"Huh?"
Duan Mu even wondered if there was something wrong with his ears. These villains had actually come to ask him to help them defend their territory?
What a joke. This was a Yorozuya, not some kind of crime center.
"Sorry, but every commission this shop accepts comes with one condition: we only take jobs that won't conflict with the Seireitei. As for helping you defend your territory, I'm afraid this shop can't accept it. And if Soul Reapers come to purge you, this shop doesn't have the ability to help you either."
"No!"
Diao Ao hurriedly explained, "No matter how brazen we are, we'd never go looking for trouble with those killers from the Seireitei. Besides, we weren't the ones looking for trouble. Trouble came looking for us."
"Hmm?"
Seeing Duan Mu assume an attitude that suggested he was willing to keep listening, Diao Ao smiled bitterly. "Actually, the main reason still has something to do with you..."
"Customer, please don't casually shift the blame." Duan Mu interrupted him directly.
"Ah, I misspoke. The main reason was that Daimaru was asking to die."
Hearing this, Diao Ao decisively corrected his slip of the tongue and continued, "As for him dying, we honestly didn't care. Besides, once he died, I became the boss of District 79. For me, that was something worth celebrating."
Duan Mu looked at Diao Ao strangely. These people really did exude the air of villains from the depths of their bones. Did they not even need to hide such things?
However, Diao Ao's next words made Duan Mu realize that these people truly concealed nothing.
"So I led the brothers who remained in celebrating for several days and nights."
That brotherly affection was truly eye-opening.
Duan Mu narrowed his eyes, too lazy to criticize these people's way of doing things. "Go on."
"But somehow, news of Daimaru's death spread, even reaching District 80."
Duan Mu's cheek twitched.
Somehow, it spread?
Was he being serious? They had celebrated loudly for several days and nights, and now he was telling him he had no idea how the news got out?
But District 80...
A strange glint flashed through Duan Mu's eyes. Although they were all numbered among the districts farther out, District 80 of West Rukongai could be considered an independent region.
Even without deliberately asking around, Duan Mu had heard many rumors about District 80.
The Great Villains!!
Without exception, the people there took pleasure in slaughter. They were known as the "Great Villains."
It was as if the meaning of their existence was solely to kill. One could say that everyone in West Rukongai who had confidence in their strength would gather there. It could also be called the villains' final destination.
Not a single person capable of surviving in that region was ordinary. Even the Soul Reapers of the Seireitei did not dare set foot there lightly.
"Don't misunderstand."
Diao Ao explained, "The ones targeting us aren't the Great Villains of District 80. Those lunatics think only of fighting stronger opponents every day. They have no interest in dealing with trash like us, as they see it."
"Then why did you mention District 80, customer?"
Duan Mu frowned. Perhaps because he rarely communicated with people, he had discovered that these people had no idea what it meant to get to the point.
"District 80 covers a large area. Although those Great Villains have little interest in establishing factions, their constant battles have still gathered some followers around them. Their spheres of influence gradually took shape and divided up all of District 80. Most newcomers who enter District 80 will join one of these Great Villains' factions, growing stronger by constantly battling rival factions."
"In other words, the people who have always fought over territory are merely followers of those Great Villains. These followers vary in strength, but even the weakest among them isn't much weaker than that idiot Daimaru."
"And one of the Great Villains' followers is the one who has targeted us."
"That's enough."
Duan Mu interrupted coldly. "Sorry, but this shop won't take the commission."
If it had merely involved battles between a few minor factions, he would not have minded accepting the job. But since District 80 was involved, it was no longer worth it.
Besides, these people were all dressed in rags. They hardly looked wealthy.
"Two hundred thousand rings!" the Scarface hurriedly shouted.
Duan Mu had been about to stand and see them out, but upon hearing that, he immediately sat back down. For the first time, an incomparably gentle smile appeared on his face.
Now this was worth discussing.
Making money was nothing to be ashamed of!
"..."
The Scarface and the others looked at Duan Mu strangely. Just how blind were the residents of Rukongai to believe that this "volatile" lunatic was a kindhearted man?
"This is all the money we managed to gather. If it isn't enough, we can collect more."
"Esteemed—cough, cough. Esteemed customer, could you explain the details of the commission, as well as the specific method of carrying it out, so that this shop can assess the price of the job?"
As he spoke, Duan Mu silently calculated. Even if he bought the finest wine and the best drinking snacks every day, two hundred thousand rings would be enough for him to stop worrying about food and drink for two or three months.
It was not just him. At some point, Uzuki had also come over from the bar. She cleared away the tea on the table, then smilingly poured the fine wine Duan Mu had stored for the several people.
During the month Duan Mu had been gone, the shop's income and expenses had already fallen into the red. Forget strawberry milk—the shop's noodles were almost all gone because of her.
Just think how much strawberry milk two hundred thousand rings could buy.
Seeing this, a pained look flashed through Duan Mu's eyes, but he did not stop her.
Diao Ao was quite straightforward. He took a cloth bag from one of his subordinates behind him and slapped it onto the coffee table. "There are two hundred thousand rings here. The commission is simple. No matter what method you use, as long as you make the people from District 80 stop targeting us, that's enough."
In any case, it would only take one word from the person behind you.
Duan Mu was indeed strong, but only as far as they were concerned. Since Duan Mu could not even defeat Daimaru, Diao Ao never expected him to solve their current predicament.
However, Duan Mu was the younger brother personally acknowledged by the "woman" who had crushed Daimaru to death with one hand. As long as he asked the head of the Shiba Clan for help and had that person step forward to say a word, this trouble could be resolved with ease. After all, even the Great Villains of District 80 were unwilling to provoke the Shiba Clan lightly.
As for why they did not simply seek help from the Shiba Clan, the reason was simple: they were afraid of being crushed to death like Daimaru. They had tried to capture her younger brother not long ago, and now they were asking her for help. How could she possibly assist them?
But if Duan Mu was willing to step forward, things would be different.
"No problem. This shop accepts the commission!"
Duan Mu placed a hand on the cloth bag. Since they had brought the money, he naturally could not let it leave his shop.
And besides...
He could use this opportunity to test his current strength.
If they were merely comparable to Daimaru in strength, they should not pose any threat to him.
"Really?"
Diao Ao looked at Duan Mu suspiciously. This guy had agreed so readily. Could he really ask that person to step forward with ease?
"Of course. Customer, you can ask around outside. As long as this shop accepts a job, we'll always do everything in our power to complete it. We've never slacked off."
Only then did Diao Ao nod, but as if he had suddenly thought of something, he hurriedly pressed down on the money bag. "Let me make this clear first. You can't turn around and help the other side kill us just because they offer more money."
"..."
Duan Mu was stunned. What kind of thought process did these people have? They had actually managed to imagine such a thing.
"How could that be? As long as this shop accepts the money..."
Duan Mu tugged at the money bag. "We absolutely won't do anything to harm the client. No matter how much more the other side offers, it's impossible. After all, when running a business, reputation is the most important thing. Otherwise, who would come to us for work if word got out?"
"That's true."
Diao Ao released his grip. Regardless of what the shopkeeper was like as a person, even someone like him, who had never paid attention to it, had heard of the Yorozuya's reputation.
"Then... I'll leave it to you."
"Pleasure doing business!"
Before you continue