Recruitment

Karen's invitation had been entirely within Li Ziran's expectations.

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

Such an ambiguous attitude would instead win Li Ziran the upper hand.

Watching Li Ziran delay his answer, Karen knew full well that bringing a wizard skilled in organ transplantation into the group could not be accomplished with mere empty words. For someone capable like this, what was needed was tangible profit.

"Li, don't let the small size of my Slave-Catching Group fool you. In less than two years, it'll become a sought-after slave group on the Wasteland. In the future, thirty percent of this world's top slaves will come from our hands." Karen fantasized about the future without restraint before cautiously adding, "If you join my Slave-Catching Group, I can buy you a Devouring Curse in the name of the merchant group."

That utterly unremarkable sentence shot through Li Ziran's heart like an electric current.

The Devouring Curse was the very foundation of a wizard. By comprehending the Devouring Curse, one could endlessly absorb souls and turn them into the spiritual power wizards required.

The Devouring Curse was a wizard's origin. Witch Doctors had branched off from wizards; though they did not require the vast seas of spiritual power that wizards did, they still relied heavily on it.

Among the spellcasting professions of the world, the spiritual consumption of a Witch Doctor's various Healing Curses should rank in the top ten.

Yet the Devouring Curse was exceedingly rare. It had originated from the Nightmare Demon Clan among demonkind. After entering the Red Soil Continent, it was modified by wizards themselves, giving rise to the Devouring Curse best suited for wizard 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 fruitless; two years ago, even the cheapest copy had sold for three gold coins, and it had been an incomplete volume.

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

He could not help giving the Slave-Catching Group leader another look. It had to be said that having three dark elf archers at such a young age meant Karen truly had some skill.

Still, Li Ziran really was not used to working for a group. He had only approached this Slave-Catching Group because he wanted to make a quick score.

But if it meant binding himself tightly to the group, he would not agree even for a hundred gold coins.

Once he joined a group, bottomless, never-ending tasks would follow.

He liked freedom. He liked doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, rather than enduring this sort of pressure constantly piling up from outside.

He had already endured 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. But Karen was clearly dissatisfied with such an answer. He glanced at Hogg beside him, as though discussing with his eyes how to persuade Li Ziran to stay.

Hogg took the initiative to hand Li Ziran another turkey leg, then politely poured out the remaining red wine in the cup. Smiling with gentlemanly grace, he said, "Li, can you tell me why? Could it be that, like those Elves who flaunt their pacifism, you look down on 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 tied to a group." Li Ziran smiled. "To be honest, the conditions you offered are very tempting. I really do want to agree."

The answer left the two of them completely baffled. They kept sizing Li Ziran up, recalling the refined organ-transplantation witchcraft from earlier. In their minds, only loose-living bards would harbor such strange ideas. They simply could not put the two together.

They had prepared countless arguments to persuade Li Ziran, but once he gave his reason, not a single one 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 with gentlemanly courtesy. "Do you know why I joined the Slave-Catching Group?"

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

"Because of 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 that, as an Apprentice Mage among humans, even if I worked myself to the bone for a year, I could earn at most three gold coins. Yet in the Slave-Catching Group, I can earn seven in a month. In the two years since joining, 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 Mage to Intermediate Mage in two years, while also mastering the Elder Elven Language, qualified as genius among humans.

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

Li Ziran sighed. He already knew what the other man was trying to say. He had to admit, this man was very persuasive.

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

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

That kind of effort had earned recognition from those around him. Back then, he had even received the title of "genius intern."

But later...

Endless trivial chores would wear down even the most exquisite skill. So-called genius and glory were merely an epiphyllum blooming for a single night.

Looking at this fire mage wreathed in blond hair, Li Ziran had to admit that he was successful now. But the more successful he became, the more firmly he would be bound to the slave group. In the future, his pursuit of magic could only be limited to spells most beneficial to the entire Slave-Catching Group.

One's true heart!

Would be lost clean away without one even noticing.

"I understand." Li Ziran raised his wineglass and sighed softly. "But I don't have any attachments. Other than 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 short the momentum he had built to its peak. He wanted to say something, yet no words would come out. All he could do was stare dryly at Li Ziran, his gaze like that of someone looking at a student with no ambition.

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

Pfft!

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

"Yes. You saved my life!" Li Ziran smiled frankly. He did not think these people would give up, but he did not want to serve them, nor did he want to withdraw from the swamp at this time.

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

"I can promise to help you two in any way within my capabilities. Of course, I would prefer to help you now, so I can repay this debt of gratitude."

"Ah, what a wonderful opportunity. What a pity. If I had a young dragon on hand, with your ability, you could definitely give me a dragon heart." Karen sighed sadly. "Li, do you truly have no plans to join the Slave-Catching Group? As long as you agree now, aside from buying you a copy of the Devouring Curse, 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 strangely at Karen. This man's eyes were sharp indeed. How did he know that what Li Ziran craved most recently was knowledge about potions?

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

What Li Ziran cared about even more were the finer details of potions. 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's. If I act as guarantor, there is a ninety-percent chance you can become his disciple!"

Li Ziran's heart ached. It would be wonderful if he could truly study under that man. Unfortunately, even conditions this generous were not enough to make him surrender his freedom.

He preferred living freely and unrestrained.

Still, he had whetted their appetites enough by now. If he kept acting so chaste, the two men's patience would probably be exhausted.

Ah...

Li Ziran sighed meaningfully. "All right, all right. The leader really is impressive. Can you tell me the specific details of joining the Slave-Catching Group? For example, how many modifications I'd have to perform each day and the like?"