This unexpected calmness caused a flicker of shadow to pass through the depths of the Rat King's eyes. His claws, gripping the gem staff, tightened slightly, yet he remained composed, forcing a smile as he replied:
"Besides that, your courage, little friend, is truly impressive."
As he spoke, without waiting for Cheng Shuili to respond, he sniffed affectedly and said, "The scent of a White Ghost."
As soon as these words were uttered, the guard captain standing to the side showed great awareness and shouted, "Alert!"
Following the Rat King's guard captain's shout, the previously standing mouse-race guards instantly became like precision instruments that had just been switched on.
The sound of metal scraping and armor clashing rang out in perfect unison. Almost simultaneously, all the mouse-race guards turned, bent their knees, and raised their shields!
That massive square shield, crafted from an unknown black metal, was slammed heavily onto the ground, emitting a series of dull thuds and kicking up thin dust from the road.
The edges of the shields locked tightly together, instantly constructing an impenetrable wall of black metal in front of the Rat King.
Behind the shield wall, gun barrels gleaming with cold light protruded from specially left gaps. The hollow, grim muzzles reflected icy murderous intent in the morning light, tightly guarding the Rat King from behind.
The entire process was as fast as lightning and completely silent, save for the grim sound of metal scraping against the ground.
Having done this, the guard captain leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes staring fixedly at Cheng Shuili's vehicle through the gaps in the shields, as if some terrifying creature might pounce out at any moment.
The air tightened suddenly, and even the wind seemed to have stalled.
Behind the shield wall, the Rat King's figure was almost completely obscured; only the tip of his staff, inlaid with a dark gem, remained visible between the gaps of the shields.
Cheng Shuili remained unusually quiet throughout.
From the moment the Rat King uttered the words "White Ghost," Cheng Shuili knew what they were talking about.
The thing that appeared before these beastmen arrived—wasn't it gray-white?
And... its appearance could not be described more reasonably than as a "ghost."
Cheng Shuili had been driving on the highway for so long without ever encountering such a thing, yet just as she finished trading with the Rat King, this thing appeared.
And it didn't just appear once.
It happened last night, and then again this morning.
Moreover, just as that monster vanished this morning, the Rat King arrived, acting all mysterious about some White Ghost.
If this White Ghost business had nothing to do with the Rat King, Cheng Shuili would dare to write her name backward!
The stage was set, so shouldn't the script be delivered now?
A hint of faint mockery lingered in Cheng Shuili's eyes as she watched the shield wall at her leisure, as if she were watching a poorly choreographed play that kept breaking character.
However... Cheng Shuili also knew that the Rat King did not care whether she knew he was behind it.
The Rat King's goal was a warning.
Or rather, a display from a position of superiority.
Displaying his methods, his foundation, and his ability to bring trouble to Cheng Shuili at any moment.
Whether she could see through it was unimportant; what mattered was making her feel the pressure, making her understand that even after reaching a deal, she remained a little ant he could crush at will.
This was both revenge and an attempt to re-establish psychological dominance.
Sure enough, the Rat King's hoarse voice, carrying a hint of deliberately lowered gravity, came from behind the shield wall:
"White Ghosts... are filthy things spawned from the depths of this land. They are intangible and formless, loving to feed on the aura of fear. Wherever they appear, it means... ominous things."
He paused, seemingly observing Cheng Shuili's reaction, before continuing: "Your vehicle has been marked by these things for two consecutive days; I fear disaster is about to strike."
Cheng Shuili's gaze swept over the grim shield wall and fell back onto the corner of the Rat King's ornate robe, which was partially visible, her face remaining expressionless.
She neither showed curiosity or fear regarding the White Ghost, nor did she directly respond to the Rat King's seemingly cautionary, yet actually intimidating, words.
She simply tilted her head slightly and asked in a flat tone, "Oh? You seem very knowledgeable about this thing, Rat King?"
The Rat King let out two dry laughs, his voice drifting from behind the shield wall with an indescribable meaning:
"Having lived a long time, in this place, one eventually gets to see some... unpleasant things. However,"
He changed the subject, "you need not worry too much, little friend. Although White Ghosts are troublesome, they are not without solutions. If you need them, I happen to have some special... methods to dispel these things."
