Chapter 190 - 152: Terminal Procrastinator

So, he had come to feel things out!

The numerous alluring men and women soliciting customers along the sides of Joy Street couldn’t help but have their eyes light up when they saw Chu Bamboo. They could hardly believe that someone like him would actually come to a place like this... After all, with his looks and aura, he could probably go to any bar and effortlessly pick up a whole crowd of people...

In their excitement, they even let out a series of sharp squawks.

"Come on and have some fun, handsome!"

"Sir, if you come with us... we’ll give you a discount!"

"Sir... looking for a gigolo?"

"?" The first few offers were one thing, but that last word, "gigolo," almost made Chu Bamboo lose his composure. His face turned ice-cold as he shot a vicious glare back at the last person who spoke.

After a moment of grim-faced thought, Chu Bamboo’s posture was no longer casual. He straightened his back, his expression turning severe, and his entire aura changed in an instant.

He continued walking forward... and immediately, the number of people trying to solicit him plummeted...

Even the alluring men and women on both sides of the street now sounded less confident as they solicited other customers. They kept glancing over at Chu Bamboo, their eyes filled with apprehension and suspicion. ’Could he be some big shot?’ They worried that if they called out and offended him, it might trigger another harsh crackdown.

Finally.

Chu Bamboo turned into an alley.

After a moment’s thought, he pulled a fox mask from his coat and put it on. Then, looking straight ahead, he walked past one decadent brothel after another until he reached another street.

This place was just as bustling, a world of hedonism and wealth, with people in fine clothes coming and going. But there wasn’t much of the squawking from before...

Countless people walked side by side, their faces flushed with excitement as they shouted loudly. Their discussions were all about how much they’d won today, which casino was playing dirty, or who had struck it rich at which gambling den.

That’s right, this was the casino street, nestled right next to Joy Street.

Chu Bamboo’s gaze shifted, and in a few steps, he arrived at a mid-sized casino. He glanced up at the sign: ’Prosperity and Wealth’.

Smiling silently to himself, Chu Bamboo walked inside and said to a staff member, "I’m looking for Yang Keshe."

"...!" The scantily clad staff member froze for a second, then looked at Chu Bamboo with a mix of shock and uncertainty. "Y-You, may I ask... do you have an appointment with Boss Yang?"

"Just mention to him that I’m the new overseer. That’ll be enough," Chu Bamboo said, his expression lazy. Since his face was hidden behind a mask, there was no need to put on an act by keeping a stern expression.

The staff member hesitated for a long moment before finally nodding. She whispered something to another attendant beside her and then stepped out from behind the counter.

Normally, she wouldn’t have paid any mind to a random guest who walked in off the street...

But Chu Bamboo’s aura was simply too extraordinary... Even with the mask, he stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens. So, just to be safe, she decided to announce him.

「Three minutes later.」

Accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps, a group of men in black suits rushed out.

The casino fell silent for a moment as everyone watched these casino guards respectfully form two solemn and dignified lines.

A portly man, walking briskly down the center of the two lines of black-clad guards, rushed out. When he saw Chu Bamboo, his pupils contracted. ’That’s right... it’s him! It’s this man.’

Compared to before, he was wearing the exact same mask, and even his build was identical...

All the gamblers, except for those whose game results were imminent, turned their gazes over, scrutinizing both parties. They held their breath...

They had a feeling something was about to happen—something that would give them plenty to talk about for days to come.

"Lao Wu, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?" Chu Bamboo said with a beaming smile. ’Yang Keshe, what a pleasant-sounding name. Who would have thought that the person it represents... is a core disciple of the All-Powerful Lineage?’

Yang Keshe’s expression stiffened, and he forcefully suppressed the urge to look around... There were just too many people. Even if he wanted to silence them all, he couldn’t! In fact, any big move would only arouse more suspicion.

He secretly gritted his teeth, cursing inwardly. ’Is that a name you can just say out loud at a time like this? Even if you are the new overseer, you... Fine, I’ll just have to accept it! What else can I do?’

