Chapter 69: Subjugation (Part 1)

Chapter 69: Subjugation (Part One)

Frenzy always comes to an end.

When the Lion King Haley finally exhausted every ounce of strength in his body, he crashed heavily to the ground.

Huey rushed forward at lightning speed, pulled out a vial of potion, forced it down Haley's throat, and shouted at the same time, "Brian, shut down all internal magic barriers!"

"That's not difficult," Buckler laughed wildly.

Without Haley, no one could block their path any longer. The guards maintaining the magic barrier were easily dispatched by Buckler.

"Snap!" As the magic barriers deactivated, every single iron cage door swung open simultaneously.

Countless tattered prisoners surged out from within.

They rushed unarmed toward the guards, often dozens of them ganging up on a single target.

In the massive Spark Prison, there were only a few hundred internal guards, yet over ten thousand prisoners. The moment Huey shattered the inmates' shackles, Spark Prison plunged into total, chaotic rebellion.

The guards, usually so arrogant, had long since lost their former haughtiness. They fled in all directions, holding their heads, hoping to escape with their lives amidst the pursuing crowds. The angry crowd surged forward like a tidal wave. The prisoners used pitchforks, wooden sticks, manacles, and even mess tins as weapons to batter the bastards who had abused them daily.

From the outside in, and from the inside out, two attacking forces exerted pressure simultaneously, leaving the guards with no room to fight back.

More and more prisoners joined this massive, unprecedentedly frantic jailbreak. At this moment, the entire Spark Prison transformed into a surging wave of excitement.

Especially when the Six Heavenly Kings emerged from the deepest disciplinary sector, tossing the severed heads of Amour and Boyce into the air, it provoked thunderous cheers and adoration from the countless inmates.

"We are free!" someone shouted at the top of their lungs.

"We are free!!!" The voices merged into a colossal wave that soared straight into the clouds.

Lilith and Igor also walked in with triumphant strides, having cleared out all the guards in the tower area. They now came to Huey's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

Looking at the jubilant scene before her, Lilith curled her lips in cold arrogance: "Celebrating already? Isn't it a bit too early?"

As if fulfilling a prophecy, a large number of prisoners rushed out of the prison only to completely ignore the benefactors who had saved them, sprinting directly toward the prison's outer perimeter. What met their eyes, however, was the towering magic shield acting as a final barrier, isolating them from the outside world.

"Bastards, what is going on?! Why hasn't the shield been shut down?!" someone roared in fury.

The guards might not have been good men, but the inmates were even less of a benevolent sort. While there might have been wrongly accused souls in Spark Prison, the vast majority were heinous and vicious criminals. When they finally stepped out of their cells, only to discover they had merely escaped a small cage for a larger one, their explosive tempers flared instantly.

Some bellowed in rage, others frantically hunted down rivals, and a few prisoners who harbored old grudges even began slaughtering each other right on the spot, drawing loud cheers from the onlookers.

The entire Spark Prison plunged into wild chaos.

Amidst the confusion, several prisoners actually attempted to finish off the unconscious Haley, only for Buckler to knock them flat on their backs with three punches and two kicks.

Some inmates who had always been arrogant within the prison saw how fierce Buckler was and actually approached him together, their faces etched with threat.

Witnessing all this, Huey and Buckler exchanged a glance, letting out simultaneous low, cold laughs.

Huey said coldly, "It seems we need to calm them down a bit."

"How?" Lilith asked.

"We've already shown grace. The next step is to establish authority. Let's kill a few first."

As Huey's voice fell, Buckler and Lilith struck simultaneously with lightning speed. They showed no mercy when killing guards, and they felt even less psychological burden killing prisoners. Those few defiant inmates were effortlessly slaughtered on the spot.

People's repayment of kindness is always less than their venting of hatred. The fact that someone released them did not mean they could be treated however one pleased, especially since the magic shield had not been removed, which meant they were still not truly free.

Thus, Huey and their actions instantly provoked the anger of a large mob of prisoners, who aggressively surrounded Huey and the others.

Not far away, Boran and the other Heavenly Kings stood by with folded arms, watching the unfolding scene, clearly unsurprised by it.

Under these circumstances, they were not in a hurry to immediately cozy up to Huey; instead, they wanted to see how Huey and his companions would resolve this issue.

This, too, could be considered a test.

As leaders, one must learn not only how to face failure, but also how to face victory.

