Scott furiously tore the invoice in his hands to shreds. As if that wasn't enough to vent his anger, he threw the scraps to the ground and stomped on them repeatedly with the tip of his shoe, as if he were crushing Fu Zhu himself.
An employee beside him, terrified by Scott's ferocious expression, shrank back. "Specialist Scott, what… what should we do now?"
The originally enraged Scott suddenly calmed down. He pushed the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose back up and turned to walk towards the door.
"Let's go. To Golden Automaton Lane."
The moment Scott stepped off the starskiff, he saw Fu Zhu still chatting with his companions at the ferry dock. The fury he had just managed to suppress surged back into his heart.
"Fu Zhu, you bastard!"
Fu Zhu turned his head at the sound and, seeing it was Scott, gave him a cheerful wave. "Yo, Scott. Did you receive the invoice I sent you?"
Scott's face was grim as he walked up to Fu Zhu, stopping a short distance away. He asked in a nearly hysterical tone, "I received it, alright! But let me ask you! Who are you trying to fool with this invoice?! The Luofu Xianzhou isn't some backward planet! Does the Golden Automaton Lane Merchant Association need railway tracks to transport goods?! And you're charging one million credits for a single section of that 'powered rail'?! Are these powered rails of yours made of gold or something?"
Fu Zhu, with his arms crossed, watched Scott's thunderous tantrum with great amusement.
"Since you have questions, let's answer them one by one."
"First, you said the merchant association doesn't need these 'backward' tracks? We won't use them for general delivery. We'll install them exclusively in the warehouses for loading vehicles, replacing the conveyor belts. Is that reasonable or not?"
Scott instantly looked like a duck with its neck squeezed. He let out a "Gak," and with trembling shoulders, forced out a reply in a low voice.
"Reasonable..."
"Mhm." Fu Zhu nodded, raising a finger as he continued, "Second, you said my powered rails at one million credits per section is unreasonable? Who do you think is the person collaborating with me to create these rails?"
Scott's expression suddenly shifted. He remembered seeing two words printed on the invoice next to the technical support for all the listed items: Herta.
The renowned Lady Herta of the Genius Society, whose fame echoed throughout the cosmos!
Though he was reluctant to admit it, he still grit his teeth and uttered her name, one word at a time.
"La... Lady Herta..."
"That's right!" Fu Zhu couldn't help but laugh out loud. He pointed a finger at Scott and said, "It is none other than the brilliant, beautiful, and unparalleled Lady Herta. Surely you don't think an invention by an Emanator of Erudition isn't worth this price, do you?"
Though it wasn't his own idea, since he was borrowing Herta's name, he might as well praise her a little. It's not like she could hear him anyway.
Standing behind Fu Zhu, Xing and March 7th heard him actually praise Herta, and their expressions became incredibly peculiar.
Back on the space station, they had discovered that these two particularly enjoyed "trading barbs," or perhaps it was more accurate to say they couldn't stand the sight of each other.
They never expected that Fu Zhu (old bro) would one day praise Herta like this.
Was this the charm of credits?
Xing immediately whipped out her phone and sent Herta a message.
[Xing: Herta, if I praise you, will you send me a red envelope?]
[Herta: ?]
[Xing: My old bro just praised you! You must have stuffed quite a bit of money in his pocket!]
[Herta: ? Send it over.]
[Xing: Really?! I get money just for praising you?!]
[Herta: No, I'm telling you to send me what Fu Zhu said about me!]
Xing pouted unhappily, thinking she had found a new way to get rich.
Although a bit disappointed, Xing, in the spirit of watching the drama unfold, typed out what Fu Zhu had just said.
[Xing: My old bro just praised you as brilliant, beautiful, and unparalleled.]
[Herta: [Transfer 100,000 Credits]]
[Herta: Hmph, as expected. That little devil Fu Zhu has long since fallen for my beauty, he was just too proud to say it out loud. This is what you call a tsundere, right? Hmph~]
Seeing the one hundred thousand credits Herta transferred, Xing immediately tapped to accept. Her breathing grew a little ragged as she quickly typed a reply.
[Xing: Lady Herta is peerless in this world! Lady Herta is brilliant! Lady Herta is a fish-sinking, geese-falling beauty!]
[Herta: [Transfer 100 Credits]]
"Why is it only 100 credits when I praise her?!"
[Herta: You're merely repeating a fact I've long been aware of. Considering how tiring it must be for you to type, I'll reluctantly give you some credits. Go buy a piece of candy to supplement your blood sugar.]
Xing looked at the message from Herta on her phone with disdain. "I finally understand why old bro can't stand Herta. But she is indeed good-looking."
Xing didn't turn down the hundred credits, accepting it directly. If she ran out of candy later, she could just praise Herta a bit and earn some pocket money from her.
