Chapter 11

Ke Enli, loaded down with a large assortment of goods, arrived at Mayor Duo Weituo's home in high spirits.

"Hey! Beilika, is Duo Weituo in?" After knocking, a woman with long silver-white hair and a handsome, cool expression opened the door.

Beilika was also a deputy mayor of the town, a snow leopard beastman, and Duo Weituo's wife.

Beilika looked up. "Didn't the group chat say there's a meeting tonight? Didn't you check?"

"Oh, is that so~ Then I've come at just the right time." Ke Enli's expression didn't change, and he spoke with a smile.

Beilika had long grown used to his demeanor. "What's that in your hands?"

"Secret! I'll tell you once everyone's here." Ke Enli took a can of iced cola from a bag and handed it to Beilika. "But I can let you have a taste first."

Beilika popped the tab and took a sip, her eyes widening slightly.

"Where did this come from?"

"Secret! I'll tell you all when everyone arrives."

Beilika didn't press further, since this fox loved to keep people in suspense.

After a while, Duo Weituo arrived with the other main administrators of the town for the meeting.

During the meeting, Ke Enli listened to the other beastmen argue passionately while hugging the pile of things he'd brought, daydreaming.

Why isn't this over yet? The oden and grilled sausages are going to get cold. Ke Enli secretly reheated them.

Duo Weituo listened to these plans with a headache, feeling like his brain was about to explode. It was so annoying. He'd said he couldn't be mayor, but the other two had been even more insistent.

One of them was his dear wife, so he had to find trouble with the other beast instead.

So Duo Weituo turned to look for Ke Enli and indeed spotted a certain fox slacking off in the corner.

"Ahem! Ke Enli, what's your take?" When tolerance was exhausted, there was no need to endure further. Duo Weituo decided to put Ke Enli on the spot directly.

Ke Enli listened a bit, stroked his chin as if in thought, and said, "I think we should eat first~"

"!?" If he could beat him, Duo Weituo would love to land a punch on Ke Enli.

Ke Enli placed the things from the bag on the table. "This is something I bought from a witch today."

"A witch appeared?!" The white eagle beastman, Peilin, who stood nearby, was somewhat surprised.

"Mm, let's eat first; it'll get cold soon. I'll tell you as we eat." Ke Enli brought out the oden, grilled sausages, and a few bottles of chilled beverages first.

Seeing Ke Enli already happily eating, the others exchanged glances and followed suit.

With the first bite, all the beastmen's eyes lit up.

Beastmen had never excelled in food, clothing, shelter, and transportation as much as humans. Delicacies that amazed humans had twice the appeal to beastmen.

"And this instant noodle is even more delicious! Let me borrow the kitchen." Ke Enli smiled, picked up a bag of instant noodles, and went into the kitchen.

"Noodles coming!"

The beastman administrators of Daylight Town gathered around the round table, drawn by the fragrant large clay pot.

"Eat up!" Ke Enli served himself a small bowl first, then stepped aside to eat.

Duo Weituo ate the noodles. Delicious. Wait, weren't they supposed to be discussing town development plans? Oh well, the noodles were too tempting...

After everyone had eaten their fill, Ke Enli briefly recounted what had happened, then sipped his iced cola. This stuff was addictive—once you started, you couldn't stop.

"Since the other party has no hostile intent, let's coexist peacefully. Offending a witch won't do us any good." Beilika said calmly, then took a sip of orange juice, squinting in satisfaction.

Ke Enli added, "This witch seems to be here to promote her business. Her shop is on the outskirts of Adventure Forest, but it's closer to the human side."

"Is it called Keke Shop?" Kai, the wolf beastman who was the head of the patrol team, suddenly asked.

"Yes, why? Do you know that shop?"

"My younger brother once got separated and ended up near the human resting area. He heard the name there. He said there was a dish called instant noodles that smelled amazing." Kai thought for a moment.

"But yesterday, when Jin went there, he found the shop under renovation, completely shrouded in thick fog."

"How could Jin run off to the human side on his own? What if he'd run into danger?" Peilin frowned.

Kai nodded seriously. "I've already taught him a lesson."

"Then take these back for him." Ke Enli handed the remaining two packs of instant noodles and two cans of cola to Kai. "Even if he's been punished, he still needs a little comfort."

"Thanks." Kai didn't stand on ceremony.

"Then Beilika and I will be responsible for observing her," Peilin suddenly said.

Peilin also played along. "Yeah, Beilika and I have nothing much to do recently."

Seeing the two female beastmen coordinate and settle the matter directly, the others had nothing to say.

"Alright." As for Duo Weituo, there was no need to even mention it—he rarely refused anything Beilika said.

And so this simple meeting came to an end.

Kai carried the things home and went straight to the kitchen to start cooking the noodles.

