Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

After crossing the hill, a wide-open plain came into view. Dozens of refugees had gathered there, all of them emaciated and dressed in tattered clothes, their eyes filled with exhaustion and despair. They were arguing with a small vendor who was holding a small handful of blackened coarse salt and demanding exorbitant prices with an arrogant attitude.

"Just this little bit of salt, and you want two pounds of coarse grains? Take it or leave it. If you don't, you'll be eating bland food, dying of illness or starvation!" The merchant's face was full of disdain as he looked at the plight of the refugees, showing no pity whatsoever. The refugees dared not speak out in anger. Coarse salt was a necessity for survival; without it, they had no strength and would eventually be devoured by monsters. But the exorbitant price was simply unaffordable for them.

Yang Xiu whispered to Huang Yiming, "Young master, salt is scarce near Black Wind Ridge. Coarse salt is monopolized by various powerful forces. Refugees often fight tooth and nail for a little bit of salt, and many people die from salt shortages." Upon hearing this, Huang Yiming's heart stirred. He took out the refined salt from his pocket, and a bold idea came to his mind.

He led Yang Xiu directly to the crowd of refugees, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Everyone, stop fighting. I have refined salt here. If you want it, you can exchange it for something." As soon as he finished speaking, the whole place fell silent. All the refugees' eyes were focused on him, filled with doubt and confusion.

"Where did this brat come from, daring to spout such nonsense? Refined salt is a treasure only immortals can use, how could you possibly produce that?" The merchant sneered, looking Huang Yiming up and down with disdain, assuming he was just bragging. The refugees also shook their heads, clearly not believing him, thinking he was a madman.

Huang Yiming, too lazy to waste words, directly opened the salt bag, grabbed a small pinch of snow-white refined salt, and spread it in his palm. Under the moonlight, the refined salt was crystal clear, without any impurities, and had a faint luster, with a light salty fragrance wafting out.

"It really is refined salt! And top-grade refined salt at that!"

"Good heavens, am I seeing things? So much refined salt!"

After a brief silence, the entire place erupted in chaos. The refugees' eyes were bloodshot as they stared at the refined salt in Huang Yiming's hand like hungry wolves eyeing a piece of fat meat. Their eyes were filled with greed and desire, and they pushed forward, almost knocking Huang Yiming over.

"Young master, I'll trade you this one nugget of gold for a small pinch of refined salt!"

"I have a century-old Ganoderma lucidum mushroom, which I picked from the mountains. I'll trade it for a pound of refined salt!"

"I'll trade you jade, an heirloom from my ancestors. Please, sir, give me a little salt!"

The refugees frantically pulled out their most precious possessions—gold nuggets, wild ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, and jade—and shoved them at Huang Yiming in a chaotic display. The salt vendor, already pale with fright, scurried away.

Huang Yiming was jostled and nearly fell. Just then, Yang Xiu straightened up and stood in front of him. Despite her slender frame, she suddenly unleashed tremendous energy, spreading her arms to protect Huang Yiming and saying sternly, "Don't push my young master! If you want refined salt, line up to exchange it, otherwise you won't get a single drop!"

The little girl's voice, though soft and sweet, carried an undeniable air of authority. The refugees glanced at the maid beside Huang Yiming, then at the refined salt in his hand, realizing this young master was not to be trifled with. They all stopped in their tracks, obediently lining up, no longer daring to be disrespectful.

[Ding! This system is sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. Host, you have started a two-world trading business, exchanging cheap refined salt for priceless treasures. Satisfaction achieved! Reward: Fortune buff +10%. Friendly reminder: Don't exchange too much; your storage space is almost full. Know when to stop, lest you bring disaster upon yourself. Otherwise, you'll have nowhere to cry.]

Huang Yiming stood with his hands behind his back, his posture upright, his eyes indifferently watching the frenzied refugees before him. A faint smile played on his lips, exuding an air of superiority, as if the treasures before him were nothing but dirt. In reality, he was overjoyed, almost jumping for joy. His eyes were practically glued to the treasures, and he desperately tried to suppress his elation, maintaining a calm and collected demeanor, his facial muscles almost stiff from feigning composure.

Huang Yiming was overjoyed, but he pretended to be aloof and superior, and said slowly, "Don't rush, everyone will get a share. As long as there are enough items, there will be plenty of refined salt." The refugees were overjoyed and lined up obediently to exchange their goods. In a short while, a small mountain of gold nuggets, rare medicinal herbs, and jade and jewelry piled up in front of Huang Yiming.

He only exchanged a small amount of refined salt, knowing when to stop—after all, wealth shouldn't be flaunted, and too many treasures could easily attract trouble. Even so, the harvest far exceeded his expectations. These treasures, if taken back to the modern era, would be enough for him to completely escape poverty and become a true tycoon.

Yang Xiu skillfully helped organize the treasures, categorizing them and placing them into storage bags. Her movements were swift and her eyes were alert, constantly watching her surroundings to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos. Huang Yiming, watching her capable demeanor, felt increasingly satisfied. Having such a clever and considerate fairy servant by his side made things so much easier. But just as the exchange was about to end, a series of orderly footsteps sounded in the distance, the crisp clinking of armor clearly audible, accompanied by a stern rebuke: "Who is gathering here and causing a disturbance? Disperse immediately!"

The refugees' faces changed drastically, and they scattered and fled. Huang Yiming looked up and saw a group of guards in armor, carrying spears, hurrying towards them. The armor was engraved with the character "Qin," clearly indicating that they were patrol guards from Qin Family Fortress.

[Ding! This system, though sharp-tongued, is soft-hearted. It has detected Qin Family Fortress guards approaching with unknown hostility. The system advises the host to maintain a cool and aloof demeanor, avoid showing weakness, and act like a reclusive master. This will likely allow you to infiltrate Qin Family Fortress. Also, do not display your treasures; be careful they don't get stolen. A coward can't protect these riches.]

Huang Yiming's eyes darkened, and he immediately suppressed all emotions, straightened his back, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked indifferently in the direction of the guards. He exuded a distant and superior aura, showing no sign of panic. But only he knew that his heart was pounding as if it would jump out of his chest, his palms were covered in cold sweat, and his mind was frantically rehearsing his response, afraid that he would give himself away at any moment. He could only force himself to maintain his cool facade. He tensed up, immediately put away all his treasures, took Yang Xiu's hand, straightened his back, and adopted a nonchalant and superior demeanor, quietly waiting for the guards to arrive. A new test was about to begin.