Chapter 372: A Letter

Cheng Shuili said nothing; she looked at the smug Hui Wei, then at Bao Chi, who had tucked his neck and crouched again.

Even if he's still dull, this gathering already reveals a bit of taste.

Coming at such a coincidence, his words are heavily implied; saying the hyena beastmen have nothing to do with him, Cheng Shuili would definitely not believe it.

She now guesses that Hui Wei is deliberately sending those hyenas to trouble Bao Chi, and as for this guy's purpose…

It's still unclear now.

Neither of the two humans spoke or moved, and Bao Chi, being timid, the shop fell silent at once.

Hui Wei seemed to enjoy the silence; he squinted his bean eyes, his gaze lingered on Bao Chi's frightened face, then swept over Cheng Shuili and Su Rui, and continued in a slightly patronizing tone:

"Brother Bao Chi, I'm truly looking out for you. Your ancestral fermented recipe is a waste to keep in your hands; you're harassed every few days, how can you keep the business going? Better sell it to me—you know who I work for. The price is negotiable. With that money, you could move elsewhere, start a small trade; wouldn't that be better than living in constant fear now?"

Bao Chi snapped his head up; a flash of anger flickered in his amber pupils, but fear dominated, his lips trembled, and he dared not retort immediately.

Cheng Shuili now fully understood—it was for Bao Chi's unique bread‑making secret formula.

First they sent people to cause trouble, making his business untenable; then the rent collector appeared to threaten and tempt him—a combo punch forcing him to comply.

But Cheng Shuili wouldn't believe at all that this was ordered by the Rat King.

She had met the Rat King a few times; how could that man care about such a trivial, fly‑size profit?

Probably this guy covets Bao Chi's shop earnings, using the Rat King's banner to commit these dirty deeds!

Cheng Shuili stepped half a pace forward, blocking Bao Chi and Hui Wei, expression blank, and asked evenly, "You want to buy the formula? So, how much are you willing to pay?"

Only then did Hui Wei give Cheng Shuili a proper look; he had thought she was a nameless human beggar, and this serious scrutiny made him realize something was off.

This human carried an aura similar to the Rat King's.

Hui Wei didn't actually know what that aura meant, but he was clear about one thing: this human was either rich or noble!

In any case, offending her would be no good for Hui Wei.

Thinking that, Hui Wei's smugness faded instantly, and the calculation in his bean eyes turned to uncertainty.

He hunched his back, his tone unintentionally taking on a hint of respect, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance: "Esteemed guest, do you know Brother Bao Chi?"

Cheng Shuili didn't answer; she calmly repeated, "I ask you, how much do you intend to pay for his formula?"

Hui Wei's temples beaded with sweat; he rubbed his hands and forced a dry laugh, saying:

"This… this is negotiable, truly negotiable. Mainly, Brother Bao Chi's business lately… as you've seen, is unstable. I'm thinking of his welfare, fearing he can't protect this ancestral craft; if some riff‑raff snatch it, wouldn't that be worse? If I sell it… *cough* if I can find a suitable buyer, I'd secure a livelihood and ensure the craft continues—wouldn't that be a win‑win?"

His words were slick, both highlighting Bao Chi's predicament and absolving himself.

Cheng Shuili sneered inwardly; this rat‑clan beastman indeed knows how to steer with the wind.

She stopped looking at Hui Wei and asked Bao Chi, "Bao Chi, what do you say yourself? Do you still want to keep this shop open?"

Bao Chi looked at Cheng Shuili blocking him, then glanced at the now‑changed Hui Wei; his courage seemed to return a bit.

He inhaled deeply, straightened his posture; though his voice still trembled, his tone was firm: "I want to! The formula is ancestral; I cannot sell it!" After speaking, he glanced at Hui Wei again, then, as if frightened, retreated behind Cheng Shuili, muttering, "The business finally improved… how could this happen…"

Business improved?

Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow; then it wasn't surprising.

Previously the business was average; in Hui Wei's eyes, this bakery held little value.

Now Bao Chi's business has flourished, the rent paid keeps rising, and some beasts' greed becomes uncontainable.

