Chapter 31 Struggling. The tattered linen clung to the ground, covered in a layer of blood...

The tattered linen clung to the ground, and a layer of filthy blood seeped up from underneath.

Hudora's hands were bound with hemp rope. She struggled weakly for a moment and said helplessly, "Don't be reckless. This is too dangerous... cough cough cough."

A few drops of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Three slaves were eating loudly around a bucket, while more people nearby were slurping soup down their throats.

A red-eyed slave laughed upon hearing her words, "Oh my~ We little bastards are going to be beaten to death by our master, how novel!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

The other slaves also started laughing as they chewed their food.

The cramped room was instantly filled with an atmosphere of joy, except for Hudora, whose lips trembled as she tasted the bitterness and bloodshed.

"Cough, cough!"

She strained to straighten her neck, panting as she earnestly said to the group, "I... I refused, it's not that I didn't want to run. Think about it—there are so many overseers outside, they all have weapons, what about us? We only have wooden swords and scraps of iron!"

The slaves held the gruel in their hands and remained silent.

They were all barefoot, and their clothes were draped over their bodies without belts, let alone weapons—they had just pulled out the ropes to tie Hudora up.

The red-eyed woman waved to her companions and bent over to squat down on the ground.

She pulled a rusty dagger from her pocket and wiped it against Hudora's chin. "Come on, continue?"

"...Gurgle."

Hudora swallowed hard and lowered her voice, "Even if you and we escape, we have no way to survive. The royal city of Norlanna is too far from the border and the wilderness."

The red-eyed finger paused.

That's true. All they knew was that they had to escape; they had no follow-up plans whatsoever.

Salin said her hometown has a range of mountains. But distant water can't quench immediate thirst; so many people along the way still need to survive.

She sheathed the knife and asked, seemingly respectfully, "As expected of a scholar. Heh, we were really right to spare your life. Come, tell us, what should we do next?"

Hudora raised her eyes and looked around, her restless heart slowly calming down.

No, these people were not swayed by her words. Their eyes were firm, and they were determined to escape.

If she were to urge her on again, that red-eyed woman would probably smile as she plunges the knife into her heart and twists it twice.

Hu Duola's eyelashes trembled rapidly. These people probably kept her around just to ask for advice. A team always needs someone who can think.

...Wait, why don't they rely on their original leader or contact?

Hudora suddenly realized something was wrong.

This group is determined and quite large, clearly indicating that it is organized.

Normally, someone like her, a "talent" who hasn't pledged allegiance, needs time to be observed. They should knock her unconscious, stuff her into the team, and then cut off her escape route to slowly assimilate her.

They're now stuck in the room asking her for advice. Could it be... that they've lost contact with the others?

Fortunately, there was no one named Shang Yang on the Moonlit Continent who would add extra difficulties to the slaves' escape plan, and Hudora thought about it and realized that there was indeed a slim chance.

She licked her dry lips and analyzed seriously, "The nobles' private soldiers and even the king's army will catch up sooner or later, so we must split up as soon as we leave the city and not all crowd together."

Red Eyes clapped his hands excitedly: "Let's split up and run! We'll all flee to the villages in the wilderness. I don't believe the King will send a large army to search the villages one by one!"

Hudora nodded and then shook her head: "No, small villages are very xenophobic. You can't get along with any unfamiliar face. We'd better go to a big city-state."

She went on and on, offering empty promises to these slaves who had no concept of territory.

"...Mihir City is quite good. It is located near the border, has abundant resources, and enjoys a high degree of independence."

A mixture of confusion and agreement appeared on everyone's faces.

Hmph, looks like he's almost convinced.

Hudora fell silent, secretly touching her waist with her hand bound behind her back. All the keys were gone, but there weren't many people in her assigned area anyway.

11...12?

She silently counted in her mind that there were thirteen people in the room, including herself, and the number of people in the tent next door should be about the same.

This group of people included both the old and the young, and with their strength alone, they couldn't even break through the main gate of the market... So who were their original helpers?

Hudora thought quietly, determined to seize any opportunity to escape.

The real predicament isn't being captured by these people; she needs to find a way to get back into the slave owner's sight and gain Scareye's forgiveness and trust.

......

As time ticked by, the slaves grew increasingly anxious.

It seems there really is a problem with their contact person.

Hudora's eyes flickered: Maybe someone betrayed them. Scarface's guards are lying in wait outside, ready to catch them one by one.

However, she couldn't say such a provocative thing directly, so Hudora coughed lightly and asked in a low voice, "If there are only a few people here, how do you plan to run away?"

"None of your business!"

Red Eyes raised his hand to stop his companion who was rolling up his sleeves, and stared at Hudora coldly, saying, "The hyena legion outside the city will fight back at the same time as us and attack the city gate together."

Concentrate our forces to break through the city gates? That's a good idea.

Hudora felt a fleeting thought: what if she could really escape—no, she couldn't escape.

The image of her wife and daughter waiting anxiously at home flashed through her mind, and her wavering heart hardened once more.

One or two thousand slaves can't make any difference.

She wasn't good at fighting, so instead of risking running away, she should stay here and work patiently. There would eventually be a chance to earn money to buy her freedom, and she shouldn't cause trouble for her family.

The hyena legion is a breakthrough point; if we can reveal their movements to Scarface, it will be a great achievement.

Hu Duola's eyelashes trembled slightly as she lowered her head and said, "Then we can..."

Kara.

