The gryphon was too large and too conspicuous, so Todd let it return to the Kingdom of Shadows first. After settling the surviving boy, he and Rachel began walking to the largest slaveholding house in the Kingdom of Ulster, the Ancient Kingdom.
Gucheng.
The two were walking on the forest road, and the ruts of the heavy prison car were still faintly discernible on the road.
After crossing several mountains, Todd rushed to the plain outside Gugu City before the sun went down.
On the vast plain, war horses neighed and people roared.
Ulster soldiers in battle armor, riding war horses, handcuffed groups of prisoners together and drove them like animals into temporary fences built with wooden stakes.
Barbarian tribes from the southern forests, ranging from dozens of people to hundreds of people. The men, women, old people, and children among them were separated by a group of medical examiners and detained according to gender, age, and physique.
Suddenly, a young barbarian boy, taking advantage of the soldiers' inattention, climbed out of the wooden spiked fence and fled towards the forest.
Lying in the bushes at the edge of the forest, Todd nervously looked at the young figure getting closer and closer, holding his hands in fists, and his palms gradually became sweaty.
A slave catcher from the Kingdom of Ulster caught up with the escaping young man on horseback. He threw out the noose in his hand, and the rope loop hit the latter's neck impartially.
The cavalryman turned his horse's head, urged the horse under him, and galloped in the opposite direction.
Todd instinctively wanted to stand up and go forward, but Rachel held him firmly by the corner of his clothes.
"With your mutation and ability, you may be able to kill three hundred soldiers here, but in the military camp on the hills over there, there are thousands of Ulster soldiers. And how long can your body last? Twenty minutes?
Half an hour?”
Todd was unable to refute Rachel's warning.
The young man was dragged on the ground, screaming miserably; the soldiers whistled and cheered loudly; the tribesmen covered their faces and sobbed, unable to speak.
Todd closed his eyes and pressed his head firmly against the grass. His hands slowly evolved into monster claws. The disintegration ability was activated at full capacity. The plants turned into withered fluff and the stones turned into powder.
The boy's voice became smaller and smaller, gradually disappearing.
Rachel looked at the sun that was gradually setting in the west and said to Todd: "After the sun sets, we may be able to sneak into the slave house."
Todd lay on the grass and said softly: "I thought I was used to death, but it turns out I was wrong."
Rachel was silent.
"Watching the warriors on the battlefield going to death for faith and hope; watching helplessly the innocent children dying from the butcher's guillotine, but I was indifferent." Todd's mutated hands gradually returned to their original shape, and he said feebly: "These two
Those are completely two different things."
Rachel lowered her eyelids and comforted in a low voice: "This is not your fault."
Todd shook his head vigorously, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore! Let's think about how to get in."
——————————————
The sun sets and night falls, but the plains are still brightly lit.
The slave-catching army is sorting the spoils of war.
Sick, disabled, and thin individuals will be picked out first and kicked into the defective pile to wait for processing.
Next, strong men will be conscripted into the army and given the title of Ulster Servants; women with good health and good looks will be included in the trophies and presented to the upper class or distributed to meritorious ministers.
.
Boys and girls with good looks will be marked individually with high prices and sent to the slave exchange.
The remaining goods will be sold on the spot to some well-known slave traders. Most of the latter are nobles who refuse to report their names, or mysterious consortiums with huge sums of money.
Todd and Rachel dressed up as merchants and approached the slave pen, looking for any familiar faces in the crowd.
It is not easy to find a few specific people in dozens of fences surrounded by thousands of people.
After searching for a long time, the two found nothing.
But soon, things took a turn for the better.
The slave-catching army set up a wooden stake at the city gate, and a man covered in blood was tied to it and was dying.
"Come and see, come and see! The scum of the kingdom, the shameful deserters, the despicable traitors!" The secretary in a linen jacket stood on the stage and shouted loudly.
Grabbing the man's hair, the secretary spat into the distorted face: "This man's name is Boyle. He was originally entrusted with an important task by the kingdom to lead troops south. However, he led the troops halfway.
He absconded, freed slaves, and formed an army to rebel against the kingdom!"
Angry yells and curses came from the audience.
"Kill him!"
"Let him rot in the swamp!"
"May his soul be enslaved by the evil eye forever!"
The clerk nodded with satisfaction and winked at the executioner behind him.
Seeing the latter take out a sharp-hook scimitar from his arms, he said loudly again: "According to the laws of the kingdom, Boyle will be sentenced to the punishment of seduction! His intestines and internal organs will be displayed in the scorching sun and moon.
The pain is unbearable!"
Turning around and walking up to Boyle, the clerk patted the boy's cheek and said with a sneer: "The previous person's record was three days and two nights. Don't let us down."
The executioner stepped forward, picked up the knife, and began to make gestures towards Boyle's abdomen, as if looking for the best incision.
Todd, who hid his face under his cloak, looked at the surrounding terrain and said to Rachel: "Remember! As soon as you see my signal, use your mind to knock over these braziers at the city gate. I will take advantage of the darkness to
Go up and rescue people. Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, after you use your ability, leave the scene immediately and never stay!"
Seeing Rachel nodding, Todd lowered the brim of his cloak, covering most of his face, separated the flow of people in front of him, and slowly approached the city gate.
The executioner found the correct position, raised the sharp knife, and prepared to stab. Todd looked at the target, picked up a stone, and aimed at the executioner's head.
At this moment, a sharp voice sounded.
"The king has ordered that the execution be cancelled."
Hearing this, the crowd suddenly erupted with a wave of doubts and dissatisfaction.
The sharp voice sounded again.
"Traitor Boyle will be sent to the Red Circle and will perform for the first time the day after tomorrow."
The crowd of onlookers was quiet for a moment, and then burst into applause and cheers.
Just when Todd was confused, Rachel walked up to him, gently pulled him to a deserted corner, and whispered to him: "The Red Circle was built in the royal city of Ulster.
It is the most famous gladiatorial arena in the entire kingdom, and even on the northern continent. According to rumors, the gladiators sent there either fight each other or face powerful enemies, narrowly escaping death, and it is rare for anyone to come out alive."