This was practically an explicit offer.
Cheng Shuili sneered inwardly.
First, use the eerie method of the White Ghost to create panic, then suddenly appear in the name of trade with an elite guard to show off strength, and finally throw out a solution as bait.
A combination of moves, the goal of which was nothing more than to regain the initiative.
Perhaps he even wanted to squeeze more profit out of her or reclaim the face he had lost at the beastman town earlier!
She raised her eyes, looked toward the shield wall, and suddenly smiled: "I appreciate the Rat King's good intentions. However, although Black Feather is small, we have our own ways of self-protection."
"If this White Ghost is blind and comes to cause trouble again and again, I wouldn't mind testing out a few new gadgets I just acquired."
The Rat King had already spoken clearly enough. Anyone with half a brain would understand his meaning.
Yet Cheng Shuili acted as if she didn't understand, calmly blocking the issue.
Behind the shield wall, the Rat King's claw gripping the staff tightened once more.
He knew very well that Cheng Shuili was not unintelligent; she was just too smart and too courageous, which was why she ignored his threats!
Cheng Shuili's reaction deviated from his expectations once again.
There was no panicked plea for help, no attempt to haggle, just an understated, even slightly provocative dismissal of the topic.
This caused many of the retorts he had prepared to get stuck in his throat.
After a few seconds of silence, the Rat King's voice sounded again, his feigned profound composure mostly dissipated, replaced by stiffness:
"It is best if you are confident, little friend. Then... let us get back to business."
He paused, seemingly signaling.
The shield wall did not retract, but a small gap opened on the side, looking as if they were avoiding the White Ghost at all costs.
Several mouse-race guards carried two heavy-looking boxes covered with thick velvet cloth, carefully moved them forward, placed them on the ground, and then quickly retreated behind the shield wall.
"As agreed, this is the first batch of goods, and the 40% of the revenue will follow shortly." The Rat King's voice returned to the flat tone of a trade, "Now, take a count."
Cheng Shuili did not immediately step forward, nor did she spare a glance at the two boxes.
Her gaze remained fixed on the Rat King behind the shield wall, her tone flat and emotionless: "There is no need for a count. Goods escorted by the Rat King himself surely would not have any discrepancies."
This was just polite talk; Cheng Shuili thought to herself: "There is a system contract, after all. Even if this old man is the Rat King, he cannot break it, can he?"
There was no need to say such things out loud.
On the surface, Cheng Shuili was a very polite human.
She smiled slightly, raised her hand, and stored the items sent by the Rat King into the private space of the Abyss... of her territory.
The Abyss Ring could not hold these items at all, and if she hadn't remembered she could store them directly in her territory, it would have been truly awkward.
This was one reason why some players were so fanatical about building factions, but compared to the Abyss Ring, the territory was still far inferior.
In terms of storage, the Abyss Ring and the territory were similar, but for members other than the leader, they could not store items in the territory at will.
But in terms of retrieving items... the territory was far inferior to the Abyss Ring, not to mention that the Abyss Ring also had the insight function and the function of a ring spirit of unknown quality.
Returning to the present, the Rat King watched coldly as the boxes of goods vanished into thin air, his gaze lingering on the empty highway for a long while without moving.
These were all guns manufactured by his factories.
Selling them for game coins could fetch an astronomical number!
Giving them to Cheng Shuili like this truly pained his heart.
Not to mention having to give her the actual game coin commission in a few days.
Thinking of this, the Rat King's expression darkened a bit more.
Cheng Shuili stored the items away, then raised her eyes to look at the Rat King, her tone remaining that same bland politeness: "Happy trading, Rat King. I hope the subsequent supply can be just as smooth."
She deliberately emphasized the word "smooth."
The Rat King heard the faint subtext, sneered inwardly, but did not show it on his face, merely curling his lips: "As long as the agreement remains, I will naturally not break my word."
He paused, adding pointedly: "However, little friend, the road is not peaceful. You may have a way to deal with the White Ghost, but other accidents may occur. Encountering such things, be more careful."
This was a naked threat.
Cheng Shuili acted as if she did not hear the edge in his words and nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, Rat King. You need not worry; I am a very careful person."
