QT: Against My Will

185 4.9 – Lost – Dangerous Angels

‘Ah, how do I get used to these courtesan’s clothes?! My stomach is showing. My collarbone is showing. My arms are not covered.’

‘I feel naked. (-?-)’

The displeased Bing Shi took off her cloak reluctantly. Inside a small bathing room, she helped to clean up twenty girls covered in mud. Dressed in not much more than a rag, their faces were a perfect picture of misery.

“Shh, don’t worry... It’s alright to be scared...” Bing Shi lulled the crying girl with azure-blue hair, gently washing her trembling body with a sponge, “Powerful women don’t become strong out of nowhere. The harsh life is forcing us to grow inside and out. There is only much fate can help us, for we have to build our future by ourselves. Remember, no matter how much it breaks us apart, we will always rebuild ourselves and come back stronger than ever.”

‘~ Says the one who gave up.’

‘There was no future for me. I was beyond repair.’

‘~ Hypocrite.’

‘So? I regret nothing.’

Nodding, they grabbed a sponge and cleaned themselves clumsily. Under the dirt and grime were hidden beauties; gorgeous as the hues of heaven, they were resolute to change their fate. Waiting for the right mood to bond, Bing Shi asked them for their names and skills.

.....

“We don’t have a name anymore,” splashing a bucket of water over her body, a girl with red hair and golden eyes, spoke out. They were all Tian Shi’s property now.

Bing Shi leaned her head over the timid girl, who needed more courage than anyone else among the small group. She gazed at her large ocean-blue eyes, “Hm? I didn’t hear you.”

“I sai-...” The red-haired girl repeated her words.

“N...Nila,” the timid girl quickly tilted down her head, hiding her teary face, “I...I know how to play the pipa.”

“Tianshi Nila,” Bing Shi handed each one a simple white tunic, “What about others?”

From the start, Bing Shi never stopped analyzing the girls. She was curious if all women were as inferior to the female lead, as portrayed in the story. The pitiful female lead somehow always accumulated nearly every woman’s hatred and hostility, resulting in those women’s bad ending as cannon fodders. It didn’t make any sense to Bing Shi. Young girls were under immense pressure to be wise beyond their age. They were expected to react to situations and make critical decisions as though they were adult women with decades of life experience. As four girls caught Bing Shi’s attention, the reality proved her wrong. With their fast adaptability, the girls snatched the opportunity the moment it was thrown at them.

“Tianshi Aine.” A clever girl with blond hair and lush-green eyes accepted the tunic, “I’m good in poetry and singing.”

“Tianshi Rianta.” Quickly catching up, a girl with honey-colored eyes and rosy pink hair thanked for the new robe, “I’m good at dancing.”

“Tianshi...Eshe.” Finally, the red-haired girl spoke out, “Horseriding, and...um...archery...”

Speechless, all the girls looked at Eshe in amazement, “Eeh?! Who are you?”

“Daughter of a fallen general,” Eshe muttered under her nose. She was from the Triweria Kingdom – a kingdom that was now part of Rania. After cleaning up, they walked to the next room to receive some food.

‘It seems like all women around the female lead exist as a mere tool to make her shine like a bright star among the dusty sky.’

[“Kuro, are you ready to lit the dim sky with a myriad of shiny stars?”]

[Of course. LOL.]

Bing Shi repeated the process with the males. Skipping the bath part, she gave them a slice of lemon and asked them a few questions to get an overall picture of their character. If it weren’t for all the spies everywhere, she’d coerce them to follow her.

‘What is Zhao Rong’s biggest fear? The world story revolves around Mao An. Except for the type of woman Zhao Rong likes, there’s not much information on him.’

In this world, all healthy males would join each Kingdom’s army as soon as they reach age sixteen. Before that, they would undergo basic training in legion formation, tactics, fighting, and psychical exercise. To cater to the powerful ones, the more wealthy and privileged their family were, the higher their position would be in the army.

