Chapter 30

A martial artist?

After Guan Tong's words fell, everyone at the scene was startled.

Huang Feiyang was amazed; could the gang leader actually see through Chen Mu's cultivation?

Xie Hong and several head leaders, as well as the hall masters, were stunned, followed by horror.

Chen Mu is a martial artist!?

Chen Mu doesn't even seem to be sixteen yet, right?

"Impossible!"

Sun Gang blurted out, his gaze toward Chen Mu filled with shock, horror, and even more disbelief.

"How could he be a martial artist? How old is this kid? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"..." Chen Mu was silent, looking up at Guan Tong.

"Shut up!"

Guan Tong pointed at Sun Gang, and the excitedly shouting Sun Gang immediately froze.

"Although you hide your aura very well. But he..."

Guan Tong smiled and pointed at the thick-browed man, "Iron Bull has natural divine strength, with a single-arm power exceeding five hundred jin; if you weren't a martial artist, you couldn't have taken him down."

...So that's it!

Chen Mu realized in his heart.

This was indeed his oversight.

When he dislocated the thick-browed man's arm, the latter's strength was much greater than the other three.

But for Chen Mu right now, that bit of great strength was nothing.

Guan Tong didn't determine Chen Mu's cultivation through his aura.

But rather by using the thick-browed man as a reference!

Thinking of this.

Chen Mu cupped his fists in a salute, "The gang leader has eyes like torches; this subordinate did indeed break through to become a martial artist not long ago."

He admitted it...

It really is true!

Except for Huang Feiyang, everyone else's expression was one of momentary realization.

Breaking through to become a martial artist is nothing special.

Most of the people present were acquired martial artists.

The key was Chen Mu's status and his age!

A low-level gang member, not even sixteen!

Adding these two points together, only someone with extraordinary talent could achieve a breakthrough and become a martial artist.

"Poverty studies, wealth practices martial arts"—that's not just a saying.

For low-level commoners to become martial artists, they must have superior martial talent.

Although Chen Mu had Huang Feiyang, a minor leader, as his cousin, how long had Huang Feiyang been a minor leader?

A genius!

Almost instantly, everyone at the scene realized how high Chen Mu's talent was.

"..." Sun Gang opened his mouth, staring blankly at Chen Mu, his head feeling a bit dizzy.

Huang Feiyang is a martial artist.

Chen Mu is also a martial artist!

Both brothers are martial artists!

And he had even called people to kidnap Chen Mu...

"Feiyang, you two brothers are amazing!" Xie Hong came back to his senses and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Yes, especially little Chen, remarkable!"

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"..."

Several head leaders and hall masters echoed one after another.

As for the four thick-browed men, they kept their heads down, not daring to make a sound.

Deep down, they secretly felt lucky that they hadn't gone too far when kidnapping Chen Mu.

Otherwise, they would be dead or crippled.

Chen Mu is a martial artist; if he had killed them in passive self-defense, Guan Tong would at most have docked Chen Mu's monthly pay for a few months.

And judging by Guan Tong's expression right now, he seemed to appreciate Chen Mu quite a bit...

"Good!"

Guan Tong clapped and smiled, "I never thought my Great Blade Gang would have a young genius."

"It's alright."

Chen Mu didn't humble himself, but smiled, "It's all thanks to my master's good teaching, though the old man said there's nothing to be proud of with this little achievement. Only by breaking through to the innate realm within a year can one be called a 'genius'."

Uh...

Guan Tong was speechless.

Others, including Huang Feiyang, were stunned and speechless at the same time.

That Chen Mu had a "master" was a bit of a surprise, but not much.

But "breaking through to the innate realm within a year" was shocking.

Innate martial artists are not wild vegetables in the fields that can be seen everywhere once spring arrives.

In the vast Nanyun Prefecture, the known innate martial artists can be counted on two hands.

If Chen Mu really could in one year...

