Chapter 35: Ancestral Land |
Gann·Cole’s voice sounded especially clear amid the torrential rain, and the elders of the various races all held their breath in concentration without prior agreement.
“The various forces of Coral Thorn City have already reached a consensus,” he said slowly.
“Those responsible for the slave trade and the plundering of merchant caravans will face public trial. All compensation will be jointly borne by the Deep Sea Union and the local noble families involved. The specific list of names and compensation details will be delivered to the merchant groups of each race tomorrow.”
The ratfolk elder interrupted urgently, “What about those clansmen who were enslaved?!”
Gann’s gaze swept over the other party, and his tone eased slightly. “The survivors will be released immediately and given full compensation. As for those who have already died…” He paused. “The families involved will pay death compensation at three times the market price.”
The dwarf elder gave a cold snort. “So many of our clansmen died. Can money bring their lives back?!”
“It cannot,” Gann said frankly.
“But this is already the best result that can be fought for at present. If all of you insist on revenge—”
He gave a meaningful glance toward the central tower of the city. “I’m afraid even this compensation will vanish into nothing.”
They all knew in their hearts that this was clearly the result of some big figure putting pressure on these local forces, perhaps the powerhouse behind that Legendary creature.
If they pushed their luck and angered that one, and the other party simply stopped caring…
Then it would only be their own clans having to wrangle with these local Intent powerhouses. At that point, not only would it take time and effort, the result might be even worse.
“Additionally.”
Gann changed the subject. “Beginning today, Coral Thorn City will permanently prohibit all slave trade! At the same time, a joint patrol team involving multiple forces will be established to strictly monitor the surrounding sea region and the major trade routes. Any act of plunder will be regarded as an open provocation against all forces in the entire city!”
“What?!”
“Hiss—!”
“Th-this…”
Cries of shock, gasps, and incredulous exclamations rose together in a continuous wave.
“President, are you certain this isn’t a joke?” the dwarf elder asked in disbelief, his copper-bell-like eyes wide open.
Faced with the dwarf elder’s doubt, Gann·Cole merely nodded. But the revelation that followed immediately after made everyone’s scalps go numb even more.
“At the same time, the Shadow Guild will be expelled from Coral Thorn City. All of its properties will temporarily be jointly managed by the Duke’s Mansion and the Silver Moon Chamber of Commerce. During the large-scale auction this October, those properties will be openly auctioned off. Every race may compete for them according to their strength, and all proceeds will be handed over in full to the Crescent Empire.”
This time, everyone looked as though they had been petrified, their minds blank. Forget exclaiming in surprise, even their breathing seemed to stop.
Only after a long while did someone break the silence, asking in a trembling voice of disbelief, “Th-this…is this the will of the Empire?”
The information Gann had brought was far too shocking, and they could not help suspecting that the big figure behind this might be a Legend of the Crescent Empire.
“This was not ordered by the Empire. This was…a plan jointly discussed and settled by our major forces.”
Gann and the others were likewise puzzled by Kyle’s intentions. The powerhouse who had gone to such lengths and displayed terrifying strength had ended up making the distant Crescent Empire the greatest beneficiary?
As for the notion that Kyle was wary of the Shadow Guild, the few of them all scoffed at it. A being who could slaughter a Transcendent and stand shoulder to shoulder with Legend—what force would dare provoke such a one lightly?
But since it was Kyle’s decision, they had no room to object and could only silently accept it.
Naturally, with their eyes only able to see the immediate benefits, they could not discern Kyle’s thoughts.
The Shadow Guild was involved in a great number of black and gray industries, and was itself a heap of troublesome matters. Kyle also had no suitable manpower to deal with them. He might as well throw it to the Empire and, along the way, let the Empire go wrangle with the Shadow Guild instead.
Moreover, it was not as though Kyle had failed to leave benefits for himself. Some extremely high-quality plots of land and road sections were all kept firmly in his own hands, enough for him to lay the groundwork for his future plans.
As for retaliation from the Shadow Guild, heh!
This time, Kyle was going back to the Ancestral Land to enter slumber. If they had the courage, they could go try their luck with those ‘elders’ of his family whose bones had rusted from sleeping!
*
“Miss Caitlin, this is everything that happened, from beginning to end.”
