Chapter 171: Money Box

The Grey Badger Gang,

as a small-to-medium-sized force controlling a small part of the slums and a few streets in the West District,

was far from as wealthy as it appeared to outsiders in terms of income.

Sometimes, it even appeared somewhat embarrassed.

Don't look at those tattooed thugs moving in groups, wandering the streets all day, looking wealthy and leisurely.

In reality, they might just be barely filling their stomachs.

For a gang like the Grey Badger Gang, which was neither high nor low, its sources of income were very limited.

First, the most stable one was naturally collecting "protection fees" from shops within their sphere of influence.

They couldn't collect too ruthlessly; otherwise, if they ruined someone else's business and they ran away, they wouldn't have money to earn themselves.

And they really had to send a few gang members to patrol the streets like guards from time to time, to drive away those bad guests who might affect business and maintain a relatively stable operating environment.

Only in this way, when they "occasionally" collected protection fees a few days early, or raised the fees by ten or twenty percent, would these shopkeepers not have too many complaints.

Then, there were grey incomes from other aspects.

It could be a newcomer adventurer who entered the city alone wearing decent equipment; it could also be an assassination bounty on a down-and-out merchant on the black market.

You couldn't expect these thugs in the gang to work as coolies to earn money.

Once they put on the coat of "Grey Badger Gang member," the law in Niumu City became empty talk.

Perhaps on some level, they retained a certain conscience.

But making money... naturally, the faster, the better.

Of course, this aspect of income was very unstable for the Grey Badger Gang.

A good month could allow every lackey in the gang to eat a few big meals and visit places like the "Nightingale's Nest."

When there was no extra income, they could only make the ordinary residents on the street suffer.

And at the same time, compared to the monthly money income, their expenses were even more enormous.

Not to mention anything else, a group of young men from the slums following you, you couldn't let them go hungry, right?

Even if it was clear water plus black bread harder than bricks, you had to feed them.

Occasionally going to a tavern to be dashing a few times was also very necessary.

Then, there were expenses for weapons and props.

Gang fights naturally didn't use those expensive equipment that cost tens or hundreds of gold coins in boutique blacksmith shops specifically serving adventurers.

But they were all in this line of work; you were fighting for territory with others, holding a few water pipes and wooden sticks in your hands like goblins, and your morale would be weakened by thirty percent before you even started. How could you fight?

Therefore, expenses in this regard were also indispensable.

The sheriffs and guards of relevant streets had to be bribed, occasionally they needed to buy some useful information from the black market, subsidize homeless people in the city to spread rumors...

Scattered together, there wasn't much money left each month.

As for more profitable trades like casinos and brothels... it wasn't the turn of an ordinary gang of the Grey Badger Gang's size.

After expanding its influence to the West District, the gang boss "Eight-Fingers" even personally took his lackeys to the "Iron Barrel Toad" tavern, where many adventurers gathered all year round, to talk about cooperation with the boss, "Stubborn Donkey."

He wanted to book a few tables in the tavern hall to open a card game and split the profits.

Then he was chased out of the door by Stubborn Donkey with a broom.

In short, these thugs who lived in the dark sewers like grey-skinned rats were definitely not wealthy.

And it was precisely because of this that when the Grey Badger Gang's boss, "Eight-Fingers," greeted his lackeys, thanked them, and opened the rather exquisite little money box that served as the reward for saving them from the rat swarm's siege,

the expression on his face appeared so pained.

His gaze swept over the inside of the open money box in his hand, and his pitch-black eyes reflected a patch of brilliant yellow.

There were at least fifty or more gold coins, and a few small, shiny stones were scattered in the corner of the box.

His gaze swept over the face of the man with the stiff smile in front of him once again.

Xia Nan raised his eyebrows slightly:

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Eight-Fingers slammed the money box in his hand shut with a "pop" and handed it to Xia Nan with both hands.

"If it weren't for the help of you two, I and the brothers in the gang would probably have been gnawed to the bone by those damn rats by now."

"It's just a small token of gratitude; please, you must accept it!"

Since the other party had said so, Xia Nan didn't hesitate and reached out to take the money box directly.

He couldn't help but feel a bit relieved in his heart.

