Chapter 188
The 188th chapter “special talents”
Once again coming into the slave market, Du Wei took extra care this time around to hide his identity under a new getup. Covered from head to toe with a hooded cloak, Du Wei made sure to stay closely behind General Longbottom.
From the initial assessment, the place seems to be less pack compared to his last visit. As the trio made their way through the street, the only one in their group that had trouble during their walk is little Sandia. No matter how much the kid tries to make the chestnut colored mare listen to him, the damn horse just won’t listen and would constantly resist her master’s command.
“You should give it a few whip.” General Longbottom took one look at this kid and muttered: “These beasts are like this. The weaker you are, the more they will bully you.”
Unfortunately, little Sandia is somewhat reluctant to make such a move. After all, this is the first horse in the kid’s life. On top of this reason, sweet old Marde even promised him he could keep the horse for his sole use. Therefore, how can he whip his precious horse?
“Right here.” Longbottom parked the horses at the far end of the street. Away from the epicenter of the slave shops, the spot they were at now were aligned with men and women on both sides of the street. Draping a white cloth over their arms, these people are all low leveled warriors seeking a job.
Sometimes, Du Wei really didn’t understand the mindset of these run down warriors. Even if their level is very low, but with their capabilities, they should still be able to make a decent living without living a life of hardship like this.
Their martial skills should still be better than an average person, right? If they are willing to join the army, they should be able to get in easily considering the numerous recruitment notices handed out each year. So what, are they so bad that they can’t even be eligible for the army?
However, Du Wei later learned that this is probably the so-called Warrior’s pride or dignity. In a Warrior’s view, even if it’s just a very, very low level Warrior, if not cornered, they would still not be willing to join the army and take up a lowly soldier post.
They are warriors with the formal rank of a real knight. In their heart, these people cannot tolerate the indignity of being ordered around like a lowly servant. Unless they can take up a leadership role the moment they join, they would rather work as a bodyguard for some merchant caravan than to join the military.
In the time of peace and calm, there isn’t much chance to rise through the rank. Unless they spend countless years or decades working hard, it is unlikely they can become an officer.
“It’s like the university students from his past life. Instead of taking a waiting job at a restaurant, these people would rather stay at home and wait for better job opportunities.” Du Wei secretly sighed inside at the thought.
Looking at the grim faced warriors standing against the street corners, Du Wei suddenly had mixed feelings regarding this venture.
Crash!
Judging from the shape and impact it made, the baggage Longbottom pulled down from his steed sounded like metal.
That’s right, it’s metal.
Untying the cloth, what is revealed inside are numerous long, hard rods made of iron. From its rusty appearance, Du Wei had trouble pinpointing where he managed to procure these items from.
“It can’t be from his house, right? Did the guy dismantle the rods from the supporting beams?” Du Wei started to make some frightening speculations in his head.
Subsequently, Longbottom acted like he was very familiar with the rules of this place. Not needing Sandia to remind him on what to do, this chubby general casually took hold of a rod and stabbed it into the ground.
It looks like the years of imprisonment did not deteriorate his ability in the least. In a single move without expending much effort, this infamous general easily pierced the stone hard ground with the rod before tying a black cloth to the top.
The meaning for this gesture is very simple: Recruitment.
Very soon, the nearby crowd standing put on the street began to gather around them with hope and expectation on their faces. Nevertheless, some of their hopes were quickly shot down when Sandia began crying out their intentions.
“Warriors! We need warriors! True Warriors!”
His sharp childish voice echoed across the street, very soon, the deadpan eyes from the warriors idling in the back began to flicker with fire!
As if a dying man was suddenly given hope, all those holding a sword had their spirit revitalized. Consciously, their backs straightened up as they strode toward the trio.
All the while, those that are simply here to seek a job had a look of disappointment on their faces as they shook their heads before walking away.
“Mister, what kind of people are you looking for?” A man wearing shabby looking wears pushed over. From his age, the guy is already qualified to be someone’s grandfather. In Du Wei’s mind, he was seriously wondering whether the guy can even unsheathe his sword because the hilt was already stained with yellowish brown rust.
“Is it an adventuring group recruiting?”
