No matter how strange the masked stranger's words were, the monstrous strength gripping Li Yi's shoulder made it ache fiercely. Whatever the stranger said went.
"No, no, he hasn't offended me. He hasn't. Spare my life, great hero! If you want the Dragon Scale, I'll fetch it for you right away."
The woman lifted her sword. This young man was only a little fisherman who had never seen the world. He had no ambitions or aspirations; a promise of profit should suffice.
With that thought, her voice lost some of its earlier severity.
"Want to get rich?"
Rubbing his shoulder, Li Yi looked at the masked stranger before him, then hesitantly shook his head.
"Great hero, my family has already made a tidy sum."
"I mean really rich! Offer the Dragon Scale to the author-"
Before the woman could finish, Li Yi hastily shook his head.
"No, no! Last time the officials came asking us to fish up scales, we lied to them. If we hand over a Dragon Scale now, wouldn't we be lifting a rock only to smash our own feet? We'd definitely be punished!"
The woman looked at Li Yi in exasperation.
"Then say you caught another Dragon Scale! If you could catch one, you could catch two!"
Li Yi grimaced.
"Then I'm afraid it'll be just as Father said. Our family will never have another peaceful day."
The woman paused, then studied the young fisherman afresh. Though he was a commoner who had never seen the world, he had his own wisdom for survival. The human world was indeed complicated.
"Great hero, let me just give you the Dragon Scale. Whatever great undertaking you have in mind, it has nothing to do with the Li Household. I've... I've never seen you either. I promise I won't