Skinwalker Belle – Chapter 250 – Smart People Live Longer

The carriage slowly departed from the City Lord’s manor, its wheels rumbling rhythmically over the stone-paved road.

Inside the carriage, Lin Fan leaned lazily against the soft cushions, toying with the token that symbolized the City Lord’s presence.

Lu Yuan was huddled in a corner, a look of resentment on his face.

Outside, the one driving the carriage was none other than the “personal bodyguard” just assigned by Long Teng—the guard captain she had met once on the edge of the Swamp of Death, Long Yan.

“Stop the carriage.”

Lin Fan spoke abruptly. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an unquestionable chill.

“Whoa—”

The carriage came to a steady halt.

Long Yan lifted the curtain. His weathered face was wreathed in a respectful smile. “Young Miss, what are your orders?”

Lin Fan didn’t speak, merely staring at him with her faint golden eyes, her fingers tapping lightly on her knee.

Tap, tap, tap…

One tap after another, it was like a drumbeat on a person’s heart.

The smile on Long Yan’s face gradually stiffened, and a fine layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

He was a smart man, a member of a branch family of the Dragon Clan who had crawled his way out of a pile of corpses. His nose for killing intent and danger was sharper than a dog’s.

The delicate little princess before him felt more dangerous than that Level 8 demonic dragon.

“Long Yan, is it?” Lin Fan finally spoke, the corners of her mouth lifting into a faint, unreadable smile. “Did my father have you follow me to protect me, or to… monitor me?”

“You flatter me, Young Miss!”

Long Yan dropped to one knee on the carriage shaft with a thud. The movement was as smooth as flowing water, clearly well-practiced.

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“My life was given to me by the City Lord, which means it belongs to you, Young Miss! The City Lord’s order was to ‘protect,’ and to this subordinate, that means absolute obedience! If you tell me to go east, I will never dare to go west; if you tell me to kill someone, I will never ask why!”

His words were resolute and resounding.

Lin Fan raised an eyebrow. With such a talent for delivering lines, it was a shame he couldn’t be an actor on Blue Star.

“Oh? Is that so?”

Lin Fan leaned forward slightly and extended a finger, tilting up Long Yan’s chin and forcing him to meet her eyes.

“Then what if… my father doesn’t like what I ask you to do?”

It was a life-or-death question.

Long Yan’s pupils contracted slightly.

He had witnessed the terrifying power of that pure-blooded “Prince Consort” in the Swamp of Death.

More importantly, having been in Border Dragon City for so many years, he was all too aware of the current situation.

The City Lord had only this one daughter, whom he doted on like the apple of his eye.

In the future, the vast Border Dragon City, and even the entire Long Teng branch’s estate, would sooner or later belong to this little princess.

The current City Lord was Long Teng, but the future City Lord was Long Wu.

Offending the current City Lord might make life difficult, but offending the future City Lord would be a fate worse than death.

Besides, rumor had it that this little princess had recently undergone a drastic change in temperament, her methods unfathomable, capable of toying with even a Level 7 powerhouse…

Having thought it through, the hesitation in Long Yan’s eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by the fervor of a gambler.

“Young Miss,” Long Yan lowered his voice, his tone laced with a hint of flattery and cunning, “this subordinate is a crude man who only understands simple truths. I’ll work for whoever feeds me. The City Lord is occupied with countless matters. Some ‘minor things,’ I feel… there’s no need to trouble his lordship with them.”

“After all, the future is yours, isn’t it?”

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Lin Fan smiled.

It was a brilliant smile, like spring flowers in full bloom.

She withdrew her hand, pulled a Level 6 Crystal from her pocket, and casually tossed it to Long Yan.

“A reward for you.”

“Your brain works well enough.”

Lin Fan leaned back against the cushions, her tone lazy. “Go to the slums. To Jiji’s place.”

Long Yan held the Level 6 Crystal in both hands, feeling the surging energy within it, his hands trembling with excitement.

This was a Level 6 Crystal! He could fight to the death for years and might not even obtain one!

He had bet correctly!

This was what it meant to pick a side!

“Thank you for the reward, Young Miss! I’ll take you there right away!”

