Su Qing, however, noticed something.
All his fellow prisoners in the cart.
They were staring at the basin in the guard's hands with intense greed.
It was especially obvious in their eyes.
When the man set the basin down, even the two small children beside him pounced on it like mad.
There were ten people in the cart, including Su Qing, but only a single small wooden basin of congee—and it was made with unhusked millet at that.
Su Qing couldn't be bothered to fight for it, even though he was also very hungry.
As he watched the other nine people quickly fight over and finish the basin of congee, Su Qing leaned to one side. He saw the guard who had brought it over smirk with disdain.
'Another little brat who doesn't get it.'
The guard was full of scorn. After shutting the cage door, he draped the black cloth back over it.
...
Su Qing was also extremely hungry, but luckily he had the help of his Chaotic Life Body.
It could absorb external Energy to restore his body.
So, even if he was hungry or thirsty, it wasn't a big problem.
He just had to endure it.
Unfortunately, this Talent didn't give Su Qing strength; at most, it gave him adaptability.
Enduring the hunger.
Su Qing groggily fell asleep.
Gradually, Su Qing fell into a deep sleep.
He slept for a whole day.
...
THUD!
Su Qing was thrown onto the ground.
"I thought this kid was dead. Didn't expect him to just sleep the whole time. He sure can take being hungry."
Su Qing woke up.
He opened his eyes to see a man with sharp features and shrewd eyes. He was about five-foot-seven, but his overall demeanor was that of a sycophant. He wore simple cloth robes, but unlike most, they bore no patches or mended tears.
"Low-class Slave. His frame is too thin. What's the use of being able to go hungry if he has no strength?"
"One Hundred Copper Coins."
The man said after looking Su Qing over for a moment.
"Deal."
The man calling him a low-class person was one of the guards from the cart.
The transaction took place right in front of Su Qing, but he was utterly helpless to do anything about it.
He was just too thin and weak right now.
'I have the Synthesizer, but I can't reveal it.' His current situation was miserable.
Su Qing had the 'honor' of being locked in a small cage, so small he couldn't even stretch out properly.
Still, it was better than being crammed into the large cage, which reeked of shit and piss.
Before long, a haughty-looking man in heavily patched clothes approached.
His condescending gaze truly irritated Su Qing, but Su Qing's face remained stiff and expressionless.
The man brought a bowl of congee and placed it outside Su Qing's cage.
"Kid, you'd better finish the congee, or you'll die."
"My master has no use for worthless baggage."
'Just another servant throwing his master's weight around.'
The man paid Su Qing no mind, looking at him as if he were livestock. He didn't bother with any malicious or disgusting acts.
Their social standings were simply too different.
Su Qing was far more inferior—a Low-class Slave waiting to be purchased.
Su Qing watched indifferently as the man walked away.
He reached out with his right hand, brought the watery congee to his lips, and drank. The faint feeling of a full stomach brought him a sliver of satisfaction.
'I've been starving for days. Finally, something to eat.'
The last couple of days felt like a fucking nightmare. One moment he was an ordinary farmer, the next, a prisoner.
And to top it off, he was constantly starving and parched.
For someone like Su Qing, who came from an age of abundance where food and shelter were guaranteed, this was a profound injustice.
'I still have to learn the language and writing system of this world.'
'The spoken language is different, and so is the writing.'
'But more importantly, how do I get out of this predicament?'
'First, I need to get bought. Then, while I'm working, I can try to use the Synthesizer more.'
'I'll watch the Level increase and try to get some Mutated items to appear.'
...
"No, no. This one isn't sturdy enough. He can't work the fields."
"What damn good is it if he can go hungry?"
A simple-looking farmer said to the slave trader, looking at Su Qing with disgust.
After this happened a few times, Su Qing, who had thought he was about to be sold, felt a pang of disappointment.
"One Hundred Copper Coins! That's my final price! Just take another look!"
The slave trader tried to persuade him, but the farmer left anyway.
He shot Su Qing a furious, frustrated glare and spat on him. "Ptooey! You worthless piece of shit!"
During those bleak and dismal days, Su Qing nearly shut down his heart completely.
'But a fire burned in his heart. 'Don't you dare let me grow. Don't you dare let me get stronger!''
'Or else...'
Su Qing's resentment didn't show on his face. He remained as expressionless as a Puppet.
This scene repeated a few more times.
Su Qing grew numb.
'This is just a County City, and still no one wants to buy me.'
'Su Qing had to hand it to himself—when his luck was bad, it was really, really bad.'
「Three days later.」
...
The wheels rumbled over the uneven dirt road.
Su Qing was not dead yet.
He'd heard the slave trader was taking him to the County City.
There were more people in the County City, so maybe someone would actually buy him.
Of course, Su Qing wasn't the only one being transported to the County City.
The group consisted mostly of women, with only a few men.
For the past few days, Su Qing had barely moved. He didn't even want to eat.
If he didn't eat, he wouldn't have to relieve himself where he sat, saving himself the discomfort.
He realized he had seemingly reached the stage of Fasting.
As long as his Chaotic Life Body was active, Su Qing had no fear of starving or dying of thirst.
Three days later, they arrived at the County City.
Su Qing didn't know the name of this County City, but he recognized his surroundings instantly—a slave market.
Su Qing was being inspected by a composed, middle-aged man.
"Lord Wang, this one's a natural at going hungry. He's a bit scrawny, but he'll be an excellent servant. What do you think?"
The slave trader's sycophantic expression was nauseating, but Su Qing had grown numb to it.
"Mm, he doesn't look bad. Where did you find him?"
"From over at Chuanshui Town."
"Oh?"
"Very well. I'll take him, along with the others I picked out earlier."
"Come, I still have a few more to choose."
Housekeeper Wang nodded. The slave trader was ecstatic. 'The kid in the cage is finally sold! Otherwise, I would've had to get rid of him. What a waste of food that would've been.'
'Su Qing breathed a sigh of relief. For the past two days, ever since arriving in the County City, the slave trader's gaze had been unsettling—it was completely devoid of emotion.'
'He was probably thinking of killing me.'
'I had even planned to escape tonight.'
'I didn't expect this. The risk is lower now. What's a few days of being a slave?'
'This is a County City, after all. I still want to get my hands on some Martial Arts here.'
'Otherwise, I'd have to go to another County City. How long would that take? And what if something happened on the road?'
'So it's better to stay here and assess the situation.'
A short while later, Su Qing's cage was opened.
The man who opened it was one of the ones who'd delivered his food. He said to Su Qing coldly, "Follow me."
Su Qing nodded.
Su Qing's simple nod seemed to displease the man slightly, but the man turned and walked on, apparently to follow Lord Wang's steps.
In no time at all,
Su Qing's ankle was tied with a rope,
...connecting him to a line of more than twenty others.
They were led out of the market and straight to the side gate of a wealthy estate.
Su Qing and the twenty-odd other silent slaves were led into the estate's courtyard.
It was immense, the ground paved with gray flagstones. Many of the other new slaves, just like Su Qing, looked around cautiously.
Su Qing stood in the vast courtyard.
He noticed several richly dressed young scions of the family practicing Martial Arts.
Su Qing stared intently. 'That's Martial Arts!'