Chapter 58: Turmoil

A thirty‑percent hike?

When he heard the news, Jiang Cheng was also shocked.

Yeah.

Lu Zicheng, with a worried frown, said: "Making money by setting up a stall is already hard, and now it suddenly went up by thirty percent. How can anyone bear that? Moreover, this gives me an ominous feeling."

Jiang Cheng, hearing that, guessed a bit and asked, "You mean the management fee might also go up?"

Lu Zicheng nodded.

Then, after glancing around, he lowered his voice and continued, "Do you still remember the rumor I told you about half a month ago?"

"Of course I remember."

"It seems now that the Wild Wolf Gang is about eighty percent defeated, forced to abandon this area, so they're harvesting a wave before they leave, just like other gangs did before they went."

Hearing him say that, Jiang Cheng's mind also flashed with the original body's memories.

It really seems so.

Whenever a gang fails to resist outsiders, it usually plunders a wave mercilessly.

These vendors already pay a hefty Stall Fee; if the price is raised too much, first they can't afford it, and second, even if they could, could they skip payment this month? After all, you can't force them to close their stalls.

They might be able to skip the Stall Fee, but the management fee is unavoidable.

"Jiang Cheng, in three days the Wild Wolf Gang will come to collect the Stall Fee; you'll probably pay, right?" Lu Zicheng said enviously. "After all, your business is so good that even paying an extra thirty percent still leaves profit."

Jiang Cheng heard that, but his heart was far from optimistic.

If the Stall Fee rises, there's no reason the management fee wouldn't rise too.

Consequently, the people who support his business will certainly decrease, though it's unclear by how much.

"What about you?"

Jiang Cheng retorted.

"I'm still hesitating,"

Lu Zicheng said with distress, "A sudden thirty‑percent hike in the Stall Fee isn't a small amount. If the management fee also rises, paying the Stall Fee might make it impossible to afford the management fee. If you don't pay, you lose your income source—you can't just stay home sleeping every day. Moreover, if many people stop paying, fewer vendors will appear, and perhaps business will become easier."

"…maybe,"

Jiang Cheng was silent for a moment, then said a sentence.

"We'll only know how things will unfold when the time comes."

Fortunately, he had already become a Senior Member, so he didn't have to worry about these issues for now.

"By the way, Jiang Cheng,"

Lu Zicheng looked a bit embarrassed.

Jiang Cheng suddenly realized something and asked, "You don't happen to be trying to borrow money from me, do you?"

"No, no." Lu Zicheng first waved his hand, then scratched his head, and said awkwardly, "I can't say I have none; I just wanted to give you a heads‑up. If I really run out of money later, could you lend me a few hundred? I'll definitely pay you back."

Jiang Cheng sighed, neither agreeing nor refusing, and said, "We'll see depending on the situation. Actually, I don't have any money on me right now, and on top of that I owe quite a bit."

"Huh?"

Lu Zicheng's eyes held doubt.

He had seen Jiang Cheng's booming business these past few days; he must have earned at least three thousand, if not more.

"In a couple of days you'll find out."

Jiang Cheng shook his head and gave no further explanation.

"Alright then."

Lu Zicheng rubbed his nose and walked back.

Near noon, the street was still bustling with people coming and going, very lively.

The vendors perked up, shouting energetically. Most passersby seemed unaware.

When the time reached two or three in the afternoon, the situation changed.

From the opposite end of the street, a few people came, all wearing short‑sleeve tank tops, their bare backs and arms covered with tattoos. What was frightening was that, aside from the leader, the others each brandished a Watermelon Knife, their eyes fierce.

The moment they appeared, the previously noisy environment fell silent.

Members of the Wild Wolf Gang.

Only members of the Wild Wolf Gang dare to walk the street with knives in broad daylight.

The pedestrians scattered like birds and beasts.

The vendors stayed put, too scared to move.

Those nearby kept shouting "Brother Wu!" one after another.

Jiang Cheng squinted, watching the few men.

Although his original self had dealt with these people many times, this was his first time seeing them.

The leader was named Wu Tian, called "Brother Wu." Like Brother Bao, who goes door‑to‑door at month‑end collecting management fees, he is a Junior Leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, only overseeing a different area; both of their superiors are the true core of the Wild Wolf Gang.

Seeing the other side look toward him, Jiang Cheng quickly lowered his head, pretending to be scared.

I must say, these gang members felt completely different from Liu Yang and the likes of Jiang Xiong.

These people have actually slashed people and kill without blinking.

And if they really killed someone on this street, they'd just do it.

"You heard about what happened this morning, right?"

Wu Tian took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and just as he put it to his mouth, a subordinate behind him produced a lighter and lit the cigarette.

He took a satisfied puff and looked at the people around, saying, "Our Wild Wolf Gang managing this street isn't easy. How we've done over the past two years is evident to everyone. We didn't want to raise prices, but the gang has run into some difficulties lately, so we have no choice but to raise the price a bit—just thirty percent. No objections, right?"

The people around all lowered their heads.

"How could anyone have no objections?"

Since the Wild Wolf Gang took over this street, the Stall Fee has been rising repeatedly; today the lion really opened his mouth, directly raising it by thirty percent!

But nobody's foolish; the one who sticks out gets shot, and anyone who opposes now will certainly end up badly.

"Not speaking?"

Wu Tian gave an indifferent smile: "Fine, then I'll take it as your tacit consent. After three days, be a bit more conscientious and come to me to pay the Stall Fee."

At that point his voice faltered, the smile on his face vanished instantly, "If you don't pay, then don't come that day; otherwise, if I catch you, it won't be something a word or two can resolve."

After speaking, he turned and left, not even going to the other side of the street.

But the effect was clearly achieved.

Even those who didn't hear clearly, after a little inquiry later, knew what was said; let alone that no one even needed to deliberately ask.

Soon, sighs and groans filled the air.

Strictly speaking, there were still four or five days until the actual month‑end, but Wu Tian made it clear: those who don't intend to pay need not come after three days, wasting two days for nothing; even if the crowd harbored inner objections, they dared not speak up.

And when the time reached around five in the afternoon, the foot traffic on the street had noticeably thinned.

Even Jiang Cheng's business was affected to some extent.

When it was past six and the stalls were being closed, Jiang Cheng tallied today's net profit: just under four hundred, compared with over five hundred in the previous days, a drop of more than a hundred.

Jiang Cheng's brows knit tightly.

Something must have happened.

A worry arose in his mind: would the money earned in the next few days keep dwindling?

(End of Chapter)