Chapter 12: Chapter 12 To Take the Money and Avert Disaster_1

Translator: 549690339

As soon as these words came out, everyone present immediately looked in the direction of the speaker.

Facing such attention, Chen Hao was entirely unconcerned, casually sitting on a stool with a skewer of lamb in his left hand and a bottle of beer in his right, taking a bite of the skewer and a swig of beer with evident relish.

"Guys, eat up, I'll pay for whatever you eat, just go for it!"

The gang of hoodlums were momentarily stunned. On Shennan Street, no one had ever dared to talk to them like that before. Other diners who had been thinking of slipping away during the commotion to save a bit of money were now standing in place, looking at each other, unsure of whether to leave or stay, and embarrassingly lingering on the spot.

At first Huang Mao was also quite shocked by Chen Hao's composed demeanor, thinking he might have run into some big shot. But when he saw the uniforms on a few of the men, he almost burst out laughing.

"A few bird drivers from a broken ride-hailing company actually dare to meddle in my business?"

Before Huang Mao could speak, the small-time thugs behind him aggressively charged over, ready to strike at someone. After all, these were just a bunch of workers, and there was nothing bullies feared less than workers, who have no money and no power, and can be bullied at will.

However, as they approached Chen Hao, they suddenly felt something was not quite right. The man sitting and calmly drinking his beer and eating his barbecue seemed anything but ordinary. A subtle intimidation arose from the depths of their hearts, making them stop in their tracks, no longer daring to move forward.

Unaware of the anomaly here, Huang Mao picked up an empty beer bottle from the ground and struck it forcefully on the table, shattering it, holding half in his hand, he stood up with a swagger, and approached Chen Hao, looking down at him and barked, "Kid, do you know who I am? Brother Ji of Shennan Street, you fucking dare to mess with my business?"

"Heh," Chen Hao chuckled and stood up, now looking down on him, "So, Brother Ji, right? Old Zhao is getting on in years, raising his granddaughter and running a little business here, trying to make a living. It's not easy for him, and you're still trying to collect protection fees. I don't think that's quite right, is it?"

Although the man in front of him was smiling, Brother Ji felt an unexplainable chill down his spine. However, in front of his underlings, he couldn't lose face, so he stood tall.

"Not quite right?" Brother Ji's eyes narrowed, he waved his hand, and with a guilty shout said, "It's not about bullying them, these are the rules set by Lord Long. Anyone doing business on Shennan Street has to pay protection fees!"

Lord Long was the local Dragon Head, in charge of several streets; he even owned many massage parlors, foot baths, and businesses involved in the flesh trade. Of course, he also gathered a group of thugs from all walks of life to help him keep up appearances, and Brother Ji was one of his gang leaders specifically managing Shennan Street.

"Brother Ji, don't think I don't know, the rule Lord Long set is five hundred a month for our street, but you're asking for two thousand," Old Zhao finally couldn't hold back and spoke out loudly.

"Old Immortal, it seems like you've had enough of living, haven't you? You'll pay whatever I say to pay, no fucking nonsense! You think you can pressure me by mentioning Lord Long? Go fucking die!" Brother Ji, exposed for his little trick right on the spot, suddenly got enraged, waving the half beer bottle in his hand and yelling at Old Zhao.

At this point, Chen Hao seemed to understand something and smirked slightly, "Brother Ji, you're saying Old Zhao has to pay two thousand each month, right?"

"Paying my ass! Last time I came, this Old Immortal said he had no money, and that he would make it up this month. I come today, and he doesn't utter a word, thinking I'm really just fooling around here?"

As soon as money was mentioned, Brother Ji suddenly got pissed, as if he had been greatly wronged.

"I see," Chen Hao nodded, then fished out his wallet from his bosom, and pulled out a stack of bright red bills, counted them, and then asked, "If I pay for him, will that be alright?"

"Huh?" Brother Ji didn't react at all, not sure what Chen Hao was really up to, but the sight of the bright red bills right before his eyes made them light up, and he nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes!"

"Don't give it to him, he's extorting you!" Seeing that Chen Hao was about to pay for him, Old Zhao suddenly panicked, ran up quickly, and stood in front of them.

"It's fine." Chen Hao gently pushed him away and then handed the money to Brother Ji, "Take it."

Brother Ji hesitantly took the money and counted it in his hand, indeed a full two thousand yuan. His eyes suddenly saw gold, and he was overjoyed, thinking, "Damn, I've found a fool, I can go find that sultry woman tonight!"

Seeing the money was in hand, Brother Ji, with his cronies, was ready to leave. Before leaving he even turned around with feigned earnestness and yelled at Old Zhao, "Old Immortal, you owe this month's money. Prepare it for me in a few days; if there's no money, I'll smash your stall!"

"Gentlemen, please don't rush off." Just as Brother Ji and his men were about to leave quickly, Chen Hao called out to them from behind.

And as Chen Hao spoke, Xu Wenjun and his companions unobtrusively blocked their way, clanging their plates and chopsticks, staring at them with ill intent.

Seeing the money in hand but unable to leave, Brother Ji steadied himself, clutching the money tightly, and asked in a trembling voice, "What else do you want?"

Chen Hao walked over with a beaming smile and put an arm around Brother Ji's neck, "You know, Brother Ji, I might have offended you and your brothers just now, and now that the matter is settled, there are still a few questions I don't understand, and I would like to ask for your guidance."

Brother Ji, scared to the point of trembling, stammered, "What, what do you want to know?"

"Look," Chen Hao glanced at him, then pointed at various stands in the distance and said, "Since you were sent by Lord Long to protect this place, and everyone here has paid their money, they naturally should be under your protection, right?"

At this point, Brother Ji had even forgotten where he was and said rather proudly, "That's right, as long as they have paid, they are under my protection. Anyone who makes trouble here, I'll kick his nuts in!"

"Hmm, not bad," Chen Hao smiled and nodded, "So, if someone here has paid, but their goods get smashed, what do you think should be done about it?"

"Nonsense, definitely compensate for it! Whatever the cost of the smashed items, pay that much. If anyone refuses to pay, I'm the first to disagree!" Brother Ji said quite heroically.

"Truly dutiful and responsible, admirable, admirable!" Chen Hao gave him a thumbs-up, expressing his sincere praise.

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