Chapter 396: Parasite Bar
In a dimly lit basement, a group of gang members gathered together.
"Boss, we can't just let this matter slide!"
"That's right! Those garbage pickers came to our turf to sell stuff and don't even want to give us a cut!"
"But those spiritual energy cards are too powerful. Even a second-tier spiritual energy user couldn't withstand a single hit..."
"The boss is a third-tier spiritual energy user! Besides, those are just some kind of spiritual energy items. If we snatch them, we can use them too!"
"Boss, say something!"
"Boss?"
"...Uh... I think the boss is dead..."
"Huh? How is that possible? He was alive just now, and no one even got close to him!"
... Lin Ye drove his sports car past the vicinity of the basement, casually controlling a spiritual energy blade to stab the leader of those gang members in the back.
He didn't need to kill everyone. As long as the leader was taken out, the new 'boss' would naturally consider whether to mess with the card business.
Any normal person would think about the previous boss who died silently, and after this incident spread, even fewer people would dare to touch the card business.
The card sellers could also use the cards to fight back. This created a possibility where after a fight, many people would die, and in the end, not a single card might be left.
Some people like cooperation for a win-win, some like to win twice alone, but very few people like a lose-lose situation.
If he really encountered that kind of person, Lin Ye could go and deal with them again.
Lin Ye drove his sports car around the city for a while and quickly resolved all those organizations with ideas. This information came from the homeless people helping him sell cards. No one knew the dangerous areas better than them.
Later, Lin Ye would test the ability levels of these homeless people through selling cards. Those with capability would be promoted to middle or high-level cadres of the organization, gradually forming a card-selling organization spread throughout the Free City.
As long as they had enhancement serums, those homeless people might not be much worse than others. Some just lacked an opportunity.
After dealing with those miscellaneous organizations, Lin Ye parked his sports car outside a bar. He originally planned to come here tomorrow, but just now, as he passed by, he sensed several mature-stage parasites near the bar. These parasitic organisms had clearly already taken root in the Free City.
This would have a certain impact on his card-selling plan. After all, he couldn't have a bunch of parasites helping him sell cards.
Lin Ye walked into the Night Encounter Bar. The bar wasn't noisy. Some young people swayed slowly in the dimly lit dance floor, and the customers were immersed in the ambiguous atmosphere and soothing music.
"Aren't you a non-drinker? Looking for me for something?"
A handsome golden-haired young man sat at the bar counter. When Lin Ye entered, he was flirting with a young girl sitting next to him.
"Sorry to disturb you, but I'm not here for you. I have some things to discuss with the owner of this place... If I were you, I wouldn't get so close to her."
Lin Ye walked through the dance floor towards the corridor leading to the bar's inner depths. This was far from just an ordinary bar.
"What do you mean? I'm good friends with the owner of this bar. If you have something, I can help you communicate. His temper isn't exactly great."
Raymond followed behind Lin Ye. He was a regular at this bar and had many acquaintances here. After the Slums commission ended, he had inquired about the situation in the Slums. All the spiritual energy users who entered the Slums died, except for Lin Ye.
This gave him some understanding of Lin Ye's methods.
The security personnel standing on both sides of the corridor initially wanted to stop Lin Ye, but after seeing Raymond, they made way.
"My temper isn't exactly great either."
Lin Ye walked straight towards a certain room deep inside the bar. At that moment, some people were holding a meeting inside.
What they were discussing was precisely spiritual energy cards.
Similar to other organizations, they all wanted to take the spiritual energy cards for themselves.
Lin Ye pushed the door open and entered the room. The reason he didn't take direct action immediately was because the owner of this bar was a seventh-tier spiritual energy user, and he owned the vast majority of bars in the entire Free City.
There was a long table in the room, surrounded by gang members dressed in formal suits. The bar owner was a middle-aged man with a stern expression, sitting on one side of the long table.
"Raymond, is this one of your people?"
Klaus had noticed Lin Ye earlier. If Raymond hadn't been beside him, he would have already taken action.
"We have a cooperative relationship. I suggest you don't rush to act. Otherwise, at least half the people here will die today."
Although Raymond had never seen Lin Ye in action, he didn't believe Lin Ye would do something he wasn't confident about.
"I'll give you one minute."
Klaus stared at Lin Ye, his gaze sharp.
"The spiritual energy card business is mine. I want to sell cards on your turf. If any of you dare to interfere, I'll kill you all."
Lin Ye used less than ten seconds to clearly state his idea.
"Do you want to die, you bastard!"
"Bastard! Do you know what kind of place this is?"
"I'll slaughter you right now!"
"A third-tier spiritual energy user dares to talk such big talk?!"
...
The gang members all drew their weapons and aimed them at Lin Ye.
"This isn't exactly an attitude for negotiation..."
Raymond retreated to the side and started watching the show. Since Lin Ye didn't intend to negotiate, there was no need for him to step in.
He wouldn't get involved in such matters. As for good friends... only the winning side would be his friend.
"Everyone, put your weapons away."
Despite his hot temper, Klaus didn't immediately take action. Instead, he told his subordinates to put away their weapons.
Lin Ye was too composed. This made Klaus unwilling to act directly. If Raymond wasn't talking nonsense, then this young man might truly be very dangerous.
Facing an enemy whose depths were unknown, Klaus also had to proceed with caution.
"Young man, I can stay out of the spiritual energy card business. I can also let your people sell cards on my turf. But you have to give something in return. Otherwise, you'll have to show me the strength to make me shut up."
Klaus decided to talk with Lin Ye first. If the other side insisted on fighting, he wasn't someone to be trifled with either.
"I can tell you a piece of news that's very important to you. You can choose whether to listen or not."
If the other party was willing to listen, Lin Ye could give them a chance.
"...If that news is truly as important as you say, I can stay out of the spiritual energy card business and let your people sell cards on my turf."
Klaus decided to hear Lin Ye's news first.
"There's a parasitic disease spreading in the Free City. Your bar has become a major infection zone. The parasites produced by this parasitic disease can silently replace a host's body. Right now, in this very room, several people have already been replaced by parasites."
Lin Ye said with a smile.
"I don't sense any parasites."
Klaus looked at Lin Ye with a skeptical gaze.
"These parasites are indistinguishable from normal people after complete replacement. However, the larvae are still easy to detect. You can sense that person's lower body."
Lin Ye pointed at a man and said.