Enemies Are All Nourishment for My Fungi

"Is the total area of these dangerous and transitional regions large?"

"Yes, it's quite large, almost a third of the Otherworld's area, and that includes the oceans."

"Is there nobody by the sea either?"

"Indeed, no one at all. The coastal areas where typhoons frequently land are completely deserted. Only I dare to go there to collect some sea products and then sell them to nobles, making quite a bit of money."

"Wait, when you show up selling in the crowd, doesn't anyone try to catch you?"

"Oh, they do, but they can't beat me." Ye Nai spread her hands, looking relaxed. "I was just setting up a stall on the street, and they insisted on catching me, so I simply walked into the nobles' mansions to pitch my goods. Unexpectedly, they actually welcomed me to come again next time."

"Ah?!"

"It's true."

Ye Nai said, pulling a large stack of thick paper out of Space, so many that she had to hold it in her arms to prevent it from falling to the ground.

Everyone curiously took one sheet each. Even if they couldn't understand the text, they could guess what this might be just by looking at the illustrated format.

Everyone stared at her incredulously.

"Are you sure they're really welcoming you to come again next time? Do you understand what that line of words at the top means?"

"A warrant, right? But what's that got to do with me? To me, isn't it just a sign welcoming me to visit again?"

"...Um?"

"Kind of makes sense..."

"It makes total sense; I even gained many loyal customers."

"Reliable, the loyal kind?"

"Of course reliable. Among the nobles, there are both foolish and clever ones. Although our first encounters weren't pleasant, after a few more interactions, the relationship became harmonious. Their quality of life significantly improved because of me, so why fight me to the death? They can't beat me, and if they really irritate me, they'd better keep one eye open at night for watch."

Vice Minister Su's mind suddenly sparkled.

"Your door-to-door sales are..."

Ye Nai glanced at her with a smile.

"Let's just keep it unspoken."

Vice Minister Su laughed and didn't say anything further.

Indeed, sometimes, things are best left understood without saying.

The others wisely kept their mouths shut without intruding.

Ye Nai retrieved the warrants in her arms back into Space, and also collected those from the others.

"Let's go, didn't we say we're going to see the other captives? Grab your soy milk, let's move out."

Everyone immediately found their soy milk cups on the table, which were no longer too hot, and could be held steadily.

Ye Nai put away her things, opened the Transmission Port, and walked through first.

Everyone followed quickly, just in time to see Ye Nai re-arranging the rain cover and long table; they sipped soy milk while surveying the surroundings under bright light.

This was also near a farmland, with a shadow overhead that didn't look like night. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a shade net for the farmland to block and protect from sunlight.

"Here, this is the plot where I scattered radish, cabbage, and spinach seeds. Blocks some sunlight during the day so it doesn't affect my seeds sprouting."

"And that tent area over there is where you held the early former noble captives?" Vice Minister Fan asked, looking at the tents outside the shade net.

Seeing a small group of strangers by the farmland, although they were led by the feared Demon Witch, the former noble women and children still couldn't help but feel scared, standing at a distance watching.

Since they didn't interfere with Ye Nai's side, everyone there didn't bother with them, only occasionally glancing curiously before looking away.

"Yes, all from Selsa Country." Ye Nai nodded, "Dukes', barons', and knights' families."

"The men go to war, the women and children stay home, then you confiscated their homes." Vice Minister Su chuckled softly.

"The number of captives here isn't large. Looking at the tent spacing, it seems like four families?" Vice Minister Cheng of the Logistics Department visually estimated.

"Three families, the Baron's House has a pair of half-sibling brother and sister. The sister has a Wizard talent. They had conflicts at home, and after becoming captives, they live independently. The tent with the fewest is the one for that pair."

"So few people, yet opening such a large piece of land, quite impressive."

"Nonsense, they just grew big without knowing how to properly turn the soil; I had to use farm machinery to deeply till multiple times. Now that I've scattered the seeds and used drip irrigation for watering, I let them stay far away to continue clearing land. Otherwise, if my seeds didn't germinate, they'd be blamed."

Everyone had a good laugh but didn't find anything wrong with Ye Nai's approach, even thinking her way was right to prevent idleness, which could lead to trouble.

At this moment, the secretary from the Logistics Department spoke up.

"Ms. Ye Nai, may I ask a few questions?"

"Go ahead."

"How significant are the internal conflicts within the Baron's family? After the siblings began living independently, do they still conflict with them daily?"

"They do, but they don't fight physically. More often, it's passive-aggressive behavior."

"What about their biological children? Do they also have conflicts?"

"Yes, for every little thing imaginable, like using too much water or not refilling it immediately. It's like they're not just causing trouble but venting emotions."

"Venting emotions?"

"Discontent with me, their aristocratic airs are in their bones. Can't beat me, so they complain indirectly."

"Understandable."

The secretary nodded while tapping on the touch screen of a convertible laptop, quickly taking notes to consider their internal conflicts for future relocations of the captives.

"Anything else to note?" asked the secretary, looking up.

"They're large families with many members. Wives' main task is to produce heirs, one is not enough, two for insurance. Especially to maintain family status, boys must take turns going to war. If one dies, the next takes his place. To have boys, they end up with a bunch of kids, so split up the older ones into separate camps. Don't keep them together."

The secretary tapped furiously on the screen, typing quickly.

"They're very good at flaunting their nobility, and they look obedient now because they fear me. When you take over, don't be intimidated by them."

"Once they're all resettled, Political Work Cadres will be brought in; they won't be intimidated." Vice Minister Cheng of the Logistics Department said from his quiet observation.

"Knowing you have captives, plans are underway to set up a temporary office for educating them." Vice Minister Su from the Staff Department added.

"Choose a good name, something straightforward." Ye Nai immediately said.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Everyone was interested to see what her opinion was.

"Assimilation, include that word." Ye Nai indeed had an idea.

"Why?" Everyone was curious.