In the riverside town outside the city of Luolan, it was just dawn. Groups of slaves were whipped with whips and rushed to both sides of the road. Each slave had a sad expression on his face, and the expressions of the slaves were more sad than those of the other slaves. , those slave traders.
Ange walked on the road and looked at this scene curiously, followed by Luther who was equally curious.
Slaves have existed since ancient times. There is a slave market in the city of Loland, where there are indentured slaves who sell themselves, and there are captured foreigners, such as dwarves and elves.
Of course, elves cannot be openly sold. They can usually only be circulated quietly in the black market. The elves severely crack down on this kind of selling activity.
But the audacious and black-hearted slave traders are not even afraid of the Pope. Will they care about you elves?
The result of the crackdown is that the trade of elves has shifted from the open to the dark, objectively pushing up the price of elves, which in turn has made buying and selling elves more profitable. The price of elves has gone up, and it has also made slave merchants take risks and increase their efforts to capture elf slaves. .
Even some small mercenary groups can't help but make a fortune occasionally. After all, an elf has tens of thousands of magic crystals, and if he catches one, he can divide them and retire.
The elves also negotiated with the Pope to send a team of elves into human territory to enforce the law and eliminate the slave traders who bought and sold elves.
However, if the information is not smooth and the real dealers cannot be found, they will be misled by malicious people with wrong information, leading them to attack some chambers of commerce that are doing legitimate business.
Secondly, these law enforcement elves will also become targets of slave traders, and one of them may be kidnapped even if they go to the toilet.
After going back and forth, the elves can only try not to enter human territory. If there is anything that needs to be communicated, entrust the mercenaries to solve it.
Corresponding to this is the dwarf. The dwarf never cares whether the dwarf becomes a slave. As long as the dwarf is not abused or harmed, the dwarf will not care.
And they couldn't control it at all. Some dwarves were so dumb after being in the mountains that they went to the tavern down the mountain for a drink. Then they patted their empty pockets and said, "I have no money. Sell yourself. Give me wine every day." Be a slave.”
Good guy, selling yourself as a slave and making demands is worse than an indentured slave.
Faced with this kind of dwarf who even sells himself, he has a big appetite and a big capacity for drinking. Most people can't afford it, so they can't sell it at a high price.
If no one wants them, no one will catch them. Sometimes when business is not good, they have to be driven away. I would rather not have this slave, lest he be impoverished.
Elves can't be like dwarves, because elves are too beautiful, even male elves, and they are not bought to work for them.
The trading of elves has been transferred to the black market, and Riverside Town is a black market.
However, recently, not only contraband items have been sold in Riverside Town, but also non-contraband items are being sold, because too many people have gone bankrupt and become indentured servants or slaves.
Indentured slaves are bound by a contract. After completing the contract, they can break away from their status as 'slaves' and become free citizens and civilians.
Slaves, on the other hand, have no personal attributes and have become objects with a relationship of subordination. The difference between the two is that one is a person and the other is a thing.
But when one is about to starve to death, no one cares whether one is pawned as a person or as an item. If sold to a slave trader, at least one can still eat.
However, in a short period of time, more people became slaves, causing prices to drop and profits to decrease.
At the same time, because of the famine, many landowners and nobles did not need to go through slave traders at all, and directly converted tenant farmers into slaves, without a middleman to make the difference.
The profits are less, but the slaves still have to eat. If they can't sell it, it means they will lose it. These slave traders are more miserable than the slaves.
At this stage in the past, conscientious slave traders would tear up the contract and set everyone free. However, there are too few conscientious slave traders. Will a conscientious slave trader still become a slave trader?
More unscrupulous dealers will 'destroy the goods'.
But they didn't dare, because His Majesty the Acting Pope of the Eastern Diocese, His Majesty Anthony, sent a message privately. If anyone dares to destroy the goods, he will send people to kill your whole family. If you can't sell it, you can send it to a refugee camp on the border.
Anthony's whisper of 'Kill the whole family' is much more effective in deterring these slave traders than the Elf Queen. Even the church dares to split. What else does Anthony dare not?
If the dealer has no conscience, then 'give' him a conscience, so many slave traders have a conscience, and force themselves to sell with a sad face. Those who really can't sell the slaves tear up the contract and send them to the border.
