Kapitel 78: Chapter 78
The intertwining of cold and murderous intent created an aura that drew everyone's attention to Jiang Ning.
Unconsciously, many people swallowed hard.
At this moment, Jiang Ning appeared not as a harmless youth, but as a humanoid beast.
"If you're done making noise, then clear the way," Jiang Ning said.
"...No, we can't let him get away with beating someone up! There are so many of us here!" a young man shouted, as if trying to boost his own courage.
His words stirred up waves of response from the surrounding crowd.
"Right! How could we let him off so easily!"
These citizens' thinking was simple - there's safety in numbers. Usually, when a group of citizens caused trouble like this, the Knights of Favonius would compromise, or at least find a middle ground.
But today, they had picked the wrong person to mess with.
Jiang Ning immediately locked onto the person who had shouted the loudest, and in a flash, had him pinned under his foot.
"Keep talking. Why so quiet now?" Jiang Ning looked down at the person beneath his foot.
Just like pouring cold water into a boiling pot, the scene fell silent once again.
"You... you're just an outsider! What right do you have to meddle in Mondstadt's affairs?"
The words carried an obvious tone of desperate bravado.
"The Knights of Favonius won't let you get away with this!"
"Oh?" Jiang Ning replied, "Not calling me a Lawrence clan accomplice anymore? And tell me, if I were from the Fatui, would you dare speak to me this way?"
"Let me tell you something - I'm here in Springvale representing the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, evaluating the quality of your livestock. If the quality remains as good as before, the Tianquan might consider renewing the contract."
"Eula is my guide and my friend... With your behavior, I don't think there's any need to sample the meat anymore. A place so full of prejudice probably can't produce anything worthwhile."
Jiang Ning was already thinking about releasing the pigs he'd bought in Springvale from his Serenitea Pot and catching new ones himself.
"You're... you're just throwing your weight around!"
Jiang Ning: "...?"
Were the people of Mondstadt truly lacking in intelligence, or were they just pure idiots?
At this point, shouldn't they be begging for forgiveness, apologizing, and trying to salvage the deal?
Jiang Ning pursed his lips and suddenly smiled:
"Yes, I am throwing my weight around. So what? Liyue accounts for sixty percent of your meat export market, and whether to renew the contract is entirely my decision. I suggest you think carefully before speaking again."
On this trip, Jiang Ning had Ningguang's full authorization, giving him complete confidence in making such statements.
Seeing the Springvale residents remain silent, Jiang Ning pushed further:
"Apologize. Apologize to Eula. A knight who has saved you countless times, and all you can focus on is her Lawrence surname?"
"Ungrateful ingrates, what do the Lawrence clan's sins have to do with her?"
Jiang Ning launched into a tirade.
"If you ask me, Eula should have just let the monsters eat you all."
"Apologize to someone from the Lawrence clan? Impossible!"
The crowd erupted like cats whose tails had been stepped on, filled with righteous indignation.
Jiang Ning suddenly laughed: "Do you really think I won't take action? Surrounding the Liyue delegation, trying to force us to hand over our goods, and more importantly, insulting Liyue's friend..."
"Want to bet that if I leave with the delegation right now, Mondstadt will have to beg us to return?"
Jiang Ning wasn't making empty threats. Everyone who knew anything understood about Mondstadt's childishness. Liyue only maintained trade relations with them out of respect for the good relationship between Rex Lapis and Barbatos.
While Mondstadt might have the most talented alchemists, Liyue wasn't far behind. As for other goods... truthfully, Mondstadt had nothing irreplaceable to offer.
Only the Dawn Winery's renowned wines stood out, but the people of Liyue weren't like Mondstadters - they didn't depend on alcohol.
Liyue, on the other hand, had superior grain, porcelain, tea, and various other premium products.
Especially grain - Liyue's vast territory and fertile soil made it a major grain producer. Mondstadt's soil quality wasn't bad either, but their emphasis on freedom - which really meant laziness - meant few people farmed. They imported seventy percent of their grain from Liyue.
Seeing the crowd fall silent, Jiang Ning's gaze sharpened as he barked: "Apologize!"
He intended to use his status to force their submission - he'd long grown tired of Mondstadt's childish behavior.
Jean, Noelle, and other friendly acquaintances had been showing him around Mondstadt, but they kept getting pulled away for various requests for help.
Out of respect for his friends, Jiang Ning hadn't said anything, but did these people think he was too soft?
