Chapter 323 - 309: Wait, You Guys... Are Actually Bodyguards?
Mrs. Zhao hummed a little tune as she pushed her vegetable cart to the familiar marketplace, just like any other day.
She expertly stacked the fresh, dewy cabbages, then placed her old wooden scale—polished to a glossy shine from years of use—in the most convenient spot.
But... as she looked around, she felt something was off about the market today. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
’Why isn’t Wang the butcher from East Street at his stall today? And why is the Fuman Building next door closed?’
Just as she was wondering, a regular customer came over to buy some vegetables and asked curiously, "Mrs. Zhao, what’s going on today? The street feels a lot quieter."
"Who knows," Mrs. Zhao replied while deftly bagging the vegetables. "Maybe they have some family business to attend to." She didn’t dwell on it, because a new customer had just arrived at her stall.
It was a young woman she didn’t recognize, dressed in simple cloth robes. Her eyes were naive, and one look told Mrs. Zhao she was an inexperienced shopper—a "fat sheep" ripe for the picking.
Mrs. Zhao’s eyes lit up instantly!
"Miss, would you like some cabbage? Just look at this, freshly picked from the fields!"
While the young woman was picking out her vegetables, Mrs. Zhao had already discreetly nudged the weight on her special scale, getting everything ready.
"Alright! Miss, your cabbage comes out to two catties and four taels!"
As she spoke, she lifted and set down the scale with a speed that was almost a blur. The entire process was smooth as silk. On this one sale, she had overcharged by at least four taels!
Mrs. Zhao gloated internally, but her face still wore the same kindly smile. She reached out, ready to take the copper coins the young woman was handing over.
’What a great start to the day! This first sale is a good omen!’
However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the shiny copper coins—a hand clamped down on her wrist like a vise!
"Ma’am, hello! You’ve been ganked!" an excited voice shouted in her ear.
Mrs. Zhao: ???
"Wh-what are you doing?!" Mrs. Zhao yelped, startled. She whipped her head around and saw several men standing before her. Their attire was a complete mismatch—some wore leather armor, some wore cloth robes, and one was even shirtless—but they all wore an armband with the word "Patrol" on it.
"I’m just... just doing business! What do you want?" She still hadn’t grasped the situation and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.
"Doing business?" one of the young men sneered, snatching the bag of vegetables. He took a standard-issue government scale from his companion and hung the bag on it. The other end of the scale arm shot up high into the air.
He couldn’t actually read a scale, but he had the [Jianghu Identification Skill]! Even though its level was low, he could still read some basic information!
[Item: Cabbage]
[True Weight: 1.8 catties]
...
And as the truth was revealed, the information about the normal-looking scale transformed into the true details of the [Specially-Made Crooked Scale].
[Item: An Unremarkable Scale] > [Item: Specially-Made Crooked Scale]
[Grade: Inferior Tool]
[Attribute: Short-changing: All items weighed on this scale will have their weight artificially inflated to some degree!]
"This is less than two catties of cabbage, and you call it two catties and four taels? Fess up! How many years have you been running this short-changing scam?!"
Seeing the high-tilted scale arm, the color drained from Mrs. Zhao’s face with a WHOOSH. Her expression turned even more deathly pale when she saw the Government Officials standing behind the men. "O-Officer, spare me! I... this is my first time! It really is! I was just muddle-headed for a moment, overcome by greed... Please, Officer, let me go this one time!"
"First time? You think I believe that? This morning alone, I must have caught eight, if not ten, people just like you claiming it’s their ’first time’ over at the next market! A whole bunch of first-timers. I’d have to be an idiot to believe you!" The player proceeded with the standard procedure: issuing a fine, confiscating the crooked scale, and adding a spit-flying lecture for good measure.
"My money... my scale!" Mrs. Zhao was devastated. All she knew was that her livelihood and her copper coins were gone. She pointed a trembling finger at him, "You... you... you’re robbing me! You’re preying on the common folk!!!"
"Robbing you?" The young man laughed. "Ma’am, this may not be your first offense, but it’s my first time being a ’City Guard’! And you’re talking about preying on the common folk? The real predator is the one who uses a crooked scale on people every damn day! So what? Not helping you cheat and scam people means I’m preying on the folk now?"
