As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 239 The Great Noble Family

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The sky remained clear, and the sun shone brightly.

In the restaurant, people were drinking and chatting.

"That Zhuyou Gang... is really ruthless! They actually dared to attack Lord Gao in broad daylight."

"I saw it with my own eyes, tsk tsk tsk...they've even gotten their hands on firearms!"

"Martial law is now in effect throughout the city, and the Zhu You Gang is being rigorously investigated and apprehended."

"Sigh~ When will the Fairy Kui appear to perform again? I'd be willing to die immediately if I could hear her sing just one song~"

"I prefer the song that young master sang. It was passionate, spirited, and powerful. That's the kind of music a man should listen to."

"A hearty laugh echoes across the vast ocean, while the tides surge on both shores."

"Do you think that young master who was singing might be connected to the Zhu You Gang? After the assassin from the Zhu You Gang killed Lord Gao, he was still singing loudly!"

……

Those who are high above others, those who are famous, have little to do with ordinary people who live down-to-earth lives.

However, it can become a topic of conversation among people during their leisure time.

Three days is enough time for everything to spread.

Kui Xian appeared once again, taking the stage to perform. His song "Floating Wood Oar" was ethereal and otherworldly, captivating the audience and transporting them into a dreamlike state.

But then, something even more dramatic happened: the mysterious Kui Xian invited a young master to the stage to perform a song about the martial arts world.

It is not as elegant as the showy singing of Kui Xian, but it is bold and unrestrained, captivating the listener.

In no time, it spread throughout the city's streets and alleys, with catchy lyrics that were often sung with great enthusiasm.

However, some chaos ensued at the end. Perhaps it was intentional on the part of the gang, or perhaps they were provoked by the lyrics, but they assassinated an adult who was present at the time.

In the midst of the chaos, Kui Xian and the young master also disappeared without a trace.

These past few days, soldiers have been patrolling the streets and have arrested several henchmen of the Zhu You Gang.

"Shopkeeper, please give it a try!"

And what about the person at the center of people's discussion?

Amidst the steaming heat, the spicy aroma wafts through the air, filling the nostrils and making one involuntarily swallow, whetting the appetite.

Mingchen pointed to a pot of fish in front of him and asked the old shopkeeper with a smile.

"This... young master, how is this done? Could you please teach this old man again?"

This mysterious young master is truly exceptionally intriguing...

She was practically his benefactor.

The old man held chopsticks in his hand, watching the bubbling oil in the pot, where he had boldly added a lot of spicy seasonings.

The pungent smell wafted over, his throat bobbed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his face.

"The method is simple, you just need to pay attention to the ingredients."

"The fish also needs to be marinated and grilled."

White Spirit City is a coastal city located at the confluence of a great river and the sea.

The fishing industry is highly developed.

The people here eat a lot of fish, and their teeth are even somewhat uneven.

At the boundary between freshwater and seawater, a type of mackerel thrives; it can only be found here.

They migrate upstream during the jacaranda blooming season along the banks of the Liehe River, their green backs contrasting beautifully with the blue petals floating on the river, hence their name.

The meat is firm and delicious, without the fishy smell of freshwater fish, and has few bones, making it quite popular among locals.

Mingchen is here on a business trip, so naturally he wants to enjoy the local delicacies.

However, the chef here uses a rather simple method, employing the simplest cooking techniques with the finest ingredients.

Mingchen didn't like it very much, so he made some adjustments.

It seems to be working well now.

This old shopkeeper was the first decent person he had met in this city. They had gotten along well over the past three days, and Mingchen was in a good mood and was generous in giving him a stroke of good fortune.

"Um, sir, please allow me to take a note."

This guest... is truly a peculiar person.

He was clearly a penniless man, but when he took action, he was ruthless, vicious, and decisive.

He appears to be a noble young master from an extraordinary family, but he can sing songs and cook, doing things that wealthy people would never do.

The guests in the lobby were drinking and eating, unaware that the person they were discussing had prepared a fragrant dish.

What an opportunity!
This is a stroke of luck!
The old man had a vague feeling that he had received help from this young man.

His restaurant might one day become the number one in Bailing City!

I'm old, and it shouldn't be the age for me to compete anymore, but now my ambition has been stirred up for no reason.

At this moment, he was extremely grateful that he had taken the initiative to talk to Mingchen earlier and established a connection.

"Haha, don't worry, don't worry!"

"Don't start writing yet, let's start eating first!"

Mingchen handed two pairs of chopsticks to the child and Long Lian, and said with a smile, "Shopkeeper, they won't taste good if they get cold."

