The dying slave lay moaning on the ground. The weather was unusually hot.The rest of the slaves were busy with the work at hand, trying not to pay attention to the tragic cry.Human life is worthless in this work camp, and it will never escape those unknown fates.The dying man had been bitten by a Relli, a snake-like swamp creature.The slow-acting venom made him miserable.Without the help of magic, the wound would be incurable. The silence that followed seemed sudden.Pug saw the Tsurani guards not far away wiping their swords.Then a hand fell on Pug's shoulder.Laurie's voice whispered in his ear, "It seems our venerable foreman is getting impatient with Toffston's dying voice."

Pug tied a coil of rope securely around his waist. "At least that's neat," he said, turning to the blond singer from the Kingdom city of Tyr-Sog. "Keep your eyes sharp at all times. Look, this tree is so old it might have It's starting to rot." With that Pug briskly climbed the ngaggi tree, a swamp tree similar to fir that is good wood in Tsurani and Its resin is also extremely useful.With a shortage of metals, the Tsurani are good at finding alternatives.The wood processed from this tree has the same function as paper, and it is extremely hard after drying in the shade, so that it can be made into different things.Resin can be used to temper wood and glue hides.A pair of leather armor carefully glued together was as hard as Mekemian chain mail, and wooden weapons tempered with resin were as hard as Mekemian steel.

Four years in the swamp camp had honed Pug's strength.His strong muscles tensed as he climbed the tree.His skin was a dark brown from the hot Tsurani sun.The face is covered with the characteristic beard of slaves. Pug quickly climbed to the first big branch and looked down at his friend.Laurie was knee-deep in murky water, absently swiping at the insects that had bitten them as they worked.Pug liked Laurie very much.A troubadour won't do much here. When he was free, he followed a patrol in the hope of seeing Tsurani soldiers.He said that by doing so he would gather more material for his poetry and make him famous throughout the kingdom.He also said that he has seen a lot of things in the world.The patrol was eventually attacked by the Tsurani regular army, and Lowry was taken prisoner.During the more than four months he entered the camp, he and Pug quickly became good friends.

Pug continued to climb, checking from time to time for dangerous Kelewan tree dwellers.When Pug stood firm on the top of the tree, he was suddenly frightened by something moving in front of him and froze in place.He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that it was nothing more than a needler. At first glance, the little guy looked like the leaves of an Engchi tree.I saw it quickly moved away from the grown-up and jumped onto the branch of another tree.Pug surveyed his surroundings and tied the rope around his waist to the tree.His task now was to cut down the crowns of these large trees so that they would be felled without too much danger to those below.

Pug slashed hard at the bark a few times before he felt the blade of the wooden ax sink into the soft trunk.Although he breathed carefully, he still smelled a small pungent smell.After a few expletives, he called to Laurie under the tree, "Go and tell the foreman that the tree is dead." He waited, looking out from the top of the tree.I saw strange insect and bird-like creatures flying around.During the four years he had spent as a slave in this world, he still could not accept the appearance of these creatures.They were not much different from the creatures of Mekemia, but whether they were similar or different, they reminded him that this was not his hometown.Bees should have a yellow and black appearance, not red all over.An eagle should not have gold trim on its wings, nor a falcon purple.But these creatures in front of them are neither bees, eagles, nor falcons, but they have striking similarities.Pug was more receptive to Kelewen's other weird creatures than these things.Like the six-legged needra, this easy-to-tame pack animal looked somewhat like a cow, except with two extra legs.Then there was the cho-ja, the insectoid creature that served the Tsurani and spoke their language: Pug had grown familiar with it.But sometimes when he caught sight of the creature he mistook it for a Mekemian, only to be disappointed when he found out.

Laurie's cry interrupted his contemplation. "The foreman is here." Pug cursed under his breath.If the foreman got his clothes dirty while wading, the guy would be furious.In this case, there is no way to escape a whipping, and the food that was not much will become even less this time.Maybe that guy has long been displeased with the tree-cutting that he stopped just now.A raccoon den has been built under the roots of these giant trees.They eat the tender roots of trees, making them sick and dead.Fresh wood will start to sour, ooze juice, and soon rot completely from the core.Although several of the nests had been treated with poison, the trees had already suffered a lot.

