Clean and Clear

The Rat King’s footsteps faltered imperceptibly at the edge of the square.

What did he see?

Those beastmen who had once been tortured to the brink of death by the plague, while still appearing weary, now had the light of life returned to their eyes. They stood in twos and threes at the entrances to their dwellings or in front of shops, watching the center of the square with quiet curiosity.

They had truly recovered.

Completely, clean and clear.

The nauseating, sweet, rotten stench in the air had vanished, replaced by the slightly pungent yet incredibly reassuring scent of disinfectant.

The streets were damp, clearly having just undergone a thorough cleaning.

Cheng Shuili stood there, watching him approach in silence. There was no arrogance of a victor on her face, only a cold, calm composure.

"Good morning, Rat King." Cheng Shuili’s voice rang out across the empty square in the early morning. "I have fulfilled my promise. The plague in the beastman town has been completely eradicated, and the sick have all recovered. According to our agreement, I am returning the management rights of the town to you."

She stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation, pointing toward the ancient stone monument in the center of the square that symbolized the core of the town’s power.

Xiong Ji stepped back silently with the bear-race guards, clearing the path to the monument.

Their movements were uniform and silent, declaring the end of their mission and the handover of power.

But at this moment, the Rat King found the monument eyesore in the extreme.

He tightened his grip on his gem-encrusted staff until his knuckles turned white.

He walked forward step by step, each one feeling exceptionally heavy.

The attendants behind him held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

Finally, he stood before the monument and reached out to symbolically stroke the ancient engravings upon it.

This gesture signified that he had reclaimed everything here.

"My little friend."

He spat out the simple words with a hint of grinding teeth.

"Your methods are truly astonishing." The Rat King turned around, forcing a stiff smile onto his face, though his voice sounded parched. "To resolve such a great disaster in a single night, I am... truly impressed."

"It was my duty."

Cheng Shuili’s reply was so concise it bordered on perfunctory. She did not even look at the Rat King’s expression, turning her gaze instead toward the beastmen of other races who were gradually gathering.

Their expressions were complex, but the vast majority of the beastmen’s gazes held nothing but gratitude toward Cheng Shuili.

She knew this scene would be remembered by some of them forever.

"Since the management rights have been handed over, we will not disturb the Rat King in restoring order."

Cheng Shuili nodded slightly, her tone remaining flat. "As for the other items agreed upon in the contract, I trust the Rat King will arrange for someone to contact me as soon as possible."

She did not mention the military factory, nor did she mention the 30% of the goods, but every word struck at the Rat King’s most sensitive nerve.

The muscles in the Rat King’s face twitched, and he could barely maintain his strained smile.

What else could he say?

Under the eyes of everyone, in the face of an ironclad contract and undeniable facts?

He could only squeeze two words through his teeth: "Of course."

Cheng Shuili said no more and turned to leave.

Xiong Ji and the bear-race guards followed closely behind. Their footsteps sounded exceptionally crisp and powerful in the quiet morning.

When they arrived, they had come to extinguish the plague.

When they left, they took victory with them and left behind a deep impression.

The Rat King watched as the group disappeared at the end of the street. The light of dawn grew bright and piercing, yet it could not dispel the haze and coldness in his heart.

He had lost more than just shares in the military factory and the goods; he had lost his absolute control over the territory and... his reputation among the beastmen, which could never be recovered.

Meanwhile, Cheng Shuili had already opened the regional channel.

Just as she had expected, Xinxue’s "preheating" had been incredibly effective.

Although it was just dawn, the speed at which messages were scrolling was even faster than the night before.

However, the direction of the discussion had quietly shifted.

"Holy crap! I just woke up. Am I hallucinating or has the channel gone crazy? Where is this news coming from? Black Feather is going to sell medicine? Is it real or fake?!"

"Where did these rumors even come from? Can anyone find the source?"

