“The Hu Clan?”

Ikasa mouthed to Feng Yan, puzzled by sudden visitors.

On the other hand, Gu Dan got up and brought a pouch full of coins from his furnace room. He intended to hand it over as if it were a regular occurrence.

Feng Yan stopped him from opening the door to the shop. Ikasa approached and placed a hand on Gu Dan’s shoulder.

“Blacksmith Gu, what is going on? Shouldn’t you be paying taxes only to the City Lord?”

Gu Dan helplessly shook his head.

“These thugs call it a tax, but it is nothing but extortion. They wreak havoc if we don’t pay and sometimes even shut the shop down.”

While Gu Dan answered, the knocks on the door turned to bangs. The loud thumps shook the entire door frame. It seemed as if it would give in at any second.

“Gu Dan! Do you not want your shop anymore? Open this door now!”

It only took a few minutes for the goons outside to drop any pretext of politeness and show their colors.

Feng Yan and Ikasa exchanged glances.

“Take them down in the name of the Lord of this City.”

Ikasa whispered to Feng Yan and opened the door.

A chubby, drunk thug’s violent knock hit the air instead of the door. Losing his balance, he fell at Ikasa’s knees. After throwing him a brief glance, Ikasa ignored him.

Feng Yan came out from the open door and roared, “Who dares demand taxes in the City Lord’s domain?”

His scraggly beard looked like a lion’s mane, and his red eyes struck fear into these goons. They trembled and shrank back, trying to make themselves look as small as possible to this apex predator incarnate.

Their Leader was not cowed so easily, though. He looked at Gu Dan and ridiculed, “Do you think this guard can protect you? Is this the basis of your confidence?”

Seeing Gu Dan tremble, the yellow-toothed man became bolder.

“Look how I crush this old bastard’s bones….”

Smack!

Before the Leader of the goons could finish his threat, Feng Yan smacked him hard on the face. He revolved around himself and sprawled on the ground, spewing blood and his dislodged teeth.

“YOU! You bedder opologize old mon!”

The pitiful guy had a bright red palm print on his left cheek, and his left side of the face was swollen to twice the size. His lackeys looked at Feng Yan in horror.

“Do You know who you just slapped?”

“No.”

Feng Yan’s nonchalant answer stumped the minuscule brain of the goon. When it kicked back into action, the goon proudly announced, “Ask anyone who this young master is!”

Feng Yan looked at his surroundings. Even after such a huge commotion, no one had gathered. Most shopkeepers had locked the doors and watched the happenings through slits in the window.

The old man grabbed the goon by his collar and lifted him off the ground.

“Do you want to speak,” Feng Yan whispered while lifting his other hand, ready to smack his face, “Or should I ask someone else?”

“I’ll talk…. I’ll tell you!”

Smack!

Another pair of teeth flew out, and this lackey joined his young master in puking blood.

Feng Yan looked at him with disgust and spat at the ground.

“Your mouth stinks!”

Turning to the other people, he ordered, “Stand where you are and introduce your young master.”

The other three peeped at their Leader, who was dyeing the street red with blood, and the monster who made him that way. At this moment, their survival instincts took over, and they began talking.

“Respected expert, spare us. We only followed him because he said he is a bigshot in the Hu Clan.”

“Yes, Elder. He said he was the nephew of the first wife of the second brother of the 4th Seat of the Hu Clan!”

Feng Yan didn’t want to hear any more of their nonsense. He looked at Ikasa.

‘Finally, it is time for my entrance!’

Ikasa stepped forward.

“You scoundrels better remember this… Whosever’s nephew you might be, you are a grandson in the City Lord’s territory. Place every last coin you have extorted on the ground.”

The goons quickly searched their young master and stripped every last piece of gold from him. They also added the small amounts they had received to make up the numbers.

Once they were done, they lowered their heads, awaiting further instructions. Ikasa looked at the array of copper and silver coins with a few golds mixed in on the ground.

“Tch! Small-time thugs….” He shook his head while clicking his tongue.

His words drew angered gazes from the goons.

“What? Do you want a taste of his palm? No? Then Scram!”

They looked fearfully at Feng Yan and dragged their blood-puking companions as they fled from the scene. As if the slap from before was not enough, their young master left behind words promising vengeance.

