novelraw Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Su Wangchuan’s heart tightened.
He had not expected this middle-aged martial artist’s eyes to be so sharp, nor his movements to be so fast. His right hand was seized in the other man’s grip, like being clamped in a steel vise. His arm went numb and painful, completely unable to break free.
At this moment, he finally understood why those Blackwind Stronghold bandits had been so easily slaughtered by Brother Lin Xun.
The middle-aged martial artist in front of him definitely had a Strength attribute exceeding twenty points. Although Su Wangchuan’s strength was no longer weak, before a true martial artist, it was nothing at all. There was no possibility of resistance.
“Hall Master He.”
At this critical moment, a familiar voice, accompanied by a light cough, came from inside the main hall.
“Cough, cough… If the little brother I recommended has offended you in any way, allow Lin to apologize on his behalf.”
Everyone at the entrance of the main hall turned to look.
A man wrapped in a white cloak appeared, bandages and bloodstains clearly visible across his chest and abdomen. Leaning against the doorframe, he looked at the middle-aged martial artist with a faint, half-smiling expression.
The newcomer was none other than one of the few martial artists of the Yulong Gang—Lin Xun.The sharp light in Hall Master He’s eyes immediately receded. He released his grip and put on a concerned smile.
“Brother Lin, your injuries haven’t healed yet. You should be resting properly in your room. Don’t let the cold worsen your condition.”
“It’s fine. I heard that the little blacksmith from Blackstone Village arrived, so I came to take a look. Besides, it’s just a few holes poked into my body. This bit of wind and rain, Lin can still withstand.”
Lin Xun replied with a smile.
Hall Master He had always been at odds with him. Lin Xun was worried that Su Wangchuan might be given a hard time upon joining the gang, so he had deliberately timed his appearance to come take a look.
“Hall Master He, my little brother here is young and from a small place. He only knows how to forge iron. I went to great lengths to coax him into doing logistics work for us. Don’t scare him off.”
Lin Xun brought the topic back on track.
Hall Master He followed along, smiling as he patted Su Wangchuan’s shoulder.
“Young is good. A Quasi-Martial Artist’s physique, nurtured for a few years, will surely become martial artist material. Putting him in the rear to forge iron is somewhat wasting his talent.”
“But since Brother Lin has personally spoken, I won’t say more… Fei Zai!”
“Yes, sir!”
Among the nearby Quasi-Martial Artists, one man stepped forward, cupping his fists respectfully.
Hall Master He drew out his words as he gave instructions,
“Take Brother Wangchuan inside to handle his gang identity token. Get him a set of clothes as well, then take him to the weapon room.”
“Yes!”
Fei Zai was sharp and efficient, his voice firm. He came before Su Wangchuan.
“Brother Wangchuan, please.”
Su Wangchuan shot Lin Xun a grateful look.
Lin Xun nodded slightly and said,
“Go on ahead. Once I recover a bit more, I’ll come see you.”
Those words were equivalent to a public declaration that the newly joined Yulong Gang disciple “Wangchuan” was Lin Xun’s man.
With Lin Xun backing him, few would dare to provoke or mistreat Su Wangchuan.
Su Wangchuan followed Fei Zai into the hall.
The Yulong Gang’s hall was grand on the outside and far from plain on the inside. Tall wooden pillars, dragons and tigers painted in vivid detail, carefully arranged corridors. Guards stood every few steps, sentries every short distance. Security was tight.
Fei Zai helped him process his identity token and fetched him a set of clothes—black cloth garments, far better in material than what he had been wearing. After changing into them, Su Wangchuan looked much more spirited, with an added air of a Jianghu man.
“Not bad.”
Fei Zai looked him up and down and could not help praising him.
“People really are defined by their clothes. Brother Wangchuan, you look much better in this outfit than before.”
“Brother Fei Zai is joking. I’m just benefiting from the gang’s favor, enjoying what I haven’t earned yet… Please take me to the blacksmith shop soon. Otherwise, wearing these clothes, I’ll feel like they’re burning on me.”
Su Wangchuan kept his posture very low, every bit the poor country youth entering the city, awkward and cautious.
Fei Zai burst into laughter.
“Don’t be so restrained. Once you’re in the hall, we’re all brothers.”
“As for the gang’s blacksmith shop… we don’t really call it that. Everyone prefers calling it the ‘weapon room.’ Whenever someone’s weapon is damaged and needs repair, that’s where they go. Brother Wangchuan, when I come looking for you at the weapon room in the future, you can’t pretend you don’t know me. When you repair weapons, give this brother a discount.”
Fei Zai’s half-joking tone took Su Wangchuan by surprise.
“Aren’t repairs for gang weapons supposed to be free? Why would repairing weapons require payment?”
“The person in charge of the weapon room spends time, effort, and refined iron. Charging a bit, the brothers don’t really mind. Just… don’t charge too much. Otherwise, the price starts to rival buying a new weapon.”
Fei Zai lowered his voice, looking around as if afraid someone might overhear.
Su Wangchuan immediately understood.
The Yulong Gang’s weapon room was probably like the blacksmith shop in Blackstone Village—holding a special position of authority, with a certain standing among disciples of the same rank.
Going to the weapon room, he would not be at a disadvantage.
“Brother Lin Xun and Instructor Yu really did find me a good place.”
Su Wangchuan had already formed his plan.
“Brother Fei Zai, don’t worry. As long as I’m in the weapon room, I’ll repair your personal weapons at cost.”
“Brother! Righteous!”
Fei Zai was overjoyed. He slapped his thigh and said,
“Just for that, tonight I’ll take the brothers to ‘Laifeng Pavilion’ to welcome you! Let everyone properly meet the new brother I’ve made!”
Su Wangchuan almost asked what kind of place “Laifeng Pavilion” was.
Reason stopped him.
His master’s and Captain Zhao Heiniu’s words were still ringing in his ears. He absolutely could not follow these NPCs into indulgence and throw off his rhythm.
Brother Lin Xun and Instructor Yu would not want to see him spending recklessly the moment he arrived in the city either.
“No.”
“Brother Lin has something to arrange for me tonight, including lodging and various matters… Brother Fei Zai, there will be time in the future.”
“Since Boss Lin has arrangements, then we’ll postpone it. Once Brother Wangchuan has firmly established himself in the weapon room…”
“Good!”
Fei Zai grew even more enthusiastic.
Along the way, he introduced Su Wangchuan to the situation inside the hall.
The Yulong Gang was divided into the docks and the hall.
The docks were where outer disciples took on tasks to make a living. They were of paramount importance.
The hall, on the other hand, sometimes stored valuable goods and therefore required many Quasi-Martial Artists to guard it. Generally, it was off-limits to outsiders. Under normal circumstances, only the gang leader, hall masters, rudder masters, and inner disciples resided there.
Ordinary gang disciples could not approach without orders.
Aside from the warehouses and the residences of the higher-ups, the outer area of the hall also housed a medical hall, a training ground, and the weapon room.
The medical hall had only one physician and two maids. When gang members were injured, they went there for treatment. Even for ordinary ailments like headaches or fevers, consultation fees still had to be paid.
The training ground was quite large and usually used by martial artists. Quasi-Martial Artists like Fei Zai worked during the day and indulged at night, so they had little interest in approaching it.
On ordinary days, the place everyone visited most frequently was the weapon room.
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