Chapter 115: I Also Want to Eat Sihai Buns

[Scared, aren't you? I suggest you act normal!]

[Although I'm a demon, I have no intention of harming the… ahem, harming this junior! Do you think all the strange things about this junior came from nowhere? They were all gifts from me!]

Lin Lingling was stunned upon hearing this, looking at Ba Ji in shock.

Ba Ji also stared at Lin Lingling, its golden eyes flashing with an eerie light.

After having all its meridians opened, it had awakened some of the Glutton's innate abilities.

Influencing minds was one of them.

This ability wasn't particularly powerful, but it wasn't insignificant either.

It didn't dare use it on Chen Huaian, but Lin Lingling was fair game.

Lin Lingling didn't realize she had already fallen under its influence. She only felt a sudden clarity.

It all made sense!

Everything made sense now!

No wonder Chen Huaian and Ba Ji could coexist so peacefully. So, this was their relationship.

Ba Ji was actually the most mysterious and sought-after opportunity-type demon in the Demon-Slaying Department.

Chen Huaian was the boss, but Ba Ji was the real boss.

Though, for some reason, this boss's voice sounded like a child's.

[See that green carp in the kid's arms?]

Lin Lingling followed Ba Ji's gaze to the big green carp, then heard Ba Ji sneer: [That carp is a demon I enlightened. I didn't want to expose myself, so I enlightened a carp to be this kid's pet. Maybe it'll turn into a mermaid someday and give him a surprise, but… hmph!]

Lin Lingling shivered at the "hmph."

[You made this kid realize the carp is a demon. What if he kills it?]

Just then, she heard Chen Huaian muttering: "Three Eggs, have you ever eaten a demon? Do you think this fish would taste extra good if it turned into a demon? Also, why are you kneeling? It's not New Year yet."

The big green carp looked terrified, shaking its head left and right.

Its fins slapped against Chen Huaian's hand.

Clearly, it understood.

Even as a low-level demon, it could understand human speech. Lin Lingling had to believe that this carp was a small demon enlightened by the high-level demon Ba Ji, completely different from those wild demons that awakened on their own.

She couldn't let the carp be eaten.

Otherwise, Ba Ji would never forgive her.

Her mind raced, and she stood up, her sweaty hands gripping the spear tightly, forcing an awkward smile: "Uh, Chen Huaian, not all demons need to be killed. Besides, demon meat can't be eaten casually. It might cause problems."

"But…" Chen Huaian looked down at the carp, muttering, "It looks delicious."

"No, you really can't eat it."

"Absolutely can't?"

"No."

"Isn't it said that boiling water can destroy anything? If the temperature isn't enough, a pressure cooker would work too." Chen Huaian swallowed.

Infinite heavens, he'd never eaten a demon before.

Even if demon meat had some issues, so what?

He might not live long anyway. What couldn't he eat?

Lin Lingling: "…"

Big Green Carp: "…"

Ba Ji: "…"

Seeing that neither Ba Ji nor Lin Lingling could stop its impending death, the big green carp twitched, its gills and mouth suddenly opening wide, spitting out a pearl the size of a quail egg.

Then it looked at Chen Huaian with pleading eyes.

"You can produce pearls?" Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes, his expression serious.

The carp nodded vigorously.

"How often can you produce one?"

The carp looked at Chen Huaian, unsure.

"I'll give you options. Nod if I'm right."

The carp nodded.

"One day?"

"One week?"

"One month?"

When he said "one month," the carp quickly nodded.

"Too slow! I'm very disappointed!" Chen Huaian's face darkened as he sneered: "I'll give you one week. Every week, you must offer me a pearl. Otherwise, I'll throw you into the pressure cooker and turn you into fish soup!"

The carp nodded frantically.

"Good, deal!"

Chen Huaian's face lit up with a kind smile as he extended two fingers to shake the carp's fin.

Then he placed the carp back into the basin.

"From now on, you're a new member of our family. Your name is Little Qing!"

Chen Huaian tapped the carp's head: "You're a demon, but Ba Ji isn't. Don't bully Ba Ji!"

Bully the black cat?

Little Qing was dumbfounded.

She wouldn't dare, not in a hundred lifetimes!

…

"A perfectly natural pearl like this should sell for forty or fifty thousand, right?"

Chen Huaian held the pearl up to the light, examining it.

Lin Lingling quietly poured cold water on his hopes: "Little Qing is a freshwater fish. Never mind how a fish produces pearls, but this would be a freshwater pearl. Freshwater pearls aren't worth much. Even a high-quality one might only fetch two or three thousand."

"Two or three thousand?" Chen Huaian weighed his options.

Should he cook the fish or earn an extra ten thousand a month?

Then Lin Lingling added: "But from another perspective, since it's produced by a demon, you could submit it to the Demon-Slaying Department. For a demon of Little Qing's level, research value could push the price up to ten thousand."

Ten thousand was good.

If he didn't care about the size, he could have Little Qing produce one every three days.

That would be ten pearls a month, a hundred thousand yuan!

The murderous look on Chen Huaian's face disappeared, replaced by a kind smile: "What a valuable member of the family! Whether it's turning into fish soup or producing pearls, it's found its purpose. Wonderful!"

Lin Lingling pursed her lips.

She felt Little Qing would go mad staying here.

At this point, it was best to report Ba Ji and Little Qing as harmless opportunity-type demons to the Demon-Slaying Department.

These two demons could also serve as evidence to assess Chen Huaian's strength.

Of course, the most important thing was to observe the potential of Ba Ji and Little Qing and see if further contact was necessary.

The Demon-Slaying Department needed to leverage any power to grow.

Even if the means of gaining power weren't entirely safe, it was acceptable.

"Chen Huaian, I need to go out."

Chen Huaian looked at Three Eggs, thinking how convenient this was.

He was just wondering how to get her out of the house. He immediately nodded: "Sure, go ahead… Oh, I like the Sihai buns from that shop in the urban village. Grab some on your way back~"

Lin Lingling's face turned green.

The urban village? From here to the Demon-Slaying Department and then to the urban village would take a huge detour. It'd take three or four hours, and by the time she got back, the buns would be lunch! Besides, what was she, a servant?

"You…"

She was about to argue.

Then a sinister voice rang out:

[I also want to eat Sihai buns.]

Lin Lingling shivered.

Lin Lingling fell silent.

Lin Lingling immediately put on a cute smile: "Sure! Brother, I'll go get them for you right away!"

…

Standing by the window, watching Lin Lingling get into a ride-hailing car, Chen Huaian's carefree expression vanished.

He walked back to the sofa, took out silver needles, and looked serious.

"The safety of the meridian-opening needles has been confirmed… Now, it's time to open my own meridians!"

…

…