Dharma Ring: Selling dung beetles at the border

Chapter 44 The man in the iron sheet

For people whose souls are immortal and can be reincarnated, death is not the most terrifying thing.

The death of the body is only because the soul has lost its temporary residence and is waiting to wake up again.

Under the guidance of this line of thinking, the warriors of the Golden Tree are exceptionally brave and fearless of death, and the people of the Golden Tree will all return to the tree safely.

Under the guidance of this kind of thinking, dying like a ghost, or being imprisoned and unable to return to a tree are the most taboo and frightening things.

Just like a tree has strong vitality and a long lifespan, the power stored in the giant tree is huge, but it is still afraid of a small fire.

Seeing the dark red vortex on Wuming's hand, and seeing the Kaidan mercenary being stuffed into another person's soul, everyone present understood one thing.

The man in iron skin in front of him can control his soul.

He can transfer souls, tear souls to pieces, or imprison souls somewhere forever.

Realizing this, the few Kaidan mercenaries who were still stubborn and had not yet surrendered immediately knelt down.

No one wanted to die so hard that they simply lost the will to resist and trembled.

Even the Wuming employees in the Ailei Church looked at Wuming with strange fear.

The few Kaidan mercenaries who finally surrendered said tremblingly:

We are willing to surrender and respect you as our master.

Wuming didn't care that the scene was strangely quiet. He saw the Kaidan mercenaries surrendering and expressed great satisfaction:

As long as you are willing to surrender, follow me and you will have meat to eat.

The Kaidan mercenaries breathed a sigh of relief. They looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

I originally thought I was just bullying a small caravan, but I didn't expect to encounter a monster beyond my imagination.

They were originally free men on horseback, but now that their horses are gone, they can only work as slaves.

Wuming hummed a little tune and selected the strongest horses to put in front of the chariot.

Now there are eight horses in front of the golden chariot, all of them are fat and strong.

After packing up his carriage, Wuming asked the mercenaries:

Okay, since you have admitted defeat, let's talk about the next important question - how much salary do you want?

Salary? The mercenaries were suspicious, Do you slaves still get paid?

You originally wanted to be slaves without wages. Wuming said, That's easy to say -

No, no, no, we don't want to be involved. He reacted quickly and quickly denied it.

If you don't want to be a worker, you won't get paid. Wuming said, I heard that you robbed me of a lot of money?

The mercenaries lowered their heads:

This... we have spent all the money.

If these people could save money, they would not live on horseback. Barbarians have always spent money when they have it, make money when they have spent it all, and rob it when they can't make money. Burning, killing and looting is the first compulsory lesson they learn when they are born.

Wuming thought for a while:

You should be security guards and be responsible for guarding my store. The salary is the same as that of an Immortal. You will receive money when you repay my debts. Normally, you will be at the same table as the mixed breeds and you will have the same food.

With hybrids? The mercenaries were a little angry.

These people also have a deep-seated disdain for hybrids.

Hybrids are born slaves, and if they eat the same food as hybrids, they are still treated like slaves.

The mercenaries thought angrily: This armored man said he didn't treat them as slaves, but he didn't get any wages, and he was still sitting at the same table with a mixed race. He was still a slave.

But they didn't dare to say anything. After all, they were originally expected to be slaves, so they couldn't be worse off.

Wuming looked at the reluctant mercenary:

You don't want to?

Nonsense, do you even need to ask? The mercenaries cursed Wu Ming in their hearts for having no common sense.

No, I don't dare to have an opinion. They replied.

If you have any opinions, just speak up. Wuming said, Only when employees are willing to provide positive feedback can we make progress.

Wuming said: You don't want to eat the same food as the mixed breeds?

The mercenaries looked at each other and nodded cautiously.

Wuming said: That's easy, just sit at the table with the Immortal.

Immortals...

The mercenaries thought about it and were immediately relieved.

Most of the immortals are former golden people, that is, ordinary civilians.

From slave treatment to civilians, they were content.

Work hard and I won't treat you badly. Wuming put down these words and returned to the Ailei Church.

That night, a banquet was held at Ailei Church.

Wuming had not returned for two months. To celebrate his return, to welcome Topps, and to celebrate surviving another crisis, a grand banquet was held in the church.

The mercenaries were also lucky enough to participate in the event, but when their dishes were served, they found that almost all of them were vegetarian.

