Chapter 19: Righteous Fist Society, Fighter

The thick iron door clanged, and the metal ventilation slot was slid open.

"A Yuan, you're early today."

Seeing it wasn't a stranger, the wariness in those eyes faded.

Accompanied by the sound of a bolt being drawn, a burly man appeared behind the door.

Bald, with tattoos on his neck, wearing a short-sleeve denim jacket and studded leather pants.

He fit the stereotypical image of a gangster perfectly, provided you hadn't heard his gentle voice.

What a bear-like hunk!

Qin Shi was startled, thinking, Elder Brother, you're so burly, like a bear turned into a spirit.

But when he spoke, he sounded like Hebi acting cute—such a contrast.

Li Yuan said with a smile:

"Brother Yu said there's a show tonight, a big production, so A Cheng and I need to put in some effort. Don't be late."

The bald man scratched his head, appearing completely harmless despite his looks, and said foolishly:

"Right. Brother Yu has been preparing for a long time, specially hiring a Lighting Technician, Host, and Paddle Girl from the Urban Circle. A Yuan, you'd better go in quickly, or Brother Yu will scold you again if he doesn't see you."

With his sturdy build like a football gatekeeper, he stepped aside, and Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng entered one after another.

"Hey, A Yuan, why are you bringing someone in through the back gate?"

Seeing a very unfamiliar handsome youth, the bald man hurriedly stopped him, shaking his head awkwardly:

"He's not from Midnight Palace, that's against the rules."

Li Yuan turned back:

"He's my classmate. Midnight Palace has been hiring a lot lately. Brother Ze treated us to drinks last time and asked A Cheng and me to ask our friends if there are any trustworthy good brothers we can recommend to work here."

"A Shi and I study boxing together, and he's smart. Brother Ze will definitely like him!"

Li Yuan's reason was sufficient. The bald man looked at Qin Shi again; he looked delicate and refined, like a good boy.

If he wore glasses, he'd be just like a good student from a rich family in the Urban Circle.

"Is that so? Fine, but remember to get him a Worker Uniform, or he'll stand out too much."

"Brother Yuan, you can trust me! I'll treat you to a meal another day, A Hua Jie!"

Xie Yucheng put his hands together and thanked the bald man with a smile for allowing them to pass.

"Why call her Sister Hua?"

Walking through a narrow corridor that only fit two people side by side, they turned into Midnight Palace's staff changing room. Qin Shi asked in a low voice.

"Bald Brother's real name is Niu Aihua. He usually likes growing flowers and plants and feeding little cats. The old-timers who've followed Brother Ze for a long time teased him for being like a woman, calling him A Hua Jie."

"He doesn't mind the nickname himself, so over time, that's what everyone called him."

Xie Yucheng put on a White Shirt, Black Vest, Long Pants, Leather Shoes, and tied a Red Bow Tie.

In an instant, he went from a High School Senior at Zi Fu No. 9 Middle School to a Waiter at a Nightclub.

"You're taller, wear this one. A Shi, don't think this is a bad place. We just serve Fruit Platters and Alcohol. One night you can earn over a hundred, and if you run into a generous Guest, you can get a few hundred in tips."

Li Yuan took out a Worker Uniform from a locked Iron Cabinet, holding it in his hand without handing it over directly:

"Brother Ze is a nice guy. Get familiar with him, and when you have time, you can come work here."

"Of course, if you don't like this kind of environment, that's fine too..."

Qin Shi reached out to take the Worker Uniform and put it on quickly:

"I've been worried about not having work! To attend Lao Liang's Tutoring Class, I quit my Part-time Job at the Gym, and now I only have a daily-paid odd job at the Youth Palace."

"Being a Waiter is better than working the Front Desk; you can move around. No need for pleasantries. On payday, I'll treat Brother Yuan and Brother Cheng to a meal at Li Ji Big Plate Stall behind No. 9 Middle School! Their stir-fry is delicious!"

Xie Yucheng tried not to laugh:

"What are you saying? The Boss of that place is Brother Yuan's father."

Qin Shi was stunned:

"Ah?"

Seeing that Qin Shi didn't show any dislike or distance, Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, his approval growing, and said with a laugh:

"After my parents were laid off, they changed a few small Plants, but none lasted long; the Bosses just ran away."

"Later I thought, a living person can't be held back by holding it in, so I got a Tricycle and sold Boxed Meals from dawn to dusk."

