Chapter 22: The Soy Sauce Beauty

Luo Li teased her, "For a deity as great as you to show up, it must have been my elder who actively 'invited' you."

Kang Thirteen refused to back down, saying, "Regardless, I could still sense the sorcerer's aura on him."

Tang Mizi chuckled at Luo Li, "This young lady insisted on waiting for you to discuss your matters, keeping a tight lip."

Luo Li then asked Kang Thirteen to explain the situation at the soy sauce factory, hoping Tang Mizi would accompany him. This would mark the beginning of their collaboration.

Tang Mizi gladly agreed.

They then began having breakfast. During the meal, the dragon spirit (a snake, but referred to as a dragon out of respect) residing in Kang Thirteen remained hidden, seemingly afraid of Luo Li. Luo Li pretended not to notice its presence.

After breakfast, the car from the soy sauce factory that Kang Thirteen had brought was already waiting outside.

The three of them set off for Macheng.

Tang Mizi was curious about Kang Thirteen's skills. Kang Thirteen proudly explained that her tribe had a tradition of selecting suitable candidates to practice a unique skill called "Suo Ling Gong" (Condensed Spirit Technique). This skill was passed down to only one person in each generation. The practitioner's body remains small throughout their life, just like hers. Suo Ling Gong, also known as the Miniature Technique, allows the practitioner to shrink down to the size of a swaddled infant. The practitioner must be a woman and also possess divine qualities. These individuals are the most respected in their tribe and are called Azaling. Kang Thirteen had been an Azaling since she was twelve, now having served for fourteen years.

Luo Li was aware of the Mizu tribe from the southern part of Chen Mountain. They dressed like ordinary people, sold mountain goods, and engaged in trade. However, they never married outsiders nor moved away from Chen Mountain, always residing there, never separating from their homeland.

Although they appeared open, they were actually very conservative. The county had been trying to develop the southern Chen Mountain for tourism, but the Mizu tribe had consistently refused to grant permission.

When they arrived at the soy sauce factory, the factory director turned out to be a woman—young, around thirty years old, and far from the image of a shrewd and capable businessperson. Her surname was Sun, and she was called Sun Lin. She had an oval face, arched eyebrows, rosy cheeks, pearly teeth, and a slender figure. Her voice was as soothing as a gentle spring breeze.

Tang Mizi squinted at Luo Li with a smile. "This Boss Sun is a woman with very good 'connections.'"

Luo Li simply smiled without commenting.

Truth be told, he had never encountered such a woman before. Every movement she made was full of charm. If she wished to exert her influence, men would easily be swayed.

Boss Sun invited everyone to the meeting room and explained the situation in detail.

Sun Lin sighed, "Ah, this matter is really exhausting. Managing such a large factory by myself is already draining. This issue has left me utterly exhausted, unable to cope. As the saying goes, there are experts among the people. I believe that you two must be such experts with a solution."

Luo Li understood her meaning: truly a businesswoman, her words were flawless. After Kang Thirteen's example, Sun Lin didn't show even a hint of disdain toward the young Luo Li. First, she mentioned how overwhelming the situation was, implying she had already sought help from many others without success. The phrase "experts among the people" suggested she hadn't heard of them before, which could be interpreted as them not being well-known. Then she elevated them as experts, hoping they wouldn't disappoint her further.

Tang Mizi and Luo Li exchanged glances but didn't respond. It was clear that Sun Lin wasn't familiar with their line of work.

Sun Lin smiled slightly.

She continued, "Today, you've traveled all the way from Yunjiang, so you must be tired. I've booked a hotel for you both to rest well. As for the matter at hand, there's no rush. We can start tomorrow."

Luo Li said, "Boss Sun, if you're busy, feel free to attend to your work. Since the soy sauce is stolen at night, we'll start tonight. For now, we'll just take a look around the factory."