A hoarse yell followed its owner across the swamp, announcing the arrival of Foreman Nogamu.In fact he is a slave too, but as a slave he has risen to the highest position, he does not expect to be free, although he still enjoys many privileges and can command his soldiers and civilians.A young soldier followed him with a happy expression on his face.He was well shaved like the rest of the Tsurani commoners, and the tree slave could see him well when he looked up at Pug.He has high cheekbones and almost black pupils.The black eyes looked at Pug, and he seemed to nod slightly.His blue armor was foreign to Pug, but in the strange military system of the Tsurani, it was not surprising.Here every family, every territory, every region, every town, and every province will have their own army.How they handled their relationship with each other in the Empire was far beyond Pug's comprehension.

The foreman was standing under the tree at this time, his short robe was tied up so as not to get dirty.He snarled at Pug like a bear, "Is there any trouble with this tree?" Pug was the best Tsurani speaker of all the Mekemians who came here, for he had outlasted the few old Tsurani slaves here.He looked down and responded, "It smells rotten. Looks like we're going to have to get another tree, let's forget about this one, boss." The foreman shook his fist. "You slacker. There's nothing wrong with this tree. Isn't it nice. You're just trying to get out of work. Cut it down now!"

Pug sighed helplessly.There's nothing to argue with the bear, that's what the Mekemians here secretly call Nogram.It seemed that something unpleasant happened to him, and the slaves were going to be unlucky again this time.Pug began to chop up the canopy, and soon it fell to the ground.A strong rotten smell rose, and Pug quickly moved the rope away.Now there was only the last coil of rope around his waist, and a crackling sound came directly in front of him, "The tree has fallen!" he called to the slaves standing in the pool under the tree.The people below ran away without thinking.They listened carefully to the warning.

Since the crown had been cut away, the trunk burst open in the middle.This is quite rare, and if the tree grows tall it becomes very fragile, and if the bark breaks even slightly, it will split under its own weight.Branches also pull and tear each other.Pug was still tied to the tree trunk, and the ropes would surely cut him in two before they snapped. Pug checked the distance from the ground, then half-curled up and kicked himself off the tree trunk.Soon his back was touching the surface, trying to minimize the impact with two feet of water.With a violent impact, the bursting water splashes fell back into the water one after another.Fortunately, the bottom of the water is only muddy, so it can't cause too much damage.The air in his lungs burst through his mouth, momentarily making him dizzy.After calming down, he sat up and took a deep breath.

Suddenly a weight was placed on his stomach, and after a crackling sound his head was pushed back into the water.He struggled to move his body, only to realize that a big tree branch was stretching across his abdomen.Now he can barely lift his head out of the water for air.He felt uncomfortable as if his lungs were being burned, and gradually he couldn't control his breathing.Water quickly poured down the intake pipe, suffocating him.Coughing and runny, he couldn't calm down at all, only the feeling of panic spread all over his body.He frantically pushed the weight on his body, but it didn't budge. As he struggled, he found his head was out of the water, and he heard Laurie say, "Spit hard, Pug! Thick that shit out of your lungs, or you'll get consumption." Pug coughed and gagged, and Laurie held his head to let him breathe. Laurie yelled, "Grab this branch, and I'll pull him out." A few slaves ran over, their bodies still dripping with sweat.They stepped into the water and grabbed the branches.But they only moved the heavy branch slightly, and Laurie couldn't pull Pug out at all. "Bring here the axes; we can only cut this twig from the tree." Other slaves surrounded him with axes, when Nogram yelled, "Stop, leave him alone. We don't have time