Chapter 16: Open Refusal, Secret Seizure; Framing and Blaming Others

The Crazy Horse Gang has fist techniques, has Secret Medicine, and surely does not lack experts to hold down the fort.

The Wild Fox Gang, which shares the same reputation, must have trump cards to contend with them; they are far from the rabble previously estimated.

Zhou You realized that the threat of Tu Laosan was far greater than he had imagined.

He lowered his head to look at the Bone-Forging Powder, feeling somewhat tempted, but his reason told him that the fragrant bait was poisonous.

Things from gangs are not easy to take; once you touch them, you are covered in filth.

Believe it or not, if you accept the Bone-Forging Powder today, you will have to sell your life for them tomorrow?

"..."

Gao Qiang felt a thousand emotions in his heart; the gang had really spent a fortune this time to recruit Zhou You.

Bone-Forging Powder is worth a thousand gold, and only gang members who have performed great meritorious service are rewarded with even a tiny bit.

He had fought bloodily in a gang war and suffered over a dozen wounds before he was favored by the Hall Master and rewarded with 1 portion of Bone-Forging Powder.

A sense of jealousy arose, and he felt his childhood friend becoming increasingly glaring and detestable.

So what if he joined a martial arts school? Since he was a child, he was never as daring or willing to fight as himself; it was just good luck.

Gao Qiang was certain that Zhou You would find it hard to refuse this temptation and would surely join his gang.

Firstly, the Bone-Forging Powder was tempting, and secondly, the threat of Tu Laosan of the Wild Fox Gang left Zhou You with no other choice.

"Help me thank the Second Elder for his kindness, but I refuse."

Zhou You swept a faint glance at the Bone-Forging Powder and said decisively.

Who are you looking down on? A mere 3 portions of Bone-Forging Powder is only equivalent to 3 plasters of Tiger Bone Paste.

Becoming an Apprentice of the martial arts school, one gets 1 plaster of Tiger Bone Paste every three days, which can be obtained in ten days; who would be bought off by this little bit of stuff?

Mixing with gangs is jumping into a big mud pit, willingly degenerating, and even one's vision becomes much more shallow.

What? He actually refused.

Gao Qiang's eyes revealed an expression of disbelief, "Zhou You, think about it again."

"No need to consider it, farewell."

Zhou You did not say another word, pushed open the door, and walked out of the room, leaving behind a shocked Gao Qiang.

Gao Qiang did not recover for a long while; he could not figure it out—that was 3 portions of Bone-Forging Powder, what confidence did Zhou You have to refuse?

He discovered that he truly did not recognize his former friend anymore.

After Zhou You left, he thought that this friend was sinking deeper and deeper and would only be able to mix with gangs for the rest of his life.

Moreover, attempting to use him time and again was also ill-intentioned.

If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't shown any overt malice, Zhou You would have already moved to deal with him.

"I beg you, have mercy, give us two more days."

"It's not that we won't pay, it's just that business is bad and we have no cash; if you seal the shop, how will our family survive?"

"Is there no justice left?"

On the street ahead, crying shook the sky, accompanied by miserable pleas for mercy.

Passersby chatted, "The Wild Fox Gang is doing evil again."

It turned out to be a shop doing a wool yarn business; business had been bad lately, and they had to pay taxes and protection fees.

Finally, today, they could no longer hold on.

This street was the territory of the Wild Fox Gang, which reacted faster than the government and came to seal the shop.

The one leading the execution was, shockingly... Tu Laosan.

Tu Laosan was born with the image of a villain; as the saying goes, appearance stems from the heart, and in his case, it was not false at all.

His cheekbones were extremely high, and his eyes were narrowed into long slits, looking exactly like a hungry wolf.

Several Wild Fox Gang members rushed into the shop to smash things, while the shopkeeper's family sat on the ground holding each other and wailing.

Once the shop was sealed, they lost their only livelihood and would become destitute in the blink of an eye.

There were many onlookers around, but they only dared to watch from afar; no one dared to intervene or even discuss it loudly.

"Smash it for me! You all watch closely—if you don't pay the protection fee, don't think about making a living under the eyes of the Wild Fox Gang."

Tu Laosan glanced at the shopkeeper's daughter, who was short, fat, and ugly, and couldn't be sold for a good price, so he shook his head in disappointment.

