Yuan Hong was just an Outer Sect Disciple with mediocre talent, who usually could only gain a pathetic sense of superiority by bullying these labor slaves.
True Disciple, high above!
An existence holding the power of life and death, just one casual word could decide his fate.
He had to serve carefully and absolutely could not offend him.
Wang Fan's gaze swept over Yuan Hong, then fell upon the labor slaves behind him who were silent with fear and whose eyes darted away, finally resting on Yuan Hong's fawning face.
"I want to buy five labor slaves."
"Buy?"
Yuan Hong was taken aback for a moment, then reacted, quickly waving his hand, his smile becoming even brighter.
"Senior Brother is joking! What is your status?"
"How can a few mere labor slaves make you spend!"
"Whichever one Senior Brother takes a fancy to, just take them directly! Just consider it a filial offering from this Senior Brother to you!"
He secretly calculated in his heart, these labor slaves were originally worthless, no one cared whether they lived or died, using a few useless people to gain the favor of a True Disciple Senior Brother, this deal was simply too cost-effective!
If he could establish a connection because of this, perhaps he could even receive some care in the future.
Wang Fan looked at him, sizing him up and down.
"Alright."
A favor?
Yuan Hong thought he had given a favor.
But these five people, from the moment they were sold to the True Devil Sect, had already lost the qualification to be considered "people".
They were commodities, resources, items that could be consumed at any time.
Using "items" that already belonged to the Sect to exchange for a favor from him?
Wang Fan sneered in his heart.
Within the Devil Sect, there was only exchange of interests, where could one speak of favors?
What Yuan Hong called a "favor" was nothing more than his wishful thinking.
Wang Fan accepting this "gift" was not accepting a favor, but simply because it maximized his current interests.
The hundred Spirit Stones saved could be used elsewhere.
As for whether he would need to "return" this favor in the future... that would depend on whether Yuan Hong had the value, and whether he had the life to wait until that day.
There was no refusal, no politeness, not even the slightest indication.
Just like that... he agreed?
The smile on Yuan Hong's face froze again.
Although his words just now had the intention of flattering, it was more of a superficial politeness.
According to common sense, the other party should at least politely decline or symbolically give some Spirit Stones.
How could he just agree directly like this?
This... this True Disciple Senior Brother, seems to not play by the rules!
After a brief moment of shock, what surged in Yuan Hong's heart was ecstasy!
He agreed!
He actually really agreed!
Didn't this mean that this True Disciple Senior Brother had accepted his favor?
A favor from a True Disciple!
Even if it was just a trivial bit, it was enough for him, an Outer Sect Disciple, to benefit endlessly!
"It's nothing! It's nothing!" Yuan Hong was so excited he was a bit incoherent, and quickly bowed to lead the way, "Senior Brother, please come this way! Feel free to pick! Feel free to choose! Whichever one you take a fancy to, just say the word, and this Senior Brother will immediately handle the procedures for you!"
The look he gave Wang Fan at this moment was no longer just awe, but also a kind of fanatical worship.
Wang Fan paid no attention to his excitement and stepped towards the group of cowering labor slaves.
His gaze slowly swept over faces that were dirty, numb, and full of fear.
The oldest of these children were no more than fifteen or sixteen, and the youngest were even only six or seven.
They might have once had parents and a home, but now, they were just the lowest "consumables" of the True Devil Sect, "spirit slaves" who could be sacrificed or utilized at any time.
Wang Fan's gaze held no pity whatsoever.
He was not a savior, nor was he interested in being one.
He came here only to select suitable "tools".
His gaze finally stopped in a corner.
There, a girl lowered her head, curled up in the shadows.
Her long hair loosely covered most of her face, and she wore the same tattered and dirty clothes as the other labor slaves, laboriously sifting through a pile of low-grade Ore mixed with dirt.
Her movements were slow, her fingers slender; although covered in grime, their original fairness could still be faintly discerned.
She kept her head down, silent, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her; only the smooth forehead and straight nose occasionally revealed beneath her messy hair vaguely outlined a beautiful profile.
Even in such a filthy environment, and even wearing such tattered clothes, she still exuded an inexplicable aura that was out of place with her surroundings.
"Her." Wang Fan extended his finger, pointing to that corner.
