Chapter 1238: Extortion

Ye Zhongming nearly laughed. These rats actually knew about such things.

“Ask it what the protection fee is?”

Actually, the Rat King could understand human words. He heard Ye Zhongming and started communicating with Red Hair.

This time, it lasted for a long time.

“It said that they would not attack people from Cloud Peak and even people from Ying City. They can head to other places for food.”

Red Hair started to describe what it said, “Every period of time, it can provide you with a batch of crystals and materials. The amount will satisfy you.”

Only that?

Ye Zhongming added, which caught the Rat King off guard. It could only talk to Red Hair and get her to speak for it.

But Red Hair ignored it. Although she wasn’t as cold and cruel as before and only treated Ye Zhongming well, she treated the other Cloud Peak members well because she showed Ye Zhongming respect.

Toward enemies or outsiders, she didn’t hold back. She was still that killing monster in her bones.

“I will give a few conditions. If you agree, I can ensure Cloud Peak won’t kill you within two years. I will also not allow any faction to kill you and will allow you to remain in Ying City.”

Rat King hesitated. It turned and looked at its partner, who was the same level as it. After thinking momentarily, it decided to listen to what Ye Zhongming said.

“Firstly, you must expand your activity range to 300 kilometers around Cloud Peak.”

The Rat King started to screech when it heard that, but Ye Zhongming stared at it.

“Second, within this range, apart from not attacking people from Cloud Peak and Ying City, you are in charge of intel collection and being sentries. I want to know everything that happens in this region. I want to know what lifeforms came, what lifeforms left, and what their goals are.”

“Third!”

Ye Zhongming raised his voice and interrupted the Rat King.

“You will build Ying City and Cloud Peak’s first layer of underground defense. Unless all of you die, if not, Ying City and Cloud Peak’s underground won’t be sneak attacked.”

Ye Zhongming paused before continuing, “When needed, I will borrow troops from you and you have the responsibility to protect Cloud Peak and Ying City. You need to help us without wavering when we are in danger.”

The first few points were tough for the Rat King. Expanding the territory was very tough for it.

Lifeforms had their own region. The higher the lifeforms, the more so.

If the Rat King increased his territory, other mutated lifeforms would resist and be enemies with it.

Also, if these were just the lifeforms above ground, that would be okay. After all, they lived underground.

Don’t forget that the underground had more than just rats; there were other races. Even rats had other groups. If the Rat King wanted to spread, it would have to clash with other rats. The price would be huge.

But to keep alive and be allowed to survive in Ying City, the Rat King had to agree. At most, he would treat it as having more food sources. If he were prepared, he would even gain some benefits.

But when Ye Zhongming said the third condition, the Rat King felt like the ground would collapse and smash him.

If it agreed, this meant that he was Ye Zhongming and Cloud Peak’s subordinate. Although it had some freedom, if there were fights, it would accept commands. Its entire race would become fighters.

How could it agree?

But Rat King didn’t dare to decline. It was showing fear now because Ye Zhongming could easily kill it. Rat King’s sharp senses told it that.

If it was forced to accept those conditions, it could still survive. But if it rejected, it might not be able to live.

But if it agreed…

“You can’t look at these as things you have to sacrifice. You must think about what you will gain.” Ye Zhongming scared it, “After agreeing, Cloud Peak will be your shield. You will receive good protection.”

“Also, you know how Cloud Peak is. We have our enemies, but not many of them can cause problems to us. You won’t have many chances to fight for us.”

As Ye Zhongming said that, its expression got better, and it was tempted.

“Finally, and the most crucial point, you are evolving. You are trying to get to higher levels. We can help you with that.”

Ye Zhongming squinted and looked at the stunned Rat King, “I don’t need to be too direct, but I can’t judge you as a human, so it is better that I say it out… To evolve, you select subordinates to drink the waste water from the gene lab so as to change your genes. If you can eat some of the flesh from the lab, that would be better.”

Red Hair and Xia Bai looked at Ye Zhongming in shock. The Rat King even took two steps back.

“If your subordinates have good changes, you would keep them. If the changes were bad, you would kill them and let those good ones evolve. You would eliminate those unstable ones, and you would breed those stable ones to form a new breed. Am I right?”

Rat King’s mouth was agape. It stopped thinking about whether it was going to agree or not. It was thinking if this guy would go against his word.

Seeing the Rat King agree, Ye Zhongming nodded in satisfaction. He told it to be ready for his call before heading back.

But two steps later, he turned, and the Rat King’s body shook.

“Right, fill this up.” Ye Zhongming pointed around and it nodded, “Also, the crystals and materials have to be a lot.”

The three of them jumped out of the smelly underground.