Chapter 9: Give Me a Leverage, and I’ll be Incredible
Zhang Dagou’s words caught in his throat, and for a long while, he couldn’t get them out. Meanwhile, more and more people gathered around, drawn by the commotion.
If someone else had muttered a few curses, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But Zhang Dagou was the first to storm the stall. If he didn’t react at all, he’d be utterly humiliated.
But cursing out loud… under the gaze of a dozen or so dead fish eyes? Zhang Dagou simply couldn’t bring himself to do it. He even felt a subtle shame, as if he and these dried fish were gazing up at the same starry sky.
Finally, after an extremely complex internal struggle, Zhang Dagou embarked on the arduous path of fighting poison with poison.
“Give me a stack of dried fish.”
“Sure, sure.” The stall owner, the husband, reacted first, instinctively handing him a plate of salted fish, a salted duck egg, and a bowl of millet porridge.
Zhang Dagou grabbed the tray and headed straight to a nearby small table to dig in.
Almost determined to bite into that salted fish with all his might, Zhang Dagou speared the first piece of fried salted fish with his chopsticks.
Yet the moment his teeth clamped down, a crisp crackle echoed—the fried crust of the salted fish. Then came the savory, salty flesh.
Compared to fresh fish, salted fish had drier meat. But surprisingly, it wasn’t tasteless; instead, it possessed a peculiar resilience—even a rebellious springiness.
Like the corporate drone who pretends to be helpless and miserable 365 days a year. Using a harmless outer shell to cover the wild nature within. But over time, the grueling 9-to-9-six work schedule makes even rest a luxury. The pressure accumulated in life makes one long to lie in bed like a salted fish, yearning for an endless slumber. After all, in dreams, anything is possible.
As for those hidden “wolfish ambitions,” even if they still lingered, they couldn’t—or rather, dared not—be revealed. Only in heart-to-heart conversations with a few close friends, after drinks had loosened tongues, could they dare to spill a little.
Zhang Dagou suddenly felt the delicious morsel at his lips lose its flavor. But when he glanced back at those dead fish eyes staring at him, he felt encouraged.
If a damn dried fish could gaze at the stars, how could he, a living man, fare any worse? At worst, he’d end up like this fish—dried, tossed into a wok, served on a table. But what if he won?
If he won, the sky would be his!
This thought stirred a long-dormant urgency to strive within Zhang Dagou. He even wished he could start his new job immediately, embarking on a fresh round of struggle!
But first, “Boss! Do you have any more of this unsalted fish? I’ll take two!”
“Yes.” The boss’s wife saw Zhang Dagou’s reaction and knew this fish had a market. The worry that had lingered since morning vanished completely. She efficiently grabbed a plastic bag and packed it up for Zhang Dagou.
“Bro, is this stuff really that good?” someone nearby asked curiously.
Zhang Dagou, carrying the salted fish, gave a deep nod. “It purifies your soul after eating it.”
“…” The person instantly thought Zhang Dagou might be a bit off.
But regardless, with Zhang Dagou being the first to take the plunge—and not just eating it but taking some home—the crowd behind him grew curious about the salted fish’s flavor.
After all, the fishy stench was overwhelming. Could it actually be tasty?
But you can’t judge everything by one example. Stinky tofu reeks, right? Yet fried stinky tofu with special garlic sauce? Delicious! Of course it is!
So maybe this salted fish was incredibly tasty too!
The townspeople were fairly well-off, and spending thirty bucks on breakfast was indeed extravagant. Yet novelty always drew brave souls. Soon after Zhang Dagou, another customer ordered a plate of salted fish.
This time, the man didn’t even make it to his seat. He tasted it right there on the spot and was instantly blown away.
“Holy crap! This is insane! Lady boss, wrap me up with another one to go!”
Rong Ziyin had only prepared fifteen salted fish. Seeing two customers snap up nearly half the supply, it became clear that later arrivals risked missing out.
Thus, those who’d come specifically for the fish decided to stop hesitating. Before long, all fifteen salted fish were sold out. The salted duck eggs too. Even the last customers who arrived just in time couldn’t be bothered to leave, so they simply grabbed whatever other breakfast items were left on the stalls.
By ten in the morning, the couple finally rushed back from town. Business had been so brisk that they returned later than usual today. Thanks to the salted fish and duck eggs, every last piece of their homemade breakfast sold out—not even a crumb remained.
But precisely because of this, the couple felt a pang of worry. Their main concern was whether Rong Ziyin could manage to supply such large quantities on his own.
