Chapter 32: Encirclement

The borrowing money thing was just a small interlude, and Jiang Cheng's attention returned to the Roasted Sweet Potato in front of him.

Sure enough, until evening, no second person came to bring up the borrowing money matter.

When the last Roasted Sweet Potato was sold, Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, trying to keep the joy in his heart from showing too obviously on his face.

The two stoves sold a total of over one hundred and fifty Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Total revenue was a little over nine hundred.

In other words, today's net profit was about four hundred and fifty, not as high as the imagined six hundred.

But Jiang Cheng was quite satisfied.

If there had been only one stove, today's profit would have been similar to yesterday's, just a little over three hundred.

Adding a stove today increased it by half.

That's enough.

Jiang Cheng immediately began packing up, and before leaving, called out a greeting to Lu Zicheng.

The latter watched Jiang Cheng's departing back, eyes full of envy.

However, these past few days he also basked in Jiang Cheng's glow, his income about twenty to thirty percent higher than usual.

"If someday my business could be as good as his, how wonderful that would be," Lu Zicheng sighed, glanced at the sky, and hurriedly prepared to leave.

"Little Lu, wait a moment."

At that moment, a voice sounded from behind.

Lu Zicheng turned his head in puzzlement, and saw Xu Hai rushing up with a beaming smile.

Behind him, two or three more people followed.

"Uncle Xu, if there's something, can we discuss it tomorrow? It's getting late," Lu Zicheng hurriedly said.

"Don't worry, Little Lu, it won't take you a few minutes."

While speaking, Xu Hai's hand, seemingly casual, rested on Lu Zicheng's cart.

"Little Lu, you're close to that guy Jiang Cheng; do you know what trick he's using that his business has been so good lately?"

As the words fell, the few people who had come with him also stared intently at Lu Zicheng, fully focused.

Hearing this, Lu Zicheng smiled.

"Uncle Xu, do you think if I knew the trick I would tell you? I'd just switch to selling Roasted Sweet Potatoes myself, wouldn't that be better?"

Xu Hai and the others were immediately stumped.

Indeed, that does seem to be the case.

But watching Jiang Cheng make huge money every day made them feel very uncomfortable.

"Alright, Uncle Xu, it's getting late, I really should go. If you truly want to know, you can ask Jiang Cheng tomorrow."

Lu Zicheng smiled, removed Xu Hai's hand, and pushed the cart away.

He thought to himself, there's something wrong.

Not going to ask Jiang Cheng, but coming to ask himself.

But only a fool would talk about such a secret technique.

……

After buying the sweet potatoes, Jiang Cheng felt something odd on the way back.

In the corner, two people were peeking toward him; when they saw him look back, they quickly withdrew their gaze, acting as if nothing had happened, but the corner of their eyes never left him.

He furrowed his brows.

Just two days ago, when these people saw him, they were like mice seeing a cat—no chance to run. How could they now hide in the shadows and watch? Could they be plotting against him?

Jiang Cheng felt only this explanation made sense.

His business had been booming these two days, and today he added another stove; it's only natural that these people covet him.

But with only two people, he didn't mind; his Short Staff had reached Mastery Level, and if they dared to cause trouble, he'd definitely strike hard.

Jiang Cheng let out a cold snort and kept walking forward.

When passing the alley entrance, he deliberately glanced at them. The two quickly turned away as if they hadn't seen him.

After Jiang Cheng passed, the two exchanged a look, their faces breaking into cold smiles.

"Move! Join up with the people ahead."

The two quickly followed.

As he walked, Jiang Cheng increasingly felt something was off.

At first, encountering two people staring at him could be called coincidence.

But later, he kept running into two waves of people, some single, some in pairs.

"Something's wrong."

Jiang Cheng realized something, looked at the road ahead, and decisively chose to take a detour.

But at that moment, a flurry of footsteps sounded; a dozen or so people surrounded him from all directions, blocking every exit.

These people, judging by appearance, were all prepared, each holding a Short Staff, their gazes unfriendly and filled with deep apprehension.

Jiang Cheng's complexion changed.

The people before him all seemed unfamiliar.

They were probably local thugs.

The good news was he didn't see any who were linked to the Wild Wolf Gang.

The bad news was the enemies were too many—thirteen in total!

Jiang Cheng forced himself to stay calm, drew the Short Staff hidden behind his back with his right hand, scanned the surroundings, and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Hehe,"

Ahead stood a man about 1.8 meters tall with a slanted fringe, who dryly laughed twice and said, "Friend, don't be nervous; the brothers are out of money. We came to you today to borrow some cash to spend."

Jiang Cheng's gaze immediately fell on him.

It seemed that this slanted‑fringe fellow was the leader of the group—no, rather, the head who organized this interception of me.

Although there were many thugs around, it was clear at a glance that they were individual small gangs cobbled together temporarily.

Moreover, from a gang's perspective, they would not permit a small group of a dozen or so people to occupy territory under their jurisdiction.

"If only I had Double Staff right now."

Jiang Cheng felt that something was off.

He only had a Short Staff in his hand; facing a dozen or so opponents was a heavy pressure.

If he had Double Staff, his chance of victory would be much higher.

But in any case, expecting him to hand over the money outright was impossible, and today he still had a chance to win.

In a rapid mental shift, Jiang Cheng devised a countermeasure.

He stared into the other's eyes, sneered, and said, "You want money from me? Don't you know what happened to the people who tried to rob me the first two times?"

As his words fell, a rustle instantly rose from around them.

They, of course, knew.

Li Wei and his companion were beaten so badly that even their mother wouldn't recognize them.

This time they came after him, hoping to persuade him, but those two wouldn't agree to anything.

As for the second wave, it was worse: that guy Zheng Jie had several ribs broken, received no medical expenses, and died a painful death.

Upon hearing this, several thugs stepped back.

"Don't be afraid!"

Xie Liuhai, seeing this, shouted, "The kid does have two tricks, but today we have so many people here—why be scared of just him?"

"That's right, I admit, with you all attacking together, I might not be a match."

Jiang Cheng scanned the area, his gaze fierce, "But have you thought about it? The one who charges at the front—what fate awaits them? I'm not afraid to tell you, if we start fighting later, I will definitely stop holding back and strike at your vital points; that's no joke."

(End of chapter)