The wicked female is extremely fierce, but she's pampered by her seven beast husbands.

Chapter 70 Lake Salt is Poisonous
Ling Chengen raised his hand and gently scratched his brow: "So, the salt lake wasn't found?"

"We found it." Bai Xi realized from her tone that she had misunderstood, and immediately explained, "The hunting party followed the clues you provided and headed northeast, and found Hongying Salt Lake."

"The lake is very large, and there is a lot of bluish-white salt sand on the shore."

"But the salt in that lake is inedible."

Bai Xi used her long beak to remove the small bag tied to her body, then tossed it to Ling Chengen: "These are salt grains that my elder brother brought back from Hongying Lake."

Ling Chengen opened the palm-sized animal skin bag and poured out a handful of salt.

The salt grains had a faint bluish tint on their surface, and Ling Chengen immediately understood why upon handling them.

Bai Xi: "The reason why Bai Xu and the others only rushed back this morning is mainly because they went to inquire about information from the tribes near Hongying Lake."

“A long time ago, there were several small tribes near Hongying Lake, but these tribes gradually migrated away.”

“They learned from other tribes that the salt powder from Hongying Lake had appeared in the Eastern and Northern Trade Markets hundreds of years ago.”

"Later, the orcs who consumed this salt powder for a long time gradually developed various diseases, which the witch doctors in the east and north were helpless to treat. Later, they discovered that it was caused by long-term consumption of Hongying Lake salt."

"From then on, Hongying Lake salt was prohibited from circulating in the five major trade markets."

The system has already analyzed the composition of the coarse salt in Ling Chengen's hand: "This coarse salt is definitely not edible. According to the data analysis of these salt grains, the main component of Hongying Lake is potassium salt, and it also contains a variety of heavy metals, including high levels of lead, arsenic and cadmium."

"Direct consumption of this coarse salt can lead to symptoms of chronic heavy metal poisoning, such as damage to the nervous system, bone pain, kidney failure, and skin cancer, which are all relatively common symptoms."

"Given the extremely low level of technology in the Beast World, it is impossible to complete the processing and purification of salt."

"I'm sorry, your grand salt plan is going to end before it even begins," the system said coolly.

Ling Chengen poured the salt powder back into the animal skin bag and asked, "Do you have the technology to extract this kind of coarse salt?"

"Yes, but even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't be able to perfect this process right now," the system said.

Ling Chengen tightened the animal skin bag containing salt, casually hung it on the belt around his waist, and lowered his eyes, lost in thought.

"However, if you do the quest, I can provide you with the salt-making method, as well as the coordinates of salt mines and edible salt lakes," the system coaxed.

Ling Chengen chuckled, "You've been waiting for me here all along, haven't you?"

The system chuckled and said, "After dealing with you for so long, learning even a third of your skills is enough."

Ling Chengen was not at all pleased by the system's self-deprecating remarks.

When I first encountered it, the system seemed like a complete AI brain, though a bit clumsy.

But by now, it has probably undergone several upgrades and evolutions, so its thought patterns and tone have become increasingly human-like.

She couldn't help but sigh deeply. If this continued, she would eventually be controlled by this system.

However, the system is bound to her soul, and forcibly unbinding it will not only damage her soul, but also cause irreversible damage to her mental domain.

Therefore, the only solution is to complete the task as soon as possible and get rid of it.

However, there should be a limit to doing tasks; you can't just rush into every outrageous one.

Most importantly, the right path is to use available tasks to acquire the technologies and resources that will benefit her future survival and development.

While Ling Chengen was pondering this question, the system said, "I'm extremely well-prepared this time! I've been diligently gathering information about this world, which will definitely be helpful to you. And if you can achieve the ultimate success of the main quest, I'll tell you a big secret."

Ling Chengen: "You need to revise those tasks you pulled from old novels!"

"I'll change it, I'll change it all!"

The system no longer expects its heartless host to compromise.

Having a baby!

If you don't want three children, one is fine too!

She doesn't want to have a child, but she can use technology to help her beastly husband have one.

The prerequisite is: complete tasks and exchange energy points.

"Organize your messy taskbar interface and categorize it according to the difficulty of the tasks."

System: "I just completed the upgrade, and the interface is now completely new."

"Would you like to take a look?"

Ling Chengen sighed and opened the system interface.

Compared to the previous interface filled with text and pop-ups, the system's pages are much cleaner this time.

