Chapter 52: Decision |
Opper could not help but instinctively consider this possibility.
It seemed the future Nemus proposed would be far brighter.
In contrast, the old pastor was nothing more than an obstinate, elderly madman trapped in his own past obsessions.
He would never negotiate terms or discuss benefits; he simply issued commands.
Whenever his experiments required materials, he demanded that Opper procure them at all costs. As for how they were obtained, the old pastor could not care less.
He would occasionally mutter that God would provide guidance.
Opper had risked his life, stumbling through dangerous transactions with cultists and carving out a place in the black market, yet all his grueling efforts were dismissed by the old pastor as mere divine guidance.
This had left a deep-seated resentment festering within Opper.
In comparison, whether it was Purr''s devout attitude toward Nemus or Downs''s insane leaps in strength recently...
"However, Lord Nels." At this moment, Opper''s form of address changed.
"There is still one glaring issue—the old pastor is too strong. His strength might far exceed your comprehension."
"If you cannot defeat him, all of this is nothing but empty talk."
"The old pastor possesses unimaginably formidable mental power. It is said he was once only a single step away from becoming a Golden Rank."
"I have faced his might before. Even with my mind, which is only a hair''s breadth away from reaching the Iron Rank, I was completely incapable of distinguishing reality from illusion before him."
"You can easily overpower us Black Iron Ranks, but when facing the old pastor, can you still win?" Opper questioned solemnly.
"If you cannot, then I will absolutely never betray him."
This was a matter tied directly to their lives. If Nemus could not instill enough confidence in him, Opper might as well make a desperate last-ditch effort right here and choose to flee.
He still had a few witchcraft artifacts on him. Relying on the regenerative abilities of his Nest Beast symbiosis, he might just be able to hold out long enough to reach the old pastor.
"Betrayal? You must be joking." Nemus''s response held no hesitation; on the contrary, a smile graced his face.
"You have been to Tail Fin Town many times, so you should know of the Whale Dung Beetle." Nemus then brought up the name of a specific creature.
"The Whale Dung Beetle spends its entire life transporting whale dung, absorbing the nutrients within it. They appear to grow massive because of this, but the dung balls they gather and store for their own metamorphosis are quickly confiscated by the Church, as whale dung is a highly regulated resource."
Without giving Opper a chance to answer, Nemus continued detailing the beetle''s nature.
"To maintain its enormous physique and prepare for its metamorphosis, the dung beetle has no choice but to risk falling off time and time again. It travels to the whale''s tail to collect more dung, then hauls it back to the relatively safe whaleback."
"It can only siphon a meager amount of nutrients during the transport process before its dung ball is taken away once more."
"A single Floating Whale is home to tens of thousands of Whale Dung Beetles, yet over the course of an entire year, perhaps only one lucky individual will evade the inspections and successfully complete its metamorphosis."
"The vast majority of dung beetles spend their entire lives failing to complete their three final molts and never become mature adults."
"Mr. Opper, do you believe you will be the one that successfully transforms?"
The analogy Nemus chose vividly illustrated Opper''s current predicament.
He braved immense risks to smuggle goods, only for the old pastor to snatch away the lion''s share of the profits.
Opper knew very well in his heart that if he continued down this path, he would eventually die.
Whether it was being executed by the Church for illegally mining whalehide ore, failing to secure suppressant potions after a botched deal with cultists—resulting in his internal Nest Beast going berserk—or simply being backstabbed and robbed during a transaction.
"Furthermore, although the prominent figures of the Church reap substantial profits from the whale dung, they have always despised its filth. They classify mature dung beetles as highly dangerous creatures, marking them for immediate extermination upon discovery."
Opper was merely the old pastor''s frontman. Even if the old pastor successfully completed his experiments, he would undoubtedly silence sinners like Opper to ensure his own absolution.
"Therefore, you never had a choice to begin with," Nemus ruthlessly exposed the truth Opper had been avoiding all along. "As for whether I can win?" Nemus chuckled, his smile brimming with absolute confidence.
"Come, sign the contract."
"Become my subordinate. Become my strength," Nemus declared as several contracts materialized out of thin air.
[Contracting Parties: Party A — Nael Dartmenly; Party B — (Pending)]
[Clause One: Party A, Nael Dartmenly, promises to guarantee the basic safety of Party B''s life and property.]
[Clause Two: Provided the situation does not guarantee certain death, Party B shall obey the reasonable commands of Party A and bears an obligation of loyalty to Party A.]
[Clause Three: Party A will provide Party B with a certain degree of professional guidance, plan for their advancement, or distribute reasonable financial benefits.]
[Clause Four: Party B must not disclose any intelligence or information related to Nels through spoken word, text, actions, hints, or any other methods.]
[Clause Five: This contract is solely a Loyalty Contract. It may be terminated if either party violates the terms, or upon mutual agreement.]
This was the allegiance contract drafted by Nemus, specifically designed to subjugate subordinates.
At this moment, Opper and his six remaining men each had a contract floating before them.
As for the others?
There was no one else left alive here.
Opper took a deep breath, glancing at the contract hovering in front of him before looking back at Nemus.
Meanwhile, the dual-wielding swordsman had already signed his name.
He had originally joined Opper''s caravan only because he could not defeat Arlo. Now, upon reading the third clause, he immediately knew that he was destined to serve Nemus.
After witnessing Nemus''s swordsmanship, he revered Nemus like a god!
"I..." Arlo was just about to speak.
"I will sign!" Opper''s loud declaration cut Arlo off. "Arlo, the rest of you, sign the contracts as well."
He knew exactly what Arlo wanted to say—that he would only ever swear loyalty to Opper alone.
However, Opper was also painfully aware that the moment these contracts were presented, neither he nor Arlo had any choices left.
Anyone with a shred of insight could see that Nemus was absolutely not the same Holy Knight Nels from before.
And his habitual use of binding contracts pointed to a very clear, horrifying conclusion—a demon.
As Opper and his subordinates signed their contracts, the suffocating tension in the air rapidly dissipated.
Nemus ordered Opper to tend to the halfling brothers'' wounds, lest they die right after signing their names.
As for Nemus himself, he turned his attention to the gains he had acquired from this latest endeavor.
After all, he had just secured seven contracts in a single stroke and granted absolution to seven individuals at once.
At this moment, all seven of them had become nourishment to elevate his Precepts.
Furthermore, perhaps because it was his first time fulfilling his Precepts on such a large scale simultaneously, a noticeable change occurred within them.
[Precept information updated]
[Please make a decision.]