Late at night.
Aililan glanced at Shinirao.
Aililan did not know if her method of “taming a hawk” would eventually work on Shinirao, but she could no longer delay her own affairs.
Over the course of 1 month, 100 households had been relocated from the slum area. The construction of the Iron Box Workshop, which covered a massive area of nearly 1,000 square meters, was already on the schedule.
Aililan felt that perhaps she could try talking to Shinirao.
“Shinirao,” Aililan said in a low voice.
Shinirao’s eyes lit up, and she spoke with a voice that tempted people to fall into depravity. “I’m listening, Saintess Aililan. Staying so late tonight, could it be that…”
Aililan snapped, “Shut up, you little firebrand…”
‘I shouldn’t get angry. There’s no need to lose my temper over a demon.’
“Shinirao, do you want to get out?”
“What? Out?”
“Yes, I can set you free.”
“Are you really that kind?” Shinirao leaned her back against the wall, looking relaxed and suspicious. “I don’t believe you are that generous, so I don’t want to leave. Anyway, you won’t kill me in this dungeon.”
Aililan said calmly, “You don’t want to? Then forget it.” As she spoke, she stood up and walked toward the exit of the dungeon. After all, for Aililan, she held the initiative. Even without Shinirao, she could secretly contact other demons.
Seeing Aililan’s nonchalant attitude…
One step, two steps… She walked away without looking back. Instead, it was Shinirao who could no longer remain calm. Though her mouth said she didn’t want to leave, her heart had long been restless.
‘She must be lying to me. How could a human be so kind?’
‘Could she be planning to follow me and then wipe out all the demons hiding in the city in one fell swoop? Yes, that must be it.’
‘But what if it’s true? What if she isn’t lying?’
As Aililan’s footsteps echoed in the deep, long corridor, Shinirao finally couldn’t help but shout, “Is it true that you can let me out?”
Aililan stopped and said calmly, “Do I look like I have the time to joke with you?”
Shinirao agreed, saying, “That’s true. This Saintess looks like a woman who doesn’t understand romance at all.”
Aililan glared. “Hmm?”
Shinirao was startled. “Don’t, just pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Aililan returned to the front of the cell and got straight to the point. “I have a business deal… No, the Gnoll-kin have a business deal they want to do with you demons.”
Shinirao asked, “Are you acting as a middleman?”
*Whack—*
Aililan directly swung a whip, hitting Shinirao’s hip.
“Ouch—”
Shinirao clutched her hip and said through the pain, “Just speak, don’t hit me. But I am very curious. What kind of business… ugh, I mean, what business do the Gnoll-kin want to do with demons?”
Aililan asked, “What do you demons eat?”
“Souls. If you… ugh, if the Gnoll-kin can sell people to the demons, I’m sure they could maintain a good trade relationship.”
“There will be no human trafficking.”
“You humans have so many people. Can’t you just pick some low-life criminals? It would even help you humans clean up your trash. It’s killing two birds with one stone!”
“I said, I will not sell people. That is my bottom line. However, the Gnoll-kin can provide a large amount of beef and mutton. Don’t tell me you gluttonous demons will reject me because you think beef and mutton don’t taste good.”
“How much can you provide?”
“As much as you want.”
Shinirao fell silent.
The reason she had come to tempt Aililan into corruption in the first place was because the smuggling routes had been cut off, stopping all trade with the demons. That was why she had come!
Shinirao became rare and serious, asking in a low voice, “Then, what is the price? What do you, the middleman, want to get out of this?”
“An iron mine near Atester. I want all the demon races near that iron mine to stop their harassment. As for those Lesser Demons that even you cannot control, I will send my own army to deal with them.”
“And what do I get?”
“I will give you your freedom.”
After a long silence…
“Deal.”
Aililan directly opened the cell door and signaled that Shinirao could leave.
“You’re just… letting me go like this?”
“What else? Should I leave some control seal on you?”
“I didn’t expect a Saintess like you to have such a fetish? Heh heh heh.”
*Whack—*
Shinirao walked out.
The confusion in her heart grew even deeper.
“Are you really letting me leave like this? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just run away once I’m out?”
“It doesn’t matter. Even if you run, I’ll just contact other demons. I’m sure many demons would be very interested in this business.”
“Hmph, arrogant Saintess. You look down on the backbone of us demons too much.”
*Whack—*
Aililan swung the whip again.
Shinirao walked away, clutching her rear and gnashing her teeth.
As for why she released Shinirao, Aililan still firmly believed in one thing: there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. If Shinirao didn’t do this business, there were plenty of demons who would.
***
Under the cover of night.
Shinirao left the estate.
Even after she had walked far away, she still felt as if she were in a dream. She still couldn’t understand why Aililan had released her. She swore this would be the biggest mistake of Aililan’s life, and she would definitely repay her properly in the future.
Fearing that Aililan had sent someone to follow her, Shinirao hid directly within the city.
She planned to wait and see before looking for an opportunity to find her fellow demons. As for how to explain her long disappearance, she would naturally say the Saintess had been conquered by her, and after doing this and that to her, she had finally returned after getting bored.
The gathering place she usually frequented seemed to have already been destroyed by humans.
A few days later.
Shinirao found a new gathering spot.
[At the request of the audit, the following 261 words have been omitted.]
In the tavern, they chatted and drank.
The demons began talking about the Gnoll-kin again, as well as the changes brought about by the Mutual Market.
Shinirao’s face was full of question marks.
What the hell? A civil war broke out in the Southern Plains for the Gnoll-kin?
There were even demons saying that if humans could open a Market Policy for demons, any demon who obtained those market rights would surely become powerful immediately.
She had only been stuck in a cell for over 1 month. What on earth had happened outside?
She continued to listen intently.
“Aililan said she’s willing to do business with demons and even asked me to spread the word.”
“Isn’t that just like the humans’ Mutual Market?”
“No wonder she dared to let me go.”
‘So she was certain that I would definitely go back to find her!’
As for finding other demons?
Did she think her own head was broken?
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