Chapter 243: Deliberately Mystifying

「On the main road outside the city-state.」

A Wolf-eared Beastman dressed in black beast skin was hawking his wares, holding a packet of salt wrapped in beast skin. “Hey buddy, need some salt? I’ve got some here, selling it cheap. Just ten White Beast Crystals.”

Hearing this, a passing mole Beastman stopped.

‘Ten White Beast Crystals? That’s so cheap!’

The lowest-grade salt in the city-state cost twenty White Beast Crystals, yet this Beastman was only asking for ten.

He couldn’t help but walk over. “Hey brother, is there something wrong with this salt? Only ten?”

Salt in the city-state was very expensive; few tribes could fully afford it.

Some tribes with a surplus would mark the price a little lower and trade it for Beast Crystals.

But most of it was old salt that had been stored for a long time, usually going for around fifteen Beast Crystals. This one, however, was only priced at ten.

Seeing someone approach, Yi De opened his Beast Skin Bag to reveal the snow-white salt inside. “Take a look,” he said. “Pretty good quality, right?”

The mole Beastman looked over and saw that the salt in the Wolf-eared Beastman’s hand was both white and fine. In the sunlight, it actually seemed to sparkle more, looking even more delicate than the city-state’s finest refined white salt.

Salt of this quality would cost three purple Beast Crystals, something only the large tribes could afford.

He never thought he’d stumble upon such a huge bargain. Tempted, he asked, “Really, just ten Beast Crystals?”

Yi De nodded. “Of course. My goods are right here. What’s there to worry about?”

Hearing this, the mole Beastman glanced left and right, then quickly took out ten White Beast Crystals from his clothes and handed them over. “Alright then, brother, give me one.”

“You got it.” Yi De took the ten Beast Crystals, quickly wrapped the salt he was holding in the Beast Skin Bag, and handed it over.

The mole Beastman joyfully took the salt and tucked it into his waist pouch.

Passing Beastmen saw that someone was trading salt and looked over as well.

Seeing the high quality of the salt in Yi De’s hand, they also crowded around. “Brother, I want a portion too.”

“Me too.”

“Count me in.”

…

That was salt even better than the finest refined white salt. Buying it was a steal.

And for only ten White Beast Crystals—it was a real bargain.

However, just as they finished speaking, Yi De shook his head. “Sorry, everyone. The salt for today is sold out. There was only this one portion. If you want some, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Hearing this, the crowd was disappointed, but seeing that he had no more stock, they had no choice but to accept it.

‘Looks like we’ll just have to make another trip here tomorrow.’

Meanwhile, Er De and San De were also on other roads leading to the city-state, peddling salt in the same way.

Their sales tactic was identical to Yi De’s: sell only one portion, and once it was sold, tell everyone to wait in the same spot tomorrow.

Luoluo had instructed them to sell only one order per day, for just three days.

…

「The City Lord’s Main Hall.」

The dim yellow torchlight stretched figures into long, slanted shadows.

A Silver Wolf Beastman knelt on the ground, reporting, “Young Master, I’ve made inquiries. Those three only sell one bag of salt each day, and they leave as soon as it’s sold.”

Hearing this, the snow-white Werewolf lying on a beast skin mat half-closed his eyes. Swishing his wolf tail, he said lazily, “A little interesting. The salt? Let me see it.”

The Silver Wolf Beastman immediately rose, took the beast skin-wrapped package of salt from his robes, walked over, and presented it with both hands.

The snow-white Werewolf took it, lazily lifting his gaze to glance at the salt packet. The next moment, after opening it, his eyes grew much more serious. “The quality of this salt is indeed excellent.”

As he spoke, he dipped his slender, pale fingers into the Beast Skin Bag, took a pinch, rubbed it a few times, and sniffed it lightly.

“This salt is also exceptionally fine. It looks even better than our premium salt. It doesn’t seem to have come from our city-state.”

