Chapter 5: Iron Fist Gang

"What is this?"

Jiang Cheng was completely stunned.

About twenty to thirty centimeters in front of him, a panel resembling one from a game hovered.

Several lines of information floated just above the panel.

"This is mine…"

Jiang Cheng felt like crying.

"System, finally you're here! After all this time, he really thought he'd been transported here without a system."

It now seemed that certain conditions had to be met before it would activate.

For example, roasting a sweet potato.

Jiang Cheng quickly composed himself and glanced around.

He confirmed that only he could see this proficiency panel.

At the same time, a few more pieces of information appeared on the panel.

Roasted Sweet Potato experience +3.

Initial memory fusion, Roasted Sweet Potato experience +60.

Roasted Sweet Potato experience +3.

Initial memory fusion, Roasted Sweet Potato experience +30.

Clearly another two sweet potatoes were roasted, providing another wave of proficiency.

Jiang Cheng looked straight down.

【Roasted Sweet Potato: Entry (199/300)】

Only a little over a hundred experience points away from the next proficiency level.

Jiang Cheng also felt that the process of roasting sweet potatoes had become much clearer.

For instance, how to select suitable sweet potatoes and how to clean them.

These were originally the memories of his former self, now fully merged with him.

"Unsurprisingly, fully roasting a sweet potato should grant a good amount of experience, and the proficiency level could jump to the next tier instantly."

Jiang Cheng felt even more motivated.

In these times, the proficiency panel was his last hope for a comeback.

The Roasted Sweet Potato skill seemed a bit pointless.

One might even ask whether roasting sweet potatoes truly counts as a skill.

Undeniably, raising the Roasted Sweet Potato proficiency to its highest level would make his sweet potatoes superior to others' and sell better.

And that was only the beginning.

Jiang Cheng steadied his emotions and placed a raw sweet potato onto a gasoline barrel.

"Roasted Sweet Potato, fragrant roasted sweet potato."

A smile spread across his face, and his voice grew much louder.

Another half hour passed.

During that time, two customers each bought one.

Also, a few of the Roasted Sweet Potatoes that Jiang Nainai had previously placed had finished cooking, granting several extra experience points.

However, the experience from memory fusion dropped from the previous 30 points to just a dozen or so.

Jiang Cheng looked at the panel.

【Roasted Sweet Potato: Proficient (32/500)】

After reaching the proficient tier, more knowledge popped into his mind.

For example, the heat level: too high burns the potato, too low makes it hard to cook through.

He chose charcoal because its temperature is moderate and long‑lasting, yet even then the potatoes must be turned constantly to ensure even heating.

Though these seem like things one could figure out just by thinking.

Jiang Cheng smiled and kept shouting.

Near noon, more people gathered; the eateries along the street grew busier, and the street vendors saw better business.

At that moment, the sweet potato Jiang Cheng had placed himself was cooked.

The panel before him displayed a few more lines of information.

Roasted Sweet Potato experience +20.

Massive memory fusion, Roasted Sweet Potato experience +200.

【Roasted Sweet Potato: Proficient (252/500)】

Experience points surged dramatically; Jiang Cheng's mouth was almost split open from laughing.

There were still a few sweet potatoes left to roast, another wave of experience incoming.

Of course, he also knew that the rapid proficiency gain was due to his former self's memories; once his original Roasted Sweet Potato skill hit its cap, he would have to grind the proficiency himself.

Time quickly reached noon.

Grandma came by during that period to deliver a meal.

In the elder's view, a bowl of porridge was hardly enough to stave off hunger.

The meal was simple: rice, stewed cabbage with tofu, and a fried egg.

Jiang Cheng ate most of it, but eventually couldn't finish; seeing this, the elder left satisfied.

"Burp."

Jiang Cheng let out several hearty belches, feeling his belly about to burst.

"Huh? Jiang Cheng?"

Suddenly, a voice came from beside.

Jiang Cheng turned his head to look.

He saw a youth of similar age pushing a small cart over.

"Are you alright?"

The youth's eyes showed deep surprise.

Jiang Cheng quickly recalled the person's identity: Lu Zicheng, who also had a stall here, though he sold fried starch sausages; they were similar in age and had some acquaintance.

"Yeah, my fever broke yesterday, so I came over to set up my stall today."

"Indeed."

Lu Zicheng deeply agreed.

After all, the monthly stall fee has been paid; not coming would be a loss.

"Be careful next time; seeing a doctor is really expensive these days—we people can't afford to get sick."

He parked the cart beside him, skillfully took out a large pack of starch sausages, a bucket of cooking oil, and various bottles and jars from under the cart, and said while doing so: "These past two days you weren't here, you don't know what big thing happened around here."

"What big thing?"

Jiang Cheng asked curiously.

Lu Zicheng looked around, then lowered his voice: "The Wild Wolf Gang and the Iron Fist Gang from the next street over have started fighting; many have died."

Jiang Cheng startled, then instinctively asked: "Who won?"

"Who knows? But I think it's the Iron Fist Gang."

Lu Zicheng said: "The Iron Fist Gang has been growing in numbers and strength these past few years; I heard they have several experts in the gang, each able to take on a dozen or so; they've had their eyes on this place for more than a day or two—I reckon the Wild Wolf Gang is doomed this time."

He sighed.

Actually, there wasn't much of a ripple.

Because such things are really too common.

Even this street and the surrounding area were taken by the Wild Wolf Gang from the previous Three Consecutive Strikes Gang, and the Three Consecutive Strikes Gang had taken it from the Green Bamboo Gang, the Green Bamboo Gang...

In short, whoever controls this area will still have to pay the dues in full.

"Like that."

Jiang Cheng nodded.

These gangs are actually all the same ilk.

Relying on their numbers, they exploit others; those who don't pay protection fees are lightly robbed clean out, or heavily driven from their homes to die in the streets.

Yet even if one pays the management fee on time each month, the nearby security doesn't improve at all; moreover, those thugs who come out to extort at night have connections with some in the Wild Wolf Gang—as long as you give them a little money, they'll turn a blind eye.

Even if the Wild Wolf Gang loses and the Iron Fist Gang's people come over, these people's situation won't get better; it might even get worse.

"These damned gangs."

Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

Sooner or later, he will kill all these parasites.

Of course, that is based on him having sufficient strength.

The urgent task is to master a self-defense technique to cope with possible attacks on the way back at night.

If there were no Proficiency Panel, Jiang Cheng would be very troubled, because relying solely on himself without anyone's guidance, he couldn't learn it.

But with the Proficiency Panel, Jiang Cheng has confidence.

Having someone guide him would be better; without it, he can still rely on himself and gradually grind it out.

(End of chapter)