The Magus Era

Note: Regular chapter 4/7

Chapter 152: Human as a tax?

From each of the eighteen metal ships, five to six proud and aggressive Jia Clan warriors walked out, while swinging their arms.

They were wearing the same metal armors, and carrying exactly same weapons, and had the same totem embossed on their chest armors. Obviously, this was an official troop that had strict rules and a hierarchical system.

Along with a series of metal clashing sounds, a door opened on the deck of each ship, from which, a zhang-wide metal ladder was being thrust out, step by step. The ladders seemed as thin as the wings of a cicada and quickly reached the caravan city. It hooked firmly onto the city wall with two metal claws on the beginning of each ladder.

Groups of slave warriors, wearing partial armors and carrying round shields and sharp swords, walked out through the ladders, onto the city wall. They seemed very familiar with the caravan city, and soon occupied the central area of every single watch tower and other vital spots of the city.

The faces of Gui Three and the other caravan members had all turned extremely dark, but they still politely ordered the caravan guards to move away from all of the vital spots of the city.

Ji Hao crossed his arms in front of his chest, and looked coldly at those slave warriors from head to toe.

He had killed quite a lot of these dark-skinned slave warriors when he had fought against the Blood Fang. Those slave warriors of the Blood Fang had all been pure cannon fodder, with no good use but to be killed. They had even looked a bit decayed.

But these slave warriors, who had just rushed into the caravan city, were completely different. Apart from their armors and weapons, which were a lot better than what the slave warriors of the Blood Fang had, they were also much more energetic and stronger them the Blood Fang’s slave warriors, and the senses of powers that was being released from their bodies were a lot stronger.

These were real elite warriors who could really fight in battles, instead of those lowly and stupid slave warriors who could do nothing but carry things around.

Ji Hao quickly scanned the bodies of these slave warriors with his spiritual power, and subconsciously frowned. These slave warriors were all above the Tenth Level of the Junior Magus; the team leaders who supervised over ten team members, were all Junior Magi, and the commanders, who had over a hundred warriors under his command, were all Senior Magi.

“Such a powerful army,” murmured Ji Hao with his eyes narrowed, “A Junior Magus every ten people, and a Senior Magus every hundred people...even our newly formed Gold Crow Army is not as powerful as this...”

Si Wen Ming silently walked up to Ji Hao, stood behind him, without Ji Hao even noticing.

Si Wen Ming took a glance at the totem that was embossed on the chest armors of those Jia Clan, and said blandly, “The High Moon army, of course, they’re all elites. Look at their totem, the high tower and the erect eye above it are silver white, and the patterns on that high tower are swords and daggers. They’re the people from the High Moon. Every single one of them is one of the finest warriors; these people possess the strongest fighting instinct among the entire Jia Clan.”

Ji Hao carefully looked at the totem on their chest armors.

A high tower, with an erect eye floating above it. Ji Hao had been familiar with this totem since long time ago, but due to the descriptions Si Wen Ming gave, Ji Hao noticed the slight differences. The totem that had been embossed on the chest armors of these warriors was indeed silver white, and symbolized the most common and natural color of metal that was used to forge swords and daggers, while the surface of the tower was decorated with exquisite and fine patterns of swords and daggers.

Ji Hao remembered vaguely the totem on the badge that had been worn by Di Luo, who had given Ji Hao some trouble. Di Luo’s totem was had been coloured blood-red, looked similar to this silver white totem in shape, but the details differed largely.

“When you get to Pu Ban City, you will learn what these totems represents.”

A group of slave warriors walked over in calculated steps. In the meanwhile, Si Wen Ming lowered his voice as much as he could, and said to Ji Hao, “Don’t dogfight against these warriors of the High Moon. Both their fighting instinct, and their skills are far better than those of other warriors at the same level. You should strike warriors of the High Moon with your first attack, even if you have to use sneak attacks. Just kill them with the first shot, the longer the fight last, the more dangerous it will become, and you will be the only one at disadvantage.”

Ji Hao narrowed his eyes, and curved his lips downwards.

Fighting instinct and skills? He had fought face to face with Jia Clan’s warriors. They indeed had great fighting skills, but Ji Hao didn’t believe that the fighting skills and instincts of the Jia Clan warriors were superior to that of his.

Looking at Ji Hao, who didn’t seem to give a damn about those Jia Clan warriors, Si Wen Ming couldn’t help but smile. He then gently patted Ji Hao’s shoulder, but didn’t say anything else. Ji Hao was young, passionate and proud; he reminded Si Wen Ming about himself when he had been a young boy and had just started exploring this magnificent world. Just like Ji Hao, he had also been hard-edged and refused to bow to anyone.

Till the moment those slave warriors had taken the control of the entire city, those Jia Clan warriors standing on the metal ships all laughed out aloud, then lithely leaped onto the city wall from their ships, while walking proudly and arrogantly. They were looking around on the city wall, as if the caravan city belonged to them.

Suddenly, a Jia Clan warrior walked up to a caravan guard, and grabbed an exquisite-looking amulet off the guard, without saying anything. The amulet was made from a beast tooth and was tied around the guard’s neck. The beast tooth amulet spurted out a bright fiery light and large amounts of fire sparks, while it let out a deep, thunder-like sound.

The Jia Clan warrior held the amulet in his hand and gave it a close look, after which, he nodded with satisfaction, and said, “It’s a good piece; it can protect its owner from soul attack. Hmm, good, it's mine now!”

The facial expression of the guard who owned the amulet changed quickly, from angry to helpless; at last, he lowered his head down, and forcibly held his anger off.

The Jia Clan warrior proudly tied this amulet that was made in a typical Southern Wasteland style, around his wrist, then showed off to his teammates while laughing, “Hahaha, look at this piece, carefully polished, must be given by this kid’s lover!”

All the other Jia Clan warriors laughed out as well.

Ji Hao stared at the Jia Clan warrior, who had just seized the amulet from the guard, with a darkened face. That amulet had a special shape, and complicated patterns were painted on its surface with a pink-coloured plant juice; Ji Hao recognized the amulet at first glance; it was a gift from a Southern Wasteland girl, and contained the most sincere, best wishes from the Southern Wasteland Maguspriestess to her lover.

Apparently, this caravan guard had met his lover in the Southern Wasteland, but that Jia Clan’s warrior seized the amulet that had been given to him by his lover.

Ji Hao stood abruptly up, but Si Wen Ming pressed his hand on Ji Hao’s shoulder, then slightly shook his head.

The surrounding Jia Clan warriors scornfully glanced at Ji Hao. A few of them, who happened to be the tallest and muscular ones, mocked Ji Hao in deep voices.

“Just a little kid, hehe, I can easily poke my finger into his head!”

A loud shout of one of the slave warriors came from inside the city, “Lord, here is a pretty little girl! Is our general lately...”

After hearing the slave warrior, a few Jia Clan’s warriors shouted out simultaneously, “Woman? Pretty woman? Bring her out here and let us have a look at her! Hmm, add this woman into your tax this time!”

Both Si Wen Ming and Ji Hao’s facial expressions changed. In the very next moment, the entire city slightly shook, followed by which, tens of bodies flew out from the city along with great howling-sounds; some of the bodies were twisted into weird shapes, some others were violently smashed into flat.

Followed by all these, Man Man’s raging roar came from the city, “My Amma said that no man can touch Man Man’s body! Do you all want to die?!”

Along with a few thunderous booms, a watch tower in the city suddenly collapsed.