The era when the gods fell was known as the Dark Ages.
For the survival of the demon race, the Demon God spared no effort in igniting the War of the Gods. Although they were eventually suppressed by the God King, the demon race still secured a foothold within the Grotto-Heaven.
The divine war thus came to an end.
Even though the instigators of the conflict were dealt with, the gods within the Grotto-Heaven perished along with the war. From then on, the Grotto-Heaven, once ruled by gods, underwent earth-shattering changes.
"Truly lamentable."
Leaning against the window, with the whispers of the little demon echoing in his mind, Chen Yu, despite not having truly participated in the War of the Gods, nor possessing special memories like the little demon, could still vividly imagine the tragic and heroic scene.
The clash of gods against gods, like energy colliding to destroy heaven and earth.
The citizens who were sheltered under the divine beings either trembled in submission or, gripping their weapons, fearlessly stood beside their gods, fighting relentlessly.
A dark age, devoid of light.
Chen Yu dared not dwell too much on the details, fearing that his psyche might not be able to withstand the despair that period had inflicted upon all living beings.
He also feared for the citizens who now depended on him for survival.
Even though the gods had fallen, would the Batu Federation's declaration of war against the Tatu Kingdom also become a fuse for conflict among the Human, Beastmen, Fishmen, and Demon races?
All nations could not remain idle, and the chaotic battles within the Grotto-Heaven were reignited.
At this juncture, what should Chen Yu, who possessed a town, do? How would he lead his town's people to survive in this chaotic era?
At least, he could not be like the Grasshopper God.
Nuo Yi, who had her belly filled to the brim by Chen Yu, returned to report with great satisfaction. The exquisite food provided by Chen Yu had made her wholeheartedly devoted to him, and their friendship had deepened.
Without any surprise, Heidao volunteered to see her off as she left.
Even though Nuo Yi tried her best to refuse,
He still insisted on escorting the guest himself. In normal times, he wouldn't even dare to imagine such a thing; he was lazy to the core, so why would he be so diligent in attending to a guest?
It was with ulterior motives that he acted thus.
Light footsteps sounded from outside the manor's gate. Chen Yu, seated by the window, looked up slightly and saw the manor's gate being pushed open. Heidao, with a face full of joy, walked in with glee, bouncing along as if he had momentous news to share.
Upon seeing this, Chen Yu frowned slightly and called out to him from outside.
"Dou'er."
Heidao, who was humming a little tune, slowly looked up. Seeing Chen Yu waving at him from the window, he quickly ran over.
"Hey, Boss~"
From his tone and expression, one could feel his current mood, as if he had eaten honey and was so sweet that he was losing his senses.
Chen Yu watched him quietly, narrowing his eyes.
"Did you secretly give Nuo Yi some canned food?"
"Huh?" Heidao, whose face was full of smiles, froze. He licked his lips and guiltily looked upwards, "No, why would I give her canned food?"
"Tell me the truth."
"Really..."
Rubbing his fingers, Heidao, who was still trying to prevaricate, finally lowered his head.
"I did."
After mumbling, Heidao suddenly looked up.
"Giving her a can of food shouldn't be a big deal, right? Our camp can produce hundreds of thousands of bottles of canned food a day, and one can of food isn't expensive. It's no big deal to give her some. Besides, she's Liu Yue's confidante. Building a good relationship with her would also benefit my pursuit of Liu Yue."
Listening to his explanation, Chen Yu couldn't help but shake his head.
He knew it!
Seeing Heidao return with a face as happy as if he had eaten honey, Chen Yu knew that he must have obsequiously given Nuo Yi some canned food and heard her grateful words.
He believed that he had left a good impression on Nuo Yi.
"What you said is true, but your method is wrong," Chen Yu taught him earnestly. "Dou'er, I understand your feelings and empathize with you. Nuo Yi is indeed close to Liu Yue. The problem is that we need to pay attention to the method. Imagine if you and Nuo Yi were friends. Which way would she be more receptive to and more willing to do things for you: if she actively approached you, or if you deliberately tried to get close to her?"
"That would definitely be the former, without any ulterior motives."
"Exactly."
Chen Yu spread his hands and shrugged, saying,
"If I deliberately didn't give Nuo Yi any canned food, do you think I'm stingy with the cost of a few bottles? What I want is for her to keep coming to us. If she craves it, she'll have to come here. The more frequently she visits, the more contact we have with her, and the closer our relationship will become. If you treat her a little better during her visits, it will be more effective than you deliberately giving her thousands of bottles of canned food. If you give it to her proactively, she might be grateful, or she might suspect you have ulterior motives. If she comes to us herself, that's a different matter, understand?"
Heidao, standing by the window, seemed to be struck by a bolt of lightning and froze in place.
"Boss, it seems like what you're saying makes sense."
*Thump!*
Chen Yu smiled and tapped him on the head.
"When have I ever said anything that didn't make sense?" Chen Yu said with a light smile. "How many bottles of canned food did you give Nuo Yi? If the quantity is too large, she might leave before we even see her."
"10 bottles."
"????"
Looking into Heidao's eyes, Chen Yu's own widened in disbelief.
"How many did you say?"
"10 bottles," Heidao repeated, then his face contorted in pain. "Brother, do you know how much determination it took for me to give those 10 bottles? That's money! It's my money!!! Giving her ten bottles means I have ten fewer bottles to eat, ten fewer bottles to earn. I haven't even spoken to Liu Yue yet, and I've already given away 10 bottles of canned food. If we don't end up together, all those cans will be wasted. I..."
Damn it!
Never in his wildest dreams had Chen Yu imagined that Heidao was such a miserly character.
When they signed their contract, he hadn't felt it at all. In their daily interactions, Chen Yu hadn't sensed such a trait in Heidao.
Chen Yu had assumed Heidao had never had to manage his own finances and didn't know how hard it was to earn money.
He would spend thousands of bottles at a time.
10 bottles?
"You have the nerve to give it away?" Chen Yu stared at Heidao with wide eyes and said, "Dou'er, don't blame me for not warning you. Although a man's money is meant to be seen by women, not spent on them, we still have to spend what we should. If you're so stingy, I don't think anyone will fall for you."
"Do I?"
Heidao blinked in confusion. He didn't think he was stingy at all; rather, he felt it was only natural. Why should men always be the ones to spend money in a relationship?
"You, go back and rest."
Glancing at Heidao, Chen Yu couldn't help but put his hand to his forehead.
"Focus on improving your cultivation. At the very least, ensure your strength is up, don't be like a passerby in Liu Yue's eyes."
"Got it."
Responding with a "Got it," Heidao trotted back to his living quarters. Chen Yu leaned against the wall, watching his retreating figure, and couldn't help but murmur softly.
This is truly—
Meticulous to a fault, Black General.
Shaking his head slightly, Chen Yu didn't dwell on the matter. In the end, whether it worked out depended on Heidao's own abilities; all he could do was offer his unconditional support.
Not long after, the conflict between the Batu Federation and the Tatu Kingdom erupted.
Chen Yu clicked his tongue lightly, then whispered in his Sea of Consciousness.
"Barbara, commence the training!"