Chapter 150: A Month or So

Chapter 150: A Period of Time

“Brother Jun, are we really joining the Sichuan-Chongqing Gambling Association like this?”

“What else? Should we let He Zang Jia hold a formal initiation ceremony for us?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“I know—you think He Zang Jia is untrustworthy, right?”

“Don’t you trust him?”

“Of course not, but I know he’s a shrewd man who weighs pros and cons.”

“What does that have to do with being smart?”

“Smart means seeing the situation clearly, and wise means analyzing gains and losses. If a peasant like him wanted to kill me, the price he’d pay would far exceed the bounty on my head. And if anything went wrong, He Zang Jia would have to abandon everything and flee Chongqing Prefecture. Given his character, he’d never do that.”

“So you’re willing to join the Sichuan-Chongqing Gambling Association because you’ve realized He Zang Jia isn’t loyal to it?”

“If the stakes are high enough, he’d be more loyal than anyone. Unfortunately, the Sichuan-Chongqing Gambling Association is just a loosely organized middleman platform. The risk of offending me outweighs the profits they’d share with him.”

“Then what’s your rank, anyway?”

“Seven.”

“That high?!”

“It’s manageable.”

The horizon brightened, dawn slicing through the darkness.

In streets where voices slowly stirred awake, two figures—one tall, one short—wandered toward the Eighteen Ladders slum.

Behind them, in the Ming-style tavern, a pair of eyes pressed against the window lattice, tracking their retreating silhouettes.

“Should we sell his information back to the higher-ups?”

The thought had barely surfaced when He Zang Jia dismissed it outright.

“Given how those big shots eat, even if we killed Li Jun, the reward they’d offer would be pitiful. It’s not worth making an enemy over such petty money.”

“Besides, this is Wu Qi, the lone wanderer—he’s qualified to vie for the last seat among the Thousand Doors Eight Generals. If I smooth things over with this killing god, maybe I can wrest some territory from the card faction.”

He Zang Jia shook his head, bent down, and gathered the scattered melon seeds one by one, muttering to himself.

“No matter how high the reward, it’s still hot money for a life. A steady trickle is what brings peace. I’m no fool like Dai Xi, risking my life for those worthless face-saving gestures.”

He cracked a seed as he settled back into the reclining chair, letting out a long sigh.

“Farming is about enjoying the cycles, not the evils of courtly strife. The world is like a field—pulling out the weak seedlings, nurturing the good ones. Nothing matters more than my own life.”

Calm days pass swiftly, like a white steed through a crevice, vanishing in an instant.

For reasons unknown, He Zang Jia had voluntarily handed over a poor man’s gambling den and two illegal dream parlors to Zhou You to manage.

He acted as if grooming Zhou You as a trusted subordinate.

The youth, once surviving by scavenging on the streets, had leaped into becoming a rising star under the Tiger Banner of the Sichuan-Chongqing Gambling Association’s card faction, working tirelessly day and night.

Zhou You, eager to prove himself, managed He Zang Jia’s three establishments with precision despite his own lack of prowess—even less than Bing Jiu. Yet through years of navigating the underworld and seasoned social tactics, he kept everything in order.

In just a month, the youth’s performance exceeded even He Zang Jia’s direct management by twenty percent.

Though the growth seemed modest, it was achieved without expanding any new ventures—purely through thrift and efficiency.

Such results delighted He Zang Jia, who had already braced for losses in exchange for favor.

He decisively relinquished all authority, becoming a hands-off steward, arriving punctually each day at the dilapidated courtyard in the Eighteen Ladders slum.

He took to guiding Li Jun around, treating him to feasts and pleasures.

Li Jun, naturally pleased to have someone else foot the bill, cared little—given the Seventh Grade Yanshi mask provided by You Si Jiu, as long as he didn’t fight others, his true identity remained safe.

Chongqing Prefecture was the empire’s most peculiar administrative hub, where all manner of people from every corner converged.

The bizarre games and customs here opened Li Jun’s eyes wide, offering him a deep dive into the local scene.

Yet even as he navigated the sea of desires, Li Jun found time to survey the broader power dynamics of Chongqing Prefecture.

Its administrative layout differed from Chengdu Prefecture, divided into five districts—east, south, west, north, and central—without county-level subdivisions.

The wealthiest and most bustling area, naturally, was the central district at the city’s heart.

And the Hongyashan, which became a glittering spectacle at night, like a celestial palace descending, stood as the city’s core.

Rumors claimed its founder was an imperial prince, though He Zang Jia couldn’t confirm their truth.

For the golden and silver towers atop the mountain admitted only the heads of major factions or the Thousand Doors Eight Generals—those with “great face.”

Without the right to ascend, one couldn’t survey the lesser peaks.

“Hmm? Why aren’t you two out tonight?”

Zhou You rubbed his drowsy eyes, confirming he wasn’t hallucinating.

Li Jun and He Zang Jia, usually unseen during their nocturnal rounds, now sat upright in the courtyard.

The more wretched Zhou You’s past two weeks had been, the more at ease these two appeared.

Yet Zhou You felt no envy—he found satisfaction in his own busy, fulfilling life.

For He Zang Jia’s salary was enough to repay the “incense money” owed to the Arhat Temple within three months.

“Farmers value aligning with the seasons, letting nature take its course. Crop rotation and fallow periods—this is about resting well to grow better seeds.”

The youth, hearing He Zang Jia’s mangled farming proverb, sneered, “If it’s no good, just say so. Why dress it up with all that flowery nonsense?”

“You dare say I’m no good? I’m adaptable, capable of expanding or contracting as needed.”

Zhou You interrupted bluntly, “What’s the difference between your temporary activation and cheating at the gambling tables?”

He Zang Jia rose in anger, “I’ll fucking—”

“Enough. I’m leaving.”

The youth waved him off and strode toward the door.

“You little brat, lucky you’re fast. Keep an eye on the place for me—if we lose money, I’ll dock it from your salary!”

“Relax. As long as you don’t get drunk and gamble in your own den, we won’t lose a cent.”

Beyond the door, Zhou You’s disdainful voice echoed.

“Hey, this kid’s got guts, I’ll give him that.”

He Zang Jia scratched his head, sitting down awkwardly.

“Zhou You’s a promising seedling; his physique—”

“This isn’t something Brother Jun needs to remind me about. I’ve been secretly observing him.”

He Zang Jia shifted his seat closer to Li Jun, eager to add, “His current physique is a bit outdated, but his genes aren’t beyond repair. There’s still room for redemption.”

“I’ve even offered to help him swap bodies for free.”

He Zang Jia forced a wry smile, “Though this kid’s too cautious—even with our current rapport, he refuses any gifts. But if we ask him to pay himself, he’s a tightfisted miser, not giving a penny.”

"If he had been greedy, he would not have lived to this day."

Li Jun shook his head. Since Zhou You had his own designs, he saw no reason to intervene further.

"Returning to the prior subject, is there a way to address the crimson dragon's blade tip?"