"After saving for several years, I finally exchanged it for a storefront and started doing business in the neighborhood."

"Next time you go eat, say you're my classmate, and tell my brother to give you extra rice."

"Explosive programs, thrilling shows, get your blood boiling!"

"Fighting Club, Trial Operation in a week!"

"Fist to flesh, returning to the wild..."

Several colorful posters were posted on the corridor, with large artistic fonts surrounding Paddle Girls in sexy outfits, making passing Guests unable to help but look twice.

"These are tonight's programs. Brother Ze has hired many Boxers, planning to hold Underground Boxing Matches to attract more Bosses to come play."

Li Yuan and Qin Shi stood in the Corner, like little lackeys waiting to be summoned.

The interior decoration of Midnight Palace was very grand; the Lobby space was huge, with a ceiling height of seven or eight meters.

Winding Staircases divided the upper and lower floors, listing a series of private separate Chambers.

Not a place that should be on Old Factory Street.

Such a thought popped into Qin Shi's head.

"Boxing match? Is there Prize Money?"

He asked casually.

"Of course! Sounds like twenty thousand... This money isn't easy to earn. It's not a proper match, and with no restrictions, it's easy to get injured or crippled."

Li Yuan felt lingering fear, as if he had personally witnessed some bloody scene:

"At Brother Ze's place, they fight underground boxing. Once you're on the ring, if someone gets killed, nobody cares."

"Everyone has to follow the rules. No reporting cases to cause trouble. At most, they give some compensation money and settlement fee."

Qin Shi's eyelids twitched slightly:

"That ruthless? Can bare-handed fighting kill people?"

Li Yuan nodded:

"A Shi, you don't know. Long ago, the Beiguan Street area was chaotic. Protection fees, pimps bringing women to solicit on the street, taking people to black-hearted factories to sell themselves—too many rotten things."

"So gradually some gangs and organizations formed, and they set several rules. Every year when the harvest season arrives, those powerful big bosses sit together to divide territories and make money in harmony."

Brother Yuan, your boss wouldn't be mixed up with the Hung Hing triad, right?

The more Qin Shiyue listened, the more it resembled the triad movies he had seen in his previous life.

He observed his surroundings without changing expression, spotting several burly figures in black suits guarding the staircase leading to the second floor.

Their hands bore the same tattoo, and their tightly clenched fists were pitch black!

"These are the Big Boss's bodyguards. The Big Boss founded the 'Yi Quan Society' a few years ago and raised many boxers. It's said Brother Ze used to fight on the ring himself and was highly favored by the Big Boss, which is how he got the Midnight Palace, the biggest venue on Beiguan Street."

Li Yuan was well-informed, clearly having long been familiar with this place.

"Yi Quan Society..."

Qin Shi silently noted it, then asked:

"Raise boxers for what? To train bodyguards?"

Li Yuan hesitated slightly, looked left and right, and quietly lowered his voice:

"They train 'Fighters,' people who specifically go on the ring to fight underground boxing. Old Factory Street has many territories and many gangs. They fought back and forth until the bosses couldn't do business, so they finally decided to settle it with boxing."

"I heard Sister Hua say that the reason Brother Ze made a name for himself was because the Big Boss had a conflict with some Overlord Dragon, and Brother Ze volunteered to sign a death contract, won that ring match, and helped the Big Boss win both face and substance."

Qin Shi suddenly realized, finally understanding why Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng worked hard to learn boxing, attend tutoring classes, and develop Qi Life Force.

Unlike other students, they planned to go to the Mining Area to work in the mines and earn money.

The appearance of that Yi Quan Society's Brother Ze showed them another way out.

"Sigh, being a triad member has no future, Brother Yuan. With your brains and personality, at most you'd be an 'Airplane,' and you'd still need the chance to recognize a boss as your adoptive father."

Qin Shi silently thought, not optimistic about Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng's choice.

But from their perspective, this was indeed the only opportunity they could grasp as young people born on Old Factory Street who couldn't get into a good university.

"Fortunately, I have other options, able to run toward a broader direction."

Qin Shi felt fortunate that if he hadn't gotten into Xin Yi High School in the Taian Metropolitan Area, and hadn't unlocked the Stela to study Old Martial Arts with Lao Liang,

perhaps he would likewise be unable to escape this cruel fate of drifting like wild grass!

(Chapter End)