The original black market had so many slaves that it was almost crowded into a vegetable market, but there were more dealers than buyers. Seeing Ange and the others walking in, everyone looked over eagerly, both slaves and dealers.
Some of the female slaves with some qualifications tried their best to wink and flirt, trying to arouse the interest of Ange and the two.
Unfortunately, this is too difficult.
Negris, who was reflected on Ange, chatted with Duroken: "We are going to buy some dwarf brewers to brew wine that dwarves like."
"You're stupid," Duroken said.
"Ah?" Nigris was stunned.
"What are we brewing for? To watch the records of Dwarf War Chess. Dwarf War Chess is a holy land for dwarves and is generally not open to the public unless there is some temptation they can't refuse. Let me ask you, if you are a dwarf brewer Why can't the dwarves refuse the brewed wine? They can brew it themselves." Duroken asked.
"Well, that makes sense, so what should I buy?" Nigris asked.
"Buy them all, dwarves, elves, humans, people who can brew and drink. Buy them all. It's not like you can't afford them. Whether the quality is good or not, just brew a few more and compare them." Duroken said.
That's right, it's not that you can't afford it. Even if you buy all the winemakers in the world, Ange can still afford it. What's the point of worrying about this?
After walking around from beginning to end, it was time for Luther to take action. He slowly flew into the air, exerted his fighting spirit that was so solid that it transformed into shape, and said in a loud voice: "My master, I want to buy a top winemaker." , a sommelier, who could provide top winemakers, which my master paid a high price for.”
Everyone who saw Luther's figure couldn't help but exclaimed: "High-level Sword Master?! Oh my God, the master of the High-level Sword Master? Who is this big shot?"
"Winemaker? Do we have a winemaker?"
"Come on, come on, what does sommelier mean? Drunkard? Do those dwarves count?"
The market suddenly became chaotic.
Fighting energy into a sword is the symbol of a high-level sword master. It is very rare. Even if there is one, it is usually a follower of a powerful magician. Is the master of this sword master a truth mage?
Durokan and Nigris whispered there: "Let Luther show his strength to give credibility to his words. Otherwise, if you just jump out and say you want to buy top winemakers, who knows which one is considered top? Now it's shown Everyone knows the strength of high-level sword masters. They won’t send everything in front of you, otherwise these black-hearted businessmen can drag a bunch of dwarf drunkards in front of you, uh..."
Looking at a bunch of dwarf drunkards rushing over with hangovers on their faces, Duroken almost died in one breath: "Have I underestimated the extent of the black-heartedness of businessmen in this era?"
Nigris nodded with great sympathy: "It is indeed quite black-hearted, as black as silver coins.
Yin Coin, who was far away in the Sunken Land, sneezed inexplicably. Maybe he realized that someone had scolded him, so he quickly knelt down and prayed devoutly.
The master of the high-level swordmaster... wanted to buy brewing slaves. This news alarmed all the slave traders, and waves of slaves related to brewing were pulled in front of Luther.
Luther accepted them all, including the bunch of dwarf drunkards. These dwarves may not know how to make wine, but if they drink too much, they can at least tell which kind of wine tastes better. Then he will ask them to try the wine.
Of course, the price can't be too high.
As Du Luoken said, there is no problem if you buy them all. They are not special slaves and cannot be sold at a high price. Even if you buy all the slaves here, they will only cost tens of thousands of magic crystals. As for some special slaves, one may cost tens of thousands of magic crystals.
Seeing their bold move, some big traders behind the scenes had other ideas. A thin slave trader came over, approached Luther and asked in a low voice: "Elf, do you want it? A young and beautiful dark elf." "
"Dark Elf?" Luther asked in surprise: "How much does it cost? Bring it to see."
He has seen a lot of elves. What are dark elves?
"Twenty thousand magic crystals."
"So expensive?! You might as well go and grab it!"
"It's worth the money. You can see the goods first. The body is delicate and soft. It's definitely worth the money."
Several strong slaves carried a tent over, and after setting it up, two strong women led a creature wrapped in a cloak into the tent.
I dare you to look at the goods like this, professional.
Ange and Luther walked in and saw a tightly tied, dark-skinned elf with exquisite tattoos staring at them viciously.
Ange tilted his head. He actually knew this elf. The one he saw in the mercenary guild hall in Loland City. How did she become a slave?
