Chapter 88: Are People So Enthusiastic About Getting Scammed These Days?

Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Are People So Enthusiastic About Getting Scammed These Days?

"Deal."

He was afraid someone else would swoop in and steal the opportunity.

But when he turned his head, he saw the other customers giving him looks of amusement.

He looked at the fat man, who sucked in his stomach and took his former spot, an expression on his face like he’d just struck gold.

"You’re going to regret this, brother."

Someone patted the man’s shoulder, their eyes holding a profound, knowing look.

The man pursed his lips, clearly unconvinced.

Now that he was a "free man," he decided to walk over to the stall and see what was so magical about these skewers that had so many people fawning over them.

Lu Wu never cared for cost-effectiveness when it came to her ingredients; she always used the best materials available.

Even a simple pot of clear broth was made with meticulous care.

The milky-white broth shimmered with a rich gloss. It carried a primal, meaty aroma, unadulterated by heavy spices—an aroma that diners who preferred lighter flavors found simply irresistible.

The pot of bone broth alone was appetizing enough to look at, to say nothing of the skewers constantly soaking up its essence.

And if you paired them with the dipping sauces Lu Wu prepared, a single glance was enough to make you surrender completely.

"Your clear broth skewers are ready. Be careful, they’re hot."

Lu Wu knew her customers were an impatient bunch, so she offered a considerate reminder.

"Don’t worry, Boss Lu, I’m not afraid of a little heat!"

The customer laughed heartily, stepping out of line with his skewers and immediately stuffing them into his mouth.

He ate as if he were afraid someone would rush up and snatch them away.

In reality, the number of people in line whose eyes were glowing with ravenous green light was only increasing.

It was the middle of the night, and one by one, people were "poisoning" them by eating right in front of them. Seeing how far they still were from getting their own food, how could they not feel a surge of resentment?

"You little punk. I’ll remember you."

Someone shot him a fierce glare and spat a threat, but the one who heard it just grinned, completely unfazed.

They were all from the same sect; everyone knew how the others acted.

He knew he’d have food flaunted in his face next time anyway, so he might as well enjoy rubbing it in now.

The diners gathered together to eat. Everyone had ordered different skewers, but there was absolutely no sharing.

Each person guarded their own skewers jealously.

Only the aromas continued to drift and mingle.

Unable to eat, their sense of smell grew even sharper.

The man who had sold his spot watched the blissful expressions on the diners’ faces, felt the saliva pooling in his own mouth, and was filled with regret.

The feeling was written plainly on his face, but no one paid him any mind.

What a joke. Why waste pity on a customer like that when they should be pitying their own unsatisfied stomachs?

Besides, they had seen plenty of people like him before.

Every time they saw someone like this eat their words, it was just another form of entertainment while enjoying Boss Lu’s cuisine.

"Can I..."

He walked up to the fat tycoon, but was cut off the moment he opened his mouth.

"No, you can’t. You can’t buy your spot back, no matter how much you offer."

The fat man rubbed his belly and smiled like a Maitreya Buddha, a hint of cunning in his eyes.

He was a veteran customer himself.

The reason he always managed to eat was because he would spend a fortune buying the spots of those with no foresight, then enjoy watching their regret.

It was a wicked little hobby of his, and he never tired of it.

Humming a carefree tune, the fat man shuffled forward with the line, leaving the man standing there, clutching his fifteen hundred Spirit Stones, drowning in regret.

The food stall continued its business.

The alley, which should have been silent, was now bustling with extraordinary energy.

With such a huge commotion, it was impossible for the people from the Heaven and Earth Casino not to know.

In fact, the moment Lu Wu had appeared, Steward Zhu had already been observing her.

Last night, the more he thought about it, the less sense it made.

’It was just one skewer, wasn’t it? How did it make me lose my mind and just let this Boss Lu set up shop at our entrance?’

He had planned to use some means to drive her away today, but he never expected so many customers to show up.

The crowd was dense, and their numbers were too great.

To avoid any mishaps, he couldn’t make any major moves and could only tacitly approve of Lu Wu’s stall here.

And as the flame was lit, the pot heated up, and the skewers went in...

That familiar aroma reminded Steward Zhu of yesterday’s stunning experience.

"Leave it be."

In the end, after leaving this instruction for his subordinate, he changed his face and got in line himself.

’There are so many people, playing the fool probably won’t work this time. Better just get in line obediently.’

"I want it spicy! Extra spicy! Make it as spicy as you possibly can!"

Steward Zhu emphasized repeatedly.

The rush of heat that flooded his body when spice hit his tongue was something that always fascinated him.

When Lu Wu heard this request, her gaze met a pair of "intelligent" eyes.

’A bit like that fool from yesterday.’

With that thought, Lu Wu unhesitatingly placed his skewers into the spicy red chili oil broth.

She watched as the ingredients were gradually coated in a bright red sheen. She gave them a slight turn, watching as a skewer of enoki mushrooms fanned out like a large net, catching the chili peppers from the broth.

"Is this enough?"

Lu Wu added a lot more chili peppers to the dipping sauce.

Red, white, green, and purple—the brilliant combination of colors made the bowl of dipping sauce look even more priceless.

"Enough!"

Steward Zhu took his skewers, originally intending to return to the casino. But when he saw the other customers squatting on the ground, eating and chatting about everything under the sun, he hesitated for a moment and decided to stay.

"Say, brother, is the casino open?"

Someone happened to see Steward Zhu and asked in a familiar tone.

"It’s open."

Steward Zhu studied the customer’s appearance before nodding, a contemplative look in his eyes.

’I’m just a little short of my target. Maybe I can make up the remaining numbers with these customers.’

’Isn’t this a golden opportunity being handed to me on a silver platter?’

"Oh? Then can I go in and take a look?"

Having just finished eating, the customer felt a surge of energy and wanted to move around to digest.

"...You can."

The look in Steward Zhu’s eyes changed.

’Are people this eager to fall into a trap nowadays? I haven’t even started coaxing them, and they’re already walking right into it.’

"Alright, you enjoy your meal. I’m going to go have a look."

"I’ll go too. It’s been a while since I gambled. I’ll play a few hands."

"Getting to eat Boss Lu’s food today must mean it’s my lucky day! Just watch me clean them out!"

"You? I bet you’ll lose so badly you won’t even have your belt left."

The group of people bantered back and forth.

They came from all over, occasionally gathering for Boss Lu’s food, and they all got along naturally.

The casino doors were pushed open, and a batch of customers flooded in.

Faced with the casino’s luxurious appointments, the customers grew intrigued, ready to show off their skills.

Outside the door, Steward Zhu watched them with a wicked expression.

"Heh heh heh, my lost little lambs. Once you’ve entered my casino, you can forget about ever leaving."

With this new batch to fill the quota, he might be able to pack up and leave even earlier than expected.

The thought of his performance numbers skyrocketing made Boss Zhu casually wipe his greasy hands and continue his villainous laugh.

"City Lord, should we intervene?"

In the crowd, someone asked Cang He Guang, who had changed his face once again.

They had originally planned to disguise themselves as customers, buy some skewers, and then enter the casino pretending to be new gamblers.

As long as they could bring the skewers inside, their fragrance would be enough to sober up the gamblers who had just recently fallen for the trap.

But they never expected that Boss Lu’s customer traffic would explode overnight.

There were too many people.

Their plan was thrown into disarray before it could even be implemented.

The number of victims was soaring.

What a disastrous start.