Chapter 134: Too Flashy, Drawing Jealousy

Afterwards, on the road we ran into several waves of thugs trying to snatch raw elixirs; there were some quiet people, and the Fierce Sand escorts dealt with them.

When truly malicious Beastfolk appeared, Mo Lie and Hua Zheng struck, easily dealing with those Beastfolk who dared to steal his belongings, and when Beastfolk truly dared to act against them, we also looted a good amount of money.

Lin Manzhi, in such a flamboyant manner, was escorted by the Fierce Sand escorts, left the city from the Xicheng side, and a large group quickly vanished into the vast desert.

At the Wushen Temple, Su Li, upon hearing that Lin Manzhi went to the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau to look for guards, out of curiosity about her patron, covertly sent people again to follow Lin Manzhi.

Unexpectedly, this time they also failed and returned; the guards she sent were quickly shaken off by Lin Manzhi's party in the desert.

Other capable forces that could block Lin Manzhi couldn't have imagined anyone could purchase so many raw elixirs, and so openly bring the elixirs to the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau to request a guard squad.

A rather crude and shoddy robbery drama was thus completed with ease.

……

The City Lord's residence in the Central District.

Jia Jian Beast‑transformed into a three‑meter‑long pangolin, enjoying the bathing of beautiful females in his own pool.

His massive wedge‑shaped head rested on the white stone slab of the pool, his spine arched into a half‑moon curve, his body clad in bronze scales, each gap of which was brushed clean of sand by the females.

Upon hearing his subordinate report news about the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau, Jia Jian was a bit stunned.

In a terrible mood he reverted to human form, waved away the delicate pink‑white hand of a nearby female, and put on the long trousers that lay beside him.

Jia Jian looked up at the male beast kneeling behind the sheer curtain to report, eyes wide: "What? You say the entrance of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau is packed with people? And females bringing many raw elixirs to the bureau to request escorts?"

Did I hear wrong?

One doesn't need to think to know what the escorts of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau used to be: a band of robbers, and anyone with any skill in Kuangsha City is one.

You say these robbers suddenly became escort guards; anyone can see it's a trap! A bureau that lures plump beasts in to slaughter them.

How could this be, how could it??

Jia Jian internally denied it a thousand times, yet someone still approached the Fierse Sand Escort Bureau, even lining up.

Fake! It's fake!

After seeing the grandeur of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau with his own eyes, Jia Jian, in anger, smashed his beloved crystal cup, unwilling to believe, feeling that some events were unpredictably ominous.

Immediately, he sent people to invite the leaders of the other three districts; rare to receive Jia Jian's invitation, the three district leaders, still holding some respect for him, came to the Central District.

In Kuangsha City, where even a stomp can cause an earthquake, the four leaders now sat at the four corners, forming a quadrilateral of strength.

The rise of the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau made the keen‑intuition male beasts feel uneasy.

Only hearing the Southern District leader Fu Lin squint his eyes, sitting in his chair, his voice booming: "I see you all already know the situation in the Western District, right?"

The Northern District leader Tuo Zong and the Eastern District leader Hu Biao exchanged a glance, and both looked up at Jia Jian.

Tuo Zong blandly said: "You mean the Western District now has a new leader, and the whole Western District leader's residence is defended so tightly that even the rats you sent can't get in?"

Hu Biao snorted, "Your wild chickens can scout out the new leader's information?"

Seeing Tuo Zong's eyes widen, Jia Jian stepped forward: "Yes, whatever Fierce Sand Escort Bureau is opening in the Western District seems not aligned with us."

The three leaders before him exchanged a dangerous glint in their eyes, then scanned the others in the room, each understanding the situation.

It seems everyone thinks the Western District is an oddity.

Fu Lin's overly pale skin and copper‑colored eyes, through a hint of gloom, looked frail yet his Beast Form was a massive ten‑plus‑meter‑long giant viper: "Why do you say that? You control the trade routes beyond Kuangsha City—everything we need is bought from you, the Western District included."

"Relying solely on food offered by passing merchant caravans is insufficient for my Eastern District's consumption, especially the money and jewels; each time I come to you to exchange them for Meat Jerky, so I can open food stalls across the Eastern District."

Hu Biao laughed at Jia Jian: "When can we get a better price for Meat Jerky from you? I guarantee my men will be well fed, and our martial strength will increase, so we won't have to worry about places like the Western District."

This touched on a topic that concerns everyone.

Tuo Zong, hearing about cheaper food that benefits him, said nothing to prick Hu Biao; it was the first time the few of them sat so calmly in a room.

In terms of martial strength, this three‑meter‑long little pangolin Jia Jian is insufficient before the three leaders; the Western District matter is set aside for now.

Jia Jian is the wealthiest among them; the reason he can hold the Central District leader's seat is that he somehow linked up with a powerful outside force.

In Kuangsha City, food and water are scarce, but the faction Jia Jian leans on has plenty; he regularly brings back large quantities of the city's most needed food and then sells it to them.

They keep some for their subordinates, open shops in the city, and sell them at high prices to the Beastfolk of their own district.

Leaders of other districts have also thought of taking money elsewhere to buy food, but city lords of other territories, not their subjects, cannot make large trades inside the city.

Previously a box of a million gold coins could only be exchanged for a hundred thousand jin of Meat Jerky at Jia Jian's place; if Jia Jian could give a bit more profit, that would be best for the three of them now.

As for the Western District? The crucial food is in Jia Jian's hands in the Central District; if their territories were to fall into chaos from food shortages, the new Western District leader will eventually have to lower his stance and come to Jia Jian.

The three before him stared greedily, fixed on Jia Jian.

Jia Jian felt his scalp tingle under their gaze, thinking the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau would bring repercussions, but the dangerous, eerie atmosphere scared him away.

He almost lost his balance, instinctively wanting to curl into a ball to shield himself from external danger.

Jia Jian steadied himself and shouted outward, "Xiong Kui, come in quickly!"

The next second, a booming "Bang!" as the door was violently kicked open, and Hu Biao and the others looked warily toward the doorway.

At the doorway, a tall, stout man stood against the light, his brown clothes straining over bulging muscles; his palms were broad, as if a single slap could deliver over a thousand jin of force.

Xiong Kui glared at the three leaders inside, clenched his hand into a fist at chest level, and swaggered as he swung it at them: "What are you doing—trying to bully my boss, watch out for my iron fist!"