When You Can't Pick Up Your Chopsticks

That night, the Iron Palm Gang was in chaos.

All gang members were dispatched to Luyang City; some to find carpenters, some to find tailors, and some to find embroiderers…

Han Zuo was seething with anger, yet he didn't dare to disobey Feng Qi's demands, not even daring to feign compliance.

Feng Qi acted without regard for consequences. Han Zuo worried that the guy would really dare to push Hall Master Qiu out the next day to inspect his work. Changing the Iron Palm Gang to the Peacekeeping Gang was somewhat embarrassing, but it was better than having the Hall Master tragically die because of him.

River transport was a lucrative business, and countless eyes were on it. Without Qiu Yuanlang keeping things in check, the Iron Palm Gang wouldn't be far from collapse.

At worst, he'd deal with Feng Qi, humble himself, and then clear the Iron Palm Gang's name. — In Qiu Yuanlang's hospital room, Dug and Liu Cheng talked about their ideals all night, and also probed each other.

Liu Cheng's original intention was to stay with Dug, to see if he could find an opportunity to snatch the Hall Master away from him. Who knew that by the end of it, even the sickly Wang San had managed to catch a quick nap, yet Feng Qi was still full of vigor, without a hint of tiredness.

On the contrary, he himself was yawning repeatedly, barely able to keep going. If Feng Qi hadn't been without murderous intent towards him, he would have been the first to collapse.

Daylight broke.

Liu Cheng, with dark circles under his eyes, yawned and said, "Seventh Master has such boundless energy. You must be an outstanding one even among the Heavenly Demons!"

Dug modestly replied, "Outstanding is too strong a word. I just happen to be a bit more energetic."

In truth, Dug had originally planned to tie up Liu Cheng, then take turns resting with Wang San. On Earth, he had experimented with the special forces' eight-minute rest method, where napping for eight minutes periodically could restore most of one's energy.

Coupled with his keen five senses and Wang San's early warning, sneaking in eight minutes shouldn't have been a problem.

But who knew that after a whole night of commotion, he didn't feel sleepy at all? It must have been related to his surging stats and the previously increased mental power, which was an unexpected bonus.

It made sense, too.

Virtual characters in games only ever had stamina settings; when they needed to sleep or rest depended entirely on whether the person playing the game outside was tired.

Wang San still needed sleep; the Simulation Arena's settings were already very user-friendly. However, he recovered his energy after resting for about half an hour, so his stats were likely quite high as well.

At this moment.

A clamor came from outside.

Accompanied by cries of "Young Master, don't be impulsive!"

With a bang, the door was kicked open, and a person burst in with a cold gust of wind: "I'd like to see what kind of Heavenly Demon dares to… Dad…"

The person stopped abruptly, seeing Qiu Yuanlang with a sword at his neck.

"Young Master? Qiu Feilong?" Dug glanced at him and said indifferently, "Impulsiveness is a demon. Do you know that if I hadn't raised the sword by an inch in time, your actions just now would have sent your father to his grave? I've preserved your filial piety; you should thank me…"

"Go to hell!" Qiu Feilong roared furiously, "Let go of my father, and I'll spare your life."

Han Zuo followed him in, now dressed in a blue and black uniform with a white circle on the front, inside which was neatly written the character "Peacekeeping."

He awkwardly surveyed the scene in the room, then reached out to pull Qiu Feilong, subtly saying, "Young Master, let's go outside first. The Hall Master needs rest. We can talk outside…"

"My father has a sword pointed at him, and you want me to go talk outside?" Qiu Feilong fumed, pointing at the "wei" character on Han Zuo's chest. "And you, you idiot, you do whatever he tells you? Are you an Iron Palm Gang member, or are you his?"

"I…" Han Zuo glanced at Dug, unable to say anything, looking embarrassed.

"Kneel, or I'll cut off one of your father's fingers," Dug suddenly shouted, looking at Qiu Feilong. With a clang, he drew another long sword, pressing its blade against Qiu Yuanlang's thumb. "Is my subordinate someone you can scold?"

"…" Qiu Feilong was stunned, glaring furiously at Dug.

"Feng Qi, what nonsense are you spouting? When did I become your subordinate?" Han Zuo retorted, his face flushed.

"Wearing the Peacekeeping Gang's uniform makes you my subordinate," Dug said sternly. "If I can't even uphold the dignity of my own people, how can I uphold justice in the world?"

He then looked at Qiu Feilong again: "Kneel!"

Dug didn't miss any opportunity to assert his authority. He pressed down on the long sword, and Qiu Yuanlang's finger immediately bled. The unconscious Qiu Yuanlang instinctively twitched.

