When You Can No Longer Hold Chopsticks

That night, the Iron Palm Sect was thrown into chaos.

All the gang members were sent out into Luyang City. Some went to find carpenters, others tailors, and still others embroiderers...

Han Zuo was seething with anger, but he didn't dare disobey Feng Qi's orders—not even by doing a halfhearted job.

Feng Qi did things without thinking about the consequences. Han Zuo worried that the man might actually wheel Lord Qiu out the next day to inspect the results of his labor. Changing the Iron Palm Sect into the Peacekeeping Gang was embarrassing, but it was better than letting him kill their leader.

The canal transport business was a juicy prize, with who knew how many eyes fixed on it. Without Qiu Yuanlang keeping things in check, it wouldn't be long before the Iron Palm Sect was wiped out.

At worst, once Feng Qi was dealt with, Han Zuo could take the blame and help clean up the Iron Palm Sect's reputation.

In Qiu Yuanlang's hospital room, Du Ge spent the night talking ideals with Liu Cheng, while the two of them probed each other all night long.

Liu Cheng had meant to keep an eye on Du Ge and see if he could find a chance to snatch the leader back from him. But by the end of the night, even the sickly Wang San had managed to catch a little nap, while Feng Qi was still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, without the slightest hint of fatigue.

Liu Cheng, on the other hand, was yawning again and again and could barely keep going. If Feng Qi hadn't shown any intent to kill him, he would certainly have been the first to collapse.

Dawn broke.

With dark circles under his eyes, Liu Cheng yawned. "Seventh Master, you have incredible stamina. You must be one of the best among the Heavenly Demons!"

Du Ge replied modestly, "I wouldn't say one of the best. I'm just lucky enough to have a little extra energy."

Actually, Du Ge had planned to tie Liu Cheng up, then take turns resting with Wang San. He'd tested the special forces' eight-minute rest method back on Earth: take a quick eight-minute nap now and then, and you could recover most of your energy.

With his keen senses and Wang San keeping watch, sneaking in eight minutes of sleep shouldn't have been a problem.

But after a whole night of keeping busy, he hadn't felt the least bit sleepy. It was probably related to his sharply increased stats and the extra mental strength he'd gained earlier. That was an unexpected bonus.

It made sense, when he thought about it.

Virtual characters in games only had stamina stats. When did they ever need to sleep? They rested entirely according to whether the person playing the game outside was tired.

Wang San still needed to sleep, so the Simulation Field's setup was already very lifelike. Still, he'd only rested for a little over half an hour before regaining his energy. His stats were probably pretty high, too.

Just then,

a commotion came from outside.

It was accompanied by someone's warning: "Eldest Young Master, don't do anything rash!"

With a bang, the door was kicked open, and a figure charged inside with a gust of cold air. "I want to see what kind of Heavenly Demon dares to—Dad..."

The man saw Qiu Yuanlang with a sword held to his neck and came to an abrupt halt.

"Eldest Young Master? Qiu Feilong?" Du Ge glanced at him and said calmly, "Impulsiveness is the devil. Did you know that if I hadn't raised the sword just in time, your actions a moment ago would have sent your father to his grave? I preserved your filial piety. You should thank me..."

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

Han Zuo followed him in. He had changed into blue-and-black clothes, with a white circle on the front and a neatly written character for "Peace" inside it.

He glanced awkwardly around the room and reached out to tug at Qiu Feilong, tactfully suggesting, "Eldest Young Master, why don't we step outside? The leader needs to rest. Let's talk outside..."

"My father has a sword pointed at him, and you're telling me to go outside?" Qiu Feilong snapped. He pointed at the character for "Peace" on Han Zuo's chest. "And you, you fool! He tells you to do something, and you just do it? Are you with the Iron Palm Sect, or are you with him?"

"I..." Han Zuo glanced at Du Ge and could only stammer awkwardly.

"Kneel, or I'll cut off one of your father's fingers." Du Ge looked at Qiu Feilong and suddenly barked. With a metallic rasp, he drew another long sword and laid its edge against Qiu Yuanlang's thumb. "You think you can scold my man?"

"..." Qiu Feilong froze, glaring at Du Ge in fury.

"Feng Qi, what are you talking about? When did I become your man?" Han Zuo protested, his face flushed with agitation.

"If you're wearing the Peacekeeping Gang's clothes, you're one of my men." Du Ge spoke solemnly. "If I can't even defend my men's dignity, how can I defend justice throughout the land?"

He looked at Qiu Feilong again. "Kneel!"