“Why don’t we go see Doctor Rong? Tell him we’ll give him the money from today’s salted fish sales.” The shopkeeper’s wife urged her husband to ask.
Her husband nodded in agreement. “Let me change into something cleaner first. We’ll go together!”
In the couple’s eyes, Rong Ziyin was no longer just a consignment customer—he was a golden goose who could help boost their business and earn them more money. They had to treat him with special care.
Coincidentally, Rong Ziyin had little to do that morning. But instead of inviting them into the livestock station, he stood outside to talk.
The shopkeeper’s wife rattled off the town’s situation with sharp wit. “So, Doctor Rong, could you make your supply more consistent? Or at least tell us how often you can deliver a batch!”
“That’s possible. But I need to think it over.” Rong Ziyin nodded in agreement, though he also gave them a heads-up. “I’m just doing this on my own. Even if things stabilize, I won’t be able to supply large quantities.”
“Besides, people are just excited about it now. Once the novelty wears off, no one will buy that much.”
“It’ll lose its appeal?”
“Mhm.” Rong Ziyin nodded. “And let’s be honest—even if salted fish tastes good, you can’t eat it every day. It is on the Group 1 carcinogens list, after all!”
“!!!” 【Dejection Level 1000】 The couple exchanged glances, both feeling a pang of disappointment. They’d finally found a solution, but according to Rong Ziyin, it couldn’t be a long-term livelihood.
Rong Ziyin tried to reassure them, “It’s not that eating it causes cancer immediately. It’s just that you shouldn’t consume it intensively over a long period. And this only applies to salted fish—salted duck eggs are still fine.”
“Then what should we do now? ” The couple looked at Rong Ziyin with desperate eyes.
Rong Ziyin recalled some practices he’d seen at trendy shops in Beijing and offered a suggestion. “I think you could implement a purchase limit.”
“A limit?”
“Yes. Just tell customers that salted fish is a Group 1 carcinogen. As a responsible shop, even if you sell it, you must limit quantities. Set a maximum of two purchases per person per week. Beyond that, we won’t sell it out of concern for their health.”
“This way, we’re looking out for our customers’ well-being, avoiding potential disputes if anything goes wrong later. It also makes us seem trustworthy and considerate. Psychologically, it builds more trust and understanding. Plus, it becomes a unique selling point. People are curious—something so rare that you won’t sell it even if they pay? That’ll actually draw more customers.”
“I see.” The couple nodded repeatedly. Above their heads, the live chat flooded with admiration for Rong Ziyin. They thought he was incredibly clever—in just a few words, he’d pointed them toward a wide-open path.
Their eyes lit up with excitement as they stared at Rong Ziyin. In that moment, even the cold transaction felt tinged with warmth. Even the little avatars in the comments made “kneeling to Daddy” gestures toward him.
Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but chuckle, but it was still work hours—he couldn’t chat for too long. After giving his instructions, he urged them to head out. It was almost noon, and the snack shop needed to open for business!
The couple’s admiration for Rong Ziyin had now reached the four-thousand mark. Therefore, with just a brief mention from Rong Ziyin, they happily took their leave. They didn’t seem too concerned that he hadn’t set a specific date for delivering the salted duck eggs and fish next time.
Rong Ziyin gave them a fresh perspective: limited-edition items command premium prices. Now was the perfect time to whet their appetite. Rong Ziyin’s next batch of duck eggs would likely be ready soon, and once they were, it would be the ideal moment to build anticipation. They recalled that the economics major in their family called this tactic “hunger marketing.”
“Ah! Doctor Rong truly has studied extensively and knows so many clever methods!”
The couple walked excitedly, simultaneously granting Rong Ziyin several hundred points of admiration. Combined with his previous accumulation, he swiftly reached five thousand points—the threshold to unlock a recruitable subordinate.
Yet once again, Rong Ziyin chose to pass.
The System sighed deeply: “Host, don’t you truly wish to dominate and conquer?”
Rong Ziyin was speechless: “In a society governed by law, I refuse to crown myself king.”
System: …
Ending the internal monologue with the system, Rong Ziyin prepared to resume work. The village livestock station’s duties were neither light nor straightforward. Daily, villagers brought their pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks with minor ailments for consultation. Additionally, quarterly fixed-schedule vaccinations fell under his responsibility.
Just like now—Rong Ziyin had barely taken a break when someone came knocking.
Rong Ziyin glanced out the window and met the man’s unscrupulous gaze—not entirely surprising.
