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It's not that others hadn't thought of Yu Shuying's method, but even if they had, they couldn't possibly implement it. If they couldn't make a fortune, what would be the point of fighting to the death?

Si Ming was silent for a while, then sighed, "Then there's only one last trick left: capture the leader to capture the thief. Eliminate this outcast, let someone else become the leader, and the Green Snake Gang will become no different from any other gang."

Yu Shuying said, "That's why I wanted to borrow your follower. That female monster can stand still for a whole day and maintain perfect concentration; she's practically a born bodyguard. Plus, her weapon is a bow, so she must be quite adept at assassination."

Si Ming couldn't think of a reason to refuse. What Yu Shuying wanted to do wasn't a bad thing. Reorganizing the underground forces, reducing protection fees, and banning the circulation of drugs were all good things for the country and the people. Moreover, it would give Hualiu something to do, so he wouldn't have to practice archery in the yard all day long. Recently, she seemed to have gotten together with Liu Qingqing, and the two often practiced their archery skills together.

"Okay, but you need to be careful and don't do anything dangerous. If you need help, just ask me. I'll be free until school starts."

"Don't worry, I'm a woman who'll stop at nothing." Yu Shuying gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Under Yu Shuying's command, the Green Snake Gang embarked on a path of frenzied expansion with the momentum of a snake swallowing an elephant.

She didn't rely solely on price wars, as that would be too inefficient. Instead, she leveraged her connections to operate through legitimate channels, recruiting and eliminating groups as needed. Those willing to surrender were ideal, while those unwilling were dealt with according to underworld rules: each side would send their best fighters for one-on-one duels, with the winner gaining territory. If the other side refused to follow the rules and resorted to underhanded tactics, the local government would step in with a crackdown, imprisoning the gang leaders, and then the Green Snake Gang would easily take over the territory.

Hualiu's strength is equivalent to that of a top-tier master. Even though she is suppressed by the Eternal Barrier in the Sea Continent and cannot use many Monster Race Law Technique, her cultivation level is still there. No one below the Spirit Transformation can guarantee a sure victory against her. Moreover, capable masters would have already joined the Mohist Knight Guard. Without some special reason, who would become a shady gang henchman? Therefore, in a one-on-one fight, the Green Snake Gang can be said to be unmatched.

They couldn't win in terms of strength, but when it came to background, Yu Shuying had Spirit Transformation expert standing behind her. Who would dare to disrespect her? As a result, the Green Snake Gang's power expanded like an inflating balloon, quickly occupying the territory of four nearby counties and defeating any gangs that dared to resist. They were now only one county away from the city where Linked Mountains University was located.

However, after reaching this point, Yu Shuying encountered a problem—she ran out of money.

Although she didn't want a penny herself, her underlings all needed to earn money to support their families and couldn't work for her for free. The result of expanding her territory too quickly was that before she could collect new protection fees, the number of gang members had increased again.

So, Yu Shuying approached Si Ming again. "Quickly, help me think of a way to make money."

"Do you think I'm Doraemon?"

Chapter 414 Claw Machine Silver Alliance

Yu Shuying came with great sincerity, and Si Ming couldn't very well turn her away. Besides, it was quite an accomplishment to be able to offer advice to a wise man and act as his strategist.

Even the wisest of beings are not omnipotent. No matter how intelligent they are, they are limited by experience and knowledge, and ultimately cannot make waves in areas they are not good at. If Einstein had been born in Africa, he would have spent his life dealing with birds of prey and wild beasts, and at most inventing more effective hunting methods.

In the business world Yu Shuying is no different from an outsider. Pretending to know what you don't is the act of a fool, while asking questions is the choice of a wise person. In Si Ming's opinion, Yu Shuying is more adept at psychological warfare. Gambling and reasoning are her forte. If she chooses to become a detective or a gambler in the future, she might be able to compete for the position of a master detective or gambling king.

"Speaking of which, why did you think of asking me? I'm just a weak scholar, do you think I'm some kind of business expert who understands economics? With your background, asking a few financial experts shouldn't be a problem." Si Ming was puzzled.

"If there were other ways to make money, why wouldn't those money-grubbing gang leaders use them? Even if they couldn't think of any, they could pay others to come up with ideas. These so-called business experts may have excellent financial acumen, be proficient in capital utilization, and understand financial data, but ultimately they are just operating within the existing economic framework. Asking them to think outside the box and come up with a new idea is, in a sense, more difficult than asking someone who doesn't understand finance, because they have preconceived notions and already have a framework that restricts their imagination."

Yu Shuying leaned closer to Si Ming, "But you're different. Your way of thinking is unconventional. You often have wildly imaginative ideas. Even when I use my Mind-Reading Technique, I sometimes can't keep up with your sudden train of thought because it's just illogical."

"Is this a compliment?" Si Ming immediately put his hands on his hips, striking a smug pose.

Yu Shuying said, "I do have my pride. Not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry is worth my humble request for advice. In fact, I'd rather learn on my own than show weakness to others... But since you've already seen me at my most pathetic, there's no point in talking about pride anymore."

