Become a true immortal by emulating all demons.

Green Willow Lane, Magpie's Nest.

Xiao Liuzi hadn't lied before.

Even though the name is a bit vulgar, this two-story building is one of the few brothels in the alley that has a proper archway, and it deserves the title of being one of the best.

A table and two armchairs were placed in the corner, which were specially prepared by the madam, Sister Hua, for Lin Shu and her companion.

"Fox Lord".

My surname is Lin.

"Master Lin..."

Sister Hua may have been quite attractive when she was young.

But now her figure is out of shape, and no matter how much powder she applies, she can't cover up the layers of wrinkles on her face. Fortunately, she has become a madam and no longer has to serve customers.

With a beaming smile, she softly described the magpie's nest.

There were seventeen or eighteen girls in total. The cheaper ones cost seventy or eighty coins, while the more expensive ones cost two or three hundred coins. There was also a newly acquired virgin whose first night was priced at three taels of silver.

Sister Hua said this was to make it easier for Lin Shu to calculate the turnover, so that she wouldn't misunderstand that they had hidden money when pumping water.

She spoke earnestly, but the two people sitting there didn't seem to be listening.

"..."

Old Yang rubbed his nose, looking dazed.

His mind was filled with the image of the fat man who had stormed off in a rage.

The term "mid-stage Qi Refining" is used by those cultivators, and Old Yang couldn't quite distinguish it.

All he knew was that these big shots could crush him with a flick of their little fingers.

Old Yang felt a pang of sadness.

Lin Shu had finally escaped the southern suburbs and was on the verge of a bright future, but then she ran into this damn thing, which quickly darkened her prospects again.

"Okay, I understand."

Lin Shu interrupted Sister Hua's incessant chatter.

He took a sip of tea, showing no interest in these matters.

Even in his most destitute days in his past life, he had never stooped to making money from women in this way.

What Lin Shu needed was the identity of the Blackwater Gang; Qingliu Lane was just a starting point.

He didn't intend to stay here for long.

"Bring me some food."

"Okay."

Sister Hua quickly turned around and instructed the girls to fetch some pastries for the guests.

Although it's just simple rice cake, it looks much more appetizing than flatbread or cold bread because it contains a lot of sugar.

"Gulp."

Even when facing women who were barely clothed, Old Yang was able to keep his eyes straight ahead.

But faced with this sweet and soft food, he, who had been starving for a day and a night, suddenly lost his mind.

With a sip of coarse tea on the table, the old cripple grabbed a rice cake and stuffed it into his mouth, swallowing it without even chewing it.

Upon seeing this.

Sister Hua's smile froze slightly.

The girls inside also looked strange.

The fierce wolves rely on strength, while the foxes, though not strong themselves, rely on wealth and connections.

You need to be able to call in enough tough thugs to keep the place in check.

This Mr. Lin was dressed in clothes that had been washed until they were almost white, which was contrary to the extravagant lifestyle of the foxes. In addition, he was accompanied by this old cripple who looked like a starving ghost, so his connections seemed to be in jeopardy.

You should know that Qingliu Lane is a very lowly place.

Among the patrons were many thugs and outlaws, who frequently defaulted on debts, stole, and even assaulted young women.

Without swift and decisive measures, how can we subdue them?

Not to mention that Lin Shu had just offended Master Tian, ​​and couldn't even ask him to come back for help.

Thinking of this, a hint of sorrow appeared on everyone's faces.

"Well."

Old Yang sensed the strange looks from those around him.

His hand holding the rice cake paused slightly.

It’s over.

Old Yang was the lowest-ranking member of the opera troupe, and he had to be observant and perceptive in everything he did just to barely survive.

He could clearly see that Lin Shu had lost all prestige in the Magpie's Nest because of his shameful behavior.

After thinking for a moment, the old cripple, with rice grains still stuck to the corner of his mouth and his lips trembling, looked at the person opposite him with shame: "I...I..."

"What do you mean, 'me'?"

Lin Shu swallowed the rice cake leisurely and wiped her hands.

Then he casually pushed the plate in front of him over and said indifferently, "Eat your food and stop thinking nonsense."

He seemed oblivious to the stares he was receiving, or perhaps he simply didn't care.

Even if you haven't been to a brothel, you can't be sure you haven't been to a brothel.

This thing isn't about putting on a brave face.

To put it bluntly, the Blackwater Gang's reputation is enough to deter most petty thieves.

The remaining group consisted of fearless tough guys who would not back down because of external factors.

"Has Master Lin finished eating?"

Sister Hua noticed the awkward atmosphere in the room and quickly forced a laugh.

No matter what, he's still the boss of the Blackwater Gang. He can't bully others, but he can easily deal with the girls in the brothel.

You must never offend them.

She smiled ingratiatingly and said, "It's still early. I'll arrange for you to see some of the prettiest girls. Shall we wash up?"

"No need." Lin Shu didn't even bother to turn her head.

Sister Hua, worried this was just empty politeness, smiled even more broadly: "Trust me, I guarantee I'll arrange it for you..."

She was interrupted before she could finish speaking.

"Dirty".

After eating and drinking her fill, Lin Shu lazily closed her eyes to rest.

A single, simple word was enough to change the expressions of all the girls around him.

Hearing such blunt words, they looked at each other in bewilderment, then lowered their heads and gritted their teeth, daring not to speak out.

This fox was even more arrogant than the ferocious wolf from before.

If you find it dirty, then don't try to make money off people like us.

Besides, when it comes to dirtiness, who can be dirtier than these foxes in their methods of making money!

"Well then, Mr. Lin, you rest. I'll go and get back to work."

This time, even Sister Hua couldn't keep up the smile on her face.

