The Hidden Danger Eliminated Unknowingly

On the other side, as soon as Velin entered the gate, a portly merchant approached him.

"Sir, welcome to the Bashak Merchant Guild. I am Bark, the branch president here. How may I assist you?"

Velin looked around. Many strange races were imprisoned in exquisite iron cages for display. Among them were even a few half-elves, which made him admire the merchant's boldness.

"I want strong slaves, and also blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons. I even want architects."

Upon hearing this, Bark's eyes lit up, and his gaze towards Velin became more cordial. "Sir, please rest assured, we have everything you need. The Bashak Merchant Guild may not have much of anything else, but we have plenty of skilled slaves."

"Sir, this way. Mind the threshold."

They passed through a corridor and arrived at the Bashak Merchant Guild's slave holding basement.

There were also patrolling thugs around. Judging by their strength, they were on par with Orlando.

"Sir, look here. These male slaves have excellent teeth and are all around twenty years old. They can work for you for another thirty years without any problem." Bark stepped forward, cupped a slave's chin, and displayed his teeth to Velin, enthusiastically promoting him.

"How much each?"

"Sir, twenty gold coins each. If you buy in large quantities, I can offer you a discount." Bark said hastily, seeing Velin inquire about the price, fearing he might change his mind.

"Mr. Bark, how much will it cost for me to purchase three hundred strong slaves?"

"A 20% discount. The original price is six thousand gold coins, but you only need to pay four thousand eight hundred gold coins."

"Make a note of it. Take me to see the other skilled slaves."

"Very well, sir. This way."

Seeing that the deal was struck, Bark's face was full of smiles as he led Velin to the next area.

A blacksmith costs eighty gold coins, a carpenter fifty gold coins, and a mason thirty gold coins.

After Bark's round of sales, Velin purchased ten blacksmiths, fifteen carpenters, and twenty-five masons, costing 2,300 gold coins.

Finally, Velin spent another thousand gold coins to buy one hundred boys, aged eleven or twelve, from Bark.

Loyalty must be cultivated from a young age, instilling values in them. These boys were perfect for that.

"Bark, where are the architects I need? Take me to see them." Velin had browsed around and bought everything he needed. He couldn't help but ask Bark.

For the second phase, regarding the construction of his own castle, without an architect's plan, he was truly afraid it would collapse halfway through construction.

Hearing Velin's words, Bark showed a troubled expression. "Sir, the guild still has one architect slave, but they are very expensive, and she is a half-elf. Do you really intend to buy her?"

"A half-elf? It doesn't matter, as long as she can do the job. I don't discriminate." Velin waved his hand, indicating that he didn't care about the slave's race at all, as long as she had practical value.

Seeing this, Bark led Velin and his group towards the depths of the basement.

They passed through a secret room and arrived at a separate chamber.

"Sir, please look. This half-elf girl is the architect. She is proficient in all kinds of architecture and skilled at building various castles. If you buy her outright, we will also give you a special carriage as a gift."

Velin heard this and walked over to the iron cage. He squatted down to look at the half-elf girl. She was very beautiful, and he was somewhat moved.

The half-elf girl's eyes revealed despair, and she was indifferent to everything around her.

Seeing that Velin remained unresponsive for a long time, Bark became very anxious and continued to promote her. "Sir, this one is still a virgin. You can buy her back to work as an architect, or as a..."

"How much?"

"Three thousand five hundred gold coins, and you can take her away. Additionally, the Bashak Merchant Guild will give you a specially made carriage as a gift," Bark said quickly.

"Alright, I'll buy her. Have all the slaves I ordered delivered outside the city."

Velin stood up and handed Bark eleven one-thousand-gold-coin banknotes from his bosom.

Looking at the gleaming banknotes, Bark's eyes lit up. He respectfully took the banknotes, carefully examined them, and then cautiously put them in his pocket.

"Here, sir, these are four one-hundred-gold-coin banknotes. Please accept them."

Afterward, Velin left with his subordinates.

Walking on the road, Orlando suddenly asked, "Master, that Bashak Merchant Guild is clearly problematic. Why did you still choose to trade there?"

"There shouldn't be any other problems," Velin stopped and said to Orlando, "The problem should be with that half-elf slave. I suspect the local nobles coveted her, and a conflict arose because they couldn't agree on a price."

"After all, not everyone is as wealthy as your master."

Stroking Orlando's golden hair, Velin replied with a smile.

"Yes, Master. I understand."

Outside Bagamo City, in a manor, Kazak, the son of the Governor of Kadlo Province, invited his cronies to hold an outdoor banquet.

"Sir, I believe that in a few days, the Bashak Merchant Guild will deliver that half-elf woman to us."

"Hahaha." Kazak raised his wine glass and replied with a smile to a young nobleman beside him, "There is nothing that Kazak desires that I cannot obtain."

The thought of obtaining the half-elf girl, valued at three thousand five hundred gold coins, without spending a single coin made him feel a surge of excitement.

Just then, the manor's butler came to Kazak's side and whispered, "Young Master, that half-elf girl has been bought."

"Who, who bought her?"

Kazak gripped his wine glass, his face contorted with ferocity as he asked.

"He's a Pioneer Knight, rumored to be..."

"What? A mongrel daring to steal what I had reserved? Does he not wish to live?"

Before the butler could finish, Kazak erupted in a torrent of curses, clearly ready to gather his men and eliminate the offender on the spot.

"Young Master, the other party is a member of the Ex Family. We cannot afford to offend them!" The butler, seeing Kazak about to leave, hurriedly finished his sentence, terrified he would go and cause more trouble.

Upon hearing that the other party was from the Ex Family, Kazak immediately felt a pang of fear.

He recalled that just over a month ago, a member of the Eagle Family had come to Kadlo Province and, right in front of his father, killed a guard.

His father could only offer a wry smile and dared not pursue the matter.

Afterward, he himself had been summoned to the study and sternly warned never to come into conflict with that person.

Although their family was a Count family, compared to the Ex Family, they were like a tiger and a mouse.

Within the kingdom, Count families were not all equal.

As strong as the Eagle Family was, they were more powerful than most Marquis families.

As weak as his own Dosk Family was, they were only slightly stronger than some newly promoted Count families.

"Boss, since they're being so uncooperative, how about I take some men and snatch that half-elf girl back for you?" A young noble beside him, seeing Kazak's displeased expression, quickly offered his loyalty, hoping to leave a deep impression on his boss.