Meanwhile, back with Fu Zhu and Scott, Scott's face had turned ashen after learning that all of Fu Zhu's technology was supported by Herta. He was utterly speechless.
Fu Zhu waited for a long while, and seeing him silent, tilted his chin questioningly. "Scott, you're not trying to figure out how to void this invoice, are you? Or perhaps, you're planning to renege on our bet?"
Hearing this, Scott instantly came back to life, pointing at Fu Zhu and retorting angrily, "You can say that I, Scott, am far less insidious and cunning than you, but you can never say that I'm a sore loser!"
A vein pulsed on Fu Zhu's forehead. "What do you mean, you're not as insidious and cunning as me?"
"Hmph, in this regard, you are the first to have bested me, Fu Zhu! But I absolutely will not let it end like this! This time, I'll admit you were the better man. Next time, I, Scott, will take back everything I've lost! Awoooo—woof woof woof woof!"
Under the stunned gazes of his own employees, Scott barked several times with tears in his eyes, then signed the IOU, and flung it resentfully at Fu Zhu before turning to leave.
Fu Zhu reached out and caught the fluttering IOU, flicking it lightly with his finger.
"I didn't think this guy would actually play for keeps. I wouldn't even dare to dream of a number this big, yet he signed it just like that. Impressive."
Fu Zhu turned around and looked at Xing and March 7th behind him. "Did you record that just now? Sushang isn't here to see this great show, but if you recorded it, we can show it to her later. After all, she's the other main character of this bet."
March 7th gave Fu Zhu a gleeful thumbs-up. "Don't worry! The moment I saw Scott coming over, I took out my phone and recorded his dog-barking video!"
"As expected of you."
Fu Zhu waved the IOU in his hand at March 7th, Xing, and Bailu, then declared magnanimously, "Let's go! I'm treating you all to a big meal. I made a huge profit today."
"Yay!" ×2
March 7th and Xing cheered with a high-five, but Bailu, who was next to them, looked a little down.
March 7th noticed her unhappy expression and couldn't help but lean down to ask, "Bailu, what's wrong? Why the long face?"
Bailu tucked her phone back into her pocket and sighed.
"I'm afraid I can't go for a big meal with you all. My clansmen have already found me and are rushing over here now."
As soon as Bailu's voice fell, the sound of several hurried footsteps echoed from not far away. The three attendants Fu Zhu's group had met at the medical center came running over, surrounding Bailu.
"Lady Bailu! How could you run around like this! There could be miscreants watching you!"
"That's right, that's right!"
One of the attendants noticed the three people standing next to Bailu and pointed a shocked finger at Fu Zhu's face. "It's you! You're still here!"
"Me?"
Fu Zhu pointed at his own nose, unable to comprehend, and retorted with some displeasure, "Ma'am, please watch your words. The way you say that makes it sound like I shouldn't be here."
The attendant didn't respond to Fu Zhu. Instead, she shot him a wary look, then had the other two attendants take Bailu by the hand and quickly leave Golden Automaton Lane.
Before leaving, Bailu didn't forget to turn her head and wave goodbye to the trio.
"Big Brother Fu Zhu, Sister Xing, Sister March 7th, see you next time!"
"Goodbye, Bailu."
The three waved back at Bailu in a very friendly manner.
March 7th watched Bailu leave with some reluctance and sighed softly. "Aww, I quite like little Bailu. It's a shame we can't take her out for a big meal. Fu Zhu, did you do something to provoke those three ladies? The way they look at you seems full of hostility."
"I haven't. I'm curious about that myself."
Fu Zhu was also at a loss. He shouldn't have any conflicts with the Vidyadhara. During the Phantylia incident, the Vidyadhara had been very cooperative with his plans.
Other than that, there was the matter of Dan Heng being the reincarnation of a former Vidyadhara High Elder, but that was Dan Heng's business and didn't have much to do with him.
However, now that March 7th mentioned it, Fu Zhu had a nagging feeling that he had forgotten something important, but for the life of him, he couldn't recall what it was.
"Forget it. Let's not dwell on this. Let's go, time for that big meal."
Before leaving, Fu Zhu didn't forget to have the head of the Golden Automaton Lane Merchant Association sell him a large batch of fireworks, partly because he had done them a huge favor and partly because they still owed him money.
This batch of fireworks was given to him for free.
Fu Zhu, carrying the fireworks and his two little sisters, happily strolled through the various food stalls in Golden Automaton Lane.
Early the next morning, Fu Zhu, who had nothing to do, was dragged out of bed and out of the guesthouse by March 7th and Xing, who had woken up unusually early.
"You haven't told me where we're going."
