Huai Yu continued to lead the way. At this moment, a patrol of guards from Wanghai City approached. Seeing this, Huai Yu's eyes flickered slightly, and she had an urge to dodge. However, she was currently working, so dodging was impossible, and she could only face them.
I hope they don't notice me.
Unfortunately, the more she didn't want something, the more it came. A guard saw Huai Yu, said something to the others, and then walked towards her. Seeing this, Huai Yu's heart trembled.
The guard walked up to Huai Yu and said, "Miss Huai Yu, you have three days left on your stay in the city. Do you want to renew your contract?"
Huai Yu's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but she quickly recovered and said with a smile, "No rush, no rush. I'll renew it in a couple of days."
The guard didn't suspect anything, but he continued, "Actually, I'm here to remind you that because the entire city is on alert and the city defense formation needs to be maintained, the temporary residence fee for seven days has increased from three middle-grade source crystals to four. Of course, the fee for permanent residency remains the same. Buying permanent residency is actually the most cost-effective option. Miss Huai Yu, you should consider it."
A trace of hesitation flashed in Huai Yu's eyes upon hearing this, but she still said to the guard, "Brother Qi, thank you for reminding me. I'll consider it."
The guard, whom she called Brother Qi, nodded and quickly caught up with the patrol team to continue guarding his post.
"You're not a resident of the city?" Gu Changsheng asked with a smile.
Huai Yu nodded and said embarrassedly, "My home is in a fishing village outside the city."
"The beast tide is coming. It's not safe for your family to stay outside," Gu Changsheng asked.
"I don't have any family," Huai Yu shook her head.
When she said she had no family, Ye Hongyi and Gu Xiruo's eyes both flickered slightly. Once upon a time, before they met Gu Changsheng, they were both orphans. Gu Xiruo was slightly better, as she had an older brother to take care of her, but it wasn't much better. If they hadn't met Gu Changsheng in time, she would have been beaten to death by Wang Badan even if her cold poison hadn't acted up that day.
Fortunately, they were lucky.
The two women couldn't help but feel sympathy for Huai Yu.
Wanghai City is a city that implements a floating system. People like Huai Yu are only temporary residents of Wanghai City. If they are not permanent residents of Wanghai City, they must pay the corresponding source crystals if they want to stay in the city. This was what the guards responsible for collecting the entrance fees told them when they entered the city.
The minimum renewal period is seven days, and the number of source crystals required for seven days was previously three middle-grade source crystals. However, now that the city has entered a state of war preparedness, and the city defense formation is in standby mode, the resources consumed are greater than before, so the price has increased to four middle-grade source crystals.
This increase is not very high, and no one has any objections. After all, times are different now, and war requires a lot of money.
"Three middle-grade source crystals used to only be enough to renew your stay in the city for seven days. Are you planning to keep working as a guide?" Ye Hongyi asked. Through the conversation between Huai Yu and the guard just now, she knew that Huai Yu was now short of source crystals to pay for the renewal. However, Huai Yu didn't expect the renewal fee to increase.
Hearing this beautiful woman, who looked like a celestial being, talking to her, she was stunned for a moment, but quickly reacted and said, "With my cultivation level, I don't seem to be able to do anything other than be a guide for strangers."
"It's nothing, really. Once we get through this beast tide, the other times are safe. I can save up source crystals to cultivate. As long as I break through to the凝神境 (Ning Shen Realm), I can go to the Yuanyang Tower for an interview. As long as I pass the interview, I can live in the Yuanyang Tower for free as a low-level employee. That way, not only will I have twenty middle-grade source crystals as a salary each month, but I can also avoid a large renewal fee and save up source crystals to cultivate. Hehe."
"You have an optimistic attitude," Gu Changsheng said with a smile.
"Thank you for your praise, sir!" Huai Yu was a little embarrassed, but she didn't mention the source crystals again. Originally, she needed three middle-grade source crystals to renew her contract, but now it had suddenly increased to four. Even if she completed this business deal, plus the scattered low-grade source crystals in her body, it didn't seem to be enough to renew her contract.
However, her mentality was indeed very optimistic. She only thought about completing this business deal first, and then see if she should also increase her price later. But she definitely couldn't raise the price for this business deal. Doing business is about integrity, and you can't just raise prices arbitrarily.
Huai Yu adjusted her mentality quickly and introduced other fun places in Wanghai City to Gu Changsheng and the others with a smile on her face, as well as some common sense to avoid being scammed. Gu Changsheng and the others listened to her with a smile. Although they didn't need it, listening to Huai Yu's crisp and pleasant voice introducing them was a kind of relaxing enjoyment.
Soon, they arrived at the Yuanyang Tower.
The Yuanyang Tower was very large and tall, with a full nine stories. The decoration was also magnificent, showing off its extravagance. The facade was even more domineering.
Above the signboard "鸳鸯楼 (Yuanyang Tower)" were seven characters engraved in gilded font: "天下第一牡丹鱼 (The Best Peony Fish in the World)", with no hint of humility.
"Sir, we're here. Look at this..."
Huai Yu said hesitantly. She then remembered that she had led Gu Changsheng and the others without receiving the source crystals yet. This was a major taboo in the industry. If the other party reneged on their promise and didn't give her the source crystals, she wouldn't have any reason to argue with her meager cultivation level.
Gu Changsheng smiled lightly, then waved his hand, and a bag of source crystals appeared in his hand. He handed the source crystals to Huai Yu and said, "We will be staying in Wanghai City for a while. During this time, you will become our exclusive guide. Take these source crystals first, and we'll replenish them when they're not enough."
Huai Yu took the bag and checked it. Her pupils suddenly shrank, and she stammered, "Sir, this..."
There were really too many. There were at least several thousand middle-grade source crystals inside. She had never seen so many source crystals in her life.
"Not enough? I only have this many middle-grade source crystals on me. Does anyone have any?" Gu Changsheng asked Ye Hongyi and the others.
Bai Ziyin shrugged. She was a Celestial King powerhouse, and even Celestial Origin was not very useful to her, let alone these source crystals.
In the end, the Heavenly Peng Ancient Emperor's son stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have more than 100,000 middle-grade source crystals here."
More than 100,000?
Huai Yu gasped when she heard this number. Her heart couldn't help but beat wildly. How much would that be? She couldn't imagine what an astronomical figure more than 100,000 middle-grade source crystals would be.
"Then give it to her," Gu Changsheng said.
The Heavenly Peng Ancient Emperor's son nodded, then took out a ring and handed it to Huai Yu. More than 100,000 middle-grade source crystals couldn't fit in a small storage bag, so he could only use a storage ring to hold them.
Huai Yu subconsciously accepted the storage ring. When the cold touch of the storage ring was transmitted from her hand to her brain, she immediately came back to her senses. Just as she was about to refuse, Gu Changsheng and the others walked into the Yuanyang Tower.
"Remember to buy a permanent residence permit. We'll be staying in Wanghai City for a while."
Gu Changsheng's voice fell into Huai Yu's mind.
Huai Yu was immediately stunned in place.
