"You noticed, huh," the clerk muttered.
Han Yu did not respond, merely waiting.
The clerk glanced around briefly, making sure no one was paying them particular attention, before lowering his voice slightly.
"It's something to do with the elders," he said. "Or rather, orders coming from above them."
Han Yu's eyes sharpened. "An elder bought them all?"
The clerk shook his head. "Not exactly. That's the strange part. The elders themselves aren't taking them as personal assets. Instead, an order came down for a large batch of slaves to be taken directly by the sect."
Han Yu frowned. That was unusual.
"What kind of order?" he asked.
The clerk spread his hands helplessly. "I don't know. It didn't come through the usual channels. It went straight to the elder overseeing the slave district. No explanations. No notices posted."
