Chapter 413: Chapter 413: 254: Monster Wooden

Marketplace_2

“How did you know I’m not a local?” Xu Ran became interested when he heard what the little boy said, “My attire doesn’t seem to be different from the locals, doesn’t it?”

“I’ve never seen you in the Monster Wood Marketplace before.” The little boy had a proud expression on his face, “My home is nearby. I’ve grown up in this marketplace and have impressions of all the locals. But you, sir, I’ve never seen you before.”

“Interesting.” Xu Ran smiled, intrigued, “So, I can’t understand what these transcendent beings are saying. Can you?”

“Of course!” The little boy puffed out his chest, “My name is Li Tutu and I am the best translator around here. There isn’t a single language of transcendent beings that I don’t know.”

“Meow?” (Really? Can you understand what I’m saying then?)

Upon hearing Li Tutu’s claim, Ziyun couldn’t help but curiously pipe up. “Uh…” Li Tutu scratched his head in embarrassment, glancing over at Ziyun, “I’ve never seen this species before, so I don’t know what it’s saying.” “Interesting kid.” Xu Ran laughed, “I suppose you don’t offer your translation services for free, do you?”

“Of course not,” Li Tutu coughed lightly, seemingly a little embarrassed by his inability to understand Ziyun’s language, “Just give me 20 Beast Master Points per day.”

“Deal.” Xu Ran nodded, agreeing to this arrangement.

Whether or not Li Tutu could really understand the various languages of the transcendent beings in the marketplace was secondary. What mattered most was that Xu Ran indeed needed a local guide.

“Please follow me!” Upon receiving Xu Ran’s affirmative response, Li Tutu instantly beamed, leading Xu Ran and the three little ones swiftly past the gates of the marketplace while commenting, “The Monster Wood Marketplace has two gates.”

“One gate is built into the city wall to facilitate the comings and goings of wild super creatures from outside the city. The other gate is within the city, which is the one we’re passing through.”

“A gate in the city wall?” Xu Ran found it strange.

Other cities would build high walls in fear of attacks from wild super creatures from outside the city. Those with lower defenses even had their gates open only at a certain time, kept closed and heavily guarded at other times.

In comparison, Monster Wooden City not only had unusually low walls that super creatures could easily scale, it even had a gate outside the city wall specifically designed for wild super creatures to gain direct access to the marketplace.

How odd…

Behind him, the three little ones were huddled together, whispering among themselves.

“Ha?” (This person said he can understand what super creatures speak. Is he like Twelve then?)

Cancan stared curiously at Li Tutu in the front, asking softly.

“Xi Lu- ” (Twelve communicates with other creatures using super ability skills. This human simply understands super creatures because he’s been around them for a long time.)

Star shook her head, dismissing Cancan’s speculation.

“Meow- ” (He can’t even understand what I am saying!)

Ziyun shook her head, a smug look in her eyes.

However, in the next moment, thinking of Twelve made the three little ones feeling a bittersweet longing.

“Xi Lu~” (We will bring it back soon.)

Star let out a low humming sound, looking at the humans and wild super creatures cohabitating peacefully in the marketplace. Hope flickered in her eyes.

“Xi Lu?” (Do you think… Qingzhou City could become like this?)

“Sir, do you have a place in mind that you would like to visit?” After passing through the gates, Li Tutu directed his gaze at Xu Ran. “A place I’d like to visit…” Xu Ran stroked his chin, looking thoughtful, “Is there a place to eat around here? It’s midday now, time for lunch.” “You came to the right person, sir.” Li Tutu chuckled with a mysterious smile, “The best restaurant in Monster Wood Marketplace, I know it well!”

“Not only do they prepare delicious food for humans, but they also have food for pet beasts and wild super creatures!”

“Oh?” Xu Ran nodded satisfactorily, feeling smart for letting Li Tutu accompany them, “Take us to see.”

“It’s this way!”

Li Tutu scanned the surroundings and quickly led Xu Ran and the three little ones down a small path in the marketplace to a fairly old restaurant. “Beastman Restaurant?” Xu Ran glanced at the sign and revealed an odd look, “Really a simple and straightforward name.”

“Don’t let the ordinary name fool you, this place is anything but ordinary.” Li Tutu grinned, then waved to a burly man busy inside the restaurant, “Uncle Zhang, we have guests!”

“Great!” The restaurant owner laughed heartily, quickly came forward, and warmly invited Xu Ran and the three little ones, “Please come in.”

“Roar-”

A snake, about ten meters long, with coin-patterned scales all over its body, slowly peered out from behind the counter, looked towards Xu Ran’s side, flicked its tongue, and then retracted its head.

Earth System Lead Species, Money Boa

“This is the restaurant’s deputy manager.” Li Tutu laughed, “It’s greeting you!”

“Deputy manager?” Xu Ran couldn’t help but look at the Money Boa, which reached the Leadership Stage, “Isn’t it Boss Zhang’s Pet Beast?”

“Of course not.” Hearing this, Boss Zhang, who was walking in front, shook his head with a smile, “I’m just an ordinary guy who hasn’t awakened the contract power, how could I possibly make a contract with a super creature at the Leadership Stage?”

“I’m partners with Big Jin; we do business together.” Boss Zhang pointed to the Money Boa, “Big Jin is its name.”

“Partners?” Sitting down where Boss Zhang indicated, Xu Ran’s curiosity intensified, “How does that work?”

Humans partnering with super creatures in business, Xu Ran had never dared to imagine it before.

Moreover, this guy isn’t a Beast Master who can subdue super creatures, he’s just an ordinary guy.

Just as Boss Zhang was about to speak, new guests entered the restaurant. “Uncle Zhang, go ahead with your work, I’ll explain.” Li Tutu kindly suggested that Boss Zhang attend to the other guests, then began to explain, “Uncle Zhang may not be a Beast Master, but he’s got terrific cooking skills.” “He not only knows how to cook human food, but is also familiar with super creature cuisine. As long as you provide him with resources, he can cook up delicious food that thoroughly satisfies super creatures.”

On hearing this, Xu Ran’s face was filled with surprise.

No wonder Boss Zhang could partner with a super creature; he must be quite skilled.

“Boss Jin Er is the chieftain of a Money Boa group outside the city. They have ample supplies of super resources. After tasting Zhang’s cooking, Boss Jin Er decided to start a business with him.”

“Because this restaurant is co-owned by super creatures and humans and serves both these groups, it’s named ‘Beastman’.”

“So that’s how it is.” Xu Ran’s face wore a smile.

He was quite familiar with the Money Boa species.

What particularly impressed Xu Ran about this species, besides the eye­catching money patterns on their scales, is their typically greedy nature.

This race loved hoarding all kinds of resources they didn’t even use. In time, a Money Boa’s den would become a little treasury.

A chieftain of the Money Boa race indeed had copious resources, and the idea of partnering with humans to utilize these resources showed that this Money Boa was indeed interesting.

“Let’s order.” Li Tutu pointed at two different colored menus on the table,

“The red one is for humans, blue is for super creatures.”

“Alright.” Xu Ran picked up the red menu and handed the blue one to the three little ones who sat expectantly.

The three little heads immediately huddled together; Ziyun was in the middle flipping through the menu, while Star and Cancan watched from each side. The three little ones whispered and quickly decided on their dishes.

On Li Tutu’s recommendation, Xu Ran also ordered a few dishes.

After putting down the menu, Xu Ran relaxed and smiled.

“Now, let’s taste the local food.”