Chapter 138 Buying Mounts and Slaves

"You said these three shell-riding beetles are going to cost me thirty gold coins?" Zhao Mai stood under the scorching sun, and the rough-skinned half-sand businessman opposite him was very angry: "You can see clearly, my gold coins are very pure. , it’s a genuine gadget. Look at the size, it’s exactly the kind halflings have used. How dare you charge me more?”

Butcher came over at the right time and used his burly body to form a shadow to protect Zhao Mai from the cold. The two people had long ago agreed that in this world of slavery, they would pretend to be a slave owner looking for gladiators everywhere and his chief trainer to hide their eyes from others.

"Sir, my shell-riding beetle's stomach is full of honey, so it can travel long distances without feeding additional food. And...and..."

"And what, you are wasting my time." Zhao Mai threw down twenty-four gold coins and said, "I want to pick it myself."

After saying that, he went straight to the shell-riding beetle in the enclosure. The round-shelled beetles he and Butcher hunted in the desert were actually wild riding beetles. Athas lacks all kinds of livestock, and the price of camels is twice as high as that of riding beetles. Only big businessmen will choose it. The shell-riding beetle cannot travel as far as a camel in its hungry state, nor is it smart or tame enough. However, after being fed, it can secrete honey beads from its abdomen, an excellent food that can be stored almost unlimitedly, so it is quite popular among merchants.

But how to choose a shell-riding beetle is very tricky. It's not like choosing a cow or a horse, just to see if it's strong. The secrets of the shell-riding beetle are hidden under the carapace and are not directly revealed. Some traders determine whether the beetles are plump and mature by tapping the shell with their knuckles and listening for the sound. Zhao Mai's method was simpler. He just let the beetle speak for himself.

Walking in the natural force field formed by the beetles, which one is strong, which one is weak, and which one is more wild are all presented to Zhao Mai one by one. He didn't need to knock or touch them. After walking around, he designated three.

"Your Excellency, you really have a good eye." The half-human businessman with a face like sand was also convinced, although at the same time he was sad that he could not make a bigger profit. He thought for a long time, but still couldn't say something like "Welcome to visit next time".

The two men then went to the slave market, hoping to find someone who knew about Tire's situation.

This city named Gurge is also ruled by a Witch King, but fortunately it is a leisurely Witch King who does not interfere much in daily affairs. He lived in a tall mountaintop palace and left the city to be managed by councilors, priests, and templars.

But will this allow the residents of Gorg to live a relatively happy life?

Just when Zhao Mai came to the slave market, he caught up with the Templar Knight announcing the Witch King's order. Their voices, enhanced by psychic powers, were loud and clear, making it impossible for anyone to miss them. "The left little fingers of a thousand slaves were delivered to the summit square before sunset, and were received and registered by the Parliament."

"I don't understand, why such an order?" Butcher bent down and asked in Zhao Mai's ear in a low voice.

"I'm testing whether my dominance is still stable." Zhao Mai snorted from his nostrils and said: "If you can't get a thousand pieces together, there will definitely be terrible things to come. Look, this is not all Are the slave owners busy chopping off their fingers? If they don’t hand it in or hand it in less, they won’t know how to report it to the king after the parliament registers it. As for the excess, who will care?”

Butcher shook his head, his expression darkening. He looked at the market not far away. The slaves were tied with iron chains. One by one, they walked obediently to their "master" and stretched out their hands, as if the hands were not his.

According to local law, the hand did not belong to them, but was the property of the slave owner. Knife after knife, fingers accumulated one by one.

"Even if a thousand pigs started to resist, they could overturn half the city. How could they end up like this!" Butcher was still indignant.

"Calm down and control yourself. Your emotions may be captured by other psychics, thus exposing your identity!" Zhao Mai frowned and shook his head at him. "As long as the Witch King is still there, their situation will not improve at all. A thousand pigs? Even a thousand of you have no chance of winning against the Witch King."

"I don't believe it." Butcher shook his head, but finally forced himself to calm down.

"All the Witch Kings were fighters under the primordial warlock Rajat, and each one was responsible for annihilating a race. I can't remember exactly which ones died, but I'm sure you won't see kobolds, orcs, orcs. Goblins, gnomes, lizardmen, goblins. Who do you think is capable of such a horrific act in Golarion?"

"This is impossible!" Butcher was obviously taken aback and sputtered out a few words intermittently: "Extinction, where is God? How did he do it?"

"First of all, God can't do anything about it. Besides raids and assassinations, any attempt to confront the Witch King head-on is impossible to succeed unless you also become the Witch King." Zhao Mai knew that slavery was not a good system, but What else can be done but to save oneself from becoming a slave and from being persecuted? Even shedding tears for the slaves will be regarded as heresy, and he may be convicted of it, reported by other slave owners, and burned at the stake. After the fire, it turns to dust, and the original property will be divided up.

"Mike, I understand." Butcher clenched his fists and relaxed: "I won't be reckless."

"Forget it, I understand. You still have to do something, but you will be more rational." Zhao Mai patted Butcher on the shoulder: "Remember, no matter what you do, I am your most trustworthy People will help you with ideas."

"Well, let's keep walking." Butcher pointed to the front: "Those slaves haven't had their fingers cut off yet. We can choose a few of them to work."

The strong man strode over, lifted off his cloak and blouse that blocked the sun, and looked down at the group of slaves with eagle-like eyes. He was taller than everyone present, with strong muscles bulging out from under his robes. This was not an effect that a desert dweller could produce. These muscles mean a lot of nutrition, a lot of water and a lot of training, which means the owner's financial resources and power.

Zhao Mai wandered over with a faint smile on his face, just like the expression of the sinister playboy he had seen in film and television works. The slave trader was very discerning and shouted to his timid products: "Stand up straight, the big customer is here!" Then he took the duster and came to Zhao Mai's side in three steps and two steps at a time.

"Sir, what kind of goods do you want?"

"One is smart, and the other is strong. I only want the best, and I don't want to waste time adjusting slowly."

"I have a mixed-race man here who is very strong and is my best product." The slave trader rubbed his hands and said flatteringly: "He has been a gladiator since he was born and is very good. With the blessing of the king, his master will go bankrupt. Now I have the opportunity to take over, this is the most valuable part of all his properties."

"Muir?" Zhao Mai frowned and pretended to understand: "Take him out and have a look."

"His name is Ricas, sir. I will bring him right away."