Chapter 440: Chapter 380: Shaking the Tree

"Lord General, do you believe what he just said?"

Lin Yi looked down at the list Li Xuewen had just given him.

After a long moment, he smiled and said, "Do you think human nature is inherently good or inherently evil?"

"Huh?"

Wei Shang was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected Lin Yi to ask such a question.

After a while, he scratched his head and said, "Human nature... is inherently good, I guess?"

"Then do you think a person who is fundamentally good would willingly become a butcher for money?"

"Well... I don’t think so. Didn’t the ancients say that a gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means? No matter how desperate for money someone is, they wouldn’t sell out their conscience and principles, right? Unless their nature was evil to begin with..."

Lin Yi smiled, nodded, and looked out the window at the street below.

He saw that Li Xuewen had already crossed the road. Just as he reached the other side,

he didn’t forget to glance back in their direction.

After a moment, Lin Yi turned back and said, "Have someone tail Li Xuewen. Also, look into his family situation."

"His sister and his parents. Don’t startle them."

"Go question their neighbors and relatives."

"The information we get from them will be the most direct."

"You must move quickly. Delays breed trouble."

After Lin Yi gave his orders, Wei Shang quickly nodded.

He took out his phone and made a few calls.

Meanwhile, Lin Yi lowered his head and went back to eating.

There was still a lot of meat left in the hot pot; it would be a shame to let it go to waste.

After Wei Shang finished making his calls, he also asked the waitress for a new set of bowl and chopsticks.

"Lord General, it’s too much to waste. Let me help you clean up!"

Lin Yi glanced at him with a smile. "Sure. But you’re treating. I didn’t bring any money."

"Huh?"

He had just put a slice of lamb in his mouth, but Lin Yi’s words made it get stuck in his throat.

Lin Yi looked at him. "Come on, this meal is only two or three hundred. Is it really worth reacting like that?"

Hearing this, Wei Shang laughed.

"No, it’s not that I’m reluctant to pay. Why don’t we just order a few more plates of meat?

Since I’m treating, we might as well eat until we’re full!"

Lin Yi smiled and nodded. "Alright. I’m not full yet, either. Let’s get a few more plates of sliced meat."

Wei Shang quickly called the server over again.

He then ordered several more plates of meat, vegetables, and some fish balls.

In response, the waitress gave Wei Shang a long, hard look.

"Can you finish all this? Didn’t you just..."

Before she could finish, Wei Shang glanced at her with a smile.

"Miss, take a good look. Was I the one sitting here earlier?"

"Just bring the food. It’s not like we aren’t paying you."

The waitress looked Wei Shang up and down for a few seconds before nodding. "Okay, please wait a moment."

With that, she went to place the order with the kitchen.

In total, the meal cost Wei Shang over five hundred.

Lin Yi, who had already eaten two rounds, seemed to have no limit.

By the time Wei Shang was starting to feel full, Lin Yi looked like he had only just started.

"Want to get a few more plates?"

Lin Yi looked at Wei Shang and said with a light chuckle.

Instantly, Wei Shang looked like he had seen a ghost. "Don’t tell me you’re still not full."

Lin Yi nodded. "Mm, almost. But it’s fine if we don’t eat more. Let’s go."

The corner of Wei Shang’s mouth twitched.

He’d seen big eaters before, but he’d never seen anyone eat *this* much.

Back in school, he had often eaten with Lin Yi.

But back then, the meals were free, so he hadn’t paid much attention.

How much Lin Yi ate had nothing to do with him.

But today, Wei Shang was the one paying, so he couldn’t help but feel the pinch.

The moment he heard Lin Yi suggest leaving, Wei Shang shot up without a second thought.

Seeing his reaction, Lin Yi couldn’t help but laugh.

"Look how scared you are. You make tens of thousands a month, are you really worried about a meal that costs a few hundred?"

At that, Wei Shang looked back at Lin Yi.

"You can’t put it like that. I earn a lot of money to improve my family’s living conditions.

Besides, my salary goes straight to my mom. My own allowance is pitifully small!"

"I’m not gonna lie, this one meal just cost me half a month’s allowance!"

Hearing this, Lin Yi shot him a look.

"Oh, give me a break. Half a month’s allowance? Who are you trying to fool? You think I’m a kid?"

