Ashen Dragon-Chapter 650 - 71 Enslaved Frost Giants

Chapter 650: 71 Enslaved Frost Giants

Chapter 650: 71 Enslaved Frost Giants

Suburbs of Isdalia City, steam trains loaded with firearms and ammunition are stopped beside the platform.

These types of steam trains have exceptionally large engines, adorned with sculptures of Dragon Beast heads, looking fierce and cumbersome, hence people jokingly call them “Giant Skull”.

However, their carrying capacity is also especially strong, able to transport 2,200 tons of goods at once, specifically used for transporting large quantities of goods, rightly dubbed as “Imperial Carriage Driver”.

“Move faster! Don’t be lazy!”

“This batch of munitions is to be delivered to the frontlines, if we cannot deliver on time, the superiors will be furious!”

Ogres, Earth Goblins, Half-Giants and other strong-bodied Imperial Kin bustled about, carrying heavy containers between the munitions depot and the steam engine workshop.

“Slap!”

“Useless trash!

His Majesty Cassius mercifully forgave you, yet not only do you not feel grateful, but you even dare to be lazy!”

First came the loud crack of a whip, followed by the angry curses of the Earth Goblins Supervisor.

“Hmm…”

A Frost Giant winced in pain, gritting his teeth with a quiet grunt, but made no moan, only fresh whip marks added to his scar-laden back.

This young Frost Giant slave bent down, strapped on the worn wooden yoke, and once again dragged the dozen containers behind him.

The heavy iron shackles on the Frost Giant’s ankles jingled crisply from time to time, but he didn’t care.

Accompanied by heavy breathing, he trudged along with great difficulty.

The Frost Giant had just rested for a moment before being mercilessly whipped by the supervisor, but he had long grown accustomed to this beast-like numb life.

“Damn beasts! You should understand, your lives are granted by His Majesty Cassius, you are nothing but the Emperor’s personal property!”

The Earth Goblins Supervisor screamed hoarsely, his eyes bulging in rage.

The long whip swung in mid-air, resounding with explosive cracks, occasionally landing on the bodies of Frost Giant slaves, creating deep, flesh-wounding scars.

It is said that the son of this Earth Goblins Supervisor was sacrificed in the well-known “Battle of Glacier’s Demise” at the hands of a warrior from the Everfrost Tribe, his neck brutally snapped.

Since then, this Earth Goblin volunteered to become the supervisor of a certain Frost Giant slave team, taking pleasure in abusing the Frost Giant slaves.

The Empire Officially prohibits slavery — but Frost Giants are an exception.

It is well known that, just a few years ago, the great His Majesty Cassius flew to the North, personally annihilated the Everfrost Tribe’s Frost Giants, and quelled the “Frost Calamity” that had plagued the Anzeta People for thousands of years.

Yet, how could generation upon generation of blood debts, the death and injury of millions, be forgiven by a mere apology?

As a monarch deeply supported by the people of Anzeta, Cassius would never allow such a thing to happen!

After careful consideration, to compensate for the damage caused by the Frost Giants to the Anzeta People over thousands of years, the Emperor expressly allowed all captured Frost Giants to be made slaves.

— To atone to the people, to repay the heavy blood debts they incurred.

Thus, in the construction of the City of Isdalia, the laying of the Imperial Railway, the building of the Imperial’s Wall defenses… the weary figures of Frost Giant slaves appeared in many major engineering projects.

They are not treated as citizens, nor do they have the treatment and dignity of regular workers, but are treated like livestock, even used as public machinery.

When there is work, they are pulled out to labor through the night; when there is no work, they are locked in a dark and sunless dungeon, subsisting on the lowest quality paste — this is the tragic life of Frost Giant slaves.

Rumors even surfaced within the Empire’s territory: “Underneath the railway sleepers of the Imperial Railway lie the corpses of hundreds of Frost Giants, their restless spirits causing bumps on the train.”

For this, scholars within the Empire strongly condemned it, considering it inconsistent with the spirit of the Empire, comparable to the nefarious acts of the Northern Nobility, and even Councillor Olivia, who has a significant reputation, has spoken out multiple times.

However, the Empire’s common citizens, soldiers included, argued logically, still remembering these thousands of years of blood enmity, believing this to be the price Frost Giants must pay.

Their argument was: “We can release these damned Frost Giants, but can they revive our dead relatives, our ancestors?”

And concerning the issue of Frost Giant slaves, both sides have also debated numerous times in the citizens’ council, but in the end, it came to nothing, without any change to the plight of Frost Giant slaves.

Nowadays, with controlled breeding in ranches, and adequate food supplies, the number of Frost Giant slaves within the Empire has risen considerably, reaching four hundred, nearly approaching the population of the Everfrost Tribe at its zenith.

“Slap!”

Another loud crack of the whip.

“Useless trash, get up! Don’t you want to regain your freedom?

If you don’t finish the job, you might as well stay in the dungeon for life!”

The Earth Goblins Supervisor cursed and waved his whip, nearly knocking a thinner Frost Giant to the ground.

The “regain your freedom” mentioned by this overseer with deep-seated hatred against the Frost Giants refers to a new strategy introduced by the Empire.

It generally works like this: if Frost Giant slaves complete their tasks satisfactorily, or even exceed expectations, they would receive specially issued “Redemption Vouchers.”

Accumulating enough Redemption Vouchers gives them a chance to leave the dungeon and regain their freedom.

However, this is merely an empty promise, just a bit of hope offered to these foolish Frost Giants.