Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows knew that these people were the Buda clan’s genuine and most trusted subordinates. As such, he didn’t dare to be neglectful. He moved forward and hurriedly greeted them. Meirin didn’t say anything, but returned the greeting, and both Woodhead and Stonehead did the same.
After watching the greetings, Zhao Hai turned to Woodhead and Stonehead and said, “Woodhead, Stonehead, help make Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows familiar with the surrounding area and then lead him back to the parlor room.”
Woodhead and Stonehead immediately complied and led Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows away.
Zhao Hai and Green led Meirin to the parlor room and Meg served tea to them as they sat. Zhao Hai then told Meirin the information they’d obtained from Lycra while also informing her of their decision.
Meirin frowned. With a sullen face, she said, “What the Young Master said is true. Our current strength isn’t capable of confronting Boric. It seems that right now, we can only hide. This is too hateful.”
Zhao Hai and the others had ugly expressions. When they talked about Boric, with regards to everyone, it was truly too big a blow for them. Their main source of income currently came from the Purcell Duchy. If they gave up their business there, then it was equal to breaking off from their source of income. To them, this certainly was too much like a deathblow.
Meirin frowned. “I’m afraid this matter isn’t going to be simple. We still have a previous grudge with Boric. If he were to find out we’re hiding, wouldn’t he also go to the Black Waste and cause trouble?”
Both of them understood what Meirin meant. Although it could be said that Boric didn’t know they, as Zhao Hai and servants, were members of the Buda clan, both sides already had a grudge against each other. If Boric knew Laura ran, then his fury wouldn’t have a place to vent. Perhaps he’d send his subordinates to rush into the Black Waste and look for them instead. With regards to the Buda clan, this was troublesome.
Zhao Hai frowned. When he looked outside, he saw that currently, the seven-colored mist was a lot thicker than it was a few days ago. It was almost similar to the mist inside the Carrion Swamp.
Zhao Hai’s mind flashed with an idea. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he said, “It’s fine, Grandma Meirin. You don’t need to be worried right now. Fort Iron Mountain has been surrounded by the seven-colored smog. If Boric truly dares to send people here and look for trouble, then we won’t be polite. It will also be good to let them stay.”
As Zhao Hai said this, Meirin and the others became stunned for a moment. They looked outside and saw that the area truly was surrounded by the seven-colored smog. They laughed and understood what Zhao Hai meant. If Boric did intend to move against them right now, then it would be impossible for him to send most of his army. He could probably send one or two Rank Nine experts and take several days to arrive. Maybe, he wouldn’t even send a Rank Nine expert. In that case, so long as they truly did intrude and get in range of the castle, then they were just courting death.
Before, they had been afraid of a Rank Nine expert. Now, however, Zhao Hai and the others currently had two Rank Nine experts on their side. If the opponent’s Rank Nine experts dared to enter the smog, then Zhao Hai wouldn’t be afraid of being found out. He could just directly slaughter those Rank Nine experts.
Green pounded the table with force and loudly said, “Good! This will work. If Boric dares to send people here, then let them come. We won’t let them return. This will be us collecting interest. In any case, our position is
covered with the seven-colored smog, and is similar to the Carrion Swamp. Even if they died inside the smog, nobody would dare to think anything odd.”
At this time, Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows and the other two had just returned from the outside. Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows looked quite giddy at this time. He was truly excited as hHe hadn’t thought Zhao Hai’s Space could actually improve the Black Waste. When he thought about the Black Waste area, it made him want to laugh.
He had now completely regarded himself as a member of the Buda clan. First, it was due to the trust Zhao Hai had shown him. Second was the blood oath he had pledged, which made him unable to betray the Buda clan for the rest of his life[1].
Zhao Hai examined Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows’ appearance and smiled faintly. “Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows, how is it? Does the place look good to you?”
Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows nodded. “Yes, the place is very good. Young Master, so long as we improve the lands here, our Buda clan will certainly become one of the top formidable clans.”
Zhao Hai smiled faintly, then took up a cup on the table and passed it over to Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows. “Drink this,” he said.
Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows looked puzzledly at the cup he was given. The cup only contained clear water, which made him unable to understand Zhao Hai’s intentions.
Zhao Hai looked at Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows and said, “The seven-colored smog around the castle is very toxic. It’s the same smog as what is covering the Carrion Swamp. It poisons people slowly, so this water is used to detoxify it.”
After hearing what Zhao Hai said, Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows quickly lifted the cup and downed it. He suddenly noticed a slightly stuffy feeling in his chest. When the water reached his stomach, the stuffy feeling disappeared. He understood that he’d been unknowingly poisoned.
Zhao Hai knew that the others had already drank the water inside the Space, which made them able to move freely within the smog and not be poisoned by it. Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows, however, had not drank the water. Since he’d gone out to look around the area, Zhao Hai feared that he might have been poisoned. This was why he’d hurriedly given Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows a cup of Spatial Water.