"I don't know about all that, but I know the people from Black Feather haven't shown themselves, and their safe zone has always been open. Even though everyone says they have medicine, I still think it’s because their members are naturally fit. Crow isn't an insider, even if she is number one on the leaderboard, she can't have a solution for every disaster, right?"

"What rumors? I think it's all fake news! What's this about recovering in one night? Are you kidding me! My friend has been burning with a fever for two days and is about to turn into a vegetable! If they really had medicine, why didn't they bring it out sooner!"

"A bushel of grain creates an enemy; a measure of grain creates a friend. If I had medicine in my hand but wasn't sure if it worked, I wouldn't bring it out either."

"Hey, guy above? What does that mean?"

"Do you guys only listen to half of what people say? Whether it's a rumor or the truth, at least they explained it clearly. Crow hasn't shown her face for days because she was busy testing the medicine in the beastman town! Would she dare bring it out before she was sure it worked? You'd curse her for doing nothing, and if she did something and it failed, you'd all drown her in your spit!"

Watching the discussion in the regional channel veer into such absurd territory, Cheng Shuili nearly choked on her rice porridge.

Xinxue, that girl—she did the preheating, but wasn't this steering a bit too... "freestyle"?

"Testing medicine in the beastman town"?

She had clearly been extorting the beastman town...

No, she had been fulfilling a contract and solving the plague!

Verifying the medicine’s efficacy was just a side effect.

How did it turn into her using the beastmen as lab rats, taking risks to experiment in secret, and finally succeeding in the eyes of these survivors?

Although, looking at the results, they didn't seem... entirely wrong?

Cheng Shuili rubbed her temples, suppressing her urge to laugh and cry at the same time.

Forget it. No matter how the process is described, the final result is what matters most.

This kind of rumor, tinged with a sense of tragedy and "enduring humiliation for a greater cause," might move people more than a direct announcement of victory, and it would certainly make those who cursed the loudest last night feel incredibly awkward.

However, the rumors couldn't be allowed to spiral completely out of control.

She opened a private chat with Xinxue.

【Crow Takes Flight】: The direction of the regional channel is getting a bit skewed.

【Crow Takes Flight】: The "testing medicine" narrative is too easy to cause trouble. Guide it slightly, emphasize that it was verified on our beastman friends based on a reliable formula, and focus on the fact that the verification was a success! Emphasize that Black Feather possesses mature and reliable medicine.

【Crow Takes Flight】: The opening of the beastman town is the best proof. Don't let the word "testing" become the focus of the regional channel.

Almost the moment the message was sent, Xinxue’s reply popped up.

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: Understood, Boss! I just saw it too and was about to tell you.

【Xinxue Chu Ji】: These people have such powerful imaginations; they can weave a mountain of stories from just a few words. Don't worry, I'll arrange for people to bring the narrative back on track immediately!

Cheng Shuili closed the chat and finished the rest of her porridge slowly.

She knew Xinxue excelled at this. Regulating public opinion was a skill a merchant should master, and Xinxue was clearly an excellent merchant.

Sure enough, within a few minutes, some "inside information" began to appear in the regional channel.

【Regional Channel】:

"Everyone calm down, stop guessing. I just heard from a brother who has friends in the beastman town. Boss Crow didn't go there to test medicine; she went there with a formula that was already confirmed to be effective! It’s said to be an ancient recipe obtained from a special channel, but she went there to implement it because she wasn't sure about the specific dosage. Now that all the beastmen have recovered and the streets are disinfected, it proves the formula is completely viable and the effects are extraordinary!"

Cheng Shuili couldn't help but curl her lips. This claim couldn't withstand even the slightest scrutiny.

The beastman town had been dealing with the plague for the past few days and hadn't been open at all.

And there was no clear channel of communication between players and beastmen, so saying it came from the beastmen themselves...

Cheng Shuili chuckled. It didn't matter. As long as people believed it, that was enough.

The regional channel began to discuss this message:

"The guy above is right! Why talk about testing? The beastmen aren't people we can just bully, not even Boss Crow could do that. It’s obviously cooperation or a trade! Don't forget, Crow has traded with beastmen before, and this is likely part of the cooperation. If the beastmen were willing to cooperate, they must have trusted that the medicine was fine."