"You dare?" Qiu Feilong said anxiously. He lunged forward. Dug pressed the sword in his other hand against Qiu Yuanlang's throat, looking provocatively at Qiu Feilong, "Rebellious son, do you want to commit patricide and usurp the throne?"

Qiu Feilong's face turned dark, caught between a rock and a hard place.

At this moment.

He finally understood why Han Zuo had stopped him at the door. If Feng Qi wasn't killed, this was an unsolvable situation. Whoever entered would be humiliated, unless they wanted their father to die.

"Not kneeling?" Dug shook his head and let out a mocking laugh. "Old Qiu, oh Old Qiu, you've raised a good, ambitious son. What a pity, from now on, your nickname in the martial world will probably be 'Nine-Fingered Divine Palm.' I hope that when you can't pick up chopsticks later, you won't resent your son…"

Saying this, he raised his long sword, making as if to strike.

"Stop!" Qiu Feilong's eyes were bloodshot. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'll kneel."

He glared at Dug, slowly knelt on the ground, and said word by word, "Are you satisfied now?"

"Why are you kneeling to me?" Dug looked bewildered. "Kneel to Han Zuo! You insulted his dignity, not mine?"

"…" Qiu Feilong was stunned. His face turned livid as he stood up, turned to Han Zuo, and was about to kneel again, "Hall Master Han, it was my fault."

Han Zuo hastily helped him up, saying, "Young Master, there's no need." He looked at Dug, flustered, "Seventh Master, there's no need to stand up for me. I don't have any dignity…"

"Hall Master Han, you may not have dignity, but when you wear that uniform, you represent the Peacekeeping Gang. I'm not just defending your dignity, but also the Peacekeeping Gang's reputation," Dug said sternly. "I want every Peacekeeping Gang member to know that as long as they wear this uniform, no one can bully them."

Nobody bullies us, just you, you bastard, you bully us!

I could have survived changing the signboard and the uniform, but with the Young Master kneeling to me like this, I have no way out in the Iron Palm Gang…

Han Zuo was almost in tears.

Dug's move was too ruthless; it effortlessly alienated him from the Young Master.

"Hall Master Han, don't try to stop me. I brought this kneeling upon myself." Qiu Feilong's face was grim as he pushed Han Zuo's hand away and gave him a solid kowtow. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have insulted the Peacekeeping Gang."

It's over!

Han Zuo closed his eyes in pain, a wave of despair washing over him.

"Are you satisfied now?!" Qiu Feilong stood up again, his gaze cold as he looked at Dug, as if he were looking at a dead man.

"Young Master, please don't blame me. The Peacekeeping Gang was jointly established by me and your father. To uphold justice in the martial arts world, one must use iron-blooded methods. I had no choice but to do this. After all, you are also a member of the Iron Palm Gang. Since you've returned, you should fulfill your filial duty and change into the Peacekeeping Gang's uniform first!" Dug smiled. "The Old Master hasn't woken up yet. When he does, I hope he sees a completely new gang…"

"Feng Qi, don't push your luck," Qiu Feilong said angrily.

"You've already knelt, what's changing clothes? I can't possibly threaten you with your father's fingers again, can I?" Dug looked at Qiu Yuanlang regretfully, then picked up a sword, poised over his fingers. "In the future, when you can't pick up chopsticks, I hope you don't resent your son…"

This is a reverse-ladder effect: when you ask someone to do something excessive, then ask them to do something less excessive, they are more likely to accept the latter.

"Fine, I'll change." Qiu Feilong's eyes widened, his face flushed, and he said with deep humiliation, "Hall Master Han, go get me a set of clothes."

Han Zuo nodded.

"Four sets," Dug corrected. "Gang Leader, Hall Master Liu, and this doctor also need to change."

Liu Cheng remained silent. After a night of confrontation, he had long understood that facing Dug, obedience was the best approach, as it would cause the old gang leader less suffering.

Throughout the night, Dug had rubbed more than ten marks onto his neck. If it happened a few more times and calluses formed, they could change their name to the Iron Neck Gang.

Dug thought for a moment, then looked at Qiu Feilong and instructed, "Young Master, you are the eldest son of the Qiu family. When other hall masters come to visit your esteemed father later, you will be responsible for receiving them. Whoever comes, they must change their clothes. If they don't, I will chop off your father's fingers. There are still six hall masters, so ten fingers should be enough."

Qiu Feilong was furious: "Feng Qi, don't push your luck! My father is in such a state, how can he wear clothes?"

Dug said, "Just draping them over him is fine. Old Qiu is a symbol of the Peacekeeping Gang, he must set an example no matter what…"