Chapter 111

After the four were seated, Li Qingxuan calmly swept his gaze over the four lovely faces around the table: 'We have added a few new members; we need to make some adjustments to personnel assignments, and we also need to discuss the current situation and upcoming arrangements.'

He lightly tapped his finger on the table, his gaze falling on Li Feifei, indicating she should speak first.

Li Feifei cleared her throat, sat upright, her expression becoming focused and efficient: 'Alright, let me start with my side. The competitiveness of our supplies in the Trade Channel has begun to decline; many people have produced blueprints like ours, but thanks to the care and trust of our old customers, our basic material stockpile hasn't fallen too far behind. We need to quickly boost our competitiveness. During trades we also exchanged some blueprints, but they are everyday ones that everyone basically has, so we need to get new blueprints as soon as possible!'

She paused, her fingertips lightly rubbing the warm rim of the tea cup, her eyes flickering with a hint of thought: 'But getting new blueprints right now isn't easy; we have to take it slow.'

She didn't spell it out, but the meaning was clear—competition and potential resistance were already beginning to show.

Huang Rong was sipping tea in small mouthfuls; hearing this, she set down her teacup, making a barely audible soft sound, as if she already had an idea for the upcoming personnel arrangements.

Li Qingxuan's finger tapped lightly on the table again; though the sound was soft, it instantly drew everyone's attention back.

His gaze calmly swept over Huang Rong and Li Feifei, finally settling on Li Feifei, his voice steady: 'When I go out, I'll try to bring back more treasure chests, but we have an advantage at the Trading Center, so there's no need to rush.'

Li Feifei nodded and continued: 'During trades, people from other regions said their personnel numbers were dropping fast; I asked others and the situation was similar. Moreover, Zhang Hao and I revealed that some people in our Regional Channel have been eyeing us.'

Li Qingxuan paused, a flicker of coldness flashing in the depths of his eyes: 'Keep watching, note which ones frequently come, cancel trade with them; if they dare to come, I'll make sure none of them leave.'

Shuang'er's action of happily sipping tea in small mouthfuls stopped at the mention of Zhang Hao's name; a hint of confusion and curiosity flashed in her round, big eyes as she tilted her head and whispered: 'Zhang Hao? That guy who's always haggling? When did he start eyeing us?'

Li Feifei set down her teacup, her expression turning slightly grave; she glanced at Li Qingxuan, then turned to Shuang'er, lowering her voice: 'It's not that he's eyeing us; he warned us that some people have been inquiring about us in the Trade Channel.'

Huang Rong had been listening quietly, her fingertips unconsciously gliding slowly along the rim of the cup; hearing this, her fingertip paused slightly on the warm, moist rim, and the earlier lazy, leisurely smile, like thin mist blown away by the wind, quietly faded.

As her eyes shifted, a sharp insight replaced the earlier teasing; she lifted her gaze to Li Feifei, the corner of her mouth still curved in that habitual, almost all-knowing arc, though her voice now carried a barely perceptible chill: 'If only I knew where they were, I'd go and slaughter them myself.'

Li Feifei felt a slight chill in her heart at Huang Rong's sudden serious demeanor; she set down her teacup, unconsciously sitting up straighter, her tone becoming more solemn: 'Don't be careless; first find out their details.'

Huang Rong gave a soft 'hum'; the sound was faint, yet it carried an icy meaning, like shards of ice falling onto a Jade Plate.

She no longer looked at Li Feifei, her gaze sweeping seemingly casually over the Canting's windows, as if scrutinizing the outside, yet also as if confirming something.

Her fingertip stopped sliding and instead lightly gripped the cup's body, the joints whitening slightly from the pressure.

'Looks like,' she spoke slowly, her voice not loud but clear enough for everyone to hear, carrying a calm that made hearts tighten: 'We've accumulated a lot of supplies; someone is eyeing them hungrily and wants to overturn the table.'

She paused, her gaze finally returning to the ever-silent Li Qingxuan; in her eyes there was no panic, only composure.

Li Qingxuan swept his gaze over everyone and said: 'Now I'll announce our personnel assignments: I and Elder Sister Huang Rong will handle external patrols. Ling'er, Shuang'er, you two help Elder Sister Feifei manage the stronghold.'

Li Qingxuan paused, then continued: 'For the next two days, hand the Bodhi Fruit to Huang Rong; after that, the following two days' share goes to Ling'er and Shuang'er.'

At the moment Li Qingxuan's words ended, Ling'er's fingers gripping the teacup unconsciously curled slightly: 'Brother Qingxuan, why not prioritize you and Elder Sister Huang Rong? We won't need it at home anyway.'

She lowered her head, her thick lashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes, concealing the fleeting dimness in her gaze.

'Even though you're at home, your strength must not lag; follow my instructions. Moreover, once your Spirit Value rises, you can also help boost others' Spirit Value.' Li Qingxuan wore a gentle smile, his gaze soft as he looked at Zhao Ling'er.

Their gazes met briefly with Li Qingxuan, then drooped as if startled; the corners of her mouth turned up in a faint smile, and she replied in a soft voice: '... Understood, Brother Qingxuan.'

That voice was light as tea mist, hinting at obedience yet also tinged with an indescribable joy.

Li Feifei took out the Bodhi Fruit; upon smelling the Spirit Fruit's aroma, the Chi Tiger Cub and Swallow Sky Python Cub scrambled over, circling around Li Feifei and Li Qingxuan as if begging for affection, but Li Qingxuan did not give them any of the Bodhi Fruit, and moreover told Li Feifei he was preparing to let them hunt on their own.

Staying in the stronghold didn't seem so bad either; one could practice a favorite dance and later perform it for someone they liked—just then, Zhao Ling'er beside them suddenly had this thought flash through her mind.

Upon hearing that, Li Feifei drew a deep breath, met Li Qingxuan's gaze, her eyes becoming focused and resolute, and she said in a steady tone: 'Rest assured, we'll handle things at home.'

Huang Rong's gaze remained fixed on Li Qingxuan from the moment he announced the assignments, never shifting.

She lifted her teacup, fingertips lightly stroking the warm wall of the cup, the habitual playful smile at the corner of her mouth deepening subtly, her gaze still sharp as ever.

She raised no objection to the assignments, as if she had already anticipated it; merely, her gaze lightly swept over Li Feifei, Ling'er, and Shuang'er, then returned to Li Qingxuan's face, the meaning in her eyes becoming somewhat prolonged, as if she were silently conveying something.

She took a light sip of tea, and in an instant several gleams flashed across the depths of her eyes, leaving only a reply that was slightly lazy yet perfectly clear: 'Mm.' A single word, yet it seemed to contain a thousand words.

The Canting was filled with a faint aroma of food and the crisp scent of tea, but the warmth from the earlier cozy breakfast seemed to have been quietly washed away by this sudden task arrangement and lurking sense of crisis, leaving the air with a hint of heaviness.

The five sat around the table, and above the steaming tea reflected several faces, each with a different expression but all equally solemn.

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