Meirin looked at them and said, “This is good. Young Master, I will go ahead and prepare the food. You guys can go ahead and chat first.”
Zhao Hai waved a hand and said, “Everyone, sit. Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows, you already know of the situation. Narrate it to Woodhead and Stonehead.” Since Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows already knew of the issue, it was better for him to speak of it.
Complying, Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows told Woodhead and Stonehead about what had happened. After a while, the two had finished listening and now understood what was being talked about.
After Shue of Ten-thousand Shadows finished, Woodhead turned to Zhao Hai and asked, “Young Master, what do you mean to do?”
Zhao Hai sighed. “We can only draw back for now. Not only will we do so, but we will also need to include Laura into our group. If Boric really dares to send people and cause trouble for us, then we will keep them here. Afterward, we’ll draw away from Casa City and cut a path towards the Beastfolk Prairie and start our development there.”
Woodhead nodded. “This is also good. Then, will Young Master not go to Casa City tomorrow? We should tell Miss Laura about this matter in detail. I think she will also have some businesses in the Beastfolk Prairie, and I also think we should look for other places on the continent. The number of commodities within the prairie is too little, and we cannot obtain much from there.”
Nodding, Zhao Hai said, “I have also thought of this. If we didn’t have the Space, then we would have to go to another country to develop. That is equal to losing all of our development here in the Black Waste. Since we have the Space, however, then so long as we establish a transfer point in another country, we’ll be okay. Furthermore, our enemies are mainly concentrated in the Aksu Empire. So long as we leave and go to another country, we’ll have far less trouble.”
Green nodded. “I also agree with the Young Master’s idea. With our present strength, no matter what country we are in, we’ll be able to live a very good life. Yet, we cannot possibly lose the Black Waste as there are no other areas suitable for our development.
“If one wanted to go from the Beastfolk Prairie to another country, then they would still need to cross through the Aksu Empire. We don’t need to do so, however, since we have the Space. We can just place transfer points and connect to any place in the world from the Beastfolk Prairie. This is our greatest advantage. Young Master, I think we should go to the Rosen Empire. Although the Rosen Empire and Aksu Empire are close to one another, there is some friction between them. Since our relationship with the Aksu Empire isn’t good, we should be very safe if we go to the Rosen Empire.”
Zhao Hai nodded and said, “That is something we can go and discuss about tomorrow with Laura. I also wanted to have a look and see how the Purcell Duchy will take this matter. If the Purcell Duchy will truly put up a reckless fight against Boric, then we will not join and fight with Boric head on. I don’t think the Purcell clan will do so, though. This time around, the enemy isn’t only Boric, but also the Markey Dell clan.”
Green nodded. “At present, even if Evan is in power within the Purcell clan, he won’t push hard for going against Boric, especially with the addition of the Markey Dell clan. For the Purcell clan’s benefits, Evan will certainly withdraw from our alliance, leaving only Laura and us. We do not have the means to stand up against the combined forces of Boric and the Markey Dell clan.”
Zhao Hai sighed. “The issue here is what Laura will do. It may not be possible for her to give up the whole of the Purcell Duchy. After all, she had established her roots here. For her, giving up on the duchy is just too difficult.”
Green and the others were also silent. They knew that giving up all of one’s businesses within the Purcell Duchy would be hard. For Laura to give up on everything she had, as a person it was truly too difficult.
Zhao Hai sighed. “If there is really no other way out, then we will receive Laura here. Anyway, Laura won’t be able to stay in the Aksu Empire anymore, especially now that it isn’t only the Markey Dell clan she shall be facing, but also Boric. The Markey Dell clan’s strength in the Aksu Empire might not be strong, but Boric is different. He is the Southern King, the one who dared to challenge for the King’s Throne.”
Green nodded. “It seems like this is the only thing we can do for now. We have implicated Laura this time around, so no matter what, we cannot have her experience danger.”
Sighing, Zhao Hai said, “In the end, it is our strength that is too weak. If we had the same strength as Boric, then who would dare to move against us? Hmph. Just you wait. Sooner or later, no one on the continent will dare to underestimate our Buda clan[2].”
Green examined Zhao Hai’s expression and smiled faintly. This time around, he thought the issues weren’t that bad. This was especially so with Zhao Hai in such high spirits and morale, something rarely seen with Zhao Hai’s body as it is.
Green had been confused at the different aura Zhao Hai had exuded when he’d woken up. Although he appeared very calm when managing things, he was actually quite impulsive and conservative, something quite disadvantageous with regards to the development of the clan. Green had also been thinking of how to make Zhao Hai get sharper through some other methods. He wouldn’t have thought that this desire could actually be inadvertently reached.