Chapter 96 - 91: Dogs Also Choose Their Masters

Chapter 96: Chapter 91: Dogs Also Choose Their Masters

His voice suddenly rose, clearly meant for everyone around to hear.

"They aren’t fit to touch a hair on your head, Director Lu!

You’re a true dragon, and they’re just mudskippers—the kind you find in a stinking gutter!"

"You have that much faith in the Lu Family?" Lu Jing’an turned, his gaze fixed on Smiling Tiger’s eyes.

Smiling Tiger fell silent for a moment after hearing the question.

The thick, professional smile slowly faded from his face.

It revealed the real, weary, world-worn face beneath.

Then, he spoke from the heart, his voice much lower and more solid.

"Director Lu, this isn’t really about me having faith in the Lu Family."

He paused, as if weighing his words.

"It’s just that if I have to be a dog, I figure I’d have a better life as the Lu Family’s dog.

At least you’re a decent man, Director Lu. You actually treat people like human beings.

The Li Family..."

He sneered.

"The Li Family really does treat people like dogs. Use them, toss them, and replace them when they’re dead.

That’s why I sincerely hope the Lu Family wins.

If the Lu Family doesn’t win, I’ll have no choice but to pack my bags and clear out."

Lu Jing’an hadn’t expected that his kindness toward Black Bear could earn him such loyalty.

Lu Jing’an had been willing to stand up for Black Bear simply because Black Bear deserved it.

It wasn’t that Lu Jing’an was some great philanthropist.

It just went to show that in this dog-eat-dog world,

even the faintest glimmer of light was enough to warm a person’s heart completely.

Having spoken his mind, Smiling Tiger launched into a new round of flattery.

The smile was plastered back on his face, but this time, there seemed to be a hint of sincerity beneath it.

"Don’t you worry, Director Lu. Once the Lu Family secures the position of Chief of the Public Security Bureau...

I’ll immediately bring all my men to turn ourselves in!

Every last one of us!

Lock up who you must, kill who you must. We won’t cause you any trouble!"

Lu Jing’an watched the fawning Smiling Tiger. ’This man is rather interesting,’ he thought.

’Anyone who manages to climb to the top in a place like this is bound to be a sly old fox.’

Lu Jing’an flicked the ash from his cigarette and said slowly,

"This world needs places specifically to contain its filth."

He lifted a finger, gesturing toward Jinshan Village behind them.

"Since this place is already like that, let it stay that way."

Lu Jing’an continued,

"Having a place for wanted criminals to lay low is better than us wasting men and resources hunting them down everywhere.

Besides, it makes it easier for me to gather intelligence that I can’t get through normal channels."

He looked at Smiling Tiger, his gaze deep and meaningful.

"And if someone truly monstrous shows up, just let them die in the ring. Like what happened today."

Hearing this from Lu Jing’an, the smile on Smiling Tiger’s face grew wider, and this time, it was genuine.

"Director Lu, you are a true genius!

A brilliant plan like this... I could rack my brains all day and never come up with it!

It saves us effort and lets those bastards kill each other off. Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Lu Jing’an didn’t consider it a stroke of genius.

’If I could figure it out, there was no way Smiling Tiger hadn’t as well.’

’The Li Family, too.’

’The Li Family moved in here early for the same reasons I did, I’m afraid.’

’Maintaining a den of thieves like this allows them to handle shady business, buy off a few desperados, and control the criminal intelligence network across several surrounding counties.’

’The only problem was, the Li Family was too arrogant. They never saw people like Smiling Tiger, who clawed their way out of the mud, as actual human beings.’

’They thought a little money and power would be enough to make Smiling Tiger wag his tail and beg like a dog.’

’But they forgot—or more accurately, simply didn’t care...’

’...that even though Smiling Tiger came from the mud, he still saw himself as a man.’

’A rotten man, maybe, but a man nonetheless.’

’And a man has to live like a man, with a man’s dignity.’

’Even if there’s only a shred of it left.’

Lu Jing’an didn’t call out Smiling Tiger’s hypocrisy.

After all, it was how the man survived.

"You won’t be implicated in what happened this time."

Lu Jing’an dropped the cigarette butt to the ground, grinding it out under the sole of his gleaming military boot.

"As long as you don’t go looking for trouble and provoke the Li Family, they won’t have time to bother with you.

Their main target right now is me.

They’ve lost so many men at my hands, not to mention a Fate Cultivator.

If they can just swallow that, the Li Family Patriarch might as well step down."

Smiling Tiger immediately launched into another round of disparaging the Li Family while praising Lu Jing’an.

"That’s enough."

Lu Jing’an waved a hand, cutting off his endless stream of flattery.

"Just keep running your Jinshan Village.

And if you get any news about the Li or Liu Families, you let me know immediately."

Smiling Tiger nodded again and again, every wrinkle on his fat face beaming with delight. "You can count on it! I will! I will!"

In the end, Smiling Tiger respectfully escorted Lu Jing’an all the way to his car.

The engine started, and the car slowly pulled away from the village entrance, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Smiling Tiger stood his ground, waiting until the dust kicked up by the car had completely vanished from sight before slowly straightening up.

Then he turned, humming a little tune as he walked back toward Jinshan Village.

It was a folk ditty with bawdy lyrics, but the tune was cheerful.

His steps were steady, his bulk jiggling rhythmically with each stride.

Just as he entered the village, two of his trusted subordinates closed in.

One was built like a tower, with a scar running from his eyebrow down to the corner of his mouth.

The other was lean as a monkey, his shifty eyes glinting with cunning.

"Boss, are you really that happy about being the Lu Family’s dog?"

the brawny subordinate asked, his voice a low rumble.

Smiling Tiger chuckled, the sound sharp and clear in the cold morning air.

"Being the Lu Family’s dog isn’t just pleasant. It gives us a future opportunity to become men who stand above others."