The sky of the Sea of Death was always gray. The only thing that could be seen clearly was the blood moon in the sky. It was like the scythe of the God of the Underworld, waving with a terrifying aura. The black ocean seemed to exist in a deathly stillness. It was difficult to see any living creatures. The seawater flowed slowly, emitting a rotting smell like a corpse.
The air was filled with the smell of sulfur from the eruption of the Nine Nether Abyss Demon Fire. Mixed with this rotten smell, it became more and more pungent. Other than the Flame Bird, Bone Corroding Fish, and a few other creatures, there probably weren't many creatures that liked this area.
The harsh living environment, the powerful magical beasts, and the unpredictable weather had turned this place into a forbidden zone for life.
In the center of the Deadmire, there was a place that was shrouded in thick fog all year round.
This was Purgatory Island.
The island had dense forests, and all kinds of ferocious wild beasts lived here, letting out terrifying strange cries. Occasionally, some lost merchant ships would pass by this place, and they would always hear the mournful howls, as if they were the sad songs of the vengeful souls of life.
Privately, people called it Howling Island or Nightmare Island.
About twenty years ago, after King Strick officially declared the Sea of Death as a forbidden zone for humans, the legends about Nightmare Island never stopped. Some said that the top magical beasts of the Windy Continent were imprisoned there, while others said that the hundred-year-old treasures of the Lance Kingdom were buried there. The last theory was the most ridiculous. Some even said that it was the last residence of the famous Great Alchemist, Elektra, three hundred years ago, and that all his shocking alchemy inventions were buried there.
Legends were always legends. Reality was not necessarily pleasant. On the contrary, it might be quite cruel.
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The three-masted galleon Freedom was braving the wind and waves in the Sea of Death.
Like all the boys, Gong Hao curled up in the small and dark cabin. The turbid air almost suffocated him.
Three days ago, Gong Hao's memory was still stuck in the chemistry laboratory. As his mentor's right-hand man, he was preparing all the necessary materials for his mentor's experiment. The most hateful thing was the new female assistant. Other than being flirtatious, she had no other strengths. It was said that she relied on her family background to sneak into the university's advanced laboratory. She was just trying to gain experience and the reputation of a mentor.
Damn it, so what if you're just fooling around? Why do you know nothing but fiddle around? Now, the laboratory had exploded and everyone was dead. It was really harming others and themselves!
Everything that happened next began to flow smoothly.
He found himself a boy named Shuiglaire, living in a strange world and taking over all his memories.
Schuiglaire was originally a servant of Baron Harden's family in Southville Town.
The Harden Family had a history of 120 years in the Lance Empire. Old Harden was once the Minister of Rites of the Lance Empire, and he was given the title of Earl.
However, after 120 years of history, the Harden family gradually lost its former glory and became a declining noble family. The Harden family had not produced any geniuses in the past twenty years, and it did not help the family's status. Gavin Harden, the only one who had some potential, was once the secretary of Lord Nozgen. Not long after that, he was framed because he married a beautiful girl who was slandered by everyone in Notts. In the end, he could only bring his family back to the Harden family's hometown, Southville.
Shuiglaire was an orphan who had been adopted by his aunt. Three years ago, his aunt thought that Hughie was qualified enough to live on his own outside, so she sold him to Baron Gavin for 20 Goldvitts. The contract was for three years.
Twenty Kinvets was not cheap. Even Baron Harden felt a little heartache when he paid for the money. However, Shuiglaire's handsome appearance was too much for him to bear. The baron's beautiful wife took a fancy to the boy at first glance and insisted on buying him.
Seven days ago, Xiu Yi's contract had expired. The baroness had hoped to continue hiring Xiu Yi as her son's playmate, but in the end, his aunt had offered a price of 40 Gold Witts. This price was not something that the baron, whose financial situation was getting worse by the day, could accept, so his aunt put Hughie on the market until the warrior in golden armor bought him at a high price.
It was also at that time that Gong Hao's soul possessed the boy named Xiu Yi. He helplessly found that he and all the boys had been stuffed into the cabin like pigs and had been floating on the sea for two days.
Parasitism? Or did he miss out on a bowl of Meng Po's soup when he entered Samsara? Or was Gong Hao's existence just a childish imagination of the little boy, Shuiglaire? Or was everything at this moment just a dream of Gong Hao?
Some questions never had an answer.
There was a bowl of water in the bottom of the ship. Gong Hao carefully picked up the bowl of water. Through the ripples, he saw a handsome face like a porcelain doll. This boy named Xiu Yi had beautiful blond hair and a pair of eyes full of spirit. It was no wonder the baroness was so reluctant to part with him.
And now, this was his body.
"Hey, Xiu Yi." Finkle's voice rang in his ears.
Finkle, whose face was covered in freckles, was Hughie's only friend on the ship. They were all bought from the market in Southville. Then, he was brought to this ship. He did not know where he was going, nor did he know who his future master was.
"What is it? Finkle?" Gong Hao replied softly.
"It's the Sea of Death." Finkle whispered.
"What?" Gong Hao didn't understand.
" I said that we are now in the forbidden zone of humans, the Sea of Death," Finkle said with certainty. I smelled that stench, just like the smell of the undead.”
Gong Hao lowered his head and said nothing.
So what if it was the Sea of Death? He was a servant that had been bought, and every child on this ship was a servant. Even if they came to heaven, it would not change their fate.
The damned fate had thrown itself into this child's body, giving him eight more years of youth, but at the same time, taking away his freedom.
"Look at what you're saying, it's as if you've seen an undead before.”A boy next to him took over Finkle's topic and whispered.
"It stinks anyway." Finkle argued.
