This string of stories, first, made Mo Du believe that everything was done to help her.
Imprisonment was unavoidable, and escaping Haru's pursuit meant time in the inner world, where time passed quickly.
Bringing out the Deer King, a god-tier creature, to vouch for him boosted credibility.
And finally, telling her that the Sky Thief Alliance was no longer worth joining, and that she was the only one in the world still helping her…
Under Zhang Wei’s calculations, Mo Du fell step by step into the trap.
However, Mo Du, having suffered hardship since childhood, still harbored doubts about Zhang Wei.
"You say I have the bloodline of the Deer God, but all of this is fabricated, isn't it? You just want me to betray the Sky Thief Alliance?"
"I've told you everything I know. Why would you lie to me?"
"And this talk of the inner world and the Deer God, it's utterly preposterous!"
Oh ho?
She’d barely been released, and already she was throwing a tantrum?
Zhang Wei remained as placid as ever, saying, "You can investigate the matters of the Sky Thief Alliance and Haru yourself. I believe you have the means. The inner world is even simpler; just ask anyone in a populated area for the date."
"Do I look like someone who tells lies that fall apart at the slightest touch?"
The real meaning was, he was only interested in high-level deception.
Mo Du stood frozen for a long time, her small brow furrowed…
Then, with a bitter smile, she said, "Indeed, lies like this fall apart at the slightest touch."
Zhang Wei produced a package, which was precisely the spatial equipment left by Haru.
"This was left by Haru when he retreated. Do you believe me now?"
"This is… a backpack made from the stomach lining of the Whales of Light and Illusion!!!!"
Haru never parted with such priceless treasures!
Moreover, they were extremely rare and incredibly difficult to find a second one in the world.
Zhang Wei struck again with a potent move.
"I'll give you this backpack. Consider it compensation for your ten years of youth."
Mo Du covered her small mouth, shocked, "You… what did you say!"
Priceless, priceless!
These four words were not to be trifled with!
At this moment, Mo Du completely dispelled her doubts, because the value of this backpack was enough to buy her ten lives.
To deceive her with something like this… she wasn't worthy!
Zhang Wei chuckled.
This backpack had a capacity of ten thousand liters, which was already excellent spatial equipment.
But with the Treasure Hall in his possession, such backpacks were meaningless to Zhang Wei.
"Take the backpack and go," Zhang Wei applied pressure for the second time.
Mo Du hesitated no longer and moved away from a distance.
Zhang Wei, on the other hand, walked away slowly in the opposite direction.
"99… 98… 97… 21… 20…"
Zhang Wei counted silently in his heart. If the time limit was exceeded, he would have to resort to drastic measures.
This was the limit of distance between them. Beyond this distance, Mo Du, relying on her illusionary transformation techniques, could likely escape Zhang Wei's pursuit.
"5… 4… 3…"
"Wait!"
Damn it!
Finally, she came!
Zhang Wei truly didn't want to be cruel to a damsel.
With a distant shout, Mo Du ran back from afar.
"Is there something else?"
"I was halfway there when I suddenly realized I had nowhere to go."
Mo Du had a crestfallen expression, but her tone was unusually cheerful.
"What, you want to go back to the inner world?"
Mo Du was clearly startled, then she huffed, "You can defeat Haru, so why should I go back to the inner world! You can protect me now!"
"Huh? Why?"
"Didn't you say I have the Deer God's residual blood, and that descendants of the Deer God should look out for each other?"
"Uh, that makes sense."
"With someone as powerful as you protecting me, won't I be able to beat anyone I want, bully anyone I want from now on? I wouldn't give up a life like that."
"That's certainly not possible. Who would help you bully others?"
Zhang Wei was torn between laughter and tears. The little girl's mind worked fast.
Zhang Wei said, "If you want to be under my protection forever, there are conditions. You have to work."
"Ah? I still have to work!"
Mo Du's head drooped again, and she said reluctantly, "Then what do you want me to do? I only know how to steal."
"Do you know how to spend money?"
Mo Du froze.
"There's such a good thing?"
Zhang Wei said, "I am a descendant of the Deer God, and I need to make offerings to the Deer God in the inner world. The Deer God particularly favors rare, unique ingredients that are on the verge of extinction. The more precious the offering, the more power the Deer God will bestow."
"Doesn't that still mean I have to steal?"
"Nonsense! As a descendant of the Deer God, do I need to steal?"
Saying this, Zhang Wei took out a jar from the Treasure Hall, filled with a white powder.
This jar was originally prepared for a trade with spies.
Seeing their shocked expressions, as if they had never seen the world before, he knew this thing must be valuable.
"Salt… Essence of Salt? So much of it?"
As a top-tier thief, she had researched all valuable items. Among the rarest consumables was the Essence of Salt!
It was said that it could be exchanged for gold a thousand times its weight, and it was priceless!
Zhang Wei said proudly, "Go and spend it!"
"Squander!"
"Be extravagant!"
"Don't be stingy with me!"
Indeed, there was no need to be stingy. Zhang Wei had resumed his training these past two days, still going to the salt walls to tap them daily.
Now, the Treasure Hall could replicate five kilograms a day…
The Essence of Salt in Zhang Wei's hands already needed to be packed in sacks.
"Now tell me, do you know how to spend money?"
"Yes!!!!"
Mo Du leaped three feet high!
Who wouldn't know how to do this?
She might not know how to earn money, but she certainly knew how to spend it!
Still calculating by life-years, Mo Du felt that if she worked a lifetime with normal promotions and commissions, along with a few earth-shattering deals, her coffin money saved by old age would be just over one million, less than two million Beli.
And one gram of Essence of Salt could sell for at least 5,000 Beli on the black market!
That meant ten kilograms was ten thousand grams, which converted to fifty million Beli!
If nothing went wrong, it would probably take thirty lifetimes of desperate work!
Zhang Wei handed the Essence of Salt over. Mo Du clearly felt her legs go a little weak.
Her hands also wanted to tremble, but Mo Du forcefully suppressed it.
Even though the backpack she received earlier was also a top-tier treasure, why didn't she feel this pressure?
Could it be… this was the weight of Beli?
Mo Du gasped, the power of money was terrifying!
Zhang Wei said, "From now on, your task is to collect ingredients, preferably those that are extinct or already out of print. More importantly, protect yourself; being in possession of such wealth invites danger."
Mo Du could no longer describe her current feelings.
From the time she could remember, she had been fighting with stray dogs in the slums for food. After being adopted by the Sky Thief Alliance, her days were filled with lessons on assassination, theft, and other skills.
She had to scheme against her teammates. When had anyone ever cared about her safety?
For these thieves, assassins, and thugs.
Life…
Was worthless.
Ten years of loneliness. And in this brief hour, Mo Du had experienced too many emotions.
Mo Du looked at the Essence of Salt in her hand and suddenly burst into eerie laughter.
"I get it, I get it!"
Zhang Wei: ???
"This must be a dream, hahahaha~"
"I've been locked up for too long, and I'm actually having hallucinations."
"This dream karma is too… well, reckless."
"If this hallucination were more plausible, I'd believe it."
Zhang Wei: …