I obviously smell meat, where's the meat? These barbarians who were used to eating meat looked around.

I saw the hybrids feasting on dishes that Wuming personally cooked and added precious spices to.

What's going on? The barbarians were dumbfounded, Have you agreed to have a meal with the Immortal?

They immediately went to see the meals of the immortals.

It is indeed a vegetarian dish.

What's the situation? What's the situation? The mercenaries were confused.

They picked at the food on the plate, trying to confirm whether there were any expensive dishes they didn't recognize.

The conclusion was that it was all cheap vegetables with just some lard as a garnish.

What's going on? The mercenaries finally couldn't bear it any longer and grabbed an immortal to ask for explanation.

The Immortal had a conflict with the mercenaries a few hours ago and did not like them.

What's going on? the Immortal asked impatiently.

These meals, why are they all vegetarian? the mercenary asked.

Who are we? the Immortal asked.

Immortal? The mercenary was puzzled.

The Immortal patted his belly:

Two months ago, my intestines were still a piece of rag, and they would even leak out when I ate. My body hasn't recovered very long now, so of course I eat something light and easy to digest.

The mercenary was speechless, choked for a moment, and pointed at the hybrid:

How can they eat meat?

They are hunters and do manual labor. The Immortal said, What the boss wants is to eat more if the work is heavy. When you are full, you can work better.

They are hybrids... the mercenaries murmured.

I'm just an Immortal. The Immortal glanced at them, I'm not qualified to get help from witches.

He took a bite of the dish, chewed it carefully, and savored it slowly:

Just be content with what you have. You are lucky to be able to taste food again.

For the immortals who have just recovered, vegetables are already a delicacy, but for the mercenaries who are accustomed to eating meat and drinking, this is obviously not a treat.

But this was the treatment they asked for, and in the end they could only put a sad face and stuff the vegetables into their mouths.

At least the cooks are good at cooking, they comforted themselves.

Although there was no meat, since it was a banquet, there was wine.

Several immortals brought several jars filled with clear liquid.

This is not actually wine, it is a kind of water made by the Immortals by mixing the Artilia leaves and water lilies they collected into the water.

It can replace ordinary alcohol in many effects.

The mercenaries asked for more drinks to relieve their depression.

But emotions are emotions, and depression cannot be relieved. Some barbarians soon become confused under the instigation of drinks and start to stir up trouble.

The fear engraved in their souls prevents them from making nameless troubles. The immortals are silent, while the hybrids never leave their bodies when eating meat.

They targeted Burke.

Why is there a demi-human here? The barbarians were drinking and provoking around Burke.

As the only demi-human in the Airei Church, and with a small stature, Burke did not dare to resist and suffered silently.

I heard that demi-humans have bad brains. Is that true? Manzi laughed. I heard that you all use your staffs as sticks. Is that true?

Burke murmured: We can also use magic, but we forget it when we are emotional.

If you forget about your IQ when you are emotional, you are still stupid. Manzi burped, and laughter flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Burke was a coward by nature. Although he was angry, he did not dare to step forward to scratch someone. He could only wrinkle his face in grievance.

Manzi looked closer at Burke's wrinkled face:

You're really ugly. If you look closely, aren't you uglier than a hybrid?

I'm not ugly! Burke suddenly became furious and grinned at Barbarian.

Barbarian was so frightened by Burke's fangs that he leaned back. His body numbed by alcohol couldn't control it. He sat down on the ground and shot up again with a roar.

There happened to be a sharp stone on the ground, and it just clicked into a suitable position. Half of Manzi's face immediately turned green.

When the other mercenaries saw their companion's misfortune, they just laughed together without mercy.

The loud laughter of several strong men in unison was too loud, attracting Wuming's attention.

What's wrong? Wuming came over.

Several drunkards immediately stopped breathing and did not dare to say anything.

Wuming saw Burke biting his lip, with tears in his eyes:

what happened?

But Burke was ashamed to speak and stopped talking.

Wuming took out a branch from his arms and pointed at the strong man: You tell me.

The pink light enveloped the strong man, and the strong man's originally confused expression became even more stupid, and he explained what had just happened.

After Wuming heard what happened, he looked at Burke and then at the mercenaries.

That's it. Wuming said.

Hearing that Wuming didn't care, several mercenaries present heaved a sigh of relief.