The private secretary on the side held the account book and explained to him, "There isn't much cash in this shop's accounts, but the wool yarn in the warehouse can offset some silver."

"Then find someone to sell it off."

The private secretary eagerly agreed and turned to find a way.

Zhou You watched the private secretary's departing back, and a scheme welled up in his heart.

A moment later...

"Third Master, Third Master, it's bad! The private secretary has been snatched away!"

A gang member returned, panting, to report the news.

"What? Daring to snatch my private secretary? Who has such dog guts?"

Tu Laosan threw aside the weeping and pleading shopkeeper's family and grabbed the reporting gang member by the collar to demand an answer.

"It's the people from the Crazy Horse Gang; it seems they headed toward the territory of that kid Gao Qiang."

Tu Laosan was furious and immediately called the surrounding gang members who were smashing things to his side, "Go, let's go get the private secretary back."

At this moment, where was the snatched private secretary?

Zhou You carried the unconscious, goat-bearded private secretary, moving as fast as flying; others only saw a flash of a figure.

When the Level 7 Square Circle Step was activated, the speed was as fast as a gale; others only saw a figure streak past and could not see his appearance clearly.

He returned to the vicinity of Gao Qiang's room and specifically circled to the secluded back of the house.

With a casual toss, he threw the still-unconscious secretary into the corner like a dead dog.

"Meng Hu Quan: Tiger Leaps Over the Ravine."

Zhou You stretched his muscles and bones, his waist power driving an explosion of force in his limbs as he leaped onto the roof in a single bound.

After lifting a roof tile to look down, he saw no one in the room; clearly, Gao Qiang had gone out.

He jumped from the roof to the ground, crouched down to pull a box from under the bed, and opened it to find the 3 portions of Bone-Forging Powder still inside.

Outside the house, the voices of Crazy Horse Gang members could be heard; they were ordered to guard the Secret Medicine here.

Zhou You took the Bone-Forging Powder, pushed the empty box back under the bed, and jumped back onto the three-meter-high roof.

After tidying up the roof tiles and covering the traces of his visit, everything returned to its original state.

After another moment, Gao Qiang returned in a hurry and, upon entering the room, keenly sensed that something was wrong.

His expression changed drastically on the spot, and he lunged under the bed to retrieve the wooden box, his hands trembling.

The 3 portions of Bone-Forging Powder had been specially approved by the Second Elder and entrusted to him for temporary safekeeping.

As a minor leader, Gao Qiang had no right to use this item; if it were lost, the punishment would be at least the "three knives and six holes" penalty.

If Zhou You had accepted the recruitment and taken the Bone-Forging Powder, it would have been fine.

But if it were lost...

Clack, the wooden box opened, and it was empty inside.

Gao Qiang clutched his chest, stumbled back a few steps, and shouted out, "Someone, come here!"

The gang members around the house immediately became restless, rushing around the house like headless flies.

As expected, Tu Laosan's secretary was found.

"Brother Qiang, this old thing was hiding sneakily behind the house."

Gao Qiang recognized the goat-bearded man on the spot; he was Tu Laosan's secretary.

His mind raced; regardless of whether the other party had stolen it, the only ones who could take the blame for this were the Wild Fox Gang.

He screamed on the spot, "Tu Laosan sent someone to steal the Bone-Forging Powder! Follow me quickly to snatch it back!"

The low-level gang members were simple-minded and did not question why Tu Laosan would send a frail secretary to steal things.

They shouted loudly, grabbing knives and clubs to follow Gao Qiang to settle the score with Tu Laosan.

Halfway there, they were met head-on by Tu Laosan's men.

Seeing the secretary being held by Gao Qiang's subordinates, Tu Laosan was furious.

"Gao Qiang, you bastard, you dare to capture my people?"

Gao Qiang's eyes were bloodshot; he knew it would be difficult to explain today's events.

Having lost the 3 portions of Bone-Forging Powder, the Hall Master would skin him alive; only by escalating the situation could he possibly escape.

"Cut the crap! Hand over the Bone-Forging Powder, and I'll spare your life."

Tu Laosan was completely confused by what this guy was saying and waved his hand to order, "Attack!"

The two groups of men collided like a torrent, fighting until the sky turned dark on the spot.