"I will tailor main and side quests for you based on your current circumstances."

Ling Chengen: "So, the main quest now?"

"Make Bai Qingyu your fourth beast husband," the system chuckled wickedly.

Ling Chengen stared at the single line of text in the main quest log and fell into a long silence: "..."

The slap in the face came so suddenly and unexpectedly!

System: "This task is super easy. Bai Qingyu's affection for you is 75%."

Ling Chengen's lips twitched slightly: "Is 75% very high?"

"Your favorability rating towards Bai Qingyu is 25%," the system said quietly. "Do you still think 75% is low?"

Ling Chengen: "...You can even see my level of affection for other people?"

"Not everyone, only your beastman and your target mission object."

Ling Chengen: "Where are the others?"

"Your favorability towards Shao Chen is 20%, towards Chong Zhen is 25%, and towards Su Weihua is 5%."

"In conclusion, you have the highest favorability towards Bai Qingyu, so my main quest setup at this stage is very reasonable."

Can you see my level of affection for Chang Tianchen?

The system gave a haughty snort: "Can't see it!"

"He's not your beastman, he's not even a complete beastman."

"Our system also has a moral bottom line and does not support bestiality."

"However, I can analyze that your level of affection for him is definitely below 0."

Ling Chengen's lips twitched slightly; this little Huang Tong had really hit the nail on the head.

If data shows that Chang Tianchen's favorability towards her must be negative.

She hates lewd, cunning men who lack boundaries!
"Let's talk about the beastmen after the trade fair ends. Right now, the trade fair is more important."

...Chang Tianchen's snake tail curled slightly, unconsciously hooking around Ling Chengen's ankle, but he still sat obediently on Bai Xi's back, his hands supporting him behind him, curiously looking at Ling Chengen.

"I haven't left Poison Valley for too long, so I'm not very familiar with the situation outside. You were just discussing Hongying Salt Lake; is it because the Central Trade Market is starting to experience a salt shortage?"

Ling Chengen nodded slightly: "Since last year, the price of rock salt has been rising, and after the winter season this year, the price has become even more outrageous."

Chang Tianchen's dark green eyes gleamed as he looked down and toyed with the blue crystal on his fingertip, chuckling, "Want to hear my analysis?"

"Although I haven't been to the border market for quite some time, I still know about the tribes in the south."

Ling Chengen gripped the animal skin pouch at his waist and said calmly, "Say what you want to say."

Chang Tianchen: "I don't want to be taken advantage of. After hearing my news, you have to hug me for a while?"

"roll--"

Ling Chengen immediately didn't want to talk to him anymore.

Once a person starts to be shameless, they can truly be invincible!
Chang Tianchen wasn't angry at being scolded. He leaned forward slightly, his bare chest close to her back, and said in an ambiguous tone, "As far as I know, the southern part of the Northern Wilderness is mainly controlled by two tribes. One is the Cruma tribe, led by the Giant Ape Clan, which is also the largest tribe in the southern region."

"The giant ape tribe of this tribe has quite a background. They were originally the people of the Southern Wilderness. Later, in order to escape the oppression and persecution of the current royal family of the Southern Beast Plains, they chose to migrate to the Northern Wilderness as a whole tribe. They settled down in the southern part of the Northern Wilderness and have been there for nearly two hundred years. From the initial small tribe, they have developed into the largest tribe in the south."

"This tribe occupies a large territory, and its biggest business is salt."

"The salt produced by the Krumah tribe supplies at least 60% of the market in the South and Central cities."

"The remaining 40% of the salt business is controlled by the Daxing tribe, the second largest tribe in the south."

“You should be familiar with the Daxing Tribe.” Chang Tianchen tilted his head slightly, gently sniffing the faint scent on her neck and shoulders. He slowly suppressed the rage and frustration in his heart, maintaining a calm expression, and said in a low voice, “You and Ling Xiao are from the Daxing Tribe. I don’t need to say more about what the Daxing Tribe is like.”

Ling Chengen lowered his eyes and fell into deep thought. After some time, he managed to piece together a few fragmented memories about the Daxing tribe.

The system promptly filled in the information gaps for her: "Like the Kruma tribe, the main beastmen of the Daxing tribe are also from the Southern Beastmen. However, most of the beastmen in this tribe are exiled beastmen who look down on the natives of the Northern Wilderness. Not only are they xenophobic, but they also have serious internal conflicts."

