Chapter 741 Slave

Zhang Heng had also heard some tragic stories about Roman slaves before.

In fact, the era background of Black Sail was also when the slave trade was booming. At that time, Zhang Heng led the Jackdaw to attack many slave ships, and saw the ships full of black slaves crowding the bilges, people next to each other. , like animals waiting to be slaughtered, the cabin was filled with the stench of urine and sweat.

With the help of Laeri, Zhang Heng would usually select the strongest warriors from these black men after hijacking the ship and absorb them into the pirate group, while the remaining people would be released to some small islands to These people built a hidden supply point and played an important role in Zhang Heng's subsequent maneuvers and battles after leaving Nassau and the Royal Navy. Zhang Heng even received the title of Liberator of the New World. He did not expect that one day he would They will also become slaves.

And they were still slaves in the second century AD. At this time, it was a veritable slave society. The social pyramid structure of Rome from top to bottom basically consisted of nobles, civilians, foreigners and slaves.

In a sense, the slaves at the bottom cannot even be called human beings. They can only be regarded as tools for production or entertainment. This is the case with the gladiatorial performance currently going on above their heads. The gladiators fight each other with their own blood and lives. In exchange for applause from the audience.

"What are you thinking about?" Zhang Heng asked Varo.

"What?" The latter was stunned for a moment, and then realized, "Oh, I was thinking when it would be our turn to perform up there."

"Can we do the same?" Zhang Heng was a little surprised. Judging from the current work of the two of them, they basically just do odd jobs in the arena, especially Varo. The latter is not thin, but he is very timid. He couldn't even feed the beast well. If he stepped onto the arena, Zhang Heng doubted that he would be able to last even three seconds.

"Of course not now. We know nothing now, and we will just make a fool of ourselves. No one wants to see our poor performance, but..." Varro lowered his voice, "I got a piece of news... There will be more tomorrow. A group of Germanic barbarians will be sent over, and then we will go to the gladiator school to train with them."

After Varro finished speaking, he looked at Zhang Heng, but he didn't see the panic he expected on the latter's face, so he was stunned and added, "You...don't you have anything to say?"

"What do I want to say?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"We are about to be sent to the gladiator training camp. People say that life there is worse than death. They will torture us and whip us. Many people will die during training, and those who survive will have to Participate in the assessment, and those who pass the assessment will become gladiators and die during the performance."

"If you are so worried about your life, wouldn't it be better if you didn't pass the final assessment?" Zhang Heng said.

"This is the problem. It is said that slaves who fail to pass will be sold to the mines or the countryside to make up for the losses. Do you know how the people there treat slaves? They will make you work all the time, just like animals. Same, until the day you die, you will never be free." Varro said desperately, "Things shouldn't be like this, Chickpea promised me."

“Who is Chickpea?”

"A slave trader, I had some friendship with him. After I became a slave, he told me that I would be bought by the nobles in the city and that I would run a business. As long as the person who bought me invested a sum of money in me, I would be able to do it. Let them generate more money, so that when I start my business, I will become a free man again," Varro clenched his fists with both hands and said with reluctance and pain, "Why is this happening? Why was I sold? Come here? I don’t belong here..."

"Maybe it's because your figure is well maintained?" Zhang Heng asked, "Were you a businessman before? When you put on armor, you look more like a soldier."

"But I have never learned to fight," Varro said. "This is ridiculous. Even though I can use my business skills to bring more wealth, they want me to go to the gladiator school and be tortured. This is ridiculous. A pearl covered in dust is a waste.”

"Heh, if what you said is true, maybe you should talk to the owner here." Zhang Heng suggested.

"I tried. I told the supervisor about my situation and asked him to tell the owner here." Varro said.

"Then what?"

"Then...there has been no news until now." Varro put down the rag in his hand and hesitated, "Maybe I should go directly to the owner. What do you think?"

Zhang Heng was not in a hurry to answer this question, but asked, "You said you were a businessman before, why were you sold?"

"Forget it," Varro sighed after hearing this, "Originally, I was selling antiques. This business has been in business since my father's time. Our family made a lot of money from this, but then I became obsessed and listened to someone. My friend said that the flax business in Egypt was very good, so I discussed a partnership with a noble there to grow flax. I would pay him for the land, and we would weave it into cloth and sell it to Rome. As a result, my friend was robbed as soon as he got on the road. Both the people and the money are gone, and what’s worse is that the other party and I signed a contract before. If he doesn’t get the money within the stipulated time, I will need to pay him a large amount of liquidated damages. I tried my best, but still I didn't get enough money, so not only did I lose all my property, but I became a slave myself."

"Okay, what a regrettable story." Zhang Heng said.

At this time, there were deafening cheers again. It must be that the gladiatorial performance has reached its most exciting point, arousing the emotions of the audience in the stands.

Varro also made up his mind at this time, "Tomorrow, when those Germanic barbarians are escorted over, everyone will be summoned. The master should also show up by then. I can find him at that time and ask him for business." If things go well, I will be able to leave here by then."

"Really, then I wish you good luck." Zhang Heng said.

"Sorry, I can't help you." Varro said with some embarrassment. He just described the Gladiator School as terrifying, but he turned around and was about to jump out of the quagmire, leaving Zhang Heng there. Although the two of them There was no friendship at all. We had only known each other for a long time, so we couldn't call them friends, not even acquaintances.

However, after the previous conversation, the relationship between the two of them was indeed brought closer. However, Varo is now also a mud Buddha crossing the river. He cannot protect himself, and he can't care about Zhang Heng, his companion.

"It doesn't matter. Just remember to tell me when you get free." Zhang Heng said. After hearing Varro's story, he was not optimistic that the other party's actions would be successful tomorrow. However, he also knew that Varro had just seen hope. , it would be difficult for anyone to convince him to give up the idea of ​​​​escaping from the Gladiator School.