"I think we should negotiate...."
Lin Hao crouched in front of his desk, his hands over his head, as his eyes swept over the grandma plant butchered on the desk. He suppressed the evil fire rising from his heart, forced a fawning smile, and said.
At this moment, the once-prosperous princeling, whose entertainment empire spanned three lands, seemed to understand somewhat why Grandma always said that sometimes compromise was a lizard's tail-shedding survival strategy.
Sometimes, being able to fight is really useless.
Because, one day, you will meet someone more capable of fighting and more ruthless than you. Even if you don't, you'll deteriorate and falter due to the decline of physical functions, and eventually, you'll be replaced.
Between face and the thorny grandma, Lin Hao made a compromise in his heart with his unruly nature.
"I don't know where you brave fellows got those false messages, but I can assure you here that we from Haoji never targeted you good fellows."
"There may have been a misunderstanding, but since you all are already here, take whatever you fancy from me, Ah Hao, as a meeting gift and as a testament to our everlasting friendship...."
Lin Hao obediently squatted with his hands over his head, recalling the teachings Grandma Hedgehog had given him in the past. After a round of understanding, he began to negotiate with the spirit beast heroes.
The little fox on the desk pondered for a moment before typing a line:
[Your slacks have split in the crotch, and the red underwear with the God of Wealth motif is showing.]
Lin Hao raised his head and looked at the phone screen, a slight twitch at the corner of his eye, but he didn't say anything.
In the past, whoever dared to talk to him like that, his first reaction was to shove the speaker's head into his pants to let them have a good look.
You don't have it, right? Like peeking, do you?
Then come closer and have a good look!
"Bling-bling——"
After dissing Lin Hao, Ansheng looked at Ah Bai and asked it to come over.
[What's wrong with my buddy wanting to play games and snatching a few graphics cards from you? You make dirty money, but won't allow my buddy to blackmail you? Aren't you being a hypocrite, allowing the authorities to set fires, but not letting the common folks light a lamp?]
Ansheng asked Ah Bai to confront Big Ship Captain Lin Hao directly.
Whatever rules you guys had before… I don't care!
But my buddy has no ID, can't get a job, and now my belly is growling. In the future, if you want to pass through the Changle River, you have to prepare meat and fruit for us!
You do duty-free business.
Isn't it reasonable for us to levy taxes too?
We're black, and we eat black, so wealth can flow and benefit society!
Master Fox was completely unfazed about eating black, spewing nonsense full of fox-like fallacies.
"Graphics card..."
Seeing the word graphics card on the phone screen, Lin Hao was silent for a moment, then let out a wry smile and said: "Ah Hao wholeheartedly welcomes you heroes, but there really is a misunderstanding...."
"We from Haoji were indeed planning to go deal with another gang, but they are from across the river, and they robbed us of over two thousand 5090Ds. If you heroes want to play games, just give me, Ah Hao, a shout, and I'll personally come to set up your computers for you."
"........"
With Lin Hao's words, Ansheng was stunned and looked over at Ah Bai.
Ah Bai thought for a moment and barked twice.
Graphics cards.... are those things in those green-packaged boxes?
We might have grabbed a few boxes. We heard from a poodle that these things could be exchanged for two days worth of food money, so we brought them to the South Australia Island warehouse, but haven't cashed them in yet!
Ah Bai, being the leader, had principles. Just like before when he would sneak to the countryside to steal dried fish to eat, having a few was okay, but if he ate too many at once, it might land him a beating.
He never did the act of draining the pond to catch all the fish, especially now that he's the leader and responsible for dozens of mouths.
[Well... sorry to lazybones, I might have really wronged you guys. However, this beating you can't escape, because we plan to cross the ground you occupy in our city.]
Master Fox thought about it for a while, first apologized to Lin Hao, then confidently and justifiably wrote another sentence.
Lin Hao took a look, repeatedly agreeing, even half-jokingly praising Master Fox for hitting well, hitting with authority.
This statement was half true, half false.
It was indeed imposing, swinging a ton-heavy safe in the parking lot. Even if Lin Hao wanted to drive into it, he didn't dare; no normal car could withstand such a blow from a safe.
If it wasn't Grandma and him getting beaten, Lin Hao felt he might have taken out his phone to film the scene.
Before, Lin Hao always thought his own character was lazy and overbearing enough.
Until he met Master Fox....
"I already said it's a misunderstanding...." Lin Hao subtly glanced at the granny who had turned into a hamster, and he couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief in his heart, knowing all it took now was to send these plague gods away, and he'll be able to save Grandma.
The issue of passage fees was already negotiated.
Just pay! What else could you do if you don't?
He couldn't withstand the swinging and smashing of the safe.
[By the way.... what's the deal with your translation speaker?]
The little fox, intrigued, brought up a new piece of technology he had accidentally noticed.
Even though he had been inside the building just now, he had seen the gold-edged hedgehog speaking through a speaker, teasing Ah Bai with all kinds of cheeky remarks.
Ansheng was very interested in that speaker.
"The translation speaker uses a language comparison table and recordings of the gold-edged hedgehog, which after programming, allow the gold-edged hedgehog to regulate its accent to achieve conversation..." Lin Hao explained the essence of the translation speaker.
The essence of this thing was to let the gold-edged hedgehog regulate its own language, record, then program a translation software comparison. By following the regulated standards of its previous recordings, the gold-edged hedgehog could achieve the effect of speech.
However, it requires a lot of oral practice, and with some errors and forgetfulness, you have to modify the software program.
[Smash it! It sounds like a hassle.]
The little fox texted a taunt and then continued: [The safe at the bottom of the building feels quite strong. Inside, take out what you need and weld it to a steel rod for me, make me a hammer, I'll need it soon....]
A shotgun is handy, but too ostentatious; plus, a fox can't hand-roll bullets.
Ansheng felt the safe was just right, not worried about regulations or Ah Qing being checked, and powerful enough to deal massive damage to thick-skinned spirit beasts when swung.
Ansheng hadn't forgotten that Lin Ying had previously mentioned a particular parasite-infected patient who kept murmuring something about Master Fox, and he'd probably already started his way to Jiule, preparing to cause trouble.
Ansheng didn't know what he could have done to offend him.
But finding a handy weapon, to hammer him until he can't take care of himself, would surely get some answers.
The most straightforward and efficient way to converse with spirit beasts was letting them know who the boss was.
Ansheng was not a newbie and had ample experience in communicating with spirit beasts.
"Bling-bling! Bling-bling-bling——"
The little fox thought for a moment, typing a sentence on the mobile screen, and then said something to Ah Bai.
'Though I feel it's unlikely, Ah Bai, later take some fruits and meat along with this guy, and go for a trip to Qingao Island, let him see our orca's power, proving that our toll collection is reasonable.'
'Remember to sack him, so he doesn't remember the way.'
The little fox gave instructions to Ah Bai, and then showed the phone to Lin Hao:
[Free the single on the third floor 308, later Ah Bai will take you somewhere, and we'll have a chat.]
Lin Hao: "........"