Her childish words echoed in Gong Hao's ears.
The sky outside the window was still gray, and the clouds were so low that they seemed to be within reach.
After sailing on the ship for so many days, there was no other sea area as terrifying and lifeless as the Sea of Death.
Was he going to live in such a place in the future?
It was simply a nightmare.
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Liberty finally reached the final destination of its course.
After breaking through that layer of fog, the Purgatory Island was already in sight.
From afar, a middle-aged man could be seen standing on the island. Beside him stood a puppet warrior made of mythril and other magical metals.
Behind the middle-aged man, there were about 20 youths. They looked no older than 14 years old, and the youngest was only eight or nine years old. Beside them were heavy iron boxes that were as tall as their bodies.
Behind them stood a group of puppet warriors.
The big ship slowly approached, and the sampan was lowered. Two people came down one after another. They were a mage with white hair and a black mage robe, and a warrior in golden armor.
"Welcome to Nightmare Island, Master Odoris. I didn't expect you to deliver the goods personally.”The middle-aged man laughed loudly as he went up to greet him.
The black-robed mage with white hair and beard waved his magic staff and said angrily,""There are too many things sent this time. There are too many materials that can't be preserved at room temperature. We have to increase the range of the array. There were not enough crystals in stock, so he could only use manpower to replace the crystals to ensure that the temperature barrier worked normally.”
Letting a black-robed Great Mage do something like delivering goods, no wonder his tone was filled with hostility.
However, the warrior in golden armor beside him smiled and said,""I hope Master Odoris didn't make a wasted trip.”
"Oh, Chackley, what are you saying? Look, 20 Puppet Warriors, 15 Flesh Puppets, 15 Undead Puppets, 15 Demon Spirits, as well as the potions, scrolls, weapons, and so on that you specified, all completed on schedule.”The middle-aged man pointed at the metal box and the puppet warriors behind him and immediately replied.
" These are just ordinary goods," Odoris said unhappily." They are not enough for a single battle. His Majesty wants the Giant Demon God."”
"Teacher has been working on this. Unfortunately, we can create the Giant Demon God, but we haven't solved the problem of control.”the middle-aged man answered regretfully.
Odoris snorted." It was like this twenty years ago, and it's still the same twenty years later. We've provided him with materials and help that are enough to support the needs of a small country, but he hasn't made any substantial progress.”
The golden-armored warrior beside him reminded him softly,""Master Heinz is already the best alchemist in the empire. There's no need for you to be so angry. Before the Giant Demon God began to develop it, Master Heinz had said that this might be his lifelong homework.”
"But for this research, we sent all the materials, books, and a large number of apprentices and servants of the empire here. Just this alone has delayed the development of the alchemists of the entire empire for an entire generation. If he still can't produce decent achievements, then the alchemy of the empire will really decline.”
"Actually…it has been declining for a long time.”The golden-armored warrior, Chakley, rubbed his nose and answered softly.
Odoris glared at him, but Chakly pretended not to see him. He handed a list to the middle-aged man and said,"These are the goods we need for next month.”
"No problem." The middle-aged man answered casually,"Anyway, as long as you have enough materials, we will provide you with as much as you want.”
" Alright," Odoris said." Unload the goods and load the junk onto the ship. I don't think I'll be able to wait until the day I load the Giant Demon God onto the ship."”
"If the Giant Demon God is successfully developed, it will never need to be shipped," the middle-aged man replied politely.”
Odoris glared at the middle-aged man but did not say anything.
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"Hey, Xiu Yi, it's time to get off the boat. We've arrived.”Finkle reminded him.
"Got it." Gong Hao replied lazily.
A group of youths walked down from the ship. There were a total of fifteen people.
The fifteen youths on the boat lined up in a row after arriving on the island, as if they were a troop waiting to be inspected. The inspector was the middle-aged man on the island.
Looking at this group of teenagers, the middle-aged man shouted loudly,"Alright, kids, welcome to Purgatory Island. This is the end of your lives. From now on, you will work here and live here. You must address me as Lord Andrew and follow my orders. Perhaps you have never worked before, but you must quickly adapt to your current life…Have any of you ever served a noble before?”
Finkle poked Gong Hao.
Gong Hao raised his hand helplessly.”
"What's your name? Where are you from?”
"Glaer, Shuiglaer, from Southville. I'm twelve years old this year. My aunt sold me here.”
"No parents?"
"He died when I was four."
"How did he die?"
"Black Plague."
"Ah!" The middle-aged man nodded." I've heard of it. Eight years ago, there was a rebellion among the dark Magi in the Notts. They used the plague as a weapon to rebel against the empire. Other than killing countless ordinary civilians, it had no effect. It seems that you are one of the victims.”
"Yes, sir."
"Call me Lord Andrew. Which noble have you served before?"
"Lord Andrew, I've been working as a handyman in Baron Harden's manor in Southville Town since I was nine years old. I know how to cook and I can read.”
"You can read?" Andrew's tone was full of surprise. Most of the servants who were sold here were children from poor families. They couldn't even afford to eat, so how could they have books to read?
"Yes, my lord. I can read because of the baroness 'kindness. She let me receive education with her young master so that the young master won't be too lonely.”
The middle-aged man, Andrew, glanced at Gong Hao and thought for a moment before saying,"You're lucky, kid, to have a good boss. But you don't have to expect to be taken care of here like the baroness. Because this was Nightmare Island. A pretty face was meaningless here.”
Then, he raised his head and shouted to all the youths,""I regret to tell you that I am a very strict man. I will not allow anyone to make mistakes or dare to resist my orders. If anyone dared to offend their superiors or did not do their job well, they would be severely punished!”
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