Du Ge never passed up a chance to defend someone. He pressed down with the sword, and Qiu Yuanlang's finger immediately began to bleed. Unconscious, Qiu Yuanlang gave an involuntary twitch.

"You wouldn't dare!" Qiu Feilong cried. He suddenly took a step forward, but Du Ge pressed the sword in his other hand closer to Qiu Yuanlang's throat. He looked at Qiu Feilong provocatively. "You unfilial son. Are you trying to murder your father and seize his position?"

Qiu Feilong's face darkened. He was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Only then did he understand why Han Zuo had tried to stop him at the door. Unless they killed Feng Qi, this was an impossible situation. Anyone who came in would be humiliated—unless he wanted his father dead.

"You won't kneel?" Du Ge shook his head and gave a mocking laugh. "Old Qiu, Old Qiu, you raised yourself a son with plenty of spirit. What a pity. From now on, your nickname in the martial world will probably be 'One-Finger Palm.' When you can no longer hold chopsticks, I hope you won't blame your son..."

As he spoke, he raised the long sword, as if about to bring it down.

"Stop!" Qiu Feilong's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I'll kneel."

He glared at Du Ge, then slowly sank to his knees, enunciating every word. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Why are you kneeling to me?" Du Ge asked, looking utterly bewildered. "Kneel to Han Zuo! You insulted his dignity, not mine."

"..." Qiu Feilong froze. His face livid, he stood up and turned to Han Zuo, bending his knees to bow. "Hall Master Han, I was wrong."

Han Zuo hurriedly caught him. "Eldest Young Master, you don't have to." He looked at Du Ge in a panic. "Seventh Master, there's no need to stand up for me. I don't have much dignity anyway..."

"Hall Master Han, you may have no dignity, but when you put on those clothes, you represent the Peacekeeping Gang. I'm defending not only your dignity, but the gang's reputation." Du Ge spoke solemnly. "I want every member of the Peacekeeping Gang to know that once you put on these clothes, no one can bully you."

No one can bully us? You're the one who's been bullying us!

I could've survived a new sign and new clothes, but after the Eldest Young Master bowed to me, there's no way I'll live in the Iron Palm Sect...

Han Zuo was on the verge of tears.

Du Ge's move was too ruthless. He'd driven a wedge between Han Zuo and the Eldest Young Master with ease.

"Hall Master Han, don't stop me. I brought this on myself." Qiu Feilong said with a grim expression, brushing Han Zuo's hand aside and giving him a solid bow. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have insulted the Peacekeeping Gang."

It was over!

Han Zuo shut his eyes in pain, his heart overcome with despair.

"Are you satisfied now?" Qiu Feilong stood up again and looked at Du Ge, his gaze so cold he seemed to be looking at a dead man.

"Eldest Young Master, don't blame me. The Peacekeeping Gang was founded by your father and me together. Defending justice in the martial world requires an iron fist. I had no choice. You're a member of the Iron Palm Sect, too. Now that you're back, you should do your duty as a filial son and change into the Peacekeeping Gang's clothes!" Du Ge smiled. "Your father hasn't woken up yet. When he does, I hope he'll see a completely transformed gang..."

"Feng Qi, don't push me too far," Qiu Feilong snapped.

"You've already knelt. What's the big deal about changing clothes? Surely I don't have to threaten you with your father's finger again!" Du Ge gave Qiu Yuanlang a regretful look, then picked up the sword and hovered it over his finger. "When you can no longer hold chopsticks, I hope you won't blame your son..."

The reverse ladder effect: after you get someone to do something extreme, it's easier for them to accept a less extreme request.

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

Han Zuo nodded.

"Four sets," Du Ge corrected him. "The leader, Hall Master Liu, and this doctor need to change, too."

Liu Cheng said nothing. After a night of crossing wits with Du Ge, he understood that the best way to deal with him was to comply. That way, the old leader would suffer less.

All night, Du Ge's sword had scraped his neck more than ten times. A few more rounds, and they could rename themselves the Iron Neck Gang.

Du Ge thought it over, then looked at Qiu Feilong and ordered, "Eldest Young Master, you're the eldest in the Qiu family. From now on, you'll receive any hall masters who come to visit your father. Whoever comes, make them change clothes. If they refuse, I'll chop off one of your father's fingers. There are six more hall masters, and your father has ten fingers. That should be plenty."

Qiu Feilong exploded. "Feng Qi, don't push me too far! My father's in that state. How's he supposed to wear clothes?"

Du Ge replied, "He can just drape them over himself. Old Qiu is the symbol of the Peacekeeping Gang. No matter what, he has to set an example..."