*Whoosh*
Xia Fei moved at very high speeds, so it took him no more than a blink of an eye to reach this nameless small city that Lionheart Emperor Oro had pointed out.
Dozens of mountains surrounded a plain, forming a basin. In the middle of these mountains was a simple city, with plenty of buildings constructed like warehouses. Alloy fences surrounded packs of slaves like livestock herded into corrals; all were dressed in tattered clothes.
“Most people have no idea that this place exists. Large-scale slave traders resell their sub-par products to small slave traders here, letting them peddle the slaves, instead, through the sparse towns, selling them one by one. As there’s no way to sell too many of their slaves in these small towns and villages, the large slave traders won’t bother setting up outlets in such places; instead, they situate themselves in distribution markets like this,” the old demon lord slowly explained.
Though it had been a long time since he had been about, this city still functioned as how he remembered. The only difference was that the size of the city was larger than before, which meant that the slave trade was still going strong in the Exiled Grounds.
Xia Fei nodded. “Since the unsold slaves are traded here, won’t that make this the distribution market for defective goods?”
Oro laughed. “You can say that, but there’s a reason why I directed you here; it’s because these small slave traders are the real powers in the Exiled Grounds. Aside from selling slaves, they also deal in daily necessities and military ordnance. Really, anything that can be profitable, they will have their hands on.
“The population in the Exiled Grounds is messily distributed. There aren’t many large cities to begin with, and a majority of tribes are scattered across the stars. It’s easy to learn news about the large cities, but for a thorough understanding of the situation in the Exiled Grounds, you’ll have to depend on the small traders who venture at random in the region. Plus, these small traders chase profits; as long as you’re paying, they’ll be more than happy to talk to you. Most of the large slave traders are tightly guarded, and asking too many questions will likely draw attention. It’s far easier to establish rapport with small-time traders. A single glance at you and people can tell that you’re an outsider, making it all the more appropriate for you to work with the small traders.”
Xia Fei agreed with Oro’s words. The lower someone’s position in society, the easier they were to strike up a conversation and build rapport with. It was a point that rang true no matter where he went.
Following along the muddy road toward the city, throngs of pedestrians on both sides measured Xia Fei curiously. They were all dressed in colorful ponchos, covering half of their bodies and wore thick and heavy leather boots. Their heads were all lowered, and their demeanor ignoble.
A large fence appeared after a short few paces, and people were squatting by this fence. Their clothes were in rags and their faces all dirt-ridden. Heavy metal manacles were secured on their hands and feet, and their faces all had tattoos, which marked them as belonging to various businesses.
The entrance to this enclosure was ajar, so anyone could go in and take their pick as if they were choosing livestock. The guardsmen who were on duty had tables and chairs set up, eating and drinking their fill without any care whatsoever.
A fatty in front threw a half-eaten chicken leg into the enclosure and shouted, “Whoever snatches it gets it!”
The guards proceeded to burst into laughter, engrossed in such games that tortured the slaves further.
Xia Fei frowned. As a modern man, he did not enjoy the idea of trading intelligent lifeforms as if they were cattle.
Surveying the scene before him, he saw that several hundreds of slaves here were from various species. It looked like the slave trade had no racial bias to speak of, and anyone and everyone could be trafficked. There were even many stiff corpses behind the fences, rotting away such that their stench filled the air. No one cared to give them proper burial, which was an example of the barbarism pervading the Exiled Grounds.
“This here is only a small slave trading company. The larger slave trading companies often have tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of slaves enclosed together. The slave trade is a prosperous business in the Exiled Grounds, and many who have trouble feeding themselves end up selling themselves, all for the sake of warmth and food. It isn’t uncommon for those who can’t raise their children to end up selling them off as slaves; of course, there are also teams who make capturing people to be sold as slaves their profession. They’ll deliberately raid small villages, robbing them of their wealth and selling the captured civilians. The point is, the Exiled Grounds is a land of savagery where all sorts of peculiar things can happen,” Lionheart Emperor Oro explained.
Along the way, Xia Fei saw several more large slave-trade markets, where the largest enclosure had over ten thousand slaves inside. Unfortunately, those for sale were old, frail, sickly, handicapped, or halfwits. In short, they were inferior specimens.
Near the city center was a hotel by the name of Lady Si’s. It was considered relatively clean and was situated along a deserted alley. The three-story building itself had recently gotten a fresh coat of paint, and that made it extraordinarily eye-catching.
Xia Fei decided to set himself here, taking a room on the third floor overlooking the streets below. The rent was quite cheap, too, costing him a mere grade 2 Origin Crystal a night, which even included breakfast.
Actually, the price itself was already considered expensive, and except those with quite a bit of money, there were not many merchants staying here. Even the bar and the restaurant were fairly quiet.
Young Lady Si was the one who led Xia Fei to his room. She was a slightly plump woman with a face full of blue freckles, while the true proprietor of the hotel was her mother, Matron Si. This hotel was run by this mother-daughter pair, and like the local merchants, they also owned two slaves, who helped them with miscellaneous works.
“This room will do,” Xia Fei said as he tossed a grade 3 Origin Crystal to Young Lady Si.
Young Lady Si hurriedly rubbed the crystal on her apron before happily stuffing it between her bosom. Her eyes shone with admiration, treating Xia Fei as a wealthy foreigner. After all, most in these parts were extremely uncouth slave traders, and someone as young and clean-cut as Xia Fei was few and far between.
