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"Quick, quick... business is coming, business is coming... Eight Days Inn, at the top of Zhengmin Road..."
Big Gourd shouted as Erhu Lu answered the phone. Xiao Mu drove a battered Santana, with a beautiful woman in the backseat applying lipstick. Big Gourd impatiently said, "Red Sister, stop primping. If someone takes a liking to you and wants to have a go, that’ll take too much time!"
"Impossible! The girls on the street are all sixteen or seventeen, who would look at Red Sister, who's old enough to be a mother?" Erhu Lu replied.
The working girl Red Sister was furious. She snapped the cap of her lipstick shut and cursed, "Erhu Lu, you think you can talk like that? If it weren't for you inviting me, I wouldn't even be here."
"Of course, of course! Sis, you're my own sister; let's not create internal conflicts, okay?" Big Gourd quickly tried to placate the woman.
But Erhu Lu caught a strong smell and tilted his head back to avoid it. "Oh man, I had those dumplings with garlic again tonight; this smell is overwhelming."
"Erhu Lu, I’m not done with you yet! Do you believe I won’t deal with you right now?" Red Sister said from the back of the car and lunged at Erhu Lu. Big Gourd saw this and decided not to intervene; it was clear no one would be interested in her anyway—not even those with peculiar tastes.
Xiao Mu laughed lightly as he sped into the parking lot. The three of them got out, and Small Gourd and Big Gourd led Red Sister straight to the chain hotel. They waited for a while at the elevator entrance until some guests arrived; they followed them up to their floor... Unfortunately, the elevator required a key card. They had to take the stairs from the emergency exit for one floor before reaching the ninth floor.
On the ninth floor in one of the rooms, a man who had just finished showering was holding a small card, mumbling about wanting an encounter filled with romance. He was looking at the card featuring the Fate Network logo and photos of pure-looking girls in enticing outfits. The call had just connected—oh my god, he was about to meet the legendary Yangzhou Slim Horse! Why was he so excited?
For men seeking pleasure, the most thrilling moments aren’t those few minutes of rolling in bed but rather the prolonged self-indulgence leading up to it. His heart raced with anticipation—nervous yet excited—worried about what might happen next but also eager for it.
Ding dong... The doorbell rang, sounding so delightful and suggestive.
The man eagerly approached and opened the door. Two dark-skinned men stood there, smiling and bowing slightly. "Bro, we found you a girl; take a look."
Another added, "Not suitable? We'll take her away... Don't worry; our buddies will keep watch for you."
The man glanced over and saw a Long-Haired Woman standing against the wall, her head bowed as if shy. He waved his hand and said, "Come in."
Three Younger Brothers entered the room, and as soon as the door closed, the beauty finally lifted her head. Upon seeing her, the Lover let out a sharp scream. What the hell was that? She was no beauty at all; she looked older than anyone's mother, with a sallow complexion, yellow teeth, and noticeable bags under her eyes. She had clearly dressed up but looked like she was in her forties. His excitement and passion instantly turned into anger. "Get out, get out... I'm not doing this."
"Oh, so you don't fancy her, huh? Get out, get out; wait outside," Big Gourd said as he ushered Red Sister out. Red Sister huffed and left.
The man threw himself heavily onto the bed. Seeing that the two men were still there, he angrily remarked, "What the hell is this? She's like a skinny horse from Yangzhou, with a waist thicker than a donkey's."
Erhu Lu corrected him seriously, "You're exaggerating; compared to a horse, she is indeed on the thinner side."
"Just go away, I don't want it," the man said irritably.
At that moment, Erhu Lu smiled and bent slightly. "Big Brother, it's like this: if you don't want her, we won't force you... This really can't be forced."
"If you force me, I won't be able to perform anyway," the man retorted furiously.
"That's true; then let's not discuss this anymore. We can't take your service fee... But our Brothers can't come for free either; how about giving us some travel expenses? Just five hundred bucks," Erhu Lu extended his palm as business began.
"What? Five hundred? You think just because I’m not going to sleep with her I owe you five hundred?" The man was furious, blood rushing to his head as he shouted.
"Exactly! So how about this, Big Brother? Why don’t you just go ahead and sleep with her? You arranged it yourself; just grit your teeth and finish it. We'll wait for you; how does that sound?" Big Gourd provoked.
"I swear... Understood? You think you're going to trick me? You bring someone who looks like my mother; how am I supposed to perform?" The man's face was filled with rage as he sat up. Understood—this was just finding a lousy hooker; whether he did it or not, they were trying to scam him for money.
