Recruitment

Karen's invitation was entirely within Li Ziran's expectations.

He crossed one leg over the other and savored a delicious, juicy turkey leg, in no hurry to answer.

This ambiguous attitude would instead help Li Ziran gain the upper hand.

Watching Li Ziran delay his answer, Karen knew full well that bringing a witch doctor skilled in organ transplants into the group could not be done with mere empty words. When dealing with someone capable, what was needed were benefits one could actually see.

"Li, don't let the small size of my Slave-Catching Group fool you. Within two years, it'll become the hottest slave-hunting group on the Wasteland. In the future, thirty percent of this world's top slaves will pass through our hands." Karen spoke of the future without restraint before cautiously adding, "If you join my Slave-Catching Group, I can purchase a Devouring Curse for you in the name of the merchant caravan."

Those ordinary words struck through Li Ziran's heart like an electric current.

The Devouring Curse was the foundation of a witch doctor. Once one comprehended the Devouring Curse, one could endlessly absorb souls and convert them into the spiritual power a witch doctor required.

The Devouring Curse was a witch doctor's Origin Essence. Although witch doctors had broken away from traditional witch doctors and did not require such vast reserves of spiritual power, they still relied heavily on it.

Among the world's spellcasting professions, the spiritual consumption of a witch doctor's various Healing Curses should rank among the top ten.

Yet the Devouring Curse was exceedingly rare. It had originated from the Nightmare Demon Clan among the Demon race. After entering the Red Soil Continent, it was modified by witch doctors themselves, producing the Devouring Curse most suited to witch doctor cultivation.

Devouring souls and turning them into the most primitive spiritual power was the root of all cultivation.

Li Ziran had also been searching for a Devouring Curse these past few years. His investigation had not been entirely fruitless. Two years ago, the cheapest copy had sold for three gold coins, and it had even been incomplete.

To obtain that spell, he would need to strike several windfalls at the very least.

He could not help glancing at the leader of the Slave-Catching Group again. It had to be said that having three Dark Elf archers at such a young age meant Karen truly had some skill.

But Li Ziran was not accustomed to serving a group. He had approached this Slave-Catching Group merely to make a quick score.

But being tied to the group for good? He would not agree even for a hundred gold coins.

Once he joined a group, bottomless, endless tasks would follow.

He liked freedom. He liked doing whatever he wanted when he wanted, rather than enduring this pressure that kept piling up from the outside.

He had already borne enough pressure in the past.

"I'll be staying in the swamp for a while," Li Ziran gave an indirect answer. "As a friend, I can help you out a little."

That was his bottom line. Yet Karen was not satisfied with that answer. Karen glanced at Hogg beside him, seemingly discussing through their eyes how to keep Li Ziran here.

Hogg took the initiative to hand Li Ziran another turkey leg, then politely poured out the remaining red wine in the glass. Smiling with impeccable manners, he said, "Li, can you tell me why? Could it be that, like those Elves who flaunt their pacifism, you discriminate against the slave trade?"

Li Ziran shook his head. "No. As for the reason... you might find it funny."

"Oh? What reason?" Karen asked with concern.

"I don't like restraints. I hate that suffocating feeling of being trapped in a group." Li Ziran smiled. "To be honest, the terms you offered are very tempting. I really do want to agree."

The answer left both men utterly baffled. They kept studying Li Ziran, recalling the refined organ-transplant witchcraft he had displayed earlier. In their minds, only loose and undisciplined bards would possess such strange ideas. No matter what, they could not connect the two.

They had already thought of countless ways to persuade Li Ziran, but after he voiced his reason, not a single one of them could be used.

How could there be such a bullshit reason!

"Li, how old are you this year?" Hogg glanced at Karen and abruptly changed the subject.

Li Ziran was somewhat puzzled. What pit was this kid digging now?

"Twenty-two!"

"Oh, very young. I'm twenty-one." The blond Mage smiled politely. "Do you know why I joined the Slave-Catching Group?"

Li Ziran shook his head. He was not interested in that.

