“There is no need for you to say anything, Watson. Those people harmed my son and slaughtered residents of the floating city. I will never forgive them. I am not going to let them leave today.”
Daniel waved at Watson. He lowered his head and looked at Casey, who was lying on the boat, dying; his body was bloodied. Daniel’s expression got colder.
“We won’t retreat either. Watson, thank you for your kindness, but we’ve come here and lost many of our fellow sea folks! At the very least, we must avenge them, and we won’t allow ourselves to retreat.”
Owen was adamant.
“Are you sure? You are not going to quit fighting no matter what I do? There is no way to win this battle, no matter what you do.”
Both sides gave the same answer when confronted with Watson’s inquiry.
“Since you’re all so determined, then I won’t be courteous with you.”
Watson’s clones appeared all at once as he took a deep breath. When the sea folks’ grip over the current collapsed, water droplets in the air morphed into Watson’s clones. His body grew enormously as the clones merged.
The sea folks regulated the flow of water and drained the humans’ ships. Watson’s body drew thick and lengthy water pillars in the sky, enlarging them.
Boom!
Watson’s body quickly grew to a height of several hundred meters and then plateaued. Everyone stared at that scene in a daze, forgetting to breathe. Suddenly, a violent noise came from the floating city, and it suddenly rose upward. Everyone snapped back to their senses. At that time, Watson’s clone had already grown to several thousand meters tall, like a towering mountain that reached into the clouds.
At the same time, Watson stretched both hands and dragged the floating city to the ground, lifting the entire floating city. There was no longer a drop of water in the floating city. The sea folks were flopping on the dry land. Meanwhile, the human ships were also stuck on the same dry riverbed, making it difficult for them to move forward.
More than half of Lake Priest’s water had vanished, too, along with the floating city. Watson’s body was covered in water elements, giving him the appearance of a god. His eyes were like the sun and moon in the sky, shining on the people in the city. His voice was like thousands of thunderbolts roaring at the same time, deafening.
“That is the last time I ask—do you still want to fight? If you still want to fight, I will send the floating city to the border, a desolate area of human habitation. You can fight to your heart’s content there.”
“I—”
Daniel hesitated. Watson held the floating city like a child holding a huge toy. He did not know when the toy would fall to the ground and shatter.
That city was made possible by his toil and sacrifice. He could not tolerate the city’s destruction in comparison to the sea folks’ extinction. He did not do it because he feared Watson would send them to the border.
Even the sea folks paused. Watson, who had become a water-elemental giant, stood in front of Owen and Poseidon. Long periods of silence followed their inability to communicate. Poseidon was their queen, but she could only access the Sea God’s Phantom, which towered over hundreds of meters high. However, Watson’s transformation was ten times bigger. They were afraid to speak because they knew that Watson would stomp on them with his foot if they did.
They had thought that Watson was a platinum-tier elite, but they realized that they were wrong. Watson’s strength had already far exceeded that of a platinum-tier elite. He was probably a diamond-tier elite. The rest of them were like flies—easily squashed to death.
Watson, a gigantic water elemental giant, knew he had intimidated everyone. “You have an hour to clean up the battlefield before I come back for you. I would like to see the Ptolemy family withdraw their forces and the sea folk return to the sea in the next hour.”
“Watson, the sea folks have attacked the floating city twice. Even if we let them off this time, they might return in the future. As the master of this city, I want to protect the lives of the people here! Watson, unless you have a way to stop those sea folks from attacking the city, even if I agree to your request now, I will continue to send people to strike them,” Daniel raised his head and said with a serious expression.
Even though Watson, who had transformed into a giant, gave off a strong sense of oppression and looked very scary, Daniel was not afraid. He could not give up on protecting the dignity and authority of the Ptolemy family.
Daniel was unafraid even though Watson, who had grown into a behemoth, exuded oppression and appeared terrifying. He could not give up on preserving the Ptolemy family’s honor and power.
“That is simple. From now on, the sea tribe will sign a contract with me and become my subordinates. In other words, they will belong to me. That way, you will have no reason to attack them!” Watson’s giant form said in a muffled voice that reverberated through the entire sky.
When Daniel heard his idea, his expression changed. The noblemen’s private property was considered sacrosanct and inviolable in the Holy Dragon Kingdom. It would be impossible for him to attack the sea tribe if they became his property. It was also impossible for him to continue enslaving sea folks. He would be breaking the law if he did so. Regardless of his family’s position, he would still face harsh punishment.
Would the sea folks agree with Watson’s words and become his subordinate?
