In front of Azaenn Castle, the slaves were lined up haphazardly, with a few servants overseeing them nearby.
"Young master, everyone is here. What do you think..." A bald strong man holding a whip with barbs on it approached Lin Ke with a flattering smile.
On Lin Ke’s shoulder stood a trembling, featherless little bird with sleepy eyes—it was Little Lucky.
Since hatching, Little Lucky’s body had been recovering quickly, but its feathers grew slowly, so it remained a bald bird.
Even without feathers, Little Lucky wasn’t afraid of the cold and wanted to cling to Lin Ke at all times.
Lin Ke felt a sense of closeness to Little Lucky, perhaps due to the illusion of it resembling a phoenix when it hatched, or maybe because of its innate toughness.
So, Lin Ke allowed Little Lucky to accompany him whenever conditions permitted.
Lin Ke looked at the bald man in front of him and couldn’t recall anyone like him in the castle.
"Hey hey, young master, I’m Jack." The bald strong man grinned fawningly, "I used to be a cook, specializing in crushing fruits for jam and juice. A few days ago, Butler Billy saw my strong arms and asked me to oversee the slaves."
"Hmm, the slaves are ready, right? And the tools, as they’ll need to mine later." Lin Ke nodded slightly.
"Yes, yes, they’re ready." Bald Jack nodded and bowed.
Lin Ke then stopped paying attention to him and continued speaking to the slaves, "What I have to announce is simple, and that is... you all have the opportunity to become civilians! Naseng civilians!"
These slaves were bought from the city and were generally captives caught by some lords in other alternate dimensions.
The captives were sold to slave traders, then trained by some professional [slave masters] into slaves, and sold again.
So, these slaves should be people from all over different dimensions, given that Naseng rarely has wars.
"Civilians?" Bald Jack was dumbfounded, not understanding what madness his young master had.
Slaves could become civilians, but once they became civilians, whatever job they did would basically require wages.
Slaves only needed to avoid starving to death.
Of course, if they starved to death, nobody would care.
Thus, the callous slaves below, hearing Lin Ke’s words, stirred slightly, though only in expression; their bodies dared not move.
This was a reflex long ingrained in their bodies; without a command from their master, they dared not move.
"I will now announce the requirements on how to become civilians, and I’ll have... hmm, I’ll have Jack read them!" Lin Ke originally thought of having John handle it, but John was already tired enough, and Bald Jack seemed quite smart.
"Can you read?" Lin Ke looked at him.
Bald Jack instinctively nodded.
Lin Ke raised an eyebrow, then took out the prepared regulations from his chest and tossed them to Bald Jack.
Bald Jack tremblingly accepted the papyrus Lin Ke made, unable to be surprised by the difference between this paper and parchment, he immediately unfolded it gently and began to read aloud:
"Slaves affiliated with Azaenn Castle, if you meet the following terms, you may exchange for corresponding rewards:
1. Work for twelve hours daily for a small month consecutively and earn 1 Azanen Coin.
2. Work overtime for a total of ten hours during one small month and earn 1 Azanen Coin.
3. Overtime exceeding fifteen hours in total will result in a deduction of 1 Azanen Coin.
4. One Azanen Coin can be exchanged for an additional meat dish at lunch daily.
5. Three instances of illness require the consumption of one Azanen Coin for healing.
34. Collect sixty Azanen Coins, and you will gain civilian status! Including your descendants!"
There were a total of thirty-four clauses, and Bald Jack took more than ten minutes to read through them haltingly, mispronouncing many words, clearly indicating he barely knew how to read.
Moreover, many words and syntax were combined by Lin Ke, akin to a Tang dynasty person reading the news broadcast; it wasn’t incomprehensible, but initial exposure required adjustment.
However, after he finished reading, the expressions of the slaves evidently changed.
They didn’t quite catch or remember most of it, but hearing that they could become civilians, and their descendants too...
Their eyes shifted from dull and rigid to heated and lively.
Witnessing this scene, Lin Ke nodded in satisfaction.
In matters lacking innovation and creativity, human initiative is the best nourishment, especially with a catalyst named interest added.
Just like the working people in Lin Ke’s past life, laboring day in and day out, year after year, earning even a pittance.
To change their status and lives, and even better, the lives of their descendants.
Lin Ke understood this game very well.
Just look at those slaves down there.
In the future, these slaves would kill themselves working, and would worship Lin Ke fervently for giving them the chance to turn their lives around.
Indeed, it was precisely Lin Ke who was giving them a channel to climb up; whether or not they could change their fate depended on themselves.
"Alright then, you lead the team for the slaves’ inspection; just don’t disrupt the operation of the castle." Lin Ke gestured to Bald Jack, "There is a Teleportation Array in the dungeon there, and we’ll start mining tomorrow morning."
Next, Lin Ke pointed at the papyrus in Bald Jack’s hand: "On the back is a scoring form, score based on the slaves’ obedience, hard work, and work efficiency. Sixty points to pass; only daily workloads passing this count; John will teach you the details."
With that, Lin Ke turned around, ignoring Bald Jack and the excited slaves, re-entered the castle, and headed to the underground prison.
The whole way was guarded, especially in the secret chamber inscribed with a teleportation array, where Lin Ke had two particularly strong guards stationed.
"Young master!" "Young master!"
The two burly guards, holding heavy iron broadswords, stood in front of an iron door, rigorously saluting him with a thump to the chest upon seeing Lin Ke.
Lin Ke smiled and nodded slightly to the two, entered the door, and came to the teleportation array, inputting Magic Power into it.
The Magic Power needed for teleportation was related to the teleportee’s Magic Power and the magic content of the items they carried.
Lin Ke was now alone, with Little Lucky alongside; the Divine Artifact and such were left in the bedroom.
But possibly due to Little Lucky, it took Lin Ke nearly half of his Magic Power to suffice.
A flicker of light shimmered, and his body disappeared.
In the sky above, thunder and lightning raged, below stood a towering cliff, on which a few small wooden houses perched.
Midway up the cliff was a teleportation array, from where Lin Ke emerged.
This was Ove’s owned or semi-owned dimension, which Ove named "The Power of Thunder."
The Power of Thunder dimension!
"Little Lin Ke, come over here," Ove’s voice called from the front.
Lin Ke glanced at the sky and the surrounding environment, marveling silently.
Besides this mountain, there was extensive space, also inhabited by some Magical Beasts Ove brought in.
It was like an independent small world.
If Ove were to die in the future, perhaps this small world would be inherited by Lin Ke, just as it had been passed down from Ove’s teacher’s teacher’s teacher.
Of course, Lin Ke now had his own dimension, a gift from Lady Heishan.
"Caw, caw." Little Lucky on his shoulder opened its sleepy eyes and glanced around, finding a new environment but showing no reaction, then closed its eyes to sleep again.