Small Gourd and Big Gourd fell silent. They rolled up their sleeves and adjusted their collars, tattoos covering their bodies and fierce expressions on their faces as they prepared to confront him. The man suddenly felt intimidated.
"Big Gourd said, 'Brother, it's just a little fare, not trying to rip you off. You didn't say you wouldn't do it.'"
"Erhu Lu pulled out his phone and said, 'Brother, why don't you call the police? I recorded what just happened. We can go to the station and sort this out. How can you make a brother run all this way without paying for the fare?'"
'Time is precious; let's get started,' Big Gourd urged.
'Hurry up, we need to get to the next place,' Erhu Lu pressed.
The man hesitated; he couldn't really go to the police, could he? But paying like this felt unfair. After some soft talk and haggling, he reluctantly handed over three hundred yuan to be let go. Big Gourd still wasn't satisfied and remarked, 'Don't act poor. If you have money to travel thousands of miles for fun, a few hundred yuan shouldn't be an issue for someone like you.'
Erhu Lu teased, 'Brother, how about we swap it out for you? This time no fare; we'll give you a free one.'
'Forget it... I'll take care of it myself. You guys go ahead...'
The man closed the door with tears in his eyes, feeling frustrated.
Small Gourd and Big Gourd happily went downstairs and got into the car. The sound of bills being counted echoed as they tucked them away. Xiao Mu started the car and casually asked, 'What time is it? Have we already started handing out cards?'
'I had that Plumber stuff them this afternoon,' Big Gourd replied.
'Don't just stuff them anywhere! One phone should cover two or three hotels. If a call from the west side goes to the east side, that's a hassle,' Xiao Mu said.
'Right, efficiency is key in this line of work,' Erhu Lu agreed wholeheartedly.
Big Gourd reminded them, 'Hey, Brother Chicken called us over. What should we do? Should we head there first?'
"Are you all familiar with him? Don't tell me everyone wants to get a piece of the action," Xiao Mu asked. In this area, all the chicken heads were referred to as Brother Chicken, and how many Brother Chickens there were, Xiao Mu couldn't quite figure out.
"Very familiar. We've fought with him before. He's been trying to get into Zhongbei Hotel but hasn't succeeded. I heard you helped Scarface the other day, so he came looking for you. If he could get into Zhongbei Hotel, he could make at least that much in a day," Big Gourd said excitedly, extending his hand as he spoke. He mentioned that Brother Chicken would also give them that amount.
Five thousand dollars. Xiao Mu nodded, "Alright."
The people in the car laughed. Red Sister finally realized that the driver was none other than the recently famous Young Master Mu. Overwhelmed with excitement, she expressed her feelings to Xiao Mu: "Young Master Mu, I have a few sisters who are struggling right now. How about I bring them along, and you help us find some work..."
...
...
"Is it really that simple?"
Ma Yubing, who knew the truth, was momentarily stunned. It seemed too easy.
It was said that Young Master Mu discovered the flaws after two days of pulling strings and then improved the operation method by organizing a team of old prostitutes and small-time thugs from the Cangji area who had no business left to do. They called themselves the Liuying Guerrilla Team.
Black Steel laughed so hard he could barely catch his breath and asked, "Can you really make that much?"
"I didn't believe it at first either. He calculated it for me: there are five hundred rooms in the smaller hotels and over a thousand in the larger ones. With one phone call covering three hotels and two thousand cards somehow getting in, even if there's just a one percent success rate, that's over twenty successful entries. Each of those could bring in anywhere from one or two hundred to three or five hundred dollars—potentially thousands. Plus, finding someone to stuff cards is cheap; two hundred a day is more than enough," Old Cripple explained.
Even more astonishing was that they used high-tech methods as well; they could do video calls on WeChat first. Of course, seeing something and actually going there were completely different matters; they just needed an excuse to knock on doors and ask for money.
"Damn, this is faster than robbery," Ma Yubing exclaimed in disbelief.
"Are you not afraid of getting into trouble?" Black Steel asked, immediately feeling the question was unnecessary. The place he was sitting on had seen its fair share of incidents every day, none smaller than this.
"How many tourists come here every day? Thousands get ripped off without anyone making a fuss... Besides, it's just a few hundred bucks. Who would dare to report such a thing? Even if they did, nothing would come of it. Prostitution and solicitation don't count, and extorting a few hundred bucks... Do you think they care more about their dignity or that money to go to the police?" Old Cripple replied.
"Oh, clever... You've got a good grasp on this, matching Brother Five's thoughts," Ma Yubing said, suddenly realizing the streetwise wisdom behind this trick. After all, it was just a small amount of money; what could they do about it? Moreover, this approach clearly avoided the huge risks associated with soliciting on the streets.