To everyone's surprise, Huey's countermeasure was simple and ruthless.

He suddenly looked up and roared, "Come out, Xu!"

A tiny figure suddenly streaked across the sky, expanding instantly in mid-air.

"Roar!" With a ferocious, thunderous howl, a massive dragon-like creature plunged abruptly from the sky, slamming heavily into the ground, revealing two rows of sharp fangs and a vicious, terrifying visage. Its body was covered in scales as solid as battle armor, and wisps of scorching, corrosive smoke billowed intermittently from beneath its massive dragon jaw and nostrils.

After roaring with the might to shake heaven and earth and letting out a blood-curdling howl that chilled everyone to the bone, the giant magical dragon spat a raging torrent of fire toward the surrounding prisoners, engulfing a large crowd in a sea of flames.

This fierce and formidable attack instantly shocked every single prisoner.

When Xu's world-defying posture was revealed to these unruly inmates, everyone was terrified.

The majesty of a dragon cannot be slighted!

When a magical dragon displayed its ultimate form, even a Star Knight would have no choice but to flee. In the face of such a powerful creature, those who could remain unshaken were few and far between.

Gazing at the terrifying behemoth, the expressions of the Six Heavenly Kings also shifted simultaneously.

Who could have imagined that Huey Greed would possess such a terrifying pet?

"My god, what on earth are these people? How can they possibly own a dragon?" someone stammered in disbelief.

Joyful bird chirps echoed from afar; it was the blazing firebirds flying in after completing their mission. They fluttered their wings, shrank in size, and landed on Huey's shoulders.

"Elemental birds! Those are elemental birds!" someone shouted.

Fierce and ruthless high-tier warriors, bizarre magical golems never seen before, elemental birds, and the appearance of a giant dragon—one shocking spectacle after another completely silenced the prisoners.

They finally realized that their freedom was a gift bestowed upon them by others.

And as things stood, their actions were angering the very person who had granted them that freedom.

Ignoring the fearful and trembling gazes of the prisoners, Huey raised his voice:

"Pleased to meet you all. My name is Huey Greed. Some of you may have heard this name, and some may not. But that doesn't matter, because today, you have seen me and heard this name. Moreover, in the near future, this name will shake the entire empire once again. Because it is I, Huey Greed, who rescued you from this damn so-called indestructible prison and completely destroyed this stubborn, filthy, and decadent architecture symbolizing the empire's rule!"

"However, before that, there is something else I must tell you. I came to save you not because I am a good person, but because to me, you have utility value!"

"Yes, that is my purpose. You can choose not to accept it, and then obediently crawl back to your cells. Otherwise, you had better stand here obediently and listen to me speak, rather than turning on those who helped you the moment you obtained the freedom I bestowed!"

"Here, I want to tell you something! I used to be a prisoner myself. The difference between you and me is that I used my own strength to walk out of that prison alive, while you can only languish here. I admire that you are all men with backbone, but this world cannot be propped up by backbone and dignity alone! If you haven't yet learned how to be a winner, then at least you must learn how to respect winners!"

"I must also remind you of one thing: those who do not know how to be grateful are the most pathetic! I am deeply regretful to find that after pouring my heart and soul into saving you, not a single person has stepped forward to express gratitude to me. This is truly very disappointing."

"Therefore! I am going to teach you a lesson. If my goodwill cannot exchange for what I need, I don't mind changing to the exact opposite method to achieve my goal!"

These words mixed favors with severe intimidation. Backed by the formidable strength displayed in their hands, all the prisoners could only remain silent.

Suppressing everyone's discontent with deterrence, Huey looked over at Boran in the distance.

A smile of anticipation appeared on his face.

Only then did Boran speak indifferently, "Let's go. He's waiting for us."

The Six Heavenly Kings walked toward Huey in unison.

Wherever they passed, all the prisoners spontaneously cleared a path, and even the few dissenting murmurs were suppressed by the cold, ruthless glares of the Heavenly Kings.

Capturing a living guard to use as a mount, Crispin Boran "rode" over to Huey's side:

"Huey Greed, you look even younger than you did in disguise."

Huey returned an elegant smile and bowed slightly: "Thank you. It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Boran."

Boran flicked his hand, and the spatial ring traced an elegant arc through the air, landing in Huey's palm. "Your belongings, returned to you. Thank you very much for your help. Without it, we wouldn't have been able to escape the cage."

