Pained wails echoed through the district.
Chen Yu froze.
He suddenly understood why Sune had stopped him from intervening with the beast-girl earlier.
This—
Was the reason!
The traveler who had acted righteously also stood stunned, staring at the scene before him.
He clenched his fists.
“Mister, do you intend to help those poor beast-girls?” the beast-man holding a whip asked, a mocking smile in his eyes. “Look, how innocent they are. In fact, they could use some rest. I believe a kind soul like you wouldn’t bear to see them suffer any longer.”
“You…”
The traveler remained rooted to the spot, silent for a long time.
Standing over ten meters away, Chen Yu and Hei Dou, who were watching this unfold, both saw their expressions instantly turn grim.
“This is too much,” Hei Dou, cradled by Sune, had no trace of lecherous amusement in his eyes. His expression was serious, and even his tone had deepened considerably. “Boss…”
“Let’s go.”
Chen Yu took one last deep look, withdrew his gaze, and left without looking back. He couldn’t help!
Although this wasn’t the decision Chen Yu wanted to make, he was truly powerless in this matter.
How many such beast-girls were there in this city-state?
Even if Chen Yu had paid money, he had only managed to spare those innocent girls from physical pain at that moment. Who knew if there would be a second batch, a third batch.
Would the slave owners, having tasted profit, become even more ruthless?
“Sorry, I’ve affected your mood.” Gradually, the shouts from behind grew fainter as Chen Yu and his companions moved away.
Sune’s eyes were filled with deep apology.
It was as if she was blaming herself for choosing a route that gave Chen Yu a bad feeling.
The sounds grew faint.
Yet, the lingering despair in the echoes felt like a carving knife, deeply piercing Chen Yu’s heart.
“Not at all. I’m actually glad I witnessed this scene firsthand,” Chen Yu said, shaking his head with a smile. “Are there many beast-men like the one from earlier?”
“Mhm~”
“This city-state isn’t truly a city-state in the conventional sense, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Ha…”
Chen Yu suddenly stopped, stretching languidly. He slowly turned his head. As he turned, a brilliant smile graced his face.
“Take me on a proper tour of this city, don’t miss a single street, can you?”
Several hours passed.
Chen Yu toured the main city district accompanied by Sune. He wasn’t sure exactly how much time had elapsed, only knowing that the bright sky had now grown dim.
He had also gained some understanding of this city-state.
Black City!
Simply put, nothing here was brilliant or dazzling. There were countless slaves here, regardless of gender or age, their labor exploited by overseers wielding whips.
Underground casino.
Chen Yu didn’t go in to look. Standing outside, he could hear the clamor from within. He disliked such an environment.
He also saw several taverns under renovation and construction.
The walls were adorned with lewd imagery.
He stood outside a tavern for a long time, not because he was interested in the pictures, but because he saw poorly dressed female beast-men, some mature and voluptuous, others young and budding, appearing from time to time. They either cried out in despair or had vacant, numb eyes, allowing the overseers to drag them into the adjacent buildings.
What had they suffered?
Chen Yu didn’t want to think about it, nor did he dare!
This clearly wasn't a normal tavern.
Chen Yu just stood there watching.
He saw his clenched fists bulge with veins, saw a few drops of blood seep from his palms, yet he still just stood there, not taking a single step forward.
To punch that overseer?
He didn’t!
Only when Sune tugged his arm, forcibly pulling him away, did he continue to look at the tavern with clenched fists until it was no longer in his sight.
He still didn’t turn back for a long time.
“Mister, we’ve finished touring the main district,” Sune’s gentle whisper reached him. Chen Yu looked up at the hazy, gray sky above.
“Ah!”
Chen Yu sighed softly, a smile appearing on his face.
“You’ve worked hard today.”
“It was no trouble. It’s my honor to be your guide, Mister.” Sune smiled. “Mister, do you need me to escort you out of the city?”
“You, want me to leave the city?”
To his surprise, Chen Yu murmured, his eyes filled with a smile.
“I…” Sune moved her lips but remained silent for a long time. Chen Yu, with a gentle smile, said softly, “You likely have a task, don’t you? How much do I need to spend here?”
“You, how did you know?”
The moment Chen Yu said this, Sune froze, stunned.
“Don’t worry about that,” Chen Yu’s voice was very gentle. “Just consider it me wanting to spend here out of gratitude for your guidance, to boost your performance. Or—"
“I’ll buy you out!”
As Chen Yu finished speaking, Sune’s eyes instantly widened in shock, and she froze on the spot.
“I’m well aware of my limitations. If you want me to buy out all the slaves in this city, I can’t do it,” Chen Yu whispered. “But if it’s just to buy you out, that should be fine.”
“Mister, are you serious?”
“Of course!”
“Then, may I ask you a favor.” Sune bit her lip tightly, her eyes a mix of fear and anticipation. “Can I give this opportunity to someone else?”
From Sune’s expression, it was clear she also yearned for this opportunity.
However—
She was willing to give this chance to another.
“No problem, I’ll give you this chance, and you can choose to give it to someone else. This is the reward you’ve earned as my guide, and you have the right to dispose of it,” Chen Yu said sternly, his voice a little cold. “But you need to think clearly. My decision won’t change. I have only one slot for buying out someone from this place. Don’t harbor any illusions that after I buy out that person, I’ll also buy you out. That’s impossible!”
“I, I understand.”
Sune pursed her lips and nodded slightly, her clenched fists trembling gently.
“Sune is already very grateful that you are willing to buy out slaves like us. Sune doesn’t want to waste your hard-earned wealth. Sune… still hopes you can buy someone else.”
“Buy out whom!” Chen Yu whispered.
“The beast-girl holding the apple that you saw at the beginning,” Sune said, suddenly looking up. “It’s her. You just need to bring her out of this city-state.”
“Her?”
Chen Yu was somewhat surprised. Sune pursed her lips and nodded vigorously.
“Are you very close to her?”
Chen Yu asked subconsciously. Sune let out a soft sigh, then slowly raised her head, a radiant smile on her face.
“Her name is Su Bei. She’s… my sister.”
--
Good evening. Have you eaten? Another chapter coming soon!