“Yoo bill regret dis!”

The people-watching from the windows widened the slits to ensure that the goons had indeed left.

“They are gone!”

Someone shouted, and people started to open the doors and windows and came out en masse. They gathered around Ikasa and Feng Yan, their eyes shining with reverence.

“Thank You, Master. These cancerous parasites have become more and more audacious these days.”

Gu Dan spoke for all the shopkeepers gathered.

“Yes. It’s not just Hu Clan; thugs from the Monstrous Flame Sect also extort us.”

“The City guards are only good for collecting taxes. When the people from other forces come, they run with their tails between their legs.”

The people supported Gu Dan’s statement and vented their grievances before Ikasa. They aired the incompetence of City Guards, hoping he would find a way to redress their grievances.

Ikasa’s mouth twitched.

‘I only used City Lord’s name to throw Hu Clan off! Are they mistaking me to be an official from the City Hall?’

He looked at Gu Dan and realized even he had fallen for the ruse.

‘Since I have come so far, I should see this matter through.’

Ikasa paid attention to the people, clamoring to have their problems heard. After a few minutes, his patience ran thin. He silenced everyone.

“Gu Dan, distribute this amount among these shopkeepers. I will talk to Commander Lu for added security for this street.”

After instructing Gu Dan, Ikasa promised people. Just as he was about to escape with Feng Yan, an old woman grabbed the hem of his robe.

“Can you recommend my grandson to City Guards? He is 17. I know he is younger than average recruits but can’t you do something about it?”

Ikasa stopped and supported the old grandmother who was about to bow to him. A loud sob escaped her mouth as he held her.

“Stop, Grandmother! You don’t have to bow. Tell me what happened….”

His words and actions drew appreciation from the crowd. One of the wives of the shopkeepers present came and comforted the older woman. Her husband explained the situation in the old lady’s house.

“Last week, those bastards from the Monstrous Flame Sect came. They ruined that shop at the end of the street because the shop owner couldn’t pay. They also crippled her only son, the sole person managing the shop.”

From hearing the crowd, Ikasa knew that this grandmother had no other choice as her shop was ruined and her son was bedridden. Her 17-year-old grandson was braving dangers in the wild to find a cure for his father.

The initiative taken by the grandmother encouraged the mob. They recounted similar incidents that happened in the last few months.

“Old Gan’s shop was also torn down by those Hu Clan bastards! His lone son couldn’t do anything but watch helplessly.”

“The Monstrous Flame Sect tried to abduct the daughter-in-law of Wu’s family down the street. Her husband used a knife to poke one disciple’s eye, and that’s the only reason they failed.”

“Six shops were smashed during the brawl between Hu Clan and City guards last month. They have still not reopened.”

Ikasa realized that the people loathed the three forces. These forces only collected money but did not provide any protection they promised in exchange.

But these poor shopkeepers did not have any other option as well.

“If only there was some alternate force that could protect us and teach our children martial arts.”

One of the Shopkeepers voiced what everyone wished in the crowd.

Ikasa turned his attention to Gu Dan and asked, “How many of these families have Sons and daughters at an age above 17?”

The Blacksmith surveyed the crowd and answered, “Almost all eighty of them.”

The young man exchanged a glance with the old man. They shared an identical smirk.

“Brother and Sisters, I have heard your problems. And I have a solution. This Sense Realm Expert!”

Ikasa introduced Feng Yan in the simplest words with the most impact.

People in the crowd immediately became respectful of this man, who had just taught Hu Clan lackeys a lesson.

The old man took over to describe the plan.

“I am forming a private force, and your sons and daughters have a chance to be part of it. They will be trained in the best techniques in this private force and paid appropriate wages.”

Even after introducing the best features, the shopkeepers were unimpressed.

Noticing Feng Yan sucked at expounding on benefits, Ikasa took over to increase the shopkeepers’ expectations.

“Your sons and daughters have a chance to earn a salary as high as 1000 silver per month! As their parents, we will provide you an opportunity to relocate to a safe location where you don’t have to worry about the three forces extorting you for money.”

When observing their reactions, he gained satisfaction from the excitement and hope he saw on their faces. It was time to pose the question.

“Who is willing to enter this Private Force and learn under a Sense Realm Expert?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep