Chapter 8: This Punch Really Hurts!
Wang Qiang pointed a finger at Chen Yi. Although his words were still fierce, his feet were already slowly backing away.
"Chen... Chen Yi! Don't go crazy! This is Black Stone Gang territory! Do you know who our Gang Leader is? That's Shi San, known in the Jianghu as Black Blood Iron Claw!"
Chen Yi couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense. Holding the small hammers, he charged straight at him and knocked him to the ground with one blow.
"I'll teach you to bully others relying on your master's power!"
Wang Qiang only felt a wave of dizziness and tinnitus; the intense pain on his face almost made him stop thinking.
Before he could scream, Chen Yi smashed down another hammer.
"I'll teach you to embezzle our food!"
This hammer struck his back heavily, and a distinct "crack" was heard on the spot.
"Ah!!"
Although Wang Qiang was a Martial Artist, Chen Yi's cultivation was higher than his. He couldn't withstand even one hammer blow, yet Chen Yi straddled him directly and unleashed a frantic barrage!
"I'll teach you to beat and scold us at every turn!"
"Ah!! Stop hitting me!"
"I'll teach you to force us to sign indenture contracts!"
"Ah!! Spare me! Spare me! I was wrong! Hero, spare my life!!!"
"I'll teach you to force me to feed monsters!"
"Ah!! I never did that?! That's pure framing!!"
In his excitement, Chen Yi counted the events from the simulation against him.
"So what if I frame you?!"
As the foreman, Wang Qiang was responsible for managing the overseers and coolies on the pier and usually held the highest status among them.
Therefore, he had often abused his power.
Seeing him beaten by Chen Yi until he screamed repeatedly, not only did the coolies find it satisfying, but even the overseers who had fallen into the water secretly cheered.
Finally, they could vent their anger!
Not far away, the Black Stone Gang Leader, Shi San, walked over.
Seeing Wang Qiang being pinned down and beaten by Chen Yi without any ability to fight back, he became interested.
"Who is this kid?"
The Black Stone Gang's Cannonhead took a look and cupped his fists.
"Gang Leader, that kid is named Chen Yi. Three months ago, he and a fool drifted down from the upper reaches of the Qing River. The brothers picked them up to use as coolies on the pier."
Shi San looked thoughtful and said to a pot-bellied muscular man behind him.
"Old Four, this Chen Yi should be a Martial Artist. Wang Qiang is no match for him. Go test him, see how much he weighs. Note, don't strike too hard and cripple him."
"Alright, Boss!"
Chen Yi was enjoying beating Wang Qiang when his wrist was suddenly seized, and the small hammer in his hand was snatched away and casually tossed to the ground.
Turning his head, he saw it was the Fourth Boss of the Black Stone Gang.
"Kid, you're about to beat him to death. Want to exchange a few moves with me?"
Chen Yi kicked Wang Qiang into the water.
"Fourth Boss, you are a Martial Artist; how could I be your match? Isn't this bullying the small with the big?"
There weren't many Martial Artists in the Black Stone Gang.
After all, people with Root Bones were few, and those with the opportunity to enter the Martial Path were even fewer.
Presumably, a small gang like this would try to absorb any Martial Artist they discovered.
Seeing that the Fourth Boss wanted to spar with him, Chen Yi estimated that his goal had been achieved.
"Hahaha! Upright people don't speak in riddles. Aren't you a Martial Artist too?"
"Martial Artists also have levels."
"I am at Body Refining Stage 6! But I won't bully you. As long as you can make me feel pain, we'll let bygones be bygones for today's matter. I can even ask the Gang Leader to let you become one of the Four Pillars and Eight Columns of our Black Stone Gang!"
Chen Yi clenched his fists.
"Fourth Boss, does your word count?"
"Hmph! When has I, Shi Laosi, ever gone back on my word? If I say I won't pay you wages, then I've never paid them!"
Chen Yi felt this guy's IQ might be fit to sit at the same table as Da Chun.
Since the two were sparring, naturally, they wouldn't use weapons.
