Playing for Bigger Stakes!

"Get up. There's no need to kneel to me. It was only a small favor."

Lu Chen spoke in an even tone.

He had not expected to have such a strange bond with this woman.

"Benefactor, you are more than worthy of this humble woman's kowtow... You have saved my child time and again. In all the world, there is no one kinder than you."

Sister-in-law Zhang Rong raised her head, her face full of gratitude as she looked at Lu Chen.

"That's right, Benefactor. Please accept another bow from us!"

The rest were equally stirred, and they all continued kowtowing.

Lu Chen frowned and immediately understood.

These people had the notions of rank and superiority carved into their very souls.

No matter how politely he treated them, they would not listen. They would only follow the deeply rooted beliefs in their souls and kowtow to him.

In the final analysis, it was because this was a world of force.

Martial artists stood high above all others!

They transcended everything!

No matter how he ordered them otherwise, these people would not dare overstep the boundaries of rank.

"Tell me, what kind of gang is the Iron Scale Gang?"

Lu Chen suddenly asked.

Two ordinary gang members alone had provided him with so much Merit Points. If he stormed their nest, would he not gain even more Merit Points?

Perhaps he might even find martial arts manuals inside!

Right now, he needed not only martial arts, but also a vast amount of Merit Points!

Time waited for no one! He needed to become stronger by every possible means.

"Benefactor, the Iron Scale Gang is a gang that exclusively controls the southern part of the city. They control most of the interests there. Anyone trying to make a living in the south of the city is squeezed dry by them and has to pay them monthly protection money.

"If anyone fails to pay for more than two months, they use force against them. They also deliberately suppress our wages. We should have earned ten coins a day, but now it has become five coins a day. Even then, we often cannot get paid at all, and they always deduct our wages with all sorts of excuses..."

The leading man raised his head and spoke with grief and indignation.

He felt that the youth before him was not as frightening as he had imagined.

The rumors from the yamen said that this youth had been possessed by demons and monsters and drank human blood.

But now, it clearly was not so.

The youth's eyes were clear, giving others an instinctive sense of closeness. He was absolutely not someone possessed by demons and monsters.

"Is that so?"

Lu Chen's gaze flickered. "Does no one step forward to deal with them?"

"Deal with them? The Iron Scale Gang's leader sends heaps of tribute into the yamen every month. He and County Magistrate Lin Mingyuan have long since been wearing the same pair of pants. The yamen people do not care whether we live or die. Besides, the County Magistrate is a powerful martial artist, so naturally he looks down on poor people like us."

The leading man, Zhao Dezhu, said bitterly.

"The County Magistrate is a martial artist too?"

"Yes, but it seems the County Magistrate is not in the city these past few days. I heard he went outside the city to worship Buddha."

"He really left the city. I saw his convoy with my own eyes!"

"That's right. At this time every year, the County Magistrate leaves the city for ten days and will not return until ten days later." Everyone spoke in succession.

"So that's how it is."

Lu Chen nodded, gathering his thoughts. "Then where is the Iron Scale Gang's headquarters? Is their leader a martial artist as well?"

"The Iron Scale Gang's headquarters is in Autumn Wutong Alley in the southern city. It's the place flying the 'Iron Scale' flag. As for their leader, he is indeed a martial artist, and a powerful one at that. He can shatter a pillar as thick as an arm with a single palm strike!"

Zhao Dezhu replied.

"Very good."

Lu Chen nodded directly, extremely satisfied. He suddenly glanced at them and said, "Oh, right. I have some silver here. Take it and improve your lives first."

He casually took out some silver from his bundle and tossed it to the group.

"Thank you, Benefactor! Thank you, Benefactor!" "Benefactor, we will never forget your great kindness!"

"Benefactor is the greatest good person under heaven..."

Everyone kowtowed excitedly.

[You provided relief to a group of impoverished people in dire straits. Merit Points +20]

A line of text appeared.

Lu Chen's eyes flashed.

Just as he had expected!

Helping others also granted Merit Points!

And it was not a small amount, either!

This stirred his heart, and an even bolder idea suddenly surfaced.

Perhaps he could play for even bigger stakes.

"Stop kowtowing. Roughly how many people like you are there in this area, people who can no longer survive?" Lu Chen suddenly looked at them and asked.

"Benefactor, there are simply too many people like us. If not thirty thousand, then at least twenty thousand. All of them are people on the verge of being unable to survive. Some have been driven so far that they are nearly selling their sons and daughters..."

Zhao Dezhu said.

