Chapter 1100

Lin Cheng and the others couldn't help but stop, looking curiously toward the depths of that path—unfortunately, a thick cloth curtain blocked the view, and aside from lamplight, nothing could be seen.

"Supervisor, this sound is…"

"Don't worry about it. That's where the flesh market sells slaves." The demonic beast supervisor glanced over there and explained—he had long grown accustomed to such sounds.

"Isn't the Empire…" Lin Cheng frowned and asked.

But the demonic beast supervisor gestured for him not to continue.

What Lin Cheng wanted to say—how could he not know it himself?

The Empire expressly forbade slave trading, but the profit was too丰厚 to resist; some black-hearted merchants took the risk and chose to conduct slave trading within the Empire's borders.

"Don't say any more. The fellows in there have connections up top, and those slaves are almost all sold for noble lords to enjoy—at exorbitant prices. We're ordinary merchants; we can't afford to provoke such big shots." The demonic beast merchant whispered to Lin Cheng and the others.

Even under sunlight there are dark shadows; the Empire is so vast that there are always places beyond the reach of supervision.

Officials and merchants collude, running their covert trades. What can small fry like them do even if they know? Report it to His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire?

"Let's go quickly." The demonic beast supervisor directly urged everyone on.

Lin Cheng pulled Qianhui along, glanced at Ji Xia's face—something seemed off—so he directly took her hand as well and followed the demonic beast supervisor.

Even though Ji Xia was filled with a sense of justice, this wasn't within the jurisdiction of the Eternal Night Legion; no matter how strong they were, they couldn't overpower the local powers here.

"Even if you want to do something, you have to plan it out carefully, right? Acting rashly will only bring us endless trouble!" Lin Cheng also whispered persuasively in Ji Xia's ear.

Ji Xia's stiff body finally relaxed, but Lin Cheng knew she certainly wasn't willing to let these Empire scumbags off so easily—but what could they do? Just as the demonic beast supervisor said, the slave traders had people above them.

Think about it: under the Empire's express prohibition, just how powerful a backer would it take to allow slave traders to conduct forbidden slave trading?

This backer was probably directly connected to the upper echelons of Beast Pen City—even if not someone at the City Lord level, it should be a figure like the Vice City Lord.

The city guards at the entrance and exit probably weren't there to prevent demonic beast riots either; they must be there to conceal these things that truly need concealing.

Ordinary citizens can't afford to buy demonic beasts. Those who can, once they learn of these matters, will more or less choose to keep their mouths shut—better one less matter than one more. He was no different.

"We're here."

Arriving at the temporary demonic beast holding area, the demonic beast supervisor looked at the unharmed pink little beast and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good that it's fine, good that it's fine."

He had truly worried this pink little beast had already kicked the bucket, causing his deal to fall through.

"You two, lock that pink little beast up in a separate cage." Pointing at the guards nearby, the supervisor directly ordered them.

The temporary demonic beast holding area also had guards, meant to prevent the demonic beasts from fighting each other—but if the demonic beasts really did start brawling, the help the guards could provide was quite limited; they couldn't exactly go in and mediate.

"Yes, Supervisor."

Immediately, two fully armed personnel entered the cage, donning a set of special stone armor—otherwise the special cage would also drain their stamina and strength, leaving them paralyzed inside. The two personnel carefully made their way from the edge, past the weakened demonic beasts, until they reached the pink little beast's side, swiftly scooped it up and tossed it into a small iron cage, then carefully retraced their steps back.

· ·······Seeking flowers····· ·····

Only when the iron gate of the great cage was locked with shackles once more did the two men's suspended hearts finally settle; their backs and foreheads were already covered in cold sweat.

Even weakened demonic beasts could deal with fragile ordinary folk like them with ease. Every trip out was no less than walking a tightrope, with an abyss of ten thousand fathoms below.

........ 0

"Honored guest, look—this is the pink little beast that knows illusion arts. Although the manifest says it knows illusion arts, because it was only delivered yesterday, it's still unclear just how capable its illusion arts actually are."

Generally, demonic beasts sent to the shop would be held in the temporary demonic beast holding area, where numerous confirmations of ability, combat power, temperament, and so on would be conducted, along with a danger assessment, before being priced and sold.

However, circumstances vary; business that comes to the door can't be refused. For a guest's special requirements regarding a demonic beast, naturally special treatment must be given.

The purchase price of this pink little beast was five thousand gold coins; he'd tearfully sell it for around thirty thousand gold coins.

"It looks to be in good condition, it's just…"

Lin Cheng took the extra-small special cage—less than half a meter—from the staff member's hands, removed his sunglasses, and wanted to observe it closely. But just at that moment, the pink little beast suddenly opened its eyes.

Four eyes met; in the gazes of Lin Cheng and the pink little beast, a flash of pink charm passed simultaneously.

In that instant, before Lin Cheng lost consciousness, his very last thought was a single one. Damn.