Alibuda Chronicles, Volume 10: Chapter 6 The Peril of the Slums

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Just last night, several murders occurred in Sara City, leaving five young girls in the prime of their lives dead under mysterious circumstances. Some had their throats cut open and their blood drained; others were found withered and sallow-faced, their vital essence drained; still others had their uteruses ripped out – their deaths were gruesome. All five girls were virgins, but two showed clear signs of rape before their deaths, while the other three died instantly.

Sara City, under Leng Linglan's years of management, wasn't exactly impenetrable, but all lecherous criminals had long been eradicated. Ordinary noblemen still dared to abuse their power and secretly rape women, but Leng Linglan, wary of the deeply entrenched system of power, could only turn a blind eye. However, she showed

no mercy to lecherous criminals from outside, dismembering and displaying their bodies as punishment. Now, with these cases of brutal murder of women, my immediate thought is that these cases involve sorcerers, especially wizards practicing dark magic.

In the practice of dark magic, young virgins are a widely used material. The blood of a first night, the true essence of a virgin, even a womb untouched by male semen, can all serve as catalysts for spellcasting. Each time a series of cases involving the hunting of virgins occurs, people assume that a wizard is collecting sacrifices to practice dark magic.

Among the six types of magic, dark magic most frequently uses life and blood as ritual offerings. When people think of dark magic, the first name that comes to mind is Ishtar. Under normal circumstances, the city's defense forces responsible for maintaining order in Sara would have already declared the case related to a sorcerer and launched a full-scale search for dark magic wizards within Sara.

However, the Ishtar people entered the city yesterday and clashed with us. Now, with this case erupting, everyone will associate it with the Ishtar wizards at the inn, speculating that they entered Sara to retaliate for attacks suffered within our territory. If everyone in the city thinks this way, a riot is inevitable.

It's currently the height of the conference, and relations between the nations must remain peaceful. Besides, without concrete evidence, how can we be sure this isn't some kind of conspiracy orchestrated by a certain power?

I bet Leng Linglan is in a real bind right now, not only trying to find the culprit but also sending troops to prevent mobs from disrupting the post station.

"No problem, just be careful. The city might be a little chaotic because of this, which will make our plans easier today."

"You handle it yourself. I've already arranged the guards on duty. Lady Yueying and we arranged to meet here; she should be arriving soon."

Mao Yan'an had barely finished speaking when Lady Yueying appeared before us. For her incognito outing today, she had dressed up specially, even covering her head with a veil; we almost didn't recognize her.

Because of the outing, Lady Yueying no longer dressed up elaborately but instead wore ordinary civilian clothes.

Her curvaceous figure was wrapped in a white V-neck vest, her round and fair breasts revealing a cleavage, her skin snow-white and delicate, and below her slender waist was a long white dress.

Because it was made of pure silk, the dress seemed a bit thin, clearly revealing the shapely and slender outline of her beautiful legs. She wore elegant white sandals on her jade-like feet, her delicate white toes peeking out, looking incredibly cute. Although her beautiful face was covered by a veil and her hair was simply styled, a closer look revealed a unique elegance, a mature, refined, and alluring charm.

In an instant, my blood rushed in two directions—to my nostrils and lower body—while my brain, depleted of blood, was left with only one thought:

(This is amazing! I must go all out today…)

Seeing Sister Yueying like this, the dizzying intoxication almost made me lose control. I quickly grabbed Mao Yan'an beside me and whispered a question.

"Hey? Where did you get this outfit? You're the one who arranged for her to sneak away, you must know something." "

Yueying asked me to find her some clothes that ordinary people wear, so I found this one for her. Isn't it eye-catching?"

"Nonsense, we're trying to avoid being seen! Dressed like this, is it a disguise trip or to hook up with men?"

"Of course it's to hook up with you, you little pervert. Giving you a chance to feast your eyes, you should be grateful."

I was about to retort when Yueying arrived in front of us.

"Thank you for waiting. I've been looking forward to it since last night. But, is it really okay to leave without saying goodbye?"

Yueying always puts others first. After all, if something happened to her, too many people would be implicated and punished. However, Mao Yan'an and I immediately assured her that everything was arranged properly and there would be no problem.