"To make money." The blond Mage spoke with unusual seriousness. "You probably think I'm greedy for wealth. I won't deny it. But what I want to say is this: as an Apprentice Mage among the Human Race, even if I worked myself to the bone for a year, I could earn at most three gold coins. But in the Slave-Catching Group, I can earn seven gold coins in a single month. During the two years since I joined, I successfully studied the Elder Elven Language and intermediate Fire Element research, and independently mastered Chain Fireball. When I return this time, I can apply to become an Intermediate Mage. Do you know what my classmates call me?"

"A genius?" Li Ziran answered.

Crossing from apprentice to intermediate in two years while mastering the Elder Elven Language made one a genius among the Human Race.

The blond Mage nodded. "That's right. They all call me that. But what they don't know is that over those two years, I had three High Mages teach me personally. Can you imagine the cost of that kind of private instruction?"

Li Ziran sighed. He already knew what Hogg wanted to say. He had to admit that this man was highly persuasive.

At the same time, Li Ziran could sense the pride in Hogg's heart. Of course, he could not deny Hogg's achievements. Looking at him, Li Ziran could not help remembering his former classmates at medical university. Quite a few of them had surpassed others through their own hard work.

Even he himself, in order to attain more outstanding surgical skills, had spent three full months in the operating room of a top-tier hospital. His USB drive had been filled with recordings of three thousand surgeries.

That effort had earned recognition from those around him, and at the time, he had even received the title of "genius intern."

But later...

Endless trivial chores could make even the most exquisite skill decline. So-called genius and glory were merely a night-blooming flower, brilliant for an instant.

Looking at this fire Mage surrounded by blond hair, Hogg was indeed successful now. But the more successful he became, the more tightly he would be bound to the slave-hunting group. In the future, in magic, he could only pursue spells that benefited the entire Slave-Catching Group the most.

One's original heart!

Would be lost clean away before one even realized it.

"I understand." Li Ziran raised his wineglass and sighed softly. "But I don't have any attachments. Aside from my master, I can just wander around slowly. What little ability I have is enough to keep me fed and clothed."

Hogg choked up. Li Ziran's answer abruptly cut off the fervor he had built to its peak. He wanted to say something, yet could not force out a single word. He could only stare dryly at Li Ziran, his gaze like that of someone looking at a student with no ambition.

The atmosphere went cold again. The three sat in a triangular formation, staring at one another with absolutely nothing to talk about.

Pfft!

Karen's restrained laughter broke the awkwardness. "All right, all right. It seems you're destined not to join my Slave-Catching Group. But being able to meet you, Li, is still a stroke of luck. We'll remain friends in the future, right?"

"Yes. You saved my life!" Li Ziran smiled frankly. He did not think these people would give up, and he neither wanted to serve them nor wished to withdraw from the swamp now.

By his estimate, this swamp could remain on the Wasteland for two days at most. This was a rare and precious opportunity.

"I can promise to help you both in any way within my ability. Of course, I would rather help you now, so that I can repay this favor."

"Ah, what a wonderful opportunity. What a pity. If only I had a young Dragon on hand. With your abilities, you could definitely give me a Dragon's heart." Karen sighed dejectedly. "Li, do you truly have no plans to join the Slave-Catching Group? As long as you agree now, besides purchasing a Devouring Curse for you, I can also find you an expert in potions. I think that would be of some help to your witchcraft."

"A potion expert?" Li Ziran's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Karen strangely. This man's eyes were far too sharp. How did Karen know that what Li Ziran craved most recently was knowledge about potions?

His ability to perfectly control organ transplants relied in large part on potions, but every potion he needed was purchased externally.

What Li Ziran cared about even more were the finer details of potion-making. He desperately wanted to know the principles behind how potions functioned in this regard.

"That's right. In this Medusa hunting operation, there is a potion expert. He is a close friend of my father. If I stand as guarantor, there is a ninety percent chance that you can become his disciple!"

Li Ziran's heart ached. It would be wonderful if he could truly study under that person. Unfortunately, even such generous terms were not enough to make him give up his freedom.

He preferred living free and unfettered.

Still, he had whetted their appetites enough. If he kept acting so chaste, the patience of these two men would probably be worn away.

Ah...

Li Ziran sighed earnestly. "All right, all right. The captain is still the clever one. Can you tell me the specific details of joining the Slave-Catching Group? For example, how many modifications I would need to perform each day?"