Wuming said to the mercenaries again:

You don't seem to be able to drink. Anyway, the security guards have to be vigilant at all times. The security guards' supply of alcohol should be stopped from now on. It's enough to replenish energy by eating.

These words made several drunk men suddenly freeze.

Of course not all the mercenaries came to stir up trouble, but because of a few of them, all security guards stopped serving drinks...

How will their companions deal with them?

The barbarians looked at their companion whose butt was pierced by a stone, and silently stretched out their hands to cover their own butts.

The mercenaries walked away dejectedly, leaving only Burke huddled in the corner and crying silently.

Why are you still crying? Wuming walked beside Burke carelessly and handed him a glass of wine.

Burke took the wine without drinking it, and lowered his head:

Master...am I ugly?

I don't think so. Wuming said.

Burke's face became even more distorted as he cried:

Master, you are a good person. I know this is comforting me.

No, I really think so. Wuming said, Look, you are a demi-human, not a human. Our aesthetics and races are different, so how can I use my own standards to evaluate your appearance.

He raised his wine glass and poured wine into the gap in his face shield:

Can I judge whether a wine glass is beautiful or ugly?

Burke said: You think all Asians are ugly?

What do you understand? Wuming patted Burke's head, I don't care about these things. I can't tell the difference between beauty and ugliness. My tongue can't taste the taste. My body perception is slow. My perception is different from others. , I no longer care about these things.”

Burke held the wine glass and stared blankly at his demi-human face reflected in the clear wine:

So what you're saying is that you just don't care that I'm really ugly.

Wuming was a little helpless:

You kid, are you crazy? Are you ugly among your fellow demi-humans?

Burke showed a smile that was uglier than crying:

Yeah...except for my mother, no one has ever complimented me on my beauty.

Wuming looked at Burke carefully again.

After looking at it for a long time, Wuming gave up.

As he said, Burke is a demi-human, and he really can't judge the beauty or ugliness of a demi-human's appearance.

Like an immortal who has a pustule on his face, he will think it is ugly.

But if a slug had blisters on its body, he wouldn't think it was ugly at all.

Wuming earnestly enlightened Burke:

Don't you think we look strange when you look at us? Do you think humans are good-looking? There is no way to evaluate different species. Do you think that humans would be in heat with a fish?

Burke looked at Wuming with tears in his eyes:

But... I think humans are really pretty. And humans really think I'm ugly.

He murmured to himself: If I could become a human, if I could be reborn...

Wuming looked at Burke worried and didn't know how to persuade him.

Ah, yes. Wuming slapped his palm, You can just follow Haida. She is blind anyway, so she can't see you at all.

Burke still feels inferior:

But this is just to deceive oneself and others. My appearance is always noticed by others...I am here...no, I am the ugliest thing in the border area...

Tsk... Wuming was a little impatient, You are really troublesome.

When Burke heard Wuming's impatient voice, he shrank and cried:

I know, I am a troublesome, cowardly and ugly guy. You should give up on me. I am too ugly and not worthy of being your servant...

He looked into the distance, where there were no church lights and it was dark:

Or...or I'd better go back to the cave, back to the darkness, where I can serve you. As long as I don't see the light of day, I won't scare others...

Wuming was no longer too lazy to listen to Burke's plaintive words, so he pulled Burke up.

He spoke of little Burke as if he were a monkey.

Let's go to Mengliu Cave. Wuming said.

Facing Wuming's rude treatment, Burke calmed down and said gratefully:

Thank you, thank you...

After a while, Wuming took Burke to Mengliu Cave.

There is no one guarding the place now.

It was originally planned to be used as a second base, but as the business of Airei Church became more and more prosperous and stable, and the manpower became increasingly scarce, there was no one to maintain it regularly.

Wuming lit the torch, inserted it into the hole in the rock wall where the torch was placed, and lowered Burke down.

You think you're ugly, don't you? Wuming said.

Burke blushed as red as a monkey's butt, but nodded slightly.

Wuming took a few steps towards the torch:

You keep an eye on it.

With that said, Wuming took off his helmet.

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After a long time, Burke and Wuming returned to the Ai Lei Church.

This time Burke was not being carried by an unknown person, but was walking in front, looking at the right path and holding his head high.

What are you doing? Patch asked curiously.

It's okay, it's just that the master showed me some things. Burke replied.

His voice was powerful and full of confidence.