Thirty Thousand Game Coins!

Lang San bared his teeth, pointing at Lion Nian with a feigned, fierce demeanor, though his voice was clearly trembling: "Fine! Very well! Lion Nian, you just wait!"

He backed away while shouting, only to trip over the threshold and nearly fall flat on his face.

"I, I'm going to find the Superintendent to settle this!" Lang San adjusted his hat, his voice rising higher and higher. "Let's see who ends up in trouble then!"

The two lackeys behind him scrambled to their feet to back him up:

"That's right! Don't think that just because Tiger Cheng is backing you, you're safe! Captain Lang San is the Superintendent's own nephew!"

"Just wait for your pathetic shop to be shut down! When that happens, Tiger Cheng will be out on the street with you!"

With things having reached this point, there was no way Lion Nian was going to let them off so easily today! Besides, being a blacksmith, her physique was anything but weak!

Lion Nian picked up a long spear, swung her arm in a full circle, and threw it in a straight line. It landed perfectly right in front of the three terrified wolf beastmen, scaring them into collapsing onto the ground once more.

Lion Nian didn't even check where the spear had landed; after throwing it, she dashed toward them in three quick strides.

What would happen next went without saying.

Cheng Shuili waited patiently for a while, and only when she was certain that a wolf's life would be lost if she didn't intervene did she let out a light cough.

The furious Lion Nian paused, suddenly realizing her big customer was still there, and that the one hundred thousand game coins were still on the line!

This massive sum of money absolutely could not be allowed to vanish.

Thinking of this, she immediately minded her image, straightened up, and gave a soft cough. She wanted to say something to let these wolf beastmen go, but she was still truly furious; her lips trembled a few times without making a sound.

Cheng Shuili stepped forward a few paces. When she saw the three wolf beastmen clearly, she couldn't help but sigh. Even after being beaten to this state, they were still holding their heads high, acting as if they had done nothing wrong.

Could it be that Lion Nian was the one in the wrong?

Watching this made even Cheng Shuili feel a spark of anger.

Stupid, wicked, and stubborn—how could such damned creatures exist in this world?

But they were her subordinates, after all. Cheng Shuili frowned. Being a bit wicked didn't matter; as long as they were obedient and followed Cheng Shuili's requirements, they weren't beyond saving.

Cheng Shuili sighed and slowly pulled the wolf fang from her pocket, waving it in front of the three wolf beastmen.

The expressions of the three wolf beastmen instantly shifted from arrogance and anger to shock and reverence.

But to everyone's surprise, Lang San rolled his eyes and immediately began to distort the truth.

"My King! This is Lang Da, this is Lang Er, and I am Lang San. This lion beastman, she! We came to perform our official duties normally, and not only did she use abusive language, but she also attacked us! My King! My King! You must seek justice for us!"

Lion Nian's expression changed instantly, and the veins on her forehead began to throb.

She didn't understand why this Lang San was calling her human customer "My King," but she understood what he meant!

This despicable wolf beastman was actually still stirring up trouble at a time like this!

She closed her eyes and silently rolled up her sleeves, preparing to strike, when she was suddenly stopped by Cheng Shuili.

Lang San, terrified that Cheng Shuili wouldn't believe him, hurriedly pulled his other two tribesmen along. "Lang Da! Lang Er! Say something! Tell the King what kind of bullying we've suffered!"

The Lang Da and Lang Er he spoke of looked pained; they didn't even have the courage to look up at Cheng Shuili, let alone help Lang San with his deception.

Cheng Shuili's expression was grim.

She had always been the one to treat others like fools, but today, a wolf beastman had come along and tried to fool her.

For Lang San to say such things, he was either trying to deceive Cheng Shuili to achieve his own ends. If he had the guts to lie today, he would dare to rise in rebellion tomorrow—he absolutely could not be kept.

Alternatively, he didn't realize what he was doing at all; he didn't believe that intentionally making trouble for Lion Nian was a mistake, which was why he could state so righteously that Lion Nian had bullied him.

In that case, this Lang San was wicked to the bone!

Cheng Shuili killing him would be an act of justice!

Regardless...

Cheng Shuili turned around. Humans couldn't take action in the beastman town, but Lion Nian could.

Whether to hand them over to the police bureau or deal with this beastman directly... that was Lion Nian's business, and it should be left to her to choose.

Moreover, these two wolf beastmen had also said that Lang San was the Superintendent's own nephew. Since they were related, the Superintendent must also be a wolf beastman, and he would have to listen to Cheng Shuili.

Today, she, Cheng Shuili, was determined to protect Lion Nian's weapon shop!

Cheng Shuili stepped aside to make room and tilted her chin toward Lion Nian, her tone as relaxed as if she were discussing the weather. "Boss Lion, you choose."

She tapped her fingertips lightly on the counter, her gaze fixed coldly on Lang San. "Whether to send them to the police bureau to be dealt with according to the law..."

Before she could finish, Lang San began to shriek in terror: "Lion Nian! Sister Lion Nian! We were wrong! We truly know we were wrong!"

He crawled forward on his hands and knees, but fearing Cheng Shuili's gaze, he could only stop in his tracks, looking wretched. "We'll pay! We'll pay double! No, triple! We also guarantee we'll never come to make trouble again!"

