Chapter 280 - 237: Want Me to Make an Appearance? That’ll Cost Extra

Chapter 280: Chapter 237: Want Me to Make an Appearance? That’ll Cost Extra

The Thirteen Thieves of the Desert Sea were a well-known power.

Back in the day, the Horse Gang and the Boat Gang had both tried to recruit them, each wanting to bring them under their control.

But the Thirteen Thieves were tough. They fought guerrilla-style—advancing and retreating at will, constantly maneuvering, but never submitting.

Now, they had come to stir up trouble, and rumors were flying all over the Outer City.

Black Water Gang Headquarters

Shui Qianjun: "Do the Thirteen Thieves have a death wish?"

Vice Gang Leader Zhao: "It’s just the young ones below acting up."

The Sixth Young Master’s little tricks couldn’t fool the two of them.

The candidates were rivals, after all.

It would be strange if there wasn’t any friction.

"Is Tang Wen still at Jile Tower?"

"I’m afraid so."

"It’s been half a month, hasn’t it?"

Vice Gang Leader Zhao nodded. ’That’s right. He went up to Jile Tower and hasn’t been seen since. He didn’t even think to invite me up for a visit.’

A young man must abstain from lust to achieve greatness.

Vice Gang Leader Zhao: "Perhaps I should go and remind him?"

"No need! It’s a phase everyone has to go through."

Tang Wen’s foundation was solid. Even if he indulged in pleasure for a few years, he could still reach the Sixth Grade before he turned thirty.

"In that case, the kid is probably going to be embarrassed this time!"

At the Sixth Young Master’s Mansion.

As an avid fan of setting up betting pools, he had opened the betting.

The leader of the Thirteen Thieves of the Desert Sea had challenged Tang Wen—a perfect day to start a pool.

The terms were a ten-move limit.

[Tang Wen defeated in one move: Bet 10 to win 1]

Bettors streamed in endlessly. This was the second most popular wager.

A considerable number of people believed Tang Wen couldn’t even take a single move.

[Tang Wen defeated in three moves: Bet 5 to win 1]

This was the most popular wager.

Clearly, most people felt that Tang Wen, the top genius who had just entered the Extraordinary realm, had some skill, but not much.

At most, he would be on his knees after three moves.

[A full ten-move exchange: Bet 1 to win 20]

The rule of the duel was that if Tang Wen could withstand ten moves, he would win.

But no one thought he could win.

"Third Elder of the Horse Gang, arriving!"

"Vice President Zhou of the Commerce Association, arriving!"

"From Spring Breeze Pavilion, the Courtesan, Lady Feng, arriving..."

One by one, all the figures who loved a good spectacle made their appearance.

When Feng San Niang arrived, the Sixth Young Master personally welcomed her. "Lady Feng, you’ve come to grace us with your presence! My humble home is honored!"

"Sixth Young Master, aren’t you afraid of losing money by opening such a betting pool?"

"Hah! You’re telling me! My original intention was to build up some momentum for our Seventh Young Master, but who would’ve thought everyone would be so clear-headed? No one’s willing to take a risk with their bets. Care to place a wager yourself?"

Though his mouth was moving, his eyes and his full attention were captivated by Feng San Niang’s beauty and figure.

Although Feng San Niang was from the world of courtesans, she carried none of its vulgar air.

She wore a cyan waist-high ruqun skirt and a white cross-collared blouse. The garment cinched tightly at her waist before accentuating her voluptuous curves below.

Her peach blossom eyes were naturally amorous; any casual glance seemed like a deliberate attempt at seduction.

’This woman is really something else!’

The Sixth Young Master was sorely tempted, but he didn’t dare show the slightest disrespect.

Feng San Niang was not only a Sixth-Grade Master but also the proprietor of the Spring Breeze Once Pavilion. The Spring Breeze Pavilion was an enterprise of the Ganshan City Commerce Association.

In other words, she was a high-ranking member of the Commerce Association.

Her status was equivalent to that of a vice president.

Arriving before the betting board, Feng San Niang said casually, "In that case, I’ll play along. I’ll bet five thousand taels of gold."

The Sixth Young Master’s smile froze on his face before he even had a chance to be happy. Five thousand taels of gold.

Five thousand taels... even at odds of 5 to 1, the payout would be one thousand taels of gold.

One thousand taels of gold, converted into grain—even with today’s soaring food prices—would be enough to feed a small faction for a year, with meat every day.

The Sixth Young Master cursed inwardly: ’This was supposed to build momentum and suppress Tang Wen’s prestige.’

’Are these people treating me like a damn ATM?!’

’And you call yourselves Sixth-Grade Masters? So shameless, every last one of you.’

Feng San Niang glanced at him. "I’m betting on Tang Wen to win."

"What?" The Sixth Young Master dug a finger in his ear.

"What’s the matter? Can’t the Sixth Young Master take the bet?" Feng San Niang said calmly.

"So Lady Feng is here to give me money! Of course I’ll take the bet. Of course."

Regardless of her motives, the Sixth Young Master gave a look, and someone immediately came forward to draw up a written receipt, collect the gold notes, and verify their authenticity.

As it happened, a Direct Disciple from the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall had not yet left.

He was pulled over to act as a witness.

Five thousand taels of gold. It was the largest single bet of this pool—no, the largest single bet in the history of all his betting pools.

After all, it wasn’t as if he ran a professional casino.

Once the receipt was written, Feng San Niang didn’t linger.

The Sixth Young Master watched her graceful figure retreat, completely bewildered. ’Could this woman be into me? Is she worried I’ll lose too much, so she’s deliberately come to give me money?’

’There’s no other explanation.’

’Could it be that she really thinks Tang Wen can win?’

’What a joke!’

’It’s not a contest of seducing women!’

’What the hell is this woman up to?’

After a moment’s thought, the Sixth Young Master ordered, "Spread the word. Say that Feng San Niang placed a huge bet on Tang Wen to win."

Salacious gossip spreads the fastest.

In Ganshan City, anything involving the name of Feng San Niang, the number one Courtesan...

...became salacious, whether it was or not.

When Liang Yu found out, she investigated the matter from start to finish and hurried to see Tang Wen.

Tang Wen, clad in full Heavy Armor, was performing Sword Practice inside the Gravity Chamber.

[Wind-breaking Blade, Expert (6000/6000)]

Above Expert Level is Grandmaster.

A Grandmaster Level Cultivation Technique would inevitably bring about a qualitative transformation.

After listening to Liang Yu, his brow furrowed slightly. "The Thirteen Thieves are challenging me... it seems that damn Sixth Young Master is pulling strings from behind. But what does it mean that Feng San Niang bet on me to win?"

Liang Yu pursed her lips. "If you ask me, she’s an old cow trying to eat young grass. Coming from a brothel, she’s so improper."

This was just sour grapes. It was true that Feng San Niang came from a brothel.

But she had shown astonishing Talent in Martial Arts from a young age and had never once entertained a client; she had spent all her time on Martial Arts Training.

It was just that, having grown up in a brothel, her disposition was a bit unconventional.

"The Thirteen Thieves have come at a bad time. My closed-door training these past two days has reached a critical moment."