"Besides, you’re just getting a fine and having your scale confiscated. Some shops got completely shut down, so you should count yourself lucky! Of course, you’re welcome to do it again and help me boost my stats!"
He felt a surge of delight, a little thrill of satisfaction, as the reward notification "+100 copper coins" popped up on his quest panel.
Scenes like this were playing out all over Anhe City today. After all, short-changing customers was a common scam, and with performance points and copper coins right there for the taking, how could they not crack down on it?
As for the young woman who had almost been scammed, she had long since backed away, staring as if at a plague bearer. She watched the chaotic scene unfold, her innocent little face a mask of shock and confusion.
In her small world, it had never occurred to her that a seemingly ordinary marketplace could hide such sordid dealings.
...
「Meanwhile, outside a secluded courtyard in the western part of the city.」
A weaselly-looking young man with a sharp chin and hollow cheeks, named Liu San, crept furtively toward the gate. He was one of the people who had gathered at Liu Yue’s place the previous night.
His "Second Uncle-in-law," as he called him, was a childless and lonely old man whose health had been declining day by day under his "care."
Liu San had long coveted the few acres of prime paddy fields to the old man’s name, and today, he decided he wasn’t going to wait any longer.
However, just as he reached the gate and was about to push it open, he realized... there seemed to be people in the courtyard.
Alarmed, he peeked through the crack in the gate. To his surprise, he saw several unfamiliar men sitting in the courtyard, cracking melon seeds and seemingly chatting away.
’Their mouths aren’t moving, but their eyes are constantly shifting? Can you really communicate just with your eyes? How can you not say a single word, just moving your eyes back and forth at each other? Do people who can communicate with just a look really exist?’
A cold sweat broke out on Liu San’s brow. ’Who... who are these people?’
’And why did they have to show up at this exact moment, right when I was about to succeed? Could it be... some affair the old man had in his youth? And now she’s shown up with his son to claim the inheritance?!’
’That has to be it! What other reason could there be for someone to show up at this rundown courtyard at this specific time? They must have heard the old man is on his last legs and timed their arrival perfectly to split the loot!’
Just as his mind was racing with wild theories, one of the men in the courtyard, who had his legs crossed, suddenly looked toward the gate. "Since you’re here, come on in. Why are you skulking around?"
Liu San’s heart leaped into his throat, but the thought of those paddy fields gave him courage. He pushed open the gate and forced a smile. "Uh... gentlemen, may I ask... what brings you to my second uncle-in-law’s home?"
The man looked him up and down, a corner of his mouth twitching. "Us? We were hired by the old man to guard the house. Just go about your business. Don’t mind us."
Liu San didn’t believe a word of it. ’In the old man’s current state, where would he get the money to hire people? And to guard the house? What’s there to guard in this dump? That excuse is obviously a lie! They’re probably just waiting for the old man to die so they can legally seize his property!’
His nerve failed him, and he turned to flee. But when he looked back, he found that two burly men had appeared out of nowhere and were now blocking the gate.
"Hey, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. We said we’re here to guard the house. As his nephew, shouldn’t you go in and pay him a visit?"
Surrounded by so many people, Liu San didn’t dare make any sudden moves and had no choice but to go inside with them.
Inside the room, the old man lay weakly on the bed. When he saw Liu San enter, a flicker of fear crossed his cloudy eyes, and he began to tremble even more violently.
Liu San took in the scene and hardened his heart. ’Fine! It’s come to this, so I have to see it through! Worst case... worst case, I’ll split the property with them! That’s still better than getting nothing at all!’
He picked up a bowl of rice porridge from the side—one he had already laced with a generous amount of croton beans—and, forcing a fake smile, walked toward the old man’s bed.
However, just as the spoon was about to reach the old man’s lips, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.
This person’s ID was [The Light of Justice]!
"Sir, don’t get the wrong idea. As bodyguards, it’s part of our job to test the safety of the old man’s food before he eats."
Liu San was stunned. ’Wait... you guys... you really *are* guards?! My second uncle-in-law, in his condition... how on earth did he manage to hire you?!’