo...”

The Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise whined once and shook its head.

“What, you want to feast all you want now?”

Menghu sighed. “We can’t yet. We don’t yet have the strength. We need time.”

“Oooo...”

The Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise shook left and right in displeasure and caused an earthquake on the ground. The Profound Tortoise City was also swaying, and its people were crying out in shock.

“Don’t throw a tantrum... be good... be good...”

Menghu consoled the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise like he was consoling a child. “It’s not like the Sand City has much to offer even if we keep it alive... Oh, fine. It’s your lucky day, Cyan Martial. I give you permission to eat everyone here.”

“OOOO!!!”

Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise let out a long, excited howl.

Menghu whistled, and the soldiers collecting the valuables raised their eyebrows. Then, a malicious grin spread across their faces as they stopped what they were doing and leaped back onto the tortoise’s back.

For a moment, the people of Sand City exchanged puzzled glances with each other. Did Menghu discover his conscience or realized that Sand City was too poor to provide much value? Was that why he was beating a retreat?

Everyone was excited thinking that they had escaped the jaws of death. They did not realize that it was the opposite.

It was at this moment the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise opened its mouth and inhaled deeply.

Buzz!

A terrible storm appeared out of nowhere, topping buildings and dragging humans in the air. They were all flying toward the Cyan Martial Profound Tortoise’s mouth.

“It’s going to eat us! Ahhhh!”

“Mercy! I don’t want to die...”

By the time the people realized what was happening, it was too late.

Despair immediately spread throughout the people like a plague.