to worry about this kind of thing. There are so many trees waiting for us to cut down." Laurie snapped at him, "We must not leave him! He'll drown!" The foreman stepped forward and whipped Laurie violently across the cheek.Immediately, deep blood marks were left on the singer's cheek, but he still held his friend's head motionless. "Go back to work, you bastard. How dare you talk to me like that, see if I don't smoke you tonight. There are many people who can climb trees. Now, I order you to leave him!" The whip swung at Laurie.Laurie took a painful step back, still resting his hands on Pug's head. Nogram was about to swing the whip for the third time, but was stopped by a voice behind him. "Get that slave out of the tree branch." Laurie saw that the speaker was the young soldier who had accompanied the foreman just now.The foreman turned sharply, uncomfortable at having his orders questioned.When he saw who was speaking, he had to swallow the words that just came to his mouth.He bowed his head and said, "As you wish." He motioned for the slaves to clear a wide space for Pug with their axes, and then ordered Pug vaguely to come out from under the tree.Laurie helped Pug to where the young soldier was standing.After coughing out the last bit of water in his lungs, Pug gasped and said, "Thank you master for saving my life." The man remained silent until the foreman approached before making a statement. "The slave was right and you were in the wrong. The tree was indeed rotten. You shouldn't be punishing him for bad judgment and bad temper. I think you should be the one to hit, but I don't want to waste time. Here The progress of the work is too slow, and my father is very angry." Nogram lowered his head, "I have disgraced my lord, can I ask him to die?" "I'm afraid you're not qualified. Go back to work." The foreman's face flushed instantly with shame and irritation.He pointed his whip at Laurie and Pug. "Both of you, get back to work." Laurie was standing aside, while Pug looked reluctant.Nearly drowning, his knees trembled tremblingly, but he still kept trying to straighten himself up. "It seems that these two people are not qualified for future work," said the young nobleman. "This one"—he pointed at Pug—"has some use. The other one needs to be bandaged right away for the wound you left him, or it will fester soon," he said, turning to the guard. "Take them back to camp and take care of what they need." At this time Pug was very grateful to Laurie.After a little self-cultivation, Pug can return to the construction site, but trauma in the swamp is undoubtedly a death pass.Infectious diseases of all kinds would swarm in this hot and dirty place, and there were few remedies. As they left with the guards, Pug could clearly see the foreman's hateful eyes staring at them. There was a creaking sound on the floor, and Pug woke up with a start.The slave's vigilance warned him against such noises in the hut in the dead of night. Through the darkness, the footsteps came closer and closer until they stopped in front of the bunk where he was lying.He heard Laurie panting excitedly in the next bunk, and the bard must have been awakened too.Perhaps half the slaves were woken by the intruder.The man looked hesitant, and Pug waited uneasily.There was another growl, and this time Pug turned down the shop without hesitation.In the blink of an eye, his chest was scratched by a dagger, and there was a muffled sound of a heavy object hitting where he was lying.The house suddenly became chaotic, and the slaves rushed towards the door screaming. Pug felt hands grabbing him in the dark, and there was a sharp pain in his chest.He groped for the enemy aimlessly in the dark, fighting with the sharp blade with his bare hands.Another blow, and a cut was made on his palm.Suddenly the opponent stopped pressing, and Pug realized that someone must have blocked the assassin for him. A group of soldiers rushed into the cabin with a lamp, and Pug realized that Laurie was on top of Nogram.And a gleaming dagger protruded from the bear's side, but fortunately he survived.The young officer who had saved Pug and Laurie earlier came in, and the other soldiers made way for him.He stood in front of these