Pretending To Be A Boss

He gazed out from the shore, unable to see any other islands.

How vast was this sea area, then?

Jin Lu said:

"These islands are actually Lord Sea God's territory. He can use his supreme power to change the positions of the islands."

"Each year, for a month's time, the creatures from each of our islands have to prepare for the Sea God Festival, which is when we provide food to Lord Sea God. During this month, we fight with the other strongest species on the island every few days."

Tang Xian grew more and more convinced that this Sea God was the Sea Demon that people spoke of.

The transition from demon to god also represented the attitude of the creatures in this region towards the Sea Demon.

"What happens if we don't prepare the food?" Tang Xian asked.

"It would provoke Lord Sea God's wrath. Whirlpools would appear in the ocean, and the entire island would be sucked in. There once was an island where an orange-tier creature resided. It was dissatisfied with being trapped here and didn't want to sacrifice its people to Lord Sea God, so it refused the sacrifice."

Fear surfaced in Jin Lu's eyes.

"That day, the entire sea was raging in anger. Lord Sea God didn't even need to show himself— the ocean itself was his weapon. With tremendous waves, he instantly devoured the entire island. Despite the orange-tier creature's desperate struggles, how could it alone contend with the sea?"

"The island perished, all creatures on the island were consumed by a massive vortex, and even the creatures on the other islands could feel the usually blue sea turn pitch black.

It was as if countless indescribable gigantic creatures were lurking and rising from the ocean depths. Those creatures were the tyrants of the deep sea; once we fell into the water, it was as if we had invaded their territory. In the sea, nothing could stand against them."

Tang Xian furrowed his brow.

He still was not clear on what exactly this Sea Demon was.

But the way the Sea Demon dealt with these creatures seemed familiar to him.

The vast sea islands were like so many Pyramids.

The difference was, humans acquired Soul Crystals to power the Pyramids.

While the creatures of the islands were directly sacrificed to the Sea God.

This process had also gradually developed a certain ritualistic aspect over the centuries.

Like the Sea God Festival to appease the Sea God's anger.

But nobody wanted their own people to be the sacrifice, so in the sacrificial month, they would battle the other forces on the island every five days.

Strength and honor would determine whether they could survive or not.

The creatures that died were then, along with their bodies and crystals, turned into food for the Sea God.

In a year's time, the resource-rich islands were more than enough for the creatures on each island to thrive.

The Sea God was farming them, but from a humanistic perspective, as long as the reproduction rate was higher than the sacrificial rate, the Sea God indeed was protecting them.

Combining this with the text on the eighth Stele, Tang Xian had a speculation.

This Sea Demon might be the last doomsday creature of this world.

It must have been gravely injured by the Orderly, now recuperating. And after staying here for hundreds of long years, it also came up with the idea to obtain a steady supply of food by mimicking the Orderly's way of dealing with humans.

Building islands, introducing creatures, establishing food chains, shaping ecosystems, cultivating life, and ultimately consuming them.

It was almost as if it considered itself a sort of Supreme God, playing a god-building simulation game.

In this series of processes, it even used myths and creeds to glorify its own image, such a strong yet cunning creature.

Tang Xian gave a wry smile. It was just like what the Pyramid did to humans. Even now, how many people regard the Pyramids as gifts from the gods?

One day in the future, perhaps the Orderly of the Pyramids will tell humans that they need living people as sacrifices.

And the attitude of the humans might very well be like that of Jin Lu and the Great Tengu: Though resistant internally, they ultimately comply with fear and gratitude.

Tang Xian said:

"How many of your people are lost each month of this year?"

Jin Lu, not expecting Tang Xian to suddenly ask such a question, showed a sorrowful expression and said:

"About twenty percent…"

Tang Xian did some calculations. So many islands, with each providing about forty perfect-level creatures as food.

All told, the Sea Demon's annual food intake was a staggering number of thousands of perfect-level creatures, even including some calamity-level ones.

Merely to recuperate at the bottom of the sea, it required such enormous energy.

He was gradually beginning to understand how fearsome this creature was.

"If the Great Tengu were to die, would this island then be under your control?"

"Of course."

"And then, would it be solely up to you to decide who would be sacrificed, rather than a struggle between your two species?"

"Yes."

"I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"

"Go ahead."

"We kill the Great Tengu, and then I can use a special plant reagent that can erase the memories of these Hell Flame Wolves. You could then allot them a portion of the island to farm them."

Jin Lu was puzzled:

"Farm?"

"Yes, let them breed peacefully. Then when the time comes for the festival, trick them into thinking they are returning to the embrace of the Sea God, so they go to their deaths willingly and joyfully. And your people can avoid being sacrificed."

Tang Xian looked intently at Jin Lu, as if he could see through the fear and resistance deep in her heart:
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"You don't want your people to be sacrificed either, right? If you had the chance to flee this island, to get away from the Sea God, you would definitely take your people and leave, wouldn't you?"