TPWBI Chapter 111

“Is there a slave from the Western Continent who wants to see me?” Yang Yi was quite surprised.

It’s important to understand that whether in the Eastern Continent or the Western Continent, most slaves considered themselves lowly and normally walked with their heads down.

They wouldn’t speak to outsiders on their own initiative because the oppression they endured had made their eyes numb, and they lived in their own world.

If they were personal slaves of their master, they would only speak to their master. If they were labor slaves, it was as if they were tools that couldn’t speak.

They liked to communicate only with their own kind. They couldn’t even interact with slaves of other masters.

Especially those whose families had been slaves for generations, their servility was even stronger. Anyone with even a hint of rebellious spirit was basically either killed or sent to do endless hard labor.

Occasionally, some slaves were allowed by their master’s preference to display their talents, making them different from other slaves. But most considered themselves very lowly, tacitly accepting and resigning themselves to their status.

The Eastern Continent slaves brought back from the Western Continent were clearly different from others. They are quieter, more reticent, working diligently without much thought, and not very skilled at thinking for themselves.

This wasn’t like dealing with someone slow-witted. It was more like habitual, mechanical labor under enslavement.

Although they knew they were no longer slaves, their past experiences made it difficult for them to adjust immediately.

Later, you still had to work on them mentally, gradually helping this group reintegrate into the Spark Tribe.

There are still slaves in the Eastern Continent now, but most of them have not formally entered a slave society like in the Western Continent.

They are more often laborers acquired through war, so they are treated harshly, rather than being considered lowly by birth.

In the Western Continent, it’s not only that slave owners look down on slaves. The slaves themselves also tacitly accepted that they were born into this fate.

They were even brainwashed into believing that for generations and lifetimes, they were always their master’s slaves, so that these slaves would have no thought of rebellion.

God created them to serve as slaves for those slave owners. Anyone who harbored rebellious thoughts would be punished by the gods.

The Western Continent had a relatively complete slave system. Slaves could not marry ordinary people, let alone nobles. They were lowly beings, and the registration system was extremely strict.

Therefore, Yang Yi was very curious. How could a slave actually come to see him?

“Was he sent by his master?”

Yang Yi wondered if the messenger had misunderstood. A slave coming to see him personally was completely different from a slave sent by a master to deliver a message.

Ying shook her head: “No, he said he wants to see you, the Divine Envoy.”

Yang Yi exchanged a glance with Hei Lie: “Well, that is really unusual.”

The Spark Tribe, intentionally or not, had elevated Yang Yi’s status very high. On top of that, Yang Yi was indeed very busy, and the number of people in the tribe kept increasing. It was impossible to meet everyone in person.

So even outsiders normally couldn’t easily see Yang Yi.

Especially now, with more than two hundred tribes coming to the trade fair, it was even more impossible for him to meet them one by one.

And now, a small slave had actually taken the initiative to go to the front desk of the Secretariat and say he wanted to see Yang Yi. This was truly the first time.

Since the tribe’s population had exploded, ordinary members of the Spark Tribe no longer did such things. They only watched from afar when Yang Yi came out.

However, Yang Yi had set up a mailbox specifically for outsiders, allowing those who wanted to communicate with him but couldn’t meet him face-to-face to send letters.

This way, when he had free time, he could see what people wanted to say to him.

This mailbox could only be opened by Yang Yi. No one else was allowed to access it.

Yang Yi set it up in the hope that if there were injustices in the tribe that some people tried to suppress, he could still learn about them through this method.

Many people wrote to Yang Yi for blessings and similar matters, so it wasn’t a complaint box being closely monitored by anyone. No one knew what was written inside, which made it harder for those with ill intentions to intercept, improving the safety of this channel for complaints.

Moreover, writing letters was also a way to help people practice their writing skills.

Recognizing characters was relatively simple, as long as one had a good memory. But writing, especially writing neatly, was much more difficult.

And if one wanted to use writing to accurately express one’s thoughts, that was another kind of exercise entirely.

Since the Divine Envoy mailbox was opened, the number of letters kept increasing, and their content became richer and more diverse.

At first, only those who were good at writing dared to use the expensive paper to write what they wanted to say.

Although all the paper was provided for free, the quantity was limited, and everyone had their allocated share. They just needed to go to the designated place to collect it.

Even so, everyone still treasured it greatly and rarely used it casually.

Yang Yi had expressed how happy he was to receive everyone’s letters, encouraging people to keep writing to him.

This encouragement inspired even more people. Many practiced their handwriting harder than before just to write letters to Yang Yi, sparking a small wave of learning and improvement.

Yang Yi himself wasn’t untouchable. Anyone who wanted to see him could apply at the Secretariat. If it was a matter of importance, he would do his best to arrange it.

