Righteous Fist Society, Fighter

The thick iron door clanged shut, and the metal grates used for ventilation were pushed aside.

"Ah Yuan, you're early today."

Seeing that it wasn't a stranger, the wariness in his eyes faded.

Accompanied by the sound of a bolt being drawn, a burly man appeared behind the door.

He was bald, with a tattoo on his neck, wearing a short-sleeved denim jacket and studded leather pants.

His overall appearance perfectly fit the stereotype of a gangster, provided you didn't hear his gentle voice.

What a bear of a man!

Qin Shi was startled, thinking, Big brother, you're so burly, like a bear spirit. But when you speak, you sound like a cute kitten. What a contrast.

Li Yuan said with a smile:

"Brother Yu said we're putting on a show tonight, a big one. He told me and Ah Cheng to be attentive and not be late."

The bald man scratched his head, displaying an innocence completely at odds with his appearance. He said foolishly:

"Oh, really? Brother Yu has been preparing for a long time. He even invited a lighting director, a host, and umbrella girls from the metropolitan area. Ah Yuan, you should hurry inside. If Brother Yu doesn't see you soon, he'll start yelling again."

The bald man, with a physique like a football linebacker, moved aside. Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng entered one after another.

"Hey, Ah Yuan, why are you bringing someone else through the back door?"

Seeing a very unfamiliar, clean-cut young man, the bald man quickly stopped them, shaking his head with a troubled look:

"He's not from Midnight Palace, is he? That's against the rules."

Li Yuan turned back:

"He's my classmate. Midnight Palace has been hiring a lot of people lately. Brother Ze invited us for drinks last time and asked me and Ah Cheng to ask our friends if there were any trustworthy brothers we could recommend to work here.

Ah Shi studies martial arts with me, and he's smart. Brother Ze will definitely like him!"

Li Yuan's reason was quite convincing. The bald man looked at Qin Shi again. He had a delicate and refined appearance, like a well-behaved boy.

If he wore glasses, he'd look like a good student from a rich family in the metropolitan area.

"I see. Alright then, just remember to get him a uniform, or he'll stand out too much."

"You can count on Brother Yuan to handle things! I'll treat you to a meal another day, Sister Hua!"

Xie Yucheng clasped his hands together, smiling as he thanked the bald man for letting them pass.

"Why do you call him Sister Hua?"

Walking through the narrow corridor, barely wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side, and turning into the employee locker room of Midnight Palace, Qin Shi asked in a low voice.

"Brother Bald's real name is Niu Aihua. He likes to grow flowers and plants and feed cats. The old-timers who've been with Brother Ze for a long time tease him, saying he's like a woman, and call him Sister Hua.

He doesn't mind the nickname himself, so over time, everyone just calls him that."

Xie Yucheng changed into a white shirt, black vest, trousers, and leather shoes, then tied a red bow tie.

In an instant, he transformed from a senior student at No. 9 Vocational Middle School into a nightclub waiter.

"You're tall, so wear this. Ah Shi, don't think this is a bad place. We just carry fruit platters and serve drinks. We can earn almost a hundred yuan a night. If we get lucky with generous customers, we can get tips of several hundred."

Li Yuan took out a uniform from a locked metal locker and held it in his hand, not handing it over immediately:

"Brother Ze is a good person. It's good to get acquainted. If you have time in the future, you can work here.

Of course, if you don't like this kind of environment, that's fine too..."

Qin Shi took the uniform and quickly put it on:

"I was just worrying about not having a job! I quit my part-time job at the gym to attend Old Liang's tutoring classes. All I have left is a day-labor job at the youth center.

Being a waiter is better than being a receptionist; at least I can move around. I won't say too much politeness. When I get paid, I'll treat Brother Yuan and Brother Cheng to a meal at Li Ji Food Stall behind Ninth Middle School! Their stir-fried dishes are delicious!"

Xie Yucheng stifled a laugh:

"What are you talking about? The owner of that place is Brother Yuan's dad."

Qin Shi was stunned for a moment:

"Huh?"

Seeing that Qin Shi didn't show any signs of disgust or distance, Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. His approval deepened, and he chuckled:

"My parents were laid off and worked at a few small factories, but none of them lasted long before the bosses ran off.

