togophonebook Chapter 25 Parting Ways
Chapter 25 Parting Ways
No one expected that the poor man who was originally eager to dance at the smell of soup would get the chance to enter the sect so quickly.
A month later.
The three courtyards of Yue'er Bay Wharf.
The young porters crowded the courtyard, mostly hard-working porters, but also some strong and healthy ones. The three branches combined could fit a hundred or so men in the courtyard.
The only thing they had in common was that they were young, physically strong, and had plenty of energy.
Yang Silang and several fellow villagers were also there; it had been a while since they had all gathered together like this.
Unfortunately, what Zhu said came true; at least this winter, the porters are having a tough time.
After the ice was frozen, there wasn't enough work, so the hard-footed workers were divided into two shifts to take turns unloading the goods.
The last time we all gathered like this was at Wu Tou'er's funeral, where we kowtowed and gave each other a small silver envelope.
Wang Daniu grabbed Xiao Jiling, the inquisitive one, and asked.
"Why does the association have to gather everyone up at this inconvenient time?"
"You're a gossip, have you heard anything?"
Xiao Jiling looked distressed.
"Hey, Brother Niu, even I, the all-knowing one, am not omnipotent. This time, I really don't know what to do."
"However, I heard something else. I was wondering if the Black Tiger Gang, who are backing us, have suffered several defeats in a row. I wonder if today's events are related to that."
The crowd was whispering among themselves.
Squeak.
As soon as the main door opened, four people came out.
At the front were two unfamiliar faces, with Song, who had a slanted eye, and Hai, the head of the association, following behind. Both of them were bowing and scraping.
Everyone has seen the head of the Hai family before; he still looks like that nouveau riche. With his slanted eyes, Song bent over even lower, and his eyes were no longer slanted, but staring obediently at the ground.
Then there's the person at the very front, whose body is as tall as an iron tower, who just seemed to have "squeezed" out of the door.
He wore a black satin robe with a tiger's head embroidered on the chest, fast boots, and had a fierce look with piercing eyes, a thick beard, and a blood-red mouth. He exuded a menacing aura that was quite intimidating.
Although he was dressed in rich clothes, he always gave the impression of a butcher wearing a landlord's coat, which was somewhat incongruous with his demeanor.
The man who followed him had the same demeanor and attire, just a smaller version of Eiffel Tower. In addition, he had tiger head embroidery on his shoulders.
Hai Hui smiled at the leading man, then turned to look at the porters and coughed.
"Brothers...you're all in luck!"
"Do you know who this important person is?"
"This is Chief Shang of the Black Tiger Gang. Why don't you pay your respects?"
Everyone was a little confused, not understanding why Chief Shang wanted to see a group of laborers, and hurriedly bowed down and knelt down.
The words "selling oneself into martial arts" flashed through Yang Silang's mind.
As everyone straightened up, they saw Chief Shang scan the entire room with a sharp gaze, looking at each and every one of them.
This person's gaze seemed to possess a murderous aura; whoever stared at him would feel uneasy, as if being watched by a tiger, and would involuntarily lower their head.
"Hmm," Chief Shang nodded in satisfaction, "Excellent, excellent, all top-notch, strong men!"
"Our Sanshui Association still has talented people!"
He glanced at Song, who had a slanted eye.
Slanted-eyed Song hurriedly stepped forward and shouted loudly.
"Brothers, with Chief Shang here today, our good fortune and opportunity have arrived!"
"When the Black Tiger Gang needs to recruit new blood, the first thing they think of is our Sanshui Society!"
"Joining the Black Tiger Gang and becoming a full member earns you two coins a day. Even as an outer disciple, you get one coin!"
"In the past, where would you find such a good opportunity? To join the gang as a formal member, with tiger stripes embroidered on your clothes, you had to be at least a junior martial arts apprentice!"
"You should know that the Black Tiger Gang never had more than twenty official members at its peak!"
"Moreover, we'll also receive the Black Tiger Fist technique from Chief Shang! This is a genuine, profound martial art that can cultivate a warrior with copper skin!"
"It's nothing like our three-legged stance!"
The porters were all incredulous when they heard this; how could such a wonderful thing happen to them?
Slanted-eyed Song then explained to everyone in detail that in order to be taught the Black Tiger Fist and become a formal member, one had to go through a selection process; not everyone could do it.
This recruitment drive only offers four or five spots for official members, with over twenty spots reserved for peripheral disciples.
That is, one out of a hundred or so men in the arena will be chosen from four.
To become a formal member of the Black Tiger Gang, one must sign a contract with them, meaning one is a member of the Black Tiger Gang in life and in death, and the gang will take care of one's entire life from birth to death.
The porters were somewhat agitated, whispering amongst themselves. Some were eager to try, while others, having heard that the Black Tiger Gang had recently suffered heavy losses, were not optimistic.
"Hmph..." Chief Shang snorted coldly.
He strode forward, and everyone made way for him, stopping right in front of the hard-footed stake.
This piece of wood is as tall as a person and as thick as a thigh. It is made of hardwood that has been soaked in tung oil, making it extremely durable.
