Chapter 333: Personal Maid? The So‑Called

Lin Yang lifted the tea lid, peered inside, and asked, "There's no poison in this, right?"

"You just said that Hall Master Feng Jingchu is ruthless; if she wanted to kill me, she wouldn't need to involve you," Su Yang said slowly.

"Besides, you're the Butler's son, Liang Shu is loyal, and you're also an elder of the Gang; she wouldn't be foolish enough to risk angering the masses by harming you."

"Then this tea…" Lin Yang hesitated slightly.

"This cup is a test; Feng Jingchu is testing my gallbladder," Su Yang said blandly.

"What does that mean?"

"If I don't drink, it proves I'm cowardly—a heir who won't even drink tea can't claim to command the Six Alliances; how could he command the masses?"

"But if I drink, it's tantamount to declaring war!" Su Yang narrowed his eyes.

"War against all Hall Masters?" Lin Yang caught the implication.

"Not necessarily; some people's intention isn't the wine. Feng Jingchu may just be a figure put forward to appear. The Gang leader position is the Fragrant Glutton, also a hot potato; not everyone wants to sit in it," Su Yang said.

These words instantly left Lin Yang bewildered.

"So drink or not?"

"Of course you must drink; it's the first level of the game, and only by passing it can you continue to play," Su Yang explained.

He then lifted the tea, gave it a gentle blow, and drank it in one gulp.

"The tea is fine, but I don't like this flavor," Su Yang spat out the tea dregs.

Lin Yang took a shallow sip, his brow instantly furrowed, "Why does it taste like shit? Damn, did Feng Jingchu defecate in it?"

Sure enough…

This cup contains not respect but contempt.

Su Yang understood their intent; the "serving soup to drive guests away" method was unskilled, but its meaning was clear.

He immediately turned and looked at the Jinshan City map hanging on the wall.

The green area is the Six Alliances' jurisdiction, occupying only a small patch of South City.

It's less than a tenth.

Although it's a mid‑level Gang, limited finances have kept it from expanding outward.

"Having only a heart of bravery isn't enough; even if you can fight, it's just a single shot," Su Yang said softly.

Lin Yang moved beside him, glanced, and pointed, "The blue area is Mingguang Building, the purple area is Donghai Hall."

Su Yang examined both, noting that their territories were roughly the same as the Six Alliances'.

"Are you sure you can sustain so many people just by collecting Protection Fee?" Su Yang asked curiously.

"Yes, the Six Alliances has one‑hundred‑and‑fifty members from top to bottom, all living off Protection Fee," Lin Yang nodded.

"Ridiculous, the Protection Fee is only a few coins; how can the populace be charged without inciting the masses?" Su Yang furrowed his brow.

"There's no way around it; Jinshan City's situation is like this, with a Warlord pressing down. Without Protection Fee, business can't even continue," Lin Yang sighed.

"You mean… collecting Protection Fee is tacitly approved by the Warlord?" Su Yang asked.

"Of course. The Warlord wants profit but can't directly demand from the populace, so they push the Gang to act as the villain, then each month levy taxes on merchants and the Gang, taking two shares of money," Lin Yang explained.

Su Yang boasted his methods were ruthless, yet compared to them, he was like a minor sorcerer facing a great one.

"Why doesn't the Six Alliances develop its own industry?" Su Yang asked curiously.

"I've never asked that," Lin Yang shook his head.

Relying solely on plundering the people's wealth to grow is nothing short of a nightmare.

Compared to others, the Six Alliances' reputation is decent; at least they take money to get things done.

Some Gangs are infamous, even collecting Protection Fee both mid‑month and end‑month.

At that moment, a sudden commotion erupted outside the door.

Su Yang stepped out of the room, looked at Feng Yan who had been guarding the door, and asked, "Why so noisy?"

"Today is the end of the month, the monthly 'gold‑picking' operation day," Feng Yan explained softly.

"Gold‑picking?" Su Yang furrowed his brow.

Lin Yang leaned in and whispered, "It's just collecting Protection Fee; that's Jinshan City's slang."

