Chapter 30: Strange Methods
Ni Mengxue was surprised, but her calm expression masked her feelings. She suddenly regretted offering coarse rice in the first place.
She should have opted for leafy vegetables as the payment in the first place. It was so cheap!
"Okay." She agreed, making Su Yun dazed even after she left.
Yu Rong softly asked, "Madam Su, it’s good news; why do you look so dazed?"
Su Yun came to her senses, and suddenly her voice turned cold. "Let’s divorce."
Yu Rong’s face turned pale, and he quickly knelt on the ground, banging his head. "Madam, please quell your anger! If I made any mistakes, please let me know; I will correct them! Please be benevolent!"
Su Yun snorted coldly, "A spy sent by another company dares to act so openly in front of me."
Yu Rong froze. "I... I don’t understand what Madam means."
"You don’t?" Su Yun chuckled.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement in her laughter.
She walked over and grabbed his chin, forcing him to raise his head.
"You knew exactly how valuable those vegetables were. And yet you reacted as though you’d just discovered a priceless treasure."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Tell me. Were you trying to help Miss Ni negotiate, or were you trying to make me lose face?"
Yu Rong hurriedly shook his head. "No! I would never dare! I simply..."
He swallowed nervously.
"I was just too shocked. The vitality contained inside those vegetables far exceeded anything I’ve ever seen. They’re almost perfect. The medicinal energy, the nutritional value... they’re unlike anything produced naturally. I lost control for a moment."
Su Yun stared into his eyes. She had already investigated Yu Rong’s background before accepting him as her seventeenth husband.
A Level Two plant-type awakener and former botanist. There was indeed no way he was a spy, but...
"You’ve been with me for only three days. And yet you’ve already caused me to lose an opportunity."
She turned around and looked toward the warehouse where thousands of kilograms of herbs had just been sold.
"I originally planned to increase the price. If Miss Ni believed those vegetables were ordinary, I could’ve negotiated for one kilogram in exchange for one hundred kilograms of plants. Or perhaps even five hundred."
She sighed regretfully. "But after seeing your reaction... do you think she would still believe they were ordinary?"
Yu Rong’s face turned even paler. Only now did he realize the mistake he had made.
realiseexposed his emotions too quickly. Because of him, Madam Su had immediately lost all bargaining power and had to come up with the highest level of outrageous demand she could think of.
Even then... even then, Ni Mengxue’s reaction told them that... they quoted way below her expectations.
"Lock him in the dark room and let him reflect for the next 3 days." Su Yun ordered and watched as the defeated Yu Rong was dragged away.
Turning toward her fifteenth husband, Kai, a telekinesis ability user and former networking specialist. "Find more information about this woman; it would be great if we could get dirt on her. Also..."
Her eyes flashed. "Ask the mercenaries to find more poison fruit and don’t mix it with Ni Mengxue’s order... we will charge her separately. She definitely needs those poison fruit, or there must be something that she knows... but I don’t!"
..........................
Yu Rong was thrown inside the cell and watched as the door closed, blocking out all the sources of light. In the darkness where no one could see, his expression changed from meek appearance to thoughtful as he murmured,
"Ni Mengxue... she has the ability to grow vegetables, huh? Looks like I need to speed up my plan."
.........................
Ni Mengxue sneezed and murmured softly, "It must be that Su Yun... that woman is..."
On returning to her apartment, she saw Ruo Chiwu pacing around anxiously, and when she saw Ni Mengxue, she quickly held her hand.
"Mengxue, finally you are here! Why did you give me those vegetables? And have you given any to outsiders?"
"I did."
Ruo Chiwu sighed and placed her hand on her forehead. "Shit... shit! Mengxue, do you know that those vegetables are special? They are at least better than normal vegetables; anyone with plant superpowers could easily..."
"Aunt, why aren’t you asking about the source? It’s so strange... many times I even wonder if you know something." Ni Mengxue teased.
Ruo Chiwu froze, but quickly said with a grim expression,
"Mengxue, you have your secrets, and I will not force you to tell me until and unless you want to. In fact... never tell them to me... there are various strange methods in this apocalyptic world... even if I remain loyal to you... those methods might force me to reveal your deepest dark secrets."
Ni Mengxue blinked, suddenly her interest increasing in this ordinary yet not so ordinary aunt. "Oh? I understand. By the way, Aunt, what power have you awakened?"
Ruo Chiwu massaged her temple and chided, "Mengxue, be a little more serious, will you? From now on, don’t take out those vegetables in the open easily!"
"Alright! I have created a backup plan for myself; don’t worry." Ni Mengxue grinned. "Also, can you gather information about the research lab?"
"You child... alright. Give me 5 days." Ruo Chiwu shook her head and left behind a statement. "Thank you for the vegetables; take care."
Ni Mengxue entered the apartment and saw Lu Yucai sitting on the sofa reading a survival book, his forehead beaded with sweat.
"Did you try to walk?"
"No," Lu Yucai denied, his eyes remaining focused on the book.
"Liar," she murmured and walked away.
After dinner that night, she stopped him and massaged his legs before saying with a grim expression, "You will be healed within the next 2 months, so don’t act hastily and ruin my plans."
"But they are coming..." Lu Yucai said, his voice barely above a whisper, making her frown.
"Who?" Ni Mengxue asked, a bit puzzled.
"The zombie tide."