Chapter 361: With the Current, Against the Current

Mia seemed deep in thought, but Wu Qingsong had no intention of offering her any reassurance.

It wasn’t time for that yet.

The harpy matriarchs’ reaction was not unexpected. As the privileged class holding both spiritual and political power over the Gale Kingdom, they would never easily relinquish the religious authority they had monopolized for over a thousand years.

Wu Qingsong’s actions were essentially asking them to hand over the cake they had been feasting on alone for centuries. If he were in their position, his first instinct would be the same.

But they no longer had a choice.

This wasn’t the northern wasteland. The harsh, cramped land of Gale Island was under constant survival pressure but didn’t have to hide from the Elves’ overwhelming might. Wu Qingsong believed that after suffering under the relentless threats and oppression of the Sea Tribes, the birdfolk—especially the harpies and penguinkind, who held little stake in the current religious order—would naturally develop a deep yearning for supernatural power.

The harpy matriarchs were few in number, and it was clear that they were incapable of solving Gale Island’s problems. If Wu Qingsong had never arrived, the birdfolk might have reluctantly accepted their fate. But because of his intervention and repeated victories, the matriarchs had already lost their moral justification to monopolize power. Their eventual compromise was inevitable.

If they refused, Wu Qingsong wouldn’t even have to act against them—the people themselves would make their own choice.

And what about the younger generation, like Mia?

They had yet to taste the pleasure of exclusive authority. Would their hunger for power push them toward embracing Xuanyuan’s faith?

Wu Qingsong wouldn’t reject any possibility, even if their initial motivations were driven by ambition or self-interest. As long as Xuanyuan could grant them what they desired, their faith would eventually become real.

If Queen Gale and her ministers and priests made a rational decision to embrace Xuanyuan’s Church, he wouldn’t mind letting them take the largest share of the new power structure. He was even willing to let them retain most of their current authority.

But if they wanted his help while refusing to accept reality, then he would simply step back and let them be swept aside.

The greatest obstacle to the spread of Xuanyuan’s faith on Gale Island wasn’t the harpy matriarchs’ resistance. It was whether Boulder’s method worked on birdfolk, or to put it more politely, on avian races. However, based on his observations, Wu Qingsong believed that birdfolk and beastfolk shared many common traits. He remained optimistic.

After an uncomfortable night’s rest in a harpy nest, Wu Qingsong resumed his previous day’s strategy at dawn. This time, however, instead of a hastily woven basket, his transport was Ling’s airship. Compared to yesterday’s crude setup, the airship was vastly superior in comfort, agility, and durability.

The battle played out almost identically to the day before. With the help of Harpy scouts, they avoided deep waters and Sea Draconian patrols, targeting a vulnerable area with a surprise attack. Wu Qingsong rapidly built up an undead army.

The Sea Draconians, having learned from the previous day’s engagement, stayed in groups of at least five. While this strategy prevented Wu Qingsong from picking them off individually, it also left more openings elsewhere.

The harpies, soaring high above, quickly spotted these gaps and relayed the information. This allowed Wu Qingsong to launch multiple successful ambushes, amass more undead soldiers, and retreat before the Sea Draconians could arrive. He then moved to exploit the next weak point, continuing to expand his undead army.

The Sea Draconians attempted another attack on Gale Island, but with the penguins withdrawn to the island’s interior, they couldn’t inflict any damage. Meanwhile, Wu Qingsong used the distraction to slaughter even more Murlocs, further bolstering his forces.

By the end of the day, Wu Qingsong had assembled an undead army of over three thousand—every one of them former elite Murlocs. The only regret was that this particular Sea Tribe settlement lacked the giant octopuses and colossal mantis shrimp he had encountered before; the largest creatures available were merely sharkfolk.

With the harpies’ help, Wu Qingsong led his undead forces back to the shallows of Gale Island’s bay, bypassing the Sea Draconians’ blockade.

This shallow bay was a place where the Sea Draconians couldn’t easily hide. If they dared to enter, Wu Qingsong would be more than happy to give them a warm welcome—with no chance of escape.

For the Sea Draconians, this was undoubtedly a devastating blow. But in a way, it was just as crushing for Gale Island’s rulers.

Wu Qingsong had reminded them, in no uncertain terms, of what had happened before. More importantly, he made it clear that the person offering them a proposal was not someone they could manipulate or refuse—he was a force far more terrifying than the Sea Tribes.

Meanwhile, after a day’s operations, many Harpy warriors gathered to offer Wu Qingsong a formal salute before dispersing. It was their way of expressing gratitude, but also a subtle form of pressure on the Harpy Matriarchs.

“They still haven’t responded,” Ling murmured as night fell, glancing toward the darkened Queen’s Palace.

“Abandoning tradition and pride isn’t easy. What’s even harder is giving up power,” Wu Qingsong said. “I’m willing to give them time to discuss and consider. But if we drive out or destroy the Sea Draconians and they still refuse to decide, then there’s nothing more I can do. We’ll simply have to find new partners.”

He didn’t lower his voice—he wanted Mia to hear every word.

“Have you learned to understand their language yet?” Wu Qingsong asked Aifre.

The old walrus captain chuckled awkwardly before he could answer. Instead, a young seal sailor eagerly spoke up.

“Boss, we can’t really mimic their chirping, but after spending so much time on this island, we’ve learned to understand them. We’ve been fishing with the Penguins for a while, and they’ve figured out our hand signals and basic words too. We can get by in casual conversation, but if it’s something complicated, it’s a bit of a struggle.”

“What’s your name?”

“Bilus, sir!” The young seal nearly burst with excitement.

Could this be it? The moment where Lord Tagreedy recognizes my talents? A chance to rise to greatness and seize my destiny?!

“Bilus, where are the penguins you know? Bring them here, I want to talk to them.”

“No problem!” The seal practically bounced away on all fours.

Wu Qingsong turned to Aifre, who gave him a sheepish smile and a resigned shrug.

“Bah, I’m getting old. My brain’s not as sharp as it used to be. I never really bothered learning much from the birdfolk.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you behind.” Wu Qingsong reassured him. “What do you think of Bilus? Is he worth training?”

“Kid’s got potential,” the old walrus said with the wisdom of a man eager to throw someone else into the fire instead of himself. “I was even considering making him second mate back in the day. If we hadn’t wrecked in that storm and ended up stranded here, he might already be a first mate or a bosun by now.”

Wu Qingsong shook his head, choosing not to continue the conversation.