Satisfied with the man's sense of discretion, Xu Huo turned and went downstairs.
As he started down the stairs with his back to everyone, one of the players signaled to the man behind the desk. The man watched Xu Huo's retreating figure, torn by indecision, but after hesitating again and again, he still called off the ambush.
Xu Huo could easily subdue them, and the odds of landing a killing blow were low. If they fought, even if they managed to kill him in the end, their side would suffer heavy losses and leave themselves at the mercy of others.
The harsh environment had taught everyone here to yield when necessary. The man didn't rush to save face. Instead, he quietly ordered some misleading rumors to be spread: that the outsider had a grudge against the Underground Palace and had vowed not to take it seriously; that he seemed to have arrived in District 026 injured, which was why he hadn't left; and that he was especially "kindhearted," handing out food to the people in the alleys and even planning to settle here long-term...
Xu Huo returned to the lowest level with the boy. Along the way, he had already figured out how the water shop operated. It wasn't surprising.
The slum looked small, but it had plenty of factions and gangs. Afraid of being swallowed up by others, they had chosen not to clash head-on on their own turf. Instead, they spread false rumors to provoke other factions, making everyone think Xu Huo had some ulterior motive here and turning him into a common enemy.
It was a handy survival trick that could unite the various factions that controlled different parts of the slum.
Xu Huo didn't care. He had walked through the slum several times and confirmed that