She straightened up sullenly: "Girls, get up and get ready to receive our guests."

……

The sky finally darkened.

The red lanterns at the entrance of Qingliu Lane were lit, adding a hazy glow to the lane.

Gradually, people began to set foot in this place.

The girls temporarily suppressed their unease and cheered themselves up to receive the guests.

Sister Hua was no longer willing to try to win Lin Shu's favor, so she let him and the old cripple sit quietly in the corner as if they didn't exist at all.

Unlike brothels, dark alleys don't require pimps to bow and scrape outside.

Just push the door open halfway, so that passersby on the street can get a slight view of the girl inside.

Sister Hua leaned against the door, looking towards the alley entrance.

With her sharp eye, she could easily tell which people were the ones from whom she could get the most money.

Just then, a white silk dress caught Hua Jie's eye.

The fair-skinned young man stood leisurely, carrying a cloth bag on his back, looking up at the tattered red lantern above him.

He was young and handsome, and the jade pendant at his waist was obviously very valuable. He was completely out of place among the group of rough-clothed peasants passing by.

A young master with such wealth would not easily set foot in a filthy place like Green Willow Lane.

"..."

As she watched the other person step into the alley, Sister Hua's breathing suddenly became much heavier.

There was no greed for money in her eyes, but rather a deep sense of unease.

This is the time to welcome guests.

Sister Hua hesitated for a moment, but quickly gritted her teeth and whispered to Xiao Liu beside her, "Quickly get the door latch and close the door!"

Under the puzzled gazes of the other girls, she pushed the door open forcefully, intending to close it.

The gate was now only slightly ajar.

A laugh came from outside the door.

"Sister Hua, aren't you welcoming this young master?"

The slightly immature voice seemed to transform into an invisible hand that gripped Sister Hua's neck.

Sweat beaded on the madam's forehead, and she dared not move an inch.

She took a deep breath, forced a smile, and reopened the door: "How could that be? Young Master Zhang is joking."

Upon hearing this name, the girls in the room all paled.

At the same time, the young master had already leisurely walked into the house.

He casually glanced around, walked to the table, and slammed the cloth bag he was carrying on the table.

"That's more like it."

The young master smiled amiably and pulled out a tael of silver from his sleeve: "The same old rules apply, you make the arrangements."

This is no small sum of money; even the most expensive girl in the Magpie's Nest has to entertain four or five people to earn that much.

But everyone held their breath and quietly retreated.

Their resistant attitude was clearly not the proper way to treat guests.

Young Master Zhang wasn't annoyed; instead, he watched with considerable enjoyment.

Sister Hua subconsciously looked towards someone in the corner, but her gaze was blocked by Zhang Ci's figure.

According to the rules, this kind of thing should be handled by the adults of the Blackwater Gang.

But that fox spirit was a newcomer, and given the impression that today's events had left on everyone...

"Sigh." She sighed and turned to look to the side.

"Please, I won't earn this money."

As the madam's gaze swept over them, the girls' voices began to tremble with sobs, and they all shook their heads.

"Come to the back, let's draw lots."

With a hardened heart and a blank expression, Sister Hua ushered them into the room.

After a long while, a mournful cry rang out.

The madam finally led a woman out of the house with her face covered in tears and snot.

"Good girl, if anything happens, I won't take a single penny of the money; I'll send it all home to you."

She closed her eyes and released the woman's hand: "Go."

"Ho! Ho!"

The woman was panting heavily, staring blankly at the paper slips in her hand.

The other girls peeked out from inside the house, looking as if they were sharing a sense of unease.

They watched as the woman, stunned, walked towards the second floor, then her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the stairs, gripping the handrail tightly. Finally regaining her senses, she hissed:

"I don't want to go up! Two people have already died! I don't want to die—"

Her mournful voice echoed in the room, but no one dared to help her up.

"I remember now."

Old Yang stared nervously at the table and secretly moved to Lin Shu's side.

The bag was turned inside out, and what was revealed was less a quirky trinket and more a chilling, blood-stained instrument of torture.

He said in a voice barely above a whisper, "This man is called Zhang Ci. He is the young master of Hongyun Martial Arts School. He has killed many women in brothels, but his family has managed to suppress the truth."

No wonder they came to Qingliu Lane; their reputation is so bad that they've been turned away by the brothels in the city.

"Don't be afraid, okay?"

Zhang Ci showed no resentment towards the woman.

His smile widened, and his voice became gentle.

"Come on, let's go upstairs with the young master."

Zhang Ci reached for the package, intending to help the woman up.

Just then, his hand, which was gripping the package, was suddenly pressed down.

"Um?"

Zhang Ci turned around and finally focused his gaze on the young man beside the table.

Lin Shu's expression remained largely unchanged, still showing that listless look. She casually said, "People can go up, but put your things down."

"Who is this person?" Zhang Ci frowned and looked at Sister Hua.

"This is Fox, the newest member of the Blackwater Gang."

Sister Hua never expected Lin Shu to step forward at this moment, and she stammered for a moment, subconsciously bringing up the Blackwater Gang.

"Pfft."

However, Zhang Ci clearly knew the truth. He shifted his gaze back and sneered, "If Uncle Tian approves it, why don't you? I hope you, Fox Master, have some self-awareness."

As long as the other party isn't an idiot, the name "Uncle Tian" alone is enough.

Zhang Ci tried again, but still couldn't budge the package.

The young master of the prestigious Hongyun Martial Arts School suffered a humiliation in a lowly place like Qingliu Alley, which instantly darkened his expression: "Don't you dare push your luck!"

Faced with the insults, Lin Shu finally raised her eyelids.

He stared at the young master and carefully repeated his words:

Are you deaf?

"I said, put the things down."