Chapter 418: Conditions and Summons

Sinuoli ignored the Ogre in the ranks who was just making up the numbers; he knew without even thinking that making a different race sincerely believe in the Ancestor Gods in a short time was an impossible task. They were merely being pragmatic, following whoever provided for them.

"Stop, stop, I will convey your sentiments to them. By the way, Ahetanmu, do you want to return to your homeland to develop?"

"Homeland, what homeland? We eat well and sleep well here in Slayer Keep, why go back to that hellhole!" Ahetanmu shook his head like a rattle; anyone hearing this would think Sinuoli was testing his loyalty.

"Relax, my friend. There is an old saying in Zhendan that returning home without showing off your wealth is like wearing fine silks in the dark. Let's find a quiet place to talk. Let your subordinates eat first; I suspect their faith in the Mother Goddess hasn't reached the point of freeing them from hunger yet."

Seeing that some of the Ogres were already becoming restless, Sinuoli raised his hand and summoned a gust of wind to lift Ahetanmu up. The Mercenary Group leader pushed aside his hungry subordinates and led the Dwarfs toward his office.

"We're all acquaintances now, so there's no need to hide anything. You must be facing quite a bit of resistance doing things this way."

"Your people's craftsmanship is just as powerful as the stories told around the campfires in the tribe when I was a child. If I had more gold, it could be even more powerful!"

Ahetanmu swung his mace and tapped his breastplate lightly, activating the Runes upon it. For a smart person, there was no need to say what this meant.

"Simply put, I intend to restart the Changya Zhilu. If you wish to gain influence in the Aishang Shanmai, then we will have plenty of room for cooperation."

"Don't try to scare me, Your Majesty. Ever since the Little Tyrant kicked the bucket, there hasn't been a leader for all the tribes, but there are still plenty of big shots! With my few men, it would be tough to even rank in the top twenty back there."

"Do you doubt me so much? If I may speak frankly, those guys only have profit in their heads; they don't know what faith or righteousness is!"

Ahetanmu laughed heartily upon hearing this; that really hit his area of expertise. Having obtained that axe, Gaochuike was finally complete—truly becoming the most successful Slayer in history. As for Feilikesi? If everything went smoothly, perhaps there would be no need for his appearance. "Ogres are much like Greenskins; the personal combat power of the leader is crucial. I promised Snuolimu a set of epic-quality equipment, but there are ways to leave a backdoor."

"I, uh, you keep talking! I'm listening!" With him as the meat and the other as the knife, Snuolimu knew that what Ahetanmu gave him was not a multiple-choice question.

The Slayer King could not hide his joy and hurried out to gather resources. Having received guidance from two fellow Demigods at once, he felt as if he could already see himself mastering transcendent power.

"I understand, but as long as you are willing to accept some conditions, the Mountain Kingdom can provide the equipment, supplies, and wealth for recruiting. A reminder: the Slayer King likely won't allow your power to continue expanding in his territory anymore, even if you organize an Ogre choir."

"Hehe, it would be my honor!"

After hearing Ahetanmu explain the results of the negotiation, Agam-Ironfist scratched his bald head. His first impression of Snuolimu was bad; Slayer Keep guarded the gateway between the Ogre Kingdoms and the Old World, and generations of kings had recorded many Ogre names in the Book of Grudges.

As a disciple of the Rune Demigod Kelage, and being able to cast the Thurni ritual on himself through the system, Ahetanmu naturally possessed the ability to perform such operations. If he didn't want the equipment to fail, Snuolimu had to come to the Mountain Kingdom regularly to "report for duty."

The transmigrator recalled those arts of imperial governance; no matter how many variations were derived, its core was to actively create conflicts among subordinates and then act as a mediator to quell them.

As a senior powerhouse and the most powerful Dwarf King, Agam-Ironfist could give such face to a junior because of the display at the banquet. The leap from the peak of mortality to Demigod was a major bottleneck; throughout history, many brilliant talents had been stuck there, and short-lived races didn't even have the qualifications to challenge this shackle on their own.

"You are truly straightforward! With this, my official business here is done. Master Kelage is currently spreading faith in Jisiwaifu Cheng, and I am preparing to go and seek his advice. If you have time, why not come along?"

"Karak-Kadrin is the first beneficiary of the Changya Zhilu. I will cover the food and equipment for the current stage, and the fires in the forge will be lit immediately."

Snuolimu licked its lips, its eyes lighting up. It seemed to already see the beautiful scene of an opponent smashing a hammer into it without it budging, followed by it backhanding an axe to gut the opponent.

"Good, very good! I knew you were the most generous king! Praise you and the great Ancestor Gods!"

"I understand your difficulties, and because you are so sensible, I am even more reluctant to see you die. You will receive truly high-quality equipment tailored to you; with it, you can properly handle the tyrants of other tribes and the potential challengers under your command."

Permanently solidifying a Rune on equipment requires a medium saturated with magic; the more powerful the Rune, the stronger the required medium. For a Master-level Rune, if it is not inscribed with something equivalent to Dragon Blood, it will dim and eventually fade before long, requiring a Rune Master to recharge and reactivate it.

Ahetanmu picked up his wine glass and took a sip, analyzing the pros and cons for Snuolimu unhurriedly. No matter how obedient it acted, it was ultimately not of his own race; the Dwarfs could not let it continue to develop and grow.

"I don't know, I don't know at all. That night after defeating Prince Gelag'amu, I felt a kind of guidance, a calling. In the last two days, it has become stronger and stronger. The direction is roughly to the north? Perhaps you could give me some pointers?"

"Where are you going, what are you doing, and for how long?"

"Of course I don't fully trust it. My idea is to make it and a small number of confidants form an opposition with the other subordinates, forcing it to rely heavily on us to maintain its leadership position."

Seeing that Ahetanmu had made up his mind and brought out a reliable plan, Agam-Ironfist did not hesitate much to express his support.

Returning to the guest room, Gaochuike had been waiting for a long time. Facing his request, Ahetanmu gave the classic three questions of a capitalist.

"Your Majesty, I want to ask for leave!"

"Hahahaha! The god Grimnir once gave me an oracle in Weifengbao, saying that before leaving this world, she left her personal Battle Axe in the Chaos Wastes. It seems you are the one truly destined for that divine axe."

"First, your subordinates must worship the Ancestor Gods of my race in addition to the Great Maw; second, ensure the safety of all caravans holding permits passing through your territory; third, I have the right to conscript you and your subordinates when necessary."

The Dwarf King threw out his conditions; the framework was basically the same as the one for the Pygmies of the Southlands, only relatively more relaxed in the details, considering that the Ogres were ultimately stronger.