He had originally thought that there would be no spoils of war for this battle, and he would have been satisfied if he could take the opportunity to improve his combat technique proficiency.

He hadn't expected an unexpected harvest.

It was also just at the time when he had spent a large sum of money at the "Rock Hammer" blacksmith shop, and his bank account balance had plummeted, leaving him feeling insecure.

Having such an extra subsidy during the mission was the most comforting thing for him right now.

Of course, Xia Nan didn't forget Wood, who had also participated in the battle beside him. He turned his head to look at the other party, slightly showing off the small wooden box in his hand, signaling that they would distribute it in detail after going out.

He hadn't expected this serious-looking middle-aged man to just wave his hand.

"You keep it yourself; I don't need much money in the city."

"It's getting late, we'd better leave before dark and hurry to handle the business."

Hearing him say this, Eight-Fingers, who was standing in front of them with a cautious expression, also raised his head slightly and tentatively probed carefully:

"I heard from Tie Tou that you two... came looking for me?"

Before coming, he had already asked about the purpose of the two from Tie Tou and knew that they were looking for him to ask for the address of "Colander" Da Ben's base.

The reason he didn't take the initiative to bring it up, but instead asked the two and handed the initiative of the topic to the other party,

was partly due to caution.

On the other hand, it was also because of his own little scheme.

This back-and-forth might only involve one or two more sentences.

But compared to taking the initiative to tell the address of Da Ben's base, giving it up without concealment after the two professionals in front of him requested it,

could allow him, or rather the Grey Badger Gang, to build one more layer of relationship with these two professionals.

Even if it didn't reach the level of a "favor," if they encountered anything in the future, thinking of today's matter, their attitude would always change somewhat.

If he was lucky enough to do them a small favor, it wouldn't be impossible to become friends with them.

Xia Nan stood opposite him and naturally wouldn't think so much like Eight-Fingers. Of course, even if he knew about the other party's little thoughts, he wouldn't care much anyway.

He tucked the money box under one arm, hid the content related to his mission, and asked the other party directly about information regarding Ba'en and Da Ben.

"Ba'en... I know this person, but I've basically never had any contact with him on a daily basis."

Eight-Fingers rubbed the messy stubble on his chin and recalled.

"I've only met him a few times at the Iron Barrel Toad before; there was no interaction."

"You should also know that adventurers like this who have semi-retired, started a family, and returned to ordinary life basically don't have much contact with people like us."

He spread his hands, a helpless smile appearing on his face.

"However, as for 'Colander' Da Ben, I was in contact with him a while ago, and the address shouldn't have changed much."

"It's already late today, and that place is winding and twisting; without someone who knows the way, you really can't find it for a while, and it's relatively dangerous at night. Oh, it might only be a small trouble for you, but it will still delay things after all."

"If you are in a hurry... tomorrow morning, let Tie Tou lead the way for you."

He had originally thought that after coming, he would have to negotiate with such a gang boss for a while, "reasoning with emotion and moving with logic," and showing some means.

He might even have to let Wood show his identity as a guard of the City Lord's house.

He hadn't expected this "Eight-Fingers" to be quite sensible; they didn't have to waste much breath, and just by asking, he said everything he knew.

It didn't sound like a lie either.

He didn't care about the difference of a day or two; in fact, he was skeptical about whether Ba'en was still staying in Niumu.

Since the other party had said it was unsafe at night and there were many troubles, it was fine to wait until tomorrow morning to continue the mission.

Xia Nan nodded, agreed to Eight-Fingers' plan, and made an appointment with Tie Tou behind him for the meeting place tomorrow.

He asked a few more things that might need attention and then planned to leave.

Before leaving, his gaze subconsciously swept around the dark and damp sewer environment.

His gaze specifically swept over the grey-skinned rat corpses on the ground, several wailing Grey Badger Gang wounded, and the blurred silhouettes and scarlet eyes flashing in the depths of the pipe gallery darkness.

He didn't think much, just driven by curiosity, and asked casually:

"I heard from Tie Tou before that these rats going crazy was because the 'Moon Feast' was approaching."

"But the 'Moon Feast' should happen every year..."

"So you have such an encounter every year at this time?"

Asking this, Xia Nan couldn't help but have a hint of doubt in his heart.

