"Hell yeah, my favorite part, Nero roasting people!" Siberian Duck cheered while progressing through the quest.
She absolutely loved scenes where Nero argued with people.
Because every time Nero got into a verbal fight, his opponents would end up completely unable to answer back.
[Dan-heart Eternal: Here it comes, here it comes, everyone's favorite Nero roasting session.]
[Lady Herta Fan Club: Yep, Nero is amazing at roasting people, and it's satisfying every time.]
[I Use Pantene: Let me think... the people I remember most getting roasted by Nero are the Fright Maze, Bronya, the Wanderer, Cocolia, and so on.]
[I Use Pantene: And these are probably some of the lines Nero used while roasting them.]
[I Use Pantene: 1. Allow me to say this directly, your xxxxxxx, my evaluation is zero points. 2. Even Xianzhou children are better at scaring people than you. 3. Do you seriously not read intelligence before acting? 4. People need to learn self-awareness. 5. Throw him out for me! 6. Too lazy to listen, not qualified to speak. I can't be bothered listening to your logic, you don't deserve to talk. 7. You think you can offend me and still run away?]
[Glue Man: Bro, you seriously memorized all of them?]
[I Use Pantene: And now, this list has finally gained new entries.]
[I Use Pantene: 8. Are we supposed to stay polite after getting bullied? 9. Shut up, blondie! 10. So what if we insult you? Got a problem with it? 11. Who can prove it?]
[Nero Is My Dad: My dad is so arrogant, I love him!]
[So Handsome I Got Beaten Up Outside: Insane.]
[Nero's Feet in Mouth: Ahhh so satisfying! Bold! Magnificent! It's out!]
[Fell Down and Got Beaten Outside: You're insane too.]
[Pom Pom: Does anyone still need to point out how insane Pee Yellow Bro is?]
[Boiling Tea with Burning Snow: True. Right now all we need to know is that Pee Yellow Bro used seven words to perfectly summarize his entire life.]
[So Ugly I Get Yelled at at Home: Where's the leaker bro? Save us!]
———
"Fine, let's stick to the issue at hand," Nero said, then looked toward Sushang. "Sister Sushang, what happened?"
"This guy's shipment has problems," Sushang said sternly while glaring at Scott. "It's been damaging other customers' goods, and the docks have been paying compensation this whole time..."
Stelle narrowed her eyes at Scott. "Want to explain yourself?"
"Haaah? Speak louder, I can't hear you very clearly. Is this how your Aurum Alley treats..."
Scott instinctively tried steering the conversation elsewhere again, but before the word "tourists" fully left his mouth, he abruptly stopped.
He cautiously glanced at Nero and, sure enough, found the child calmly staring at him, clearly waiting for him to say those two words.
"Why are you looking at me? If you've got something to say, say it." Nero rolled his eyes at Scott. "If you want to claim you're a tourist, then follow the earlier rules and find someone to prove it."
Sushang nodded too. "Exactly. Forget it, let's just open your package already. You've been dodging the topic this whole time, playing dumb and acting ridiculous. There's definitely something fishy going on."
As she spoke, the action-oriented Sushang had already gone over and seized Scott's shipment.
Scott didn't stop her. He merely narrowed his eyes, his voice suddenly lowering as the corner of his mouth curled into a sneer.
In a highly aggressive tone, he said, "You'd better think carefully. If my stuff gets damaged, can you afford to compensate me?"
"I can afford it. Open it now," Stelle said.
Scott widened his eyes, his voice rising again. "Haaah? Did I hear that right? She says she can afford it. How surprising."
"Quit talking like that. We're opening it right now!" Sushang snapped irritably.
She was just about to work with the dockworkers to open the package when she turned around and discovered that Scott's shipment had already been opened.
Then Nero's voice rang out.
"Oh? You stuffed this thing into the package? You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Everyone followed the sound and discovered a "Golden Cloud Toad" floating beside Nero. Clearly, that thing was Scott's cargo.
Seeing it, Stelle's eyes widened slightly in surprise. This wasn't her first time seeing an incense burner called a Golden Cloud Toad.
Up to now, she had already fought many mara-struck automatons, but this was the first one she'd seen this quiet.
But... Was this Golden Cloud Toad really quiet?
Experience told Stelle that wherever something like this appeared, a vicious fight usually followed.
And right then, the thing woke up.
To Stelle, this thing obviously wasn't much of a threat, but for all the fragile cargo nearby...
The next moment, the Golden Cloud Toad started moving, preparing to rampage recklessly.
Nearby, Scott's lips curved upward slightly as well. This was exactly the outcome he wanted.
Watching the now-active Golden Cloud Toad, watching those nosy little girls and the workers spring into action, and seeing the panic on their faces, the smile on Scott's face only deepened.
But in the next instant, a soft white hand shattered his fantasy.
The moment Nero placed a hand on the Golden Cloud Toad, the mara-struck automaton immediately stopped moving and obediently stayed in place without another twitch.
In the pair of smiling eyes carved by the workers into its face, people somehow saw calmness and composure.
The bizarre scene left everyone baffled, but thankfully, the thing had stopped and wouldn't smash the fragile cargo anymore.
Seeing the Golden Cloud Toad subdued by Nero, Sushang let out a sigh of relief before glaring at Scott angrily.
"You tampered with this automaton. The cargo on the freight ships was damaged by it."
The smile disappeared from Scott's face. After shooting Nero a malicious look, he once again exaggerated his tone.
"Haaah? Speak louder, I can't hear you."
Stelle scoffed. "The evidence is already conclusive, and you still want to deny it?"
Scott looked as though he'd just heard the biggest joke in the world. "Conclusive evidence? Deny it?"
"What else?" Nero narrowed his eyes.
"This thing was taken directly out of your package. Putting a mara-struck automaton into a shipment on purpose, who exactly were you trying to hurt?"
"Stand still and don't move. There's already a bedroom waiting for you in the Shackling Prison."
"Hehehe... what nonsense are you talking about? I'm telling you, this thing isn't mine at all!" Scott laughed, looking utterly fearless.
"What?!" Sushang froze.
"Hmph. If you don't believe me, ask the dockworkers!" Scott added.
As soon as he said that, a dockworker standing in the back, looking extremely timid, hurriedly spoke up.
"I-It's true. That Golden Cloud Toad doesn't belong to Mr. Scott."
"Then why was this toad inside his shipment?"
"..." The dockworker couldn't answer.
Scott immediately regained his arrogant demeanor. "That's your problem, not mine. Right?"
But Nero interrupted him again.
"No, it's very much your problem. As a suspect in attempted criminal activity, you currently don't have the right to speak unless you can explain why it appeared in your package."
"Whaaat?" Scott shouted with bulging eyes. "You Xianzhou people are outright shameless!"
"You're under suspicion. My reasoning is completely valid." Nero didn't care in the slightest about Scott's exaggerated speaking style. "Either explain yourself, or wait to stand trial."
At that moment, panic flashed through the timid worker's eyes. But after gritting his teeth, he stepped forward and shouted, "A-Actually, I was the one who put the Golden Cloud Toad inside. I saw that Mr. Scott's delivery destination was close to someone... someone I really hate, so I..."
The worker thought Nero was only acting this way because Scott was an outsider.
Even though he liked Nero a lot too, Scott had paid him quite a bit of money...
Besides, he himself was Xianzhou native. If that were the case, then once he finished what he needed to do, he wouldn't be targeted as an outsider...
"Enough." Nero interrupted the worker. "You attempted to harm your fellow citizens. In a bit I'll have Sister Xueyi throw you into the Shackling Prison too."
"Huh?" The worker was dumbfounded.