After saying this, she did not linger, turned, and walked straight toward her vehicle.
Her gait was steady, her back straight, without the slightest hesitation or fear.
The Rat King narrowed his eyes, watching the vehicle door close, watching the person on the vehicle ignore them just like that, the engine emitting a low roar, slowly pulling away, and finally disappearing at the end of the highway.
He stood there for a long time until the guard captain approached cautiously: "King, shall we..."
"Leave." The Rat King squeezed the word through his teeth, his voice low and cold.
He took one last look in the direction Cheng Shuili had left, his eyes churning with calculation and ruthlessness.
"The White Ghost's mark has been planted... she will return. Once she has tasted enough bitterness, she will naturally understand who is the one that should bow their head."
He did not say more, turned, and led his grim guard team, as silently as they had come, back behind the air wall, as if they had never stepped into the highway area.
Inside the vehicle, Cheng Shuili leaned against the seat, the calmness on her face fading, finally revealing her most authentic emotions.
That dead old man, the Rat King, was blatantly threatening her!
This White Ghost business was indeed caused by that old thing!
Cheng Shuili sprang up from the sofa like a carp, her eyes unfocused, staring at a certain spot in the room in deep thought for a long time, before finally shaking her head, her eyes regaining their luster.
When resolving the matter with Bao Chi, the bear-race beastmen had told her that those who could possess a residence in the beastman town were either old friends of the Rat King or old beastmen with genuine technical expertise.
The former were races close to the Rat King, while the latter were from various races.
Most importantly, these beastmen were undoubtedly knowledgeable and could solve Cheng Shuili's current problem.
And Huo Po, clearly, was the latter!
Having a direction, Cheng Shuili no longer wasted time.
After all, regardless of whether what the Rat King said was true or false, Su Rui was driving with full concentration, and if a gray-white human figure suddenly jumped out to scare people, she feared Su Rui would eventually have a heart attack.
But servants would not get sick...
Cheng Shuili looked at the driver's cab, then stood up resolutely.
She could not let her employees bleed and cry! This matter must be resolved!
Su Rui had no idea what had happened in the cabin, only knowing that when she looked back, the figure lying on the sofa was gone.
But there was nothing to make a fuss about; after all, Cheng Shuili was the boss, and it was normal for the boss to be busy.
Su Rui shook her head and continued driving.
The boss had the boss's responsibilities, and she, this little driver, also had her own responsibilities.
Besides, she was not just any little driver; she was the boss's full-time driver!
On the other side, inside the territory.
Cheng Shuili stood in front of Huo Po's luxurious hut at the edge of the land, raised her hand, and knocked on the door again, her voice carrying obvious helplessness: "Huo Po, are you busy?"
In the corner, a hunched back was facing several gurgling, bubbling pottery jars, not even turning its head, only humming a vague "hmph" from its nose.
Cheng Shuili had expected this attitude.
Ever since Huo Po moved into Cheng Shuili's territory with her strange belongings, her attitude toward this leader had undergone a earth-shattering change.
From the nearly fawning attitude at the beastman town market, it had turned into the current indifferent coldness.
It was as if as long as she had entered the territory, her goal was achieved, and everything else was irrelevant.
If Zhou Zhuxing hadn't said that her master was staying at home, Cheng Shuili would not even know if she was really home.
Otherwise, why had she knocked on the door for ten minutes, yet there was no movement inside?
This door was even pushed open by herself.
She sighed, keeping her patience, her tone remaining polite, "I have something I would like to consult you about, regarding the White Ghost."
No response.
Cheng Shuili was not angry, repeating it several times, seemingly annoyed, Huo Po, although not turning her head, finally responded, even though her hoarse voice carried heavy perfunctoriness:
"This old woman's eyes are poor, and my ears are dull; how would I know what a White Ghost or a Black Ghost is? You have found the wrong person, leader."
Oh.
So she did know she was the leader.
Cheng Shuili curled her lips, sighing inwardly.
This old beastman was clearly not wanting to get involved. Perhaps because she feared the Rat King, or perhaps she simply did not want to find trouble for herself.
Old fellows who could gain a foothold in the beastman town were all clever people who knew how to protect themselves.
But she did not have time to accompany this old beastman in circles.
Rate on N.U.
