Chapter 188: Conscientious Gang

Stepping out of the courtyard and watching the throng of people on the street, Jiang Cheng felt a long‑missed feeling.

The hawkers' cries rose and fell on both sides.

Jiang Cheng walked among them, as if he had returned to the days of selling Roasted Sweet Potato.

"Little brother, want a Roasted Sweet Potato? Fresh‑smelling Roasted Sweet Potato, six yuan each, ten yuan for two," a voice rang in his ear at that moment.

Jiang Cheng turned his head and saw a woman in her forties, smiling brightly at him.

"Kid, the sweet potatoes I roast are a specialty of this street, truly. If you don't believe it, you can buy one to try; if it's not sweet, it's free," the woman said again.

"Alright, give me one then."

Jiang Cheng gave a slight smile.

"Got it."

The woman moved deftly, in a flash, and slipped a roasted sweet potato into a bag.

"Kid, this sweet potato just came out of the oven; be careful not to get burned."

Jiang Cheng took the roasted sweet potato, peeled off the skin, and took a bite.

The taste was okay.

But compared with the ones he roasted himself, it fell far short.

"How is it, kid, sweet?" a hint of expectation appeared in the woman's eyes.

Jiang Cheng nodded.

"Hahaha, I said…"

The woman was cut off halfway by Jiang Cheng.

"Madam, I want to ask you about something."

"No problem, go ahead. As long as it's something on this street, there's nothing I don't know," the woman said confidently.

"It's not a big deal, just curiosity—how much Stall Fee you have to pay each month for setting up a stall here," Jiang Cheng said with a smile.

The woman's expression instantly became wary, "Kid, you wouldn't also want to set up a stall here selling Roasted Sweet Potato, would you?"

"No."

Jiang Cheng, unable to laugh or cry, said, "Just pure curiosity."

"Good that it's not. There are already several stalls selling Roasted Sweet Potato on this street; if you also sold them, you'd make hardly any money. Selling something else would be fine."

The woman still seemed uneasy, said a few more words, and then returned to the main topic.

"Our Stall Fee isn't high here—only a thousand yuan a month."

"How much?"

Jiang Cheng was taken aback.

"Hahaha, you're surprised, aren't you?"

The woman wore a look as if she'd long anticipated it, "You don't seem to be from this street, right? People from other streets who hear our Stall Fee all make the same face as you."

"So, a thousand a month, is that true?"

"Of course it's true. I've been setting up here for almost two months, paying a thousand each month. Last month I was a few days short, so I paid nine hundred. People from other streets are dying to be as envious as we are," the woman said proudly.

"Then what's the Stall Fee on other streets?"

"It starts at two thousand yuan, maybe two‑five hundred; kid, are you curious why ours is so low?"

Without waiting for Jiang Cheng's reply, she proactively explained, "It's all thanks to the Lingyun Gang!"

"Lingyun Gang?"

Jiang Cheng felt something stir in his heart.

"Yes. A little over two months ago, this place wasn't under Lingyun Gang's control; back then it was the Dashiban that ruled. It was tough—if you wanted to set up a stall here, you had to pay two thousand yuan a month, plus a protection fee of twelve hundred yuan. If you couldn't pay, you were kicked out."

"But even after paying that hefty protection fee each month, robberies still occurred in the alleys at night; I was robbed many times. When I reported this to the Dashiban people, they ignored it; if we said a few more words, they'd beat us. 'What happened next?'"

Jiang Cheng vaguely sensed the truth.

But he still couldn't believe it.

"Later, a group of formidable people came and killed all the Dashiban members; their corpses were left on the street for everyone to spit at, and that group then founded the current Lingyun Gang."

"When we learned of it, we didn't have high hopes; we just thought they were like the previous gangs, looking to skim off us. But guess what?"

"What?"

"They only charge a protection fee of five hundred yuan a month—more than half cheaper than the Dashiban. Moreover, they actually do something with the money; every evening they send people to patrol the alleys, and if they catch a robber, they bind them on the main street. After doing this two or three times, no one dared to steal money in the alleys anymore."

"Who would have thought there could be such a good thing..."

Jiang Cheng muttered to himself.

"Exactly, you don't know—people from other streets now want to move here because the protection fee is low and it's safe, but the only pity is..."

The woman sighed.

"Pity what?"

"It's a pity they can't come. I heard that gangs on other streets keep a close watch; if they catch someone carrying luggage trying to move here, they break their legs, and I also heard..."

The woman glanced around and whispered, "The few gangs nearby have fought the Lingyun Gang many times; I don't know if the Lingyun Gang can hold on. I really hope this street stays under the Lingyun Gang forever. If another gang took over, could we still have such good days? Am I right, kid?"

"Hmm."

Jiang Cheng smiled and nodded.

Inside, however, his heart was complicated.

Perhaps the Lingyun Gang is still a gang, surviving by collecting protection fees.

But compared with other gangs, it has far more conscience; most importantly, when they take money, they actually do something.

Unlike the former Wild Wolf Gang, which would collect once, let their thugs skim again, and collect a second time.

He went to other places again, asking others about it.

The result was the same.

The people living here could not stop praising the newly emerged Lingyun Gang.

He even saw a few members of the Lingyun Gang.

Unlike the people of the Wild Wolf Gang and Iron Fist Gang, who carry long knives and exude killing intent, these few were actually dressed in uniforms similar to those of the Martial Arts Hall; although they bore weapons, the weapons were hung on their waists.

Wherever they went, they were met with enthusiastic welcomes from the surrounding crowd, and many street vendors even rushed to offer the food they sold.

Jiang Cheng silently watched the scene.

Perhaps the 500-per-month management fee is still a bit steep.

But for the people on this street, it is already the best choice.

Moreover, he doubts that the Lingyun Gang can actually get much of that money; most of it probably ends up with the Law Enforcement Bureau, because otherwise those Force Warriors could not stay here.

"If I were to act against them for 100,000 yuan, it would seem somewhat deranged."

Jiang Cheng thought of this and gave a wry smile.

Because of these matters, he actually has done it before, but not as well as those people of the Lingyun Gang.

But he immediately felt a wave of sorrow.

Because these people have already been targeted by the Dawn Society.

Only because they acted with a hint of conscience.

If they don't leave, being killed is just a matter of time.

(End of chapter)