No, even if it were within four years, before the age of twenty, breaking through to the innate realm would make him a genius—a super genius who could make it onto the "Hidden Dragon List"!

The Great Zhou has nineteen provinces, each governing several prefectures, and each prefecture governing several counties.

With such a large area, the total population is in the hundreds of millions.

Yet, there are only one hundred and eight young martial artists who can make it onto the "Hidden Dragon List."

These one hundred and eight people are all super geniuses.

Nanyun Prefecture hasn't had anyone on the list for decades.

Could Chen Mu make it?

"Cough~ Your master is a high-level expert, which is why his requirements for you are a bit higher."

Guan Tong coughed to steady his state of mind and continued, "Since Brother Chen Mu has already broken through to become a martial artist, patrolling the streets is no longer appropriate. How about this: Brother Chen Mu, you will serve as 'Inspector General,' overseeing the situation on the streets and reporting directly to me. As for the compensation, it will be at the standard of a head leader. How about that?"

Inspector General?

Overseeing the situation on the streets?

Has there ever been such a position since the Great Blade Gang was founded?

The others present were shocked and stunned.

But those who could become head leaders or hall masters were no fools.

This "Inspector General" was clearly something Guan Tong had specially created for Chen Mu!

Overseeing the streets, reporting only to him.

To put it bluntly, it was letting Chen Mu wander the streets while enjoying the treatment of a head leader!

Sun Gang had tattled that Chen Mu only took money and didn't work.

Now, with the gang leader Guan Tong's special approval, it was truly "only taking money and not working"!

Realizing this, Sun Gang's vision went black, and his head spun.

Huang Feiyang was overjoyed and shouted excitedly at Chen Mu, "Hu... Huzi, why... why don't you thank the gang leader yet!"

"Thank you, Gang Leader!" Chen Mu cupped his fists and gave a respectful bow to Guan Tong.

"Haha, as long as there is talent, the gang will support it." Guan Tong laughed heartily, "Brother Chen Mu, don't overthink it; just practice with peace of mind. I also look forward to the day you break through to the innate realm."

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Old Wang here wishes Inspector General Chen an early breakthrough to the innate realm!"

"..."

Xie Hong and the others offered their congratulations one after another.

Chen Mu cupped his hands in thanks.

Becoming an "Inspector General" for nothing, only taking money and not working—this was the goodwill Guan Tong was conveying.

There was appreciation, but more likely, it was to show favor to Chen Mu's "master."

Someone who could say something like "breaking through to the innate realm within a year" must definitely be an innate expert themselves.

At the very least, innate!

Of course, Guan Tong might not believe it entirely.

However, compared to befriending a highly probable innate expert, what was the mere treatment of a head leader?

It was only five hundred taels of silver per month.

Chen Mu's admission of his martial artist status and his deliberate mention of his "master's" existence had an unexpectedly good effect.

Even if Guan Tong discovered in the future that this "master" didn't exist, it wouldn't matter.

Because by then, Chen Mu himself would already be innate!

Even now, Chen Mu wasn't particularly afraid.

At the fifth level of the acquired realm, he couldn't beat Guan Tong.

But if Chen Mu wanted to leave, Guan Tong couldn't stop him!

The farce ended with Sun Gang being fined three years' salary and having his left arm broken, while Chen Mu became the "Inspector General."

Huang Feiyang smoothly became the new head leader, replacing Xie Hong to oversee the territory of Changping and Changlong.

The two pieces of news spread rapidly within the gang.

"Amazing, how long has it been, and Huang Feiyang has actually become a head leader!"

"His younger brother is even stronger; at only fifteen, he's become a martial artist and been appointed 'Inspector General.' By the way, what does this 'Inspector General' actually do?"

"You can't even figure that out? It's to go out on the streets to eat, drink, and have fun!"

"Go everywhere to eat, drink, and have fun, and then enjoy the treatment of a head leader? Damn it, why doesn't such a good thing fall to me! Ahhh~"