The Gray Badger Gang,
as a medium-sized force controlling a small portion of the slums and a few streets in the West City District,
doesn’t have as much income as outsiders might think.
Sometimes, it even seems a bit tight financially.
Don’t be fooled by those tattooed hooligans roaming the streets in groups, looking carefree and affluent.
In reality, they might just barely have enough to eat.
For a middling gang like the Gray Badger Gang, the sources of income are very limited.
Firstly, the most stable income naturally comes from collecting "protection money" from shops in their territory.
They can’t charge too much, or they’ll scare away the business, and then they won’t make any money themselves.
They do need to dispatch a few gang members to occasionally patrol the streets like guards, getting rid of unruly customers who might disrupt business, to maintain a relatively stable environment.
This way, when they "occasionally" collect protection money a few days early, or raise the fee by ten or twenty percent, the shop owners wouldn’t have too many complaints.
Then, there are the gray areas for income.
It could be an adventurer new to the city with some decent equipment; or a bounty on the black market for an assassination of a fallen merchant.
You can’t expect these gang members to do hard labor or short-term jobs to make money.
Once they don the "Gray Badger Gang member" identity, the law in Neum City becomes irrelevant.
Perhaps they retain a bit of conscience on a certain level.
But when it comes to money... it’s all about how fast they can get it.
Of course, this type of income is very unstable for the Gray Badger Gang.
In good months, every underling might have a few big meals and a few trips to places like the Nightingale’s Nest.
When there’s no extra income, they can only make life harder for the ordinary residents on the street.
Meanwhile, the expenses are even larger compared to the monthly income.
Not mentioning anything else, you can’t let the young men who come with you from the slums starve, right?
Even if it’s just clear water and hard black bread like bricks, you have to feed them.
Occasional indulgence at the tavern is also necessary.
Then there are the expenses on weapons and tools.
In gang fights, there’s no need for the expensive equipment for adventurers from the boutique Blacksmith Shops, which cost dozens or hundreds of Gold.
But in this line of work, when you’re fighting for territory, holding just a few pipes or wooden sticks like a goblin undermines morale by thirty percent before the fight even starts, so how can you win?
Therefore, these expenses are equally essential.
Bribing the sheriff and guards on the streets in question, occasionally buying some useful information from the black market, funding the homeless to spread rumors in the city...
All these scattered expenditures leave not much money at the end of each month.
As for casinos and brothels, the more profitable businesses... they are beyond the reach of an ordinary gang like the Gray Badger Gang.
After expanding their power to the West City District, the gang leader, "Eight finger," even personally took his men to the Iron Bucket Toad Tavern where many adventurers gather, to talk cooperation with the owner, the "Stubborn Donkey."
The idea was to book several tables in the tavern hall for gambling, with profits split evenly.
Then they were thrown out by the Stubborn Donkey with a broom.
In conclusion, these hooligans living like gray-skinned rats in dark sewers can hardly be called wealthy.
Therefore, when the Gray Badger Gang’s leader, "Eight finger," called his men to thank, and opened the exquisitely crafted small cash box as a reward for saving them from the rat attack,
his expression looked so pained.
His eyes scanned the opened interior of the cash box, reflecting a gleam of gold in his dark eyes.
At least over fifty Gold, with a few shiny little stones scattered in the corners of the box.
He glanced once more at the man’s stiff smiling face before him.
Xia Nan raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Of course!" Eight finger snapped the cash box shut with a "clap," handing it to Xia Nan with both hands.
"Without your two assistance, my brothers and I in the gang would probably have been gnawed by those damn rats without a bone left."
"This is just a small token of gratitude, please accept it!"
Since he said so, Xia Nan didn’t hesitate, reaching out to take the cash box directly.
Feeling a sense of ease inwardly.
Originally thought there wouldn’t be any spoils from this battle, just an opportunity to improve the Battle Skill level would have been satisfying enough.
Didn’t expect an unexpected gain.
Especially after spending a large sum at the "Rock Hammer" Blacksmith Shop, watching his bank account plummet, feeling uncertain.
Having such an extra subsidy during the mission is quite comforting to him now.
Of course, Xia Nan didn’t forget Wood, who also participated in the battle beside him. He turned his head towards him, slightly lifting the small wooden box in his hand to indicate they would distribute it in detail after leaving.
Unexpectedly, this stern-faced middle-aged man just waved his hand.
"You keep it, I don’t need money in the city."
"It’s getting late, we better leave before dark and attend to the urgent matters."
Hearing this, Eight finger, who had been standing in front of them with a cautious expression, slightly lifted his head, probing carefully:
"I heard from Iron Head that you two... are here to find me?"