With a roar, Chief Shang swung his hands into claw shapes, making a "ha-ha" sound as he swung them around like lightning, striking the wooden stake with a series of thuds. Deep claw marks were left on the stake, and wood chips flew everywhere as the stake shook violently.
Everyone was stunned.
"ha……"
After a fierce and relentless assault, Chief Shang roared, lashed out with his leg like a tiger's tail, and broke the stake, sending it crashing heavily against the courtyard wall.
boom!
The fact that a hole had been smashed into the rammed earth wall also struck a chord with everyone.
He turned to look at everyone and let out a long breath.
"A wolf travels a thousand miles to eat meat, a dog travels a thousand miles to eat excrement!"
"You're given the chance. Choose between meat and shit!"
"Tiger, you're in charge of selecting the people. It needs to be done this morning!"
His henchman hurriedly replied, "Yes," and Chief Shang flicked his sleeve and left.
Even though the person was gone, everyone's eyes were still fixed on the broken half of the stake and the big hole in the wall, and many people's breathing became heavy.
This is the strength of the Copper-Skinned Warrior!
And now, I actually have the opportunity to walk this path myself!
Yang Silang frowned.
Even if I were to unleash my full power by tearing off my shirt, I still wouldn't be able to beat that kind of explosive attack. That kick must have hundreds of pounds of force.
Moreover, the fingers must possess some kind of superhuman skill, capable of breaking through old wood with a mortal body. If they were to grab someone, wouldn't they leave a huge hole with each grab?
This guy is incredibly powerful!
"When Chief Shang left, his henchman Tiger said, puffing out his chest."
"Brothers, I am but a humble disciple of the gang leader."
"Once you've officially joined the sect, you can call me Senior Brother."
"Today's recruitment prioritizes those with strong legs, followed by those with average legs, and we will select the best of the best, choosing about twenty people depending on the situation."
"If you are interested, register with the head of the Hai Association. I will select the candidates! The test is simple: walk on these hard-footed stakes."
"Let me see your strength. Even if you are not strong enough, it doesn't matter. Let me see if you have courage and bravery. Those who are bold but not strong can also be selected."
The members of the association practice on thirty-six waist-high stakes.
The hard-footed stakes are as tall as a person, with a step and a half's distance between each stake, and the number has doubled to seventy-two. Nobody is familiar with them, so the assessment criteria truly depend on half strength and half courage.
The crowd was silent at first, then suddenly someone raised their hand and shouted.
"I'll do it!"
The atmosphere instantly ignited, and many people surged forward...
The work of porters has been really difficult lately. Even the lowest-paid porters, including the guild's subsidies, only earn fifty or sixty coins a day, while the regular members of the guild earn four times that amount!
So what if it's dangerous?
Do you think it's good for your family to go hungry?
Who knows how long this porter's job will last? Maybe taking a gamble will be a way out.
Crowded.
Li Erhu's breathing became heavy, and he turned to ask his fellow villager.
"I want to go, what about you?"
Yang Silang thought about it. Black Tiger Fist was indeed quite good, but being bound by a contract for life was unbearable. In any case, he hadn't even mastered the Mud-Walking Stance and the Three-Sword Style yet.
With a lifespan of 120 years, I refuse to believe I won't find an opportunity to learn martial arts.
He shook his head.
"My sister is still young; it's not appropriate for her to be involved in fighting."
Li Erhu then looked at Wang Daniu.
"Da Niu, what about you? Want to go along for backup?"
Wang Daniu scratched his head and shook his head.
"Last time I fought, I only realized I was a little dizzy from blood after the battle was over."
"I'm not even good at hitting people with a stick, let alone wielding a knife!"
"I'm not going. I'll just stay a porter and be a good porter!"
Li Erhu then looked at Xiong Shan.
"Kumayama, what about you?"
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xiong Shan's face.
"There's not much work in winter, you know. I found a job carrying water for a widow's family and did it for over a month."
Everyone nodded.
Xiao Jiling had said that the widow was very strong, with a thick waist and a tiger-like bottom. She had an eccentric personality and was dissatisfied with several of the porters who delivered water. Only Xiong Shan worked for her for a long time.
But they really had a lot of money; they lived in a multi-courtyard house and also had shops.
"She has taken a liking to me and said she is willing to marry me. If we have children in the future, one will take her surname and the other will take mine, so that the Xiong family line will continue. She also said she is willing to support me to study martial arts at a martial arts school."
Everyone was taken aback, and their gazes toward Xiong Shan were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Hiss... How did Xiong Shan end up eating this delicious, soft rice?
Well... considering the widow's figure, Xiong Shan probably ate a half-cooked meal, so everyone's mood improved a bit.
Li Erhu was also straightforward, bowing to the group.
"Fine, if you won't go, then I will."
"If I am chosen and become successful in the future, I will never forget our brotherhood!"
Wang Xiong Yang also said, "Brother, relax and do your best. Your luck is on fire, you're sure to win."
Li Erhu turned around, raised his hand high, and shouted to Manager Song, "Count me in!" He then squeezed into the surging crowd and quickly disappeared from sight.