After learning from the old man about several of the Red Whale Gang’s smaller bases and the structure of its personnel, Lu Sheng quietly left the cemetery.
The following morning, he went out early for a casual stroll, intending to investigate the Red Whale Gang further. As he passed through a bustling street, he noticed a large store hosting what appeared to be a promotional event. Strangely, it wasn't called a discount—it was referred to as a “gift.”
A crowd of children had gathered at the entrance of the store, where a wooden platform had been set up. Someone was speaking loudly from atop it, drawing in a steady stream of curious passersby.
Initially, Lu Sheng only gave it a brief glance, intending to move on without delay.
But as he walked past the platform, something caught his eye—amid the lively crowd stood a group of ragged, emaciated people.
"The people in Yanshan City have always lived comfortably. I've never seen so many people who look like refugees wandering the streets before. Why are there so many all of a sudden?" he muttered to himself.
Ignoring the shopkeepers shouting from the platform, Lu Sheng focused his attention on the haggard figures. They looked pitiful—clothes torn, faces sunken, eyes dull with hopelessness. They lingered silently near the platform, waiting, perhaps, for scraps to ease their hunger.
As he continued down the street, he heard another commotion up ahead on the right. A crowd had gathered again, murmuring in hushed voices. Curious, Lu Sheng approached and gently parted the onlookers to see what was happening.
In the center, a malnourished couple knelt on the ground. They were barely clothed and clutched a small girl—only three or four years old—between them. A piece of bark hung around their necks, scrawled with a crude charcoal drawing that resembled a string of coins.
"Please be kind... My daughter is only three years old this year. She’s obedient and well-behaved... and she has delicate features. I beg of you, kind people, have mercy... please, just give her a meal..." the woman pleaded, her voice trembling with sorrow.
The little girl beside her stood quietly, eyes wide, still too young to understand the desperation around her.
Lu Sheng frowned and pushed his way out of the crowd. As he continued down the street, he was startled to see yet another family selling their children—both a young boy and girl, barely old enough to walk.
"Where are all these refugees coming from?" Lu Sheng muttered under his breath.
During his stroll, he came across at least five different families offering to sell their children. The sight weighed heavily on him, filling his heart with both unease and confusion.
In the world he came from, he had never witnessed such heartbreaking tragedy. How desperate must a family be to part with their own flesh and blood just to survive?
By the time the sun had shifted westward, Lu Sheng made his way back to the small building where he lived. But just as he passed the wine shop on the first floor, he noticed a young woman kneeling at the entrance, softly murmuring words in a foreign accent. Her speech was faint and hard to decipher—but the meaning was clear. She was selling herself.
Lu Sheng glanced at the scene and noticed one of the wine shop’s waiters standing nearby, watching with idle curiosity. Stepping closer, Lu Sheng asked,
"Why are so many refugees flooding into the city lately? Was there some kind of disaster outside?"
Recognizing Lu Sheng as the distinguished gentleman who lived upstairs, the waiter quickly straightened his posture and responded with a respectful nod.
"My lord, there’s been a terrible drought in Yunzhou. Countless people have run out of food and have taken to the road in search of survival. It's said that the number who died of starvation is nearly one-tenth of Yanshan City’s entire population. The misery along the way... it’s hard to imagine." The waiter shook his head and sighed. "At first, the city barred them from entering, but later, the magistrates couldn't bear to see such suffering. He ordered the gates opened to let some refugees in. To be honest, our city still fares better than most. Over in the Central Plains, many cities have been overwhelmed, and food prices have soared."
"Yunzhou..." Lu Sheng echoed thoughtfully. He recalled that Yunzhou lay to the west of the Central Plains—a broad region. He hadn’t realized the drought there was so severe. For so many people to journey such a long distance on foot, how many had perished along the way?
The waiter glanced around cautiously, then leaned in and lowered his voice.
"Yeah... I also heard rumors. They say Yunzhou wasn’t struck by natural disaster alone—it was demons. How else could there be ten days of hail followed by months of drought? This kind of weather isn’t normal..."
"Ten days of hail? Several months of drought?" Lu Sheng asked, bewildered.
"They say the hailstones were as big as eggs. Then came a drought that lasted eight or nine months—without a single drop of rain... Tsk tsk, it was absolutely miserable. I even heard people resorted to cannibalism," the waiter said, unable to hold back his tongue. He was a natural gossip and eagerly shared all he knew.
"Egg-sized hail... eight or nine months without rain..." Lu Sheng repeated, stunned. In his understanding, even three months without rainfall was already considered a serious drought. No wonder all of Yunzhou had collapsed—if the drought lasted that long, the crops would have been wiped out, and even clean drinking water might’ve vanished.
The waiter leaned in slightly and lowered his voice again.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnz0eRXpHR
"They say every time it looks like it's about to rain, dark clouds gather, but then strange things happen—like a spinning cloud vortex and sudden thunder. Then, just as quickly, the clouds vanish without a trace."
Lu Sheng left shortly after, still shaken by the waiter’s words.
Such bizarre and unnatural weather—ten days of hail followed by prolonged drought—completely defied the natural order. After spending so much time in this world, Lu Sheng had come to understand that it was largely similar to ancient China. Apart from cultural differences, the natural laws were mostly the same.
The only major deviation was the existence of supernatural forces—demons, ghosts, and the like.
"This kind of abnormal weather… it has to be the result of some external force," Lu Sheng thought to himself. His instincts were firm—this disaster in Yunzhou was likely tied to demons or malevolent spirits.
When he arrived home, he found Xiaoqiao seated, carefully mending some clothes. At the sound of the door, she quickly rose to her feet.
