Chapter 2027 - 545: Land of the Buried Bones (Part 3)

"I don't really know the exact situation either, only that they were fighting fiercely, with wins and losses on both sides. Later the Ratmen started to struggle, so they moved us over here…"

To be honest, he suspected that if the Dwarves and Ratmen hadn't been at war, he'd probably have been butchered by the Ratmen half a year ago.

Those bastards seemed to need him for something, so they kept him alive instead of killing him, even fed him rat meat.

Whether or not that was actually rat meat.

Looking at this young man whose face was full of fear, Clark's expression was still saturated with doubt.

"Although the Campbell Duchy has already abolished serfdom, it's not like we haven't seen slaves before. Forgive my bluntness, but what you're saying is far too exaggerated."

He did not doubt the Evil of the Ratmen, he simply couldn't make sense of the logic.

What benefit is there in selling Peasants to Ratmen?

For both the Ratmen and the Ryan Nobles, this seemed like a losing deal.

After all, the Ratmen have their own slaves; most Ratman Clans are even divided into Clan Rats and Slave Rats, the latter being both labor and food.

By comparison, Humans really aren't suited to working in the caves of the Ten Thousand Ridges Mountain Range; even Hell Dwarves prefer Ratmen prisoners of war over buying from Human slave traders.

This trade brings no profit to the Ratmen, and it's the same for the Nobles of Ryan.

Even if they've already forgotten the Holy Light flowing in their blood, abandoned all morality and bottom lines, there still has to be profit great enough to make them risk going to Hell to do this, doesn't there?

This doesn't fit common sense.

Clark would much rather believe this guy had done something illegal, like smuggling or studying Black Magic, got double-crossed in the end, and then made up some absurd story to cover his crimes and avoid being sent to the Judicial Court.

Helager looked at all those doubtful eyes and gave a weak smile.

He no longer had the strength to argue; his body was so overdrawn that all he wanted now was to pass out. Saying even one more sentence felt exhausting.

"Just assume I'm making it up…"

"Listen, I don't care how you ended up in the hands of the Ratmen, and I don't care what shady business you were doing over in the Ryan Kingdom—that's your affair."

Clark stood up, walked in front of this Ryan man, and looked down at him.

"I only care about one thing—the Ratmen attacked our survey team and killed our people. Since you escaped from there, tell me: where is their nest?"

Helager lifted his head, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

"It's just to your north… that cave is very close to here. I remember that not long after I escaped, I ran into you…"

Suddenly, as if recalling something truly terrifying, he toppled off his chair.

Under the astonished stares of everyone present, he grabbed Clark's thigh and knelt heavily on the ground, begging hoarsely.

"Milord! There are other people still in that cave, please save them, some of them are still alive! At least a hundred people! For the sake of Saint Sis! For the sake of us all being servants of the Holy Light!"

That ragged, throat-tearing sob didn't sound like an act; the atmosphere in the outpost plunged to freezing.

If it were merely a madman's ravings, they might have laughed it off. But if there really were a large number of Human survivors in that cave…

Clark's expression grew increasingly grave, and his Deputy Officer stepped up beside him, lowering his voice.

"Whether he's telling the truth or not, this is already beyond what our outpost can handle…"

"We'll know soon enough whether it's true. Keep a close eye on this guy… Don't let him die, and don't let him run."

Clark made his decision on the spot and issued orders to the men around him.

"Release a carrier pigeon immediately and report this lead to Spinor Castle. Have the Royal Railway Company send people over… preferably bring a lot."

Regardless of whether the intel was true or false, with a witness, it had to be verified.

After giving his instructions, Clark looked again at Helager, who was still kneeling on the floor. His eyes were as sharp as a Dagger.

"You say there are many people there… then tell me, what are they keeping you for?"

Helager raised his head in confusion, his pupils alternately unfocused and tightening, as though searching through the fragmented shards in his mind.

"I don't know… Those rats don't always communicate in language we can understand, and they never let us see what they're doing."

"I only heard it from a guy who was taken away and then thrown back—the rats were holding some kind of ritual, and they needed a lot of Sacrifices… Most of the people who were taken away never came back. Most of the Sacrifices were eaten after they were used. He'd escaped death because he didn't meet the conditions for the ritual, but next time he might not be so lucky."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at the crowd holding their breath, and spoke in a trembling voice.

"I escaped halfway… when they were taking me away."

...

The outpost outside Cold Crow City was utterly silent; only the cicadas outside the window were buzzing louder and louder.

Meanwhile, in the forest sea on the southern foothills of the Ten Thousand Ridges Mountain Range, four lithe figures were moving along a trail of messy hoofprints.

At the very front were two Skeletons in black robes, one tall and one short, ghostly green Soul Fire flickering in their eye sockets.

Following close behind were two burly Lizardmen. Though they looked like cold-blooded animals, the way they carried their weapons was strikingly similar to Human stances.

The four "people" were not locals, but Players from another world, and they were undeniably top-tier T0-level high-players.