Alien world

Chapter 1732, page 365. The Female Lead

"What is it?" Annan asked.

I've only been gone for less than a week, surely there can't be anything important going on?

Could it be... that the Elf Master has returned!?
“The Otherworld Tree is growing slower and slower.” Dade looked at Annan, who was both surprised and nervous, with a puzzled expression.

Annan felt a slight sense of relief: "Is there not enough 'fertilizer'?"

Yingge, standing nearby, said, "Liberty City is too safe. We've already taken in most of the death row inmates from the surrounding areas."

"It's okay, death row inmates are like leeks, they'll keep growing back."

“That’s how it was supposed to be…” Yingge said with difficulty.

But who could blame them when the Free City appeared in the western part of Middle-earth?
Normally, death row inmates arrested by various forces fall into several categories: bandits who commit crimes everywhere, unlucky guys who have offended important figures, and wealthy outsiders.

The former has a fixed quantity in a certain region; it's like a merchant, its value entirely dependent on the local prosperity, not to mention the nobles' grey gloves. But Liberty City bought them all without regard for anything else.

Those who offend powerful figures are often innocent victims. Initially, these powerful figures planned to collect two sums of money: one from the wealthy and powerful to arrest the person, and another from Liberty City to sell them off. However, after Liberty City took them in, they would conduct a separate trial, and the innocent would be released.

For the powerful and wealthy, it meant money was spent but nothing was accomplished. They can't afford to offend Free City, but they certainly can't afford to offend you, little lord.

As for outsiders, they are often exploited by local officials under various pretexts, treated like easy targets. They are released as long as money is involved and their lives are spared; a ransom is paid.

They weren't initially so eager to hand over the money, but the threat of "if you don't pay up, we'll sell you to Liberty City" forced them to give in.

In the end, only the criminals suffered. As a result, there were fewer and fewer roaming bandits, a significant reduction in violent incidents, and gangs were either arrested or dispersed. The security situation in the surrounding areas improved, and many people were very grateful to Annan.

But gratitude cannot be used as fertilizer.

Annan remained silent: "Even if you asked me to come up with a way, I can't smuggle the Empire's death row inmates back to kill them..."

Fake human trafficking: kidnapping high-quality people and selling them to buyers.

The real human trafficking: collecting death row inmates to use as fertilizer.

"So I used the properties of the Otherworld Tree to make this."

Dade looked at Yingge, who took out a long whip. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be not a whip at all, but a tree branch with its forked ends trimmed.

"Insert it into the body of a dying person, and it will slowly absorb their humanity. Then, reconnect it to the Otherworld Tree, and it will absorb the stored humanity."

"The magic is a bit too amazing!"

“This is not magic,” Dad explained.

To be precise, this is a power belonging to another world.

Dade handed the branch from the otherworldly tree to Annan, instructing him, "Absorb some nutrients and come back."

Is this something a peace-loving druid should say?

However, turning enemies into fertilizer to nourish nature is very much in line with the vengeful druid archetype.

Items related to the Otherworld Tree cannot be stored in a magic ring, but their flexibility and length allow them to be worn as a belt around the waist.

Annan waved it, making a "whoosh" sound as it cut through the air. If Cathy got this, the grass on the way home wouldn't be taller than the car wheels.

"It's so dangerous, what if I accidentally poke myself?"

"You might accidentally stab yourself while holding a dagger?" Dade asked with a strange look.

"you're right."

Dumbledore needed some time to make the doll, so Annan went to the market and bought a bunch of food, spending all the money Baron Jim Kelly had given him, before returning to the tavern to retrieve the doll.

At Annan's request, Dumbledore was asked to recreate the portrait and the current Jim Kelly, with appropriate embellishments.

After all, everything in our memories is filtered through a beautiful lens, including "our past selves".

“Young Master Dumbledore, with this skill, you will definitely make a lot of money in the future.” Annan circled the two puppets. The puppets were so lifelike that they looked just like real people, as if Baron Jim Kelly were standing in front of him.

It can bend its arms in all directions with great flexibility, making it easier to control than a living person.

"What do you mean?"

"nothing."

You can sell your own secondhand blanket for tens of gold coins, so selling a flexible, detachable, life-size model for hundreds of gold coins isn't unreasonable, is it?
Annan closed the portal, put the two dolls into his magic ring, cleaned up the traces in the room, left the tavern, and returned to the manor.

"Baron, I have a surprise for you."

Annan led Baron Jim Kelly to the carriage, opened the carriage door, and turned back to say, "How is it? I specially had someone make a replica of you when you were young."

Baron Jim Kelly stared blankly at his younger self sitting in the carriage, a faint smile playing on his lips, the sword at his side...

In a daze, he seemed to hear Emma calling something in his ear.

Emma!?
The Baron was startled, his memories bursting like bubbles, and the fading voice became Annan's soliloquy: "I've been thinking, if the female lead is the object of your affection, then you in the past are also a part of it."

“I was originally thinking of enriching the characters’ backstories to make the plot more gripping, but…” Annan shrugged, “You definitely don’t need that stuff.”

"You only need to experience sadness once."

Turning back, Annan observed Baron Jim Kelly's expression, which, besides joy and reminiscence, also contained a hint of sadness.

“Thank you…” the Baron said earnestly.

For the next few days, Baron Jim Kelly was completely absorbed in his creative world.

This was the scene Annan had envisioned, but as the planned time approached, Baron Jim Kelly made no move, standing in front of the garden statue for an entire day, forcing Annan to urge him on.

"Baron, let's get down to business."

"Am I not doing my job?" In the garden, the baron, with bloodshot eyes, stubble on his cheeks, and a haggard expression, raised his head.

"What about the Chaos Cult's prison break plan? What about my uncle?"

Baron Jim Kelly racked his brains and finally remembered the real "matter": "Isn't there still three days left?"

"Three more days, that's right, but how long will it take us to get to Montreal Hills from here?"

"Three days."

"Then let's get going!"

"No...not yet, I'm almost done...Young Master Olme, give me one more day..." the Baron pleaded, his posture extremely humble.

Annan couldn't help but glance at the statue. Emma's body had been sculpted, but her head was still a blurry outline.

It seems the Baron is still unable to make up his mind.

"Can you make it?"

Baron Jim Kelly took a deep breath: "I'm ready."

"Okay, just one day."

At night, the banquet hall was brightly lit, and the shadows of the nobles were cast outside the mansion.

In the secluded garden, far from the hustle and bustle, Baron Jim Kelly held a carving knife, and with each meticulous stroke, the girl's vivid face gradually emerged.

Under the moonlight, the girl seemed to be draped in a layer of silver gauze. After finishing the last stroke, Baron Jim Kelly let his arms fall, swayed and stepped back, gazing at the statue that seemed to radiate a holy and gentle light.

"Emma, ​​I'm back..."

(End of this chapter)