Xia Fei invited the young lady to his room and asked her to sit on the one crude stool inside. Young Lady Si puffed out her chest; she was very proud of her bountiful bosom, but it seemed like Xia Fei did not think much of it, so the lady could not help but feel a little disappointed.
“My lord, if you wanna know about the recent goings-on in the slave market here, I can help you, but you’ll have to consult the travelling slave traders if you want information beyond the city. It’s daytime now, which means that they’re all out selecting their products; they will only be back at night. Why don’t you take a look around the city first to see if there are any goods that you may take fancy to? I heard that Old Liu’s store south of the city has recently acquired a new batch of cabaret courtesans; though they are all slightly mature in age, it makes them very well-versed in their work. I can guarantee they’ll be able to service you well,” Young Lady Si said as her eyes wandered over Xia Fei.
Xia Fei was quite surprised. It turned out that Young Lady Si had taken him for some wealthy prince who came here looking for intimate skinship, which really was no surprise. What else would anyone do in this kind of city if not buy slaves?
Courtesans were expensive goods in the Exiled Grounds, and only the really wealthy could afford young and pretty courtesans. The cheap goods in this city were popular with the slightly wealthy, who did not have as much money but would also like a little taste. Given the lowered price, the quality would of course be lacking. Thus, there were plenty of scions with some money in their pockets who would often come here to sample the cheap goods.
“Those slave traders will only be back at dinnertime; I’ll be sure to introduce you to them. These people will gladly sell their own mothers as long as there are drinks to be had, but your current get-up won’t do. One glance and anyone will know that you’re not in the business; many of those slave traders are sure to try and pull a fast one on you. Wait here. I’ll bring you some things,” Young Lady Si smiled broadly as she said this, looking at Xia Fei with a strange gaze in her eyes.
Soon, Young Lady Si returned with a colorful poncho that the locals wore over themselves. It had a shoddy craftsmanship, which gave off an unpleasant, oily smell.
“There’s plenty of rain in these parts, and it can get very chilly. The locals all have this kind of poncho to protect themselves from the cold and moisture. Though you still look like an outsider with this over yourself, the slave traders will at least not take you for a first timer. That way, they will not ask too much from you. Don’t underestimate this outfit, too, as it can help you save quite a bit.”
Young Lady Si somewhat over eagerly had Xia Fei put on this poncho, tying a strange knot before calling a boy about the age of eleven or twelve.
“Rocko, bring this lord around the city for a bit. Big sister will reward you with a bowl of beef rice and two stones for you to buy some candy if you do this well.”
The young boy by the name of Rocko was skinny and short. His two eyes shone with intelligence, and the moment he heard that there would be a beef bowl awaiting him and money to be made, he instantly slapped his chest and agreed to the job. He was an orphan who depended on being a messenger for the various merchants and businesses here to eke out a living. He could not be any less familiar with the slave trade in this city, making him a good choice for a guide.
Since he had nothing else to do, Xia Fei decided to follow Rocko out and have a look around the city. Wrapped in the smelly poncho, Xia Fei mingled in the crowd.
The strange looks he got from the crowd around him were reduced greatly now that he had the poncho over him. Xia Fei very smoothly integrated into the world of slave trading, which was a testament to how important it was to follow local customs.
Rocko rubbed his belly constantly as he walked; Xia Fei reckoned that he must be hungry, so he bought several roasted mutton sticks by the roadside. Eating one and finding the taste to be fairly average, he left the rest to the child.
The young boy wolfed down the meat there and then, shoveling every morsel down his throat the moment he saw something he could eat. Xia Fei smiled slightly as he gave him a bottle of water to wash his food down with. “No need to eat so fast. Careful so you don’t choke.”
*Gulp gulp gulp.*
Rocko drank half the bottle at one go, carefully hiding what remained in his pocket. Stroking his chin meaningfully, he regarded Xia Fei. “Are you a good person?”
“I guess.” Xia Fei shrugged. This was not an easy question for him to answer. He had the blood of countless men in his hands, so Xia Fei doubted that he would be entering the gates of heaven any time soon.
“Take your poncho off then. The knot Lady Si tied for you is a secret sign for slave traders to mercilessly fleece you the moment they see it. In turn, Lady Si will get a cut of the profit. This is the rule of the city, and she’s led you like a fat lamb into the slaughter,” Rocko told Xia Fei.
Xia Fei was quite taken aback by this. It was no wonder Lady Si had personally tied the poncho for him and had done such a strange knot. It turned out that it was a secret sign the people in the trade shared.
“It’s fine. I’m not buying slaves, anyway, so Lady Si won’t be getting anything from me,” Xia Fei casually stated.
“You’re really not buying any?”
“Nope.”
Rocko laughed. “That’s for the best. If you really take off the poncho’s knot, not only will I not have any rice to eat, I may even get a beating. The Si Ladies are the worst in this city.”
Xia Fei said nothing. The Exiled Grounds was truly nothing trivial, and traps were everywhere.
“Shall I bring you to see the most powerful slave?”
“Most powerful? Would anyone powerful become a slave?” Xia Fei was skeptical.
Rocko nodded. “Yes. Not only is this slave free, Old Liu will even pay you to take this slave off him. He’s really quite amazing, practically a legend among slaves. Even those slave traders are afraid of him, sending him food and tea every day. They all treat him very well.”
Xia Fei could not help but laugh hearing this. A slave who slave traders would serve. This was something he had not heard of. Just what sort of slave was Rocko talking about that would make their owners lose money?
