She was proficient in using the laser gun, so Qu Jianlei didn’t compete with her for business. Because the nights were cold, they usually found a camp or supply station to stay overnight around dusk. The game they caught covered their expenses; in fact, there was more than enough, and they even gained some various silver coins. The edible prey ended up in Qu Jianlei’s stomach, and for the first time, Cindy and her daughter realized someone could eat so much. The off-road vehicle finally trudged to Zhou Six Residence Area on a certain morning. By the afternoon, they discovered an outdoor camp of considerable size, with at least three to four hundred semi-underground houses. Just as they were about to enter the camp, a white object suddenly darted out from the side of a dirt mound by the path. Cindy had already decelerated before entering the camp, and she made an emergency brake at the sight, causing Claire to lurch forward. However, with a dull thud, the white object still flew out, rolling twice on the ground. The people in the vehicle could now see that it was an animal resembling both a wolf and a dog, about 1.2 meters long. "Snow Mastiff," Cindy squinted her eyes; she recognized the animal. Snow Mastiff? Qu Jianlei slightly frowned, as this animal was more common in the Zhou San Residence Area. Snow Mastiffs have high intelligence and excellent scent, leading many Hunters to keep them for convenient winter hunting. At this moment, a ragged old man rushed out from behind the distant houses. He ran over quickly, shouting hoarsely, "Xue’Er, Xue’Er... what’s happened to you?" "Xue’Er," Qu Jianlei rolled his eyes in annoyance, but his hand went to the machine gun’s trigger. Giving a dog such a name seemed a bit anti-human, didn’t it? Upon hearing this heart-wrenching cry, scattered people glanced over, and soon enough, more than ten people gathered around. Some folded their arms in indifferent observation, while others pointed and whispered, grinning gleefully. Soon thereafter, two men approached from afar, and one spoke loudly. "Outsiders, this Snow Mastiff is Spencer the old man’s means of living; winter is approaching, you’ve gotten yourselves into trouble." Scam... Qu Jianlei had figured it out; it wasn’t a wild guess—he had already calculated it. The timing of the Snow Mastiff’s dash was precise, hitting right when the vehicle couldn’t brake well. Surely, they collided, but the Snow Mastiff’s thick hide and tough body shouldn’t be unable to withstand a crash. And the suspicious arc trajectory during its fall... how could it fly so far away? "Extortion?" Flower Scorpion squinted her eyes too, raising her laser gun. Both of their attitudes were very firm, yet the old man acted like he didn’t see anything, throwing himself toward the Snow Mastiff on the ground. He hugged the Snow Mastiff, wailing continuously, "Xue’Er, you can’t just leave ; how will I survive this winter?" The Snow Mastiff wasn’t quite dead, occasionally twitching a hind leg like pre-death muscle spasms. The others didn’t speak either, watching indifferently, some even with slight smirks on their faces. More and more people came over to watch the spectacle. "How could it be extortion?" The man who spoke earlier was dissatisfied. "Outlanders, this old chap’s winter depends entirely on the Snow Mastiff, and you’re speeding yet blaming others?" Seeing this, the other man also snorted coldly. "Don’t think you can act wildly at Honest Camp just because you have a few guns... if you don’t want to follow the rules, we can teach you!" Upon hearing this, Qu Jianlei couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth; this camp dared to call itself "Honest"? Flower Scorpion slightly adjusted her laser gun, aiming at the Snow Mastiff, "Veteran Driver... how much does this Snow Mastiff cost?" "Veteran Driver" was Cindy’s nickname for herself—since entering the wilderness, they naturally had an Adventurer style. She replied solemnly, "Depends on the bloodline; generally, it’s only worth five to ten silver coins, and cheaper ones... the meat isn’t really bad." Her reply hinted at a threat, having two powerful figures at her side, her demeanor was altogether different. Upon hearing this, Flower Scorpion spoke calmly, "Put down the Snow Mastiff, we’re buying it!" Her left eye slightly squinted, appearing as if she were aiming. "My Xue’Er couldn’t possibly be worth just five silver coins!" The old man sniffled as he answered, "It’s incredibly smart." Then he glanced around and shouted loudly, "Neighbors, please lend me a fair word!" A middle-aged woman softly coughed, "Xue’Er is indeed clever, good at tracking prey." The two men also spoke up, "Xue’Er’s bloodline shouldn’t be bad... Spencer, do you have her pedigree papers?" "I used to," the old man cried aloud, "but I lost them... Xue’Er, Xue’Er, you can’t die." "Enough of this," Flower Scorpion said impassively, "No one’s ever holding animals accountable; it’s your own failure to watch them!" Newest update provided by NovelHub(.)net "It also crashed into our car, causing us damage too, so today, I’m setting the price at five silver coins!" One man’s eyes narrowed, speaking ominously, "Are you determined to bully us locals?" "Old Spencer has to rely on it for winter," another woman spoke up, "this really isn’t about money!" Honestly, it was still about money, just five silver coins wouldn’t suffice. Anyway, at the scene, there were many voices—some singing a merry tune, some somber, others ominous. Even those with some remnants of conscience emphasized that old Spencer relied on the Snow Mastiff for winter, and this couldn’t be wrong.