According to the information he had learned from the bald, burly man before, the Grey Badger Gang had been using the sewer as its core base for many years.

If it were really as the other party explained, every time the Moon Feast arrived, the grey-skinned rats in the sewer would go crazy and have strong aggressiveness toward humans.

Then after so many years, the Grey Badger Gang should have been prepared.

Whether it was setting up defensive facilities in advance or temporarily withdrawing from the sewer to avoid the rat swarm during this period, both were good coping measures.

How could it be that they were blocked in their lair by the rat swarm like just now, almost being wiped out?

Regarding this, a hint of bitterness also appeared on Eight-Fingers' face, and he shook his head in confusion.

"Actually, we have already made arrangements near the base in advance."

"From previous years, although these large rats would show strong aggressiveness during this period, they still retained the characteristic of fearing fire and light."

"No matter how many there are, as long as you don't actively expose your body to their sight, they will instinctively avoid bright places."

Eight-Fingers casually picked up a relatively complete grey-skinned rat corpse from the ground, his gaze looking toward the deep and dark gallery ahead.

"But this year, these rats seem to have been stimulated by something; they aren't even afraid of torches or incendiary bombs, and they swarmed over like crazy."

"It seems that by this time next year, I have to take the brothers out to hide for a while."

Stimulated?

The other party's answer seemed to make Xia Nan vaguely think of something.

But when he really realized that he had discovered something and wanted to grasp the clue to think deeply, the thought that flashed through his mind was like a passing dream, and he couldn't recall it again.

"It's getting late, we should leave."

Beside him, Wood raised his head, his concentrated gaze seeming to be able to penetrate the thick stone wall above his head and see the increasingly dim sky outside.

Shaking his head, Xia Nan also temporarily put down the complicated thoughts in his heart and nodded in agreement.

"Are you two planning to leave?"

Eight-Fingers on the side spoke at the right time, pointing his hand toward the bald, burly man behind him.

"Tie Tou, you take the two gentlemen..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw the other party hunching over, trying hard to wink at him, and couldn't help but understand.

His voice paused, his finger moved, and he pointed to a thin youth with a tilted neck beside Tie Tou.

"Cough, Wry Neck, go! Lead the way for the two gentlemen!"

The rich smell of blood mixed with the unique sour stench in the sewer filled the air.

The lackeys of the Grey Badger Gang dragged their exhausted bodies, cleaning up the rat corpses on the field.

During the special period when the Moon Feast was approaching, the blood and stench emitted by the corpses could easily attract some dangerous trouble and needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Besides that, the thugs in the Grey Badger Gang who were injured in the battle with the rat swarm were also complaining to each other while treating their wounds.

They didn't have much rich medical knowledge; they only knew from word of mouth that the damp and dirty environment they were in could easily lead to the deterioration of wounds.

But with no money and no conditions, the thugs naturally couldn't go to the clinic above to receive formal treatment.

At the moment, they were just under the command of a few older leaders in the gang, peeling the "Iron Scab Moss" unique to the Niumu sewer from the wall, grinding the dark red crystals on its surface with simple tools, and covering them on the wound surface to stop bleeding and accelerate healing.

As for the possible side effects... they couldn't care about that much now.

Watching the figures of the two professionals disappear around the corner of the distant pipe gallery, Eight-Fingers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The cautious and careful expression he had in front of Xia Nan and the other turned around immediately; he puffed out his chest and raised his head, returning to his posture as a gang boss.

He turned around, beckoned to Tie Tou, who was eager to try ahead, his attitude showing a somewhat deliberate intimacy:

"You kid, tell me, what good things do you have."

Tie Tou hurriedly stepped forward, took out a blood-stained package from his arms, and handed it to the other party with both hands.

"I got it from a drunkard in the tavern."

"Boss, you will definitely like it!"

Aiming at Eight-Fingers' slightly frozen expression, he hurriedly added:

"Don't worry, it has nothing to do with those two professionals."

"It's just a lazy bum with no background; no one would care if he died on the street."

"I've cleaned it all up!"

Hearing Tie Tou say this, Eight-Fingers' expression finally relaxed.

He tore open the tightly wrapped cloth strip.

Coming into view was a palm-sized, upright human statue that looked like a sheep or a deer.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 172 =====