Meanwhile, Jin, still sulking in his room, suddenly caught a familiar scent—one very much like the instant noodles he'd smelled near the human resting area.

Jin immediately got up, pattered down to the first floor, and saw his brother cooking something in the kitchen.

"Bro! What are you cooking?" Jin ran to Kai's side and stood on tiptoe to peer into the pot.

Kai smiled. "The instant noodles you've been wanting."

"Bro, you're amazing! How did you get them?" Jin's eyes sparkled, staring at Kai with delight.

"Bro, is there more? I want to invite Ke Ke and the others to eat too!"

"There's no more, but the owner recently set up a stall near here, so I'll buy some more." Kai turned off the heat and carried the clay pot to the table.

"Yay!" Jin hopped up and down with joy, his fluffy tail wagging constantly.

"Alright, come eat."

Early the next morning, Rao Ke was still drowsy when she was jolted awake by a loud crash.

She sat up abruptly, then went out to see Baitang and Heitang in the RV.

"...I thought we were under attack," Rao Ke said, rubbing her temples.

"Sorry, sorry." Sesame Paste hadn't expected to make such a racket either.

"It's fine, I'll go wash up." Rao Ke changed into a loose yellow-and-white striped hoodie and ripped jeans, tying her waist-length hair into a fishtail braid, looking fresh and capable.

There were still over two hours before market time, so Rao Ke prepared breakfast for Sesame Paste and Xue Qiu first, then bought a bowl of wontons for herself.

After a bowl of wontons, she felt a warm comfort in her stomach.

With nothing else to do, Rao Ke played with a ball to amuse Xue Qiu. As for Sesame Paste, that fake cat was already immune to such games, now completely absorbed in video games, snacks, and drinks.

After instructing Baitang and Heitang about today's main promotional tasting tasks, Rao Ke played a fruit-slicing mini-game on the side.

Rao Ke planned to run the business for three hours today, then save some time to explore Daylight Town.

"Alright, almost ready. Let's go!" Rao Ke went to the driver's seat, sat down, and started the RV.

The soldiers at the town gate let the vehicle through without a word.

When she drove to the same spot as yesterday, before she could even open the sales window, the RV was already surrounded by beastmen.

After Rao Ke sorted everything out, she sent Baitang and Heitang out to do tastings and promotions.

Rolling up her sleeves, Rao Ke began the day's business.

"Five packs of each flavor of instant noodles, and 20 bottles of cola!"

"Then I'll take two packs of each!"

...

Amid the noisy chatter around her, Rao Ke's head started to throb.

"Line up! One at a time! No noodle-cooking service today!!" She recorded this into a small broadcast and kept it playing on loop.

But then the beastmen started arguing over queue order. Beastmen were hot-blooded by nature, and once they argued, they'd resort to fighting directly.

"Everyone, quiet!! Line up!!"

Peilin waved her hand, and a wall of wind separated the beastmen, quickly calming them down.

"P-Peilin ma'am."

Rao Ke looked up and saw a woman with short hair, handsome and bold features, white hair, and yellow eyes standing before her.

"Watch it next time!" The yellow eagle eyes glared at the beastmen who had nearly come to blows, her expression stern.

Those beastmen immediately nodded obediently.

"Thank you." Rao Ke looked at Peilin, then pulled out a pack of jelly as a token of thanks.

"No need, it's my job." Peilin initially didn't want to accept it, but Rao Ke insisted and pressed it into her hand.

Peilin looked at the jelly in her hand, then glanced at Rao Ke, who was busy.

Rao Ke noticed Peilin looking at her and smiled at her.

Peilin couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth, then took the bag of jelly back to Beilika's side.

"This witch seems very friendly," Beilika said with a faint smile.

Peilin opened the jelly bag, kept two for herself, and handed out the rest to the nearby beastman children.

She gave one to Beilika, then opened it. The Q-tender, soft, translucent food burst with a fresh orange fragrance in her mouth. "Mmm, this one's orange flavor. What fruit is this?"

"Mine's strawberry flavor. I don't know, but it tastes pretty good." Beilika seemed to accept the jelly well.

While the two enjoyed their leisure, Rao Ke was busily flying around on the other side.

After finally finishing the business, Rao Ke parked the RV, closed the doors and windows, and planned to wander around Daylight Town.

With Sesame Paste in her arms and Xue Qiu at her feet, Rao Ke strolled idly through the town.

Her appearance was quite eye-catching, but she'd gotten used to it lately and had learned to automatically ignore the attention.

As she wandered, Rao Ke suddenly stopped in front of a weapons shop emitting loud noises.

After a moment's hesitation, she decided to step inside.

"Hey! Who are you? Don't you know the weapon shop isn't open?!" A very irritable voice rang out.

Then Rao Ke saw a dwarf holding a large iron hammer appear before her in a fury, his thick beard looking even bushier with anger.