"No, really! Feng Lei and the others all know. My salary never even touches my hands; it’s wired directly to my mom!"

Wei Shang said with a completely serious expression.

Lin Yi: "..."

"Right, one more thing. I want you to investigate every single person on this list.

Find out their identities and life histories. The more detailed, the better."

Lin Yi handed the list of Blood Handprint members, which Li Xuewen had given him, to Wei Shang.

Wei Shang took it and glanced at it, his brow furrowing slightly. "Boss, this is..."

"It’s the list of members Li Xuewen gave me. If he’s really up to something, then the people on this list are definitely part of it."

’Perhaps he’s trying to use me to get rid of these people.’

As soon as he said this,

Wei Shang nodded. "Alright. When I get back, I’ll find Tang Zhan and we’ll investigate this."

Lin Yi didn’t speak. His gaze turned cold and profound.

This meeting with Li Xuewen gave him the most direct sense that people’s hearts had changed, that human nature itself had changed.

The Li Xuewen from the past, with his clear eyes and slight foolishness,

had completed his metamorphosis. The man he was today felt much more cunning and calculating.

This was the greatest shock to Lin Yi.

These people living in the Old District, in order to survive,

were willing to abandon their humanity and cast aside their conscience.

All for the sake of living...

"Conscience? Is that thing worth any money?"

"It’s not like you haven’t spent time in the Old District. Are the outcasts of the Old District even considered human?"

"They’ll do anything for money, anything to achieve their goals!"

"They’d even push their own family into a pit of fire! You, of all people, should know that best!"

At the clinic, Wei Nan had woken up.

Lin Yi had just told him about his meeting with Li Xuewen.

He had also shared his own speculations and deductions.

Lin Yi glanced at the agitated Wei Nan.

His brows were tightly furrowed, and he said nothing.

"If he had even a shred of humanity left, would he have stabbed me?"

"You still believe his bullshit? If you actually fall for it, you’ve already lost!"

Wei Nan gritted his teeth, still remembering the situation vividly.

He had also been greatly surprised when he saw Li Xuewen.

But who would have thought that they wouldn’t even exchange a single word upon meeting?

He had simply stabbed Wei Nan and fled out the door...

He was just lucky. It wasn’t his time to die.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here now, meeting with Lin Yi.

"I will help you repay him for that stab, but now is not the time."

"For now, you just rest here and focus on recovering."

Lin Yi said, trying to calm Wei Nan down.

Wei Nan nodded. "You... your biggest weakness is that you’re too sentimental."

"You have to remember, from the moment we went to the New District and Li Xuewen failed to make the cut, many things were already set in stone!"

"He probably still resents us for it!"

"We all went to the New District while he was left behind in the Old District. He’s going to blame all his misfortunes and all his resentment on us!"

"So, you absolutely cannot let yourself be fooled by so-called friendship or family ties!"

"And your brother, Lin Yu. From the first moment I saw him, I knew he was no good.

Didn’t you say he joined Blood Drop?"

"And now he’s mixed up with the Blood Handprint!"

"Do you think he’s any good? If I were you, I’d march right over to your house!"

"Whether he’s guilty or not, just beat him a few times. You’re bound to get something out of him, right?"

"The Town Martial Department’s way in the New District is to be tough and domineering!"

"We do whatever it takes to achieve our goals. You can’t let that tradition fade on your watch!"

"Besides, if anything goes wrong, we have Old He to take the fall for us!"

"So why not take this chance to settle old scores and get the revenge you’re owed?"

"Even if they’re innocent, you should make a show of force. Let them know you’re not the same old Lin Yi they could push around anymore!"

"You’re the Lord General of the Town Martial Department, the man with real power, second to only one!"

"Show some backbone! Otherwise, our glorious return home will have been for nothing!"

Wei Nan’s speech left Lin Yi a little stunned.

He truly hadn’t expected Wei Nan to be capable of saying so much.

After a moment, Lin Yi smiled and nodded. "Alright. I’ll do as you say. Whether he’s guilty or not, we’ll beat him a few times first."

"That’s more like it! It’s a shame I can’t go with you."

"I really want to see the looks on your dad’s and your stepmom’s faces when they see you now."

"Perhaps... it’ll be quite a show, right?"

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