Black Tiger Gang?
"Why is it these evil spirits?"
The group of blacksmith masters changed their expressions slightly upon hearing the words Black Tiger Gang. Someone quietly muttered a sentence, and immediately everyone put down their hammers and walked outside, followed by Su Mu.
Outside the forging room, there is a courtyard, which is where forging materials are piled up and where Shopkeeper Li and his son live. At this moment, several sturdy men in black robes, with long sabers hanging from their waists, stood in the courtyard.
These men had steady and powerful steps, obviously trained practitioners, and their leader had a face full of flesh, a protruding belly, but with an unusual aura.
"This person is... an Entry Level Martial Artist!"
Su Mu immediately understood that this person was not simple, and had made his judgment in his heart.
At this moment, several old masters were beside these sturdy men, trying to appease them, but they did not dare to stop them from intruding into the courtyard.
"Master Wu, everyone knows harmony brings wealth. If you have any guidance, you can speak, why get angry?"
Soon Shopkeeper Li Tie heard the commotion and came over. He felt full of helplessness, understanding that the other party was here to cause trouble, but he could only greet them politely.
The villain called Master Wu snorted coldly when he saw Li Tie appear, "Guidance, indeed my Black Tiger Gang is here for some guidance from your blacksmith shop today."
From behind the crowd, Su Mu felt a stir in his heart. A few days ago, he had dealings with this Black Tiger Gang, and Sun Li and those villains who came to kill him were mostly from the Black Tiger Gang.
Could they be here because of Sun Li?
But Sun Li's life or death is unknown, they shouldn't have come here directly.
While Su Mu was in doubt, he saw Master Wu stepping forward aggressively, "Sun Li is now missing, you must give me an explanation."
Indeed they came because of Sun Li, but upon hearing that Master Wu was looking to the blacksmith shop for an explanation and not directly for him, Su Mu understood they couldn't find any evidence.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the blacksmith shop was stunned, they were aware of Sun Li's disappearance, but what does this have to do with the Black Tiger Gang?
Immediately Zhou Mountain in the crowd spoke indignantly, "Sun Li is an apprentice at our blacksmith shop, and Shopkeeper Li has already reported it to the government office. Everything will be investigated by the authorities, what does this have to do with your Black Tiger Gang?"
"Let me tell you, Sun Li wasn't just your blacksmith shop's apprentice, he was also a member of our Black Tiger Gang. He is a distant relative of our Master Wu Heng, and by generation he's a nephew."
A Black Tiger Gang member behind Wu Heng stepped forward and spoke harshly.
Upon hearing the first half, everyone in the blacksmith shop showed surprise, but when they heard the later part about the distant nephew, everyone had peculiar expressions, including other members of the Black Tiger Gang.
Whether Sun Li was a member of the Black Tiger Gang or not, once they brought out the distant nephew title, everyone present knew well that the Black Tiger Gang was deliberately finding fault.
The Black Tiger Gang was merely using Sun Li's affair to take advantage of the situation.
Immediately, all the blacksmith masters present showed anger on their faces.
Noticing everyone's reactions, Wu Heng's expression turned cold as he suddenly stepped forward. Everyone felt a gust of wind, and in the next second Zhou Mountain groaned, his entire body seemed to be struck by a hammer, flying out and slammed into several burly blacksmith masters, transforming them into rolling gourds.
Finally, as if the power scattered, he was lifted up by another person struggling.
Wu Heng glanced around, saw it was a weak young man, then withdrew his gaze, not noticing the trace of anger on the young man's lowered face.
At this moment Zhou Mountain was clutching his abdomen in pain, continuously wailing, the blacksmith masters couldn't see Wu Heng's move, but Su Mu saw clearly. After mastering Great Success Five Animals Qigong, his comprehension reached a point of modest potential, making his awareness far sharper than ordinary people.
Just now Su Mu clearly saw Wu Heng swiftly palm-strike Zhou Mountain's abdomen, a strike beyond the speed detectable by ordinary human eyes.
Moreover, there was power contained in Wu Heng's palm, confirming Wu Heng was indeed an Entry Level Martial Artist, a true Ninth Grade Refining Power Martial Artist.
If it weren't for Su Mu's presence today, no one could have supported Zhou Mountain, but Su Mu also realized there's a considerable gap between him and Wu Heng currently.
Earlier, without a few blacksmith masters taking some force, Su Mu might not have been able to stand it; Wu Heng's power is many times stronger than Su Mu's.
"Old Zhou, how are you?"
"I'm, I'm okay." Zhou Mountain gritted his teeth painfully.