Old Cripple chuckled and said, "As he puts it, it's skirting the edge but not crossing the line; if it hasn't become a fact, then it's not a crime."
Ma Yubing and Black Steel burst into laughter; there was a strong undertone in those words. Black Steel jokingly asked how much one could earn from this.
"Three pulls can net over ten thousand in one night... Just make sure to work quickly; once it gets exposed, business will dry up. Speaking of Widow Ma, I really should thank you; after all these years, you've done me one solid favor," Old Cripple said with a laugh. When Young Master Mu came up in conversation, Old Cripple had plenty of stories to tell. This kid had three eyes and could navigate the most dangerous spots at intersections without ever running into trouble while patrolling undercover. He was even better at pulling customers; almost every time he tried, he succeeded. Oh boy, he truly was a talent—a genius—a lucky star! You two have no idea how grateful the aging women around here are for him; he's given them a way out.
This made Ma Yubing and Black Steel laugh so hard they nearly choked. Their drinking plans were ruined, and they hadn't even touched the small dishes before them. They had lost their appetite but gained some lively conversation. Seeing how excited the two were, Old Cripple suddenly grew suspicious and changed his expression. He preemptively warned them, "I say you two are so invested; you’re not thinking about taking someone back, are you? I must tell you that Widow Ma has quite a reputation; her words shouldn't be taken lightly."
"Hey now, Lame Brother, don't make it sound so serious," Black Steel said while looking at Ma Yubing's expression. He laughed and tried to mediate; he sensed that Ma Yubing might indeed have such intentions.
Ma Yubing didn't hold back and directly stated, "What did I say to you that day?"
"You said you'd give me someone," Old Cripple replied.
"Yes, I said I'd give you someone for you to train for a couple of days," Ma Yubing clarified.
"That's nonsense; you didn't mention that part," Old Cripple retorted unhappily.
"I definitely did... Hey hey, don’t get mad at me; my brother is still your brother," Ma Yubing pressed down on Old Cripple. Suddenly enlightened, Old Cripple slapped his palm and exclaimed, "Right! Why should I be angry with you? What use do you have for him? This kid comes from a wealthy background and knows this shady business too well; what would you do with him if you took him back?"
"Right, what can I do when I go back?" Black Steel glanced at Ma Yubing, who seemed to suddenly realize something. "You're right, I'm just too eager for talent. What can he do for me? He's just an extra burden with that little bit of cleverness; I can't look up to him."
"Tch, you might as well give it up. You think that's all there is?" Old Cripple said, revealing more than he intended. According to him, besides having three eyes, this kid had another skill. What was it? Two tongues that could turn the dead into the living.
It was certain that if he came from a wealthy family, he would just be selling his words; otherwise, he wouldn't be so good at attracting customers. But Old Cripple firmly disagreed again. He said that attracting customers wasn't a big deal. Do you know what he does? Now he's acting as a broker for the brothel and has already gotten into two four-star and five-star hotels.
Getting into high-end hotels?
This kind of thing could only be done by someone with a bit of background. Everyone knew those places were money pits, with prices several times higher than outside. Being able to pull this off shocked both Ma Yubing and Black Steel, who stared at Old Cripple in unison and said, "Impossible."
"Believe it or not, I helped Scarface the day before yesterday. Those two bottles of wine were his way of thanking me," Old Cripple said, revealing his hand; sending wine was just borrowing flowers to offer Buddha.
Ma Yubing and Black Steel looked at each other, still unable to recover from their astonishment...
...
...
"That's him... our Brother Chicken," Big Gourd said as he introduced a newcomer to Xiao Mu. The man was in his thirties, with a pale face and no beard, drenched in perfume—almost the type who lived off others. When he spoke, his voice was effeminate as he scolded Big Gourd, "Oh my, how unpleasant! What Brother Chicken... this gentleman is..."
"Young Master Mu, from Ma Ye's side, brother of Lame Brother," Erhu Lu elevated Xiao Mu's status.
"Oh dear, Wood Master! Wood Master! Hello, hello!" Brother Chicken exclaimed nervously. He hadn't expected such a handsome young man and kept nodding and bowing while shaking hands.
The skin trade is not an easy business. One fears both the white and the black; these people scraping by are like prostitutes, lacking dignity and shame. Just to get into Zhongbei Hotel for business, it seems they would bow down and recognize Xiao Mu as their benefactor.
"Tell me why you weren't allowed in? Was it a price issue? Or is your reputation bad?" Xiao Mu asked.