Even the little bird, which doesn't particularly like eating meat, fluttered its wings and landed on Mingchen's hand, taking a piece of meat from him.

However, he then spat it out.

Hmm, it doesn't taste good!
"I will let you know after we finish eating."

Hearing this, the old man was finally relieved and sat down next to Mingchen to eat with him.

"Delicious...it's so delicious!"

"Sir, you are truly a genius!"

The old man's lips were red from the spiciness, but he still kept praising Mingchen.

His imagination runs wild, and he's bold and reckless... that's why he's able to come up with these unique things.

Mingchen shrugged: "You flatter me, shopkeeper. If you want to add this dish in the future, you will need to adjust the spiciness according to the customers' requests."

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much!"

"Sir, I have no way to repay your kindness in providing these dishes. I'll cover all your expenses in Bailing City these past few days!"

"You can stay in this restaurant as long as you like!"

Upon hearing this, Mingchen seemed to have thought of something and couldn't help but smile at him, "Then if I go to that Da Gui Men restaurant, will the manager cover the bill?"

"Forehead……"

The old man paused upon hearing this, his hand holding the chopsticks stopped eating.

Gambling is completely prohibited in Beilie.

Qian Yuan does not prohibit it, but it does strictly regulate and regulate the industry. Opening a casino requires strict government review.

However, the Jinglan Alliance was completely different; after arriving here, they opened up the gambling industry entirely.

Well, the Jinglan Alliance is an extremely loosely organized regime with broad management and laws, and there aren't many things that are truly prohibited.

The Grand Noble Gate is the largest casino in the Jinglan Alliance.

Some people become rich overnight here, while others lose everything overnight.

The Jinglan Alliance has no curfew yet, and day and night, the sounds of dice rolling, coins clattering, and the eager anticipation of the frenzied crowd can often be heard here.

The people here are either blinded by madness or empty of having lost everything.

Upon hearing Mingchen mention this name, the old shopkeeper couldn't help but shudder and chuckled awkwardly, "Sir, this...you're going to Da Gui Men?"

There was once a wealthy family in Bailing City, but because their son and grandson were addicted to gambling, they squandered their ancestral fortune.

Waiving a few days' food and drink expenses is no problem, but the old man doesn't have that kind of wealth to support Mingchen's gambling spree.

Mingchen smiled and said, "I just met a friend, and she asked me to meet her there."

"Hahaha~"

Seeing the old man's troubled expression, Mingchen waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, shopkeeper, I'm not ungrateful."

It was just a joke.

"Forehead……"

The old man chuckled dryly.

Looking at Mingchen, he said as if giving him a piece of advice, "Sir, I know you are no ordinary person. But gambling is not the right path. Don't ruin your future."

He genuinely cares about this special young man.

Humans are fragile. No matter how talented or gifted someone is, a slight misstep can lead to a bottomless abyss.

"Thank you, thank you~"

……

"Kui Xian, Da Gui Men, Jing Lan Alliance..."

Three days is enough time to forget someone you have no connection with.

Mingchen changed his clothes and walked down the street, but no one recognized him as the singer who had become quite famous in the past few days.

He looked around at the scenery, his eyes sparkling, and murmured softly.

Casinos are not a good environment and can easily corrupt children.

Therefore, Mingchen did not bring the child, and Long Lian also stayed in the restaurant.

The reason the shopkeeper and I had a good relationship was because the shopkeeper was very open and honest with me.

He could get answers to anything Mingchen asked him.

He had gained a general understanding of the local situation.

A broad legal system inevitably leads to a lot of chaos in the city, especially in the most ordinary and grassroots environments.

Aside from minor crimes such as fighting, theft, and deception.

Underground gangs have also developed here.

There will always be people who want to bully the weak, and there will always be people who are lazy and unwilling to work.

Therefore, the lack of regulation will always give rise to these people who operate in the gray area, stealing rules that the government does not use and turning them into their own rules to seize profits.

After the Jinglan Alliance took over, the city developed rapidly, but some gangs also emerged along with it.

Among them, three gangs are the most famous: Qingling Society, Salt Gang, and Zhuyou Gang.

The Qingling Association is a gathering of fishermen who plan their territory along the coast.

As the name suggests, the Salt Gang was a gathering of people who sold smuggled salt.

The last one is the Zhu You Gang, which we've been hearing about a lot these past few days. The name doesn't have any particular meaning; it's just because its founder was named Zhu You, a Bei Lie person.

Compared to the previous two gangs, this gang has been established the longest, is the largest in scale, and is also the most dangerous.