To go shopping and play with the beautiful princess, we certainly didn't need to bring along a troublesome sketching fanatic, so Mao Yan'an was sacrificed in a very loyal way to keep things under control at the inn and prevent anyone from discovering Yueying's departure.

Despite my thorough preparations, the destination of this journey is undoubtedly some unknown bed. However, I can't just drug my female companion and knock her unconscious right away. I still need to take her shopping, eating and drinking first.

But then again, things between men and women are really like that: eating, drinking, shopping, and then sleeping together. The first part is the process, and the second part is the original purpose. What I'm going to do today is simply shorten the process, shopping for a day and then sleeping together, saving time and costs.

After everything was settled, Yueying and I began our incognito trip for the day. She used to enjoy browsing handicrafts in markets and was also very interested in street food. Because these places are crowded and complicated, the guards dared not let her go there, so I listed them as today's main sightseeing spots.

As an international metropolis, Sara, although it cannot be compared with the Golden Flower Federation, is still a fairly diverse metropolis. The trade and circulation of goods from various countries in the markets, within the limited trading hours, shows a very prosperous scene.

Yunyang Street in the East Market, when Yueying left twelve years ago, was a hub for handicrafts in Sara City. Many vendors from other provinces would set up stalls there. But times have changed. After twelve years of development, it has become a street full of shops selling personal ornaments and weapon parts.

Yueying, dressed in ordinary coarse cloth, initially followed my lead, but later took the lead, browsing this stall and that shop, as if she had regained her former vitality.

Yueying has never practiced martial arts and her stamina is not very good. After running around for half an hour, she was already showing signs of fatigue, but the joy and ease in her eyes radiated a vigorous life force, as if she were a noble flower in a greenhouse receiving the warm caress of the sun.

Seeing such eyes, I was also very happy. Unfortunately, there was a hint of sighing and regret in Yueying's eyes, a sentiment that no one can avoid when revisiting a place after many years.

Previously, these ornaments were just cheap, worthless items. However, as the martial spirit of Alibuda grew, and the followers brought in new technologies from the Golden Flower Federation and the Ishtar Kingdom, people discovered that these ornaments, besides being beautiful, also had great practical value.

Walking down the street, shops displayed new styles of wristbands and jade pendants. These were just painted models; the real items had to be purchased inside the shop. The models were often displayed in long strings, showing customers which colors were available, with labels below indicating the colors.

"Boss, let me see this old silver waist pendant... Hmm, fire resistance level 2.5, water resistance level 2.5, it's really rubbish. Are you selling this as jewelry or as a children's toy?" (Children's toy: a toy for children)

"Sir, this is just a waist pendant, not a shield. It's a mass-produced item from the factory, so the quality can't compare to handmade items, but the price is very cheap. Look at our price tag, only 20,000 Ali. If you buy in bulk or pay in cash with gold coins, there are discounts. We're honest with everyone."

"No. Your effectiveness is only level two, without even the most basic Holy Light buff. You want me to spend two hundred silver coins? That's outrageous! I'll go look at other shops."

"Sir, don't say that. How about this cat's eye ring? It's a replica of the Damascus magic ring, the price..." I wasn't actually buying anything; I was just browsing the jewelry, enjoying the shopping experience with Yueying.

The reason the jewelry market has been so hot in recent years, with prices constantly rising, is because the Golden Flower Federation deliberately helped us exchange knowledge with our country, using magical forging techniques to learn how to keep goat milk and cow milk at room temperature for thirty days without them turning sour.

Currently, the two main combat methods are sword and magic. Warriors are not good at long-range, ranged attacks, and mages are always at a disadvantage in close combat. Due to innate limitations, they can't overcome them, so they can only focus on their equipment.

To earn money from both sides, weapon merchants constantly research and improve forging techniques. The robes and staves used by mages began to be imbued with agility and the ability to absorb magic power and convert it into striking power; the armor and shields worn by warriors also gained the ability to resist elemental attacks. Initially, although the effects of these magically enhanced armor pieces were as insignificant as health drinks with added nutrients, they were already wildly popular, with people rushing to buy them, and weapon merchants making a fortune.

