Chapter 107: Taming the Dragon-Devouring Golden Eagle!

Wang Chen watched coldly from the sidelines.

Because of his mission, he had no choice but to intervene in Su’s childish behavior; now, it seemed he was about to be swept into the rebellion of the Gale Hunters once more. In protecting Su, he had indirectly caused the death of Dago, that pitiful, lamentable young man. If he had not shielded Su, perhaps Dago would have accomplished his task. But should a twelve-year-old child like Su truly be made to pay for all of this? Wang Chen couldn’t say.

After all, seeing how Dago’s words had shattered Su’s composure, it was clear this child was not wholly numb, nor had he fully embraced that cannibalistic system.

Wang Chen sat beside Su and spoke softly, “So, do you intend to wallow in despair like this?”

Su nearly groaned, “Brother Wang Chen, you needn’t persuade me. A hopeless sinner like me—perhaps it’s better I disappear from this world sooner rather than later.”

Wang Chen fell silent. It appeared that witnessing Dago’s suicide had left a deep psychological scar on Su. Perhaps he should guide Su through the trauma before discussing anything else. Yet Wang Chen was already vexed by this mission, no longer caring about the task of “witnessing Su’s growth.” In the end, such a task was not something that could be accomplished through effort alone. Now, he simply wanted to speak his mind.

So Wang Chen spoke in a mild tone, “You can do as you please, after all, I’m not truly your guardian.”

“But let me remind you: even if you die and your entire family is eradicated, the problem won’t be solved.”

Su, hands clutching his head, shuddered at those words and looked at Wang Chen. “Why? If privileged families like ours are wiped out, tragedies like Dago’s wouldn’t happen anymore, would they?”

A twelve-year-old’s thinking is simple, Wang Chen mused silently.

He sighed and said, “Do you really think your family alone could enslave the entire Gale Hunter tribe?”

“In the end, it was your ancestors who distributed power and formed an interest group with your family at its head.”

“They were granted the authority to exploit those of lower rank, layer upon layer. As long as there were always people beneath them to oppress, they ignored the fact that they themselves were also oppressed.”

Wang Chen looked at Su seriously. “Even after your family falls, new leaders will be chosen, and they’ll continue the same oppression.”

“This isn’t a problem that can be solved by assassinating someone. Dago was courageous, but he was still too naive.”

“To truly fix things, there’s a long road ahead.” Wang Chen gazed into the void, his thoughts drifting back to that distant homeland.

Su had emerged from his mutterings and asked, “Then what should be done?”

Wang Chen chuckled softly, “I don’t know either. Who really does?”

In his homeland, that society closest to universal harmony had ultimately collapsed as well, destroyed more by internal decay than anything else.

“But given your tribe’s current situation, the priority is to stabilize governance, then form a new interest group, gradually reform, and abolish the rank system step by step. Use examinations or other methods to select talent and ensure the mobility of the classes.”

“So, my advice is: don’t execute all the rebels. Deal with some decisively, but handle the rest with leniency.”

Wang Chen glanced at Su’s bewildered expression and explained, “Leniency means choosing those whose crimes aren’t too serious and sentencing them to exile or indefinite imprisonment.”

“A few years later, under some pretext, you pardon their crimes and grant them minor official positions.”

“This way, your ministers will understand your intentions: gradual reform. Then you can select those inclined to support you and promote them.”

Wang Chen added, “Of course, those who rebelled can never be truly trusted or promoted. That’s a matter of principle.”

Su listened, entranced. “Brother Wang Chen, you know so much.”

“Oh, please, I’m just talking off the top of my head,” Wang Chen laughed. “I don’t even know the specifics of your tribe. Just take the gist, don’t copy everything.”

He then said, somewhat exasperated, “I don’t get it—how can someone destined to be a tribal leader not have a teacher to teach these things?”

“You need to read more, especially history. Old stories hide new revelations. Or rather, there’s nothing new under the sun; you can always find precedents, adapt the old for the new.”

“There actually is someone,” Su replied. “We don’t write history books. History is passed down by word of mouth, and those who do so are called ‘Recorders’ in our tribe. They’re usually smart and learned, serving as advisors to the chief or as teachers to those with single-character names. My uncle even hired a Recorder for me.”

“That’s good, but your teacher doesn’t seem very competent if you’re sneaking off to browse the web every few days,” Wang Chen teased.

“Actually, the Recorder left after two weeks because I drove him away...” Su admitted sheepishly.

Wang Chen raised his brows—well, that’s that, he thought, destruction might as well come soon, I’m exhausted.

He stood and brushed the dust off his pants. “Come on, either you bash your head in here and now, or your uncle will be along to drag you down the mountain soon.”

With that, Wang Chen ignored whatever Su intended to do and walked alone toward the edge of the cliff.

Su remained seated, no longer muttering to avoid reality, but instead gazing up at the sky, lost in thought.

…

Passing through the rocky hill, he heard a faint, threadbare cry.

Wang Chen went closer and saw the young Golden Roc, Slayer of Dragons. He was startled—was it still alive?

Su explained that he had intended to use the creature to threaten Da Feng, so he fed it a lifesaving pill to keep it alive. That was why Wang Chen had heard its clear chirping earlier.

Yet the young roc’s chest had been pierced by the cold arrowhead; it likely wouldn’t survive, only lingering on thanks to the medicine.

Wang Chen fell into contemplation. Since acquiring the Ring of Life, he had occasionally studied beast taming.

He knew that if one tamed a fierce beast, the tamer and the beast would share their life force.

Of course, it didn’t mean that if the beast died, the tamer would die too; if such a thing happened, the blood pact between them would automatically break.

Rather, the tamer’s vitality could nourish the beast, and vice versa.

It was as if one person had two lives, which was precisely why powerful professionals liked to keep a fierce beast as a battle companion.

If Wang Chen made a blood pact with this young roc, he might be able to save it with his own vitality, given his robust life force.

And perhaps this young roc would one day grow into a mighty Da Feng, vast enough to blot out the sky—then this investment wouldn’t be in vain.