Chapter 59: Slave Warehouse

Locke left Lijin Secret Language with nine hundred Magic Stones in his possession.

Synthesizing one pot of level-4 Mandala Vine required twenty-seven pots of Mandala Vines and a total of eighteen hours to produce one pot of Super Mandrake Vine.

Even working at maximum capacity, he could only synthesize about forty pots of Super Mandrake Vines per month, yielding roughly twelve hundred Magic Stones.

This was a relatively decent income, considering that the forced entry contract loan for a Wizard Seedling entering Lilith's Cottage was only one thousand Magic Stones.

As Locke walked down the street with two Gray Dwarves in tow, he suddenly realized he didn't need to rely solely on this laborious method of synthesizing level-4 Mandala Vines to sell to Lijin Secret Language.

This approach consumed both the time he needed for synthesizing various gemstones and the time he originally allocated for experimenting with new synthesis formulas through miscellaneous items.

As a Breeder Assistant, he could adopt a far more cost-effective method—cultivation.

"By purchasing a few useful slaves and renting some farmland, I could establish my own botanical garden," Locke pondered. "As a Breeder Assistant, I certainly have the qualifications for this."

"Fortunately, I already possess the relevant knowledge."

"Each Mandala Vine can produce at least seven offshoots annually and is capable of propagation through cuttings."

"Moreover, a single parent Mandala Vine can reproduce up to seven generations of offspring. By the sixth generation, the vines retain only 80% of the parent's magical energy, dropping to just 30% by the seventh generation."

Memories of Sophia's teachings surfaced in Locke's mind one after another.

Locke continued his calculations: "Therefore, one Mandala Vine can only propagate through cuttings for five generations, totaling thirty-five vines."

"Ordinary wizard apprentices would struggle to achieve successful propagation through cuttings, but as a Breeder Assistant, I can ensure complete survival rates for these basic magic vines."

"Meaning, one Super Mandrake Vine can produce seven Mandala Vines annually through cuttings."

Locke also considered that Mandala Vines bear fruit once per year, yielding two to three seeds each time.

These seeds could reliably produce about five generations before showing signs of magical energy depletion and subsequent degeneration by the sixth generation.

In other words, one Super Mandrake Vine could also produce some seeds each year with relatively high survival rates.

With his current cultivation skills, just one Super Mandrake Vine could yield about ten offspring annually.

Moreover, once planted, these could be harvested for five consecutive years.

After some quick calculations, Locke realized that to maintain his monthly supply of forty pots of Super Mandrake Vines to Lijin Secret Language through cultivation, he'd need to plant at least fifty Super Mandrake Vines.

Factoring in seed reserves and other considerations, planting around sixty would be ideal.

This would require approximately five acres of land—precisely the maximum capacity his abilities as a Breeder Assistant could manage.

"Growing Mandala Vines can improve my true proficiency in breeding studies and also serve as an experiment in the subfield of life magic botany," Locke contemplated. "It won't interfere with my studies; in fact, the practical application might even enhance my learning."

"Moreover, only by doing this can I introduce new hybrid plants in the future without arousing suspicion from others."

"This way, I can safely earn Magic Stones."

Locke calculated the approximate costs of this cultivation method. The average cost per Super Mandrake Vine would be about 5 Magic Stones per plant.

After all, he needed to purchase farmland rich in earth elemental particles, special nutrient soil, high-quality Growth Element Gel, and some basic potions to increase plant survival rates.

Locke was secretly startled—he hadn't even factored in the cost of himself as a Breeder Assistant yet.

If he were to hire a Breeder Assistant, that would mean additional monthly expenses of quite a few Magic Stones.

The cost of Mandala Vines would rise even further.

Yet Mandala Vines themselves were practically unsellable now—even at 5 Magic Stones per plant, there might be no buyers.

No wonder these vines had been completely replaced by Tiff Loron Vines.

Nowadays, only breeders cultivating Tiff Loron Vines could make a profit.

But his Super Mandrake Vines could yield 30 Magic Stones per plant. If he could keep costs down to 5 Magic Stones, that would mean a net profit of 25 Magic Stones per plant.

Exactly 1,000 Magic Stones per month.

This was an exceptionally profitable magical plant indeed.

Locke thought, "Since I'm already a Breeder Assistant, I won't need to spend extra on hiring help. Conducting breeding experiments myself will serve as practical experience and improvement—pure profit for me. My monthly expenditure would only be about two hundred Magic Stones."

"Absolutely worth doing."

"I could indeed try establishing a small-scale plantation."

