Chapter 2098

Zhao Chi nodded: "Alright, no need to rush. After all, we don't have that much grain stocked up yet, so you have plenty of time to think it over."

"Understood!"

"Then I'll head back. You've all worked hard—make sure to rest when you should."

"Hehe, thank you, my lord, for your concern. Got it."

Zhao Chi teleported back to Penglai Town.

He nearly collided with Li Ruanyu, who had just teleported over as well.

"Ouch~"

Li Ruanyu immediately leapt aside, but Zhao Chi pulled her into his arms.

"Are you alright?"

Zhao Chi looked at his delicate wife in his embrace.

Yet Li Ruanyu's expression held neither shyness nor joy—instead, her pretty brows knit slightly, her face full of worry.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you when we bumped?"

Li Ruanyu shook her head, stepped out of Zhao Chi's embrace, and sent over a trade request.

"Quick, these are for you—accept them first."

Seeing her expression, something had happened.

Zhao Chi quickly followed her instructions and immediately accepted the trade.

【You have obtained the following items】:

【Small World Stone】 ×2

【Taiyi Wheel Fragment】 ×1

Three new items appeared in the system space.

Two of them were irregular, colorful spheres—the World Stones Zhao Chi had always wanted.

But they were still the small kind.

He wondered what the medium or even large ones would do.

Surely it wasn't just a matter of greater area, right?

Beside the World Stones was an unfamiliar metal shard.

Dark gold in color, it looked like ancient bronze, yet carried an inexplicable metallic sheen.

Bronze couldn't possibly shine like that.

Overall it resembled half a trigram plate, inscribed with obscure, hard-to-decipher symbols—seemingly ancient script.

This was the Taiyi Wheel Fragment.

Li Ruanyu said: "Zhao Chi, use these two World Stones right away, don't hesitate. As for this Taiyi Wheel Fragment, wait until after 6 o'clock, once last month's assessment is out, then use it."

Zhao Chi nodded: "Understood. Use the World Stones before 6 so we can refresh in another batch of new residents."

Li Ruanyu shook her head: "That's not the only reason. The moment I got these items, the regiment said they're sending people to check on supplies. I'll stall them for now—use up all the World Stones immediately, to avoid any complications."

"What?"

Zhao Chi asked in astonishment: "The White Tiger Regiment wants to inspect you? They don't trust you?"

Li Ruanyu shook her head:

"Of course it's not that they don't trust me—it's just that this kind of thing has to be verified.

"After all, that werewolf regiment commander just put my name on the list too. The regiment wants to clear my name, so they're coming to inspect my place first thing.

"They mean well, but… right now I can't prove my innocence either, so I can only stall for a bit."

Zhao Chi didn't understand.

"That's still meant well?"

Li Ruanyu nodded:

"Right. We normally get along great, and they do trust me—they all think I'm definitely fine, so they want to come to my place right away and clear my name first.

"Who's coming to your place?"

"A few people from the regiment! Originally Regiment Commander Jiang Chen and Captain Lu Yibing were supposed to come too, but that werewolf commander Mikami Nobumasa's list had both their names on it as well, so this time it can only be Chief Captain Guan and Captain Li Yanhui accompanying them."

"People from the regiment coming to inspect? Coming through the road between Regiment Commander Yao Feng and Binhe Town that was split open by the Pangu Axe fragment?"

"That's right."

"Then why don't I just transport the supplies back to you? Take these World Stones and the Taiyi Wheel Fragment back with you too."

"No." Li Ruanyu shook her head directly:

"We can't afford any more mishaps now. I'm afraid there might be other accidents.

"We've got a traitor on our side.

"They have all kinds of methods.

"I absolutely cannot let such important items pass through another pair of hands—I have to give them to you right away.

"If something happens on my end, it doesn't matter—I'm not the one producing supplies. But your side absolutely cannot have any problems, and absolutely cannot be delayed.

"Not only must the supplies not be returned to me, I also need to transport everything over here immediately.

"If anyone wants to enter your territory, don't grant them access at all!

"You're currently under the effect of the Non-Aggression Talisman, so others can't force their way in either.

"Don't worry about anything—just focus on doing what you need to do.

"Enough talk—use the World Stones right now, and I'll head back and transport all the supplies over."

Zhao Chi nodded: "Don't worry, I definitely won't let anyone in. But you—how are you going to prove your innocence?"

Li Ruanyu gave a light laugh:

"I have no need to prove myself.

"As long as you can steadily produce costumes and equipment on your end, I won't need to prove myself at all.

"After all, the value of the items you produce far exceeds the supplies given to you. If I truly distribute the costumes and equipment to everyone and let them see, it will prove itself without further ado.

"So I just need to drag things out a bit. Wait until you activate the Taiyi Lun fragment after 6 o'clock, produce a batch of distributable costumes or equipment immediately, and then hand them over to me.

"Once I distribute them, the matter will basically be resolved.

"Moreover... everyone has some things they keep to themselves to some degree; this is nothing.

"It's just slightly troublesome."

Zhao Chi nodded: "No problem. I will make a batch of costumes right away; costume production is the fastest."

"Alright, then I'll head back immediately and come again in a while."

"Hmm..."

Li Ruanyu vanished instantly.

Zhao Chi stayed in place, stunned for a moment.

He hadn't expected that the werewolves' utterly rotten scheme of sowing discord would actually work?

The White Tiger Squad naturally trusted Li Ruanyu.

After all, countless werewolves had died at her hands; if she were truly a werewolf spy, the cost would be far too high.

This was simply killing a thousand enemies while losing eight million of one's own; the werewolves weren't idiots, so how could they send such a spy?

If there really were any, the World-Breaking Army would welcome even more with open arms.

However, trust aside, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.

After all, if news of such a matter arrived, regardless of whether it was true or false, one would certainly have to investigate and confirm it first.

This is work procedure.

It must be done.

In order to prove Li Ruanyu's innocence, the White Tiger Squad was the first to come investigate her, which instead put her in a passive position.

But it didn't matter; in a while, I'll first make a large batch of costumes for Li Ruanyu to distribute to her teammates, and then there will be no problem.

Damn it...

How could such an idiotic scheme of sowing discord have such an effect?

I've truly learned something new.

However, there are still enemy spies within the squad; perhaps some spy is also stirring things up.

So Li Ruanyu simply refused to let them investigate.

The werewolves and the spies set a trap.

But Li Ruanyu simply did not attend the banquet.