Long Yan deftly tucked the Crystal away, cracked the whip, and the carriage started moving again, much more smoothly than before.

Watching this from the corner, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but mutter, “He’s been bought over just like that? These Dragon Clan people have no integrity at all…”

Lin Fan glanced at him. “What do you know? This is called ‘a wise man submits to the circumstances.’ In another world, if you want to live long, you need not only hard fists but also soft knees.”

…

Half an hour later.

They arrived at the familiar underground black market, at that two-story building reeking of new money.

“Aiyo! My dear lady! You’ve finally come!”

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The rat-man Jiji still had that same fawning look, his two whiskers twitching as if he’d been electrocuted as he came jogging out to greet them.

When he saw Long Yan behind Lin Fan, his beady green eyes visibly narrowed.

The City Guard Captain, Long Yan?

This was one of Long Teng’s trusted men!

The smile on Jiji’s face froze for a second before becoming even more servile. “Yo, Captain Long is here too. A rare guest, a rare guest indeed!”

Long Yan stood expressionlessly behind Lin Fan, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. He exuded the pressure of a Level 6 powerhouse, ignoring Jiji’s flattery and perfectly playing the role of a loyal henchman.

Lin Fan walked straight into the lavish warehouse and sat down in the tiger-skin-draped grand tutor chair as if she owned the place.

“Jiji, how’s business lately?”

“Thanks to you, it’s great!” Jiji personally poured and served tea, his face glowing. “Ever since I started using your name, who in the black markets of the surrounding cities would dare to disrespect me? The supply of goods is endless!”

Lin Fan took a sip of tea and asked nonchalantly, “What about Azurewood City?”

Jiji immediately straightened up. “Rest assured! That fellow Hu Wei is greedy, but he’s efficient. As you instructed, the first batch of fifty female slaves, all Level 2 and above, was transported through a secret channel last night.”

At this point, Jiji glanced cautiously at Long Yan, seeming somewhat hesitant.

Lin Fan waved her hand. “He’s one of us. Speak freely.”

Long Yan stared at his nose and his nose at his heart, as if he were deaf.

Jiji breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Also, there’s a large shipment next month, about two hundred people, including a few rare bird-folk and fish-folk. They’ve all been reserved and will be sent to Azurewood City.”

Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction.

With these “materials,” her stock of Skins could be continuously replenished, and the success rate of fusing high-level Skins would also greatly increase.

“Well done.” Lin Fan’s fingers tapped on the armrest. “But I have to remind you, Jiji. The Azurewood City line is my lifeline. If it’s broken…”

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“It won’t be! It absolutely won’t be!”

Jiji was so scared he almost knelt, patting his chest in assurance. “If it breaks, you can skin me and use my rat hide for shoe insoles!”

“Good.”

Lin Fan put down her teacup, her gaze sweeping over the dazzling array of contraband in the warehouse.

“One more thing,” Long Yan suddenly interjected, his voice low. “Boss Jiji, from now on, make the accounts for the goods sent to Azurewood City look clean. Although the City Lord has tacitly allowed the Young Miss to take over this business to train her management skills, it is a gray industry after all. If those old fossils in the Elder Council get a hold of anything, it won’t be good for any of us.”

Jiji was stunned, then overjoyed.

The City Lord tacitly allowed it?

He had truly latched onto a golden thigh!

This was the prelude to laundering the black market into an official enterprise!

“Understood! Understood! Rest assured, Captain Long, I’m a professional when it comes to bookkeeping! I guarantee there won’t be any problems!” Jiji was so excited his whiskers trembled wildly.

Lin Fan gave Long Yan a somewhat surprised look.

This guy was indeed a smart one. Without any prompting, he had already started to help her cover up and patch loopholes.

“Alright, business is done.”

Lin Fan stretched, her eyes landing on the large chest behind Jiji, a glint of excitement flashing within them.

“Boss Jiji, I hear you’ve got new goods from Artisan City?”

Hearing this, Jiji immediately broke into a sleazy grin.

“Hehe, Your Highness is truly well-informed! This just arrived, it’s still warm!”