“Is it a guard post?”
Do you need bodyguards? I am a warrior!!
Momentarily, large numbers of people surrounded them. Most of their faces were all the same, unshaved and dull.
Above all else, they had one thing exactly the same. They will not greet you as “Sir”, instead, they will only call you “Mister”.
This is their way of saying they are not like those ordinary people, they are warriors!
“Move it, move it!” Longbottom looked impatient as he swept his eyes across the crowd. Then muttering in a low voice: “How did the quality of these guys get so low! Hey, I’m talking about you! Move it! Make room for me!”
Longbottom’s massive body is just like that of a monster. Not looking like he expended much effort, he managed to clear the people that came too close. Then in a booming voice: “Be quiet! Silence!”
He lifted his large fan like hand and pointed to the crowd in front of him: “I need people, but I don’t need garbage! I need special people with unique skills! You all understand? As long as you have a unique skill that can satisfy me, then I don’t care what rankings you are! Get it? Let me see what you’ve got now! Who’s first?”
Unique skill?
Many of the crowd quieted down.
“No one wants to try?” Longbottom’s eyes seem to be disappointment. Looking back at Du Wei, he sighed: “Damn it, it’s getting worse with each generation. Long ago, I was still able to dig up a couple of useful people here, yet, now? Look at all these garbage! They obviously don’t have much skill, yet they’re still clinging onto their bullshit perseverance! Gold will always eventually shine, but if it’s not gold, then what’s the point of retaining their act here. Such people is simply not worth wasting one’s sympathy.”
Seeing no one is willing to step forward, Longbottom impatiently yelled: “You people really don’t even have some kind of unique skill? God damn it! You are warriors! Show me your most capable martial skills then! If you don’t even have that, then get out of the way! Don’t take up the space and get back to your corner so you can die!”
He said it without holding back, but from Du Wei’s perspective, his words are very true!
This world is very realistic! If you do not have the skill, then you are an idiot by clinging on to some stupid pride! Why not just get a job and work hard to live a better life?!
A garbage that daydreams all day is not worthy of sympathy.
“Excuse me, mister, what do you mean unique skill?” A skinny person struggled to break out of the crowd: “Can you explain it better?”
“I don’t care who you are.” Longbottom began to grin: “What are you good at? Bring it out so I can have a look.”
“I’m good at fencing, Mister.” This skinny guy raises his sword: “My Warrior’s ranking is.”
“Enough, I don’t care about your rank.” Longbottom impatiently waved his hand: “If you were fifth or sixth rank, then you wouldn’t be here. Come on, hurry and show me your skill.”
The skinny warrior’s face turned red at the put down. Then casually picking up a stone, he began to inscribe the outline of a person at a nearby wall.
Taking a few step back, he then took in a deep breath before pulling out his long sword.
Tsk-Tsk-Tsk!!
The sword flew out effortlessly and rammed into the person outline against the wall.
After the skinny guy retracted his sword, Longbottom squinted his eyes to catch a better glimpse at the outline. Immediately, his eyes lit up!
On the human outline, the eyes, throat, rib, and crotch area were all stabbed with pinpoint accuracy!
Fast and accurate! Each of the strike landed by this swordsman were all devilishly aimed at a person’s vital spot!
His swordsmanship may be a bit dirty like that of a poisonous snake, but his badge rank is only….
A level one?!
“Good, you can stay, I want you!!” Longbottom lets out a booming laugh: “Who else!!!!”
The second guy to be recruited by Longbottom is a left-hander. The short guy must have been malnourished during his childhood because his head size is comparable to little Sandia’s! However, when he showcased several of his swordsmanship, Longbottom immediately recruited him.
“He’s a lefty, so his moves are all coming from an opposite angle. For an ordinary person, they will find it very uncomfortable to be fighting someone like him.” Longbottom quickly explained.
The third person is a fat guy that is comparable Longbottom’s size. Like a melon, the unique skill of this guy is something Du Wei would never have imagined.
“I can take a beating, and not afraid of pain.” The fat man opened his mouth and smiled like a fatso: “I’m unable to feel pain since birth.”