He didn’t want to separate himself from the masses. He often wandered around casually, not trying to act as a lofty, untouchable god.

Even so, people from the Spark Tribe rarely went to the Secretariat to request a meeting. It was unexpected that a small slave from the Western Continent would do so, which surprised him greatly.

“Let him in. I want to know what he wants to say to me,” Yang Yi said, full of curiosity.

Although Hei Lie didn’t think that such a person could pose any real threat with him around, he still warned: “Be careful, just in case.”

When the small slave Morri was brought in, Yang Yi and Hei Lie were even more astonished. They hadn’t expected him to be a relatively strong-bodied young boy.

His appearance was nothing remarkable, but his eyes were extremely bright, quite different from the Western Continent slaves Yang Yi usually saw. They were full of vitality and a curiosity about the outside world.

“Honorable Divine Envoy, Chief… I, I… hello,”

Morri, under the pressure of facing a strong figure and his excitement at seeing the Divine Envoy, stumbled over the words he had rehearsed countless times.

His heart was anxious. He was completely at a loss, unsure how to place his hands, but he still insisted on lifting his head to look at Yang Yi.

The Spark Tribe guides had told him that the Divine Envoy liked everyone to stand tall and confident.

He came here because the guide told him that if he made an appointment with someone at the Secretariat, he would have a chance to meet the Divine Envoy.

Although very few people from the Spark Tribe actually did this, everyone knew that if someone encountered injustice or discovered something unusual, the Divine Envoy would meet them.

There had once been a child who really wanted the chance to hear the Divine Envoy give a lesson, because they had heard that the Divine Envoy used to teach everyone.

Later, because he was too busy, he only occasionally taught the older students, but they still wanted to hear his lessons.

He hadn’t expected the Divine Envoy to actually agree, arranging a lesson for everyone and even meeting the person who had written the letter, telling him that he was an outstanding individual.

The letter he had written was excellent, well-reasoned, polite, and clearly explained his request and the reasons behind it, making it easy for people to want to grant his request.

So, Morri approached it with a “let’s give it a try” mindset, wanting to see the Divine Envoy.

Normally, getting close wasn’t easy. Morri wanted to do it in a proper, respectful way because he felt that Yang Yi was the kind of person who appreciated rules.

Unexpectedly, the Divine Envoy actually agreed! And agreed on the spot!

Morri had never imagined it would go so smoothly. Even though he had been psyching himself up, confidently declaring his intentions, deep down, he had no real certainty.

After all, he was just a slave, and a Western Continent slave at that.

People from the Eastern and Western Continents were clearly different groups, with very distinct appearances. There were obvious barriers between them.

Yet the Divine Envoy agreed, and even directly let him go upstairs!

Morri felt like he was dreaming. Even under the pressure of facing the most formidable Eastern Continent warrior, it still all felt unreal.

“You’re Morri, right?” Yang Yi slowed his voice, trying to ease the other boy’s nervousness.

Morri nodded: “I’m Morri, a slave of the caravan leader from District One of Baihu City.”

“You’re very bold,” Yang Yi said with a smile.

Morri shivered slightly, but he didn’t shrink back because of the comment. He simply didn’t quite understand what Yang Yi’s attitude really was.

He was taking a huge risk by making this decision. If his master found out, he didn’t know what the consequences would be.

Slave owners were always suspicious people who could never truly trust their slaves. As soon as they felt something was off, they would use cruel means to eliminate the slave.

Morri could never understand why slave owners acted this way. Weren’t their slaves supposed to be the most loyal, designated by the gods, and absolutely incapable of rebellion?

Why were they so cautious? Morri knew some slaves very well. They absolutely harbored no ill intentions, yet they were still treated as if they were rebellious and evil, and were killed for it.

This completely upended everything Morri had been told since childhood, causing him to doubt and question many things.

But Morri felt he had to take this step. He wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted for himself, but a voice inside him told him that he had to do this. It was his chance.

As for what kind of opportunity it was, Morri didn’t even know clearly himself.

“I admire someone with such courage. So, Morri, what brings you to see me?”

Yang Yi and Hei Lie could not comprehend why this boy had come, taking such an incredible step.

Nowadays, even some leaders of small tribes don’t dare request a meeting with Yang Yi.

This young slave was he fearless because of ignorance, or did he truly have something important to tell him?

Morri suddenly dropped to his knees, bowing his head deeply toward Yang Yi.

“Divine Envoy!”

Yang Yi was momentarily stunned by such a grand gesture. He looked toward Hei Lie, who stepped forward with a long stride and helped Morri to his feet.

“Say whatever you want directly. The Divine Envoy doesn’t like such grand gestures.”

When Morri was helped to his feet, his eyes were full of tears.

He wiped them away with his arm. The weather was still fairly cool, yet the boy was dressed very lightly with only a worn, tattered piece of cloth tied around his waist, with the rest of his body bare.

