Chapter 67: Underground Holding Cells

[The shattered memories within the Dancer shell gradually awaken…]

[After the Church of Divine Light issued its decree abolishing slavery, most of the slave markets in the cities didn’t vanish but simply moved underground. As for the Church, it turned a blind eye, maintaining the superficial image of the Divine Light blessing the world.]

[As a dancer of the ancient theater, you are privy to some of these hidden truths. Most of the gladiators in the ancient theater were purchased from the slave markets. The strong were trained to become gladiators who fought beasts. The weak, meanwhile, were fed to those beasts.]

[Do you want to enter the “Underground Slave Market of Saint Rance”?]

Lin Xun raised an eyebrow. So the Dancer remembered this place was a hidden slave market.

Why couldn’t the memory just tell him where the merchant it supposedly killed ended up?

He still had to waste effort investigating.

He pressed “Yes.”

[You step silently, descending the stairs…]

[You sidestep through the doorway. Inside the vast underground chamber, bright torchlight illuminates the area. Along the hallway, a series of holding cells have been set up.]

[Most of the metal-barred cell doors are wide open, with no one inside.]

[Only a few cells deep in the corridor seem to have some shadowy movement.]

[Do you want to investigate?]

His stealth was about to run out.

Lin Xun exited the underground chamber, activated the stealth skill again, and selected “Investigate.”

[While still in stealth, you move into the depths of the corridor…]

[In the far end cells, several female “Corrupted Blood Sun Slaves” are bound in chains and shackles, imprisoned here.]

[The sneaky figure from before is in one of the cells, engaged in some sort of reproductive act with the defenseless captives.]

???

Three question marks slowly appeared over Lin Xun’s head.

What kind of bizarre fetish was this?

Wait, no. These were all Corrupted monsters. Since they were of the same kind, it made sense their aesthetic tastes had changed.

[Apostle in hiding, what will you do?]

[1. Shout “Caught you in the act!” and frighten the “Corrupted Slave Master” into total impotence.]

[2. Cautiously ask the “Corrupted Slave Master” if you can join in the feast.]

[3. Sneak up on the “Corrupted Slave Master” and demand to know the whereabouts of the “Blind Merchant.”]

“The Slave Master knows where the merchant is?”

Lin Xun immediately ignored the first two choices and quickly pressed the third.

[Unamused Apostle, you silently step into the open cell.]

[You place your sharp appendage at the neck of the “Corrupted Slave Master.”]

[Panting heavily, it seems to sense the icy blade at its throat and collapses to the ground in fear, foaming at the mouth.]

[Red light flashes in your eyes as you pull out the portrait and demand to know if it has seen the “Blind Merchant.”]

[The “Corrupted Slave Master” trembles, nodding repeatedly, a pleading look in its eyes.]

[It wants to trade information about the Blind Merchant in exchange for its life.]

[Do you accept this trade?]

Lin Xun’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t expected this NPC to actually have clues about the merchant.

He had no interest in this wretched shell anyway, so he immediately chose “Yes.”

[You nod, promising to spare its life if it provides the relevant information.]

[The “Corrupted Slave Master” rolls its crimson eyes, then faces the direction where the Blood Sun rises. It places its right fist horizontally over its chest.]

[You understand. It wants you to swear an oath to the Blood Sun as a guarantee that you’ll honor your promise.]

[Do you want to forsake your oath to the Golden Blazing Sun and convert your faith to the Corrupting Blood Sun?]

“I’d have to be out of my mind to switch to the Corrupting Blood Sun.”

If it offered a divine artifact, maybe Lin Xun would’ve considered betraying his oath.

But he still had an exclusive item that hadn’t been unlocked yet. For this NPC to ask him to abandon his oath just for a clue was utterly delusional.

No point thinking it over. He pressed “No” right away.

The NPC’s life was still in his hands. If it didn’t talk, he’d just end it.

[Impatiently, you press the sharp appendage harder against its throat. The “Corrupted Slave Master” is scared out of its wits, begging desperately for mercy.]

[You kick it once, forcing it to spit out the information.]

[The “Corrupted Slave Master” scrambles to its feet and signals for you to follow. It trots quickly down the corridor to its deepest end.]

[It unlocks the final cell at the far end…]

[In the corner of the large cell is a separate locked solitary confinement chamber.]

[The heavy metal door is tightly shut. You can only vaguely see a silhouette inside through a narrow slit. The figure looks quite similar to the “Blind Merchant.”]

“Huh? The merchant isn’t dead?”

Lin Xun was stunned. He had always assumed the Dancer killed the merchant. After all, the bloodied eyeballs and stained clothing seemed like clear proof.

“Maybe those two junk items were from other monsters the Dancer looted?”

[The “Corrupted Slave Master” shrugs with both arms spread, indicating the key to the cell is lost and the door cannot be opened.]

[After bringing you here, it darts off back to its previous cell, eager to resume its unfinished great endeavor.]

The game text stopped there.

Lin Xun grinned and opened his inventory.

The key dropped after defeating the Dancer was still sitting quietly inside.

[Slave Cell Key (Key): A key to a slave cell. This key can open the corresponding cell door.]

After selecting the item, the game text resumed as expected.

[Do you want to use this key to open the iron door of the cell?]

Lin Xun was just about to press “Yes” when he suddenly remembered, he was still possessing the Dancer shell.

Considering the likelihood that there was bad blood between the merchant and the Dancer, using this shell might trigger some unfortunate plot event. Better to switch back to the Yellow-Robed Bishop shell to play it safe.

With that thought, he swapped to the Yellow-Robed Bishop shell and selected “Use Key.”

[You use the “Slave Cell Key” and successfully unlock the door to the solitary confinement chamber.]

[You push the door open and see the restrained figure inside. It’s the “Blind Merchant.”]

[The merchant is completely naked, bound by iron chains at the limbs. Its eye sockets are now two dark holes, the crimson eyes gouged out.]

[You step forward to speak with it.]

[The two dark hollows turn toward you. The “Blind Merchant” silently shakes its head, refusing to speak.]

Lin Xun frowned and tried interacting again.

[The two dark hollows look at you. The “Blind Merchant” points to its empty eye sockets and bare body, then again silently shakes its head, refusing to speak.]

[You understand, the merchant is unwilling to communicate until you recover its gouged-out eyes and stripped clothing.]

So the eyeballs and clothes really did come from the merchant after all. The Dancer might as well be renamed “Highway Robber.”

Lin Xun opened his inventory and stared at the two pieces of junk inside.

[T/N: Author is one horny guy lol.]