In this line of work, one must rely on the hotel to turn a blind eye; otherwise, under one roof, who can be deceived? Of course, this is a matter of sharing the spoils among several parties, and if there’s a dispute, it usually revolves around pricing. Otherwise, it could be that this brother has brought in girls with a bad reputation. Whether it's poor quality affecting their standing or dirty dealings causing trouble for the hotel, such issues are considered criminal in the Underworld, and the rules are quite harsh—out you go.
Mulin Shen, who frequents hotels with his shady friends, was all too familiar with such matters.
"It's not that. A guy from the Northeast got in first; he has strong connections. I even tried to bribe my way in but couldn't... It's really not another issue. I'm not bragging to you, Wood Master; all the girls I manage are part-timers from top universities. I don't even take those from second-tier or third-tier schools... I even brought one along. Come here, Xueer..." Brother Chicken waved, and then a girl in her teens stepped out of the car, her ponytail swaying as she walked over confidently. Her youthful beauty made Big and Small Gourd Brothers drool. Brother Chicken introduced her to Wood Master, hoping for future business support.
This girl was clearly sent over for business, and in broad daylight no less. Xiao Mu couldn't help but smile; he felt he had been wasting money in the past.
In truth, he thought he had poor judgment; at first glance, he couldn't tell that this young girl was involved in such activities. It really was true that one laughs at poverty but not at prostitution; the girl showed no shyness at all as she sweetly called out to Wood Master.
"Well, Brother Chicken... whether this works out or not remains to be seen. Let's go; you lead me to meet some people so I can have a word with him." Xiao Mu said as he clasped his hands behind his back. Brother Chicken led the way excitedly into the hotel.
Big and Small Gourd Brothers circled around the girl, chatting enthusiastically with her. They were unconcerned about the outcome; after witnessing Young Master Mu's impressive performance several times, they had begun to blindly follow him.
This hotel was no different from most four-star establishments. The lobby was lavishly decorated, with guests lining up at the front desk. Occasionally, there were tall foreigners with long noses and blonde hair; charming waitstaff spoke fluent foreign languages to assist them with check-in.
Xiao Mu understood well the filth and dirt hidden behind civilization and prosperity. The hotel would always have women selling smiles; it had nothing to do with class. Just like this madam beside him—if one didn’t speak up about it, what difference was there between her in her suit and those businesspeople frequenting this place?
The person in charge was the Security Manager. Brother Chicken went straight to knock on his office door. Upon entering, they found the manager watching something on his computer screen. He looked up and immediately frowned upon seeing them, calling out Brother Chicken's nickname: "Binhai! This place deals with foreign business; how am I supposed to justify your under-the-table dealings? You’re not trying to ruin my livelihood, are you?"
"Hey, Brother Hong... No, it's not about that. There's a brother here I want you to meet," Brother Chicken said as he pushed Xiao Mu forward.
Xiao Mu was not at all intimidated. He took a few steps and sat down across from the Security Manager, waving away the chicken head who promptly closed the door behind him, saying with a smirk, "If you need anything, I'll be right outside."
This amused the Security Manager, who stared at Xiao Mu for a minute. He looked nothing like the thugs who usually came here, and his expression softened a bit. With a smile, he said, "Brother, I have to tell you, no matter what path you're on, I have to say this: in such a big hotel business, even the boss has to tread carefully. One misstep could lead to serious trouble."
"Oh, right. I'm here to talk to you about some potential mishaps," Xiao Mu replied with a grin. He pulled out his broken phone and slammed it onto the table in front of the Security Manager. The manager glanced at it and became somewhat angry, not knowing where the photos were taken from. There were hair strands in dishes, images of a dirty kitchen, and ugly faces of security personnel yelling at customers. He pushed the phone back angrily and said, "What? You want to play dirty with me?"
Hotels despise such matters and fear them the most; the atmosphere became tense.
"No, no, no. I'm here to tell you that I'm stopping them from doing this," Xiao Mu explained. "You should know these people well enough—they lack education and manners and don't understand the consequences. They've come up with all sorts of dirty tricks to cause trouble for your hotel. For example, they might team up to dine here and put hair or glass shards in their food; or they could take some photos claiming your kitchen serves leftover food as fresh; or even create a scandal about using gutter oil or additives—how embarrassing would that be?"
The chef may not have learned how to cook properly, but Xiao Mu had mastered all the tricks of the trade in the kitchen.
"Oh? So you're threatening me now? Go ahead and try," the Security Manager snapped.
"Come on now, do I really need to threaten you? Just posting this online would damage your hotel's reputation significantly. It's so easy; with just a few clicks, even fake news can make things worse for you," Xiao Mu replied.
