Translator: 549690339
The bleak autumn wind swept up fallen leaves, leaving the streets of Silver Moon City sparse.
Having just experienced a brutal coup, this half-elf royal city was still under military control.
The slave markets in the west of the city also lost their former prosperity.
The Windbell Commerce Association had already been completely surrounded by fully armed half-elf guards, who were continuously taking various things out of it.
In a dark alley a kilometer away from the Commerce Association, Ross Savoy surreptitiously poked his head out and carefully observed the situation at his familyâs Commerce Association.
Obviously, the situation was dire.
When his brother Cisâs skull fell from the sky into the royal palace, Ross knew that this time the Savoy familyâs operation had failed again.
However, he was not too desperate, as Queen Isa did not exterminate the Savoy family, only expelled them from the country.
The half-elf nobles also had a tradition of forgiving those who fail.
Besides, the Miller family not only bore no enmity towards the Savoy family, they were even thankful for them. If it were not for them starting this coup, the half-elf throne would not have fallen into their hands.
However, while the members of the Savoy family were spared, their assets were clearly all confiscated.
Ross sighed, took a reluctant final look at the Windbell Commerce Association, and was about to leave.
But as he turned around, he saw a man in a black robe standing quietly behind him in the shadows, watching him coldly.
âJiâ¦Mr. Ji, how come you are in Silver Moon City?â
Mr. Ji cracked a derisive cold smile: âWhy, canât I come?â
âOf course you can. You see, our family has just encountered a disaster⦠so we are unable to entertain you.â
Mr. Ji did not care for Rossâs politeness, but asked straightforwardly: âDo you know why you failed?â
Ross shook his head and respectfully asked: âPlease enlighten me.â
âItâs because youâre greedy!â Mr. Jiâs tone was icy, âand, you did not do as I instructed.â
A flicker of anger crossed Rossâs face, as if all the suppressed anger and fear of the last few days suddenly erupted:
âDo as you instructed? Mr. Ji, you werenât even in Silver Moon City, how could you possibly know what situation we were facing?
The way things developed was beyond everyoneâs expectations, and my brother and I could only adapt on the spot!â
âAdapt on the spot?â Mr. Ji chuckled, âThis is the first time Iâve heard someone describe âbetrayalâ in this way.â
âBetrayal?â Ross seemed to throw caution to the wind, angrily growling, âdo you really think our Savoy family is a dog raised by your family?
Wake up!
Now is not three hundred years ago!
You yourself have become a homeless cur, barely surviving with the support of the trolls!
Are you still expecting our loyalty?
When you dare to appear in the sunshine without that damned hood, then come talk to us, the Savoy family, about loyalty!â
Facing Rossâs offensive sarcasm, Mr. Ji didnât get angry but sighed, saying leisurely:
âYes, it has been over three hundred years. The world has almost forgotten about my family.
The once loyal servants have begun to seek other ways, putting their past oaths behindâ¦â
After a pause, Mr. Ji suddenly laughed: âBut actually, from the beginning, I never expected your loyalty.
After the lesson from the North Territory, I understood that oaths are ridiculous, and loyalties are like bubbles in the sunlight, they look dazzling, but they canât withstand a single blow.â
Mr. Ji moved forward a few steps with an increasingly brilliant smile:
âBut I think the most ridiculous ones are you people.
You think you are smart, you donât want to be chess pieces, but you want to be chess players.â
âBut the truth is, you simply canât see the entire game of chess. You donât even know where the true focus of the game is.â
Mr. Jiâs words left Ross puzzled, unable to grasp at his meaning.
But it seemed that Mr. Ji didnât expect Ross to understand. As if he was speaking just for himself:
âAll you see is Silver Moon City, focusing solely on the throne of the Half-Elf.
Ha, but how does such unimportant matter have the right to become the true focus in this game of chess?â
Ross could more or less understand now, but this belittling only fanned his anger. He couldnât resist mocking him again: âThe situation in Silver Moon City is already set. What can you possibly do about it now?â
âThe situation is set?â Mr. Ji laughed lightly, and shook his head. âMy trump card hasnât even been played yet. And remember what I told you before â Silver Moon City is but one insignificant corner of the chessboard. It doesnât determine the outcome of this game.â
âHa, so what is your trump card then?â The more Ross looked at Mr. Ji, mystifying as he was, the more fed up he got.
âMy trump cardâ¦â Mr. Jiâs voice fell to a whisper mid-sentence, unclear and mumbled.
Ross couldnât hear him clearly and moved a few steps forward. Just as he was about to ask, he found himself unable to speak.
He only felt a sensation as if a burning piece of charcoal was lodged in his throat, the heat so intense that fire was about to burst forth.
The next second, fire did burst forth.
And then, the flame quickly covered his face, his skull, his neck, spreading all over his bodyâ¦
In the end, Ross burst into ashes amidst agonizing howls.
âMy trump card, you are not qualified to know.â
Mr. Ji sneered, his gaze passing through the shadowy alley towards the direction of the North Territory.
North Territory, Fallen Eagle City.
Plump merchant Oliver, all sweaty, welcomed an elegantly dressed lady to the Tulip Chamber of Commerce.
âMiss Penny, we canât go on like this anymore! Holding on to the food and not selling it, although it will make a fortune due to the rise in grain prices, I⦠Iâm afraid we wonât live to make that fortune!â
Penny, her eyes a deep burgundy, coldly stared at Oliver, retorted: âWhat are you afraid of? Relax, with me here, the Count wonât arrest you for hoarding food.â
Oliver believed her.
After all, she was Count Umanâs beloved lover. Naturally, she had the ability to manage the Count.
But still, Oliver anxiously said: âMiss, Iâm not worried about the Count.â
âThen what are you worried about?â
âWhat Iâm worried about are those slaves, and the commoners, who are on the verge of starvation! Do you know this, when the Trolls invaded this spring, a large number of fields missed spring ploughing, and famine has started to spread in the North Territory!
If we keep holding on to our food storage and not selling it, Iâm afraid⦠Iâm afraid there will be people starving to death!â
âJust a bunch of slaves and lowly people. If they die, they die.â Penny remained impassive as if sheâs not even from the same social class.
âMiss, have you ever gone hungry?â Oliver started to feel impatient, and some of the things he had been hiding started to come out: âI have gone hungry! And I know what it feels like, itâs worse than death!
It can turn a person mad, turn a person into a beast, a terrifying beast devouring everythingâ¦â
Penny coldly watched Oliver and smiled: âGo on.â
Oliver hesitated for a moment, but he still didnât dare to say.
âYouâre just worried about a rebellion, right?â Penny said it with a light hearted tone.
âSince you know, then whyâ¦â
âTake care of yourself, Mr. Oliver, wonât let you go hungry.â Penny gently patted Oliverâs plump face, adding:
âBut if you do something you shouldnât⦠I canât promise..â