The Warmth and Coldness of Human Nature

"The shopkeeper's here. I'll go call him." The clerk turned and went into the back room.

Before long, an elderly man wearing a round cap and sporting a goatee came out.

"Qiu Shopkeeper," Lu Shaolin said with a smile.

Qiu Shopkeeper conducted business fairly and never haggled prices down. That was why Lu Zhong had always chosen this shop.

"Boy Lu, it's been some time since I last saw you. You've grown much sturdier! Why did you come alone?" Qiu Shopkeeper asked with a smile. In the past, father and son had always come together.

"My father passed away a few days ago," Lu Shaolin said calmly.

"What! Your father, Lu Zhong, passed away?" Qiu Shopkeeper cried out in shock.

"Yes." Lu Shaolin nodded.

"Alas... it's been hard on you, boy." Qiu Shopkeeper sighed with emotion, and the look in his eyes softened considerably as he watched Lu Shaolin.

As for the reason behind Lu Zhong's death, there was no need for him to ask. Hunters spent all year roaming the mountains, and most of them ended up dying in those very mountains.

"Qiu Shopkeeper, take a look at this wolf pelt and name a price." Lu Shaolin handed the pelt over.

"Alright, let me see." Qiu Shopkeeper accepted the wolf pelt.

"This wolf pelt is quite large, and the fur is thick too. I'll give you eight qian of silver for it," Qiu Shopkeeper quoted.

"Many thanks, Shopkeeper!" Lu Shaolin cupped his hands in thanks.

Based on past experience, the pelt was somewhat damaged and was actually worth only five qian of silver.

Qiu Shopkeeper had clearly given him extra money.

"No need to thank me, Boy Lu! Now that you're on your own, hunting in the mountains is dangerous after all. Would you be willing to work as a clerk at my fur shop? At least your safety would be assured." Qiu Shopkeeper waved a hand and asked with a solemn expression.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Shopkeeper, but I'm used to life in the mountains." Lu Shaolin cupped his hands and politely declined. He had to seek a way to survive; he could not stay in the fur shop as a clerk.

"So be it! But you must be careful, boy. Bring any furs you have here, and I definitely won't let you suffer a loss!" Qiu Shopkeeper nodded.

There was also a trace of admiration in his gaze as he looked at Lu Shaolin.

"Clerk, bring eight qian of silver." Qiu Shopkeeper turned to the clerk again.

The clerk hurriedly took eight qian of silver from the cash box.

"Here, Boy Lu. If you run into any trouble, come find me. Your father and I were old acquaintances as well." Qiu Shopkeeper took the silver and handed it to Lu Shaolin, speaking softly.

"Many thanks, Shopkeeper!" Lu Shaolin reached out and accepted the silver.

"Head back early, and watch the road!" Qiu Shopkeeper said with a smile.

Lu Shaolin nodded, tucked the silver into his clothes, and strode out of the fur shop.

"Alas... such a pitiful yet stubborn child!" Qiu Shopkeeper sighed as he watched Lu Shaolin's retreating back.

After leaving the fur shop, Lu Shaolin headed straight for the coffin shop.

He wanted to ask Li Cai about the territories where the Blackwater Gang and Little Knife Society operated, to see whether he had a chance to slip into one of the gangs.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Lu Shaolin arrived at the coffin shop.

At that moment, Li Cai was cleaning with a rag, occasionally glancing outside.

When he saw Lu Shaolin, delight appeared on his face. He tossed aside the rag and came out to greet him.

"Brother Lu, what brings you here?" Li Cai asked with a smile, patting Lu Shaolin on the shoulder.

"I came to see Brother Li, and also to ask you about something," Lu Shaolin said with a smile.

"Come in and sit first. The shopkeeper isn't up yet. Come in, sit!" Li Cai pulled Lu Shaolin into the shop.

"I'll pour you a cup of tea." After settling Lu Shaolin down, Li Cai ran off to pour some tea.

