Representation!

Before Cheng Shuili could even open her mouth, a deep, resonant voice, clearly suppressing a surge of anger, rang out:

"Of course she can represent us!"

Everyone turned to look and saw Xiong Ji pushing through the crowd of beastmen, striding toward the center of the square.

His figure was as sturdy as a mountain. His face was set like stone, and his bear eyes, which usually held a simple honesty, were now burning with intense fury.

He stood firmly at Cheng Shuili’s side, like a silent, massive rock, his gaze piercing as he looked toward Bao Wen: "I, Xiong Ji, the current director of the town hospital, can declare this on behalf of all bear-race beastmen."

"The will of the human Cheng Shuili, our Bear King, is the will of the bear-race! The Bear King’s promise is the promise of the bear-race! If the Bear King needs to bear responsibility, there is not a single one among us who will refuse!"

Every word he spoke hit the ground like iron, shaking the square into silence.

Before Bao Wen could respond, a voice that was slightly aged yet incredibly firm came from the other side: "The wolf-race feels the same."

The priest of the wolf-race walked out slowly, surrounded by a few of her kin.

She leaned on a bone staff, her gaze sweeping across the entire square before finally landing on Cheng Shuili, her eyes filled with firm trust and dedication: "Since Her Majesty the Wolf King has made a promise, our entire wolf-race will naturally share the burden!"

She knew clearly that these beastmen did not care about the wolf-race’s stance. In their eyes, whether the wolf-race took responsibility or not was inconsequential.

They only cared about the attitude of the bear-race.

If the bear-race was a piece of well-roasted fatty meat, the wolf-race was merely the sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Expendable.

But for the wolf-race, and for her as their priest, now was the time the King needed support, the time the King needed them. No matter what, the wolf-race had to stand up.

Fearing her voice might be too soft for the crowd to hear, the priest took a deep breath and repeated herself loudly.

Bao Wen had already been struggling to keep his composure, and upon hearing such a loud declaration, the long-repressed anger inside him found an immediate outlet: "Good! Very good!"

He laughed in extreme fury, the muscles on his cheeks twitching with rage. "The bear-race and wolf-race are certainly loyal to this human! Since that’s the case, then sign it! I want to see how she manages to eradicate it! If she fails, don’t blame us for holding her to the contract!"

These exasperated words, however, sounded as if he had finally accepted the reality of the situation, effectively agreeing to sign in a roundabout way.

It was just that the manner of his agreement was truly unsightly.

The fox-race patriarch covered her mouth and chuckled: "Patriarch Bao, why get so angry? We are all doing this for the sake of the town."

She turned toward the Rat King and Cheng Shuili, "Since Patriarch Bao has also agreed, and there are no objections from the other patriarchs, let us draft the contract details quickly, shall we? After all, the longer we drag this out, the greater the chance of the plague recurring."

"The details of the contract..." Cheng Shuili calmly took out a trade contract, "are all here."

This unexpected development left the beast patriarchs silent once more.

It took the lion-race patriarch a good while to react, and he looked toward the Rat King to ask: "You didn’t draft this contract?"

The Rat King’s eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly.

The atmosphere in the square turned subtle once again.

All eyes focused on the Rat King’s face, filled with scrutiny and a trace of barely detectable doubt.

This contract... was not prepared by the Rat King?

It was written by this human beforehand?

What did this mean? It meant Cheng Shuili had anticipated today’s situation long ago, and had even foreseen that the Rat King would summon the patriarchs to sign it together!

She wasn’t responding passively; she was planning every step, calculating every possible development, and had prepared the script in advance!

This level of cunning and control sent a chill down the spines of the patriarchs present.

This human was far more difficult to deal with than they had imagined.

The smile on the Rat King’s face stiffened for a moment, but he immediately returned to normal, even adding a touch of well-measured surprise and approval:

"Oh? My young friend had everything prepared? It seems you are indeed far-sighted and concerned for the safety of our town. Since that is the case, why not read the contents of the contract clause by clause so we can all deliberate together? If there are any improprieties, it will be easy to modify. If there are no objections, we shall naturally execute it as written."

Cheng Shuili maintained a composed expression as well, giving a polite, light laugh: "That is only right."

She enlarged the pages of the contract and gestured for the Rat King to find someone to read it aloud.

With a mere flick of his eyes, the secretary at the Rat King’s side stepped forward immediately, reading the terms of the contract in a clear voice.

Every condition in the contract had one single purpose: to limit any possibility of underhanded tricks.