The quality of magically enhanced weapons and armor depended on the technology used in their manufacture; wearing more didn't necessarily mean better results, and sometimes wearing too much could even cause a repulsion between the pieces. However, people, in their pursuit of safety, greedily piled on as many layers as possible. Unfortunately, a person only has two hands, and it's impossible to wear two layers of armor. So, after the weapon and armor market became saturated, merchants turned their attention to accessories, giving new value… and new prices to what were originally crafted items.

The market in Alibuda mainly inherited the style of the Golden Flower Federation, but in order to surpass them, the merchants offered a large reward for anyone who could steal the technology from Ishtar, and eventually developed into a market that could rival the Golden Flower craftsmen.

"The two most popular shops on the main street are Mingyu Pavilion at the beginning, which crossed over from the arms market and has a very large business; and Baoda Xiang at the end of the street, which started with jewelry and ornaments and later successfully invested in other businesses. Both of these are branches of the Golden Flower Federation, with independent technicians specializing in research and production, making their products better than those mass-produced by ordinary factories, and at much higher prices. As for Jiyuezhai, which you used to like, although it was a local business, it went out of business many years ago because the owner was caught smuggling with the Ishtar people."

After we had strolled through Yunyang Street, I found a small wine shop with good craftsmanship and took Yueying inside to chat and rest. The shop was located in an inconspicuous alley, and since it wasn't mealtime, there were only three or five customers chatting when we went in. At one table, there was a man with a parrot and several young women; it was obvious he was using his bird-keeping expertise to pick up girls.

Of course, I didn't choose this shop to listen to bird-keeping esoteric talk. This shop was quite famous behind the scenes, operating as a backstage club for powerful figures. Once you became a member, the bartender would subtly drug your drinks based on your gestures.

Membership cost a hefty sum. When I was a low-ranking military officer, I couldn't afford it, but my grandfather's travelogue contained recipes for special spices that could make drinks more flavorful. I used these recipes to gain these privileges.

Upon entering, since we didn't know anyone there, and we sat in a corner, Yueying removed her veil to let her face breathe. After ordering wine and grilled fish, I gestured for the bartender to drug my drink.

As the wine glass was placed in front of Yueying, I suddenly had a very uneasy feeling, as if I had forgotten something very important. I thought about it for a while, but couldn't figure it out. I was probably just worried that Yueying would notice something was wrong with the wine.

Yueying didn't seem to notice. After the dishes were served, she lightly sprinkled lemon juice on the grilled fish, picked up the wine glass, smelled the aroma, but didn't drink it.

I was a little anxious and asked her calmly why she wasn't drinking it. Yueying smiled and said that wine is meant to be smelled first, otherwise it would be a waste of the winemaker's hard work.

I didn't care about the winemaker's damn hard work. The effects of the twelve bottles of aphrodisiacs I had just taken were already showing. Now, I was in my hard crotch, waiting for the release of my desire. But if I acted too eager, I was afraid that Yueying would notice something was wrong. So I had to suppress the desire in my crotch and force a smile.

However, being with a woman who knows you too well is a very dangerous thing. Even though I acted as if nothing was wrong, Yueying still intuitively sensed something was wrong. She played with the wine glass and spoke with a half-smile.

"Little brother, you're hiding something from me."

"Just kidding, sister, how could I hide anything from you? You're my good sister. But there are some things that are actually quite funny, sister, you know what? I had some strange dreams last night, and I'm afraid they'll scare you if I tell you."

Using this as a starting point, I jokingly recounted last night's dreams. Yueying clearly didn't find the joke funny at all. After listening, she rolled her eyes at me and said, "I've heard that people under a lot of psychological pressure often have strange dreams. Is something making you feel a lot of pressure?"

"Sister, do you think I'm the kind of bad person who would have ulterior motives? My conscience is clear, why would I have any pressure?"

"You're lying. You look like you're not being sincere. You brought me to this shop specifically; you must have some purpose."

A woman's intuition is truly terrifying. In order to get Yueying to drink that cup of wine as soon as possible, I could only laugh it off.

"Haha, sister, you're so smart! The reason I brought you here is..."

"Rape! I'm going to rape you!"

It's hard for others to imagine that, with a friendly smile plastered on my face, about to speak with the utmost sincerity, I suddenly blurted out this true intention in a gruff voice, a chill running down my spine. Meanwhile, Yueying, after a moment of stunned silence, covered her mouth with a laugh.

