The smile on the woman's face faded. Through the black veil that covered most of her face, she silently stared at her.
Wen Xirou asked, "Do you really want to get it? The Farm Employee Code of Conduct (Volume 2)?"
"Give it to me, and I'll let you go," Sun Jiawang said.
"I won't give it to you." Wen Xirou's expression carried an indescribable coldness and determination.
She pulled out a thick stack of contracts from her chest and swiftly tossed them into the air. In an instant, countless pieces of white paper with black writing scattered in all directions.
Sun Jiawang widened his eyes.
But amidst the night wind, a calm and composed female voice spoke clearly.
"I've never understood why the rules told me there was no Volume 2, yet you want me to find it. Now, I finally understand— the existence of the rules is to protect me."
Because only employees like her could "obtain" it. The rules weren't stopping her from obtaining it—they were stopping ghosts and monsters from getting it through employees!
A pristine white booklet fell out from amidst the swirling papers and landed in Wen Xirou's hand.
The cover was blank. But Wen Xirou already knew what it was— Farm Employee Code of Conduct (Volume 2)
Sun Jiawang suddenly charged toward Wen Xirou. However, before he could get close, he was stopped by the butler who had appeared out of nowhere.
The butler, wearing a black tailcoat, still had the familiar warm smile on his face.
"It's been a while, Young Master Sun. You've been avoiding me for a long time. Are you finally willing to show up?"
"Give me back what's mine!" Sun Jiawang yelled.
"Oh? What a pity. There's nothing here that belongs to you anymore."
Wen Xirou hugged the booklet tightly. Soon after, she noticed that, at some point, Jiang You and the others had appeared all around her, closing in.
It seemed that after being contaminated, Jiang You and the others were following Sun Jiawang's orders.
Sun Jiawang was struggling with the butler.
"You really think she can manage the farm? That idiot is probably already eaten clean by the dog I let in. Without her, this farm—"
Before Sun Jiawang could finish his sentence, the sound of a dog barking suddenly rang out.
"Woof woof! Woof woof woof!"
Then a female voice scolded in annoyance. "Quiet!"
"Woof—woof, woof woof." The dog's barking, now full of grievance, lowered by eight levels.
Sun Jiawang froze in his tracks. He turned around in disbelief to look.
The door of the two-story building opened. Wan Qian, holding the freshly cleaned dog, had just finished scolding it. As she turned her head, she saw the standoff unfolding before her.
Wan Qian stared blankly for a moment, then slowly raised her hand and gave a greeting. "Hi?"
What was going on? Why were there so many people gathered outside her door so late at night?
Wan Qian quickly turned her head to look at the two-meter-tall dog beside her. Luckily, it was already clean. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ahem, this dog—don't be fooled by its looks, it's actually quite affectionate."
It had been a little fierce, but Wan Qian was good at training dogs. It was too dark last night, and Wan Qian squinted as she gave it a good beating in the old house.
Now, it was incredibly obedient—when told to sit, it sat; when told not to bark, it stopped.
Wen Xirou stared at the creature, whose form was completely indiscernible. Its entire body was covered in thick fur. However, rather than fur, it was more accurate to say they were tentacles covered in long hair. Each tentacle was as thick as a wrist, in a black color, writhing and squirming like worms.
"This... dog?" Wen Xirou was truly speechless. Where does it look like a dog?!
Wan Qian stroked her chin. "Xiao Hei, bark a few times."
"Woof woof!" The obedient barking came from under the tentacles.
Wan Qian spread her hands. "See? I told you it's a dog. Xiao Hei may look a little ugly, but it really is a dog."
Wan Qian thought Wen Xirou was overreacting. Didn't she see that all the other creatures raised on the farm looked strange?
Xiao Hei was just an unusually shaped dog. It probably mutated because of environmental contamination.
Wan Qian looked at the butler, scratching her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Uh, butler, I'd like to keep this dog. Is that alright?"
She remembered the note left by her great-uncle, which mentioned that the dog should be returned to Mushroom Village. Wan Qian wasn't keen on doing that.
Now there were no security guards on the farm, which was why all sorts of people could wander in. It would be better to keep a dog to guard the place.
Such a large and fierce dog would certainly intimidate any ill-intentioned competitors. She could also save money on hiring a security guard.
Wan Qian happily did the math in her head.
The butler fell silent for a moment. His gaze rested on the dog, which obediently allowed him to inspect it while it nestled quietly by Wan Qian's side.
The butler spoke, "…As long as you like it."
"You… you…" Sun Jiawang trembled, pointing at Wan Qian, his words incomplete.
The butler gracefully turned to face Sun Jiawang, lowering his eyelids in a very humble and polite manner.
"It looks like your plan is going to come up empty again, Young Master Sun."
At that moment, Wen Xirou rushed toward Wan Qian.
"Wan Qian, catch it!"
Before Wan Qian could react, a thin little booklet appeared in her hands.
[It is both the past and the future; it is both oppression and liberation; it is both death and rebirth.]
Farm Employee Code of Conduct (Volume 2) was born from countless bondage contracts, each page soaked with the blood and tears of female farm workers.
"I didn't expect you to be so clever." Sun Jiawang stood still, his face hidden behind the veil, making his expression unclear.
He gazed at Wan Qian from a distance, his lips, painted a bright red, curving into a smile.
"So it turns out, you've been faking it all along."