His Breeding Obsession Chapter 158 - Milgram

An hour later, the warehouse, now filled with many people, was eerily quiet compared to the number of individuals present.

 

About twenty members of the gang, known as Gangchi, were kneeling with their hands and feet bound, while the school’s members stood in front of them, arms crossed, setting the tone.

 

The resistance, including Wigenia and Horus who had joined after finishing their tasks, were deeply troubled over how to deal with the Gangchi gang.

 

“We’re not here to judge you for causing such trouble among yourselves. But right now, the higher-ups can’t reform these ruffians. Hakan is putting all his efforts into capturing the leader. It’s a time when we need to be extremely cautious.”

 

Horus glared at Gangchi with a stern face.

 

As the atmosphere turned sour, Gangchi’s face twisted into a menacing scowl.

 

“You bastards… Do you think you’ll get away with whatever you do to us?”

 

“What makes you think we won’t?”

 

Minella sneered. Gangchi forced a smirk on his thick lips.

 

“We’re under the orders of a high-ranking official, Hakan’s aide. You know how terrifying Hakan is, don’t you? It seems you’re not just slave traders or like us. If the imperial palace finds out you have other motives, it won’t bode well for you.”

 

At his sly words, the faces of Wigenia and the others hardened.

 

Minella’s gaze turned venomous.

 

“Kill them.”

 

“…”

 

“Keeping them alive will only cause harm. Killing them would be clean and simple. If we kill them all, the imperial palace won’t easily catch our trail, and we can move our base.” 

 

“But… killing them all won’t gain public sympathy and won’t help solve the problem.”

 

Wigenia cast a dissenting vote.

 

“It’s better to eliminate future troubles.”

 

“You’re suggesting we kill all these people?”

 

Opinions were split in half.

 

As time passed without a unified decision, the atmosphere grew somewhat chaotic.

 

Gangchi, feeling sidelined, subtly twisted his wrists. The old rope was slowly fraying. Mirania furrowed one eyebrow.

 

“Let me ask you something. Did your gang really do all this just under orders from above?”

 

Gangchi, who had been quietly waiting for a chance to counter, flinched.

 

“Are, are you talking to me?”

 

“As foolish as you are big.”

 

Seeing her shake her head, Gangchi strangely shrank back, his face contorted.

 

“Y-Yes. You know how much the beastmen leaders love enslaving humans. If we don’t send young humans, we can’t survive in this area. If we don’t follow orders, we could end up like those who were cast out and executed! Some are eyeing my position, waiting for a chance to take it! This is an era of territorial disputes. If you don’t kill, crush, and climb over others, you become prey in this survival of the fittest!”

 

As he spoke, the gang leader’s emotions flared, his bulging eyes turning red with intensity.

 

“So you turn innocent children into slaves?”

 

Truke shot back with a hardened expression.

 

“Why should I, a beastman, feel sorry for humans? I wonder what you’d do if our positions were reversed. You humans, who once enslaved beastmen without a second thought, have no right to lecture us!”

 

The gang leader glared back at Truke, refusing to back down.

 

“It’s not like we wanted to do this either.”

 

A bear beastman, who had been kicked down by Kanit earlier, cautiously chimed in from the gang leader’s left side.

 

“Even if we tried to farm ourselves, the crops die before they bear fruit. I was originally a beastman from the mountains. I’ve never farmed before and don’t even know how. Ever since I left my homeland following the leader, I’ve regretted it every day! Now that I’ve been abandoned by the leader, this is the only way I know how to survive.”

 

“Isn’t it just easier for you to live like this?”

 

Mirania clicked her tongue, and the bear beastman, who had been pleading his case, fell silent.

 

“We only hunted humans. Just like we did in the mountains.”

 

A lynx beastman with protruding whiskers defended himself in a sharp voice.

 

“If there had been another way, I would have taken it. All I know is how to hunt, but the mountains ravaged by wildfires can no longer sustain beasts. I couldn’t let my pack starve, so I had no choice but to prey on the weak.”

 

Other beastmen from the feline family chimed in one after another.

 

“It’s an era where the weak are weeded out.”

 

“Who can judge us for our actions?”

 

“What about the humans in the past? They oppressed us, enslaved us, and tormented us. Now that we treat them like slaves, can they really hold us accountable?”

 

“Call it a territorial dispute if you must. It’s better than treating us like vile villains. It’s disgusting.”

 

“The weak being devoured is the law of nature.”

 

“Survival of the fittest, only the strong survive!”

 

The beastmen erupted in a clamor. Before the school’s teachers could react to their defense, the children, who had been crouching and watching cautiously, widened their eyes in anger.