The skin was dark, the hair was messy, and the skin was rough. It was very different from the elves he had seen. Luther curled his lips and looked back at Ange.
He was prepared to refuse, 20,000 magic crystals to buy an elf of this caliber? It would be better to let Galadel come over. The elf high priest has been requesting to come and serve Lord Ange.
Unexpectedly, Ange nodded.
Hiss——Do adults like this style? Great, I will know what kind of gift to give in the future, Luther was very happy.
The 20,000 magic crystals were paid casually. Ange didn't have much food now, but he had a lot of magic crystals. The elves' reserves were emptied by him, and Anthony's small treasury was also empty. Now he had to borrow money from silver coins.
There are also the treasury of the Principality of Montenegro, the income of Meishen City, the profits of the Silver Light Chamber of Commerce, etc. His cash flow may be more than that of the Magicians Guild and the Mercenary Guild.
Is this the first time a slave trader has encountered a customer who is so willing to give money, and he doesn't even negotiate the price?
After getting the money, the dealer took out a brand and tore it in half. One half was given to Luther, and the other half was intended to be printed on the dark elf.
The dark elf had a look of fear on his face and struggled to avoid it.
"What is this?" Ange asked curiously. The fluctuations produced by this brand were somewhat similar to the soul brand.
The master of the high-level sword master asked, and the slave trader quickly replied: "Sir, this is a slave brand. Even the soul of the slave who is branded will be bound by the brand, and he will never be able to resist or disobey your orders."
Ange stretched out his hand, and the slave trader quickly handed over the brand. Ange studied it and the brand was dismantled.
The slave trader suddenly became embarrassed: "Sir, this..."
"What is this? Hurry up and bring out another one." Afraid of Ange being embarrassed, Luther quickly reprimanded: "Sir, what's wrong with playing with your brand? Playing with you is to give you face, and the slaves of 20,000 magic crystals have bought it. Don’t you deserve a few more brands? Do you believe I’ll kill you for this or that?!”
The slave trader smiled apologetically: "Sir, these slave brands are all specially made. Only expensive slaves can match them. There is only one."
"What should we do?" Luther asked fiercely.
The slave trader smiled apologetically: "This slave is too fierce. It's hard to control her without a brand. Why don't you pay some more cost and keep her for a month? Once the brand is ready, we will send it to your house. Don't worry. , the whole process is kept confidential.”
"No need." Ange shook his head. He understood this brand as soon as he removed it. It was a soul brand.
But it is far from the imprint of the soul of an undead creature. It cannot even imprison thoughts, but can only restrain physical aspects, such as weakness in the body and weakness in limbs.
"Then be careful, don't let her go casually, she is very fierce..." the slave trader warned as he exited the tent, but before he could finish speaking, Ange cut the rope and the dark elf was freed.
"This..." Damn it, the slave trader turned around and left. Anyway, after giving him the money, it didn't matter to him if the slave ran away. If he caught him later, he might be able to sell it again.
Ange bought a total of 600 slaves, spending less than 40,000 magic crystals. One of the dark elves spent 20,000 magic crystals, and the remaining ones were less than 20,000. Among them, the dwarves were a bit more expensive, but on average, each slave It only cost thirty-three magic crystals, but this was already a high price.
Ange's generosity caused a sensation in the riverside town. Some people also had other ideas and gathered early on the only road outside the town. They wanted to see what Ange and Luther were like. He took away more than 600 slaves, and also saw if there was any chance to make a profit.
So early the next morning, many people discovered that there were many corpses in the woods outside the town by the river, and many corpses floated up the river. Some people recognized them as slave-catching teams of several big slave traders in the town. .
The castles of these big slave merchants were also broken, the property inside was looted, the slaves were released, and the thugs were killed. I heard from the freed slaves that it was a group of armed giants and a swearing horse that broke the castle. .
On the way north, Nigris couldn't laugh or cry: "If you mess with someone, you have to mess with him. He originally wanted to pay well, but now it's better, the money has been saved, and he has made many times the profit, so why bother."
After finishing speaking, several big slave merchants were dragged down and buried. Looking back, one of Ange's hands had disappeared and he was brewing wine in the space.
"He really intends to give money." Nigris shook his head.