"Your father, such a powerful beastman, was treated like a servant by your mother in the Daxing tribe, and she didn't value you at all. If she hadn't been weak and needed a powerful beastman husband to maintain her status and life, she probably wouldn't have had any connection with your father at all."

Ultimately, Ling Xiao was just a tool used by the original owner's mother to maintain her own life and interests.

Ling Xiao was not unaware of this principle.

In his early years, he was too naive, believing that a partner's role was to respect and support each other.

Only after enduring enough hardship in marriage did she decide to leave with her unloved child.

As it turned out, his partner passed away first.

“If you’re going to talk about the Daxing tribe, then talk about it properly. Why bring up my father’s old stories?” Ling Chengen said unhappily.

System: "I'm just giving you an example. You can tell from your father that there isn't a single good person in this tribe, which is mainly composed of exiled nobles."

"I have more bad news for you. This tribe already has the beginnings of slavery."

"In recent years, the Daxing tribe has captured some wandering orcs, as well as some orcs from smaller tribes who have submitted to them, and controlled and enslaved them."

Ling Chengen slowly rubbed his fingertips together: "You just said that this tribe also controls 40% of the salt market? Where do they mine their salt?"

System: "White Stone Mountain. That's the territory of the White Stone Tribe. This medium-sized tribe is affiliated with Daxing and is one of the few native beastmen who haven't been enslaved by those nobles."

……

Seeing that she hadn't spoken, Chang Tianchen smiled and said, "You're really ignoring me? So cold and heartless?"

Ling Chengen turned around and stared at him intently: "I don't like overly frivolous people."

"Do you want me to put it more clearly?" Her gaze was serene, her eyes cold. "The more brazenly you test my limits, the less I want to help you expand your spiritual realm."

"I did promise to help you treat the aftereffects of the bloodline backlash, but I didn't say when."

Chang Tianchen just stared at her quietly, his breathing shallow: "Is this a warning?"

"the last time."

Chang Tianchen withdrew his fingers from her waist, raised his hands above his head, and said with a smile, "I understand."

"I hope you truly understand."

Chang Tianchen asked, "Then could you give me something you often wear, something that carries your scent?"

Ling Chengen shook his head and said, "No, I only wear clothes underneath, no jewelry."

"It's impossible for me to give you the clothes."

The thought of her clothes being sucked by this pervert sent chills down her spine.

Chang Tianchen reached out and plucked the bamboo branch from behind her head, holding it in his hand and saying, "Then give this to me."

Ling Chengen's hair instantly fell loose, and with a gust of wind, it was completely scattered. The ends of his hair lightly brushed against Chang Tianchen's nose and cheek, carrying a faint fragrance of herbs and trees, which instantly calmed his restless and bloodthirsty heart.

He widened his eyes slightly, resisted the urge to reach out and touch her long hair, pressed his fingers on the scales, and gradually softened his breathing.

However, Ling Chengen quickly gathered his hair back to his shoulder and looked down to find a wooden branch or rope on his body to secure it.

Chang Tianchen took off the green bracelet that had been wrapped around his wrist several times; a beautiful green stone was hanging from it.

"Use this."

Ling Chengen looked at the delicate bracelet on his palm and gave him a suspicious look.

"No tricks were done."

Chang Tianchen placed the rope in her palm: "After we land, I'll find you something more suitable to tie your hair."

Ling Chengen took the rope away and casually tied his hair up.

I must say, this rope suits her perfectly; it holds her securely in place.

"The two major southern tribes I just mentioned, any fluctuations in the price of salt in the central and southern trade markets are definitely related to them."

"Since the price increase started last year, rather than a sudden surge... it means there must be a problem with their salt mines, and it can't be resolved in the short term."

"The specific reason is unclear."

Chang Tianchen said, "The salt from Hongying Lake is definitely inedible. You'd better find out privately what happened to the two major salt mines in the south during this trade fair. There's a chance that the central region will face a large-scale salt shortage soon..."

"This is just my speculation."

Whether you believe it or not is up to you to decide.

"You mean... there aren't any salt mines in our central region?" Ling Chengen asked thoughtfully.

Chang Tianchen suddenly chuckled: "Who knows?"

"However, even if they did, most orcs wouldn't be able to discover them, let alone mine them. After all, mining technology is in the hands of those southern orcs."

(End of this chapter)