Chapter 1135 - 609: Followers and Poison Mist

This move was cruel, but it was also a way of actively curbing racial degeneration.

As is well known, races with high fertility often have a high degeneration rate; goblins are a prime example.

If they do not receive bloodline enhancement, goblins grow weaker with each generation.

Kobolds and Jackal-Wolf People have a very simple way of resolving racial degeneration.

They carry out manual culling—the whelps that are kept are usually the ones with relatively stronger Constitution.

Over the long term, after generations of reproduction, the degeneration rate will not increase too much.

In fact, goblins also have similar behavior.

But their single-litter Quantity is actually not as exaggerated as that of Jackal-Wolf People and Kobolds.

So they need bloodline enhancement.

As long as there is enough food and living Space, after a few decades of breeding, they can develop into a massive Clan of Followers, just like those Dogman Miners Zong Shen subdued earlier.

As the large eggs hatched, the Kobold Quantity also steadily rose.

At the same time, new large eggs were being laid.

With Zong Shen providing food and security for the kobolds, they could reproduce to their hearts’ content.

So for these Followers who used to be under Xiaoheizi, Zong Shen did not intend to slaughter them.

Even if they weren’t good for much else, sending them to dig in the Mine was still a decent option.

By indirectly Commanding them through the Little Black Dragon, he wouldn’t need to occupy any Command Value.

Thinking of it this way, Dogman Chief Dutra and the Dogman Miners were somewhat not worth the Command they occupied, even though what they occupied was all Dutra’s own Command.

But in the long run, as the Dogman Tribe Quantity increased, things definitely couldn’t go on like that.

Zong Shen had to find a way to gain the allegiance of those Mine Dogmen through indirect Command.

Eagle and Flying Tiger were very good examples of this.

They had originally been leaders of their respective races; after being tamed by Zong Shen, those Griffins and Scorpion-tailed Tigers indirectly became Zong Shen’s Riding Beasts and War Pets.

Of course, it was worth mentioning that indirect Command was not as absolute as direct Command.

Once Eagle or Flying Tiger stayed away from their nests for too long, new leaders might arise among the other Griffins and Scorpion-tailed Tigers; furthermore, any order Zong Shen issued needed to be relayed through the leaders.

This was why Zong Shen took turns riding Eagle and Flying Tiger.

To perfectly save Command Value, a certain price had to be paid.

Precisely because of the various reasons regarding these subordinate Clans of Followers, Zong Shen did not counterattack.

He only relied on Evil’s Filth’s Traits to effectively defend against those attacks.

Seeing their attacks achieve nothing, the strikes coming from within the thin mist also ceased.

Before long, shapes of kobolds and Lizard People emerged from the fog.

Most of them were covered in wounds all over, and quite a few had lost limbs.

The total Quantity was about sixty to seventy heads.

At their forefront, Dragon Vein Dogman Chief Ulysses and Lizard People Commander Douglas Stone appeared at the very front of the formation.

These two were the heads of the Followers under the Little Black Dragon’s command.

Both their Tiers had reached Overlord Level.

Just now, they had personally taken action, leading their respective Clans in a fierce battle against the Lord who had barged into the Poisonous Mist Swamp.

This could be considered their home turf; the poison mist had no effect on them.

And they were long used to using the fog to obscure the enemy’s vision and launch sudden attacks.

Seeing their attacks fail, they instead halted their offensive.

They did not know what was happening outside.

To these kobolds and Lizard People, the Little Black Dragon was their master, their spiritual pillar.

Zong Shen silently examined these monstrous Followers who had fought a bloody battle.

Strictly speaking, they had already reached the point of fighting to the death without retreat.

Such courage was worthy of respect.

While Zong Shen was observing, the towering Dragon Vein Dogman Chief among the Red-Scaled Dogmen stepped forward.

Its face was stained with clotted blood, its body splattered with bits of flesh and bone shards, giving it a savage and terrifying appearance.

After taking a few steps forward, it still kept roughly a hundred meters of distance from Zong Shen.

It spoke in Continent Common Language.

"Human..."

"My lord shall return; you are seeking death on your own!"

Its voice was hoarse and rough, killing intent radiating from its whole body—this was an aura born only from brutal, bloody slaughter. Compared to this fellow, Dogman Chief Dutra in the Mine fell far short.

Those Mine Dogmen were also far from reaching the point of fighting to the death without retreat.

Though they were all kobolds, these Red-Scaled Dogmen were far more courageous and belligerent than the Burrow Dogmen.

Dragon Vein Dogman Chief Ulysses went through his customary Intimidation routine.

The bloody battle just now had made him feel a bone-deep contempt for Humans.

Even though the Human before him seemed somewhat unfathomable, able to perfectly block the previous attacks, this was the Poisonous Mist Swamp, the place they guarded. Besides, their master was a True Dragon.

A genuine Pure-blooded Black Dragon—whether in the swamp or in the dark forest, it was the absolute king!

However, after he issued his warning and Intimidation, that Human did not show the slightest hint of fear; he even revealed an interested smile.

Ulysses lifted his head to look at the Lizard People Commander, just about to attack the Human together.

Then he saw Zong Shen, who stood in place, lift his hand and take out a tattered cloth pouch, directly selecting the Little Black Dragon and pulling it from Storage Space.

A brief spatial fluctuation appeared, and the Little Black Dragon’s body, thirteen to fourteen meters long, manifested along with that ripple.