three people and asked, "Is this guy dead?" The foreman opened his eyes and responded weakly, "Master, I'm still alive. I was just stabbed by a dagger." A weak and unwilling smile appeared on his sweat-soaked face. The young military officer still didn't show any expression on his face, but his eyes were like fire. "You deserve to die," he whispered.He turned to order to the two soldiers in the room. "Take this guy out and hang him immediately. His tribe will be ashamed of him. Let him taste the bug bites outside. Warning you this is not what I ordered, pull him out." The dying foreman turned pale and his lips quivered. "Please don't do that, master, just let me die like this. It won't take much time." He was so anxious that blood frothed from the corner of his mouth. The two stout soldiers didn't care about Nogram's injuries, pulled him up and walked out.All the way he wailed.Unexpectedly, he still screamed with so much strength, maybe his fear of the rope was all aroused. They stood silently until the sound stopped.The young officer turned to Pug and Laurie.Pug sat down, blood oozing from the long, shallow wound on his chest.He cupped the injured palm with his other hand.The wound was so deep that not a single finger could move. "Take your wounded friend," ordered the young officer to Laurie. Laurie helped Pug up, and the two followed the officer out of the slave house.He led them across the paddock to his house and motioned for them to come in.Once inside, he ordered a guard to fetch the camp physician.And let them wait quietly until the doctor arrives.The doctor was an old Tsurani man, wearing a robe that represented a god they believed in, but the Mekemians couldn't say which god.He examined Pug's wounds and made a rough diagnosis of the chest wound.As for the hand injury, he thought it was a trouble. "The wound is deep and the tendons have been severed. Healing is no problem, but I'm afraid that his fingers will not be able to move flexibly and grasp things with force. He can only do light work at best." The officer nodded, with a mixture of disgust and impatience on his face. "Very good. You wrap up the wound and go." The doctor began to clean the wound.He sewed up the wound with a needle, then wrapped it tightly with a bandage, and after admonishing Pug to keep the wound clean at all times, he got up and left.Pug used the ancient method of mental relaxation to stabilize his emotions and tried not to pay attention to the pain. As soon as the doctor left, the officer stared at the two slaves in front of him. "By the law, I shall hang you for murdering the foreman." Neither of them said a word.They cannot speak without an order. "But I hanged the foreman and gave you a way to survive. This was not my original intention. If you hurt him, I will punish you." He paused and continued. "Think about how you should be punished." He waved his hand and said, "Let's go, come back before dawn. I will decide how to punish you." They were lucky when they left. If they had been like before, they would have followed in the footsteps of the foreman."That's a real surprise to me," Lowry said as they passed the paddock. Pug responded, "I don't care about anything else. I'll be thankful I can see the sun tomorrow." Laurie stopped talking all the way until the slave house. "I think our young master must have something on his mind." "Anyway. I stopped trying to read my master's mind a long time ago. That's why I'm alive, Laurie. I just do what I'm told, and I've learned to bear it all." Grid pointed to a tree where the foreman's body was hanging in the pale moonlight—the moon looked particularly small tonight. "Life could easily end like that." Laurie nodded approvingly. "Perhaps you are right. But I will still consider how to escape." Pug gave a wry smile. "Where are you going, singer? Where else can you escape? Do you want to go to that big rift far away in the sky?" Laurie was speechless.They both lay back in their respective shops and fell asleep in the humid and hot night. *The young officer sat cross-legged on a ball of cushions. He dismissed the guards standing beside Pug and Laurie, then motioned for the two slaves to sit down.They sat down slowly. In the past, slaves