Taking a deep breath, Yang Keshe forced a smile and made an inviting gesture. "My new lord, if you would please step this way?"

Chu Bamboo gave him a deep look, then walked right past him without a word.

As the black-clad guards dispersed, the room fell quiet for a moment before erupting into a cacophony of noise.

"Wait... that’s it? I thought a fight was going to break out!" a bloodthirsty onlooker said, his face etched with disappointment.

"It’s to be expected. Boss Yang has ties to the underworld!" another gambler muttered under his breath. "Don’t be fooled by the size of this casino. I’ve heard that even the Golden House, the biggest place on this street, wouldn’t dare to cross Boss Yang!"

"Yeah, yeah!" another know-it-all chimed in, speaking in a conspiratorial whisper. "You guys know Brother Long from Changyang Street, right? I heard he came here to collect protection money... and within three days, the Changyang Street gang was completely wiped out... Tsk tsk, and Brother Long became Little Long. To this day, no one knows if he’s dead or if he was chopped to pieces."

"I heard about that too," another person said. "But the rumor I heard is that Brother Long didn’t just become Little Long... he was subjected to some extremely cruel methods and became Long Mei... Now, he’s the new top star at the Human-Demon Workshop over on Joy Street."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd fell silent for a moment. Some people looked like they understood, some felt their eyes twitch, and others were so shocked and scared that their limbs trembled. But there were also a few who subconsciously licked their lips and reached down to grope themselves.

"..."

"But that doesn’t add up," a listener realized, sucking in a sharp breath. "If Boss Yang is that powerful, then why was he so respectful to that guy... Who the hell is that masked man?"

At this, everyone in the crowd went quiet, lost in deep thought. Especially when they considered that the man’s aura was so powerful, even with a mask on...

HISS! Someone was even starting to wonder—’Could it be that under that mask is a major figure from the government?’

Meanwhile, a degenerate gambler who had lost his mind was fantasizing, "If I had that masked man’s status and could earn that kind of respect from Boss Yang... then maybe Boss Yang would help me pay off the twelve thousand Qian Coins I owe!"

...

「Meanwhile.」

Chu Bamboo walked ahead of Yang Keshe the entire time, his posture relaxed, as if it were only natural to affirm that his own status was higher than Yang Keshe’s.

"..." Yang Keshe’s eye twitched. ’The most ridiculous thing right now,’ he thought, ’is that I’ve clearly never met Chu Bamboo before, yet somehow he’s absurdly familiar with the casino’s layout.’

After that last All-Powerful Mass ended, he had gone back and the more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong. It was full of suspicious points. He had even packed his bags for a few days, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

But the problem was, several days had passed without any incident, so he had gradually let his guard down...

And then, the lingering nightmare from that Mass came knocking on his door.

Chu Bamboo casually opened the door to a reception room. ’If I remember correctly,’ he thought, ’this should be the room Yang Keshe uses most often for his meetings!’

Just as Chu Bamboo stepped inside, he paused for a fraction of a second before continuing in as if nothing was wrong. But inside, his mind was reeling...

Because he had discovered that someone was already in the room...

And it was someone Chu Bamboo knew!

Although the man was in disguise—he had stuck on a large beard, was wearing sunglasses, and had dyed his hair completely white... His clothes had also been swapped from their usual solemn and dignified style to the gaudy fashion of a casino! He looked just like a veteran degenerate gambler... but it still wasn’t enough to fool Chu Bamboo—

This person was none other than Captain Qi Heng!

Chu Bamboo’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He boldly sat down on the sofa, appearing casual and at ease, even crossing his legs. But his mind was racing...

’According to Li Kang, wasn’t this guy placed under house arrest by headquarters?’

’So... has he been released? No, if he’d been released, Qi Heng wouldn’t need this kind of disguise...’

’Which means he escaped?! Then why didn’t Li Kang say anything about it?’