Chapter 432: Chapter 380

Gu Ning’s expression finally softened.

Alex seized the chance to ask, "Cook was hiding this many Crystal Stones?"

"WOOF!" Cook proudly puffed out his chest and sidled up to Gu Ning.

"It was ’Brother’," Gu Ning said with a smile, patting the little dog’s head as it nuzzled against her.

Hearing this, Alex and Philinos, who were standing to the side, exchanged a fleeting, peculiar look.

Barto frowned. "You shouldn’t call him ’Brother’."

Gu Ning said, "I know. I meant ’Brother Cook’."

She was saying that she’d been talking to Cook.

Barto said, "My point is, even if Kaper is your spouse in name only, you shouldn’t call him ’Brother.’ He’s your spouse."

Unlike the other Beastmen around Gu Ning, Barto felt no hostility toward this deceased friend who had once helped him. ’...Or maybe just half a friend.’ He only calculated how many benefits Kaper could still bring to Gu Ning.

’The man is already gone, and nothing can bring him back. Rather than getting hung up on pointless details, it’s better to make full use of the parts of him that are still useful. Only then would it be fair to Gu Ning for giving him the status of a spouse.’

Gu Ning nodded. "I know."

Barto felt Gu Ning didn’t really understand and was about to say more, but Alex cut in. Patting Gu Ning’s head, he said, "Kaper is registered under your name. You might need to use his status for many things in the future, and calling him ’Brother’ could easily cause misunderstandings."

Gu Ning understood what they meant, but she couldn’t help saying, "A spouse can also be called ’Brother’."

All the Beastmen present looked at her, completely baffled.

Gu Ning had only wanted to explain the word’s other meanings, but with them all looking at her like that, she started to feel a little embarrassed.

She scratched her slightly flushed cheek. "In my hometown, you can call them that."

The Beastmen continued to stare at her with expressions of utter bewilderment.

"Ugh, forget it!" Gu Ning gave up and bolted into the snow, not seeing the varied expressions on the three Beastmen behind her, nor Philinos’s gradually reddening ears.

"WOOF! Ning!" Cook wagged his tail and chased after her.

"We have to correct her," Barto said, watching Gu Ning’s retreating figure.

Alex nodded. ’She definitely needs to be corrected. The Heavenly Beast Clan must have taught her some bad things when she was over there.’

On this point, he and Barto were in complete agreement, and both their expressions darkened.

"What are you blushing for?"

Barto glanced at the bird’s flushed face beside him and asked with a frown.

Philinos snapped out of it and said with a cold expression, "It’s nothing."

With that, he spread his wings and flew away.

"Weird bird," Barto muttered. He glanced back, shoved the box at Alex, and closed the door securely.

’Gu Ning left three Crystal Stones in the house. She must be planning to bring Cook back here again.’

"Is this your house?"

Barto had just closed the door when the leader of the security team, who had been waiting outside the yard, walked over and asked.

The leader had waited for the Alaska Mixed Breed to leave the yard before approaching them.

Barto took the box back from Alex and said, "What about it?"

The leader said, "If this is your house, we can help look after it. You’re not from the 12th District, so you probably don’t come here often. You’re allowed to build houses here, but you need to pay the plot fee and maintenance fees on time. It’s best to put up a sign outside with our security team’s name on it. Otherwise, even if you pay the maintenance fees, some unruly Beastmen or Mixed Breeds might just take over your house."

Barto snapped his head up to look at him.

’Now I know where that nagging feeling of wrongness came from ever since I entered the house.’

’The house has been empty for almost two years, but there are no signs of any other Beastmen having been inside.’

’Even though this is an outer district, it’s close to the Inner City District. It’s a convenient location, whether for hunting in this area or for traveling to the Inner City District. Plus, the cabin is well-built. There’s no way other Beastmen wouldn’t have taken an interest in it.’

’Unless... just like the team leader said, someone has been paying the maintenance fees on time and checking on it regularly.’

Alex also sensed something was off and asked the leader, "Are the maintenance fee payments registered?"

The leader chuckled. "Claiming land and building a house requires registration. The outer area of the 12th District is huge. As long as the plot fee has been paid, any further maintenance fees are a private transaction."

Alex understood. He thought for a moment and said, "I’ll pay..."

"I’ve been paying them," Barto cut him off. "When Kaper entrusted Cook to my care, he told me about his house here. I arranged for someone to pay the maintenance fees for him."

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