Chapter 432: Into the Ruins
"You need to show some resolve. If the witch escapes, a lot of people are going to die."
"All right. Please make sure you do your best." Relycca hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and agreeing.
The two sides quickly came to an agreement. Relycca stayed behind to wait for the attendants to recover their strength.
Phield, meanwhile, grabbed the slave and made her lead the way.
Following the slave’s directions, they soon arrived at a ruin. Even from a distance, they could smell a pungent stench. Corpses were scattered throughout the surrounding bushes, both men and women, all of them horribly mutilated. It was impossible to tell what had eaten them. There was also rubbish scattered around the area, proving that people really did live here.
Judging from their clothes, the corpses had been residents of Bull’s territory.
"What a miserable age we live in."
Phield clicked his tongue. When a noble lord was in charge, the people had to pay exorbitant taxes and could barely afford black bread.
Yet without a lord, they became nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered in the face of evil forces.
"Who are you? You can’t come any closer."
Three or four men who looked like villagers suddenly jumped out from behind the walls of the ruins, each holding a butcher’s knife or a pitchfork.
They had barely finished shouting when they caught sight of Ashina’s face, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads. But the moment they noticed her wolf ears, their expressions immediately darkened.
"Damn snake, you’ve got some seriously twisted tastes. You actually keep a demi-human like that? You’re going to hell for sure. I’d rather go find a goat."
"You’re surrounded by corpses in a place like this. You look exactly like bandits yourselves. And you still have the nerve to talk about going to hell?"
Phield was speechless. He patted Ashina on the head to comfort her.
"Don’t be angry. Don’t be angry."
However, the moment the villagers noticed Phield, they were immediately intimidated by his exquisite clothing. Their instinctive fear of nobles took over, and they hurriedly waved their hands as they explained.
"We’re surviving freemen from Bull’s territory. We’re not bandits."
"You certainly look like freemen now."
Phield was amused.
Seeing that Phield had no guards with him, the villagers once again revealed their vicious expressions. The leader licked his butcher’s knife.
"Here for Moon Sugar? Looking for women? Or maybe you want some red meat? The entrance fee is two silver coins."
"Don’t give us that look. We only eat people because we have no other choice."
Moon Sugar was an addictive substance in this world. Although the Empire had officially banned it, black markets selling it still existed throughout the various regions.
While reading books about this world, Phield had heard the term "red meat" before. It referred to the flesh of the dead.
"Fine. Here you go."
Phield took out some silver coins from his pocket and tossed them over. If he killed them, he might alert the witch, so it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Holy crap, this kid’s loaded. I just threw out two silver coins on a whim. One copper coin would actually have been enough. We’ve got ourselves a fat sheep."
The villager greedily glanced at his companions, and they exchanged knowing looks.
"Wait. The price just went up. Five silver coins. No, ten silver coins per person!"
A villager with a mouthful of rotten teeth licked his broken teeth while constantly waving his knife, making no attempt to hide his greed.
"Small change."
Phield raised an eyebrow. Too lazy to count the money, he simply tossed out a gold coin. Once the exploration was over, he would kill them anyway. The money would still be his.
"A gold coin! Oh my god, a real gold coin!"
The villagers’ eyes turned red as they lunged for it, immediately wrestling among themselves.
Some people were like this. The more you tried to accommodate them, the more arrogant and insatiable they became.
"You have to take off all your clothes before going inside, including your maid. I think demi-humans are disgusting, but rules are rules."
The village leader snatched the gold coin and spat on the ground. He stared arrogantly at Phield with a malicious grin.
Phield froze for a moment before bursting out laughing.
"Rules? Go tell that to the goddess. I’ll send you to meet her right now."
The moment he finished speaking, Phield struck without hesitation.
A sharp gust of wind tore through the air. The blade of the third-tier divine artifact swept through the bandit’s head as effortlessly as cutting through tofu.
Half of his head was sent flying into the air.
The villagers around them froze instantly.
Before they could flee or beg for mercy, Ashina summoned the Drakewolf and had it devour every last one of them.
After effortlessly resolving the fight, Phield retrieved his gold coin.
"Another bunch of idiots who didn’t know when to stop. I feel like my gold is getting harder and harder to spend."
The Empire had very few honest people these days. Hardly anyone was willing to conduct business properly. One after another, they kept courting death, always hoping to get something for nothing.
"The villagers here are absolutely disgusting."
Ashina recalled the Drakewolf and drew her bow. With a single arrow, she shot the female slave who had secretly tried to escape.
"My lord, I can already smell the witch. Their scents are identical. She can’t escape."
"Good work. Speaking of which, our territory needs to be governed strictly. Moon Sugar, red meat, or anything like that, if anyone dares bring them into my territory, they die. No exceptions."
The people of Nightfall Domain were much more simple and honest. Phield had no intention of letting the Empire’s rotten ways contaminate them.
Phield took a key from one of the dead villagers and used it to unlock the cellar beneath the ruins before entering.
Smoke filled the cellar.
A group of strange sirens were engaged in some utterly unspeakable activities.
The scene was so outrageous that Phield had no choice but to mentally slap a thick mosaic over his own vision.
"Ugh. Disgusting."
Even Ashina nearly screamed. She spat in disgust and quickly hid behind Phield.
Phield silently complained, "You’re much more aggressive when you bully me."
"Is that so?" Ashina’s pretty face flushed.
"Got it. I’ll do it again next time. I have to bully my lord properly, otherwise you’ll just go looking for some other little temptress."
"You actually said that out loud."
Phield was stunned. When he came back to his senses, the alluring women were already staring directly at him.
The sirens let out screams and charged forward without saying another word.
"Leave them to me!"
With no one else around to witness her, Ashina no longer needed to hide her strength. She drew the cavalry saber she always carried at her waist.
She darted left and right through the battlefield, beheading every last siren in an instant.
"Damn you! Who are you? How dare you trespass on my territory?"
A beautiful woman wearing sheer clothing gracefully emerged from the room behind them. She had not even bothered to bathe, and her entire body glistened with oil.
Through the crack in the door, Phield could see a pile of people sprawled across the room.
As if performing a magic trick, she summoned a staff and glared viciously at Phield.
"Another piece of meat delivered straight to my door. There’s even more food here than I expected. Die, all of you!"
She immediately fired a black magic projectile at them.
Phield stepped forward and slapped the projectile away.
"You actually attacked me without warning."
Phield felt deeply offended. He pointed at his own face.
"Aren’t you supposed to try charming me first?"
At least follow the proper procedure. You’re making me look bad.
"Die, dog !"
"I’m a wolf!"
Ashina was furious.
"Divine Artifact, Frost Nirvana!"