Chapter 480
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Chapter 480: Pinball
“She’s so cheap!”
Inside the train carriage, a wave of injustice surged through the air.
“There’s profit to be made; killing her would be a waste.”
“Teach these inexperienced businessmen the meaning of capital.”
“Shouldn’t she donate most of her family fortune to support the cause of national restoration? If we don’t squeeze every last drop of surplus value, how can we resolve our grievances?”
Bai Wei spoke with a calm seriousness. “Your perspective is too narrow.”
Nalan Qingshu scoffed coldly. “I understand everything. So why is she so cheap?”
“You understand everything, so why ask?”
“Ignoring the reasons, why is she so cheap?”
“You’ve already ignored the reasons. What’s left to say?”
“I… I… I…” Nalan Qingshu stammered in frustration, clearly irritable.
Chao Lu, sensing the tension, tried to smooth things over. “Alright, alright. Little Green is just in a bad mood. She couldn’t think of a better way to vent, so she said something in anger.”
Nalan Qingshu turned to Bai Wei. “Aren’t you angry, Bai Ze?”
“Why would I be?” Princess Bai Ze replied with a serene smile.
“Why wouldn’t you be angry?”
Nalan Qingshu muttered under her breath, “My mother always said women who seem magnanimous on the surface often hide the deepest jealousy.”
Bai Wei chuckled. “True. It’s said that the gentler a woman appears, the scarier she becomes when angered. That’s why it’s crucial not to let her turn evil.”
The thought hung ominously in the air. “Once she turns, when the time for sacrificial killing comes, the flag of ‘Love is Dead’ may bear the decapitated head of someone named Bai.”
Princess Bai Ze remained dignified. “In reality, handling the merchant group isn’t an issue. They will pay for their debts tenfold. The real concern is how they’re slowing our progress. Efficiency must take priority.”
“So, what’s your solution?” Chao Lu asked.
“If we hire sedan carriers during the day, our pace will improve. This mountain road is too difficult for carriages to traverse.”
“Horses are no match for human labor…” Bai Wei sighed, momentarily speechless. Then, after a pause, she muttered, “Let someone wear Tony’s headgear…”
The Carriage and the Snow
By nightfall, the conversation turned to more practical matters.
“It’s snowing heavily tonight,” Bai Wei observed, looking out at the encroaching darkness. “The road will only become more difficult.”
Inside their specially insulated carriage, the group settled down to rest while puppets guarded outside, impervious to the cold.
Stepping out briefly, Bai Wei flicked the hilt of her Crouching Tiger Sword, as if testing the silence of the snowy night. She turned to a companion and mused, “Interested in driving a carriage?”
The crouching tiger snorted, spitting in disdain.
“Alright, I get it. Tigers aren’t meant to pull carts,” Bai Wei muttered, a smirk tugging at her lips.
The thought drifted back to ancient times, when horse-drawn carriages were rare due to the high cost of horses. Donkeys and oxen bore the brunt of the labor.
“And those who pulled carts… they had no dignity left.” Bai Wei clenched her fists at the thought, her tone growing fierce. “Like the workers stuck in a 996 schedule, slaving away. At least back then, bosses had the decency to mask their greed.”
A Morning Revelation
At dawn, Bai Wei awoke to the comforting warmth of a fire and the weight of a cat curled on her knee.
With a playful flick to the cat’s ear, she roused it from sleep.
“Meow!” The cat bolted, fur bristling in indignation.
“True heroes endure pain,” Bai Wei teased, her tone light but mischievous.
“Heroes? What does this have to do with playing pinball!” The cat’s legs trembled as it protested.
“You’re a cat now,” Bai Wei said, shrugging. “Seeing those two bouncy… never mind. Let’s call it a life experience.”
The cat glared, its patience worn thin. “I curse you!”
A Grim Update
Later, the cat, its anger subsided, delivered grim news.
“I’ve infiltrated the Royal Court. The Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom is in turmoil. The Bai Ze Kingdom is barely holding on. Winter supplies are nearly exhausted. You have two weeks. If you can’t disrupt the enemy supply line and reclaim Bi Fang Kingdom within that time, Bai Ze will fall.”
“Two weeks…” Bai Wei murmured, brushing snow from her shoulder. “The snowfall came earlier than expected. Not a good sign.”
The cat added, “At the pace of this carriage, it’ll take you a month to reach Xiangyang City.”
“Then we’ll need to find other means,” Bai Wei said, her tone sharpening. “In the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom, demonic power fuels production. It’s time to think creatively.”
The cat shot her a wary glance. “What mischief are you plotting now?”
“Tell me about the martial sects and gangs we may encounter along the way,” Bai Wei replied. “I’ll need every ally I can muster.”
The cat hesitated but eventually began to speak, its voice blending into the steady rhythm of the falling snow.
