The morning sun bathed the landscape in a warm, golden light as it rose above the horizon. The sky was clear, with only a few wisps of clouds scattered in the distance, painted in shades of orange and red by the sun's gentle touch.
A procession of cages and carriages made its way through the dense jungle, the rhythmic sound of wheels against the earth echoing through the trees. Leading the procession was a man clad in shimmering golden armor, seated upon a magnificent golden chariot, the light catching the intricate details of his regal attire.
Following closely behind was another opulent carriage, bearing distinguished individuals of importance. Bringing up the rear was a sturdy storage carriage, brimming with a myriad of supplies and provisions for the journey ahead. Among the cargo were small bars of iron, twisted and weathered, and draped with leather casters, adding a rustic charm to the scene.
As the procession came to a close, the final carriage reserved for the servants and soldiers appeared. Despite its ordinary and somewhat worn appearance, it was flanked by a vertical row of two individuals in gleaming silver armor riding on horseback on each side. Soon, a woman's voice emanated from the opulent carriage, accompanied by the faint silhouette of a figure behind a delicate veil at the window.
"Dong Shi, is everything all right?" Her voice was composed and clear, with a hint of sharpness and grace. The man beside her, distinct from the silver-clad guards by the deep scars on his face and the haunting expression in his eyes, responded with a respectful tone, "Yes, my lady. The only unforeseen variable was the individual we encountered yesterday."
A brief silence followed before the woman's tone shifted as she inquired, "What has been discovered? Please provide a detailed explanation." The soldier by her side began to explain, "Based on our observations, it appears that the individual is not tied to any known family or background, unless he is affiliated with a clandestine organization or another entity."
The woman's response carried a note of relief as she asked, "How old is he? Please elaborate on his physical characteristics."
" If I am serious then he sure has great beauty".
"He is much more refined than normal. He is pale but he is also durable. Cultivation around the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. He is also housing the juvenile ice poison Serpent's poison on his right arm".
The man's face then grew a little more serious as he explained further, "From his slight physical composition, we can take him as a bare fighter and a sword wielder. His body composition is very child and small. If I were to guess he is at least more than 17. A normal 16-year-old can not even survive in this forest.
For able to fight and escape a juvenile Ice poison Serpent. He speaks of a higher talent than D Grade".
He then paused at the woman's gesture.
She was assimilating the new information and making guesses.
At normal evaluations, she can be at least a C Grade in talent.
"Dong Shi, has he awaken?"
"Mistress, no, even if he is. He has deep eyebags that won't die out and he is practically in chaos and sadness from how things turned out to be".
"Hmm, anyone will be. We can simply sell him as well".
Her voice was cold and nonchalant.
She didn't feel like a woman to joke around with.
The man grew silent and asked softly, "My mistress, we are righteous characters. How can we sell him like this with no pity? That's an act of demonic cultivators and we shouldn't do that".
His voice at the end was a little firm.
The woman turned her head slowly but it was enough to make the soldier next to her feel dreadful.
Her voice was cold as she said, " We don't care about him. He seems to have a high talent so he will be a good product. Mixed in with the ice poison, we can make a fortune".
"I-I understand, but... My Mistress, we are from the Wind Haven City lord Family. There is no need to sell him," the guard pleaded, his face reflecting a sense of pity.
It was evident that he was not as cold-hearted as he appeared. He truly felt sorry for the young man's predicament. The thought that the first reaction of others was to consider selling him deeply pained him.
He was aware that the household of the Wind Haven Clan was gradually becoming filled with selfish individuals, and this realization left him feeling sorrowful and disheartened.
The woman, however, remained silent and indifferent, refusing to acknowledge him.
His heart was filled with distress as he looked around at the dire situation. He knew that he was just a senior and slightly more trusted soldier than the others, and he felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. As he approached the third last cage of the caravan, he saw many slaves in tattered clothes, their faces marked by exhaustion and desperate thirst. Their dry lips and struggling consciousness painted a grim picture.
In that moment, the senior knight took out a leather casteral full of water from his pocket and began to slowly distribute it to the slaves. The scene quickly turned chaotic as the broken minds of the slaves fought for the precious water. The knight's heart ached even more as he witnessed the desperation.
"If I didn't own them... then I would have already left," he thought to himself, feeling the moral dilemma weighing heavily on him. He extended his hands and spoke softly to calm the distressed slaves, "Calm down. You will all be given water. Everyone, please calm down."
After a considerable amount of time had passed, the slaves were finally given the opportunity to drink water. Most of them had followed the knight's advice to conserve their energy and had drifted off to sleep. As the knight surveyed the area, his gaze fell upon a particular slave who was seated in a dark, shadowy corner, clad in a worn, tattered grey robe. Long, unkempt hair obscured his face, and his eyes were devoid of any vitality, casting an eerie stillness over him. The knight, taken aback by the slave's quiet and unassuming presence, muttered to himself, "I almost failed to notice him. How disappointing." With a furrowed brow, he realized that the slave before him was the very one they had captured, his countenance devoid of emotion. "How wretched," the knight thought to himself. He called out to the slave, offering water and even the meager sustenance of bread, despite the circumstances.
The slave remained silent, but a whirlwind of thoughts swirled in his mind. "This is the worst-case scenario... I am probably going to be sold and then..." he thought, before forcefully pushing the dark thoughts aside. Instead, he focused on his plans. "There are only 16 days left until the festival in Shi City starts. How unfortunate that I won't be able to participate, especially due to my talent. Perhaps a miracle will happen, and I'll be purchased by a kind master or mistress," he mused inwardly.
His gaze lingered on the creaking and weathered wooden floor before he shifted his attention to the knight standing nearby. "This man is kind... I should ask for a drink. My thirst is becoming unbearable," he noted to himself. Nodding in agreement, he accepted the leather canteen from the knight's outstretched hand.
To his surprise, the filtered water tasted saltier than the meager rations he had grown accustomed to. Despite this, he drank the refreshing liquid, some of it dribbling down onto his clothes. "Stay calm... Drink slowly," the knight's voice advised, reaching his ears. He returned the canteen to the knight and took a moment to look around. The evening was approaching, casting the surroundings in a warm, orange glow. "Being a slave is an entirely new and profound experience for me," he reflected.