Though his clothing was shabby, he was clean. His body was covered in whip scars. His hands were very rough, and his frame was thin, with each rib clearly visible.

Yang Yi gave Hei Lie a glance. Hei Lie passed the pastries from the table to Morri.

Morri looked at the beautiful pastries and swallowed hard, but he shook his head and refused, straightening himself before speaking:

“Divine Envoy, why does the Spark Tribe have no slaves?”

Yang Yi did not expect the boy to ask such a question. One’s thinking is easily bound by the environment.

Especially for slaves treated as tools, born to be slaves, they accept this as their reality, becoming mentally numb and obedient to their masters.

Yet this boy still had his own thoughts and dared to ask about a forbidden topic within the system.

“Because I believe all people are born equal. There is no difference between us.”

Morri’s eyes shone even brighter, as if stars were embedded within them.

“You are the Divine Envoy, so does that mean the gods think the same way?”

“Yes. Although this world is unjust, it is because of humans, not the will of the gods.”

“But why is it that in the Western Continent, everyone doesn’t say the same thing?”

Yang Yi smiled. “What do you think?”

To be honest, Yang Yi didn’t really know what the consequences would be of telling such things to a small slave like this.

But since the boy dared to ask, he dared to tell the truth.

Perhaps knowing the truth but being unable to change reality would bring him pain. But if one hides the truth out of fear of causing pain, leaving someone to silently endure it forever without trying to make a change, that isn’t really kindness either. In that case, honesty is better.

Morri thought carefully and finally shook his head.

Yang Yi reminded him, “For many things, you only need to consider who ultimately benefits. Then it’s easy to figure out the reason.”

“Who benefits?”

“The people who gain from it.”

Morri still didn’t fully understand. Though he vaguely sensed what was being conveyed, he couldn’t quite grasp it.

“Are you sure you want to figure out everything? Sometimes, it’s good to remain a little confused.”

Morri still couldn’t understand. Even though the Divine Envoy was speaking of the Western Continent, many of the words still felt strangely unfamiliar.

“When you cannot change or it’s difficult to change the current situation, the clearer you are about your own state, the more painful it becomes. Life goes on either way. Being a little muddled yet happy isn’t so bad.”

Morri shook his head firmly. “I don’t like that. Besides, I’m not happy.”

He revealed his background, his eyes full of confusion.

“I don’t understand why things are like this. If we are all children of the gods, why does He treat us this way? Why are we slaves, and they are the slave owners? What if… what if I simply don’t want to be a slave?”

The moment Morri spoke these words, he suddenly felt a weight lift from his chest.

He boldly repeated his true thoughts aloud again: “I don’t want to be a slave. Yes, I don’t want to be a slave!”

Morri didn’t even know why he was saying such rebellious, heretical words so loudly. But the Divine Envoy before him seemed almost magical, making him speak his heart without realizing it.

He believed the Divine Envoy wouldn’t harm him, trusting someone he had barely met without reason.

“Divine Envoy, is it strange that I think this way?”

“Yes.”

Morri was taken aback, but Yang Yi continued:

“To be precise, it’s not really strange. It should be called being different. In that kind of environment, for you to dare to think this way, that makes you very special. And this kind of special isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“I like being special,” Morri said firmly. Even though no one understood, nothing could stop the wild growth of his thoughts in his heart. His own uncle Ger even thought he was crazy

Hearing this, both Yang Yi and Hei Lie began to reevaluate the unremarkable-looking boy in front of them, seeing him in a new light.

The boy was still very young and somewhat naive, yet in such an environment, he maintained his own independent and even rebellious consciousness.

Moreover, he was extremely bold. The very fact that he had dared to come directly to Yang Yi proved that.

“Divine Envoy, can you tell me the answer now? I can take responsibility for my actions.”

Yang Yi looked at him deeply, still without giving a direct answer, and instead asked:

“Which do you think is better, to be a slave owner or a slave?”

“Of course, a slave owner!” Morri answered without hesitation.

Yang Yi smiled and said no more.

At first, Morri didn’t understand the situation, but soon a thought flashed through his mind, and he hurriedly tried to grasp it:

“If we slaves always obey, then the slave owners can forever enjoy their current power! The beneficiaries are the slave owners. They spread this kind of saying to better control the slaves!”

Yang Yi neither confirmed nor denied, simply saying: “Say something enough times, and even a lie can become truth.”

The more Morri spoke, the clearer his mind became. He quickly pieced together the cause-and-effect relationship and suddenly understood.

The rumor that slaves are born to be slaves had always circulated among slaves. But if the gods hadn’t created slaves, who would have started such a rumor?

If people had a choice, no one would willingly become a slave. So it was obvious who benefited from spreading such lies.