In the world Cheng Shuili had come from, such a contract would have been nonsense. But here, it was different; the power of the system existed, and any act violating the contract would be punished and restricted!

The patriarchs of the major beast races grew increasingly alarmed as they listened; this contract was clearly not drafted in haste, but was a formal, well-thought-out, and repeatedly scrutinized agreement.

As each rigorous clause was read out, the expressions of the patriarchs became increasingly grave.

Cheng Shuili watched the reactions of the beastmen quietly, feeling more satisfied the longer she watched.

She even began to slack off in public, opening her private chat interface to send a message of praise to Xinxue and the others.

The beastmen watched her behavior, but could not criticize it; after all, the contract was brought forth by the human, and she knew the contents better than anyone, so there was indeed no need for her to waste time listening along with them.

Bao Wen’s face was now as dark as ink. He stared fixedly at the contract, as if trying to burn a hole through it with his gaze.

Once this contract was signed, he would truly have no more excuses or opportunities to obstruct Cheng Shuili openly.

In fact, his leopard-race would also have to provide manpower and supplies as required, otherwise...

The tiger-race patriarch listened to the end, paused for a moment, and nodded slowly: "The clauses are detailed and the rights and responsibilities are clear; it is much more comprehensive than something drafted on the spot. I have no objections."

His gaze toward Cheng Shuili, aside from the scrutiny from before, now carried a hint of caution.

To be able to prepare such a contract in advance—the mind of this human was not to be underestimated.

The lion-race patriarch also said in a deep voice: "Agreed."

The fox-race patriarch’s eyes swirled, her smile deepening: "How thorough. Your Excellency the Bear King is truly meticulous. This way, no one will be able to do anything they shouldn’t. I have no objections."

Seeing this, the other patriarchs expressed their agreement one after another.

Although this contract was strict, it was indeed fair and had a clear goal, which was undoubtedly the greatest guarantee for the ordinary beastmen who were desperate to be rid of the plague.

Finally, everyone’s gaze fell back upon Bao Wen.

Bao Wen’s chest heaved violently. He could feel the invisible pressure around him: the Rat King’s calm gaze, the silent stares of the other patriarchs, and the countless gazes of the ordinary beastmen in the square, filled with subtle urges and dissatisfaction.

He knew he had been completely forced into a corner.

If he continued to strongly oppose it, it would not only be meaningless, but he would become the target of public criticism, and might even be treated by the Rat King as another source of instability.

Ever since he spoke his opposition, the attendants at the Rat King’s side had been casting their gazes toward him repeatedly.

Bao Wen was not a greenhorn; he naturally understood the warning contained in those looks.

"...No objections."

He squeezed these three words through his teeth, using almost all his strength, the veins on his temples bulging.

"Good!" The Rat King had been waiting for this very moment. He did not give anyone a chance to back out and announced in a loud voice that carried throughout the square: "Since that is the case, the contract is established! I ask all patriarchs to come forward in order and sign the contract!"

The last patriarch put down his pen, and the multi-copy contract was officially signed.

The secretary at the Rat King’s side carefully rolled up the contract and tied it with a special ribbon.

One copy was kept by the Rat King, one by Cheng Shuili, and the remaining copies were held by the patriarchs of the major tribes—the tiger, lion, and fox races—to ensure fairness and mutual supervision.

The Rat King took a deep breath, faced all the beastmen in the square who were waiting with bated breath, and held the freshly signed, wet-ink contract scroll high in the air. His voice was infused with power, reaching every corner:

"The contract is done! From this moment on, all races in the beastman town shall cast aside past grievances, work with one heart, and fight the plague together! Whatever is written in this contract is the iron law! May the plague be eradicated soon, and our home be at peace forever!"

"May the plague be eradicated soon! May our home be at peace forever!"

"Long live the Bear King!"

"The Rat King is wise!"

...

The square erupted instantly into a tsunami of cheers!

Countless beastmen waved their arms, their faces overflowing with hope and excitement.

The shadow of the plague seemed to have been dispelled by this collectively signed contract.

Cheng Shuili stood in the tide of cheers, feeling the burning gazes and surging emotions, yet her heart remained abnormally cold.

The contract was done, and with no beastmen causing trouble behind the scenes, all she had left to face was the natural disaster.

The square remained lively for a long time until the sun tilted to the west and the noise gradually died down.

The patriarchs of the various tribes dispersed with their own hidden agendas, and the ordinary beastmen gradually left as well. Soon, only Cheng Shuili, Xiong Ji, the Rat King, and his few attendants remained.