What they were after was not petty things like collecting protection money, selling smuggled salt, or seizing territory.

They are a group of terrorists who are trying to unite and overthrow the rule of the Jinglan Alliance.

This place is unique in its location, being a place where three major cultures converge: Beilie, Qianyuan, and the archipelago.

These cultural differences are to be expected. Such conflicts will exist regardless of who rules here.

Even though the Jinglan Alliance advocates equality and doesn't give the islanders any special privileges, their fundamental class advantage as victors and rulers remains indelible.

In the process of cultural exchange, the idea that those who are not of our kind must have different hearts can never be eliminated.

And so the Zhu You Gang naturally came into being.

Its founder was a Northern Martyr, and initially, it was also a group of Northern Martyrs who gathered together.

Compared to the Qian Yuan dynasty, the Bei Lie dynasty's ideological and cultural control was clearly much stronger and more stringent.

Later, as the gang's power continued to expand, it gradually absorbed some Qian Yuan people, and even island people... becoming a force that Bai Ling City and even the surrounding cities could not ignore.

Although gangs cannot directly confront the army, they can cause chaos from time to time.

For example, the assassination attempt on Sendai three days ago.

This is not the first time; it has happened several times before, eliminating many high-ranking officials of the Jinglan Alliance.

The alliance leader was furious and declared that anyone who captured members of the Zhu You Gang would have their entire family executed.

Many things cannot be fully understood by listening from afar or by looking at intelligence reports.

For example, the details we're encountering now, the cityscape... Ji Qu, who is thousands of miles away, could never have guessed.

Looking back now, everything is gradually becoming clearer.

And he... was also prepared to meet this long-time confidant, the brilliant, blessed by the sea... the Alliance Leader!
Under the blazing sun, a person and a bird unknowingly arrived in front of a gate.

A bountiful harvest of gold and silver depends on luck; wealth and prosperity come by chance.

The calligraphy, written in a bold and elegant style, adorns both sides of the doorposts, while the three gilded characters "Da Gui Men" on the door plaque gleam brightly.

Casinos tell people that wealth and fortune can be obtained here, using beautiful illusions to lure people into an abyss of no return.

But they never tell others that opportunities and risks go hand in hand.

Few attain wealth and status; countless families are destroyed and people die.

That day on the Ascension Platform, I listened to the ethereal Kui Immortal singing a dreamlike melody.

How could anyone have guessed that this person would invite others to such a place, where the evil of human nature is displayed to its fullest extent?

Mingchen walked towards the door, but inside the noble gate, a person was pushed out: "What are you gambling for if you have no money?"

They passed each other by Mingchen's figure.

He was somewhat dazed. Seeing the bright, blazing sun overhead, he felt a stinging pain in his eyes. He reached up and touched his face, murmuring softly, "The sunlight is so blinding..."

It wasn't just the harsh sunlight, or some other reason.

This dignified seven-foot-tall man actually shed tears and cried involuntarily.

His face was filled with sorrow as he looked up, wailing, "Waaah... I regret it so much... I regret it so much!"

"My life is so miserable~"

Suddenly, he turned around and grabbed Mingchen's sleeve: "Brother, I don't care that you have an extraordinary demeanor and must be a young master from a noble family. Could you lend me a tael of silver? I only need a tael, just a tael!"

His eyes were glistening with tears, filled with piety and supplication, like a pitiful person who had fallen from grace and longed for salvation.

"I regret it, I know I was wrong!"

"To be honest, I was tricked into coming here and was swindled out of all my wealth."

"My elderly mother is seriously ill and is waiting for medicine!"

"But now I'm penniless! Brother, please help me, please help me!"

"You lend me this tael of silver, and I'll repay you a thousand taels later!"

"Please, save my life!"

He grasped at this straw as if it were a lifeline, hoping that Mingchen would help him build a seven-story pagoda.

"When you were gambling inside, did you ever think about your elderly mother at home?"

Mingchen glanced at him and asked with a smile, "You don't even have money to buy medicine, how can you repay me a thousand taels? What are you going to do to repay me a thousand taels? And when is 'later'?"

One tael of silver is worth a hundred or eighty dollars, yet he casually uttered it to someone!
"You can't possibly go back to gambling and come back to pay me back, can you?"

As Mingchen spoke to him, it seemed that a prying gaze also emanated from inside the Da Gui Men.

"This……"

"Brother, I know I was wrong! Please help me..."

The gambler paused, unable to find answers to any of his questions.

She just shook her head, tears welling in her eyes, and didn't answer anything, only pleading with Mingchen.

