Brothers, grab your weapons and follow me!

Several days passed.

During that time, Lin Fan settled into a steady routine. Every morning, he got up and practiced staff techniques for an hour. After filling his stomach, he went to Qingfang Private School to study the law. When he returned to the pier, he had his men swing staffs at him to help him practice Beginner Body Refinement.

Inside the warehouse.

Dull thuds rang out without pause.

Lin Fan stood with his muscular upper body bare and his legs braced in a horse stance. He gritted his teeth and let two of his men bring their staffs down on him.

The younger brothers under him had long since gotten used to the sight.

At first, they had been stunned. Now they watched him with admiration. They had seen it with their own eyes, and their respect for their boss had sunk deep into their hearts.

What ordinary person could take a beating like that?

If it were them, they'd have been beaten so badly they couldn't get out of bed.

But Brother Lin only seemed to get more energetic with every blow, like some terrifying beast that didn't know pain.

Whenever they stood before Brother Lin, they could always feel an oppressive presence.

So their attitude toward Lin Fan had gradually shifted from envy to the awe they felt now.

Outside the warehouse, a young man in gang uniform appeared with an old man. The young man took several deep breaths, as though he'd made up his mind, then headed inside.

"Second Uncle, I don't know if this'll work, but when we go in, don't say anything out of line."

"Got it. Your second uncle understands."

The old man stooped over, a bamboo basket covered with a cloth in his hand. He nodded again and again at his nephew's words. He made his living fishing and had always lived aboard a fishing boat, selling his catch to fishmongers. He didn't earn much, but they'd managed to get by.

Who could have guessed that the only son in his family would suddenly fall ill, reduced to something like a living corpse? In that moment, the pillar of the household had crumbled.

His son needed medicine to stay alive.

His grandson was still young and needed raising.

The pressure weighed on him like a mountain.

He knew his nephew was at Jili Pier with Loyalty Hall, so he hoped his nephew might lend a hand and help him secure a spot for a fish stall at the pier.

After all, selling his fish to fishmongers brought in far too little.

Once inside the warehouse, the old man was so nervous he could barely breathe. His nephew was just as cautious, tense at heart, and looked as if he didn't dare make such a request.

After all, his second uncle couldn't afford the rent for a fish stall. He was hoping they might let him pay it off little by little over the next few months.

To be honest, even he thought the request was too much.

This was Loyalty Hall territory, not a charity.

He saw Brother Lin busy at work. Head bowed, he stood perfectly still and waited. He knew this was something Brother Lin did every day.

He was used to it, but for his second uncle, this was the first time.

Only then did the old man get a good look at his nephew's boss. His muscular, imposing frame brimmed with explosive power. The two men swinging staffs wore savage expressions, and every blow landed squarely on his body. When they lifted their staffs, the old man could just make out blood spraying through the air.

Half the warehouse was bright; half lay in shadow.

The divide between light and dark cut across Lin Fan.

In the old man's eyes, he looked more like a ferocious beast.

The old man's heart faltered, and his legs trembled. He wanted to run, but thinking of his family's situation, he steeled himself and waited.

Suddenly.

A furious shout rang through the warehouse, followed by a sharp crack.

The two wooden staffs broke on the spot. One of the broken pieces rolled to a stop at the old man's feet.

He looked down. The staff was as thick as an arm, yet it had been snapped in two. His blood ran cold.

[Beginner Body Refinement (Entry 1/300)]

A smile appeared at the corner of Lin Fan's mouth. After several days of hard work, he had finally reached the entry level.

He felt a warm current welling up inside him, leaving his limbs and bones tingling with relief. He could clearly feel his strength increasing, and his body had grown considerably tougher.

The two young men beside him hurried to bring him a towel.

"Thanks."

Lin Fan took the towel and wiped the sweat from his face. The two young men wiped the blood from his body. To them, Brother Lin was truly terrifying.

He'd taken blows from staffs as thick as an arm without making a sound.

And now he was even smiling.

They'd tried it themselves earlier, but after taking just one blow, they'd given up on the idea.

It had hurt like hell.

When he finished wiping his face, a young man beside him respectfully took the towel. Lin Fan looked toward the entrance. "Qian Tao, what is it?"

Qian Tao hurried forward, his voice full of respect. "Brother Lin, this is my second uncle. He has a favor to ask, and he hopes you'll agree."

