Published: March 11, 2025
Chapter 21: The Problem with the Lake Water
In the evening, Zhao Hai woke up. By this time, the sky had already darkened a bit, and Merlin and the others had returned. To conserve resources, they generally did not go out at night, even though they didn't have to use magic stones for lighting; using torches or oil lamps still required oil. They needed to save every bit of resource available.
When Zhao Hai woke up, it was already somewhat dark. The slaves had finished their meals, and they had the freedom to move around the castle until bedtime. After all, there was no need to worry about them escaping, and it was good for them to relax a little.
The slaves were sitting in the castle courtyard, chatting. Compared to other places, their life here was like a paradise. They could have full meals every day without doing too much heavy work, and there was plenty of time to rest. They loved this life immensely.
Initially, they had felt a bit hopeless upon arrival. They had heard about the conditions in the Black Earth Wilderness, a place where nothing could grow, only a desolate mountain next to the Corpse Swamp. They thought they would starve to death in such a dead-end place.
However, they didn't expect that even though they had only been here for two days, they could clearly see that their master was incredibly capable. He could use magical spells to transform the barren black soil into fertile land, ensuring they wouldn't have to worry about starving in the future.
These people were just slaves, and they had never seen anyone use magic. In their minds, mages were omnipotent, and magic was incredibly marvelous.
The improved living conditions, the treatment akin to that of commoners, and the temptation of breaking free from their slave status combined with incredible magic had formed a strong loyalty among these slaves towards Zhao Hai. Unknowingly, this had created a significant sense of cohesion. Now these slaves were no longer working passively; they were eager to work harder to escape their slave status sooner.
Zhao Hai stood quietly at the castle, observing the slaves outside. He wanted to go chat with them, but he knew it wasn’t the right time. These slaves had been oppressed for so long that they would be very nervous when seeing a noble. Not only would they be afraid to chat, but they might also kneel without daring to lift their heads.
Changing a person's status is easy, but changing their mindset is difficult. It requires a long process to gradually shift their thoughts. Therefore, Zhao Hai refrained from engaging with the slaves; the timing wasn’t right.
Any action must follow a gradual and orderly process. Rushing things might lead to failure, and even if successful, it could create instability.
Undoubtedly, the completion of land improvement and the hope of breaking free from their slave status filled these slaves' lives with optimism. They were no longer as despondent as when they first arrived.
Zhao Hai was pleased to see the slaves' expressions. Only those filled with hope could be creative and maximize their abilities.
At this moment, a knock on the door startled Zhao Hai back to reality. He said in a deep voice, “Come in.”
The door was pushed open, and Meg stood at the entrance, looking at Zhao Hai and saying, “Young master, dinner is ready. It's time to eat.” Wood and Stone were still standing outside the door, guarding for Zhao Hai.
Zhao Hai nodded. He knew it was about time for dinner, but he felt a bit guilty. Over the past two days, Merlin and the others had been busy managing the slaves and cooking for him; it was really tiring.
Although Zhao Hai could cook, he didn’t dare to do so. After all, he was a young master who had everything handed to him. What could he possibly cook? He had spatial superpower, which was understandable in this continent filled with magic and fighting spirit, where all kinds of extraordinary people existed. His ability wasn't particularly notable, but if he suddenly started cooking, it would raise Merlin and Meg's suspicions.