675: I doubt you'd dare kill me! I prefer my food a bit tough!

"Hmm? Loans? Debt collection? Let's talk about the treasure later. First, tell me in detail about your plan!"

Su Lie sneered inwardly, looking at Xian Yuan as he asked.

He thought these people were just here to exchange resources from other clans for resources from the Silent Abyss and the Land of Darkness.

He didn't expect their appetite to be so enormous.

Not only did they want to infiltrate his power structure with their influence,

they even wanted to conduct loan and debt collection services for his Vassals and subjects.

This wasn't helping him.

Instead, they were trying their best to drain the blood of his Vassals and subjects.

They were here to devour people!

This had already crossed his bottom line.

Xian Yuan smiled and took out a proposal, handing it to Mr. Su Lie with both hands: "Mr. Su! This is our detailed business plan!"

"Regarding loans and debt collection, I can discuss them with you in detail!"

"Presumably, such businesses exist in the world you live in as well!"

"But our operating model is different; it's far more brutal than in your world! The profits are greater!"

He spoke eloquently.

Su Lie looked at the information Xian Yuan handed over.

Through Xian Yuan's explanation and the information provided,

Su Lie discovered that

these merchant groups could not only provide loan services to Su Lie's Vassals, subjects, and Survivors in various Survivor cities, but also handle debt collection and assassination tasks.

For Survivors, Su Lie's Vassals, and subjects who couldn't repay their loans, the Seven Great Merchant Groups offered several different solutions.

Subjects and ordinary Survivors would face violent debt collection; if they couldn't repay, they would have to sell their children, or even themselves, or sell their most valuable Talent.

If there was nothing left to sell, they would be forcibly taken to mine, breed, or even be used as 'vegetable people'.

For Vassals and Su Lie's Spirit Servants, a certain grace period would be given. If Su Lie provided a guarantee, a longer repayment period could be granted.

Of course, this would require Su Lie to mortgage the territory's resources, or a specific piece of land within the territory.

If repayment was truly impossible, arrangements would be made based on the Vassals' and Spirit Servants' merits and demerits.

The overall ultimate consequence was either death or a life worse than death.

For Survivors connected to the Mist Guild's high-ranking officials, or Spirit Servants, they could also take out loans, but the collection methods would be relatively gentler.

For some uncollectible debts, these professionals would simply be required to complete a task for them.

In addition,

the merchant groups could also provide Su Lie with a series of services and constructions for his noble territory's cultivation areas, such as seeds, Spirit Water, environmental support, mineral resources, energy collection buildings, and so on, at free or extremely low prices.

However, Su Lie would be required to hand over a portion of the management rights for the territory's waterways, the toll collection rights for city gates, the division of resource distribution within the territory, and the management rights for his subjects.

Through joint operation between the merchant groups and the territory,

the merchant groups would give Su Lie 80% of the total operating profit annually, keeping only 20% for themselves.

Furthermore,

there were many other projects that seemed beneficial to the territory's development.

According to the information,

if Su Lie agreed to these operating and enforcement projects of the merchant groups, he could receive an annual sponsorship of 1000 trillion points of prestige, which would not require repayment.

At the same time, Su Lie's army's military expenses and resource consumption would also be supplied free of charge by the merchant groups.

The merchant groups could even help Su Lie train and cultivate his legions.

"These projects of yours seem very tempting, but... once I agree, this noble territory of mine will no longer truly be mine!"

Su Lie placed the document on the table and shook his head.

Xian Yuan and the others exchanged glances, then he immediately said, "Lord! We are only helping you manage and operate; we will not interfere with your overall control of the territory. This is also for the convenience of our business and trade!"

"If you agree, each of our merchant groups can give you an additional 50 billion points of prestige annually!"

At this point,

he took out another agreement: "If you are still not satisfied, we can provide you with an annual sponsorship of 10 quintillion points of prestige! But you must sign this contract!"

"To be honest with you!"

"Approximately 109 trillion Survivors in the Mist Guild have accepted our sponsorship and signed these two agreements! Currently, they are among the batch with the highest quality of life and strongest combat power in the Guild!"