Yuan Hong looked in the direction of Wang Fan's finger and was slightly startled.
He had some impression of that girl; it seemed she had just been sent here a few months ago.
She was usually silent and not very efficient at work, but her strength was that she never caused trouble and never resisted, like a soulless puppet.
However, since it was someone a True Disciple Senior Brother had taken a fancy to, let alone a not-very-useful labor slave, even if it was Yuan Hong's life he wanted, he would have to offer it with both hands!
"Yes! Yes!" Yuan Hong quickly bowed and scraped, and shouted sternly towards that corner, "Hey, you! Did you hear? True Disciple Senior Brother has taken a fancy to you, hurry and get over here!"
The girl's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and she slowly raised her head.
Beneath her messy black hair was a face stained with mud, yet its delicate beauty was hard to conceal.
Her eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, her nose like jade, her lips like cherries; only her complexion was terrifyingly pale, and her eyes were empty, without any radiance.
She looked at Wang Fan, then at the fierce-looking Yuan Hong, without any expression.
Silently putting down the Ore in her hands, she stood up, stumbled over, lowered her head, and stood before Wang Fan, like a walking corpse waiting for judgment.
Wang Fan's gaze lingered on her face for an instant, without the slightest ripple.
Beauty?
In a place like this, beauty often meant misery.
Choosing her was not because of her appearance, but because of the unusual silence about her.
Compared to those labor slaves who were either numb or fearful, this silence was more like a disguise, a dormancy.
Perhaps, there was more value in utilizing her.
"Four more," Wang Fan shifted his gaze and said indifferently.
"Yes! Senior Brother, please continue choosing! Feel free to pick!" Yuan Hong rubbed his hands, his face full of smiles.
Wang Fan's gaze swept over the crowd again.
This time, he did not spend too much time.
What he needed were "tools", "consumables" that could execute orders and had a certain amount of physical strength.
He quickly pointed to three youths and one girl in the crowd.
The three youths all looked to be about fifteen years old, their figures relatively sturdy; although they were also sallow and emaciated, their wildness or unwillingness had not been completely wiped out.
When they were pointed out, their bodies clearly stiffened.
And the girl who was pointed out was also around fifteen years old, with a good appearance, a slender figure, bright eyes, and a stubborn streak.
When she was chosen, she panicked for a moment, but quickly calmed down, merely biting her lip tightly.
Three boys and two girls, five youths around the age of fifteen, stood before Wang Fan.
They lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at this True Disciple who would decide their fate, their bodies trembling constantly from nervousness.
"Senior Brother, have you finished choosing?" Yuan Hong leaned forward and asked cautiously.
Wang Fan nodded.
"Alright!" Yuan Hong immediately perked up, turned around, and shouted at the five chosen labor slaves, "You five! From today onwards, you belong to this True Disciple Senior Brother! Hurry and kowtow to thank Senior Brother for his grace!"
Upon hearing this, the five youths had varied expressions on their faces.
The beautiful girl who was chosen first remained expressionless, merely slowly kneeling down.
The other three youths and the one girl appeared somewhat hesitant and bewildered, but under Yuan Hong's fierce gaze, they could only follow suit and kneel down.
"Thank... Thank you, Senior Brother..."
Fear, unease.
Jumping from one fire pit into another unknown abyss.
Wang Fan looked at the five people kneeling before him, his expression unchanged.
"Procedures." Wang Fan said concisely.
"Yes, yes, yes! This Senior Brother will go do it right away!"
Yuan Hong, as if he had received a royal decree, scurried towards a dilapidated wooden hut nearby, which was the management office for the labor slave area.
A moment later.
Yuan Hong ran back holding five black wooden plaques. Numbers were engraved on the plaques using simple runes, representing that the ownership of these five labor slaves had been transferred.
"Senior Brother, these are their slave contract plaques, please keep them safe." Yuan Hong respectfully handed the five wooden plaques to Wang Fan, "From now on, their lives and deaths are entirely up to Senior Brother's whim."
Wang Fan took the five cold wooden plaques; they felt heavy in his hand, and a trace of spiritual sense imprint remained on them.
As long as he wished, he could control the lives and deaths of these five people at any time through these slave contract plaques.