were not qualified to sit when the master was present. "I am Hokanu of the Shinzawai family. This camp is my father's property," he said straight to the point. "He's not happy with this year's harvest. So he sent me to look at the situation. Now I don't have a foreman to oversee the work, just because that stupid guy thinks he's going to punish you. What do I do now?" They were silent because it was not clear whether he meant something.He asked again, "How long have you been here?" "Four years, Master." "One year, master." Pug and Laurie took turns answering.He thought for a while and said, "You"—pointing to Laurie—"at least you can say a few words about us than those savages, and there is nothing special about you. As for you"—he again Pointing at Pug—"You're the longest-lived of your lot and can speak our language fluently. People who don't know why will think you're just a farmer from the back country." The two of them sat quietly, still not knowing Hokanu's ultimate purpose.Suddenly Pug realized that he was probably a year or two older than the young nobleman in front of him.But the young man was already in power.The Tsurani system is really weird.You must know that in Crydee, he is at most an apprentice, even if he is a nobleman, he can only learn to govern the country. "How did you speak our language so fluently?" he asked Pug. "Master, I was the first to be brought here. We were the only seven outsiders among so many Tsurani slaves. We had to learn to survive. After a while, I was the only one who survived. The other companions were not To die from a high fever is to die from festering wounds, or be executed by the guards. There is no one who speaks my native language with me anymore. No compatriots have come to this camp in the days after that.” The officer nodded after listening, and then asked Laurie, "What about you?" "Master, I am a singer, and I am called a troubadour at home. We travel far and wide, so we have to learn different languages. I am good at rhythm. Your language is called tonal language among us; Words can have many meanings by changing their pitches when spoken. There are quite a few languages ​​like this in the north of our kingdom. So I can learn it quickly." The officer's eyes lit up. "Glad to know these things." Then lost in thought.After a while, he nodded again. "Slaves, deliberation often determines the fate of some people." After speaking, he laughed, and at this time he seemed to be a boy again. "The camp is in terrible shape right now, and I'm not going to report to my father, the Lord of Sinsawai. I think I know what's wrong." He pointed at Pug. "I want to know what you think about it. Because you've been here the longest." Pug calmed himself down.It's been a long time since anyone asked him to have an opinion on something. "Master, the first foreman I met here was a shrewd man. He knew the people here, and he also knew that we slaves would not be able to work well if we were hungry. So we can eat well and recuperate if we are injured. .Norgraam was a bad-tempered fellow, and always cared about little things. It was the slaves' fault that the troglodytes destroyed the woods. But it was his fault if a slave died at random. Slaves Food was withheld arbitrarily or worked overtime. But he still received the reward with peace of mind." "I was thinking about the same as you. North Arm used to be very good. Used to be an assistant (hadonra) in charge of his father's estate - responsible for the management of the territory -. His family later committed treason, so they were sold by the clan As a slave, you can avoid the death penalty. He is an incompetent slave. I thought that making him a foreman here would bring out his old skills. It seems that this is a wrong decision." "Then who is more capable among the slaves here?" Laurie tilted his head to the side and said, "Master, why not Pug..." "He's not right. I have other plans for you two." Pug was surprised and wondered what he meant.He said, "Maybe Jorgner could do the job. A farmer before he sold himself into slavery for taxes due to a bad harvest. He had a cool head." The officer immediately clapped his hands, and a guard quickly appeared in the house. "Bring Jogna the