 

“Stop talking nonsense! When have we ever enslaved you? I’ve only ever been enslaved by you my entire life!”

 

One child shouted resentfully, and the others, who had been grinding their teeth, began hurling curses as if they had been waiting for this moment.

 

“You think it’s easier for us? You bastards! Do you know how many people are starving because of you?”

 

“My mom and dad were sold off as slaves too.”

 

“It’s all your fault!”

 

“Don’t blame us. Being weak isn’t our fault, but that doesn’t mean what you’ve done is right.”

 

The children, who had been trembling just moments ago, now seethed with rage as if they were ready to throw punches.

 

The gang members were taken aback by the tense atmosphere.

 

“The resentment between you runs deep.”

 

Mirania removed her stifling mask. Her silver hair, freed from the mask, fluttered and scattered in the air. Everyone’s gaze was drawn to her hair, which shimmered under the candlelight.

 

Her sharp jawline, well-defined features, and pale skin exuded a harmonious yet otherworldly mystique.

 

Mirania walked forward with a leisurely expression, as if strolling through a park. Everyone’s eyes followed her.

 

The gang members, seeing her face for the first time, blinked in stunned silence.

 

Grecan frowned. He didn’t like Mirania stepping into such a dangerous situation. He wrapped an arm around her and glared at the men staring at her.

 

“What are you doing? Let me go.”

 

“No.”

 

Grecan’s grip tightened around her waist, and Mirania, unable to do anything about it, left him be and fixed her gaze on the gang members.

 

A habitual click of her tongue escaped her lips.

 

“Seeing this, I suppose it’s no different elsewhere. Scoundrels like you must be swarming everywhere. We can’t possibly kill every single one of them, so it’s better to find a fair solution that benefits everyone.”

 

Her words were like a stream of water dousing a fire.

 

Truke and the gang leader, who had been sparking with tension, turned their attention to Mirania.

 

“Then what should we do…”

 

Minella, who had inadvertently opened her mouth, trailed off when she realized she was seeking advice from Mirania.

 

Horus voiced a differing opinion.

 

“It’s not as easy as you make it sound. If we let them go without killing them, information about us will leak to the imperial palace. We can’t take that risk.”

 

“So you’re really going to kill them all?”

 

At Mirania’s cynical gaze, Horus swallowed hard.

 

“But if we leave them like this, they’ll continue their human trafficking, and more people will suffer. We have to stop that.”

 

“Isn’t your ideology supposed to be against violence?”

 

Mirania’s golden eyes turned cold.

 

“Are you saying you’ll kill all the beastmen?”

 

Horus furrowed one eye.

 

“…That’s not what I meant.”

 

“Then you’re saying you’ll let them live.”

 

Mirania’s gaze, now summarized in a single line, turned back to the gang members.

 

“You all.”

 

“Y-Yes?”

 

“You need to change too.”

 

The bewildered gang leader made a dumbfounded expression. The bear beastman nudged him with his shoulder, snapping him out of it, and he scowled fiercely.

 

“Why should we?”

 

“Do you plan to keep living like this?”

 

At the tone of disdain, wrinkles formed on the gang leader’s forehead.

 

“There’s no order, and food is scarce. We have no choice but to fight every day.”

 

“…”

 

“If you don’t want to kill each other, you’ll have to come together.”

 

Seeing their discontented faces, Mirania raised the corner of her eye.

 

“If you don’t like that, will you choose a different path?”

 

Clang—

 

Grecan drew his sword. Horus, who had his sword suddenly taken from his waist, looked at Grecan with a baffled expression.

 

“Ack!”

 

In any case, Grecan’s threat was undeniably effective. The gang members, trembling under the fierce aura emanating from the blade, scrambled backward, shaking uncontrollably.

 

With Grecan’s timely action, Mirania could speak more comfortably.

 

“In a world of disorder, it’s almost inevitable that people like you emerge. Survival of the fittest isn’t inherently bad, but are you all satisfied with merely surviving? When the banner of survival of the fittest dominates, sentient beings become overly sensitive. They lose the ability to feel happiness.”

 

“…”

 

“In the past, not just humans but beastmen also enjoyed singing. They loved the melodies of instruments and the sound of songs. It wasn’t just about eating and drinking to survive—they savored the joy of leisure, enjoying food and drink with happiness.”

 

Her voice, gentle like a flowing stream, made someone bite their lip.

 

“I didn’t want to live like a savage, either! I just wanted to live comfortably like humans… Maybe the past was better! At least back then, the greenery was lush, and finding food wasn’t so hard!”

 

At the booming voice of the bear beastman, the lynx beastman sneered.