As the standoff continued and Jiang Ning grew increasingly impatient, about to speak again, Eula tugged at his sleeve:
"It's alright, don't worry about it."
"Eula, you..."
Jiang Ning frowned.
But seeing Eula's calm eyes tinged with exhaustion, Jiang Ning sighed and said:
"Fine, if that's what you want."
Jiang Ning stepped off the Mondstadt citizen, and under the crowd's mixture of angry and fearful gazes, left Springvale with Eula and Amber.
In the shadows, perched in a large tree, a green-clad bard had witnessed everything.
He felt sorry for Eula's situation but could do nothing about it - in a city of freedom, the god should not intervene lightly.
However...
Venti compared Jiang Ning's forceful attitude with Morax's from the old days, then clicked his tongue.
"This youngster has the same explosive temper as the old man back then. What a hothead."
Resorting to violence at the slightest provocation - truly befitting of a successor, wasn't he?
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning's group found a secluded spot, and he invited the two women into his Serenitea Pot to rest.
They could also have something to eat while they were there.
Amber and Eula were amazed upon entering the Serenitea Pot - was this the power of an adeptus?
Eula expressed her envy: "If only I had something like this, surviving in the wild wouldn't be so difficult."
Seeming to have forgotten the recent unpleasantness, Eula said to Jiang Ning: "By the way, would you like to try my cooking? Consider it my thanks."
Jiang Ning replied: "Sure."
He was too lazy to cook anyway.
Eula asked: "Where's the kitchen? You should have all the ingredients, right?"
Jiang Ning said: "The kitchen is the second room on the left, and yes, we have ingredients. Take a look and see if anything's missing."
Eula nodded and headed straight for the kitchen.
After Eula left, Amber sneakily came to Jiang Ning's side, looking very pleased:
"Jiang Ning, you were so cool standing up for Eula just now."
Jiang Ning replied: "It was nothing. After all, Eula saved my senior's life... But has Mondstadt always been this ridiculous?"
Amber said with some frustration: "Yes, even though Eula is an excellent knight, being born into the Lawrence clan wasn't her fault."
"Moreover, I've seen how hard these past few years have been for Eula. Even the Acting Grand Master Jean couldn't do anything about the prejudice. Getting Eula into the Knights in the first place required both the Grand Master and Jean to overcome strong opposition."
"If this continues, I'm really worried about whether Eula can hold on..."
Jiang Ning nodded: "I see..."
People's prejudices were like mountains - not easily moved, especially when dealing with long-standing historical grievances in Mondstadt.
As for not being able to hold on...
Jiang Ning had noticed that Eula seemed to be forcing herself to continue, showing clear signs of exhaustion.
Strangely, Jiang Ning wondered if he might try to recruit her instead?
Eula had both strength and potential, and as a young woman, she had a mature figure. Plus, that slight tsundere quality made her quite cute.
Amber went to explore the other rooms on the first floor.
Since the second floor contained bedrooms, Jiang Ning didn't let her go up there.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning was arguing with his System.
"System, I completed the mission, come on, where's my reward?"
[Coming, coming! This reward is very useful - it makes people more likely to believe what you say. Of course, it's not that dramatic, just increases your credibility a bit.]
The System said.
Jiang Ning replied: "It is useful... but I still think something that increases combat power would be more practical."
After all, his philosophy was to use force rather than words whenever possible.
[...]
"Or you could change the reward - how about giving me that constitution that eliminates negative status effects early?"
Jiang Ning tried to negotiate.
[That's against the rules, Host...]
Jiang Ning said: "My rules are the rules. If you don't give it to me, I'll stop trying, and we'll see what happens to your performance metrics."
The System wanted to cry. What happened? How did you become so unreasonable? Give me back my pure-hearted Host!
[At least complete one major task! Interfering in Mondstadt politics, usurping power in Liyue, destroying the knights and ancestors - just complete one of these! Otherwise, I can't give you that reward.]
[If that's too much, you could beat up Barbatos in front of his believers, or make his chosen unable to take care of themselves - that would work too.]
The System wasn't being principled - if it could please the Host, it would be completely compliant. The main issue was that the programming required a major task completion for such a significant reward.
Jiang Ning nodded: "I see... Alright, when I complete the task, I want this reward."
Jiang Ning had already decided that once he got this ability, he'd try to absorb some power from the Abyss.
But that was for later. Right now, the priority was...
Seeing how good Eula's cooking would be.
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