Jungle Corp – CEO on Death Island

Chapter 6

 

Kael's stone axe shot forward, aiming right at the center of Zane's forehead. Time seemed to slow down, but strangely, the young boss didn't blink or show any intention of dodging at all.

CRACK!

A wooden spear suddenly lashed out at the axe handle from the side with insane force. Kael's axe was instantly deflected, lodging deep into the trunk of a banyan tree, just a handspan away from Zane's ear.

Xara landed smoothly right in front of her husband. The fierce woman breathed heavily. Her gaze locked onto Kael, as if ready to skin the tribal chief alive.

"How dare you touch my Husband?!" Xara roared.

Without waiting for a signal, Xara immediately lunged forward. Her movements were far too fast for a normal human. She leaped, landing her knee squarely on Kael's broad chest.

Crash!

The most feared giant man on the entire island was instantly sent flying backward until he crashed into the wooden barricade. Before Kael could even recover his senses, the tip of Xara's spear was already pressed right against his jugular. Fresh blood began to trickle from a thin scratch there.

"Move even a little, and I'll make your head a decoration for my hut's door," Xara threatened coldly.

Behind them, the rest of the enemy forces were completely wiped out. Some were crying and rolling around in the boar feces trench, others were screaming enduring the swelling from bee stings, and the rest were blinded by the chili dust. This wasn't a war; this was purely a one-sided massacre.

Zane dusted off his already tattered suit. He walked casually past the barricade, approaching Kael who was being held at spear-point by his wife.

"Xara, lower your spear," Zane ordered casually. "A dead asset has no value. Let him live."

Xara clicked her tongue in annoyance, but she pulled her spear back a little. "He wanted to kill you, my Husband. The law of the jungle says the loser must die."

"We don't use the law of the jungle anymore. We use corporate law," Zane replied.

Zane squatted in front of Kael. His eyes stared coldly at the barbarian man's face, which was covered in red paint. His aura truly resembled a CEO cornering the boss of a rival company that was on the verge of bankruptcy.

"Kael, Chief of the Blood Skull Tribe," Zane greeted condescendingly. "How many of your men are left at your base?"

Kael spat on the ground, glaring at Zane full of hatred. "I refuse to bow to a coward hiding behind dirty traps and a woman's backside! Just kill me!"

"It's a simple question, Kael. How many of your men are left?" Zane repeated, his voice remaining flat, not provoked by emotion in the slightest. "Answer, or I'll order Grok to bury your troops in that trench alive using wet dirt. Let them rot slowly."

Kael swallowed hard. His eyes glanced at the trench where his elite warriors were groaning in pain. His pride was utterly shattered, trampled by the cunning of the city man in front of him.

"Three hundred," Kael answered hoarsely. "Two hundred fighters, one hundred women and children."

Zane smiled faintly. "Good. Starting this second, I am officially acquiring the Blood Skull Tribe. You are now my subsidiary company. We're changing the name to Jungle Corp."

Kael frowned in confusion. "Subsid-what? What language are you babbling in, huh?!"

"It means, from now on, you work for me," Zane explained firmly. "All your hunted meat, yam fields, and weapons belong to me. In exchange, I'll provide the antidote for your troops who were hit by the bee venom and boar feces infection. I will also teach you how to preserve meat so your tribe won't have to starve anymore during the rainy season."

Kael was rendered speechless. Doubt was clearly visible in his eyes. "You... aren't going to kill us? You want to feed us?"

"Killing you is a waste of a potential workforce. Your physiques are strong. If you die, who's going to do the hard labor for me?" Zane stood up, then looked back. "Hey, Intern! Bring your writing tools here!"

Avery jogged over from the direction of the cave. She had tied up her white designer dress to her knees so it wouldn't get in the way of her walking. In her hands were a wide banana leaf and a piece of charcoal.

"Y-yes, Mr. Mercer?" Avery responded nervously, standing behind Zane.

"Draft the employment contract right now," Zane ordered. "First Party, Zane Mercer, CEO of Jungle Corp. Second Party, Kael, Head of the Security Division. Clause one: absolute loyalty without conditions. Clause two: one hundred percent asset merger. Write it all in capital letters."

Avery gaped. "You... are telling me to draft a corporate acquisition contract... on a banana leaf? Using charcoal?!"

"Just write it, Avery. Stop complaining," Zane cut in sharply.

Avery hurriedly scribbled on the banana leaf with the charcoal. Her business brain literally got chills seeing Zane's behavior, conquering a brutal cannibal clan purely using a Wall Street mafia style.

After she finished writing, Zane took the banana leaf and threw it right in Kael's face.

"Put your thumbprint right there," Zane ordered, pointing at the scratch on Kael's neck with his chin. "Use your own blood. Make this an official, lifelong contract."

Kael stared at the banana leaf, then looked at his troops who were near death. Having no other choice, Kael pressed his thumb against the wound on his neck, then stamped his blood hard onto the banana leaf.

"Perfect. The merger process is complete." Zane clapped his hands once. "Avery! Bring your medical team to the front. Treat the warriors who fell in the trench. Xylok, prepare the bee antidote concoction! Grok, you supervise all of them. If anyone dares to try anything funny, break their legs!"

"Ready, Mr. Boss!" Grok and Xylok replied in unison.

The village square instantly turned into a makeshift hospital. Avery swiftly organized the village women to bring hot water and clean cloths. She separated the patients based on severe and minor injuries, exactly like a professional hospital manager. Her business education proved to be entirely useful after all.

Xara, who had been observing the whole time, suddenly approached Avery.

Avery immediately stiffened. Her hands squeezed the hem of her dirty dress, bracing herself in case her boss's barbarian wife had another fit of jealousy.

But unexpectedly, Xara actually patted Avery's shoulder hard enough that the city girl almost face-planted.

"Not bad at all, Skinny Bones!" Xara praised while laughing in satisfaction. "I thought you were just a crybaby ornament. Turns out you're great at organizing people. Starting now, you are no longer my servant. You are my little sister!"

Avery blinked in confusion. "L-little sister?"

"That's right! If anyone dares to touch a single hair on your head, I'll tear their mouth open!" Xara asserted while patting her own chest.

Zane, who was watching them from afar, could only massage his temples. Crap, Zane thought. The two most troublesome women on this island just formed an alliance. This is going to be a management disaster in the future.

Zane was just about to return to his hut to lie down, when suddenly Grok came running frantically from the direction of the coastal cliffs. The cannibal giant's face looked panicked mixed with confusion.

"Mr. Boss! Mr. Boss!" Grok shouted, panting heavily.

"What now? Is another tribe attacking?" Zane asked, starting to get tired.

"No, Mr. Boss! Out at sea!" Grok pointed toward the cliffs with his trembling hand. "There's a giant white iron monster floating in the water! That monster just puked a thick iron chain into the sea, and then let out a super loud trumpet sound!"

Zane fell silent. His eyes immediately narrowed sharply. A giant iron monster. A chain. A trumpet sound.

That wasn't a monster. That was a luxury yacht dropping its anchor.

Before Zane's brain could fully process that information, a barrage of automatic machine gun fire erupted from the direction of the beach, tearing through the afternoon silence on the Island of Death.

RATATATATATA!

Zane clenched his fists tightly. Modern people had just landed on his island. And his instincts were screaming loudly that they didn't come here to hand out charity.