“Watson, you want to make us your slaves? What’s the difference between that and the other noblemen in the city? Do you think you can do it?”
Owen raised his head and shouted at Watson’s clone.
“Of course, I can do it.”
Watson lowered his head and blew at the floating city. The city immediately stirred a storm—the houses were blown into chaos. The sea folks near the houses were blown into the air and fell heavily. They were like fish that had run aground, grimacing in pain.
“I can enslave you, and I can make you do that willingly.”
Watson’s words shook the entire city. Many people in the floating city looked up and imprinted Watson’s appearance in their minds. That day was destined to be unforgettable. The whole city was lifted like a toy. They would probably never experience such a thing again in their lives.
The sea folks felt even more oppressed. Watson had displayed his strength, and many of the sea folks would not be able to withstand a single strike. If Watson were serious, only five of them could escape the attack.
Owen and Poseidon looked at each other with some hesitation. They had fought so hard to get there, but Watson wanted to enslave them, even if they could live a better life than other ordinary slaves under Watson.
Freedom and life: which was more precious?
“Watson, you claimed you could enslave us voluntarily. I would like to know what you have in mind. Are you going to provide us with a lot of advantages?
Owen’s eyes flickered. If Watson gave them a lot of things, such as building 180 palaces similar to the 12 palaces of gold, he might be able to persuade the sea folk to agree to Watson’s request.
“No, I don’t plan to give you any benefits. I have another way! By the way, it’s too tiring to keep lowering my head to talk to you. I’d better change to my main body to talk to you.”
As soon as his voice fell, another Watson suddenly appeared in the sky above a secret chamber in the city. He quickly teleported in front of everyone.
That was the real Watson. Since there was no water in the floating city, he did not need to continue powering the underwater network in the secret chamber.
Everyone was stunned when they saw Watson standing before them and the water-elemental monster hovering over them. They were under the impression that Watson was the giant who had appeared and was conversing with them. They had no idea that Watson’s clone was speaking in place of the real person. If a clone could be that potent, how much more powerful was Watson in his original form?
The sea folks, who were ready to reject Watson, were swayed.
Of course, it was Watson’s next move that had them on edge.
“My honorable master, fortunately, I have not failed you. I have already captured Miss Elven! Elven had wanted to take advantage of the chaos in the city to leave. Fortunately, you had successfully drained the water in the city, preventing her from fleeing. However, I was not able to get a good look at the individual who was trailing her.
Then, Mr. K snatched a chained woman from behind and marched in front of her.
That woman was the owner of the Iris Flower Tavern. No one in the room said anything when Mr. K arrived. Daniel and Mike were the only ones who were startled when Mike yelled out, “Father, it is him. He was the one who instigated the attack on the vault. That individual is Watson’s subordinate, which surprised me.”
“Watson, is that so? You sent someone to attack the secret chamber where we kept the Sea God’s Trident?”
“Of course not.”
Watson explained, “Mr. K is a staff at the Iris Flower Tavern’s auction house. He was also Miss Elven’s subordinate. The attack on us was Miss Elven’s plan. Unfortunately, I’ve gained control over her subordinate! As for the Sea God’s Trident, we’ll know where it is after we ask Miss Elven. Oh, right, I almost forgot to mention that she was the one who started the conflict between the sea folks and the Ptolemy family. Her goal was to let both of you suffer heavy losses so that the Severed Fingers Gang can take over that city.”
“Elven, was that the truth?”
Daniel looked at Elven with a solemn expression.
Elven burst out laughing in front of everyone. Even though her smile was lovely, it was tinged with mocking contempt. “Does that make a difference? Anyway, now that I have been discovered, I will do what you command! You won’t believe me if I tell you that the youngster did it. Do you think it is true?”
Yes, they believed her.
Many in attendance could not stop nodding. Before they saw Watson’s genuine strength and learned what that young man had done by claiming to be Casey, they might not have thought that the young man was both powerful and intelligent. Although he could not threaten the gang leader, it was not impossible for him to do so.
Elven’s arrogant face changed to one of amusement as she cast a glance toward Watson.
Watson was unmoved by that. He merely gestured at K with his chin. “Go and summon all the members from the Severed Fingers Gang here.”
The leader had been captured, so Mr. K. quickly brought the gang’s dazed members to Watson, including Glenn.
“K, are those all the Severed Fingers Gang members?”
“Yes, Master. Those people are all from the gang.”
“Have any of them ever harmed others or done any bad things that violated the kingdom’s laws?”
