Chapter 935: Chapter 143 - Perfecting The Plan (1)
Patricia laid everything out in front of us about the Slave Market. What struck me was that even though she had only been rescued three days ago, she already had the strength, or maybe the willpower, to take charge and start laying the foundation for the plan. She even managed to organize the details about the guards within the market.
Her voice was a little rough, and you could see she was still recovering, but there was this determination in her eyes that burned stronger than her weakness.
"If I don’t tell this now, more and more days will just slip by... and with every single day that passes, our people will continue to suffer. I can’t let that happen. So I have to say this now," she said, her tone wavering between exhaustion and resolve.
I guess I could understand her reasoning. Even though she hadn’t really recovered fully, and even though speaking itself still seemed difficult for her with her voice literally cracking slightly as she was speaking—she forced herself to keep going. She was pushing her body and her mind to their limits just so we could perfect this plan from the ground up.
The plans we had made before we went to the Empire with the others were more like rough sketches... or just outlines created in the beginning without considering the other details or problems that might show up. But what we were doing right now, together with her guidance, was different. Right now, we were filling in the gaps and making the plan solid, something that could actually succeed and guarantee our success.
"The guards are stationed on every single level of the market," Patricia started, her words coming slowly but steadily. "The first level is where the humans are. Usually, you’ll see about ten to twenty guards there, constantly patrolling and keeping watch."
I remembered that myself, and yeah, ten to twenty guards matched exactly what I had seen.
She went on. "The second level is where the demi-humans are kept, but only the weaker kinds. Beast people who aren’t predators or the ones who aren’t too dangerous."
So that meant beast people without fangs or claws. Those who didn’t pose much of a threat.
"There are about fifty to seventy guards there," she explained before pausing briefly to catch her breath. "Then, on the third level, where the higher-level demi-humans are placed, you’ll find at least a hundred guards, probably more. They’re well-equipped too with them having full armor and plenty of weapons. The deeper you go into the market, the tighter the security gets. Mostly, elves are kept there. But sometimes, there are elves who can’t be properly contained because of their high-level magic, so they get transferred to the last level—the fifth one. Though honestly, I doubt there are any elves left there now. They were either sold already... or killed for resisting."
Her words hung heavy in the air.
"And finally, the fifth level," she continued, her tone turning darker, "that’s where those who can’t be contained at all are locked up... the ones considered far too dangerous. Around a hundred soldiers guard it at all times, and the level of security there isn’t something that can be easily breached. The cages aren’t simple bars either. They’re huge metallic doors like they were built to withstand anything."
She didn’t stumble once while explaining all of this. Every detail she gave matched what I had already seen with my own eyes. But she also had some information I didn’t know.
"There’s also a guard there," she added, her voice dropping almost to a whisper. "She’s more like a monster than a human. They say she can split a person in two, rip them apart with her bare hands. At night... you can even hear her moaning in anger."
The thought made a chill crawl down my spine. Something like that, as a guard?
Well, I guess it was only natural for the defenses to be so extreme at that level. Still, I never would’ve imagined there’d be someone like that in place. I mean, I didn’t see her myself when I went there.
After laying out the numbers, Patricia didn’t stop there. She even gave us directions, telling us where the elves were likely kept and the best ways to move through the place. She explained how we could invade without alerting the guards right away, buying us time before they even realized what was happening.
Her strategy made sense. Entering from the roof. It wasn’t just clever. Well, it was exactly the kind of move that would catch them completely off guard. They wouldn’t be able to prepare properly for an attack from above. And honestly, while I wasn’t too worried about myself in terms of sheer fighting power, having a strategy like this, one so well thought out, was reassuring. A plan with a success rate close to 100%? Of course we’d go with it.
With her guidance, our plan for invading the Slave Market was finally solid, or at least, it was beginning to have a soul. It wasn’t just some idea anymore and it was ready to be executed, in the most efficient way possible.
As for the other matter, about Su... or I guess Han, I still didn’t have any idea what was really happening with her.
From what I noticed, after I talked with Han last time, it seemed like Su had taken over not long after.
Su and Han. Two different beings, but in the same body. Han herself claimed they were separate, which reminded me of what I was told—that my own body was a vessel for Lilith. That if I fulfilled all her requirements for her revival, she would return.
But if she did revive, what then? Would my soul be thrown out with her soul replacing this body? Or would it be more like Su and Han’s situation with us being two separate beings in one body?
I didn’t know the answer. I guess I’d have to ask when I got the chance to talk to her again. That would happen after I conquered Artemis. With Artemis, the number of women conquered would reach ten, and with that, I’d be allowed another conversation with Lilith.
Right now, though, I had to focus. This mission had to be finished properly. Its success wasn’t just important because it was tied directly to conquering Artemis. That alone made it something I couldn’t afford to fail.
All those thoughts ran through my head while I sat there across from Su, who was quietly eating her breakfast. The clinking of her spoon against the plate was the only sound filling the silence between us.