Chapter 123: The Breeding Ground of Sin

Beneath the star-dusted sky, the pyramid altar, stripped of its decorative gems, stood bathed in artificial light, yet it appeared as unsightly as a plucked, hairless pig.

Beside the altar, overgrown with weeds, stood rows of wooden cages—neatly arranged, packed tightly together, and reaching just above a person’s waist. These were not meant for animals or offerings, but held pale, trembling human bodies.

"This is it!" Uji whispered from the shadows nearby. "This is our tribe's breeding ground."

Although Uji had briefed him, seeing the reality—the masses of women confined in these cramped cages—was difficult for someone from a civilized society to stomach. Where had they sourced so many women? The thought sent a chill down Chen Cao’s spine. He stared at the rows of cages, realizing that Calissa, with her natural mixed-race beauty, was in a precarious position. According to Uji, these were the wives and daughters of punished tribesmen or captives from neighboring tribes. Uji had claimed to have snuck in to visit her; regardless of the circumstances, Chen Cao knew he had to rescue her. Though they hadn't known each other long and her father’s actions were contemptible, Calissa was innocent. Her courage in venturing deep into the jungle to find her mother and avenge her father was worthy of respect—a spirit not every girl possessed.

As Chen Cao’s thoughts raced, his eyes remained vigilant, scanning the patrolling tribal soldiers. It was the altar; patrols remained dense, but as the night deepened, he noticed the vigilance waning. After all, even the tribesmen were human and prone to fatigue.

Chen Cao lowered his head and nudged Hua Fo, who was waiting in readiness beside him. "What’s your plan?"

Hua Fo glanced sideways. "Don't forget our goal: help this little savage kid take out his enemy, the warrior, and then we’re square. To be honest, if you hadn't promised me the other half of the gems, I wouldn't be in this godforsaken place. This is the most heavily guarded area; we could easily end up buried here alongside our treasures." He lowered his head further, clearly wary of the tribesmen.

Uji looked at Chen Cao. "My matter is not urgent. Sangra is cunning; though he is a warrior, he is only responsible for the outer perimeter. Rescuing Calissa is vital—I cannot let her suffer the same fate as my mother..." His voice choked with grief as he spoke of the past.

Chen Cao patted Uji’s back in comfort. He hated that Uji had betrayed him, but he understood that in a society governed by primal instinct, one sometimes had no choice.

As Chen Cao plotted the rescue, a figure emerged from the two-story, pyramid-shaped altar. He stood hunched, hands held high above his head, then straightened his chest and marched toward the breeding ground. Several dwarf blade-wielders followed closely behind, moving directly toward where Chen Cao and the others were hiding.

Chen Cao’s heart tightened. He pressed Uji down and slid his dagger into his hand, ready to strike. Hua Fo had already vanished into the thick grass, aiming his weapon at the tribesmen, his gun set to burst fire.

*Click-clack...* The sound of footsteps on the stony path hammered against Chen Cao’s eardrums, each step striking his heart. The slightest movement would reveal them to the dwarf blade-wielders. Taking them out would be easy, but it would expose their position and attract a horde of tribal soldiers. If that happened, even with his heavy "Flame Overlord" weapon and wings, escape would be impossible.

The tribesman was clearly a warrior, marked by a strange beast totem tattooed on his shoulder. He was corpulent, his fat shaking with every step. The dwarf blade-wielders followed respectfully, occasionally offering him a gourd of wine.

The fat warrior belched, humming to himself. As he passed, Chen Cao smelled a nauseating, raw stench emanating from him. Fortunately, the group quickly moved on toward the cages. Chen Cao realized their destination.

Hua Fo let out a breath and lowered his gun. "They’re heading to the breeding ground. Let’s take this chance and get out of here!"

Chen Cao frowned. "No, I haven't found the person I’m looking for."

Hua Fo curled his lip. "That’s too dangerous. I won't risk my life for you. How about I just give the gems back?"

Chen Cao didn't offer to negotiate. "I don't mind. I can handle it alone anyway."

Hearing this, Hua Fo didn't reach for the gems. Instead, his expression softened. "You’re my partner; how could I abandon you? But I’m only giving you three minutes. It’s late—we need to get out of here safely!"

Chen Cao didn't reply, his gaze fixed on the tribesmen. He knew that when a man had risked everything for wealth, his words were hollow; Hua Fo would never surrender the gems already in his possession.

The fat warrior reached the cages, stuffed something into his mouth, and glared at the dwarf blade-wielders. One of them hurriedly offered the wine gourd. The warrior took it, cursed at them in the tribal tongue, kicked the dwarf, and guzzled the wine. In the moonlight, Chen Cao saw the warrior’s eyes ignite with a raw, primal hunger.

The dwarfs, clearly terrified, retreated to a short distance with their blades. The fat warrior scratched the coarse hair on his chest and stepped into the maze of cages. He kicked and poked until he stopped before one. His desire was nakedly apparent. He waved his hand, and the dwarfs ran forward, opening the lid and dragging out a woman in rags. Her eyes were vacant, her golden hair matted with weeds. She had clearly lost the will to resist, going limp as they dragged her toward a stone slab. When they threw her down, a strange, eerie smile lingered on her face, chilling to behold in the dead of night.

The dwarfs set aside their long blades and pressed the golden-haired woman onto the stone slab. Under the moonlight, she lay exposed, offering no resistance, still wearing that unsettling smile as she stared into the weeds.

The fat warrior was clearly pleased. His loincloth bulged; he shoved it aside, lunged forward, and began his assault, emitting low, excited grunts.

Chen Cao signaled for Hua Fo to provide cover and began to move forward. He felt a wave of relief—thankfully, the warrior hadn't chosen the cage next to this one, which Uji had identified as Calissa’s.

As Chen Cao crept into the grass beside the stone slab, he saw the dwarf blade-wielders trembling, their own loincloths bulging with arousal. Chen Cao frowned, plucked a handful of dirt, molded it into a ball, and threw it at the fat warrior’s head.

The warrior, drenched in sweat, felt the impact. He touched his forehead, found it covered in mud and sweat, and flew into a rage. He stopped, noticing the dwarfs staring blankly at the woman’s pale skin. In the tribe, low-level dwarfs were forbidden from partaking in the "sacred" act of procreation. The warrior roared, grabbed a thumb-thick tree branch, and began lashing out at the dwarfs.

One dwarf was struck, yet he simply stood there, staring blankly at the warrior, seemingly unable to comprehend or unwilling to retaliate. A second dwarf was whipped, yet he did not dodge, nor did he fight back, even as he was beaten until blood streamed down his head.