Chapter 58 - Long Johns and the Tusked Tapir

Heikou (Black Dragon Mouth)

Heicheng (Black Dragon City)

Censorate (Supervisory Court)

Yuling City (Jade City)

Jingui Town (Golden Turtle Town)

...

The fur from the long-haired rabbits didn't look or feel like typical rabbit fur. The texture of the woven fabric resembled a blend of wool and synthetic fibers.

Yin Jixue was thrilled. This meant they could skip the blending process altogether.

She had initially thought the small amount of fabric would only be enough for a vest, but Feng Xiu, with her skillful hands, managed to make an additional thermal undershirt.

In essence, she now had a woolen sweater.

Yin Jixue layered the woolen sweater and vest under her clothes. It had been a long time since she had worn something so warm and comfortable. The last time she felt this cozy was when she wore a down jacket.

She used the remaining fabric to have Feng Xiu make a pair of long pants. Yin Jixue had no ulterior motives; she simply wanted to gift the Demon King a pair of thermal long johns.

Her new clothes shouldn't be enjoyed by her alone. Many demons wore tattered clothes that had been patched up for years. Sometimes, she recognized them by their clothes rather than their faces.

The long-haired rabbits had been raised in the palace for some time now, and it turned out they could be domesticated. As long as the caretakers were more intimidating than the rabbits, the rabbits didn't dare to resist.

Yin Jixue picked up her pen to write a letter.

The pencil she used now had a slender bamboo body with a graphite core inside, secured with clay. Except for the lack of an eraser and cap, the design was quite similar to modern pencils.

She handed the letter to Feng Xiu: "Go inform the Supervisory Court to compile a list of which families in the city are nearing the end of their work hours. Anyone interested in raising livestock, farming, or trade should report their intentions. We'll hold a meeting in the next couple of days to discuss the employment plans for the city's demons."

Feng Xiu nodded but looked puzzled: "But our demons love mining. Why should they change jobs?"

Yin Jixue smiled and explained: "We have abundant natural resources, but there's little room for development. If trade caravans come, the only things we can offer are glass and paper. But think about it—glass is popular because it's rare. Once all the merchants realize Black Dragon City produces glass in abundance, its value might drop."

Feng Xiu seemed to grasp the idea: "So that's why you always say we can't rely on a single industry and need to diversify?"

"Exactly. You have such a good memory. Would you like to learn more from me?"

Feng Xiu quickly waved her hands: "I just have a good memory. My brain isn't cut out for these things."

Yin Jixue sighed regretfully. Feng Xiu was a promising candidate for mentorship.

Feng Xiu went to the Supervisory Court to deliver the message. For important announcements, Feng Xiu always handled them personally to ensure no one slacked off.

The issue of work hours had been part of Yin Jixue's plan from the beginning. The "work-for-relief" program provided housing and food for the demons. Once the first batch of miners completed their hours, they wouldn't continue mining.

Mining required no special skills. In the future, such jobs would be reserved for demons without specialized skills, serving as a basic means of livelihood.

Now, any demon who had completed their work hours could switch to a new job with the palace's support.

The Supervisory Court quickly responded. Work hours were reported daily, and the statistics were compiled by students from the literacy class who excelled in math.

Feng Xiu spent half an hour at the Supervisory Court and returned with the results.

"Your Majesty, the Supervisory Court says the meeting is scheduled for tomorrow."

Yin Jixue acknowledged this: "Let me see the report."

There were five families in the city whose work hours were about to end, specifically by the end of the month.

One of them was Gou Fugui's family. As the supervisor of the mine, his work hours were counted 1.5 times faster than the others, which had been approved.

Gou Fugui was the supervisor of the mine, and more importantly, the demon crystal mine. His position was crucial, and since his entire family lived in the city and he was a reliable worker, his role couldn't be changed for now.

However, his wife, Wu Xiang, could be considered. She was pregnant and currently a supervisor at the printing factory. The printing factory had three supervisors, so there were replacements available.

Yin Jixue marked Wu Xiang's name with a check.

The other families had multiple members working in the mines. They were blended families without blood relations but were registered under the same household.

Yin Jixue also marked their names with checks.

"By the way, Your Majesty, the beast that injured the hunting team captain is awaiting your decision. Should we execute it on the spot?"

Yin Jixue had initially planned to have them handle it, but her intuition told her to take a look. The system also gave her a task prompt.

She stood up: "Let me see what kind of beast it is."

The beast was confined in the palace's animal enclosure, a place specifically for handling such creatures.

Ruo Shui introduced the caged beast: "This is a level-one beast called the Tusked Tapir. They're incredibly fast and have strong biting power. However, their stamina is low. If you can dodge their initial attack, even a demon child can kill them."

Yin Jixue looked at the beast with its upward-curving tusks. Hey, isn't this just a wild boar?

She needed to confirm: "Can the Tusked Tapir be eaten?"

Ruo Shui frowned: "The meat has a strong earthy taste. Plus, they're hard to catch and hold grudges. If you kill one of their kind, they'll track you down for revenge. Most demons would rather eat dirt than risk it."

The demons had to pay such a high price for meat—not only was it unpalatable, but the food itself would seek revenge. But this was just a wild boar!

Such a tragic creature deserved to be served on the dining table!

However, the idea of castrating a male boar was something she'd keep to herself.

Ruo Shui's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe what the Queen had just suggested.

Was this their delicate Queen?!

"Are you sure about this?" Ruo Shui wasn't worried about the Tusked Tapir seeking revenge; she just found the idea bizarre.

Yin Jixue remained calm: "Since we're going to deal with it anyway, let's experiment. At least it'll die with some dignity."

Ruo Shui's right hand transformed, her nails sharpening into dagger-like claws: "Your Majesty, step back. Don't let the blood stain your dress."

Despite being mentally prepared, Yin Jixue was still startled by her hand.

But this was the demon realm, and Ruo Shui wasn't human. That was normal.

Yin Jixue reminded her: "Just castrate it. Don't kill it."

Ruo Shui nodded: "Understood. Your Majesty, please turn around. I don't want to scare you."

Yin Jixue: *I'm not that fragile.*

With a swift motion, Ruo Shui castrated the Tusked Tapir, turning it from a male boar into a eunuch boar.

But beasts were called beasts for a reason. Even the lowest-level beasts had some level of intelligence.

At this moment, the Tusked Tapir harbored deep resentment toward both Yin Jixue and Ruo Shui. If it weren't trapped in the cage and emasculated, it would have sought revenge on these two perpetrators.

After silently vowing vengeance, the Tusked Tapir was ordered to be eaten within two days.

A male boar couldn't produce offspring, so it was better to test whether castrated wild boar meat was tasty.

In Yin Jixue's mind, no matter how fancy the name, the Tusked Tapir was just a wild boar.

As it turned out, the castrated Tusked Tapir, cleaned and seasoned, was delicious when roasted.