Su Yang suddenly understood and asked, "Then what are you doing standing here?"

Feng Yan said, "I am in charge of the Ninth: Young Master's daily routine; any orders, just speak."

"Personal maid?" Lin Yang's expression turned odd instantly, and he glanced at Su Yang.

Damn guy, wherever he goes he attracts the opposite sex.

Su Yang was unfazed, waved his hand and said, "Stay elsewhere; if I need anything, I'll call you."

"Yes," Feng Yan bowed slightly, turned, and left.

Lin Yang said with a hint of sourness, "You wouldn't indulge in that Old Era custom of letting her warm the bed at night, would you?"

"She was specially sent by Feng Jingchu to watch me; if I dare let her warm the bed today, tomorrow she'll dare to castrate me."

"Probably not that far?"

"Heh…"

Su Yang led Lin Yang to the first floor, looked at the empty scene, and said, "Liang Shu, I'm taking him out for a walk."

"Ninth: Young Master, it's unsettled outside; I just returned to Jinshan City and don't know the situation here, I suggest you stay inside the house," Liang Shu advised.

"If you treat me like a Golden Canary, the brothers under my command would rather not have a so‑called Gang leader."

"Moreover… there are a thousand, even ten thousand ways to harm me."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself," Su Yang said.

Saying that, without waiting for Liang Shu to continue persuading, he immediately dragged Lin Yang out.

"Son, keep an eye on the Ninth: Young Master!" Liang Shu shouted.

Su Yang, running out of the Zhuangyuan, taunted: "Your dad is talking to you, and you don't answer a single word, really rude."

"Go, go, go, that's a dad in a game, not really my dad," Lin Yang said irritably.

Su Yang smiled, slipped the handgun into his hand, "Take it."

"What about you?" Lin Yang was stunned.

"I can take down ten; keeping the gun on me is a waste," Su Yang patted his Shoulder.

"Alright then." Lin Yang reluctantly agreed.

In the danger‑laden Jinshan City, without a firearm at hand, encountering peril cannot be solved by just flapping the Mouth.

Especially since the Gang leader is dead, surrounding forces eye you hungrily.

Su Yang walked along the road and saw no fewer than five scouts.

"By the way, where are we going now?" Lin Yang asked.

"Collect Protection Fee."

"Do you know the procedure?"

"Never eaten pork and never seen a pig run?"

The movies have already acted out the whole procedure; you just sit in someone else's shop and order a bowl of fried noodles.

When the plate is brought over, the money will naturally slip into your pocket.

Lin Yang, hearing that, was eager to try; he also wanted to experience the feeling of being a drifter.

When he was in middle school, he was as skinny as a monkey, and it was always the seniors who collected his Protection Fee.

Now he can be a "villain" for once; don't even mention how excited he is.

This kind of unearned feeling, how does it differ from picking up money off the ground?

Soon, following the route in his memory, Su Yang arrived at a restaurant called "Food World."

A group of hulking men were already in position, their clothes bearing the Seal Mark of the Six‑Directions Gang.

All the diners around fell silent, fearing to provoke these ferocious thugs.

The leader was that wine‑soured‑Nose man who had been kicked in the butt; he skillfully approached the cash register, grasped his Shoulder, nudged his Mouth, "Open it."

The cashier showed a reluctant expression and said, "The boss isn't here today, I… I don't dare."

"Stop the nonsense, keep flapping your Mouth any more and I'll cut off your Tongue," the wine‑soured‑Nose growled.

The cashier shivered instantly and immediately opened the cash drawer.

The wine‑soured‑Nose grabbed a handful of banknotes and shoved them into the Little Brother's box behind him, then grabbed another handful and put them into his own pocket.

"Wait, you took too many!" the cashier hurriedly said.

Bang!

The wine‑soured‑Nose yanked his Brain and slammed it hard onto the table, saying coldly, "The amount is correct; the initial portion was for the Gang."

"The part I'm taking now…"

"Is your tribute to me."