The smile on the Rat King’s face faded, returning to his usual expression of slight detachment.

He walked closer, looked at Cheng Shuili, and said slowly: "My young friend, you have clever means. In today’s game, I underestimated you."

It was impossible to tell if this was praise or a criticism; it sounded more like a flat statement of fact.

Cheng Shuili was neither haughty nor humble: "The Rat King is too kind. I merely did what had to be done and said what had to be said."

"What had to be done... what had to be said..." The Rat King chewed on these words, his eyes deep and dark. "I hope your next 'what has to be done' can also be... as smooth as today."

There seemed to be a hidden meaning in his words, but he did not speak it clearly.

Immediately, he changed the subject: "Since the contract has been signed, I will naturally fulfill it. I hope you understand, young friend, that the peace of this town is hard-won. Some methods are of immeasurable merit when used to combat the plague. But if used elsewhere..."

He did not finish his sentence, only giving Cheng Shuili a deep look.

Cheng Shuili naturally understood the Rat King’s meaning, but understanding did not mean she liked hearing it. She frowned slightly and replied politely: "Rest assured, Rat King, I only want my fair share. But if anyone covets what is mine, I naturally will not sit idly by."

The Rat King’s eyes flickered, and he finally nodded: "That is for the best."

He said no more. With the light sound of his staff hitting the ground, he turned and left, surrounded by his attendants.

Not until the Rat King’s figure disappeared at the end of the square did Cheng Shuili let out a soft breath, her back, which had been held straight, relaxing slightly.

Xiong Ji had remained standing behind her, watching the Rat King’s retreating figure with her.

After a long while, Cheng Shuili clicked her tongue lightly and turned around: "Let’s go."

Xiong Ji responded and followed immediately.

"The King should be able to rest well tonight."

"Rest?" Cheng Shuili didn’t stop walking and shook her head: "No rest. Speed is the essence of war; let’s distribute all the medicine tonight. We’ll finish off this plague tonight, so as not to invite any more trouble."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Ji was stunned for a moment, then his tiger eyes widened, bursting with a scorching light: "Understood! I listen to the King! I’ll go arrange the manpower now and re-inspect the settlements of every race."

"Also," Cheng Shuili remembered a post she had seen online in her past life and cautioned: "Don’t let any beastmen from any race go out tomorrow. Arrange our people to carry out a comprehensive disinfection of the beastman town."

"Understood!" Xiong Ji was fired up, wishing he could fly back immediately.

It was the first time Cheng Shuili had seen someone so old yet so energetic.

She watched Xiong Ji’s eager demeanor, wishing he could grow wings to fly back, and couldn’t help but shake her head and chuckle.

But the smile quickly faded, and her eyes turned sharp once again.

"Go. Be quick. Especially those settlements that were hiding patients earlier; prioritize them. Don’t leave a single corner unchecked."

Cheng Shuili reminded him again: "This is our territory now; if you encounter obstruction or suspicious circumstances, being a little forceful is of no consequence."

"Rest assured, King!"

Xiong Ji nodded vigorously, then took long strides, running toward the hospital, his heavy footsteps echoing in the empty square.

Cheng Shuili went directly back to her vehicle.

Having stayed with the beastmen for so long, she still didn’t know what the situation was like on the human side.

The vehicle was quiet and comfortable. Su Rui seemed to have gone to sleep early, and no lights were on.

Cheng Shuili walked around outside the bedroom, saw nothing unusual, and turned to return to her bedroom.

She had wasted too much time in the beastman town; it was late now, and those who should be resting were already asleep.

As soon as Cheng Shuili opened the regional channel, she was almost instantly submerged by a screen full of desperate messages.

The text was permeated with a nearly tangible panic and deathly silence.

"Help... can someone save my brother... he’s started coughing up blood, and his whole body is as hot as a charcoal..."

"Water... give me water... someone have water... I’m dying, I just want a sip of water, please have some kindness."

"If you’re going to die, stop begging. Supplies are for those who can live!"

"That’s the seventh one... seven of my friends have died since this morning... at this rate, can anyone even stay alive?"

"The antibiotics listed on the trade channel... priced at fifty thousand game coins? Is that a price set for humans? This is killing us!"

"Burn, just burn, let everyone burn to death... this damn place never intended for us to live..."

"What exactly should we do? Someone said it before, why is it that the people of Black Feather are fine?! Why is it that when everyone else is in such agony, the people of Black Feather can still watch from the sidelines?!"