195 Say Something! (2/2)

Wang Baole was shocked by the discovery. He trembled and quickly steered the cruiser out of the way, but it was too late. The Diamond Ape caught up with him and bared its teeth, sending its palm flying towards the cruiser.

There was a loud boom, and Wang Baole cried out—he felt the heavens spinning. With great difficulty, he steered the cruiser into avoiding the Diamond Ape's second attack, landed, and climbed out of the cruiser hastily. He raised his head toward the sky and glared furiously.

In mid-air, the Diamond Ape's face split into a wider grin. It seemed even more contemptuous than before. The ape thudded his chest mockingly before strutting off.

Wang Baole's breathing quickened as he watched the ape depart, and he gnashed his teeth angrily.

This isn't an error of judgment on my part. It must be because of the cheap monkey's strange preferences. That must be it! Wang Baole glanced at the ape puppet beside him viciously. He kept the puppet and charged back to his cave abode, into the smelting furnace room, and began a series of modifications to the ape puppet's physical appearance.

A day later, the modifications were completed. That round, Wang Baole had focused his modifications on the puppet's body. He had contemplated the Diamond Ape's physical prowess and guessed that its taste went towards the more strongly built. As such, the modified ape puppet had an immensely muscular form.

The modification seemed to have an effect. The Diamond Ape clearly spared a few glances at the puppet. However, it eventually still charged towards Wang Baole's cruiser. The force it used to knock the cruiser away though, seemed slightly weaker.

It's effective! Wang Baole became excited. He continued the modification. After a few rounds, he finally had a full understanding of the Diamond Ape's taste. He created an ape puppet that had small eyes, thick lips, and a muscular body that was covered in mud-yellow fur.

When the ape puppet appeared, the effect was immediate. The Diamond Ape, which a moment earlier had been racing towards Wang Baole, was instantly captivated. Its body seemed to quiver, and its breathing grew heavier. The Diamond Ape tore its eyes away from Wang Baole in an instant. Wang Baole could feel the fire burning in the ape's eyes as it stared at the ape puppet.

Hook, line, and sinker! Wang Baole watched as the Diamond Ape raced towards his ape puppet. He hurriedly sent the puppet away into the distance. However, its speed was too slow, and it was soon caught up by the Diamond Ape. The ape grabbed the puppet with a swipe of its arms and flew hastily back to its cave abode…

That shameless monkey. You're going to have a taste of what it feels like to fall from heaven straight into depths of hell! Wang Baole said spitefully. He returned to his cave abode, did some simple math on the time that had passed, then immediately triggered the self-destructive mechanism.

Moments passed after the mechanism was activated. A bellow, filled with shock and brimming with a rage that came from an unfulfilled satisfaction, rang out from the Beast Taming Pavilion and resounded through the air.

Wang Baole cheered up at hearing that sound.

”You puny shameless monkey, how's that for a thrill? For a surprise? This is only the beginning. You'll soon learn—the greatest suffering is loving something that is beyond one's reach!” At that moment, Wang Baole felt like a great philosopher; every word that fell out of his mouth was deep and philosophical.

His plan was divided into three steps. The first step was to attract the Diamond Ape and bait it successfully. The second step was to allow it to possess the puppet for a brief period of time, and allow it to develop an addiction. The third and final step…

The third step was to take away whatever fleeting moment the Diamond Ape earned!

Such a strategy—”you giveth, then you taketh away”—was what Wang Baole had prepared for the Diamond Ape.

It might not work as well on other people, but against a beast, Wang Baole was confident of its success.

Satisfied and pleased, he immediately went to the smelting furnace room and refined an identical ape puppet. The next day, he brought the puppet out.

The exact thing that had taken place previously happened again. The ape puppet was quickly snatched away by the Diamond Ape. That was swiftly followed by the puppet's self-destruction and the furious and crazed howls of the ape.

Wang Baole considered the reaction from the Beast Taming Pavilion and hence didn't attempt it too many times. After three times, he stopped bringing the ape puppet out. Instead, he waited in his cave abode.

Finally, one morning many days later… a red-eyed Diamond Ape appeared outside Wang Baole's cave abode. It let out a roar at the cave abode.

The feeling of having discovered an extremely fun toy only to have it gone after a few rounds of playing with it left the Diamond Ape feeling an emptiness in its heart. At that moment, it howled outside Wang Baole's cave abode, hitting the stone walls as if shouting for Wang Baole to come out…

Inside the cave abode, Wang Baole lifted his head high proudly. He straightened out his clothes slowly, then opened the door by a tiny slit. Through the slit, one eye looked out and saw the raging Diamond Ape standing outside.

”What are you hollering about? I can't understand a word. If you have something to say, just say it!”

”Roar…” The Diamond Ape saw Wang Baole's eyes through the slit and thundered immediately.

”Can't understand a single thing. Why don't you just say something?” Wang Baole coughed.

”Roar!”

”Holler all you like. Are you going to say a word? If not, I'm going back to sleep!” Wang Baole glared and sealed the narrow opening shut…