Winter in the North Wind Territory was exceptionally bitter. Thick snow blanketed the streets and rooftops, and the air carried a biting chill. Yet the rescued slaves Ang and his team had brought back seemed even colder. They were settled in newly built communal dormitories, where Magic Furnaces provided warmth and simple yet nutritious food was available. Still, they were like puppets. Aside from eating and sleeping, they did almost nothing. They spent their days curled up in corners with vacant expressions, neither speaking to their companions nor trying to leave the room.
One morning, while sweeping snow outside, Aisha looked in at them through the window. Their eyes were hollow, as though even the warmth of the fire could not awaken the life within them. After returning to the main hall, she could not help mentioning it to Ang. "Brother, they're so strange. They don't talk or do anything else. They just sit there staring into space. Other than eating and sleeping, they don't seem to do anything at all."
Ang looked up at the window, his expression somewhat heavy, though his voice remained calm. "They were enslaved for too long. They've gone numb. After being treated as tools and livestock for so long, they may have already forgotten how to live like people." After a pause, he added, "It's fine. They don't eat much anyway. Given time, they'll get better. Let them adapt slowly. There's no need to rush them."
At that moment, Aisha noticed several Demon Sealing Boxes piled beside Ang and looked at them curiously. "Brother, you brought back so many things this time!"
Ang smiled, unlocked a Demon Sealing Box, and lifted its lid. "We brought back everything those bandits had accumulated, of course there's a lot. The jewelry, gemstones, and other things they stole