“By the way, I urgently needed so materials right now. I was wondering whether the chamber of comrce in Aoma Village had any stock.” Yae-hi quickly got straight to the point.
Her purpose in coming to see Angelica was precisely to continue gathering the materials required for the City of Chaos.
Overall, the materials needed for repairs had already been collected. However, certain consumables were required in especially large quantities. It was better to gather as much as possible as early as possible.
After all, the City of Chaos would not remain in the Saint Demon World for very long. Once it returned to Aqua Blue Star, replenishing supplies would require teleporting it to Saint Demon World again. The energy loss incurred during that process was enough to make one’s scalp tingle just thinking about it, and the pain at heart was unavoidable.
Naturally, Yae-hi had no intention of letting such a thing happen. So she made preparations in advance.
“What kind of materials do you need, Princess? Even if we do not have them locally, we will do our utmost to find them!” Angelica said solemnly.
“That will not be necessary. If they can be found, then find them. If not, then forget it.” Yae-hi took out a sheet of paper filled with listed materials from her ring and handed it over.
The required items had already been marked.
Angelica took the paper and hurriedly said, “I will go check with the chamber of comrce imdiately!” With that, she swiftly left the scene.
“There really is no need to rush so much.” Yae-hi said. Unfortunately, Angelica could no longer hear her.
After leaving Aoma Village, Yae-hi did not rush back to the city. She went to the docks and looked toward the uninhabited island. “Choosing to descend at this place should be much safer.”
Now that dock operations had been suspended and all nearby villages had been sealed off, the uninhabited island, having just experienced last night’s incident, would not see anyone going there for the ti being.
Descending there was undoubtedly the best choice.
“And it is quite far from Jade City. Even if sothing unexpected happens, Richard will not notice.” She withdrew her gaze, turned around, and stepped forward.
Not long after, the beast carriage at the village entrance sped off toward Jade City.
* **Under the sa sky, at the Adventurers’ Guild in Jade City.**
Taurus sat at the round table, one hand resting on its surface while his fingers tapped rhythmically. His expression showed clear impatience. “There is still no news about S.K.Y.?” he asked in a low voice.
At his words, a cadre-level guild mber standing in front of him trembled almost imperceptibly. His gaze wandered, his face slightly pale, and he remained silent for a long ti.
“I am asking you a question. Did you not hear ?” Taurus stared at him coldly, his tone hostile.
“Young Master Taurus, we have not yet found S.K.Y., but we already have so leads…”
Before he could finish, Taurus slamd the table and stood up, roaring: “Useless trash, all of you are useless trash! So much ti has passed and you still cannot even find one person. Am I giving you all that money to do charity!?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of all the guild mbers present darkened. Yet not a single person dared to speak up in rebuttal. Because they had signed contracts and were now employees of the Zhang Corporation.
Moreover, those contracts were riddled with hidden, predatory clauses, practically no different from slave contracts. To terminate them, one would have to pay five to six hundred thousand and spend two to three years fighting lawsuits. Otherwise, it was simply impossible.
That montary greed and vanity back then had cost these people their freedom. Now, whether they swallowed their anger or were shouted at like dogs, it was all the result of their own choices.
So had tried to sue to terminate their contracts, but under the iron fist of Bestick Legal Firm. Not only did they lose the case, they were also ordered to compensate Zhang Corporation five hundred thousand.
By now, the core mbers of the Death of Love Guild had long since abandoned any thoughts of escape. They could only endure until their contracts expired before finally leaving.
‘Compared to those who were sued by their companies just for refusing overti, we are still the lucky ones.’ One of the cadres sighed inwardly, his face showing a complex expression that was neither quite laughter nor quite tears.
“You have five days to find him. If you cannot, you will all regret it!” With his temper fully unleashed, Taurus tore away his usual facade, revealing the lofty, domineering face of a capitalist who looked down on everyone else.
In his eyes, these dirt-poor wretches were all cheap bones. Without beating or scolding, they would never move.
Hearing this, everyone present felt anger they dared not voice. Who else could they bla for signing contracts that sold themselves? Who had made this society recognize nothing but money? Sorry, but in this world, money really could buy the right to do whatever one pleased.
At this very mont, Taurus was the living embodint of that saying, its walking incarnation.
“Why are you idiots standing around here? Get the hell out there and start looking for him!” With a sweeping motion of his arm, Taurus roared furiously, like an enraged lion.
The lead guild cadre answered with a subdued acknowledgnt, then lowered his head and walked out of the guild, both ashad and furious. His body trembled, his teeth were clenched tight. His heart felt as though it had been bound by iron chains.
At that mont, he felt like a bonded laborer who had lost even the qualification to be treated as a human being.
The sa loss of qualification applied to the pile of players following behind him. Their situation perfectly fit that old saying: there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
And of course, there was also this one: all crows under heaven were equally black.
Money itself was sothing without conscience, without humanity. Coveting the petty benefits offered by money would only make one lose their freedom, lose the very right to be human. At this mont, they understood it. They saw it clearly. But it was already too late.
Inside the Adventurers’ Guild, Taurus slowly sat back down. The anger in his heart gradually dissipated, and his expression eased sowhat.
Only then did Vanessa, who had been sitting opposite him in silence all this ti, finally speak, “Aren’t you afraid they might turn against you?”
Following her voice, Taurus looked over and bared his teeth in a grin, speaking with domineering confidence, “These dirt-poor wretches already have collars fastened around their necks by . Turning against ? That would only end with their families ruined and their hos destroyed!”
“It would be better to be a bit more refined in how you conduct yourself.” Vanessa took a sip of her now-cold tea and said flatly.
“Heh, listen to you talk. As if your Yang family were so great benefactors!” Taurus said with disdain. Ever since being stabbed in the back by S.K.Y., the only thing left in his heart had been a raging inferno of anger.
That tiny trace of romantic feeling from before had long since vanished. Now, when facing Vanessa, it was as if he were looking at a hollow shell of flesh. His heart felt nothing at all.
“What kind of family the Yangs are is not for you to judge.” Vanessa set down her teacup and stood up, her expression utterly calm. She seed completely unaffected by the barbs in his words.
“Taurus, our cooperation ends here. From this day forward, the Death of Flower Guild and the Death of Love Guild will have nothing more to do with each other.” Her purpose in logging in today had been precisely to draw a clear line between herself and Taurus.
“What did you say!?” Taurus suddenly widened his eyes and shouted in disbelief.
“Our two guilds are formally cutting ties today. From now on, we will mind our own business and keep to our own waters.” Vanessa said coolly, neither heated nor cold.
“Even you are betraying !?” Upon hearing this, Taurus clenched his fists tightly and roared, his face twisting in fury.
“Betrayal? Taurus, aren’t you mistaken about sothing? From the very beginning, we were nothing more than partners.” Vanessa let out a cold laugh, then opened her interface and clicked the logout button.
Watching her disappear in a flash of white light, Taurus was so furious that his entire face flushed red, then darkened. In the end, he slamd his fist heavily onto the tabletop, smashing the round table to pieces.
Elsewhere, inside the beast carriage racing toward Jade City, Yae-hi lounged comfortably as she browsed forum posts.
“Capitalists could never have a conscience. If they sign you at a high price, it is obviously to squeeze you dry.”
Looking at the forum thread flooding the front page titled [Prodigal Master of Huadu’s Tyrannical Contract], she could not help but mutter to herself.
User Comments
0 comments from readers