These words piqued Su Lie's interest.

He picked up the second agreement and read it carefully, his expression suddenly changing.

Su Lie frowned and looked at Xian Yuan: "Don't tell me this is a joke?"

"No! These are all true!"

Wu Qing of the Beihai Merchant Group smiled sinisterly, taking over the conversation and saying seriously to Su Lie: "Su Lie! You must understand! Humans eat meat! All races eat meat! Fierce beast meat, besides being used as a refining material, has a certain risk of contamination if eaten raw!"

"And the stronger the fierce beast, the tougher its meat, and the less palatable it is!"

"However!"

"Humans are different!"

"Humans are naturally balanced in physique. Although their strength and Talent are weaker than other races, their meat quality is the best among all the myriad races of the heavens!"

"This is what we, the myriad races of the heavens, have discovered over the years!"

"Especially women and children!"

"After being nourished by the Innate Ancestral Qi, impurities in their bodies will be quickly expelled, allowing them to be refined into living fragrant meat. This meat quality can not only purify impurities in a professional's body, but also assist us in rapidly absorbing special elements that we normally cannot absorb, thereby enhancing our own strength!"

"To be honest!"

"Many lords among your human race also improve their strength this way!"

"Our demands aren't high either!"

"Calculating by your territory's 1 million kilometer length and width, you only need to raise 1 trillion subjects as 'meat pigs'!"

"We will provide a comprehensive farming plan, including resources for accelerating growth, breeding, fetal protection, and Innate Ancestral Qi!"

"Once the 'meat pigs' mature, you will receive 90% of the profits, with 10% paid to us as the cost of the farming plan!"

"This is a highly profitable business for you!"

After he finished speaking,

Qing Feng, the leader of the Gui Shang Merchant Group, immediately added: "You don't need to worry about any potential issues that might arise! Emotional influences will be resolved by the special pills we formulate!"

"Their leftover bones and scraps will be processed by our Gui Shang Merchant Group!"

...The leaders of the various merchant groups stepped forward one after another to elaborate.

In this segment,

each of the Seven Great Merchant Groups had a part.

The Suixing Merchant Group acquired souls to cook into soul feasts most favored by the Innate Race.

The Tianshi, Qiongqi, Taotie, Beihai, and Tianzhou would deal with flesh, bones, will, emotions, and so on.

If Su Lie hadn't seen this agreement and heard the explanations from the Seven Great Merchant Groups,

he truly couldn't have imagined that

Survivors could be categorized so meticulously.

Moreover, all merchant groups would operate on these Survivors while they were still alive.

For those who needed various negative emotions, they would even torture these Survivors.

This made Su Lie feel utterly disgusted and repulsed.

Bang!

He slammed the table, stood up abruptly, and, with murderous intent radiating from his body, looked at the seven merchant group leaders before him, saying in a low voice, "Are you courting death?"

"Haha! Mr. Su Lie! Do you intend to become our enemy?"

Xian Yuan and the other merchant group leaders did not care about Su Lie's threat.

He arrogantly said to Su Lie: "You can kill me, kill all of us! But you will inevitably be antagonized by all the myriad races of the heavens, hated and ostracized by all the merchant groups of the heavens!"

"At that time!"

"Your territory will lose the vast market of the myriad realms!"

"You will lose immense resources and wealth!"

"Don't be arrogant enough to think that a human group alone can achieve the leap from second-turn to ninth-turn and then to a supreme expert!"

"That's completely a joke!"

"In the Mist World, no single individual race can cultivate a professional into a supreme expert!"

"This requires the joint efforts and shared resources of all the myriad races of the heavens!"

"But if you cut off this path!"

"Your future will be the darkest!"

"You will not receive any advancement resources!"

"Do you really want to kill us?"

These were his tactics.

Of course, if Su Lie really made a move,

they would certainly retaliate against Su Lie with the fiercest vengeance.

In the eyes of Xian Yuan and the other seven merchant group leaders,

although the human race was somewhat more civilized than other races,

they would still choose to compromise when faced with the oppression of such a large group.

Even some particularly principled Survivors wouldn't dare to harm them.

Ultimately, they could just pack up and leave.