It wasn't me who said those words, nor any god from heaven, but that damned parrot at the nearby table. It must have gone mad, suddenly uttering those words, leaving me embarrassed and unable to move. Meanwhile, the men and women at that table were lewdly laughing, saying things like, "Your bird is lustful," "My bird down there is even more lustful," "You brought me here to rape me," and "Heh heh, I'm going to drug you with alcohol and rape you," utterly outrageous and inhumane things.

The man wasn't just talking; he gestured to the bartender, asking for a drugged drink. He hadn't noticed, and in my rage, I gestured back, ordering him a drugged drink as well.

It's a sad thing that my mother didn't teach me to eat carelessly when I was little. When his female companion collapsed, he flashed a smug, lewd smile, which instantly froze on his face before he too collapsed.

The noisy guys fell asleep, but I had to maintain a smile and wait for Yueying to finish her drink. During this time, we talked about our shopping trip, and when I mentioned the shops on the street, Yueying brought up the talents of Alibuda.

“When I was in the Golden Flower Federation, I heard people mention many times that a master craftsman has emerged in Alibuda in the last two years. She is a half-elf woman named Zhizhi Lonia. Although she is a newcomer, her skills are better than those of the craftsmen in several well-known workshops. She has become an important figure for various countries to poach talent. So our country is not without talent.”

I was startled when Zhizhi was suddenly mentioned, but on the surface I remained calm and replied that the master craftsman was under Leng Linglan’s special protection and I had no chance to meet her.

“However, it is indeed a bit of a pity.” Yueying said softly, a hint of sadness appearing on her beautiful face.

“I prefer the old days, when people just sold simple handicrafts, without any practical value, simply to appreciate the beauty of the craftsmanship. Why does everything have to be given a purpose in conflict, used to hurt others?”

“Don’t think like that, sister. Being kind-hearted is good, but if you’re too out of touch with reality, life will be hard. Rather than saying these things are given a purpose in conflict, it just adds to their practicality. If you think of it that way, it’s not a big deal. People are just doing what’s most in line with the principles of survival. Beautiful and practical handicrafts, isn’t that better than before?”

Yueying thought for a moment and smiled, “Hmm, maybe you’re right. But you’re a soldier yourself, and you recently received a gold coin reward. Why not buy some good protective gear?”

"Well... these weapons and armor do have their uses in actual combat, but in the long run, they do more harm than good. My weirdo... well, my father once taught me a basic concept: the best supernatural artifacts absorb the wielder's life force when used. The stronger the wielder, the greater the power they can unleash. The two complement each other, making them invincible."

I casually said, "However, few people are willing to honestly hone their martial arts skills. Many hope to use artifacts to achieve instant success. Merchants, following this advice, develop items that, while not very effective, are still usable by most people, no matter how bad they are. This creates a vicious cycle. People who rely on supernatural artifacts for a long time are ultimately no match for experts, no matter how good the artifact is. The noble knights who die in the chaos of battle are often these kinds of people."

Because I was focused on the cup in Yueying's hand, I forgot that she didn't like listening to these martial arts theories, but before I could apologize, Yueying had already waved her hand and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm not so fragile that others need to avoid speaking to me. But, little brother, you're even more outstanding than you look. With such insight and ambition, you'll definitely shine in the military in the future. Lanlan will have to rely on you for a lot."

"What a joke! She doesn't need my care. It's good enough if she doesn't kill me."

More importantly, who cares about that bitch Leng Linglan? Sister, you've been shaking that cup for ages. I beg you, please drink it!

Just as I was staring at the cup in Yueying's hand, looking distressed and feeling unbearably hot between my legs, I suddenly caught a glimpse of something that made my eyes almost pop out. I stared in disbelief at the alleyway door a dozen feet away, at that familiar female figure.

Overwhelmed by surprise, I was stunned for a moment. Even after calming down and opening my eyes to check, I couldn't find that fleeting female figure.

(Was that Phoenix just now? This is public, why is she here? Is she here to solicit customers again? Who is she targeting this time?)

Since leaving Jiang Li, I haven't encountered that female demon again. Partly it's unnecessary, and partly I'm wary of inviting trouble from a demon. That figure only appeared briefly and then disappeared, I'm not sure if it really was that cunning and vicious female demon.

