The Natural Empire of the Oceanic Dragon

“Have someone go to the half-goat people and bring back the prepared food.”

Atilan gave the order, and the old fishman once again tremblingly waved his wooden staff towards the village.

“Come out, everyone, and get the rewards that the master has given us.”

A string of fishmen emerged from various hidden corners of the village, but Atilan could tell from their appearance that these were the warriors of the village, while the women and children were still hidden.

The scales of the leading fishman reflected white light in the sunlight. He was fully one meter and seventy centimeters tall, a veritable crane among chickens compared to the other fishmen. With him present, this fishman tribe was not completely without war potential.

Grilled fish, lizard and mushroom soup, blanched shrimp and crab, fish fillets fried with jam, honey-glazed stewed squid—these ingredients were commonly seen by the fishmen, but they had never imagined that these ingredients could be so delicious.

The strong fishman and the old fishman exchanged a glance. This dragon who recruited them today seemed different from the other dragons they had heard of. They had never heard of any dragon treating their followers so well.

Atilan chuckled softly, pointing at the half-goat person and saying:

“Meipu is the most outstanding chef under my command. These delicacies are all from his hands. You can send a fishman to learn cooking from him, and he will impart all his knowledge to you.”

“I said I wouldn’t mistreat you. As long as you listen to my orders, you can eat like this every day with just one year's worth of effort!”

“Everyone in the village will be able to eat until their bellies burst. I think you don’t want your children and elders to continue starving, do you?”

Atilan's words immediately silenced all the fishmen who were originally eating and drinking happily. Today was not only the best they had ever eaten, but also the fullest they had ever eaten.

One sentence silenced the fishmen. Atilan suddenly realized that the living standards of this group of fishmen might be worse than he had imagined. Even if he didn't bring out these delicacies, he could have just stood up and intimidated them, and the fishmen would have chosen to surrender.

The only two with combat power among this group of fishmen were the strong fishman and the old fishman. That's right, don't look at the old fishman's appearance like a candle in the wind, but faint water elements surrounded his body.

He should be a priest!

Priest is a status. The specific profession is Druid or Priest, depending on what the old fishman believes in.

“How many fishmen are there in the tribe now?”

Atilan directly looked at the old fishman and asked.

“Sixteen adult fishmen who can fight, twenty female fishmen, twenty-two children, and four elders. Does the master have any instructions?”

The old fishman looked at Atilan somewhat nervously.

“How many can work?”

“This… everyone can work. Master, just give the orders.”

“Let the others come out first and let me see.”

Seeing this group of sallow and emaciated fishmen, Atilan frowned. He had been busy for so long just to subdue fishmen of this level?

However, he saw Atilan laughing. Could this be laughing out of extreme anger? Atilan's evaluation in his heart rose another level.

“You can rest assured to cut down trees. I will bear the responsibility if something happens. I will communicate with the druid.”

The half-goat person didn't speak, just quietly watching Atilan act cool. The fishmen didn't know, but he knew very well that the master didn't prohibit felling trees, as long as it wasn't indiscriminate felling.

“Yes, Master.”

The old fishman sighed softly. He could only hope that Atilan could really withstand the pressure from the druid, or that the druid was wise and wouldn't vent his anger on them, these small fries.

[ ]

“Who are you a priest of? How much power do you have left?”

The old fishman immediately said seriously:

“I am a priest who believes in dragons. Because I lost the original dragon lord I believed in, most of my power has been lost. If I can believe in the master as the new dragon lord, my power should be able to gradually recover.”

Believe in dragons? Combining this with who is the most powerful dragon in the area where the fishman tribe is located, Atilan widened his eyes and asked:

“Who was your previous master?”

“It… it is…”

Seeing that the old fishman was reluctant to say it, Atilan coldly asked:

“Is it Sestus?!”

“Yes, due to a failed battle, the tribe, which was already greatly injured, was exiled by the dragon lord. The tribe, which lost the guidance of the priest and overseer, has since gradually declined and become a broken tribe with only a hundred people.”

The old fishman's words were full of desolation.

“I allow you to believe in me. Follow me, and your tribe will not only return to its former prosperity, but may even become a super tribe with a population of over ten thousand!”

Atilan's words were full of bewitchment. He didn't count as deceiving the old fishman either. Since they were the first force to join him, if possible, he would definitely strengthen their strength.

As for breaking through ten thousand people? That's completely impossible.

If he had the resources to support a fishman tribe of ten thousand people, wouldn't it be better to cultivate lizardmen and snakemen? Even if there are more fishmen, can they change the situation of the war?

If the fishmen were useful, would this fishman tribe be exiled?

Sestus is already a rare king on the continent, and he can't use the fishmen well, so can Atilan?

Atilan scratched his chin with his claws. It seemed like he really could!

Fishmen are not good at fighting, so don't let them fight.

The fishmen have strong reproductive power, and their excellent growth rate allows them to mature and provide labor in three to five years, and their not-low intelligence allows them to be competent in farming and breeding.

“The most recent task is to collect all the river mussels that produce pearls, and then build mussel farming fields along the lake according to this model. Remember, eating river mussels is not allowed in the future!”

“The requirements for the mussel field are like this…”

Atilan used his claws to draw the appearance of the mussel field on the ground, and also told the old fishman the size and water level of the mussel field, and the food and fertilizer that needed to be provided to the mussels.

“Understood.”

Sure enough, he was still thinking too much. In the eyes of the dragon, there is only treasure. He has learned to breed pearls. The dragon is really crazy about money!

“Master, there are some pearls in the village, which were obtained when collecting food over the years. I am willing to offer them all to the master!”

Hopefully, these pearls will allow this dragon to stop for a while.

Receiving the old fishman's instructions, a fishman turned around and entered a room, and walked out holding a mussel shell with a length of more than 50 centimeters, with pearls piled up like a small mountain in the shell.

The pearls exuded an alluring pink light in the sunlight, which instantly stimulated Atilan's greedy personality as a dragon collecting treasures. Fortunately, Atilan, who was walking the path of the druid, was illuminated by a cool green light and instantly regained his sanity.

Fortunately, the greed in the ocean dragon bloodline is not too heavy. Atilan put all the pearls into the storage space in the dragon's stomach. The dragon's stomach not only has terrifying digestive abilities, but can also temporarily store the dragon's treasures.

“That mussel field… does it still need to be built?”

“Continue, as for these pearls, I won’t take them for nothing. I will send you a batch of food as a reward in a while.”

“Thank you, merciful master.”

That being said, the old fishman never thought about what these pearls could be exchanged for.

“Collecting river mussels will consume manpower. You don’t need to worry about your food. I will send you some meat and fruits regularly. You must also pay attention to the mussel fields and river mussels I want.”

“Yes, Master, your subordinate will do his best.”

After speaking, he grabbed the half-goat person and flew into the air, deliberately not supervising the fishmen's work. He just wanted to see if this group of fishmen would disobey his orders.