“None of them did that. All the Severed Fingers Gang members have committed heinous crimes. After all, the first rule to join the gang was to cut off one’s pinky! There is a proverb in the kingdom called The Thumb is Connected to the Heart. Cutting off one’s finger is equivalent to cutting off one’s heart. Many of those people can even kill their parents and family members without hesitation.”
“I’m relieved.”
Watson was delighted with K’s answer and nodded expressionlessly.
“Hey, Brat! Why did you capture all my subordinates? Are you going to kill them in front of me, or put on a cruel act of torturing them in front of me, hoping to get something out of me?”
When Elven saw her subordinates, the disdain in her heart got even stronger. She was one of the Severed Fingers Gang leaders, and she was also the King’s assassin. As a professional killer, she had undergone strict training since she was young. No matter what methods Watson used, including mental magic, they would not be able to extract anything from her. On the contrary, she might pretend to submit and intentionally reveal some false information to Watson.
“I don’t know if that method counts as killing them, but I won’t torture any of you. You will tell me the information yourself.”
Watson extended his right hand toward the members of the Severed Finger Gang.
Some Severed Finger Gang members stiffened their necks and showed an uncompromising attitude, while others kept their mouths shut and looked uncooperative. Apparently, no one thought that they would confess in front of Watson; everyone there was confused.
Watson had just told the sea folks that they would have to submit themselves voluntarily. Perhaps it had something to do with Watson’s actions, but they could not understand what Watson had planned.
Just as everyone was confused, Watson chanted, “System fusion, activate.”
The faces of the stubborn or recalcitrant members shifted in response to Watson’s voice. Their bodies morphed into beams of light that converged in mid-air to form a human silhouette.
“What kind of magic is that? No, that is sorcery.” A Severed Finger Gang member, he must have seen his companions turned into rays of light. He was still wondering what kind of magic that was, but he suddenly realized that his companion, who had turned into beams of light, had fused with the rays of light from the others and turned into a humanoid. He looked fearful.
“No, no, I’ll say it. I’m willing to tell everyone what I know. Don’t kill me… Argh!”
As time went on, more people began to suspect something was amiss. To save their lives, they bowed their heads and asked for forgiveness. In any case, Watson paid little attention to them and just fused them.
In just a few seconds, their bodies had been fused. All the Severed Fingers Gang members were fused into one person, including K and Glenn.
“That is the fusion magic you have mastered. You can fuse items, and you can fuse people too. You know, if you—”
Even Elven was shocked when she saw the scene before her. She had deduced that Watson might have mastered the ability to fuse items and raise their quality. However, she had not expected that Watson’s ability could be used on other living things. She was about to experience the effect of that ability.
As the saying went, the unknown was the most terrifying. As a professional assassin, she had looked down on him from the start. She was confident that nothing could force her into submission. At that moment, her expression suddenly changed, and she forced a smile at Watson. “Watson, I was wrong. We can sit down and talk about it slowly. Don’t worry. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
“I’m sorry, it’s too late.”
Watson’s expression was cold as he clenched his outstretched hand tightly. The light formed covered Elven’s body, wrapping her and turning her into a huge silkworm chrysalis.
Soon, the silkworm chrysalis ruptured, revealing a woman inside. That woman looked like an elf. Her delicate face looked like a teenage girl or a mature woman in her 20s. She was both mature and pure. Compared to elves in the past, that woman was a little taller. White bones emerged from her back, forming two huge white wings. With a gentle flap, she had created a storm.
[Congratulations, Master. You have successfully fused a diamond-tier servant.]
[Diamond-tier servant: Elven]
[Abilities: White Bone Manipulation (the bones in your body can multiply endlessly, turning into platinum-tier bone spikes to attack your enemies), Blood Manipulation (you can control the blood in your body to turn it into a weapon to fight your enemies, and you can also boil the blood in your enemies’ bodies to cause platinum-tier damage), Zombie Summoning (you can turn the dead into zombies and summon them. Those who are bitten by zombies will turn into zombies), and Complete Control (a diamond-tier spell, where you can control your enemies to become your companions).]
[Additional abilities: Pain Loss (due to the cruel training from a young age, you might lose some pained nerves), Erudite (gain knowledge when needed ), and Pain Loss.]
Watson remained calm and beckoned the woman with his finger. Elven immediately came in front of him and knelt on one knee respectfully. “My honorable master, what can I do for you?”
“From now on, the Severed Fingers Gang is yours. I want you to turn the Severed Finger Gang into a proper business.”
