Episode 221: Persuading King Neptune to Defy the Celestial Dragons

After all, Mu Chen's words were shockingly bold. Everyone knew the Celestial Dragons, as the world's nobility, were practically its masters.

Otohime took a deep breath. Mu Chen's words had frightened her too, though she recovered faster than King Neptune.

"What should we do, then?" she asked.

Otohime knew Mu Chen was right, but the problem seemed impossible to solve.

Mu Chen calmly began, "Have Fisher Tiger join the Seven Warlords of the Sea, then use their influence to protect Fish-Man Island."

King Neptune and Otohime understood that much.

Mu Chen continued, "And I know you want all Fish-Men to live beneath the sun, Otohime. But as long as the Celestial Dragons are around, you can't live on the surface. Think about it. Fish-Men live ten thousand meters below the sea, behind a natural barrier. You're also the Celestial Dragons' favorite slaves. They won't risk coming down here themselves; they can pay slave traders to capture you. Why take the risk when money will do the job?"

"But if Fish-Men move to the surface, that barrier is gone. The Celestial Dragons won't be the only ones after you. Pirates and criminals will be too. You'll be far easier to catch up there. Going to the surface would be a death sentence."

As Mu Chen explained, King Neptune and Otohime understood. They weren't fools; what he described was likely to happen. They knew Fish-Man slaves fetched high prices. Only a few people came to Fish-Man Island to capture them because the risk of dying at sea was so high. But if Fish-Men went to the surface, they hardly dared imagine the result. It wasn't just the Celestial Dragons; slavery itself was the problem. For now, living on the surface was out of the question.

Mu Chen's last words crushed Otohime's dream