Lion Nian stared at him, her golden beastly pupils narrowing slightly. After a long moment, she suddenly grinned, revealing her sharp canine teeth:

"All right."

Lang San had just let out a sigh of relief when he heard her continue:

"Pay the money, apologize, and then!" She moved her wrists, her knuckles cracking loudly. "The three of you, crawl to the police bureau and turn yourselves in."

Lang San's face went deathly pale. "B-but the police bureau will force us into hard labor!!"

Lion Nian sneered. "And what else? Did you think I would let you off easy just by paying some money?"

She turned to look at Cheng Shuili, her tone seeking approval.

Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow, waiting with interest for what she had to say.

Lion Nian's smile grew dangerous. "They kicked in my door; I have to kick them back."

Lang San shrank back in fear, while Lang Da and Lang Er were already huddled together, shivering.

Cheng Shuili chuckled, slowly stepping back two paces, and made a gesture to "go ahead." "Just don't kill them."

The next second, Lion Nian's boot kicked Lang San hard in the rear. Accompanied by a piercing wolf howl, the three beastmen tumbled out of the shop in a panic.

Cheng Shuili stood at the entrance, waving with a smile. "Remember to report to the police bureau, otherwise—"

She lightly tapped the wolf fang in her pocket. "I will come looking for you myself."

"Also," Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow slightly, "if you ever make trouble for other beastmen again and tarnish the reputation of our wolf race..."

She ran her hand across her own throat, causing the three beastmen to open their eyes wide in terror.

Lang San clutched his rear, not daring to say a word, and fled limping with his two lackeys.

Lion Nian clapped her hands and turned to look at Cheng Shuili, her eyes filled with a hint of admiration. "Human, you are far more special than I thought. Perhaps this weapon following you is its best possible destination."

Cheng Shuili shrugged and accepted the compliment without hesitation. "Of course, I am... a dragon among men."

That wasn't a title she had given herself; it was something recognized by Director Xiong Ji!

But Su Rui, standing to the side, was still laughing so hard she couldn't stand straight.

Cheng Shuili ignored her directly. With that little interlude resolved, she could now focus on the trade.

However...

Cheng Shuili had put quite a bit of effort into this matter; surely Lion Nian wouldn't... still want to charge her one hundred thousand game coins, would she?

Cheng Shuili admitted that she had indeed wanted to spend one hundred thousand game coins to acquire this blade earlier, but circumstances had changed.

Lion Nian shook her slightly sore claws. When she turned to look at Cheng Shuili, the emotion in her golden beastly pupils was clearly complex, but then it became abruptly resolute.

She strode toward Cheng Shuili, and to the astonishment of both of them, she knelt on one knee and pressed her right claw heavily against her left chest.

"Human, I owe you a massive favor." Her mane shimmered slightly in the furnace's firelight. "Take this Night Hunt... for thirty thousand game coins."

Cheng Shuili was about to speak, but Lion Nian raised a claw to interrupt her. "Let me finish. Thirty thousand is the cost of materials; any lower and I would be losing money."

No...

Cheng Shuili wasn't trying to haggle.

She just hadn't expected Lion Nian to lower the price on her own. But since the other party had said as much, Cheng Shuili naturally wouldn't refuse.

"Deal." Cheng Shuili decisively paid the thirty thousand game coins on her interface.

Now...

The blade was hers.

"However..."

Cheng Shuili changed the subject, a hint of craftiness flashing in her eyes. "Since you're so generous, why not give me a little gift? I've heard that top-tier blacksmiths provide lifelong service for their works, like regular maintenance and such?"

Lion Nian's ears twitched, and she suddenly burst into laughter, her claws thumping against the counter. "Cunning human! Fine! I will maintain this blade for you for free forever, and I'll cover the cost of materials!"

Cheng Shuili was satisfied. She raised her hand to brush across the cold edge of Night Hunt and was planning to leave with Su Rui when a commotion suddenly erupted outside the shop.

"It's here!" Lang San's voice rang out again, but this time with full confidence. "Uncle! It's this place! This lion beastman is arrogant and beat me up like this, and Lang Da and Lang Er as well—look! Uncle, you absolutely cannot let her off easily!"

Lang Da and Lang Er were timid, seemingly mumbling a few words that could have been agreement or denial.

Cheng Shuili and Lion Nian exchanged a look and sighed simultaneously.

"It seems it isn't over yet."

Cheng Shuili shook her head helplessly and headed toward the entrance first.

Outside the door, a tall, gray-wolf beastman was standing there with a sullen face.

He wore a crisp uniform with a shining badge pinned to his chest, followed by over a dozen heavily armed town guards.

"Miss Lion Nian, even if my useless nephew has offended you, you shouldn't have taken action—"

The Superintendent's words cut off halfway. He wasn't one of those ignorant wolf cubs who needed Cheng Shuili to show the wolf fang to understand this human's status.

The moment this person appeared, he had figured out her identity. This human... was their new King!

The Superintendent's face turned deathly pale. He suddenly understood why Lang Da and Lang Er had been stuttering; it must have been that idiot Lang San who threatened them, demanding they say nothing about the "King."

Damn things!