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. A strong curiosity rose in my heart. After several attempts to restrain myself, I finally decided to go and see.

"Sister, don't drink before I come back."

"Huh? Why? I'm thirsty." "

Because it doesn't smell good enough yet. You need to smell it for a while longer before it tastes good. In short... don't drink."

I hurriedly said this and ran out of the shop. I looked around and rushed towards the place where Phoenix disappeared. I ran into that dead-end alley, but I couldn't see anything except a wall at the end. There was nothing there, and Phoenix was nowhere to be seen.

(I clearly saw her running this way, how could she have disappeared? Am I seeing things? Impossible, even if my eyes were playing tricks on me, my dick wouldn't be wrong. That alluring, seductive feeling, besides that female demon Phoenix, what woman could possibly...?)

This thought flashed through my mind, and I cried out "Ah!" thinking of a glamorous beauty with a similar aura to Phoenix.

(Oh no, could it be the witch from Ishtar? It would be troublesome if I ran into her here, I'd better get out of here quickly.)

Although I thought this, I didn't act on it. The reason I stopped wasn't because of surprise, but because of a strange pressure, a magical pressure originating from a slowing spell or something similar.

Among the strategies that mages use to deal with warriors, one is to cast a slowing spell to suppress the warrior's reaction and speed, and then launch an attack spell. I only hesitated for a moment before realizing I had been ambushed. I thought to myself, "Thank goodness!" and noticed three people appearing behind me, approaching with ill intent.

What was truly overestimating me was that these three mages were all level five experts. Perhaps intimidated by my past achievements and wary of my strength, they attacked together with all their might. Two of them used slowing spells, and the last one even used gravity manipulation. Three pressures were applied to my body simultaneously, and my bones and muscles, unable to withstand the pressure, emitted terrifying sounds. The three were astonished that my reputation was undeserved, and my martial arts were so poor. They quickly withdrew their spells.

However, what was also truly underestimating me was that, with my certain level of magical cultivation, I was not as defenseless against these slowing and pressure manipulations as a simple martial artist. So when they released their spells and approached me, I pretended to lose consciousness, but I had already recovered. I secretly gripped the Hyakkimaru in my hand and used my most prized sneak attack.

"Ancient gods of lust, in the name of John Farrell I pray to you, guide the power of lust, come forth! Lustful worms!" The chant was soft and fast, but when the opponent was a mage, these actions were insufficient. The magical fluctuations during the incantation alone alerted them, causing them to retreat hastily in surprise.

Fortunately, my sword strike wasn't too slow. Before they could retreat, Hyakkimaru unleashed a burst of red light, beautiful and poignant, leaving a few thin streaks of blood at the tip of the crimson blade.

Although only a little, it drew blood; Hyakkimaru had wounded them. These mages were all skilled in their craft. As they retreated, they erected magical barriers to prevent the following sword strikes and physical attacks—a technique used by highly experienced mages. Unfortunately, although I had a sword, my next attack wasn't a sword strike, but rather a lustful spell not belonging to the six major magic systems.

With a flick of my wrist, following the invisible trajectory of magical energy, the lustful worms landed on the three mages. The magical barrier, capable only of withstanding physical attacks, offered no protection against poison. Even with protective gear, it was useless, as the venomous insects' bodily fluids hindered their movement upon contact with the skin, and they would burrow into any blood they encountered. Once the insects entered their bloodstream through wounds, no one could save these three frantically struggling victims.

Things were progressing smoothly, and I was congratulating myself on my success when suddenly a chill ran down my spine… no, the entire surrounding space suddenly became icy cold, sending shivers down my spine.

This cold feeling was familiar; it was the same chilling sensation that surrounded me whenever Ah Xue summoned the spirits.

(A powerful dark mage has arrived?)

The venomous insects I flicked at the three mages instantly turned into wisps of black smoke and vanished without a trace. I had seen this technique in the Blood Nightmare Manual; to manipulate spirits to corrode objects with such precision and ease must be the work of a very high-ranking necromancer.

My surprise ended there, because suddenly everything went dark, and I couldn't move my limbs. I almost lost consciousness on the spot. The Blood Nightmare Chronicles mentioned that Ishtar had a secret technique that imitated the Shadow Fixation Technique from water-based ninjutsu, binding the target's soul and thus affecting the body, sealing off movement.