"Don't mention it; it's what I should do." Huey accepted the ring, feeling a trace of surprise in his heart.

Although a spatial ring possessed no offensive or defensive capabilities, the powerful logistical support it offered was something anyone would dream of. Yet, Boran had shown no greed whatsoever.

From this point of view, this was a man of considerable self-restraint and non-greed.

Behind him, the remaining five Heavenly Kings stared coldly at Huey and his companions.

The blond youth and his companions stood in the center of the prison hall. On the surface, the most powerful among them was the ocean warrior, but their formation clearly centered around the youth.

Considering the presence of the magical dragon, this was hardly surprising, but it was certainly astonishing.

Even Boran, who already had some understanding of Huey Greed, had to admit that Huey was far more powerful and extraordinary than he had imagined.

In their previous encounters, what he saw was a preforming, scheming disguised youth. Back then, he thought Huey was merely the apprentice of some swindler, a brilliant little con artist.

After the crystal ball communication, he learned the other party was an alchemist, a genius youth with a vicious mind.

During Huey's assault on Spark Prison, he discovered that Huey was also a terrifyingly powerful warrior and mage.

And now, he found out that Huey even kept such a powerful magical beast by his side.

His contact with Huey had been limited, but his understanding deepened with each encounter, and the shock in his heart grew correspondingly heavier.

Prisoners respected only strength. Whether it was a disguised youth, a genius with alchemical talent, or cunning wits, none of them were necessarily more worthy of a prisoner's respect than a fierce guard. Yet at this moment, as Huey's strength was revealed layer by layer, it finally made Crispin Boran soberly realize that the youth before him was far stronger and far more terrifying than he had previously known.

This realization sent deep wariness and fear coursing through the heart of this super tough guy who had spent ten whole years in a cell without ever bowing his head.

"You're right, Huey Greed. Regardless of anything else, you saved us. As an expert, as our savior, you have the right to our respect." Crispin Boran said.

"You know I require more than just that," Huey replied.

"What else do you want?"

"Some subordinates. Reliable, usable subordinates."

"But you also said you wouldn't force anyone."

"Yes."

"Then, Huey Greed, I must regretfully tell you that if you do not intend to resort to force, I believe very few people here will truly be willing to follow you. You did help them a great deal, but to ask them to risk their lives for you from now on? I doubt many are willing. To them, that would merely be jumping from one cage into another. They would still be unfree."

"That doesn't matter, Boran. I need you to help me convey my message to them. Before they leave this prison, I need them to make a choice: follow me, or leave on their own."

"No problem," Boran nodded readily.

The development of events turned out exactly as Boran had predicted. Those truly willing to follow Huey simply because he saved them were exceedingly few.

The criminals of Spark Prison were mostly unruly; they might express gratitude to Huey, but they would not blindly follow a youth because of it.

No one was willing to replace an old imprisonment with a new form of bondage, even if the former was far superior to the latter.

Consequently, out of fifteen thousand criminals, only a few hundred were genuinely willing to follow Huey and his group. And that decision was made only after witnessing the terrifying power of the magical dragon.

As for the Six Heavenly Kings, including Crispin Boran, while they were shocked by Huey's capabilities, not a single one was willing to submit to him because of it.

The vast majority of prisoners clamored for Huey to immediately open the magic barrier and let them leave.

"It seems things aren't going as smoothly as you imagined," the Wildwind Wolf chuckled maliciously, looking at Huey.

Huey, however, smiled cheekily and said, "Actually, I don't really care about their choice. For me, as long as I want to, I have plenty of ways to make them willing to follow me."

The Six Heavenly Kings let out simultaneous cold snorts of disdain.

Boran said, "Unless you use not opening the magic barrier as a threat. But if you do that, even if they agree to follow you, many won't be loyal to you. Loyalty is the most crucial requirement for a soldier."

"You're right, which is why I won't do that," Huey replied.

"Then your only option is to use alchemy as bait," said Rio, the Flame Cloud Leopard.

To everyone's surprise, Huey shook his head instead. "Provide alchemical services for seven or eight thousand people? Mr. Boran, I need subordinates, not masters. Let alone the fact that I don't have that many resources; even if I did, I wouldn't do it. I gave them freedom—that price is already enough for them to serve me. The reason they are unwilling to follow me right now is simply because I hadn't discussed the price with them beforehand."

Boran paused slightly.

Huey was right.