The Security Manager inhaled sharply, gritting his teeth in anger.
Xiao Mu suddenly felt that sense of control; whenever he caught someone by their weak points, it was simply exhilarating.
This was also his greatest discovery after his fall from grace—his past experiences and knowledge thrived in this underbelly world. Following his own rhythm, he had managed to intimidate the Security Manager.
The Security Manager slammed his hand on the table in frustration and was about to explode when Xiao Mu quickly interjected, "Don't get angry. We both have our leverage here. I wouldn't dare cause a scene in your place, and you wouldn't want to throw me out either. Besides, neither of us is exactly law-abiding citizens; there's no need for us to turn into enemies... Brother Hong, this is really quite simple—why won't you just agree?"
"Let me make it clear: there are people doing business here," the Security Manager replied.
Xiao Mu shifted the conversation, saying, "Then you should agree even more."
"What?" Brother Hong was taken aback.
"Think about it. Competition leads to development. And consider this: you're the one in charge. Having a few more players in the game would be better for you. If there's only one person monopolizing this place for too long, what if they get connected to someone higher up? Would that still be your concern, Brother Hong? If the owner of your hotel makes a call, wouldn't that harm your interests?" Xiao Mu explained.
Brother Hong's eyelids twitched. Xiao Mu quickly deduced that he had received some Black Money.
The twitching continued, and Xiao Mu assessed that the amount of Black Money was substantial; he was intrigued.
This position was neither too light nor too heavy, but it certainly wasn't that of the hotel owner. The owner wouldn't bother with such trivial matters, yet Xiao Mu's words struck at Brother Hong's concerns. The man hesitated, pursing his lips and looking at Xiao Mu with suspicion.
"You really don't need to care about who I am, but you should care about the resources in your hands. If I were in your position, I would switch to a new partner every so often. That way, you avoid letting them get too comfortable here, growing their appetite or becoming difficult. Raising such people is like raising dogs; you can't let them eat too well... They need to act according to your mood," Xiao Mu said.
Suddenly, Brother Hong laughed; it made too much sense.
Xiao Mu smiled and prompted him, "So Brother Hong, this makes it easier to decide. Do you think newcomers are more obedient or those who have been around for a while?"
"Haha, interesting... So interesting... Brother Mu, it's clear you're not an ordinary person," the Security Manager's mood shifted from good to bad and then back again rapidly; he found great agreement with Xiao Mu's words.
"Then Brother Hong, how about we make a deal? If you encounter any difficult issues in the future, just give me a shout. We’ll be at your service anytime. Old Cripple from the West District and Ma Ye—just give me a little face... You don’t even need to know them; more friends mean more paths to take... Or should I call them in?" Xiao Mu offered politely.
At this point, his words carried an invisible power. After pondering for a moment, Brother Hong finally nodded.
Outside, Rooster Brother responded immediately when called. Brother Hong maintained his expression while Xiao Mu pretended not to know anything and gave up his seat for Rooster Brother, reminding him that this was a high-end venue. Since Brother Hong was giving him face, he needed to ensure they had a good discussion.
He quietly exited, and Brother Hong politely saw him out.
It didn't take long before Rooster Brother rushed out of the hotel lobby, excitedly bouncing over to Xiao Mu's car. He expressed his gratitude profusely, shoving a stack of money into Xiao Mu's hands. Oh, he was so thrilled! It was the special envoy from the Black Society whose words carried weight; with just a few sentences, everything was settled. In his gratitude, he insisted on giving Water Spirit Girl to Xiao Mu as well.
Xiao Mu refused, warning Rooster Brother, "Just do your job well. I have high hopes for you. You might make it onto this year's most influential Forbes Chicken Head List. Don't forget to treat your brothers then."
Rooster Brother nodded eagerly, repeatedly agreeing. The car puffed out smoke as it drove away, followed by a burst of laughter. It took him a moment to realize something was off in the conversation. Once he understood, he couldn't help but admire: what a remarkable person!
"This Wood Master is so handsome," the girl said with a smile, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Stop drooling; can't you see he wouldn't even look at you for free? Come on, let's go meet Brother Hong and call a few sisters over."
Rooster Brother organized things while the girl seemed only excited about the upcoming business.
However, some people were feeling quite sentimental. Old Cripple received a thank-you call and took the opportunity to mock Ma Yubing and Black Steel. After thinking it over, Ma Yubing realized that handling this matter alone wouldn't have been easy either; it was resolved in just a few minutes. This talent that had been missed left him speechless for quite some time.
Such talent! It was too much of a waste for someone like him to end up in Turtle King Big Teapot...
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