After all the dust had settled, Alvaro followed Kyle’s will and found Caitlin first, directly pulling her into his own domain space.
Still somewhat shaken, Caitlin stared blankly at her younger brother in Alvaro’s arms.
“H-he…he’s alright, isn’t he?” Caitlin reached out a trembling hand to touch Kyle’s pale cheek.
Alvaro’s metal faceplate lowered slightly. “My lord has excessively overdrawn his spiritual origin and life energy, and he urgently needs deep slumber for recovery. In accordance with my lord’s will, I am to escort you and my lord back to the Ancestral Land immediately.”
Caitlin suddenly raised her head. “Right now? But Dean is still—”
“I will pass on a message for you. And right now, we are already on the way to the Ancestral Land.”
Alvaro dispelled part of the darkness in the surrounding space, and a dazzling barrier of flowing light appeared before them.
“We are currently traveling through the spatial interlayer. In about half a shichen, we will arrive at the Ancestral Land. You can use this time to think about any message you need passed on. After this, I will make a round trip between the Ancestral Land and there once every month, until my lord awakens.”
Caitlin tightly held her younger brother’s icy hand. Looking at the bizarre and motley spatial turbulence beyond the barrier, her voice turned somewhat dry as she spoke with difficulty.
“Tell Dean…just say that I suddenly received an urgent summons from the family, and that the date of my return…is uncertain.”
She paused. “Tell him…to cultivate in peace. Don’t mention Kyle’s coma.”
“Understood. I will relay your wishes as soon as possible.”
*
Time passed in silent travel through space. The violent spatial turbulence outside the barrier gradually calmed, and in the end was replaced by a thick blood mist.
This was the defensive barrier laid around the outer perimeter of the independent space by the Aiven family.
Any existence that tried to intrude into this space without permission would be completely swallowed and annihilated by this blood mist containing ancient curses and vast power.
Alvaro withdrew the domain.
An ancient castle, towering and severe, built from enormous Silver Moon stone and lava crystals, stood atop a ten-thousand-zhang cliff! This was the source of Kyle’s bloodline—the Ancestral Land of the Aiven family.
It was currently noon. Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell over the mottled walls of the castle.
The Silver Moon stone reflected a cold and pure radiance, while the lava crystals shone with a warm and blazing luster. Interwoven together, they formed a unique sight that was both sacred and majestic.
If not for the blood race’s distinctive architectural style such as its spires and relief carvings, probably not many people would have believed this to be the residence of a blood race family.
The arrival of Alvaro and Caitlin instantly alarmed the blood race guards outside the castle.
Several figures in red robes leapt down from the lofty towers, landing soundlessly before them as though merging into shadow.
But the first thing they sensed was the pure and noble bloodline aura on Caitlin and Kyle. The guards immediately dropped to one knee in unison to salute.
Caitlin gave a light nod, then carried the unconscious Kyle through the giant golden-bronze doors carved with countless ancient runes and exquisite patterns.
It had already been more than fifty years since she left this place. Back then, she had been the one who clung to Kyle and insisted he take her away. She had not expected that now, it would be her carrying Kyle back here.
She walked up the staircase covered in dark-red velvet carpeting toward the castle hall. As family members who had been traveling outside returning home, it was only natural that they report their situation to the clan elders.
Alvaro followed behind Caitlin, his metal war boots echoing with dull sounds through the silent corridor.
Inside the castle hall, the clan head and elders dressed in luxurious robes with dark-gold patterns had long since been waiting there. Several of them had only just awakened from slumber and were busy asking the others what interesting things had happened over the years.
With endless lifespans, many of them spent much of their time in sleep, and were bored to the extreme. Kyle’s sudden return had naturally made these sleeping old fellows excited beyond measure.
However, when they saw Kyle unconscious and weak, all laziness and curiosity were instantly replaced by shock and fury!
Several elders even disregarded the graceful etiquette the blood race valued most, their figures appearing beside Caitlin as though teleporting! They carefully began examining Kyle’s physical condition.
Only after confirming that it was merely a severe overdraft of origin power, and that no irreversible damage or curse had been left behind, did they finally feel relieved.
The clan head, Rayleigh·Aiven, swept his eyes over Caitlin and Alvaro and asked, suppressing his anger:
“What exactly happened here?”