Chapter 53: Chapter 53 - 47: Mermaid’s Tears

"Cough, cough, cough!" Shen Li was drinking the lamb soup and choked suddenly. He hurriedly grabbed a napkin and elegantly wiped his mouth, then smiled as he stood up and walked towards the door. "Xiao Tang, I suddenly remember I have something to deal with, so I won’t be able to keep you company today."

"Don’t run, I’m serious, I’m not lying to you!"

Seeing this sly fox wanting to flee as soon as money was mentioned, Shen Tang quickly moved forward to block him, slamming the door shut with a "bang," and locked it.

Today, he’d only escape by stepping over her dead body!

"Ah, eating with others makes one feel obliged, and taking money makes one feel indebted. I see why you’re so enthusiastic today, you’ve got designs on my private stash." Shen Li looked down at her helplessly, the smile not reaching his eyes.

Shen Tang knew this old fox wasn’t easy to fool. The protagonist’s terrible reputation was deeply ingrained, and she couldn’t shift the perception overnight.

Shen Tang thought for a moment, then ran to the study to grab paper and pen, and quickly wrote a guarantee letter, solemnly raising three fingers in oath, "I promise not to touch your money recklessly and will definitely not gamble again. If I violate any of the above agreements, I will divorce you and set you free!"

Shen Li’s expression showed a hint of surprise. In the contaminated zone, a female without backing only had a dead end, so even if she tore apart from them, she wouldn’t propose a divorce easily.

He admitted that his immediate thought was whether her changes in recent days were merely pretense to trick them out of money.

Unexpectedly, she actually wrote a guarantee letter.

A paper guarantee letter was still effective under Imperial law.

As long as Shen Tang breached the guarantee’s terms, Shen Li could use this letter to unilaterally initiate divorce proceedings.

"Xiao Tang, these words are so formal. With our relationship, do we need any guarantees? Naturally, I trust you." Shen Li said pleasantly, glanced at the guarantee letter to ensure there were no legal loopholes, then casually pocketed it.

Shen Tang’s mouth twitched slightly. This sly fox was indeed cautious!

Of course, she said nothing more, the three rules benefit everyone, preventing future troubles.

Shen Li opened his Light Computer’s personal info and removed Shen Tang’s account from the blacklist, re-linking her asset account.

Shen Tang instantly became wealthy, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the added 15 million redemption points in the account. Once back to the Empire, they could be converted to Star Coins at a 1:1 rate!

Who would’ve thought this sly fox hid so much private money!

Shen Tang couldn’t hide her excitement and asked, "By the Empire’s sentencing, how many redemption points are needed for me to leave the contaminated zone?"

Shen Li looked at her warmly, with words that were bone-chilling despite his mild demeanor, "Ten billion."

"What?!"

Shen Tang was stupefied. How serious was the protagonist’s crime to require ten billion in ransom!

The 15 million suddenly seemed trivial.

Having just become wealthy for less than ten seconds, Shen Tang instantly felt overwhelmed by debt, nearly suffocating, wanting to find a block of tofu to crash into.

Shen Li’s smile turned even gentler, "If you don’t splurge at the casino, we might soon save up the money."

"..." Shen Tang was speechless, but the earning capabilities of the five Beast Husbands were indeed strong. If the protagonist really lived properly, they might actually not need long to return.

"Gambling is harmful to oneself and others. I swear I will never step into a casino again. If I do, break my legs!"

Shen Li heard her make such a vehement oath, raised a surprised brow, and nodded with a smile, "I naturally trust you."

Since the guarantee letter was written, he could always divorce.

Shen Tang didn’t care whether he truly trusted or pretended to trust, anyway she would demonstrate her change through action.

After seeing off Shen Li, Shen Tang packed a few meal boxes, intending to test the other Beast Husbands’ reactions.

Lu Xiao was from a military family, upright and well-mannered, rarely speaking harshly to the protagonist.

Upon hearing Shen Tang wanted to bind his assets, the man furrowed his brow slightly and spoke with polite distancing, "I believe in your sincere resolve to change, but this money is better kept by me for now. Once we’ve saved enough, I can give you access."

Clearly not willing.

Shen Tang then went to find Xiao Jin.

Upon hearing her intentions, Xiao Jin tossed both her and the meal box out the door, his tone harsh and cold, "Shen Tang, were you scared senseless after spending a night in the contaminated zone? How dare you come asking me for money? You’re delusional, I’d rather take this money to my grave than give you a penny!"

This one had a temper, and no money could be gotten from him.

After hesitating, Shen Tang knocked on Jia Lan’s door.

This noble prince didn’t even let her in the door, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, his icy blue eyes mocking and scornful, "No money and no way to risk life. Only an orca would kick my brain enough to give you money. If you’re bored, go bother someone else, don’t come to me."

With that, he slammed the door with a "bang," as if spending even a second more with her was painful.

Almost forgot how much this mermaid despises her.

Xue Yinzhou’s side was even less approachable; Shen Tang still didn’t dare venture down that street.

Having circled all the way around, she only managed to reclaim some private funds, enraging Shen Tang just a little - this pack of dog men really don’t give her any face!

The system notification rang in her head, [Host, don’t forget about the side quest of raising the five male leads’ affinity to at least an ordinary level. Seven days left until the task deadline. Please accelerate your strategy!

"Strategies can’t be rushed. Being too aggressive would make my intentions seem suspect to them. These things need time, there’s still seven days left, so no hurry," Shen Tang patiently explained, though in truth she had no clue, especially with that cold and moody Snake Beast.

[What’s the host planning to do now?]

"Take out the inhibitor crafting manual rewarded from the previous task, I want to study it."

[Okay.]

A light flashed and a paper manual appeared in Shen Tang’s palm, designed simply with just twenty or thirty pages.

Shen Tang opened the index.

The first half detailed the materials required for crafting inhibitors.

She quickly skimmed through it.

[Yulan Grass: A rare plant appearing in B-level radiation zones or higher, with deep blue leaves that emit faint fluorescence at night.

Function: Contains natural components that soothe nerves, forming the basic material for inhibitors.

Acquisition method: Can only be found in the depths of ruins within radiation zones, needing special protection during harvesting.]

[Blood Vine Crystal: A red vine parasitizing ruin buildings, whose root condenses deep red crystals.

Function: Able to stabilize Beastmen’s blood flow, preventing rampant energy from getting out of control within.

Acquisition method: Requires cutting the Blood Vine and digging its roots; once exposed to air, the crystal rapidly vaporizes, needing immediate seal for preservation.]

[Ghost Butterfly Wing Dust: Ghost Butterfly appears only in A-level contamination zones, its wings half-transparent with faint luminescence.

Function: Provides spiritual soothing, capable of alleviating Beastmen’s anxiety and aggression.

Acquisition method: Capture Ghost Butterfly and carefully peel off the wings, grind into extremely fine powder, remember to wear gloves and avoid contact with skin before detoxifying the scale powder.]

There were also things like Moon Dew Flower Honey, Shadow Spider’s Silk Pouch, various strange and unheard items, all seemingly described to have effects soothing spiritual power. Inhibitors crafted by other companies in the Empire probably contained these ingredients as well, though unaware if the system-produced formula was stronger than the disposable inhibitors on the market.

Shen Tang noticed that at the end of the ingredient list, there was a bolded section.

This formula’s inhibitor also contains one uniquely special component.

——Mermaid’s Tears.