Business Competition

The warehouse seemed to be quite a distance away.

Cheng Shuili lowered her head to examine the items given to her by the Rat King.

【Quill and Parchment】

【Description: The royal pen and stationery of the Rat King! No matter when or where you are, hold this quill to write a letter to our beloved Rat King, seal it with wax, and the omnipresent little mice will deliver it to you immediately! Whether it is for help or to request a gift, our Rat King will grant your wishes!】

Oh?

Requesting help or a gift?

This thing has some potential...

Cheng Shuili gripped the quill. She had only seen things like this in cartoons, so she was actually a little excited to have gotten her hands on a real one now.

After testing the quill on Su Rui’s clothing, Cheng Shuili pinched the parchment to take a few more looks. She hadn't seen this either, so she could consider her horizons broadened.

The next item was the wax.

【Wax Seal Stamp】

【Description: Used to seal your letters, it is engraved with the family crest of the Rat King. In the beastman world, this symbol is the hallmark of power! The remaining paint inside can only be used three times. Note: No little mice will help deliver letters that are not sealed with this wax! Survivor favored by the Rat King, please use it with caution!】

This item had a limited number of uses.

If that was the case... were the quill and parchment unlimited items?

Cheng Shuili took out the items she had just packed away. She tentatively wrote a few characters on the parchment. Just as she was wondering how to handle it, the item seemed to sense that she had finished writing and, like a molting skin, separated into a brand-new sheet of parchment.

Cheng Shuili stared at this scene, stunned for a good while before she came back to her senses.

Her guess was correct. It was just that this method... was a bit disgusting.

Cheng Shuili frowned, put these two items away, and went to look at the small crown.

【Crown of Friendship】

【Description: A treasure personally gifted by the Rat King, symbolizing the highest level of friendship and protection in the black market. The eight gems sparkle eternally like stars!】

【Special Item Traits: 1. Gaze of the Rat Swarm: All beastmen belonging to the Rat King’s faction will maintain awe toward you, and you will automatically receive the best prices in black market trades (can stack with other title effects).

Afterglow of the King: When encountering fatal danger, one of the gems on the crown will shatter, summoning nearby rat swarms to fight for you (remaining gems: 8/8).

Shadow Pass: Allows free access to most restricted areas in the beastman world, though some areas may require additional entry tickets.】

【Special Item Remarks:

“It is not only an ornament but also a manifestation of power. Of course, if you are willing, you can also use it as a nightlight.” (All gems support manual removal, but for every missing one, the effects will be permanently weakened.)】

These remarks were truly inexplicable...

One gem could summon nearby rat swarms; in a critical moment, perhaps these beastmen really could be of great help!

Who on earth would randomly decide to dismantle it?

Cheng Shuili paused, then suddenly thought of another possibility. Could these gems be separate items?

And very powerful ones at that?

She stared at the gems, hesitating for a moment, before finally gritting her teeth and deciding to dismantle one to see what would happen.

Cheng Shuili’s fingertip rubbed the edge of the ruby on the crown. The gem was embedded exceptionally firmly, but on her third attempt with force, it suddenly loosened with a click.

“It really can be dismantled?” she muttered, holding the gem up to her eyes.

Separated from the crown, the gem still emitted an eerie red light in the dim environment, like a congealed drop of blood.

【Rat King’s Gift (Single)】

【Description: A scarlet gem stripped from the Crown of Friendship, containing the violent power within the Rat King’s bloodline. After crushing it, you can increase your own attribute points by 20% for five minutes. It can be traded and given to others for use. However... isn't gifting a gift away so casually a form of betrayal toward the Rat King? Betrayer...】

Cheng Shuili silently put the gem away and tucked the crown back into storage.

This description... gave her a feeling of being threatened.

Specifically stating that it “can be traded, can be given to others,” while also talking about betrayal—it felt like doing so would mean certain death...

And a 20% attribute boost...

Cheng Shuili gasped. She would have to be insane to trade this thing away!

This bonus was simply too heaven-defying!

She only had two items in her hands that could temporarily increase attribute points: one was this scarlet gem, and the other was that Konjac Snack she had obtained when the server first opened...

Although that thing didn't add much, it could stack and lasted for a full three hours; it was also a very powerful item, though it might cause diarrhea.

However, in the face of such strength, these minor negative effects didn't matter.

The old dog led the group through the darkest alley of the black market, where the damp air was filled with a musty odor and the pungent stench peculiar to beasts.

The old dog stopped in front of a rusted iron door, and the group finally reached their destination.

In the darkness, the old dog looked back. Cheng Shuili noticed his gaze land on her, and then he immediately turned his head away. When he reached out to pull out his keys, his hands were trembling like a sieve.

The keys made a clanking sound in the darkness. As if to cover something up, the old dog said deliberately, “M-My Lord, this is the place...”

As he spoke, he handed the keys to Cheng Shuili with both hands.

Cheng Shuili glanced at the keys but didn't reach out to take them, instead staring into the old dog’s murky yellow eyes and saying, “You go in first.”

The old dog squeezed out a stiff smile and nodded, saying, “Okay... okay.”

He inserted the key into the lock of the iron door and turned it gently, the keyhole emitting a soft click.

The door opened.

Cheng Shuili watched his movements quietly and followed the old dog through the iron door.

This was indeed a warehouse.

But because the goods were humans, it looked more like a dormitory.

A wall separated the dormitory from the outside. The old dog led the group to sit on a sofa and pointed obsequiously at the humans in the dormitory, saying, “My Lord... these are all of them! Please take a look while I go pour you some tea.”

After saying this, he bent his waist and went behind another door.

The few people sitting there looked at each other, saying nothing.

The old wolf couldn't help but get up and walk around, then pressed against the glass to look carefully at the situation inside the dormitory. He said, as if suddenly enlightened, “So, you have to arrange living spaces for humans too.”

Cheng Shuili and Su Rui: “???”

What?

What was he talking about?

The old wolf was still blinking his eyes as he looked at the facilities inside, becoming even more surprised when he saw the water. “Do you even have to feed them water? The old dog always said these servants didn't eat or drink; he really was lying to us!”

Cheng Shuili: “......”

How could this not be considered a form of despicable business competition?

Su Rui frowned. The good impression she had just started to develop for this guy had vanished instantly. She asked with a bit of heat, “How have you been taking care of the servants?”