With that, he pulled apart his clothes to reveal his naked chest filled with black hair. Then pulling out a sword, he used it to cut his body twice and from the wounds initial appearance, it looked quite deep!
Bloodied with flesh showing, this fat guy remained calm without an inch of change; “Mister, I have no talent for martial arts, so my level is only that of a level one warrior. However, in real combat, I’m willing to bet that I can take down at least three guys of the same rank. As long as their strikes aren’t lethal, I won’t be affected in the least while they can only take a hit from me before dying by my hands!”
Therefore, this guy is also accepted.
What came next are some weird guys that were also accepted. Among these people, even Du Wei was surprised at their performance.
Heck, is this the so called ‘QuingGong’? Watching a super skinny guy jump up to the roof without much effort, the guy was able to freely maneuver across the air like a cat.
There is also a guy that is incredibly good at imitating. His voice was truly astonishing, whether it was animal or objects, he could reproduce it without a speck of difference from the real thing.
“I’ll be an excellent scout, mister!”
“There’s also me!” A guy came out from the crowd: “I was once a Hunter. My specialty is setting and disabling traps in the mountains. With only my nose, I can distinguish if there’s water nearby!”
After recruiting these people, Longbottom’s expression was still filled with hope of more talents showing up. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any more willing to step forward after his next shout: “What’s wrong? Who else wants to try?”
“This is not fair, Mister!” Someone in the crowd shouted, “They are not real warriors!! They are nothing but small tricks! True warriors will only talk with their sword! We will not learn the cries of an animal, nor will we climb up to someone’s roof like a thief!”
Longbottom sneers. In a single sweep, he snatched the bundle of rods and plugged each of them intot he ground. In a cold voice: “You garbages think it’s not fair? Fine! Then I’ll let you speak with the sword! I’ll take in whoever can use their sword to cut down an iron rod!”
A sword cut down an iron rod?
Although these iron rods aren’t too thick, but it is still the size of a child’s arm! He wants us to cut it apart with one strike?
Unless one can use Dou Qi or a treasured sword, it is impossible!
But if they could use Dou QI to begin with, why would they be here in the first place? A warrior capable of using Dou Qi would have to worry about not finding a job.
This play by Longbottom left everyone speechless.
“Aigh.” Longbottom sighed, seemingly disappointed by this outcome. After spending so many hours trying to push these people, he only managed to recruit a couple of strange talents.
At the same time, a steady voice rang out from the crowd.
“Let me try?”
Then the crowd separated to make way for a tall that was guy no more than 30 years old. Though his clothing was rough to the touch, but his posture was steady and face filled with pressure.
In one glance, Longbottom’s eye was already brimming with light. Base on his experience, he can tell the guy appeared before him is someone that went through a life or death battle.
“Your name.” Longbottom squinted his eyes.
“Please call me old smoke; my friends all call me that.” The warrior seems to hesitate for a second because that is only a nickname. And from his accent, he seems to be a local…….
Though the guy was puffing out his chest, but Du Wei can faintly smell a powerful herbal scent coming from him, seems like he is injured.
Longbottom also discovered this. Under his clothing, this self-proclaimed “old smoke” seems to be wrapped in bandage and the location is obviously near the heart.
“Are you hurt?” Longbottom frowned.
“Yes, right here.” Old smoke pointed to his heart: “But I was lucky, my heart was born slightly out of place compared to an ordinary person.”
With that, he pulled out a sword and took in a deep breath
Tsk!
A clear spark of light flashed across and the brilliant Dou Qi that appeared left the onlookers in amazement!
This is a warrior capable of Dou QI! That shows his warrior ranking is at least of the forth rank!
How can a fourth level warrior be so poor like this?
That’s right; this Old Smoke is precisely the guy from the Coup – the guy that was still thinking about his title before dying.
Snap!
One rod is now cut in two. From this, Old Smoke seems to be slightly out of breath due to the wound acting up. Taking another breath, he turned around and looked over at Du Wei that was standing behind Longbottom.
He is after from the palace guards, so it only took him one look to figure out who is really in charge.
“Did I pass?”
“Yes,” The one to speak up is Du Wei: “Please tell me your conditions, Mister Knight.”
“” Old smoke was silent for a moment.