51: Does dying of starvation count as a death?

One hundred?!

Meat, vegetables, water, staple food, and salt—things you couldn't get in a whole day of chasing camels are now available in a hundred portions just by speaking a few words?!

"Quick, give them to me! Quickly give all those foods to me!!!"

The Vulture Chief shouted loudly, his eyes gleaming with excitement, wishing he could swap skills with Cheng Zhen.

Cheng Zhen responded, and soon, the people were surrounded by bowls of soup. Like nectar luring bees, it captivated everyone's minds.

The Vulture Chief abandoned his already limited restraint and, with lightning speed, grabbed several bowls. The others, constrained by their leader's status, dared not overstep, only staring longingly and swallowing their saliva.

The Vulture Chief once again performed his whale-like swallow method, and several bowls of noodles were emptied in response, making Cheng Zhen wonder if making someone burst from overeating counted as a kill.

Just as his belly grew rounder and rounder from eating, making Cheng Zhen worry if the other NPCs would seek revenge after the guy burst, the Vulture Chief finally stopped eating, looking at the remaining half bowl of soup noodles with an unfulfilled gaze, full of reluctance.

If he were asked what his biggest regret at that moment was, it would be eating too much dried meat that morning, leaving him only able to sigh at the remaining food.

"Burp... Not bad, I'm very satisfied!"

The Vulture Chief nodded slightly at Cheng Zhen and the others, afraid that too much movement would cause the food stuck in his throat to be spat out.

"It is my honor to receive your praise," Cheng Zhen continued his professional acting.

"I will show mercy and spare your lives."

The Vulture Chief's eyes darted slightly, and he asked, "You, of the Sand Fox Tribe, are you truly willing to submit to me? Are you willing to adopt our tribe's totem, abandon your past, and obey my commands?"

Cheng Zhen nodded vigorously: "Of course, we are willing. When can we join?"

The Vulture Chief looked at the Warriors behind Cheng Zhen: "Are these people behind you the remaining Warriors of your tribe?"

Cheng Zhen hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and sighed: "My tribe was defeated by the Giant Camel Tribe, and several people were captured. After I and the remaining Warriors fought our way out, we were fortunate enough to find you, and we do not know the situation of those captured tribesmen."

After hearing this, the Vulture Chief understood.

This kid was utterly defeated by others, and now he wants to join me and have me avenge him!

The Vulture Chief neither agreed nor refused, but simply took the opportunity to ask about the Giant Camel Tribe.

"Their leader's divine ability allows him to obtain tough, sharp weapons; I am truly no match for him," Cheng Zhen said with a helpless expression.

The Chief asked many more questions until Cheng Zhen could no longer answer, then he forced a smile:

"As long as you continue to provide me with food in the coming days, I will accept you into my tribe, and I can even defeat that Giant Camel leader and avenge you!"

"When I find the scepter and am crowned King, I will also hold an initiation ceremony for you all, and together we will become the rulers of this Desert!"

Cheng Zhen, having been fed a grand promise, gestured behind him, and A Kun Duo and the others immediately knelt on one knee, their faces full of gratitude, praising and thanking him loudly.

Afterward, the Vulture Chief had someone take Cheng Zhen and the others to a nearby tent to rest, while he kept some beef noodles for his own dinner, and distributed the rest to the tribe's Warriors.

The Warriors of the tribe who received the food naturally cheered with joy, and after tasting the unprecedented delicacy, they were utterly delighted.

"Leader, do you really agree to let the people of the Sand Fox Tribe join us?" the deputy cautiously asked. The Warriors who had just slurped their noodles also couldn't help but lean in, with unconcealed anticipation in their eyes.

The Vulture Chief said nothing, lowering his head to examine the empty, reflective bowl.

He actually really wanted to. After subjugating the Sand Fox Tribe, he could continuously receive an endless supply of food, which would undoubtedly be the best possible outcome for the entire tribe.

Unfortunately...

The Vulture Chief sighed inwardly and began giving orders to his subordinates.

The Viper Tribe, whom he had previously defeated, plus Cheng Zhen, meant two opponents had already been eliminated.

As long as the remaining ones didn't unite, they could be easily defeated.

And to ensure complete success, dealing with the Giant Camel Tribe, which was closest, was indeed a good option.

He could also trick the Sand Fox Tribe into serving him, killing multiple birds with one stone.

When the Vulture Chief explained his idea, it naturally drew praise from the other Warriors, making him even more arrogant.

Cheng Zhen and the others were assigned to a nearby tent. Perhaps because he showed a willingness to submit, or perhaps because their numbers were small, the Warriors of the Vulture Tribe did not show strong vigilance or caution, merely watching them from a distance.

"Leader, what should we do next?" A Kun Duo asked in a low voice.

"Just wait quietly. If there's an opportunity, steal some food to maintain your strength."

Cheng Zhen was very calm; as long as there wasn't an immediate kill, they were basically stable now.

That NPC Chief was quite easy to fool. As long as he could demonstrate his usefulness, he could approach him without being killed.

However, in the previous conversation, Cheng Zhen still noticed that the Vulture Chief was hiding something.

Taking Cheng Zhen himself as an example, after learning about the 'subjugation' setting in the instance, he unhesitatingly brought Old Xu and Jin Yu's tribes under his command, activating various functions on his attribute panel.

Although NPCs might not see the attribute panel, such a good thing as subjugating other tribes to increase one's combat power shouldn't be delayed until after the war, should it?

The Vulture Chief not immediately agreeing to Cheng Zhen, a heavy-weight food source, joining the tribe, and instead continuously giving him empty promises, already spoke volumes.

It's just unknown whether the Vulture Chief himself had issues, or if it was related to the instance's settings...

Cheng Zhen noted down all the strange points, but his face remained expressionless, still playing the role of an emotionless, automatic food-dispensing machine in front of the Vulture Chief.

The next day, the Vulture Chief once again ate and drank heartily, then intentionally or unintentionally brought up the Giant Camel Tribe.

Cheng Zhen hadn't expected this guy to act so quickly. He had thought it would take several more days to gain trust, but the other party's large appetite actually helped him.

The two disingenuous individuals were using each other until the Vulture Chief's scout returned, reporting that he had found the Giant Camel Tribe. Only then did Cheng Zhen relax and rub his face, which had been stiff from smiling.

Although it hadn't been long, it should be enough time for Old Xu and the others to prepare.

Now that the Vulture Tribe had decided to act, Cheng Zhen certainly couldn't just stand by and watch.

He carefully hid a small water skin in the lining of his jacket, to prevent damage or detection.

Cheng Zhen glanced in the Vulture Chief's direction again, a smile playing on his lips.

This stuff is worth tens of thousands per milliliter. You'd better be ready for this immense fortune!