Du Lan 2

Luckily Du Lan had started this process as Xiao Fan was now thinking about his actions with evident frustration.

Finally, when he made everything work inside his head, he thought that he was in the wrong. Spending most of your life in prison would make one a little cuckoo and that he was a valid example of this.

Xiao Fan understanding this almost felt like opening another door of thought that being one of the social interactions with other humans and beings.

Living in prison, he had taken everything as a number as he didn't know any better, for an example the deal he made with Cao Cao was to further his cultivation and even converting of others was a mere task.

And on Du Lan's case, the only thought about her was that someone who could outrun and trick himself was a profitable talent worth training that would then be used later, without taking consideration her thoughts about anything.

When he stopped thinking he turned again to face Du Lan and with a confused face asked ¨Then what should I do with them?¨ If his plan was wrong, he genuinely didn't know what to do with them anymore.

¨What would a person who wants loyalty from a group he has conquered?¨ She asked him back, wanting to hear his thoughts about doing so.

¨One should give them something better than they had before, so they would realise that I'm a better ruler?¨ He proposed in a hesitant tone like one replying to a question one didn't know what the real answer was.

¨Why would you give them more if they already lived in content with the last terms they had been given?¨ His answer was right and wrong. A mediocre ruler would give them more to make them like him, but that wasn't profitable.

Xiao Fan thought about her words before giving another reply ¨One should give their old rights back? Then you wouldn't be losing power that you didn't need to lose¨ He answered in a more confident voice.

¨Yes, if we just let them keep their things or give them the same as the Monkey tribe gives, they should be more than happy enough¨

¨Their sovereign might have changed, but if they keep their everyday life, most of them will be content¨

¨Remember if one gives them less than they had before will they be unloyal and an always wavering in support, and if one gives them more than your people had before will those groups become angry and thoughts that you had left them will start to fester amongst your old supporters¨ She lectured.

Xiao Fan felt she was in the right ¨But I can't give them these terms. In the end, Uruk will decide about such things¨

Xiao Fan saw how she was in the right, but he couldn't make such a big decision with his current power, and if he would do so would he at least anger Uruk, as he would take it as going against him being the true leader and power player.

And even if his campaign had been successful, it didn't really matter when the opponent didn't need to think about someone criticising his decision. Xiao Fan could still be killed by Uruk any day without nobody saying anything about it.

Du Lan chuckled a bit before giving an obvious thing he could do ¨But you can promise them that you will talk good things about them to Uruk if they act nicely. If Uruk doesn't want them, you don't lose anything, and if he takes them, they will be grateful towards you¨

¨As you had given them favourable words, maybe they would even think you as a saviour who had been only listening to Uruks order to destroy them, and you had been the one to save them from that fate¨

Hearing this he became ecstatic¨Ah, that's such a good idea as if I do like you told we can only go even or win¨ He hadn't thought about this at all.

¨Better be grateful towards me, or I will just run away with my sister when we meet again¨ She wanted him to think that she would leave him if he didn't appreciate her helping him.

And it did work with Xiao Fan, who had now realised he would need her help in social thinking, adding into that before this, he had already comprehended that living with her was much better than spending time alone.

So he quickly gave what she wanted.

¨Of course I appreciate your work and will hope for your help in the future as well¨ While then quickly walking down from a rampart they had been talking on towards the front of the line of gorillas.

Leaving Du Lan with a smile, watching how much did he get of her idea.

Walking in front of the line Xiao Fan shouted in the monkey language that was somewhat the same as gorilla ¨STOP!¨

His roar stopped every monkey and gorilla even if they were in the middle of taking a step to listen to the voice speaking.

Now that he had the undived attention, Xiao Fan took few steps to the side so every gorilla could see and hear him even if they were behind others.

¨Im Xiao Fan, the appointed leader of this campaign, and as you might have realised the Lion tribe neighbouring you has already been crushed by my order¨

¨And you also had the same order to be destroyed, but I have made another interpretation to that order. This has allowed you to live this long¨

He paused for a moment.

¨And if you will act nicely and come with us to the Monkey tribe, I will talk about you becoming part of Monkey tribe¨

¨So if you listen to what I have said you all can figure out that coming with us without resistance will be better for both of us than any other choice you have for now¨

His speech didn't talk against Uruk as in Uruk's opinion, there would never be prisoner, so there was no policy for them.

While also giving them the impression that Du Lan had spoken about to Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan presented himself to be the saviour of these gorillas, and if they hated someone, it should be Uruk and not him.

