Chapter 303: Redemption

“Miss Charlotte, you want to buy those slaves from Orgrimmar? What’s the use?” 

The corpulent half-elf leered greedily at the stunning foxwoman seated across from him. He didn’t care about her intentions, his mind was completely preoccupied with how to get her into his bed.

‘Foxes are lazy and conniving. They don’t even know gratitude if you don’t keep whipping them.’

“I’m just running errands for someone. You know how it is for small-time traders like us, making enough to scrape by is already a blessing from the gods. How could I dare ask too many questions?” Red Moon avoided his groping hand with a bashful expression, her eyes glistening as she gazed at him. “My lord, won’t you be merciful? Sell me these useless slaves, won’t you?”

The sound of her voice alone left the half-elf’s bones half-melted. 

“If you keep me company, we can discuss anything.”

Red Moon covered her mouth and laughed. “My lord, you’re so charming. Won’t you grant me this small favor and sell me these worthless slaves?”

The slaves had been detained only to figure out how Tagraedi had made his money. The frustrating truth was that not only were these slaves more unruly than others, but they all claimed to know nothing about those methods.

If he hadn’t executed a few, strung them up to set an example, and tortured a few of their leaders repeatedly, he wouldn’t have believed their ignorance.

It was all Osaga’s fault!

He gritted his teeth at the thought.

The dirty work fell to them, but the truly valuable artisans skilled in producing cheap plate armor had willingly sought Osaga’s protection. If they’d acted earlier, those craftsmen could have been controlled, leaving no chance for Osaga to swoop in.

Tagraedi was an idiot. He’d foolishly allowed his slaves to live comfortably, achieved nothing of note, and occupied the land for years, only to cultivate a few farms and workshops. He hadn’t even restarted the lucrative mines. Now, after spending a fortune to seize this position, the expected wealth was nowhere to be found.

The foxwoman before him was probably sent by those other fools trying to uncover Tagraedi’s production secrets. Did they really think that buying these slaves would give them answers? If these slaves were truly valuable, why would he sell them?

Still, it might be an opportunity to fleece these idiots for some profit to offset his losses.

Anyway, Riniconia was full of rabbitfolk, ratfolk, and deerfolk. He could just pay the garrison to round up more later.

Unbeknownst to him, Red Moon had subtly planted these thoughts in his mind by.

Red Moon finally emerged from the room. Wu Qingsong, disguised as her attendant, stepped forward to hand her a coat and asked, “How did it go?”

“He agreed.” Red Moon wiped the spot where the half-elf had touched her with a handkerchief, then tossed it in disgust. “Fifty thousand renals.”

“Those bastards!” Beck muttered under his breath.

The combined number of rabbitfolk, ratfolk, and deerfolk didn’t even reach a thousand, including many infants born in Orgrimmar. Such a price was outright robbery.

“Did you haggle?” Wu Qingsong asked.

The amount of money didn’t matter much, it was merely a temporary deposit. They planned to take it all back with interest soon enough. The key was not to pay too eagerly, lest it arouse suspicion.

“He initially asked for a hundred thousand renals,” Red Moon replied.

“How will the transaction proceed?” Wu Qingsong continued.

“The moment the money arrives, they’ll release the people.”

“Did you confirm the headcount and ensure their health?”

“Of course!”

“Thank you,” Wu Qingsong said, a trace of guilt in his voice.

Red Moon said nothing, merely smiled and shook her head lightly.

Having spent nearly a year on Gale Island, Red Moon couldn’t say she bore no resentment toward Wu Qingsong. When he and Ling returned to Gale Island piloting the newly improved aircraft, her feelings leaned more toward bitterness than excitement.

When she learned of the Silvermoon Wolf Clan’s and Orgrimmar’s plight, her first thought was, ‘Serves them right! This is punishment from the ancestors and the gods!’

However, she didn’t let those emotions show. She carefully controlled her demeanor, appearing genuinely heartbroken over their misfortunes and anxiously asking how she could help.

At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.

Finally leaving that cursed island and returning to the world where her talents could shine was more important than anything else. She expressed no dissatisfaction or complaints, acting as if Wu Qingsong had left her there for only a few days.

She understood that the suffering was done. Complaints and hatred were meaningless and would only waste the price she’d already paid. By making Wu Qingsong feel guilty and uneasy through her actions, she could recover her losses with interest.

So, when Wu Qingsong asked for her help, she didn’t hesitate. She helped with planning and running errands.

“The hardest part comes next,” she said to Wu Qingsong. “These people aren’t many, but they’re not few either. Moving them north discreetly won’t be easy.”

“As long as we can get them to the camp, we’ll handle the rest,” Wu Qingsong replied.

Over the past eight and a half months, many things had changed. For Ling, unable to take on greater responsibilities like Ram, all she could do was endure the mental training methods she’d learned on Gale Island, almost masochistically.

She didn’t know if it mattered anymore. According to Harold’s judgment, Wu Qingsong might not die, but he could be imprisoned indefinitely. If that happened, her abilities might never be awakened again. Yet some unseen force seemed to urge her to persevere, assuring her that one day it would matter.

When Wu Qingsong awakened her power again, the result shocked everyone.

The material Ling could summon had expanded into a sphere nearly one meter in diameter. In terms of volume, the growth over the past eight and a half months far exceeded the results of her previous two years of rigorous training.

She could now create a vacuum sphere large enough to carry twenty people, not just two.

With a single night’s effort, she could transport people hundreds of kilometers to a relay base. For Wu Qingsong, extracting these people from Orgrimmar without alarming Marquis Osaga or compromising their safety was the only remaining challenge.