Chapter 60: Temptation into Crime!

“All right, Old Zhao, you’re not a young man anymore, yet your temper is still so volatile. You really ought to change that.” Xiao Yang glanced at him and spoke in a calm, detached voice.

Zhao Wude immediately became as meek as a child, nodding and bowing repeatedly. “Young Master Xiao is right. I’ll certainly mend my ways from now on.”

Seeing Zhao Wude’s complete transformation, everyone was dumbfounded. Even Hao Wenlong wore a look of utter confusion.

He knew Zhao Wude well—the man was known as the most ruthless killer in North Desert City. The number of people who’d died by his hand wasn’t less than fifty or sixty thousand, if not a hundred thousand. For someone like him to bow and scrape before a young man—this was like something out of a dream.

“Let’s go, Wenlong,” Xiao Yang said. Since they were being denied entry, and he wasn’t one to force things, he prepared to leave with Hao Wenlong.

Just then, a figure rushed down from the upper floor. “Distinguished guests, please wait! Wu Yueteng has already been dismissed from our Ten Thousand Treasures Hall. He is no longer one of us, and everything that just happened was solely his doing.”

The man shouted as he ran.

Xiao Yang was momentarily taken aback, reminded of an occupation from his previous life. “So he was just a temp worker!”

“You mean he’s a temp?” Xiao Yang looked at the newcomer with a strange expression.

The man paused briefly, then quickly caught on. Temp worker—what an apt metaphor.

“You have keen insight, young master. He truly was just a temp. I’m deeply ashamed that a temp would dare offend you,” the middle-aged man said respectfully. “Moreover, all your purchases today will be offered at a five percent discount.”

Hearing a deal was on the table, Xiao Yang felt a flicker of interest. He pondered for a moment, considering if he could bargain for an even better price.

“Ninety percent,” he countered.

The middle-aged man hesitated. While there was still profit at ninety percent, it was considerably less. After some thought, he agreed. After all, how much could one person buy? Maybe ten items at most.

Being someone who could make Zhao Wude yield—there was probably only one such person. Not even the city lord could inspire such deference from Zhao Wude.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xue Yong decided that gaining favor with Xiao Yang for a ten percent discount was well worth it. “Very well!” he agreed readily.

But Xiao Yang immediately regretted it. “Damn, I was too hasty! I could have bargained for an even better deal.” Yet, since he’d already stated his price and the other had agreed, it would be unreasonable to go back on his word.

He could only suppress his desire for an even better bargain.

“I am the master of Ten Thousand Treasures Hall. I’ve already prepared a private room for you both. Why don’t we go inside to talk?” Zhao Wude looked directly at Xiao Yang.

This scene made Xue Yong’s heart pound with anxiety. Even such a trivial matter was now beyond his authority—just how much did this killer fear the young man?

Still, though full of curiosity, he didn’t dare ask. If he said the wrong thing, he’d probably be killed on the spot.

“That’s fine, let’s talk inside,” Xiao Yang said at last, and the three made their way into the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall.

As their figures disappeared from view, an uproar broke out at the entrance.

“Who is that young man who could make the Killer bow his head?”

“Heavens, I must be going mad!”

“To have Zhao Wude and Xue Yong following him—this young man is terrifying.”

Exclamations of shock rippled through the crowd. Everyone’s faces had gone numb; they no longer knew what expression to wear.

At that moment, a land dragon beast, over thirty feet long, pulled a carriage up to the entrance. When the crowd saw the carriage, they instinctively made way.

“The City Lord is here.”

At once, four or five attendants hurried to receive him. Jin Buhuan stepped down from the carriage, his face tinged with anxiety as he hurried into the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall.

Earlier that day, his own chef had nearly driven him to fury. Jin Buhuan had been craving a special delicacy, and upon returning home, summoned the head chef several times, asking, “Can you make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?”

The chef assured him he could, so Jin Buhuan waited.

An hour later, the chef served him a pot of random stew.

If he hadn’t mellowed out over the years and lost his taste for killing, he would have had the chef torn apart then and there.

It was for this reason that he hadn’t even managed to eat breakfast.

After venting his anger, he suddenly remembered his appointment with Xiao Yang and rushed over in a panic.

“City Lord!” Hao Wenlong happened to step out just then.

“Wenlong!” Jin Buhuan strode over quickly. “What are you doing here? Where is Young Master Xiao?”

“Master Xiao had me wait here for you, in case you couldn’t find us,” Hao Wenlong replied with a smile.

After entering, Xiao Yang had decided to wait for Jin Buhuan. But since the two people with him had special status, the task fell to Hao Wenlong. Xiao Yang had already followed the other two into the private room.

“Hurry, take me to him—I must apologize!”

“Yes, City Lord!” Hao Wenlong didn’t dare delay and led the way.

But Jin Buhuan’s face grew a little strange. The private room they were heading to wasn’t one of the best, just an ordinary one for regular guests—slightly better than the main hall, but not by much.

“Wenlong, why are we going to this sort of room? Didn’t you tell Xue Yong that Young Master Xiao is my honored guest?” His displeasure was obvious.

His treasured guest being assigned a small room—this was a clear affront to his status as city lord.

Hao Wenlong forced a wry smile. “City Lord, I told him. In fact, Lord Xue was prepared to give Young Master Xiao a top-tier room. But he refused—insisted on this more modest room.”

“Oh.” Jin Buhuan’s expression softened. Since it was Xiao Yang’s choice, he had no further complaint.

Still, he was curious: why choose such a humble room?

Of course, he couldn’t have guessed that Xiao Yang’s true motive was to make a fortune. Only small-time merchants with modest means used these rooms. He planned to bid on some items there, preferably ones that others urgently needed. When the major powers learned their rival was in a lowly private room, they would likely have some unsavory ideas.

At that point—well, he could make a killing.

“Yes, I’m tempting everyone to commit a crime,” he thought with an inward laugh.

A knock sounded at the door. Xiao Yang was munching on sunflower seeds as he glanced at Zhao Wude, who instantly took the hint and hurried to open the door.

The attendants nearby were stunned. They’d all heard of Zhao Wude, the notorious killer who slaughtered without blinking. Yet the man before them behaved in a way completely at odds with his reputation. Had they not known his identity, they’d have thought him a kindly old grandfather.

As the door opened, both parties inside and out paused in surprise. Jin Buhuan shot a questioning glance at Hao Wenlong, while Zhao Wude was equally shocked to see the city lord arrive without warning.

“Please, City Lord, come in,” Zhao Wude responded quickly. He also realized now that Hao Wenlong was from the City Lord’s mansion and had begun following Xiao Yang, clearly hoping to curry favor. At this moment, the city lord was just like him—eager to ingratiate himself, believing that doing so would ensure a bright future.

“Old Zhao, what are you doing here?”

“I ran into Young Master Xiao and we’re sharing a room,” Zhao Wude replied casually as they walked, speaking in hushed tones.

Of course, Jin Buhuan didn’t believe a word of it. As the head of the Zhao family, why would Zhao Wude ever need to share a private room with anyone? The very idea was preposterous.