"Sir, you’re back? Would you like to take a bath? I’ll go fetch some hot water," she offered warmly.
"No need. How much money do we still have?" Lu Sheng asked casually.
"About twenty-one taels," Xiaoqiao replied promptly, her tone tinged with helplessness.
Lu Sheng was momentarily speechless. He even considered borrowing money from Song Zhenguo or Chen Jiaorong—or selling the white jade unicorn that Chen Jiaorong had gifted him. That piece alone was worth a million gold, an extravagant treasure. Then there was the purple jade hairpin. Though its Yin Qi had been absorbed, it was still crafted from precious purple jade and retained significant value.
"These are just temporary solutions. I should stick to my original plan. Maybe I can still establish a foundation for the Lu family here in Yanshan City," Lu Sheng thought, calming himself as he began eating the meal Xiaoqiao had brought.
The food was purchased from the restaurant next door and had a pleasant taste. As Lu Sheng ate, Xiaoqiao stood nearby, gently pouring him wine and chatting with him from time to time.
"When will the results be announced?" Lu Sheng asked casually.
"About a month from now. The academy will send out notifications. Qiao’er will keep an eye out," Xiaoqiao replied quickly.
"Just don’t forget. I might need to head out for some business soon. While I’m gone, be careful. Now that so many refugees have entered the city, there are bound to be people with bad intentions."
"Qiao’er understands," she said obediently.
After finishing his meal, Lu Sheng headed out again. He had already identified several Red Whale Gang locations during his morning outing.
Now, at noon, it was time to see how he could get involved.
He strolled slowly through the streets, then boarded a carriage that eventually brought him to the entrance of a large casino.
Golden Seal-Jinyin Casino.
The name sounded rather tacky, but it was strangely fitting. The front of the building was shaped like a massive golden seal—square, ostentatious, and impossible to miss.
Lu Sheng stepped down from the carriage, retrieved a gold-silk folding fan from his sleeve, and opened it with a crisp snap. With an air of calm, he blended into the stream of people going in and out of the casino.
The moment he stepped inside, he was met with a wave of chaotic noise. Shouts echoed through the air, mingled with the clatter of dice and the rustle of cards. Gambling tables of all sizes filled the hall, each surrounded by a swarm of gamblers with flushed faces and wild eyes, yelling as if sheer volume could bring them victory.
Though Lu Sheng had no interest in gambling, his gaze swept across the room with purpose. Soon, he spotted a red-faced middle-aged man standing at the far end of the hall.
The man stood silently beside a gambling table at the very back of the casino. He seemed calm and indifferent, observing the noisy crowd without much emotion. His attire was almost identical to that of the nearby casino guards, blending in easily—yet there was something distinct about his stillness.
But Lu Sheng knew this man well. He was none other than Red-Faced Zhao Jie—the small leader of the Gold Seal Casino and its usual overseer. If someone wanted to join the Red Whale Gang, approaching Zhao Jie was the easiest and most direct path.
Without hesitation, Lu Sheng walked straight toward him.
Zhao Jie noticed him almost immediately, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he sized up the unfamiliar figure approaching.
"Brother, why are you hanging around this corner instead of joining the fun?" Zhao Jie asked casually. Though he was leaning against a gambling table, there was no game being played at it—it served more as a makeshift resting spot.
"I’m a student from Dongshan College. I want to join the Red Whale Gang. Would you be willing to introduce me to someone?" Lu Sheng stated directly, offering a slight smile.
"A student from Dongshan College?" Zhao Jie blinked in disbelief.
He had been with the gang for years, but this was the first time a student had ever come knocking voluntarily. Despite the Red Whale Gang being the largest in the city, college students usually saw themselves as above such affiliations. Unless someone had a powerful connection high up or had been coerced into joining due to special circumstances, scholars typically stayed far away from gang matters.
After all, most scholars harbored dreams of official positions—ambitions far beyond what a gang could offer.
Zhao Jie hesitated briefly, then gave Lu Sheng a once-over.
"You say you're a college student—got any proof?"
Lu Sheng smiled again and reached into his sleeve, pulling out his nameplate. It was made of heavy brass, intricately decorated, and hard to counterfeit. The top displayed a large character “Dong,” while beneath it, a smaller character “Lu” identified his surname.
Zhao Jie believed him the moment he saw the nameplate. These college nameplates weren’t something ordinary people could obtain, and even if someone wanted to forge one, it was nearly impossible. Craftsmen throughout the city were strictly forbidden from taking private commissions, and any who dared to secretly produce such items risked severe punishment—even execution.
"Why do you want to join us?" Zhao Jie asked again. Usually, those seeking to join the gang were from the lower rungs of society—laborers, merchants, or skilled craftsmen. For a scholar attending an academy, someone with a decent family background, there was really no need to step into gang affairs.
"I’ve heard the Red Whale Gang is the largest in the North, full of masters with powerful techniques. This young master wants to learn the finest martial arts, so I hope to join," Lu Sheng replied bluntly. He had no interest in wasting time with half-truths—he preferred to be direct.
"Martial arts, huh..." Zhao Jie finally relaxed. It made sense. The Red Whale Gang’s martial techniques were indeed unmatched in the northern region—no other sect or gang could rival them.
"Alright then. Go register your name, age, and any areas of expertise," he said, pointing to a small door on the right side of the hall.
"But let me give you a reminder in advance—any disciple who wishes to study martial arts in our gang must go through Xuanwu Pavilion. To get in, you’ll need to pass an assessment of your strength and show you’ve made enough contributions to the gang."
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