For a moment no gorilla said anything back to him, but before long one gorilla spoke back to him from the long line.

¨How can be listening to you make our situation any better? Aren't you the one who orchestrated everything that had happened here?¨

To his somewhat lacking argument, Xiao Fan came forward to the gorilla who questioned him. This was his moment to make a point.

¨Who I'm I?¨

¨Xiao Fan the appointed leader of these monkeys?¨

¨See you said it yourself I'm an appointed one; the appointed one so I still get my order from somewhere else and who else right now can help you other than me?¨

¨... Then how can you help us?¨ The gorilla hadn't first listened with too much attention, but realising that he was an appointed leader and not the de facto leader did make him somewhat interested.

¨I can, of course, talk good about the Gorilla tribe to the real leader. If in exchange you all act nicely¨ Xiao Fan emphasised the ¨if¨ in his speech

The gorilla who he had been talking with thought for a moment before making a decision ¨Then as the person who should be the leader of Gorilla tribe now after my father's death I will hope that you will help my tribe, and in exchange, every gorilla here will comply with your orders¨

The gorilla who he had been talking was the Gorilla tribes chief's son who should after his father's death be the next chief laid down his resistance for the help of Xiao Fan had promised.

Other gorillas seeing their chief order them to act nicely did so. They accepted this because unlike most other tribes, the Gorilla tribe was a little more honorary and would listen to a leader even if he had lost all of his power.

¨Then as a show of my sincerity in this¨ He turned to face the monkeys around him

¨I order that no gorilla needs to be bound anymore. So you will release their arms and feet¨ He then himself undid the gorilla who he had been talking to from any rope bounding him.

After which he walked back to Du Lan without saying anything more to his prisoner, meanwhile the gorillas who were unbound didn't start another fight with their captors.

¨Well how did go?¨ He asked while he came walking next to her who had been watching him the whole time from the same position he had left moments ago.

Du Lan showed a pleasing face to him ¨Good enough, but there were problems in it¨

¨What there was still mistakes in all that?¨ He thought it was an excellent performance and he had gotten everything he wanted from them, so what more could even be done?

¨For example you could have told them they could keep their belongings and carry them with them and second you could have used the gorilla ¨chief¨ as an ally, for he is still a strong mutant and will be a spiritual leader for all gorillas¨

She spoke about his flaws, before complimenting him a little.

¨You were doing good in some parts, yet there were holes and room for improvment¨ She told him the perfect plan in all of this, but for now, it was enough she thought.

She had gotten what she wanted anyway.

Xiao Fan nodded ¨Seems that I still have a lot to learn¨ Meanwhile he started to wonder where Cao Cao had been all this time? The benevolent god had been missing this whole campaign so far.

But Cao Cao not showing up and leaving was a thing he knew would happen, he was still a god, a person who must have other things to do.

This was of course right as Cao Cao was doing his stuff, but he had shown up around once or twice a day, yet he had done so in a way that Xiao Fan couldn't see him.

This was to harden Xiao Fan while also letting Du Lan help him with other things as there was no reason or fun to give Xiao Fan everything served on a platter.

Back to the realm where Xiao Fan was he had already travelled two days back with the gorillas not showing any sizeable resistance; only a few of them had gone crazy due to losing their loved ones in the battle.

Those who had done so were cut down either by monkeys guarding them or by the gorillas themselves since some of them saw those people as lost and wanted to hang out to Xiao Fan's promise to help them, so these people needed to go.

So all in all they had come back with a few hundred people more than they had left with.

When they were nearing the cave, Xiao Fan made the group stop and went inside the cave alone to inform Uruk about their return.

He found Uruk inside his cave where he had also started to train; a thing he hadn't done for years now, as he couldn't improve before Xiao Fan opening new ways for him.

So when the only human member of his tribe came to him, Uruk was little confused as he had thought he would take much more time at least a week more before coming back.

But this wasn't a bad thing ¨Xiao Fan why have you come back so early¨ As he still happily greeted and asked him. Even he had come to like Xiao Fan somewhat as he had found feeling his strength improving with his teachings.

¨Greetings chief Uruk. The two tribes have disappeared, and we are victorious!¨ He reported with a smile.

¨Thats good then and how much did it cost us?¨ He became happier, but before hearing the number of casualties, he didn't dare to be truly happy yet.

¨That is up to you choose, as I have brought back hundreds of gorillas from the Gorilla tribe, who are now waiting for your decision outside the cave¨