Had Huey been given enough time to discuss terms with everyone, he believed the overwhelming majority would have been willing to trade following Huey for their freedom. Unfortunately, Huey clearly had no way to negotiate one-on-one, so he had to release them all first.

This allowed some people to disregard everything Huey had done for them.

It was much like rescuing a drowning person: you could theoretically demand a huge sum of money before pulling them out. But once you pulled them ashore and then demanded payment, the difficulty increased exponentially.

This was precisely the situation Huey was facing now.

"If you choose neither of these two methods, then I don't believe you have any other way to make more people willing to follow you."

"What if I can do it?" Huey countered Boran.

This question stunned everyone.

Boran asked in a deep voice, "What do you want?"

"I want you! And your brothers!" Huey answered swiftly. "If I can make more than half of these prisoners willing to follow me, I want you Six Heavenly Kings to become my subordinates from this day forward, fighting alongside me against this evil and powerful empire. I want to be your master, and my will is an order you must obey! I saved you; I am fully qualified to make such a demand!"

If such arrogant and proud words had been spoken by a Saint-level expert, they might not have amounted to much. But uttered by the blond youth before them, it struck everyone as somewhat bizarre.

Yet, as these words were spoken, Brian, Buckler, and the others standing beside Huey wore expressions of matter-of-fact acceptance.

To them, this seemed hardly difficult at all.

"You can't possibly do it!" roared the Wildwind Wolf.

"I can!" Huey retorted unceremoniously. "Gentlemen, I know you are all true tough guys. The torture in prison couldn't make you yield, and saving you from your cells couldn't make you submit, but willpower isn't everything. I believe you all understand one thing: escaping on your own cannot guarantee your safety. Sooner or later, you will be hunted down and captured by the empire's massive military forces. I need all of you to understand a principle: following me means you will never have to worry about the future again."

Saying this, Huey added calmly, "I won't threaten them, nor will I bribe them. I will give them hope, letting them know that jailbreak is merely a beginning, not an end. What I actually need to do is simple: make them believe that only I can keep them safe!"

These words left everyone stunned.

Yes, Huey was right. Breaking out of prison was merely a beginning, not an end.

Who could guarantee that once they left the prison, they wouldn't eventually be captured again?

Yet how could Huey Greed possibly possess such certainty?

The Six Heavenly Kings looked at one another. Even with all their toughness, they lacked the kind of self-confidence Huey displayed.

The youth before them was too mysterious, too bizarre, and far too incomprehensible. However, judging by the formidable power he had already demonstrated and the trust his companions placed in him, it was clear he was not just spouting empty words.

After a moment of contemplation, they finally made their decision.

"Huey Greed, if you can pull this off, then I, Daniel Ironmonger the Wildwind Wolf, swear by the honor of a warrior that I am willing to become your subordinate from this day forth and obey your commands!"

"I, Denan the Earth Bear, swear by the honor of a warrior that if Huey Greed achieves everything he has said, I will follow Huey Greed from this day onward and never betray him!"

"Rio the Flame Cloud Leopard, swear in the name of the deities..."

"Tina the Demonic Serpent, swear in the name of the Lord of Darkness..."

"Ike Bevan the Spirit Ape, in the name of the deities..."

Only Crispin Boran remained.

The disabled Berserk Tiger looked at Huey with an inscrutable gaze and sighed softly: "I know you can do it, and I believe in you. I am willing to follow you and obey your commands, Huey Greed, because you are a person capable of creating miracles."

A mysterious smile surfaced in Huey's eyes: "Trust me, Boran, you won't regret it. In the days to come, we will create miracles together."

"Why haven't they opened the magic shield yet? Boran, what on earth are those people playing at?" an inmate roared angrily.

Ever since the Six Heavenly Kings had spoken with Huey, Huey had begun doing some strange things.

He was arranging a formation on the ground of the prison hall.

"Birch, this is no place for you to speak. If you want your freedom, you'd better sit tight and wait right here," Boran said coldly.

Despite being disabled, no prisoner had ever dared to underestimate Boran.

Those who underestimated him were already dead.

The name of the Berserk Tiger wasn't won by being carried out, but carved through blood and brutal facts.

Spark Prison fell into a bizarre state—the inmates were out of their cages, yet unable to step out of the courtyard. The magic shield, that final shackle, firmly pinned them to this patch of land, while the prison-breakers showed no consciousness whatsoever of being trapped in a cage.

This caused many criminals to grow impatient.