Enemies!
Almost instantly, Hei Dou leaped onto Chen Yu's shoulder, fur bristling, eyes fiercely glaring outside the camp.
Lion Jack and Rou Si also lowered themselves, growling a warning.
Hei Lü, carrying the fruit bowl, raised its hooves, snorting visible white mist from its nostrils.
In an instant, everyone was on full alert, ready for a fight!
The most bewildered of them all was the newly joined Bee Girl, who hadn't quite grasped the company's culture yet.
In her eyes—
The person appearing outside the camp was simply a passerby.
Yet, the other seniors of the company wore ferocious expressions.
After a moment of thought, she bit her lip and also adopted a fierce demeanor, hands on her hips, leaning forward to bare her teeth at the passerby outside the camp.
Gulp.
The youth with goat horns, who had been greedily inhaling the aroma of food in the air just a moment before, felt his mouth twitch upon seeing the expressions of the Chen Group members in the camp.
"They are, really not very friendly."
He forced a dry laugh, coughed, bowed, and gestured slightly towards Chen Yu and the others.
"Hello, I, I mean no harm." The youth with goat horns said with a sheepish smile, looking up. "I, I'm a traveling merchant. You see, I'm truly a merchant."
The youth with goat horns took out a plaque from his pouch and waved it at Chen Yu and the others.
"Traveling merchant?!"
Chen Yu's eyes immediately lit up.
After being in the underground caves for so long, he had finally encountered a traveling merchant.
"Wow, to actually meet a traveling merchant, what good luck," Bee Girl exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah, we're so lucky," Hei Dou looked up, grinning. "If we rob him, won't we get rich? This traveling merchant looks like a softie."
Bee Girl: (・w・｀ll)
You think our luck is good for this reason?
She glanced at the other seniors.
It seemed, from their eyes, that this statement was perfectly reasonable.
Could this be the company culture of the group?
"Cough!"
Noticing Bee Girl's strange look, Chen Yu cleared his throat.
"Hei Dou, we are a proper company."
"Right, then we won't rob him," Hei Dou said after thinking for a while. "Traveling merchants aren't as easy to bully as wandering merchants. They have family organizations. If we rob them, we'll inevitably face family retaliation."
"Wait, you said family organizations?" Chen Yu widened his eyes.
"Ah!"
"And there's such a good thing?"
Chen Yu's eyebrows suddenly shot up.
"Ah?" Hei Dou was startled.
"Having family organizations is even better. After robbing them once, we can tie them up and let their family send people to ransom them." Chen Yu muttered. "Then we rob the people who come, and make them send more people for ransom."
Everyone: (｡ŏ_ŏ)
No wonder you're the leader and we're the employees.
You can even find loopholes in kidnapping.
You're truly amazing!
"I think you're more suited to be a Demon King than me," Barbara said from Chen Yu's shoulder, speechless. "I'm not being the Demon King anymore, I'll give it to you."
Chen Yu chuckled dryly.
"Oh, it was just a little joke, why are you all taking it seriously?"
Everyone in the camp, including the little devil Barbara, looked at him with knowing smiles, all believing that Chen Yu's words were from the heart.
"Cough."
Clearing his throat again, Chen Yu ignored their gazes and stood up with a smile.
"So, you're a traveling merchant. Come, come in and sit down."
"I, I'd better not go in." The youth with goat horns seemed uneasy. He had a feeling this camp was not a good place, and if he went in, he would never get out.
He, had this feeling. And it was very strong.
Although the aroma of the food was tempting, he could survive on two mouthfuls of grass if needed; there was no need to risk his life for a meal.
"I'm just passing by. You enjoy yourselves."
"Huh?!" Upon hearing this, Chen Yu's face immediately sank, his triangular eyes narrowing. "Partner, I might have misheard you just now. Do you refuse to give me face?"
"I, I, I..."
The youth with goat horns trembled all over, frightened.
It was truly scary.
Those sinister eyes were as if a fierce beast lurked behind him.
Involuntarily, he recalled the scene he had just seen in the camp, where everyone was ready for a fight.
This was not the Green Grassland.
This place was different from his home.
"Why are you shaking?" Chen Yu from the camp walked out. The youth with goat horns instinctively wanted to retreat, but then he saw the plaque on Chen Yu's waist.
He immediately froze, staring at the plaque for a long time.
"Mermaid Friend."
"You know it." Chen Yu looked down at the reef plaque on his waist, and the youth with goat horns immediately relaxed, his eyes flashing as he nodded.
"If you know it, then it's easy to handle."
Chen Yu's smile grew more brilliant as he put his arm around the youth with goat horns' shoulders.
"Come, come in and have a bite."
The appearance of the Mermaid Friend plaque made the youth with goat horns completely let down his guard towards Chen Yu.
Obtaining such a plaque was very difficult.
One had to be recognized as a friend by the merfolk, and be a creature of integrity and kindness. Chen Yu possessing this plaque was enough to prove his pure and clear heart.
"Make room for our goat friend."
Chen Yu waved his hand, and Rou Si and Jack moved aside, allowing the youth with goat horns to sit on a stone.
"The camp is a bit simple, please bear with us." Chen Yu chuckled.
"Your camp is already very prosperous," the youth with goat horns looked around. "You actually have seven sub-camps, and so many drying racks, all filled with meat. I've met many outsiders during this time, and many of them still have the most basic camps."
"Is that so?"
Chen Yu took out a porcelain bowl and served the youth with goat horns a bowl of soup.
"Fish soup, would you like some?"
"Thank you." The youth with goat horns cupped the porcelain bowl and took a sip. The moment the soup touched his lips, his eyes widened. He stared at the fish soup for over half a minute. "This... this is too delicious."
"My boss's cooking is second to none," Hei Dou praised from the side.
"Resource-type spirit pet!" The youth with goat horns exclaimed in surprise again. Hei Dou, upon hearing this, retorted unhappily, "Who's resource-type? You're the resource-type, I'm combat-type."
"Stop pretending, don't you remember when you faked death to confess?"
Chen Yu glared at Hei Dou.
The thought of it made him angry. He hadn't had a chance to settle scores with Hei Dou yet.
At that time, Hei Dou had faked death.
It had truly scared Chen Yu quite a bit.
In the end, this little cat just wanted Chen Yu to break the spirit contract with him so he could go find Bee Girl.
How shameless!
The moment he saw Bee Girl, he couldn't walk straight.
Hei Dou lowered his head sheepishly.
The youth with goat horns watched this scene with interest and sighed.
"Your bond is really good. Are these people your adventuring companions?" the youth with goat horns murmured.
"Yes."
"That's great." The youth with goat horns looked envious. "I also wish I could adventure in the underground world. Especially after the plane change, the world is full of opportunities, and adventures are more exciting."
"You can join us," Chen Yu said.
"I can't," the youth with goat horns sighed sadly. "My sister wouldn't agree. Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Roy, a goat-person who lives on the Green Grassland in the Highland Kingdom."
"Chen A'niu."
"A'niu, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Roy smiled and extended his hand. Chen Yu placed his hand on it, a gentle smile on his face.
"It's my pleasure to meet you too!"
Oh no!
Hei Dou and the others, who heard Chen Yu's words, couldn't help but look at Roy.
Their eyes held a hint of pity.
This kid is doomed.