Gambling addicts are dogs, not people. They are a species that has lost its human identity. Their spines have been broken. They have forgotten all the dignity and integrity of being human. They only think about winning and hoping to turn things around one day... even though they have already fallen into the abyss.

You can't believe a single word a gambler says.

Once you give him money, let alone an ounce of silver, even if it's just a copper coin, he'll go back inside to gamble in the blink of an eye.

Mingchen wouldn't help ordinary, unrelated people, let alone someone who had designs on him.

He shook his head, said nothing, and simply walked towards the door.

"you!"

Seeing that Mingchen had no intention of helping him.

In the blink of an eye, the gambler's expression changed again.

The person who had just been pitiful, confessing and begging for help, now had wide eyes and a face full of anger.

It was as if not helping him would be a heinous crime.

He glared angrily at Mingchen's retreating figure: "You heartless wretch, you left me to die without a second thought! You'll get what's coming to you, you'll die a horrible death! I curse you!"

Therefore, casinos are places where the ugliest aspects of human nature converge.

There aren't many things Mingchen completely hates, but casinos are one of them.

Deception, scheming, arrogance, madness...

This is a dumping ground for humanity; there will never be gratitude, kindness, or even the slightest glimmer of human goodness.

There were only rabid stray dogs that destroyed their entire families.

next moment,
"Snapped!"

A flash of light appeared before my eyes, incredibly fast.

The powerful blow to the face knocked the gambler, who was spitting and cursing, to the ground.

He was hit so hard that he fell to the ground, his vision went white, and he was surrounded by a series of swirls.

He covered his face, sobbing, yet gritted his teeth in resentment.

I hate this heaven and earth, I hate this fate.

He was unlucky; everything seemed to be working against him.

If he ever becomes successful, he will definitely make that person pay!

Some people are destined to have no future, so there's no need to eliminate them completely.

He scrambled to his feet, disheveled and with slap marks and tear stains still wet on his face. Staggering, his eyes were full of pleading and fervent as he looked at the other man: "Brother..."

This is something that often happens at the entrance of casinos.

The two burly guards at the entrance seemed unfazed by the sight.

Seeing that Mingchen acted decisively and had an extraordinary demeanor, it was clear that he was a person of importance.

He nodded to him quite respectfully.

"Big! Big! Big! Win!"

"Hahaha! A leopard! We've struck it rich!"

"I want a small one! I want a small one!"

"I'll place another bet! I'm betting on small!"

"No, no, no... One more round! Just one more time!"

……

Stepping through the door felt like entering another world.

A wave of noise surged in, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

People gathered in small groups around the table, their faces filled with madness.

They saw nothing else but money and the dice.

The dice collided repeatedly in the cup, as if striking their hearts.

When Bao Guan stopped, everyone's hearts were gripped with apprehension.

When everything settles down, one may ascend to the clouds or fall into the underworld.

Those who reach the clouds consider themselves immortals or gods, and the immortals and gods will naturally continue.

Even if they win money and leave, it doesn't matter; the dog will always smell the scent and come back.

Madness is the harbinger of destruction.

One day, they will fall into the underworld, and once inside... they will never be able to get out again.

"Tsk, seeing is believing!"

Mingchen entered the room but didn't go to any of the gambling tables. He just glanced at them briefly and sighed.

This was his first time entering a casino, both in his past and present lives.

With his current status, he can freely take money from other people's pockets, however he wants.

There's no need to go through such troublesome steps.

This era has cultivators, people with special powers and novel supernatural abilities.

They come here for no different reason than to buy goods and get money.

Under such conditions, it's a miracle that this casino, which has grown so large, hasn't been exploited to the point of being ripped off.

The monk was so poor; we should have suggested he come here for a visit long ago.

Mingchen twirled a copper coin in his hand and chuckled, "Back then, Chen Daozai won 37 million with 20 dollars. Today, I, Mingchen, can beat two of my companions with just one copper coin. No problem!"

His gaze swept over the people indulging in desires, and finally settled on a figure.

"Little little!"

I bet on small!

"Open it for me now!"

The woman had her hair in a ponytail and wore coarse cloth clothes. She stood on a stool with one foot. She was not particularly pretty and looked quite ordinary. There were some dark spots on her face, but her eyes were bright and she was staring intently at the gambling table in front of her.

He shouted loudly, his voice hoarse.

He appeared to be no different from other gamblers.

She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that someone at the door was watching her.

No wonder, who could associate such a woman with the immortal Kui who ascended to heaven?

Who could possibly connect her with that supreme, elusive, and blessed beauty who led the alliance?

(End of this chapter)