Old Pige was momentarily dumbfounded, a multitude of possibilities flashing through his mind.
Could it be that the tide of magical creatures had erupted, or perhaps some wandering rogues had caused trouble there? Otherwise, it was inconceivable that the Pige family could suffer misfortune at the Dead Sea border!
On the other end of the magical stone, several nobles observed Old Pige's stunned reaction, fearing that his advanced age might cause him to succumb to shock.
This noble circle had relied heavily on the Pige family for many years, and they were genuinely unwilling to lose what remained of their leadership.
The "second-in-command" among the Dead Sea nobility, Viscount Weyda, quickly sought to clarify, saying hesitantly:
"Forgive me, Lord Pige. Please remain calm; we misspoke earlier—your family has not been entirely wiped out…"
Old Pige let out a sigh of relief, knowing such a tragedy was impossible, and barked:
"Did my son wager with you, causing you to make such a ridiculous jest? Have him come forth to face my wrath!"
Viscount Weyda swallowed hard before managing to speak:
"It was indeed a jest... Your family has not perished entirely; at the very least, you, Old Pige, remain."
"...?!"
Old Pige nearly had a stroke.
After taking some time to inquire, he finally grasped the full scope of the situation, and a thunderous mix of sorrow and anger crashed down upon his heart.
The elder, with hair and beard as white as snow, felt tears welling in his reddened eyes, mourning the tragic deaths of his family for a considerable while before he could collect himself.
Gritting his teeth, Old Pige demanded:
"Was it the newly arrived dragon-blooded young lord who did this?"
"There is no concrete evidence, but only he possesses the capability to enact such a deed."
With a furious gesture, Old Pige swept his arm, shattering the cup on the table into countless shards, declaring:
"Prepare yourselves; I shall address this matter immediately. Even if he is dragon-blooded, he will accompany my son to the grave!"
Viscount Weyda exchanged glances with his companions, breathing a sigh of relief. Having someone take the lead was better than any alternative.
Otherwise, they would have found it impossible to remain at ease, even in their own homes, considering the grim fate that had befallen the Pige estate.
"Lord Pige, what should we do now? Shall we patiently await your return?"
"Yes, do not undertake any actions for now. Pull back the servants responsible for clearing magical creatures and leave the affairs of the territory be. Let that lord bear the weight of his own troubles! He hasn't brought his guards, has he?"
These nobles had long harbored such thoughts; their audacity to act so brazenly at the Dead Sea was fundamentally rooted in the belief that they were indispensable here.
Ordinary magical creatures relied heavily on their efforts to cleanse the area, with the common folk shamelessly clinging to life under their protection.
"However... my lord, if we do not clear the magical creatures, our own safety may be jeopardized, no?"
Old Pige had no desire to share the same fate, to dismantle the foundation of the Dead Sea nobility. He chuckled coldly:
"What are you worried about? I merely seek a commotion caused by the magical creatures; it is entirely normal for anyone to perish amidst turmoil, is it not?
To be prudent, I shall seek the assistance of another dragon-blooded young lord. I will not allow that brat to leave the Dead Sea alive!"
...
Since waking that morning, Chu Yan found himself drifting off into thought at intervals.
Fortunately, this could be seen as a reasonable form of rest.
During the executioner's visit, significant progress had been made at the Dead Sea border, and Chu Yan felt as if he had dozed off during an examination, accomplishing seventy percent of the test without realizing it.
Now, all that remained was to tie up loose ends and await the time for submission.
Yet, in his mind, an unfamiliar backside materialized, the voluptuous curves reflecting a myriad of meanings:
Profoundly mysterious, unfathomable, unpredictable, and chaotic...
As the saying goes, seeing a letter is akin to meeting the person; thus, seeing the form is akin to seeing the soul.
Remarkably, those vivid images hadn't existed upon awakening, but as his mind cleared, more visuals began to emerge. Was this the executioner's?
"What are you daydreaming about?"
Janet had managed to ascend to the lord's level and, after scanning her surroundings, finally spotted the young lord reclining in a chair.
He lay there as if in a meditative state, blending perfectly with the surrounding ambiance, undetectable unless one looked closely.
"Daydreaming, of course—merely emptying my thoughts. Janet, what brings you here? I thought it was Shanoya."
Chu Yan initially wished to continue lounging, but at this height, his gaze was inadvertently directed at Janet's navel.
Her flat abdomen, sculpted into a sophisticated shape through exercise, boasted the delicate outline of a navel, complemented by the softness of her skin.
Particularly as Janet suddenly noticed his gaze, her smile turned playful and enticing, prompting Chu Yan to rise nonchalantly.
Fortunately, Janet did not dwell on the matter but responded:
"Shanoya is practicing swordsmanship on the second floor; I just saw her. Would you like to join me to observe the training results of the Dead Sea Armament?"
Under normal circumstances, Chu Yan might have declined, preferring to stay reclined.
His mind lingered on the executioner's exquisitely mesmerizing backside... shrouded in mystery; he struggled to decipher its implications, replaying the memory repeatedly in an attempt to understand her true intent.