Of course, their greatest reliance was the myriad races of the heavens who had long since silently reached a certain consensus behind them.

Su Lie laughed.

Before he could speak,

a private message from Su Liya appeared in his line of sight.

"Hmm? Tushan Yu and Shangguan Miaomiao are coming to pledge allegiance? The departing envoy fleet was completely annihilated after leaving the Silent Abyss... Interesting!"

Su Lie replied to Su Liya: "Have them wait for me in the office!"

When finished,

Clatter! Clatter!

At this moment, a series of footsteps came from outside the hall.

Yue Ling entered with a woman from the Moon Snake Clan.

This woman was tall and had a beauty mark on her cheek.

She wore silver battle armor, exuding a fierce aura.

The leaders of the Seven Great Merchant Groups were stunned when they saw her, then they quickly stepped forward.

"Xian Yuan of the Suixing Merchant Group! Greetings, Senior Moon!"

"Yuan Ming of the Qiongqi Merchant Group! Greetings, Senior Moon!"

All the merchant group leaders put away their smiles and respectfully bowed to the woman who entered with Yue Ling.

The woman didn't even look at them, walking directly with Yue Ling to Su Lie.

Before Yue Ling could speak,

the woman said to Su Lie: "Brother-in-law! I am Yue Qiandao, niece of Aunt Moon Rabbit! I have been ordered to come and guard the Silent Abyss for you, so you can focus on your the rules tasks!"

At these words,

the expressions of the seven merchant group leaders changed drastically.

They quickly turned to look at each other, exchanging glances.

Su Lie nodded and returned the bow to Yue Qiandao: "Welcome, Ancestor Moon!..."

"No! You are a benefactor of our Moon Snake Clan; doing so would mess up the seniority! Besides, I'm still young, about the same age as you! You can just call me 'older sister'!"

Yue Qiandao's eyes widened when she heard this, and she quickly refused Su Lie's form of address.

Before coming, she had communicated with Ancestor Moon Rabbit and Bai Miaoyin.

She also knew about the relationship between Bai Miaoyin and Su Lie.

Naturally, she wouldn't dare to mess up the seniority.

If there hadn't been outsiders present,

her posture would have been even humbler.

Seeing this, Su Lie smiled and asked Yue Qiandao: "Sister Qiandao! Are you brave?"

This question made the leaders of the seven merchant groups present frown.

"Pah! Shameless!"

"Senior Yue Qiandao has lived for tens of thousands of years! She's just being polite; you actually honestly think she wants you to call her older sister!"

"Damn it! Trash! You really think you're someone important, huh!"

The leaders all showed expressions of disdain.

Yue Qiandao laughed heartily: "Haha! If you're asking about courage, you've asked the right snake! I... Older Sister here is the bravest of the Moon Snake Clan!"

Clatter!

Saying that, she turned to look at the leaders of the Seven Great Merchant Groups: "If you don't believe me, ask them! Even the supreme experts of their clans have fought with me! I once broke a leg of Daoist Shen Jun and dislocated an arm of Immortal Wuji!"

"Also, I've eaten some supreme demon experts and supreme eerie experts! However, those two old farts were too tough! Not delicious at all!"

These words stunned the leaders of the Seven Great Merchant Groups.

The leaders' faces tightened at her words, a surge of resentment rising in their hearts, but they dared not act on it, only repeatedly agreeing.

Seeing this, Su Lie smiled and instructed Yue Qiandao: "Since that's the case, then please, Sister, kill them for me!"

As soon as this command was spoken,

Yue Qiandao and Yue Ling were both stunned.

Xian Yuan and the other leaders' eyes widened, and they all looked at Su Lie.

"Why?"

Yue Qiandao scratched her head and asked.

Although she was brave, she wasn't willing to kill the merchant group leaders.

After all,

her growth still required resources, and these merchant groups.

Killing them at this time

would likely lead to restrictions from the merchant groups.

Su Lie smiled: "Because I heard Sister say that demon and eerie meat is tough! Coincidentally, I like to eat tougher food, and these merchant group leaders are elites of various races, so I imagine they should taste quite good!"

...