"That's right. If this continues, even we will not be able to hold on much longer."

Sister-in-law Zhang Rong said.

"Good. I intend to do something big, but you cannot spread the word yet. You must wait until I am done before you pass along the news."

Lu Chen said, "Since the Iron Scale Gang has oppressed you for so long, I intend to wipe out the Iron Scale Gang today. When the time comes, gather all the poor people here and rush into the Iron Scale Gang's headquarters. Take whatever you want, and say that I, Lu Chen, gave it to everyone!"

"What? Benefactor is going to wipe out the Iron Scale Gang?"

Everyone was shocked."That's right."

Lu Chen nodded and swept his gaze across them. "As for whether you dare take anything, I do not know."

Everyone immediately fell into fierce inner struggle.

"Benefactor has committed such a major case already. Aren't you planning to leave Panshi City first? The entire city is searching for you now..."

Sister-in-law Zhang Rong could not help asking.

"Leave? Evil must be uprooted completely. If I leave so easily, would that not be letting them off too cheaply? Besides, the yamen people want to kill me. Do I not want to kill them too?"

Lu Chen waved his hand lightly.

It was still the same saying.

Before he had the system, he could be meek and submissive.

But now that he had the system, if he still had to be meek and submissive, would he not have gotten the system for nothing?

Besides, this system required him to constantly stir up trouble in order to grow stronger.

Under such circumstances, why would he leave so easily? He only wished he could turn the entire yamen upside down.

Of course, there was another reason.

The four city gates were now closed, so he could not leave at all.

Since that was the case, why not make an even bigger mess?

Everyone was shaken to the core.

"If Benefactor can wipe out the Iron Scale Gang, then what would we not dare to do?"

Sister-in-law Zhang Rong suddenly said through gritted teeth.

"That's right, we dare!"

"Rest assured, Benefactor. We will definitely gather even more people and storm the Iron Scale Gang!"

Everyone nodded in succession.

It was rare for a martial artist to dare stand up for them. What else did they have to worry about?

"Then wait for news."

Lu Chen smiled faintly. "When you see the torches light up, you can act."

He turned and left, quickly disappearing from the area.

He could not truly trust this group of poor people yet.

If someone secretly reported him, it would inevitably bring him considerable trouble.

Therefore, he had to act quickly—so quickly that they would have no time to report him.

The yamen people would never have imagined that after killing Wu Youde's entire family, he would actually dare continue committing crimes and wipe out the Iron Scale Gang.

The sun had completely set.

The entire city fell into darkness.

Constables and Giant Shark Gang members ran everywhere through the streets.

It was a scene of utter chaos.

But it had to be said that those constables truly had some skill at investigation.

Not long after Lu Chen had left, they actually tracked their way to the slums...

Deep within the yamen.

Fragrance curled through the air, while mist rose and swirled.

Several lightly clothed women lay on the bed, their eyes hazy.

At one side sat a handsome, slender man cross-legged.

The man was named Lin Yun.

He was the County Magistrate's son who had only recently returned.

At this moment, he seemed to be cultivating some profound martial art. With each breath in and out, much of the mist in the room flowed into his nostrils and transformed into threads of powerful inner force."Young Master..."

Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, revealing a flash of jet-black color that swiftly cleared. "What is it?"

"Something strange has happened in the city. Someone killed a nest of beggars and wiped out an entire family at a porcelain shop."

The voice outside replied.

"You came to notify me over something like this?"

Lin Yun's expression was cold.

"But this person is somewhat strange. Many people can testify personally that he was not a martial artist before. This morning, he was beaten half to death by the shopkeeper, yet by the afternoon, it was as if he had suddenly become a different person. Not only had he become a martial artist, he also killed everyone in the porcelain shop..."

The voice continued.

"Oh?" Lin Yun's gaze shifted.

He had not been a martial artist that morning.

Then he suddenly became one by the afternoon?

"Who is this person?"

"His name is Lu Chen. He is a destitute nobody from a village outside the city. Guo Feng is already leading people in a citywide manhunt, and both the Sea Sand Gang and Rising Sun Martial Hall have become involved."

The voice continued.

"Interesting."

A smile suddenly appeared on Lin Yun's face.

He had only just returned to Panshi City and had already encountered something like this.

It truly was an unexpected delight.

"Tell Guo Feng that I want this man. Capture him alive!"

Lin Yun's tone was cold.

"Yes, Young Master!" The person answered and swiftly departed.

Lin Yun glanced at the women on the bed, then closed his eyes again and resumed cultivating.