"Here. It's not good tea, so just make do with it," Li Cai said as he set the teacup on the table.

"I'm not that particular. As long as it quenches my thirst, it'll do," Lu Shaolin said carelessly.

With that, he picked up the cup and drained it in one gulp. He had walked all the way here and was truly thirsty.

"What does Brother Lu want to ask about?" Li Cai sat across the table from him.

"Where do the Blackwater Gang and Little Knife Society mainly operate?" Lu Shaolin got straight to the point.

"The Blackwater Gang mainly operates around Blackwater Wharf. That's their territory. Within the city, they run inns and carriage companies."

"The Little Knife Society runs gambling dens, brothels, and restaurants. Their main area of activity is the county town," Li Cai said after thinking for a moment.

"I understand." Lu Shaolin nodded.

"If you want to find Blackwater Gang members, just go straight to Blackwater Wharf. Little Knife Society members only come out after dark," Li Cai continued.

He had already guessed that Lu Shaolin wanted to enter a gang ahead of schedule.

"Thank you, Brother Li. I won't disturb you any longer. I'll go take a look at Blackwater Wharf first." Lu Shaolin rose and cupped his hands.

"Take care, brother!" Li Cai escorted Lu Shaolin to the door.

Lu Shaolin waved and headed straight for the city gate.

The wharf was naturally outside the city.

Carrying his long spear, he walked for less than half an hour before arriving at Blackwater Wharf.

The wharf was packed with people and carts, bustling beyond measure!

Merchants haggled over prices, laborers sweated profusely, and noise rose without end.

Lu Shaolin swept his gaze around, then walked toward a tea stall on the outskirts.

Quite a few laborers sat in the tea stall, using yellowed towels to wipe away sweat as they gulped down warm tea.

When he entered the tea stall, an elderly man with graying hair called out loudly, "Young man, having tea? One copper coin per pot, with free refills. Even if you don't drink, you can sit and rest for a while."

"Mm, Uncle, bring me a pot!" Lu Shaolin nodded with a smile and found an empty table to sit at.

"Alright! Young man, wait just a moment," the old man replied with a smile.

Before long, the old man came over carrying a brown teapot and a black ceramic bowl.

He filled the bowl to the brim, set the teapot on the table, and said with a smile, "Enjoy, young man."

"Thank you, Uncle. Here's the tea money." Lu Shaolin took out one copper coin and handed it over.

"Much obliged for your patronage, young man," the old man said with a smile as he accepted it.

"Uncle Zhang, refill this one!" a laborer at the far left shouted.

"Coming!" the old man shouted back. He smiled at Lu Shaolin, then turned to refill the tea.

The laborers each drank several pots of tea. Once they saw a new ship dock, they left one after another.

The whole tea stall suddenly became much quieter.

Lu Shaolin slowly savored the tea. Though it was coarse tea, it was truly pure, natural, and unpolluted—something rarely seen in his previous life.

Seeing that the old man had become free, Lu Shaolin called out with a smile, "Uncle, I'd like to ask you something."

"What would you like to ask, young man? Go ahead," the old man said heartily as he walked over.

"Uncle, do you know how to find people from the Blackwater Gang?" Lu Shaolin asked directly.

"What do you want with Blackwater Gang people?" The old man's expression instantly turned wary.

"Don't be nervous, Uncle. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just can't wait until spring next year to join the gang, so I came to ask around," Lu Shaolin replied softly.

"So that's how it is!" The old man let out a breath of relief, and a smile returned to his face.

"Yes." Lu Shaolin nodded.

"Follow this road for one li, and you'll see a Water Fortress. That's the Blackwater Gang's headquarters." The old man turned sideways and pointed toward the road on the left.

"Thank you, Uncle!" Lu Shaolin drained the tea in one gulp, rose to thank him, and turned to leave.

"Young man, good luck!" the old man called after him.