Chapter 251: Old Li

The rat beastman took the two's expressions into its eyes, expressionlessly bowed to Cheng Shuili and politely said, "The Rat King says you may freely handle all the belongings left by Laogou."

He raised his hand and swept across the whole warehouse, respectfully saying, "Now, these items all belong to you. Moreover, the Rat King thinks you are very measured, a good friend."

That's a compliment.

Cheng Shuili slightly curled the corner of her mouth, her fingertips rubbing the wolf‑tooth pendant in her pocket, and gave a slight nod to the rat beastman, "Please convey my thanks for the Rat King's kindness."

Her gaze swept over the servants in the warehouse; they are already servants… the domain servant card is no longer needed.

The rat beastman delivered the message and left silently.

When Laolang returned after dealing with the corpse, he saw his own Lao Da sitting upright on the sofa, drinking a bottle of mineral water as if tasting tea.

He scratched his head, "Lao Da, everything's taken care of."

Cheng Shuili gave a slight nod; the servants had already been moved into her domain together with the beds, and now Laogou's entire warehouse was empty.

She instructed, "From now on this place is your territory; you should be able to run this business, and I hope that next time I come, the servants on your stall will be more spirited."

Laolang looked left and right, and when his eyes met Cheng Shuili's, his knees went weak.

Cheng Shuili sighed, lifted her leg and stepped around him, "Our matters are settled; see you next time."

Su Rui followed behind Cheng Shuili, feeling no attachment to this place; the guide, however, glanced back, Laolang's expression etched in his pupils, further confirming his intention to follow Cheng Shuili.

On the way back the party was quiet; Cheng Shuili gave the guide a look and, pretending to make small talk, said, "Old master, do you really not know what the Little Black Room is?"

The guide didn't answer directly; he lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, then asked, "Are you still short of people?"

What does that mean?

Cheng Shuili's steps halted briefly, but she quickly resumed as usual.

This beastman wants to follow her, huh?

Cheng Shuili shook her head, then nodded, saying, "That depends on what you can do; I certainly don't keep idle people here."

The guide volunteered, "With age comes some worldly sense; you just recruited so many servants, aren't you missing someone to manage them?"

Cheng Shuili laughed, "Old master, are you trying to get an official post here?"

The guide smiled faintly, a sly glint flashing in his eyes, and said slowly, "Young one, this old man has lived so many years, I've seen more people than the salt you've eaten. Managing people isn't something you can do with brute force alone."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Cheng Shuili and Su Rui, his tone steady and confident, "Those servants have just changed masters, so their hearts are inevitably restless. If no one keeps them in check, they might cause trouble. As for me—"

He lightly stroked his beard, meaningfully saying, "I can make them obey and save you a lot of trouble. In this deal, you won't lose."

Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a half‑smile, "That sounds reasonable. However…"

She changed tack, "You still haven't answered my earlier question."

The guide sighed, still seeming unwilling to speak, but seeing Cheng Shuili's gaze, he realized he couldn't leave the question unanswered.

His eyes suddenly grew deep, "The Little Black Room… knowing too much about that place may not be a good thing. But since you asked, I will certainly tell you."

He explained, "That place is called the Little Black Room; it's essentially an exile zone—once you go in, you can't get out. It's more chaotic than the black market, has no food, and no land to be self‑sufficient. The beasts that enter can only cannibalize each other; the weak become food for the strong, and the strong are eaten by even stronger ones."

"Once you go in, there's certainly no good outcome."

The guide shook his head, clearly full of emotion.

Cheng Shuili nodded, took a domain servant card from the Abyssal Ring, and said, "Old master, since you want to come, then come."

It sounded as if she were reluctant.

The guide said nothing, calmly accepting the card.

Only two remained in the party, Su Rui and Cheng Shuili exchanged a glance and continued forward along the road.

The two smoothly returned to the highway; Cheng Shuili sighed in the carriage, and before she could relax, she hurried back into the domain.

The guide was indeed correct; with so many arriving at once, having no one in charge wouldn't work.

When Cheng Shuili stepped into the domain, she immediately sensed a different atmosphere.

The once empty manor now had a few more people; the newly arrived servants gathered in small groups, each expression different—some bewildered, some cautiously watching, others with unease and doubt in their eyes.

Zhou Zhuxing, Yu Bing, and the consultant stood nearby, watching Cheng Shuili before feeling at ease.

Who knows how terrifying it was when so many rushed in at once!

They even thought some strange force had broken in!

The guide, old master, had already stepped ahead of the crowd, hands behind his back, his gaze steady as he scanned everyone.

Seeing Cheng Shuili arrive, he gave a slight nod and whispered, "We've just settled, but hearts are unstable; we must set rules."

Cheng Shuili nodded and stepped forward to the crowd.

She said nothing, merely quietly surveyed the circle; wherever her gaze fell, the murmuring whispers faded, leaving only the rustle of wind through the treetops.

"From today onward, this is your place of refuge."

Her voice was soft yet clear to every ear, "I dislike idle talk; I'll state three points: loyalty, diligence, and obeying rules. If you meet them, I'll ensure your safety and plenty. If not…"

She paused, a faint smile at her lips, "The curious may give it a try."

A few bold people in the crowd stole glances at her, then quickly lowered their heads.

The guide stepped forward at the right moment, his voice booming, "I am the beastman Lao Li, and will henceforth be in charge of you. Now, everyone line up by gender, state your name and specialty; I will assign tasks."

The servants were obedient; seeing Cheng Shuili not object, they knew this was the new master's tacit approval and stood up in order.

Cheng Shuili, Zhou Zhuxing, and Lao Zhou stood together, quietly watching Lao Zhou record the names and specialties.

"It's a bit like back in ancient times… when hiring workers."

Yu Bing suddenly muttered softly, and after seeing the consultant's curious gaze, she explained, "Isn't that how it's portrayed on TV?"

She had already explained to the consultant what television is, so the consultant asked nothing further.

Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow, "Seems you get along well? I've already found the workers; the seeds need to be arranged quickly."