He recognized the fellow: the village’s notorious ne’er-do-well. No major crimes, but petty thefts were his specialty. He’d wander into the county town every few days. Approaching thirty, he still didn’t have a steady job. In short, he supported his family by stealing car batteries.
Rong Ziyin knew him because of Wang Dazhuang, the veterinarian from the neighboring village who’d been harshly scolded over the duck incident.
The village was full of distant relatives, and Wang Dazhuang and this ne’er-do-well were cousins. Having been wronged by Rong Ziyin, Wang Dazhuang couldn’t confront him directly, so naturally, he thought of pushing his dim-witted cousin to take the heat.
Despite his rough upbringing, Rong Ziyin excelled in his studies! He’d always been treated like a stranger in the village, and good-for-nothings like this one had long resented him.
They whispered among themselves: “We’re all just mud monkeys from the same village. What right does Rong Ziyin, who can’t even afford his own meals, have to act so high and mighty? If he’d really climbed the social ladder, fine—but now he’s just crawled back to the village, hasn’t he?”
Thus, after a few drinks at the table and hearing his cousin was bottling up frustration, a few compliments were all it took. Without anyone prompting him, his blood boiled, and he insisted on helping his cousin win back the village’s respect.
But Rong Ziyin was always cautious in his actions, making it difficult to find fault with him. In the end, this ne’er-do-well and Wang Dazhuang spent days scheming together before finally devising a plan to teach Rong Ziyin a lesson.
So, the second rater strolled along the village path, carrying a duck, heading straight for Rong Ziyin.
He genuinely thought of himself as a ‘Poon Choi’ (a festive dish brimming with auspicious symbolism, perfect for large family gatherings, featuring layers of abundant ingredients), flinging the duck at Rong Ziyin’s feet the moment he entered.
“How the hell do you run this veterinary station? Disinfecting the whole village but skipping mine? Think you’re better than me?”
Rong Ziyin didn’t lose his temper. He first glanced down at the duck at his feet.
The duck had been choked all the way here, clearly gasping for air, yet it remained surprisingly spirited. Its head seemed to be screaming, “Give me a lever and I’ll lift the world!”
A normal duck wouldn’t act like this. Rong Ziyin’s first thought was that something was fishy.
Sure enough, the good-for-nothing blurted out, “Disinfect it! I just got it back.”
Seeing that Rong Ziyin didn’t act immediately, the bum pressed him, “I’ve got stuff to do later. Hurry up and get this over with.”
But the more he pushed, the more composed Rong Ziyin became. Instead of immediately injecting the duck like the bum imagined, he pulled out other medications as if preparing for more detailed tests.
Each village raised different breeds of ducks. Take the village where Rong Ziyin lived—it mainly raised Peking ducks.
But the duck this ne’er-do-well brought, though still a young duck, was clearly a Muscovy duck to Rong Ziyin’s trained eye.
Across the surrounding villages, only a handful raised Muscovy ducks, the closest being Xiao Wang Village. Yet Xiao Wang Village was currently conducting tests for duck tuberculosis! And here this man brought a Muscovy duck.
Rong Ziyin clearly sensed something was off about this fellow.
Just then, the system prompted: [Li Tiezhu’s Conspiracy Value +200].
Simultaneously, the previously acquired skill [Thunderclap, Heaven-Piercing Cultivation] activated.
Several ominous black spots, shrouded in foreboding mist, suddenly appeared on the duck’s body. Observing their placement, Rong Ziyin grew increasingly certain that something was seriously wrong with this duck.
It was undoubtedly suffering from duck tuberculosis. Yet judging by the lesions, Rong Ziyin suspected this duck might harbor more than one ailment—as if other issues lurked beneath the surface.
A thorough examination would reveal specifics. As for why this gravely ill duck remained so lively? It had been pumped full of steroids.
Hormones may not necessarily cure diseases, but they can help boost livestock vitality.
Rong Ziyin thought it through and immediately saw the pattern here. Poultry vaccines come with numerous requirements; one misstep could actually accelerate death after injection. These ducks came from Xiaowang Village. If they were already sick upon arrival, this man’s constant urging was likely just biding his time to cause trouble later.
System: That’s downright unethical! What’s your plan, Host?
Rong Ziyin considered it, then calmly addressed the deadbeat: “Immunization is possible, but payment must be made upfront. The total for all examinations and the vaccine comes to 1,700 yuan.”
“No card payments or transfers accepted. Cash only.”