Second uncle?

Lin Fan looked at the old man, who seemed timid and uneasy, and smiled. "What is it, sir? Go ahead and tell me."

"Master Lin, I'd like to rent a fish stall on your turf," the old man stammered.

"A fish stall? Sure."

Lin Fan could tell at a glance that the old man made his living fishing. Years of sun and rain had left his skin dark. As for renting a stall, he probably just didn't want to sell to fishmongers and hoped to earn a little more.

"Brother Lin, my second uncle's family has run into some trouble, so he can't afford the stall fee just yet. Could you give him a couple of months? He'll make it up to you then."

Lin Fan smiled. "It's fine. We're all brothers here. A couple of months is nothing."

Qian Tao's eyes reddened with gratitude at how readily Brother Lin agreed.

He truly hadn't expected Brother Lin to agree so readily.

"Brother Lin, thank you so much."

Lin Fan patted him on the shoulder. "It's fine. There's no need to be formal with your own brothers. Besides, I've seen how hard you work at the pier. Keep it up."

"Yes."

Just then, the old man hurriedly held out the bamboo basket. Before he could speak, Lin Fan cut him off.

"Sir, take that back with you. Qian Tao's my brother, and you're his second uncle. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

"But..."

The old man looked to his nephew for help. Master Lin wouldn't accept it. What was he supposed to do?

"Brother Lin, you see..." Qian Tao had hoped Brother Lin would take the basket so his second uncle could feel at ease. But seeing how firm Brother Lin was, he nodded and told his second uncle to take it back.

A little while later, Qian Tao left with his second uncle.

Lin Fan watched them go and sighed inwardly. He deeply understood that, for some people, a simple, casual yes could change the fate of an entire family.

His gesture had moved the young men around him.

They realized that Brother Lin really was a man of honor and loyalty.

They could serve a man like him wholeheartedly.

As if he'd noticed the way his men were looking at him, Lin Fan nodded at them, as though to say: Work hard and follow me. I won't keep all the glory for myself.

And what you had to give in return was—

Loyalty!

Outside the warehouse.

The old man grasped his nephew's hand. "Nephew, you've made something of yourself."

Qian Tao patted his second uncle's hand and said nothing. When he'd first joined Loyalty Hall, his family had opposed him. Even the relatives around them had whispered about him behind his back.

They'd all assumed he was out doing terrible things.

Now that they needed his help, he knew this would change how his family—and their relatives—saw him.

But he understood that this was all because Brother Lin had given him the chance.

It had given him the right to stand tall in front of his family.

The sun sank in the west.

Lin Fan stopped what he was doing in the warehouse and put the wooden staff back where it belonged. His efforts over the past few days had paid off.

[Basic Staff Technique (Great Success 452/1000)]

[Beginner Body Refinement (Entry 1/300)]

He clenched his fist. He felt like he could punch a cow to death now.

Was it an illusion?

Maybe not.

The effects of Beginner Body Refinement had exceeded his expectations.

But he'd never let himself get complacent. These were crude methods, earned through sheer hard work. They were surely worlds apart from true martial arts.

Though even the Security Bureau's officers didn't know martial arts existed, which undoubtedly made it harder for him to get his hands on them.

But that had its advantages too.

It meant he could use his abilities to establish himself in Yong'an City more quickly.

Once he joined the Security Bureau as an officer, he'd spare no effort in earning merit and climbing the ranks. His goal was crystal clear.

Join the Security Bureau and climb higher.

Eventually, gain access to the martial arts that ordinary people could never touch.

Just as he was gathering his things to head home, Wu Yong came rushing in, his face bruised and swollen.

"Brother Lin, something's happened."

Lin Fan's expression changed at the sight of Wu Yong. The whole day, the hall master had kept Wu Yong on as a pack mule. Apparently, one of the hall master's lovers loved shopping and had far too many things for him to carry.

But Wu Yong had come back in such a sorry state. That meant the hall master had run into trouble.

He didn't waste time thinking.

"Lead the way. Talk while we go."

Waiting to hear the whole story before setting off would waste time.

He could hear the details on the way and make the best use of his time.

Outside the warehouse.

"Fuck, brothers, grab your weapons and follow me!"

His furious shout brought an instant response. The young men who'd been getting ready to go home gathered around him in a flash.

.