slave." The guard saluted and left. "The important thing is that he is a Tsurani," said the officer. "You savages are the most ruthless. I can't imagine what would happen here if someone like you was appointed. Maybe my soldiers will cut down the trees and slaves will stand guard." After an awkward silence, Laurie laughed.This time it was a hearty laugh.Hokanu also smiled slightly.Pug stared at the man in front of him.The young man who held both of their lives in his hands seemed desperate to win their trust.It was obvious that Laurie liked this man, but Pug remained vigilant.He had long since left ancient Mekemia, where wars had forged strong friendships between nobles and commoners, sharing joys and sorrows regardless of status.And what he learned when he first came to Tsurani was never to forget who he was.Whatever happened in this room was arranged by the young officer, not luck.Hokanu seemed to feel Pug's eyes watching him.Their eyes met briefly as Pug lowered his eyelids, as a slave is required to do.The message was passed between the two in an instant.The officer seemed to be saying: You don't believe I'm your friend.In this case, I will not force you. Hokanu waved his hand and said, "Go back to your residence. Have a good rest, we will leave after lunch." They stood up, bowed, turned and left the hut.Pug walked on in silence, but Laurie muttered, "I really wonder where we're going." When there was no response, he added, "No matter what, the destination must be much better than here." Why didn't Pug think so. A hand shook Pug awake from his sleep.He was dozing off in this hot morning, and when he had time to rest, he and Laurie would leave here with the young nobleman after lunch.Jogna, the farmer recommended by Pug before, quietly pointed to Laurie who was sleeping soundly. Pug followed the old slave out of the house and sat down in a shaded place.Jogna said slowly, "My master Hokanu told me that you recommended me to be the foreman here." His brown-spotted face remained solemn as he nodded to Pug. "I owe you something." Pug responded with a bow that was common in the camp. "No one owes it to anyone. You have to act like a foreman. Treat our brother well." Jogna had a grin on his old face, a mouth full of teeth brown from years of chewing on tateen nuts.This mildly narcotic fruit—easy to find in swamps—can provide psychological relief, albeit to a limited extent, from the rigors of toil.Pug, like the rest of the Mekemians, was reluctant to pick up the habit, though he couldn't say why.Maybe that means a complete surrender of one's spirit. Jogna stared across the camp, his eyes narrowed in the hot sun.Only the guards and cooks of the young nobles are visible here.In the distance in the woods came the sound of slaves at work. "When I was a child, I was living on my father's farm in Szetac," Jogner said. "He saw that I had talents that were different from ordinary people. He started watching me and finally found that I was lacking. Certain qualities." Pug was puzzled by the second half of his sentence, but refrained from interrupting him. "So I became a farmer just like my father did. But my faculties were not lost. Sometimes I could see things, Pug, that were things that were deep inside people. As I grew up, there was something about Rumors spread that I had special powers, and many people, especially the poor, came to me for advice. I was young then, and I grew very proud and told everything I saw. When I was a When I was an old man, I was humble and took handouts, but I still told what I saw. It's just that people left angry. Do you know why?" he asked with a chuckle.Pug shook his head. "Just because they don't want to hear the truth when they come to me, but to hear the result of their self-righteousness." Pug laughed as did Jogner. "So I pretended I lost my superpowers, and no one came to the farm again. It's just that the power never goes away. Pug, I can still see things. I saw something about your future, before you left I must tell you before. I will die of old age in this camp, but your future has a different fate. Want to hear it?" Pug gestured to hear, and Jogner continued, "Is imprisoned in your heart. A force. I don't know what it is or what it