Chapter 163: A Disturbance

Chapter 163: A Disturbance

"Boss, bring us five portions of braised beef and ten bowls of white rice first. If we need more later, I'll let you know."

As soon as Wang Si sat down, he called out to the owner of the shop, surprising him with his order.

"Guest, our braised beef is quite filling. Are you sure you want five portions? Can you finish it all?" the owner questioned.

Witnessing the owner's doubt, Liu Yue, who was familiar with Wang Si's appetite, smiled helplessly and raised her eyebrows at him. During their time at the Blacksmiths' Association, she hadn't realized the extent of his appetite, as his meals had been prepared by Mu Ye.

It was only in the past few days that she had been reminded of the frightening amount of food Wang Si could consume.

If it were just a matter of preparing extra food, Liu Yue wouldn't have had much to complain about.

The key issue was that this guy seemed to gain even more energy after filling his stomach.

Now, she wanted to see if Wang Si would feel embarrassed eating so much in public, especially since they were near the East Sea Academy during mealtime, with many of their peers around.

Wang Si, of course, didn't bother to argue with Liu Yue over such a trivial matter.

After Wang Si paid, the owner promptly brought over several portions of braised beef and rice.

Previously, Wang Si's meals had been prepared by Mu Ye, and they were always highly nutritious, leaving him satisfied with small portions.

Now, faced with food that wasn't particularly nourishing, he found himself truly unrestrained.

While Liu Yue and Na Er were still delicately eating their rice and braised meat, Wang Si had already devoured three portions of braised beef and eight bowls of rice.

"Boss, bring us another five portions of beef and ten bowls of rice!"

Wang Si called out again, this time startling not just the owner but also attracting the attention of the other patrons. The owner hurried over, his face filled with apology.

"Guest, can I have a word with you in private?"

Wang Si was a bit perplexed by the owner's cautious attitude, but he followed him nonetheless.

"Guest, there are many other shops on this snack street. Why don't you try some of the other stores?" the owner suggested.

Was he turning away business? Wang Si was confused.

However, he soon noticed the growing crowd on the snack street and the dozens of cans of braised beef on display, and a realization dawned on him.

It was currently peak hours for students coming and going from the academy. The braised beef here took a long time to prepare.

To cater to the students of the East Sea Academy, the owner couldn't afford to sell too much to Wang Si.

Wang Si could only sigh helplessly and turn to look at Liu Yue and Na Er, who were still eating slowly.

Usually, they had healthy appetites, so he wondered why they were taking so long with their meals today.

"Well then, boss, recommend a few stalls. I'm not familiar with this place, so I don't know which stalls have the best food," Wang Si said, indicating his intention to leave.

Hearing that Wang Si would be moving on, the owner heaved a sigh of relief and directed him to a few stalls that offered generous portions and used quality ingredients.

"These shops are quite affordable, and they use authentic ingredients. The portions are also large. You can check them out," the owner suggested.

Wang Si nodded and made his way to the recommended stalls.

……

"You can't do this! This is how I make my living. Please, give me a break!"

As Wang Si was enjoying a bowl of mutton soup at a mutton offal shop, he heard the sounds of smashing and chaos outside.

There was also a commotion coming from the same direction.

Although Wang Si was curious about what was happening, he figured that finishing his meal was more important than going out to watch the spectacle.

Liu Yue glanced at Wang Si's flat stomach, which showed no signs of the enormous amount of food he had just consumed, and felt speechless.

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy for his seemingly bottomless stomach.

Since they were all there to observe the commotion, the three of them decided to stick together.

Clearing a path through the crowd while protecting Na Er, Wang Si caught sight of the scene before him.

It was another beef shop, similar to the one where they had eaten the stewed beef earlier.

However, the stove in front of the store had been overturned, and clay pots lay shattered on the ground, their contents—fragrant beef soup—spilling out and mixing with broken ceramic shards, creating a messy scene.

The owner of the shop lay at the entrance, a bleeding lip and a swollen eye adding to the sorrow and anger evident on his face.

Looming over him were three burly men.

The leader, a bald man, wore a vest that exposed his thick arms, one of which bore a dragon tattoo.

His companions were also large in stature, their faces marked with cruel, ruthless expressions.

"Zhao, those who understand the times are heroes.

There hasn't been a single shop on this street that dared not pay protection fees, yet here you are, always finding excuses. Do you think I, Guang Long, am begging for food?

If it weren't for the fact that your beef is actually quite tasty, I would have taught you a lesson long ago."

As he spoke, Guang Long, the bald man, kicked aside a clay pot in disgust.

The pot hit the wall with a 'crack' and shattered.

"Stop wasting time. If you can't come up with the money today, don't even think about opening this shop again."

Guang Long, whose name meant 'light dragon', spoke with a cold gaze.

Although many people had gathered around, not a single person dared to speak up.

"Brother Guang Long, I'm not refusing to pay the protection fee.

It's just that my wife is seriously ill, and I've been working day and night to earn money for her medical treatment.

Please, don't ruin my business! If you do, my wife won't be able to survive, and neither will I."

Hearing this threat, Guang Long let out a disdainful laugh.

"Threatening me with your life? Do you think I care about your worthless life?

If you're gone, someone else will take your place and pay me protection money. If you can't come up with the money, then scram and stop taking up space."

As he spoke, Guang Long strolled into the shop and grabbed a bottle of liquor from the counter, which also displayed cigarettes and other sundries.

He opened it and took a swig before pushing the entire counter over.

The counter held many precious cigarettes and liquors, and the owner's eyes widened in horror as he watched his merchandise crash to the ground.

"Guang Long, I'll fight you to the death!"

The shop owner, driven by desperation, struggled to his feet, a shard of broken pottery in his hand, and lunged at the bald man.

Guang Long merely laughed cruelly and kicked him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Fight to the death? I'm a Soul Master, and in front of me, you don't even have the qualifications to fight to the death."

The shop owner was already middle-aged, and after receiving that kick, he couldn't get back up no matter how hard he struggled.

Seeing this, Liu Yue frowned.

Just as she was about to take action, Wang Si grabbed someone next to him.

"Who is this guy, to be so arrogant around the East Sea Academy?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end