“Divine Envoy, what should I do if I don’t want to be a slave?”

Yang Yi shook his head. “I can’t give you the answer. God created humans. Every person is His child. He does not interfere with human behavior.

God only gives humans the wisdom to qualify as intelligent beings, but truth must be discovered by oneself through learning.”

Morri sincerely thanked him: “Thank you, Divine Envoy. I will study and think carefully.”

Yang Yi didn’t expect that, even though he had said something mostly empty and unhelpful, Morri would still be so grateful. He never asked Yang Yi to help him get out of slavery.

In fact, helping Morri stop being a slave would have been very simple and wouldn’t even cost money. All Yang Yi would have needed to do was say a word, and Morri would have become a member of the Spark Tribe.

It was very common for slave owners to trade slaves.

Morri surely understood this, yet he didn’t act on it. He didn’t even show the slightest sign of doing so. He didn’t seem like he was lying.

“There’s actually a shortcut, too.”

Morri blinked, eagerly waiting for Yang Yi’s answer.

“As long as someone buys you and you enter a tribe without slaves, you can also escape the status of being a slave.”

Upon hearing this, Morri immediately shook his head. “That doesn’t stop others from being slaves. What meaning would that have?”

Yang Yi didn’t expect that someone so young, not only could think beyond the limitations of their upbringing but could also harbor such grand ambitions.

“Since this isn’t the will of the gods, then I believe there must be a way to change it.”

Morri’s attitude was resolute, and he seemed transformed.

As long as he wasn’t going against the gods themselves, if his opponents were merely human, there was hope of victory.

“I hope everything goes as you wish in the future,” Yang Yi said sincerely.

Morri’s eyes burned with determination and hope.

“This won’t be easy. I hope that even when you encounter setbacks, you won’t be defeated.”

Yang Yi didn’t want such a spirited young boy to encounter anything bad, but he also knew that some hardships were inevitable.

“Divine Envoy, thank you for telling me so much today. I’ve understood a lot of things.”

“I hope what I did wasn’t wrong,” Yang Yi said with a sigh.

It was a rebellious spirit that gave someone the determination to overturn all injustice, but that path was not easy. Pursuing it could even cost the young person his life.

Morri smiled brightly, his white teeth strikingly visible.

“How bad could things really get? If it really gets worse, then I’ll finally get to see my family!”

Morri left, taking some food that Yang Yi had prepared for him, so he could account for himself to his master.

The temple was observed by many people. A small slave sneaking in would surely attract attention.

Although the Spark Tribe wouldn’t reveal the temple’s inner details to outsiders, Morri would still become a focal point.

It was better for outsiders to think that Morri had been called by Yang Yi, rather than knowing that he had sought Yang Yi out himself.

It wasn’t long before Ying brought news that Morri had safely returned.

Morri was safe. After answering questions as Yang Yi instructed, everyone merely envied his luck without thinking too much further.

“This Morri really is something special. To have such a spirit at his age is truly rare,” Yang Yi said with admiration.

He had awakened independent consciousness and was so brave and daring.

Upon learning the truth, he didn’t feel injustice. The first thing he thought about was how to change things. That alone made him very different.

He didn’t endlessly complain. Instead, he thought about taking action to make a change. It may sound simple, but in practice, it is far from easy.

“He’s very smart,” Hei Lie didn’t hold back his praise.

“I wonder if telling him all this helped him or harmed him,” Yang Yi shook his head.

“He asked for it himself. We only gave him the answer. What he does with it is up to him. He has a strong consciousness. Outsiders won’t affect him.”

“In psychology, there are two very famous sayings,” Hei Lie paused, then continued.

“Everyone sees the world not as it is, but as they want to see it. The truth they seek is simply the truth that suits them. Perhaps he didn’t come for the answer, but for recognition, to find a pillar supporting his own actions.”

Yang Yi was completely astonished. “Since when have you been reading psychology books?!”

“They weren’t very professional psychology books, just casual reading.”

“You can’t secretly study behind my back!” This was Yang Yi’s final shout as a struggling student.

Hei Lie chuckled and nodded earnestly. “Alright.”

“To be honest, I’m really hoping this Morri turns out to be someone remarkable. If that’s the case, the Western Continent will get interesting.”

The Western Continent remained ambitious. When they saw the newly built walls of the Spark Tribe, their looks were full of meaning.

As a people accustomed to plunder, they certainly wouldn’t suddenly change and start favoring fair trade.

On Earth, there are also groups like that, acting out dramas of resentment.

From Yang Yi’s perspective, he actually hoped the Western Continent would become chaotic.

A faint smile curved Hei Lie’s lips, but his gaze remained anything but friendly:

“It’ll be difficult with just him alone. But if he gets a little more support, the outcome becomes unpredictable.”

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