What is Greed

As night fell, the entire Four Directions Street was plunged into darkness, with only the faint glow of lanterns illuminating the mottled ground.

There were still quite a few people coming and going at the entrance of the teahouse.

Almost all of them came out with grim faces.

After all, those who had won money were reluctant to leave, insisting on gambling until they couldn't squeeze out another copper coin before they would stop.

The plump Boss Wang saw off a few more gamblers. He put away his smile and was just about to return to the teahouse when he saw two figures.

"Yo, Tian... oh, no, it's Master Lin now."

He squinted and pretended to pat his forehead. "Look at my memory. It's mainly because you guys change so often, I really don't have time to recognize you all."

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"If you don't know how to talk, just shut your mouth!" Dong Cheng was intimidated, but he was afraid of Chief Constable Liu, not this dog of his.

"My fault, my fault."

Shopkeeper Wang put on a smile again and chuckled, "Guests are welcome. If Master Lin wants to play a couple of rounds, I'll naturally welcome it. I just don't know if you've brought enough gambling money. I heard you just came from Green Willow Alley; those bitches don't have much oil and water on them."

"If you're short on cash, I do have some usury money available."

If it were anyone else, even with the backing of the yamen, they wouldn't dare to deliberately offend the Blackwater Gang.

But this Shopkeeper Wang was different.

He was Chief Constable Liu's man planted on the street, so he had to show his stance at all times.

Moreover, given the Blackwater Gang's behavior on Four Directions Street, they weren't really that fearsome.

"Just lead the way."

Lin Shu didn't get angry. A smile still lingered on the corner of his lips.

This made Dong Cheng feel a little wronged, but at the same time, he felt a lot more relaxed. It seemed Master Lin didn't intend to make a big fuss, nor was he too stupid.

Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Shopkeeper Wang's eyes.

This wolf was different from the previous ones, but he didn't know what the other party was here for.

Oh well, why worry about so much? Chief Constable Liu was sitting downstairs; could he let this vicious dog run wild?

"Please come in, both of you!"

The teahouse was two stories high, with simple furnishings. A few jars of tea were casually placed on the counter.

But going down the stairs to the lower floor revealed another scene.

Smoke swirled, and the noise was deafening.

Occasionally, piercing screams or wails could be heard.

The crowded wooden tables and benches were arranged haphazardly, making it difficult to even walk. Yet, a space in the middle was inexplicably left empty, with only a long table placed there.

It was as if an invisible line had been drawn on the ground, and even the gamblers who had lost their minds knew to avoid it carefully.

"Wait for about another hour, then you'll take your men and get the job done."

The middle-aged man in a loose black shirt leaned back on a lounge chair, holding a teacup. He seemed tired from gambling and was taking a break.

The wealthy households on the street, who were influential figures, could only stop and sit obediently at the tables, waiting.

He said this to the two black-shirted constables behind him.

"Chief Liu, aren't you going to arrest them first?" a constable asked in surprise, timidly. "Isn't this going too far? After all, the Zhao family resisted arrest, but this family didn't do anything..."

"Too far? I worked hard to guard this street, drive away vicious dogs, and protect the peace of this area. They live under my protection to live and work in peace."

Liu Zhen spat out some tea dregs and raised his eyelids. "Now I'm short of some Precious Medicine. Shouldn't they help this constable?"

"They should!" The two young constables quickly nodded in agreement, their faces no longer hesitant. "We didn't mean that, but we heard Chang Yi also went to the Zhao family. That fool will definitely report it to the yamen. If we act like this, we're worried the higher-ups will have opinions about you."

"It's precisely because he went that we need to act faster," Liu Zhen said, putting down his teacup with a hint of impatience. "After it's done, just throw it onto that new Wild Dog. If he wants to make a living on this street, he has to pay something."

"Tsk."

Just then, a sigh came from the opposite side of the long table. "No wonder my back has been aching lately."

Through the swirling smoke, a young man strolled over.

He had a handsome face, a slender build, and a somewhat sickly, listless aura.

As he approached the table, he casually pulled the wealthy man from his seat, threw him two or three meters away under his astonished gaze, and then sat down in the seat.

"Ouch!"

The wealthy man's pig-like scream, along with the sound of nearby tables and chairs being knocked over, immediately startled the surrounding gamblers.

Fatty Wang's face changed drastically. He quickly helped the man up and blurted out, "Lin, are you here to gamble or to cause trouble!"

Crack!

Before he could finish speaking, a porcelain cup, along with scalding tea, shattered on his enraged face.

As Shopkeeper Wang cried out in pain, covering his face, all the gamblers in the room simultaneously put down their dice cups, swept up the silver in front of them, and then surged upstairs like a tide.

The new Fierce Wolf was defiant and dared to provoke Chief Constable Liu.

It looked like there would be lives lost again tonight!

The gambling den, which had been raucous just a moment ago, was cleared out instantly, leaving only a handful of people behind.

Dong Cheng stood dazed behind the young man, his heart, which had just begun to relax, immediately leaping back into his throat.

"..."

Liu Zhen's eyelids twitched. Although his expression remained unchanged, a chill had already surfaced in his eyes: "May I ask what this is supposed to mean?"

Even though he knew his previous words had been overheard by the other party.

There was no trace of embarrassment or any other unusual color on his face; instead, it was filled with ferocity.

If you want to make a living on Four Directions Street, you have to take what's given!

The two constables wore grim expressions and drew the blades at their waists almost simultaneously. Shopkeeper Wang stumbled to his feet and waved his hand, and two martial artists had already blocked the path to the stairs.

"Care for a few rounds?" Lin Shu seemed not to notice the rising murderous intent all around him.

"What do you want to win from me? My territory, or a month's salary?"

Liu Zhen sneered; the other party's attitude was hardly that of a beggar.

He intended to teach this newcomer, this Wild Dog, how to survive on Four Directions Street.

"Uh!"

Hearing this, Dong Cheng suddenly snapped back to his senses, his hand trembling as he reached into his bosom.

So that was what Master Lin meant.

Since they were going to gamble, there had to be a stake.

Although he felt the ledger had no value, it seemed to be the only thing he could bring out to speak for them at the moment.

However, before Dong Cheng could pull out the ledger, his entire body stiffened slightly.

"Aren't you already prepared?"

Lin Shu raised his palm and playfully gestured in the air.

Just that afternoon, this Deputy Constable had stood at the entrance of the teahouse and made a throat-slitting gesture at the two of them.

That was meant to be a casual warning.

Little did he expect that before the night was even over, someone would come knocking on his door.

Faced with such provocation, the skin on Liu Zhen's face twitched visibly. His eyes narrowed, and the fine lines at their corners deepened like gullies.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet. He reached out to pick up the blade on the table, looked down from his height, and laughed mockingly: "If you want my life, have you thought about what you'll pay if you lose?"

"Haven't thought about it yet."

Lin Shu answered crisply. He interlaced his fingers, cracked his knuckles, and said earnestly: "So I will try my best to win."

The moment those words fell, Dong Cheng felt the urge to turn and run for his life.

He finally understood how Master Lin had earned his Wolf Reputation.

It was a level of Greedy that far exceeded his imagination!

What the other party wanted wasn't just territory and silver; he wanted Liu Zhen's life...