means." Pug had seen the Tsurani's strange attitude towards magicians, and suddenly felt a strange panic, as if someone had sensed his old calling.But he is at most a slave here, if there is anything special, he has just become a guard. Jogna closed his eyes and continued. "I saw you in my dreams, Pug. I saw you in a tower, alone, facing a terrible enemy." He opened his eyes. "I don't know what this dream means, but you must know this dream. Before you ascend the tower to face the enemy, you must find your own resting place (wal); it is the mysterious center of your life, It is a place of perfect peace. When you live in it, you are safe from all danger. Your body may be destroyed and even die, but when you are in the resting place, you will live through it all .The road to discovery is hard, Pug, and only a few find their own quiet place." Jogna stood up. "It's almost time for you to leave. Come on, let's go and wake up Laurie." When they reached the door of the hut, Pug said, "Thank you, Jogna. But can you describe that enemy standing on the tower?" Jogna nodded and smiled. "Of course, I saw him." He was still giggling as he walked up the steps. "He's an enemy everyone fears." A pair of narrowed eyes fixed on Pug. "He is you." Pug and Laurie sat on the temple steps with six Tsurani guards lounging beside them.During this journey, several guards were quite polite.This is thanks to the blessing of this difficult journey.Not a single horse, nor other mounts, the Tsurani would rather walk on two legs than sit in a Niedra-drawn cart, whoever it was.The sweaty slaves were panting and carrying the sedan chair, and the nobles sat leisurely in it and bumped on the boulevard. Pug and Laurie each received a gray and worn slave tunic.What they wore in the swamp before was just a piece of crotch cloth, and the Tsurani did not want to walk with these naked people.It can be seen that the Tsurani, like the people of their kingdom, place great emphasis on decency. The avenue they are walking at the moment is built along the coast, and the large lake next to it is called Zhanwan.Pug couldn't help thinking that this bay was bigger than any in Mekemia, and even from a height it was still endless.After marching for a few days, they entered a pasture, and the other side of the lake was already in sight.A few days later, they arrived at the city of Jamar. Pug and Laurie watched the passing traffic while Hokanu made his offerings at the temple.The Tsurani seem to be fascinated by color.Here even lowly workers are sharply dressed.Those rich people are even more gorgeously dressed, with intricate patterns embroidered on their clothes.Only slaves wore ordinary clothes. Farmers, merchants, workers, travelers can be seen everywhere in the city.Nidramon pulled the fully loaded truck and walked slowly in a file on the street.Pug and Laurie were quickly submerged in the crowd, and the Tsurani were running like ants on a hot pot. The huge business machine of the empire never let them idle for a moment.Many passers-by would stop and look at them. In the eyes of these people, they were just thick and tall barbarians.They were both over five foot six, except that Pug seemed taller, at least five foot eight.In fact, in the eyes of the Mekemians, the Tsurani are really short. Pug and Laurie looked around.They waited in the center of the city, where many temples stood.In the middle of the continuous park stands ten pagodas of different shapes.The tower is covered with flat and bright murals.Looking around them, they could see three parks.Every park can climb up the stairs, and several small rivers and waterfalls flow in it.Various trees dot the lawns of the park.Wandering musicians played exotic tunes on flutes and strange orchestral instruments, entertaining those resting in the parks and passers-by. Laurie listened intently. "Listen to those semitones! And those diminutives!" He lowered his head and sighed, with a depressed expression on his face. "It's not from home, but it's music anyway." He looked at Pug, and his humorous voice was gone. "If only I had another chance to play." He glanced at the musicians in the distance. "Then I'll be able to meditate on Tsurani music." Pug left the brooding