Fu Zhu glanced at the streets on either side. They looked a bit familiar, as if he had been here before, but he couldn't quite remember where it was exactly.
Passing by a fruit shop, March 7th called a halt.
"Wait for me, I'm going to buy a fruit basket."
March 7th ran into the fruit shop and came out a moment later, carrying a fruit basket.
"Let's go."
Fu Zhu looked at the fruit basket in March 7th's hand and asked curiously, "Are you going to visit someone?"
Usually, buying a fruit basket when going out was for visiting a patient.
When March 7th and Xing heard Fu Zhu's question, they both rolled their eyes at him in unison.
"Fu Zhu, have you forgotten so quickly? Yesterday's Sushang..."
Xing continued where March 7th left off, "Sushang rode that minecart at high speed for a good hundred laps, and then experienced a roller coaster ride with zero protection. She's currently lying in Bailu's medical center."
Fu Zhu paused, frowning. "She's injured? That shouldn't be. Anyone sitting in a minecart is immune to fall damage..."
"Immunity to fall damage doesn't mean immunity to dizziness! My dear big brother! How could you forget something so basic?"
Fu Zhu slapped his forehead. It was true. He had subconsciously viewed the matter from an MC perspective, almost forgetting that not everything in this world operated by MC rules.
"Sorry, my mistake. I should prepare a little apology gift for Sushang too."
Fu Zhu spotted a nearby shop. He told March 7th and Xing to wait for him, then ducked inside. A moment later, he emerged carrying a case of pure milk in one hand and an iron bucket in the other.
March 7th and Xing watched Fu Zhu walk out of the shop with these two items, their mouths twitching uncontrollably. Although they could guess he intended to use the milk to treat Sushang's dizziness, the thought of him visiting a patient with these two things was a bit hard to stomach.
The milk was one thing, but the iron bucket...
Fu Zhu saw their expressions and lifted the bucket in his hand. "It can be used to catch vomit. Very practical, isn't it?"
"Old bro, you're so considerate. As expected of you."
A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at Bailu's medical center.
Walking in, they saw Bailu with her short legs, scurrying back and forth between the various patient beds.
"Bailu."
The trio called out to her, but the busy Bailu only glanced at them, nodded, and continued to care for her patients.
The three decided not to disturb her and began searching the medical center for any sign of Sushang. Soon, they saw her lying on a hospital bed. However, standing next to her bed was a red-clothed woman holding a camera pole.
"Shushang~ your death is so tragic~ Who will I find to perform 'breaking a stone on my chest' with me now!"
Sushang, lying on the bed, couldn't help but cover her ears with her hands.
"Little Gui, I'm already so dizzy. If you keep yelling like that, I'll get even dizzier!"
Guinaifen giggled, no longer shouting, and sat down quietly to chat with Sushang.
"Sushang, how are you feeling?"
The three of them walked over and greeted Sushang.
"It's you!"
When Sushang saw Fu Zhu, a look of terror crossed her face. Although she knew Fu Zhu meant no harm, the mere sight of his face brought back the terrifying experience, and her head began to spin again.
Seeing this, Fu Zhu immediately opened the case of milk he was carrying, poured it all into the bucket, then converted it into a Milk Bucket and handed it to the nearby Guinaifen.
"Have her drink this whole bucket of milk. I guarantee she'll recover immediately."
Guinaifen took the full bucket of milk with a look of astonishment. Her hands dipped from the weight, and she almost dropped it.
"This much?! Can Shushang even drink it all? And who are you three?"
March 7th immediately stepped forward to explain and introduced themselves.
Only then did Guinaifen understand. "So that's how it is. Thank you for visiting Shushang."
"It's what we should do." March 7th waved her hand with a smile. "After all, what happened to Sushang is not unrelated to our Fu Zhu."
The four young women quickly started chatting. Fu Zhu found no opportunity to get a word in and decided to walk a short distance away to let them have their fun.
Just as Fu Zhu was idling about, planning to go see how Bailu treated her patients and whether he could be of any help, his phone rang.
He took it out and saw it was a call from Jing Yuan.
"That's rare. Why would Jing Yuan be calling me?"
Fu Zhu answered the call, puzzled. "Hello? Jing Yuan, why the sudden call?"
"Fu Zhu, I have some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Jing Yuan's opening line gave Fu Zhu an ominous feeling. After a moment of hesitation, he asked tentatively.
"The bad news?"
Jing Yuan on the other end of the line sighed helplessly and revealed the bad news.
"The bad news is... with all the trouble caused by the Phantylia incident, I overlooked one thing, and you didn't notice it either."
"Jing Yuan, what on earth are you trying to say?"
"Fu Zhu, your TNT duplicator... you forgot to turn it off."
PS: This chapter is a two-in-one.