Suddenly, a sharp sound came from the doorway; someone had stepped on the wooden stick they had left outside!

Except for Hudora, who was tied up, everyone else was so frightened that they jumped up and pulled out all sorts of weapons, aiming them at the door.

"Don't be nervous, it's me."

An ordinary-looking young woman stood at the door and waved to them. A linen cloth was tied around her right wrist, which was the mark that the contact person would make when they agreed to meet.

"Phew..." The red-eyed woman put down her knife, walked over with her hands hanging down, and asked, "Why are you so late? What happened outside?"

Everyone's hearts were in their throats, but thankfully the contact calmly shook his head and said, "Nothing's wrong. That bastard Scarface is entertaining a distinguished guest. She's gathered all the guards together, so we can't find an opportunity to strike."

"What can we do? Old Scarface has so many guards...!"

The liaison reassured them, "It's alright. We're going to change part of the plan. Your group can escape through the secret passage first."

After she finished speaking, she stepped aside and gestured for people to enter from the doorway.

"good."

Red Eyes nodded, but as soon as she took a step, she heard Hudora whisper behind her, "Wait, this person looks unfamiliar. Who sent her?"

The moment the liaison appeared, Hudora's arms were released by the slaves. Two slaves were watching her from either side, lest she suddenly escape.

Hudora stared at the young man in front of her with a suspicious look.

The reason is simple: this person is just too ordinary.

This was the first time she had ever seen a guy whose eyes, nose, mouth, height, weight... had absolutely no "distinctive features" in his appearance.

Could she be Scarface's subordinate, someone who came in specifically to lure the slaves out to their deaths?

It made sense, but Hudora still felt that something was off.

Not only was he a stranger, but this person exuded a strange and dangerous aura that made her instinctively unwilling to get close.

Upon hearing Hudora's question, the ordinary-looking young man slowly uttered two words: "Salin, Salin sent me."

The others looked relieved.

Red Eyes glared at Hudora, as if to say: What are you worried about?

Hudora touched the marks left by the rope, then lowered her hands and followed at the back.

Since this group of people were so careless, she had nothing more to say.

Once outside, if she encounters someone with scars, she immediately throws herself to the ground and begs for mercy.

......

Red Eyes lifted the heavy blanket, and the group quietly slipped out of the tent through the gaps.

The sunlight high up is dazzling, but it is blocked by layers of eaves when it falls below.

Hudora walked along, glancing at both sides of the passageway with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

The shantytown, made up of slave tents, was extremely narrow; the walkways were barely wide enough for a young adult with normal shoulder width to squeeze through. Therefore, she had to sidestep the busy servants every time she passed through.

But today they walked all the way to the edge of the trading area and didn't encounter a single person, which was really strange.

Something's not right, something's very wrong.

Hudora clutched at the front of her clothes, where it was damp.

*Slap*

The contact person in front suddenly stopped.

The unremarkable young man shook his right hand, then bent his knees and slowly backed away.

This is a dangerous move ahead. Everyone looked up and saw several neatly dressed servants standing not far away. This group of people is the danger she was talking about.

The red-eyed man stepped forward and whispered in the young man's ear, "They must be servants of a nobleman, right? How about we rob them?"

She looked enviously at the short swords and daggers hanging at the waists of the servants.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a noble family dog; beneath its impeccably tailored uniform lies a thick layer of fur. How warm it would be in winter if it were draped over my daughter's shoulders!

The contact's expression twisted slightly upon hearing this. "I advise you to avoid this area."

"Go around?" The red-eyed man raised an eyebrow. "They're blocking the entrance to the secret passage; we can't go around!"

Hudora raised her eyes, and the contact seemed to realize that he had just given himself away.

The ordinary-looking young man nodded, agreeing with the red-eyed man's suggestion: "You're right, there are probably more guards at the other end of the secret passage. Let's try a sneak attack here."

After she finished speaking, she took a step back and turned her body in another direction.

"Where are you going?" The red-eyed man tried to follow, but was gently patted on the shoulder by the other person.

"I need to meet up with the others, so I'll leave this to you." The contact pointed at the girl in the middle of the three with his finger and handed her a short sword.

The red-eyed man turned to examine the three servants closely, noting that they were dressed in similar uniforms and even had identical scabbards for their swords.

However, the one in the middle was indeed slightly taller than the other two. She had gray hair and blood-red eyes, a color common among barbarians.

She turned around, wanting to ask more questions, but the contact person bowed and disappeared at the end of the alley.

The slaves looked at each other, then silently took up their weapons.

There was nothing they could do; these three people were blocking their way out.

The red-eyed man whispered encouragement to his companion, "Noble Bloodlines train in martial arts from a young age, so it's normal for them to be stronger. Don't be afraid, there are many of us, three against one is a sure thing!"

The slaves nodded and, without prior arrangement, slowed their pace and approached the three boys who were chatting.

Only Hudora remained still.

She stood there with her hands behind her back, as if she were still tied up.

The slaves didn't pay much attention, since no one expected her to be a strong fighter.

Hudora turned her head away and stopped observing the three waiters.

From the moment she saw them clearly, she instinctively sensed a danger similar to that of the ordinary young man.

They are a type of person, completely different from us.

Hudora looked toward the spot where the contact had disappeared.

That road led back to the slave tents, but she had a strange feeling that the young man hadn't returned to the slave tents, but was hiding not far away.

Clang!

The sound of clashing weapons came from behind.

Hudora took a deep breath and ran after him towards the alley entrance!