Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 223 - 216: Anatole’s Travel Notes

Chapter 223: Chapter 216: Anatole’s Travel Notes

"Shariya?" Tangmo exclaimed, turning to Luo’er.

"The Dean of the Sacred Heart Magic Academy, it’s unexpected that he had contact with Earthlings at that time." Luo’er shrugged and said.

"The Church Court sure has a big heart, letting Earthlings come to their territory for investigation, and even showing their own special skills to these people." Hu Daoke shook his head and said.

"Perhaps it’s because they took advantage of the fact that Earthlings can’t use magic. They probably already know that Earthlings will die when they come in contact with magic." Cheng Ziang analyzed.

"In that case, wasn’t it very dangerous for them that day? Wouldn’t a disturbance of magical power accelerate magic power erosion, just like Luo’er’s father..." Hu Daoke realized his slip of the tongue and shut up promptly.

"Dr. Anatoli is correct, if Earthlings cannot penetrate the armor of the Otherworld inhabitants, then they will never be able to rule the Otherworld." Cheng Ziang nodded and said.

"Oh, in that case, it makes sense," Hu Daoke smacked his palm, and uttered in sudden realization, "No wonder the academy can teach us magic, it’s because the Otherworld mages voluntarily taught them. They assumed Earthlings couldn’t use magic, so they generously imparted the use of magic to them. What they didn’t anticipate, however, was that while Earthlings couldn’t, the mixed-blood sub-beastmen wouldn’t have a problem.

"That’s hilarious." Upon hearing his words, Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but laugh.

"Speaking of which, wasn’t it said that there are clues about Yue’er’s parents in this diary? Why is it all about her father so far?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing his words, Baiyue was momentarily stunned, then flipped through a few more pages. Although she understood Russian, reading and translating still required some effort. After a while, she seemed to find clues about her parents.

June Xth, 2030, Otherworld.

What is the date today? I guess it has been a month, right? Nevermind, I’ve given up the foolish act of writing dates in this diary.

Since the previous visit to the magic academy, everyone has felt ill, including myself. The team leader instructed us to take more rejection drugs, which supposedly can reverse the erosion of magical power in the body. People who haven’t taken the medicine, once their bodies are eroded by magic, can never be saved. But for those who have taken the medicine, as long as they return to Earth for a rest before dying, their bodies can recover.

Today we travelled by boat along the river to the nearest port, Luofu Port, which is said to be the largest port on the eastern part of the Otherworld continent. Of course, it’s incomparable to Earth’s ports.

Inhaling the salty sea breeze, I chatted with several scientists studying magic. On the principles of magic, according to them, the magic in the air can be attracted and transformed by specific spells, and the bodies of Otherworld dwellers can ensure the circulation of magic, unlike Earthlings. Once the magic in the air is guided into the body by spells, the Otherworld dwellers use their magic wands as a medium to cast magic.

According to Mage Shariya, there is indeed a notion of talent in being a mage. Not everyone can become an excellent mage. Some people have poor aptitude; no matter how hard they try, they can never become excellent mages.

As the scientists were getting more excited, the conversation turned to local customs and practices. It’s said that Otherworld vessels dare only sail along the coast in shallow waters. In the deep sea, terrifying giant creatures, known as ’Leviathans’, lurk. They attack any vessel or large creature attempting to navigate their territory. Because of their presence, Otherworld navigation is confined to shallow waters.

I didn’t participate in their conversation but left on my own. The leader allowed us to do as we wished. We all had tags hanging on us, and any Otherworld dweller that saw our tags would feel a sense of fear and unfamiliarity. Probably due to the war from a few years ago, I suppose.

I walked along the flat cobblestone road from the port to the market. There were many people here, it seemed a bit dirty, but it carried a distinctive flavor of the Otherworld. It’s a pity I can’t draw, or else I would have painted the whole scenery here.

Stepping aside to dodge a rushing carriage, I spotted a familiar figure. Dr. An Liang was with a translator at a stall, haggling over the price of some items. I approached and greeted him, receiving a welcoming smile in return.

It seemed Dr. An Liang was planning to buy some fruits from the Otherworld as research samples, hoping to buy only one of each kind. However, the stall owner disagreed with this approach, leading to an intense argument, mediated by the translator.

