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The slave market is a common term everyone uses.
The place where Renji and his companion have just arrived at is known as Systhela. This tongue-twisting name originates from the Orcish language. It’s said to commemorate the alliance of various races, including the demi-humans, under the leadership of the Emperor Ashen. Together, they vanquished the Miasma Abyss, ending the source of desolation and stopping the terrifying natural disasters from ravaging the world. This brought new life to the scarred earth, a glorious era worth remembering.
Unfortunately, after the reformation three hundred years ago, Orcish was completely eradicated. The demi-humans weren’t even allowed to speak their own language and had to learn Ashen Empire Language instead. Over time, the true meaning of “Systhela” was forgotten, leaving it as just a historical name.
Only a few who have lived from five hundred years ago might understand the meaning of this Orcish term.
It mean ‘When the Stars Shine Brightly’? .
….
…..
Renji, stepping off the carriage, looks up at the large sign of “Systhela” Below it lies a huge underground flea market. Unlike normal flea markets that sell second-hand items, this place sells slaves.
“Sir, would you like to take a look at these newly acquired werewolves? Our mercenaries specifically captured them from a newly-formed tribe. They’re fresh breeds, top-quality, and excellent for guarding and protecting your home!”
“Rare deer-species! And they’re still juveniles, captured before they turned three! Such an excellent investment product. Don’t miss out, gentlemen passing by! There are only three left! Just feed them a bit, and in two to three years, you’ll harvest a pair of antlers worth a fortune. An unbeatable investment choice!”
“Special sale! Lady’s And Gentlemen, lactating sheep demi-humans, recently separated from their children, now controlled by our drugs to remain in heat. Take one home, and I guarantee you’ll have nights of endless pleasure! The taste is absolutely unforgettable!”
Like a typical second-hand market, numerous stalls are crammed together. Each shop owner shouts energetically, trying to attract passersby to check out the merchandise at their stands.
The only difference is that their merchandise consists of dark, cold iron cages, each containing various types of demi-humans, shackled and curled up in a corner of the cages.
With Eileen behind him, Renji didn’t waste time at other stalls and went straight to the slave trader that Abu had circled on his “recommended list.”
As soon as Renji stepped into the trader’s space, the slave trader, who seemed to have been eagerly waiting, brightened up upon seeing Renji and Eileen following him. He quickly approached them.
“You must be Mr. Renji that Abu mentioned! Oh, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Welcome, Welcome, I’m Hogarth. If you’re looking to buy slaves, choosing our establishment is definitely the right decision!”
Renji: “Hogarth, your name doesn’t sound local.”
“Yes, yes, I’m a foreign merchant. So, rest assured, I’m not like those unscrupulous locals. I’m sincere and would never cheat you out of a single penny!”
Renji: “I trust you, let’s go straight to see the merchandise.”
“Mr. Renji is as straightforward as Abu said. Please, come in. I’ve already had my assistant pick out the finest selection for you!”
Ordinary slave traders have stalls, but larger ones like Hogarth have their own tented storefronts. Lifting the curtain, Renji looked inside, meeting gazes full of fear, anxiety, hope, and even… hatred.
All these emotions emanated from the demi-humans in the cages.
“Come, Mr. Renji, based on your needs described by Abu, I recommend this tiger-man to you!”
At Hogarth’s behest, an assistant slowly pushed a slightly larger cage than the others towards them. Pulling back the curtain, inside was a male demi-human with bulging muscles and thick fur, striped in grey and white.
“The tiger-men are known for being among the strongest fighters among the demi-humans, and they also have a very attractive appearance. This one is an excellent choice for a guard. His breed is superior, with a very pure bloodline. I’ve always considered him a treasure of my shop. Today, I’ll bite the bullet and let him go for… 150,000… no, 130,000 for you. How about that!”
Renji didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he moved closer to observe the tiger-man. Sensing an outsider, the tiger-man in the cage suddenly opened his eyes and let out a fierce growl, shaking the entire cage as he struggled against his chains.
This scene angered Hogarth, who, while apologizing to Renji, turned and furiously scolded the tiger-man.
“Damned thing!”
He kicked the cage fiercely while a seal in his hand began to glow. The tiger-man in the cage immediately showed signs of pain, his face contorting as a piercing red light emitted from the back of his neck. Finally, he lay down submissively, not daring to move anymore.
“You see, Mr. Renji, it may look intimidating, but with the ‘Contract’ there’s no need to worry about its loyalty, nor fear any danger from it.”
