The wind howled bitterly.
Ur stood in silent confrontation with nearly a hundred Vichy warriors. The killing intent in the air grew heavier by the second.
His left hand had already rested quietly on the hilt of the Dark Dragon Fang. If the Vichy dared to make a move, Ur was confident he could give them a lesson they would never forget.
Just as the killing intent in Ur's eyes reached its peak and his magic was about to surge, Pasfield suddenly stepped forward. He raised a hand to stop Ur from drawing his blade and spoke loudly to Kakatu. "Let's be direct, Mr. Kakatu. What price must I pay to buy the lives of those two men?"
"You think I'm the kind of man who trades lives for food?" Kakatu narrowed his eyes, his tone unfriendly.
"Yes."
Kakatu: "······"
"I want another ten percent." After a brief silence, Kakatu stated his demand.
"Impossible." Pasfield refused without hesitation. "At most, I'll give you an additional three percent."
"Bullshit! Those were two lives of my people. At least eighty percent!" Kakatu roared.
"Three percent," Pasfield replied calmly.
"You're courting death. Don't forget, your lives are in our hands right now. Fifty percent—that's my bottom line!" Kakatu's eyes burned with anger as he ground out the words.
Pasfield merely smiled faintly. "If you kill us, my ship will leave immediately. Then you'll get nothing. When winter comes, more of your people will die. Besides… do you really think you can keep us here?" Whenever business was involved, Pasfield seemed like a different person.
"So, three percent. That's my final offer."
After a long silence, Kakatu's beard trembled with fury. His eyes were red, his breathing heavy. At last, he spat out through clenched teeth. "You win. Three percent it is."
He shot Ur a wary glance before waving his hand irritably. Instantly, the hundred Vichy warriors surrounding them vanished as if they had never been there.
Kakatu's face softened once more, returning to the genial, kindly expression from before. He resumed chatting with Pasfield as though nothing had happened. Incredibly, Pasfield also reverted just as quickly, even laughing heartily from time to time, as if the near-death standoff had never occurred.
Ur was stunned.
In just a few minutes, a battle that could have erupted into life and death had somehow turned into yet another under-the-table deal. At that moment, Ur felt genuine fear toward the species known as merchants.
These two weren't merely thick-skinned. They were utterly shameless. With acting skills like that, in his previous life, they would've left all the so-called award-winning actors in the dust.
After walking for quite some time, they finally arrived near the summit of Gulya Glacier, at a gathering place. Strangely, the higher they climbed, the warmer it became. Sunlight poured down, bringing an unexpected sense of warmth.
There were many Vichys here.
When Ur and Pasfield arrived, some looked at them with vigilance, while others showed curious expressions.
"You two may rest over there. I'll fetch something and return shortly," Kakatu said, pointing toward an ice cave nearby. He summoned another Vichy to lead the way before leaving.
Though nothing seemed out of place, Ur had the distinct feeling that the old fox was plotting something again. The Vichy man leading them did not speak the Common Tongue, so Pasfield couldn't glean any information from him.
As they walked, Ur said quietly, "Thanks for earlier."
After all, the situation had arisen because of him. Though Ur didn't believe he had done anything wrong, in this world, results mattered more than process.
"It's nothing," Pasfield waved dismissively. "You killed those two Vichy because of me anyway. Besides, even if I gave that old man an extra three percent, I'm still not losing out."
Then Pasfield frowned slightly. "But, I do find it strange. How did Kakatu learn about this? That small tribe didn't look like they possessed communication magic crystals."
A flicker of killing intent flashed in Ur's eyes. After a moment, he shook his head. "It shouldn't be them. They don't have the courage."
Through the earlier negotiation, Ur had grown even more certain of one thing.
This wasn't his previous world.
The lives of two Vichy weren't worth much here. Kakatu had already profited immensely by extorting three percent from Pasfield. To provoke a dangerous enemy like Ur over two dead tribesmen? Only a fool of a tribal leader would do that.
Moreover, from another perspective, Ur could even be considered a benefactor. After all, when he and Pasfield rescued those Vichy from the Seaweed Blade, Pasfield had set them free.
Both Ur and Pasfield were puzzled. Very few people knew about the incident, and those who did had no way to contact the Vichy of the sacred land.
Carrying their doubts, the two followed the guide into the ice cave. The next second, both froze. There were already people inside. And they were not Vichy.
"Delina? It's you?" Pasfield's expression shifted as he recognized one of the figures.
There were three women inside the cave.
The one Pasfield addressed bore a striking resemblance to Diana. The only differences were her slightly lighter hair and a more mature aura. Upon hearing Pasfield's voice, the woman turned her head. A radiant smile bloomed across her face.
"Oh? You're finally here. So, did you like the little gift I prepared for you?"
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