Chapter 362: The Penguins’ Awakening

Wu Qingsong had assumed that the penguins who mingled with the seal sailors were probably just commoners. But when Bilus clumsily led them over by torchlight, Wu Qingsong realized they were actually from the aristocratic class—tall penguins with vibrant feather crests atop their heads.

He even suspected that one of them looked familiar, as if he had seen him before in Queen Gale’s palace. However, since the penguins rarely spoke and all looked almost identical, Wu Qingsong hadn’t bothered remembering their faces.

“Honorable Lord Tagraedi.” The leading penguin glanced at Mia, who remained at a distance, then waddled forward and bowed. “How may we be of service to you?”

This surprised Wu Qingsong. The penguin’s common tongue was oddly accented—not spoken from the throat like a beastman’s, but rather mimicked with a technique that made it sound sharp and clipped. But if one listened closely, it was perfectly understandable.

“What a pleasant surprise,” Wu Qingsong said. “Pardon me, but have we met before?”

“My lord, I was present in the royal court, though merely as an observer,” the penguin responded in his peculiar voice. “I heard your teachings the very first time you came to Gale Island years ago.”

“So it was you.” Wu Qingsong nodded. 

He now recalled a penguin from back then who had secretly observed him while he spoke. That must have been this very one.

“His Highness Orange is our penguin king!” An older penguin lowered his voice and added, “When you first visited, he was still a prince. But the previous king passed away two years ago.”

“Prince Orange?” Wu Qingsong repeated, then nodded and offered a polite bow. 

But that name—he had to admit—was quite ridiculous.

“Lord Tagraedi…” Bilus said awkwardly. “Back then, they asked us to give them continental names, so we just picked food and fruit names at random. We had no idea they were royalty.”

“I like this name,” the penguin king said. “I’m very curious about the world beyond Gale Island. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to visit the mainland and taste all the foods Bilus has told me about, especially oranges.”

His enthusiasm made Wu Qingsong chuckle. This kind of adventurous spirit and curiosity gave him a good impression of the penguin king.

“Not yet,” Wu Qingsong said. “But one day, definitely. And the next time I return, I’ll be sure to bring you some oranges and other treats.”

“Then I’ll look forward to it.” Orange bowed his head slightly.

“Lord Tagraedi, I think I should take my leave now,” Mia finally said.

She understood that part of her duty was to supervise Wu Qingsong’s actions on the island, but this situation made her deeply uncomfortable.

To the birdfolk of Gale Island, Wu Qingsong was nothing short of a savior. Five years ago, he had annihilated most of the Murlocs competing for their survival, taught them how to cultivate fruit trees, and ushered in a brief era of prosperity—until the Sea Draconians returned with even more Murlocs.

Now, he was once again fighting for the birdfolk’s future.

At least for Mia, her gratitude toward Wu Qingsong made her hesitate, torn between her duty to Queen Gale and her personal admiration for him. 

And she belonged to the privileged priesthood—the most secure and comfortable class on the island.

For the Penguins, who had spent years braving the sea’s dangers just to fish, the contrast was undoubtedly even starker.

She couldn’t accept Wu Qingsong’s aggressive push for his god, but at the same time, she couldn’t ignore everything he had done for Gale Island.

It was obvious now—he no longer trusted the harpy matriarchs. He was turning to the Penguins as his new allies. That realization filled Mia with sorrow and disappointment, yet, strangely, also with relief.

“No need,” Wu Qingsong said. “Mia, you and Orange know each other well. It’s best if we all talk together.”

Bilus built a bonfire on the beach, and they all settled in for a long conversation.

Though they chatted about various topics, everyone knew this wasn’t just idle talk.

The penguins subtly expressed their desire to align with Wu Qingsong, while he carefully observed them, occasionally shifting the discussion to better understand their perspectives and intentions. Mia, torn between frustration and resignation, chose to remain silent.

Wu Qingsong was quite pleased with Orange’s personality. He was intelligent, eager to learn, and brimming with curiosity. His knowledge of common tongue was nearly as fluent as Mia’s, and he grasped new concepts quickly.

The only downside? He lacked physical strength—even among penguins, he wasn’t a particularly strong warrior.

If only he were female, Wu Qingsong thought. Then at least he might have had a chance to awaken his abilities.

Still, if the Penguins became devout followers of Xuanyuan, he wouldn’t mind equipping them with firearms and cannons. With such weapons, they wouldn’t need to fight the Murlocs with their bare bodies ever again.

“Will Xuanyuan truly protect us penguins and grant us power?” 

After sharing grilled fish and warming up to each other, Orange finally voiced the most pressing concern for his people.

“I believe He will protect the penguins, just as He protects us all,” Wu Qingsong replied. “But whether one receives His power depends on two things, devout faith and a worthy talent. Both are essential.”

“Talent?” Several penguins visibly deflated.

How could they compare to the harpies and the eaglefolk in terms of innate abilities? If that was the requirement, what hope did the Penguins have?

“It’s not the kind of talent you’re thinking of,” Wu Qingsong clarified. “Orange, you’ve seen Kelly, haven’t you? If you didn’t know she had that power, would you have thought she was special?”

Orange shook his head.

Penguins were already short, but micefolk were even smaller and looked even weaker. If such a feeble race could have talent, why would the penguins be excluded?

He quickly spoke with the other penguins, and their expressions eased slightly.

“You may possess talents even you aren’t aware of,” Wu Qingsong said. “Or perhaps not. But I don’t think that matters, because Xuanyuan grants us far more than just power.”

With Morin absent and the three mousekin priests not yet trusted by the penguins, Wu Qingsong had no choice but to go into full persuasion mode.

“Wisdom, knowledge, courage, perseverance, these are the true forces that make a race strong,” he said.

Orange eagerly nodded. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly stood up, his voice solemn.

“I wish to become a follower of Xuanyuan, Lord Tagraedi. What must I do? Please guide me!”

“We all wish to follow Xuanyuan! Please help us!” The other penguins around the fire echoed his words after a brief silence.