Si Ming recalled the last time they went to Russia on a mission together, Yu Shuying's expression said, "Don't hold me back." It seemed that she had never discussed the plan with anyone. Now it seemed that it was not so much arrogance as it was that she cared too much about her dignity. Most likely, she felt that asking others for advice was a shameful thing, so she preferred to rack her brains on her own.

But if I say it so reluctantly, won't I make myself look bad?

Si Ming nodded in agreement, taking advantage of the situation, "I understand. It's the same principle as a brothel owner forcing a woman into prostitution. Once she's lost her virginity, it doesn't matter anymore."

Yu Shuying was not provoked and calmly said, "What's the point of taking advantage of me verbally? It's true that some women care a lot about this, and they'll either feel shy or angry after hearing it, but I know very well what you men want to achieve by saying such things, and it certainly won't satisfy you."

Indeed, it seems pointless to try to outwit a master of psychology who also possesses cheat codes.

Si Ming's mind raced, and he immediately said, "What happened to 'humbly seeking advice'? Is this how you ask for help? I haven't even settled the score for how you took advantage of me last time."

Yu Shuying glanced at Si Ming with a slight smile. Even though she had promised not to use Mind-Reading Technique, Si Ming still felt as if his thoughts had been read.

"Fine, what can I do? I need your help."

Yu Shuying bowed deeply and asked, "Are you satisfied now?"

Si Ming's eyes instantly welled up with tears. If Hongdou did the same thing, of course the scenery would be perfect, but if Yu Shuying did it... No wonder she didn't care. She was like a dead pig that wasn't afraid of boiling water, and she wasn't going to be taken advantage of.

"I remember you said you didn't like owing favors to others. Now, let's calculate the favors you owe me over this period. Finding friends for you counts as one, acting as your henchman counts as another..."

Yu Shuying immediately protested, "Wait a minute, you just said you 'used it for free,' so how can it be considered an obligation?"

Si Ming wanted to slap himself. He had been so quick-witted; he had ruined a favor with just one sentence. He could only say, "Alright, that one doesn't count, but lending you Hualiu will at least count. She did you a lot of work."

Yu Shuying didn't deny it. "Of course it counts, and I also owe her a favor, which I'll repay when necessary. Consulting you today is another favor. Regardless of the outcome, I owe her three favors in total."

Since the other party was so agreeable, Si Ming couldn't refuse any longer and could only start thinking.

"Isn't it easy for gangsters to make money? Kidnapping, arms dealing, loan sharking—they can easily rake in a fortune. What more could they want?"

"As I've said before, what we want to build is a vibrant, grassroots organization. Of course, we can't do things that are obviously illegal or criminal; at most, we can skirt the edges of the law."

"You've got quite a few demands for things that gangsters can do legally... How about debt collection and forced eviction?"

"Aren't these two practices illegal as well?"

Because martial arts exist in this world, people who do these two businesses often use the simplest and most brutal methods, resulting in a poor social reputation. Everyone generally believes that while those who fail to repay their debts are certainly wrong, those who try to collect debts are not good people either, and it would be best if both of them went to jail.

"As long as you don't hit people, it's fine. For example, when collecting debts, you send someone to block the door. Don't hit or intimidate him, just keep him inside and prevent him from leaving. This kind of behavior isn't considered illegal detention, and the police can't do anything about it. If he asks Mohist Knight Guard for help, you all kneel down and cry when you see him, cursing how shameless and despicable the other party is. But Mohist Knight Guard actually doesn't want to get involved in such muddled and confusing matters, so in the end, they will choose to stand by and do nothing..."

Si Ming revealed all the underhanded debt collection tricks he had seen online in his previous life, which broadened Yu Shuying's horizons. After all, Su State had not yet developed to that stage, and while it had martial arts, it had lost its wisdom.

"Actually, you can cooperate with the government in this regard. The courts already have the task of pursuing debtors who refuse to pay. For example, if one party is ordered to pay compensation to the victim, but the perpetrator keeps delaying payment, you can step in and do things for the government that they cannot do themselves. The same goes for demolition projects. The government has plenty of demolition projects. The key is to raise the issue effectively, such as by surveying public opinion and collecting neighbors' views, etc..."

Yu Shuying listened patiently to Si Ming finish speaking, and then said, "What you've described are all short-term solutions. They might solve the immediate problem, but they're clearly not long-term solutions. The number of deadbeats is limited, and not everyone is willing to be a holdout. In fact, the government is already preparing to learn from France's advanced experience. If they want to demolish houses in a certain area, they only need the consent of 95% of the residents in that area to carry out forced demolition. If you don't demolish then, it will be illegal, and you'll be sent to jail. You won't be able to be a holdout even if you want to."

"You also want a business that grows slowly but steadily..."

Si Ming racked his brains trying to figure out which businesses would require the involvement of gangsters: internet cafes? arcades? nightclubs? casinos?