Beastmaster: I don’t want to be a breeder!

The calligraphy and paintings cherished by the older generation, after their passing, are often misunderstood by their children who lack appreciation for art. They may be sold off as worthless junk or simply thrown away, only to be picked up by scavengers who recognize their value.

Of course, scavenging can yield more than just calligraphy and paintings; one might also find gold jewelry, watches… all sorts of bizarre and wonderful things.

“Could I come in and take a look at the calligraphy and paintings you've collected? If I find anything suitable, I'd be happy to buy it.”

The scruffy old man pondered for a moment. He hadn't had meat in ages. He could sell something to get some money for meat. He stepped aside, allowing Li Cunxu into the house.

However, the scruffy old man remained wary of Li Cunxu, keeping the hand holding the kitchen knife behind his back.

Inside the small house were many boxes of calligraphy, paintings, and books, all scavenged by the old man from the garbage dump.

Li Cunxu crouched down and began to rummage through them.

“Good painting.”

“Print.”

“Student work.”

Li Cunxu scratched his head. “To be honest, I also have an interest in calligraphy. Seeing that you have ancient books here, I couldn't resist taking a look.”

Continuing his search, he finally found a book with half of the title 'Supreme Path' visible. A look of joy flashed across Li Cunxu's face. Then, without showing any signs, he picked up the book, along with a somewhat familiar painting of a tiger teasing a cat.

“I'll take these two. I'll offer two hundred.”

The scruffy old man's eyes were filled with suspicion. He couldn't quite figure out Li Cunxu's purpose, and tentatively asked.

“I want two thousand, or I won't sell.”

“You…”

Li Cunxu gritted his teeth and pondered for a moment. “Fine, I'm only giving it to you because you look pitiful.”

The scruffy old man snorted coldly in his heart. *Kid, your acting is terrible.* He tentatively said again.

“Twenty thousand, or I won't sell.”

“How can you raise the price again?” Li Cunxu said with great dissatisfaction.

“It's my stuff, I can raise the price if I want to. Take it or leave it.”

“I'll buy it.”

Just as Li Cunxu was about to take the book and painting, the scruffy old man pressed his two unwashed black hands on them.

“I'm not selling anymore.”

“How can you be so untrustworthy?”

“Get lost, or I'll give you a taste of my knife.”

The scruffy old man drew the kitchen knife from his waist, threatening Li Cunxu.

At this point, the scruffy old man was certain that Li Cunxu's purpose in coming here was not simple; it was for this book. He planned to study this tattered book carefully after Li Cunxu left, to see what was so special about it that Li Cunxu was willing to pay twenty thousand for it.

“Looks like I offered too high a price, making you suspicious. However, I did it on purpose.”

Li Cunxu said with a grin, and the scruffy old man felt a sense of foreboding.

“Little Soft, go.”

Little Soft didn't just 'go,' it pounced on the scruffy old man, knocking him down. The scruffy old man tried to resist with the knife, but Li Cunxu stepped on the back of his hand holding the knife, twisting his heel. He released the knife in pain, screaming.

The scruffy old man cursed, “You're a real beast, young man, robbing even an old scavenger.”

Li Cunxu lowered his head and gave him a slight smile, “Me, a beast? You're wrong! The real beast is you.”

“You coveted the famous painting that your friend found while scavenging, and poisoned the food you served him, killing him, along with the six members of his family, including a three-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl, who used to call you 'Uncle' before they died. How could you do that?”

“Even more disgusting, you dismembered the six bodies to prevent the police from finding out.”

Li Cunxu stepped down harder, causing the scruffy old man to scream even louder.

Not all scavengers in the garbage dump are there because they can't make a living. Some are wanted criminals hiding from the police.

Why was the scruffy old man so scruffy? Was it because he didn't like to be clean? No, it was because he deliberately maintained it. The dirt on his face, thick enough to make two steamed buns, was a disguise better than any human-skin mask.

Even the police wouldn't recognize him as a wanted criminal.

“By the way, what's your name? What's the bounty amount?”

The scruffy old man was so depressed he wanted to die. He was being arrested, but the person arresting him didn't even know his name?

Strange, he doesn't know my name? How could he accurately describe my deeds?

The scruffy old man was momentarily confused.

Li Cunxu saw a painting hanging on the wall with ink that hadn't dried yet, and the artist's name on it.

“Your name is Zhang Chiqian, right?”

Li Cunxu took out his phone, logged into the bounty network, and searched for Zhang Chiqian.

“Your bounty is only ten thousand.”

Zhang Chiqian shouted, “Let me go, and I'll give you more than ten thousand.”

Li Cunxu was a little shaken, not quite believing it.

“You're a scavenger, how could you have ten thousand?”

“Believe me, my bloodline talent is the Gold-Seeking Eye.”

Li Cunxu recalled the abilities of the Gold-Seeking Eye and believed Zhang Chiqian's words.

The Gold-Seeking Eye was originally a rare blue-level talent, capable of seeing gold veins hidden underground.

However, due to the foolish actions of an ancestor who dug for gold, disturbing a sleeping Golden Dragon beneath the earth and revealing its location, it attracted dragon slayers. The Golden Dragon, knowing it couldn't escape death, cursed the Gold-Seeking Eye bloodline at the cost of its own life, reducing it to a common white-level talent.

The current Gold-Seeking Eye can only mark the gold that appears in its field of vision and analyze the purity of the gold.

Li Cunxu hesitated for a moment, “I want to see the money first, then I'll let you go.”

Zhang Chiqian pointed to the corner of the wall, “Dig up the floor tiles in the corner.”

Li Cunxu did as he was told, digging out an exquisite jewelry box filled with gold and silver jewelry, mostly gold.

Li Cunxu looked at the box of gold and silver, and asked in confusion, “Since you have the Gold-Seeking Eye, you could stroll around the wilderness rivers and pan for a lot of gold. You shouldn't be short of money at all. Why didn't you use money to buy the painting, but chose to poison your friend's family to steal it?”

Zhang Chiqian opened his mouth, but felt that saying it that way was inappropriate, so he changed his explanation.

“My bloodline talent hadn't awakened at that time.”

Li Cunxu narrowed his eyes. He noticed Zhang Chiqian's expression and felt that he wasn't telling the truth.

“Since you have money, why are you still coveting my small amount of money, letting me in?” Li Cunxu raised another question.

“I don't have money. Although gold and silver jewelry is valuable, it can't be converted into cash. It's too abrupt for a beggar to often exchange gold for money.”

Zhang Chiqian said dejectedly, and then proudly said.

“How about it! This box, not counting the jewelry, just the gold and silver is worth more than ten thousand, right!”

“Let me go quickly!”

Li Cunxu said with disappointment, “You're such a grown man, how can you still be so naive? If I arrest you, all of this will be mine.”

“I want the bounty, and I want the gold and silver jewelry too.”

After hearing this, Zhang Chiqian was so angry that he almost vomited blood, and shouted angrily.

“I'm going to report you to the police, I'm going to accuse you of stealing my gold and silver.”

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