Chapter 149: Dog Eat Dog (Part Two)

"Brother! Brother! Please help save our lives!"

"That's right! Brother! Do us a favor!"

"Brother! I swear I won't tell anyone else! Really!"

"Brother!..." Upon seeing Fang Xu and the others regain their freedom, the young masters of wealthy families present were only slightly stunned.

Immediately afterward, they began to continuously plead with Fang Xu for help, even trying to forge connections with him one by one.

This left Old Wu and Gu Bei, who were standing beside Fang Xu, feeling somewhat amused yet exasperated. However, this seemed almost inevitable, didn't it?!

"Old Wu! Tell these young masters to quiet down! By the way, come here for a moment!" Fang Xu was already feeling somewhat irritable, especially since he never expected such an incident to happen in broad daylight.

Coupled with the chaotic yelling of the young masters all around, it genuinely began to test Fang Xu's patience.

Just as Fang Xu was about to have Old Wu shut everyone up, a brilliant strategy suddenly occurred to him—one for which he had to thank the people who had previously brought the news to Gu Bei.

And what strategy was that? Naturally, it was the fact that these young masters, after paying a ransom to redeem themselves, would choose not to report the crime.

Since that was the case, wasn't this a wide-open golden highway laid out right before Fang Xu?!

According to Fang Xu's personality, failing to take advantage of a bargain when it was right in front of you made you an absolute fool!

Besides, this sort of thing was purely a matter of mutual consent; was there anything wrong with that?

Afterward, Fang Xu called Old Wu and Gu Bei to his side and shared his plan with them.

Upon hearing Fang Xu's words, both Old Wu and Gu Bei looked at him with disbelief in their eyes.

Even the fierce bandits tied to the ground looked at Fang Xu as if they had seen a ghost, momentarily wondering if Fang Xu was actually such a good person.

"Young master, do we really have to do this?" Gu Bei asked, looking at Fang Xu with evident worry, but Fang Xu merely smiled. Old Wu, of course, understood the meaning behind Fang Xu's gaze.

Then, whispering something into Gu Bei's ear that remained unheard by others, Old Wu watched as Gu Bei's eyes involuntarily lit up.

Ultimately, Gu Bei and Old Wu made their decision and proceeded to carry out Fang Xu's instructions.

***

Seeing Gu Bei being persuaded by Old Wu, Fang Xu couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

Truly, a wealthy man commands the world, while a penniless man struggles for survival!

"Cough, cough. I almost kicked the bucket for real." Once Old Wu and Gu Bei had left, Fang Xu gave a couple of light coughs and muttered to himself.

After all, when Fang Xu had previously practiced suspended animation, he had almost genuinely slipped away into the afterlife.

Fortunately, Old Wu's resuscitation had been timely; otherwise, Fang Xu might right now be on a date with Meng Po at the River of Forgetfulness.

Even so, this served as a stern warning to Fang Xu: next time, he should definitely avoid casually using such dangerous methods.

After all, Fang Xu didn't expect to be this lucky every single time. It was much better not to take unnecessary risks, and he certainly hoped there wouldn't be a next time.

"Hey! Hey! What are you daydreaming for? Can you talk now?" Fang Xu patted the fierce bandit who was staring blankly at him, and the bandit finally snapped back to reality.

"You... you... what are you going to do?! I don't have any money on me!" the bandit cried out as he looked at Fang Xu, who would have thought his very first words would be those?

"Relax, do you think I want your little bit of pocket change?! Now, answer whatever I ask you, otherwise..." Fang Xu said with a simulated, thoughtful smile, prompting the bandit to nod frantically.

How could the bandit fail to grasp the underlying threat in Fang Xu's words? From Fang Xu's earlier methods, it was clear that this young master was far more terrifying than all the other young masters combined.

In this bandit's estimation, Fang Xu was clearly a veteran of countless battles; otherwise, why wouldn't he have panicked at the sight of all that blood?

Of course, the most crucial moment was when he overheard Fang Xu instructing Old Wu and Gu Bei earlier. That had given the bandit a surreal illusion: exactly who was the bandit here?!

Why was Fang Xu so effortlessly smooth at running scams, even more proficient at it than his own gang?!

Naturally unaware of the internal monologue swirling inside the bandit's head, Fang Xu proceeded to inquire about the matters that piqued his curiosity.

True to form, the bandit spilled everything, telling him all he knew without holding anything back. This prompted Fang Xu to marvel inwardly—not at the bandit's intelligence or solidarity, but rather at the astonishing lack of brain cells in the kidnapped young masters who had managed to get captured by such people in the first place.

Yet, it quickly dawned on Fang Xu that he himself had also been kidnapped. Wasn't that essentially mocking his own situation?!

Feeling somewhat awkward, Fang Xu rubbed his nose, while the clueless bandit remained completely oblivious to Fang Xu's internal reflections.

***

The bandit could only answer every single one of Fang Xu's questions truthfully, not daring to utter a single lie.

"So, last question: where does your boss keep all the ransom money he's collected?" Fang Xu asked with a smile, looking down at the bandit, who blankly shook his head in response.

Clearly, this low-level bandit didn't even possess the clearance to know such information. Since that was the case, Fang Xu had nothing more to discuss with him.

Rising to his feet, Fang Xu patted the shoulder of a nearby guard, who smiled and walked toward the tied-up bandit.

If that bandit still didn't understand what was about to happen, he truly must have been stupid enough to die of sheer ignorance.

Yet, right up until his dying breath, the bandit never imagined that Fang Xu was actually planning to rob the robbers!

Or could it be that Fang Xu had planned this all along, and that getting captured himself was an entirely deliberate act?

In truth, from Fang Xu's own perspective, how could he possibly possess the ability to foresee the future?

If he had such an ability, it would certainly be wonderful. However, his decision to turn the tables on the bandits and rob them was something he owed to the young masters.

Had it not been for those young masters, Fang Xu might never have figured out the most lucrative way to pull off a heist against criminals.

Even though it certainly seemed a bit devoid of honor, in Fang Xu's view, what necessity was there to speak of honor with a band of brutal outlaws?

Meanwhile, Old Wu and Gu Bei were carrying out the plan Fang Xu had given them earlier. The young masters, still tightly bound to the pillars, cast pitiful gazes toward Old Wu and Gu Bei.

Clearly, these young men understood that the current Fang Xu couldn't be bothered to pay them any mind.

Thus, their only remaining hope lay with Old Wu and Gu Bei. Old Wu strode forward holding a long saber, while Gu Bei carried a writing brush and a thick ledger in his hands.

Don't ask where Gu Bei had managed to procure these items; he carried them on his person at all times.

After all, serving concurrently as Fang Xu's strategist and steward, Gu Bei kept meticulous accounts of everything. And right now, these items had finally come in handy.