Chapter 72

The City Lord of Borsil City levied exorbitant taxes and established various high tax systems, yet Borsil City remained one of the most prosperous cities in the Western Territory.

Its prosperity was built on demographic dividends; it was the largest population trade market in the Western Territory, openly acknowledging the legitimacy of the slave trade.

"The entry fee for those without goods is over a hundred Imperial Currency per person; it's practically no different from robbery."

Nahashu complained; he had only seen such high entry fees back when he was in Border Town.

"Fortunately, on the road here, there were quite a few good people who gave us money."

Broly didn't care much about this bit of money; on the road before arriving at this city, they had encountered multiple slave caravans.

And upon seeing so many high-quality children on their side who could be used as slaves, those slave caravans unanimously chose to play the good Samaritan.

In three days, seven slave caravans of varying sizes attacked them; nearly two hundred people consequently dropped dead in the wilderness.

"Once we find an inn and settle in, we'll have to wash the carriage; it's covered in dried bloodstains."

Luosang also complained a bit, but it was precisely this dried blood that made subsequent slave caravans who saw them dare not approach.

This was only natural; the scent of blood from their group — seemingly sheep but actually tigers — could be smelled a mile downwind; anyone who dared approach was either a fool or excessively confident.

Obviously, the people behind were neither fools nor overconfident, highlighting the caution of those traveling abroad.

"Wonder if those who left will run into slave caravans again and get caught as slaves once more."

Main was somewhat worried about the situation of some slaves rescued on the transport vehicles after the slave caravans were defeated.

"If you keep rounding people up and sending them home, how are we supposed to get to the Imperial Capital?"

At the time, Merad strongly opposed this in his capacity as Boss, so that group of rescued slaves wasn't rounded up and taken away like before.

Instead, they were each given some food and money, the slave caravans' vehicles were divided up, and those people were sent on their separate ways.

"Why care about that? Those people being rescued once was already luck; if they get caught again, they can only blame their bad luck."

Merad didn't care about this sort of thing; she just wanted Broly to finish his other business quickly, then return home with her.

But before that, they still had to find an inn to bathe.

Three days, many attackers; even though Merad acted less, she still had a scent of blood on her.

"Green, are we going to your home first, or going to an inn to rest up together first?"

Broly asked the boy wearing glasses.

"Broly-san, I'm not in a hurry; we can rest up first."

The closer Green got to Borsil City, the more afraid he felt; he worried his parents had really sold him off back then.

Luosang had been right before; some truths are better off unknown than known, especially when some truths are truly unsatisfactory.

Seeing him like this, no one said anything; the group had already arrived at Borsil City, they couldn't possibly stop before figuring out the truth and then pass their own door without entering; right now it was merely giving Green time to prepare himself mentally.

"Mr. Cabrera, Mrs. Cabrera, do the two of you agree to the transfer of the bookstore? Mr. Telawei is very sincere; the price he offers is twenty percent above market value; you could completely change locations and open another bookstore."

In an old bookstore, a broker man carrying a briefcase spoke thus to the young couple inside the bookstore.

"You want to acquire our family's bookstore; fine, I can agree to you."

Hearing this, the broker man's face lit up with joy, then he heard the young man opposite speak the rest: "But I have one condition: return our son to us."

"Mr. Cabrera, I've said it many times; Mr. Telawei is a legitimate businessman; he wouldn't kidnap your son just to acquire your bookstore."

"This is our only condition; find our son, and this bookstore will be sold to you; besides that, we do not accept a pure monetary transaction, regardless of whether you offer twenty percent above market price or even double."

The young man's attitude was very firm, an air of no room for further negotiation. "Mr. Cabrera, I must remind you; Mr. Telawei is not a good-tempered person; he has already been very patient with you two."

"Then what, should I thank him? Thank him for forcing me to sell my own bookstore, thank him for having my son kidnapped?"

"I'll say it again; Mr. Telawei did not have your son kidnapped."

"I don't care about that; my son's disappearance happened after you proposed buying our bookstore and I refused; I don't know who the real culprit is, I can only treat you as the culprits.

And bringing my son back unharmed is the prerequisite for you to buy our bookstore; without this prerequisite, everything is off the table.

Also, if your boss wants to play dirty tricks, bring it on; my father was once the Old Marquis's Clerk; I still have some connections."

The young man finished speaking and kicked the broker man out of the bookstore.

"How is it? Was the bookstore deal settled?"

"No, Mr. Telawei; that family insists we bring back their son before they'll consider transferring the bookstore to us."

"Damn it, a kid lost is lost; can't they just go make another one?"

Telawei cursed and swore; right then, laughter from subordinates and hostesses came from the side, making him somewhat furious.

He walked over and delivered a kick, knocking down the subordinate who was touching the woman's thigh.

"You still have the face to play with women here; if you hadn't botched the job, letting the kidnapped child be snatched away by some unknown bastard, I would have taken over that bookstore three months ago!"

Facing the boss's roar, the man kicked to the ground didn't dare retort at all; three months ago, it was he who went and bagged that bookstore family's child.

But halfway through he had an urgent need to piss; in the time he went to relieve himself, the bag placed against the wall was snatched away by some unknown bastard.

"Mr. Telawei, should we go help find the child?"

The broker man asked carefully.

"How to find? This is the Slave Capital; a child goes missing, where do you want me to look?"

"Should we entrust Lady Tweina?"

"Hah, asking my sister for help over this trivial fart-sized matter; has your fucking brain flooded?"

"Yes yes yes, my brain flooded; then Mr. Telawei, are we giving up on that bookstore?"

"Give up, why give up? The slave market is about to expand; that bookstore's land is going to appreciate; why should I give up?"

"But that family's attitude is very firm..."

"Tonight bring some men, go make them press their handprints on the transfer contract."

"But that family has some connections..."

"What connections? Don't you know people leave and tea goes cold? Besides, can't we just make it so they can't find anyone, shut them up forever? Force them to sign their names, then set a fire, burn the bookstore and the people both……"

"By the way, Green, what does your family do?"

Inside the inn, Luosang asked after washing up.

"A bookstore, what about it?"

Green answered while putting on his clothes.

(Chapter End)