Chapter 140: Natasha

There were twelve mummies in the prison: ten males and two females.

The men and women were kept in separate cells, all of them immobilized within their rooms. Jia Zhengjin arrived at the prison and walked directly to the cell holding the two black-robed women.

"Snap!" He clicked his fingers, and a town guard immediately came over to open the door.

"Mmph! Mmph!" As soon as the door opened, the two women in black robes began to twist and struggle.

Jia Zhengjin walked over and reached out to untie the bindings in the mouth of the woman with the mole. "Hey! Tell me honestly, who exactly are you? What are you doing in the Majestic Empire? And what is the story behind those gold coins and gems?"

"Audacious thief! Release us this instant, or you will surely regret it! Mmph—" Before the black-robed woman could finish her sentence, Jia Zhengjin gagged her again.

"I ask a question, you answer it. Why all the useless chatter?" Jia Zhengjin glanced at her, turned around, and walked over to the other black-robed woman, reaching out to untie the rope in her mouth. "You answer my questions!"

"Respected sir," the woman on this side was clearly more articulate. Her voice was incredibly alluring, filled with a mature and sensual tone. "I am the wife of the Lord of Sea Dragon City, Duke Fellman. My full name is Natasha Belliot Lee Gulanchin Wiltdos..."

"What kind of ridiculous, long name is that?" Jia Zhengjin frowned.

"You may call me Natasha, sir!" the woman said softly. "Could you please release me first? A frail woman like me certainly couldn't escape."

Jia Zhengjin thought for a moment and immediately reached out to untie her bindings.

"Thank you, sir! May I ask what to call you?" Natasha stretched her limbs and asked gently.

"You can call me Dean," Jia Zhengjin replied.

"So it is Lord Dean!" Natasha bowed slightly in a curtsy. "Are you the master of this city?"

"That’s right," Jia Zhengjin nodded. "This is my territory."

"My apologies for the disrespect!" Natasha smiled and reached up, gently flipping back her hood to reveal a face of stunning, peerless beauty. Although she was not young, likely in her thirties, her skin was as fair and smooth as a young girl’s. Her eyes were large and round, her eyebrows long and slender, her eyelashes thick, her nose sharp and straight, and her lips glowed with a particularly seductive red luster. Her brown hair, coiled atop her head, gave her an air of exceptional elegance and nobility.

Jia Zhengjin was stunned for a moment, but he quickly returned to his senses. "Tell me, Natasha, as the wife of a dignified City Lord and a Duke’s woman, why are you dressed so strangely and traveling to the Majestic Empire? And what is the deal with all that money?"

"Lord Dean," Natasha said softly, "although my husband is the Lord of Sea Dragon City and holds the title of Duke, his territory is barren. Many crops cannot be grown there, and the citizens must travel to other cities to purchase daily necessities. To ensure the people of Sea Dragon City can live in peace and contentment without worrying about food and clothing, my husband has repeatedly petitioned King Hails for funds. However, the King has ignored these requests and even increased taxes. The city could no longer bear the burden, and many commoners, unable to endure it, began to flee. To change this situation, my husband tried everything he could. In order to help him, I had no choice but to leave Sea Dragon City and travel far to the Majestic Empire to conduct business."

"Business?" Jia Zhengjin laughed. "What kind of business earns you that much?"

"Trafficking elves," Natasha said, a trace of sorrow appearing on her face. "Selling captured, pitiful young elf maidens to the King and nobles of the Majestic Empire for high prices. Because this is an act strictly prohibited by all nations, we had to dress like this and take the most remote routes."

"So, in the end, it’s just human trafficking!" The smile vanished from Jia Zhengjin’s face. "For the sake of your own people, you can sell elf maidens?"

"Sigh..." Natasha gave a bitter smile. "What else can we do? Our Sea Dragon City is resource-poor; we have almost nothing to sell. We can’t just starve to death, can we? It is precisely because Sea Dragon City borders the Elf Mountains that, occasionally, ignorant young elves appear at the border. Elves are handsome and beautiful, with unparalleled grace. They are also skilled in archery—natural master marksmen. Although since the signing of the Armistice Treaty, all conflict, capture, and trade between humans and elves are strictly forbidden, in reality, it continues unabated in the shadows. Humans capture elves to sell to royalty and nobles, and elves capture humans to sell to the Orc Empire..."

"The Orc Empire?" Jia Zhengjin was puzzled. "Is the Orc Empire entirely populated by orcs?"

"Of course!" Natasha looked at Jia Zhengjin in confusion.

"Oh," Jia Zhengjin asked quickly, "I can understand why elves are sold to royalty and nobles for their pleasure because they are beautiful. But what do they buy humans for in the Orc Empire?"

"Men are used by the orcs as slaves, performing all kinds of grueling or even life-threatening labor," Natasha sighed. "As for women, they suffer the same fate as the elves, becoming tools for the orcs to vent their desires."

"This circle is truly messed up," Jia Zhengjin frowned.

"People who engage in this business are everywhere; it's impossible to stop," Natasha said. "I don't want to sell those poor elf maidens to the royal family and nobles to be abused. But the citizens of Sea Dragon City are waiting for me to bring back money to save their lives! How many poor families are on the verge of starving because they have nothing to eat? Thinking of the wails of my people, even if I know this goes against my conscience, I have no choice but to grit my teeth and do it! So, respected Lord Dean, please release us and return the gold coins to me so I can go back and save the people of Sea Dragon City!"

"How touching," Jia Zhengjin reached out as if to wipe away a tear, then, under Natasha's expectant gaze, spread his hands. "As if I’d believe you! I have confiscated the gold coins. I will write a letter to your City Lord later. If what you say is true, I will simply keep the coins and let you leave safely. If you are lying, then the City Lord of Sea Dragon City will just have to pay extra gold coins to ransom you! If he isn't willing to part with the money, then I'll have no choice but to kill the hostages!"

"Lord Dean, you don't look like a man who acts like a bandit," Natasha said softly.

"Just as you don't look like someone who traffics people," Jia Zhengjin shrugged. "I only prey on thieves, yet you delivered yourselves right to my door for me to prey upon!"

"Lord Dean, inciting a dispute between two nations is not a wise move," Natasha urged. "I have just concluded a deal with the King of the Majestic Empire, and we share a bit of friendship!"

"That is truly unfortunate," Jia Zhengjin laughed. "I am not good friends with the King of the Majestic Empire; in fact, I suspect we might be at war quite soon!"