Hui Wei, hearing this, sighed theatrically and said, "Brother Bao Chi, I'm not saying I must buy your formula. You know the current situation; if this continues you won't even be able to keep the shop open. Here, a jobless beastman doesn't have a good fate. I'm doing this for your sake—sell the formula, get the money, acquire a property in Shou Ren Xiao Zhen, and you can still live well, right?"

If his earlier words still carried a hint of advice, this passage is now pure intimidation.

If Cheng Shuili weren't present, Bao Chi might have agreed.

But with this human here, Bao Chi glanced up quietly; he had cooperated with this human for a long time, making them partners in any case.

Although he didn't know what was wrong with the contract, the human's goods had always been at a loss for him. Yet this human's reputation seemed especially huge in the human world; lately, customers buying from his shop kept mentioning things like 'Wuya Dalao's version,' 'Black Feather specialty,' 'bread you don't have to fight over,' and rushed in en masse to buy.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his bread gained fame thanks to this very human.

If not for her, the bakery's business certainly wouldn't be this good.

That's also why Bao Chi never negotiated with this human to terminate the partnership.

Bao Chi inhaled deeply, shifted his foot but still lacked the courage to confront Hui Wei directly, so he stayed back; his voice, though still trembling slightly, was unusually clear: "Mr. Hui Wei, I will absolutely… absolutely not sell the formula. This… this shop, I will keep it open."

Hui Wei didn't expect Bao Chi to suddenly become so resolute, froze for a moment, then his expression darkened.

What he feared was the extraordinary human beside him, not this mouse‑like timid leopard!

"Good! Good! Bao Chi, you take the face and still have no face!" Hui Wei shouted sharply, "Do you think having an unknown human backing you helps? I tell you, in Shou Ren Xiao Zhen, if it's a dragon you must pin it, if it's a tiger you must lie down! The Rat King's rules cannot be changed by anyone! Just wait until the end of the month when you're swept out!"

He glared fiercely at Cheng Shuili; though he couldn't discern her background, having said so much he couldn't show fear: "And you, human! I advise you not to meddle! Otherwise, in this Shou Ren Xiao Zhen, you might not reap any benefit!"

Dropping that harsh remark, Hui Wei snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and left.

Watching Hui Wei's angry back, Bao Chi's newly mustered courage waned again, and he looked anxiously at Cheng Shuili: "Will he… will he…"

Bao Chi was clearly worried that after Cheng Shuili and he left, Hui Wei would intensify his retaliation.

Since Cheng Shuili had come, she certainly wouldn't let that happen.

There are now two options: first, Bao Chi could simply stop running this shop and come with her back to Black Feather; second, she could write a letter to the Rat King now, asking him to send someone to handle this matter. But the first is unlikely, as Bao Chi loves his little shop and probably wouldn't want to open a shop within the territory.

The latter… if Hui Wei truly acted on the Rat King's orders…

The thought just surfaced, and Cheng Shuili couldn't help shaking her head. Though her contacts with the Rat King were few, they were enough for her to understand his nature.

Cheng Shuili produced a feather pen and a parchment, briefly described Bao Chi's situation with polite wording and earnest language; even a stranger beastman learning of this would be compelled to help, let alone since the incident stemmed from the Rat King's subordinate.

After finishing the letter and putting away the feather pen, a small mouse suddenly emerged from nowhere.

It pointed at the parchment, then at itself.

Cheng Shuili understood; this was the Rat King's eyes and ears, likely having followed them since they entered Shou Ren Xiao Zhen. She didn't expose it, merely handed the rolled parchment to the mouse, saying calmly, "Please, be sure to deliver it to the Rat King yourself."

The little mouse nodded anthropomorphically, lifted the somewhat huge parchment for it, slipped deftly into a small hole in the wall, and vanished.

"This..." Bao Chi stared, dumbfounded.

"No need to worry," Cheng Shuili said reassuringly, and Su Rui, still standing, found a table and sat down.

Bao Chi looked at the tiny wall hole, then at the calmly‑faced Cheng Shuili; the amber beast eyes were filled with a complex mix of anxiety and hope.

"Will… will it really be handed over to Rat King?" Bao Chi's voice still trembled.

"Yes." Cheng Shuili's reply was brief and certain.

She surveyed the shop, which, though roughly tidied, still could not hide its dilapidation; her gaze finally rested on the shallow scratch on Bao Chi's face, and she said, "We will wait here until the Rat King replies."

