Raylo nodded and said, "Great strength is just what I need. My mines to the north are short on manpower."
"This one, and these others..."
Raylo casually pointed to ten barbarian slaves, including the young man, who appeared to be the strongest and had the most "lively" expressions in their eyes.
"What's the price?"
Andrew was secretly delighted to see that Raylo had chosen his targets so quickly and had picked the most valuable young and strong barbarians. His eyes darted around before he named a price. "Sir, you have excellent taste! These are all tough nuts we barely managed to capture. Each one... costs fifty gold dragons!"
This price was clearly inflated.
The market price for an ordinary strong barbarian slave was around twenty to thirty gold dragons.
Andrew had sized up Raylo's urgent need for labor and had taken the initiative to speak up, hoping to take advantage of the situation and raise the price.
Raylo didn't even bat an eyelid; only a barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of his mouth.
"Manager Andrew, are you joking with me? Fifty gold dragons? For that price, I could buy a well-trained gladiator in the south."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. "These 'tough nuts' of yours, in my opinion, are nothing more than wild dogs with broken spines. Whether they'll survive until next spring is a question. I'm buying them just to save myself the trouble of recruiting vagrants. Twenty gold dragons each, no more."
The smile on Andrew's face froze for a moment.
"Sir, this... this is too low! Look at their physiques, their strength..."
"Physiques? Strength?"
Raylo scoffed and pointed at the stubborn barbarian youth.
"Look at the wounds on his body, then look at their apathetic expressions. After buying them, I'll have to treat their injuries, provide them with food, and assign people to guard them to prevent escape or rebellion. All these are costs. Twenty gold dragons each is already a concession considering our need for manpower."
"Sir, thirty-five! No less! This really is the cost price!"
Andrew started bargaining.
"Twenty-five."
Raylo remained unmoved.
"This is my final offer. If you think it's not worth it, then forget it. Although Blackstone Town is short on people, I'm not in a hurry."
He acted indifferent, as if this deal was neither here nor there.
Andrew looked at Raylo's calm expression and then at the slaves he had brought.
It was common for slaves to be lost during long journeys. It was better to sell them early than have them die on the road.
He gritted his teeth, as if making a difficult decision. "Alright! Twenty-five it is! Just consider it making a friend! However, sir, that young man you chose..."
He pointed at the barbarian youth with the fierce gaze.
"This kid has a fiery temper. Several of our guards have suffered at his hands. If you buy him, you'll have to be careful with your supervision."
Ed stepped forward, took a money pouch from a follower, counted out two hundred and fifty heavy gold dragons, and handed them to Andrew.
The deal was done.
Ten barbarian slaves, including the youth named Thor, were taken over by the guards Ed had brought.
They looked around blankly, as if they hadn't fully comprehended yet another twist in their fates.
Thor still maintained his defiant demeanor, but when his gaze swept over Raylo, there seemed to be a trace of complex emotion in his eyes.
"Thank you, sir, for your patronage!"
Andrew put away the gold coins, his face beaming with a smile.
"Does sir need any other 'goods'? We still have some decent ones here..."
"No."
Raylo waved his hand.
"Have your group finish replenishing their supplies as soon as possible and then leave. Blackstone Town is a small place and can't accommodate too many guests."
"Yes, yes, yes! We'll be done right away!"
Andrew replied in succession, not daring to say more.
He left Old Buck to handle the后续事宜 (follow-up matters) with the slave-hunting party.
Raylo looked at the ten barbarian slaves he had bought.
Their wounds stung in the cold air, but what pained them more was the uncertainty about their future and the deep-seated humiliation.
They were like a group of livestock waiting to be redistributed.
Raylo paced in front of them, with Ed following behind.
"Look up."
Raylo's voice was not loud but carried an unquestionable authority.
The slaves hesitated for a moment; most still lowered their heads apathetically.
Only the youth named Thor still raised his chin, glaring at Raylo with bloodshot eyes like a trapped young beast.
Raylo's gaze swept over them.
"I know you hate me, hate everyone who turned you into slaves."
He paused, observing their reactions.
Except for Thor's even fiercer gaze, the others seemed unchanged, perhaps out of despair or simply not believing that this new master would say anything good.
"But now, your fates are in my hands."
Raylo continued, his tone calm.
"I'll give you a choice."
This finally elicited some reactions; a few slaves slightly raised their heads.
"I need manpower, both laborers for the mines and warriors who can fight for me."
Raylo pointed at distant Blackstone Town.
"Here, warriors will be respected, given food, weapons, and even the possibility of freedom and glory. As for laborers..."
He didn't finish, but the implication was clear.
"You can choose whether to continue being slaves, at the mercy of others, with an uncertain future, or to pick up weapons, swear loyalty to me, and become warriors."
A deathly silence fell over the open space, with only the wind whistling by.
These barbarian youths clearly hadn't expected to hear such words.
Slaves are slaves; when do they ever get a choice?
They looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and mistrust.
Become warriors?
Swear loyalty to this human lord who bought them?
It sounded like a poor joke.
No one responded.
Thor even scoffed and turned his head away, as if Raylo's words were an insult to their barbarian warriors.
"It seems you don't believe me."
Raylo wasn't surprised; he had expected this reaction.
"Or perhaps you think it's shameful to swear loyalty to a human who 'bought' you?"
His gaze once again fell on Thor.
"Barbarians revere strength, right? The strong are respected."
Thor suddenly turned his head back, glaring fiercely at Raylo, a low growl emanating from his throat.
"Good."
Raylo nodded, a smile appearing on his face, but this smile sent a chill down Ed's spine.
"Then let's settle this the barbarian way."
"All ten of you can take turns challenging me."
Raylo伸出一根手指 (Raylo held up a finger).
"As long as any one of you can defeat me, all of you will immediately gain freedom. I'll send someone to escort you safely out of my territory, and I'll never go back on my word."
This statement left the ten barbarian youths stunned, their eyes immediately erupting with disbelief.
Freedom?
Just by defeating him?
This was like a pie falling from the sky!
Although they were slaves, the inherent combativeness and desire for freedom within them were instantly ignited.
"But..."
Raylo's tone shifted.
"If all of you lose, then you must swear a blood oath to me,从此彻底效忠于我 (from then on, swear complete loyalty to me), becoming the sharpest spear and the sturdiest shield in my hands. Those with second thoughts will be killed without mercy!"
A blood oath!
This was the most sacred and severe vow in barbarian tribes. Once sworn, it meant completely dedicating one's soul and loyalty to the other party.
This condition was undeniably harsh, but compared to an endless life of slavery, the temptation of "gaining freedom by defeating him" was simply too great.