101: Chapter 101 The Treatment Given by Himeya

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the glazed tiles of Cloud Top Palace, reflecting a magnificent golden light.

Wang Dachui led ten elites selected through the preliminary screening, marching grandly through the outer defensive power grid and into the core living area.

As soon as they entered the door, a rich Spiritual Qi that was almost impossible to disperse rushed toward them, refreshing this group of people who were accustomed to breathing the turbid air of the apocalypse; it felt as if every pore in their bodies opened instantly, greedily breathing in this "Immortal Qi."

"What a place! Truly a wonderful place!"

Zhang Dapao, the limping veteran carrying a black pot, took a deep breath. His originally somewhat hunched back straightened up a bit, and his eyes were filled with shock:

"The Spiritual Qi concentration here is several times higher than the top-tier sanatorium in the Eastern War Zone! No wonder everyone is fighting to get in. Even being a cook here would let you live twenty years longer!"

The other craftsmen and handymen also looked excited and awestruck. Only the mute girl Nightingale, who followed at the end of the line, secretly sneered in her heart even though she feigned a terrified expression of someone who hadn't seen the world.

"Hmph, just a Spirit Gathering Array."

"This level of Spiritual Qi might be considered decent in the secular world, but compared to the Devilish Qi Pool of our Abyss General Altar, it's like comparing a small wizard to a great one."

"However..."

Nightingale slightly raised her eyelids, her gaze obscurely scanning the surrounding mutated plants that seemed disorganized but actually contained hidden killing intent, as well as the faint, ethereal pure wood-element energy in the air that made the poison technique in her body feel extreme disgust.

"The plants here... aren't right."

"Each one has extremely strong vitality and seems to be unified and controlled by some kind of will. Is this the handiwork of that S-rank wood-element powerhouse, Nalan Ruo, mentioned in the intelligence?"

"A bit tricky, but... still under control."

Just as she was secretly assessing the environment, Wang Dachui stopped walking.

"We're here."

Everyone looked up and saw that in front of the main house was a meticulously tended flower garden and leisure area.

In the flower garden, a beautiful woman wearing loose white loungewear and a cashmere shawl was holding a watering can, elegantly watering a man-high red fruit tree.

Although her belly was protruding and she was pregnant, her entire person radiated a composed, serene, and powerful Aura, like a quiet orchid.

On a nearby rattan chair, another stunning beauty lay lazily.

She wore a dark red silk dress, holding a cup of steaming premium black tea in one hand, while the other hand carelessly swiped across a holographic projection screen in front of her, which was densely packed with jumping financial data.

A natural sense of nobility and shrewdness showed between her brows, as if a flick of her finger could decide the livelihoods of countless people.

One still and one moving, one elegant and one charming.

The simultaneous appearance of these two mistresses and their powerful Aura caused these newcomers to instantly hold their breath, not even daring to breathe loudly.

"Ruoruo! Xiao Ji! I've brought the people back!"

Wang Dachui's majestic image completely vanished as he scurried over. First, he naturally took the watering can from Nalan Ruo's hand, then helped Ji Taimei refill some tea. His sycophantic behavior was almost unbearable to watch.

"You must be exhausted, right? Sit down, sit down. Leave these chores to the servants from now on; don't disturb the fetal Qi. And Xiao Ji, stop staring at the stocks all the time; it's bad for your eyes."

Nalan Ruo gave him a sidelong glance and sat down on the rattan chair. Ji Taimei turned off the holographic screen, her gaze moving past Wang Dachui to land on the ten constrained applicants, her lips curling into a professional smile.

"These are the people you picked?" Ji Taimei's voice was lazy, yet it carried the scrutiny of a superior.

"Yes! All top-notch hands, and they have clean backgrounds."

Wang Dachui chuckled and pointed at the group, saying:

"However, you know our family rules; internal affairs are managed by you two. Although I brought them up, whether they can stay depends on the mistresses' first impressions."

"Furthermore, regarding the matter of compensation, our family's God of Wealth has to have the final say, right?"

Hearing this, Ji Taimei gently set down her teacup and stood up. Her red skirt swayed as she walked toward the group with elegant steps. Though she wasn't wearing high heels, her Black Gold Queen Aura was not diminished in the slightest.

"Since you've entered the gates of Cloud Top Palace, you are one of our own. Our Wang family never mistreats its own."

Ji Taimei held up one finger and said calmly:

"A one-month probation period with room and board included. Every meal will have mutated beast meat. The monthly salary... fifty thousand New Coins."

"Holy crap!!!" The crowd instantly exploded.

Fifty thousand New Coins?!

In this apocalypse where prices were skyrocketing, an ordinary person working themselves to death for a month might only earn three to five thousand. Fifty thousand was an astronomical figure! Not to mention mutated beast meat, a hard currency that money couldn't even buy!

"That's not all." Ji Taimei was very satisfied with their reaction and then dropped a bombshell:

"After becoming a regular employee, the salary doubles. Additionally, you can receive one bottle of C-grade Gene Repair Fluid every month, or equivalent Cultivation resources.

"If you perform excellently, you might even have the chance to receive personal guidance from my husband... ahem, from Consultant Wang."

"Hiss—"

Now, even a veteran like Zhang Dapao couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air, his eyes turning as red as a rabbit's.

Gene Repair Fluid! Consultant Wang's guidance!

This wasn't working a job; this was clearly entering a blessed land to Cultivate like an immortal!

"The boss's wife is so generous! Long live the boss's wife!"

Everyone was so excited they were ready to kowtow on the spot.

Only Nightingale, though she also followed along feigning a look of tearful gratitude, was extremely disdainful in her heart.

"Hmph, commoners."

"Selling your lives for a mere fifty thousand and a few bottles of potion? This Black Gold Queen is indeed full of the stench of money."

"But... this treatment can indeed win people's hearts. It seems this family has no small ambitions."

"Alright, the money is on the table. Next, it depends on whether you have the ability to take it."

Wang Dachui chimed in at the right time, taking over the conversation as his tone became serious:

"Ruoruo, take a look. Are there any among these people whose eyes aren't sharp? Especially that one..."

Wang Dachui specifically pointed to Nightingale, who was shrinking at the back of the crowd:

"That mute girl, they say she knows how to grow flowers. Give her a look."

Nalan Ruo nodded slightly, her gaze like water as it slowly swept over everyone.

When her gaze fell on Zhang Dapao, she paused slightly, seemingly seeing the scent of gunpowder on this veteran, and nodded gently.

But when her gaze fell on Nightingale, her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

As a Peak S-rank wood-element ability user, she was most sensitive to life Aura.

The dirty mute girl in front of her looked pitiful and weak, and her life fluctuations were very faint, but in Nalan Ruo's perception, this girl was like... an Equinox Flower that had been deliberately painted gray.

Beneath that layer of gray disguise was hidden a cold and obscure Aura that made her feel instinctive discomfort.

It was the opposition of life and Death Qi.

"This child..." Nalan Ruo was just about to ask.

Wang Dachui suddenly interrupted, breaking Nalan Ruo's train of thought:

"Ruoruo, this girl is called Ye Xiaocao. She's a mute, and her background is quite tragic. But she has a unique skill; she can revive dying plants."

"I saw that the Medicinal Field we just opened up on the back mountain is short of people to tend it, so I thought I'd let her try."

"Oh?" Nalan Ruo looked at Wang Dachui with some surprise.

She knew this man too well. Usually appearing careless, he was actually as shrewd as a ghost.

Since Wang Dachui was so eager to promote her and even deliberately interrupted her investigation, there must be... something fishy going on.