“A contract?”
This was Renji’s first time observing up close how the “Slave System” actually worked. He mumbled to himself, then felt the gaze of the young girl behind him.
Yes.
Eileen too noticed the familiar sensation, even the location of the seal on the back of the neck was the same. Although there’s a fundamental difference between the two.
But undoubtedly. They had the same origin.
Renji was certain of this.
The contracts on these demi-human slaves in Dragon Nation were undoubtedly created with reference to his own Emperor’s Contract. They were a crude imitation, hastily adapted, but they managed to replicate one of the basic abilities of his “Emperor’s Contract” – absolute control.
Later, Renji had Hogarth take him around for a few more rounds. This time, when he paid special attention to the seals on the demi-humans’ necks, the familiar sensation grew even stronger.
“Alright, thank you, Mr. Hogarth, but there’s really nothing that catches my eye. I’ll go look at other sellers.”
“No, no! Tell me what you want. Anything others can get, I, Hogarth, can definitely get for you, and at a better price!”
“Wait! Wait a moment, Mr. Renji!”
Ignoring the slave trader who was still trying to retain him, Renji quickly disappeared into the crowd of the market with Eileen.
Eileen obviously wanted to say something about the ‘Contract’ they had just seen, but Renji raised his hand, signaling the girl to remain silent for now. He walked thoughtfully among the crowd.
Firstly, even if it was a poor imitation, it was still an imitation, indicating that the creator must have had access to a template, that is, his own contract.
‘Could it be Nova who created this slave contract? Without such a contract, even if the demi-humans couldn’t use relics or produce a ‘Relic Wilder’, they wouldn’t have become slaves on such a large scale. After all, in terms of combat strength, demi-humans are certainly superior to ordinary humans.’
But Renji quickly dismissed this idea.
The strongest evidence against it was that Nova was a Vanguard, and like Eileen, Vanguards are known to be straightforward and direct. Moreover, they have a low affinity for Miasma Special Abilities.
To imitate and modify his own contract in such a complex way, Renji thought that among the five major professions, only one could accomplish this task – those proficient in magic and Special Abilities.
‘So, could the current situation in Dragon Nation be orchestrated by ‘her’?’
To be honest, realizing this possibility made Renji a bit angry.
But, after all, these were only his speculations.
He still lacked concrete evidence.
He needed to continue his investigation.
However, Renji sincerely hoped that he was wrong this time.
“Renji, Renji, are you… alright?” Eileen rarely called Renji by his real name, but whenever she did, it meant the situation was serious.
The young man shook his head, dispelling the gloom on his face with a long exhale. Renji then took out Abu’s “recommended list” again.
Next, he and Eileen pretended to browse through a few slave traders’ shops, almost perfectly crafting the image of a “picky rich young master” After that, Renji headed towards a slave shop located in an inconspicuous corner.
Previously mentioned, a place that is safe, hidden, and seemingly reasonable for concealing demi-humans is the slave market.
However, the demi-humans alone couldn’t manage this; there must also be a slave trader willing to collaborate with them.
Finding this “inside man” among the demi-humans was actually quite simple.
Renji initially thought that the person would try to keep a low profile, so he planned to exclude the traders on Abu’s recommended list and look for those who only acquired slaves but never sold any.
However, now that he had discovered the secret of the slave ‘Contract,’ Renji had a simpler method.
“Please stop, sir, we don’t sell slaves here, we only buy them!”
Seeing Renji and Eileen walk in, the owner who was guarding the door immediately stepped forward, apologizing with a smile.
However, as a young master of a rich family, Renji complained about how there could be a slave trader who doesn’t sell slaves, insisting that there must be some valuable goods hidden inside. He quickly bypassed the owner and walked towards the back storage area.
Lifting the curtain, he didn’t find the group of demi-humans he expected to be staring back at him, suggesting that their disguise was quite thorough.
But now, Renji was ready to apply his simpler method.
After surveying the storage area, which looked similar to many other slave traders’ places with cages, shackles, and imprisoned demi-humans, he noticed something different.
From the back of their necks, Renji couldn’t feel the familiar sensation of the contract. Obviously, there was only one possibility: their contracts were fake, and these demi-humans in the cages weren’t bound by any real slave contracts!
A smile crept across his lips.
Confirming he had found the right place, Renji turned to face the anxious and panicking owner.
Renji: “Name your price.”
“I’ll take all the slaves here!”
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