Fortunately, the records in the Blood Nightmare Chronicles allowed me to stay conscious, but I deliberately pretended to be unconscious to try and deceive the enemy and regain as much mobility as possible.

At this point, even a ghost could guess that these guys were definitely Ishtar's bastards, and the one who intervened to save me and subdue me was most likely Narcissa. They seemed afraid of being recognized, so they deliberately changed their language. They

weren't using Ishtar, but after using dark magic, changing the language was just a futile attempt to cover it up.

These guys spouted a bunch of nonsense, saying they could tell I was weak but treacherous, and that I almost fell for their trap; another said that if it weren't for that, even the brilliant Blood Nightmare Great Spirit Witch wouldn't have fallen to me; and yet another flattered me, saying I was shameless and lewd, that even though I was immobilized and unconscious, my erection was still bulging high.

Damn it, is a man's erection bothering you? If it were you, after being given twelve doses of aphrodisiacs and then immobilized in this semi-squatting position, you'd have ejaculated and become impotent long ago, how could you be so erect?

Then they started talking about what to do with me. These Ishtar people seemed to find themselves in a difficult position. After all, this was Alibuda, and if they really killed me during the peace conference, things would definitely not end well. But they were also very unwilling to let me go so easily.

There was a deep-rooted hatred between me and the Ishtar people, a hatred that stemmed from my own past, from inheriting my monstrous father's legacy, and possibly even from my future. Given the chance, which Ishtar person wouldn't want to skin me alive?

Narcissa remained silent, and I wasn't sure if she was still nearby. Suddenly, a deep female voice ordered these guys to give me some aphrodisiac, the stronger the better, ideally something that would cause me to die of impotence immediately if I didn't ejaculate quickly enough. "A dignified commander of ten thousand cavalry, dying of impotence in a small alley—such a shameful scandal! I doubt Alibuda would want to publicize it; he'd probably just hastily finish it off. That makes things much easier." Easy

my foot! A respectable woman, yet her thoughts were so filthy and vicious—utterly depraved. Even after they'd given me the aphrodisiac, I was helpless. My mobility hadn't returned; I couldn't move a finger to struggle. I could only feign unconsciousness as they forced some strange potion down my throat.

It was karma. I'd drugged so many women before, and today I'd been drugged myself. Luckily, it wasn't Ah Xue who drugged me, or I could have been drugged seventeen or eighteen more times and still not make up for it. But why would a dark mage carry an aphrodisiac? This incident alone proves that last night's series of crimes must be related to them. While wizards skilled in black magic can absorb a person's essence and soul, if the condition is specific—to draw the soul out of the body during female orgasm—then drugs are necessary.

After I gave them the drug, they quickly left, clearly uninterested in seeing Captain Alibdavan die from exhaustion.

After they left, I quickly felt a burning sensation all over my body, my mind a jumbled mess, and I was filled with anxiety. I still couldn't move; what should I do? Not only could I not move, but my eyelids were as hard as stone, impossible to open. Could I really wait until the poison took effect, half-squatting here, ejaculating profusely and dying from exhaustion?

Even if I could move again and get outside, what could I do? The brothel and the Marquis's mansion were too far away. Should I immediately rush to the tavern, grab Sister Yueying, and, blushing, beg her for an antidote? Uh, this idea is terrible, but it might actually be feasible. If it works, the effect will definitely be better than drugging and raping.

(Damn it, I shouldn't have run out and let the Ishtar people ambush me. If I had stayed in the tavern, I would be having a good time with Sister Yueying by now.)

My anger couldn't change reality. Just as I was racking my brains for a solution, I suddenly felt a little dizzy, and I heard a soft sigh. It was a woman, but I didn't realize when she appeared. She appeared nearby without warning, like a ghost.

"Sigh, brother, why is it always like this when I see you? If every customer is as troublesome as you, what are we sales people supposed to do?"

A sweet and gentle voice, different from Narcissus's deep voice, belonged to another woman. There seemed to be some kind of magic in her voice. As soon as she finished speaking, the dark magic that had been obscuring my vision disappeared, allowing me to open my eyes and regain my sight.

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