· · — · ???· — · ·

Walking up the stairs, Bing Shi appeared in Hasan’s majestic slave shop. To know exactly what one was buying, slave traders exhibited hundreds of naked slaves on small stands. A plaque hung around their neck, displaying their origin, age, character, and education. Passing a few, Bing Shi raised a question, “How much would I cost?”

“...” Not to catch anyone’s suspicion, Hasan was required to drop the honorifics while treating Bing Shi as a courtesan in training, “Based on beauty and health alone, you’d cost around 2100 Kangs.”

?———???———?

1 Kang = 1 copper coin

100 Kangs = 1 silver coin

1500 Kangs = 1 gold coin

?———???———?

The price ranged from 700 Kangs for a worthless mining slave, to 2500 Kangs for a sturdy male, and 3500 Kangs for a skilled individual.

A commoner’s annual wage was around 9 000 Kangs. The preferable way to provide money for the family was to become a soldier, whose annual wage started at 19 000 Kangs.

Hasan, holding in his inner irritation from losing a big deal, attempted to change Bing Shi’s morality, “The girls underground would cost from 10 000 to 15 000 Kangs. They are perfect for the auction house, where price could reach as high as 100 000 Kangs. Pleas-...”

His words passed through her ears; Bing Shi didn’t get along with this man either, measuring her current beauty, “Why is my price so low then?”

“...” Reaching the guest room, Hasan poured her a cup of tea, “Miss comes from a poor village with no background story and education. Your skin is darker than desired. Men in this kingdom are fond of jade white skin. ”

“Hm...” Bing Shi raised her creamy tea hands with a few small cuts and callouses from working on the fields. To accomplish what she wanted, she didn’t have lots of options when it came to her body of choice. Pondering about her abilities, she was prohibited from advancing this world technically. Her piano skills were out of practice, while Kalimba wasn’t as impactful. Well, those instruments didn’t even exist in this world.

‘Pole dancing? To be able to hold a pole, I’d need to train this weak body.’

‘The problem is if Xuan Mu knew that I performed before someone else besides him... Ah, I can’t even imagine his reaction.’

‘Mentioning Xuan Mu, heh....’

Bing Shi took a sip of the tea, inhaling the fragrant scent of the osmanthus, her next words sounded pleasant to every businessman, old Hasan included.

“Shall we raise my value?”

· · — · ???· — · ·

The hustle and bustle of the crowd brought life to the majestic city. The vibration from the man-pulled carriages, the chatter between sellers and buyers with vibrant clothes and characteristics was such a sight for anyone who didn’t come from the same era. No matter how dehumanizing slavery sounded to Bing Shi, to maintain the economy, it was deemed as a necessity. Same as her previous world, the most prominent buildings were built by none other than the slaves themselves. ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Bing Shi had no other choice but to follow this saying. For the time being, of course...

Hiding her revealing clothes under a cloak, Bing Shi was cautious of every nearby person, searching for any ‘out of the place’ signs. If Xuan Mu transmigrated, he would retain memories from a different world like little Ziek. Familiarizing herself with the new territory, she detected a stall with sweet potatoes.

“Mr. Hasan, shall we buy some of these?” The smiling Bing Shi pointed with her eyes at the freshly baked potatoes.

Hasan, not used to long walks, sweated like a squeezed wet sponge. Fanning his face, he annoyingly ordered one of his three guards to buy some random food.

Meanwhile, Bing Shi took a glimpse at the man standing next to the sweet potato stall.

If she didn’t pass through Yi Zen’s facial paralysis, she would have never noticed that something was out of place. This young man’s facial expressions didn’t match his body language. Trying to calm down his inner tension, his hand played with a small knife. His dry lips and rapid breathing showed that he’d been standing at the place for a very long time without drinking or eating. Following his gaze, he seemed to be scanning every passerby, as if looking for someone. Except for the knife part, his manners didn’t show any impatience. In seconds, Bing Shi came up with a few reasons why he would be standing there, his past and occupation.

‘Ah, I caught his attention.’