Chapter 341: Blood Bonds and Shadows
After the initial shock, everyone eventually settled down as explanations flowed in the grand living room. Alexander had deliberately saved the topic of their status for last, preventing his family from harboring any resentment or distrust toward the three women over recent events.
Upon learning that real slavery contracts existed in that world—capable of subjugating a person’s will and snapping their life away in an instant upon disobedience—an icy chill ran down the spines of everyone present.
"Does something so cruel truly exist in that place?" Alexander’s aunt whispered, bringing a hand to her chest as she looked at Sydney, Paige, and the fake Brianna with a mix of pity and awe. "To think someone’s life can be bound to another’s in such a manner..."
"Those are the rules on the other side," Alexander said in a firm yet calm voice. "It’s not a place for beating around the bush. The Blood Slavery Contract isn’t just a leash right now, it’s the only thing guaranteeing that TMC doesn’t view them as a threat and allows them to stand here among us without trying to eliminate them."
The three slaves took a step forward and bowed slightly with elegance toward the family.
"You need not worry about us, ladies," Sydney spoke in a soft yet respectful tone. "Master Alexander has granted us purpose and protection. We will fulfill his commands without hesitation."
Minutes later, the mansion’s staff served a feast fit for the occasion across the mahogany dining table. Steaming dishes, from juicy cuts of meat to sophisticated side dishes, filled the room with an appetizing aroma. Marcus, Ben, Leo, and the rest of the family began eating with genuine delight, enjoying hot meals after days of sheer tension.
However, the moment Alexander cut a piece of steak and placed it in his mouth, his brow furrowed.
To Alexander, the meat had no flavor; the texture felt tasteless, dry, almost like chewing on raw cardboard. There was no energy, no vitality, no substance to it. It was an extremely strange sensation, considering everyone around him was eating with complete satisfaction.
Beside him, Sydney, Paige, and the fake Brianna barely sampled a bite before discreetly placing their utensils down on their plates.
"Master..." Brianna whispered in a very low tone, leaning toward Alexander’s ear. "This meat contains no spiritual energy. It is dead flesh."
Alexander glanced at her sideways and nodded in silence. Having crossed over to the other world and experienced the strengthening of his own body and mana, his organism—just like the girls’—naturally rejected ordinary Earth food due to its lack of spiritual nutrients.
"This is going to be a problem..." Alexander thought to himself in a low voice. "If our bodies keep evolving, ordinary food won’t nourish us at all. How can we source real meat on this side?"
Alexander raised his hand and gestured to the head of the house staff, who immediately stepped forward with a respectful bow.
"Tell me, Master Alexander, how may I assist you?" the servant asked.
"Do you have any record or access to spiritual beast meat or supplies brought directly through the portal?" Alexander asked in a calm yet direct tone.
The head servant bowed his head apologetically and replied immediately.
"My apologies, Master Alexander, we do not stock those types of provisions directly in our kitchen," the servant explained. "However, we can send someone to purchase whatever you need. In this residential district, almost all residents are Awakened or high-ranking executives, so specialized supplies can be freely acquired at the local market."
A gleam of genuine curiosity flared in Alexander’s eyes. If an exclusive market selling spiritual goods and supplies brought from the other world already existed here on Earth, it was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss.
"Finish eating," Alexander ordered, looking around at his group. "We’re heading to the market."
Marcus, Ben, and Leo wolfed down their remaining bites in a hurry, while the three women rose to their feet with elegance, ready to accompany him. Everyone prepared quickly for departure. Before stepping out the front door, Alexander paused and fixed his gaze on his friends and companions.
"Be extremely careful out there," Alexander warned in a stern tone. "Don’t provoke anyone or look for unnecessary trouble. We still don’t know what the people who frequent those kinds of places on Earth are capable of."
Everyone nodded in silence, understanding the gravity of his words.
Stepping out to the mansion’s main entrance, three black armored SUVs were already waiting with their engines idling. As the group boarded the vehicles, Alexander turned toward Helena.
"Helena, who coordinates all of this?" Alexander asked, gesturing toward the escort detail and the drivers.
"It’s part of the standard benefits package provided by TMC based on your new Silver rank, sir," Helena answered in a professional tone. "The company automatically assigns this support staff, but if you wish, they can be replaced at any moment with personnel of your own trust."
Alexander nodded in agreement, making a mental note as the armored door sealed shut behind him.
The three SUVs moved in formation along the paved avenues of the exclusive Awakened district. Through the tinted windows, the city appeared pristine and orderly, yet wrapped in an atmosphere of tightly held tension; nearly every pedestrian walking the sidewalks exuded a formidable presence or was flanked by armed bodyguards.
After a short fifteen-minute drive, the convoy slowed down and pulled into the underground entrance of a massive architectural complex. Passing through the security checkpoints and heading down the ramp, the group emerged into a fascinating environment.
The Awakened Market was no mere street bazaar, but a high-end underground gallery illuminated by halogen lights and glowing crystals. Dozens of reinforced storefronts lined the marble corridors. Display windows featured everything from glass jars filled with vividly colored medicinal herbs and weapons forged from exotic minerals, to frozen cuts of spiritual beast meat hanging from stainless steel hooks, giving off faint wisps of icy vapor and dense mana.
Alexander stepped out of the vehicle, scanning the area. The true economy of the new world was laid out right before his eyes.