Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Elven Slaves, Return, Request for Thotmudo
Chapter 273: Elven Slaves, Return, Request for Thotmudo
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The cargo hold in front of him was the size of two basketball courts, yet it only contained five cages.
Inside these cages contained two or three slaves each.
Their expressions were different from ordinary humans, and their distinct pointed ears clearly revealed their identity.
These individuals referred to as slaves were, in fact, elves, and what made it even more remarkable was that they were all female elves!
Ji Chen squinted his eyes and sighed inwardly.
While Ernesto claimed to fear the elves, he dared to personally engage in the trafficking of elves in secret. He truly lived up to the reputation of gnomes who were inconsistent in their actions, even daring to engage in such high-risk business.
Undoubtedly, the elves, who inherited and developed numerous technologies like alchemy, enchantments, forging techniques, advanced combat skills, and more, were a formidable force in this world. Their formidable national strength and military power were enough to deter the covetous intentions of most petty individuals.
But precisely because of this, the underground elf slave hunting teams and smuggling operations were incessant.
The more the elves struck out against them, the more difficult it was to sever this sinful business.
One of the main reasons for this was the elves’ ethereal beauty as if they were carved by the gods themselves, and their extremely long lifespans.
This fact was exemplified by Elin.
Their exquisite appearance and their long lives initially bestowed upon the elves a value comparable to that of dragons.
Consider this, each dragon was a formidable force, wielding the immense power to obliterate an entire human city.
Yet, even so, countless human heroes still emerged among their kind, seeking to find and slay dragons, appending the prefix of “Dragon Slayer” to their names.
For fame, for the materials found in the dragon’s body, or to bathe in dragon blood and become stronger.
Greed, the desire for wealth, the urge to conquer, and other desires provided humans with powerful motives to hunt dragons.
This aspect was somewhat analogous to the pursuit of elves.
Hence, the elves’ strength did not completely eliminate the desires of humans.
But was it more difficult to capture an elf than to slay a dragon?
Clearly, the former is simpler.
Ironically, the elves’ strength only fueled even stronger, uncontrollable desires in humans.
Their power, beauty, and haughty demeanor further fueled the humans’ insatiable lust for conquest.
If one possessed an elven slave or servant, what an esteemed position that would be!
The stronger they were, the more intense their desire became. This paralleled the situation with dragons; just as warriors aimed to become Dragon Slayers, they also harbored dreams of taming a dragon as their mount.
However, there was a difference when it came to elves, especially female elves. Within the desire for conquest lay unabashed sexual desires, and within those desires, there was a significant amount of vanity.
Even though the elves repeatedly emphasized and combated the capture of elves, the underground trade of capturing elves continued unabated. These dealings were intricately connected to the human nobility and those in power, to the extent that the demand originated from them.
As confirmed by certain players’ inquiries, in some secret slave auctions, the auction price for a single elven maiden was equivalent to a year’s worth of tax revenue for a town, and it was considered priceless.
It was no wonder Ernesto was willing to take such risks and capture over a dozen elves.
“Lord, it appears that these elves are not in the best condition.”
Ji Chen acknowledged, observing the cages containing over ten elven maidens. They seemed somewhat weakened, their bodies bearing bruises and clad in scanty clothing.
Most likely the aftermath of his previous assault on the gnomes’ merchant ship with a tsunami.