Meanwhile, the sudden removal of the bear meat listings in the chat channel threw the survivors into a panic.
Guo Yichen: "Damn, why did the bear meat suddenly get taken down? I haven't bought any yet!"
Rosa: "I didn't get any either. I just got word that someone in the market was selling bear meat that increased attributes."
Shu Ye: "Ahhh! Don't tell me Boss Cao Xing has already sold out of bear meat?"
"Quick, @Boss Cao Xing!"
In the regional channel, the group frantically @'d Cao Xing.
Yue Zejun: "@Cao Xing, hubby! Say something!"
Lu Yueyue: "@Cao Xing, Boss, don't be so cold. Come out and comfort this little girl's fragile heart."
Huang Ling: "@Cao Xing, handsome, need a leg accessory?"
At that moment, Cao Xing was assigning tasks to the Polar People—upgrading the campfire and the lord's cabin—and had not been paying attention to the channel.
When they saw that Cao Xing did not reply, the survivors immediately became anxious.
"This is bad, brothers. Boss Cao Xing ignored us. Could he really be sold out?"
"We're screwed. I said I'd wait until he lowered the price a little before buying. Now it's all sold out."
"That was my plan too. I've really lost out big this time..."
At that moment, a survivor named Yu Jun said, "You idiots, you actually wanted to wait for someone else to lower the price? Don't you see what kind of meat this is?"
"Items that can increase attributes are hard currency no matter when."
"Besides, Boss Cao Xing's price was already very fair!"
Liu Hui: "Yeah, Boss Cao Xing's price is really fair. Before this, when I bought 100g of beast meat from Fang Long, it nearly emptied all my assets."
Huang Shihong: "Exactly. Fang Long's prices are downright lethal. Buying once is practically going bankrupt."
Just then, a cold voice appeared in the regional channel.
Fang Long: "Did someone just say the meat I sell is expensive?"
"Do you know how difficult it is for me to spare even a little food for trade with so many brothers under me?"
"I took out precious food to trade so you wouldn't go hungry, and you still say I'm charging too much?"
The chat channel immediately fell silent.
Most of the people here were from Hong Kong, and they all knew the Three Heroes Association's notorious reputation.
It was a well-known gang faction.
Besides Fang Long, there were two other gang leaders, each one a vicious character.
That was why they called themselves the Three Heroes Association.
At its peak, this gang had numbered several thousand people, and its reputation had spread throughout Hong Kong.
No matter how badass they were, a single location could only hold four people at most. What was there to fear?
Seeing that no one spoke, Fang Long continued with a sneer, "Behave yourselves. Don't you know who the boss of this region is?"
"From now on, anyone who wants to trade in this region needs our approval. Otherwise, you'll regret it!"
At that moment, a survivor named Chen Minhao said, "Fang Long, aren't you being too overbearing?"
"You sell your own goods at such outrageous prices, yet you won't let others sell theirs?"
Fang Long: "You're right. We are this overbearing."
"What do you think the Three Heroes Association does?"
At those words, the survivors' expressions changed.
That was right. A gang like the Three Heroes Association had never been anything good. Collecting protection money was simply one of their ways of making money.
Clearly, Cao Xing's large-scale sale of bear meat had infringed upon their interests.
Fang Long sneered. "Let me tell you this: the Three Heroes Association has several hundred brothers in this region. Sooner or later, we'll run into each other."
"You'd better think carefully about the consequences of offending us."
At that moment, members of the Three Heroes Association began jumping out one after another to speak.
"Support Boss Fang Long!"
"Behave the fuck yourselves!"
"Channel 174 will be run by the Three Heroes Association from now on!"
Seeing so many people emerge, the survivors suddenly realized something.
They were currently in the same region as the Three Heroes Association.
As everyone gradually expanded outward later on, they were bound to encounter one another sooner or later.
And the Three Heroes Association, which naturally had several hundred members, was the largest force in this region.
If they offended them, their territories would be in danger in the future!
For a time, no one dared to speak.
Just then, Cao Xing opened the regional channel as well.
He had just seen the conversation above and was completely dumbfounded.
What the hell did this mean?
I just went off to assign some work, and now I'm not even allowed to do business?
After thinking for a moment, Cao Xing directly said, "Everyone, I stepped away for a bit to handle something. Trading is continuing now."
Before the other survivors could say anything.
The moment Fang Long saw Cao Xing appear, he said directly, "Didn't you hear what I said? I told you not to continue trading."
Cao Xing replied flatly, "Why? Just because you say I can't trade means I can't trade?"
Fang Long: "Kid, quit playing dumb. You're from Hong Kong, so you should have heard of the Three Heroes Association."
"Region 174 is our turf now."
Cao Xing paused after hearing that, then laughed. "Three Heroes Association, Three Birds Association, whatever the hell it is—this isn't even Blue Star anymore. Who are you trying to act tough for?"
"Brothers, don't be afraid of these idiots. Keep trading. I have a limited amount of bear meat, so it's first come, first served."
"Oh, right. The idiots from the Three Birds Association are not allowed to trade with me. You've come to a new world and you're still being someone's dogs? Go ask your masters for meat!"
Cao Xing's words were like kicking a hornet's nest.
They triggered a frenzy of curses from the Three Heroes Association members.
Zhang Wei: "Cao Xing, I *&*%"
Xu Haocheng: "I...&%...&"
Cao Xing cheerfully waited for them to finish cursing, then smiled. "Anything else?"
"Is that all the Three Heroes Association has?"
Provoked by Cao Xing, they launched into another flood of curses, and Channel 174 was nearly taken over by their messages.
They frantically attacked Cao Xing with words.
At that moment, a system notification appeared before them.
Due to your repeated use of uncivilized language, your chat privileges have been revoked. Remaining time: 3 days...
The survivors who had been cursing were dumbfounded.
They had not expected a mute function even after coming to another world.
For a time, large numbers of survivors from the Three Heroes Association were muted, and the entire chat channel gradually quieted down.
Yet Cao Xing continued provoking them.
Causing even more Three Heroes Association survivors to be muted.
Seeing that the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable, Fang Long stepped out and said, "Stop talking. Don't fall for this kid's trick!"
Although Fang Long tried to stop them, more than two hundred people had already been muted by the system for three days in that wave.
That was no small blow to the Three Heroes Association's prestige.
Fang Long said in an icy tone, "Kid, your name is Cao Xing, right? I'll remember you. I hope you won't regret this later."
But Cao Xing paid no attention whatsoever to his threat and smiled. "You'll remember me?"
"Great. I'll remember you too. I've noted down the names and ID numbers of all the guys who cursed at me just now."
"From now on, don't even think about trading anything with me."
Cao Xing completely ignored Fang Long's threat and resumed listing items.
Seeing Fang Long fall silent, the survivors began scrambling to buy again!
"Brothers, hurry and grab some! Boss Cao Xing said the bear meat is limited this time. If you're late, it'll be gone!"
"Holy shit! I have to get some this time!"
"Charge!"
The chat channel was overflowing with enthusiasm.
The Three Heroes Association's messages were soon drowned beneath the overwhelming flood of survivor messages.
On Cao Xing's side, the rapid-fire transaction notifications began sounding once again.
Before you continue