Not wanting to get involved, I looked around, noticing a large crowd gathering nearby, apparently around some goods for sale. As I got closer, I saw chains and cages, and presumed they were selling livestock.

With that assumption in mind, I moved closer. To my surprise, through the gaps in the crowd, I realized that what they were selling were not animals, but actual human beings. Yes, they were selling slaves.

I once imagined the Otherworld to mirror Earth during the medieval period, with many elements long disappeared from my homeland. However, I forgot that it would also replicate some of the vile practices of that period. Slavery has been greatly reduced on Earth since the 19th century and is universally acknowledged as a crime by the 21st century. However, in the Otherworld, human trafficking remains a legal trade. People are ruthlessly exploited and sold, with a government extracting taxes from the process. Buyers gain cheap labor.

I had once praised the idyllic life in the Otherworld. However, with these revelations, I’ve become thoroughly disillusioned. All the beauty and evil that befell Earth have replicated here.

Feeling a deep wave of disgust, I attempted to push through the crowd. When the onlookers saw my Earth attire and identification, they parted from me like avoiding a plague. I thus managed to penetrate the crowd.

In one of the cages, I saw a small figure huddled. A girl. With a chain around her neck curled up in the filthy cage, she appeared to be barely alive. If not for the rise and fall of her chest, I would have mistaken her for a corpse. What surprised me was a pair of ears like a lop rabbit’s on the girl’s head. I had heard of a race referred to as Sub-beastmen in the Otherworld, supposedly humans with appearances like wild beasts. I had always dismissed it as a fantasy, but seeing this scene was a shocking revelation.

The slave trader shouted boisterously, enticing eager buyers. One prospect mumbled some questions to the trader, who in response yanked the chain around the girl’s neck roughly, causing her to crash into the rusty cage. Blood seeped from her forehead.

Infuriated, I protested loudly. At the sound of my voice, the watchers turned to stare. Recognizing my Earthly status, they withdrew, including the buyers. The trader was undeterred, pointing angrily at me, uttering incomprehensible words, seemingly blaming me for scaring off customers.

I tried reasoning with him, but it was like talking to a brick wall. During this exchange, the girl in the cage opened her eyes and glanced at me. Based on her mature countenance, it registered that she was an adult, only short, which had led to my mistaken view of her as an underage girl.

The trafficker, swinging his whip threateningly, appeared ready to scare me off. Despite feeling somewhat intimidated by the cracking whip, I persisted. Just when I was at a loss, rescue arrived in the form of Dr. An Liang and the translator.

The translator pacified the volatile trader and explained the girl’s story. She was a prisoner of war who had been sold and resold until landing in the hands of this trader. As she was physically weak, the price buyers suggested never satisfied him, causing his anger. The translator also informed that such girls wouldn’t fetch a high price as they couldn’t do heavy labor, and were typically bought for sexual exploitation.

Hearing this, my revulsion for this world resurfaced. If Earth ever organizes a conquest campaign again, I would join in without hesitation, destined to change this filthy world.

After a few words with the trafficker, the translator advised us to leave, as our presence was hampering his business and he could potentially attack us. But as we prepared to leave, I caught the girl’s gaze. In her eyes, I fancied I saw a spark of hope, and on a whim, stayed.

I asked the translator to inquire about the girl’s price. The trader demanded 50 gold coins, which the translator opined was excessive for her. Though 50 gold coins sounded intimidating, gold was abundant in the Otherworld, hence made for the primary currency. I searched my belongings for anything of value and took off my mechanical wristwatch, asking how much it was worth.

Greed flashed in the trader’s eyes; however, he stated the watch was only worth 20 gold coins. The translator immediately protested, claiming it was worth at least 100 gold coins. If prices were to be calculated based on Earth’s gold worth, my watch was naturally not worth 50 gold coins, so I understood the situation. As I was figuring out my next move, Dr. An Liang presented a sack emitting a pleasant aroma, inquiring about its price.

The sack contained spices, luxury items on Earth and non-existent in the Otherworld. The aroma of the spices seemed to have the trader’s eyes sparkle.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.