Are we swimming?
This actually wasn't swimming.
The Batu Kingdom, possessing abundant refinery ore veins, only held this refinery advantage compared to other regions. Land this barren was utterly incapable of cultivating crops.
Other resources had to be imported.
It should be said that the Batu Federation was relatively fortunate. At least it possessed the ability to enrich its national strength through refining ore, thereby purchasing the resources the Federation needed.
This feeling was somewhat akin to an oil empire.
Having nothing, but possessing oil.
By selling the extracted oil, they made their country flow with wealth.
The natives could also enjoy excellent welfare.
In business, the worst thing was to dictate prices. If you wanted to achieve long-term cooperation, you still needed to find a balance point that satisfied both parties.
Chen Yu was definitely not the type to extort others arbitrarily.
How could he do such a wicked thing?
Saying that to Nuo Yi was purely to tease the girl. She had been showing off their wealth in front of them. Luo Ni, the legitimate daughter of the prestigious Elton family, who possessed substantial financial resources, was stunned when the miner produced tens of thousands of purple gold coins.
In her short life, she had never encountered anything like it.
"You... you..."
Nuo Yi, choked for words, raised her hand and couldn't speak for a long time.
How righteous!
Relying on their Federation's wealth to make the equipment they sold more expensive was a bit unreasonable. More importantly, if she were mentioned during trade...
She would be in trouble!
Despite her casual demeanor earlier, saying "If this place doesn't keep me, there are plenty of other places," it was all a pretense.
Honestly speaking, she still couldn't leave the Batu Federation.
And she was very afraid of Big Sister Liu Yue.
"You're being a bit unreasonable," Nuo Yi pouted, grumbling indignantly. Chen Yu smiled faintly and whispered, "Am I? Is this considered unreasonable? Would you like to hear something even more excessive?" wap.kanshuwu.net
Nuo Yi shook her head like a rattle drum, looking incredibly cute.
"Then hurry up and lead the way," Chen Yu retracted his smile and tossed the money pouch back into his bracelet, his expression turning stern.
He had never heard of someone trying to gouge them for simply showing the way.
After all, they were distinguished guests invited by Liu Yue. Who would dare to demand benefits from them? It was somewhat lawless.
Moreover—
Chen Yu actually knew what Nuo Yi truly desired.
"Lead the way properly, and I'll share some delicious food with you later." Seeing Nuo Yi's expression showing a hint of anger, Chen Yu said with a smile.
Nuo Yi, with a flushed face showing anger, perked up her ears that had been drooping down upon hearing the word 'delicious food.'
It was only then that Chen Yu noticed this girl was actually a beastkin.
Her long hair had previously covered her ears very well, and he had always thought she was human.
"Are you serious?"
Nuo Yi's dark eyes were filled with indescribable excitement.
Delicious food!
What she wanted was delicious food.
Staying in a desolate place like the Batu Federation day after day had made her taste buds go numb. If she hadn't traveled outside, it would have been fine. However, a few years ago, she had ventured abroad to the kingdoms outside and tasted various dishes and snacks there.
Her taste buds were instantly activated!
From then on, she had been yearning to go out and explore every day.
When she went on a mission to the Tatu Kingdom not long ago, she was overjoyed, fantasizing about having a good meal upon arrival. Who knew she wouldn't be given any free time? After emptying the treasury of the city lord's mansion and capturing a group of prisoners, Big Sister Liu Yue directly ordered a retreat.
Liu Yue had initially promised her that she could relax in the city after the mission.
She knew that Liu Yue had changed her mind because of Chen Yu and his group.
This led to the scene at the beginning.
She held a lot of resentment towards Chen Yu and his group, so she wanted to deliberately cause them trouble. Of course, if they could provide her with satisfactory delicious food.
She could forgive them.
Wrestling with her thoughts, she looked at these humans before her. In the Batu Federation, the perception of humans was not very good. Many beastkin described humans as cunning and sly.
She hesitated, wondering if this person was deliberately deceiving her.
However, under the temptation of delicious food, she still couldn't resist.
"Are you sure you'll really give it to me?" Nuo Yi asked cautiously, licking her rosy lips. She saw half a piece of cheese thrown towards her.
Nuo Yi reacted quickly and caught the cheese.
Compared to humans, beastkin had much keener senses of smell. She could smell how rich the aroma of this piece of cheese was. Even a glance made her drool.
"This... what is this?"
"I'm never stingy with my friends," Chen Yu said, taking a bite of the cheese and nudging Nuo Yi's half-piece with his chin. "Consider it a meeting gift. I have a good impression of you. If you're willing to be close friends with us, I definitely won't mistreat you. What you're holding is cheese, processed from milk. You can try it."
???
Is this real? Would he be this kind?
They say merchants are the kind of people who would haggle over every copper coin. Would he inexplicably give her a piece of cheese?
Could it be that something was added to this cheese?
She had personally witnessed Brother Su adding ingredients to food. All of this was vividly etched in her memory.
Although these people before her were ostensibly invited by Big Sister Liu Yue, everyone knew in secret that they were forced to come here. Perhaps they wanted to use this opportunity to escape, or perhaps they wanted to take her hostage.
But this cheese looked really fragrant.
Looking at the cheese in her hand, Nuo Yi felt her mouth watering.
She raised her head.
She saw Chen Yu's beckoning glance.
"Just take a bite. If I only take one bite, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Nuo Yi's mind was in a fierce battle. "I'm at the 'Cai Jing' level after all. Ordinary drugs have almost negligible effects on me. As long as the dosage I ingest is small enough, it won't affect me, and I'll get to taste the cheese."
Biting her lip fiercely, Nuo Yi seemed to make up her mind and looked at the cheese.
*Crunch!*
She took a bite.
Although she had intended to take a small bite, when it actually went down, she had almost bitten off half the cheese. The sweet aroma exploded in her mouth.
"This..."
Nuo Yi, with the cheese in her stomach, froze completely, staring intently at the cheese.
Immediately after, she threw the remaining cheese into her mouth.
Swallowing the cheese in a few bites, Nuo Yi widened her eyes and looked at Chen Yu. Under everyone's astonished gazes, she walked up to Chen Yu and grabbed his hand.
"We are good friends, friends for life!"