Bao Chi also sat down, but his body remained tense, his ears twitching intermittently to catch any sounds from outside.

Time seemed to crawl while they waited; every minute and every second felt like a torment.

Just as Bao Chi was about to become restless, a sudden rush of hurried, chaotic footsteps came from outside the shop, mixed with terrified pleas for mercy.

"Rat King, spare me! Rat King, spare me! I won't dare again! It was my greed that clouded my mind…"

It was Grey Tail's voice!

Bao Chi sprang to his feet, and Cheng Shuili also lifted her eyes toward the doorway.

There, the previously arrogant Grey Tail was now being flanked by two expressionless Rat Clan Guards in black combat gear, who dragged him to the bakery doorway like a dead dog. He trembled all over like a sifted husk, his face smeared with snot and tears, and the carefully groomed little moustaches drooped, making him look utterly disheveled.

Behind the two guards, a familiar figure in an ornate silk robe, holding an exquisite staff, paced forward at an unhurried pace.

It was the Rat King.

He first cast a glance at the wrecked shop, his eyes lingering briefly on the scratch on Bao Chi's face, then turned to Cheng Shuili, smiling warmly as he said, "Little friend, we meet again. My subordinate misbehaved, so I brought him here."

The Rat King's voice remained gentle, even tinged with his usual smile, but there was little warmth in his narrow eyes.

He tapped the ground lightly with his staff, and the two guards holding Grey Tail immediately understood, tossing Grey Tail onto the shop's central floor as if discarding a bag of trash.

Grey Tail landed on broken glass and debris, grimacing in pain yet daring not to cry out, desperately curling his body and pounding his head toward the Rat King like a garlic press, "Rat King, spare me! Rat King, spare me! I admit my mistake! I won't dare again!"

The Rat King didn't look at him; his gaze fell on Cheng Shuili, carrying a hint of apology: "My lax discipline frightened you and your friend. The rules of Shou Ren Xiao Zhen are meant to make things convenient for everyone, not for some fools to bully the market and line their own pockets."

His words were addressed both to Cheng Shuili and to the on‑looking beasts.

No matter how you put it, it's a disgraceful affair; he could have pretended ignorance before, but now a human has exposed it, so it must be dealt with. Yet this human knows his limits and knows when to advance or retreat; having set the stage, it's now the human's turn to step down.

And Cheng Shuili's reaction was exactly as he expected.

She rose, gave a slight nod, and said, "Rat King, your words are heavy; I didn't expect to alarm you into coming personally."

"As it should be," the Rat King smiled, turning his staff toward the trembling Grey Tail on the ground, "This fellow, brandishing my banner, colluding with hyenas from the outer district, threatening honest merchants, plundering and seizing. He broke the town's rules and tarnished my reputation. Little friend, how do you think he should be dealt with?"

Cheng Shuili did not answer immediately, but glanced at Bao Chi beside her.

Bao Chi was now utterly stunned; he stared at the Rat King, who he usually only saw from afar, now standing inside his dilapidated shop and personally handling his subordinate. The overwhelming shock left his mind blank, and he could only stand there, dumbfounded.

Cheng Shuili knew the Rat King was saving her face and putting on a show for her.

She naturally would not overstep and decide the fate of the Rat King's subordinates, but she would not forgo any of the benefits she could claim.

"Rat King, you see everything clearly; how to deal with it should naturally follow the town's regulations," Cheng Shuili said calmly. "However, Bao Chi's shop was smashed, his business suffered, he was severely frightened, and his face is still bruised... These losses ought to be shouldered by someone."

The Rat King gave Cheng Shuili an approving glance; dealing with a clever person is indeed easy.

He nodded and ordered his subordinates, "Did you hear? All assets under Grey Tail's name are to be confiscated, converted into Game Coin, and threefold compensation paid to Bao Chi. Additionally, find the best doctor to treat Bao Chi's injuries; the shop's losses are to be covered by the public treasury and repaired promptly to its original state."

"Understood!" the guard replied.

Upon hearing this, Grey Tail, having lost his position, his assets, and now facing triple compensation, turned ashen, collapsed to the ground, and lacked even the strength to beg for mercy.