Chapter 11: They Really Aren't Giving Face

If he hadn't said anything, it would have been fine, but once he did, Lei Tang got even angrier.

"Lei Lu's been freaking arrested, and you didn't even know until now—how the hell are you managing your turf?"

"What? Young Master Lei was arrested!"

Ye Tian's face was full of shock.

Mei Yongning beside him was the same, but beyond the shock, he instinctively glanced sideways and took a few extra looks at Ye Tian.

Lei Tang didn't suspect a thing.

After all, those people yesterday said dozens of people had taken Lei Lu away, and Ye Tian had only just arrived—how could he possibly have that many men under him? So Lei Tang never suspected Ye Tian in the first place.

It was purely the fury in his heart with no one to vent it on.

If Lei Lu hadn't been arrested on this very street, Lei Tang wouldn't have come looking here at all.

"Boss Lei, don't worry—even if I have to flip this entire street upside down, I'll find Young Master Lei."

As he said this, Ye Tian's eyes carried a fierce glint, looking like a man who would stop at nothing to find Lei Lu.

"Mm!"

Ye Tian's attitude caused Lei Tang's fury to dissipate somewhat, and he nodded in satisfaction.

At this moment, Mei Yongning beside him also spoke up at just the right time.

"Boss Lei, it's also possible that people from the Earth Dragon Gang took Young Master Lei."

"Hm?"

Earth Dragon Gang? Those words made Lei Tang knit his brow.

But upon seeing Mei Yongning, the doubt in Lei Tang's eyes deepened, as if he were pondering this person's identity.

"Boss Lei, I am Mei Yongning, the scholar hereabouts."

Seeing that look, Mei Yongning immediately introduced himself.

"A scholar!"

Lei Tang nodded, then paid it no further mind and asked directly.

"You just said the Earth Dragon Gang took Lu'er—what do you mean by that?"

"You may not know this, Boss Lei," Mei Yongning began to explain.

"Not long ago, when Young Master Lei was visiting a brothel, he had a run-in with one of Red Practice Snake's underlings over a woman. Young Master Lei even struck the other party at the time, so perhaps..."

Mei Yongning didn't finish the rest, but everyone could understand what he meant.

"Red Practice Snake!"

Lei Tang's brow furrowed even more—if Red Practice Snake was involved, things would be even more troublesome.

As a gang on par with the Black Water Gang in scale, the Earth Dragon Gang's organizational structure was also similar to the Black Water Gang's.

The Black Water Gang has eight Hall Masters, while the Earth Dragon Gang has five Snakes, of which Red Practice Snake is one. His status is equal to a Hall Master's, and Lei Tang isn't a Hall Master yet.

If a real conflict arose with Red Practice Snake, the one to suffer would certainly be Lei Tang.

"Are you certain it was Red Practice Snake's underling?"

"I would not dare speak falsely."

This kind of thing could be verified with the slightest inquiry—who would dare lie?

Moreover, what Mei Yongning said was indeed true, except that the other party was actually an underling three levels below Red Practice Snake—but how could that not count as Red Practice Snake's underling?

"..."

Lei Tang said nothing.

He seemed to be weighing whether, for the sake of Lei Lu—or rather, for Lei Yushan—he should offend the Earth Dragon Gang's Red Practice Snake. Right now was the critical period for his bid for the Hall Master seat; if something went wrong?

Thinking of this, Lei Tang's eyes grew dark and unreadable.

"What Red Practice Snake? Never even heard of him."

Before Lei Tang could think it through, Ye Tian immediately slapped his chest and said to Lei Tang with a face full of assurance.

"Boss Lei, don't worry—I'll take some men right now and kill that Red Practice Snake. He dares kidnap Young Master Lei? I'll teach him some respect."

Saying so, Ye Tian was about to head out immediately to gather men.

"You stop right there."

Having no time to think, Lei Tang hurriedly told Ye Tian to stop.

Teach respect? Teach whom respect? By seniority, Red Practice Snake's generation was higher than his own.

If things really blew up, you as a little brother would be fine, but freaking me as the boss would be the one in trouble.

"Big Brother Lei, don't worry—Young Master Lei disappeared on my turf, I'll definitely give you an answer."

"Wait!"

He was more than a little afraid, but couldn't just say no outright—where would his authority as boss go then?

"Ahem, Ye Tian, is it? This matter still needs to be carefully planned out."

"Carefully planned? But Boss Lei, that Red Practice Snake clearly doesn't take you seriously at all. He's basically grinding your face into the dirt, taking a crap on your head, he—"

The more he spoke, the darker Lei Tang's face grew.

If Ye Tian's face hadn't looked so genuinely outraged, Lei Tang would have suspected this was a roundabout way of cursing him.

"In short, wait for my arrangements. Without my orders, you can't act rashly. Understand?"

"Understood, Boss Lei."

On the surface, Ye Tian still wore a look of incomprehension, but since it was Boss Lei speaking, he could only mutter a muffled reply.

"Mm!"

Seeing Ye Tian like this, Lei Tang was finally satisfied.

Then he immediately took his men and left—afraid that if he stayed here any longer, Ye Tian would blurt out a few more earth-shattering remarks.

After Lei Tang left with his men.

The expression on Ye Tian's face quickly recovered, and similarly, Mei Yongning beside him also returned to a calm appearance.

"This is an opportunity."

Mei Yongning spoke.

"That group was the one who killed Gui Tou's brothers during the earlier turf war. If Fist Master Ye can deal with those people, given Gui Tou's temperament, he will surely follow the boss's lead."

So, did he guess something?

He's a smart one. Even though his guess was right, Ye Tian was not alarmed. Although there were system rewards, to firmly control a territory meant he needed a large number of subordinates.

Mei Yongning's talent made Ye Tian develop the thought of recruiting him.

"What about you? You're so smart, and you can read and write too — why did you come to watch over this territory?"

Only after getting familiar with it did he understand that this territory was a trap, liable to be snatched away at any moment. No wonder Lei Tang could just give this territory to him directly.

"It was Big Brother Lei who sent me here."

Mei Yongning's tone did not change.

"Three years ago, Big Brother Lei told me to come to this street as a scholar, saying it was to temper me, and that after a while he would transfer me back. And then, I just stayed here until now."

Judging from Lei Tang's reaction just now, he had clearly completely forgotten about Mei Yongning.

He simply didn't remember that such a person even existed.

"Lei Tang doesn't need you, but I appreciate you."

Saying so, Ye Tian patted Mei Yongning on the shoulder, then left directly.

He didn't directly say the words of recruitment — there was no need. Loyalty spoken from the mouth is pure nonsense; one still had to see how a person acts.

Watching Ye Tian leave, a glint flickered in Mei Yongning's eyes, and then he continued looking over some business account books, as if nothing had happened at all.

,,,

After leaving, Ye Tian went directly to Lei Lu's place.

After one night, Lei Lu had clearly become much weaker. Seeing Ye Tian come over, he didn't even dare to talk big like yesterday, saying threatening words to Ye Tian.

"Looks like your father doesn't care about you that much either. The first thing he thought of wasn't raising the money, but instead sending Lei Tang to look for you. What a pity."

Saying so, Ye Tian shook his head with some regret.

Ignoring the terror in Lei Lu's eyes, he turned his head and said a word to Wei Wu.

"Cut off his hand, then send someone to deliver it. If he still doesn't behave, next time what gets delivered will be his head."

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