Yet, he was reluctant to let Janet tease him about the navel; it would be quite embarrassing, so he rose to his feet.
Upon reaching the second floor, they found several forbidden individuals confined there, though she had scarcely seen them emerge.
Apart from the "cells," this level also housed a few activity rooms, akin to training arenas.
Shanoya was within one of these rooms, sweating profusely.
Chu Yan glanced in her direction and knocked on the door:
"Shanoya, I'm heading out to the wastelands to assess the effectiveness of the Dead Sea weapons training."
Shanoya wiped the sweat from her neck and turned to reply:
"Let me wipe off this sweat first; I'll accompany you."
"There's no need. I'll just take a quick look and return shortly; you can continue practicing."
Chu Yan proceeded alongside Janet.
Since the collaboration between the upper and lower echelons at the Dead Sea had improved significantly, the affluent district of Extreme City had become noticeably quieter and more peaceful. Indeed, unity facilitated efficiency.
Janet smiled, teasingly asking:
"Didn't you just summon Shanoya to accompany you purely to inform her of your movements? This is the first time I've seen a lord report his whereabouts to a prisoner; has the position reversed?"
Chu Yan could only shrug helplessly. Nevertheless, he felt more gratitude toward Shanoya for her care and concern.
Previously, when he had been attacked in the slums, Shanoya had anxiously inquired upon her return, insisting that he involve her on future outings.
Importantly, there would be no accounting or fees involved.
"According to Shanoya's own words, she particularly wishes to witness the scene of me sleeping on the floor, unable to rest comfortably; should I perish, she would feel cheated, having lost those days of her bed being occupied."
"..."
Janet shrugged, unable to comprehend the pair's odd fixation on bedding.
"Janet, have these nobles... been venturing out less? Even the guards in the affluent district seem to have vanished."
"I've noticed; they have indeed retreated into their shells, even withdrawing the teams responsible for clearing magical creatures. This is likely a silent protest against you, young lord."
The primary role of the Dead Sea nobility was, in fact, to cleanse the lesser magical creatures.
However, that role was incredibly crucial.
"I had previously avoided direct conflict with the nobles, fearing this very outcome; fortunately, a solution has emerged."
Chu Yan followed Janet to the makeshift training ground—a desolate stretch of land.
A group of teenagers, around sixteen or seventeen years old, were utilizing corpse bombs to "fish."
A previously slain slime creature had been brought over; when densely packed seafood monsters appeared, they would toss the slime's corpse, detonating it with the corpse bomb.
The creatures killed in the blast would continue to explode due to the magical energy, providing a delightful spectacle.
Unfortunately, the production of these corpse bombs was challenging, and their supply limited, making them only a temporary solution until these children mastered the Dead Sea weapons, enabling them to eliminate the lesser magical creatures independently.
Moreover, this method of extermination would destroy the magical nuclei, preventing the recovery of any valuable materials.
Once a significant number of magical creatures had been dispatched, leaving only a solitary giant crab, they took up the Dead Sea Armament and coordinated their attacks, engaging in a back-and-forth struggle.
Dura was nearby, providing fire support with her companions, launching flames from the fire-breathing skull at a safe distance.
They targeted the crab's rear, igniting its shell until it glowed red.
As they witnessed the giant crab's demise, both Chu Yan and Janet wiped the sweat from their brows.
"Brother Lord, Sister Janet, we did it!"
The children came rushing over, brimming with excitement, eager to share their success.
Janet smiled with a hint of pride and gestured to Chu Yan, saying:
"Let me demonstrate to you why this giant crab is not worth harvesting; you, young lord, likely have never claimed spoils of war, have you?"
"Indeed, I have not~"
As he spoke, Chu Yan turned his attention toward the gates of the affluent district.
Since the nobles were neglecting their responsibilities, with the lesser creatures unaddressed and the gates unguarded, now that the impoverished could take matters into their own hands, it would be acceptable for him to allow them to move in, wouldn't it?
It was the perfect opportunity to transform the former slum into a defensive zone.
"Once this is accomplished, I can indeed lie back and relax for the remainder of my days, spending each day nestled under the covers with Shanoya."
...
At the residence of Viscount Weyda.
With Old Pige restored as their cornerstone, several nobles grew bolder in their interactions.
Though they worried about being swept up in a single downfall, seeking warmth in numbers was an innate human tendency.
"Have you all gathered your servant teams back?"
"Yes, every last one. Even if magical creatures flood the gates of the affluent district, we will only defend our own doorstep."
"Ah, it won't be long before the poor district cries out in desperation, pleading for our assistance."
Viscount Weyda nodded, satisfaction spreading across his face, finally feeling as if they had regained some ground.
"The tragedy of the Pige family was likely orchestrated by the lord through the forbidden individuals. Perhaps we can inform the Sanctum of Regulations.
When multiple troubles arise, I can already envision his appearance, drenched in sweat!"
Suddenly, a tardy noble burst into the room, disbelief etched across his face as he exclaimed:
"The commoners, they, they can clear the magical creatures themselves now!"