For now, Logan Lane knew nothing about these deals. He only saw that the third person who contacted him was a flower-like beauty using the handle "InstantNoodlesMyLove."
InstantNoodlesMyLove:
"Celestial friend, that woman I traded off—isn't she gorgeous? Still pure, too. Haven't so much as touched her. You see, I could throw in some bonus sincerity on my side if you like. There's another woman from your Celestial Empire on my island, behind her husband's back. She's first-rate in looks, figure, and, well…taste. Interested?"
Logan frowned at the message. He was honestly curious. Given human nature, why would someone trade a person off without "sampling" first? Unless it was truly for a loved one's survival.
He typed a quick reply:
"Why so generous?"
On another island, a dark-skinned Black man was pressing a beautiful woman beneath him. Both were naked in the rain. He tapped out a partial response to Logan while the woman clung to him. However, the man soon ended up pinned under her again, and no further message was sent.
Logan waited in vain under the chilly downpour. Eventually, a gust of wind cut through him, and he decided not to bother. He deleted "InstantNoodlesMyLove" from his contact list.
Meanwhile, he recalled that his three newly arrived vassals were nearly naked. "Is everyone out there stripping their vassals nowadays? This is advanced marketing or something," he muttered. He certainly didn't have spare clothes for them. It was raining, so nobody would be selling cheap clothes right now—if any at all.
He shrugged. "They're my subordinates anyway."
Equality wasn't a big concern here, not in a world like this. Everyone was in survival mode, and that meant a hierarchy.
Logan grabbed his umbrella and ventured into the forest, collecting leaves from banana-like plants and vines. He also found a few basic ingredients along the way. Too lazy to handle them individually, he simply decomposed them, accepting fewer materials in return.
When he returned to his thatched hut, Logan spotted the male vassal standing rigidly by the fire, along with a small pile of items. The man turned and knelt when Logan stepped inside, speaking in a crisp voice:
"Master, my name is Kevin Lake. I used to be a judo instructor. I greet you."
Logan sized up Kevin, a bit taller than himself, with well-defined abs—eight-pack territory. Logan's own magically enhanced body didn't come with showy abs.
Kevin found his master's silent scrutiny a bit nerve-racking, worried that the island owner might…have a special interest. He tightened his posture nervously.
Oblivious to Kevin's concerns, Logan assumed his pale face signaled undernourishment. "You adapt quickly. Good for a modern guy who understands the situation. Don't call yourself a 'slave'—'subordinate' is fine."
He tossed over a collection of leaves. "Weave something to cover yourself. I don't have clothes to spare."
Kevin's gaze flicked to Logan's outfit, but he didn't dare ask for it. Instead, he bowed. "Yes, Master." He started weaving at once. Logan nodded and left, carrying more leaves and vines to the other cabin.
Cabin #3 served as a storage space for random junk, offering no heat. Inside, two women shivered violently. They were nearly naked except for small undergarments. One had introduced herself as Rena Dane, the other as Anna Young.
Both were evidently top-tier beauties in their former lives, but Logan, after a passing glance, felt no particular urge. His near-death experiences had dulled such impulses.
"Rena Dane. Anna Young," Logan addressed them. "Here, weave yourselves something from these leaves. You get one day. You can use the firewood but don't set the place ablaze."
He dropped two logs, a lighter, two bottles of water, and a couple pounds of tiger meat wrapped in leaves. Logan's eyes flicked over their white skin and shapely figures, then he turned away, letting them be.
As he left, he mused at his own indifference. "So they're beautiful. Why am I less interested than I was checking out Kevin's abs… Wait, that's odd. Did getting stronger mess with my hormones?" he wondered.
The two women inside the cabin felt relieved. They'd braced for a more intimate command, but apparently their master just wanted them to weave clothes. After Logan departed, the pair introduced themselves, chattering about their past while fumbling with leaves and vines.
Logan returned to the hut, opened a thick manual titled "Encyclopedia of Basic Marine Biology of the Advanced World of Civilization", and began reading. From time to time, he glanced over at Kevin Lake's weaving. Kevin felt a prickle of discomfort under the watchful eye.
Abruptly, Logan stood and strode over. Kevin gulped, suspecting the worst. He almost steeled himself to offer… a certain sacrifice. But Logan simply asked:
"Kevin, do you have a quick regimen for building abs and muscles? Also, can you teach me martial arts?"
Kevin froze, belatedly realizing his master had zero interest in him physically. "Yes, Master," he said, bowing. "I can share training methods anytime."
"Good. Also, your wife returned nearly all the items from your sale except ten pears."
"My wife…did that? Thank you for telling me, Master. She must be in dire straits," Kevin murmured, heart sinking.
Logan read his thoughts easily. "Just do your job well and maybe you'll see her someday. I run a merit-based system: do well, get rewarded; fail, get punished. Don't bring old beliefs or illusions about 'equal footing' here."
He handed Kevin a chunk of E-rank Dragon Armor Beast Meat. "Grill this."
Kevin accepted the meat, nodding. "Yes, Master." He built up the flames, relieved that he'd only be cooking dinner rather than fending off an unwanted advance.