"Exactly! The process doesn't matter, the result does! The result is: first, there is medicine. Second, the effect is shocking. Third, the beastman town is opening soon, so seeing is believing! Those who are still stubborn and calling it a rumor, dare to wait for the news? There are so many of us in the Dragon Country region, as long as the beastman town opens, someone will pass by! Won't the truth be revealed then?"

"Yes, yes! Black Feather’s move is classy! It’s ten thousand times better than empty words! I’m packing my things right now and waiting for dawn to drive. Friends, if any of you pass by the beastman town, don't keep it a secret! If it’s really true... I’ll empty my savings to buy a dose!"

"+1!"

"+10086!"

Cheng Shuili scanned these comments with a calm expression.

The tide of panic had shifted, turning into a surging crowd chasing a lifeline.

And she was the one holding that lifeline.

The good show had only just begun.

Now, she had to think about how to sell this medicine.

At eight o'clock, the sun rose on the road, and the sky turned bright.

Xiao Li sat in the driver’s seat early, feeling excited. However, due to the habits he had formed surviving until now, he didn't drive off immediately upon seeing the sunrise. He checked the time, confirmed it was fine, and then slowly pressed the accelerator.

Many others were driving with the same excitement, but Xiao Li was undoubtedly the luckiest among them.

As soon as his vehicle pulled out, he spotted the side road in the distance—the road to the beastman town!

Beside the intersection stood a crooked but strikingly eye-catching new wooden sign, on which someone had scrawled in charcoal: "Beastman Town—Plague cleared, trading welcome, no trouble allowed!"

It was ugly, but barely legible.

Xiao Li’s heart hammered against his ribs.

He stepped out of the vehicle and carefully turned onto the side road.

Along the road, the vegetation, which had been lush but permeated with death, seemed to have regained a hint of vitality.

And further ahead, the silhouette of the beastman town was clearly visible in the morning light; he could even see the wisps of cooking smoke rising!

It was real!

The news in the regional channel was very likely true!

He suppressed his excitement, his legs accelerating uncontrollably until he was almost running.

But from afar, he noticed that the beastman town was different from before.

On the road leading into the town stood several beastmen similar to those at the Trading Post, wearing protective gear and standing straight.

Xiao Li felt a bit nervous and slowed his pace. Just as he hesitated whether he should approach, one of the beastmen in protective gear spoke: "Stop, human!"

A muffled voice came from beneath the protective suit. The beastman raised a claw covered in a thick protective glove and made a stopping gesture: "The town has just been cleaned. If you want to enter for trade or a visit, you must register first and undergo a basic check to ensure you aren't infected with the plague."

Xiao Li’s heart rose to his throat, but more than anything, he felt a sense of "as expected" groundedness.

He stopped immediately and raised his hands to show he was harmless: "Okay, okay! I understand! I won't go in; I have the plague. I'll just stand here and ask you a few things, is that okay?"

He said the last sentence quickly and anxiously, his fear and anticipation impossible to hide.

The beastman seemed to scrutinize him for a moment from beneath the helmet before asking in a muffled voice: "What is it? Speak quickly."

Xiao Li swallowed, feeling his throat go dry: "I... I just wanted to ask, is the plague... really cured? I mean... did you use medicine? Was it cured overnight?"

The beastman seemed somewhat impatient, but perhaps seeing that the human before him seemed honest enough, he answered gruffly:

"Nonsense! Otherwise, why would we be standing here? Smelling disinfectant? Look over there yourself."

He pointed with a gloved claw toward a relatively lively street inside the town.

Through the sparse fence and the morning sun, Xiao Li could clearly see several beastmen of different races carrying goods. They looked energetic, and the sound of their conversation could be vaguely heard—they were clearly not infected by the plague!

A raccoon beastman even seemed to notice his gaze and waved a claw toward him.