Laurie and walked away. Pug looked around the busy square, trying to sort out a feeling that had been looming since he entered the city.Everyone here is busy with their own business.Not far from the temple complex is the market they passed just now, which is no different from those in the cities of their kingdom, only slightly larger.The sound of bargaining between vendors and buyers, the smell and the atmosphere reminded him of his hometown unconsciously. As Hokanu's entourage passed, the commoners stepped aside as the guards at the head of the procession yelled "Sinzawai! Simzawai!" to let everyone know that a nobleman was coming.Soon the procession entered the city; a company of men in red armor, and cloaks flecked with red feathers.One of them, whom Pug thought was the High Priest, wore a wooden mask that looked like a red skull, while the others just had their faces painted red.They played their flutes, and passers-by made way for them.一名士兵在一旁担当守卫，很快帕格就看出来他们都是图拉卡姆的牧师（priests of Turakamu），一名噬心者，死亡女神丝碧（goddess Sibi）的兄弟。 帕格转向身边的一位守卫，征求说话的许可。 守卫点头同意，帕格问道。“大人，那位神明居住在这里？”他指着霍卡努去献贡的那座寺庙。 “真是无知的野蛮人，”士兵友好的回应道，“神明那会真的居于这些大堂之上，他们全都在上位或下位的天界。” 这寺庙只是让人来朝拜的地方。我们领主的儿子来这里是向居于上位天界的医疗之神乔乔坎（Chochocan）和他的仆从正义之神陶玛恰卡（Tomachaca）献贡和请愿的，祈求他们能够保佑辛萨崴” 当霍卡努回来后，他们再次上路。在队伍穿越城市时，帕格继续观察着从身边经过的人流。道路难以置信的拥挤，帕格真惊讶他们是如何从容自如的应付它的。第一次在城市里看见了农夫，嘉玛城的奇景让帕格和劳瑞都惊呆了。那位游历甚广的游吟诗人看这看那大惊小怪地叫着。那些守卫则咯咯地笑着这两个对所见一切都感到兴奋不已的野蛮人。 他们身旁的房屋主要以木材和一种单薄却很坚硬半透明材料为主。只有少数一部分，如寺庙，是用石材砌成的，但最引人注目的却无论是他们经过的民房，或是寺庙乃至工棚都被刷成白色，只有那些梁条和门框被打磨成棕色。每块墙面上都粉饰着艳丽的壁画。动物，山水风景，神明或是战场都跃然于墙上。遍及每处的颜色让人眼花缭乱。 在到达寺庙群的北边，穿过一座公园后一条宽广的林荫大道出现在眼前，边上矗立着一栋建筑物，四周是一大片带有围栏的草坪。两名与车队守卫一样的全副武装的卫兵站在门前。他们冲走上前去的霍卡努敬了个礼。 他们身边的守卫一声不响的朝房子的一边行进，留下了奴隶和年轻的军官。他做了个手势，其中一名守卫推开了覆盖着大片织锦的门。他们走进一条宽敞笔直的走廊，两边有不少房门。霍卡努领着他们走向最后一扇门，一名家奴已经为他们开了门。 帕格和劳瑞发现整栋建筑成四方形，在它的中央是一个花园，延伸到建筑的每一边。在一座水池旁边坐了位老者，他穿着一件朴素却又不失尊贵的深蓝色袍子。他正看着一副画卷。当三人走近时他抬起头向霍卡努致意。 年轻人摘去头盔笔直的站着。帕格和劳瑞靠后站着一言不发。老者点了点头，霍卡努走上前去。他俩拥抱在一起，老者开口说道，“我儿，真高兴又见到你了。工营的情况如何？” 霍卡努简要而如实的作着汇报。然后又描绘了那里的境况。“新的工头会让那些奴隶得到充足的食物和休息。他很快就会使那里提高产量的。” 他的父亲点了点头。“我认为你做的很明智，我儿。过几个月我们再派人去检查一下进度，最好事情不要变得比这次还坏。大将军（Warlord）一直要求提高产量，不然我们就有麻烦了。” 他似乎一开始就注意到了随同而来的奴隶。“这些是？”他指着帕格和劳瑞说道。 “他们与众不同哦。在我兄弟去北方的前一晚我思量过我们的谈话。他们会很有用的。” “你有向任何人提过我们的谈话吗？”几条刚毅的皱纹在他那双灰色的瞳孔边隐约可见。这一刻让帕格不自觉地想到了博瑞克公爵（Lord Borric）。 “没有，父亲。那次晚上只不过是议会有事-” 一家之主摇摇手打断了他的话。“留着你的话以后说吧。'要相信城市里没私秘可言。'通知斯泰穆（Septiem）。明天早上我们动身去庄园。” 霍卡努微微鞠身，随后转身离去。“霍卡努。”父亲的声音让他又停了下来。“你做的很好。”他的脸上露出一丝自豪的神色，年轻人径直走出花园。 一家之主再次坐回小喷泉旁边的石凳上，随后打量着两名奴隶。“怎么称呼你们啊？” “帕格，主人。” “劳瑞，主人。” 他似乎能从这些小事看破他们。“穿过那扇门，”他说着向左边指去，”从那儿可以通到厨房。斯泰穆是我的助理。他会照料你们的。现在就去吧。 他们鞠躬然后离开花园。就在穿过正屋时，帕格差点将一名从角落窜出来的女孩撞倒。她一身奴隶的装扮，拎着一大包洗刷好的衣物。只是这会儿那包衣物已经掉落在走廊上了。 “噢！”她大叫道。“我刚刚才将它们洗干净。这下又要重新来过了。”帕格立马去帮她捡了起来。在簇朗尼人中她能算高个子了，差不多和帕格一样高，而且身材匀称。她将褐色的头发盘在脑后，又长又黑的睫毛修饰在她棕色的眼睛周围。帕格不知不觉停下了手中的动作转而注视起她。在他的目光下她显得踌躇起来，她捡起剩下的衣物匆忙地走开了。 劳瑞拍了拍帕格的肩膀。“哈！我一直叫你走路要小心。” 他俩走出正屋来到厨房，食物热腾的香味激起了他俩的食欲。“我看你对刚才那个姑娘印象不错啊，帕格。” 帕格对女孩子从来就没什么经验，他不禁感到两耳发烧。在奴隶营时大家谈得最多的就是女人，也只有这个让他觉得自己还是个大男孩。他看了看劳瑞想确定他是否在开玩笑，却发现这个金发歌手朝他身后看着。他随着劳瑞的目光看去却瞥见一张羞涩的笑脸从房子的窗后移开。 翌日，辛萨崴家族的人忙碌了起来。奴隶和仆人们为北进的旅程忙碌准备着。帕格和劳瑞却得闲的待在一边，因为没人能腾出空闲为他俩安排工作。他俩坐在树阴下，看着眼前忙碌的景象享受着清闲的时光。 “这群人真疯狂，帕格。我很少看见有这样为旅行做准备的。看来他们是想把所有的东西都带走。” “说不定他们会的。我不会再对这些人感到惊讶了。”帕格站着靠在树干上。“我已经看到不少不合常理的事情了。” “你说得不错。只是当你和我一样到过许多不同的地方之后，你就会知道它们越是不同，就越有相似之处。” "what do you mean?" 劳瑞起身靠在另一颗树上，低声说道，“我不能确定，但是他们正在筹措某些事情，而我们也参与其中，这一点可以确定。只要我们保持警觉，那我们就能将其转为我们的优势。记住只要有人有求于你，那你就有机会作交易，无论你们之间的立场看上去有何不同。” “当然了。给他想要的东西，那他就会给你自由。” “真是个愤世嫉俗的年轻人，”劳瑞两眼泛着笑意回应道。“告诉你吧。你在一个像我这么老道的旅行家面前摆出了一种厌世的姿态，我该告诉你可不要这唯一的机会。” 帕格不屑地说道。“什么机会啊？” “很好，就一件事情，”劳瑞说着指向帕格身后，“昨天差点被你撞倒的那个小姑娘正对几个箱子一筹莫展呢。”帕格向后看了一眼，发现那个洗衣服的女孩正努力堆着几个要搬上车的箱子。“我想她会很乐意让人帮他一下的，你看呢？” 帕格一脸疑惑的样子。“什么啊……？” 劳瑞轻轻推了他一把。“快去啊，呆子。现在去帮她一下，至于以后吗……鬼才知道？” 帕格困惑的问道。“以后？” “神啊！”劳瑞大笑起来，冲帕格的屁股上踢了一脚。 游吟诗人的幽默感染了帕格，他笑着走进女孩。她这会儿正努力的要把一个大木箱子垒到另一个箱子上。帕格从她手上接过箱子。“给我，让我来吧。” 她退后一步有点不悦地说道。“它一点也不重。对我来说只是高了一点。”她环顾四周唯独不看帕格。 帕格轻松地举起箱子将它放在另外的箱子上，一点也不在意自己那只受伤的手。“你这么样，”他假装不经意地问道。 女孩将垂在眼前的发束拂到脑后。“你是个野蛮人，对吗？”她犹豫地问道。 帕格猛地后退一步。“你就这样称呼我们。我觉得我与这里的人一样文明。” 她的脸顿时红了起来。“我没有恶意的。我们也被人家称作野蛮人。只要不是簇朗尼人都会被这样称呼。我想你是来自另外一个世界的人。” 帕格点头道。 "What's your name?" 她说道，“卡塔拉（Katala），”很快又反问道，“那你呢？” “帕格。” she laughed. “真是个奇怪的名字。帕格。”她似乎喜欢这音调。 这时候助理斯泰穆朝房子走来，他是位老而精干的退休将军。“你们两个！”他叫道。“快去工作！别傻站在那儿。” 卡塔拉急忙奔回屋子，帕格则犹豫地站在这身着黄袍的助理面前。“你！叫什么名字？” “帕格，先生。” “我看你和你那位金发的大朋友没什么事情可做啊。我得给你们些任务才行。叫他过来。” 帕格轻叹一声。看来他们休息得够久了。他挥挥手示意劳瑞过来，然后两人开始了装车的工作。