NOVEL NEXT Chapter 140: We Are the Same Kind
The other three slaves were anxious, as they couldn't yet discern their new master's temperament and feared saying something wrong that might provoke her wrath.
A slave's life was worthless. If they angered their master, being flayed alive or dismembered wasn't uncommon - they had witnessed such atrocities firsthand.
Luo Wei returned to her inn room, secured the windows and doors, and drew a one-time transmission array on the floor. She crouched down, pressed her palm to the center of the array, and channeled her magical power into the mystical patterns.
The intricate magical patterns began illuminating from the center outward, like embedded flowing light strips. Once the central power source activated, the light flowed in all directions like water.
Perfect geometric shapes nested within each other, and golden light illuminated the small stone inn room.
Luo Wei's skin seemed to glow, and her floating black hair was tinged with a layer of golden radiance, making her appear like an elven queen bathing in a river of light.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. The transmission array required an enormous amount of magical power - each activation would drain all the magic from her body, requiring at least twenty-four hours to recover.
Two minutes later, all the magical lines of the transmission array finally lit up, and a damp wind swept through the room.
Within the light, Luo Wei's figure gradually blurred.
When the magical fluctuations reached the critical point, the girl transformed into a beam of light and vanished into the transmission array.
On Demon Island.
The transmission array carved into the basalt ground between the dense forests suddenly lit up.
A girl with black wings burst out of the array and soared into the sky.
Luo Wei oriented herself in the air, flapped her giant black wings, and flew southeast toward the forest.
The mercenaries were still cutting trees in the forest. Several crude tents made of branches were set up on the slope, with their clothes hanging on them.
These guys thought no one was around and had stripped down.
They were all bare-chested and sweating profusely in the woods, panting heavily. Anyone who didn't know better might think they were up to something indecent.
Luo Wei landed on a tree and critically observed them for a while.
She had to admit, despite their sweaty appearance and scruffy beards, their muscular physiques were quite attractive.
The abs and V-lines that men in her previous life had desperately pursued but failed to achieve were standard features for these mercenaries - swordsmen all had excellent builds.
After monitoring their work for a while and seeing no one slacking off, Luo Wei left the area.
Peeping at others was impolite after all, and men had their dignity too. She needed to respect that.
Luo Wei subconsciously forgot about her own improper behavior just now. She flew to a secluded spot and casually caught an undead who was playing with his skull, sending him to fetch Patrick.
The drafted undead clutched his skull and vanished in a flash.
Soon, Patrick, wearing a black mage's cloak with two blue flames burning in his eye sockets, floated over.
[Master, what are your orders?]
Patrick bowed with his hand on his chest, his skeletal fingers long and elegant against his ribcage.
"Patrick, were you a nobleman in life?" Luo Wei asked curiously.
Patrick bowed: [I apologize Master, but I've forgotten my past life.]
"Very well," Luo Wei didn't pursue the matter. "In some time, another group of about seventy people will come to the island. Find a way to keep them here."
[As you command, my Master.]
"There's a formidable character among them. If you can't detain him, let it be. Ensure your own safety first."
"Also, I notice the undead on the island are too idle, still having time to play ball. Assign them some work - if they're done digging graves, have them help build wooden houses."
"The mercenaries work during the day, so have the undead take the night shift. We'll implement a rotation system."
Patrick listened silently before bowing again.
[Yes, Master.]
Strange, Luo Wei thought, why did she detect a hint of weariness in Patrick's voice?
However, she didn't dwell on it. After arranging their tasks, she returned to the basalt stone with the carved magical patterns and transported back to the inn in Santanle City.
Estimating that Troy would return soon, she quickly scraped off the marks on the floor with a small knife and sprinkled some water on the spot with a damp cloth.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Now no one would notice.
After finishing all this, Luo Wei opened the windows to air out the room and leaned against the windowsill to watch the street below.
Troy happened to be walking up from another street with the four slaves. Sensing someone watching him, he looked up alertly.
Seeing it was Luo Wei, he relaxed his grip on his sword and quickened his pace toward the inn.
Luo Wei watched his figure disappear below, then turned and opened the door.
Soon after, Troy appeared at her doorway.
"Did you tell them to bathe and change clothes? My servants must be clean and tidy."
Troy nodded: "Yes, the inn servants are heating water. It'll take a while."
Luo Wei nodded and sat by the window: "Can you tell Zachary's magic level?"
Troy frowned: "I'm not sure. The magical fluctuations from him are very subtle."
Luo Wei tapped her fingers on the windowsill: "This slave merchant is no ordinary person."
Troy agreed: "I sensed killing intent from him."
That kind of murderous aura from someone who had waded through rivers of blood - he had only felt it before from the margraves of the Kingdom of Yate.
"We'll stay in the city for a few days before leaving," Luo Wei said after some thought. "Let's see what they do next."
Troy: "Are you worried they'll take the money and not deliver?"
"No, he wouldn't dare," Luo Wei said. "He must realize my identity isn't just that of a noble lady. His deliberate provocation was meant to test me."
"We are the same kind."
"Same kind?" Troy frowned, not understanding her meaning. "What kind?"
"Troy, have you ever met a slave merchant unwilling to sell slaves?"
Troy thought carefully before slowly shaking his head: "I don't think so."
The slave trade wasn't big in the central Western Plains market, but it flourished in some southern countries like the Kingdom of Yate.
In the south, a strong northern slave could fetch the high price of ten gold coins, but that depended on their teeth and strength.
Slaves like the ones today wouldn't be accepted even if given away for free.
Northern merchants would transport slaves to the wealthy southern kingdoms, where many lords had vast estates and the local serfs weren't enough, so they would buy slaves for farming.
Slave merchants had partnerships with many nobles and were always polite to nobility. How could they show attitude to customers?
Troy had never seen a slave merchant like Zachary Bunian who demanded sky-high prices while being so unpleasant.
"Could he be something other than a slave trader, with a different identity?" Troy had a rare moment of insight.
"More or less," Luo Wei's gaze was profound. "Haven't you noticed that most of today's slaves were women? Though there were fewer male captives to begin with, this ratio seems off."
"He's a merchant. How could a merchant exchange for so many unsellable people?"
"Most importantly, he was unwilling to sell the slaves to me."
Running a slave trading business but unwilling to sell slaves - what did he want to do with them?
Putting herself in his shoes, Luo Wei could only conclude they were the same type of person.
Zachary had the same thoughts as her - he also wanted to train troops with slaves. As for what the troops were for, she didn't know.
Perhaps he wanted to conquer territory, or maybe unify the tundra.
Wait, Luo Wei suddenly realized she had missed the obvious answer right in front of her.
Zachary was a redhead.
And among those slaves, there wasn't a single redhead.
Notably, redheads were most common in the North, yet there were none here - where had he taken them?
A slave trader protecting redheads - could he be a leader of some northern resistance force?
"He might be..." Luo Wei was about to speak but quickly realized she couldn't tell Troy this.
She feared Troy might get caught up in the passion and defect, joining Zachary to fight for redheads' rights.
"This Zachary probably wants to unify the North," Luo Wei sneakily smeared his reputation. "Look at how greedy he is. He must think he hasn't made enough money and wants to become king of the North to exploit innocent civilians."
Troy's expression turned serious: "What should we do then? Should we take back the money?"
"No need. He'll return the money to me," Luo Wei's eyes flashed with cunning "And if I'm not mistaken, he should be a Mystical Smith."
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