“Did you find out where their salt came from?”

“Your subordinate followed them for a while but lost them on the way.” The Silver Wolf lowered his head in shame.

“Lost them? There are actually people you, Lu Ming, can’t track? Lu Ming, it seems your Windless Leg technique isn’t so invincible after all?” The person on the beast skin throne had a teasing look on his face.

“It’s not because they were fast. It’s… it’s that they suddenly vanished. I used the Tracking Technique, but I still couldn’t find them.”

“Suddenly vanished? How did they vanish?”

“They ran into a patch of tall grass. Their figures wavered for a moment, and by the time I managed to struggle free of the grass, they were gone,” the Silver Wolf said, frustrated.

“It seems they did it on purpose. Did they say anything?”

Lu Ming shook his head. “They didn’t say a thing.”

“There’s something strange about these three. Don’t worry, Young Master, I’ll bring men with me tomorrow and capture them for sure.”

“You won’t be able to catch them tomorrow. They won’t be back.”

“They won’t be back? They’re not selling salt anymore?” Lu Ming was stunned.

“Who sells salt by selling only one bag a day? It’s obvious they’re putting on a show for us.”

“The quality of this salt is excellent, and it doesn’t have that fishy, astringent smell. I don’t know where such high-quality salt could have come from. Just wait. They’ll come to us.”

“Young Master, are you saying they have their own salt mine?”

“I can’t rule out the possibility. Otherwise, where would they get the salt to refine? But nearly all the salt lakes and salt fields around here belong to our city-state. For these three to still be able to produce salt… it’s strange.”

“Then should I wait outside the gates for the next few days?”

“Yes, you…”

“Reporting! Young Master, a female wolf from outside the city-state asks for an audience. She says she knows how to make salt.”

The snow-white Wolf Beastman hadn’t even finished speaking when another Wolf Beastman knelt to make his report.

Hearing this news, Dongfang Luanhe raised an eyebrow and pursed his thin lips. “She’s here already? How boring. I thought they would play mysterious for a few more days.”

“Show her in,” Dongfang Luanhe said lazily, sitting up straighter.

When Su Nuannuan was called in, she was still trembling with trepidation.

She had never been to such a magnificent place.

A palace hall that could hold hundreds of people, with lifelike wolf heads carved into the beams all around.

In the center of the hall stood two tall, massive, round wooden pillars, adorned with wolf totems that looked majestic and powerful.

She had always lived in a tribe in the forest; this was her first time in a city-state.

If the system hadn’t guided her here, she would have never known how amazing the city-state was.

As Su Nuannuan was looking around, a deep, magnetic voice suddenly came from above:

“Interesting. You’re the only female who came? Where are your three beastman husbands?”

Dongfang Luanting was lounging with his legs bent and his head pillowed on his hand, looking down at the person below him with a playful tone.

Su Nuannuan heard this and looked up. She saw a man dressed in white beast skin, with a tall and slender figure and exquisitely wicked eyes, lying lazily on a beast skin chair. His tail was half-draped beneath the chair, and he was watching her with a pair of narrowed, seductive eyes.

‘This is the capture target the system mentioned?’

‘He’s so handsome. His looks are on par with Su Luoluo’s six beastman husbands.’

She stared dazedly at the man before her, then nervously touched her own head the next moment.

Her hair had been burned unevenly in a great fire. She had gone to great lengths to get this wig, which barely concealed the bald spot on top of her head.

The system had said that if she successfully managed to stay in the city-state, it would reward her with a full head of beautiful hair.

Then she wouldn’t have to be afraid of people discovering she was bald.

She had already carefully concealed her face with pearl powder. She was sure she was beautiful enough to attract this snow-white Werewolf.

Her heart filled with joy as she was about to attract his attention, but then she heard him mention three beastman husbands. Hearing his words, she asked in confusion:

“Three beastman husbands? What three beastman husbands?”