The crowd transferred Zhou Mountain from Su Mu's support, other people were infuriated and turned to rush back to the forging room to grab their tools, as blacksmiths wield hammers daily, they have both strength and temper, and this was their territory.
Wu Heng, despite being strong, only had three people with him, while there were a dozen people on their side.
"Hmph, fists have no eyes, this palm was just a warning, next time if it lands on you it won't be so light."
Wu Heng's voice turned abruptly cold, emitting a chilling aura.
"Stop, everyone stop!"
Li Tie shouted, aware that the Black Tiger Gang was Qingshui Town's largest gang, and everyone knew this gang was actually a power from certain county town officials.
Once thoroughly offending the Black Tiger Gang, not only would the blacksmith shop struggle to survive in town, but the blacksmith masters there might also be resented and avenged by the gang afterward, a result Li Tie did not wish to see.
"Master Wu, everything can be negotiated, no need to be so angry."
Seeing Li Tie showing signs of compliance, Wu Heng motioned for a gang member to step forward and take out a register from their bosom, "Let Shopkeeper Li see clearly, our Black Tiger Gang is not causing trouble without reason today."
The gang member opened the register to a certain page, and on the white paper in black ink was Sun Li's name, showing he joined the Black Tiger Gang three years ago. The ink on the register seemed to have faded slightly, the ink scent not present, indicating it's not newly added.
After reviewing the register, Li Tie and the blacksmith masters were speechless for a while, surprised to realize Sun Li was indeed from the Black Tiger Gang, even before becoming an apprentice at the blacksmith shop.
The current issue, although strained, gave Master Wu Heng of the Black Tiger Gang some excuse to make trouble, and since Wu Heng had come to confront them today, Li Tie knew if they didn't provide some sort of explanation, the Black Tiger Gang wouldn't let it go.
"We've reported Sun Li's matter to the authorities. His disappearance has nothing to do with our shop, and he hasn't been found yet... What kind of explanation is Master Wu expecting?"
After a moment of silence, Li Tie spoke, naturally unwilling to acknowledge Sun Li's disappearance had anything to do with the blacksmith shop but willing to offer an explanation to keep the peace.
"I hope Master Wu can be lenient."
"Lenient? Sun Li is our Master Wu's nephew, if your son was killed by my Black Tiger Gang and I asked Shopkeeper Li to be lenient, what would Shopkeeper Li do?"
Just then a Black Tiger Gang member sneered.
"What did you say?!"
A blacksmith master shouted angrily, Li Tie is a kind man, usually treating the masters in the shop well, so when they saw someone bullying Li Tie like this, they all couldn't contain their anger.
Li Tie was also angry inside, but after a change of expression, he signaled everyone to remain calm. Wu Heng saw this, waved his hand, seriously reprimanding his subordinate.
"Imbecile, how can you speak to Shopkeeper Li like this, do you have any right to speak here, back down now." After scolding, Wu Heng turned his tone, "But he indeed said one thing right, Sun Li is after all my nephew, yet now his life is uncertain while being an apprentice at your blacksmith shop."
"But I believe in Shopkeeper Li's character too, here's the deal… I won't make it difficult for you, just produce two hundred taels of silver for a grand burial for my nephew. Once He's found, our Black Tiger Gang will naturally return the silver in full."
Opening their mouth, they demanded two hundred taels of silver; a ten-refined blade soldier can sell for five taels of silver, even without considering costs, two hundred taels would require forty blade soldiers.
The Black Tiger Gang was committing daylight robbery with this extortion, opening their mouth wide.
As for the promise to return the money once the person was found, nobody would believe it; entering a tiger's den, how could it be returned.
Li Tie was torn inside, finally gritting his teeth to speak solemnly, "Master Wu, you understand two hundred taels isn't a small amount, our shop can't produce that much immediately, I hope you'll give us a few days to gather the money."
"Alright, Shopkeeper Li is indeed straightforward." Wu Heng laughed lightly, "Then three days it is."
Upon finishing, Wu Heng took out a token from his waist and forcefully threw it on the ground, with a hiss the token embedded straight into the ground, with the engraved words Black Tiger tremor causing a metallic hum.
"This is my nephew's token, I'll come to your shop in three days to collect the silver."
As the words fell, Wu Heng turned with a smile, leading two Black Tiger Gang members to swagger away.
Behind them, Su Mu quietly observed everything, his fists silently clenching then slowly unclenching, today's events had offered Su Mu a vivid lesson.
"Being weak is original sin in this chaotic world, survival of the fittest…"