Several beastmen were escorted to the dungeon.
Among these beastmen were males and females, but no elderly or young. They were all relatives of the tribal leaders currently in the cells.
The leaders of the camps, who had been defiant just moments ago,
their expressions drastically changed upon seeing their kin brought before them.
"Father!"
The captive beastmen cried out upon seeing the camp leaders in the cells. Several women bit their lips, looking at their once imposing husbands, now confined in the damp dungeon and suffering imprisonment, feeling heartache for them.
"Didn't I tell you to leave?"
Even the usually composed lion-man leader, seeing his grown children and his wife, lost his former composure.
"This area is only so big, where could they possibly run?"
Chen Yu stood with his arms crossed, a smile playing on his lips as he gazed at the tribal leaders in the cells.
"The entire area is now under our city-state's control. Do you really think they could escape if we notified them to evacuate beforehand?"
"You have all been captured, how much longer can they hold out?"
"Isn't the problem that you're thinking too naively?"
Chen Yu, standing outside the cell door, wore a contemptuous smile. The tribal leaders clenched their fists but could do nothing to him.
"What do you want!"
Seeing their kin captured, the tribal leaders lost their previous defiance.
"I just want to talk with you, but your attitude just now did not satisfy me. I had to resort to these methods to get you to open your mouths." Chen Yu's eyes twinkled with a smile. "If you are willing to talk with me now, send a representative out."
City-state prison.
A simple wooden table was laden with various delicacies and fruit juices with a refreshing aroma. Chen Yu sat at the table, feasting, and even after half a year, he still marveled at his exquisite cooking countless times.
Delicious!
If he had possessed this talent before coming to the underground world, he would have been a world-renowned culinary provider.
Sitting opposite him was the lion-man leader.
In terms of camp strength, the lion-man leader's camp was undoubtedly the strongest, and he held higher prestige among the many leaders.
It was for this reason that he was sent to negotiate with Chen Yu.
"Won't you try some? It's very delicious." Chen Yu took a bite of the roast he had personally grilled, his face showing an expression of ecstasy. "You wouldn't think you could taste something like this in the underground world."
"What exactly do you want to say?"
"Eat!"
Facing the lion-man leader's disregard for the delicacies before him, Chen Yu's smile vanished as he pointed at the roast on the table.
The lion-man leader's fists clenched beneath the table.
Ever since he came of age, defeated his father, and became the king among the surrounding lion-men, he had never suffered such humiliation and powerlessness.
His pride prevented him from acting, but thinking of his wife and daughter still in Chen Yu's hands.
He could only reach out, grab a piece of roast, and throw it into his mouth.
Chen Yu watched this scene silently, eagerly awaiting the expression of awe and amazement at the exquisite roast.
He was not disappointed.
As the roast entered his mouth, the lion-man leader involuntarily raised an eyebrow.
Clearly, this delicacy moved him.
But to Chen Yu's surprise, he did not take a second bite. After a brief moment of astonishment, he regained his composure and looked directly at Chen Yu's face.
"Tsk..."
Chen Yu clicked his tongue slightly.
So far, he had not seen anyone who, after tasting his roast, could resist eating a second piece, let alone the lion-man leader who had been starving for days.
This extraordinary deliciousness should have stimulated his taste buds even more in his hungry state.
Yet, he managed to restrain himself.
"No wonder he can be the biggest camp leader in this region." Chen Yu sighed inwardly, observing the lion-man leader's actions.
To endure what ordinary people cannot, to gain what ordinary people cannot.
It was clear that the lion-man leader before him was someone with his own life goals and pursuits, and possessed a faith as firm as a rock.
Such people were actually quite dangerous.
Fortunately, he had his Meteorite Guards standing by him like bodyguards. The lion-man leader could not threaten his safety, and from his attitude towards his wife and daughter, it was evident that he was a person who valued loyalty and affection.
"How does it taste?"
Having gained a general understanding of the lion-man leader in his heart, Chen Yu collected his thoughts and smiled faintly at the lion-man leader.
"Very delicious," the lion-man leader nodded noncommittally. "In my short life, no food has ever surpassed the roast on this table. I am very grateful to you for allowing me to enjoy such delicious meat before my death, making my life worthwhile."
"It seems you wish for death."
Chen Yu squinted and smiled, wiping his oily hands with a clean coarse linen cloth.
"From your demeanor and state, I can tell you are a beastman with a strong sense of pride," Chen Yu said with a smile, pointing at the lion-man leader's neat clothing and dust-free golden fur.
Being held in a dungeon, in such a dirty environment, yet he could maintain such tidiness.
This was already telling.
The other tribal leaders had long since lost their composure.
"This is also quite fitting for your lion-man nature," Chen Yu murmured softly. "A proud king, you are indeed worthy of the name."
"Heh..."
The lion-man leader let out a laugh, not one of mockery, but rather of self-deprecation.
"No matter how proud, I am now your prisoner. It's quite interesting, I've always been suspicious about whether you are truly an outsider."
"What do you mean?"
"We beastmen do not speak the language of the underground humans, and our language here should also differ from that of outsiders. Yet, you can communicate with us fluently in various languages." The lion-man leader smiled. "Even someone with exceptional linguistic talent could not learn the languages of all our tribes in just half a year. Are you truly an outsider, or are you using the identity of an outsider as a cover to lower people's guard and lure the reckless into a trap?"
Chen Yu raised his eyebrows and looked at the lion-man leader for a long time, a smile on his face.
Quite interesting.
He was the first native Chen Yu had encountered since entering the underground world who asked such a question. Those natives who were hostile to Chen Yu only shouted that he was an outsider but never noticed why Chen Yu spoke their languages.
However, Chen Yu had no intention of revealing the truth to the lion-man leader.
The matter of his contract with Hei Dou would absolutely not be known by anyone.
"That is not important," Chen Yu smiled and shook his head, changing the subject. "The fact that you could think of these things has greatly improved my impression of you."
"Impression?"
The lion-man leader frowned, Chen Yu shrugged noncommittally.
"Since we are to cooperate, who doesn't want a partner with a better impression? Mr. Lion-man, or rather, Mr. Tornos."