Later, he thought, a living person can't be held back by such things. He bought a tricycle and worked from dawn till dusk selling boxed lunches.

After saving money for several years, he finally bought a storefront and started a neighborhood business.

Next time you go to eat there, say you're my classmate, and ask my brother to add a little extra rice."

"Explosive performances, thrilling shows, make your blood boil!"

"Fighting Club, soft opening in one week!"

"Fists to flesh, return to your wild nature..."

Several flashy posters were plastered in the hallway. Huge artistic fonts surrounded scantily clad ring girls, inevitably drawing the eyes of passing patrons.

"This is tonight's entertainment. Brother Ze has recruited many fighters and plans to host underground boxing matches to attract more bosses."

Li Yuan and Qin Shi stood in a corner, like henchmen awaiting summons.

The Midnight Palace was lavishly decorated, with a massive main hall boasting a ceiling height of seven to eight meters.

Winding staircases divided the space into two levels, creating numerous private rooms.

It didn't seem like a place that belonged on Old Factory Street.

Qin Shi had this thought pop into his head.

"Boxing matches? Is there prize money?"

He asked casually.

"Of course! I think it's 200,000... It's not easy money, though. It's not an official competition, so there are no restrictions, and you could easily end up crippled."

Li Yuan shivered, as if he had witnessed some bloody scene:

"Brother Ze's place hosts bare-knuckle fights. Once you're in the ring, no one cares if someone dies.

Everyone has to follow the rules, no calling the police or causing trouble. At most, they'll give some compensation, a relocation fee."

Qin Shi's eyelids twitched:

"That brutal? Someone could die with bare fists?"

Li Yuan nodded:

"Ah Shi, you don't know. A long time ago, the area around Beiguan Street was very chaotic. There were people extorting protection money, pimps and madams plying their trade, people being tricked into sweatshops to sell themselves... too many bad things.

So, gradually, gangs formed and established some rules. Every year during harvest season, the powerful bosses would gather to divide territories. Harmony brings wealth."

Brother Yuan, your boss isn't by any chance part of the Hong Xing gang, is he?

Qin Shi listened, and it sounded more and more like the gangster movies he'd watched in his past life.

He subtly observed his surroundings and spotted several burly figures in black suits guarding the staircase leading to the second floor.

Each of them had the same tattoo on the back of their hand: a clenched, black fist!

"These are the bodyguards of the big bosses. A few years ago, one of the big bosses started the 'Righteous Fist Society,' and he keeps a lot of fighters. They say Brother Ze used to fight in the ring too, and he gained the favor of the big boss, which is how he got the biggest venue in Beiguan Street, the Midnight Palace."

Li Yuan was well-informed, clearly having been involved here for a while.

"Righteous Fist Society..."

Qin Shi silently took note, then asked:

"Why keep fighters? To train bodyguards?"

Li Yuan hesitated slightly, glanced around, and then lowered his voice:

"To train 'Fighters,' people specifically for fighting in underground boxing matches. Old Factory Street has many territories and many gangs. The constant fighting disrupted business for the bosses, so they decided to settle disputes with fights instead.

I heard from Sister Hua that Brother Ze rose to prominence because the big boss had a conflict with some hotshot newcomer. Brother Ze volunteered to draw lots for a fight to the death. He won that match, helping the big boss win both face and honor."

Qin Shi suddenly understood. He finally grasped why Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng were working so hard to learn martial arts and take cram courses to develop their vitality.

Unlike other students who planned to go down to the mines to earn money.

The appearance of that Brother Ze from the Righteous Fist Society showed them another path.

Sigh, being a gangster has no future, Brother Yuan. With your brains and personality, you'd be lucky to be a 'runner,' and that's only if you get the chance to recognize a boss as your godfather.

Qin Shi thought to himself, not optimistic about Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng's choice.

But from their perspective, this was indeed the only chance for youths born in Old Factory Street who couldn't get into good universities to make a name for themselves.

Fortunately, I have other options, allowing me to sprint towards a broader future.

Qin Shi felt fortunate. If he hadn't gotten into the New No. 1 Middle School in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area, and hadn't unlocked the Monument to study Old Martial Arts under Old Liang.

Perhaps he wouldn't have been able to escape this precarious, wild-grass-like fate!