The scarlet eyes of Xiehu Yanhua glared at Peng Gejia; he slowly exhaled a chilling breath towards Peng Getianye. After a long while, noticing Wageli’s expression gradually return to normal, Peng Hua shook his head in dissatisfaction, and the chilly winds, dark miasma, and ghostly wails in the study vanished simultaneously.
He plopped down next to Gu Xiechen, Peng Hua discontentedly grabbing a bottle of wine and clamoring,
“Such a lack of accomplishment. Aren't you even a little scared?”
Gulp. One bottle of strong liquor vanished into Peng Hua’s belly; Peng Hua immediately twisted open another bottle. Gulp. Another bottle of potent liquor disappeared without a trace.
Wageli haughtily lifted his chin, “What is there to fear? A warrior of the Temple of the God of War fears nothing!”
Peng Hua instantly jumped up in excitement, staring at Wageli’s neck with a grin, “Then, are you afraid of death? Honestly, I’ve never tasted werewolf blood before!”
Wageli’s face turned deathly pale again, as unsightly as could be imagined. The last shred of his pride was utterly crushed by Peng Hua, forcing him to hang his head in dejection. Deep in his heart, Wageli had held a faint hope that Gu Xiechen might not actually dare to kill him, perhaps? But when Peng Hua appeared, Wageli instantly knew his life was no longer under his own control.
Peng Hua could absolutely make Wageli die in a thousand different ways, and not a single one of those ways would resemble a straightforward murder! Gu Xiechen could even transform Wageli into a controlled zombie, who might suddenly embrace a bundle of explosives to blast a Roman strongpoint in the coming days, ensuring he died spectacularly and earned his name in history!
What horrors could the demons and ghosts of the Nine Hells Dao not conjure?
Clenching his teeth fiercely, Wageli stubbornly pointed at the pile of jewels and declared, “These things are all mine!”
Gu Xiechen smiled contentedly. He pulled out a few items from his brocade pouch and, with the honeyed tone an evil uncle uses to coax kindergarten girls, chuckled at Wageli, “If you complete the following steps, all these things will be yours. Not just these trinkets; there will be much more in the future.”
Gu Xiechen’s tone shifted, half-mocking and half-threatening, as he continued with a smile, “Even if you can't transform into an Heroic Spirit Warrior later, becoming a Zombie Warrior wouldn't be so bad, right? Brother Peng Hua would certainly be delighted to assist you! Say, Brother Peng Hua, do zombies have a lifespan limit?”
Peng Hua looked at Wageli with wicked delight, speaking in a strange, sing-song voice, “As long as one survives the Heavenly Tribulation, the lifespan of our Clan of Zombie Gods is infinite! Plus, we can still drink fine wine, enjoy beautiful women, and eat gourmet food—no different from the living, it’s incredibly blissful!”
Wageli’s face turned corpse-white once more. He couldn't even be bothered to look at Peng Hua. He had absolutely no intention of turning into a zombie. If he became a zombie, would he still be a warrior of the Temple of the God of War? Or would he have to switch allegiance and start worshipping the Death Gods of the Temple of the Death God? Wageli forced a dry laugh, “Mr. Gu Xiechen, what else do you require of me?”
Gu Xiechen fiddled with the items in his hands, chuckling wickedly, “What else? A pledge of allegiance? Otherwise, like last time, the moment we strike an agreement, you’d stab me in the back, and I’d be heartbroken, wouldn't I? Ah, I have several commercial contracts here detailing how you supplied military intelligence to the Romans and smuggled large quantities of rare metals to them. You need to sign these for me… Ah, and make sure to press your handprint too; don't try to fool me!” Looking at the stack of documents before him, Wageli’s scalp tingled. Once these documents were signed, his life would be completely in Gu Xiechen’s hands!
As he hesitated, Xin Jia strode up behind Wageli and fastened a thick iron chain around his neck. Xin Jia reprimanded him in a low, (shā - killing) tone, “Obey the Supreme’s command, or face immediate execution! I will surely beat your soul into scattered dust, leaving you no chance for reincarnation for all eternity!”
Wageli trembled with rage for a moment, then angrily pulled out a pen and signed his name across the thick stack of documents, adding his handprint as Gu Xiechen instructed.
Click. Gu Xiechen’s camera whirred to life. Gu Xiechen smiled charmingly at Wageli, “Since all these documents are signed, then, General, would you kindly cooperate with us to film a short video? Ah, just sit at your writing desk; the Federation flag and the Federation Army banner behind you will make the perfect backdrop!”
Xin Jia forcibly made Wageli sit behind his desk, assuming a stiff, upright posture.
Gu Xiechen placed the camera in front of Wageli and dictated word by word, “Now, look at the official document in front of you, and just read it aloud. Try to be natural, a little more natural…”
Peng Hua licked his lips towards Wageli. Wageli’s expression shifted, and he managed to contort his facial muscles into a semblance of naturalness.
“I, Wageli, General of the Earth Cong Bang.”
“I voluntarily pledge faith to Wabori, the Great God of the Black Hole, of the Second Electorate Family of the Romans, the House of Holsum.”
“I voluntarily become a vassal of the House of Holsum and strive for the highest interests of the House of Holsum.”
“I voluntarily assist the House of Holsum in eliminating the vital forces of the First Electorate Family and strive to secure the throne of the Roman King for the House of Holsum.”
“I voluntarily provide the House of Holsum with all political, military, scientific, economic, and cultural data of the Earth Federation that I can access, helping the House of Holsum rapidly increase its strength.”
“I voluntarily cooperate with all actions taken by the House of Holsum and eliminate all targets the House of Holsum intends to destroy.”
“To prove my sincerity, I will fabricate an accident to eliminate the Giant Squad cultivated in cooperation between the Earth Federation Military Department and the Federal Academy of Sciences, striking a blow against the Earth Federation Military Department’s aggressive militarism…”
Gu Xiechen filmed with great excitement, but Peng Hua looked at him as if he had seen a ghost.
With those documents and this video, Wageli’s life was completely in Gu Xiechen’s hands.
It took a full ten minutes before Wageli finished reading the oath. Cold sweat covered his forehead, and his body felt close to collapse. The way he looked at Gu Xiechen was like that of a pure little angel encountering the great demon king of hell.
“Very good, General Wageli, we are now on the same side! Brother Peng Hua and I will expedite the finalizing of our alliance!”
Gu Xiechen put the camera and the documents into the Xiaogan Kun Brocade Pouch, laughing joyfully!
Wageli gritted his teeth so hard his face flushed red, then white, then red again.
But gradually, Wageli too began to laugh uproariously, casting aside the last vestiges of shame that lingered in his heart.