ushernet Chapter 25 Exposed
Chapter 25 Exposed
"Ahhh, you're so kind, you're such a good friend."
Ali excitedly grabbed Qinghao's hand and gave him a standard handshake.
The world is vast, but food is the greatest!
Qinghao looked completely bewildered: "What...is this?"
Oh no! In my excitement, I forgot that this kind of behavior doesn't exist here.
Ali replied casually, "It's just a ritual to express my sincere determination to be your friend."
"Oh."
"Ahem, can't you two go out and talk about your love? You've been dawdling here for ages! Aren't you ashamed? I'm ashamed too." Suddenly, an elderly voice rang out.
Ali turned around and saw a man in his forties or fifties dressed in a black robe, carrying a medicine tray in his hand.
Qinghao warmly stepped forward to greet him: "Boss Tu."
This is the behind-the-scenes owner of the Colosseum, or rather, the publicly acknowledged behind-the-scenes owner, Tu Fanghai.
Ali bowed politely and said, "Hello, Boss Tu. I've come today to buy a few people from you."
Tu Fanghai glanced at Qinghao, who replied, "Why are you looking at me? I don't know her."
It means you should say what you should say and do what you should do.
"Hahaha, I still have to give Boss Qing face," Tu Fanghai laughed heartily, then looked at Ali: "Miss, come with me."
Seeing the group of people locked in the tall cage, Ali said, "The boss has given them all drugs."
Tu Fanghai was on high alert. How could this girl see through him at a glance? He smiled awkwardly, "Don't worry, miss. We only give each person the appropriate dosage to ensure they are strong enough to last longer."
"Hehe, it's said to be a moderate amount, but how much stronger can this medicine make? What exactly is a moderate amount? The effects vary from person to person, so the outcome is often unpredictable. Boss, you've made a lot of money through this method without leaving a trace, haven't you?"
Tu Fanghai and Qing Hao were both astonished. How did she figure that out? And why did she say it out loud? Could it be that this person came to cause trouble?
Ali, oblivious to their ulterior motives, leaned closer with a cheeky grin and said, "Boss Tu, look, they've been taking medication for a long time, and their health is already compromised. Could you give me a discount?" She even made a money gesture.
Tu Fanghai: "..."
So you revealed our money-making secrets just to get a discount?
I thought we were going to go bankrupt!
That made him live in fear for so long!
"You should have said so earlier! I would have given you a few for free."
"Really? How many are you sending?"
Boss Tu wanted to curse, but seeing the sparkle in Ali's eyes, he changed his mind and said, "Five."
"Okay, I don't ask for much, and I won't steal your cash cow. By the way, boss, do you have any female slaves? I'll take them all."
"Yes, there is, but..."
"It's okay, I'll take them all, and then you can just bring me the worst and weakest ones from your selection."
Tu Fanghai: "..."
Everyone else is rushing for the strongest, but she's picking the weakest; this girl must be crazy. But so what? He's not going to turn down business that's been handed to him.
So the two sides quickly reached a deal: Ali received 50 slaves and a token for the arena.
On the way out, Qinghao asked, "How could you tell they were taking medication regularly?"
How did you figure that out?
Ali made a face: "Guess!"
"Do you have exceptional medical skills?"
Ali smiled mysteriously. With her rudimentary medical skills, she certainly couldn't tell, but what could she do when she had read books?
"I know a lot more than that."
Qinghao raised an eyebrow: "For example?"
"For example, I know that one of your identities is that of a butler in the black market."
Ah Li seemed oblivious to Qing Hao's murderous intent, saying to herself, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to you. Put away your hidden weapons and guard up; we're all on the same side, on the same side."
In Ali's eyes, she definitely had to cling to the female lead's coattails, and the female lead had a close relationship with the Black Market Lord, so in a sense, the two of them were practically on the same side.
After a long silence, Qinghao temporarily lowered his guard and asked, "I can tell you're not simple. Do you want to join the black market?"
"No, I don't want to be famous," Ali casually made up an excuse.
"You're not one of those incompetent people, why do you need to keep a low profile?"
"The higher you stand, the harder you fall." She wanted to be as confident and flamboyant as the female lead, but she didn't have the female lead's good fortune.
"..."
"Hey, since you gave me a coupon, I'll tell you a little inside tidbit," Ali whispered, leaning down.
Qinghao was about to ask what a coupon was, but he was shocked by what Ali said next: "Are you serious?"
Believe it or not.
After leaving those words behind, Ali led her people back to the Xia residence.
She sat at the stone table in the courtyard, took a sip of tea, and looked at the group of anxious people in front of her. The thought that these people would become her most loyal subordinates made her feel extremely happy.
But this group of people were clearly not in a good mood like Ali. Their new master had brought them back and then left them to their own devices, drinking tea by himself. This behavior made them very uneasy, and their hearts were filled with confusion and fear about the unknown.
It felt like an eternity before the new mistress finally finished her cup of tea and stood up.
The group of slaves took a step back in fear.
Ah Li smiled and said, "Don't worry, here, everything is voluntary. So now, if you want to stay, you will be my guards. I will arrange for someone to teach you martial arts and calligraphy, and you will also receive a monthly salary. But you must always obey my orders and be loyal to me. If you don't want to, you can leave. I won't make things difficult for you. You have five minutes to decide for yourselves."
For a moment, everyone had different expressions, unsure how much of what Ali said was true or false.
But for slaves, what they crave most is freedom!
Finally, the yearning for freedom prevailed, and the first person rushed out.
Once the first person left, a second one immediately followed, and people left one after another.
Ali sat down and poured herself another cup of tea, sipping it slowly with a smile on her lips. She believed that these people would come back.
Sure enough, the group returned before they even left the courtyard. They were slaves; even if they went out, they would still be slaves, and they could be captured again. Their lives might be even worse than before. At least servants were better off than slaves; they lived with dignity and received a monthly salary. Perhaps they could even buy their freedom someday.
"Ahem, it seems you've all made up your minds, haven't you?" Ali smiled charmingly, placing her teacup on the table. "I applaud your resolve. Becoming my people will bring you no mistreatment. I won't restrict your freedom; you can even redeem yourselves in the future! However…"