The entire Demon Eye Ghost City had turned into a massive Shura Field, with the Undead dying constantly. Those who wanted to rebel couldn't even touch their opponent before their souls perished completely. If they tried to run, there were pursuers behind them, and Zhang Menglong's Immortal Execution Array blocked them ahead, rendering their cries for help futile.

"Zhang Menglong, do you really intend to utterly annihilate us?" The body of the Demon Eye Ghost King was trembling, half with anger and half with fear.

"Not necessarily," Zhang Menglong said with a smile. "Living people are always more valuable than dead ones, and living ghosts are more valuable than dead ghosts. If you consider working for me, I might spare you."

Zhang Menglong had his own considerations. Even if he harvested all they had, he would at most get a hundred billion Soul Cores, and that would be a one-time deal.

But if he gave them a way out and let them continue mining Soul Cores, he would have a continuous income from them. Wouldn't that be a sustainable development path?

"I'm damn sure I'm a business genius!" Zhang Menglong slapped his thigh and voiced his thoughts directly.

"What do you want?" Hearing a slight chance for change, those Ghost Kings breathed a sigh of relief. Better a bad life than dying. As the Undead with a second chance at life, they cherished their existence far more than ordinary people.

"How many Soul Cores can each of your Ghost Cities mine in a year?" Zhang Menglong asked.

"Soul Cores are located in very unique places in this world, and each vein doesn't have much reserve. The mining difficulty is huge. My Demon Eye Ghost City only mines one or two hundred million a year at most."

"We're about the same."

"You must be kidding me!" Zhang Menglong signaled his teacher Imhotep with his eyes, and a few Grim Reaper guards sharpened their blades, approaching the Ghost King. "Over a hundred million a year, even if you use ninety percent, you should still be able to save a few tens of millions annually. In a hundred years, that's several billion. Your Ghost City must have been here for tens of thousands of years, right? Do you think my math is that bad?"

Those Ghost Kings shivered. They had seen how terrifying this bald-headed man could be. He could casually summon countless sand monsters, which were invincible and naturally restrained the Undead. The aura of Undead on him was ten times more terrifying than even theirs!

"We... we dare not deceive you!" A Ghost King almost got weak at the knees, "In normal conditions, we could indeed accumulate several Soul Cores, but out of what we mine yearly, we must offer twenty percent to Lord Feng Yan. Even if we are frugal, saving hundreds of thousands each year is no small feat."

"Oh?" Zhang Menglong's eyes lit up. With 108 Ghost Cities, even at 10 million a year per city, that's a billion a year. In tens of thousands of years, wouldn't that accumulate tens of trillions of Soul Cores?

This Ghost Emperor is indeed a fat sheep!

"Alright, I understand," Zhang Menglong said. "I'm a reasonable person and I know better than to push people too far. I will only take ninety percent of the Soul Cores you mine each year!"

"???

The faces of all the Ghost Kings instantly wore the Mask of Pain. What happened to being reasonable? What happened to not pushing people too far? The Ghost Emperor only wanted ten percent, but you want ninety? You're already cutting them off from future generations with this!

"But... what about Lord Feng Yan's share..."

"Don't worry about his share. I'll have a friendly exchange with him." Zhang Menglong didn't regard that Ghost Emperor at all.

"This..." They certainly knew what Zhang Menglong meant by "friendly exchange." "But sir, taking ninety percent really is too much..."

"Let me ask you a question," Zhang Menglong said. "What do you need these Souls and their Cores for? To become stronger, right?"

The Ghost Kings nodded.

"And why become stronger? For a better life. Think about it, in this world, you already have eternal life, only the form of life is a bit different. Everyone's got something to eat, drink, and entertainment. Life is so happy, why yearn for anything else?"

"Well..."

Although Zhang Menglong's words were clearly brainwashing, they couldn't find any fault. What he said made a lot of sense!

"Doesn't thinking this way open your eyes?" Zhang Menglong smiled, "Society is intense because some people engage intensely, but if everyone takes it easy, it wouldn't be intense anymore. Everyone can relax, lie flat, and enjoy life, wouldn't that be great?"

"But sir, these Soul Cores are our currency here, if..."

"It's just currency; you can change it," Zhang Menglong said, pulling out a stack of bills for them. "From now on, this will be your currency."

"What?" As they took a look, it was a 100 billion denomination paper note, the series of zeros on the back made their eyes blur, and at the center were the words "Heaven and Earth Bank." "You're already dead. You should use something appropriate for the dead, and this fits you perfectly."

"Alright, you have ten seconds to think about it!" Zhang Menglong began the countdown. "When time is up, I'll spiritually send you away!"

"Ten, nine, eight, three..."

"Damn!" The Ghost Kings cursed Zhang Menglong in their hearts. Where were the promised ten seconds?

"I am willing to surrender..."

"Me too."

As expected, all thirteen Ghost Kings chose to submit.

"Stop!" Zhang Menglong commanded, and all the teachers stopped the killing and returned to his side. "Thank you, teachers, for your hard work. Please take a rest!"

"Oh, it's so boring."

"It was only a few minutes; I didn't get to fully enjoy myself."

"Hahaha, Kakarot, you lost! I, Supa Bejita, am the strongest Saiyan Prince!"

...

"No one shall resist!" Zhang Menglong pulled from himself a precious pagoda, which projected beams of light, leaving a mark on each of the Ghost Kings.

This was a Soul Mark designed to restrain ghosts. Once activated, the Ghost Kings would be instantly obliterated.

The Ghost Kings also realized they would never escape Zhang Menglong's control in this lifetime, and from now on, they were destined to be laborers.

"This city is now mine," Zhang Menglong said. "I plan to build a horror-themed super escape room here. You don't mind, do you, Demon Eye?"

Demon Eye wanted to say something but held back, remembering his life was in Zhang Menglong's hands. How could he dare to have any objections?

After all, this Ghost City was nearly destroyed, and he was now left alone. If it's gone, it's gone.

"Don't be so down, Little Eye," Zhang Menglong patted Demon Eye's shoulder. "Follow me and work hard. Once I take down that Ghost Emperor, you will be the boss of his city!"

Demon Eye's eyes lit up instantly!

What a good thing!

Zhang Menglong seemed intent on making him the next Ghost Emperor! Isn't that better than hanging around in some small Ghost City, waiting to die?

"Zhang..."

"Call me Boss!" Zhang Menglong exclaimed.

"Boss, I'm afraid Lord Feng Yan will soon learn about the happenings here," Demon Eye said. "He's a mighty being, and almost nothing in the World of the Dead escapes his sight."

"We've already received his message. In five days, he will bring his army of the Undead to capture all who betrayed him!"

"Oh?" Zhang Menglong laughed, "Since he's delivering himself to me, it saves me the trouble of finding him. Ghost Emperor, is it? I'll make sure his army comes and never returns!"