If using fists, then Chen Yi had to mention the trait he just obtained.
[Serious Punch]!
At the initial exchange, the Fourth Boss felt he could handle it with ease.
Chen Yi was indeed a Martial Artist; his strength and reaction speed were not what ordinary people possessed.
But compared to his Body Refining Stage 6, there was still a clear gap. He could easily handle Chen Yi.
"Is this all? You can't even touch the corner of my clothes!"
"Does the Fourth Boss only dare to dodge?"
"Hmph! I'm afraid I won't control my strength and kill you, which would be hard to explain to Big Brother! With your meager kung fu, even if I stand still and let you hit me, you can't hurt me a bit!"
This guy really kept his word.
He said he would stand still, and he stood still.
Chen Yi seized the opportunity, using all his strength to maximize the trait's effect.
[Serious Punch]!
Ten times the destructive power!
"Bang!!"
This punch made the fat on the Fourth Boss's belly ripple like the surface of a lake.
The Fourth Boss's body caved backward on the spot.
He forcefully swallowed a mouthful of blood that rose in his throat.
The corners of Chen Yi's mouth curled up. He took a step back, looking playfully at the Fourth Boss who was holding on for dear life.
"Fourth Boss, how was it?"
The Fourth Boss endured the severe pain in his abdomen, desperately swallowing the rising blood mouthful by mouthful, his whole body trembling slightly.
"Not... not painful! But... but it was indeed not bad. I'll go ask the Gang Leader now! You... you stop hurting people!"
As soon as the Fourth Boss turned around, Shi San was already standing behind him.
"I saw everything. Chen Yi, since you are a Martial Artist, my Black Stone Gang would like to invite you to take a position within the gang and share in the wealth! You no longer need to work as a coolie!"
Goal achieved. But Chen Yi kept a poker face; he had to act a bit more realistically.
"I want to leave."
Shi San chuckled.
"Old Four didn't use his full strength just now for fear of hurting you, but don't think he can't beat you."
The implication was clear.
Even the Fourth Boss of the Black Stone Gang could handle you, let alone him, the Gang Leader.
Asking you to join the gang is out of respect for you being a Martial Artist. Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.
"In that case, I will stay."
"I have another question. Since you are a Martial Artist, why didn't you tell us and instead willingly worked as a coolie here?"
Chen Yi said indifferently.
"After falling into the water, my body was weak, and I couldn't mobilize my Blood Qi until I recovered in the last few days. Besides, I said it before, but your people didn't believe me."
"Who did you tell?"
"Wang Qiang."
Wang Qiang had just been fished out of the water by the Black Stone Gang members.
He was covered in injuries and in pain everywhere.
Hearing this, his pupils contracted on the spot.
"What? I didn't know! Gang Leader! I didn't know! I really didn't know!"
Shi San snorted coldly.
"Burying talent and causing resentment in people's hearts—how do you do your job! Throw him down to feed the fish!"
"Yes!"
Wang Qiang, who had just been fished up, was thrown down again.
Almost all the bones in his body were broken. Falling into the water like this, he would undoubtedly die.
"Gang Leader! Spare me! I really didn't know... Gurgle... Gang Leader! Save... Gurgle..."
A gang was a gang; they turned hostile in the blink of an eye.
Chen Yi pretended to join now only to find an opportunity to take Da Chun and leave together.
If he could destroy this gang in passing, he wouldn't mind. It depended on whether he could gain enough strength in the next simulation.
That noon, Shi San hosted a banquet for Chen Yi at the Black Stone Gang headquarters near the pier.
The gang's four bosses, the Four Pillars and Eight Columns, and elite members were all seated.
"Let us raise this bowl of wine to toast our new brother, Chen Yi!"
Shi San assigned Chen Yi to be the Rookie Instructor, responsible for teaching the lower-level gang members martial arts.
This was a position that seemed to have status but couldn't access the core of the gang.
It showed that Shi San wasn't stupid; he didn't give Chen Yi a critical position right from the start.