In Lilith's Cottage, a Breeder Assistant held status equivalent to a First Class Wizard Apprentice, so Locke did have the right to establish his own plantation.

The higher-ups at Lilith's Cottage would most likely approve his request to cultivate a small botanical garden near his Wizard Mentor's laboratory (those wooden cabins).

With this in mind, Locke headed toward the Slave Warehouse in Chimera Market. To establish a plantation, he would need many laboring slaves.

Gray Dwarves, with their impaired intellect, couldn't handle complex tasks and thus weren't suitable.

He needed slaves similar to the Flower Fairies in Sophia the Witch's botanical garden—though Flower Fairy slaves were too high-level and expensive for his current standing.

Losing just one Flower Fairy slave meant losses ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of Magic Stones—prohibitively costly. They possessed innate racial talents for cultivation, with natural affinity for nature, making them the preferred slaves of high-level breeders.

Only a First Circle Breeder like Sophia the Witch could afford to maintain an entire tribe of Flower Fairy slaves.

Accompanied by two Gray Dwarf servants, Locke entered the street where the Slave Warehouses were located. The warehouses stood on either side of the street, each occupying a sizable storefront with considerable floor space.

The street where the Slave Warehouse was located displayed hundreds of iron cages imprisoning slaves of various kinds.

Wizards from all corners would stop here to purchase the slaves they desired.

Locke glanced around briefly. At first glance, the cages lining the street held slaves from dozens of different races—likely just a showcase of the available varieties.

Among them were dwarf slaves skilled in forging, suitable as assistants in alchemy workshops; forest deer demon slaves fit for Potionology assistants; and human slaves, ideal as experimental subjects since most wizards were human themselves.

There were even specially trained female human slaves—dressed provocatively, with graceful figures—who had undergone certain Enchantment Spell modifications to enhance their allure.

These slaves typically bore Spell alterations from the Enchantment School's charm sub-discipline, serving as disposable tools for human wizards who, after prolonged research, grew weary of monotony and sought a change of taste.

Of course, there were also slaves of other races and genders tailored for similar purposes.

The moment Locke approached, he drew the attention of many clerks within the Slave Warehouse.

Most of these clerks appeared to be ordinary people—at best, third-class wizard apprentices—merely front-line traders representing the shadowy figures behind the slave trade.

A short goblin clerk, clad in the black-and-white uniform of the establishment, was about to step forward to serve Locke.

But before he could take more than a few steps, a tall, slender male dark elf with a mohawk hairstyle—also dressed in the shop's black-and-white uniform—cut in ahead of him.

This dark elf was a third-class wizard apprentice.

Pushing aside the goblin clerk, the dark elf servant bowed courteously before Locke, performing a gentlemanly salute. "Good evening, young and distinguished wizard."

"I am Benny, a dark elf. Allow me the honor of serving a personage such as yourself."

His cunning gaze flickered over the four badges pinned to Locke's chest—the Breeder Assistant badge and the Lijin Secret Language's Platinum Star badge—signs that this customer might be a lucrative one.

"What kind of slave are you seeking?"

Locke had no patience for pleasantries and replied indifferently, "Hmm. I need slaves capable of labor—farming and handling moderately complex agricultural tools."

He added, "Their intelligence must at least be average, able to comprehend my instructions. I'll be cultivating Magical Plants, so some level of skill is necessary."

The dark elf clerk, Benny, bowed again. "Understood. A distinguished Breeder like yourself requires capable assistants."

"Honored guest, lowly slaves like Gray Dwarfs would indeed be unworthy of your status."

The two Gray Dwarfs beside Locke blinked foolishly. They felt they ought to be indignant, but with so many wizards around, they could only tremble in silence.

Dark elf clerk Benny continued, "I recommend three types of slave assistants: Wood Elf slaves, Dwarf Giant slaves, and Merman slaves."

"Wood Elves are the most common elven race. They dwell in forests, have a natural affinity with nature, excel at cultivation, and possess strong physiques with long lifespans. They make excellent high-skilled slaves due to their generally high learning capacity."

"Dwarf Giants are a special variant of giants - essentially dwarfs among giants. Merman slaves exhibit high affinity with water elemental particles..."

Locke frowned slightly. These three types of slaves were all premium-priced specimens with inherent special talents.

They weren't suitable for him at this time.

With his surplus Magic Stones, he could easily purchase more courses and better magical resources.

There was no need to spend extra Magic Stones on slaves.

Interrupting the clerk's endless sales pitch, Locke said indifferently: "I only need slaves for the botanical gardens. Cost-effectiveness is my priority."

"None of the three you recommended are suitable."

(End of Chapter)